Finally. Finally, I'm done with this chapter. Oh my god, I feel like crying. I've been putting this aside for far too long. Revisiting it, rereading it, rewriting it for too long. What supposed to be a short and sweet fanfic had evolved to something this long! But, it's done now. I'm so happy! *cries in joy*

It saddened me to see this fandom is so small and getting smaller. Still, I love these gang of characters too much. So, I'll finish this fic and even write more in the future, for any stray readers and myself.

Stay home, stay safe, and enjoy the story, everyone.


Chocolates & Roses

Chapter 3: Roses for Her

Todd Allison opened his eyes sleepily, blinked, then blinked again. He glanced over to the closed shutters in the room, noting the pale pink light seeping in. Dawn was approaching.

He let out a sigh and sat up in his bed. The book he had been reading the previous night fell from his chest and onto his laps, shutting close in the process. However, he paid it no mind; he could hardly remember the content he covered yesternight.

Todd transferred the book over to the bedside table and got out of bed. There was no use trying to get some extra shut-eye. Once he woke up from slumber, whether it be in the morning or the dead of night, sleep eludes him without fail. Plus, waking up early meant he didn't need to 'fight' with his dormmates to use the bathroom, neither did he need to rush.

After freshening up and changing into some fresh clothing, Todd headed to the small kitchen and began preparing breakfast. Buttered toast, scrambled eggs, fried sausages, and tomatoes. A simple meal that reminded him a bit of home.

Todd Allison set his food and a cup of hot tea onto the dining table then sat down to eat. He tends to read as he ate in the morning, strolling either through his phone for any worthwhile news, or shuffling through research papers for a project. Perhaps because the entire apartment was peaceful and quiet — the perfect atmosphere — so Todd seized the opportunity. Today, however, his thought traveled back to the dream he had last night. The same one for the 3rd time since that day. It wasn't a nightmare — far from it. It was just…

Why am I keep dreaming of the day we first met…

"You're already up?"

The sudden voice startled the ginger, almost dropping the fork in his hand. He had expected no one else to be awake. Todd looked up to the newcomer, and a slight scowl spread across his face. "Oh, it's you," he muttered and glanced back to his plate. "I'm surprised you're awake, Rousseau."

The dark-haired man returned with a frown of his own. "And I'm surprised you didn't burn the entire place down, Allison."

Olivier Rousseau was one of Todd Allison's three dormmates. He also happened to be the one he didn't get along the most. All he knew about Rousseau was that the man was older than him, and he was studying Law.

"Only in your dreams," Todd retorted, taking a bite from his toast.

Rousseau snorted. "Aye. And they're downright nightmarish." The young man entered the kitchen-dining area and grimaced when he saw Todd's breakfast. "Seriously? I know you're from England, but an English breakfast? You simply can't get any more British than that."

"And you can't get any more creative than that," rebuked Todd, finished the toast and went to stab a sausage with his fork. "Why don't you grab whatever you need and let me eat in peace?"

"Tsk. Whatever," Rousseau uttered, striding over to the fridge. Todd focused back on his breakfast as the other man in the room rummaged through the fridge's content and grabbed a carton of milk with his name labeled on it. He drank a few large gulps then let out a satisfied sigh. As he placed the milk back, he noticed the same chocolate block that had been in the fridge for almost a month, still wrapped in its reddish-purple packaging. Rousseau furrowed his brows as he held the chocolate up. "Why's this still here?"

Todd Allison brought his cup to his lips, sipping the warm drink as he turned to Rousseau curiously. When his eyes landed on the chocolate block in his hand, he almost spat out his tea. "P-Put it back!"

Rousseau spun towards the ginger, shocked by his sudden outcry. "W-What the? I'm just looking at it. Why ar—" He stopped, blinked once, then sneered. "Oh, I see. This is yours, huh? Man, how embarrassing. Mixed fruits flavor? That's so girly~"

Todd flushed pink, and Rousseau instantly thought he scored a bull's eye. "You should have kept it in your room if you don't want us to find out. Who knew grumpy Todd Allison is such a sweet tooth? Ha!"

"I said, put it back!" Todd growled, teeth-gritting.

Rousseau, however, was having too much fun to do that. "Why? Scare I'll break it?"

"PUT. IT. BACK!"

"Geez. It's just chocolate. Why are you so protective of it? Just eat it. It's been here since Valentine—" Rousseau paused once more, and then his mouth went agape. "Someone gave you this?!"

The rare blush on Todd's cheeks darkened, and Rousseau's mouth dropped wider. "N-No way… You? You got a Valentine's Day chocolate? That… That can't be…"

Todd Allison stood from his seat, the chair scraped sharply on the tiled floor and quickly snatched the chocolate from Rousseau's hand. The dark-haired man didn't react; instead, he continued to mumble under his breath. "That's ridiculous. He got chocolate? He of all people? G-Gosh… This must be a dream. A nightmare. Yes, yes, it must be…" With that, Rousseau went back to his room, never once looked back.

Once Todd heard a door shut, he sighed and relaxed his shoulders. Darn… He knew he shouldn't have left it in the fridge where these nosey people can see, but he also didn't want the chocolate to melt. He slumped onto his seat and held the chocolate block up. Milk chocolate with dried mixed berries. That was the chocolate Petunia had given to him on Valentine's Day about a month back. It remained unwrapped, not because he didn't like the flavor — in fact, he loves it — but because of… how special it was.

Rousseau had every right to be shocked. He himself was dumbstruck when Petunia handed it to him. No one has given him chocolates before, let alone on Valentine's Day! Todd grimaced, a thumb stroke the smooth wrapping absentmindedly. It was just chocolate… Friend chocolate, words spoken personally by Petunia Elkwood herself. It was nothing special. It wasn't meant to be special. And yet…

A certain box flashed across his mind.

"Fuck…" Todd growled, shaking his head to dismiss those four words. Next, he placed the chocolate back into the fridge (if the sight of it kept Rousseau away, why not?), finished breakfast, and cleaned up. He had a class later at 9 in the morning, then his lecturer-approved personal plan to tend the garden around 4. He'll be free starting from lunchtime, maybe he should…

Perhaps it was time to call and meet her.


Fidgeting in his seat, Todd Allison was once again reminded why he always prefers cooking his meals back at his dorm. The cafeteria of the university college was overcrowded with students. The mingled sound of their chatting, dishes and utensils clattering, squeaking chairs, and loud eating was driving him nuts! Why did he agree to meet her here again? He hated crowds!

"I swear, if I have to wait another minute longer in this horrid place, I am leaving," he mumbled, sipping a cup of hot liquid he refused to call 'tea'. He despised cafeteria food: too salty or too bland and always overpriced. Surely they can provide healthier and reasonably priced choices to the students. Maybe he should 'complain' about it to Lowell Clancey…

A figure sitting down at the table snapped him out of his reverie, and his scowl softened a bit when he saw who it was. "Took you long enough."

"Oh hush, Todd. I already told you my class ends at noon," the newcomer said playfully, tying her long maroon-purplish hair up into a messy bun. "You're the early one."

With a sigh, Todd propped an elbow on the desk and held his head in his hand, massaging his temple with a finger. "It's quarter past 12… And the cafeteria is right next to the building your class was in."

The young woman stiffened, then tapped the tips of her index fingers together bashfully. "Eh… I may or may not have stopped to talk with a guy…"

"Good God, Jacq… You're late because you stopped to flirt with some boy?!"

Jacqueline Webster's face flushed pink as she defended herself, "Of course not! He's a classmate, and he was just asking me something from our Biochemistry class. He just happens to be cute…" Jacqueline noticed the unamused stare from her childhood friend and the blush only turned redder in embarrassment. "Oh! Forget about that; I'm here now, and that's that. So, do you want to buy lunch first then we'll talk… whatever it is you want to talk about?"

"No," Todd shook his head and gestured to his friend to remain seated. "You know I hate the food here. I want to get this over with as soon as possible too."

Jacq raised a brow in confusion but did as he was told. She folded her forearms on the table and leaned forward with anticipation, making herself comfortable on the chair. "Alrighty then. What is it you want to tell me but can't do it over the phone?"

To the girl's surprise, a faint blush appeared on Todd's face. She couldn't help but gape at the sight. She never saw Todd Allison blushed like this before! "I… U-Um…" WAS HE STUTTERING?! Jacq was almost certain the world was going to end.

The ginger averted their eye contact, drawing in a deep breath, then said a single sentence she thought would only happen in dreams. "It's about a girl…"

"OH MY GOD! ARE YOU FOR REAL?!" Jacqueline's sudden loud shout startled the crowd around them, causing them to turn towards the duo with either a curious look or annoyed frown. Meanwhile, a flushed Todd Allison was hissing lowly at the girl sitting before him, "For God's sake, Jacq. Compose yourself! Other people don't need to know about this!"

Jacqueline slapped her hands over her mouth, surprised by her own outburst as well. After nodding apologetically to the surrounding students, the duo continued in a low tone, albeit excitement was evident in Jacq's voice. "Are you serious, Todd? A girl? You called me for… relationship advice?"

Todd scowled slightly. "I wouldn't call it that since you've never been in a relationship before." He ignored the young woman's huff at his comment. They both have known each other long enough to understand what Todd said was anything but insulting her. "Plus… There's no relationship. I just want… some answers, maybe? You are a girl, so… I thought you could help me."

Jacqueline nodded. "So, what can I help?"

Todd sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I… How do you know if you like someone?"

"I still can't believe this day has come…" Jacq clutched her hands together, practically vibrating with elation with a wide grin. "Todd has a crush!"

Todd's blush darkened, and he tried to hide them in his hands. "Stop that, Jacqueline... I'm serious here."

"That's why I'm so excited! You never show any kind of interest to the girls back in Leeds."

Todd let out a groan at the memories. "Don't bring that up. All those bloody rumors of me and us are such a headache."

Jacqueline simply chuckled. "Can't blame them, really. I'm the only girl to be seen spending time with you, and your blatant ignorance to everybody else just raises questions. But, enough of the past. Tell me! Who is she? What's her name? Is she on the same course as you? Have I met her before?'

"I… Let's keep her name a secret, okay? She's not on the same course, so I don't think you've seen her before. As for her... She's... She's weird."

Jacq raised a brow. "You're calling the girl you like 'weird'?"

"Because she is. At least, when we first met. She was dressed as a guy and acted like one too."

"W-what?! Why?!"

Todd shrugged. "I didn't ask."

"Okay...?" The maroon-haired woman said uncertainly, scratching her right cheek in confusion. "So… She's a crossdresser?"

"No, I don't think so. She mostly wore dresses after that; couldn't confuse her as a 'he' anymore."

"Alright. So, how's she like? Other than weird, that is. She must have something special if she caught your interest more than once."

Todd Allison leaned back in his chair and brought a hand up to his chin in thought. A couple seconds of silence passed before he finally spoke. "She... She's active and cheerful. Like a cute puppy every time I met her. She's focused and action-oriented; if she wants things done, she'll do it whether it is on her own or not. However, she is also very clumsy. She had tripped over her own legs, over leaves, and even over thin air." A slight chuckle left his lips when he recalled the memories. Gosh. Petunia never failed to amuse him. "At times, she can be quite rash and act out recklessly. But…"

"But what?" Jacq inquired.

"... She's brave. She wasn't afraid to confront people who wronged in her eyes. Brave to face the problems rather than ignoring or avoiding them. She helped me once; when I was framed for a robbery last year. That was how we properly introduced ourselves and became friends." Todd explained and Jacqueline jolted at the story.

"Wait. Don't tell me… The wallet-theft-framing victim was you?" She soon received a nod and she pouted. "Why didn't you tell me?!"

Todd Allison groaned. "It's embarrassing, alright?"

"Right~ Saved by a girl who you later fell in love with. Oh yes, I can see why." Jacqueline teased and felt satisfied by the light blush blooming on the young man's cheeks.

He shook his head in denial. "I-I did not!"

"There's no need to lie. You're currently asking me how to know if you love someone after all!"

"I said 'like', not 'love'! They're different." Todd let out a heavy sigh. "Don't start putting words in my mouth, Jacq."

The young woman flung her hands up in defeat. "Fine fine. I won't." Then, she crossed her arms and leaned in. "Tell me more about her, though. What's her course? Hobbies? Favorite animal?"

"She's studying General Studies. 2nd year. She likes animals and tends to follow them back home in the north. She has five pet birds and a rabbit back there, but she likes reptiles the most."

"Her favorite color?"

"Pink. Specifically, Mandy."

"Mandy?" Jacqueline asked. Isn't that a girl's name?

"A shade of pink; it leans more to the red," Todd explained. "It was the color of her shoes."

"I see…"

Todd noticed the sly smile on his friend's face and felt a shiver run down his spine. He never liked that smile of hers. It never ends well, for him, that is. "Why are you smiling like that?"

"Oh, nothing much. But," she touched her fingertips together, forming a steeple. "You like this girl alright. No doubt about it."

The ginger blinked then tilted his head slightly. "Why are you so sure?"

"'Cause you actually know her!" Jacqueline beamed with sheer joy, throwing her arms open. "You've put in the effort to get to know her and even remember her favorite color down to the shade! Simple friend doesn't remember or even know that."

"But I know yours."

The young woman let out a very unladylike snort. "Oh, please. We have been friends since we're like 8! Of course, you will know mine; we're practically siblings. But as for her, you two only met a year ago."

Todd Allison sat quietly, contemplating his close friend's words, "I don't think…"

Jacqueline sighed, crossing her arms across her chest. "Todd. To me, it sounds like you quite like this girl. If not, then perhaps it's admiration. I don't know how you feel around her, Todd, so I can't help much. Only you know that. So, ask yourself, do you see her more than a friend?"

"… … …"

Seeing her friend fall back into silence once more, Jacqueline decided to continue, "Todd. Do you know what my Mom told me? 'Love is not a feeling, but rather an act. It's a moment by moment decision and re-commitment; deliberate and conscious. You know you love someone when you don't knowingly harm them. You prioritize their viewpoints and think in terms of their interest instead of your own. Their needs are yours and none are ever annoying. You support them, back them, care for them, and accept them. You know you love them when you do the act of loving even when you don't want to. You two don't fight but disagree; coming to an agreement instead of picking a winner. You two will act as a team; listen, understand, apologize, and forgive. And you'll respect their wants and needs, even when you're hurt because you love them.[1]'"

Jacqueline finished with a soft smile, her eyes never left the ginger sat across her, who was resting his chin in his palm. Todd lightly pressed his lips together, then asked, "Aunt Juliane said that?

"Mom told me a lot of stuff, but she has been reminding me particularly about this lately. I think it's because I'm in university now and she has always believed this is the best place to find someone; so many new people from different backgrounds and cultures. Did you know my Mom and Dad met in university? I bet she's hoping the same will happen to me."

"I don't. Doctor Webster never mentioned it." Todd simply answered before his mind wandered back to Valentine's Day, to the moment Petunia searched through her tote bag and pulled out the gift-wrapped chocolate bar that was addressed to him… "What does it mean when a girl accepts chocolate from someone on Valentine's Day?" He asked, cutting off Jacq's blabbering about how her mother's friends' 'grandparent status' was the probable cause of her mother's 'love' reminders.

"H-Huh? Um… I guess it kinda depends on who is the sender?" Jacqueline said, tilting her head slightly. "But it usually meant she accepted the sender's affection. Why do you ask? I thought the answer was quite obvious."

Todd Allison didn't answer. Instead, he pushed his seat back, stood up, grabbed his bag, and was ready to leave the cafeteria.

"W-Wait! You're leaving?! We're done?" Jacqueline stood up as well, giving her friend a confused look. "Why did you—" She stopped abruptly, then gasped. "Oh… She accepted someone's chocolate last V-Day?"

Todd refused to meet her eyes, but his tense form was all it needed for Jacq to confirm her guess. "Maybe it's not meant to be romantic? Like, it could be from a friend? Or she accepted it just to be nice?" The maroon-haired girl suggested but only received a shake of the head.

"Jacq," said Todd before he turned to face her. His expression was unreadable. "Thanks for meeting up with me. I'll see you around."

Todd made a move to leave but stopped when Jacqueline blurted out. "Wait, Todd. I'm sure you really like this girl, not just because you know her too."

Todd looked at her over his shoulder and furrowed his brows. "Then what could it be?"

A smile graced her face. "It's because you were smiling when you were talking about her earlier. You called her 'cute' too. Plus…" The smile on her face grew wider as she added, "You're jealous."


The hand shovel easily stabbed into the earth before Todd Allison upturned the rich soil and repeated the motion, digging a hole sizable for planting. After achieving the appropriate size, Todd carefully grabbed the unpotted flower and had its root ball loosened before placing it into the freshly dug hole. With soil filling the extra spaces and satisfied with his work, Todd grasped the tool and speared it into the empty space beside the plant, repeating the task once more.

Todd had just finished planting the last of the floss flower (Ageratum houstonianum) when he noticed one of his lecturers, Earnest Howard, approaching him with three pots of lilac-blue verbena in his hands.

Todd Allison stood to assist with the third pot and Howard accepted it with a grin. "Thank you, Allison. If it wasn't for your help, planting all these flowers by myself would have worn me out big time." The older blond man chuckled, guiding his top student to where the other potted flowers were situated, ready to be planted in the school's courtyard. Placing the pots onto the ground, Howard rose with a grunt and stretched. "This back pain will be the death of me one day. Still can't believe Graham called in late after he promised to come and help. How are you doing, Allison? You've been planting non-stop for the past hour now."

"I'm fine, Mr. Howard," Todd answered, "And it's alright. I planned to tend to the garden today, after all. You know that; you're the one who approved my request."

"Aye, I know. I'm just surprised you stuck around after that." Howard sent him a smile. "I reckon you have plans for the evening. Perhaps with that friend of yours. Ms. Elkwood, I believe?"

Todd's sudden tense posture wasn't left unnoticed by his instructor as the ginger shook his head a second later. "No — I mean — Yes, her name is Petunia Elkwood. But no. We don't have any plans to meet up today."

"You two never seem to have a plan to meet up. She showed up here pretty randomly most of the time. Oh yes, I noticed her comings and goings. Her lavender hair is hard to miss." Howard's smile turned cheeky as he added, "She always comes to visit you, and only you. Plus, did you know the times you happened not to be around, she'll linger around the flowers you planted? I've seen her admiring them for almost half an hour before leaving once."

Todd Allison's eyes rounded at the news. "She does?"

Howard nodded. "Oh yeah. The roses, camellias, grevilleas. She was staring at them as if they were the most beautiful jewels on earth." Another chuckle left his throat when he noticed Todd looked away bashfully. "I begin to doubt you two are only friends."

That sentence snapped Todd Allison out of his thoughts and colored his cheek with a red hue. "We-We're not!" His blush turned darker when Todd saw the grin on his lecturer's face. "I mean — we're not not friends! We aren't together! We're just friends! We—"

"I know, I know. You two are friends. Rather close, but friends nonetheless." Howard cut in, seeing how his statement had his lone student all flustered and decided to spare him the teasing. "Alright. These verbenas are to be planted along this footpath. Both sides. You okay with taking the right?"

"Yes," Todd nodded, glad the conversation ended, and the two set back to planting. For the next 10 minutes, the ginger found himself distracted by his lecturer's implication. Just imagine that, him and Petunia as a couple! Couple! As in like they go on dates, and hold hands, and flirting, and cuddling, and whisper sweet nothings to each other, and give each other pet names, and kiss—

STAB!

"Fuck!" Todd flinched in pain and dropped the hand shovel, cradling his aching hand with his other. Distracted by his thought, he had accidentally stabbed his own hand with the gardening tool. Luckily, the thick gloves protected him, reducing the potential stab wound to a dull ache.

"Fuck." The last image he had previously resurfaced in his mind — the thought of him closing the space, cupping her face, feeling her soft skin, sealing those pink lips, her letting out a soft mewl—

Fffffuck…

How he wished it was real.

I like her. Shit… I really like her.

He couldn't deny it any further.

Todd didn't know when he began to like her romantically; when did his heart quicken when she showed up unexpectedly, when did jolts of electricity course through his veins whenever their hand accidentally touched, or when did his stomach flip and flutter with butterflies when she sent him that smile and her pretty eyes sparkled under the light? All he knew was that he was feeling all these things when she was (and wasn't) with him, and good God, why does she have to be so darn cute!?

If Jacq ever found out he admitted to his feelings, she'll push him to confess to Petunia for sure. As much as he would like, he just… couldn't. Petunia accepted someone's chocolate. Someone had noticed what a precious gem she was, gave her chocolate, and she accepted them. Jacq said it could have been from a friend, but he doubted it. What person would write 'I Love You, Petunia' in giant letters on an over-decorated heart-shaped box, and give it out as a friend? He knew he wouldn't.

But he was too late. All he could do now was to bury his feelings and cherish the remaining time they have as friends until she graduated.

Then he'll be alone, and that's — fine. He'll be fine.

It hurt. It may hurt (like a hot knife was plunged into his chest and twisted once, twice, thrice) when he entertained the thought of her with another, but he knew it'll hurt even worse if she had rejected him.

This was for the best, for both of them.

He'll continue to look after her, and if this guy she likes back is a creep in any way, he'll report his sorry arse to the Student Council like he did to that Lennon prat who thought stalking and harassing Petunia after her classes were acceptable. It had even gotten so bad they asked Cyril to escort Petunia back to her dorm. The weeks of constant worrying finally ended when Clancey updated him that Petunia's brothers (which was news to him. She never said she has siblings in the same school) have personally dealt with his anonymous report and assured him Lennon will no longer be a problem. That had been a great relief, and Todd was glad other competent people were protecting Petunia too, from the Student Council no less.

Todd let out a deep sigh. The dull ache on his hand had long since gone, and he decided he had dwelled in his mind for far too long. He had work to do. Picking up the fallen hand shovel, he got right back to digging with a heavy heart.

There was only a handful of verbena left to plant when Todd heard two people talking, coming towards their way.

'…you do it…'

'…no fucking way. I'm not getting close to…'

'…you think I want to?'

'…to the teacher then…'

Todd stopped what he was doing, frozen on the spot. He recognized those voices. He whipped his head up to the people walking closer to them, and sure enough, it was the same two blokes who tried to steal roses from the garden just last month. Todd jumped onto his feet and rushed over to where Howard was. The lecturer had just risen to his feet when he reached him — aware of the newcomers as well.

"Mr. Howard," Todd spoke just loud enough for the two of them to hear, "They're the thieves I've told you about."

"Are they now?" Howard arched a brow. "They must need something important then if they're willing to risk encountering you by coming here."

Todd snorted softly at Howard's playful tone. But he would not lie to himself that he wasn't curious either.

When the two students finally arrived, they kept a distance between themselves and the gardeners. Anxiety was evident on their face and body language (one of them couldn't stop wringing his hands), and neither made a move to speak first. Perhaps it was due to the scowl on Todd's face? Not that said glaring young man cared.

With his trademark, friendly smile, Howard spoke. "Well, hello gentlemen, surprised to see you here. What can we do for you both today?"

The two students sent each other glances until the shortest among them finally braved up and spoke, "Hello to you too, teach. We're… We're very sorry for what we did last month. The sale slipped off our mind so we um… try to take some from the garden ourselves." The student bit his bottom lip as he tugged on a leather bracelet around his wrist. "So we um… We were wondering... will there be another sale for White Day?"


"White Day?"

"Hmm? You said something, Jacqueline?"

The maroon-purplish haired woman tore her gaze from her phone at the sound of her name. "Oh, no. It's nothing important," she said as she rolled to her side and peered over the railing of the bunk bed. "Sorry, Petunia. Did I disturb you?"

A girl sat at her study table shook her head. "You didn't. I've just finished revising anyway," she said, closing her notebook before turning in her seat to look up at her roommate. "Did you say 'white day' earlier?"

"Um… Yeah. Remember that brother friend I told you about?" Petunia nodded, and she continued, "Well, he just messaged me if I've heard of it. I wonder why he's asking me this."

"Do you know what it is, Jacq?"

"Not really. I'm guessing from the name… A day to wear all white?"

Petunia stifled a giggle at Jacqueline's answer and shook her head. "No, no. You've got it wrong. White Day is an unofficial holiday celebrated in Japan on March 14. To simply put, it's a reverse Valentine's Day for men to return the favor, especially those who have received chocolate or gifts on Valentine's Day. It's called White Day cause they traditionally give white chocolate, marshmallow, or other white-colored gifts. Since it's celebrated mostly in the Asian nations, I'm not surprised little people know of it here."

"For men to return the favor…?" Jacqueline echoed thoughtfully. Suddenly, she sat up and let out a high-pitched squeal, startling her roommate. "Oh my God! He's going to confess?!"

Petunia watched curiously as Jacqueline tapped fervently on her phone with a big, silly grin on her face. Just then, the older woman turned her head to her. "How many days until it? What date is today?"

"Oh. Um…" Petunia glanced at her tabletop calendar. "Today's March 12. So, 2 more days."

"2 days?! It's so close!" Jacqueline turned back to her phone and continued tapping away, her facial expression morphing from one emotion to another throughout her conversation with her 'brother' — elation, disbelief, agitation, determination, hopefulness, irritation, then frustration. She threw her phone down on the mattress in a huff. "Gosh, he's so stubborn!"

Petunia tilted her head. She had only seen Jacq acting so frustrated nearing exam time. "What's the issue, if you don't mind me asking?"

"This friend of mine is an idiot!" Jacqueline pouted. "He, like, finally has a crush. So, this White Day is the best excuse for him to give her a gift and confess his feelings. But no~ He said he'll remain as a friend. A friend. God above, I don't know why he won't just admit it!"

"Surely he has a reason?" Petunia asked.

Jacqueline let out a sigh and combed her fingers through her hair. "Well… Now that you mentioned it. Apparently, the girl accepted someone's chocolate so… I guess he doesn't see the point of confessing since she already likes someone else."

"That's… so sad." Petunia felt her heart sink for this man she didn't even know the name of. However, she could understand his decision; she wouldn't want to ruin her friendship with Todd Allison too. The fact that Todd hadn't brought up what was written on the Valentine's Day card made her feel…

"Anyway." Jacqueline's voice snapped her out of her reverie and she turned to her with a 'Yeah?'.

The maroon-haired woman gave her a sly smile. "How about you? You gave out like almost ten chocolates last V-Day. Would any of them give you gifts for White Day?"

Petunia snickered and shook her head. "No, they won't. Like I said, White Day isn't well known here. My brothers already gave me gifts on Valentine's Day, and—" Petunia stopped, turning to look at the bookmark on her desk.

Jacqueline followed her gaze and smirked when she saw what it was. "One of them gave you a rose," she finished for Petunia, watching the girl blushed a light pink.

"Yeah… It was very sweet of him." A smile spread across the pink-haired girl's face. She gingerly picked up the pressed flower bookmark, admiring the red rose forever preserved between the lamination papers.

"I smell romance here~ You like him, don't you?" Jacqueline teased.

Petunia's face immediately turned red as a ripe tomato. "N-No, I don't!"

"You're lying! Your face is so red right now." Jacq grinned, eyes sparkled with glee. "Come on, Petunia. Tell me. What's he like? Tall? Short? Is he the muscular type or the lean type? Oh! Oh! Is he in your class? Is he older than you?"

Petunia covered her flushed face in her hands and groaned. "Jacqqqqq. Stopppp. It's embarrassing!"

Jacqueline laughed and continued to tease her poor roommate. She did not receive any answer in the end, but watching the girl all flustered and pouty was definitely entertaining.


'All I'm saying is give it a shot. I don't want you to regret it in the future.'

Todd Allison let out a deep breath as he recalled the text message he received from Jacqueline this morning. She had been very insistent that he confessed to Petunia for the past two days since he asked her about White Day (a move he now regretted).

And now, the day itself has arrived.

Due to time shortage, the class didn't have time to plan out a fundraiser as they did for Valentine's Day. Ultimately, they concluded with sending students around the campus to sell the flowers directly rather than redirecting the customers back to the Horticulture Building.

Todd was one of the few assigned to cutting the flowers for selling. They weren't expecting the sale to be as good as Valentine's, so the amount and type required were lesser. He was standing by the rose bushes, a bunch of white and red roses cradled in one arm when Jacq's text resurfaced in his head.

'I don't want you to regret it in the future.'

Todd furrowed his brows, Jacqueline's words didn't sit well with him. He won't regret hiding his feelings. It was for the best, after all!

Pushing the thought aside, he scoped out a beautiful red rose and snipped it, carefully placing it onto his arm to avoid being pricked. As he looked down at the roses, the image of Petunia with a rose tucked behind her ear last month came to his mind. He remembered the sheer relief he felt when Petunia texted him later that day, telling him how much she loved it. God, she looked so pretty with it too. Todd felt his heart soared just from the memories. Maybe... Maybe I should—

"Hey, Allison!" A shout startled him from his pondering, and he turned to the source with a scowl. It was from a classmate of his (whose name he doesn't remember), walking towards him with his own armful of assorted flowers.

"What?" Todd grumbled.

"Elisha called us in. We think the flowers should be enough," the male student said. "Come on, let's head back."

"Sure," Todd muttered then followed his fellow classmates back to the building.

"Ah, there you guys are," a girl with long braided hair said right as they entered the classroom. "Thanks for a good job done. Put the flowers on those tables. The rest of us will take over from here, you guys may head for lunch."

Once the flowers were placed down, another team scurried over to them and began to strip off extra leaves or snipping off thorns, readying the flowers for sale.

Instead of heading to the cafeteria like his team, Todd opted to stand near the exit instead, watching his other classmates carrying out their tasks in cleaning up the flowers. His eyes landed on the roses he had brought in and felt a tightness in his chest. Should I…

"Todd Allison." For the second time of the day, the call of his name snapped him out of his reverie, and he turned to see his lecturer, Earnest Howard, approaching him.

"Yes, sir?"

"Not heading for lunch?" Howard asked, stopping a short distance away from the ginger.

"No. I um… Don't have the appetite," Todd told him truthfully. He hadn't felt like eating since he woke up 4 in the morning from another night of restless sleep.

"I see." The lecturer said, and the two fell into silence, watching the students distributing the flowers into multiple wicker baskets. His eyes landed upon one of the white roses, and the unpleasant feeling in his chest returned. Am I falling sick?

His discomfort must have shown on his face, for Howard asked, "Are you feeling alright, Allison?"

Todd suppressed a groan and nodded. "I'm fine."

Howard, however, didn't seem convinced. "Are you sure? You've been staring at the flowers for quite some time now…" Todd unintentionally flinched, and it didn't go unnoticed by the observant teacher. "Are you pondering whether to bring some for Ms. Elkwood?"

Todd's head whipped towards his lecturer, a look of surprise on his face. Was he that easy to read? Todd quickly cleared his throat and averted his eyes. "N-No. I'm not."

"You aren't? Well…" Howard smiled. "I suggest you do. The roses are blooming beautifully, and I bet Ms. Elkwood would be thrilled to receive them."

"We're friends!" Todd said, almost too loudly. "She'll get the wrong idea!"

"You could explain to her: Friends also give gifts back on White Day; to return the favor." The lecturer's smile widened. "Since she went through the trouble of coming all the way here to give you chocolate last month."

Todd Allison felt goosebumps rise on his arms and fought down a shiver. Ernest Howard can be so observant at times it was borderline scary. "B-But… Those flowers are for sale."

Howard chuckled. "I don't mean take from those, of course." He gestured to the half-filled baskets. "Go get them from the garden; I give you full permission to do so."

"But…" Todd wanted to decline again but failed to come up with a good excuse.

"No more buts," the lecturer cut in. "Ms. Elkwood is a lovely, friendly student. A bouquet of roses is the least she deserved." Then, he patted Todd's shoulder a few times. "Now, now. Why don't you go and get it ready, huh? Remember, white roses, and a dozen of them. Go on; before it gets too hot."

With a light shove, Howard guided Todd out of the classroom and waved him away.

Tongue-tied, Todd Allison could only nod to his lecturer and headed to get a hand pruner.

As he left, he did not miss the sly smirk on Howard's face. The teacher might have suggested he send the flowers as a friend, but Todd knew he meant it otherwise. After all, Ernest Howard observed everything, especially those he cared about. Todd Allison should've known he couldn't get away with lying to him.


Petunia Elkwood was lying on her bed, perusing a light fantasy novel when Todd Allison texted her, asking if she was in her dorm and if she could meet up with him.

She sat up with a jolt, re-reading the message over and over again, her heart beating faster every passing second.

Todd wants to see me? He never asked for a meetup through the phone before. Oh, no. Is it about the Valentine's Day card? It couldn't be, right? It has been a month and he never once brought it up when we met. No, no. It has to be something else. But… What if he really wanted to talk about the card? What if he kept quiet all this time just to be nice?! Oh my God! Is that why he had been standing a bit more further away from me? He must be feeling uncomfortable! Oh no oh no oh no oh no oh—

"Petunia? Petunia!" A hand shook her by the shoulder, snapped her out of her panic. It was Jacqueline, kneeling in front of her, her voice filled with concern. "Are you alright? You're looking pale. Did something bad happen?"

Bad? It'll be worse than bad if Todd is ending our friendship! "N-No. I-I mean, not yet? I-I don't know." She bit her bottom lip, the grip on her phone shaking.

Jacq raised a brow. "You don't know? H-Hey, calm down, Petunia. Come on, take a deep breath. Follow me."

Petunia followed Jacqueline's instruction, slowly and calmly breathing in and out until her heartbeat settled back into a normal rhythm, and the panic ceased.

"Much better? Good. Now, tell me, who texted you? How can I help?" Jacq asked cautiously with a hand on the girl's knee, hoping the contact was able to keep her grounded.

"It's from that friend of mine — the one who gave me the rose," Petunia confessed. "He's asking if I'm in; he wants to meet up."

"Is that all?" Jacq received a weak nod. "What caused you to panic?"

"I… I really like him… I gave him a card with the chocolate last Valentine's Day. On the card was 'Happy Valentine's Day' on one side, and 'Will you be my Valentine?' on the other." Petunia pressed her lips together. "I thought maybe I can give it a shot. See if he'll bring it up one day and give me an answer. If he says 'no', then I'll play silly and say I didn't notice the message. If he says 'yes', then… He didn't bring it up at all when we met up this past month, and now that he texted to meet up exclusively with me, I-I'm just… I'm scared, Jacq…" Petunia felt the tears stung behind her eyes. "I noticed he had been keeping some distance from me; I'm scared he'll end everything." At last, the tears rolled down her cheeks. "I-I don't w-want th-that…"

"There there. It's alright." Jacqueline cooed before sitting down by the crying girl's side and drew her into a one-handed hug. "I know it hurts. I know it's scary. But you should confess."

Petunia sniffed and turned to look at her roommate. "Con-Confess?"

Jacqueline nodded. "There's no reason to hold all this uncertainty in your heart and let it eat you away. No reason to avoid him, and in the future, look back and wonder about the 'what ifs'. I've told that friend of mine the same thing: confess and have no regrets. You'll know how they feel about you from your confession, it might not be the answer you like, but you could sleep better, knowing you've done all that is within your control. Or who knows," Jacq gave Petunia a reassuring smile. "Maybe he likes you back."

Petunia flushed a light pink then shook her head. "I don't think so…"

"Hey," Jacqueline gave Petunia's shoulder a small squeeze. "All you told me earlier are just your assumptions; your fear. For all you know, you could be wrong. So, give it a shot."

Petunia wiped the drying tears from her face and returned a small smile. "I… guess you're right. He only asked to meet up and nothing else." She let out a deep breath and nodded confidently. "Alright. I'll do as you advise. Let me just—"

Suddenly, the phone in Petunia's hand let out a 'DING~', notifying its owner of a new message. Just like that, all the courage Petunia had earlier melted away as she quickly unlocked her phone and read Todd's latest text. "Oh no… He's already downstairs by the dorm's gate. He remembered I don't have classes today. Jacq! What should I do?!"

"Shh. Relax, Petunia." Jacqueline said and patted her back. "You got this. Tell him how you feel and work from there. If he said no, I'll buy you all the ice cream tubs you need and cry with you. We'll binge all those sappy movies into the night if you want to."

Petunia felt warmth at her words, feeling blessed to have such a good friend. "I… Thank you, Jacqueline. For everything you've done today."

"Hey, that's what friends do. Go on, best not keep him waiting too long." Jacqueline stood up, and Petunia followed.

"Y-Yeah. I shouldn't." With a few taps on her phone, Petunia replied back to Todd then slipped the device into her skirt's pocket. "Wish me luck!"

"You can do it, girl!" Jacqueline watched the pink-haired girl leave their room and let out a sigh. Why can't her close friends have a smooth relationship? I wonder if Todd took my advice… I wonder who's this friend of Petunia too…

After a few minutes of debating, Jacqueline shrugged then left the room to follow after Petunia, careful not to be spotted.

When the elevator reached the first floor, Petunia felt her heart raced with anxiety. Jacqueline's advice has been very helpful and reassuring, but a small part of her still wanted to bolt and hide away from this reality. No. Jacq's right. I have to get this off my chest.

With newfound courage and determination, Petunia headed to the exit and walked past two entering students, giggling.

"Did you see that guy with the white roses?" Petunia overheard one of them say.

"Yes! He's quite cute. I wonder who he's waiting for."

"Some lucky girl she is. Jason never gave me a bouquet like that."

The two girls' voices soon faded as they entered the elevator and Petunia exited the building, walking towards the gate with her curiosity piqued. I wonder who's the guy they're talking about. She said 'white roses', so he must have known today's White Day then. A slight smile spread across her face. The girl must be in for a surprise when she saw—

Petunia halted in her tracks, her eyes widened at the sight before her.

Just like the girls said, there was a guy with a bouquet of white roses standing by the opened gate.

Just like he texted, Todd Allison was waiting by the gate too.

What she hadn't expected was that they were the same person.

Oh, god…


Todd shifted on his spot and adjusted the bouquet in his arm as a pair of giggling girls walked past him and entered the female dorm building. For a moment, he wanted to turn away in embarrassment, but he stopped himself. None of these people's looks or words matter. Not his surprised classmates, not smiling Earnest Howard, especially not the rest of the students in this university. What matters is Petunia's. Only Petunia's.

That realization scared him a bit for some reason.

What if she rejected these flowers? Todd felt his stomach drop at the thought. Once I told her I like her, will she? Petunia doesn't seem to be one to lead someone on, so…

"T-Todd Allison?" A sweet voice (the very same that had haunted him in his dreams) spoke and snapped him out of his musing.

"H-Hi, Petunia," Todd couldn't help but give her a small smile. Even with slightly messy hair, dressed in plain pastel dress, and simple flats, the girl standing before him was cute in his eyes. Todd stepped closer to her and raised his free hand up to smoothen out a lock of curled hair.

Petunia held back a high-pitched squeak when Todd suddenly touched her hair. Heat rising to her cheeks due to the close distance between them. She could smell different floral fragrances from him. The white roses too, of course.

"What were you reading?" Todd questioned.

"Huh? Um… A fantasy novel. I… can't recall the name." To be honest, she can't recall much with the object of her adoration standing at less than an arm's length. "How do you know I was reading?"

"You told me you usually read while lying on your bed," Todd said, satisfied with her now-neater hair and took a step back, unbeknownst to the girl's disappointment. "Unless you were napping. I hope I'm not coming at a bad time."

"Oh, no! No. You're not," Petunia shook her head. "Your text was just a surprise; you never… ask me out before."

Todd almost choked on air. Ask her out. Good God, why does Petunia have to use such words? But… "I should have asked you out more often." The sentence blurted out before he knew it, causing Petunia's face to grow hotter.

Petunia broke their eye contact, not wanting Todd to see her blush. "S-So! What brings you here, Todd Allison? What are the roses for?"

"These?" Todd lifted the bouquet. He almost forgot he had them. Remembering who they were for and his goal of meeting Petunia, Todd's heartbeat increased. "They um…" Come on! Just say it! "They're for you." Todd noticed her look of surprise and quickly added, "Petunia. I need to tell you… something… Um..." His voice trailed off, not feeling as brave as he hoped.

As Todd was gathering his courage, Petunia's mind was going a hundred miles an hour. White roses? For me? W-Why?! Why me? What for? There must be a reason! Wait! He said he wanted to tell me something. Looking so distressed too! Oh no. No no no. This is not good. He must be telling me something bad. Something super bad. Think, Petunia, think! What do white roses mean? There're… innocence… purity… youthfulness… um… something about remembrance? I remember there's more! Um… It also means… a new beginning or um… farewell. Wait… Farewell? As in goodbye? Bye-bye? Adieu? So long? See you never…?

Todd Allison shut his eyes and took in a deep breath. It was now or never. "Petunia Elkwood, I li—" However, his words died in his throat as he opened his eyes to a heart-breaking scene.

Petunia was crying.

It was a silent cry, tears running down her cheeks, leaving a wet trail on her dark skin. Her glistened eyes met his widened one, hammering his heart into tiny pieces, then she asked with a shaking voice. "Are you saying goodbye?"

Todd stared at her, dumbfounded, and unsure of what to do or say. "W-What?"

"I… I thought" Petunia sniffed and wiped a hand across her face. "S-Sorry. Um… *sniff* I'm—" A sob escaped from her lips as she shook her head. It hurts. It hurts so much. But if that's what he wants… I can't stop him. She tried to continue, but one sob after another distorted her words.

"P-Petunia. I… I don't understand. Why are you—"

"TODD?!"

A loud, yet familiar voice sounded from the building, and Todd turned to see the source. His mouth dropped in surprise when he saw the young woman running towards them, her maroon-purplish hair flying behind her. "Jacq?!"

Jacqueline Webster reached Petunia's side in seconds and wrapped an arm protectively around the sobbing girl. "What did you do to her?! How can you make someone cry?!"

"W-What? I didn't do anything! I just wanted to tell her something!"

"Then what did you say? This girl is crying as if the world's going to end!"

"I didn't say anything yet—!"

"Jacqueline. It's okay," Petunia turned to her roommate. "It's alright. I-I told you this would ha-happen. I'll be fine."

Just then, Jacqueline's eyes widened like saucers. "Wait. The friend you're talking about is… him?!"

Petunia gave her a confused look but nodded with a sniff.

Jacqueline whipped her head to Todd and asked in a loud voice, "Todd! The girl you told me about is her?!"

Todd blinked thrice, then nodded.

Jacq's mouth dropped open. Her eyes fell upon the bouquet of roses, then onto Petunia whose crying had subsided, then onto Todd who looked very much confused and concerned by the whole situation.

"Oh…" Jacqueline simply muttered.

Todd furrowed his brows. "Wait, Jacq. You know Petunia?"

She nodded. "Yeah. She's my roommate."

"And how do you know him, Jacq?" Petunia asked. Her eyes still red and puffy from the crying, but the tears had stopped.

"Todd's the brother friend I told you about."

For a few seconds, none of the three university students said a word, stunned from the coincidence of them knowing each other. The silence was broken, however, when Jacqueline let out her signature high-pitched squeal and yelled, "WAIT! OH MY GOD! THAT MEANS YOU TWO LIKE EACH OTHER!"

"What?!" "Huh?!" Both Todd and Petunia exclaimed at the same time as Jacq released Petunia and clapped her hands together.

"I should have guessed! The girl's in General Studies." She pointed at the wide-eyed pink-haired girl. "The reddish-pink shoes." Her finger pointed to the flats Petunia was wearing. "And the red rose!" Jacq then pointed towards Todd.

Just then, as if she remembered something, the wide grin on her face dropped and confusion marked her feature. "But… Why was Petunia crying? It doesn't sound like it was of joy, either." Jacqueline and Todd turned to look at Petunia, who shrank slightly from their gaze.

"Um… I remembered that one of the white roses' meanings was 'farewell'," Petunia explained, tapping her fingertips together nervously. "So I thought Todd came to give me as a goodbye gift—"

"No, Petunia," Todd cut in, taking a step closer to her. "I would never, never, end our friendship. Even if you like someone else, even if you don't return my feelings, I'll still be your friend. You're a very important person in my life, Petunia."

Petunia stood motionlessly, feeling her face heated at his words. "You… li-like m-me?" She asked meekly. A part of her was doubtful that such a great man with a clear future goal and high status would like an ordinary aboriginal girl such as herself. I must have heard wrong—

"Yes," Todd said. "That's what I wanted to tell you today." He stopped to let out a deep breath, then locked eyes with her. "Petunia Elkwood, I like you. I really really like you."

Petunia felt breathless at Todd's confession. The stinging behind her eyes returned but she held them back. Just then, Todd handed her the bouquet of white roses. "They are for you. I hope you'll like them."

Still stunned, Petunia accepted it wordlessly and cradled them in her arms. The roses were beautifully bloomed, pristine white, and smelled heavenly. What made them even more special was the fact they were cared for by none other than the young man in front of her. She could remember the days she went to the garden, watching him work tirelessly from a distance before making herself known much later. He poured so much blood, sweat, tears, and love into the garden. To be able to have a bouquet from it, she... Petunia suddenly felt choked up and tears threatened to spill. "This... bouquet…"

"Oh. It's because today's—"

"White Day," Petunia finished it for him before a grin spread across her face. "That's right. You asked Jacq about it. I…" Her voice faltered before a soft laugh escaped from her lips. Jacq's right: I'm worrying over nothing.

Petunia quickly wiped off a tear that managed to escape and smiled up to Todd. She gestured for him to lean down, and when he was close enough, she tip-toed and pecked Todd's right cheek with a kiss.

Todd Allison drew back with a flushed face, fingers raised to touch where her soft lips had landed seconds ago. His heart fluttered. "Petunia…"

"I like you too, Todd Allison. A lot."

Todd's heart burst from pure joy, and he felt light all over as if he could float away on the spot. It was a strange feeling, but not one he would complain about. "You do?"

Petunia nodded with a blush. "For quite a while now. I tried to get an idea of how you felt about me, so I gave you a card last month with the message 'Will you be my Valentine?'."

"I did notice that," Todd said, remembering the card he stored in his drawer, and the nights he wished the question was genuine. "But I thought you selected it by accident."

The girl let out a giggle. "That would be my excuse if you said 'no'. But you never brought it up once, and you were more distant than usual, so… I thought you were uncomfortable. When you texted me earlier, I thought you're here to end our friendship."

"I won't, Petunia. I will never." Todd repeated. It both saddened and angered him that such an idea even came to her.

Petunia gave him a reassuring smile. "I know. I know it now, and I don't doubt it."

Todd smiled back, then remembered something. "Wait. Didn't you accept someone's chocolate last month? The heart-shaped box?"

"Oh my god… You saw that?" Petunia groaned, attempting to hide her face behind the flowers in embarrassment. "That was from my brother. He always gave me over-the-top gifts like that."

"Your brother…" Todd mumbled. Right. Clancey told me her brothers are in the Student Council. So that means…. "You didn't accept another student's chocolate."

When Petunia shook her head, relief flooded over him, and he felt silly for feeling jealous over well… no one. "That's… great," was all he could say as he smiled.

The two students remained standing, blushing and not saying a word like some lovestruck teenagers until a cough broke them out of their stare. Todd shot her an unamused scowl while Petunia gave her a confused look. Watching her two friends talk and cleared up all misunderstandings had been fun and all, but dear God… Jacqueline cleared her throat then gave Todd a sly smile. "Todd, my friend, my brother. When are you going to ask her the question?"

Todd arched a brow. "What question?"

Jacqueline resisted the urge to facepalm. "You know. The question." When Todd still looked confused, Jacq gave up and mouthed the word 'girlfriend'. Finally, the message got across and the ginger's eyes widened.

Petunia, however, was still clueless. "What question is Jacq talking about, Todd Allison?"

"An important one." Petunia turned to meet Todd's eyes and felt her blush deepened by his serious gaze. "Petunia, will you go out with me?"

Oh. Oh! "Of course! Yes, I will."

"Good. Excellent, actually." Todd grinned. "I'll text you the plan tonight?"

Petunia smiled coyly. "Yeah. Sure. I'm looking forward to it."

Good God, she's so cute. Without another thought, Todd leaned towards Petunia and kissed her on the cheek, just on the edge of her lips. The girl let out a surprised squeak, earning a chuckle as Todd pulled away.

"I have to head back to the Horticulture Building," he said. "See you tomorrow?"

Petunia nodded, thanked him for the roses, and bid him farewell. She watched him leave, giggling whenever Todd looked over his shoulder until he was no longer in sight. She let out a dreamy sigh and held her gift closer. She had never felt so content in her life.

"Congratulations, Petunia." Jacqueline approached her and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "I still can't believe the guy you mentioned was Todd. If either of you told me the names, everything would have resolved so much earlier." She noticed Petunia was still staring at the bouquet and added, "They're pretty, aren't they?"

"Never expect less than perfect from Todd Allison when it comes to flowers," Petunia said. "They are beautiful."

"I know. Todd has always dreamt of being the best gardener ever since he's a kid. Good thing his uncle supported him; it's what kept his dream from dying." Jacq patted Petunia on the shoulder then guided her away from the gate. "Come on. Let's head back inside and tell me how you guys met. He mentioned you dressed up as a boy once?"

"He told you that? He must be so confused. The reason wasn't weird just so you know."

"I don't. That's why you have to tell me later." Jacq grinned as she pressed the button for a lift, and Petunia sighed. "Fine. I need to explain to Todd Allison one day too…"

"Maybe." Jacqueline snickered then entered the lift. Petunia followed suit.

On the ride up to their floor, Petunia thought back to when Jacqueline said about Todd's dream of being the best gardener. A gardener… Her memory traveled back to last month, just before Todd gave her the red rose, he said, 'What's most important, is that we need that one person in our life — our gardener — to take care of us, love us. Only then, we can grow and bloom beautifully like a flower ourselves.'

She might not be a real gardener like Todd himself, but she will be his 'gardener', just as he was already hers.

Soon, the lift reached their destination, and the two girls departed. Jacqueline walked in front of her, skipping with excitement. "You've got to tell me everything. Right from the start."

"Which start? My birth?" Petunia teased as her roommate unlocked the door to their dorm.

"Okay, not that far. Maybe when you guys first met? Before the framing incident?"

"Todd Allison never told you about that?"

Jacqueline shook her head. "He never said anything until a few days ago." Once they entered their shared room, Jacq plopped down onto Petunia's bed and urged her to sit down beside her. "So, tell me anything! Any beginning will do as long as it's something about that brother friend of mine."

"Alright, alright. Just let me put these roses in a vase before they dried out."

Yes. There were many 'beginnings' in this story of hers and Todd's. Petunia smiled as she rearranged the flowers in their new home. Perhaps White Day was the perfect time for their confessions, and white roses were certainly the best gift because, after all, they signified 'a new beginning'.

When her phone vibrated later that night, Petunia had no doubt about it.

Todd: 'Is lunch this coming Saturday alright for you? I know a place you'll like.'

Petunia: 'Sure. I can't wait. *heart*'


[1] Kris Gage, "How to *really* know you're in love," Medium, August 3, 2017.

Welp. That's the end. I hope it ended alright. This chapter is surprisingly quite hard to write, as I've never been in a relationship. I tried to make the conversations realistic. And since we didn't get much info on Jacqueline, this is how I view her: funny, wise, and protective.

There will be one more chapter, covering how Todd and Petunia really first met. Then, I can focus on one-shots and drabbles to practice my writing. I hope to see or hear from you guys then.

Next, I would like to thank the following magnificent people for:

Review: Meta-Akira, Randy Orton(?), and GryffindorChaser2018-2022

Favorite: Meta-Akira, Manuela Podkulska, and GryffindorChaser2018-2022

Alert: Manuela Podkulska, and GryffindorChaser2018-2022

If you enjoyed this story, please review or fav. They give me life.