Flowers Blossom In Night Rain | Vinny Hong

four

<3

Vinny pushed the gears on the bike harder. The wind rushed past him; his red hair flying in the wind looking like flames. He slowed down at a corner, only to accelerate faster once he cleared it. Eventually, he reached a house, slowing down roughly and getting off of the bike. His jacket got caught on one of the bolts on the bike: Vinny cursed under his breath, freeing himself.

His cold, long fingers produced a key from his pocket. he pushed it into the lock and opened the door. He sighed.

"What are you doing here." Annoyed, he walked into the house.

"Vinny." A female voice called out. "Shoes. You know how much I hate it when you do that." The woman approached Vinny and hugged him. She wrapped her arms around his head, smothering him, and his muttered complaints.

"Okay, okay." Vinny took off his shoes and threw them near the door, before turning to the woman. "I'm not a kid anymore. There's no point in me living by myself if you come over every other day to cook me food. I can cook for myself."

"If I leave you to your own devices, you'll only eat ramen." She tapped her foot on the ramen box under the sink which was only half full. "And anyway, I'm your mother you'll always be a baby to me; my baby."

Vinny sighed and trundled off to his room. He heard the sizzling of the hot oil and meat, and the hum of the oven: stew. Even though he wouldn't admit it, he still loved the taste of his mum's stew and was getting a bit sick of ramen. He swapped his uniform for comfier clothes and looked at himself in the mirror leaning on his wall.

He let his hand comb his unruly red hair down. One of many failed attempts in taming the erratic red flames. He sighed again in exasperation and flung the comb onto the floor. Vinny reached into his pocket and produced a colourful piece of paper. He looked past his bedroom door, into the kitchen and watched his mother stir, cook and bake. He watched the small muscles on her arms flex, her bony fingers contract and her small mouth frown. Her eyes were partly sunken into her head creating dark, puffy eye-bags and her collarbones stuck out prominently. His mother looked so tired, yet she still came to cook for him once in a while and never complained. She still went out and did the numerous jobs she could find to pay the piling bills. All of the times he had complained, criticised and argued with her, she had kept quiet, working harder to give him a future. 

Younger Vinny had always thought that she was a weak mum, not caring that if she went to talk to the headmaster about Vinny being bullied she was making the situation worse.

His hand turned into a fist, knuckles dusted a light red, crumpling the poster in his grip. He was going to fix this, all of it. Vinny exited his room and wandered to the front door.

"Vinny? Are you leaving? The foods done." His mother called out, craning her neck around the wall.

"Yeah, I'm just going for a ride. I'll be back soon... and remember to eat something before you leave."

"Aw. Vinny when did you get so sentimental and sweet?" Her smile widened, wrinkles making appearances near her eyes and nose.

Vinny rolled his eyes and muttered a low "I love you". He put on his trainers and stepped out of the house, closing the door behind him. He trundled to his bike. He needed new wheels and a handlebar, not forgetting oil for the cogs. He sighed while getting onto his bike, and before pushing away he zipped up his jacket for warmth.

<3

"Mario Nam! Dramatic entrance as always, never expect anything less from you. You're just in time. I was about to leave." Flora's coach laughed happily while Mario cocked an eyebrow. "Brent wants to go on another holiday."