her garden | nct dream

one

Imagine a life where you had it all; supporting friends, a caring family, and the love of your life. Now imagine, all of that torn away from you, left with nothing but a scar, that only reminds you it was all your fault.

"Jaerin, get up you've been doing nothing but lying around like a potato these days."

I rolled over on my bed, lazily rubbing my eyes open, only to be greeted by Aera, my roommate and best friend, arms crossed and a frown across her face.

"Let's go somewhere together, you need to get out more anyway."

"But it's 4."

"Yeah, 4 in the afternoon." Groaning, I toppled back in bed, pulling the sheets with me, only to have them taken away. "It doesn't even have to be far. I just need to get a few things and we'll be right back." Hesitating to agree, I slightly sit up, squinting at her.

"I'll buy you food if you-"

"DEAL."

🏶🏶🏶

We both started heading out of the dorm, something I didn't do often. Summer break was closing to an end, and we were about to start our junior year of high school. Everyone else had gone off vacationing, but since both of our parents currently lived abroad, and they were too busy to hangout with their own kids, we were stuck here all summer.

It was a bright and sunny day as we were walking towards a shopping center nearby. The walk there flooded my mind with memories. Memories that I wished to forget. Memories of him. I traced the tattoo on my forearm, hues of dark green and burnt red that created the image of a wilted rose. My mind refused to stop thinking about the tattoo, but thankfully Aera had quickly broken the silence between us.

"So first we need to go get groceries, then I need to get some supplies for school, and then I need to buy something for Aecha Unnie and Taeyong. It's their 3 year anniversary since they found out they were soulmates."

At the thought of the subject, I slyly glance at Aera's right arm, hoping to get a glimpse at her tattoo. On her arm, there was an image of a water lily, sitting on a thin green pad. The lily itself had almost fully bloomed, but compared to how it was before, it had been retracting back to a bud, but at a slow and leisurely pace.

"How are you and Jaemin?" I cautiously asked, hoping it sounded more casual than it had in my head.

But sadly it hadn't.

Aera's walking had come to a halt, a serious expression on her face, though in her eyes you could clearly see the look of sadness. "Jaerin, you of all people should know that Jaemin and I aren't on good terms. Sure, I miss having a soulmate, but what he did to you was unfair, especially since he's your own brother. I have every right to be angry at him, and so do you." Aera hastily commenced walking again. "Now come on, you can grab something for yourself while I get what I need."

🏶🏶🏶

Aera and I had decided to split up when we arrived at the shopping center. While she would buy what she needed, I looked around to find something for myself.

The shopping center was close to our high school, so after school, many students would come and hang out. The center held a variety of businesses. From cafes to jewelry stores, this place had it all.

Casually strolling past stores, I boredly glanced at windows, hoping something intriguing would appear while I waited for Aera to finish her shopping. As I continued to walk down the sidewalk, I found myself in front of a toy store, called Boo Seok Soon's Toys and Such, with bright, colorful tiles that gave the store a very cheery and childish appearance. It's been a while since I've visited my childhood, I thought, why not go in? And with that, I entered the store.

I was immediately hit with the scent of candy and chocolate. At the front of the store was a small counter, with a shelf packed with candy. Behind the counter sat a salesgirl, who was doing something on her phone, and clearly had no interest in her job itself. Ignoring her, I sauntered through the tall shelves, each packed with toys of all sorts. As I rounded the corner, a section full of stuffed animals and plushies awaited me. My eyes wander around the shelves, which were filled with fuzzy creatures of all sorts, each looking up to me with a cute smile.

And then I stopped.

A small plushie, barely the size of my hand was right there, sitting on the shelf with its pearly white fur, flower crown, and a rose in its hands.

A Moomin plushie.

Moomin had always been that one good memory amongst the bad ones. It was like a lighthouse in the middle of a storm; when I was lost thinking of my bad experiences, Moomin was the one good thing that happened within all that.

I grabbed the doll, but a split second later, a foreign hand took it out of my grasp. My eyes shot to the thief, who had a smirk playing at his lips, with the Moomin plushie in hand. Swiftly, I attempt to take back the doll from him, but, as bad as my luck gets, the boy held on when I grabbed Moomin.

"Give. It. Back," I mutter through clenched teeth, tugging Moomin towards me.

"No, you give it back," he responds similarly, pulling Moomin towards him.

We ended up continuing our banter in the same continuous cycle until-

The doll tore in two.

"LOOK WHAT YOU DID!" we simultaneously screamed at each other, and a second later, a large pain stings at my arm; like a thousand needles pricking my skin at the same time. I look down at my arm, to see my wilted red rose, transforming, with ink swirling around, the original colors tinting to later shades until it all stopped, revealing a small white flower bud, which was what my wilted flower started as.

My eyes widened, scared of what this could mean. Glancing back at the boy, I let go of the torn doll and dart of the store, with Aera, who was just outside the store, screaming at me, as she ran after me, meters behind.

But little had Jaerin or the boy noticed, the tiniest of a leaf, barely visible on their skin, had begun to grow off their flower buds. 

  🏶🏶🏶🏶🏶🏶🏶🏶🏶    

so hi :D

Im elle 

this is the first solo story on me and laras account

i hope you don't hate this story

enjoy ♡

xxELLE

  🏶🏶🏶🏶🏶🏶🏶🏶🏶