Remember 1999

Chapter 15 - Heart Over Head

"Then squeeze it like this."

The lady instructor said and squeezed the tomatoes using her hands. The juices burst out directly into the basin full of tomatoes.

Son Ye Jin followed what the instructor just did and tried to squeeze a tomato using her right hand. It did not work. So she used both of her hands, defeating the tomato between them. It was not an easy feat though. But she tried one more as about ten kids, who would do it later by themselves, were watching them squeeze the juices.

Thirty minutes ago when they had just finished their breakfast, Gong Yoo announced that he prepared some activity for the day. It was not actually a planned activity but a condition his grandfather gave him. A group of elementary grade-schoolers in the first level were to visit the infamous farm. In exchange for their stay, they have to act as guides and help the personnel on the farm as some of them have left for vacation. It was summer. But of course, Gong Yoo did not tell them exactly like that. He acted enthusiastic and proud of the activity although it earned him sighs and gasps from his guests.

'I should have chosen the vineyard instead,' Ye Jin thought while smiling at the kids, masking her difficulty. She loved tomatoes and the thought of creating her own jam excites her. The others, including Gong Yoo and Han Ye Seul opted to go to the vineyard.

Perspiration formed from Ye Jin's forehead as she struggled with another tomato. She glanced at the instructor's basin again, watching her squeeze the juices easily when suddenly she felt two hands clasped on top of her hands. Propelling her to squeeze more tighter than she could do. Juices now successfully draining out from the tomato.

"Oooohh! The juice is coming out now!" A plump boy, who was at the front of Ye Jin's basin exclaimed happily. And so other kids watched giddily at her.

Ye Jin felt her body freeze on the spot but she managed to turn her head up to see the person behind. It was Hyun Bin, and it scared her a bit that she was not surprised at all. His chest was pressing at her shoulder. His arms were around her as if enveloping her in an embrace. His hands were like her second skin. He was not looking at her. Instead, he was looking all too serious in squeezing the tomatoes on top of her hand, pressing it. As if he was not in a better position to reach, he inched closer. His chin touched her temple, tilting it to the side.

She could smell his manly scent, a familiar smell. Her heart raced rapidly making her breathing unstable. Her eyes swept to the crowd for distraction and caught Gong Yoo's friend carefully watching them. She totally forgot that they were watched. She thought that it could be a reason why Hyun Bin acted intimate. She inhaled deeply and told herself that it was just a show. Somehow that reason made her throat tighter but it made her heartbeat calmer. She focused on squeezing the tomatoes as more children rounded up on her basin.

"Whoah! I think I need someone to help me here too," the instructor teased after seeing the children flock around Ye Jin's side.

"-little boy, do you want to help ahjumma squeeze the tomatoes?" She said to a young boy. The boy delightedly moved to her and mimicked Hyun Bin as he put his tiny hands on top of the instructor and squeezed them. That brought a laugh to the other bystanders.

Ye Jin and Hyun Bin chuckled too. He took a step back and eased up behind Ye Jin. They were surrounded by kids after all and he did not want to appear impudent. He glanced at Ye Jin who was widely smiling and his stare stayed on her face for a long time.

The squeezed tomatoes and their juices were now ready to turn into a tomato jam. The kids hovered over the instructor as she shows them the process. Hyun Bin returned to his basin which was left unattended a while ago and started squeezing his tomatoes. A hand appeared, picked one tomato, and studied it closely to her face.