“Sae... Sae are you home yet? Why don't we stop by the teahouse on the other side?” Elena shouted as she approached Sae.
That woman was really excited. She had just been discharged from the hospital. The woman, whose office was not far from the hospital where Sae worked, had now come to her very cheerfully.
The woman's face was so radiant that it didn't show any tiredness at all after coming home from work. Worthy of being praised as a superwoman according to Sae.
“Ah Elena even though you just got off work. But you look so excited. What could have made you become like this?” Sae watched the woman carefully. Having just come from work, her energy was already this great, just like someone who wanted to go to work instead of just finishing work.
“Getting off work is fun so it's only natural for me to feel excited, right? Never mind what's important, do you want to go to the shop over there?” Elena pointed impatiently. Although she really wanted to visit the place, Elena was still waiting for Sae's approval.
Of course Sae wouldn't be able to refuse. Even though she was tired, she still agreed to the woman's desire to go to the shop.
So finally Sae immediately took Elena's hand and took her away with her.
***s
“The tea tastes good. Indeed, after work, the best thing is to drink tea.” Elena enjoyed the green tea she ordered.
“Of course it's good. What's not good is when you're served a drink made from the water your feet were washed in.” Sae threw a sarcastic joke at Elena.
Elena just laughed. “Don't be angry. I apologize if it seems like I've shortened your rest time.”
Sae sighed. “If that's the case, I should have rejected you earlier.”
“You're the best.” Elena picked up her smartphone and spoke like this to Sae, “oh Sae do you know that the other day, the comment I made to the viral flower shop owner got me a reply. She even followed me back. She seems like a very friendly lady, so I wanted to greet her in person and visit her flower shop.”
A small smile appeared on Sae's face. Hearing that Elena was eager to go to the flower shop. It didn't bother her at all. Instead, she felt like it was time to meet Ririka again.
“If you have free time or have a scheduled day off. I'd be happy to take you to meet that woman. What do you think?” Sae offered.
Elena's eyes widened in disbelief. Sae was offering her a miracle. “Really? Ah then I'd like to apply for leave later,” she said excitedly.
“Don't apply for leave either. You just need to utilize your time off. It's like you want to meet a celebrity.” Sae could not understand Elena's enthusiasm.
Elena just scratched her head and made a facial expression like a horse. “But he's also a celebrity in cyberspace.”
“Still don't make you sacrifice the important things in your life. If you don't listen to me then I won't take you there,” Sae threatened if Elena didn't listen to her.
“Ah Sae no. Alright I will obey you Mr. Boss.” Elena saluted. She was looking forward to meeting the owner of the viral flower shop. The woman was completely unaware that Sae actually used to have a complicated relationship with the woman who owned the viral flower shop.
***s
After waiting for a long time. Elena was finally able to meet the person she admired. Today she was neatly dressed and ready to leave together with Sae.
“Hoi is it still long?” called Sae from outside.
“Wait for me for a moment.” Finally Elena hurriedly took her time to check her appearance in front of the mirror before finally getting out of the room. And immediately went to meet Sae who seemed to have been patient enough to wait for her.
***
“Fasten your seat belt properly. You can't neglect your safety.” Sae checked that the seat belt used by Elena was used correctly.
Sae checked Elena's seat belt carefully before starting the journey. Their car drove slowly through the quiet streets of the small town. During the trip, Sae tried to calm herself down. This meeting was not only for Elena, it was also an opportunity for Sae to close an old chapter in her life.
Elena, with her cheerful spirit, talked endlessly about the flower shop. “I've already thought about what I'll talk to her about. Maybe I'll ask her how she chooses her flowers or where her inspiration comes from. Ah, I can't wait!” And Elena innocently continued to comment about the flower shop to Sae.
Sae smiled slightly, remembering how persistent and enthusiastic Elena was. “You'll definitely like Ririka. She's a friendly person and has a great talent for taking care of flowers.”
After a long journey, they finally arrived in front of Ririka's flower shop. The shop was small but beautiful, with colorful flowers decorating the display case. Elena almost jumped out of the car, so enthusiastic was she. Sae took a deep breath before getting out.
As soon as they entered, the bell on the door rang, drawing the attention of Ririka who was arranging the flower arrangements on the table. Ririka smiled widely to welcome the new guest, but the smile slowly faded as her eyes met Sae's. Her face tightened for a moment before calming down.
“Elena, this is her, Ririka,” Sae said, trying to keep the atmosphere casual. “Ririka, this is my old friend, Elena. She really admires your flower shop.”
Ririka quickly got a hold of herself and greeted Elena warmly. “Welcome, Elena! Thank you for coming. How can I help you?”
Elena smiled broadly and started talking excitedly about her love for flowers and how she followed Ririka's accounts on social media. Meanwhile, Sae stood somewhat awkwardly to the side, watching their interaction.
Before long, a man appeared from the back door of the shop. Ness, Ririka's husband, appeared with a friendly smile on his face. However, when his eyes met Sae's, there was a glimpse of astonishment before he returned to his calm and friendly demeanor.
“Ah, you must be Sae, didn't we meet and chat together back then?” Ness said as he extended a hand. “Ririka told me about you once.” Those pleasantries were just a break from the awkwardness that was actually nagging between the two at the moment.
Sae shook Ness's hand firmly. “It's good to see you again, Ness. I'm glad to see that you two are getting along much better now.”
Ness nodded, “We're fine. Thank you. What brings you here today?”
Sae explained that she was driving Elena who wanted to see the flower shop. Their conversation continued warmly. However, there was a lingering tension in the air between Sae and Ririka, something unspoken but clearly felt. Of course something like this was bound to happen, their pasts were complicated and left deep marks.
After a while, Elena engaged in a deep conversation with Ririka about flowers and the inspiration behind each arrangement. Sae and Ness stepped slightly away, allowing the two women to speak more freely.
Ness, quietly, said to Sae, “I understand this may not be easy for you. But thank you for coming. Your presence shows that we can all already move on to better times ahead. I don't mean to be sarcastic but I feel like we're the lucky ones who can still choose to have a good relationship regardless of how dirty we've been in the past.”
Sae nodded, feeling a little weight lifted from her chest. “Yes, this is part of the healing process. I'm happy to see Ririka happy, and I'm also happy with my life now. You also seem to be a lot more cheerful than before.”
When they returned to the store, Elena and Ririka seemed to be getting along, laughing and sharing stories. Sae was relieved to see that this visit was not only beneficial for Elena but also for herself. It was a chance to close old stories and start new ones.
After a few pleasant hours, they said goodbye. Elena thanked Ririka repeatedly, while Sae and Ness exchanged understanding glances.
On the way home, Elena couldn't stop talking about how great the experience was. Sae, with a lighter heart, felt that this visit was the right move. She realized that her life was much better and she was ready to turn over a new leaf, leaving the past behind.
Sae realized that she and her past had finally reconciled very well. Ririka had found a comfortable home for herself. And this was a tremendous relief that Sae had.