In The Language Of Flower (1/1)

Yuna's POVI still remember, back in the day, this place, was my magical kingdom.I still remember, back in the day, this place, was my source of happiness.I still remember, back in the day, this place, was a place I could call home.Surely, god must've casted a magically, joy binding spell on to this place.Surely, a fairy must be living in here, scattering magical happiness dust each and everyday.Surely, this place was filled with happiness and much laughter hard for anyone to imagine.Or so, the 6 year old me used to think.14 Years Ago Lee Residence: 5:00 PM"Yah, Lee Joon!" I screeched, shoving my childhood friend. "You're such a cheater!""What are you talking about Yuna? I did not cheat! You're just complaining 'cause I won — fair and square!" Joon said, defending himself.I raised an eyebrow. "Oh, ok. So you're saying unpausing the game when someone's using the bathroom — is fair. Hm, ok. Why, of course it is. I will totally do that to you when you use the bathroom, ok? Since it's considered fair," I shot back, sticking out my tongue. "Miyoung-ie, you saw him press that resume button, didn't you?!"Miyoung, Joon's little sister nodded her head, a little reluctantly, since she was stuck between both sides."Yeah," She replied, finally decided she would go on my side.Joon gasped at his sister's sudden betrayal."You said you wouldn't tell!" He complained"I'm sorry Oppa," She winced.He groaned. "Ok, ok," He mumbled, sighing. "Since it wasn't a fair win," He began, exaggerating the word fair. "Let's just... play another round!"I nodded, shaking my head up and down furiously. Joon and I loved playing video games together — and so, of course it never hurted any of us to play more than like 123,456,789 rounds a day."Round 2, coming up!" I declared. I then dove for the first player controller. "I call first player!""Yah! You were first player before, I wanna be first play—""Yah, you kids," Mrs. Lee scolded playfully after smacking the back of Joon's head lightly. "Before any of you get to be first player, go eat dinner." She paused and smiled. "It's kimchi fried rice today."We dashed to the dinner table, fighting for the seat next to Mrs. Lee.We all liked sitting next to her, even me, a non blood related guest.I looked down at my plate.Ah... kimchi fried rice... what else could go wrong on such a sunny Saturday evening?"Jalmukesumneda," The three of us kids politely stated.Mrs. and Mr. Lee smiled and nodded."Don't be so formal, Yuna," They told me. "After all, we are like family."I nodded and picked up my chopsticks. We all dug in.Lee Residence: 5:30 PM"Masegaemugusuyo," We all thanked while bowing. "Jalmugutsumnida."I stood up from my chair."Annyeonghi gyeseyo," I said, straightening my back from my bowing position. "Already?" Mrs. and Mr. Lee immediately responded. "Why not stay until 6?"I smiled, reluctant to leave. "I really want to," I began. "But my mom is coming home from work early today," I finished, still with a smile.Mrs. Lee's lips curled upward into a smile. "Yuna, would you like me to walk you home?" She offered. I shook my head. "I'd really like you to, but it's not needed, since well..." I paused. "My house is right next door, and literally, it is."Mr. Lee began to laugh. "Ah, Eunhee," He said in between his small laughter. "You're pressuring Yuna here."Mrs. Lee pouted a little bit, showing her childish side off. "Ah. but Yuna's so cute," She complained.I smiled to myself.This place, my magical kingdom where all my happiness and laughter lies, is a place I can, with no worries, call home."Mrs. Lee," I spoke up. "I guess, I wouldn't mind you walking me home."Kim Residence: 5:40 PM"I'm home!" I called out immediately, the moment I shut the door.I kicked my shoes off."Mom, dad, I'm home~!" I repeated again.No response.So, I guess their schedule got pushed back — again, tonight, huh?And they even promised me that they'd come home early.I sighed, wishing I had stayed back at the Lee's.Now, off to find ways to ditch time.Kim Residence: 9:00 PMThe door clicked, and the doorknob began to turn.Mom and dad's home! I thought without thinking twice.I ran for the door."Welcome home!" I greeted, when the door was fully open.There was my mom, and she looked quite surprised."I thought you were at the Lee's," She simply stated.I shook my head. "You told me that you'd be coming home early today, so... I guess I came home earlier."My mom face palmed herself."Aish Yuna!" She let out, a bit frustrated with me.Did I... do something wrong?Or is did she just have a bad day at work?"Stop saying, I guess, I guess, when you simply did not guess!" She let out. "Stop acting like your dad already, I mean, come on!"I was stunned. My mom never acted this way... and even if she did, she would never show me this side of her. She sighed and slowly face palmed herself. "Aish... you know," She began. "You didn't have to come back so early." She heaved another sigh. "Did you eat?"I nodded, scared that she would get angry at my next move."So you ate at the Lee's again? I saved you food in the refrigerator — and yet, you choose to eat at the Lee's instead and waste my time and their food?!"This woman in front of me...Is not the mom I know of.Then, I see this man peak in from outside.He then makes his way inside, next to my mom.Who is he?I don't know him.He's a complete stranger.My mom slowly turned around, and upon seeing him, she let out a sigh... not out of frustration, and she then smiled. At him."I don't think it's the best time," She told him.The stranger eyed me.Then he smiled at me.And I still remember that smile up to this day.That ugly, sweet yet fake smile.Right there, I knew I hated him."Annyeong Yuna~!" He greeted me, as if we were friendly already. "Nice to meet you!"I didn't even crack a smile.My mom spoke up."Yuna," She said, sounding a billion times more cheerful than she did before. So, it's because of this man, huh? "This man..." She began, her lips curving into a smile. "He is going to be mommy's next wedding partner! Mommy loves him!"Even though at that time I was only 6, and even though at that time I didn't even know what she meant by wedding partner, I knew she meant she didn't love my dad... her husband anymore. I knew she meant that... our family was breaking apart.1 Month Later"So Yuna," My mom started, in a playful, yet serious tone. "Are you... going to stay with daddy, or come with me?"Ah, I knew this day was going to come.At that time, I was only 6, but I still knew what she meant.At that time, I was only 6, but I knew what I wanted.At that time, I was only 6, so, why did this have to happen to me?"D..." I began, hesitating, my voice soft and quiet. "Daddy."I chose my dad over my mom, since well, I didn't want to live with a complete stranger.My mom nodded her head, sympathetically and smiled her bittersweet smile.It was as if she didn't want to leave... so why'd she even think of this in the first place?"I'll come visit," She simply stated, and then, she left.I looked up at my dad, who was smiling that same smile as my mom.At that time, I was only 6, but I knew that he still loved her.At that time, I was only 6, but I knew that I didn't want my mom to leave me.At that time, I was only 6, but I knew that I wanted to stay with the both of them... not only one.I looked down at the floor.I knew things would never be the same.Days passed, weeks passed, months and years passed, and still, my mom never visited us.The house that the 3 of us lived in was quiet and lonely.The dinner table that the 3 of us sat at was now gone and replaced with a table that only had room for 2.The only place I could truly call home... was at the Lee's.But I never knew god would be so cruel and take that away from me too.During the summer when I was in Middle School, 14 years old,  Mrs. and Mr. Lee died.5 Years Later: Present TimeMath Class: 2:20 PM"Yuna," Mr. Park called, tapping his fingers impatiently on the tracher's desk. "Kim Yuna!" I immediately stood up from my chair, surprised.I had out so much force into sliding out of my chair, the chair had knocked into the desk behind it. The class chuckled a bit. "Aish, Yuna," The boy behind me whispered, "You're so funny. Now go get your test paper." "Yah, watch it, you Pabo," I carelessly joked as I made my way up to the front of the classroom. Mr. Park handed me my test and chuckled to himself quietly."You're quite the straight A student, Ms. Kim," He commented. "You never fail to disappoint me.""Mr. Park," I complained, but, of course, still happy to hear that from him. "You're making this seem like a bigger deal than it is."I walked back to my seat, recieving a few high fives as I strolled down the rows and aisles."Another 100?!"  "Seriously Yuna?!" "Ah, stop it, you nerd! You're making us seem like pabos!" "Well, this was as expected." "So flawless." A few of my classmates joked as I walked past them.I smiled.I smiled that smile they love so much."I'm awesome, aren't I?" I joked along with them.I sat down on my seat, and when no one was looking, I wiped that stupid smile off my face.It wasn't meant there anyways.This me, the me you see everyday, the me that you think is ever so flawless... is all fake.I'm so fake.All of this is just some stupid facade I came up with, and it's just that all of you fell into my illusion.I'm so imperfect.All of these straight A's I score... they don't mean a thing. So? So what? I have flaws. I make mistakes. Don't think just because I'm good at a lot of things, I don't make mistakes, that I don't have my own problems in life.Ah... if only, if only.If only you knew how life really is for me.If only you could experience things in my shoes.If only you could understand.But no one, none of you people can.But him.It's only him that understands.It's only him that knows how it feels.It's only him that experiences equal hardships.It's only him.And no one else.School Grounds: 2:50 PMUgh.Where is he?That stupid son of a—"Yuna!"I turned around , and sure enough, there he was, running up to me like a fool."It's about time, Joon."He's the only one that understands me.He's Lee Joon, my most precious, childhood friend."Aish!" He complained after we walked a few steps from the school gate. "It's so freggin hot!""Yah, quite your complaining, will you?""Oh!" He gasped, pointing his finger. "I need to buy flowers!""Eh?! Why flowers? Perhaps you got yourself a girlfirend..?!" I joked, teasingly, nudging him."Don't be silly," He replied. "You know I can't get one," He joked along.But I immediately felt bad.Not because he didn't have or couldn't get as girlfriend, but since...It was Mr. and Mrs. Lee's death anniversary."I'm sorry," I mumbled. "I forgot.""It's ok," He assured me. "It's ok."Flower Shop: 3:10 PM"Buying flowers for your girlfriend?" The florist asked, teasingly to Joon. She gave me nudge.This is what I get for having a boy as my best friend."Ah, no," He replied. "I don't have a girlfriend.""Are you siblings?" She questioned me, regretting asking her previous questions oh, so shamelessly. "Sorry."I nodded my head. "Yeah, he's my brother," I lied. "And these flowers... are for our mom, so, please, can you help us choose the best batch?"She nodded and got right back to work."How about daisies? In the language of flowers, it means innocence."Joon shook his head. "How about for someone dead?"The florist gasped and smiled a sympathetic smile. "How about... Aloe?" She recommended. "It means grief and sorrow in flower language.""How about a flower that says... Thank you for everything?" I requested. The florist went over to some white flowers. "How about these Bell Flowers? In the language of flowers for the deceased people, Bell Flowers means..." She paused and smiled sympathetically at us. "Thank you for everything."Joon and I nodded. "Can you throw in some flowers that say I love you along with the Bell Flowers?" Joon requested.The florist nodded. "How about these red Chrysanthemums?" She suggested, winking at us. "You know, Roses aren't the only flowers that say I love you."She arranged our chosen flowers nicely and neatly, and handed Joon the big bouquet."Those 5 Chrysanthemums," The florist began. "Let them be my greetings to your mother," She said, signaling to us that we didn't need to pay for them.We nodded and made our way out the door. "How do you say thank you in Flower?" I asked the florist, curiously."Hydrangea," She replied. "Why?"I opened the door, and before I closed it, Joon and I both called out, "Hydrangea. Thank you, for understanding."Joon's POVFuneral: 3:40 PMWe set the bouquet of flowers in front of the stone just so everything was perfect.I looked over at Yuna.Ah... she was crying.Yuna... is one of the mentally strongest people I know. But there is always one day in every year in which she cries her heart out.And that day is today.Looking at her made me want to cry.Real men don't cry, Joon.Screw that.Without knowing, a tear escaped from my eye.If only I was able to tell you, mom, dad, I would do it.Saranghae.Saranghae, mom, dad.In the language of flowers, I guess I should be saying Rose... huh?Screw that.In the language of flowers, I guess I should be saying Bell Flower and Chrysanthemum.