9:00 am Wednesday, Akari woke up choking. It started as something just uncomfortable but not so bad that it stops her breathing. After a few minutes it started feeling like something deep lodged deep inside her throat and so suddenly she cannot breath. She rolled off the bed, landing hard on her knees.

  The room spun. The scent of flowers roses, lilies, calatheas, bouquets lining like frames on the wall felt suffocating instead of comforting.

  She crawled toward the bathroom.

  The cough came painful and violently.

  Once.

  Twice.

  Again.

  While she tries her best to go to the bathroom as fast as possible she feels something sharp dragging its way up her chest, scraping, and tearing her throat. Her vision blurred as she gripped the sink. Blood splattered against porcelain with the water gushing out from the faucet. Akari grabbed her neck pushing it to up forcefully to finally leave her throat.

  And then—

  It fell.

  Not petals.

  Not the soft, scattered pieces she had imagined Hanahaki would bring, it was a beautiful disease if you think of it.

  A half-formed flower lay in the sink.

  Small. white. Unfinished, and disgusting.

  Its petals hadn’t fully opened, curled inward like it had changed its mind about blooming. A thin stem extended from it lined with delicate, sharp thorns.

  It was still warm, and wet, like a newly laid egg. Akari stared at it, disgusted. But slowly, she reached out and touched the flower. A sharp sting. The thorn pricked her finger. Akari messily opened her drawer to search for a piece of band aid that she carelessly used to cover up the wound.

  ---

  Despite everything, she still went to Daisy Lane Café.

  She told herself it was a routine. Routine meant control. The bell above the door rang as she stepped inside. The scent of fresh pastries mixed with flowers wrapped around her like a blanket but today, it didn’t erase the ache in her chest. It dulled it. Slightly.

  “Good afternoon, Akari,” Himari greeted warmly from behind the counter. “You look pale.”

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  “Do I?” she answered with a small smile. “Just coffee today. And… anything sweet.”

  “Oh yeah Of course. Like always”

  Himari went into the back, calling for Misaki. Akari chose her usual seat near the counter. She pressed her palm against her chest.

  The sharpness was still there. Not as bad as before but it's still there.

  Footsteps approached. A plate was set down in front of her. Crème Br?lée, Tiramisu,Coffee.

  She looked up. Misaki stood there, but he didn’t immediately leave like he always do.

  “You look worse today,” he said.

  His voice wasn’t annoyed. It wasn’t forced. It was… careful.

  Akari blinked. This was the first time he’d spoken to her without Himari telling him to do it.

  “I’m fine,” she replied gently.

  Misaki’s eyes lingered on her face, then lower toward her chest, as if he could see through her skin and bone.

  "By the way what do you mean worse? Do i look bad everyday?"

  For a second, something shifted in his expression. Out of embarrassment for giving a random comment to a person he barely talk to. "I'm sorry, that's not what I mean."

  When he turned to leave while holding the tray, his fingers brushed her ear. She quickly held her ear while looking back at Misaki, who doesn't seem to realize it.

  ---

  She finished her coffee slower than usual. When Misaki returned with her refill, he placed something beside the cup. A folded napkin.

  “Your nose is bleeding,” he muttered, not meeting her eyes. Instead of using the napkin she quickly covered her nose with her hand, but the blood is more than she expected.

  Her chest tightened. The same place where the half formed flower had torn through her.

  Her throat felt thick. The words slipped out before she could stop them.

  “…help me.”

  Surely she know that she would not ask Misaki for help. He's a guy who knows nothing about her disease, a guy who doesn't even know anything about her except her name, and her preference for sweets, she didn’t know who she was talking to. But Misaki heard her so without thinking twice he took more tissues and grabbed Akari,s hand off her face. He used the tissue on his right hand to clean her hand, and the one oh his left to cover up her face.

  "Akari, breath" Misaki says while looking at Akari's eyes

  For the first time in weeks, she breath normally while having an accident. The blood doesn't seem to bother the way she breath, her chest do not hurt and she does not feel like throwing up. While handling the situation Misaki called Himari for help.

  "Boss!! call for an ambulance. Akari is having a really serious nose bleed."

  Himari walked out of the kitchen to check them saying "Ambulance for a nose bleed? Let me check" After seeing the puddle of blood, the tissue that does not help for even a little and Akari who's half awake Himari immediately called an ambulance and carried her out of the cafe. After the accident she went home like always *There is nothing they can do* , they fixed up her nose bleed give her medicine and sent her home.

  ---

  That night, back in her house filled with bouquets, she placed the thorned half-flower on her desk.

  Beside the dozens of arrangements sent from: 18-5-14. Today a new bouquet arrived. She picked up card. The handwriting was the same as always. But the message wasn’t.

  It no longer said "A Bouquet For You." It now read, "Are you in pain?"

  Her fingers trembled. The house felt too quiet. Knowing this person is someone she used to know.

  For the first time since loosing her memories, She was afraid of remembering.

  Because somewhere deep inside body…

  Something wasn’t just blooming. It was begging And it wasn’t asking to be loved.

  It was asking to be *saved*.

  **To be Continues**