FF Chapter 3

Jhi Yeonwoo’s eyes, filled with confusion, flickered. After all, since Choi Muhyuk hadn’t said anything else, it might have been a common assumption that anyone would desire a rosy situation. Moreover, Choi Muhyuk had abruptly requested marigolds, which had the flower language of ‘pitiful love, sadness of parting,’ so there was plenty of room for misunderstanding.

“Am I being strange?”

“Oh, no, not at all.”

Jhi Yeonwoo vehemently denied, even gesturing with his hands.

“Do I have to explain my reasons for buying flowers?”

“It wasn’t meant that way. I apologize if it came across as offensive. It’s just that…”

“Just that?”

Jhi Yeonwoo echoed the words, waiting for an answer.

“I just thought the recipient might get hurt.”

“Anyway, the other person probably won’t care much.”

“Just because they don’t care doesn’t mean it won’t hurt.”

A firm voice, not fitting his gentle face, flowed out. Choi Muhyuk’s face, which had just shown a hint of a smile, quickly stiffened. Jhi Yeonwoo’s reaction was peculiar. Was there a reason to care so much, as if it were his own business? A fleeting thought crossed Choi Muhyuk’s mind.

“Is it a conjecture based on experience?”

“What?”

“Just by observing your reaction, Jhi Yeonwoo, it seems so. You react sensitively, as if it were your own affair.”

The delicate features of Jhi Yeonwoo, which had been gracefully curved, tensed slightly, creating creases.

It was like the face of someone whose buried painful memories had been forcibly unearthed.

“There seems to be some misunderstanding.”

Jhi Yeonwoo’s eyes flickered and shook.

“This flower, it’s meant to cause hurt, isn’t it?”

Choi Muhyuk’s amber eyes scanned Jhi Yeonwoo with a gaze that shook.

“It’s not meant to make one’s heart flutter.”

“Oh…”

With a soft sigh, Jhi Yeonwoo’s expression quickly hardened. It was quite different from the smiling face he had shown before. It wasn’t discomfort but rather a look closer to sadness.

The question in Choi Muhyuk’s mind grew larger and larger: ‘Isn’t it just about selling flowers? Why does he care so much?’

Jhi Yeonwoo, with a stern face, took the bundle of marigolds Choi Muhyuk had chosen and brought it to the worktable. Despite the decreased number of words exchanged, his movements in selecting and packaging the flowers became deliberate.

A tense silence fell after the conversation was interrupted. Choi Muhyuk watched silently as Jhi Yeonwoo focused on his work without sparing a glance.

Unable to withstand the silence any longer, Choi Muhyuk spoke first.

“So, Jhi Yeonwoo, how did it feel to receive marigolds?”

Pausing his busy hands, Jhi Yeonwoo hesitated.

“I wanted some advice on how it felt.”

Jhi Yeonwoo looked directly at Choi Muhyuk.

“Did it hurt?”

At the subtle probing question, Jhi Yeonwoo averted his gaze into thin air. It was a question that could have been brushed off if it was discomfort. However, with a long sigh, Jhi Yeonwoo’s slow blink seemed to reflect on how he felt at that time.

“I actually felt relieved.”

Jhi Yeonwoo’s answer, after a long pause as if carefully choosing his words, was somewhat unexpected.

“I felt at peace. Because they let me go.”

What was even more puzzling was that Jhi Yeonwoo’s words didn’t match his expression. While he said he felt at peace, his face seemed to reveal some hidden sadness.

There could be many reasons for that. Maybe he hadn’t forgotten the person who had given him the marigolds, or perhaps he had received such a deep wound that he couldn’t easily forget.

“We also have daisies in our shop. If you change your mind, feel free to come by. We’ll exchange them for daisies.”

Handing the finished bouquet to Choi Muhyuk, Jhi Yeonwoo raised the corners of his lips slightly.

As Choi Muhyuk looked at the bouquet of marigolds, he recalled Jhi Yeonwoo’s bittersweet smile.

“Come to think of it, I didn’t ask about the language of daisies.”

Seeing that the flower language might differ after the exchange, he speculated that the daisies might have the opposite meaning. He decided that he would go back to Flower Fiance as soon as left this place.

Of course, he knew his reasons were a bit forced. Nowadays, with just one search on the internet, everything could be resolved. But Choi Muhyuk stubbornly refused to open the search engine.

The reason was simple.

Once he knew the language of daisies, he would lose his excuse to see Jhi Yeonwoo again.

Crossing his legs and folding his arms, Choi Muhyuk met the gaze of the omega sitting opposite him.

The omega, who hadn’t been as dignified as in the picture, had been leading the conversation from the beginning, rather than Choi Muhyuk, the alpha.

He had heard that he was from a prestigious family that was thirsty for dominant alpha traits, but whether it was because of that reason or because of Choi Muhyuk’s flawless appearance, the omega had not hidden her excitement throughout their conversation.

“I’ve been curious for a while, when are you going to give me those flowers?”

The index finger, painted red, pointed to the bouquet next to Choi Muhyuk. Even though she hadn’t shown any signs, she had been subtly paying attention to the bouquet throughout the evening. Well, after keeping the reservation for two hours, he had fulfilled the minimum etiquette, so it was time to wrap things up.

But, do you know what this flower means and like it?

The omega had a look full of excitement just before receiving the gift from her lover. He wondered how her face changed after knowing the meaning. With a slight smile, Choi Muhyuk handed over the bouquet of marigolds silently.

The omega, who received the cherished bouquet, never stopped smiling. “It smells nice. The flowers are beautiful, I like it.”

Holding the marigolds in her arms, the omega leaned closer to the fully bloomed petals as if she had been waiting for them, and savored the scent. Suddenly, the omega’s face began to overlap with that of Flower Fiance’s Jhi Yeonwoo’s face.

“He must have had a pained expression when his memories were touched by that person.”

Choi Muhyuk tapped the table with one finger, lost in thought.

“I wonder if Jhi Yeonwoo had the same reaction as the omega when he first received marigolds.”

From Choi Muhyuk’s perspective, it was not easy to empathize. After all, why bother giving meaning to such trivial things that would eventually wither and be thrown away like trash?

“What’s the name of the flower?”

The omega, who still hadn’t let go of the bouquet, raised her eyes.

“It’s called a marigold.”

“A marigold?”

The omega hesitated for a moment. Choi Muhyuk leaned comfortably against the back of his chair, crossing one leg over the other thigh. It was slow and leisurely, but there was a subtle change in the atmosphere. The omega noticed the strangeness, and tension crept into her pretty made-up face.

“Marigolds also have several varieties.”

“Oh, really?”

“The flower I gave you is called calendula.”

The omega looked back and forth between the marigolds and Choi Muhyuk. When their eyes met, Choi Muhyuk smirked. The omega looked at the marigolds again, and her eyes slowly narrowed.

“It doesn’t seem to have a good meaning in the language of flowers.”

She seemed to guess, but she appeared not to know the flower language of marigolds. Well, unless you’re a florist who memorizes flower languages, it’s not easy.

The omega finally put down the marigold bouquet and picked up the phone she had laid face down on the table. With a slight tapping sound, she tapped the screen with both thumbs. As she fiddled with her phone for a while, The omega’s pupils flickered and shook.

“…What’s this.”

A low voice followed by a forced laugh.

“Pitiful love, sorrow of parting? Is that what you really mean?”

“They say flowers convey sincerity.”

The omega’s face, deceived, quickly turned red. Along with embarrassment, anger began to rise in her face.

On the other hand, Choi Muhyuk’s lips twisted into a smile. It was almost like a sneer. The omega’s eyes started to turn fierce as she faced the smile.

“If you do this, I can’t tell a good story when I go back.”

“Is that what you want? Tell the truth as you feel it now. You can’t lie either.”

“How do you know what I’m going to say and why are you saying that?”

“Do I have to tell you that too?”

Choi Muhyuk, sitting with his legs crossed, lifted a coffee cup with geometric patterns engraved on it. The omega, who hesitated, opened her mouth again, looking incredulous.

“Do you think this is the end of our conversation? Do you think we’ll never meet again?”

“What would change if we did?”

“I don’t understand why you take on such troublesome matters. Wouldn’t it be better to just follow what the elders from both families tell you to do? If you act like this, it will only make things uncomfortable for everyone.”

Slowly, this meaningless bickering started to feel futile and tiresome. He thought that after facing each other for two hours as a formality, he had done his part, but why was she being so talkative and stubbornly clinging to every word? 

“Are you uncomfortable?”

At his blunt question, the omega opened her mouth to speak but stopped. The defiant look on her face turned into one of embarrassment.

“Ah, no? Why would I be? I’m fine.”

The omega’s voice rose a tone higher. Then, as if realizing it herself, she glanced around hurriedly and bit her lip.

“I’m the same. We haven’t even been intimate, so why would I be uncomfortable?”

Finally, the omega’s face contorted.

“I heard this meeting was supposed to be quite important, but I guess not.”

“You wouldn’t find out about an important appointment on the day of.”

The omega seemed to be at a loss for words, frowning slightly with her lips parted as she looked at Choi Muhyuk. Her expression resembled one asking ‘what is this all about?’

“I have something important to attend to, so I’ll be leaving first.”

It seemed like the situation had more or less been resolved at this point. If word got out about today’s events, the Park family would surely make a fuss, but Chairman Choi with his personality wouldn’t stay quiet either. He would either throw a punch or hurl whatever was in his hands and lose his temper. No matter how wealthy he had become, some habits from his youth as a gang member die hard.

It wouldn’t end well if it was Chairman Choi, but Choi Muhyuk wasn’t afraid of getting hit. He belonged to the side that found it easier to use brute force rather than his brain. He would rather not draw any attention to what he did or where, but that was practically impossible because of his damned superior alpha traits.

“I’ll take care of the bill, so please take your time leaving. I enjoyed our time today.”

Rising from his seat, Choi Muhyuk draped the black cashmere coat over his arm and turned around. The omega, as if trying to stop him, hurriedly started to say something but ended up just letting out a sigh.

“Are you completely out of your mind? Just because you’re a superior alpha?”

As Choi Muhyuk headed for the exit, the omega’s irritated voice rang out from behind him.

“What? You enjoyed it? No, why are you spouting such nonsense? Didn’t you say you can’t lie?”

It was loud enough to be heard despite her seeming to mutter to herself. The elegant classical music playing at the restaurant was instantly frozen. Although he could feel stares piercing his back, Choi Muhyuk paid no mind and walked out the door.

It was sometime past 8 PM, heading towards 9 o’clock.

Choi Muhyuk’s car made a U-turn, even going through the trouble of circling back, before abruptly stopping in front of Flower Fiancé. Turning on the hazard lights, he parked on the side of the road and peered through the passenger window into the store. Perhaps because it was after business hours, the dimly lit interior showed some movement. Choi Muhyuk did not take his eyes off even the slightest motion as he got out of the car.

“Welcome, oh…?”

Jhi Yeonwoo, who had been hunched over working in a corner, immediately recognized Choi Muhyuk and greeted him with a surprised look, forgetting his manners.

Whether due to the warm interior or some other reason, there were beads of sweat on Jhi Yeonwoo’s temple. Sweat trickled down, causing him to raise his arm and wipe his cheek. A faint streak of dirt appeared where he had touched. It seemed there was dirt on his sleeve.

For a brief moment, the insane thought of wanting to lick that dirt off his cheek crossed his mind. The more he faced him, the more his superior alpha instincts stirred, suggesting Jhi Yeonwoo had a high probability of being an omega.

It was still puzzling that there had been no reaction when he initially released his pheromones to check. However, there was no way to immediately confirm whether he was an omega or beta, but that could be figured out in due time.

His parting words of “I enjoyed our time today” to the previous omega were not just lip service. To be honest, Choi Muhyuk was truly in an extremely enjoyable state right now. Not because the previous omega appealed to him, but thanks to her, he had encountered someone rather fitting to his tastes.

“Did you come to change the flowers?”

“No, the flowers have already been given to their owner.” 

Choi Muhyuk continued speaking while fixing his gaze on Jhi Yeonwoo’s cheek.

“They may have ended up in the trash by now.”

“Then why did you come back?”

Hearing an unexpected answer, Jhi Yeonwoo quickly asked back. Stepping forward to meet the puzzled look on his face.  

“At first I wanted to hear the flower language of the marigold, but I decided to ask about it next time.”

“……”

“Since I think I’ll be visiting often from now on.”

Choi Muhyuk slipped his hand into his coat pocket and handed over a business card.

“I’m Choi Muhyuk.”

Jhi Yeonwoo glanced between Choi Muhyuk and the card, about to take it when he noticed dirt on his hand and wiped it on his apron. 

“I’m Jhi Yeonwoo. As you already know…”

After exchanging awkward smiles and greetings, Jhi Yeonwoo stared at the business card grasped in both hands. It read ‘(Director) Choi Muhyuk, Sunwoo Industries’ on the tastefully minimalist card.

“By chance, does this shop offer any special benefits for VIPs?”

At the digression, Jhi Yeonwoo, who had been examining the card, suddenly looked up.

“Is it possible to have a meal or drink here?”

Jhi Yeonwoo blinked a few times before laughing as if amused.

“Our shop doesn’t have a VIP tier.”

Did that imply a refusal in another sense? Choi Muhyuk, eyes narrowing intensely, didn’t hesitate to reach into his cashmere coat pocket.

“The conditions seem quite strict. Does that mean I need to significantly boost your sales?”

His luxury leather wallet was now half exposed from his coat. He seemed ready to purchase all the flowers in the store right then.

“Wait, just a moment please.”

Seeing this, Jhi Yeonwoo looked startled and grabbed onto Choi Muhyuk’s arm, which was halfway into his coat pocket. Choi Muhyuk froze in that position and lowered his gaze. Right before his eyes was the flustered Jhi Yeonwoo, like a rabbit cornered by a beast.

“Why is this conversation heading in that direction? I don’t recall talking about sales.”  

“You just said there’s no VIP tier.”

After staring blankly for a moment at Choi Muhyuk’s words, Jhi Yeonwoo continued haltingly.

“No, I mean this place isn’t that upscale.”

Choi Muhyuk looked at Jhi Yeonwoo as if asking what he meant.

“At a small flower shop like this, every single customer is precious. That’s partly why we can’t have tiers or rankings.”

Jhi Yeonwoo released his grip on Choi Muhyuk’s arm and took a step back.

“If you enjoyed my flowers, please visit again. That would be more than enough.”

Jhi Yeonwoo spoke with a smiling face, but there was an appropriate level of wariness behind it. Just listening to the words, it sounded like a simple relationship between a customer and store owner, and he didn’t get the impression Jhi Yeonwoo was particularly fond of him.

‘He doesn’t seem oblivious, or is he just pretending not to notice?’ 

Choi Muhyuk looked at Jhi Yeonwoo in an amused way and ran his tongue over the inside of his cheek.

Up until now, anything he wanted naturally fell into his hands without much effort. They say even a tree that doesn’t fall after being struck ten times can be overcome, but he had never had to strike that many times. Thanks to his superior alpha traits, most people would yield after just one or two attempts.

Perhaps sensing something odd about Choi Muhyuk’s silent gaze, Jhi Yeonwoo looked back at him with a puzzled expression. 

The long streak of dirt was still on his cheek.

Choi Muhyuk firmly rubbed his tingling lower lip with his index finger.

He rather liked Jhi Yeonwoo’s defenselessness and sloppiness.

***

The dimly lit house was quiet with a comfortable darkness settled inside. 

After showering, Jhi Yeonwoo came out into the living room, drying his wet hair with a towel. With a thudding sound, he opened the refrigerator door and took out a can of beer, heading to the sofa. As soon as the crisp sound of the can opening rang out, it went straight to his mouth.

Jhi Yeonwoo’s gaze turned to the coffee table. His pale fingers picked up the business card lying there.

Choi Muhyuk (Director)

Sunwoo Industries  

xx-gil, xxx-ro, Seocho-gu, Seoul

Tel: 0xx-xxxx-xxxx

“Director Choi Muhyuk…”

A soft voice murmured the name.