Secret Flower Boy (NamJin)

Chap 5 - Rhododendrons

Hoseok and I were walking down the hallway of the school, discussing the festival that I would be helping the Kims out with later that evening, and for the weekend. Though spending time with Namjoon didn't sound like all that much fun, picturing Jimin's face when he had asked me if we could volunteer was incentive enough to go through with it.

"And plus, maybe you'll learn something about that admirer of yours," Hoseok continued to say to me. I didn't really understand what he was implying, but I knew that it was something. Anything and everything Hoseok said had a hidden meaning behind it, and that knowledge only came from a year of knowing him.

It was a vague message in the back of my mind, so quiet that I don't even really think I knew it was there, but I had a feeling that Hoseok actually knew who the so-called admirer was.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked as we came to a halt at my locker that Friday morning. The door of the metal made a loud creak as I opened it much too fast, but I ignored the ringing in my ears and the looks we were getting from others, because sitting on my books was, as you could probably guess, another bouquet of flowers.

The strangest part of it, though, was the fact that Hoseok didn't squeal, or grab my arm, or really acknowledge the flowers at all.

"You're not excited?" I asked him, gesturing towards the bouquet. He simply looked at me, his brown eyes holding a knowing glint and a smirk on his face.

"I'll see you tonight, Jin, I've got a few more errands to run," he said. I was then left by myself to grab the note and read it before the bell rang.

Seokjin,

I bet your translator knows what these flowers mean, but I can guarantee he can't decipher this message, because the fact of the matter is, I'm ashamed of my feelings towards you. I'll hurt you, I'm a danger to everyone I come into contact with. I don't deserve anyone as wonderful as you are, so I sincerely hope that, when you find out who I am, you'll forgive me.

I stared at the note for a few seconds, my brain running wild. So many questions were running through my mind, so many feelings floating around, I was so confused. I rubbed my eyes with my free hand tiredly and shook my hair out of my face. Then I did something I would never expect myself to do; I shoved the note back in my locker and shut it, leaving the flowers in my wake.

-----

"Seokjin!" Jimin shouted that day after school. Never before had I been so relieved to see a weekend come, but then I remembered that my nights wouldn't be spent on the computer and that my mornings wouldn't be spent sleeping. I repressed the groan that was threatening to escape my mouth, and instead grinned as widely as I could at my little brother and his two friends, who were flanked closely by Kim Namjoon.

"Hey there," I said before turning to the oldest of the bunch. I attempted to overlook the small smile that was on his face, but it was extremely difficult, and I just ended up smiling right back. "What's the plan for today, exactly?"

The twins and Jimin ran ahead of the two of us, and I didn't miss the glance that Jiho gave me. I glared at the girl, despite her only being eleven, and she stuck her tongue out at me. The three preteens progressively walked further away from us to the point where they were simply silhouettes.

"Did my sister just give you a look?" Namjoon asked incredulously soon after. I shrugged, stuffing my hands in the pockets of my sweatshirt and kicking a rock.

"Yeah," I replied, snorting. The two of us left the conversation at that, and we walked in silence until we came to the corner of the road that we separated at. Jimin and the twins were giggling to each other over some joke when Namjoon and I had finally caught up, and the five of us stopped walking to say our goodbyes.