" Hey Nana, It's me Yoobi. How are you? We've brought your favourite flowers."
I was standing in front of her grave, holding the bouquet of her favourite roses. Mom rounded an arm and held me close to her. We placed the bouquet and prayed for her soul.
The flowers which were kept at the funeral withered away. I sniffed back the tears as I saw her name on the stone. My parents left me some time alone at the cemetery and I covered my face with palms and wiped off every tear that comes down. While returning from there, I told them the story of Nana and they hugged me to stop crying.
It's been a week since Nana's death and we locked the front door of Nana's house and left to Oxford. I insisted them to leave Alfriston because the house became empty and I couldn't stand there anymore. Everything came back to normal, as mom and dad went to work whilst me sitting in my room mourning about her loss.
My buddies tried to call me as my parents told them to cheer me up but I turned the phone silent. I haven't talked to them at college and shut them out when they come to my home.
I was practising dance. Dad made me food but I ate a bit and left it there. Dancing really calms my mind whenever I'm feeling down. Actually it was Nana's idea to sign me up for dance when I was four. Thinking about her makes me angry about why she left me early and I kicked up in the air, frustrated. Suddenly my phone buzzed and it was from my Dope gang's group chat. I peeked a little and tried to ignore it, but they were messaging about me.
********
🚬DOPE GANG🚬
LUCA: YOOBI !! message us, please. I'm fricking worried about you!!
JESY: We're really worried about you.
PERRIE: Yoobi, please.
HEECHUL: Hey yoobi, it's alright. We just miss you, sis.
LEIGH: YEAH!!
ZEB: Call us and tell at least where you're, okay?
MARCEL: When I went to her house, she shut me out of her room.
LEIGH: Ever since Nana died, she has been avoiding all of us. She hasn't talked to me at college.
It's okay Yoobi. Everything's going to be fine.
PHILS: GUYS !!
Let's go to Yoobi's house today.
It's our duty to make sure she's okay.
PERRIE: Yeah, I need to see her
MARCEL: I can't see her like this,
Gloomy and SAD.
JESY: Yeah and the manager called me a few minutes before about the shooting.
LEIGH: At evening guys, it's fixed.
ME: I'm okay.
Thank you guys for worrying about me, but I am fine.
LEIGH: Finally!!
BAI: YOOBI!!!
HEECHUL: why haven't you talked to me? to us?. You don't know how much we're worried about you!!??
PHILS: I'LL KILL YOU NOW 🔫
ZEB: ISTG Yoobi if you dare to act like you're missing I"ll spank you right on the butt. 😡
MARCEL: one from mine too 😠
LUCA: You really scared the shit out of us!!
ME: I miss Nana. and I'm really sorry I've shut you all out.
Come here, I really missed you all and I'm lonely without you.
LUCA: We miss Nana, just like you and
We've missed the noisy Yoobi.
PHILS: We all miss her Yoobi. It's okay.
and we missed you Monkey !! 🐒
ZEB: Yeah and you haven't talked to us after that. I missed watching SNL with you.
MARCEL: DOPE HOUSE is quiet without you
BAI: She's our Nana too and we miss her a lot. 😔
We'll come today evening.
Don't you dare run from us, okay?
********
I left the group chat and continued dancing. At evening, after taking a shower, I was watering the plants at the lawn because it's my duty to water them. While checking them I saw the flowering shrub, blocking the light of my view. It's the ' Mugunghwa flower ', the national flower of Koreans, and it was in full bloom.
I went there and touched the petals of the flower, soft and silky as she told. I recalled her telling me that Chingu has given to her as a gift at Incheon. she gave me a small cutting which I planted in my front garden and within three years it had grown into a large shrub. I sat on the bench and looked at the plant remembering the first time I saw the full bloom from Nana's house.
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" Nana, look at Mugunghwa flower!! It bloomed. WOW !! "
The fifteen-year-old me was planting new saps at the lawn while Nana was watering them. The sight of the tall shrub caught my attention and I looked at it marvelling at the beauty of the flowers. My eyes turned to a flower at the bottom which I can pluck easily. Nana's voice cut me off when I was going to,
" Yoobi, no plucking. flowers are the gift of nature and look more beautiful when they are on the plant. So we should avoid plucking them."
I looked at her and pouted my face. I just wanted only a flower, I defended myself. Her face break into a warm smile and walked towards me. She took my palm and placed on the petals of the flower which was so soft and silky.
Her voice was so calm " This Mugunghwa flower is also called The Rose Of Sharon. The meaning is ' eternal blossom that never fades '. It was treasured as a blossom from heaven."
" So you're saying that it is immortal? It won't die ?"
She chuckled by hearing that question and answered, her eyes never leaving the flower.
"Every organism dies, including me and you. Being immortal isn't dying and living many centuries. Being Immortal is about people remembering them even if they die. No matter what happens, people will keep them close to their heart. "
I nodded by hearing that.
She continued, " You know bean, Chingu really likes you a lot and he gave me this flower. I love that boy. " My eyes widened, face turning bright red as I glanced towards Nana who smiled.
I shoved her playfully defending myself " Nooo."
"How can you be so bad at lying Yoobi? I'm gonna tell your Mom and Dad, Wait and see. " She started running towards the house. I yelled and chased her throughout the house.
------
Tears rolled down from my cheeks and I wiped them with the long sleeve. The sound of our laughter echoed on my ears. We were best friends more than a grandma-granddaughter relation. She doesn't want me to squirm on a corner, weeping. But this hurts like hell and I'm keeping all of the sadness inside me.
I stood up as the doorbell rang and opened to see my friends. Their faces were filled with concern and anger about me. I opened my mouth to apologise but Luca cut me off, wrapping his arms around hugging me tightly and I sobbed against his shoulder.
We sat in the living room and it felt noisy as usual. Without them, my house was silent and scary. The first thing they did was scolding me endlessly and I sat like a mannequin hearing all of them because it's actually my fault for shutting them out.
After, finishing the talk, my buddies went to the penthouse bidding farewell. I slumped on to my beanbag, tiredness overwhelming me. After a few minutes, I started walking to my room like a dead person because my body became suddenly weak. Since my parents weren't here, I decided to go to bed. My steps faltered as I climbed the stairs and I took the phone in my hand and dialled Luca.
I was going to tell him to return back here but before I could, my head started spinning and my legs were shaking leaving me to fall downstairs. I rolled down from upstairs and fell lying on the floor. My vision turned dark and I could hear the faint sound of Luca yelling on my phone before I lose consciousness.
" Yoobi ?? Yoobi !!??? Guys something happened to her. Turn the car..."
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