GUNS & ROSES | ꜱᴇᴠᴇɴᴛᴇᴇɴ

xix. ✓

𝒙𝒊𝒙.

"Dani, where are you going?" Mom called out as I dashed past her in the living room. Her eyes widened in surprise as I made a beeline for the door and rushed outside.

"Dani!" Her voice trailed after me, but my mind was in disarray. I couldn't think of anything other than Seungcheol's image standing amidst the sunflower field. I raced to the elevator, pressing the descent button frantically, and darted inside as soon as the doors opened with a ding.

Adrenaline coursed through my veins, causing my hands to tremble with anticipation and cold sweat to bead on my brow. I couldn't stand still.

As the elevator reached the ground floor, I burst out of the condominium building, swiftly crossing the streets and making a beeline for the sunflower field. I sprinted through the field, paying no mind to the sunflowers grazing my skin.

Finally, I came to a halt at the empty spot where the explosion had occurred. Looking around the perimeter, I found the sunflowers swaying gently in the wind, but there was no one else in sight. It felt like a cruel hallucination, a figment of my imagination.

What the hell was happening?

Amidst the chaos of my thoughts, a hushed voice reached my ears, and a shiver raced down my spine. It was a voice I knew too well—a voice that had once spoken to me in moments of vulnerability.

Like that time in his bedroom.

Or when he vowed to protect his people, his hand interlaced with mine.

With trembling hands, I ran my fingers through my hair, staring at the ground as I desperately tried to make sense of everything. Why was this happening to me? What was going on with my life?

"Danielle..."

My body froze in place as I heard his voice, barely above a whisper. It was him—Choi Seungcheol. I turned my head slowly, my hands trembling violently as I fought to steady myself. But my legs felt weak, threatening to give way beneath me. I stood there, unable to move closer, even though every fiber of my being longed to reach out to him.

"I'm so sorry," he uttered, his voice heavy with remorse. "I've messed up."

I studied his face carefully, taking in the dark circles under his eyes and the disheveled appearance. Yet, despite his tired and worn-out state, he seemed impossibly beautiful, bathed in the moonlight. It felt like some enchantment, an otherworldly sorcery.

"Come back, Danielle," he pleaded, taking slow steps toward me, as if trying to piece something together.

"Why?" I muttered, tears choking my words. "Why now, out of nowhere?"

He halted his steps, mere inches separating us. If only I had the courage to reach out, to touch him again...

"I can't," I found myself saying, though I didn't know why those words spilled from my lips. Why was I saying that?

For a fleeting moment, his eyes wavered—a brief flicker of uncertainty.

"You kicked me out, remember?" I gritted my teeth, emphasizing the first word. "I should've listened when you told me to remain ignorant. I should've heeded Jihoon's words. He said I didn't belong in Sakura. Well, guess what? Jihoon was fucking right!"

The wind howled fiercely as I fell silent, panting with frustration. Tears welled up in my eyes, blurring my vision.

"Why do you keep on playing me around, Choi Seungcheol? You shut me on and off however you please." Angry and confused, I wiped away my tears and defiantly stared up at the sky, trying to hold back the flood of emotions.