Is It Wrong to Give Out Flowers to the Public?

A blurry figure came into view as Ren slowly opened his eyes. He felt a moist sensation linger on his lips, which immediately jolted him awake.

“Huh? Rei? What are you doing?” Ren sat up and rubbed his eyes. The spare futon he’d been using in Mira’s apartment was surprisingly cozy, and with the sun’s rays barely starting to peek through the living room windows, he was in no rush to get up.

A girl with shoulder-length black hair and familiar crimson eyes gave him a dubious grin. “Oh, nothing. It just sounded like Sleeping Beauty was having a nightmare, so I did what I had to.”

Ren’s hand shot to his lips as he stared at her in wide-eyed disbelief.

Rei chuckled and held up the culprit—a bar of soap.

“You little—” Ren growled.

“Hey, sis! Your old deadbeat boyfriend is finally up!” Rei called in the direction of Mira’s bedroom.

“...”

“Guess she’s not taking the bait anymore,” Ren muttered, sinking back under the covers.

Rei shrugged. “What can you do?”

She wore a high school uniform that still felt surprisingly familiar, even 200 years later. But, apart from the mischievous streak of a younger sister, she somehow gave the impression of the opposite.

She fumbled around in the kitchen while Ren stayed buried in his futon. “Honestly, I never thought I’d see the day when Sis brought a guy home.”

“Hmm, I wonder why?”

“And I mean, I know she loves history, but to bring someone from the past…”

“Crazy.”

“And, out of all the options, she chose some edgy deadbeat?”

Ren sat up, glaring. “Hey!”

Rei chuckled. She finished stirring one of the three mugs and handed him a steaming cup of coffee. “So, how’s that mission of yours going?”

“You mean Mira’s right?”

“It’s been about two weeks since you guys started, right? Any changes?”

Ren scoffed. “About as much as I expected.”

“That bad, huh?”

He took a sip of the coffee, a subtle smile crept onto his face. Rei’s brew was leagues better than the café back home. She could teach them a thing or two. “It feels more like we’re trying to recruit people to our wacky New Age religion by handing out these sketchy pamphlets about love.”

“Mira didn’t really think things through it seems.” Rei gave a weary smile. “Just giving out something in print in this day and age is suspicious as is.”

“Oh, no, she thought it through alright. In fact, she insisted on it, saying it feels more genuine this way.” Speaking off…

From down the hall came the sound of clattering. Heavy footsteps followed, and Mira burst into the living room, her expression frantic.

“Ren! Ren! Ren! Is it true?” Mira seemed oblivious to her appearance.

Rei sighed. “You dummy.”

Ren was at a loss for words as he blinked blankly.

“What’s with you two?” Mira glanced down and froze.

Her oversized T-shirt barely left to the imagination what color panties she wore underneath and her bedhead only emphasized her disheveled charm.

Ren was unable to keep his cool demeanor as he rolled into his futon.

Mira’s face slowly flushed until she couldn’t hold it in anymore and bolted back to her room.

A bit later, the trio sat around a small table as they finished their drinks, Mira now wearing shorts under her T-shirt. Despite the adjustment, Ren found himself still wanting to avert his gaze.

“Sorry, I keep forgetting you’re a guy…” Mira gave a nervous chuckle.

Should I be offended? It’s… fine,” Ren said.

“Honestly, I don’t see what the problem is.” Rei interjected with a smirk. “It’s perfectly normal for couples to dress around each other how they feel most comfortable.”

Two sets of sharp glares made her immediately retreat. “A-Anyway, I should get going. Can’t be late for school!”

Once they said their goodbyes, Mira turned to Ren with a serious expression.

“I’m sorry, okay… How was I supposed to know you were gonna come out dressed like that,” Ren said.

“What? No.” Mira blushed a bit but shook it off. “What I was trying to tell you before. Is it true… that flowers talk?”

Ren quietly picked up both of their mugs, headed to the sink and began washing the dishes. “So, she’s finally lost it…” he muttered.

“I’m serious! I stayed up reading about the language of flowers.”

Oh, that.

“Giving flowers can have different meanings, right? Depending on the type and color?”

“Pretty much.”

“So Ren can speak flower.” Mira’s intense gaze locked onto him. She stood next to him as she seamlessly dried the dishes as he washed them.

He sighed. “What do you want to know?”

“Tell me! What does a pink carnation mean?”

Ren hesitated, feigning ignorance. “Uh… something about admiration?”

“And is it true that just the shade can change its meaning?”

“Is that how it works?” Ren shrugged.

Mira pouted. “Ren… you were right.” She finished putting away the last of the dishes.

“I never thought I’d hear such beautiful words come out of your mouth,” Ren said, wiping an imaginary tear from his cheek.

Mira’s eyebrow twitched, but she didn’t rise to his bait. “Giving out those pamphlets really is a waste of time.”

Wait… is she serious?

She headed down the hall with him in tow.

Ren’s nostrils filled with a sweet floral scent as they approached Mira’s workroom.

“Which is why I decided to get a few flowers to study the romantic act of giving them in more detail.”

Ren’s jaw dropped as Mira opened the door to reveal a jungle of blooms. Flowers in every imaginable color filled the room, crowding the corners, windowsills, and even her workspace. Nexi, tucked away in a corner at the computer station, was barely visible beneath a mound of bouquets.

“A few flowers? And to think I almost got my hopes up.

“I don’t know why it didn’t occur to me before,” Mira said, beaming. “Instead of handing out pamphlets about classical romantic gestures, why not show people by giving them flowers directly?”

Ren sighed. “You coming with, Nexi?”

“Don’t mind me.” Nexi’s muffled, simulated voice came from beneath a blanket of petals. “I’ll stay here to continue analyzing the time cube and figure out what else we need for repairs.”

***

The city plaza buzzed with life at noon. People mingled walking by, having lunch, or spending time with friends and family. Mira was deep into the day's scheme, darting from person to person, handing out flowers of all shapes and colors—a rose here, a sunflower there, and everything in between.

“Just give it to your soulmate!” she chirped to a businessman, who walked away clutching a flower with a puzzled expression.

Ren, meanwhile, carried his own bundle of flowers. In his mind, the sooner he unloaded them, the sooner he could call it a day. Quiet and polite, he handed out flowers with a simple nod, though it did little to alleviate the confusion on people’s faces.

Wow. So the custom of giving flowers really is completely gone.

He glanced over at Mira, who was wearing an uneasy expression. But then she clenched her fists, her determination reigniting. Ren walked up to her.

“Hey, Mira. I don’t think just giving flowers and saying something vague about their meaning is going to work.”

“But the act of giving flowers feels so natural… I thought people would understand.”

“We need to give them a new perspective—frame it in a way they can relate to and be patient.” Ren spotted a boy walking nearby and smirked. “Watch and learn.”

“Oh boy, here we go…” Mira muttered.

“Hey, kid!” Ren strided over with confidence. A creepy forced grin was plastered on his face.

The boy stopped, his pleasant expression fading the longer Ren spoke.

“So, you love your mom, right?”

The boy grimaced. “Uh, sorry… I gotta go.”

This brat. Ren’s patience didn’t last long. “Oh, so you don’t love your mom, huh? What if she died? You want your mom to die, is that it?”

The boy’s eyes welled up. “Look, I just don’t want your dumb flower, okay?”

Ren felt Mira’s burning gaze on his back. He let out a nervous chuckle. “S-Sorry, that’s not what I meant…” He took a deep breath and softened his tone. Genuinely, he explained how giving the flower to his mom was a simple way to show he cared and how much it would mean to her. The boy’s expression brightened, and he accepted the flower.

“Thank you, mister! I guess I won’t report you after all!” The boy waved before running off with a smile.

“Uh… thanks?” Ren weakly waved back.

Mira giggled, her smile disarming as always. “A little rough around the edges, but… I see what you mean. Thanks, Ren. I’ll keep trying my best!”

“Sure thing,” Ren muttered, scratching his head.

The day dragged on as they continued handing out flowers with mixed results. Some people thanked them politely and walked away. A few promised to give the flowers to someone special. One guy that just seemed interested in trying to use the lily he was given to pick up any girl he could find, really rubbed Ren the wrong way. With a straight face, Ren convinced him that eating the flower would help. Some were reluctant, one man in particular adamantly refused the flower. Unfortunately for him, he was dealing with a girl that would not take no for an answer when it came to her ideal of love. He found Mira chasing after him with the tenacity of someone pursuing a thief.

While Mira was away, Ren spotted a girl nervously holding a flower he had given her. She appeared to be confessing to her crush.

Oh, no. Am I about to witness a young maiden's heart shatter? …Suddenly, this day doesn’t feel like such a waste.

From a distance, he watched the girl hand over the flower, her hands trembling. Though he couldn’t hear the exchange, her elation was clear when the boy accepted the flower and they walked off hand-in-hand.

“I think… I got through to him!” Mira returned, panting. “Did I miss anything?”

“Nothing important.”

As the sun dipped lower, their results remained underwhelming. Most people still didn’t grasp the sentiment behind giving flowers. Walking side by side in silence, the two noticed a discarded dark pink carnation that laid on a bench.

Mira walked up to it, her expression sullen. “Going into all of this, I knew it wasn’t going to be easy to change people’s perceptions, but…”

There it was—that uneasy look Ren couldn’t stand. He picked up the flower and paused. “A pink carnation… Admiration and gratitude,” he said softly.

Mira’s eyes widened as she turned to him.

“You can be kind of intense and a bit annoying at times…” He felt the smooth petals between his fingers. “But, you don’t give up easily. So, that’s something worth admiring… at least. And I’m sure there were people today who were grateful—for the flower and the smile you gave them.”

He extended the flower to her, his gaze steady.

Mira’s cheeks flushed slightly as she accepted it, her hand brushing against his. Her warmth lingered.

“Hmm… a darker shade of pink.” Her smile turned sly. “Doesn’t that have a special meaning?”

Ren looked away a bit flustered. “Does it? I… can’t remember. Something about blooming, maybe?”

“Come on, just tell me!” She pouted.

The dark pink carnation’s meaning—a blooming, unspoken affection—lingered in the air between them.