snowdrop | 최범규

6 | december.

                                    D - 75

After spending the last week working on the class project with Beomgyu, Lavender decided to declare the next week as a rest week for the two of them after constant days of working. besides, they had a while till the project was due and they didn't want to stress so early into the assignment.

the winter got harsher. the girl bundled up in a scarf and mittens, her friend doing the same.

she made a list of all the places to take Beomgyu, especially since he was so new to the town and she wanted to make her new friend comfortable with the unfamiliar environment.

it was a weekend, excusing them from school. Lavender told Beomgyu to meet her at the bus stop so she could take him to one of her surprise places. thankfully, the girl bundled up and walked out to the bench to see the boy she was hoping for.

she crept up behind him and spooked him, tapping his shoulders till he jumped up, terrified.

"sorry, sorry!" Lavender laughed, the boy joining in her laughter-fest.

"it's all good." he smiled. "i needed something to wake me up, anyway."

the two walked down the sidewalks, mittens stuffed in pockets from the cold. "so, where are we going?"

"have you eaten yet?"

the boy simply shook his head.

"we're close." Lavender covered Beomgyu's eyes and walked him to the place she wished. opening the door, she uncovered his eyes and smiled.

"i thought you'd miss korean food." she smiled, earning a hug from the boy standing next to her.

he smiled even larger.

                                     *:･✧*: :*

they sat at their table, finishing up their meal slowly.

"this isn't fair, Lavender." Beomgyu said, gulping a bite of his bowl.

"what isn't?" she furrowed her eyebrows, stuffing food in her mouth.

"you've done a billion gestures for me ever since i've arrived and i haven't done anything for you." he pouted. "next time, it's my turn. i'll do something huge for your birthday."

"you really don't have-"

"uh, uh, uh" he placed a finger on her mouth. "i want to. plus your birthday is on a Saturday this year which makes it easier for me to plan."

she smiled. nobody had ever gone all out for her birthday and maybe with her eighteenth birthday, Beomgyu will make it special.

she always thought that having a January birthday sucked. it was too cold and hard to plan anything for. hopefully, that won't be the case. she stayed hopeful.

"your food's getting cold." she pointed to his bowl and smiled. she just wanted another reason to smile and watch him try to stuff the biggest bite into his mouth.

                                     *:･✧*: :*

Beomgyu walked Lavender home that day. it was yet another snowy day in November. he hoped that it would clear up by February so he could spend some day outdoors with Lavender before he left.

he still didn't have it in him to tell her he would be leaving the town. he knew he would have to do it eventually, just not now.

walking back home gave him the perfect reason to
leave again. his eyes laid upon one of the only unpacked things in his apartment: a glass vase with dead flowers. he frowned, grabbing his wallet and heading out once again.

he closed the gates to his home and walked out in the cold winter. he wasn't used to going out so often, especially with such snowy weather. back in korea, most people used bicycles and cars so it was a different feeling for him as he watched no cars pass him by.

so many thoughts jumbled through his mind as he made his way to the flower shop. such as, what surprise would he give Lavender for her birthday? he was two months early but he couldn't help but think of all the lovely things she's done for him.

she had such a pure heart. she only ever wanted him and everybody to be joyful and would risk anything for that. he only knew her for a couple weeks but her gestures were too obvious.

she didn't treat herself with the same love she gave out to everybody. no gifts for herself, she was so selfless. it gave Beomgyu an ache in his heart, if only she could be kinder to herself.

it reminded him of the time he walked into the art room where Lavender was smacking her clipboard against her head, screaming at herself for sculpturing the proportions wrong on one of their mannequins. Beomgyu walked into the room that day, practically prying the clipboard from her hands to stop her from beating herself up.

that wasn't the first time and it definitely wouldn't be the last. he only wished he could stay. he would only stay for her, forever and always.

he walked into the flower shop, for the first time alone. Lavender took him here a few times where they would talk or sort flowers together so he had never come here alone.

he walked and closed the door, turning his head to the old woman he was wishing to see.

"Beomgyu!" she exclaimed, rubbing her hands on her apron and embracing the young boy. "what a lovely surprise!"

"Mrs Choi!" he smiled, pulling back. "i was looking for some flowers for my apartment. my old roses died even though i just moved in a few weeks ago." he sighed.

"roses die quickly." the old woman said, bringing Beomgyu to a new stand of hundreds of flower types. "what type of flowers are you looking for?"

"maybe something welcoming?" he looked at the grey-haired woman and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "since i'm new, i want some flowers that say welcome to the new town"

"well, i don't know if i have any flowers that can talk." she joked. "but i do have a flower for you."

Beomgyu watched and stood patiently as the woman went to the back to grab a bouquet of whatever flowers she was thinking of.

Beomgyu smiled once she came back, looking at the flowers she brought him.

"huh, ironic." he laughed and paid her the fees.

                                     *:･✧*: :*

arriving home, he clutched the lavenders that the old woman gave him and placed them in the vase. it seemed to have been the only thing bringing life to the room.

he looked at all his boxes lying around and sat on the mattress, too exhausted to even pretend like he was going to unpack.

he would end up leaving eventually.