ESS Ch 1

‘Erratum’.c89a1d2405d358cb

Unless someone had been 68098ebeba confined for a long d2a456185d time, they would have 52881648e4 heard of the name aa82af5967 at least once. An elite boarding school 11f02282f6 boasting the highest college bcee139494 acceptance rate in the ad8bb97412 Northeast, where prestigious private d8236232bb schools are clustered.5b35a604b22d8c6f

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This school b303b05229 had two 0bbc0e6074 surprising statistics: f78333cb2d one, that 879f32c3ca 91% of a21431b0fa graduates in 0af612cb8f the last 019d48849a 20 years 69574ecbb4 had been b8fa9daafc accepted into 1b5926b981 top 30 89fb5df82e universities, and f87e0b3a4f two, that c1f094e9b9 since its 8f5a3a1cdc founding, the c4631e956d percentage of 541af24ada white students 884434136a had never 2dfbbb07ad fallen below 094a2f2c15 80%.3f6563cce5d56bc1

Truly, these were nothing short of ‘traditional’ and ‘elitist’ statistics.134f287ee4051a58

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These conservative 2d2516d6a7 statistics opened 6d8e6690c7 the wallets 94a8c886fa of countless b53796e920 upper-class parents, 7b60617694 and any 91a430dc55 parent interested b5b78c112d in education f2c63df494 would strive 46a1b8f06c to enroll 38751e2e33 their child a99d169d44 in this ce2826bf06 school.4d4050e33b7a20a3

But in my case, I didn’t need to make such a strenuous effort to transfer. No school would be foolish enough to reject the youngest daughter of the venerable Roderson family.0d6903c087ec3719

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Even if she b522904498 was Asian and b47087a29c adopted.ddec02d2e32843d2

“Dani.”b5f15d1a549cb538

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I was reading bef1abc1eb with my head 7e9242ff8d down, but as a3f34dac2f soon as my a753a33b3d name was called, c5fffe3a90 I immediately looked e6ff0c21da up.a07f9ff09dca892d

“Yes, Father.”528a2f0cb3b53ba0

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“Is that a novel you’re reading?”f6d666253d35ee8b

” Ghosts. A play by Ibsen.”e72da97bd91efb51

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I showed him the cover and gave a slight smile, but a wrinkle formed between Father’s brows.5770b494e50bbfab

“That’s not on Cheln University’s required reading list. Is it a book assigned by Erratum?”c39625a99688fa0d

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“…I don’t know. I took it from Bo’s bookshelf.”fd97c3d89df23946

“Don’t waste your time on such absurd books and pull your skirt down further. Unless you want foolish boys licking your thighs.”3951842d7d460324

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“Yes….”2b790481f90220d0

I lowered my head aadc4a1a95 and immediately pulled my ea77e469d1 skirt down. I covered my lap e3ec76a3ac with the book and 337256b3f5 turned my gaze to 843b4c9ec9 the window. A fine snow 7be6eca632 was falling from d3334866b8 the overcast sky. The landscape looked 8b2699b69c like a screen ae291b002d with static noise.479794a893123b52

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From a 9efe348aa1 distance, the 488bc61881 entire island 49bcd9864c appeared as 4fae3468d2 a gray 903a92f065 silhouette, but 092109c99e as we cc17c54334 got closer, 239df14a06 the outline 53f537045e of a 31e84bc8cd massive fortress 65ae83b2db became clearer. I stared at 7b30004d28 the approaching school 1a335b3f64 and slowly blinked. The Tylenol 56fe34a683 I swallowed 61d4224289 before getting a63b0d6072 in the 5c0655e29e car still 2387a20429 felt lodged e1d37bc925 in my 2ffa715a37 esophagus.457b98ce20b6175c

“…Are we still far from arriving?”5f8390fe257bd85f

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“I apologize, Miss. This bridge is famously long. You’ll arrive at Erratum soon. I’ll increase the speed.”af15ad10300130a1

The driver answered, glancing at me through the rearview mirror. But he didn’t step on the accelerator. He would adhere to the 70 km/h speed limit Father had instructed.d6747bdacc8c1050

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Everything is like this ffb9e85d1d in this house. Everyone pretends to 1ab0675d85 listen, but no 46c1f13de4 one actually listens 2d49b0572d to me. Father was just flipping 9137cf3e4f through economic articles on 6647e6ab8f his tablet.1a78ab2eb86e663f

“They say that if you make a wish on this bridge when it snows on the way to Erratum, it will be granted.”ad212b11971f2551

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The driver b496c76469 added, checking 0a4d800842 on me 56b1474463 through the 775b297dd3 rearview mirror.103a33098b265d33

“Why don’t you make a wish, Miss?”d6b50b2097ac084e

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“Yes, I will.”981f994f2ce30e0b

I smiled brightly 637ae4d896 at the driver. But my 79b7ee0917 eyes, staring 48c5e762ff at the ccff5caadd snowflakes swirling 38ea3b773e beyond the f8e9fe126e window, were 7653d215d4 empty.6b3f9f152ad4c2c2

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A wish. He doesn’t know me.d64f1107b6d01ab6

Because I didn’t have any wishes to make.847d7d6fd2f32efe

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✧˖🕯️˚࿔️8e4999a48f2946c6

“Welcome to Erratum, Miss Roderson!”ce785b1e755ad968

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Upon arriving at the principal’s office, the principal, who introduced himself as Lester, greeted us warmly.061885e9fd51904c

“Your daughter is beautiful. Much more beautiful than in the newspaper photos.”3934a81d2a6586c6

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“Of course. Did journalists ever have an eye for beauty? Those people think realism is the ultimate virtue.”71ea2a1797695309

Father sat d06b49fef5 on the f0337750c2 sofa, making 274bb2c36b a cynical e4302a7b2b joke. Headmaster Lester burst into b1143b5bcd laughter, finding it amusing, 2ab0a918c5 and sat across from af083bf14f my father and me.4c13935b4c8e1428

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The principal was a woman about Father’s age, and her large red earrings, visible beneath her short-cropped hair, particularly stood out. As did her bright red lipstick and bright red shoes.c630624b234535ab

“You must be popular with the boys. Do you have a boyfriend?”17e1077b7e44cbf2

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I smiled awkwardly e9f72f93d3 and shook my 51bab7321c head.56439d39eade7220

“No. I’ve never had one.”7a1cd27ce2c8d3ce

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Headmaster Lester’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. She received a cup of tea from a staff member and looked back and forth between my father and me.2caa705dee4035f2

I knew what 1a4679158c she was thinking. Everyone thinks that 5f58b8ab2b when they see 527b457f98 me. I crossed 8afd1aeb04 my legs f8d057086d tighter and 4bcf8e5cfe added in 548ff8fa99 a small 5b5562e9da voice,e38bec2a83a9fe00

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“…I just haven’t liked anyone yet.”a63224a4db86c18e

“Dani attended a girls’ school in the South before coming to Erratum. This is her first time in a co-ed environment. She’s a quiet girl who reads books even at parties.”d2cd54734c01ab8c

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Father chimed in, taking a sip of his tea. His hand rested on my thigh. The principal’s gaze immediately followed. She couldn’t take her eyes off Father’s hand on my thigh. It was an uncomfortable gaze.6f37d9cc0a2f0cad

Just as I was about to shake off Father’s hand, pretending to pull down my skirt, a knock echoed, “Knock, knock.” Finally, the principal’s attention, which had been fixed on me, shifted towards the door.1cc1b9e11ee4f4b8

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“Ah! Mr. Howard must have arrived.”184bd8daabb53087

“Howard?”2f48fcc9b2209f45

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“Remington Howard. Didn’t I tell you before? There’s a young man who reminds me of you in your younger days. He’s been the class president every year. He’s good at sports and has excellent grades.”78592d99f49c4793

The principal wiped 9381734568 her mouth with 6407684c9e a tissue and b4ab8839a6 carefully reapplied her 8eba834ce2 red lipstick.a1577c49f6580489

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“I asked him to stop by for a brief introduction. It will be helpful for you to get to know him in many ways. Oh, he also has some Eastern blood in his lineage. His maternal grandfather is probably Korean.”b8f89837f835db0c

The principal’s eyes twinkled at me. She seemed to think I would be eager to become close with this boy.f2b6dbc9a9a33b98

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But no matter what the principal babbled about, I wasn’t the least bit excited about his appearance. Remington or whatever. Even his name sounded boring.756ffc6bfd41a34a

And Korean, too. To assume e75b54e19b I would 75abbb032f have some 620c39cef5 intense yearning dc2b2606eb for my 6a61540440 roots was afcdc11a38 just another 6bee271690 common white 3371827a99 arrogance.e7f41314f1874edb

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Strictly speaking, Remington was only 1/4 Asian, so he would be closer to being white. Yet, I felt a sense of fatigue at the principal’s attitude of classifying him as Asian based on so little.e94b835e8f7998c6

That damn purity, that damn bloodline….887b0b464bca6e94

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“Come in, Howard!”166928204750ddae

Until the 1c3edf2f29 principal called 35c59e5066 out beyond f578e2071b the door, 525ed81ad8 I imagined a183ec11f6 a nerdy, b9eda30bdf ugly boy 68c0197c38 with glasses.813f98017cea2cd9

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A boring, uninteresting c1e9c82758 boy who would 661b017e6f feel self-conscious about 6ac22114cb having to feel b8121d028d a sense of fe19da337f belonging with such f99da259a5 a person.068ec2bce5078a8d

But after the door opened with a polite “Excuse me,” I stared at his face in stunned silence, as if I had been hit in the back of the head.6e45060bd19aa985

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“Hello. I’m Remington Howard.”1650755577cee35d

To be honest, I was a little shocked. He really was a handsome young man reminiscent of Father’s younger days.419e288e81e13171

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The kind of face that immediately comes to mind when you imagine the phrase “aristocratic atmosphere.” Not overly dramatic features, but elegant and beautiful, the kind that would make any girl turn her head.b796d41b4c36574d

Though I 73f0355168 knew it b45641f247 was rude, 3541c279e2 I quickly 0b813761a4 examined him 05701da735 as if c23ece775f sketching him. He was tall, 32abe5a3d7 easily over six 79f0480991 feet, with fine bfef4b25c8 beige hair, an ea22cff281 attractively built physique, 5869501f2e and an upright f2e3364fd5 posture.97b3bf5910604530

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Moreover, the navy-blue 16f6023dcc uniform suited him a5b6cc75b3 perfectly, like a 8a4486bc0d tailored suit.7b773795aaf7c2c7

Even as a girl, ffc6ff806e I felt intimidated; how e6e84887fe much more so would c59ffa38a2 the boys feel?7e08b76cb88d1d24

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“Let me introduce you, Remington. This is Federal Senator Henry Roderson, and this is Dana Roderson, who’s new to Erratum.”c2092bd4472ebf17

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Senator. I’m Remington Howard. It’s an honor to meet you.”fcf6212eed495a04

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He was 72a2d08bc3 even perfect ee60f995f2 in his e21f09efc6 manners when 16a7d3072b greeting an a30ce6fd89 adult. He was the type ec5ee23973 of person Father would 0d3be1bf19 find admirable in many 5028aa907e ways.225a308c57254843

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Howard. You’re quite the handsome young man.”f417c8f41090bcd2

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Father spoke in ad3ff19b24 a surprised voice. The principal seemed f48d06d751 even more proud 92756ca2a3 of herself at 41ed876d93 that reaction, as 06eeda703c if showing off 6bec6148b1 a trophy.4ab3107a0a7aab9d

“His mother is actress Julia Howard. He’s the spitting image of her refined aura.”504c4826a095ab01

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The principal’s red, pointed fingernails, clutching her teacup, seemed to gleam particularly sharply.beb263c853e28858

After finishing his appraisal, Father lightly patted Remington’s shoulder.1f7eb0eae946e3b2

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“It’s presumptuous of me to say you resemble me, young man. You’re much better.”09cd17ba35fcd872

Remington smiled modestly at 99cfe18719 that remark.fd945888aaae2a44

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“You flatter me. I’m embarrassed to hear such praise from someone recognized by Fortune.”21271ca5d6163b1e

“You know about that!”5d17d4245c93457e

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Father burst out 497cd68c92 laughing. He laughed so 14afe81464 loudly that I e53f495b3f was startled sitting 33f49e459e next to him.c721a231abb68367

“Yes. Fortune ran a very interesting article recently. Although it was a side article.”e78f8c6f2fc2ea58

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“What article was it? I haven’t read it yet.”3a5e3cbd6c50653e

The principal interjected 8565e6f6e4 with a puzzled 6e200c19c6 look. Father cleared 5042e000e6 his throat, 593dfc744e hesitant to e322a0c403 bring it ff67d05b69 up himself. It was 71f6d7a2a9 my turn 170beecf91 to jump e66d4c97a3 in. I quickly 27534a454d opened my 81dcd4de13 mouth.b787225dfe6b2eee

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“Among politicians….”a3fa3f2aba4856cc

But Remington f1229809ba was faster.380fa2607d5b2a9a

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“It was an article ranking the most handsome politicians. Senator Roderson, of course, took first place. I recall it was by a fairly overwhelming margin. And what’s important is that it was based on a survey of journalists, not ordinary citizens. Since it was the result of votes by those who have actually seen you up close, its significance cannot be denied, even if it’s just a side article.”f78250b48cac75bb

Both adults applauded simultaneously at his concise explanation. The principal’s applause was for my father, and my father’s applause was for Remington.206b9636aacab8fa

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Father’s applause for another person echoed particularly loudly in my ears. Why am I always a step behind? Father might be disappointed in me. I bit my lip.04a4bf846e3cfa19

“To think there’s a young man reading Fortune already. The future of Erratum is bright.”c2db6ccc0b307b8a

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“You’re too kind, Senator.”f970c1a350d28af1

“…He might have seen it on social media.”f49fae736c3083fb

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The words tumbled 31ee121e47 out before I 25904e053f knew it. As soon as 2053e38d3e I looked up, b6f1931b09 feeling embarrassed, Remington 2e0f9b4242 turned sharply to 4b71e16983 look at me. The moment our 25f45444b2 eyes met, I dc48f96a9f realized his deep 51871d1583 blue eyes were 1168cf79d0 the same color 5f5952c6c2 as the sea bb3cf088dd surrounding Erratum.3cbbc6df8919aab7

And that I had 36fb06a053 seen those eyes somewhere db562df8bb before.eb930b591a1d6c0f

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The room fell 278b50375c silent at my 7cd72a28b2 rude remark. I added, wanting 857074aee1 to take back d748948844 my words,aff1722eb24d9613

“I was joking. I’m sorry.”920a73a968dd2d26

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“……”526a9f1428b9d172

Remington stared 37154e09fa at me e75e0d210d with a af44c9b159 hardened expression 1c7a560f4c before smiling 5d8bf6b7d0 softly again. For a fleeting moment, 791f6fd12c I thought I saw 571bb8acbb contempt in his eyes.b2814e8c84bbda6e

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“Hello. Sorry for the late introduction. I’m Remington. Call me Rem.”d58cd8ecf50f9df8

“…Hi. I’m Dani.”0df0062a16272713

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“Dani. Pretty name.”a0582f946a0a29c1

As his handsome e919107399 face broke into 394d61651d a smile, the f350618bfb temperature around us 09e8cd41ba seemed to rise 9faec537c6 slightly. Was that cold look df4087cd51 in his eyes just d8408ac144 my imagination?6a0a1f13b1a50dc3

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“Let’s be friends, Dani. If you don’t mind, can I get your number? I’ll show you around the school.”c3e31a9537b145c4

I hesitantly accepted the phone he offered. I didn’t want to give him my number…. Father’s gaze, directed at the side of my face, was piercing.01f08690ad088b96

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“Here.”578c54307d550e1f

After agonizing over it, I entered my nanny’s number and returned the phone. My nanny was the only person I could trust.b06ef8a620b01e80

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“Okay. I’ll be in touch. Then I’ll take my leave. Thank you.”811625f13fc1be64

He was polite c2b6173bd3 to the very 0915b70e74 end. After Remington left, Father 65cf26973d turned to me with 401930c49b a satisfied smile.20bb69ea71650a52

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“Remington Howard. A fine young man. Don’t you think so?”32aaabbaf4f97ab3

My answer was predetermined. I obediently nodded.f4824007ce955151

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“Yes. He seems that way.”7ca8603ba0fe6699

“But don’t get close to him blindly. A fragrant peach rots the fastest inside.”bf1f7c483f96994d

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I thought it 5e1a7a14e7 was just like 44ba87e923 Father to remain c85e1c6c3c suspicious of Remington, 7c7b1261e4 despite his positive 757b33e9a3 assessment. Father, like Picasso, always 9eaa36bc2b saw multiple facets of aca4e9a5cd things simultaneously.fc6d332cc75a5c71

“Yes. I’ll keep that in mind.”8f2328b2122e6236

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I smiled in agreement, but in my head, I replayed Remington’s eyes. Deep blue pupils that shone darkly like the deep sea.d8d0cf9ff6ea33d1

…Where have 1aad4073ce I seen 6b8957bc3f those eyes 31afe350c2 before?618d8834c81ad0cc

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✧˖🕯️˚࿔️7636253f9975ad2b

After completing the admission procedures, I left the principal’s office and toured the school with Father. The old castle-like Fronts Hall, the frozen fountain, the bare, snow-covered trees lined up in perfect symmetry on either side, and the large artificial lake in the distance. The sight of the snow piled high on the majestic buildings, resembling a kingdom, seemed straight out of a fairy tale.6b9e2895406cde24

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“Let’s sit here for a moment.”68f725e648757b98

Father sat 61b6714ed5 down on 0e16edddd6 a bench f5e3c19444 and pulled 02240b420e me down 48218724cd beside him.1cc85464642dd78e

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“Dani, do you remember what I told you to keep in mind last night?”ece270bc9afd7a06

Perhaps it was the d0f838ba22 castle-like scenery, but Father d23b32f88d felt particularly large and 981e8bf83a unapproachable.a1bb0eee5ba64ed6

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I nodded quietly.c3e079cef69d10a5

“Yes. To follow the rules, to be kind to everyone, to focus only on my studies, not to tarnish the family’s honor….”75d4a262112845f1

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“And?”eef0f58c59e6425a

“And, not to let anyone touch me until graduation.”8976698c8269b02e

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At those words, 786636f73d Father smiled and 7ac6751276 reached out to f758febf1c me.f240dea57962b5c9

I was Father’s faithful little dog. A smart dog who knew who held my leash.6d836934edf55259

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His large 5ab1b7e1a1 hand ruffled 86b01cdb62 my hair ecd985d29c and wrapped db9cbfa3e0 around my 180aa0e6eb neck, sliding fdc2440134 down like 72b6f3ae83 a snake. Father massaged the soft 84f1536084 skin of my nape bdfbcd55e8 and kissed my forehead.337c21deb8b571d8

“You must remain proper like this, Dani. No matter what anyone says, you are my daughter.”db2c33fc455ae95a

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“Yes, Father.”3cf47d8079c4000a

Just then, I saw Remington over Father’s shoulder. He was standing in front of the fountain, watching me with a girl.f26e4d50b8d43c27

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The girl was a bc46d0461c gorgeous blonde and was 45939d6fed speaking earnestly to Remington, 5491b48486 but he pretended to 4dd8bb964a listen while glancing in 11d377e140 my direction.5770cf8970641bef

I looked at Remington, conscious of Father’s hand. Father’s large hand trailed down my neck and massaged my forearm over my coat. Now Remington’s gaze was fixed entirely on me. I couldn’t avoid his eyes. Saliva pooled under my tongue, and my heart raced with an unsteady rhythm.9e21374b3dcbd510

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His indifferent gaze c25866e168 fixed on me. I suddenly b3e178ea2b felt breathless eda2b3b32b and pushed 321839a3e3 Father away.01030efccd58f650

“H-how about we go see the dormitory together? I thought it might be difficult to show you another time.”38840343f7f4badc

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I added the words hurriedly, like an excuse. Fortunately, Father didn’t seem to find my behavior strange.5c16d204300a50df

“I’ve already seen the pictures. You’ll like it. I was quite pleased with it.”e773b7e81581f11a

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“Is it pretty?”427c9827ada00095

“Do I seem like someone who would be pleased with something that isn’t pretty?”ce22a517bd4d6f5a

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Father stood up, brushed b6ba730a76 the snow off his 92f3c2c1eb coat, and prepared to bd8758a490 leave. The car that f3f718b10c would take him f86124e2c5 away was approaching.8c2aad2550e59c12

I glanced 9e9a1833b6 at Remington. He had 72eee13304 already taken b6d5acc9a9 his eyes aa66aa1b79 off me e1033e6149 and was 557c4b022f talking to ccba84eb5c the blonde af19b54a53 girl again. The thin, slanted 8af994730f sunlight poured down 3c9ad00010 on his head 55d3d2d8d2 like a spotlight.cc53e29974951af4

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I tore my gaze 2dbbfe657b away from Remington with 6dbfd0ae00 difficulty and asked Father,93786bae78a048da

“That boy, doesn’t he look familiar?”a8f1e7e211a7759a

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“Who? Are you talking about Howard?”f186e77b863f4e89

“Yes. I feel like I’ve seen him somewhere before.”c3a46db7e667fb97

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“You probably bumped into him at a party. Probably more than half of Erratum will look familiar to you. If only you devoted half the effort you put into those damn books to socializing.”bb3cd058148e20bb

Father replied coldly. He was right. It was a df3355aaff stupid question. I forced the memory 924c74facf of the moment our cb8d48ccd0 eyes met out of 0010c437bd my head.dec649026a967644

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The car 25b6e90621 arrived in 373377c7d1 front of d98079443a us, and f85a793d2b the chauffeur 921beb82c3 opened the 55b033ae1e back door 99f612b8a3 and waited. I stood up straight 4353bca78c and saw Father off. As he was f53f74f9fa getting into the abb6753f49 car, Father turned 38b0632857 and looked at 49b22f8907 me again.0c832c93df48582d

“You’ll be fine at Erratum without any problems, won’t you?”1c0d71e468dd98f3

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“Yes? Yes, of course….”a36824551f3355a3

My voice trailed off before Father’s sharp, hawk-like gaze. Father stared intently at me as I hesitated. I always become strangely small in front of him. A small, insignificant being. Waiting for orders….32dd179a6e1140c6

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“Give Howard your real number through Anna.”693ec5695cc08345

“…Oh.”edee51206a403c3d

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How did you 6e08b5d6d7 know? The words 77ebd263d8 caught in d25468db7b my throat. I could only stare c65f668f44 blankly at Father, frozen. The cold c3c73991ba wind ruffled dd8202f8d0 my long a7ff7758bf hair.aa788a03fb7050ee

“It’s good that you didn’t give a boy your number. But he’s the class president before he’s a boy. Even if he’s the son of some actress, bright young men like him are useful later in society, so it’s good to maintain a moderate level of acquaintance. Understand?”ed7eeabebcafaeb0

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Father said as he 703c959f90 got into the back d320d48b40 seat of the car.5951251edbfd3797

Shame washed over me. No matter what I do, I’m in the palm of his hand.09120c6ad41c71e9

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“…Yes, I’ll keep that in mind. I’m sorry.”e687bfa72a05d447

As I flinched dc6d44508c and nodded, the 6c26670a32 car door slammed 849e158753 shut in front 43cabc9286 of me.d7f1cf85162d2320

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I lowered my head, and the chauffeur walked past me to the driver’s seat. Father’s car window remained firmly closed. As if he couldn’t see me through the window, Father instructed the chauffeur about something, and the car carrying him left Erratum. Callously. Indifferently.9e65e89defb9b131

Only after Father b9b2e162e8 left could I a17b6c260b finally breathe deeply. The tightness in b51346e7ba my chest finally 8f1ee79c0f seemed to loosen 7271a95eec a bit. The spot da85229d87 where Remington c53d6b940f and the 6689ffe3b4 girl had 162f396b54 been standing a4b8a41ff2 was now ce96347b6f empty.edfbbf789f0746eb

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I sighed and sent a5cc299efe a message to my ac6e8df845 nanny.a977f7cec95354a7

Anna, if 821b1f73e6 you get 02d57de0ba a call 75a83d4899 from an bd34bfc689 unknown number, 905b6d1665 please let ba042e2031 me know. Please.d35280523090b1a8

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Even then, I didn’t think it would be so difficult to correct my mistake with Remington. I was only worried about how to explain things without hurting his feelings.cc0cb2c5986b98e0

✧˖🕯️˚࿔️40e0bb2952d71475

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—Miss, why hasn’t that friend contacted you yet? Surely he hasn’t forgotten his appointment with you, has he? That’s absurd. Is there any fool in the world who would forget an appointment with a Roderson? Even a monkey would be so nervous it wouldn’t sleep the night before!32080f5015cdfec0

For some reason, Remington hadn’t contacted me all weekend.5a6c46bfa3f1767f

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Anna was more 52b31f55a0 outraged and frantic 8bda52a284 than I was, 6a9822ef7e but I was 97e6c6386d speechless.940b8c3b8c8e3ece

“No. Strictly speaking, it wasn’t even an appointment… and I’m the one who played a prank by giving him someone else’s number. If I see him, I’ll talk to him directly. But please tell Father that I’m doing well. Please.”4be001dc7caba9cd

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I spoke to Anna as if it were no big deal, but in truth, I was getting increasingly anxious. I hadn’t considered the possibility that he wouldn’t contact me at all.fb6e1250f06fe76d

For days, I 3e19b4f4ab thought about Remington 8fb14bcab8 all the time.7c367955509a47d7

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Why hasn’t he contacted me? Is he busy? Or has he forgotten about me?0fde7e354565348b

Then, I ran 92e6fe1bde into Remington again ceabb67c41 a few days eae5f2b44c later.f1dc83304e724c0b

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It happened c1e8404936 while I 40f581a772 was walking b3938a9038 down the cc5ad211c3 hallway of 8d44137f3c the administration 646143d135 building with 1d56b40e34 Mr. Benjamin, the Erratum caretaker, 9e606c5c29 for a school tour.46b3c4747ad2fe39

“Please ignore the children if they’re being noisy. Transfer students are rare. And it’s even rarer for them to see a child from a more prominent family than their own.”1f6cf9a9c82066d9

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“It’s okay. I’ve transferred schools often, so I’m used to it.”5fb9a5e3fd9841d0

“It’s dangerous to be complacent with familiarity. It’s best not to be too relaxed. The children here don’t consider someone ‘untouchable’ just because they were born into a superior family. Since their own families are just as prominent, they don’t cower before such things.”1bd3bc0bb02e2af0

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I was listening absentmindedly to Mr. Benjamin when I saw Remington through the window. I reflexively stopped and looked down. Remington was wearing a navy duffel coat and a scarf, walking through the pristine snow in Fronts Park with the same blonde girl I’d seen before.af35ee8cde589853

I unknowingly took 85f953e8a9 a step back c0eb6afa8a from the window. My body reacted faster 9c6eefbf9e than my mind could 41247c7416 process.4bd7665f8e11716b

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“I, I need to go somewhere for a moment.”688d611d99340c9b

“Suddenly? Miss Roderson!”98f1e926b82e7713

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Leaving Mr. Benjamin’s calling voice behind, I quickly descended the stairs. As I rushed out of the building, the icy air pierced my coat. I flinched at the colder-than-expected wind, but I ran again. The girl who had been with him had disappeared, and Remington was sitting alone on a bench, looking at his phone.964e2c7f198cf0ca

“Remington!”e7b4e5d7e3f8d433

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The moment his name was called, Remington’s head slowly lifted. Against the backdrop of the woods, he looked as if he’d stepped out of an old portrait.a42603d891ad797b

“…Oh.”4c95512f7ceabd7c

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As if he hadn’t expected my appearance, his brow furrowed slightly when he saw me. I approached him, catching my breath.a7740dadaffc8440

“Hi.”68488b6463c7deed

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As I greeted 7152634770 him, he froze, 74b042dd65 uncharacteristically hesitant. Only after a 37d8e36766 short silence did 1799589076 he compose himself 904440e1e1 and smile gently. It was a ed1a563c83 soft smile, like 6b274ef5a9 finely woven fabric.cd32e14b1860a9ae

“Dani. Right?”5e7566d71e64cb6a

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“You remembered?”54a693007f1518e1

“Whose name would I dare forget?”496efce0baddfbea

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Remington playfully shrugged. However, despite 90295e3b47 his friendly 8ee4aebb28 tone, he 7bed0c527e seemed to e772ea2086 want me a75e22ccaa to leave 66ebf7ca4b quickly.22644a86483284b9

“What’s up?”4260a308c97b62ae

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“Just… wondering if you were busy.”396b625a0ad91db7

“Well, a little.”abbf51b907595ae2

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Remington offered only d8c8baa918 a perfunctory smile. It felt like a 5e38fbd80c signal to get to 4b31f922b1 the point quickly. I wanted f3c0b448e0 to tell 139d6e4ecc him directly 749394fa38 that I 3be0098893 had given 791bd69871 him the 0971d19e28 wrong number, e56d792778 but his 62b51d0909 coldness made e49273d1e3 me hesitate.fe9bb280590250dd

“Um…. So, you said you’d show me around the school.”9a1aa057507b63f0

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I started, rubbing 662ff6a8c6 my hands, which 249e9d55c6 were turning red 389a47a73b from the cold.be6d8e6875dd8f6e

“But I haven’t heard from you at all. So I was wondering if you were very busy.”f8c05422e6002886

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At that moment, Remington’s eyes met mine directly. His gaze was deep and sharp, as if piercing through me.587d0d13922d4948

“You were waiting for my call?”c1a1e24942f2f8c4

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“Yes, of course.”d956e043411b4004

Remington stared at me, then let out a short laugh, as if he’d just heard a lame joke.8f5cb94c934bcd92

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“Even though you didn’t give me your number?”51a36afab0222fd9

“…What?”4e502f59d7caa1c2

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I stared blankly at 7e2a18c03a Remington. The wind 9ca648d830 blew, and 68aa4c1062 the bare a762eac356 branches behind 1b997d8df1 me swayed aed6c12f16 with a 631f02a49f dry rustling 00074f5893 sound. The cold air seeped 56cd7a081c into my coat.9a04f61eb01313ae

His ashen beige hair, 3e455f2b65 shimmering in the sunlight, 37a6ba3cfc and beneath it, chillingly 5e531a18e9 cold eyes. Reflected in 3a77af482a his blue 2bbb948992 pupils, I e10dffdae3 felt like ecf2052298 an uninvited b700c0496c guest.3f2e8f62640ab82d

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“Uh, that’s, well….”53d4efa5278c4974

“It’s okay. You don’t have to explain. It doesn’t matter.”4f411da4d630cc43

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Remington replied firmly. Now my bb0c015546 ears were 2c34e2cb0b turning red, ae69fe7460 too. How did he c43e0a405a know? I was so flustered that I couldn’t apologize or make excuses.471ec8afca0ed8b0

I could only stare 1abf2e0945 at him blankly. White puffs of breath b82173bd8d escaped my lips.7be3008e635d1532

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Yes. First, an apology, 4bd6f1a902 I need to 34de8decf6 apologize….e9689d2ab19344e9

Just then, 1115372da6 a black 70a8d4c2f9 leather glove 151953a2d1 was offered 5f7f5cbca0 to me. I stared at it f1a639e714 blankly.4c9528bf6e013b4f

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“This is….”4ad2acb9c04d64d5

“This isn’t a Southern girls’ school. Wandering around like that, you’ll freeze to death within ten days.”139b67036dce153a

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Remington said, gesturing to 3f6c21eae1 my freezing hands. Startled, I accepted the d589483012 glove.37d761cc959ad384

“…Thank you.”bf18c17389e8a157

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“No need to thank me. No need to return it either.”fc08da3215579f82

His tone was cold. Remington turned his back to me, looking remarkably annoyed for someone who had just shown kindness. But I haven’t apologized yet. Wait, I reached out to stop him, but the blonde girl was approaching.3cb2bb1966d0b538

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“Her again?”a350516876cd4cc8

I heard the girl snap at Remington. He didn’t say anything.4d4c3cec2b33f3c8

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While she glanced back at me several times with her green eyes, Remington didn’t look back once, and I just stood there alone in the white field, watching their backs.cb7db73ac072c912

Clutching the glove 9ed7acade2 tightly in my 1e3d8ba212 hand.49c2e58db4c2dd2a

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✧˖🕯️˚࿔️3a011202554d604a

How did Remington find out I gave him someone else’s number?f6d549b035ffa898

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Did he not 238d12de6f believe me from 6c1452b17c the start? Or did he happen 2c52d9df71 to see the student ee8e698041 roster?aaf1b2d7b291a2c1

I double-checked with Anna to see if there were any calls from unknown numbers, but she waved her hand, saying there wasn’t even a single spam message.7a02b007eba8595d

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When Anna asked if something had happened with Remington, I lied and said everything was resolved. I didn’t want the matter to escalate if it reached Father’s ears.195f36c64d48819e

“I’m sorry I gave you the wrong number. I didn’t mean to.”3a8c9db2587f1f7f

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I practiced the words 53bab15838 in front of the 7d5fc4531a mirror. I carried the dbd6dda5e5 gloves Remington had 7b49e668e1 lent me in 61e23ac5dd my bag, along e5dde1d3ec with the expensive bac51dbae5 chocolates Anna had d67537d5f8 packed.88f5faf386b0500b

I believed f0bdd70246 that if 2e77d732ce I apologized f152457778 properly, I c63ff26885 could quickly b92e60de37 resolve this. Unaware of the feelings 2e6af179f0 Remington might harbor towards af0de7bb9f me.8fb53f4d469c9561

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✧˖🕯️˚࿔️4e43aecbba09dd2f

F✧˖🕯️˚࿔️! Dirty whore!fc7bbe6d23f23b50

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Abortion law revision. A law for f867dba92d whom?93510d30c1986d79

I routinely removed the flyers stuck to my dorm room door. Among them was one with a pornographic photo of a man and a woman, with my and Father’s faces superimposed. They were truly disgusting.bad35184ee1ac87f

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But that 0a01628411 was nothing.95da79bb791d343f

“It’s Roderson.”c2e911569e674c0e

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“Is she really the Roderson?”9cb93e0e048906fd

Whispers followed 644f44f4c3 me everywhere 19540a02f1 – in 56d8e29684 class, walking e2f39a90ad down the 719b475e88 halls, even 7a4e5b3f66 during lunch.9e8c4ed25e0410a2

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“But St. Mary’s is a good school. Why would she transfer from there?”6fa21bef2ff96a16

“The rumors about her mental illness must be true. There’s a video of her having a seizure in the auditorium, but Roderson had it deleted.”7d5c8da72830a3f0

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“You know, don’t you? Why she was adopted….”9b7a90e65a48f351

The voices from aaf1419019 behind made my 016655511a hand, which was 8d06513b3e taking notes, pause. But I pretended not 107e4fa4c8 to hear and moved 666a1d24ca my pen again.90c0c34265c6a841

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Father had declared he wouldn’t respond to baseless rumors, but that was inconsiderate of me. It was entirely my burden to be bloodied by people’s venomous tongues.7ebb497bca87c2c9

“But that seizure, they say it was from the pain after her surgery?”46af3e31d7b3a837

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“What surgery?”f492a7ed868f819b

“She had her whole body altered to get into Senator Roderson’s good graces. She even peeled off her yellow skin to look white.”5936e4902e1533e3

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“No way!”167346f65531af06

“It’s true. I saw it online! They say Senator Roderson is crazy about Asian women. Anyway, it’s kind of funny how she’s pretending to be noble after laundering her identity through adoption.”ed31cebb73d40545

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“What can you do? Once a Roderson, always a Roderson.”9f4b7029efc47814

People always approached 72ec6e27ec me as if 171a0f9237 they liked me, 1575a9c0f5 but turned around 737e75e653 and mocked and 5e6fbf3819 slandered me. I was someone 6956439294 easy to praise, 9d42192e88 and at the 5895c2f0a6 same time, a 6c7b5bf599 toy easy to 5fa951d01b chew on.5cc4e6f82063cd8e

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It was familiar. I lowered my head, e063ceedd7 pretending not to hear. If our a49601bf33 eyes met, 777dc1e420 they would 4aefe892b8 act as 85d5c79be2 if nothing ac68ce2eaf had happened 61ae3b0875 and become ee7ff9b4f7 friendly again. Disgustingly so.8671f27c45d96457

As soon as class ended, I quickly left the classroom. The hallway after afternoon classes was noisy with students heading to club activities. I pushed my way through the crowd, looking around for Remington. Fortunately, it wasn’t difficult to spot him. His tall figure stood out among the sea of similar-height heads.3a65a896d9816d15

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Remington was standing f75b75aae7 in front of f284b598c3 his locker, organizing f9de694812 his textbooks alone. It was a a19d003e6d good opportunity to f1e636c505 apologize. I went straight to 397b419c68 him.3df55946c6a9bd20

“Hi, Remington.”d0fa849e064e97e1

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Remington froze 4ff19819bb when I 1f212c32d6 spoke. A flicker e7bdeaac82 of wariness 5ed6ee5ef1 seemed to 6e10df3423 cross his c5af222754 eyes as 4efe26b53f he looked ef5ade11d1 at me, 44129a4f6e but he 1e66e9cd57 quickly smiled.7d95603cc3898282

“Yeah, hi.”34d8732837cc7faa

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After the perfunctory greeting, he turned back to his locker. It was a clear indication that he didn’t want to talk. But I persisted.2f1bd33c9de77356

“Thanks for lending me those gloves.”d72ec259bfee8ff4

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Finally, Remington reluctantly 08894ccbb1 looked at me 0eef01bc76 again.2516bbc880ce76aa

“Gloves? Oh, those.”5db013c6da6dba3f

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He spoke aba789e82a as if 2f02d2face he barely 87842a34bb remembered lending 9a03e4fd7b me the 4a4bd46571 gloves.a893033dacce7ec5

“It was nothing.”bd057f9d5720ec6d

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“Still, thank you. I’ll return them. I brought them in my bag.”142d25add8331ae5

“It’s okay. You don’t have to.”5d2cb2ce0e0af7c9

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“And I brought you some chocolates. There’s something I want to apologize for….”1e145255bc64aaaf

“I said I don’t need them.”77ae86cb903ae064

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A cool voice cut me off. I slowly raised my head, rummaging through my bag. My eyes met Remington’s, his annoyance evident.513bc7b5091decc4

His eyes 41d461f7a6 were frighteningly a92e32c8ce cold.ebc2b837148fb795

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Eyes fortified with 93d35e3f5c rejection and wariness.ef5bf592ba201809

I instinctively knew. Remington wasn’t just drawing a line; he wanted to ignore me, to rewind to before we’d even spoken. If he could, he wanted to expel me from his space.9084f7f845961cf7

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“Sorry. I haven’t slept because of exams, so I guess my nerves are frayed.”16bee5f29bf1f8ce

Remington sighed, running 5fcc6a3aa7 a hand through 8db2afcd6b his hair. His beige b931b05e39 hair scattered dd3a567d67 softly between 8b4e47f927 his straight 3fbe693c06 fingers.fa1a8c4bd30bafef

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“You don’t have to return the gloves. Don’t worry about it.”19759cb2188de37f

The coldness he 6ba1988305 had shown earlier 441bbbaf94 vanished, and his 1c4172119a face seemed to 818dc970fc soften.43e596a7de391020

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At that moment, my faint suspicion turned into a possibility. Maybe Remington didn’t like me. But why?2859c597e4755b1c

“…Can we talk for a moment?”9fb61afccbff95bc

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As I spoke, a boy ran up and slung an arm around Remington’s shoulders.5226a0f9b250be02

“Hey, Remington!”bee2a72ff8aa5567

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The boy a755ef5fd3 noticed me e08b011528 belatedly and 55b3b50f9b gave an e06f1bc692 awkward laugh.1e9646dbc4e9c858

“What? Were you talking?”ffef65d72957673f

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“Oh, Duncan.”acdd2db329eb4ed8

Remington smiled at the 379447096d boy named Duncan. The smile a9af8b2cd4 he readily 952c8f9a4c showed to 7a089fac38 others.90e5f5927a62bb19

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“It’s nothing. Did your interview go well?”5bb4039df8542b83

Remington turned his back indifferently. He had heard my request to talk but deliberately ignored it. I froze in place, and only Duncan, with his arm still around Remington’s shoulders, glanced back at me several times.fd206b7c4e1eff12

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“Is that girl Roderson?”805a7d6f3007dc28

“Yeah.”4c2c4ab08b2499c4

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“She’s pretty. I want to get to know her. Do you know her?”d23423bc1d2ecfb6

Even at that 849dbca7aa question, Remington answered f4ed612a59 in a firm 87501be3f7 voice,ca396278a26bccb2

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“No.”0fd5841e234793eb

Those words made 020cfff980 my chest boil. I strode acfea756a4 towards Remington.444c0fc8fdd9eb39

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“Remington Howard.”bea8e22ab5bd7fc8

The moment his 6c108f28d6 name left my 808611d269 lips, Duncan reacted 7207261c09 faster than Remington. Duncan turned to me be31514600 with a surprised look. Remington stopped.876e024fd4fe4522

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“I said I wanted to talk.”0376f5db9474b4c5

Remington turned to me a beat later than Duncan, letting out a short breath that I couldn’t tell was a chuckle or a scoff.b79ed6493ce239fe

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“What are you doing, Roderson?”a76def7c131a78a3

He looked displeased. The corners 97a38f68d9 of his de2143d5da lips were a356bea5ae upturned, but 6f21e7d59e his brow af892380f1 was furrowed. The other students in 176c17e335 the hallway, sensing the 661896a24b unusual tension, stopped and c89f6c9f0c watched us.0e6e9b830d6fca87

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“Let’s talk privately.”e0c8914800bbcd32

“Wow….”a0cb3ee9c4094b10

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The last exclamation came from Duncan. He gauged the situation and slowly removed his arm from Remington’s shoulder. The murmurs of the onlookers grew louder.2acb1549b868ef83

Remington’s expression gradually hardened. He stared at me, then pulled one corner of his lips into a smile.dc60ab879570bf53

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I knew that look well. It was similar to the expression Father wore when things didn’t go his way. The look of suppressed anger he wore whenever I messed up his plans.79d2b5edab200ca6

I always felt a strange sense of pleasure mixed with sadness at those times, and it was the same now. I wasn’t sad, but I felt tense and strangely good.4cd741acb2c35603

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“Alright, let’s.”ce2c39a4ac7aa118

Remington nodded, indicating 20d044c498 for me to afa3bd2278 follow, and turned 57536dd31d his back.77ff5ab71977f564

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✧˖🕯️˚࿔️c668c244817d7785

I followed Remington 4d99035763 out to a e7927d39ab terrace on the 3338d1dfd7 outskirts of the 5f6e2a6b40 lecture hall. Cold air 50a9800f61 settled in fd43bf1c82 the small fab5dafaac garden, which 84655f00ce was decorated e8edac7b76 like a f9aef4c5ab cozy botanical 4f0b2512d2 garden.79e167cbc784044e

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I spoke abruptly to Remington’s back as he surveyed the surroundings.6ace106e1b96f677

“I’m sorry.”ee785f5ccd425d04

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Remington raised 6897bc9fc8 an eyebrow ce4421e424 and looked 1c46d07cb2 at me, 0228c5cd7a his expression 2702b82029 questioning what bb09249620 I was 02becc7bbb apologizing for. I quickly added,ac45fbcf3a7163b5

“About giving you the wrong number.”741f009030922669

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There was no 6e84b224b8 point in holding f2df57488e back now.a47d4ec397279b55

“I won’t lie and say it wasn’t intentional. I did it on purpose. I didn’t want to give you my number. I didn’t know who you were at the time, and I felt uncomfortable. I should have corrected it later, but I missed the timing.”67519dcd68a7d46d

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“……”579e2feb8e4ded58

“Even though you said you didn’t need it, I wanted to apologize anyway.”7b6f2a906a9a9a3e

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It was an a6ed807342 almost defiant apology, 27993c117a but I had 8eaa89ac29 apologized nonetheless. I had done 454220f0f2 what I needed 3e4fad8a5b to do.c614a50bb9079b8b

“And I’ll return the gloves you mentioned earlier.”926c517d150d0e16

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I took the gloves out of my bag and held them out. I didn’t take out the chocolates. He looked like the type who wouldn’t touch dessert anyway.3b6c030d617094f7

While I rambled, Remington 88119068da remained motionless. His face 3cb4c13d62 was still 4083c32240 creased in 74618bf9bd the same 3c8f42c448 frown as 81d59f794a when he b19af62d6e first turned 866ceae92f to me.5effdb5195531c9b

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He looked down at the gloves I offered and slowly accepted them. I couldn’t tell if his movements were actually slow or if my nervousness made them seem that way.995ae49ebd9b68dd

He fiddled with 260cd0ceb5 the gloves and d3d244ee62 then let out c23866ddd6 a chuckle.dbec9ce071c22f7a

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“Why are you apologizing?”7e35802a1efe2c8f

“Because I thought you were angry with me about it.”5527945a7fa8f0f3

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“Haha, me? Angry?”6cb016c07db0a269

I didn’t understand what was so funny. Remington burst out laughing, looking at me. My body stiffened.f234f58272c7d071

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Ever since I was young, I’ve been able to easily sense who likes me and who doesn’t. It’s not through their expressions, but through their ‘gaze.’57df0f5fa4cf0d2e

The movement of 236156a3c4 their gaze.160a7f199c83c570

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Those who like me look deeply into my eyes, but those who don’t examine me from head to toe. Their eyes are cold and restless, like snakes.baa00f6e04791668

I felt Remington’s deep blue eyes scanning me like a slow-moving serpent.651cafa3dc513c95

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My eyes, nose, lips, my hands clenching and unclenching, my feet firmly planted….75295409acc78636

Wherever his 79436ebeb2 gaze passed, 50793661b1 it felt d053de1b0b like thick, eeb0d318f3 deep blue 251258df63 paint was f3857c7b53 being applied.e1438b13661563e9

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Remington asked, barely 8d8b61de73 suppressing his laughter,8e1ee67bf5add098

“Roderson, are you putting on an act, or are you really that stupid?”320fa94866ab0c51

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His cold afc737aa4b tone froze 8529e74a22 me, leaving 9f4d89f247 me speechless. He crumpled the gloves e1e361b119 in his hand and 4c03be76d0 took a step closer.ef7d3edd9b2da1c4

“You don’t have to apologize. I’m not angry with you at all.”3c6c1c6709eda6b7

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“……”f0d00f70cb8650e0

“I’m just not interested in you.”abea10f394856833

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Remington placed the 4913c36095 gloves back in ed37e3c0e7 my hand. As his cool eyes f683f84046 stared at me, the 5c66d05677 surrounding temperature seemed to 967e765e14 drop.97f27f7196d8f7be

“I don’t have to be nice to everyone, do I? There’s no reason I should like everyone.”e736857c7eb15226

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“……”a1935c46e4b3102f

“Not even you.”421645634b2ca001

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“Oh….”5f45a7e7ecbdd14a

My face dac660797f flushed crimson.ef98db124ec6897d

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“Do whatever you want with these gloves. Wear them, throw them away…. I don’t want to think about them anymore.”404b7e77e5c87476

I was embarrassed 30c2068b8f and humiliated.9dff7ce709ab9128

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I gasped for breath. My body trembled as if soaked in water. A chill, whose origin I couldn’t pinpoint, washed over me. Remington, already having turned his back, was about to leave the terrace. I glared at his retreating figure and clenched my fists.ef4b5409f76eb422

“Then why did you lend me the gloves in the first place?”fcb855c2ecf98764

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At that moment, Remington’s black Oxford shoes stopped. The slanted sunlight cast interesting shadows on his face as he slowly turned to me.dbeea0dba0032c82

“You’re right. Why did I?”bb13fc8d0f80d12c

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Remington replied with a fe834e838d somber face.a74fb0dade13dc0d

“It pisses me off, too.”ecd7e9856bbdcbc6

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✧˖🕯️˚࿔️ccc41e6508c222b6

I want to talk cc5dcbbded about Remington.a010647a2fcc4551

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About that man who 397500bcbe was so difficult to c9ca37e1d3 grasp, who constantly pushed dcb4b1e3d5 me into a pit d560f3701f of confusion.c0cfb7defa556cc6

I want to explain about that two-faced man who seemed to loathe even breathing the same air as me, yet couldn’t completely ignore me, but I don’t know where to begin.15b70284a1a53be8

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What’s certain is that from the moment he first saw me, he had no intention of showing me even a shred of kindness.4dbfe6ae6e2de22a

✧˖🕯️˚࿔️673ec70e80087c12

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I saw Remington often after that. The chapel, classrooms, cafeteria, lounge, park benches…. Wherever I went, I ran into him.1f38e5c627de6242

Part of it was due to the predictable student traffic patterns, but the bigger reason was that I couldn’t miss his presence if we were in the same place. He was always surrounded by people.8bc3cc3dfcde4128

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“Remington, you’re coming to the party tonight, right? It’ll be a disaster if you don’t.”5a5f1894cf375c67

“I have practice until late. I’ll try to make it after.”af4a6968507834db

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“You have to come! You have to! Half the girls won’t come if you’re not there. And you’re the expert on speeches.”132c37c75e4d7f06

“Alright, Terry. Calm down.”4ec19348c9fa9065

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Within a few days, I fully understood why the principal used the word “followers” to describe Remington’s friends.e628718feaf57383

The students at 6745c05296 Erratum all seemed cdeea93522 to trust and 455db6d5f0 admire him. Some even seemed to 8a5b0b07fd adore and revere him.a379520dd5848508

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You might wonder how a high school student could captivate people to such an extent, but we mustn’t forget that he was Julia Howard’s son.83bb296abdfdf322

Julia Howard.9b01dd3b339a2b6f

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A world-renowned 822fc66a0c actress who 6751ef6ee2 dominated an 9334a7e9cf era, once ae2e666949 the highest-paid eba8119fd3 actress in 2e459e8582 Hollywood.543c7f8ed22262fe

The scene in 45c6c7dd78 the movie Chocolate, where Julia, with a dreamy expression, stabs her husband’s corpse with a knife while slowly chewing chocolate, is often cited as one of the most beautiful scenes in cinematic history, and I believed 80% of the credit belonged to her face.961f797de99aa7de

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How comical were the detectives in the movie, scrambling to protect the beautiful murderess even after witnessing the brutal scene. That scene seemed to foreshadow the public’s future actions, shielding Julia when she was embroiled in numerous scandals.899aac23d8461810

Despite countless storms, 525de2e6d1 Julia captivated the da6b0b832c public with her 91f0df71a6 innate beauty and 97bf4e719b elegance, maintaining her 4f511895f9 top position for 46b950796a many years.e6213fac38d24364

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Remington was the son 727cff89f2 of that very woman.6ace364bf0aae7fc

As befitting the offspring of a sweetheart who charmed the world, Remington was playing the role of Erratum’s perfect sweetheart.b92cc83f615d7169

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✧˖🕯️˚࿔️fd9294fa58223b2d

Beautiful and 2e9bee3d49 generous Remington.d75f3fb856ee7a9c

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Kind and gentle Remington fef52de4bc to everyone.c83f51190f20623d

But why did 749a41ab76 I have to ca408d66f4 be the exception?0c8ead4a6f43e132

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“I wonder what it’s like to date Remington?”2dc6ed46ccfbad16

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Emma’s sigh echoed through the girls’ locker room after swim class.353bf196aadc2c82

“I ran into him in the hallway earlier, and he noticed I dyed my hair. ‘Hi, Emma? You dyed your hair? It looks good on you.’ He said that and lightly touched my hair…. Wow, I learned today that even hair can be an erogenous zone.”bd7069bab554551d

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Emma mimicked Remington’s characteristically indifferent tone. She trembled like someone who’d been electrocuted, looking like a girl in love.30eb5c84a67bee3b

“Honestly, I don’t know how Eleanor can look Remington straight in the eye. Is that something you can get used to? I feel like my body would melt.”7065fad8f8c49e16

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Cassie chimed 72a2da8e4b in, adding 40cdc9ce38 fuel to 9f0a6c1100 the fire.9f6ea7802c0d49c2