▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁

▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁

MIRA felt like she was in the wrong movie.

She just confessed that she left her family and was living on her own—thanks to the help of her grandmother—and that was the complete opposite of something you'd call happy, when Dongyhuck told her that he liked her.

She didn't quite believe it, when Sehun and Chanyeol told her that the tanned boy liked her; but now that he said it, heat was creeping in her cheeks and she looked at the older boy.

How could he fall for someone broken like her? She was no fun. She was severely mentally hurt and was a pain to be with, at the moment. She couldn't be the picture perfect girlfriend a Lee Donghyuck deserved.

But all her heart did was beating crazily and freak out over the fact that Donghyuck liked her back! Her whole body was feeling warm and fuzzy and she looked at Donghyuck. He had a warm smile on his lips—as if confessing his love to her, was a weight that had pulled him down, and now that he did, he weight was gone and the sun was finally warming his worn out back.

He patiently waited for Mira to convert his words into emotions that she could understand. After not being loved her whole life long, this random, sun-kissed boy with the most beautiful eyes stumbled into her life and loved her.

Tears threatened to fall out of Mira's eyes, while she looked at him. He liked her even though she was broken and a wreck? Something her parents never did. Her mother never showed a sign of adoration towards her youngest daughter. Her father never really acknowledged that she was there and Nora simply hated her.

And here he was, Lee Donghyuck, opening his heart for none other than Mira. He liked her the same way she liked him. She gulped. „D-Donghyuck", she started and the older male nodded. „How do you love someone without getting hurt?", she asked and Donghyuck smiled. „I know this must feel agonizing to you and I am sorry that you have to go through this now, but I really like you and I want an answer. So I know how I can help you in the future."

Mira held the strap of her purse and looked at Donghyuck. „You read my letter back then", she started, „Dr. Na told me." She looked at Donghyuck, who shyly looked away.

„I like you, Donghyuck. But I felt bad for not being able to show you this side of me. And I want to show you every little aspect of me. Not only the perfect side I put up for show. I need you to know, that if you want me, that you're getting me with my depressive episodes and my panic attacks. You get the full package. You get a completely broken girlfriend."

„A girlfriend that's healing", he corrected her and she blinked. „You're regularly going to therapy. You're taking your meds. Your sister has a restraining order; these are all steps of healing." He smiled. „I want to be there for you, on every step of your journey. I want to be the strong shoulder you cry on, when the darkness just gets too overwhelming."

Mira looked at him. „I know that I get the full package, when I agree dating you. And I'm more than ready for it. I want the full Mira experience and not the facade you put on in public."

Mira was absolutely speechless. No one ever told her that they wanted her. But Donghyuck wanted her. He wanted the full Mira-show. He knew this relationship wouldn't be a piece of cake. He knew he had to be extra careful with her fragile emotions and that this relationship was going to be a handful of work. He wanted her, no matter the cost.

„I want to be your boyfriend, Mira. I want to be the one you turn to, when the pressure in your head gets too much. I want to be the one you run to, when you need to be held. I want—" Donghyuck's words got stuck in his throat, as Mira carefully walked over to him and wrapped her thin arms around his torso.

„I like you, Donghyuck. I like you so, so much. I really do." Mira hid her face in Donghyuck's chest and he smiled. „So do you accept my confession?" The older boy asked and Mira nodded. „Y-Yes, yes I do. I want you to be my boyfriend."

Donghyuck smiled and leaned down to press a chaste kiss on the top of Mira's head. „We can go through this together. I'm here for you. I promise", Donghyuck whispered and Mira smiled.

A week later, Mira was back at work. She was currently wearing her apron and cutting the stems of some new flowers, before organizing them in their respective buckets.

She had been to school on Monday and her teachers and classmates were all very happy that she was back. One of her classmates, a young woman who learned to become a florist in a shop in Incheon, had hugged her and told her that she had been very worried, when the teacher told them what had happened.

Mira, who didn't really wanted to talk about her family issues and the suicide attempt had only smiled and tried to cover the scar from her neck injury.

The dark purple line, that had marked her neck and throat had slightly fainted and was almost invisible. The only thing that constantly reminded Mira about what she did, was the scar on her throat.

She sighed as she cut the stems of some baby pink roses, when the bell above the door rang and Mira looked up. „Welcome to S&C Flowers!", she greeted the customer with an eye smile, before realizing who was standing in front of her.

Her whole form tensed and she held onto her scissors, her eyes wide and her lips pressed together. Her whole demeanor was on defense and the woman standing opposite of her felt horrible.

„It's good to see you, Mira-yah", the woman spoke and Mira bit the inside of her cheek. „Why are you here, Gaeul-unnie? Did Nara send you? She's not allowed within 50 feet of me!" Mira spoke, her hands shaking.

Son Gaeul took a step back and lifted her hands. „I'm here on my own will!", she defended herself. Mira looked at her, not entirely sure if she spoke the truth.

„Listen, Mira" Gaeul bit her lip, „I honestly feel like shit. I should've said something when Nara was treating you like shit. I should've told her to stop. I should've walked in between, when she was throwing bowls and other stuff at you. But I always went and hid in my bedroom, as if I wasn't in the same house." Gaeul looked up.

Her skin was pale and she had dark rings under her eyes. Her usually top styled hair was in a loose and messy ponytail and she didn't even wore mascara. The usually super stylish Son Gaeul looked like a shell of herself.

„When your parents and your grandmother came to tell Nara that you tried to commit suicide, I was eavesdropping and I just felt so bad. I saw how Nara mistreated you. I saw how she mentally harassed and emotionally abused you... I knew that she stole your money and couldn't say a word when you asked her about it. I knew everything and then your grandmother told her that you hung yourself."

Mira looked at Gaeul. The face of the older female was twitching in pain; but Mira was looking at the design student with no emotion in her face. She registered every word Gauel said, but she didn't react. She looked at the woman with the strawberry blonde hair and felt nothing.

„If you feel so bad about everything that happened and everything that you regret, why didn't you help me? You were the only one, that was able to stop Nara at least a little bit. But, as you already said, you always went into your room and hid there." Mira pursed her lips and looked at the roses on the desk in front of her.

„So why are you here, Son Gaeul?" Hearing her full name from the mouth of the little sister of her best friend hurt more than Gaeul had thought. Saying her full name showed Gaeul that there was a deep rift between them.

„I... I wanted to apologize—" - „If you're expecting me to forgive you, so you can continue your life without this baggage of regret you can turn around and leave", Mira spoke. Her words were cold and Gauel bit her lip.

„But Mira... this guilt is eating me up! Inside and out! Please... please consider forgiving me—" Gaeul came closer to Mira's desk and the younger woman took a step back. „Don't", Mira warned, but Gaeul was already walking past the desk and reached out to her.

„You can't be like that! I came all the way here to apologize and you don't even want to accept it?" Gaeul was looking at Mira frantically. The brunette lass had lifted her hands in defense—her legs shaking.

„Why?", she asked. „Why should I forgive you? You watched Nara bully and harass me! I don't want to forgive someone who looks away when someone's in pain or in need of help!"

Gaeul grabbed Mira's hands and shook them. „Mira... I need your forgiveness! I need it!" Mira tried to shake Gaeul off her, but the blonde girl was frantically holding on—as if her life was depending on it. „Mira, just forgive me! Why are you so stubborn!"

„Sehun!", Mira called; panic was written all over her face and she gulped. Oh Sehun walked out of his office, to where his apprentice voice was coming from and widened his eyes when he saw Mira cornered by a young woman.

Sehun walked over to her and gently pushed Gaeul off her. „What's this situation?" Sehun asked, starring at Gaeul, that gulped. „I'm Mira's friend", she lied and Sehun turned to Mira who quickly shook her head. Sehun nodded and looked at Gaeul.

„I'm really sorry, but if you're not interested in buying any flowers, then please leave. If you don't want to leave I have to call the police", Sehun strictly spoke and Gaeul dropped her arms.

She tried to take another glimpse of Mira—but the younger female was hiding behind Sehun. Gaeul looked down. „I'm sorry for everything, Mira. I really am." Gaeul turned around and left the shop. Mira carefully glanced around Sehun's back and saw Gaeul walk up the hill—to where her university was.

Sehun turned around to Mira. „Are you okay?", he asked, worry lacing his voice. „I was bit overwhelmed", Mira confessed. „She didn't hurt you?" - „No. She never did anything... never. And that's the problem."

After taking another big breath she walked back to her desk and continue cutting the flowers. Sehun looked at her. „Mira, I am proud of you." He smiled and Mira looked at him with tears in her eyes.

„Thank you, Oppa! Thank you so, so much!"