Title: Hanakotoba: Unspoken Love

Disclaimer: The original author of Fushigi Yuugi is Watase Yuu sensei. I'm borrowing the characters, so please dont sue me.

Warning: Slight OOCness / Unedited version

Hanakotoba means the language of flowers in Japanese. Each flowers have their own meanings and different colors represents different message.

Enjoy reading

~Fate

Wasurenagusa: Nuriko's story

Silky, long black hair, flawless skin and ethereal beauty made all head turned to look at the regal man dressed in expensive, tailored made suit who walked into my small flower shop every morning. He is Saihitei Seishuku, the president of Suzaku Corporation, and also the man who I am in love with.

Having said that, I never had the courage to confess to him, because the beautiful man, who is also known as Hotohori among the people close to him already had someone he loved. That person is his secretary, Miaka. She is the girl he had always dreamed of and nothing would stop him from loving her, not even her fiancé, Tamahome.

Tamahome is one of Hotohori's security executives. He and Miaka were so in love, much to Hotohori's dismay. He tried very hard to prove his love for the girl and vowed to never give up despite Miaka being open about her feelings towards her fiancé. Tamahome did not stop him because in the end, he knew Miaka would never choose Hotohori.

Just like how he would never choose me.

It was never about looks or wealth. I fell in love with Hotohori at first sight. If you asked me for a reason, I did not have any. My heart ached whenever he dropped by to get the flowers for Miaka. I hid my pain behind my smile, not that he would ever notice me cry.

"-ko…Nuriko!"

There I was, in a trance again when the long-haired man dropped by my shop. He was holding a bunch of yellow tulips in his hand that he picked up from the water-filled bucket and handed them to me. He said he hadn't seen tulips in a while. It is perfect for Miaka, especially something that is as bright as yellow.

Yellow tulip, hopeless and one-sided love.

It reminded me of myself. "Tsk, tsk, Hotohori…" I waved my finger in a disapproving motion. "How tactless. You should learn hanakotoba,"

"Hanakotoba?"

"Yes, 'the language of flowers'," I explained. I took the yellow tulips from his hand and put them back inside the bucket. While I did so, I explained to him the meaning of the yellow tulips and why it is inappropriate for him to give it to someone he adores. "On the other hand, tulips of different colors have better meanings. I'm sure Miaka would like them as much."

"Arigatou, Nuriko. I owe you and your flowers a lot," he said with a smile that almost killed my heart. I prepared his bouquet and from there, Hotohori picked out a single tulip and broke the stem to make it shorter. Gently and without me seeing it coming, he slid the flower between my hairs next to my left ear. "Just as I thought, it suited you," he complimented before he left.

Out of the tulips I wrapped for him, there was only one in red. And he gave that red tulip to me.

'Hotohori, you really need to learn about hanakotoba…'

I thought I could live like this; Hotohori kept longing for Miaka and I continued harboring feelings for him. It is painful yet I can't seem to stop loving him. What's more, Hotohori is straight and he knew that I am just a feminine-looking male. I had zero chance from the beginning.

When the Tamahome and Miaka announced that they are getting married, Hotohori did not back out. He challenged Tamahome to a duel instead. In this modern day, he had chosen the classic way to woo a girl, by having a sword fight with his rival at the dojo inside the company's building.

Tamahome is not a security executive for nothing. He won the sword fight fair and square. I was there, I witnessed everything. Regardless of his honorable defeat, Hotohori remained composed and expressed strongly that his love is only for Miaka. Hotohori was heartbroken while I had my heart crushed.

After Tamahome and Miaka's wedding, Hotohori had stop coming by my flower shop. There were times our eyes met as his driver dropped him off in front of the tall company building. I was across the street, watching his majestic figure disappeared into the entrance of the skyscraper.

I was nonexistent.

For the past few years, I had been saving money from my flower shop. It wasn't much, just enough to get me by alone. I never thought for the slightest that maybe Hotohori and I could have something special. Therefore, I had myself prepared for the worse. My family had a house in the countryside. It was a small, traditional Japanese house with a garden in the backyard. When my sister died at a young age, my parents put it up for collateral and we moved to the city.

My parents are gone too; now I am by myself. It is time for me to go back to my hometown and be 'close' to my family.

I did not tell Hotohori about selling my flower shop, not that it mattered to him. He had 'other' things to worry about aside from his busy schedule. His secretary came back from her honeymoon soon enough and while Hotohori had his pained expression in the beginning, Miaka's presence was enough to cheer him up.

My last day with my flower shop had come. All of the flowers that I adored had been cleared up. I had moved all of my belongings to the house in the countryside. I would miss my flower shop a lot, but I have resolved to move on despite having a tiny hope that someone would hold me back.

Hotohori have yet to know about my true feelings. During the days before my last in the city, I thought it over whether I should confess. I knew it won't change neither of Hotohori's feeling about Miaka nor me. I summoned all of the courage I had and marched towards the tall building in the opposite direction of my flower shop. Colors drained from my face and I felt like throwing up the butterflies that were inside my stomach.

I reached the top floor of the building where Hotohori office is by the elevator. My heart thumped like crazy. Every step I took towards the executive office gave me chills down my spine. I drew in deep breaths and slowly exhaled them.

"Nuriko?"

I turned around when my name was called. The deep, soothing voice belonged to Hotohori, and Miaka was beside him.

"Are you looking for someone?"

I smiled and nodded. "I was looking for you," I told him. I exchanged greetings with Miaka too. Despite the jealousy, I have never despised Miaka.

Hotohori told me that he had to attend a short meeting and will be back in a moment. He said I could wait in his office and we can talk once he came back. The elevator door opened; the president and his secretary went inside. He smiled at me and assured that he would return soon.

I wonder if Miaka was in my place, would he make her wait? The thought would never come across his mind. He would certainly abandon every single appointment to run to where she was. He would have taken her wherever she wanted to be. It made me realize how little space he had for me in his heart.

As the door of the elevator closed, I watched the man of my dreams for the last time. His long black hair was slightly brownish under the lights. His golden eyes were dreamy and his handsome features made me yearn for him. I am glad I was able to see him in his best in our last encounter. I flashed him a smile and mouthed my goodbye before the elevator door shut close. If he cared for me, he would have blocked the door.

But he didn't.

And he didn't know that I cried.

Floriography:

Wasurenagusa: Forget-me-not ~ True love, memory, forget me not

Akai Churippu: Red Tulip ~ Believe me, Declaration of Love

Tulips in variations ~ Beautiful eyes