Whiiiiirrr…
Around the Starlight Research Institute building, there was landscaping. You know, the usual—trees and flowers planted to show off how eco-friendly the place is, like schools or government offices.
Around the research institute building, there were also plenty of trees and flowers. But lately, someone noticed something strange.
The employees didn’t notice it during their daily commutes, but the gardener, who actually takes care of the plants, was shocked every day by how fast they were growing.
“Are they supposed to grow this fast?”
Even though it was only March, the plants around the institute were flaunting lush green leaves as if summer had already arrived. Some flowers that usually bloom in summer were already in full bloom.
It felt like the plants around the institute were being stimulated by something to grow so rapidly. Last year, they only needed maintenance once a month, but now, if they weren’t trimmed every week, they’d grow so much that it didn’t look good.
Even now, the gardener was busy with the lawnmower. The grass was growing fast too. Of course, he didn’t mind much since he got paid double for every call, but he was sure that even with the best fertilizer and optimal conditions, plants shouldn’t grow this fast.
“Boss! Why are these plants growing so fast? This isn’t the jungle!”
The worker voiced his confusion.
“I don’t know! Just hurry up and finish the job! They’re paying us double anyway.”
“That’s true, but it’s still weird…”
Ever since the gate appeared, areas with strange phenomena felt off to ordinary people. Who knew when something weird might happen? Seeing the plants grow so fast, maybe it was some plant-related anomaly?
“The research institute said it’s safe, so let’s just do our job.”
The worker didn’t say anything more and just kept mowing. After all, the pay was good, and the work wasn’t too hard, so there was no reason to complain.
Still, if they could figure out how to make plants grow like this, maybe they could boost the production of crops like rice or fruit. But since he wasn’t a researcher, he could only imagine.
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“Hmm…”
I walked out of the office with a smile. My homework was flawless. I was definitely smart. Even though it was just third-grade elementary school stuff, getting everything right, including memorization subjects, made me want to jump for joy.
The bulletin board in the hallway was filled with stuff about me. The most noticeable spot had my report card, showing I was the top of the class.
I got first place, but it seemed like the office staff were even happier about it. They even framed my report card and put it right in the middle of the bulletin board.
It felt good, like proof that I was doing well in school. I’d never been first in anything before, so even though it was just third grade, the ranking made me really happy.
Maybe that’s why studying felt more fun lately. Since it was third-grade material, I barely had to think. I could just whistle and solve the problems easily.
At this rate, I might actually get into the gifted class. Not that I planned to, though.
As I walked into my room, I had something important to do, so I put on a serious face.
The serious task? Putting up glow-in-the-dark dinosaur stickers.
There were already some dinosaurs on the wall, but not many, and they weren’t the famous ones. I planned to take them off and replace them with the glow-in-the-dark dinosaurs I bought yesterday.
First, I carefully peeled off the existing glow-in-the-dark dinosaurs with delicate hand movements. Luckily, the adhesive wasn’t too strong, so the wallpaper didn’t tear. If it had, I’d have been in trouble, but my skills were top-notch.
After removing all the old dinosaurs, I solemnly took out the new ones I bought yesterday. Each one would shine brightly at night.
One by one, I peeled off the stickers and carefully placed them on the wall. At first, it didn’t go well, but after a few tries, I got the hang of it, and they stuck perfectly. After about 30 minutes of sticking dinosaurs, I finished with a bright smile.
The result was incredibly satisfying. Compared to before, there were more dinosaurs, and they were more diverse.
The glow-in-the-dark dinosaurs were so sleek and well-made that they couldn’t even be compared to the cheap knockoffs from before.
After finishing sticking all the glow-in-the-dark dinosaurs on the wall, I closed the curtains to block out the sunlight and turned off the lights in the room.
“Wow!”
In the dark room, the glow-in-the-dark dinosaurs stuck on the wallpaper each emitted a soft green light. It felt like I was gazing at stars in the sky, and I was mesmerized by the enchanting scene. No amount of money could buy this view right now.
Glow-in-the-dark dinosaurs were truly the best. Who knew such a small amount of money could create such a fantastic scene! Of course, over time, the glow would fade, but that was a problem for future me. This moment was way more important.
I watched a movie with the glow-in-the-dark dinosaurs as my companions. The room, which had been dull just yesterday, now felt vibrant. Though, I might have gone overboard sticking so many on the walls, and Bora and Haru had to peel a few off.
Even I could admit I got carried away and plastered them all over the place.
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“Phew…”
Today, I dressed like a soldier heading to the front lines. Instead of my usual slippers or sneakers, I wore rubber boots, paired with stretchy, flexible pants.
For my top, I threw on a T-shirt that could handle paint or dye stains, and topped it off with a wide-brimmed straw hat.
That’s right—today, I was planning to do some farming in the backyard behind the research institute. I grabbed a trowel and a bucket, then stood at attention in front of the office, waiting.
School assignments were varied. Some only required writing, while others needed physical effort. Of course, my overflowing enthusiasm also played a part in heading to the small plot of land in the backyard. Most assignments could be done with just a small pot, but that wasn’t enough for me.
Even if it wasn’t full-scale farming, I wanted to at least cultivate a garden. I was thinking of a plot at least the size of a small apartment building.
After waiting a few minutes, Bora and Haru came out of the office. They weren’t in their usual sleek office attire or lab coats but dressed casually, like you’d see on the streets. They were carrying various seed packets—cabbage, green onions, perilla leaves, and more. They planned to plant edible crops.
While I wasn’t a huge fan of vegetables, wrap veggies eaten with meat were an exception. Wrap veggies with meat were essential. They were in a league of their own.
“Hana, are you ready?”
Bora and Haru were also wearing straw hats, though I had no idea where they got them.
“Yep!”
I raised my trowel high and dashed to the elevator. Growing vegetables in the backyard—just the thought of it was exciting!
Haru and Bora followed behind me. I giggled as we boarded the elevator.
We got off on the first floor and stepped outside. It was around April, and the air was filled with the scent of spring. I took a deep breath of the refreshing air. The spring breeze was warm yet slightly cool, making it incredibly charming.
“Hana, don’t run too much! You’ll hurt yourself.”
Haru stopped me as I ran around and then picked me up. Now I couldn’t run around, but Haru’s embrace was so warm that I didn’t want to escape.
After a while in Haru’s arms, we arrived at the backyard garden. The garden was already neatly prepared. There was no need for tilling or anything.
Haru explained that the setup was ready for us to start planting right away. The company had cleared out all the gravel, so all we had to do was plant the seeds and grow them.
I hopped out of Haru’s arms and ran to the garden. It was so spacious that calling it a backyard felt like an understatement.
