Fake a smile, lie and say that

I'm better now than ever, and your life's okay

Well it's not. No

You're doing all these things out of desperation

They had finally purchased the last item on her list of things to buy to furnish her new apartment, and as she placed it in the back seat of her car, she felt a sense of excitement at the realization that she was really moved back after oh so long. She looked over at Chaeyoung, who had a grumpy look on her face at having been dragged out all over three districts in Seoul so early on a Monday morning.

“Oh, come on, Chaeyoung.” She nudged at the smaller one playfully with her shoulder. “That was it, Chae! That was the last thing on the list. You won’t have to go shopping with me anymore.”

Chaeyoung’s face softened. “You know I like spending time with you, right? Maybe just not to look at bedsheets, curtains, and why the do you need it all to be in purple! It's not even your favorite color.”

“Because it brightens up your cave. ” She looped her arms around her best friend. “Let’s go walk around for a bit. It is a lovely day today, and I have not visited this neighborhood yet since I have been back.”

“Not unless you promise me, we won't have to look at bath products anymore or I swear I will leave right now.”

Dahyun nodded and smiled. “Promise. Never again. Your name should have been Grumpy Dwarf. Such ball of happiness you are.” 

"Yeah, you'll look cool if you were to be a dwarf too. Don't tell me, you'd wear a purple costume too?" 

"You know, I would, Chaeng, now come on."

They walked around taking in the sights of her old neighborhood. Dahyun was surprised at how much had changed in the past two years. She was happy to find that one of her favorite restaurant was still open, and that their signature bibimbap was just as good. Chaeyoung’s mood also improved with the bulgogi rice and beer she ordered.

As they were exiting the restaurant, Dahyun noted the smell of fresh flowers in the air. It came from the flower shop next door. She recognized it as the one she frequented quite often in the past. She excitedly grabbed Chaeyoung’s hand and led her toward the shop.

“Let’s get some flowers to brighten up your place, Chaeyoung.”

“What’s wrong with my place?”

Dahyun ignored her question and pushed the door into the shop. The shop was small, but there were large windows that allowed an amplitude amount of sunlight into the place. It was filled with many large containers of every kind of flowers imaginable, with beautiful arrangements displayed in front of the window. The air smelled of many floral scents, yet they combined in a most pleasing way that was not at all overwhelming. Dahyun closed her eyes just inside the doorway and took a deep breath, a smile forming subconsciously.

A bell that was attached to the door had rung as they entered to alert the pretty lady who was busy arranging somw flowers behind the counter. She looked up and her face lit up in a warm, endearing smile.

“Hello, dears! Welcome to Sunmi's Flower Shop.”

Dahyun returned her smile. She recognized the owner of the shop from her previous trips here, but did not know if she recognized her now. After all the vendor looked even prettier though out these years.

“Good afternoon, Ms. Lee,” she said as she made her way to the counter.

Upon hearing that greeting, the woman peered down to get a closer look at her guests. As Dahyun walked closer, she saw the woman’s eyes light up in recognition. “Oh my, it’s you!”

She quickly put her pruners down and made her way around the counter, pulling Dahyun into a tight hug. Dahyun was surprised at the reception, but quickly reciprocated the hug. Chaeyoung just looked grumpily amused.

The woman finally released her from the hug, but still held her at arms’ length and looked her over. Her face beamed with her smile. “My, my, you look more beautiful than ever. You look so matured and firm now. It's really good to see you after a very long time? Where have you been these years?”

“You still remember me, Ms. Lee?”

“Yah, I told you to call me Sunmi-unnie so many times already. And of course I remember you, Dahyun-ah. You came to buy a bouquet of blue iris almost every other week. It’s not a common flower people like to buy. These days, it’s all about the roses and the lilies and orchids. Nobody appreciates the irises like you did, Dahyun-ah.”

Dahyun saw her glance behind her, as if noticing Chaeyoung for the first time. “Oh, this is my best friend, Chaeyoung.” Chaeyoung gave a short wave. Even her wave seemed stoic.

Sunmi smiled at her and leaned in to whisper loudly to Dahyun, “She’s a bright one, isn’t she?” She followed that with a wink to Chaeyoung.

“Now what can I get for you girls?”

“I think just the usual today. But two bouquets please. Chaeyoung’s place can use some color.”

“Two bouquets of iris, coming right up. You still want blue?”

Dahyun nodded as Sunmi made her way to a corner of the shop that contained the buckets of flowers and began pulling them out and expertly arranging them. Dahyun and Chaeyoung began walking around the shop, looking at the other flowers there.

“You never told me where you’ve been these past two years.” They heard Sunmi shout across the room. “I assumed you took your business somewhere else.”

“I was in London for work and just moved back several weeks ago. And I would not know where to go to find bouquets as pretty as yours, Sunmi-unnie.” She finally made her way through the shop and was standing beside Sunmi watching her work.

Sunmi looked up and smiled at her words. “You’re sweet, Dahyun. Well, I’m glad you’re back. Someone else to appreciate these flowers again.” She paused, as if remembering something. “Didn’t you use to come in with another girl sometimes? She had blonde hair? Japanese?”

Dahyun was surprised that Sunmi remembered. Sana didn’t come nearly as often as she did. She nodded, but didn’t offer anything else.

Sunmi had gone back to arranging the flowers, and didn’t notice Dahyun’s silence. She continued talking as she pulled flower after flower out of the bucket, cutting them into the right length and moving them into place. “Well, I see her here sometimes. Maybe every one or two months. She's a very beautiful lady, she doesn’t say much, but I remember because she also gets these blue irises. Like I said, it’s rare for people to just get these and nothing else. She’s a pretty one too, but she always looks quite somber. I told her she would look prettier with a smile.”

She said all this casually as she worked, and was unaware of the sudden stiffness in Dahyun’s posture at her words. Sunmi continued, “Do you still see her sometimes?”

Dahyun’s gaze fell to the flowers and she shook her head.

“Really? that’s a shame. You’re such a bright person. I bet you could help her lighten up. And you two could talk about your love of blue irises!” Sunmi smiled at her own silly suggestion as she finished knotting the ties around the bouquets.

“Yes, the two of them should certainly talk.” Dahyun heard Chaeyoung say behind her, speaking for the first time since she came into the shop. “About silly blue flowers.”

Dahyun resisted the urge to turn around and glare at her friend for her rather not subtle hint. Ever since their conversation a week ago, Chaeyoung had been finding ways of subtly and not subtly bring up that certain person. It was annoying at first, but she was learning how to ignore her when she did that. Unfortunately, when coupled with what Sunmi just told them, it was not as easy to ignore. She now felt a headache coming on and a familiar heaviness in her chest.

Sunmi didn’t pick up on the suddenly tenser atmosphere. She made her way to the counter to wrap the bouquets up. “Here you go, Dahyun-ah. Now that you’re back, you should come by more often. And if you see your friend again, tell her the blue irises are lovely this week.”

Dahyun nodded as she paid for the flowers. “Thank you, Sunmi-unnie. And of course I will be back again. You are the best florist I know.”

The bell rang again as they opened the door to exit the shop. As soon as the door closed, Dahyun turned to face Chaeyoung and opened to speak. Before she could say anything though, Chaeyoung held her hands up in pre-emptive surrender. “Before you ‘Chaeyoung’ me, I just want to say that all I did was agree with the nice, pretty flower vendor.” And with that, Chaeyoung nonchalantly strode past her without waiting for a reply.

Dahyun watched her friend's back retreat for a few moments before she let out a sigh and followed, now carrying with her more than just the weight of the flowers.

Momo looked up to read the sign at the top of the shop they had just packed in front of. The sun was particularly bright this afternoon, especially considering they were at the end of autumn, and she was thankful for the extra warmth of the sun. Momo always loved the warmth, she wished she could bottle up the sun’s rays and take it out whenever she needed it to warm her or to cheer her up. 

She turned to see Jihyo rounding the front of the car to stand next to her.

“Is this the shop?” she asked.

Jihyo looked down at the piece of paper she held in her hand and then looked up at the shop.

“I think so. See,” she said as she showed the paper to Momo. “That’s the same name of the place Sana told us about, isn’t it? She said she’s been coming here for years.”

Momo read the paper and nodded. “Yup, this is the shop then.” They both started making their way toward the entrance.

“Isn’t it convenient that Sana is ‘busy’ with her gallery and ‘running late’ for this task but will ‘catch up’ with us just in time for the cake tasting later?” She tried to use so many air quote gestures during that one sentence that even she became confused about when to do it and ended up giving up halfway through.

Jihyo laughed and nodded her head. “Suspiciously convenient, if you ask me.”

“And she made us late! I hope you’re taking notes of all of this for later when you decide who to give the ‘Best Co-Maid of Honor’ award.”

Jihyo draped an arm over Momo’s shoulder. “Definitely taking notes. And you’re winning by a mile. As a matter of fact, lunch is on me today. Lazy- Sana won’t get any.”

Momo seemed placated. She smiled smugly as she reached out to pull the door open. “That’s better.”

They heard the ring of a bell with the opening of the door. Then, a loud, cheery voice called out,

“Hello, dears. Welcome to Sunmi's Flower Shop!”

By the time they got back to Chaeyoung’s apartment, Dahyun had somehow, remarkably, managed to suppress whatever emotions Sunmi's mention of Sana had invoked earlier. For the time being at least. Until she could process it later on her own. Chaeyoung, for her part, didn’t bring it up again either, for which Dahyun was grateful.

With her arms full of the large bouquets of blue irises, she had to turn sideways to fit through the door Chaeyoung was holding open for her.

“Thanks,” she said, setting the flowers down on the kitchen counter. “Oh, Chaeng, you are still coming over tomorrow night for dinner, right? So we can watch the comet together afterwards?” She set aside one bouquet in its packaging for her to take home and went about the kitchen gathering the supplies to prepare the other for Chae