CH 10.2

Jung Won is currently chasing a deadline for her job at the fruit farm. Initially, she chose this job because she felt hot working to remove the wild plants that clung to the roses in the greenhouse. However, the shade of the trees in the summer and the fragrance of the apple trees did not improve Jung Won’s mood.

She has been working there since morning until the undergraduate students have all gone home. However, Jung Won is still serious about opening the plastic wrapping the apple tree.

She wants to finish it today, even if she has to stay in this place until the evening. No, she hopes that her chaotic heart and mind will calm down before she finishes this job.

“You’re still dating hyung, right?”

“Yes? Ah, yes.”

Inwardly, Jung Won answered ‘I don’t know’ and ‘from the outside’ without Jae Hyun knowing. There were some undergraduate students walking home through one of the gates in the garden.

“You two, are really dating seriously right?”

“What’s the point of your question?”

Jung Won stopped her work for a moment and as soon as she looked down, Jae Hyun was already at the bottom of the stairs looking up at her.

“I don’t know about you, but it’s hard to believe that hyung is really serious about you.”

“Why do you think that?”

“He’s not one to let go of what’s his so easily. Whether it’s company business, or women. Shin Hee noona is like that too.”

Jae Hyun explained what Jung Won already knew. Both were indeed strong-willed and stubborn people. However, there was nothing Jung Won could do about their agreement. She had received many things from that man, she owed that man a debt, and she had promised to follow his plan.

The promise to keep her mouth shut. Jung Won smiled a little at Jae Hyun who looked at her worriedly.

“I know.”

“Then you also know that Shin Hee’s family has formally proposed marriage?”

While working on the stairs, the professors always gave her one important piece of advice: Stay focused and concentrate.

However, all at once Jung Won seemed to lose her concentration. Then, she immediately felt the consequences of her loss of concentration.

Instantly, her vision went dark and she stumbled down the stairs. At first s0he thought she would just fall to the ground, but luckily Jae Hyun caught her. There’s just this problem, Jung Won thought.

“Are you okay?”

“Ah, yes……”

There was no mistaking it, her empty head and pounding heart must be due to her current little incident.

Actually, every day she had incidents like this. Whether it was being hit by hot water, splashed by hot oil, scratched by a knife, or falling down the stairs like this. Those things did happen to her occasionally. Right now, it was definitely one of those ordinary incidents. However, Jung Won was very surprised and was silent for a while. She didn’t even notice the weight of Jae Hyun’s body and his big hand wearing a work glove was still holding the back of her head. Jae Hyun finally raised his other arm and breathed a sigh of relief. Jae Hyun’s face when he met Jung Won’s was pale.

“Now let’s get up first. Looks like we still have something to……”

“What the hell are you guys doing?”

Before Jae Hyun could finish his sentence, before Jung Won could break free from Jae Hyun’s grip, Geon Hyeong’s angry voice could be heard from behind them. In Geon Hyeong’s eyes that stared at the two people, there seemed to be a fire burning with emotion.

Geon Hyeong had been looking for Jung Won in Hwaniwon and the greenhouse. He wanted to apologize to her and have dinner with her at Jung Won’s newly repaired house.

He had grumbled secretly at Jung Won who was very active and liked to move around in several places. After walking to and fro in the hot afternoon, he finally reached the orchard with great difficulty. However, the two people hugging was not the scene Geon Hyeong had imagined.

“Geon Hyeong ssi?”

Jung Won couldn’t say anything because she was still shocked by the incident earlier and coupled with Geon Hyeong’s sudden appearance. Her whole body seemed to be covered in bruises. Geon Hyeong immediately ran over to Jung Won who looked shocked under Jae Hyun’s body.

Jae Hyun immediately got up and extended his hand to help Jung Won get up. Geon Hyeong looked at Jae Hyun who was holding Jung Won’s body. He clenched his hands angrily.

“Why is Hyung here?”

“I should be asking you, what’s going on?”

“As you can see, there’s something Jung Won is talking about….”

Jae Hyun’s gaze, which had been directed at Jung Won, is now fixed on Geon Hyeong. As soon as he understood what Jae Hyun’s gaze meant, Geon Hyeong’s anger and emotion that he had been keeping tightly closed instantly overflowed.

Jae Hyun had clearly provoked his anger. Normally, he wouldn’t have snorted in scorn in the slightest. However, before Jae Hyun who was looking back at Jung Won could say anything, Geon Hyeong had already thrown his fist at Jae Hyun. Receiving such a surprise attack, Jae Hyun immediately fell down.

“Geon Hyeong ssi!”

Geon Hyeong again approached Jae Hyun who was trying to stand up while staggering. As soon as Jung Won stood in the way in front of Jae Hyun, Geon Hyeong looked at her while raising his eyebrows. Then, he grabbed Jung Won’s wrist and pulled her close to his side.

Jung Won should have known where she was and who she should stand with. However, as if she didn’t care about Geon Hyeong’s overwhelming feelings, Jung Won’s face also turned red with anger.

“Oh my. Jae Hyun ssi, are you okay? What are you doing?!”

“I should be the one asking you, what did you do just now? Why are you defending him in front of me?”

Jung Won yelled back in shock seeing fresh blood flowing from Jae Hyun’s lips.

“What’s wrong with you, are you crazy?!”

“Let’s just say that.”

Geon Hyeong looked at Jae Hyun and Jung Won in turn with a cold gaze then pulled Jung Won’s hand and left the place.

Although Jung Won tried to remove her hand from Geon Hyeong’s grip, it was useless, the man remained unmoving. In fact, the blood flow in Jung Won’s hand doesn’t seem to be flowing. However, Geon Hyeong didn’t seem to care.

“What the hell are you doing?”

“I should have said that.”

“Hurry up and apologize to Jae Hyun.”

Hearing Jung Won’s words telling him to apologize, Geon Hyeong stopped his steps and looked at her sharply. Jung Won who felt angry also didn’t care and stared back at him.

“You’re the one who did wrong.”

“You’re crazy. Don’t you remember what that guy did?”

“I do. I also remember what you did. So, you’re the kind of person who hits people on a whim when you’re angry like that?”

Jung Won wrinkled her forehead and yelled at him, but Geon Hyeong who was still covered in emotions didn’t hear her at all.

“That person was hugging you like that.”

“Jae Hyun saved me earlier. I almost died from a concussion.”

Hearing Jung Won’s answer, Geon Hyeong narrowed his eyes. Even though there were no family rules, Jung Won never lied to him. It’s not that Geon Hyeong can’t trust this woman. What he can’t trust is the feelings of one’s heart.

If he had come to the place 10 minutes late, no, 5 minutes late, Geon Hyeong could already imagine what would have happened. Jung Won would have heard Jae Hyun’s love confession. Maybe Jung Won didn’t know, but Geon Hyeong knew exactly what Jae Hyun’s gaze on Jung Won meant.

“Why did that person save you?”

“So, you think it’s better for me to die, is that it?”

“I didn’t say that. Why should…… I mean, why should he save you?”

“Because the closest person to me at that time was only Kim sonsaengnim.”

“I didn’t like him.”

Geon Hyeong’s cold voice might have made it seem as if his emotions had subsided, but from his gaze it appeared that he was still furious. The more he thought about it, the angrier he felt.

“I want you to stop working here. Or, at least, you don’t have to come to the greenhouse anymore.”

“Why?”

“Because I don’t like it.”

Geon Hyeong felt that one reason was enough, while Jung Won looked at him with a confused face. His reasoning was completely illogical and irrational. Then, his words were really inappropriate if spoken by Geon Hyeong.

“We are dating. If you do something like that with another man, do you think they will believe in our relationship?”

“If they don’t believe it, that’s their business. I understand. After all……”

“And what?”

“Nothing.”

She wanted to say ‘take care of yourself’, but Jung Won chose to remain silent and shut her mouth tightly. The news about their wedding preparations had been spinning in her heart and head. After all, she already knew how the relationship between the two people was from the beginning. However, Jung Won doesn’t understand why this reality feels like a painful thorn stuck in her throat.

“Hurry up and say it. What is it anyway?”

Geon Hyeong urges Jung Won impatiently, worried that Jung Won might realize Jae Hyun’s feelings for her.

“I never said anything to you if you did anything with Shin Hee.”

“Of course. You don’t need to take care of that at all. It’s just……”

“Just what? Because that woman is Shin Hee, right? But that was just my work. It’s not something you need to interfere with.”

Geon Hyeong’s face looked more serious at Jung Won’s firm answer. Then, he narrowed his eyes to look at Jung Won.

“Are you jealous?”

“Seriously. I’m just saying that trust is a reciprocal relationship. You’re not God, so don’t tell me to trust you all the time.”

Jung Won completely denied Geon Hyeong’s well-targeted question. Jealousy? That word doesn’t fit the current situation at all. The right word is ‘envy’.

“I see.”

“Yes, that’s what I meant.”

Annoyed at Geon Hyeong’s cold demeanor, Jung Won gave him a deep look and then walked away from him through the apple trees in the orchard.

Geon Hyeong, who was left alone, just snorted softly. He forgot to say that his meeting with Shin Hee was also because of work.