when it blooms | yunsan

Chapter 8

"I like this boy already," Hongjoong approves the boy who had just enrolled for the first day of his work. And Yunho couldn't agree more.

Jongho's sturdy figure isn't just for show. Yunho and Hongjoong can confirm that from the way the boy picks up a heavy bunch of containers. He also is quite good at dealing with a herd of excited dogs, not showing the slightest fatigue even after the entire day job.

Jongho is more than a little help.

"Hey, Jongho, that's enough for today!" Hongjoong pats his back. "I'll treat you with a good coffee for your good work."

Hearing Jongho's order, iced-coffee, Hongjoong goes out for a run with Cinnamon. Meanwhile, Yunho is scribbling the paperworks he has to finish while Jongho is idly flipping through some paper in a folder.

"I'm glad San told you about this place and that you're interested," Yunho mentions, giving a smile at the younger.

"I like dogs, and Sani hyung couldn't stop complimenting you so I figured I could work in a decent place," Jongho says it so casually, while squinting his eyes at the paper with some professional terminology he isn't familiar with.

Yunho is glad because he guesses his blushing at what Jongho had just informed him, and he doesn't want to look awkward. Not in front of San's cousin.

It probably isn't the smartest idea but he can't help but to inquire for details. "He does?"

"Yeah, like how you are so kind and gentle, how you are caring and attentive," Jongho blabbers like he is actually tired of hearing it. "Also how he feels safe in your arms."

That catches Yunho off guard and he must have drawn the tail of number two a little longer than he should have. Yunho turns at Jongho who is by now looking at him directly, his lips played in a smirk.

"I- what?"

Jongho cackles a satisfied laugh. "I know hyung has a fear of thunder. The other day I asked him if he wanted me to come over when I can, and he declined. He was acting weird though, so I pestered him and he owned up that you were helping him out."

He says the last part with a wiggle on his eyebrow and Yunho feels nervous. As to why, he doesn't know exactly.

"Well, I kinda bumped into the situation and offered," Yunho murmurs. "He would probably have asked you too if you were there."

"Nope, he won't," Jongho disagrees with firmness. "He doesn't like bothering people with his problems, even with me, and the fact that he lets you take care of him must mean that—"

Jongho trails off, and Yunho looks back at him. He is expecting to see some kind of smugness in his face, but what he sees instead is sincerity and softness.

"You're special."

Yunho inhales.

San is special to him. He isn't sure if it's because he looks like he popped out of one of fairy tales, or because he has such an unyielding name, or because he almost looks like the one blooming in the middle of bouquets, or because he has the ability of making Yunho at loss of words when he has never had a trouble with talking. He has never seen anyone with such glow in smile, vibrant in laughter, sparkling in the eyes, ethereally real. He hasn't known San for that long, but he knows that much.

He has never really brewed in mind what San thought of him. Jongho says he's special. Yunho hopes he is.

❀

San calls almost every plant cute. While Yunho agrees with most flowers looking pretty, he sometimes is lost when he calls something that looks close to decayed fungi 'cute'. He however has a clue to why Umbellata, the plant he brought back from San's home, fits the adjective because it grows heart-shaped leaves. He pours ample amounts of water everyday just like San instructed him to, and so far the plant seems to be enjoying it's stay with Yunho.

"I need your help, Yunho!" Mingi roars as he slams in the apartment. He looks mildly stressed but Yunho figures it's not an emergency as he slumps on the couch carrying his head.

"For what?" he asks, putting down the empty jug on the dining table he just used it for watering.

"I have a date," Mingi snaps his head up looking at Yunho. While the announcement sounds exciting, he looks like he is facing a crisis.

"Good for you?" Yunho gives a doubting tone as he sits himself to a chair next to the couch Mingi is occupying.

"The thing is, I don't know what to do," he sighs stressfully. "It's been a while since I've been on a date with a girl, and now I don't know how to impress someone."

Yunho recalls the girl in his dance lesson he used to talk about. It all began with how they have a similar taste of music, how they clicked with each other, to how she is pretty even when she's sweating. He used to worry about the right moment to ask her out on a date, and while Yunho is glad he had succeeded in that, now he is worrying about how to make it right.

Mingi flicks his eyes on a flower resting on the table before him. It's a red flower, a hollyhock, and the meaning as Yunho recalls is 'fruitfulness'.

"Girls like flowers right? Will she be happy if I get her a bouquet?" Mingi asks, slightly desperate.

"That's stereotypical, but most people like pretty things so I guess it's worth trying."

"Okay, cool. Then I'll go to San's before the date," Mingi sighs in relief. "Holding her hand isn't creepy right? What about kissing, maybe on her cheek?"

"Honestly, I don't know," Yunho shrugs.

Mingi groans. "You aren't helping!"

Yunho can only shrug again. "You're asking the wrong person."

Because he is.

Yunho is by no means a dating expert, for he had only dated two people; One girl and one boy. And in both cases, he wasn't the one asking them out. They were both nice, and he found no particular reason to reject them so he accepted. He sure had pleasant moments dating them, but things never really got so far, at least for him, far enough to say he loved them. And in both cases, the partner was the one who broke up with him in the end, not on bad terms, but maybe Mingi should reconsider getting advice from him.

He has never felt stressed or worried because of infatuation like his dear flatmate is, he has never felt the thrumming of bliss in his heart while dating, and he has never felt the need to hold them back when they decided to leave. Apologetic maybe, from the colour of dejection painting their eyes as they said, 'I've always felt like it's one-sided'.

He genuinely liked them when they were in a relationship. He did his best to make the other happy, what was expected of a boyfriend. Or so he believed. Nonetheless, he guesses he had never given them what they wanted—his feelings.

He has never given so much thought about love or relationships. Part of the reason could be what was supposedly the closest proof to love, his parents had divorced a few years after he was born—not that he didn't receive parental love. Not that he blames them, because he is doing just fine without the notion of romantic love.

He has also never given a thought about his preference. He isn't sure if he's a hetero, bi or gay. When they asked him out, their gender was never an issue, so he guesses he could be bisexual.

But all in all, Yunho finds too many things clueless for him. He wishes, though, that Mingi's crush sprouts just as the flower before him—fruitful.