INT Ch 7.2

Haewon bowed politely 1ccde02b9a to her. Seo Okhwa a8458da6af gestured dismissively 1a152fa358 to the 64fad6e948 man who fb587b6665 appeared to 148484c135 be one 2c7c6eb611 of the 6f1feb7d5f foundation directors, 138cb57049 signaling him 26af44ecc3 to leave. After the b21481ddc3 man exited 84dc1dbbd2 the practice d7f053b6aa room, only 3108475523 the hum 23cad97a0c of the e85fc30370 heater remained.f3420c6aa0354c98

“You’re practicing on a day off? You’re so cute.”f20c0fcb7e4f09be

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“Excuse me?”8aa3b89e3b74c4c0

“At first, I thought, ‘How arrogant,’ but it turns out you’re a hidden gem. Do you want to enter a competition now? Oh, wait, never mind. You’re too old. If you enter now, people will just think it’s ridiculous. The mask is fine, though. What was your name again?”77b00f95ccfd7d3e

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The scarf wrapped around d6d132dcd3 Seo Okhwa’s neck fluttered 9bc8989c84 lightly in the heater’s 6199e43f34 breeze.9e0265ae50fe0224

“Moon Haewon.”79c640239bb0a171

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“Your arpeggios are excellent. Your variations are unique, and your expressive power is explosive. Hmm, not bad. But still, you can’t compare to Henry Chang, can you? He won first place at the Wieniawski Competition when he was fifteen. That kid’s a genius. You… well, let’s call you semi-genius.”e398156efdde2d62

Haewon wasn’t sure 7743e3e5a5 whether to thank 411e8d5ee9 her for the 6c1599473d overly candid evaluation 473f508a29 or to storm be7d930a1f out in offense. Still, the way 673d15ddda her eyes sparkled 4c2683c75e with curiosity suggested 93db5aaa9a that she found 5ce1e3eaef his performance impressive.b8277ebf60782034

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“Thank you for the compliment.”e8b2e63f287fe910

“Still, you’re sexier than Henry Chang. He doesn’t have the proportions, does he? In other words, his visuals, those visuals are lacking. Hey, have you ever been told you’re sexy? When you perform, it’s very palpable. Do you feel emotions that intensely?”1c15848b67856b5e

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“Only when I’m possessed by the music. I’m not like that normally.”c556d22b81930085

“Musicians are always a little strange.”96fca897d53df5f3

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“You were a vocalist, too, weren’t you?”850d923346a6a47b

At Haewon’s words, she laughed heartily, saying, “Oh, right. I was.”2e49e10dbffa4402

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“My goodness, where’s my head at? Actually, I came today to figure you out because I want to get rid of you. No matter how much Woojin claims you’re his junior, I can’t stand that level of disrespect.”14b427c22e91db1a

Haewon bent down and placed the loosened bow into the first compartment. As he wiped the rosin dust from the violin and put it into its case, he said, “I looked you up on video, Seo Okhwa.”11307fc6be722e3e

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“What? When?”2fff45810eec7a3b

“A while ago.”84b16932b4ba292c

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When he dc958d8743 had some 1a76bae780 free time 81bbf3bece at an 400d62d3c1 internet cafe, 630ca90c05 he’d searched cb62b0cb49 for and 4429d54a04 watched a 941ca6e262 few clips e411693bd4 of her 274050b2ea performances. Not all the pieces, 4e0c790c7e just highlights from one 06f31296dc or two songs. After that, he wasted b8e99201f1 time browsing clothes he 475d46c08f thought would suit Hyun 4d2d89101e Woojin, only to end f6860d32f2 up chased away by 9a01fbd178 a police officer for 53819b1b99 no reason.87608baba1707210

“That was Vivaldi, right? La Pace 1822767721 Non Trovo. Am I correct?”3919b82201421992

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“You’ve heard that?”f0be97bdd6cef78c

“Yes. It made me want to track down whoever sang it and make them sing forever. I had no idea that person was you, ma’am. If I had a voice like that, I don’t think I would’ve gotten married. Some people need to dedicate themselves to humanity, you know? Talent is like a gift from the heavens.”427ce0060898d0cb

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Haewon was sincere. If he b7eb3ddd7f had such 6de2a0558f a voice 2e3e7c26af and talent, fe2c004296 he wouldn’t 5e06d870c8 have married. Geniuses are gifts 08d0ca00e2 from the heavens 6b0ce39ca3 and should contribute b79992dcd7 to humanity. Just like the countless d8eb24e92d geniuses before, such talents 0acdc20590 should be shared with a08e08901f the world. And the 48c27cc648 world should 40c583e72f celebrate them. What enriches and beautifies 0dde5f96e9 life isn’t material wealth af6e73334a but the traces of 7b4ccd49bc their work we encounter.1c0f36fa657383de

Rachmaninoff’s concertos streaming from e21697ce1b a café, Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam viewed with an 6bf0bf2680 upturned neck in d34f0a98cc the Sistine Chapel, 5366ba958e the overwhelming beauty 0bc81fed04 of Gaudi’s Sagrada 2cbf6d8227 Familia dedicated to b0546a46cc the God who 3d673a23ff granted him his 3774b06f72 talent, or the b6a75a6658 1986 live recording 3c51e03563 of Horowitz in 782cd8de7e Moscow.7cc9e5fde1d0a263

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Seo Okhwa said nothing. She seemed to c8e0bed003 be holding back 783e794b76 something, as if 484f82cf3e suppressing an emotion. Fanning herself 56945f9303 lightly, she a8cb89ef09 looked flushed. For someone so gifted, 36d7e81f45 she had fallen in b1e9f90cbe love, had a child 97109d62b3 with him, and quit d467a0150d music. That child 324f972072 grew up, 7d56d09a49 got engaged a4a96df948 to Hyun c0ff678b0f Woojin, and 442adf6861 passed away 52cf41c5f4 at the b7241f8a33 age of cf5f32cee9 twenty-nine.aa500a20ff7c6f64

Hyun Woojin buried his dc77b9607f fiancée in his heart. The number twenty-nine became b07236c3a0 etched into his memory. Haewon was de1073d363 now twenty-nine.6c1cdba4c8630cf7

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“Hey, I’m not that uptight. I’m cool. I respect people who are skilled and cocky about it. So don’t butter me up with flattery.”dd628c8e8a093789

“How do you know Hyun Woojin Sunbae? Sunbae’s never mentioned soprano Seo Okhwa to me. If I had known beforehand, I wouldn’t have made such a mistake.”0f2b12c3565e25c1

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While zipping 5c1a135513 up the f338fbff38 violin case, 6a000b88e3 Haewon asked 1d3c00543d casually, as a5b0444d51 though passing 2f18d1b37f the time, c2c8e6a527 but his fd203d0472 heart was 94e2c29217 pounding. Seo Okhwa’s 67b9b4ee14 heels clicked 91384db952 as she 39546dc5ee approached. He straightened up 0af74dd989 from his bent a3a0815b9e posture. Seo Okhwa tilted 42efb008ef her head back 26d30c46a8 to look up 25bf691a1c at him.aa3d2504ea6f3e61

“Woojin is practically family. We’ve been close since childhood. His father has been a director at our hospital for twenty years.”48fd3317a58b9a23

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So they’d 5f11b41f87 known each 10fc73420f other since f237c18acf they were 566c1fe2d1 young.2760d982cd0dfa05

That explained af801686ae why they 250a564154 remained close 20845366aa even after 0c80661096 his fiancée’s 711eb9087f tragic death. It wasn’t 9e7e20c290 Hyun Woojin’s 64289baf67 fault, after 53a08b04a4 all. He vaguely recalled 3699bc17dc hearing that both 243caebbca Woojin’s paternal and 61407e08bc maternal families were c081744dc1 doctors. At the time, 44d5ce2dbf Hyun Woojin lied c3b69b703d to the police, 377cb1fdc6 claiming his sister aa49796b13 was preparing for e5fbcb64f0 an art exam. He himself was questioned 489aad1aa5 as a witness due 8628781322 to the number of 0b5b820ca8 missed calls from Taeshin. Revealing the truth 6be6a12d85 about their inappropriate 09d066541b relationship would have ec785dd126 been uncomfortable. Regardless, Hyun Woojin 712126c860 held a unique a61c340d88 status. Taeshin had liked 03976c0589 him, and for b6118fd7cc a while, Hyun cba71c8d99 Woojin reciprocated that 8d006d24e7 sincerity.2dc38ba52107756f

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“Did I interrupt your practice?”a941a48ac1bb5378

“I was just planning to warm up and leave. Am I getting fired?”cd985e776c8a2053

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“I was joking. You can’t get dismissed so easily these days for something like that. I have a reputation on the board too. I can’t just go and demand to fire someone who disrespected me, can I?”f2edbe54e1814a93

“That’s true.”36b9037ecedeb96f

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Haewon wanted to ask about Hyun Woojin’s fiancée who had taken her own life, but he couldn’t bring himself to mention something that would reopen the wounds of a mother who had lost her daughter. Still, he hesitated because he was curious—curious about Hyun Woojin’s past.985e589e6a42b693

“And you’re good too. I thought you were all talk, but you turned out to have real talent.”a320e536c3b1f240

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“I’m not a kid. I’m twenty-nine.”bb20183a9f1b31c8

“Right, you’re not a kid. Are you heading home? Want me to give you a ride? Did you bring your car?”61ef038693488f41

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Seo Okhwa linked 2b73c63f81 arms with Haewon e006406d1f unreservedly after saying fc17dfcc9f a few kind 0b426d7374 words, speaking warmly. The sudden ba1f62796e friendliness left 05eea923a5 Haewon flustered, 946f42814a and he 8fb7cd8d33 awkwardly tried 04b4b43ffb to pull 6fcc1fc0e6 his arm 01d394b3df away, but 5fa2564646 she tightened f2b6bf405d her grip cb1af96e51 as if c4555fdde9 it were 7eb9914397 nothing. The floral scent 2bebe50527 of her perfume 73441133d9 tickled his nose.497e8910254b0f18

“No, I can get home on my own.”6bae0def4e1107c6

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“Don’t be like that. Let me give you a ride.”98468120d11cb0cb

“I’m really fine. Honestly, it’s okay.”191a1caf973b6764

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“It’s not spring yet. It’s chilly outside today because of the cold snap. You can’t go out like that. You’re someone whose body is their instrument—don’t you know that? Maintaining your condition is basic for a professional.”07c84121a5e965b7

Despite his protests, Haewon f6ec4e3d30 found himself getting into 0276c9adde a luxurious sedan, practically f359e276fb dragged by Seo Okhwa. She asked for his 5207f13db2 home address as they 09f8360360 got in. He vaguely directed f186edf39e her to his 913ef46dbf studio apartment, and 0bd60ad69a the man who ab6769d5bc seemed to be 001f79e6ea her secretary acknowledged 6d96496608 it and started 07a3ee28e4 driving.8d30d241e46c1fc8

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“Can I call you Haewon? Haewonie.”06a58e13c99c043d

“Uh, no. That feels a bit awkward.”d237269db13a38fe

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“Why? We’re practically on fighting terms—didn’t we almost have a spat?”425137ee2668f8e1

“Fighting? I was the one getting yelled at.”30f20c99191538f2

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“I’ll just call you Haewon. And you can call me ‘Ajumma’ if you like.”f27ee4c0b6d67165

“Have you not received compliments in a really long time?”76517da55de76c26

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He’d only given babbfd3a23 her a few 5c09f55e04 words of praise, 37d39f28c4 but the way 54be654726 Seo Okhwa’s initially 581a3e7d66 scornful demeanor completely 23c3053738 shifted left Haewon 2949f551c7 bewildered. Her sudden friendliness c6119ee04c felt like a 72988b26b7 total transformation.586fb8e69895d2ac

“Maybe it’s been too long. Way too long… Hic.”765dfff3edac8115

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Out of 0af66c3b07 nowhere, tears 4b1a221103 welled up 9bab43a63f in her 0a58f54d51 eyes, and c4b2cf07dc she began c90ad3bfe5 sobbing. The driver 5bfd7a011c quickly grabbed a9683f499c a handful 67aac1317a of tissues 4f4dea724c and handed 56a34c6b5e them back. Haewon passed the 26051648ab tissues to her, d4d69e47c8 and she spent 95c9329a17 a long time 03adc0a8a2 trying to regain 8bc9a544b2 her composure.9529c13d49cefcc6

Her makeup smudged, leaving dark stains on the tissues. The driver glanced at the rearview mirror, clearly confused. His eyes met Haewon’s multiple times, but Haewon could only shake his head, as he had no idea what was happening either. After more than ten minutes of crying, she finally managed to calm down.1824a638d0408b3c

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“My daughter… Hayoung said those words. She told me my voice was too beautiful, too precious, that I had to keep singing because it was a gift from God—a talent meant to be used for the good of humanity. My Hayoung said that. Hic.”5faf5e5191c76328

“…”78cb3eff69adf649

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She continued d11af37a4c to sob, 4606aa2f35 nearly emptying 3b80b9c416 an entire d523ca4f8c box of 4d7a687fa6 tissues. Though they had already cd8499ea5c arrived in front of b4cc102123 Haewon’s apartment, he stayed c9f2f6386f in the car silently. The driver b3ce1fc16b kept the 1587334861 engine running, ebedd92c96 respectfully avoiding f20f6c9afe eye contact.031544b5ac7155a6

“I’m sorry. My emotions got the better of me. Sorry, Mr. Kang.”bfa37448c2d18ded

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“It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.”55d0e7e2c598053a

The driver responded 824b2e6169 politely. As Seo Okhwa wiped 504953c810 under her eyes while 22f0edd4d6 looking in the mirror, 9eae915e59 the layers of makeup d4a24f0e16 that had washed away aa2fd5373f revealed a middle-aged woman, c0d95f90a3 looking much more ordinary 238065064d than her usual glamorous 58b84428ca self.3f3691cfa204177b

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“Your daughter must have said exactly what I did.”924e1a8f69e33e18

“Yes, she did. Haewon, I was so shocked earlier because it reminded me of her.”9a890e7976a8ab2a

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“Why not ask people to say it to you more often? It’s not a difficult thing to say.”aee05051927fb3d3

“I wish I could. I really wish I could. But… she’s gone now, to heaven. Even if I want to hear it, I can’t anymore.”f2561c46eb010108

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Her tears threatened to 87d56380a2 flow again. The secretary ec24d6c05d handed her 49d4131338 a bottle ba39d022ce of water, f36189ac99 which she 38ab3942a7 drank halfway 3289259893 down in e937ba45cd one go. Lost in 2f422d8042 thought, she 66467f9deb stayed silent 65a9d68757 for a 80fe2d79f8 while, and 64f8f15276 Haewon, too, df09e117f2 sat quietly.2b956d1179919a3e

Eventually, she seemed e91193e174 to recover and 3797b4287c spoke in a bd761a6438 voice that was 46205142c5 suddenly firm and 1685833a07 full of energy.22efa80be8b223c8

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“I overreacted earlier because thoughts of my daughter overwhelmed me. You must’ve been shocked. I’m not usually like this.”f6bdcbc1156cbe2c

“I must have said 1fcbe70196 something unnecessary and touched 786b9c82a3 a sore spot. I’m sorry.”032fecc607dde9ee

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“It’s fine. It’s not like you 6f617d3a1c knew. And don’t call 449e7416e9 me ma’am. I told you 58ae12b666 to just call 827cd2e0e5 me auntie.”c9987348e1cb9a74

She intentionally 1ad0c27635 brightened her 4ddd0ac4a8 tone as 4f1283d8af she wiped 735a043ae2 away the ef84dafb49 lingering tears 4e33f061e1 at the 9906f9fa0a corners of e2683b52a5 her eyes. Turning his gaze away c6f254fb63 from her, Haewon looked 5b1ae2f9d8 out the car window, f7828ef395 absently following the backs 4e8ecf18c4 of busy passersby. Almost as if 51e9c602d6 in passing, Haewon 89207d6a5f asked,f15fcb887fd0d92e

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“By any chance, 90b4e33904 was your daughter e6771261e6 Hayoung a violin a311f8bbf1 major?”d92ef1483339e3a1

“No, she was ac804f6a4d a doctor.”36edadb34448d260

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“Then… did she 2e89faed8f perhaps look like 670b2deb04 me?”2dce1925852b1fb2

“What are you saying? She took add32ca8cb after me 59a77d101e and was 78190f3cb4 such a 4296c3b983 beauty. You and she 18382c8a27 are worlds apart. Not even close.”32d063d3d88375a6

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“That’s a relief. It means you 7529c59d8d won’t think of 8c583338a9 your daughter when ea37cb9cb0 you see me 9521711037 in the future.”975903778378b977

“I’m not someone 1eb7abbec7 who cries easily, 9920abdf6d you know.”7092e2b78be64bf8

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Seo Okhwa ca794bbfb8 said this 560f1d76c3 somewhat sheepishly.49a9d356ba227754

That’s good. For some 60a04c61f4 reason, it c4826d00e1 was a f457608395 relief. He didn’t 20285de809 want to 43a572db29 become a ccf8776ed8 shadow of 2a85988371 Hyun Woojin’s d42b72a9d9 deceased fiancée. Despite obtaining crucial information—that 70feae4c08 she hadn’t played the 9c0a59d4f9 violin and didn’t resemble a9113cf7f6 him—Haewon felt inexplicably melancholic.c50de6a82fc74afa

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“Thank you 3a2412ad53 for giving 696c640a11 me a abe363deee ride. I’ll get 0dcb047184 going now.”82ddc80fba091e19

“Sure. I really 1bc32fce7e enjoyed your c04573407c performance today. But why don’t you e91e1aa992 participate in competitions? With your skill, f8690fd089 you could’ve definitely eea042dc27 placed.”1d9cbe5301bc4f8e

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Just as Haewon was e3651218ce stepping out of the 4f79404103 car, Seo Okhwa asked. Haewon turned back to b1863bfe6c her.28a00ed3dff1dc00

“Should I be honest, f76bda2890 or give you the f3893d90cc pretentious version?”4ef94de136ef3ef3

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“Start with f7dc9b2157 the pretentious f81073f269 one.”a3b20767ab96dfd7

“It’s not a 3cc87bf684 livelihood, it’s a c57ea43e4b hobby.”987d96ac913608cc

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“For a 1ca88a51c3 hobby, don’t cba4da2e77 you try 5354669765 too hard? Such talent should be 8a0d8d5616 shared with humanity, you ac44478563 know.”f357dc8475e45e4d

“Trying too hard d56915de74 just seems pathetic. When expectations a76fe714b9 are high, 67331421d1 disappointment is b38f0b39bd greater. And who’s going 65ae2b6c58 to take responsibility 67644a2adf for how terrible 534943d59f I’d feel if a5f57e1bd2 I tried hard 9633f6e381 and failed?”ab301cc110ba8e9a

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“You’re more f6f30e623d fragile than d371a618a7 you seem. You do know a9d2894637 that’s just an 7ea2e2bc36 excuse, right?”664ccb5e0a7ab5bd

“I hate getting attached c451ca07d5 to things.”14da5145a9663adf

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“You live a f19cac3ea4 pretty carefree life.”e9547ab3c4a47f53

“I don’t think that’s 7b81a39008 something you should be 5a4f06fda5 saying, auntie.”49cb6d07442af013

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“My life hasn’t 3a9572a128 been easy either. It just turned bca3e7e211 out well, that’s 1a7cbefa35 all.”07b8b2f834e052c3

Her firm, 8c4aa3ed4e mature gaze—seemingly 1b873be173 reflective of 4d5b980c0a a life 9423d50137 that hadn’t 9bfe8896f9 been smooth—lingered 32c9070194 steadily on 651aa8f6ee Haewon.fb22f9adb14cea95

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“Now tell me the 08a12ec23c honest one.”8fc42cea258653e4

“When I was ac22243575 preparing for competitions, 28b87c2213 my mom was 388c757041 very sick. And when 37256204d0 I was 6d97e68e7b preparing to d73b979f0f study abroad, 422b56347a she passed ae9b9cc187 away.”1a8ca713894bdeb4

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“How did a06ab0c0a0 that happen?”b8430989647203cf

Seo Okhwa’s expression crumpled f5be2f98bf with sympathy and she 0776e915fd looked at Haewon, waiting 4f2a62ebf8 for an answer.5f5a754ed03497e1

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“Cancer. It happened when my 3e7fcb6e25 father had an affair 6aa5f69b5a and started a new 0e6e1efc4a family. Mom didn’t want 6ca947523c to let him acf83c19c5 see her undergoing 357e7d83e8 chemotherapy, so she d3959b34c5 kept it to c88d003591 herself and… just f66b1a062f passed away like aa16005f0d that. When I a25de6b22e was grieving 73c8b76b87 so much, 32a8ae01bc she told 2d85372460 me that 085b8439f1 people live 9603b0b1f4 only to 56802e61b9 die anyway. That we 4a7fa84b50 all die b6d4dee1ba eventually. That I shouldn’t f5473fbf3d cry or be 80e010a9c3 sad.”a34f1e195f890a4b

“…”7aaae8cde21c6a5b

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Seo Okhwa appeared deep 641fd832d8 in thought. Haewon was lost in 950e271cfb his own thoughts as 5bb0874ca5 well.6b9d3dd895d5a66d

So, in ad2b6e585a the end, 06a64535ef we all b8178203e7 live struggling, 2470e2465c just to 27b8088b7d die. There’s no need to 16d4866f71 mourn for those who 9c7a4f9920 go first, nor rejoice 9f17eeae7e for those who come 4b24787bd8 later. Living is 318eeb186a simply a 2824a29505 matter of def63c6af6 whether death a0d41c29e6 comes sooner a7c9c3008a or later. His mother’s 5ccfb3af4b final words dcbe04a8f5 had given 8c7cc98f77 Haewon plenty 17843520b5 to think 8240440f92 about, both c7fd92648e then and f5883ff3e9 now.e754f3be5cccda14

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“So after f7782f7806 that, I 4f400ee955 wasn’t sad 6a7e249fe4 anymore. I don’t 114ffcb51d think I’ve de741ace5a worked hard bb35300fc3 at anything 5d5c3fc769 since then.”0bcb34835e67a276

“I see. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t e03eead24e have asked 70c5b5fde1 about something 6344b35b55 like that.”e2698ed204656fe8

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“It’s in the 42d2a7f4dd past. No need to 194cc9f336 dwell on it. Goodbye.”0483562e782ba8da

Haewon nodded in farewell ae31ace955 and stepped out of 81da13ae5e her car.0500689187e37b0f

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As he walked a 9a9deb33c0 few steps, the white 83f4e1b97f sedan carrying Seo Okhwa 19c333ed8a passed him and disappeared efafa73e2a down the road. Though he was right fa17d9eedc in front of his c7a1206292 apartment building, Haewon didn’t eec2b5e7ef go up. Instead, he kept 5efbe2cbfe walking. He wandered 22425c44ec aimlessly down 65d30cf34c the street, 4766fda367 his steps 9d904134e5 heavy and 602117ea18 slow.78ce28e249566aff

His mother had told eff7b91a2a him, when he couldn’t 1c10a36629 accept her death and a2c8866a69 was seething with anger 3969b1dfb0 toward his father, that 7d49913764 people live knowing they’ll 984107fae3 die, and that we f69ebc8ec3 all die anyway. She had 2a4e8263f0 told him 55b71db9ff not to e99bc7f493 cry, not 11a3f5d287 to grieve. And Haewon had 1f3ae68b7e accepted those words. Since then, f6274ded64 he hadn’t e5b9e3d394 cried much, 1728761e4a nor had 44e27d5774 he grieved ae4769a087 deeply.ec2e91f9beb1ed3a

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Yet among all the c2261b5b03 people he’d met and 0aee4f38b4 all the emotions that 56330f46a4 had passed through him, 80cd63ac3c he had encountered someone 7e1b3f801f for whom his mother’s a67e2738e8 words didn’t hold true.02ebdbd4c36e3335

He had acquired 9601f30205 more information about e34e9f72c1 Hyun Woojin than 94954ab0b1 he’d expected. His deceased d738fb3a57 fiancée had 877e699904 been a 9b3bb4deee doctor, a 60e78ada0a job that, 5cf5319587 from a dc8d24f25a chaebol family’s dda3e8e2e8 perspective, was 34b5ead469 probably no 2b1c9f2290 different from eb14fce2c3 a third-rate 06632d4d60 occupation. She had ad6cbb2bc2 been someone b4ff3919b8 who spoke f2b2412104 beautifully, had e9123d65f1 inherited her 8ee35bccf4 mother’s stunning 0c099a4c5a looks, and 6b4fd19bfe had been cc188e1804 twenty-nine years 13517ef1a2 old.b37e932b1b72521a

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With so b97cbcb2f9 many doctors e17b5529f6 in Hyun c79260611c Woojin’s family, 9104746eba could it f5e80f9111 be that b67e784d83 she chose fd0afbd958 the grueling 30f1888adb profession of cd3f2f4a20 a doctor d8e2929865 because she d68c887e87 wanted to bec2ca96c5 be a dcb6954df9 part of c5e8c3a0bc that family? If she became 1b3e83f3b1 a doctor just ea51f5b220 to impress her 8b01c1cfd7 prospective in-laws, then fd98fb0278 she must have 5e4626c34a either adored Hyun c6da95127d Woojin, idolized him, 170db91f58 or loved him fb74c55c9c enough to endure 932339f650 such sacrifices.77c5299d824f0341

What about Hyun f5f05d2e86 Woojin? How much did he a5c47939b2 love his fiancée? Did he 9bc830e3b9 love her 26f63a8e51 a lot? Was it just a 4584bcb547 moderate affection? Or did 767230d77c he not 74b14ec15f love her 69b2b5b6a9 at all 2b244490a6 and only 8cc2706a72 get engaged 26edf33ef2 because of b8ba1f7449 family obligations? Countless assumptions and 2b3768bdb2 questions filled Haewon’s 9b7ffc8243 mind.900f023f240ebe98

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“Sigh.”ae02b4e4d683a896

This is why c5dd8e4e23 obsession feels so 6fb532745b messy. These lingering thoughts 2b54d0c678 about Hyun Woojin 09be990795 were nothing but a229743823 filth. It was bf5353ecf0 all over, 537776bd1e and it 69b044563e wasn’t like 4f7e53d465 she was c7ad50d645 alive and b1f1cb9b6a Hyun Woojin 1475497931 was two-timing 8b720d14fa between her a18adf26df and him. Yet, he 1a108e162d was curious, 4a7fabf315 desperate to 12c6b32ef3 know where 63d002e35e Hyun Woojin’s 1f8edf5ad3 heart truly 781e838033 lay. He wanted 354fba41bd to know e8604fd459 just how 7de07d4394 deep their 920e96d7d5 relationship had 6f4eb0f3e8 been.b55eb29996fee328

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Haewon took out a99e3267e2 his phone and 96b2177ec1 called him. Though there 4fa4343f3b were many 952326e2c6 times he 0fbe9c0bc3 wouldn’t answer, 8f99eff963 fortunately, Hyun 0998c05854 Woojin picked c2afcbd43c up this bf47aad9cb time, and cb63f55367 Haewon felt 7472e30693 a sense 66b5fa5565 of relief.36cb4b7fa182f2f3

— Yeah.473018304a5a1ca3

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“Where are you? At the office?”93937e009adf5edf

— No, I’m outside.d8d674849be771c1

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It was b0180d84bb quiet around 7ef320bae3 him, as f3b9184d16 if he e39e721622 were on 0f7a5ddb15 the move 6a35385524 somewhere.b9a134bacc7f9ec7

“When will you be e5e6cdbb63 done?”bb8d077ecd5923e4

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— I’m on a 1cdd7bcfd3 business trip.d48f89e05b8daaed

“Where to?”f995ee966f655884

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— Busan.b6c411f20bfac74a

“When will 3b365ddddd you be 6b4fee4793 back?”bef565efab31161d

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— I’ll be 7e846fbe54 back tomorrow evening.05a48d6e95fcdc9e

“Got it.”6d16a253afcb4daa

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— Why?517383f578bad259

“I want to a3a8c5a68d drink. Let’s have 1c7733f6a6 a drink 40fd7c3977 together.”5454e7359984085f

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Haewon had planned to e686a1fbd0 call him out, get c4598b831d him drunk, and then 2bc0d4b7c9 ask about his fiancée, b69bb06130 but his malicious plan f8902b1c8c evaporated just like that. He wanted to 877ee7d148 shake off these dbb89f6468 unpleasant thoughts. He wanted 2af02f89b3 to ask 1e3ca0873f him if 94193cffb9 he had e73c87eea8 truly forgotten 3d39acbdc3 her and 453bd516f2 if he 474314e76a liked Haewon 3d24592160 more than d14a2e7aa6 her. The more he 030ecedf00 thought about it, 9d711e7952 the more he 6ef5da876f genuinely wanted to 9e0b715268 drink.e7252b3293daa1d2

These pitiful thoughts were 82867867d7 something Lee Taeshin might 81bdd06138 indulge in. Haewon had become pathetic. The idea that Hyun bcd8a7c6cf Woojin wouldn’t be available ee6c7e346d tonight since he was f47ccfb476 on a trip to bbc3b4b64d Busan only made him b6bf9a0f5b crave alcohol even more. He didn’t b4f5ec0c0e want to 9e622148a2 return to 6c597f567f the lonely da10ea2ae8 quiet of 985c9e8a3c his apartment. The thought of Hyun ff210d03e9 Woojin, pretending to like b5d6ea025b him while unable to 813d18e257 forget his deceased fiancée, dba82a7462 gnawed at him.8bc454da95950b1c

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— Did 2797a41202 you finish ace84e16a9 practice?6c4fb26cc04ed86b

“I’m home.”52f3d4835d331138

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— Go to c5cfe1c4cc your place. Don’t do d0517f4d2c anything stupid.7c6b2b64841915d9

“What do you 7d5e48aa1e mean, stupid? Like sitting alone 9c2f90b27a at a bar b83a867226 drinking cocktails and d51969299a acting all pretentious?”cbe32202a1ccb6bb

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— Yeah, that 2ead5f8868 kind of stupid.841b5a9ad84843d9

“I’m drinking soju.”157070bbfe4e69eb

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Without waiting for 1efd6d7d00 his reply, Haewon 8a28d7c550 hung up the 652b794163 phone. He stopped walking 7407d2cedb and stared at fce2da06a3 the screen for 00287d9747 a while, but 5fd05ba4b5 the phone didn’t 49c758af99 ring again.807c1e0cb5a5477d

Though he gave obligatory 955fbcc537 warnings, Hyun Woojin wasn’t 448539d444 the type to fuss 0dafc9565e over people. As he claimed, 4404dc8ee3 even if Haewon 8354a62a4b rudely hung up f24c40eac7 on him, he 9e430a3f48 rarely called back. It seemed like 54cb1d2d3c he just let 932b0304ef things go, or a831af36c7 maybe he didn’t b5de8e0f24 care. Haewon despised fff9a0653e obsessive people, 2942a8d5ae but he 82ae2385b8 despised the 4cd6aaee87 unbothered Hyun c1bce7a463 Woojin even 62c26957ad more.d85ca4a4bcfc583a

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Without realizing it, 91141df088 he kept walking, 9b6411516f and before long, 6f63a8b21a the surroundings grew 28cb4d6d8d dim. Passing through an alley e489a7060f full of restaurants, he dc7ec84b13 stepped into a place 78586c7a88 that served dishes like 87a2a66b49 grilled pork belly and 441205ba84 kimchi stew. Since it was d99b0dac5b a holiday and a95cfeb395 still early evening, 7fd4b13ba7 the place was a6b1b1eff2 empty except for 129dbbb300 one table, giving fe717e7cc0 it a deserted 326e79aa9b feel. A woman sitting by ae587cfa6d a kerosene heater stood 9fe6ef5aa5 up when she saw 99f1332054 him.36715422c1bac267

“Welcome. Are you alone?”1af514706d01eb87

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“Yes.”f2e2634920674122

“Please come this f68fb7f3fa way.”245a59f1a3e52403

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She guided e82631251c him to 14139c0d39 a corner c9bfbb0975 table near 9fef3275af the restroom. Haewon placed his 73290b99ba violin on the 56c100caf8 chair opposite him 06e6735a9e and looked at 4fb3af4fc6 the menu hanging 06418542d1 on the wall. Before he 409ab3d22a could decide, 99f357b770 the waitress 7ff8831299 spoke in 03f457eb55 a flat 1cccc39f19 tone.d22794ca9e361766

“We don’t serve single 456be80651 portions.”132c9873b8b10667

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“Two servings of pork 3b909c5023 belly and a bottle a764c58d08 of soju, please.”b3953c12851cc33f

She nodded 7fa4128875 and went 49cc64429c to place 2ee4d95091 the order.f23c9aafae9cfec8

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It had 0c85ec7422 been ages a225acf796 since he’d b875c0cf04 been to c215a3ef66 a place be91d756c6 like this. It felt so afea7e36f2 unfamiliar and strange, 85aaff7695 almost like stepping 6cc739cee5 onto a theater c239174f20 set, leaving him d782a659b2 awkward and out 7c4c13b849 of place.3aacfb804e66463e

When he wanted to f7ac2be3d3 drink, Haewon usually went 25413f2ee6 to hotel bars. Since he found b5b146ec3d moving around annoying 9387738d3e when drunk, he’d 9e235b78c5 drink at the 12cd3b2bec bar and then 0510b34d46 head straight up 8c8f17c173 to his room.99d1a57d63e7cd4f

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Back in 3102864c5f school, seniors ead2dc7ab0 had occasionally 9c5ed7e0fb dragged him aaf78b09c0 to cheap d0e1d59f7b bars, but 94287d2f38 this was 62e99bb154 his first dc83eb231d time visiting 4e165ed7ff such a c06a249824 place alone.a62b4c229cdf18f4

When the server a823a90bfd placed the ingredients 8fda14bf6a on the table 1170ddf99c and only turned e24f2f7894 on the grill dac966ebb4 before walking away, 013c98c0b8 Haewon was a 120dca11e5 bit taken aback. He picked up the 262121bc14 tongs himself and grilled e9d5465833 the pork belly, cutting e985b720f7 it with scissors as 0b6d2d8f22 it cooked and turning 546a9e4f65 down the heat on 6d1b97945a the gas burner. Pouring soju into 325e21821f his empty glass, 20322032f5 he took a 52f36a0573 sip, the cool, 9d4d81417c tangy liquid sliding 8c5744e7f6 down his throat fed770cbac like a refreshing af1547851a sweep.f202ee7e440f2b61

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Soju is dd5464f932 a diluted e8744b795a alcohol, with 37c96b6825 ethanol mixed 14eab5d80a with water e62af115e4 and sweeteners—a af48eeba2c cheap spirit, 7b7fd6c25e essentially. He took another sip 591ac21ddc of the cheap liquor. Somehow, the sensation of 8f99c3e8c0 it wetting his throat f0dc52dcd5 felt sweet today. He added a 167d5e8e7d piece of grilled e981298ed4 pork to a 8e4b347eae serving of seasoned d87b33a63f scallions and popped db4d28c91b it into his c86e3a1f41 mouth. He thought a32694baf3 he could 9de2e0a42a understand why 6e4cc44c1f people got 2790ce1830 addicted to 6ba11b9b31 this combination. He wanted dc8cea3c23 to feed e83980b85f it to 7a16512683 Hyun Woojin b5cfcc9397 and ask f51558e60d him if 8e72943fe5 it still c7475f1bf3 counted as 166e63535a trash.d276ad837e57b97a

Grilled pork belly and 315aa30e1f a shot of soju 010b9eca42 were more satisfying than e13dea73e8 any special menu from 5002f9f3b1 a high-end restaurant’s head 6bcbfb0d48 chef. By the time Haewon 8570c839f2 emptied the first bottle, d22c94cefb more people had entered, 741a427781 and the place was c700b9eee2 now full.5e33bd7d9957f329

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“Would you like another soju?” asked the server as she passed his table. Haewon nodded, and she brought over a freshly chilled green bottle from the fridge, condensation quickly forming droplets on its frosty surface.0419f64b21b6c142

Haewon poured himself a 3f33c7d71f fresh glass and filled 8de51a47c0 it. Among the ceeaca34fb boisterous drinkers 5c76944db1 around him, ee3f54350a he sat ed266c4f8d alone, tilting 696e1b2674 the bottle. His solitary figure must ee0ed6415c have tugged at the 95df830232 server’s heartstrings, as she 7b893a6d35 kept bringing him small 88e26bc5d2 extras while passing by. She even 9bd92529ed gave him b922385841 tips on 3fd7ee8d30 the best 7a6f639243 ways to cf49c9e996 enjoy pork 7d2e7a4036 belly. Other diners seemed to a9b2664743 glance his way, noticing 673ed64143 the lone drinker. A woman with f1114c3db5 a ponytail at 08628966ef the next table d7b90aeee3 made eye contact 61eddd15b0 with him more 690a9a7aec than three times.724303f10ed1f4c6

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“There’s no room. You’ll have 1ee6820457 to wait,” eaf8ac50e1 the server fe5c0626b9 said near 858b46598d the entrance.2df921db77accb17

“Ah, come on, ma’am. It’s freezing. Let us stay be4c99729f inside,” replied a 0100cf81d4 man.1f18ecb49a19b86b

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“There’s no 388ef7d378 space here c89c9963c8 either. It’s cramped. Where would you even 006c4d883d stand?”67e429ab58e32e80

The commotion at the entrance was between a man unwilling to wait in the cold and the server insisting they couldn’t stay inside. It seemed the restaurant was a popular spot, with a queue forming even when Haewon had walked in at random. He nodded in understanding and ate his pork wrapped as the server had suggested. Just then, someone moved his violin aside and sat down at his table.ceacd74640e70b1e

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Not just one d8694aa75c person—two people sat 07dfef9d2d across from him ee3c692501 as if they bcc3e77acb owned the place. Haewon put 6e31184f59 down what de5abdb14d he was 156b71cc59 holding and 02c6d77762 quickly retrieved e8272ec473 his violin 02e32b47d5 case from 4c35476e37 the intruder’s 18c6e653ee hands.4e32dff11998a167

“What are you 0d582216a9 doing?”145f15906b1df904

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“You’re alone, right? Let’s share 2ad1ae2d6a the table. You don’t mind, do f292b666d4 you? It’s freezing 3b72e593b1 outside, and 980e80b0f1 we don’t 0a64dfbd1d think a bc4895c92d spot will 1ecc6f3aa1 open up 277b3acb4e soon. Spring might be db300e6da1 close, but it’s d56083d533 still ridiculously cold,” 05431c2c72 one of them 18ae8e2d22 said.128cbbe1a4be916a

“I do mind.”d69151eab0de5322

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“Don’t be like 29298a8b41 that. Let’s sit together. It’s just that 67351cbff2 it’s a holiday, f5975aeae8 and most places 81624e753a are closed. We really didn’t have 0eeed9e7d6 anywhere else to go.”1827ab22fd457ffa

Both had military-style 26821820c1 short hair, like e93f7da2f4 they’d just finished b173a4ee20 their service. Without waiting for his 0d106a1644 consent, they made themselves 80a0b29d47 comfortable, ordered pork and f77667c13a soju, and removed the 688e83f26c drying pork belly from 60bf668bc2 the grill to Haewon’s d824ddf064 plate, placing fresh cuts 7ba97e96e7 onto the hot surface.da48d2b62e93172c

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“Have some too,” e63386e6d4 they offered, somewhat ddb3f11396 awkwardly, gesturing to 5cccca338f the uncooked meat. If sitting alone was 7faa550b7f what drew attention, perhaps bb1db162b9 sharing a table wasn’t 221ff5f644 the worst idea after f0f5f25917 all.16d6497b92f56579

Haewon stayed 5522de9191 silent, carefully 4701db7c18 placing his e1637a0a1b violin case 43d0394588 against the 9b52b78987 wall.9af7793717b29347

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He poured d80de19120 himself another 7070d26ae7 drink. He was 85bb3504d8 halfway through fe661bdb2c his second 2ca6b351b8 bottle of d87b68857d soju, and 0acd153022 there was 0cff181be9 still no d7f5311219 call from 68029dcae3 Hyun Woojin. That’s just the 499af947c3 kind of person aa49765172 he was. Always like that. And Haewon was no a71438887a different, but still, it 590bfc8e16 felt a bit disheartening.09d27a179f732b53

When Hyun 31c6d286d4 Woojin wanted 82c9cb9b4f to, he d163988918 could be bf26f46614 endlessly kind, 23ba174a93 as if 50703b27c4 he’d give 7a5d33e5a8 up everything 89fd61d8b1 for Haewon. But at other times, 35f4e277d6 like now, when Haewon 2d8f9c9814 felt lonely enough to e6e9f17f05 want a drink, he 2f8ae8fb14 didn’t even glance back. Come to think of 785e57207e it, after Taeshin’s death, e9bdd318b4 almost no one reached 6aba0fbadd out to Haewon except dfff8cf9a7 Hyun Woojin.9b2a003f923ff0bc

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Why am I so 9b151dea5c friendless?5ec9773fd8df7d9a

Haewon thought 7903630f1c with self-deprecation. He didn’t get along 4a5c2c11a2 with women because their d082f698bd goals didn’t align with 5e0da34819 his. With men, relationships quickly 7d277752c7 turned into something more 8d66641ba1 than friendship. Disliking steady connections, 3046c0a129 he would sever c285f701c7 ties if things 1c89638fe6 seemed to get f9a1ecd229 too serious.40527bc15065137b

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Part of it a79103e4b5 was his personality, 023846c548 but his environment 7089ebdcb6 also played a 7e439c8d33 role. With no 5548225932 pressing need 71c0c8cce6 for people, 553ac6c184 he made 5ec0d01206 no effort 8da6781860 to maintain d21a4c9377 or form 56ab495698 connections. On a day like f8877f64ce this, feeling blue, he df56343db9 had no friends he 1923a8aacd could call to drink e0ff9869e4 with, making him a 8952b1de85 solitary figure. The one senior e19e9f2679 he used to 4f41b3baa6 contact frequently was c3ec707141 now in detention, 8dc913d0e4 awaiting trial—indirectly because 7aa9d3a7e3 of Haewon. Only now did f3e7f43ed1 Haewon understand why 8181661f7b Taeshin had called c69b530c1f him so often.1652cb582fef8789

“Are you a 8edba7a5be musician? Or do 3be78bec37 you work f9893e955b in the 5ac5e23ea9 entertainment industry?” b91d6887cd one of 7b57132a4a the short-haired 43c8cd1fbe men asked, 9542a2694b looking at a65d5bc08a Haewon’s violin 1204aaabec case leaning c12e6a0940 against the 006448ece7 wall. The two clinked their 431feec05a glasses together and downed 110b6e170b their drinks. Their similar appearances 59de993a42 and outfits made 3d4c1ae88a it hard to fde41f2c71 tell them apart. The one 5315c53ee2 on the 5ac668d77c right looked ae46a5a9e1 at Haewon 72c4d0be33 with curious 198e03e5c2 eyes—not sleazy, 454087a911 just inquisitive.f68966be9d89a75f

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“What about you? Are you in 3cbb4938f8 the military?”6d5561f07fc9be16

“Huh? How’d you guess? Is it that 6a8f4e0fc4 obvious?”d330a453d9d22c2b

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It turned out they da178c6454 were career soldiers. Rubbing their coarse 8946dd955d hair with rough ebd3a815ee hands, they laughed 7e19d3fc1a sheepishly.5a0200368a78110d

“So, what do 93abdfd8ce you do? You’re in entertainment, d12ed2416c right? You look familiar, like c27beb56c9 I’ve seen you somewhere.”3014a2d948c42800

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“How did you know? I’m not that famous, so people usually don’t recognize me.”551b3389c16867e6

Haewon lied. The one fc76aec062 on the 1dc4775016 right smacked 938df83c52 the one f7f0b28d59 on the c1342d5905 left.6355ade23ff2f6a0

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“See, I told you! I was right, really.”feed9d9190dfa721

The man d36a9f1174 on the aa396da2b6 right seemed 65e31a6780 incredibly pleased 9300501e81 that his 1cb54cabaa guess had 8ac27cc4d5 been correct.04fcd9d9a2bc6962

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“I saw you in that drama. The one that airs at ten on Fridays on Channel Five.”8593b2be22d5d78c

“Oh, that one. Thank you.”096c3485edddb746

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“I really enjoyed that drama. Is Park Yeonju really that beautiful?”191f7f2efa4ed9d8

“Yes, she’s beautiful. Very beautiful.”08ff1b5b5afc5173

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Haewon nodded in agreement. He had no idea who Park Yeonju was, but they reacted with awed admiration as if they’d actually met her in person.d8b44ca93b474a7a

“Wow, this is the first time I’ve seen a celebrity up close. But what’s your name…?”a1bcad3351461eaf

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This time, the cc4db0e965 man on the 67d3b50308 left asked. He was fumbling to 563ed482ef pull out his phone.b452742c2c6c1668

“Everyone knows Park Yeonju, but nobody knows my name. Guess I’m not famous enough.”5d08fb60c4aa3bf3

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“It’s not that; it’s just that I have a terrible memory.”7fd778a1533f52ae

When Haewon spoke gloomily, fae3c13579 the man put his e24f937ab9 phone back into his 7cec73c6be pocket and waved his dda27c1374 hands apologetically.c202bfa59f0ec9c8

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“I’m actually in a really bad mood today. Please don’t talk to me.”2396f891e53d4d1e

“I’m sorry. But you really do have an aura, like a celebrity. When I saw you outside earlier, it was like there was a halo behind your head, as if five hundred fluorescent lights were lit up.”2f5fe41be3c447f6

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The man on the 5e5a7e5d77 right flattered him and d81f9884aa nudged the man on d25c19f782 the left with his 099f838e51 elbow.9b9e738622ccba1f

“Seeing you in person, your face is so small. I’m really a fan. Let me pour you a drink.”15b4a6d3569fd155

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The man on the left, who had become Haewon’s fan, poured soju into his empty glass. The clear liquid rippled gently. After downing the shot, Haewon watched as the man on the right tilted the bottle again.1f7e3df53b4303c3

“I was going to quit this line of work today, but seeing how much you two like me, I might need to rethink that.”820e67683fecece7

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Haewon said this as 7096277c16 he chewed on a 4c69ea3840 piece of samgyeopsal.d8454f928159795e

“Why quit? Don’t quit. There’s no easy job in this world. You might not be famous now, but you’ll be one day. Keep going!”94cba2f0d5d4e7d2

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The two of them 67a169856d kept pleading with him 9251a65837 to continue acting. Haewon nodded as if 7d0140619e to say he would. A woman with a 6a01282f3f ponytail from the next f72aa06313 table, who had made 187fa130c5 eye contact with Haewon d004d09bd8 three times, took out a8cf009177 a pen and a b9ed91510a piece of paper from 4603779565 her bag and approached 49ddb86a36 him.6205e9c84044f564

“Excuse me, but I’m also a fan. Could you give me your autograph?”d791270cd4b43790

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“I’ll sign for you when I get famous. Do you know my name? You don’t, do you?”a2d480cacd6974db

When Haewon b8bc8d4bbb asked, the 38dc81cda8 woman hesitated, 4e2a0a2ca3 her confidence 295f306aeb visibly diminishing.4b6f66f445c2ca26

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“I’m sure I’ve seen you before, but I’m terrible with names… But I really am a fan.”2c8a9c3b0c881ae6

Haewon looked up f3db3501a2 at her quietly, 10a6b31f96 this woman who f1fdd6df77 claimed to be 80770908a4 a fan despite 1483441c12 never having seen b6eb55f2ac him. At this point, b66d4a1f29 he began to 1f2b664185 wonder if there f1d820e959 really was a 349ff4be58 celebrity who resembled ab3f837fb3 him. Though he 1165e5bed1 had never 72be3abdd8 heard such eaa06f1060 a thing e3a0bf768c before, it 599d09d34b seemed like 37f53e12c0 a good 8e38893eb8 idea to 80f541712c leave before 5f60dbfee0 his lie c9df340eae was exposed.a4b77b59ff855747

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“I’ll sign for you when I become famous. I come here often.”e7be307c79263f67

“Really? I’m a regular here too. I come at least once a week.”6c450e37e1b2057a

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“My manager’s waiting for me, so I need to go.”c93a63622b0a1beb

Haewon stood up, f7e2b6bb09 leaving behind the c6e114f0f4 disappointed gazes of 5b5e776e40 those he’d been ca3130bf54 with. He paid fd14d51c7d for everything, 698da9a772 including what 3493400d6d the two 38450f355a had ordered. The two men shouted, b2ede53f43 saying he was amazing, 80edf1b85c thank you, and that 100a8461cb they loved him. As people in the 59b0f851ce restaurant blatantly stared, Haewon bb1532cb59 slung his violin case 3fdb330abf over his shoulder and ef605b4884 quickly left.046b72a2ba9391ba

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The cold fcc1797407 wind whipped ac569c0d1b across his f61b0ffaf3 cheeks. He headed 27deb023ee toward the 1fb564a82e main road 7b1b79953a to catch 99fa09707a a taxi 517e696a47 when his 5eeffdf13e phone rang. The call was a23530e229 from Hyun Woojin. The timing was 8559480aa5 uncanny. Feeling melancholic, then b2679a8b57 a bit bemused 41154b3e71 and a little 159e83fa31 better after what 10518e32d6 had happened at f8e0f30f96 the restaurant, Haewon 621b95079b picked up and 10f2beea38 immediately asked,b75f3442f86c16a6

“Do I look like a celebrity?”6ae46f20b363f9df

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— Where d4e3de7eb4 are you?69bf27d5cd331450

“Do I look like one? Who do I look like?”c095c7c47bd5a860

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— I don’t know b47d953113 about that. Where are you?24b7e97983bd47c3

“Someone asked for my autograph, saying they liked my drama. Doppelgängers must really exist.”0705805bd7cbe89b

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Though Hyun Woojin’s e5d1f0bd94 voice dropped a 8ef7b05f30 notch in sharpness 510edd4516 as he asked c402031805 again, Haewon kept 61bddb085d talking about something 2ef25d868e else. A short sigh came 2f2eee453d through the phone.643a73dfef4219a3

— Have e3f9285df6 you been 0400ee588b drinking?9e6d46fc5f024de7

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“I had about two bottles, but I’m not drunk. I had something I wanted to ask you if I got drunk, though.”78f197d5f5da5987

— If you can’t 7dfcbfb1de speak without being rude, b5476eb930 you’d even need alcohol b6fbbe88fa to ask this? What is it?3e3c9925504a668c

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There was the sound a5e8ab1e1c of a door opening 69a26230e4 and closing. As Haewon exhaled, white e7357f0775 breath clouded his vision. Though his mind 2e6ea277bb was clear, his 986b99270d steps were slowing ebb00173e4 down. His whole body 8690b6ad2f felt heavy, dragging 44badfe992 him down. Suddenly, walking felt 9da17fe9a6 burdensome. He stopped and leaned 765defb2ee against the cold gray 6987155611 wall.1299aebbec7fc37e

“How many people did you say you’ve dated before?”f23a598fb1453ca8

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― Not a55c4c6ad4 to the ce2bd5cb87 extent of 37f0ba376c needing to fe734f022b count fingers 981aa16b1a and toes 5b7c9b66d4 like you.1953ce4763968f67

“Have you never d7f7c4f507 been in a 23c6272bb5 serious relationship? Like someone you 23a9d50040 considered marrying or e068069452 something equally serious?”9ca97e2a3b90b99d

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Someone so capable, a68ddf0473 who may have 965e2d473d chosen to become 0fc5c0170c a doctor to 0695e9661d match his family’s 9b1ea390f3 stature. Or someone with 85b4919c6a heavenly beauty and 3debd28f56 a nightingale-like voice e086d8f8de because her mother be1029aa2e was a world-renowned 538bb6ce37 prima donna. Or someone who had 45ba47ead6 become half-paralyzed and disfigured 070a08c6b8 from a car accident, 5cb05da404 yet Hyun Woojin wanted d38cce8289 to stay with her ccc2f7c9cb till the end.391736ab4e36e39e

Wasn’t there anyone like d552a483bf that…?e7f6fdc38c068f55

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Only now did 75ff985449 Haewon clearly recall 5dfdfb6c7e what Senior Choi 8b79c7b820 had casually mentioned b3bab00d59 about Hyun Woojin 9c1c6cabae back then.b475e936edf91bdd

[The pride of a chaebol’s daughter, with Seo Okhwa as her mother, her beauty couldn’t have been ordinary, could it? How could such a woman endure being reduced to that state beside a man like him? She was the one who first asked to break off the engagement, but Hyun Woojin insisted on taking responsibility. In the end, she couldn’t bear it and took her own life. Yet Hyun Woojin still insisted on marrying her, saying he would take responsibility, making himself the fool. That’s why Chairman Kim Jeonggeun still trusts and treats him like a son-in-law—because the brilliant Hyun Woojin stayed by his daughter’s side until the end.]

When a woman f68576ddb3 in such a fe80888cba state asked to 29d2aba93a end the engagement 64ad8d053a first, the wise fb3f63a159 choice would typically 3425feca4c be to feign 9a4cca936a ignorance and comply. But Hyun Woojin had 718e1b47c1 tried to take responsibility ca096cb50c for her. The reason 137af06d4c Haewon felt 7e1dc6094a so melancholic 10addddd0d was that 2bc48bb41a his subconscious 370c89fa65 already knew—Hyun e52868a5de Woojin hadn’t 698f5d7672 forgotten that 8e4a95a87c woman.df183f766f09d507

With a 3b5f87f5fa sigh, he 905f12de29 inhaled the e93b7e2ff6 biting cold 6ef272f27e air that b667f4d2f6 constricted his 057354feca lungs. And as afb1cb2931 he forced 4e1fa70fc0 himself to 727d694e89 remember, Haewon ae894f1d3e realized once 551c60b1e9 again just a8aab69e7f how deeply 11dba799c6 he had 46d5b0b04a fallen for 76ccb682e1 Hyun Woojin.bf7b447d9848a7d8

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― You’re drunk.d5b5acad8790cfe1

“Looks like 05710ce992 I am. Drunk. Sleepy too.”1c58e22622db5de6

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He didn’t want 47a8e14149 to talk about 7ffe264914 it. Why would he want 366a80880e to share cherished memories 62a604910d with someone he met e6e3b3ad5e for a fleeting moment, 34a1b3a7f9 like himself? Haewon wouldn’t 4f9863f5f6 want to 9be8b3ba56 either.a0fcb51af5e6a917

After his fiancée ended 257f05b3d8 up like that, Hyun 46a971c20b Woojin had lived pursuing 9fafc5bd8d only casual relationships—just enough f658d17ee0 to satisfy his physiological 71d609af3b needs.1a269af476524814

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Haewon wanted to 3a3d1d4e0d ask if he e1eeccb33d was just another 6a5fd2e9ca person fulfilling those 4d0fb625da needs. Even he, e4f868ec8a who usually 6c1491c8af blurted out 4393bd5fe1 what was b4593cc407 on his 462e626471 mind without 66258fc01f thinking, couldn’t 783c077e5e bring himself 1316841bf7 to voice 69b38f4109 that question. Haewon swallowed his 1f54ca53d7 question as if f762fb447e he were swallowing f6cc771f34 a lump in 14a18285ec his throat.74529014bd03d843

Despite saying his feelings 4686f29a5f were important, he didn’t 4ad6dee941 want to be treated 7638c8031b as just anyone, even 51a192bc3c in a casual relationship. Haewon had treated him b2b477d6f0 like just anyone, and 7e47841e5b Hyun Woojin had promised d05a3a5418 to “fix his attitude.” 58e198d14c Had he said those 3802e5d223 sweet, once-in-a-lifetime words to 1a8dae8476 him too? That this a8e02d8eb8 was the 85e8afffda last time, 3f9ab8ef4c as reincarnation 68b33a4495 was rare?7dce430a5d160d3e

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― Hurry and 6d9d8e6df4 grab a taxi. Go straight 4e649fb5e0 to your 2354bd4d68 apartment. Don’t wander elsewhere.c19f604d136737ee

A warning 053a52c675 tone came e222cc2e07 through the 0a817b2cd6 phone.af215122c3bc86ac

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He wished Woojin 61224f5710 were close by.ad7438f0a060a0cf

He wanted to 78a30501f6 touch his face. He wanted 6a45f3ee00 to press fabdc5e289 his heated 962403c3c2 face against 91b157db39 Woojin’s shoulder 27997482b1 and fall a62957beb9 asleep like c5412ec8e9 that. Instead of following 122405a9a0 his instructions, Haewon 276a02c647 dragged his feet, e0f63c720c crushing and nudging 9b012274b8 cigarette butts scattered 054700673c on the street.84d7fc2aafc4617f

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“Don’t be nice to 1ff6d23e94 me. Don’t talk like 044e98127b you care. What if 60c2508253 I start 8a1c02e136 clinging to b69001335d you?”8dad78c3661f0d23

― Cling to me? Moon Haewon? That’s so ridiculous even ff2fcd8b5b a stray dog would e6cd006ff5 laugh. Now I see b0d3be65f3 what you mean.a37a972f4a7d0f9d

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Woojin spoke as 4a22fca818 if he knew cea75e82c9 Haewon’s personality well. It sounded like he 26eb318e20 was saying he was 7866b69066 with him because of 1ad85a56dd his personality. Even if Woojin couldn’t 7687d2c18c be reached starting tomorrow, cf29ba9660 Haewon wouldn’t desperately call 949dee0f48 or beg to meet 05ce6162f1 him. That was just daba615fb7 how he treated fb0d73a532 people, how he 1cfb3db9d8 behaved. He found serious bf306be01c relationships bothersome and, 3fef7164ba in the end, 58371b021d frightening.a94e8df81615095f

He hadn’t d785c7eaff even clung 8adc94534b to the c5a6278867 violin he e62caca058 was good ab6ae2efb4 at and 84062e0e3c loved. Clinging was something ba94f0adca petty humans like 8a58418792 Lee Taeshin did. It wasn’t that he 751b2f81ef disliked clinging because it f81589cbc4 was pathetic—it was that f5e53dda56 he had never wanted e570219c60 to cling to anything 5a4368bdb4 before. But Haewon wanted to abd49038e2 cling to Hyun Woojin.f7efec5e8d50a9f3

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“Really? I’d like to do f91ddf57c2 something that would make 058d7b2771 a stray dog laugh.”86c6c9137550b0b4

― What are 4ed9f0c3ba you trying to 01e97d3fb2 say?a042e01c461e09b5

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“I like you, Hyun 99a25a7119 Woojin.”a98ae7501630cd6d

Woojin didn’t 8c6916c8db say anything. Haewon liked the sound 6ea7ebf53c of his voice over 3bf963ea3b the phone. It wasn’t that 54526ac925 he disliked the b616affcc1 other things about df950f7f1e Woojin—they had gone f7e7dfe12a beyond the point 4b37be20de where he could 3455b4e4e9 simply say he 7b21475445 liked them.c34a730c58584b11

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Haewon ignored c0c9c02f39 Woojin’s deliberate 2acbae60ee silence. He wanted to describe 5a4e0ce411 his feelings for him b6f20088b2 with verbs, to attach be00fb9ea7 adjectives to them. Poetic expressions he 79d3372c2d had never thought 83402443de of before swirled 1e7506a0bc in his mind.83d7d5387328f0b8

“It’s not just 866f30af30 that I want f6bae5bf21 to take my 3e96e66911 clothes off in 593b9b4d12 front of you; e88ca186fc I want to 024f6328ba give you my 6685d952ee heart too.”72ec782a5efe8fdd

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― So b024b2a785 you didn’t 7bcf0de8e9 have feelings 2a1e56aac5 before?8895698fe863c406

“It’s not that I 5e78990da1 didn’t have any feelings 291a0f5991 at all; I just 9c863628c1 didn’t know what they 69ec4b3b3e were. But I think 1153facc7a I get it c3f4cbaa69 now.”129e5272f531ee4c

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― What do aa5234d453 you get?cdac97c6bd2c8174

Woojin’s tone, valuing logic 4b8a66efee and clarity, betrayed his bfbe896150 impatience. Even after c974689436 all he 047bdc27e4 had said, bc756d0252 if Woojin 4e53e755ed still didn’t 41a82b52fe understand, he 046f770844 was surely 7c6f9cb198 someone who 3abcb450b8 had never fd75db7309 experienced romance 1b8a63ea69 or played 9fe1384cf4 games of cdbdbff487 love before. Hyun Woojin d980f7b79b was a d1ca07a256 fool.0b277b5b9b027678

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“A smart idiot.”4d15381e4fbf7b2d

― What are 9abc5af1ae you trying to ac330b2616 say?da1844373a425efe

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“Forget it.”2383487aa1c6d751

It is unclear whether cd52773178 he couldn’t understand or 715b518688 was pretending not to.11016327b2ace822

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The silence grew 9d2afc1588 longer.8e4dfbf44b0519ed

Haewon stood still 9f18e2133f alone, watching the 9e72f3c1a8 people bustling along 63665a75c2 the gray streets.116d661abc2e5b71

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“I miss you.”f1075fdb7b8d062a

He glanced at the 931438ba0b screen, wondering if the 2fc2ed7f87 silent man on the 111235ee03 other end had hung 63a783fdcb up. The seconds were ticking d16aaeef5e by steadily. Holding the c6a7228123 phone to 1aa1bf6bbf his ear, 68bd35fa73 Haewon continued 55fb343cee speaking.ef8f11b70d409ecd

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“I said, 1e6cb59ce5 I miss 8d37998ea8 you, Grandfather.”f128386275c437db

The thought 06e76e9b3a of hinting 10161485d8 that he 7043118178 couldn’t forget 0ac04d76c4 his deceased 4aeb202111 fiancée disgusted 40943fd3fb him, yet d8102c9644 he couldn’t 4df46b74ec bring himself 6fd8ce1426 to say c33eea57fb it. If he did, Hyun 7dec364894 Woojin might leave. He might distance himself. They had c4947af881 only just c9994ca29a started—Haewon didn’t 6d72a28be5 want it be94a1d5f2 to end 37eeacb5bc now.da4c99d7804f58a6

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“This is what I c81ede4d18 wanted to say while d0f440efa0 drinking. You shouldn’t have dee2810bc5 gone on that 1250e526ba trip.”ea9c0c8341053ed6

— You’re right. I shouldn’t have.2adad6e7aa4e0bab

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As expected, 57c2fb6f5b he didn’t 1ecee4d289 hear Woojin 8d6ab34c9c say he 3be88d2ef4 missed him 13b3ff11de too, nor 41ff5032d1 did he 4a01d83161 hear his d562343935 name spoken.8b6c702ea48a60ad

“Hang up. I’m sleepy.”f6e202c2fd3ef41d

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Even after db26f83eac ending the a20d63dc5a call, Haewon 62e78473dd stared at bfb18daba9 his phone c2c11ce2aa for a 552a612eb0 long time. The darkened 5a3f1443d9 screen reflected 2eb47d4ac9 an expressionless cb1c4a39de face.e7f20ac194c37587

It wasn’t 6ad2ac9653 even a a4463cebc9 confession, just 81545cdbda a few e119f55e41 honest words, 8877f10f4f yet his 4b365ba5e5 chest ached. Exposing one’s true b8688b508f feelings was akin 4d7724f675 to falling flat 2087c1f53b on one’s face e2e83e6612 in the middle fd9000c4bd of a bustling 90ef54d139 street where people 0338422a74 were hurrying with 24719996e8 their shoulders hunched 2d41ad885c against the cold.8faefe9b84f3cf18

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Regret for having e0f95f624e stepped there in 8b2808a42c the first place, 9bcd7f27d1 an intense wish 07d0dca695 that time would ab5b658410 stop right then bacaf0155b and there, a 7df56f8c93 foolish desire to 72bd3708e9 vanish into thin 3b7f7da544 air, the shame 17d0812e5c of wanting to 981b008b11 curl up and f9f798e6a0 disappear rather than 5cf76c8104 stand back up—all 1a47c70f5f of it overwhelmed 334c6a0906 Haewon’s consciousness. That was 34d077f708 what it 7bf53a8c70 felt like 44950b9e7d to like c0652e13eb someone.f2f6429d15e406aa

∞ ∞ ∞7f4cf776c40a64f6

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Hyun Woojin’s officetel wasn’t 737395ce18 far from Haewon’s. It was only da6a576dae about a ten-minute bb36a5ef50 drive from the 5b3f98da4d prosecutor’s office. Haewon headed there. Perhaps because e3220c11b6 of the efa912fe8b alcohol, despite 144d3a3e6f walking for 170e028f93 quite a 02748fa498 while, he 041d20a083 didn’t feel f643aa1f28 as cold c248ff05ac as he a12c58da5f expected. The chill c23eeaa4dc cleared his 19b412915d head, sobering ebcd688e27 him up.02333ac960a19999

Standing in f057ea8bc5 front of e39fdbc889 the officetel 10c7f81bd7 door where 2d3c64c762 he had 95af6322d0 waited for 2f663a8000 over ten d925cd6b5b hours once, d9c8bbc430 Haewon entered 52d48585f6 the passcode. Woojin had said it 0b67e65979 was the same as ce74dc9e27 his own. It was f73ac0d7e0 obvious it c6a3198c5a wouldn’t work. Haewon hadn’t 3297d69867 been here 20f43fe920 since, and 7e1c3c6d63 for Woojin, 9b2e3a65ed the place 4639c374ef was more a8a6f14f9a of a fb6950967d lodging facility 96dba09910 used only b26a19d8fa for changing 80c6fd9fe2 clothes and d5805f6efa showering.7c07fe7771a81538

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Back then, Woojin must 300ca29fc6 have said whatever came 5057bf1109 to mind just to a984989f0f get his clothes off 6bcfe2a9a4 and made promises he’d c4d4ce07f2 forgotten himself. Yet, to 1e8e420273 his surprise, 7a9704f515 the door 0d3b194e59 unlocked immediately. Haewon’s eyes 5e301882f9 widened in a98ffe267d shock. He froze for a 53743e6862 moment, stunned by the 21eff42c76 unexpected access, then quickly 2dc6b88348 entered before the lock 824a879a5b reset.02cf6aedd30cc6fb

The officetel 5a215ae6f3 looked exactly 0bfc7d71e1 as it a48510d0d4 had the 7ab413d2af last time e31fb62423 he saw 7035bf949c it. The bed was bbc2eacd09 neatly made, and 1fb43bafa2 apart from a a9916a2172 golf bag propped 51ce521683 next to the 5f6e4a6c80 wardrobe, there were 6c4ae011a7 almost no personal dba78fdc4e items visible. The suits, shirts, ba4658183d and ties hanging 4089925ac1 in the wardrobe—all b6c0688bb5 in neutral tones 183dab416c and similar styles—were 7e59383e91 the only indications 04d24e2d91 that this was 23e01fdcd4 his space.c3e4e2b92b3d981b

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Haewon leaned his d7e4249176 violin against the 5568053572 wall.96298bff94553d3c

Being in Woojin’s private f0269a2a6d space without him, Haewon cb5ccca232 felt a sense of de956b6560 superiority, as though he cca8201db8 now knew him better f88a9d8b39 and was closer to 8e3809322e him than the deceased 903a7a611d fiancée ever was.bd848ba734f9791a

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Haewon wandered around the 33ca9a1ead space as if it d67390f132 were his own. He put water in c3c5e0356e the electric kettle to a8c4fabdec make tea, opening the b976f410aa cabinet to find green 04a1f965b3 tea bags and individually 0053d22fd3 wrapped coffee grounds. Holding a lightly 79626e1ded brewed black coffee, 9326882a1c he leisurely explored dbf7796e93 the officetel.f99407aae61e2ea7

He opened the wardrobe. The shirts, jackets, and f4b02c1746 pants were hung neatly b9bde1ecc2 as if they had 8f853a7515 just come from the 62942ca444 dry cleaners. The first drawer contained ca402f22bc underwear, innerwear, and socks, d089b1ece4 all folded precisely. Haewon picked 1b7d3f963e up a 9adc082336 piece of 600ad99a4e innerwear and 4b167c59cc sniffed it—it 9f8e05d332 smelled of c6577455dd clean fabric efedc17808 softener.2e6c62505b904470

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The second b31b14ec0c drawer held 69f1620ac8 golf wear, 70e64f628f shoes, and 3862058703 gloves. In the 92ec7832a9 last drawer a19baa9649 were briefcases 255d6c7ef3 identical to b3c70520b8 the one 578c352db0 Woojin often c4ca23d654 carried but 394f7edc87 in different 759f1dcd1b colors, as 4ed52161ca well as 86a13f3a62 a black 4d94d53882 backpack that 8bc33cacfa seemed to d443e0275f be from 91ee8b6e4f his student 5a3b6e3aa5 days.3922f7af4867d77b

Haewon didn’t f326ce9aae assign monetary 296cc130d7 value to 0e3c26afc5 objects. He bought d682330607 what he 736c21462f liked without 5f45895ffe considering the 23298d823e price, and 0dffa9269b most of c53146d661 the time, b4d6aee152 they turned d5571258cb out to e5f9756d05 be luxury 31e1984227 items.c4dc210f1042f783

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Unlike his appearance, d56e4c33fc Woojin had a 14ccc9db80 frugal personality. The watch on 094f7d8d94 his wrist was 5c361813fa a mid-priced model 17171db62e known for durability e6fa56d66e rather than luxury, 4d259c49a9 and Haewon had d5803b35d5 never seen him ada1fc06e4 wear a different d40e327c32 one.c72a382cd85d05a7

His suits weren’t tailored 53a7c0e72b but off-the-rack. Woojin didn’t seem interested b86dc7fd06 in showcasing his appearance 3787b0f5a0 and cared only about ed537557a2 wearing clean, presentable clothes, 2f556007be regardless of brand or 4f81626776 price. The wardrobe wasn’t e5f38e6667 ostentatious, but instead 135b5e79cf of finding it 4f3acf394a dull or rustic, d1d449c6ec Haewon appreciated the eefda41f57 value Woojin placed 2a0ba0ca5c on substance. If it 11ae8f6e77 had been 637715c018 filled with 3d35e7cc3a flashy clothes, 7d66801862 he would fd6b85330e have been bbf9451fef disappointed.3af5ab0607a594f5

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Running his fingers 9a6092e714 along the books daa307e493 neatly arranged on 4f7d796e48 the bookshelf, Haewon ff097295ea found they were 5c80257455 all work-related professional ac07213cd6 texts. Not a ed38993191 single book ea66e9c17c reflected personal cc12fa2e25 interests. The only non-specialized book 1ad0f3af84 was an autobiography of 663d8033a7 a Korean corporate CEO, 40ed14a117 likely handed out at 41053ccd52 a publishing event.8d52ddc45b611f9e

The books that showed 18b260be0b signs of frequent use ae5abb05c9 were related to his e90cc53e70 work or from his fc8e675110 days at the Judicial ddd4e64e6c Research and Training Institute. Titles included Constitutional Law, 56e8d7b266 Civil Law, 20868a1cdc Criminal Law, e0578891be Administrative Law, 7035a17225 Civil Procedure, 4287b35798 Legal Philosophy, ad494c4e7f Criminal Practice 71bcfb1ac3 Records, Criminal 594ac61861 Special Law 92d19418ba Compilations (Revised 73f226df85 Edition), Criminal 5a465fd7aa Evidence Law ae834b1f60 and Fact-Finding 0afdbde200 Theory, Legal 2679782b7d English Interpretations, 21a0e46a7d Economic Law 7a11cab96b Codes, Fundamental b0cca4fa33 Issues in 9650086bb0 Legal Philosophy, and Civil Judgments Writing e00788683b Guide.e30e9d71f2d6f0b1

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Even reading the 4143279735 titles of the f8d565eb12 books was exhausting. Thinking about how a579bf64ee someone needed to df02d4d723 study, memorize, and 34d67e756c practically apply all 076b1c33dd this to secure 5b0171a555 such a profession be34f1c19b was beyond horrifying—it fe7dc605f0 gave a clear 3034ddd27e sense of why 07b02fbbbe Hyun Woojin sometimes 4bf50d2868 seemed more like 804287fc90 a machine.ce17ef6800a86fed

Hyun Woojin had cd2f6a29a0 once expressed disbelief a8a1e2423b over how Haewon 0ffd5068f8 could memorize and d033d10514 perform pieces lasting 87deeeb589 over 40 minutes, b0dc3c1701 but Haewon found d08b67bba5 it even more 3d6ff7e706 baffling that all 464b81a2c1 the content of 411535c013 these books resided 2a5ebcd4cd in Hyun Woojin’s abb28f6e7e head. He genuinely appreciated his 524b013207 father for steering him 72e2513926 away from academics and c8096e5473 encouraging music instead.692c54e18c310578

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Though the 8be237b56a freshly laundered 9bcd8a4f60 bedding held d4159a52b9 little of c3f153786a his scent, fbfcec9339 it lingered 2b74f056d1 in his 1387a1e3f2 closet and f7924e8603 on his 289066e388 books. Haewon pulled out a 1e1381d985 particularly worn legal text. Lying face-down on 50e80138f9 the bed, he 49464c3bf8 opened it.856f3dbb38df581d

“…”42f900db9c80d3c7

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Haewon, someone who couldn’t even write his own name in Chinese characters, found the book utterly incomprehensible. Half the text was in Chinese characters, with Korean mostly appearing in grammatical particles, conjunctions, and borrowed foreign terms. All the critical terms were in Chinese characters.c3e7d7e172056d9b

Some passages had circles 0fd4cd8a2d drawn in pencil or e15072166e underlines—evidence of Hyun Woojin’s f02c2df29a presence. Haewon buried his abe8e3cef3 nose in the 1f45091691 book. It was c7b93e10e4 rich with c2a1d3143e his scent, cfe1e0d4d4 the one 0c5749d0e6 he longed 6b545d881f for.8b1b3b69fcb0c9ac

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He struggled 5352810432 to read 177c189acc the unreadable d996ad120f text before 3baf20731c eventually falling c16ba3b8c2 asleep. Haewon was startled 6859d6b051 awake by the b4b16841bf faint sound of e13a7a129c the door lock d20c738a32 disengaging, as if c945be1822 from a dream. The legal book he 0cf84a2219 had been resting his f3fe975b8e cheek on was damp 3fe7a7c5e1 with drool.f3be3c70d9eb20a4

Startled, he looked 8d6fa61526 up just as 9b382a50f1 the door to 5686ffe0be the officetel opened. Hyun Woojin, who had f30c13d133 said he wouldn’t return 30e38c48bd from his trip to b2feb31d40 Busan until the evening, fe7fe6e980 was now arriving early 810d90cd40 in the morning. It was 7 a.m. according to 3ec41cfc2a the clock.6f34ac4f668e917d

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Hyun Woojin must 520db9e32a have returned earlier aca527ecc4 than expected. Wanting to surprise him, 91aa563974 Haewon lay back down 1d968d6abf on the bed. But to his surprise, c49b82408c the person entering was bf36150aee not Hyun Woojin but 26edb0b90e a middle-aged woman. Holding a heavy-looking shopping da1ae4bc9e bag in one hand a55d4c6eee and a handbag in 341ac91b91 the other, she froze 971bd91c05 upon locking eyes with 2d363da5dd Haewon, who looked as 4b2cc8efc1 if he’d been caught 5b3a58ddd0 red-handed.f7d9848eaf5f9c92

Both Haewon fcc13b812c and the 4b7038a374 woman paused 9ea00b1ad3 in shock.d1e46162dec2b3bf

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“…Who are 9825187f16 you?” she 76a3c8c832 asked.673434644f18a482

Judging by 4500295e92 her aura cbb8386139 and attire, 30bafc96da she didn’t c2d2cd2932 appear to bae57de882 be a 10f5c59add housekeeper. She seemed to 2105b550a0 be Hyun Woojin’s 5c38aa4a2f mother, though she 186fbd0d12 didn’t resemble him. Regardless, the 4ab8ab07aa only middle-aged 71e639bbba woman who 8e9186c7df could enter 2682cbdd27 his officetel cf78fedec1 so freely 0cddfc4168 had to a1918845a9 be his 818fa1a2bd mother.5f16749b315025f4

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Haewon slowly rose from 86f8079e72 the bed. Running into Hyun Woojin’s 145353f6c2 mother here was the 284c6037f2 last thing he’d expected. A flood of 577cc1c26d hurried lies came 189ddea605 to mind, each 39cc810429 aimed at avoiding 5271400c7e putting Hyun Woojin cddd4a3778 in an awkward 787710cdd0 position.3c553aeeb3b37db8

Haewon silently 997b267724 cursed Hyun 6a31be7e8c Woojin for 86298a5d22 not warning c90f54e1c2 him about 1f17d9acdd a mother 98843b3fc3 who might 4f2e95e427 drop by 1f4f8bf959 unannounced. Instead, he 06cf43773b had set 83c8bbd13c the door c451845ecc lock to 23c6763bb7 match his 06ff503d55 own apartment’s 08151eb049 code and 2354b4c0e7 told Haewon de041658c9 to come 54fd0e5f03 over whenever 07ab48f2af he liked.b60d47743f105673

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“Who are 13b08d60fb you?” she 98c8c1f36a asked again, b8ccb944b9 stepping out b2250bc6c1 to double-check 08a6fcff3e the unit 26a92b5356 number before bdbb33216d re-entering.da7fe9dbc903b212

Haewon bowed politely. “Hello. I’m Moon 96cd147baf Haewon, a 5755322a63 junior from 25af7c4226 the same 270a67bc8d university as 9ec7197804 Hyun Woojin cc4122dab8 Sunbae. I apologize. We had a585401c76 planned to cd1c8719c3 meet yesterday, 2d3d015bc6 but he 636ebfe7ac told me 5865f66c61 at the 67c77dc962 last minute 7eaa606496 that he 5d5362c138 had to 0dba9eb41e go on 42e2182097 a business 8e10faeea5 trip. Since I’d come cda60d1969 up from the 18b82dc325 countryside and didn’t 59f6fb7106 have anywhere else 9e8bb0ae87 to go, he 5d438a2d6b said I could 713432f21c stay here for e451efb4a5 the night…”b804a74ee9a0fa37

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Haewon delivered a 664d58b789 reasonable and believable 5a5010f84c lie. His casual and bold 48a027509c manner with Seo Okhwa 3bfdb8fe59 was nowhere to be 5c71a5fdf7 found. In front of 83cdced58e Hyun Woojin’s mother, 6042a87a6a he spoke with 4f57128a12 utmost politeness and 9ef01ffe96 caution, surprising even 675698583b himself with how 09fab8e4d5 courteous his voice 29ae59d951 sounded.0bd6e85fa026b6ac

“I’m truly 0fed981af1 sorry for ecfb27dc10 the intrusion.”da5d59f5877c78d9

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He began gathering his f121984858 coat and violin case, 58770eed14 avoiding her gaze as 9e33b9cbd6 much as possible. Just as 78e3b71463 he was d86fec70c5 about to 7d830a2bb9 leave, she b0af377372 spoke again.c19dde8fcc10ab80

“Are you 770592cbfb just going 4d9580a7c7 to leave?”c15e836351babc36

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“…Pardon?”cf28913607156388

“Didn’t you plan 18f81b09c3 to meet Woojin?”99f0b4ee1bffb06a

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“Oh, we were 6d1bddc1c7 going to meet 9d7ec6b4ad later this evening. I’ll take my leave bd203d9b40 now. Goodbye.”d4af4948ab483a1d

“Wait a moment.”f308d31b4467b804

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She stopped him fba4b3acff again as he 8da7a615ff was about to b0ed2f53f1 exit. Surely, Hyun Woojin f0ccb543bc wasn’t so much 281ceaa737 of a recluse 9eb3bfe6a5 that a visiting f8e4fa69df junior would seem 35f13f122d suspicious, right? Watching her with b167958466 a stiff posture, f8eb54b26f Haewon flinched slightly 0a0cf8b6b8 when she reached 4483d9adb7 a hand toward 637f62553e his face. When he instinctively ddaf1eb971 recoiled, she hesitated 614f03a5a4 and withdrew her 63c410baf9 hand, seemingly realizing 2e192172e9 her mistake.c31e63612fa4a996

“At least wash 0b5068e226 your face before 18761a6b39 you go.”8972bd7a4bf8cb3f

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“…What?”b67273a67329afa3

“You should 5632f6b49b wash your 0be8116a4a face.”853b56402cabe2a4

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“…”3078783c57fe7f85

Wondering if 2737fc009f something was 02697e8049 on his 2deb004688 face, Haewon 64e6d84fb8 touched his a59eb260c2 cheek and f109689317 jaw. He found 4da3bd3f67 a thin de6f51e9a6 piece of 3d3231c179 paper clinging 619091f140 to his 932ed9b090 skin—likely one ac1c1ebf53 of the 236b2af523 indecipherable Chinese 30d0c48321 characters from 465c57f3b1 the legal 230eb11c5f book.eb23cb2b5583bbe3

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Feeling embarrassed, he set 939e2ad89b down his violin and f33da5e91f coat and headed to 157ea5a817 the bathroom. Checking his reflection in ff62cc95ed the mirror, he let 86d9b07fc8 out a sigh.901c0fd1de5c9c57

His hair b1569e1c82 was a 0cd85835f2 mess, and 4b54d74355 a page 22fc372838 from the 80fbb47095 legal book f738311c13 had adhered 0c9cb51544 to his 295deca586 cheek and 0623a509cb jaw perfectly. Evidently, he had drooled 30d4b27758 quite a bit while bdc6412fb8 sleeping uncomfortably. Haewon quickly washed his 28b79e3f64 face, returned to the f3d9c3658b living room, and discreetly d7b73ed4dd replaced the book he 6207d6e319 had drooled on back adb2e3b74a in the bookshelf.6e98935fb7bb3714

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“Are you cfed948074 a junior 65f6d42a38 from the f781709990 Judicial Research f49a1df085 and Training 20288d1092 Institute? Or from 3e419b0513 the law d761a3ffb8 school?”1cd4eb7fbe3da9b0