Blue roses are the most beautiful, yet the rarest ones humans can ever find. A red rose is a common thing for everyone. For some people, a red rose is a symbol of love and happiness, but for me, it's nothing special. Why is that? Why don't red roses attract me? Am I different? Or is a part of my heart missing something? Hundreds of questions swirl in my mind, but I am only curious about the blue rose.
My name is Ken. I am in university now. Well, let's say I'm still going through life without any future plans. But to be honest, I do have some plans—I just don't think they'll ever come true, right?
June 20 - 8:30 am -
"Damn it, damn it! I'm late again. I only have 30 minutes left!"
I rushed toward my uniform, got dressed, grabbed my bag, and hurried downstairs. As usual, I saw my younger brother, Kai, playing with his toys, Mom cooking, and Dad already gone for work. As I sprinted down the stairs, Mom called out:
"Ken, have something before you leave."
As always, I snatched a piece of bread and bolted out the door. I'm usually not late, but last night was an absolute mess.
"Damn, I stayed up too late. Now I have to run to class. Stupid anime… but I loved that episode. Anyway, I have to get there before 9!"
While running to campus, I noticed a girl in a blue dress standing at the bus stop. My eyes locked onto her. As I ran, still staring, an image of a blue rose flashed in my mind. Suddenly, my whole body felt strange.
"Wait… she's…"
I shook my head, looked away, and kept moving toward campus. But the moment I turned back, I saw her boarding the bus—and that's when I tripped and face-planted onto the pavement.
"Damn it… it's only the beginning of the day. Come on…"
12:10 pm -
I somehow made it through my classes. My best friend, Masashi, and I were having lunch together. I've known Masashi since 9th grade, and we've been best friends ever since. While eating, he suddenly asked:
"Hey, bro, remember that new transfer kid?"
"Of course I do. What happened?"
He showed me a picture on his phone—an Instagram post of the new kid with a girl. Swiping through more photos, he said:
"Well, guess what? He's got a new girlfriend."
I wasn't that interested. "Well, who cares? Lucky guy, I guess."
Masashi teased me, waving his chopsticks playfully. "I wonder when we'll find someone, right?"
I glanced at him. "Look, man, I don't care about that anymore."
Masashi stared at me with a serious expression, his eyes full of curiosity.
"I know, I know. You believe in your 'blue rose' theory."
A theory? It's not a theory. It's just how I see things now. I met his gaze and replied:
"It's not a theory, dude. It's just how I feel inside. After everything that happened last time… I just see things differently now."
He stood up, took his drink, and said:
"Look, man, the past doesn't matter anymore. But the truth is, the way you describe your 'blue rose' thing… if that's really how you feel, I don't think you'll ever find anyone."
I smiled at him. We both stood and headed back to class after lunch.
What Masashi said might sound harsh, but it is what it is. I've decided that if I ever love again, that person has to be my blue rose—someone different from everyone else, like a blue rose, more beautiful than any other.