=Love Letters and Forget Me Not=

-YOONYUL-

Dear Diary,

Roses are red, Violets are Blue,

Forget me not,

For I still love you…

Forget me not…

It’s my favorite flower besides of lavender.

Reason?

Do you know if a person gives you one, it means the person doesn’t want you to forget him/her?

That’s why it was called Forget me not.

I actually love flowers, I'm currently in third year college studying Botany majoring in plant care, reproduction, and cultivation.

My parents used to be Botanists, my mom specializes in ecosystem ecology while my dad is in environmental biology. I used to live alone until my three cousins came to live with me. Now, we inherited the White Flower Shop that my parents used to own. Our family is a generation of green thumbs, that's why I adore gardening and plants.

I never fell in love since birth,

Both of my parents died two years ago and after that there’s always been a huge hole in my heart that nothing else can repair. But I have no choice, I have to move on and be happy.

Happiness… My parents’ wish before they die… I couldn't find my happiness until...

Dear Diary,

It’s been months since I know Kwon Yuri,

And it’s honestly weird but I feel kind of happy knowing her.

I never knew she was this interesting…

I guess I was wrong with my perspective… She’s different from the way I used to see her.

I guess she was really different…

On my free time at school, I usually sit on benches and just read some books. This afternoon I wasn’t reading my school books, but- I’m reading Love Letters. I couldn’t put it down and it was heartfelt.

“I wasn’t looking for love.

It wasn’t my interest.

But the moment I met you, I started looking for you,

Not thinking how blind and silly it was…

But I never knew we were in each other all along.”

-A line from Love Letters.

I was concentrating until- My sight became dark. Something from behind covered my eyes. I touched the delicate hands that enabled me to see the light. I immediately recognized the slim soft fingers. “Yuri…” I said, smiling.

Yuri giggled and hugged me from behind. “Ya, why are you all alone?” she asked.

“I’m reading…” I said as I closed the book and used my index finger as a book mark.

Then she sat beside me. “Ohh… That.” She said. “What chapter are you?”

“Eight…” I giggled heartily.

“Oh… It’s my favorite chapter… It’s so heartfelt… Not thinking how blind and silly it was…”

Then I froze. “But I never knew we were in each other all along…” We said together in a chorused manner.

Both of us smiled and chuckled awkwardly. “So don’t you have swimming practice?” I asked.

“None… It was canceled.” She said while looking at me.

“Oh… So what do you want to do then?” I asked.

“Honestly… I want to watch the stars tonight…”

“Bo??” I asked. Why a sudden huge request? “Oh…” I smiled. “Chapter six… They watched the stars together until morning…”

Yuri nodded and smiled.

“Do you want to watch it tonight??” I asked. “I know a perfect place where.”

People who walked pass us stared at us. It was weird. “Isn’t that Kwon Yuri? But who is she with??” A girl murmured.

“Uhm… I heard that’s Yoona. She actually works in the library as the librarian’s assistant and she’s a botany student…”

“She looks… different…the way she dresses she’s like… 1980’s…But hey, she’s starting to be popular alright despite of her vintage look…”

I sighed and rolled my eyes. I always wear clothes like ribbons, laces, pleated skirts, or something simple because I like to look sophisticated. People started noticing me just because of Yuri and I really hate it. Yuri is the most popular girl in school, she’s part of So Nyuh University’s swimming team, she VJ the afternoon announcements, and she’s like a celebrity in school.

Yuri looked at the girls who were gossiping, and then in my surprised she touched my hand. “Just ignore them… I do…” she told me. “We better get going…” Both of us stood up but before we move.

“Is there something wrong with me?” I asked Yuri as I lightly grasped her wrist and turned her towards me. “Am I weird?”

She looked straight to me. “Huh?? No. There’s nothing wrong with you.” She said. “In fact you’re beautiful. I like the way you are.” She said as tidy up my pink bubble sleeve blouse. “There… you’re perfect…”

“Honestly people started noticing me after I’m seen hanging out with you.” I raised my brow.

“Ah-nee…Ya… Let’s not mind them…” Yuri said soothingly. But it was true… I used to be invisible…

I smiled. Both of us were looking at each other deeply in our eyes. They say the eyes are the windows to your soul, and somehow through her eyes I felt as if we’ve known each other for so long, like we’re meant for each other… like we were in each other all along.

“Yoona!” A woman from afar shouted she was holding a piece of paper and she was over joyed.

“Aunt Lee-Ah?” I said. It was my god mother, she’s the school’s librarian.

“Yoona!! Look!” She showed me a piece of paper. “You got accepted! You’re finally going to New York!!”

I was shocked at the same time disappointed. Yuri was surprised as well… We didn’t expect this was coming.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Dear Diary,

Two more days and I’m leaving for NYC…

Funny how it sounds right? The moment that you finally felt happy…

The moment you found someone to ease your pain…

Then suddenly life comes to forbid you…

How unfair?

I’m not yet done packing my things and I have two more days before I leave… I sighed and sat at the edge of my bed. I can’t believe I will be gone for almost four years. I’m finally going to get my dream of studying and be an intern overseas but I feel different now, I can’t explain how I feel and it feels heavy. I ran my fingers along my bed, searching for my phone. But suddenly I ended up with something instead. I turned to look what it was and it was a small package.

Oh… It was a package from Yuri today… I almost forgot. She left it this morning to Seohyun at the flower shop.

I opened and found a small notebook. It was covered beautifully in green parchment and there were dried skeleton leaves colored in rainbow for design. I opened the notebook and it was a diary.

“Dear Diary,

Today was a tiring day… I have nothing to write but boredom-ness why is my life this boring?? Hmm?? I found this book in my bag entitled Love Letters… It looks old and ragged, some parts are torn and some pages are about to fall off but I think it’s a good book. The last borrower was Im Yoona (according to the back record). I wonder who she is and how this ended up here… I guess I’ll just return this in our library.

-ENTRY END-

Dear Diary,

I just read the book and gosh… I don’t know what to say…

“I wasn’t looking for love.

It wasn’t my interest.

But the moment I met you, I started looking for you,

Not thinking how blind and silly it was…

But I never knew we were in each other all along.”

-A line from Love Letters.

-ENTRY END-

Dear Diary,

Today I went to get my mom’s order at the White Flower Shop… It was a tacky cute flower shop actually. Its wooden walls were colored in white and there were a lot of flowers inside. Outside the shop was a beautiful garden. There were lavenders, roses, daisies, lilacs, and such and such. It was like the garden that my mom dreamed of having. But unfortunately, we’re not green thumbs so she just orders flowers instead.

Oh before I forget, guess what? I met Yoona…The girl who last borrowed Love Letters. Uhm… Coincidence?? SUPER! She was the daughter of the late owners of the flower shop. She lives with her cousins named Sooyoung, Hyoyeon and Seohyun. They were all pretty and simple. I really find Yoona interesting so we chatted together and had coffee. Deep down, I couldn’t stop but think. She’s honestly different from all the girls in school. She’s simple, she’s kind, timid, soft, and somehow she’s just like a flower… delicate. I wish to know her more…

-ENTRY END-

*Flips pages some more*

Dear Diary,

I went to the flower shop to pick up mom’s order today. Then Yoona taught me basic plant care and plantation. She taught me how to plant and care so that maybe I could finally make a garden of our own. She told me it was simple… but I guess not…  But I had so much fun planting and I will never forget today. I really find happiness in Yoona.

-ENTRY END-

For the first time ever… I felt different. It was the first time that someone has said these things about me. I never knew someone would notice me the way she did… I’ve always been invisible to everyone. And honestly speaking I think I’m already hurting inside…The hole in heart somehow healed but now it’s ripping apart… I wish I could stay…

I turned the pages and ended up with her last entry…

Yoona,

I guess you’ve read my diary.

I’m actually giving it to you so you’d know how I feel of every second that you spent with me.

And I never had doubts that I spent my whole time with you. In fact I wanted to spend my whole life time with you.

You know… You gave me a reason to smile, to laugh, and to be happy.

When I’m with you, I feel different. I feel comfortable and I am able to express myself better.

With you, you never find expectations from me and you’d always tell me to just be myself.

You showed me how it was to smile, be simple and to appreciate the simplest things in life…

With you I learned to love…to care…

It’s so unfair that we get to spend time together and know each other in a short period of time…

It breaks my heart to say goodbye…

This is the only thing that I could give you, it’s not as precious as gems but it’s my memories with you.

I hope you keep this forever, and until we meet again, or are we ever going to meet again?

I want you to know that I love you…more than you know…

-Yuri

My tears started to fall and I couldn’t help myself but cry and sobbed. I ran out of my room, went down to the flower shop and ran off. My cousins Sooyoung, Hyoyeon, and Seohyun were shocked to see me cry but I left them speechless and without a word to say.

I went back to my school to where it all started…

*FlashBack*

*BUGSH*

“AIYOO…” I said. I landed on my bum and my things were scattered on the ground. “You weren’t looking at where you were going…”

“Miahne…” The girl said quietly.

And then I was shocked but I didn’t show that I was.

Both of us were in a hurry to pick up our things, and then we stood up and just ignored each other and went off. The girl who I bumped into was Kwon Yuri and she accidentally picked up my book entitled Love Letters.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*

“Yoona!” A girl called. She ran after me.

“Oh?? Are you done with your class?” I asked.

“Yes, do you want to grab lunch together?” Yuri smiled.

“It’s okay with me.” I said.

As we walked together along the school campus, Yuri suddenly slipped her hands into mine. I was simply surprised.

“Ya, Kwon Yuri!” A guy said as he walks toward us. He was one of the soccer players in school.

“Oh?” Yuri said. “Bo?”

“Do you want to eat lunch with us? Jessica and Tiffany are coming along.” He asked. He was with some people who I think belongs to the volleyball and baseball team.

“Uhm…I’m going to pass this one. I’m having lunch with her.” Yuri said. She was still holding my hand.

“Ya, we haven’t spent time with you for the past how many weeks…Don’t just hang around with anybody.”

“YA! She’s not just an anybody! I pick who I want to hang out with so if you mind? Try to be less rude sometimes so it won’t make you less of a person.” Yuri glared and dragged me away.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Forget me… Forget me not…” Yuri said as she ticks off the petals of a rose. “Forget me… oh! Forget me not!” She giggled as she ticks off the last petal. “Yoona-yah.” She said sweetly. “Forget me not!” She was lying on my lap while playing with a rose.

I laughed. “I won’t forget you, how could I.” I said as I looked down on her.

Both of us were under a tree. We were playing and just hanging around in a warm afternoon. I was actually reading while Yuri was playing with the plants.

“What chapter are you now?”

“Ten…” I said sadly. “The part where they are about to separate…”

“OMO!...” Yuri said. “I cried when I read that… We may have different paths together, but we take a little of each other wherever we go…Until we meet again…"

“Ya! You’re spoiling me!!” I said.

Yuri pouted. “But hey the flowers are so pretty…” Yuri said. “Oh? Isn’t this Forget me not?” She picked the flower from a bush.

I looked at the flower she just picked. I smiled and nodded. “Yes!”

“You said it was your favorite… So I’m giving it to you.” She held out the flower to me.

I had thoughts if I would take it but I couldn’t reject her, I don't know why but  just can't reject her. So I accepted it. “Thank you… Do you know if a person gives you this it means the person don’t want you to forget him or her?”

Yuri was surprised. “Jinjja?? Wow! I think I gave you a right flower then? Don’t forget me.” She said.

I smiled and just laughed.

“Say it. You won’t forget me.” She said to me.

“I’ll think about it.” I giggled.

“Ya!!” Yuri said. “Hey look, isn’t this dandelions?..........”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I cried and couldn’t contain myself any longer. I hugged myself and sobbed. This is so unfair… Why now? Why right now? Why at this one beautiful moment of my life?

Suddenly I felt a head rested against my back and arms suddenly slid onto my waist. I touched the hands that were locked together above my stomach. They were slim and soft… Yuri…

I heard her sob and felt her arms locked tighter. “It’s so unfair that you have to go…” She said.

I turned and face her. “I’m sorry…” It was all that I can say.

“Watch the stars with me… tonight.” She said.

“Huh??”

“Watch it with me… it will be the only thing that I’ll ask of you… after this I’m okay…I’m contented…”

I nodded my head and held her hand. Together we walked off the school campus, rode a bus and went some place far.

The stars twinkled and shined brightly upon the dark black skies. The moon was crescent and everything was peaceful. Yuri and I walked hand in hand as we got down the bus station. We were walking in a peaceful place far from the city.

We walked together silently. We didn’t dare say a word. As we walked up an escalated road, there was a bench under a tree. It has a perfect view of the sky above. We sat together but we were still silent. "You know....this is the place where my parents used to come." I suddenly said.

Yuri smiled faintly. "Thank you for bringing me here then..."

"My parents... Before they died. They told me all they wish was my happiness. I couldn't find it..." I blurted. "Until I met you..."

Both of us fell silent again. "Then... I didn't know how it was to love... I never felt it until again it all falls down to you... My mom once told me, someday I'd find love on my own. I may not know how her love story was, but she was happy with my dad, so much happy to the point they build The White Flower Shop together."

Yuri pursed her lips and kept quiet. She just listened.

"She told me, when I find love, I should create my own love story better than hers. I never felt how it was to be in love, that's why the moment I saw the book Love Letters from the library, it was so old, ragged, and torn, I decided to borrow it. When a book is torn and worn out it means it many has used it."

Both of us smiled and chuckled faintly.

"But I guess... My love story became too much of a fantasy..." I chortled lightly. "I thought it only happens in a book... but it's happening to us now..."

Yuri suddenly held out something It came from her bag. “It’s for you.” It was Forget me not flower in a small pot. “Remember you said, if someone gives you this it means the person don’t want you to forget her?”

I held the small pot she gave me. Tears fell from my eyes. “Yuri… even if you give me dozen of this, I will never forget you…ever…” Now I said with full assurance.

Yuri hugged me. “That’s the only thing I have been waiting for…for so long…”

I hugged her back. “You know… After meeting you, I realized how lucky I was… I get to be with Kwon Yuri. The most popular girl in school… Now everyone knows me because of you, everyone wants to be my friend, everyone started to ask me out, but I still choose to be with you…”

Yuri just stared at me.

“You know why? Because you were the only one who saw me when I was invisible…” In my coat I yanked out something. “I want to give you this…” It was the novel Love Letters. “Isn’t it funny? We somehow match the story… The two of them weren’t searching for love, but they were in each other all along, they’re just blind to see.”

“We were school mates all along… but it’s unfair that we just met lately… I’ve been blind all this time…”

I shook my head. “You weren’t blind… Because if you were, you could not have found me even if it’s almost last minute… My parents died two years ago and after that I find it hard to find happiness... But when you came to my life, you gave me happiness and aid the hole in my heart...Time was being unfair to us...”

Yuri sobbed. “Do you think we’ll ever meet again?” Yuri asked.

I couldn’t answer her question. Four years is quite long, we don’t know what could happen.

“What if you wait for me? I’ll go to New York after college?”

I couldn’t answer again.

“Ya… answer me…” Yuri started to sob. I couldn’t do anything but hug her tight.

“I love you…” She whispered.

I couldn’t answer again. I don’t know what happened to my tongue but I don’t know what to say anymore. I couldn’t express myself at the moment, I looked at her and cupped her cheeks with my palms. I slightly leaned forward and pressed my lips against hers.

We may have different paths together

But we take a little of each other wherever we go…

Until we meet again…

Roses are red, Violets are blue,

Forget me not, For I still love you…

-END OF FIRST ONE SHOT-