The shop was unusually quiet that afternoon. Sunlight filtered through the windows, turning the petals of the lilies golden.
At the counter, Min hunched over a roll of wrapping paper, tongue sticking out in concentration. He folded once, twice… then the corner tore.
"Ah! Not again…" Min groaned, holding up the ruined paper. "Why is this so hard?"
"You're rushing," Kei's voice said from behind.
Min jumped. "I'm not!" He quickly tried again, fumbling with the ribbon this time. It knotted in a strange loop, nothing like the elegant bows Kei tied with effortless grace.
Kei walked over, silent as always. Without a word, he reached out, his hand brushing against Min's as he untangled the ribbon. His fingers moved with steady precision, guiding Min's clumsy ones.
"Slow down," Kei murmured. "Let the paper guide you."
Min's heart skipped. Being this close, he could feel the warmth of Kei's hand, smell the faint trace of flowers clinging to his shirt. His breath caught, but he forced himself to focus.
Together, they tied the ribbon again. This time, the bow came out neat and balanced.
Min's eyes sparkled. "I did it!"
Kei stepped back, arms crossing. "Not bad. For your tenth try."
Min pouted, though a smile tugged at his lips. "You could at least pretend to be impressed."
A faint curve touched Kei's mouth. "If you improve, I won't need to pretend."
Min blinked, startled by the rare softness in his tone. He looked down at the bow again, his chest oddly warm.
Maybe it wasn't just about flowers anymore. Maybe… it was about the quiet moments that made his heart flutter without reason.
To be continued....