✔︎ unrequited flowers | nishimura riki

IX

It's a baseless accusation. Ayano has put a lot of effort into acting absolutely normal around Ni-Ki ever since that first sprout of an anemone flower grew in her mouth, it had been almost 6 months now.

"Yes you have," he says with a pout, marking each word. Ni-Ki rolls on his back on the bed and opens the book on the marked page. They usually buy one book and take turns reading it just for fun. Ayano looks away, the fondness that washes over her chest makes her afraid flower petals will replace her tears and start flowing out. More things she had discovered with Sunghoon over these past months.

"I'm not avoiding you," Ayano mumbles quietly.

"You are."

.

Ni-Ki went home straight after that. He had a date with Sunoo. Ayano was surprised to hear Ni-Ki still hadn't asked Sunoo out. They were just dating for the sake of trying before anything bad happened, for instance - they fight, kiss and make up all over again, then it turns sour and bitter

Sunghoon came over to Ayano's place since it was the weekend. The boy just made sure Ayano was still alive. After seeing Ni-Kiand actually talking to him, Ayano learns something interesting.

The flowers grow faster when you see your loved one. The whole process of having flowers grow from your body is not only scary, but also tiring - it leaves Ayano thirstier and she feels weak. As if the pain of plucking them out and the bleeding and the marks that they're gonna leave weren't enough.

For a couple of nights, the girl dreams there's flowers growing up her throat, and they grow so big they end up suffocating her. She wakes up and drinks water from the glass she leaves on the table. There's some discomfort, a mere reminder of the dream, but apart from that, all that's left of the dream is the unfounded fear that love is going to kill her.

Petals, covered in blood.

Pain rolled up her throat.

Thorns pierced her heart.

Why did it have to be her? Out of all the people on earth, why did she have to get this disease? All because she fell in love. Was this fate's way of punishing her for something she has done? If not, then why? Why would she be put through all this suffering? Whose decision was it to make her fall in love? Dying wasn't enjoyable, especially at the rate she was. Slowly eating away at her, minute by minute, hour by hour. At some point there would be nothing left, but when would that happen?