Shot chapter '^' hopefully next will make up for it though (the next update will probably be longer than normal)

The next day, Jaehyun glances up to the mansion, all of the windows covered with curtains. He isn't quite sure what he is expecting for when he looks up there but it doesn't change how he feels a bit disappointed. He scratches the back of his neck awkwardly as he opens the gate.

Once he opens the gate he remembers that he's not suppose to walk through the path and up to the mansion door. His job is quite literally right in front of him, where the giant garden lays out in front of the mansion and surrounding it elegantly. It still feels weird considering how it doesn't feel natural to simply stand there as it's basically become a habit to walk and watch out for strings at doorways.

"Well? Are you going to stand there all day?"

He flinches and looks to his right where Inpyo is, a hand on the lawn mower.

"Er- spacing out. Sorry," Jaehyun mumbles in response.

Inpyo simply shrugs, waving his hand off, "It's fine. I need help with hedge t so that shouldn't be too much of a hassle for your first time out garden tending. While we're at it you can explain to me about what's been bothering you if you like."

"Uh- Inpyo?"

"Yeah?"

"The lawn mower."

It only registers in the gardener's mind when there's the sound of a crash off to the side of the gate.

"... It's okay, there's spares in the back."

"Hm, that is really strange. Usually they'd give a reason as to why."

He couldn't help but look skeptically at Inpyo. He slowly asks, "They 'usually' give a reason? What about the regulations about the curtains and doors?" to which the other blinks cluelessly at him before awkwardly laughing, "E-Except that..."

Jaehyun lets out a sigh, dropping the hedge clippers down for a moment, "Anyways, I thought that it's really strange that my position changed so suddenly too, but it's not like I can back-talk them. I've at least tried asking before and that only left me even more intimidated than before."

Inpyo hums in thought, continuing to trim the hedges, "There's a lot of things that Hocheollie's parents keep a secret- that is what makes them both mysterious and scary because it feels like they know every secret you hold. Do you feel intimidated because of that? Are you holding some deep, dark secret that might endanger your actual job here?"

He knows that Inpyo is teasing but it literally feels like his heart just dropped to his stomach at such a revelation. Surely if Jaehyun followed his regulations strictly he wouldn't be stressed now but there's quite literally so many ways he could get fired right now.

"W-Wait, you do-?"

"Jaehyun-ssi!"

Said boy turns to see Isaac (somehow he still has some bubbles in his hair??) jogging over to him.

"Inho-ssi wants to talk to you about something. He said he overheard something bad," Isaac says, a bit out of breath. Jaehyun doesn't think that there would be much bad news to add considering he basically won't be able to see Hocheol as easily anymore until he heads to the kitchen and sees Inho who's- yet again- hyperventilating. There is an awkward moment of silence as he simply stands there, wondering when the older will stop and talk.

"I should check if there's a paper bag first," Jaehyun mumbles, turning before he's practically yanked back to facing Inho.

"I-I'm fine! I just needed a few breaths!" he winces when Inho adds pressure to his arm.

"Hyung, maybe I should let you be for a bit longer-"

"No this is serious! It's actually serious for once!"

He pries his hyung's hand off of his arm, "Okay I understand but you were hurting me just now," Jaehyun mumbles, massaging his arm to let blood flow into his arm again.

Inho opens his mouth, obviously about to scream before stopping abruptly, glancing to the door of the kitchen, before clearing his throat as to avoid yelling. He strans his voice slightly to whisper, "Hocheollie got into a fight with his parents."

It takes a few seconds for that to process in Jaehyun's head before a sigh escapes his lips. He rubs his temples, "Inho-hyung, I came in here for serious talk, not for gossip."

"No no no, don't get me wrong!" Inho shakes his hands in protest, "I mean that this is the first time that Hocheollie has ever confronted his parents and when I say 'first time' I mean that he doesn't know how to control his thoughts and feelings. As a result of that he may or may not have- you know- suggested that he sprained his ankle in relations to you and something about the sunset."

And that is where Jaehyun freezes in place. In response, Inho groans, "Aahhhh I was hoping you wouldn't make that face! Jaehyun-ah I've been trying really hard to try to protect your job but-!"

His sentence gets cut off when the kitchen door slams open, Hocheol's parents standing their with expressions of fury.

Jaehyun knows he went pale at the sight of them.