To you, my flower of love.

Chapter 1 :The meeting.

Karya wasn't used to the store to being this quiet. But he supposed he could blame the incoming storm that seemed to be brewing. The dark grey clouds made the usually busy street right outside the window seem dark and eerie. He could almost hear the thunder in the distance.

Nevermind. It was just Bakar stomping down the stairs from his apartment. He was rushing to put his apron on. The light green uniform that was identical to the one Karya had. Embroidered on its front was the silhouette of bunch of flowers.

"When was the last time you washed that thing?"Karya said, eyeing his friend up and down.

"We work at a florist Karya. There's dirt and grime here. It's not gonna stay clean." Bakar responded. He finished tying the smock on and immediately grabbed the hose.

"I don't think ketchup and mustard are common occurrences in a flower shop but whatever you say." Karya jokes . Leaning forward on the counter Karya continued his watch on the quiet street.

"Don't let boss catch you leaning on the job Karya!" Bakar teased, spraying the daisies that took up the back of the little store they called their own.

"Or what? She's gonna fire me?"

"No but I just might. " Bakar said with a wide grin

"I would love to see you get away with that." Karya scoffed.

"I'm the favorite. I can get away with anything." Bakar said with confidence.

"I think we both know that's not true."

"Yeah yeah. Speaking of the favorite, where is he?" Bakar asked, finishing up the last of the flowers on the interior of the store.

"Ran down the street to the bookstore. Should be back before Djin and Dayang get back from this morning's delivery."

"Oh yeah it's that wedding right?" Bakar questions. Karya remembers Djin fussing over babies' breaths last night. Dayang started loading the delivery truck before closing so they would be ready to go. Bakar nodded, shutting off the hose and making a running jump to sit down on the counter. As he landed the front doors bell rings, making both men snap to attention.

"You guys can go back to being useless it's just me" Came the deadpan tone of their friend as he walked in the door. Leon cradled in one hand a book and in the other three drinks in the familiar brown and blue polka-dotted travel cups from the cafe down the street. Leon let his reading glasses fall and dangle on the chain around his neck.

"Nice of you to join us Leon." Karya said as Leon placed the warm drinks to each of his workers.

"Did Rizwan make this?" Bakar asked, taking the hot chocolate with extra whipped cream in his hand.

"Yeah so it should have enough sugar in it to kill an elephant." Leon took a sip of the tea that was finally cool enough to drink. Bakar nodded before chugging his drink like it was his last meal. Karya just sighed as the warmth of his coffee filled his chest.

"We have new neighbors by the way." Leon added before walking to the back room, saying it like it was nothing.

"Someone finally bought the old pet store?" Bakar said, ignoring the whipped cream mustache that appeared. Leon didn't bother to respond. The remaining workers raced to the front window, shoving each other to get their first.

"SUCK IT KARYA" Bakar cheered as he made it to the window first.

"Yeah, fine, just get your gross hands off the window. I just cleaned it!" Karya said, taking his place next to Bakar.

Sure enough there was a moving crew. The two of them watched as two moving men pulled a faded green couch out the van. Karya took a quiet inventory as the crew started moving stuff inside the once abandoned building. He watched as a fish tank was brought along inside. Multiple mirrors and side tables soon followed.

"What do you think it's gonna be?" Bakar asked. Karya couldn't guess at this point. It almost looked like it could be a furniture store as more chairs were being brought in.

"Who knows at this point." Karya shrugged as he continued to watch. Leon soon joined his workers.

"i saw them bring a ship's wheel inside." Leon mentioned.

"Like a pirate ship?" Bakar asked, surprised. Leon nodded.

"What on earth could that be for? We live nowhere near the ocean!" Karya pointed out.

"Maybe they like pirates, Karya, ever think of that?" Leon teases.

"Lame. I already hate them." Karya rolls his eyes.

"Wait, I think I see a sign!" Bakar tugs at Karya's shirt. Sure enough the two moving men come out carrying a latch wooden sign, a dark wood with the name of the new storefront etched into the wood.

"Everlasting Ink?" Bakar read out.Karya watched as the movers put the sign aside. Just then a red car pulled up to the shop, parking right out front. The workers watched as three women excitedly hopped out of the car. Karya noticed that two women had extremely visible tattoos covering their arms. He couldn't exactly make out if the other girl in the group had them or not from where he stood.

"Well, that answers that."Leon said, walking away, not feeling the need to be nosy anymore and going on to do whatever it is leon does.

"What?!? What am I not getting??" Bakar asked, watching Leon walk off.

"It's a tattoo shop, Bakar." Karya answered. He continued to watch the women who exited the car. He could hear the excited laughter shared between the three women as they looked at their new storefront. He couldn't hear the entire conversation but their wide smiles and how they bounced across the pavement to look at the sign made it obvious how excited they were to be here.

Karya watched as one of the girls shoved their phones into the hands of the other, before running to pose in front of the freshly delivered sign. That's when karya got a really good look at one of his new neighbors.

He could see the way her smile beamed in pride as she stood in front of the store front. She had black, straight hair. He could see one arm was completely covered in ink, not that he could make out details. He watched as she did various poses in front of the sign before walking over to her companions, taking her phone back and looking at the pictures. She laughed at her phone, seeming to approve at the mini photo shoot.

As she took her phone and put it in her back pocket she looked up, making direct eye contact with Karya through the window. She gave him a warm smile and waved at him briefly before turning and following the other two girls inside the shop. A little too late, Karya gave a small wave back.

"Your face looks weird. Like, more weird than usual and that's really saying something" Bakar said, poking his dazed friend in the shoulder. Karya cleared his throat and turned away from the window.

"Nothing Bakar. Just zoned out a bit." Karya headed back to the counter of the shop, sliding over the top of it. As he landed with both feet on the ground the phone rang. Karya grabbed it, putting on his best customer service voice, and grabbing the order form just in case.

"This is The flor de amor! My name is Karya. How can I help you today?"