An ocean of colours surrounded him. Asters in purple and pink covered the ground alongside bluebells like a blanket weaved from exquisite colours. The azaleas outlined the path of step stones and the blossom trees hung like a vaulted roof over it and framed the whole scenery.

Do Kyungsoo thought of those nights when they had held a fancy sort of party and they had entangled fairy lights in the branches of the great blossoms, creating a starry sky over the path and an enchanting stage for stolen glances. This night would be the most magical of all, Kyungsoo knew that, for the strong and delightful scent of the new-leaved lilacs hovered over the lot mixed with a steamy heat that put everyone present in a daze. Except for the two of them.

   “Just feel it.”

Kyungsoo reached his hand out to touch the white leaf.

   “It feels soft like velvet, doesn’t it? Here, you can have it.”

In the hand of both Jongin and Kyungsoo was the one-leafed flower; white, soft, curved slightly to one side, flaunting its beauty. The stem was long and thin, but not fragile.

   “Don’t let anyone or anything harm it, ok?”

   “K-Kim-Jongin? Is-is-isthisa-a…” Kyungsoo cleared his throat, but a squeaky voice continued, “a symbol of our love?”

Jongin never answered with words, but threw him a smirk. Not one of the y smirks that he had given him before on nights when lights were entangled in the trees, but one that read ‘I know, you know’.

The peace lily held its white head high and seemed radiant with joy. It had been placed in the windowpane with carefulness and preciseness: If Kyungsoo sat at his oak desk and looked out the window, the flower would stand right next to the tall figure of Jongin whenever he caressed the flowers and greens in the garden.

Jongin was the gardener at the property. The two had known each other ever since they were very little as Jongin’s father was the gardener at that time, but since he eventually had fallen ill, Jongin had –with pleasure- taken over the duties.

   “It runs with the family to have green hands, I can’t just let it go… Just like there is something else I can’t and won’t let go.”

Jongin’s words echoed in Kyungsoo’s head. So sweet and full of stubbornness, determinedness. Tonight was the night. When the little brown eyes of the sunflowers would turn and look towards the west, and when the asters and bluebells bloomed, the whole area would be still – crucially still; everyone would be enchanted and unable to move.

That’s when they would meet.

   “Do not forget it,” Jongin said with a voice that underlined the seriousness of the matter, “or we will have to wait for another two years”.

Kyungsoo, whose nails had sacrificed their lives in the attempt of keeping his nerves calm, suffered from severe pop-out eyes just by the thought of having to wait any longer. Even less, two years. By looking at the little figure of a Kyungsoo in desperate need to be with his friend, he really didn’t look like he was older than Jongin. He looked more like… a younger brother… or maybe even just a puppy running around with its tail wiggling hysterically, chasing after Jongin and the treats he would keep in his pockets. (He really did have treats in his pockets, like those little animal crackers for instance. Kyungsoo really loved those. As a matter of fact, since his family wouldn’t allow him to have sweets of any kind, he would do a lot to have a bite.)

He sat at his oak desk throughout the entire morning just to make sure that he wouldn’t miss just one second of seeing Jongin spreading love and making sure to keep the surroundings alive; making sure to keep the colourful painting of their scene alive.

From a very young age, Kyungsoo had always admired Jongin, especially the relationship he had with his father; they were so close, always enjoyed their time together. He, himself, rarely got a chance to be one of the other wild young boys playing around and returning home with mud or grass stains on his clothes. It was another world to him, and he wanted to be a part of it so bad. Being a part of it didn’t only equal some sort of freedom in behaviour – it also meant being a part of Jongin’s world.

Only on special family occasions, Kyungsoo had the chance to run around between all the greens, all the colours, the family’s land covered with nature. From up there in Kyungsoo’s room, the garden seemed almost neat when you could see everything. But down there, the garden was a labyrinth: If you went all the way in, you couldn’t be sure to ever find your way back again. If you even wanted to, that is. But most times, it was quite easy as the family occasions happened during spring or autumn, a season where almost nothing bloomed or a season where almost everything would let go of its temporary life. That is, seasons where you couldn’t really hide anything (or anyone) from the others. Only once every other year would Kyungsoo’s parents arrange a party in the summer.

That is why summers were so important for the two. Because then the garden would be in full bloom, the hedges would be opaque and impervious, it would be a place of peace. It would be a place and a time where they could hide and be together, only the two. And this year was their chance.

Surely, it was a labyrinth; a labyrinth of vivid colours reflected in the microscopic drops of water on the leaves, making them look like a thousand prisms. The scenery left Kyungsoo baffled.
   “Why are you hiding from me, Jongin? We don’t have much time!” Kyungsoo called out, loud enough for it to reach Jongin who was all ears, but silent enough for it to not be heard by anyone outside of their own little world.
    Annoyed and frustrated, Kyungsoo fought his way through the world of opaque greens. The hedges were enormous; rising up like skyscrapers, lightly touching the puffy cotton wool on the blue canvas as they more or less blocked the sun and thereby shut out most of the sunlight. Even so, Kyungsoo could feel the dark night announce its arrival – which was merely a tragedy for the two. The minute the sun would say its farewells, the only moment for them to see each other, to really see each other, would’ve passed, the party would end, and they’d have to wait two more years. Kyungsoo couldn’t handle the thought of it. “The danger, really, is in the waiting,” he reasoned.

    “Jongin?”

His words rung in the empty spaces between the branches.
    “... Jongin? Jongin!”

He was on the verge of crying, the desperation taking over more and more, slowly.

In that moment, strong arms wrapped around Kyungsoo’s small figure in a calming manner.

    “It’s almost dark. They’ll know I’m gone, and they’ll know where to look. They will find us,” Kyungsoo whispered slightly panicking. “They will find us...”

Jongin rested his head on Kyungsoo’s and held him tighter than before. He held him like that for a long time before slowly kissing the puffy dark curls on top of the little figure, amazed by how he fitted in his embrace so perfectly.

    “Don’t worry,” Jongin said reassuringly. “They won’t be able to come in here. The walls of this world have grown strong enough; they won’t sense a thing, and they surely never will find their way to us. This is not just a labyrinth of flora, you know... It is a labyrinth of love.”