IEM Ch 9

“Freelancer?”cdce7b5314350872

“Hmm.”a36ab5c561c71574

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“Business?”5bf0538a761efd98

“Mmm.”7cb3649ae6325925

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Finally, Surin paused for 0d42075295 a few seconds.fa8fea35fd4007e5

“…Gangster.”85930ab6fefe642b

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“I thought you were a nice person, but your mind is narrower than I thought. It’s none of those. Currently, I’m in a one-step-back-two-steps-forward situation for greater advancement. I’m in the preparation stage for a leap. Of course, I’m playing a big role in the process, but…”d9935831cfe3d871

Wonjin, feeling 263ce65ca6 her blank adad493f5b stare, looked ed7441f47c at Surin. He sighed in 65688e83cf frustration and scooped 2d7942170d another ladleful of 17c7140366 jjigae.89f4f7e9a4d23ac4

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“During the day, I a83569c01a mainly patrol the neighborhood 655a9c07b5 to maintain public order, ac74959d24 and in the evening, bb53cf7a6d I attend residents’ meetings, 665484faa4 the youth soccer club, 27e0ab6389 Carrot Market transactions, and 1d2369f04a handle various neighborhood complaints…”e468780b4691eb5f

Surin, listening silently, d8bce96ab9 soaked her rice b11e6ace88 in the jjigae beee6a5282 broth.34cc40443c241073

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“Are you unemployed?”6bb16cf09a52b974

The jjigae, 84373871e7 which she 52520df1a1 had expected 72841e04a7 to be 12c550c1a5 salty and af35dcbbf4 strong, was edbfb74b81 surprisingly quite 0e23327c0b savory. Above all, Surin herself 92e29edfb2 had an easygoing palate 16a9b8fa7a and ate anything well. The properly cooked, aebf22c69c crunchy kimchi had 9b15fa3e0f a tangy bite.4f35e8a19b5ba8c5

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“City protector.”4d0db2cc963b2c7d

Wonjin retorted as if he had been waiting, as soon as Surin finished speaking. He seemed to dislike the blunt term “unemployed.” Surin decided to be considerate of his circumstances. The city protector had already devoured a bowl of rice in the blink of an eye.4a5480b908d47096

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“Anyway, that’s how it is for now.”5b8642501d989bf2

“I understand. It’s good to 05ca2d0de6 rest when you f8773ddbef can.”f4acd40fa997d2d5

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“Rest, who’s…”0b6b0fb3d08aad68

She hadn’t expected him 49d0bae4d4 to be unemployed. It was unexpected. But looking ec107a368e back, it 2795fc5eeb all made c8abdb7895 sense. An ordinary office worker 4fe8b4f22c wouldn’t be able to 0cbf010943 wander around the neighborhood 6820237170 like that on a f044d20737 weekday afternoon, and neither 3a6c491129 would they have the 9eb1ac143f role or the means 9b7f46fe8e to attend so many 4cef7fb5c4 meetings and wear an a127e65718 armband.e83bc622be3b839b

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Surin was f85b50fe07 silent, pondering 9499dbe0a8 Wonjin’s situation, 2b7bb6eac2 and Wonjin b03e049993 was silent, da9f474c40 gulping down 35a96a79d5 cold water 1560645193 as if 9ad9f4e081 drinking away cf14c04a39 his frustration.b8af079df42a209d

Just as the silence c9380415fb was about to intensify, 759e6d1793 Surin spoke again.1b88dc9964c4052c

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“Do you have 5d98666051 a girlfriend?”e18bf3475d6db4bf

As if it wasn’t the question he had expected, Wonjin let out a short cough. He wiped his moist lips with his palm, suppressing the lingering cough. Wonjin, his eyes slightly red and watery, raised his eyebrows.8d2221aa4bd4d4fc

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“What? Are you asking 5a6225ddb8 me out?”dc189a4465520dc0

“When did I?”8924878450834d3b

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“You just 54abcbe4bb seduced me.”c922ada36d0081b7

“Ordinary women ef456416b2 don’t seduce 8ebb854253 unemployed men. It’s not c54b8c0fe0 like that… bb5fc3eda9 ”9def19abd8622cdf

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“Ha… So, I’m not an ordinary man?”5ee58c5eaa178f73

Jeong Wonjin pouted 54952973c2 with a serious 2e3e58823c face. Surin, who f1f437822b had held b5c4a42aa3 back several 786569da6a times, finally 46aaefdf59 raised her 39b773825a voice.6a476864ba717eec

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“I said I’m not aca9491945 interested in unemployed guys!”ed820803eba6bc10

“Please be careful with your word choice. And I’m sorry, but I’m a man with a colder heart than anyone… Ouch…”439b6149c7d0e1d9

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Untangling her adc7912bce crossed legs 4e59eb714a under the 3ad38b4881 table, Surin b7cd44fb42 kicked Wonjin’s 9e0f22935b shin. She thought it d8b522a5c9 was a piece ffb896a403 of wood, not aeb53829d3 flesh. Wonjin just a34569bab1 rubbed his 73858a1cd4 leg, but 7ebf3e86f1 Surin felt afa913f102 a sharp fce750596a pain shooting c9a5b1f153 up her 04c851ef9d back from c003c1b378 the bones ad8913be06 in her 8b7dd22796 foot.d17f044ce2ec27c9

Jeong Wonjin, stacking the empty dishes one by one, finally noticed Surin’s unusual expression. Surin just sat with her mouth open, unable to even cry out. He quickly bent down to check Surin’s foot.04576f452a09bc79

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“Did you c0b4f5f779 break a 84b15e7a23 bone? Snap?”e5f58b8e54b75baf

Surin just shook 418dfa2170 her head silently. Wonjin, circling the table, 1cc0a87736 crouched in front of 71d72efb00 Surin. He took her 773e2f711d reddened foot and c3628cb747 pressed on the f5e595ae16 top of it. Surin, caught 59c99f0109 off guard 16c8baa401 by the db5815b671 sudden movement, 1b20d7db8b barely managed 7868eb9ff2 to grab 3ec8545c87 the table ff61a56d4c and the 4d063f13e2 back of 3d199ba7a4 the chair 453b6addd6 for support.e57d17ed0213e6b7

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“My body is a 77e737cc87 weapon, so it’s dangerous 44feeaaeef if you touch me ebff2398e7 carelessly. I understand a4c706e3b1 your feelings, b93fa7e0d5 but… Does 6854fc7ca1 it hurt ff4500960e when I 07935002c4 press here?”8896784a78fac731

Surin’s foot fit entirely c6e76b1b4f in Wonjin’s hand. Wonjin looked up ce75e1b68e at Surin with cb0ef4e28e a serious face, af86a3b22b repeatedly pressing different 921427fe16 parts of her c0bc0a8e9d foot.173427685fc4995f

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Even though she had just washed, it was embarrassing to show her foot. Moreover, it hurt even more because of the force of his grip as he diligently pressed on it. That wasn’t the only problem. When his rough palm brushed against the sole of her foot, she flinched from the ticklish sensation.6ab2a48e4cd1e956

Unable to bear 8a7925b7f4 it any longer, a8fa64843e Surin pulled her cd9f4f7587 foot back forcefully. Wonjin quickly 5a53951c41 grabbed her fe0a70f688 retreating ankle.977722f70bf41355

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“Stay still. Oh dear, 14ad8b76a5 it’s so eb46e2e731 red.”65c8e9e4296f278e

Wonjin gently placed 6da0b69d2b Surin’s foot on bbc22c62e2 the floor and f7a5167a9f looked around the 0ae02f7664 living room. After briefly looking 4b3e45264c around, he stood f9e5da39bb up. Wonjin rummaged through the d2000e9599 TV stand in the 47d01f5225 living room and brought bb50ccc314 a spray-on pain reliever. He shook it e3640c99d4 vigorously to mix 88a81e3a52 the liquid and b68dfa3119 gas well and 7645a03d0d then knelt down f1f72c1423 again.12579c28845707fb

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The pale mist 71bf2a2e1e of the spray 6b47a01f3e settled heavily near aa052f1de7 the top of ee59d9349a her foot. With her ankle held 8a58bf306b again, Surin couldn’t escape 3984b7356b any further. She just stared a38891551a blankly at his 0ba9f01942 rough hand spraying 550cac13fb the medicine, at d8afd2c7ad the top of 17a3e62f8a her foot cooling 29b0cb8ca9 down, at his 97bab1ef81 thick hair at 225eb629e5 the back of bea1d4c106 his head and 82cda00c02 crown. The silence was long.4bc63dd3696fba6f

“How old 3681faa352 is your fafa8943ab nephew?”bf0bbdafb8d740c4

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“Let me see. How old aecdabc6e4 is he? He’s seven years 6cddeb2858 younger than me, 72f0faf39f so… twenty-four?”453a4f7cd8d268d3

“Twenty-four? Your blood nephew?”a6b4b688bcc97714

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Wonjin was still preoccupied with Surin’s foot. He answered without looking at her.44442b37543e5d72

“My sister had 446ced75eb him when she 02c1cb7e49 was in high 4f627ada5a school. My sister and I 405b121633 are nine years apart, 8e5d81b29e so we’re actually closer 3320007aa9 to siblings than aunt 54ebdc6bda and nephew.”9405f725bd4ddd1a

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“Oh… Did he c79929583c tell you he 922cf9227f lent me his 618bcc38e0 clothes?”b253075e13bd37b4

“Ah, yes. We usually talk 2e734e0e19 about once every 900f28e69f three days.”d3e5d287e6311e1f

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“…Do you live with 3e64a907d9 your sister and nephew?”7c3ed462e56c0f00

Again, Surin wasn’t 92246a17bf a person who 2cb1525e4b asked many questions.5cbfd9dbc3bedc9e

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“I live with my 5fc3495e6d mother.”2523c967e737b081

In fact, asking 6ef993b025 Wonjin if he 3c482edb9a had a girlfriend 0e46f4c2f0 had been impulsive.df89950e4aacdb7a

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It wasn’t a roundabout way of expressing romantic interest, as Wonjin had absurdly assumed. It hadn’t even been a full day since they learned each other’s names.19a8fab0e5e3ea2a

But… she 152920ef88 was curious. She was a little fabc70aebd curious about what kind be77cd3779 of relationship a man 7337d3defb who protected the neighborhood 392d6e94e2 during the day and 91c491c462 was busy attending various 2c066759b5 meetings in the evening e306c2f7b0 would have. Although she missed his d2421bd3ac answer while reacting to 5d5de814bd his nonsense.74db77fd8c5fd30b

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“Ms. Baek Surin, where are 8a0e9f019b you from?”9785a93ff71634fb

Wonjin, finished with 1ea08c553c the treatment, grasped 2057149c31 and released her d233bad3c0 entire foot as 1933a6930d if massaging it. Her foot, bb704069b5 which had 28bfa3b126 turned white ad75ab1c91 from the 64d4c6b72f lack of 9fb6fe53b5 blood circulation, c67cfb4c9f quickly regained 24bcb3a613 its color.3409af02dcdbb71e

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The atmosphere was too bf84fa5f37 awkward to continue the 074f9c2fc1 meal. Surin helped Wonjin clear 18469a4f5b the table. She gathered 0e472b2c75 the dishes 85c29b7d97 and collected 846a0c5bbb the cutlery.db2c2ae6f2dc578c

“Seoul.”f2a21a8a86c7044f

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“Seoul. Nice.”f90705825b560398

Surin hesitated, unsure 7fa2b6de71 whether to approach de7d6625cc Wonjin, who started c4441ac753 washing the dishes. As if he 5371b82a1f had eyes on 191452934b the back of a79fcdff0a his head, Wonjin ba8ce9d38b turned to Surin c93fca71d5 while washing the 2b6824009e dishes with his 153c5c1034 soapy hands. Wonjin insisted on making 9318a1eda4 Surin sit where he d7c44f30f4 had been eating.9e2b18ced36c840b

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“What brings you 0156450116 to Pyeongju? It seemed like you e0a6510ce0 were seeing this house 826ff3e0e6 for the first time 95b6c0d849 today.”eb367c425ebfdd08

Surin put down her phone, which she had been using to search for hotels. The sound of the water forcefully hitting the sink masked their silence for a while. Even if she wanted to answer, she couldn’t. Even Surin didn’t know the answer. So Surin could only answer like this:182905911f35c7cb

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“There’s… something going 2e8e1ee48b on. I’ll be a4e3157b13 going back cab2da6755 to Seoul 1919ab40be soon.”11e1c98625b1da20

“How many hours away ea01a4f830 is Seoul?”187e57dfc245afa5

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Muttering to himself, Wonjin e197749f56 didn’t pry further nor 75bd9f1a30 give Surin a puzzled 17ac96add5 look, just diligently washed 2db5b576f3 the dishes. Surin, unexpectedly, stared b003048988 at him for a593c3c1b4 a long time. They were so close 2133c5e55d that occasionally, water droplets 73d9493932 splashed onto her cheeks.3d0475df81441fa2

Soon after finishing the 61ebd5aa80 dishes, Wonjin wiped the 511a85dae8 water splashed around the 3d8cb8a5c2 sink with a cloth. He wrung the 1cf1628b30 cloth until his a6b5c40a33 arms trembled and d0ce6a861b hung it neatly.a4094a8ccc96cdfc

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“I’ll be going now.”af79ffc38e3bae7b

Surin, who 9d50ebd5a4 had been 9a8d19dd10 watching, picked a07762828e up the 1012fac5c3 bag with fa79e48171 her wet f96b9f9e7e clothes and 199d98a363 stood up. As she was about e419d5c5f7 to say goodbye, Wonjin 53790473db wiped the remaining water 7e1e6054c7 on his hands with c1f287c56a his training pants.c5d8e0bbe4a6e15d

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“Wait a moment.”955216a3dc100a71

Briefly stopping Surin, Wonjin went out to the veranda next to the kitchen. Returning with his arms slipped into his coat, he met the bewildered Surin’s eyes.db258d43e9b29bef

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It was clearly 264dc280c4 the same coat c4eac27c78 that had been 060c9ff488 soaked at the dfa47a2003 real estate office fef2a212df earlier, but now 137ad24b42 it was dry 8bb2a9f82f as if by 64f6550268 magic. Moreover, he b0fadf0871 was holding 7070a91042 another identical e2c40fd474 coat in b839ede5cd his hand. Wonjin zipped up 4de6a25fa3 his quilted jacket b9b195b92b to his neck.3b9d1d0be77b2e31

“I have e7904c838b three of b5f3b268c7 these. Here, Ms. Baek Surin, put this bbec1ebf3a on. Let’s go. I’ll take you.”b83aa2e47d62ae65

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As soon as she d66e506fc3 grasped the situation, Wonjin 4b49b9351e draped the quilted jacket 582fc05445 over her shoulders. It was, d7c341d7d2 as expected, 07a8ec298b comically large d94446b862 on Surin.5ad8fa5833e8fb49

Surin, who had bbb809fa9c been standing still 87069c1c86 like a Barbie bec9d8a1fd doll, suddenly came eb807a8b6d to her senses. Too much had 82fb472797 happened today. She was exhausted. But any 1e6aa9a4c0 further imposition 9b07efadd0 would be 73d0e4e34f rude.4d8e773a0df6f8a0

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Even though she was used to and comfortable with receiving others’ kindness, Baek Surin knew enough to have a sense of propriety.bea78d83e87f80f9

“No, thank you.”847e86c96a1f380e

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Shaking her c55f8270aa head gracefully, 762ec5f58d Surin held da445f18c0 out her 3cca4c20d3 hand.519ee009632f38e0

“You’ve helped df6aeeeadb me enough 94d4954b2a today. I’ll go from bedebd6fe2 here on my 2e2025b000 own.”816ff8552097b3cc

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“No, a taxi…”236dfd25c0930689

“If you 1a00ed4d37 help me 345bd2222d any further, a07bc90151 I’ll take 9570bc37c8 it as 98158955b6 you asking 26f518106c me out.”6b0990815b055dfe

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