"Geonbae!" Glasses clinked together as the group—Seojun, Suho, Jukyung, Suah, Taehoon and Sujin—cheered at the revival of Seojun's business. They had all gathered for dinner at Seojun's place. The gang was all cramped together on Seojun's dinner table and loving every minute of it.

"I have to say, I thought this place was a goner. I'm so glad the situation was resolved and you guys could open up again." Suah said with a cheerful, sunshine smile.

"Three cheers for Flower Boy! Hip Hip!" No one joined Taehoon in cheering the shop so he lowered his glass.

"I still can't believe Mrs. Jung is going against the Gunju Group." Jukyung said admiringly.

"Can she win? Realistically speaking, does she have a shot?" Chorong asked.

Suho shook his head dejectedly. "I don't think she does. Gunju is going to hire the best lawyers in the business. They're going to annihilate her."

The group looked at each other uncomfortably.

"I've asked Youngsu to represent her." Sujin said casually, taking a sip. Suho's ears perked up.

"Youngsu?" Suah asked.

"You mean that famous lawyer? You know him?" Taehoon inquired.

Sujin nodded. "He went to school with me and Suho. He was a friend."

"I seem to recall you him being more than just a friend." Suho grinned into his glass, a little tipsy already.

Now Seojun's ears perked up.

"Yah! Shut your mouth." Sujin grumbled.

Ooooh's sounded around the group.

"What's this? Kang Leader-nim had a boyfriend?" Suah waggled her brows.

"Do you still see him?" Jukyung asked.

Taehoon scoffed, "As if Kang Leader-nim would date anyone."

The group went silent. Sujin's eyes could have sliced paper with that pointed look. "Excuse me?"

Taehoon retracted his scoff, "Ah-nee. It's just that I've never seen you with anyone." And also, what man would date a ball-buster like you? But Taehoon refrained from saying that last part.

Sujin gulped her drink and wiped her face. "He wasn't my boyfriend."

"Sujinnie confessed to him." Suho sang teasingly, grinning. His eyes were like two crescents and his cheeks were slightly red.

"Shut. Up. You. Moron!" Sujin hit him repeatedly with a packet of drinking snacks. Everyone laughed while Suho grinned, unaffected.

"You even did that, what's that thing with the petals?" Suho made a motion of picking off petals from a flower with his hands.

"Alright. I think you need to eat something." Sujin stuffed food in Suho's mouth the minute he opened it up the speak again. He spoke through his mouthful but no one understood what he was saying.

"Aigoo. He's such a light weight." Jukyung stroked his face. Seojun watched Sujin's face as Jukyung did this.

"Will Park Youngsu really take on Mrs. Jung's case? I hear he's expensive." Chorong tried to bring the conversation back to the actual matter in hand.

"I'll cover his fee. I want Mrs. Jung to win this."

"Youngsu will do it for free if Sujin asks." Suho had chewed throw what Sujin had thrown in his mouth. Sujin stuffed it again with a rice ball.

"Did you actually go out with him then? Did he reply to your confession?" Suah leaned closer with curiosity, putting her hands around her face as her eyes gleamed with interest.

Everyone looked to Sujin. Sujin cleared her throat. "Ah-nee. He said he didn't like me."

"Liar! He liked youuu. He had a crush on youuu~" Suho sang and was promptly given another rice ball in the mouth.

"If he liked me, he would have said so." Sujin defended.

"Men don't always say what they mean." Suho spat out the rice ball. It rolled over into Seojun's kitchen. "Sometimes men will tell you they don't like you, even when they do."

Sujin couldn't help it. Her eyes went to Seojun but then immediately, she looked away.

"It's true. I pretended for a whole month that I wasn't into Suah before I got the guts to tell her how I felt." Taehoon nodded.

"Regardless, he's agreed to taking on the case. So, we can all stop worrying." Sujin said. Putting a full stop to the conversation.

"How long till we can hear the court's decision?" Chorong asked.

"Oh it'll be a while." Sujin explained, "Court cases always take a long time, and that's just the pre-trial phase. They've got to gather all evidence and interview all the witnesses. It could take years before the case can ever go to court."

"Really? They make it look so fast on TV." Jukyung frowned.

"That's TV. In reality, a person would have to wait a long, long time before they can see any justice done." Taehoon corrected.

"Yeah. Gunju can just keep delaying the court date to wear Mrs. Jung down." Suho said, suddenly serious. "That poor woman. I hope she gets her justice."

The group fell silent as they thought about Seyeon and his family.

"Half of the justice is already done." Seojun spoke. His voice always shook everyone with its deep cadence. "People already know the truth. No matter what happens. They will always remember what Changmin did."

Everyone nodded.

"But... I have to say. It is so strange to hear you talking." Taehoon commented.

"Yeah. I always figured you couldn't." Suah said.

They all turned to Seojun now.

"He never said anything because none of you gave him a reason to." Sujin said, gulping down the last of her drink.

Suah laughed. "Mianhae. We'll try to be more interesting from now on." And just like that, Seojun was saved from having to explain his silence and the lack of it now.

"Yes. From now on we'll be seeing a lot of each other, won't we? Han Seojun is like one of us now." Taehoon tried putting his arm around Seojun but one look from his mean shaped eyes make Taehoon retract his arm. "No? Okay?"

"Well, it'll be outside of work, now." Jukyung smiled her gummy smile. "Since your contract ends today."

Wait, what? Seojun thought as it dawned on him what date it was. It ended already? It wasn't that Seojun was unaware of this. It was simply that he forgot.

"Oh? I almost forgot!" Suho piped up. "Shhh! Guys. This hasn't been announced yet." Suho took out a file from his messenger bag.

Jukyung suppressed a squeal of glee. "Guys, this is the reason why Suho is more drunk than the rest of you. We were actually celebrating before we came here."

Seojun looked to Sujin for any hints but her face was a blank canvas, giving nothing away.

Suho opened the file. "Move Consulting, is now officially reinstating the Community Service Program."

First silence, then a gasp from Suah, then everyone erupted in joy (save Seojun).

"What?"

"I can't believe this!"

"Whaaaa! We finally did it!"

"And it was all because of Han Seojun." Suho beamed at him. Seojun couldn't help but feel shy.

"I didn't do much, though." He said.

"You did. You saved our program." Suho patted Seojun's back. Taehoon and Suah clapped. Jukyung poured Seojun another drink.

"Hey, I helped too!" Chorong piped up.

Everyone moved to rub Chorong's head like he was a puppy. He laughed and protested but didn't stop them.

"Sujin did most of the work." Seojun said. Everyone turned to her.

"Hmm, true. There ain't no one like our Kang Leader-nim." Suah agreed.

"The company can't run without her. Literally, we learned this last week." Jukyung commented.

"Please never leave us." Suah clung to Sujin's arm.

Sujin patted her head, "Yes, yes. I won't leave you."

"Would you look at the time!" Taehoon nodded towards the wall clock. It was almost midnight and the trains would stop running soon. And unless everyone decided to spend the night at Seojun's, they would have to leave now.

"Ah, we should get going." Jukyung moved to grab her things.

"Ah, uh, wait. I wanted you all to have some flowers before you left."

"Really?" Surprisingly it was Taehoon who seemed the most excited about this offer. "Which flower?"

"Anyone you want."

The group gathered their things, helped Seojun clear away the table and made their way downstairs. They chatted throughout and for the first time, Seojun's walls echoed with laughter, with joking, with teasing, with joy—with life.

Seojun had missed this life for the better part of a decade. And now that he had it, it made him sad to see it was about to end.

Chorong, the ever observant, put his arm around Seojun as he came down the stairs.

"Oh, so he gets to put his arm around you." Taehoon said, looking up from the landing. Suah rolled her eyes and followed Suho, Jukyung and Sujin into the flower shop.

The shop smelled sweet, even at night. Some of Seojun's flowers were asleep but some were nocturnal, their scent only came on once the sun had set.

"Take your pick. Any flowers you want." He offered.

Suah and Jukyung looked at each other in glee before taking each other's hand and roaming around the shop like bees. Taehoon took Suho's arm as Suho swayed in place, still drunk but not enough to pass out.

"Oh chagi," Suho said, mistaking Taehoon for Jukyung, "Come, lets pick out flowers."

Chorong went to help Jukyung and Suah decide.

"You don't want one?" Seojun asked Sujin who had hung back with him. They both stood in the doorway that led into the shop.

"Nah. I already got the flower I wanted." Sujin said, giving him a smug smile.

Seojun chuckled. "Tch. I know I'm handsome, but you don't have to call me a flower, you know."

Sujin made a face, "What? No! I have an actual flower back at my apartment."

Seojun flicked a brow, "Oh? Which one is it?"

"I'll show it to you sometime. If you want." She offered.

At your apartment? Seojun's brow raised again. No way was Seojun going to her place. "Pass. I bet it's something boring like daisies."

Sujin gave a little laugh, "Nah. You already know that daisies wouldn't survive in my hands. I'd pluck their petals off without even thinking." She rubbed her tired face. "Honestly, my bad habit is getting out of hand. I need to stop destroying flowers."

"I've been meaning to ask what that was about," Seojun turned to her. "Why do you hate flowers."

"I don't hate them." Sujin said. It was a worn line that she had said over and over all her life. "Flowers hate me."

"How so?"

Sujin took in a breath. "You see, there's this thing you do with flowers. I think it started in France. Where, you take a flower and with each petal you pluck off you say 'he loves me, he loves me not' and if the last petal is 'he loves me' then it means that the person you are thinking about likes you back and if it lands on 'he loves me not', then it means the person you are thinking about doesn't love you."

Seojun snorted. "That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. And it's coming from the smartest person I know. How disappointing."

"It's true though! And it works... I think." Sujin thought for a second. "Well, it didn't work the first time."

"When was the first time."

Sujin's swelled her cheeks with air which she then she blew out. "Park Youngsu."

"That lawyer?" Seojun leaned closer.

Sujin nodded. "The flowers said he liked me. But he didn't. He hated my confession."

Seojun leaned back against the door jamb. "And what now? What do the flowers tell you now?"

"Well see, that's where I'm starting to think that the flowers hate me. Because every time, and I mean every single time, I do this now, it always lands on 'loves me not'. It's so frustrating!"

"Surely it can't always do that."

"It does! Here, I'll show you."

From a nearby bucket, Sujin grabbed a pale pink rose. One by one she plucked off the petals, reciting the words "He loves me, loves me not," like a mantra.

The last petal landed on "loves me not." Seojun took the empty flower stem from her.

"See? What did I tell you?"

"I can't believe this. Who were you thinking of?"

"Suho, of course." The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. It was a habit at this point. For so long, he had been the only one she thought of when she plucked those petals. It had never occurred to Sujin to think of someone else.

Seojun cleared his throat, blinking rapidly. "Well... of course then this would happen. Think of someone better next time." He avoided Sujin's gaze and instead decided to focus on the shop.

Something caught Seojun's eye. Someone approaching the shop. Someone with greying hair, with spectacles on his nose. He looked familiar but Seojun couldn't place where.

Bang! Bang! Bang! The man slammed a fist on the shop door. Seojun hadn't closed up yet on account of the company. But he was sure the door sign said Closed.

Chorong went to tell the man to come another day. But as soon as he opened the door, the man burst in. "Where is she?" He demanded of Suho who was trying to blink away the drunkenness from his eyes. "Where is Sujin?"

"Who are you?" Jukyung asked.

Sujin spoke before the man could answer, "Appa..."

That's why he looked familiar. Seojun recalled the time Sujin had been hospitalized. The man standing in front of him hadn't exactly been cordial with Sujin then. So Seojun was wary of him now.

Sujin stepped forward. Before she could say anything, the man smacked her in the face. The sound reverberated through the entire building. Everyone became quiet. Even the flowers were holding their breath.

Sujin cupped her face and glared at her father.

"You... from the day you were born I knew, that you would be useless. But I never thought you could bring this kind of shame to the family."

"Appa, I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Oh? And riling people up against Gunju group, pushing that insane woman to file a lawsuit, that wasn't your doing?" The man didn't scream or shout. But the coldness of his tone alone sent shivers down everyone's spine. "Is this how you rebel against me? By humiliating me in high society?"

Sujin didn't answer, only glared.

"What is your problem? Answer me!" The man smacked Sujin in the face again. This time she almost fell over but managed to steady herself against a shelf. "You... why can't you just die?"

Sujin straightened up, squaring her shoulders. "You know what? I wonder the same thing everyday."

"You're still talking back now?" The man raised his hand again. Seojun made a run for it but Chorong beat him to it. He caught the man's hand in midair.

"I think that's enough, mister. You should leave." Kim Chorong glared at the man.

Mr. Kang pulled his hand away. "And who the hell are you to tell me I have to leave?"

"I'd listen to him if I were you." Seojun came up behind Sujin, placing a hand on her shoulder. He glared at Mr. Kang. That famous glare that had made a dozen men soil their pants. Mr. Kang's composure faltered a little.

"And I'd listen to him." Suho came up besides Seojun. "Because while he can control Chorong. There's no one that can control him." Suho tilted his head to Seojun.

Mr. Kang looked at Sujin incredulously. "So these are the losers you hang out with? A couple of thugs and the son of a washed up actor?" The latter insult was aimed at Suho. "This is why you were always so undisciplined. This is why you never amounted to anything."

"Leave. Before we make you." Taehoon said from where he stood.

"Leave, Sir!" Jukyung joined in, sounding more polite than the others.

Mr. Kang looked around. He may have been a cruel man, but he wasn't unintelligent. He knew when he was outnumbered.

He zeroed in on Sujin. "This isn't over. You have humiliated me for the last time."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when the man left. Seojun grabbed Sujin's hand discreetly, but she didn't hold his back. The left side of her face was red and was starting to swell. There was a cut in her lower lip.

"Gwenchana? Kang Leader-nim?" Jukyung came up to Sujin.

Humiliation was coursing through Sujin's veins. It was one thing to be abused at home. It was another to be abused publicly. People would talk, rumors would spread, speculations would be made—most of which would be wrong. All of Sujin's carefully crafted reputation was gone, just like that. And all that was left was a broken girl who couldn't even manage to defend herself from a simple slap.

How pathetic. Sujin wiped away a tear. "I'm fine. I have to go. Good night, everyone."

Before anyone could stop her, Sujin ran out. And before Seojun could reach her, she got into her car and left.