✔︎ unrequited flowers | nishimura riki

XVI

He sends the text, wanting to be supportive until his mind runs wild thinking about what Ayano could be doing now, if she's okay, why she doesn't want to see him on her birthday. He's tearing up as he types the question that's plagued him for weeks.

\ What did I do wrong? \

Ni-Ki sent the text out of frustration. He decides to give some time for Ayano to reply.

He's sitting on the couch waiting for Sunoo to get home, tapping his foot on the carpet absentmindedly when he decides that even if he can't see Ayano on his birthday, the fact of which he's still struggling with, he can at least buy her a present. He'll ask Sunoo to give him Sunghoon's address and ask him to give it to her.

He sends a text to Sunoo letting him know he's leaving before he heads out the door as he got the address. It took a while for Sunoo to reply since he had to ask Ayano and Sunghoon, the two planned something as they waited for Ni-Ki to arrive. The boy goes to a few different stores, trying to find something good enough for his best friend, and each time he leaves frustrated and empty handed.

He runs his fingers through his hair, imagining what Ayano would say if he were here. She would tell him he doesn't need to get her anything at all, that it's the thought that counts. He's struck by an idea, and he leaves the store he's in to rush home.

When he leaves the apartment again, darkness is creeping over campus, and he has a wrapped box in hand, card set on top of it. He makes his way to the subway station and hopes that Ayano will like what he's giving her, even though he won't be able to see her open it. He pushes away the heaviness in his heart at the reminder. He repeats Sunoo's words to himself in his head; this is what Ayano needs, and she'll come to him when he's ready, she'll be okay once she's worked through it.

He holds his breath as he knocks on their door, his hands twitching against the gift in them. He waits for a few minutes, listening for any signs of life coming from inside, but hears nothing. Ni-Ki waits a couple more minutes, until his fingers are numb, the tips of his ears and nose red. He turns to leave, a dull pain spreading through his chest as he walks away from the building.

He's half way back to his own room, teary eyes on the ground under his feet when he hears familiar voices nearby. His head snaps up, and he sees Sunghoon and Ayano walking in the direction Ni-Ki had come from. The boy notices Ayano. She looked awful. She's impossibly skinny, her cheeks sunken in, eyes with dark bags accompanying them, her skin pale and colorless. She doesn't look like Ayano anymore. The girl doesn't look alive anymore.

Ni-Ki told himself that he's giving Ayano space, but seeing her in this state, he has to get some answers, desperate to help his best friend. He walks towards them, his hands shaking. When he gets close enough, Sunghoon notices him first. The two keep walking, but stop when Ayano looks up. For one second everything stops, and Ni-Ki sees the heavy sadness in her eyes, so deeply rooted that it's like she's never known anything but sorrow.

And then Ayano starts coughing, doubling over as she struggles to breathe, each one sounding rougher than the last. Ni-Ki moves to rush to her side, but instead collides with something solid, realizing it's Sunghoon that's keeping him away. He watches as Sunghoon shields Ayano from him, soothing her as he leads him away in the direction of their apartment.

"What the hell, Ni-Ki?" Sunghoon shoves him back, making him stumble.

"I could say the same thing, Sunghoon! What's wrong with her, why does she look like that? Why won't any of you tell me anything?" He yells. "It's not something you need to know." Sunghoon's voice is ice, his eyes hardened. "She's my best friend, I have a right to know! I just want to help her!" Ni-Ki feels his desperation rising, the sight of Ayano's lifeless eyes embedded in his memory.

"There's nothing you can do for her, just go home."

"I don't fucking understand Sunghoon, Ayano leaves without a word and now she looks like she's fucking dying and there's nothing I can do about it? That's bullshit." Ni-Ki grits his teeth. "And that's just it, isn't it Ni-Ki?" Sunghoon takes a step forward, staring him down. "You never understand, the answer was always right in front of you and you never saw it, and now look what happened! Why do you have to be so dense!? " The older one nearly screamed, seething with anger and disbelief.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Ni-Ki's head is spinning. "You should go." Sunghoon's voice is cold, distant. Ni-Ki shoves Ayano's birthday present into Sunghoon's hands and turns away. Ni-Ki doesn't remember walking home, or maybe he ran, he's only aware that he walks in his door and closes it behind him. Everything's spinning, the ringing in his ears overpowering. His legs give out and he falls, his back against the wood and his head in his hands.

Tears are streaming down his cheeks, Sunghoon's words running through his head. He can't breathe, he can't think, his chest is heaving. 

happy birthday to me im old TT
anyways go to my message board hehe ♡