Velvet red roses is a timeless symbol of love and devotion. Its deep red color and velvety touch is symbolic for expressions of intense passion and strong feelings of affection. Regardless of time Hyunjin's garden nurtured from his own blood grew into a beautiful place with lurking monstrous roots feeding on him. The prince covered yet another sprout on his arm as he made himself dolled up for the first ball.

"Jisung is gorgeous isn't he not?" He hears a servant gush as he's led to the ballroom.

It's extravagant with golden ruins held captive by his parents from the past, it's vintage and antique. Their stories legends yet his was yet to become, he's adorned with a white ivory shirt, black epaulettes on each shoulder, with a diamond chain connecting both ends, his long hair in a half ponytail tied with a white ribbon carrying his royal symbol. Plain black trousers and high boots. He was such a breathtaking beauty, turning heads to his direction once he entered the room with grace.

"Hyunjin honey you look pale. Are you alright?" His mother worriedly felt his forehead.

"I stayed up painting mother. I'm alright." Oh how easy was it to lie, if only his mother knew of congested lungs that had ingrown roots, thorns and flowers blooming. If only she knew he was so in love with a man he can never have. She nods sighing as she goes to welcome people.

Music tiptoes around the ballroom with men and women pairing up for every dance. Hyunjin's eyes fall onto a certain couple, Jisung looked small within Minho's muscular arms, his beautiful smile as he stared at Jisung's gummy laughter. Pain gnaws at his brittle ribs as he tries his hardest to not let his emotions rule him but what was he supposed to do?

Hyunjin does find himself swaying to a distance piano forte, with princess and dukes. Alas his eyes follow his knight through each bat of an eye, until he finds himself dancing with Han Jisung. Indeed, he had to admit the boy certainly was doll like, such perfect symmetrical features which made him look a little like a squirrel. Though Hyunjin paid no heed to what his childhood enemy's eyes were focused on Jisung had his attention in his prince. Now he wasn't a fool.

Oh how Minho had Hyunjin under his hawk gaze and how the later longed for attention. Eyes never lie, he sure notices how those eyes soften at a slight glimpse of Minho. His arm gets caught on Hyunjin's arm making him flinch, he's shocked at the bruise on his wrist. He looks up at Hyunjin following along that longing look, only to meet Minho's feline features.

Breathing suddenly felt like he were to choke on something. All his life he'd been in love with Minho, ever since he was six. He gently pushes Hyunjin away as he runs out the ballroom into the darkness of the night. He stops abruptly as he collapses on his knees crying. Whimpering at his fall, he's bruised by thorns, thick metallic blood smear on his soft arms. But he isn't cut so deep to have blood dripping off his knee. His heart tightens once again at the ghastly sight of a crushed rose sprout that had blood pooling under him.

Minho worried looks around trying to spot Jisung amidst people of status, his eyes drenched with worry. If one would give him attention they'd be in a fix a dilemma of who he preferred or loved. Was Jisung his lover and Hyunjin his responsibility. Hyunjin bowed at a princess once his dance came to an end.

"You're Highness have you seen Jisung?" Minho asks him as Hyunjin shakes his head unable to voice out words, his throat scratches and tickles with petals and roses.

"Ahh Minho! Why don't you take your prince for a dance?!" Hyunjin Mother, the Queen breaks their conversation with glee.

Hyunjin hadn't planned this at all, his eyes sheeted with tears as pain threated through his heart in forms of rose creepers and vines. One word and he'd spit flowers on his knights handsome face. Oh to be in his arms forever but Hyunjin didn't want to be selfish. Meanwhile Jisung sat staring at blood on a cold bed of grass. His mother did say to stay back for he showed signs of a fever after spending so long in the rain but he insisted in following his fiancé. As he turns to the direction of the ball room he sees Minho dance with Hyunjin, their eyes knitted together on an intense gaze the quite didn't have the ability to point at a reason or a possibility.

"These roses....." Jisung let his bloody fingers trace a velvety petal as his other clutched his chest. "Hyunjin....... Hyunjin has Hanahaki." He scoffs tears threatening to fall off his pretty for eyes. He was sent to England to study because his governess spoke his exceptional brain in education not because he was a fool.

Suddenly the moon disappeared under heavy clouds as droplets of water pitter pattered on the ground. Minho spots Jisung in the garden but Hyunjin seemed to be loosing his balance before him. As a knight he had to put Hyunjin first in his decision unfortunately. Jisung started shaking under the sprinkling rain as it grew heavier. As realization slowly dawned upon him.

"I didn't love him enough did I? Hyunjin is burdened with it because he loves him truly." Jisung hiccups as he breaks into a vicious coughing fit vomiting chrysanthemums and white lily petals into his wet shivering palms. He breaks into a loud cry as he sobs his heart out, were those loving gazes a lie? Why hadn't he had hanahaki for all these years of being betrothed? Did he love him or just simply gaslighted himself into assuming he was in love with Jisung when he's always preferred Hyunjin, he was yet to realise his true feelings.

"Hyunjin is in love with my Minho." Jisung faints his body falling onto the rose bed that Hyunjin nurtured himself.