Tiredly rubbing at her eyes, Jessica stumbled into the kitchen. “Coffee,” she grumbled, sinking onto a barstool at the kitchen counter. 

Seohyun turned from the sink, where she had been washing cereal bowls, to smile prettily at the drowsy girl.  “Morning, Unnie.” 

“Coffee.”

Instead of catering to Jessica’s demand, Seo pushed forward a woven basket of hibiscus flowers that had been sitting on the edge of the granite countertop.

“That’s not coffee.”

“It’s National Flower-giving Day, Unnie.”

Sica arched her eyebrow.  “Really?” she asked skeptically, examining the basket, eyes landing on a card.  In all her years of living in South Korea, she had never heard of such a holiday.  How did she not have an inkling about it? she pondered as she snatched up the card.  “Sica~” was written in fancy cursive across the front.  The card was turned over to reveal a small poem.

Here is a hibiscus for a delicate
beauty like you. Hibiscus also has
another meaning, it blesses the person
with a nice summer if they get to see
it bloom.

Jessica smiled, eyes traveling from the small card to the flowers.  “Thanks, Seo.  I’ll be sure to give you a yellow rose of friendship when I get the chance.”

“That wasn’t from me.”

“It wasn’t?”

“No, it was just sitting there this morning,” Seo answered with a shrug, depositing a soiled frying pan in the sink before departing Sica’s presence in need of a shower. 

Jessica arched her eyebrow.  “She still didn’t get me my coffee.”  Pushing that thought aside, Jessica took up the display and set it on her vanity.  “Pretty.”

On the way out of her room, Jessica bumped into Taeyeon in the hallway. “Oh, hi, Tae.”

“Hi, Jessica,” Taeyeon crooned, smiling brilliantly, placing a butterfly kiss to her girlfriend’s forehead.  “How’s your morning so far?”

“I think I have a stalker.”

Taeyeon arched an eyebrow, folding her arms across her chest.  “Mwo?”

“Yeah, some secret admirer sent me hibiscus flowers.”  Hoping she had just provoked the girl, Jessica bit back a grin. She loved jealous Taeyeon.

“Oh.”  Taeyeon’s concerned scowl transformed into a grin.  “I got them too.  It’s National Flower-giving Day.”

~

At noon, a vase of forget-me-nots from Krystal arrived at the doorstep.  Jessica signed for it and then carried it to her room as she read the note: “A forget-me-not to hope you will remember those who have turned your frown into a smile.” A pang of worry struck her heart.  At this rate she was going to have to repay a lot of people, and quickly.  But she didn’t know a thing about the symbolism of flowers!  Jessica shook her head, making a mental note to give her sister a daisy the next time she saw her. 

Much to her relief, the day passed without any more surprise deliveries.  Her worries left her mind for the remainder of the afternoon.

Eventually it came time for Jessica and Taeyeon to take their turn of cooking dinner, and together they worked over a rice casserole. 

“Did you get any more deliveries today?” Taeyeon asked, taste-testing the mixture of rice, butter, and seasonings that Jessica was stirring together in a large pot.

“Only one, and it was from Krystal.  You?”

“Just the one.”  Taeyeon playfully punched the girl’s shoulder.  “I guess we know who the popular one is around here, huh?”

Jessica bit back a smile as she poured the stew-like mixture into a ceramic dish.

But Sooyeon’s worries were soon to be refueled.  The next delivery made its appearance as the centerpiece of the dinner table.

“So pretty!” Tiffany chirped with shining round eyes locked on the purple irises.

“They really are,” Yuri replied, eyeing Jessica.  “Here is a batch of irises to show how your friendship means so much to me.  And…umm…oh yeah, taken from the Greek word for “rainbow”, it has symbolized how our color of our friendship shines in different shades of colors.”  Yuri nodded, satisfied with her eloquent proclamation, leaving Jessica slightly stunned and amused. 

Having not been a recipient of any flower arrangements, Tiffany unknowingly pouted, purposely slapping Yuri for having not extended a display of fondness to her as well.

~

Jessica sat on the foot of her bed, eyes locked on the floral presents.  A soft rap at her door caught her attention enough to derail her aimless thoughts.  “Come in.” 

Timidly stepping into the room was Taeyeon.  “Busy?”

“No.”

“Cool.”  Taeyeon stepped forward, keeping her hands behind her back, toes digging into the carpet as she studied the arrangements.  Shyly she held out her hand, presenting a red rose.  Jessica’s eyebrow arched and she silently accepted it, a small smile playing on her lips as Taeyeon turned to face her.  “A rose is the language of love in the flower world.”  Jessica blushed, petals of the rose brushing against her lips, eyes locked on the girl who took a seat beside her.  Taeyeon took Jessica’s hand in her own, softly kissing the back of it.  “There might be thorns which have made the rose imperfect but it just needs the right person to remove them and I am lucky to have met a rose like you.  The process might hurt but it’s worth it because I get to have a beautiful rose in the end and cherish it.”  Delicately Taeyeon brushed a tear from Jessica’s cheek before cupping her smiling face.  “National Flower-giving Day is fake.  Krystal, Yuri, and Seo—they were helping me.  It was a day early to surprise you.” 

A hand flew to Jessica’s mouth, the realization setting in.  The whole thing was a set-up.  Her heart was fluttering, tears threatening to overflow.  She wanted to speak, but her voice was gone.  She wanted to react, but she was lost in the beauty of the act.  At that moment, she knew she was the luckiest girl in the world.  Her relationship with Taeyeon was the perfect romance.  

“We have gotten to the stage where words and actions cannot express how much we love each other.  So I figure that I should try to express how I feel for you with the language of flowers.  I love you, Sooyeon.  Happy anniversary, my sweet girlfriend.”

Jessica’s arms swept around Taeyeon and her face pressed to Taeyeon’s hair.  Grinning like an idiot, tears streaming down her cheeks, Jessica whispered, “I love you, too,” knowing she just fell in love with her best friend all over again.

감사합니다.
--xXBlackWidowXx