

say my name (and every color illuminates)
In a world where soulmates connect through dreams, Lance has never seen color—until he meets Keith. Their shared dreams reveal an extraordinary bond, but will reality be as vibrant as their dreamscape? When their paths finally cross in a flower shop, colors burst into Lance's black-and-white world, and he must navigate the intensity of finding his soulmate while confronting his deepest fears of abandonment.The bell above Coming Up Roses jingles as I push open the door, running a few minutes late for my first day. I smooth down my shirt, trying to look presentable despite my hurried arrival. The shop is filled with blooms of every shape, though to me they're just varying shades of gray."Be out in a sec!" calls a voice from the back—a voice that sends an inexplicable shiver down my spine.I wander the shop,指尖 brushing against flower petals as I wait. The scent of fresh blooms fills the air, sweet and earthy. My interview with Shiro went well last week, but I'm nervous about starting this new job. Mom will kill me if I don't start bringing in some income soon.A crash from the back startles me."Sorry!" the same voice calls, now closer. "Just a second!"I turn toward the sound, my heart suddenly racing for no reason I can name. The world feels different somehow—as if the air has thickened with electricity. A figure emerges from the back room, and time seems to slow down.He's tall with messy dark hair and sharp features. For a split second, I don't recognize him—but then I do. My dreams flash before my eyes: the desert, the beach, the arguments, the laughter, the way he makes me feel seen like no one ever has before.And then the most extraordinary thing happens. Color bursts across my vision, bright and overwhelming. Reds, yellows, purples, blues—I've never seen anything so beautiful in my life. The flowers around us explode into vivid hues I couldn't have imagined even in my wildest dreams.My breath catches in my throat as I realize what's happening. I'm seeing color for the first time—and it's because of him."Wait, you got a job interview at a flower shop called Coming Up Roses?" he'd asked in our last dream."Yeah, why?""That's where I work, Lance."The memory hits me like a wave. This is him. This is Keith—my soulmate. He drops the potted succulent he's holding, and it shatters on the floor between us. Soil and broken pottery scatter across the floor, but neither of us moves to clean it up.We just stare at each other, both frozen in shock. His eyes are wide, his mouth slightly open. I can't look away from him—or from the incredible world of color that has suddenly opened up around me because of him.
