Randomness oneshot / short story

This twisted thing we call love

AN: I came up with this when my friend asked me what was Hanahaki. So this is dedicated to her :3 

For those who don't know what Hanahaki is, then here's an explanation courtesy of Wikipedia.

Hanahaki is a fictional disease where the victim of unrequited or one-sided love begins to vomit or cough up the petals and flowers of a flowering plant growing in their lungs, which will eventually grow large enough to render breathing impossible if left untreated. There is no set time for how long this disease lasts but it may last from 2 weeks to 3 months until the victim dies unless the feelings are returned or the plants are surgically removed. There is also no set flower that blossoms in the lungs but it may be the enamoured's favourite flower or favourite colour. Hanahaki can be cured through surgical removal of the plants' roots, but this excision also has the effect of removing the patient's capacity for romantic love. It may also erase the patient's feelings for and memories of the enamoured. It can also be cured by the reciprocation of the victim's feelings. These feelings cannot be feelings of friendship but must be feelings of genuine love. The victim may also develop Hanahaki Disease if they believe the love to be one-sided but once the enamoured returns the feelings, they will be cured.

Well, it's angst definitely, because I want it to be :) 

Anyway, enjoy the story~

 Hanahaki AU

Petals littered the floor as he coughed them out. Drops of blood littered the petals from his intense coughing session, and he sucked a breath in when he finally stopped. He wiped his mouth, smudging the stray blood and staining the corner of his mouth.

He quietly picked the once-white petal and smiled weakly.

"This is karma, isn't it?" he said softly and twirled the petal between his fingers. "For not loving you when I had the chance to."

His chest tightened at the thought of the brunette girl, whose smile is no longer existed in his world.

"A white rose fits you..."

He leaned against the wall, dropping the petal as he reminiscing on the past.

"Hey..." He looked at her, signalling for her to continue. They were at the Ferris wheel, looking down and admiring the view in silence before she decided to break the silence.

The girl nervously smiled at him, spiking his curiosity. Why was his childhood friend suddenly so nervous?

The girl twiddled her fingers and he instantly knew something was wrong. She only twiddled her fingers when she had to talk about something serious, out of a bad habit.

"What's wrong?"

"I..." she started but then sighed. "I'm glad to have you as my best friend."

'That's all?' He smiled in relief.

"I'm glad you're my friend."

She seemed to visibly flinch at his words but she flashed her bright smile at him.

"If only then I noticed..." he mumbled again. "Then maybe things wouldn't have turned out this way."

He hunched over and coughed again, but this time he choked as a white rose spilled out. He repeated his actions, wiping his mouth then picking the flower up.

"How did you hide this from me so well?"

He knew his condition was going to worsen if he did nothing about his feelings, but what could he do anymore? She had lost her feelings for him already.

"Maybe I should be like you too... Take the surgery and forget."

He laughed to himself, his voice hoarse from coughing.

"But I should accept my punishment like a good boy shouldn't I? Just let myself wither away for making you suffer for god knows how long."

He leaned against the wall again, a weak smile prominent on his face.

"Karma sure is harsh."

He ran towards the hospital, tears falling off his face, desperate to confess his newfound love before it was too late.

He dashed into the hospital, but was halted by the receptionist, who demanded him to register his details before going to see his loved one. Desperation filled his heart as he rushed through registration and ran towards the elevator.

He tapped his foot impatiently, watching the elevator take its time to descend. It was as if the fate was against him as it seemed to stop at every floor.

Unable to be patient anymore, he dashed towards the stairs, climbing it two steps at a time and eventually reaching the fifth floor, nearly out of breath.

He checked his phone again.

'511'

He stumbled towards the said room and was about to knock when the door swung open.

"You're too late," his friend said with anger. "Her condition was too bad, the doctors immediately rushed her to surgery."

He stood there in disbelief. It must be a joke right? He could still save the relationship between them, right...?

He slumped to the ground.

Who was he kidding? He knew the effects of the surgery. She would not remember her feelings for him anymore, and his feelings will go unrequited, just like hers was. Heck, she wouldn't even remember him!

His friend looked at him in pity, but he didn't want that. He wanted to rewind time, go back to the time where it wasn't too late. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he sat on the ground, sobbing in front of the room leading to the girl who no longer loved him.

He finally gathered the strength and stumbled out of his petal-littered bathroom and into his bedroom.

A bouquet of blue hydrangea was placed neatly on his table.

According to his friend, that was the flower she had coughed out. His favourite flower. And in return, he was now coughing out hers.

He picked a single flower out of the vase and smiled sadly at it.

He accepted his fate. He was not going to take the surgery. He was going to let himself deteriorate, because he never want to forget all the feelings he had for her. Nor did he want to forget how strongly she did either.

She was happy with her newfound lover, there was no right for him to interfere with her anymore.

Let this be his karma.

He placed a soft kiss on the flower and put it back into his vase.

"Please forever stay happy."

(809 words)

AN: Short but sweet :'D Also I'm sorry for the multiple republishing