#thewritersnet

You two were inseparable, having been best friends since the age of four when your parents moved in next door to his.

After twelve years, most people would only think of someone like Jisung as a brother figure, yet, as you got older you started to like him more and more, and not in a brotherly way.

But you knew there was no way he liked you back, just no way he could like someone like you.

He could have any girl in the school, who would settle for you, you weren’t the most popular, the prettiest, or even the smartest.

You wouldn’t even settle for you, like to be completely honest.

Early mornings were something you hated, yet Jisung made him a bit more tolerable.

And the fact he often brought you breakfast and a coffee, helped a lot also.

Classes were always boring, but with Jisung there passing you notes and texting you, they weren’t as boring.

You really should be focusing, but focusing on Jisung was easier, and honestly you prefered that opposed to hearing the same thing repeated twenty times since you teacher could never remember what he said and what he hadn’t said. 

The end of class couldn’t come soon enough, yet, as it ended two girls slipped into the seats in front of you and Jisung.

Britney and Whitney, also known as the pep twins, if you ever wanted to know anything about the current events, it was best to ask them, since they were in all the clubs and always knew about every upcoming event.

“Jisung, we know you helped with decorating for homecoming this fall, and we were wondering if we could put you down for helping decorate for the winter social too. We could always use the help.” The overly excited voice said, Britney.

You honestly didn’t understand how two people could constantly be so excited, if you showed excitement like them for just 5 minutes and then you’d need a 3 hour long nap afterwards.

Jisung pondered for a moment, before looking to you. “I’d love to help, you can help too, that is if you aren’t busy after school.” 

Nodding your head, you hated helping things like this, but since Jisung wanted to, you might as well, spend more time with your best friend. 

“Sure, put me down.” You told them, as they left you two alone once more.

After a moment of silence, you turned to Jisung. “Are you going to the social?” 

You watched as he shook his head, which was odd, he always accompanied you to these events.

“No, I have something that came up, so I’m gonna have to miss it. But, if you haven’t gone dress shopping, I can still come with you, after all, I promised I’d come with you.” He said. 

Nodding, you sighed, at least he’d be going dress shopping with you, that’s better than nothing.

After school couldn’t have came faster, it’s not that you were excited about helping decorate for the social, but you always enjoyed spending time with Jisung, especially since you’d be going dress shopping afterwards.

As you stood by the stage, draping the streamers on the nails that had already been stuck into the wood, you couldn’t help but sigh.

Jisung was of course across the gym with all the girl flocking to him, even this far away, you could hear their chattering.

The ‘oh Jisung you’re so strong’, ‘oh no other man is as reliable as you’, and the ‘wow what I wouldn’t do for a man like you’ getting on your last nerve.

All the thirsty girls surrounding him didn’t bother him, you knew it wouldn’t, he was too kind to tell them to go away or anything, yet you sometimes just wished he would.

It was about two hours later when you finally heard all the girls shutting up, Jisung was walking towards you, since it was time for you both to leave. 

Passing the girls as they murmured rumors they heard of the two of you dating, you wished for a moment that they were true, but they weren’t, of course they weren’t since why would he settle for second best.

Dress shopping was how it usually went, Jisung being a huge help as usual, he honestly helped you more than the ‘stylist’ in the store did.

Sighing as you looked in the mirror, the dress fit perfectly, which didn’t surprise you, of course he’d be able to pick the perfect item for someone he probably saw as a sister.

Stepping out, looking at yourself in the large mirror, you turned watching as Jisung came up behind you, nodding his head. 

“You look beautiful.” He said, as he stood beside you.

Nodding, you turned looking up at him. “Thank you for coming with me, it makes shopping a lot easier. I’ll go change back into my normal clothing, go pay, and then we can leave.”

Jisung nodded, before returning to his place in the seat by your door as you changed. 

“Can you hold this for me?” You asked him, before you hung the hanger of the dress on the opposite side of the door for him to take.

“Yeah.” He shortly replied before you saw the hanger disappear.

After you got dressed into your normal clothing, you stepped out just to see Jisung and the dress gone. 

Looking around, you walked out of the dressing room area into the store, just to see Jisung standing at the register swiping the card his parents had given him quite a few months ago.

Walking across the store, you stared at him, shaking your head. “I could have paid for that.” You simply told him, seeing as it was too late for you to pay for it now.

“Think of it as a present and I wanted to buy it for you.” He told you, before taking the bag from the woman at the register.

As you opened your mouth to reply to him, another voice cut you off. “Just accept the present, your boyfriend is just trying to be sweet, which honestly I’d love to have a boyfriend that is so willing to buy me things.” The woman behind the register said, before she turned to walk into the back.

“He’s not my boyfriend.” You said, in a rushed voice that probably didn’t reach the woman’s ears, since Jisung was already pulling you out of the store. 

Walking alongside him, Jisung looked at you, before looking towards the food court. “Do you want to eat here or wait until you get home?” He asked.

“I’ll only eat if I can pay.” You simply retorted.

“Fine.” He said, knowing that was the only way to get you to somewhat let him off the hook for paying for the dress. 

After eating, the two of you walked around the mall for a bit, you trying to decide whether you wanted to get shoes or just wear what you had, and him just walking around to keep you company. 

As you saw a group of girls from your school looking towards the both of you, probably adding to the rumors, you decided you just would use shoes you already have. 

“I’ll just wear the shoes I wore for homecoming, they are black and will work with pretty much anything.” You told him, to which he nodded and you started heading out towards your vehicle.

Driving with him was always fun, you gave him full reign of the radio and it would often end with the both of you singing at the top of your lungs, well usually him and you singing every now and then.

The only sound being the sound of the radio being switched channel to channel, before he finally decided to settle on one. 

“Let’s french kiss. Eh eh eh eh eh eh eh eh fly high tonight. Eh eh eh eh eh eh eh eh let’s french kiss.” He started loudly singing, finding a song he liked, a song which happened to be Hyuna.

As much as you wanted to stay silent and not sing, his happiness was contagious, and you found yourself singing along to everyone song that played.

As you both finally got home, and went into your houses, you started to think about how the social was only a few days away and everything you needed to do.

You needed to get a mask, decide how to do your hair, and possibly ask your friends to see if they have dates so you don’t have to go alone.

Before long it was the day of the social, you were going alone, which you could thank how late Jisung was in telling you he couldn’t come for that, since all your other friends had dates by then.

But you could make it fun, going alone isn’t that bad, it leaves you open to dance with all the nonexistent guys that want to dance with you.

Adjusting your mask as you walked in, the winter social was in full swing.

Often they just did a white ball, where everyone had to come dressed in white, but for some reason this year they changed it, to a masquerade ball.

It was odd seeing your peers with mask on their faces, it hard to tell most people apart, except for that one girl with purple hair and that guy with a mullet, since no one else had hair like them.

You took a seat at one of the many tables, watching as the couples slow danced to the slow song, it made you wish you had a date, since at least with Jisung you’d have someone make fun of event with

The personally little pity party you were throwing yourself didn’t last long, as a figure appeared in front of you with an outstretched hand.

“I’m not sure if you are waiting on anyone, but if you aren’t, may I have this dance?” The person asked.

Something about him was familiar, but you couldn’t exactly pinpoint it.

If only he was able to take his mask off, then you would be able to tell exactly who it was.

Shrugging, you had nothing better to do, placing your hand in his you nodded. “Sure.” 

Before long you were dancing on the dance floor among all the couples.

You expected one dance, but one turned to two, then four, then you had been dancing for most of the night.

It was nearing the end of the dance when you both made your way outside into the school’s courtyard, sitting on a bench while staring at the stars.

“If I asked you who you were, would you tell me or remove your mask?” You asked, realizing the person hadn’t said their name all night.

The person laughed before shaking their head. “No and no. But I will tell you, I’ve someone that has had a bit of a crush on you for a while. I would watch you from afar wanting to confess but never found the courage to.” 

“Watching, like stalking, were you stalking me?” You jokingly asked, before nodding.

Someone had a crush on you, you, it was weird knowing someone had a crush on you, especially when you didn’t know their name. 

Minutes passed before you heard a voice over the speakers from within the school building, it was the last call, the last song of the night would be played, a slow song of course. 

“May I have this dance?” The voice you had been hearing all night said, offering you his hand. 

Nodding the two of you began to dance.

You knew come morning it would probably be like this never happened, the man in the mask would be a mystery, and you’d be stuck watching as your crush had no idea you liked him.

As the song was nearing an end, you felt a hand touch your cheek.

After that you heard a voice. “Can I kiss you?” He asked, waiting for a reply.

“But if you don’t want me to kiss you, that’s perfectly fine, you can say no and it won’t hurt my feelings.” He quickly added, before sighing in relief as you nodded your head.

You knew it was stupid, really stupid, kissing a complete stranger; yet, kissing this person would get your mind off Jisung, at least for a moment.

As your lips met the last notes of the song played over the speakers, causing him to pull away, but you honestly secretly wished that he had done it longer.

Once the voice from within the school announced the social was over, you looked up at the person you had spent your time with.

“If I take off this mask, will you promise to not freak out or anything, and please please keep an open mind?” The person asked, before he reached back to untie his mask.

Nodding your head you did the same, untying your mask, and you pulled it down as he did the same.

You were in shock at who it was behind the mask, you really should have known from his voice, but the loud dance kept you from being to really recognize who it was that was talking to you. 

“Jisung?” Was all you could say, shocked it was him.

But through your shock, the pieces started to fall into place, he had a crush on you, watched you from afar, but most importantly he had a crush on you.

“Well, you didn’t run, that’s a good thing.” He murmured, looking at you.

“I thought you were busy, you said something came up.” You said, not sure how to also approach the fact that he had kissed you.

He nodded, before stepping closer to you. “I lied, I wasn’t sure how else to do this. And I just not realized I probably ruined our friendship by kissing you since I don’t even know if you like me back, and oh my god.” He started to ramble.

Unable to stop the laugh from slipping past your lips, you looked up at him. “I like you too.” You simply said.

Bringing your hand up, you wrapped it around his neck before placing your lips were they were moments ago, against his.

“I can’t…” He started, getting cut off by your lips being pressed against his.

The kiss was however ended too soon, by a voice coming from the building behind the two of you. 

“Jisung made his move! Jisung’s got a girlfriend!” The loud voice of one of the students helping to clean after the social yelled out, loud enough for everyone to hear.

Pulling apart, you looked over towards where the person stood, before they ran off.

Looking up at Jisung, you could tell he had a question on his mind, but he wasn’t sure how to ask it. 

“Um, so, like, um, are we dating now or something. I mean with Jae yelling you’re my girlfriend everyone is gonna think it, and um, yeah.” He said, trailing off.

“Do you want me to be your girlfriend, even though you haven’t taken me on a first date yet?” You asked.

“Um, yeah, sure, I mean if you want to, but honestly I wouldn’t mind it, since I plan to take you on many many wonderful dates, and we could call tonight our first.” He said.

Nodding your head, you smiled as he did, just before you heard a voice coming from the building.

“Quit playing around and clean up, it’s getting late.” Britney yelled, before Whitney followed yelling right after her.

“I guess we better get in and help, since I signed us up for cleaning committee.” Jisung said.

He then leaned down, pecking your lips, before turning and taking off towards the building.

You couldn’t help but laugh as he ran off, and you started to walk after him.

He expected some crotchety old man or some man wearing a suit or uniform, but he was surprised to see you.

The moment he saw you struggling to water the hanging plants, that were hanging just about six inches above your head, he instantly gave up on his plan.

He rushed out just as another customer came in, running back to his store.

You hadn’t heard the bell ring when Taeyang entered, but you heard it as he left, seeing an elderly woman entering and what seemed like a purple haired boy running across the street.

The store you had opened easily stole some of Taeyang’s regulars, but he didn’t mind, it was mostly the people he hated having to work with anyways.

The middle aged moms that would refuse to pay if one rose was more of a reddish pink than a true red, the rude husbands that would complain if one flower stem was longer than another because their wives hate asymmetrical things, and so forth.

But you never had problems with them, and they quickly became the main source of your income.

You regularly saw the middle age mother who would bring her toddlers in, the man you knew was cheating on his wife and trying to appease her with flowers, and the elderly gentleman that bought flowers for his wife of sixty years weekly.

Honestly you loved your job, and you’d never exchange it for the job your parents wanted you to have, like a nurse or doctor.

Money wasn’t your top priority, happiness was, and being a florist is what made you happy.

Taeyang found himself unable to stop coming by, he’d never come into your store, but he’d walk by and look at you, sorta stalkerish but he was just too shy to come in and actually talk to you.

Everything was going perfectly until that one day, it was a Thursday morning, and everything started to unravel.

It was 5 a.m. when you were woken up, the alarm at your shop was going off, and the police had been called.

Rushing to the store you saw a horrible sight, broken glass, destroyed flowers, and a cash register that looked like it had been hit multiple times with a shovel.

Everything you had worked for was destroyed, the police said they found no one in the store, but it seemed that someone had broken in through the glass windows in front in the search of money.

You always put the money in a hidden safe, meaning the robbers found none, so they instead destroyed your shop.

They said they would do their best using the security footage they had, but not to get your hopes up.

The police advised you to go home, but you couldn’t find it in yourself to do that, you couldn’t just go home with your shop how it was.

Sitting on the counter, the only surface without glass shards on it, you cried.

After working so hard, here you were crying because your shop was destroyed.

Taeyang woke up as usual at half past 5, and something felt off.

He wouldn’t admit it to anyone, except his flowers, but he had a habit of walking to work just to go by your store, and then walking around the block at lunch to see your store again.

It sounds weird, but he kept telling himself to go in and talk to you; but he never would, always getting really shy and deciding not to each time he almost did.

This day was different however, he left to work early and as he was walking heard a slight sobbing.

It was someone crying, it was you crying that he heard.

He couldn’t stop himself from rushing over towards your store, seeing the store he passed by daily in ruins.

He was concerned, pushing open the door to see you on the counter, sobbing.

“Are-are you okay?” He asked.

The voice shocked you, you had been there for almost an hour crying to yourself.

No one had stopped to ask if you were alright, you didn’t even know if anyone had stopped.

Looking up, you saw a purple haired stranger, the one you had seen on your first day, unknown to you.

Taeyang quickly made his way across the room, managing to luckily not step on any class.

As he got to you, he grabbed your hand, looking at you like he was trying to see if you were injured.

“Are you okay?” He asked once more.

You nodded in reply, before staring down at your hands.

It was all gone, like that, everything destroyed and useless.

It would take you months to get everything back to how it was, rebuild and replant.

And not only that, but also all the orders you had for the next two weeks that needed to be filled.

“I’m fine. Just fine.” You said through tears.

Taeyang however didn’t believe you. “You don’t seem fine.”

“Of course I’m not fine, just look around, it’s all gone, destroyed, I have nothing.” You practically yelled at him.

You shouldn’t have yelled, yet he said nothing, just nodding as he listened to you.

“All my flowers, dead, all my vases, destroyed, they might have as well burned my shop to the ground, it would have done the same about of damage.” You said, looking around at the ruins.

Sighing. “I have orders I can’t fulfill, I have no idea what I’m going to do.” You said, close to tears once again.

Taeyang honestly didn’t know what to do, he wanted to tell you he could help, but he thought letting you know he’s also a florist would cause you to think he caused this, which he didn’t.

“I could help you, I like gardening and grow a lot of flowers, I can help you.” He suggested.

Shaking your head, you start to think about how you are going to tell all your clients that they won’t be getting their flowers any time soon.

You had enough grown in the greenhouse in the back, that luckily didn’t get destroyed, to maybe fill all the preorders for the next three or four days, but after that you had none.

You didn’t want to accept his help, you’d just explain to your customers what happened, and if you lost them you lost them.

Taeyang sighed as you shook your head. “It won’t be a problem, I’d like to help you. I know that if I owned a flower shop and this happened to me, I’d be thankful for someone’s help until I got back on my feet. And if it makes you feel better, I could even charge you for the flowers, if you just don’t want my help since you think it’s a handout.”

“I guess it wouldn’t be that bad.” You murmured, before nodding.

Looking up at him. “But only my preorders that I don’t want to cancel on, that’s all I’ll let you help me with.” You told him.

Nodding his head, he smiled, before handing you his phone. “Give me your number, so then you can tell me how many and what kind you need, and I can bring them to you so you can fill the preorders.”

Putting your number in his phone, and handing it back, you received a text from an unknown number seconds later, his number.

“Just tell me how many and what kinds, and I can get them to you. I grow a variety so hopefully I’ll have everything you need.” He said, before checking the time on his phone.

As he checked, he realized he was supposed to open up in about twenty minutes.

Stepping back from you, he smiled at you before he raised his hand, wiping a stray tear that was dripping down your cheek. “Don’t be afraid to ask for any, I can get them to you, but right now, I should probably get to work. And don’t be afraid to call me for anything, even just to talk, I won’t mind.”

Nodding as he left your store, you went into the back, starting to clean up around the store.

The day was long, between you cleaning the glass and dirt off the floor so that the customers that had preorders could walk through safely.

Most were shocked that someone would do this, completely destroy your store after all you hadn’t been opened that long.

A few said something along the lines that it might have been the rival florist in town, but you quickly brushed those claims off, since why would the rival florist do something like this, destroy your store completely.

It was five days before you called in to Taeyang asking for flowers, you had used all the ones in your greenhouse and was three red roses short for Oliver, the old man that came in weekly and got a dozen roses for his wife of like sixty years.

“Um, hello? Taeyang? Hello?” You asked into the phone, as the person on the other end had picked up.

Taeyang wouldn’t lie, he had a mini heart attack when you called him, like wow this beautiful person was actually calling him. “Um, yes. Hello.” He replied.

As he answered, you sighing, thinking momentarily you had the wrong number. “Are you busy right now?”

“No, do you need any flowers.” He replied, setting down the arrangement he was working on.

He was busy, but honestly for you, he was never busy.

“Do you happen to have three red roses? I’m working on my last preorder to be delivered today, and I’m three short from filling the order.” You said, hoping he had three.

Taeyang looked over to where he kept his red roses, before nodding, forgetting that you couldn’t see him through the phone.

“Yes, yes, yes. I have some, you need only three?” He asked, as he realized you couldn't see him nodding.

Sighing in relief that he had some. “Yes, only three. Where would you like to meet so I can get them?”

As you asked that, honestly Taeyang started to panic, you come get them, see his flower shop, no, just no.

“Are you at your store, I could swing by and drop them off, I’m just about to go on my lunch break, so it won’t be out of my way.” He said.

“I am, and are you sure, I don’t want to inconvenience you.” You replied.

He nodded once more, before replying. “Oh, it’s not an inconvenience.”

About twenty minutes passed before you heard the door opening, he had arrived with the roses you needed.

Rushing out of the back, you saw Taeyang standing in your store in the state it was in now.

It was cleaned with one glass panel replaced, while the other still had a tarp covering it.

“I see you’ve started to clean it up.” Taeyang said, as he also looked around your store.

Nodding as you walked towards him. “Yeah, one glass panel is in, the other is arrive tomorrow, next week my new tables and shelves come in, and I’m also supposed to have someone come reinforce the glass also.”

“That’s good, oh yeah, here are the roses you asked for.” Taeyang then said, holding his hands you, giving you the roses.

As you reached out to take them, you counted four, you only asked for three.

“I only need three, why did you bring four?” You asked him, watching as he started to blush.

He stepped forward, taking the largest of the four out of his hand.

“Three for you bouquet and one for the prettiest flower I’ve seen today.” He said, before placing the rose, that he had luckily taken the thorns off of, behind your ear.

As he did that, he started second guessing himself. “Was that too cheesey, I feel like that was too cheesey.”

“Oh it was, but it was sweet, so I can forgive the cheese.” You said, as you took the other three roses from him.

Stepping closer to him, you smiled up at him. “Thank you for the roses. But how can I ever pay you back, I feel horrible just taking these from you.”

Taeyang stood for a moment, he could ask for something basic like money, or he could use this as an opportunity to get a date.

“How about you go out with me tonight in exchange for them?” He asked, before immediately regretting it.

He then started to stumble over his words. “Yet, if you are busy or or if you just don’t want to, I don’t mind, it’s fine, you don’t have to go out with me if you want to, or if you are taken, or if you have plans, or you don’t have to.” He quickly said.

A soft laugh slipped past your lips, watching as he started almost freaking out. “I’d love to go out with you, how about pick me up here at seven?” You replied.

He nodded, happy you hadn’t said no, he honestly expected a no. “Yeah, yeah, seven works, seven is perfect, I’ll pick you up here at seven.”

After that he quickly left, not wanting you to change your mind, plus you assumed his lunch break was ending soon.

As you finished the bouquet, you had a smile on your face, he was sweet and honestly from how he reacted he didn’t think you’d say yes.

The bouquet was finished and you set off delivering it to the elderly man just a few houses over, often he came by to get it, yet with your store in the state it is, you didn’t want him to have to come all the way down for it.

To say the date went well would be an understatement, it went amazingly, and one date turned into two, then soon you’d say the two of you were going steady.

The two of you quickly had a daily routine, he’d help you fill your preorders every morning, your hidden kisses in the back of the store, and he’d bring a random flower and compare it to your beauty or your relationship.

Before long, you were filling your last preorder, and until your flowers were finished growing you’d have no more orders to fill.

Your store had been completed, now you were just waiting on your flowers to finish growing, flowers that Taeyang insisted on helping you plant because two people can plant faster than just one.

It was weeks since you started dating, before your flowers finally started to sprout, and Taeyang still came by your shop daily to give you a flower, it was part of his routine and he refused to stop it by now.

“Gardenias mean secret love, how is our love secret?” You questioned him, as you pulled him into a kiss.

Taeyang shortly laughed, his hands finding your waist, pulling your body against his.

“Do you see us making out in the main room for everyone to see?” He asked, before meeting your lips again.

Softly laughing, you returned his kiss before nodding. “Touché.”

You watched as he left to go to work, you returning to watering your flowers before you left the store.

Walking through town, you decided to go check out the other flower shop, you had no reason really, just thinking maybe it would be nice to know exactly who your competition was.

As you walked in, you saw the back of a familiar head, then heard a familiar voice.

“Welcome to Sunshine’s Flowers, how can I help you today?” Taeyang asked, as he heard the door open.

He didn’t bother to turn back, instead just focusing on the bouquet in his hand.

You scoffed, stepping forward. “I like gardening and grow a lot of flowers, my ass.”

“I can’t believe I believed all that I love gardening shit, of course you just have to be a florist. All those customers are probably right, you probably destroyed my store so that you could get all the business yourself, you couldn’t handle a competition. And to think, I thought I was falling for you.” You ranted, before turning and running out of the store.

Taeyang turned around, shocked at your words, as you ran out, he started after you.

You were already around the corner by the time he got out the door, he hadn’t lost the person he thought of as his love, but also his best friend.

The next few days your phone was bombarded with calls from him.

He begged for you to just listen to him, just heard him out, but you wouldn’t.

He hadn’t told you he was a florist, he probably planned this all, destroy your shop, make you fall for him, then probably get you to close your store, then break up with you once he was done.

Taeyang felt horrible, he felt like his heart had been ripped out, you wouldn’t let him explain and that’s all he wanted to do.

A week past and he stopped trying to contact you, you felt saddened that he did, like he no longer cared about you, you felt bad for wanting him to care about you after how you ignored him.

Taeyang had started planning, and he was planning how he thought he’d win you back.

You had forgotten you gave him a key to the store, but he hadn’t forgotten.

To say you were surprised to walk in and see all the flower containers full of assorted flowers and all the decorating you were putting off done, would be an understatement.

Then there he stood, Taeyang, hanging up the last of the hanging plants.

“I don’t need your pity flowers or pity decorating, I can grow my own flowers and decorate myself.” You told him, glaring at him as he finally turned to face you.

“I know, I know you can, but I just want you to know I’m serious about you.” He said, starting to walk over to you, hoping you’d at least hear him out.

“I was afraid to tell you, I thought you’d react how you did. I didn’t want to lose you, but I did. Yet, I’ve realized I’ll do anything to get you back, you want me to close my store, consider it done, I’ll do anything for you.” He finally said, as he stood in front of you.

“Please, just forgive my stupid ass, I’ll do anything.” He added as he looked down at you.

Sighing, you looked around, he cleaned up the place nice, you couldn’t deny that. “Fine, i’ll give you one chance.” You told him.

“But only one, mess it up, and you can get used to the idea of never seeing me again.” You added.

He nodded, before leaning down and kissing you, which you gladly kissed him back.

“I guess I can’t give you gardenias anymore.” Taeyang softly murmured to you, confusing you.

That’s when you heard the door open, the open sign Taeyang had turned on attracting one of your regulars, who seemed sorta shocked to see the town’s rival florists arm in arm.

“Well I guess our love isn’t exactly secret any longer.” You replied, before turning to help the customer.

The reopening of your store was great, you had feared losing your regulars, but they all returned once you reopened.

Your flower shop had became Taeyang and your flower shop, before long.

He was soon closing his store and you moved all the greenhouses and flower growing over into his store, his store being where the flowers were sold and your store being where they were sold.

On any random day, a customer can find one of you two making a bouquet while the other clings to them, hugging them.

Trips with dad to the pumpkin patch happened yearly, even as you grew older the thought of looking for that perfect pumpkin with your father never faded from your mind. You’d look forward to the trip for weeks to come, driving out into the country on a road-trip with one goal in mind, as your father put it once, to get the biggest juiciest sexiest pumpkin in that field. It was a tradition that you weren’t going to let disappear. So here you were standing in the field, in a jacket a bit too thin and boots a bit too small, watching as Mina ran around trying to find the perfect pumpkin.

It was cold out, shivering as you followed Mina around did nothing to help warm you up. “I should have bought new boots and a thicker jacket.” You commented to yourself, watching as Mina started to run towards the opposite end of the pumpkin patch, you following after the overly excited child. As you ran after her, you could hear the murmurs from the people you passed, snarky comments about the ‘young mother’ and how you should have given the child up. Comments like that were something you got used to, things were so black and white to others, you hated it, but you couldn’t do anything to change their minds. Just once you wanted to meet someone that didn’t automatically look at you in disgust and turn you away when they found out about Mina. Mina and you were a packaged deal, if someone didn’t want Mina in their life, they didn’t deserve you in their life.

“Mina, come here.” You called out, watching as the child stopped where she was, running back to you. “What about that one?” You asked her, watching as the excited child nodded enthusiastically, before breaking out in a sprint towards it. Running after her, watching as she luckily stopped by the pumpkin. Often she’d run past and you’d end up having to run after her, then when she stopped you wouldn’t be able to find that pumpkin you saw earlier. Today alone you had lost out on four perfect pumpkins already, yet this one was the most perfect of the perfect, and you had found it before anyone else. Or at least, that is what you had thought, just as you started to reach for it, you found someone else was already picking it up.

You weren’t about to get into fight in the middle of a pumpkin patch over a pumpkin, but Mina had other plans. Before you could stop Mina, her foot came out making contact with the man’s shin. You grabbed her back after that, shocked that she’d do that. “Mina, don’t kick people, that’s not nice.” You said, trying to pull her back from the stranger as she kicked out once more.

“Give me back my ‘um’kin you big meanie.” Mina yelled at the stranger before pulling out of your grasp. She finally escaping your grasp for a moment, just to kicking the stranger again in his other shin, before letting you grab her once more..

“Demon child.” The stranger said, staggering, almost dropping the pumpkin but luckily keeping ahold of it. He had just came to find the perfect pumpkin to make pie, and here he was getting attacked by a toddler. He didn’t come here for this, as he glared at the small child, all he could think about was how he should have Mingyu come to get the pumpkin, instead of volunteering himself for the task.

A gasp left your mouth as his voice reached your ears. Demon child, Mina? Technically she was, but only you could call her one. And you definitely weren’t going to let some complete stranger call her that. “Demon child, who are you calling a demon child?” You questioned, as you could feel your anger towards this stranger rising at a rapid rate

You weren’t like your father, you wouldn’t start a fight in the middle of the pumpkin patch, but the way today was going, you might end up in one before the end of the day. All the whispering of the ladies gossiping before this had finally gotten to you, and you weren’t going to back down. Often being passive was something you praised yourself on, but today, that wasn’t something you could label as a common trait. Here you were standing, in the middle of a pumpkin patch, of all places, about to fight a complete stranger.

He had came here to get a pumpkin, not to be attacked by a child and get into a fight with the child’s mother, that in his honest opinion looked way too young to be a mother.  “That child is the demon child, kicking me like that.” He muttered under his breath.

“If you would have just given us the pumpkin, that we saw first, then she wouldn’t have kicked you.” You told him, just before Mina began to cling to your leg. If she could tell what was going on, you knew that it was going too far. Here you were arguing with a stranger over a pumpkin in the middle of a pumpkin patch, this wasn’t who you are, maybe who your father was, but not you.

He found himself about to reply, when he stopped himself. The child that had been kicking him not even minutes before had started sniffling, and he could see the tears starting to pool in her eyes. He could see the pained look on your face as you looked at the child, and could tell the child was probably going to start crying fairly soon.

Mina had started sniffling, causing you to focus your attention on her instead of the man in front of you. Simply taking her hand, you turned, leading her away from where you both stood before. Leaning down, you touched her cheek as you let her lean her face into your palm. “We’ll just get another pumpkin, okay sweetie.” You said to her. “And we can make pie and you can carve it up however you like.” You spoke to her softly, watching as Mina eventually nodded her head.

Standing back up, you took her hand, leading her towards the other pumpkins. “Do you see any you like?” You asked her, forgetting all about the guy you left standing holding the pumpkin you both had been fighting over. The pumpkin was the one Mina wanted, but you’d rather find another than scare her more than she was already. Not only that, but you didn’t want her to start crying in the middle of the pumpkin patch either, so it was just easier to find another pumpkin.

He felt bad, watching how you kept the child from crying and started looking again. He started walking after you, thinking if he gives up the perfect pumpkin, it might as well be for a child. “Hey.” He called out, as he neared you.

“What do you want?” You questioned, hearing that voice once more. Turning you looked at him, just wanting to find a new pumpkin with Mina, since you didn’t need her to cry or anything.

He looked at you, signing unsure how to say what he needed to. “Where is your vehicle?” He quickly asked you. “I’ll put this in it for you.” He muttered afterwards.

You couldn’t help but scoff at him, at the man who had argued with you not even moments before. “I don’t need your pity or your pumpkin.” You simply told him.

“It’s not pity, I just..” He trailed off. “I just couldn’t stand to see her about to cry.”

Looking at Mina, you didn’t know whether he was truly being sincere or not, but sighed seeing how she let up hearing he wanted to give the pumpkin to them for her. “Do you really want it?” You simply asked her, a soft smile coming to your face as the child nodded excitedly.

“Yes, yes, please, please.” Mina said, before she moved forward hugging your leg, before breaking away and hugging his. “Thank you mister.” She told him, before moving back to your side.

“It’s this way.” You said, starting to lead him towards your vehicle, deciding if he was willing to give it up for her, you might as well take it.

Mina tugged at your hand, as you both lead him to your vehicle. “We can make pie now, right?” She asked as you started to fasten her into the car, as he put the pumpkin into the back.

“You’re making pie?” The voice you had heard earlier asked. “That’s what I was going to do with it also.”

Nodding your head, you looked at the man. “I am.”

Mina started nodding also, despite the fact the man couldn’t have seen her. “She makes the bestest pie it’s like the bestest pie I’ve ever had, sometimes she lets me eat whipped cream straight from the can.” She started to ramble off, gaining a chuckle from both you and the man.

“Could I possibly get the name of the person who according to a five year old, makes the bestest pie she’s ever had?” He asked, before looking around your shoulder, to see the small child smiling at him and waving.

Nodding your head, you looked at him, before telling him your name. “And can I get the name of the man that my sister kicked numerous times? Which I am honestly truly sorry about.”

The part about how your sister had kicked him previously, brought a single laugh from him. “Wonwoo.” He said, before taking a step closer, leaning himself against the side of you car. “And can I just so happen to possibly get the number of the bestest pie maker also?” He added, resting his shoulder completely on your car.