CH 13.8

The new botanical garden, which would open next month, looked deserted, but Jung Won was working very busily in it.

What a cold man. Even though he had arrived in Korea, Geon Hyeong didn’t contact her at all. For Jung Won, separation was not something special and needs to be exaggerated. Actually, it couldn’t be said to be a breakup either because once their agreement was finalized, the business between them was automatically over. The word ‘breakup’ didn’t seem appropriate to use in their relationship.

Hee Won visited Jung Won at the botanical garden on the weekends and as usual, her presence instantly attracted the attention of not only the garden staff, but also all the men working at the garden.

One day, there were people from artist management filming at a campground connected to the botanical garden. When they saw Hee Won, they even forgot about filming their own actors and were busy persuading her to become a celebrity. However, Hee Won politely declined the offer.

“You can’t be a celebrity anyway.”

“Of course. There are so many beautiful women in the world. If a woman who is much prettier than them like me goes into that world, I’ll get tired myself. They must be very jealous of me.”

Whether this kid misunderstood or not, Jung Won hastily nodded her head. She didn’t care if people would envy her. She just didn’t want to see that trouble-maker Kang Hee Won making trouble again in front of the people of the whole country.

“Oh yeah. Unnie, have you seen it yet? That person from management gave this to me.”

“If it’s a business card, you throw it away.”

“Not a business card. It seems that only Unnie is qualified for this.”

Of course Hee Won didn’t throw away the business card. Her dream was still to become Miss Korea, but who knows. She secretly kept the business card in case she ever needed it. Jung Won looked at Hee Won suspiciously while Hee Won pretended not to care and showed the paper in her hand to her sister.

Now, what her sister has to worry about was not just a business card from a celebrity management. Jung Won took the paper from Hee Won’s hand and looked at something Hee Won was pointing at.

There was an advertisement in the newspaper. An advertisement that wasn’t as big as it was back then. Jung Won gave in to her sister and read the advertisement with an interesting content on the ad page of the daily necessities section.

Wife Wanted

Name: Kang Jung Won

Age: 26 years old

Dream: Gardening

Qualification: Permanent

Special qualifications: Has many family regulations

Special advantages: Front yard provided

“It looks like not many will apply this time. How about it?”

“Never mind, I don’t care.”

Jung Won snorted softly and put the newspaper away, while Hee Won just nodded understandingly.

“The contract isn’t as good as the advertisement, is it? There’s no mention of wages or bonuses. There’s no prize for studying abroad either.”

“Kang Hee Won, that’s not what’s important.”

“Then what, Unnie wants him to make an announcement saying ‘I love you’? But if he says it directly like that, it’s tacky.”

Hee Won said seriously as she wiggled her fingers in front of Jung Won’s face. As if Jung Won really wanted to get an announcement like that.

“Ya! Who’s in love?”

“Unnie and Geon Hyeong Ajusshi. Don’t you know?”

Hearing Hee Won’s serious and sharp words, Jung Won couldn’t say anything.

She was the only one who fell in love with that man. At first, she thought love at first sight existed, just like the fairy tale of a woman who fell in love with a prince from the first time she saw him. However, she didn’t expect to fall in love with a man who was stubborn and liked to act at will like that.

Despite living around the foot of the mountain, all Jung Won had in her mind from the moment she opened her eyes in the morning until she went to sleep at night was Kim Geon Hyeong. Apparently, far in the eyes doesn’t mean far in the heart. Something that if it was far in the heart, it will also be far in the eyes, that’s what love was. Geon Hyeong has always been in Jung Won’s heart and filled her heart.

“At least give him one more chance. It’s in our family rules. Number 33.”

“Trust is different from love. That person doesn’t trust me. He doesn’t love me either. Rule number 25.”

“This Unnie talks like she knows a lot about love. Ajusshi is also inexperienced, that’s why he acted like that. Come to think of it, Unnie should be happy because it means he doesn’t have an ex-girlfriend either.”

For some reason, Hee Won sided with Geon Hyeong that day. However, Jung Won didn’t want to fall for Hee Won’s persuasion and get hurt again.

“That guy isn’t inexperienced, but he doesn’t even have any affection for me.”

“Do you love me?”

Hearing Geon Hyeong’s cold and flat voice coming from the back of her head, Jung Won’s body suddenly felt stiff. That voice wasn’t her hallucination and it wasn’t a dream either. It was clearly Geon Hyeong’s voice.

“Then it’s the same thing.”

Jung Won looked up and answered Geon Hyeong who was now in front of her.

Jason who came with Geon Hyeong locked eyes with Hee Won and they went to the resting lounge. However, Jung Won and Geon Hyeong were completely unaware of their departure.

How could the two of them have survived this long with those completely insensitive eyes and ears? It was really a competition between couples who were both strong. Including in love matters like this.

The air in the botanical garden located on a mountain in Gangwon Province was really fresh. Judging from the location of this garden, Jae Hyun’s business skills were good too. However, what was important to Geon Hyeong right now was that his woman was in this place.

Looking at the woman who looked at him while raising her head, Geon Hyeong immediately realized how much he missed this woman. He was determined that their ego battle today would be the last time.

“Long time no see.”

“That’s right.”

Long time no see? It had been exactly 14 days and 8 hours since they last met. Every day seemed so long and he always missed this woman.

“Want a drink?”

“Anything.”

Jung Won muttered with an unconcerned face and placed a glass of black drink in front of Geon Hyeong. Geon Hyeong stared at the black-colored drink as if staring at poison. Meanwhile, as soon as Jung Won, who had said nothing, frowned, Geon Hyeong couldn’t help but finish the glass of drink. Although the taste was not deadly, it could be said that it tasted bitter like poison.

“It’s kudzu juice. It won’t kill you.”

“It feels like I’m about to die.”

Geon Hyeong put down the empty glass and confessed curtly.

Actually, over the past few days, he really felt like he was dying. It felt like a part of his body had died. Missing someone he couldn’t see was really torture. Trying to ignore his feelings was just as torturous.

“Are you going to stay here?”

“The mountain air, water, and scenery are nice. I like this place.”

Geon Hyeong looked into Jung Won’s eyes who muttered with an unconcerned face. Then, they stared at each other for a while. The attention of the two people who kept staring at each other for either one minute or ten minutes had to be broken by the quiet snoring of a guest who came to the park.

“Am I interrupting?”

“Ah, no, Sonsaengnim. Looks like you’ve been hiking, huh?”

“Yes, because it’s the weekend. If the park opens, I won’t be able to hike this way anymore.”

“Why not? There’s still a road outside this park.”

“But it’s still different if there’s Jung Won ssi in this park.”

At first, Geon Hyeong thought that the person was just a guest. Therefore, he was patient. However, he didn’t like hearing Jung Won say ‘sonsaengnim’ because it reminded him of what Jung Won called Jae Hyun. Then, he got even angrier when the guest replied with ‘Jung Won ssi’ which was greeted with a friendly laugh by Jung Won.

The man continued to smile kindly at Jung Won even though Geon Hyeong was looking at him coldly and finally he left the place. Geon Hyeong, who was getting annoyed by the man’s behavior, immediately stared at the man’s back fiercely through the door of the garden lounge that had not been fully completed.

The man was friendly to Jung Won and Jung Won was…. Damn. This woman, even though all this time her job was to calmly get rice, but around her there were so many hungry men.

“Who was that man?”

“The doctor at the health center.”

“Doctor at the health center? If he’s a doctor, why is he hanging around in a place like this, instead of looking after patients?”

“He’s not hanging around, he just said he went up the mountain. It’s the weekend today.”

Jung Won didn’t understand why Geon Hyeong looked upset like that. Even so, she still explained to him one by one.

“Still.”

“Why are you yelling like that?”

Jung Won frowned again when Geon Hyeong yelled at her.

“So, this is why you came to this place?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean…”

“What do you mean?”

Jung Won straightened her body even more to stare at Geon Hyeong who looked emotional.

Summer in Gangwon Province turned out to be quite short. The short fall weather was also quite dazzling. The air during the day did make sweat flow all over the body, but as soon as night fell, the air immediately felt cold. When the sun had not yet fully descended, a small fire flickered in the eyes of the two people who were still looking at each other.