▷ flower shop

@ᴀᴘᴛ³⁰⁴ seokjin k. Janet stood at the counter, eyes darting back and forth as they watched the cashier's hands prepare the roses in a delicate manner. Looking up at the other, she gave a small smile and shook my head. "They're actually my mother's favorite flower. She's ill and in the hospital, so I thought I'd get her something that could make her smile and feel at home, since she has a pink rose bush at her house." She explained in a soft voice, sliding her card in to pay before taking the bouquet into her arms. Glancing back over at the male, she gave an eye smile, before nodding her head. "No, thank you. I look forward to it as well." With a gentle wave, she walked away from the counter and headed out to make her way towards the hospital.

Little did she know that in the midst of the small talk and gathering the bouquet from the cashier, she had left her phone on the counter. She was known for forgetting things, but never has she ever left something so valuable behind in a public place. The 'oh, that'll never happen to me' aspect came into play, and already several blocks down the road at an intersection, she held out her hand to grab a taxi since it would be faster to get to the hospital. With a small huff, Janet walked around, back and forth a bit to catch a cab, but the traffic seemed to intensify with each passing minute. She then reached down into her pocket to grab her phone -- but there was nothing to grab. Her brows furrowed upwards, "Uh?" she gave a small whimper as she dug into her other pockets which all seemed to be empty.

Quickly, she grabbed her purse, searching through it rather frantically to find it and when she couldn't, she glanced around and felt her blood starting to pump a hundred times per minute. She tried to think. Janet had her phone with her when she left the house since she called her mother to see if she was allowed to visit, so she couldn't have left it at home. At the cafe, she had it, and also had it in her hand when she left because she needed to see i the nearest flower shop was close by and open. Janet had her phone at the flower shop but --, "Ah, crap!" With sudden realization, Janet began to quickly make her way back to the flower shop, hoping that her phone would still be there.

@ᴀᴘᴛ³⁰⁶ janet g. The new shipment of flowers had garnered a lot more attention than Seokjin had expected from the neighborhood. Since early this morning, the grocery store owner, the bankteller, and even the tattoo guy from down the street stopped by to buy something. It was no surprise when somewhat of a line formed up when it did. It was rare, but it always made him incredibly jovial when it did happen. "Thank you for your patronage, mister!" Seokjin beamed as he handed over an especially well-made bouquet of azaleas—if he did say so himself.

Just then, the appearance of a new customer caught his attention. She wasn't like the locals—or even Asian at that—but it was her outright interest in a particular set of flowers that caught his attention. Without much thought, the female had entered, quickly glanced around, made a beeline towards the pink roses, and had gotten in line. Most of his customers, despite being familiar with his store, always had a minute or two of hesitation before they went to grab what they were looking for. It intrigued him really, so he was glad when the girl finally reached the counter since it meant he was able to talk to her. Smiling cordially, Seokjin brightened, "Welcome! We just had a new shipment come in today, so a lot of people took interest. I'm glad really."

As the other shuffled to receive her wallet, he couldn't help but raise a curious brow and inquire with a quirk of his lips, "Pink roses, huh. Are they your favorite? You were so intent on them as soon as you walked into the store. Most people take decades to decide or even ask me for some recommendations." As he spoke, Seokjin carefully wrapped up the bouquet with a clear plastic wrap and tied the whole bundle together with a bright, yellow ribbon to match. He even made sure to attach a packet of plant food before handing the flowers to its new owner with a bright grin. "Thanks so much for your patronage, dear. I look forward to your next visit!"

@ᴀᴘᴛ³⁰³ lalisa m. Honestly, he wished he had accepted the younger's invitation because he clearly needed that strong adrenaline rush right about now in order to combat whatever—more like whoever—was standing before him. A frustrated grumble slipped past his lips before he could stop it, earning a hard glare from the elderly lady across the counter. Seokjin immediately straightened his posture in response as well as flashed his typical smile he reserved for customers. "You were saying, Mrs. Jung?" As soon as she looked away, distracted with the encyclopedic photo album in her hands, he returned to his previous slouched position, elbow rammed into the countertop and fist jabbed into his jaw.

Taking a quick glance at the clock, it was then that he realized how long the two of them had stood in that exact same position. It was almost lunch time, but the lady just kept going on and on about her decisions only to self-criticize them and change them altogether. It was already an incredibly tedious process preparing for her precious daughter's wedding reception, however, Mrs. Jung was not making it any easier for him. "Freesias are always a good choice. They go very well with tulips as well. Aren't they your favorite?" Seokjin piped up, hoping to hurry the lady's thought process along a bit.  "Yes, you're right. They would look nice wouldn't they? But... freesias are a tad too plain. No, no, that won't do at all." His lips pursed as his patience was beginning to wear thin. 'I can't do this anymore. God save me.'

As if the heavens had answered his prayers, Mrs. Jung's phone decided to ring at just that moment. It happened to be her daughter on the other line, hoping to take her dear, sweet mother to lunch or something—Seokjin wasn't too big on the details. Although she protested a bit at first, since there was still loads to do before the wedding, Mrs. Jung eventually relented. As she was about to leave the store, she actually took the time to croak a "thank you for today" before her slippery lizard tail barely missed the door on her way out. He didn't notice that he had his superficial smile plastered on his face until the effort to keep it up became too difficult. Releasing a huff of breath he didn't know he was holding, Seokjin collapsed onto his stool.

It was mere seconds before he decided to be up and moving again. Another look at the clock had ensured him of his much-needed break time. Pasting a "Gone to Lunch, Be Back Soon" sign upon his front door, Seokjin booked it out of the shop and instead rushed into the cafe across the street. Since it was technically lunch time for a lot of work places, he noted that the cafe was having their lunch rush of sorts, the tables mostly filled and a bit of a line before the cash register. Even before he fully entered though, the creaking door signalled the workers of his entrance, their cheerful welcomes greeting him as he strolled towards the queue.

@ᴀᴘᴛ³⁰⁴ seokjin k. Things were going down hill. First the mishap with her apartment, the modeling job not keeping up with her pay of need, and her mother falling ill. At first, things WERE going terrific. Were. Janet had no idea what had went wrong and where. It suddenly just hit her like a train and now she was a mess, trying to gather herself together again, piece by piece. The most important thing she had to focus on now was her mother, who had gone ill just a few days prior. A phone call and a few trips to the hospital and back home was tiring, but she'd do it for the sake of her mother. To be by her side. She took it upon herself to visit the floral shop not too far away from the hospital, in hopes of bringing her mother's spirits up. If anything could break her into a smiling mess, it would be a fresh bouquet of pink roses, her mother's personal favorite. Upon arrival at the floral shop, it seemed to be quite busy. Probably a sale of some sorts, but sale or not, she'd rather pay full price for the best quality roses she could find.

The aroma that had filled her nose the moment she walked in had brought her to peace and serenity. Everything around her seemed to fade out as her chocolate colored eyes began to roam over the many delicate flowers that were on display. There seemed to be a new style of flowers that looked out of this world and rather beautiful, but the only thing that stood out to her like a sore thumb was those pink roses at the far left of the display. Janet gazed over at the pink roses, trying to find the perfect bouquet that wasn't wilted or too limp. She needed something lively and vibrant. Once she had found the ideal bouquet, she walked over to the small line of two people and glanced around aimlessly to pass time. Well, the passing of time was quick, and now she was next at the counter. With a soft smile, she carefully laid the bouquet of pink roses onto the surface and greeted the cashier warmly. "Hello. It seems a bit busy today, huh?" She asked as she brought out her wallet from her purse, glancing upwards to meet the gaze of the cashier with a vibrant, wide smile.

@ᴀᴘᴛ³⁰⁴ seokjin k. Of course Lalisa didn't expect too much to come from the offer she gave the man. They didn't know each other at all really besides a few friendly smiles and waves and even though the man seemed nice enough, Lalisa still scolded herself for inviting him into the shop when it's only other occupant was her. Maybe that was just her paranoia speaking but one could never be too careful. She gave a small understanding nod of her head after a chuckle had escaped passed her lips imagining a grumpy old lady walking into the flower shop and giving the man a hard time. She sort of felt bad for him but then again, a customer was a customer and money was money. She watched as he turned away before retreating into the café for her early morning routine of cleaning.

Lalisa went about her tasks just as any other obedient hard working employee would. She wiped down table tops, made sure the nice spotless dishes they used were out on display in their assigned cubbies, and just for the sake of it took down the chalk menu hanging above the front counter to wipe it clean and rewrite the whole menu again in neat handwriting. This usually kept her occupied as she sat down at one of the tables near the window and finished her small breakfast while she had a few of the more popular in demand coffee flavors brewing so that they were ready to go when the customers came trickling in.

Her hands were a colorful mess by the time she had completed the menu, also throwing in a few cute drawings on the corners of the board to add decoration. She caught sight of a little old lady outside across the road, walking in the direction of the flower shop and felt a small grin tug at her lips knowing that the man would be having his dreaded visitor but the thought was cut short when the bell to the café sounded along with the cheery sing-song voice of her manager and the shuffling footsteps of a couple other employees as well. Of course, just as any other morning, the girl was praised for her diligence and hard work to prepare the shop for opening which earned her a few scowls from her coworkers. It didn't really phase her though, she didn't come to work to make friends. She came to work so that she could keep her apartment.

They all got to work, the girl cleaning up her small station that had a few colorful dust particles and biscuit crumbs on the surface before excusing herself to the bathroom and washing her hands. Looking at herself in the mirror, she exhaled deeply before pushing open the door and exiting with a smile set on her face ready to take on the day.

@ᴀᴘᴛ³⁰³ lalisa m. The younger's offer was tempting to say the least. However, Seokjin knew what coffee would do to him. "A little energy boost" was very much an understatement when it came to his body's system. And because an important client was going to come in anytime soon, he didn't want to run the risk of angering the lady before he got a few rational words in. Leaning against the front window, he replied apologetically, "Thanks, dear! But, I'll have to take you up on your offer sometime later." He scowled in slight annoyance. "A grumpy, old lady is going to walk in. Unfortunately, she forgot to mention what damn time she'll show up." After a light shake of his head, Seokjin ended up giving his neighbor another wave and a crooked smile as farewell before he reluctantly turned away.

His bells chimed to signal his entrance when he stepped back into the shop. It was always a bit quiet inside–since he had made sure to find a location tucked away from the busy streets way before he decided to open his store–but because of the early morning tranquility, an even more delicate air had settled amongst his plants. Picking up his broom again, he began to sweep the imaginary dust on the floor just for the heck of it. At the moment, there wasn't anything much to do anyway. He took a glance out the window just to see if the other was still there tending to the cafe. He spotted her lean figure right away, shuffling around the shop, and couldn't help but smile at the younger's energy. 'People like her make me feel old,' he mused jokingly, but had to turn his attention to the door when the bells suddenly chimed. 'Ah, here we go.'

"Welcome, Mrs. Jung! What a pleasure to see your beautiful face this morning." But, of course, he earned no response from her. His voice couldn't help but subtley lilt in a sarcastic way, but thank god the woman was too elderly to pay any notice to those kinds of things. She ambled towards the counter where Seokjin was standing, figure slightly slouched, face slightly scowled, eyes more-than-slightly glowered. He watched exasperatedly as she loitered around some flowers along the way, tapping his foot with his increasing impatient. When Mrs. Jung finally halted before him, he squeezed out a friendly smile. "And what will we be doing today, ma'am?" She threw a photo album heavily on the counter–the thud startled Seokjin a bit. Then staring at him with her eyes full of hidden suspicion, she answered, "I would like to order these." The superficial smile painted on his face couldn't have vanished any faster.

@ᴀᴘᴛ³⁰⁴ seokjin k. The start of every morning consisted of the same things. Lalisa would wake up and dress in her uniform, grab a breakfast bar and water bottle on her way out, and walk to the café to open up the shop. She hadn't meant to take the morning hours but they were the only ones that didn't conflict with her classes. Needless to say, she was always up bright and early and would be the first one waiting outside for the manager to get there. That had scored her access to the café keys and a small raise so long as she got a head start on cleaning up and preparing for the day while she waited for everyone else to show up. It really wasn't a bad deal at all.

Alternating between small bites of her blueberry breakfast biscuit and water, the girl dug in her pocket for the keys as she neared the little shop. As she made to unlock the door, Lalisa couldn't help but feel she was being watched. She didn't have to gaze around, head turning to look over her shoulder to see the owner of the flower shop across the street opening up as well. This was more or less a daily thing, either one of the two being caught gazing over at the other. However, never once had they exchanged more than a couple words as greeting.

His smile by this point was familiar and she easily reciprocated it along with a small wave of her own. "Good morning." She called back after unlocking the door to the café and holding onto the handle as support while rocking back and forth on her heels. "The flowers look especially lovely today." Gesturing towards the various pots he had been setting up, she game a small tight lipped grin and tilted her head to the side ever so slightly. "Would you like a cup of coffee this morning? I could whip something up for you quickly while you finish up out there?"

@ᴀᴘᴛ³⁰³ lalisa m. Dawn had barely broken, but there was Seokjin already shuffling around his shop, preparing for the day to come. Inside the shop, he moves some pots here, sweeps up a leaf or two there, until the sun decides to peek its head out a bit more. He then decides it's about time to fully open up. He hauls the iron gate blocking the front of his shop in, locking it into its original place, before he lugs out the various pots and buckets of plants he brought in for the night.

Just as he's about to nudge them into their former spots, however, Seokjin suddenly notices something. He never did pay much attention to it before, but without his plants decorating the expanse of sidewalk before his shop, it seems pretty barren. Glancing left and right down the street, he realizes there wasn't much nature decorating the shops around his to begin with. That little fact simply made him all the much happier since he realizes even the seemingly small presence of his shop made such a noticeable difference on the neighborhood's atmosphere.

The smile dancing on his face was subtle, yet evident, as he goes to settle the potted plants into their places. A rattling sound from across the street catches his attention. Turning his head to peer over at the cafe opposite of his own shop, he spots the a familiar face. It's her again, he gathers, seeing how it was the same young girl opening up shop as any other day. His line of sight must have been too conspicuous because the girl decides to look up just then as well, catching his gaze. He gives her a friendly smile, a slight wave, and yells a bright "good morning" across the street.

@ᴀᴘᴛ⁵⁰⁵ jinah i. It was during one of the shop's slower hours that Seokjin decides to do some reorganizing. A shipment of miniature succulents had come in earlier, but he hadn't had the chance to thoroughly go over them. He steps into the back room, bringing with him a tray of a selection of tiny potted plants. These have become surprisingly popular, he thinks as he places the load on the counter and settles himself behind it. Seokjin does as he always does: goes over each plant carefully, crucially examining each individual pot, gently tracing each individual leaf.

A gentle smile sneaks onto his lips without his noticing. It's always been like this. Despite his friendly nature to everyone around him, Seokjin has always had an exceptionally soft spot for the plants that surround him in his shop. They were like a living part of him. That's why, when customers come in to admire his precious flowers, he's proud beyond reason.

One of the succulents Seokjin happens to pick up, however, had a discoloration. His lips bent downward at the corners a bit as he analyzes the dry spot blemishing the plant's otherwise healthy green leaf. Without much worry though, he mentally determines, I'll see what I can do for you later.

Just then, something out of the corner of his eye catches Seokjin's attention. He raises his head to look out the window in time to see a young girl hovering over the pots of peonies and dahlias. Seeing her earnest attraction to them, Seokjin naturally smiles. Gently placing the succulent plant he had in hand onto the counter, he heads out the door. The chiming bells signal his presence to the stranger, but even then, he exclaims a light "hello there," capturing the latter's attention.

@ᴀᴘᴛ¹⁰¹ hooseok l. {thank youuu xP}

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@ᴀᴘᴛ³⁰⁴ seokjin k. [LMAO I'M AMAZING :' D]

@ᴀᴘᴛ¹⁰¹ hooseok l. {pssst, i think the title is wrong xD}