i'm so so sorry for the long wait for the update, i've been focusing on a new book that's out now so go check it out if you're interested!

~

It's no surprise that when Taehyung awakes his head is pounding with the shrill shrieks of clanging bless, throat dry and eyes swollen rose.

Jeno, had awoken long before, his spot beside the blond substituted with a cotton-stuffed pillow that works its way between his legs and pressed to his chest. He had left the comfort of the other's body propped against his to aid the other males in the house as they whipped a clumsy breakfast.

"Hey! Anyone leave the back door open last night?" Mark shouts from the other end of the house, bewildered.

Stumbling to his feet and feeling rather groggy, Taehyung fists his fingers to rub at the skin below his eyes before dragging his languid frame to the kitchen where everyone crowds. He's offered gentle smiles as an arm slings around his waist to hold
him into place, his sleep-driven face pressed against Jeno's neck.

"What happened?" Taehyung queries blearily.

"The door was open the whole night apparently." Renjun shrugs, lips tugged downwards as he speaks, "But I swear it was closed when I came down yesterday for a glass of milk."

Frowning, Haechan pipes up, "How 'bout Mark and I go check the house to see if anyone's around or something's out of place, anyone wanna come?"

Raising his hand despite not being too eager to drag his grouchy self up the flight of stairs, Taehyung supposes that his friend wouldn't be the best at recognising whether something wasn't in its designated spot.

"I'll come too," Jeno grins, "Tae just woke up and he looks half-dead, he needs someone to hold him up."

Pouting at the comment despite silently agreeing, the four of them nod between themselves, mocked teasingly by the other four as they trudge out of the kitchen.

"And if you're murdered by some crackhead hiding around, you won't mind handing down the contents of your account to me will you?" Jaemin hollers in amusement, shouts of agreement following them on.

"Ignore them," Mark sighs, rolling his eyes, "but for real, you two go check out the back door again if you don't mind? Maybe go look in the backyard or something, I didn't get the chance and Haechan and I'll check upstairs?"

"Yeah," Jeno nods, "sounds good, Tae?"

Nodding absently, Taehyung finds his feet pulling him along behind his bespectacled friend, a warm hand encased around his own as he's tugged forward gently.

"Eww, what the fuck?!"

Having dispersed a whiff of dreariness from his slouched frame, Taehyung stumbles to where Jeno stands, just steps from the door where stone steps dip downwards and into the well-groomed emerald of the lawn.

"What!"he cries, nudging the man away lightly to have a better look at what had elicited such a startled surprise.

And there, perched across the stem of a dark crimson rose propped tenderly across what appears to a be mound of meticulously placed petals of flushed coral.

But what had intrigued both males the most was the gentle cursive upon a peach slab of paper, slung gingerly across the rose's neck.

"Brighter than the stars." Taehyung reads aloud, falling to his knees to squint at the letter, "that's cute."

Both, from the grand show of petals and roses were rather sure that this was some show of romance and despite someone's disgust, were much too curious to call the other's before they investigated.

"Ugh." Jeno grimaces, "look, there's more, what type of fuckery-"

But his words of repulse are deaf to his ears as Taehyung shoots up, fingers clasped around the thornless stem of the rose, a skip upon his steps as he giggles, prancing gently across the trail of blushed petals mingling among the grass, delicate bodies curled upwards in gentle curves.

Equal to no number, the next reads, perched in the same manner where Taehyung had found the first rose, engulfed in petals and strung to a rose.

His lips seem to unconsciously curl upwards, despite not knowing whether or not the letters where regarded to him as he continues on, the grass now dipping to gentle hill that spreads out into a fairly medium-sized garden, brimmed with budding flowerbeds and trimmed bushes. A large fountain sits in the middle, bubbling with water and shooting into the air, gurgling on in content as the pair continue to follow on the trail of flushed coral, now upon the cobbled pathway.

An angel midst the fairies, this letter rests at the foot of the fountain, a sheen of plastic enveloping it's body as it's paraded by the grand display of flowers and petals beside it. 

The mention of his nickname seems to snap some sense into him as his eyes skim over the card, lips tugging downwards as the sickening pang at the floor of his stomach threatens to collapse at his throat.

Jeongguk. Oh God did he miss him. Missed the way the elder would draw him close, nose perched across the juncture of his neck as he inhaled deeply, eliciting ticklish giggles from himself as he squirms.

Blinking back the oduite  moisture that collects at his eyes, Taehyung rises to his feet, mood now visibly dampened as he trudges beside the trail.

Cherry paints both cheek and lip. This card is a tad different, for accompanying its floral state was a rather small container encasing his favourite fruit.

A strawberry.

Now, if it hadn't been for the fact that he were so overjoyed at the fact that a special treat, even dipped in chocolate, lays free for him, he would've mulled over the peculiar similarity or even the odd choice in gift. But as of now, there were more important factors to think off, like where the end of this strange trail would lead to.

Heart greater than all.

The card is found wedged between the crack of the concrete so it stands slightly upright - excuse the minor slant in its form - , as if it were beaming up at him as he rounds the bend into a column of the garden beds.

"I actually can't digest how disgusting this is right now, like why the hell-"

"Oh shut up, we both know you find it interesting, why else hang around?"

At this, Jeno remained silent for the rest of their journey, mulling pout upon his lips as his glasses slant across his nose.

The amount of petals that adorned the pathway seemed to double after their discovery of the recent card, blooming with ripe peach and lilies petals that flood the borders of the flower beds, spilling across the cobbled pathway and slithering beneath their toes.

And there, at the very end of the bend of the garden props a last note, this time strung close to a pearl rose, petals flush against the stone as they drop to their heels.

- my angel

There's not much that needed to be said after that, Taehyung knows fully well that they letters had all along been meant for him and it had been the man who he loved more than anything who had spent his time decorating his garden for his sake.

Tucking the letter within his palm, he flips the note, just to be sure, now met with pretty cursive that he never knew Jeongguk was capable of doing.

I love you more than the sea loves the stars, forever my number one. You know where to find me.

"The hell?" Jeno scoffs behind him, glaring in bemusement, "I mean it was cute and all, but we're not ever finding him with all that seconded-meaning."

Rolling his eyes, Taehyung grins as he turns to his friend, "It's obvious, he's at the beach. Number one letter of each note, and the comparison of me the stars and him the sea."

"This...is truly disgusting."

~

bit of a late gift to celebrate hobi's birthday. ♡