Crimson Eyes and Yellow Roses | ateez seongsang (one-shot)

crimson eyes and yellow roses 🍃

[ start 시작. ]

The beautiful season of spring was on its peak, but the small flower shop remained empty of customers. Inside, it held everything from the pinkest carnations, to the most fragrant orchids and to the crowd favorite, roses. Flowers of all sorts were neatly lined up on a glass wall and the sunlight shone brightly against their soft petals.

Seonghwa sighed in annoyance. His favorite kind of flowers, stock flowers, or less commonly know as Matthiola incana, have absolutely refused to grow under his care. It's been over a week, but nothing has been sprouting out of the dirt.

"I must be doing something wrong, obviously."

The boy pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and ran a hand through his jet black hair. He was a quiet figure, shy, lonely but warm-hearted. The boy was tall and slender, but above all, he was pale. He wore round rimmed glasses that complement his deep brown eyes.

Seonghwa took his attention away from his prized flower for a few moments and attended to the roses that lay right beside it. As he was doing this, he didn't notice the figure that entered the once empty flower shop.

"How much for a rose?"

Seonghwa, slightly stunned at the voice, turned around to see a boy around his age, an over-sized hoodie embracing the figure. He took off his hood, revealing his light pink hair and his face. The florist felt speechless at the scene, not saying anything but instead watching the boy intently. The boy inched closer to Seonghwa, directing his gaze to his eyes as Seonghwa's heart thumped louder and harder.

This mysterious boy was skinny, and slightly shorter than the other. He had a nice and tiny figure, well defined facial features, and soft looking hair. But above all, he had the faintest birthmark that went with the most stunning pair of eyes. His eyes however, where a shade of the prettiest crimson.

Seonghwa knew at once that he was one of them: outcasts.

Typically, a new born child is blessed with varying shades of brown irises. At times, some are blessed with blue or gray, or even rarer colors. Legend has it that one's eye color defines their past life, and though many scientists have dismissed this as make-believe, a number of people still believe in such. Crimson however, is feared by many. There are many varying reasons as to why, but most of them believe that they are demi-gods or angels of the devil in their past lives. Discrimination is common for those bear crimson eyes as many people believe that they serve as a symbol of death.

Seonghwa gazed at the boy, suddenly he feeling sympathetic. The boy is innocent; and does not mean any harm.  Not knowing the reasons behind his actions, he acted on the wants of his heart and not his mind.

"I– I can give you one for free. It's spring time after all."

The boy walked by to the nearest roses and after carefully trimming it, he handed it to the boy.

The pink haired tilts his head in confusion, still gripping on to the flower.

"I insist, a gift from you to me."

The boy nods, before murmuring a faint "thank you" and leaving.

Seonghwa, feeling relieved after the encounter, clutched his chest and for the first time that day, smiled.

Though the encounter was short, he hoped that he'd meet the boy again.

And if they do meet again, this time Seonghwa was determined to make a new friend. Hopefully the boy would be his very first.

Seonghwa, tired from the day, was furnishing the shop. It felt quite busy today, adrenaline rushing through his veins despite his tiredness. Just as he was about to close the shop for the day, someone unexpected entered.