Aru Shah One-Shots

Lilac

(Yeas. Rocket Punch is back! Go listen to Ring Ring be them it's really good. Anyway, this is an AU where they are NOT demigods or snakes. Or demons. Enjoy!)

~~~~~~~

We were in spring again. We've come all the way around. I was a bit excited for spring to come, the fragrance of flowers, and petals flying with the wind. I waited for a long time, and I endured it for a while. That's how much we grew up. Like my first love that fluttered, the courage I had at the time, I hoped that the buds of the world would sprout.

I remember walking out of school, and watching Cherry Blossoms spiral down from the trees, one even landed in my open palm. I smiled at it as I left my hand, going along with the others. But then I felt sad. I remembered how he would love to climb the trees and take down a flower, and put it in my hair, just for me. He would flash his signature smile and say, "For you, my dear."

Just thinking about him makes me want to bawl, but I contained myself. I could cry at home, in the closet, where no one's watching. And I can complain to my therapist. The others left me alone after the incident, so I just walked alone. It's fine, really. I was used to walking alone anyway, before I had friends. Petals passed in front of my face, and I stopped abruptly to watch them soar into the sky. The petals were a slight shade of purple, and they reminded me of Lilacs. I remember when winter was still here, and I could've sworn I saw a Lilac bloom. I presumed that Lilacs overcame the cold first, though I had to do my research on that. The Lilacs, who sprouted despite the cold, made me wonder if he is still blooming like them.

I put in my earbuds, and pulled up my 'Spring Ballad' playlist. Even though it probably wasn't a coincidence, "Lilac" by Rocket Punch was the first song. I put my phone in my jacket pocket, and continued to walk home, Cherry Blossoms spiraling around me, one even landed in my hair, as if he was trying to speak to me.

"Meon gireul doraseo chajawasseo. Bomnare hyanggiga...." Rocket Punch's Dahyun sang.

Was it really spring again? Would this mean that it's been a year since the incident? I continued to walk until I looked to my right, and saw some gardeners planting greenery. I had a flashback to when he and I would always greet the gardeners, and help them plant some greenery. But I guess they had more workers, because they had just finished. They didn't have that much last year, so I wonder why so many more people wanted to garden...

I chuckled, and thought of my sister. She wasn't really my sister, but we're so close to the point we called each other family. She loves to garden, and she has her own greenhouse with her other sister and her family. I thought that the gardeners wouldn't come back, because I saw on the news that they protested for a higher pay, but I guess they did get a raise, and now there were more. He would've been proud. Now that winter has come to an end, and spring officially started, now my sister and I will start up our garden again. But this time, he won't be here with us.

When I made it to the bus stop, I looked left and right multiple times before crossing the street to my house. When I reached the other side of the road, I continued to walk to my house. I sighed. I miss him so much. I want to hug him again, hold him when he's weary, hold his hand, and give him warmth. If only we could meet again. I passed my sister's greenhouse, with a sad smile on my face, and a few minutes later, I passed my other sister's mom's museum. I recalled when we would pass by here, and we would stop inside to look at the new exhibits. His face was my everything.

He told me that he grew up in the richer side of the state we live in, and he's never been to a museum before. So, when he told me this, I immediately took him to the museum, and his face was filled with so much astonishment. But sometimes I still wonder, no matter what weather, would he be the Lilac that bloomed and sprouted? Does he still bloom now? I shook my head, ignoring the thought and blamed it on the song I was listening to. It was really spring again, huh?