scene one: flowers (korean in italics)
"Sicheng, is translating for Yuta gonna be hard for you? I could always help out." His mother asked him. He shook his head and pulled Yuta close to him by his waist.
"Never. I don't mind it. Besides its not like he'll be left alone with any of you guys, no offence."
"None taken. Are you though? Your aunt and I could always help."
"So could Kun Ge and the others. Mom, seriously, it's fine." She sighed and nodded. Her son was always hard headed and always declined help. She walked out and up the stairs to her designated room.
"Why'd you get all protective? What did she say?" Yuta questioned.
"Nothing important. Just offered to help translating for you." The Japanese nodded and moved away from the youngers grip.
"Let's go on a walk. Show me all of your favorite places." The Chinese smiled. They went upstairs to their room and got dressed for the warm weather. The two left the house hand in hand and began the way to Sicheng's favorite places. They arrived in what Yuta knew as the Yu Garden in pictures he'd seen. They walked around the entire location before Sicheng took him to the next place. Zhujajiao water tour of the city was what Sicheng took Yuta to next.
They got on a boat and Sicheng listened to everything the tour guide said then translated it back to Yuta. It was about an hour and a half long and when they got off Sicheng had one more place in mind.
"What's this place? I've never seen it on the internet before?"
"Its my family's flower garden. I only started helping out six years ago. Its beautiful right?"
"Yeah... Has your family ever thought about hosting events here? Like weddings?" Yuta didn't look at Sicheng at all but he bent down to play with the petals of a red tulip.
"No... You know, each and every plant here has a meaning." Sicheng said. He noticed what flower had Yuta was playing with and couldn't help but think about its meaning. Yuta looked up at him while still touching the petals.
"I like this one. What does it mean?" Sicheng equated down by the man and looked closely at the plant. A smile broke across his face.
"It means passion and perfect love." Yuta's lips quirked upward. His hands slid to the base of stem and his fingers wrapped around it. He thought about it and looked at Sicheng for confirmation. The boy smiled and nodded allowing Yuta to pull the flower carefully from the ground.
"Can we wait for the new year here?"
"Yeah... I'm sure I could arrange something." The younger answered in Chinese although Yuta understood only the "yeah" part.
"I didn't understand anything after yes."
"Hm. Stay here, I need to make a call." Sicheng got up and walked to the front gates of the garden.
"Hello? Renjun? Wheres my mother?"
"She isn't here. She went shopping for drinks."
"Who went with her? She isn't allowed to go places alone."
"Kun Ge and one of your cousins. I can't remember her name, sorry." Her?
"Yeah, okay. Thanks."
"When will you guys get back?"
"Pretty soon. Bye." With that he hung up. He began to dial Kun's number but before he pressed the call but button he walked back near Yuta to see how he was doing. He had moved a little farther into the garden and squatted by was on his phone with a determined look painted on his face with typing something in. He had the tulip he'd picked earlier tucked behind his ear and only now did Sicheng notice his other hand brushing over coriander. Sicheng smiles and walks over to peek over his shoulder. Unlucky for him, the others phone language is in Japanese. He squats down behind the other and whispers in his ear.
"Its a coriander. Chinese parsley. It symbolises lust." He licks his ear before hitting the call button and walking back to the gate.
"Sicheng, what is it?"
"You went with mom?"
"Yes, why?"
"Renjun said my cousin went with you. Our co- you get it. He said her when he was referring to uh, her."
"Ah, yeah actually. Jieqiong is here." Sicheng's eyes widened and panic spread throughout his entire body.
"What? What do you mean by that?"
"Exactly that. She came ten minutes after you took Yuta out. She wanted to meet him."
"No."
"I told her you'd say that."
"She can't speak Japanese and he can't speak Chinese they wouldn't be able to talk anyway."
"You know she used to be back and forth between here and Korea as a kid. She lives there now too. She's fluent."
"Tell her leave and get her away from my mother."
"Sicheng-"
"Gone. I want her gone." He hung up. He had a scowl on his face as he glared at the phone in his hand. He slid it back into his pocket and walked back to Yuta who was immersed in the azaleas. While Yuta was focused on that Sicheng thought he'd pick some flowers for Jieqiong. He knew Kun wouldn't be able to make her leave, she's stubborn. A black rose, black tulip, yellow rose, red dahlia, a marigold, and a lavender. He gave a twisted smile at the flowers gathered in his hand.
"Should I get fungus too? There aren't any mushrooms here though, right? Ah, there are. Toadstool in the front. I'll pick it up on the way out then."
"What're you talking about?"
"Nothing. Lets head back now, I need to consult with my mother."
"You sound all... whats the word, ah, professional. I like it." Sicheng looked at the older, then his eyes trailed to the coriander in his hand with the tulip.
"Why do you have that?" He pointed to the coriander.
"To spice things up a bit." He smirked. Sicheng's mouth fell open and he just stared. It wasn't the fact that Yuta wanted to keep the plant that symbolised lust but the fact that the plant was a spice and he made that pun.
"Disgusting. Come on."
"Wait, I don't understand." Sicheng smiled and walked towards the front gate again. He didn't hear footsteps behind him so he looked back and beckoned Yuta to come. Yuta ran after him as they walked silently to the front. Sicheng grabbed Yuta's arm just before they walked out of the gate and brought him to an area filled with different types of fungus.
"Ew. Why're we by this?" Sicheng ignored him and picked the toadstool by the front of the patch. He showed Yuta with an expressionless face. They walked out of the gates and began the walk back to Chenle's house. When they arrived he peeked through the window and saw they woman he didn't want to see.
"Yuta, there's a girl in there that I don't like at all. She's my cousin and she came here to meet you but I know thats bullshit because we told no family that wed be here for the holidays. She speaks Korean and she's going to try and talk to you but could you please just ignore her for me?" Yuta saw the urgency in his lovers eyes and nodded. Sicheng let out a breath of relief and kissed the shorter. They pulled away and Sicheng unlock and opened the door before lacing their fingers together and entering with Yuta closing the door behind them.
"Sicheng." His mother called to him in a sickening tone. She must've seen the flowers.
"Jieqiong. For you." He handed the flowers to the black haired girl. She looked up at him with wide green eyes.
"Sicheng, surely you don't know what any of these mean right?"
"I know what every plant there means. almost forgot this too. Oh, and get rid of those contacts. You look hideous." He then dragged Yuta upstairs to the room they shared and slammed the door.
"Are you okay?" At eleven forty three. They were now laying on the bed while facing each other.
"Yes."
"No you're not."
"How do you know?"
"I'm gonna assume you asked how I know and its because you're speaking Chinese as if I understand."
"Ah, sorry. I just really don't want her around. She put the entire family in danger before and everyone's always keeping their distance from her so naturally I did the same."
"I see. What did they mean?"
"What did what mean?"
"The flowers you gave her. Don't lie either, I know it was nothing good. Most of them were black."
"Fine. The black rose means hatred and death. Yellow rose means a lot actually. I picked it because some of those things are intense emotions, broken heart, and extreme betrayal. I picked the black tulip because it represents power. She needs to know she isn't the only one in this family with those types of connections. Red dahlia is betrayal and dishonesty. A marigold for pain and grief. And a lavender. You would think it means something good considering its a medical plant. It stands for distrust."
"You really don't like her that much that you gave her a death flower?"
"I love you." Sicheng looks at the wall where the clock was located. Eleven forty eight.
"I love you t-"
"Lets go to the garden. You said you wanted to wait for new year there, so lets go."
"Its a long walk-"
"But if we run we can get there by at least eleven fifty six."
"Okay. Yeah, lets go." They hop out the bed and run down the stairs. On the way to the door they grab their coats and don't bother to change their footwear.
"Where are you guys going?" Kun asks them in their rush to get their coats on.
"Garden. He wants to wait there. Wanna come?"
"Yeah, yeah cool. Go ahead. Im coming don't wait for me." Sicheng smiles at his cousin and drags Yuta out the house. The run begins now. Its really not a long walk unless you don't have plans and unintentionally make it a long walk, which is exactly what Sicheng does every time. They make it to the garden with four minutes until the following year. Halfway into the garden they hear footsteps. They turn around to reveal all the people that joined them on the flight here and some others.
"MY SON!" Sicheng all but screams and latches his arms around the German. Yuta smiles and greets the three boys. They never met personally.
"Where'd you find them?" Sicheng asked.
"Two houses down. Found them the day after Christmas never mentioned it though." Chenle smiled.
"Is that Ten?" Yuta questions pointing to the boy in the middle.
"See you do look like Ten Ge."
"Oh, one minute left. Who has the countdown up?"
"I got it." They all huddled around Dejun's phone and watch the clock.
"Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one. HAPPY NEW YEAR!" All the boys cheered. Sicheng pulled Yuta into and kiss as Renjun did to Chenle. The other four took their attention off of it by looking at the flowers glowing in the beautiful night sky of a new year. Sicheng and Yuta pulled away and then Sicheng and Yuta pulled Renjun and Chenle away.
"Hormonal teenagers." Sicheng shot them a look before joining the others by the pond.
"What are-"
"Moonflowers. They only bloom at night. Light up the entire garden." They all stood there in the new year looking at the beautiful garden. A new year. (Don't tell Yuta, but they haven't had their Chinese new year yet. This was all for him.)
—
scene two: the party
Its late night here in Chicago. There isn't any time for sleep though. Why? Its the last night of two thousand eighteen. Many in the country are celebrating it and many are not. Koreans, Thai, and the Chinese don't celebrate their New Years until later in the next year. Ten had left Los Angles four days before so Johnny could take him on a tour of the city, which he did indeed the day after Ten's arrival. Ten loved everything about the city Johnny was born in and even asked Johnny to bring him back sometime. But now, here on New Years eve Johnny, Ten, and Jeffrey had managed to separate from the mess of people at the party. Was it mentioned that Jeffrey's sisters were given permission to throw a party? Well, that happened.
"Sorry again about those two. So annoying." Jeffrey apologised to the boyfriends for the millionth time.
"Oh my god, Jung Jaehyun-Jeffrey-Jay-Yoonoh. Shut the fuck up. For the absolute last time, it's not your fault John's parents invited your family and then your sisters asked to throw a party and John's parents said yes. Shh. We have five minutes left until your family and his come out here and ten left to before a whole other year starts. Relax, kid." Ten spilled all of it that he'd been holding in.
"Wow. Ten, I never heard you be so assertive."
"I topped Johnny last night."
"Jesus Christ! I'm not Jungwoo, you can't just drop that- oh god and he's standing right there. I-. Wait, you said you topped? As in you? Chittaphon Leechaipornkul?"
"Yes, yes, yes! It was so exciting!" Ten jumped and nodded. Jeffrey really wished Jungwoo had said yes to Ten's invitation to coming with him for the rest of the year.
"Ten we aren't talking about this. Our parents will be out answer second."
"Fine. I'll just talk to Sara about it." Johnny made a face of confusion.
"Sara?"
"Your mother."
"Holy fuck, Ten. Don't talk to my mom about our sex life."
"She told me to. We've been talking about it pretty much since we met." Johnny's eyes widened. Ten met his parents a week after they started dating. Johnny face palmed and groaned towards the sky. Ten looked confused but the only thing in Jeffrey's mind was him asking why he was stuff with these losers.
"Ah, kids. There you are. Look, only thirty seconds left." On the balcony of the house even with the door closed they could all still hear the loud screams of numbers falling from the drunk peoples mouths from inside.
"Five, four, three, two- HAPPY NEW YEAR!" The Jung-Seo families and the randoms inside yelled. They shared a group hug before the sister Jungs went back to enjoy the last hour of their party. The parents decided to camp on the balcony with the boys until everyone had.
"Sara, I have news for you." Johnny's mother turned to the Thai boy.
"What is it? Wait, don't tell me. I know what it is."
"Really?" Ten drew on a face of amusement. The woman moved closer to his ear and whispered.
"I heard it all last night. Ten, I'm so proud if you." She pulled boy into a hug and they danced around on the balcony for a few minutes before settling down and conversing about something in the corner.
"So, Jung. Talked to your man lately?"
"Yes, actually. He told me on Christmas no bars would let him and Yanan in so they went to Sicheng's and had three bottles of strong stuff. Yanan woke up before him and cleaned everything but then he wasn't bothered to ask what they drunk." Johnny let out a hearty laugh.
"Sounds like he had a fun-"
"He woke up laying on the toilet bowl."
"Oh. Damn, we all know that killed him."
"Ha, yeah it did. He called me after his fourth shower saying he felt like the toilet germs were stuck to him for all eternity." Both boys broke into laughter after that. Johnny looked at his phone screen for the time.
"How do you think Yuta's New Years went? China doesn't celebrate theirs until April I believe."
"Sicheng probably made something work for him."
"Yeah. You're right."
—
scene three: finale (english in italics)
So the gays in the Lee household were finally enjoying some peace and quiet after Donghyuk made that aunt leave. Minhyuk, Minho, and Mark thanked him over and over. They could never do anything against her words. She was the oldest aunt in the house, none of their parents could help either. She wouldn't been staying until the end of the first week of January but not this time.
The cousins and their boyfriends wee all in Mark's room relaxing and waiting until eleven fifty five. Well, Mark was. The others didn't really celebrate this day but a lot of their family did so they participate. Donghyuk is sat on Mark's lap and they're talking about all the good things that happened to them this year. Many of the things dealing with the fact that they're able to be together with each other right now in this very moment.
"Mark, what if we never met?" Donghyuk unintentionally whispered.
"I don't know. I don't want to think about it either. My life would be completely different if we never met." Mark held one of Donghyuk's hands.
"Hey, lovebirds. Time to go." Minho called from the door. Mark looked at his clock and saw it was indeed time to go. They walked through the hall of Mark's parents' house hand in hand until they reached the main room with everyone in it gathered in front of the television. Mark's mother dragged both boys closer the the screen and they sat there waiting for the final countdown to start. It was silent in the house with the exception of the sounds coming from the television. They waited minutes until it began.
"... Three, two, one. HAPPY NEW YEAR!" They all shouted. Donghyuk stayed quiet and silently felt bad that the one rude aunt Mark had missed this time with her family because of him. Mark looked back at the sulking boy.
"What's wrong?"
"Your aunt isn't here and I feel bad."
"Hey, don't worry about her. She never stays for this anyways. Always leaves right after Christmas ends. I'm happy you're here to see the new year start with me, Hyuk."
"Me too. I love you."
"I love you too." And they sealed it with a sweet kiss causing more shouts and cheers from the cheering family.