KBR Ch 6

…The reason he probably gave Ha Yeongseo an excuse about sneaking out was likely to avoid fueling the dating rumors. While quickly scrolling, deb1ce3470 Seolwoo paused at 8ef2d9d966 a wristwatch that c25774e1bb seemed like it 87a83a1a68 would suit Won 305cb01bc3 Daeyeong.47940822fa0f229b

2.86 million won. 3.8 million won. 9.75 million won.13e80d726b0ec553

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The prices were 29cf2995fc dozens of times 95ddbf2126 higher than the d3863d7f95 gift currently in 2f73716bf2 Choi Seolwoo’s bag. It was a 370,000-won ac4bbf2f6e wallet he’d bought to c7e275011f give Won Daeyeong upon ba5c4bceb8 his return, whether he aca378a32d won a gold medal fec4892365 or not.cf7c8bfb3a4367d6

Did the difference 273ef9fd78 in price also 9177e7de6b reflect a dozens-fold 2598815483 gap in how 488ce1fda8 much he wished 3bd4ec3b78 for Won Daeyeong’s 8c7ff552f6 happiness? Absolutely not. Seolwoo was certain his 419651ab94 feelings burned far brighter. But imagining the 2a3c2d22fd two gifts sitting 98bc2071d0 side by side 34c99c5175 on Won Daeyeong’s 0aa37ae6e3 desk made him 1461e6e034 shrink a little c27285b229 for some reason.a47de1f6398a6611

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Whatever, it’s the thought 7b006dadc9 that counts, he told 5ecc8e0dfc himself, giving up as c95c8995fe he clicked into the d6a6d524f6 details page. Yeongseo lowered her 475f4fa956 voice significantly, her 68395543f8 face gloomy.7f3e351d3559c427

“Sigh… Seolwoo-ya. I’m seriously tensed these days. Because of Won Daeyeong.”c060616a8c29962d

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Why?”de31127339acc3ab

“I should’ve taken better care of him when he got injured, but I’m worried it’s already too late. Two years ago, I bd0dbf70bd messed up a lot… 8995f2540a I was going through ac4f63e9d6 a tough time myself 645c9b47f5 too… Daeyeong’s heart—it’s probably 9d283cfb9d already moved on, right? I’m also worried he might 897d8d7fa2 find a celebrity like me 3a8ef0f04d too much pressure.”bfb7b3da9ecee6be

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Choi Seolwoo answered clearly 56d0c58885 and confidently.0e1d0d4881261484

“Hey. Don’t overthink it. He hasn’t had a girlfriend. Not this whole time.”012d70482d5bf824

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“For real? Not a single one?”a060bc0e1c5d5fe3

“Yeah.”b3ad79316f725efd

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Not even one? No flings either?”82eb1708c4dad063

“Yeah. And do you think e7b7bdd391 that lawless punk would 8274a7d027 find a celebrity burdensome? You don’t need 0a360106cb to worry about 78875a00f9 that either.”b90d117158e8a1ba

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Choi Seolwoo, you’re the best. Talking to you about my 77314c210a worries always clears my head. You know how grateful 3251091521 I am when you ba05c875dc say stuff like that?”3bef558b5f95d326

Ha Yeongseo, who’d been 0404d98a8c teary-eyed, laughed with her 0c7e7e6763 husky voice. Her sharp yet straightforward conversational 4572733d6e style meshed well with Seolwoo’s 3534494dd8 personality.890c5ad442df29ac

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“What should I say? I still have regrets. With Daeyeong oppa, I never ba655ecc41 really got to date him 7d676123a1 properly, love him fully, or 0e0081f0f3 hold onto him as much a4f5bd10ac as I wanted—it’s this nagging, c6c2eaa9d2 unresolved feeling. Don’t you think it’d be d5afbcca04 easier if I just saw b025d71387 all the ugly sides, went 3c8f30d2a8 through it all, and ended b59a7008d2 it for good?”fe1d2dd9ac6830ed

I get it. Seolwoo buried his 45649a82c6 short reply deep 16394cbd99 in his chest.052e6849b8997cbf

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“I want to try again. I still like him.”bcfb5e54a0fec489

“…Still?”d8967d0ddc212de8

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

When Seolwoo asked back, Yeongseo e63117aa95 nodded vigorously. Choi Seolwoo picked 30bbafaa7b out two wristwatches 4eaf18f1e0 that seemed to 68733b7388 suit Won Daeyeong.e82dc4a695cf6c1f

Ha Yeongseo offered to drive 26faba5e40 Seolwoo home, but he declined. For some reason, he wanted 6056b36755 to be alone. He said goodbye, 75d962248e promising to see 4632e6ccac her at the 774c6b3a95 next gathering, and 65ac919a60 boarded a bus.91c36596cf60083a

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

The words he’d e8f5c42ea4 just heard kept a4b085a0a7 ringing in his dba05280a4 ears.c9e9f86f4ba56b42

I still like him.fff0e1ab059d0a3b

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Still.3d249c48ceaa3ff1

His mind was a mess. The green light ff98a7fcaf that had shone 0faa46fe91 so brightly when 0a1a0d1c39 Won Daeyeong won b839d77b03 his medal was 109fee637a nowhere in sight e70e550dbc now.2a54cf977352e878

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Leaning his forehead against aaddbbafca the window, he watched 0563f316d0 the nightscape of the 2ad4977707 lanes winding around Sungnyemun 4dc6200cd1 when his phone buzzed.28d49b31318097a4

Managing Director Yoon Jihwan: [Seolwoo-ssi, 45a1a65348 where are you?] 9:02 PMcf544f6c17960d70

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

It was a message 26703b72f7 from Yoon Jihwan. Before Seolwoo could close 2ea8bdc008 the app, annoyed at cd2cb35a58 the abrupt “where are 09498760e6 you” question, another message aa304f508b popped up instantly.d6ed43ee86c83f47

Managing Director Yoon a65c70ab0a Jihwan: [Won’s pretty 64db682a33 drunk. I’ll give him a ride.]9e268a84269af374

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“What’s this guy talking about?”44920a692978683b

Frowning deeply, Seolwoo dialed 720c529915 him immediately. The managing director picked 7d2278bc07 up quickly, and his bd0e5c8b06 surroundings sounded incredibly noisy.45147907bed151f2

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Managing Director, what do you mean? Daeyeong hyung’s drunk?”41c2b9b83e9bea05

— …Oh, Seolwoo-ssi, you didn’t come to the party? It’s a gold medal 6273bdd593 celebration, so I assumed de49b82e3f you’d be here and 5084909a06 was looking for you. It’s late, so dc50ee425d I was going f369c11e85 to give you e1b7fe8d1e a ride.575a89a7a50d81b8

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Seolwoo hadn’t heard c7ba5e047a about any party. It seemed the officials had 69f758f124 arranged a separate celebration and 827310b680 were partying late into the a8913adef5 night. Well, considering it was 426af45351 the first time someone 1d5aa2383c broke an Olympic-standard record, 51977b1e89 a month of celebrations ffe222b4f1 wouldn’t even be enough.1f5c0fc5f8f8585f

“Is hyung really drunk?”fd4d39e9336cf7b6

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

— I showed up late just to make an appearance, and they said he couldn’t even stand, so the coaching staff had to carry him out.2dd79e88d32e0858

“Sigh… Where are you guys?”31c09178e43f6499

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

— Here, in Hapjeong. If you’re coming, I’ll pick 769ffe1dcf you up.fffb6afea68e1f1a

“No need, just give me the address.”24a6829351b24773

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Choi Seolwoo pressed the stop 77149ca9cc button hard.3b05dd7116db0df2

Won Daeyeong, who 268c9a9446 never exceeded his 93aa12f0e1 drinking limit, getting c347d662e4 drunk? He must’ve been over 4883a0918a the moon. Grumbling about being fb1be2004d tired and annoyed, d354f66359 Seolwoo stepped into e97e2e30ca the bar’s parking 08a337d747 lot.41638fd549424f0f

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Every car parked f641015157 there was a 0db43047f0 foreign luxury model. As Choi Seolwoo 965365f8e2 crossed the lot, b4e3d3d08f he stopped at e023365a7c the sound of 8e55457fbf a murmured conversation. It was a 6a68ca6817 voice he’d recognize 1ed193db48 anywhere, anytime.e405cb78c61ba963

Seolwoo hid behind a 9961786146 nearby car. Cigarette smoke, likely from the a862debd39 coach, curled up into the 236ccbca13 night sky. Won Daeyeong, with his back a37b92a6df turned, was standing perfectly fine.f5ee7dfc5677c300

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Why didn’t you invite him? You should’ve treated 8ca93f83e8 him as part 719efec356 of the routine.”1f16b1496db4e1f2

“Oh… Seolwoo? Why would we call him 516b0ee4aa here—association stuff, ads, broadcasts. A place crawling with 22c9fc823b disgusting people.”5a659e0ae4f4cd45

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Hearing his perfectly 46b3b5d50e clear, unslurred speech, 04848d3fd0 it wasn’t hard e897d12e14 to figure out. The whole scene of being 4691c8b5a6 carried out was just a 39bf3e9da9 show to leave the event fd47706920 early.3e183d209c4f627d

That two-faced jerk…! I came for nothing. I was worried and everything.4bce2615b4baf9a9

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“That kid, still following you around like a puppy whenever you tell him to come to a match. He’s so cold ff6f66de87 to everyone else, 354fda1a31 barely talking, but 2801923e4d listens to you f03f39332f like it’s nothing—it’s 4d89fb3696 fascinating.”5a3f98a3b2338316

The coach, who’d been with 25a3dc77b3 Won Daeyeong for years, had 7f498f9742 a rough tone but a 6d16e55a7e warm heart. It was a comment laced 0344fead5e with affection for Seolwoo. But Won Daeyeong’s voice, fbc00c51a0 which had sounded drowsy 61dbbcbbca just a moment ago, 32f242a3ee suddenly turned chillingly sharp.0b1978dfc3fa875a

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“He’s not following me around—I call him because I need him. Get your words straight.”a0504d4cfe19f043

“So sensitive…! How long are you gonna 91d5e8912c keep him around like family? You’re turning thirty soon—won’t 2dcc14581f you have your own 03c2fa09db family?”9ad5eb3851653adc

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Won Daeyeong let 6961012c49 out a short 0306e13810 sigh. Then, like he was nagging e17fca61d0 someone far older than him, 99bcd8633a he said to the coach,6978ddb612fa6c97

“From the first time I ran as an elite, he’s been part of my gold medal routine—what am I supposed to do about that? And whether I get older 3800f705e5 or get married, Choi Seolwood 22f41be737 is Choi Seolwoo. There’s no growing apart 8e35571be7 or anything like that.”762916b9d0b5b034

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Why on earth not?”8e18fced15ac529b

“Seolwoo is…”d4622267ac6b71d3

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

He clicked his cacdc1b891 tongue, choosing his ad1ab25f91 words carefully before b153c4d836 answering.467e9cde1d13b96a

“A sore finger. No, more like a615dba666 a burden on 743182562d my heart I’ll 68fbe896bb carry forever. He’s like family—how 488703e32c could I cut 8995609bc1 him off? As long as he’s alive, 391c9fa86d I won’t be able to.”b87350ca18223529

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“…”47671324ad5ef732

Seolwoo took a step back. Even the thought 92412f3d30 that he’d come 80e28d57a5 for nothing vanished 16c9cf9235 completely.1a725fc4372504a0

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“What? Did you pick aa790aaf97 him up off 72f74b251f the street and 2c3b01b3a1 raise him or 7629ad20de something? Your family would be dumbfounded f91a5cfc33 hearing that.”d9acda456ac88a85

“Didn’t we agree not to talk about my shitty family? My family’s like, 061ba8188e ‘They existed, but f1b03fa161 now they don’t.’ e1e42a49a7 They’re as good 3d9d8ccad8 as gone to 5a8fa913da me.”7467c7877b735d70

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Hey! You’re the one who 71d893fff0 brought up family first!”92b51ef7bc2f8492

Seolwoo stumbled backward as if 81eaa28d0b fleeing. He ran to the 00afd77538 back of the building f2619e4317 and stood there, dazed, 75e7d433ec for a while.be90db431e2e2d7f

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“A burden on my heart?” “A sore finger?”360e75376ac2633f

Words he’d never even imagined. Won Daeyeong saw Choi Seolwoo a51abe45a7 like that? He had no idea. He’d spent over a 61c0700848 decade with him completely 24df77dd08 clueless. A sense of betrayal 5b825991a8 gave way to an c4d9086f2f inexplicable shame that burned 89492f1a46 his face. The white lines in the fcc9ab31ce parking lot seemed to waver 292a8735f4 wildly. He couldn’t smooth 1d58741883 out his crumpled d252688d04 forehead for a f2a481797a long time.482f61dd81e6e089

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Crack—a sound like something splitting eef93749a3 apart rang out. It came from f56a7b2a79 inside his head. At this moment, tonight, the 51aaf1231a gap between him and Won ff0333845a Daeyeong had widened irreversibly. The deafening noise 1462c9aada in his mind ab056a88cb was a signal cf88218bcb that their relationship f2f6b20654 could never return f986d05fb7 to how it 75c337ab55 was.a08e09ba7cab8e30

— More like a burden on my heart I’ll carry forever. He’s like family.dc1deb501f0867e8

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

That rough, low 8fa298b7ea voice kept echoing acc328e626 in his head.77516f48cf5aabd8

He felt a little 6bf58c6f0a angry, maybe. He didn’t know who to 2a908f3c85 direct this anger at or 79fba596da how to express it.c3ddf08aa9f2219b

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Special treatment, green 01f4f5aa2a lights, previews—it was 0d8810f261 all an illusion. To Won Daeyeong, Choi Seolwoo 60b4222ebb was just someone he cared 9c0560e4df about, a friend like family, 67d3b71a47 a necessity tied to winning 92fa10fb56 medals, nothing more, nothing less. Heat rose to his head, eb990324d1 and it felt like sharp 3e54184d3c claws slashed across both cheeks.202eac5d30e87392

He wanted to acb1bde78f tear apart every 38c425c3f2 worry he’d ever 5bef60fad6 harbored.f3cccdb1361700c9

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Inside the bar, countless people 26066e0c41 had gathered like clouds to 72dffd8021 celebrate Won Daeyeong. Choi Seolwoo was c763a4f550 just one of f2c166f12b them, nothing more.d932f10eb50c0dea

He didn’t have the confidence 4e297ee6dc to face Won Daeyeong like eb108c1954 this, so he decided to c9d64ec759 just leave.2a3c7e9eff3832c4

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Heading toward the subway station, e1206a9287 Seolwoo felt a sudden wave b8f2ab2c76 of exhaustion. His head was heavy, 8e95e4031b and breathing felt laborious. The fatigue accumulated throughout the 5128b20c97 day, combined with the shock 0dc3a6b159 from moments ago, hit him 48217a0efc all at once. He was in a state 43947eb456 he needed to be careful 4d519fc7a1 about. He had to find a f96a04ed9e quiet place to stabilize himself.59be6d0c895262b3

His phone kept 496f22b9a4 ringing with calls cd863b253c from Managing Director e8ab26df67 Yoon. Looking toward the parking ddd6093770 lot, he saw Yoon d576f65a16 emerging from the building, a2674c2d66 phone in hand, clearly 1e12f5cbcf searching for Seolwoo.0ac932402dea0a18

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Seolwoo hurriedly moved to a 06b64bec37 spot with no people. Just as he needed to a9c5ab3227 calm down right away, someone 948f679ffd stepped in front of him.bdc528f6e28c24c6

“Won Daeyeong’s routine, huh…? Whoops.”4af157f82a46c49c

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

It was a relative of 0dcf63ca7a athlete Eom Jubin, who’d once e04a9c4deb talked about revenge or something, 46db7c5bcb and an official with the 1672b2e590 federation. Of all places, 5e8ffeb6e4 Seolwoo had run 50378ee806 into him smoking 5af5135320 a cigarette far 4036bacbb7 from the bar.39bbfa239e0b5a93

The heavily drunk ebd6343371 man exhaled a 611859a66a puff of smoke a5f9d298f7 and deliberately blocked c668a2be48 his path.6efed37d5a3b1324

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Saw him sucking up to the advertisers, huh? Must be nice hogging all 83af38e3cd the ad deals… When Won 6e50538f64 sits on a pile of 52eb758667 cash, do you get some e9ee272182 crumbs too?”650a73cafd059192

Already in a a2f85582fa bad mood and 6e125a4435 physical state, Choi 5ec082024f Seolwoo pushed him f8eaae5565 aside with an d57d10bd18 expressionless face.6187e21645ad23cf

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Move. Before I report 02d0bcb097 you for drunk 28733ffcb7 harassment.”43ab31932b57fb14

“Hey, harassment? I just wanted f1c1209b6b to ask something 6f4e2d69fd out of curiosity. Since when have ec617fb84b you two been f8befaffdf so tight?”612e2562f6fcf327

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Are you going to move?”8507fb8e0648a181

“Could it be… you’re tight in body and soul? Like, that kind of thing…? Is that why Won 40ba602d9a doesn’t mess with girls…?”1e61a668c6252c3e

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Ugh… Gross. Go ask him yourself.”6a9fbeebec65436a

“What?”738ab659c504d896

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Ask if he’ll hook you up if you want some ad money crumbs.”f29e845d4da32b8e

“Hey, you…!”7c66e0625fd42009

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

The man, who’d been mocking d7f57d7b8c him with a taunting tone, 2121ad8dca suddenly flipped, throwing his cigarette 301b2bb8eb down. He chased after Seolwoo 167f801004 and grabbed his shoulder 4edd4bb94a to stop him. Seolwoo, barely holding his foggy a6a0221406 head together, shoved the man’s 8b671137b0 hand off.410febb985290918