CHAPTER THREE

Refuge

"Jaehyun and I can reach an agreement to manage your company while you're gone, but the maximum time you can stay there would be six months. Hindi pwedeng sumobra, even for just a day."

Jimin yawns as the aftereffects of the wine from earlier already sunk into her system. She stretched her limbs habang nakikinig sa payo ng Ate Irene niya with what she has to do with the choice she made, which is to go to that farm.

Why? To find answers, of course—why she inherited everything.

Kahit wala siyang gaanong matandaan sa childhood niya, Jimin remembers that most of the moments she spent with her grandfather, Hyun-seung Jang, had been in that farm, kaya baka doon niya mahahanap ang mga kasagutan.

If not, hindi na niya alam kung saan siya maghahanap—worst is she only has six months to find it.

"Hindi talaga pwedeng isang taon?"

"We can excuse your absence to you training for taking over, and the maximum period would be six months. A little more than that, our relatives will spread fake news that you're incompetent and unfit for the responsibility and—"

"I'll lose everything?"

Napabuntong hininga siya nang tumango si Irene doon. The front door of her penthouse condo unit opens, revealing Jaehyun and Aeri walking inside.

"Babe, how are you?" mabilis na tanong ni Aeri na agad iniwasan si Irene at niyakap si Jimin. 

"We're already bati na, Aeri," natatawang sabi ni Jimin bago yakapin pabalik ang kaibigan niya. "You don't have to pretend that you hate your boss."

"Boss?" Jaehyun asks, at agad namang tumango si Irene habang umiiling si Aeri na dinedeny pa ang lahat.

"You're her… boss? All along?"

"I think she's the one who suggested to let me live with Aeri nung lumipat ako dito," natatawang sabi ni Jimin habang pinaupo na ni Irene si Aeri at si Jaehyun na nagtataka pa rin sa nangyari.

"Kind of why Aeri knew about her hunch, and the first thing she did when we got out of the mansion is to tell Ate about it."

"Ate Irene told me through text na you're going to move to San Juan temporarily," kabadong sabi ni Aeri, and Jimin knows that her best friend is going to try to change her mind.

"…are you really sure about this, Ji?"

"Gusto ko malaman kung bakit binigay niya lahat sa akin," Jimin reasons out, leaning into the couch habang kumuha ng pagkain si Irene for the four of them. "Ate Irene says she's going to talk to you, Jae, about how you're both going to manage the company habang 'di pa ako bumabalik."

"Yeah, we can handle that. Sino nga pala makakasama mo?"

"…uh, I was hoping to do it alone…?"

"What? No." mariin na pagdeny ni Jaehyun sa sinabi nito.

"I can handle myself—"

"You just inherited Jang Hyunseung's whole fortune, like fourteen hours earlier. Hindi natin kilala yung mga taga doon, what if they take advantage of you?"

Natahimik nalang si Jimin—she knew that her life had already changed, but not like this, so fast.

"Ate Irene, fire me." matigas na sabi ni Aeri nang makabalik si Irene mula sa kitchen, causing her to almost drop the tray of food she's bringing over if not for Jaehyun helping her.

"Where's this coming from? Aeri, you're my best employee."

"Samahan ko si Jimin to that place. I can't let her go there alone—"

"Please, you don't like mud and insects. You're not going to survive six months in that place, Aeri." natatawang sabi ni Jaehyun na nauna nang kumuha nung plate na puno ng food.

"I-I can manage! Just in case, how big are the insects?"

"See? They can be as big as a coin. Tsaka luma na din yung wooden house, and you don't like dust."

"Why are you ruining this for me, Jaehyun! Gosh…"

"I can do it alone—"

"I have a friend there," Irene says, picking up her phone and calling someone. "I can get her to take care of you as a favor."

Jimin noticed her weird tone when she said the word friend—

"Hello, Seulgi?"

Ah, Jimin shoots a knowing smile to Jaehyun who grinned at the name. 

Of course, the friend who was an ex from that place.

"…what? Pupunta kang San Lazaro…? I can arrange something for you. Pero what about my request…"

Aeri raises her brow, nagtataka dahil sa tinginan ng magkapatid sa Ate nila. It just takes Jimin mouthing the word "ex" to Aeri for her to understand and smile afterwards.

"…ah, your cousin and her friends can do that? Okay. Yeah, six months lang naman. Thank you, Seul."

Irene dropped the phone to her side, at agad naman niyang sinamaan ng tingin ang tatlo na halatang maloko ang tingin.

"Seul? Really? Don't tell me, pagbalik ni Jimin dito you're already going out again?"

"Jaehyun, it's for business purposes."

"Weh?"

Irene shoots him a look, so Jimin is the next to .

"Pupunta pala siyang San Lazaro? Where is she going to stay, then?"

"Here—wait."

Malakas ang tawanan ng tatlo habang namula na si Irene since she unintentionally spit the arrangement she made for a certain Seulgi Kang to stay here in the city, at alam niyang iinisin siya n