GREY SUIT
Chapter One

❛ The Bleeding Heart Flower. ❜
June 2011

The summer of two-thousand-and-eleven was when Ahn Ye-Jun felt the vibrancy of the season to its full capacity. When the brilliance of the sun beams pranced through his hair, illuminating every strand of it, causing it to appear almond brown, and when the warmth of it tickled his shoulders, Ye-Jun knew that he was home again.

It was the season of farewell and welcoming, for the seasons bid Spring farewell and welcomed the new summer.

Ye-Jun was thrilled, as he found himself entangled within a field of daisies. Unsullied daisies, the embodiment of innocence, purity, a new beginning. Collectively, they dilly dallied along the hushed and balmy summer winds. The soothing heat wrapped around Ye-Jun's skin, causing the thin layer of sweat, caused by exertion, to appear shimmery, his complexion sun-lit.

Everything felt like a new beginning. But of course, it was all ironic, since Ahn Ye-Jun gripped onto a sharp gardening tool and was trying his best to detach the flower's capitulum away from its stem, causing the cessation of the daisy.

Rotating his shoulders tinily, and massaging his arms, since they were sore from the minor labour, Ahn Ye-Jun knelt down onto the fern green grass once again, and snipped another daisy with his pair of silver scissors. The stem collapsed and fell upon his palms, "sorry for chopping your head off . . . but this is what my Halmeoni told me to do," murmuring a haste apology, he puffed out his lips and then pressed them together, before settling the daisy within a hay woven basket, where a perfume of long stemmed daisies lay. "Next time be re-born as a human, and don't be me. Become a world-leader, an advocate, a prodigy . . ." He went on.

At the break of dawn, whether it'd be: the brisk chill of a winters morning to greet him, with mellifluous melodies escaping from the raven blue beaks of magpies . . . or a soft mellow summers morning, as the early morning sun paints arrays of magenta and tangerine orange, already scorching the land with its blazing rays-- Ahn Ye-Jun was ready to serve the day by picking flowers for his grandma's shop.

To be quite frank, Ahn Ye-Jun felt a tiny weight fall onto his chest every time he did plucked a flower from its roots, for he felt guilty for being the reason for its brutal death, but he tried not to let the guilt reach his heart.

Pounding footsteps grew as Ye-Jun felt the presence of another. "Why do I always catch you talking to plants?" A voice appeared, his tone in a tantalising manner.

It belonged to Min-Woo. He resembled a sunflower with vibrant, yellow petals that resembled the rays of the sun, blinding every females eyes of Seoul High, their pupils forming into large rose petals as their feet followed after him like bees after pollen.

Ahn Ye-Jun on the other hand? He was often found a step away from the limelight that radiated upon Min-Woo's shoulders.

Whilst Seoul High glorified Min-Woo, Ye-Jun would soak under the grey shadows. Much like a bleeding heart flower, they bloom well in the shade, and since he was found alone half the time, people tended to mix that up with independence and loneliness. Bleeding hearts needed much care, and regular watering, despite Ye-Jun being away from attention, at times, he found himself envying what Min-Woo had.

However, Ahn Ye-Jun never bothered to voice his inner thoughts, it would stir unnecessary arguments, considering the fact that both boys had been strongest companions since the age of five, and Ye-Jun's heart was never made for a complicated life like that. So, Ahn Ye-Jun continued to bask around under the shadows of the growing sunflower, and only waltzed beneath the sun when he wanted to.

"Ya, Min-Woo . . . are you making fun of me?" Removing the plastic visor away from his face, a facial equipment to prevent his hay-fever from worsening. Ye-Jun peeled his gardening gloves off his hands, the sound of harsh cotton hit the soft grass. Also setting his gardening tool down. Decreasing the size of his shadowy dark eyes, that were now honey-brown due to it being caught under the scintillating sunlight, he faced the west, and found that his sight was filled with a certain student, that kept him from being completely solitary during his school hours.

"It's not normal to talk to plants."

"Yes it is, that's what . . . that's what helps them grow," gesturing with his arms as if it would explain his point, there was some hesitancy within his tone, as if he could not believe that fact too.

"And who told you that," holding back the bubbling laughter thay dared to tumble from his lips, Min-Woo had a smile that rocketed upon them.

"My Halmeoni." He sneezed.

"Music helps them grow you stone-head," Min-Woo couldn't help but let out a suppressed chuckle, for he found it amusing how Ye-Jun still believed the myth. "Not talking."

"Music and talking--" With the handle of the hay woven basket hanging from his forearm, the lines above his eyebrows deepened as his forehead puckered. Ahn Ye-Jun had believed that fact for as long as his heart pulsated, he sincerely believed that it was true, for, that was all that he did to the plants outside of his home . . . or, he just didn't want to admit that conversing with nature was ridiculous. "That's basically the same thing?--" With the back of his sleeve, he patted his nose, before letting out another suppressed and softened sneeze, "shibal, this hay-faver--"

"No . . . no I don't think that's true," swinging an arm around Ye-Jun's shoulders, Min-Woo had to pause briefly to register that fact as well.

Trudging through the masses of daisies that littered the entirety of the ground, they managed to reach the stone pavements that were fixed into the pathway leading up to Bittersweet florists, and the Ahn's residence that resided just above the shop. Thin vines of ivy green leaves clung on to the coral white walls. Hanging delicately from the side of the roof and half covering the entrance of Ye-Jun's door, in an arch shape, were lilac climbing wisterias, its fragrance spreading into his home. Blush pink, creeping thyme and soft moss seeped through the cracks of the stone pathway, some fluffy bees visited each individual flower as the two boys neared Bittersweet florists.

"Then I'll sing to them, maybe then they'll grow, I don't know," Ye-Jun shrugged tinily, wanting to leave the conversation so that they would get to the bus stop quicker.

Min-Woo was unable to stifle his laughter any longer, it poured out of his pressed lips, even doubling over during the midst of it too. "Ya, that will be even worse. I don't think you should make your Halmeoni's flowers suffer like that--" As soon as he regained his balance and landed his eyes on Ye-Jun once more, he was only met with nothing but an expression that was deadpanned, Ye-Jun's powdery pink lips were pin-straight, eyebrows half-raised and eyelids half slitted. "You don't, you don't actually mean that . . . do you?"

Brushing his soil decorated palms upon the knee area of his school trousers, it left a powdery brown imprint on them, surely semi-staining them. He curled his top lip, fearing for the scorning he was to receive later on. Without missing a beat, Ahn Ye-Jun swung his arms up in mid-air, pulling his eyebrows into arched angles, his hands held onto the straps of his backpack . . . ready, to lob the back at Min-Woo's face, "you have three seconds to run."

"Okay." Min-Woo only shrugged, all the whilst he overlapped his arms on top of each other, leaning all his weight on one foot.

Enlarging his eyes briefly, as if it evoked a sense of threat, Ye-Jun pursed his lips and lowered his hand, "why aren't you running?"

Eyeing the tattered backpack within Ye-Jun's hands, that only contained sets of coloured pencils and notepads, a rumble of a chuckle dared to spew from Min-Woo's mouth. "Because it's just a backpack. Plus your hands are shaking, which means you're too much of a wuss to do it," using his pointer finger, he gestured towards the rucksack and how Ye-Jun's hands were aquiver.

"Wh-- What? No, they're not." Even though it was blatantly obvious, he suppressing a lengthy exhale, Ye-Jun glued his eyes shut quite briefly.

Still, Min-Woo was unmoving, "I can literally see with my own eyes, that your hand is physically shaking--"

"-- Three."

At this Min-Woo noticed how Ye-Jun's stature lengthened tinily, due to standing upright with his spine flat out, and how Ye-Jun completely dismissed his comment, only the corners of the Ahn boy's sunset pink lips curved upwards, slowly, as if a plan was unfolding within his mind. To be quite frank, Min-Woo was slightly terrified at this . . . "Why are you smiling? Why . . . oh, no you don't--"

"Two--"

"You look like a stone-head with your backpack on your head Ahn Ye-Jun. Everyone knows that you don't even have the guts to hurt a fly!--"

"Well I see a massive fly in front of me . . . and I want to get rid of it." Scoring across his mischievous face was an enlarging grin, one that only extended the more the seconds ticked by. "ONE." Ye-Jun let out a war-cry, the visor above his eyes making his voice echo tinily, cautiously, he wagged his arm about, his fingers gripped firmly around the sides of his backpack, so that it didn't slip away from his palms unwillingly.

"FINE, FINE, FINE I'M SORRY."

"NO YOU'RE NOT."

"I'LL LET YOU SIT BY THE WINDOW ON THE BUS OKAY? JUST PUT THAT BAG DOWN." Spluttering as he cowered away from the, with two palms above his face to protect it.

"For the rest of High School?"

Min-Woo instantaneously regretted his very own words as he witnessed Ye-Jun lower his backpack, with a cunning grin plastered across his balmy face, and during those moments Min-Woo wished that he let Ye-Jun knock him out with the hefty object. When he didn't give an immediate reply, Ye-Jun indicated towards the gardening tool by giving it the side-eye.

Exhaling slowly, Min-Woo finally answered, defeated, "sure but you owe me, okay?"

"Thank you brother," Ye-Jun exclaimed the word 'brother' in english with the entirety of his lungs, his palm patting Min-Woo's left shoulder five times, the inner sides of his lips wriggled subtly, as though it could part and release the chuckle he'd been concealing throughout it all.

"Whatever . . ." Clicking his tongue, a haste thought sprung into Min-Woo's mind, his eyes twinkling, hinting at his impish idea. Without sparing a chance for Ye-Jun to answer, Min-Woo twirled on his heel in a semi-circle, and advanced forwards. "-- LAST ONE TO THE BUS STOP HAS TO BUY THE OTHER THEIR TICKET!"

"WAIT UP-- YOU GOT A HEAD START THAT'S NOT FAIR--"

Flabbergasted, an exhale streamed from Ye-Jun's parted lips which signified his irked state. All Ahn Ye-Jun wanted to do was ride his bicycle to school, he'd take the bustling roads and streets of Seoul, for it gave him an excuse to be late to school. Slouching dramatically, the thought of sprinting all the way towards the bus stop sounded fatiguing. The logic of all of this was perplexing, as Ye-Jun would rather cycle, than take a vehicle that does not require exertion. In other words, Ye-Jun already knew he would have to purchase a ticket for Min-Woo-- and he despised the feeling of being defeated.

The crowded bus shelter consisted of strained office workers, ones with leather briefcases and high-priced watches, or Seoul High School students with dull grey circles under their eyes, ones that were caused from the winters where they'd stay awake, studying for as long as the moon stayed in the sky. What balanced out the grey surrounding the bus shelter, were the towering, white cherry blossom trees. Their midnight black trunks, were rooted behind the bus shelters, some shaded by some ivy green bushes. Fluffy, snow-like petals sprouted from its skeletal branches, and soared above the bus shelter, causing a darkness to loom over those sitting under the bus shelter, the only source of light, apart from the sun, were the flickering mellow lampposts on either side of it.

Squeezing his eyes shut, Ye-Jun puffed out his lips, a pastel amaranth red bloomed upon his cheeks from being out-of-breath. He had his back arched, his palms clutching his knees, "I think . . . you should be the one to buy me a bus ticket . . . I mean, you ran before--"

"Stop being a sore loser Ye-Jun. We made a deal, remember? I deserve something in return, because I let you sit by the window, so you have to buy me a bus ticket. Simple. Unless you want to go to the arcade later--"

"NO--" Shuddering, Ye-Jun knew how competitive Min-Woo was, especially when it came to arcade games. "The last time we went you used up all of your pocket money and mine, because you wanted to win the basketball games and that one motorcycle game--"

"Then, it only makes sense to get me my bus ticket, right?" Snaking an arm around Ye-Jun's shoulder, a joyous grin found its way across Min-Woo's lips when his fondest companion bellowed a quiet, harsh exhale from defeat. "Thank you, brother."

The line was exceedingly slow, and by the time they reached the forepart of the line, Ahn Ye-Jun had cooled down, a gentle tug could be seen on the inner corners of his lips, for, it meant that the deities of controlling-the-times-before-school had answered his prayers. He was going to be late to school, and he yearned for it to extend throughout the majority of the day.

The air conditioning within the stuffy bus, eased his senses, everything felt moderately comfortable. Glancing towards the driver briefly, who held an exasperated expression, as though someone had pushed him into the depths of despair, Ahn Ye-Jun tucked his bottom lip under his top teeth and silently prayed for a safe journey towards school.

Digging around his pockets for silver coins, "please charge for two," handing it over, the driver took it sharply, causing Ye-Jun to enlarge his eyes briefly from the harsh action.

Upon this, a movement could be felt beside him, travelling his puzzled eyes towards the passenger who stood next to him, they exclaimed, "THANK YOU--"

Ye-Jun's eyes met with a student who also attended Seoul High School. Ahn Ye-Jun stayed still, intrigued as to why the girl was showing him appreciation. Comb brushed bangs framed her oval face, her pupils glistened with gratitude, whilst pushing the bridge of her matte black, golden framed glasses further up her nose, her carnation pink lips upturned.

"Sor . . . sorry?" Bearing his teeth as an awkward smile, Ahn Ye-Jun brought his index finger up to scratch the back of his neck, his other hand clutching his newly printed bus ticket.

The sides of the the girl's lips morphed into a much larger grin, "for the ticket, thank you. I lost my purse so I couldn't get one, thank you so much thank you."

Oh. So this was why the line was being held up. Ahn Ye-Jun airily chuckled, his expression not quite matching the amiable laugh. His uneasy smile was now frozen in place, for he was unsure of how to respond. "Your . . . your uh . . . ticket?"

"Ye-Jun what's taking so long? The people behind us are yelling . . ." Peering over his shoulder was Min-Woo, but when his concentration landed upon the girl, his sentence trailed away with the breeze outside, a subtle bashful grin meandered its way across his lips.

It was now the girl's turn to falter, the skin of her cheeks pinched a vibrant tulip pink, "my ticket--"

Caught within a tough haze, Ye-Jun was befuddled about the answer he was going to choose: to help or not help. Bringing a palm towards his chin, he swiftly glanced towards the side, his attention gathering upon the pale white petals that fell off the branches of the blossom trees. Being too caught up within the bewildering swarms of questions within his mind, it blanked out the sounds around him.

". . . Ya Ye-Jun?--" Still no response. "The day I stop tolerating you, will be a day full of miracles." Min-Woo exhaled greatly, when his several attempts with grasping onto Ye-Jun's attention had failed, before fishing out some coins and passing it over towards the driver. "One more bus ticket please."

Nibbling on the inner corner of her glossy, lemonade pink lips, upon the humiliation, the girl scrunched up her face whilst rolling her shoulders forwards, as if she were cowering away The majority of her hair curtained her face. "Thank you," her voice was timid and small, "aish this is so embarrassing," she then shuffled hurriedly towards a seat towards the back.

The last window seat.

Min-Woo sighed heavily beside Ye-Jun, "ya, what's up with you Ye-Jun," ushering the absent minded companion towards the side of the bus, where there were conveniently, two bar handles for them to use for when the bus travelled, Min-Woo waved his palms in front of Ye-Jun's face, which pulled him back to reality.

". . . Hm?"

Dazed, Ye-Jun glided his eyes over towards the window seat, that was supposed to be his. But instead, it had the girl seated beside it. A minute smile curled across his dusky rose lips, his mind still reeling over the peculiar encounter, and comical mistake that the girl made. It seemed, that his lengthened ogling affected the girl, for she could feel the smouldering stare on the back of her neck. Manoeuvring in her seat tinily, to locate what caused her to feel on edge, her cautious eyes searched, her head still craned down low, as though she were still ashamed over the past events.

Then her frame grew rigid.

Ahn Ye-Jun perked up when the girl settled her russet eyes on his figure, her curiosity took ahold of the boy who stood ungracefully, since the bus jolted and wobbled along the uneven roads. Raising his palm up to his side, a indication of his greeting, he then sent a toothy grin. Ye-Jun was to mouth a haste 'sorry,' but a sturdy hand latched on top of his wrist, pulling it downwards.

"Don't, she stole your seat," Min-Woo stated.

It seemed that she had heard, for the girl faced the front again, her mouth still agape over the fact that Ye-Jun was not at all bothered over the misunderstanding and the bus ticket incident.

"It's okay," slipping his arms through the gaps of his backpack straps, Ye-Jun felt the burdensome weight of his unused textbooks and beloved art supplies upon his shoulders, an enthusiastic grin beamed across his exulted face, "we get to be half an hour late to school because of her."

Realising this, "wait you're right, let's hope there's traffic," Min-Woo let go of the safety handle he'd been holding on to and brought his palms out for Ye-Jun to shake. The companion mirrored Min-Woo's actions, which was a terrible, terrible decision. The bus teetered on a ramp, which made the vehicle jolt, causing the pair to collapse on to the ground, their rucksack padded backs came into contact with the side of some passenger seats.

Slumping, still feeling the sweet bliss over the notion of being unpunctual, Ahn Ye-Jun let his head rest against the surface behind him. A gentle smile etched itself across his face, as before him, his view consisted of the bus's window from the other side. Which, he could just about make out through the gaps of bodies that stood up on the bus. A particular silhouette included the girl that had difficulties purchasing a bus ticket.

She was right in the centre of the window.

The view was not clear, for the bus accelerated across the road. What Ahn Ye-Jun could see, were colour fusions of: sea green, juniper, slate blue, cobalt and lemon chiffon. The intensely soft colours, mixed together as the bus sped by the streets of Seoul, a palette he wished to use in a painting he could already envision within his mind.

Inwardly dreaming, Ye-Jun relaxed, feeling the greyness from the past, cold seasons, slip away from his fingertips. The colours of summer saluted Ahn Ye-Jun as he spectated the world outside.

DEAR ALL,

waaaaaaa i finally wrote the first chapter about the summer of 2011!!--

who do you think the girl is? i think it's kinda obvious but it's okay >~<

i also got that bus ticket scene inspired by a drama called revenge note 1, as i mentioned before, there'll be a lot of references to the dramas i've watched, since they bring a lot of comfort, so i thought i'd show some references here-- who doesn't love a good reference.

this chapter sort of introduces everything, mainly introduces the brotp between min-woo and ye-jun and overall the vibe, and what ye-jun is like. it'll be light-hearted in some parts, but of course, realistically nothing is entirely sweet, so there will be some obstacles-- we love <character development3

i hope this was enjoyable! don't forget to vote and comment and look after yourselves <3

WITH LOVE, SYLVIA.