The Flower Garden

Gladiolus Flower

Why did you come into my life

acting like you loved me

showing me something

I never had before

making me believe you cared

and then leave?

Glass Hearts and Broken Promises by Kayla McCullough

Haru woke up to the first light of dawn filtering through his curtains. He bearly slept; his mind was a relentless storm of thoughts and emotions. The remnants of last night's turmoil clung to him, and he felt as though he was moving through a thick fog. His heart ached with a dull, persistent pain, and the anxiety gnawed at his insides.

He went through his morning routine mechanically, his actions devoid of any real intention. Each step felt heavy as if he were dragging himself through the motions of living. He glanced at himself in the bathroom mirror, noting the dark circles under his eyes and the paleness of his skin. The person staring back at him felt like a stranger.

As he got dressed, he couldn't shake the sense of dread that had settled in his chest. The day ahead felt insurmountable, but he knew he had to face it. He couldn't let his family down, even if every fiber of his being screamed for him to stay in bed.

He put on his necktie, and clean fragrant white shirt, that gave him a faint smile.

He stood in front of the mirror all dressed up in his school uniform. He liked wearing it, especially because of the touch of red on it. He felt confident in that color. He put on his face creams and was ready to go, but first...breakfast with everyone, he loved that, but now it felt a bit awkward after that recent incident, the last time it happened was around four months ago, so his family and he were at ease during that time.

The smell of toast and coffee mingled with the tension in the air. Jin-hee and Hwan-seok exchanged glances as he sat down, their eyes filled with concern. They tried to keep the conversation light, but the undercurrent of worry was palpable.

"Do you want some more toast, Haru?" Jin-hee asked, her voice soft but strained.

Haru nodded with a genuine smile. He could feel their eyes on him, but he couldn't muster the energy to reassure them, and he loved toast with cheese that his mom made.

"Remember, we're here for you," Hwan-seok said gently, reaching across the table to squeeze Haru's hand. The gesture was meant to be comforting, but it only made Haru feel more isolated. He knew they were trying to help, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he was a problem to them. The weight of their concern pressed down on him, adding to the burden he already carried.

As Haru picked at his toast, the silence thickened like fog, wrapping around the table. Jin-hee and Hwan-seok exchanged another glance, their eyes reflecting a mix of anxiety and regret. Words hung in the air, unspoken and heavy, as they struggled to bridge the widening gap between them and Haru. The clinking of cutlery against plates felt almost deafening, amplifying the suffocating quiet.

Across from them, Tae-oh munched on his breakfast with carefree enthusiasm, his little cheeks stuffed with bread. He looked up, a grin spreading across his face, blissfully unaware of the weighty conversation unfolding around him. At that moment, his innocence was a stark contrast to the tension that loomed over the adults, a reminder of simpler times.