Manager? Why would someone who knows well that I stay at home on days without schedules? Park Ra Jin’s eyes suddenly widened, wondering if they might have come to her house.

“I’ll take the call.”

“Should I give you some privacy?”

“No, it’s fine.”

Park Ra Jin quickly pressed the call button after receiving the phone.

“Yes, Hyung Sik.”

[Why are you answering so late?]

“I was sleeping in. Why, is something wrong?”

Since she did actually oversleep and her voice sounded like she just woke up, she shouldn’t arouse suspicion. Park Ra Jin casually asked Hyung Sik.

[The CEO’s lawyer said he couldn’t get in touch with you.]

“The lawyer contacted me?”

[Ah, well. Things have gotten a bit complicated for the CEO.]

“What difference would it make telling me? Try contacting Manager Hyun.”

[I already did, but he was cold. Just told me to come to the office.]

It seemed Kim Yu Jun was determined to fix Oh Jong Hyuk’s bad habits as he said he would.

Is this how the relationship between the two was breaking down? Perhaps this moment of Kim Yu Jun ignoring him could be even more frightening to Oh Jong Hyuk than being caught at the airport.

For a moment, Park Ra Jin imagined Oh Jong Hyuk lying awake all night in the detention center.

When did he ever bark at her to hand over cash, and now he’s asking for help through a lawyer? Who is he expecting to clean up the mess he made himself? At a loss for words, Park Ra Jin let out an audible sigh.

[You met with the Executive Director yesterday, right? I was wondering if he said anything.]

“He just told me to pretend I don’t know anything.”

[What, what? What did you say?]

Hyung Sik let out a scream that wasn’t quite a scream, as if it was an unexpected development. Startled by the sudden outburst, Park Ra Jin’s shoulders jerked up, and Kang Ji Ho quickly wrapped his arms around her.

[If the Executive Director is pretending not to know, what about the CEO? What’s going to happen to the CEO?]

The words “Why are you asking me that?” rose to Park Ra Jin’s throat. When did they ever inform her in advance before doing bad things, when they were always trying to keep things hush-hush?

“The Executive Director just said he would fix my brother’s bad habits.”

At Park Ra Jin’s words, Hyung Sik let out a deep sigh.

For the first time, she even felt grateful to Kim Yu Jun hearing the manager’s voice so full of despair. If Kim Yu Jun, who was like an absolute authority to Oh Jong Hyuk, was pretending not to know, a tedious legal battle was already a foregone conclusion.

In that case, she should relay everything Kim Yu Jun said without omission. Park Ra Jin spoke at length about her conversation with Kim Yu Jun yesterday.

“Hyung Sik, you knew my brother was doing illegal things, right?”

[What power do I have to stop the CEO? I just went along with it.]

“What power would I have? The Executive Director told me not to get involved.”

[Sigh, he didn’t say anything else? No, I’m worried because Manager Hyun said he wants to meet soon.]

If Hyung Sik had been acting as a spy for Myung Jin, not reporting Oh Jong Hyuk’s gambling could be a problem. As if instinctively sensing danger, desperation seeped into the manager’s voice.

“I’m not sure. He’ll probably be busy with the special investigation for a while. He just told me to take care.”

Park Ra Jin simply stated the facts, without adding or omitting anything.

[Miss Park. Please help me.]

“Suddenly, with what?”

[Something feels off. Manager Hyun calling so early in the morning and all.]

“I find Manager Hyun difficult too. Just go and be honest about everything.”

At Park Ra Jin’s words that there was no other answer, Hyung Sik repeatedly called out “Miss Park.” Although Manager Hyun was a cold person, he wasn’t someone who would unreasonably cross lines.

Could there be some other wrongdoing? Otherwise, why would he be trembling like that? Park Ra Jin couldn’t readily understand.

“I have nothing else to tell you. Don’t be late to someone as punctual as Manager Hyun. Take care.”

With those final words, Park Ra Jin pressed the end call button. They monitor people daily and make their lives difficult, but now they’re clinging when they need something. Park Ra Jin shook her head.

“The manager seemed quite shocked.”

Kang Ji Ho, who had been silent until now, finally spoke up.

“It seems the lawyer called several times, perhaps on Oh Jong Hyuk’s orders. And the manager was summoned by Manager Hyun.”

“What kind of person is this Manager Hyun?”

Although she saw Manager Hyun often, she had no particular memories of him. He always followed Kim Yu Jun like a shadow, and she had never seen him smile or get angry.

“He was by Kim Yu Jun’s side even when he was in college. Their relationship is probably not short.”

At her words that she knew nothing else, Kang Ji Ho’s eyes gleamed sharply. But it was only for a moment before he smiled gently and smoothed Park Ra Jin’s bangs.

“Thanks to you, I slept well.”

“It was so dark I thought it was night and fell into a deep sleep. I’m disappointed I didn’t see the sunrise.”

Prosecutor Kang Ji Ho had covered her with so many layers of blankets that she didn’t even realize the sun was blazing.

“That problem can be easily solved. Just come often.”

“Can I come again?”

Kang Ji Ho nodded at Park Ra Jin’s question. Then he pressed her cheeks firmly.

“Here, the pressure marks are still red.”

“!”

Startled by the sudden phone call, she hadn’t thought about how she might look after just waking up.

Park Ra Jin quickly covered her face with both hands in surprise. Finding her flustered reaction amusing, Kang Ji Ho chuckled and kissed the back of her hands.

“You’re pretty.”

“My face must be all puffy from eating ramen before sleeping last night.”

“I guarantee you. You’re definitely pretty right now.”

“That’s not a white lie, is it?”

“Absolutely not. Shall we wash up quickly and eat in the garden? The weather is nice.”

Even though she had eaten ramen for the first time in years before sleeping, hunger struck at his mention of food. Had she always been this food-obsessed? As her mouth watered as if she hadn’t eaten, Park Ra Jin slowly lowered her hands.

“What are we going to eat?”

“I’ll grill some meat over charcoal for you.”

“Meat over charcoal?”

“Yes. Let’s eat meat and then go play at the small valley.”

A perfect plan from a perfect man. Park Ra Jin grabbed Kang Ji Ho’s hand and stood up first.

“I’d love to. I really would love to.”

“‘I’d love to’ twice, counting starts now.”

Park Ra Jin didn’t care if it was twice or thrice. Meat grilled over charcoal. Even though no one was chasing her to steal the meat, Park Ra Jin’s heart unnecessarily raced.

“The meat, no, Kang Ji Ho, let’s go quickly. Us!”

[This is the timeline separator]

When filming historical dramas with long waiting times, actors often gather under tree shades. At those times, senior actors would invariably exclaim in admiration.

―This is nothing short of a heavenly feast.

With the cumbersome hanbok and heavy hair ornaments being so uncomfortable, Park Ra Jin couldn’t readily understand what was so enjoyable. The seniors would exclaim “Oh my! Oh my!” at the sunlight-drenched leaves and small wildflowers by the road. Of course, Park Ra Jin felt no such excitement…

But today, right now. Park Ra Jin thought she might understand the meaning of that heavenly feast.

Sitting on a wide bench under a large tree, enjoying the fresh nature. Bidding farewell to all the troublesome matters of late, she hummed along to the unnamed birdsong as background music.

“Park Ra Jin. It’s cooked.”

Kang Ji Ho, in short sleeves and shorts, waved the tongs as he spoke. As if she had been waiting for those words, Park Ra Jin got up and scurried over.

“Looks delicious.”

“Wait a moment. It’s hot.”

After cooling a bite-sized piece of meat in the air, Kang Ji Ho popped it into Park Ra Jin’s mouth.

“How is it?”

“Mmm!”

An exclamation came out involuntarily. The meat melted in her mouth, incomparable even to steaks from famous restaurants. When Park Ra Jin gave two thumbs up, Kang Ji Ho’s eyebrows twitched.

“You don’t even need to chew. It’s absolutely delicious.”

“Is it that delicious?”

“Yes. It’s a taste I’ll think about every day.”

Pleased with the compliment, Kang Ji Ho was busy feeding meat into Park Ra Jin’s mouth.

“You should eat too, Kang Ji Ho. I’ll feed you.”

“It would be terrible if oil splattered on your face. No approaching my shoulder from the front.”

“But I want to feed you too.”

“How about this?”

He placed Park Ra Jin’s hand on top of his own holding the tongs. Then he naturally brought it to his own mouth.

“I did well, didn’t I?”

“Not just well, very well. How are you so good at grilling meat too?”

“I’m also good at foraging. Want to go pick strawberries after we finish eating?”

What’s with this man? How does he know my tastes so well? Despite his urban mask, Park Ra Jin’s heart, which had run around the countryside a bit as a child, pounded.

Whether it’s work, cooking, or dating. How much does he intend to lift and drop people’s hearts? It would be easier to find something this man couldn’t do.

“Actually, after my parents divorced, I went to the mountains with my dad every weekend.”

“Ah, is that so? It must have been tough.”

Seeing his apologetic face, Park Ra Jin smiled brightly. She was glad she could bring up memories of her father that she had kept buried deep in her heart in front of him.

“No. It was so fun that I felt sorry for my dad who just stared at distant mountains like a lost soul.”

“In what way?”

“Just everything.”

What Park Ra Jin found hardest to bear then was not her father fallen into despair, but her father crying while drunk. She was happy just for the fact that her father couldn’t drink because he had to drive to the mountains.

Even without friends to play with, even running alone in the quiet mountains. Hoping for her father’s wounds from separating from her mother to heal, she endured like that.

Perhaps that’s why.

Park Ra Jin really enjoyed going to the mountains that showed different faces each season. Of course, she stopped going after losing her father.

“So this, it’s really fun.”

“Oh! That’s the fifth time already.”

“At this rate, we might reach fifty times. If we pick strawberries. And play in the valley too.”

At her urging that wasn’t quite urging to see it all, Kang Ji Ho nodded. Then he quickly filled the plate with golden-brown grilled meat.

The taste of meat eaten by just the two of them on a wide bench with a small table. Though seasoned with nothing but salt, it was delicious as honey.

The two emptied the plate in no time, and without anyone taking the lead, cleaned up around them. Then they placed the empty dishes inside the entrance.

“Park Ra Jin. Want to wear this? Your face might get sunburned.”

Kang Ji Ho pointed to a floral hat hanging next to the shoe rack and asked. Under the large brim of the hat decorated with bright floral patterns, curtain-like fabric fluttered.

“Is it too tacky?”

“No. Don’t you have one for yourself, Kang Ji Ho?”

Park Ra Jin’s gaze turned to two hats hanging on the wall. One was a flashy red Marine Corps hat with an eagle, and the other was a green hat with a pesticide name written in large letters. Park Ra Jin stood on tiptoe and placed the green hat on Kang Ji Ho’s head.

“Don’t we look like a farming couple now?”

At Park Ra Jin’s words mentioning “couple,” the corners of Kang Ji Ho’s mouth turned up pleasantly.

“Does it look strange?”

“No. It suits you very well.”

The man who seemed like he would be picky was so easygoing that he had no complaints about whatever Park Ra Jin did for him.

“Originally the backyard was all apple orchards. There’s a lot of grass, so there are many insects.”

At Kang Ji Ho’s considerate gesture of spraying mosquito repellent, Park Ra Jin held out her hand first. The two walked leisurely hand in hand, wearing identical tacky hats.

What he called the backyard turned out to be a wide-open field, with a large greenhouse visible. Opening the hazy plastic door and entering, they saw trees of various sizes densely planted.

“Oh! Kang Ji Ho, what’s that?”