The mail came promptly at 1:30, just as it always did.

Park Chaeyoung put down the book she'd been reading. It'd been a slow day- every day that wasn't Mother's Day or Valentine's Day was slow if she was being honest- and the mailman was only the third person to come into her floral shop since she's arrived herself, promptly at 8:00. The door swung open with a little jingle as he let himself in.

"Afternoon," he greeted.

"Afternoon," she replied.

"Working hard?"

"Hardly working."

This was their typical exchange. He slid her mail across the counter and went on his way. She sorted through the pile absentmindedly.

Bills, bills, spam, bills-

Hold on a minute.

Here was a letter for someone named 'Lisa Manoban.' Chaeng didn't recognize the name, but she knew the address. It belonged to that awful tattoo parlor next door, The Beast. The mail must have gotten mixed up somehow. Chaeng supposed, being a good neighbor, she would have to go and give Lisa her letter... but that would involve going inside a place like that, and she wasn't entirely sure she'd live to tell the tale. 

Oh, please. It can't be that bad.

Can't it, though?

Chaeng put it off a little longer, sweeping the clean floor and misting some flowers that weren't dry, before finally giving in and heading next door.

As soon as she walked inside she was greeted by loud music and the sharp smell of incense. The walls were dark and covered with designs. The Beast was having a slow day, too, only one patron in the waiting area bent over his phone. 'F*** YOU' his shirt said. Chaeng heard a buzzy noise in the background that she recognized a moment later as the needle.

"You lost, love?" A female, Kiwi accent voice broke in on her thoughts. Its owner was a dark-haired female with minimalist tattoos on both arms- elephants and doves, an anchor, an outline of a unicorn, small planets, and stars, some words in alphabetically written and flowers. She lounged, smirking, behind the register, her arms folded- the better to show off the artwork, Chaeyoung suspected.

"Um-"

"Or maybe you're a walk-in, But judging from the look on your face, you're having a seconds thoughts about it."

Chaeyoung stood up a little straighter, tempted, for an instant of reckless abandon, to say yes, she was a walk-in, and she would like a flaming skull on , just to prove this woman about her and wipe the smirk off her face. Fortunately, the urge passed. She walked up to the counter.

"I'm here for-" She checked the letter again. "Lisa Manoban."

"She's on her lunch break."

"Is she here?"

She leaned forward. "Here, love, why don't I help you out?"

Chaeyoung supposed she could just give the letter to her. "Well-"

"What did I tell you about hitting on the clients, Jennie?" a seconds voice interrupted. A tall woman walked in behind her from the back room, a smear of mustard off her thumb. "Rule number one."

Oh, Chaeyoung thought a little resignedly. Oh dear. She's hot.

"I'm...um...here for Lisa Manoban."

"You're looking at her."

And she was. She was looking at her hair, which was short and dark and perfectly unruly. She was looking at her grin, with its smooth and aligned teeth. She was looking at her band shirt that was tucked-in her tight jeans. But mostly she was looking at her arms. Like Jennie's, they were covered in ink, but the designs were subtle and haunting in a way hers weren't. Black forests, a white moon, something that might have been a wolf.

"So, what can I do for you?" Lisa continued. 

"I have your mail." Chaeyoung blurted.

She gave her the letter. "Here. This, um, came to me accidentally. I work at the flower shop next door

"Ah, what's it called- Beauty?" Jennie said, snapping his fingers. "You just moved in a few months ago, didn't you?"

Chaeyoung nodded.

Lisa took the letter but didn't look at it. She was watching Chaeyoung, so intensely Chaeyoung could feel her face starting to warm. God, her eyes-

"You work next door?" Lisa asked finally. "How come I've never seen you around before?"

"Oh, I don't know. I, um, open pretty early I guess. But you should come to visit sometime. I could, um, show you all my flowers."

Did that sound vaguely ual? That sounded vaguely ual. Why couldn't she just have an intelligent conversation? Why couldn't she sound like the valedictorian she was?

Lisa's grin widened. "Yeah, maybe. What's your name?"

"Chaeyoung."

"Well, thanks for bringing me my mail, Chaeyoung. I'll have to return the favor sometime." She reached up with long fingers and dark nails and hooked Chaeyoung's hair behind her hair. "I bet you'd look even cuter with your cartilage done. I'd do it for free."

Oh God, Oh God.

"Yeah..maybe. Anyway, um...Bye."

Flustered, Chaeyoung turned to leave before she could make a bigger fool of herself. She could feel both their eyes on her as she walked to the door.

"Rule number one my arse," Jennie accused under her breath. "Ow! Rule number two, no hitting."

Chaeyoung's heart was so loud she couldn't hear the music or even her own thoughts.

-------------------------------------

Stop.

Another slow day. Chaeyoung had spent the last hour on an arrangement that should've taken fifteen minutes. She kept getting distracted, thinking a