The Unrequited Love

I

Hanahaki:
A fictional illness in which a person bearing an unrequited love coughs up flower petals until they die or their feelings are reciprocated.

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Freshly chopped strawberries bathed in a puddle of honey, cascading down a heap of pancakes like a tiny waterfall.

"Mom, I made these." Your first and eldest daughter Da-eun put the plate in your view."Have some."

You looked out of your laptop and did a deep survey at the simplicity of the pancake.

"Mom?" Da-eun said, confused.

"It'sgorgeous," you said as you made a cut into the fluffy, spongy pancake and carefully slipped it into your oral chamber. 

Delightful sequels of squeals escaped your voice box as you took a second bite, which also made Da-eun's chest swell in pride at her hard work; her masterstroke. She grinned from ear to ear, waiting in anticipation for you to pass your comments. 

She had expected a 'perfect!' or even a 'lovely!' but what she received in turn was the liberation of a tear from her mother's eyes, as she closed them and savoured the aftertaste of the pancake. She saw her mother as she could hold it in no more and sniffed out loud as another tear coursed down her now reddening cheek.

Da-eun parted her lips awkwardly."Are they that bad?"

Wiping off your tears you said,"No dear, they're so perfect that nevermind."

"Is..something wrong?" she asked, touching you on your shoulder.

"No honey. It's not; just somesome old memories."

"Then why were you crying?" Your second daughter and twin, Dal-rae, came into the kitchen.

"I wasn't crying!" you sternly voiced.

"Yes you were." Your third child: your son Dae-jung followed in too.

You scoffed unbelievably."Were you three spying on me?"

"Kinda yes, kinda no," Dae-jung replied.

"It's a yes, Dae-jung. And you, mom, we're not going to let your tears slide without an explanation." Da-eun crossed her arms across her chest.

"I don't think you're old enough to understand the truth, my dear kids."

"We're thirteen year olds, not kids anymore," Dae-jung said.

"Twelve," Da-eun interrupted, which only got her a glare from him in return.

"You must tell us," Dal-rae joined in too."Or..we'll tell DAD!!" she called out, which made you jolt up and muffle her scream.

"DON'T! He mustn't know." You silenced her up, which was not the only thing gnawing at you. Your children now were staring at you with horrified faces. They realised that it was something that their dad didn't know, which of course meant that it was not something that they ought to know.

So they dispersed into the room, unsure of how to cut the awkward silence. One just stared at the empty wall, while the other one sat watching the pancakes being burned to golden brown by his sister.

Ugh these children 

"Ahem, ahem," you cleared your throat. "I think it's time I should tell you something you've never known."

"It looks like something scary. If it is, it's better untold," Da-eun said, looking at her siblings.

"It's not. It's somethingbeautiful." You smiled to yourself.