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Kim Taehyung loves flowers, and if flowers had feelings, they’d love him right back.
It all began in his childhood, when he’d help his mother and grandmother plant flowers in pots and boxes that would be scattered across the porch every summer. When he was just six years old, it was the dirt running through his fingers and getting everywhere that he loved the most. As he got older he still loved the feeling of the earth at his fingertips, but it became more than that. He loved to watch the flowers blossom and grow so big they spilled over the sides of their small homes. He loved the smell that became such an integral part of those lazy summer mornings spent eating breakfast outside before working on the farm. Most of all, he came to love caring for something living - nurturing it, watching it grow, giving it life.
That’s how he ended up a delivery boy at a flower shop while studying botany on the side.
When he first came to Seoul after living his whole life in the rural outskirts of Daegu, he had 100,000 won to his name and a dream of opening his own flower shop. A few years later and he’s still working towards that dream, as determined as ever. He managed to snag a small job working at a flower shop owned by two sweet old ladies who remind him of his grandmother. They needed someone to help clean up, and who was he to say no? It helped him pay for a small space in a shared house and he got to observe the workings of a real flower shop.
Since then he’s moved up from that small position to delivery boy, which means he now gets to actually handle the plants and bouquets and take them to their rightful owners. Every morning he gets up at 6, just in time to make it to the shop by 7. When he arrives, he greets his flower shop grandmas and joins them at the work table in the back. He sits on one of their stools, elbows propped up on the table’s surface and chin in his hands, and watches them as they prune and fix up the morning deliveries.
“You see here, Taehyung-ah, when you are making arrangements with sunflowers, you want to make sure that they’re framed by other flowers that will compliment them. Think of a warm summer’s day. If you were in a field full of sunflowers, what emotions does it bring up? What other flowers would you want around you?”
It’s not the most conventional approach to teaching how to design floral arrangements, but that’s what makes this flower shop so special. They let their heart guide them, rather than their mind. It results in floral arrangements that are unique and meaningful, far from the standard. No two people ever get the same arrangement.
Taehyung, as usual, closes his eyes as he imagines the scene. He’s taken his bike, and maybe a friend (or a boyfriend, if he had one), out of town for the weekend. They’ve gone to the countryside, just to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. He imagines the warmth of the sun caressing his skin, the smell of fresh grass, of dirt, of flowers. They wander around until they find a large field of sunflowers. It’s a sea of golden yellow atop green stalks nearly as tall as he is. He loses his breath at the sight.
“I think I would want to use forget me nots. It seems only right for sunflowers to be surrounded by flowers so...Sorry, I just keep imagining myself in a field full of fully grown sunflowers and forget me nots and wildflowers scattered all over. It’s just so beautiful, I’d want to give a piece of that to someone,” Taehyung says, his eyes still closed and his mind still traipsing through the sea of flowers with his imaginary boyfriend.
“Well, I’d say that would be a gorgeous arrangement to give someone. Very colorful. Most florists go for roses, you know.” Taehyung can hear the smile his flower grandmas are giving him. He hopes they’re proud of him.
“I’d want to fill out the bouquet though. Maybe use some daisies? Or some greens. Or both. I’d just want to create something that feels like this field in my head.” Taehyung finally opens his eyes. He was right, there are smiles around the table as the two women finish tying ribbons around the final bouquets.
Taehyung’s day full of deliveries starts promptly at 8. He loads the back of the small truck (that could use some repairs, if he’s being quite honest) full of flowers and heads out onto the road. He delivers the flowers to all kinds of places, from hospitals to workplaces to small apartment buildings. Most of the time, unfortunately, he’s only handing them off to a receptionist to be given to the recipient. He thinks in the future he’d like to own a flower shop where he could give his creations directly to others. He’d like to see their smiles. He’d like to know he’s made a positive impact on someone’s day.
----
If you ask Kim Taehyung what his favorite flower is, he'd say he has no idea. You’d think that working in a flower shop and studying botany would leave him with at least a few flowers he loves above the rest, but Taehyung just can’t pick. There’s too many beautiful flowers with too many different meanings. They’re all precious and valuable and lovely. Kind of like people, Taehyung thinks.
Admittedly, sometimes his job as a delivery boy isn’t very busy. One of his favorite games he plays to pass the time is to people watch and assign each person he sees a flower. Sort of like a Buzzfeed quiz - answer these questions and we’ll tell you which flower your aura gives off - except these people don’t get to answer any questions and Taehyung makes quite a few assumptions.
For example, today Taehyung watches a girl with lilac and blue hair pass by the shop. He immediately thinks of bushes of hydrangeas sprinkled with bunches of purple and blue flowers. They’re massive and they take over wherever they’ve rooted, but they’re beautiful. They require a lot of water, and this girl was drinking water from one of the biggest water bottles Taehyung’s ever seen. Therefore, she’s a hydrangea bush.
However, there is just one person Taehyung can never seem to place. He sees him in the evenings when he’s sweeping the floors, washing the big glass windows in the front of the store. He’s smaller than him for sure, but not extremely short. He’s often wearing a grey beanie, but he can still see the mint green hair that peeks out from underneath. God, he’s gorgeous for sure , and he works at the convenience store across the street. Taehyung knows, because there’s no way someone goes to this exact convenience store at the same time every weeknight wearing the store uniform without working there.
Taehyung knows, because he’s been watching him for the past six months.
Okay, maybe not watching him, watching him. But sometimes he stares. If he squints he can see him behind the cash register. A couple of times he’s caught him on his smoke break out front. But it’s not like he stalks him. They don’t even work at the same time. Their hours only overlap by fifteen minutes, not that he’s keeping track of the time or anything.
That being said, he can’t place a finger on which flower convenience store boy is. Maybe he’s a whole meadow of different flowers.
Taehyung is carefully wiping down the front windows of the store when convenience store boy passes by. One minute he’s spraying glass cleaner and windshield wiping down the glass, the next minute he catches a glimpse of mint.
Convenience Store Boy is wearing the usual today, blank pants and the convenience store’s signature navy blue polo shirt. No beanie today (it’s way too hot for that) so Taehyung is graced with the sight of a full head of messy mint hair. It sticks out in all sorts of directions in the back, and looks as soft as the most delicious mint candy floss (if there was such a thing). It makes him look like he just rolled out of bed after taking a nap. Taehyung dreams of brushing his fingers through those locks.
Taehyung feels himself smiling as his cheeks warm up. It takes him a second to realize he’s standing right up against the glass front of the shop, so he should probably back away and do something else so he doesn’t look so creepy. (And so he doesn’t get caught.) He sighs as he throws the dirty rag to the side (and hopes it lands in a bucket), bites his lip, feels himself run his fingers through his hair. Will he ever stop pining over convenience store boy? Probably not.
In reality, he should probably wake up and smell the roses, because the convenience store cashier of his dreams is never going to visit the flower shop. He doesn’t seem like the type to buy flowers or receive them as gifts, but if Taehyung had the opportunity he’d give him peonies on Mondays, daisies on Tuesdays, heather on —-
“Taehyung-ah, are you almost done cleaning? We’re all ready to lock up.”
“O-oh, yes. Just one minute,” he calls out as he rushes to gather the cleaning supplies. He carries them to their rightful spots in the small cleaning closet just outside of the main storefront. It’s a little messy, and a little cluttered, but he knows where everything belongs, so it’s okay.
After bidding his flower grandmas goodnight, the phone in Taehyung’s back pocket vibrates.
Jimin: so are you heading over to the convenience store right now? ;)
Taehyung: n-no! i’m coming right home.
Jimin: well i’m hungry so please pick me up food from the convenience store across from you. i cant eat from anywhere else tonight. only the convenience store across the street from your flower shop.
Taehyung: chim…
Jimin: i’m staaaaarving, aren’t you?
Taehyung: if i go over there i’m just gonna make an ass of myself
Jimin: who doesn’t love some ass? ;p
Taehyung: everyone who works at that convenience store. let’s just get jjajangmyeon
Jimin: oh taetae, if you don’t shoot your shot at some point everyone else is going to do it for you
Jimin: that or someone else is gonna snatch your man
Taehyung: chiiim!! he’s not mine ssshhhh >.<
Jimin: not with that attitude he’s not, babe!
Jimin: be brave. what’s the worst that could happen?
Taehyung: i’ll have to move out of seoul after having been laughed at AND banned from every convenience store within 20km
Jimin: tae, come on. who could say no to you?
Taehyung: lots of people
Jimin: bullshit!!! you gotta go for it tae. he could be /the one/, and he’s only like ten meters away
Taehyung: a km or two now. i’m already walking to the subway.
Jimin: boooooo!!!
Taehyung: (ghost emoji)
Taehyung: i’ll be home with jjajangmyeon in 20 :*
----
It’s rather unusual, but sometimes Convenience Store Boy has day shifts. When luck is on Taehyung’s side, those shifts coincide with when the flower shop is closed for deliveries, or when Taehyung only had one large order in the morning (for say, a wedding or something) and spends the rest of the day manning the cash register.
This morning, Taehyung’s only delivery happens to be for a funeral hall. He fills the truck with thousands of flowers and comes back to the shop a couple of hours later, a little bummed out. Since there’s not much else left for him to do, he takes a seat behind the counter and props up his botany textbook against his thighs and the edge of the counter.
Currently, he’s reading through a chapter on the structure of plants, or to be more technical, their “tissues and organs”. The pen he’s using to take notes is currently caught between his teeth as he rereads the same section for a third time. He’s eager to retain as much information as possible so he can pass his class with flying colors.
As he pauses to grab his notebook, Taehyung sees him. Convenience store boy is passing right in front of the flower shop just in time for a day shift. Taehyung perks up instantly. The pen drops from his mouth and falls to the floor as he gasps, leaning forward over the counter, chin in his hands once more. What can he say? Convenience store boy is mesmerizing, and he’s right about to cross the street.
Moments later Taehyung packs away his school things and announces to his flower grandmas that he’s taking his lunch break. The seconds fly by as he grabs his wallet and phone and makes his way across the street. He’s rather hungry, he thinks, and the convenience store is the perfect place to pick up some food.
Butterflies invade Taehyung’s stomach and flutter as though their lives depend on it; despite this he pushes through the doorway and steps inside. The convenience store is small, its aisles packed with all sorts of snack foods and drinks. Refrigerators lining the walls are packed with pre-made meals and drinks. It’s all a little too busy and the fluorescent lighting is harsh on his eyes, but what’s a little discomfort when you’re about to talk to the love of your life?
Taehyung peruses the shelves, too distracted to actually choose anything to eat. He’s too busy peeking over at the cash register where convenience store boy is standing. He looks so dreamy today, the top buttons of his uniform shirt undone. It’s like he’s too cool to care, showing up right after he’s woken up and throwing on his clothes just so that he looks presentable. Taehyung thinks he can see a hint of collarbone.
Just as he’s about to look away, their eyes meet. The world stops. They haven’t even kissed yet, but sparks run between them like electricity. His (convenience store boy’s) eyes are a beautiful dark brown filled with stars (some would say it’s the reflection of the lighting in the store, but Taehyung knows it’s stars), and they look back at him with a mutual interest (dare he say it...attraction?). It’s like he can feel it, too. Like this moment is the moment they realize they were made for each other and--
The chiming of the front door startles Taehyung out of his daydream. A customer makes their way towards the counter, and Taehyung, flustered, scrambles to pull himself together. He puts his textbook away, sits up straight, and is that drool on the corner of his mouth? He wipes that away too. If only he was brave enough to actually go over there, like Jimin’s been telling him for months…
“Welcome! How can I help you today?”
----
By the time Taehyung realizes it, his botany course has come to an end. In the flower shop, he’s working just as hard as always, and Convenience store boy seems to be doing the same. Not much has changed. He still works night shifts, and Taehyung catches him right as his own shift is ending. He is absolutely still crushing, and to Jimin’s demise, still not making any moves.
Taehyung isn’t quite sure why he’s so nervous. Is it because he’s built him up in his head? What if he’s not how Taehyung thinks he is? He’s fantasized about so much that he can’t make himself go over there and take the leap. There’s too much riding on it, so he’s resigned himself to pining on his convenience store crush and daydreaming about what could be.
While Taehyung still makes plenty of deliveries for the shop, he has been given much more responsibility when it comes to manning the front end of things. He’s in charge of restocking the pre-made bouquets in the front fridge and watering the plants for sale. In his downtime behind the counter, he’s been tasked with “assignments”. His flower grandmas have given him the chance to design floral arrangements so that he can start learning to do it on his own. He feels proud to finally get this far. He’s one step closer to his own shop.
Taehyung is in the middle of watering the newly-transplanted philodendrons when the front door chimes, signaling the arrival of a customer. He places the small, pink watering can (shaped like an elephant) down as he turns around to greet whoever it may be. He flashes them a bright smile and bows. “Welcome! How may I help you today?”
It’s only after he’s finished his greeting that he realizes who’s come to the shop - Convenience Store Boy. If Taehyung could, he’d fall over. But instead he’s trying his best not to freak out, his butterflies out of control once again. He’s even more gorgeous inside the shop, rather than walking right outside.
“Hi. I’d like to buy a small arrangement or bouquet or something. Do you have any?,” Taehyung’s love of his life inquires as he steps further inside. Oh god, his voice is deep and gravelly and it sends the best kind of shivers all throughout the budding florist.
“Well, of course! Is it for someone special?” Taehyung waves him over towards the pre-made bouquets, eager to show him what was made earlier this morning.
“Oh, just for my mom,” he says. “It’s her birthday coming up and...well, flowers.” He rubs the back of his neck, looking lost as he scans over the selection Taehyung is showing him.
“That’s so sweet. Do you have anything in mind?” Taehyung asks, his heartbeat racing at the close proximity between him and his crush. To be honest he may even be a little dizzy from the rush of it all.
“Um, not really. Just flowers,” Convenience Store boy replies.
“Then you’ve come to the right place,” Taehyung giggles. It’s as if those darned butterflies are trying their hardest to escape his insides. He giggles again, the all too familiar fluttering tickling his throat now as they make they crowd his insides.
Convenience store boy furrows his brows. “Are you okay?” He genuinely looks concerned. If Taehyung wasn’t so preoccupied with how embarrassed he’s feeling, he would be fawning over how sweet his crush is for being so concerned.
But Taehyung waves him off, trying his best to save this situation from the awkward air between them. “H-haha yeah I’m just fine! Just excited about flowers.” Those darn butterflies just won’t calm down, and to Taehyung’s dismay they’re ruining his chance to make a good first impression.
“Right…” Convenience store boy lets his voice trail off, turning back once again to contemplate his future purchase.
A few moments later, Taehyung chimes in once more. “If you’d like, we could have a custom arrangement made for you right now.” He bites his lip, hoping his flower grandmas won’t be too upset if he makes an arrangement for a customer all by himself. This is his chance to impress the crush of his life, and damn if he’s not going to try and take it.
“Alright, that’s fine with me. I’m fine with whatever,” the mint-haired boy shrugs, seemingly nonchalant about the whole thing.
Meanwhile Taehyung’s about to burst because of the nerves and excitement and his big fat enormous crush. “I’ll be right back, then! Shouldn’t take too long! Please feel free to look around some more. I’ll be back soon!” He practically runs into the back of the shop and straight towards the freshly cut flowers. They sing out to Taehyung, begging to be turned into a beautiful bouquet for someone to treasure.
Taehyung takes a deep breath and closes his eyes. He imagines a small party full of loved ones and close friends. He feels the rush of emotions, each simple but pure in this moment - joy, love, happiness, appreciation. When he opens his eyes once more, he moves without a thought. With his body on autopilot, he carefully plucks out the flowers he needs - pink calla lilies (appreciation), orange orchids, yellow chrysanthemums, pink carnations (gratitude), lavender, purple aster (loyalty). Along with a mix of greens, he transforms what looks to be a pile of normal flowers into a gorgeous bouquet. It’s more than a bundle of flowers, but a three-dimensional sculpture. It has its own life and its own shape. Some may say it’s chaotic, but Taehyung only sees harmony in the lack of uniformity. He’s never been more proud of himself than right at this moment. He hopes convenience store boy’s mom will love it.
Not wanting to spend too much time in his head, Taehyung hurries back to the front of the store, bringing his bouquet along with him. He holds it out in front of convenience store boy, a proud smile on his face. “Here, I hope you like it. I did my best with what we have in the back.”
Convenience store boy seems to inspect Taehyung’s creation before hesitantly reaching out to take it. “It looks good to me,” he shrugs. “I think my mom will really like it.”
Not to be dramatic, but it feels as if Taehyung’s hopes and dreams have been crushed under the heel of this gorgeous man’s shoes. It’s crazy how one small word - good - can destroy his pride in his creation. He forces a big smile in an effort to push away his new feelings of inadequacy.
“I’m so glad you like it. Now let’s go to the register so we can check out, shall we?” Taehyung’s excellent customer service skills have always come in handy, and never more so than right now. He curses himself internally for being so let down by his crush’s reaction. He clearly doesn’t have an interest in flowers. He can’t help it. Maybe he just isn’t feeling great today, so good is the only word he has to describe things. It’s just one word during one small conversation. It’s not a big deal. Breathe, Taehyung, breathe.
Despite his mind full of doubts and self-criticisms, he can’t help but to feel a rush the closer he and convenience store boy get. Their hands brush as he hands Taehyung his money, and again when Taehyung hands him his change. It’s as if their hands have a magnetic pull towards one another, and for those few moments Taehyung can only think about how soft his hands are, and how he smells delicious, all dark and spicy.
Convenience Store Boy leaves with a bouquet of Taehyung’s flowers and a piece of his heart.
Taehyung: you won’t believe what just happened
Jimin: you finally talked to the love of your life?
Taehyung: actually, yes
Jimin: WAIT, WHAT? BITCH FINALLY
Jimin: SPILL IMMEDIATELY
Taehyung: well he actually came to the shop today to get some flowers for his mom’s birthday
Taehyung: it was so sweet like...how thoughtful? So sweet of him
Jimin: yes and…? Did you get down on your knees and offer to s his d?
Taehyung: kfslmflsdmf chim!!! No way!
Jimin: you should’ve
Taehyung: ANYWAY
Taehyung: i offered to make him a bouquet for his mom and he said yes!
Taehyung: so i rushed to the back and made the bouquet of my life
Taehyung: it’s the first one i’ve ever sold to a customer!
Jimin: holy shit, way to go! Winning over your man’s heart AND furthering your career at the same time. we stan <3
Taehyung: lkdmflsdmfldmf <3 <3
Taehyung: but when i asked him what he thought he said it was “good”
Taehyung: just good??? Am I really only just “good” at this? I know it was my first official arrangement but i’ve been practicing for ages
Taehyung: i poured my heart into it just for it to be “good”
Taehyung: should I give up my dream? :((((((( i can’t believe it was only just good…
Jimin: whoa whoa whoa
Jimin: taetae, wait a minute
Jimin: first of all, your bouquet wasn’t just good. it was perfect because you made it <3
Jimin: second of all, he’s probably just being a typical awkward guy who didn’t know what to say
Jimin: or he was just taken by your beauty
Taehyung: he looked at me like i was crazy bc i started giggling out of nowhere…
Jimin: he was probably wondering how on earth someone this perfect could work just across the street from him
Jimin: so guess what this means?
Taehyung: chim
Jimin: you gotta go visit HIM now. wear those pants that make your ass POP and that button down shirt that shows off your collarbones and get your thick ass over there
Jimin: show him what’s more than good ;)
Taehyung: i
Jimin: there’s no way you won’t win him over, tae. you’re irresistible
Taehyung: ok
Taehyung: alright
Taehyung: i’ll do it this time. i’ll go over there and visit HIM and show him the real me
Jimin: yessssss that’s my soulmate! Go get that love of ur life ;) <3
Taehyung: <3<3
-------
Time flies when there’s so much to do -- taking care of flowers is a full time job -- which is why it takes Taehyung a week to make his way over to the convenience store after the Fateful Encounter™. He’s convinced himself that that’s enough time for convenience store boy to remember him, but also forget how awkward he was.
Or, honestly, he’s just been too nervous to go over there.
Taehyung gives himself one last look over. Black silky slacks that contour his ass in the best way? Check. That white, floral button down that may or may not slip off his shoulder if he’s leaning forward or bending over? Double check. Dark, wavy locks that curl around his ears and tickle the base of his neck? Check check check. (He’s been growing out his mullet for months now, and he’s finally happy with its final form.)
Feeling more confident than he ever expected (despite the storm of nervousness in his tummy), he makes his way over to his destiny. He can hear Jimin’s wolf whistles and cheers of encouragement, and it makes him grin. He should own it, right? Right. He’s going to walk right into the convenience store and sweep his man off his feet, and then they’ll elope immediately and live happily together with flowers and dogs and—
Daydreams end up being much better than reality, which is why he’s now standing right outside the store front like a dork who looks lost and confused. Before he realizes it, a door almost smacks into him as a customer tries to exit the store. Taehyung jumps back, apologizing profusely for being in the way; what he gets in response is shake of the head and a look that says he’s crazy.
Finally stepping into the convenience store, Taehyung is greeted by a familiar pop song that’s taken over as of late. It’s fun, so he bops his head as he tries to calm down his nerves. It’s just a convenience store. All he has to do is pick up something to buy. He can do this, he can do this, he can do this.
He can’t do this. He wanders the aisles aimlessly, barely able to pay attention to his surroundings. How can he when the gruff, alluring voice of the love of his life is within earshot?
He sighs. If he could listen to this voice all day, he would. It’s better than any song he’s ever heard, more groundbreaking, and he can’t get over it. Maybe he should stop by more often.
Before he knows it, Taehyung’s been wandering the store for a good five, almost ten minutes. A brief moment of panic sweeps over him when he realizes he should buy something, so he picks up the closest box of something he can get his hands on.
The walk to the register feels like an eternity, heaven the final destination. All the (fluorescent) light in the world is shining on his object of affections, the one he wants to hold hands with until the end of time.
Now all Taehyung has to do is hand over what he’s got so they can talk, and he can pay, and maybe ogle him a little bit. It isn’t until convenience store boy’s eyes widen just a tiny bit that he finally notices what he’s handing him - a box of fucking condoms. Oh fuck. Of all the things he could’ve randomly picked, condoms? What kind of shitty luck does he have? This is what he gets for not paying attention to what aisle he was in.
His cheeks couldn’t burn up more if he stuck his face in an erupting volcano. Moving quickly, he squats down to check out at the selection of mints and gums beneath the counter. In his now extreme panic, a pack of spearmint-flavored hard mints goes flying in what is hopefully the direction of convenience store boy.
Taehyung practically jumps up to stand once more.
“Um, hi.”
The silence is deafening, but at least he can see convenience store boy nod at him, mints in hand.
Taehyung couldn’t possibly be more mortified than he is right now. Time flows more slowly than he can handle, the seconds passing by like hours, the minutes like days. The transaction passes by in a long, drawn-out haze, and before he realizes it he’s holding a small plastic shopping bag in his hand, ready to leave. Just as he turns around to leave he hears the voice that normally leaves him swooning but now -
“Have fun with those.” Taehyung freezes in his tracks. He knows he doesn’t mean the mints.
He swings back around and holds up his purchases. “Oh, no. No, those. These aren’t for me. No.” Cue the nervous laughter filling up the space between them as he shakes his head profusely. “I’m not gonna have fun, yeah not me. They’re not for me. They’re, um, my best friend’s. Okay, see you, bye.”
If Convenience Store Boy decided to respond to that mess, Taehyung doesn’t hear it because he bolts right out of the store, running faster than he’s run in quite a long time. He runs right past the flower shop, all the way down the street towards his subway/bus station. If he could he would run all the way home, but he didn’t wear the shoes for that.
So much for making a better second impression. So much for making progress with the love of his life. He should see if he can get his flower grandmas to move their shop away from that convenience store. Far away. Very far away to a nice small town in the countryside where everyone knows each other and nobody with mint hair would ever dare to live.
From this moment on, Taehyung is pretty damn sure he’s never going to have a conversation with Convenience Store Boy ever again.
----
And for the next month, Taehyung isn’t wrong. It’s enough time for the embarrassment to fade away, but not time enough for his crush to fade. He’s getting better at toning down the whole pining thing. He no longer texts Jimin every day whining about how he just wishes he could work up the courage to talk to him.
Instead he’s been putting all of his efforts into flowers and classes. He’s taking a business class now, and he’s learning some things about starting up his own shop, but nothing compares to the wealth of knowledge he gains from his flower grandmas. They give him a rundown of how things work to run the shop behind the scenes, and Taehyung couldn’t be more grateful. He learns how to take care of finances, and how to organize orders, and how the benefits of advertising and good word of mouth really do wonders for the shop. He now has a notebook full of ideas and notes for his future flower shop - potential names, how he’d like to advertise his works of art, how he’ll want to budget, how he wants to decorate and set up the shop. By now he’s calculated the amount he’ll need to start up his own business and has put that number in places that will be constantly seen - a motivator and reminder of how much he’ll need to save up over the next few years.
Even more exciting than business affairs, however, is the privilege Taehyung gains to make arrangements for the front of the shop. When the flower grandmas gave him the news with the warmest smiles and pride in their voices, he couldn’t keep the tears from falling down his cheeks. His heart soared, and he couldn’t wait to tell his mom and grandma that his dreams were finally coming true.
All in all, things have been going pretty damn well for Kim Taehyung.
They’re even going well on today, when the shop is graced with him once more. Him, with the all-black outfit, ripped jeans and oversized t-shirt. Him, with the mint hair, and the soft, round features of his face - his nose, his cheeks, his eyes. He must be soft as a dumpling, Taehyung swears. Him, with the deep voice that seems to reverberate in Taehyung’s mind even when he’s not around.
Convenience Store Boy.
Dammit, Taehyung really wished he at least knew his name.
But he’s back, and Taehyung is busy ringing up a customer when he arrives. He tries his best to keep his heart calm and his attention on the older lady in front of him who’s buying flowers for her granddaughter’s wedding. He succeeds, because he’s stronger now. Kind of.
“Come back again soon, m’am! Have a great day!,” Taehyung calls out as the satisfied customer leaves with a bundle of roses and peonies in her arms. Out of the corner of his eye he spots Convenience Store Boy wandering around the shop, eyes currently on the potted spider plants hanging in the corner, their leaves reaching to touch the ground.
Taehyung takes a deep breath before he greets him as well, “Hello! How may I help you?”
Convenience store boy jumps where he stands, clearly not expecting Taehyung to practically shout across the room. He turns around, teeth caught on his bottom lip, almost as if he were holding back a smile. Or a grimace, Taehyung thinks.
“Hi, I’m, um, looking for flowers again, actually. Well, not a flower but a plant. A bonsai tree? Do you have those? My friend has been talking about them nonstop lately,” he asks as he makes his way closer to the counter, parting with the plants he was looking at before. Taehyung can almost hear them silently weep, and honestly he can’t blame them.
He leans forward against the counter, playing with one of the pens from the holder by the register, balancing it between his fingers. He taps it against his bottom lip as he tries to recall their stock. “Hmm, bonsai trees? I’m afraid we don’t have any of them right now, I’m sorry.”
The mint-haired boy furrows his brow, his lips pouting in disappointment. “Oh, well. Um. Thanks? I guess I should get going then.”
Taehyung’s heart leaps over the counter towards him, and Taehyung nearly does too. “No, wait! Don’t go,” he calls out, pointing to the other with the pen.
“I, okay?” Convenience store boy shrugs and relaxes his stance, no longer looking as if he was about to make a run for it. He looks at Taehyung expectantly.
And Taehyung looks back, forgetting his words. Not that he had any anyway...his plea for the other to stay was spontaneous, a visceral reaction of sorts.
“I think we should have some small trees in the back. They’re almost like bonsai trees, but not quite. Maybe those could work?”
-----
After buying a miniature tree for his friend, Yoongi (yes, finally!) seems to have been converted into a gifter of flowers and plants, because he stops by more often than Taehyung ever thought he’d see him.
One weekend he comes by looking for a plant for his grandmother’s birthday. She lives in Daegu (!!!), but he’s buying her one from this shop anyway. Perhaps he has a car, or his grandmother has one and is driving up for her birthday, because what he buys would be very inconvenient to take on public transport. Regardless, it’s a beautiful bush that will bloom with hundreds of little white and pink flowers, and Taehyung hopes his grandmother will love it.
A week and a half later he’s looking to buy flowers for another friend just because they make said friend feel special. So he’s sweet, and likes to give gifts to his friends often. Taehyung gets a small smile out of him that day when he tells him that there are over 3,000 types of tulip flowers and they all mean different things. Yoongi tells him he’s been working at the convenience store for so long now that he could tell him 3,000 facts about all the different types of customers who stop by.
And then again, more flowers for a friend who was just promoted. Taehyung’s never had someone come in to give flowers for a promotion, but he doesn’t see why not. That evening they wound up talking about the jazz music playing in the store. It was Taehyung’s choice, of course, and to his surprise Yoongi told him that he’s a musician of sorts and so he appreciates all kinds of music. Taehyung makes a mental note to remind himself to play more of his favorite music for Yoongi the next time he stops by.
Finally, Yoongi comes in one evening looking all ruffled up, as if he just ran through a wind tunnel or rolled around in bed. He’s a little out of breath, cheeks pink from exertion as he says he’d like some flowers for his dog, Min Holly, whose birthday is tomorrow.
“Your...dog?”
A nod that looks as rushed as Yoongi must feel in his current state. Taehyung can’t hold back the smile spreads across his face, or the giggle that bursts out. He quickly slaps a hand over his mouth. He shouldn’t laugh at customers’ wishes. It’s not that funny, it’s not. It’s just cute. And, okay, a bit silly.
He calms himself down before he answers. “That’s so sweet! How old is your dog turning?”
All the tension seems to leave Yoongi’s body at that reply as he slouches a bit, placing his hands on the counter between them. There’s always something between them lately, and Taehyung would like to change that at some point.
“He’s turning 6. Um, it’s a big birthday.”
Taehyung nods as if he understands completely. “Yes, it is. Do you know what you want?”
“You -” Taehyung’s breath hitches. “I mean, your flowers. Whatever you want to make, that’s what I meant. Could you make something for me?” Just as quickly, his hopes are dashed. Yoongi’s just mixing his words up right now. He must be tired.
And that is how Taehyung is tasked with a floral arrangement for a dog’s birthday. His strangest request to date, but who is he to say no to Yoongi? Or anyone who wants to give flowers to their dog?
----
The next time Yoongi stops by, Taehyung holds his breath wondering what Yoongi could ask for next. Where exactly do you go from getting your dog birthday flowers? Well, it turns out Yoongi came for something other than flowers this time.
“Can I, um, have your number?”
Is he dreaming, or is this reality? Taehyung really can’t tell right now.
“Oh, wow, sure. Is it for insider info on sales here?” He laughs, trying to act as casual and not nervous as possible.
“It’s just easier texting you than walking all the way over here from the convenience store.”
“So you’re just lazy?” Taehyung curses himself for letting those words slip out. He doesn’t want Yoongi leaving here without his number and never coming back because he couldn’t keep his thoughts to himself. Why would Yoongi ever be lazy, anyway?
Yoongi’s laughs interrupt Taehyung’s train of thought. “Actually, no. It’s easier to text you during my shift than come here and interrupt your business.” Oh, so he’s just being thoughtful. Of course. As if Taehyung couldn’t already piece that together from all the times he came in to buy flowers for his family and friends (and dog).
Taehyung opens a drawer behind the counter and fumbles for a post-it note and pen as he replies, “That’s so thoughtful of you, Yoongi, but what about the fact that coming here during your shift is interrupting your store’s business?” He quickly scribbles down his name and number, drawing a small smiling heart as a sweet little touch.
“Psh, it’s a convenience store and it’s certainly not mine,” Yoongi takes the paper and their hands brush against each other. Taehyung swears he can feel literal sparks between them. “Besides, I come during my breaks. Or before I start my shift, so it’s not a big deal.”
“It is to me!” Taehyung wants to scream out, but doesn’t. Instead he watches Yoongi put his number into his phone. His hands look large and soft and oh so perfect to hold. Without realizing, he sighs. Maybe someday he’ll be holding those hands. Maybe someday.
A ping signals a text from Yoongi, which Taehyung looks at. He puts Yoongi in his contacts immediately, sure to include a couple of heart emojis in his name just for good measure.
“I guess I’ll see you around, Taehyung. Later,” Yoongi nods, ready to leave.
Taehyung waves with the biggest smile on his face. “See you, Yoongi-hyung!”
----
If phone companies still charged you per text you sent, Taehyung’s bill would skyrocket. As it turns out, Yoongi likes to text a lot . It’s no time at all before they start exchanging daily good morning and good night texts, on top of all of the other things they have to tell each other about.
After a month or so of texting, their friend groups have meshed into one, and Taehyung isn’t complaining. He’s so grateful to have found a group of people so goofy and supportive and like him in a lot of different ways. His Friday nights will now be dedicated to their weekly movie night filled with homemade food, drinks, and a lot of cuddling.
Each week a member of their friend circle gets the chance to pick out a movie, and this week it’s Taehyung’s turn. Naturally, he spends a good amount of time thinking about which movie(s) he wants to pick. Which movies will interest everyone? He knows for sure he can’t choose a horror movie. Yoongi’s terrified of them. He’s not too fond of them, either, which works out perfectly for the two of them. Just another reason why they’re meant to be, Taehyung thinks.
Come Friday Taehyung has downloaded the movie he wants everyone to watch together. It’s an indie romantic drama film that happens to be very, very gay. But despite how gay it might be, it’s heartwarming and super romantic and Taehyung enjoys it very, very much.
The setup goes a little something like this. They’ve all gathered in Seokjin, Hoseok, and Namjoon’s apartment smushed onto couches and chairs and the floor, if you’re Jungkook.
By some stroke of luck or very careful planning, Taehyung ends up right next to Yoongi on the couch. It takes everything in him not to stay tensed up throughout the whole movie. It starts off nice and slow, with gorgeous shots of fields and flowing piano pieces. When Taehyung peeks over at Yoongi he can see a small smile on his face. Taehyung really hopes he’s liking what he picked so far. He kept the score in mind for the musician to enjoy.
The movie’s pace was slow, almost sluggish to a point, and to be honest Taehyung was starting to drift off a little bit. He couldn’t help but to relax completely, his arm and leg coming to rest against Yoongi. Soft. Warm. He smells nice, Taehyung thinks. Before he knows it he’s resting his head on Yoongi’s shoulder as the two lovebirds on the screen share stolen kisses and hidden secrets. It didn’t take long before Taehyung felt Yoongi’s arm wrap around him.
The night wraps up with Yoongi and Taehyung promising to talk soon, a lazy smile on Yoongi’s face and a sleepy smile on Taehyung’s. Taehyung officially counted tonight’s movie night a success.
----
From the outside it seems as though Taehyung’s life is on an upswing. He has a new group of friends, a stable job he loves, and a crush he can’t stop thinking about. From the inside Taehyung knows it’s not that perfect.
He’s sitting at the counter of the flower shop looking at his bank account on his phone. His pout turns into a frown as his eyes focus on how small the numbers are. He should have enough money to pay rent, but he’ll have to ask his parents for some extra. He chews his bottom lip as he sends of a text to his mother and father.
Hi mom and dad. I know I don’t ask for much but I was wondering if you could lend me some money? My pay’s enough to cover my rent but business isn’t going as well as we thought and my savings went towards my classes. Please consider this a loan. I’ll pay you back as soon as I have the money.
It isn’t until after a few customers have come and gone that his parents have responded to him.
Hi, Taehyungie. Sweetie, if you’re not doing well financially we think you should come home. You can work on the farm and save up enough money to move back to Seoul when the time comes. We miss you a lot. We can send you the money but we really think you should consider coming home. If business isn’t going well for an established flower shop is it smart to start up a new one anytime soon? Think about this thoroughly. Give us a call when you’re done work. Love you.
Taehyung stands in the back room stunned. He asks his parents for money once and they want him to come home. Is he that incompetent that they think he can’t make it here? His heart sinks in his chest. He doesn’t like feeling like a disappointment. He doesn’t like knowing that they think he won’t succeed. The sinking feeling spreads down into his stomach as he starts to feel a little queasy. He can do this, right? He can deal with his parents, but not right now.
The chime of the front door’s bells signals the presence of a new customer. Taehyung shoves his phone into the front pocket of his apron, wipes the small tears from his eyes on the back of his sleeve, and heads out into the storefront.
The first thing he notices is Yoongi’s mint hair, of course it is. Taehyung lets a big boxy smile take over his face as he leans over the counter, waving at his crush.
“You here for anything special?” Taehyung asks, suddenly feeling a whole lot better than he was only a minute before.
“Hey, Tae. Actually, yeah. I’m here for flowers for someone special,” Yoongi replies, shuffling on his feet as he smiles back at Taehyung.
Taehyung perks up immediately, curious about who this special person could be. “Someone special like a crush?”
“Yeah, you could say that.” Yoongi avoids looking into Taehyung’s eyes, instead opting to look around the shop instead.
Taehyung’s smile falters a little. There’s no way it could be him. “Well, I could make something for you if you’d like. I’ve gotten a lot better since the first time I made you an arrangement.”
“No, no, that’s okay. I want to pick something out myself, if that’s alright.” Yoongi responds too quickly and a little too loudly. Now Taehyung is just confused.
“Alright, then. I’ll let you pick out what you like. Are you going to work right after?” He tried to keep the conversation flowing.
“Nah, I’m going to drop these off at my apartment, grab something to eat, work a little on a song I’m writing, and then I’ll come back to work. I’m sure you’ll see me in the store by the time you leave.”
“Right. I’ll see you.” Taehyung’s voice almost cracks from the disappointment he feels in his heart. Two blows in one day. At least he has the rest of his shift to make himself feel better.
----
Taehyung doesn’t exactly make himself feel better. To say that he is an emotional person would be an understatement. Work has been stressful, money way too tight, and the pressure from his parents to move back home has been crushing him. He would get along just fine if he also wasn’t constantly reminded that the guy he caught big feelings for is crushing on someone else. The reminder that the convenience store where he works is right across the street is how Taehyung ends up crying outside the shop after his shift is done for the day.
He tries his best to hide himself from plain sight, which is why he’s crouched down beside the big display of flowering bushes. If someone sees him there then maybe they just won’t say anything. Maybe they’ll assume his allergies are acting up and the plants aren’t helping.
Regardless, he’s crouching in a “safe” place and hiding his face in his hands, which are undoubtedly covered in tears and snot. As he cries he holds back as many sobs as he can, biting down on his bottom lip to make sure he’s not making too much noise. Eventually his backpack starts to feel too heavy on his shoulders, as if all of the weight of the world and his problems are stuffed inside. He’s just about to shrug the bag off his shoulders when he notices someone coming up to him.
That someone just happens to be Yoongi.
“Taehyung! Hey, are you okay?” Yoongi calls out as he comes closer to crouch down in front of Taehyung. He seems to be out of breath.
Taehyung’s shoulders slump and his stomach fills with a mix of grief and happiness, because despite being heartbroken, seeing Yoongi is still one of the best parts of his day.
“I’m alright. Just about to head home, actually,” he replies as he hikes up his backpack once again, readying himself to make a run for it.
“Are you sure? How are you actually feeling, Tae. You can tell me if you want. If not we can act like this never happened.” Yoongi has always been so damn sweet and considerate. He’s even offering him an out right now. He could keep lying, but Taehyung hates to lie. His chest hurts as the emotions build up once again and before he knows it, Taehyung is sobbing as if Yoongi wasn’t there at all, unable to hold back anything anymore.
He can’t believe that Yoongi showed up during one of his shifts to check up on him when he could be working and going home to talk to or see the one he likes. But he cares so much about his friends that it drives Taehyung crazy (in a good way, of course).
“Taehyung-ah, it’s okay. Hyung’s here now. Let it all out. I’ll be right here.” Warm, soft hands cup Taehyung’s face. “I’m listening if you need to talk. I won’t judge.” Yoongi’s thumbs wipe away the tears streaming down Taehyung’s cheeks. His voice is a comfort, his touch is a comfort, and even his smell is a comfort right now. Taehyung is so grateful yet so devastated at the same time.
He knows wholeheartedly that Yoongi is telling the truth, so before he knows it the words come spilling out of his mouth. He’s tired of holding everything back.
“I think. I. My dream is too big and I have no idea what I’m really doing since all I do is work a small job that doesn’t give me the experience I need and on top of that it doesn’t pay a lot, just enough for my to get by each month so I have no idea how I’m gonna get the money to start up my own shop. I’m lost and my family found out so now they want me to move back to Daegu when my lease is up which is actually in three weeks from now so I might not even be in Seoul soon anymore which sucks because I’ll be leaving behind my best friends ever. To top it off you got those flowers for your crush and you didn’t even ask me to help pick them out and that’s hurting a lot right now and-“
Shit. He wasn’t supposed to open up that much but there it is, out in the open, and Taehyung can’t stop crying. To make things worse, he can feel Yoongi stiffen and the air get tense between them.
“Oh my god, I’m so sorry. I wasn’t supposed to tell you all of that but it just came out of my mouth and now I’ve ruined our friendship forever because I can’t hide my feelings so maybe it is a good thing for me to leave this city.”
“Don’t leave because of me.”
“But-“ Yoongi places a finger against Taehyung’s lips, and Taehyung has to resist the urge to kiss it.
“I don’t want you to leave. I can’t ask you to stay but know I would be bummed if you had to move back.” Yoongi moves from crouching to kneeling in front of Taehyung, wincing a little but keeping his finger where it is for a few more moments.
“Actually, are you free this Saturday?”
Taehyung nods, and Yoongi breathes a sigh of relief.
“Good. Do you wanna, um, go someplace together? I know this is really bad timing but to be fair I was going to ask you later tonight.” He gives Taehyung a look that makes it really hard to say no, not that he was going to in the first place.
“M-mhm,” Taehyung replies as Yoongi pats his cheeks after wiping the last remnants of tears away. Aftering caring for his face he runs his fingers through Taehyung’s hair and smoothes out his shirt. Taehyung’s heart flutters up to the heavens. Yoongi’s just too caring.
After helping Taehyung get up and ready to head home Yoongi asks for Taehyung’s phone. As Yoongi is doing...whatever he’s doing, Taehyung checks his backpack to make sure he didn’t leave anything in the shop and fidgets the rest of the time. He hopes he isn’t inconveniencing Yoongi at this point. He must have been out here with him for at least fifteen minutes.
“Here you go, Tae,” Yoongi holds out the phone to return it to him. “I gotta get back to work but I texted Jimin so you have someone safe to go home to, and there should be good food waiting for you when you get there,” the smile he gives Taehyung is enough to make him fall all over again.
On the bus ride home Taehyung finally checks his phone, one message waiting for him already from Yoongi.
yoongi: i’m sorry you’re feeling so upset, taehyungie. how about the botanical gardens at 4pm? we can meet at the big fountain and then walk around for a while. things will work out how they’re meant to. feel better soon.
----
How does one dress when they’re meeting a friend at a botanical garden? Taehyung contemplates this as he stands in front of his tiny bathroom mirror, holding up two potential button-downs. This time he’s going to play it casual, so he goes for the one without the flower pattern and tie at the collar. Instead he goes with his standard outfit: a five-dollar patterned button down from ebay, pair of slacks, and mules. No expensive shirts, no wide legs, nothing special. This is just Yoongi asking to hang out as a friend, and nothing more.
Taehyung’s stomach still feels queasy regardless.
When he makes it to their meeting point, Yoongi is nowhere in sight, so Taehyung takes that as an opportunity to look around on his own. The shrubbery is groomed to perfection, all the leaves in the right place and flowers just beginning to bloom. Taehyung takes pictures of all he sees, from the rose bushes to the trees groomed to look like dango. As he wanders around he finds a particular portion of the garden that he simply has to capture. He even asks a nearby couple to take a picture of him amongst the flowers, and thanks them for being so kind as they go along their way.
As it nears their meeting time, Taehyung wanders back to where they’re supposed to meet and sits on one of the several benches surrounding a central fountain.
taehyung: I’m here, hyung! I’m sitting at one of the benches by the big fountain like you asked.
His foot won’t stop bouncing and his stomach feels as if he’s on a ship caught in the middle of a storm, but that could be because he skipped his breakfast and lunch today. He isn’t feeling so hungry lately. He pats his stomach and whispers at it to calm down before Yoongi gets here.
Speaking of the devil, Taehyung feels a presence and when he looks up, he finds himself staring at Yoongi himself. He’s clearly holding something behind his back, so Taehyung gives him a curious look, but figures he won’t bother him just now.
“Hyung, you made it!” He stands up awkwardly, not sure if he was supposed to stand up with Yoongi or if Yoongi was supposed to sit down with him.
“Hey Taehyung, of course I did. Let’s sit down?” Yoongi urges as he pats Taehyung’s arm with his free hand, sitting down on the bench Taehyung just got up from.
“Oh, yeah, duh. Sorry, hyung,” he plops back down onto the bench, feeling a lot like a fool right at this moment. Just as his mind is about to go down a negative spiral, Yoongi interrupts.
“You don’t need to apologize.” Why is he always so sweet!?
“Well, actually, I do. I should apologize for the other night. I can’t believe I unleashed all of that on you while you were still working. I shouldn’t have. I’m so sorry. But thank you so much for taking care of me. You’re so sweet, Yoongi-hyung. You really didn’t have to,” his words get faster and faster the more he rambles, and he hopes that by the end of his thoughts Yoongi can still understand him.
“You’re right.” It appears that he caught it all. “I didn’t, but I saw you outside and I did anyway.” His features soften as he continues, looking at Taehyung the entire time. “You looked absolutely devastated, Tae. I couldn’t not help somehow. I’m sorry I couldn’t do more. I really did have to get back to my job or I would’ve gotten fired,” he finishes, sounding as sincere as always when he and Taehyung aren’t joking around.
“Totally understandable. I still can’t believe you walked out of the store in the middle of your shift,” Taehyung lets out a sad laugh, hoping Yoongi isn’t regretting it. He leans a bit to the side, too, hoping to catch a glimpse of what he’s hiding. As if sensing what he’s trying to do, Yoongi leans away. Taehyung can hear the rustling of something plastic - a bag of chips, perhaps?
“I hope you’ve found some clarity since that night. Have you made a decision about Daegu?” Yoongi inquires, something different in his voice from before. Taehyung can’t quite pin down what it is.
He bites the inside of his cheek as he replies, “I think I might have made the decision, but I’m not 100% sure yet.” He’s telling the truth for the most part. His heart and mind are telling him to stay in Seoul and continue his dream, but that sad little piece of him wants to run far away from his heartbreak as possible.
Across from him, Taehyung can hear Yoongi take in a deep breath as he moves in a little closer. “Well, I hope that by doing this I’m not unfairly swaying your decision. Here, I got you a little something.” From behind his back he finally pulls out what Taehyung’s been dying to see. It’s a bouquet of mismatched flowers, each a different length, so they must have all come from different bouquets or different shops and wait. Wait. Hold on a minute. Are those the flowers he sold to Yoongi the other day? The flowers that brought upon some of Taehyung’s sorrows?
He cocks his head to the side, somehow hoping this will all make more sense to him if he looks at it from a different angle. “Are these really for me , Yoongi?”
Yoongi’s soft laughter reaches Taehyung’s ears just as he replies. “Yes, they’re for you, so please take them if you would like them.”
Taehyung shakes his head, his voice still filled with some sort of wonder/awe combo. “Oh, I love them. They’re so pretty.” He takes the bouquet from the other’s hand and holds it close, gently stroking the petals of all the flowers. He looks up to meet Yoongi’s eyes. “I see the flowers you got from the shop the other day are here. They work really well with the others.”
There’s a pause before Yoongi responds. “Yeah, I sort of went around to different flower shops and put something together for you. I took your approach, actually. I closed my eyes, thought of you, felt the emotions, that sort of thing.”
Taehyung lets a small gasp escape from his mouth as he blinks a few times, trying to process what Yoongi actually said. He doesn’t realize his mouth is hanging open until Yoongi fixes it for him. He keeps his finger under Taehyung’s chin just to torture him a little bit more, Taehyung thinks.
“You did? That’s why it looks like this. It’s so pretty. Thank you, Yoongi-hyung,” he pours as much sincerity as he can into his words. Across from him, Yoongi seems to shift a little, his hands playing with each other on his lap now.
Despite Yoongi’s movements, Taehyung buries his nose in the flowers to smell them. They smell exactly as he hoped they would, so soft and sweet and a little bit like the earth they came from. He places them on his lap as he maneuvers to grab his phone. He wants to take as many pictures as possible. It really is a beautiful bouquet. Some would say it looks like a bunch of random flowers thrown together, but Taehyung would wholeheartedly disagree. They’re how Yoongi feels when he thinks of Taehyung, and they’re beautiful.
As he’s snapping a whole array of pictures, he speaks up. “Hey, Yoongi-hyung?”
“Yeah, Tae?”
“Remember how I asked you that day if those flowers were for a crush?”
“Yes.”
“Well you said something like ‘oh you could say that’ but really it was just another one of your gifts for your friends, right? Like the tree for Namjoon-hyung and the tulips for Seokjin-hyung.” He bites his lip and holds his breath, waiting for the other’s reply. Of course he knows he’s right, but he just wants to make sure.
“No,” is what comes out of Yoongi’s mouth and is exactly what Taehyung did not expect to hear.
“Huh?”
“They were for my crush.”
“Wh-”
“They’re for you , Taehyung. My crush is you .”
“Me?” Taehyung points at himself with the bouquet, even more stunned than before. His heart is racing miles a minute and he’s not quite sure he’s hearing things properly, but oh he really hopes he is.
“Yes, you. It hurt to see you so upset because you thought I had feelings for someone else, but I didn’t have the flowers on me and it was the middle of my shift so I didn’t have the guts to tell you the truth and that’s on me but I’m telling you now. I like you, Tae. A lot . I really like you.” If Yoongi is a little breathless after trying to get all that out at once, neither of them notice, but what Taehyung does notice is the gummy smile Yoongi is giving him. It’s genuine, just as the pink spreading across his cheeks is. Taehyung has never seen Yoongi look shy before, but here he is, and he’s beautiful.
It feels almost as if time has stopped for Taehyung, or something internally has gone wrong so Taehyung.exe has stopped working. Must press ctrl + alt + delete to quit and restart. Yoongi’s beauty is too much, the flowers are too much, he can’t believe what he just heard and he has no idea how to process this and--
“I’ll support you if you want to move back to Daegu to be with your family, but I just wanted to tell you my feelings and give you these. I’ve liked you for a while. You’re an amazing person, Taehyung, and I hope you get to open your own flower shop someday. Oh, and I’d like to be your boyfriend. Obviously.”
Taehyung.exe (Not Responding).
“If this complicates things too much--”
Finally, Taehyung’s programming catches up to what’s currently happening. He lets out a small sob. “I can’t believe you like me too.”
“Of course I do, Tae.”
“Can I hug you?” Taehyung is nearly vibrating with excitement, his feelings rushing through him at break-neck speed. He feels that if he doesn’t hug him now, he’ll never have the chance to again. It’s silly, really, but he just really wants a hug, okay?
“Yes.” As soon as Yoongi gives consent, he places his flowers behind him and launches into Yoongi’s arms, wrapping his arms around his neck. He holds on tight, practically squishing him. He feels Yoongi’s chuckle with his whole body.
Everything is soft and warm and perfect, but Taheyung wants a little more, so he moves back just slightly to ask, “Can I kiss you?”
“Yes.” As soon as the words leave Yoongi’s lips, Taehyung’s lips are on Yoongi’s cheek as he gives him the biggest cheek smooch of all time. He alternates between hugging Yoongi more and giving him another cheek kiss. Eventually his lips find their way to Yoongi’s as he gives him one chaste kiss before pulling himself off of his new boyfriend .
He might as well tell Yoongi what he didn’t earlier. “I’ve already pretty much made up my mind, but I’m staying in Seoul. I promised my family I’d go down to Daegu to visit them more often.”
“Oh, so I didn’t sway you just now?”
“You made it easier.”
“Well, maybe if we both have some free time we can go down to Daegu together. We can see your family, and, um, mine, if you want.”
Oh Taehyung wants that. He really, really wants that.
“Yes!!!”
----
Finally, the day Taehyung has been waiting for since before he moved to Seoul has finally come - opening day for his very own flower shop, Monet’s Garden . It’s been extremely busy, of course, and stressful to say the least, but he’s here and he wouldn’t have been able to do it without his family, his friends, and of course his supportive and wonderful boyfriend, Yoongi.
Many friends and acquaintances have come and gone over the course of the day to buy some flowers and give Taehyung well wishes and best of lucks. The love and support fills the store and gives him the much needed boost of energy he needs. He’s running this shop on his own for the time being, so the lines have been longer than he’d have liked, but he’s already got an offer from someone to come work for him, so he’s pretty pleased about that.
All of his bouquets out front have sold out by closing, and a great deal of the plants have been given new homes as well. Music from his recently favorited playlist flows throughout the shop as he mops the floors and wipes down the surfaces.
Unfortunately (or fortunately) for him, there’s something big blocking him from wiping down the counter. That thing happens to be Yoongi, who is sitting cross legged besides the cash register and swaying along to the sounds of some wistful acoustic ballad.
The fondness in Taehyung’s heart is threatening to burst out at any moment, and all of a sudden he’s filled with the urge to kiss and run his fingers through Yoongi’s now-black hair amongst many other things.
It’s when Yoongi looks up at him through his bangs that Taehyung stops what he’s doing and jumps up onto the counter next to his boyfriend. The cleaning can wait a few minutes. It’s not like the store is going anywhere anytime soon.
“Hey, Yoongi-hyung.” A smile spreads across Taehyung’s face.
“Yes, Tae?” A similar, but more gummy smile spreads across Yoongi’s.
“Did you really buy flowers for Holly’s birthday back then?” The thought randomly pops into his head, and he simply has to know.
Yoongi furrows his brows for a quick second. “Yes, why would you question that? Only the best for Min Holly.”
“Because it could have been a ploy to see your crush!”
“It was both at once.” Yoongi puts his phone away and turns to face Taehyung completely. Taehyung can see he’s holding back a smile, as if he’s trying to play it cool. Taehyung’s not so good at that right now.
“You can buy flowers for Yeontan this year.” Yeontan, their one year old puppy they adopted from a shelter only a few months after he was born. He’s tiny but the fiercest dog Taehyung’s ever met. He loves him to bits.
“Only if you make them.” Yoongi brushes some stray pieces of Taehyung’s hair behind his ear.
“Then you wouldn’t have to pay for them. This is my shop! Find someplace else!”
“Never,” Yoongi replies. The look he’s giving Taehyung right now is so fond it hurts. He knows Yoongi means it, so in his pure, unadulterated happiness, Taehyung giggles. A lot.
And Yoongi laughs along with him. And they laugh and laugh until they’re kissing, and soon their kisses are broken up by laughter.
Taehyung’s figured it out. Yoongi is that sea of sunflowers on a warm summer’s day that he’ll always want to get lost in.
When Yeontan gives them hell for coming home late tonight, neither of them minds.