[Today, at 10:00am, the popular model and author, Ouran Yuzuki, has sadly passed away at the age of 49.]
08:25pm at Tokyo.
"Did you hear the news?"
"The one about Ouran Yuzuki? Ofcourse, I've been hearing about her all day. I heard her health had been declining for the past few years, but I didn't expect her to pass away so soon."
"Yeah, she was such a beautiful person, both inside and out. It's so sad to hear such a kind hearted person passed away so suddenly."
...
Shaaa... The rain wouldn't stop. Rose came out of the convenience store with a transparent umbrella.
The store's part-timer stared at the back of Rose as he walked out of the store, and bowing slightly, she said: "Please come again." After the person was now out of her sight, she let out a breath that she'd been holding in. Haa...that person, he was so beautiful I mistook him for a girl. Is it even humanly possible to be that beautiful? That's just so unfair.
Step step step... "A rain in January." Rose mumbled. The cold weather made his breath visible as he opened his mouth. The tip of his nose was red from the cold even though he was wearing such warm clothes. He held his umbrella in one hand and the other hand inside his pocket. As he walked, he continued to mumbled alone; "It's like the heavens knows, that you are no longer here and is washing away the land that you once resided at."
After a while, he stopped in front of a flower shop and turned his head to look inside through the glass windows curiously.He was debating whether to go in or not for some time before eventually going in.
When he pushed the door open, the bell at the door made a ding sound, alerting the middle aged lady sitting with a golden retriever by her side and reading a book. She turned to look at the door to see Rose, who just came in.
"Welcome." She greeted with a warm smile.
Rose stared at her, thinking– She looks more golden retriever than the golden retriever by her side. "Mm." He nodded his head almost unnoticibly as a way to greet her back.
"Are you also here to buy a flower for Yuzuki-san?" The lady asked. "Hoho, you are not the only one. Since the sudden news of her departure this morning, her fans, both young and old, have been coming here to get a white chrysanthemum for her." After seeing that Rose was still silent, she added: "I am very sorry to say, but the last white chrysanthemum was taken by a customer who arrived just before you."
Rose didn't say anything in reply. Still looking around to see many different flowers after finally spotting the one he wanted. He went towards it and turned to the woman– "I am here for this one."
The lady looked at the flower that Rose pointed. She widened her eyes in surprise. "Roses?"
The one Rose pointed were beautiful red roses. "Yes."
She was surprised to see a person who came to buy red roses instead of a white chrysanthemum on this day ever since the news of a famous person passing away. She had expected everyone to buy the same white flower, but seeing the beautiful young man in front of her, she just smiled.
"Do you want a single-"
"A bouquet with 49 roses." Rose cut her off.
"Please sit at the couch over there, I'll bring it for you. Do you want a cup of tea? It's still pouring heavily." The lady said as she motioned with her chin towards the couch.
He looked at the outside through the glass windows, and then turned to look back at the lady in front of her. "Okay."
...
The golden retriever came near Rose, who was sitting at the couch, drinking the tea the lady poured for him. It was a honey and ginger tea, perfect for the current weather.
The dog came even closer to him, and was sniffing his hand and licking it. "Stop." He pulled away his hand. "I, I don't like dogs."
"Her name is Coco." The lady said as she was preparing the bouquet of roses.
"..." Coco? He looked at it for a while and mumbled in a quiet voice. "Coco, don't lick. Okay?"
Coco stopped licking and was wagging its tail and whimpering.
Siiip. "Tea's good." Rose mumbled without realising that he'd actually said it out loud.
"You can have some more. It looks like the rain won't stop any time soon." She took a sip of the tea too and tried conversing with the silent young man in front of her. "Are you perhaps, not a fan of Yuzuki-san?"
At that question, Rose raised his head to look at her. Instead of answering the question, he asked a question back to her; "Is she very famous person?"
When the lady heard that, she laughed out loud like she heard something very funny. Although Yuzuki was not known widely in the Western countries, she was still a very famous and affluent person in the Asian countries like Korea and China too. A very beautiful author whose books were not too famous but she was still a very popular model.
But more than that, she was known for her kindness. She'd often donate alot on orphanages, rural areas' schools and some hospitals too. She'd often interact with her fans like they were her acquaintances. And even in the modelling industries, she was known for being very kind and having a calm temperament who never gets angry and always spoke gently even to the staffs whom most celebrities only sees as lowly workers. In short, she was a person with not a single bad rumours.
Everywhere she goes, the people would often sing praises of her as an 'angel'. Even if a person was not her fan, it was still common for people to know about her. It was more weird to not know such a public figure.
So when the lady heard that, she was shocked but she still answered him: "Yes. She's a very well known public figure in the country. And also a very benevolent person. It is not often you see such a beautiful and successful person who's also so down to earth. It's sad that she had to depart so soon when she's still young."
She sighed and looked out through the glass windows and said with a somewhat sad tone: "I believe that is why even the heavens are crying for her as it wouldn't stop pouring." After she said that, she looked at Rose. "If you don't know about her, perhaps, did you come back from studying in abroad?"
"...I"– bzzz bzzzz bzzzzz..... right when Rose was about to say something, his phone started to buzz.
"Don't worry, you can take it."
"Mm. Excuse me." Rose stood up from the couch as he put the tea cup down on the table with a clack.
He took out his phone and went to the side. What he saw was just a two words text, but it made him feel extremely uneasy, and in just an instant, turning his mood 360° around.
[Father's son: Come out.]
He looked outside through the glass windows to see a car's headlight flashing on and off in their direction. Rose put his phone inside his pocket with a heavy expression and just went back to sit on the couch with the flower shop lady.
The lady noticed the lights that were flashing and also his expression and said: "Your rose bouquet is ready. It's getting late and I don't think the rain will stop anytime soon. Is your family or friends here to pick you up?"
'Family or friends'– when Rose heard it, he turned his face to look outside once again and sighed. But in front of that lady, he just tried to remain calm. "How much is it? Honey and ginger tea and a bouquet of roses..."
"It'll be–" before the lady could complete her sentence, there was a ding ding sound coming from the door. "Eh? I'm very sorry but I'm about to close right now."
But when she looked up to see the customer, she had a confused look on her face. Still, she went to greet him– "Hello, is there anything I can help you with, sir?"
"...uh, mm, I'm not here for flowers. I'm here to escort back the young master." The man said as he looked towards Rose's direction. He wore a black suit and had a strong looking build, the kind of body you often see in movies as rich people's bodyguard.
When the lady heard him say 'young master', she turned to look at Rose, the only customer in her shop right now. Ehh?!
Rose could tell what she was thinking just by seeing her expression. He took the rose bouquet from the table and walked to the lady. "Thank you, your hospitality." He bowed slightly towards her and then turned to look at the man in black suit. "Tell him to pay, I don't have cash."
The man nodded and replied with a very respectful tone: "Yes, young master. He already gave me his card." He took out a black card and talked with the lady of the shop.
The shop lady looked at them curiously. Although she said that the tea was free, the man in black suit insisted on paying. She gave in and let them do it. Before she saw Rose getting out of the door, she said: "I had a great time with you. Please do visit again. We will have some tea and do small talks." She had a bright smile on her face.
The golden retriever, Coco, was also wagging its tail like it was agreeing with what her lady was saying.
Rose just gave a vague reply: "Okay."
The man beside him opened the door for him as they walked out. "He's waiting for you in the car." He opened an umbrella, protecting Rose from the rain when he himself was soaking wet.
Rose ignored the man and was silently heading towards the car. The man opened the door to the front seat of the car. It meant that there would only be Rose and 'him' in the car. He looked at the other side to see another car for the bodyguard to take.
Am I riding with him alone? He bit his lips and his brows frowned slightly. When he got in the car, the door was closed from the outside by that bodyguard. Clack. He heard the sound of the door being locked from inside. He didn't even want to see the person who was sitting next to him in the driver's seat.
"Roses?" The man next to him said. It was a deep voice that spoke in a calm tone. "You were here to buy roses? If you wanted it, you could've just told me, and I would've brought it to you."
Rose: "..."
The man was about to start the car when he suddenly stopped as if he remembered something. "Right. I forgot."
He then came extremely close to Rose and said in a soft tone: "Your seatbelts."
...Throughout the way, Rose didn't utter a single word. Only the man beside him was speaking the whole way. Even though he was totally ignored by Rose, he had a smile on his face and kept on talking as if he didn't care even if he was ignored.
When they reached infront of a huge manor, the gate was opened by two men standing by the gate. They bowed deeply in respect as the car ran passed them.
The car stopped. That man undid Rose's seatbelts and the car doors were unlocked too. Sigh. "Rose. You can't just wonder around like this. I can't have you getting lost on me, right?" The man said in a serious voice but still had a smile on his face.
Rose thought– It would've been so much better if I just gotten lost.
As if he heard Rose's thoughts, the man smiled and said with a scoff: "Like I would ever let that happen. But...just because you trust me on finding you like this everytime, it doesn't mean that you can just disappear again."
To stop the person by his side from talking, Rose finally said: "Hungry." I really am hungry...
"..." He chuckled. "Okay. Let's go eat first." He walked out of the car first, then came to open Rose's door. "By the way, Rose... don't lock your bedroom doors tonight. You know we have a lot to discuss about, hm?"
"...yes." Rose replied with a blank face.
"Good. Now, let's go in and eat something first. Mom and dad are waiting inside too."