Novel Bin
Chapter 01 Silent Thorns
[Past]
Korea, Seoul
Lea was born in 1992, the year her parents divorced.
She never knew her father’s name, what he looked like, or why they separated. Her mother never spoke about him.
After the divorce, her mother worked tirelessly to support her. She always smiled, but her eyes held a quiet exhaustion. Lea noticed the signs—how she grew weaker, how her coughs lasted longer—but she never admitted she was sick.
At fifteen, Lea dropped out of school and started working at a flower shop.
She wanted to help her, to ease her burden.
One day, Lea's mom had to be hospitalized. When Lea went to visit her, all she found was a single letter resting on her empty bed. She grabbed the letter and started reading.
"My little fairy,
Your mother loves you dearly, but I don’t want to be a burden anymore. I don’t want you to throw your life away just to care for me.
In the corner of my room, there’s a box with some savings. It should last you a year. Please, build a life for yourself.
I won’t be here anymore, but never forget—I will always love you."
While reading the letter, a single tear rolled down Lea's cheek... she wiped it away with her hand.
Suddenly, she got a call from the police... saying they had found Her mother's... lifeless Body...
After hearing it, Lea dropped the phone from her hand.
Lea rushed there, not walking but running. Not crying but sad—very sad.
At the lake.
People were gathered, looking curious about what happened.
Police officers gathering information, forensic scientists examining the scene.
Finally, Lea came. She rushed to the lake, but the police held her back.
There.
She stopped, her eyes widened. She saw her mother's lifeless body being brought into the ambulance.
She fell on the ground and cried.
When Lea realized her mother was truly gone, she had only one goal left: to fulfill her wish.
[Present]
The soft scent of roses filled the quiet flower shop as lea carefully arranged the delicate petals. Her fingers moved, but her mind wandered.
The bell above the door chimed. A tall man in a black suit approached the counter. His blue eyes met hers, and his lips curled into a polite smile.
"One bouquet of white roses, please," he said. His voice was deep—warm yet distant.
"Alright. Would you like to add a card?"
"Yes. Write:"I wish you good health. Mother"
I glanced at him and thought, *He must love his mother much. His smile was soft and warm…Wait a minute. That smile is too soft...That's Suspicious. Whatever.*
"Here you go," lea said, handing him the bouquet.
"Thank you."
With another gentle smile, he walked away.
The next day, he returned.
And the day after that.
And the day after that.
One evening, as I she prepared his usual order, he suddenly asked, "What’s your favorite color?"
I blinked. "Me? Why?"
"Can you make a bouquet of roses in your favorite color?"
"Alright. Your total is 120,000 won."
Without hesitation, he handed me the money. "Here."
As always, he took the flowers and left.
That night, as I locked up the shop and started walking home, a sleek black car pulled up beside me. The window rolled down.
And there he was.
"You..." I narrowed my eyes.
He chuckled. "I just want to talk."
Stepping out of the car, he held up the bouquet he’d bought earlier. "This is for you."
I froze. "What?"
"I fell in love with you at first sight." He said.
I stared at him, suspicious. "It's 11 pm, a woman alone with a man. That's suspicious."
He tilted his head. "Don't worry, I am not a bad guy, I just wanted to ask you out."
"I will think about it." She said.
He gave a soft smile "let me drive you home."
"Well, I can't hurt, so okay."
"I wasn’t really asking, though."
His lips curled into a wicked grin.
"Excuse me?" I lifted the bouquet, ready to slap him with it.
"That was a joke!" He laughed.
She got into his car with him and he drove her home under the dim streetlights.
[To be continued]
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