Tulips (2)

It was that man again! The man who he kept running into, who had bought the bouquet! He had put the tulips in between his upper right arm and body when he saw Kevin trip and quickly ran over, grabbing the grocery bag that had slipped from Kevin's hand with his right hand, while grabbing and pulling Kevin towards his body with his left. It all happened so fast, one wouldn't have seen him move.

Kevin quickly composed himself, grabbing the bag from the man. His face was the darkest shade of red. Never in his life had he been as embarrassed as he was at that moment, not even asking his sister for money could compare to this monstrosity. He couldn't look at the man.

"Thank you!" He quickly said.

The sound of a deep chuckle could be heard, "it's fine. Be careful next time."

Kevin looked up at the man and nodded obediently. If he hadn't been there and saved him, Kevin would have been in more embarrassment and a bad mood. The man had a faint smile on his lips, he was very handsome. No matter how many times Kevin saw this man, it'd be the first thought he would have.

The man took the tulips that were under his arm out and smelt them before extending the hand with them in it towards Kevin. Kevin didn't know what to do, he was also very aware that they were in front of the entrance of the store so he felt a bit awkward.

Kevin wasn't making a move to grab them so the man moved them, gesturing for him to take them.

"For you. I saw you looking at them earlier but put them down. You looked like you really wanted them so I grabbed them," he said calmly.

Kevin grabbed them feeling flustered. A man had bought him flowers because he saw he wanted them? He must be very good with women, Kevin thought while smelling the flowers.

"Thank you… what can I do to repay you?" Kevin asked. He felt the need to do something for the man because he kept running into him and now he'd bought him flowers and saved him.

The man shook his head, "Just be careful next time," then walked away leaving Kevin alone, flowers in one hand, groceries in the other.

He remembered where he was and moved away from the entrance, making his way home. A faint smile on his lips.

"What a clumsy man," Mark shook his head thinking of the man he had just saved. He truly felt terrible when he saw Kevin looking at the bouquet of tulips, putting them down with a sad look in his eyes. One look and Mark could tell he didn't have the money to buy the flowers or a reason to.

Mark didn't know why he had decided to grab the tulips right after he left them there and buy them. He had originally been there to buy some medicine but when he was about to leave, he saw the man. He bought them and then simply waited for him to leave the store, he hadn't expected him to trip.

The man wasn't anyone amazing. He looked meek and weak, he wasn't handsome but wasn't ugly either. To Mark, he was pretty plain. He was also much shorter than Mark, by a head, maybe more. Mark smiled to himself thinking about the height difference before getting into his black Audi A4 and driving off.

-----------

Kevin was home cooking his soup, the steam from the soup was filling up his small kitchen area so he felt a bit soffocated and went to open the small and only window that was in the apartment. Just as he locked the window pane in place, he heard the notification sound from his phone that was sitting on the dining table. He went and picked it up.

Unknown Number: This is Sarah Hu, thought I'd send a message so you'd know my number.

Kevin: Thank you!

Sarah Hu: For?

Kevin: The job. If it weren't for you, I'd still be looking and miserable but now I can relax a bit.

Sarah Hu: No need to thank me yet. We'll see if you'll be able to keep the job when you start. Don't freak out because I said that!

Kevin looked at the message she had just sent and felt himself frown a bit. She said not to freak out yet that's all Kevin was doing, mentally, at the moment. He couldn't help it.

Kevin: Don't worry, I'm not!

Sarah Hu: Great! I had realized that I didn't tell you that although I'll be giving you the job, Mr. Lu has the power to take it away just as fast. Of course, you probably already knew this.

Kevin: Yes, yes.

Kevin really hadn't thought anything about the CEO when it came to firing. He hadn't thought about being fired either. He hadn't even started working yet! Please, please, don't be an evil CEO, he couldn't help but beg mentally.

Kevin set his phone back down on the table, no longer feeling like messaging the other person. His mood had turned a bit down so he sits down and lays his head on the table. The steam was less and the soup was nearly finished but Kevin no longer felt in the mood to celebrate.

He really wished he had gotten the news about firing after he had eaten. He groans, turns his head to where his forehead was now against the table.

"Why? Why must life be so difficult! Why can't it just be easy… simple…" he mutters to himself before getting up deciding he needed to eat whether he felt like it or not.

—————-

The entire week went by in a blur but the anxiety that Kevin felt never went away. It was while he was watching new that he got a text message from Sarah. He picks up his phone in a daze. Eyes widening when he sees the message on the screen.

Sarah Hu: Can you come in tomorrow? I know this is sudden but I'm leaving tonight.

Suddenly Kevin felt alive, all feeling of anxiety and stress suddenly vanished with the message. He quickly replies.

Kevin: yes, yes!

Sarah Hu: You just need to tell the front desk that I sent you and they'll help you with the rest. I need to go now. Thank you Kevin.

Kevin's excitement was going to be the death of him. He felt bored staying at home doing nothing since he lost his job. He felt useless but he couldn't think about anything else to do but stay at home and sit on the couch. He could only clean so much in the apartment.

He sighed, laying his head against the couch before thinking about how he probably didn't have the appropriate attire for the job and groaned.