Till The Last Rose Dies

[Chapter 3]

“NOOOOO!”

Minhwan snapped his eyes open and stared at the ceiling blankly. He scanned around with panic for Seunghyun, but the boy wasn’t around.

No, wait. I shouldn’t search for him. I cannot love him, it’ll only bring him bad luck. I need to forget him…

His eyes saw his digital clock, and once again it sends shivers down his spine.

7:02AM; 14 FEB 2011

“It’s Valentines’s Day,” Minhwan muttered, “What a nice way to be woken up.”

He showered with his favourite mint-flavoured soap, filling up the bathroom with a refreshing smell. He stared at the mirror when he was done, with a towel wrapping around his waist.

“Good,” he told his reflection, “I feel much better.” Telling himself not to think about the dream anymore, he headed back to his room and opened his wardrobe. His eyes went as wide as saucers when he saw what was in the cupboard:

11 stalks of roses and a piece of note within the bouquet of flowers.

Minhwan’s hands turned cold. W-What’s this? His fingers automatically reached for the note and he read it softly, feeling a strong sense of deja vu.

Hey Minhwan, I have something to tell you. Meet me at FT Café when you’re awake. I’ll be waiting for you there. ^^

Oh and uhm, I hope you like the roses. (:

See you! ~Seunghyun.

Minhwan turned pale after reading Seunghyun’s note. This… This is so similar to Wonbin-hyung’s note… He remembered clearly what Wonbin wrote three years ago;

“I will love you till the last rose dies.”

He felt as if he was going through the pain he felt three years ago all over again.

The moment where he waited for Wonbin at FT Café…

The moment where he saw the smile on Wonbin’s face…

And the moment where Wonbin’s smile was replaced with a loud screeching of engine…

“Seunghyun.” He mumbled. This incident won’t repeat itself, right?

He grabbed the nearest shirt and trousers, immediately putting them on. Along with the bouquet of flowers, he rushed out to FT Café, hoping that Seunghyun was really there waiting for him, not like what happened to Wonbin three years ago.

Minhwan’s heart thumped as he neared FT Café. He entered while panting hard, his eyes searched frantically for Seunghyun. But said boy couldn’t be found.

He’s… He’s not here.

Minhwan scanned around the café.

Where is he? Oh no…

“Seunghyun,” he mouthed his name, feeling the familiar ache in his heart. “Seunghyun…”

BANG!

Minhwan was rooted to his position as he saw the reddening road.

“H-Hyung…”

Slowly, he walked towards the victim, his legs shivering as he took the steps. He stopped when he saw the familiar figure lying on the floor, not moving a single inch. Minhwan could hear people screaming, some were desperately calling for an ambulance while some ran around shouting for help. At the sight of the rose petals crushed and lying everywhere, he fell to his knees, right next to Wonbin.

“M-Minhwan…” Wonbin struggled hard to say the boy’s name. His body remained stationary. Minhwan held out his hand and touched Wonbin’s blood covered face. The other hand, which was holding the last rose alive that Wonbin gave him, was shivering.

“Minhwan…” He said again, this time much softer, “D-Don’t c-cry, Hwannie.”

Minhwan’s lips were trembling as he tasted salty liquids on his tongue. He wanted so badly to call out Wonbin’s name, but not a word came out. He wanted so much to hug the injured boy, but his body wouldn’t move even a little.

“P-Pink note…” Wonbin said, “A pink p-paper…”

Minhwan looked around him and saw a piece of pink-coloured note lying near his side. He picked it up and turned to Wonbin again.

Wonbin, despite bleeding heavily, smiled the sweetest smile he could manage at that time and whispered softly to Minhwan, “C-Can you h-hold…” He took in a deep breathe, “…h-hold me?”

Minhwan wrapped his shaking arms around Wonbin. “Hyung, d-don’t worry. Help will be here soon, please stay strong.” Wonbin merely smiled again, this time it looked as if the smile was forced out of pain.

“Hwannie,” Wonbin’s voice could hardly be heard, but he tried to sound as strong as possible, “Call me h-hyung again.”

Minhwan felt his tears rolling down when he heard Wonbin’s strained voice. “Wonbin-hyung…”

Wonbin let out a contented sigh, “I love it when you addressed me like that…” And said man closed his eyes, never opening them again; leaving the younger boy suffering in the sea of tears which he cried so much on Valentine’s Day.

Just right at the time Wonbin closed his eyes, the last rose that Minhwan was holding broke off from its stalk, signifying its death together with Wonbin.

‘I will love you till the last rose dies.’- from Wonbin’s note.

Seunghyun caught Minhwan just in time as the boy’s knees gave way. “Minhwan, are you alright? I just came out from the washroom and I saw you standing here. Gosh, you look really pale.”

Minhwan was shocked to see the boy there. He looked at his surroundings, no traces of blood, no rose petals… He realized he was in the café.

Seunghyun dragged Minhwan to an area more secluded when he saw Minhwan started tearing. They reached a bench and Seunghyun sat down, pulling Minhwan together with him, glad that there weren’t people around that area.

“Minhw-”

“Why did you leave the roses in my wardrobe?” He fired the question as a trail of tears rolled down his cheek. “Why did you give me 11 roses? Why do you want to meet me at FT Café? Why are you doing things that are so similar to Wonbin-hyung?!”

Seunghyun kept quiet. Wonbin-hyung? Who is he? Then Seunghyun got the slightest of the idea. “Is he the reason you’ve been rejecting me?”

Minhwan wiped his face dry. They remained seated on that bench for some time, and Minhwan suddenly spoke out of the blue. “He was my first love.” Seunghyun turned to his friend. Was?

“But he died in a car accident,” Minhwan continued explaining. Unconsciously, his eyes were tearing again. Slowly, he told Seunghyun in detail about the incident, and about the dreams that he had. Seunghyun realized the similarities between his actions and Wonbin’s, and he was surprised as well.

“Then,” Seunghyun asked, “What did he write in the pink note?”

Minhwan smiled weakly, “He said that he’ll keep buying me roses, so that the last rose will never die in my hands. He also said that…” Minhwan trailed off. He said that he’ll love me forever.

Seunghyun probably managed to guess what Wonbin wrote in that note, judging by his expression. “Hey, Minhwan,” he said, “I will love you till the last rose dies.”

Minhwan jerked and turned to Seunghyun, “Please don’t say that, roses’ lifespan is really short. Don’t repeat his words, I’m not someone worth falling for.” I don’t want you to end up like him, Seunghyun. Please understand.

However, Seunghyun wasn’t at all discouraged. “Look carefully at my roses that I gave you.” Minhwan didn’t realize he was holding it all the time tightly in his firm grip.

Minhwan gasped, “One of them is fake.”

“Right,” Seunghyun said, “One of them is fake, and the last rose never dies. So is my love for you.”

Minhwan looked at Seunghyun eyes, filled with so much of love and loyalty. “I admit that I do have feelings for you, especially when we share one rented room together, but Seunghyun-”

“I know,” Seunghyun interrupted, “You need time, right?” He smiled charismatically. “I’ll wait for you.”

Minhwan studied the bouquet of roses in his hands. Will I be able to get over Wonbin-hyung fully? I guess not. He left a really deep memory in me after all. But this guy... He turned to Seunghyun, he’s so pure, so gentle, he makes me feel like I want to love him back with all my heart…

Seunghyun caught Minhwan’s eyes in a gentle gaze. From Seunghyun’s caring gestures, Minhwan knew from the bottom of his heart that the new love between him and Seunghyun will definitely be a promising one.

And he will work hard to make it come true.

The End

A/N: I hope it wasn’t too confusing, the storyline. ): Well, actually I got the fake 11th rose idea from FACEBOOK... So this story’s only 95% original. =/

Did anyone watch KBS’s Oh! My School? :D It’s awesome! ( Sorry, being random. D: )

Anyway, I apologize for my grammar mistakes, and Happy Valentine’s Day! ^^