Work Text:
On a particularly busy day at the shop, the front door opened yet again. The soft jingle of the bells on the door chimed through the shop, announcing another customer had entered, joining the stream of customers looking around the displays or waiting in line. There had been a sudden rush that morning, and Seonghwa was running around the shop while being pulled in multiple directions and simultaneously trying to complete a wedding order that needed to be completed before tomorrow.
The pink haired man now stood behind the counter trying to explain to the woman in front of him for the third time that, no, they are not able to give her a refund for her bouquet she bought last week because the flowers had started to wilt. The lady continued to protest, insisting that he should do better to guarantee the flowers will last longer. Exasperated and ready to help the next customer, Seonghwa agrees with her. There is no point trying to correct her even though he was tempted to recommend that she purchase fake flowers if she doesn’t want them to wilt.
“Of course, I will make sure to do that next time.” He wore his best, charming customer service smile and could only hope the other customers didn’t notice how strained his voice was. It seemed to do the trick because the woman finally decided to grab her purse and leave. Now, the pink haired florist was finally able to help the next couple without her in the way.
“Thank you for your patience and sorry about the wait.” Fortunately, the rest of Seonghwa’s customers were fairly easy to accommodate, and he soon fell into a groove until the last customer had finally been helped. Once they had left, he went back to working on the large wedding order, making sure everything was correct before he sent an email to the bride, letting her know that the order was ready and sending a few photos of some bouquets for her to look at as well.
After that, he began another one of his special orders. This time, it was for an older couple who had become regulars at his shop. The husband would come in every week to get flowers for his wife, and Seonghwa learned that their 60th anniversary was approaching. The older man asked Seonghwa if he could put something together for his wife, wanting something special for their anniversary. It was cute and Seonghwa couldn’t help but yearn for a love like theirs.
It wasn’t for another few minutes until the front door opened again, chimes ringing. Seonghwa looked up from the arrangement in front of him, greeting the person. “Welcome to the–”
It was Yeosang who entered. He wasn’t dressed in his normal work overalls, this time he was wearing a soft, yellow sweater and a pair of baggy jeans. Seonghwa didn’t realize he paused mid-sentence, needing a moment to take in the sight of the man who was now standing in front of him. The Blond's face looked amused, and the Florist realized he needed to shut his mouth because he was obviously gawking at him.
A few years ago, not long before Seonghwa finally opened up his shop, he had met Yeosang for the first time and they quickly became friends. The younger man worked at a family-owned garden center up the road and frequently delivered flowers to Seonghwa’s shop. Their actual first meeting was when Seonghwa had received his first flower order, finally being able to start filling up his shop.
The Florist never forgot the first time he’d seen Yeosang, whose hair was much shorter, and it was its natural black, and how he couldn’t forget the cute little lisp he heard when he spoke.
“Hey.”
“Hey,” Seonghwa trailed off; still watching Yeosang. He was confused as to why he was here.
Yeosang wouldn’t normally visit on his days off and he wasn’t expecting a delivery today, so he was caught off guard. As if reading his thoughts, the Blond lifted a bag full of food. His heart fluttered.
“Thought you could use some lunch.”
“Oh, you’re an angel,” Seonghwa said, thanking the man with a grin. He wasn’t lying; Yeosang really could be an angel because of how breathtaking and kindhearted he was.
“It’s nothing.” He couldn’t tell if the lighting was playing tricks on him, but he swore he could see a blush on Yeosang’s cheeks.
Before he was able to get a closer look, the Blond turned away to bring the food over to the desk at the back of the shop. “I figured you would need to eat something sooner or later, and, knowing you, you probably would’ve forgotten to take a lunch.”
Seonghwa was too busy watching him take the items out of the tote bag and set them out on the desk to care for the little jab at his work habits. He had to snap himself out of it once he realized he was staring and focused on the flowers in front of him. Adding a few more fillers to the piece, he finally deemed it complete and gave the old gentleman a call to let him know it was ready to pick up.
After that was done, he walked to the front of the store to flip his open sign to say “closed” while he was on his break. Turning around to look at his friend who now sat at Seonghwa’s desk, the Florist tried to stop his pounding heart, feeling giddy at the thought of the other man going out of his way to bring him lunch.
“The shop seems busier than normal,” Yeosang comments and Seonghwa nods while taking a sip from the water the other man brought. The two of them sat across from each other, using Seonghwa’s desk as a makeshift table while they ate.
“I guess moving the store to the corner shop really was a good idea.” The shop had recently moved a few stores down to a corner spot, making it more visible to passing customers. It has begun to catch more eyes apparently. On top of that, there also weren’t many florists in their small town, so he was able to land more jobs and offer a wider variety of services than most.
Recently, he had begun to take on weddings and funerals. The work was stressful, especially with some bridezillas that want everything to be perfect on their wedding days, but Seonghwa didn’t mind it all that much. He was able to land jobs and there was something satisfying about seeing the brides and grooms walk down the aisle in their dream wedding.
“I mean, who wouldn’t want to see a handsome man working on flower arrangements specifically for them?” Seonghwa chokes on his water, nearly spitting it out. Yeosang simply smiles, handing the other man a napkin, seemingly unaware of what he had just said.
Before he has a chance to scold the other and calm his burning cheeks, the phone rings, interrupting the two on their impromptu lunch break. Seonghwa apologizes, excusing himself to answer the phone. He jogs behind the counter, wiping his hands on his apron, then grabs the phone off its stand and puts it up to his ear.
“Thank you for calling The Pink Petal. How can I help you?” Seonghwa answered and soon realized it was the bride he had emailed earlier. “Oh, hi! Yes, did you like the photos? I–”
The woman on the other end had interrupted him before he could continue. The proud smile on his face dropped as did his heart when the woman continued to speak.
“You’re kidding me.” This had to be a joke. “So– hang on– you’re saying I have to change all of this with less than a 24-hour notice?”
The Florist paused, letting the other woman speak, but his heart was in his shoes.
“Oh– I’ll do my best, yes, thank you.” Seonghwa hung up the phone and was silent for a few moments.
“Is everything okay?” Yeosang asked when Seonghwa came back from the other room. The taller man smiled and insisted everything was fine as he sat down.
“What? Nothing’s wrong.” Yeosang just raised an eyebrow, not believing him. Seonghwa bit his lip. Was he really that obvious?
There was no sense in hiding it. “That bride called.” Yeosang nodded, remembering the Florist mentioning her and how he talked about finally finishing everything for her. “I thought she was going to like all of it, but she said she changed the color theme of her entire wedding and now wants reds and pinks instead of yellows and oranges.”
Yeosang was quiet for a moment, pitying the man. “Is it tomorrow?”
Seonghwa could only nod, staring down at his hands in his lap.
“And now I have more orange chrysanthemums and yellow lilies than I know what to do with. On top of that, I don’t even think I have enough of the flowers she actually wants.” He thinks about the countless bins of flowers he had worked hard to get lined up to load into his car for tomorrow morning. He rests his head in the palms of his hands before groaning out, “This is a disaster.”
All the other man could hear was a low hum of acknowledgement, but then the screeching sound of a chair being pushed back caused his head to snap up. Yeosang had stood and was rolling up the sleeves to his sweater.
“Well, there’s no sense in sitting here moping. I’ll help.” He smiles down at Seonghwa, holding a hand out for the Florist to take. Seonghwa stares at it for a moment before he slides his hand into his grasp, throwing a tentative smile back. He tried to not marvel at how sturdy Yeosang’s hand felt in his and was reluctant to let it go.
Getting to work, they decided to have Seonghwa on dethorning duty with Yeosang busy organizing the bins of flowers they would need for the wedding tomorrow. This gave Seonghwa the ability to help any customers who entered the shop and guide Yeosang on where to put things. Seonghwa soon fell into another groove now that Yeosang was helping him get everything together.
After dethorning nearly a hundred flowers, he felt something rubbing at the space between his pinched together eyebrows, snapping his head to look at the Blond who was now leaning over the counter in front of him. Their faces were very close.
“You look tense.”
“I am tense. Thanks for noticing.” Sarcasm dripped from Seonghwa’s lips. He was exhausted and all he wanted to do was run upstairs to his apartment and sleep the stress away. Maybe he would watch a few movies that he’s seen a million times and eat some ice cream. He shook his head though, pushing those thoughts away. He needed to focus.
Yeosang just smiled, his eyes creasing at the corners. He just hums softly to himself and moves around the counter next to Seonghwa to get back to work. Apparently, he wasn’t going to make it easy for Seonghwa to do his job.
Going back to his task of dethorning the roses, the pink haired man tried not to think about how his arm would occasionally brush against Yeosang’s when he would reach to grab his clippers. Or how when Yeosang had to move Seonghwa out of the way to grab another bin from under the counter, his hands briefly held his waist. This man was going to be the death of him.
After a few more moments of silence, Yeosang’s deep voice interrupted Seonghwa’s thoughts. “Hyung,” He almost sounded nervous and Seonghwa looked up at him. “Would you want to go–”
“Ouch!” Seonghwa hisses as he cuts his finger on a thorn, breaking skin.
As much as Seonghwa wanted to whine about his finger, he couldn’t help but watch in awe as Yeosang easily found the bandages in the drawer of the Florist’s desk. He didn’t say anything when the younger man guided him over to the sink to rinse his hand and clean the cut. Or when he gently put the band aid on his finger.
Seonghwa thought it was ridiculous how meticulous the Blond was being, but he didn’t mind the pampering. Honestly, he would let Yeosang do this forever because something in the back of his mind was enjoying the attention.
It was silent the entire time Yeosang bandaged Seonghwa up, but the pink haired man suddenly remembered the Blond wanted to ask him something.
“What were you going to ask me?”
Yeosang looked away and at the hand he still held in his. He gave it a squeeze then let it go. Seonghwa had to force himself to not reach out and pull it back to him.
“Oh, it’s nothing important.” He smiled. “I was just wondering if you wanted to borrow my delivery truck tomorrow. Your car isn’t all that big.”
Seonghwa pursed his lips at the small jab at his precious car. Yeosang was right, though and Seonghwa winced at the memory of the last wedding job he had landed; how he tried to fit all of the flowers in his small Volkswagen bug. It ended with many bruises on the back of his head from bending into the short vehicle. He knocked his head on the door many, many times.
Still, Yeosang was already helping so much as is. He couldn’t ask anything more of him. “That’s really sweet of you, but–” Yeosang gave him a playful eyeroll at the “but”– “You don’t have to do that for me. I can handle it.”
Yeosang scoffed before getting back to work. “I’ll be here at– what time do you leave? Eight?” He took a glance at Seonghwa’s notes on the counter before continuing. “I’ll be here to take you there at eight.”
Seonghwa glared at him, but knowing he couldn’t change the man’s mind, he shrugged. Yeosang let out a triumphant laugh at his obvious victory.
“I’d kick you out of my shop if you weren’t helping me.”
“You wouldn’t.”
“Try me.”
Early the next morning, Seonghwa woke up from his slumber to the blaring sound of his alarm. Grumbling under his breath, he blindly reached for his phone, struggling to shut the thing up. The sun was just starting to rise, its rays peeking through the curtains of Seonghwa’s small apartment that was located above his shop. All he wanted to do was curl deeper into his covers and fall back to sleep.
It took everything in the pink haired man to sit up from his warm bed, hair wild and sticking up in different directions. He had been up late finishing up preparations for the wedding, so he was exhausted. He had sent Yeosang home– more like he had to carry him out– close to midnight last night because the other man refused to leave him all alone in his shop.
Speaking of the Blond, Seonghwa wasn’t able to sleep as soundly as he normally would’ve been due to that man. He was having a good dream, he thinks at least. There was a coffee shop, a head of blond hair, and a nice smile. Seonghwa let out a huff and ran a hand through his hair. He needed to get himself under control.
A loud knocking at his front door, shocked the man out of his daydreaming. His apartment was on the second floor of his shop, and the only other entrance, besides the one in his shop, was up a few flights of stairs. There weren’t many people that knew where he lived, only a few friends in town knew, but none of them would show up this early in the morning.
Seonghwa scrambled out of bed, trying to not get caught in his sheets. He made his way over to his front door, creeping on tiptoes. On the way, he grabbed one of his umbrellas just in case. He wasn’t much of a fighter, but he was ready to defend himself if this was the end.
He looked through the peephole of his door, and his stomach did a flip when he saw Yeosang and his glittering eyes shining. He let out a sigh of relief, knowing he wasn’t about to die or be kidnapped, and opened the door to greet the man.
“You’re early.”
Yeosang shrugged, handing Seonghwa a cup of hot tea. The Florist took it after putting down the umbrella he held for self-defense and let the younger man inside.
Seonghwa took in the other’s appearance. He had on a crisp, navy-blue button-up shirt with black slacks. The Florist was now regretting answering the door in his pj’s and his unruly bedhead. “You look nice.”
“You don’t.” That little shit.
“That is it. I take back every nice thing I have ever said about you.”
“I’m kidding, I’m kidding.” Yeosang’s laugh filled the room, smiling at the pink haired man and the small pout on his lips. His eyes seemed to shine even brighter. “You look cute.”
Seonghwa sputters on the tea he had been sipping on, whipping his head to look at the Blond. Before he has the chance to say anything, Yeosang decides to change the subject.
Why does he always do that?
“You’re normally a guest at these things, right?”
Ah, yes, the wedding. They move further into Seonghwa’s apartment, sitting on his small couch. Seonghwa curls around his knees, getting comfortable while Yeosang sits a polite distance away from him.
“Somewhat. I normally help with everything leading up to the ceremony. My job mostly includes the arrangements in the dining hall, reception room, and getting all the bouquets and boutonnieres ready for the photos.” Seonghwa had tried listing everything, counting them on his fingers. “I stay for the ceremony because there are normally photos of the wedding party, but after that normally leave. It would be weird to stay the whole time since I’m mostly there for the flowers.”
Yeosang took it all in with a nod. “Glad I dressed up then.”
Seonghwa just smiled, reaching over to push the younger man’s shoulder, jokingly. “You’d look fine either way, but you didn’t have to show up so early. I just woke up.”
“What can I say, I’m used to getting up early.” Yeosang would always be up before dawn to load his truck with his flower shipments. This was nothing to him.
The two chatted for a few more minutes to familiarize Yeosang with what Seonghwa’s job is during weddings before Yeosang ushered the other man to get cleaned up.
While in the shower, Yeosang makes breakfast, at least, he attempts to. It’s only buttered toast with pre-sliced fruit that Seonghwa had cut the night before on the side. Seonghwa nearly has a panic attack when he exits his bedroom to smell food being made because Yeosang in the kitchen is a disaster waiting to happen. He was relieved to see that Yeosang knew how to use a toaster without burning his beloved house down.
Before he was able to get back to getting ready, Yeosang forced him to sit down and eat some food. Seonghwa thanked the younger man and ate quickly so he could finish changing. He gave Yeosang the key to his shop to start loading the truck with the flowers, so he didn’t have to sit around bored doing nothing. Yeosang insisted that he do something while he waited.
Seonghwa makes his way down to the shop, finally dressed and cleaned up. His outfit was similar to Yeosang’s besides the sweater vest he put on top of his shirt. The morning breeze was relaxing when Seonghwa exited his apartment. He sighed to himself as he walked down the stairs outside his apartment, making his way down to the shop. From his angle he could see Yeosang loading up the truck and went to join him, and together, the two were able to finish loading the flowers quickly.
“Is this everything?” Yeosang asked, whipping some sweat off his brow.
Seonghwa looked at all the flowers packed into Yeosang’s delivery truck and ran through his mental list, checking everything off, while simultaneously trying to ignore how attractive Yeosang was when he would work.
He nodded. “Pretty sure.”
Yeosang smiled, patting Seonghwa on the back. The Florist found himself smiling back. “What are we waiting for? Let’s go.”
Their drive to the wedding venue wasn’t long at all. The two made small talk, but Seonghwa found the silence between them both peaceful and relaxing, helping his jittery nerves. They managed to get there early enough to begin preparations and make sure all their items were together before they met with the bride and actually started working.
Seonghwa was in the middle of unloading the truck with Yeosang, explaining where some of their premade arrangements would go, when the bride-to-be walked over. She spoke a mile a minute about how perfectly she wanted this day to go and that they needed to hurry. The Florist was then swept away to look at the room where the wedding was held. Before he could get far, he shot a look of despair over his shoulder at Yeosang, who simply laughed at the other's hopeless situation.
Being led into the large building by the bride was somewhat embarrassing. Seonghwa’s face paled at everything she wanted done at that exact moment. The poor man wasn’t able to get a single word in before they had gone full circle around the venue and were back outside.
All he could manage to do before she stomped away to gripe over the napkin colors was smile and say, “We’ve got it covered.”
Seonghwa made his way back to Yeosang, who had stopped what he was doing once he saw the other approach. He gave the Florist a worried look, asking if he was alright.
“I’m fine.” Seonghwa huffed out a laugh. He really was fine. He was in his element right now and no bridezilla was going to throw him off his game. “I swear, I’m fine. Just a little nervous.”
Yeosang nodded slowly. “You handled that better than I could’ve.”
They both laughed softly to themselves before getting back to work. Neither of them needed the bride to be breathing down their necks for chit-chatting.
A few hours into working on the arrangements, Seonghwa’s hair was not as neat as usual due to the many times he’d run his hands through it out of frustration. He was suddenly grateful he didn’t use any product on it and let it fall naturally. So much for him “being in his element”.
“Hyung, it looks fine.”
“Does it, though? I don’t think it does.”
Yeosang lets out a sigh at the Florist’s perfectionistic habits. He grabs the taller man by his elbow, pulling him away from the centerpiece arrangements he was nitpicking over. The Blond takes him across the dining hall and past all the tables towards the double doors that lead into the room, ignoring the other’s squabbling.
“What are you doing? I have to finish–”
Seonghwa’s protests die in his throat when Yeosang grabs him by the shoulders and spins him around to look at the large room. He takes in all of the decorations and then his eyes go towards his arrangements. It all looks beautiful.
“You did a good job.” Yeosang stands next to him and knocks both their shoulders together, playfully. Seonghwa felt his heart lift at the praise. “You’ve moved that one arrangement five times already and it looked amazing each time. You’re being too hard on yourself, and besides, I would love for my future wedding to look as beautiful as this one is.”
Seonghwa turned to Yeosang. He was too busy looking out at the rest of the room to notice his gaze, but the Florist smiled, nonetheless.
“Thank you.”
“What for?” Yeosang was looking at him now. The Blond was smiling at him and Seonghwa swore he could see a galaxy in his sparkling eyes.
“For keeping me sane. I don’t think I would’ve been able to do all of this without you.” He gestured to the room they were in. Yeosang was always there to keep his head on straight.
The wedding went by without a hitch, and it was beautiful just like Yeosang had said. Yeosang and Seonghwa found themselves standing at the back of the reception hall, watching the couple marry underneath the altar that was decorated in red roses and pink carnations and peonies. Seonghwa felt his chest swell with pride, hearing some compliments here and there about the bride’s bouquet.
Other than the rocky start with the bride, Seonghwa was pleased with how everything came out, and as the bride and groom walked down the aisle after sealing their vows, he found himself applauding the newlyweds.
The guests began filing out of the reception hall and made their way towards the dining area to eat and hear speeches. Seonghwa was half tempted to join them and act like he was part of the wedding party to get some free food, but as he and Yeosang were making their way out of the venue a voice stopped them in their tracks.
“Wait! Before you guys go!” Seonghwa turned around. It was the bride running after them, trying to run in heels while simultaneously trying not to trip on her dress.
She caught up to them, catching her breath for a moment before continuing. “I just want to say I’m sorry for how I treated you. It wasn’t fair of me.”
Seonghwa’s jaw dropped. He was ready to move on and laugh about the whole experience, maybe vent about it, but he wasn’t expecting an apology.
“You did such a wonderful job, and it was everything I had dreamed of since I was a little girl.” She had grabbed one of Seonghwa’s hands and clasped her hands around it. “You did all of this and made it magical.”
The pink haired man felt himself flush at the praise; his face hot.
Seonghwa understood why she had been so high strung earlier. It was normal to get nervous and nitpicky over some of the smallest details when it comes to something as life changing as getting married. He would never take it to heart and would always strive to bring out the vision of those getting married. Of course, her words hurt in the moment, but Seonghwa knew those feelings would soon pass. Seeing how happy the woman in front of him is right now made everything worth it. It was what he loved about this part of the job.
“Oh!” The bride started. “I know this isn’t much, but I wanted to invite you and your boyfriend to stay and party for as long as you want. Please feel free to eat and dance to your heart's content.” She looked back and forth between Seonghwa and Yeosang expectantly.
Seonghwa froze, eyes going wide.
“You two are so cute together. I hope you guys get hitched soon!” She winked before running back inside after seeing one of her bridesmaids.
Yeosang and Seonghwa stood there for a moment, perplexed.
“So,” Yeosang dragged out the “o” before continuing. “You want some free food?”
“I thought you’d never ask.”
The two men took the bride’s words to heart and ate as much of the food as they could. In the end, it wasn’t much, but they wouldn’t deny a free meal, and Seonghwa wasn’t the type to ask for more than necessary.
They didn’t hang around for long as both men were tired from staying up late the previous night and then getting up early that morning. Seonghwa made his way out of the building with Yeosang by his side. Both were well fed and still bopping to the music that could be heard from outside.
Approaching the entryway, Seonghwa noticed the music changed to a slower song.
“Would you care to join me for this dance?”
Seonghwa looks over at his companion with a raised brow but laughs at Yeosang’s exaggerated bow. The man’s hand was held close to his chest and the other tucked behind his back as he stooped low to the ground.
“You mean you want to dance here? We aren’t anywhere near the dance floor.”
Yeosang stood up straighter and rolled his eyes, grabbing Seonghwa’s hands. “Just dance with me.”
He tugged the taller man closer to him, making Seonghwa let out a yelp. Yeosang rested one hand against the side of Seonghwa’s waist while the other cupped his hand. They started to dance, falling into a slow rhythm with the music.
Seonghwa’s heart jumped in his chest at the feeling of Yeosang’s arms holding him. This was everything he dreamed of.
“It’s not a wedding if you don’t dance a little.”
“Oh, really now?”
“Mhm,” Yeosang hummed in affirmation. He swayed them both back and forth. “My mom said so.”
Seonghwa shook his head but found himself smiling at the younger’s quirkiness. It felt nice being this close to him; to be held.
“You’re a dork.”
“You’re telling me that you spent the entire weekend with him and danced with him at the wedding, but you still don’t think he has feelings for you?” Hongjoong asked exasperatedly on the other end of the phone.
“He was just being nice.” Seonghwa stuck another flower in the vase in front of him, switching his work phone from one ear to the other.
“You’re hopeless– both of you are utterly hopeless,” Hongjoong groaned out.
Seonghwa furrowed his brows together. What did he mean by both?
“Yeosang doesn’t “go out of his way” to do more work than necessary. He likes being around you.”
Hongjoong had been friends with Yeosang much longer than Seonghwa, so it wasn’t a surprise that he knew Yeosang better than Seonghwa. The two had gone to high school together and had a few mutual friends with Seonghwa. Only a few months ago were they able to bring both groups together, and, surprisingly, they all got along great.
Something inside of Seonghwa wanted to believe what Hongjoong was saying, but he didn’t want to get his hopes up. He treasured his friendship with the Blond and didn’t want to mess it up with his feelings.
“Listen to me, Yeosang loves his weekends off more than anything because he can sleep in and laze around. You said he brought you lunch, stayed with you to work for the entire day, and then showed up at your house first thing in the morning to help you again with work. Look me in the eyes and tell me he doesn’t see you as more than a friend.”
Seonghwa bit his lip. Hongjoong was right about Yeosang loving his days off. “Joong-ah… I’m just scared.”
The other line was quiet for a moment. “I know, but,” He could hear the other sigh softly before he continued in an even gentler tone. “I really think he likes you. Just think about it, okay? This isn’t normal Yeosang behavior.”
Seonghwa nodded even though the other couldn’t see him.
“Have you ever thought about hiring someone to work with you? You need a break.” Hongjoong was changing the subject to another one of Seonghwa’s worries, and Seonghwa let out a groan, raking a hand over his face.
“Yeosang asked the same thing yesterday.” Seonghwa remembered the conversation he had with Yeosang when they were eating breakfast the other morning. “He offered to help me on his weekends off and we actually have another wedding to work next week. He wanted to help with that one, too.”
There was a loud clicking of a keyboard on the other end of the line causing Seonghwa’s eyebrows to shoot up.
“What are you doing?”
“Looking for engagement rings because he might as well ask you to marry him at this point.”
“Hongjoong-ah! We’re just friends!” Seonghwa shouted into the phone. Thank god no customers were in the shop to observe his flaming face. It practically matched his hair.
“Mhm, sure, friends who are madly in love with each other.”
“I’m hanging up the phone.”
“Wait! Before you go,” Seonghwa put the phone back to his ear, intent on hearing what his friend had to say. “Can I be your best man at the wedding?”
He hangs up the phone.
How the hell was he supposed to continue working now?
“Okay, okay,” Yeosang said through a fit of giggles. “What’s your favorite flower?”
The two men sat on the hood of Seonghwa’s car, resting their backs against the windshield as they talked about nothing. They had been driving around the countryside after another one of Seonghwa’s jobs and found a nice clearing at the top of a hill, deciding to park the car to watch the sun set.
Seonghwa didn’t have to think about Yeosang’s question for long.
“Dandelions.” He said it with so much confidence that Yeosang turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow.
“You think it’s weird, don’t you!” Seonghwa accused him, feigning offense and holding a hand to his chest as if he had been wounded.
The Blond shrugged. “I mean, aren’t they a weed? I was expecting something like roses.”
Seonghwa scrunched his nose at that. "Well, I think they’re beautiful and roses would sound cliche.”
Yeosang shook his head at the older man, but smiled, nonetheless.
“If you think about it, they’re resilient little guys.” Seonghwa begins, looking at a few dandelions that were spread throughout the hill in front of them. “They grow and survive through the toughest conditions. I swear they can grow pretty much everywhere. They can even change from yellow flowers into those fluffy white balls that I used to play with as a kid.”
Yeosang continued to listen, enjoying the gentle breeze and the sound of his hyung talking.
“Wildflowers, weeds, I like them all. They’re all unique in their own way, but dandelions remind me of my childhood.”
Seonghwa remembered back to when he was a kid and proudly declared he was going to be a Florist after making a bouquet of flowers for his mother. In the end, he got scolded by his mother because he cut up a bunch of perennials from her garden and smashed a bunch of weeds together to make said bouquet. It was sloppy and definitely not his best work, but it kickstarted his dream. That summer night, when he declared his dream, he chased fireflies with his older brother and made a wish on a dandelion. He wished for his dream to come true.
In the midst of his reminiscing, he didn’t notice Yeosang got off the hood of his car and went to pick one of the fluffy flowers from the ground. It wasn’t until he was standing by Seonghwa’s side that he realized he was there, holding it out to him.
The pink haired man took it, looking up at the man next to him who watched expectantly. “You can make a new wish now.” He smiled down at Seonghwa.
Seonghwa smiled back and shook his head at the younger man. He tugged him by the hand to sit back down on his car, scooting closer to him to the point their thighs were brushing. The way the Blond's breath hitched and how he froze at the contact went unnoticed by Seonghwa. His mind was too busy thinking about what he wanted to wish for. Then it hit him. He knew exactly what he wanted.
He took a deep breath and shut his eyes, blowing at the dainty flower he held in front of his face and made his wish. After a moment, he let his eyes open, taking in the sight of the tufts floating in the air, now carried away by the breeze. He turned to look at the other man beside him, grinning a smile so wide, his eyes nearly formed crescents. What he wasn’t expecting was for Yeosang to be staring right back at him, seemingly lost in thought.
They both were in their own world before Seonghwa turned away, looking at the world around him. The sun was finally beginning to set. The clouds and sky began to change colors, becoming more vibrant than ever. Silence washed over the two of them as they took in the sky.
After a while, Yeosang spoke.
“What did you wish for?”
Seonghwa shook his head and clicked his tongue. “If I tell you, then it won’t come true.”
Yeosang rolled his eyes and let out a laugh. He nudged Seonghwa with his elbow, trying to egg him on. “I didn’t know you were superstitious. Come on, what did you wish for?”
Seonghwa watched how the setting sun made Yeosang’s eyes shine and his skin glow. If he looked close enough, he thought he could actually see the sun set in the Blond's eyes. He truly was breathtaking. He took a deep breath, staring into the eyes of the man he’s harbored years’ worth of feelings for and uttered the words he never thought he would.
“I wished for you.”
Yeosang’s breath hitched. He wasn't laughing anymore. Seonghwa immediately started panicking. What did he just do? That’s it. He did it. He ruined everything. Years of friendship were just flushed down the drain.
The silence was suffocating.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything.”
Seonghwa buried his head in his hands, turning away from his friend. He inched away from him, giving Yeosang some space. He couldn’t look the other in the eye. It was too embarrassing.
He whipped his head around when he heard a sniffle come from the man next to him. Horrified, he took in the sight before him. Oh man, Seonghwa really screwed this up. Yeosang was crying. Like, he was really crying. Now Seonghwa was starting to panic. He’s never seen him cry before and his stomach dropped.
“Hey– What’s wrong? Please don’t cry– I’m so sorry. I’ll drive you home–” The Florist was a mess. He was rubbing soothing circles on Yeosang’s back, trying to calm him down. His mind was racing, trying to think of the fastest way home even though their drive was going to be more than a few hours long. It was going to be so awkward.
“I knew I shouldn’t have said anything. Let’s just– let’s forget I ever said that.”
Seonghwa was cursing himself and his next life for how dumb he is. There was no way Yeosang felt the same way. He was just a nice guy and wanted to be friends with Seonghwa. That was all they ever will be.
Two arms pulled Seonghwa into a tight hug, effectively getting him to stop rambling. The Blond's body shook as he buried his head in the space between Seonghwa’s neck and shoulder. The older man sat there frozen, arms hovering in the air by Yeosang’s sides.
“Yeosang?”
“I never thought I would get to hear you say that.” Seonghwa snapped his previously gaping mouth shut; his head going blank.
“What?”
Yeosang clung onto Seonghwa’s sweater tighter, taking a shaky breath inward.
“You idiot,” Yeosang sniffed. He shoved his face further into Seonghwa’s neck. All the taller man could do was sit there frozen. “I’ve liked you for, like, forever, but I just– I didn’t know how to bring it up. Everything seemed so– so perfect, but– but it wasn’t because I didn’t have you.”
Emotions welled up in Seonghwa’s chest. He knew exactly how he felt. Seonghwa had finally gotten to a place in his life where he was living out his dreams. He was surrounded by loving friends and family, and Yeosang was, too. They both were living a life they always wanted. It was all Seonghwa could have ever asked for, all except for one thing; Yeosang.
This time, though, he did have Yeosang. He burst into tears, finally wrapping his arms around Yeosang and pulling him even closer to him. He ran a hand through Yeosang’s hair like he always wanted to, stroking it gently. It was so soft.
The two stayed like that for a while. The sun had set long before they pulled away, wiping away their tears.
Seonghwa grabbed one of Yeosang’s hands, rubbing his thumb across his knuckles. He took a deep breath, trying to steady his breathing. His hands were much warmer than his own. Yeosang’s other hand came to rest on top of Seonghwa’s, causing the other to look up, eyes locking.
“Do you want to have dinner with me? Like a date?” It took everything in him to finally ask the question that sat on his tongue for years. The Florist shot Yeosang a shy smile.
“Of course, I’d love to go out with you.”
They were both grinning like idiots in love, which they were.
On the drive home, Seonghwa gripped Yeosang’s hand like he wasn’t going to let it go ever again. He knew with Yeosang by his side, he could do anything and that wishes do come true.