The sun shone brightly in the clear sky above them. Hyejin was busy tending to the flowers and making sure that each and every one of them heard her singing. Each flower got their own personal concert. Despite being the tender age of 9, Hyejin had power in her voice. A power that she likes to believe will help the flowers grow and thrive. In a way it does. Giving love to life is a power beyond comparison.

So, as she tended the garden, Ms. Manju watched from the comfort of her porch. Perfectly shielded from the sun's rays and it’s piercing heat. A shield that she bought from seeing a 3 am commercial. All for three easy payments of 39.99 plus shipping and handling. It was even installed for free.

Ms. Manju lazily spun the straw in her drink around and around while she watched the young cub prance about from flower to flower. Despite the water pail being half her size, Hyejin somehow remained upright, if a bit wobbly. 

“If ya drop that water then I’m not gonna get you anymore.” Ms. Manju called out.

“I know, Ms. Manju!” Came the young cub’s reply.

Hyejin waddled with the pail of water with a confidence that could rival anyone thrice her age. Her face scrunching with concentration as she focuses on not letting one drop of water escape before it’s destination.

Seeing Hyejin like this brought old memories back for Ms. Manju. Memories that she long kept hidden away during the day and only letting out during the comforting night. But try as she might, her memories won’t leave her. They were begging to be heard. But why? Why now? And why was it happening more so as of recently. Ever since Hyejin first entered her life.

“Hey, Ms. Manju?” Hyejin loudly called despite their relatively short distance apart.

“What?” Ms. Manju couldn’t see Hyejin’s face so there was no way to tell what this child was thinking. Hyejin was at her proclaimed resting point but she just stood there, as if contemplating. What could a 9 year old contemplate?

“ How did you become you?” Hyejin finally asked when she turned to face Ms. Manju.

To say that Ms. Manju was taken aback would be an understatement. She knows what Hyejin means but she can’t tell a small child. It would be a bit tragic in a child’s eyes.

“What? Why ya askin’ such nonsense. Just get over here and get ya snack and drink.” Ms. Manju brushed off Hyejin’s question.

But Hyejin was stubborn.

 When she went over to take a break and nibble on something, she asked again. 

“How did you become you, Ms. Manju?” Hyejin said as she just sat across from Ms. Manju as she chewed on her gummy snacks. The young cub’s eyes never wavering from Ms. Manju’s form. So full of intent. So full of life. So aware about things that adults have long forgotten.

The look in Hyejin’s eyes was familiar to her. So she knew that even if she tried to avoid it, Hyejin would get her answer. Hell or high water. She has to admit though, Hyejin’s uncle was right. Hyejin truly was a small lion.

“Why do ya wanna know what made an old woman an old woman? It’s called time and age!” Ms. Manju answered with a huff. One last attempt to brush off the question.

Hyejin’s gaze saw right through her. 

“My uncle says everyone gots a story to tell,” Hyejin simply shrugged, “And, I wanna hear yours! I think you have a lotta stories to tell! Like maybe being a pirate? Oh! Or being a pilot! Or maybe an undercover agent!” 

Hyejin gave Ms. Manju a bright smile as she basically vibrated with excitement. A smile that made the memories in Ms. Manju’s mind shake and rattle, begging to be released from its cage of sorrow. It was similar to a smile she cherished years before. Before she became Ms. Manju of today.

“Geez, kid…” Ms. Manju rubbed her temples before taking a deep breath, “ I was born and raised here, got into a good university, worked my off before deciding to retire here, and there, that’s my story.”

Hyejin pouted. She knows there’s more to it than that. She knows it and feels it.

“Ms. Manjuuuuuu,” Hyejin whined, “I want your story!” 

Ms. Manju could only sigh. 

“Please?”

Ms. Manju looked at Hyejin when that word was uttered so softly and found a baby cub looking back at her with big eyes. How could she say no to that? Maybe, just maybe….

“How about this, I tell ya a story, any type of story, and by the time you're through in the garden, ya tell me if it’s my story.” Ms. Manju almost caved.
Hyejin pouted and swung her legs back and forth as she thought about Ms. Manju’s words. 

“What do I get if I guess right?” Hyejin squinted at Ms. Manju with uncertainty. 

“If ya get it right, then I’ll buy you any snack ya want for the next week.”

“Deal!!”

Ms. Manju smiled to herself. She knows it was a weird idea. No, it was a terrible idea. But food is a great negotiation tool for Hyejin so anything was possible.

So, as Hyejin finished her snack break and went back to the garden, Ms. Manju told her everything. Nothing was hidden. 

She told Hyejin exactly how she became the Ms. Manju she is today. From where to her, there were only two things that were certain in this world. Pain and suffering. That even if you try with all of your might to be a better person, a happy person, that it just wasn’t meant to be. It was as if happiness and joy was just a treat. But even as pessimistic as she was in old age, once a certain rambunctious child came into her life, she realised what she once lost. 

So, she told Hyejin the truth she held close to her heart.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She wasn’t always so pessimistic. She was once bright eyed and full of hopes and dreams. She saw everything as a challenge to overcome and she took joy in breaking those challenges. The world may be cruel but you can do your part in order to make it just a little bit brighter. And that was how she was in her youth. 

The world told her she can’t do this or that just because she’s a girl. They told her she can’t keep up with the boys. They told her to keep her place in the status quo. They told her many things. And she listened to none of it.

When they told her she can’t do what the boys do, she did it. She did what the boys did and did it ten times better. She ran faster, and farther. She threw a football with more accuracy than the highschool quarterback. She could throw a ball faster than the pitcher. She could outsmart any of them. She was just as good as them if not better.

Maybe that should have been her sign for things to come.

Once highschool came for her, everyone in town knew how she was. She had established herself as setting her own standard. Even if they tried to break her will when she was a child, that only hardened her resolve. If the world is cruel, then she’ll make her own small pocket of joy. There was only one set back. 

Hormones.

She was so focused that she didn’t have time to have crushes back in middle or elementary school. Others tried to rile some sort of feelings from her by saying so and had a crush on her but she didn’t care. She just blew them off and continued to do her own thing. None the wiser that mother nature will take its course, and it will do so with a vengeance. 

It was only in highschool that she began to look at her peers differently. Instead of possible rivals, she saw them in a different light. She saw how they can be friendly. How they can be kind. How they can be caring. It made her heart sting a little. 

She was used to being alone, but now it was starting to get to her. She would like to have someone to share her burdens. Someone to share life with. Someone to love. 

But, there was no one for her. Everyone already knows how she is by now so they don’t even bother with her anymore. They just see her as Manju. There was no hope for her to find anyone in this small town.

Or so she thought.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Manju just about gave up on the possibility of finding a partner. Any type of partner. She would prefer a life partner, but seeing how things were going for her so far? She elected to just have at least one partner before death. And it seemed like her wish was granted. Granted in the form of a new student the beginning of senior year.

Her name was Nekane.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nekane was nice enough. Being a new student meant she didn’t have personal prejudice against other people. But it also meant that she was new prey to the already made cliques and groups. Especially in a small town such as theirs. So she was a bit nervous. She became the talk of the school so quickly and for so long. 

Everyone wanted to be her friend but it was just a ruse to make her choose sides. It was a bit surreal to her. She wasn’t used to this much attention. At first she basked in it, the attention was a breath of fresh air, but it got old real fast. Everyone was constantly asking her the same things, always pestering her. She couldn’t find respite. 

Until she met Manju.

To Nekane, Manju was an anomaly. She did everything she wasn’t supposed to do. She played sports, she excelled in the maths and sciences, and she spoke up for herself. Manju was the embodiment of a different kind of standard. 

Despite their differences, Nekane going with the status quo and Manju against it, they somehow became fast friends. Nekane may have given in to the status quo, but she still maintained an open mind. She easily accepted Manju and her ways. 

It was only natural for Manju to fall for her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Even though it was still not accepted, Manju still managed to get into a university. And even if that meant going to the big city, Manju never forgot her roots. She never forgot Nekane. She even went out of her way to spend as much time with her as possible. 

It was the summer before Manju’s Junior year did their relationship change.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They were at this little isolated park that was far enough out of town that they didn’t have to worry about being hassled. They parked and laid on the hood of Manju’s car and looked up at the sky and it’s setting sun. Enjoying the presence of another person that understands them. 

It was here that Manju confessed. 

It was here that Manju had her heart crushed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Afterwards, Manju poured herself into her studies. Graduating with summa laude and eventually leaving the town behind by going to work at an ever growing corporation. Trying in vain to forget Nekane. 

She had other lovers and the like, but her heart was never in them. It’s what eventually lead to those relationships failing. They wanted something that Manju could never give them. 

Her heart.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fourty years later and Manju finally returned. The city and corporate life finally took its toll and it was time to return to her roots. She expected change, but not this much.

There was more development. More houses are being built in order to house all the growth that was coming in. But that didn’t matter to her. 

What mattered was that there was now a little floral shop near the square that was called Nekane’s Flowers.

Manju immediately went in. Desperate for any sort of closure. 

But she didn’t expect this.

She found Nekane. In a wheelchair. And talking vibrantly to a small circle of youths who were engrossed in whatever she was saying. Eventually, a young man came out with a tray full of snacks to give to the children. It was obvious. This was her son. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She lingered around some more. Eventually the son came to introduce himself and to see if she needed any help. She immediately asked about Nekane, and the boy could only sigh.

Nekane suffered from a , then a head trauma that resulted in the loss of a major part of her memory. That memory of her youth. The memory of Manju.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She stopped by more often. Everyday hoping that Nekane would recognize her by some miracle. But that never happened.

Everyday she stopped by. Everyday she saw Nekane’s health deteriorate. Everyday she held hope. Everyday that hoped vanished. 

One day she arrived to find the boy in tears. The only thing he was able to do was deliver a letter before finally leaving for good.

A letter that Manju will always read before she goes to bed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Manju managed to buy the shop before any city folk could get their tainted hands on it and ruin it. She bought it to continue Nekane’s work. The work that Nekane poured her very being into ever since she was young. The flowers.

While Manju visited Nekane and her son, she learned from them each and every day. It brought a smile onto Nekane’s face seeing someone as eager as Manju to learn about flowers and how to properly care for them. Even if Nekane never recognized Manju, she recognizes a kind soul.

Nekane taught what she could from her wheelchair but Manju caught on quickly. Afterall, she was learning from a master. Despite her disability, Nekane never lost her green thumb. A green thumb that brought life, and brought them ever closer, even near the end. 

It was only right that Ms. Manju carries that torch on. Someone has to.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

By the time Ms. Manju finished her story, Hyejin was done and the sun was setting. Casting it’s fire hues across the sky above them, Ms. Manju waited for Hyejin’s response. Which she received. She was just expecting it to be not full of waterworks.

“Oi, why ya cryin’ so hard?” Ms. Manju sincerely asked.

“Ms. Manju, you...you…,”Hyejin sniffled a couple of times and rubbed her face, “You never got your happiness!!” 

Hyejin was full on bawling at this point. 

Ms. Manju sighed before getting up to comfort the sadden cub. She never figured her story to be sad. In fact, she never thought of it as sad. She saw it as how life is sometimes. 

“Hey, who said I never found it?” Ms. Manju kneeled down to Hyejin’s level and gently patted the youngster’s head.

“H-huh?” Hyejin could barely see out of tear filled eyes so she had to squint to make them focus.

“Who said I never found happiness?”

“But….the one you love….” Hyejin trailed off. She couldn’t imagine a life having your heart broken by the one you love most, and then to see the one you love most not even recognizing you? How can you live life after that?

“I’m happy knowing that she isn’t suffering anymore. I’m happy knowing that her flowers are still alive and blooming. I’m happy knowing that people still remember her. I’m happy that I know she lived a good life.” Ms. Manju’s own voice cracked but she never gave in. Even with the tears that started to gather and threatened to fall. She never gave in.

“....But…” Hyejin could only look at the ground. Her own ideals clashed with what Ms. Manju just told her. She always thought to be with the one you love most was the ideal. That it meant being truly happy. That even if the one you love rejects you then you fight. Right?

“Ms. Manju…..why didn’t you fight for her?” A genuine question from such a small form.

“It wasn’t my place. She didn’t want me and that’s that. Who am I to tell her what her heart wants and loves? I can only hand out my offer, but she had to take it.” Ms. Manju’s voice was tired and drained.

Hyejin chewed her lip as she thought. Her brain soaking in Ms. Manju’s story over and over again. It was being etched into Hyejin’s core.

“I hope I can be with the one I love….” Hyejin spoke the words so softly that Ms. Manju had to strain to hear it.

“Just don’t change who ya are, alright? Do that and ya will be fine.” Ms. Manju ruffled Hyejin’s hair in an effort to lighten the mood. It was weird seeing the bright lion so sullen.

Hyejin let out a huff and stomped her small foot in determination, “I’mma find me someone who will love me for me and be with that person for the rest of my life!”

Despite the fire in Hyejin’s eyes, Ms. Manju couldn’t help but chuckle. 

“It won’t be that easy, kid.” Ms. Manju patted Hyejin’s head one last time before finally getting up. Her knees weren’t what they used to be.

“I just know it! I’mma find someone and be the happiest I’ve ever been! And I know they gonna feel the same!”

“Oh? What makes you think that?” Ms. Manju asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Because I’mma be me,” Hyejin’s bright grin could’ve blinded anyone, “I’mma be me and show em how much I love em and--”

“Hyejin-ah!! It’s time to go!”

Hyejin and Ms. Manju turned their heads toward the voice. It was Hyejin’s uncle. Looks like it was time to call it a day. 

“Coming! See you tomorrow, Ms. Manju!” Hyejin quickly scampered off without a care in the world.

After Hyejin left, Ms. Manju checked on the flowers herself. Despite being so young and careless, the way Hyejin tended to the flowers was indicative of how she will forever be. Kind, caring, thoughtful, and every now and then, flamboyant.

As she made her rounds, she noticed something was off. Near the corner of the flower bed, the place closest to the fence, laid a creature. A white and orange kitten to be exact. A kitten that was currently dozing off. At least it wasn’t big enough to crush the growing flowers.

“Ggomo!! Ggomo where are you?” A small child’s voice cried out in desperation.

Ms. Manju gathered up the lazy kitten and went towards the voice. Seems like the child followed the kitten from the back alley. 

“Ggomo!!” The small child said as she excitedly ran towards Ms. Manju.

As the child ran, Ms. Manju quickly assessed the kid. She never seen this kid before, and she practically knows everyone and their mother in this town. Just who is this kid?

As the kid was close enough, Ms. Manju held out the still sleeping kitten for the kid to get. But as the kid got closer, another voice rang out.

“Wheein-ah!” 

From the same back alley, a fairly young woman popped into view. A tall and a bit lanky and a bit hamster like. All the while her face was full of worry, and a hint of fear.

“Wheein-ah, what did we tell you?” The young woman easily closed the distance between them.

“But mother, Ggomo!” The child named Wheein made grabby hand motions towards the kitten that Ms. Manju still had.

“Ah, children are always rambunctious, aren’t they?” Ms. Manju softly stated as she handed the kitten over to Wheein.

“That they are. Especially when they take after the wife,” A tired sigh escaped, “Anyway, thank you for getting him. Now, what do we say, Wheein?”

“Thank you for saving him!” Wheein beamed.

“Anytime. Try to teach him to not nap on flower beds, ok?” Ms. Manju gently smiled back.

“Oh, did he ruin some flowers? I’m sorry...” Wheein face became crestfallen at the thought.

Ms. Manju had to admit, Wheein was a precious child.

“Oh, no. He’s still tiny enough so the flowers weren’t affected at all.” Ms. Manju stated the simple truth.

“Really? Yay! You did one good thing today, Ggomo.” Wheein spoke to Ggomo who was currently ignoring everything.

“Flowers? You grow flowers back here?” The young woman asked.

“I know it doesn’t look much right now, but those little sections,” she pointed at the flower beds, “are flowers being grown right now.” 

Both Wheein and the young woman looked at the direction Ms. Manju pointed.

“Wow, there’s like, a bunch in there.” The young woman stated as she tried to count the flowers.

“Whoa! Are you growing this ma’am?” Wheein asked with stars in her eyes.

“Oh please, call me Ms. Manju. That’s what everyone calls me here. But no, I’m not the one growing them.”

“Wha?? Then who’s growing them, Ms. Manju?” Wheein asked as she began to go towards the flower beds. Stopping just short as the young woman placed a hand on Wheein’s shoulder before she got out of range.

“Another kid about your age.”

Wheein had stars in her eyes again, “Whoa...I hope I can get to meet them!”

“Maybe during school.” The young woman smiled at Wheein before pulling her back as a sign to leave.

“Maybe so. I think you two would be great friends.” Ms. Manju said with a fond smile on her face. It would be nice for Hyejin to make new friends.

“Mother, can I look at the flowers a bit closer, please? Just for a little bit?” 

The young woman sighed but granted Wheein’s wish. As Wheein excitedly scampered towards the garden, she left the other two behind.

“You have a polite kid.” Came the blunt observation.

“Hah, you can thank my wife for that,” the young woman smiled fondly just at the mere thought of her wife, “Oh! Speaking of manners, where are mine. I’m Moonbyul.” She said while holding her hand out for a handshake. 

Ms. Manju easily took Moonbyul’s hand and quickly showed her that she just wasn’t an old and feeble woman. That there was still some bite left.

“I take it you and your family are new in town?”

“Yep! We just moved here a couple of days ago and finally finished unpacking. We wanted to take a scenic walk around downtown but we didn’t know she brought her cat too till she ran off.” Moonbyul ended her sentence sheepishly.

Ms. Manju was going to say something else but was cut off by an excited Wheein who scampered back to them.

“Mother! I’m going to marry this person!”

Moonbyul just stared at her daughter. Ms. Manju could only laugh.

“I--what? Marry who??” Moonbyul asked in bewilderment.

“I’m going to marry whoever is taking care of these flowers.” Wheein’s response was so certain that Moonbyul almost believed her. Almost.

“Wheein, you’re 9 years old and you don’t even know who this person is,” Moonbyul just sighed, “Who knows how this person will be in 10 years.”

Wheein was about to protest when another voice called out to them both. 

“Ah, Yongsun. Time to go Wheein, don’t wanna make mom worry too much, right?” Moonbyul easily gathered and herded Wheein towards Yongsun’s voice. “Thank you again, Ms. Manju. We’ll see you around!”

“Bye!” Wheein said while also making Ggomo wave his paw in farewells.

After they were gone, peace came again as the sun vanished behind the buildings. Usually she would be one to make a TV dinner and watch a novela, but not today. Today felt like a shift. Maybe it was time for a change. Maybe she should make dinner like she did when Nekane was still around. Make dinner and pray that those two kids will find each other. 

She can already tell that their story will turn out differently than hers.