W. 5pm
39
“Come back after you’ve cleaned everything up.”
The heroine's eyes fluttered ever so slightly. Her mother didn't miss it.
“Flower shop too.”
“.......”
“The life you have built now.”
Mom spoke each word clearly, pressing down on it.
“Stop playing pranks that are only fun for you.”
The heroine bit her lip once and then slowly released it.
“Come back to the hospital.”
"mom."
“It’s not over yet.”
Mom cut me off.
“Your dad too.”
As soon as those words came out, the female protagonist's shoulders stiffened a little.
“Thank you for your consideration.”
“.......”
“Did you think I gave up because I didn’t say anything?”
Mom shook her head.
“I’ll wait for you.”
“.......”
After a brief silence, Mom changed her words. It was so natural that I had a bad feeling about it.
"and."
“.......”
“And talk about marriage.”
“.......”
“It’s about time I came out.”
"mom."
“The house is nice too.”
“.......”
“The conditions are right.”
“So?”
“My lady.”
“Me”
The heroine continued, cutting off the words.
“I have no intention of organizing my life by conditions.”
Mom's expression hardened. This time, it was clearly displeasure.
“I am still being polite enough.”
The heroine slowly rose from her chair. She was neither hasty nor impatient.
“You said we should meet today.”
“.........”
“If that’s what you called me to talk about.”
He said, looking down at his mother.
“This is as far as I can go.”
A moment of silence.
The female protagonist's mother said nothing. The female protagonist bowed her head once. It was more of a closing remark than a greeting.
“Then take care.”
The heroine turned around. The moment she pushed open the cafe door and stepped out, her breath suddenly escaped her. Her legs felt a little heavy, but she didn't stop.
Only after the door closed did the heroine clench her hand tightly.
40
When I opened the door to the flower shop at the end of a familiar alley, the clock was just past four in the afternoon.
The moment she opened the door, the scent of flowers wafted in. It was a mixture of freshly watered roses and newly arrived lisianthus. Yeoju put down her bag, took off her coat, and hung it on a chair. She took a deep breath and turned on the light. The light came on, bringing the space to life.
“Let’s do it.”
I put on my apron and picked up the water jug. To clear my mind, I cut the stems again and cleared the withered leaves. It was a familiar movement, leaving no room for thought. Still, I paused occasionally. My mother's words would suddenly burst out, then disappear again.
Stop playing pranks that are only fun for you.
The heroine shook her head once, then changed the water again. She looked at the clock on the wall. It was four thirty. Even though it was still early, she glanced at the door again. It wasn't a time when anyone would be coming.I'm going crazy... I always think of this at times like this...
41
As the sun set, the atmosphere inside the flower shop gradually changed. There was a steady stream of customers throughout the afternoon, but it wasn't hectic. Yeoju focused on serving each customer individually.
After the last guest left, the doorbell rang softly. Yeoju automatically glanced at her watch. It was a little past seven in the afternoon. She turned on another light and swept up the fallen leaves. She figured he might come around this time.
I looked at the door one more time for no reason.
It was then. A familiar shadow appeared beyond the glass door. At first, it was hard to see because of the reflected light, but the moment the door opened, I knew it was Seokjin, standing there with his suit jacket draped over one arm. A smile escaped Yeoju's lips, despite herself.
“I guess you’re not busy.”
“It just finished.”
Seokjin walked inside and took a slow look around the store. The flower displays were dwindling, the checkout counters were tidied up. It was clear that a long day had passed.
“You look like you had a good day.”
“That’s the first time I’ve heard that compliment.”
“It’s an expression only I use.”
Seokjin stood by the counter and briefly glanced around the store. The water level in the vases, the neatly arranged ribbons. It was a space where the heroine had tampered with.
As they stepped outside, the night air grew thicker. Yeoju unconsciously rubbed her arm. Seeing this, Seokjin, without saying a word, pulled his jacket a little closer to her and draped it over her. He didn't put it on her. He left it up to her to decide.
“Aren’t you cold?”
"Yeah. It feels cool today."
Seokjin nodded at that. There was no unnecessary conversation between them as they drove to the car. Instead, their paces naturally matched. If Yeoju was a half-beat behind, Seokjin would follow suit. As they got into the car, a familiar atmosphere enveloped them. Had the engine started? Unlike the cold outside, the car's interior was warm.
42
Seokjin stopped in front of the front door. He glanced at Yeoju, who had her hand on the doorknob, then glanced around the house again. The water stains he'd seen during the day had mostly dried, but the bathroom still felt unkempt. He didn't enter before Yeoju. Instead, he took a step back and spoke.
“Just take care of the urgent things.”
"yes?"
“You don’t have to bring the rest.”
"why?"
Seokjin was silent for a moment. His expression wasn't one of someone contemplating what to explain. It was the expression of someone choosing how to say something they'd already decided.
"at home."
"yes."
“It already exists.”
“.....?”
The heroine paused for a moment. She looked at Seokjin with an expression that seemed ambiguous, unsure whether to laugh or ask.
“What is it?”
“Things for you to write.”
“…….”
“My mother has already prepared everything.”
“When?”
“When you went out earlier?”
The woman was momentarily speechless at those words. She tilted her head and looked at Seokjin again. His expression was one of surprise and another of understanding. He had clearly left quietly, and there was barely a trace left inside the house, but the woman had already noticed the empty space.
“Then I’ll just pack what I really need.”
"huh."
“It’ll only take a moment.”
“Take it slow.”
43
When I packed my bags and got back in the car, the smell of the flower shop mixed with the evening air. The trunk closed, and Seokjin sat in the driver's seat.
As the car pulled back onto the main road, a strangely peaceful silence settled over the cabin. Streetlights flickered outside the window at regular intervals, flickering across the interior. Yeoju leaned against the window, adjusting the straps of her bag. Her hands were unnecessarily busy. She'd packed her bags and decided on her destination, but her heart felt like it hadn't arrived yet.
Seokjin was silent for a while, then took one hand off the steering wheel and opened his mouth.
“But I’ve been thinking about it for a while now.”
The heroine turned her head.
"yes?"
“Speaking of titles. Is it okay to keep going by Seokjin?”
“Phew...”
"Are you laughing? I'm serious right now, heroine."
“Is there a nickname you’d like to hear?”
Yeoju asked with a deliberately nonchalant expression, but the look of suppressed laughter lingered clearly in her eyes. Seokjin watched her expression intently, then turned his gaze back to the road ahead. His hands on the steering wheel tightened their grip ever so slightly.
“Yes.”
He gave a short answer, his tone a bit lower than usual. It sounded like someone who had started out joking, but had no intention of ending it.
"however."
"yes"
“I don’t want to talk.”
"? why."
"anyway."
“.......”
“You’re not going to call me.”
The heroine's eyes widened in surprise. It was an unexpected reaction. The tone was subtle, a mix of playful tantrums and genuine irritation.
"no."
"no."
Seokjin shook his head very slightly.
“It’s always been Seokjin.”
"that…"
“It must be because it’s comfortable.”
The words were calm, but there was a faint loss of strength at the end. The female protagonist didn't miss that subtle difference in temperature.
The heroine looked at him for a moment, then lowered her gaze. She needlessly adjusted the strap of the bag she was holding. Then she spoke very quietly.
“........Brother”
The moment that one word falls.
Seokjin's hand really stopped.
My fingers froze on the steering wheel. My gaze swayed slightly from the road, then returned straight ahead. The tips of my ears were slowly turning red, clearly visible in the streetlights.
“…My lady.”
"no, I do not want?"
"no."
It came out right away.
“It’s not that I hate it.”
"sure."
"a little."
Seokjin chuckled softly. It was a laugh that seemed to find himself dumbfounded.
“I need to give them time to prepare.”
The heroine eventually burst into laughter.
“Who needs time to prepare to call someone by their name?”
“It’s here.”
Seokjin immediately accepted it.
“My heart is beating a little fast right now.”
The female protagonist's laughter grew louder.
“Is it true?”
"huh."
“Are you that surprised?”
“You don’t know.”
Seokjin glanced to the side.
“How long have I been enduring it.”
As soon as those words fell, the female protagonist's laughter briefly stopped. Instead, her expression softened slightly.
“Then should I cancel it?”
"don't do it."
Seokjin said right away.
“I already heard.”
“…...”
"now."
He said, exhaling softly.
“No turning back.”
The heroine lowered her head and smiled.
“Then from now on.”
"huh."
“Can I call you oppa?”
Seokjin pretended to think for a moment and then shook his head.
"no."
"yes?"
"that."
He spoke very slowly.
“Only when you want to call.”
"why."
“Because that’s better.”
A moment of silence.
And Seokjin added.
“Forcing yourself to listen is pointless.”
The female protagonist's expression became very soft and quiet.
"then."
"huh."
“It’s too convenient right now!”
”......”
“Seokjin oppa.”
This time the tone was much more relaxed.
Arriving in front of Seokjin's house, my fingers, which were turning off the engine, stiffened slightly once again.
“…femalemainhey."
“Why~?”
"this."
He chuckled softly.
“I think it will take some time to adjust...”
The female protagonist raised the corners of her mouth slightly.
“Take your time.”
And then he continued very naturally.
“Brother.”