Chanyeol is scrolling aimlessly through various social media websites when a certain link catches his eye. Without much thought, Chanyeol clicks on the link and finds interesting and valuable information regarding flowers – who would’ve thought that rose colors and other flowers had meanings behind them?

Chanyeol has given Jongin another red rose on the second day since the start of his romantic gestures, and though Chanyeol wished that he had known sooner about the meanings, he supposes that it doesn’t matter that much considering that red roses signify love – or specifically, “I love you.” And though he doesn’t say it, and maybe he hasn’t been showing it enough, he does love Jongin. And maybe it is too platonic, but that’s still love – no matter what form it is, he loves Jongin. And right now, he’s starting to change – not because Jongin forced him to, or guilt tripped him into doing so but because he loves Jongin and he wants to show it to him. He’s changing not because Jongin wants him to, but because he chooses to do so.

And though Jongin probably wouldn’t be aware that there will soon be meanings behind the flowers he’ll be receiving, Chanyeol doesn’t really care. It can be his silly little secret and he is more than ecstatic to find the perfect rose color for tomorrow.

Jongin is beautiful in every angle and in every style – Chanyeol has been well aware of this even before he’s noticed the amount of stares Jongin gets daily, even before he’s noticed how kind puberty has been to him, even before puberty has even happened. And so, Chanyeol finds it fitting that he picks the rose whose petals are of a dark red wine color with a tint of violet – deep burgundy, signifying unconscious beauty.

Because despite the obvious signs of his captivating appeal that catches the eyes of many – whether they have found their soulmate or not – Jongin has stayed humble and shyly rejects every compliment thrown his way regarding his physical features. He’s beautiful and yet he chooses not to acknowledge it, chooses not to believe it.

Chanyeol wonders if he plays a part on this, wonders if that had he been more vocal regarding his attraction to Jongin, he would have been more confident. Chanyeol shakes the thought away and tapes the beautiful rose to Jongin’s locker with a wide smile.

Later on, Jongin gushes to Chanyeol privately at how pretty the rose looks. And though he knows that Jongin thinks that the flower had come from Kyungsoo, he can’t help the pride and giddiness that he feels from overflowing any other emotion.

The next day, Chanyeol has chosen a brighter color – yellow, to signify a promise of a new beginning, because this is what all these roses mean: a new beginning. Chanyeol wants to start anew with his relationship with Jongin – a relationship where all of Jongin’s worries and insecurities are gone, replaced by happiness and content. He only wants the best for Jongin and a new beginning is what’s best for him. A better future, a better relationship, a better Chanyeol.

And besides, Chanyeol thinks, the color yellow suits Jongin well – with his colorful personality and bubbly laughter.

Chanyeol tries to stir things up a bit, bring a new flavor to the way he tries to woo Jongin. As he sticks the yellow rose to the locker – a great contrast to the bland gray metal compartments that line the school hallways – he grabs a sheet from a similarly colored sticky note. He draws a cute little heart in the middle of it with a black marker.

Chanyeol walks a few steps back and stares at his simple masterpiece.

“He left a sticky note this time!” Jongin exclaims with a wide grin plastered on his face, shoving the said note in Chanyeol’s face. “Look at how cute this heart looks.” Jongin stares fondly at the tiny heart with a small smile, completely unaware of the broadest smile that has graced Chanyeol’s face in the past few weeks.

Later that night, he receives a text from Kyungsoo: “Hey, Chanyeol? Why is Jongin thanking me for the flowers?”

Chanyeol doesn’t reply.

, Chanyeol curses at himself as he stares at his alarm clock. Having woken up fifteen minutes later than usual, he rushes his daily routine and runs carelessly to the flower shop. Chanyeol thanks whatever deity up there that might hear him that he always prepares his choice of flowers the night before. As soon as he pays the flower of his choice and the vendor sends him off with a cheery farewell and wish of luck, he dashes through the school gates and into the hallway where Jongin’s locker is located.

Chanyeol’s torso falls and he relies his weight on his hands leaning on his knees as he tries to regain his normal breathing. He’s sweaty and disgusting but his eyes travel towards the flower he’s bought and his stomach drops. It’s ruined; the force of the wind as he ran has ruffled the petals in an unappealing way, completely spoiling its beauty.

“Chanyeol?”

Chanyeol’s heart skips a beat at the familiar voice, his entire body tensing up as he refuses to believe that the person who has caught his presence is the one that he has in mind. With a deep inhale, Chanyeol straightens his posture and turns his head towards the direction of the voice.

And there he finds, Jongin with furrowed eyebrows and a slightly agape mouth. “What are you doing here?”

Chanyeol’s gaze flits from Jongin’s face to the flower in his hand and back to Jongin. He fumbles for words as he watches Jongin approach him with slow yet steady steps. Catching his gaze, Jongin’s eyes fall on the flower and everything seems to click in his mind, the little puzzle pieces finally coming together to form a picture – a picture of Chanyeol.

Jongin gives him a warm smile and voices a different question. “Not a rose this time, eh?”

Chanyeol is still tensed up, his grip on the tulip tightening by the second. Not knowing how to respond, he rambles the only thought that seems to be stuck in his mind. “This is a tulip – a white tulip. It represents forgiveness and I’m sorry that it’s all ugly and ruffled up by the wind. I swear I meant to wake up sooner but my alarm didn’t go off and I had to rush all the way from home to the shop and here and now I’m later than the usual time I come just to stick this flower onto your locker and I’m sorry I messed up this time, I didn’t –“

Jongin’s soft chuckle cuts through his mindless babble as he speaks softly. “It’s okay, Chanyeol.” Chanyeol can only stare as Jongin steps closer to gingerly hold the white tulip in his hand with both of his hands. “It’s beautiful.”

Chanyeol blinks a few times, his gaze still on the disheveled flower before he shakes his head and meets Jongin’s gaze again. “Wait, no. That’s not what the white tulip is about.” Jongin looks at him again with confusion written on his face. “Forgiveness. I’m trying to ask for forgiveness for all the ways I’ve been lacking as a soulmate. For never appreciating you enough, never showing enough affection. For forcing you into a platonic relationship. For not being romantic enough. For not being more assertive with my feelings. For needing your anger and Kyungsoo’s help to figure out how to save our relationship. For –“

Jongin cuts through his speech again and Chanyeol takes the opportunity to get a deep breath after his long ramble. “I get it, Chanyeol.” Jongin looks down at the tulip in his hands, twisting it around slowly and gently with a soft smile. “You didn’t have to, really. I mean, I appreciate all of this. I love this,” Jongin looks up at him. “But you didn’t have to. I told you already, you don’t have to change for me.”

Chanyeol frowns. “I want to, Jongin. I choose to do this, not only for you but also for us.” Chanyeol doesn’t know what to do with his hands so he opts to fiddle with his fingers. “All of this is new to me, we both know that. But I’m willing to accept this change, I’m willing to be a better soulmate – because that’s what you deserve.”

Jongin smiles again, his eyes closing for a moment before he looks up at Chanyeol. “Since when have you gotten so cheesy?”

“Somebody once told me that living should be more like feeling as much as you can, that I shouldn’t be so closed off with my feelings.” Chanyeol shrugs. “Pretty wise advice, if you ask me.”

Jongin steps closer and Chanyeol can see the hesitation in his face as the other slowly reaches out and holds Chanyeol’s hand in his. Chanyeol can feel his heart beating erratically against his chest as Jongin positions his hand so that he can slot their fingers around each other’s. “Come on,” Jongin says with a shy smile. “Why don’t you tell me more about the meanings behind the flowers you’ve given me?”

Chanyeol doesn’t pretend that he understands romance completely by now, but he sure is starting to see the appeal. And though the heightened heart rate is rather uncomfortable, Chanyeol relishes in the feeling and the way Jongin’s hand feels tangled in his own.

Feel as much as you can, indeed.

Kyungsoo finds himself seated inside the same café he spent an afternoon with Chanyeol only a few days ago. He’s early this time, though he doubts Chanyeol would take long before he pushes through those café doors.

He doesn’t really know why he’s here or why Chanyeol’s texted him – all he can infer from the messages is that it’s urgent, if Chanyeol’s all-capital text messages are anything to go by. Before he can even think much about what could possibly lie behind such messages, Chanyeol sits right in front of him with the largest smile he’s ever seen on the guy.

“Hey,” Chanyeol greets and Kyungsoo notices how he’s practically jumping on his seat. It’s cute, Kyungsoo thinks as he tilts his head at the sight before him.

“What’s with the jolly attitude?” Kyungsoo asks, finding his lips upturning into an open-mouthed smile of its own. Chanyeol’s smile is beautiful and it suits him so well that it’s captivating and contagious. He should really smile more.

Chanyeol claps his hands together, his grin growing larger than Kyungsoo has imagined to be possible. “Jongin – flowers – wonderful.” Chanyeol closes his eyes and a giggle escapes his lips. Kyungsoo can’t help but raise a questioning brow at this, amused at how giddy Chanyeol is but his eyebrows are back to its normal place before Chanyeol could even open his eyes. “Everything’s wonderful, but I think we should order first because I won’t be able to keep myself from rambling when I start.”

Chanyeol’s in a great mood, Kyungsoo’s noticed that right from the start – but it seems that it’s so great that he treats Kyungsoo to a platter of nachos despite his attempts to convince Chanyeol into splitting the bill.

As soon as they find their selves seated in the booth where they dumped their bags at, Chanyeol’s already opened his mouth to start his much suppressed babble. Kyungsoo is happy to listen though – even happier to hear the wonderful news spewing out of Chanyeol’s mouth.

He goes on and on – he tells Kyungsoo about the burgundy rose and its meaning. He tells him about the sticky note with a small heart that comes with a yellow rose. He tells him about his “biggest mistake but the best mistake he’s ever made” and how it had led him to getting caught in the act by Jongin. He tells him how he has dumbly and mindlessly rambled about the ruffled, white tulip in his hand. He tells him how Jongin forgave him and how Jongin reached out for his hand. He tells him how they walked, hand in hand and he tells him how happy he is.

Chanyeol tells him everything with an excited lilt in his voice.

“And – and – and, Jongin was blushing the whole time!” Chanyeol exclaims it as if it is the greatest achievement, and it probably is – to Chanyeol, anyway. “I did that! I made Jongin blush!” His eyes are glinting and Kyungsoo finds it beautiful, more fitting in his face, rather than the solemn and broken ones that have taken his entire being the past few times they’ve seen each other.

Kyungsoo grabs a nacho, dips it in cheese and points it towards Chanyeol, using it to emphasize every word he’s saying. “Good job.” Kyungsoo tilts his head and rests his chin on a palm propped up on the table. “Really, though. Good job with the flowers and all.” Kyungsoo’s wrist turns and the nacho in his fingers turns skywards, the melted cheese slowly dripping down. “Never thought of that. You one-upped me there.”

Chanyeol leans in and bites a chunk out of the nacho in Kyungsoo’s fingers with a loud crunch, his head retreating to blind him with a large grin as he noisily chews on the snack. “I’m taking that as a compliment.”

Kyungsoo’s eyes turn to the bitten nacho in his fingers, staring it for a second before he gathers his thoughts and turn to Chanyeol. “You trying to bite my fingers off, you jerk?” He jokes as he takes a small bite out of the same nacho.

Kyungsoo faintly remembers about that thing kids believe: the indirect kiss when someone drinks from the same bottle as another. He wonders if the same rules apply with food.

Kyungsoo shakes the thought away.

They aren’t children anymore.

Kyungsoo falls onto his bed with a thump, his bag thrown aside to the corner of his bed. With an exhausted sigh, he pushes himself against the wall as he fishes out his phone and presses it close to his ear.

“Hey, Baekhyun.” He greets softly, a tight-lipped smile forcing on his face as he casts his vision downwards. “Chanyeol and I met again today. He seemed really happy.” Kyungsoo bites on his upper lip for a moment before continuing. “Things are going well between him and Jongin now, I think.” Kyungsoo leans his head back against the wall, his eyes focused on the wood lining the underside of the top bunk of his double deck bed. “When you told me to give them a chance, I never thought I’d play as a matchmaker of some sort.” Kyungsoo chuckles softly but it’s short-lived, his upper teeth pulling his lower lip back to keep it from quivering.

“I can see why you’re friends with them.” Kyungsoo whispers as he tilts his head slightly to the side. “Jongin’s a real sweetheart. A romantic too – I think you guys get along with that.” That’s where Kyungsoo and Jongin get along too – romance movies, romance novels, romantic gestures. All three of them – Kyungsoo, Baekhyun and Jongin – are ers for romance; they’d be a great trio, he thinks. “He’s also really… friendly. And understanding.” A small smile finds its place onto his features. “He’s so sensitive and so… hesitant, self-conscious.” A sigh escapes his lips. “Makes you want to protect him, you know? To care for him, to pamper him.” A memory flits through Kyungsoo’s brain and a soft chuckle escapes his lips. “He’s a baby at heart. No matter how much he denies it.”

“And then there’s Chanyeol, your best friend.” Kyungsoo laughs to himself, his eyes falling back down to his knees. “He’s a tough one to crack. Really loyal to you.” Kyungsoo lays his free hand atop his knees. “That’s not a bad thing at all though – in fact, I’m glad you have someone like him as your best friend.” He plays with his fingers, digging and dragging out his unkempt nails against his skin. Maybe he should cut it short soon. “It’s just that… he hated me so much. And I couldn’t –“ Kyungsoo’s fingers stop moving, his forefinger digging deeper and deeper into the skin of his thumb by the second. “I couldn’t hate him back because I understand. I am your ex-boyfriend,” Kyungsoo clenches his eyes shut as he utters those words, the three-syllable word feeling bitter against his tongue. “And real friends don’t really befriend their friend’s exes, much less be romantic with them.” Kyungsoo finally pulls his nail away from his thumb. “I got through him eventually, though.” Kyungsoo turns his thumb to face him and admires the little crescent dip in the middle of it. “We’ve made quite a progress in our friendship. Saw him smile today.” A small smile graces his lips again as Chanyeol’s grinning face reappears in his mind. “Really suits him. He should smile more.” The memory of Chanyeol's hot breath against his fingers as he took a bite from the nacho in his hand flits through his memory but Kyungsoo is quick to dismiss it and try to forget it ever crossed his mind.

Kyungsoo sighs and lays his whole arm on top of his knees and leans his forehead against it, his phone still pressed dearly against his ear and cheek. “I’m doing what you’ve asked me to, Baekhyun. We all are.” Kyungsoo closes his eyes and feels a fat teardrop slide down his cheek. “So when are you going to talk to me again?” The hand holding Kyungsoo’s phone falls and the gadget dims into a black screen. He lets go of it and buries his hand into his hair and lightly pulls at it. “When are you going to acknowledge my presence again, Baekhyun? When?”

He can pretend that he’s actually talking to Baekhyun on the phone, even if only to ease the pain in his heart just the slightest bit. He can pretend all he can, every single night.

“I miss you, Baekhyun.”

But he knows it’ll never be enough.

Author's Note: Hi! This one was pretty tough to write as I had lots of doubts and worries flooding my mind as I slowly inched my way to the end of the chapter. Worries and doubts aside, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Tell me in the comments how you felt throughout the entire chapter, may it be positive or negative. And as always, please look forward to the next chapters. Thank you for reading. ♡