The next morning, Leah stepped outside expecting the same quiet garden she had walked through the day before.
Instead, she stopped in the doorway.
Workers moved across the grass. Boxes were stacked near the paths. Fresh soil had been turned over in long rows.
And flowers—so many flowers.
Small blue blossoms were being planted carefully in neat clusters.
Rows of white roses stood waiting beside them.
Leah blinked in surprise.
"What…?"
She stepped down the stone path, watching as one of the gardeners knelt in the dirt, gently placing a flower into the soil.
Leah approached him.
"Excuse me," she said.
The gardener looked up.
"Yes, ma'am?"
"Who ordered all of this?"
The man gestured toward the rows of plants.
"Mr. Izana."
Leah stared at the flowers again.
Forget-me-nots.
White roses.
Exactly what she had mentioned yesterday.
A slow smile spread across her face.
"Of course he did," she murmured.
She looked around the garden.
And then she spotted him.
Izana stood a few steps away near the stone path, arms folded, watching the workers quietly.
Leah walked toward him.
"You did this."
Izana glanced at her.
"You said the garden needed flowers."
Leah crossed her arms.
"That was a casual comment."
"I took it seriously."
She looked back at the garden.
The soft blue of the forget-me-nots spread across the ground like little patches of sky.
White roses lined the pathways.
It was beautiful.
"You ordered all of this… just because I said I liked them?"
Izana shrugged.
"You said you liked them."
Leah shook her head, smiling.
"You're unbelievable."
"Why?"
"Because most people would just nod and forget about it."
"I'm not most people."
"That's definitely true."
A worker walked past carrying another box of plants.
Leah watched him for a moment.
Then she suddenly stepped forward and knelt beside one of the open patches of soil.
Izana frowned slightly.
"What are you doing?"
Leah grabbed a small forget-me-not plant.
"Helping."
"You don't need to."
"I want to."
She started digging into the soil with her hands.
Izana watched silently.
A few seconds passed.
Then he said flatly,
"You're doing it wrong."
Leah froze.
"…Excuse me?"
"The roots need more space."
She looked down at the plant.
"It's fine."
"It's not."
Leah looked up at him.
"Are you seriously criticizing my gardening skills right now?"
"Yes."
She scoffed.
"Then show me how to do it properly."
Izana stared at her for a second.
Then, without another word, he crouched beside her.
He took the small shovel from the ground.
"You dig deeper," he said calmly.
He pushed the shovel into the soil and loosened the dirt.
"Like this."
Leah leaned closer to watch.
"Okay… that actually looks better."
"I know."
She rolled her eyes.
"Don't get cocky."
Izana gently placed the flower into the hole.
"Now you cover the roots."
Leah scooped soil back over it.
"There."
Izana nodded once.
"That one might survive."
Leah gasped.
"Might?"
"You drowned three plants before."
"That was years ago!"
"Still counts."
Leah grabbed another flower.
"Fine. I'll prove you wrong."
She began planting another one.
Izana stayed beside her.
They worked quietly for a moment.
Then Leah glanced at him.
"You're actually gardening."
"I'm helping."
"That's the same thing."
He didn't argue.
Across the garden, Dante stepped onto the path.
Elias followed behind him.
They both stopped when they saw the scene.
Dante squinted.
"…Is Izana gardening?"
Elias crossed his arms.
"Yes."
Dante blinked.
"I thought he only grew chaos."
Elias chuckled softly.
"Apparently he grows flowers now too."
They watched as Izana carefully pressed soil around another plant.
Dante shook his head.
"I've known him for years. I've never seen him touch dirt voluntarily."
Elias smirked slightly.
"He's different around her."
Dante nodded slowly.
"Yeah… he is."
Back in the garden, Leah brushed dirt off her hands.
"I think I'm getting the hang of it."
Izana inspected the plant.
"It's acceptable."
Leah nudged his shoulder.
"You're impossible."
"And yet you keep talking to me."
"Because someone has to keep you humble."
They continued planting.
A light breeze moved through the garden, making the new flowers sway gently.
Leah looked around.
Rows of forget-me-nots now stretched across the garden.
White roses lined the stone paths.
"It's beautiful," she said quietly.
Izana stood up.
Leah followed.
She looked around again, taking it all in.
"You really did all this."
"Yes."
"You didn't have to."
"I know."
Leah turned toward him.
"Why did you?"
Izana looked at her.
"Because you liked them."
"That's it?"
"Yes."
She studied his expression.
"You're terrible at explaining things."
"I wasn't aware that required explaining."
Leah laughed softly.
"You ordered an entire garden of flowers because I casually mentioned them."
He shrugged.
"You deserved them."
Leah blinked.
The words were simple.
But the way he said them made her chest tighten.
She stepped closer.
"You're changing."
Izana tilted his head slightly.
"How?"
"You do things like this now."
"Like what?"
"Thoughtful things."
He looked at the flowers.
"I've always done things like this."
"No," Leah said softly.
"You haven't."
He went quiet.
Leah reached out and brushed a bit of dirt from his sleeve.
"You're smiling more too."
"I am not."
"You are."
"Prove it."
"You smiled yesterday."
"That doesn't count."
She grinned.
"It absolutely counts."
Izana sighed.
"You're difficult."
Leah stepped closer.
"You're softer."
"That's debatable."
"You planted flowers with me."
"That's evidence against my argument."
Leah laughed.
Then her expression softened.
"You know… this means a lot to me."
Izana didn't respond.
But he didn't look away either.
Leah moved even closer.
Her voice was quiet now.
"You really are different."
"Maybe."
"Maybe?"
"Maybe you're the reason."
Leah's breath caught slightly.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
Then Leah reached up and gently pulled him down.
And kissed him.
It wasn't rushed.
It wasn't dramatic.
Just soft.
Warm.
Real.
Izana froze for half a second.
Then he kissed her back.
When they pulled apart, Leah smiled.
"You look shocked."
"I wasn't expecting that."
"Get used to it."
From across the garden, Dante suddenly cleared his throat.
"…Should I come back later?"
Leah jumped slightly.
Izana turned slowly.
His expression immediately darkened.
Dante raised both hands.
"Relax. I just came to say the rest of the flowers are planted."
Leah laughed nervously.
Dante glanced at the garden.
Then at them.
"And apparently the garden is very romantic now."
Izana's voice was flat.
"Leave."
Dante grinned.
"Already going."
He turned and walked away.
Leah shook her head, laughing softly.
"He has terrible timing."
Izana nodded.
"Agreed."
Leah looked around the garden one more time.
Blue forget-me-nots covered the ground.
White roses stretched along every path.
The entire place had transformed.
She took a slow breath.
"I'll never forget this."
Izana walked beside her.
"Good."
She looked at him.
"Why?"
He glanced at the flowers.
Then back at her.
"Because I won't either."