[CONTENTID1]  020. [/CONTENTID1]

[CONTENTID2] Lovingly Made [/CONTENTID2]

[CONTENTID3]

Before her very eyes, spring turned into summer. Summer turned into autumn. Autumn turned into winter. Winter turned into spring.

Since Baekhyun’s departure, Eunseo wasn’t sure if she could handle being separated from him for so long knowing that he was still grieving. Almost every day in the first couple of months, she texted, called, and even video-called him seeing if he was alright and to fill that empty void within her. She wondered with the burdens of endless travel, practice, and performing if he was doing okay. He would say he’s somewhat improving, other times he wasn’t. During those times he wasn’t okay, she would listen to his breaking voice or read the emotional texts with heartstrings pulled, knowing she couldn’t do anything about it.

They would talk for over an hour, he would hum a little tune or share his experience in the places he would be staying while he was in a hotel. Of course during the times they were to talk: they laughed, joked, and cried. 

But after those couple of months, Baekhyun was getting busier with his tour and their conversations gradually got shorter over time. It was inevitable to happen and Eunseo couldn’t help but be disappointed even if she forced herself to think positively that things would return to the way it was. Sometimes she would have to send a funny video or photo to spark their conversations again, though it would end shortly before the cycle would repeat again. Eventually, to get her mind off of it, she made herself busy by working on commissions and helping out in the flower shop. 

Eunseo made monthly visits to her father’s and Mrs. Byun’s niches in the hospital’s columbarium by Baekhyun’s request. While it had been a while since Mrs. Byun’s death, Eunseo sometimes couldn’t wrap her head around the fact that she was truly gone until she would stand in front of her niche. It was clear that she accepted the outcome but that thought lingered in the back of her mind simultaneously.

As of now, things were getting back to the typical days - just with the lack of Baekhyun and Mrs. Byun - after months have passed. 

-

Eunseo was glad spring had finally arrived. The town was starting to become much livelier and the winter temperatures were starting to rise. After drying her hands on her apron, Eunseo made her way out of the shop and stood outside just as Jongin arrived with their delivery. 

Jongin parked his scooter and held his helmet as it sat on his lap. “Miss me?”

“I miss the flowers,” Eunseo responded with a joking smile. 

With a scoff, he then pouted with an accusing finger pointed at her, “You don’t miss your friend who comes by once in a while? I’m hurt,” he said while showing an exaggerated painful expression.

“Well duh, I miss you… I just miss the flowers more,” she gestured toward the cardboard box.

“I know… I know…” Jongin sighed before continuing, “Say, do you know when Baekhyun will be back? It’s been ten months now, almost… I think.”

It had been ten months since Baekhyun had left. And judging from the last date of his tour in London that was three days ago - which was March 20th - he would have returned by now. But Baekhyun had yet to mention the day he would return to South Korea, but she would assume he would return this month or in early April. The last time they had talked was only five days ago, he was probably busy sorting tying loose ends before returning.

“Not exactly,” Eunseo shrugged as her lips tightened into a line. “I think he would return sometime soon.”

“You don’t know when your boyfriend will be back? Never heard of that before…” Concern was palpable on Jongin’s face as he sat up. “Are you two are good? Nothing bad is going on between you two, right?”

Eunseo shook her head, but she wasn’t completely sure. With how things were going on with their conversations, maybe there was some sort of distance going on between them that she was unaware of. Her feelings for Baekhyun remained at its fullest, so it wouldn’t possibly be the case.

Eunseo shook her head and forced a smile. “There’s nothing.”

Jongin raised a skeptic brow at her response. “You sure? You can say anything if there’s something wrong.”

“I mean it,” Eunseo whined. “There’s nothing going on. I would tell you if I knew for sure.”

“I won’t pester you but if there’s something going on, you better believe I will intervene,” Jongin responded in a serious tone. “I mean it.”

“Okay, slow down…” Eunseo held her hands up as a smile spread upon her face. “It sounds like you’re gonna kill someone.”

“I mean, the only thing that’s holding me back is the law,” he shrugged. “But, then again… killing someone takes too much energy and time. So I won’t do it.”

“Good, last thing I would want to do is deal with cleaning up after you,” Eunseo chuckled while rolling her eyes. Knowing how much time had passed, she walked over to the cardboard box. “I should take these into the shop.”

“Right.” Jongin got up from his seat and untied the straps around the box. As he was holding it with only one arm, Eunseo then made her way to the door and opened it for him to enter through before following him in.

Eunseo’s mother turned away from the television and smiled at Jongin’s presence as he walked in. Her arms extended toward the box as she greeted him warmly as she set the box down on the counter. “How are you, Jongin?”

“Doing pretty well, Mrs. Na. How about you,” Jongin asked.

“Things are typical, so I’m well,” she nodded. “I wouldn’t know what to say about Eunseo though.” Her mother took a brief moment to glance at her before turning back to Jongin.

“Well, when you’ve been separated from your boyfriend for almost an entire year, things can be a bit…rough. You know, long distance and all...” Jongin then turned to Eunseo and gave her an assuring smile, “But things will work when he’ll come back, I’m sure of it.”

Eunseo smiled back before it faded away. Baekhyun would come back, but just when? 

“I’m gonna go water the plants,” Eunseo excused herself as she went to search for a watering pot. She could sense Jongin’s and her mother’s eyes on her before shortly continuing with their conversation that went in a different direction.

Going into the back room, Eunseo closed the door behind her and looked around for the watering pot in silence. Sighing, she underestimated how hard a long-distance relationship would be. Nearly everyone had some sort of pity on her whenever Baekhyun was brought up into the conversation, she felt small from all those pitiful yet hopeful eyes from everyone.

Grabbing the watering pot from the shelf above, Eunseo inhaled sharply before exhaling. Then opening the door, she realized Jongin had already left and her mother was busy making bouquets. Turning to her left, Eunseo began watering the plants one at a time while humming a tune softly to herself.

“You can tell me if you’re experiencing any hardships,” Eunseo’s mother said, breaking the silence.

“I just miss Baekhyun, that’s just it,” Eunseo answered as she continued watering the plants and checking their conditions.

“Have you talked to him today, through texting, calling, things like that?”

“No, I haven’t. He’s probably busy with wrapping up his tour and returning, I don’t want to bother him too much.”

A simple “hello” or “how are you” wasn’t so bad but it felt redundant to do every day and his responses were always late.

“Still, you can send a picture of yourself or something you found on the Internet.”

“I don’t know. I’ll do something later on.”

It was starting to be silent before her mother asked, “Do you still love Baekhyun?”

Eunseo froze before placing the watering pot on the surface under it. Was that really something to question? Her feelings - in her awareness - remained the same as of now. Sure, throughout those ten months, her mind said otherwise when that long-distance communication started to falter but deep down, she could know her love for Baekhyun remained unchanged.

“I do,” Eunseo answered before she picked up the watering pot and continued watering the plants.

-

In front of her, that beautiful smile continued to bring life into the room.

Standing in the columbarium, Eunseo had just finished going to her father’s niche and now stared back at Mrs. Byun’s portrait beside her porcelain urn. A bitter sting appeared on her heart as she continued to look at her, reminding her of that day.

The first few times she had visited Mrs. Byun in the columbarium, tears were endlessly falling. Grief and separation took its toll on her shoulders, she would wind up sobbing on the floor for hours. She would spend almost an hour staying in that room as she talked to her as if she was still alive. Months would later pass and things got better. Eunseo was truly starting to accept the outcome without losing herself.

“I’m back again,” Eunseo said softly. “I hope you’re doing well, Mrs. Byun.”

She wondered if she was in peace, knowing she had someone who loved her nearby. That night, she wondered if she was experiencing her last conscious moments in pain or in comfort, she hoped it was the latter.

“It’s been ten months since Baekhyun had left Tongyeong for his tour. He should be coming back home very soon,” Eunseo continued, “I just know things will be better with him here and you can see each other much more often.”

Silence occupied the room. Placing the bouquet of flowers in the flower holder, she then looked back at the portrait.

“Can you believe that it’s been a year since Baekhyun and I reunited? It’s scary how much time has passed.”

From what she can recall, it was exactly a year since she had first met Baekhyun when she came over to welcome him. It was painfully awkward and her first impressions of him were of a cold city boy. Who knew it would take less than two months for him to be the complete opposite of that? Certainly not her.

“God, we were both so awkward with each other and our little dispute over love was so silly,” Eunseo said to herself.

To even think that she used to go so far to defend love was almost cringeworthy. All those tactics she had done to Baekhyun just to prove something that wasn’t exactly realistic in her eyes was something she couldn’t even wrap her head around, sometimes she would scold herself whenever those memories entered her thoughts. But thankfully, her eyes opened with the help of Baekhyun - which she did not expect one bit - as time passed.

Eunseo continued to talk toward Mrs. Byun’s portrait until shortly, time called for her to finish the rest of her errands.

“I have to go now, Mrs. Byun. I wish I could stay longer but time doesn’t seem to work in my favor. I’ll see you then.” 

Walking out of the room and then the building, Eunseo was greeted with the liveliness of the world again. With a soft smile, she made her way to the nearest bus stop. After arriving at a bus stop, she decided to go through her phone and click on her messages with Baekhyun.

It had been six days since they last talked. Her thumbs danced over the keyboard, figuring out what to say. Pressing on the photos tab, she realized she recently saved a short video of a corgi walking toward