Blossoms of the Night (ATEEZ Seonghwa fanfic)

Chapter 6: Searching in the Dark

Seonghwa stood behind the counter of "Petals and Dreams," his hands arranging a bouquet of lilies with practiced precision. To anyone watching, he seemed calm and collected, his gentle smile unchanged. But inside, his heart was in turmoil, plagued by questions and fears. What happened to Hana? Why did she run away? Who was that man? Is she in danger? Can he do something to help her?

Hana had always been secretive about her past, never revealing much. Seonghwa respected her privacy, but now he wished he knew more. He missed her presence in the shop, the way her eyes lit up when she talked about flowers, and the quiet moments they shared.

Determined to find her, Seonghwa began his search. He wandered the city, clutching a photo of Hana he had taken secretly, showing it to anyone who might have seen her.

One afternoon, Seonghwa approached a vendor selling trinkets on the street. "Excuse me, sir, have you seen this woman?" he asked, holding out the photo. The vendor glanced at it briefly before shaking his head.

"Sorry, man, haven't seen her," he said, turning back to his customers.

Seonghwa's heart sank, but he thanked the vendor and moved on.

Another day, he found himself at a busy cafe, approaching a group of girls chatting animatedly at a table. "Hi, I'm sorry to interrupt, but I'm looking for someone," he began, showing them the photo. "Have any of you seen her?"

The girls exchanged puzzled looks before one of them shook her head. "No, sorry. Good luck, though."

Seonghwa nodded, feeling the weight of despair pressing down on him. "Thank you," he murmured, turning away.

---

As the days turned into weeks, Seonghwa's hope began to wane. He continued to approach strangers on the street, always met with the same lack of recognition. Each night, he returned to the shop, more exhausted and disheartened than the day before.

One evening, as he walked back to the shop, he muttered to himself, "Hana, where are you? Why did you leave? Are you safe?" His voice trembled with a mixture of frustration and longing. "I miss you so much. I wish you would just come back."

He paused, leaning against a lamppost, his eyes welling with tears. "I don't know what to do, Hana. I don't know how to find you. But I can't stop trying. I won't give up on you."

Even in the shop, he couldn't escape the torment of her absence. When some of the regular customers came in, he found himself asking them about Hana. One day, a young woman who often flirted with him came in, her eyes bright with interest.

"Hi, Seonghwa," she greeted, leaning over the counter. "Still looking as handsome as ever."

Seonghwa forced a smile, his mind elsewhere. "Thank you. Actually, can I ask you something?" He showed her the photo of Hana. "Have you seen her anywhere?"

The woman's face fell, a flicker of jealousy crossing her eyes. "No, I haven't. Is she... someone special?"

"She is," Seonghwa replied softly, his voice thick with emotion. "She's very special to me."

Weeks passed, and Seonghwa's hope began to fade. One evening, as he was preparing to close the shop, there was a sudden, frantic knock at the door. Startled, he looked up to see a familiar face – the girl who had made a move on him weeks ago, the one Hana had pretended to be his girlfriend to fend off.

He sighed, too tired to deal with any more disruptions. "Sorry, we're closed. You can come back tomorrow," he started to say, but the urgency in her eyes stopped him.

"I SAW HER!" she exclaimed, her voice trembling with excitement and concern.

Seonghwa's heart skipped a beat, his breath catching in his throat. "You saw Hana?" he asked, hope and fear mingling in his voice.

The girl nodded, her expression serious. "Yes, I saw her. We need to talk."