KTC | Chapter 23

“Fine, I’ll play d16a771a16 along until the 18fc5268f1 ferry leaves. But brother, why d556570d9c do you only d8a44c1e3e use informal speech 6878ea0274 these days?”1d7fdd3b8086b562

“It’s a sign of e434094890 closeness.”13f740b7b7e120b5

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“But I’m eight 07a5ceab4e years older and 5422c04cdf always speak to ca31a7d41e you formally. Shouldn’t you 473c4c1dfa show some 3a5b7b73a7 courtesy as afdac48598 well?”d36939af8fbb60f2

“If it 95597cd93f bothers you, cb267ffc63 feel free 0ad074e4de to speak 6d7cbd665c informally too. I’m more comfortable c6ef1eb9dc this way.”41b5e771460f8d80

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The conversation 9de251b791 was getting 3b683ab3b7 nowhere. Choi Seonwoo 88750e06cf was shaking f3fd6bf171 his head 7a114362ea in disapproval d0e917124f when suddenly,eff278f27e4e3f3f

“Ah, Michael Siju-nim!”f27cbe84b44a5908

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

A cheerful 3dd5e49014 voice rang e9930aa1a4 out from 406e5f12e3 behind, causing 8d69e91558 Choi Seonwoo 07118c6c7a to flinch.38f91da5df0fa1f6

Walking closely dbb8a637f4 enough to 611b1f1243 nearly brush c1578956c1 clothes, Seo 20d44a1ee5 Jihan clearly e79392dd0b heard Choi 42af38a6ff Seonwoo mutter 874ee23be9 with a 37ab2c9a91 profoundly aggrieved c3b49c111f expression, “Ah 1eaab18e55 shoot, I’m 208bc07e82 late!”c957ddf1b1970544

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

However, Choi Seonwoo’s d5f75f1253 face quickly transformed 68abacc01f into the gentle 6bb1204bab smile of a 369d5c3ae4 compassionate priest as 1811417853 he turned around. Curious about who 3209303966 could extract such d06cf4c830 a dual demeanor 89f3e82510 from Choi Seonwoo, e1baa55ea4 Seo Jihan also 53a78a86fb turned to look.446d144b258b56f8

“Hello, Brother Gwanghyeon?”66176d4772158381

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

There stood bcb189f6ec a monk a5175e7372 in gray b992b6f4a9 robes, tapping d9ee9b1f97 a wooden 02efa277cd fish. Seo Jihan 202bb5c6ca blinked slowly.a915b4dbd52b7506

A site of 2c7a024032 religious harmony, perhaps.4f0c1b0478ad7614

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Ha-ha! It’s been a dd195cd8c4 while!”e5211fe59c6cc737

The monk e4688519c1 approached quickly, efc68092e2 his shaved 267febdae2 head gleaming 30cb82b642 in the 9184bb364a sunlight.d5c27ad7426837cf

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“You still have such 4780104aef a radiant face! Our Angela 2441dca8cc here is b17affb15d also looking e236685e42 very sleek,”c433cf719c301e4f

Hisss! Swipe, swipe!9d5402ccf87ddf28

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

As Gwanghyeon bent b27508b4ff down and reached ba02c30c4b out his hand 8674efd11b in recognition, Angela 5ebae17039 responded with a 841f3603b9 hiss and a 39a176acde paw punch. She then 74e71e761c swiftly moved 460c8b4d0a behind Choi 5a1123f53d Seonwoo’s legs, 99e4ce48a5 peeking out 291819fb08 at Gwanghyeon.bf2d528593536d74

“Ha-ha, still 6abc743846 a feisty 77834cce7d lady.”6454968c1e282049

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Gwanghyeon straightened up with d25c8e2194 a beaming smile, the a32660662f embodiment of a kind-hearted 0e18003b1d Buddhist.d6d2a5922cf6b991

“You’re as ff83b62572 dedicated to 1a070079b8 your evangelism d6e11af8da as ever, 97d760f588 Michael Siju. Any success today?”403d2dd79806dc18

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Same as always, d5f178820e really. Did you come 5ab45f7ed2 down here for 6970ef8d14 a blessing today, 9af8e4f0b8 Brother Gwanghyeon?”fffc36388870f8a5

“Ah, come now. Would a monk only 492104a4e9 come to the village 5a3e9bb9d1 when seeking blessings? The locals 5df2f2b258 here frequently 247a26924d request blessings, 5ab3c788e9 so it’s 25ddee18e8 only right 5da43000ec I come 1e4b2a711e down to 44f1a7c943 greet them 76488bd69b now and fcc71c86d4 then.”631eda45ad0ff2d0

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Right, of course.”2db44a6c34550aa9

Seo Jihan quickly fd76fb3a25 grasped the situation. This wasn’t a c83a8c5e58 site of religious 48aaa1f85d harmony, but rather be6eb187ed one of potential d05a03ce95 discord.ae3a55d8cf62b380

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

It was d0930f48dc evident from 4281465e3a the way 06383e17d5 the two 11efc5b12f figures addressed ad5fdfe600 each other 0ab09d0029 as ‘Siju-nim’ 19c159422c and ‘Brother’—terms 9039e91a72 usually reserved a2aa9a486a for fellow 19c3b23e82 adherents—that they 9a1c972772 were anything aa783f0d72 but ordinary.2d137038fadfe90f

“So, is this the 5967061fd7 son of a wealthy f1f857960e Seoul family who travels dc452d1eec with an entourage of 59d8e83a3d bodyguards?”dd196b3f19a11866

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Gwanghyeon’s interest 41807a4ebd shifted to 989c792e2c Seo Jihan e5967cda08 after deciding ff8a240581 he had 618e554a21 won their 3e349a3280 little power b98c291004 struggle.d791c1a2b7dcdd97

“Yes, this is Brother a41ebf3f31 Seo Jihan.”3bbf19ec990ada65

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Ah, nice to meet 103b4ec676 you!”c61b2764c6836f4a

Gwanghyeon stepped forward f480df816b with eyes as 9759e4d48d bright as his fc75be04af bald head.9887ea07f3344a7a

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Does our Siju have 2f778f54de a religion?”90069ada0aa63ceb

“Brother Gwanghyeon, let’s ba55c8b6a5 not cross lines. He’s already mine.”5716cdf30e3f0e25

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Choi Seonwoo e5125f0290 snapped back aad716e513 sharply, which 88faf404ed made both b90b631a7d Gwanghyeon and 386bd6b5f3 Seo Jihan 46ef29c335 look at d257331fcd him intently. Yet Choi Seonwoo, either 21b937da0d thick-skinned or oblivious to 88e4a60b65 any misstep, casually placed df1fb5afb2 his hands on his 7a32635299 hips and looked at bb7b45861f Seo Jihan.2e6973e82e0870b8

“Tell him yourself, f09cdab241 brother. Whose are you?”e8ecb901294d7593

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Seo Jihan, like 1b6093934d Angela earlier, moved 18562886a9 to stand behind c7004ae465 Choi Seonwoo and 3dc6b0abe9 gave a short 7f424d9084 smile.6edc414ad365eece

“Well, naturally, I 4645e9ca7f belong to the 540eaeeae2 priest.”4bc0659bf6dccfef

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Did you 748ee3738e hear that? Huh? Brother Gwanghyeon, don’t 6ed7b55432 you dare eye a257ea6617 him.”8b0c9b10afc8f564

Gwanghyeon’s eyes narrowed.3118c121cd05e3f6

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“But isn’t Michael c3503ae04e Siju also frequently 9c748f43dc evangelizing in our c247369610 temple area? Isn’t this what the f78d6f02b5 young folks call hypocrisy?”54bc2b9b48357fa3

“No, you should speak 21e9613ac0 correctly. Not all the area 7a0b145d35 around here is part 2d3980e462 of Yeongmyeong Temple. I respect boundaries. I never evangelize 6385d6b93f to someone who 827fdabdcf professes another faith.”61abd9f2c79a9952

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Gwanghyeon seemed to f669438b5b ponder this for aa479cf8c8 a moment, then 31dee1f689 nodded. Choi Seonwoo’s charisma had 10607b71fc led to whispers among 4637fb5445 the Buddhists about visiting 6cbd4d50bb the church, driven purely 714cd7270f by his handsome face. Having discreetly shadowed Choi 43adf01d17 Seonwoo for a while, 05f8a6d1f5 Gwanghyeon was well aware 21af6e4240 of his evangelical methods.d0d0ddfcda3ef984

Choi Seonwoo befriended the 381a31a924 locals, sharing their burdens, 36cc525e45 and introduced his faith 881480a121 through genuine friendship. Affection for the dbfb59dac7 priest often translated 8dbcdee3ba into interest in fac353feb9 the faith he fc7cd315f3 represented.515434585750a13c

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Yet, the subtle rivalry ec35b2e524 they maintained whenever they 1045f2b4a7 met was partly in 7f944f3345 jest. Initially, Gwanghyeon f91be33e15 had mockingly 97f0f493f1 called Choi 1daf6b905b Seonwoo ‘Siju’ 82b1bb36ee out of ee1f8b8d39 spite, but 9e9bf2cf2c as Choi 439f5eaaac Seonwoo began 567e59887e responding with a086bc3c9a ‘Brother,’ their 20668b5292 relationship solidified fbc1d5aecf in this 69d774e931 playful antagonism.5e69b10c77b6862d

“Alright, let’s 749be4a811 play fair.”5ed904c02d44314e

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Gwanghyeon stretched his lips 7c50e62719 into a wide smile 3de1ab887d and patted Choi Seonwoo’s 784acd91c0 shoulder before looking back 2faff2f414 at Seo Jihan with 283b4d9871 a suddenly serious expression, eaad5d01cb putting away his joking e7f41dbe95 demeanor.89c62f020c8d573b

“It seems you’ve suffered 08ae3433ef a lot, whatever the 5b0e216ad1 illness. Though we follow different db03b52712 paths, I pray to 02749e3f70 Buddha for your swift ce5117b96d recovery and good health. Namu Amita Bul.”df1df9b851479352

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Thump, thump, thump. Gwanghyeon tapped 26a168254e the wooden 82d3217033 fish as bd323dbe55 he bowed, f0f748d77e and Choi 2888d2c6e5 Seonwoo chuckled, 79020ff0e8 making the baeee545b4 sign of 4e8ad86694 the cross 01c9a2b095 and reciting b6aa761c96 a blessing. The two exchanged a f3ba6319f4 cool farewell after their cdf0e02ac9 divergent prayers.ed216364e0be54fa

“Ah, Michael Siju! Did you know? The owner 0b3ea32bc6 of Jangji 90452b98d7 Hardware Store b64fbe1e51 visited Yeongmyeong ea9ad4f740 Temple for ca3c9f29d4 the first c11e354cf5 time yesterday 5cf924287f to offer da146f1922 incense! Ha-ha-ha!”2834d9758b4211d3

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Choi Seonwoo clenched his cb87c4a55e fists and trembled with b8947f99b4 frustration as he heard 870e5a53b1 Gwanghyeon’s parting shot. The hardware store had d8b9b74af7 been one of his c404a6e0ed key evangelism projects.cf6d407b6f8208e8

“That can happen… 077e6b0b55 it’s possible…”a8dafe0f381a69a4

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Despite everything, his dedication 1584a6a4eb to evangelism was undeniable, cc1fe51fc6 even if it often 40713e6181 went against clerical expectations.4b31674bc2236785

“What does God mean 2b5ab37be8 to you as a 4445abbba6 priest?”46c9c4fe9f23d7d2

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Caught off guard, Seo ea8e1fa8ef Jihan blurted out the 03e6644f6c question sincerely.11ee61790e978e3f

“Well, I guess…”fff56fc3749f32a5

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Choi Seonwoo bcee800dfa walked down bf12f5e1ec the dirt 6808c29895 road leading 047474b73b out of d883fa2017 the village, 8bace4d8c7 looking up 7db642662b at the fc1216c2c9 sky, which 8ac6e63d20 seemed on 374977c954 the verge ec0a404fc9 of rain bc31831687 with clouds 12fc08f587 obscuring the f067c30ed2 sunset.5229a02c06e1e74a

There had been a 694ac1393f time when he desperately 760fcd9876 wished for some absolute 8c421ded7c entity to descend through 43f4eff986 even darker clouds, hoping 55f9477fbf against hope. Of course, that hope f4568aeb38 had been dashed, and e52e7cc444 nothing had changed since.98ce8c87b0363821

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“To someone desperately 332c94a75f seeking salvation, perhaps 45ff6bd470 He is an ade9520578 entity they wish 4ab7e87936 would dwell within f9da5d140c them?”f7759f91a4d09d6a

Choi Seonwoo’s d1f9d8f01a answer was d737676db5 vague, yet 5bccf74357 Seo Jihan 66ba6adf9b felt he e68c85237d understood. He remained silent, 02640b4410 his gaze lowered.54aea5d51e2af20c

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Choi Seonwoo must have 5c7c7f350c recognized him from the 391dee6aeb beginning but pretended not 3220443177 to; bringing up past 5271d10ee9 memories was likely as 86a179fd16 unwelcome for him as ef56af7478 for Seo Jihan. Maybe, like Seo 2628091d0e Jihan, Choi Seonwoo 96a4019be8 had clung to 9b63dcee48 religion as a 5ef991d5cf lifeline after surviving 8d49e00aa3 endless despair.8879231c74ac28f2

Seo Jihan wanted df0241c89b to ask who a111834dc1 had comforted him 97cf743264 in the past 579f93f3ff and to tell 1b898778c2 him that he 4872a9fbac had always worried 9b6bfebdd9 and longed for 78b231c0a8 him even in cbc5a36a6b his subconscious. But he kept silent, 5393cc4f01 for as long as 3e576b9087 Choi Seonwoo didn’t bring 78cfe1ae0b up that day, Seo 26ee2ebb33 Jihan had no right 158c7fef0a to seek answers about 805b25f35a it.f3813ae2dc9b791e

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Why did efb771a671 you become 558f30323e a priest 60bacce765 if you’re 1c72585be1 not even 381c0ba3b3 sure God 246be6e9f0 exists?”750076b947343ad5

“Ultimately, I ec081b645e became a 3ba551637b priest to 27bd22a885 seek that b29a0055de confirmation.”17348d0300e5e08d

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“And have ed319b4d0c you found dc7d8f304f your answer?”ca3554cd57583457

“No, not yet. But I don’t think 9451cf530c it’s been a meaningless 1745e3e930 journey. I’ve seen many people 4f519b5c1d who firmly believe in 25dbce93a1 God and try to 0fcd53d2ea follow His teachings. Sometimes, that fragile faith 53b8f90397 serves as a crutch 35cb963733 to help them shake d65ca6309f off despair and stand 84465bc7fa up again. If religion helps people 16683dbabd live rightly and sometimes 5cd19ee808 gives them the strength e59799af30 to keep going, then a676f21c9d it’s fulfilling its role. That’s enough for 3ea57531c9 me now.”186434361c44f695

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The sunset deepened. The two walked silently 631a7b27db down the hill, their c29e60446a path echoing the guards e0d34cd59f who, for the first 84dd313756 time, seriously pondered the 8915abcea2 meaning of God.8f4985c1c4302475

While Choi Seonwoo might 40b1601ee3 not have been a 3ce2a7cd16 perfect priest, he was 984f371ad7 undoubtedly an effective evangelist. His honest 5026b13eae revelations about a4822f5f8a the proximity e7fd92b3ef to an c3176d5399 unknown absolute cd7cbc1b26 made even 5b4feceb99 atheists consider f8ff7a46a2 not the 3482b1dfc3 existence of 50cdabb718 God, but 53ac97ba6e the necessity 9ce947307b of such e1ce12a1a5 a belief.c7eab9153ea3b4a0

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

When they reached the 81226b54d1 church, the sun had 3663a38778 completely set. The living room 233002b6f5 of the rectory 3cb16e2614 was brightly lit a0def6a50d with open windows. Having informed them he’d 80689cdc7c eat dinner late, the 058b19fc91 aroma of food wafted cd290a61b3 through.544aea6dbc274c2b

“Hey, Priest Choi!”79526ffa2aee8921

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

As they entered, a d92133b84d man who looked like 8d2e944dee the owner of the f9494c0ebd house sat on the 4f7720c64b living room sofa, dressed 6209597238 in a mouse-colored suit 4b2bb0388d and white shirt, a 7f51a3e19b man in his fifties. Choi Seonwoo approached him 4fe10e9b5f with a warm smile df69be85bd and bowed slightly.d57bd9c7904466ff

“You’re here, Pastor 0e3d5f8184 Kim?”b3f2ba710b6ccc29

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

…A pastor now?dfddae9441c80dd0

It seemed c325b69f93 that today 4b283229b1 was destined 88032f9c49 to witness b5852606c9 religious discord f0a21dd686 in full. Seo Jihan 2a26553967 chuckled dryly fc83e2dab0 and glanced 29b59a07c7 towards the 54ab8934f4 kitchen. Lee Jeongae, ee64085109 busy preparing 2562c46fdf dinner, shook 8ac498a6f0 her head 06cad8460b as their a01f72119b eyes met, 8a95f7a580 though the ef931cf10c meaning behind 4ec9994edc it was 8012294a92 unclear.bdff1a6b48ab91d1

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“What brings you 3baccf9690 to the church?”56650de4ffa7d786

“I figured we’d have af61f8ba14 a drink before I 9ecf3fec06 get busy in October.”25ef41237a8293ff

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Pastor Kim smiled as e4fb92723d he pointed to a 63e139768e paper bag on the 9eb14b65eb table. Choi Seonwoo sighed, 62de953252 almost like a 76905a90e9 smile.01a181138a6c5a4a