Chan and his Mother work at the flower shop and Minho always come in every week to pick of flowers for people. One day Minho notices Chan working there, but Chan is mute and wont speak(selective mute). What will Minho do to "talk" to his delicate fl...
The wind was breezy as I clung to my beige cardigan. The bustling streets of Korea are crazy as always on a Sunday afternoon. If the weather is nice here, everyone's out and moving. I watch as kids pass a ball and run around in the local park, giggling with one another. I couldn't help but smile, remembering my youth days playing with my friends Changbin and Seungmin. We rang each others doors every day and I remember my mother always screaming before I could get far down the street running along.
"Minho, come home when the lights turn on!"
The teens bustling with their shopping bags and walking around on the streets, most of the college students are off on the weekends, so the streets tend to be more crowded during the day, than what they usually are on the weekdays. I pick up my pace and I fronted towards my favorite place in town. It was off a small side street in a cute little town. The place was called Delicates but I personally called it Mama Bang's Flower Shop. It was ran by one of the sweetest ladies it town and her family. You walked in there and she would remember your face forever.
She knew everyone and their grandmother in town, she always had a knack for remembering faces. I pushed open the door as the little bell dinged above it. The cool air of the store breathe in my face as it escaped the store. I smiled as I entered seeing Hannah, Ms. Bang's daughter who worked in the store.
"Hello Hannah!" I greeted her kindly. She waved at me and smiled back at me, showing her cheeky smile.
"Hi Minho, I missed you," she said as she hugged me. Then she punched me on the arm, "Where were you?! You're always here.." She pouted and I rubbed my arm.
"Ack! Feisty are you?" I said as I laughed and she crossed her arms at me. "Sorry Hannah, I was helping my mom out in her garden, She starting it again this year and needed helping moving and planting things." She nodded and continued to do work.
"Next time tell me, my mom wanted to give you the seeds for the flowers your mom wanted but she didn't know where to reach you." I put my pinky up to her face
"I promise I'll let you know from now on," She stared at it, then me and them smiled and interlocked her pinky with mine. With that she walked away from me, continuing her work arranging the new sets of flowers her mother grew. The shop was smaller but it definitely had a lot in there. The walls were white, but the colors from the flowers filled up for the lack of color. The front of the store has the cash register and I walked up to Ms. Bang.
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"Ah. Lee Minho, nice to see you again. Have you been keeping up with studies?" I nodded at her and I handed her the coffee I got her earlier in the day on my way here. She thanked me.
"I really needed this today..." She sighed.
"Rough group of customers today," all she did was nod at me. I smiled at her apologetically.
"Well, I'm here to pick up my daily order,"I said pulling out my wallet to pay. She pulled out the box of flower and pushed the box of roses, daises, and tulips towards me.
"Who are you giving them to today?" She questioned while sweeping the old stems off the counter tops onto the floors."
"I don't know yet, I am hoping I see people I think could just need a "cheer up flower"" I said with my fingers doing air quotes. "There are a lot of people out and about right now, I might start in the park and just give them out to people. I know I have to give the daily flowers to the group of old ladies in the park. I've given one to them every day since I was 13. I don't plan on breaking that now."
I look up to see Ms. Bang smiling at me yet again, "We need more good people like you in this world, Lee Minho." And I blush from the compliment, "Excuse me, Chan sweetie, could you please get the broom and sweep for me please." I watched a boy about my height come out from the walk around from the other side of the counter with a broom. He placed down his watering can and started sweeping. His chocolate brown hair brushed perfectly in a neat style on his head, some hair slightly covering his eyes when he looks down at the floor. All he did was nod at his mother. I watched he sweep the store floors,
"New Employee?" I questioned slightly pointing to the boy. She looked confused then gave a hearty laugh.
"No no no, Minho, that's my son Chan. He's worked here since the beginning." With that last sentence all I did was gawk at her. He's been working here this whole time I thought. How did miss him?
"He's been here. Ms. Bang are you sure? I've came here everyday since I was 13 years old. I have never seen nor heard him." She laughed at me once more and nodded. Hannah comes up behind me and butts in before her mother could answer.
"You probably haven't know because Chan doesn't speak, like at all. Only to us, but vaguely. Chan is mute,"
"Mute? What does that mean," I questioned. She sighed at me, I have a feeling people ask her about this a lot.
"It means he doesn't speak. Chan is selectively mute. He will only talk in certain situations. He talks to me, my mom and my dad. That's it, its because of his extreme anxiety, that he won't speak. He speaks little words to us though."
"So, he just doesn't speak at all. But, he can speak is what I am hearing?" They both nod at me.
"He's been like this since he was 8," His mother finally said taking control of the conversation. "We don't mind it though, he will write to us or sign something in sign language if he needs something." I nod again and glance at the boy who is still sweeping. He looks up and makes eye contact with me, boy is he beautiful. From his eyes, to his lips and his hair. He have me a faint smile and walked towards the back rooms of the store once more.
"He needs friends though," Hannah yelled being a bit eager. And Ms. Bang shushed her. We both giggle and her mother shooed her back to work.
"In all honesty he does, he doesn't speak to people. I only know of his cousin, Felix, and two boys Hyunjin and Jeongin. Maybe you could try to get his attention."
"One day maybe, but I do have to get going now. I hope you have a good rest of your day!" I said as I walked towards the door.
I walk up to Hannah one last time and tuck one of the daises under her ear.
"I believe this compliments your outfit Hannah, have a good day yeah? I'll be back tomorrow." He smiled and she hugged him goodbye.
He waves and sauntered out the door towards the busy streets of Seoul. Little did he see the blush that played on Hannah's cheeks afterwards.
Chan walks out from the back room and signs to his mother, "Who was that?"
She said, "That was Minho, he comes in everyday to get flowers for people."
"Just random people," He signed and she nodded.
"I think you should message him, he's one of the nicest people Chan. You're 19 now, you should try to make some friends." That made him roll his eyes.
"I do-" and she gave him a look.
"Okay, well I have Felix and Hyunjin and Innie," he signed back at her, and she sighed and gave up, knowing she wont' win this argument.
"He did look cute though," Chan thought before returning back to his work.
.......
That was first Chapter of Delicate. i hope you have enjoyed it
