Chapter Text
- Okay, so here’s the white roses and daisies, orange roses and tulips and the little pink roses. Everything with some baby’s breath to keep things beautiful! -
Kim handed the bouquets to the tiny old lady in front of him, all wrapped with colour coordinated paper and ribbons for each one.
- Thank you, my boy - she said with a peaceful smile, raising her wrinkled hands to take the flowers after leaving the money on the counter.
- Oh, let me help! - Kim replied, taking a bag while going quickly around the counter to put the flowers inside it and also offering his arm to the woman.
- You’re always so kind, my child - responded the older one, gripping her hand around the offered limb.
Kim looked down, a bit embarrassed, and smiled openly while walking at the same pace she was going, a slight blush on his cheeks.
- It’s nothing, really: I just wanna help when I can. -
The lady nodded, a faint smile appeared on her wrinkled face and, once at the door, she kept on going on her path, slowly.
- Be safe! - he waved briefly while his name was shouted at full force inside the shop.
- Kimhan! Come here. Immediately! –
He closed his eyes while passing a hand on them: what could have possibly been going wrong during the five minutes he was away with a client? He went in and followed the screaming voice in the back, where they kept the storage.
- Ah, here you are! Don’t you see? Here, right here? - the man pointed at an empty spot.
- There’s nothing - replied Kim.
- Exactly! Where are the peonies we need for the party favours a client ordered us?! They’re due in three days and we haven’t even started preparing yet! – the voice pitch kept on going higher as the man finished his sentence.
- Phi, please, come with me - Kim sighed and went to the front, right behind the counter. He pointed at the farthest angle and… There they were: three boxes of white, orange and red peonies, ready to be packaged as agreed upon with the client.
Tankhun sighed in relief. Then started ranting and raving again about how he needed to keep things organised and therefor Kim had to inform him when he wanted to move things or starting orders.
- Brother, relax: we’ve been having this activity for many years and how many times did we mess up with clients? -
The taller one started looking at his freshly done manicure, pretending he didn’t listen. Tankhun knew Kim was right but his need to keep everything tidy and efficient was his sacred job. He was the secretary there, the coordinator of the activity while Kim, his younger brother, was the brute force that helped making and delivering their orders.
The middle child was out and about, at that moment, to take care of some personal matters but, otherwise, he was the CEO of the activity, the one who decided from which supplier buy flowers, the accounting and taxes.
- Well? - Kim’s voice took the brother back to the present.
- Yeah, yeah, I know, we’ve never done such a disgraceful thing but, still, Kim! You have to talk to me! - he exclaimed, doing really theatrical gestures with his arms.
The younger one put a strand of his raven hair that was in the way behind his right ear.
- I do, Phi, but you don’t always listen. -
- How dare you?! - the tone of disbelief in his voice.
“What a drama queen”, was the thought that crossed Kim’s mind while a tiny smile slipped on his lips. But his brother still noticed and widened his eyes, going furious about the fact.
- I saw it, Kim Theerapanyakul! Stop immediately making fun of me! - Tankhun screamed, his voiced so highly pitched it almost hurt the ears.
- Okay, okay, Phi, I’ll stop - but his smile kept on widen while his brother started going into a full blown drama again and tried to hit him but he did it just like a T-rex dinosaur: with arms folded short and moving fast. The whole situation was so silly that Kim laughed out loud and just a few seconds later, the bell on the door chimed and someone entered the flowers shop.
***
- Phi. Hey, Phi! What happened? -
Porchay looked at his brother, who was smiling at the contract he had on hand. He turned around and went straight to his younger sibling and hugged him tight, raising him in the air and spinning once while doing so.
- We got hired. We got hired, Chay! - he screamed out loud in his office, his smile so wide that the younger one thought it could rip his face.
- What’s so special about it? -
- It’s a lot of money coming our way throughout the next six months. Way more than usual! - a tanned hand went on the gelled hair, trying to refresh them, but it was just a mere habitude, because they were usually kept down.
- Oh, I’m so happy, Chay! -
- And I’m happy for you, Phi! This means you’re good at your job! - the younger replied, smiling as wide as his brother and hugging him again.
- Well, we can start organising things a bit: select suitable venues, invites and ask the grooms what they’d like. They only said one thing for now: they’d like red and white roses as well as sunflowers. Khun Kinn also suggested a place for where to order them: the Blue roses flowers shop - mumbled the older one.
Porsche was still reading some of the information he had wrote down and thought that that specific field of suppliers for the wedding was the only one the man he spoke to was really sure about.
As for everything else he was asked, he just lazily waved a hand and said that he could think about those things later.
“Later when? Six months is a very short time to organise a wedding!” the thought of all the things he would had to do almost crushed the older brother but he shook his head, closed his eyes a moment and then opened them again to look at Porchay.
- I have a task for you, little one. -
- I’m not little anymore! - he protested.
- Na-ah, hush now. I need you to go to this flowers shop and get the order done while I sort these other things out. If you do, I’ll treat you to your favourite meal. Deal? -
Chay pretended to think about it a little, long enough to see a wrinkle of worry on his brother forehead and then agreed on it.
- Deal! But you do the dishes! -
- Ah, you little…- And he grabbed his brother fast enough to block him and stroke the hair on his head so that they become all tangled.
- No, Phiii! It’ll take ages to put them back together! -
Porsche stuck his tongue out but his eyes were warm: the relationship with his brother was so genuine and he loved him dearly. One could see it from the way he was looking at him, with a smile on the face while Chay finished putting his hair back the way he wanted.
- You owe me, you know? - Porchay pouted his lips, pretending he was angry.
- I know, Nong, but now be fast on your feet: we have loads of things to do and little time to have everything done to perfection! –
Porchay left his brother’s office and took the bike to go towards his destination. The name of that place rang a bell but he had never been there before: he only heard good things from people who went in and came back satisfied with their purchase.
“Well, that’s a start: there is a reason if this client suggested this place specifically” he thought to himself while turning to the left and leaving his bike to the near parking. He locked it and put the key in his left pocket before turning around the way he came in and going towards the pavement.
He strolled his way to the shop and once there, he was baffled by the glass walls that let you more or less see inside and Porchay could see so many colourful flowers! While he was pushing the door to enter, he was still looking around, amazed by all the kinds of plants and beautiful blossoms that were before his eyes. From the outside, it was almost like he had never seen anything floral related and the boy came to his senses only when someone asked him something.
- What? - he asked, confused.
He clearly wasn’t really listening so he turned to the source of the sound and there they were: a pair of dark eyes that seemed they could see directly inside of his soul. The owner of this intense gaze was a young man, who seemed busy behind the counter with some red and pink flowers.
Porchay stopped breathing for a second and then remembered why he was there and continued functioning like a normal human being. He tried, at least.
- I only asked whether I could help you - answered the dark-haired one with a gentle smile. This made him look less mysterious and intimidating.
- Ah, yes, sorry about that - Chay started apologising, feeling his cheeks hotter than usual. - I was just completely ravished by the beauty of all these flowers and their colour. Absolutely gorgeous…- and his gaze went again on the scenery around him.
- Yes, they’re stunning indeed - the worker replied, looking briefly around but then posing his eyes on the boy in front of him, looking at his face.
- So, tell me: is there anything I can help you with? - the young man posed his question again and this time Porchay was ready and nodded.
- I’m from the Your dreams come true wedding planner agency: one of our client specifically indicated this flowers shop to get the supplies for their wedding so I’m here to place their order. -
The young man stood there in silence for a couple of seconds and then started looking for something. He found it after a few seconds.
- Sure! What do you need, exactly? - and took the pen cap with his mouth so he didn’t spread soil all around since his hands weren’t completely clean.
Chay looked at the man for some moments and then defrosted himself to actually give him the answer.
- We need red and white roses and also sunflowers. Enough of them to cover a huge garden with two hundred chairs for the ceremony, the house of the two grooms and also decorate the venue. - He was looking at the notes his brother gave him so he couldn’t forget anything.
- Ah, and also the boutonnieres for both the grooms and also the two best men of one of the groom! - he added on a whim.
The other one kept on silently writing, completely concentrated. The pen cap still between his lips. Chay looked away until the dark-haired one actually spoke: that little black thing in his mouth was nowhere to be found.
- Okay, looks good to me. What about the other two witnesses? -
- We weren’t provided with this information. -
- And what about other additions? -
- Mmmh, let me see…- Porchay started checking his notes, widened his eyes and smiled when he found the last thing. - Yes, one more. -
- Tell me. - the young man went forward on the counter and looked intensely at Chay, a strand of dark hair before his eyes.
The boy swallowed and quickly replied - An arch made of the same flowers they requested for the other decorations - while looking down on his feet. He narrowed his eyes for a moment and bent to pick up something.
- Okay, all noted down. Now I only need a name and a number to put on this form so we know who to call when we need something. -
- Ah, yes, sure thing - He was a little nervous and didn’t really know why. - Porchay. Porchay Kittiswasd. - and the boy spelled his phone number.
The dark-haired one nodded and then smiled gently at Chay, handing him a card with something written on it.
- If you ever need something, call that number and ask for Kim: they’ll make you in contact with me since I filled in your order. - He explained and let a bigger smile form on his face: that boy in front of him, with those puppy eyes, looked so cute when he took the shop business card.
- Thank you, I’ll keep it safe! - Chay responded with a shy smile and put it in his left pocket. He said goodbye and exited the shop to return to his bike and when he was almost there, he drew out the key of the lock.
The card fell on the ground and Chay took it back immediately: he couldn’t lose it. While looking at it, he noticed a little arrow pointing to the left side so he turned it. Another number was written there with the name “Kim” beside it and a little message: ‘Call me if you need anything!’.
His eyes widened in surprise.
***
“What did I do?!” Kim covered his face: in all his life he never did something like that. Never gave his number to a random person after a brief encounter like that but he really couldn’t help it that time. He felt like struck by a thunder when he saw that young man and his doe eyes. He acted on a whim, before he could actually think and then it was all done: he couldn’t take back the business card and replace it with another one.
What if the boy felt uncomfortable with what he had done and thought he was some sort of a freak?
“What if he didn’t, instead.” replied another voice inside his head. “You just handed him your personal number.”
Right. What could the worst scenario be? He wouldn’t get to be contacted. The best? The boy could actually text or call him and the thought made him feel all shy. Aaah, what a pretty face was doing to him!
- What’s with the blush on your cheeks? –
Someone else entered the shop but Kim knew who it was: that voice accompanied him all his life. The young one got rid of any shyness left and put on a smirk, eyes now locked with the man in front of him.
- What about you, instead? I’ve just filled in a form for your wedding. Care to explain? Why you didn’t tell us in the first place? Of course we would be the ones decorating everything, Kinn! –
- I wanted to spice things up. Just to have some fun! – he playfully replied, winking at his little brother.
- I’ll give you some fun, you son of a bitch! – Tankhun stormed to the front desk and went straight to face Kinn: he was furious.
- Do you have any idea of how much time it takes to organise everything on time for an event? - he was shrieking with rage. - A wedding needs even more! But what do you know…You’re either always in your office for a couple hours a day or away from here. Why do you hate me so much, huh?! –
- I don’t hate you, I just kept on putting the organisation off until I realised the date was fast approaching, that’s all. – he pinched the bridge of his nose, the other hand on his hip, trying to prepare for his brother’s new meltdown about the situation.
Tankhun kept on ranting about how Kinn should have been more responsible and keeping his life in check just like their business, be precise and meticulous and not leaving all in the hands of his two other brothers.
- We have a life, you know! – he concluded and Kinn suppressed a laugh at that affirmation: his big brother loved watching dramas and that’s what he did the majority of his free time but he had to keep a serious face and nod or nobody would have made it alive from there.
- You’re right, I’m sorry for being such an inconvenience to you. I’ll try again next time and make better decisions. –
Kim, who was silently watching the whole thing, was about to explode with laughter in seeing Kinn’s face and the words that came out of his mouth so he went behind the counter to pretend to check for something: what a weird family he had! But he was truly grateful to have them.
He cleared his throat to get rid of any sign of laughter of smile and once he felt ready, he spoke to the other two.
- Okay, it’s settled. Now I think we can go and have some lunch. I’m hungry! – and Kim put away the form in the document folder, took off his black apron to hang it on the wall and went back in the storage room to get his things.