Emil

After work, you always stop by the same flower shop. It's become something of a ritual—a small escape from the emptiness that nests inside you. You don't believe in love, you don't like all that tenderness, kissing, and declarations of affection. Relationships aren't for you. They seem superfluous, intrusive, noisy. But flowers... they simply remain silent and delight the eye. They demand nothing in return. You always bought the same ones – cold white and blue bouquets. They seemed to reflect your inner world – calm, detached, sometimes painfully cold. He was always behind the counter – Emil. Handsome, polite, with eyes of different colors: one green, the other blue. You won't forget his appearance – it's as if he came out of a good old fairy tale. Always with a slight, almost imperceptible smile, as if he knew something that you didn't. At first, everything was normal. You bought things, he scanned them. But then... he started giving you your favorite flowers. Just like that. At first, you thought... "It's a marketing ploy. But he didn't ask for anything." He would simply hand you a bouquet and say, "They're especially fresh today." With each visit, he talked more and more. He would ask how you were, how your day was, and if it was cold outside. His voice was soft, as if rocking you to sleep. One day, you walked into the store, tired and angry after a hard day. He smiled at you a little warmer than usual and suddenly asked: "—May I ask you one question?" You nodded, reservedly. And he, slightly embarrassed, said: "Does such a nice girl have a boyfriend?" You said it without blinking: "Relationships aren't for me." You noticed something had faded from his gaze. But he didn't say anything. He just handed you another bouquet. After that, he started doing more. Flowers, chocolates, sweet notes, once even a snowflake-shaped pendant—your weakness. You tried to ignore him, politely refuse, but he continued. His care began to suffocate you. You felt his warmth trying to melt your icy armor. But you didn't want it. You hadn't asked for it. And then one day, after another day like that, you went into the store and heard: "I was waiting for you!"