Solo Farming In The Tower Chapter 3: Sprouting

Crunch.

A satisfying snap echoed as the scallion leaf was severed, much simpler than anticipated. The feel was quite nice too.

Ahh.

Upon biting into the scallion, a fiery flavor burst across his tongue. Warmth flooded his body from the heat. His skin tingled as perspiration streamed down like a downpour.

Swallowing his saliva.

Sejun mopped the sweat trickling down and kept munching on the scallion. Yet, the anticipated sweet aftertaste failed to arrive.

‘I figured the sweetness would intensify since the spice ramped up…’

Apparently, the flavor had shifted completely to spicy.

Gulp.

As he gulped down the scallion, the burning sensation vanished entirely. Luckily, it settled well in his gut.

‘These scallions will hit the spot when I want something hot.’

Crunch.

Sejun went on devouring the purely spicy scallions. Right now, quelling his hunger took priority.

Thus, Sejun managed to consume roughly a foot of scallions, all while sweat poured off him. Oddly, the heavier he sweated, the more his body seemed to lighten.

Crunch. Crunch.

With his belly stuffed full of scallions, Sejun ruthlessly snapped the shade-providing scallions at his location. It wasn't out of frustration over the total lack of sweetness.

‘Alright… maybe it's not a total loss. I did hold out some hope.’

He arranged the snapped scallions in a sunlit area. He'd begun today's tasks a bit later due to the scallions, but that was fine. His chores involved…

Drip, drip, drip.

A quick sprinkle on the plants and

“……”

Gazing vacantly at the ceiling gap.

At least, something new had shown up to ease his tedium.

While he idly watched the ceiling, the scallions had shot up noticeably in that time.

“Do scallions normally sprout this quickly?”

He even pulled out his smartphone to verify if it was mere fancy. The scallions extended by about 10cm each hour. A staggering speed. Lacking any farming background, Sejun deemed it unbelievable.

“Perhaps it's the tower's influence?”

No other explanation fit. These were ordinary market-bought scallions. If the seeds were truly such rapid growers, they'd be dubbed golden scallions.

“Yet these aren't progressing at all.”

Sejun eyed the areas with planted cherry tomatoes and sweet potatoes beside the scallions. Should the soil fuel the scallions' amazing growth, other crops ought to thrive similarly.

Still, the earth showed no alteration.

“Does this dirt only favor scallions?”

Suspicion rising, he examined it nearer.

“Huh?!”

Looking closer, the sweet potato soil stayed unchanged, but the cherry tomato patch appeared mildly raised. Sejun dropped to the ground and peered closely at the elevated dirt.

“Ah!”

There it came!

(…i…)

A vibrant green shoot topped with a glossy yellow tip timidly poked out from the soil, unveiling itself.

“One, two, three…”

In all, 52 sprouts appeared. Sejun gazed at the cherry tomato sprouts for quite a spell.

“Hehehe. Adorable little things.”

Simply viewing the plants he'd nurtured flourish filled him with pride. It sparked a deep sense of achievement.

*****

Beep-beep. Beep-beep.

[May 15th, 6:00 am]

Sejun greeted the dawn of the sixth day. The previous day, he'd passed the hours merely observing the cherry tomato sprouts. Though they didn't surge like the scallions, witnessing their gradual progress warmed him inside, sating him without a bite.

“Ha!”

Sejun rose effortlessly from his spot. Of late, his frame had grown lighter daily. Initially, he'd chalked it up to eased exhaustion from his old job, but lately, he suspected otherwise.

“Let's check. Have our sprouts advanced much?”

Upon rising, Sejun dashed to the cherry tomato sprouts, skipping his morning rinse or meal. He eagerly wondered about their overnight growth.

“Oh!”

(…”…)

The sprout tips, those pale green-yellow caps, had begun to part slightly. Yet, a looming shade shrouded them. The scallions had regrown to Sejun's stature, cutting off the vital sunlight for the cherry tomato sprouts.

Crunch. Crunch.

Sejun heartlessly tore away the scallion leaves.

“Phew.”

Having cleared all the scallions, Sejun rushed to the pond.

Splash! Splash!

He swiftly washed his face and

Gulp. Gulp. Gulp.

refilled his water bottle and plastic jug with pond water to moisten the soil near the cherry tomato sprouts, plus the scallion and sweet potato patches.

“I don't dislike you guys, really.”

He lavished extra water on the scallions especially.

Once watering ended,

Gurgle.

His belly rumbled demandingly, as if rejecting free effort.

“Breakfast time.”

Sejun popped a freshly snapped scallion into his mouth.

Crunch. Crunch.

Having stuck to scallion leaves alone the day before, bypassing sweet potatoes and cherry tomatoes, he figured it sufficed for hunger.

No hollowness in his stomach, no energy dip. It almost seemed like carbs were getting processed somehow.

Moreover, supply abounded. Expanding roughly 180 cm daily, the excess was overwhelming to manage.

‘Time to dry and stockpile them for sure.’

Given the thriving leeks, a halt in growth seemed improbable, yet Sejun opted to brace for surprises.

Life's twists are unforeseeable. Who could've foreseen him marooned in this mysterious spot?

He resolved to sow the leftover cherry tomatoes and sweet potatoes for future sustenance.

Thud. Thud.

Sejun dug holes in the earth and embedded the cherry tomatoes and sweet potatoes.

Next,

Trickle, trickle.

“Thrive big and sturdy.”

He showered them generously with water, adding cheers, then settled on his favored flat stone bathed in sunlight. Accomplishing real work brought fulfillment.

“Lovely sky today.”

The azure heavens stretched clear and lovely. The mind was whimsical, he mused. Yesterday's oppression had lifted; now the view soothed him.

Notably, he'd spent days sky-gazing.

“Back at the office, I never stared at the sky for days… This is the good life.”

But that sentiment faded fast.

“Something's off. A coffee would perfect this…”

He yearned for a double-shot iced Americano. Urban comforts tugged at him.

As Sejun sky-watched, lost in city memories,

Beep. Beep.

An alert pinged: his smartphone battery dipped under 20%. He'd dimmed the screen and checked sparingly, yet drain persisted.

“This'll recharge it temporarily.”

Sejun fired up his laptop and hit the power. A low-power smartphone that timed his wake-ups and rests proved handier than the laptop.

Blink.

The laptop display glowed, revealing an open Excel sheet of unfinished work. It was a client quote he'd started at the firm, planning to wrap up at home.

Click.

Sejun shut the Excel promptly, sans saving. Though days of effort, regret didn't stir. Anyway, timing had passed.

“Others will handle it now.”

Pity for his successor crept in, but helplessness ruled.

Sejun linked his phone to the laptop for charging and activated the laptop's power-saving mode.

During the charge, he turned to the cherry tomato sprouts.

Repeated views still cheered him.

While observing them awhile,

Drip. Drip. Drip.

Droplets fell from overhead.

“Rain? Really?”

Sejun doubted it even as he asked. Save for select levels, the tower boasted perpetual fine weather.

‘A monster perhaps?!’

Chills ran through him at visions of a beast leering down hungrily. Sejun snapped his gaze upward.

Yet,

“Huh?!”

Through the ceiling breach peeked a tiny white rabbit, salivating as it peered below.

‘Is this a beast too?’

Sejun pondered if the nearby rabbit was a savage type when abruptly,

Squeak!

The rabbit locked eyes with Sejun, emitted an endearing squeal, and leaped from the opening.

Boing.

“Uh?!”

Danger!

Instinctively, Sejun extended a hand toward the plummeting rabbit, uncertain of its nature.

But the rabbit steered its descent with lengthy ears, dodged his grasp, bounded off his shoulder with both paws, and touched down safely.

“……”

His arm hung awkwardly in mid-air, mortifying.

Then,

Squeak.

The rabbit tiptoed nearer on hind legs, quivering as it gestured at a scallion. Bipedal motion marked it as no common bunny.

“This edible for you?”

Squeak!

The rabbit bobbed its head affirmatively. Desperation gleamed in its eyes, begging consent.

“Take it.”

Snap.

Sejun snapped a full scallion leaf and offered it.

Squeak!

Crunch. Crunch.

The rabbit dove into the proffered leaf without pause.

Snap. Snap.

As the rabbit munched, Sejun snapped more leaves. He aimed to clear them entirely.

Henceforth, Sejun intended to trim scallions at 6 am and 2 pm, allowing cherry tomato seedlings sunlight.

Crunch. Crunch.

The rabbit devoured the scallion voraciously. To date, it'd consumed about two finger-widths.

Sejun observed the rabbit, then glanced at the cherry tomatoes.

“Uh?!”

(…’ ‘…)

The cherry tomato sprout tips were unfurling steadily. Leaves would emerge shortly.

How much time elapsed?

Gurgle.

A sated rabbit's snores sounded nearby. Full belly induced drowsiness, its gentle puffs endearingly cute.

Just then,

Squeak?

Sensing Sejun's stare, the rabbit jolted awake.

Shake.

It shook off slumber with a head toss.

And,

Squeak!

It bounded with vigor.

Flick.

Grasping a scallion in one paw, the rabbit scaled back to the hole effortlessly.

Squeak.

Ere departing, it dipped its head in thanks to Sejun.

‘Eat and bolt, huh.’

Though rude, Sejun bid farewell with a wave. The fleeting visit had been enjoyable.

As Sejun waved, the rabbit vanished.

“……”

Though brief, loneliness lingered.

Shaking off the void, Sejun refocused on the cherry tomato seedlings.

Meanwhile, they'd mustered energy to expand their leaves further.

“Keep growing, everyone.”

Shortly after,

(…Y…)

As if aware of Sejun's watch, the cherry tomato seedlings parted one by one, displaying two vivid green leaves apiece. The emergence of those tender, lively leaves was truly magical.

Beep. Beep.

[May 15th, 10 PM]

The nightly alarm chimed.

Yet sleep evaded him that night. He yearned to monitor the seedlings' growth till slumber claimed him.

“…!”

Splat. Splat.

Sejun stirred from light taps on his cheek.

“Huh? What's this?”

Eyes opening, he saw yesterday's fleeing rabbit pawing his face awake.

“Mm, what hour?”

Sejun checked his phone.

[May 16th, 5 AM]

An hour shy of his routine rise.

“And your getup?”

The rabbit sported a straw hat with ear slits and clutched a watering can.

That instant,

Squeak.

Another rabbit voice echoed.

“Huh?”

Sejun turned toward it, spotting a slimmer rabbit in an apron.

Then,

Nod.

The rabbit meeting Sejun's eyes bowed courteously.

“What's happening?”

Day 7 stranded. Sejun roused earlier than usual, and a rabbit pair had entered the cavern.