Love To Hate
Turning Tables
WOOYOUNG
I was walking through the K.D.S. building as I was on my way up to the office as usual. I normally picked up a coffee from the shop downstairs, then up the elevator, then through office corridors to be greeted by a few attendants, then into my office, setting my coffee down, and getting back to another day of monotonous work. This was pretty much how the beginning of my day flowed, and normally after 5 minutes subsequent to my arrival, Kyungsoo would routinely be at my door to either greet me, ask how my weekend was, ask what I’m going to do on the upcoming weekend, any plans for the night – just anything to allow the both of him a chance to see me.
“Hyung!” He welcomed me from the door.
“Right on time” I muttered under my breath. He walked in with a bright smile and both hands behind his back.
“Hyung, did you like the flowers I offered you?”
“Oh, yes of course” I forced on a smile as well as a light chuckle “I actually took it home, it’s … in my living room on the coffee table” I lied.
“I’m glad you like them!” I felt a little bad that I had to lie in front of his face; I liked those flowers too to be honest. And now that I think about it, I really should’ve just taken them home instead of wasting them. I mean, it’s not like I would’ve invited Kyungsoo into my apartment if he ever showed up at my front door “Anyways, I have another set of flowers,” He pulled them out from behind his back “these are for you to keep on your desk. I figured, since you have a set at home, you could have one at work too” He handed them to me delicately.
“Wow … umm, thanks, Kyungsoo” I accepted them appreciatively.
“I’ve … got to go back to work – I’ve got to check on … the D.O. store” He spoke nervously.
“Sure. Umm … thanks for the flowers” He bowed tensely then approached the door. But as he moved closer to it, he almost bumped into Taecyeon who tried to enter my office.
“Well,” Taecyeon sneered blithely “if it isn’t gay boy” Kyungsoo rolled his eyes then shoved him out of the way. He chortled a little then entered the room.
“Taecyeon-ah, was that really necessary?” I asked him disappointingly,
“Oh come on Wooyoungie it was just a joke! Besides, at least I’m actually honest about how I feel towards him. I mean come on, he bothers you and all you do is force a fake smile on your face; which I might add, that only encourages him more to be around you” He made a point “So what were you guys talking about this time?”
“Nothing. He just gave me … another set of flowers” I pointed to them on my desk and he rolled his eyes before picking them up “Wait! What are you doing?” I asked anxiously.
“Dude! I’m throwing them out! If you keep accepting these gifts from him he’s going to start thinking there is an even bigger chance of you and him ending up together! Seriously, how stupid can you get? You always talk about him never leaving you alone, and all you're doing is making that possibility he sees to grow even bigger! So I’m going to ask you one more time; do you or do you not want Kyungsoo out of your life?!” I contemplated on his words. The way he asked that question seemed as though this was a final way of saying goodbye to Do Kyungsoo.
“Y-yes” I almost struggled to give a straight answer.
“Okay, good. First of all, you can start by throwing away these damn gay flowers in the trash where they belong. And then you’re going to tell him how you feel – you’re going to tell him that you're a straight guy with no intention of practising homouality, and that you and him aren’t ever going to happen” He handed me the set of flowers “Arasseo?”
“A-arasseo … hyung” I took the flowers from his hands.
*10 Minutes Later*
I made my way downstairs to the basement of the K.D.S. building where all the trash was placed. A few of the employees that worked down here greeted me weirdly; it was pretty understandable as it wasn’t exactly normal to witness an executive such as myself down in these parts.
Anyhow, I thought on what Taecyeon said – yes, I was planning to throw out the flowers because he does make several valid points. What with the fake smile I put on every day to greet Kyungsoo, it just encourages him even more to give himself reasons for attempting to make contact with me. However, I was not going to tell him how I felt and to leave me alone; it just seemed way too cruel. Also, the more I thought about the idea of telling Kyungsoo I could never be attracted to him, the more I felt unsure if I couldn’t tell him because I was afraid of hurting his feelings, or because of the fact that after 2 years I’ve finally decided to come clean and the ‘friendship’ we’ve had all along was just fake smiles and sincerities.
Nevertheless I reached the garbage skip and was about to dispose of the beautiful flowers, when a sudden voice spoke from across the hallway.
“Are those … my flowers?” The familiar voice asked.
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KYUNGSOO
*5 Minutes Earlier*
When I walked into Wooyoung’s office to hand him my flowers, I did exactly what Tiffany told me to do – to look into his eyes and check if the ‘glittering’ was still there, and it was. My feelings for him were still existent and they grew stronger every day, especially with his acceptance of my flower gifts. I never thought my ikebana hobby could pay off so well!
Anyhow I made my way to ‘Sunny Flowers’ – a flower shop within the same building owned by one of the girls I befriended (when D.O. came into partnership with K.D.S.). Her name was Lee Soon-Kyu – she preferred Sunny, but insisted on letting me call her noona instead. At any rate, I regularly popped in and out of her shop to buy simple things for my greenhouse such as different types of flower seeds, suitable vases for both modern and traditional ikebana, and anything else to assist in my floristry.
“Noona!” I greeted her as I entered the shop.
“Kyungsoo-ya,” she smiled “back for more seeds?” I nodded my head.
“I’m planning to grow azaleas, but I’d also like to buy some fertiliser” She looked at me confused.
“But, you bought 5 kilos worth just a week ago”
“And they were all for my belladonna flowers” I smiled cheekily.
“Very well then. But if you want, I can give you a bag for free”
“Really?”
“Of course. Except they’ve been taken down to the buildings basement for biological waste disposal. If any of these kinds of products aren’t sold within 2 weeks, then they’re taken down there to be properly disposed of – it’s the policy”
“Thanks noona, you’re the best!” She gave me a bright grin.
The next thing I knew I was heading down to the building’s basement for the fertiliser. I couldn’t believe the building had its own independent system of proper sanitation for recycling waste, litter, and biological waste. As I walked through the basement’s hallways, surprisingly I thought I spotted Wooyoung in front of one of the garbage skips, and it was. Unknowingly, my feet turned and headed to his direction, but as I loomed closer I began to notice something a little colourful and familiar held in his hands. As walked closer to him, he was about to throw it away into the skip.
“Are those … my flowers?” I asked him as I gradually recognised they were too.
“Kyungsoo-ya,” His eyes opened wide in shock and quickly averted them away from the skip “this … this isn’t what it looks like”
“Are you … throwing away my flowers?” Wooyoung began to hold them close to his chest and looked down towards his feet “You don’t like them?” I felt my eyes burning up.
“Kyungsoo-ya,” He struggled to open his mouth “It’s not that I don’t like them … it’s just … I’m allergic to them. I’ve been allergic to these flowers my entire life”
“Do you even know what kind of flowers those are?” He paused for a minute, seeming as though he was trying to think of an answer at the top of his head.
“Irises – I’m allergic to irises” With the tears emerging, I scoffed a little and quickly snatched the set away from his arms.
“These are forsythias” He looked down in embarrassment and gave an ashamed expression “Why would you lie to me?”
“Look, it’s not that I didn’t want them … it’s just … I didn’t want to hurt your feelings. I know that you … like me,” I also began to look down in embarrassment “I like you too, but not exactly in the same way you do” When he said that, I felt a little ache in my heart. I knew I shouldn’t have built up such a confidence expecting he’d like me back. I was angry at him, but more of myself because I was such a fool to think so “I didn’t want to have to tell you this way, and Taecyeon told me by throwing the flowers out-”
“Wait, Taecyeon told you to throw them out?”
“… Yes …” There was silent pause between the both of us, lasting for a few seconds until I ultimately broke the silence.
“The first set of flowers I offered you – they’re not at home are they?” He lowered his head even further and shook his head.
“I’m really … really sorry” It got to the point where I could no longer hold back my tears, I just left without saying another word and not taking one look back "Kyungsoo-ya!" He called my name "Kyungsoo-ya!" Don't ever call me that again Wooyoung, just don't. I thought to myself. It was then that I had decided to hate Wooyoung for the rest of my life – now and forever.
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