You heard the gentle tinkle of the bell as you walked into the small flower shop. Visiting the shop was a regular occurrence for you as you enjoyed looking at the array of different potted plants and bouquets on display. You also enjoyed looking at the handsome employee. Wonwoo, as his name tag said.
Whenever you came into the store, Wonwoo would tell you all about the flowers in the store. The meanings, where they're from. Everything. Sometimes you wonder if there's something that he doesn't know about flowers after all the books he's read.
Today was no different. Wonwoo finished up with another customer and came over to where you were admiring some anemones in the corner of the store. You already knew a lot about anemones because of Wonwoo, and you were expecting him to excitedly recite more information, but he didn't seem to be paying much attention to the flowers.
"Hey, (y/n)," Wonwoo smiled. "I have a bouquet that I think you'd like," he added, gesturing with his thumb to the counter.
"Really?" You clap your hands once together excitedly. "Can I see?" He nodded in response and lightly grabbed hold of your hand, gently pulling you in the direction of the counter. Once you were there he reached behind the counter on the side for the workers searching for the flowers
After a second or so, Wonwoo pulled out a bouquet of 12 red roses. You admired the roses as you waited for Wonwoo to start speaking, expecting Wonwoo to tell you some more of his endless flower knowledge. He didn't say anything so you looked away from the flowers and smiled at him. He was already smiling down at you, but once he realised you were smiling back he quickly looked away. You watched as he stared at the ground for a moment, then lifted his head and began to talk.
"Red roses," he said, passing the bouquet into your hands, "convey deep emotions - usually love, longing or desire. The number of roses can also have a meaning. 12 means 'I love you' and 'be mine.'
You furrow your eyebrows and look back at the roses. You weren't sure why he wanted to show you these flowers in particular as he had never done it before. Did he just think that you'd like them? But there was red roses already on display in the centre of the store amongst all of the other roses. Or did he just want you to buy them? It was a shop after all.
"They're really pretty," you said more to yourself than Wonwoo as you fiddled with the bouquet. "How much?"
"What?"
"How much do they cost?"
"I'm g - no charge."
"Are you sure?" You furrowed your eyebrows again. It's not like he had any reason to be just giving away flowers, especially to someone like you.
"Yeah," he smiled, awkwardly scratching the back of his neck.
"Oh - um - ok!" You smiled back at him, still slightly confused, but you decided not to think about it too much. Anyway, you did just get free flowers from the cute boy you have a crush on so you didn't want to sound like you were complaining.
☀︎
You walked out of the shop soon after you received the flowers, but not before you had admired the rest of the flowers on display.
As you walked down the street you admired the flowers Wonwoo had gave you once again. Amongst the roses there was something that you hadn't noticed before. It was a small note attached to a stick. You pulled it out of the bouquet and read the small neat writing.
I love you
What. You read it a few more times just to make sure you read it correctly even though you knew you had. There was no way you couldn't have. I love you.
He must have gave you the wrong bouquet - maybe someone had ordered roses and he had gotten them mixed up? Yeah that's what it was. Stupid Wonwoo. You'd have to go back and return these now. It'd be a shame if someone was going to confess or something and they didn't even have the right bouquet.
Soon enough you arrived back at the flower shop. This time when you entered it was just you and Wonwoo. No one really came in at this time of day. Wonwoo looked up once he heard the door open.
"(Y/n)? What are you doing back here?" This time he was the one to furrow his eyebrows.
"You must've gave me the wrong flowers or something," you state, walking further towards him. "These ones say 'I love you' in them." You laugh lightly and pull out the stick for him to see. As he reads it you see his face drop.
"(Y/n)..."
"Yes?"
"I really thought you would have realised by now.."
"Realised what?"
"That the flowers are my way of confessing to you."
Wait. How hadn't you realised that the cute flower boy likes you back sooner? Idiot. I mean he gave you flowers that meant I love you and wrote it down - like how long would it have took for you to realise if you hadn't came back?
"W-What?" you asked, still not quite believing him.
"I mean what I said with the flowers - it wasn't an accident - I love you, (y/n)." A light blush growing stronger by the second covered both of your faces. "But you don't feel the same, do you? You can leave the flowers if you want. Don't take them just because you feel you have to."
"No, Wonwoo, I like you too!" you reassuringly smiled, pulling the bouquet close to your chest. "Why d'you think I come here so often?"
"Wait? Really?" A smile blossomed on his face. A smile much wider than you've seen on him before. "I thought you just liked the flowers."
"Well, there's that as well."
Then there was a short silence. It wasn't awkward, but comfortable. Though not even half a minute passed before it was broken by Wonwoo, it felt warm and comforting. A silence you could get used too.
"I'm sorry - I didn't make my intentions clearer at first"
"You don't have to apologise - it's my fault for being so dense really," you laughed. "At least I know now."
"Are you free right now?" Wonwoo asked, walking around to the other side of the counter.
"Yeah. Why?"
"My shift ends now, so do you want to go out with me?"
"On a date?"
"On a date."
