“Did she like blue roses?” Ryeowook asked Kyuhyun one night when they were in the garden but the mute boy raised his eyebrows and opened his mouth…clearly he can’t understand what the other was saying.

                “I said….did (points to direction of the cemetery then makes a cross)”

                Kyuhyun nodded acknowledging the fact that he understood.

                “Love…(makes a heart sign) then (points to blue roses)”

                Kyuhyun smiled and nodded again.

                Ryeowook thought Kyuhyun was just from around town because these blue roses were the town’s secret. Scientists have long been wacking their brains trying to graft a rose plant that will yield blue roses but they were not aware that a small town in South Korea had the seedlings for the said plant from their ancestors. Teukie belonged to those few clans with whom the seedlings were passed like a precious heirloom. The blue roses were rare and there were only two families left who grew them. Kyuhyun might have discovered their garden because it was the nearest one to the cemetery.

                Kyuhyun looked at Wookie and he pointed at the blue rose in front of them. The previous burglar who now turned to be newfound friend made the cutest puppy eyes Wookie had ever seen. He knew it meant Kyuhyun was asking permission to pick the rose. He smiled and Kyuhyun understood it as a “yes” so he went ahead but he pricked himself with one of the thorns. His face twisted in pain as he withdrew his finger. Ryeowook signaled him to wait and he went inside the tool shed. He brought a pair of garden shears, small scissors, gloves and a small First Aid Kit. He took Kyuhyun’s finger and he put pressure on it to make it bleed a bit and and Kyu was pulling his finger back in pain.

                “No wait up!” Wookie put an analgesic on the wound that slightly cooled it a bit, providing Kyuhyun some relief. He eyed Ryeowook carefully…

                “He’s…he’s….so kind” Kyuhyun said in his mind.

                Ryeowook put a small band aid around his finger. He turned to the rose bush and he wore his gloves. He cut the flower with the shears and he carefully removed all the thorns. He gave it to Kyuhyun, who took it happily.

                Ryeowook was startled when Kyuhyun pulled him into a tight hug. He heard those chirping birds inside his head again as he froze in his place, his hands dangled limply on his side. Kyuhyun smelled like fresh pine and it was quite intoxicating and it made him all dizzy. He stared at the loose threads on Kyuhyun’s knitted jacket as he tried with all his might to resist the urge to put his arms around his waist…he thought that might be too embarrassing. Kyuhyun released him after a few seconds that seemed like eternity for Wookie. He bowed down and he waved him goodbye. Wookie smiled shyly as he waved back.

                He disappeared in the darkness and Wookie realized that this garden “night watch” that he absolutely abhorred before, was now becoming the favorite part of his day.

---------------------

                It became a routine, Kyuhyun didn’t have to pick the flowers anymore, Wookie will be sitting on the back porch holding it for him, without all the thorns so that it will be safe for him to hold it. Kyuhyun would stay for a while as they struggled to “talk” to each other. Ryeowook felt that it was like playing the game of Charades on endless mode. By the time, Kyuhyun went ahead, he was all too tired from exerting too much effort but the next day, just a single glimpse of the boy will be enough to energize him. He was not familiar with this entire new realm of feelings but what he was sure of is that it felt so damn good.

                Because playing Charades with Kyuhyun drained him, Wookie resorted to learn the basic sign language for the letters of the alphabet, hoping that it would be easier for them. It worked in the start but they soon realized that it was confusing and tedious if you’re going to spell out a whole story about you’re childhood so they just went back to the Charades. Kyuhyun find Ryeowook scrunching his nose in frustration many times and he found it very adorable. Oddly there were times that he discovered himself fixated at the smaller boy’s face like now…

                “Kyuhyun! Why are you looking at me *points a Kyu then point to his eyes and then points to himself*”

                Kyuhyun shook his head trying to say “nothing” and he duck his head low, trying to cover his crimson face with his bangs.

--------------------

                “Can I go with you? *gestures*” Ryeowook asked Kyuhyun one night and he agreed. They went to the cemetery together. When they reached the cemetery, Kyuhyun kneeled in front of Ara’s tomb and putting down the blue rose gently on the ground. He stood up and he read the tombstone once again. It was really a painful memory.

                His sister died on the day of her 23rd birthday. They came from a surprise party by Ara’s friends. Ara was driving and Kyuhyun was on the passenger’s seat. They were laughing their hearts out remembering how silly some of the games were during the party, then a man suddenly crossed the street, Ara swerved on the other side to avoid him but a truck hit their car causing the car to topple down on a nearby bridge. She died hugging his baby brother as she tried to shield him from a shard of glass from the broken windshield. Kyu knew this afterwards when he woke up on the hospital bed two days after. He wanted to ask his parents as soon as he opened his eyes as to what happened to his sister but nothing came out of his mouth…not a single sound. He struggled in the bed as he panicked, his parents tried to pacify him, he knew they were  saying words of comfort but all he can hear where muffled sounds. The accident damaged the nerves on his larynx (vocal cords) and cochlea (ears) and unless someone can discover how to do nerve transplants, then that would be his only hope.

                That day was September 23,2009, it was 2 years after his death but it still hurts like an open wound. Kyuhyun lost his voice, something that he treasured so much as a singer and he lost his sister whom he treasured so much all his life. These past two years, he was wishing he was dead too until now that he met this guy whom he stole the blue roses from. He suddenly gave him hope that it’s not like the end of the world just by the mere fact that he tried his best to hang around him and talk to him. He was very much grateful for that…he felt hot tears slowly trickling his face. Wookie heard Kyuhyun sobbing so he knelt on the ground with him. He tried bending his head down to see his eyes beneath the bangs. Wookie touched his cheeks and gently turned it to face him. He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and he wiped Kyuhyun’s tears.

                “Please don’t cry…it makes me sad too.” Ryeowook was not sure if Kyuhyun understood what he just said, so he just pulled him into a hug. That’s when Kyuhyun sobbed more, drenching Wookie’s shirt as the other nestled his face on his shoulder. Wookie Kyuhyun’s hair softly with his fingers and he rubbed his back. He hugged Kyuhyun so tight because he was afraid that he will fall into pieces if he let go. After a few minutes, Kyuhyun’s sobs became more quiet and he looked at Wookie tenderly with his puffy eyes.

                Ryeowook pointed at puffy eyes and made an ugly face. Kyuhyun let out a mute chuckle and he pulled Wookie into a hug again. The smaller boy felt something hard pressing on his chest from under Kyu’s jacket. He pulled back and he poked the hard objects. Kyuhyun smiled and he took it from the inside pockets of his jacket. Ryeowook was surprised to see identical books. The other boy handed one of the copies to him.

                “Illustrated Sign Language for Dummies” The title read.

                Ryeowook was now grinning like crazy because of the book and Kyuhyun called his attention, telling him that they should read it together. Wookie smiled sweetly at him and bobbed his head in agreement.

----------------

                So it was a routine every night, Wookie will pick the blue roses, give it to Kyu and then they will visit Ara’s tomb together. They would spend a few more hours in the cemetery studying sign language and it improved their conversations significantly. 

                It started to rain one time so they ran to one of the mausoleums nearby to take shelter but the rain was pouring down so hard it still drenched their clothes. They were dripping wet and they settled to sit on top of one of the tombs.

                “Mianhe….mianhe to the poor souls…” Ryewook spoke to the unseen spirits of the owners of the tomb.

                Kyuhyun made the hand signs for “sorry” and Wookie gestured “Where did you find that?” Kyuhyun took out the book and he pointed Wookie to a chapter called Terms of love and endearment.

                “Let’s study this, to kill time, the rain was pouring hard outside” Ryeowook gestured the phrases. Kyuhyun checked one of the phrases in the book just to be sure he understood and then he made an “OK” sign.

                “I care for you”  Ryeowook motioned.

                “I care for you too” Kyuhyun replied fast.

                “Honey/Jagiya” Wookie tried to imitate the illustrations as Kyu looked on the hand gesture for the word “Sweetheart”

                “I LIKE YOU” Kyuhyun looked at Ryeowook straight in the eyes as he moved his hands. Ryeowook thanked the darkness because it hid his blushing face very well. He suddenly felt he was getting choked with his own breathing. He mustered all his courage to say…

                “I LIKE YOU TOO”

                Kyuhyun swallowed hard. He fisted his knuckles tightly as if trying to control something he wanted to do so badly now. Ryeowook looked at him and his eyes were fixated by the way Kyuhyun’s gaze bore right through him. He was the first to look away, but Kyuhyun pounced on him in a split second, crashing their lips together. He felt his thumb run through his jaw line as he felt the taller boy’s lips parted slowly. He parted his own lips tentatively and Kyuhyun’s tongue shyly seeked permission to enter it.

                Ryeowook felt time stilled and the rain on the roof killed all the chirping birds that existed inside his head before. They burned as their supposed to be sweet innocent kiss turned into a more passionate one. He had his arms clung around Kyuhyun’s neck. Kyuhyun stopped to gasp for breath and he touched Wookie’s swollen red lips. He kissed him again more fiercely and needy than the first one, climbing on top of him above the tomb.

                “This is really happening”  Ryeowook noted in his head as he whimpered slightly when he felt Kyuhyun’s warm hand against the cold skin of his stomach.  His fingers felt like fire and Ryeowook just wanted to give in to the moment, but then Kyuhyun stopped grinding his hips toward Wookie when flashes of their possible future together after this moment flashed in his head.

                He stopped because the images were empty.

                Ryeowook threw a bewildered looked above him.  Kyuhyun sat up and the other boy fidgeted with the hiked up hem of his shirt to cover his exposed abdomen.

                “ Mianhe…but I love you ” Kyuhyun looked at Wookie.

                “What?” Ryeowook had no idea what the other boy had said.

                “What do we do after this? Are you sure you won’t leave me?” Kyuhyun’s eyebrows knitted together as he frantically moved his hands.

                Ryeowook was more confused now. He can’t understand what Kyuhyun was saying.

                “I can’t stand to lose someone as precious as you are so I am asking you now if you do love me or if you’ll just leave me when you grew tired of all of these…I said I LOVE YOU but you can’t even understand me” Kyuhyun’s emotions were so intense it scared Wookie and he was so frustrated, that he can’t just stare cluelessy doing nothing. Tears glistened on the edge of Kyuhyun’s eyelids.

                “WHAT’S WRONG?!”  Wookie’s voice was now louder than the usual. Failing so much to communicate with Kyuhyun was getting him at wit’s end.

                “Mianhe…” Kyuhyun ran out of the mausoleum, out in the teeming rain. Ryeowook ran after him but he lost him in the darkness and the mist of the downpour. He stopped somewhere in the woods not knowing how to go back in the middle of the heavy rain. He felt his heart shattering and the rain water continued to flow down his face with his tears.

                “ I can’t read minds Kyu…” Wookie sobbed so hard he felt like he was running out of breath.

 -------------------

                He sat on the steps of their back porch holding a single blue rose every night for seven days. He waited for him, desperately trying to keep awake till midnight. He missed him so much and he wandered where he was. He realized how stupid he was to not even ask where he lived.

                “People do become stupid when they fall in love.” Wookie sighed, trying to beat his melancholy mood by talking to himself.

                Inner Wookie: wait did you just say…fall in love?

                Wookie: yes

                Inner Wookie: Are you saying you’re in love?

                Wookie: Yeah…I guess so..you little monster inside my head…if this is not yet love then I don’t know how much more your heart would want to burst out with emotions when you’re truly in love.

                Inner Wookie: Love doesn’t always mean you have to be in pain.

                Wookie: No…Love hurts a lot…especially when it turned it’s back on you..,if it doesn’t hurt then that’s not love…it means you’re just hanging around enjoying the moment but you don’t know the responsibilities that comes with it.

                Inner Wookie: You’re so philosophical..

                Wookie: I know…I don’t know where these thoughts were coming from.

                Wookie realized tears were falling from his eyes again so he wiped it with his fingers. He looked at his watch and he saw it was already past 12 midnight.

                “Time’s up again my little friend…” Wookie talked to the blue rose he was holding.

                “When will we give up? He won’t be coming back. You’re the seventh blue rose that I have killed these past few days….” Wookie put down the rose on the steps and he turned to enter the backdoor.

--------------

                Ryeowook was brushing his teeth on the kitchen sink when he heard the wind chimes hanging on the backdoor. He turned to face the door and he sensed something moving outside. He sprinted out the door without bothering to remove the froth in his mouth. His heart skipped in anticipation as he looked around trying to look for something or someone that his heart was missing so badly but he was disappointed to find no one. A chill in the wind caused him to rub his own arms with his hand as he ran back to the house.

                “Must be halmoni’s cats…”

                Wookie didn’t notice that the blue rose was gone.

-------------

                Wookie went up to his room and he the lights.  He immediately noticed that the window was open and the same chilly wind made the room very cold. He closed the window and he went to his bed. 

                His eyes went big like saucers when he saw a letter and a blue rose on top of his bed. He picked it up and he opened the letter.

Dear Wookie,

                I wondered how we missed the fact that we can communicate to each other through writing. Maybe both of us thought that would be too boring if we pass notes at each other when we’re actually just inches apart most of the time. Sorry for not suggesting it before…maybe because I enjoyed your cute pout when you’re all frustrated with me. But now…I think I have to resort to writing because I might lose you if I don’t.

                But that’s not the point I guess…I guess I owe you some big apology for what happened last night. What I was trying to say….is…is that I LOVE YOU….very…very much. I love you more than everything that this world has to offer. You made me realize that life means a lot more than losing my own voice.

                But what made me freak out last night was that I fear that you won’t love me back…that you’d be tired of me soon. My handicap was no joke, we both know that and to be on the level of what we have now was quite a feat for both us…but more for you. I’m sorry for being a selfish brat focusing too much on what I will feel when you leave me without thinking that there will be a possibility of hurting you too in the process…

                I’m sorry…I’m sorry…I’m so…so…sorry….I missed you so much…those seven days were the most stupid days of my life.

                Will you give me another chance Wookie? I know it would be hard…but it would be too hard without you…beside me…So…will you be with me?

P.S.

I bet Ara missed you’re blue roses too!

                                                                                                                      From someone who will love you till the end,

                                                                                                                                                Kyu

                Wookie’s tears were smudging the ink on the letter. He was sniffling like a child and he glanced at the closed window. He ran forward to open it and he looked down. He suddenly felt something damp hit his head from above.

                He looked up and he realized it was snowing. He caught the snowflakes in his hand and then he felt a peck on his right cheek. He turned to his side and he saw Kyuhyun smiling at him. He was surprised to see him holding on to some railings on the lower parts of the roof beside his bedroom window. Wookie’s tears fell again because of happiness for he finally saw the stealer of the blue roses again. Kyuhyun thumbed his face to wipe his tears using his free hand.

                Ryeowook realized Kyuhyun’s perilous position so he pulled him inside his window. He stood on his toes as he reached out to kiss the taller boy’s lips. Kyuhyun smiled at the urgency of the kiss, in which he gladly responded.

                They both felt warm despite the blowing winter breeze from the open window. He enveloped his arms around Wookie’s small waist and he pulled him closer without letting go of his lips. Kyuhyun opened his eyes to marvel at his love’s fluttering eyelashes and blushing cheeks.

                He was beautiful beyond words and he can’t possibly think how can a mute person can still be speechless.

                Kyuhyun pulled back and he smiled at Wookie while he touched his kiss swollen lips. He released Wookie from his arms and he looked around his closet for something. The owner of the room was puzzled when Kyuhyun came back to put him on a warm jacket and a beanie. He gestured “come with me…hurry!” and he grabbed his hand tightly. Kyuhyun stopped when they were already descending the stairs and he went back to his room to grab a scarf. He put it snugly around Wookie’s neck and he gave him a quick kiss on the lips.

                “Where are we going?”  Wookie gestured.

                Kyuhyun just grinned at him mischievously.

-----------

                Ryeowook guessed it right. They were heading to the cemetery. Maybe Kyu just wanted to tell Ara that they were officially together now. Wookie laughed at the thought a bit but he was snapped from his reverie when he felt two hands covering his eyes.

                Kyuhyun lead him somewhere just a few steps away from the gate. The mute boy kissed one side of his cheek and then the other and then the other one again.

                “YAAAAAAAAAAH STOP KISSING ME! WHERE ARE WE???!!!!” Ryeowook pried Kyuhyun’s hands away from his eyes and what he saw took his breath away.

                There were probably a hundred blue roses in full bloom around them and there were flickering gas lamps scattered in the area. It casted a misty glow as the first snow damped their petals. Wookie had his mouth open for good 30 seconds marveling at the sight.

                “You planted all of these?” Wookie asked Kyu who just smiled and nodded.

                “These are all for you.” Kyuhyun gestured.

                Wookie smiled with tears glistening in his eyes again. He felt happiness that he never felt before. He searched for Kyuhyun’s long fingers and he entwined them with his small ones. Kyu pulled their entwined hands close to his lips to kiss the back of Wookie’s hand and he smiled against his skin.

                “I LOVE YOU”  Kyuhyun did the sign language.

                “I LOVE YOU TOO” . Wookie answered, good thing he studied that phrase beforehand.

                They kissed again amidst the rose bushes, probably quite similar to the ones Teukie owned, but their presence,now fully drowned in their almost impossible love for each other, spelled the big difference. .  A deaf mute boy who found love thanks to his dedication in bringing blue roses for her dead sister and a loving grandson who was now thanking the garden gods for letting him fail in all his attempts to hurt the one who was stealing his halmoni’s roses.

                Blue roses were freaks of nature, more like Kyuhyun in the standards of normalcy…but who cares…for Wookie he was the most “beautiful freak” in the whole wide world.

END

A/N: Happy new year! thanks for reading! :)