Chapter Text
Akutagawa Ryūnosuke is a twenty-year-old man whose life revolves around his bookstore and library.
He’s quiet by nature. As the owner of a place like that, he works in silence, undisturbed by others, since the absence of noise is essential in libraries.
On the other hand… Atsushi Nakajima, an eighteen-year-old who had just moved out on his own, was convinced he could survive more than a week as a florist.
His father always told him it would be better to stay home first, earn some money, and only then leave. But Atsushi only wanted to become independent and own the flower shop he had always dreamed of.
And he did, of course… by spending all of his savings on it. Money was tight because of the investment he had to make. He didn’t want to ask his father, Fukuzawa, for help, so he had to wait for a few sales just to afford food.
…
On an ordinary Tuesday, a customer walked into Atsushi’s flower shop. The albino was calmly trimming the thorns off some roses that had been ordered; his bangs held back with small clips so they wouldn’t fall into his face.
“Hello…” the customer said simply.
The florist didn’t look up, still focused on the thorns. “Good morning!” he replied with a bright smile, even as he kept working on the roses.
The customer began walking around the shop, observing the different species and colors on display. “They’re beautiful.”
Atsushi finally looked up with a small tired sigh and saw him—a man only slightly taller than himself, jet-black hair with white tips, dressed entirely in black—the complete opposite of him.
“Yes, flowers are beautiful. Are you looking for anything in particular?” he asked while arranging the roses into a bouquet.
The man shook his head. “No… I don’t know much about flowers.”
The florist let out a soft laugh as he tied a red ribbon around the bouquet. “That’s normal, don’t worry. What’s the occasion? Who are they for?”
The dark-haired man kept looking at the flowers, his expression serious but curious. “They’re for me.”
“Don’t you have a favorite flower? That’s kind of strange, Akutagawa-kun~”
Atsushi blinked at him, puzzled. “Oh? For you?” He paused to think. “Then choose one you like, and I can tell you its meaning.”
Dazai-san told me it’s strange not to have a favorite flower…
“I like that one,” the customer said, pointing at a specific plant.
The albino glanced at it and laughed internally.
Of course. Dark flowers…
“Those are called black dahlias. They symbolize mystery, intense elegance, and a deep beauty that commands respect,” the florist explained in a friendly tone.
“I like them. Can I buy some?” he asked, stepping closer to look at them more carefully.
Atsushi smiled and nodded, moving beside him. “What kind of bouquet would you like?”
The dark-haired man shook his head and pointed at the potted ones. “I want them like that. In that container.”
The albino chuckled and picked up a potted black dahlia. “So you want to keep them long-term?”
“Yes. I want them to last…” the customer replied, watching him prepare the plant.
“What name should I put it under?” the florist asked while calculating the total.
The man took out his wallet. “Akutagawa Ryūnosuke.”
A soft smile formed on Atsushi’s lips. “Alright, that’ll be 1,700 yen.”
Akutagawa handed him the money and left the flower shop with an almost imperceptible smile at finally having a favorite flower.
When he arrived at his bookstore, he placed the pot on his desk and added a bit of water.
Meanwhile, the albino remained in his shop, staring at the flowers while the image of his customer lingered in his mind.
Akutagawa Ryūnosuke…
He felt oddly distracted. The guy was handsome, sure—but was it really that serious?
. . .
The next morning, Atsushi headed to a well-known bookstore and library in Yokohama to buy a couple of plant books he had been wanting for a while. Before opening his shop, he decided to stop by.
“Good morning…” As soon as he walked in, he froze.
The owner was yesterday’s customer—the very same one he had been thinking about for far too long.
Akutagawa was watering the flowers he had bought the day before. He looked up and met the florist’s gaze. “Good morning…”
Atsushi smiled and walked toward the educational section, browsing for a while until he found what he needed: Plant Behaviors and Flowers of the World.
“I’d like to buy these,” he said, showing the books to Akutagawa with a gentle smile.
The librarian looked at the titles and nodded. “Each one is 920 yen.”
Atsushi nodded and pulled out his wallet, counting the total.
“What name should I put it under?” the seller asked, remembering that the florist had asked him the exact same question the day before.
“Atsushi Nakajima…” he replied, handing over the money.
Akutagawa took it, their fingers brushing lightly. Both immediately pulled their hands back and looked away—one at his books, the other at the register.
“See you… have a good day,” Atsushi said, holding the books against his chest as he turned to leave.
“You too, Atsushi-kun…”
He stepped outside and let out a quiet sigh as he began walking back to his flower shop.
On the way, he received a call. It was his father, and he answered right away.
“Hi, Dad. How are you?”
“Hello, Atsushi. I’m well. And you? I wanted to see how things are going,” Fukuzawa replied in a calm but curious tone.
“I’m good. I just bought some books about plants and flowers. I’m heading to open the shop now,” he said, smiling softly as he walked.
“I’m glad to hear that. I’ll come visit your shop someday. I’m curious.”
A gentle, affectionate laugh escaped Atsushi’s lips. “You can come anytime. I’m open every day except Sundays.”
They talked for a while longer until Atsushi reached his shop and had to hang up to start working.
The day went by slowly but was filled with orders. Valentine’s Day was approaching, and business had picked up.
Most people ordered red roses or tulips, though some requested camellias, dahlias, sunflowers, and—rarely—hibiscus and epiphyllum oxypetalum.
Atsushi especially enjoyed it when customers asked for very, very rare flowers like tacca chantrieri, meconopsis betonicifolia, or parrot tulips.
Of course, almost no one requested those for Valentine’s Day. They were usually people with very particular, alternative tastes—exactly the kind of customers Atsushi loved.
The following day was just as busy, filled with orders and exhaustion.
But he couldn’t complain. His shop was growing quickly thanks to the upcoming holiday, and even if he spent the entire day working, it made him happy.
And that day, the same customer walked in again.
The florist smiled instantly. “Good morning, Akutagawa-san!”
The dark-haired man looked at him with his usual seriousness. Though his expression didn’t visibly change, his eyes seemed to shine faintly. “Good morning… Atsushi-kun.”
Atsushi tilted his head slightly, smiling warmly. “You came back. Do you need something?”
“Well…” Akutagawa paused, gathering his words. “I know you have to change the soil sometimes… but I don’t know what kind I should use or how often I should replace it.”
Atsushi laughed softly and walked to a cabinet, pulling out a heavy bag. “This is universal potting soil. It works for almost all potted flowers,” he explained, placing it on the counter. “If you want, you can make your own mix, but this is the easiest and safest option. And you should replace the soil about once a year.”
The dark-haired man listened carefully and nodded. “You can tell you really like your job…”
Atsushi let out a light laugh. “Well… I love flowers. Especially white lilies.”
Akutagawa tilted his head slightly. “Are those your favorite?”
“Yes… I’d love to have a garden full of white lilies.” He paused, smiling sincerely before sighing. “A lot of people think it’s a silly dream, but… I really want to make it come true.”
The customer smiled faintly—just enough for himself to notice. “It’s an interesting dream. I don’t think it’s silly… it sounds peaceful.”
“You think so?” Atsushi asked, releasing a soft breath with a small smile. “It’s comforting to know at least one person doesn’t think it’s stupid or something.”
Akutagawa let out a quiet laugh—something he didn’t usually do—and stepped closer to pay.
“It’s the least materialistic dream I’ve ever heard,” he said.
Atsushi shook his head while packing the soil into a box. “Oh… actually, it is. I don’t think you’re considering how expensive it is to have a whole garden full of tulips,” he replied with a small laugh.
The librarian picked up the boxed soil and turned toward the door. “That’s true… now that you mention it, it sounds expensive to buy and maintain.”
“See you, Akutagawa-san,” the florist said as the other man walked out.