April peered down into the box. And gasped as she stared at the white lily nestled into some folds of purple fabric. It was a stunning beauty. So perfect. So pristine. Like newly fallen snow. Heralding the beginning of something entirely new.
She pulled out the card that was flush with the side of the box. Her eyes slid over his familiar, dark script.
“Hopefully, when you opened this box and found the bloom it contained, you gasped with awe at its radiant beauty. I saw one like it last week, and I was reminded of you. An unexpected bit of beauty in the midst of busy Seoul. Always remember that this is how I see you. Beautiful.”
Her heart turned over at his sweet words. She glanced up at the man sleeping in her roommate’s bed. Had he really written this card? Days ago? Before he’d hit his head in front of her dorm?
How extraordinary that he was asleep in her own room this morning!
She walked over to the little cupboard she’d filled with some dishes and pulled out a cup. She was going to give this little, radiant beauty a drink. She wanted this gorgeous bloom to last as long as possible. Hopefully, her mystery man would regain all of his memories before this blossom shed its last petal.
––
The amnesiac rolled over and groaned. Why wasn’t his bed as comfortable as usual? He cracked one eye open and met the glare of the morning sun streaming through a window. An unfamiliar window. He sat straight up in bed. And smacked his head on the low ceiling.
“Ow!” He rubbed his head.
“Are you awake?” came a tentative voice from below him.
It didn’t sound like Jimin.
Jimin!
He started. He’d just remembered someone else’s name. And as he thought that name again, he saw the face of the boy who had pulled the tin from the box. He must be Jimin!
“Yes,” he groaned in response to the sweetly feminine voice that had just called out to him.
He leaned over the side of the bed. And found the pretty owner of that voice lying flat on her back on the bed below his. He cocked his right eyebrow at her.
“Did you get a package this morning?”
She nodded.
Curiosity piqued, he ventured, “What was it?”
She pointed at her desk. “A lily.”
His eyes found the pure white bloom. “It’s lovely.” He glanced back at her.
Just like you.
That must be why I chose it.
But…who had delivered it?
Had he hired a delivery service?
Maybe.
He just kept pushing at that closed door. But that room was just as dark as it had been when he’d first woken up after knocking himself out.
Suddenly, he groaned in frustration.
“What’s wrong?” Alarmed, she shot off the bed and came to stand below him. She was gazing up at him with concern burning in her eyes.
“Nothing. I’m just…disgruntled that I still don’t remember much.”
“I know,” she sighed. “But it will come back.” She squinted up at him. “Do you remember anything new?”
He nodded. “A name. Jimin.”
Her face lit up with joy. “That’s great!”
“I think he’s the one I saw holding your Christmas tin.”
“So, you put together a name and a face! That’s definitely improvement.”
“If they actually go together,” he grumbled.
“I bet they do. Hey, why don’t we go take a walk?” She picked up her phone and checked the weather forecast. “Scratch that. It’s freezing out.”
He glanced towards the window. “And it’s snowing.”
“It’s snowing?” she asked incredulously as she turned towards the window.
He heard the awe in her tone.
“Have you never seen snow before?”
She shook her head. “I’m from California. Southern California. It’s always bright and beautiful where I live.”
She flew towards the window and watched in wonder as the snow fell to blanket the sidewalk below. “It’s just like my snow globe,” she remarked in awe.
He smiled. This must be why he’d chosen to give her the gifts. He wished he could remember what had drawn him to her. But a moment later, he did remember as she flashed those aquamarine eyes at him.
It was her eyes.
Her eyes were stunningly beautiful. But he suddenly recalled the sorrow he’d seen in them on Christmas morning when she’d exited the café dejected because she was spending her favorite holiday alone. In a foreign country. Without even the comfort of her favorite cookies to warm her.
That was why he’d done it. He’d wanted to tease a smile into those eyes. And, apparently, he had.
“Can we have that cup of cocoa?” he murmured suddenly.
She pivoted towards him with a question in her eyes. “What?”
“I missed a date with you. The morning I hit my head. I owe you a cup of cocoa.”
Her lips flicked upwards in a smile. “I just so happen to have some packets here. I bought them a few hours after you missed our date. I decided to treat myself.” She glanced back out at the snowstorm. “Now I’m glad I did.”
She turned a sunny smile on him. “We can enjoy a cup of hot chocolate while we watch the snow fall.”
Sounds like a perfect first date to me.
But she glanced back at him then. Did he really consider it a date?
That sounds like extraordinary perfect first date to me