Sung Hoon looked at Jinwoon's smiling face. 'I'll make you laugh every day.' He thought. Jinwoon blinked a few times before looking serious again, for some reason he felt weird. He didn't know who Sung Hoon was but he felt a small flutter in his stomach.
'He's a guy?! What are you thinking!' He redemanded himself. 'Maybe because I've been thinking too much about plan Z. Let's just focus on work!' He grabbed the bucket and brought them to the gathering spot. "We come every day to check if they are full. Usually it's 8 or 9 buckets. As you can see they all have blue dots."
Jinwoon pointed at the buckets. "Beom Seok will dot the buckets that are nearly full. He has a knack for that. It's amazing, like now some buckets are empty but Beom Seok will know that they will be full the next day." Jinwoon kept on rambling. Sung Hoon walked next to him listing.
"How long have you been here? Jae Jin and Do Hun didn't know you were here." Jinwoon didn't know if he should lie or tell the truth. Luckily Beom Seok walked over with the gum. "I think we're finished. There is not a lot of gum. I think we might have to plant new trees soon."
He looked at Sung Hoon, who gave a nod. "Do you need the King's permission to plant new trees?" Beom Seok nodded. "The whole forest is the royal's property. It starts enormous and it would be a pity if it was all sap and gum trees. Also there are many animals that roam the forest."
'So the royals are eco-friendly.' Jinwoon smiled. "That's very green of them." Beom Seok and Sung Hoon gave him a confused look. "Don't mind me." Sung Hoon could help but smile. "Can you explain what that means?" "It just means that the royals are not harmful to the planet." Sung Hoon's eyes grew big. "What a great word... being green."
A few minutes later Jae Jin joined them. "Is this all?" They looked at the 6 buckets of sap and 3 buckets of gum. "For now, yes. We still have some back at the house. Let's finish that first. We don't want them to go bad." Beom Seok called Dang and Geun.
At the house Do Hun and the rest had already started bottling and making the sugar. The others joined them. Sung Hoon followed Jinwoon around and asked all kinds of questions. "How does this work? Where does this go?" Jinwoon was getting tired of all his questions. "Go ask Beom Seok, he knows everything." Sung Hoon shook his head. "I want to hear from you."
Jinwoon gave him a blank look. "I don't know." He tried to walk away but Sung Hoon grabbed his hand. He was wearing long sleeves but he could feel his hands on him. Sung Hoon didn't grab his arm hard but Jinwoon could feel the heat rise from where he was holding. He looked at Sung Hoon and saw the shocked look on his face. 'Was he feeling the same sensation?'
Sung Hoon quickly let go before looking at his hands. 'He is!' They looked at each other without saying a word. 'What in the world is going on! What has Tae Jinwoon done to me? Or is it Sung Hoon?' Jinwoon was wondering what was going on, he could see that Sung Hoon was thinking the same.
'I don't have time for this! I should be thinking of getting to the capital and getting friendly with the prince. A servant with no power is not good.' He looked at Sung Hoon one more time before turning around. "I'm getting some fresh air." This time Sung Hoon simply let him go.
Jinwoon walked outside and sat down on a large stone near the feeder. The royal animals were there eating with Dang and Geun. When the two animals saw him, they came over. He thought they would ask for sweets but instead they sat next to him. He smiled while stroking their heads.
The stroking helped him calm down. 'What just happened! Why did I feel that way? I... Has Tae Jinwoon made me homosexual?' He shook his head. 'It's not possible, someone doesn't just turn gay. Was I always like this?' He thought back to his old life.
They were men around him but he felt just friendship. He was sure that he had never had feelings for a guy until a painful memory popped up. It was at the end of junior high. He remembered having just one friend called Jung Min. Jung Min had sat next to him since the first day. They were always together at school. The few free time he had was spent with Jung Min.
Jung Min had told him that he was immigrating to another country and that they might never see each other again. Jinwoon in his sorrow had thanked him for his friendship and that he loved him. Jung Min had just laughed, telling him that he loved him too. Now thinking about it, it might not be just loving friendship but much more.
Yes, he did go on dates with girls but it never worked. He assumed that they were not into him but he was now wondering if it was really like that. He now remembered how depressed he became after Jung Min left. He had gone as far as blocking Jung Min's memory because thinking about him was painful.
"Did I hurt you?" Jinwoon jumped. He looked up to see Sung Hoon standing in front. He had a guilty look on his face. Jinwoon shook his head and was shocked to feel tears dropping on his hand. He wiped his face before standing up. "I'm not crying because you hurt me. I... Never mind. Is everything finished?" Sung Hoon of course didn't believe him but decided not to push Jinwoon.
"We finished for today. Beom Seok told me to tell you to move your stuff into the house. Now that Jae Jin and Do Hun are back with the other workers, it will be uncomfortable for you to stay there." Jinwoon nodded before walking past Sung Hoon. "Do you hate me?" Jinwoon turned to Sung Hoon.
"I don't even know you, how can I hate you." He quickly went inside the hut and grabbed the little clothes he had. When he went to the house, Beom Seok was waiting for him. "I'll show you to your new room. You can explain everything. I want to help you but I first need to know your story."
Jinwoon looked at his feet but followed Beom Seok inside. "This will be room for now." Beom Seok showed him a small room at the other side of the kitchen. "Now spill." Jinwoon sat down on the bed and told Lee Jinwoon's story. He couldn't tell Beom Seok about him being transmigrated.
The few days that he was in Beom Seok's care were really good. He felt that he should at least tell Beom Seok. "Is that why you want them to think of you as a woman? What if they come to get you?" Jinwoon nodded before giving a shrug. I think I'm too far for them to come and they would never expect me to be here."
Beom Seok looked worried. "But if you go to the capital, they will find you." Jinwoon looked at Beom Seok with a smile. "Thank you for worrying about me." Beom Seok puffed up. "Of course. You are a good kid! You don't deserve such a rough life." Jinwoon felt all warm inside. "I promise I'll stay safe." Beom Seok just looked at him. "Then it's better to leave with the royal workers."
Jinwoon had thought of that too but what happened with Sung Hoon was too unnerving. He shook his head. "I'll wait until the month is over. I can leave when the roads are busy." Beom Seok walked over and flicked his head. "Stupid kid. They are royal servants. Nobody can touch you if you're traveling with them."
"You can enter the capital without anybody knowing. They might be able to even help you find a place to say." Beom Seok gave him a knowing look. "You want to live your life like a woman. I'm sure they know some respectable work for you." Jinwoon didn't want a respectable job. He wanted the prince.
Still, what Beom Seok had said wasn't a bad idea. "Let's ask them the day before you leave. Try and make friends with them. Not that you need that but it's better to be safe than sorry." Jinwoon laughed, making Beom Seok also laugh.
The next day Beom Seok kept Jinwoon at the house for him to get to know the workers better. Jinwoon noticed that Sung Hoon wasn't happy with the arrangement but kept his mouth shut. The men acted like small boys but after a few days, Jinwoon could talk and laugh with them freely. Before he knew it, the two weeks had gone by.