99 Roses 

It is any other ty day doing my ty job. 
It’s so boring.. I'm falling.. *yawns* asleep..

Ohya before I forget lemme introduce myself. 
My name is Jung Jessica.
2nd year high school student at Soshi all girls high school.
Right now I'm having I not so wonderful vacation working at some lame florist.

“JUNG SOOYEON!! THERE IS A CUSTOMER!! GET TO HER NOW OR YOU WONT HAVE TO COME AGAIN TOMORROW!!” *SLAM*
That’s my, pain in the @ss, boss Krystal she supposedly younger then me but I never get any respect from her. 

“Hi miss how can I help you?”

“Umm I was wondering do you sell roses here? All I see are Sunflowers and Daisies. They are so boring..“

She spoke from behind her shades without even looking at me, as if I was a lower life form of some sort. Relax sica, relax, the customer is always right.

“Yes we do. Please follow me.” I led the way into the ‘more interesting flowers column’. There were Venus fly traps. Morning Glories ect. ect.

“Aren’t they just beautiful?” the customer removed her shades and hung it on her collar as she leaned forward to admire the Roses. The weight of the sunglasses was puling down her collar more then it should. WOW.

“Nice boo- I mean y-yeah they are b-beautiful” she stood up right just as I finished my sentence. It was the first time I saw her face. I could have sworn I was looking at an angel.

“Pack two for me please.” She then gave me a warm smile, from that moment on I was would gladly have been the lowest life form on earth if she keep smiling at me like that... No wait what am I saying? I was spacing out

“Hello miss.. uh miss?..” she was asking for my name? or was she trying to call me back to earth? I still came back to earth and gave her my name anyway.

“O-oh ya ok. Uh just call me miss Jung or Jessica will do” I picked out two roses and proceeded to pack them. 

“Sooo… part time job?” she was talking to me. OMG OMG OMG .

“Y-yeah I'm on vacation.” I was done about to pact the two of them together when she stopped me. 

“Wait. Pack that one separately.”

“Ok.” I just compiled and packed it how she wanted it.


“That will be $3.50 please.” She gave me the exact amount. When I collected the money our hands touched for a moment but I was frozen in my spot. By brain ceases to stop functioning.”

“Uh are you ok”

“Yeah... I'm alright. No problems. Nope non at all.,” 

“Heehee ok here this is for you.” She handed out a Rose to me.

“Wha? What’s this for? Miss.. miss..”

“Miss Kwon Yuri but just call me Yuri.”

“What’s this for miss- I mean Yuri?

“Nothing. See you soon” she left the rose in my hand and left the shop. Is it me or does this rose smell sweeter?


--- --- ---

As usual I was at the counter waiting for the next or rather the first customer to come in. I was so busy looking at the rose I got yesterday I did not realize another presence in front of me.

“Ah-hem.”

I looked up I was shocked or rather surprised to see her standing in front of me again. Holding two roses.

“Oh hi Yuri didn’t expect you to come back so soon..”

“Soon? Its been a day..”

“Cause usually customers rarely come here.” I said and looked around. There was nobody except us. The shop was deserted.

“I see I see.. Will you pack this for me? Separately.”

I packed we chatted for a while and she gave me one of the roses again. I just graciously accepted it and she left leaving me hanging with a simple see you soon.

This went on for the next 95 days. Every time before she leaves she would give me a rose. Those that she gave me 3months ago had withered and died a long time ago. 

--- --- ---

Every time she comes I fall for her a little bit more. 
Every time she left she took a piece of my heart away. 
I found my self longing, wanting, and having the need to, see her everyday.

--- --- --- 

Today would be the 96th time she came. As usual she bought two and gave me one. It became like an unsaid promise. However today it felt different the atmosphere around her was different. She did not leave me hanging with a see you soon or see you around. She simply smiled and left. As she turned around I saw something drop from her face. I wanted to pick it up and chase after her but she was gone. I went to the spot where the item fell. I looked down.

There it was. I wasn’t an ear-ring or necklace. It was much more valuable.
It was I tear drop fallen onto the floor, on the cold hard surface of earth. Did she like me? I thought of calling her then it hit me. After so long I did not get her number, and have never asked her out for a coffee why? Come to think of it I never knew anything much about her.

The next day she never came back. I waited. The next week she still hasn’t come back. School was starting. I might never see her again.

She still hasn’t come back.

I miss you.
Where are you?
Please come back.
Come back and be mine.

--- --- ---

It was the vacations again. I never stopped thinking about her.
Never.

I was back at the same florist, hoping that she will come again.
Two weeks into my job there was no sign of her to be seen. I was giving up hope.

“Jessica will you tend to the roses, they seem rather weird lately.” It was Krystal. Roses.

I was tending to the roses checking the water, the plant the vase every thing. Nothing was out of the ordinary. Everything seemed normal.

“Maybe it needs a bit of love.” A voice came from behind me a voice I learned to know so well. I voice that I missed so much. It was back. She was back. I looked back not daring to believe my eyes. She was here right in front of me.

“Y-Yuri?”

“Sica.” My eyes were watering up. Tears of joy ran down my cheeks. I hugged her. She hugged back. I did not want to let go.

“You’re back. You’re finally back.”

“Jessica what are you doing? And please ma’am my worker is working please stop harassing my employee thank you very much.” *slam* way to spoil the moment boss. 

I dried my eyes. I had to be professional.

“What can I do for you today Yuri?”

“I was wondering..”

OMG is she going to ask me out??

“What should I get for my girlfriend? Something meaningful.”

My heart she crushed it. The world was falling down on me. She has a girlfriend. Why didn’t it cross my mind? I could feel tears welling up in my eyes before blinking them away.

“Uhh.. Roses..” my voice was cracked. “get her 99 roses, it will mean you-you..” I could not go on.

“It means I will love her the rest of my life for as long is I am a live” 
She knew what it meant. My heart was getting crushed every passing moment.

“Sica..” she called me. Was she going to apologize? I could not take it anymore. My tears were going to come out anytime now.

“Sica.” She placed her hand on my shoulders. “Give me the best roses I want the best for her, she is my one and only love.”

All I could do was nod before going into the giant refrigerator at the back to pick out the best and the freshest roses for Yuri’s beloved with tears running down my face. I picked out the 99 roses. I was not able to stand any longer my legs gave way as I broke down and cried. Curling up into a ball.

“JESSICA! JESSICA WHAT ARE YOU DOING SLEEPING?... Wait... Omo Jessica what happened to you? Why are you crying here? Did that customer outside hurt you?”

“…” I could not reply.

“I'm going to make her pay for hurting my employee.” She stated flaring up again. Getting up to teach Yuri a lesson. God knows what she will do to Yuri. I held her hand stopping her from going any further. As much as I know Yuri doesn’t like me I still don’t want her to get hurt.

“Krystal I will settle my own problems.” I said as I pulled her back.

“Yes unnie.”

She called me unnie. My ungrateful boss acknowledges me. Her little action boosted my moral abit as we both headed outside with Krystal glaring at Yuri before going back into her office.

“Here, your 99 roses” she briefly looked through them and got me to pack them.

“Wait pack 98 instead” And handed me a plastic rose. “Put that in instead. And pack that one rose separately”

Was she going to give me that roses and cut cost on her girlfriend? She’s so cheap. I packed both of the roses. 

“Any card you want to add to the bouquet?”

“Yes please” she picked her card from the counter and began writing not letting me see its contents.

She placed the card in the bouquet and took the lone rose, and looked up to me.

“Here for you” she was not giving me the lone rose but the 99 roses. I was stunned.

“B-but t-those were meant f-for you g-girlfriend.” 

She too my hand and pulled me to a more spacious side of the counter and knelt down.

She held the 98 roses and 1 plastic with both her hands offering them to me.

“Jessica Jung will you be my girlfriend? Ever since I came into this store I was attracted to you but I jus did not have the guts to tell you. I was afraid it would ruin our friendship. Then I had to leave for a business trip I was not able to come back to tell you how much I liked you. When I came back you were gone I feared I would not see you again but I kept coming back. But I had another business trip, and I came here straight. And I saw you. You hugged me I was sure of our feelings there and then. So please will you give this silly girl that never got your number a chance, a chance for me to love you? Will you be my girlfriend?

“…” I was speechless I could do nothing but stand there and let my tears flow down my face, tears of joy.

She was still kneeling looking down on the ground.

I reached out and took the flowers, she looked up happiness etched on her face. 
We hugged each other until I remembered the plastic rose. And tore myself away from her and pointed towards the flowers.

“Why the plastic?” I asked

“99 roses symbolizes I will love you for as long as I live. But all the live roses will die and I don’t want our love to die. Thus the plastic rose, means not only will I love you for as long as I live, but I will love you forever.

“I love you Yuri-ah” 

“I love you too Sica”

And we shared our first kiss.



--------------- END ---------------

Notes: Another old fic from my SSF acc posted on 12 oct 2011 

Hope y'all enjoyed it  :)