Fifteen Tea Roses

Oneshot

In my memory, you were beautiful.

Skin as white as the winter snow, eyes as brown as oak wood, and full lips as pink as the ribbon adorning the bouquet of flowers on the table next to me.

I pulled my tie taut and exhaled as I looked at my reflection in the mirror. He's going to complain about how overdressed I am for the occasion. I chuckled. Smoothing the black suit I was wearing one last time, I grabbed the bouquet on the table and walked towards the door.

The door opened just as I was about to turn the knob. "...Daehyun-hyung." He paused before scanning me from head to toe.

"Jongup-ah," I called. His normally expressionless face contorted, and he bit his lip. "Is something the matter?" He attempted to speak out but shook his head instead. "Didn't you just dye your hair the other day?" I smiled and ruffled his head. He flinched, making me chuckle. "Just when will you learn to love hyung?"

Giving his hair one last pat and commenting on how he was going to grow bald, I set off for my plans for the day.

Today is Youngjae's 23rd birthday, and I am to pick him up from his parents' home. It has been a while since I moved back into the dorms and Youngjae has moved in with his parents after he got them an apartment here in Seoul.

"Don't be late."

I chuckled as I recalled the text I sent him. He's in for a big surprise today.

"See you!" I heard a child bid as I was about to enter the park, which was our usual meeting place. "Mister!" he called as soon as his eyes fell on me. I paused before smiling as I realized that the boy was the child I had always played with as I waited for Youngjae to come.

"You rascal. The last time I saw you, you were still this small." I gestured to a height lower than his present height. "You grew up real fast!" He tilted his head to the side. "You always say that, mister. We just met recently, though."

It was my turn to tilt my head. "Did we? I guess I seem to have forgotten." I chuckled.

A woman whom I recognized to be his mother called for him. I bowed in acknowledgment. She stared at me for a moment before nodding back.

The park was a spacious area with a big fountain in the center. Lined with trees and other flora, the park was a peaceful and relatively private place where we did not have to worry about concealing our identities.

I shivered as the cold winter breeze grazed my shoulders. I scanned the park for a dry bench and set the bouquet down to hurriedly shove my hands in my pockets. I sighed as I let myself be warmed by my hot packs.

We were supposed to meet at 11:15 - we had a thing where we always set meetings at strange times. A few more minutes and he would have ringed me. "Don't lie, I know that you don't get up this early" - is what he would say as soon as I answered. But then he would be surprised when I tell him that I was already here waiting for him to which he'll reply, "I guess miracles do happen sometimes".

I hope they do.

"Do you know just how annoying you're being right now?"

After a small argument, I unintentionally snapped at Youngjae. We always had our fights, and I thought that this one would be no different. I had assumed that things would go back to normal after some time, but days, weeks, and then months had passed, and we had since never talked to each other about matters outside work.

At that time, I chose to spend my time with other members and friends rather than reconciling with him. Youngjae, on the other hand, grew closer to Yongguk-hyung. Youngjae was always by his side when Yongguk-hyung was dealing with his condition.