SinB stumbled into the bathroom, her breathing strained as a sharp pain stabbed through her chest. Clutching the sink for support, she coughed violently, yellow petals mingling with traces of blood staining all over those pesky flowers as they landed right in the toilet.

The pain in her chest was like nothing she's felt before.

It was like a relentless squeeze pushing out every single bits of flowers that had grew in her lungs, with each cough sending waves of agony through her entire body.

Should she feel lucky she was still able to stand up?

She wasn't too sure... but she swore when she walked past Eunha's dorm the other day she heard a loud thump in her room.

Thinking the older had fallen from her symptoms, SinB began slamming the door frantically almost yelling to check on Eunha, just to hear her friend's weak voice on the other end, confirming that she was okay...

Although the raspiness and breathiness of her voice suggested otherwise...

SinB actually learnt not too long ago from her doctor, the process in which the hanahaki disease can become life threatening

It starts off with a small cough and a few petals.

Then a few more petals and a minor chest pain, at this stage the symptoms are probably still manageble, being a nuisance more than anything.

Then the pain will get worse...

Your chest will start to feel like it's squeezing... with even more petals coming out...

And before you know it, you will be coughing up bucket loads everyday...

Until your petals become laced with trails of blood...

And then eventually... they will be soaked in red...

That's when you know things are very serious...

and whilst SinB is not there yet...

damnit does she feel close by now.

It was a grim tableau, a cruel dance between her deteriorating health and the relentless onslaught of her unrequited love.

Finally flushing away the sea of yellow

SinB her tap, washed her face and gargled some water to get rid of that metalic taste in .

This was it...

There was no going back now...

Tonight

She needs to confess her feelings to Sojung.

✽✾✿❀❁

SinB stood outside Sojung's dorm, anxiety coursing through her veins like an electric current. Her heart pounded with nervous anticipation, knowing that every single flower petal were formed  just for this very moment.

The weight of her feelings felt like they were boring down on her, SinB could hardly keep her breath even.

Deep breaths Eunbi... you can do this

Sojung, unaware of SinB's presence, approached her dorm with the casualness of routine she walked in an even pacing, all a while her head was lowered, seemingly staring at something in her hand.

A Card?

SinB couldn't quite tell for sure, the hallway seemed to stretch indefinitely even though the taller woman was undoubtedly getting closer and closer.

She could practically hear each step getting louder as it approached her.

Time felt like it had slowed down... and the second Sojung finally lifted her head up towards exactly where SinB was standing... everthing stopped.

A tension instantly arose...

Sojung didn't say anything... her eyes told SinB that whilst the barista wasn't expecting to see her... somehow this encounter did not seem to surprise her.

And behind those eyes... she can just tell Sojung had a lot of questions...

But yet the hallway was still quiet.

Why did the atmosphere feel heavy around them all of a sudden?

Can Sojung feel this too?

 

Oh god... her chest was starting to do the thing again...

She had to proceed with her plan... and fast...

"S-" Sojung moved , about to speak... but SinB couldn't wait any longer.

"I like you... Sojung"

The tension suddenly went from heavy to thick.

SinB felt like she needed to hold her breath.

"No..." The latter then proceeds to correct herself "I think I love you... more... more than a friend"

There was a brief silence after that rather blunt confession

This may have not been the most romantic of ways...

Neither did SinB imagine she would be confessing in a hallway out of all places...

She dreamed of a nice night out with fireworks in the distance while they stared over the Han River....

But time was not her friend...

It truly never has been.

"I know" Sojung answered... despite initially, her eyes widened as if taken aback from the sudden confession... "I think I knew ever since-" The blonde's mind races back to the day the younger woman had visited her during her closing shift... and before that too.

"Then... then can you.." The overflowing feeling within SinB's chest began to avail... but she didn't dare let a single petal escape "Take all this pain away from me..." The squeezing in her lungs were too much... the woman could hardly comprehend what she was saying anymore...

All she knew was... the flowers are talking now... everything she was about to unload was straight from the source of unrequited love.

"SinB..." The taller quickly paced towards her, a gentle hand cups ahold of her