when it blooms | yunsan

Chapter 3

Yunho takes the flower shop route more often than he used to. There isn't a reason not to, and Pepper seems to like it, so why not? He doesn't always drop by the shop though, because he has found out that the shop has Thursdays off, and also he doesn't want to look like a creep stalking him.

Perhaps San won't mind, with how he smiles whenever Yunho drops by, keeping in mind several dogs' names that Yunho walks, patting them all alike.

He is currently squatting down cradling a fluffy ball of energy, namely Cinnamon, and he laughs at how many dogs seem to be named after spice.

"Only the ones that came without a name," Yunho explains. "Hongjoong has a thing for spices and it's easy to remember."

San hums, his eyes still locked to the female dog, who seems to like San as much as Pepper does, so is the case of most dogs in the shelter, and Yunho can't see why not.

"We have something in common then. Gingerbread latte is a must have during winter."

"You like coffee? There's a shop nearby that serves good coffee. Maybe not gingerbread latte now, but probably something to do with spice."

It is spring, and winter sounds too far ahead. But the cafe probably offers spiced chai or cinnamon latte, or something that does with spice. Yunho only orders caramel macchiato and americano (for Hongjoong) and other menus don't really matter to him, but he can tell from the vague memory of the lists on the board.

"I haven't been around actually," San laments. "I'm new here and I frequent this shop, home, and a grocery store. But I should get to know the place."

"Why don't I show you around?" Yunho suggests. "I've lived here my entire life, and I know this place like the back of my hand. That cafe is also owned by my friends, they could be annoying but they are nice people."

"Oh, am I good enough to be introduced to your friends?" San stands up, holding the fluff ball that fits perfectly in his arms.

"Why wouldn't you be?"

San laughs, seemingly liking the answer. It rings in Yunho's ears pleasantly.

"I'd love that," he agrees, which tugs Yunho's lips up.

With the kind of work Yunho does, the kind where life is involved, there isn't really a day off. Only when he gets a substitute, often from Hongjoong's parents who have retired but are nonetheless owners of the shelter. He goes for another option this time though, asking his friend Mingi who he shares an apartment with, to work on Thursday on his behalf. Although Mingi grumbles and complains, which Yunho gets them through a hot chocolate (with a marshmallow for extra effect), he agrees in the end. Mingi has been owing Yunho anyways.

A sudden want of a break from someone who hardly asks for one, does stir Mingi and Hongjoong with a question, though. It's no secret that Yunho has made a friend from a flower shop when he brings flowers every week, one for the shelter and one for his own apartment's dining table, a new trait he is growing to have.

"I'll be showing him around," Yunho tells Mingi, filling the vase with tap water in the kitchen, while Mingi is sipping the hot chocolate (effective, with marshmallows!) he prepared for him leaning on the counter.

"You know," Mingi prompts. "I'd think you have a crush on him with how you cater to him."

Yunho chuckles. "I've only known him for three weeks."

"And I remember you telling me how beautiful he was, the first time you saw him."

"That's just appreciating beauty," Yunho says, tucking in the fresh flower he'd bought from San.

"Or, love at first sight," Mingi cocks a grin, and Yunho gives him a judgemental look.

There is no such thing, Yunho thinks, placing the newly bought vase for his new habit on the dining table. A rounded yellow flower is cutely dancing in the white vase, and this time, Yunho remembers the name; freesia. He also recalls how San explained every flower has its own language, and yellow freesia goes by 'innocence'.

The idea of sending a message over a flower language is hopelessly romantic, Yunho thinks. But he also thinks he gets it—when the sight of freesia and 'innocence' blends in his head with that everlasting glow of smile that never fails to crease dimples.

❀

San is pretty.

Yunho has eyes that function well (thankfully), and he can admit to what he sees. Honesty is the best policy, and one doesn't have to be in love to admit that, because there is nothing wrong in admiring his friend's beauty, even if his presence makes him forget to breathe at times. He's still alive, so it's all good.

He dazzles with a fresh air when Yunho sees him out of his moss green apron, sweatshirt, washed out jeans but in a white cotton shirt tucked in white jeans, a lavender cardigan to suit the weather, something Yunho isn't used to seeing San in. Yunho feels ticklish when San smiles sheepishly saying he wants to look presentable to his friends, as if he has to try.

The walk kicks off from the flower shop they're both familiar with, the only unfamiliarity is that the door is shut and the board says 'closed'.

It was early in the morning before the meetup when Yunho realised he never guided anyone through the area, as he got dressed. He doesn't know what the normal routine was and maybe he was supposed to show some fancy places (there aren't many, really. He thinks the place is comfy but not fancy). But he would turn out to be a tourist in that sense, drifting somewhere out of his water, so he resolves in places he knows and enjoys.

First place being a park, and he thinks it's fairly big for it's the best way to take advantage of a remote town that definitely offers more space than the city. Walking by the pond, he talks about how he chased a butterfly once when he was a kid and fell into it, his parents worrying as he was soaked from head to toe. San laughs, saying how he finds it cute, and Yunho wonders what the colour of the butterfly was. Maybe it was yellow, or white, or pink, something sheen and attractive enough to lure him into the pond, but maybe his memory is betraying him and that's only because he is seeing San's fluffy hair shimmering under sunlight, looking golden and pink. He wants to touch it, like he wanted a butterfly, but he holds it back.

He guides him to the famous teobbeoki stand (famous in the town, of course) for a light snack. The owner knows Yunho well, and he tells San how he almost ate up the entire food he had prepared (exaggerated, of course). San smiles and responds easily, praising his teobbeoki saying he has never had anything quite like it before. Feeling good with the praise, the owner offers more for San, and San giggles, claiming he might as well finish the entire food just like Yunho.

The next stop was at the small old shop halmeoni runs, offering old korean handy snacks. San's eyes beams at the snacks he hadn't seen for a while, and buys a handful, before he sits down and indulges in the talk with halmeoni. Here, she talks about how she saw Yunho grow up to be such a handsome man, but she reveals all the unwanted details that makes Yunho feel embarrassed. San seems entertained though, so maybe that's all that matters.