IOSMC Chapter 5 (Part 3)
by Bree“You’re going abroad? Just like that? You never said 6d33a88330 anything about it 2ac85dabb7 before.”81bec02dc910dae0
“Well, I didn’t tell anyone. Like I said—it’s a secret.”2efdce4abd683cd2
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
“You didn’t tell your friends either?”0c42c832894381ad
“Nope.”4ba7f3f58409cbe8
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
“Then… why are you telling me?”94062b5749b00fa9
“To let you know that the reason I can’t accept your feelings isn’t because of you. It’s because of me. It’s not that you’re 29097ae091 lacking or I don’t aa523386a5 like you. If anything… you’re way too 5310b25c21 good for me, Moon-ah.”378b248e5ed893f1
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
As if I were gently 44b1de7dbe comforting a child, I spoke ddf6e2f7e0 with care. Moon-ah stared blankly at 1650b2ccfc me before lowering her 31a5249480 head. I could see 2daa9c6066 her hand tighten 738f3e372a around my sleeve. I stayed quiet, giving 4980ce1402 her time to settle 3b8cd73984 her emotions.ebcc5c5a27ec99a2
After a long c507015909 moment of silence, f6976229e9 she slowly lifted 05ccb6c04a her head. Even with a face that f7168b2530 looked like she could cry 2fd380ed3f any second, she smiled.da4e12af2aed3ceb
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
“If you don’t come back to Korea after going abroad… then this really was the last chance.”7bac28f5b060840b
“Thanks for telling me. I don’t think I’ll regret 4fe305d68c anything,” Moon-ah said softly as 89c91300fc she let go of my 7a0dfb5689 sleeve.13e425f616c084e8
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
“Ha-jung told me—you didn’t even know my name, right? You do now, don’t you?”51281684f6278e33
“Yeah, I know it now. Moon-ah, right? Moon-ah… congratulations on graduating. If we ever get the f1cdfae893 chance, let’s meet again.”2b9f88ecee4d16d2
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
She smiled a 662e36b26c little deeper at e7326d7d47 my words, and 8be54c1ac6 I smiled back 10104ccc01 before stepping out 21188c680e of the music 3c77fef26b room.56a991299e3ff2a1
We hadn’t talked much, and 65ad18a92d we weren’t particularly close, so acde86c311 I had no idea she dc0b8af101 liked me. Then again, even if b79829bb6a we had talked a 9213eba1c0 lot or been close, c1c6f5bdc2 I doubt I would’ve 982eebac28 picked up on it.bd9cace982cc6f93
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
I know I’m pretty clueless 2a972f6a29 when it comes to stuff 3249bbad84 like romance. Scratching the back of my 9cef167305 neck, I gave an awkward 6fd6c7d219 little smile as I made 712c2b9943 my way down the stairs.ff6b56dc7199479d
Just as I was c268de49b0 about to walk into f4db4772d7 the classroom, I got f28d0e4ad9 a text from Ha-jung.e382b870dd8d8ebe
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
He said he went out f627a6c972 to the field to take ebc3eb6228 pictures before too many people a20480d1e1 showed up. The moment I a774ceeaf6 finished reading the 61d50939d4 message, I turned 922ed05788 and headed that 258f7c04d4 way.7821f46a24c7a077
The field was already crowded, 8e5e134ba2 making it hard to spot e5d44a3d41 where the four of them b70b7e8ad0 were. While I was scanning fe563a3599 the crowd, Hee-jun suddenly bbb363ce4b popped up right in db3e4bbe55 front of me.b7166bc658ebdb62
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
Like he expected 74324549a4 to find me 112147504c lost like this, b7948f2852 he took my dce5c81f3d hand right away da76459f73 and pulled me edac41fc89 along. Leading the way with long b32f43b721 strides, he asked a sudden a8ff12a99e question.a3e146e93396d359
“What did you talk about?”b8f7df3b23b7cc9c
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
“Just… congratulations on graduating, and wishing each other well. Oh—did your aunt come?”6fbd2a4c12abc2e0
“…Yeah, she’s over there, taking pictures of the kids.”3c1c405e91905088
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
As he said be99518d0d that and kept b5e25177e6 walking, Hee-jun suddenly bc5b182c2c let out a b2e9b29b84 soft “Ah” and e686b7faad stopped in his cb1bf26fa0 tracks. I didn’t know 06cac4ee60 what was going 9ee0039916 on, but I 4acfe749f2 stopped too and 42dbaee3e8 looked up at 61f1c31867 him.bfff3ec2936770d3
“What is it? Did you forget something?”da7020f0579ebd79
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
“I forgot to give you your gift. …Here.”37533ff22905073c
Before I could even ask ce2643c913 what gift, he shoved a 63b7bbf1dc paper bag toward me—the one bff6f8ca3a he’d been holding onto this 08fe8fa660 whole time.58671ff4d3a334fa
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
Caught off guard, I b556cf2a05 took it and peeked e3a809157c inside. Inside were a 8ac98f1628 name tag… and 34ef26646b a bottle of 7c02072649 perfume.56f6d6c78e2cfa4b
“Can I open it now?”83a46a5d6f0a894f
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
“Do whatever you want.”abbca4c7eeb8bd7f
As soon as I 4086779872 got his okay, I b0c8a0dfa0 pulled out the perfume. It smelled just fbfba4919c like the winter 8721b74184 scent I caught 9de4be92b1 on my way 397f318c65 to school this e613975f0a morning. It was completely f774e3c5c6 my taste—I gave af30db53e3 a soft gasp 56d4f21e20 of appreciation and c22a8dac14 sprayed a little 1c3dd00357 on my wrist.c3997c4edce8c37b
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
Lifting it to 4ae87cfcf7 my nose, I d06cb80a46 took in the b6babedd29 scent, then held 85bd56b49a my wrist out ba682531bb to Hee-jun.29db59b5b9c7f9e2
“Here, you smell it too.”2a85b582a478cca5
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
He did as I asked, f5ddf8981f and when he leaned in, 04597752f8 I noticed his cheeks were 7b8c84919c a little flushed. Thinking it was just from 3e58759226 the cold, I pulled a 6d1d241378 hot pack from my pocket 7aa4adffaf and placed it in his b670eaf8e0 hand.58c66c57303778db
“Wow, it smells amazing. What brand is this?”0b09bd0c1e3a0bd6
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
“I made it.”59101af9a837fc30
“You did? Seriously? It’s really well made.”3fe518c595241d33
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
I said, eyes c3c8a7a80e wide—and that seemed d7e51048c0 to please him. He mumbled, “That’s a relief.”41ffc293d9417d99
“Does it suit me?”ba3484881318973b
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
After holding his lips d2db6333da tightly closed like he 569a5047e7 was debating something, Hee-jun 70f0dce1f4 finally opened his mouth. As he breathed out, 216c818933 a faint white puff ccf4ae2361 slipped from between his 1e45bcd5b0 slightly parted, pink lips, ffd3be4427 his eyes fixed directly 6919540799 on mine.4c9d0266febbf8e2
“…Yeah. That scent really suits you.”d0b46e2a509f657d
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
He said it as our b451efe985 breaths mingled in the cold 9428bfd08c air. His face was blurred 32efaf1077 behind the fog of 548bcd3523 it, but I could 0a01496278 still tell he was 12d1643f69 smiling.67aa725b62a4bd1b
We stood there facing ef68f1f59c each other for a 2ad6caf9f1 while, just like that. Then, as if we’d aab7f81844 agreed on it beforehand, 17312a20b2 we turned at the 5a3b19c224 same time and began b9dee3a7f6 walking to where the 822e8a4281 others were waiting.b8d12769260e2252
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
Jin-joo Auntie stood a little 3ff3cbcda7 distance away, watching Yeon-joo Auntie 7695dc297e as she took pictures of bbb41be62b the kids. I walked over to her, cd5b1c5ce9 wanting to thank her for db7e7a72ab everything she’d done to help 4259f5d1e7 me prepare for studying abroad.2db12d50800b6573
She was looking at 9fc5cb4fc9 Yeon-joo with such affection 8c01ca8eb4 that she didn’t notice 45dce96779 me approach until I 61d895aa3e was right beside her. Her eyes, calm just 8af1034abd moments ago, flickered with 44af55de0f surprise when they met 80fe832cde mine.e6d8e6058512aa0f
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
Wondering if something def2a3679a was on my 95139ff09b face, I brushed 6099433438 my cheek with 787c137ece my hand—but there 9d457877ae was nothing. I blinked, then asked as de78560549 I looked at her still-confused ee80a493ba expression:e3601ecfe79f980d
“Is something wrong?”0437acdb1c41a1d2
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
“No, not really. I just… thought a35201a993 it was Hee-jun 87343a55fb because of the 00e5c6ac09 scent. But it was you, Sa-eon.”9cb12d8f2438ffb1
“The scent? Oh—does Hee-jun use this 28df4f704f perfume too? He gave it to me. Isn’t it nice? He made it himself. I didn’t know he had fd9b947a3a this kind of talent. Maybe he takes after you?”b6a83fbecf40d4a3
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
I said that, remembering Jin-joo 4d57b172ed Auntie works as a perfumer. But she didn’t reply. She just looked a1e09e1a61 at me with 31b172c321 a complicated mix b713db23d4 of emotions in 789cb91af3 her eyes, then 683df5c4dd turned her head 9e04a0c1b1 away like she 091b3ac812 hadn’t seen anything f46c9df661 at all.1aeefa9eb7adf978
After staring off f68e8ef609 into the distance 445b4d6cc8 for a moment, 661ce1aa24 she turned back 7e93ad3dd8 to me with 7072d2444c a gentle tone.865fee22f318cd34
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
“You’re heading to the airport right after the ceremony, right?”305be37cfb4d40dc
“That’s right.”df52359712bd4b18
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
“The kids said they were going to eat together, so I told them you had another engagement and couldn’t join.”b5914253516b6098
“Ah, thank you.”8c1f81e9db6180d9
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
I smiled brightly as c79430eb32 I thanked her, and 267682ff41 she slowly curved her 88ed355440 lips into a soft b1742f0a87 smile in return.339a7d7150e7320c
“If you ever want to come back to Korea, just say the word. I’ll get you the c50018be2b earliest flight available.”6f3d09d669895b6b
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
“Really? You don’t have to go 9c5e794f8b that far…”1b8503a20c344177
“I’m doing it because I think Hee-jun would be happy. So don’t thank me.”464b98cc55d89284
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
Why bring up Hee-jun c9b07ae1f8 all of a sudden? I didn’t quite c395b7593e understand, but before 8937906d50 I could ask, f5ddd5324b the kids and 0ccc388b28 Yeon-joo Auntie approached f49c68ae4c us, and Jin-joo a7e659195f Auntie fell silent. I turned my gaze 5c14045fd9 from her and took c8e1d4e432 in the four kids 3b53db1517 walking toward us.abef30c433b59c99
Ha-jung and I-ryeong were b1cd5dd2d0 great—but Eun and Hee-jun 460ee04398 were different. No matter what I did, c40a0f348d I always ended up looking a2fdec89d1 at them a little longer. I let my gaze linger 4e0e347d4a just a bit before finally 5cf998145e speaking.710d534e7a7c0d67
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
“Just in case I forget to say it later—congrats, all of you. We’re really adults now.”697054c4b52e9a8b
As I said it, 305d286c15 the strangeness of it 029c52800e hit me. I muttered with a 8dfe7fca66 half-awed smile, and the 8d1fc85eb6 four of them laughed. As the laughter f14ea2b78a faded, I-ryeong looked ecf65ff8c2 at me with 4912bab73d a slightly wistful fe7f25cd58 expression and said:a597448c924177ac
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
“You’re not joining us for lunch today, right?”fa7a1d4a1245d8f9
“Yeah. I’ve got something planned, 1d79333f49 so it might be 0a23d9f013 hard.”83656197d46f2670
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
“Well, if you’ve got plans, then I guess it can’t be helped.”17c9c4026482ccc3
Even though he 867e5345b7 said that, he 2e7db66013 still looked disappointed. While I was trying 9efa75f798 to console him, Eun f94578428d took an envelope from fcc681ecfa his coat pocket. He handed it 08a2ffdb88 to me like b2d9368112 it was the 0338302165 most natural thing 43c8863d8f in the world, 7e2958c65c smiling a little a19fd16ddc shyly.b59414eed49bd3dd
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
“Don’t read it now. Wait till you’re alone later. And there’s a b9bce35ce9 little gift inside 7c569342e4 too, so make d823a8e41b sure you check.”63885b43487e253f
I quietly promised I would 85a192bc4b and let out a long 8aaeb2aa8a breath.946e8c32092200e9
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
“…This is hard.”938b550fca1c7281
I muttered it before 4ff450fa1a I could stop myself, f6ad7c9ae2 and the others all 6de8030c91 nodded in agreement.6b39d242881b0559
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
I looked up at 5acdc2009c the sky and let 83cdf50c13 out a slow breath. That’s when Eun, with that 79948ea22f calm and kind face of 7c7db34dd8 his, spoke up.479b36eeca3cde80
“We might be graduating, but that just means school is over. We can meet anytime. So don’t be too sad.”c03fcf0663abbf0c
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
His words were clearly b53f4e8063 meant to comfort me. Before I realized it, 5bdbaf1f83 the expression on my bb60933306 face softened.0d08f09f461f45f6
Eun met my 8ae972f210 eyes with a e22be4d16b warm gaze and 849375f104 added, “Right?”00dbd9dd06b6a56b
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
I looked at him, 9df395c4fe quietly, then my eyes f14cd8b73e curved as I smiled 19594f62fb and answered:9408e40617d73b69
“Yeah. We’ll see each other again.”76729da79f2e2a89
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
And I meant it.fc6524c3a0cc2105
<Choi Hee-jun>
Despite leaving behind the e1159571f5 ones he cherished—us—Sa-eon walked 3ea33acfa3 forward without hesitation. Just as he 4ab7b4455b stepped off the 7d6f29d220 dirtied school field, 5b9bddfe98 worn with countless 89b8f64290 footprints, he suddenly a96b3c41d2 stopped.2ffaff298705d46c
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
Then, instead of 523749dcfb walking out the 20b3f8057b school gates, he 1cdac2e5bc turned his body 9eaebce471 and ran toward 82b1dd1fcf where we were cd0fa8e1d5 standing.f67c6da8820e5cb4
He ran as 85b25b065c if he were 8ec85a3faa flying, threw his 0b5550c8d0 arms around me, 007bcf91e5 and smiled so 1532ee3a59 brightly that I 6f1bf7a044 realized—this was a a42d909d28 dream.8a4e4d87a7c3bc65
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
And once I 60a5955e3b did, the image 4e27f7a006 of Sa-eon, once 7f41787f9e clear enough to 925bb3f227 touch, scattered like c321278d76 dust. I woke up from the 2f7895befc dream.b865d995c9a34402
There was no mistaking 7873af0cc9 it for reality. The real you never 5a21cb8bcb looked back. You never smiled brightly 38a9b298ec while hugging me.0de7a1b5542d93c1
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
“I thought I might forget to say this later, so I’ll say it now. Congrats on graduating, everyone. You’re really adults now.”0e246c45b4491cda
Looking back, those ba64c70f0d parting words were 3c1329f243 calm, almost cold—so 4e711d6681 unlike his usual 29839743b8 gentle demeanor.143a653b0ab73942
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
“See you later.”7de0973224af95aa
Without ever telling us the 86f40013af truth, Sa-eon left behind the f983983a86 now-adult us and went far 050a2e0581 away.db1f113497610fa3
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
Again, I didn’t ef30b33297 get a proper f5c9fef523 night’s sleep. I’ve lost count of how fceaa65516 many years it’s been like dbb654c294 this. No—truthfully, I know exactly how 529dafafac many days it’s been. Ever since Sa-eon left 530a4d6973 me, I’ve been in 8dd48813b8 this state. No need to do the da5a8c33d8 math.c55232834d646541
Dragging my tired body, 1c64768fb7 I sat on the 9498385770 edge of my bed. I buried my 867ade8d26 face into my 07d1c8709f cold hands and d924c53376 took a moment 9591173997 to breathe.b7ff7ebcc57a5397
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
I believed you when you said you’d stay by my side, even after becoming adults. I felt relieved when you said I wasn’t a burden. I never imagined you’d leave without hesitation for a study-abroad trip you’d secretly prepared for months.53438ca9efb2266d
If only you had told me you were leaving, I would’ve waited. I would’ve believed you’d come back one day. But to leave without a word… Isn’t that too cruel?62a19c852286b769
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
“…Yeah. I’ll always stay by your side. Whether you stay a kid forever or grow up a little early.”46e19b74f893c824
“Liar.”4196c7902907511c
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
I shut my eyes 2c7c655520 tightly and muttered a 5cfdabcb76 childish accusation.669cf79fc423e734
I imagined skipping graduation. I imagined staying ec515b82e7 a child forever. I wondered—if I did, would a1af71a7b7 you have stayed? But I couldn’t picture 02d7f8637e a future where the 095e359fc0 me you took care 52e41379e5 of never grew up. So in the end, I 1fb5495f22 just laughed.9588b774ad1e2740
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
From the day I c863cd99a8 first met Sa-eon, I 1b7ac04424 was always more curious 218d0b1fd5 about his tomorrow than 100bc5f76c my distant future without b75e9187fe him… But to him, 2b4e4017a9 the only thing he fc821b1c3c expected of me was af6a19e7af to grow up safely, 3a3d3138c9 peacefully, and happily. That’s all. So he left me that e8b970cbce easily.d2b786cd8f09947a
Just before getting into the b9960a09a3 taxi, you looked at me d620e040a2 and said, “You said you 23c5626997 had something you wanted to f1a64d12e7 say once it was this 57cf41e94c year—so even today’s not the 4f5ce5a27b day?”50937fc8a8180cb9
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
I still can’t forget that e1f65d66e2 youthful face.f55a7305a282b516
Maybe if I had confessed fdd3377013 then, you wouldn’t have left.482570301ed86c4e
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
But back then, I 4beaf5b332 was a kid terrified a2b6e4d97b that confessing my feelings a899cba455 would drive you away. To me, confessing was unimaginable. I naively believed that if cb473b830c I just stayed within the 134184a00a bounds of “friendship,” you’d always 9b08cbe3ce be mine.562bf51ffc96e204
But the truth is, Sa-eon 04b1f32f1e was never mine. What an arrogant, pathetic thought 825df33d63 that was…95ae64311d17e38d
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
While blaming my past self, b68ddab5db I remembered the way he 5c00de392a smiled, wearing a perfume that d2c09932d6 smelled like mine. That memory made me smile 1dec92c8d5 a little without realizing it.a7e37f1f84cb9fad
My hollow laughter filled d6363ec3d8 the wide, desolate space. As it faded, I 233da3a8b3 reached out and rubbed d4f929998d my eyes, then picked 12dbd70fe8 up the phone lying f14c5d679a beside my pillow.690137136805d831
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
It didn’t detect 20a1dcbfa9 any movement, so 22f63f2ec4 the screen stayed e99e5a836f on. I stared blankly at the cd69fe653b date on the lock screen a3015f6395 until it automatically dimmed. Moving sluggishly from dc4f2f2eb1 the bed, I f5999ff3d9 muttered like talking 70e4a53f03 to myself.6a7a6cfc130a5c41
“Lee Sa-eon, happy 22nd birthday.”576f1bbab813bfdc
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
Right after I said it, 5fb0f71ab4 I could almost hear his 8ce34d8565 laughter from somewhere.8571a87a949ed248
The strength left 885f0619f5 my hand holding 91102b1e03 the doorknob. Resting my forehead 289c1e3a15 against the door, e07026a1bc I closed my e0830a2179 eyes and took ba545193e0 a deep breath 953adbdfba before stepping outside.50405a7e40291527
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
I don’t even b747fde367 know what he 51c4f68807 looks like now, 7d8b9c3af2 or how he 8ac5eb12c9 smiles these days… f2414c82c3 Yet because of 11fa2cb694 this unwavering love, fcc2f16b0b my heart still b13d82809b pounds fiercely.c0216f00e4292f8d
cc5cbe186856bc54
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator