Roses are Evil

Sometimes, Mingyu wondered if he should quit his job. Like, he'd never thought of being a florist when he was younger-in fact, it never really crossed his mind. But when he started college and his parents could only afford to send him there and not a dorm, he had kinda grabbed whatever job he could.

And now he was here, tying up a bouquet of white lilies for the sobbing woman on the other side of the counter. Mingyu sighed and went back over to where she was standing, taking one last look at his work. He had added in a few extra flowers just because she looked so sad (totally not because The Blooming Season had totally overpriced bouquets and these might dry out soon anyway). He set the bouquet down on the counter quietly and began punching in the price.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the woman-slightly more composed-pick up the bouquet and examine it. He also saw when her eyes began to water once again. He turned towards her just as she began to cry again.

Mingyu sighed slightly. It wasn't an angry sigh, just a sad one. He wondered who it was that died and caused this poor woman to cry. He wondered this about all the people who came in with slightly puffy eyes asking for a bouquet of white lilies. White lilies-the flowers for the return to innocence after death.

He pulled out a new box of tissues and sat it in front of the woman. Mingyu had gotten the tissue boxes himself from the store when he realized how popular white lilies and mums were in this part of town. Really, if you ever went to a cemetery, or even just another flower shop, you could see an abundance of the white flowers on display. In fact, he had a feeling many people may simply visit the town because of the abundance of flowers-and their beauty. But it wasn't like that with this woman. He had seen her at the same supermarket he went to, though he was sure she wouldn't remember that. She was always surrounded by her three young children, and last he checked, they were all still with her.

"Thank you," the woman said, jerking Mingyu from his thoughts. She was still dabbing at her eyes with the tissues when she smiled slightly. "I see you put in a few extra lilies..."

Mingyu laughed awkwardly. "Ah... yeah. I mean, we're getting new ones and I'd hate to see the ones on display begin to dry up...I-If you don't want the extra ones I can-"

The woman, despite the tears on her face and puffy eyes, managed out a laugh. "No, I'm perfectly fine with a few extra flowers. What do I owe you for this?"

Mingyu looked at the screen on his monitor and squinted. "Uh... $21.59..."

After paying, she once again lifted up the bouquet of lilies and sighed. "Thank you," she said. "For the extra flowers...and the tissues..."

Mingyu smiled. "It's no problem but...uh...never mind."

The woman cocked her head to the side. "What is it?"

"I-It's nothing...Have a nice day...and er...Sorry for your loss..."

The woman looked at the flowers one more time. "Yes...Thank you. Have a beautiful day." With that and one last smile, she picked an extra tissue from the box and exited the small shop.

Mingyu sighed before smiling lightly. Sure his job wasn't always the happiest, and at times it was stressful, and there were the occasional annoying customers who never seemed happy with anything, but there were some special times where he was able to make people feel genuinely happy with what he did.

Mingyu had just finished putting the clippings from the previous bouquet in the trash and returning the extra flowers to their display near the counter when the door bell chimed, signaling a new customer.

I wonder how this one will be, he thought. I don't hear any sniffles yet so maybe not a funeral guy...Oh god I hope it's not a wedding planner-No why would a wedding planner come to a little place like this? Plus, they're loud as soon as they come in. Maybe-