Unexpected Customers

In a bustling city, there was a small flower shop hidden in narrow alleys. Its shelves were filled with various plants that adorned every inch of the room, offering a captivating view to every visitor who passed by.

Noah lifted the watering can with a gentle motion. Water gushed out from the spout, water the diverse plants in his little flower shop.

As he carefully directed the flow of water to the plants, the sound of the door creaking open caught his attention. A customer entered, a middle-aged man with graying hair at his temples. He wore a casual blazer and neatly pressed pants, looking around with admiration.

**Customer**: "Excuse me, do you have red carnations?"

Noah turned, adjusting his grip on the watering can to prevent water from spilling. "Good morning! Yes, we have some over there," he replied, pointing to the corner of the shop where several red carnations were neatly lined up.

**Customer**: "I'm looking for them for a special occasion. Red carnations symbolize love, right?"

Noah turned off the water and walked over to the customer. "That's right. They are perfect for expressing warm feelings and deep love. How many do you need, sir?"

**Customer**: "Maybe a dozen. It's for my wedding anniversary."

**Noah**: "Congratulations on your anniversary, sir! That will be a beautiful choice. I'll prepare them right away."

Noah began selecting the red carnations carefully, ensuring each flower was in perfect condition.

**Noah**: "After preparing these flowers, I'll put them in a special box to keep them fresh until you get home."

The customer smiled. "Thank you very much. You are truly attentive."

Noah gave a small smile and continued his work. As he was arranging the carnations in the box, a phone rang from behind the counter. Quickly, Noah picked it up.

**Noah**: "Happy Flower Shop, how can I help you?"

From the other end, a loud but somewhat harsh voice came through. "Noah, this is your mother. Do you have $20,000? I need it immediately."

Noah tensed up for a moment but tried to stay calm. "Mother, I'm busy right now. Can we talk about this later?"

The voice on the other end turned colder and more menacing. "Noah, I need it now. Don't make me angry."

Noah felt a chill run down his spine. He tried to swallow his fear and responded with a trembling voice. "Mother, please. I'll send it later. I promise."

**Mother**: "Make sure you do. Remember, I'm the one who gave birth to you. I raised you. You owe your life to me. Don't you ever forget that."

With trembling hands, Noah hung up the phone and returned to his customer, trying to shake off the fear that was gripping him. "Sorry, there was a little disturbance earlier. Your carnations are ready."

The customer nodded understandingly. "Thank you."

After the customer left, Noah sat down behind the counter, thinking about his mother's threat. Dark memories began to surface in his mind, as if they refused to leave.

Noah remembered the days before everything changed. Back then, his family was still intact. His parents often argued, but Noah always hoped everything would be fine. However, that hope shattered on a cold night when his father left without a word, leaving them only with deep pain.

**Young Noah**: "Mother, why did Father leave?" asked young Noah with a trembling voice, tears welling up in his eyes.

His mother, who then still seemed stronger, tried to smile even though her eyes were also sad. "Your father... he can't be with us anymore, son. But we'll be okay. I promise."

However, that promise soon fell apart as financial problems began to mount. His mother had to borrow money from the wrong people, and those debts started to haunt them. The pressure and despair transformed his mother from a loving woman into someone angry and cold.

Noah remembered the nights when his mother came home drunk, throwing things around the house and yelling at the shadow of his father who was no longer there.

**Mother**: "You left us! You ruined our lives!" his mother shouted, her voice hoarse and full of hatred.

Noah could only hide in his room, feeling deep fear and praying that all of this was just a nightmare that would soon end. But the nightmare became a reality. Each time the debt collectors came, his mother became more stressed, and that anger was often directed at Noah.

**Mother**: "Slap! This is all your fault! If only you weren't born, I wouldn't be like this!" she screamed one night, her eyes filled with rage and despair.

Since then, Noah knew he had to do anything to keep his mother calm, including giving her the money she demanded. However, every time he gave money, the requests became more frequent, like an endless vicious cycle.

Back in the present, Noah felt that darkness envelop his heart. Noah tried to refocus on his work, even though his mind was still disturbed by his mother. As he began tidying the flowers on the shelf, the creaking sound of the door caught his attention again. This time, a middle-aged woman entered, wearing a scarf and a thick coat despite the weather not being very cold. Her face was full of wrinkles, but her eyes were sharp and bright.

**Middle-Aged Woman**: "Good morning, son. I'm looking for a rather rare flower. It's called Mist Flower Moon. Do you have it?"

Noah frowned, trying to recall. "Mist Flower Moon? I've never heard of it. Are you sure about the name?"

The woman nodded firmly. "Yes, I'm sure."

**Noah**: "I'm sorry, I don't have a flower by that name in this shop. Could you perhaps give me a more detailed description?"

The woman gave a thin smile, as if understanding Noah's confusion. "Mist Flower Moon is a flower that only grows at the peak of Mount Mons. This flower glows like the moon at night. I need it for something very important."

Noah felt even more puzzled, but also intrigued. "Mount Mons? That's quite far and dangerous. Why do you need this flower, if I may ask?"

The woman stepped closer, her voice lowering but filled with emphasis. "That's not important, son. What's important is that I need this flower urgently. I know this is a strange request, but I will pay you $30,000 if you can get it for me."

Noah was shocked to hear the amount mentioned. He thought to himself, "Thirty thousand dollars? That's a huge amount for a flower. But, the journey to Mount Mons is not easy, and... dangerous."

**Middle-Aged Woman**: "I know the risks, son. But I believe you can do it. You seem like someone trustworthy. If you succeed, the money will be yours."

Noah paused for a moment, considering the offer. On one hand, the money could be very helpful, especially with the increasing pressure from his mother. But on the other hand, finding a flower on Mount Mons was extremely risky.

**Noah**: "Alright, I will try to find more information about this flower and how to get it. But I can't promise anything."

The woman smiled, satisfied. "Thank you, son. I will come back in a few days to hear from you. Good luck."

After the woman left, Noah felt mixed emotions. He knew the journey would not be easy, but the offer of $30,000 was very tempting. With a mind full of considerations, Noah decided to find out more about Mist Flower Moon and plan the journey to Mount Mons.