Auriella wasn’t sure why she took so long debating whether to wear a jumpsuit or a sundress, but she ended up choosing the former after about an hour’s worth of internal conflict. The jumpsuit was in a pretty mauve color that flattered her relatively tall stature. The upper portion of the attire tied around her neck, a pretty bow dangling against her back, while the lower part cinched comfortably around her waist to accentuate her figure. She paired it with white heels and pearl earrings, even clipping back a portion of her hazel hair with an amethyst clasp to allow the rest of her locks to fall effortlessly below her shoulders.

Auriella was pretty proud of the result when she looked in the mirror. She hadn’t dressed up like that for a while, not since the last dance formal the academy held for the graduating class. That was months ago, and though she dreaded the process of putting herself together then, Auriella found herself enjoying a little bit of vanity and self-indulgence that day.

Auriella took her purse and headed down the stairs. Kian had given her the observatory tower to change while he took to one of the guest rooms in Asclepius’ mansion. She decided she would meet him in the main house, but when she pulled open the door, she was startled by his sudden appearance before her.

“Hm.” Kian smiled brilliantly. “You should dress up more.”

Auriella grinned. “If I had the time and motivation to do so everyday, I would.”

“I’m quite flattered, Auriella,” Kian began as they walked down the stairs. “And grateful, too.”

“For what?”

“Well, one, you did accept my sudden request in such a short notice.” Kian leaned into her. “It’s highly likely Asclepius will scold you for skipping out on your lessons, so I apologize in advance. And two…” Kian stopped just as they stepped out of the observatory tower and into the delicate heat of the morning. “I’m grateful that I am one of the few who can see you like this. You look beautiful.”

Auriella blushed. Or maybe it was the heat. Or maybe her face decided to flush an innocent rose because it’d been a while since she was complimented in such a way. Whatever it was, it sent her chuckling. If it hadn’t already been internalized in her, Kian was definitely a flirt. A real good one, too.

“What’s funny?” Kian grinned.

“Nothing.” Auriella shook her head.

“Then what’s with the giggle?”

“I don’t know.”

Kian gave her a smirk, the kind that told her he already knew the answer to his question but wanted to hear it straight from her lips. Auriella found his smugness annoying.

“Right. Shall we get to the main event?” Kian beamed.

Auriella nodded. “There’s a flower shop close to Astro Cafe. It’s a small one, but it’s cute.”

“Brilliant.” Kian gestured towards the gate. “Lead the way.”

Much to Auriella’s surprise– and quite honestly, disappointment– Kian remained silent for the twenty minute walk to Little Ram’s Garden, the small flower shop just another block down from Astro Cafe. Silence never suited Kian, and he never found it comfortable to sit in it either, Auriella observed. Yet, there he was, having not uttered a word since they left Asclepius’ mansion.

At this point, ten minutes into the walk, Kian should have struck up a conversation. He should have begun one with a question, gone off into tangents about other things, then returned to the main topic of the conversation before proceeding into another tangent after getting distracted by a peculiar or interesting object on the street.

In short, Kian should be talking, rambling even. Instead, he was quiet, lips more taut than the rest of his facial features, as his eyes curiously looked around him. Auriella couldn’t help but stare at him, watching for every twitch or subtle change to his blank expression. She noticed his brows would rise every time they passed by a person speaking; she noticed his head would turn at every loud sound from the road. His nose would flare and scrunch up whenever they’d pass a dumpster or a pungent sidewalk, and he’d bite his lip when he appeared to be thinking.

Kian’s honesty rested on his expressions, and his features were forever in movement. If ever he were to lie, his face would show it all.

The only thing that remained constant, despite his ever-changing expressions, was the lack of sparkle in his amber irises. Kian’s eyes, that usually glimmered with mischief, pairing well with his brilliant smile, was muted, dulled, just as it had been earlier that morning when he asked Auriella out.

From the moment Kian returned to the observatory, Auriella knew something was bothering him. Maybe the random punch from a stranger on the street threw his morning off. Or maybe today was just not his day.

I guess even people like Kian have their occasional sour days, Auriella thought to herself.

Yet, none of those explanations seemed right to her. Maybe there was something else that happened earlier that morning that Kian didn’t tell her about.

Perhaps something else happened…

You're right.

Auriella felt the little hum inside her. She placed a hand on her chest.

Even the voice thinks so, she thought to herself.

No, your right.

Without even thinking, Auriella turned to the building on her right, the words ‘Little Ram’s Garden’ written in dark script. She hadn’t realized another ten minutes had passed.

Auriella’s brows pinched together. “Since when were you a GPS,” she muttered to herself.

“Have we arrived?” Kian asked, glancing upwards to look at the sign.

Auriella followed the direction of his gaze. “Yeah, this is it.”

Little Ram’s Garden was a quaint flower shop that sat between a small clothing store and an independent bookshop. There was a little sign that stuck out from the side of the shop that was in the shape of a ram, the shop’s name written in dark ink against a backdrop of white. In front of the store were also an assortment of flowers and plants for sale, ranging from alocasias to lilacs to hyacinths to dumb canes, which gave the shop a homey and cute look.

Auriella led Kian inside, a small bell announcing their entrance. Immediately after entering, Kian darted towards the section of roses. Auriella watched curiously as Kian’s face remained stoic, as if he were concentrating, picking up a singular, dark crimson rose. He held it to his nose, and after closing the distance to call out his name, Auriella held her tongue as she noticed Kian’s brows and lips tighten into a painful expression.

The kind that Auriella understood well was one of mourning.

It’d been a year since she wore the same vulnerable expression, but the feeling associated with it was still raw inside her.

She couldn’t help but wonder what thought or memory could have caused such pain on Kian’s face.

“Is there anything I can help you with?”

Simultaneously, Auriella and Kian’s head darted towards a girl that emerged from a storage room behind the counter. Kian’s face shifted instantly, twirling the single rose in his hand with a cool smile on his face.

“Not at the moment,” he replied, lifting the rose in his hand. “We’re just taking a look for now.”

The girl nodded, proceeding to tell Kian the price for the rose in his hand, before shifting her eyes to Auriella. They widened in recognition.

“Riel?” She exclaimed.

“Oh, hi, Lou.” Auriella gave a small wave. She then furrowed her brows. “Wait, where’s Mr. Spinner?”

“Dad’s out to finish a couple of errands. He’ll be back in an hour or two,” Lou replied.

Kian glanced at Auriella. “You know many people, Auriella.”

“What can I say?” Auriella shrugged. “I’m popular.”

Lou’s eyes shifted between Kian and Auriella before a small gasp escaped her lips. With determined strides, she grabbed Auriella’s arm and pulled her to the side, whispering, “Are you on a date?”

“Yes.” Auriella glanced at Kian who remained fixated on the rose in his hand. “And no. We’re not dating.”

The Archfiend would have to invade Yelerna first, Auriella remembered.

“That’s too bad.” Lou frowned. “He sure is handsome.”

“You should let him know. He likes hearing those sorts of things from strangers.”

Lou’s face brightened into a lovely shade of rose, and with a huge grin, skipped towards Kian, telling him all sorts of facts about the rose in his hand.

Auriella allowed herself to smile, leaning against a wooden table with all sorts of information about every flower in the shop. Auriella had met Lou Spinner just a few months ago when she was out helping with deliveries for Astro Cafe. Asclepius had ordered a bunch of new decor for the cafe, but since the parking spaces in front of the coffee shop were filled, the delivery truck had to park on the next block in front of Little Ram’s Garden. Auriella accidentally ran over Lou as she was carrying a box. In Auriella’s defense, the box was too big and too heavy for her to see anything beyond her path and also Lou had been sprinting carelessly down the street to escape her father.

In short, Auriella met Lou after giving her a large bump on her head. And when her father, Mr. Spinner, came running towards the scene, he apologized for Lou, offered to carry the box for Auriella, and gave Auriella a lifelong discount to their flower shop.

Auriella thought she’d never use the discount in her life nor did she think she’d ever see the father-daughter duo again. She didn’t like flowers, because it reminded her of Ihimya, and she quite honestly found Lou annoying and Mr. Spinner strange.

Mr. Spinner was a full-time florist, but he looked like he should either be in the military or in a mafia.

But fate had other plans for Auriella, and she met Lou Spinner again in school. Lou happened to be a freshman at Hollen Academy, and when Mr. Spinner heard of this news, he practically begged and bribed Auriella to tutor Lou.

Auriella did so, until recently when Lou’s grades had improved and remained as B’s and C’s. It’d been a month now since she saw the Spinners.

“Did you know dark crimson roses mean mourning?” Auriella heard Lou say, snapping back into reality from her reminiscence. “I read it in the Farmer’s Almanac.”

Kian grinned. “Yes, I used to have a copy of my own. I believe I know most things about flowers. Their meanings, especially.”

Lou blushed. “What? You should’ve said so earlier! Now I feel like an idiot for telling you stuff you already know.”

“I enjoyed listening to you talk about them,” Kian said smoothly, handing the flower to Lou. “You sounded so excited. I didn’t want to cut you off. I admire passionate people.”

Lou’s cheeks deepened into the color of the rose in her hand.

Kian began to walk around the flower shop, scrutinizing each flower and plant. He was looking for something, and when he passed by Auriella, giving her a small wink, his expression brightened as he crouched down to touch the petals of a beautiful lily bouquet.

“Lou, was it?” Kian began. “I apologize for not introducing myself sooner, but my name is Kian.” He glanced up at Auriella with a mischievous smile. “And I’d like to buy this one. Please.”

“Riel, you have to visit again!” Lou was practically squealing as she handed Auriella a free cactus. It was a small plant that sat inside a decorated cubed pot. “Does he go to Hollen? How come I’ve never noticed him before?”

“I don’t know.” Auriella shrugged. “Maybe it’s because you’re a freshman and we’re seniors?”

No. Auriella knew exactly why Lou never noticed Kian before. It didn’t take long for Auriella to know Lou’s taste in men; in fact, Lou had been very clear and descriptive of her type since their first tutoring session. Lou loved men like Kian: flirtatious, playful, and charming. She never batted an eye towards whole wheat bread people like Kye Martin; she explicitly told Auriella if a guy couldn’t match her energy, she would never give them the time of day.

Kye Martin could never match anyone’s energy. He, himself, had no energy at all.

Other than by name, Kye no longer existed. But Kian existed, and because Kian was Kian, Lou was bound to notice him.

“Thanks for the cactus, Lou,” Auriella began, patting the girl’s head. “I’ll see you at school. Tell your dad I said hi.”

“I will. Bye, Riel!”

With one last smile, Auriella ran to catch up to Kian.

“She’s a lovely one,” Kian stated, still fascinated by the lily bouquet in his hand as the two of them walked down the street. “It’s not everyday you find another person so passionate about botany.”

“I didn’t know you were so into plants,” Auriella commented.

“I hadn’t always been interested in them,” he replied, a strange look on his face. Auriella recognized that expression; the very same one she used to wear whenever she spoke of Riner. Before they died. “Asteria was the one who introduced me to flower meanings.”

Auriella stopped before a crosswalk, the sign still red.

“The Constellation Goddess?”

Kian nodded.

Auriella felt a question bubble inside of her, and she couldn’t help but ask, “Were you two close?”

A soft gust of wind blew past them, ruffling Kian’s perfectly-combed chestnut hair into a breathtaking mess.

Kian chuckled. “Close as in…?”

“You know.” Auriella gestured with her hands. “Were you friends? Lovers, maybe? I don’t know.”

“Lovers?” Kian chuckled. Yet, there was a certain melancholy to his voice. “We weren’t necessarily… lovers.” He paused, the Adam's apple in his throat sinking as if the word lovers didn’t sit well in his mouth. “Though, we were definitely past the distinct lines of friendship. But yes, I suppose we were close.” He paused again, the ends of his lips rising to smirk. “Are you jealous, Auriella?”

“Nope, nowhere close.” Auriella cut in immediately. “I was just curious.”

“Did my answers satisfy that curiosity of yours?”

No, they didn’t, was what Auriella wanted to reply, but she found herself holding her tongue, leaving his question to drift with the breeze. Now that she thought about it, Auriella didn’t know why she asked that question in the first place. Asclepius did tell her the Goddess had an unbreakable bond with each of the Zodiac Warriors, but when she caught a glimpse of Kian’s expression earlier, a strong feeling inside of Auriella told her Kian’s bond with the Goddess was something different.

You’re right.

Auriella pursed her lips as she remembered what Lou said about the rose Kian held earlier.

Dark crimson roses mean mourning.

“Do you miss her?” Auriella asked, deciding this would be the last inquiry to Kian’s potential love life she’d ever have for him. She imagined being in his shoes and being interrogated about a past lover. Just thinking about it made Auriella want to vomit and cry at the same time.

“Miss her?” Kian chuckled, but it was forced, pained. Desperate. His lips twitched slightly. “I think all of us, each Zodiac, misses her a lot. Asclepius does, too, which is–”

“Do you miss her?” Auriella repeated.

Kian looked at her the same way he did when she told him he could confide in her his fears and worries.

“I do,” he said.

Auriella’s grip on her cactus tightened, and she realized why she’d ask the question in the first place.

At that moment, Auriella knew she envied Kian. No. She hated him. She hated him for admitting to her his longing for Asteria. It was the same kind of longing, the same pain and loneliness she felt for Riner; the things Kian was expressing now were the very same emotions Auriella would deny herself to feel.

And for that, she despised him.

As the crosswalk sign flickered green, Kian held out the bouquet of lilies to Auriella.

“This is for you, Auriella,” he said. “This was the sole reason I wanted to visit a flower shop. To get you a bouquet of lilies.”

Auriella’s eyes widened as she took the bouquet in her hands. She hadn’t received a bouquet in a while, and to be honest, it came as a complete surprise that the bouquet Kian bought was intended for her.

Auriella raised the bouquet to her nose. “Why lilies?”

“Because lilies are beautiful,” he replied. “As are you.”

Auriella felt her heart tremble, betraying her feelings just a moment earlier. She knew he was simply being a flirt, that he didn’t really mean what he said about his reason for giving it to her.

Yet, it had been a long time since she felt like this.

She knew deep down that she shouldn’t feel this way, this giddy and malleable– this easily broken. She should have steeled her emotions and returned the bouquet to Kian with disgust as a flood of painful memories invaded her mind, threatening to deduce her into nothing but sobs and self-pity. Yet, she didn’t– she wasn’t. She felt like she was fifteen again with a swarm of butterflies endlessly fluttering inside her.

Auriella decided that whatever meaning the lilies bore meant nothing to her.

Nothing but this warm feeling, this dangerously liberating feeling, mattered. For it was absolutely wonderful.