Homeless Rose | Woosan

Four

"They're three on one...Wooyoung would have told me to help him..."

San thought outloud with a sigh and stepped in. "Hey! Stop this at once!"

"Hah! And who are you?"

"Is it really fair that the three of you are attacking him alone?"

The said three guys laughed. "Shut up and stay out of it grandpa!"

San frowned, they're just rebellious kids.
"I'll call the police on you."

"Oh no! I'm so scared!" One guy mocked with a provocative laugh.

He stepped forward, reaching his arm to grab San's throat, but what he didn't know is that San was naturally so fast and by training a master at taekwondo and self defense.

Unexpectedly and with a swift move, the attacker was face first on the ground.

San took the chance to actually dial the police number and waved his phone at the other two, who were looking at him with terror shown on their faces.

They did have knives with them.

But they were no more than cowards who only scared people with the sharp objects, and too scared themselves to use them.

"Run!" One yelled and started running away with the other two.

San canceled the call and squatted down in front of the rose seller, who was sitting down on the ground the entire time, not moving a muscle.

"Are you okay?"

He received no more than a quick nod with some fear behind it.

San sighed. "You shouldn't stay in this area-"

"Please leave."

San blinked in surprise. "Excuse me?"

Did he just put himself in danger and through all of that trouble for this person and the only thing he gets is a request to leave?

"I appreciate your help, but please just leave me alone."

So San did as told. More out of anger and regret than actually listening to the guy's request.

.

The next day came and San was still thinking about that guy and why he always told him to leave.

Scolding himself for letting his mind be occupied with a stranger who didn't even respect him or his help didn't work and he only thought about him more.

San ate his lunch quietly behind the counter, the guy was an alcoholic thief not worth sympathy, yet he helped him, shouldn't he at least be grateful?

Without even having to think of an excuse, San decided to have a proper conversation with him that evening.

After all, what more does have to do with his life?

.

"Roses...buy roses for your lover..."

The guy repeated over and over again with a quiet soft voice and a lowered head.

And San stood there for a few minutes without being noticed.

"Roses...buy-"

"Stop it!" San cut him off annoyed. "There's no one around and the cars are all moving! Who are you trying to sell these to?!"

The boy looked up at the source of the interrupter's voice. "What are you doing here?"

"Seriously? Now you ask? It's been 10 minutes."

"What are you doing here?" He asked again.

"Do you have a home?"

"None of your business."

"Will you stop that attitude, I'm trying to help."

"I didn't ask for you help." The guy turned his head to the opposite direction to express his annoyance and upset.

"But you need it."

The guy threw one of the dead roses at San.
"I don't!"

San rolled his eyes with a scoff. "Nobody is going to buy dead roses, when will you realize that."

"They're dead already?" He asked in a surprised but disappointed tone while looking down.

Before San could react, a teenage boy walking past them, quickly reached down and grabbed some money from the guy's little cardboard box in front of him and continued walking like nothing happened.

San stood stunned, how could he not react at all? Did he not notice? Did he not see?

Wait...

The constant defense mode...
The aimless punches...
The 10 minutes of silence San stood there without getting noticed.
Selling dead and bended roses without realizing it...
And now this...

They all made sense now.

"Excuse me for my question....but are you..."

The dirt covered man scoffed. "Blind?"