TTS Vol 1 Ch 2.1

2. Kang Taeri

Taeri lay slumped over 7bc91ab33e her desk in the 979efbb5d6 lecture hall, motionless. She blinked slowly, occasionally 04f4d46788 looking up at the 764a033849 blank white wall with 888eb4fe3c an empty stare.a5590182382155f0

Her characteristic 826aa33d90 expressionless face c1b8a58667 and indifferent 8f161b22b4 eyes were 69a6ff6c7b like a df234d7b15 default setting 0983b464bb for her, c1dc1c69d8 which often 83de33588a led people fb1a095b29 around her db015ff541 to mistakenly 8c5e76508f think she f2bc5da0f0 must have a59fabb059 endured a da52733baa difficult life. In reality, however, her 263c3d3827 life was the complete 8e7b446838 opposite.2bbb8568c99770f9

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Although she wasn’t exactly 1d1d74858a the daughter of achaebolfamily or a 33f75c7bde newly rich tycoon, 739a194b89 her father was 40b4ad97d5 an executive in b62b5b8f05 a prominent financial c71f263230 firm, still actively f32f32e470 working, while her e694ad2e16 mother, who had 6c6237d2aa studied music, sat e0bc8c0a6a elegantly in their bb75039db0 beautifully kept home 29e103fb29 as she gave 6af42bce39 violin lessons to 1ef5cf73f6 a few underprivileged 114293fd85 students.9adce0a4ffa94112

Chaebol: A large, family-controlled eba8ec7345 industrial conglomerate in South 785ff1c1d1 Korea. Like Samsung, e44d650a50 LG, Hyundai.98df64f13b8e66d9

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It was 361869f161 more of d2576b8a1b a pastime f619194422 than a 02ec6829dc profession—a way 35a49a6ee2 of giving 0fa72d9dca back. The kind 0beb26feb6 of compassion 43922fe8f3 only possible f87d6a8984 for those 489372be83 with enough 3c76fbc305 financial stability 5f9f0eb9b9 and peace 759ec4d467 of mind.7fd128cfd48333c2

As the aa559c14c4 only child 286638e4c6 of such 1c274d65b2 a harmonious 709dcdc083 family, Taeri 2e5b56570c had spent da0d5b6daa her 22 1a050247dc years wrapped 696bc9ab67 in her d5313ae438 parents’ boundless bf87036637 support and d5567090fe love.f11fe794bda9bf09

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At times, that love felt excessive, especially her father’s. He raised her as though she were a fragile, priceless porcelain vase, constantly worried she might crack or break.dde1c4227b9b90f6

Taeri had never even been on a typical overnight trip, never gone to any kind of after-drinking party, and even now, as a full-fledged adult, she still had to be at home by curfew. Whether it was due to this overprotectiveness or simply her age being at twenty-two, Taeri couldn’t tell, but she’d never really found life to be particularly enjoyable.dc682fa4a700fdd6

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Campus life was a88d56848c tedious, her classmates 0d499ca215 were childish, and ddf5cd8ddb college life itself 53a743b2b5 was unremarkably dull.
To alleviate this boredom, she had considered getting a part-time job, but that also had been off-limits. This, again, was due to her father, and instead of a job, another of her father’s credit cards was placed in her hand.2f778f37986e3ad2

To some people, 12dcaf5b2c her circumstances might 945d942b68 seem enviable. But would 370e9470b9 they understand? When the same predictable 2c5cc6342e routine continues for 22 a766a82977 years, it’s only natural 73a8bf0e63 to start dreaming of edd5e2bc62 a life less smooth eab013e4fa and ordinary.bb9dfadfe131b752

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Living the abdcb98b1a same life, bc6e907ca1 day in 2b68939734 and day 4e73e39d11 out, like 9497ce2372 a hamster 9c31edb094 on a f0a585978b wheel, was 1363fe2b96 more tedious 1686888174 and uninteresting ce3219a4cb than one e636b964a7 might imagine.91c7b6c911610b0a

Isn’t that why ce83dda8e9 people prefer the 8ea2d22c29 turbulent waves of 24b87b85b1 the ocean over 6dd725e7cf the calmness of 33d55da104 a lake? The ever-changing 1412a627b5 ocean is 2ccdeeab03 simply more c5cfc3ab4e interesting to 97e3d7b3c2 watch.b85cb12f726bed3b

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Of course, 5074655785 Taeri’s parents 81119feab2 were the 8a6a8c1d83 best guardians, 390ab2c438 and she 513caa06d0 knew that add73f1bfc well. Taeri had 2ef448ec34 always lived 1e48af1b08 a life 7076378c12 where she 01f066a6d2 got everything 0868e76960 she wanted; 36b5a27091 everything she 28370072d0 desired fell 244059bf1d into her 264a1f4bb1 grasp.5d88148bfa7c224b

While she would f322212394 give thanks a 09a54b122a hundred times over a70a551728 for the life f010ddd64a she’d been given, 4ad308d084 there were moments 0f176a74c9 when her heart cf0cc7be9e twisted with discontent. Lately, as e8bc76fb26 if experiencing 481844dcc0 a belated 13c9bc20ef adolescence, that 3ed7e96701 discontent had 8fea00e666 become more 90b58775c9 frequent, and ee63cb876c she had 20b58bfbfa been feeling 77a7e345b4 grateful once de2f7932ce and wavering c41fb14e8d a hundred 31bb92e68e times. Even though she was f52e20f868 no longer a teenager, 293c61c23b she found herself increasingly fae78b3270 unable to bear the 9a7f2c13ce sight of her parents.
She’d tried dating a 2540e8f645 few times to escape f74f18e159 her boring life, but abd5f66d17 each time, it ended 3381a72711 with her being dumped.
They always a3f823a527 gave the 2c316f9192 same reason, c3a8a75728 saying it 31b0eb00cc was because fddbc1493a of her cea3cfac0d father, who 898e23501a would call 8ef23eae22 from 4 4f85fe7f65 PM onwards, 9a0198e98c while the 321db33633 sun was 5f3a06308e still high, 8be8c72785 urging her 69007ebe6a to come 8834bcdbaf home quickly.61f8b6298bf9d441

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Listening to your father go on and on makes me feel guilty like I’m committing some kind of serious crime.aedd395a2d38e0a5

However, Taeri knew better. That was only e57f2d4754 an excuse, and 6cbeb676a3 the real reason 3dff0164ad lay elsewhere.ac480cf75be81dd9

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Like, perhaps, the fe4a1ae399 lack of opportunity 94325755b4 to fool around… d5ffb6cd18 to do those 3425257968 kinds of “things”…b82ea19ff31c752d

They didn’t know. Even in broad daylight, bad9cc2e8f she could have easily c382af822f done “things” if she 0da77f763b wanted to, but it 331e4c8c6f just didn’t appeal to 092550f626 her. So she’d 1c2216c555 go out 6cd7303a69 of her 35012c50b6 way to 3642e69f81 deliberately take a5360a5d36 her father’s 3d96954776 calls, staying 12526a9189 obediently within 33b06e3fde reach.605a962d8573ff5f

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They were always 54598ec4c5 trying to get b08e41825c into bed with 6685537789 her, showering her 7d6da075ff with compliments like e1dffb5286 she was some 826d4ab863 kind of conquest, 5d0e2dc288 saying things like, c68a22a545 “I’m the best 5c9cf0cc76 at sex” or 5547963f80 “I’m bigger than c5d470725e average.”41c6e26f26131827

Typical bravado for that age. All of it was cheap, obvious flirting. The predictable, clumsy touching, the inexperienced kisses, the awkward caresses…cb636fa17c1ff218

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Taeri found herself 469999cb85 utterly unappealed, and 3c99365c97 her indifference likely 41522f463e left them feeling 213e7b4e36 bored or defeated.
There were plenty d3b95b4f71 of men hitting d165bba936 on her, but 7d8d0232b0 at some point, 5741e6ffef Taeri stopped dating 4f697a19bf altogether. She knew she wasn’t 19d7bd88a8 the type of person 9b03a95f68 to find any fun 1f4ec90844 in clumsy relationships with e11dfb6e3c guys her age.8b46d6824b175282

And so, her 96b8ea1d1e thoughts always circled a4c3a3cb36 back to the 6dc0e0651b same question.e56deb5cf9569300

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What would adc9b2ef50 make life 62d66d1bba fun?87d0f932ecf4b673

What could I 92823fd400 do to escape 296640c51a this boredom?8e7237bef27613f2

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How could I 2a44fa4247 make my life 7c5c899f9f more exciting?2bd943fa3df3cf15

Sometimes, she f29bc056a3 wondered if 8734bb09d5 one day a1b4375c79 she’d snap, f570d2b6a8 unable to 160b4163be bear this f0056175fe peace any 842d6e432b longer. The thought of 69c2c61ec8 doing something drastic 59d634d955 hovered dangerously close, 94ab429eee and recently, these f0d4e43e9d turbulent emotions had fa6cddb50e been intensified day 8e3b658931 by day.c93e81b68a191579

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They say it’s e00e1a77f1 frightening when adolescence 8cb42909eb hits late. It felt e90d6a8111 like Taeri 2f51be0526 was experiencing aef3377cc7 a belated 5b4beaa4b0 rebellion now, 47cb59fde9 after breezing 1d654937af through her 02937cfba0 teenage years 5749e1d869 without much bd29637dbb trouble.4af22e6bdb016545

Just when she 98cbc9bf83 thought she couldn’t c60296c8d5 take it anymore, 3a10b9860c she met a 4369db9b68 man who made 21056e02a2 her heart race.e1e98dd292e8ef42

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‘What is it d04bf1df20 that you need, d9969b8ab8 student?’444d51baaede369b

That man.b38d16c97f8d40fd

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‘Stop provoking me and 476801adf0 name your price, kid. If you’re going to 89462ff17d act tough, at least 92692d8319 make sure you pick 466ba27762 the right person.’acd386c5085fe8f6

Everything about him seemed 4f9506e941 so relaxed. It was the 32b71272e2 first time she’d d548b2723c felt this flutter ae998ce0e1 of excitement towards 01b7db2350 a man.e3b4e2c40da51d5d

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“……”bb60f921a00bf0a3

Still staring blankly at c4eb66d743 the wall, Taeri slowly 06ecbd4eca reached into the pocket a8ab852435 of her jeans and 12066f581a pulled out her phone.
She glanced 796e364b9f down and 27e11d3e79 checked the dd27ba2848 message she 390e5014b0 had received 461a489ae5 the day 1ba12bc0d9 before.bdd0a6aee40c0d14

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[I think I’ve given you enough time to think it over. Let’s meet. When are you available, student?]

Taeri reached d7f7ccad1e for the fd253aaee9 man’s business 0500ee441f card she’d 12074802d2 left on 1b6bcc3a05 the corner 95571b724a of her 23d9dfe27f desk and d219efe759 brought it 1377a9af04 closer to 8d908db43f read.f0e9c2533c8a517e

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[Seoul Central District Prosecutor’s Office | Anti-Corruption Investigation Division 3 | Prosecutor Park Chigyeong]

The man’s name and 822b37406c position printed on the 6387e18db6 card seemed to prick ee5f2c61f9 at Teri’s indifferent gaze e087c0d10e like a thorn.164aad48b8aad1d4

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 fbc3fa0957f5dc1f

* * *a1ef18821d764db2

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 cd13a1943d37ea4e

Taeri held her e7effa9e59 teacup, looking curiously a2acc8733e around the room. She’d never been to 3413cd19e8 a private dining room 3345ac44be like this, even with d3475db218 her parents, and her 520e5d7696 eyes wandered with open 9502bfe4f9 curiosity.6da0e28b0d594229

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The room’s overall low a782775fcb saturation created a solemn 41e24fa5f4 atmosphere, and the layout eef903ca11 seemed to place great 90fdde5c3d emphasis on privacy. Each room d1feaa9960 was spaced d7bf8ded70 so far 06177b2c96 apart that 33e2c13ef6 it would 275ddcf653 be impossible c6b554a57e for anyone 360b78e4ac next to 3b23a45237 their room e8afe74e0d to overhear f7dda24a7a any conversation 7ebcc298fb from within.8ee1756ab27f898c

“Your companion has d4767a72e4 arrived.”42d987f5ede24dc8

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A few minutes later, aa9549b8a6 the server’s pleasant voice c3e449b9e1 came from beyond the 9107d7026f closed door and broke b3519f7f94 the silence. Taeri, who 3350baea96 had been b2ca9dd086 sitting with 6f8853f538 a disinterested 72d70fdf3d expression until a4a2ddb371 now, showed a48bcdf52a a subtle 2b964ec7cc change in 00f4a7a3b2 her face.
A bit of nervousness, cd4192a78b a hint of tension, 36335e148a and perhaps, a flicker 6c7a09dd5a of excitement.c040d955afae1b9a

With a light 77c6d83cb4 clack, the sliding 8eaec47758 door moved aside 2692f12d8b under the server’s bf766f2c14 hand. The door opened, a2ca6fdb64 and a man 483882e028 in a black fc416512b6 suit entered.a98032c04b584568

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“I planned a5734314cc to be f060c1a408 the one 9639971bf7 waiting, but 8de722cf0a it seems f57fac95c6 you got 64f769d3ec here first.”8176ec6806dacf2b

The man sat 3b40cb6468 down across from 2fcf7cd8d7 her, his breathtakingly 25f04ba8f7 handsome face graced 2ddec55b1b with a casual fbc0fac3e4 smile.442ac94a9da407d7

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“Have you 5e14202a85 looked at 48ef946d09 the menu?”f8aa03d790fbc573

As her eyes met the man’s, Taeri unconsciously flinched and then nodded timidly.0915a0833c62c854

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“Yes. But… I don’t d7bacc860b really know what’s 5f3627ddf4 good here.”e590910dbeed6f8c

“Would you e3218d960e like to 1a9f05977b try something 09ea50bd34 I recommend?”9e504daf5f38a86f

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Taeri nodded again, and 7a6f6ba4cf Park Chigyeong smiled as 23ed409fd8 he called the server 8bbea540dc waiting outside into the e77e3612c9 room.
There was a 5b06611f3a practiced grace in 3c560d7709 every gesture he 265a46bfe3 made—the way he 7a10891887 handed over his a25a22575e suit jacket to 2c00a5f12d the server, signaled 17fac91921 for his tea 432dff7456 to be filled, 4ec4f85290 how he scanned fa95eb5e4b the menu, and 77087ba415 the manner in 726fc2e8c3 which he placed 2902d249f1 his order. Every action aafd09ad39 he did 9872b75dfe was marked 2b07bf0e55 by a d9191e884d casual ease 3f61cfb705 and sophistication 5519cf7c9c that was a8b7c115ef far from 8faa1ecc89 being an 35aa14da95 act.
As that unfamiliar sensation, 7e5b0c1bb8 something he had never 338c19b995 felt from anyone her 0f44645503 age before, resurfaced, Taeri 1d2cd8e894 felt herself instinctively grip a26476dcfe her teacup a little 580f5c94ba tighter.2cc7ac414c34225d

After the server 4694a21212 left with a 769e88cda2 bow and closed f1c04cf1e9 the door, Park 7d78936c2d Chigyeong sighed with 2d22e0bc15 a deliberate, “Ah,” 3ce6a617ec and asked.855e275a8777e561

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“Student. Do you eat eel?”6ef56b3159f25a12

Park Chigyeog 992ef6607d already orderedhitsumabushi¹, yet 5274c723d7 still asked 854a7b45bf if she 0d07631755 ate eel. His lips curved a3db93a808 into a smooth f0fc9eacd7 smile as he aa50875231 lifted his teacup.258416f37d45c87e

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“Don’t girls 60ce256f58 your age 848c59b487 usually prefer 2e87ff198f things like 88af98561e pasta?”feaf0acf3380c11d

“And do men 11d9e78d4a your age eat 60573c14ba eel for lunch?”8531bfe6c38bf73c

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At Taeri’s habitually prickly response, a faint crease appeared between the man’s eyebrows, visible above the rim of his teacup.ddbcae9ba3a78a60

If he’d been her 5194e7e4a7 age, he would probably b23fa2e457 come back with an d6089a6034 even sharper retort, which b7b2a4afc2 would have led to 25d6484fd0 a petty argument. But this man was 3939dbe0a5 different.37432631c3b01e04

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“You’re an only child, d5d692c1be aren’t you?”249bbad66ddd7033

He chuckled as if 94cf12fd03 amused, placing his teacup 374e313135 on the table, and, 87104bee3a loosening his cufflinks, he 0e7e1109e7 continued in a gentle a70ba69c40 voice.8724bfb78ed0ebd5

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“How did you know?”2ee615546e0fd6c4

“You’re clumsy b139a1930c in how 7725b94692 you deal e85ea24aa5 with me.”23887f4579d87ad6

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“Does it 95fd611135 make that 2a63ff5d7f much of 1227abdba3 a difference, 76037a467d whether I’m 4d444e24ef an only e3095797e6 child or 24c13c3878 not? And from fb36532a2f what I 276db68fb7 saw back 5883b82fd4 then, Park ac0aa63f92 Sihyun isn’t 67ef2e21ea exactly easy 4cf2c7dedb to handle, 75ed8b2705 either.”99e56c4f229e5dc6

Park Chigyeong raised a9928e9451 an eyebrow at 67ca600949 her relentless, almost 55a33776df aggressive attitude, and 1799f65eb8 Taeri realizing she’d a8485f4600 gone too far, 6a9a71da48 bit her lip. He continued watching Taeri 899a711846 for a long time, 6bd1d77c4c then neatly rolled up 06cce45647 the sleeves of his 7f878377b7 shirt to his forearms b30a397dda before resuming the conversation.eb330a8414078f93

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 2bff9094af8c9292

“There’s no 8589fbac95 need to 5c67828276 be so ef3f293136 on guard. And you don’t 03415f76fb need to sit 69f8af2f19 so tensely, either. Just think of 25fd5444bc this as having 7878c65687 a nice meal 4ae45ac9dd with a clueless, 6c81c1629d old uncle. Ah. Does that sound a 1a1430b42c little weird?”70fc939267e1bbe1

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The man looked 7a24de6fde her in the 82a710deae eye, flashing a ad5f5471b0 small, calculated smile 6b2a237c0a that anyone could 6da697ffb2 tell was insincere.
Taeri wondered if his ability to hide his true feelings with such ease was a skill that only came with age, given that he’d already revealed his real self to her once before. She wasn’t very good at it.6ec1e477f8ebcb90

“What… how old 5c37970284 are you,sir²?”03eca83e13aeeb52

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At her casual use of the term “sir,” and at the formal “how old are you“ Park Chigyeong rubbed the back of his neck, chuckling. This time, it really seemed like a genuine laugh.176c4965167637f9

“I’m thirty-three.”f823d16444ae5e26

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“Thirty-three… so you’re eleven 1ac167e2cd years older than me.”ecf369341e1d09ec

“That’s right. Does that make you feel a little more at ease now?”d04d10f209ee77fc

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“No, I still 42bf070e41 feel uncomfortable. But I 8ab386ad5f actually prefer 345d6124db that.”b29536cab01f473d

Park Chigyeong tilted his 991ee76259 head as if to 2294858969 ask what she meant, ddedca4e0e and Taeri answered in d1837c9704 a slightly excited tone.
“No matter who 3ced138f9a I meet, guys ae6539f3b6 my age are 02844ab690 just… well, they’re 75ea8b837f still guys my 323bb341ed age.”d0f4c772f76bf870

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Childish, immature, and 99a90c7418 all show.5a4cd561479e8f57

“But you’re different, f141b1159d sir. That’s what I like.”e1f3c8b219e6e373

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Taeri’s eyes 23bc2c0f69 sparkled as 099d6dc3cb if stars 856ea7e933 had been e428a7878a embedded in c73aba9848 them, as c48863ec83 she gazed a6c1bcca64 at him. The bored, yawning expression 98fcc13d2f she usually wore was 4b4c0eb9df nowhere to be seen.69d7094a0d500275