Egocentric [Book I]

Invited

Monday morning.

Minah dragged herself out of bed and did her usual routine before going to school, except putting the grey cardigan on. She hung it on her shoulder instead and went out of her room to have breakfast with her family.

The dining room was full of happy vibes, despite the fact that there were only four of them inside the house. Minjae was being the hyper child that he was, making their parents laugh with his stories. Appa invited her to join them she sat beside her mother with a small smile.

Just when Minah was about to reach for food, knocks came from their front door and she volunteered to answer it. She pulled the door open and revealed a stranger with a smile brighter than hers.

“Good morning.” He greeted. “This is the Yeo residence, correct?”

“Uh... yeah?” Minah furrowed her eyebrows and her eyes caught the emblem of a delivery van parked just outside their house, which was a rose looking like it was growing around a name. A flower shop?

“You don’t sound so sure.”

“I’m sure about this house being the Yeo residence. I’m just not sure why you’re here.” Minah replied, making the stranger chuckle. She noticed the shirt he was wearing, the same color with the van.

“Someone sent this to you.” He picked a basket of flowers up from beside his feet and handed it to her before turning around.

“Wait, who sent this?” Minah called.

“I’m just a delivery guy, miss. I don’t know who.” The guy shrugged. Minah was even more confused when she looked down at the flowers and struggled to find some kind of sign to help her know who sent it. That guy must’ve delivered the basket to the wrong Yeo’s, but that was almost impossible when she examined it again.

“Minah dear, who is it?” Umma called, and Minah brought the basket inside to the dining room. Her mother stared at it in awe and grinned. “Where did you get that?”

“The delivery dude said that someone sent it to us.” Minah shrugged. It was indeed impossible that the flowers weren’t for them, because they weren’t just any kind of floral plant. They were white stargazers in full bloom, arranged so beautifully that even a young boy like Minjae was impressed.

“Who sent it?” Appa asked.

“He said he didn’t know.” Minah placed it on the table and parted the middle, finding a small blue card inside. She quickly snatched it and opened the card, seeing a legibly written note that she read aloud.

To Mr. and Mrs. Yeo: Thank you very much. –X

“X?” Minjae asked. Minah glanced at him and gave the note to her parents, who were pretty excited to receive such a stunning gift even though they didn’t know who the sender was.

She stared at the flowers for a minute and ran her finger down a petal later. Stargazers were an expensive kind of flower, no matter what color they were. Minah sat down with her forehead still creased, looking at her mother.

“Does Minseok know you love those, Umma?”

***

Minah passed by the parking lot ten minutes before the bell, and she couldn’t believe the coincidence of having to walk with Xiumin towards the school as he was just getting out of his newly fixed car. She heard the lock beep go off and waited for him to come to the path where she was.

Like the other day, he didn’t looked annoyed that she was there and Minah forced herself to believe that there wasn’t anything unusual going on in his mind while they quietly accompanied each other.