#008
Two hundred. I said it firmly as if I couldn’t discount it at all. The drunk widened his long, narrow eyes into circles upon hearing the flower price.
“I guess it’s expensive because it’s pretty.”
Though he seemed a bit flustered, the drunk smiled with his eyes gently folded and took out a card wallet from his pocket. He pulled out the card inserted in the top slot and handed it to me, so I quickly took it and swiped it while rambling.
“It’s similar at other places too. A little cheaper or more expensive than this.”
“It seems worth that much because it’s pretty. I’ve never bought a bouquet before, but it’s really fascinating.”
When I told him to sign, the drunk neatly wrote his name on the electronic pad.
[Ju]
The “Ju, ju” he had been muttering must have been his surname. But was Kang Min the first name? Was it maybe a single character name? Or not? My memory was hazy. Since I always called him “that bastard…!” “this son of a bitch…!” “crazy bastard…!” his name didn’t come to mind clearly. Ju Kang Min? That seems a bit awkward.
Swoosh swoosh— With each stroke of the electronic pen, the drunk’s name was revealed character by character. After neatly writing three characters and even adding a period, the drunk put down the electronic pen and grinned.
[Ju Isin.]
…The drunk wasn’t Kang Min either. I overcharged again for flowers… I held back my coughing fit and grabbed the printed paper.
“The receipt, by any chance…”
“Please throw it away.”
Ju Isin, captivated by the bouquet, kept stroking the butterfly ranunculus. The peony was the main flower, but why was he bothering with that thing that didn’t even have many stems in it? I crumpled up the receipt and stood in front of the showcase. Feeling sorry for ripping off an innocent drunk who wasn’t even Kang Min, I generously took out butterfly ranunculus, shepherd’s purse, and white-petaled lisianthus.
“Wait a moment. Since tomorrow is the day I go to the flower market anyway, I’ll make you another bouquet with the flower you said was pretty.”
“There’s a flower market too???”
The drunk opened his mouth in a round shape and asked with a stupid expression. What’s so fascinating? Is the flower market fascinating? I nodded with a disgruntled face and gathered the flower stems together. Holding them so the flower shapes wouldn’t be disturbed, I moved the positions of the shepherd’s purse and lisianthus to shape them. After tying the stems of the bright bouquet together, contrary to the season, I gently placed it on pure white floral paper.
Ju Isin, who had been moving his pupils here and there following my hand movements, let out muttering sounds like he was talking to himself.
“I never thought a man would suit flowers this well, really… hmm…”
“……”
“I think I might fall for you.”
The drunk muttered with slightly crazy eyes. Crazy, what is this guy saying right now? Does he know what his words mean?
“You look like a flower, hyung. Really pretty.”
“I only have my eyes showing right now.”
“……”
Half of my face is covered with a mask, so what exactly is pretty? The clothes meant for warmth were the epitome of slovenliness by anyone’s standards. Looking at Ju Isin, who seemed at a loss for words at the sharp fact, I tied a small ribbon with light yellow string to finish and handed him the bouquet.
“Take it.”
“Really…”
“Today the pretty flower to me was the peony, but the pretty flower to Ju Isin-ssi seems to be this one.”
“Wow. Amazing… they look even prettier gathered together. But you were about to call me a drunk just now, right?”
Ju Isin asked sharply, slightly stretching his words as if it were a habit. He’s quick-witted too. I couldn’t bring myself to deny it. Avoiding his gaze, I gave four instructions: cold water, cool place, change water frequently, and cut stems diagonally when changing water.
“Cold water, cool place, change water often, cut diagonally. Okay, I remembered. But can I call you hyung?”
The last question didn’t seem worth answering, so I lightly skipped it and organized the table. I gathered the cut stems and picked leaves to throw away and untied the apron I was wearing.
“Please go.”
“Why? Are you closing?”
“I think I should close for today. I’m not feeling well.”
Cough cough, the persistent coughing fits drained my energy and I naturally said I was dying. The masked face felt stuffy, and even though I took medicine, I could feel hot fever rising in my body.
“Hurry up and go.”
Being pushed by my gesture to send him away, Ju Isin handed me back the peony bouquet he had been holding. When I made an expression wondering why he was giving it back to me, he smiled sheepishly.
“This.”
“……”
“You said you wanted to give it to someone you want to give something pretty to.”
“You paid two hundred thousand won for this and bought it for me.”
I couldn’t understand why he was making such an embarrassed expression. Which part of this is embarrassing? I was staring blankly at Ju Isin, who couldn’t meet my eyes and kept them lowered, when the jingle of the wind chime rang.
Both Ju Isin’s and my heads turned toward the entrance simultaneously.
“Ranho-ssi!”
“Ranho?”
Ju Isin’s gaze, which had been directed toward the entrance, touched me.
“Ranho. Pretty name.”
Just as I was about to turn my gaze at the softly ringing voice, the voice calling “Ranho-ssi” caught my attention again.
Ban Hajoon, who had been calling my name so gladly, stiffened his face that had been like a newly bloomed flower. He organized his panting breath and, with his cheeks flushed red, looked over Ju Isin with a face that wasn’t scary at all.
“Customer?”
As I had told him, he approached step by step with both hands full of drink carriers and shopping bags. Meanwhile, Ju Isin had placed the bouquet in my arms. Ban Hajoon set down eight drinks and two shopping bags full of sweet desserts on the cleanly organized table.
“Customer. He’s a customer.”
Ban Hajoon needlessly guarded against Ju Isin. I wanted both of them to leave quickly, but these guys didn’t seem to have that intention and showed no signs of moving.
“I’m, ahem- Cough! Cough-cough! I have a cold, a cold, so I’m trying to close the store.”
When I spoke while looking down at the drinks, Ban Hajoon hurriedly picked up the carrier and shopping bags.
“Then I’ll take you home.”
“The top floor of this building is my home. I just need to take the elevator, so what for?”
I roughly hugged the peony bouquet Ju Isin had given me and tapped Ban Hajoon’s back.
“Did you walk here?”
“I walked here very earnestly.”
“Good job. I also walked there very earnestly that day.”
When I went out first, the two people followed behind me like little ducklings. Yeah, come out quickly. I took out the security device key and unknowingly stared blankly at the sight of the two people standing side by side in my view.
Ban Hajoon, wearing a white turtleneck with gray slacks and a black coat, looked somewhat like an actor, while Ju Isin, wearing a white t-shirt with black jeans and a khaki flight jacket, looked somewhat like an idol. Despite being starkly contrasting appearances, they matched well without any sense of incongruity.
“…They’re really handsome.”
I muttered without realizing it. Since the picture was good, it was easy on the eyes. This is why people keep watching television. No matter which channel you turn to, only people like that appear.
Ban Hajoon, who had come right up close, took the key from my hand and closed the door for me instead. He finished setting up the security system neatly and placed the key back in my hand while opening his mouth.
“What about food?”
“I’m not thinking about it.”
“What room number?”
“You don’t need to know.”
I cut off all his questions with short answers and waved my hands at the two people saying “shoo, shoo.” After saying “Go, go” and turning around, this time Ju Isin reached out and grabbed me.
“I’ll come again.”
“Ah, don’t come. It’s annoying.”
“I’ll come again to buy flowers. Show me pretty flowers again. The ones hyung likes.”
His large body preciously holding the cute-looking bouquet in his arms while grinning broadly was quite fitting, making me smile along without realizing it.
“Don’t come to buy what I like next time, come to buy what you like.”
At my answer, Ju Isin looked once at the bright yellow petals, once at me, then let go of the wrist he had been holding.
“Yes!”
Ugh, that guy’s way of speaking comes out even when there are strangers around. I shook my head and turned around again. Ban Hajoon followed me while holding the drink carrier and shopping bags.
“Why are you following me?”
“I’m going to put these down and leave. Ranho-ssi doesn’t have free hands.”
“……”
“I’ll just put them in the refrigerator and go. I don’t have a hobby of bothering sick people.”
Though I was a bit doubtful, I nodded saying I understood and pressed the elevator button. As I leaned against the wall coughing, Ban Hajoon’s gaze kept sticking to my mask.
“The cold seems severe. What about medicine?”
My throat hurt like hell, but he kept talking without reading the situation. I weakly shook the medicine bag in my hand. At the rustling sound of the plastic crinkling, his gaze turned downward and he nodded as if saying good job.
“I thought you wouldn’t have gone to the hospital because there are too many bothersome things.”
A naturally extended hand rubbed the back of my head smoothly. I was too tired to remove Ban Hajoon’s hand, so I leaned against the wall and closed my stiff eyes.
“…Enduring pain is the most foolish thing.”
The elevator went up particularly slowly, and uncomfortable with the stagnant silence, I kept coughing continuously. The first cough started as fake, but as I continued, real coughing fits broke out and I nearly died. With coughs that bent my body in half like I was going to vomit, Ban Hajoon restlessly patted my back.
“Don’t you need to go to the hospital again?”
“No, ahem- no.”
“…I brought cold drinks for nothing. I’ll take this back, so just eat the desserts. When you have no appetite.”
As the elevator arrived at the 8th floor and the door opened, Ban Hajoon handed me the shopping bag. With one hand pressing the door open button, Ban Hajoon quickly put down the carrier and held out the bag full of desserts. Rustle rustle, the paper bag made a soft crinkling sound as it was gently shaken.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
