Shadow Dancing | K.TH

As Always

"Do you believe in love?"

My eyes are dark and cool as I squeeze the fluffy palm of a ragged teddy bear. Its lifeless beady eyes stare back up at me, as if frozen in an eternal look of numbness.

The windows are shuttered, locked.

The door—

Locked with a digital code and guarded by at least two guards at all times.

My legs dangle off the small bed as I peer back at its gaze, the loneliness inside me choking the words from my lips. The blankets are cold against my skin.

"Did you hear what I said?"

I'd gotten this stuffed animal when I was five, healthy and free of the illness that haunts me. Five, and naive. Five, and completely unaware.

Tears gleam in the corners of my eyes.

My legs brush against the cool sheets as I smooth back the top of the bear's tattered head, poking the hard black nose set into the center of his face.

It was almost ripped out from the fur, old and dull with age.

A sudden rush of heat shoots up my body, a primal instinct— a warning.

Not a second later, the door clicks open and I stuff the bear underneath the blankets hastily. The fade flickers in the tips of my fingers as I whip around to face my father, praying—

Praying he didn't see the doll.

Like that was going to work.

"Give me whatever you just shoved under your pillow, Tzuyu." He says, voice dripping venomous honey. It's his persuasion voice— the one that clearly imposes threat.

Violence.

Helpless, I hand over the ragged bear into my father's pale hand. I hate how weak I am— I hate how I tell myself every single minute that I'd defy him, and still never be able to resist a single command.

My eyes glimmer with wetness as the flames roar, its dark flames dancing and twisting with destruction.

My eyes shoot open, breath coming fast and hard. The nightmare had been so real that I'd really believed that it was reality. Silver and black surround my body as I shift off of the familiar bed.

The ecstasy that comes next when I see Jin's flower vase on top of the wooden table nearly makes me topple over with joy.

It always varied with each person— and Jin was sure to arrange different flowers accordingly. Whoever laid on this bed hurt or sick would all have consolation to wake up to the fresh fragrances of their flower.

Hoseok was aster— its vibrant purple colors signifying his happiness and joy. It wasn't hard to figure out that he was what gave life to this house— and saved  lives as well, for that matter.

Yoongi was chrysanthemum, and the meaning was easy to remember. The similar purple colored petals represented honesty— which, in his case, should count more towards too much honesty.

Purple irises for Namjoon— it wasn't surprising that the delicate petaled flowers were symbolic for wisdom and intelligence. He was the source of that kind of stuff.

Casablanca— for V. Jin had thought the elegant white flowers were the perfect match for him— they only bloomed at night. He thought that it signified how V hid his true self— the caring, childish side— behind the tightly-enclosed bud in plain sight. You had to go deeper to get to know him.