KPOP IMAGINES and ONESHOTS

PARK SEONGHWA: Roses and Thorns

Seonghwa was returning to his tribe. The battle was short but fierce, the loses - drastic. But they won and peace will be back and that's what mattered. Seonghwa was returning to his home, his armor covered from the blood of both his enemies and allies. He was returning to his home, desperate to see his wife, the mother of his only child, who had also gone to fight the battle.

He, unlike her, was a cleric and a necromancer. He could fight his battles without being hurt, it being the reason that after the battle of two days he was not wounded but fatigued and mentally exhausted. Killing that many opponents, and constantly healing your people and seeing them die in front of your eyes can do that to you.

But she, the love of his life, was a warrior. The first time he saw her, she was training, a sword in her hands, sweat of her hard work adorning her face. The smile she had when she won a combat was also the smile that won him over. But this also meant that she was fighting at the field, risking her own life. Seonghwa trusted her, he knew she'd win, she wasn't the best for nothing.

Entering the tribe he noticed that the damage had not stopped at the battle field. He looked around, his tired eyes taking in the damaged state of the tribe. The enemies managed to enter the tribe , causing harm to the vulnerable ones, who cannot even protect themselves, let alone others. Many houses were burnt, dead bodies lying in a line, a piece of cloth covering them.

Seonghwa picked his pace and ran to his home, anxiety crippling up his back. His son, his wife, his home- being the only things to occupy his mind. His heart pounded in his chest as he stopped in front of the house. It was deep inside the tribe that the enemies couldn't reach it. But his heart was still beating in an uncomfortable speed as he opened the door.

Entering he noticed the silence in there, almost eerie, making the hair in his neck stand up. He walked in further, reaching his son's room. He was told to stay there until one of his parents return. He pushed open the door, entering the room, and turned on the light switch. His son was sitting in a corner, crouching, his head in his hands which were resting on his knees.

His son looked up and ran to him, colliding his small body with such force, that Seonghwa could feel the fear leaving his body. He bent down and placed a kiss on his son's forehead. But he couldn't rest. The fact that his son was in his room meant that she, his mother wasn't home yet. He gave his son his favorite teddy, and promised that he will be back with his mother.

___

Outside, Seonghwa was running in all directions possible. She was nowhere to be found. He checked at the entrance the third time, hoping to see her return, when he came across on of the warriors from her group, one of her closest friends. Seeing Seonghwa's distressed state, he guessed it might be about her and told him, "She came to protect the tribe when they attacked the homes. The were fighting at the Eastern Fields, she might be there."

Seonghwa ran there, desperate to see her. Reaching the Eastern Fields he was met with the same scene of corpses of warriors scattered around. And now he felt like throwing up. There were warriors taking the dead bodies to the field, to pay them respect before the cremation. But she wasn't there, among the helpers.

In a distance he saw three female warriors kneeling before a body, heads hung low. He identified them right away, they were her disciples. He slowly walked up to them, his heart shattering with every step. Lying there was her lifeless body. Her eyes that always shined so bright were dull, her pale face breaking his soul.

Seonghwa shook his head, no, he's a cleric, he can heal people, he can save her. He ran up to her and kneeled there, whispering all the healing spells he knew. He saw the cut across her face heal, next her arm patched up. With a hopeful heart he kept on whispering the spells, seeing the gushing wound in her stomach close up. He kept on slamming the spells to her body, hoping to see a sliver of life.

Her three students cried at his state, telling him she had been dead for long enough that she can't be revived. He ignored their cries, slamming the magic to her cold corpse. It was all healed now, not a single wound to be seen. But it was her cold heart that would not start again.

Seonghwa cried out, in frustration, in desperation, in exhaustion, and in pain. The constant healing was taking a toll on his own body. His head pounded, heart slammed against his chest, eyes blurred from the tears that would not stop. He was now slamming the spells with such force that the ground was forced to bloom plants and flowers around her body.

Roses were blooming around her, thorns surrounding her body, but her body was not going to come alive. Soon the spells tired Seonghwa so bad, he fell right there, next to her, his throat aching from crying for her, eyes burning and face wet from his tears.

___

Seonghwa opened his eyes to find himself in his bedroom. He looked around and saw his best friend sitting on a chair, his face in his hands. Seonghwa sat up, alerting his friend, and got up to go see her. His eyes again burning from the tears that threatened to fall. His friend stopped him, shaking his head said, "You're weak, sit down. You need to rest."

Before Seonghwa could ask him something he again began, "We found you at the Eastern Fields, unconscious, lying next to her body. The healer treated you, while we tried to move her body to the cremation ground to pay her respect. But, we couldn't. The spells you used forced the ground to bloom flowers around her. She's still lying there, surrounded by the blood red roses and protected by the thorns. She still looks like she did three days ago, but she's as dead as death could be."

This time Seonghwa let his tears fall, when he went to Eastern Fields to visit her. He found his son, sitting there, a rose in his hand with his head hung low, mourning the loss of his mother. Seonghwa sat down beside him, patting his head, silently apologizing for not being there with him when the news reached him.

___

Today you can still find her, her body adorned by blood red roses and protected by thorns, unscathed, imperishable, resting in the Eastern Fields.

🌹🌹🌹