Red Strings // JaeNoRen

9

Jeno smiled at the tiny plant in a pot, sitting peacefully in it's place at the back of a floral shop.

It was already about 6 PM.
Just a quick visit and then he had to get back to the dorm for dinner.

"Find everything okay?" The florist cheerfully asked him.

"Yeah!" Jeno smiled back.

"You have good taste. Not everyone digs around long enough to find this small treasure," the florist winked when he saw that Jeno had picked out the white potted hyacinths.

The gardener carefully scanned the barcode, flicking his long hair out of his face. Jeno read his name tag.

Jeonghan.

"So who's this for?" Jeonghan smiled. "A girlfriend?"

"Ah, no," Jeno laughed. "It's for my mom."

"Awww that's a sweet," Jeonghan beamed. "You want me to wrap it? Seems special."

"That'd be nice. Yes please," Jeno accepted.

Jeno chose the color of tissue paper and ribbon. Then, Jeonghan neatly wrapped the flower pot in the white tissue paper and tied the green ribbon around it.

"Alrighty~ the total is $7.28," Jeonghan said.

Jeno handed him a ten.

"Keep the change," Jeno grabbed the small plant and waved as he walked out the door.

---

"Mom...?" Jeno opened the hospital room door.

"Ah... my boy? Jeno...?" Jeno could see some small movement from the bed.

Jeno walked up to it, putting on his most sincere smile.

"I'm here, mom," Jeno smiled.

"Hello baby..." His mom softly smiled. "I missed you."

Jeno's mom laid tiredly on the hospital bed. Heart monitors beeping left and right. She had long black hair just like his and wide eyes that were halfway shut from exhaustion.

"How's my baby today..?" She managed to sound a bit energetic.

"Just fine, mom. Here, I brought you something."

Jeno placed the little flower pot on the table next to her bed. He made sure she could see it with little effort since he didn't want her to use her energy to turn and look at it.

"Oh thank you baby..." His mom softened at the plant. "You know, we used to have those around our house when you were little."

"We did?" Jeno sat down next to her and took her hand. "Well, then I guess this place is more like home now."

"That's true baby... that's true," his mom faintly squeezed his hand back.

"Did Moonbin-hyung come visit you..?" Jeno asked.

"Ah... my Moon?" His mother smiled at the name of her other child. "He comes every weekend and calls every weekday. My Moon works too hard. Tell him to get a boyfriend... okay baby?"

Jeno smiled, "Okay mom."

His mom always wanted them to be happy.

Currently, his hyung was the one working to pay all of the bills. He worked almost all the time. Luckily, he was able to get weekends off.

Jeno did his best to help.
He decided to take up an online job.

"Mom are you hungry?" Jeno asked.