The Conquest (Underworld 5) SH

24: Happy Almost-Birthday

Soonyoung had been in a state of constant swooning for days now, and it was evident to everyone around him. His friends had noticed the dreamy smile that never seemed to leave his face, the way he would hum random love songs under his breath, and how he seemed lost in thought more than usual. The cause of this? Jihoon.

From the moment they had started spending time together, Soonyoung had been completely captivated. It was a whirlwind of emotions he hadn't anticipated. Every time he thought about Jihoon, his heart would race, his palms would get sweaty, and he'd find himself smiling like an idiot.

It had become something of a ritual for him. Every morning, Soonyoung would wake up early, stop by a small flower shop near his apartment, and carefully select a bouquet. He took his time, picking out flowers that he thought suited Jihoon—sometimes a bouquet of soft pastel roses, other times vibrant sunflowers or delicate lilies. Each flower, in his eyes, represented a small piece of Jihoon's complexity, his quiet beauty.

And every day, without fail, Soonyoung would show up at Jihoon's apartment or studio, flowers in hand, a nervous yet excited energy buzzing through him. Jihoon would always greet him with that calm, reserved smile, one that made Soonyoung's heart flutter uncontrollably.

"Flowers again?" Jihoon would ask, raising an eyebrow but taking them without protest.

"I can't help it," Soonyoung would reply, his eyes sparkling with sincerity. "You just... make me want to bring you nice things."

Jihoon would shake his head, but there was a softness in his eyes that Soonyoung had come to cherish. And in those moments, Soonyoung felt like he could burst from how much he cared for this man.

Their drives were another thing Soonyoung looked forward to. After dropping off the flowers and spending some time together, Soonyoung would offer to drive Jihoon back to his apartment. At first, Jihoon hesitated, but eventually, he accepted the offer, and it became another routine they shared.

Soonyoung would pull up in his car, always grinning as Jihoon slid into the passenger seat, and off they'd go. The city lights would blur past them as they drove through the quiet streets, the radio playing softly in the background. Jihoon, despite his quiet nature, would always engage Soonyoung in conversation, asking him about his day, his work, his life. Soonyoung would excitedly answer, often turning the questions back on Jihoon, eager to learn more about him.

"I'm not that interesting," Jihoon would say sometimes, a small smirk playing on his lips.

"That's not true!" Soonyoung would exclaim, glancing at him from the driver's seat with a look of disbelief. "You're probably the most interesting person I know. You've got this whole... mysterious, quiet, genius thing going on."

Jihoon would chuckle softly, a sound that Soonyoung had come to adore. It was rare, but when it happened, Soonyoung's heart would skip a beat.

Their conversations would often last for hours, even after they'd parked in front of Jihoon's apartment. Neither of them wanted the night to end, so they'd sit in the car, talking until the stars were twinkling in the night sky and the city had quieted down. Sometimes, they would sit in comfortable silence, simply enjoying each other's presence.

One evening, as Soonyoung nervously handed Jihoon yet another bouquet—this time a bundle of pink carnations—Jihoon surprised him. Instead of the usual teasing remark, Jihoon accepted the flowers with a softer look in his eyes, one that Soonyoung hadn't seen before.

"You know," Jihoon said quietly, his fingers brushing the petals of the flowers, "no one's ever brought me flowers before."

Soonyoung blinked, momentarily taken aback. "Really?"