#i totally forgot that the actual cherry farm character in the game had a daughter

[anon-drabble]

beneath the branches

some fluff for our boy jumin! this idea attacked me last night as i was trying to sleep and wouldn’t let me rest. 

we all know jumin loved visiting the cherry farm. what if it wasn’t just the cherries there he had his eye on?

jumin is a touch out of character to me but i just love awkard-in-love jumin so that’s what i wrote lol. 

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The scene laid out before Jumin was one he knew well. The cherry farm in the early morning was a frequent stop for Jumin. After all, he did business with them and was fond of the land in his own way. It seemed peaceful most days. Just acres of land laid out. Very few buildings and none that pierced the sky. Not like his own penthouse. The city had its charms but on the farm, Jumin just felt lighter, like life itself was less of a burden. His chest rose and fell with each breath and every time he inhaled, it seemed easier than the last. Like he was renewing himself and freeing himself of the many bonds that held him tight. Too tight to move, at times. In short, the cherry farm was the only real combination of business and pleasure that Jumin knew. The cat projects were fun diversions but there was always pressure to be profitable, to make it worthwhile. He knew his privilege of being the CEO’s son and that the only reason he could do any cat projects was because of his position. The cherry farm was easier. It was an established contract, something known to be beneficial. It made things easier. 

As he crested the familiar hill that led to the facility that served as the main hub for the farm, he shielded his eyes from the sun. He glanced to the right, where the hills held countless trees. Each tree carefully cultivated and cared for by the farmhands. But he wasn’t truly looking at the trees. His steps slowed as his eyes scanned the spaces between, where the shadows hid a great deal but spears of sunlight would still reach the ground in a few spots. But Jumin was looking for movement. He saw a pair of legs move between the trees but the body was still hidden. But then she emerged and she smiled and waved at Jumin, as she always did. 

She was beautiful, if he were one to notice such a thing. Most times, he didn’t see how beautiful any particular woman was. He simply didn’t care. But for her, it was impossible to miss. She never looked like the women Jumin usually saw. She wasn’t buried under layers and layers of makeup. Her clothes were simple, her shoes practical. But she had a natural radiance. The way her smile just felt like a ray of light itself. Her bright brown eyes always echoed the smile on her face. On that day, her muscular arms were bare. She must have been working since much earlier in the morning as it wasn’t that warm. 

Jumin didn’t feel himself sigh in relief at seeing her. He didn’t notice the way her smile made him feel warm. He lifted his hand to give her a stiff wave and she retreated back to the trees. He resumed his walk to the large building ahead, pretending he hadn’t purposely slowed down just for a chance to see her. His trips to the cherry farm were for business purposes, not for some woman he barely knew. He wasn’t like his father. He didn’t make such foolish decisions or allow any women to sway him in any way. 

The building ahead was partly a large barn, partly a warehouse, with a portion being the actual home of the owners of the farm. That was separated from the busiest parts of the building but it was clear to see the original roots of each part of the building. As Jumin approached, he saw an older man walk out the door and towards Jumin. He had a large, friendly smile. 

“Hello, hello! Welcome!” the man exclaimed as he rushed towards Jumin. 

“Hello, Mr. Pin,” Jumin said calmly as he reached the man. 

“Please, please, I’ve told you! Call me Sang. We’re practically family now!” the man vigorously shook Jumin’s hand. “We have great stock from this harvest for you! But I thought you weren’t to pick up until next month?” 

“That’s correct. I came in the hopes of expanding our partnership. We have recently acquired a supply vendor, one that could easily be paired with a gardening venture. I thought we’d speak about selling snippings of your trees or other crops you have,” Jumin explained. 

Sang thought for only a moment. “I believe we can probably reach an agreement for that. We will have to adjust our fields if you wish to sell cuttings. They need to be propagated a certain way. We will have to dedicate a portion of the land to this project.” 

Jumin nodded. “We can detail everything in the contract. Once I get back, we will draft the documents and we can fully outline this venture.” 

“We can discuss this then. Come, come, see our harvest! Take some home with you! I guarantee our cherries will make your girl fall in love on the spot!” 

“You know I do not have anyone. However, I will gladly take fresh cherries home. They are the most delicious when I come here directly.” 

Sang clapped his hands. “Perfect! Yes!” He cupped his hands around his mouth. “Jiya! Are you around?” he yelled into the trees. 

Jumin tried not to react to the shouting in his ears. But when she emerged from the trees again, Jumin couldn’t help but stare a bit. She smiled at him again and he felt a lump form in his throat. 

“Mr. Jumin here would like our best cherries! I told him we’d show our harvests!” 

Jiya nodded and pulled out her phone. She pulled up something and consulted it for a moment. “Field 17 yielded the most. But I would suggest we bring Mr. Han to Field 12, I believe he will appreciate those.” 

“Jiya has taken over our record-keeping. My mind can’t keep up with it these days. She’s got it all stored in that phone there.”

“That is very practical,” Jumin said approvingly. 

“Ha! In my day, we just knew it in our bones. Now we have to rely on those things for everything!” Sang laughed but he was already leading the way through the trees. 

Jumin and Jiya followed only a second later. Though Sang was older, he still moved quickly, so full of life. “It’s good to see you again, Mr. Han. Appa didn’t tell me you were coming or we would have prepared a basket that you could bring home with you.”

Though they knew each other, they hadn’t spoken that many times before. Jumin’s dealings had mostly been with Sang, as he was the owner. But now, if Jiya was actually working on the farm, would they possibly have more interactions? “I did not tell him. I happened to have time and he had mentioned a fruitful harvest so I thought I’d come myself.” They continued walking, Sang still ahead and frequently chattering to other workers they passed. “Are you considering staying with the farm, now?” Jumin suddenly asked. 

Jiya looked surprised by the question. “Oh, um…” she stammered. 

“Your father mentioned that he thought you might prefer to leave and find a different job,” Jumin said hastily. 

She smiled and he instantly relaxed. “Ah, I’m sorry. I know he wants me to run the farm once he dies but… Well, I’m still not sure what I’ll do.” Jumin nodded. “I do love it here, though. I wouldn’t want to leave but there’s…” she trailed off again and awkwardly fidgeted with her hands. “I just don’t know yet.” 

Jumin thought for a moment. “There are many options for you. The world is not simply one place but many people, places, and experiences.” She looked at him and smiled. She seemed relieved that he understood what she didn’t say. “My world is very different but I find this place to be one of my favorites.” 

Jiya laughed and Jumin’s stomach did a flip. He denied it every time it happened. Just a coincidence. It had nothing to do with Jiya. “Someday I want to see a city. I don’t think I’d be happy living in one but just to see it.” 

Immediately, Jumin considered inviting her for the contract signing as Sang would have to come to C&R to sign the new contract. But then he thought of seeing Jiya in such an environment and got a little sad. So he said nothing. 

The rest of the walk through the trees was mostly silent, with Sang and Jumin occasionally speaking. Eventually, they crested a hill with more trees laid out all around them. Jumin could not tell any difference between the rows, nor where one field ended and another began. But this was not his world. Sang and Jiya knew this but they could not navigate the double-speak and the carefully-worded promises that in truth promised nothing of the business world. Their lives were here. And no matter how many times Jumin might visit, it was always just a visit and he’d soon enough have to return back to his world. He glanced over at Jiya and wished his life might change. But he refused to acknowledge that and kept it locked in his heart. Where his other impossible dreams lived. 

Now in the proper area, Sang and Jiya led Jumin down the rows of trees, speaking of all manner of things, such as the bark of each tree, the way the leaves had grown in a certain direction All things apparently led to more delicious cherries but Jumin did not know agriculture and many of their explanations would be forgotten on his flight home. At the base of some trees was a basket of cherries recently picked. But Jumin could see many cherries still on the branches. Jiya reached above her head and pulled down a bundle of fresh cherries from the nearest tree. She held them out for both Sang and Jumin. Jumin took the fruit carefully. He certainly didn’t intend for their fingers to touch as much as they did. Jiya didn’t seem to care about the brush of their hands. Of course she wouldn’t. It wasn’t intentional. As they ate their cherries, a man approached and called Sang over to attend to a matter in a nearby shed. He left and Jumin purposely avoided looking at Jiya. It had been morning when he arrived, though it was now the afternoon. The sun was less angled through the trunks of the trees and more overhead. It led to deeper shadows at ground level. 

“So?” Jiya asked. “What do you think?” 

Jumin had to consider for a moment before he realized she meant the cherry. “It was delicious. Very juicy,” he answered. 

She grinned proudly. “I knew it! You always seemed to like the juicier ones the best. I was right to give you these.” She pulled another bundle down and pulled apart an equal share for herself and Jumin. “Not everyone likes the really juicy ones. My dad always said you wouldn’t like them because they’re messier.” As she spoke, Jumin bit into one and felt the cherry juice dribble down his chin. She laughed at the timing as she saw it happen. Jumin was relieved she wouldn’t see a blush in the shadows. In fact, was it darker now than before? 

Jumin looked up at the sky between the leaves. “Is that a storm cloud?” 

Jiya followed his gaze. “Oh, shoot, it is. Storms here come and go fast. There won’t be time to get inside but the trees should keep us dry.” Right on cue, the rain began. She huddled under the tree to remain dry. Jumin felt the rain hit his back and took a step forward. He was forced closer to the tree by the rain. Closer to Jiya. They stood very close now. She was looking up at him and he met her eyes. “It’ll be over soon,” she said softly. He nodded and noted her averting her eyes from his. She was acting almost shy now. While they weren’t friends, he’d never seen her so skittish around him. 

The rain began to fall harder and both Jiya and Jumin took another step closer together. She quickly pushed a cherry into her mouth, desperate to act normal. The juice fell down her chin, just as it had done with Jumin a moment before. He wiped it with his thumb before he realized what he was doing. Jiya finally met his eyes again. “So… You still like it here even like this?” she asked, chuckling uneasily. 

“Nothing is more beautiful than this,” he answered honestly. 

And then he was kissing her. Neither of them had moved first but they came together at the same moment. He could taste the cherries on her lips. He felt her soft breath come out her nose. Her loose strands of hair tickled his face. He never wanted it to end. Eventually their lips parted but Jumin felt her slip her hand into his own. She smiled up at him a little and his heart thundered. There was no use denying anything now. There wasn’t much use for words between them. He could see that she was just as happy with the kiss. She lifted her head and shut her eyes in invitation and Jumin immediately obliged. Their lips met again, more purposefully this time. He felt her squeeze his hand and he reached around her back with his free hand, pulling her even closer. He felt her lips smile even as they kissed and he knew he was smiling too. Once again they parted and she still smiled at him. 

She blushed a little, though it was nearly invisible in the shadows. “I’ve never done anything like this before,” she admitted. 

“Kissing?” Jumin asked, confused. 

She laughed a little. “No! We barely know each other, that’s all. I normally don’t kiss strangers. I don’t kiss anyone I’m not dating.” 

Jumin squeezed her hand a little. “I apologize if I made you uncomfortable. If you wish, this can remain just between us and the cherry tree.” 

Her face fell. Her hand released his and he let her go. Had she gotten the wrong idea? He didn’t want to rush her but he very much wanted more time with her. “I understand. It’s for the best,” she said quietly, taking a step away from Jumin. The rain was already slowing, the spell over them entirely broken. 

Jumin watched her distance herself and he knew he’d done something wrong but he didn’t know how to fix it. He didn’t know what to say. “I don’t-” he began to say when Sang’s voice cut through the trees. 

“These summer showers! They come so quickly!” Sang appeared before them again, seemingly oblivious to the awkward atmosphere. “Mr. Jumin, you are satisfied, yes? We have a delicious basket ready for you, whenever you are ready to leave. No rush, of course.” 

“Excuse me, Appa, I should get back to my work,” Jiya interrupted and quickly left the two men. 

Sang watched her walk away and slyly looked back at Jumin. He grinned and Jumin braced for the worst. “She only leaves that fast when she wants to hide something. You know, these cherries lead to love! I told you, share my cherries and any girl will be yours! Although I did not realize my daughter was your target, but there are worse men out there!” He laughed loudly, patting a hand on Jumin’s back. 

“It is not like that,” Jumin protested but Sang wasn’t listening. Jumin cleared his throat and straightened his tie. He stood like the CEO he was. “You have the wrong idea. There is nothing between your daughter and me. I must get back but I look forward to our further business together.” 

That silenced Sang as Jumin was usually far more polite and not so cold. Sang led Jumin back to the road and watched him leave. Jumin had returned to “normal” after announcing that he was leaving but Sang was still suspicious. 

It took many months to ready the contract for the next venture with the cherry farm. As soon as it was ready, Jumin made arrangements for Sang to travel to C&R to sign the contract. The day of the signing, Jumin was waiting in the meeting room for Sang to arrive. Jaehee had gone down to the ground floor to welcome him and bring him to the meeting when he arrived. As the door opened, Sang entered first and Jumin had already extended his hand to shake Sang’s when Jiya entered behind him, with Jaehee following. Jumin faltered a moment when he saw Jiya as he had not expected her. Sang, however, was his usual loud self and took Jumin’s hand as he greeted him. 

“So good to see you again! We are very excited to begin this new side of things! We have prepared our fields already, isn’t that right, Jiya?” 

Jumin’s gaze had not left her since she entered but she briefly met his eyes. “Yes, Appa. The land is ready to begin for next planting season.” The spell on Jumin finally broke and he composed himself from the shock and looked to Sang to address him.

Sang grinned with a slightly mischievous glint in his eye. “Jiya has agreed to step up at the farm and she will be overseeing our finances and business partnerships now,” he said with a knowing smile at Jumin. “So I brought her as she will need to sign as well.”

Inside, Jumin’s mind was racing. He could hardly even hear what was happening around him but he knew he couldn’t dwell on her too much. But suddenly he was back on the farm, underneath the cherry tree, her lips kissing his, her body heat against his. He remembered every detail, though he’d tried to forget. Thankfully a part of Jumin the businessman was still there, and he heard himself speaking though he didn’t remember forming the words himself. “I am glad you decided to stay with the farm,” he said, echoing his words to Jiya on that day. 

“My father convinced me. I couldn’t leave after all. It’s too beautiful,” she said and Jumin scanned her face. Had she meant to say the same thing he had that day? But she remained unreadable. 

The actual signing lasted for some time as there were many pages and they had to adjust some portions for Jiya’s new position. However, they soon finished. Sang pushed the cap back onto his pen as Jaehee signed, acting as notary for the deal. Once she finished, he stood. “Miss Kang, please help an old man out, Is there a restroom I can use? Can you please show me?” 

“Of course, sir. Right this way.” Jaehee led him out of the room, leaving Jumin and Jiya alone. 

Jiya gathered her things and her father’s belongings as they were planning to leave now that the signing was done. 

But Jumin couldn’t let her go without saying anything. “So how does the city compare? To what you thought?” he asked, immediately regretting the words. He’d wanted to apologize as he was quite certain whatever had gone wrong between them was his fault. 

Jiya looked towards the windows in the meeting room. “It’s a lot like what I expected,” she said. She walked over to the window. She was next to Jumin but he knew that hadn’t been her intent. She just wanted a better view of the window. “The people are exactly what I thought they’d be like.” 

“Were you treated poorly?” Jumin asked, worry in his voice. Had someone said something rude to her? 

She actually smiled and Jumin’s knees threatened to buckle. She looked so differently from how she looked on the farm. She had makeup on this time. Her clothes were clean and pressed, if plain. Her hair, which was usually up and out of her face on the farm, was down now, falling past her shoulders. She was still the most gorgeous woman Jumin had ever seen. “No. I was talking about you,” she said with a laugh. 

Jumin frowned, trying to discern what she possibly meant by those words. 

“You know, my dad is convinced something happened between us when you last visited. I told him nothing did but he seemed like he knew,” she said. 

“I assure you, I did not tell him. He suggested something similar as I was leaving but I told him he was wrong. I thought you would prefer him not to know.” 

“You’re right about that,” she said. “What happened between us…” 

“I need to apologize for my behavior. I had the wrong idea. I thought perhaps you felt as I did that day and I should not have kissed you so suddenly,” Jumin was suddenly blurting out. He was not the type to ramble but he had to try to explain to her. 

Jiya turned to face Jumin. “I wasn’t upset that you kissed me,” she interrupted, confused as to why he was saying that. “I was upset that you brushed it off so quickly. I told you I didn’t usually kiss unless I was dating a guy. I wanted you to ask me out. But you basically said it was just a kiss. You’ve probably kissed a dozen girls on a dozen other farms so it didn’t mean much to you but it meant more to me. But I wanted to clear the air because if we have to work together, I don’t want you to think I’m interested in you like that. I am not a fling and I’m not going to be treated like one.” 

Jumin was stunned by her words. That wasn’t at all what he’d interpreted from their conversation that day. That was why she’d been upset? Because she thought Jumin was like his father? He felt sick to his stomach. He shook his head. “You misunderstood. I thought you did not want to move so fast so I wanted to assure you we could take it slowly or not at all, if that was what you wanted. I…” He felt a lump in his throat form at his words. “I knew I liked you and wished to know you better and I wanted you to know that I was not going to rush you at all.” He sighed. “I am sorry I gave you the wrong idea. I wish I had spoken more clearly as there was nothing I wanted more than to know you. And now I can see that our moment has passed due to my blunder.” 

Jiya took a step towards Jumin and looked up at him. “Who said our chance was gone?” When he met her eyes, she smiled a little. “We’re going to be working together more often now. We’ll naturally get to know each other that way, right?” 

Jumin shook his head. “I didn’t mean in that way…” he said, feeling helpless. 

“I know,” she said softly. She reached forward and took Jumin’s hand, just as she had done that day. “I’ll tell you again. I don’t kiss unless I’m dating someone,” She was looking up at him, her eyes silently urging him to take the hint this time. 

“Would you…like to have dinner with me?” Jumin asked, not quite sure what was happening except that it seemed to be what she wanted him to say. And it was what he wanted to do, to be with her. 

She smiled up at him. “It’s about time you asked,” she gently teased.