BLOOM. | rosé x fem!reader

RED.

I drummed my nails against the counter-top, waiting anxiously for Chaeyoung to arrive. The seventeenth had come much sooner than I had wanted, and now all I could do was worry about whether she would like me or not.

Mr Bae had called the other day and organised the time, four in the afternoon, and Chaeyoung was already ten minutes late. I wasn't one to judge considering my record of getting to places on time (or my lack of a record), but when it came to business I always made sure to be there.

Perhaps she was nervous like me. The thought calmed my ever-rattling heart, finding an uncertain solidarity with the feelings Chaeyoung could potentially be feeling. I turned my back from the door for a moment, checking the time on my phone, before jolting back when I heard the entrance bell ring.

My heart dropped when I saw that it was only Moonbyul, another one of my frequent purchasers. She smiled cheesily, "Did I get your hopes up or something?" She asked, walking to the counter.

Something I admired about Moonbyul was the air of confidence she always seemed to have around her. She wasn't scared to be herself no matter how judgemental our country was, and despite South Korea's prejudice against same-sex couples she was openly married to another woman.

I brought myself back to the question at hand and tilted my head, puzzled as to what she had meant, "What do you mean by that?" I grabbed my phone from behind me and checked the time once again, finding it to be quarter past four.

"See?" Moonbyul asked, gesturing to my phone, "You got a date or something? You look like you're waiting for someone important." She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively and I lightly hit her arm, heat rushing to my cheeks.

Shaking my head, I turned my bashful gaze away from her and instead busied myself with making sure the vase of peonies looked straight. Moonbyul just scoffed at my reaction and adjusted her blazer, placing a hand on the counter.

I raised an eyebrow, barely managing to meet her gaze, before saying, "You gonna buy something or are you just here to tease me?"

She raised a hand in surrender before pulling out a few notes and placing them on the counter, "A dozen roses, please."

I nodded and walked out from round the counter and into the backroom, looking at all the flowers that surrounded me. The bright colours, bountiful pollon and harsh light coming through the room's glass walls and ceilings overwhelmed my senses to the point I had to fight off an attack of sneezes. 

Moonbyul's head peeked around the corner as she looked into the backroom, "What's got you so nervous if you haven't got a date?"

I sighed, shifting around the room as I made my way to where I kept the roses. Honestly I had no clue why I didn't keep them at the front considering they were my most popular purchase, but the backroom hadn't been organised like that when the shop was passed down to me.

"Customer."

I spotted the roses all the way at the back, and I heaved as I lifted a large flower pot off the ground so I could get to them. The idea of hiring some help crossed my mind, but my mother had made me promise to keep the shop family-only. Looking back on it, she probably only said that so I'd find a husband sooner.

"You're never this nervous round me." Moonbyul commented as I exited the backroom, a bouquet of a dozen freshly-picked roses in my hand. 

Placing them on the counter, I shrugged in response to her comment, trying to push away the fact that she was right and think of an excuse as to why, "Yeah. You're a regular and a normal purchaser, this could be a big sale and I can't afford to mess things up."

Moonbyul nodded, watching as I rung up the price on the till and took the money off the counter. She carefully took the bouquet from me and lifted the flowers to her nose, taking a deep inhale of the heavenly scent they exuded, "Thanks, (Y/N). I'm sure Solar will love these."

"Tell her I said hi." I grabbed the receipt that had just finished printing and squiggled my signature on it, holding it out for Moonbyul to take seeing as I already knew what her answer would be if I ever asked.

The first time Moonbyul had ever came into my shop was the day before hers and Solar's first anniversary. She'd entered panicked, stating she had no clue what to get for her wife and that she needed something amazing. I'd been surprised by the mention of a wife, as most South Koreans would be, but I had helped her find the flowers Solar would've wanted and given her a great discount.

After that sale I had offered her a receipt, fully prepared to throw it out, but Moonbyul had taken it with a smile on her face as she joked, "Incase you ever become famous and I need some quick cash."

Ever since then Moonbyul had taken every single receipt.

Moonbyul bowed to me, holding the bouquet to her chest, and spoke, "I'll see you next time. Good luck with your customer." She waved and quickly left the shop, leaving me bored once again.

I checked the time, sighing when my phone read half past four. Was she even coming anymore? I grumbled to myself as I turned away and grabbed the phone, ready to call Mr Bae and complain about his fiancée being a no-show, when the entry bell distracted me once again.

"Back so soon, Moonbyul?" I asked, not bothering to turn around as I jabbed Mr Bae's phone number into the machine. 

"Is now a bad time? I can come back, if you want."

I turned around upon hearing the unfamiliar voice, and my jaw nearly dropped when I saw a woman that definitely wasn't Moonbyul. Infact, the two were nearly complete opposites. This woman was a bit taller and had much darker hair than the sleek silver Moonbyul had chosen to dye hers. Her voice was smooth and deep, contrasting her bubbly appearance.

Blushing, I bowed deeply to her and apologised, "I'm so sorry, I thought you were my friend."

The stranger laughed, only adding to my humiliation, before responding, "It's fine. I'm guessing you're (Y/N)?"

"Yes. That'd be right."

"I'm Chaeyoung- it's lovely to meet you."