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You were as sweet as a gardenia.
The honey to my cold bitterness.
You were always so kind-hearted and humble about everything, that not even the slightest bit of resentment could wear you down.
An open smile was always plastered on your face, even though the toughest downpour of the season would come washing away my own rapture.
Like winter snow threatening to take your refined petals away, and succeeding, you only grew into a better person, with more elegant petals and greener leaves in the next spring.
Nothing could ever bring you down as much as I managed to.
I took everything we had for granted, and never looked upon my mistakes.
I lost you amidst the power of another, and without even realizing it, your petals crumbled to a dead-brown, along with your kind and humble heart.
Your petals fell ever so slowly.
And you ended up dancing with a better wind.
-
"Ah, Hwayoung and Hoseok! Come in, you two," Mrs. Shin gestured us throughout her warm bungalow, while grabbing her crate of lavenders and peonies from my arms.
Hoseok went straight through the hallway, ignoring all of the photos of Mrs. Shin's son that he used to always look at.
I missed those moments when he would take his time to look at each photo.
Those moments when Hoseok looked at the young boy in the pictures, telling me about how they reminded him of his younger self.
Whatever happened to those moments, were now fallen, like autumn leaves.
Each memory danced away with the wind, somewhere far, far away.
So far away from me.
Feeling as if I was off, Mrs. Shin squeezed my forearm in comfort.
She must have known what I was thinking, because her eyes glimmered assuringly.
"It's okay to feel this way, Hwayoung." She whispered to me. "I completely understand how you're feeling right now."
I clenched my fist together and walked by Mrs. Shin, while watching the photos on the walls, imagining what it felt like to have Hoseok stop me in my tracks, to tell me an old, childhood story.
"Remember darling, the same thing happened to my husband." I looked at Mrs. Shin with sorrowful eyes.
"I know exactly what you're going through." She said. "It's difficult right now, but I promise that it will always get better. You're strong, and you'll get through this. It just takes time for Hoseok, and you have to take that time with him. You have to be there every step of the way as he tries to -"
"Remember everything," I finished off. "As he tries to remember everything."
I felt a piece of my heart ache, as the woman in front of me pretended like the darkness in her eyes weren't present.
She nodded though, because we both knew I was right.
I sighed and took a deep breath in, wanting to hug Mrs. Shin, for being brave about all of this.
I wanted to cry on her shoulder, just to let all of the pain in my body leave.
But I couldn't, and I know I couldn't.
Crying right here would only alarm Hoseok, who was now outside, enjoying the butterflies, and the kisses of sunlight.
"How about you go out to the backyard and get some fresh air?" Mrs. Shin smiled, making the atmosphere softer. "You still need to help me plant these flowers."
"That's a good idea," I mumbled.
She gestured me throughout the house, until we reached the green fields of her own flower garden.
"I promise that you will be okay, Hwayoung," She grabbed my hand, swiping her thumb against my knuckles."You'll be happy again."
But what if I never will?
-
Do you understand, how fan-flippin-tastic I feel about the plotline for this story?
Like out of all the storylines I've created, this is the best by far :)
