The afternoon sun painted soft streaks of gold across the shop floor. Min was humming under his breath while trimming stems when the familiar jingle of the bell rang.
"Kei\~," a sing-song voice called.
Min froze. *Not again…*
Sure enough, Takumi stepped inside, a basket of freshly cut roses in hand. His easy smile lit up the shop as though he owned the place.
"I thought I'd drop by with a little gift," Takumi said smoothly, setting the basket on the counter. "These roses were too beautiful not to share."
Kei looked at him with his usual unreadable calm. "We don't need handouts."
Takumi only chuckled. "Not a handout. A friendly gesture." Then his amber eyes slid toward Min. "So, how's our assistant doing? Still dropping vases?"
Min's cheeks flamed. "I—I haven't broken anything in a week!" he blurted, then immediately regretted how defensive it sounded.
Takumi laughed, clearly amused. "That's progress. At this rate, you might even outshine Kei."
Min blinked, stunned by the unexpected praise. Kei, however, narrowed his eyes. "Don't tease."
"I'm not teasing," Takumi said, lips curving. "He's improving faster than you think."
The words settled in Min's chest like a spark of confidence. He bowed slightly. "Th-Thank you."
Takumi tilted his head, looking genuinely surprised. "Polite too. Careful, Kei—he might steal your customers' hearts."
Kei didn't answer, but Min thought he saw the faintest twitch in his jaw as he carried the roses to the back. For some reason, that tiny reaction made Min's pulse quicken.
As Takumi left, he shot Min a wink. "Keep working hard. I'll be watching."
Min's heart thudded—not from the wink, but from the thought that Kei had reacted at all. Maybe… Kei really did notice him more than he let on.
To be continued...