▸　❛ flower shop

@❛ hanbin k。 "It's nice to meet you too. What a super small world. I guess so. Maybe it's destiny." Seora placed a hand over her heart, faking a swoon. "Me too. I could use some entertainment." She nodded in agreement, laughter leaving her own lips at his dramatic display of muscles. "Mhmm. Wonderful. I'll even throw in dessert then, Mr. Arm Candy." This was going to be great and she couldn't be more excited. "Yeah let's do it." As soon as he mentioned her changing, her light eyes fell back upon her damp ensemble. "Sounds great. I'm sure the douche is still at my apartment so I think I'll do some shopping while you finish up your shift. Don't want to catch a cold like this." The brunette sheepishly grinned, unlocking her phone once again and holding it out to Hanbin. "Here. Throw your number in there. I'll text you the address."

@❛ hanbin k。 Usually Jiwon gambled with his hearing - will I wear the headset or will I not? More often than not, the answer is - no, that. However, there are days when he regrets not wearing it. The biggest one was on the day of his final exam, when he had to get in a fight with the examiner about having an extension (he didn't need it academically, but that's not the point - he had the privilege of it, and only an idiot wouldn't take advantage of some extra time on the most important exam of their life). Today, however, Jiwon knew he doesn't have to wear the headset - not for Hanbin.
Upon entering the shop, Jiwon wasn't disappointed. They didn't know each other for that long, maybe a couple of months... yet every single time he saw the other man he couldn't help the blossoming smile on his face. He greeted Hanbin with a nod of his head and his eyes carefully studied the other man's lips and soon after hands.

Bacon.

Hanbin was as delightful as ever, Jiwon thought.

"I have something to show you..." Jiwon said, full of confidence, with playful eyes. He ignored the other man for the most part. He prepared an entire performance and beckoned Hanbin to follow him deeper into the shop. By now, Jiwon's been here so many times he's memorised the layout.

Hanbin was one of the only people in this town that knew sign language. He was the only person who made Jiwon confident. There's always a facade Jiwon puts on, where he pretends it doesn't affect him, being deaf - physically, sure. It doesn't. But emotionally? Jiwon doesn't really have close friends, and since he refuses to stay in contact with his immediate family, it can get very lonely. Hanbin gave him hope to escape this loneliness. It wasn't just a physical attraction - Hanbin was as handsome as they come, don't get him wrong. His charming personality, his patience for Jiwon... Black haired man had passion coming out of the wazoo and Jiwon admired it. And being completely honest with himself, Jiwon fell for him hard from the day the other man taught him about the language of flowers. To return the favour, Jiwon decided to confess his feelings using Hanbin's own language - floriography.

And there's no time like the present to act on those feelings. Jiwon planned it all out. First, he looked around the floor, locating all of the necessary words. Once he was ready, he lifted his hands and communicated: "I've been studying flowers." First, Jiwon walked to the Bird of Paradise and handed one over - symbolising excitement and anticipation. He's jittery. He then followed up by passing over a Hydrangea - gratitude for being understood. Together, the message was, "I'm excited to show you how grateful I am for meeting you."

@❛ jiwon k。 It had been a pretty slow day for the florist. He had been able to help out a few customers, but having finished trimming all of their new shipment of flowers early that day, all Hanbin had to do for the rest of his shift was literally watch grass grow. Flowers to be more exact, but plants were plants. While spraying a few of their potted plants for their daily water mist, the chime of the store's front door bell brought upon a smile onto the florist's face. It became even wider, as he immediately recognized the person who walked in. "Jiwon! Hey!" Simultaneously calling out and signing the greeting to the familiar face, he quickly finished up the current task at hand before setting the bottle away. "What can I do for you today? Oh! but before anything, look what I learned." Bin had already known basic sign language before having met Jiwon, but after getting to know him more and more, he found himself trying to learn a new word in ASL everyday. Lifting his hands, he extended only his pointer and middle fingers to make them touch before moving them away in a wavy manner. "Bacon!" The small store became filled with his joyous laughter as he showed off the new word like an excited child. "Think I'm getting better, no?"

@❛ seora k。 "No way! Nice to meet you neighbor. Guess we were meant to run into each other at some point." Punching in numbers on the store's tablet register just for the book keeping, he finalizes the sale for the bouquet. "Yes I'm sure! I think it'll be fun." He lets out a boisterous laugh at her teasing and returns the favor by pretending to obnoxiously flex his muscles like some over built body builder. "Dinner? Say less. Can't deny a free meal now can I? It's a deal. I'll be the best arm candy you've ever had." There's a mischiveous twinkle in his eye just at the thought of getting revenge on someone he didn't even know. "Wanna do it today? I heard the rain might stop soon, but you should change first. My shift ends soon so I can meet you whenever you wanna drop off the bouquet. How does that sound?"

@❛ hanbin k。 A pleased smiled spread across the brunette's lips at his comment. "Isn't she? I've noticed that too. I've heard of someone who has a bearded dragon and I know someone else who wants to get a tarantula. In Casia? I live there too! I had no idea someone managed to get sharks in there. That's so cool." Seora tried to hold back her excitement, keeping the towel close as her source of warmth. Her eyes cascaded down the stunning bouquet, rather pleased with the end result. This boy would have no idea what hit him. "It's beautiful, Hanbin. Really. I'm guessing because it was something brand new?" She lifted a dark brow. "Wait really? Are you sure?" Sage eyes blinked in quick succession, shocked by the offer. "Hmmm sure. I could use the company and it'll give me a chance to pay you back since you won't let me pay. New arm candy? Aren't we getting cocky?" She leaned over the counter, pausing for a long moment, then giving the boy a playful wink. "I'm kidding. Having some arm candy will complete the ' you' perfectly. I have to pay you back somehow, you know." Seora pretended to glare at him. "Only if I get to take you to dinner afterwards. My treat. And you can't change your mind halfway through. It's go hard or go home time."

@❛ seora k。 Peering at the phone screen, he admires the scaly animal peacefully resting inside the photo. "Cute. I don't know what it is about Lavande but seems like a lot of people have more non-traditional pets. And by non-traditional I mean anything other than a cat or a dog. I know a neighbor who's got sharks in the Casia complex!" Wrapping up the bouqet together, he makes some final adjustments before finding satisfaction in his work. "I think the ' you' bouqet is all good to go. This was really fun to make if I say so myself." Admiring the flowers, he hands it over to Seora. "No need to pay. On the house since it's for some douchebag." he says, "Are you going to give it to him now?" While inquiring, the gears in his mind shifted to a new plan. "Want me to come along? Don't think it'll hurt if you show up with some new arm candy huh?" he teases. "Show that that you're much better off without him. I'll throw the service in free of charge as well." Excitement inching up his face, he offers a mischievous grin in hopes to help help in anyway possible.

@❛ nana o。 yellow, bouquet. got it. minju nodded as she mentally noted what the girl asked for and made her way over to the yellow marigolds. she knew how to create single flower bouquets at the very least and definitely know that no one would roast her bouquets, this was a task she could do.

gathering a decent amount of marigolds, she snipped parts and bits of the stem to make it more presentable as she walked back over to the counter. she placed the marigolds on the table and pulled open the drawer full of wrapping paper, taking a careful look at the selections. "hm, what colour do you have? we have orange, an opaque and translucent white, pink, and-" she paused as she heard her name come out of the girl's mouth and looked up and away from the drawer. "huh? how do you know my name? do you know me?" confusion apparent on minju's face as she looked at the girl in front of her, she stared and stared, but no name came to her.

@❛ minju k。 "uh," nana stopped to take out the note of the instructions her grandmother had given her. "yellow. and a bouquet."

placing the the paper on the counter, she cleared again and looked down at her feet. nana could tell that minju didn't remember her from the way she treated her like a normal customer. not that that was a problem or anything. however, she debated in her mind on what she should do. should she say something? but what if that made things awkward? and if there was one thing nana hated, it was making things awkward. the uncomfortable atmosphere made her want to shrivel up and die.

but on the other hand, it would be nice to have someone to talk to from time to time. nana did like her grandparents and all, but there was only so many things she could tell them about. her gaze flickered back up to minju and she made her decision.

"so, uh.. it's been a while, minju.."

@❛ nana o。 snip snip. the sound of scissors snipping at the stems of flowers echoed throughout the store as the quiet small town of lavande remained asleep on an early sunday morning. her boss tasked her with cutting the stems of different flowers today to be ready for assembling by her professional florist coworkers. she stood behind the counter, bringing a different group of flowers to sit on the counter every time she was done with each group and stood there just in case a customer walks in.

her eyes focused on the yellow tulips in front of her, it was fascinating to her how the meaning of these flowers changed so drastically - from a romeo and juliet type of hopeless love to one of cheerful thoughts and sunshine as if to provide consolidation to the star-crossed lovers.

creak. the sound of the creaking front door opened, causing minju to look up and away from her flowers to greet the incoming person. "hello!" her eyes focusing on the girl in front of her. she looked familiar, but minju couldn't quite grasp who exactly the girl was. maybe she was a past customer? or maybe she crossed the girl while walking on the street once? she was indeed pretty though.

"marigold?" minju hummed, her lips pressed together as she thought about which ones they had available. "what colour are you looking for? do you need it arranged with other flowers or just a bouquet of marigold? or maybe just a single one?" she recited as she did normally, glancing over to the spot where the marigolds were located to mentally locate the area beforehand.

@❛ minju k。 "oh ," was the first thought that came to nana's mind as she walked into the store.

frozen in the doorway, she fixed her gaze on the girl behind the counter in order to assess if it really was her seatmate from middle school, kim minju. from her memories, minju was kind and lended nana a pencil whenever she asked for one. their interactions didn't go much further than doing small favors for each other.

nana actually did feel a bit bad for not telling her former classmate that she was moving away all those years ago. minju was the closest thing she had to a friend at school, but then again, she figured that no one probably cared that much about her leaving to be sad about it.

realizing that she had just been staring, nana cleared and began to make her way up to the counter.

"uh, hi. do you guys have marigolds?"

@❛ hanbin k。 "Yeah. Of course." Seora agreed, carefully cradling the grouping of flowers in her arms, trying to ignore the shivers attempting to overtake her body. The chill eased up when a warm towel was laid along her shoulders. "Oh. Thank you. You didn't have to. It's quite alright. I didn't mind." She hoped to reassure as she passed back the flowers and spread apart the towel, wrapping it around her body like a cloak. "I appreciate it. That's right. A black rat snake named Zuri. I've got some decent ones, I'm sure." The girl tugged her device out from her back jeans pocket, unlocking it and navigating through the photo gallery as she listened to the next flower introduction. Upon finding a good one, she turned the phone towards Hanbin and set her gaze upon the flower. "I wholeheartedly agree. He truly is." And with that, she followed him back over to the counter. "Mhmm. Either one works. I figure it might brighten things up a little bit." A subtle smile spread across her lips at the idea of throwing a bouquet at the 's face with an adorable crown upon her head. "It'll definitely throw him off when I bring him everything. It'll probably spook the girl he's ing too." She lifted her shoulders in a shrug as she observed Hanbin wrapping up the 'gift', giving a thumbs up of approval when it was complete. "It's perfect. Thank you so much for doing this, Hanbin. Really."

@❛ seora k。 "Hey, hold this for a second?" Passing on the stalks of flowers into Seora's grip for a moment, he walked into the back of the store to bring back a larger towel for his soaked customer. Throwing it across her shoulders, he then relieves her of the flora back into his hands. "Sorry, should've offered you that sooner. Your flower request got me a little too excited" he says sheepishly. Looking back into the fiery eyes of the female, a look of respect etches into his face. "I'm glad to hear that you're handling this much better most. Also. A snake? I'm not too familiar in that pet district but always found them cool. Got any photos of the baby?" he said reiterating the pet name. While waiting for her to find a picture for him, Hanbin picks out the last flower for their ' you' bouquet. "Yellow carnation. Disappointment. A perfect flower because to me, he sounds like a disappointment to the world itself." Organizing the flowers into his hands, he leads her back to the counter to put the bouquet together. "A flower crown? Would you actually be interested because I think we have some in the back or I can always whip up a new one." he says half teasing but also in a serious manner. With light laughter, he quickly put together the quaint bouquet, adjusting the flowers here and there. Even though it was for a trash can of a person, he always gave it his all in his work. Wrapping up the finalized bouqet in a clear paper and then a separate beige outer layer for a finishing touch. "What'cha think?"

@❛ hanbin k。 Seora shook her head at the florist. "It's fine. I can't blame you for assuming. I just hope they continue moving forward instead of backwards." It was true. Times were changing. Places were allowing same marriages and adoptions and changes were happening sure, but she only hoped they would continue. She sincerely hoped some sick jerk wouldn't eventually come in and tear apart everything they had worked for. "Probably more than you care to count. Based on how knowledgeable you seem to be with your flowers, I assume you've been at this a while." She stated, winding her cardigan tighter around her slightly chilled form. "Awww so sweet. Not even a little bit?" The female rolled her light eyes at the male, soon admiring the beautiful flower before her. "I'll take it. Are you sure? Yeah I suppose. They don't normally hurt but I've never been the best at accepting them. I do know that his up isn't going to make me worth any less than I am. If it did, I wouldn't be trying to get back at him. Instead I'd be curled up at home with my snake and crying like a little , which is the last thing I want to do. The crying part, not the curled up part. I adore watching movies with my baby." Lithe fingers carded through her damp locks as she shifted her gaze over to the next type of flower. "Definitely going to need a few of those just by the meaning alone. They're cute too, so why not? Let's do those as well. Any other ideas? Hell, I might have you helping me throw together a flower crown for myself at this rate."

@❛ nahee k。 staring into her face was like staring into the entire universe and every beautiful thing it withold. the galaxies. the stars. every majestic supernova that graced their time and space. he couldn't believe he had let go of her for seven whole years. now up close, the fool could now clearly see the old teenage face of hers. she had lost all of her baby fat, but still retained the purest of smiles on her lips, and the eyes that seemed to glisten with pure goodness. the world felt right again. to be hand in hand, and with each other's image held in the reflection of their eyes.

her petite hand holding his own tightly. oh how he had missed her touch. his mind rang back to wonder what it would have been like if he had reached out sooner, to tell her that he loved her and would love her till the end of eternity. but with her back in his life, there was no time to sulk in the past as his future stood right before him. "don't have to tell me twice." he says in hushed tones as he leans in, a smile of a thousand winners plastered across his face. the grin quickly subsides as his lips pressed down onto the roseate tiers of hers, and all of sudden, those seven years they spent apart felt like they never existed. time had even stopped as he further leaned into the kiss, her lips impossibly soft against his own. words were no longer needed. they both knew that they were now on the same page. parting ever so slowly he leans back up to look into her eyes, to make sure that he wasn't just dreaming in his own imagination. but surely it was real. it was as real as how he had never stopped loving her.

"you got shorter" is all he manages to slip out in a teasing manner. he lets go of her hand to only wrap them back around her, gently pulling his entire world into his embrace. hand now around the back of her head, he pulls them close not wanting to leave room for anything to separate them once more. "i'll court you again a hundred times if i have to. a thousand. a billion. i'm never letting you go again" he whispers into her ear. "i'll fight dragons, monsters, and anyone else who dares to step in our way." a growing smile moves up his features as he thinks about the time they now have together. "it's you and me against the world."

@❛ seora k。 "Ah my apologies for the assumption. I guess I'm just too used to being in my pretty conservative town back in the States. But times are changing for the better." he says, a soft grin on his face. "And no offense taken! I can't tell you the number of guys that have come into my store looking for an apology bouquet. If I was a girl, I probably wouldn't want to date for the same reason." he states and he truly means it. Working as a florist for quite some time has made him realize how materialistic and insensitive some men could be. The most common type of douchebag he had helped out were the ones he'd ask about their partner's favorite flower or sort and they'd just reply with "I don't know just give me the cheapest thing you have." Which he'd just bite his tongue to. "No roofies. I promise. and the compliment wasn't for the sale. Just my attempt to make things a little better no? A little compliment never hurt nobody and just hoping you'll know that the stupid actions of your ex don't demean your value at all." Hanbin was quite knowledged on what to exactly say to customers who were blissfully in love, but this was his first time trying to offer some kindness to someone with a recent breakup. Hopefully his flowers would send a much better message than he did. "Okay and these beautiful ladies have the meanings of uselessness and hated. I think it's rather fitting for the occasion" he says as he shows off some meadowsweet and a stem of bright orange lillies. "What do you think?"

@❛ hanbin k。 the way he reaches to hold her hand once more unleashes butterflies within her stomach. and for once, nahee allows herself to hope. she looks up at him again, her gaze softening as she thinks about how easy it would be to reach over and play with his onyx locks, how easy it would be to bring his head down to her lap as they catch up on all the time they've lost because they were fools. he doesn't tell her that he loves her directly, and yet, his words still make her smile. it's the kind of smile where you can see her gums and her eyes form such small crescents that her eyes are barely visible. it's pure happiness, and it's astonishing how he can make her smile this way with no effort at all.

his question makes blood rush up to her face, tinging her pale face with a shade of maroon, and she has to look away to hide the foolish grin on her face. how could she say no to everything she's always wanted? it's not just a mere coincidence that she walked into his shop today. it seemed like the universe was rooting for them too by placing them both in the same small town on the same day and moving them into the same building. even if they hadn't met today, they would've eventually. who was she to deny fate?

she looks up at him with adoration once more, the same fond smile etched onto her face, and she swears she can see the stars in his eyes. dare she says it, perhaps she can see her future in his eyes as well. she bites down gently on her lip, hesitating to answer despite having already known what she was going to say the moment he had asked. "i'd love to, hanbin," she replies, giving his hand a firm squeeze for reassurance, "but i'm going to have to make you work for it." her eyes twinkle with playfulness and there's a cheesy grin on her face before she makes her next request. "court me once more."

@❛ hanbin k。 "The fun thing about being a girl who likes both genders is the fact that everyone assumes you've been dating a guy." Seora reiterated a little louder this time, glassy sage eyes meeting chocolate brown ones. She really, really despised that boy. The more she thought about him, the more she wondered how much his family would miss him if she...roughed him up a little. It couldn't hurt, could it? A cute little incision here, a few kicks there. No biggie. She shook her head, hoping to drag herself out of her darker thoughts and back into the present. "Yeah it is. If he liked her so damn much, I don't see why he didn't just leave on his own. No offense but guys are real s." She huffed, tilting her head at the flower and then leaning just a bit closer. "We're going to need a lot of that to describe the level he's achieved. "Sure. It's not going to make me pass out, right? No flora style roofies involved?" The girl teased. "The compliment is sweet, by the way, but you're already make a sale. No further flattery is required." And with that, she took in a small inhale of the flower's scent, finding it rather calming. "Pretty."

@❛ seora k。 "Ah don't worry about it" he replies. "The store gets dirty really quick everyday so I'm always cleaning anyway, but nice to meet you Seora, and yes!" The tone of excitement is clear in his voice. The wheels in his brain were already turning as he went through the lengthy repertoire of flower knowledge he carried, but her words caught him off guard. "I'm sorry. What did you say?" Turning back around, he looked straight into her as if he wasn't sure if he heard her correctly. Hanbin couldn't feel remorse for whoever brought upon tears to the pretty face of his customer, but he also couldn't help but worry that their life line wasn't too long. Picking out a few filler flowers first, the florist cringed at the story Seora shared. No one ever deserved to be treated so terribly and his heart went out for her. "Damn...that's really ed up... but gives me an idea." His hand reaches over to pull out a single stalk of purple geraniums before holding it in front of Seora's face. "Stupidity. One of the things a geranium can stand for. Perfect for the guy who would dare hurt someone as pretty as you. Wanna smella?"

@❛ hanbin k。 "Tell me about it." She growled as she gently took the offered towel and began drying herself off. "Sorry bout the store. I didn't think the rain would get so bad." Her voice softened as she apologized, knowing she shouldn't be taking out on the building as it hadn't done anything to her. "Seora." The ginger haired female replied, patting the towel along her previously tear stained cheeks, makeup coming off on the fabric. Stupid rain. Stupid tears. Stupid boy. "Do you? You're kidding, right?" She lifted a brow as she followed the rather handsome boy, eyes falling upon his visible tattoos as she walked behind him. "Interesting. I tend to study the human body and how easily you can murder someone." It wasn't a lie. She aided with autopsies for a living and drowned herself in crime television in her free time. She could be the perfect murderer and no one would ever know. Once she was as dry as she could manage, she tugged her cardigan tight around her body and crossed her arms over her chest. "Brave of you to assume it's a guy. Lucky guess." She scoffed, eyes leaving the male as her previous anger returned. "Guy named Choi Minjun. We went to college together. Stuck it out for little over a year and I come home from work to find him screwing my colleague into MY bed. I almost killed him." Her fingers reached for some of the other flowers nearby, hoping to use them as some sort of grounding. "I can't wait to hear the bull from my friends. They could barely believe I could get a guy, let alone keep one."

@❛ nahee k。 "i would've fought for you" her words ring through his mind so visciously. that was something he should've said. something /he/ should've done. here was nahee professing her entire heart before him, but all he could think about was his ever growing guilt. seven years ago, leaving without saying goodbye seemed like the best idea in the world. the best option for both of them to just end things without tears. but was he ever wrong. his eyes follow her touch as they hold his hands once again after seven pained years. and they're exactly how he remembered them. soft and warm with love.

a part of him couldn't believe all the confessions she poured out onto him. he didn't deserve all this love. she didn't deserve all this pain. how could he have ruined something so pure. so perfect. hanbin wished nothing more than to just turn back the hands of time. he wouldn't have been able to stop his family from moving away, but he most definitely could have given her an explanation and a promise. a promise to continue to love her. a promise to come visit whenever he could, to text, to call, to write.

he must have been a war hero in his past life if he was possibly being gifted with this second chance. from the bottom of his heart, hanbin knew that nahee wondering into his tiny flower shop was no ordinary coincidence, and he would be the dumbest person alive if he would let this second chance slip away. his old self would have let her go. he'd tell himself that he would do it for her in thought which would be true so that she could find someone better than him but it would also be because of his unwillingness to forgive himself. but maybe it was time he made some selfish decisions for himself. as she pulled away, his own hand followed after it. wrapping gentle fingers around her wrist, he pulled her hand back into his own palms.
"would you let me make it up to you? give me a second chance?" he blurted out.
still holding on to her tightly, he walked out from the back of the counter to close the distance between them.
"seven years can change a man nahee but, i promise that i can still love you the same. even more. let us not leave /us/ as just memories. but to make more. together."

@❛ seora k。 His reach immediately went for a towel they kept around the store. "Oh wow I didn't even notice it was raining. Quite a storm huh." he commented as he politey offered the dry towel to his newest customer. As she got closer, Hanbin couldn't help but notice a different storm swarming in the girl's eyes. He'd seen it before: anger. Before he could ask if she was okay, her request stirred excitement within him. Never in his seven years of work in the floral industry had he gotten such an interesting request. He was always swarmed with requests more similar to the showcase of love rather than hate. "Hanbin." he introduced himself. "and I think I have the perfect bouquet for you." Coming out from the back of the counter, he lead her to the front of the store where all of the main flowers were being showcased. "Might be an odd combination, but I love all the hidden meaning behind flora so I study them on breaks" he quipped. Grabbing a sheet of tissue paper to temporarily hold all all the flowers together, he turned back to Seora. "So. Who's the unlucky guy if I may ask?"

@❛ hanbin k。 "Stupid. ." Seora grumbled as she stormed down the soaked pavement, combat boots squeaking as she went along. She couldn't believe him. Over a year together and he couldn't stand to keep it in his pants? Not even for one of her colleagues? What even. She shouldn't seen the signs. The inconsistent messages. The secrecy of what he was doing while she was working. 'Oh no baby. I just went to go visit my mom. She needs me.' Yeah, his healthy as a horse mom needed him just like her ex-classmate and current co-worker needed what was between his legs to keep her alive. The rain overhead only grew with her anger as her sage eyes fell upon a nearby flower shop. It was as good of a sanctuary as any and maybe there she'd find something to get back at him with. With a deep breath, she made her way inside, ignoring the cute little chime that followed her arrival, instead focusing on wringing the water out of her ginger locks. "Hey. Unless you've got a good way to tell my soon to be ex you, I'm probably out of luck." She called out, making her way closer to the counter, uncaring of the fact she was probably drenching everything in her path.

@❛ hanbin k。 [ soz this got a bit long but feel free to cut it down ok LSDKNVM and no hitting bc nahee's Baby ]

to anyone else, his explanation might've seemed like a sorry excuse to justify his actions. and yet, she couldn't find it within her to blame him for all that had transpired. instead, she thought about her parents. out of all the things that could've separated them, it had to be her parents. even from thousands of miles away, even after all she had done to escape their claws, they were still screwing her life up indirectly. at any other moment, she would've just laughed. but this was not any other moment, because this had to do with kim hanbin.

no matter what happened or how much time has passed, it seemed that she would always have a soft spot for hanbin. she had seen him in every crowd she passed through and she had searched for him in every place she had stumbled upon. she knew that a part of her would always be loving him. without a doubt, without hesitation, a part of her would always choose him. and perhaps the thing that saddens her most is the fact that they could've made it work. if he had only told her about his concerns. if she had only told him just how much she had adored him. but they didn't. they were 16 and didn't know any better as two teenagers who had just started to learn what love was.

nahee just shakes her head at his apology, using her fingers to dab away at the corners of her eyes, a bitter smile surfacing onto her roseate tiers. "i would've fought for you," is all she says at first, her voice nothing but a soft whisper. there's a silence that envelops them for a brief moment as she pauses, looking down and playing with her fingers as she thinks about what to say next. "i admit that i care about what they think. but they don't hold a candle to you. there was nothing they could've done that would make me like you any less. i wouldn't have cared if they thought there were other boys out there for me. boys from their inner circles with money and prestige. they wouldn't have compared to you. they still don't." she lifts her head to finally meet his gaze once more, and with newfound courage, she reaches for his hand. "i wanted you, hanbin. all of you, good and bad, every single thing about you."

the confession causes her to look away once again, and she uses her thumb to caress his calloused hands, her heart aching at the numerous bandages adorning his porcelain skin. "and you know what's funny? i continued to love you even after you broke my heart without realizing. because you were my first love, and i didn't know what else i was supposed to do with all the love that was pouring out of me." she pauses once more, releasing his hand from within her grasp and she looks up at him again. "i just told you i love you and you told me you were sorry. tell me, kim hanbin... is that what you want to be? nothing but a memory?"

@❛ nahee k。 [] lets just pretend hanbin lives in building b for now sldkjf

"yeah..building b" he confirms. hanbin didn't know whether to rejoice at this unforseen reunion or try to find a new town to move to. their last moment together was a memory he didn't want to have to bring up again. so young. so foolish. they say you never forget your first love and as blurry as they ended things - well he ended things by moving away - the time they shared together would be something he would hold onto forver.

even though she breaks her gaze away, he still manages to notice the tears that well in her eyes. he loved that about her: how easy it was for her to showcase her emotions. she might have hated it, but hanbin loved being able to tell how she was feeling just by the quiver of her lips. the only difference now was that he couldn't hold her, to tell her that it was okay to cry, and that he was going to stay with her till the end of time. oh how things had changed.

her accusations rang deep inside of him. she wasn't wrong. after his school finalized his transfer out of the city, he and his family packed up their things and left without letting anyone know. their landlord was to partial blame as he had kicked them out the moment they couldn't pay their bills, but hanbin had no excuses for not even leaving a note. the words nahee throws at him struck him like a poisoned dart to his chest. the poison of reality slowly seeping in as he patches up an answer together. "your parents disapproved of me. and i know how much you care about what they think. i kind of got the vibe that you were going to end things so i thought i would just spare you the trouble." the explanation came out more lighthearted then he intended but now that he's said it out loud, he couldn't help but want to punch himself for making such a stupid decision. 16. such a sweet age, yet he made some of the dumbest and bitter decisions of his life back then.

the sudden confession catches him off guard. not once had he ever thought that the girl of his dreams would've ever stayed in love with him. not after what he had done. he didn't know what to do. he obviously couldn't tell her he loved her back as true as it was. what could he even offer her as a man? he was more afraid of hurting her even more rather than promising a life of love and happiness. "i know it's too late of an apology, but i'm sorry nahee. i should've known better."

[] also feel free to hit him if you so desire lskdj

@❛ seora k。 it had been a normal day so far. a number customers coming in to check out the new shipment of flowers. the spring season was always a busy time for florists. looming through the small forest of flowers he had at their store, hanbin made his last rounds of spraying their floral products with a quick mist spritz here and there. the florist had a box full of uncut roses in the back room waiting to be trimmed and dethorned and to be honest, it was one of his least favorite duties: loved the smell but hated the thorns. his hands were already covered with a few bandaids from leaf cuts and didn't want to add to the collection. finished with the last minute mist session, he set the bottle down and wiped off his hands onto the black apron around his waist. before he could grudgingly walk back to the roses awaiting him, the familiar bright chime of the front door brought a relieved smile across his face. turning to face the new customer, hanbin made his way back to the front counter. "hi welcome to the house of flowers. the name's hanbin, how can i help you today?"

@❛ hanbin k。 the whole situation baffles her greatly, and it's evident in the way her head tilts to the side and her eyebrows furrow. in that moment, nahee wonders if the universe fights for some souls to be together because some things are utterly too strange and too strong to be just mere coincidences. "building b?" she asks cautiously, not sure what she was hoping the response would be. if he says yes, perhaps this is fate's way of helping them find one another once more.

"that's good to hear. do send them my regards. i miss playing around with your siblings and having your mom's cooking. you know how my parents are. they can't live anywhere but the city. too busy at the hospital to do anything else." the usual glimmer in her eyes fades slightly as she thinks about how dysfunctional her family is, but she brushes off the manner by shrugging nonchalantly.

the way hanbin shifts to the topic she'd try to avoid has her pursing her lips together and breaking away from his gaze to look at the counter instead. all she can do is let out a bitter laugh before she looks at him once more, the hurt she'd been trying to suppress apparent in the way her eyes shimmer with fresh tears. "you're kidding, right? don't turn this on me. you were the one that left, hanbin. not even one word. not a call, not a text. nothing!" she has to pause to blink away the wetness in her eyes, running a hand through her hair afterwards. "i was in love with you, kim hanbin. actually, no, scratch that. i'm *still* in love with you, and i hate how i'm still asking myself why you left!"

@❛ nahee k。 a breath of uncertainty comes out at the suddnen compliment. in all honesty, nahee was the last person he could ever imagine walk into this shop. yet, here she was, standing right in front of him as beautiful as ever.. "been seven years. i hope i've changed a bit" he jokes to try to cut the ominous tension that lingered between them.

"you're kidding." it seems like every word nahee breathed out, his mind spiraled down more and more into oblivion. "i just moved there too. yesterday actually. i work here and the tattoo parlor next door." even with her standing right in front of him, hanbin couldn't help but pinch his arm behind the counter to wake up from this dream? nightmare? at least she didn't seem to want to kill him at first sight so possibly not a nightmare. he's thankful for her switch in topic as he finally knows what to say in return. a relieved smile lifting up he says, "good! they're almost in middle school now. still in the suburbs with mom. we've all been good." he can't help but notice how dry his throat has become suddenly. swallowing down the nervousness he asks her in return. "um how about your folks?"

"actually um, would you like a seat?" not waiting for an answer, he brings out a stool they use for flower consulting meetings and place it in front of the counter for her. returning back to his spot, he couldn't help but recollect all the memories they had made together. both the good and the bad. mainly the good. it would be a lie if he said he hadn't thought about her these past 7 years. how could he? so many things left unsaid.. "i know you wanted things to end seven years ago nahee, but you being here. in my store? i really think fate brought you here and have to at least tell you this." taking in a breath he took a step closer to the counter. "i never stopped thinking about you. we might have never put a label on what was us and things got weird at the end but, i never stopped."

@❛ hanbin k。 she had left new york city two years after hanbin did, opting for an education back "home" in korea instead. when her parents had asked her if it was because the city reminded her of hanbin, she just laughed. everything did. how ironic was it that she had run away from the ghost of him only to have walked straight into his workplace? teenage nahee would've squealed at this moment. she would've wrapped her arms around him without any hesitation, just happy that she was able to see him once more. but it had been seven years. seven years since she had last seen him and it had been seven years of her desperately trying to understand why he had just left without a word. it should be a happy moment for her, to reunite with her first love, but somehow all she can really do is stare at him.

she notices that his cheekbones are more prominent. the arms that used to hold her are now decorated with a plethora of different tattoos and his baby fat is long gone. "woah, kim hanbin, you've really grown up." it's a lame comment to make, and she's aware of it, so she hopes a feigned smile will do it some justice even if it doesn't reach her eyes. "i, um, i moved to lavande recently. casia, actually." she pauses for a brief moment, her eyes darting around to look at everything but him, unsure of what to say next. "how have you been? how's mrs. kim? and the two munchkins? have you all been doing alright?"

@❛ nahee k。 "ouch" another day, another pricked finger. his grasp immediately reached for a bandaid as he childishly compained under his breath. the ripping of of the bandaid strip was synchronous with the familiar chime of the front door opening. carelessly wrapping the strip around his finger in a hurry, he walked out from the back to the stand behind the store counter. "hi welcome to house of flowers. how can i help you?" fidgeting with the bandaid, he called out to the customer that seemed to be lost within the small forest of flowers that surrounded her. he didn't blame her. hanbin greatly prided himself in his work and it brought a proud smile up on his face. but the moment she turned around and called out his name in such a devastated tone, the curves of his grin became inevident as if all the feeling in his body disappeared. yes he believed in signs, miracles, and maybe even ghosts, but where did seeing kim nahee right in front of him align with? it had been years since he last saw her, but it was clearly her. the same soft eyes that he once loved gazing into, however, they now seemed to be pooled with dispair and hurt. a pain he couldn't but instantly blame himself without even a good reason. "nahee..what are you doing here? do you live here in lavend?" her face brought back all of the moments they had shared and it took everything in his power to withold him from just burying her into his embrace. but all the loose ends they never tied up held him back in place. "you look great. wow, you.." he couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence. who was he to complement her when he was the one that ran away?

@❛ hanbin k。 the chiming of the bells puncture the tranquil ambiance of the flower shop, indicating nahee's presence as she pushes the door open. almost immediately, the next breath she inhales is the sweet smell of fresh flowers wafting through the air and the refreshing feeling brings a soft smile to her face. it's her first day in lavande, having just moved in, and she hopes that the ephemeral blossoms she intends to buy can be her company for the next few days. perhaps she is too absorbed in taking in the beautiful flowers in front of her, because she has not paid attention to the florist that had come out from the back to assist her. and when she does finally turn around, her eyes widen and her lips part although no sound seems to escape them. the shock is visible on her face, and it is so silent that kim nahee can almost hear her own heart breaking into a million little fragments as she stares into the eyes of the only boy she's ever loved. "hanbin?"