#069
“Which would be better – wrapping the bouquet with wrapping paper or just tying the stems with string? Could I know what age range the person receiving the gift is?”
“Oh, it’s for my mom. I’m giving it to my mom. It’s her birthday.”
“Hmm… then I suppose wrapping it with paper would be better…”
I held onto the stems and pondered for a while. The flowers would be pretty whether wrapped in paper or just tied with string… Actually, I preferred just tying them with string.
“Well… this is a matter of preference. I personally prefer just tying with string, but since you’re giving it to your mother, I think wrapping would be better.”
“Yes! As long as you make it pretty, I don’t mind anything!”
The student couldn’t take their eyes off the Ohio Blue gathered in my hands. “It’s pretty, so pretty,” they murmured in a voice mixed with enchantment, then suddenly raised their phone high.
“Can I take a picture of this?”
“Of course. Go ahead and take it.”
I set the bouquet down so the flowers would show well and chose wrapping paper. I hesitated between kraft paper and light gray cloud paper. Which would suit better? Hmm. I crossed my arms and let out a long breath through my nose. Since I was planning to tie it with a light purple ribbon, the light gray cloud paper would be better. Click- click- the shutter sounds came in succession. The student moved their hands and phone from various angles, taking several photos before finally putting their phone away.
I wrapped the bouquet by layering white tissue paper and light gray cloud paper, then tied it with a light purple ribbon to complete it. As expected, this was better for gifting. I was glad I chose to wrap it.
“Here you go.”
“Um, boss.”
“Yes?”
“Would it be okay if I took one more photo with you holding it like that? I’ll blur the background so your face won’t show.”
The student asked in a rather serious voice. I nodded at that almost solemn tone and gave my consent. How should I hold it to make it look pretty in the photo? I should have installed more lighting, I thought as I extended the bouquet forward.
Click- click- the shutter sounded. After taking photos to their heart’s content, the student who received the bouquet from me seemed intoxicated by the Ohio Blue, repeating how pretty it was.
“Do you know the flower language?”
“I do. That’s why I came to buy this.”
“Wow…! You know it. Not many customers come knowing the flower language.”
“I searched so much. I only saw photos so I didn’t know the real thing would be this pretty, but it’s really beautiful. Thank you for giving me so many flowers to make it full. They said this amount would be really expensive. On the internet!”
The student bowed their waist, and I also bent mine in response, saying it was nothing. Giggling, the student turned around. I followed them out and leaned against the entrance door to see them off.
“Take care.”
“I’ll come again!”
“Yes. Come again.”
I waved my hand gently. I watched the student’s retreating figure with a bright smile until I closed the door and walked inside. Ju Isin was lying face down on the table, pouting with his lips stuck out, seemingly displeased about something.
“Now I understand.”
Ju Isin muttered with quite clear pronunciation toward me as I cleaned the table.
“Hyung is just kind.”
“What?”
“You’re kind to everyone. Just, for no reason, because they come to buy flowers. It’s your original personality.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
After rubbing the table surface with my fingertips, Ju Isin suddenly shot his upper body up and glared at me with sharp eyes. Why is he acting like this?
“I’m leaving.”
“Okay, go ahead.”
“No, hyung. Is there such a thing as being selectively kind?”
“Oh, why again.”
He was being particularly sensitive today, this drunk.
“Why are you just telling me to leave?”
“Well, what then. Should I tell you to clean here or something? Would you like that?”
Ju Isin clenched his fists tight and trembled. His horizontally long eyes sharpened and then drooped pitifully again repeatedly before finally shutting tight.
“You shouldn’t have seduced me with shiny things.”
“…Me?”
“Hyung gave me something shiny.”
“Ju Isin-ssi found something pretty.”
At my calm response, Ju Isin’s eyes flew open.
“Who gives a ring just because someone finds something pretty?”
“That’s candy. People would misunderstand if they heard.”
“I already misunderstood when I received it! You gave me a ring, so what does it matter if it’s candy or diamond!”
Ju Isin flopped face down on the table. He breathed heavily as if catching his breath, then suddenly shot his upper body up again.
“I’m leaving.”
“Ju Isin-ssi.”
“Forget it. I’m already hurt-.”
“No, that’s not it. If you’re going to leave, wipe the windows first.”
“…What?”
Even after hearing it, Ju Isin asked several times as if he couldn’t believe it – “Hyung? What did you say? Wipe what?” Why ask again when he heard? Wipe the windows. I spoke clearly again.
“It’s been too cold to wipe the windows. You made a mess with your fingerprints back then. If you’re leaving, wipe that first. I’ve been bothered every time I see how cloudy it is and how clearly the handprints show.”
“……”
“……?”
“Hyung, do you perhaps hate me?”
Ju Isin, who had gotten up weakly, asked with a pitiful face.
“Can I be honest?”
“…just a little.”
“Mm… I don’t hate you, I like you.”
As if my answer was unexpected, his previously dazed eyes instantly became clear and sparkled brightly.
“Really?”
“Really.”
“How do you like me? Huh? I’m better than that hyung, right? Right?”
“…When I see Ju Isin-ssi, I think this.”
Since Ju Isin had stood up, my head naturally tilted upward. Meeting his elevated gaze, I paused for a moment, then slowly spoke the words I had lined up in my head.
“Ah, if I had a younger brother, he’d be like Ju Isin-ssi. Younger brothers are cuter than I thought.”
His defenseless face instantly hardened. His smiling lips also pressed shut.
“Ranho.”
“Yes?”
“Does this not seem like a younger brother?”
It seemed like he was imitating someone. The way of speaking that reminded me of someone naturally made wrinkles form between my brows.
“You’ll get in trouble.”
“……”
“I might overlook it once, but I won’t overlook it twice.”
“…You know that’s too much, right?”
I heard a voice with a faint mix of resentment. Actually, I hadn’t been unaware of Ju Isin’s feelings. I had long noticed that he didn’t look at me the way I looked at him. I couldn’t not know. Ju Isin looked at me every moment like he was looking at a star hung at the top of a Christmas tree. Specially, every moment.
“I didn’t know unrequited love was like this. It’s my first time, really.”
“……”
“Not for a single moment did hyung ever feel like ‘this is what it would be like if I had a hyung.’ From beginning to end, you were Seo Ranho.”
Ju Isin left the table and naturally opened the cleaning supply cabinet, taking out a cloth and glass cleaner that had been carelessly stuffed inside.
“What I just said was meant to bother you, but not to make you uncomfortable.”
Already uncomfortable.
“I haven’t given up yet. I could become better.”
I wanted to tell him that wouldn’t happen, but if I did, Ju Isin would surely cry. But leaving hope wouldn’t help him either, so I shook my head. False hope was literally torture.
“Ju Isin-ssi. I’m sorry, but… I think I need to be clear now so you won’t be confused. So I’ll just say it.”
“I don’t want to hear it.”
“Isin-ssi is a good person, so you’ll definitely meet someone much better than me.”
“The good person for me is hyung.”
As if he didn’t want to hear it, Ju Isin’s head whipped around. Even at his pitiful gesture of waving his hand several times, I couldn’t stop talking.
“I have never, not for a single moment, seen Isin-ssi as a romantic interest. The feelings I have for Ju Isin-ssi are closer to friendship, not romantic love.”
The head that had been shaking pitifully stopped and turned toward me. His smooth eyes quickly became moist.
“Rejection… really hurts a bit, hyung.”
Ju Isin dropped his shoulders and turned around. Even in the midst of that, seeing him take the cleaner and cloth as he left was pitiful, but I didn’t hold him back and watched his retreating figure.
Was I too harsh? …No, I’m sorry but this is right.
Ding-a-ling- At the sound of the wind chime, I turned my head to see Ju Isin had somehow positioned himself in front of the glass window, wiping away the fingerprints he had left with tears welling up in his eyes. Then, as a tear fell, he rubbed his eyes roughly with his sleeve.
“Oh my…”
It’s cold and this is just heartbreaking. I looked away from Ju Isin, who was moving his long arms back and forth wiping the glass window, and decided to order flowers.
***
After organizing the showcase and cleaning the empty vases, it was approaching noon. I looked into the showcase wondering what types of flowers to bring in, then naturally turned around.
“Ah…”
I had been so busy organizing that I hadn’t noticed, but Ju Isin was still wiping the windows. Worried he might catch a cold, I gestured for him to come inside, but Ju Isin made a sulky expression and shook his head vigorously.
I sent a message to Ban Hajoon asking when he would come, then mouthed “food” toward Ju Isin. Ju Isin, who seemed quite hurt, stared at me with wide eyes then shook his head vigorously again. Isn’t he even hungry? I washed my hands, dried them, and moved my feet. When I opened the door, Ju Isin, who had been wiping a corner with a rag, noticeably turned his head away.
“Won’t you eat lunch?”
“……”
“Let’s eat. I’m hungry.”
“…I want Western food.”
“The menu is up to Ju Isin-ssi, so come inside now. It’s cold.”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
