A/N: Ehehehehe, here I am, back already! I hope you enjoy this completely out-of-nowhere AU, inspired by one reviewer who challenged me to something very particular. But no, they didn't have anything to do with the AU that was just me.

Hope you like it! I'm really eager to see what you'll say about it. Ah yes; let me make the disclaimer here once and only once: I do not own RuroKen or its characters. I'm merely inspired by canon. There, I said it.

Also, small first chapter but I believe is just what it's supposed to be: a good introduction.

EDIT: For the anon who made a note of the title...The title is obviously a reference to William Shakespeare's famous quote. No need to disclaim that, I think it's fairly obvious while the other thing you mentioned, I can't even find it on google. Thank you for.

.

. .

. . .

The bell chimed as the door opened; without even looking up the words: "I'm sorry, we are not open for business yet; please come at a later hour," escaped involuntarily.

"That's ok; I'm the delivery guy."

There was silence.

"…you're the delivery guy?"

"Yeap; and I'm guessing you're the newest addition to staff; I heard them talking about a new hire lately. Though it is surprising they left you alone to open up shop on your first day."

Two people, a tall man and a relatively short woman, stood face to face. One was behind the glass-and-wood counter, the other stood casually in front of it. They had initiated a staring contest, but how ominous could anyone appear when wearing a green apron with a floral pattern, or black coveralls with a huge flower at the front?

Especially when they were standing smack in the middle of an army of pots and bouquets of flowers…either on the floor or on and in displays!

Shoulders shrugged then, giving new life to the conversation. "It looks like Yamamoto-san is quite the gambler, seeing he was the one who gave the directive. Either that, or he likes to see his employees suffer."

Laughter broke out, dissolving the buzzing awkwardness. "That was a surprisingly accurate first assessment of your boss! You're quite perceptive…?"

The speaker let the sentence hang in the air, indicating they were searching for a name; their interlocutor caught on quickly. "It's Saito; Saito Hajime." They bowed to one another. "And you are?"

"Takagi Tokio, hello! I'm the delivery guy, as you've already said so yourself, and I've been with this place for almost six years now! Pleased to meet you."

"I see; I was expecting you more…"

"Manly?" she offered in a knowing tone.

"No; wholly male."

She laughed again. "It wasn't easy getting people to trust me driving around their plants, so I devised this plan. It took a couple of months but it gained traction and now I have a very lucrative flower delivering business."

She pointed to her truck with her thumb, the truck that could be seen only through the window at the back, as she had parked there.

"Ah…makes sense then, the deceit."

"No," she stretched out the word "don't call it that, it sounds so bad! I merely play with expectations and gender roles…speaking of which, I too expected a woman. Yet here you are, a fully grown man, making bouquets. It isn't all that common to find a man who doesn't own a flower shop working in one."

"True; but I always liked flowers."

She hummed, scratching her chin, seemingly deep in thought. "How old are you…? Twenty seven?"

"…twenty nine."

"What were you doing till now then? Unless you're from the countryside hence I haven't seen you in Kyoto before."

She promptly circled the counter and came over his side, proceeded by walking to the back with him following. Quite curious, wasn't she? And very direct; if he were anyone else, he would have considered her questions rude but seeing he could be just as blunt or worse, he didn't really mind.

"Indeed; I came from the outskirts of the Tochigi prefecture."

"Ah," she snapped her fingers "that's it then."

She gestured for him to open the back door. He reached into the pocket of his green apron and produced a set of keys; after finding the correct one with only a glance, he unlocked the back door. They went outside and walked to the truck in silence.

"Deliveries are always carried out at the back; less people and less of a mess." She explained at his curious glance. "So!" without further ado, she produced a sheet of paper. "Here's the delivery manifest; check all contents and once you see everything it says there is in the black crates, we get the flowers inside. Then you stamp the paper and I take it back."

"I see."

She opened the big door and the cold from the built-in fridge hit both at the same time.

He took it and skimmed it over, glancing at the crates all the while. "All accounted for," he simply said and after staffing it into his big apron pocket again, he reached to extract the first crates. He noticed she was meticulous and practical enough to use more crates but without flowers sticking out of them so they could be stacked, for easier transport. He appreciated it, because now he didn't have to make the trip six times.

He took four of them at one go, to the mortification of Tokio. "Don't take so many at once! Think of your back!"

"…they aren't that heavy."

He dismissed her concern as he opened the door with one hand, managing to balance them all on one hand and his chest and he watched her freak out – don't do that, they really are heavy! You'll drop them and make a mess; and ruin the flowers, too – amused.

When nothing fell and the world didn't come to an end, she shook her head in a clear show of indignation. But by the time she was finished with her emotional display, he was already out already, going for the next load. She managed to catch up to him though and took two of the remaining eight crates in her hands.

"Don't," he immediately forbade her from standing, motioning for her to put them down. He rolled up his sleeves then and took the crates out of her hands, seeing she didn't do as he asked, stacking them onto the two next to them, regardless of her protests. "I'll take them."

She took two more anyway, making him huff in disapproval. "But you said it yourself, they aren't that heavy, right?"

"You and I don't have the same amount of strength," he simply stated and kept walking.

"Mmmm, brag all you want but I'll have you know I do this every day so in fact I can brag as much as you."

He said nothing. But he did manage to put his crates down first thus reached the truck first; when she realised what he was trying to do she took a sharp breath of air and ran after him! But he had already stacked the rest in one big pile and started carrying it inside.

"Saito-san!"

She said it like he had done some offence or another to her, hovering like an overbearing mother. She opened the door for him all the same though and waited after he deposited them on the floor – effortlessly to her annoyance – to slap his shoulder.

He looked at the whole motion like he couldn't believe that had just happened.

"That was dangerous!"

"That was nothing," he countered and she could see clearly he wasn't really bragging; he had shrugged his shoulders on-committal, he kept his voice even, his look never changed. Even before, he hadn't really bragged, he simply said something he considered a fact. If anything he had looked like he was insulted she insisted and in the end carried those two crates.

She considered. She didn't know if she loved or hated that, yet. "Anyway, just put the shop's stamp on the paper so I can go; I have ten more stops today."

"When are you coming here again?"

"Mmmmaybe the day after tomorrow; I don't come every day. Unless a patron asks for something big and you don't have it in stock or it bleeds your stock dry so Yamamoto-san makes a rushed order; the company alerts me and I go. I always deliver on time!"

She gave a bright smile; he nodded. "I see…could I make an order if I need to?"

"That's up to Yamamoto-san now isn't it? I wouldn't mind brining it so long you have his ok anyway!"

"Do you only deliver flowers?"

What an odd question, she mused. "Yes; unless if someone really needs a favour and it doesn't break any laws to help them."

"Alright; thanks for your time." He gave a small bow. "Till next time."

"Yes, till next time!"

She waved goodbye quite lively and closed the door behind her, a big smile on her lips. He watched her climb on the driver's seat as he locked the door, noticing how she kept looking back and smiling. What a strange person…

She got in her truck and gave the door a good, rough tug to close; she felt heat rise to her cheeks as she kept looking back at the flower shop through her rear-view mirror, trying to catch a glimpse of the new employee of "Sakura Kiss". She decided it was a good first impression. She liked this person; she'd make sure to say so, if they ever asked her opinion.

A/N: Saito is a florist. Can you imagine him in the green apron with the floral pattern and that scowl of his? Okay, he isn't scowly exactly but dude, I'd pay to see that fanart's all I'm saying.

Anyhow, I'd really like to know what you thought so please leave a review on your way out and tell me all about it.