thrity-eight
The Flower Boys (Three Flowers)
"What's that?" Ga Eul had asked first thing in the morning as you settled down at your desk.
It was Day two of school and the response you were getting from everyone was even better then the first day. Alot more guys noticed you, tried to talk to you, but you carried on with your best friend as she greeted you talking about "Se Hun" (her boyfriend). As you two were now in class, getting prepared for the teacher's arrival, Ga Eul noticed the ring on your finger. It was the ring Kai had given you.
As you look down at it, you try to figure out what you want to say. "It should be okay to tell her right?" you asked yourself. You looked at Ga Eul and start to say that Kai had bought it. But the home room teacher had came in and told everyone to be quiet. Ga Eul kept looking at it and you through out the period and it was personally driving you crazy. You just wanted to tell Ga Eul that you and Kai were dating.
Once homeroom was over, you were getting ready to tell her that but you weren't given the opportunity yet again. This time it was Yoona who had stopped you by walking in front of your desk. She had the most envious look on her face as she examined you. Her arms, crossed, her face smug, Yoona annoyed you.
"Don't think I haven't forgotten what happened last year. I meant it when I said that I will get you back." Yoona threatened.
"Is that suppose to scare me?" You sneered.
"Yoona...why don't you go elsewhere?" Ga Eul had joined in.
"Why don't you mind your business? This has nothing to do with you. This is about me and her." Yoona pointed to you and pushed your shoulder, making you loose your balance.
You fell over your chair and your skirt flipped over, revealing your pink . The kids around started to laugh while Yoona held a smirk on her face.
"You may have lost weight...but that does not make you pretty...." Yoona started.
"YAH! What's wrong with you?! Do you want to die?" Ga Eul started to get up in Yoona's face but Yoona did not flinch. To be quite honest, Ga Eul did not have a chance at all.
Yoona ignored her and walked out of the classroom before the homeroom teacher could come back. You got yourself on your feet as the 3 bullies, who had once bullied you before, came by your side checking to see if you were okay. Together you and Ga Eul looked at them as if they were out of their minds.
"They have to be..." You thought as one of them wiped the dust from the back of your shirt.
"What are you guy's doing?" Ga Eul asked.
"What does it look like? We're helping her." Girl 1 said.
"Real friends help each other." Girl 2 said.
Ga Eul was getting ready to throw her fist but you held her back with a quick shake of your head. Ga Eul suppressed her anger and watched as the 3 bullies asked if you were okay. You just nodded your head and waited for them to go away.
* * *
"UMMA!" Taemin was startled to see his mother sitting in the principle's office.
Taemin had been called to the principle's while he was in class. As he walked there, he notice Hae Jung and tried his best to avoid her. By hiding in the janitor's closest, he was able to conceal himself from being seen by her. Taemin had called her last night and told her it was over. He felt like he needed to be single and that maybe that they could remain friends. Hae Jung had not said anything ever since that. Taemin figured it would be best to continue to avoid her as much as possible.
After hiding, he proceeded to the main office where he was met up with his mother and the school principle. Taemin's mother, a beautiful woman who could pass for a woman in her late 20's rather then her early 40's, looked at her son with a frown on her face. Taemin braced himself, getting prepared for a scolding. He knew that mother of his. Whenever she frowned whenever she had looked at him like that, it meant that he had done something wrong.
"Ah...Lee Taemin...please have a seat next to your mother." The principle proclaimed.
Taemin took a step back and forced a smile.
"Oh...no thanks...standing up is fine." Taemin backed into a corner and held onto the walls.
"Taemin...you should sit." His mother persuaded.
"Please sit down." The principle commanded.
Taemin said a short prayer and sat next to his mother, quickly dodging a possible attack from his her. She did not touch Taemin. She just sat quietly, waiting for him to cut the foolishness.
"Alright, today, I called you both in to talk about Taemin's academic's and future." the principle said.
"I'm sorry. My son has been too involved in other activities that he barely takes the time to study." His mother said.
"Oh no no no, that's not it. You see Lee Taemin is doing exceptionally well. He's doing so good that he just might be able to study abroad." The principle said happily with a smile on his face.
Taemin looked at his mother, judging her expression. His mother didn't have one on hand.
"Lee Taemin is in the top 20 at this time. He's really showing up his other classmates, his scores are improving with each semester." The principle said.
"Really?" Taemin couldn't believe it himself.
"Oh is that so? Well...this is good news then." His mother said timidly.
Taemin smiled a little and then nudged at her.
"See? I told you that I don't dance all day." Taemin announced.
His mother threw him a dirty glare (something Taemin was known for doing) and Taemin looked away, pretending as if he hadn't said a thing.
"Anyway, I wanted to bring to your attention, a few school's oversea's that would be interested in taking him in. There's a lot of good choices here and they all can provide Taemin with the resources and knowledge he would need to know about academic's and different cultures." The principle carried on.
"Uh, I'm sorry to interrupt, but where over sea's are they looking at him from and how much will that cost?"
His mother did not even bother waiting to ask that question. Money was not easy to come back at Lee Taemin's home.
"Well, America of course. And the cost isn't exact yet but there are always scholarships that could help Taemin study abroad." The principle said.
Taemin's mother nodded her head, thinking about this a little deeper. Once the meeting was over, Taemin was on his way walking his mother out the building when she started to talk.
" Taemin....I'm proud of you." This was not something his mother ever mentioned.
"Hmm?" Taemin stopped walking, surprised at his mother's words.
She too stopped walking and faced her son who towered over her 5'4 stance.
"I'm proud of you....I'm glad that your making something of your self." His mother said.
Taemin nodded his head.
"I thought when you had changed your image, your brains would go away with the old sweet child I had raised. But...I guess....it did not leave."
"What are you talking about? Just because I dyed my hair, it doesn't make me a different person." Taemin complained.
His mother laughed and his cheek.
"My son really became this handsome....as your mother, I'm really proud." Hearing his mother laugh and see the look of happiness on his mother's face was very rare. Seeing her react this way because he had been doing good in school, warmed his heart. He too felt like he as doing something right for his mother. Hearing those words meant a lot to him.
"Thank-you." Taemin said to his mother.
He embraced her into a hug. This is where you had walked into the picture. You saw Taemin hug a woman and you instantly felt disgusted. Not knowing that it was his mother he was holding, you pushed Taemin back and slapped him. You felt that he needed a good slap to the face. Taemin looked at you wildly, holding the right side of his cheek that had been hit. Shocked Taemin pointed instead of speaking.
"What are you doing Taemin? Your cheating? What scum are you..." You began.
"YAH ARE YOU CRAZY!?" Taemin shouted.
"Why are you cheating on Hae Jung? Why must you be a player?" You asked.
You were getting upset that you did not notice his mother giggle. Taemin stepped up to you, as if he was about together in your face but his mother pulled him back.
" Calm down Taemin." his mother coincided.
"Who are you?" You looked at his mother, not realizing that she was an older woman.
"I'm his mother." she said calmly.
The embarrassment you felt could not be put into words. You quickly shut your mouth and flinched back. You saw the look on Taemin's irritated face and reached out to touch his cheek. Once your hand landed on his, Taemin's face dropped into shock. He looked into your eyes, trying his hardest not to cave into them.
"I'm sorry...I'm sorry...I'm really..." You removed your hand from his cheek and turned to his mother and bowed 90 degree's.
"I am really sorry. My behavior was inexcusable."
"Are you dating my son?" His mother asked.
You stood up straight while Taemin got himself together and stood in front of you, blocking your view.
"Ah umma don't say weird things...how would I looked like dating a girl like her?" Taemin growled.
You turned to the side kicking yourself hard for this one. You've grown attached to Taemin a little bit more then usual. He had been a good sunbae to you after all. The least you could do is help him on his path to become a better person. (Even if he told you countless time's that he did not need to become anything.) Knowing that he was with Hae Jung, you thought Taemin was cheating on another girl. But that girl was his mother.
"What? She's really pretty." His mother said.
Hearing those words weren't comfortable just yet. You did not want to make yourself feel comfortable by hearing those words alone. Besides, whenever someone said that you were pretty, you always felt like that person was not talking about you but someone else.
"Her? She's not pretty...she's plain." Taemin said.
"Yah LEE TAEMIN!" You hit him on the side of his arm.
He grabbed at that very spot where you had hit him and turned to face you giving you a murderous glare.
"Stop being so arrogant Taemin. Move aside...are you his friend?" His mother shoved Taemin out of the way and faced you directly.
You straightened your posture and smiled a little.
"Yes I am. How are you? I'm
"Oh such a pretty name...I'm grateful that Taemin have friends like you to watch over. Please, come by our home more often." His mother said.
You have never been invited to anyone's house before. Hearing the invitation come straight from his mother made you glad.
"In fact, why don't you come over tonight for dinner? I'll cook Taemin's favorite foods in light of celebration." his mother said.
"Umma what are you saying? She can NOT come over..." Taemin grabbed at his mother's arm.
She unloosened his grip.
"She's coming and you'd better bring her." His mother passed him another dirty look.
"Oh...thank-you...ahjumma..."
"Call me ummoni." His mother said.
Taemin closed his eyes and banged his head against the wall. You smiled at Taemin's childish behavior and shook hands with Taemin's mother. Afterwards she walked away bidding them both a good day and Taemin turned to you upset.
"What the hell are you doing?" Taemin asked.
"Nothing...I was just.....sorry." You lowered your head feeling apologetic yet again.
"Why can't you stay away from me?" Taemin complained.
"I can't." You said.
Those words completely flipped Taemin's heart. The way you looked up at him now, and the way Taemin's heart fluttered, Taemin was starting to think the unthinkable again.
"NO! NO! I can't be like this." he told himself.
"I should stay away from you right? After you rejected me and embarrassed me...but...still I feel grateful for what you've done for me. The only way I feel that I can owe you, is by giving you friendship, even if you don't deserve it." You said to him.
Your words blew Taemin away. He knew that you knew that he was jerk but still kept up with it because for a minute Taemin was not a jerk. When Taemin helped her out, he was being normal.
"I'm sorry for slapping you....I was being out of line..."
"Could you possibly still like me?" Taemin asked forgetting the apology, and trying to justify why she did that.
"Me?" You pointed to yourself.
Taemin nodded. He was being totally serious. But you smiled it off.
"I do still like you...but not the way that I did before....I enjoy being just your friend."
"What?" Taemin asked, floored.
"I already have someone I like."
"Just say it's Kai then." Taemin said getting upset.
You looked at Taemin and then fiddled with the ring on your finger.
THE UNTOLD ENDING...that's right I will post a mini follow-up to this series. After many people not being satisfied with the ending I will add a mini sequel!
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