✔︎ unrequited flowers | nishimura riki

XXVII

On a morning towards the end of December, the air freezing, Ayano wakes up feeling just as frozen, the petals permanently lodged in her throat just as solid as the winter ground outside. She texts Sunghoon, asking him to come over, which he accepts instantly. After another round of incessant coughing, Sunghoon is at their door, and Ni-Ki leaves for class to provide them with privacy.
 
“What’s up?” Sunghoon asks as they sit down on the couch together. “I just really wanted to see you today.” “Oh, okay.” Ayano can feel Sunghoon’s eyes ghosting over her face, undoubtedly taking in her sickly appearance. They talk for a few minutes, Sunghoon telling her about how he was seeing and looking over Sunoo. 
 
“...And now he’s waiting by your cherry blossom tree.” Sunghoon announces with a sly smile. “He's doing just fine I see ?” Sunghoon nods. “I’m really happy that he feels more free.” “Me too.” Sunghoon says fondly. “But he's really worried about you, you know. Because Sunoo can see how much time you have left from the amount of flower petals that are falling. If the tree is almost out of flowers then…. you know.” He sombers.
 
“I know.” Ayano looks down at the couch. “Actually, I was wondering if you could give this to Sunoo and Ni-Ki… And there's one for you too.” She mumbles, holding out the envelopes addressed to . “Of course, but why can't you give the letter to Ni-Ki yourself ? Sunghoon said, looking down at them before his eyes were on Ayano again, calculating. 
 
“Because I… I don’t think I’m going to see him again...” “Ayano.” Sunghoon's tone was a warning. “Don’t say that. You’ll see him again.” Ayano can’t lie to her friend, he deserves the truth. “Sunghoon, please, just do this for me.” Ayano holds back her tears. She wants to stay strong. “Ayano, you’re gonna be fine.” Sunghoon's own tears are falling down his face. “You’re supposed to be getting better with Ni-Ki, isn’t he helping you?” He loses his composure as he talks. 
 
“He’s been amazing. But it’s not enough. It’s still gotten so much worse. Y-You were right… Nothing would work..” As if to accentuate her point, Ayano's thrown into another fit of coughing. “I don’t know if I’m going to make it through tonight.” She wipes at her eyes, her voice hoarse. 
 
Sunghoon breaks down at her words. 
 
“No, no, no. Please, I can’t lose you.” He sobs, and Ayano pulls him close, turning it into a hug. “It’s okay, it’ll be okay.” Ayano smiles through her tears. “Please don’t leave me, I-I know we can meet in the clouds but, here is so much more fun… I want to stay here longer…" Sunghoon bury his face in Ayano's chest. “I’m going to miss you. It's going to take a while until I see you.. Maybe even decades or centuries” Ayano feels dazed. None of this seems real, but the encompassing ache in his chest won’t let her forget. 
 
She doesn’t know how long they sit together, sobbing until they’re fighting to breathe. Ayano tries to keep from gagging as the heaviness creeping through him starts to take over. Eventually they both take deep breaths, calming down and leaning back slightly, although still in each other’s arms.

“Thank you.” Ayano looks into Sunghoon's eyes, pooling with pain. “Thank you for being such an amazing friend and… my guardian angel. You h-have tried your best to p-protect me, Sunghoon. It's okay. It will never be your fault...” Ayano wipes Sunghoon's cheek with her thumb. “I’ve spent some of the greatest moments in my life with you. Thank you for giving that to me, for letting me be your guardian angel and a good friend. God, I’m going to miss you so much Ayano.” Sunghoon blinks towards the ceiling. “What am I going to do without you?” 
 
“You live your life. Be happy. Finally talk to a girl you like, I’ve seen the way you look at that lady who works as a cashier at the cafe downstairs.” Sunghoon chuckles at her words, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “But I love you Ayano. I guess fate has really been decided. I-I'll try and move on.” Ayank pulls her close again, her voice wavering.
 
“I love you too, Sunghoon. More than anything, but I hope you do understand how things are going now.” Sunghoon's tears land on her skin. Ayano was the first to pull back, smiling sadly at Sunghoon. She walks him to the door, and Sunghoon hugs her again before he leaves, his fists gripping the material of the girl's sweatshirt. He struggles to pull himself away, leaving a kiss on Ayano's forehead, tears still falling steadily from his eyes, and then he’s gone, back to becoming an angel in heaven, always looking over Sunoo.

i have decided the ending already hehe it took me a while. Since its raining we have a change of plans for the ending <3