Windwheel

Ch1: Errands

As the flower shop door opens, a chime disrupts the silence. Xiao takes a moment to look around, admiring the flowers displayed in the store. His eyes scan the unique flora, some of which he recognizes while others remain unfamiliar.

Xiao fidgets with a slip of paper that he holds in his hands; it was given to him by his dad earlier that day. Tucking the paper away, Xiao moves further into the store. It seems empty, the only sound being the light tapping of rain on the windows.

Xiao glances at the counter, hoping to find someone to assist him, but it's unattended. A shiny silver bell sits on the counter. He reaches for the bell, but before he can touch it, a loud noise from the backroom startles him, causing him to flinch.

"FUCK."

Xiao's eyebrows raise slightly, caught off guard by the sudden cussing from the back. He's more surprised by the owner of the vulgar mouth. He was a boy around Xiao's age with long blonde hair, messily tied up. A few stray hairs fell over his face, and dirt smeared across his hands. His apron was also stained. The stranger laughs breathlessly, trying to gain his bearings.

"Sorry about that," he says, shaking his head. "Welcome to Avidya Flowers. How can I help you?"

Xiao stared at the employee for a little bit before realizing that he was being spoken to. "Oh, right." He pulls a slip of paper out of his pocket. "Could you help me find these?"

The employee looks carefully at the slip of paper, his eyes scanning it. "Silk flower, qingxin, and glaze lily? Yeah, not a problem!"

Xiao nods and waits for the employee, "So... what's your name?"

"Aether. And your's?"

"Xiao. Thank you for your help."

"Of course. Am I allowed to ask what the flowers are for?"

"I honestly don't know. My dad sent me to get them. He just wanted some more decor for the house or something."

"It was nice of you to help him out. He has good taste. Qingxin flowers are pretty. They even can be used for cooking. They also have plenty of medical uses," Aether says, grabbing a pot with a qingxin flower from the backroom.

"Really? That's interesting. Are they your favorite flower?"

"No, they're not. My favorite flower is the windwheel aster."

"Yes, the windwheel aster is a beautiful flower."

"I'd love to have one here in the shop, but all I have are seeds," Aether says, frowning a little.

"What? Why?"

"I major in horticulture here at the university. The course requires 10 hours of work in either a greenhouse, flower shop, or something of that sort. That's why I'm working here. If I can bring in a windwheel aster by the end of the school year, I am eligible to pass the class."

"So all you have to do is bring in that flower and score well?"

"Well, you gotta grow the flower, not just bring it in. And it's impossible."

"What makes you say that? You seem pretty adept at this sort of thing, no?"

"Windwheel asters are hard to grow. It can't be too windy, but it still needs some wind. The soil needs to be very nutrient, there needs to be full sunlight exposure, it can't be too cold nor hot, the list goes on and on."

Aether looks slightly discouraged as he puts three different flower pots on the counter. Each pot contains a flower Xiao had requested: a qingxin, a glaze lily, and a silk flower. Xiao isn't focused on the flowers at the moment. He's too busy watching the florist.

Xiao speaks up. "What if I helped you?"

"You want to help? Are you a horticulture major? Or a floriculture major? Or a–"

"No, I'm none of those things, but it can't be that difficult."

Aether laughs and shakes his head, "No, it's pretty difficult. Trust me. I like your determination though. Why don't you take these seeds and supplies? It's on me."

Aether hands Xiao a pot filled with dirt. Resting on the dirt is a packet of seeds. Xiao takes the supplies and hands Aether some money.

"I couldn't take it without paying."

"No, I insist. Please keep your money."

"Well, I insist more. I couldn't take it without paying."

Xiao pushes the money closer to Aether. Aether looks down at the money, hesitating a little before nodding. He puts the money in the register.

"I wish you luck with growing your flowers. Let me know how it goes," Aether says, smiling.

"I will," Xiao nods and grabs the flower pots. He struggles to carry all four of them (the three he requested plus the windwheel) in his arms, but he manages. He steps carefully out of the shop.

"Bye, come again soon," Aether says, waving a little. Xiao smiles as he steps out of the shop.

As he walks home, soft droplets of rain start to fall on his face and clothes. He pauses for a moment, closing his eyes to take in the refreshing scent of petrichor. A sudden gust of wind catches him by surprise, causing him to shiver involuntarily. The rain starts to fall more heavily, so he increases his walking pace, pulling his jacket a little tighter around himself.

Finally, he arrives at his dad's house, struggling to balance as he carries several flower pots in his arms. As he reaches for the door handle, he feels a sense of relief at the thought of being able to put down the pots. The door creaks open slowly, the warmth of his home making him instantly feel at peace. The second he steps inside, the smell of a savory dinner hits him.

"I'm back!" Xiao shouts into the house, hoping his dad will hear him.

"Xiao, did you walk back without an umbrella? And with so many flower pots? If you needed a ride home, you could have called me." Xiao's father, Zhongli, takes a couple of flower pots from his hands to help him.

"No, no, I'm fine," Xiao says, setting down his flower pots.

"What's this?" Zhongli points at the pot without a flower in it.

"I wanted to try my hand at gardening," Xiao says, glancing down.

"I think that's a wonderful hobby, Xiao. If you need any help, please let me know," Zhongli nods and leads Xiao to the kitchen. "Now, come on. Your food is getting cold."

"Right. Dad?"

"Yes?"

"Could I go back to the flower shop tomorrow?"