THIFSGSTW CH 50

Chapter 50: As Much as You Want to Give

A large white building came into view. Red petals were gently cascading down upon it.

“It looks similar to the building we were just in.”

“Right? But this place is bigger, Yi-han. There are multiple rooms too.”

The building had rounded walls and sharply pointed roof edges. A wide fence surrounded it.

We started walking toward it. The red petals underfoot were momentarily crushed, but as soon as I lifted my foot, they bounced back to their original plump state.

I glanced back. The green grass beneath was barely visible. A vast stretch of crimson flowers covered the ground. For a fleeting moment, I thought it looked like I was walking down a path of blood. I shook my head to dismiss the thought.

Brushing away meaningless thoughts, I kept walking.

◇

We entered the building. Inside was the same pure white color.

I stepped onto the wide, flat stairs lining the walls. This building, too, had three floors at its highest point.

At the top of the final staircase, a spacious hall stretched before us. In the center stood a white pillar, identical to the one in the previous building. On top of it was a round, brilliant red crystal sphere resembling the sun.

Raen reached out and placed his hand on the crystal. A soft crimson light spread outward.

“It’s functioning without any issues. That’s a relief.”

“We’re making contact from here, Hyung?”

“That’s right. We’ll stay for a few days and then head east.”

“Alright, Raen-ah. We can start tomorrow.”

I glanced around the interior. The rooms were only on the first and second floors. Walking alongside Park Yul, I soon found myself standing in front of a door on the first floor.

“How do you like this room, Yi-han?”

With a click, the door opened, and I stepped inside.

A cool breeze immediately swept through the room. Park Yul, who followed in after me, seemed to have cast a cleaning magic. There wasn’t a speck of dust left behind.

The room was quite spacious. A wooden bed stood against one wall, neatly made with soft gray blankets. In front of a large window, there was a round table and wooden chairs. On the table sat an empty glass vase.

“I like it. I’ll stay here.”

“Alright. I’ll be just upstairs, so if you need anything, come up anytime.”

“Okay. By the way, Hyung, does someone usually live in this building?”

“No, no one lives here. Why?”

Then why was the room so tidy? As I pondered the thought, Park Yul spoke again, his voice tinged with amusement.

“Oh, the room’s really clean, huh? People sometimes stay here when they come to send messages. They clean up before they leave.”

So everyone tidied up as if it were a new house. I nodded. But… had I actually asked that question out loud?

This had to be one of two things: either my thoughts were very easy to read, or I simply hadn’t interacted with people enough to realize that everyone could guess at least this much.

As I debated which it was, a faint creaking sound reached my ears.

I turned to see Park Yul standing by the open window. A spring breeze drifted in.

The midday sun poured down on him. Behind him, red flowers were blooming beautifully. The sky was still a clear blue without a single cloud. Park Yul’s golden hair fluttered slightly in the wind.

Park Yul suddenly turned around to face me.

“The breeze is nice today. Get some rest, Yi-han.”

I nodded. Park Yul ruffled my hair gently before closing the door behind him as he left. The room felt quiet. I sat down on the chair in front of the window. The wooden chair was a bit hard.

I picked up the vase on the table. The cool glass pressed vividly against my palm.

‘Why did they leave this vase here?’

Outside, flowers bloomed endlessly, yet there wasn’t a single one that could actually be placed inside. They had no stems, and even if I forced one with magic, the petals would just disappear.

I turned the vase in my hands, then set it back down. A hollow thunk resonated through the wood. An empty sound.

The outside was the opposite. There was no room for emptiness. Even if the flowers beneath vanished, new ones would pile on top, filling the space.

‘It’s peaceful.’

The thought came to me suddenly. An endless, undeniable peace.

Flowers had disappeared here time and time again, and they would continue to do so. And yet, on the surface, it seemed as if nothing ever changed.

Of course. What’s unseen cannot be known.

The sun slowly sank lower. The spring air grew cool.

◇

I woke to the dim light of dawn. Blue-tinged sunlight streamed in through the window. Sitting up in bed, I took a deep breath of fresh air, my mind became clear.

‘Right, there was “Flower Rain Plains” quest.’

Today, I needed to seriously consider how to complete it. The sooner I got it done, the better. I stepped outside the building. The early morning air carried a crisp chill.

Walking around the white walls, I reached a wide open space between the side of the building and the fence. A long wooden bench rested against the wall.

I sank down onto the ground, leaning my head against the bench. Looking up, I felt the soft touch of red petals falling onto my face like raindrops.

Rustle.

The quiet sound of someone pushing through the flowers reached my ears. Soon, brown hair tousled by the wind came into view.

“What are you doing, Sun Yi-han?”

When I replied that I was doing nothing, Min Joo-hyuk stood next to me, looking down at me. He carefully brushed away the flower petals that had fallen on my face.

“What are you thinking about?”

I didn’t really have an answer for that either. I shook my head. As I gazed up at him without speaking, Min Joo-hyuk grinned and plopped down beside me. A gust of wind blew past.

“Raen-hyung and Song Ha-gyun-hyung are sending the message together right now.”

“Already? It’s still early.”

“Yeah, but the sooner we start, the sooner we finish.”

Hearing that, I realized I shouldn’t be sitting around either. I needed to start making my flower gifts soon. There was really only one way to do it. I turned to Min Joo-hyuk.

“I have a favor to ask.”

“What is it?”

Min Joo-hyuk asked brightly, as if telling me to just say the word. I dug through the petals until I found a tiny flower no bigger than a fingertip. Then, I held it out to him.

“I want to make something with this.”

Min Joo-hyuk studied it for a moment, then let out an ah of understanding. With a snap of his fingers, a thin, delicate stem sprouted from the flower.

“What do you want to make?”

“You’ll see. Anyway, thanks.”

I twisted the stem into a loop and carefully secured the ends. The shape came together better than expected.

“A ring?”

“Yeah. What do you think? Does it look sincere?”

“How can a work of art without sincerity exist?”

What… a work of art? I blinked in confusion, and Min Joo-hyuk added lightly, “You made it with your own hands, with intention. If that’s not a work of art, what is?”

Maybe that’s how he always thought while drawing. It was a good mindset. Moreover, I liked that he mentioned it was made with heart. The quest success felt within reach.

“Thanks. Can I ask for a few more?”

“How many?”

“Um…”

There was no need to make the exact number just because they were meant for four people. I might mess up while making them, after all. But at the same time, it felt too shameless to ask for a specific number outright.

“Just… however many you want to give.”

Of course, making such a request wasn’t exactly the most modest thing either. Maybe I should make two for Min Joo-hyuk.

As I was lost in thought, a pile of red flowers suddenly surged up from the ground. From a distance, it could almost be mistaken for the sun rising from the ground.

The moment I realized what was happening, a shiver ran down my spine. I grabbed Min Joo-hyuk’s arm.

“Wait, stop. Put them all down.”

Min Joo-hyuk stared at my hand gripping his arm before speaking.

“Why? You said however many I wanted to give.”

Was he serious? No. Judging by the curve of his lips, he was definitely joking.

I firmly squeezed his forearm, staying calm. The mountain of flowers slowly settled down. That was a relief. Min Joo-hyuk looked at my expression and placed a suitable number of flower petals in front of me.

“Give me your hand, Joo-hyuk.”

“Wow. So you’re making one for me right away?”

His hands were bigger than I expected. I placed a flower on his finger and began weaving the stems together. Min Joo-hyuk watched for a moment before turning his head to the side. He idly moved his free hand through the air as he spoke.

“You’re good at this. Have you made one before?”

“No. This is my first time.”

His hand stilled for a brief second before he spoke again in his usual tone.

“I’m your first?”

“Yeah.”

To think I could make something like this so smoothly on my first try. Maybe I was more skilled with my hands than I thought. As I focused, I thought I heard Min Joo-hyuk’s voice saying, “Thanks.” I nodded and tied the final knot.

“All done.”

At that moment, a quest window popped up in front of me.

<Unexpected Quest!> ‘The Flower Rain Plains’ In Progress!

1. Hero Min Joo-hyuk (Complete!)
2. Hero Raen
3. Hero Song Ha-gyeon
4. Chosen Hero Park Yul

It was a good start. As long as I kept this up, things would go smoothly. I shouldn’t assume something is difficult before even trying. There’s always a way forward.

Just then, I felt something gently placed on my head.

Huh? What was that? I took it off and looked at it. A wreath of red flowers, each slightly different in shape and shade, was woven tightly together with green stems. It formed a perfect circle.

“Here. I’m done too.”

Min Joo-hyuk’s voice reached my ears. I lifted my head to look at him.

He took the flower crown from my hands and properly placed it back on my head. A soft weight settled over me.

“Oh… Thanks.”

“It’s nothing. By the way, are you planning to gift it to the other hyungs too?”

“Yeah.”

Min Joo-hyuk tapped his fingers against his knee as if thinking before he spoke again.

“Then instead of flower rings, how about this?”

Three small, transparent glass bottles materialized in the air. The sunlight reflected off their surfaces, casting a faint shimmer.

“Herbariums. You put flowers inside and fill them with liquid.”