Ryeowook recognizes him right away. It’s the kid from the other side of the road, the kid from the flower shop. The boy is so immersed in his cell phone to really notice Ryeowook to walk past him, faster, and he listens to the footsteps to crunch against the pavement, slower, and they fade and fade and around the library Ryeowook can’t hear them anymore.

By the time Ryeowook reaches the main office (he never understood why he has to go and clock himself in there) and out, he spots the kid walking in the intersection a block away and when Ryeowook reaches there, he sees the kid cross to road and disappear inside the flower shop. Ryeowook smiles, casually jogging the distance of a block and reaches the bookshop/café he is working at. He tugs the key in and with a little push the door clicks open. He anything but jumps the three small stairs up, avoids hitting the nearest tables and now he is behind the counter where he punches his code in on the register. He lifts the laptop’s lit open, pouting, writes the password. He lets the machines to start when he walks past the bookshelves, coffee machine and a small display table for cookies and pastries. He changes into his working clothes (a button up shirt, a bowtie and an apron) before he is back behind the counter, waiting the e-mail program to open up. When all is set up (in less than fifteen minutes), he smiles and reaches for the door, pushing it open. It’s a beautiful summer Monday, sun is shining and the wind is gently. The flower shop across the street is open already and Ryeowook (as he retreats back inside) wonders that maybe they could purchase some flowers too.

Five more minutes and his co-worker Kyungsoo runs in, almost knocking over the nearest table. He is late and but luckily their boss and Ryeowook’s closest friend Jongwoon is always more late than neither of them ever could be. Ten minutes after that, the first customer comes in, one of their regular college students and Ryeowook (for a moment) forgets the boy working at the flower shop across the street.

**

Ryeowook leans over the counter, gazing out of the open door. He sees how the boy with brown curly hair arranges the flowers in front of the shop, talking with the older lady at the same time. The dog barks in lady’s feet and the boy kneels down, patting the little creature that wiggles its tail. Ryeowook smiles and Jongwoon casts a curious looks at him.

“Do you know the boy from the flower shop?”

“Which one? There’re three of them…” Jongwoon states, leaning over to look where Ryeowook is looking.

“The one with brown and curly hair… the tall one. That one.” Ryeowook points and Jongwoon hums.

“Not really. He had worked there for a long time thou.”

“Oh.”

“Why?”

“Oh, he lives around Ipjang.”

Jongwoon snorts.

“Are you stalking him or what?”

Ryeowook slaps him in the arm. “No! You know I live at Bukmyeon so I walk through the area of Ipjang almost every day. And I spotted him coming from the area of those gorgeous penthouses.”

Jongwoon nods, still looking out from the door.

“Maybe you could walk with him to work? Make it less boring.”

Ryeowook shrugs and smiles at the couple stepping inside.

“No.  I don’t think he even knows me.”

“Well, you have worked here already two weeks so I think he at least would recognize you.”

Ryeowook still shakes his head, wanting to keep it as his own little kind of secret. The couple is regulars and the girl asks if the book she ordered is already there. Jongwoon sprints to check it while Ryeowook wonders how they should clear the window area from all the books so that the view could be better.

**

On Wednesday the kid comes with a girl. Ryeowook’s heart sears a little but as he walks in front them, a small fragments of their conversation reaches to his ears.

“Dad thinks you’re wasting your time…”

“Gosh Ahra, you’re my sister for reasons! You’re not supposed to side with dad!”

Ryeowook tries to hide the grin as he almost skips forward.

**

They end up cleaning and rearranging the whole store. They take advice and recommendations from the customers and by Friday Ryeowook is happy to note how the cleared window has a perfect view (to the flower shop). The owner of the flower shop (after Kyungsoo went and bought some flowers to their door) comes to praise the new look. Jongwoon laughs awkwardly as the man hands him additional flowers (“to make it look nicer inside too!”) and Ryeowook thinks he should find a book about flower language since the owner might have blushed a little when Jongwoon took the flowers.

**

Saturday is a busy day for all of the shops in the street. Ryeowook barely has time to stop and watch the kid work, he is busy himself, pulling out the books, making and serving coffee, watering the flowers, arranging the books in the shelves, tidying up and soon it’s time to close the shop and belatedly Ryeowook (when he is half way back home) realizes how he hasn’t seen even a blink of the kid today. And he kind of feels saddened about it.

**

Ryeowook makes a habit of timing his leave to match the time the kid would be at the end of road where their ways cross. Sometimes it’s awkward (they’re there at the same time and Ryeowook is slightly pissed since the kid walks slower than him), sometimes is nice (Ryeowook gets to see the nice of the kid when he is a bit late) or such a torture (Ryewook hears the steps on the street behind of him but the kid is still so far away from him) and sometimes it’s comfortable, familiar (Reowook can hear the steps, he almost can hear the music the kid is listening to and he just tries to keep his steps fast enough and not the slower down too much).

Kyungsoo thinks he has a crush on the kid.

Ryeowook doesn’t deny it but he doesn’t plan to act on it either.

**

Two more weeks of it, equaling three weeks of it, Ryeowook is actually late and all but jogs past the kid, who is already half way to their shared way to work, not time to spare for the kid.

Jongwoon just laughs at him but his laughter dies down when Ryeowook realizes he had either dropped the keys or left them at home. And Ryeowook feels bad because he doesn’t know which it is and Jongwoon is pissed off but before he could make a call for new set of locks and keys, the kid from the flower shop is there, climbing up their small set of stairs, gazing around curiously. Both Jongwoon and Ryeowook are surprised but they mask it well, Ryeowook smiling at the kid while Jongwoon asks how he can help him. The kid smiles awkwardly, still in his regular clothes, his headphones around his neck.

“Ah, I… just wow, this really is a nice place, Sungmin-hyung was right.”

“Oh, thank you?”

“Yes. Ah, and…” the kid reaches for his pocket and Ryeowook’s heart jumps when the set of keys is pulled out. The kid’s eyes lock with his.

“You dropped these this morning.”

**

Kyuhyun doesn’t recognize the man he shares his walk to work at first. It takes him around couple of days to match the back side to the cute face across the street (precisely in the moment of window washing, he thought the looked fine and somewhat familiar).

He knows Sungmin knows his name but the older man won’t tell him (“go ask yourself!”) and Kyuhyun lets it be, he is fine how it is. The younger one of the three workers at the bookstore right across the street visits them and buys some flowers for the front door, to welcome customers. When the kid is gone and they watch how he hands the flowers to Jongwoon (Kyuhyun knows the owner’s name only because Sungmin keeps talking about him). Later that day Sungmin smiles slyly as he gathers up some yellow chrysanthemums and Kyuhyun rolls his eyes as the man informs him that he will be right back and jogs across street.

**

Saturday is the busiest day of the week, all the celebrations coming and going during the summer. Kyuhyun takes the habit of volunteering to work outside (even thou Sungmin would let Siwon do it, Siwon is more handsome, Kyuhyun is just lanky and awkward) but Kyuhyun insists.

The man at bookshop is busy too, but now Kyuhyun has a better change to look at him when he doesn’t suspect anything. They brought some tables outside too and now Kyuhyun can watch how the man serves the coffee with a bright smile and waters the flowers with a care. Their flower shop is open later than the bookshop so Kyuhyun watches how the man closes it, tugs the keys in the pocket and starts to walk back. Kyuhyun wonders than maybe someday they could also share the return to their respect homes together.

**

It’s kind of funny actually. They never speak and Kyuhyun isn’t even sure if the man knows or at least recognizes him, considering he is always ahead of Kyuhyun. He sometimes walks in rapid hurry, sometimes he skips, other times he jogs but Kyuhyun learns to love the every way of walking the man does. Kyuhyun yet needs to learn the man’s name but Sungmin still won’t tell it because Jongwoon is a dense idiot who doesn’t understand anything. Kyuhyun almost wants to retort that not everyone is fluent in flower language.

But after three weeks of walking behind the man, something changes. Kyuhyun doesn’t spot him ahead of him at the first intersection they usually share and not the turn after that. He is almost half way to the shop when he hears footsteps and it takes all of his willpower not to turn. The man runs past him, obviously in hurry and when he is good way ahead of him, Kyuhyun catches something flashy falling from the man’s pocket.

Kyuhyun hurries to the spot, lifting up a set of keys with a tag saying “work”. Kyuhyun’s breathe hitches, only from the thought of finally being able to speak with the man. He hurries, and he thinks he reaches to the bookstore right in time since annoyed looking Jongwoon is holding a phone and the man besides him looks stressed.

They mask their surprise fast and both of them smile at him and Kyuhyun is for a moment blinded by the comfort of the store. It’s cozy and the scent of coffee fills the air.

“Ah, I… just wow, this really is a nice place, Sungmin-hyung was right.”

Jongwoon blinks and Kyuhyun spots him to glance at flowers on the desk (pansies this time).

“Oh, thank you?”

“Yes. Ah, and…” Kyuhyun reaches for his pocket and pulls out the set of keys. Kyuhyun turns to look at the man (whose eyes are wide, as he stares at him) besides Jongwoon.

“You dropped these this morning.”

The man shouts out and Jongwoon lowers the phone, relieved.

“Thank you so much! You saved us from so much trouble!” The man says, smiling even wider and Kyuhyun sets the keys down, suddenly very scared of the idea of their hands touching.

“Ah, it was nothing.”

“No, thank you. It could have cost us a lot if we’d have to change to locks. Ryeowook, give him free whatever coffee he wants.”

Ryeowook.

Ryeowook grins and beckons him to move to the side, nearer the coffee machine.

“What you want? Anything, I will give you a cookie too!”

“A-a frappe, please.”

“Coming right your way!”

Kyuhyun watches as the ma—wait, Ryeowook works with the machine, his fingers running over the buttons, his hands gently pouring the milk over the mix of coffee, water and ice, finish it off with the straw.

“What kind of cookie you want? We have chocolate, chocolate chips, caramel…”

“Surprise me. Everything is fine.”

Ryeowook smiles and takes one cookie out of the display window and places it in a small bag. He offers the bag and coffee to him, Kyuhyun yet again super aware of the closeness of their hands.

“Here you go…”

“Kyuhyun. My name is Kyuhyun.”

Ryeowook blinks and smiles. Kyuhyun could die for it.

“Here you go Kyuhyun! Have a nice day!”

Sungmin says he is freaking in love when he sips his frappe, staring and sighing longingly whole day.

**

Nothing really changes. They still walk work separately but sometimes, when they’re both working outside, Ryeowook would catch Kyuhyun’s eyes and wave. It makes Kyuhyun frustrated (Ryeowook likes to tease the younger male) and the boy waves back. Jongwoon studies the new flowers brought by Sungmin and when the older man is not looking, Ryeowook withdraws a book from one of the shelves, searches for the sunflowers and wonders if he should tell Jongwoon. He decides against it since Jongwoon cares for the flowers and almost flipped when Kyungsoo didn’t remember to water them at one time. Now they’re all his to care.

**

Kyuhyun doesn’t really plan on it but on one Thursday morning, when he is a bit early, he stops by the intersection and waits until Ryeowook arrives from the other end of the road hiding behind the trees. The older man blinks, a little confused and Kyuhyun shrugs, awkwardly.

“I thought we could walk together…?”

Ryeowook beams at him and Kyuhyun almost faints as the older male (he was freaking 25, how could anyone being 25 look so young and cute!) sets his steps to his and their arms brush against each other.

**
 

Ryeowook wants to die when he learns that Kyuhyun is in fact, nineteen, turning 20 next February. Sungmin just laughs at him while Jongwoon stares at the pink roses.

“Well, he is mature for his age. And you’re kind of cute for your age. You compensate each other. So when is the first date?”

Ryeowook splutters and Sungmin bursts into laughter and Jongwoon smiles (Ryeowook is sure it’s more because of Sungmin’s laugh than his reaction).

“W-what first date?”

“Gosh, you two are so obviously attracted to each others, do something about it.”

Ryeowook almost wants to say that Sungmin should man up too and stop giving flowers (Jongwoon isn’t fluent in flower language, he should know) but says nothing and purses his lips together, pouting. Sungmin sniggers and ruffles his hair.

“Damn you’re cute. He has always had a spot for cute things. See you!”

And with that Sungmin is gone and Ryeowook thinks he spots the marks of jealously on Jongwoon’s face when the older man runs a hand through his own hair.

**

Ryeowook stares at one red rose, hidden behind the curtains which states “staff only”. It is fresh one, it always is and Ryeowook wonders if Jongwoon purchases one every morning. He turns when he hears Jongwoon to exit the bathroom, both of them staring at each other.

Ryeowook smiles cheekily.

“When are you going to give that to him?”

Jongwoon splutters and blushes, turning his eyes away. He is gazing towards the windows and even thou Ryeowook can’t see who is working outside of the flower shop, he can guess.

“When he gives me the right kind of flower.”

Ryeowook turns to look at the Forget-Me-Nots on the table and smiles. Jongwoon isn’t that dumb it seems then.

**

It starts with some kind of joke and a high-five.

It ends with Kyuhyun intertwining his fingers with Ryeowook and lowering their hands between them. Ryeowook blinks but doesn’t withdraw his hand, trying to catch Kyuhyun’s eyes but the younger man is looking anything else but Ryeowook.

So Ryeowook stares and finally Kyuhyun turns to him, averting his eyes immediately when he catches Ryeowook’s stare.  He is frustrated and Ryeowook giggles, swinging their hands. Kyuhyun blushes even more and they walk the rest of the way to the shops in silence, Ryeowook enjoying the feeling of Kyuhyun’s hand (even thou it’s a bit sweaty but it’s okay if the hand holding gets that kind of a sweet smile out of the kid) in his.

**

It happens three days after that. Ryeowook almost squeals when Sungmin skips inside their store, a pot of yellow and red tulips in his hands. He had long ago remembered the flowers which mean love. So have Jongwoon as he drops the books he has been holding and Sungmin blinks at them.

“Are you guys okay?”

“S-sure…”

“Ah, here are the new flowers. Kyuhyun thought it was time for tulips and yeah!” Sungmin blabbers and Ryeowook catches a glimpse of a red hue rising to the older man cheeks. Jongwoon nods, silently and Ryeowook thinks that the rose behind the curtain is too far away and as soon as Sungmin (still little vary of their tenseness) turns, Jongwoon sprints to behind the curtain and Ryeowook holds the book way too tightly against his chest. He isn’t sure if it’s proper for him to stay but the glance Jongwoon sends his way tells him to stay where he is, for a moral support if not for anything else.  

“Sungmin! Wait!”

Sungmin turns and freezes and Ryeowook wants nothing more than make any kind of noise so he puts hands over his mouth so that he wouldn’t ruin the moment. Jongwoon looks awkward as he offers the red rose to Sungmin.

“A-ah, f-for you.”

Ryewook watches as Sungmin’s eyes widen, the redness in his face deepens and for a moment, none of them moves. Then Sungmin takes the remaining steps separating him and Jongwoon, forgets the rose and kisses the older man.

Ryeowook cheers and Jongwoon looks at him over Sungmin’s shoulder, like wanting to punch him but Ryeowook gets the hint. The store is empty from the customers and Kyungsoo is having a day off so Ryeowook just takes off his apron, tosses it to the nearest chair and skips out of the store, closing the door behind him.

He sees Kyuhyun watching when he turns the sign on the door to “Closed”.

He jogs to Kyuhyun who smiles amused.

“Finally?”

Ryeowook grins and nods.

“Finally.”

**

The day Sungmin and Jongwoon confess to each other is boring until Ryeowook skips across the street, still in his working clothes (minus the apron) and they giggle stupidly at their stupid bosses.

And Ryeowook stays to hang around.

Kyuhyun gets super nervous when he is helping a customer and he knows Ryeowook is lurking somewhere near, watching. He messes up with his words and he can hear Ryeowook’s giggles from somewhere behind him but the lady he is helping doesn’t mind. Kyuhyun wants to punch Ryeowook, just gently, not too hard.

 Ryeowook also meets Siwon and Kyuhyun pouts when he watches Siwon to tease the other man for his short heights. It’s almost like a joke when he blurts out how Ryeowook is just the perfect height. Siwon laughs, leaning against Ryeowook who tries to pry the other’s hands away from him and wiggles his eyebrows.

“To whom?  To you?”

Siwon is teasing, Kyuhyun knows, but Kyuhyun still can’t prevent the blush creeping onto his face so he stomps outside. He can hear Ryeowook laughing and he stares at the sunflowers, thinking how Ryeowook’s smile would shine even in a room full of sunflowers.

That day is also special, not because Jongwoon and Sungmin started dating but because Ryeowook actually waits for him.

Kyuhyun isn’t sure if he is seeing things when after work he approaches the intersection from where Ryeowook would usually take right to go to the office to clock in and out. There Ryeowook is, standing and waving at him as he draws closer. The older man beams up at him and links their arms together.

“Since we hung around a lot today, I thought we could share our way to home too, right?”

Kyuhyun stammers something, not really paying attention what the older man says, Ryeowook’s hand gently his arm.

Sungmin just barks at him to “confess already!” and hangs up on him when he calls later.

**

Kyuhyun invites him to his house one day, not many days after the day Jongwoon and Sungmin started dating. It has been raining (the first cold rains of the upcoming autumn) and since Ryeowook has forgotten his umbrella home, it would be inconvenient for him to continue his journey to home in that kind of rain. So Kyuhyun invites him for a coffee.

Ryeowook doesn’t mind, he is excited to see where Kyuhyun lives and to meet Kyuhyun’s sister and parents. But they aren’t home and they won’t be home, it’s just two of them. Kyuhyun is being super awkward as the younger one tries not to spill coffee everywhere. The light pulp in Ryeowook’s head goes on.

Oh.

They sit on the couch, Ryeowook sipping his coffee and listening to Kyuhyun to blabber about everything that comes to the kid’s head and it amuses Ryeowook. Kyuhyun amuses him because every time he moves, Kyuhyun’s words slow down, like he is observing his every move, like waiting for the right moment.

Ryeowook tries to prevent himself from smiling too wide, too excitedly.

He was once 19-years-old and in love too.

Now he is older and it’s almost terrifying how much the younger man next to him makes him feel. How he wants to kiss Kyuhyun as much as the younger male wants to kiss him.

It starts with their knees bumping to each other and Kyuhyun jerking slightly back but Ryewook puts his hand on Kyuhyun’s knee, trying to calm the younger man down. It does the opposite and Kyuhyun stammers and blushes and Ryeowook laughs, inching his fingers upper, to Kyuhyun thigh, leaning in.

Kyuhyun stops moving all together and Ryeowook wants to laugh but instead he smiles and lifts his other hand to tilt Kyuhyun’s head slightly to left. Kyuhyun opens his mouth to say something but he doesn’t let him. Of course it’s awkward and Kyuhyun is frozen again but Ryeowook smiles into the kiss and when his upper lip is between Kyuhyun’s lips, the younger man reacts and Ryeowook lets his eyes close.

Kyuhyun knows it didn’t go as he planned (Ryeowook wasn’t supposed to take the control of their first kiss) but he doesn’t mind. He definitely doesn’t mind, not when Ryeowook’s eyes close when he gently, nibbles gently, touches gently and the sound of pleasure that comes out Ryeowook’s mouth makes Kyuhyun’s cheeks burn.

It kind of escalates quickly and Kyuhyun jerks away from the kiss when Ryeowook’s knee rubs against his crouch. Ryeowook snorts at him and gently brushes some of his hair out of his eyes.

“Actually, no until you’re 21.”

Kyuhyun groans, lowering his head and Ryeowook laughs, his laughter bubbling out of him, so contagious that Kyuhyun can’t help himself but join the older man.  

**

Sungmin smiled at him with the knowing look on his face. Jongwoon looks like he is obvious to it all (but he might just pretend, like with the flowers).

“You look like you got some.”

Jongwoon elbows him but Sungmin doesn’t care and Ryeowook grins.

“I don’t count it actually getting some since all we did was kiss. But sure, whatever, I got some kisses.”

Sungmin cooes and leans on the counter, leaning against Jongwoon.

“That’s so cute. But at least he confessed, he had been crushing over you whole summer I guess.”

Ryeowook blinks.

“He never said anything about liking me.”

**

Ryeowook knows Sungmin took his words way too seriously. He had just wanted to annoy the older man, since they had been playing around with the words but seemed like Sungmin anyway went and kicked some because Kyuhyun looks almost horrified as he enters the store (in the last five minutes, how rude) and starts to blabber.

“I mean I don’t even, Sungmin made it sound so bad so I just took off here and I was thinking I have no idea what I’m going to say to you more than just I like you a lot, like a lot maybe even love, I don’t really know what it feels to be in love but at least I like you because I mean we kissed right and that means you’re mine and you can’t go liking anyone else so I think---“

Ryeowook stops Kyuhyun’s words by grapping him by the face and kissing him gently. The kiss lingers and Ryeowook feels Kyuhyun’s fingers grip his sides. When they part Ryeowook grins up at blushing Kyuhyun.

“I think I like you too, .”

__________________________

Flowers and meanings:

Crysanthemum/ yellow = secret admirer

Pansy = loving thoughts

Sunflower = adoration

Forget-Me-Not = remember me forever

Rose/pink = admiration/appreciation

Rose/red= passionate love

Tulips/yellow and red = hopelessly in love and declaration of love

A/N: Also I have no idea where that age difference came from lol, probably because I wanted to write Kyuhyun more like a kid idk hahah. I was supposed to say something elso too but it was probably nothing important since I don't remember what I was supposed to say, so enjoy!