AFFINITY.

part 16 | pleurotus ostreatus | forty-one

Yoongi tried not to smile when he heard his uncle stop next to him. Yoongi looked to the side, enjoying how his uncle was looking more and more constipated the further in to the garden they went. The sour look was miles apart from the happy almost smarmy expression his uncle had been wearing when he arrived earlier.

Apparently the garden wasn't as bad as his uncle had clearly hoped.

"I see the orchard is also doing decent," Yoongi's uncle muttered sourly, glaring at the plump fruit hanging from every branch.

"I would say it's doing more than decent," Yoongi said, trying not to smile to brightly. "Wouldn't you agree?" he asked, for the first time acknowledging the Wild Witch his uncle had dragged with him. The woman had been sighing and squealing away whenever they got to a new part of the garden. Yoongi didn't want her there, but he also knew that if he objected then his uncle would make a scene.

"I...I would, yes," The poor Wild Witch stuttered giving Yoongi's uncle a scared look. "It seems to be in excellent condition. Especially the Flying Plums. Never seen them thrive so much," she added rushed, her cheeks flushing in excitement as she quickly scribbled down a few things on her little notepad.

Yoongi needed to remember to soak it before she left. He wasn't letting her leave with any kind of record of the flowers they had here. Who knew what she'd do with it?

"Should we move on?" Yoongi's uncle said sourly, giving the row of Silver Peach trees a sour look. "I don't have all day," he added, pulling out an expertly crafted silver watch, no doubt the work of one of Yoongi's cousins. If there was one thing the Min family never ran out of it was pretty metal decorations.

"We have a busy schedule," Yoongi's cousin mumbled from behind Yoongi's uncle's back. He shook the planner he was carrying in Yoongi's face, no doubt hoping Yoongi wouldn't know they were full of shit. Yoongi's uncle would never plan anything if there was just a little chance that he could wallow in Yoongi's misery. The only reason he was impatient was because the garden wasn't falling apart like his little spies had most likely led him on to believe.

"Well, if you are this busy we can end the tour here," Yoongi said hoping he sounded more helpful than gleeful. "As you can clearly see the garden is thriving under my care. We even implemented the old watering system," Yoongi added happily gesturing to the little streams and stone covered ducts running through the garden.

There was no need to say it was Jungkook who made the bloody thing work.

"Combined with state of the art inventions the garden is more content and protected than ever," Yoongi smiled pointing at the Blood oak Defender version 4.104 that was had been pulled out of its hiding place just for the occasion. Jungkook had apparently used the three days Yoongi had been sulking to improve the design and connection with the Blood oak. Taehyung had then helped establish a better magic link, meaning the Blood oak was able to connect with the machine much easier now. "We hired an Electric Elemental to help out make specialized solutions to any of the problems that may arise with having so many plants with so many special needs in on place. His inventions are based on Wild Magic, enabling the plants themselves to interact with the devices," Yoongi rattled off, hoping he sounded somewhat like Namjoon. The Blood oak shook its leaves at them, firing a few pieces of toast their way as a warning.

The Wild Witch squealed again and Yoongi tried his very best not to roll his eyes. She really needed to stop. Even getting a piece of toast right in the face didn't quelm her excitement.

"I'm afraid it's my duty as the leader of the Min clan to inspect everything . This Garden is among one of the Min families most treasured pearls after all. I can't allow anything to happen to it," Yoongi's uncle said, giving the Wild Witch a tired look as she almost ate her notepad in excitement over seeing a real Blood oak. "I am glad that you've implemented all these new measures. They seem quite effective, " He added his steps getting quicker as they left the orchard and the Blood oak behind.