W. 5pm
10
For several days, Seokjin frequented the flower shop as usual. Sometimes he'd pick out a small flowerpot or water it, and other times he'd simply glance at her and leave. Each time, Yeoju would take off her gloves, shake her hands, and offer a small smile or a wink, offering a word.
“Seokjin, you came again today.”
“Yes. I just happened to stop by today.”
“Wow, it’s coffee. Thank you as always.”
"What? I bought it because I like it."
There was no longer any awkwardness between them. The playful glances, small jokes, and light conversations, such as pointing at flower pots, felt natural. Even if it wasn't about flowers, the small, everyday conversations that intertwined made the atmosphere in the shop feel a little warmer on days when Seokjin visited.
11
On some days, rain began to fall in the afternoon and grew heavier as the sun set. Water trickled down the window, blurring the view inside the store, and even the sound of passing cars outside became muffled. Yeoju moved a few small flower pots by the door inside and swept the wet floor with a cloth. The distinctive rainy-day smell, mixed with the earthy scent, slowly permeated the store.
The sound of the door opening was a beat late, drowned out by the rain. Yeoju raised her head. Seokjin was coming in, folding his umbrella. The hem of his coat and shoes were slightly wet, and in his hands were two familiar paper cups. Seokjin propped the umbrella against the wall and casually offered one of the cups.
“It’s raining a lot.”
“Wasn’t it hard coming here? It must have been cold.”
"It's okay. That's why it's warm today. I don't think I should drink iced tea."
“You have good sense.”
Yeoju accepted the cup and held it in her palm. As the warmth slowly spread, her stiff fingertips felt loosen. Seokjin looked around the store in silence, then stopped in front of a flower pot by the window. The spot, which had always been bright on rainy days, was now a dull gray.
“Are these flower pots okay on rainy days?”
“Yes. I actually like days like this. It’s quiet.”
As she spoke, Yeoju gently brushed away the moisture from the leaves with her fingertips. Seokjin watched her hand movements, then lifted the small flowerpot beside her. The soil was moist.
“Water… I guess I don’t have to give it to you today.”
"Yes. You know. You're more of an expert than I am now."
“Then shouldn’t you pay me my salary?”
“Oh, are we talking about money right now?”
“Experts are paid.”
The female protagonist sniffed and drank the coffee Seokjin had bought, savoring it.
"Then today is a trial period. Unpaid."
“If it’s unpaid, I can leave work whenever I want, right?”
"No way. You're going when it's the busiest time, right? I can't go."
“It’s strange. The boss is the most unfair.”
“Instead, coffee is provided in unlimited quantities.”
“Oh, then that’s a different story.”
Seokjin nodded, taking a sip of his coffee. Yeoju glanced at him before turning back to the window. Raindrops were falling at regular intervals beyond the glass, blurring the street. The jokes they'd exchanged just moments ago lingered in the air, creating a lingering sense of laughter. The two stood side by side in silence, gazing out the window. Car headlights flickered across the rain-soaked road, and the occasional passerby hurried along under their umbrellas. Contrary to this, the inside of the store was strangely quiet. The sound of the rain and the smell of earth rising from the flower pots filled the air.
12
That day, Seokjin planned to head to the flower shop after work as usual. While waiting for the elevator, he absentmindedly glanced down at his vibrating phone. A name flashed across the screen, stopping him in his tracks.
Kim Sang-cheol.
It's my father. The message he sent, accompanied by a short vibration, was concise.
Come to my parents' house this evening.
There was no reason, no time. It was always like that. Asking was a question that seemed to be out of the question. Seokjin swallowed a sigh and stood there, clutching his phone for a moment. Today, the scene he saw when he pushed open the flower shop door naturally came to mind, but it was quickly erased by the text on the screen.
He hesitated for a moment before changing direction and opened the message window.
Seokjin:
Lady, are you busy?
A moment later, a reply came right away.
Heroine:
No, it's okay. Why?
Seokjin:
It's nothing special, I'm just so busy at work today that I don't think I can go.
Heroine:
Um… I see.
Well then, I guess I'll just have to play with the flower pots today.
Seokjin looked down at the screen for a moment, then replied again as if he was indifferent.
Seokjin:
That tone is more problematic.
A line followed immediately.
Seokjin:
So much so that I feel bad about leaving the store empty.
Only after sending the message did Seokjin raise the corners of his mouth just a little.
I didn't realize it, but at that momentHe was thinking more about the flower shop than about the call from his father, Kim Sang-cheol.
13
When I arrived at my parents' house, the only sound was the faint sound of the housekeeper preparing dinner. Passing through the front door and into the living room, everything except the kitchen remained silent. The lights were on, but there was no warmth in the vast space.
Seokjin took off his shoes and slowly stepped inside. His father was sitting on the living room sofa, but his gaze wasn't focused on Seokjin. It was as if he already knew he was coming and didn't need to greet him. Seokjin didn't wait for his gaze or call out to him, but quietly walked into the living room.
Dinner was ready, and three people were seated at the main table: Father, Mother, and Seokjin. The meal began quietly, the only sound being the occasional clinking of dishes. Mother ate in silence, while Father folded his newspaper and turned to Seokjin to speak.
“Where do you wander around so much after work these days?”
Seokjin's hand paused for a moment. His father didn't look at him. He continued speaking, facing straight ahead, as if he'd already made up his mind.
“Did you think I didn’t know?”
“You are the successor to our company.”
“Why wouldn’t someone in that position be careful about their actions?”
His mother took a deep breath. She didn't stop him. Instead, she glanced at Seokjin, then lowered her gaze back to the table. What mattered to her wasn't the confrontation, but the strife.balanceIt was.
“You know how quickly an article comes out these days.”
"Ordinary woman, private interactions, failure to manage one's image—"
“What do you think of the company name next to these words?”
A moment of silence passed. Seokjin didn't put down his spoon. Instead, he slowly took a deep breath, gazed at the table, and opened his mouth.
“A knight? I haven’t even been there yet.”
His father's eyebrows moved slightly. Then, Seokjin continued calmly.
“And if ‘private exchanges’ are the problem,”
“I have never done anything legally problematic outside of work hours.”
“Because I am in a position to represent the company,”
“If even private meetings must be controlled,”
He raised his head and looked at his father.
“Isn’t that standard too arbitrary?”
At that moment, my father slammed his spoon down on the table.
“Arbitrary? Are you asking me that right now?!”
The air above the table froze in an instant. The silence, growing increasingly bleak, suddenly stirred as my mother spoke.
"honey-"
“You stay still.”
Despite his mother's warning, his father stopped talking without taking his eyes off him.
"What do you know about those standards? How does this company operate? What losses can a single risk lead to—"
“I know, how could I not know?”
Seokjin cut off his father's words in a low, cutting tone. At that short reply, his father's face hardened. Seokjin's actions only made his voice grow louder.
“If you know and still do it, it’s a bigger problem!”
“That’s why I’m telling you.”
Seokjin didn't get up from his seat. He kept his back straight and looked straight at his father.
“There’s a difference between having the potential to become a problem and managing it so it doesn’t become a problem.”
“I admit that I acted emotionally.”
“But the situation now is, nothing has happened yet.”
My father shouted.
“Cutting that off in advance is management!”
“Do you think the position of successor is just a decoration?”
He didn't even catch his breath. He didn't even look away before speaking. He was calm, as if this conversation had been destined to happen someday, and now it was simply the appointed time.
“Then let me be more clear.”
“I will endure any sacrifices I have to make for the company.”
“Time, privacy, even reputation.”
A brief silence. Seokjin took a beat longer to continue.
“But a relationship where nothing happens,”
“I will not accept being treated like a problem.”
Father's face turned red.
“This guy—!”
Seokjin didn't stop talking.
He continued resolutely and calmly.
“And if you cross that line,”
“I really won’t stay still then.”
A heavy silence fell over the table.
No more words came from either side. The air was tense and clammy, and the food on the plates was cooling. Seokjin stood up and didn't look at his father again. He didn't even feel the need to make eye contact. Ignoring the stares and presence behind him, he quietly left the table.