Trails of Intertwined Stars: Chapter 74

~Chapter 18: Wildflowers~

The next morning, Henry had not been there for breakfast as usual; Edward informed both Leora and Kong Hun he had left to tend to business.
"Probably out with friends," Leora scoffed, before eating.
Kong Hun and Leora did not say a word to each other during that meal, clearly both felt awkward about the events of the previous night. Kong Hun couldn't help but notice flickers of shame in the girl's eyes every time Kong Hun watched her for a while. They then both headed to the studio to tend to the art piece, and that was just as silent. About two hours had passed in that studio of just Kong Hun sitting silently, holding his pose, as the noise of a paintbrush scratching upon a surface, or being distilled in the water, filled the silence. After a moment, Leora cleared her throat, softly.
"I'm sorry, Kong Hun, this must be dreadfully dull for you..."
Kong Hun glanced at her, his expression softening ever so slightly," No, it's fine. Silence is nice sometimes, don't you think?"
"Yes, it is," Leora nodded, before scowling and glancing away," Though I hear it so much in this house I get quite sick of it."
Kong Hun let out a small chuckle, before it fell back into silence a moment longer. Kong Hun dared himself to speak about the events from yesterday.

"Leora, about yesterday..."
Leora let out a bitter groan without intending to and slammed her paintbrush down onto the side where her pallet had been sitting.
"What about it?" Leora uttered it like some vile curse, trying to keep her temper in.
"Henry was wrong, Basil too; Dorian especially!" Kong Hun frowned, sympathetically and guiltily," I'm sorry, Leora. I felt maybe this wouldn't have happened if I had stepped in when Henry was speaking to you like that?"
Leora calmed down, seeming a little surprised by not being blamed as guilty. She glanced to her side, awkwardly, giving a stiff nod.
"There was nothing you could have done, so do not be troubled by it. Henry is Henry, and as my older brother, it is his duty to put me in my place; I have no father for that," Leora muttered," I was out of order, last night. I used you as a thing to scare Dorian, because he'd pushed my buttons, and nearly made the man faint. My actions have no excuse, let's leave it at that and pretend it never happened."
Kong Hun couldn't help but feel her words were forced and sounded strained at times. He assumed Henry had probably had another go at her once it was lights out, explaining her resentful mood in the morning.

"Last night, there were two consecutive knocks on my door," Kong Hun changed the topic, sensing Leora would appreciate the change," The first knock had no one there, the second Edward was there. But when I asked him, he told me he had only knocked once."
Leora pulled the cloth over the painting, which was a nasty habit she'd developed to prevent Kong Hun seeing the piece at all or developing dust.
"Knocking, you say?" Leora frowned, going over to a pot in the room and pouring the paint water in there," Perhaps it was creaking? The house does creak a lot."
Kong Hun shook his head," That's what Edward told me too. He said perhaps it was your grandparents upstairs."
"Perhaps," Leora nodded," My grandfather is ex-military, some nights he'll march upstairs."
"It didn't sound like that. And why would he only take one step?"
"He's old...and a wuss."
"I haven't met your grandparents, Leora, yet they live here; why is that?" Kong Hun frowned.
"I should ask the same thing, I never see them either," Leora sighed, thinking carefully," I believe the last time I saw them was...some odd celebration a few years ago."
Kong Hun frowned. That was odd, why did they never see Leora. He could have sworn Henry went upstairs to see them recently.

"But I thought Henry-"
"Oh, Henry, their pride and joy!" Leora exclaimed, rolling her eyes, moodily," Perfect, successful Henry; however they wish I was just like him. He looks exactly like my father, did you know? Oh, their beloved son! But Henry is much more intelligent, unlike my father who married a family of 'oddities'. Me? Well, I look just like my oddity of a mother, yet I have my father's foolishness, with a peasant's lack of decorum. How they loathe little Leora. How they wish she never breathed and had the last name 'Mohan'!"
Kong Hun seemed to get the message, biting his lip and nodding sympathetically.
"I see," Kong Hun sighed.
"I wish they'd die sooner and join everyone else in this wretched place," Leora hissed, venomously," My grandfather, whilst he claims to be the greatest of all in the military during his day, hears the slightest thump and cries; thinking a weapon has gone off. Oh, and don't get me started on that old wench!"
Kong Hun could see the girl getting progressively worked up at the topic, suddenly regretting bringing that up too. He gently went over to her, placing two hands on her shoulders that made her stop, with wide eyes and a drawn mouth.
"Can we get some air, Leora?" Kong Hun asked, softly," The studio is too stuffy."
Leora nodded, gingerly," Air would be...nice..."

They made their way out of the patio and onto the stone paving; Leora led the ghost general to a spot to sit on the wall, looking down at a small field of wildflowers.
"I didn't know they'd let wildflowers grow here," Kong Hun mumbled, letting the wind rush through his hair.
"They don't," Leora sighed, relaxed by the breeze," But they never come here, and I wouldn't let them take it. My mother planted these, you know?"
"She planted them?"
"That's why she's so odd," Leora smiled, softly," She hated social hierarchy, and found satisfaction in servant work. That's why I think I'd like her, and I'm sad I can't remember her. But I try to, in little ways, by imitating her. And I found that I understand the satisfaction behind it, and I love it. More than anything."
Leora stared at the wildflowers with a fond, sad smile.
"Beautiful..." Kong Hun murmured, lingering on her expression for a while.
Leora hummed, glancing back at Kong Hun, confused.
"T-The flowers, I mean-!" Kong Hun blushed, swiftly turning to look at the bobbing petals," They're... beautiful."
Leora's gaze softened, and she nodded, blushing a little herself," I'm glad..."

The smell of iris and honeysuckle burned in both of their noses, intoxicating them both into a soothed state.
"Do you love them?"
Leora blinked surprised, turning to look at Kong Hun.
"The wildflowers?"
"Yes," Kong Hun nodded," Do you?"
Leora smiled, warmly, glancing back at the patch of bobbing flower heads," I do. I truly do love them."
Kong Hun watched her for a moment, before plucking a white primrose, that had been growing out of the stone wall they were sat on with a delicate flourish. He then gently brushed Leora's soft hair back from her ear, the girl blushed with wide eyes.
"What are you...?"
Kong Hun gently slipped the stem through the hoop in her caramel locks, so the flower rested on her ear.
"There, now you are a wildflower too."
Leora blushed, glancing away from his smile, which seemed to render her speechless.