Humming filled the air of your room while you turned your head from side to side, looking at your appearance in your full length mirror. White shirt with the sleeves riding just above your elbows, your black vest with gold t laid slimming over top, your khaki skirt and sneakers finished off your school uniform. Dressing your hair with a black bow clip, you smiled at your appearance as you let your curly, long hair flow over your shoulders. Taking one last look at your reflection, you grabbed your backpack that sat in your desk chair before skipping down the stairs to the kitchen.

“Morning” Your mother chirped as you smiled and moved to the refrigerator pulling out your water bottle, you swung your backpack around and slid the cool bottle into your bag before grabbing your lunch and tucking it away inside before zipping up your backpack once again.

Walking over to the table, you hung the shoulder strap of your backpack on the back of your chair while white plates sat on the harvest oak table underneath. The boards of the floor creaked under your father’s weight as he came out from the study and into the kitchen for some breakfast. Your mother came over and placed a well decorated plate in front of you and your father as she sat on the other side of her husband.

“How are your studies?” Your father asked trying to make conversation as you ate a few small bites of your breakfast.

“Fine” You replied shortly, not bringing your eyes up to meet his. He looked over at his wife as she just gave him a gentle smile.

Eating the rest of your meal in silence, you finished your meal and excused yourself from the table, placing your plate in the sink, you walked out of the kitchen grabbing your backpack on the way as you walked out of the house, closing the door behind you.

The nip of the morning air felt wonderful on your warm skin, the night fog gently rising from the streets just hiding the tops of the trees and buildings as you heard the birds create their daily songs overhead.  Scraping and skidding of your shoes along the pavement kept you company on your walk to school, walking alongside the shops as they opened and the bells rang, banging against the doors calling out that they were open that day.

Over the hills and down the streets, you finally made it to your school. Students seemed to mindlessly walk to their classes, take notes and do their homework like robots, but you saw a different beauty in being cooped up all day.

Looking around throughout your classes you would watch people, try and see how they would think, what they were going through based on their moods and doodle in your notebooks where your notes should have been. Class after class you doodled the same people day after day, seeing them change or not at all was intriguing to you, but there was always this one person that would love to hear about your day and would stay constant no matter what season or mood he was in.

The school bell signaled the end of the day, walking out into the sunlight once more; you looked up to the beautiful sky. Taking in a deep breath, you let it out slowly as the sun warmed the leaves making it feel like summer already. Making your way off of the school grounds, a smile crawled onto your face, your pace slowly sped up as you couldn’t wait to meet someone in the large city garden.

Slipping through the black iron gates, you had finally arrived at the city garden. Quickening your pace faster and faster, you finally ran over to the babbling water feature.

Rounding the corner, you saw him, his beautiful dark hair perfectly framed his face, a light t shirt gently hugged his broad shoulders while his skillful hands gently rubbed along the dark denim of his pants.

“Hey Myungsoo!” You called happily as you stood just to the side of him. Myungsoo’s head quickly turned and looked up at you as he gave you a bright smile, his dimples clearly showing while his eyes curved up happily into little smiles themselves.

“Hey ________, how was school today?” Myungsoo asked moving over a little as he made room for you to sit next to him on the stone ledge.

“It wasn’t too bad, just long and they give out way too much homework.” You sat beside him, pulling your backpack onto your lap as he nodded along.

“I have new pictures I drew today, do you want to see?” You ask him, while you look up at his face, nodding happily he glanced from your eyes to your backpack as you quickly ped your bag and pulled out your notebook for each class.

Flipping through the drawn on pages, you found the drawings that you made that day, with a smile you flipped the cover around and turned it so Myungsoo could see. Gently tilting his head to see the picture correctly, he smiled as he gently bit down on his bottom lip.

“I really like how you drew her hair here, very artistic” He complimented glancing up at you as that small compliment caused you to blush madly.

Going through picture after picture, he never failed to make each doodle seem like it was your best art piece yet. With a smile permanently on your face and a smile on his face to match, your eyes met his as you two just sat there for a few seconds listening to the beautiful rustle of leaves and the babbling water feature behind you.

The clearing of his throat gently tore you away from the moment as he turned around and pulled a single red rose from his backpack as he held it out for you, gently twisting it between his fingers.

“I want you to have this _________” Myungsoo looks at you while your eyes look down at the deep red flower as it was opened perfectly with all of its petals standing proudly, fanning out from the center.

“W-Why?” You questioned as you looked back up to his eyes, soft and warm, comforting and inviting, the beautiful depth of his chocolate eyes lulled all of your worries away as his smile pulled on his pink lips once more.

“I think you are beautiful and I thought of you when I saw this” He tells you softly as he was the one to look down at the flower. Biting on your bottom lip, you tried to hide your blush while your eyes looked down at the perfect rose before you. Reaching out with your hand, you wrapped your fingers delicately around the stem of the flower as his fingers gently let go. Bringing the beautiful flower closer to you, you gently lifted the rose to your nose, letting your eyes flutter closed, the sweet perfume gently filled your mind with awe as you hadn’t smelled a flower as sweet.

“This is so beautiful” Your voice slightly faltered as the beautiful gesture warmed your head.

“Just like you” Myungsoo let a cheeky smile settle on his face as he leaned back on his hand. A buzz from his phone pulled him back into reality as he looked at the large numbers on his lock screen.

“W-What is it?” You probed seeing his eyes widen and his figure tense.

“W-We better go, you’re late” He says as your eyes shot open causing an audible gasp to escape your lips. Standing up you grabbed your backpack and lifted it onto your shoulder as Myungsoo took your hand while the both of you started running in the direction of your home.

Out of breath and your legs wobbly from all of the running, you finally reached the front steps of your house. Turning to look at Myungsoo as both of your chests sharply rose and fell trying to regain your normal breathing.

“I-I’m sorry” Myungsoo confessed breathlessly

“It’ll be okay” You gave him a reassuring smile as you fixed your hair before opening the front door.

Peeking your head through the door, you slipped through the small opening and closed the door behind you, slipping off your shoes you proceeded to tell your father that you were home and that you were sorry for being late. With your socks gently sliding across the wood floor your mind raced trying to think up a story for why you were so late.

Your breathing returned to normal, while your heartbeat sped up with nervousness as you stood at his study door. Taking in a deep breath, you closed your eyes as your knuckles gently knocked against the wood door that separated you and your father.

“Come in” Your father’s deep, stern voice was heard on the other side as you gathered your courage and opened the door, bowing to him, you closed the door behind you and bowed once more.

“Sorry that I am late, I was studying and lost track of time.” You explained as you stood upright, he leaned back in his old leather chair as it ached underneath him. His lips pursed together while folding his arms across his chest.

“I see.” His voice still deep and harsh as your hands kneaded each other trying to keep your nervousness contained.

“Have a seat” He invited pointing at the two leather chairs on the opposite side of the large desk. Moving into his office, you slid your backpack off of your shoulders. Sitting down in one of the chairs across from him, leaning your backpack on one of the front legs of the hair, you clasped your hands tightly in your lap while you lowed your head in shame knowing that he wanted to talk to you something a little more serious.

“I got a call from your Principal today” Your father started as your hands instantly tightened on each other. The sound of him shifting his weight in his chair as he placed his hands on his desk and looked over his glasses that balanced on the tip of his nose, your father’s leather skin that wrinkled over his brow as he thought of what to say next.

“Your grades have been dropping and I don’t think that this is because you aren’t listening in class.” He states as your eyes looks up at him as he continues, “Your mother and I are very observant and I think you know what we are talking about.”

“I-I’m sorry, I really don’t think I do” You tried to sound innocent as your mind raced wondering if they knew about Myungsoo and your feelings towards him.

“Maybe you want to pull out one of your notebooks; his name seems to be written all over the front cover.” Your father chuckled as he leaned over the table. Your eyes finally met his as he gave you a grim smile before sitting back in his chair, his fingers played with a crafted wooden pen that had beautiful brass clasps and detail in the wood grain.

“Anyways, we have noticed you coming back at odd hours, leaving early and like your Principal pointed out, you have also neglected your school work along with your chores in this house.” Your father’s voice turned sterner while trying to keep a friendly edge on his words but it wasn’t helping. “Because of the boy’s name on your notebooks, his posters covering your walls and the flower that is sticking out of your backpack, I do not approve of him.” Your father’s voice turned cold as you looked down at the rose that Myungsoo had given to you just an hour before. Hearing the last sentence made your heart break as your feelings for Myungsoo seemed mutual.

“Why?” You squeaked quietly.

“Why?! You are asking my why?” Your father boomed as he stood up and ran his fingers through his receding hair. Nodding your head gently, you knew that you were in for it now.

“For one, he is seven years older than you, let me repeat seven years. Then you sneak out and stay past your curfew so that you can hang out with him without permission and your grades are slipping, your household chores are slipping and you are throwing your life away for this one guy when you are just fifteen!” Your father began to raise his voice as the hairs on the back of your neck began to stand on its ends, dropping your head even more you tried to block out his harsh words while tears started to sting your eyes.

“I love him” You confessed softly, with those three words you knew that you were going to get another earful and you braced yourself for the worse. A soft sigh came from your father as the wooden soles of his shoes tapped against the floor underneath him.

“You don’t even know what love is” He raised his voice once more as you held your composure while tears started to fill your eyes. Hearing him take a deep breath, he placed his aged hands on the back of his chair while he thought carefully of the next words he wanted to say.

“Myungsoo is waiting on the front porch; you need to go tell him that you can’t see him again until you graduate, no contact, no calls, nothing.” Your father ordered as your chest tightened, your heart skipped a beat while you knew that this was your punishment that he chose to give you.

“W-What if I don’t” Your voice was a dull whisper as you tried to keep your emotions hidden from your father, knowing all too well that he would call you out on your emotions showing as well.

“Then something far worse will happen.” Your father’s voice grew quiet but the cold and deep side of his voice did not. “You are excused”

Standing up from your chair, you bowed to him and carried your backpack out of your room by the straps, opening the door to his study and slipping past, you closed it quietly while your vision was horribly obstructed by the tears that slowly raced down your face.

Slowly shuffling your feet over to the front door, you leaned your backpack up against the banister, looking down at the beautiful flower; your heartstrings were pulled tightly making your breath hitch in the middle of your throat. Pulling the flower out of your backpack you took your time and reached out for the handle of the door.

Trying to steady your breathing, you twisted the handle and opened the front door as you slipped outside. Myungsoo looked over his shoulder as he sat on the front steps of your porch just like your father had told you. The slight shine of the tears on your cheeks gave away your emotions as he stood up and faced you, walking closer to you; you took a slight step back as he froze and looked into your eyes.

“What happened?” He asked in a soft, kind whisper, his hand gently reaching out and brushing against the exposed skin on your arm.

“M-Myungsoo, I’m sorry but I can no l-longer see you, t-talk to you or make c-contact with you until I g-g-graduate.” Your voice cracked while the words ran over your tongue like salt in a wound. Tears ran down your cheeks as you looked up at his brown eyes that were now filled with confusion and worry. “I’m sorry”

Gently, his arms wrapped around you as he stepped closer, bringing you into the warmth and comfort of his body. With his hands gently petting your back and his shoulders wrapping around you making you feel like you are his whole world. Slowly, you wrapped your arms around him, worried about what your father would think if he found out yet you held Myungsoo close and buried your head into the crook of his neck as your tears turned into sobs.

Rocking you in his arms from side to side, he tried to soothe you the best his could, for his heart was hurting seeing you like this.

“________, I’m going to tell you something that is never going to change.” He whispered gently beside your ear while his fingers played with the ends of your hair. “I will wait for you until your father allows us to be together, if it takes a few months or a lifetime, I will wait for you… I really like you ______.”

Nodding your head against his shoulder, you began to feel a little better from what had just happened and his words were comforting none the less but now you were feeling something different in your heart, something that you had felt before but this time it was stronger.

“I’m going to miss you” You whispered into his ear as a few more tears trailed down your face. The same feeling that you had swept over him as he just nodded his head against yours.

“I’ll miss you too” He turned his head slightly and kissed your cheek lovingly, letting his lips linger on your soft, smooth skin while he took in the faint smell of your perfume that you had put on that morning.

After a few more minutes you pulled away, knowing that the longer you stayed in his arms the harder this goodbye would be. Looking up at him, he gave you a faint smile, one that curved up his pink lips and showed one of his dimples; slowly he raised both of his hands and placed them on either side of your face. Using his thumbs he gently brushed away the remnants of your tears before he kissed your forehead.

“I’ll be at your graduation” He smiled down at you, letting one of his thumbs gently glide over your skin as you just nodded. Backing away, he slowly let his touch fall from your skin as his hands returned to his pockets, his eyes gently wondered down to your hands where you still gently twirled the rose between your fingers. “Keep the rose, for me” He requested, glancing up at him again, you nodded before you took in a shaky breath.

“Bye Myungsoo” You remarked as your tears started to coat over again.

“No” Myungsoo said sternly before he relaxed and smiled at you genuinely, “I’ll see you later”

With his simple yet true comment, you nodded and turned to walk back into your house, closing the door behind you both of your parent’s stood in the entry way as you just walked passed them, grabbing your backpack on the way up to your room. With not enough energy to stomp up the stairs you slammed your door behind you instead, sitting on your bed, the tears ran down your face once more as you looked at your last memory of Myungsoo, the rose.

Leaning over to your night stand, you placed the rose next to you favorite picture of Myungsoo, the black frame happily contrasted with the white wood of your dresser while the vibrant red rose stood out as a trademark of his love for you. Laying back on your bed, you looked at his picture and flower for hours before sleep wrapped its’ arms around you and brought you into another day.