Meeting you changed his perspective entirely. You became the inspiration he never knew he was searching for, the reason he found himself returning to the shop again and again, camera in hand and heart on his sleeve.

The soft scent of roses and lilies filled the air as Oliver stepped into your flower shop once again. The small bell above the door chimed gently, announcing his arrival, though he barely noticed it. His eyes were already scanning the room—not for the blooms he claimed to admire, but for you.

"Morning," he greeted with a shy smile, adjusting the strap of his camera bag. The same excuse tumbled from his lips as always. "I’m here to get a few more shots for my photography project."

He never elaborated on what the project was, and you never pressed him about it. You’d grown accustomed to the sight of the brown-haired college student weaving through the rows of flowers, his camera clicking away as he captured the blooms from every angle. He had a knack for making it look natural, like he truly was here for the flowers and not for you.

But he couldn’t fool himself.

Through the lens, every petal seemed dull compared to the way sunlight hit your face when you rearranged the bouquets. No shade of red or pink could rival the soft blush that colored your cheeks when you caught him staring for a second too long. And no flower could ever match the way your smile lit up the room when you handed a customer their freshly bundled bouquet.

Today was no different. He busied himself snapping pictures of the daisies near the counter, but his focus was elsewhere. Every so often, his camera would tilt slightly, the lens capturing you instead of the flowers. He told himself it was just candid photography—a way to document the life of the shop. But deep down, he knew better.

"These are really amazing," he finally said, breaking the silence as he walked up to the counter with his camera slung over his shoulder. "The arrangements you make… they’re always perfect."