Galileo's Moon | KSJ ✅

Chapter 6: Moon

Jin's POV 🌙

"Good morning, Jin. Good to see you!" My uncle smiles as I approach the farmstand where he is overseeing the morning duties.

"Good morning, Uncle! I want to introduce you to my guest. This is Hana," I say, and she politely bows and greets my uncle with a smile that makes my heart race.

"It's nice to meet you, Hana. Welcome! Jin, why don't you take your guest for a tour of the greenhouse nearest to the house? Nobody will bother you there. Be sure you stop up at the farmhouse and say hello to your Auntie as well," he says warmly.

"I promise we will, Uncle. Thank you very much!" I reply. "Let's go check it out," I say to Hana as we walk to the greenhouse farthest away from the stand.

I open the door for Hana, and she enters. Then I hear her sweet voice echo out, "Oooh, wow!"

Inside are rows upon rows of strawberry plants with brilliant red berries peeking out in all directions. The air is quite warm, and a giant fan built into the far back of the greenhouse hums melodically as the giant steel blades whirl, keeping the air moving within the structure. Long, thin tubes hang horizontally over the length of the tables with small nozzles to water the plants, while a table in front holds a stack of shallow rectangular crates awaiting to be packed with ready berries to haul up to the farm stand.

"Pretty cool, huh?" I ask while I watch with delight as Hana studies the contents of the greenhouse.

"It really is." She breathes deeply, closing her eyes while her senses soak up the atmosphere. "It smells so good in here. Fresh. Full of life," she says happily as she practically skips up to a table and leans in to study a plant.

Pulling up beside her, I hear a familiar, soft-clicking sound. "Uncle doesn't use any pesticides. Here, pull one off and try one with me," I invite as I reach my hand out to pull off a berry.

I watch as her delicate hand nears the plant, and then she yelps when a fine mist of water suddenly begins to fall from the tube above. I can't help but start chuckling as we pull our hands away.

"You knew that was going to happen!" she accuses between giggles as she bends over, trying to catch her breath.

"I did -I heard the hose click on," I smile as I pick a berry and let the spray rinse it before handing it to her and then picking one for myself. "Taste," I say softly as I hand it to her.

We both take bites, and I'm delighted to see her eyes flutter closed, "Mmmm!"

"It's so good, right? Uncle makes sure all the berries are grown organically, and he studied Integrated Pest Management, so instead of using chemicals to combat pests, he and his crew take a natural approach. One year, they even released a small number of special spiders to help protect the plants against some invasive bugs that were attacking them. It is really quite something," I share.

"I think that is amazing!" Hana smiles. "Also, don't let my giggles fool you. I will be plotting my revenge on that little water trick, she grins.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," I smile.

She's glorious!

"Why don't we step outside so you can see the fields," I suggest.

When we arrive outside, I take her around the greenhouse, and she doesn't disappoint me as she "oohs" and "awes" over the pretty fields of berries that stretch as far as the eye can see.

"Jinnie!" a voice calls out.

Turning, I see my Auntie standing in the doorway of the farmhouse to our left. "Hi, Auntie!" I call out.