By Zephyria 
Ha-jin headed to the lobby, leaving Hee-soo, who kept poking his side, behind. Da-yeon, who was standing near the sofa, called out to him.
“You were too out of it yesterday to look around the botanical garden. Why don’t you take a walk around the center to digest?”
She volunteered as a guide, leading the three siblings, Ha-jin, and Eden through every nook and cranny. Da-yeon chattered non-stop, seemingly excited by the appearance of outsiders in the quiet Dragon Cloud Botanical Garden.
She wasn’t the only one who was excited. The middle-aged woman resting at the information desk and the gardeners also joined in, adding their own comments. Whenever Da-yeon paused, they would chime in as if they had been waiting for their turn.
Thanks to them, Ha-jin learned about the opening date of the Dragon Cloud Botanical Garden, its land area, and its proud achievement of winning the Asia-Pacific Landscape Award two years ago.
“If you go straight up to the roof, you’ll find solar panels. That’s how we keep getting electricity.”
The coordinator, who had joined them late, pointed to the emergency exit stairs with a gesture. Hee-soo exclaimed, “Wow, what do they look like?” forcing everyone to go up to the third-floor rooftop to see the solar panels.
Sweat trickled down Ha-jin’s philtrum as he looked at the navy-blue aluminum panels. He quickly became overheated just from standing on the roof for a short while. Just when he thought it was finally over, the gardeners, with excited expressions, insisted on showing them the wetland in the outdoor garden.
Ha-jin belatedly looked up at Eden with worried eyes. Although he had woken up safely, he couldn’t be considered fully recovered yet. Eden even had to take the antipyretic analgesic Da-yeon gave him after the meal.
“Are you okay? Shall we go to the lounge and rest?”
In response to his question, Eden flicked the tip of Ha-jin’s nose as if he was worrying unnecessarily.
“I’m fine. By the way, it must feel different coming here, how is it?”
Ha-jin tilted his head, not understanding the word “feelings” right away, so Eden added.
“Don’t you remember? You said you wanted to come to the Dragon Cloud Botanical Garden.”
“I did? When?”
“In the cave.”
The cave? Ha-jin blinked his thick eyelashes with a confused expression at the sudden mention of the cave.
“What… Ah.”
In that instant, the damp smell of the cave seemed to brush past his nose. The sight of purple Peonygrass flowers weakly bending their stems in the rain also came to mind.
‘Now that I think about it, I heard the botanical garden in Dragon Cloud City is quite well-maintained. I should have gone sooner. I guess it’s all ruined now…?’
He remembered it was probably a passing remark he made while talking about whether flowers would bloom if it rained in the desert. He couldn’t believe Eden remembered such a fleeting moment that even he had forgotten.
Ha-jin was once again dumbfounded by Eden’s affection, who didn’t miss even the smallest detail about him.
“How do you even remember that?”
“I don’t know. It just happens without me trying.”
Ha-jin couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh at Eden’s brazen words. His cheeks were flushed with heat and embarrassment.
“Come to think of it, you said something strange to Lee Hee-soo this morning too, right?”
“What did I say?”
Ha-jin quickly averted his gaze, feeling embarrassed to say it himself.
“…It’s nothing.”
It was a moment to reflect once again on the meaning of the greeting, which was not just a thank you for saving his life, but also gratitude for staying by his Darling’s side when he was surprised.
Ha-jin’s heart grew heavy because he had never received such deep love from anyone other than his family, Jun-seok. He felt like a fool for trying to harbor bad thoughts, taking such a devoted lover for granted.
Eden leisurely followed Ha-jin, who seemed lost in thought.
“What are you thinking about?”
At his question, Ha-jin quickly erased his thoughts and raised the corners of his lips.
“I don’t know… Jeong Tae-geon is handsome?”
Eden chuckled briefly at the silly answer and pulled Ha-jin’s shoulder towards him. The two of them walked shoulder to shoulder, passing through the gate where they scanned the QR code, and moved into the indoor greenhouse.
The greenhouse also had glass windows on all sides, creating a feeling of being connected to the outdoor garden. The fresh scent of flowers and grass gently stimulated the mucous membranes of Ha-jin’s nose, and he felt a sense of peace for the first time in a long while.
It was a place where life was budding, completely different from the jungle-like forest he had passed through before coming to the botanical garden. The sharp branches were neatly trimmed, and the colorful flowers proudly guarded the flower beds, each showing off its own beauty.
In addition, buildings decorated like theme parks were located throughout the greenhouse, and the beige arched bridge in the Mediterranean style was particularly eye-catching. The three siblings who had been walking ahead climbed onto it, and people followed them one by one, their faces full of excitement as if they were on a picnic.
Ha-jin and Eden sat down together on a photo zone bench decorated with cute characters. The sound of people laughing could be heard pleasantly in the distance.
Pie, who had been running around excitedly in the outdoor garden, had also settled down in front of them at some point. Ha-jin stroked Pie’s warm belly, which was panting heavily, as if he found it cute.
Eden, who had been watching Ha-jin’s fingertips stroking the dog, asked.
“Have you completely decided to come to the research center with me?”
He wasn’t simply asking about their next destination. He was seriously asking if Ha-jin was willing to leave this land where Jun-seok was buried and go to America with him. Ha-jin bit his lower lip and nodded nonchalantly.
To be honest, it would be a lie if he said he wasn’t hesitant. He didn’t want to fight Zombies anymore, and he wanted to wait for the situation to improve in a safe place with good people. He was also afraid of leaving Jun-seok behind and of the difficulties that awaited him at the research center.
But he didn’t want to make Eden wait any longer. If he compromised with his weak heart and wasted time, and then hurt him again, he didn’t think he could bear it this time.
Ha-jin straightened his back, which he had bent to pet Pie.
“We should go now. Byeol and Jeffrey are waiting too.”
Eden stroked his dry cheek with the back of his hand as if he was proud of him.
“Then let’s leave in a week.”
“Okay.”
The two of them got up again and climbed onto the arched bridge where people had been. Ha-jin and Eden looked at the mobile hanging from the ceiling, which looked like a fluffy ball. As they argued about whether it was a sculpture or a real plant, they both turned their heads at the same time, feeling a gaze from somewhere.
Hee-sung was sitting on a two-seater bench surrounded by light pink hydrangeas. When their eyes met, he waved his hand timidly, but quickly lowered his arm, feeling embarrassed.
Ha-jin, who was watching, let out a weak laugh.
“I’m going to go talk to Hee-sung for a bit.”
Eden patted his back lightly, telling him to go. Ha-jin went down and approached Hee-sung, who was sitting alone. As the distance narrowed, Hee-sung stiffened as if he was nervous.
Ha-jin sat down next to him. Then he waved his hand once towards Eden, who was leaning against the bridge railing. Eden waved back and soon left the spot.
The two of them didn’t say anything. They simply smelled the flowers and occasionally followed the flying insects with their eyes. About five minutes passed like that.
Hee-sung, unable to bear the silence, pointed to the silver brooch on Ha-jin’s chest and awkwardly started talking.
“That… that’s the brooch Jun-seok gave you, right?”
Ha-jin looked down at the ornament that emitted a sparkling light.
“Yeah.”
Hee-sung’s face lit up at the immediate answer.
“It looked familiar. Jun-seok searched everywhere to find a place that custom-made them….”
He was about to continue speaking, but he stopped talking again, sensing Ha-jin’s unusually quiet mood. Then he said in a barely audible voice, “I’m sorry.” Ha-jin turned to Hee-sung, who was overly intimidated.
“Hee-sung.At the low voice, his Adam’s apple bobbed greatly.
“I can’t bring myself to say that Jun-seok’s death wasn’t your fault.”
At the words that followed, Hee-sung’s eyes widened and his nose twitched as if he was about to cry. Ha-jin looked at Hee-sung’s gaunt profile, who was desperately biting his lip with his head bowed deeply.
“But still, survive to the end. I mean it.”
Hee-sung’s breath, who had been looking only at the floor like a sinner, trembled slightly.
“Don’t get hurt and hold on as much as you can. Don’t make your older sister and older brother suffer.”
At the unexpected advice, Hee-sung looked up at Ha-jin with moist eyes.
“Hyung, are you really leaving here? Where are you going…?”
“I’m not telling you.”
“Do you hate me a lot?”
Hee-sung’s voice was trembling terribly as he asked that. Ha-jin shook his head as if he couldn’t help it.
Hee-sung pouted his lips and finally hugged Ha-jin tightly. Ha-jin patted his dry back, feeling his shoulder getting wet.