Archive of Our Own ^beta

Nagi was tongue-tied when he saw Reo's room in his penthouse. The room didn't look exactly like an ordinary room with a bed and personal things stuffed in a furniture, with a small study table by the window. It was lavishly furnished. Reo really was living in a gilded world, Nagi thought. They... were totally worlds apart.

Reo's room was as grand as the living room and the kitchen and the dining area. Perhaps, his bathroom was lavish too. Then, as if a vision flashed before him, he saw Reo submerged in his bathtub filled with bubbles from fragrant frangipani bath fizzies. He could envision Reo listening to soothing jazz or bossa nova songs while drinking red wine from a goblet. And he mentally slapped himself. Why was he thinking of Reo like this when they just met the first time?

He admitted feeling hot yet ashamed of his own thoughts. He should not think of such things towards the heir of Mikage Corp.

And right now, Reo was calling the janitorial service to clean up the mess early in the morning tomorrow. He could hear Reo telling the head janitor he's calling ahead as he might forget it the next day, or worse, he might wake up at noon. After dropping the call, Reo turned to Nagi and asked him.

"Have you eaten?"

Nagi nodded. "Only jellies."

"What? Why? Wait, hold on. I'll deliver food for us..."

"No...no, it's okay Reo," Nagi said to him. "I... I don't want to bother you."

Reo erupted into a hearty laughter before looking at Nagi with fondness. "Oh Nagi, you are not a bother to me. I am very much interested in you, you know?"

With that, Nagi felt his cheeks heating up. What did Reo mean by that?

"It means that if I order food for you, then I order food for you," Reo said with a warm smile.

And right there, Nagi felt his heart twitching, throbbing in a delicious manner. He wanted to see Reo smile. He fell in love with Reo's smile.

So, Reo turned to his phone, being busy. Must be ordering late-night takeout, Nagi thought. Later, Reo instructed Nagi to take the delivery once it arrives because he would bathe.

"And don't worry, Nagi," Reo assured him. "I paid for it already."

But because they were just two young men, Reo immediately stripped in front of Nagi without thinking of anything at all. But Nagi turned around, remembering his vision from earlier. Why was he thinking of Reo that way when they were just acquaintances?

When Nagi turned to look at his friend, Reo was already wearing a splendid lilac silk bathrobe while proceeding to the bathroom. Nagi sighed as he flopped on Reo's bed. Some Friday night it really was.

And Nagi's vision landed on a red rose in a vase by Reo's table in the middle of the room. He got up again and examined the rose. As he looked at the rose, a vision of Reo in a white suit holding a stargazer lily flashed through his mind.

"Why am I thinking of Reo this way?" Nagi thought. "I... I have never thought of anyone like this like I could see their future before me."

He turned his head towards the bathroom door and sighed. He liked Reo, but he was sure that he liked Reo as a friend because the rich young man was his first friend. But why did he had visions of Reo, and no one else? He turned his gaze upon the red rose and touched one petal with his fingertip.

And there, some dewdrops oozed from the rose, and a fragrant aroma enveloped the room. Nagi thought Reo would love it. Eventually, he heard the doorbell ring, and Nagi hurried towards the door and opened it. The delivery person handed him a huge paper bag of goods, and when Nagi received it, it was heavy.

"Are you okay?" the delivery personnel asked. "It's quite heavy, I understand."

Nagi blushed upon hearing it. He just nodded and bowed towards the personnel before shutting the door with his foot. But just when he thought Reo would only be ordering snacks for them to eat tonight, it seemed that Reo was ordering a feast instead. So, he headed towards the kitchen and placed the purchase, then opened to see what was inside.

Ah, too much food. This could last for a week, he thought.

****

"Nagi, the room smells good," Reo said as he took some gyoza with his chopsticks. "Did you do something in my room? I don't have that kind of perfume in my stash, you know?"

Nagi blushed before apologizing. "I touched the rose on your table and let its natural aroma waft into the air."

Reo noted that Nagi was only playing with his food after eating just two pieces of gyoza. He coaxed Nagi to eat more, and the plant lover looked at the young master.

"I am full already," Nagi said.

"Eh? But you haven't even eaten half of what I bought you."

Nagi saw Reo's pout and felt bad, but he was just too full already. His stomach was not used to having too much food. So Reo suggested that they eat the rest for breakfast tomorrow.

As for Nagi, Reo had him lie down next to him on the king-sized bed. When Reo turned off the lamp shade, Nagi stayed still in his place. Never in his life had he had a person next to him in bed. He had been all alone since his parents left him alone to fend for himself, only sending him money and the occasional souvenirs from the countries they stayed at for work.

He felt himself blushing again when Reo inched closer as he pulled the warm and thick blanket over them, the two of them sharing. And he blushed even more when Reo, in his tender voice, bid him good night.

He was not supposed to feel this way for Reo. He did not want to take advantage of the rich young master. But he felt himself melting at the attention the other gave to him. He was not good at reading people because he hated social interaction, but could it be that Reo liked him?

He did not know how it was to honestly fall for someone, to have a crush on someone, to care for someone you give your feelings to. If Reo did it to him like this, then Reo must have liked him a lot. Besides, Reo was verbal when he said Nagi interested him. Maybe in a romantic sense, then?

****

Monday at lunch time.

Reo and Chigiri were checking the CCTV footages at the rooftop and the front gates from last Friday. Chigiri jotted down the names of the students he recognized, but he needed Reo's help. Reo was smart and remembered everyone's names even after the first meeting. And Chigiri wanted every name on his list. But it seems Reo was not into it today, so he snapped at his best friend and asked him if something bothered him. Reo looked at him with a slight smile on his face and a dreamy look on his eyes.

"Oi, I know that look," Chigiri said. He had never seen Reo with that kind of look, but he knew everyone else who did. "You like someone?"

"Remember that kid at the back? The one with white hair?"

"Uhmmm... the one who constantly sleeps but gets high scores?" Chigiri asked. "Come to think of it. It's already autumn, and I still don't know his name."

When Reo smiled like a lovesick idiot, Chigiri's eyebrows knitted.

"Do you know him?"

Reo nodded, "Yeah. Talked to him last Friday. He's Nagi Seishirou. He was the subject of the ghost rumor."

Chigiri grimaced, "Dude, you hung out with that loser? What about your social status in this school?"

Reo snapped, but in a mild manner, "He's not a loser. He's my new friend now. He's actually nice."

For someone to interest Reo meant that the other person must have done something extraordinary. So Chigiri asked Reo what happened between him and Nagi on that night.

"Did you forget your phone when you went inside, found him, and borrowed his phone?"

Reo shook his head, fondness painted all over his face. He could not forget how ethereal Nagi looked that night under the moonlight, and how magical his experience with the magician was inside Blue Lock.

Oh, Blue Lock.

If Nagi had shared it to him, and only to him, he thought it would be wise not to tell Chigiri about the name of the greenhouse.

"I... I thought he was cute when the moonlight hit his face," Reo shared like a girl having a crush on a sempai. "And... I accompanied him to the greenhouse by the soccer field."

"The greenhouse?" Chigiri asked. "The two of you went to the greenhouse?"

"Yeah. He returned his potted cactus in there."

Chigiri knew Reo all too well. The rich young master wore his heart on his sleeves almost all the time. He was also very flashy when it came to spending with people that he liked, like spending lavishly for Chigiri and Kunigami's Valentine's date that almost looked like it was straight out of a romance film.

"So... you're into people who love plants now?" Chigiri asked.

Reo only smiled tenderly. "No, not plant lovers per se. It's just Nagi that I like."

Chigiri's eyes grew wide. "Hontou????? You... have a crush on him?"

And Reo nodded bashfully. Chigiri looked at him like his friend had become a character from a shojo manga. Reo also shared that Nagi spent his Friday night with him, eating dinner and lying on his bed in the penthouse.

"For real?" Chigiri asked in disbelief before clicking his tongue. "You let him in your room?"

"Yep."

"That's... kinda dangerous, dude," Chigiri said. "I never let Rensuke in my room after our first date, and yet, here you are, the prince of Hakuho, letting in a new friend in your room at night."

"But Nagi is really nice," Reo said in justification. "He's nice. Really nice."

But Chigiri shrugged as he sighed in resignation.

"Dude, do you remember that the reason why you were invited in the event last Friday was because of Miura Sakura? Your parents set you up with her, right?"

"I never really liked her, to be honest," Reo said as he cringed. "She's regal, she's beautiful, but she's pesky. Like, can she ask me first if I want to hang out with her in lavish parties? She'd just... straight up decide what we're gonna do."

Chigiri suppressed a laugh, and Reo asked him.

"Sorry dude, but I can totally imagine you doing the same thing," Chigiri pointed out. "Like, come on, that Nagi boy won't move a leg if not forced to."

Reo sighed unhappily before replying, "Okay, okay, I might be doing the same thing. But the thing is, I am not into Sakura-san. Why can't she just set her eyes on other guys? I'd defy my own parents if they want me to date her."

Chigiri smirked coz he did the very same thing. He ditched all blind date appointments just to be with Kunigami. Just then, a feminine voice attracted their attention, and when they looked up, it was Sakura.

"I want to speak to you, Reo-sama," she started without beating around the bushes.

"Can't you see that Chigiri and I are busy right now?"

"But you just left the hotel last Friday! You did not even give me any feedback regarding my recital."

"I don't give a rat's tail about your recital," Reo bluntly said, making Sakura frown. "Not when what Chigiri and I are doing are part of our work as student council officers."

"Huh! It's more important than me, then?"

"Yes, it is!" Chigiri replied for his BFF. "You were busy playing the piano at the hotel, but many of your classmates were betting against Aiku-sempai's gang versus Barou's gang on the rooftop during the gang fight!"

Sakura stopped, flustered, shock on her face. "I... I didn't know that."

"Of course you wouldn't know anything," Chigiri replied again in his sassy manner. "The adults were all too busy catering to you and your recital, Oh Princess of Hakuho."

"Stop that," Reo chided Chigiri in a whisper before he turned to Sakura. "My reputation and my work as the student council president are important to me. If I need to put order among the students, I'd do everything in my power to do it. Do you understand?"

Sakura did not like the look Reo gave her. He totally meant business, and it looked like he was not bothered with the success of her recital at all, or the business deals that happened among the adults who attended the party that night.

"Wakatta..." she said in a small voice before she left.

Reo leaned on his chair and sighed as he closed his eyes shut. Just because he was smart, it did not mean people had to put so much responsibilities on him. But it was partly his fault. He ran for student council president not because someone prodded him, but because he wanted to gain the necessary leadership skills when he'd take over his family's empire.

Before lunch time ended, Reo and Chigiri were able to compile all the names of the students who were at the rooftop that night. They'd hand out the list to the principal.

Despite many of the students buying teachers to be their tutors who'd tweak their grades, and the principal being the broker between the parents and the faculty, the principal could never say no to the Mikage family, not when a wrong move from him could get Baya-san moving on her toes stealthily. It was the Mikage before all other families in Hakuho.

And so, many students were called to the principal's office for disciplinary actions, with the parents complaining to their faculty pets to save their students. But when they learned that it was the almighty Mikage Reo who filed a complaint against their kids, they vowed to sabotage the Mikage family in any way they can. But it would take a thousand generals to take down a dragon made of steel, and Mikage was just too big for these other rich families.

Besides, other families were at the mercy of the Mikage couple and wanted to be their allies for the economic leverage.

****

Chigiri became very supportive of Reo's crush on Nagi, so after school ended, it would mean that Reo won't be alone or be third-wheeling. Chigiri could go to his boyfriend's club room to watch him practice kendo.

Reo headed over to the soccer field where he took a detour to enter Blue Lock. As expected, Nagi was already there, tending to his plants.

From the outside, it only looked like Nagi was watering the plants. But when Reo waved at Nagi, the white-haired beanpole hurried towards the door and opened the door for him.

Meanwhile, Nagi realized that the soccer team looked at them. Probably wondering why the famous Mikage Reo was making friends with him and entering the greenhouse. But as always, Nagi didn't give a damn regarding other people's impression of him.

Mendokusai.

When Reo stepped inside Blue Lock, he noticed strange orange lights looking like butterflies, fluttering around the plants. He looked in awe, gaping at the beauty of the flying lights.

"Nagi, these are beautiful," he said in a half-whisper.

Nagi only smiled and lead him to the seat next to the table near the cacti. Indeed, Choki was there, sitting idle on the table.

"Would you like to drink something? Or eat?" Nagi asked.

"Oh, it's okay. I am still full from lunch."

"But that was lunch."

"Says the guy who only ate jellies."

Nagi only shrugged and continued watering the plants. Reo stood up and went to the section of the married plants. Kaiser and Ness were too beautiful, and today, it looked like they were kissing with how close their petals were. Shidou and Sae looked like they were growing new leaves, unlike the last time he came here with Nagi. He thought he could hear Nanase and Rin singing the song that he first heard last Friday, while Karasu and Hiori looked oddly sickly today.

"What's wrong with Karasu and Hiori?" Reo asked Nagi, seeing that Karasu lost a petal.

Nagi turned around to reply, "They're fighting. As a married couple plant, they tend to fight because of the butterflies. And Hiori is a damn sadistic jealous plant that it took many nutrients from Karasu over the weekend."

"But... but you mean, these beautiful glowing butterflies?" Reo asked. "How can a plant get jealous of them?"

"Because despite Karasu being a mugunghwa with deep violet petals, the butterflies seem to like it. Meanwhile, light colored fairy Hiori only had few butterflies flying over it, so I instructed the fireflies to attend to it instead. And I scolded Hiori not to steal its husband's nutrients. So mendokusai these two sometimes."

Reo giggled. It was just too cute, and he apologized to Nagi for being amazed with the plants' love stories.

"Don't you tell your best friend about the stories of the plants," Nagi said. "Or I'll make your memories selective."

"Can you do that?" Reo challenged as he laughed.

"I haven't tried that, as my powers only apply to plants. But I wish I could."

Then, Nagi pointed at a pair of camellia beside Shidou and Sae. The two plants were joined in a stalk. One was dark gray with white spots, and the other was gold and had golden sparkles on its petals. Their colors were not of the typical camellia that you'd see in flower shops.

"The one with white spots is Gagamaru, and Aryu is the one with golden sparkles. I married them off yesterday. They enjoyed the butterflies and are not jealous plants. Glittering Aryu loves the butterflies the most."

"How about your other married plants? Do they fight too?"

"For all their bright colors, Sae and Shidou never fight. Nanase and Rin seldom fight, with Rin getting the nutrients from its wife. Poor Nanase had turned white and lost many of its petals. Sometimes, I had to punish Rin by putting the couple's pot next to Choki on the table. Kaiser and Ness are too dramatic too. When they fight, the whole greenhouse would be filled with their extremely sweet aroma such that it hurts my nose. Kaiser's petals would grow vibrant, while Ness would start to lose its magenta color whenever they fight. And I would also put them next to Choki. Between Hiori and Karasu, Kaiser and Ness, the roses fight often. As for Gagamaru and Aryu, since they're on their honeymoon, I hope they won't cause too much problems for me."

Reo laughed. The stories were silly, but they were cute.

"Is Choki your disciplinarian?"

"Yes. Choki is very useful."

"Have you thought of being a horticulturist in the future?"

Nagi thought. "Yes. Because I love plants. But if you're asking me if I would be growing vegetables, I won't. Vegetables are meant to be eaten, not to be admired. And I prefer ornamental plants better."

Reo began to ask how Nagi was able to get hold of Karasu and Hiori when these plants were not native to Japan. Nagi said that during the first year, as he was a lonely student, the greenhouse was a storage area, so he asked the janitors to help him make it into a livable place for plants. So the soccer players often see him going to the greenhouse everyday to tend to his plants. And one day, when his parents went to South Korea, they asked him what he wanted, and he asked for the country's national flower, if it is feasible to bring it to Japan. With their connections, they were able to gift Nagi a single rose of Sharon. His parents knew of their son's magical ability with plants, and they knew that even a single flower could be multiplied if Nagi wanted. Hence, when he received the mugunghwa, he immediately started working such that the flower thrived and bloomed into another one. He decided that the offspring of his first mugunghwa plant be married into the Karasu and Hiori that Reo knew of today.

"But... if they're from Korea, why did you give it Japanese names?"

"I don't know any Korean names, so I just gave them Japanese names. I am so lame I cannot remember many names."

Reo laughed. Nagi really lived up to his nature of being lazy. Even researching for Korean names for his plants would have been respectful. But Nagi said that he let Karasu and Hiori sing their song in their native tongue. But despite the song being in Korean, he could feel the feelings of the song and understood the lyrics very perfectly.

"My parents gifted me Kaiser before I cultivated it to produce Ness. And I promised my okaa-san I'd name the other plant Ness if I become successful in making Kaiser thrive. I liked the word 'kaiser' because it means 'emperor,' but I don't know why Okaa-san wanted me to call a new rose 'Ness.' I don't even know what that means, and I am lazy to research. I told them I could get any roses here in Japan, but they still gave me roses from Germany. Kaiser was originally yellow until I worked my magic to make its petals the way it is today. And as they're from Germany, the roses sing their song in German. But like my Korean plants, I can understand the lyrics of my German roses very well."

Reo smiled and asked Nagi if he could tell him what the pair of plants were singing.

"Oh, just love songs, that is. Just love songs," Nagi replied. "Kaiser and Ness would sing about possessive love and pining. Karasu and Hiori sing about love and jealousy. Rin and Nanase sing about everlasting love, while Sae and Shidou... they sing about lust and seduction."

It made Reo guffaw. Was Nagi just imaginative? But he could see the magic of the plants, so Nagi must have been telling the truth. But he was amused, especially with the song that Shidou and Sae must have been singing.

"Are their lyrics really that lewd?" Reo asked in amusement.

"Hmmm... Let me put it this way," Nagi said. "They're not straight up dirty, and they're full of euphemisms. But if you analyze it, you could tell that the lyrics of their song is about sex."

Reo laughed, "Well, only you can hear their songs and understand what they mean though. I can only hear the sound of chimes. Or... they sound like the music box."

Nagi looked at him pensively before replying, "Outside of my family, you are the first person to hear my plants sing."

Reo blushed. He felt special, knowing that Nagi only shared with him his special secret.

"How about Aryu and Gagamaru?" Reo asked.

"Their song is about the painful yet earnest kind of love. It's about... loving and letting go," Nagi said.

Reo smirked. Aryu and Gagamaru are singing such kind of song, yet they're recently married.

"Well, which songs do you like among your married plants?" Reo asked in amusement.

Nagi thought for a while, but Reo could see the sadness in his eyes. Then with one serious look, he replied, "Aryu and Gagamaru's song. Mainly because it's more painful than that of Karasu and Hiori."

Reo tilted his head to the side. That's odd. Why would Nagi like a sad love song? Why would Nagi like a song about unrequited love? As he pondered over it, he heard a distinct kind of melody that was different from the songs of the other married plants. For the first time, he was listening to the song of Aryu and Gagamaru.

****

Reo's days as student council president were busy since many of the students who watched and made bets during the fight night were suspended, and so he had to answer to parents' and faculty members' inquiries. Among the sane people in the classroom, only Chigiri and Kunigami could help him out with complicated matters like this. Kunigami, despite being busy with club practices, still made sure he could be of help in whatever way for Chigiri and Reo, but most especially to Reo.

Kunigami came from a family of lawyers, and despite the Mikage Corp having its own legal counsel, the Kunigami family also helped out, especially when dealing with the other families who were not within the Mikage circle.

Chigiri and Kunigami were still, however, not that warming up to Nagi despite Reo excitedly telling them about the flowers and the plants that Nagi grew in the greenhouse. He told them about the plants in the most mundane way without giving any hints of the magic that Nagi showed him in his realm. But they were happy that their friend had, at least, found someone to like...or love.

But despite their happiness for their friend, Kunigami would sometimes feel irritated whenever he would request Nagi to buy food for them because the plant lover's laziness would kick in. He would say that buying food was a pain, or he would also ask why food could not pay for itself and move towards the student council room.

"Ehh... going out to buy food... mendokusai," Nagi said as he continued head-desking.

"How come you do things when it's about Reo, but not when I ask you to?" Kunigami asked in exasperation.

"I am too lazy to go out. I am tired. I have no energy. I want to sleep. I just want to lie on bed all day... mendokusai," Nagi replied as he shifted his head on his desk to look outside the window.

Nagi could be seen head-desking all day, yet he still got high grades. This time, however, Kunigami was frustrated, so he went out instead to buy food for his boyfriend and the student council president.

Kunigami complained to Reo that Nagi was lazy to buy food, and it only made Reo like and adore Nagi even more. Nagi was lazy for the most part, but when he talked about his plants, he talked about them at length. And it was the secret that Reo held close to his heart.

****

Nagi was extremely lazy whenever he got up from bed, and getting ready for school seemed like a very difficult chore. He would trudge out of his dorm room, but the moment he reached the soccer field, he would get energetic when he'd enter Blue Lock. And after tending his plants in the morning, he'd be lazy again and go to the classroom like he was lifting a heavy rock on his shoulders. But in the afternoon until the evening, he'd get energized again when being inside Blue Lock.

It became a regular scene for the soccer team during afternoon practices to see Nagi and Reo hanging out together. Especially the captain of the soccer team, he could not understand why Reo readily hung out with the white-haired lazy loser when he would not even attend the after-party after any match that the team would win. They sometimes would look into the greenhouse and see Reo admiring the flowers and the bonsai, but they could not see the magic happening inside the greenhouse.

Baya knew of Reo's new routine following that night of the unauthorized use of the rooftop. So she had to extend her patience since Reo would leave school later than usual. Before, she would drive him to his skin appointments or to the gym. Now, the skin appointments happen on the weekends, and personally, Baya loved the arrangement. It meant a weekday schedule that allowed her to breathe. But that would mean fetching Reo at a later hour.

Reo no longer went to the gym, she wondered, without knowing that Reo exercised inside the greenhouse. She was astonished as to why Reo had told her to cancel his gym membership. While Nagi would attend to his plants, Reo would change into his gym clothes and do his workout beside the cacti. He found it was far from the windows where the soccer players could not see him exercising. Also, it was fun making fun of Choki.

And Baya also found a new addition to her work every Friday: she was to not let any more appointments be scheduled after six because Reo would be taking Nagi to his penthouse to spend Friday night and Saturday the whole day. And Baya found out one Friday evening that Reo piggybacked Nagi while walking towards the limo.

Being Reo's silent keeper, Baya just kept her mouth shut and protected Reo's secrets. After all, it was the first time that Reo was bringing a classmate to his penthouse, which he had never done before. Also, while Baya did not have the memory of a goldfish, she was prudent and held Reo's secrets within herself. She also did not tell anyone that on Saturday mornings, Reo would go with Nagi to the greenhouse. And because Reo had personal appointments in the afternoon, she would drive Nagi back to school for his greenhouse chores in the evening, and she would drive him back to Reo's penthouse for the night. And during Sunday mornings, she would also drive Nagi back to school so he'd spend the rest of the day at the greenhouse and sleep in the school dorm.

Reo thought that all was going well between him and Nagi. In fact, he had luxuriously gifted Nagi with so many things, much to the astonishment of the other. You could entirely say that what Reo lacked was confessing his love to Nagi, but Reo thought it could wait. He wanted to build that relationship slowly and not to overwhelmed Nagi.

Yet, it could not be denied that he was hopelessly in love with Nagi, and Chigiri would tell him it was written all over his face. The other students in school would give jealous looks at Nagi and would utter mean things towards him, but Reo would defend him.

One time, some of the envious guys went to the greenhouse to smash Nagi's plants, but the windows were so sturdy they were not able to break it. They could not also break the door or the blue lock that guarded the whole greenhouse. They also tried to set the greenhouse on fire, but they were seen by the school guards. The kids tried to use their parents' influence to have the guards fired, but Reo stepped in and protected the guards, gave them recognition, and having the kids expelled.

Nagi was thankful for the attention and the friendship by Reo, and he eventually just accepted every gift that Reo gave him. He did not find Reo annoying despite Reo's outgoing nature, and he did not mind Reo being touchy towards him. However, he was not quite amused with Chigiri and Kunigami because they mostly would ask him (even politely) to buy food for them when Reo and Chigiri would get so busy with their work. As usual, his excuse was that the food should pay for itself and walk to the student council room, just to justify his notorious laziness.

Nagi was also thankful that Reo never mentioned his magical greenhouse to his bestfriend and the BFF's boyfriend.

But things began to come to a halt when the two friends went out of the school early one Thursday afternoon. Reo went to the bookstore to buy some things he needed for school, and Nagi just tagged along.

Suddenly, Nagi felt his chest feeling warm and soft, like some kind of power was working inside him. He turned around to look for the source of that magnetic force that brought about this beautiful feeling. Inside the bookstore Nagi walked, leaving Reo to follow him helplessly.

"Where are you going, Nagi? Oi, Nagi!" Reo said. "I haven't found yet the fountain pen I wanted."

And in that instant, Nagi stopped walking, and his eyes were fixed on a young man who was looking at the cover of a shonen magazine that was sold in the bookstore. The young man had dark blue hair, and he looked extremely ordinary. He looked just like any typical Japanese high school student. But what fascinated Nagi about the young man in front of him was the two-pronged hair sprout on top of his head.

Nagi took his time walking towards the young man, like in a scene in a movie. His chest was throbbing hard in delight and anticipation, and he knew this feeling was never like anything he had felt before. Not even with Reo. The feeling felt different, like he wanted to know more about this young man, or why he gravitated towards the young man's hair sprout. And come to think of it, Nagi thought, the young man was wearing a uniform from another high school.

Reo looked on helplessly as he followed Nagi.

"Hi, may I ask?" Nagi started.

The young man looked up to him and asked politely what he wanted, and Nagi asked if his hair sprout had always been his hairstyle. The young man said that since he could remember, the top of his hair had always been sprouting and flying, so it was nothing to him. The young man laughed awkwardly, saying that sometimes, his friends would tease him and pull his hair sprout, pretending to uproot it, hoping to harvest some kind of root crops that they could eat as snacks.

But what Nagi did next astounded Reo, and shocked the young man so much he thought that Nagi was a creep. Nagi raised his hand and put his palm to cover the young man's hair sprout. And after around five seconds, Nagi removed his hand and pulled out a plum flower from the hair sprout. He showed it to the young man , who looked at Nagi in disbelief.

"Would you take it?" Nagi asked the young man nonchalantly.

The young man's eyes grew wide as he looked at the plum flower in Nagi's hand.

"H... how did you do it? Is it some kind of magic?"

Nagi shook his head. "Your body... your body has the essence of flowers. You, especially, have the essence of the plums, and people gravitate towards you for your beauty."

The young man blushed. Sure, many of his friends liked him for being nice, but no one had ever confessed to him that he was beautiful.

"Only a few people have that special attribute in them, and you are one of them," Nagi said. "Though if I were you, I would not go out telling all other people that there's a flower growing inside my body."

And he handed the plum flower to the young man, who took it with shaking hands. Then, the young man looked at him with his big blue eyes, fear evident.

"Does... does that mean I will die?" the young man asked, very scared. "I... I am not in love with someone. What do you mean that... there's a flower growing inside my body?"

Nagi knew what the young man meant.

"It's not hanahaki disease," Nagi said. "I am just saying that your overall essence... your overall existence is filled with the beauty of those plum flowers. Only I can pluck them out from you through your hair sprout. There's no plant growing inside your body. Your essence could only materialize with my plant-related powers. Does... does that make sense?"

The young man heaved a sigh, learning he was not really dying. And he laughed, knowing that plum flowers, and not root crops, could come out from his hair sprout. And yet, only this tall young man with white hair could extract those beautiful flowers out of him.

"What's your name?" Nagi asked.

"Isagi Yoichi," the young man said. "And you?"

"Nagi Seishirou, Pleased to meet you, Isagi-kun," the plant magician remarked.

"It's a pleasure to meet you too, Nagi-san," Isagi said.

"When's your birthday?"

"April 1," Isagi replied. He had a slight smile on his face, wondering why this young man in front of him was too bold to directly ask him about his birthday.

"Ah, spring time. No wonder you bear the essence of plum flowers," Nagi said.

Nagi put his palm above Isagi's palm which had the single plum flower. And when Nagi released his hand, Isagi saw more plum flowers on his palm. He counted seven flowers. And he looked at Nagi in confusion.

"Feels like you are giving me a bouquet, Nagi-san," Isagi said.

Nagi only shrugged. "The flowers come from you, but you can put it that way. You can say I gave you flowers because only I can get it from you."

Isagi felt his cheeks warming up, having received flowers from a guy. He had never experienced something like this before.

"I like you," Nagi confessed. "Will you allow me to get to know you better?"

Isagi froze when Nagi unabashedly confessed his feelings in a different way. It was their first time meeting, but Isagi, too, was drawn towards this mysterious young man.

Reo, however, saw and heard everything. He felt his chest tighten when he heard Nagi explain to that guy named Isagi about the plum flower essence that came from Isagi's body and the flower that can be taken from the hair sprout. Nagi had done many things for Reo, showed him his secret magic, telling him about the story and the songs of the married flowers, and yet, he had not done something for him like the way he had done for Isagi. Nagi had not done anything romantic towards him, and yet, he showed romantic interest to a guy he only knew this afternoon.

Reo's world shattered. He could feel his heart breaking, like it was a goblet filled with red wine that had dropped to the floor. He had given his heart and soul to Nagi, only for Nagi to absentmindedly put it in the recesses of his mind and leaving it elsewhere. He had given his heart and his feelings to Nagi in a secret way, and yet, he realized that all he was to Nagi was just a friend, nothing more.

Nagi was in fascinated with Isagi, and fell in love with him at first sight. Reo wished he was in Isagi's place, and he wished that Nagi had reciprocated his love instead.

Just as Reo was feeling like his heart was being peeled layer by layer, he thought as if the sad song that Gagamaru and Aryu sang floated into his ears. And at that moment, he realized that he could understand the lyrics of that sad song, the song about unrequited love, the song about the painful yet earnest kind of love.

The realization of the meaning of the song hit him, and tears started falling from his eyes.

--tbc--

Reo immediately stepped back, walking away from the scene that was Nagi and that young man named Isagi. He immediately went to the cashier to buy the things he already had taken, paying in cash, and telling the cashier to just keep the change. He did not need the receipt either, he said as he furiously wiped away his tears.

"Young Master, are you okay?" the cashier asked in genuine concern. She knew Reo because he came here often as a child and had been coming here ever since.

"No..." was all he could say honestly.

And he took everything he bought and stormed out of the store while putting all the items inside his bag, and he ran to where Baya parked the limo.

"Baya, let's go home..." he said in a weak voice in between sobs.

Baya did not ask about Nagi. It seemed to her that something had happened for her young master to cry this way. She had often seen Reo cry since he was a kid, and the last time he cried was out of frustration when his parents attempted to set him up with a girl from another elite family, who had manufacturing as their main business. But the quality of the heartache, tears, pain, and facial grimace was foreign to Baya as far as Reo was concerned, but she had seen that look too many times.

Her young master was heartbroken for the first time.

Judging by his friendship with Nagi and how he indulged him and pamper him, and how Reo came back to the limo without Nagi, Baya deduced that Reo had fallen in love with Nagi, but Nagi had broken his heart.

It was not weird for Baya. In fact, it was not only girls Reo's age who confessed to him in Hakuho. Some older women confessed to him, and some of his male classmates confessed to him as well. But all those were just trying to get themselves to be part of the Mikage household.

But the one Reo had with Nagi? It was true and pure love. It was unrequited love that pained an earnest heart.

When Reo would cry, he would keep to himself. And like today, he also kept his tears to himself, though it was plain as day for Baya that her young master was in great pain.

"Young Master," Baya finally spoke up. "It looks like you cannot decide for yourself for now, so please allow me to give my suggestions. I will order dinner for you, and I will keep your weekends free."

Reo looked up to his chauffer. Baya had always been reliable. That came with her old age. If she acted on her own accord, Reo knew that it was always the best, the best for him, and the wisest.

"Thank you, Baya..."

"It seems you cannot attend classes tomorrow," Baya said as she maneuvered the steering wheel, heading towards the penthouse. "I'll just ask Chigiri-sama to bring you your assignments this Sunday. I will also talk to him tomorrow."

"N... no Baya," Reo said as he wiped his tears. "I will talk to him tomorrow. I will just ask for the assignments myself. You being here for me and comforting me is more than enough. Thank you so much."

Baya loved Reo like a grandson. As someone who never married in order to be of service to the Mikage family, she had been attached to the young master and looked after him with care. She had her responsibilities too as his chauffer and personal assistant, but there are times when her maternal instincts would kick in and interfere for him.

So when they reached the penthouse, Baya made sure that Reo went to his room safely, and ordered food for him.

****

Meanwhile, Nagi turned around to see Reo gone behind him. Isagi curiously looked behind Nagi and asked what was wrong.

"Uh... my best friend was here just a while ago," Nagi said in confusion.

Isagi watched as Nagi grabbed his phone to call Reo. But he saw the disappointment on his face after the call.

"Uh... my best friend suddenly got sick, but his, uhm, maid said he was not fit even for visitors."

Isagi tilted his head before replying, "You're such a good friend for thinking of him. And yet you cannot visit him."

"Yeah."

"It must be contagious."

Nagi asked, "Hontou?"

"Mmm," Isagi replied. "If it's contagious, you cannot just... visit that easily."

Nagi pouted sadly. He wanted to introduce Isagi to his best friend, but he was down because his best friend just went off like that without telling him he was not feeling well, or without saying goodbye. Reo just left without saying anything, and Nagi felt bad. When he looked back at Isagi's face, his apprehension just dissipated, especially when he saw the plum flowers on Isagi's palms.

"I will keep these in my book," Isagi said with a smile. "These are so lovely."

As it was a nice Thursday afternoon, Isagi and Nagi spent their first date--playing video games at an arcade. They found out early on that they both love video games and could stay in a room for hours.

But Isagi also learned that Nagi planted and took care of ornamental plants.

After their short date, Nagi took Isagi outside to his house, where he kissed Isagi goodbye on the forehead.

****

From Sae and Shidou bloomed two more flowers that Nagi cultivated separately from their parents. He called the two new poppies Niko and Kurona. Like their parents, Niko and Kurona also glowed and sing. Niko had light teal colored flowers, the color like Rin's, while Kurona had light pink petals. Their glow also corresponded to the colors of their beautiful petals. As both Niko and Kurona were young flowers, their voices were not that refined or audible, but they were there. Niko sang about a chaste kind of love, while Kurona sang about the sweetness of the first young love. The two flowers were cultivated when Reo was around during those times the two friends spent together.

And Nagi also had a yellow iris, a flower his parents gave to him from France. And he named his iris Charles Chevalier. Charles' glow was light yellow and glittering, like that of Aryu's, and the butterflies liked it very much. But Charles sang a song about love against all odds, mainly because it was in love with Niko. And yet, they were too different because Charles was an iris, while Niko was a poppy.

With the taste of his first love, Nagi sat in front of the two young poppies and listened to their little voices as they sang. He could not forget how Isagi looked like when he multiplied the plums on the palm, and Nagi felt his cheeks heating up when he remembered that he leaned forward to kiss Isagi's forehead and bid goodbye. He hoped that Isagi would keep the plum flowers inside a book to preserve them.

He looked at his other married plants. It was like the flowers were in union with the feeling of love and happiness that their owner was feeling as of the moment. Kaiser and Ness were not fighting today, sensing that there was no strong aroma in Blue Lock. Aryu was glittering so much, and Gagamaru's gray spots glowed along with its wife's sparkles. Rin was gentle with its wife, like their flowers were so close. Karasu had new petals, and Hiori's petals were casting a soft light blue glow. Also, the Korean flowers had new addition to their family, and Nagi thought he should gather them soon to cultivate more.

The thought of the mugunghwa couple blooming more flowers made Nagi subtly smile (since he usually did not) because of his blossoming love story. Ah, the taste of the sweetness of first young love, to quote Kurona's song.

He remembered what Reo thought about Blue Lock being a store, but Nagi thought he would not sell his plants. He mostly gave it to the janitors who planted them all over Hakuho.

And then he remembered Reo.

Reo was sick today, he remembered, and Baya took the call for the young master. Nagi felt sick at the pit of his stomach, worried for his friend. So he tried calling Reo again, but Reo's phone just kept ringing. He bit his thumbs, wondering how he could talk to Reo. Baya did not allow him to go to the penthouse because the young master was ill, and maybe Isagi was right that Reo might have something contagious.

But that was odd. When he and Reo were in the bookstore earlier, the young master was laughing and talking in an animated tone like he was not ill at all. Maybe he caught someone's cold there and had low immunity and maybe left because he suddenly did not feel well. So Nagi thought he'd go to Reo's penthouse tonight and give him some pink carnation as a get-well-soon present.

After preparing his basket of carnation, he sent a text message to Reo, hoping that Reo would read it.

"Hey Reo, I will be coming over. Baya said you are sick, so I will be giving you a basket of pink carnation," said Nagi's text.

Without waiting for a reply, he headed out of Blue Lock and hailed a taxi. He knew the building where Reo stayed, but be was being prudent since Reo always had been. So he instructed the taxi driver to stop two buildings away from the building that Reo owned.

During the ride, Nagi checked his phone, but Reo still did not reply. He started to get agitated, wondering what he did wrong for Reo to not reply to him. He also did not have Chigiri and Kunigami's number, and he did not know how he could reach to his friend. He had to convince himself over and over again that Reo was just down with an incoming flu and instructed Baya not to accept visitors.

Finally, Nagi took off in front of the building he instructed the taxi driver, and walked briskly all the way. It was near the end of October, and the wind was chilly despite his hoodie, so walking fast warmed him up a bit. When he reached the front door of the business building, he reached for his wallet again and took out the magnetic door card that Reo gave him. It would allow Nagi to access the floor to the penthouse, unlike the first five floors which were accessible to others who come for business. As he entered the elevator, he tapped the magnetic card to the reader and punched the floor number. Good thing though, he was the only passenger to the elevator, and the front desk workers, who were already familiar with him, minded their own business.

He was still holding the magnetic card and his basket of carnation when he looked at the indicator, watching as the numbers rose. Finally, he reached the top floor where Reo's unit was located, and he exited the elevator.

Nagi navigated the corridors with ease. He had been here too many times that he knew which hallway led to Reo's unit. Finally, he reached the unit in question, and he rang the doorbell. He stood there expectantly, hoping that Baya, at least, would be there to open the door for him. He stood there for a minute before leaning his head to the door to listen. Of course, the door was soundproof, and he could not hear a thing from the outside. He checked his phone again and saw no reply from Reo, but when he tried calling, Reo's phone was ringing, but no one answered..

"Reo, where are you?" he thought in worry and agitation as he sent a text message. He bit his lower lip while doing that.

Finally, he sent his text message before ringing the doorbell two more times. When it seemed like no one was going to answer it after all, Nagi stopped pushing his luck, so he sent another text message to Reo.

Hey Reo, I don't know what's wrong or if you are feeling well, or if I did something to you, but please answer my text messages. Please talk to me. Call me, okay? I will be leaving a present for you at the door.

Nagi heaved an exhausted sigh. Today was supposed to be a very happy day for him because he had confessed to someone (though it was quite fast for him to fall for a crush and confess), and yet his best friend left him hanging. He turned unhappily and left Reo's door, and went down the elevator to exit the building.

****

Reo had been crying his heart out since Nagi fell for Isagi and confessed earlier today. Baya brought him home and ordered food for him, but he had not eaten any of it. He was still in his school uniform, with only his shoes taken off and placed by the door. His phone rang once, and Baya answered it for him. It was Nagi, Baya said, and Reo really appreciated the white lie that his personal assistant made up to save him.

But Baya had left after the ordered food arrived, so it was Reo who had to deal with the influx of text messages and call from Nagi. He wanted to hurl his phone at the door, but at the last minute, sensibility returned to him, knowing that he still had to call Chigiri tomorrow as needed. So he tortured himself with listening to all the calls and text messages from Nagi. Finally, Nagi's last text message came, telling him about the carnation.

Reo got out of his bed slowly and went out of the room, walking all the way towards the door like it's a life sentence. He opened the door, and right there, he found the basket of carnations that Nagi left for him. He took it and saw a card from Nagi, wishing him to get well soon.

But damn, how can Reo get well? If he had to move on, how would he even start? He had given so many things for Nagi, he had given his love secretly, but the first boy that interested him was the cause of his first heartbreak.

He went back in and locked the door behind him, then proceeded to the kitchen to throw the basket of flowers in the trash bin. As Nagi had thrown his feelings and affections away, Reo had to throw that sign of get-well-soon as well. He went back to his room and cried again for how long that night.

****

When Nagi entered Blue Lock that Friday morning, the strong scent of roses filled the air, such that the soccer players who were there to practice early in the morning for the winter games came forward to enjoy the sweet smell of roses.

They did not know Nagi's name, but they at least had to ask him why his roses were smelling so good today.

"Ah, they just do... sometimes," Nagi replied vaguely before closing the door, not allowing the soccer team members to intrude his sanctuary.

He was feeling dizzy when he walked inside the greenhouse and proceeded to the section of the married flowers. It seemed that instead of sleeping, Kaiser and Ness had been quarreling the whole night. The other married flowers did not seem to be bothered at all and just continued their silent existence (since they were not singing today). Nagi proceeded to open the windows so he could carry on with his chores without the strong scent of roses. Sure, roses smelled good, but it was too much, and he had to place the pot that Kaiser and Ness shared at the same table as Choki before he proceeded to water his plants for the morning. And once again, the soccer team hung by the windows to take in the scent of the roses.

Nagi could feel that Choki was stressed because of the married roses, so after shutting the windows down to keep the soccer players out, he took his potted cactus out of the greenhouse to bring it with him to his classroom.

When he entered the classroom, he beelined for his desk, put Choki under his table, hung his backpack behind his chair, sat down, and head-desked as he looked at the door. He waited for Reo to come in, hoping to talk with his best friend. He was so damn worried that he wondered if something happened, and he chastised himself, thinking that maybe he did something wrong yesterday. Reo had to explain, he thought, or he would not know what he ever did to upset the other.

Soon, more students came pouring inside the classroom. Reo usually would enter at eight in the morning, but it was almost the start of classes, but no sign of Reo. Kunigami and Chigiri had long entered, but they, too, realized that Reo was still not in class. So Chigiri went to Nagi and asked him if Reo called him. Nagi got up from his head-desking and looked at Chigiri with confusion.

"I... Reo did not call me," he said. "I wanted to ask you that if he called you today."

"Except on days when we have meetings in the student council office, we seldom talk once school is out because I know he mostly spends the afternoons with you, so I thought you'd know," Chigiri said, slight annoyance in his voice. "Did something happen yesterday?"

Nagi was forced to admit, omitting of course the fact that he extracted a plum flower from Isagi's hair sprout.

"What? You flirted with someone in front of my best friend, and you did not know where he had gone while you were at it?" Chigiri asked in an accusative tone.

Nagi was tongue-tied. Really, as he was not socially smart, he could not talk back at Chigiri. Chigiri looked at him with irritation on is pretty face as he took his phone. Then he turned around to go out of the door to call his best friend.

Reo picked up his phone when Chigiri called, but the pink-haired beauty was shocked to hear Reo sounding shitty.

"What... what happened, Reo?" Chigiri asked, whispering and toning his voice while covering his mouth and the phone with his palm.

When Reo explained to him he could not come, Chigiri grimaced as he scrunched his nose. Sure, he'd come over. After the call, he went back inside the classroom and went for his seat. He looked back at Nagi with an angry face before turning to his boyfriend to please take note of all the assignments for today.

"You, me, and Reo," Chigiri said to Kunigami. "Let's study together Sunday afternoon, okay? Reo... is not fine."

"Sure," Kunigami said.

He did not ask more. Judging by the urgency of his boyfriend's voice and the livid expression, Kunigami thought something was wrong with Reo. And Nagi had something to do with it, seeing how Chigiri was giving death glares at the white-haired student. He, however, had no plans of talking to Nagi. He would wait for what Chigiri would tell him later.

Chigiri, too, skipped classes that day.

****

When Baya came to Reo's penthouse, she sighed when she saw the untouched food. It had already spoiled, so she threw it away and asked for forgiveness. She went to her young master's bedroom and found him asleep, still in his uniform. So she gently woke him up and helped him out of his clothes so she could help him in bathing. It was also around that time when Chigiri came and saw the sorry state of his best friend.

"Reo, let me borrow your clothes, if you don't mind," Chigiri said while looking for clothes in Reo's closet. "I'll stay with you today, and promise, I'll wash your clothes and return them."

But Reo did not reply, so Chigiri just did what he wanted to do. He's a sassy princess, after all. He stripped off his uniform and wore Reo's clothes like he owned the place. While Baya assisted Reo like she was bathing a child, Chigiri asked Baya if she had eaten, and when she replied that she had, he made some breakfast for his best friend.

It was almost lunch when Chigiri finished feeding Reo. This was exhausting than he thought. Something extremely hard must have happened to Reo yesterday to render him helpless that he needed his and Baya's assistance for day-to-day activities. As Reo sat still in his place in the dining room, Chigiri asked permission if he could fix his own and Baya's lunch, but Baya said she would leave the two to themselves. Chigiri nodded, and without Reo's permission, fixed himself something to eat.

When his food was ready, Chigiri sat in front of Reo and ate as hastily as he could so he could assist Reo to his room for a heart-to-heart talk. After eating and washing the dishes, he gently assisted Reo to his room.

"So, what happened?" Chigiri asked when Reo was comfortable on his bed.

But Reo snapped, his eyes fixed on Chigiri. The pink princess looked at him curiously, seeing how there was intense pain in Reo's eyes, and tears that threatened to fall.

"Is it about Nagi?" Chigiri finally asked gently, his voice as neutral and empathetic as possible.

And finally, Reo's tears fell like waterfalls, his feelings bursting like a full dam. Chigiri gently wrapped his arms around his best friend and let Reo cry on his shoulders--tears, snot, saliva and all. He patted Reo's shoulders, taking his time for Reo to finally open up. It would probably take Reo thirty minutes or so to stop crying, but Chigiri chose to stay. By the looks of it, Reo must have spent the whole night in tears.

Reo wrapped his arms tightly around Chigiri's waist as he sought comfort and warmth from his best friend. Chigiri had seen Reo being hurt and all since they were kids. But being broken like this? He did not know what to do, but he thought he should do as much as he could as Reo would need. Finally, Reo opened up what happened, including that part when Reo let it slip that Nagi pulled a plum flower from Isagi's hair.

The information alarmed Chigiri. Was... Nagi a magician? Was he pulling a magic on someone in order to date that someone? It was a very smooth yet annoyingly brazen way of getting someone's attention, like giving cheesy pick-up lines.

"Is Nagi a magician?" Chigiri finally asked.

Reo realized his mistake. Oh shit, he was not supposed to tell his best friend that Nagi was not an ordinary magician, but someone whose magic made plants live, whose magic could make a garden look like the stuff of fairy tales.

"Y... yes," was all Reo could say. He could not spill more than he already had.

Chigiri fumed. He should let Baya come and help Reo tonight so he could head to the greenhouse to confront Nagi.

"Hyoma.... I had given so much to Nagi. I gave him my heart even if I haven't confessed yet. I like him so much. No, I... I love him. I really love him. What can I do?"

Chigiri hugged his friend tighter.

"It was as if Nagi sailed with me on an island, then deserted me and left me alone," Reo sobbed, with hiccups in between. "I don't know where to start. I really don't know how... it fucking hurts."

"Acknowledging that you feel pain is the first step, I guess," Chigiri said sadly. "I am sorry, I don't know how my words can comfort you right now. If Rensuke were here, he'd know what to say."

After an hour of crying or so, Reo finally went to sleep, with Chigiri lying down next to him. He sent a text message to his personal assistant to pack his things for at least three-nights stay (moisturizer, his hair kit, and all his notebooks included) and to bring it to the front desk of Reo's building. He's gonna get it later. He would be staying with Reo for the whole weekend. Poor boy might do something desperate, and the pink haired guy did not want that to happen. He also sent a text message to Baya, letting her come at around six so she could look out for Reo for him, while he'd go ask Nagi his side of the story.

"All right," Baya replied in her text message. "Will you let me bring you food?"

"No thanks," Chigiri typed back. "As the restaurant downstairs has room service, I'll order food for the three of us, Baya-san included."

****

Chigiri's things came about an hour and a half later his text, and silently went out to get them from the front desk while Reo was still asleep. He went back to the penthouse and decided to arrange Reo's room, since he had nothing to do. At this time, Kunigami was still at club practices, and he knew better than to send a text message to ask about assignments. It could wait for Sunday, he thought.

Finally before six in the evening, Baya arrived, and Chigiri ordered food for the three of them. He instructed, no, requested Baya to please receive the food so he could go back to school. Baya nodded pensively, since the pink haired young master had said earlier why he would be leaving.

It was dark when Chigiri arrived in school, and the soccer team had started going out of the gates. He greeted those who were his friends before walking towards the greenhouse. From the outside, he could see that the greenhouse was already well-lit, and Nagi was holding a pot of hydrangeas which seemed to share one stem, and it piqued Chigiri's interest. From here, he could see that the stem hold the same kind of flowers but with two different colors. Nagi placed the pot on one table along with other paired flowers, which Chigiri noted, shared one stem.

"Is he a green thumb?" Chigiri asked in admiration. "Maybe I should buy some flowers from him and give some to Rensuke."

He stepped closer to the greenhouse and knocked at the door. He saw as Nagi looked up, surprised to see him. Nagi hurried towards the door and opened it, and the tall white-haired guy seemed confused while looking at Chigiri before he realized something too late.

"What... what are you?" Chigiri asked him in a breathless and surprised tone.

****

Nagi forgot to keep his magic when he saw Chigiri by the door, so Chigiri was able to see his fireflies and sparkling butterflies. From outside Blue Lock, the greenhouse would look ordinary, but not when the door is opened. Once inside, Chigiri gasped and turned around slowly, absorbing the beautiful scenery in front of him.

What he lacked was a beautiful pink gown, and Chigiri would look like a princess in a fairy tale book.

"Why are you here?" Nagi asked, his voice a bit cold for someone who usually spoke so lazily.

Chigiri remembered his mission, so he darted towards the place where he saw the married hydrangeas and looked at them pensively. His vision landed on the roses, and he tilted his head, wondering how a light yellow rose could have blue edges. He touched Kaiser's petals before his fingers darted towards Hiori's light blue ones, before he finally touched Gagamaru's petals. Then, he shot a glare at Nagi.

"Reo said something about you pulling some flowers from....who's your new boyfriend again?"

Nagi sighed unhappily. So he was now forced to confess just to appease this redhead princess of the student council. Chigiri bit his lower lip as he looked at Nagi, who was still explaining. Now that his magic was out in the open, Nagi was forced to tell Chigiri how he was able to feel Isagi and court him.

"It sounds like those A/B/O fanfics, you know?" Chigiri remarked. "Like, you are the Alpha whose instincts get you attracted to the pheromones of an Omega. Only that, with you, it's some kind of magic where that other boy's essence attracts you like a magnet."

Nagi nodded, tiredness on his face. Then, he replied, "Reo left me even before I can introduce him to Isagi. How is he? He won't answer my text and my calls. He just left me without a word. I did not know if I did something to make him not talk to me."

Poor Nagi, Chigiri thought. There was so much concern in his eyes and in his voice, like he was genuinely worried about the purple-haired royalty of Hakuho. But it seemed so absurd to side with Nagi. However, less absurd than the Hakuho students who would make bid wars as to who get this certain teacher for a tutor, or their rich parents who used ritzy parties to plot when to release news to move the market.

"Reo maybe had cried since yesterday, and he had been crying the whole time I was talking with him," Chigiri said.

The thought of Reo crying pinched, no, crumpled Nagi's heart. Why was Reo crying? And who was he crying over?

"Why... why was he crying? Baya-san said he was sick and would not let me visit him. Isagi said Reo is probably sick with something contagious. So I left a basket of carnation at his door last night."

Chigiri knitted his eyebrows. Ah, so Baya lied for Reo's sake, Chigiri realized. No, he was not going to chastise Baya for it, not when it was the wise thing to do. And no, Baya did not mention anything about Reo down with the flu. Otherwise, she would not have let Chigiri in the penthouse. But he had to admit though, it was sweet of Nagi to bring some carnation for Reo.

Only that, he saw the basket of carnation in the trash bin earlier when he cooked lunch for himself. So the basket of flowers were from Nagi.

"Reo is not sick with anything," Chigiri admitted. "He is heartbroken and crying over you."

Chigiri was tired, and did not want to play mind games with Nagi. He did not want to let Nagi think and think why Reo was heartbroken, nor to cajole Nagi for being dense. So there, the truth was out in the open.

"Over... me?" Nagi asked. And then realization hit him. "Reo... is in love with me?"

Chigiri rolled his eyeballs, "He's been acting as your sugar daddy, didn't you realize? Of course he's in love with you. He shares with you the luxuries that only Rensuke and I usually can enjoy out of our friendship. I can tell Reo had never been like that since we were childhood friends, and Rensuke had only entered his penthouse because of me. You, meanwhile, are the first person that Reo personally invited over, especially to sleep. Rensuke had never. Reo became friends with you after that night when the other students used the rooftop for a fight match, and for the life of me, I really could not understand what Reo saw in you. But that's the fact. Reo is in love with you."

Nagi sat down in shock, the information overwhelming him. He liked Reo, but only as a friend. But the knowledge of Reo falling in love with him burdened him because he did not feel the same way. He looked at Chigiri with pleading eyes, asking him if he could talk to Reo tonight.

"I can arrange that," Chigiri said. "But before I do, you need to explain to me a lot of things."

Nagi blinked expectantly, totally at Chigiri's mercy. What did this vice president of the student council want?

Chigiri had him explain the extent of his powers, and asked about the hydrangeas first before asking about the roses. Then Nagi had him hear the choir of flowers, singing the same melody (but with different lyrics and in different languages for some in Nagi's POV). Chigiri smiled like a fairy tale princess as he darted near the roses and began to dance, while allowing the fireflies and the butterflies to fly all around him.

"Don't tell your boyfriend about it," Nagi begged.

"Well, I cannot promise you that," Chigiri said with slight malice. "After all, Reo is also his friend, and Rensuke is very thorough when it comes to knowing the whole picture. He's from a family of lawyers, after all."

Nagi groaned since he hated lawyers. He remembered his uncle and his cousins who loved to go on debates even in family gatherings.

"Okay, okay," Nagi gave up. "I'll explain to him if he asks. Or just... tell him honestly. Just the two of you. I cannot afford to have the whole school know about my powers."

Chigiri understood. Nagi wanted to be the outcast everyone else hated, and he preferred living that way.

"Also... I know that if you ask for an apology, you have to give someone a basket of blue hydrangeas."

"I know that," Nagi said as he pointed out a pot beside Nanase and Rin. "I was thinking of giving it to Reo without even knowing what I did wrong. But now that I did, and maybe I am half at fault too, I will give him a basket of those and turn him down gently."

Chigiri felt bad for being judgmental towards Nagi. It was not the white-haired plant lover's fault that he fell in love with someone, and yet, it was also not Reo's fault for falling in love with someone who never thought of him the same way.

"I will instruct Baya to tell Reo not to freak out," Chigiri said, getting his phone from his pocket. "Gonna tell her you want to talk to Reo tonight."

Nagi nodded. He did not ask Chigiri why the heck he knew Baya. The redhead and Reo were friends. Of course, Chigiri would know about the old personal assistant.

"Uhm, do you also give out flowers and plants?" Chigiri asked. "I realized some of the flowers around school look like the ones you have."

"Y... yes," Nagi said.

Chigiri let out a mischievous smile, "Can I ask for some red roses please? I want to give Rensuke some soon."

Nagi nodded. He was totally at Chigiri's mercy. He started moving by selecting the roses that he reserved for Chigiri (some coming from Ness and Kaiser), before he arranged a basket of blue hydrangeas for Reo.

****

Reo sat still in his bed, not knowing what to do.

Nagi stood next to the door, hands holding the handle of the basket of hydrangeas. He looked apologetic and found it hard to look at Reo, who was looking at him with a pained expression in his eyes. But he had to do this. He had to seek forgiveness and reject him properly. He walked slowly towards Reo and placed the basket of flowers on Reo's bedside table, and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"How are you?" Nagi started, saying in a soft voice.

Yet no matter how soft it was, Nagi's voice was still enough to puncture Reo's heart.

"I... I am not okay," Reo said in a frail voice as tears started to fall.

Nagi confessed that Chigiri told him everything, and he told Reo he also confessed to Chigiri about him having the magical ability towards plants. He explained to Reo what happened for him to fall for Isagi at first sight and go out with him. But Reo rolled his eyeballs and smiled sarcastically.

"That kind of courtship is too fast, don't you think, Nagi?" Reo asked. "You go out with someone immediately after falling in love with them after an initial attraction? What are you both? Cinderella and the prince? I mean, even courtship in the olden times probably weren't as swift as the one you had with Isagi."

"But that's true, Reo," Nagi said helplessly. "I fell in love with him, and I confessed right away. Is it hard to understand that perhaps, some relationships are born that way?"

"You think?" Reo shot back. "It's just to weird for me. And too fast. Why do you think I took my time giving you everything? I want to build up the moment before I confess to you. And now... how can I even confess when you already loved someone else?"

By now, Nagi was a bit exasperated, "So, just because you find my kind of love weird, you think yours is the ultimate blueprint?"

Reo had never seen Nagi irritated at him like this, so he apologized for being judgmental. His crying had now irritated Nagi more than it allowed him to be a recipient of sympathy.

"But tell me... what is with that Isagi that is not with me? Why did you like him immediately when I had loved you first?"

Nagi sighed before he revealed, "His hair sprout."

Reo gaped before laughing amidst his tears. "His hair sprout? How ridiculous?! What's up with his hair sprout? It was just some tufts of hair!"

"As I said, he has the essence of plum flowers, and I--my heart, my magic--is attracted to it. His hair sprout is just so lovely that it made me fall for him," Nagi explained. "I mean, why can't you understand? Other people fall in love with their partners because of their eyes or their lips. Why is it so wrong for you when I say that I fell in love with Isagi because of his hair sprout?"

Someone who didn't know Nagi would have found it laughable, but because Reo knew what magic Nagi had, he realized that it was possible for Nagi. But Reo did not have anything that could make Nagi romantically attached to him, and so, more tears fell from his eyes.

"Why not me, Nagi?"

Nagi looked at him, "Because it never was you. I'm sorry."

He stood up and patted the basket of blue hydrangeas, and looked at Reo with all the tenderness he could give for his friend.

"I'm sorry for leaving you, Reo. I'm sorry for breaking your heart. I didn't mean to hurt you, and despite knowing it's not my fault, I am still here in front of you asking for forgiveness, with these flowers for you to show my sincerity," Nagi said with conviction. "But I am also sorry that I cannot love you the way you love me. I cannot look at you the same way you look at me. I am sorry that I cannot accept your feelings."

"Nagi..."

And tears streamed down more from Reo's eyes.

"Please forget me, Reo," Nagi said. "Please don't talk to me in the classroom, or anywhere else."

He hastily turned his back so he could not see more the pained expression on Reo's face. He opened the door and shut it behind him, and saw Chigiri and Baya sitting down on the sofa while waiting for them to finish.

"Are you going home now, Nagi-sama?" Baya said witn understanding in her voice.

Nagi only nodded. He looked at Chigiri, who blinked and nodded at Baya knowingly. And so, Nagi followed Baya out of the unit, with the old chauffer closing the door gently. Chigiri sighed as he looked at the door before going inside Reo's room.

And there, he saw that Reo was a mess.

Chigiri climbed on top of Reo's bed and brought him closer to his chest, with Reo bawling his heart. The redhead ran his fingers through his best friend's hair as he comforted the other.

"Just how much do you love him, Reo?" Chigiri asked softly.

"I love him dearly," Reo replied before sobbing again.

Reo spent the whole night crying, with Chigiri being by his side, his presence doing its best to comfort his friend.

****

Reo spent the whole weekend crying, even when Kunigami went to the penthouse to bring the assignments that Sunday. Chigiri and Kunigami did their homework before they did Reo's because the young master was too deep into his own emotions.

"Just how much does he love Nagi?" Kunigami asked in a whisper when Reo was asleep after crying for hours.

"He loves Nagi so much, and it's deep," Chigiri replied. "It's the first time he had fallen in love, and it's his first heartbreak."

"Huh... I guess he loved him too much because he wouldn't be crying like that if he wasn't so fond of Nagi."

Chigiri nodded in agreement before looking at his best friend. And right there, Reo woke up, his eyes swollen from all the crying earlier. He got out of his bed and sat beside Chigiri and Kunigami, who were doing homework on the floor. Reo leaned on his best friend's shoulder, before he wept again.

"What's with Isagi that's not with me?" Reo asked no one in particular. "Why does it have to be him? Why not me? Why, of all things to be liked, does Nagi like Isagi's damn hair sprout?"

Kunigami dropped his pen to hear the revelation. "The what?"

Chigiri looked at his boyfriend and said he'll explain everything later.

"How can I forget Nagi? All I ever think when I wake up is him, and it's making me crazy!" Reo asked. "How can I undo this? I don't know what to do! My heart is aching so bad, and I... I don't know where to start."

Kunigami held Reo's hand and said, "Don't think about thinking where to start yet. Moving on is still to early for you, you know? Let yourself cry it out. Hyoma and I will be here for you."

And from there, Reo moved from Chigiri's shoulder to Kunigami's lap as he continued crying.

"You know," Kunigami said to Reo as he touched his hair in consolation. "You can cry all you want, but you need to let him go eventually. Not now, but eventually. There's no use holding on to a one-sided love if the other party really does not like you."

"I agree," Chigiri added. "But the person who's meant for you will stay or come back to you. If Nagi is for you, then Nagi is for you."

Later, Chigiri and Kunigami ordered food for the three of them, as Reo needed his nutrition after all his crying sesh. Once Reo was asleep, Chigiri explained to Kunigami about Isagi, how Nagi fell in love with him, and about Nagi's powers.

"It... it does not make sense to me," Kunigami said as he shook his head. "But I will believe it because you said it, and because Reo said something about the tufts of hair."

"Rensuke, keep it between the two of us, okay?" Chigiri begged.

"Sure," Kunigami vowed. "Reo and Nagi's secret is safe with me."

--tbc--

Nagi was stunned when he realized who the first visitor was first thing in the morning that Monday. It was Chigiri.

The pink princess smirked at him as he entered the greenhouse. Nagi felt himself walking on eggshells when facing Chigiri, thinking the other would chastise him for breaking his best friend's heart.

"I came here for the roses," Chigiri said with a smile. "How much do I owe you?"

Nagi shook his head, "Oh no. I don't sell them. I can just... give them to you. I don't know anything about pricing."

Chigiri shrugged as he took out his wallet, "Well, I exactly know how much a bouquet would cost since I asked Rensuke to do a research for me, so here. Take it."

Nagi looked at the money that Chigiri was holding out for him. He took it and put it inside his pocket.

"Don't worry. This is just a transaction between a seller and a buyer for me," Chigiri told Nagi. "This has nothing to do with Reo."

Nagi's hands shook when he heard Reo's name again. The pained expression Reo gave last Friday night was still haunting him. Even as he and Isagi had their date yesterday, at the back of his mind, he could not shake off the pained look on Reo's face. He went to the table where he put the roses and gingerly arranged the basket of flowers for Chigiri, who took it and thanked him for his services.

"Ahhh, Rensuke will love these," he crooned as he felt his cheeks blushing.

And it was then that Sae and Shidou began singing. Chigiri smiled to hear the poppies sing, but Nagi's face went extremely red. He was glad that Chigiri did not understand the song. If he did, he just might think of pulling his Rensuke out of the classroom and doing some freaky stuff in the student council room.

"Oi Nagi, why are you blushing?" Chigiri asked innocently.

"N... nothing," Nagi said with a squeaky voice.

Chigiri squinted as he looked at the white-haired boy and shrugged. Then, he smiled and turned around to exit the greenhouse with his basket of red roses.

****

Kunigami cleared his throat as he stood in front, behind the teacher's table. The teacher had not yet arrived for the first period, and his classmates looked at him expectantly. Usually, it would either be Reo, Chigiri, or the class rep who would make announcements in front, but for Kunigami to do so meant that there was something else.

"This Friday night, there will be a formal party that I am throwing, just because I want to, and all of you are invited," he said in a no-nonsense manner.

The students erupted into cheers. They wanted parties so much because they get to dress up and compete. It would also be the time to flirt with their crushes inside the classroom.

And a party with no particular occasion? Nice!

Some asked if he would be inviting other students from the other classes, and he said that he had told the class reps about it. The venue would be in one of the hotels owned by Reo's family, and the party would be at six in the evening. There were more cheers, and he could hear one girl talking to her friend about asking a guy from another class out on a date.

"Don't worry," Kunigami said. "The old geezers won't be invited. There will be no one talking business and all that shit. It would be a formal party, but it will only be us students."

"Can I bring my boyfriend along?" one girl asked him.

"Sure. For those who have lovers, bring them too. It's fine," Kunigami said.

And it was then that Chigiri stood up to give Kunigami the basket of red roses in front of their classmates, and the guys swooned. The girls all sighed with envy, wishing to receive the roses from Mr. Pretty Princess Chigiri himself.

"What... what are these?" Kunigami asked, flustered.

Chigiri looked at his classmates before turning his gaze back to his boyfriend.

"Just a gift," Chigiri crooned. "No occasion. Can I not give something lovely for my sweetheart?"

As the class continued swooning at the flirty lovers, Reo only sat on his seat, looking outside the window. And three desks behind him, Nagi was head-desking as usual, not wanting to look at Reo for fear of breaking his own heart.

He was confused. It took him a long time to open up to Reo, but he opened up easily to Isagi. If he was in love with Isagi, why was he feeling disturbed when it came to Reo? He knew he did not love his former best friend, but why was Reo haunting his thoughts?

****

Reo and Nagi did not talk to each other for the rest of the week. Reo stuck with Chigiri and Kunigami, leaving Nagi by himself. But whenever their eyes would meet, it would be Reo who'd look away first.

And it confused Nagi once again. Why was he disturbed that Reo no longer looked at him with those adoring eyes like he used to? And he had to admit, he missed Reo smiling.

And he mentally slapped himself. Why should he be thinking of Reo when he had Isagi? For many people, it counted as cheating, but because Nagi did not have enough social interaction, he did not know what most people are thinking. But he thought he cheated on Isagi by thinking of Reo. This was many levels wrong, he thought. So during breaks, he would go to Blue Lock and sulk with his plants.

On one of those days at lunch, he stayed in Blue Lock. And there, Aryu and Gagamaru began singing again.

"Please don't sing it for me," he told his camellias. "It's making me lonely."

And so, Aryu and Gagamaru stopped singing. This time, it was Charles who began to sing his song about the love against all odds, still pining over Niko. Nagi sighed as he stared at Charles before he said.

"Yeah, Isagi and I are a love against all odds too. He is from a middle-class family, while I am well-off enough to be here in Hakuho."

And once again, Kaiser and Ness began fighting, and the greenhouse was filled with the strong scent of roses. Nagi coughed as he ran towards the window to open it, to diffuse the scent of the couple. But damn, he forgot Choki, since Choki was under his desk, so he took the pot of the roses and put them in between the other cacti. Surely, the thorns of the other cacti would shut these roses up. And again, Karasu and Hiori fought, with Hiori turning white this time, as Karasu was sucking the nutrients so much that its wife could not "think" straight. And for the first time, Sae and Shidou fought, with Sae sucking the nutrients so its husband could not quarrel it back. Shidou's petals turned so pale that it lost the pink edges. Only Rin and Nanase were not quarreling because they were silent since Nagi came inside.

Nagi sighed unhappily. "Are my flowers also in chaos because my heart and mind are in chaos?"

****

The grand ballroom where the party was held that Friday night was glittering and screaming of immense luxury. The students competed among themselves as to who looked the most glamorous, and couples competed about who looked the most enviable. The girls wore pretty gowns, while the guys wore dandy suits. And there are those who came crossdressing. Many came with their lovers, while some who were players flirted with three or more people.

But this is the world of the rich we are talking about. The students could flaunt their wealth whenever they were with other members of the elite.

Finally, Kunigami entered, dressed in a peach-colored suit, and many could tell it was from a French designer. With him came Chigiri, but the girls looked at him with intense jealousy, while the guys could only sigh, wishing they were in Kunigami's place.

For Chigiri wore a pink off-shoulder gown like that of Princess Aurora in "Sleeping Beauty," and styled his hair like that of Ariel's when she came to dinner in the Disney animated version of "The Little Mermaid." And he wore a really light makeup.

"Chigiri-kun is a man, but he looks so pretty like a girl that it's unfair!" one girl whispered to her friend.

"He could really pass off for a princess. I am jealous," another said.

And despite not wearing a very flashy outfit so as not to outshine Kunigami, Reo came in looking princely as always. He wore his hair up on a ponytail, like he would sometimes do, and he wore a deep blue suit. And he came with a tall and handsome young man with wavy hair, glasses, and a very warm smile. Like Kunigami, he was also wearing a suit from a French designer. And it was when the students realized who was Reo's date for the night.

The man who came in was Chigiri's cousin, a student from another elite prep school in Tokyo, the model Yukimiya Kenyu.

"Ahhh!!!! It's Yukki-sama!"

"Aww Yukki-sama is so handsome~"

And many decided to play nice and befriend Yukimiya so that they, too, could get into the world of modeling. Some tried to act chummy towards Chigiri, thinking that it could lead them to the path to working with Yukimiya in his agency.

From their seat, Isagi's eyes grew wide as he tapped Nagi's arm.

"Isn't that... Yukimiya Kenyu? The famous model who models for a perfume brand that is sold in high-end stores?"

"Ehh?" Nagi asked cluelessly when he looked from Isagi and then to the model. "Is he? I don't know him."

But Isagi only laughed. Then, he noticed Nagi instantly looking back at their table instead of looking at the other students making a show in the middle of the hall.

"Is something wrong, Nagi?" Isagi asked in concern.

"No, nothing," Nagi replied with a sigh. "I am just forced to be here because Chigiri insisted all our classmates to join this party for Kunigami. Mendokusai."

Isagi looked at Nagi, then at Reo and Yukimiya.

"Who's Yukimiya-san's date?" Isagi asked. "He looks intimidating."

Nagi turned around and saw Reo laughing gayly with the other people in the middle of the hall. Reo was holding a champagne flute and continued conversing with the others. Nagi realized that while Reo was behind him during that time he fell in love with Isagi, Isagi probably did not notice the guy behind him that time.

"Ah... that's... that's my classmate."

"For him to be Yukimiya-san's date means that he must be ultra rich," Isagi said. "Your world is really far-fetched."

Nagi looked at Isagi with sad eyes before he excused himself because his stomach was grumbling, and he felt he had to use the lavatory.

"Have you eaten something bad earlier today?"

Nagi nodded and said it must have been the soba he ate that lunch because it was the only food he ate, and his stomach was aching so bad. He really wanted to go to the lavatory. Isagi nodded knowingly.

So Nagi exited from his seat and went to the lavatory to calm his confused heart and mind. He went inside in one of the cubicles to pretend he was doing the number 2, but he was not feeling well at all. He did not like seeing Reo with Yukimiya, and he felt this must have been jealousy.

And just when his heart was throbbing painfully at that thought, he heard the door to the lavatory open. And in came two people, with one voice very familiar.

"Yukki," the familiar voice said. "I am glad you came just as Hyoma requested."

It... it was Reo. And he sounded happy. The carefree tone of his voice made Nagi's heart ache. Why was his former friend making him feel this way, when he had Isagi by his side? Should he be not thinking of Reo at all after rejecting him? Should he, instead, be happy and contented with Isagi? He cupped his hand to his mouth to avoid any sound, and waited for Reo and Yukki to go out.

But oh damn, the two took their sweet time doing whatever the heck they were doing in the lavatory. Of course, they probably had to attend to the call of nature, but Nagi was, at least, relieved that Reo seemed to be talking to that model in the usual way he talked to their classmates. And he heard the two talking about business again.

"Sure, sure," Yukimiya replied. "I am thinking of investing in your father's company. And I am glad your mother's online store is doing well."

"Yeah," Reo said. "It took me days to compel here to hire younger talents who are tech-savvy so they can use their smarts to operate the store and get a wider reach than our competitors."

Then, Nagi, from inside the cubicle, seemed to realize that the area had gone silent, save for some murmurs. He put his ear on the door, eavesdropping to whatever Reo and Yukimiya might be talking.

"Yep, that's about right," Yukimiya said in his gentlemanly yet casual voice. "I will tell my agent about your okaa-san's online store. Hope I can be of help."

"Would it be nice if your agency would let you model for us?" Reo asked. "Coz I could totally pull the strings for you."

"That's great," was all Yukimiya said.

Then, Nagi listened intently as the two in question left the premises, with the door shutting behind them. Nagi was already sweating beads in anxiety and jealousy.

So, this was how Reo must have been feeling when he confessed to Isagi. Hot tears started falling, and he rubbed his eyes furiously. He went out of the cubicle and went to the sink. He tried to ease his breathing as he turned on the faucet to wash the tears from his face. He did not want to tell Isagi that he was crying over someone.

Ah, Charles' song to Niko would fit the situation between him and Reo more than it fitted his relationship with Isagi. He was rich and studied in Hakuho, but he did not act like his refined classmates. Despite the fact that Reo and that Yukimiya model were conversing very casually, they fit each other very well. The rich young Mikage heir was meant to be with the elite model, and Nagi... Who was Nagi but some loner who grew plants in the school greenhouse?

****

Isagi looked at Nagi solemnly when the white-haired guy returned to the table.

"Why do you look so wet? Was your upset stomach that bad?" he asked in slight concern. "Wait... did you wash your face?"

He noticed that Nagi turned around to look at the people in the middle of the hall before he turned back to their table. He wiped his face with his arm (still with his expensive suit on) and said that he'd rather not be in this place because the high life of his classmates really did not suit him. Besides, the party had not started yet, and he wanted to go somewhere else.

"I'll show you something more remarkable, Isagi," Nagi said. "It's in school."

Isagi knitted his eyebrows before looking around. He wondered about Nagi's odd behavior and the reason for why he seemed like in a hurry to go away. Then, his vision landed on Reo, who was looking at them. Yukimiya, who was still beside Reo, was talking with other people nearby. Then Isagi's eyes landed back at Nagi and said.

"Well, it's a pity, because I was really looking forward to this party," he told Nagi. "But if what you will be showing me is more beautiful than it is here, then I'll go with you."

Isagi stood up and smiled as he took Nagi by the hand. The last thing Isagi saw was the purple-haired man looking at their direction while rubbing his chest and coughing.

As Nagi and Isagi left, Reo, who was with Yukimiya, had looked at Nagi and Isagi's direction. He really did not like it that Nagi's back was facing him, while the white-haired plant magician was looking at the dark-haired young man with a hair sprout. But Reo realized that the way Isagi looked at him was odd, like the other was studying him. Reo really did not like those kind of people who were silent, and yet were just observing things to get the upper hand later. And then, when he saw Isagi and Nagi holding hands, Reo felt his throat getting so itchy that he immediately let out a slight cough.

Ah, what a bitch. The large hall must have been cold for him to have an irritated throat, but his chest had tightened too. Not only because a cough was probably starting to form but because of the view some paces in front of him.

He was having a fun time. He let Chigiri invite his dashing cousin over to be his date, though they already agreed to just be casual with one another. And he acted cool like he always had, but the sight of Nagi and Isagi together still hurt, and he was still shaking inside. No, it still did not heal, and he could not use Yukimiya as a rebound. As he watched Nagi and Isagi leave the area, he excused himself from Yukki and ran towards the bathroom.

And in there, he started crying once more while coughing in between.

****

Isagi's eyes grew wide in wonder as he looked at the glittering scenery in front of him. The butterflies and the fireflies were glowing and flying all over him, and the flowers began to sing. For tonight, the voices that were heard loud and clear were from Niko and Kurona, the married roses, and the married mugunghwa. Nagi gave a side eye towards Shidou and Sae, telling them not to sing their lewd song at all. He did not want Isagi to get a hint of what the two were singing since he knew that people who had the essence of flowers could feel the lyrics of the song even though they could not literally hear them. Nagi wished Rin and Nanase would sing because their song was of everlasting love, but Nanase was "pregnant" and asleep, and Rin gently assisted its wife by being silent as well.

Isagi turned to Nagi and said to him with a joyous grin on his face, "Nagi, this is beautiful."

Nagi smiled and asked, "I am right, right?"

"This... this is indeed more beautiful than the scene at the party. This is like a fairy tale!" Isagi said breathlessly, his eyes wandering around the greenhouse again.

Nagi had not shown Blue Lock to Isagi yet despite them dating for weeks now, but he had told Isagi about the extent of his powers. It was only today that Nagi got the time to show Isagi because he wanted to get away from Reo.

Yeah, getting away from Reo, not really planning to show Isagi here.

"Let's dance," Nagi said as he held out his hand.

The two danced in the middle of the greenhouse, with the fireflies hovering over them and changing colors. But then, Gagamaru and Aryu glittered much so suddenly, and they began to sing with voices louder than that of Kurona and Niko. Nagi anxiously looked at the married camellias, wondering why they would sing to them a song about letting go.

"Nagi," Isagi called to him, his voice solemn.

Nagi looked at him, and he realized that the look of wonder in Isagi's eyes from earlier had turned into one that was pensive. Did Isagi realize...?

"Nagi.... Do you love me?" Isagi asked in a voice that seemed distant.

When Nagi was not able to answer, and looked at him with a confused look on his wide eyes, Isagi smiled bitterly and looked at him. All the while, they still held hands and stood close as they danced.

"I think I get it now. I understand the lyrics of the camellias, and their song is sad. I think you really only like me physically, but you really do not love me."

"What... what do you mean?" Nagi asked in confusion.

Isagi replied wistfully, "I really like you a lot, Nagi. I really do. You are kind and wonderful, and you don't give a shit about many people. But it seems that your affection for me is not that deep. It's like a guy having a crush on a girl just because she's pretty or she's oshare, but they don't have anything common at all."

Nagi was tongue-tied. It was true he had fallen in love with Isagi (or so he thought) because of the hair sprout. Was it really that shallow? Was it just physical attraction?

"I am not blind, Nagi," Isagi said.

During their times as lovers, Nagi had realized that Isagi had always been perceptive, and often gave meaningful insights based on his observations. Isagi revealed that Nagi's not his first lover, and he had a girlfriend in junior high. Their relationship ended because they were too young to understand, and were shallow about it.

"I could tell, Nagi, that everytime we were together, there were times when you would go blank, and when I would ask you, you would not tell me," Isagi said sadly, still holding Nagi's hand. "You are not being honest, you know? I don't like it when my lover would hide his feelings from me, especially if it bothers him."

"Gomen..." Nagi whispered as he looked away from Isagi's deep gaze.

"It's about your best friend Reo, isn't it?" Isagi finally asked.

After Nagi told Isagi that Reo left him without any explanation, Isagi put that into mind that when things which he thought were related to Reo where in Nagi's attention, the white-haired guy would look wistful. As if he, Isagi, was not there beside Nagi, and that Nagi was thinking of someone else instead.

But Isagi was smart, and was able to put two and two together.

"That...purple-haired guy back at the party, your classmate, was that the heir to the Mikage empire?"

Nagi simply nodded.

"No wonder he had that... aura that only the rich have," Isagi said. "Not only can I feel the rain coming, I can sense when someone is approachable or not. And Mikage Reo looked like someone who you cannot approach effortlessly."

"You're really perceptive, Isagi," Nagi said sadly. "It's like you can see right through me."

Isagi sighed as he nodded in agreement, a melancholic smile painted on his boyish face.

"The way you acted a while back when you saw Reo with Yukki-sama together spoke volumes," Isagi said. "Also when you got back with a wet face and red eyes from the lavatory. It's not your stomach that's hurting. It's your heart. And your heart is hurting because of someone else. I get it, Nagi, but that's cheating in my book."

Nagi looked at Isagi with a sad look on his eyes. He knew he fucked up the second time, hurting another guy because he was inexperienced with love and commitment. Isagi's eyes had started to water, and Nagi could not even wipe the tears running down Isagi's eyes.

And they continued dancing, with Gagamaru and Aryu still cruelly teasing them with a sad song.

"Remember our first dance at the arcade? It was fun," Isagi recalled. "But this... this is my first romantic dance with you. Sadly, this is our last dance. After this, let's break up."

Nagi nodded as tears started falling from his eyes too. He was a fool for having to let go such a wonderful young man. Is it not possible to have two hearts so as to love two people at the same time? He did not know he was capable of crying like this.

"When we break up, I hope you will comfort your friend," Isagi said. "He needs you more than you need me."

"Yeah..." Nagi said in a sad half-whisper.

It was a romantic scene: the dance, the glowing butterflies and fireflies, the glittering flowers... but this was rather a sad affair. The dance to farewell.

"When we break up, I hope you'll find someone who'll affectionately give you all their attention. Someone who'll receive your attention as well. Someone who adores you like how a bee or a butterfly adores a flower," Nagi advised.

Isagi nodded. When Aryu and Gagamaru finally finished singing, Isagi let go of Nagi's hand and walked away from him to open the door out of Blue Lock.

He locked himself off of Nagi's life forever. And Nagi stood there, letting tears silently fall from his eyes. It was his first young love, but it ended this way. He did not know breaking up hurts like a bitch.

And it was when Nanase and Rin began singing, with Nagi looking at them in disdain.

"You two finally woke up, and you woke up too late," he told them spitefully. "You should've sang that for me and Isagi."

****

Isagi ran away as fast as he could out of Hakuho, with hot tears streaming down his eyes. He did not know where his hasty feet had led him to, but he had to run away. And he stopped in front of a konbini, finally away from the elite school.

As he stood outside the store bawling his eyes out, many people looked at him in confusion and judgment. Why's there a guy here crying his heart in the open while wearing a nice suit?

"Isagi?" a familiar voice called out to him.

Isagi looked up to see his classmate, Bachira Meguru, who just came out of the konbini.

"Isagi, daijobu?" he asked in concern as he inched closer.

"I broke up with Nagi," Isagi relayed.

Bachira looked at Isagi with curious eyes before replying, "You can tell me later if you want to. If you cry now, just go on."

And Bachira wrapped his arms around Isagi, bringing him closer to him. Isagi leaned on Bachira's shoulder, unburdening himself through tears. He did not mind when Bachira caressed his hair and rubbed his cheeks against the crying boy.

"Just cry, Isagi," he whispered tenderly. "I am here."

Isagi had yet to open his eyes to see Bachira's affection. For now, he was glad someone opened his arms to comfort him. And when Bachira touched Isagi's hair sprout, soft plum petals fell from the sky. It was invisible to other people, but only Bachira could see it.

"What... what are these?" he asked himself as he continued consoling Isagi lovingly.

As Isagi continued crying on Bachira's shoulder, the latter looked at the shower of pretty plum petals. His thoughts gives us a backstory of his feelings for Isagi.

Bachira and Isagi were classmates, but they were not really close friends. Just... friends. Bachira was playful and very friendly, and he would give affection to his classmates, mostly the guys. He did so with Isagi, but Isagi being oblivious, did not know about Bachira's feelings towards him. When Bachira knew that Isagi had a boyfriend, he was deeply hurt, but he stood by his friend, still listening to Isagi's happy stories despite his bleeding heart. He still stayed with him like a bee to a flower despite feeling torn if he should let Isagi go or ask him why not him. And with Isagi and Nagi now going their separate ways, Bachira thought that he should give Isagi some time, but he wished upon these beautiful plum petals that Isagi would someday reciprocate his feelings.

From inside Blue Lock, the flowers had gone to sleep, but Nagi's heart was still awake. He did not care if Kunigami's party had started, or if it was fun or chaotic. His heart was a mess, and he walked towards the glass walls of his greenhouse and looked far yonder.

And far ahead, he saw what looked like plum petals falling like snow, but only on one spot. He smiled wistfully and sighed unhappily. Isagi must have found the creature that loved him.

****

"Oi Reo, do you want a cough remedy?" Kunigami asked in concern.

"Ah, no need. Maybe the weather inside the hall is just cold."

Yukimiya smirked, "You make it sound like we are our own country here in the grand hall."

But Reo was still coughing slightly and clearing his throat. "I suppose the air in this hall is dry. The warm water was no use. I wanna go home."

Chigiri and Kunigami looked at each other before they looked at Yukimiya. And Chigiri requested his cousin to be Kunigami's company so he could bring his best friend to the parking lot, where Baya was waiting. Yukimiya nodded and gently handed Reo to Chigiri, who, still in his princess dress, assisted his purple-haired best friend in going out the hall and to the basement parking area.

Baya was reading some books about birds when she saw Reo with Chigiri. She was not surprised to see Chigiri dressing up prettily like a young lady because she knew the young man had the penchant for doing so, and even cosplayed mostly female anime characters in junior high. She immediately put the book on the dashboard and exited the driver's side of the car, and hurriedly walked to the front passenger seat door to open it for Reo.

"What's wrong with Reo-sama?" Baya asked.

Still holding Reo, Chigiri informed Baya that Reo had slightly been coughing and had been asking for warm water to drink to ease his throat. Baya allowed Chigiri to help Reo inside the car.

"Thank you for your help, Chigiri-sama," Baya said with a bow again before walking towards the driver side to get in.

Reo was still coughing in front of Chigiri, who still hadn't close the door of the passenger seat side. As Reo was coughing, out came a dark red item that looked like a small insect or a dead worm, and Reo, who was weak to even bother, just shook it off his hand out of the car door. Chigiri saw it too, but looked a little pensive. It did not look like something that Reo ate earlier because Reo ate carbonara. And if Reo had eaten something, he would have vomited instead.

Finally, after Chigiri closed the door to Reo's side, Baya turned on the ignition of the limo and drove off. Chigiri looked at the car getting further from his sight when his attention was brought back to the thing that Reo coughed out earlier. He gingerly folded the skirt of his dainty dress and squatted gently. He picked up said questionable item and looked at it like how a scientist would investigate a strange yet exciting matter. To his surprise, the red elongated item had something like... a small green stalk.

"Oh shit!" Chigiri gasped when he realized what it probably was.

He grasped the item in his palm possessively, and ran towards another side of the parking lot where his driver was situated. His driver was drinking some coffee while listening to his J-rock playlist.

"Chigiri-sama?"

"Could you please bring me to Hakuho?" Chigiri said. "And oh, please tell Rensuke I am going there and have an important business to attend to."

"Hai," the driver said.

First, he speed-dialed Kunigami on his phone and relayed Chigiri's message. Second, he drove the car out of the hotel parking lot in order to bring Chigiri to the school. Like Baya, the driver thought it would be best not to ask. He was taught to only talk when extremely necessary. Despite it being a Friday night, and the young master wearing a princess gown for a party, Chigiri might have urgent things to attend to, like the fight that occurred on the rooftop some Friday nights ago.

Upon reaching the gates outside of Hakuho, Chigiri immediately went out of his car, the strange red item still held in his hand. He opened the smaller gate, since the larger gate was already closed, and made a dash towards the school grounds to the soccer field in order to reach Blue Lock.

Chigiri was running like mad, but because he looked so pretty with his pink off-shoulder dress, he looked like a fairy tale princess running away from the villains in the story.

He looked so dazzling you would not know he was in for something so crucial.

****

Nagi was wiping the tears from his eyes while looking at the tulips. Maybe other people are lucky with their first love, while some are not so lucky. He was in the second category. He looked at the other flowers around him until his gaze landed upon the stargazer lilies. And suddenly, another vision of Reo flashed before his eyes. In his vision, Reo was wearing a white suit and holding a stargazer lily. He was linked arm to arm with a taller man with a blurred face. Likewise, the other man was wearing a white suit. It was like Nagi's vision some months ago but without the second man.

He could feel people who had essences of flowers, and he felt that the being now connected to Isagi was someone who had the essence of a butterfly or a bee. He thought that his attraction for Isagi was because he truly liked the young man with the hair sprout, but it turned out, it was just the magical magnetic pull of his powers towards someone with that kind of floral essence. It was his first time liking someone like this, so he had the least idea that his feelings for Isagi was not true love.

But why did he have visions of Reo like this? The first was when he envisioned Reo in the bathtub, and twice of him holding a stargazer lily. He knew he was not attracted to Reo at first sight at all, but his fondness for the purple-haired young master simply grew silently over time. And he began to miss Reo.

His thoughts were cut short when he heard a frantic pounding at the door. He looked up to see Chigiri knocking vigorously like someone was chasing him from outside. He instantly took off his seat and beelined for the door and opened it.

"Do you know what this is?" Chigiri asked him straight to the point, showing him the red elongated object on his palm.

Nagi inspected it carefully before he looked at Chigiri matter-of-factly. "It's the stamen of a stargazer lily. You know, the male part of the plant. The red part is the anther, and has pollens on it. Why?"

"Reo... Reo coughed this up," Chigiri reported.

Nagi's face turned pale. If Reo coughed up a part of a stargazer lily, did that mean that... a stargazer lily started to grow inside his lungs?

Damn it. Reo had hanahaki disease, and Nagi thought he should do something to save Reo's life.

--tbc--

Chigiri let Nagi in his car, and while his chauffer drove off to the building where Reo resided, the redhead was scrolling through his phone, looking for more tidbits about hanahaki disease.

It was a bit traffic, being a Friday night and all, so he was able to make use of that time to research.

Despite it being romanticized for the expulsion of flowers by means of coughing secondary to unrequited love, Chigiri found out it affected only a small portion of the entire world population. He thought it made sense though, since unrequited love had been an experience since time immemorial, and if many people had been loving one-sidedly, there would have been no civilization. No Isaac Newton, no Queen Nefertiti, and not even the existence of Tokugawa Ieyasu. It was documented in medical journals, but it was considered one of those rare diseases, he found out. It was not hereditary or caused by viruses, bacteria, or parasites. Like many other diseases with many causative factors, the main cause for one acquiring the disease was unknown.

It was said in the literature that good old cefuroxime, an antibiotic, was the medicine for those cases for reasons even doctors do not know. It just worked, one site said. And it was also said that even the medicine did not always work especially if the love is still unrequited, and in most cases, the victims still died. There were two successful cases where the patients lived while being injected with cefuroxime despite their love still not returned, but no one could tell how. And regarding the surgery to remove the flowers? As only a few people had it, the surgery most done by surgeons was the same as those to remove lung tumors. But the outcome was successful because the patients forgot the people they loved one-sidedly.

Chigiri sighed at what he had read. It was a little bleak, and he just could not believe it that someone who was so dear to him would get affected by such ailment. Also, he could not just talk to Nagi about his abilities since the driver could hear them, so he kept his mouth shut. And he looked at Nagi, who was sitting beside him.

Nagi was rubbing his lips and his chin, clearly very anxious. He could not seem to sit still and kept looking at his watch, and Chigiri was wondering if he thought something might happen to Reo tonight. Nagi was clearly fidgeting, so he told Nagi to snap out of it.

"Let's talk in the penthouse," Chigiri sternly told Nagi. "Don't make a fuss here in my car."

"H... Hai," Nagi replied.

Chigiri also looked in curiosity at the little pot of aloe vera that Nagi brought along. Still, he thought it would be wise to ask Nagi inside Reo's room... if he could get the chance. If.

A little later, Nagi asked about Reo's favorite flower, and Chigiri replied that Reo loved all sorts of pretty ones, but he came to like stargazer lilies recently. That gave the hint for Nagi as to what plant was probably causing Reo's hanahaki disease.

****

By the time Chigiri and Nagi arrived in Reo's room in his pad, Reo, in his house clothes, was already coughing a lot, but only saliva came out of his mouth. Baya already contemplated on calling the family doctor, but Reo kept on saying he'd be fine and need some rest. Baya was astonished to see Nagi after all those weeks, but did not say anything. At this time too, Chigiri informed his driver to go home.

Nagi went to Baya and pleaded to let him handle it instead, which made Baya nod. But he could see that even the old chauffer was skeptic as to what this young master would do, but only nodded when Nagi requested for a trash bag. She also looked at the pot of aloe vera, thinking that perhaps, what Reo needed was simply the plant that Nagi had with him.

As Baya did as told, Chigiri, without permission, took off his clothes and searched through Reo's clothes, like he did the other time he was here. He also searched some for Nagi and threw it on the bed, instructing Nagi that if he planned to do something for Reo, he might as well take off his expensive suit. So Nagi took the potted aloe vera to the other table where the vase with the rose was the first time he came here, and placed the pot. And he took off his clothes and slipped into Reo's comfy ones as told. Chigiri took his gown and Nagi's suit off the floor, and folded them properly before placing them on a couch inside Reo's room.

By now, Baya returned with the trash bag and gave to Nagi, who requested him and Chigiri if they could leave him alone here. Baya started to protest, her maternal instincts kicking in, but Nagi requested Chigiri to tell Baya the whole truth while he go and attend to Reo. But Reo had gone weaker from all the coughing and went unconscious.

"Reo-sama!!!" Baya screamed as she dashed forward to go to her young master.

"Please Baya-san, please let me handle it. Please. Chigiri will explain to you about me. This is crucial, I beg you," Nagi said, pain in his voice.

Baya frowned despite seeing the tears that were about to fall from Nagi's eyes, but threatened to crush him with all that the Mikage have if something bad were to happen to Reo. Petite Chigiri restricted the muscular assistant and begged her to follow him so they could talk in the living room.

"Let's trust Nagi. He knows about this," Chigiri assured Baya, who looked at Nagi with contempt before leaving the room.

Nagi climbed up the bed and started cradling Reo, touching his face. He wept as he tapped Reo on the cheek, begging him to wake up.

"Reo, Reo, please wake up," he whispered. "Please don't leave me... Please... Wake up..."

And he wrapped his arms around Reo and lay down with him on bed, his cheek rubbing Reo's cheeks. He stayed there for quite some time, and from time to time, tapped Reo's chest to dislodge whatever flower was in his lungs. He continued hugging Reo and tapping his chest until he thought that his powers had done enough.

And then, Reo coughed out again before opening his eyes. He saw Nagi right beside him, helpless eyes looking at him.

"Nagi..."

"Reo... Trust me, hm? I'll do something here, so please let me help you."

It was Nagi's first time helping someone with hanahaki disease, and he thought that as someone with the power to manipulate plants, maybe he could use it to save Reo. What Nagi did next helped Reo, but it was a controversial move.

He put his lips on Reo, sealing their distance with what looked like a kiss.

Reo's eyes grew wide to feel Nagi's soft lips on him, but Nagi did not move his tongue like how lovers would kiss. Instead, Reo felt like Nagi used his power to do something to him--whatever it was, like he said he would.

When Nagi removed his lips from Reo, he assisted the purple-haired young man in sitting up, released him from his grasp, and took the plastic trash bag that Baya left for him. And indeed, Reo gagged and coughed until he was able to expel fluids from his lungs along with the disintegrated stargazer lilies - petals, stems, leaves, and all.

No wonder Reo could not cough them all out. Unlike roses or cherry flowers, stargazer lilies have big petals. And Nagi used his power to break the flowers inside Reo's lungs. But Reo could not cough all of them, and he only got weaker.

Nagi bit his lips in anxiety as he watched Reo struggling to breathe.

"Reo... please hold on... for me," he kept saying to the purple-haired guy.

Reo still kept on coughing and gagging, and once he was done, Nagi gave him the peeled leaf of the aloe vera so he could suck on the gelatinous flesh.

"Nagi... am I gonna die?" Reo asked helplessly as tears started streaming from his eyes from all that coughing.

Nagi shook his head vehemently. "I won't allow that, Reo. Please don't die before me... Please..."

Once in a while, Nagi would give Reo a glass of water (Reo had his own little kitchen in his room, so of course, he'd have utensils and glasses too) so he could gargle the bitterness and stickiness in his mouth and spit them out into the trash bag. And he'd cough out again.

Once in a while too, Nagi would wrap his arms around Reo, bringing out more of his energy for his friend in order to disintegrate other remnants of the flowers that were still in Reo's lungs.

And finally, Chigiri came in to check up, but he saw his best friend, coughing and expelling sticky liquid with lots of debris.

"Nagi..." he said before stopping. He saw what happened to Reo, and cupped his mouth with his hand, and ran out of the room, shutting the door close behind him.

As Nagi tapped Reo's back to help dislodge all that was left, Reo sucked in his breath, struggling so much to breathe.

"Reo... Reo, stay with me."

Reo looked at Nagi with weak eyes, clearly exhausted.

"Nagi..." came his hoarse voice.

****

"He is a plant magician?" Baya asked in astonishment.

Chigiri nodded. And in between their conversation, they could hear what seemed like someone gagging and throwing up. The two of them did not want to look, but one of them had to, so Chigiri stood up and ran to check what happened. But Baya noticed that Chigiri only shut the door behind him and ran to the other bathroom near the living room to vomit. She did not understand what was happening, but she waited for Chigiri to come back to tell her what he saw.

Finally, Chigiri came back to the living room, wiping the drool using Reo's branded t-shirt. And he sat down, explaining to Baya what he saw. Baya was livid, but Chigiri calmed her down and told her to trust Nagi. It must have been what Nagi had to do to save Reo's life. Baya could only sigh and say that she should just do as Chigiri told her, to trust Nagi Seishirou.

It lasted the whole night, it seems.

And twelve minutes past eleven that night, Nagi came out of the room sluggishly. Chigiri stood up, and Baya too, and they approached the white-haired young man. Seeing that Nagi was disheveled and sweating meant that he must have worked damn hard to save Reo. And in their eyes, there was anxiety over the unknown.

"Reo's fine now," Nagi declared weakly. "I took all the flowers from his lungs..."

And he collapsed.

****

The next thing he knew, Nagi was staring at a white ceiling after slowly opening his eyes. He blinked before he realized he was inside Reo's room. But why was he looking at the ceiling? Unless...

And he felt an arm around him, warm breath on his cheek. He could feel the warmth of the person next to him, so he gently turned his head to the side and saw purple hair. It was Reo, and he was sleeping close to Nagi.

And Nagi realized that it was morning already.

"R... Reo?"

Reo gently opened his eyes and peered into his dark gray ones before greeting him tenderly, "Ohayou..."

Nagi felt his cheeks warming up to see Reo like this up close. When he's all dressed up, Reo looked so manly. But right now next to him, Reo looked so pretty, a cute version of Chigiri. But there was some kind of melancholy in his eyes and in his voice.

"What happened to me, Nagi?" he asked, his voice still hoarse.

Nagi explained to him what happened, and revealed to Reo about his hanahaki disease. Though it was Nagi's first time to encounter someone with such illness, he thought that since the ailment was caused by a flower, probably he could help. With it, Reo did not need to be injected with an antibiotic (he could not memorize the name, but it starts with the letter "C"), or be heartbroken and forget him by undergoing lung surgery to remove the flowers.

And then, he began to sob, making Reo startled.

"Nagi... why are you crying?"

With tears in his eyes, Nagi revealed, "I used my power to kill a flower so that I can save your life. I gave you a part of my energy, a part of me, so that you will live. I... I am just heartbroken to have used my power that way, but I don't regret saving you. You mean more to me than the flower that I destroyed."

And he sobbed further. Reo brought Nagi to an embrace and let him rest on his chest. He let Nagi cry as much as he wanted. His heart warmed at the thought that he was someone dear to Nagi. But maybe, Nagi just thought of him still as a friend, and a part of him cried over that thought.

"Why does my mouth feel bitter?" Reo asked finally when Nagi stopped crying. "Did it have something to do with everything I coughed out last night?"

Still in his embrace, Nagi affirmed. So Reo said he needed to brush his teeth. But Nagi said that first, Reo had to suck on the aloe vera he brought along.

So the two of them got out of bed and headed to the table with the aloe vera on the pot, and Nagi broke a leaf and showed Reo how to eat the gelatinous flesh to remove the toxins that might have formed inside his lungs.

"Is it even scientifically proven?" Reo asked.

"I don't know," Nagi said. "But it's my go-to remedy for possible poison. And that aloe vera is already treated by me, so I know you can eat it."

Reo sucked on the jelly until the rind had no more flesh on it. Then, they headed for the bathroom to throw the aloe vera bits and to brush their teeth.

"I... I threw away your toothbrush from before," Reo admitted. "I can get you another one."

"N... no, I can get it," Nagi said. "You showed me before where you stored it."

Inside Reo's room was his stash of personal items, so Nagi headed there to get a new toothbrush. The two of them brushed their teeth together like the old times, and after they did, they went back to bed and sat on the edge.

It was an awkward moment, "breaking off" at the bookstore and then brushing their teeth together in the bathroom. It felt intimate and domestic, something that Nagi thought that Chigiri and Kunigami would mostly do. Nagi was fidgeting and did not want to look at Reo. The purple-haired man raised his hand and placed a palm on Nagi's cheek and brought him closer to him, making Nagi look at him. From each other's eyes, they could see emotions they had been hiding but had wanted to say to the other.

"I don't care if you don't love me, Nagi, but... thank you. I owe you my life," Reo said, his eyes emotional.

He leaned forward and planted a kiss on Nagi's lips, but only for a second or two. But as he leaned back, Nagi held Reo's hand on his cheek, like he did not want to let him go. His eyes pleaded for him as he looked at Reo miserably.

"I'm sorry for breaking your heart, Reo... Please don't leave me," he said as he broke into sobs again. "Please look back at me, please. Please don't die... Please don't forget me."

"Nagi..." Reo replied breathlessly.

What did Nagi mean by that?

"Please don't leave me, Reo. Please don't forget me. I don't know how I can go on with that thought."

"N... Nagi..."

In Reo's eyes, the love meant for him was still there, as it never died.

"I love you," confessed Nagi.

And he leaned forward and kissed Reo with all the desperation and love that he could give. He deeply kissed the heir of the Mikage empire to show his realization that he had fallen in love. And Reo wrapped his arms around Nagi, and kissed him as passionately as the other.

Reo and Nagi--they both knew--that the kissed they shared so early in the morning was true love's kiss. Reo tried to give up on Nagi after he told him to forget him, but he still secretly wished and hope that Nagi would return to him in some other way. Nagi did return to him, and he still returned to Reo as Nagi.

Nagi realized that what he had for Isagi was only a crush, while the fondness he had for Reo grew overtime and turned to love. It was like patiently growing a plant until the flower blooms.

And something happened inside the greenhouse. As the power of love was that strong, Blue Lock suddenly glowed with the butterflies and the fireflies dancing in the air, with the married flowers (except for Gagamaru and Aryu), Charles, Niko, and Kurona singing their songs of love. Gagamaru and Aryu did not sing, but to go along with the happiness of their owner, they glowed, with Aryu lending its sparkles to its husband.

Good thing that it was an early Saturday morning, and the soccer team had not arrived yet for practice. They would have seen the magical event that occurred in the greenhouse, which they typically would not have witnessed.

****

Last night, Baya and Chigiri helped Nagi into Reo's bed after the white-haired young man collapsed. Chigiri also had removed the trash bag inside the room and threw it in the trash bin in the kitchen, and he thought he should call housekeeping in the morning to clean up the whole pad. Service laundry wouldn't hurt too. (Yes, sometimes, Chigiri acted like he owned the place, and Baya and Reo didn't mind).

Also last night, Chigiri had Baya sleep comfortably on the living room couch due to her age (despite her insistence that she was extremely fit), while he took the smaller couch to rest. And that morning, they found themselves still horribly exhausted from last night's event, but they were relieved that Reo was well. As Chigiri rose from his reclining position, he rubbed his neck before standing up, informing Baya he'd check on the two inside the room.

He was in for a surprise when he opened the door to Reo's room, for he found the two locking lips, so he apologized and shut the door behind him again. Baya looked at the redhead and noticed how red his face was, so she asked.

"What did the two do for you to look so red?"

"Uh... they're kissing," Chigiri shared in embarrassment.

Baya nodded and shed some tears. Chigiri hurried towards her and asked what's wrong, and Baya just said that she's glad that her young master is all well, that he's all grown up, and had found someone who'll love him wholeheartedly.

****

Chigiri ordered breakfast for the four of them, and he requested laundry and housekeeping services for later before lunch. As they were eating in Reo's dining room, Baya apologized to Nagi so deeply, but Nagi only shook his head shyly. He was not used to older people bowing their heads to him, so he said he understood why Baya was angry at him last night.

It was also evident to Baya and Chigiri that something had changed between Nagi and Reo since last night: Nagi was sweet towards Reo today.

Chigiri let Baya go home and sleep the whole day so he'd act as "guardian" to his friends. After breakfast, Chigiri instructed Nagi and Reo to sleep, but Nagi insisted he needed to water his plants. Chigiri rolled his eyeballs and said that his plants would not die from lack of water for a morning, and did not accept Nagi's excuses and pouts.

Later that morning, Chigiri supervised the cleaners. When the laundry service personnel came in, Chigiri handed them the gown and the suits from last night's party. His convo with Rensuke could wait, he thought.

That lunch time, Kunigami came to the penthouse and brought lunch for the four of them, but Chigiri said that only the two of them could have their lunch date since Nagi and Reo were asleep. In the dining room, Chigiri shared to Kunigami what transpired since he took Reo to the parking lot until what happened earlier today during breakfast.

"What of Isagi?" Kunigami asked curiously.

Chigiri shrugged. "I figured that he and Nagi broke up because when I came to the greenhouse last night, Nagi was down."

Kunigami chuckled, "Ah, it just seems to me that Nagi loves Reo more than he had loved Isagi."

"Yeah... Oh, by the way, what happened at the party after we left?"

Kunigami sighed almost unhappily. The party was great, but he did not know that a girl in their class took Barou out on a date, while another girl from the other class took Aiku as her date. A fight occurred during the party despite Barou and Aiku wearing expensive suits.

"Such a disgrace," Kunigami said, clicking his tongue in annoyance. "Good thing, Kenyu-niichan diffused the situation, and the fight stopped because the two guys adored the great Yukimiya Kenyu. Gosh, you cousins are amazing."

Chigiri flipped his hair and blinked his eyes prettily at his boyfriend, "Of course we are!~"

****

It was a great Saturday, but the redhead and his lover dissuaded Nagi from going out and just spend the rest of the weekend with Reo.

"But my clothes..."

"Reo has lots of clothes," Chigiri dismissed him. "Just grab some. 'Kaythnxbye."

Kunigami and Chigiri spent the evening watering the plants in the greenhouse because Nagi said he used his power to open the greenhouse for them.

****

That night, Reo and Nagi were leisurely lying down on the bed in the dim room, with only the light from the lamp shade on.

"If I may ask Nagi... You were with Isagi yesterday..."

Nagi shared how he and Isagi broke up after dancing in the greenhouse. Reo said he was jealous because he had wanted to dance with Nagi before too, inside the greenhouse, with all the butterflies and the fireflies.

"I saw showers of plum flowers," Nagi said. "I felt that someone had found Isagi and made him happy. I was sad of course... But I realized, I am happier now with you."

Reo smiled, the one thing from him that Nagi loved in the whole world.

"But... who's that model? Isagi said that he's a famous one."

"Ah, that? He's Hyoma's cousin," Reo explained. "Hyoma asked him to be my date. But of course, I told him we'd only be casual with each other."

Reo, of course, did not know that Nagi heard his and Yukki's convo in the lavatory. As the two of them lounged comfortably before bedtime, Reo finally admitted that on that day that Nagi fell in love with Isagi, he realized he understood the songs of the married camellias. This came as a shock to Nagi, who thought that only people with his power and the essence of flowers could understand the songs of the plants. Reo shook his head, not sure why he understood them.

"Is it because I am one of the unfortunate who suffered from hanahaki disease?"

Nagi shook his head. "I don't know. If I knew another one person with such disease, I could have asked if they understand the language of plants. You are the first person I know, one of the very few, who has the disease."

Reo sighed, "I thought I was special. And I thought that hanahaki disease is romantic. But it never was, and it was painful. The whole process... all of it."

"It was hard for me too," Nagi sighed while mindlessly forming a bird with his hands and letting it fly. "Particularly yours was that of a stargazer lily. And Chigiri said it was your recent favorite."

And Reo revealed that when Nagi kissed him this morning, he thought as if he understood the song of the married hydrangeas, reciting some lines that he thought he heard. Nagi immediately got up from bed as he shifted in his place to turn to Reo. He was glad, though, that the room was dim. Otherwise, his lover would've seen how red his face was.

"What was wrong with the song, Nagi? It was about everlasting love," Reo said playfully. "Did I sing them right?"

"Y... yeah, you did."

And Reo pulled Nagi by the shirt, looking at him with a hooded look in his eyes, making Nagi fall back to bed and lying down next to him.

"Ne, do you wanna act out with me what the poppies were singing?"

But before Nagi could protest, Reo had already crushed his lips with his.

****

That Monday lunch, Chigiri was in the student council room, for he had called both Barou and Aiku for the fight that occurred during the party that Friday night. He was standing behind the student council president's desk while the two gang leaders were in front of him, sitting lazily. Their butts were about to fall off their chairs, and their legs were spread, but Barou crossed his arms around his chest, while Aiku had one hand on his thigh, his other hand was rubbing his beard.

"Sit down properly, ahou!" Chigiri screamed as he hit the table with his palm. "You should be ashamed of yourselves!"

"Why is that such a big deal, huh, arrogant princess?" Barou snarled without sitting down properly. "The party occurred in the hotel, not inside the school premises."

"And we did not have the fight in the rooftop, okay?" Aiku complained to justify his actions.

"Still the same, okay?" Chigiri replied sardonically. "Whether the fight occurred inside the school or outside of it, you two are bringing the name of Hakuho High. You bunch of morons should know that. And Aiku-sempai, you probably don't wanna have a good grade for university, do you?"

"Why does it matter though?" Aiku replied with a sarcastic smile before winking at Chigiri. "I'll be going back to Sweden after graduation anyway."

"I don't fucking care where you'll be going after graduation. You could fly to Mars for all I care. But you are in Hakuho, and Reo and my name are on the line. The teachers will skin us both if the students are misbehaving. You get it?"

Chigiri sighed in exasperation. He really hated to get so angry, especially that it was the first day of the school week.

"You two are lucky that you are fanboys of my cousin. If not, your fight would have been leaked, thanks to my classmates who love recording videos."

The two sat up straight, and looked at Chigiri with wide eyes.

"Nandato? Yukki-sama is your cousin?" Barou asked in surprise.

"Can I be your second boyfriend?" Aiku asked foolishly.

"Heck no, Sempai!" Chigiri retorted. "Is that your way of getting friendly with Kenyu-niichan? Huh! Dream. On!"

The two gang leaders were not threatened with the thought of students recording their fight and making it viral. They just wanted to get to know Yukimiya personally and have him as part of their network.

"Can... can I have his autograph, please?" Aiku begged as he sweetly asked Chigiri.

"Not in a million... Oh hi, Reo!"

For Reo came in the student council room. He heard from Kunigami and Chigiri what happened during the party. However, the first thing that Aiku noticed was the hickeys on Reo's neck.

"Ohohoo, who's the lucky girl?"

"Guy. The lucky guy," Reo corrected him.

"I ain't interested in your love life, Student Council President," Barou remarked dryly. "I just want to make friends with Yukki-sama so I can enter the modeling world."

"Push your luck, Barou," Chigiri told him.

"I can pull me some strings, you know?" Barou retorted. "I can do it on my own, though getting to him through you would've been easier."

"Well, well, well, Reo-san," Aiku said to Reo as he wiggled his eyebrows. "Who's the guy?"

Reo did not reveal that it was Nagi, nor did he reveal that he gave his first to him that Saturday night while talking about the poppies. He had no intention of sharing his intimate secret with Nagi to everyone, not when he knew what kind of people the students in Hakuho were. They were refined and glittered like gold, but they were malicious. His intention for coming to the student council room was to give disciplinary action to Aiku and Barou.

****

That afternoon, Reo went with Nagi to the greenhouse. The soccer team members knew that they once hung out together, but they were astonished to see them hang out together once again. But they were still wondering what in the world Nagi had used on Reo to hang out with him when the white-haired guy was the most boring guy in school.

Nagi began watering his plants while Reo stood in front of the stargazer lilies. He was touching the petals of one of the lilies when Nagi turned to look at him, and another vision flashed before his eyes. It was the same as the previous vision where he saw Reo wearing a white suit and holding a stargazer lily, and linked arm to arm with a man with a blurred face wearing a white suit as well.

The face of the blurred man standing next to Reo became clear. It was him, Nagi Seishirou.

He was envisioning him and Reo getting married in the future, and he knew Reo was the one he wanted for the rest of his life. He turned away and smiled to himself, feeling his cheeks burning up, as he watered the married flowers.

He could take his time with Reo, for they were high school students still. In the future, he'd ask Reo to marry him.

"Nagi," Reo called out, cutting his thoughts.

Nagi turned around to see Reo with a smile, the smile that Nagi loved on Reo's face so much.

"I know this flower almost killed me, but I really love stargazer lilies," he said. "Can I take some to my pad?"

Nagi nodded, promising him he'll pick the most beautiful ones from the group.

Later that evening, Nagi asked Reo to dance with him, and like his dance with Isagi, the butterflies and the fireflies flew all around them. This time, they glowed light purple and white. The married flowers began to sing, still except for Aryu and Gagamaru, who only showed support with their glitters.

Reo's eyes went wide with happiness, and he smiled as he looked all around them, still dancing with Nagi. Then, he looked at his lover and smiled that precious smile.

"Arigatou," Reo said. "Thank you for making my dream come true."

Nagi smiled and replied, "I wouldn't have talked to you if you did not notice me first."

Reo remembered that Friday night when he came to school to escape the ritzy party at the hotel where Miura Sakura had her recital. He thought that the fight at the rooftop was a blessing in disguise, because he knew that when he first saw Nagi, it was love at first sight. Nagi was his first love and his first heartache, and just when he thought he would have to let him go, Nagi came back to him. Heaven knows what happened, but Reo was glad that Nagi was meant to be his, and he was meant to belong to Nagi.

Nagi knew that he just liked Reo eventually, unlike Reo's immediate feelings for him. That painful experience between them had opened his eyes that love was not the result of his magical powers related to plants. It was more than just the feeling of butterflies in the stomach. It was the commitment to stay, to offer a part of his life, and to fight death just to bring Reo back to him. It was slow and took its time.

Love was not always the glittering fireflies and butterflies, or a bed of roses, pun not intended. It was also pain, tears, and hanahaki disease. It was also the variety of songs that the flowers sing: of possessiveness, as per Kaiser and Ness; of jealousy, as per Karasu and Hiori; of physical intimacy, as per Shidou and Sae; of a long-lasting love, as per Rin and Nanase; of the hurt and letting go, as per Gagamaru and Aryu; of first love, as per Kurona; of chaste love, as per Niko; and persevering love, as per Charles.

It was like the dance at a party where there was an orchestra playing songs, but for them, it was the flowers and the glittering animals. It was better this way, Reo and Nagi thought, than have everyone see this sweet moment that only they should know of. This was better than Kunigami's party that they skipped.

Nagi brought Reo close to him and tenderly embraced him as they continued dancing. Good thing for them, for the soccer team had already gone home for the day.

"Let's stay this way for a while, Reo," Nagi whispered as he rubbed his cheek against Reo's hair.

"Yeah... for you, Nagi," Reo whispered back as he rested his head on Nagi's shoulder.

--end--