flower boy // namjin

twenty-three

The sun is scorching and you can see it on the pink cheeks on Jimin and I.

The florist wholesalers decided that today would be a good day to have their market on the first day of spring. The heat is bad for the freshly cut flowers. The wedding is only a couple of weeks away, from it being moved up because the bride thought it was "too cold" to wear her strapless wedding dress in February.

     With each day passing, it just reminds me of the work piling on top of everything. I reach into my bag to grab my hat as the sun reached past its rise. "Do you remember where Flowers and Co. is at?" Jimin squeaks as we past by the same honey wholesalers for the third time in 10 minutes. Shit, we've been going in circles this whole time.

     "I think we are on the wrong side," I say admitting defeat. I easily look over the hustle and bustle of florist around me and I spot where we are supposed to be going. As we are walking silence fills the air, noting the slight awkwardness we still share from the precious altercation. It has been getting better but there's still moments here and there that remind me that we would never have the friendly relationship we've had before.

     We finally reach the stall and I exchange pleasantries with my long time supplier Wong. "Hey how's it hanging" he greets me.

     "Oh I'm good," I say with a smile, "You know how weddings are for business." In general florist community, weddings are a great honor and good for business, but they are also picky customers and you have to proceed with caution.

     "Well I'm glad to have you back," Wong says as he shakes my hand. "What do you need?" I give him my order from the long list of flowers that I've written down. Foliage, lily of the valley, tulips, baby's breathe, pink roses and so forth.

     Tired of the orders and of the heat, I go inside and grab a drink before sitting down at a bench. My phone buzzed and I realized that I've been missing a lot of texts.

taetae: Is it bad if u cook raw meat in the microwave

taetae: Take me to the hospital

I scroll down

Jinny<3: It's hot out there make sure to eat some patbingsu !!!

Jinny<3: doesn't it feel like spring finally ?

I opened my phone and respond to Jin,
yes it does !!

I'm afraid that I don't have enough time to get ice cream 😔

Jinny<3: darn it !!!!

Jinny<3: I have a question...

Jinny<3: Since spring is here, you can come over to my place and see how our Venus fly trap is doing? Isn't it supposed to sprout soon?

     My heart flutters at the word "our" and "come over to my place." Ive never seen his house before, it's probably sleek and modern and stylish, unlike mine. Then I remembered that I have to do something with Yoongi later.

I WOULD LOVE TO but tonight is the only night that Yoongi is free so I would check to see if I can come

Jinny<3: Just invite him over !!! Me and my roommate would love to have him over. He's a producer too, I'm sure they would have a lot in common :)

    A smile creeps on my lips, he always knows what to say. I close my eyes, trying to in-vision Jin's place, probably modern with neutral colors, a closet the size of my bedroom, the Venus fly trap on the window sill, and me and him on the couch entangled. My heart skips a beat at that last part, and I open my eyes to see if anyone noticed.

Before I get ahead of myself, I text Yoongi to see if he wanted to join for dinner at Jin's new place and his respond was, "As long as you don't get to cook and burn the house down" and I took it as a yes. I sigh to myself, knowing that I have to get back to work in the heat for the remainder of the daylight. At least I have something special planned for tonight to get me motivated.

When I return home, I see that my apartment's front door is ajar and a snickering man is behind it. I see that the plans of going over to Jin's house and eat dinner with him and his roommate have caught wind. A smiley JK and Taehyung are watching something in my living room and they cheer when they see me enter my own home that they so kindly broke into.

"Namjoon you're home!" Taehying says excitedly as he fixes his stylish beret and scoops ever so slightly away from Jungkook. "Now time to plan your outfit." I internally roll my eyes, of course Jungkook told him about my plans tonight.

I wipe the sweat from my forehead and finally set down my bag in the kitchen and ask them, "How is it that both of you know so much about my life and I know so little of yours?" Both of their eyes wide at the intended inclusion of them, like I'm not stupid to know that they both like each other and haven't made any moves. I noticed the scoot away from JK, like they children trying to hid that they broke a toy from their parents.

     "What are you going to wear tonight?" Taehyung says with a blush on his cheeks. Oh shoot, what's the dress code? "Um...." I say lost in thought, "I don't know." Before I know it the two lovebirds are busting into my room to entertain me with choices of clothes.

The apartment is miles away, so I decide to take a cab, the whole way my hands are fiddling. I check my phone- Yoongi will come in 30 minutes as he's finishing up work. The cab pulls into a large white apartment complex on the edge of parks and convenient stores.

As I'm walking up to the apartment I wonder what he's cooking, what the apartment smells like, what his room looks like, where he spends his time in with his hair laying across the pillow he sleeps at night. The place where he texts me right before he closes his eyes for the night.

My phone screen turns on with a notification from Jin.

I see you ! <3

I smile. I look up to the dozen of windows, wondering which of them hold Jin's peering eyes. I get rung up from the front desk, noting that the furniture in the lobby is probably more expensive than my yearly rent.

     I reach his door, 84 and I hesitate to knock on the door. I tell myself to stop being a wimp and I close my eyes and knock. I hear a shuffle from the other end of the door and I walk into the unknown