hydrangea- gratitude 

"And... that's a wrap!" Myungsoo called, clicking off his Nikon professional camera. He grinned at the little kid, giving him a high five. "The photos will be delivered to your house in about a week," he informed the parent. "And, happy birthday, little man," Myungsoo added, ruffling the kid's hair. 

"Won't you stay for a bit of cake?" the kid's mother asked, looking like she genuinely meant it. Alas, Myungsoo had to shake his head. 

"Sorry, Seo Minjung shi, I have to develop these photos," he said, shaking his camera. "The sooner, the better. Oh, please excuse me," he said as his phone rang. "Hello?"

"Oppa, it's Raina," the female voice said in a worried tone. Raina Kim was Myungsoo's younger sister. "You have to come to the hospital, quick! Mom was feeling extreme levels of pain this afternoon and I finally took her to see a doctor. I don't know what's wrong with her but I'd feel better if you were here."

Myungsoo felt the color drain from his skin. It was true that his mother wasn't exactly young; she had him at forty and had Raina at forty seven. His father had passed away, permanently changing his mother. She was always depressed, sad, and sullen; she refused to eat or drink anything and had recently started smoking as well. The idea of losing his mother was something he couldn't bear with. "I'm coming," he said, running out of the house.

When he burst through the main doors of the hospital, he quickly asked the nurse at the desk reference where his mother was, rushing into an elevator and tapping his right foot rapidly. When they reached the fifth floor, he was the first to leave the elevator, muttering a quick sorry as he pushed past a man. "Raina!" he called, spotting his sister sitting outside the room on a chair; she was sobbing. "Is... is something wrong?"

At that moment, the door opened, revealing a doctor. "Ah, Myungsoo shi?" the doctor asked; Myungsoo nodded, braced for whatever news was about to be thrown on him. "Good afternoon, I'm Doctor Kim Sungkyu. I just finished diagnosing your mother. I'm very sad to say that she was liver cancer."

Myungsoo stared at him, waiting for him to continue. "Is that, er, is that bad?"

"I can't say that much yet, that information will be available tomorrow morning. In the meantime, I suggest that you spend time with your mother. There are limited suggestions I can give as I've only briefly looked at her, but I promise a full-scale analysis tomorrow morning." Nodding at the siblings, the doctor left the way Myungsoo had come.

"It's fine, Raina," Myungsoo said, pulling his sister close to him. "Everything's going to be alright. Mom will be fine, she's always been strong." She's not young anymore, a voice in his mind reminded him. Shaking his head, his kissed the top of his sister's head. "Let's wipe your tears, okay? We don't want Mom to see you like this."

"Oppa, it's cancer!"

"It might just be the first stage," he said, trying to comfort her. Even as he said it, he knew he was lying to himself. For over three years now, his mother had complained about an inexplicable pain but never went to see a doctor. "Money's too tight," she always said, waving the idea away. Taking a deep breath, Myungsoo pushed open the door, and bit his tongue so he wouldn't cry out.

She looked horrible. 

Draped in a white blanket, she looked frail and thin, with IV cords draping her arm. She seemed to be asleep, giving Raina the chance to cry in peace. Myungsoo couldn't bear to look at his mother anymore. He always knew she was aging but denied it at the same time. Seeing her, with IV cords everywhere, seemed to confirm that she was indeed growing old and would soon have to leave, just like his father. "I'm going to get something to drink," he tried to say, but nothing came out of his mouth. 

Closing the door behind him quietly, he turned when he reached the end of the hallway, spotting a vending machine with sodas at the end. There was already someone there, banging on the machine. "I think it might be broken," he informed the brown-haired woman. She looked at him but didn't say anything. "Did you buy something?" Myungsoo asked. She didn't say anything again. "Oh, is that it?" he asked, pointing to a Coke bottle halfway out of its stand. She still wouldn't reply. "Er...well, I'll get it out for you, then." After picking the machine from the bottom and swiftly letting go, the Coke bottle jostled and eventually fell down; catching it in his hand, Myungsoo handed it over to the girl.

She smiled but didn't say anything, walking away. Myungsoo checked his breath- nope, still smelled like the gum he'd chewed earlier. Shaking his head, he slid in the money and punched in the numbers for a Pepsi.

Sunset had arrived, splashing the sky with streaks of red and orange. "Raina, you have to pack for tomorrow," Myungsoo reminded his sister for what seemed like the hundredth time. 

"For the last time, Oppa, I'm not leaving you to take care of her alone!"

"I told you I'm fine with it," he snapped. "You've studied too hard to just let go of this."

"I can go to China three months later."

"You won't be able to go with your friends, and I know how much you were looking forward to this. Raina, go, I'm serious, just go. I'll take care of Mom, and I'll keep you updated on her condition." Raina finally considered it, biting her lip. Finally, she nodded her head.

"Oppa, can you go buy me a drink? Pepsi."

"Yeah," he replied. Getting up from his bench, he walked to the vending machine he'd gone to before, punching in the familiar numbers. He was walking back to their room when he heard sobbing coming from another hallway. Curious, he peeked around the corner to spot a woman laying crumpled against a door. "Ajumah (ma'am)!" he cried, running over to her. "Are you okay?"

The aged woman looked at him, not bothering to wipe the tears that were falling from her face. She shook her head, her lower trip trembling. "Is this your room?" he asked, pointing. When she nodded, he opened the door an inch before picking the woman up gently. "Here, I'll help you into your room." Expecting to find an empty bed welcoming them, Myungsoo stared at the woman sitting on the bed, staring out the window. "Oh, Coke girl!" he said in surprise. 

Coke girl turned her head to look at him quizzically, her eyes darting between him and the woman he was holding. "You're...this is your room?" he asked the girl. When she still failed to answer him, he got frustrated. "You know, I won't bite if you speak to me," he snapped. "What, am I too ugly? Too ordinary looking? Do I-"

"She's mute," the woman in his arms mumbled, gasping for breath. "My Jessica is mute."

"Wh-what? She's what?"

"Mute. She's been like that she since was seventeen. I- I've been taking care of her ever since her m-mother passed away, but I- I just can't take it anymore, m-my J-Jessica, she was so talented, she was going to go f-f-far in l-life, I- I-"

Myungsoo gently led the woman to the bench besides the bed. "I'm sorry," Myungsoo said, bowing. "I didn't know she was mute." Turning back to Jessica, he bowed to her as well. "I'm sorry."

Jessica stared at him for a while before finally moving. She got out of her bed and went to the many flower pots lined up on her window sill; picking off a batch of blue/purple flowers off, she made her way back to him, handing them to him.

"Um," Myungsoo said, not knowing what to say. "I don't really like flowers, but I appreciate the effort," he said with a smile. 

The woman gave a great sigh. "She speaks through flowers," she said. Upon seeing his confused expression, she elaborated: "Flowers are very special; they were made by God's loving touch and each represents something. A hidden meaning, a code. She's trying to tell you something through those flowers." Bewildered, Myungsoo stared at them. He then looked at Jessica and bowed again. Finally wishing them a good night, he went back to the room where his mother was staying, gave her a kiss, and left the hospital with Raina. 

When he finally reached home, he tossed and turned, staring at the batch of flowers sitting next to him. Giving in to his curiosity, he searched for the flower's name- hydrangea- and looked up its meaning- gratitude. He smiled to himself; Jessica had a unique way of communicating. 

"Oppa, there's still time to cancel," Raina said, wiping her tears away.

"Raina, don't make me repeat what I've said for, what, the billionth time?"

"Billion and one," Raina corrected. "Are you sure you'll be alright? I can stay, I really don't have to-"

"Yes, I'll be fine. Mom will be fine too, don't worry. You have to study hard, alright? Study hard and come back to Mom and Oppa with good results." Giving his sister a firm hug, he stepped away, waving to her as she stood in line at the airport. It was barely six AM but the roads were busy with activity again. He turned off his radio as he parked in the parking lot of a flower shop. "Good morning," he greeted the woman at the desk. "Do you have flowers that mean friendship?"

The woman smiled. 

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First chapter updated, wohoo! The next chapter will be called Alstroemeria!