Later that afternoon, Kei stopped by the shop as he often did. The bell above the door chimed, and Min, still arranging lilies, looked up with a smile.
"You're here," Min said softly, his tone unconsciously warmer than usual.
Kei gave a quiet nod and stepped inside, his sharp gaze sweeping over the shop. Min thought nothing of it at first, but he noticed Kei's eyes lingered on the counter… on the spot where the stranger had leaned earlier.
"You had a visitor," Kei said, his tone even, though the weight behind it made Min pause.
"H-How do you know?" Min asked, blinking.
Kei glanced at the flowers, then at Min. "A stranger came by, didn't he?"
Min hesitated before nodding. "Yes. He said he'd heard about the shop and wanted to look around."
Kei's eyes darkened slightly, though his expression didn't change much. "What did he say to you?"
"Nothing much," Min replied quickly. "Just that he liked the arrangements. And then he left."
Kei stepped closer, the faintest crease appearing on his brow. "Be careful with people like him."
Min tilted his head. "You think he's dangerous?"
"Not dangerous," Kei said after a moment. "But people don't linger without reason."
Min shifted uneasily, remembering the stranger's smile. "I'll… keep that in mind."
For a moment, silence stretched between them, broken only by the faint rustle of petals in the vase. Then Kei's gaze softened ever so slightly.
"I'll stop by more often," he said, almost casually.
Min blinked. "You don't have to—"
"I want to," Kei interrupted, his voice firm.
The words made Min's chest flutter unexpectedly. He lowered his eyes, pretending to focus on the lilies, though his cheeks betrayed him with a faint blush.
Kei, satisfied, leaned against the counter, his presence filling the small shop like a quiet shield. The unease from earlier faded, replaced by something steadier—something Min didn't dare name yet.
To be continued....