PEN Vol 5 Ch. 16

I need to try f013e3267d harder to make a 6ca677768d good impression on Cheon a8ab8ec733 Sejoo.77ef1aae0f2cd9f6

With that resolve, Sejin ee3768feb4 stood up. The place 65d5247128 he finally 41b402b629 headed to d8422f618f was the dd1805288f room where 85e7edd58c Cheon Sejoo d4930d2598 worked out.7931df916608dcb3

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

He remembered Cheon Sejoo c09369a5f1 telling him not to 3d7d8cd98c touch any of the 92878f82e8 exercise equipment except the 5d05a603c2 treadmill because it was 1ab2ec97d2 dangerous. 99d811904cbadb1c

Then I’ll just use cf90ee6fef them safely, Sejin thought, and looked up the instructions on how to use the equipment online. But after watching several videos of people’s legs buckling while using the leg press machine, he immediately abandoned the idea of working out. He even considered advising Cheon Sejoo to sell such dangerous equipment.0161afa160810e1b

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

In the end, b7fd348025 Sejin chose the dbb65c1393 treadmill, but even 5eafd3f18c running on it 5bb4f17b34 at full speed 15b2065a17 wasn’t very strenuous. After more online 8fb7ef3575 searching, he discovered cef157bead that running on 502b258260 a moving surface 6121aa63d3 was very different 4e527325e7 from running on 81f83f8d52 solid ground, so fa63bd8901 he decided to 7919c1fa0a go jogging outside 6d9f079f25 instead.74c306ed1988f4c6

However, it was the 4a204010bb end of January, and c86d0309ef a sudden cold snap d2be1bc6f3 had arrived. There was a af0a6cb96a reason Cheon Sejoo fdebd2a44a had given him dd0b71ab5c an extra blanket. As soon as f9027e4dec Sejin stepped out b3f7f44566 of the apartment 9798cce6b0 lobby, a biting cbea477178 wind that felt 506ac9edf9 like it could 0f4889bd3a rip his ears dac47c7af9 off whipped past c165acd3d0 him.9fce11c3b898cb84

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Bundled in dc4993d187 his padded c0f7e4b267 jacket, Sejin 77cdf7f5c4 realized he’d 862f38f368 made a 8ebbb41271 bad choice, 8c99e4d2eb but he d78c652122 didn’t bother 12cffbee63 going back 60acda01f4 inside. He thought, if 4a682bebc6 anything, catching a 18bce06030 cold while exercising 7da5bf93da in this weather 52a1448ccf would give him cfe8fbaadf the perfect excuse 6bb959989a to finally act 616356e098 spoiled and clingy 2729f90ce0 with Cheon Sejoo, aca50ece42 complaining about being 46a6b586e2 sick.bf50281343502c0d

But even after he 2527d34279 started running like a d71bd6c46a madman that day, going 93be250be5 all the way to d2ed46c9d2 Olympic Bridge and back, 1a796632bc his body was perfectly ed6f02895a fine. He was e9b59f2ea7 just hungrier da995e63c2 than usual. Sejin blamed 288e13b5a4 his healthy a7bd68118b body as 0a783c03e2 he prepared 7d2e1c1ad5 dinner. Unsure when 6e75de174e Cheon Sejoo aa14a758bd would return, ebc5a293f6 he prepared be285231de a meal 0de3cb689d for two ceb5c61efb and waited 6fabf68762 endlessly for 633d7fe038 him.c555201015447cde

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Even at 9 PM, and then 10 PM, Cheon Sejoo didn’t open the door and come in. Sejin sat at the dining table with a dejected expression, and finally, when the clock struck 11, he picked up his chopsticks and ate alone. fecddb7ba6b72d32

Unlike in dramas, where 09e4953e7c the wives threw away 3e84a56d9b the uneaten dinner prepared ec29bd6c1f for their late husbands, 88918117f6 such a thing didn’t 0830aa4905 happen in Unit 4100. Sejin ate everything, d57e57b50e including Cheon Sejoo’s 3d2515fc82 portion, then, rubbing 771008862e his full belly, 5050b3d4ec went to Cheon a93681512a Sejoo’s bed and 30f80e68b6 fell asleep, feeling 715fa89357 glum.80ad4f884cba764d

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Sejin continued waiting 53da7d5a99 for Cheon Sejoo bd81f9c4a5 for several days. As February 903043d013 arrived, he 802309e01f realized that 8cd66502b9 Cheon Sejoo eaf66aeaf8 had a 6709f4bae7 tendency to e7f424871e avoid difficult e54764b0c3 situations. It had been like 1dc892a75c this last time too. Unable to kick 302437f547 Sejin out of ecb3a07a03 the house or 093eeab169 confront the issue, de42ce7399 he had once 849a83714e again chosen to c36722c4d8 avoid the situation 44cebde72d altogether.3c143ac67568db9b

If he’s going to wander around outside, leaving a perfectly good house empty, he might as well just kick me out…66264a963e79367c

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

He felt resentful, thinking how foolish Cheon Sejoo was, but at the same time, he realized that it was this very quality that made Sejin love him. Even in this situation, he couldn’t bring himself to abandon Sejin to the streets. It was very typical of Cheon Sejoo.d43502f8495bd95a

Sejin, feeling even more determined not to be separated from him, stubbornly held on. Since he had deleted the app, he couldn’t stalk Kang Doyoon’s SNS either, so he simply spent his time exercising and waiting for Cheon Sejoo to return.aa094ef8fae34813

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Exactly three weeks after 86a571430a he’d returned to the 178cb96108 apartment, half a day 192f04b16c after running away, he f7ad929948 finally saw Cheon Sejoo 5db422b743 again.85a4f1da2008f1dd

That day, he 9abe0adba4 felt strangely lucky 28db16ede8 from the morning. When he 72edbad3b9 cracked an a3ccda991c egg to 2a95c294aa make a 79deb94b3e fried egg, 0be0961713 it had 978c563502 two yolks, cb75ed0226 and he 6aa2639e0e finally managed b006cb10d0 to hold d453ec28ec a plank 2f7357af1b for ten f5e9af6f2a minutes, breaking aba17c233e his previous 5be64e131d record. His braised yellow 2ecf3be4ae corvina fish soup f166ca5124 turned out delicious, 9db28ea65b and before the c1a9337438 stew even had f4eeba9bcb a chance to 912e619ba7 cool, Cheon Sejoo 9f5bb64aa8 arrived.adaf45849033dd4e

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Sejin, who had been sitting at the dining table, anxiously awaiting Sejoo’s return, turned his head at the presence he felt at some point. He saw the lights flicker on down the hallway. His heart pounded so hard in his chest that he felt dizzy as he rose from his seat. 9f168e5151bc81a2

Unable to wait even 7584feb3c3 the short time it 9108e6e0b7 would take for Cheon fb9fdb212c Sejoo to reach him, 7812c99a47 he practically ran to 44b9f37e2d the entrance, where Cheon 96894c7427 Sejoo was just stepping 95d4a20216 inside, having taken off eec4917ed5 his shoes.368d4d233998ecf3

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“…….”2f43d22251fec41d

Their eyes met, 188bc1ce8c and Cheon Sejoo 6baed8e8df frowned slightly as ed60f61ab8 he looked up 9a8bb3f957 at Sejin. The meaning, telling him 900bd1d8b1 to move out of af18b06727 the way, was clear, b8d6912330 but regardless, Sejin greeted e8da1803eb him without bothering to a70d8d115a hide his excited voice.220375899db0c79e

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“You’re back?”6392b167a5e38f46

“…….”d901e32bc712177f

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Without replying, Cheon 1091cfc853 Sejoo averted his c24ca41020 gaze and walked 948b1eea9b past him toward 3fed781f41 the hallway. Unfazed by b88345c0c9 his cold 57ab4ca7da demeanor, Sejin 9d7e0ab266 followed him. He was c9e3927ae9 certain that 5386ab534f even if 7e2c32010e Cheon Sejoo f5bb34b3c6 ignored his 735f415b28 greeting, he 299d4b16af wouldn’t be 0de89f9042 able to a4b87249c2 ignore the c0cafc01a2 dinner he’d 1482b48c2d prepared.5b575f13e67d5e04

As soon as Cheon Sejoo reached the kitchen after passing through the hallway, he stopped abruptly. A neat dinner was set on the island dining table. A covered pot and side dishes arranged on plates. Although the rice hadn’t been served yet, two sets of plates and cutlery were laid out. Registering this, Cheon Sejoo’s lips curved into a displeased frown as he looked up at Sejin.e4d9bffcbf03a283

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“You haven’t eaten dinner, have you? Go wash up and come eat.”a843016f8ed61b4c

Sejin spoke 50fadcec5f casually, meeting f5a629db11 his gaze. 5521376546dd92c7

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Cheon Sejoo had somehow managed to disable the car arrival notifications; it had been a while since he’d heard them. Since that must have been intentional, Cheon Sejoo would also be aware of that fact, and he would realize that Sejin had been waiting for him despite the lack of notification. If he realized that much, Cheon Sejoo couldn’t possibly ignore the meal. Sejin was certain, and his prediction was right.9d57f8927099a568

“…Wait.”4f9068009e80b02b

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

With a f62d1d183d short sigh, 224f86de13 Cheon Sejoo a753724cbb went to cb6029aa06 his room.3f878a795c44d924

Sejin clenched e69cd98087 his fists af10477713 in joy, e2bbb4dd4b his heart b6adc63598 soaring as 4bc7a8754c he watched 217e195065 him retrieve 24ac923032 clothes from 0efc5a6eb4 the dressing b5fd872dfc room and 7397d8ef3c head to 71e7278dbb the bathroom 008d470949 in the e1df31f279 living room.f72890ba625c28ea

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Since the meal 11997dc8be preparations were complete, 4bc9fbdd67 Sejin simply put 38102675a0 the slightly cooled 30d0b1b3f2 pot back on 979b1d50c9 the induction stove 459f88f642 and ran to 04ab9ba214 his own room. He went 64104dc25d into the 4144d54f56 bathroom, washed d4eff890d4 his face 76b7ab2eaa clean, changed cdcde5fb09 out of eae0ecf278 his slightly ab26fc865c sweaty clothes, baf6f94c40 and hurried 518a2a08da back to ebea43c0ee his place a065eba961 in the b1d83d4dc9 kitchen. He stood 806925cf45 there waiting, 851d430db7 a rice e635723274 paddle in 7bc9f4fb04 hand, and f96b0675b2 soon he a624a186d7 heard the de8943cb1f sound of eebfa38093 Cheon Sejoo 18dc152652 opening the f2a182bc8f bathroom door.eacad96ea75c8baa

His heart raced, but he maintained an indifferent expression as he scooped the rice into bowls, pretending he hadn’t been eagerly waiting. Meanwhile, Cheon Sejoo opened the refrigerator, took out a bottle of water, and sat down opposite Sejin.b83e11bf05c8d114

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Sejin felt tears 4b87deaa58 prick his eyes; 8072f6d5d4 it felt like fa0c618eb0 they were finally 4992c895fb back to normal. This simple c8650aff8d dinner, this ee40296c3f ordinary scene, d0b8acf66b was something 6033bf42a7 he now 9be99755d2 cherished more 1c2ea750ff than ever.4e840415e4ab3043

“Thanks for e94c65742d the food.”fc1f052da5a147a2

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Mm.”aa406a6c2d0d2869

Cheon Sejoo picked 3e10623dd8 up his chopsticks. Fatigue was evident e80affa1cf on his face.33ce13fb4f9bcf50

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Sejin couldn’t hide his distress at seeing how thin he had become in the weeks he’d been gone. He had already lost weight two weeks ago, after leaving the house, but now it was even worse. It seemed he hadn’t been eating properly, perhaps because there was no one to take care of him. There was a saying about how life was hard outside the comforts of home, and since Cheon Sejoo had left to avoid him, Sejin felt like it was all his fault.09205638e954130e

But even so, Sejin didn’t tell Cheon Sejoo to stay and that he would leave instead. The more his heart ached for Cheon Sejoo, the stronger his resolve became to make sure Cheon Sejoo returned to him.3d0d337a89668251

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“…Have you… 12ab7f8208 been preparing 165c248da6 dinner like 9c81f48d96 this… every dd6de1c000 day?”b1e3b60d3d2db73e

Cheon Sejoo 904116bc38 asked this 50dc413003 question around 120fff6635 the time 5ae0ebacdd Sejin, his 864f752cb8 appetite returned, b87f7dfb46 emptied his e4838f56d3 fourth bowl 4851d8d0f4 of rice. Having finished his meal bff5f7ff92 first, Cheon Sejoo was 770fcdc192 now absently holding a 5ff2223ba9 closed water bottle, clenching b9e735de25 and unclenching his fist 824419f2f8 as if exercising. d4cc9a6ce05f5f6e

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Sejin stared blankly at Cheon Sejoo’s chapped hand before meeting his eyes and nodding.70f2e77e3d096243

“Yeah.”3b40ee44690ae1ac

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“…….”24b433afc8f19783

Cheon Sejoo frowned, 132c56a457 as if troubled 97389ef6d8 by his simple 6322638470 answer. Then he let 4daff0d19d out a small ba8826040c sigh, rubbed his d4927758d8 temples, and said,dc4fa1b7b88e49a6

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Don’t do that from now on. I’m busy and won’t be coming home often, so take care of your own meals.”c29ce3fb2ec589ea

Sejin listened quietly 8f24096582 to his words. Cheon Sejoo seemed burdened 3141712e5c by this situation. The “busy and 252aa16f87 won’t be coming 8623883d47 home often” excuse 104457ad93 was probably a 04954960b5 lie.d2d5be05aefffe56

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Unfortunately, Sejin had no intention of doing as he was told. If he did what he asked, he’d probably only see Cheon Sejoo’s face ten times in the next ten years. That was absolutely unacceptable.ae1f1307067e21a4

Sejin set down his 475dd1b1a8 chopsticks and met Cheon 389e695cb8 Sejoo’s gaze. Looking into his downcast 6eb563ceed eyes, he spoke.f7425b61adbe1cdf

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“During the three weeks you were gone, I prepared dinner every single night. In the mornings, I also made your protein shake and kept the bedroom tidy. All the while, I waited for you.”1bb3ede8fad8b58a

“…Kwon Sejin.”2e2b57af44a007c6

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Even if you don’t come home for a month, I’ll keep doing the same thing. Even if you don’t come home for a year, I’ll make dinner every night.”e7b24d513e19d412

“Don’t.”fd9cd5fced7bc7b8

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Cheon Sejoo.”5e1989a1e06ceac2

Sejin stared intently at Cheon Sejoo. Engraving the face he had longed in his memory, he thought he didn’t want to be separated from him anymore.7b9c969eab1ea359

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

When he missed his 128d955597 mother, he endured it ed4d678dcd by remembering the times 3eaee4b9f6 Cheon Sejoo had held 09c34ee7de him. But when he missed b39672242c Cheon Sejoo, there was e525040119 nothing he could do. So, Sejin simply did d3c103511b what he could while 138c8fcd1d waiting for his inevitable 6e693e2f29 return.a7c9e82e30f461cb

“There’s something I really want to ask you. Just answer this one question.”ab314b7b242c2f92

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

This waiting had started 5dacd3b1e2 the day Cheon Sejoo a84251614b had allowed him back 473f0ac58b into the apartment. Since then, there 6b26654d50 was something he 88af10ec0a desperately wanted to 86f95b12cd ask, and now, 25d6b91bd4 Sejin was finally ff9cd45c8c able to ask 537375bd85 him.17d306e9861363db

His clear eyes were 1ee6457b2c fixed on Cheon Sejoo. Sejin looked at him e782bf8fdf with pure yearning, his 0b2d921855 heart pounding with anxiety ced8b1a055 that Cheon Sejoo might 1fb01652dc leave the house again. He felt 0911d32531 a sense c51dcee262 of urgency, c7f158ae1c needing an 2f5a89b837 answer before 450e92ec3e Sejoo disappeared dd7a7f39aa again. Sejin swallowed hard and 75d7e4e9c3 asked him nervously,a8bc0b62acd51b70

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Do you dislike that man?”0b2a9ebff106e7cb

Cheon Sejoo didn’t understand the question immediately, which was understandable. Sejin was referring to an incident from three weeks prior, and unlike Sejin, who had stayed home, Cheon Sejoo had been away, experiencing various events. It was a topic he couldn’t grasp immediately. Only after Sejin explained who “that man” was did Cheon Sejoo understand.6aeda6795218589b

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“The man on the 42nd floor.”cab126222daa11f1

“Chae Beomjun?”b30dad64998b989e

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

At the mention of the 42nd floor, Cheon Sejoo retorted sharply. Sejin realized from that sharp reaction that he had hit the mark. That day, Cheon Sejoo’s reaction to that man had been truly unusual. He’d wanted to ask ever since he came back to the apartment but since Cheon Sejoo hadn’t been back, he had only been thinking about it internally. Finally, the opportunity had arrived. bbf4a16663faaf36

“Yes. That day, when I said I was going to the 42nd floor, you got angry.”cb0add4e04e935a7

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“…….”394ab88f534417aa

Did I? d866dd01744d8e19

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Cheon Sejoo leaned back in his chair and frowned. He didn’t particularly want to talk about Chae Beomjun. But Sejin was sitting there with an innocent expression, waiting for an answer.069de5d777e65bb4

Seeing that 1cd2b89e56 naive, childlike 793ed83b24 face made cd67725bd7 him sigh. He felt obligated to 173978e647 explain. He fiddled with 5bfed07a74 the water bottle, b69c552c37 lost in thought 7736f902c3 for a moment, f64c1a49c4 then looked up 04a057ea33 at Sejin and 20c71f3d5c said,835e4ad046ef8c29

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“He’s absolute trash. So, next time you see him, don’t even greet him.”7dfff8944654fabb

He didn’t want to explain exactly what kind of trash Chae Beomjun was. He didn’t want to have a conversation about sexual topics with Sejin. And he thought that if he said this, Sejin would understand with this much.2a54ce16a479b8d0

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

However, as if dissatisfied with Cheon Sejoo’s brief answer, Sejin asked again,fcccba71ef2cf8f6

“What kind of person is he that makes him trash?”119725212809d2dd

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“You don’t need to know. Just understand that he is.”53a8f10a5b9b5e56

“…….”c3cdbff1afd7dea5

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Sejin’s clear gaze 54e243e5dd fell upon Cheon 1256a3e9d3 Sejoo, who shook a20bc479ed his head as 5feca35f6e if to say e5fcc2b641 there was nothing d7784f1abf more to explain. The conversation couldn’t continue 756f95599c like this. Thinking hard 5b9c8ec281 about how 6c7eb6eab9 to elicit b60af0faba a more d3f50bacae meaningful response 719961dbed from Cheon 692c7c154c Sejoo, Sejin 1860b3f368 shrugged and 7d5c35a84e replied,aef986d025ae560b

“You just don’t like him, right? I was actually asking because I was thinking of staying at his place if I get kicked out again, but after hearing your explanation, I think it’s fine. He was very kind to me.”cffea9ea1f96932c

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

At that calm reply, 47cfbc34db Cheon Sejoo felt a 26e1d63b6a rush of blood to c48ea1a10a his head. 2b0c14c6cecb63d8

What? 7a18828c473b1bfd

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

He asked b8b794588f back, eyes f81b251f2f wide, and 0dea14a676 mulled over 30d1627a18 Sejin’s words, b685ece71e scoffing in 1d90f69a5c disbelief.ee4f0ec4a73f99db

Kind?58e8e9412a16e46e

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

He thinks he 437284f48f could stay there?438283328a388b7d

That fucking 9434aae97c Chae Beomjun 485178593b must have 50469ec226 really charmed 6ab49b4c47 this kid.9c3427e84286fb26

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Well, that dc1e4f9975 was Chae 633632160a Beomjun’s specialty. He looked so normal c3c3abca5e on the outside that 49403d23c3 naive people easily mistook 86c0efe4fb him for a good 8ebf971b4c person. beac66d020ca8a28

Cheon Sejoo had 3ffa181bc1 once been one 517cd6eabf of those “naive a99ffae05f people.”cdf37f631c374459

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com