Chapter 172

172 Easy To Guess

“Put this on,” Kai said, handing her a round hat with a red ribbon. Kalea was silent as he put the hat on her head. Kalea’s hazel eyes unconsciously kept watching Kai’s face that was quite close to her. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

Kalea’s eyebrows raised, her expression so innocently innocent, then replied, “What am I looking at you like? I have eyes.”

Kai’s cheeks flushed, Kalea’s words did have a point but somehow a little inappropriate for him. Kai backed away from Kalea as he finished giving her the round hat. “Let’s go.”

Kalea followed the man’s big footsteps and before actually leaving the house, there was a mirror displayed near the exit. Kalea was stunned by the hat adorning her head, it was really beautiful.

“Lea?”

“Ah, yes!”

They walked past many people who were busy with their own activities. Everyone who passed Kai, they would greet him. Kai was really popular in this village. While Kalea just smiled sweetly, she certainly could not easily get to know all the villagers one by one quickly. However, she still had to be friendly because she was just a stranger who suddenly entered someone else’s area.

Until finally they reached the plantation, which belonged to the Egner family. Kalea was stunned by the number of fruits and vegetables grown by Kai. Not to mention there were greenhouses for some of the plants stored there. This was greater than Kalea had expected.

“Kai!” shouted Owen who was not far from them. The man walked over while pulling his black horse. “Oh, hi, Lea!” greeted Owen after realizing Kalea was coming along.

.....

“Hi, Owen.”

“Is there something you wanted to come here for?”

“She said she wanted to see how we work, Owen,” Kai replied taking over as he put on his special gloves and planted seeds. “Are you leaving already?”

“Just taking Brio home, I’ll help you later,” Owen replied as he stroked his favorite horse’s mane. Kai just nodded, after which Owen excused himself to go home first.

Kalea noticed that Owen’s back was getting farther and farther away, so Kai was a little surprised that Kalea kept looking at him. “Lea? What’s wrong?”

“Hm? Nothing,” Kalea replied quickly as she turned to Kai. The scarlet haired man did not bother and started walking to a vacant lot. “Kai, is Owen coming to work with you?” asked Kalea.

“Yes, he helps me sometimes. Owen also has a farm that has been made by his family,” Kai replied, he began to spread cabbage seeds into the land that had been cultivated by Owen before.

Kalea just nodded in understanding, she watched Kai’s painstaking and deft hands spread the seeds throughout the empty field. Her hazel eyes moved to the plantation that seemed to be bearing fruit, red fruits that looked fat and delicious. “You planted many kinds of plants?” Kalea asked.

“Yup, I’m planning to add one more vegetable, cabbage. Because of the request of the restaurant I’ve been working with,” Kai replied, smiling at Kalea.

“The one in the greenhouse?” asked Kalea endlessly as she pointed at the not so big greenhouse.

Kai turned to where Kalea was pointing, his smile fading slightly as he replied, “Oh... that, the plants there are not for sale.”

“Uh, why?”

“It’s Mom and Ilene’s favorite place, there are only various kinds of flowers. Everything was planted by the two of them,” Kai replied as he continued his activities.

Damn, again Kalea made Kai open an old wound. Looks like she does not need to ask much anymore.

“So-sorry ....”

“You’re apologizing again,” Kai said as he chuckled softly, he looked at Kalea who had a sad expression because she felt guilty. The big hand patted Kalea’s head lightly, as he said, “You’re a curious girl, huh.”

“I’m sorry that my questions are always sensitive.”

“Never mind, it’s no big deal either,” Kai replied, smiling so sweetly that his eyes narrowed. “Oh, wait a minute.”

Kai walked over to the row of strawberry plants and picked one of the red fruits, giving it to Kalea. “Try eating this.”

Kalea happily accepted, and ate it right away.

“How does it taste?” Kai asked curiously. Although he was very confident with the results of his plantation that was always good. Kai was very attentive to all the plants from the beginning of processing until harvest time. Failure was rare, because Kai loved what he was doing now.

“Good! Really, really good,” Kalea praised honestly. The sweet and sour flavors mixed together made for a perfect blend. Kalea even imagined many food preparations made from this strawberry fruit.

Kai was of course happy, even though he had known from the beginning that the strawberries he grew would be delicious but somehow when he was praised by Kalea, it felt like he was taken flying. “You can pick as much as you want and bring it home.”

“Eh? Really? I’ll definitely harm you!”

“It’s okay, we can make something after we get home,” Kai said as he walked to the cabbage field again to continue his delayed seed spreading activities. “The basket is in the shed!”

Kalea looked at Kai who became more serious and very focused on his work. She must have interrupted Kai’s work. Kalea also walked towards the building as Kai said, for now it seemed better to pick some strawberries first.

“This is a strawberry lover’s paradise,” Kalea muttered looking at the strawberry garden. She started picking one by one according to the hunch she had. Fifteen minutes passed, and the basket was quickly filled. Kalea looked at the basket, somehow her stomach felt hungry. Her ignorant hands began to pick the fruit and immediately ate it. Without realizing it, Kalea was enjoying her meal so much that the basket was half full.

Kalea spontaneously patted her mouth to stop chewing. “This can’t be because of my baby’s will, right?” Kalea muttered, reflexively stroking her stomach.

Since Kalea did not want to take any more fruit, she resigned herself to the contents of the basket that was only half left. Kalea ran over to Kai and Owen who were busy with their own activities.

“Are you done?” Kai asked.

“Y-yes, sorry, I think I took too much,” Kalea replied, hiding the fruit basket behind her body.

Kai chuckled, not objecting at all. “Didn’t I say you could eat as much as you want?”

“Don’t be so nice, Kai. I’m a stranger ....”

“Lea, Lea. I told you that Kai is the nicest guy on earth, right? Just accept what he gives you,” Owen shook his head at his little friend’s behavior.

“Oh, you have a strawberry stain on the corner of your lip,” Kai said as he demonstrated on his own lips.

“Huh? Here?” asked Kalea as she touched the corner of her right lip.

“No, here.”

“Uh, here?”

“No ...”

Owen watched the two in turn, neither Kai nor Kalea connecting at all. “Why don’t you show her, Kai?”

“Wh-what?!” squealed Kai in surprise with a blush on his cheeks, he looked back at Kalea who was looking at him confused. “E-excuse me, sorry, if I’m being presumptuous....”

Kalea’s body suddenly froze when she felt Kai’s finger that was gently rubbing the corner of her left lip. Her hazel eyes met the man’s emerald ones. Kalea could clearly see Kai’s flushed face.

“Thank you...,” Kalea said after Kai finished and turned his face away from Kalea.

“Yo-you’re welcome,” Kai replied rubbing the back of his neck a little embarrassed.

On the other hand, Owen who saw it could only roll his eyes lazily. He did not want to comment too much and went back to his work.

“Kai, I want to help,” Kalea said enthusiastically when in fact she just wanted to forget about the incident earlier.

“Eh? No need. I can do it with Owen instead. Didn’t you say you just wanted to watch me work?”

“Uh... yeah, I do. But I’m kind of useless here,” Kalea sneered as she pursed her lips.

“Hmm, then how about you make something out of those strawberries?” suggested Kai.

“Oh, that’s a great idea! I want strawberry smoothies!” exclaimed Owen excitedly.

“You want too much, Owen.”

“Envious, huh?”

“Seriously!”

Kalea chuckled softly at the interaction between the two men. “Sure, is there anything else?”

“Eh? You’re seriously going to make it?” asked Owen in surprise.

“Yes, I think I can. So Kai, what do you want?” asked Kalea waiting for Kai to answer with a sweet smile adorning her beautiful face.

Kai was more focused on Kalea’s sweet smile, but his reverie was broken when Owen tapped him on the shoulder quite hard.

“Hey, what do you want? Don’t daydream!”

“Huh? Oh, whatever. Whatever you want, Lea. I don’t want to trouble you.”

“I should have said that,” Kalea snorted. “Then I’ll go back to the house, when I’m done I’ll bring her here.”

“Really? Thank you, you’re so kind!” praised Owen happily.

Kalea smiled slightly and excused herself to go back home. After Kalea left, Owen glanced at his friend who was still looking at the small back of the brunette girl.

“You’re so predictable,” Owen said which made Kai frown, confused.

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“You like her, right?”