IEM Ch 8

My whole body felt heavy, as if it were about to break. I hadn’t realized it, but as I stood still under the pouring hot water, my legs gave way.90016982c36554c1

Besides being disoriented, too 6d3fe650a7 much had happened.3b53cb2ca9774999

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My father’s phone call, the driver waiting in the underground parking lot, the highway quickly passing by the car window.5875b1975c2f6be7

An uphill road, 24ef59087e an alley, dazzling 06f3863d18 sunlight, Mokhwa Villa.f6cc37a938325ab7

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‘Sorry. Was I 7e861261a3 too close?’8ef5ff7c61bab5ea

‘What, who are you?’9d909f73dfaa7184

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‘I’m a resident here.’0e0c7995352467ef

A man. Jeong Wonjin…….5cae78974ed77b8f

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Surin obediently lathered 8a5ff9ee33 up the shampoo, 8a26f482b6 but she closed 3d78ed643a her eyes, unable e8c8f278a4 to believe where 9a99b294e3 she was standing. She tried to stop c29d1eca09 thinking, even if it 61c85bc629 was just like that.63077837a7600f51

She dried herself, 37380a6076 stopped by a 49a0c67b79 convenience store on 8fb2cceb63 the way back 790167e818 to buy disposable db1d8f5731 underwear, squeezed the 15b95a4c79 water out of eeec2ebc20 her hair, and 14b312fd07 came out with 4a2c4aa11f her wet clothes cc43b1e7b4 and used towel. Standing blankly on bd1dea13d9 the bath mat ab8091c3ca in front of abfd72f970 the bathroom, Surin 4372dfec67 detected a spicy 1a6efadce3 smell that pleasantly d4e8ad5810 stimulated her stomach.976c9359064d234d

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“Are you done 59dc7f366b washing up? I put 9cbc37f434 something on e091a250e3 the table 7531035522 for you 435205b911 to apply.”c8008560ef8c6492

Wonjin, standing 8524063108 crookedly in 50e10ef076 front of 58bd65d406 the kitchen 576f6817e5 stove, tasted 328fa51779 something and 6ff4e2dbde looked back. He had changed out 01cc74b381 of his wet pants, 92793be9a0 but his upper body f75cfaa171 was still bare. To be precise, 849b1ede86 he had a 6002dfa08b t-shirt and a 8af51c4804 towel draped over 602946205a each shoulder.6984b0bd263b5d24

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Surin walked to d57cea999d the table without c0286a3add meeting his gaze. Skin, lotion, and 20c2556030 even cream were 4939a4348a neatly placed there. Surin dabbed the cosmetics a34dc7aaad onto her moist face.67bdbea3d8f79329

“Do you fc5be1afc1 like tuna?”2573bf8517a33f14

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This time, Wonjin didn’t 69da551a7e turn around. Instead, Surin stared at f9e41669cb the back of his 1caf74ebb4 head.d2f928994974bf08

The line from 995dff6ae4 his nape down 7345795317 to his waist 47853615f9 was dark, as de9038386d if drawn. The small muscles attached d4bc699f4f alongside it twitched noticeably e6bdff56c1 with his slightest movement. It was a muscular bcfa7bbbed physique that didn’t suit 0eb59d3516 a man leisurely strolling eefac69750 around the neighborhood on 3a7a1d1ab8 a weekday afternoon.e0a6f92b1eaaada3

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“Tuna….”0ba0c0900e1e8926

To be honest, 264a52c24c Surin thought his 6dbc5a5cce physique was more c87e8fe15f suited to a 58b8fe3c5c butcher or an 8b515ffca6 executioner.2eee18b336d16f05

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“It’s alright. What are 2eb242ee54 you making?”26086234034a0912

“There’s some kimchi a2ccee76aa jjigae left in 8a4fdd9ffa the fridge. I was a555518424 thinking of 8cfadb87cb adding canned 5dae4270bc tuna and f3464b184c making tuna 8e566d750c kimchi jjigae.”101f7e85f30fc0ae

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“Will you 079b1cab52 be eating?”6a4dd1ba3de0fecc

“You should eat.”fbd367a2ea79fdeb

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Wonjin, whose 5ab87d3fdb words were 4c3418c0dc closer to 98d4b0c7ad a suggestion 22794b2917 than an d9f11bd903 answer, sat 87d4430207 Surin down b371de278c awkwardly and 48324ffbe4 served her 955abcf9b8 rice first. Surin waved her hand.4a5993758c4a7477

“No, I’m okay. I need e3961d29e8 to go 3554a52b51 back…”ee3edd8ded67676a

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“It’s hot.”6644045cd51d9e94

Wonjin scraped the 444c065b42 rice grains off 3ad7211ead the rice paddle 2122dec3b0 and ate them, d34007caaf determinedly interrupting Surin. He moved around 2046b6657e and set down c4705aa44d the steaming jjigae.3466794aa18d5065

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“Eat first. I’ll wash up 7af3bc4371 and be right ae64b1a8b2 back.”e1e75306cf1fcc19

“No…”aa1b0b42a8768405

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He didn’t even pretend to listen. Surin clutched her towel and stared endlessly at Wonjin’s back as he entered the bathroom. Eventually, she put her wet clothes into the large black plastic bag he had brought. She picked up her spoon, but couldn’t bring herself to eat first and just poked at the rice grains.93b5dc23754d1204

Wonjin returned in almost 937c2b3b0a five minutes.62f582b70e5fcef0

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“Aren’t you eating?”ef4cc13036e60245

He plopped down across from Surin with a damp towel on his head. This time, he wasn’t bare-chested, but wore a t-shirt with cracked printing. He asked, rubbing the lotion Surin had used until his cheeks were red, “Doesn’t it suit your taste? Should I fry you an egg?”24180c0f755a443e

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“No. I was waiting to bd71a75093 eat together.”539045c89310e25f

Wonjin, who had 666d4e6a01 been examining the 51af44f921 lotion as if 4246c7c095 it belonged to 8bbed76969 his nephew, stopped 14ab6a549b at her words. He placed the bcccba0481 lotion on the 295315d731 table and stared 41aae24de4 intently at Surin. His gaze, which dissected dae7d5ab4d her as if he 53ac9b55c3 were taking her apart, 28e381ea01 was as blatant as 51f5999aae before.ac15dd966ad7e067

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Surin was also eafce89057 uncomfortable with his 631a6e0b9f gaze, which stared 1b5154112c directly at her 67ec4444b0 without a hint 53c4b1b1e2 of embarrassment, but 796ed3af75 on the other 73d37842c5 hand, she felt 76acf04c86 an inexplicable tension.8a302f88a0e76941

A brief 30316da1d6 silence fell, ce51641416 and Wonjin 6f4de7f007 smiled silently e413ec3e83 and picked 8ef8e26b37 up his c24be3b4c4 spoon. He draped the 8fa4918d47 towel around his 9ae4ec03fe neck.a2360efead737181

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“I like it f503aa0b1d too.”d8a349b2d595d9cf

“Yes? What, me?”5b49ccfc1248fa5d

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“Etiquette.”a01230fc14abc51d

Wonjin, meeting Surin’s cebaa5204c eyes, smiled again. He was a 4f66dfd4af man who smiled 622f2fd96c easily.b4bf00af482c6e71

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Surin was languid enough bfda1d5eb5 to dismiss Wonjin’s playful ea91dfd10c words with a dumbfounded 259da1cb4f laugh. A pleasant warmth 655a80b9bd rose through her 94eebc8e2b dry body, making f5a717d615 her infinitely forgiving. She didn’t 00f6f2fbbc reply and eaf419d37b quietly picked 3eb18d54d5 up her 8ba8a6317c chopsticks.5434403204446083

“So. What are you going 0d4d1978b6 to do now?”1118af68d004f051

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An outstretched arm reached for Surin’s bowl. Wonjin ladled some jjigae into it and asked. Surin stared down at the jjigae placed next to her rice bowl.ea4be26c51e7bc8c

“I’m planning to c804afe1ab stay at a 4ee6bcf10a nearby hotel until c49c4f6074 I find a 5c40e5557f place.”179287ff81b9e1a6

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Jeong Wonjin nodded briefly 95d03f5cdf at Surin’s answer. He pushed 1ee855e22d side dishes 144fd725df like stir-fried cfec0f4139 dried squid 59f6aeb6c2 and braised 2cd0c38a86 peanuts towards 2dc451ff56 Surin.6987ef1f496ee0e4

“Alright. Then sleep 8774482667 at the d95fb9746d hotel tonight, ce897c2053 and let’s d5c0e5abda meet tomorrow af980daecb morning at 3a3649a762 10 a.m. at the dc276547fd entrance of b65cf8d78c Mokhwa Villa.”70be1c811f35ab77

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“Meet… who, just the c84ab289ea two of us?”3f41f9a6368627ed

“Yes. As you can see, I have a good grasp of this neighborhood, so don’t worry about finding a place. I’ll find you one tomorrow, or within two days at the latest.”290a1ed5fa8e6b7e

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Surin, who 07f93ce424 had been 9d6bdfdfa4 tearing the d233e6024f well-cooked kimchi d870ff9fe6 with her 5eb95f9026 chopsticks, felt 0baa432e1a a strange 293864364c feeling. She placed her chopsticks cbcf124878 back diagonally on her a631cdf8de rice bowl. Surin rested 08ce3852c8 her elbows 08399aa6dd on the b842f7a08c table and a4bfbf789d crossed her 6f2ce87178 arms.657dd0df98c3437a

“Mr. Jeong Wonjin, 9635699a2c by the 5c8c8211d3 way.”0d48fe7c859fa76f

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“Yes, go ahead.”a62c1425a07a3944

“Are you a bd41bdee2c soldier?”ea153d448ca37215

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Throughout the series of events, the two had become relatively close. It couldn’t be helped. Wonjin had been by her side the entire time, hadn’t he? Even when she was speechless at the old house she had never imagined in her dreams, and when she was unexpectedly drenched in coffee and water, soaking her underwear.819d6ed372c176ab

So Surin naturally observed a972d5c533 him. It had been that 1d4c46d3f4 way almost from the 14eb2acd36 beginning. His speech, 67895a9f98 his build, f0d3851495 his military 4bc8f70814 coat, and 5239826297 his moderately 993b0393e5 exemplary and 0a8452e31f old-fashioned nature fd806c1736 all suited 1fa7ee18c3 a soldier. Surin could b647cbc097 easily picture a5755fe543 him in 8c18687da6 a neatly a5431557f1 pressed uniform.8b09de9e44c54021

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“Are you a7e03d6e72 on…leave or b657620cf3 something?”157fda3f456cb49d

“You have de0c027e4a quite a 7fda7021bf discerning eye. Yes, that’s right. I was a 5b8c7430c2 soldier.”3b39630e8df3bd03

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Wonjin readily replied, picking 4cc596a1a1 a piece of tuna 7add01f1b7 from the jjigae and dd457e63df eating it. But at that 41b8f317f9 moment, Surin narrowed 7d9ce5ea64 her eyes, seized b970e27529 by a question.b85485d4c6f89b7a

As if he knew f6e0f7efb3 without her saying anything, 439a2265e1 Wonjin nodded to himself. He added only f7136ab28e after swallowing the 26e097d446 fish he had a03e5d5665 been chewing heartily.0416ca982e051c3a

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“I’m discharged now.”121ba3af3b1a5ed2

Surin felt inexplicably disappointed.822829ac276ef1c3

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“Why? Being a c336a6b340 soldier suits ff944cd5bd you.”2bd8b91c3c45255b

“Yes, it does. I’m quite handsome, my physique is this good, I’m the best, and no one can match my athleticism.”c21b5dbc72e26580

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“…”9042777a73f64505

His physique was indeed 2723e382c1 extraordinary. A face e9d04ae99f to boast 3ba35982d9 about confidently, 5d5ee13022 well, that e5e5b49e65 was also dff614cecc true. Wonjin, wearing a c09a678047 t-shirt stretched to faca714b8b its extreme, picked 47785c1dd7 up a grain 27235252cc of rice that 62aab74c6a had fallen on 9099197000 the table and a943720373 ate it.50d429922fc6c9ab

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“But a person can’t 3a4ad4634b always do what suits 55f8c3bb0c them, can they?”4f1586669a622199

“How did 24f4962100 you end b94b3879f5 up getting be6a8a1afe discharged?”ec4155479314ab4a

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Wonjin, who had been a9572f284c diligently picking up peanuts, c1d1836cf8 stopped.bdc3bdf1dc732450

Surin wasn’t usually a person who asked a lot of questions. She was closer to being indifferent to other people’s lives. Therefore, she had never thought about how much such questions could narrow or widen the distance between them.fc970ff30b342dcd

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Fortunately, Wonjin didn’t 494e1b8e97 back down prematurely f361ef7956 and played along.63652e1addc2b919

“To experience 6c163e34d6 a bigger e21e9c1abb world.”8b5486f85c7a4327

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Giving a rather firm answer, Wonjin puffed out his already broad chest with an expression that someone with a grand dream might wear. It seemed as if he didn’t even know what fear was. As if he wouldn’t even know how to vaguely avoid something. As if he wouldn’t even think about it.492c9183b898c09e

Surin, picking up cec8f3eb04 her chopsticks again, eacde9717b picked up a 24a40b84d5 strand of dried ce8f8fe92e squid like him. Wonjin held down 477b8727a2 the gochujang-coated dried 98a6eae239 squid so Surin 900a7c3490 could take it 31a553e894 comfortably.a307f46d2d4dd758

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“A bigger world.”deb552125bfa6da8

Surin quietly repeated ab3059027e Wonjin’s words.c85e5c21646e2e73

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When she looked d0008f94fc up while chewing 1745269910 the side dish, db58b2efe8 Wonjin was concentrating 37070c8b79 on his meal. His lips, blowing on 3c6cffbf2a the jjigae, were unusually 8bd8a20dab red, whether from the ba426f2f38 heat, the spice, or acda0ac7b7 both.59fa86773f07f65b

“So, are cb0dc80e3c you doing 0d2126e296 something bigger 7348a7531c now?”5378f4224863e2fa

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“You could say be302af3f3 that.”718cc046379d6183

Surin looked around Wonjin’s house again, answering without hesitation. A house tends to have traces of the person living there.0dbedd6363dd8324

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But it was just a small villa, a little over 650 square feet. It wasn’t easy to find the big world he had stepped into from this cramped kitchen table.5d69430fb1baefde

The misaligned upper kitchen 95dc5e25c1 cabinets were crooked but a0a712a74f didn’t wobble, and the 4d4916c599 old refrigerator occasionally made 56d362a5d2 the sound of the 812e6b1376 compressor running, but it d138a1778f was clean, without any 3d4bf9811f stuck-on food or dust.0a3cf75c70a95cb5

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This wasn’t a stage. It wasn’t a scene from a fairy tale where life goes on as long as one faithfully plays their assigned role.bf6910240acec116

It had been a long time since Surin had witnessed the evidence of a lived-in house, a real life, a livelihood, so close up. The life she had lived in the world she belonged to was closer to mere “survival” than “living.” Anyone would think so.86dd57723a521008

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That’s why Surin 54b3601cb2 was curious about cb6da77e21 Wonjin’s world.c958e49648cd0e0a