FLOVERS

Chapter 1: Imperfect Flower, Part I

It was a mundane Wednesday morning. Min found himself seated at his desk, staring at a stuffy whiteboard overloaded with quadratic equations and incomprehensible formulas. As an average student, he couldn't help but question the practicality of learning such abstract concepts. Min saw little value in these mathematical intricacies, yet he realized he had brought this situation upon himself. Despite his lack of enthusiasm, he had succumbed to familial pressure and opted for a scientific path, instead of pursuing his true passion in humanities.

Mr. Glenn's monotonous voice echoed in the classroom as he read out the math problems, leaving Min perplexed by the absurdity of the hypothetical situations presented to him. Unlike the bizarre scenarios described in his textbook, Min knew he would never find himself purchasing fifty-seven pineapples at a grocery store or calculating his terminal velocity after jumping off a plane. Pineapples and heights were far from his interests, and he had no intention of engaging in such activities in the future.

Adding to Min's frustration were those problems that barely resembled math at all. These puzzling questions involved an overwhelming number of letters and alien symbols, accompanied by complex solving methods that only served to make his life more miserable.

After staring at the daunting problem in front of him for a few more minutes, Min decided to conserve his energy and refrain from wasting it on deciphering the hard-to-understand mess on the congested whiteboard.

True to his routine, Min occupied the last row of the classroom, deliberately isolating himself from the rest of the students. This strategic position allowed him to escape unnoticed whenever his attention waned during class, which, more often than not, was the case. In an attempt to escape the dreary atmosphere, he turned his head to the left and gazed out the window beside him.

Through the window, Min had a clear view of the sprawling school grounds. At the northernmost section, the grand but rarely functional school entrance gate stood, notorious for trapping unsuspecting individuals with its faulty doors. Just outside the campus, a parking lot filled with cars that seemed to mimic the ambiance of high school perfectly. The playground and sports courts on the side buzzed with the energy and excitement of young children, their innocence and enthusiasm destined to fade with time. While the commotion caught the attention of most people, Min's gaze quickly shifted to the marvelously maintained garden, discreetly nestled in the corner, a haven of serenity amidst the chaos.

The garden stood out like a vibrant oasis amidst the surrounding concrete jungle. A tiny patch of green, it was a sanctuary adorned with lush grass, dew-kissed and untainted by any trace of exposed dirt. An assortment of plants, including West Indian jasmines, Chinese crotons, Madagascar periwinkles, and firecracker flowers, greeted visitors at the entrance, showcasing a colorful tapestry of nature's bounty. Along the sides, multi-hued rose bushes added their delicate charm, while butterfly pea vines cascaded down the walls, their brilliant blue flowers standing out amidst a sea of red and yellow blossoms.

The true stars of the garden, however, were the majestic flowering plants that stood tall and proud. Among them, the plumeria plant reigned supreme, its blooms capturing the hearts of many. Children often plucked these fragrant flowers, fashioning makeshift "rings" out of the petals. Using the flower's stalk to create a hole in the petal's center after delicately bending it downward, they would slide it up to the receptacle, repeating the process for each petal until a whimsical ring emerged. Another favorite was the yellow trumpetbush, whose flowers once served as a source of sweet nectar for the young ones. However, this activity ceased after an unfortunate encounter with a bee, leaving one child with what resembled excessively filled lips.

As Min immersed himself in observation, his attention was drawn to Mrs. Byun, surrounded by a group of ninth-graders near a hibiscus plant at the garden's center. Although he couldn't hear her words, he could easily deduce what was taking place, having found himself in the same situation before.