At dawn, the rose bloomed in your garden.
You've been awake so you can witness the sunrise and your phone has been recording because you want Sunoo to see it as well.
No matter what, he wouldn't wake up earlier than he was supposed to. Little did you know, within those innocent words, lay the tragic truth.
"Sunoo, do you see it?" You whisper to your phone, smiling happily while staring at the beautiful colors unfolding in the sky. "It's pretty."
Eventually, you stop recording and lay down again. There's still some time left before you actually have to get up, so you close your eyes for a moment.
When you wake up later, you stretch your arms and glance at your phone, expecting a reply from Sunoo. But there's nothing. No message, no missed calls.
You're confused because you're used to him sending you good morning texts every day, yet there's still no word from him.
You tell yourself that he must be caught up in something, still fast asleep, or perhaps engrossed in his own hectic Monday morning routine. But deep down, a flicker of worry begins to take hold.
With that in mind, you get up, whining about how cold the weather is. The weekend went so fast that you spent it all just doing your homework.
School Mondays hit differently. The usual sights and sounds of getting ready for school fail to distract you from the growing unease.
You wrap your scarf around your neck and tell your wish your parents a good day before you step out, your phone in your hand while you try to call Sunoo.
The phone rings, each passing second feeling like an eternity. But there's no answer on the other end—no familiar voice to reassure you, no comforting words to ease your growing anxiety.
With a sinking feeling, you hang up and try again, hoping for a different outcome. Yet, the result remains the same—a haunting silence that deepens your concerns.
"Is he sick?" You sigh, hoping that he's at least doing okay.
Sunoo has been your closest friend since childhood. At first, you found him annoying, but as you became classmates every passing year, you realized how nice he is. And maybe that made you see him as a little more than just a friend.
Of course, you never told him and you never will. That's a secret you're carrying with you to your grave, unless destiny has other plans. You smile at the thought, forgetting how destiny can be so cruel sometimes.
When you walk into the school gates, you search desperately for a glimpse of Sunoo but he's nowhere to be found. It feels colder than usual, and perhaps it's because of the absence of his warm smile.
"Did you see Sunoo?" Class is about to start when you ask one of your close classmates, but she shakes her head and frowns.
"No. You didn't text him?"
A knot tightens in your stomach. Something is definitely wrong. In all those years you've known him, he never really skipped classes unless he was very sick.
So, without thinking twice, you quickly grab your bag and head out of school. The world outside feels both familiar and alien as you run to his house, your footsteps quickening with each passing moment.
As you walk, your phone clutched tightly in your hand, you dial Sunoo's number once again, desperately hoping for an answer. The rings echo in your ears, each one amplifying your anxiety. But there's no response, only the haunting silence that has become all too familiar.
When you reach his house, panting, his mother is closing the door in a hurry. You hesitantly approach her, faking a polite smile, until she turns around and you see the tears falling down her cheeks.
Your heart drops at the sight and dread washes over you. Everything blurs around you as you struggle to find the right words, your voice caught in your throat.
"Is everything... okay?" The air feels heavy and you fear the worst.
Sunoo's mother shakes her head, her voice quivering as she tries to steady herself. "There was an accident... Sunoo is in the hospital. He's unconscious and-"
The words fade. The world fades. Time stands still, a numbing sensation spreading through your body. Tears well up in your eyes, blurring your vision as you try to comprehend the devastating news.
"I want to see h-him." You manage to whisper, your voice cracking at the end. And moments later, you're standing outside the room he's staying in, your heart barely beating.
The hospital room feels suffocating as you step inside, the sterile scent and the soft hum of medical equipment becoming an unwelcome soundtrack to your heartache. Sunoo lies still, his face pale and peaceful, connected to various tubes and monitors.
Sunoo, your closest friend, lies unconscious in a hospital bed, his vibrant spirit silenced by the accident. It feels surreal as if you've been thrust into a nightmare from which there is no escape.
You approach his bedside, your trembling hand reaching out to touch his, offering whatever comfort and warmth you can in this cold, unforgiving reality.
"I'm here..." You whisper, your voice choked with emotion. "W-why-"
A sob escapes your lips, interrupting your words. "Why did this happen?" You manage to say between sobs, your voice trembling. "You're not supposed to be lying here like this, Sunoo..."
The thought of him lying unconscious on the hard ground in this cold weather makes you break down completely, and you find yourself collapsing onto the chair beside his bed, your tears soaking into the fabric.
The weight of regret settles upon your shoulders, regret for all the things left unsaid, for the moments you took for granted. Regret for never telling him how much he meant to you, how you saw him as more than just a friend.
You whisper apologies, pouring out your heart to Sunoo, as if he can hear every word. Your voice quivers with pain and longing, hoping for a miracle that will bring him back to you.
But miracles don't exist, do they?
The monitor's sound fills the room, its incessant beeping growing slower and more erratic, a devastating realization washes over you. Sunoo's time is slipping away, and there is nothing you can do to stop it.
"S-somebody-" Your eyes widen and your stomach sinks to the deepest pit of despair as you frantically search for someone, anyone, who can save Sunoo. You call out for help, your voice trembling with desperation, but it feels as if your pleas vanish into the cold, indifferent air.
Nurses and doctors rush into the room, their faces etched with urgency, as they work tirelessly to coax his faltering heartbeat back to life.
His parents are crying in the back of your mind and you're on the ground, crying desperately, every beep like a countdown, marking the seconds that remain in his fragile existence.
But it continues to slow until it becomes a single, mournful tone that will haunt you for the rest of your life. It reverberates through the room, slicing through your heart with a merciless blade.
You cling to Sunoo's lifeless form, begging him to come back. It doesn't make sense. How could this vibrant, beautiful soul be snatched away so suddenly? How could life be so cruel as to steal him away without a chance to say goodbye?
To take away your best friend, and the love that never really started?
The room feels suffocating, filled with the weight of unfulfilled dreams and shattered hopes. You clutch Sunoo's lifeless hand, feeling the cold seep into your very soul.
A piece of you has been taken away forever, leaving an empty void that can never be filled.
Guilt gnaws at your heart as you remember all the missed opportunities, the moments when you hesitated to express your true feelings.
You wish you could turn back time, and rewrite the pages of your story together, but life is merciless and unyielding. It offers no second chances, only a cruel reminder of what could have been.
The sweetness of your memories is tainted by the bitter knowledge that you can never create new ones together.
And by dusk, the rose withered away forever.
