As Krystal wakes up in the morning, sunlight streamed across her bed and birds chirped outside. She was still holding the blue plastic rose he gave to her. The last thing he gave to her. Thinking of the biggest mistake she has done in her life, a drop of tear began to fall from her swelling eye once again.

            One sunny afternoon, they were playing soccer with a special friend of hers. They were playing happily when rain began to fall. They just chuckled under the pelting rain and simply enjoyed it. They continued playing until it was almost dusk. They walked together and they passed by a stuffed toy shop.

            “Minho, look at that. It’s really cute.” Krystal said, pointing a puppy stuffed toy.

            “Do you like it?” He asked with a bit worried face. “I’m sorry Krys. I forgot to bring some money with me. But don’t worry. I promise, I’ll buy it for you.”

            They continued walking and he brought her home. Tomorrow will be their first anniversary. Krystal hopes he remembers. She pointed the stuffed toy to him a while ago so that it won’t be difficult for him to find a gift for her.

            Couple of hours has passed. Krystal was waiting for his call but she did not receive even one. After few minutes, she heard their doorbell ring.

            “Minho! I’m glad you came.” She said enthusiastically. “So what’s your plan?”

            “Happy anniversary my dear Krystal!” He said, handing a rose to her. “I’m sorry. It’s just the only thing I can afford. I hope you’ll still like it. It really came from my heart.”

            Krystal got a little bit disappointed but she understands. Minho is no longer living with his parents. His mother died in giving birth to him and his father died because of wretchedness. He’s just living with his grandmother and he should think of his grandmother first before Krystal.

            Even though he doesn’t buy her the things that she wanted, he never fails to make her happy in other ways. He always has time for her.

            Few months has passed. Two days before Krystal’s special day, Minho brought her to the burial ground of his father.

            “Dad, meet Krystal, my girlfriend. She’s the one I’ve been telling you a long time ago. I hope you have seen each other in person before you bid your goodbye.” He said.

            Krystal also said “Hi” to his dad, hoping that he can hear her. After that, he brought her home, kissed her in her forehead, and left.

            Another day has passed. Only few hours left before Krystal’s birthday. He brought her to the mall. They just strolled around and they passed by a jewelry store. She saw a crystal necklace and she asked Minho if he can buy it for her birthday. As expected, he apologized for he lacks money again.

            The next day, Krystal waited for Minho again for the whole day. Twilight is fast approaching but no signs of him yet. After a few while, someone rang the doorbell again and Krystal went down to check if it’s him. When she opened the gate, he handed her a rose again.

            “Happy birthday!” He cheerfully greeted.

            “Thanks. A rose again?”

            “I’m sorry. I have no..”

            “Money? It’s fine. come in first.”

            He came inside their house and they put some food in the table. He also explained to her why he just showed up. He brought his grandmother to a better doctor. It’s fine for her as long as she knows that he loves her.

            Few months passed again. It was their second anniversary but still, he did not give anything to her but another rose. They walked by the park and she saw a life-sized Teddy bear. She asked it from Minho but as usual, he has no money. Sometimes she came to think, does he still loves her? He doesn’t even give her what she wants. And these past months, he is giving lesser time for her.

            It was Krystal’s birthday this year again. She’s expecting gifts from him other than a rose. She hopes even once, he can give her what she wanted for her birthday.

            Minho fetch Krystal at around 2:00 PM and he brought her to an unfamiliar place. They went inside that place and she saw an old woman sitting alone in the corner. Minho brought Krystal to her and introduced her.

            “Grandma, this is Krystal. It’s her birthday today” He said, placing his arm around her neck.

            “Hi, Grandma. I’m glad to see you.”

            “Hi Krystal. What a wonderful name. As wonderful as your face. My grandson is really good when it comes to girls.” His grandma said amusingly. “What did he give you today?”

            “As usual grandma, a simple rose.” She answered.

            “Just a rose? Why? Where did you spend your money?”

            “Grandma….” Minho hissed.

            His grandmother just kept quiet. It seems like he’s hiding something from Krystal. Grandma and Krystal talked and she even told her a lot about Minho. Few minutes later, they decided to go home. Minho brought Krystal home as usual. Even though he failed to give her something today, at least, he introduced her to his grandmother. She had fun talking with her.

            She hopes this will be the last time he’ll give a rose to her. She even hopes for a very big thing from him. She hopes that in their third anniversary, Minho will already propose to her.

            Few months later, it was their third anniversary. Krystal hopes for a good thing that will happen today. She woke up early in the morning and fixed herself. After a few hours, their doorbell rang.

            “He’s here! I hope he’ll really do it today. If he gives me another rose, I’ll really be mad at him.” Krystal thought.

            Krystal went down nervously. When she opened the gate, no one was there. She was disappointed. She was about to close the gate when she saw something in their mailbox. She became more disappointed when she saw that it was still a rose. But this time, it was a blue rose. But even though it was blue, which is her favorite color, it was not a real rose. It was just a blue plastic rose with a letter attached to it.

            She sighed and said, “What kind of relationship is this? Even in our anniversary, he can’t give me a useful thing? And now it’s worse than the others. I can’t believe he can give me a plastic rose.”

            She read the letter and it says, “My dear Krystal, I’m sorry. I’m really sorry I did not tell you about this. I will be leaving today. And maybe I will be back after couple of years. I love you Krystal.”

            “That’s it!” She said angrily, throwing the rose outside her house. She picked her phone from her pocket and sent Minho a message.

            When Minho received her message, he was really broken hearted. She said, “I’m sorry. But this is just not working out. I can’t live with this kind of relationship anymore. I think it’s all over. I think loving you is the greatest mistake I have done in my life. I thought you’ll make me happy. I’m really wrong. I’m breaking up with you.”

            He started to cry and went to Krystal’s house. When he is already there, he saw the rose outside of their house. He picked it up and put it again in their mailbox.

            “She didn’t even read it.” He said as he shook his head and left.

            Krystal did not seem to regret her decision. No sadness can be traced in her face but anger. The next day, it was just like a normal day for her just like nothing happened. She was watching television and a news report was flashed. She almost turned off the television when she saw a familiar name.

            “A plane crash was reported just this morning. Many were saved. 5 were injured and 2 were dead on arrival. One of them was Choi Minho and the other was not yet identified…..”

            Krystal’s eyes widened upon hearing the report. Drops of tears started to fall from her eyes. She did not even hear his voice for the very last time. She went outside their house hoping for the blue plastic rose to be there. She saw it in the mailbox and got it. She then ran going to her room and began to cry out loud. Her hands were shaking and she doesn’t want to release the rose anymore. She keeps on staring at the rose, imagining that it is still Minho. She opened the letter again and she noticed a little arrow below the card. She checked the part where the arrow was pointing and she noticed something written on one petal of the rose.

            “…. But I won’t go if you go to this place. (1024 Angel St.) I hope you have read this. Please stop me. I will wait for you. Please don’t let me go.”

            She went to the place Minho stated in the letter. When she arrived there, she saw a big, blue house. It seems like no one is home so she entered. When she opened the door, a table was standing in front of her. Above the table is a puppy stuffed toy. She remembered Minho’s promise to her on their first anniversary. It seems like he did not break it at all. There was also a crystal necklace attached to the toy. It was the necklace she wanted on one of her birthdays. When she got the stuffed toy, she saw a key above the table. It was a key for the door going to the backyard.

            She opened the door and she was surprised of what she saw. The yard was full of colorful balloons and at the center was a table. Tears filled her eyes when she saw a life-sized Teddy bear above the table. She slowly went towards the table, hugged the bear and began to weep again.

            Suddenly, someone tapped her shoulder. She looked back and saw Taemin, Minho’s best friend.

            “Taemin?” Krystal asked

            “Why did you not come yesterday? He was waiting for you.”

            “I did not know. I did not know.” She answered and began to cry again.

            “He prepared all of these for almost two years. He told me all of his plans. He secretly buys the things you always wanted and he planned to give you everything on a very special day. Here is the card that he was supposed to give you.”

            Taemin handed the card to Krystal and as she reads it, she felt like the whole world was falling on her.

            “Dear Krystal, Happy 3^rd anniversary! Maybe you think that I failed you for the past two years. Actually, I always have money with me. I just don’t want to spend it because I’m saving it. But I have bought the things you wanted. I just want to surprise you and give those to you today. To this very special day. Actually, I’m not planning to leave. I just wanted to know if you’re really a good observer. I told myself that I will have built this house by the time I propose to you. And this is it. Since it’s done, I’m now ready.”

            Taemin comforted Krystal as she continues to cry. After reading, Taemin pointed the corner to where the balloons are. She noticed that there is only one blue balloon. She picked it up and she noticed something inside it.

            “Open it.” Taemin said.

            She searched for a sharp thing and pushed it through the balloon. When it burst, a tiny gold thing fell on the floor.

            “He was really planning to propose to you yesterday but you failed to come. You even sent him a message with a great impact on his heart. Just last night, he packed up his things. He thought of going somewhere else to avoid seeing you and so that he will not be hurt anymore. And unfortunately, he was not able to make it.”

            Guilt and disappointment filled Krystal’s heart. She did not even made Minho happy for the last hours of his life. She even told him that loving him was the greatest mistake she has done in her life. She fell down on the floor and knelt. She can’t stop crying anymore and she keeps on blaming everything to herself.

            “I was wrong Minho. Letting go of you was the greatest mistake I have done in my life. I’m such a fool. If I only knew what you have done for me, I will never do things that will hurt you. It’s all my fault! If only I can turn back time. But it was too late. It was too late.”