Title: Rose of Solitude

Genre: Romance, Tragedy 

Rating: PG

Guest-Starring: N.A.

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He’s not sure if he will see her again but he stood there waiting with a rose in his hand and a hope in his heart.

Siwon reached into a pocket and took out a cigarette. He reached for his lighter as well and lit the cigarette. He took a puff and closed his eyes. He missed the taste of nicotine and the hot air going through his body. He almost forgotten when was the last time he smoked a cigarette. Was it during his examinations or just before his first job interview? He only smoked when he was anxious and tonight he needed the nicotine to calm his nerves.

The street was filled with couples hand in hand, the ladies holding onto big bouquets as though they were their trophies. Siwon took a look at his single rose and smiled. He remembered what she told him when he bought a dozen roses for her on their first anniversary.

“Don’t waste your money on flowers.”

“But I thought you’ll like them, most women do.”

“But I’m not most women. I’m Kwon Yuri.”

Siwon smiled when he thought of Kwon Yuri, his beloved Yuri. He knew she was special the moment he laid his eyes on her in the college library. She had entered the building with her long curly hair in a mess, dressed in what may actually be her pajamas. She dared to be herself and she didn’t care what people thought about her. Siwon liked how carefree she was, almost never having a worry in the world. It was Yuri who helped him to relax when he was always jittery whenever something challenging comes in his path.

Yuri’s head was on his lap as he was busy re-reading his notes over and over again.

“Stop reading,” said Yuri as she took the notes out of his hand and placed it on the coffee table.

“But I’m afraid I can’t remember everything.”

Siwon reached out for his cigarette and lighter. He lit the cigarette and the moment his lips came in contact with it, he was engulfed with a soothing feeling that calmed all his nerves.

“Stop smoking, Siwon. You promised me you will try to quit.”

Yuri grabbed the cigarette out of his hand and put the flame out. She held on to his face and kissed him gently but passionately.

Siwon likes how strong Yuri was for a young woman. Even when her mother had a and was bed-ridden, Yuri was the only one in the family who didn’t shed a tear. Siwon thought she was cold-hearted because even he could not resist the urge from allowing a tear to fall. But that night when they got back to his apartment, Yuri told him she could not cry in front of her family because she did not want them to worry.  That night she cried in his arms and Siwon had to soothe her like a baby before she could recover her composure.

Yuri doesn’t like the people she loves to worry about her. She could face her challenges alone and she was confident she could overcome them. But a month ago Yuri faced the greatest challenge of her life. It started with those occasional headaches that never go away despite the numerous pills she took. Yuri dismissed it off as a sign of fatigue from her grueling work hours as a hotel manager. But the pain escalated and Yuri fainted on the streets one day.

She was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. Her only option was to have surgery. Even so, the cancer cells may already have spread and her body was in an irreparable state. Siwon cried and knelt on the floor as he hugged onto Yuri. He wasn’t ready to let his new bride leave him so quickly. They had barely spent enough time with each other. How about all the plans they had made for their future? The baby that was planned to be born in two years, the pent house they were still saving to buy and the retirement to the country side in Australia.

But Yuri took it with a smile and even joked with the doctor that she must have been a bad girl to be called back to Heaven at such a young age. Looking at the persistent smile on her beautiful but weary face broke Siwon’s heart even greater.

She was to have surgery tonight. She chose Valentine’s Day because it was the day they met, the day they became lovers, the day which became their anniversary, the day they got married. If Yuri was to leave this world, she wanted to leave on her happiest day for the past few years.

Siwon held onto her hand the day before of the surgery.

“Yuri, I’ll be here when you wake up. Even though I can’t be with you in the operation theatre, I will always be in your heart and mind.”

His tears fell down his face and for the second time in his life, Siwon had cried like it was his own life about to end. His life had been Yuri since they been together. She meant so much more to him than he could imagine.

“Don’t cry, you look ugly with the mucus coming down your nose. Don’t let it drop on my face. I don’t have the strength to wipe it off.”

He could not help but smile at her cheekiness and wiped it away with a tissue.

“Sir, you have to put the cigarette out right now or I’ll have to chase you out of the hospital.”

The head nurse sternly told him off and Siwon sheepishly nodded his head before extinguishing the cigarette. His head looked up again and the door to the operation theatre did not move a single bit.

Siwon held on to her fragile hand as she was being wheeled into the operation theatre.

“Siwon, I’m sorry if I’m no longer as beautiful as you remember. I hope that you will remember me at my most beautiful if you never see me again.”

Yuri had lost all her beautiful long locks for the surgery. Even though Siwon had reassured her that she was still the most gorgeous woman in the planet, Yuri didn’t want to believe him. Siwon wasn’t lying. He loves Yuri just as much with or without her hair. As long as she was the Kwon Yuri he had fallen in love with and she had never changed since the day they met.

“Keep this for me. I can’t wear this inside.”

Yuri took off the wedding ring from her finger and placed it in his waiting palm. Siwon clenched his fist and felt the hardness dig into his flesh. This was the first time she had taken off the ring since the day they got married. Yuri had sworn never to remove it but it had to be taken away from her against her wishes.

“I’ll put this on for you again when you’re out. I love you, Kwon Yuri.”

“I love you, Choi Siwon. Stay strong.”

Those were her last words to him before the doors were shut. Even before her greatest battle, she was the one encouraging him.

When the doctor had stepped out of the operation theatre and shook his head, Siwon’s world collapsed. Never mind the bleeding on his right hand as the thorns on the rose pierced into his flesh.  Siwon could not feel the pain despite the blood dripping onto the white bleached hospital floor. Instead it was his heart that was crying.

As her lifeless body was wheeled out of the operating theatre, Siwon ran towards her and threw the white sheets aside. He her bald head which was now bandaged and down to her cheeks which were now pale white. Her lips were colorless and unlike the juicy red lips he used to kiss possessively. He holds up her left hand and slides the wedding ring through her fourth finger again. He had to keep his promise to her.

But not a single tear was shed that night. Because he wanted to fulfill her last request. He will always remember her words as he goes on living his life, his now meaningless life without the love of his life. 

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I suddenly had the urge to do a tragic drabble so here you go! I know everyone might not like the sad ending so the next one will be a happy one I promise!