Chapter 10- Acacia: The sprouting of first love

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(Yoona POV)

At the end of my work shift, it was the time for the store to be closed. Yuri was currently outside, checking on her flowers that are suited to the bright sunlight during the summer. Meanwhile, my job was to count how much money we made today. I was standing behind counter, trying to remember Sooyoung's lessons about counting dollars and coins.

But, I couldn't focus. Today was just simply amazing. The hours I spent working in Yuri's flower boutique felt like seconds. Everything about my job that I have to work as a flower career for a lifetime, I love it. Being around Yuri especially...felt really different. I don't know if I even want to compare her to my abandoned lover up in my old world. In my own words, she brought back the flapping of the butterfly's wings in my stomach again.

Pit-Pat. The rain drops were starting to knock against the windowpane. I smiled at the accompaniment. I looked outside at the evening dusk, watching the rain pour in the summer day. This must be the time for the water angels to start their work up there.


I continued to stare outside dumbly. Why am I staring outside? No one is even out-

Holy crap! I exclaimed to myself, giving myself a slap on my face. Yuri is out there in the rain! You Pabo! I need to go and check on her!


I quickly dashed from the counter and out through the door, running right into the pummeling drops of water.


"Yuri-ssi!" I called out her name. Damn it, why do the water angels have to make the rain so heavy today? I felt my hair getting more drenched under the pouring rain.

"Yoona? What are you doing out here?"


Knowing who it was, I looked up to see Yuri standing in front of me. She was perfectly dry while holding a weird rain shield over her head that is shaped like an upside-down bowl.


"I-I was trying to look for you," I admitted, feeling dumb of my actions. "When it was raining, I thought you'll get soaked without your rain shield. Mianhamida." I quickly bowed my head in the rain.


But instead expecting scolds or hurtful comments, I heard a sweet-sounding fits of laughter. Curious, I looked up to see Yuri laughing from herself; the sight of the beauty laughing out in the rain made my eyesight blurred for others except for her. She was the clearest in my sight.


"A rain shield?" Yuri surprisingly giggled. "You are really funny," She laughed even more.  "You know, there's something called an umbrella Yoona." And she twirled her "umbrella" to prove it.

"U-U-m-bre-l-la?" I stuttered. After my pronunciation, she started to look at me with a different expression. I flinched when she suddenly came up to me. With no time to breathe, she placed her hand on the side of my face.

"Omo! You are really warm! Out in the rain?" She frowned as she grazed my face lightly, making my cheeks flush with warmness again. “Do you have a cold? Maybe that's why you are stuttering!"

Huh? "But Yuri-ssi! I'm fine-"

"Obviously you're not!" Yuri clicked her tongue. "Aish, I'm so rude to let you stand under the rain without sharing my umbrella."

To my surprise, she pulled in my arm and wrapped it around my waist, causing me to give her some sort of hug. When we were under the small umbrella, I could no longer feel the familiar massage the rain drops had given me. I could only feel my heart beating rapidly while my arms feel like jelly around Yuri's waist. What is going on with me? Am I actually falling...for her?


"T-Thank you Yuri-ssi-"

"Oh, you don't have to call me that anymore," Yuri smiles and wraps her arm around my back, securing our hug. "Call me Yuri."

"Well thanks Yuri," I nodded, carefully snuggling my head more in her shirt. Just like I thought it would be. She smells like untouched flowers.

"We are now close," Yuri said. She started to move her legs to walk towards the store. "Let's be friends!" She smiled.

"Okay!" I happily responded. "Let's be good friends then okay?"

"It's a deal!"


The rain drops that were bouncing off from Yuri's umbrella stopped when we finally reached inside of the flowers shop. Yuri brought her arm back to her side and closed the umbrella while I let go of her waist. I wish I can do that again... To be able to hug her every day.


"Now, you can't go home without an umbrella and I don't want you to catch a cold in your drenched clothes." Yuri said, passing me a pink towel. "I'm going to go fetch you dry clothes so you can change into them in the bathroom here okay?"

I nodded, holding onto the towel around my body. "Thank you Yuri. You are really nice."

"You're welcome." she smiled and went upstairs in the back.

When she closed the door behind her, making a very loud obvious sound, I frantically paced back and forth around the room.

Shoot. Shoot. Shoot! We were hugging in the rain! I brushed my wet hair nervously. Her touch, her scent, her voice... Am I falling in love again?

While I was talking to myself in a hurry, the flowers around were still giggling at me more than ever. 

(Yuri POV)

I hummed a familiar melody I overheard from a radio as I grabbed my clean hoodie and a towel from my closet. After I finished finding what I needed, I rushed downstairs.


"Yoona! Here are your clothes-whoa!"


I stopped talking when I slipped on the staircase, thanks to my slippery wet shoes. I held onto the clothes in my arms as I landed painfully on my button, yelping at the searing pain.

"Ow!"

"Yuri!"

Suddenly, Yoona rushed over to me, kneeling on the staircase. "Yuri! Are you okay?" she asked in a worried tone.

"Ugh...I'm okay now," I groaned and tried to lift myself up from the staircase. "I must have landed on my so hard that it made a bruise."


But in my attempt to try to get up, my stupid sneakers once again slipped on the ground floor.

Expecting to meet the same throbbing pain on my bottom again, I suddenly felt someone's hand pulling back my arm. My heartbeat was racing as I let go of the clothes and towels in the air. With the clothes flying in the air, I saw the person who had their hand on my arm. It was no other than the new worker Yoona.

I gasped when I felt her strength on my arm. She pulled me towards her body, causing me to land my head on her shoulder.

I didn't move. I kept my head on her strong shoulder. I was too much in shock as the clothes and towels fell on the ground around us. She actually had time to help me? That was all too fast though...


"Your shoes Unnie, maybe you should get different ones huh?" Yoona coughed, clearing up the slight awkwardness between us.

"Huh?" I said dumbly, "Oh yeah! These shoes are kind of old." I quickly lifted my head from her shoulder and looked into her eyes. "Thank you Yoona, for saving me from that clumsy incident." I smiled.


But when I tried to depart from her, she still kept a strong grip on my arm, making me stay in place close to her. I looked back at her confusingly while she was staring into my eyes.


"Sorry... But I just wanted to thank you for accepting me as your worker. I love it here."

"Oh! I should be thankful to you! With your brilliance and love for flowers, many came to stop by today."

After my compliment to her, she sighed. "You are really nice and patient with me you know?"

"I am?"

She nodded and laughed lightly, "Yeah... Most people would be annoyed or fed up with me." Her face had a melancholy expression. "I'm very difficult to have around."

"Really? Well, I think you are really beautiful, inside and out."


After my words, she became silent. While the rain continued its orchestra music outside of my store, Yoona looks unbelievably attractive with her wet hair. I never had the time to admire her features but she looks like angel sent from the above. Her clear milky skin illuminated while her auburn wet hair shined under the ceiling light. Each time she blinked her brown eyes, something inside of me urged me to lean closer.

Involuntarily, I lifted up my hand to brush away her wet fringe from her eyes. She flinched at my action but kept still when her eyes were still focused on my face. The feeling of her rain-soaked soft strands under my fingertips, it made me wants to touch her hair even more.


"It bugs me how bangs can cover somebody's eyes, it's a pet peeve of mine." I said, not sure if I was lying or telling the truth.


When I was done brushing away her bangs, I slid my hand down her face until Yoona places her hand right away on top of mine, holding my hand on the side of her face.


"I love your touch," Yoona gently said, making me blush as I felt her fingers caressing on my hand.


She closed her eyes as she held onto my hand. I gulped when I saw her daydreaming with her eyes closed while my hand. Is this the same girl who couldn't even figure out how to use a cash register?

Beyond my motives, I leaned in my face towards her. With her eyes closed, my lips were almost close to hers. The sight of her pink lips grinning; my heartbeat was going out of control as I dared to do something so different and unreal that I thought I would never encounter in my life.

Closing my own eyes, I tilted my head.


Ring! Ring! "Yuri-ah! I'm here!"


To my panic, I and Yoona opened our eyes at the same time with our lips so close to each other. I could feel my face turning red as I quickly pushed away from Yoona, turning around to see who was at the door.


"T-Taeyeon!" I stuttered, trying to occupying my time by picking up the scattered clothes and towels on the ground. "How was your work today?"

"It was good?" Taeyeon lifted her eyebrows in suspicion and closed her own umbrella. "Did I miss something? You guys look really flustered and awkward."

“Umm…Nothing at all,” I quickly glanced at Yoona. She was standing frozen while staring at the ground. I saw her hands around her lips.

"Yoona-ah!" A new girl came from behind Taeyeon's back and rushed towards Yoona. "I finally found you! Do you remember me?"

At the mention of her voice, Yoona lifted up her head, a bright smile suddenly appeared on her face. "Tiffany Unnie!"

They both gave each other a hug, making me feel jealous of their close interaction. They were talking and laughing so cheerfully while holding each other hands. Seeing them together from where I stood made me a little bitter on the inside.

"Yoona, I'll leave the clothes on the counter. I need to go shower now." I quickly placed the clothes on the counter. "Taeyeon? Could lock the store for me?"

"Sure thing buddy, but-"

"Thanks. Good work everybody!" I said as I rushed upstairs to the second floor. "Goodnight!"

(All POV)

After Yuri quickly left from the store to second floor, Yoona excused herself to change in the storage room, leaving Taeyeon and Tiffany alone in the store.

"Thank you for taking me out to the cafe," Tiffany smiled. "You made my first day on here so enjoyable!"

"You are welcome!" Taeyeon blushed from Tiffany's gorgeous smile. "Hey, I think you're really cool."

"And I think you're sweet," Tiffany grinned. "We should hang out more!"

Taeyeon laughed and brushed her hair nervously. "Sure... Could I have your number?"

"Uh huh!" Tiffany nodded excitedly.

As they both were exchanging numbers, Yoona finally came out from the storage room, wearing a pink hoodie Yuri had given her.  
She was a little sad. She wanted to introduce her close friend to Yuri. But after their little "kiss" accident, Yoona was still in shock. What just happened?  

"Yoona? What's wrong?" Tiffany frowned. "You look sad."

Yoona shook her head. “Aniyo, I’m just a little tired.” She checked outside. “Oh, it stopped raining. We should go home Tiffany! I want you to meet someone!” Yoona attempted to smile and grabbed Tiffany’s arm, pulling her out of the store. “Bye Taeyeon unnie! See you tomorrow!”

“Um yeah? See you guys tomorrow.” Taeyeon coolly waved back.

“I’ll text you tonight Taeyeon!” Tiffany giggled.

Taeyeon blushed at her soothing voice as both girls left the store. She started to lock the cashier register, turned off the lights, and locked every door except for the entrance. When she was done, she placed the plate of cookies on the counter she had received earlier from one of the customers.

“Aigoo Yuri-ah…” Taeyeon mumbled as she went out of the entrance, the silver bells echoed its last ring for the day. “Look at us. You found Yoona while I met Tiffany today. It’s kind of weird how they know each other right?”

Meanwhile…

Sooyoung, who was sitting on her couch in her apartment, was staring at her phone consciously, waiting for Yoona to call back. After she got off from her shift at 7, she called Yoona at least 10 times, sent her 20 texts, and left her 3 voice mails. Nevertheless, the nature angel never replied or called back.

“Argh! Where are you Yoona?” Sooyoung grumbled as she drank her own homemade hot chocolate. “You should of at least call or text me when your shift ends.”

Feeling bored, Sooyoung decided to cook kimchi stew for their dinner. As the clock was ticking by, the rice was ready and the stew was bubbling with its juicy kimchi, soft tofu, savory sausages, and spicy vegetables that made the fire angel’s mouth drooling.

Turning off the gas power, she suddenly heard a beep coming from her door. “Sooyoung unnie! I’m here!”

Yoona!

“Where the hell were you?” Sooyoung yelled when she walked to the door, raising her ladle in the air. “I called you a million times and I sent you like a thousa-“

Hey! Don’t yell at Yoona like that! She didn’t have her phone with her at work! She even told me so!

Sooyoung stopped yelling as she turned her head towards the new voice. She didn't even recognize the new girl until she spoke to Sooyoung. Only in a way that angels can communicate with each other.  

Who the hell are you?!

“Sooyoung-unnie!” Yoona rushed over to the Sooyoung and tried to calm her down. “This is Tiffany! She’s a water angel!”

Terror spread across on Sooyoung’s face. “Did…did you say a water angel?”

Slowly, the nature angel and the fire angel turned their heads around to find the water angel almost ready to burst into tears any second now.

“Wait! I didn’t mean to yell at you like that! You know us fire angels! We are very hot-tempered and-"

“I’M SORRY FOR INTRUDING IN YOUR LIFE WITH MYSELF!” Tiffany cried loudly. “I-I-I JUST WANTED TO MEET YOONA AND SHE TOLD ME HOW AMAZING YOU ARE! BUT I GUESS YOU DO HATE ME!”

“Tiffany unnie! She didn’t mean it like that-“

But the water angel didn’t hear the nature angel’s words as she exited out of Sooyoung’s apartment. Yoona frantically went after her while Sooyoung could only stood still; her face was full of mixed feelings, especially, bitterness.

You have got to be kidding me? A nature angel and now water angel living with me in this small town? Sooyoung groaned. What the heavens are
the angels up there are doing to me? Is this my new form of punishment?    

A little longer update! ^^ How do you like the YoonYul moment? 

Next Update: The Watcher's dinner talk and Yoona's and Yuri's after-thoughts of their "incident" at the flower store.

Thanks for reading you guys!