Rose Crown *Hanahaki* Skephalo

Chapter 20 - He Has Hanahaki?

1st Person POV - BadBoyHalo

We went home a few hours after spending some time together just like we used to as kids. When we got home Vincent was pacing back and forth between the kitchen and lounge room. When he saw us he looked relieved, I was confused by Vincent's behaviour. "Oh thank god you guys are okay, I thought something had happened to you. I came home and no one was here, and Zak I honestly thought you lost your battle against Hanahaki-" Vincent said covering his mouth. "I did not just say that aloud," he said looking away from us. "Hanahaki?" I asked confused as I turned to Zak but Zak was no longer beside me he had walked over to Vincent and was dragging him away. That just made me more confused. So I pulled out my phone from my pocket and sat down on the couch and went to google and searched for something. "What is Hanahaki?" I typed and read the first search result.

"Hanahaki Disease, A disease where the victim of unrequited or one-sided love, begins to vomit or cough up the petals and flowers of a flowering plant growing in their lungs. Which will eventually grow large enough to render breathing impossible if left. It ends when the beloved returns their feelings or when the victim dies. It can be cured through surgical removal but when the infection is removed the victim's romantic feelings for their love also disappear" I finished but all I could do was stare in complete shock. 'Why didn't Zak tell me...' I said in my head as I got up and put my phone away. I could barely think straight all I could think about was Zak. 'I have to talk to him about this... Why would he hide something as big as this from his best friend?' I said in my head as I went to find Zak. I spotted him leaving Vincent's room and approached him. "Zak, can I talk to you?" I asked, "sure..." he said as we went to my room so we could talk.

We sat on my bed in silence, I honestly didn't know how to talk to him about his disease. "So what did you wanna talk about?" Zak asked me breaking the silence. I turned to him and rubbed the back of my neck with my hand, I didn't know how to speak to him about this. "Zak..." I finally said, "yes?" he replied, I took a deep breath in and out before replying. "Why didn't you tell me?" I asked and Zak looked confused, "what do you mean?" he asked, I knew he was being delusional so he wouldn't answer my questions but I knew he would HAVE to answer my questions because I wouldn't let him leave this room until he answered them. "Zak stop being delusional you know what I mean," I said in a stern tone. Zak then sighed, "you don't need to know Darryl" he got up from my bed and was about to leave but then, "I know you have Hanahaki Zak and I also know what Hanahaki is," I said and Zak stopped dead in his tracks and turned to me. I saw the hurt look in his eyes and I could see another emotion. Fear? Why would Zak have fear in his eyes?

His gaze then moved down so he was looking at his feet. "Zak why didn't you tell me..." I said as I started to tear up, "I didn't want you to worry about me" he replied sounding sad, I then got up and walked over to him. I used my hand to move his face up so I could look him in the eyes. "Zak... I'm your friend... I'm meant to worry about you... But now that I know that you have Hanahaki... I may end up losing you..." I said as tears started to fall from my eyes, Zak saw this and hugged me. I then hugged him back, I then remembered what I read. 'unrequited or one-sided love' I said in my head as I pulled away. "Zak you got Hanahaki from one-sided love right?" I asked and he nodded, "then... who do you love?" I asked, Zak just turned away from me. "That doesn't matter... I know they won't love me back anyway" he said with sadness in his voice. I was not only sad for Zak I was worried. I may end up losing my closest friend to a disease...

"Wait is that where all those petals and flowers are from?" I asked, Zak, turned back to me and looked shocked, "you know about that jar of flower petals and flowers?" Zak asked and I nodded, he then sighed, "yes... there from my disease... I plan to make something for the person I love... when I leave them..." Zak said and that just made my heart break. 'He doesn't love me...' I said in my head as tears started to fall from my eyes again but I wiped them away before Zak could see them. "Zak you could get the surgery" I suggested but he just shook his head, I was confused, "why?" I asked, "because I'd rather die of this disease than never love that person again," Zak said and I couldn't stop the tears from escaping my eyes.

I just looked away from Zak and let the tears escape my eyes. I couldn't bare to look at Zak right now, all I could feel right now was very deep sadness and the breaking of my heart. I then felt something hug me and I looked to see Zak, I couldn't hold it back so I hugged Zak back. "This is why I didn't tell you because I knew you'd be devastated," Zak said but I didn't reply all I could do was cry. I was gonna lose my best friend err okay you already know I like Zak but it's clear he doesn't love me back... But even if he doesn't love me back and we can't be together I'm still gonna lose one of the most important people in my life... I felt like everything was crumbling under my feet...

Word Count - 1036