Bloom Again

CHAPTER 1 (Eos)

ORANGE 

"If you could change one thing. In your entire life, what would it be," Matsuho asks, for my truth. His eyes gleam mischievously, as we play truth or dare in our treehouse.

I look at him and roll my eyes, "What if I said, never met you?"

He scoffs, and responds with the classic, 'you know you wouldn't survive without me.'

It's incredibly unfortunate that he's right.

When I was five years old, he moved in, the house next to mine. Our relationship was set. Best friends, and possibly more. Every time we had a spare second, we were together. Like two peas in a pod, just not identical, nor related. For twelve years, we were stuck as best friends.

When senior prom came around, Emilia dragged me off my comfy nook. My body leaves the soft plush and I'm stunned.

"Emilia! I'm sopping wet, and so are you! What are you doing?"

Rather than responding, Emilia continues to drag me onwards. We're out on the patio now, and there's a small arrangement of flowers and a letter.

The letter reads, in an awfully familiar font, 'Eos, when you read this, at least get into proper clothes. Then, meet me at the treehouse.'

I look at Emilia, "Matsuho?"

She nods, "Come, I have the perfect outfit for you."

The last time we were in the treehouse was maybe four years ago. When we could still fit in it. As I near the tree, I look down at my shorts, and send a short wish that they don't rip open when I climb. I'm not twelve anymore, and definitely not a monkey either. I take a deep breath as I slowly tread through the planted orange tulips leading up to the treehouse.

I climb the ladder rope slowly as Matsuho opens up the entryway door we put up. It had taken us at least a month to convince our parents, but once they did, it was a full summer of woodworking class to build our treehouse. Matsuho smiles with his soft grin that makes most girls scream.

"You made it," he rolls his eyes. "Rather unfortunate, your shorts didn't rip."

I fake punch him in the arm, and he pretends to be hurt. He looks up at me once more, and pulls out his phone. His lock screen hasn't changed, a photo of our treehouse on a full moon night, when the stars had aligned in the most beautiful pattern. Constellations had littered that sky that night, so we slept out in the tree house. That night was five years ago, and the fact that he still has it makes my heart feel like it's running a kilometer non-stop. He slowly unlocks it, making sure to not show his password. I roll my eyes as he does so. Always trying to be 'safe' but just trying to seem cool. He pulls down the small window covering sheet, and glances at me.

"Look here Eos."

I crouch to look out, and see a projector hanging out. Matsuho presses some things on his phone, and the projector illuminates with a small video. The opening lines of Seventeen's new title track Darl+ing fill the air. I look at Matsuho. He smiles and wraps his arms around my waist.

"Just watch, okay?"

He nuzzles his left cheek into my shoulder and his breath flows into my ear. I say nothing, but I can feel the heat rising to my face. His proximity is so close it's burning multiple holes into my soul, and I'm frozen, trying not to move a centimeter even.

The camera unblurs, and Matsuho comes into focus. He's singing the song himself, it isn't DK or Seungkwan singing any more. It's just Matsuho. The vocals, the harmonies. All Matsuho. I turn to look at him, and as I open my mouth to speak, he nudges me.

"This is the good part. Just watch."

I smile, and look back at the screen. The song continues, but the closer it goes to the end, the more the visuals fade. Gone is the camera on Matsuho, replaced by photos from our parents' Polaroids. Photos of us cover the screen, ranging from when we met at five, to last month at a small coffee shop downtown. Matsuho's warm hand comes up to my cheek. I haven't realized, but somewhere along the song, tears sprung in my eyes, and began rolling down my cheek. I turn into Matsuho's embrace, and he hugs me close, enclosing me in his soft warmth. He pulls me back gently and rotates my head slightly.

"Just a little more, and then you can cry all you want."

The song abruptly stops, and a video appears. It's from when we were thirteen. Matsuho's hair was in a fresh bowl cut, his glasses still framed his face. I made so many comments on his hair that year, but he looked awfully cute especially with the glasses. I'm torn from my thoughts suddenly when a voice breaks the silence.

"Year 1 of me confessing to Eos. I haven't had the nerve to tell her I have a crush yet, but she's been teasing me about having one lately." His hand brushes his neck nervously. "Next year?"

The video wizzes along, and suddenly the screen appears to have three Matsuho's. In synchronized chorus they all say, "Year, confessing to Eos"

I look at Matsuho confused. He looks sheepish and he's looking down.

"What about not dating any jerk, and going out with me instead?" I freeze. In my seventeen years alive, I've never been asked out. I know that I like, no love him, but how do I say yes? Would it be cringy if I jumped into his arms? This whole ordeal is making me panic, and I'm abruptly pulled away from my million kilometer per hour thoughts by his voice.

"So? Will you?"

I nod slowly and he flings his arms around me.

"I know you're in shock. I know you're probably nervous. I thought everything out carefully and that's why we're here and not super in public. I promise Eos,

"That I will treasure you in sickness and in health. Through thick and thin. And that I always will, always stay by you."

"You may now kiss the bride!" Friends scream.

Matsuho takes my hand gently, lifts them up, and kisses them gently. The sun settles around us, illuminating the field we're in.

He looks up at me, "Till eternity is no more."