Chapter Text
"The Flowers of Your Love" by call_1350
Published: 2026-18-02 Words: 1,000 Kudos: 3
spArk was disbanding. The day that the news came out, the Han river was flooded with tears. But it couldn't be avoided.
Why? Because all of the members were terminally ill with Hanahaki.
Except for one.
-
Jeho didn't know when the bathroom trashcan started getting filled with bloody flowers. Nor did he really care. It wasn't until Kiyeon fainted in the middle of practice that it occurred to him that this could impact activities.
"This"? What even was "this"? Were the members running themselves ragged doing hardcore gardening?
Suffice to say, Jeho was confused even when the doctor at the hospital pulled out the image they took of Kiyeon's lungs. Tapping a particularly gnarly part of the image, the doctor opened her mouth. "You see these? These are dandelions."
The rest of the members instantly became downcast, faces plummeting, but Jeho was honestly lost. Why were dandelions growing in Kiyeon's lungs?
"The growth is rather severe," the doctor continued, expression grave. "I'd expect for him to have around two years left. When it comes to cases like these, I always advise the patient to get the surgery or get their love requited, but the decision is ultimately up to you. If you decide to have the surgery, let me know."
With that, she left the group in a room full of silence. Kiyeon picked up the image that the doctor had left on the table, staring at it mutely.
"Kiyeon," Seongbin started to say, before interrupting himself with a series of wet coughs. He had been coughing a lot lately. It was weird. "Kiyeon," Seongbin said again, composing himself. "Do you know who this is about?"
Kiyeon didn't respond. He didn't even look up.
Jeho was still lost. Why did love have to do with plants in Kiyeon's lungs?
"He knows who it's about, alright," Cheonghyeon said.
"Shut up."
"Shut up? You're going to die, Kiyeon!" Cheonghyeon sounded like he was on the verge of tears. "And you know it's never going to happen, so why don't you--"
Before he could finish his sentence, Cheonghyeon also cut himself off with a series of wet coughs. Was tuberculosis going around or something?
"Like you have any right to say that to me," Kiyeon shot back viciously. "You of all people--"
As the two continued arguing, Joowoo shrank back more and more, eyes flickering intermittently to Jeho. Joowoo, too, let out a light cough from time to time.
"..."
What was going on?
-
Kiyeon refused to have the surgery. Two weeks later, Seongbin collapsed. Once again, they went to the hospital. It was the same doctor, this time, and they were placed into the same room.
The doctor held out a black-and-white image of Seongbin's lungs. "I remember your group from last time, but I'll go over it again." She tapped a gnarly portion of it. "See these? These are roses. And the growth is severe, even more severe than Kang Kiyeon's case. I would give around the same time estimate though, because I expect for Kiyeon's growth to have worsened to be at the same level over the past two weeks." She squinted at him. "Unless there's another development that I need to be made aware of?"
Kiyeon's eyes flickered quickly to Jeho before fixing on her again. "N...No. No development."
The doctor looked at Kiyeon, looked at Jeho, then looked back at Kiyeon. "...I...see. Well, again, you have the option to either get the surgery or get your love requited. Otherwise, it'll be two years for you. I'll give you time to decide."
And with that, she left the room.
"..."
Jeho still didn't know what was going on. He wasn't entirely stupid; after his ninth personality scandal, he had learned to shut up and let Seongbin and Cheonghyeon do all of the talking. (Though, even they had started faltering at it starting from a few years ago. Jeho understood entirely. It was difficult to say the right thing.) The consequence of that, however, was that... He still had no fucking idea what love had anything to do with plant germination.
"I..."
Seongbin looked utterly crushed.
"Kiyeon, this wasn't how I wanted you to find out."
Kiyeon looked away. "It's not like I didn't already know. In fact, most of us here are in the same position, aren't we? I counted at least four varieties of flowers in the trashcan."
"...You didn't know that it's the same person, though."
"No," Kiyeon said. "But I could guess. I think we all already guessed, by now."
Jeho certainly didn't. What were they even guessing? What the fuck was going on? He finally spoke up.
"I don't get it. What does love have to do with plants growing in your lungs?" A pause. "And why aren't you just getting the surgery already?" It was obvious.
"Hah." Kiyeon's smile didn't reach his eyes. "This is what I hate most about you, Jeho. You always make things sound so simple." Then, he appeared to steel himself up for something. "The truth is... We're all in love with you."
"..."
What?
"If you requite it, we'll be cured."
"It sounds like you'll also be cured if you just undergo surgery," Jeho pointed out.
Cheonghyeon was aghast. "If we get the surgery, we'll never feel anything about you ever again!"
"Why would that matter? It's not like you'll be incapable of performing." Jeho couldn't understand. "And since when had all this started, anyways? Aren't we just coworkers?"
In hindsight, those were the worst words he could've possibly said.
-
≫ spArk's Disbandment
└ how could all five members come down with health issues at the same time TT the group isn't even just on a hiatus, they're disbanding... what are they feeding them at UA???
└ └ikr like TT i feel like there's definitely something going on from behind the scenes that they aren't telling us
└ └ └what if all of them have hanahaki lolol
└ └ └ └nah what are the chances though