Chapter Text
6:53pm, the alarm clock in Yuji’s room had read. Yuji had barely closed his front door before his phone was in his hands, fingers hovering over the screen. He hadn’t stopped thinking about Megumi since he left the shop—about how calm and collected he’d been, how his voice had sounded so sure, even when Yuji had been rambling like a nervous mess. What if he doesn"t respond? Yuji thought, biting his lip as he unlocked his phone. He stared at the contact for a moment, his thumb hovering over the screen. He wasn’t sure what to say, but after a beat of hesitation, he typed:
Hey, it’s Yuji from the shop. Thanks again for helping me pick out the flowers! They look great, and I think they"ll cheer them up.
He stared at the message, his heart thumping a little faster than usual. He didn"t know why he was nervous. It wasn’t like they were strangers. It was just that... Megumi felt different somehow. Yuji shook his head at himself. It’s just a text, he reminded himself. But it felt like more. He hit send before he could talk himself out of it.
–
Megumi sat on his bed, his phone in his hand. The light from his window was dimming as the evening wore on, but his attention was still on the little note Yuji had left behind. His fingers traced the edges of the folded paper, before slipping it into his pocket without really thinking about it. He had meant to throw it away, but for some reason, the idea of doing so felt... wrong.
It had been a long day—one of those exhausting shifts that made his body feel heavy and his mind foggy—but as he sat there, the shop still buzzing in his memory, something about the interaction with Yuji kept him from letting it go. The guy had been a whirlwind, his nervous energy bouncing off the walls of the shop. He hadn’t minded it, but it had been... interesting. Maybe a little entertaining too, even if Megumi hadn’t let it show.
His phone buzzed on his bed, pulling him from his thoughts. He stared at the screen for a moment. Yuji?
He opened the message, reading the words with a neutral expression. "Thanks again for helping me pick out the flowers! They look great, and I think they"ll cheer them up." Megumi didn’t know why, but something about the way Yuji had said “they’ll cheer them up” made him pause. Maybe it was the way it was written—so hopeful, so earnest—but he found himself reading the message twice.
After a few moments of silence, Megumi typed:
It’s no problem. Hope they like them.
He stared at his message for a second, then hit send before he could overthink it. His thumbs lingered above the screen, waiting to see if Yuji would reply, but then, before he could second-guess himself, the message was already sent.
–
Yuji felt a small jolt of relief when he saw the bubbles pop up on the screen, followed by Megumi’s reply. His hands felt a little less shaky now as he responded.
Yeah, I hope so too. I wasn’t sure if sunflowers were a weird choice, but it seemed like something they"d like... He quickly added, Thanks again for not making me feel like an idiot, haha.
He glanced down at the message, debating on whether he should keep chatting. The thing was, every time he got a message from Megumi, he couldn’t help but feel a little... lighter, like something was different. Megumi’s calm nature had a way of cutting through his nervous energy, making him feel strangely at ease despite himself.
Yuji tapped his screen again, but then stopped, realizing he didn’t know what to say next. He wanted to ask more about Megumi—about how he was so calm, about why he’d said the flowers were no problem when Yuji felt like he was making a fool of himself the whole time. But he didn’t want to seem too forward. He glanced at the clock on his wall. It was getting late... but still, his mind wouldn’t quiet down.
He decided to try again.
So, what do you do when you"re not helping people pick out flowers?
He hit send before he could stop himself.
–
Megumi read Yuji’s follow-up message, his gaze lingering on the screen. He hadn"t expected Yuji to keep the conversation going—he figured the awkwardness would have faded by now. But for some reason, Yuji kept going.
What do I do when I’m not at the shop?
Megumi thought about it for a moment. He didn’t exactly have hobbies, not in the way most people did. He didn’t go out much, didn’t really have a particular passion to dive into. But there was something about Yuji’s curiosity that made him feel like it wouldn’t hurt to share a little more than usual.
He typed slowly, then hit send:
Not much. I keep to myself, mostly. Quiet stuff.
He stared at the message, waiting for Yuji’s response. There was an odd twinge in his chest, the strange feeling of maybe wanting to keep talking. He ran a hand through his hair. What’s wrong with me?
–
Yuji read Megumi’s message, a little surprised by how simple the reply was. Quiet stuff seemed so... Megumi. He barely even know the guy but it just.. sounded right. He couldn’t help but smile at the thought. It made him even more curious.
He felt the tension in his chest loosen. If Megumi was okay with the conversation, maybe he could keep it going a bit longer.
I get that. I usually run around like a mess, but sometimes... I just like sitting and thinking about things, you know?
He hesitated for a second before adding:
Like how you manage to stay so calm, even when I’m clearly a wreck.
He glanced at the phone, tapping his fingers on the screen while he waited, hoping that wasn’t too much.
–
Megumi read the last message, his lips curling into a faint, almost imperceptible smile. He hadn’t meant to be reassuring, but he couldn’t help but feel a little lighter after seeing Yuji’s message. Something about how Yuji just let the words come, his energy spilling into his texts, made Megumi feel oddly grounded.
He shifted his phone in his hand, hesitating, before typing:
You’re not a wreck.
It was a small, simple reply. Megumi wasn’t the type to offer reassurance easily. But with Yuji, it just... felt right. He wasn’t sure why.
–
Yuji’s expression softened as he had received that message. Why did he like this guy so much…? He barely even knew him, he felt stupid, really. He doubted Megumi would even be interested that much, he was just a customer… right?
He braced himself as he thought of what to type next, taking a risk:
Maybe I should come visit you more often.
He immediately regretted it, but Megumi had already read it according to the Seen underneath the text.
–
Megumi stared at the message, his fingers frozen above the keyboard. Maybe I should come visit you more often. It wasn’t exactly what he’d expected, but something about the simplicity of it made his chest tighten in a way he hadn’t anticipated. His mind immediately started to spiral—was Yuji joking? Or was he serious?
He could feel his heart race a little. It wasn’t like he didn’t want to see Yuji more, but the thought of it felt... vulnerable. He didn’t usually let people into his space, didn’t typically open up like this. But for some reason, with Yuji, it felt less like a risk and more like something that could actually be kind of nice.
He set the phone down for a moment, leaning back against his pillow, trying to shake the nerves that had crept up. Why does this feel so... important?
After a beat of hesitation, he picked his phone back up and started typing. The message was simple, but it felt like it meant more than just words on a screen.
Yeah. I wouldn’t mind that.
He hit send before he could think too much about it.
Maybe… work wouldn’t be so boring anymore.
–
Yuji stared at the phone screen, his thumb hovering above the keyboard. He had to admit, part of him felt ridiculously relieved when Megumi had responded. “Yeah. I wouldn’t mind that.” The simple words sat in his chest like a weight lifted, though a new uncertainty had crept in: now what?
He’d been sending messages back and forth with Megumi for a while now—nothing too deep, just small talk about how his day was going or asking if Megumi was still at work. But as the minutes passed, Yuji found himself typing out a new message and deleting it. Maybe I should just ask if he wants to talk on the phone. It seemed like such an obvious next step, right? But it also felt kind of... forward.
Yuji laughed nervously to himself, shaking his head. I barely know this guy. The words echoed in his head. It didn’t help that every time he thought about texting, he remembered how calm Megumi was. Megumi always seemed like he had everything under control, while Yuji felt like he was always running on too much energy, too many words. He wanted to make a good impression, not rush into anything too quickly.
Still, the idea of hearing Megumi’s voice, of having an actual conversation, started to feel like a possibility that Yuji couldn’t shake off.
He glanced down at the phone, then back at the screen where his last text was still sitting: What’s your favorite food? It was a simple question—something he’d typed on impulse, a way to keep the conversation going. But after he sent it, the silence stretched on too long. He chewed on his lip, waiting for a reply, but his mind was elsewhere.
Finally, the message came through, followed by a small sigh of relief. Megumi had replied, keeping things casual. Sushi, I guess.
Yuji smiled, reading the message over again. Sushi, huh? That’s easy enough to work with.
And yet, as the conversation flowed, Yuji’s mind kept drifting back to the idea of calling him. He could hear Megumi’s calm voice in his head, and it only made him want to hear it for real. But what if Megumi didn’t want to talk on the phone? What if it was too weird? Yuji squirmed in his seat, trying to convince himself it was no big deal.
The clock on his phone blinked at him. He glanced down at it again, feeling the weight of the decision pressing down on him. His thumb hovered over the screen as he debated for what felt like the thousandth time. Just do it, Yuji.
His fingers moved, and he typed out: Hey, would you be up for a call sometime? I know it’s kind of random, but... I think it’d be nice to hear your voice.
As soon as he hit send, Yuji pulled his knees up to his chest, burying his face in his knees. Why did I say that? he groaned inwardly. This is such a mess. Maybe I should just delete it.
Before he could reconsider, his phone buzzed with a new message. His heart skipped a beat as he quickly opened it.
I wouldn’t mind that.
Yuji’s heart seemed to do a flip as he read Megumi’s words. That was it, wasn’t it? It was all he needed to hear. He felt a huge rush of relief flood through him as he sent back a quick reply: Cool. I’ll call you when you’re free then.
Yuji’s thumb hovered over his phone screen after sending the message. Right now? he thought, his stomach twisting into a knot. What the hell was I thinking? The moment the words left his fingers, they felt like they’d aged into something embarrassing, something desperate. He cringed, running a hand through his messy hair as he waited for the inevitable rejection. Maybe he’s busy. Maybe he’ll think it’s weird. He doesn’t even know me that well. God, what if I just blew it?
His phone buzzed again, and Yuji’s heart skipped a beat. He stared at the screen, willing himself to wait before reading the message. But it was too late. He clicked it open, almost bracing himself for something... awkward.
Sure, I’m not doing anything. Let me know when you’re ready.
Yuji froze. What? Really? He blinked at the screen a few times, rereading the words as if they’d suddenly change. His thumb hovered over the phone again, unsure if he should say something, or just call.
Finally, after a few moments of internal battle, he decided to take the plunge. Okay, give me a sec to get my thoughts together.
He quickly pressed the call button before he could overthink it any more. The moment the phone began ringing, Yuji’s heart felt like it was going to burst out of his chest. He squeezed his eyes shut, cursing himself for being such a nervous wreck.
But then— click . A quiet, familiar voice came through the speaker.
–
The conversation between Yuji and Megumi flowed easily, almost effortlessly, as the minutes passed. At first, Yuji found himself nervous, stammering through his words, unsure of what to say next. But with Megumi’s steady, calm replies, his nerves slowly started to settle, like the smooth rhythm of a conversation that was just right.
They talked about small things—how Yuji had spent his day, how Megumi had nearly fallen asleep at work—but it wasn’t awkward. They laughed about trivial stuff, traded random thoughts on what they’d have for dinner, and even got into a little banter about the oddest customers they"d encountered.
But as the minutes wore on, Yuji found his energy waning, like he’d just run a marathon without realizing it. He had never expected something so simple as a phone call to make him feel so... drained, but in the best way possible. It was like his brain couldn’t process just how comforting it was to talk to Megumi, to hear that calm voice on the other end, even if their conversations had drifted between random tangents.
Eventually, the silence grew between them, a comfortable quiet that hung in the air, neither of them feeling the need to rush. Yuji stretched out on his bed, letting the quiet of the evening fill the space around him. He felt a soft, contented smile tugging at the corners of his mouth as he listened to the soft rustle of Megumi’s breath, the occasional background noise of whatever he was doing on his side.
"Hey, Megumi?" Yuji said quietly, his voice still carrying a hint of the exhaustion that had slowly crept in.
"Yeah?" Megumi’s voice was steady, unbothered, but there was a slight shift in his tone, like he was paying attention.
"I... um, I should probably let you go. It"s late," Yuji added, his words trailing off as he realized the time had slipped away from him.
There was a short pause, followed by a small, amused sound from Megumi. "Yeah, I guess we both should. I can’t blame you for not wanting to drag out a conversation with me."
Yuji chuckled softly. "You’re not that bad," he said, then quickly added, "I mean, you’re not bad at all. I… I like talking to you."
He cursed himself mentally. Great, now I sound like a dork.
But Megumi didn’t seem to mind. In fact, he even gave a soft laugh, low and quiet. "I’m glad. I guess we’ll just have to do it again sometime."
"Yeah," Yuji agreed, the grin back on his face, his tiredness replaced with a quiet warmth in his chest. "We should."
The next few moments passed in a comfortable silence, both of them seemingly unsure of how to close out the conversation. It felt nice, a gentle kind of closure, even if neither of them had said anything more.
Finally, Megumi broke the silence. "Alright, well… goodnight, Yuji."
"Goodnight, Megumi," Yuji replied, the words feeling less like a routine and more like something genuine.
The call ended with a soft click, and Yuji held the phone in his hand for a moment, staring at the screen, letting the warmth from the conversation linger. He smiled to himself, feeling a little lighter, a little less unsure about everything.
And as he settled into bed, the quiet of his room felt just a little more... bearable.
–
The next morning, Megumi woke up to the relentless beeping of his alarm, its shrill sound cutting through the fog of his sleep with a jarring intensity. He groaned in response, burying his face into his pillow for just a second longer, as though trying to block out the whole world. After a few moments of internal debate, he reached out with a lazy hand, smacking the alarm with a force that could have been considered a mini assault, finally silencing it.
Sitting up, he rubbed his eyes, still half-asleep, feeling the familiar weight of exhaustion settle in his bones. It was one of those mornings where the sheets felt too cozy, and getting up seemed like the least appealing option in the world. But, of course, he didn’t have the luxury of ignoring his responsibilities.
With a heavy sigh, he dragged himself out of bed, doing his best to stay upright. His apartment was quiet, save for the occasional creak of the floorboards beneath his feet as he shuffled toward the bathroom. His thoughts were sluggish, still lingering in the haze of sleep, but one thing managed to break through: the phone call from last night.
A small, involuntary smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he recalled the sound of Yuji’s voice, the way it had carried through the phone with a kind of warmth that had made Megumi forget about the tension in his body, about how tired he was. It had felt nice to just... talk. To hear someone else’s voice without the pressure of being perfect, without the weight of his usual guardedness.
Megumi quickly shook his head, trying to push the stray thoughts away. No need to overthink it. It was just a phone call. Nothing more than a casual conversation between two people who barely knew each other, right? He rubbed his face, splashing some cold water to try and wake himself up, but the smile lingered a little longer than he wanted it to.
He sighed, resigned to the fact that he was going to be stuck thinking about it whether he wanted to or not.
After a quick shower and the usual scramble of getting dressed, Megumi found himself standing in front of the mirror, trying to look at least semi-presentable for his shift at the flower shop. As he adjusted his collar, he thought back to how quickly the day had turned into a blur of tired chatter, casual banter with Yuji, and... a bit more warmth than he expected.
Once he was ready, he grabbed his bag, feeling the familiar weight of the phone in his pocket. He had thought about texting Yuji this morning, maybe continuing the conversation from last night, but instead he opted to leave it for later. His mind was still foggy from sleep, and texting now felt like an effort he wasn’t quite ready to make.
Yeah, I’ll deal with that later , he thought to himself, grabbing his jacket and heading out the door. The cool morning air hit him the second he stepped outside, jolting him fully awake as he made his way toward the shop.
But despite the grogginess, despite the internal groan of waking up early, Megumi couldn"t shake the feeling that something was different today. He wasn’t sure if it was just the lingering memory of the phone call or something else entirely, but the day ahead seemed a little... lighter.
–
As the day went on, the shop maintained its steady rhythm. Megumi moved about efficiently, organizing the flowers and keeping everything in order. Gojo, ever the energetic force, wandered around humming to himself, making occasional jokes or pulling out ridiculous “ideas” for upcoming promotions. It was a typical morning, the sort of day that felt comfortable and routine.
But Megumi couldn’t help noticing that his thoughts kept drifting back to last night. It wasn’t unusual for him to zone out at work—he often let his mind wander—but it was different this time. Yuji’s voice, the clumsy but earnest way he spoke, lingered with him. The small talk felt casual enough, but Megumi couldn’t deny there was something about it that stuck with him. Maybe it was the way Yuji had seemed so genuine. Maybe it was because Megumi hadn’t expected to feel a spark of interest after such a brief conversation.
By lunchtime, the shop was quieter. Gojo was still bouncing around the back, playing at his “serious” work duties with exaggerated flair, but there was a lull in the action, a break in the usual buzz.
That’s when the bell above the door jingled.
Megumi looked up from the counter, expecting a typical customer or perhaps another delivery, but instead, standing in the doorway was a familiar face. Yuji.
Yuji’s eyes scanned the shop quickly, his expression unsure as he stood at the entrance. When he saw Megumi, he gave a small, tentative wave, like he wasn’t quite sure how to behave.
“Uh, hey…” Yuji began, his voice a little hesitant. “I, uh, wasn’t sure if I’d be bothering you. But I thought I’d swing by.”
Megumi blinked, a bit surprised but trying to hide it. “You’re not bothering me.” He offered a brief smile, just enough to show he wasn’t annoyed. “What’s up?”
Yuji hesitated for a second before continuing. “Well, I... was thinking about those flowers I got last time. And I wanted to grab another bouquet. I guess I’ve been thinking about it a lot... I’m not sure if it was exactly right. So, I figured I"d ask for your help again.”
Megumi gave a small nod. “Okay. I can help.” His voice was steady, but the thought that Yuji had come back for his advice again made his chest tighten slightly. For a moment, he wondered if it was just the flowers Yuji was after. Or maybe, just maybe, something more.
Just as he was about to lead Yuji to the flowers, he noticed a shift. Gojo, who had been nowhere near the front of the shop earlier, now appeared beside them with a big, lazy grin. He looked Yuji up and down like he was trying to place him.
“Hey!” Gojo said cheerfully, his voice full of curiosity. “I don’t think we’ve met before. I’m Satoru Gojo. Megumi’s manager. Or more like an annoying uncle, really,” he added with a wink.
Yuji blinked, clearly caught off guard by Gojo’s sudden introduction, but smiled in return. “Oh, uh, hey. I’m Yuji. Nice to meet you.” Gojo tilted his head, his eyes flicking over to Megumi with a playful smirk. “Yuji, huh? You come here often?”
Yuji chuckled nervously. “Not really, but... yeah. I’m here for some flowers again.”
Gojo gave him an exaggerated look of surprise, hands raised in mock excitement. “Flowers? You’re one of those guys who buys flowers for someone special?” He paused, his grin growing wider. “I’m guessing you’re trying to impress someone.”
Yuji flushed slightly, his smile a little sheepish. “Uh, yeah... kinda,” he admitted, scratching the back of his neck. “I just... want to make sure I pick something good this time.”
“Aw, how sweet,” Gojo teased, leaning against the counter with a dramatic sigh. “A guy who’s trying hard for someone. I love it.” Yuji laughed nervously, glancing at Megumi as if asking for help with Gojo’s teasing. Megumi, not wanting to deal with Gojo’s usual nonsense, quickly changed the subject.
“Let’s pick out something for your friend,” he said, nodding toward the flowers at the back of the shop. “Come on.”
Yuji’s eyes lit up in relief, and he quickly followed Megumi, clearly eager to move away from Gojo’s teasing. As they walked, Megumi took a deep breath, trying to shake off the strange feeling in his chest. The conversation with Yuji had already shifted from awkward to easy, and that, more than anything, made Megumi slightly uneasy. It was too early to know why, but there was something magnetic about Yuji’s energy, something that drew him in without effort.
They reached the section with the brightly colored flowers, and Megumi stopped in front of a display of tulips, their soft petals vibrant in the shop’s dim light. “How about these? They’re cheerful, but not too flashy.”
Yuji leaned in closer to inspect them, his eyes scanning the flowers with care. “Yeah, I like them,” he said after a moment. “They’re not too... loud, you know? I want to pick something nice, but not over-the-top.”
Megumi nodded, impressed by Yuji’s thoughtfulness. He had expected the guy to be a little more unsure, a little more distracted, but instead, Yuji was taking his time, considering the gesture seriously. “Good choice,” Megumi said, reaching for the tulips and preparing to wrap them up. He glanced over at Yuji, meeting his eyes for a brief moment. “You’ve got a good eye.”
Yuji gave a soft laugh, the flush on his cheeks deepening. “Thanks. I just want to get it right this time.” His voice was quiet now, the playful edge gone, replaced by something a little more sincere.
As Megumi prepared the flowers, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of connection. He wasn’t sure what this was or where it was going, but for some reason, it felt... easy with Yuji. Almost too easy. He shook the thought from his mind, focusing on the task at hand.
After wrapping up the tulips, Megumi handed them over. “Here you go.” Yuji took the bouquet with a bright smile. “Thanks again, Megumi. I really appreciate it. And, uh, sorry if I’ve been awkward...”
Megumi shrugged. “You’re fine,” he said, not sure why he was suddenly feeling a little warmer than usual.
As Yuji left the shop, Megumi couldn’t help but think about how strange it was. Yuji was a guy he barely knew, yet there was something about him—something that made Megumi want to see him again, even if he didn’t fully understand why. And though Gojo was too busy with his own antics to notice, Megumi felt a subtle shift inside him, one he wasn’t quite ready to admit yet.
As he left, Megumi pulled out his phone quickly and sent a text: We should hang out sometime.