"More and more... These poor souls." Yixing whispered as he looked through the newspaper. The black bold letters made him shiver in his spot. 

Massacare by the Han River! 25 brutally murdered!

"How horrific...." he whispered as he looked at the pictures of the scene. "25 members of the Oh Gang were brutally murdered by the Han River last night, leaving a bloody mess by the bank. Oh my..." Yixing bit his lip worriedly. "Just another Gang war so not anything citizens should be worried- What kind of statment is that?!" he demanded as he read the closure. "So rude!" he yelled out loud.

The florist threw the newspaper into the waste bin, angrily. "If only I could meet the writer! How dare he!" he muttered annoyed. To him, no one should be disrespected in such manner. Not even crooks. It was just nearly five in the afternoon and already he was upset. So far, he had a decent amount of customers come by to buy flowers for their loved ones but just reading those bolded arrogant words was enough to make Yixing furious.

A soft jingle made the florist look up to meet eyes with Xunqi. "Oh! Xunqi!" he smiled widely. Just like that, the fire that burned in his soul was extinguished. "How are you today?" he asked, kindly. He could see the uneasiness in the other's eyes as he stared  over at the waste bin.

"Awful." It was sort and hurtful.

"Oh no... Why is that?" Yixing asked, geniunely concerned. He watched Xunqi came closer. As he came close, a strong wift of colgne hit him. Something about it was strange. It had a strange mix to it. It was as if Xunqi came across dreadful that mixed in with his own scent. Something like Death.

Xunqi closed his eyes, as he gently sighed. "... It's diffucult to explain... Mister Zhang." he admitted. He looked down at the florist to see the other listening. "I'll just say it's a ride back to the past." he hummed. He looked over at the shelf to see peonies resting on their sides. "May I buy one today?" he asked, walking over to take it by the stem. The taller one walked over to the counter for purchase.

"Just one? I think I see a pattern here." Yixing smiled as he punched in the purchase in his register. "When you first came you bought about ten! But ever since that day, you've been dropping the amount of peonies by day!" he explained. "Why is that?"

The quiet man held the flower to himself. "They remind me of someone. Someone who died tragically..." he answered.

Inside, Yixing could feel his heart break for this man. "Oh no... Xunqi I'm so sorry." he whispered, regretting even asking of the reasoning. He looked up to see Xunqi's gentle look.

"Don't worry... It's been over three years since he died. I just hope he forgives me." Xunqi said quietly. He held the flower close, studying it closely. It was as if there a face attached to it. Almost as if he could see someone smiling back at him. "I miss him everyday. I just wish I told him how much I missed him and how long I waited for him." he whispered, frowning a bit. "But I suppose it's too late for that... right?" Xunqi asked, looking over at Yixing.

Yixing just wanted to hug the poor man and tell him everything was going to be okay. From his tone, his expressions and body language, it was evident this person meant so much to Xunqi. They meant so much that Yixing got to an emotion out of Xunqi. However that emotion was just coated with negativity. It was sadness. "I'm sure he knows you miss him. Just think of it like this. He's up in heaven watching over you, making sure you are okay! If anything, he wants you to know he's here with you everyday."

Xunqi didn't say anything but nod. "Yeah. I hope he does." he whispered. He cleared his throat, before looking over at the door. "I think it's about time I should get going. I do have a busy a head of me." he muttered, looking over at his watch.

The florist tilted his head, a bit curious as to what it was that kept Xunqi so busy. "What do you do for a living, Xunqi?" he asked, leaning on the counter.

There was a small pause. Xunqi looked a bit surprised by the question and kind of stalled into saying his answer. "I... I sell things and take things..." he muttered, looking away nervously.

"Ah, like going up to people's homes and selling things from your company? A sellsperson?" Yixing asked, smiling happily. He watched the confused expression spread Xunqi's face. "If you're selling anything now, I'll happily buy from you!"

"N-No, you don't want that-"

"But I insisit! We're friends aren't we?"

A moment of silence settled in between the two. "I... You don't want to be my friend." Xunqi said, lacing it with a dangerous tone. "You wouldn't like anything I do." he muttered, walking over the door. "I'm just a monster." he said lastly before leaving the stunned florist to himself.

"H-Huh?" Yixing blinked confused as to why Xunqi looked so tense at that. "Does he not have any friends?" he wondered, leaning back. He crossed his arm, thinking hard. "He is pretty quiet and seem to only keep to himself... So he probably has trouble making friends! Oh that makes sense now!" Yixing snapped his fingers as if he solved the world's hardest mystery. "But why would he call himself a monster?" He looked over at the outside to the brightly lit afternoon. Well it was nearing onto evening as it did seem a bit darker.

"Maybe someone will come in late." Yixing assured himself. He waited a bit before wakling off. There was no point in waiting out front for people who would not even walk in. Why wait alone, when he could have "company" with him? Yixing finding himself instead lying down in his comfort space, waiting for no one. All around him were dazzling peonies. Each screaming as their petals fell sadly to the ground, creating a beautiful pool of red petals that Yixing was all too lazy to clean after. He could see feel the shadows wrap themselves around his body. He smiled, embracing the darkness.

"How unfitting... The Lord is leaving THAT all his riches and status? What a shame..."

"It's a I tell you! He loves no women, only men!"

"How shameful!"

A small smile made it to Yixing's lips. "Ha... Yes... Shameful indeed." he mused in amusement to the voices in his head. "Grandfather should've known better than to leave a disgrace his fortune." he almost spat the word out, but kept hush as he was afriad things would hear. Yixing sat up, bringing his knees close to his chest. "Leaving me the fortune..." he hummed, his eyes blank as they did not care for some measly fortune his Grandfather had given him.

Back in China, Yixing's grandfather was a Lord that dominated all of Changsha. All that circled the elder were riches from each crack of the world. Every country, every city, it was all piled up in his grandfather's home. Yixing remembered always being scolded if he were to break something. It wasn't like it was an importance to Yixing at the time. It surely isn't improtant to him now as he was in Korea, fufilling his dream as a florist. Being a Lord was something his family envisioned for him. Something that was too bothersome in Yixing's opinion. He grew up with that hate burning in him. Rich and power what a waste. Why bother making a name for yourself when all you'll do is die soon? That was Yixing's way of thinking of this stupid Lord .

However, his grandfather was so stubborn on passing everything down to Yixing. So stubborn that on that man's deathbed, his grandfather handed him the key to it all. The key to all the riches and treasure of the world. "Take it all. Just keep the name alive." That was the last thing his grandfather said to him before slipping his last breath past his lips. Not even a 'I love you'.

That was the thing that pissed Yixing off so much about his father's side of the family. All of them just cared about the treasure and the ability to be entitled with the title "Lord Zhang". They all wished for some stupid title. You didn't need riches or treasure to be a lord. You didn't need people's approval to become a respected person! It was all blasphemy! All of it was! So when Yixing left China for good, all of that weight to becoming the next Lord left him. Besides he didn't have that on his mind at the time. There a person on his mind that occupied him for the most of his years.

Yixing blushed darkly as he smiled shyly. "Maybe this year... he'll come for me. If not, there's always next." he said quietly. It was boy from his childhood, his first love. Before Yixing could think more a loud slam made it's way from the front. It echoed in the room, frightening the florist.

Inside, Yixing's heart raced out of fear. However, there was nothing to be afriad about! Yixing didn't even see the customer to judge on what fear should be! So he stood up. Dusting off at the arms, at the legs and at the torso, ready to make those sales. Once he was neat and ready, Yixing walked off to greet the customer.

Standing by was a large fellow who wore a dark trench coat over dark colthing. His eyes dragged downward, giving a negative look to everything the man saw. The lower lip of the man stuck out, showing off the lower part of his jaw as if to growl. Light bounced off so nicely from the top of his head, making his baldness the first to catch Yixing's attention.His body shape was like a large box that settled it's weight on a pair of thick logs. He was large, mean and ugly.

"W-Welcome to my shop! How can I help you?" Yixing said, catching his stammering. He nearly jumped when the man looked at him.

"Are you Zhang Yixing?" he demanded, coming close. Each time Yixing stepped back, the man took twice the amount.

"Y-Yes I a-a-am... How can I h-help you?" Every word was shaky as it seemed clear to Yixing that this guy was no good guy. "I d-don't want any trouble if that's what you came here for." he assured, his fingers digging into the palms of his hands as they tried to brace a strong face.

"Trouble? Oh no... That' all you ARE!" the man shouted as he broke through the counter getting to Yixing easily. He laughed as Yixing screamed for his dear life. With a large leap, he tackled Yixing to the ground, pressing Yixing close to the grounds of his own shop.

"Leave me alone! What do you want from me?!" Yixing screamed. He couldn't breathe. His heart was pounding so in hard. So in hard, everything else was a blur. The insides of him were screaming for help, wanting someone to blood fuking help him. As Yixing kicked and hit, the man put even more pressure on top of him. The pressure was crushing his airways as he coughed, spit drooling down his mouth.

"I heard some stories about you Zhang Yixing! So kind, so noble! So RICH!" the man grinned madly. His eyes were red as they stared into Yixing's dark orbs. "So blood in rich!" he laughed, gripping Yixing by the neck. "Boss Lee told me to take you back to HQ. But he never did say I had to bring you back alive~" he grinned maliciously. "I just want to hear you in scream more." With that, the man rose, holding Yixing up in the air.

The air was so short, so hard to gasp in just to live for a few moments more. Yixing was gritting his teeth as he through his nose, hoping to get some air, but it was so short and stung like a . Was he going to die here? Was this the end? Is it time to meet his grandparents in heaven already? How time flew by so fast. "P-Please..! I-I don't want to die!" he cried, tears streaming down his face.

"I can't hear you!" The man roared with laughter as he gripped harder. "I can't hear the you're spewing, Chinese trash!"

"I - I don't want to die!!!" Yixing sobbed as the man choked him. Tears splattered all over the floor as Death stood by the door waiting for him. He tried to slap the man, make him loosen his grip, but he reach. The florist coughed, his eyes blurred as his breaths became shorter. "He... Help me...." he whispered. Things became darker and slower. Everything sounded heavy and obnioxious. Yixing could feel his airways open as he crashed to the floor. Gunshots banged throuhout the room. The strange man shook as blood spurted out of him. Curses and shouts pierced his ears as Yixing rested.

"I... want to live...."

Then it was black.

Dear Diary,

I don't want to die....

                                - CLOSE, Zhang Yixing