[light fluffy ssambang for ya'll!]

[less dialogue. i wanna see how i'll do with my vocabulary lol]

[cheer you up]

Honda Hitomi wasn't one to look further and deeper for further hidden meanings behind each conversation, since she always thought it did not matter or it was a waste of time to do so. 

But now she found herself pacing back and forth along the seemingly empty hallway that lead to their practice room, her eyebrows scrunched up in frustration as she thought about the one text Kim Chaewon had told her earlier.

"What does she even mean by that...!" She whisper-yelled for the tenth time in the span of a single minute now.

She knew that the older wasn't the type of person to dawdle on any form of interaction for longer than what was deemed necessary or when there was something urgent regarding IZ*ONE, but Hitomi struggled to decipher what she had meant by, "I have something to tell you."

Hitomi believed that if someone wanted to say something to her, they should do so as soon as possible and face to face, with no hesitation and words crystal clear and direct. 

Although she knew that the older Kim meant well, she couldn't suppress the suspicious feeling lurking at the back of her mind that something was wrong. That perhaps she was hiding something dark and disturbing from her. A skeleton in her shared room with Yena? Force fed the duck with bread (Oh, she'd like that indeed)? Made the older unconscious simply with her own pillow? Wrestled until Yena was couldn't restrain her and slept instead?

Now this is just getting ridiculous, Honda. 

She wouldn't do such a thing.

..Would she?

A minute or two passed, the peach realized that the issue must be of high important for her to go to such lengths to prolong the conversation for as long as possible.

Deep breaths, Honda, she's just Kim Chaewon.

Right, the Kim Chaewon she oh so dearly admired.

Thoughts, don't betray me.

"Hiichan."

The nickname caused Hitomi to draw to an abrupt halt and whip around to face the person she never thought she'd have to herself for a good few minutes. She greeted with her usual toothy smile and quick bow.

Chaewon immediately bent down to bow at Hitomi as well. Her exhausted demeanor melted into a warm smile as soon as their eyes met, and she leaned on the wall as she quietly caught her breath, her smile never faltering. 

Like most of the things Chaewon did, Hitomi was mesmerized, and quickly found herself unable to form a coherent reply.

She's simply so stunning. 

"Sorry for making you wait," Chaewon continued, her features softening as she looked down at the younger.

Hitomi gulped, her voice turning hoarse, "It's no problem, unnie."

"I..." Chaewon began, then paused and dropped her head, a faint blush on her pale cheeks, "Ah, that's no good. I, uh, guess I'll have to give you this first."

If Hitomi was confused and muddled before, she was even more troubled now. 

She knew Kim Chaewon as someone who valued the weight of actions more than words, but the anticipation she felt in the current moment was all too overwhelming for her. As much as she wanted to know what Chaewon was about give her, she was equally tense and nervous as to why Kim Chaewon would go to such lengths for her, for Honda Hitomi.

She heard a soft rustle followed by a gentle weight on the sides of her head and opened her eyes. She didn't even know why she had squeezed them shut in the first place. 

Looking up at Chaewon, she saw that the other was radiant and flustered, and was twice as transfixed when she averted her gaze to the floor.

"I-It's not much but...I hope you like it, Hiichan," Chaewon said in an uncharacteristically small voice. 

This was nothing like the talented, confident, and perfect girl that she knew. It was a side that she never witnessed before, and was thrice as captivated and intrigued by. 

A side of Kim Chaewon that Hitomi couldn't tear her eyes away from.

Hitomi then blinked once, twice, then lifted her hands slowly to reach for what the older had placed on her head. 

Her fingers bumped against coarse wood, then stretched further to touch soft petals-- wait, petals? She had a vague idea about what it was, but refused to believe it until she took it off her head. 

It was undoubtedly a flower crown. Chaewon had given her a flower crown. 

Her systems froze and shut down in an instant as realization kicked in, with shock following swiftly in suit. Hitomi was clueless about the situation she was currently in, and alarm bells blared off in her mind at how Chaewon was still patiently waiting for a response as she had a crisis whirring in her head. 

Hitomi thought she was just a nobody, let alone to someone as dazzling and amazing as Kim Chaewon, and she couldn't help but feel overjoyed and astonished.

"Why..." She stammered, still frozen in place. 

It was all she could muster as her hands trembled, as if the flower crown was an undeserved trophy. She knew she had to respond. She could hardly express her gratitude when her mind was clouded with so much uncertainty.

"Ah, well," Chaewon began, scratching the back of her head in embarrassment, "you seemed to be down all day and I wanted to...to cheer you up, so I made this."

Chaewon was kind and her hospitality shone through when she least expected it, but nothing in the world could have prepared her for this. Not only was she observant, she also looked out for Honda Hitomi of all people, and that made her feel loved. 

It made her feel special.

And perhaps, that was more than enough.

Hitomi chuckled and beamed up at Chaewon, making the latter's heart thump twice as fast in her chest, "Thank you, unnie. I like it-- no, I love it," She lifted the flower crown to her nose, sniffing it gently, "what flowers are these?"

Chaewon was caught off guard at the younger's question. Baffled, she awkwardly replied, "Well, I...I couldn't imagine what flowers you'd like, so I picked some near the building that caught my eye the most. I hope these'll be alright, Hiichan."

No, Hitomi so badly wanted to say. These are even better. 

The petals were of a deep saturated purple whilst the hue faded off towards the center, adding a unique touch to it. They smelled strongly of morning dew, but they still couldn't conceal the subtle hint of Chaewon's minty scent amongst them. 

This was her personalized gift for Hitomi, and she would never forget the tender touch of her hands as they'd fitted the flower crown so delicately and carefully onto her head.

"I've got a few won on me. Wanna come along and get some bread?"

Her day was getting better and better. But then again, just simply being near Chaewon's presence for just a minute was enough to last her through the day.

The pungent aroma of the flowers refused to fade even weeks after Hitomi placed them on her shelf that she'd cleared so tirelessly for. She thought she'd kept a lid on them and tucked them away neatly at the back of her mind, but somehow they kept darting back, tugging at her heart with urgency. 

But for now she smiled instead, breathing out and loosening her grip on that lid. 

For once, she allowed the tight feelings to blossom and seep through every pore in her chest. Perhaps she could let her emotions grow just like those flowers, knowing full well that they would never fade nor wither. 

Hitomi now embraced her emotions with open arms, and hugged it tightly to her chest, just as she did to Kim Chaewon that day. 

Perhaps she would unravel them in front of her one day. Maybe the older would also feel the same. Perhaps.

For now, she was more than happy to keep it a secret.

_______

word count:
1069

gonna go back to our home since new years just ended. how'd it go for you guys? :D

HERES LVER SSAMBANG >:(

michaeng's next ;))))