Bouquets That Carried Their Hearts
Every Friday evening, Suraya looked forward to one small ritual she never missed, which is scrolling through White On White’s Weekly Flower feature. She worked in Penang as a junior designer, and though her days were packed with deadlines, colour palettes, and client changes, flowers were her escape. Something flowers that made her feel grounded.
This week, two bouquets caught her eye: a midnight-blue themed bouquet filled with peach roses, blue hydrangeas, and playful orange spray and a classic red rose bouquet wrapped in elegant beige and black ribbon. Both timeless and beautiful and only for RM99.
Just the sight of them made her smile. But she wasn’t thinking of buying them for herself.
Suraya had a best friend named Navin, who lived all the way in Selangor. They met during their university years in Ipoh, Suraya the cheerful girl who loved art and Navin is the calm, thoughtful Indian friend who always brought warmth and humour into any room. After graduation, life pulled them to different cities, but the friendship never faded.
These past few months, however, Navin had been going through a quiet struggle. He rarely admitted anything was wrong, but Suraya could hear it in his voice. The tired pauses. The forced laughs. The late-night texts saying, “I’ll be okay lah, don’t worry.”
Suraya knew that tone. She used it herself when she wasn’t okay. So that Friday, she did something simple and gentle. She placed an order with White On White. She ordered two bouquets, one for Navin and one for herself.
Suraya chose the Ethan Bouquet for Navin. The colours reminded her of him, grounded, calm, and unexpectedly warm. It wasn’t the typical masculine bouquet, but Suraya knew he’d appreciate the artistry, the textures, the pops of orange that represented the small joys he still deserved to feel. For herself, she picked the Think Of You Bouquet. Not for romance, but as a reminder that love doesn’t only come from relationships. Self-love also deserved beautiful things.
When Navin received the bouquet the next afternoon while in Selangor, he stared at it for a long time. He wasn’t used to getting flowers. It wasn’t something boys normally received. But something about it felt comforting. Soft and familiar. Like someone out there knew he needed joy, even if he didn’t say it out loud.
Suraya received hers almost at the same moment in Penang. She placed the red roses on her work desk, letting them brighten her creative space. Then she received
Navin lifted his bouquet. “Why like this? I’m not a girl, you know.”
Suraya laughed. “Don’t be dramatic. Flowers don’t care about gender. They’re for hearts, not labels. You needed something beautiful today.”
His expression softened, “It’s been tough,” he admitted quietly. “This… helped more than you know.” Suraya nodded. “I know.”
And for the first time in weeks, Navin felt seen but not through advice, not through long conversations but through petals, colours, and a gesture that spoke louder than words.
Across Penang and Selangor, two bouquets in two different homes carried one message:
You’re not alone. I’m here.
And sometimes, that’s all someone needs.
