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Everything dulls in comparison when the bell of the shop jingles, the glass door swinging open to welcome a woman into the shop’s premises.
She’s tall, her dark hair falling over her shoulders, half-up in a ponytail fastened with a pretty white bow. Her white floral sundress reaches just below her knees, white leggings underneath to protect her from the cold, and she has a cardigan and coat on, both matching the dress in a sage green colour. Her bright blue sneakers, though loud and terribly incongruous with the rest of her outfit, just highlights the woman’s charm all the more.
Her dark brown eyes meet Seungmin’s and the corners of her lips rise as a consequence. She’s beautiful, and she’s exactly the person Seungmin has been waiting for all week.
That sounds like an exaggeration, but if anyone needed any confirmation that it wasn’t, in fact, one, Jeongin would be happy to be of service. Just three hours ago, Seungmin had been victim to Jeongin’s nagging yet again. She swears Jeongin had to be an Asian mom in one of her previous lives. And she’d be a terrific one in this life, too.
“Dude, just ask her out. Seriously.”
“I can’t just ask her out, Jeongin. We’ve barely even talked.”
“So why are you yearning so hard? If you haven’t even talked.”
“We do talk, kind of, it’s just…”
“Just what? You’re a lesbian, and she’s a pretty girl who might be into girls, and you’re definitely into her, so just shoot your shot, damn it. It’s not so difficult.”
Not so difficult to Jeongin, that is. It’s easy for her to say, when she has never been, and isn’t looking to be in a relationship at all, preferring to just hook up with whoever took her fancy at any clubs she happened to stumble upon. She’s never been in this predicament.
The predicament in question:
Since mid-December, Seungmin’s flower shop has been graced weekly by the same woman. Every Sunday, Hyunjin walked into the shop, walked around, and didn’t buy anything, leaving only a warm, fleeting smile that made Seungmin want to collapse as she left.
And it would just be that, but as expected, Seungmin’s raging, hopeless, single lesbian heart wouldn’t let her act normal around any mildly attractive girl. Except, of course, Hyunjin wasn’t mildly attractive. She was probably the most stunning person Seungmin had ever seen in her life. She had the kind of face people used to go to war and kill for, in Seungmin’s most humble opinion.
The first time, she’d caught Seungmin’s attention instantly, the second time, Seungmin started to notice a pattern, and every time from then onwards, she started to earnestly watch out for the moment when Hyunjin would step into the shop.
She’d finally mustered up the courage to talk to Hyunjin, that is, have a real actual conversation, for the first time two weeks ago. Hyunjin had walked into the shop yet again, hands stuffed in her coat pockets, again clad in one of her sundresses (Seungmin started to suspect that her wardrobe was made up entirely of those dresses, Hyunjin seemingly not even taking into consideration the sub-zero temperatures outside right now.) As usual, Hyunjin browsed the various displays in the window, finger tracing the words Seungmin had written on the signs— the names of the flowers, and various details about different pre-made bouquets. Seungmin, finally unable to resist talking to the woman besides the habitual “hi” or “good afternoon”, starts the conversation.
“Hey. What’s your name?”
She’d turned to face Seungmin, eyes widened as if she’d been caught doing something she shouldn’t have. They’d stayed like that for a few seconds, and Seungmin could swear her knuckles had gone paper white from where her hands were gripping the table under the counter.
“Oh! Um- Hyunjin. Hwang Hyunjin.” Even her name was pretty— it suited her. Really well, actually.
“I’m Kim Seungmin.”
“Nice to meet you, Kim Seungmin-ssi. Do you… do you own this shop?”
“Kind of. I’m actually just one of its longer term employees, but the owner doesn’t come around often, and I’ve been working here for two years, so I’m kind of the stand-in owner…?”
“How… old are you?” Hyunjin had ventured.
“Twenty this year. Why?” Seungmin would be lying if she said her heart hadn’t started beating just the littlest bit faster at that question.
“Oh, no reason,” Hyunjin hummed. “Me too. It was nice getting to know you anyway, Seungmin-ssi.”
And that was all it had been for their first— and to this day, only, conversation. Which is why it’s not fair for Jeongin to flat-out say that they hadn’t talked at all, because that simply isn’t the truth. Seungmin knew her age, for god’s sake! That was something!
Anyway, at this current moment, Seungmin is faced with the more urgent challenge of not falling at Hyunjin’s feet and confessing her undying love for her right now.
Hyunjin’s eyes curve into crescents as she looks at Seungmin. “Hey.”
“H-hi.” Seungmin hears Jeongin snicker from where she’s sitting a foot away, pretending that she isn’t eavesdropping on their conversation. “Do you need help?”
Hyunjin giggles. “No. I don’t usually buy anything, remember?”
“R-right,” Seungmin stammers. “Yeah. Well, let me know if you need any help.”
“Yeah,” Jeongin adds. “She’ll be more than willing to help.”
Seungmin shoots the younger woman a glare, gritting her teeth. Hyunjin looks over, quirking an eyebrow amusedly. “I’m sure.” Her hands run through her dark hair, fixing her bow straight. “I’ll come to you if I need anything.”
She turns, and Seungmin spins toward Jeongin, fists balled up as she mimes punching the girl. Jeongin just laughs silently as Seungmin mouths a bunch of curse words, Hyunjin’s back still facing them throughout the entire silent exchange.
I’ll fucking kill you once she’s gone, Seungmin swears, kicking Jeongin in the shin as quietly as she could manage.
Jeongin shrugs, putting her hands in the air innocently. Seungmin wants to slap her, but she’s interrupted as Hyunjin’s voice breaks up her internal dialogue.
“Are these fresh?” She points to the red chrysanthemums arranged neatly in a basket at the side of the shop. Her other hand fiddles with the hem of her skirt as she tilts her head.
“Uh, yes, sort of. Kind of, um, depends on what your idea of fresh is. These came in three days ago.” God damn it, Seungmin, if you would just stop stumbling over your words. It’s not like she’s never talked to a girl before!
Hyunjin hums. “Could I get one of these?” She reaches over, fingers lightly brushing the petals of a chrysanthemum.
“Yeah, they’re 5000 won for a single stalk.”
“Sure…” Hyunjin’s hands hover over the stalks, flitting from one stalk to another as she tries to pick one. They’re all identical to Seungmin, but she supposes Hyunjin knows her stuff if she’s taking so long to choose one stalk. She wonders, briefly, who Hyunjin may be getting it for. The thought of Hyunjin having a partner crosses her mind, and she feels a pang in her chest, which is really kind of stupid. She mentally berates herself for it. Hyunjin may also be getting it for a family member, or a friend, or maybe even just for herself. She seems like the type to get flowers to display in her home.
Jeongin coughs. “Seungmin-unnie can help you pick a flower.” She gestures to Seungmin as Hyunjin turns to face them. “She knows her stuff. She’ll pick the best one for you.”
Seungmin furrows her eyebrows, squinting at Jeongin. The girl knew damn well Seungmin didn’t know anything about flowers at all, and she wouldn’t be able to tell you the name of a flower if you held a gun to her head. Despite working in this shop for two years and being surrounded by flowers daily, she really could care less about the flowers themselves.
“Would you?” Hyunjin asks hopefully, and Seungmin swears her eyes light up. Truly, it didn’t matter what the context was, if Hyunjin asked her this way, she would quite literally jump off a cliff if that was what the woman wished.
Under the counter, Jeongin jabs her thumb toward Hyunjin, laughing casually. “Unnie, go help our customer pick a flower.”
“Oh, uh,” Seungmin manages, scrambling out from behind the counter. “Okay.” She makes her way to the chrysanthemums, their red petals boldly and loudly calling Seungmin a fraud as she inspects them, fully acting as if she knew two shits about red chrysanthemums. Hyunjin stands behind her, gazing over her shoulder, and Seungmin thinks her heart may burst out of her chest from beating so hard. Finally, she pulls out a stalk, holding it to her face as if inspecting it closer before handing it to Hyunjin. “Here.”
Hyunjin reaches out to take the flower, her hand grazing Seungmin’s. For that split second, they’re holding the flower together, and Seungmin thinks she may need to get Jeongin to call an ambulance immediately . Then the moment’s over, and Seungmin retracts her hand, letting it fall to her side, fingertips still tingling.
“I guess you really do know your stuff.” Hyunjin grins, and it may be the single most arresting thing Seungmin has ever seen. “Thanks.” Hyunjin pulls her card out, heading toward the counter where Jeongin is already ready to receive her payment. She offers the younger woman a small smile before tapping her card and turning to face Seungmin.
“See you again, Seungmin-ssi,” she says, using the flower stalk to wave. Seungmin forces herself to wave back; the smile on her face is probably the stiffest Hyunjin has ever seen. “And you,” Hyunjin adds, smiling at Jeongin. “Bye.” Then she’s gone, and Seungmin’s still rooted to the spot.
There’s a beat of silence, then—
“Dude, she’s so into you.”
“What?!” Seungmin spins around to meet Jeongin’s singular raised eyebrow and knowing smirk. “What do you mean?”
“Are you serious?” Jeongin scoffs incredulously. “Literally look at her.” As if that’s not what Seungmin has been doing. “She’s so into you. She wants to ask you out so bad.”
“Don’t be dumb,” Seungmin retorts, rolling her eyes. “You’re just assuming. I don’t even know if she’s into girls.”
Jeongin sighs loudly. “I don’t know about girls, but she’s definitely into you.”
Seungmin can’t lie and say Jeongin isn’t getting her hopes up, but she knows to be practical and not let her delusions get the better of her. “She bought a flower. It’s probably for some partner she has.”
Jeongin groans. “Are you that dense? She just wanted to talk to you.” She rolls her eyes, putting her earbuds back in. “Goddamn, I guess this is why you’ve never been in a relationship,” she mumbles.
Seungmin gives her a stinkeye. As if Yang Jeongin of all people had any right to tell her that. Neither of them have been in a proper relationship anyway.
Still, she can’t help but hope that Hyunjin would turn back and walk right into the shop again. If she does, Seungmin will ask her out. Right now. She presses her lips together as a beat passes, and there’s not the littles bit of motion outside the shop. She sighs. Well. It’s not like she would have the balls to actually follow through on that if Hyunjin actually decided to come back in. Seungmin was doomed to the fate of having to watch her gorgeous crush walk in through the door only weekly and suffer from the inability to hold a conversation past three words. Well, if this is what she’s made for, she’s happy, at least, that Hyunjin’s presence could grace the shop even just for a few minutes, and by the time next Sunday arrived, Seungmin would be able to see her again!
—
Hyunjin doesn’t come on Sunday.
Instead, she chose to make an appearance three days later when Seungmin’s laying her head on the table, scrolling her socials without a care in the world. She hadn’t been expecting customers at all; it’s a Wednesday afternoon, she’d just opened up an hour ago, and who in their right mind would be visiting a flower shop at two in the afternoon?
Hyunjin, apparently.
The bell jingles, and Seungmin mumbles a “welcome, good afternoon”, eyes flicking briefly to register the person at the door before she looks back to her phone. Only when her brain finally catches up does she jolt up in her seat, her phone clattering on the counter as she meets Hyunjin’s eyes, her eyes wide. “H-Hyunjin-ssi!”
The girl is dressed in a maxi skirt and crocheted cardigans this time, clearly having worn more layers today. In lieu of her little handbag, she has a messenger bag today, slung across her body and decorated with various colourful pins. Hyunjin exhales into her bare hands, rubbing them together as she offers Seungmin a smile. “Hi.”
“W-what are you doing here?”
Hyunjin shrugs. “I just finished class, thought I’d stop by. Just to pay a visit. And, um—” she clears her throat. “To… see if there are any new flowers.”
Seungmin doesn’t tell her that they only get fresh flower deliveries once a week. “Right. Okay. You could, uh, take a look, then.”
Hyunjin wraps her arms around herself, inspecting the flowers at the entrance as she slowly makes her way around the shop. Seungmin is acutely aware of every step she takes, her eyes refusing to leave the woman for even a second. “So…”
“Hm?” Seungmin interrupts all too quickly, and she swears internally. “Yes?”
“Are you working alone today?”
“Huh? Uh, yes.” She gestures around herself. “Usually Jeongin — you know Jeongin, from the other day — usually Jeongin is here on the weekends. But she focuses fully on uni on weekdays.”
“Ah…” Hyunjin trails off. “And you?” Her fingers brush over the signs next to the flowers.
“Me?”
“Aren’t you in uni, too?”
“Me? Uh, yes. Yeah, I am. I take morning classes only.” Hyunjin’s attention drifts from the flowers back to Seungmin, her hand dropping back to her side. Seungmin isn’t so sure why Hyunjin’s asking her all this, but hey, she’s holding a conversation with the pretty girl! If only Jeongin was here to see this.
“What major?” Hyunjin makes her way to the other side of the shop, eyeing the rows of flowers.
“Uh, econ. You?”
“Early childhood education.” She moves her hair out of her face as she leans down to sniff one of the flowers. Seungmin is suddenly plagued with visuals of Hyunjin surrounded by little children climbing over her, and she thinks she may truly be in love.
“That- that’s cool. You wanna be a preschool teacher?”
Hyunjin nods. “I love kids. But I’ll never be able to have a kid myself,” she says pointedly, and Seungmin’s eyes widen. Was she infertile? “So I went into early childhood,” Hyunjin continues. “It’s been my dream since freshman year.”
Seungmin smiles. “That’s really cute.” Hyunjin turns to fix her with a look, and Seungmin suddenly realises what she’d said. Her face heats up, and she swears she turns three shades redder. “Um, like, what you- uh- what you do. I think it’s, um, admirable. I- I like kids too,” she says, desperately trying to save herself.
“You do?” Hyunjin asks, her smile reaching her eyes as they scrunch up into those adorable crescent shapes.
“Y-yeah. I, um, I have three cousins aged three to seven. They would love you.” Oh my god. Oh my god, Kim Seungmin, stop talking. Stop fucking talking right now. She snaps her mouth shut, starting to consider the most practical way to disappear from Hyunjin’s sight right now.
“I’m sure I’d love them too,” Hyunjin says, giggling as she picks out a white flower. Seungmin squints at the sign next to the basket from which Hyunjin had chosen the flower.
“Gardenia? That’s a nice choice,” she says, mostly trying to change the subject. “That’s 5000 won per stalk.”
“Sure.” Hyunjin walks up to the counter and hands Seungmin the flower. Seungmin raises her eyebrows, squinting. “5000 won?”
“Oh!” Hyunjin laughs, dragging her hand down her face. Seungmin could drown in that sound and die happy. She watches as Hyunjin fishes out her wallet. “I forgot for one second. That you don’t have to, you know, scan it. Like the barcode… anyway.” She taps her card. “I’ll see you soon,” she says, waving. Seungmin can only nod feebly, raising a weak hand to bid the woman goodbye as she leaves.
Later that week, Seungmin is sure to relay every detail to Jeongin when the younger woman clocks in for work. And, as usual, Jeongin is sure to groan and roll her eyes at every word that leaves Seungmin’s mouth, dragging her hand down her face.
“She’s not fucking infertile, you absolute dumbass. She’s a lesbian.”
“What?”
“She’s a lesbian. A woman-liker. A lesbian who was hitting on you.” Jeongin massages the spot between her eyes. “Seriously, you need to get it together. You wouldn’t realise a woman hitting on you if she pressed her lips on yours and started making out with you.”
“She’s not—” Seungmin hesitates. “You know, you need to stop assuming sexualities.”
Jeongin clenches her jaw, grabbing Seungmin by the shoulders and shaking her. “Unnie. Use your brain. She can’t have kids because she’s a lesbian, not because she’s infertile. Seriously,” she says, running her hand through her hair. “Even I can tell.”
“She may not be!” Seungmin protests. “And lesbians can still adopt or… I don’t know… IVF.”
Jeongin splutters. “Infertile people can also adopt! Or do IVF! What the hell!”
“Why are you arguing with me about infertility?!” Seungmin protests.
“I’m not?! I’m arguing with you about your complete lack of brain cells!”
“You’re just trying to get my hopes up,” Seungmin retorts, turning away. “And I’m not falling for it.”
“Right. Because she’d come in every week and engage in conversation with you because she just has nothing better to do.” Jeongin stares incredulously. “Who finishes class and thinks, hey, I should visit that flower shop nearby?”
“Hyunjin does, apparently.”
“Yeah, and while she’s visiting the flower shop for no other reason than to look at the flowers—”
“No, she buys them too.”
“—right, and obviously she just buys them to talk to you, but you’re too dense to realise or acknowledge that. So she visits the flower shop for no other reason, but she might as well try and get to know everything about the shop’s employee? And practically reveal everything about herself while she’s at it?” Jeongin shakes her head. “Unnie, with every passing day I understand even more why you’re single.”
“That’s rude. I’m older than you.”
“And dumber. I’m done talking to you. Open your eyes.”
“Open your eyes,” Seungmin mocks, turning away and slumping against her chair. She can’t help but think about it, anyway. Could Hyunjin really be a lesbian? She certainly looks like she could pull girls (Seungmin), but at the same time it’s totally easy to imagine her with a boyfriend. She’s pretty and dresses well, the weakness of every Korean man, but other than that, she had a magical aura about her that made it seem like love followed her everywhere. She was kind, sweet, and Seungmin didn’t know much about her life, but she could make her day with just her presence in a five metre radius. She didn’t know Hyunjin’s favourite colour, but she’d be happy to listen to her voice for the rest of her life. Call her dramatic.
—
They roll out their Valentine’s Day promotion the day after. The shop didn’t typically get customers on their usual days, but nearing Valentine’s season, there’d be a surge of people rushing to the store to buy huge bouquets of flowers for their significant other. Honestly, it was so superficial. If Seungmin was in a relationship, she’d buy flowers for her girlfriend every week. Not that it’d be difficult, given where she works, but that’s just another perk of this part time job. That may be why she finds it superficial, but it could also be that she’s jealous. Whatever.
Anyway, for this reason, she hates coming to work during Valentine’s season. It was worse when they came in together, practically glued to each other as they browsed the displays, giggling the whole time. Seungmin’s just salty.
Jeongin, somehow, is never affected by it, or if she was, she did a pretty good job at hiding it. She just loved poking fun at Seungmin’s expression every time they’re visited by a lovesick couple coming to buy one of their special bouquets.
“Seriously,” Seungmin laments as their latest customer leaves the store. The girl hadn’t only bought their most expensive bouquet, she’d also asked for a piece of paper and a pen to write a note to her boyfriend in front of Seungmin. Seungmin had had to force the smile on her face while she watched the girl write ‘To my dearest Juyeon, happy Valentine’s day! I love you forever and ever.’ As if Seungmin didn’t already have enough to deal with, what with the girl she’d been yearning for not making a trip down to visit her— um, to visit the flower shop— in five days. “Couldn’t she have written that note at home?”
“Yeah, because I’m sure she did it just to spite you,” Jeongin says sarcastically. She’d dropped in to join Seungmin during her shift since she didn’t have classes today.
“I don’t care,” Seungmin mumbles, slumping in her chair. “I think we should scrap this promotion and close down the shop.”
“And you’re working minimum wage, but I’m sure you have a say in that.”
“I’m quitting this job.”
“Be my guest,” Jeongin says, tapping her fingers on the table. “Then you’ll never see Hyunjin again.”
Seungmin drops her forehead onto the counter. “You’re right. I’m doomed to be single and lonely forever.”
Jeongin sighs, staring at her in faux sadness. “It must be so hard for you.”
“Mm, you’re right.”
The bell jingles, but Seungmin couldn’t care less, not even bothering to take her head off the counter. Whoever it was this time, here to buy a bouquet and torture Seungmin in the process, wasn’t worth her time.
“Ah, welcome,” she hears Jeongin say next to her. “Good afternoon, Hyunjin-ssi.”
Hyunjin?!
She jolts up faster than her brain processes, and she swears she hears her back crack. Wincing as she makes eye contact with the woman standing in the doorway, she thinks she could dig a hole here and bury herself alive.
“Hey, Seungmin-ssi.” Hyunjin’s eyes crinkle amusedly as she stares right at Seungmin.
“H-hey, Hyunjin,” she stammers. “What are you doing here?”
Hyunjin furrows her eyebrows. “I thought I’d, you know, pay a visit. And I didn’t manage to come on Sunday, sorry about that.” She hesitates, then laughs. “I mean, not that you’d miss me or anything, but—”
“N-no, no, we did!”
Jeongin exhales quickly and loudly from her mouth, raising her eyebrows and nodding slowly. Hyunjin looks between the both of them, squinting. Seungmin presses her lips together, looking away for just a second before regaining her composure and looking back at Hyunjin. “Are you looking for one of our Valentine’s bouquets?”
“Huh? Oh, uh, no.” Hyunjin laughs, putting both hands on her chest. “Nope, not me. I just thought I’d take a look around. Since I didn’t come yesterday. I had something going on. Sorry.”
“Oh, it’s no problem at all. Not that we don’t want you here, it’s just— of course we want you here, but—” God, stop talking ohmygod shut up. With every word out her mouth, Hyunjin looks even more confused. Jeongin puts her hand on Seungmin’s shoulder, miming a mouth zipping motion.
“Sorry. She’s not well.” Jeongin laughs loudly, gesturing around the shop. “Feel free to take a look around.”
“Okay…” Hyunjin turns, browsing the flower displays. Seungmin exhales as Jeongin folds her arms and stares at her with a look that just screams ‘what the fuck is wrong with you’. Hell, even Seungmin didn’t know what the fuck was wrong with her! It’s like her brain to mouth filter was frozen and rendered unusable.
“Can you be cooler about it?” Jeongin hisses as quietly as possible when Hyunjin makes her way to the other side of the shop. “You’re acting like a virgin who’s never flirted with a girl before.”
“I am a virgin who’s never flirted with a girl before.”
“Right,” Jeongin breathes. “Sorry. Slipped my mind.”
“Jeonginnie…” Seungmin whines. “I’m done for. She thinks I’m an absolute lunatic.”
“Which would be pretty reasonable, but no. She’s still very much into you.”
“Yeah, right.” She turns, eyes following Hyunjin as the woman walks around the store. She doesn’t know if it’s the ‘single during Valentine’s’ effect getting to her brain, or if she’s just yearning, but Hyunjin looks especially beautiful today. Seungmin watches as she rubs her hands together and puts them in her pocket, and she wishes briefly that she could be the one to warm her instead.
Then Hyunjin turns and makes direct eye contact with her, and she nearly jumps out of her seat. Jeongin facepalms again, slowly dragging her hand down the side of her face. “S-sorry. Zoned out.”
The corners of Hyunjin’s lips turn up as she shakes her head. “It’s all good.” She points to the basket of purple flowers next to her. “Violets?”
“Huh?” Seungmin squints. “Oh, yeah. We got them in yesterday.”
Hyunjin smiles, picking one from the basket and bringing it to the counter. “They’re beautiful.”
“Uh-huh.” Seungmin’s eyes won’t leave Hyunjin’s face as she feels herself heat up. “They are.” Jeongin steps on her foot, and she swallows quickly. “5000 won.”
“Oookay,” Hyunjin says, rummaging around in her tote for her wallet. She takes her card out, tapping it and putting her wallet back into her bag as she examines the flower. “I love violets,” she says, her eyes flitting toward Seungmin.
“R-right. So do I.”
“You do?” Hyunjin perks up. “Why?”
“Uh- um,” Seungmin panics. “I like purple…?”
“Oh!” Hyunjin laughs. “A woman after my own heart.” She holds the flower between her and Seungmin, and Seungmin can quite literally hear her own heartbeat. “It’s beautiful.” Then she brings the flower back to her chest and waves. “I’ll see you again.”
Before Seungmin can even respond, the bell jingles and Hyunjin’s out of sight.
“Seriously?” Seungmin hears after a beat. She turns to see Jeongin’s deadpan expression. The younger girl folds her arms, shaking her head in disbelief.
“What?”
“That one was way too obvious. She was hitting on you. I mean, violets? Really? Could she be any less discreet?”
“What about violets?” Seungmin frowns.
“What about vi—” Jeongin’s mouth falls open. “What about violets?” At Seungmin’s confused expression, she groans. “As a lesbian, you don’t know what violets symbolise?”
“What the fuck do violets have to do with me wanting to kiss a girl?”
“Maybe the fact that Hyunjin was clearly trying to give you a sign? Like how sapphic women historically gave other sapphic women violets to hit on them?” She huffs. “Look it up.”
“I don’t think women historically used to ‘hit on’ each other,” Seungmin says, waving her fingers in the air in quotation marks.
“That’s like, totally besides the point. Hyunjin was trying to be poetic in asking you out, and you told her you like purple? Really? Do you even like purple?”
“Well, ye- I mean, sure! I could!” Seungmin splutters. “It’s a nice colour!”
“You literally blew your chance! You should have just asked her straight up right then, you know, ‘are you into girls?’”
“It was a coincidence!” Seungmin protests. “You can’t assume that that was her intention!”
“You can’t assume anything at all, can you, unnie?” Jeongin asks, frustrated. “The next time Hyunjin comes in here, I’m telling her for you.”
“Don’t you dare, Yang Jeongin,” Seungmin warns.
“I totally would,” Jeongin singsongs, ducking as Seungmin throws a light punch at her.
“Yang Jeongin!” She lunges at the younger woman, wrestling her in her seat as Jeongin kicks her, squealing. until a customer walks in, and they rush to scramble off each other.
—
Valentine’s day itself rolls around next Sunday, and Seungmin is both dreading the work day and also kind of excited to get it over and done with. After today, there would be no more insufferable couples patronising the shop and she’d have her peace back.
“You’re really just salty,” Jeongin remarks. “And single.” She’d met the younger girl earlier so they could open the shop up together, but now she was really regretting that decision.
“I am,” Seungmin says. “I never said I wasn’t.” She stuffs her hands in her pockets, kicking a plastic bottle out of the way as she walks ahead of Jeongin.
“You wouldn’t have to be if you just asked Hyunjin out.”
Seungmin ignores her, sighing as she turns the corner, key in hand. “No, but—” she starts, before stopping dead in her tracks.
Coming from the other side of the street is Hyunjin, walking right in their direction. “Oh my god,” she whispers, panicking. “Jeongin-ah.”
It’s as if Hyunjin hears her, looking up and making eye contact with her from about ten metres away. To Seungmin’s horror, Hyunjin’s face splits into a grin and doubles her walking speed, all while Seungmin’s own feet are still rooted to the ground.
“Dude. Act natural,” Jeongin instructs from the corner of her mouth as Hyunjin nears. Seungmin feels the keys digging into her palm. “Uh-huh.”
“Hey!!” Jeongin exclaims as Hyunjin comes to a stop in front of them. “What brings you here this early?”
“Oh, I didn’t have much to do today, so I decided to pop by,” Hyunjin replies, looking right at Seungmin. “Usually I babysit these kids until one thirty, but their parents are bringing them out today, so… well, I digress. I didn’t know you guys only opened at one in the afternoon.” She runs her hand through her hair sheepishly. “Sorry.”
Jeongin discreetly flicks Seungmin’s lower back, jolting her out of her trance. “Oh! Uh, no, it’s no problem. We’re just opening up now. You could- you could come in,” she rushes out.
“Yeah.” Jeongin shoves Seungmin toward the door. “Open it, unnie.”
Seungmin stumbles toward the door, nearly tripping over herself as she steadies herself by grabbing onto the door handle, slotting the key in and unlocking the door. She opens it, and Jeongin rushes in, flicking the main lights on. Seungmin looks expectantly at Hyunjin, who hasn’t moved from her position outside the shop.
“Hey, I’m so sorry. I don’t wanna impose. I could wait out here, seriously.”
“No! I—” Seungmin waves her hands. “It’s really no big deal. You can come in. We take about thirty seconds tops to open up the shop.” She gestures to Jeongin, who rushes to the back and switches on the rest of the lights and the air conditioner. “See! You can come in now.”
Hyunjin hesitantly steps in, but breaks into a smile when Seungmin waves her in. “Okay. Thanks,” she says, leaning in to Seungmin. Seungmin catches a whiff of her perfume, something floral and fruity at the same time, and she feels herself stiffen. How has she never noticed Hyunjin’s perfume?
Hyunjin’s also dressed nicer today— not that she didn’t dress nicely every single time Seungmin saw her, but today, her dress was much fancier, corset cinching her waist in. Pink flowers dotted the dress and the hem flared around Hyunjin’s ankles. She was truly such a sight.
It feels like some cruel trick of fate. Hyunjin shows up in front of her on Valentine’s day itself just as Seungmin’s busy complaining to Jeongin about how she’ll never be able to pull her, and she shows up looking more gorgeous than ever before, reinforcing the fact that Seungmin will never compare.
A thought suddenly floats to the front of her mind. What if Hyunjin was here to get flowers for someone she was meeting later? And if that was the reason she’d dressed up… Seungmin couldn’t even bear to stomach that thought.
“W-what do you wanna get today?”
Hyunjin squints at her, seemingly staring through her eyes into her soul. “Actually…” she exhales, her breath smelling like mints, and Seungmin is suddenly aware again of how close they are. She feels herself heat up again. “Are you guys still selling those bouquets? The Valentine’s ones?”
Seungmin feels her heart sink to her stomach. “Uh- um, yes. Here…” she directs Hyunjin to walk with her to the counter, bringing out a laminated piece of paper. “We have five types of pre-made bouquets, then we have the custom one. You could take a look.”
Hyunjin barely skims the paper before looking back up at Seungmin. “Which one do you recommend?”
“Huh? I—” Seungmin hesitates, her throat closing up. Why was Hyunjin doing this to her? “I’m not so sure. I think they’re all really nice.”
“Hmm…” Hyunjin scans the page again, then tilts her head. “Well, if I were to make a custom, which flowers would you recommend?”
Seungmin swallows. “Um, well, you can choose five different types. The person you’re- you’re giving this to, what flowers do they like?”
Hyunjin presses her lips together, shrugging. “I’m actually not so sure.” She looks around the shop at the various flower displays. “What’re your favourite flowers?”
“I- I don’t know,” Seungmin says. She sees Jeongin put her face in her hands next to her.
Hyunjin’s dark brown eyes look right in hers, and Seungmin is struck again by how beautiful they are. “Not even one?”
Seungmin swallows. She wants to scream at Hyunjin, grab her by the shoulders and tell her to stop playing with her heart. She wants nothing more than to be able to tell Hyunjin her feelings right now, and not have to face the pain of yearning or rejection anymore. Instead, she glances at Jeongin out of the side of her eye, and opens her mouth hesitantly.
“Violets?”
Hyunjin’s smile touches her eyes, and Seungmin wants to melt into a puddle. “That’s beautiful. Well, I’ll take a purple bouquet, then.” She reaches for and flips through their catalogue at the side of the counter. She stops at the page detailing the purple flowers, and points them out to Jeongin, who’s already ready with a notepad. “This one, this, this, this… and violets.”
“O-kay,” Jeongin says, tapping the notepad with her pencil. “We’ll be right back,” she says, dragging Seungmin with her to the back of the store out of Hyunjin’s sight.
When they’re out of earshot, Jeongin tightens her hold on Seungmin’s wrist. “Unnie, I’m willing to bet good money that bouquet is for you.”
“No,” Seungmin says miserably. “She’s been taken this whole time.”
Jeongin huffs, taking bunches of the purple flowers from where they’re stored. “No, I’m serious. I don’t think she is.”
“Shut up, Jeongin. You’re just getting my hopes up again.”
“Fine,” Jeongin says. “Don’t believe me.” She arranges the flowers in the brown paper, a purple bouquet as Hyunjin had requested, and wraps them together. Seungmin has to admit, it looks beautiful. Even if Hyunjin’s going to take it and give it to someone who isn’t Seungmin, and Seungmin will have to suffer the pain of being practically rejected on Valentine’s day. Just when she thought the season couldn’t get any worse.
She hands the bouquet to Seungmin, as if Seungmin needed salt added to her wound by being the one to give Hyunjin the bouquet. They emerge into the shop again, where Hyunjin’s waiting patiently, tapping her fingers on the counter. At the sight of the bouquet, her face splits into a radiant smile.
Seungmin forces one onto her face too, grimacing inwardly as she walks up to the counter and presents the bouquet to Hyunjin.
“Beautiful,” Hyunjin murmurs, eyes flitting from the bouquet to Seungmin’s face.
“Oh, yeah, these are all fresh. And Jeongin’s really good at arranging.” The younger woman tilts her head in acknowledgment.
“Hm?” Hyunjin hums distractedly. “Uh, yeah. The, um, the flowers.”
Seungmin nods. “Yeah. I don’t know where our boss gets them from, but they always stay fresh for really long, so I guess it’s somewhere good.”
Hyunjin absentmindedly digs around in her handbag for her wallet, taking her card out. “How much?”
“50,000 won.” Hyunjin nods, and Seungmin rings her up.
“Who’s it for?” Jeongin asks, winking. Seungmin wants to punch her.
“Huh? I…” Hyunjin’s eyes flit from Seungmin to Jeongin and back again. “No- no one. I, um, I’m just getting it to display in my home. I’m… not in a relationship.”
“You’re not?” Seungmin asks, all too quickly.
Hyunjin looks right at her, and Seungmin shrinks back into herself. Hyunjin had the kind of eyes that made it seem like she knew everything about you with just one glance.
“I’m not. Are you?”
“Huh?” Seungmin’s eyes nearly pop out of her sockets. “N- no, I’m not.”
“Ah.”
When Hyunjin puts her wallet back, Seungmin hands her the bouquet, bracing herself. Yet Hyunjin makes no move to take it. Seungmin tilts her head confusedly, causing Hyunjin to sigh and take the bouquet.
There’s silence for a while as Hyunjin inspects the bouquet, fingers lightly hovering over the top of the flowers. Seungmin bites the inside of her cheek when Hyunjin finally turns to face them again.
“Okay, I’m going to say it,” Hyunjin declares suddenly, voice firm as she straightens her back. “You’re beautiful, and I’ve been coming in here mainly for you. The flowers, they’re pretty and all, but I’d prefer looking at you. And I’m, well, I’m very much into girls, romantically or otherwise, so you can trust my word,” she rushes out in one breath.
“What…?” Seungmin thinks she’s going to pass out. It all happens too fast for her to process anything, but then Hyunjin’s presenting her the bouquet, pushing in her chest.
“And,” Hyunjin adds quickly, “You’re totally my type, and I’ve spent the last few weeks trying to drop hints, but you’re very clueless, so this is me telling you.” She catches her breath, then opens her mouth as if to continue before closing it again. “Yeah.”
“Wow,” Jeongin exhales from a foot away, reminding both of them about her presence.
“Drop… hints?” Seungmin breathes out, her throat feeling really constricted all of a sudden.
“Yeah. I bought those flowers, you know, because I figured you’d maybe be the type to know flower language, since you work here and all, but it didn’t work, I guess,” she finishes, exhaling, her face turning redder by the second as Jeongin snorts out a laugh from the side.
“Just- just because I work here doesn’t mean I know anything about- about flower language… Hyunjin.” She reaches out and takes the bouquet gingerly, her fingers brushing against Hyunjin’s slender ones as they hold the bouquet, and she’s briefly reminded of the first time Hyunjin had bought a flower from the shop. There’s just no way this was happening.
Hyunjin lets go, pushing the bouquet towards Seungmin more. Her cheeks are pink, the blush spreading over her entire face as she looks askance.
“I—” Seungmin swallows twice. “I- I think you’re- really pretty too.” Hyunjin makes eye contact with her, eyes softening, and Seungmin opens her mouth again. “I- I mean you’re really beautiful, and, um, I’m into girls too, I mean you- I mean! I, uh, I appreciate this bouquet.”
Hyunjin giggles, taking a small step away from the counter. “I’m glad you like it. I really… I think you’re gorgeous.” When Seungmin doesn’t do anything other than take a deep breath and nod slowly, Hyunjin grins and raises a hand. “Well, I’ll see you again?”
Then she turns, walking out of the shop, and Seungmin doesn’t even get to stop her before she’s gone.
“Are you serious!” Jeongin yells. “Go after her!” She jabs Seungmin in the middle, chasing her out of the shop. “What the fuck!”
Seungmin barely processes what’s happening as the bell jingles overhead and she steps out onto the pavement, the bouquet hanging loosely at her side as she sees the brunette in the distance. Without thinking, she starts running, closing the distance between them. “Wait!” She reaches out with her free hand, just as Hyunjin spins around to face her.
Her beautiful, beautiful eyes meet Seungmin’s, and Seungmin thinks she could die happily right here, drowning in Hyunjin’s gaze. Her hand trembles slightly poised in mid-air as Hyunjin inches just the tiniest bit closer, and Seungmin thinks— well, she hopes— that that’s a twinkle of anticipation that she sees in the woman’s eyes. She pauses, swallowing, her mouth forming words that don’t leave as Hyunjin just waits.
“I— I was thinking. Um. Well, if you’d like, I- I could, uh, see you again? For a- well, I mean, for dinner. Or lunch. Uh, I mean a date- I mean a meal. Just uh, to- to hang out. Sometime. If you- if you’d like.”
Hyunjin laughs, hand combing through the edges of her long hair, little crescent moons forming as her eyes. She reaches out, her hand grabbing Seungmin’s from where it was still suspended mid-air, pushing it back to her side. She opens her handbag, producing a pen. “Could you hold the bouquet out for me?”
Seungmin fumbles, handing Hyunjin the bouquet. The woman tilts it gently, holding the brown paper in her hand.
Clicking the pen, Hyunjin quickly writes something on the bouquet before tilting it upright again and pushing it back to Seungmin. She raises her hand in a call me gesture as she winks, gently tossing her hair over her shoulder and walking away, still facing Seungmin the whole time.
Seungmin glances down at what Hyunjin had written on the piece of paper.
Call me. Or text. I don’t mind. 325-4419. ♡
“I- I will!” She calls after Hyunjin. The woman just laughs, blowing a kiss as she crosses the road, hair blowing in the wind as she stuffs her hands in her coat pockets.
“You’re such a massive idiot,” Jeongin says, running up behind Seungmin. “You finally got to talk to your crush and that’s how you handle—”
Seungmin tunes her out, eyes fixed on the number on the bouquet. Fuck whatever Jeongin thought, and fuck the fact that she’s really just a useless lesbian with an inability to communicate with pretty girls. This useless lesbian just got a pretty girl’s number! Ha! Suck on that, Jeongin!
—
[14 February 2024 21:46pm]
You: Is this Hyunjin?
You: I’m Seungmin, from the flower shop.
—
[14 February 2024 21:47pm]
Hyunjin: hey! yeah, it’s hyunjin 🩷
Hyunjin: so about that date you were talking about…? ;)