Diphylleia grayi [Skeleton Flower]

No More

THE STORY THAT IS TO COME _
"It is extremely pitiful. We, who were once so hot, eventually ended up in a relationship which is far from warm - not quite lukewarm nor cold, but of a temperature only ambiguous enough to sting."

From the day we broke up.

There was a strange habit to the man.

It was the habit of speaking in formal language to anyone, not caring for the other person's age or the relationship between them, whenever he felt emotional.

"A person's heart is truly deceitful, you know. While it does not belong to me, I long to own it, yet in reality, when I do get my hands on it, it starts to whiter like a plucked flower."

The Olympic Road was rather quiet past rush hour. The woman had finished a warlike deadline and was heading home with her boyfriend who she had not seen in a long time. The man sitting on the passenger seat had been silent the whole time until he finally started spouting some nonsensical talk. Which was also in formal language.

The woman turned off the radio that had been soothing the silence within the car until he opened his mouth. Then, she averted her eyes and quietly watched him. Sensing there was a boring speech to come, she let out a soft sigh.

The following were the man's words.

"Of course, it does seem plausible at that moment, while the flower is still stuck on the ground, to think of something like making an ornament or setting up a bouquet. Then what can you do, If on the moment_one has it in one's hands?

The flower that was once lively and the heart that was once warm both seems to dry up and die soon."

The expressionless woman took her gaze back and spoke dryly.

"What are you trying to say?"

"I am saying, you and I,are like this."
(As soon as she finished talking, the man cut in.)

The woman thought for a moment, frowning.
'What is he plotting again this time?'

The man smelled the stench of her displeasure but, being tactless as he was, did not mind at all as he continued to not look at the woman who glared at him.

"It often happens in the movies. The moment of meeting one's destined love. Time slows down and the whole world turns black and white, except for the subjects of the fated love.

'Oh, oh my god. Is what I'm seeing even human? I beg for her to be mine!!!'
They babble this sort of nonsense and even feel that it is romantic. It is extremely deplorable."

The car being driven by the woman was already entering a small alleyway.

"Still I admit, love has the power to turn anyone into a fool. Since I felt like that too when I first met you. The problem is that this power never lasts too long, you know. It differs from one individual to the other but eventually the high wears off and the moment the rose-colored lenses of love come off is when all hell breaks loose."

Strangely, it seemed as though the man was almost excited.

At such image, the sensation that the man sitting by her side was a stranger started to set within the woman. It felt as if the boyfriend she loved had disappeared.

"Alright. Why don't you stop with this pompous language? Enough of your grease."

"Look at this. The language you found so endearing annoys you to death, the adorable image of them eating now looks like a pig, their cute charm feels only like bothersome nagging. There is no more vivacity when staring into each other's eyes, holding hands is sweaty and gross, kissing turned into nothing more than a habit."