"I've got a cold today..." Leon said over the phone, "you've gotta go with Tang Yun on your own."

"W-what?!" Hall hissed. "You did this on purpose!"

"You're not gonna get anywhere with him while I'm around. Besides, he likes you enough as a friend already, it's not like it'll be awkward."

"What if I invite-"

"Don't you want it to be obvious to Xie Yuzhi what you're doing?"

"...yes. Ok, fine! I see him, I'll talk to you later."

Hanging up quickly, he smiled at Yun.

"Thanks for inviting me." Yun said, smiling back.

"Of course," Hall replied, "Leon got sick, so it's just us."

"Okay."

Hall silently grabbed his bag and said, "Let's go now, it's in walking distance."

"What is it, exactly?" Yun asked as they started walking.

"A-a garden, it's one of the few that lets Espers roam it."

"They don't let Espers into gardens? I need to get out more..."

"The owners usually don't like the larger and more disruptive Esper in their precious gardens, but this one is run by an Esper so that's why we can go in."

"Huh, how sweet..."

Hall smiled. Oh god, Yun was so adorable.

He had a crush on Yun since the moment he met him, all the way back when neither of them were Shadow Guards. Although he was glad that meeting happened, he still hated thinking of his past.

"Is that it?" Yun asked, "it's called Archway Garden." Hall nodded.

"See? Told you it was close."

Walking into the garden was like entering a dream. Archways covered in all kinds of flowers welcomed them with the sweet scent of flora. Their feet splashed on the damp sidewalk.

"Wow..." Yun breathed.

"It's just the entryway and you're breathless already?"

"It's gorgeous."

Yun ran his hand above the delicate flowers, amazed that something so calm and beautiful could exist in a world like this.

"There's a lot more to see and smell!" Hall tugged at Yun's sleeve. "If you like these, you'll love the river."

Yun gave a small nod and followed Hall deeper into the dream.

Hall's vision was never the greatest. Despite that, coming to this garden was wonderful. The flowers were so strong, and the river powerful, that he never felt like he was missing anything.

The river was coming up. The powerful river didn't go by quickly, it was actually quite calm. Despite that, the splashing of fish and the drifting of lilies was the kind of power that Hall liked.

Yun knelt by the bank and stared at his reflection. A wiggly blob stared back, and suddenly it was a lily pad.

"Can you smell the lily pads?" Yun asked.

"I've never tried," Hall admitted, "I assumed the river would stink more."

Yun went silent, then knelt down deeper to smell the lily pad.

"Mmm..." he sighed, smiling. "Come smell them, they're great!"

Hall knelt down and took a whiff of the flower. His eyes widening, he gave a big sniff.

"They're so sweet..." He said. Yun nodded, smiling a little.

"Should we continue?" Hall asked. "There's a bench that's always out of the sun we can sit at.

"Can you lead the way?" Yun asked.

"Yeah, I've been here enough to have the whole place basically memorized."

"Impressive." Yun said, helping Hall up.

***

The heat of the afternoon soon washed away. The day had been so much fun, funner than Yun would if liked to admit. His lips were stuck in a smile, admiring how thoughtful and caring Hall was.

"It's getting dark," Yun said, "we should get going back."

"Has it really gotten dark?" Hall asked, almost sadly. "Alright, let's go say hi to the owner then we can leave."

During their time at the garden, Hall had talked about his friendship with the old man, Mr. Angel, that ran the garden all on his own. Mr. Angel was slowly losing his eyesight, being completely blind in one eye. It gave him and Hall a connection, being the only other blind person he knew.

"It's so much wetter over here." Yun observed as they drew nearer to Mr. Angel's home.

"He probably just watered them," Hall said, "he had this hose he loves to use."

Just as he said this, an elder man came into vision, holding a hose and watering some larger plants. Upon his back, were grand, beautiful, white wings, droplets of water dashed on them shining in the lamp light.

"Mr. Angel!" Hall called. The old man looked over and waved with a toothy grin.

"Hello, Hall. You brought a new friend?"

"Yes, this is Tang Yun."

Yun shyly waved, enamored by Mr. Angel's enormous wings.

"Why, isn't this just a treat." Mr. Angel smiled and shut off his hose.

"We just wanted to say hi," Hall said, "but how are you fairing?

"Oh, everything is almost perfect."

"Almost?"

"Yes..." a sigh escaped the old Esper's mouth, "but the city council is going to be taking almost all my land for this and that."

"What? How can they, this is yours!"

"Don't get too excited, young man." Mr. Angel sadly smiled. "This is the way of the world, but they're letting me keep my cottage and a little more this way and that way."

"But-this garden, it means the world to you! How can they just take it away like that?"

"I'm an Esper, no one likes us Espers," Mr. Angel clapped his hands, "it's getting dark, you and your friend should be getting home."

Despite Hall's feeble objections, he gave up and let himself be lightly dragged away by Yun.

"Are you ok?" Yun asked once Mr. Angel was out of sight and out of hearing distance.

"I knew the local government didn't like Espers, but I didn't know they'd force away an old man's land just because they felt like!"

Yun bit his lip but didn't speak anymore.

***

The next morning, Hall was awaken by a strange smell. He sat up and felt around, finding nothing in his bed.

He then sat up and followed the smell to his door. Opening it, the smell was undoubtedly some flowers. He managed to find a bouquet of flowers, a piece of paper attached.

"What's that?" He heard Leon ask, walking over.

"What's on this?" He held out the paper. Leon lifted the paper slightly.

"Thanks for taking me to the garden, it was so much fun. I bought the strongest flowers off the old guy for you. From, Tang Yun."

Hall smiled, his cheeks reddening.

"Are you still ok with the garden...y'know."

"Yeah, yeah...I'll get over it, like Mr. Angel said, that's how the world works..." Despite saying this, cogs in his mind began to turn.

It wasn't just him who loved the garden now, it was Yun too. At least, that's what Yun told him.

He had to save the garden now.

***

Yuzhi sniffed Yun, raising his eyebrow.

"You smell like flowers?"

"Yeah," Yun smiled, "I got some flowers for Hall, as a thank you gift."

Yuzhi gasped. "None for me?"

"You didn't come with us, silly." Yun gave Yuzhi a kiss on the nose. "I'll get some of your favorites later, ok?"

Yuzhi nodded, but pursed his lips. Yun sighed and wrapped his arms around his hips.

"You know I love you, and only you. I'm the jealous one, you told me so."

"Hehe, I did tell you that." Yuzhi gave Yun kisses, but he still was annoyed.

'None, one. I'll just pull a prank later, then we'll be even again!'