Work Text:
Lee Minho loved his job. The second the flower shop had a job opening, Minho had sprinted inside to grab it. Maybe it wasn’t a job most people would think a varsity soccer player would have, but Minho just loved flowers. Everything about them was amazing, like how they all had specific meanings to every single color and type. You could express anything with a flower and Minho just loved that. And if someone didn’t know what the flower meant, then they could appreciate the beauty of the flower.
Minho was daydreaming about all the types of flowers he was currently surrounded by when a ding from the main computer startled him awake. A special delivery. Nothing out of the ordinary, as it was the 21st century and a flower delivery service just made sense. He clicked open the message and began to analyze it. The second he read who it was from sent a smile upon his face. It was his most frequent customer.
Dear District 9 Flower Shop,
It’s me again, Jisung. I’m doing great playing secret admirer to my crush. It always puts a huge smile on his face! He’s so cute. Thank you for that. Anyways, I would like a flower arrangement that really portrays my feelings. Maybe only one or two flowers. Something that really says I have a crush on you, and maybe tie in that I’m into music to lead him on? I’m planning on confessing to him soon. I’ll write a cute note for him myself, so you don’t have to worry about it, like last time.
Thanks again!
Han Jisung
When Minho received the first message from Jisung, he didn’t really think twice and made the flower arrangement as he would for anyone else. Minho might have a tiny crush on this underclassman, but one gotta keep his work before his heart, ya know? It did sadden him a little that Jisung was wanting to confess to someone else, by being a secret admirer, but then the next day of school, Minho’s locker had the same flower arrangement and the same card that he wrote for Jisung. At first, he was confused and thought it was a joke, but then it happened again, and then again, and then again. He had received his own flower arrangement nine times too many to be a joke.
Oh? He’s finally going to confess? thought Minho. He then pondered if he should tell Jisung the truth about knowing all along. Where’s the fun of that? Minho set to work on the flower arrangement, picking hyacinths for sporty and playfulness, hydrangeas for heartfelt emotions, and a single freesia because it simply was Minho’s favorite flower (it meant innocence and thoughtfulness). He almost began to write a card (for himself), but remembered Jisung’s message. Then the front door dinged open, leaving the flower arrangement for later.
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Maybe Han Jisung was crazy for wanting to confess to his senior this way. Maybe he was just crazy for his senior. Maybe Jisung was actually just crazy. Either way, Jisung really wanted it to work out well. So far, his plan had gone untouched. And Minho had no way of knowing it was him. Though, Jisung did see Minho walking around with a smug smile on his face, as if everything Jisung did as a secret wasn’t actually a secret.
But Jisung, who was sitting in his dorm room after he finished messaging his favorite flower shop, aka District 9, could have cared less. If Minho knew, he never approached Jisung to tell him to stop. So why would he now? His plan was almost complete; Jisung had two more flower arrangements planned, one for tomorrow and one for Friday. The plan was all set in stone.
Jisung was giggling when his best friend slash roommate walked into their dorm. Felix sorta looked at him weird before sending a text, probably to the group chat or Chan (or who Felix called Chris), as well as taking a picture of the giggling boy. Jisung’s phone dinged next time, answering this debate.
“Hey! That wasn’t very nice! Delete it!” Jisung stopped giggling like a little girl and jumped on top of Felix. Felix just chucked his phone to his bed as the pair fell upon it. Felix was laughing his head off.
“Nope,” Jisung groaned, but climbed off Felix and sat next to him on the bed. “Say mate, why have you been so secretive lately?” Jisung opened his mouth to answer. “No wait,” Felix gasped. “You got yourself a secret boyfriend!”
Felix regrabbed his phone and began typing into it. “N-no! I don’t have one, Lix!” Felix looked at him, unsurely. “Not yet, at least…” Jisung added softly.
However, it was already too late. Jisung could feel the group chat already causing a ruckus. “Oops?” Felix smiled innocently at Jisung, who smacked him on the shoulder. “Sorry, sorry!” Felix was laughing again and Jisung began to crack and laughed with him. After a few minutes, Felix spoke again. “You said you would soon, though, so…”
Jisung blushed, as he was embarrassed to share how he planned on confessing to Minho. But it was just Felix (and he would tell the entire group chat: Chan, Changbin, Hyunjin, and Seungmin; Jisung would worry about that later). Felix had always been with him, through every embarrassing moment through 3rd grade to senior year of high school. Jisung thought it through once more and knew he needed to tell someone. It really was hard keeping secrets.
“Okay, so I’m planning on confessing to Minho on Friday.”
Felix gasped. “Lee Minho? As in the star junior soccer player?” Jisung shyly nodded, forgetting that it had been a few years since he really had a crush on someone, and let alone tell Felix about it. “Wow! He’s like super hot. And I heard he also dances. Mate, he’s a real catch, ya know. Like, he’s got the body and all that, but also is as sweet as a flower.”
“I know. But will you let me-”
Felix apparently hadn’t finished. “I heard he got a part time job at some cafe or something cute. And he’s friends with that amazing vocal Keonhee. Oh, mate. He’s such a catch.” Felix paused for a moment, then looked Jisung up and down, as Jisung had stood up at some point. “I just realized! Mate, you’re so much shorter than him! How cute! I heard that-”
Jisung grumbled and put his hand on Felix’s mouth. “Will you shut up?” Felix looked a little startled but nodded his head quickly. “Okay, so I’m confessing on Frid-”
“Good luck, mate.” Jisung glared at his best friend, silencing him again.
“I’m confessing on Friday with flowers, special delivery that I’ll have to pick up right beforehand. I’ve been playing secret admirer…”
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It was Friday. Two days ago Minho received the flower arrangement (that he made) along with a cute card that read:
My Flower,
For as long as I’ve been a secret, I have had a crush on you. It is soon for me to reveal who I really am. I am not afraid anymore, but I promise one more flower to come to you directly from me. Two days time, I promise.
Yours truly,
Secret Admirer, J
Minho had to admit it was done much better than the cards he wrote for himself, which were a lot more cheesy. This felt sincere. A piece of Jisung.
However, that was two days ago. Today was the day. And he was expecting it, as Jisung messaged the flower shop yesterday explaining that he simply wanted one red rose. What he did not expect was Jisung saying he was going to pick it up at the shop himself. Might as well confess that he knew all along now than later, right? Minho was pressed.
Maybe I could convince Jeongin to replace me. Or even Keonhee. The door to the shop chimed open. Apparently, life had its own way of playing it out. Of course, it could have been the grandfather who always came by to grab a fresh set of flowers for his wife. Or the widowed mother and her three children, who always wanted to sniff all the flowers, before buying an arrangement of white carnations. Or even his close friend Keonhee, just sensing that he needed to be saved from what was about to happen.
It was none of the above. Minho wasn’t exactly surprised by what was about to go down, but he wished he could have told Jisung at the confession. Or sometime after they were dating. Possibly anytime other than the moment it was to happen. Fate really wanted it to happen this way. Why am I not surprised?
“Hi, welcome to District 9. Please feel free to holler if you need any help.” Minho tried to keep his voice monotone and turned back around to make an arrangement. He didn’t have to, but it did stall time. Minho knew he didn’t quite fit the ideal flower shop manager, with his built soccer and dancer body, so he understood why Jisung would most likely find it strange. He couldn’t imagine what was going through the other boy’s mind.
“H-hi…”
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Jisung’s heart was pounding. Though, he hadn’t even picked up the rose from the flower shop. He stood right in front of the shop and hesitated. He doesn’t know why he did, maybe it was only human to do so. Or maybe fate had some way at making his life miserable. With one deep breath, Jisung entered with his face down as the door chimed.
“Hi, welcome to District 9. Please feel free to holler if you need any help.” Jisung looked up in surprise. The voice was screaming at him that it was familiar. But Jisung couldn’t pin it on anyone. He found the worker turning around, busying himself when it hit Jisung. And oh boy, if it really was who he thinks it is, Jisung knew his secret was never a secret.
“H-hi…” Jisung still had a mission and he was determined to complete it. Felix would call him a coward, otherwise. He walked up to the counter just as Minho turned around.
“Oh, Jisung! I saw that you ordered again. Do you want me to grab it for you?” Jisung wanted to die, but bless the goodness of Minho’s soul. “Or can I just keep it for myself?” Actually, no. Minho was horrible.
Jisung’s face turned bright red. “Oh god, this is so humiliating! You knew all this time! I’m so embarrassed that I kept up with my act so long, No wonder you always looked so smug.”
Minho laughed. “It was cute and I didn’t want it to stop, Jisung. Yeah, maybe I did make all those arrangements myself, but it was still thoughtful.”
“But now I’m so embarrassed. My plan failed. I was going to take you out to a nice dinner and ask you to be my boyfriend but now it’s all ruined.” Jisung realized what he just said and covered his mouth. Minho giggled cutely. “You should have told me you knew…”
“Hmm… but that would ruin the fun?”
“But now I’m so embarrassed…” Jisung put his head down in shame, saddened that his plan could not continue. So much for having a date for the winter formal. So much for having a boyfriend by Saturday.
“It’s cute, don’t worry.” Minho walked around the counter and put his hand on Jisung’s face. He raised it up, so he could look directly into Jisung’s eyes. “You’re cute, Sungie. I like you, too.”
Minho smiled so sweetly at Jisung that he lost his train of thought. At first, it was the nickname. But the smile really hit him. It was too adorable. Jisung’s heart pounded, as he knew the smile was just for me. Then it hit him. “Oh my god, this is all wrong. I was supposed to confess first, Min!”
Minho took back his hand, with a light blush tinting his cheeks. He roared with laughter. “So I also can’t ask you on a date?” Jisung wanted so badly to be mad at the other, so so badly. But his heart beating so loudly said otherwise. “I can’t ask you to be my boyfriend?” Jisung felt his heart stop. “But can I ask you to kiss me?” Did the world lose oxygen right now?
“I like you a lot, Lee Minho,” blurted out Jisung.
Minho laughed even harder. “I know that from all the love letters you sent me.”
“I will not accept defeat! Lee Minho, I will be the one to ask you to be my boyfriend!”
“Oh really? This is a competition now? I’d hate to lose.”
Jisung took a step forward, suddenly more confident, and another step towards Minho. Minho’s confession really bumped up his self-esteem. “Normally I’m not competitive, but for you I have to be.” The gap between the two of them was growing smaller and smaller. “This one time, I’m sorry, but you, the champion of soccer, will have to lose.”
Jisung closed the gap between him and Minho with a sweet kiss. Minho, startled, took a moment to kiss back, but once he did, both of them smiled into it. It was ever so sweet kiss, considering it hadn’t been long since lunch and the taste was evident of what they had. However, since it was them, it felt like paradise. There were no fireworks, but why should there be? It was already perfection.
The moment didn’t last long enough for Minho when Jisung pulled away. Minho let a whine slip, but kept Jisung as close as possible. “I know this wasn’t how it was supposed to go down, but Lee Minho, will you be my boyfriend?”
Minho replied as he kissed Jisung again, harder this time. “Yes, you dummy.”
Never did losing taste so sweet. Maybe sometimes you do have to lose in order to win.