Flowershop

A Look At The Past

"Will you go on a date? With me?"

He watched the back of Kiku's head as he put down his watering can down slowly and straightened out calmly as if he expected it. A rag he had used to clean his counter twice for some reason lay in it's spot.

Turning to him, he gave a soft expression. He began to speak with his deep voice, music to Alfred's ears. It went perfectly well with the fresh scent of water mixed with the perfume of freshly cut flowers, and somehow, even the biting cold.
"A date? With you? Mr. Alfred, I'm sure you know, but I a-"
"It's just Alfred!"
At this, he had no choice but to softly smile.
"Alright, Alfred, I am a busy man. I-"

Alfred smiled and leaned his elbow on the deeply blue counter, freshly wiped down by Kiku again, as he always did at the end of the day. But for some reason for the past few weeks, he had Alfred to help him with it. The same man who strangely bought forget-me-nots everyday. Kiku had only just realized this, and now that his interest was piqued, he couldn't let it go, like a toddler refusing to share a toy. Every morning that Alfred waltzed in with a "Hi!" he had his flowers ready. He was curious, and even if it was not in Honda Kiku's nature to pry, he was very tempted.

"Great! I love a hard working man."

Kiku threw him a nicely played smile. If Alfred looked long enough, it could've been a smirk. It was accompanied by a deep chuckle Alfred had grown pleasantly accustomed to that he was given almost everyday recently.
"Well, Mr. Alfred, I'd love to say the same to you, but you seem to be unemployed."

Alfred suddenly felt his defence rise.
"H-Hey! I do work!"
Kiku went back to watering his flowers back turned. Alfred heard his clean, naturally sultry chuckle again. Little did he know, Kiku was rolling his eyes at Alfred's indignation. Could Alfred really not pick up when someone was hitting on him? He decided to tease him more.
"Oh? Fast food?"

Alfred's face went red. Yes.
"Well geez, you don't have to ruin my pride, dude!" He whined.

Kiku turned to him once again, reaching over him and brushing his arm along his back to set his can down, causing Alfred's heart to flutter a bit with the brief contact. At this Alfred looked at the pot he watered.
That's been over watered, he thought shortly. He was surprised at himself for even noticing. For a split second, Kiku's face looked a bit confused, or even... Regretful? Alfred barely had time to register it before Kiku smiled at him for the first time.

This time, he gave a full smile to Alfred. A full, real smile. Not one with teeth, but definitely not a half-assed, polite smile he gave everyone.
"You're right, I apologize. I cannot criticise the way you make your living while I am working in a lowly flowershop with horrible English skills." He laughed. He did not sound mad, condescending, or even remotely annoyed. He seemed to be telling the truth and genuinely thought his accent seemed funny.

Alfred gasped. "Oh no! Don't say sorry, and plus, your English is like, way better than mine. Sometimes I don't even know what you're saying since you sound so smart!" He laughed, genuinely not knowing what Kiku was talking about.

He looked as if he tasted something sour. "Oh. Hm. Thank you," He answered, going to scrub his counter.
Alfred watched him, wondering if he should tell him or not.

"Uh? Kiku? You've already cleaned that."
Kiku screwed his thin eyebrows together, his back still to Alfred.
"Oh. Is that so...? Well, no harm in cleaning it extra," He said quietly. He sounded now as if he was holding back anger, as his voice was unnaturally mellow and quiet, even for him.
Alfred suddenly picked up on this and quirked his eyebrows as well, not bothering to hide his emotions.
Well, it would be bad to tell him this is actually the third time, wouldn't it?