While the Lily White Shall   #1 Features:
- College + Flower Shop AU 
- 983 words
- Light-hearted vibe with a touch of comedy 
- Inspired by: Prompt #7 from "#spread your wings" writing contest & Baek Yerin's "Across the Universe"  

"The modest Rose puts forth a thorn,
The humble sheet a threat'ning horn:
While the Lily white shall in love delight,
Nor a thorn nor a thread stain her beauty bright."

- William Blake

 

 

The first time Jungkook talked to Taehyung outside of school was the Sunday before the Spring Formal.

It had been a rainy afternoon. As usual, Jungkook found himself seated on the stool behind the front counter of his parents’ flower shop, swiveling back and forth with a pen in one hand and a biology textbook elevated by the other. Brows knitted in concentration and mind occupied by the text before him, Jungkook missed the blur of movement on the other side of the window, and it was only when the front door swung open that chimes rang throughout the air, drawing the college freshman’s gaze to the entrance.

“Hello and welcome to— ah—“

Judging from the other’s expression, it seemed like Taehyung had not expected Jungkook either because he looked just as surprised or even more so, almost like a deer caught in headlights: eyes wide, feet planted, arms frozen awkwardly in the air with one hand holding an umbrella and the other – well, Jungkook wasn’t exactly sure what the other one was doing.

“I, uh… um-“ Taehyung stammered. “Umbrella here?”

It took Jungkook a good five seconds to understand that his classmate was asking where to place his umbrella, but when the realization finally struck Jungkook, he nodded. “Oh, yeah, there would be good. Thank you.”

Motor functions returning, Taehyung complied and set the item on the floor – albeit somewhat clumsily – before restraightening himself and meeting the younger’s eyes.

“So… I didn’t know that you worked here.”

At this, Jungkook’s lips couldn’t help but curl into a smile. “And I didn’t know that you were one to buy flowers.”

Despite the awkward tension hanging between them, a small laugh escaped Taehyung’s lips. “That… Okay that is true, I think— I’m not exactly but, uh, you know, the Spring Formal is Friday.”

“And I’m guessing that you’re going to ask someone via flowers?”

“Yes! I mean, yes—“ Taehyung coughed into his fist. “That was the plan. But then again plans don’t always work out and I’m bad with, you know, the whole asking-someone-out scenario. I mean, not because I’m shy or anything! But just because wow there’s this dude I’ve kind of rea