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It started with a yellow petal. He was just hanging out with Larry, as per usual. It’s when Sal started to notice Larry. The way he laughs to be more specific. He’d put his hands through his hair and pull his head back. He’d smile and you could see the gap in his teeth. He felt a tingling sensation in his throat. At first, he thought it was nothing. Sal continued to crack jokes at him, just to see Larry laugh. The tingling got worse.
He tried to cough to make the feeling go away, but it only made it worse. It started to feel like something was stuck in his throat. When he got it out, the object felt weird in his mouth. “Dude, are you okay?” Larry asked, obviously worried. Sal nods, and excuses himself. He went into the Johnson’s bathroom and locked the door. He pulls out the object from his mouth. It was a small yellow petal that was covered in his spit. Sal was confused. How the hell did a petal get into his throat?
He stuffed the petal into his left pocket. The tingling sensation was still there. Later that day, he searched up “coughing up petals” on his phone. The web shows up a thing called the Hanakuki disease. He clicked on one of the Links.
“The Hanakuki disease is a disease caused by one sided love. The symptoms include coughing up petals, sore throat, and immense coughing. The disease could be fatal if not treated immediately. There are 3 known ways of getting rid of the disease. The most common and used way to get rid of it is surgery. The surgery is simple and will not have any lasting effects on the patient, except that the patient would never feel feelings for the person that they loved. The next cure is to move on, though it might cause a rift between the patient and the one they loved. The last cure is return of said feelings. After the person they love returns the feelings, the patient would stop coughing up petals.” Sal read out loud.
He had the Hanakuki Disease? But he wasn’t in love with anyone. The only person he’d say he was close to be in love with is… Larry… He is in love with his best friend. But… to cure it it means that he has to confess to Larry… He couldn’t do that. What would he say? What should he do? More importantly, how would Larry react? What if Larry wasn’t into boys? What if Larry hates him after he confesses?
Going to the hospital was out of the question. He still wanted to feel feelings for Larry. He is his best friend. He couldn’t imagine feeling nothing for him. Plus then Larry knows that he likes him. And then everyone would tease him about it. And as much as Sal poses that he is immune to the taunting, he’s not. He’d go home, lock up in his bedroom, and cry. Sal pulled at his pigtails. The best thing he could do right now, is to keep his mouth shut.
The disease gradually got worse. At first he’d rarely cough up petals, but now it became a monthly thing. His throat constantly ached from coughing so much, and the occasional bloody petal would come up. Why does Larry has to be so damn adorable. For one he’s gorgeous. He’s talented, and smart, and fucking sweet. Sal could listen to his laugh all day. And how he was always protective of all his friends. And the way he’d cheer him up with crappy videos on the internet that’s supposed to be funny, and Larry would rap his arms around him. It was hard to move on. He didn’t want to move on. He wanted to be with him, badly. And the more he thought about it, the more he wanted him. He wanted to kiss him, and snuggle up on him. He wanted Larry to tell him that he loved him. And the more he thought about it, the more petals Sal coughed up.