⁝ geum estate.

@✿ choi sunyoung [h] becoming a duke at a young age honed geum hangyeol to be a little bit more precise in remembering family names. as the young lady from the prominent family introduced himself, hangyeol immediately remembered the well-known iron-fist duke choi from the choi-ansan lineage. he instinctively straightened his posture, making sure to assume a demeanor that was both respectful and effortlessly relaxed. he wouldn't want to make the lady feel burdened, right?

duke choi was all the rave in hanseong the moment he arrived, making a big impression on hangyeol. after all, there were soaring tales of his resolute leadership that successfully steered away the choi family from its former shadows of corruption. hangyeol couldn't shake away the sense of camaraderie, with him sharing the same affinity of the burden of becoming a duke responsible for thousands of lives at a young age.

and as he stood before the other's younger sister, geum hangyeol couldn't help but marvel that not only did the choi family boast headstrong characters as part of their family but it seemed like their remarkable visuals and ethereal beauty was perfectly in line with their renowned tenacity and elegance.

lady choi, in particular, embodied a captivating elegance with effortless grace, her poise perfectly unwavering amidst the sweltering heat of the weather.

"it is my pleasure to meet you, lady choi," he bows his head in greeting, a wide smile adorning his lips. soon later, he realizes the discomfort that seems to have rested on her features. "oh," he looks around his garden and finds nothing amiss. if anything the garden he was sure that the place had never looked this beautiful since the last he tended to it.

blinking in confusion, hangyeol reached downwards to dust his hands off on his shirt and so imagine his surprise when he touches nothing but his skin. flustered, "ah!" he mutters in embarrassment and he turned around, completely dumbfounded at how he forgot he was not properly dressed to greet a visitor. "my apologies, lady choi. i momentarily forgot my state of undress." he hurriedly jogs away to get dressed. "please stay, i shall call for a parasol for you and i will be dressed in a moment."

realizing how rude it would be to just leave her there, he walked back and faced the young lady and bowed his head, "if i can do anything to make up for this embarrassment," hangyeol lifted his gaze back up, his expression exuding a calm demeanor but his cheeks down his neck were completely in a hue of pink and red in embarrassment. "i will be back to hear a wish from you." and with that, he walks away briefly to get dressed just as one of the servants prepared the parasol over the young lady.

@✿ geum hangyeol sunyoung stood at the edge of the garden, her gaze drawn to the figure of the duke of seongnam, geum hangyeol, who was shirtless as he worked among the plants. she felt a flush creep up her neck and into her cheeks, a mixture of embarrassment and fascination.

she had not expected to find him in such a state of undress, and she struggled to maintain her composure. clearing , she stepped forward, her voice slightly shaky as she spoke.

“forgive my intrusion, your grace,” she began, her eyes downcast. she felt her face grow even hotter, and she stammered in her introduction. “i-I am sunyoung, choi sunyoung, here to pay my respects on behalf of the choi family.” she couldn’t help but steal a glance at his sculpted chest, quickly looking away in attempt to not be caught in doing such.

instead, her mind drifted back to her own childhood and garden on her family’s land. she remembered the warmth of the sun on her skin in the summertime, the way the light danced through the leaves of the trees, casting dappled shadows on the ground. but along those memories came others, less pleasant. she remembered the stingers of the mosquitoes, buzzing around her ears and leaving itchy welts on her skin. she remembered the heat of the sun becoming oppressive, driving her indoors to seek refuge in the coolness of the sheltered home.

despite those discomforts, sunyoung had always found solace in her family’s garden. it was a place of refuge and peace, a place where she could escape the pressures of her duties and simply be herself. perhaps that’s what she thought the duke was doing here too, tending to his own garden without the concerns of duties and only concerned with being himself (literally and metaphorically).

as she stood in the garden and fidgeted with her fingers, sunyoung couldn’t shake the feeling of awkwardness that hung in the air. she stole a glance at hangyeol, who seemed focused back at her, his expression unreadable. “your grace,” she began tentatively, “if this is a bad time, I can come back later. I don’t want to intrude on your –” being shirtless. half-. “tending to your garden.” she felt a flush of embarrassment creep up her neck. perhaps she had overstepped her bounds by coming unannounced.

@✿ choi sunyoung as a young child, hangyeol has always remembered being so enthralled by the intricacies of the gardens in their home back in seongnam. he reminisced about the beautifully manicured trees and plants that his grandmother meticulously groomed and nurtured.

despite how his brother, hanbyeol, would prefer the company of others and frolic away with wooden swords and riding horses, hangyeol showed interest in the luscious gardens that seemed to have an after-effect of relaxation in his mind. he spent his time shadowing his grandmother's every move, something that hangyeol still harbors as a beautiful memory to this day.

hangyeol has learned that in the embrace of a private eden, he would find his sanctuary, where he can lose himself in nature's splendor, stripping his mind of the burdens that came along with growing older. he would remember vividly the wise words of advice of his beautiful grandmother, and he'd crack a smile as he snips away at his sanctuary.

"when you find yourself plagued by thoughts of darkness and the gloom of despair, seek refuge in the gardens. the flora will never betray."

lost in his thoughts, he has failed to recognize the reminders of his attendants. nodding and letting them know he'd manage, he has let them go to tend to other matters in the estate. it was one day of rest for the duke of seongnam, and hangyeol was keen to spend it in the comforting solace of his garden.

nodding at his creation, he stood up from being crouched down and he almost wanted to shower his own trimmed masterpiece with some applause. hangyeol felt the satisfaction replace the dripping sweat from his head down to his body and the heat that relentlessly poured from everywhere.

a soft excuse me broke his reverie, and he turned around to face a lady standing flushed just a few steps away from the garden.

"could you tell me where I might find the duke? I am here to pay my respects on behalf of the choi family."

he stood there, his brows furrowed in a momentary confusion, caught off guard by the sudden visitor as was as he wasn't expecting anyone to visit the estate. hangyeol approached closer and placed his tools down on the nearby table, a mere few meters from the lady. "i am the duke of seongnam. geum hangyeol." he speaks, his tone carrying warmth and courtesy. "and forgive my ignorance, my lady. but you are?" he inquired, completely oblivious to the fact that he was standing stark from the waist up.

@✿ choi sunyoung as a young child, hangyeol has always remembered being so enthralled by the intricacies of the gardens in their home back in seongnam. he reminisced about the beautifully manicured trees and plants that his grandmother meticulously groomed and nurtured.

despite how his brother, hanbyeol, would prefer the company of others and frolic away with wooden swords and riding horses, hangyeol showed interest in the luscious gardens that seemed to have an after-effect of relaxation in his mind. he spent his time shadowing his grandmother's every move, something that hangyeol still harbors as a beautiful memory to this day.

hangyeol has learned that in the embrace of a private eden, he would find his sanctuary, where he can lose himself in nature's splendor, stripping his mind of the burdens that came along with growing older. he would remember vividly the wise words of advice of his beautiful grandmother, and he'd crack a smile as he snips away at his sanctuary.

"when you find yourself plagued by thoughts of darkness and the gloom of despair, seek refuge in the gardens. the flora will never betray."

lost in his thoughts, he has failed to recognize the reminders of his attendants. nodding and letting them know he'd manage, he has let them go to tend to other matters in the estate. it was one day of rest for the duke of seongnam, and hangyeol was keen to spend it in the comforting solace of his garden.

nodding at his creation, he stood up from being crouched down and he almost wanted to shower his own trimmed masterpiece with some applause. hangyeol felt the satisfaction replace the dripping sweat from his head down to his body and the heat that relentlessly poured from everywhere.

a soft excuse me broke his reverie, and he turned around to face a lady standing flushed just a few steps away from the garden.

"could you tell me where I might find the duke? I am here to pay my respects on behalf of the choi family."

he stood there, his brows furrowed in a momentary confusion, caught off guard by the sudden visitor as was as he wasn't expecting anyone to visit the estate. hangyeol approached closer and placed his tools down on the nearby table, a mere a few meters from the lady. "i am the duke of seongnam. geum hangyeol." he speaks, his tone carrying warmth and courtesy. "and forgive my ignorance, my lady. but you are?" he inquired, completely oblivious to the fact that he was standing stark from the waist up.

@✿ geum hangyeol sunyoung, the marchioness of the choi family, embarked on her journey to the geum estate, a task entrusted to her by her brother. the streets of the capital were alive with activity, merchants calling out their wares, and people going about their daily lives. sunyoung's carriage moved slowly through the crowded streets, the rhythmic sound of the horses' hooves providing a soothing backdrop to her thoughts.

as she traveled, her mind wandered to her brother, who had been called away on urgent business, leaving her to represent the family in their absence. It was a role she had grown accustomed to, but today's visit was different. she was to pay respects and greet the duke from seongnam, a task that filled her with both excitement and apprehension.

upon arriving at the geum estate, sunyoung was struck by its grandeur. the main entrance was adorned with intricate carvings, and the gardens were meticulously manicured. she stepped out of her carriage and was greeted by the estate's staff, who guided her through the gardens towards the main hall.

as she walked, sunyoung couldn't help but admire the beauty of her surroundings. the gardens were filled with a colorful array of flowers, their sweet fragrance filling the air. sunlight filtered through the trees, casting dappled shadows on the path.

however, as she passed by one particularly lush garden, sunyoung caught sight of a man tending to the flowers. to her surprise, his upper half was completely bare, his muscles glistening with sweat in the sunlight. flustered and taken aback, sunyoung quickly averted her gaze, feeling a blush creeping up her cheeks.

clearing , sunyoung approached the man, her voice slightly shaky. "excuse me," she began, "could you tell me where I might find the duke? I am here to pay my respects on behalf of the choi family."