She settled down the glass of whiskey in front of her before coughing, a single petal dropping down into the alcohol. She quickly took the glass again and gulped the contents in one go. She wasn’t really much of a hard liquor drinker but she thinks that this time was an exemption. She wiped her lips with the napkin before the coughing fits started again and soon enough, she was running towards the toilet, quickly locking the door behind her before going to the sink, the itch in being too much. She tried to swallow it down but cough after cough, pink camellia petals kept appearing, glaring mockingly back at her.

The first time a petal appeared was a few months back. Six months to be exact, they just finished the promotion for their comeback and was now getting some well deserved rest before going at it again for the preparation of their last and final comeback of the year.

She was lazing around her small space of a room, browsing on her phone when she felt her tummy grumble in protest. Turning around and getting off her bed, she made her way to the kitchen to see if there’s something edible she can eat. She was rummaging the fridge when she heard someone coming closer.

“Hungry?”

“Yes”

“Sit down, I’ll make something for you”

“Really?!” A nod. She smiled at her and went to happily sit by the table, looking back at the girl humming as she prepared her food.

She found herself admiring the other girl, the way she would always ask her how she is, always worry about her, always making sure that she’s comfortable and happy. She’s always known the girl to be like that— caring, warm, honest, and beautiful, and maybe that’s the reason why she always felt so close, so protective, and so connected to the girl. She felt get itchy but before she could dwell on it, the other girl had placed the food in front of her.

“Eat up~”

“How about you?”

“I’m fine” she smiled and she scrunched her nose in protest as she scooped up a spoonful of the kimchi fried rice and placed it in front of her mouth.

“Say Aah~ please” the girl laughed before obliging. She gently spoon fed her before eating some for herself.

“You should also eat, you know. So let’s share. I’ll feed you!~”

“Okay”

That night when she was laying in bed and getting ready to end the night when she heard a soft knock on her door.

“Come in~” she called out.

“Hey...”

“Hey~” she smiled.

“Uhm, can I sleep here tonight?”

“Of course~” she said, scooting a bit to give the other girl space. She smilingly got into the bed and quickly pulled the covers and laid down comfortably beside her. They were looking at each other before she smiled and pulled her close to her, snuggling quietly.

“You do know you don’t have to ask every time if you can sleep here, right? You’re always welcome here~”

“Hmmm, but still, maybe you’d want to be alone”

“Being alone with you is good too”

“You know” she pauses, “I feel the same way” she felt the girl smile into her embrace and she can’t help but smile too as the two of them drifted off to dream land.

It was that morning, when the sun came through her window making her open her eyes and feeling the warmth of the other girl beside her that she opened her eyes slowly, looking at the sleeping figure and thinking how it was so nice to wake up like this every morning that the itchiness in came back. She tried to clear but ended up coughing into her hands and feeling something sticky there, she looked but before she could react, a voice quickly made her place her hands beside her back.

“Hey.. you okay? I heard you coughing”

“A-ah yeah… it was nothing. Did I wake you up?”

“Hmm, a bit..”

“Sorry...”

“It’s no problem. Want me to make pancakes for breakfast?”

“Yes, please~”

“Alright~ Help me?”

“Okay. I’ll just change and wash up”

“Okay, I’ll see you in the kitchen then.” She mumbled before getting up and out the bed. As soon as the door closed, she quickly held out her palms again and there lay a single purple lilac petal.

The second time a petal appeared was just after her photoshoot with the shoe brand she’s endorsing. She had woken up early morning to prepare for the shoot but was surprised to find her cuddled up beside her. As far as she can remember, she slept alone last night but she thinks that the other girl had crept in when she was deep in slumber--not that she minded, she’s always a happy surprise.

She slowly got out of the bed, careful as to not wake the other person up, and sleepily padded her way to the toilet to get ready. She was out and about with her manager in minutes and had slept the whole way to the salon and even to the shoot location.

She listened intently to the photographer’s orders on what to try and how to pose, and to think of the vibe she wanted to emit. All the while, her mind drifted off to this morning filled with warmth, soft breathing, and peachy cheeks, unabashedly admitting to herself that she stared way too long at the beauty beside her earlier. She felt the itch again, this time stronger. She tried clearing many times and the staff had looked at her worriedly.

“Are you okay?” the photographer asked as her manager handed her a bottle of water worriedly.

“Maybe we should take a break first?” the manager suggested and everyone nodded in agreement as her manager guided her out of the set and into one of the comfy chairs for her. “Here, drink some more water, we don’t want you getting sick”

“Okay, thanks” she mumbled, palm caressing her still itchy throat. She already knows where this is going and she hasn’t told anyone about it, mostly because she doesn’t want to worry them--worry her in particular. She had managed to hide it as best as she could; running to her room or the toilet when she felt the petals climbing up . She sighed, swallowing down the itch and mentally praying to God to let her just finish this shoot before she goes about coughing another batch of lilac petals.

And the shoot continued smoothly with her occasionally drinking water to push the petals back down. It was when the photographer had finally finished and wrapped up the shoot that she finally let out a breath of relief. Her manager had smilingly went to her and handed her something.

“For you. Go get changed, I’ll wait for you here” she nodded, walking towards the dressing room and slowly opening the tissue-wrapped thing. She smiled as she saw the familiar handwriting telling her to ‘do well’ and an ‘I’ll be waiting back home for you~’ with an “I can’t wait to see your smiling face again”. She felt her chest constrict and tighten before she was running towards the toilet and coughing into the sink. Blue bellflower petals staring back at her.

It was after practice when she had let everyone go first when the coughing fits began escalating at a new level. Ever since the photoshoot, she had been coughing more than before, worrying her members all the more. She waved them off saying that it’s the dry weather and she found herself waking up with a brand new humidifier in her room one day, care of her. Of course, it’s always her who worries the most, always her quietly sneaking into her room at night and feeling her softly caressing her face in worry, always her who’s occupying her mind before but now even her heart.

It was getting harder for her to breathe properly with every movement she’s making, especially with the choreography they have to do. She had to take more breaks and have extra practices to figure out how she’s going to breathe correctly so as to not pass out, especially with flowers living and growing in her lungs unwantedly. The mere thought of her had her chest constricting and she toppled over the practice room, clutching her chest as she tried to catch her breath.

“UNNIE!” she heard a shout and she had felt herself being held and pushed up gently. She had barely any time to say something when she bent over and coughed out red carnation petals, one after another until a big pool of petals lay in front of her. She heard her friend gasp in surprise.

“W-water” she mumbled out, throat hoarse from all the coughing. She felt the younger one leave her side and come back not a second later with a bottle of water, already opened and placed at her lips, cajoling her to start drinking.

“Since when?”

“Five months ago”

“Why didn’t you tell us?!” she shrugged as an answer and she felt the weighted stare of the younger one.

“Joy...”

“It’s her isn’t it?”

“Is it that obvious?” she tried to smile but she thinks it looked more like a grimace as she adjusted herself to lean on the mirror behind her.

“Have you told her?” she shook her head. “You’re an idiot. Tell her.” she laughed at that, voice cracking a bit.

“It’s fine.”

“It’s NOT fine, unnie!”

“Please don’t tell anyone”

“And why shouldn’t I?!” the younger one challenged.

“Just, please… for me?” they were caught in a staring contest as the younger one sighed in defeat.

“You’re so stupid!”

“I know.”

Everyone was awaiting their comeback stage. They pre-recorded their performance beforehand but will have to do another one with a different outfit. She had been breathing a bit heavily after the first recording and excusing herself to the washroom--with Joy not-so- lowkey insisting to go with her. This earned them weird looks from their member with her staring at her with worry filled eyes.

“You’re an idiot.” Joy grumbled as the girl patted her back after her fits of coughing petals— today it’s gardenia. She wiped and grabbed the water bottle she brought.

“Thanks” she mumbled, voice a bit hoarse, before gulping down some water.

“You know, if you’ll just tell her then all your troubles would be done.”

“It’s not that easy”

“It is that easy”

“Just trust me on this one.” She was about to retaliate when they heard screams and shouting from outside. The two quickly went out to see what the commotion was about and found their manager unnie running in a hurry.

“What happened?!” Joy asked as the two of them followed suit. She suddenly felt nauseous at the answer. How could have that happened? It was a blur for her as she saw her in a stretcher, crying in pain. She felt her heart clench at the sight and her lungs constricted as she toppled over, heaving and struggling to breathe as her lungs closed in on her. She saw what looked like a pool of purple hyacinth petals before she out.

She woke up with a start a few hours later, Joy beside her with red and puffy eyes.

“Unnie!” The younger one was quick on her side as she clicked the button to call the doctor. There was a moment of silence before the events from earlier came crashing back on her and she was already getting off the hospital bed.

“Where is she?!” She sounded frantic and her eyes were wild with worry as she looked at an equally worried Joy.

“Unnie, lay back down on the bed, please!”

“Where is she?” She asked again, trying to fight the younger one’s hold on her.

“Please lay back down! The doctor needs to check you!”

“Joy!” She shouted in frustration. They both stilled.

“Unnie’s fine. She's knocked out from the painkillers her doctor gave her. Irene unnie and Yeri’s with her. You can see her later but for now, you need to be checked!”

“I don’t need—”

“Unnie and Yeri knows” Joy paused, “please unnie… We were all scared earlier when we saw you cough a bouquet of petals then pass out” there were tears falling down from the younger one’s eyes and she can’t help but sigh in defeat as she sat back down on the bed.

She can’t remember much from what the doctor told them because her mind was on her. She saw Joy thank the doctor before looking at her with a sigh of relief. She barely remembers getting dressed and walking out of the room and following the younger one to where she is. She felt numb even when Irene and Yeri hugged her like her life depended on it because she sees her laying down on the bed with bandages and tubes as most of her right side looked purple. She didn’t feel anything as she suddenly knelt to the ground and dry heaved some marigold petals out. She didn’t even hear the shouts of her members as she suddenly stood up and ran out of the room.

She felt her phone vibrate. She glared back one last time at the pink camellia petals before she put on the tap and watched it go down the drain. She saw Joy’s message to her and sighed for the nth time. She hasn’t gone back to the hospital for days now. Her members kept messaging her that she keeps looking for her and asking the others when she would visit and it's killing her more than the suffocating flowers in her lungs.

‘How long are you gonna keep her waiting?!’

‘Answer your damn phone’

‘Where tf are you? She’s been asking for you since she woke up!’

‘I swear to everything holy, Kang Seulgi, if you don’t get your down here, the flowers on your lungs will be the least of your worry because I’ll be the one to kill you’ she can practically hear the mix of frustration and anger from Joy’s messages to her. She felt the oncoming itch on and not long enough, she was bent over the sink again. This time she saw little rosebud moss flowers like it was a sign.

She stood in front of her hospital room door, fidgeting and can’t decide whether to knock or just go in. She got startled when the room door opened and out came Irene who looked at her amusedly.

“You know we can see your shadow from inside, right?” the older one asked and she felt her cheeks become warm. “Go in, you’re all she ever talks about. I’ll go fetch Joy and Yeri from the dorm”

“O-okay”

“We didn’t tell her anything about your condition...” Irene smiled gently at her before patting her shoulder and pushing her gently inside and closing the door. Her eyes quickly met with hers. She was still bandaged but she can sit now and the bruises are almost healed.

“I was waiting for you...” she sounded sad in her ears.

“I-I’m sorry” was all sh could say.

“Can’t you come closer to me? I want to see your face properly” she nodded her head and step by step they got closer. She felt her good hand carress her face gently and softly and she closed her eyes, willing the tears that’s now falling down her face to stop and trying her best to choke down the petals that’s wanting to come out.

“Shhh, it’s okay. I’m okay” She wiped her tears. “You must have been so worried about me… you looked like you haven’t slept good.” she nodded her head softly before looking back at her. Their eyes met and she can see the sadness emitting from hers. They stayed quiet for a while, basking in each other’s presence while she caressed her face and she hold on to her hand.

“I..I don’t know what I’ll do if I lost you” she whispered lowly, “I haven’t even told you...”

“Told me what?” she looked down and she gently held her chin to coax her into looking back at her. She felt her chest contrict lightly, the flowers climbing their way up . She gulped down.

“I have flowers growing in my lungs and it will kill me” and as she said it, she began coughing again, blue violets flower petals donned on her lap. She quickly tried to get the flower petals but her stopped her. She looked back up and was met with a soft and questioning gaze.

“Seulgi..” she called out.

“I love you--I’m in love with you, Wendy”

“Seul--” Wendy paused, looking shocked and confused, “All this time--”

“Yea--”

“I thought you knew that I feel the same way about you...”

“What?” She blinked once. Twice. Thrice. As she felt her mind connect some things and her chest began to feel lighter.

“I thought it was clear that I love you too, Seulgi. The same way you love me...maybe more.” Tears started to fall down her face again but this time it was from happiness.

Flower Meanings:
Pink Camellia - longing for someone
Purple Lilac- first emotion of love
Blue Bellflower- inspiration, striving for the infinite and unreachable
Red  Carnations- deep love and affection
Gardenia Flower- Secret love
Purple Hyacinth- Sorrow
Rosebud Moss- Confessions of love
Blue Violets- Love and faithfullness 

A/N: HELLLOOOOOOOOOOO!!!  Miss me? hehe 
You all know my motto for Cotton Candy, right? As long as it has a happy ending, it fits. hahaha
Cotton candy has been such a delight to write~

Until next time (maybe) hahaha

Much love, Bunny <3