If he was drunk, his true personality should come out, but even with his big build he was not acting threateningly, and he had also said he had taken care of the shop.

Just a moment.

After struggling alone with the decision, Seowon let out a short sigh and pushed the man blocking the doorway back a little.

The body moved with surprising lightness for such a big frame, and after glancing at it for a moment, Seowon silently stood in front of the shop, bent down, and quickly entered the passcode.

At last, the shop door opened.

After going inside the wide-open door, Seowon took off his raincoat and put away his umbrella, then turned back to look outside. The man remained standing exactly as Seowon had pushed him, soaking up the endless rain.

Like a loyal large dog waiting only for its owner to call.

Seowon looked at him for a long moment, then slowly spoke.

Come in, this way.

Seowon at least had it a little easier because he had on both a raincoat and an umbrella, but the hooded man looked like a completely drenched rat. Seowon hurriedly handed him a large towel, pulled out a chair from the worktable, and then went into the kitchen-slash-side room hidden behind a partition curtain.

When he came out carrying several clean towels and a first-aid kit, the man had a towel wrapped around his head and was carefully looking around the interior.

He examined the seedlings and succulents placed around the shop, the pots of lush green leaves, and also looked closely at the odds and ends on the table, like colored paper and other supplies. When he looked at the mug Seowon liked to use, his expression was so solemn and careful, as if he were looking at the most precious treasure in the world.

He was so absorbed that he did not seem to notice Seowon had come out of the kitchen, so Seowon deliberately set the box down on the table with a loud sound, and the man jumped and turned around.

Stop standing there and sit down.

Seowon got as far as that before he shut his mouth tightly.

Under the bright shop lights, the face of the man who had taken off his hood was fully revealed.

Between damp, tousled brown hair and beautifully arched brows, dark chocolate-colored irises blinked.

With sharply carved features, smooth skin, a distinct jawline, and a face that gave off a soft yet powerful masculinity, along with those deeply compelling eyes.

In short, it was a face that was insanely handsome.

It was the kind of appearance that made it impossible not to think that “sculpted handsome man” must refer to a face like this, and Seowon found himself staring blankly.

Apparently uncomfortable under Seowon’s gaze, the man glanced down and tilted his head slightly. His nape was already turning red.

Feeling oddly embarrassed, Seowon set down the first-aid kit with a thud and said deliberately in a brisk tone.

Why don’t you sit down instead of standing there like that? We need to stop the bleeding on your hand first.

But the man did not seem to intend to sit in the chair. Instead, after carefully surveying the shop interior and even the small room tucked into the corner, he muttered to himself.

By the way, do you normally just let random people into your house like this? What if they’re bad guys?

Are you a bad guy?

No! I mean someone else.

Seowon had only asked in disbelief, but the man practically jumped and answered at once.

Because of that, he ended up facing those deep brown eyes head-on again.

But this time, Seowon answered without any particular agitation.

First of all, this is not a house, it’s a place of business. And on top of that, it is raining like crazy out there. If your hand were not bleeding all over the place, I would never have let you into the shop. So let’s stop there and sit down already.

When his tone gave off a somewhat cold air, the man flinched and quietly sat down.

Hand.

At the short command, the man promptly held out his hand and placed it neatly on top of Seowon’s.

He was a man whose behavior was impossible to pin down in any number of ways.

He seemed to have an unapproachable air, yet also somehow looked a little awkward, which made Seowon smile faintly.

Looking at the large hand in secret, he saw that it was at least a handspan longer than Seowon’s, with sturdy knuckles and a neat shape. Across that palm ran a long diagonal cut.

It was not very deep, but if left alone it might cause trouble later.

How had he grabbed the stick to get a wound like this? Normally you’d get a short, shallow cut, wouldn’t you?

Putting that question aside, Seowon carefully wiped the wound with antiseptic cotton. Then he thoroughly removed the moisture with a clean towel, gently applied ointment, and carefully placed gauze over it.

Even though it must have stung a lot, the hand did not twitch once, which was at least a relief.

Was he not feeling the pain properly because he was drunk? But even so, he did not smell like alcohol at all.

Thinking that was strange, Seowon tilted his head.

Then, all of a sudden, warm breath brushed against the nape of his neck as he lowered his head.

The sensation tickling his nape was unfamiliar, so he quickly tried to raise his head, but a low voice suddenly came near his ear.

Hey. I know who I am, right?

At the unexpected question, Seowon slowly lifted his head. Unlike before, the deep chocolate eyes were now looking straight at him. They seemed clear and unfogged by alcohol.

The way his attractive lips were lightly bitten made him look somewhat tense too.

Staring at that face, Seowon fell into thought for a moment.

Could he be one of the customers who came before?

As a shop owner, it was basic courtesy to act like he recognized customers who hoped to be remembered by him.

But if he were such a handsome person, he would surely have left an impression.

No matter how hard he tried to rack his memory, nothing came to mind, so a troubled Seowon decided to answer honestly.

I don’t know.

At the short answer, there was a sharp intake of breath from across from him.

You don’t know? Me?

Yes, I do not.

You mean you have never seen my face even once?

I’m sorry, but no. I do not remember you.

Well, if he was a customer with this kind of visual but Seowon still could not remember him, then he probably had not bought anything particularly impressive anyway.

Pretending not to notice the other man’s bewildered reaction, Seowon lowered his gaze and tidied up the first-aid kit, when wet hair suddenly leaned into his field of view.

W-what is it?!

Startled, he looked up, only to find the man lifting his face as high as he could.

He was trying his best to adjust for the angle of the light above the ceiling so that Seowon could see his face as clearly as possible.

You really don’t know? I’m a really, really famous actor?!

His lips trembled in his excitement, and he looked painfully wronged, as if asking how could someone not recognize him.

At that anxious tone and behavior, Seowon finally let out a baffled laugh.

What, so you were a celebrity?

I thought your face was too unreal-looking for a reason.

But even if you are a celebrity, does the whole world have to know who you are?

A little irritated by the arrogance of someone who clearly had a serious case of celebrity disease, Seowon answered coldly on purpose.

I don’t really watch Korean dramas.

Not a drama, a film! I’m a film actor! The hottest acting genius in his twenties right now, with not a single flop since debut! The guaranteed box-office draw Jung Jihoo, lead actor of True Game, Point of Intersection, and The Aesthetics of Murder, the hits that blew up in Korea, and you say you don’t know me?!

The man, who had been carefully speaking just moments ago, now frantically whipped out his phone from his pocket and began to boast about himself rapidly. He searched his own name, then thrust his profile in Seowon’s face, telling him to look at this.

To be honest, the way he acted was a bit much.

It was hard to tell whether this bastard was behaving like this because he was drunk, or because he was one of those self-obsessed actors who thought the whole world should know him.

A quick glance at the phone in front of him showed several films he had appeared in and his profile picture.

His ratings were high, and from the fact that he had apparently won various awards overseas, it really did seem like he was famous.

But so what?

To Seowon right now, this man was not a famous actor at all. He was just a nuisance customer who had soaked himself, planted himself in Seowon’s shop, and showed no sign of leaving.

Seowon let out a long sigh, then spoke.

I’m sorry, but.

With a click, he closed the first-aid kit and looked him squarely in the eye. The distinct dark brown pupils across from him wavered uneasily.

I don’t really watch Korean films or domestic dramas.

At those words, the other man’s body flinched, and his attractive lips parted slightly.

It was a face full of despair, as if he could not believe it.

No, was this really something that serious?

At a loss, Seowon stared at him blankly, when the man, his face gone pale, finally asked in a whisper.

You don’t watch Korean films, no why? Then, then what do you watch?

American dramas.

Thud.

His phone fell onto the table.

The self-obsessed actor, looking utterly dazed, did not even try to pick up the phone as it rolled around on the table.

He only murmured to himself like a madman, “American dramas, American dramas...”

Watching him, Seowon shrugged.

There had been a time when he too had been crazy about films, but that was all in the past.

Besides, running a flower shop, no matter how small it was, was not as easy as it looked.

Every day he had to get up before dawn, go to the flower market, trim the flowers he bought, clean the shop, make reserved bouquets, organize and clean the pots, repot plants, and greet customers, so the day would pass in no time.

Since he usually ran the shop alone except for a part-timer who came by briefly during busy periods, he had no time to go to a movie theater, much less leisurely watch TV, so these days he had not even been watching the American dramas he had set aside.

Seowon glanced sideways at the man still muttering “American dramas” over and over, then stood up.

Then since it’s already too late, please go home now. Your hand has only been temporarily treated, so you must go to the hospital tomorrow.

Even after the clear eviction order, the man still seemed unable to recover from the shock, and only after Seowon gave a fake cough and went, “Hm,” did he slowly lift his head. His eyes looked somewhat aggrieved as they flicked toward Seowon, then he turned his head away with a huff.

Since he showed no sign of getting up like that, Seowon finally frowned openly, and the man immediately backed down and shouted in alarm.

I, I’ll buy a bouquet! Please wrap some flowers for me.

The business hours are over.

When Seowon answered in a cold voice, the man once again hurriedly looked around and raised a hand.

Then that one! I’ll buy just one of those. I’m keeping it for myself, so you don’t need to wrap it.