Chapter 50

“Or will you come with me later?”

“Heuk.”

The young man stopped breathing deeply, and it was difficult to tell what he was thinking. Annie approached him and rubbed his back with her hand.

The young man trembled nervously.

‘Sigh. How much have you suffered to react so violently…’

Annie struggled to comfort him.

“Everything happens in human life. If bad things come, good things will come too.”

“…”

“Hey, are you okay?”

“Ah… yes… yes.”

His condition was worse than expected. Annie released her hand, inwardly struggling if she should take this young man to the physician first.

At that moment, one of the other young men, who had been picking strawberries eagerly, approached.

He put a basket of strawberries next to Annie and said with a sympathetic voice.

“Have a good time.”

Pink baskets filled with strawberries surrounded them in the shape of a heart.

‘What the hell is this?’

Annie blinked in suspicion.

When she tried to ask what kind of strawberry it was, the young man returned to his spot as quickly as he had come.

‘What can I do…’

Annie’s expression was very serious.

‘That person’s symptoms were quite severe…’

Everything felt off. Annie decided that she should visit the Imperial Palace and make a suggestion for an investigation into the environment and treatment of foreign workers.

If not, she vowed to send a letter.

Then, in the distance, she heard Carla’s bright voice.

“Snacks! I brought snacks!”

Annie took off her gloves and brushed her hands. However, the young man sitting on the ground did not even budge. Annie stretched her arms to him.

“Hold it.”

Taking off his gloves, he wiped his hands on his untouched side.

He didn’t stop there; he also took out a handkerchief and thoroughly wiped his hands.

Only after the process was finished, did the two hold hands.

At that moment, Annie’s eyes widened. The timid young man’s hands were much bigger and warmer than she thought.

It completely covered her own hands, and the callouses that remained like medals on his fingers were strong.

It felt like the hand of a warrior, which was completely different from the scholarly John. As she looked at him, Annie tilted her head.

A young man with an upright standing posture was familiar for some reason.

“Well, maybe…”

“Miss! Everyone! Come!”

As Carla screamed at her loudly, Annie swallowed her words.

She asked kindly to the young man.

“Shall we go?”

*

When Carla sat in the middle of the mat, she settled next to Annie.

Annie said kindly to the young people that hadn’t sat down yet.

“Please sit down.”

The tall young man, who was writhing at her words, carefully sat next to Annie.

“Are we sitting next to each other again?”

Even with Annie’s question, his gaze did not come off the black mat. The slightly exposed ears are red like a ripe strawberry.

Next, the two young men sat down on a thin cloth mat.

Annie glanced at the young men. Fortunately, there was no sign of tension or unpleasantness.

“There is no problem if you have a bite and take a rest, right?”

“Of course.”

As one of the young men answered happily, Annie tilted her head.

‘Huh? I seem to have heard this voice from somewhere before…’

As he stared at Annie, the young man who turned his head to the other side coughed.

“Cough! Cough, cough, cough!

Just hearing the loud coughs made her feel like she’s going to get a cough.

Annie laughed awkwardly and turned her gaze back to Carla.

Excited, Carla was opening a large picnic basket.

“Tada, look at this!”

They were filled with special sandwiches. A chewy fermented baguette covered with cream cheese, sliced

ham, cheese, and lettuce.

Everyone admired the sandwiches silently. Carla opened the glass bottle and said triumphantly.

“Our Uncle Bat is the pride of the Dsev family!”

Gulp.

The young man who brought Annie a basket of heart-shaped strawberries swallowed. All morning he couldn’t eat anything and worked, so he was bound to get hungry.

Another young man coughed as he looked through the picnic basket.

However, the eyes of the tallest young man did not fall from Annie.

Sweaty forehead, brown hair stuck on top of it, dark crescent moon eyebrows and finely curved purple eyes.

Annie noticed the gaze of course.

‘What’s on my face?’

Annie stared at the young man but didn’t think much. She was already handing out large sandwiches to other young men.

As Annie ate the sandwich, Carla hummed and began to eat it.

But the three young men couldn’t eat at all.

The young men’s hesitation was felt from their lost eyes.

Gulp.

She could hear someone swallowing, but no one bit into their sandwich.

It must be because of the masks they wore.

Annie asked with a smile.

“Why don’t you take off your mask and eat?”

“No, Miss. We…”

The young man, with an impressive and clear tone, glanced at the tall man and ended his words saying it was okay. She was sure to read his mind.

Subsequently, the two young men left, saying they needed a separate break.

Carla, chewing the bread and watching the scene, whispered so softly that only Annie could hear her.

“I guess the tall man is the boss.”

“Yeah. Other people seemed to be a little… wary.”

‘He seemed like a good person.’

“Maybe they’re trying to steal their daily wage once work is over?”

Annie, trying to answer no, shut her lips. What do you know for sure? He may be a habitual offender.

Moreover, seeing the tall young man not stopping the two young men convinced her that there was something hidden.

Annie pledged to herself that she should take care of the two people separately when they return.

Then, as she was looking around, Carla jumped up and picked up something. It was a basket of strawberries that one of the young men gave her.

Carla made a fuss.

“Oh! A heart! What’s this?! Did you confess to my lady?!”

“Cough! Cough!”

“No, no.”

The young man’s shoulders were noticeably hardened. Carla’s expression crumpled at the appearance of Annie and another young man chewing on the bread.

‘Is this guy eyeing our lady?’

Carla glanced up and down the tall man.

He wore a straw hat and a mask, but he exuded a handsome aura.

Even when he was sitting, he had a good physique. However, there was no warmth in Carla’s eyes.

‘Why are you looking at our Lady?’

She remembered a newspaper article she had seen recently.

It was said that handsome men from foreign countries had been stealing the hearts of Porcaus girls.

At first glance, the man was similar to the tyrant, who was very handsome. However, there’s no way that he has lived smoothly with that appearance.

‘I can’t give Lady Annie to such a bad guy!’