Flowers Are Bait

He pulled off the rubber band that held the flowers together. He gathered her hair up to tie them. His eyes caught on the nape of her neck. “Hwang Jo-yoon won’t be any more trouble,” he said. He felt her body stiffen. “So, you don’t need to worry anymore,” he said gently.

Lee-yeon touched her hair awkwardly. She felt different from usual with her hair tied up. “So pretty,”said Kwon Chae-woo.

“Um… Me?” She asked. The man smiled and leaned against the table.

“You can hide behind your work clothes all you want,” he said, “But that doesn’t fool me. When you come to bed at night after a shower, I know how pretty you are.”

Lee-yeon blushed. She was speechless. “Do you even know how that drives me crazy?”

She stood there without a word and covered her face with her hands.

* * *

The scarlet sunset shone on her small back.Lee-yeon, with surgical gloves, was busy cleaning out the flower bed. She was skillful in what she did. She gently touched the plants, watered them, tilled the soil and cut the ragged branches and offshoots. She was very focused on taking care of the plants. Kwon Chae-woo looked at her, mesmerized, half-wishing to divert her attention from the plants to him.

Did she take care of me like that when I was in a vegetative state? He wondered. He couldn’t take his eyes off her. Lee-yeon reminded him of a creature from a fairy tale. He was so attracted to her. He wanted to abduct her and take her someplace where only they could be together.

Lee-yeon hid behind thick layers of clothes and the dirt. But Kwon Chae-woo knew what lay underneath. A fidgety girl with soft skin and scars. He was enthralled by her small nose, pretty eyes and red lips. She seemed entirely unaware of how beautiful she actually was.

Kwon Chae-woo tried not to stare but it didn’t work. The more he looked at her, the more he wanted to be closer to her. Lee-yeon strokes that tiny leaf, and yet my body trembles…

Time seemed to pass very slowly. Lee-yeon wiped the sweat from her forehead and caressed the flower plants as though complimenting it. She then picked up the fallen flowers from the ground and turned and smiled suddenly at Kwon Chae-woo.

He was taken aback. It was the first time she had looked at him and smiled so brightly from the time he had met her. He swallowed and clenched his fists. That smiled contained all his happiness.

‘You… Are you really So Lee-yeon’s husband?… Bring me proof. Show me proof that you guys are married!’

Kwon Chae-woo recalled Hwang Jo-yoon’s words from days past. He looked at her.

“Lee-yeon, have you ever tried sucking a flower?”

“Ah… I tried it a few times when I was young.”

“Then teach me.”

“Teach you what?” Lee-yeon, carrying flower petals in both hands.

Kwon Chae-woo walked towards the wall and picked a white acacia. Lee-yeon flinched and tried to stop him, but the flower was plucked in the blink of an eye.

“I want you to teach me how to suck and lick it all the way to the bottom.”

She looked at him perplexed.

“Because I don’t want to leave anything behind.”

***

The petals from her hands fluttered away in the wind. It was only acacia in his hands, but it reminded her of the helpless chicken he had killed. Lee-yeon held her breath. Kwon Chae-woo raised the acacia to her mouth.

“You have to demonstrate first.”

Her face was blank and pale. Kwon Chae-woo looked at her as though studying her. While Lee-yeon sucked the acacia, the man’s gaze was fixed on her lips.

“One more time.”

He put the flower in her mouth again. A cold finger touched her lower lip.

“Is it good?”

“Well… I think it tasted good when I was young, but now it’s not as sweet as I remember. Maybe I have become used to sweeter snacks…”

“Then how about using your tongue?”

“What?” Her eyes widened at the unexpected question.

“If you look here, there is a hole through which honey comes out—” He pointed to the tip of the acacia

“So you just suck, and that’s it?”she asked.

“Wouldn’t it be possible to eat the whole thing by sticking your tongue into the hole? It’s a waste if you leave it. Try.” He handed her the flower again, telling her to try it. She knew that there was something strange about the situation, but she couldn’t really say with any accuracy.

She glanced at Kwon Chae-woo and began to lick the tip of the acacia. Se heard a short laugh and her face turned red. She was embarrassed for falling for this. “This is not how I usually eat!”

“Then how?”

“I just chew on the tip a little… ”

“You chew it?”

“Yes, if you chew it, the remaining honey will pop…”

Kwon Chae-woo’s shadow lay on her. Lee-yeon had a feeling that if she went any closer to him, she would be swallowed up by his shadow. “It’s actually not bad to eat like that.”

He also started sucking on a flower, but his eyes never left Lee-yeon.

“Lee-yeon.” He reached out a finger and rubbed on her lips. She stepped back from him suddenly. “Sorry… the honey dripped down your lips.”

Liar. Lee-yeon knew that there was nothing on her face. Nevertheless, she blushed at his touch.

“I think I prefer to eat it peeled.”