‘Hello, Park Kyung-ssi.’

Forcefully tearing his eyes away from Yukwon and his vulgar middle-finger wiggling - Kyung would just punch him later, right on that goddamn smirk of his - Kyung turned to Woo Jiho and tried for the easy smile he usually gave his customers.

When Woo Jiho’s smile brightened a few notches, thus assuring Kyung that he had not accidentally flashed a goblin grimace instead in his poorly veiled surprise, Kyung attempted a reply. 

‘Wello.’

Wow. OK. Not what he had been going for. 

His customer stifled a snort - very poorly at that - while Jiseok, at the cashier counter, clamped a hand over his mouth to silence his laughter in the background. Yukwon was doubled over by the door, not even bothering to smother his guffaws. 

.

Somewhat glad that Woo Jiho paid no heed to Yukwon’s very audible glee, Kyung said hastily, ‘I started saying “welcome” because, like, I’m contractually obligated to do that, I’m literally paid to do that, yanno, but you said hello and I ended up saying hello back in the middle and it came out all weird and … yeah…’

Woo Jiho laughed outright then, throwing his head back as he did so. It was such a contrast to the tangible force of fury he had been when he came stomping into the shop a week ago - and even a far cry from his amused reactions to Kyung’s whims that evening - that Kyung stared a little, lips curving up despite himself.

He had a nice laugh.

‘That’s not as bad as what I did once,’ he said conversationally after he had calmed down. ‘In high school, I was at my local library and I accidentally knocked over a bookshelf, nearly hitting the librarian who was this little old lady. I totally panicked and I tried to say “ I’m so sorry” and “Did I hurt you” at the same time and ended up screaming “ you!” at her. I’ve been banned ever since.’

Kyung sniggered appreciatively. ‘Either that really happened or you saw that story somewhere on the Internet. It’s hilarious, though.’

‘Hey, it did happen,’ Woo Jiho insisted earnestly. ‘All the proof you need is the look on her face every time she sees me on the street.’

Shaking his head with a grin, Kyung leaned against the counter, bracing his palms on the smooth surface. ‘So you really knocked over an entire bookshelf?’

‘Technically.’

‘Technically?’ Kyung echoed, raising his eyebrows. 

‘Well, technically I knocked over just one. That one crashed into the one in front of it, which crashed into the one in front of it, which crashed into - you get the idea.’ Woo Jiho scratched behind his ear, his cheeks dusting a light red. ‘First and last time I ever played dominoes.’

Kyung burst out laughing. ‘Like in The Mummy?’

Woo Jiho looked up, his dark eyes sparkling. ‘Exactly like The Mummy. You like that movie?’

‘Are you kidding? It’s a frickin’ classic!’

He grinned. ‘It’s one of my favourites, too.’ He took a step forward then and Kyung was abruptly reminded of where he was and who he was with. 

He was suddenly rather glad for the counter separating them.

A glance over Woo Jiho’s shoulder showed that Yukwon was finally engaged in helping out a new customer - Kyung had not heard her come in - and Jiseok had risen to assist him with her order. Exhaling slightly, Kyung returned to Woo Jiho only to be met with his piercing stare.

Kyung blinked. Maybe Yukwon did have a point about Woo Jiho “not taking his eyes off” Kyung. Not that it necessarily meant that he wanted Kyung to him, as Yukwon had ever so eloquently put it, but - oh wait, then that made the staring all the more creepy.

‘So …’ Kyung began slowly, pulling on his practised welcome-dear-customer smile. ‘How may I help you today?’

Woo Jiho’s grin dimmed immediately and Kyung blinked at his customer’s reaction to his attitude change from casual to professional. 

‘At least you didn’t call me “sir” today,’ was the muttered response and Kyung straightened, taking in the poorly veiled disappointment on his customer’s face. He did not know what to think - or maybe he did know what to think, he just did not want to think it. 

‘It comes with the job,’ he said, deliberating keeping his voice light. 

‘You’re contractually obligated?’ The smile was slowly returning to Woo Jiho’s face, a hint of teasing leaking into his voice.

‘Had to sign it with my blood and everything.’ It was strange how easily Kyung could settle into easy banter with Woo Jiho, despite how he made him feel slightly uncomfortable. 

Like right now. He was staring again. Still smiling, but very blatantly staring at Kyung.

And because he was Kyung, he responded in the way he always did: ‘Like what you see?’ 

At least it was better than the ‘Imagining me , are ya’ that had been on the tip of his tongue, Kyung thought as he watched, with inappropriate amusement, Woo Jiho choking on air as he blushed furiously.

‘I - I … no, I wasn’t -!’

Kyung could not help snickering, both endeared and intrigued by this guy who looked like he could be in a biker gang one second and inexplicably cute and flustered the next.

Taking pity on his customer, Kyung finally chuckled, ‘OK, but I seriously do have to work now. The boss will kick my if I waste my time just chatting.’

Woo Jiho sobered, nodding. ‘Right…’

As Woo Jiho bit his lip, Kyung finally dared to wonder if his customer really had not returned as a customer, but with the sole purpose of seeing Kyung.

Those were dangerous waters and Kyung was not sure he was ready to swim in that yet.

‘She liked the orange lilies.’

Kyung was confused before he understood. His lips began to curl. ‘Really?’

‘Yeah.’ Woo Jiho nodded, smiling faintly. ‘She liked the whole bouquet you made, actually, but she said the orange lilies were the best. It was so ironic I nearly laughed in her face.’

‘You remember what orange lilies mean?’

‘Hatred.’ 

Kyung laughed gleefully. ‘Oh, I can rest easy in my grave now.’

‘Whoa, wait, don’t die on me just yet. You’re my number one supplier of you bouquets.’

‘I’m your only supplier.’

‘Exactly,’ laughed Woo Jiho. ‘I need you.’

But by then, Kyung had understood the implication and his smile slid off. ‘Wait … you need more flowers?’

Woo Jiho blinked. ‘Yes?’

‘You’re … still going on these … dates?’ 

His customer’s face was entirely devoid of mirth now. Eyes dark and jaw clenched, he glanced away. 

Kyung was uncomfortably aware that he was treading on ground best avoided. Personal affairs of his customers were not his business, but he could not get over the fact that this was a person who had been forced to go on a date with someone he “hated”. 

And it appeared that it had not ended with just one date.

It all was just … so wrong.

Still, it was not Kyung’s business - and Woo Jiho had certainly not made it Kyung’s business - so he swallowed back the lump in his throat, made of jumbled words he did not know how to express anyway, and said instead,

‘I should warn you now that last week’s bouquet was my ultimate masterpiece. It’s like what the Mona Lisa was to Leonardo, er, not-DiCaprio -’

‘Actually, some argue that Leonardo da Vinci’s best work is The Last Supper,’ interrupted Woo Jiho, looking amused again.

‘People don’t talk about that one like they talk about the Mona Lisa - anyway, stop raining on my parade when I’m trying to be pretentiously artistic here, you're missing the point -’

‘Which is?’ Woo Jiho chuckles.

‘The point is, I probably can’t top that you bouquet, if that’s what you’re looking for. That was the result of one whole year’s work, yanno.’

Woo Jiho is still smiling. ‘That’s OK. I’m not looking for an even more, er, you-er bouquet.’ He grinned when Kyung laughed at his made-up word. ‘Make me any bouquet you like. Just throw in some orange lilies, please.’

He flushed when Kyung crocked an eyebrow at him. 

‘What? Might as well keep telling her how much I hate her passive-aggressively with flowers until she stops-’ Woo Jiho paused, frowning.

‘Until she stops forcing you to take her out?’ Kyung said bluntly, finally throwing caution to the winds.

His customer flinches but nods stiffly. ‘Yeah.’

Kyung was burning to ask how the whole thing had even started, but he knew better than to push. Nodding at Woo Jiho, he said, ‘OK, got it. One floral punch to the face coming up.’

He was glad to see Woo Jiho’s face lightening a bit as he turned away to collect the flowers.

Kyung found that he barely had to think to prepare his second bouquet for Woo Jiho. His fingers reached automatically for the flowers, plucking red marigolds, baby’s breath and - on a rather spiteful whim - striped carnations before going for the orange lilies. Woo Jiho looked curiously at the blossoms when Kyung returned, but he remained silent as Kyung wordlessly put the bouquet together.

He made the orange lilies - three large obnoxious flowers - the centrepiece this time before circling them with striped carnations. The red marigolds sandwiched the carnation ring between its yellow-lined red petals and the orange hue of the lilies. Kyung then carefully inserted baby’s breath throughout the flowers so that the tiny white bunches peeked out randomly. He added another small loop of baby’s breath outside the marigolds. 

The bouquet was a bit smaller than the previous week’s you , but Kyung was satisfied this one also delivered a message strong enough.

He raised an eyebrow at his customer. ‘Enough? Or you want me to add more?’

‘I’m not the expert here. What does it say? Aside from the lilies, I mean.’

‘No, what I mean is, is it visually OK?’

Woo Jiho threw a critical look at the flowers. ‘I like the orange and red thing it’s got going. They kinda clash, but the …’ He pointed at the striped carnations, ‘… having those between the orange lilies and red flowers is nice. I like how these flowers are both white and …’ He squinted at the stripes on the carnations. ‘Pink? Purple?’

Kyung almost laughed, endeared by his lengthy answer. ‘So, visually it’s good enough, I take it? I know it’s not as colourful as last week’s, but -’

‘No, it’s nice.’

Satisfied, Kyung set about wrapping up the bouquet. Recalling how his you bouquet had had a savage amount of pink and purple in it unlike this one - the stripes on the carnations could only count for so much - he decided to go with a baby pink wrapping mesh this time. 

As he worked, Woo Jiho repeated, ‘So? What does this bouquet say?’

‘Well, do you know what orange lilies mean?’ Kyung quipped, swallowing a grin.

Woo Jiho did not even bother to conceal his eye roll. ‘Aw, gee, no, I’ve never heard of it.’

‘It means I hate you.’

‘You don’t say.’

‘Pure Voldemort-hates-Harry-Potter hatred.’

‘Mm hmm.’

‘Or cats being forced to take a bath hatred -’

‘Dude, come on.’

Kyung laughed. ‘OK. So, marigolds mean cruelty and grief. In the simplest sense.’

‘Marigolds are these red ones, right?’

‘Yeah. And these tiny ones are called baby’s breath. They mean - well, they don’t actually mean anything bad, just innocence. I only added them to up the pretty factor. Baby’s breath goes with literally any flower, it’s disgusting.’

Woo Jiho snorted.

‘It’s like the of the flower world.’

‘Isn’t that a bit offensive?’ His customer looked like he was biting back a grin though.

‘Hey, I’m not putting a gender on it, it could be a man-,’ said Kyung with a shrug as he finished tying off the wrapping mesh around the flowers. Reaching for the garden scissors to snip off the uneven stems, he finished, ‘And the others are carnations. The striped ones mean…’ He paused, belatedly wondering if he was imposing his own ideals onto his customer’s issue.

‘Yes?’

‘No.’

‘What?’

‘No. It means no,’ said Kyung quietly, handing over the finished bouquet. ‘Refusal.’

Woo Jiho looked from the carnations to Kyung, his face suddenly like stone. Kyung flushed.

It struck him then that maybe his customer might misunderstand the situation as Kyung criticising him – for not saying “No” directly to his tormentor’s face and allowing her to manipulate him to go on dates.

‘I’m sorry, I didn’t meant to offend –’ Kyung began in a rush.

‘Don’t be,’ he interrupted shortly. ‘Your choice is spot on – I should’ve said no from the start.’ He looked down at the blossoms and sighed, his expression melting to one of quiet regret and frustration. ‘But I suppose this is what I get for being a coward.’

‘I wasn’t calling you a coward,’ said Kyung, now wishing he could backtrack on their conversation. ‘I mean, I don’t even know your situation, I’m not judging you, I swear-’

‘It’s fine.’ Woo Jiho gave him a small smile, but the sparkle had flickered out from his dark eyes.

Kyung bit his lip, feeling agitated, irritated and just very, very horrible all at once. 

Turning the bouquet delicately in his hands, his customer said without looking at him, ‘Think you can whip up another one next week?’

‘Ne – next week?’ Kyung gaped.

‘And the week after that.’

‘Wha …’ He had to take a deep breath, but he could not hold back his tongue, ‘Weekly dates?’

‘Weekly dates,’ confirmed Woo Jiho grimly.

Holy , this entire thing was so messed up. Just what kind of situation was this guy in that he was being forced to take some ty out every week like clockwork? And with flowers? Kyung could barely keep the words from spilling out.

‘And orange lilies?’

A hint of a smile returned to Woo Jiho’s lips. ‘Yes, please. The rest of the flowers are up to you.’

‘At this rate, I’m going to run out of you bouquets rather quickly.’

Woo Jiho chuckled. ‘Oh, I’m sure you can make it work.’

His eyes lingered on Kyung for a long moment, his lips caught between a smile and something bitter, before he thanked Kyung for the second bouquet and headed towards Jiseok to pay for his order. Kyung gazed after his retreating figure, bracing his hands on the smooth countertop while his thoughts whirled in a cacophony of unintelligible noise in his mind. He stiffened when Woo Jiho glanced back at him, just like the previous week, before he walked out of the shop.

Gosh, what in the seven hells had just happened?

A tap on his shoulder startled him back to the present and Kyung whipped around to see Yukwon. He had not even heard him approach.

There was an intolerable smirk on Yukwon’s face that slid off when he noticed Kyung’s closed off expression.

‘Hey, what’s wrong?’

Kyung shrugged, fiddling with the garden scissors. ‘Nothing.’

Yukwon sighed. ‘I was gonna tease the bejesus out of you to kingdom come over how frickin’ long it took you to justserve one dude –’

‘Kwon-ah,’ Kyung began, not in the mood to humour him.

‘- and I’m still gonna do that someday, because Jesus, you two flirted and had with your eyes for like half an hour –’

Kyung groaned, flushing. ‘I wasn’t –’

‘Or at least he was having with you, anyway, even if you weren’t –’

Before Kyung could interrupt him for a third time, Yukwon placed a firm hand on his arm and said, his tone serious and heavy, ‘But you’re not fooling anyone, Kyung. Something's happened.’

He sighed, mouth curving down in a frown. ‘That’s the thing, nothing actually happened, but…’ He shook his head while Yukwon waited. ‘I don’t know why I feel so weird about it.’

‘It?’

‘That Woo Jiho is being forced to go out with someone. He looks like he’s buying flowers at gunpoint! It’s just … it’s so wrong, you know?’

‘It is wrong,’ said Yukwon levelly with a raised eyebrow. ‘Being forced into anything against your will is wrong. But why do you feel weird for thinking that? That’s the perfectly normal thing to think about that. I’d be worried if you actually thought it was OK for someone to be forced –’

‘But it’s none of my business!’ interrupted Kyung exasperatedly. ‘I mean, yes, I feel sorry for the guy; anyone with a conscience would! But I – it’s not my business, but still I … I…’

Yukwon leaned back against the counter, his body angled towards Kyung. ‘But you’re feeling more worked up over it than you think you should be?’

It was unnerving how Yukwon had plucked from Kyung’s jumbled mind what he himself was unable to and laid it out in a coherent sentence.

Kyung sagged against the counter beside his friend, leaning on his crossed arms. ‘Yeah. Exactly. Why am I so freaked out about it? I’ve met this guy a total of two times.’

‘And yet, you get along famously.’

When Kyung stared at him, Yukwon rolled his eyes, looking partly amused and partly exasperated (which was his default expression around Kyung in general). 

‘You don’t chat for half an hour with all of your customers, you realise? You’ve met this Woo Jiho twice but spoken with him more than any of your other customers put together.’

Kyung picked at the hem of his left sleeve. ‘So, you’re saying…’

‘That you like him as much as he wants you to him.’

‘Ugh.’ Kyung reached over to punch Yukwon on the arm. ‘I’m being serious, Kwon-ah.’

‘Shocking.’ Rubbing his arm, Yukwon yelled at Jiseok over his shoulder, ‘Hey, boss! Bring out that bottle of champagne you were saving, Park Kyung is being serious for the first time in his life!’

‘I heard,’ said Jiseok nonchalantly without looking up from the daffodils he was tending to. ‘You brats forget this is a fairly small shop. I hear everything.’

Kyung stilled. ‘Everything, hyung?’

‘Everything. As in every word that passed between you and that young man you’re twisting your over – last week and tonight.’

‘Hyung!’

‘And yes, I can confirm that he seems very eager for you to, er, what was it, Yukwonnie?’

‘ him?’ supplied Yukwon without a hint of shame (which was the role usually filled by Kyung; clearly he had rubbed off too much on his co-worker).

‘Hmm, yes. I can confirm that he wants you to him. And you can confirm for yourself when he comes back next week … or earlier, probably. Idiot left his phone by the register.’

‘What?’ Kyung and Yukwon gawked at their boss. ‘Hyung, why didn’t you call him back and return it?’

‘Obviously 'cause I noticed it long after he left,’ Jiseok pointed out in the tone of an adult explaining something to a slow child. ‘Anyway, he’ll be back soon, I bet. Then you can confirm his ual fantasies about you or just get the deed done already and save us all more weeks of you two eyeballing each other – but not here, please; flowers are delicate and expensive and I won’t tolerate you rolling around in them.’

‘You’re both horrible people.’ Kyung shook his head and slumped back over the counter. ‘Absolutely wretched.’

‘You’re even more horrible for leading him on, Kyung-ah.’ Yukwon said gravely.

‘What? I’m not leading him on!’

‘So your conversations with him were completely natural?’

‘Yes!’

‘Nothing was forced?’

‘Nothing!’

‘You two just clicked right from the start?’

‘Yes, for fuc- !’ Kyung realised where Yukwon had led him only after the words had left his mouth. 

His friend was grinning broadly. ‘So you do like Woo Jiho?’

‘I …’ Kyung ran a hand through his hair, half-glaring at Yukwon. It felt like he had walked right into a trap, and yet … it was true. He had certainly hit it off with Woo Jiho right from the beginning without even realising it and, well … he did not dislike the guy.

‘I don’t dislike him,’ he finally admitted, his voice low. 

Jiseok laughed heartily from across the shop. ‘Was that so hard to admit?’

‘I’m not saying that I want to … to …’ Kyung began loudly, flailing his arms a bit as he tried to find the words. He was usually great with words; he prided himself for his wit and humour the most, damn it, but when it came to Woo Jiho, why the hell was he getting tongue tied?

However, it seemed Yukwon had taken on a new role of translating Kyung’s garble. ‘We’re not saying you’re in love with him or anything, man. That’s ridiculous. But you can like a person only after a couple of meetings, y’know?’ When Kyung dropped his arms, he added, ‘Also explains why you’re bothered about Woo Jiho going on these forced dates. You like him, so you care about it. Simple.’

Kyung looked from Yukwon to Jiseok, frowning. ‘OK, that reasoning, I can get behind. But the bull about Woo Jiho wanting me –’

‘To him.’ Yukwon stifled an uncharacteristic giggle when Kyung glowered at him.

‘- I don’t get that.’

‘Why not?’ Jiseok stretched his arms over his head. ‘You can be ually attracted to someone after seeing them just once.’

‘Let me rephrase myself: I don’t want that.’ Kyung folded his arms. 

Yukwon cocked his head. ‘Not into one night stands?’

‘Nope.’

‘Huh.’ Yukwon tilted his head even more. ‘Funny, I totally thought of you as a no-strings-attached son of a . No offence.’

Kyung did not bother pointing out that not a single part of that remark had been inoffensive. 

‘There’s only one person in the entire world that I’d make an exception for a one night stand, babe, and I’m looking right at him,’ said Kyung, partly because he could never pass up an opportunity to flirt with Yukwon – one of his favourite past-times since he joined Scattered Petals – and partly to steer the conversation away from the dangerous topic of Woo Jiho.

Yukwon rolled his eyes, which was his typical response to Kyung’s playful advances, but the curve of his lips gave away his amusement. ‘See, that’s exactly why I thought you wouldn’t mind if someone just wanted to bang you. You flirt with anything on two legs.’

‘I don’t flirt with chickens.’

Not having expected the lame joke, Yukwon choked on an involuntary cackle and Kyung grinned. ‘I’m not saying they’re not y, they’re downright ravishing, makes me wanna eat ’em and all, but nah, they’re not my type.’

‘And I’m your type?’

‘You know it, babe.’ Kyung deliberately leaned towards Yukwon, placing his hands on the countertop on either side of Yukwon’s hips, trapping him. He cast a swift glance to make sure they were alone in the shop besides Jiseok; he did not even bother to look, already used to Kyung and his antics.

Yukwon turned his head away from him, unable to curb a laugh. ‘Keep dreaming, Park Kyung.’

‘You wouldn’t laugh if you didn’t like it.’ Kyung wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

‘Were you always this ugly? Or did I just not notice from a distance?’ Yukwon said with a mocking smile.

‘This face is what you to every night.’ Kyung shrugged, still casually invading Yukwon's personal bubble. ‘The day you come out of denial, babe, just say the word. I’ll give you that one-nighter.’

‘In some other universe, some other me that is not in a steady relationship with a wonderful girlfriend and not strictly heteroual might consider taking you up on that offer. But ain't happening in this life, bro.’

Yukwon pressed a finger to Kyung’s chest but Kyung remained where he was. ‘Strictly heteroual?’ He sniggered. ‘Is that a joke? Or am I the only one you reveal your not-very-hetero side to?’

Yukwon shrugged, lips twitching despite himself. ‘What can I say? As ridiculous and conceited as you are with an ego the size of this planet, you grew on me.’

‘He grew on me, too,’ called Jiseok over his shoulder, now poking around the orchids, ‘but I sure as hell am glad he doesn’t pull that stuff with me!’

‘Saving the best for last, hyung-nim,’ Kyung quipped and he and Yukwon both roared with laughter as Jiseok shuddered audibly.

‘Ugh, keep your hands to yourself if you want to keep this job, punk.’

‘Oh, Yukwonnie wouldn’t let me put them on anyone besides him.’ With a sleazy grin, he pressed closer against Yukwon so that he was almost standing between his legs, Yukwon’s lower back cutting into the counter behind him and Kyung’s arms just centimetres shy of closing around his waist.

Yukwon was not bothered in the least and just snorted derisively. Kyung shot him a manic grin and angled his head closer, intending to head- him before letting go.

The door of the shop opened. ‘Excuse me, I think I left my pho –’

Kyung’s first instinct to leap as far away from Yukwon as possible – because professional and work environment, damn it – was immediately overshadowed by his muscles freezing in place when he realised who their customer was. Pupils shaking with surprise, he gaped over Yukwon’s shoulder at Woo Jiho, whose dark eyes had immediately located Kyung and were now switching between him and Yukwon. He was still clutching, with white knuckles, the bouquet Kyung had made what felt like only five minutes ago.

In that moment, what really struck Kyung was not the inappropriateness of the position he was in with Yukwon, but rather that he did not want Woo Jiho to see him in that inappropriate position with Yukwon. 

A strange regret to occur and a little too late, in any case.

Yukwon craned his neck around and, spotting Woo Jiho on the threshold, he straightened. His body came up flush against Kyung’s, jolting the senses back into him and Kyung quickly pulled back.

Before he could say anything, though, Jiseok took the reins of the situation, swooping down on Woo Jiho like some tall gangly eagle.

‘You left your phone, yes? It's right here by the cash register. I’m sorry I didn’t shout after you, but even I didn’t notice it for a while after you’d left –’

Still talking a mile a minute with flamboyant flourishes of his arms, he guided Woo Jiho towards the cashier counter with all the air of a magnate escorting a party guest around some tawdry mansion. He pressed the smartphone into Woo Jiho’s hands, loudly admonishing him to be more careful and barely allowing Woo Jiho time to speak. Kyung noticed that Jiseok also made a point of placing himself between Woo Jiho and his line vision towards Kyung, which worked up to the point Jiseok escorted his customer right to the door.

There Woo Jiho abruptly paused, his back stiff as the door slid open.

'Is there anything else?' Jiseok prompted, one arm still delicately held towards the door and the crisp Spring night awaiting outside.

'I...' He his heel, paused, opened his mouth and closed it again, his brows furrowed. He looked past Jiseok, still trying to block him, straight at Kyung.

What? Kyung found himself pinned to place by the force of Woo Jiho’s piercing gaze. He did not know how to react and, later, reflected with a cringe that he must have looked painfully dumbstruck.

With a swift shake of his head, Woo Jiho abruptly stalked out of the shop and the door closed behind him. 

Silence reigned for a torturously long moment. Kyung and Yukwon looked at each other, but stilled when their boss them with an uncharacteristically murderous look on his face.

'You two,' Jiseok said in a carefully controlled tone, which was an icy one-eighty turn away from his usual warmth. 'You know I don't mind your shenanigans as long as you get your work done and there aren't customers around. I give you that leniency with the understanding that you'd be careful about your actions! You're adults and you're supposed to be professional in front of each and every client.'

'I'm sorry, hyung-nim,' Kyung said contritely and Yukwon bowed his head respectfully, echoing the apology. 'I really didn't notice him come-'

'Because you weren't careful! Our front wall is literally one huge display window; anybody can see a customer approaching!'

Kyung bowed. 'I'm sorry, Jiseok hyung. I'll be more careful. No more jokes like that, I promise. I'm so sorry.'

Jiseok sighed, his ire draining. 'I know you are. It's just ... reputation is a thing. I don't mind your jokes,' he added when Kyung tried to apologise again, 'as long as you're aware of your environment and make sure customers don't see anything they'd take the wrong way. You see a customer coming, you get your mug out of Yukwon's face, understand?'

Kyung could feel his cheeks burning. 'Yes.'

'I'm sorry, too, Jiseok hyung, I should've been more careful, too,' said Yukwon, still bowing. 

'Alright, that's enough. Lift your heads.'

Kyung was still blushing from embarrassment as he and Yukwon straightened their backs again. Jiseok no longer seemed angry, but the look he gave Kyung was odd.

'What is it, hyung-nim?'

'Maybe you ought to tone down your little jokes with Yukwon in general, Kyung. They're silly, I'll give you that, but ... it wasn't only my shop's reputation that was compromised just now, y'know.'

'What d'you mean?' 

Yukwon put a hand on his hip, throwing Kyung a disbelieving frown. 'Seriously, dude? What do ya think Woo Jiho must have thought when he came in just now?'

There was another flash of embarrassment as Kyung vividly recalled the look on Woo Jiho's face as he gaped at Kyung pushing Yukwon up against the counter.

'It was just a joke,' he grumbled.

Yukwon rolled his eyes while Jiseok shook his head with a small smile. 'Yeah, we know what, , but your obsessed little admirer doesn't,' said the former. 'He probably thinks you're ing me.'

'Which probably dampens his fantasies about you a bit,' Jiseok added with a small chuckle.

There was an uneasy lurch in the pit of Kyung's stomach, but the thoughts in his head ring loud and clear now. 'You two are missing the part where I don't want to be his toy for a night. No one night stands. Remember? That's ... sort of the discussion that led to all this.'

'But you like him. We've established that.'

'He's easy and fun to talk to, so yes, I like him. Doesn't mean I want to him once and never see him again,' said Kyung stubbornly. 'So if he thinks I'm banging Yukwon and no longer wants me as - as a freakin' conquest or something, then yes, I'm more than fine with it.'

Yukwon tilted his head. 'OK, but what if he wants you to him every night?'

'Oh, for the love of -' Kyung pinched the bridge of his nose, now really wanting to punch Yukwon in the face. 'I think I preferred the old Yukwon. The one who didn't make everything out to be about , 'cause for one thing, that's my job, and for another - this is getting old real fast.'

'I'm not trying to -'

'I think what Yukwon means is,' cut in Jiseok from where he had settled at the cashier counter again, 'with Woo Jiho, it seems kinda obvious that he feels a physical attraction to you, but,' he added pointedly when Kyung opened his mouth, 'maybe he likes you a lot, too?'

'Uh...'

'He wants you. And he likes you. There's a vast difference.'

'And you like him,' Yukwon added unnecessarily.

Kyung massaged the back of his neck, eyeing the two of them sceptically. 'So you think he was jealous just now?'

'Damn, boy, did you even see the look on his -'

Yukwon was interrupted mid-sentence when the door of their shop opened again. Immediately at attention, they turned to greet the customer, but their practised smiles froze on their faces when, for the third time that night, a familiar figure strode in.

His footsteps were quick and harried, as if he had half-run back to the shop, but his eyes on the other hand were intent and focussed, filled with determination. There was the same grit in the set of his jaw and the pale skin stretched tight over the knuckles of his right hand that clutched his bouquet in a death grip. His expression only wavered, just the slightest, when he came to a stop in front of a stunned Kyung.

For a single moment, all the self-confidence and resolve that had fuelled his return to Scattered Petals evaporated from Woo Jiho's face as he looked at Kyung, replaced with a vulnerability Kyung had never seen before. But then his jaw tightened again and he said, with just the barest tremor to his voice,

'This is a very stupid thing to ask, probably, and a very awkward thing to ask, definitely, and I can't explain anything right now, but I really have to - I really want to know -' He drew in a shaky breath. 'Are you seeing anyone, Park Kyung-ssi?'

The countertop was smooth and cold beneath his palms and the air wafting over his bare neck from the air conditioner behind him was cool, but all Kyung felt right then was heat - the heat in his cheeks, around his collar, pooling somewhere in his gut as he gazed at Woo Jiho, at this man that made him laugh effortlessly in one moment and rendered him speechless the next; this stranger that was drawing him in, his pull almost magnetic, but who still looked at Kyung like Kyung was the source of that attraction, the force yanking on some invisible thread that had been spun between them.

Kyung gazed at him until Woo Jiho's eyes fluttered to the countertop, his cheeks staining red like ink from an upset inkstone as his embarrassment burst forth, impossible to be kept hidden any longer. His clutch on the bouquet was almost unforgiving, but the fingers of the hand that hung loose at his side were trembling, soft shivers that he tried to hide in the folds of his coat. Biting down on his lower lip, he looked up again.

'Well ... are you? Park Kyung-ssi?'

His slanted eyes flickered for the briefest second towards Yukwon, who was standing a few feet away from Kyung. That short but heavy glance was what did it - it cleared Kyung's mind of the thousand muddled doubts flooding it, and returned control of his tongue.

'No. I'm not.'

Woo Jiho's eyes widened just barely, a spark flickering behind them. A spark of ... relief? Hope?

'Is there ... someone you're thinking of seeing?' 

Again that swift glance in Yukwon's direction and Kyung realised, with absolute certainty, that Woo Jiho had with his actions and words just now confirmed every theory Kim Yukwon and Kim Jiseok had come out with about Woo Jiho's alleged feelings towards Kyung. The moment was as unnerving as it was gratifying.

'No. There isn't.'

Their eyes locked and Kyung wondered if Woo Jiho would come right out and say it, and if he did, how Kyung would answer him. But Woo Jiho did not, only looking at Kyung with the beginnings of a genuine smile on his lips, his cheeks still blushing deep red and his eyes alive with what Kyung could only describe as a wild joy.

It was not a look he was used to receiving. 

The silence stretching on was broken by a polite cough from Jiseok. Embarrassment was quick to thread through Woo Jiho's smile and his blush seemed to deepen, if that were possible. Suddenly not knowing where to look, he scratched his neck with his free hand, mumbling, 'I ... I should go.'

'Aren't you late, you late, for a very important date?' Kyung could have smacked himself for the silly reference, but it was lost on Woo Jiho, who seemed to be getting more and more flustered.

'Um, yeah. Flowers. Date. Right.' Woo Jiho smiled shyly at Kyung, a stark contrast to the iron resolve he had borne when he came stomping in minutes ago. 

Kyung was rudely reminded of why he found Woo Jiho stupidly endearing.

'I'll see you next week,' he murmured and then, ducking his head, he quickly left the florist shop, leaving Kyung to gape after him.

The door closed and Jiseok swivelled in his chair to raise his eyebrows at Kyung. Before either could say a word -

'That guy has no chill.'

Kyung choked out a breathless laugh, his mind still whirling, as Yukwon sidled up to him. 

'I mean, I knew he was jealous of me -'

'Bet you've been waiting since the day you were born to say that phrase, eh?'

Yukwon did not bat an eyelash. '- but I didn't see that coming. He sees one guy all up in your space and he comes barrelling in to stake his claim; what even is wrong with him!'

'Technically, I was the one doing the space invasion and nope, no claims were staked.'

'Yet,' called Jiseok cheerfully.

Yukwon poked Kyung in the shoulder, hard. 'I think I deserve this moment to say -'

'Lemme guess -'

'I told you so, Park Kyung!'

'I knew it.'

They fall quiet for a minute, leaning their elbows on the counter. Finally, Yukwon murmured without looking at him, 'Kyung? I know I pushed the whole thing about Woo Jiho wanting you quite a bit. But that's only 'cause I was so sure I knew what he was thinking. It was in no way me pushing you to go for him, OK? That's a decision entirely up to you. I hope you understand that.'

Kyung smiled softly. 'Of course.'

'So, you OK with this?'

'I still don't know what this is exactly.'

'Hmm, yeah ... What are you going to say to Woo Jiho?'

'Right now, I really don't know.'

'Well ... you have a week to figure it out.'

As it turned out, Kyung did not have a week. He did not even have three days, in fact, before he ran into Woo Jiho again. And this time, it was not at Scattered Petals, but the last place Kyung could have expected to run into him.

His university campus.

A/N: Zico's background will be revealed next chapter, with more action iykwim ;) Comments and constructive criticism are always appreciated ♥