Memories || Wonu ff

fifteen

11:55am

Ji Young

Poking my head into his room to check on him and his work, I'm met with nothing but an empty room.

"Dad?" I say while looking around, no response. 

Where did he go?

While searching around upstairs, I then hear some shuffling and movement towards the back of the house. Heading downstairs, I eventually found him sitting out on the back porch. He was staring out into the garden, a longing look in his eyes as he unconsciously had his thumb over his wedding band.

"Dad...?" I hesitantly broke the silence in order to get his attention. 

Startled at the sound of my voice, he instantly snaps out of his daze and turns around.

"Oh! Sorry sweet pea, is it already noon?"

"Almost." I tell him before shifting the topic "Did your phone calls go ok?"

He gave me a small smile as he mumbles "They went well."

Apologizing, he motions me back inside as he follows behind. Getting our jackets and shoes on, dad grabs his keys and we finally head out to my favourite café, which doubles as a bookstore! Because it was a nice day, we parked a few blocks down before walking the rest of the way there.

While walking down the street, a display of the bouquets outside a flower shop caught my eye and I couldn't help but focus my attention onto it. 

"Dad look, flowers!" I excitedly tug on his arm to stop him before walking up to the floral display. I then began examining all of them closely while dad was in tow behind me.

Although I grabbed that plant encyclopedia in a panic, I actually did end up going through it. I learned a lot from it and have found a new appreciation for plants, too.

"Is this why you borrowed that plant encyclopedia from my study?" I hear him ask from behind me. I nod as I continue to mindlessly admire the flowers, and from the corner of my eye I see dad walk into the store.

Not long after, a singular pale pink rose was right in front of my face.

Startled, I follow the arm that was holding the rose and was met with a handsome man, probably around dad's age, with honey brown eyes and a sweet smile as his dark and wavy hair framed his face nicely. Judging by the gloves and apron he was wearing, I guess he's the florist of this shop.

"You know, it was once common law that a flower be presented to the loveliest lady." the florist says with a kind smile, insisting that I take it. Nodding, I hesitantly took it from his hand before quietly thanking him.

I then hear dad laugh behind me "Hey, don't go spooking my daughter like that Shua."

"Sorry about that Wonu," The man named Shua chuckles "I didn't know that she didn't hear me."

I then stood back and watched as dad talk with Shua. I've never met this man before, but dad seems to be very close with him. Maybe he's a longtime friend like Mr. Lee?

"I'm guessing business has been going super well recently?"

"Yup, especially with wedding season around the corner!" Shua nods "How's your writing been? I heard you're going to be ending Withered this year with one final book."

Dad looks genuinely surprised, as if this is his first time hearing it "Oh, has news gotten around that quickly?" 

They continue chatting along as I slowly began to tune out what they were saying. Looking into the shop window, seeing another man sitting at the register and talking while a boy around my age is leaning against the counter, seemingly disinterested in what the man has to say.