from which a garden grows / purinz

Chapter 2/03

Kazuha and Sakura are proving to be increasingly useless at dishing out love advice; Chaewon has a pretty believable theory that they're being awful on purpose. It's outrageously obvious that the couple is team Yunjin; they're not even trying to hide it.

Sakura practically lives on Shiro's page, always the first to pound that "like" button and Kazuha won't stop bugging Chaewon about when she's planning to bring Yunjin and "Marilin" over for a double/doggy date.

With the balance currently tipping way too heavily in Yunjin's favor, Chaewon's going to need to bring in a second opinion.

Someone who isn't so lovey-dovey, someone pragmatic, someone grounded and guarded. Or even better, someone who guards for a living.

"Is the gun necessary, Hyunjin?"

It's a silly question to ask a police officer, Chaewon acknowledges, but Hyunjin's technically off duty right now.

Hyunjin scoffs. "I'm always on duty."

(Never mind).

"Besides," Hyunjin pats her leather holster, "There's rattlesnakes 'round these parts."

Aside from serving Blockberry's second precinct, Hyunjin also serves as Chaewon's designated hiking buddy.

She's perfect for the role; freakishly strong, Hyunjin can lug several gallons of water up a 45 degree incline without breaking a sweat.

But the best part about hiking with Hyunjin is that she makes it all about the hiking. She doesn't pause to comment on the beauty of their surroundings, rather she lets the rugged forests and lush canyons speak for themselves.

Hyunjin is a woman of a few words, always aiming to say as much as she can in as little as possible.

Which on any other day, Chaewon appreciates. But not today. Today, she needs lengthy answers.

"Hyunjin?"

Hyunjin addresses Chaewon with a grunt.

"Can I ask you something kinda personal?"

Hyunjin grunts again.

Chaewon sucks air through her teeth, embarrassed. "I'm sorry, can you tell me if that was a 'yes' grunt or a 'no' grunt?"

Hyunjin clears the path of some wayward branches and shrubs with her trekking pole before grunting a "yes."

"Great. Um... so you and Heejin-"

Hyunjin freezes, her right foot floating in midair. "What about her?"

Chaewon starts to sweat. "You two previously had an... arrangement, if I recall correctly?"

Normally, Hyunjin is the one protecting Chaewon. In this instance, however, they've switched roles. Chaewon knows Sheriff Jeon makes his daily rounds through the Blockberry hiking trails right around this time of day. Chaewon also knows that if Sheriff Jeon were to overhear his Deputy Kim admit to a friends with benefits relationship with Heejin, his only daughter, then Deputy Kim would likely be out of a job (and that's the best case scenario). So Chaewon keeps her wording vague and her eyes frequently scan her periphery.

"Correct," says Hyunjin, her stoic facade beginning to crumble.

"Hm," Chaewon smiles, having gained the upper hand, "And you've recently ended that arrangement, correct?"

Hyunjin's hold tightens on her monogrammed walking stick, knuckles and nailbeds blanching. "Correct. Why so curious? Who's really asking?" Hyunjin surveys Chaewon's hiking attire from head to toe in search of a wire or hidden camera. Hyunjin's stare is almost invasive; it's a little too intimate for Chaewon's liking.