Punk and Florist
Haruka smoked between his lips his third cigarette as his punk music from Sex Pistols raged their outrageous voices in his ears while remaining in his tattoo shop. This was his shop—Haruka's Killer Tats—where he came here and gave people tattoos when someone needed an appointment. Nobody came in now as it was recently opened up and Haruka expected it as a slow day. He liked the place as it was only an hour away from his house and the people who came were pretty rad and didn't waste time. Others came with friends for support; rare ones came by themselves and never cried when they received their tattoo. Working here was supportive to Haruka as he loved drawing in his sketchbook for creative ideas—many memorable costumers recommended his designs—and it was pleasing to know everyone wanted his artwork on their bare skin.
As much as he loved his job and his shop, there was a tiny problem that came every day in the flower shop…
Tachibana Makoto, employee of Darling Flowers, was Haruka's secret crush.
How un-punk of him having a crush in a flower shop, he thought negatively to himself. Worst of all, Makoto was hot as hell. Haruka couldn't believe a huge muscled man like himself was working in there—he would fit perfectly as a fireman or a cop. Avoiding him was easy, Haruka thought, but seeing him all the time, looking at those flowers with those stunning green eyes…it's just too much. And damn, when he holds those flowers like that...!
Not noticing his slick hand movements sketching, he saw on the once blank page feature a quick sketch of Makoto. This wasn't the first time he had done this bizarre act—as his book had doodles and sketches of Makoto, but Haruka couldn't believe his hand did this again. He took the end of his pencil and erased the picture. He bit his bottom lip with its silver piercing by the left side and thought how foolish he was, drawing Makoto when he hardly knew him. After finishing erasing and dusting the page off by the back of his hand, he glanced up shyly and bit his bottom lip once more.
Makoto was just across the street, putting up small red pots of herbs at the front table for show and the good-looking man had the same wonderful smile plastered on his face. Haruka rested an elbow on the table, his hand cupping his cheek and felt dazed and bewildered. He was having an undeniably overpowering crush. Haruka watched how he brushed his hair nonchalantly with his hair, how his pursed lips became less tensed meaning he wasn't thinking too hard, how his lovely gentle green eyes trailed up to Haruka's eyes and stared in surprise...
Wait, was Makoto staring back at him?
Haruka's eyes fluttered hazily and saw the good-looking man afar waving at him, smiling. Smiling, at him! Was this a dream? How did Haruka not notice Makoto staring back? Well...he thought for a while and, all an all, if he was watching, it wasn't bad Makoto noticed him...
He raised a timid hand and waved back, his face not smiling. Makoto seemed happier, but then his head turned and when he looked at Haruka he waved again and left. It looked like he was called for help. But still, Makoto actually noticed him. It was such a great feeling he felt when Makoto's eyes met his. However, was Haruka ever going to fess up and just talk to him?
XxXxXxX
Makoto was across the street again. Haruka seen him spraying the flowers outside with a sprayer full of water and made sure all the flowers had the right amount of water. Haruka realized how sweet and kind he was, making sure all the flowers were replenished and become healthier. As always Haruka had his elbow on the counter, his palm resting his cheek and he stared out the window in awe.
He was so distracted that the costumers who came in all saw how dazzled he expressed and were generally confused. Haruka however resented looking into their eyes, for he wanted to watch Makoto all day. It was like watching his favorite TV show, honestly.
Costumers came and went out like small children for a vaccine shot. Haruka dealt with one man—ten years older than him—shaking worse than a schoolboy and got one of Haruka's flower ideas. The man said this was for his girlfriend since her name was Rose. Haruka saw the man, wearing his Mohawk hairstyle with pride, skinny jeans and dark coat, walk off with a prideful smirk on his face, but then again the man seemed to held some tears as he geared up to ride his motorcycle.
Haruka enjoyed the punk music blaring out in the store. Listening to Complete Control (The Clash) was relaxing to Haruka, and clear that the others in the shop enjoyed it, bobbing their heads and lip-syncing the words in silence.
"Next, please," Haruka called out for the next costumer. A man—around his thirties—stood up, placed the magazine on the coffee table and stepped forward into the back.
Meanwhile, over by the street from Haruka's shop was Makoto's part-time job at Darling Flowers. As Makoto was shipping a bag of fertilizer from the back for the plants out front, he noticed over the street the man who did tattoos. Makoto didn't know his name, but he would like to know if he could. He never realized he was staring at the shop across for five whole minutes...
"Makoto, stop staring at that creepy shop and work already!" an employee pestered at him.
Makoto jumped, shocked from the sudden call and hurried over to work. At the same time looked over his shoulder once or twice in hopes to see the man's face.
XxXxXxX
"Haru, how long are you going to stare out the window? It's starting to become a problem."
"Huh?" Haruka looked at his partner, Rin, who looked stubborn. "Sorry. I didn't-"
Rin crossed his arms, tattooed with sharks, and sighed. "Just go over there and talk to him! It's not hard; I do it all the time, so can you." Rin said. "We both talk and he's not a bad guy—so just do it."
Haruka raised an eyebrow. "Do what?"
"Talk, oh my god, how thick-minded are you right now?" Rin spoke in English and had his hands on his face, looking furious and exhausted.
Haruka was too confused to understand what Rin had just said and tried focusing his work. It was so difficult concentrating on daily life when the crush just over the street was smiling and enjoyed himself, not even knowing his existence. Well, there was the time they both shared a glance, so Makoto must have had seen him.
"Haruka?" said Rin.
"Not now..." Haruka said, drawing on his sketchbook. If he ignored him long enough, he usually leaves.
"But dude, you-know-who is coming!" Rin pestered and chuckled, patting Haruka's shoulder in brute happiness.
He hesitated, looking over his shoulder to Rin. "Who?"
Ding-ding! The door opened, pushing the door where the bell ringed a costumer's coming, and Haruka laid his eyes up to see Makoto, holding in his hands a flowerpot of pink flowers...
Is that Makoto? Thought Haruka, blue eyes wide opened and pencil tensed in hand.
"Yo, Mako," Rin greeted, "what's up?" Rin waved his right tattooed arm at Makoto in kind greeting.
"I just came here to see how you were doing," Makoto said causally, walking in casually. "Also, I thought you might want some flowers here. It looks like it needs something sweet and bright to make it cozy for you guys."
WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO? Was Haruka blushing because he felt heat going off his cheeks… Odd.
"Hello," Makoto said to Haruka, who snapped out right away and nodded once. "I don't think we ever met. My name is Makoto, what's yours?" Why was his mouth so beautiful up close in that form of smile?
"It's Haruka..."
"That's such a nice name! I hope you don't mind these." Makoto handed over the small pot of flowers and just then, when Haruka's fingertips touched the cemented textured pot, the tip of their fingers touched just for a second. Right then, Haruka felt the spark of physical contact by that touch.
"Uh, Haru, is it okay to let go?" Makoto asked shyly. Haruka never realized he hand theirs fingers intertwined...
Blinking in confusion, Haruka took the pot and Makoto smiled again. Damn it, why does he have to be so damn beautiful?
"Sooo… Haruka was busy admiring your flowers for a while—" Haruka looked confused at Rin then to Makoto with a poker face "—and he has had some trouble drawing something for our customers. If you could, can you let him browse around the place while I boss around here? It'd do a great service since he's an artist an' all."
"Oh, really? I didn't know he liked the flowers." Makoto said.
"Yeah so, if you can, would you mind letting him browse around?" Rin asked. His voice sounded awfully hopeful.
"I wouldn't mind whatsoever!" Makoto said in glee. "In fact, we had new shipments of flowers in stock and if Haru wants, he can go and look at them—if he still wants to." Makoto looked down at Haruka and smiled happily.
Haruka glanced away and shifted his head to the left in a form of a pout, "If it's not a problem…" If I can get any awkward, it's now…
XxXxXxX
After Haruka and Makoto's (gawky) introduction, the two went across the street for Haruka's keen eyes to relish at the pretty flowers. As much as he basked in the newly bloomed pretties, his eyes often trailed over to Makoto who was busy putting some dirt in red pots for the flowers by the shop's counter. Right now was something out of a story—and the ending might be either good or bad depending on Makoto's reaction of Haruka's secret desire for him. While his hand carved doodles of pencil lead flowers—which in Haruka's skills were impressive—Makoto was busy cleaning the counter with a damp rag after finishing potting the flowers. Only they were in this flower shop.
Right then, Makoto spoke, "How do you like the flowers?"
"They're very nice…" Haruka managed to say without flinching.
He grew tired sitting on the floor with the rose bushes, he got himself up and with the sketchbook closed he wandered within the garden-like shop where flowers of many seasons—despite winter growing closer—were grown to perfection. How their blooming colors roared the attention of walkers outside amazed Haruka, and how they lasted so long before their beauty wilted into death amazed him immensely. Haruka stood by the counter where Makoto smiled that damn beautiful smile again. Placing his sketch book down, he decided a conversation was at order, even if he wasn't much of a talker.
"…Do you work here often?" Haruka asked.
"Not really," Makoto said, eyeing him without suspicion. "I took this job because I always loved flowers. Oh, you're tattoo shop over there—do you and Rin open it a few months back?"
"Sort of," Haruka said. "It was sort of Rin's idea. I didn't like it, but I ended up getting a good profit out of my job and this job's the only one I can listen to loud punk music and smoke without anyone complaining."
"Not trying to be rude, but how come you don't have any tattoos?"
They'll look weird. "I'm not a big fan on wearing tattoos myself."
"Do you think…?" Makoto hesitated and said nothing.
Haruka cocked his head, curious. "What is it?"
"Do you think…I should get a tattoo?"
Haruka was in shock but didn't express it. "Why? You got a nice looking body already—why bother putting weird art on your sexy body?" Wait…what did I just-?
"Um…thank you…?" Makoto thanked him, sounding unsure.
Haruka felt abashed with fear, stupidity and shyness all mixed inside his stomach—making him feel ligated. How he somehow said those words without sounding at anyway strange—apart from Makoto who clearly seemed surprised to hear his words—was beyond him. Feeling all hope was lost; Haruka excused himself brief to use the restroom. Going over to the back of the flower shop he saw a doorway with the sign 'exit' took the chance of getting out and made his way to the tattoo shop without Makoto's notice…
If only he knew he had forgotten his sketchbook, filled with sketches of Makoto… How aimless was Haruka?
XxXxXxX
"And…?"
"That's it…"
Rin stared point-blank at Haruka who was busy sharpening his pencils with a sharpener. The wooden slices of the pencil fell into the trashcan as the background music of punk rock roared loudly. If only it roared louder for Haruka who was faced with his nosy business partner…
"You have got to be either the bravest man for confessing Makoto's hot bod," Rin stated, walking off to the back, "or you're an idiot for saying those words. Seriously, 'sexy body'?" Rin slapped Haruka's back—Haruka coughed gruffly from the unexpected slap—and heard Rin say, "I know you have a huge crush and wanted to confess, but that was so…weird! Then again, whatever you say makes people think the wrong way."
As Rin walked away, Haruka was left alone to think whilst sharpening his pencil in the empty tattoo shop where punk music always roared, people outside walking past his shop and the other side where Makoto worked at was seen—only today there was no Makoto. Haruka replayed the whole scene from his mind and wondered discreetly if he was too head-on for speak the truth in his own words.
Like Rin had said, whatever Haruka said made people think the wrong way—maybe that's why he has only a few friends—and most of them were unsure what to say or think. Now Makoto was going to be like those people who stayed away from Haruka because he had an odd way of talking and explaining and he might think 'oh, that's the weirdo who said I had a hot bod'!
The music around the shop wasn't even helping—it made things complicated. Haruka got his butt up, went over to the end shop where the stereo blew huge angry vocals and pulled the plug out from behind. Now the music ceased and the atmosphere felt clearer for Haruka to think quietly to himself…
Continuing to his daily routine, Haruka got back to the desk counter and went back to the rhythm of sharpening his pencil. Right away he thought of a brilliant idea for a tattoo and searched for his sketchbook…
Where's that sketchbook? My…
Oh…
Sketch…
He left it by the counter…
Book… His voice trailed off with an echo of realization…
"SHIT
…of Darling Flowers…where Makoto worked at…
"SHIT!" shouted Haruka in frustration. How could he do something so stupid and clichéd?
By the backroom, Haruka heard Rin bursting out and ran over to the waiting area. However when he saw Haruka at the counter, he sighed and asked impatiently what he was bellowing about.
"My notebook," Haruka said. "I forgot to bring it with me and now it's at Makoto's place." He brushed a cold sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand and tried to keep calm.
"So, go and get it back,"
"It's not that simple!" Haruka barked back at Rin who was taken aback. "Please, can you go and get it for me?"
"And if I say no?" Rin asked, inquiring some kind of reward.
Haruka didn't have the strength to kick Rin's butt, "If you do it, I'll do whatever you want."
Rin gave a somewhat thoughtful expression then shrugged. "'Kay, I'll get it." With his hands in his front jean pockets, he strode off and Haruka watched him crossing the street, feeling worrisome of what Makoto might have seen in his notebook.
Massaging the sides of his temples, Haruka silently tried to calm himself. How could he leave that notebook there, and how he didn't erase the other sketches of Makoto? The ones before were gone, but the rest was just too beautiful to ruin. Haruka's blue eyes treaded over to the street and glared deadly at it, but it took five full minutes until Rin was seen coming out, holding the black notebook with a triumphed face.
Rin entered inside the shop and Haruka asked if Makoto looked or not. He walked over to the desk and told him what happened.
"Well, he said he took a peek," Haruka had a sinking feeling, "and Makoto said he wrote something at the back." Rin threw the dreaded notebook down and walked away; a smirk appeared as Haruka reached to it and nervously flipped to the back page.
What could Makoto possibly written behind the book? Haruka was too scared to change the next page out of fear of what he wrote, but he needed to know whilst a beat inside skipped. Turning the page, he saw a written message...
Hi Haru, I'm sorry I looked inside but your art was lovely. I saw some of myself and wanted to know if I was an inspiration. If you are ever free, we could get some coffee and get to know each other! Here is my number below in case you want to save the trouble of going in and out.
Below the message was Makoto's number. Staring in disbelief, Haruka felt the sense of excitement and the nausea previously drifting off.
"I CALLED IT!" Rin shouted, cheering out of nowhere from behind.
Haruka nearly fell from his seat because of that outburst, but once regaining himself he ignored Rin who was running around, arms up like a racer winning his first game, and looked at the message with great wonder and happiness.