I want to apologize before hand. Can I? I realize that after writing and keep writing, the chapter will be too long if I don't split it up again. So, instead of 3 chapters, I think this story will end up with 4 chapters. Is it okay for you guys? I'm sorry.

And then, enjoy! :) Don't forget to leave a piece of your thoughts. Perhaps I wrote it too fast-paced or too unclear or too boring? :D

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Friends with benefit was perhaps the most appropriate term to describe their relationship. She was first introduced to Sungmin when she accompanied her father to a gala dinner since her mom was feeling unwell at that time. Sungmin was there to accompany his father and to establish new connections for his own hospitality business. The dinner was boring as usual for Sunny, as those well established men and women were only caring about the prosperity and longevity of their businesses thus the conversation only went around on the same topics again and again.

As a landscape designer, she was feeling more comfortable being outdoor with comfy clothes consisted of t-shirt and slacks rather than being cooped up inside with pretty dress. So, being in gala dinner that evening was quite a torture for her. However, when she was introduced to Sungmin, she couldn't feel anything but grateful that she has a reason to excuse herself from those conversation about wealth and another target to 'conquer' the business world. The two topics never really were her interest.

Sungmin proved to be a good talker and a good companion that evening. The conversation flew smoothly as they talked almost about everything as if it was their n-th time meeting each other. As they talked, Sungmin learned that she was a landscape designer graduating from one of the prestigious university in America and having her own studio in Seoul. As a recipient of Aspiring Young Landscape Designer Award, her record varied from designing personal residence gardens for rich and famous families to designing gardens for company buildings and governmental buildings despite her young age, which was only 26 that time.

Sungmin, however, being the sole heir of Lee Holdings which main business was analytic software developments had always wanted something different. Despite having master degree on IT already, he ventured into a completely different field, hospitality business. Thus he earned another major on hospitality business for a background. After persuading and agreeing with his father for some conditions, he got his father's permission to renovate their barren land in Jeju Island, granted a loan from the bank, and turned the unplowed ground into a resort. The resort was just completed its construction when he first met Sunny. Having a dream to create a beautiful refuge for the city people who always led a fast busy life, he asked her help to makeover the empty field just beside the resort into a beautiful whimsical garden.

"This is the field I'm talking about," he showed the photos from his cell phone.

The land was not merely flat bare lands, but it came out in terrain. Seeing those photos, Sunny already has something going in her mind. What she wanted to do with that land, what to plant, how to construct. It was the land any landscape designers could ever wished for. Just thinking about how she could transform the land excited her already, and Sungmin could tell for her eyes were gleaming with passion.

"I know you might be busy, but you may come and visit the resort before you make a decision," he offered.

Sunny said she would check with her assistant about her schedule before letting him know the exact date. Thus,they exchanged business cards. Three weeks later, Sunny called Sungmin with a news. She freed a weekend on the following month to spent time in his resort. A news that definitely pleased Sungmin. He promised to pick her up in the airport.

On the exact weekend, Sungmin picked her up in Jeju International Airport and personally drove her to his resort. Before even checking in, they went for the empty terrain immediately, Sunny's request.

"Such a wonderful material," she commented, fascinated by the nature she held in her hand. She was squatting down and grabbed a handful of soil to examine.

"So? I assume you had made your decision?" Sungmin bent forward and smiled at her.

She looked up and returned his smile, "Of course. Even before I step on this field."

"I think you had made your decision even before you boarded that plane, am I right?" he .

She laughed heartily. "How do you know?" she asked. "Yep. I actually made the decision when you showed those photos in your cell phone."

"As I had guessed," he smiled. "So, when do you have time for this?"

"As soon as I'm finished with my current project. It is on the last step though, so, probably by next month?" She suggested.

"Perfect," he said, satisfied. He offered his hand to help her get up. 'Now let's get inside. But I mind you, we're not open for business yet, so you are the first guest here. I, therefore, offer you my apology beforehand for any inconvenience during your staying here."

Sunny laughed, "Why are you so formal? I thought we are friends already. Friends mean you don't have to worry about such thing. Right?"

"Thank you," Sungmin smiled. He, then, offered his arm the way a host would do, "So, let me you inside, pretty lady?"

Sunny laughed out loud, "Is this a themed resort where all the staff are actually hosts?"

"Only for our precious landscape designer," he remarked with a wink.

"Why do I feel wronged?" she joked, but she linked her hand nonetheless with his arm.

That evening, Sunny signed the contract. They celebrated the sealed deal with dinner on the rooftop restaurant with local prime beef and white wine. "You could use potted topiaries here and there and vines along the walls, and organdy ribbons in pastel colors to create a more cozy romantic atmosphere, if that's the mood you're trying to achieve with this restaurant," she suggested, an idea which Sungmin also liked. That weekend, Sungmin accompanied Sunny the entire time of her staying there, only to be interrupted by occasional business matter which his assistant brought to him, or occasional business calls through his cellphone.

The next month Sunny came again with a bigger suitcase and a special tote bag. A bag which was full with her gardening tools. When the confused Sungmin asked her, she just answered, "Besides being behind the desk, drawing out a design, I love to do hands on with my works as well."

The following day, they were already in Sungmin's office, discussing the plan they had in minds on the garden.

"As I told you, I want to have a whimsical garden here. A garden that makes the visitors forget their problems and just enjoy the nature. Hopefully, the garden will give them strength and refresh them before going back to their war zone."

"Alright. The land is quite large for every thing. Do you fancy maze or anything similar to it?"

"Nah. I think maze is an old idea already. Besides, I don't want to tire the guests by having them guessing out the way out. I want it to be purely pleasure to eyes, nose and soul," he noted. "Could it be possible to create a garden that has the feel of being transferred out of this dimension? You know what I mean, right?"

Sunny chuckled, "Other dimension, eh? Hmm... Should we create a tunnel as the garden entrance? Something like time tunnel to transfer your guests into other dimension." She withdrew her sketchbook and started to doodle on it. "We can create a low fence using hedging plants before the tunnel entrance. Do you prefer it with flowers or without flowers?" She suddenly asked without even looking at him. She kept her head on the sketchbook, "If you prefer the hedge without flowers, carpinus would do. But if you prefer the hedge with flowers, indian hawthorn might be sweet."

"Wait, wait. Where are we?" Sungmin asked. He was confused by the speed of this discussion which seemed to jump into another dimension already, and also by the names of plants which suddenly appeared in the discussion. Frankly speaking, he was someone who enjoyed nature, plants and flowers, but he wasn't that mad enough about them to know and to be able to tell which plant was which.

She raised her head from the sketch book. "We're talking about the gate to the garden now. I plan to make a wisteria tunnel, but before the tunnel, we need a preamble. Something which makes the shift between the non-garden area and the garden area smooth. That's why I plan to put hedging plants for that purpose. Now you want the hedging plants with flowers or without flowers?" She explained.

"Hmm... To be honest, I don't have any details in mind right now. All I can think is I want the garden in the shade of pink," blurted Sungmin matter-of-factly.

Sunny tilted her head, "Pink?"

"Yes, pink. Why do you look so shocked?"

"Because it's...," she paused, trying to find a suitable way to say it. "Because I think it's rare for men to like color pink to that extent."

"It's my mother's wish," he quickly added. "Have I told you that my mom wanted to have a dream garden of her own in which all the plants are pink? I think she will be satisfied even though she cannot be there when the garden is set."

"Your mother's wish? If I may know, why can't she be there to see the garden herself?" Sunny asked carefully.

"My mom passed away when I was 15."

"Ah, sorry for being insensitive," Sunny apologized.

"Don't be," Sungmin smiled at her. "Well, if you mention another plant, I think I would be lost completely. So, it's up to you to use whichever plants in the garden as long as the shade is pink. How's that?"

"If I may have a say, pink is too bright a color. Can I combine with white and any shades of purple to tone the brightness down a little? Besides, purple is a more whimsical color, don't you think?" Sunny tried to bargained. Actually, she wasn't really fond of pink color. Although she knew that client's satisfaction was number one, she couldn't refrain herself from trying to avoid the color as much as possible.

"Is it too bright?" Sungmin was thinking. "Purple is a pinkish color anyway, so be it."

Sunny smiled, glad that he agreed with her. "Okay. I'll try to make a blueprint of the garden first. I'll show you after I finished, so you can review. Anything else you want me to pay attention to?"

"I'm thinking of a spot to hold an outdoor ceremony or some sort. Could you please spare a room for it?" He requested. "Also, since the garden is near the ground restaurant, I'm thinking to expand the restaurant a little to the field with garden as the concept. Could you help me with the restaurant garden concept too?"

"No problem," replied Sunny.

"By the way, now that you're going to stay here for a while, do you need anything in your room?" asked Sungmin. He had provided her with a presidential suite with sitting room, dining room and kitchen in it. An accommodation he promised her, although she refused in the first place.

"The room is perfect already. I can work blueprints on the dining table. So, you don't need to worry," she assured him. "By the way, can I excuse myself? I can't wait to start designing."

"I'll you to your room then," Sungmin said.

"No, it's okay. I can go back by my own," she refused, not wanting to bother him.

"I insist. It's my pleasure to be able to such a pretty lady."

"See! I know this hotel is host themed!" she joked.

"No. This hotel only escorts one particular lady. That's it," Sungmin beamed at her, making butterflies in her stomach flew in every direction. "Come." He offered her his arm for her to linked again.

***

On the Saturday morning of her staying there, someone buzzed her room. It was the room service said the person behind the door, although she didn't contact them for any inquiries. However, she opened the door just to see Sungmin pushing in a cart filled with two bowls of congee, some slices of bread, three different kinds of jam-strawberry, mandarin, and pineapple in small bowls, butter and two sets of drinks consisted of guava juice, orange juice and mineral water in tall glasses.

"Room service," he announced while making his way to dining table. Sunny chuckled before closing the door. "Wow, you're such a diligent little bird, aren't you? It's early," he remarked upon seeing the strewn papers with different design on them on the dining table, an opened laptop and a printer which was printing out yet another design.

She chuckled again while tidying up the papers and set it aside on low cabinet nearby, "I could say the same to you. Barely saw you the entire week."

"I'm sorry. I had to go overseas on behalf of my father. You know, business trip," said Sungmin. He took the bread plate to the kitchen. He picked two slices of bread from the plate and slipped it into the toaster, when Sunny just finished setting the dinnerware their congee and drinks on the table.

"I don't know that you still handle your father's business," she stated while leaning her back on the kitchen counter right beside him. A gesture that he found y for she was wearing a hot pants and loose t-shirt that morning. She picked a grape that Sungmin brought in the other plate and stuffed it inside . Yet, another gesture that he found y.

"Well, it's a part of his condition."

"Condition?"

"Yep. I am allowed in this business as long as I don't give up my status and role as his successor."

"Eh? Isn't that too much for you to handle? You have your share of father's workload and your own business here." Sunny said sympathetically.

Such concern brought smile upon Sungmin's lips. Just in time, the toaster dinged and two slices of bread popped out. He took the toasts and put it on an empty plate. "That's why I travel a lot. Not that I hate it, but sometimes I can say that it's stressful. That's why I need a beautiful refuge to recharge my soul and I hope you could help me to create such place right here in the resort. By the way, you want another toast or one is enough?"

"One's enough. We have congee anyway," she took the plate with freshly toasted toasts stacked on it from his hand and ushered him out the kitchen by pushing his shoulder lightly with one of her hand.

They enjoyed their breakfast together, talking about his business trip and her experience staying in the resort. They also discussed Sunny's plan for the garden. She then showed him the printed out designs of several parts of garden she managed to finished. He was satisfied enough with all her ideas that corrections were minimum. Besides, Sunny seemed able to grasp what he wanted for the garden that she found no difficulty conveying the mood. For the rest of that weekend Sungmin kept her company. Sunny, on the other hand, put the chance to full use, knowing that Sungmin might soon be away for another business trip. So, she was trying her best to complete as many designs as possible and asked for his advice and corrections right away.

By the end of the following week, the whole design was complete and ready to carried out. Therefore, Sunny had to fly back to Seoul to contact her trusted contractor, in order to get the garden done. On the other hand, Sungmin also had some errands to manage on land that he decided to take the same flight with her.

As the garden progressing, the fluttery feeling in the pit of their stomachs grew stronger. Yet, nobody said anything. Nobody do anything about it.

***