Flowers

Chapter 1

Wooseok was already used to the stares and the whispers that soon followed wherever he went but that didn't mean he enjoyed them. He had always preferred to stay inside his bedroom than being outside and that didn't change when he moved out of his parent's home once he got into college and moved into his shared apartment. He knew he was good looking and being observed because of it was not what bothered him.

What bothered him were the stares directed at the left side of his neck where a big and vibrant red flower with white fringes on its petals was marked into his skin for everyone to see, meant for him to carry with pride but he couldn't, he instead pretended it didn't exist even when in such an impossible place to hide.

Who would want to have a gloxinia on their skin with no lover at their side to complete the sweet meaning the flower had? He ended up looking pathetic with it. Love at first sight was something wicked to be marked with when the person who made said mark appear doesn't love you back. If God was real Wooseok thinks he must be enjoying this cruel prank on him.

Finally, he reaches the small coffee place near the college campus easily joining his friends that had been sitting there already. They greet him before continuing their conversation or more like listening to Donghyun rant about how his boyfriend was too oblivious to realize the flowers that had appeared on his friend's arm were because of him, the raceme of yellow hyacinths that meant jealousy a glaring sign of his bitter feelings. Sungjun tries to reason it may be better for Yunseong to not realize his friend's feelings and just wait for him to move on, for the flower marks to wilt and disappear.

"What if it doesn't?" Wooseok interrupts them as he reaches for the glass of water they had ordered for him and focusing on it so he doesn't see the way they glance at his mark "Then what happens?" He mentally curses himself when he can hear the longing on his voice, unable to hide how much he wishes that could happen to his own mark.

Seungyeon who is sitting next to him hums as he considers his question for a couple seconds before he shrugs "Then he'll have to learn to live with it I guess and Donghyun too," Donghyun lets out a groan at the simple idea, mumbling under his breath he hopes those ugly yellow flowers disappear once and for all "Stop worrying about it Donghyun, its not like Yunseong is going to reciprocate the kid's feelings when his whole back is covered in tulips thanks to you," Wooseok doesn't need to look at his friend's face to know he had rolled his eyes at the last part.

Wooseok glances at Donghyun's face, seeing how the bitterness melts away and a warm smile replaces it, his eyes shining with adoration as he remembers the pink, red, orange and white tulips. Happiness, true love, understanding and purity, a mix of the strong emotions Yunseong has for Donghyun and for him only. Wooseok could swear for a moment he's about to get his own yellow hyacinths blooming somewhere on his body if he keeps looking at his smitten face, how he can basically see honey dripping from his eyes.

Thankfully Sihun changes the topic to instead complain about a group project he was forced into and how he found one of the members to be so annoying and it's impossible they see eye to eye. They laugh first as they listen to him complain before Hangyul reveals he has been in a group with said boy before and he didn't have any problems with him making Sihun feel betrayed. Wooseok hides his laugh behind his hand seeing how Hangyul just shrugs while Sihun protests he's now looking like the bad guy thanks to him, Sungjun loudly whispering they all knew it already though and that makes Sihun whine even louder.

"Excuse me can I take a picture of your flower?" Silence falls over their table, everyone turning to glance at the teenage girl that stands behind Wooseok with her phone in hand ready for her request to be accepted "I've never seen someone with a gloxinia before! It's so pretty!" She continues, her tone excited clearly missing how uncomfortable she is making them. Before Wooseok can turn around to tell her no, she is not allowed to take a picture and to please go back to whatever she was doing, Seungyeon responds in his place as he turns on his seat enough to face her with a gentle smile on his face that clearly doesn't reach his eyes.

The girl's face falls when Seungyeon tells her she can't take a picture, truly looking disappointed and her face flushes red when he advises to not make such requests to strangers because it's pretty rude. She apologizes and walks away. Sihun hurries to once again change the topic but Wooseok doesn't pay attention to him, his hand reaching up to attempt to cover his mark feeling suddenly too uncomfortable on his own skin, he knows his mark is too big to cover it like that. Seungyeon's hand falls on his thigh under the table giving it a slight squeeze meant to comfort him and Wooseok is thankful for the gesture.

~🌼~

"Forget about that girl Wooseok," Seungyeon randomly says while they're making their way inside the apartment complex elevator. Wooseok glances up at him but Seungyeon doesn't look at him instead reaches to press the button for their floor and Wooseok's eyes follow his hand, the small and cute yellow acacias contrasting with his image, the tattos and cool clothes. He had never asked Seungyeon about them when they appeared overnight and Seungyeon never mentioned them either. Wooseok had looked them up to know their meaning once and after he found it he understood why Seungyeon was not loud about them as he was about almost everything. Concealed love is not something to be loud after all, even to him.

Wooseok whispers a quiet thank you once he's opening his door, Seungyeon walking past him on his way to the door of the apartment next to his. Seungyeon was able to listen and he waves at him with a bright smile "Don't worry about it, neighbor!" Wooseok gives him a small smile back with a much less dramatic wave of his own and they both enter their shared apartments.

"Wooseok!" He looks up still nudging his shoes off to Jinhyuk who peeks from inside the kitchen "We forgot to go grocery shopping yesterday, should we go now?" With a tired sigh, Wooseok nods and places his backpack down thankful he had not removed his shoes yet. Jinhyuk walks towards him and ruffs up his hair ignoring the glare he sends him.

Jinhyuk bends down to put on his sneakers listing out loud the things they need to buy and Wooseok hums taking his phone out to open a note and write it down in case they forget as they've done so before. Jinhyuk stands up straight and reaches for his wrist pulling him to follow him out their apartment, a bright smile on his thin lips that he sends his way when he glances back to mention they should also pick up a couple of those small cartons of flavored milk Jinwoo always drank when he visited them makes Wooseok's heart flutter against his will and he can only hope Jinhyuk doesn't feel the way his heartbeat changes under his fingers around his wrist.

The gloxinia in his skin burns.