Chae Hyungwon stands at the cash register, ringing up the flurry of customers. Valentine’s Day is always like this, men by the dozens rushing into the flower shop to buy last minute gifts. He can’t help but be amused by their frantic energies, even though they get incredibly defensive if you let that slip. Minhyuk and Jooheon assist on the floor, aiding the customers to find what they need. They shoot glances at each other every once in a while, missed by all except the three employees. The two had become a couple last Valentine’s Day, and have been sickeningly lovey-dovey ever since. Just the gazes the two have now are enough to give Hyungwon the need to puke.

“Hyungwon-ah,” a familiar voice says, snapping Hyungwon out of his thoughts. A smile comes to him easily upon seeing it’s one of their regulars, Shin Hoseok.

“How are you, hyung?” Hyungwon greets, reaching over to ring up the items set on the counter. “Another big date tonight, I see.” Hoseok always comes by to their flower shop to get a bouquet and box of chocolates when he has a date he wants to impress, which is usually about once a month. Hyungwon can’t help but admire Hoseok for clearly giving his all on these dates, and also be slightly jealous of whoever is getting all this special attention. Of course, jealousy is an easy emotion to feel on yet another lonely Valentine’s Day.

“I suppose,” Hoseok replies, leaning forward on the counter. “Of course, it’s only lilies. If I were really serious, I’d be getting roses.”

“I know,” Hyungwon laughs. “You’ve been coming here for a year now, hyung, I can tell when you’re serious about your dates.” Hyungwon has to bite his tongue to keep from going on, noting how he hasn’t bought a single rose for months. Hoseok shoots the younger a wide smile, as if pleased with the fact that Hyungwon has bothered to notice any of his tendencies. He hands over the money, picking up his usual date gifts.

“Keep the change,” he tells him, reaching into the bouquet and pulling free a single white lily, “and keep this, too. You may need it later.”  He hands it to Hyungwon, who merely chuckles at the statement, and leaves the store before the younger has a chance to respond.

Hyungwon holds the lily’s stem in between his fingers, twirling it about thoughtfully. He chuckles to himself once more and sticks it into his shirt pocket, the aroma somehow quite distinguishable amongst all the other floral smells around him.

“You sure you don’t mind staying, hyung?” Jooheon asks as he holds Minhyuk coat out for him. Minhyuk slips his arms into the sleeves, brightly smiling over at his boyfriend.

“Of course not,” Hyungwon answers. He holds up a book in his hands, saying, “There’s always at least a handful of poor souls who don’t think until it’s too late, and we’re always the only shop to stay open this late. I’ll be fine with this to read.”

“Make sure not to stay too late,” Minhyuk reminds him. “We don’t want to come in tomorrow morning and find you sleeping at the register like last year.” Hyungwon rolls his eyes.

“Don’t worry, I’ll go home before that happens again,” he assures them. “Now go, I’ll be fine.” Jooheon and Minhyuk nod, hugging him gratefully, and exit the shop. Hyungwon sighs as he watches them leave, and turns his attention to his book.

The bell above the door jingles suddenly, shocking Hyungwon mid-sentence. He looks up, eyes narrowing questioningly upon seeing it’s Hoseok who’s just entered the shop. The older is wearing a silk shirt and slacks, his dress shoes so shiny they glint in the light. In his hands is a box of chocolates and a bouquet of roses.

“Hyung?” Hyungwon asks, extremely confused. “Is everything okay? What’re you doing here?” Hoseok smiles, anxious energy coming off him in waves.

“Hyungwonnie,” Hoseok begins, stepping forward. “I’d l-l-like to ask…” He mentally curses at his own stutter, wanting so badly to appear as suave as possible in front of the younger and yet failing miserably. Hyungwon only grows more concerned at hearing the older stutter, a habit that had started around the time he had started buying only lilies. Hyungwon moves out from behind the counter, meaning to comfort him.

“Whatever it is, you can just say it,” Hyungwon tells him after a long, nervous silence. Hoseok smiles thankfully at the gentle tone, and takes a deep breath. He’d been planning this whole scene for a month, playing it over and over again in his mind, and he isn’t about to let all that go to waste.

“Hyungwonnie,” Hoseok tries again, “ever since I met you, I knew there was something d-different about you. You’re so kind to me, and always l-laugh at my q-quirky habits. From the moment I saw you, I realized that no one else would d-d-do. I w-wanted you, and only you. So, please, will you be my Valentine?” Hoseok rushes out the question, finding that the longer he goes on the more he loses his nerve.

Hyungwon’s eyes widen in surprise, having not seen this coming at all. His immediate thought is that the older is joking, but Hoseok wouldn’t joke like that. Besides, he’s much too nervous for this to be a joke. If he isn’t trying to pull a prank, that means he’s being serious. If he’s serious, then…

“Hoseok-ah,” Hyungwon begins, a wide smile coming to him. He hadn’t ever thought someone like Hoseok, someone so caring and considerate, would look at him twice. He thinks back to all the times they’d flirted in the past, all the glances that would cause Hyungwon to rethink whether or not Hoseok considered him in a romantic way. He hadn’t even realized he was developing a crush on the older until a couple weeks ago, but he figured he’d just have to ignore it. He never imagined Hoseok would be harboring a flame for him.

“S-S-Sorry,” Hoseok murmurs, his disappointment bringing out a lisp Hyungwon hasn’t noticed before. “I didn’t mean to push this on you. I’ll… I’ll just leave now.” Hyungwon feels his heart stutter to a stop, knowing that the older had taken his silence the wrong way. He shakes his head as Hoseok begins to turn away, grabbing his shoulder and forcing him to stop.

“I’d be happy to be your Valentine, hyung,” Hyungwon tells him, and he can almost hear the wide smile that breaks out across his face, “as long as you’ll be mine in return.” Hoseok whirls back around, smashing his lips against the younger’s instinctively.

The two suddenly freeze, paralyzed by Hoseok’s actions. Hoseok’s eyes widen, as if realizing what he’s done, and pulls away. He begins to speak, probably apologizing, but his stutter, lisp, and nerves makes it all come out as incoherent babble. Hyungwon chuckles, the older’s nervousness pulling him out of his surprise.

Hyungwon leans forward, planting a gentle kiss on his lips to keep Hoseok from dissolving into a complete mess.

“Let’s go, hyung,” Hyungwon tells him, and Hoseok can only nod as he’s led out of the store, unable to take his eyes off Hyungwon the remainder of the evening.