Jin’s POV

 

The last week has been nothing but busy.  Weddings, birthdays, PROM. Oh Lord Help Me Prom!  I’ve had more orders placed this week than I have in the last month and to say I am stressed would be the understatement of the millennia.  It also doesn’t help that Jimin has taken the whole week off to spend time with his boyfriend, not that I’m mad at him for that.  He hasn’t seen Yoongi in over a month, but like I can’t help being jealous and because of that jealousy, I’m a little irritated. 

 

“Welcome to A Small Piece of Heaven” has become the only constant phrase recently and I’m beginning to get frustrated with my lack of social life. 

 

It was lunch time so I decided to head down to the café and get coffee and a sandwich in hopes that the little social bubble of the place would help my emotional state. Once I ordered I sat down at the booth next to the counter and waited for it to be ready.  I guess I had zoned out, thinking about Namjoon again, that’s been a constant too, another reason for irritation because I’m stuck on someone I’ll never see again and is probably super straight. 

 

“Jeez Jin.  Did you even look at him properly, he’s stunning, and you’re you? A plain florist.” Before I could stop that statement from passing my lips, it was out in the world and not only that, my food was being slid over to me from the waiter.  I look up and the waiter is kind of looking worriedly at me.

 

“You want to talk about it? I know you don’t know me and such, but you’re in here quite a bit and you always get the same thing, and I seem to be sensing a sort of discomfort today.” The waiter seemed genuinely concerned so I motioned to the seat across from me, “My name is Hoseok by the way, you’re Seokjin right, you own the flower shop down the road.  My friend went in last week, said it was a very beautiful shop.”

 

“Yeah that’s me, the florist.  Sorry for making you concerned about me, it’s just, something happened last week, this guy came in.  He said he broke one of his mother’s things and was there for an apology gift.  He’s been stuck in my head ever since, like his freaking dimples are the cutest thing ever, and the fact that he thought to apologize with something his mother likes is just so sweet.  I don’t know, he just, he’s got me ed up in the head.  Sorry for unloading that on you, you probably had no real interest in knowing, I tend to ramble.”

 

I had been staring at my coffee through this whole thing and had only looked up when I heard Hoseok snicker.

 

“You know, it isn’t bad to think about people.  Sounds like you have a crush to be honest.  And by how much you light up when you talk about his, as you said, cute dimples, I’d say you fell pretty hard for this guy.  So, what really is the problem?”

“The problem, is that there is no way that some God like being like him could, for one be gay or even interested, let alone be attracted to me.  I mean look at me, I’m so plain.  I am a florist for goodness sakes.  That’s so boring and I just, UGHHHHHHH.”

 

“First off Jin, you are absolutely stunning, if you don’t mind my bluntness, and secondly, how would you know if he was or wasn’t interested unless you asked. Also, I think that you being a florist is super cute and very humble.  You enjoy your work, yes?” I nodded, “So, there is nothing plain about doing what you love.”

 

After he was done, he had a pink tinge to his ears and I could tell that he was a bit out of breath from the frantic talking.  I had never been reassured like this, the unbridled, genuine care for my emotions by someone else, and it felt good. 

 

Bashfully, I say, “Hey, Hoseok, do you think we could, like, exchange numbers.  You seem like you’d be cool to hang-out with and as it stands, I don’t have any friends.”         In the midst of my crisis Hoseok had slid his phone in my direction with the name “Seokjinnie” in the Contact space, awaiting the numbers to be added below. “I guess I’ll take that as a yes.” I chuckle and quickly add my number to his phone and he just mutters a “Duh!!”

 

“Well, I think we should probably get back to work.  I’ll text you later Jinnie.  Don’t fret over the guy too much, you never know, he could show up today and profess his undying love for you.”  At this statement, Hoseok stands and goes back to his place behind the counter, awaiting other customers’ arrivals. 

 

I slid out of the booth and made the short treck back to the shop, my shop, my happy place.  The breeze felt nice, liberating, like it was going to lift the problems off of my shoulders and carry them away.  As I near the shop, I see a form sitting on the small bench outside the shop, there mainly for aesthetic purposes.  The figure turns and I nearly stop breathing.  It’s him.  The one who’s been wreaking havoc in my brain for a week.  I almost turn around but he’s seen me too and has stood up and eventually, I’m right in front of him.

 

“Hey Seokjin.  I… umm… I’ve been thinking a lot this last week and I’ve broken a lot more of my mother’s things. “

I in and ask, “So more flowers?”, almost disappointedly. 

 

“No… no, not flowers.  I’m actually here because… Seokjin, you haven’t left my head all week.  I don’t know what’s wrong with me, or why I’m here to be honest, because there’s no way you feel remotely the way I do.  I just wanted to say it though, I think you are so smart and kind and humble and don’t even get me started on how beautiful you are. I just, your smile has been branded into my memory and I can’t do anything lately without being totally distracted by that memory.”

 

I stand there as he looks down at the ground after his rambling ceases.  As he begins to apologize I say, “It’s mutual.”