You could only imagine how much he must have paid to make this happen, for the only people who were in the zoo were some workers, the zoo being closed for several long hours, yet they greeted you both with open arms. Not all the animals were out, but he made up for it by allowing you to touch some of the animals that were out and about. Placing your hand upon the elephant's trunk, you couldn’t help the smile that took over yours lips when the creature nuzzled into your palm, as though enjoying the sweet embrace of your hand.

“Hey there” you whispered towards the elephant softly, which caused its eyes to close as it pushed harder into your hand. “You having trouble sleeping too?” You knew you were speaking towards an animal, yet you had no one else to speak with, and you felt alone in the world.

“She’s beautiful isn’t she?” Seung’s voice pulled you from your silent torture as your eyes left the animal and instead turned towards him, a nod taking your head as you pulled your hand away causing the elephant's eyes to open quickly, her trunk nuzzling you as though seeking attention.

“Yeah she is” you spoke softly before heading forward to the next animal, leaving him to look towards the elephant as he whispered something to her, yet you couldn’t make out the words he spoke.

(“I understand” he spoke softly as pain continued to eat away at his heart, his eyes watching as she faded from his view “I don’t want her to leave either.”)

“Why are you doing this?” You finally found the courage to ask as you two stopped in the eating area, the lights being dimmed and hardly providing any comfort in the night.

“Should I not have?” He asked instead which made your heart even heavier than it had been all day, knowing that this fairytale wouldn’t have the happy ending you were in search of.

“No, you shouldn’t have” you answered honestly as you looked away from him, instead focusing your attention on the rose that still lingered within your hands, your thumb softly gracing the thorns on the stem. “You’re like a rose you know?”

“A rose?” He asked, and you could feel his eyes upon you and it forced you to keep your attention focused on the flower.

“You’re like a rose. You’re beauty is held in layers of petals, having to peel one away in order to discover the depth and the features that the deeper layers hold. It’s like unraveling a puzzle to get to the sweet center that smells heavenly despite how beaten or bruise it may be from blooming into the beautiful display that shows on the outside.”

You could feel your heart breaking, and was well aware of each sharp razor piece that scrapped inside your chest. You were going to say goodbye to him, knowing it would only be selfish to wish to keep him at your side, knowing it would only hurt when he turned to leave you. Each moment spent with him, was just another chance to fall in love with him, and you knew that you would. He was amazing, despite his tainted past, your eyes glancing to see his eyes full of emotion, not knowing if he should smile or frown at the words being produced.

“Yet like a rose, your roots are dark and your stem that holds your beauty has thorns. It’s impossible to hold without getting hurt, yet one still desires it because it represents something adoring and absolutely stunning, that they lose their mind and conquer the pain. They forget about the pain, in order to keep the beauty in their lives.”

You continued to speak, watching carefully as the hope he held in his eyes died completely, his smile quickly faltering from his lips. He knew where the conversation was going and it didn’t seem to please him, his lips parting to speak yet only silence spewing from them. Looking towards the rose once more, you would continue to speak, despite how much it hurt.

“However, the pain is not temporary for it leaves scars where it had penetrated the skin, a forever reminder of the bitter sweet sensation. Yet the pedals, they begin to wither away, becoming broken and torn until there is nothing of them left. The bud that sprouted them has collapsed because it becomes worn out after having to hold the heavy burden alone. Some people choose to bury the rose in hopes that a new one will spring.”

“What are you saying Abi?” his whisper caused your eyes to look towards him, the tears that stained his face matching just as heavy in fall as your own, not even realizing the tears that came from your eyes so freely.

“It’s when the thorn strikes them and the petals die do people realize that roses are best left untouched. They shouldn’t have embraced themselves within the beauty, for it only left pain in their hearts and a desire that can’t be controlled. Holding a rose, is like harvesting flowers in winter. It’s waiting for something that will never come, and it only leaves those who wait for it, in disappointment and despair. What a selfish rose, what a selfish person.”

~*~ 3rd POV ~*~

Pain was always a heavy burden to carry within the heart, and the silence that hung in the air was only truffled lightly by the sniffles and sobs that managed to make themselves be heard. Ironically enough, pain is also something that every person understood, for it felt the same in each person, and it helped people relate to one another. Pain could separate, however it also brought many people together, if only to share a burden that was hard to withstand.

“I’ll bloom for you” his whisper had silenced the sobs “if you could wait until the spring, after the harsh winter leaves and the sun begins to heat the lands… the rose will bloom and it will turn into something beautiful. Yet if the person who had planted the seed were to leave before the flower could bloom, the rose would have tried it’s hardest for nothing. It too will only be left with disappointment, growing and maturing by itself, without any love at it’s side, allowing it to die without the care it desperately needs in order to strive.”

Blue eyes would leave the rose in order to stare into the eyes that wasn’t afraid to reveal the pain and emotion behind them. The tears being a strong reminder that pain was felt equally amongst others, and that no one should have to endure the hardship of baring the pain alone. She wished to comfort the pain, selfishly wishing to releave her own hardships and allowing some of the weight to rest on another shoulder, yet she would be to afraid to reach for the help as she looked away once more.

“Hey” his hand would grab at her jaw, pulling her eyes to meet his “yet the rose would remain there, broken and torn, simply waiting for the one who planted it to return in it’s life, to see the beauty that no one else can. It would desperately cling onto life, if only to be plucked from its roots and to die instantly after. The rose would be happy, if only for one last second of it’s life, just to see the beautiful smile of someone who loved it for what it was, despite how badly broken the rose may become. It’s hard work would be rewarded if only by that one smile.”

“I can’t…” she whispered broken and defeated, her tears becoming waterfalls as she tried to look away, yet his hands were strong as they held her in place, forcing her eyes on him and only him, if only for tonight. “Please… Just… Stay away…”

“I can’t” he repeated her words, his thumbs wiping away at the tears that drowned his hands, his heart racing as he captured her lips in a soft embrace, pulling away shortly after if only to admire her beauty in the dim lighting, a smile taking his lips despite the pain that coursed through him.

“I love you” she whispered and it did nothing but raise his spirit as his smile became sincere and his heart ached for a different reason, his fingers etching into her jaw, pulling her lips towards his this time and professionally locking them in place, until she stopped trying to pull away and instead embraced them with everything she had.

“I love you too” he spoke sincerely as he pulled her to a stand and wrapped his arms harshly around her body, his lips only leaving her in order to catch his breath that she managed to steal away every single time, his lips instead traveling towards her neck, leaving tender soft kisses all around before resting his head on her forehead, breathing in the fiery cinnamon that always surrounded her.

“You still owe me a favor” he whispered after a moment of silence, her eyes turning into confusion as they looked up towards him, pulling herself away a moment as though to question his words. “I out drank you remember?

“Oh yeah… You did huh?” She spoke as the memory replayed through her mind, it was also the first night that she realized her feelings for him were a lot stronger than just a simple attraction. Twas the night she truly fell in love with him, the night that he proved his worth in her eyes. “Alright, what do I owe you?”

His heart was breaking as he took one last inhale, engulfing her scent and permanently tattooing it into his brain. He would miss the comfort it offered, would miss the way her arms wrapped around him securely locking him in place, keeping him at bay in her loving embrace. Most importantly however, he’d miss the way she made him feel alive and worth something, her eyes always burning bright as though etched perfectly in his memories. He would have to learn to accept eyes of hatred after tonight, for he knew what was needed of him, and he couldn’t do it when her eyes brought so much love into his heart.

“Accept the truth, you tried as I said you would in the beginning. All of you do, and look what a mess it made of you” a smirk lined his lips, yet his heart sank into his stomach as her eyes widened, as though trying to comprehend what he was saying. “I even made you proclaim love to me. Stupid girl.”

“I...I don’t understand” she whispered softly, and he could see the tears that were beginning to line her beautiful eyes and it made him feel worthless under her confused gaze.

“You’re a crying mess because of me, and let me guess, you actually believed that I loved you too right?” He spoke harshly, despite his throat feeling on fire and as though it could collapse on him at any given moment.

“Don’t do this to me” she whispered as her grip tightened around his waist “don’t push me away like this. You’re not that kind of guy” she whispered despite how strongly her mind protested against her heart. “You do love me, and I love you” the words made him almost break character, but he was an actor, he could act brave. “Don’t act brave for me… Be brave and face me.”

He melted out of character at that very moment as his arms wrapped securely around her shoulders, pulling her towards him. He hated that he showed her to much, hated that she could read through him, but he secretly loved that she thought better of him, loved that she understood him so well. “I don’t know what to do…” he whispered softly as she nodded in agreement, her arms wrapping tighter around his waist, allowing their bodies to become inseparable if only for a short while.

“Whatever ‘we’ have to do... “ she whispered her words of comfort emphasising on ‘we’ as she spoke. “That’s what we will do. You’re not alone, I promised you.”

“When I marry her, how could you love me then?” He needed to put the reality of the situation at hand, and he felt uncomfortable speaking it, yet he never would have expected the answer that came, or how it made his heart melt into a puddle of nothing. He didn’t expect her answer to make him smile like a child, he expected to feel more pain. Yet her voice was sweet as she smiled her best brave smile, only breaking it to whisper softly.

“Just as I love you now. I’ll love you the same regardless of what comes your way, because it doesn’t change who you are, it only makes more beautiful petals sprout.”