A moment later, Eun Chae emerged. She was straightening her clothes, headed straight for the front door.

As he stepped up to the threshold between the living room and terrace, Ki Joo opened his mouth.

“Do you want to sleep here and then leave?”

Eun Chae, who had been moving quickly, stopped at the sudden suggestion.

“I’ll come up with a convincing excuse, anything.”

Without turning around, Eun Chae responded.

“You must be mistaken……”

Ki Joo cut her off without hesitation.

“You don’t want to go home.”

At his words, Eun Chae closed her mouth. Denying it would be an indigestible lie, and if she answered obediently, she would have to accept his offer.

As he walked slowly, Ki Joo shattered her silence.

“If you can’t bear it right now, stay here.”

Eun Chae turned her body around as soon as she felt him approach.

“You’re telling me to live with Mr. Kwon Ki Joo?”

“I mainly live in the annex.”

He stopped midsentence, then continued.

“……I didn’t think you would think of it as living with me.”

Eun Chae bit her lip, sensing her own mistake.

“That’s not what I mean……”

She gave up on speaking.

“Just go. Don’t worry about it.”

((())) ((())) ((()))

As Eun Chae took off her shoes and stepped into the living room, she wrinkled her nose at the scent of herbal medicine. The day or two of worrying over Chairman Song Myung Hwan’s health were not unusual, but it was too soon after her mother’s death anniversary.

Eun Chae put on her indoor slippers with the tip of her foot and walked, deliberately only looking straight ahead. Chairman Song Myung Hwan, who had sensed her presence a while ago, looked at her and pointed out.

“You’re getting a haircut.”

Eun Chae lowered her eyes coldly. The chairman was peeling a chestnut. Looking at the chestnut shellfree bowl and the clean water bowl, it seemed he just started peeling.

The only sound in the living room was the coarse, slicing sound of the knife cutting through the chestnut and its shell, as Eun Chae maintained her silence.

She could’ve ended the situation quickly with even the gesture of a greeting, but perhaps she didn’t feel like it, Eun Chae remained immobile.

After a while, Chairman Song Myung Hwan put the peeled chestnut in water, washed it, and leisurely spoke.

“It’s hard to be a generous father, huh?”

With that, the chairman laughed merrily. Eun Chae turned around abruptly, rubbing the goosebumps on her arm. When she came up the stairs without a break, she was breathless.

She entered her room, catching her breath, and flopped down on the bed. Staring at the dream catcher hanging from the ceiling, she slowly regained her composure.

Generous, father.

It was a descriptor that absolutely didn’t match with Chairman Song Myung Hwan. The dissonance was so great she almost wanted to vomit.

The methods of his delusion were getting more unique every day, it was incredible.

How much time passed? Eun Chae, rubbing her forehead with the back of her hand, got up and opened the door leading to the terrace. The cold wind blew in straight away. She felt as if the heat that had been simmering since the blackout was being swept away by the wind.

Suddenly, Eun Chae looked at the tree whose branches stretched into the terrace. It was a tree too big to embrace with both arms, and the weakest branch from that tree stretched into the terrace.

As she stroked the pathetic branch, which was even more pitiful as all its leaves had fallen for winter, she felt an unknown empathy and laughed bitterly.

After the harsh winter, spring would come to hide the insignificant branch, so just hold on a little longer.

As Eun Chae stroked the tree, she suddenly felt a gaze from below the railing and lowered her eyes. Kwon Ki Joo, leaning against the tree with one hand in his pants pocket, was looking up at her.

Even when their eyes met, there was no sign of fluster. Eun Chae stared back at those brazen eyes silently.

The reality of the incredibly clear weather seemed surreal, but Kwon Ki Joo seemed quite at home in it. He exuded a formidable presence, even in the shadows, lit sporadically by the sunshine. A speck of sunlight flickered near his left eye, causing him to squint lightly.

Eun Chae was suddenly struck by the thought that spring was not far off.

“He could fall.”

As he licked his straight lips, he said it. Eun Chae was incredulous. The height of the railing was well above her waist. The chance of falling by accident seemed ridiculous. Unless someone decided to leap over it deliberately.

Despite sensing a silent protest, Ki Joo casually raised a hand, gesturing for her to come down.

Eun Chae brushed her hand that had touched the branch and opened the door. It was not until she descended the stairs that she realized her feelings of rebellion towards him had been hidden.

When Eun Chae set foot in the firstfloor living room, she glanced towards the sofa. There was no sign of Chairman Song Myung Hwan. The table was also neatly cleared.

With a sigh of relief, Eun Chae went to the entrance, put on her shoes, and went out. Kwon Ki Joo was already walking far ahead.

She did not feel the need to catch up, but her pace was faster than usual. She walked rapidly, kicking the stones set at regular intervals on the grass.

From the direction they were going, she had guessed as much, but indeed, they were heading towards the greenhouse.

He stood like a doorkeeper, having opened the door of the greenhouse and waiting for her. Eun Chae hesitated to step in and stood awkwardly under the eaves. A drop of water, collected on the eaves, fell on her gray sweater.

As she rubbed the water mark with her fingertips, she soon gave up and extended her legs into the greenhouse.

The moment she stepped over the dirtstained threshold of the greenhouse, Eun Chae forgot even to close her open mouth in awe.

The greenhouse was restored.

It seemed irreversible. She had to resign herself to its loss.

Eun Chae scanned the interior of the greenhouse several times, finding it hard to believe. Although the variety and number of plants were lacking, they were made up of what could be obtained from the market. The makeshift accessories were also noticeable. Temperature and humidity were adjusted so that the plants could live.

“How, how did you…”

Eun Chae couldn’t finish her sentence, struggling to suppress her welling emotions. After clearing her trembling throat and opening her mouth again, she was considerably calmer.

“You’ve done something I didn’t even ask for.”

Eun Chae’s voice trembled against her will. She couldn’t help but be conscious of the chairman’s reaction.

It was the greenhouse that Chairman Song Myung Hwan had long regarded as an eyesore. He had removed it completely, using its appearance as an excuse, a display of the power he held.

Even if the chairman approved for now, it was unpredictable when he might change his mind. Chairman Song Myung Hwan had a notably long memory for grudges.

Kwon Ki Joo would know that better than anyone else. Someone who knew this so well…

Eun Chae turned her body to clear her increasingly complicated thoughts.

“You told me to think carefully about what to give.”

“….”

“If there’s nothing to give, don’t do anything.”

Eun Chae left the greenhouse, leaving Ki Joo behind. The kiss she had shared with him at his house, taking her breath away, suddenly flashed through her mind.

The wall of hatred she had built up all this while, it wavered.

Her cheeks stung in the sharp, sudden wind.

The stark contrast in temperature left her momentarily dazed.

lu lu lo la ▪️ net (lululola.net)