Hi! I want to warn you beforehand. This is the longest chapter I've had written all these time. I don't know what happened but I keep writing and writing and writing, and I can't stop. I edit and cut some of the scene, but it didn't get any shorter. So, sorry. (Note: I should've had this reviewed by peer first I think).

 

On the other hand, I apologize if it doesn't satisfy you. I'm not confident myself you know. Now that I think again, it would be better to leave the ending on the chapter 3, but nothing is solved yet in that chapter. So, yeah, I have to go on. Alrighty, without much ado, please~ :)

 

And don't forget to leave comments. I'd like to know your thought about this. Or perhaps there are some grammatical mistake you want me to correct or anything? ;p

 

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"Hey kid, are you listening to me?" asked the tomato man, bringing her back to present.

 

"Eh? Sorry. What were you saying?" she asked him.

 

""I said it's late. We should get going." He pointed at the sky. The evening twilight in mystical blue with rose-colored sunset befell.

 

"Ah, you're right. We should pack up now," she set aside her shovel, squatting down and started to put her gardening tools inside its canvas sack quietly.

 

"Are you sure you're okay, kiddo? You're unusually quiet," commented the tomato man, concerned.

 

Sunny looked up to meet his gaze. "I'm okay. It's just my memory trying to mess with me."

 

The old man smiled sympathetically. He didn't understand those two youngsters though. Just how hard was it for them to admit that the feeling was mutual? Back in the old days, romance was simpler. You liked the girl, you proposed to her. Pledged to be together forever, and, while it might not be happy ever after, still, they had each other. Nowadays, romance has too many fabricated obstacles. It was too absurd for him.

 

"I know somebody whose mind also like to mess around," uttered the tomato man. "When that happens,  he will visit this tunnel and sit on that bench." He pointed to the far off bench under the tunnel. The garden lamps they set inside the tunnel created a different atmosphere. A depressingly romantic atmosphere for her.

 

"Who's that somebody?" Sunny asked, being oblivious of the hinted person. Just when her old man winked, she then realized whom he was talking about. Suppressing back her curiosity,  she just shrugged her shoulders. "I'm here to work, Gramps, not to be a foolish lovesick."

 

"And you're not even under contract anymore, kid. Whom are you trying to fool?" The rhetorical question came in the sincerest tone. "Step up, kid. For your own sake, and be happy."

 

***

 

It wasn't her trying to stalk him or him trying to stalk her, but the world was indeed small after all. After two years being off contact with him, she accepted another project. Her client was an eco-passionate businessman, Cho Khuhyun, who wanted a lush green wall covering the outer side of his company building and a hanging garden on his rooftop. As they became more acquainted with each other, she learned that he was one of the young entrepreneur get together members, along with Sungmin. Which then explained how he got her phone number without even contacting her assistant beforehand.

 

As they got closer, Sunny knew some information about him. Not that she asked him for those, although she admitted that she couldn't suppress her curiosity, but more to him being chatty. He told her that Sungmin was in relationship early that spring. However, it wasn't last that long, only for several months. His following relationships did not differ much. It ended in similar way.

 

Rumor said that all those romantic entanglements were only for his sheer pleasure. A justification for him to satisfy his ual needs, rather than him looking for promiscuous women. However, little did public nor his friends know that he rarely met his past girlfriends thanks to the many business plans he needed to conduct and his residing in Jeju, let alone doing bed business with them. Besides, there was a certain set of arms which held his heart those entire time, despite his furious denial of such fact, thus earned him the title of player.

 

As his hospitality business broached on an even bigger scope; culinary business that sold garden concept and western delicacy as its main strategy, he had to hire an interior designer to help him with different garden concepts for each of his restaurants. Just as they were discussing for the third restaurant branch did Sungmin discover that Kim Taeyeon, the interior designer he hired to handle the project, was Sunny's roommate when they studied design in United States years ago. Sharing mutual friends made Taeyeon talked about Sunny quite often.

 

Through Taeyeon, Sungmin knew Sunny's career was climbing up to an even higher level as she was often invited to international conferences for landscape design. Besides, she received more requests from overseas for her ideas in landscape designing which meant she had acquired international recognition for her wonderful works.

 

However, not only career-wise that Sungmin got information about Sunny, but also personal life-wise. The occasional mentions of her being too busy that she never really had time for any romantic entanglements caught his attention the most, although he pretended not to really care about it.

 

One day though, Taeyeon mention that Sunny was finally seeing someone. It was three years after they stop contacting each other. What made him more surprised, or hurt that the one escorting her was none other than one of his friends in business circle, Cho Kyuhyun. When he heard the news, it felt like lighting struck on him. However, he decided to man up and accept the fact, while drowning himself more into his works.

 

The relationship seemed serious for it lasted longer than Taeyeon predicted, given to Sunny's busy schedule. True that it lasted for nearly two years before they finally broke up. She never really fell for Kyuhyun actually. It was just her careless speculation that should she attached to someone, she forgot those what ifs that left a pang of regret in her heart. It was proven a ironic failure though that she couldn't stop thinking about Sungmin although she was looking at Kyuhyun right in front of her. The couple separated in mature way and they kept being friendly to each other.

 

***

 

The next morning, Sunny was squatting down in front of purple tulips bed, removing the yellow leaves as Minho, the young gardener approached her. "You're Ms. Sunny, right?"

 

Sunny looked up the her side to see him. "Yes. Ah, you're Minho, right?" She stood up from her ground, clapped her gloves covered hand before removing the gloves and shook his extending hand.

 

"Yes, I am. My, I can't believe that you come and visit this garden while I'm working here. It's such an honor," he beamed. His lips spread too wide that she was afraid it would tear.

 

"It's not that I'm a member of a royal family, you know. Just an ordinary designer," she humbly stated.

 

"You're not a member of a royal family, that's true, but you're not an ordinary designer. You're an extraordinary landscape designer," complimented Minho. "Thanks to you that I finally decided to take landscape design as my major. It will start this fall, so I think a hands on will be a good experience. That's why I asked hyung to let me tend to your creation here."

 

"Why thank you. You'll make me fly high and away with those compliments," Sunny smiled at him. There was a strange familiarity when she looked at him though. There was something about the shape of his lips and they way he talked that reminded her of someone. Reminded her of Sungmin. "You said you asked your hyung to work here. May I know who he is? A staff member in this resort perhaps?"

 

The tall young guy chuckled. "Not only a staff member, but he's the owner actually."

 

"Owner? Lee Sungmin?" No wonder that she felt familiar. Even the way he talked, the way he complimented was similar.

 

"Yes, that guy. He's my cousin from maternal side."

 

"I see. So, you want to be a landscape designer? I heard from tomato man, Mr. Gwon I mean, that you are quite skillful in drawing. May I see it sometime?" Sunny tried to avoid mentioning Sungmin any longer.

 

"Of course. But it was merely a kiddie doddle though. Nothing to look at all."

 

"Just bring them for me to see some time. We can discuss about that in gardener sack at lunch time. For now, let's focus on field work first? Or else my tomato man will scold me for distracting you on working hour," Sunny grinned.

 

"Alright," he agreed. "I'm going to get manure for those crocuses. Thank you for being friendly to me."

 

Sunny shot an eye smile to Minho, "I like seeing a passionate young landscape designer like you are. So, it's a pleasure for me too. Now if you'll excuse me." She waited until he walked away before squatting down to her tulips and starting to work on it again.

 

Halfway to the garden shed, Minho threw a quick glance over his shoulder to the petite lady who was working diligently, appreciating every bloom that she designed. He mumbled to himself, "You shall be quick, hyung. She's definitely a high quality material."

 

***

 

It was around three in the afternoon when he finally arrived at his refuge. He had to postpone his return to Jeju for a day due to a sudden meeting with his father's share holders back in Seoul. He missed the flowery fragrance of his garden that he went straight to that site. He bowed and smiled several times along the way as he was greeting the guests who were enjoying the scenery. Of all things related to her, this garden was what reminded him of her the most. Not only that it was the fruit of her hard work, but it smelled just like her. Smelled similar to the perfume she used to spray on her body. On her neck most predominantly for that was the part of her body that he liked to inhale, or to kiss in exact.

 

The thought of her made him sighed. Minho said that there was a surprise waiting for him in the resort, but even his assistant couldn't confirm or give hint of what the surprise was about. He continued to walk absent-mindedly, completely unaware to where his feet were taking him. It was when he caught the purple blossoms hanging from above that he realized where he was. That tunnel again. The tunnel which he used to imagine to stand beneath with her. An imagination which only stayed in his head for he didn't see any reason of her being there. At least not for now, he thought.

 

Just as he made a turn to walk away from that place, someone bumped into him. The canvas sack in her hand fell down with a loud clang.

 

"I'm sorry, I didn't see where I'm go-" the sentence was left unfinished.

 

The moment their eyes met, the moment time froze itself. It was like there were only them and stillness surrounding them. No bird chirping, no guests strolling down the path, as if they were being into another dimension where they were the only inhabitants. They held their breaths as they stare into each others' eyes unblinking, as if afraid that the person before them was a mere manifestation of their longing heart and would vanish should they blinked. It was when the gentle breeze suddenly blew that the trance broke and they were zapped back to reality.

 

"You're still here," he muttered, unsure then blinked his eyes now for confirmation. When he still saw her stood before him after he blink, he mentally slapped his mouth for uttering such a foolish statement.

 

"Sungmin," she mumbled. That very moment, some parts of her body wanted to just plunge forward into his embrace, but the little voice of conscience in her head told her that she should show some self-restrain. And she did just so.

 

Regaining his composure Sungmin asked her, "When did you arrive?"

 

Sunny who was stoned before him answered almost abruptly, showing how nervous she was, "Yesterday. Just yesterday. I come here to inspect though. I want to see how the design is, now all the plants are well rooted. And I want to know how they handle the garden." She added unnecessary information in a mock unfazed manner which pointed out how anxious she was actually.

 

"I see," Sungmin responded. "When will you leave?"

 

There was a dull ache of disappointment in Sunny's heart when she heard the question. Why did he have to ask about her leaving date when they just had met for the first time after 6 years? "Two days later perhaps."

 

Sungmin just nodded, he couldn't find any words to respond to that. He wanted to tell her not to leave and stay with him instead, yet the words were caught up in his tongue, unable to come out. The atmosphere was heavy with awkward mist emanated from the two of them that they themselves felt suffocated inside.

 

"If you'll excuse me. I want to see the Delphiniums," Sunny finally excused her way out.

 

"Oh, alright." He saw her starting to walk away from him when he felt a sudden urge to call her out. "Sunny!"

 

Sunny turned her body to face him. She was already a few steps away by then. He noticed how she titled her head in question. Some gesture would never change, he thought endearingly, feeling a surge of fresh emotion of longing. That moment, he just wanted to disregard any awkwardness between them, and ran to her to hold her in his arms, claim her lips and her heart. Yet again, he wasn't brave enough.

 

"Thank you for all that you've done for Le Jardin," he said instead, mentally punching himself square in the face for being a coward.

 

She smiled upon his show of gratitude. However, it wasn't an utterly happy smile. There were a hint of bitterness on her smile as her eyes glinted with what seemed like sadness. She motioned with her head as if saying 'I gotta go', then she really did leave him rooted at his ground, watching her small shoulders getting smaller as she walked further away from him.

 

***

 

How could a relationship so easygoing as they had before turned wrong, he wondered as he was sitting on his office chair facing the window with garden view. He clasped his hands in front of his torso, while observing a certain someone working while chatting in the garden. He ran his fingers through his hair in distress. Was it the karma for taking what they had before for granted and took each other so lightly as friends with benefits? Or was it because they were getting older that some sets of traditional principles were starting to rub on them?

 

"Hyung," Minho suddenly barged in without knocking, making Sungmin's head jerked up to see his young cousin. "You know, about the additional props you want me to placed around the garden, why don't we make a tree house to invite more kiddy guests?"

 

"Can you knock that ing door first?!" asked Sungmin, feeling irritated by the sudden yet not unusual intrusion. Minho was always like that. He was always in high spirit to the point that it was naturally and usually contagious. However such high spirit didn't do Sungmin good that morning.

 

"Whoa. What's wrong with you, hyung?" Minho raised both his hand as in surrender. He took a seat in front of him on the guests chair.

 

"Nothing," replied Sungmin. He was clearly not in the mood to discuss anything. His body was unconsciously turned the chair he sat on slightly to the direction of the wide window. His eyes once again drifted to the particular figure outside the window.

 

Following Sungmin's gaze, Minho  caught on about what was going through his hyung's mind right now. "Aren't you gonna make a move, hyung?"

 

Sungmin jerked his head to see his cousin. "Don't meddle, kid."

 

Minho shot his wide goofy grin to his older cousin. "Man up, bro. The chance is in your hand. It's now or never. Or else, somebody might steal her. Again. Or I might." He added mischievously.

 

Sungmin snorted. "Now, now. Look who's talking. A 19 years old brat who gets no further than having imagination."

 

"Yah! You don't even know!"

 

"I do know. Now get out of here. We'll talk about the tree house some other time. I like the idea though."

 

Minho stood up from his seat. Before he opened the door, he turned to Sungmin once again and shot yet another mischievous grin, "Man up, hyung. Last time I heard, men are lining up for her."

 

"Get out, you rascal!" he balled a paper and shot it into Minho's direction. The later acted quick and slipped his body out the door.

 

"Such a mature act from a so-called grown up guy, hyung," Minho popped his head from behind the door just to tease Sungmin and hastily closed the door to evade yet another ball of paper.

 

"Tsk. That brat!" Sungmin muttered when he was left alone again. "He thinks only he realizes how many men wanting her?"

 

He sat for another moment in his office before deciding on something. Only tonight, and he considered it his last chance. He stood up and started to move.

 

***

 

Sunny just finished showering, her hair was still wet, when the bell to her room rang. Feeling slightly annoyed by the interruption, she quickly dried her body as much as she could and put on her bathrobe. She wrapped her damp hair with the towel before finally stepping out of the bathroom. "A while, please," anybody hearing how she responded to the bell would know that she was irritated.

 

"Who's there?" asked Sunny, while looking at the screen on the buzzer. A man with waiter uniform was standing in front of her room.

 

"Room service," the man behind the door answered.

 

"I don't ask for room service," she said as she opened the door to see a man of his twenties, his hands were on a push cart.

 

"Good evening. Somebody requested room service to deliver this wine to you, Miss. Can I place this on your table?" asked the room service guy. After Sunny gave him a hint to just wheeled it inside, he pushed the cart in and placed the wine bottle in ice bucket on the writing-table.

 

"May I know the sender?"

 

"I'm sorry, Miss, but I can't give you the information. The sender asked not to disclose the identity. Now if you'll excuse me." The room service guy pushed the cart out of her room before closing the door after him.

 

Sunny walked over to the writing desk. She lifted up the bottle to examine. The label read Chteau Margaux. What a label, she thought. She knew the popularity of that wine. Being served a couple of times in international banquets she attended, she had to admit its exceptional taste.

 

Just when she was thinking about the identity behind the sender of that good red wine, the bell rang again. "Room service." She heard the guy outside the door calling.

 

She went to open the door again. This time, another room service guy came up and held a huge bouquet of tulips in shades of pink and violet.

 

"Good evening, Miss. I was asked to deliver this to you."

 

She received the bouquet. "May I know who-" She stopped in mid-sentence as the room service guy shook his head, smiling gently at her. "Thanks then," she responded.

 

She carried the bouquet inside, cradling it carefully. Her heart fluttered as she had a hunch of the sender identity. After all these time, only that very person could make the butterflies in her belly flies merrily even without romantic acts like she received now. She smiled at the thought. Just when she placed the beautiful bouquet on the table, the bell rang for the third time that evening.

 

What is it this time, she thought as she walked to the door to open it, not even caring to take a glimpse at the buzzer screen. She opened the door enthusiastically, wondering what kind of surprise awaited her behind the door. However, nobody was outside. She looked to the left and right to find the corridor was completely deserted. Confused, she turned and headed inside. Perhaps the kids from next room heard her busy buzzer and decided to play along, she thought. She knew that there were kids in vacation some room away for she met them and their parents on the elevator before. Just when she took a step through the door frame, somebody dashed inaudibly behind her and covered her eyes from behind. She let out a brief shriek as the person behind her shushed her softly.

 

She fell silent and started to feel the hand instead. She felt some sense of familiarity as she was feeling the contour of those fingers, and feeling the coarseness of its surface. "Sungmin?" she mumbled. She held his hands in hers and slowly lowering down his hands from her eyes. Sunny turned her body to see him beamed her his casual mischievous grin.

 

"Glad that you don't overthrow me to the floor," Sungmin joked, yet he couldn't hide his nervousness for his voice came out in higher pitch than usual.

 

There was a slight pause before Sunny answered, trying to match his attempt for banter, "You should feel lucky that I'm such a delicate woman who will never lay her hand on anybody no matter how irritating that anybody is. Unlike you." She hinted on the previous occasion happened 6 years ago.

 

"You don't lay your hand, that's true. You throw your gardening tools instead," he responded. For a moment, the two stared into each other's eyes before having a laughing fit. It was hilariously surprising and relieving how they only needed simple silly childish banter to break the awkwardness.

 

"Some things never change," Sunny stated, wiping the tears in her eyes. Not sad tears, but tears bursting from laughing like a maniac.

 

"Some things never change," Sungmin agreed, smiling so wide, would break. "Do you need to change or just wearing that bathrobe? Which I prefer."

 

She blushed at the remark. "ert. I'll change first, you wait." She then walked to the closet to take her clothes and returned to the bathroom to change and dried her hair with hairdryer.

 

Meanwhile, Sungmin was preparing the small table on the balcony overlooking the mystical garden now the designed lighting was lit. He uncorked the quite expensive red wine and poured the sweet scented red liquid on two round wine glass. He went out and in the opposite room to take some things he prepared beforehand. He came back to arrange pralines on a medium size plate and adorned it with a sprinkle of red rose petals. He also threw the extra petals across the floor, on the balcony and inside her room, then lit a candle decorated with round blossoms of white and red rose on thee base of the candle holder. He went inside to put a smaller bouquet on the queen sized bed.

 

He chucked to himself as he thought, some lovestruck spirit must have possessed me right now. As if right on the cue, Sunny stepped out of the bathroom in her casual white cotton dress.

 

"What are you laughing abou- Woah! What's about this?" Sunny stood there, perplexed. Her deluxe room had turned into an utterly romantic setting. Those rose petals, its sweet fragrance, a bouquet of rose on her bed, the dimly lit room bewildered her.

 

"I. . ." Sungmin was staring at the floor, trying to compose a sentence when Sunny took a step a time towards him, gingerly at first for she was contemplating something, Yet, as she seemed to made up her mind about something did she dash, cupped his cheeks and kissed him with a certain fervor which created havoc to all his senses. Sunny paused, long enough to breathe out "I miss you" through her plump lips. Sungmin let out a guttural sound as he dove down to capture her lips, assaulting it mercilessly.

 

With great effort, they made their way to the queen sized bed, stripping off their clothes along the way. Only when they fell on the bouncy mattress with a dull thud that Sungmin remembered something. He stopped nibbling at the side of her neck to push up and hover over her. "I think we need to talk," uttered Sungmin, his voice hoarse from the activity a moment before.

 

Sunny, who groaned at the momentarily absence of his touch, buckling her arms and legs around his neck and waist, before pulling him in once again, making him to lose balance and dropped on top of her. "Focus now, talk later." She responded. A moan left her lips when his teeth nipped her delicate skin. It was a long night for both of them as they tried to redeem those lonely nights when they wished they were in each other's arms like they were now.

 

***

 

As usual, Sungmin woke up first. The bulky guy propped his head with his hand as his elbow supporting it on the comfy mattress. He was staring at the petite figure beside him lovingly. Just yesterday morning he was anxious to find a way to talk to her. Just yesterday morning he wondered why their relationship deteriorated so much. But now, she was sleeping right beside him, her inviting porcelain white shoulders facing him. Unable to restrain himself, he started to shower her back with trailing kisses down her spine, and up again, causing her to stir from her sleep. Without opening her eyes, she turned her body to him and sneaked her arms around his torso, pulling in to close the cool gap between their bodies, looking for warmth.

 

"Good morning, sunshine. Are you feeling cold?" asked Sungmin with a smile on his face.

 

Sunny hit his chest lightly with one hand before hugging him again. She scolded him rather inaudibly, yet he caught each word. "Stop being cheesy."

 

Sungmin chuckled. He pulled up the blanket, fixing it, so it fully covered her tiny body and her back underneath. "Hey, we need to talk anyway. Can you give me some minutes?"

 

"Sleepy," she replied, clinging unto him tighter than before.

 

"Hey Sunny, be serious," reminded Sungmin as he tried to unbuckle the koala hugging him, but to no avail.

 

"No, You, should be serious. Don't beat around the bush. Just ask that damn question," stated Sunny without even looking at him.

 

Sungmin was slightly taken aback by her bluntness, yet felt relieved that she was ready to listen to his question and most importantly give her answer to it. He tried to remove her hands from around his neck. This time, she complied. As they laid side by side, they stare into each other's eyes. He touches her cheek, gently caressing it.

 

"I want to apologize to you first. Sorry that I was such a coward. I didn't have the guts to take our relationship further before, thus taking you for granted by regarding you as a friend with benefits. However, this slow guy had decided to man up some time ago. I want to be with you." He changed his position to a sitting position, his back was leaned on the headboard. She did the same. Sungmin then, took her hand in his, looked at her in the eyes, and solemnly asked, "Now, will you be my wife?"

 

Sunny froze for some seconds. It was certainly not the question she thought she would answer to. She withdrew her hands abruptly as if his hands were a pot of boiling water. How surprised and hurt he was to find Sunny covering to suppress her laughter. Feeling offended, he turned around, shouldering her.

 

"Sungmin, don't get mad please," she was still smiling so widely when she pulled his arm, trying to make Sungmin turn and face her again. "Hey, look at me. Sungmin? Oppa?"

 

The moment she called him oppa, them moment his heart weakened. He turned his body deliberately, although his face was still showing some annoyance. "This is the first time you call me 'oppa'."

 

Sunny chuckled, she Sungmin's cheek. "You like it, don't you? Now now, oppa, do you know why I laughed?" Sungmin shook his head. "Don't you think it's hilarious? You skip some stages here. The escorting stage, and the engagement stage. And you propose to me on the bed, and we're both ." Sunny chortled, she pulled the cover up and secured it under her arms.

 

Sungmin grinned. "But, no matter how hilarious it is, I'm being serious, you know."

 

Sunny smiled. "Now, can I do the bargain?"

 

"What bargain?"

 

"We can skip the escorting stage, but not the engagement stage. We both need to do some adjustment and arrangement anyway with our works, and it needs time. And not to forget our parents. Imagine the shock they will go through if you just ask me from them the first time you meet them?"

 

"And we have complication for residency anyway," he mumbled audibly.

 

"Exactly."

 

"Alright, we'll fly back to Seoul to meet our parents. We need to do some introduction," he decided. He pulled Sunny closer to him by her waist, and made her leaned her back on his broad chest.

 

"We can't. I'm going to Paris for a convention this afternoon. That's why I plan to check out today," said Sunny, as she playfully peppered his jaw with kisses.

 

Sungmin glared at her, stopping her midway. "Now you'll leave me?"

 

"It's not something new, right?" she joked as she heard him groan desperately like a wounded animal. "Or, you can come with me to Paris."

 

"A good idea, but apparently I can't. I have an important meeting in two days. Now if you'll stop doing that! We're in the middle of a conversation here. A serious one, and you're distracting me." He scolded Sunny who was now flicking the soft tip of her tongue on his jaw. A little gesture which aroused him even more, especially when it was done by the tiny woman beside him.

 

"It's a good distraction then. Can we talk later?" Sunny asked him, this time she saw him in the eyes. He could see excitement clouded her eyes and his eyes, as it was reflected on the glinted hazel eyes of hers. Without much ado, he pulled her to straddle him, and resuming where they left off just before the dawn.

 

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