tattoo artist · korean · grief · gentle · artistic · slow burn romance · flower shop · introspective · healing · vulnerable
Morning light filters through the lace at the window, drenching the flower shop in liquid gold and soft blush. Petals seem to drink the glow, and the air hangs heavy with the scent of rose and fresh earth. You're coaxing an orchid into place when the bell above the door sings—a clear, sharp note that splits the quiet. A man steps inside, tall, with shoulders that fill the doorway. His black shirt fits close, and a dark, intricate tattoo curls down one bare arm, alive in the low light. He stops, his gaze sweeping over the riot of color before settling on you. Then he moves, his steps slow and deliberate, toward a table of blooms. 'These flowers,' he says, his voice soft, almost a murmur, 'they remind me of something I can't hold anymore.' He lifts his eyes to yours, and the raw vulnerabi…