✯ plant nursery

@k seungmin Not getting an answer was already answer enough. All Minho could do was stare at the man in front of him, his heart heavy. It felt like half his soul was ripped away from him and it was hard to breathe. Seungmin had killed one of his co-workers. The co-workers spot he now held. But even worse: Seungmin had killed. His sweet, flower boy Seungmin had taken a human's life - and he was sure not only one.

While Minho was part of the mafia too, less on his own and more forced, he had never laid a finger on someone's life. Just one person he had gotten into jail on his own but that had been a very personal agenda. That was different. But even the. he had not killed anyone.

"You killed the right hand of the head scammer in Ohlos Verdes," Minho said, his now dry lips. "No wonder they barely found any evidence." Of course, Seungmin was smart and he knew how to cover it up. "Will I be the next one?" he asked and there was pain his eyes.

Surely Minho had a story behind it but he was not sure if Seungmin wanted to hear it. Though he really wanted to hear Seungmin's reasons, Seungmin's story. "Why, Seungmin? Why are you doing this? What happened?"

Would anyone suddenly decide to kill people? Was he doing it for money or was he simply out for blood? Minho felt like he had never really known his best friend. "I didn't join because I want to," he then said, not sure if he should bother, but he wanted Seungmin to know that he wasn't in the mafia because he had a choice.

@l minho Seungmin always thought this day would come. He didn't think it would be so soon or so abruptly though. It would have gone pretty similarly to this, Minho questioning something related to his other job, the uncertain shifting of trust between them, the weight of Seungmin's actions looming overhead. The reveal definitely wouldn't have been pretty. It's dirty work in it's own right after all, but he's always kept things clean, in order.

Yet the one factor he never thought he would have to consider is his friend being a whole ing mafia member.

"Seungmin."

If he wasn't keeping his emotions in check at the moment, he would have probably looked at his friend in the same way he was. Gentle, hesitant, with so much fear. No, instead he keeps it together as if everything was not crumbling to pieces already, year after year, one precious moment after the other. Even as the moment of truth reared its ugly head. He won't let himself fall apart so easily.

"What do you know?" There's an unexpected edge to his voice that even surprises him, one that gives off a warning as if to say 'Watch where you step'. He's never spoken to Minho like this, not even when he threatens to eat the last bite of his favorite snack. It's only been bright smiles and words of encouragement and caring actions from him, a far cry from the way Seungmin is presenting himself right now.

He's aware that he is avoiding the questions asked of him, but Seungmin has to know. To know if Minho is as far gone into this mess as he is.

@k seungmin Plant elixirs with such little vials? Minho was not a plant expert, clearly, but he knew that usually one would use bigger vessels for such things. He did not believe Seungmin and clearly, Seungmin knew something was up either. And he hated it because he did not want to lose his friend but he could feel how Seungmin was slipping away. “Seungmin,” he said and looked at the other and bit his lip, looking at the vial and then at Seungmin. It broke his heart to even think about it but the evidence was there.

“You did not use it for elixirs, did you?” he asked and bit his lip. The other had looked so excited and happy when Minho had walked in and it hurt him to ruin that. To ruin what they had. Seungmin was one of Minho’s closest friends and he loved him dearly but now he was losing him and he could feel it. And he was probably lucky if Seungmin was not trying to kill him right away. “Was it a paid mission or… because you wanted him out of the way?”

Seungmin wouldn’t come over to his house and check on his cats again. Seungmin would not help him find a plant that was safe for his cats. Seungmin would not be there for late night calls anymore when Minho woke up in the middle of the night from one of his dreams that made him choke up. And Minho wished he would not do that, but if he was not wrong, Seungmin had killed a person – and he was not sure if it had been the first person he had done this too.

Biting his lip he looked at the other, his heart hurting in his chest.

Of course he wanted to reply to the rest of the conversation but he felt it was inappropriate. Minho had just clearly told Seungmin that, if he had really killed that person, he knew because he was part of that mafia. If it turned out Seungmin did not know what he was talking about, he might be able to safe this. But the other’s reaction clearly told him that he was right. . ing .

Now Seungmin knew his secret and the other way around – of course his organisation had some intel about what had happened and who might have done it and it fit Seungmin. And even though Minho probably had the possibility to tell someone who had killed that person Minho was now taking over for in the organization, he would not. Despite Seungmin being a murderer to him he still was a good person.

Just that next time it could be Minho himself who would be dead on the ground in his office.

@l minho Something was up, something Seungmin could not exactly pinpoint, and he did not like it one bit. The way Minho lingered in one spot for a moment too long, seemingly contemplating something. He's seen it before, but not like this. There was something bothering his friend. Although he wants to ask about it, he remains calm and collected. It will reveal itself soon. For now, Seungmin would tread carefully.

When the vial in question is exposed, he gauges Minho's reaction for a moment, once again unsure of what is going on through his mind. Hmm… "Yes that one! I'm testing those plant elixirs to see if they make a difference in plant growth like they advertise." Not entirely a lie. He did trials with plant elixir before, but not with such a small vessel. He hopes that response is enough.

It's the next two questions that plant the seed of doubt in his mind. The question about the vial seemed harmless enough, a genuine question about its use, seeing as how glass doesn't have much of a place in a plant shop. Asking about poison right after though? Yes, he did mention the dangers that certain plants pose but… there is more to the question than Minho is posing.

He is trying to get information out of him.

And he can't help but think he's never truly known his closest friend at all.

"Some lilies, not all," Seungmin answers calmly. He can't act on impulse now, not when he's not even entirely sure of what game Minho is trying to play right now. Suspicions start to rise to the surface but he brushes them off. No. He refuses to believe them. It can't be…

"Well yeah. Can't just be going around picking out the wrong plants now, can I?" A light chuckle and a small smile. Again, another half-truth. He picked up a job with plants to pass off his knowledge on toxic flora as nothing more than that, a way to provide the public with pretty adornments for their use. "If I didn't know their hazards, I'd have a fat hospital bill to pay for by now." One visit is more than enough.

Safe houseplants for cats… “Oh, you know you can grow something like baby's breath, or even basil, mint, thyme, etc. You get a simple plant and you don't have to waste a trip to the store for some herbs," he says, ending with a smile. Practical and Minho gets his wish. "Ooh and they're generally low maintenance too."

"I should. I'll let you know the next time I can come over!" That is, if there would be a next time after this. Seungmin still can't shake the feeling that his friend could possibly be a part of the mafia.

@k seungmin For a long moment Minho hesitated. Speaking up about that vial would give away that he works very close with the mafia, how else would he know where he had seen that vial before. But if he was not wrong it meant Seungmin was not a simple flower shop owner. And he wasn’t sure if could deal with that either. He wanted the world to just be the was it used to be but right now it was, bit by bit, breaking apart, shattering aoeund him.

“This one?” he asked then and lifted the vial up. “What do you use it for?” he asked nonchalantly, trying to not be too suspicious. Just a normal question, right? And oh he hoped he was just thinking too much into it but the mention of the poison made Minho shudder. , what if Seungmin had really killed one of his highly skilled coworkers just two days ago? And what if Seungmin knew Minho worked there too? He could be the next target – but that wasn’t what bothered Minho. Seungmin could be living a dangerous double life and all Minho wanted was for the other to be the flower shop owner he cared for so dearly. One of his closest friends. “Are lilies poisonous to people too?” he then asked curiously.

“You do know a fair amount about poisonous plants, don’t you?” he chuckled and tried to downplay his worry. He was not yet ready to believe what his head was offering him as a horrible situation. He was pushing it at the back of his mind. “Yeah maybe you can recommend a plant to me. But the last one you gave me died so fast…” He sighed almost dramatically. “You know how much Dori loves to play with plants. Also you should come visit them, they miss you.”

It was true, his cats loved Seungmin dearly and it was always adorable to watch. Maybe because Seungmin also always brought catnip but that was a different story.

@l minho He hears Minho before he sees him, still sorting through the last of his things to ensure everything is in their proper places. "Just give me a moment!" he says, eyebrows furrowing as he double checks his equipment. Weird. Either he was imagining things or he was missing a vial. It had to be the first one though because he always kept an extra one just in case the others shattered. Quickly scanning the floor around him, his confusion furthers as he is unable to locate the last vial.

"Hey, if you see a small, round glass bottle thing on the floor, can you tell me?" he calls out to Minho. "I can't seem to find the last one." Shutting the box and pushing it off to be hidden on the side, he stands with a stretch, extending his arms upwards. A smile appears on Seungmin's face when he spots Minho. It's been a while since he's last seen his older friend with their conflicting schedules and all.

And if he notices something off with his friend, he doesn't bring it up just yet.

His face brightens at the mention of the new lilies sitting in the sunlight. “Yes I did. Aren’t they pretty?” Pretty deadly, he thinks, but he keeps that comment to himself. “Although they’re pretty, you have to be careful. Eat or even touch the wrong plant and you’ll find yourself in the hospital.” And as if he hadn’t dropped serious information, Seungmin grabs the coffee off the table, casually sipping away at the drink.

“You could always keep small houseplants if you want. There are several out there that are safe for your little fur babies.”

@k seungmin (no worries, you have all the time of the world uwu)

It was the middle of the day and Minho should have actually been at work though he had called in sick today as he hadn’t felt too good the afternoon before and in the morning. Now though he felt a lot better already and had decided to use the time to meet his favourite flower boy – literally. He wanted to see Seungmin and he had planned on passing him a visit a few times already but had never been able to squeeze it into his right schedule. Today though he was able to use the time properly.

“Hey, I brought coffee,” Minho grinned as he walked into the flower shop. Usually he knew Seungmin locked the door but he had told the other he would come over so he probably had kept his door open for him. “I also brought us cake.” He grinned, putting the box with cake and coffee onto the next best clean table he could find. He loved being in the flower shop, it always smelled so nice and it made him feel at home. Seungmin always made him feel at home, safe and sound.

Looking around, his foot touched something and he blinked a little surprised as usually the younger kept everything nearly clean. Kneeling down he picked up the bulbshaped vial and it felt like someone punched him in the face. No, this must be a horrible coincidence. As he heard Seungmin approaching, he put the vial into his pocket, not yet decided if he wanted to talk about it. Though he knew himself, he probably would and therefore give away who exactly he worked for.

“I see you got a few new lilies,” Minho tried to take his thoughts off of what was causing his stomach to ache again right now. “I really wish I had a garden where I could plant them.” But he only had his apartment and as lilies were highly poisonous to cats he could never have some.

@l minho [ hi, it's finally here aaahhhhhhh ]

If Minho was coming over for a visit, then that meant Seungmin had a lot less time than he originally thought to clean up and organize his workspace. His workspace? Currently a mess of his equipment and means of silencing the mafia via “natural methods”, as he’d like to call it. He always closed off his shop around midday for about an hour or so. No one would disturb him and he’d be able to work with daylight and not strain his eyesight.

For a friend though, Seungmin would gladly cut that time short.

Packing away his things into a nondescript box, he was careful not to spill the belladonna concoction or touch the wolfsbane petals. They were pretty but deadly, and Seungmin was not looking for a visit to the hospital anytime soon. His profession allows him to get away with such things a bit easier, but continuous visits for poison treatment would be questionable.

In the midst of organizing, sorting, and putting away all his things behind a shelf, a lone bulb-shaped bottle was missed, rolling off to the side in the opposite direction out where one could spot it.