Absence was a great teacher. Once when he was a child, Han Seojun had climbed up a tree, as all boys did at that age. But upon his very first ascension, he fell. It wasn't a dangerous fall; no bones broken, no heads concussed. But when he had landed the air had been knocked out of him. And for quite some time too. Someone had to smack his back repeatedly, push his head to his knees before he could finally breathe again. Certainly, a lesson had been learned at that time. And it wasn't about climbing trees.

The absence of air surprised him. Air had always been such a regular thing that Seojun had taken it for granted. He had never realized how fundamental air was till he couldn't breathe anymore.

Jukyung had been gone for two weeks now. No sign of her gummy smile, no presence of her bubbly babbling, not even her floral perfume that stood out amongst his flowers. It felt like it was getting harder and harder to breathe with each day she wasn't around. Seojun was reminded of that fall from the tree. How he had learned the significance of something he hadn't realized was necessary till it was gone.

But when had Lim Jukyung become so fundamental?

Me? In love? With her? He argued with himself as he brushed his teeth, getting ready for bed. No way. She's just a nice client. He spat out toothpaste.

Then, as he lay in his bed, he thought, Ah-nee, why would I like her? We haven't even known each other that long. But the thought made him toss and turn around on his bed all night long.

There's no use having these feelings. He told himself as he got ready for work the next morning. She will never see me that way. I'm just a florist. She's working for a big shot company. There's no chance. So, stop. He told his reflection in the mirror.

Having such feelings can be considered creepy, he argued with himself as he wrapped up a bouquet for a customer. She would be burdened if she ever found out. So I need to—wait, is that a pink coat? Is she back?! Should I wave—oh never mind. Its someone else.

His days passed by in slow burning agony. His own silence, his forever companion, started to feel heavy and cold. Even the plants that he held so dear felt distant and unfriendly. He needed Jukyung to tell him about her day, he needed her to comment on his flowers and try to get him to come to her company. He needed just one visit, just one hello, just one glance across the street from her office to his shop.

Stop doing this Han Seojun! He scolded himself. Get it together.

Seojun didn't know when and how he had developed such attachments to Jukyung. Was it because she was the first person to treat him decently? Was it because she never judged him? Or was it simply because Jukyung was Jukyung? He didn't know.

What he did know was that he quickly had to get over this. This was ridiculous and unnecessary.

But what if she likes me back?

No one else ever been as kind to him as she had. No one else had ever came back again and again just to talk to him. And certainly, no one cared about how well his shop was doing the way Jukyung did. Perhaps Jukyung was doing all this becashe she liked him too?

It was this sliver of thought that gave him something had hadn't had in a very long time. Hope. Hope that maybe he wouldn't be so lonely anymore. Hope that he would have someone to give flowers to everyday.

Hope that maybe he would have someone to talk to.

And with this realization, he began to miss her more. He moped around, wondering if she was okay, if she was back at work, if she missed him too. He wondered how she was doing and hoped she would visit him soon. He wished everything had worked out with the CEO's father too.

That was another thing pressing on him. Seojun himself had lost his father at a young age. He knew the pain of losing a parent. He hoped the CEO's father had recovered from whatever had caused him to collapse. From what Jukyung told Seojun about the CEO—and she had told a lot—he sounded like a decent person. Not caught up in the battle for prestige and status like everyone else was, unmoved by materialistic standards of society. Seojun half wondered what it would be like to meet the man himself.

With a sigh, Seojun swept the shop that afternoon, missing the times when Jukyung's voice would fill the emptiness of his shop. His eyes always went to the entrance of the Move Conglomerate building. He could see it from the window of his little shop. He saw smartly dressed men and women going in and out of the building, but never one in a pastel pink coat. Never Jukyung.

He hadn't seen that twisted woman either. That Leader Lady. He ignored this observation, however. He had no concerns with that lady. He was happy she was out of his life. But the circumstances which led to it weren't as agreeable.

The way she had rushed out, leaving behind everything made him wonder what that woman's relationship with the CEO was. Were they related? Surely not. The demeanor of the CEO that Jukyung had described—calm, thoughtful, considerate, direct but not unkind, didn't match with that woman's—brash, loud, nosy, bossy, commanding, intimidating and so many more words that Seojun wanted to use. Were they friends? Hopefully not. The woman didn't seem like the type to really be a friend, more the kind to take advantage.

The small bell of his shop door tinkled as someone barged in. The purposeful clacking of heels made his hair rise. He didn't need to look up to know who it was. The spicy scent gave it away.

"It's been a while, Han Seojun-si." Her voice sounded rude even when she was offering a simple greeting. Seojun simply bowed in response.

"Be happy. I'm asking for something normal this time. Flowers to wish good health. Please." Did she just say please? Did Seojun need to check the skies for flying pigs? Seojun's brows shot up a little at the politeness. At the same time, his inner spy made some observations.

The woman didn't seem to be grieving, and the bouquet she asked for was something given to a patient. So, the CEO's father was okay but was either still in the hospital or at home, recovering. This made him relax a bit. At least no one had passed.

Wordlessly, Seojun picked out the appropriate flowers. His hands worked deftly to make the bouquet, but his mind was buzzing with questions he would never be able to ask. How was Jukyung? Where was she? Was she okay? Did the CEO's father recover? Why hadn't Jukyung been coming to the shop?

Never before had Seojun wanted to speak so badly. But when he opened his mouth only air came out.

"You're quite antsy today. Something bothering you?"

Seojun's shoulders stiffened. Was he so easy to read? The woman wasn't even looking at his face, just his back that was turned towards her. He could feel her eyes boring into him. Her own silence demanding his attention.

He handed over her bouquet and gave her the receipt. She simply stared at him for a good full minute, eyes squinting, brows furrowed as if she were a scientist and he a frog on display. She wasn't wearing any makeup, he observed. And her clothes, while dark as always, seemed casual and free flowing, diverging from her usual well fitted, severe suits.

Slowly, she raised a finger and pressed it between his brows. "This bump, right here. It's there every time you frown."

Aish! Seojun reflexively moved away from her touch, baring his teeth in a snarl. She chuckled, amused. He didn't like the way she was studying him with that little tilt of her head. He glared at her with his mean looking, liner clad eyes but as always, she was unmoved.

"You know if you remove all this nonsense," she waggled a finger, gesturing to his various piercings, "you would look quite handsome."

I don't want to look handsome. His mouth was set in an angry line.

She raised her hands, palms facing front. "I'm only saying since it'd be good for your business. A way to attract customers since the shop isn't doing anything to invite people in."

Seojun rolled his eyes. Again, with the unsolicited advice. Why couldn't this woman ever keep her mouth shut? Seojun meaningfully pushed her order to her, hoping she would get the message and leave.

"Something is bothering you today." She said with a knowing smile. Seojun scowled as hard as he could. "You've served me well, Han Seojun-si. I feel like helping you. Tell me. What is bothering you? I will settle it." She said definitively.

As if you could. Seojun gave her a skeptical look.

"You really shouldn't doubt me." She folded her arms. "I'm quite a capable person you know."

You don't even know my problem. Seojun scoffed.

"You want me to guess what it is?" She said, eyes sparkling with curiosity. She put a finger on her chin, thinking. "It's not the shop, I can tell that right away. So... family matter?" She looked at his face for any reactions. Seojun kept his expressions stony and unreadable.

"No? Falling out with a friend?"

Seojun folded his arms.

"No again. Girl problems?"

Seojun instantly regretted the slight hitch in his breath as she said this.

"Aah. So, it's a girl. Well, I guess I can't help you there." She said casually. Seojun's lips twitched a little. If only, I could ask this woman about Lim Jukyung. "Unless the girl is Lim Jukyung."

That sly tone of hers sent a shiver down Seojun's spine. This woman really is a witch. A witch that reads minds.

"I'm right!" She snapped her fingers in triumph, smirking arrogantly at Seojun's startled face. "Ah, I really am a genius."

Seojun went red and turned around, pretending to be working behind the counter.

"Ah-nee, no need to be shy. I already knew from how you looked at her last time. You really are too easy to read Han Seojun-si."

Seojun blew out a breath through his lips, flustered. This woman really knew how to get a reaction out of him.

With his back still turned, he heard the woman say softly, "If you like someone, you should tell them how you feel as soon as you can. Before someone else comes in and steals them from you." Seojun felt another chill as he heard her leave. He turned to see her get into the backseat of a fancy car parked right outside.

Tell her how I feel, huh?

That thought stayed with him the entire day, rolling around in his mind. There was so much he wanted to tell Lim Jukyung. So much so that he considered breaking his silence for her, a silence he had kept for so long. To have it end with her, to have her name be his first words... the very idea kept both terrified and excited him.

He tossed and turned in his bed and for the second night in a row, sleep alluded him. Finally, he kicked away his covers and went over to his desk. On a piece of paper, he penned down everything he wanted to say. Everything he planned on saying and even the things he never could.

Lim Jukyung. I apologize if this is too forward. But I am bad with words so I will be honest. I like you. I think I liked you since I first saw you six months ago. This may seem cheesy, but I keep wanting to tell you how much you mean to me. How much your company means to me. The first time I saw you, your eyes caught me like moonlight.

No, that last part didn't seem to fit. He crossed that out.

The first time I saw you, your eyes caught me like moonlight. Every time I look at you, my heart stops, just like a broken watch. That's how much I like you.

Seojun reread the letter. Aish! How cheesy. He thought, cringing. He frowned at the letter and quickly dumped it—along with the lose papers and pen—in his top drawer. That letter would never see the light of day. If Lim Jukyung read that she would never speak to him again.

But at least now that the words were out, Seojun found sleep again. Yawning, he crept back to bed, wondering how different his life would have been if he actually did speak.

Seyeon-ah, come back! Don't jump! Come back!

It was no use thinking about that now. The Han Seojun that spoke no longer existed. And neither did the Han Seojun who would have confidently told a girl that he liked her and that she was his world. This Han Seojun kept his mouth shut. This Han Seojun knew better than to pine for girls that could never be his. This Han Seojun wouldn't be confessing to anyone. It made him a little sad knowing that his love would only live in his head. But this was for the best.

That was the resolve he had until the next day, when at noon the bell of his shop tinkled and a girl in a pastel pink coat walked in with her gummy smile.

Ah, damn... Seojun's heart leapt when he saw her. He had to clench his jaw to keep himself from grinning.

"Han Seojun-si! Annyeong!" She greeted him fondly, walking up to him with a skip in her step. Was it just him or was she extra happy today?

Seojun waved a hand, his lips tugging in a smile.

"Its been too long! Have you been well?" Seojun nodded enthusiastically. "Good. I'm sorry I haven't been coming over. Things have been quite busy lately. You remember last time don't you? Our CEO—" And thus the shop was once again filled with Jukyung's endless chatter. Seojun smiled the entire time, listening intently.

He was glad to learn that the CEO's father was out of danger and was back at home. The CEO had been gone for the whole two weeks and Jukyung had stayed with him to help him with his work.

"You know Kang Leader-nim was amazing." Jukyung said admiringly. "She handled the doctors so well. Her father is a famous doctor you see. So she knows a lot about medical procedures." Seojun's ears perked up as Jukyung went on about how that Kang Leader never left the CEO's side.

"They're best friends. Been since they were kids. Can you imagine knowing someone that long?"

Seojun smiled. He had a childhood friend too once. But that was a different time.

Jukyung went on about her work and how much she had to get done. "Kang Leader-nim really is relentless." She sighed. "Anyway, I must hurry back Seojun-si. But oh! I almost forgot why I came here! Kang Leader-nim asked me to get some flowers for her desk. Something colorful. She said to leave it up to you. Can you help me choose?"

Seojun nodded and immediately started browsing through the shelves of flowers. He was on the section with the daisies when Jukyung's words suddenly hit him. That Leader lady had asked Jukyung to get flowers. Flowers from his shop.

Seojun bit his lower lip, sucking in his lip ring. That Kang Leader sent over Jukyung because she knew Seojun missed her. Suddenly, Seojun knew exactly what flowers to get the Kang Leader.

Going over to a shelf way in one corner, he picked out brightly colored snapdragons. Still with his lip ring tucked under his teeth, he wrapped up the flowers in lavender colored paper. Instead of giving the flower card with it, he took out a small square paper and wrote down Snapdragon on one side and Search For The Meaning Yourself on the other side. Then he put the paper inside a small envelope and handed it over to Jukyung with the flowers.

"What's this?" She turned over the envelope. "The flower meaning?" She looked at the paper and the note written in Seojun's neat handwriting but said nothing.

"Thank you, Seojun-si. I'll see you later." Jukyung grinned as she left and Seojun stored that image away in his memory.

As Lim Jukyung made her way back to her office she was confused at the note Han Seojun had written along with the flowers. Why didn't he just give the card with the meaning?

She didn't have time to think about it as Suah caught her the minute she entered the office.

"Lim Ju! Emergency—"

"In a minute. I just have to get this to Leader-nim."

Hurriedly, Jukyung put the flowers away in a crystal vase and filled it with water. The flowers looked so pretty that she took a minute to admire them. That little flower shop really did have the best flowers. If only more people knew about it.

When she went into Kang Sujin's office she found the woman busy in a phone call. Her Leader-nim was always in either some video conference or a telephone meeting. Jukyung had never once seen her idle or relaxing.

Seeing she was busy, Jukyung simply placed the flowers at her desk, giving her a quick bow. The woman got up from her seat.

"No, I told Roger not to hand it in till I said so." She said in English. Jukyung only understood the name Roger but not much else. The Leader-nim shifted the flowers around, looking for something. Dissatisfied, she put a hand over the phone and whispered, "Where's the card?" in Korean.

Jukyung's brows shot up as she remembered, quickly producing the envelope from her jacket pocket. The Leader-nim nodded as she said into her phone, "I'll talk to Roger. You hold that order till I say so, okay?"

She hung up, opening the envelope. "He wrote this himself?" She asked Jukyung.

"Yes, Leader-nim."

"You know I hate it when you call me that. We're the same age, Jukyung-si. Call me Sujin." The woman said absently as she typed in snapdragon flower meaning into her computer.

"S-Sorry... Leader-nim." Jukyung ducked out before she could be scolded further. As she left the office she heard her Kang Leader-nim cackle loudly like a witch. When she glanced back, Jukyung was surprised to find her laughing with her head thrown back. She had never seen Kang Leader-nim laugh before.

Curious, Jukyung searched for the meaning of snapdragons herself.

Snapdragons. Sometimes used to represent strength but often mean deviousness and grace. Not a flower with a positive meaning.

Jukyung's brows furrowed. What a weird flower to give to someone. Deviousness. She looked over to Kang Leader-nim's office again and the woman was still laughing, wiping tears from her eyes.

"Guess those two hate each other." She murmured to herself.