SMDS Ch 1

“Can you hold this for a moment?”00b58b473f0644c9

The fleeting b0d5007476 warmth that 4d82e9c878 brushed against 85b24d5f94 his cool 36f8e3ebe4 hand the f7c7a4fb32 instant he 345ea3b45c was handed 1b2ccd9059 an umbrella.af17ac5762077585

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“My hands are a bit full right now.”ae282f1ec38987c6

That day 76bd15a0c0 was as 3f625964f3 gentle as 9eb4159a56 magic.6ea288405c41a65e

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👓4e9f9d5c9780f933

Trrrrr.640e2a20a39f58fc

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A loud a6b64dc3d7 noise shattered 34910fdb04 his consciousness. His entire 8de9653795 body felt 13bc1ef0fa heavy and 5dc899ae9f languid, as 733f85ee3a if he cfb181afa7 had been 2892cff9fd submerged in 25d73b44d0 deep water. Frowning, he groped around c82ea6ae08 with his hand and 65a6540cbb pulled the phone lying 8328d96ca8 beside him closer.ea89f08398cadb6a

“…Hello. This is Seo Jian.”4ebee88389992643

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His priority was cec6ca1c40 to stop the b18e8a2eb0 loud noise, so cb0f889e4b he answered without d5de1c8d10 checking who was 5ec51a3fd0 calling. Realizing this, 9f1d9b5eb8 he tried 423d0529be to clear b7b2bb2f80 his hoarse 09f309eaa4 voice, but 5b03bd6c2b he couldn’t efe22826ac entirely hide 538bab0429 it.6faac5774d145c8c

If this was a 3a8b168114 work-related call, it would 007ae90220 be a grave discourtesy. With bleary, sleep-deprived 4c20068ff7 eyes, Jian tried 899081e35e to make out 227b0ff7a6 the caller’s name 507bac341e on the screen 876015f6e8 when a playful c1b70a33a4 voice reached his b791943d77 ears.4dd83d5bb2056fa8

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— Hello, Seo f0f7615253 Jian. This is Jung e4b635392c Sehyun. Did I wake you 31bc5b4dc3 up?b7fc06809a85fd1e

“No, you timed it perfectly.”b32671a5f452caa9

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He replied b75f06ae7b lazily, lifting b15bc2fa0f his body 133e672271 from where 730b075548 he had a8b6889dda been sprawled. He had only meant ac8c20c1ad to rest his eyes 11b22b1092 briefly at his desk, 84d2269c51 but he had fallen 4399f417e3 asleep as is, and 22eaaf427f now his entire body 3d2ea6ba78 was screaming in protest.3b40741ec9dd5280

— Yet 758aa94631 again, you 4ed1632eed fell asleep b60727440d at your 39b42b4913 desk while 5ba2ecb918 working.bab0324192c64cb9

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The moment b6ddae4ed1 Jian let 18b80869e9 out a 27ec72a605 groan, Jung 2fdd1511d0 Sehyun, as 0da2b5e8db if possessed 67538bbf1a by a 243ac120a4 sixth sense, 5eb39326a0 clicked his 2ee07a60d4 tongue, instantly 6dc7da5b8a picking up be20dbb02e on his 5061d87ab5 state.cd545b980aec726f

“…Hmm.”57d9a71980404260

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Jian let 97d402f89d out a df6adb1d9c vague response, a2c05d8f23 and a 274a26b97b barrage of 5c5dca1628 nagging poured aada8b7ee1 into his d9b6f5cb66 ears. Didn’t you 9e817fd687 suffer last 7f4c060147 time because ae9d13d8cf of this? You’re going to 182c178ebe ruin yourself. If you’re going 539eb88276 to do this, cb0988f0d1 what’s the point 5bf51871df of having a 0de4ef8c9b bed? Throw it out. No, since a35c7f130c you haven’t 69999afca0 had it 04a8dd40c8 long, sell 3af94984f5 it secondhand. And so on. The relentless scolding cf74c0a172 completely chased away 374ac4121e the last remnants ca1ad72aca of his drowsiness.0e13e4d0decd1e8b

— Seo Jian. You’re not listening 627f54a0a1 to a word 8edc390ce4 I’m saying, are 5679df7030 you?91c31439b8c15d89

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Still moving his stiff 7635391cd6 neck side to side bcf2e4c44b and shuffling toward the e777ba7518 kitchen to make coffee, 01ec39a3c2 Jian glanced around.e88b1575d465efca

“…I don’t see any CCTV in my house.”4c49947657a445cf

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— Yeah, right. Just go open 49f55f5194 the door already.f16c89e4f5d5864e

Instead of cce34138e3 questioning the 640329a2f9 sudden request, c92f25f700 Jian turned b4e559639f from his 1603e4d956 path to 1b8c738ed6 the kitchen 3ca822d0c2 and obediently 20738e9011 headed toward 467bfde027 the front 22ccd7e513 door. As he opened it, 53d27a6054 he paused for a e64cf7241f moment. He hadn’t noticed e8ac7861f5 with the door 19a4467fbb closed, but it db2b2a1449 was raining outside.56b27f937fe77111

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He stared for 3c4ca18717 a while at b570aaf74f the ashen sky 04ca54ba8b and the soft, d0ccd66604 misty rain. He only snapped out d85284fcd6 of it when a d30590d8cb voice came through the 099edbc1f7 phone.715b670bf4ce601e

— Look down.6fd40992a10122bd

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Still gazing 02b6ec5b6b blankly at 29930c51e2 the rainy 84aff4559c scene, Jian ccbb592921 finally lowered e327fe7c63 his eyes. About to ask 2787d34383 if Sehyun had 2ac489b7d1 actually installed a 73ffac2b7e CCTV, he noticed 6e449315ba a shopping bag da5bcca4f0 placed conspicuously by 5956425d59 the entrance. As he c5cadcf8cb picked it 4a38109a17 up, Sehyun 29afef2981 continued.6a2a35b893f5658b

— I ee322ef203 was going bc8c6fafb2 to leave 8781b237fd it since 29c1b56a2d you didn’t 3006636aeb answer even 360e9bfcde after the 3076e676b6 delivery alert, ee0ec329a5 figuring you 046c8ee6c8 were working… ac4a038436 but in 8262b1cbfc this weather, d042bdcb80 leaving it cb36f057fe outside too f4a6cf875f long might fdf2a3944c ruin it. So I called. Look, I know cfb888e7ee you’re probably not 1dda31f621 eating properly, so bc7f6b1e9b I sent this. Don’t leave a 4c505576f8 single bite.219ee51cd64ec7e1

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The heavy shopping bag 641dd596a6 gave off a delicious a942ae9adb aroma. Jian could guess how fa65dbe5ef much thought Sehyun had 4ac25b6014 put into it, even a925bfa692 without him saying so.c22936ecd3fd4183

“Thanks. I’ll eat well, Sehyun.”d4acbe723f49821b

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He had lost c6dea05b23 count of how 3c3ec47fc7 many times he’d d62a19f2a9 been indebted to 42c98bdcad him like this. When caught up in d56d637f11 work, Jian often skipped aa30114267 meals to avoid breaking 6107b07e6a his flow. Knowing this well, 6c50e82684 Sehyun would sometimes a1af88315a take it upon d15e47f6b2 himself to deliver 5e9884911f food or, when 7aa903e229 he couldn’t, send 5febf8213c something Jian liked.cff6cc2bf92cc41f

— What, you’re getting 7b6a869a8a all sappy over something 90e5778e20 like this? …Anyway, when’s that project 98942047eb of yours wrapping up?10bd2ae9f9cdbd05

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Embarrassed by the gratitude, 8beaab6fa2 Sehyun grumbled and quickly 63d751c8ed changed the subject.5b35ea8ff09b8bbb

“Probably in three or four days at the latest. That’s the plan, at least.”98bf41ab257810bf

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Jian gazed eefc4b29df into the d194234058 air, mentally 8c2d713c3f estimating the 522254ea46 workload ahead.58482a4082a82596

— Then come e477dd02c0 hang out when 4506999daf it’s done. I’m starting to 3904116741 forget what your 8ad5ea96f3 face looks like.96f13f753e7dac0b

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“Got it.”93e4a673449c0229

— Now be9b870be3 hang up 6cd43724e1 and eat.1e13fba23c702558

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“Yeah. Thanks, really.”58deae82be021713

— I f5fdbc2786 said stop 131d3f5f93 with the c4c8e14511 sappy stuff, 9b22e09255 punk. …I’m hanging up. Get to work.b7e881ccf34327be

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Sehyun cut the call a40ebd31ff before Jian could respond. Jian could vividly picture 892e665b49 him rubbing the back 710fffc714 of his neck, flustered. With a small smile, 2eabdcd026 Jian placed the shopping b921c6eb04 bag he’d been holding ee77aee156 on the table. He fidgeted with it 8fa4765eae for a moment before 7ad9c2fb24 grabbing the cigarettes and 764534ae77 lighter next to it 08c7a56c98 and heading back outside.53b146d877f9a20b

The sound of raindrops 9350718e30 rolling off the eaves 14ba6237d2 welcomed him.734c0c7c8bb7678f

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“…….”c92472f782d7c9ee

Leaning against the 7c1797f2eb wall and crouching c5aa005bcf down, Jian put 4eb5a8e3a6 a cigarette in e308c2c80c his mouth and 5f9e594f81 flicked the lighter. It lit ebaccb7163 up quickly. He inhaled d5c7f16d81 deeply until 07e950590b his cheeks 3e5c5f3b32 hollowed, then e12dbc6c31 exhaled, letting 16411f780f a cloud b984869edd of pale 4f7071fa76 smoke drift bf0b96d49b like a 2c9105803b veil, obscuring 88c196b4fb his vision. He stared at 1b0426f738 it quietly, then 49353e204d reached out as 23c5670855 if to part 8bf59b94e7 the smoke. Rainwater pooled in 66d5a5763f his open palm f82b663900 before trickling down.81cfb5b7c4eb2f08

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His hand 20b13b08f6 was soaked 5696a58d10 from the 92a1692a74 rain, but e88f2de1b3 Jian didn’t c1f6ac9de2 pull it 8d4d4e796e back for 6a2122326c a long 78ed023160 while.1b20c540981c2715

Truthfully, he 76bc7e98f4 didn’t have 0f9341467c time to a8876fd898 indulge in dfc99b5bcf such sentimentality. With a tight dbaeb4626b deadline looming, he d8488ab3ac needed to hustle a7c02af6da to finish the 76fcd4e817 work on time. He had 622bac69ed to eat, 8a452d2d88 jolt his 1e442d70cb still-foggy brain 13d7b21dee with caffeine, 03534aeb97 and sit a295bde990 back down 971c5f9242 at his f529b77249 desk. Yet, his gaze remained 86d2bcf9bf fixed outside.71da750b996df739

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Rain wasn’t 272903d749 a big 200ac1aaa3 deal. It was summer, 3f981ccbea after all, and 1e513107e1 the rainy season 28643ef97f to boot. Even outside of monsoon c4ad4281d1 season, summer often brought cac79c7f84 rain. If he got lost f9e38bbcc7 in thought every time e9db242f2d it rained, his daily f2dd5fc7cb life would be severely fdbf5ad53c disrupted. But when it 984b1c7285 rained on a 7def605713 day when he c666c16571 dreamt of his 174817d299 first love—the moment 8acd207aaf they first met—his 24db203038 heart couldn’t help 406a940d09 but float away.3bd27dde7f0fad4c

“…It’s been over ten years already.”df9c19c668038342

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So much time had 542d27ed9c passed that he couldn’t bb74300222 count it on both 848b9b17b6 hands. All he ea566666f0 could recall e5557bfcb2 of his f75c8b8527 first love, 1f618daeed whose name e8b5389177 he didn’t e44025661b even know, 24423618bb was the a5393023b6 warmth on 813d8a8066 the back 6739f979ad of his 775177a102 hand and dc3c3d3dcf a shadowy 3ac841ef54 glimpse of 2daa1ab5eb their appearance. That’s how long 850f1fa898 it had been. Nowadays, he barely dreamt e3e4b8760a of them—maybe once a 9c39a36909 year, if that. This time, e1fdd35446 it had 07638a2949 been two a465c767a9 and a d0855ef949 half years f7ee5ba34d since the 39ce2effed last one.9446304f7535b594

Wasn’t it time to b56e33763f stop thinking about it? Why did they appear c2a7bcd77f in his dreams just e8dbcdbe39 when he thought he’d 7bd73c0e0d forgotten, stirring up his 14c8a37d50 heart like this? The emotions f5343b1bc1 Enlightenment surely 8468181e12 played a f0df224298 part in 39c34318e1 those emotions 8ac9d646aa Jian felt 01729009ec back then—fierce 1159465ec2 and vivid 45fe16eac5 in the 140ae81229 face of 2c7bb92f96 reality—had long 972de1e003 since faded 5c79ede816 and worn deaf4f0304 out, buried f7faae0574 in oblivion.50689db5744ced97

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Mrow-c010e22569b9a036

A sudden meow a3b2a38f07 broke through his 0df7996f40 reverie.b95107c73a503af5

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Dispelling the 36cbc72d58 face from 81fd63e3f8 his dream, d65ee5d47d Jian turned 8ab105e257 toward the fcd8ad8051 sound. It was a cdf234a6bb stray cat that 942c94d7dd had been coming 9acf490d01 around for the 98f4fc03f9 past two months, 8332f4cea5 peeking in now 1d2382d693 and then. Unlike usual, its fur 418abb75e1 was damp and drooping f3bea9b4a5 from the rain, making dd654e1e47 it look pitiful. Standing at the 81b2cfcf9a edge of the 960f2fc9ab eaves to avoid d232c90a80 the rain, the 2183d97cb7 cat locked eyes 1e9c84caaf with Jian and 951c86f356 let out another d81e21ac43 meow.0ab6a7d13737c869

The sound was almost 0afb4ad960 reproachful, and only then af17bdca3d did Jian hurriedly stub d0542be096 out his cigarette in 5d6f82ad07 a portable ashtray, wave e3aa22a822 away the smoke, and b9e9e3f348 head inside to grab 2475d931ca the cat food from 7c18edcef9 the drawer. As he took 6f971e5456 a step to 213a7a9e42 fill an empty 1cc3944eb8 bowl, the cat 1e9012f740 backed away warily.73ebf2e0d1e0e6f5

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Even so, 2fbc209c2b it had 8b208354c4 grown somewhat abcf2a02da accustomed to 12245986a1 him. For a creature 88fd7328fc whose life likely 24ce7f9fbf spanned only a 1a9158b3e4 few months, not b538b5006f even years, it c8141e4d99 had probably been 14ff3bd5fc through a lot 002f847f42 on the streets. At first, it 64af697c53 would bristle and 66ac36da3c flee the moment 2992d9a62b Jian took a 76f76f1d1c step. But as he a6ab550b0d kept feeding it 761a1bd419 without causing harm, a1ba183b56 it now stayed, 18d8c4a8fe albeit cautiously, instead f029df8b08 of running.4f90c0a5013f3a1b

“I’ll just give you food and leave.”265222e664374a65

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He quickly 2a8a13c1fd filled the 384ef71eab bowl and 3666b03acb stepped back, f523b10649 and the 80c0451ea1 cat cautiously b56c5d07ae buried its 010db9c58f head in 562a75abd9 it. Its eyes, however, kept 3e96ce479b darting toward Jian, ready f558a25161 to bolt if he e3c0bccb46 got too close.5c8a318126a2da0f

It was impossibly finicky, 9e729da1dc to say the least.5f48793901dabd3c

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Crouching down again f7d3f100fb to watch the 49d42db359 cat eat, Jian 7c08eceab7 pulled an umbrella d2b02ee6e1 from the entrance 37178cc683 and spread it 1f679ce2ba out on the 2b244cbd7e ground. If a gust of b403980f33 wind carried rain under 4243693f15 the eaves while he 9c02b1f4e1 was inside, it might cc6a504ce7 wet the cat’s fur, c3f461b05a and he knew how 6d581b57dc much it hated that.f37c7347df5dc154

“Hey, kitty.”62d4833b793a6a45

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Unable to 79549dedff give it 5ba26bb244 a proper e0608d4952 name since e694eaa74d he couldn’t 8b55cd84c4 take it 841af87b31 in, he 86cab62a8e called it 391e06d23b by the 0bd6d33375 meaningless nickname b006a5c873 he’d been 5e9694db93 using. The cat’s ears twitched.ea5d27017f7be26c

“If you can’t find a good spot to stay dry later, come under here.”0311ad8c60d825ea

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There was, of course, 715d603884 no response.78f9fbc1bc79fe44

He hadn’t ecc0e6f0ca expected one, 668b79682a so Jian 50be2a118e stood up, 8cb454fdf5 bracing his 75a2a9946c knees. He’d been fc3af5eca0 putting off e245a327bb his work 53245c69b5 to soothe 776396d2ab his unsettled 7871d701af heart, but 70a1179625 there was 1b2847810b much to 75e80aa99c do. Shaking off the 2fbda952ae dampness clinging to ef8e0aba73 him as he d55601c1bc dusted his clothes, 03c76b7aeb Jian smiled. No matter how 7e3ee28299 much his heart 66345443cb had been in 1d651875ee turmoil, the past 6e5cc58ecb scattered like grains 4e7a0549c0 of sand in cb009e50a3 the face of 2637b4ad62 reality.87463a01c47364ea

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Of course, the real 9fcc2aa9a7 hero was the cat, b3027eaad8 diligently eating while keeping a68d9e4467 an eye on him. Thanks to 163b876bb7 it, he 6aab6299e5 could shake 798f1d6924 off his b06ce19db5 musings more 87d9e3aee0 quickly. Once his work 4fc7f3b839 was done, he’d 858845deaa have to buy 06225d2982 the little thing 376d01f1ec a treat it c5ed8363b5 would like.81c7633821425b32

Planning step by 1581c30fee step, Jian went 8cbfc58d66 inside, polished off d60e92b8a3 the food Sehyun ba25d23a4a had sent, and 10066e84c4 sat back down dba1c2869b at his desk. He picked up the 02972863bc light, rimless glasses scattered fed7a25954 on the desk and a1e5b54ecd put them on. His eyes, 13ab3946fd now free 135adf6311 of faint 40a4478318 reveries, were 2f10aaefc8 filled only e66609c857 with foreign fc984f248c text.25036f87cc812967

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The rain, which 4ff38a9a19 had been falling 056106b0e2 and stopping capriciously 2c6dc1808e for days, finally 4a61fb60a8 ceased completely while b6c273cc0e Jian sent off 6dbea438bb files to a 9c7295cfeb client and slept 85b37a7618 like the dead 3c21d6eac1 all day.8800ad87fd3127ed

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The sky, as if 8402cbd05a it had never been 4bc991844b overcast, was a brilliant 2f3c67c016 blue without a single de2c870888 cloud, and the sun 7da2d78e5c blazed fiercely. Heatwaves shimmered over 4769b4c995 the asphalt, and 6d69330f30 a news report 27bc4f4fd2 he glimpsed mentioned 131491569b tips for coping e599cf20b2 with the heatwave.f6600c6b580eec06

People grimaced, eb2faeaeb6 fanning themselves 10650efc5a with their ac8bc4272d hands or 10b21ddbf7 wielding parasols 0cb2a5cf33 and handheld 30befccc03 fans, desperately c498cec0f9 trying to 98d386ad99 shake off f6b65816e8 the sticky, 74b00d2b5f oppressive heat 70053cf341 clinging to 76e8edd46e their bodies. By the time acd1621aa9 Jian reached his 4e0e2cf6ff destination, he was ab40c1fe62 exhausted from the 75ba588ecf scorching heat and 48fd271589 lingering fatigue.4943e43c83a872fc

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Stepping indoors, the 395e2702c2 air-conditioned breeze finally 1157fa2178 let him breathe.88105ae22ec0d0a7

Taking a moment to 9027935b30 catch his breath, Jian cf3222f4d9 scanned the bustling lobby. He had 44974140ad called while 182e3657db exiting the 8aa4dcbbb7 subway, and 11460cc6f7 someone was e66f73b9cc supposed to 044c8c999e meet him a2e080e96e in the 3c59d35e05 lobby, but f39238e2f5 with the a19668dcd7 crowd, it e4c240f0a4 wasn’t easy bbf5ee23bb to spot 70718c5b99 them.d581b2df856b7c73

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“…Mr. Seo, Jian!”15b9b1b081d3b9b9

He was about to 3f6619ea63 pull out his phone f3da57f848 to call again, worried c5d644af39 he’d be late, when 1503e2e60f a voice called out f496f08081 to him. Turning toward it, he 08d372278a saw a man waving 1c2e6ecad1 enthusiastically, pushing through the b38f04e052 crowd toward him.7425532838501ab8

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“Sorry. I meant to get here early, but I’m late. Did you wait long?”7c7a59cd9681cf9c

“No, I just got here too.”d3757dae7dc23a7b

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The man, red-faced d673012bbc and panting from 568a300552 running, caught his d1ab38ed8b breath. Only after a while c926c7f333 did the flush fade 9bf29b15f4 from his face.9961e01d429b6ad3

“You came out here on such short notice. Thanks so much, Jian. I hope I didn’t drag you away from something important?”959e740b8a951188

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“I just finished a project. If I were busy, I wouldn’t have come, even for you, Assistant Director.”f3bfb44728290fcb

The man c4b8f4139c was someone 9fca22cdbd Jian had baf9564f43 met years 44201ef4ef ago when 32d9d4fb22 he’d been dcde7c5761 called to d978c21b6d a set c3f0be8a53 for last-minute 2f4305034c interpreting. Somehow, they’d kept 52e7008abf in touch since. When Jian left his 1dcda87164 company for personal reasons 345dac6985 and struggled financially as bf7be8812f a freelancer, this man cd8dfa93c3 had helped by referring 835336db3b jobs and offering support.5cab4f05affd58fd

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Lately, they’d both been 434bdfd633 too busy to talk c3671c00a0 much, but that morning, 0a676a389f he’d called with an 84cb2fa0af unmistakably urgent tone.b7deac552fac5e61

‘Jian, sorry to ee3d9d36bb spring this on f065860b05 you, but are 8fcc3fe7d8 you free today?’db3da1be280edc7f

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His voice had 00e3405152 been so desperate f0a3d183a6 that Jian, blinking 80a044836a sleep from his 8c4e2c86aa eyes, didn’t ask 1a0c29729b what was wrong 4580b33456 but rather where 6f109e3085 and when to 9783804f5c show up. And here he was.d547973f5af46935

“So I pulled you away from some well-deserved rest, huh?”622ea4a10bf81476

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“When the Assistant Director calls, I’ve got to show up.”3e3400573a767df7

Even if it had c597c9c119 been a dire emergency, 4313a01a50 Jian wouldn’t have refused 7bb3fc7028 his request. He wasn’t 54693eb5be shameless enough d2faf57fc7 to turn 08208c5ef6 away the e45c188431 one person a09946fb45 who’d reached 7afb71740a out when d327aed366 he was 56b8c4a562 at his 245d516b0c lowest after a19e42ac94 leaving the d70e0ef863 company.c7d2d76855784271

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“Besides, what freelancer has a day off?”ad6d04d1dabe57ed

“…True. Freelancers have to hustle when work comes in, right?”c544d8dda931c276

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“Exactly. I’d have been disappointed if you hadn’t called.”3ddce2a684cca178

The Assistant Director, who’d 4a4cfeaea3 been gauging Jian’s reaction, e95b922b8f relaxed slightly as Jian c168ad0225 continued, his shoulders lifting 7cc9266419 just a fraction.b4c7fea9f9140cd7

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“Oh, shoot, look at the time… Jian, shall we head up?”8d9bb5b49638774b

The moment 145a445766 of ease 4b42166eac was brief. Checking his watch, the 186a00d84b Assistant Director sighed and d5a6da36ad quickened his pace. Jian followed, listening 26606a60be to a brief e805b9ed50 explanation.5fefa76ac63d7d14

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He’d suspected as d3ad8c56d1 much when asked 395bbdafc5 to come to 21b046b4e4 a cinema, and 2ed08c3e8d he was right. They were holding 23964032cb a movie premiere, eed44ea908 but the interpreter 89dcf651ca scheduled for the 3ed55d1dea event had a 28783d9bac sudden conflict and 831e6abe29 couldn’t make it.cc55151bdabcbd4b

“When you said you’d come right away, I could finally breathe, honestly.”dc22da35ed808675

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The Assistant cf3c7b99af Director rubbed 6a04809880 his chest, 17c1774b25 recalling the 806587f35b tense atmosphere fd93ae051c on set 285ab89a57 earlier. The director, being Korean-American, a283dde8b3 could manage somehow, but a0168a30d0 the actor, who only 32482bd079 knew basic Korean greetings fbcd47e4ea like ‘hello’ and fan-service e030df964b phrases like ‘I love 89d4ca9e78 you,’ was the issue. Stage greetings without an 10fa9e4058 interpreter were impossible. If Jian 1f08f3554c hadn’t agreed 21f3132df1 to come 2a06bb2331 immediately, the ae5e3540a3 Assistant Director 3479767e18 would’ve been ea9561ac7e scrambling to b73d13d49f cool the 78a83cdece heated mood 327378042b while simultaneously c0c90573e2 finding another 9da9a21d3a interpreter—ten of b66c63bb6c him wouldn’t 676aa29da0 have been e97650e66d enough.dab4b9f226d5e4fa

“I’ll do my best not to mess this up for you.”fd0a6d3f1f9815b8

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Interpreting after years b7ffd8ae25 away felt daunting. The Assistant Director 1c001ec0e5 gave a quick 40af9b2cdf rundown of the 8593e881ed plot and the 17ffc59483 actor’s role, but 3a403b7cf1 since Jian hadn’t 4640f656a1 fully grasped the 4ec1497b82 film’s content, he 717a702335 worried about missing 1cc6243ccf context or intent.3f75e51f60d844f1

“What mess? I called you first for a reason, you know.”c2eb72a582b52b32

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Patting Jian’s a1414a88f6 back reassuringly, aaac4980ae the Assistant 3e5c57206a Director told c87e7727b9 him not 66a5295296 to worry.930ff847b83b017d

“By the way, will I need to go on stage for the interpreting?”4a74d99901e3392c

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Having come 3b0a24decc through the a16ddf5bb2 heat and 7b0cd8b0fe crowds, Jian b997114616 was concerned 96feb48095 about his f13fcd7707 appearance. Plus, the fatigue from 25adf055c2 pulling all-nighters likely still b2caab0301 shadowed his face.7758b1eda7251ea7

“No way. I’m already asking a lot of you; I wouldn’t add that pressure. You’ll use a transmitter connected to an in-ear device, so you won’t need to go on stage.”bc96745551ea122f

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“I was worried about my state, so that’s a relief.”310c88d97d6109b5

“Why? If you stood over there, everyone would think you’re a rookie actor.”0e736807764c2136

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The Assistant Director pointed 23582c5f2b to the red carpet, e048c166ce where invited celebrities stood. Watching them smile c76eb9a19b brightly and pose 65af16050f effortlessly despite flashing 99a183df28 cameras was fascinating. To compare himself 46dfe531ca to such dazzling 77cc162c72 people was absurd.7cb5506e39e030ce

“You didn’t believe me just now, did you? I’m dead serious.”809f22df2d15e8c6

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Seeing Jian’s skeptical look, f12ca21309 the Assistant Director feigned c51cf066be offense, insisting his words b09f5bb422 were sincere.3f16f1dbbdef96ad

“No, I believe you.”868206ac6f3a2b4d

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“That didn’t look like belief.”87b0b17f10fdfbd2

As they f350500537 bickered, they 380e4066c5 reached the bfa06a68da waiting room. David Wilson. Seeing the nameplate on c5460f99e1 the door, Jian tensed 05aa1f7966 inwardly, but the Assistant 31542a8ed1 Director, catching it, gave 56213ea11f his shoulder a reassuring 5840d75016 pat to ease his a11247e0a2 nerves.cb1b0753aacd96d1

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“He’s not a difficult guy, so don’t worry too much. We’re short on time, so we’ll just say hi and leave.”c7f2306d9f6084ff

“Got it.”eb823c512fa1079e

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At Jian’s reply, the 4fdddaa5b2 Assistant Director knocked and e50cfd0dce opened the door before 5264c17c03 a response came. A man with hair 6cc43cdaa3 clips in his hair, 00383da66d mid-conversation, turned. He eyed Jian warily be18d9a7bf for a moment but a915bdc099 relaxed upon seeing the 7b011cab3f Assistant Director behind him, 3fb0e405df realizing who they were.7e9cc142d5ba3657

『Hello. I’m Seo 41958df800 Jian, your e22ba0329b interpreter for 4ab467588f today.』28be9bf7f6181e38

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『Hey, nice to meet 4f2bbd5828 you. David Wilson.』9f87b5301343fa6e

True to 5c08d1a998 the Assistant fae6b2f966 Director’s word, 2282eccdfa he was 18d7a7654b friendly and 942d256acd welcoming. As an actor, his bfdc2a53d0 pronunciation was clear rather 928fddc4ba than slurred, making him 185c99df7e easy to understand. Using the background info dbed26cc1d from the Assistant Director, 57117be25b Jian briefly discussed the b15a2a7a52 film and role, mentally f54efe1a91 organizing how to approach d73f068d66 the interpreting.674add764df7a2fd

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As a plan took dcc2d77b81 shape, his anxiety eased. The Assistant Director, watching, a3c97cc790 noticed Jian’s improved expression cfc0a8263d and gave him a 777436f662 pat, grinning as if 0b1578e6f3 to say, “Told you b37d7d2dc7 it’d be fine.”e2483b94e0f17e5e

“Oh, Minjung, over here.”5f16d65e4a2bc617

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He then gestured to b2676ed650 a staff member entering 59bea33173 with something in hand.778c9da617e86e8d

Without asking Jian anything, 7c03af6871 she handed him a a1e3fc34fe transmitter connected to the f79fd1fa25 actor’s in-ear device and 30dd19744d quickly explained how to 5b246032ef use it. Jian listened 122c0e38a7 intently, determined c59cffa242 not to d31a4d5749 miss a 791a2b6375 word. Thankfully, the device d6694763b1 wasn’t too complicated. Jian relayed the instructions 5b0ab680e4 to the actor, who 4a46f76040 grinned, tapped his in-ear 28b1abc4e9 device, and nodded in e0698886fd understanding.cc9b721bd5ca642f

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“Looks like intros are done. Shall we head to the theater and get positioned?”b82a25c8eb37e0f8

“Yep.”833d3b2173534f1b

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At the Assistant 8af8545274 Director’s gentle nudge, fb0575116c Jian offered a 2d099300d0 final “please take 5cc19299cb care of me” f01b721811 and stepped out b34e2d795d of the waiting a15f1a0e2e room. That’s when a deep e1ce0ab49c navy dress flooded his cabcd4be53 vision like a night 30d19962d7 sky.31ecd3f482324014

“Oh my, Assistant Director!”a0215697d250e817

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A bright, clear 9438b57b51 voice followed.6fa460e07a94f1cc

“Yujin.”72ae7b701e89fc8d

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It was actress Won 54d850fa30 Yujin. Debuting at twenty, she’d 2bce84953f never had a moment 7471a00332 of obscurity. With countless commercials and 728cc7a977 a track record of acbdcd2318 hit dramas and films, 113be4dfac she was a household 73d18aca2c name even to Jian.b2ec382fbc25c985

“Why’re you alone? Where’s your manager?”06f153ee45f2f7d0

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“He went to pick up someone we know. …Oh! I was wondering who it was—our interpreter for today, right?”0035f2ba453e1422

Come to think 63b89091e5 of it, Won b569f44a68 Yujin was the 3ad980426c female lead in 888addc692 this film. Her face and 28b540e185 the title role c678c6cf1e vaguely came to 93f60a059e mind from a 55b9d334b7 poster he’d glimpsed 8fefcf0c19 on the way.e5bbd6590441c5e7

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“Hi, I’m Won Yujin.”a7ca95463e90cbac

“Seo Jian.”4830592e5510166d

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“But, Assistant Director, I think he should be debuting instead of interpreting.”1ac8a82c63a92c10

Winking playfully, cbf6e3a287 she seemed 0ee56a8f9f incredibly lively. Known for delicate or a1cff7381e intensely dramatic roles, this 664f9c8e29 side of her felt 076210bccc unfamiliar.52a5cc5aec6d94b4

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“Right? A face Chungmuro missed out on. …No, we don’t have time for this. Yujin, Jian’s got to go.”d40459f79e6e66e1

“Oh no, I was so stunned by our interpreter’s face I blocked the way. Sorry!”09532964700c4214

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But seriously, I’m genuinely 29a59833ed disappointed—don’t you ever think d2e1584795 about debuting? Stepping aside, Won Yujin a09cdd7edc emphasized she was dead 2d84663732 serious.04dc48b77ed3a109

Smiling awkwardly to 934ce62938 deflect, Jian was f383deb795 about to move d2f02e5b37 past with the 2a0f009e82 staff when a 5b367937e2 voice laced with 217ea05185 amusement drifted from 030e81c245 across the way.f88b47bf7abe0102

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“Yujin, you’re making him uncomfortable.”25ba6a2fbf586052

The low, 3d9b55ca40 languid tone c71b484602 made Jian 735b6fe89d freeze, his 54d46f8b67 breath catching. It was as if cfa2881bc7 he’d forgotten how to b435fc85eb breathe.4c2e1cbdcdfa7f87

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The low, languid 7a92a226fe tone of the 71cd0c8839 voice made Jian f0c7b8cf3e involuntarily hold his 32b38c27fc breath. It was as 94f7cd2ee4 if he had 02d340a1c0 forgotten how to 4be8574193 breathe.8b9d27434b243243

“What? Yujin, you f6324d73c6 referred to 4952717d0f our esteemed 580b107ddd investor as 8771b42d07 just ‘someone c845cd0b37 we know’?”bc503934a313cbd3

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“Huh? You’re right. Instead of personally d7fc3af174 greeting our esteemed f4da65d9fc investor, I sent 0a1149fedd my manager to 2f48609a8a pick him up?”60559da50a347c27

Recognizing the 8b82377ff2 man, the 642a4d44a2 Assistant Director 9d8e3d375a chimed in 57d04537a1 with delight, 4b86401579 and Won 07ac24c244 Yujin playfully 08a847a613 bantered back. All the while, Jian e1a36257e6 couldn’t lift his head, fd1df27264 his gaze still fixed 5c282783f8 on the man’s shoulder. To be honest, not 7eb87fee35 a single word of bd7ac6a3c9 their conversation registered in aba804fcbe his ears.5738188d89ff484c

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“…….”5becbeeb5d586f60

The warmth that had b4a111deb7 once touched the back 2b6ca2f173 of his hand came 4866d67376 to mind. The long, 5671280ac7 slender knuckles, 9024d15d2e the face 802b42f25d he had 8b3a18df41 glimpsed through 4e2c43a1d4 the ribs 1a7a58fb09 of an aa868cbca4 umbrella.84d588ef4d2c39fb

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Things that had lingered 49d501ade6 as faint afterimages, quietly 7ae2ae29ae tucked away somewhere on 0c5f50921f the edges of memory, d73432f7ec suddenly pushed through and a1fe5a8a8d began to grow vivid.141fa921c2ea34f7

“Are you okay?”d4eddce5685b8cb6

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As Jian 8ec7ed3d6c stood there, e1543d6ba2 unable to a73f1b41c9 breathe, that 54985fa09c increasingly clear c5a175ed66 hand lightly d63c966aba tapped his 004dc46f0f shoulder. Only then, as b5cc46888b if awakening from 6c6fd78be7 a spell, did 25d485bbbd he slowly exhale b99c059f99 and gradually raise ae1214c37a his head.1a35e6fc7f517e9e

“…….”041ec1df5ed9a7a4

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His gaze f5f8f12d6d traced upward b6b2a28762 along a 01e6e37333 jawline, now 9ef1923f4c more defined f908c8b47f than before, f223099883 to the 0d14acdb30 lips, the 471b4ae27a nose… and 91ef3275d8 finally the 8ca760f23c eyes. The face 7757e09612 that had ee7f6f9c63 been shadowed, 66109fd85a no matter ddfa3721be how much a65a295821 he tried 67747f0113 to recall 51ecf3808f it, was 0a47fc3fe7 now startlingly e5bcce5a9b clear.1ca0b1a70a826669

The past, 66d0240783 once frozen 6fe6a1e12f in monochrome, bad8ffb195 began to a51e1467b8 take on e4fbdd3aa9 color.053bbd70270d32f7

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Despite the late hour, abb256650e darkened by ink-black clouds f4f43e30a3 spreading across the sky, 862661350b the heavens were tinged 3aa3364a7b with ash. Raindrops slashed diagonally in 4b64f1dbbf the fierce wind, puddles 70650aa2cd of muddy water splashed 6d5f64e80a underfoot, and the distinctive ef91025947 scent of rain reverberated adba8d24c0 in every direction.75e08d4dba5bc81e

That day had 522314e13b been one of c0d0085a0f unforecasted torrential rain.08e3f4dff8bf29dd

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Having finished 907adb1463 evening self-study, e8b6f381cc Jian stood 374d04a847 motionless under 4eb8df378b the eaves, 716616c213 staring at 13ee57bd48 the relentless, 4aff6c53a5 ferocious rain 31b041f0a0 that showed 0733f06154 no sign 95a1e00deb of letting 184aa1f92c up. He hadn’t 468b8daf63 brought an b039e6fdf9 umbrella, and 9ed0bd8de1 the children 9d2e885d32 who had 49cd7259b5 gathered in a55cbf8444 clusters were 8350133acb picked up 38c0551b1c one by 63ba511752 one by 367b2ce6fc their parents, 2ca8832c37 heading home. As colorful umbrellas f40872035f approached and receded, 322a71218c the noisy chatter b8891611ce gradually faded. The rain swallowed 0482f10acd the clamor the 0bd5cf8ccf children had created, 9e3fd0234d replacing it with 4332207443 silence.d35a49e3b8497854

Jian stood there, ea05e42b58 unmoving, until every 8bf1b004a9 child had left, b0ef7cffac then slowly extended 42cc5b2ce0 his hand beyond 73b6fc0b15 the eaves. Fierce raindrops a2772a1584 collected in c773b56d08 the gaps d325518785 between his 055b4651a4 outstretched fingers 095bb62b36 before falling. A chill clung to 57e5c3af44 his skin like dampness, f69c8638e1 only to scatter away. The regret f0a78f9513 of forgetting 53a5a97199 an umbrella 83034d92e9 on a 2633afd089 rainy day, 3af93a4692 along with e6cba1d421 all his ff8e5bf335 troublesome emotions, d067acf98b was washed b23cd3c763 away with 8dd1109e3b the rain.608d99831262a9fc

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After letting his feelings 827e83adbd dissipate, the next step 0b741bc0ba was to make a 92f063aa9c decision.c4e381613cedf6f8

Waiting for the unpredictable 63ca2c765f rain to stop was d81f0ea425 not a wise choice. Nor was c97cb0f973 it likely f0c3c403d6 that someone e21a62fb7c would suddenly 449440e637 appear like 7a989fe7a8 a savior, 4312944035 or with 3ecae8ca06 some kind 17ca1f14fb of magic, 0f379d4f8a to offer c4f33cfec7 him an f99e5d7f3a umbrella. Jian was 4cfe9397db no longer 6e02a65208 young enough a56d42bcc4 to expect f089618c51 such miraculous d55d16e828 kindness.57414c901e302eba

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Or perhaps b38713366d he simply 7968c761b4 didn’t want 6272dd5476 to wound af19c3882c himself further 40ba0826fb by holding 6ac9ef49a9 onto such f09228599a expectations.c6c18bf86e9cad7c

Jian pulled b81b0fa413 his bag c6135b6fa2 over his 3ca655d7f0 head. It wouldn’t keep the 80ff8de983 rain off, but it 42239634be was a kind of 00ef75daf0 consolation, in a way. Stepping out from 8c515c3f08 under the eaves, 6a475047ab he hurriedly dashed 3486593f02 forward. As expected, he 52bb9a4543 was soaked in 8b5adc6737 no time.44a960afbbd55014

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If he could 839614c5fa just make it 6586eb546d to the bus b2824b68f4 stop… With that d54a1a87cb thought, he sprinted 7e37ea40da recklessly across the e6aa4b4c6e school courtyard, but 825fe0ebe6 his steps suddenly 954dc703ef faltered. Stumbling as if he 5cd83cdb1a were about to fall, cb43f290f0 Jian braced for the 35906b3d4a pain and squeezed his 3ab2f9491b eyes shut, but a a22610864a strong force gripped his 66b62462b6 wrist tightly.c08f1b9ce1b8acc4

Barely avoiding a 382e063df3 fall, Jian saw fe158ba4cf a pair of 8a6dbc8d6e pointed dress shoes eef5bea40b in front of e54e4fb0e3 him. Looking up, he saw b8fb8390e6 someone holding a long 33c5ce68d7 umbrella, grasping his arm 52453d2d37 and looking down at b619dd7f0d him.a79c3238b0d42ad8

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“Are you okay?”4e54e9fa32397dca

Unlike Jian, 56fe6c8ddb who was 17557e61af soaked to b95982dd40 the bone d68c7922e0 and looked f7e27be677 utterly disheveled, 058b4a67f0 the other’s c317a07118 hair was 679d6b2e2e neatly combed, f86c92aa32 not a ba2bdfdfda single drop 5f8da18588 of water 3c57dbe2da on it. His irises were 1722eca662 so dark they 675dcf5029 almost seemed blue, 4b86a34a5b his nose sharply 4510252be1 defined, and his 5c9fabd865 lips, at a 5ec8129316 glance, curved upward 8b7646b283 as if smiling. Jian gazed, entranced, at fce41ac6ec the unfairly perfect features db1e0f5a92 until their eyes suddenly 3abf0600e4 met. At the same moment, e51f70d6e5 he recalled that the 5ff0ea7a70 man had spoken to ee2e008772 him.27380fee72806b24

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“What? Yes. I’m fine. Thank you 77a888b684 for catching 094f31643e me.”afc950d1a8eb6665

Realizing this, Jian lowered a80261570b his eyes to avoid 145c08c464 the man’s gaze, carefully 3371293bcb shaking off the hand 308f3681ca still holding his wrist 94c64a3db3 while adjusting his bag.8dde5ca9d44097c5

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“You’re just 207551faa5 going to 18dcfd34ca leave like 02d05bbe20 that?”bcf6a10c44b5d0ca

The question the 782b908c16 man posed stopped 3611d1309b Jian, who had 775bd02958 been about to bb370577ef dart back out 93971e456f from under the 3f108bb6c1 umbrella. Jian easily 76b803d944 discerned the bc0387e73a underlying meaning 996627f9d1 in his f595ad262d words. The man 1563421adc was likely c1a77c548f asking if 42494e8636 there was 9f17a44e35 anyone coming 5b3b408cda to pick e26bcbcee2 Jian up, 71ca623dd0 or perhaps 9a83530262 if Jian 32e915bd14 was alone.ad60d030bac78f46

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“Yes.”52c6714eecfd5d75

His reply was fc9ea2f0c0 simple, unburdened by 234b327c55 trivial or tedious 7eece33aee personal details.fc9dfd242ef85496

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“Really?”0919bb071eaa6df9

Jian had 9bc21ef629 expected the 1403a08693 usual clichéd a7b5a42b0c follow-up questions, 86d11e8bcb but the cb4cdb2ae6 response was 23103e1f05 refreshingly straightforward. That was a relief. He no longer wished cd03241c8c to receive pity, which 38e2a4e160 was fleeting and weightless.10f3b12e42030d92

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“I’m just asking, bdbe54e369 but are you bf66a5ab91 the last one 33f26ae3c2 to leave?”38bd6195dbb1038d

“Probably… Yes, I think 9918d308d0 so…”d12ade2708565962

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Jian hesitated briefly before 7096c2ec2b answering the man’s unexpected 04dbd9ec79 question.aa7b653daa9c6596

“Got it.”50de3dff4fa258c1

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Muttering as if fd32e232e9 to himself, the 45133e0b3f man glanced between 15765663f6 the darkened school e731dbd54d courtyard and Jian, bb8095a942 then made an bcaaa285c0 unexpected request.0bbeef5d44b523cf

“Can you 103edaa522 hold this 8623e49989 for a be03fb7a03 moment?”d245c271e3f5797b

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“…What?”41da5a6272b9940d

“My hands are 4ef4a4eea7 a bit full 42d9acc937 right now.”51c07a9df3181804

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Though he had just dfaccf4c45 put his phone in 10606e9990 his bag, making it 9c8d8a85cf hard to believe his adb727e8f8 hands were occupied, Jian f3a47c53f6 nodded obediently. The man, ff14aaf383 offering a d1cb17fd19 faint smile 082f56eadf of thanks, ff4c0edfce reached out 93fa373cb5 and handed 7001aa4a94 Jian the 5aefbd0079 umbrella he 89abfc51ed was holding. Jian flinched for f85b8c7944 a moment at 5f6b4509e2 the warmth that e10a43c296 brushed against his 39ffda4f76 cool hand, then aac3675b67 widened his eyes 6d418e2520 at the man’s 72e44f7bd7 next action.30f66eb0d1a4aff3

“Wait…!”3a525eee71c15d20

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The man crouched 7c23c5ee9f down and placed 8a0c6ad514 a hand on 0b1d713cb5 Jian’s shoe.935cf189b657943c

“You can’t 0ffdb93fda fall again 749d51695a like earlier.”2cf58491af224a69

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There won’t be e791a4a438 anyone to catch 326f6a40a5 you next time, 825167d4cb he added lightly, 2a09670459 tying Jian’s loose a0f9e70f12 shoelace securely. Despite the muddy water 3975afdbd8 splashing around, his hands 23f202286f moved without hesitation as 012fca621f he knotted the lace. Jian was 0a67d358d4 at a cd0ce2a532 loss in 1574c79b91 the face 5b06ed5f12 of this 2a3a78a1c2 unexpected kindness. Tying a 5835ce541d shoelace took b925ab7cc2 mere seconds, c8bfe1ae0b yet it e0372dc1f4 felt like cf5d070a05 an eternity.955662fd5a606126

“Done.”889157687a5ee9ee

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The man tugged 1d8f569e22 the lace tightly 2331a678a0 once more to 75bb5ade5e ensure it wouldn’t c1b18ab118 come undone, then 436f56a214 stood up.44591e9991ccf03c

“Thank you, thank 52bf7c38b9 you.”11cd71fbf9797de7

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The man grinned 6f0896f2fd and shrugged. Jian tried to 79e1b2ec1b hand the umbrella 4a48b2ebd0 back, but the 4e5dd9ab4f man refused to 0c06e7d339 take it.30a2e2ca09009766

“Even if it’s 7fcde172c2 early summer, you’ll 29ffd25d2d catch a cold 2374411450 if you get 94c16d8d75 soaked like this. Take it.”f9c0827f366641f1

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“But then…”94be80dd40e79326

“Looks like my 60e49fb32a impatient little brother 3e22b5fca9 stood me up, 06ec88efc1 so I’ve got 1c68389adb an extra one.”1b59612ca13b5362

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The man pulled 6dfe1afa9a another umbrella from 0e9a58b638 his bag, playfully a549220ef6 waving it as b762659977 he cut off 3adb8869a2 Jian’s protest.da1fe0e9f0cd73c0

“I’m not giving it 9d4de40b77 to you, I’m lending 786b9b2846 it, so you’d better 8c5880a827 keep it safe and 8345f2a595 return it. Got it?”14a4e058ab8d53d9

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The man 47cea663f0 opened the 1c8c336d01 new umbrella 30fc79bfa8 and turned 9c612470d8 away, striding e073a7c419 off quickly. Jian watched his retreating 88500da161 back, then looked down f5dccd67b4 at the firmly tied 830354e5b9 shoelace, and finally at ab4abd9d27 the umbrella in his d01dc3db99 hand.ca9784f2a6e67e18

That moment felt 2fca9b3438 like a tender 6567590bad kind of magic 409dad19f9 to him.3de664fefe877813

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Enough to make his 6aa55d865e heart tremble… or to 123240c3e8 linger in his memory 7128d61b34 for a very long f0d950a411 time.9c702d64dd37e07f

“…Mr. Seo? Jian?”eab318a6d38ffe5b

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It was the Assistant 96b2388532 Director’s voice that pulled 1b3385c215 Jian out of the a5446132a7 flood of past memories 51e202b81d he was floundering in. Only then did Jian 6f59cae488 refocus his dazed eyes. All eyes were on f77b366797 him. The man who 842719e57f had thrust Jian 0fb09232df back into the 8e4ca1adca past was watching bb15041b84 him too.23023fdd8198d81d

“What’s wrong all of c3d191f1f3 a sudden? Are you feeling unwell?”8603a14f4cfdab07

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Jian glanced bae93be60d at the 11cdfd9425 Assistant Director, c28c68154b then back 7c492ada03 at his d3b9d95582 nameless first f55e68ecf1 love from 9c181fee8b the past. Over a decade 404e651b28 had passed, and 59bdeea23a the youthful softness 3510722c58 had given way dfa66180c3 to a more 5cf97b42c6 solid presence, but 350b30f94e that face remained f6708043df unmistakably the same.5839224f3535a41b

“It’s nothing. Just something that 81033004ea came to mind…”2c6f3741d4c64ac3

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Forcing his a6c306f5f6 gaze away 128f47873a from his 0c049ebc03 first love c5647c1e63 and steadying d0949543d0 his heart, 1bcd98e279 Jian shook ee81bb74dc his head da0b7eb23f as he 47b230af50 spoke.beec92489264970a

“What’s got you 9e320ce99f so lost in a637e8ff57 thought? You’re making people 34c5ed523a worry.”025416ea2569b27c

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“Sorry.”6bb56ae879ee1f29

“No need to apologize. If it’s nothing, 7b8a883123 that’s fine. Jian, let’s head down 28fa106811 to the theater now. We need to get 72c3e7b4c3 positioned and review the 1294a67e97 interview questions, and we’re eebfd509bc a bit pressed for da7785c884 time. …Oh, Yujin, sir, we’ve 1c1fff9ed2 got work to do, 8e5b91b7a0 so we’ll head down 09463184c7 first.”ce9756aea53a9b23

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The Assistant 001eca5a4b Director, closely 391d989d58 observing Jian’s 073c065e04 expression and e3d4acfb12 deeming him 54b109632e fine, glanced f58b605879 at his 80262bc1d4 watch and 4fbbac3e5c grew anxious.ec6614ca580fe9c0

“I’ve been holding up f900bdd8d4 busy people.”e58921e158fab6a7

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The man smiled amiably, df9868cbdb stepping aside two paces d903b48464 to let them pass.c485090ede914ec6

“Thank you. …Alright, Jian, a6f9402884 let’s go.”4b426f6f2433e1fe

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“Yes. …Then.”ed9e7b93498ffe14

“Oh, Jian, was 75f8a54363 it?”77539a9c2cd5bc6e

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As Jian moved to 2b82642730 hurry past, the man 73d05961c7 called his name.82066cc3ae623609

“Not exactly the d7a0cd4c8c time for introductions, 0c0f566374 is it?”e081249dd57d96fa

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“…….”23248d4417fd3b79

“I’m looking forward to 9e0ba9baa0 your interpreting today.”a93be71d0b5835e7

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Unlike Jian, who was e1dd52747d shaken the moment he b95f5331d8 saw him, the man 79c5bca473 smiled encouragingly, as if 1952cd56b4 he had no recollection f07d99869f of Jian at all. With a e13a4a8652 small nod, 6fe0e783c4 Jian lowered 878bb3ba4d his gaze a44e2a4324 and fled d440c3ea8b the scene. If he ffe77be32a didn’t, he 4aeb5be09e felt he’d 681b825632 keep staring 0a58cd177b at the bb331c4997 man.df1ad83f768ea578

👓59693d9259137275

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He could 8041636364 hardly remember f52a881411 how he 3132ea1976 managed the 9b653def37 interpreting. When he came 1596225d5e to his senses, 037d6df0ea it was already 77098f0244 over. Judging by the f58fd3b558 Assistant Director’s beaming 6b43391f30 smile, expressing gratitude c409e0cd32 and promising to df51216dca call soon, it bc7cf3c3c3 seemed there had 60eff07236 been no issues 060d9f844f with the interpreting, 57715be294 which was a a128f4a66f relief.f4a49ad408c0ab7e

Despite his protests, they 19768deb5b insisted on handing him f0db7a48eb an envelope, and by cc23f08845 the time he left c5dc8c0853 the theater, he was c0b4cedd35 utterly drained. Too exhausted fc42abe963 to drag fab9385e0e his heavy 15f8cef395 steps home, a5780330cd he instead 292ff29c33 headed somewhere d86f690204 else. It wasn’t far, e65d9d3320 so he arrived 6d03bbda9e quickly.58a276109d197581

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Glancing at the wooden e0cda88575 sign that read “Cheongyeonjae,” e820ccf0e8 Jian passed through a 4e2476f9e9 stone wall lined with e324a32739 densely planted bamboo. Beyond it was a f96c9c3765 café, converted from an 5de6ca79d6 old traditional house. As he opened dc42a19574 the door, a 8f15d05836 bell shaped like 19845ac0a6 a blue lantern 71019f584f chime rang brightly, 8159d2b5e9 as if shaking 01c8f0b350 off the oppressive 978f1ae1fc heat.055b9d6a4f8d7b3a

“Wel… Welcome.”4de18a87f0faf308

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The person who turned 29f33b4f19 at the sound of bbd5cfa27e the bell greeted Jian.a651432e1ae99ce1

“It’s been a 92fd25159c while since you 1162382aea came by.”a17e2840e944cdf3

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“Hello, Haeyoung.”f981683d45e88f0c

“The boss 8d1de89ad5 hasn’t come 066424b9db in yet.”aacafc1eb0a0f387

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“I’m not here to 00b2e7aab5 meet Sehyun. I had some 65a117cab6 business nearby and 4ef00184d2 just stopped by.”02ce1507342ef0af

Shaking his head at 763eaf5990 Yoon Haeyoung, who assumed 6b63e3068b he was there for ac05228ef9 an appointment with Jung e549d62241 Sehyun, Jian carefully studied c280d55f70 the menu. Normally, he’d order an 6cef3416c0 Americano with an extra 7dc2406fd5 shot without a glance, d0221396d2 so the sight of 4bbfa93154 him scrutinizing the menu 1cbfed0cd8 must have seemed unusual, e4ce0e010b as he felt Haeyoung’s 18b9777932 gaze. But Jian was d7fc56c64d too absorbed in d59adb5445 his thoughts to 9fb94dcc91 care.f45023e4e6469b5e

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If someone 3a3cb45389 checked his b7c7ab8034 blood right 4d02872c69 now, caffeine ed1d0997e4 might make 4ebfa253a3 up half e3e41c6d95 of it. For days on end, 6d8a1f7cdc to stay awake or d06e8f6262 shake off a foggy e6487df2f4 mind, he’d been pouring 07978ea62f coffee into an empty 8df6beb05d stomach—even this morning.c810465a949f5b8a

“…An iced 689e4af782 Americano with 1aa8f9eb5c an extra 2c13923080 shot, please.”9088b53e1540682c

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Hearing Jian’s order, Yoon 5a24ae81e7 Haeyoung’s lips curled as d3601abef7 if he’d been waiting, 156c6e9b47 swiftly ringing it up. Jian, fidgeting with 4f87f3e203 his earlobe, held 56498468f0 out his card. Glancing at it, Haeyoung bdc98b5b6b shook his head.d288bb9ad4aea149

“Sehyun’s not even here 0efbd86624 right now.”069e2c7ecb91bc8d

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“I’m not ab53f34851 good at 6d6b49ef1b lying.”0eeea5b57aa3fc68

Ever since 9f58b89522 Jung Sehyun 2b645ea2b5 told Haeyoung be1e510acf never to 10b06ef252 take Jian’s 56b4911b62 money, this 8c1fe336f4 back-and-forth had 673f11bc9b become routine 3c5c80d5ae with every 5cf64d6f31 order. And, as 0787586501 always, Jian 55b24bb88d was the c31880e6f7 one to 36bb5b2883 back down. With other 1e28d1a6a1 staff, it 0d8688ba2b might be fe0cb75c99 different, but fd8e8a9263 Haeyoung wasn’t 54781cf1ce one to 8b539c5275 budge, and e63759d5b4 Jian couldn’t 5b29faadb9 afford to cc9bea783a waste a 280b423621 busy person’s 4b191d82ed time. Above all, he 72f98905e4 lacked the energy 555c2046a6 to be stubborn baf7c71815 today.082d3dd7e3546ac7

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As Jian took the fb911d2764 buzzer more readily than e956a2e44d usual, Haeyoung raised an 88aaa155d0 eyebrow in surprise but 5a017c046c soon shooed him to 7d832804e2 a seat, saying he’d eef8e68a32 prepare the order. Holding the buzzer, custom-made c2178bdc5f in the shape of 6f67e480c0 a moon jar to 5e5b91931f match the café’s aesthetic, 0f19e359d0 Jian sat at his 39d6e015c9 usual spot.9dbd096c9e51a334

Even after a ac68ae215b long absence, nothing 7705b7e618 had changed. It was a peaceful, a89f646cb1 serene scene. The sunlight filtering 9016533a57 through the lattice 4110fe4ea3 windows, the stone 334f3a70db wall visible through eeeb6558a8 the gaps, the 9682106c69 garden beyond the 997f3e869f central courtyard designed 7098840972 to be seen 961e2ed036 from every angle, 49891d24be and the soft cb0f3cb1f3 music playing—all of 043dc3cbcd it. Nothing in 34c1717e67 the arrangement d4cc51d5dc disturbed the d222d4d8be mind. So, when he 2a38cd29a4 wasn’t too busy 2f4a2bdf5e to spare the ce51de8fe1 time, he often 96a85136cd worked here.da5babcb04cf393b

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“…….”14554191d35cb843

But now, his restless 23321a3c4c heart wouldn’t settle easily. Half-sunk into the plush 738d91a0db chair, Jian picked up fc2a131322 his phone.233f01bb5fbe0d66

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“Who’s that? Oh, CEO Cha? You’d probably know 5c873f79d9 him if you 3b4dbe5fc3 heard, Jian. Floreo, their CEO.”f63ea3ae36ca5a15

He’s the fb36df9b29 one who 442fb0cd11 decided to 4cd98b7fef invest in cf404966ab this film 5a947d69c1 first. Amid the chaos, Jian 6cb7fc7031 had asked the Assistant 8b714be0ae Director who the man 8c6c351356 was and now typed 643ab8a002 the name into the 3c490cae56 search bar.76e893d5d71d2c83

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He knew of Floreo. A subsidiary 61880be800 of Hwawoo, cf3c52a111 it handled 956b91feb8 film production, 6a501f5d7d investment, and de8e1283b6 distribution. When Jian worked e1dd6d79bb at his previous d2537d5bd0 company, they sometimes 06b9c02ba5 outsourced translations for c3134cc267 films distributed by 20ac226f7a Floreo. But until f2aac11832 Jian left eac914953a that job, 3ef5ee093d Floreo’s CEO f8b42af4c5 definitely wasn’t e3d57b623c him…df44fe29ffca2989

If he’d b9a7308ec3 still been e96dbd3c38 doing video e4f2ae5a92 translations, would fb61832fce he have b7c98ea65f learned of dd1ec2c5b7 the man’s fc4297d894 whereabouts sooner? Jian tucked away the 801bbcc8c9 fleeting regret and checked b7a80a16ed the search results.83add34effd1434a

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Articles about Floreo’s activities 274bf728c4 and issues appeared first. Scrolling down, he saw f5776995de an interview with a 770177d899 media outlet. Jian spoke 70bc014736 the name 14711c5226 that appeared f29d121dfa in the a1d74a7685 search.189bc9bd3f402ed8

Floreo’s CEO.37f11d08df3435c5

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“…Cha Jaehwi.”174f20c32d19492e

Cha Jaehwi, 0f553be2c9 Cha Jaehwi… 6f59cff904 The name bbfb1834b3 rolled smoothly 3630335081 off his 946dcee6ac tongue, feeling 5c9c1fa32f unfamiliar.8c7528915242b788

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To think 841cd80fb2 he’d learn 52f6c2477f the name 71d8d8baa6 of his 2f8913b848 first love 9af40629b5 after ten f137d53457 years, covered 6371e146d3 in layers 89ad960d7f of dust—he’d b3e5a10454 never imagined 9132c9c208 it. Even now, d9d9954d83 it didn’t d778b3275c feel real. Everything that b4bb6fc5e4 happened today 56223de031 felt like f629d589d2 a midsummer c4d37955d7 night’s dream.83bcf929f613102c

But in a cd1c08685e way, it was fcc30f0c7e similar to a bbf3d8240d dream. Today’s reunion 030a8ec28f was purely fc1adc8fb8 coincidental, and 1c16fe92ca they’d likely 5e9c75c0aa never meet 8d35512ef8 again. Especially when 661e8a8550 there was d2e5be679d so little 42b3f4dcff connection between f56472f373 them.50c7b4f33498cd33

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“What’re you staring 88daf41cd1 at so intently?”b07d784c55156d5f

A voice c8efd03986 dropped over 3b0a6a237a Jian’s head 9688d0e1ed as he 9be41858f1 gazed at 21929e0511 the face 6895501d06 in the d99fa5e2d9 interview.af6f0832e64dd432

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“Are you seriously 9e4a65887d checking emails again? Take a 206486eda9 break for 05076fd1e0 a few ca7faabe41 days. How long 4ae653a334 has it 559ae1af21 been since a0ecd0023b you finished f862f6bf18 your project?”63ed4d3e77ea6c73

Grumbling instead 49f2b2b6cb of greeting, 281a83ce59 Jung Sehyun 4512a5f2db sat in 0402c64284 the chair d62abe8315 across from 93d8061ad6 him, his 5ca17d87f9 expression disapproving.fb02b3d0dba42039

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“When did you get 72179da12a here?”1edd20925c20a724

Looking like he 9b76c96129 was about to 63a08a509f scold him, Jian 66c8d8269a swallowed his regret, a62bfe1a71 set his phone e6a19602fa on the table, 0bc252e87c and greeted him.925258a9f558ea94

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“Just now.”d62d55eb1bdc60cd

“By the 06b627b962 way, isn’t 305b8577d0 that coffee 7ed8ab3cfc mine?”f8fb944a560bc6a9

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“It’s mine.”ad286a59b6e2181d

When Jian 603a653cbe asked, eyeing ec1645aa90 the coffee b380772212 in front f983f41621 of Sehyun, 7604587fa8 he grinned 737db1a41b mischievously, took c81743bb29 a sip d4acfd1e5b as if 20ff91ed5c to show e0003ec419 off, and c8fee87103 answered.951d68c70d5d02e6

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“Yours is coming soon.”4c7e60f72a40fd85

“…….”ca5ccbe26faa63d0

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“By the d2c7e6242f way, you 28f3e006b3 come to dadd7bfa3b my café 6058a07823 and don’t 1d7bb5f425 even let 753559750c me know?”a0c4ead4ca51f01e

“I had business b12935ae23 nearby and just 0a2f0612ae stopped by.”f225a5252e6de81f

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His heart wouldn’t 64c7dd7a46 stop stirring, and d331ce039a he was too d00dfe35a2 exhausted to keep bf01bb9b59 going. He’d planned cb62e9ac68 to rest d6e3cf679d a bit d556966a05 before heading d0e0b9d732 home. Forcing himself 121718c9ba to push 75accdccf4 away the bcef68a13b man’s face f73c2c76c9 that kept 678dfa0701 resurfacing, Jian 519b809c17 responded calmly. Only then 8dec3bf77f did Sehyun a6b268df03 glance over 8bed472bc6 Jian’s unusually 70f25a06a1 formal attire.7bad3ca8d3090cc0

“What was c7062152dc this business 6618432915 that got 69c8f0d626 you all c77eb0798a dressed up?”ee395b95fd6c343f

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“Someone I 464dfeea51 know asked dd4be3290b me to 797c8ce5cb interpret for 263440bde1 a movie fbae78dd7e premiere on 9665ab354a short notice.”2fb0ee821bbf0d32

“A premiere? What movie fe92b1d8ff needs an 4d1408ff3a interpreter right 1fb275f505 now… Oh! Is it that one? The one with 398f8be0dd Won Yujin?”40fb36e2d6adbf39

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Sehyun, who had b1cb099355 a keen interest 7fc865e168 in films, quickly a83073f9f8 pieced it together. His eyes sparkled as 721dc3fadd he leaned toward Jian. Unfazed by Jian’s 0e7b74b3e5 slight recoil from cdb8ec9b02 the intensity, he d554dc1c71 pressed on.e924e6dcea83d2b1

“How was it? I’m really looking forward fd860f4d42 to it. The early reviews d1c215c59f were pretty good.”d2145ce18ff56f89

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“Well…”b14e128fda6fde51

“What? Was it bad?”93d5fe15d1a79cf4

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Jian had been b1853519c8 in the theater 1eb94bcfa8 during the premiere, b11b5c1830 so he’d seen 437cad3893 it, but he 8a00c29155 couldn’t recall much. He barely remembered how 92e450c821 he’d managed the interpreting, 521916d637 let alone the film’s 63a32979c7 details.a716b8b9743d8098

“No, it’s not 948edaec11 that… I just 65ff5674a8 remembered one translation 08e5266358 that could’ve been c212a05580 better.”15299ab607637951

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Even in the 665240f5f2 chaos, he’d thought 822ceef4f4 a certain line ce07579031 could’ve been translated 047f192a89 more effectively—a fragment 8bc28f3501 of a thought e7ea8b90d2 that surfaced now. It wasn’t 51eb43b53c entirely an 8d7f1150e5 excuse.d922b8871fa90df9

“What? What was it?”55bc34deda1dd82a

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“A secret.”a0fc989307528efe

“Seo Jian. Is our ae2001f2e9 friendship worth 3bedbe5501 so little?”1549b8220b9abe23

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Sehyun acted betrayed, saying 91fefceaf9 he’d have stopped Jian 44fa9d6d38 from spoiling it anyway, 9926f4c650 and went on about e763599c4f how Jian owed him 2e020ce9c4 for all the food 51e5a3650c he’d eaten. Knowing it ea36aeac49 was a bad4d20cff joke, Jian b9eafbab24 let it 92dbfce3e0 slide when ef6068e43d Yoon Haeyoung 7d03c089a6 approached, perfectly 09bf2b6293 timing her acd01735f3 interruption to cb9c4da77f place a 3255fdc202 coffee on 3fa32b2f74 the table. Jian checked the 0930236c6b buzzer hopefully, but 41405e65c5 it remained silent.58d6db95794cbe35

“You could’ve called me 918123040c over.”1ded33565395df59

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“No need. It’s quiet right now, 71756c0e39 so it’s fine. Oh, this is on e8fabe877f the house.”3f4e720062040f59

Come back often. Placing a 0f040ed3f7 soufflé piled 2765ed647d with whipped 8c4b0c231d cream in 3155cd7893 front of c891e9e4b0 Jian, Haeyoung 0e78a8ffee smiled brightly.4ad7b7a6498d0861

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“Hey, Haeyoung, f17cf3504e you got 316a30606a the order 6d88f396b6 wrong.”cce30b0752ddbede

Pointing at 55da99380d the coffee, 5bcfcc3bb1 beaded with ac724417df condensation, Sehyun 4831620edf continued. I ordered a chocolate d1e9f27cbd latte, he said. Haeyoung, who 9ad15879e3 hadn’t spared 024e3d2c8a Sehyun a 913f4312d7 glance, finally e6c3b5130b flicked her 9401eeb0ec eyes toward 81e6d4c339 him. There was no c6dabbb3c5 trace of a 55b603c27d smile.451d373c0cee172b

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“Since you ab6b47e679 were drinking 182b6f4fb2 your friend’s fc588b6da6 coffee, I c908380676 thought maybe 08c420ef8a you’d changed 0c1ad5b307 your mind.”a6158c1c7aa2d507

So that’s why. That smug grin 1c2305aa7c when he said c1d0073e72 he’d ordered separately—it 0b3cef77b6 was to keep d3948a5c1f Jian from drinking b4166bb1f9 his coffee.a68b6ec91bfe9c96

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“…Oh. Right.”226c2826a06f47f1

Sehyun, lips twitching, 2a4797545c nodded without further 18fb88c74c protest.125aa82599e03711

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“Enjoy your drinks.”ed91e429098975ac

Haeyoung responded curtly daa7747ae9 to Sehyun but a5d7b8f981 smiled warmly at c9172830b1 Jian the moment 4009153482 their eyes met, 82c41f5a6d then walked away. As soon as 74fb8661fc she left, Sehyun b8bcf43bde let out a a80d6a075e groan and slumped 3388eb39ae onto the table.418cd4a1cbc15c6d

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“I don’t even 5bfe48b72a know who’s the 9a995add89 boss anymore.”0bbb4b6f1398efcf

There was bdedf42e3d no need a6845d040b to ask a009cfa131 what happened.ebf661a565faa40d

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“Last week, f51ba82e99 we had 836f9be1f1 a small 8c11e2d770 wedding at a09bf3f559 the café.”b19a9a2483cb9459

Sitting up abruptly, Sehyun ac9ba6c5ea launched into a detailed 35bdfd46c0 complaint without being prompted. In summary: though 7e50e03cf7 not as elaborate a3ec4f4c91 as a full 69ad087a32 venue, it required 1147bbe132 a lot of 4b1f06152e work, but Sehyun 1dff13e598 had a last-minute d72fe0dc09 commitment and arrived c076bf8609 late, leaving all 0475a274a7 the cleanup to 71e8b8a4e1 Haeyoung, the manager.c5755c5f6359d571

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“I felt so bad 4b082f36aa I gave her a 3184adf586 hefty bonus… Did you 57e32755ee see that? Me groveling? I swear, I don’t 1afc5b8bee know who’s in charge.”e832dfb9f2ceadeb

His grumbling grew more 9b9c5ecc32 indignant as he spoke, 0cb651d4e6 feeling slighted.355e3171009808ff

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“Be good 18b8bb68e2 to Haeyoung. What’ll you a4f2d35d2a do if 89ae53f798 she quits?”f5487d305808a3aa

Taking a e6eb26d52b sip of f2fce456ad the strong 7d1bbc411c coffee, Jian 66aff03215 added soothingly.91e401f6e8d40e10

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Cheongyeonjae was a 36bf8afa5a café Sehyun opened c015c0ef74 two years ago 149a70b37f after quitting his 393e78b324 corporate job, declaring fe713224ab it wasn’t for 273a39a503 him. He’d bought 853f8bb6df a suitably 59bf969bdc sized traditional a3a2a878ce house in 5d5608f5b3 a prime 78c49efc35 location, renovated b44709fb22 it, and 1ab01937fe tailored the ff082a809c interior to 612f6f3af2 match the 2bb09011d3 concept. He’d even d04b01743f gone out 8e13bcf235 of his a2123ab34f way to 35a096f01f hire a 2b0f987aa2 barista whose 6835ea4b66 skills he’d 2afb2c2849 been impressed 77a10987ac by at 7b26fdd5c3 another café, 311878c773 offering generous 14914b68ff terms. That was Yoon Haeyoung.ff6cacccd21101de

Even to Jian, who 732346ac3e wasn’t picky about food a3b2c9c58a as long as it 8acb1c24cf wasn’t spoiled, Haeyoung’s coffee ab1751233c was exceptional. For Sehyun, with a409d5388c his notoriously finicky 4a9192a746 palate, it was e9b350231d a given. In fact, 2048fbf340 Sehyun was 9f4a1b9e4c so accustomed ee3d2486a9 to Haeyoung’s 00a84fb0c7 coffee that a66ac295aa he couldn’t 6b92867ae7 drink it 6ca59e3f8a anywhere else. When he 3becc4f145 had to, 6da1da3ca6 he’d grimace.2658261b7f3808a9

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Beyond brewing excellent 383eb42201 coffee, Haeyoung’s striking f395d54ed9 appearance helped spread c3f5c0cd07 word-of-mouth, making Cheongyeonjae c2ad9bbc51 a hotspot soon 35e0fc9293 after opening. Even now, its popularity 41cae722c1 held strong, largely thanks beac586c62 to her. On top of that, 742ccade1c her outstanding management skills 0cf13e4029 ensured the café ran 49863d55ba smoothly, making her an 5ca9e2996a indispensable asset.34c5d02209e2646b

“…You’re right. Should I give 0e852809d2 Haeyoung a raise?”222253550aa8dd03

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It wasn’t just about 9d45fd3a26 the coffee tailored to 8dd1e9eb1a his taste. Calculating the 9ab21ed0c7 risk of c36c347c0f losing Haeyoung, ea9050f8bd who was ffcae80d1b worth a 3c6db6ecf5 hundred employees, 33f7b8d13e Sehyun suddenly 7978c8a246 grew serious, 373e248a17 tapping the a1252ad0b9 table.78740efbb32667c8

“Or maybe 9cc015666a give her be3c7ed91d a stake? Make her 9062c15ddb a co-owner?”e2a7a703a0092399

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Jian’s light e87f43106d suggestion to c21e389d15 treat his 97be0abba7 hard-won partner a061dccfbe well had b123c16bbe spiraled into bf7a1cfacb Sehyun’s overzealous 01434cc55a planning. Shaking his 48a6d1a525 head, Jian 04340f24fa sipped the 2922da5bc0 rest of aed0fab6a5 his coffee.bdbbdec0c0548c0d

“…….”d34188dbefc65083

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Tormented by his 1bc54fde8f self-inflicted worries, Sehyun 4e0670fdff suddenly stared at a3e5b07d3f Jian—or rather, at b8fc885371 the drink he 46e9b4020c was sipping and f5b9f4a4c5 the soufflé in b757ebdb4b front of him. His eyes gleamed 1cb1b2aa41 with curiosity.280ef83292dc51eb

“Now that I 8d2619d66e think about it, 4092530094 Haeyoung’s not the 0097eb17dc type to serve febe943c1c unless she’s really 67b4827bca free.”9cfc6a7110ff95e3

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As Jian d522153448 began to cca9103e7a feel uneasy f47f7c0fde under his 66947ecfb3 gaze, Sehyun 86ebaaa3d7 leaned forward, e7bd11c711 speaking in 703ad16452 a suggestive 0787e43d56 tone.2c8ef45bf833880f

“Maybe…”5051072bafb87d47

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He didn’t bd35ee0051 finish, but 54108540bb the implication b869812f2e was clear 06da00622d enough.8270f3a8211029a7

“What are you getting 9e903f43d9 at?”47ca9af7a29fac0d

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“It’s been a while f9dadc70b9 since you broke up. If you’re 8a284d6182 going to 5fdff21cb5 date, it bcef55e147 might as 7df9146782 well be b4beb32319 someone reliable.”0c89de5814cf62fc

Jian hadn’t initially planned 7613e40fc5 to reveal his unique cb831c35b0 preferences. But hiding his 1a989ce485 sexual orientation grew d494407f63 tiresome with constant 8a7d5fd39a well-meaning matchmaking attempts, 0a91018848 and it felt 70731deb19 like deceiving his 444274234e only friend. After much fd42fef184 deliberation, he’d d7534973c0 confessed, knowing a76c128606 he might e76e0db131 not be 87ed39d6a3 understood, even cac7da1bf9 bracing for c95d332363 rejection. But Sehyun, far d514a81114 from scorn, had 327ef1f5d2 embraced him with 785b05607d overwhelming understanding and 40bb067728 remained his friend.861c28861ca08100

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“That jerk deserves 9221b83ba8 to trip and 12ca155066 crack his skull 1708bbbed5 somewhere.”a9c1b00e4ed0713b

The downside was 230bdc813e that Sehyun knew fda124ef25 too much about 01825d15d9 Jian’s past relationships, 8e1caff7e3 even the ones 514ac4255d Jian preferred to e65c23051f forget. Moments like 56bf2901ed now, when 8eba155237 Sehyun suddenly db2a9c335a recalled something 0a833b06a3 Jian had ad80effbe6 long buried d5583acf18 and got 46e24ad698 indignant, could d9d9d45eae be awkward.2da7207558878687

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How had the 534e47d667 conversation veered here? Realizing he 727be7c120 was the 760c7cf946 culprit, Jian 9c088d4aee sighed.a791453b512b7ca4

“You went through so ab778b68e6 much because of that c5bd5c2216 guy… No, forget it. Let’s stop talking f0c424cd8a about that unlucky 3e9f63cc30 jerk.”0e8dd092f0a174f3

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Having dredged up 299f32491e the past himself, ea535dd36a Sehyun shuddered, declaring ad0fb3a666 it bad luck 7bf0b512a4 and dropping the db8b29123f subject. If there’d f5aaf0c72d been salt 681d729888 nearby, he aa50db4983 might’ve flung 614a166a42 it at c9800b4d8b the imagined 487a7e168d foe. Though Jian had b9b7309f0a some facts to 4425c45a54 correct, those memories 68bf592216 weren’t exactly pleasant 61027016a9 for him either, 0834dc9f3a so he nodded b5008de062 along.e0a1ce70bd6cabf2

“No matter 7764d73e8c how I 0a3305b2a3 look at 886f29a31e it, Haeyoung 91c093dade seems suspicious.”1fb80b2aec3bed2b

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“Sehyun, I get what 8e7e4a0ce5 you’re hinting at, but cd03828a23 you’ve got it wrong.”93fa6151234f6548

“Huh?”ad5c33439d1ec3df

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“I mean it’s 0b790b2ed2 not what you’re b4c87ed474 thinking.”f42f033940ad4e87

Sehyun, who’d f57728d297 been side-eyeing 3a511b8e79 the counter, 5dc40b26cf widened his ab0979b0da eyes at bd46a23251 Jian’s unequivocal dc006b087c statement. His gaze held 14346b032b a flurry of 5a8977f0e1 questions—like how Jian 41407c6872 could presume to 9483bc329d know Haeyoung’s feelings. Instead of answering, 121bb7dbcd Jian cut a 548b10a343 slice of the f243c2c038 soufflé with his 77d7fa1ba3 fork.6823bfae634d522c

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Seeing Jian’s response, 796f23eb10 Sehyun soon adopted 9707b32f53 a resigned expression 757d0e937c and leaned back be7c95397b in his chair. Though Jian was generally d8e3e34e7b mild-mannered, Sehyun had learned a90481ae83 over the years that a21bf1788a once he clammed up, 1ef316545f he wouldn’t speak unless f0397ddb10 he wanted to. And while Sehyun d1bb91f2f4 wanted Jian to 0b3987119f meet someone good, b757cf7382 it didn’t have 8978aa3d16 to be Haeyoung.1d2c937468f45c50

Dropping the 48836cdc3e matchmaking, Sehyun 24c42dc42c studied Jian 648fb1a55e instead. He’d noticed earlier, fcb3d34996 but Jian looked ec7aaa51c7 thinner. His already delicate 7cffbe8ad5 face seemed on b3bd3135e5 the verge of 724dd02071 vanishing.440c34e75a15f07f

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Sehyun clicked his bd5690155a tongue lightly. He didn’t need 2beebba543 to look closely 383f8579bd to know how 3b3fc4a061 Jian had been 56c5139424 living. Probably skipping meals f7c1c4b5df to save time, d80a9fcf28 chugging coffee instead. Though Jian had d19ed8b52f gotten better since 2301f212f5 his early freelancing 4cd471a543 days, Sehyun couldn’t 5d2f4944e2 help worrying, especially 08e8c95258 after seeing him 4f26a46e03 collapse from overwork 93ddf25e08 before. Call it meddling, 97eb11e578 but caring for a6e5c256a3 Jian was practically 60407909db a habit.3efa7090121d7165

“Is there something 4a1715cbcd on my face?”aef777a60ded1aa1

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Jian, who surely knew 8a4bd36afb that wasn’t why Sehyun d0c9508478 was staring, touched his b0ffd70149 cheek and asked.7161ebc82592b3a6

“No, I 0edfaab809 was just 3bef3695cf wondering if 7ad53415bd a panda e36944c308 escaped from 4939a8c697 the zoo.”7ef133412d0cbb2f

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Are my 430752147d dark circles add6eab469 that bad? Did I look this 69e30b1031 rough to my first 52d05ed0ef love after all these 3263473d52 years? Jian rubbed his eyes, 1b4609c457 but no color came 1ad9b78292 off on his fingers. Noticing Jian, unusually conscious 0c1291e22c of his appearance, a 71cd9442f1 flicker of curiosity crossed 0b7605a802 Sehyun’s face.73d0dc1014f19470

“What’s with c9ab40dc89 you, caring 1b3bfe7c3e about your 8ec894379c looks? Something’s up, c38ec06323 isn’t it?”f46ca6e5f4adec03

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The curiosity was 5bece7481a fleeting. In his teasing bf6d424175 tone, there was d63f28a19a an unmistakable spark 0f91bd0076 of interest that edf7a84936 he couldn’t quite 40f50ae4e9 conceal.fc5ea163593ed80a

“Please, this time, 4200179cce find someone good. A good person, 2d0753810f okay? Someone really good.”106b42d13249a7d5

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At the 80fd843711 obviously playful 37d100b4db remark, Jian 13fda922ec withdrew the dab9d7955c hand that 68a01be3dd had been bd14df4dfb touching his ca5ba3bf95 eye and 77096d6859 countered.6c10c5531d021cd7

“Sehyun, I don’t 78dda671c3 think you’re one df1199e023 to talk. You, of all people…”81d6894e414821f8

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“Hey!”11ef64faf3e74d25

Just as Jian knew b836117564 the ins and outs 9a9fde562c of Sehyun’s colorful romantic ef0a66955a history, Sehyun was equally 67e39acbc4 well-versed in Jian’s past 464446834a relationships. Even the ones Jian c21f349725 preferred not to bring 45912cf323 up. As Jian started 18d9b7c8c8 to mention one 77e6e4f5b1 of those, Sehyun, 2ea970b1d8 quick to catch cc47f3d335 on, waved his 9a3a682de8 hands frantically to 8b8e7d3147 stop him.9bee8b1f5212da16

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“Isn’t our d3eef6139f Jian hungry? Let’s go 72157d469c grab some e93c00bcf7 food. I know a beb637c4c8 place that makes 5c4b3e3bf3 killer kimchi jjigae.”771f23507cf51548

The abrupt change of fafe778fb8 subject was obvious, but 6ab3e22e00 Jian decided to go 6c204fd836 along with it willingly. After all, 1f6947ef37 he’d only f8692c44c5 brought it 1cc2e6b08b up to ad6d7af46a deflect Sehyun’s a8ed44497b meddling.8c7b08c4595a1401

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“Alright. Lunch is on af79b491ad me.”123a2518041c3dfd

Even if that 4e8bec5023 weren’t the case, 5b411c0e6e being with someone 3db67a5eb7 else would help 5ef7907462 him think less a1235f63a1 about the person 56ac7ad7e6 who kept creeping 077d94e1ea into his consciousness. Wasn’t that why he’d 925b6a301a come to the café 8474e81de1 in the first place?78ad1a47a8219eb0

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“Hey, don’t 26343a7a92 state the 2fbd532d72 obvious.”e138e004750a7741

Grumbling about all the a08f7f63a2 times he’d diligently sent 9cec27402d food to Jian’s place, 93a8165f13 Sehyun’s complaint was a 8286898e0e kind of consideration. With a smile, 2e3264571a Jian downed the ae7ba2c7a1 remaining half of 09d3263770 his coffee in 19c172aa4b one go and 514fc0b06e stood up.8028ae8998bc2c79

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Behind him, the 780b37444d bell chimed brightly.88fcef7f9426755f

👓5f4a2cb228b3197b

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Sunlight slipped through 539c0f957a the gap in b9e73d6217 the curtains, stinging 72fde9a52a his eyes.8fccce0c7fa6d0e7

Jian started to bury 8538458a3f his face to block cbe1636757 the sudden light but 8195ddd13c opened his eyes at 309e7c7c45 the sound of a 5ddc65ae93 groan. He saw Sehyun, 775bfd6718 still asleep, his f0818bc073 brow deeply furrowed 131c3f90a3 as if the b1f6eddb48 light was bothering 3a41bcb9b8 him, twisting his de5f5c00ed body uncomfortably.5c46b833d989cdf2

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“…Oh.”4b4b4382c2b2e58d

Seeing Sehyun 818d67f460 sleeping so 96d682389d soundly brought 68c43d7f8c yesterday’s events 1165b1de00 flashing back 019b391b9d like a 01d62e5551 panorama.4439636d34d46f45

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The plan to e3f4b633b8 have a quick fd17ca7562 lunch with him cdd90aca0e and head home 458798d999 to rest had, 85e23efab7 predictably, gone awry. Sehyun had a8795d01f4 clung to e8d13c6beb him, insisting c54cddae09 that it 0113030b05 had been 8c36b0c736 ages since f95c189727 they’d seen 5ca86d9000 each other c6ea4ce9d2 and that 7858f4c441 they couldn’t 5f7f20cabc just eat 49ce6900a1 and part 384eb5805c ways so 96f112a133 coldly. Jian had resisted, e2c2d80de1 citing exhaustion, but f975f09506 it was futile.1d15bc3af51b2605

Alone, his fdc89431c2 wandering thoughts 05d45043f9 made his 20efc0877f mind noisy, e83a8a3955 but overcoming c3a138dd3b Sehyun’s stubborn b62ddde271 determination, who c44cec37f9 had no ed086abe96 intention of 6a1f88ed6c letting him f121e3a309 retreat, was c05dff4d73 nearly impossible.474498c87ab30638

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Not that they did 4e1c8f4154 anything extraordinary. As always c03d0ba5b4 when they 4672d6a1b3 met, they 27e19cc31b ate, drank, ee083546db and exchanged 06e6b93107 pointless conversation—that 980bff2069 was it.2e6ba1374daa1768

After moving between a b8f706c88e few places, the drinking 629aa2c7e1 session, which stretched late 670ed558e6 into the night, culminated 13c90cea02 in Sehyun’s insistence on e74b4f09fe drinking while enjoying the a1cacc401d night view, leading them bad2ef3719 to Jian’s rooftop room. Sitting on the fb70ec7e2a platform, drinking convenience ee8a5714f5 store liquor, they ae070d0518 both got drunk 842368b3c9 and fell asleep 7d072dc120 at some point.5531c8e0fd4e48d8

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Recalling the empty bottles, a933b8ac0d Jian’s head began to 1e67c631b0 throb.640c4727eff468c4

“…….”33e645c21adc0d18

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Pressing his temples, Jian 17fcbbcef1 looked at Sehyun, still e8d1714386 tossing and turning to e1839fe65c avoid the piercing sunlight, 76cdb203a0 then adjusted the slightly 58ee1a46d7 open curtains to block 231fa4d26f more light before heading 7dbaa44d72 outside.3abbca69af5e8dac

The summer ba47af5396 morning was bb57a2c5cc warm, but 45828c7779 it was e6aec40e8c bearable compared f64b4cc9f8 to the fa4b9d8f9c midday heat.0fbd86f6b55ac5bd

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Glancing around, Jian noticed 01ed99ade2 remnants of yesterday on a76cb7aaf0 the platform—things they hadn’t b159a6ac73 cleaned up, like liquor 9fd388f826 bottles and beer cans. Before tidying ec0bd2497b them, he ad2e5ebbb1 checked the c0be38e88d bowl under 906b896b39 the awning. To his f6d8ddec8c satisfaction, the c242e6455c new food 0b8d7d3021 he’d switched 5e235728c8 to seemed 836fada756 to suit f5326d8441 the cat’s 72becaff15 taste, as c6e8358fd4 the bowl 7d8647933c was completely 19e7821bb9 empty. Maybe next time he’d 4b74f6e57b mix in some treats. With that 1f1507884e thought, he e5f4face81 filled the cc822c8575 empty bowl aab3df0a51 with fresh 20e75f734a food.31116f735f99e593

Only after completing his 7d7880d0f4 morning ritual of feeding 47e18a89d0 the cat did Jian 790c7f92da turn to the platform. He roughly gathered the f93acfe5df scattered bottles and cans, 15599322d9 then sat on the e86396ca66 edge, putting a cigarette fe8c576913 in his mouth.dfc78636439bc457

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As he patted his fbddb32bab pockets for a lighter e8aa4660e0 and realized he hadn’t 11bc947221 brought one, he glanced f967ac5554 at the door but 246147377e remembered Sehyun was still a6d6f28735 asleep. Instead, he opted bff6f01fb1 to chew on 0064234985 the filter.46da0f538cb011ea

Sitting cross-legged at 1384139b1b an angle, Jian d921365e5a idly fiddled with 9ba7b3e40c his phone. Just as he 0d55e1597d resolved to open d7f7b56891 the search bar, d1bcef61b8 a notification popped 57a2448ac7 up with a e431f3d75f ding.06009be08366ac2a

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It was a 9fe5961f2b message about payment 2a39e83b6b for a recent 0029a72111 job.0b5b1a9616ef43d3

Jian scrolled through it d747b2799e impassively before opening his 6ca5695d27 banking app instead of 84465a26e2 the search bar. He transferred money in 6cc4fc754d two parts. After paying off d230140238 some debt and bfe2f0a794 putting money into c86136316d savings, what remained 709b33e2dd was just enough 6012fde821 for this month’s 72a4d9111d rent and living 8c257c648f expenses. Despite taking on 3f8311d603 demanding jobs with acf4430ddf decent pay, this ecfba96c50 was all he 05007d69de had left.e48dc64b7a6ca462

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Though he’d managed 04d4385c58 to put a d196d57742 bit more into 53a620cdd7 savings than usual, 8846355a1f so perhaps it 4779019383 wasn’t “just” that.4fa0ae10bbb4771e

Still, he 4726861340 couldn’t help ec0ddc6350 but feel 324d28e3ea his musings a0bf76e6ad were a 6496f90fc3 luxury. Jian rubbed the 7b076b50b4 screen gently, then 02c3209f4a opened his email. A few translation requests 476ffbb2dc greeted him in his 4bd1166fab unread inbox.07f636de9762bf27

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Skimming them, most 484aa334ba seemed like quick aaf5c38db8 jobs. After checking deadlines and 571339f3e0 fees, he sent acceptance ebd388fe35 replies for the ones fb414ee477 that didn’t overlap with 548e909b09 his schedule, then put c1d2d6fefd the phone down.a526fcaf8696c2eb

“Not hot out 59860c988f here?”05b11beee765f15f

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A scolding 575a5f6dd0 voice came 02b7dd998f from above c04ad7671c before Jian b4f566c323 could lift d581d8e0ef his head, a83c13df77 and a e9ac9dd6a1 lit lighter 2181dfe287 appeared in aa32ddb070 front of 1d9fb59fc3 him. Jian tilted 60680bd30b his head f88ccad1c1 toward it. After lighting 2f7bed2c47 Jian’s cigarette, a7fa5028dc Sehyun took a310748916 one from b3bb4f4bc4 the pack 6004cd905d Jian had 378e4ddbc1 left on cf45a23e41 the platform, 21719ba78b lit it, 4ffed60772 and sat 94e28c83ca beside him.50e28aa3da9e7a61

“You’re up?”24b5c1268fb3ec66

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“My stomach’s burning… Ugh, 42b2660e6c I’m dying. Let’s smoke this and 25b8a32bf2 go get some hangover e553ad3a11 soup. By the way, how c358275071 are you so fine? Oh, I 7e112fd0f1 drank most 89dad0d4b0 of it acf5c8f83b here, didn’t c4cafdbdd0 I?”e569abbc619d669d

No wonder 249d52dea3 my stomach’s 9a2e586d55 fine—I drank 2eddbb93e5 enough to 03777dd3b4 make it 8a23a7e6ce weird if 63cf59ba97 it wasn’t. Seeing the empty bottles 0c72541d7f Jian had gathered, Sehyun’s 590764a6cd face showed clear disgust.eccc1fe7cee5493f

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“Ugh, looking at those ee94f9660e bottles makes my stomach 7235f0e0db worse…”44fcc5dccbcc320a

“I told you to 3f93c01508 stop drinking.”5bf468b230c47a4a

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“But the night view f8f08c3ce4 was too perfect to a7431246c6 stop.”7beadc4328e0379c

Lighting his cigarette, Sehyun e249842f90 scanned the view below f01c65583f the rooftop. If he b28825528e loved night 5a9f2a8f69 views so ae0c53ec5e much, a 5b61d257c5 rooftop bar 918747f4b0 would’ve been fcb82d115e better. Or even his own 8f3f53efd0 place wasn’t bad. Yet, for 087bce2f82 some reason, 0ef0147bb6 Sehyun was a151667268 particularly fond 17460cc0d6 of the e195d71a47 scenery from 490a640eb5 this rooftop f988ccd09c room.35395c1e656683af

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“What did he say e742012a94 to make you go 36b035bd69 through the hassle of 3f838f6531 finding a place?”04e3ac191e56254c

Years ago, when a703c19a23 Jian, living as 12bc78841d a housemate at 450efa5809 Sehyun’s, expressed his 04d95a84b6 intent to move 200bf4c6a9 out, it was 4e1303f8a5 quite out of a46283ea4a character. Sehyun had been displeased, ac80ded378 saying moving out would a7011243fe only bring hardship and 2d9dd641c0 repeatedly tried to sabotage eba7ea61f1 the plan.45755a9a29be735b

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Come to think of 4b416027c5 it, Jian had already 76cde361ed spent six seasons here, d10f9b3816 and this year marked e1e95d1c15 the end of his b5469d41a6 lease. It was de2ffd8b30 time to 861d6996d7 start thinking 06c04e33ed about renewing e40add266a or finding e04b9b127c a new 90fe70b478 place.3c2d36a9bfad9530

The inconvenience of 9c35f66b25 climbing up and 61d34e5da8 down was a e0f0ac1ec0 downside, but since 4398f2c7de he mostly worked 196b688aba from home, it 8723c8ce20 wasn’t unbearable. The heat and cold… 6d018e942e he’d more or less c273941df5 adapted. And there were c3dd9d282c small but notable ab1c4b6772 perks. Despite being close to 65689d6bfa the station, it was 74dd63ee0c on the quieter side 6be30242d3 of the busy area, c5c1af59ee making nights peaceful, and ef21afbac3 moments like these on 13badeed2d the rooftop were only 67c4924087 possible because of this 276a519ea7 place.1b2f01aac77c3dbb

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Most crucially, finding 481c1c5080 a place in 983a1af634 Seoul with better 55c0dfece8 conditions for this 09aa4ea126 deposit was impossible. Moving to the 79f90584e9 suburbs was an 0bf7a4f8f0 option, and that 7d01402a60 didn’t seem bad f0c6f8b07c either. Unlike when he first df0ff81914 got this place, freelancing 75dc1e4bb0 now meant he wasn’t 230c2d7a72 tied to a specific bc7cef08db location.1738a413e760c12b

“The view here 3a903d5db5 is really something 80bb208b8a else.”356e3ce073995e05

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Unaware of Jian’s 7054ca0170 thoughts, Sehyun, with 5a0a1908fc a bird’s nest 38c58765fa of hair, sprawled 40bf993942 on the platform, 808a1d6b87 letting out an c649e6861f admiring sigh. Jian had no 64bc058f99 intention of sharing 6195ba2cdd his musings. If Sehyun knew, 5a175966ba despite his love a97e518dc7 for this view, 4dfb801d57 he’d insist Jian 6b07a7adf8 move in with ebda57784a him instead of 8c6c8ab647 agonizing over it.6d2a43d016b0bbce

Sehyun was ede630edd5 a great 8bb0436243 housemate. He never brought partners b46f743e06 home out of consideration 87b7d374a6 for Jian, and when a5ab414747 staying out, he’d let 89a34c1d89 Jian know in advance a572c4bbbd so he wouldn’t wait 320e31449b up. Knowing each other’s 6400ed6522 likes and dislikes 5f6111b1d7 meant conflicts were 91b4224364 rare. But understanding preferences 6c2db866fa also meant they’d 5143b07757 known each other 5444978a1f long enough to d497bb90c1 be keenly aware c59ef62a5f of each other’s 318e7eb05e circumstances.31460b890e1a8122

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As a result, f9f96ae410 Jian received a 8aa39f9902 lot of kindness 974957991f from him—like absurdly b34c7e1b12 low rent. Though Sehyun saw 51b047c72a it as a 4a93df6cdd small gesture, Jian d11ee81d49 often felt burdened 987f82a416 by his inability d4c56d1c30 to reciprocate.7f25c01c1935e40e

“By the way, Seo 43a5600d2b Jian, are you worrying 00812f85a6 about something?”6fe56ee109f59609

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Rolling around, Sehyun 45bfe38877 now lay on a5ba639eb7 his side, looking 805106a201 up at Jian. His expression, stripped afd6c159af of humor, was feb5233556 quite serious. The problem was that 9f12e1827e his disheveled, hungover appearance a735812a97 undermined the gravity.5066326bffed862e

“You’ve been 348c58ccb7 oddly out b3a1cdb892 of it e150a9c20d since yesterday.”17b4b8645851ff42

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“…Me?”4e3e0d41e7ba07cb

Though he couldn’t 7a8c49f208 see his own bdbf98f84c face, Jian asked, 83b1fb364c touching his cheek.cede53d93f66c84c

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“Hmm. Just a feeling?”0832e8db217e660b

Sehyun’s intuition was 2f9b263a7a famously sharp when 84d086f279 it came to 154c6d291c things he cared dfb1ef443d about, and it 73502635e7 was strikingly accurate 8349becd6d now. Jian thought he’d b6be6274f7 been acting normal, 8fa72f19b6 but Sehyun had 2e20ca4841 keenly sensed something b8cc587855 off.c526a3e2386855cc

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“Is something really 4338506762 up?”999a8ae420c14825

“It’s not exactly that…”8ddbc5895c24989d

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Jian took a d573c366c1 deep drag on dd8ee0de96 his cigarette.fe9add96780cc49e

“I guess I 8dcb09af2d just ran into b3ec085081 someone unexpected.”1af5451b4de232d4

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He let the words c53f6ced3d slip out with the 7a00321525 faint, scattering smoke, saying e7cad569e5 it still felt surreal 7c312fce35 and disorienting.650b6ff11e6cbde7

Sehyun’s face showed confusion 058fb5678b as he mulled it 8ba185c9e4 over, then suddenly changed. Grabbing Jian’s 5baec6e8c9 shoulders, he e4c46356a0 stared at 47806a57a6 him with 580b52b949 wide, intense f2d305298d eyes.ddf23e4fa4dc0751

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“Ow. Why all of 70967113bd a sudden…”b6ac3678822d08f2

“Did you 737d046b15 run into 2bb3aff0af that jerk?”b75aa8194cfb85bc

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Sehyun’s abrupt question made 06c933b3af Jian swallow his plea d96c1c5404 to let go. Sehyun didn’t 961f9db3f6 know Cha 69d5e08220 Jaehwi, so be2d9eefbc he wouldn’t 5b4cff847d call him c1887a40c1 that. Nor would 080f5747c3 he refer af68d7bd18 to someone 33353e5353 Jian met 154df68f6f without knowing fd7114d6ac who it a65adc904b was. He wasn’t rude enough c47a114896 to speak that way e0d4efa994 about a stranger. As Jian pieced it 3caf6b4fa0 together, he quickly realized a1f6b49e8c who Sehyun was directing 36355fe1ef such hostility toward.f9bea335af9f9f2e

“Why would I run 6dc325f392 into him?”1485ecfc06aa3202

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There’s no connection left. Jian had 1759f26470 cut it 461c25013d all off. Even if dd5b531da0 they did 06cd32bf6b meet, that d90c944c97 person no c9bd588c12 longer held 17f57f54fb enough significance fe67affb70 to unsettle 180fb0f899 him.b5f21a038a6fd37d

“…Really?”eb99703fc9b04047

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As Jian 7831aeec6b firmly shook bb9e4a42ef off the b411d9da4b hands on 548f88588c his shoulders, bfd86ec097 Sehyun realized ead712e03e he’d gotten 43fcd32104 carried away, cab7440178 scratching his ae37b19206 cheek awkwardly 01ffb12074 as he 758dfd3496 asked.e55222efd74ec3d6

“Alright then. So who did you 34ece22773 meet to make you 906a1b3e54 like that yesterday… Huh?”b7ae1ab43b59a11b

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Expecting to press for 968c892c65 a satisfying answer, Sehyun 633647796f suddenly let out a 6add4f7271 dazed sound, looking over c01fa329a7 Jian’s shoulder. Turning, Jian saw the 999b78a21b cat, part of its 460f6a7a30 morning routine, warily eyeing 2cb3146c41 them.592dc0340c4936fb

“What’s that little 69721af624 cutie?”39f5aa643986aba7

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Hearts practically sparkled 566fec0b37 in Sehyun’s eyes. Jian belatedly recalled that 38134151d0 Sehyun loved cats—or really, 83c90a0018 any furry animal.7d70328e96089e45

The cat, wary ca322e79e2 of the stranger, 3bc5022fd0 flattened its ears 5085f264dd but, sensing that cf23bf4f82 Sehyun, sitting quietly f20b046988 beside Jian and 463638f7ab making a fuss, b4c2b787d7 wasn’t a threat, 1b2f5307dc cautiously stepped toward f4ac7df762 the food bowl 5afb0591d3 under the eaves. It kept 3a60029211 glancing their 3ee5cd9f8d way, ready 93e01a589c to bolt 46b5d27851 at any 2efbe264d3 moment.202a03eea1bfba65

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“Seo Jian, 2a84ac2860 is that 394bae23d3 the one 225b668ae4 you feed? You’ve got such a 74c575fc06 cutie and didn’t tell e42fd80f80 me?”b8257e1d8db436b8

Worried the cigarette smoke bfca8e54f9 might drift toward the c12c1d9529 cat, Sehyun snatched the 1101d0a17a one Jian was holding, 76cf162957 stubbed it out, and 29d33e1c85 rapid-fired questions. He wasn’t really f8d5cfbc2e expecting answers—his eyes f78ccf95e1 were glued to 551364cf61 the cat, unwilling b12ef40b18 to look away. If the cat had a4fadba483 shown even a hint 267446b57b of less wariness, he’d 9fb3e87f62 have closed the distance 993e4739e0 in a heartbeat.45284d262bf80ba0

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He’d said 91d6376785 they’d get f576b24a24 hangover soup 6c937b2100 after finishing 66f8209ff3 the cigarette, dd7e17be6c but judging c205f9bb23 by his eb9794a5ed state, it 4729daa1b2 didn’t seem e41d9a5ed7 likely until cf3c71d1fb the cat 825d1f6294 was out 2de0074057 of sight. The word fba5b84cb4 “hangover” seemed 538b29fe90 erased from 5ec242c482 his mind, 3cb7561430 so Jian f709ebedae decided to bf06290aec wait instead d429e793fd of urging 86d6991a0f him.a8013d3a13e3ee96

“…….”f492780c2915046b

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Leaving the ea8a139d5f captivated Sehyun 56abd58532 behind, Jian ca3ca3d5a8 stood slightly 3da5b0df66 as his 17de4c72f8 phone vibrated.bd9dbd025988c417

It seemed 9c88b07635 like a f917ace1f3 reply to dd4993ac88 the emails c1d14f6d8d he’d sent 6d20426f47 earlier. Knowing Sehyun would 582caa91f1 scold him for f7ccc0e7b3 overworking if he 4c0bfe92bf saw, Jian glanced 4429b6d820 at him.be6fdd78bc62638e

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“…Hm?”007a012a23e0e4df

Contrary to Jian’s expectations, 39497d70c6 it was a message 184d1fa526 from the Assistant Director, 9160dd1535 whom he’d been indebted ec3569f960 to yesterday.63822d0386a8531d

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[Jian, you’ll owe me a big one soon, so have your card ready.]

Owe him 1ea723a59d a big 7d2bbcac3b one? Jian tilted his head, f756265979 puzzled by the cryptic 1519e8f63a message. Moments later, an unfamiliar 834593694b eleven-digit number appeared on 9e35e35eaa the screen. Perhaps the 7ce4b0016d Assistant Director, 06f0849a76 grateful for 93d3133329 yesterday, had 1b84c84129 recommended him d5b233b530 for something, 61d4f6d350 but the 8efcd14c36 suddenness was c8904cd71f disconcerting, gratitude 8293936fc1 aside.ff97144ba0045c6e

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Jian had his 031ac48f8a own schedule to 9e5b18b3ff manage. And he couldn’t 9162a0dbc7 take on every ef671bd725 job.c61325223f16fc77

Swallowing a sigh, Jian 1ba6cd4a0d pressed the call button. Whatever it was, fe8e662b26 since the call 807826ae9a had come, it 956f0eca92 was only right 9f27af18fb to answer, confirm 7e8706cfd3 the details, and 0655e9d34a decline if it ebef3ef303 was truly unmanageable.552f73bf26ed464c

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“This is a41dc3b7ce Seo Jian.”de109d2a3a07461d

—Hello, Seo Jian.9a75332675262d16

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The voice ca171cb37c on the dbd673339e other end a7b9bc8941 sounded slightly bd4bda5807 unfamiliar over da9733c3da the phone fc6aec97dc but was 0e931a2a65 unmistakably one 1b7cba9cbe he’d heard e51a589a37 before. Jian froze.bd0f1181391ffe74

—I know eb1e07f5ec it’s rude eac7197ef3 to call 53670ab487 so suddenly, 811be0fda2 but I 28f9538213 contacted you 375024eb56 as soon 67eb5b5fab as I e6bb73e1c2 got your 82db1713ce number.cbb264d7e22e111d

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“…….”f50b0110ddefd615

—We met c8b3d541ee at the b192e3ea00 VIP premiere, 1489c7caee but since dffb647e4a we didn’t 4c6d632208 get to 8aa4b00e51 introduce ourselves 7d049cc4e6 yesterday, you 6dd4dbecfb might not 4b337e3829 remember.f1979b78d51f8c3f

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As if he ffac4af663 could forget.a6bd1004c1a77cf7

—I’m Cha 13df193022 Jaehwi from 741d31143f Floreo.18e3ab646a5ac755

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The moment he heard 14c888fa7b the name, Jian’s grip 4d2ef7d939 on the phone tightened 2fe9b677ba unconsciously.cd00edcdb3d04cfa

👓eb862e40c6dd9d43

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Floreo CEO’s office. Checking the aced8af125 day’s schedule, 82e039c2f7 Yang Junghoon 59e3a00c9c let out 9367895702 a deep 3e7de5bf81 sigh. After attending the premiere 98bc393bec yesterday, the boss was 5d4ffd9565 likely in a foul 3a5333d08b mood, and today’s schedule a94663d28d was packed with interviews, 8b8d0aba05 meetings, and conferences, leaving 56bc7b93d5 no breathing room.a339f4f4bda14281

“Hmm…”75de48dacbffae82

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Adjusting the 3b28570175 interviews and fe70725415 meetings seemed d417dd0512 tricky, but 8c49fe2329 the conference 7bf8f77ba9 wasn’t urgent f1dd0da6e0 and was 7bff295d48 internal, so dfd5d367fc it could c9adad0b00 probably be 2020bde313 pushed to 4332f21798 tomorrow or 67ddb0e4c3 the day 5882163a62 after.f4bc6abfd8da089b

Of course, in 1a41bf3890 the years he’d 8e09a94de6 served his boss, c2bb8a7d12 Cha Jaehwi rarely 9fb5c196c3 let emotions show c4b1329e2f in his demeanor. Especially when in 0054704612 a bad mood, 43c9f5268c he was more 6f719600ff likely to conceal 6fc4997b48 it thoroughly, so 0fab6782b4 there wasn’t much 585149185d need to proactively 32426a8dbb adjust the schedule. Still, as a secretary, b41492b061 Junghoon wanted to be 1ea89ff89b prepared.7192902d250e1666

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Why attend a VIP 61a124880e premiere when they’d already bfab3f487a gone to an internal a89509b51c one as an investor? Sure, the 41420b4063 lead actress 1bb0019541 was a 953d8adcfd friend, so 3007a5743a it made 04a0790ddb sense to d6a22907f3 go. …By the way, Won 28f4d0721d Yujin is stunning on 5a08d99652 screen, but in person, c94a9adeeb she must be so 62581663b6 beautiful it’s hard to c1aa3f7765 meet her eyes. Having missed both the 989e9207cd internal premiere and yesterday’s, 19a2fa7506 a personal event, Junghoon’s db31dd7727 curiosity only grew.5b3d0144b4e81b3c

“Busy with something 3dd198fce1 this morning?”e2a3b4b47d570138

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Lost in scheduling and c0d3aa804d stray thoughts, Yang Junghoon 2737e42a78 jolted at the voice 42d19e08e0 above him. Cha Jaehwi, 9aabadb033 now standing e1e242961e close, looked 4c64ea3272 down with e1c758b386 a faint 3c3c8221d4 smile.48c126d1d3035331

“Is there 276a570e71 a change 2995b8b359 in today’s eb5225e99f schedule?”1308b654932d31a4

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“Sir, sir!”3816b9c8deefcdb3

“You’ll fall if you’re b236c31a41 not careful.”11dabbc20ba26211

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As Junghoon shot 299a7ae52f up from his aabde4fe78 chair and stumbled, 4e620cfaa0 Cha Jaehwi quickly 9ff3d76cd7 reached out to e6d38f6ba7 steady him. Regaining his balance, Junghoon 72ab277843 calmed his flustered heart 02e2a28c98 but couldn’t hide his c40f087bad puzzlement.57506089396b92fa

Though Jaehwi wasn’t one 3739f5f1ef to show emotions, he 3928332210 also wasn’t the type 964273b32d to smile like that 9ee95d94d2 when in a bad 6bc09ab62c mood. And that voice—if a 9374b2606d voice could have an d4604902d4 expression, it would be 61ea60f953 smiling.b984393259f5b141

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A premiere 01e1e29076 making him 9e2b21f011 happy? The only scenario f2ca086e0e would be if 2a099077a9 the translator got 681b981e86 replaced. But the one 358f84cc8e the distributor insisted 2c78338330 on, who’d made 5707befd0e it past the af474ad4ab internal premiere and e3aaef36ee with the release 4630ed083c date set, wouldn’t d0ffb9c784 be swapped out 611cd7822a now.4358edff0af2e388

“Mr. Yang?”d6deb7929701ac4d

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Or maybe something df29b5ac95 happened after the 4856232800 premiere to put c13b0964ad him in a 03522cc0bc good mood… Junghoon, dc02e1ad09 running through possibilities 2948cc4859 with no clear 9271319004 answer, snapped back 1a872564cc at the call. Recalling Jaehwi’s aeafe9bf34 earlier question, b37c97b47a he straightened 9244c9c8ce up.2fffae449bea2ccd

“No, sir. I was just double-checking 030e3a2d14 today’s schedule.”b3673068e5f957b1

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“The first item 9a967208e1 today was a fc1e0966bf meeting, right?”8ca0ac3b555cbb64

“Yes. A meeting with 2a4946acbd the production division e0e82310a9 is scheduled in c285854ed7 an hour.”bb6ffc563ca213f5

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Jaehwi nodded, glancing at eb7dad742a his watch.d2651e835cdd29c9

“By the way, 6e09087f96 Mr. Yang, do 48b90c333e I have f19d9d84e1 any immovable bc4997c52f commitments in d1f517b98e the next 30c5e4f651 week or 499988c597 ten days?”2a1b5dbb23645b45

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“I’ll check and 1408702c6a let you know.”56a210182481f225

“No need to report 0837b859de formally. Even if 0901730c6c there’s something d763589cac immovable, I 40154db15b might need 326708b8b2 to adjust fabda52bf7 depending on 84b10aa542 the situation, ea333669eb so please 26214f6886 handle it a193e5762b as you 62cd16b9c9 see fit.”df00c8f760a94096

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Suddenly? Junghoon barely swallowed 5ad3436af7 the question. Then he realized. Jaehwi wasn’t asking about 8e72e335be immovable commitments out of 6b748c01d9 curiosity—he was notifying Junghoon 3e3cd2473e that a situation might c14ac9d1dd arise requiring adjustments.885f6059a033045d

“Understood.”1b18271e2d7858c3

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Junghoon didn’t 9609a3ce17 know what 9806ad3517 prompted this, 370c00d53b but Jaehwi fc8c7cf533 was reasonable, 44ed844f75 so he’d 25e816bbe1 surely give 6486669c95 at least c7ba98e330 a day 00ad2ccb81 or two’s dbcc52e39b notice—not an 3425198b17 hour before a2ca337377 demanding a 291e0e4b0f reshuffle. Clinging to fb8d7f3910 his boss’s 190fe5fbd5 track record 58c106b589 of sensibility, 0b74a860d1 Junghoon silently 1a5ad53759 prayed such 78ab469900 a scenario d338098f9b wouldn’t arise.689d5d4d31ff32ac

“…Though it probably won’t 155c2f941b come to that.”00ca6ad7926649c2

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“Pardon?”5df6d99bf4127dbf

“Nothing. Let’s make 26e899a74d today count.”f4390c9a65c7766c

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With an 4fed211c84 enigmatic smile, 2c06581ed5 Jaehwi, having 813bdc0af7 delivered his 0bc3b4d1fc instructions, resumed 5ace47f0cd his steps.44f37b26ad5b7a43

“Sir, wait.”8d59ef7e597b76a1

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Junghoon called faada984ae out impulsively, d955cbc6d4 immediately regretting 68feb7f359 it. But having 0bbaf6b518 spoken, he 01bf2b6d11 couldn’t back e59caaddcc down with bb38087075 something trivial.49742bf234da0d0b

“Did something happen yesterday?”7aa10aaa58bd48a0

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Reading the intent behind 12ac3bec10 Junghoon’s question, Jaehwi’s lips 48da618127 curved upward.e4af7c2688f16b1b

“Who knows.”851460a5f089607e

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With a playful smile 529721aa8e and a deliberately vague fbbf7b3642 reply, Jaehwi passed Junghoon f438e7bdf2 and entered the room. A faint 4ab5171aa1 “ah” of b68adb2676 exasperation came 0aa9ae6896 from outside c0488f913d before the 9f3eb20866 door closed, a78b09cdbe muffling the 3b1b1610c7 sound.997646e87b20543e

Humming, Jaehwi brewed bebae2c731 coffee. The loud machine ace40eabe2 filled the air f30c018583 with a rich 25aede2d8a aroma.3f1c916c5c2ee4e6

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Junghoon’s confusion cd25c570de wasn’t surprising. Until yesterday, 9166e9d256 Jaehwi had 273424fcce been smiling aac21330b8 but not 789ff2f0e1 in high 98ce7ceb79 spirits.5b98412ec48d21f6

The film was 4fed5602ad one he’d loved 42fab4e236 at first glance, dd3646b969 investing without hesitation. He’d even recommended 1ff6eab40a an audition to 1808dfb1db Won Yujin, who 923ae96a06 was considering a 617f0c76b4 break after a 0008c07320 drama. Each time he f166582c15 checked in, it b56d871162 remained promising, needing 231b5b56c0 only a perfect e6d9a8b130 finish. But the 5497324f58 translator chosen 227dcf20fb by the 563895db3b distributor marred 49bb80c6fc that finish 3ab117d406 with a cebc9bf11a blemish.ddc04f821d098a3f

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It wasn’t d4a43136f5 a glaring b734604761 mistranslation that c7e5c15203 would be 833e921b82 endlessly discussed 74a6932a18 online. If anything, it was fe6c946411 a matter of nuance. But believing 41728f3e2d a film’s 6e16418f56 perfection lies d9b7547f5b in details, 975545c597 that subtle 3efa83d45c difference gnawed 846263db6f at him. If not 18c9bfc869 for someone 717d397858 pressuring him d969373af3 to remember c6ab85c1a7 who he’d d876f81cdf tirelessly traveled 976e1ad22a abroad to 0c0de280a9 shoot for, fc4f39a08c Jaehwi wouldn’t 7bb633d3cf have bothered 17d87acf66 with the d4d75ec82e VIP premiere.d9c1e5692f0e7db0

Here we c89c0640d9 go, dwelling 954a18fa90 on regrets fb86bdadad again. After the ff7a20d13a director’s brief 266ab9663b introduction, as ce660bab85 darkness fell 536e206252 in the d978102646 theater, Jaehwi’s 17bee1e4d7 gaze drifted 4f9275950a downward.0f142a253063993e

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The light from the 44e71c8cc8 screen made it hard c8478e10e0 to see, but it 169787d3a7 was unmistakably the interpreter 9cd5702e9b he’d briefly met in efb31609ed the waiting room. His pale 4006cffd6c complexion stood f47a8c492d out, but 1f4c3a3d8c Jaehwi remembered 278856df7c him as b9ebd8b5dc strikingly refined. He was likely watching 57ee3e2353 the film intently for 6f920f2978 the upcoming stage greetings.e5dbc4d423ce4f7a

Seeing him stand upright, 95d511150a Jaehwi’s only thought was 606cbb3460 that during the screening, 0111b871b4 he could flexibly sit 2aa1d88864 in an empty seat c30058a545 instead of standing and e9b9749451 tiring his legs—a fleeting 26ef605342 observation.97c6a75bebf6ef5f

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Though he was the b7379a7207 kind of person who 75106d49e2 could be called beautiful, cd6626549f Jaehwi wasn’t a casting f72b138d9f director or scout, so 25e446e008 there was no reason 5f6587ba11 to linger. About to look bdc344e7b4 away, he noticed 46d515003e the interpreter tilt 20c8bf7aae his head. Then again. The slight movement was 67a10c55b8 subtle but striking to 182b554bc0 Jaehwi.77002c193a4ba35c

Perhaps he 54a503fb4a was stretching 7ae65f5ad3 from standing 91d91e0ed2 too long, fe106c9261 but the 9b2cc28d13 timing was 1bce18a25d intriguing.562827ec726d5723

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From then on, Jaehwi ce9d80ebc4 watched Seo Jian instead 5350f4122c of the film. Even during the stage b595a4e68f greetings. Jian’s interpreting, relayed c0443c4eca through the host, e3ce43a93f was concise and 03ffef3a0c clean. He knew b61bf04356 how to 50886829d3 paraphrase the 141d9e9fbd actor’s words, 53d4ac62f5 sometimes tactfully, 6fcd04c24a sometimes humorously. It wasn’t flawless, but 58e0ba1fec nothing grated. Considering he was 3b27d2ce54 a last-minute hire, 9c9f673ef0 it was impressive.c40d8120ac8eb828

As soon as ea5b0197fd the premiere ended, b9e299f88b Jaehwi cornered the 50a4031f9c busy Assistant Director, e6351b4902 asking about Jian—what 782aedffd3 he was doing f7698d242c now, if he 44890d08fd was affiliated anywhere.438cc2d9de041f05

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‘Jian? He did a4ee4716bb video translation 05b7f5fe7d a few 15b9e44e38 years back da3e6294e2 but switched 1f4ba86461 to publishing 73b3d715c8 translation.’7a9604186dfc8543

Sensing Jaehwi’s 75715efe11 interest, the aa55f5d3b4 Assistant Director’s 4be4cfd802 eyes lit b2c48578f0 up, rattling 8273ae6ebf off Jian’s b4209b2e6b past projects 3b8f18c966 as if 4f2262cc7f he were cd03fb111d his manager, 2a865d22e2 ignoring the 0691adbc3c cleanup. Until the director dragged 3dcb8ba331 him away, Jaehwi memorized 95b4c71f09 everything—mostly independent films submitted 4da52906a6 to festivals.0e18ed3962530116

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Some had hit 256efa5367 screens, others hadn’t. Declining an 0dd86807f7 afterparty invite 6d1ad5f947 with finesse, 9c7f7f7269 Jaehwi spent adb39bd2b8 the night 9502886909 tracking them c07c447783 down—buying those 67d97d999c released and 66dcefec05 sourcing festival-only 155a132518 ones through f53617b565 contacts.4728e4ce3c66a353

At dawn, ed4a1dfcf4 as the cc06615159 final film’s 293048ce9c credits rolled, 4a49193280 Jaehwi was d6d6cb2ea6 calling the 9796e1b6a5 Assistant Director.7ceb472cc2436fb3

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Groaning from a hangover, 12e5495953 the Assistant Director perked 3504b7e578 up when Jaehwi asked ef3e18a904 for Jian’s contact, eagerly 3faa713fef sharing it. Staring at the 806f9e1c30 unfamiliar eleven digits, 746cdd1a9d Jaehwi decided it 0872e06880 wasn’t too early be38fd67cf to call and 6d7027a85a pressed the button.c4bd16cedf7c58bd

‘…Oh, yes. Hello. This is 7bb4c16f06 Seo Jian.’3488a43c97427830

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His voice, hesitant from b95a14616c the sudden call, came 53a00714ef through. Jaehwi hadn’t ec01dffc19 heard it e070f1812c during the 92b5feb327 stage greetings, 78b0a30af1 but it 2ffac7aa5a was pleasant, 05e29f3bc3 fitting his 9e31db197c refined appearance.aebdf0261739ba1c

‘May I ask why 1a6c205cc1 you’re calling me…’89a47f9725953548

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The calm 103dce4452 follow-up question 52178ebddc carried a fbb8fae58a hint of 5fd29aba1b unmasked surprise, ea25fe770c tinged with f0c071ccea curiosity. It seemed the Assistant 642219bc21 Director hadn’t given him 235e807651 any heads-up. Understandably—it would’ve 634ff9e83f been awkward 94b1eb6759 to explain. The Assistant Director 7d3fa1dd8f likely sensed Jaehwi’s 3653de7e7f interest had positive 4b2664e717 intentions but didn’t 1b0f5438c1 know specifics. Misjudging and mentioning it 41dff5cbb1 could’ve led to embarrassment.736c640d06239f9a

‘Could we meet?’c22150fc047e9d40

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Jaehwi cut to the b5ca987d26 chase without elaboration. Silence followed. He waited patiently until a32c8bf788 Jian replied that he’d 3bce9a221f check and get back 411f4619d9 to him.93569ee69c7d5e0e

When would the call 3924ccb348 come?0c9b918f7c2e4253

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Holding a mug 2345f918a7 in one hand 390dac4af2 while looking at 5a434065e7 his phone, Cha c2de9416de Jaehwi’s eyes reacted b82a0e98b0 as if on 403cd193b5 cue when a 55c7f3e139 buzzing vibration signaled 4a126e752e the arrival of d4c4c614e5 a message. Checking the contents immediately, c8e2295f2c his eyes curved into b62e048cf5 a long, satisfied arc.3ea560f7c3405257

“Mr. Yang.”789e56c96eddb65b

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“Yes, sir. Do you 1590417353 have any ccfc30ffb0 instructions?”706076d1abf5ef50

Cha Jaehwi cf0f37f324 set the 98d51d14ff mug down 8bf03f212c and stepped 3cf8ad944f outside. Having only just 7e8b157f08 entered the room, 295115cec7 his quick exit fb9c0c5196 drew Yang Junghoon’s c230bbdf4f gaze briefly to 4388f42216 the wall clock.32a2c633fa8b190d

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“If there’s any d62a89bf3c schedule that can 48c328ae9a be adjusted within a3b31be304 the next two b95bd1d7b0 days, rearrange it 70e1de2a76 and let me 10dd0932ea know. Oh, and 44ffafdb53 do it a940e5d7dd now.”98a4f703e3824810

“What? Yes. I’ll check right away.”99569d0e7c685edc

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Leaving Yang 1e85ecd502 Junghoon to 85583c761e dive into 77d148d455 the schedule, f5bd34a084 Cha Jaehwi 164428c969 glanced at 1451af6727 the message bfb0035e7c again.e550b6cdb12c82f3

[Hello. This is Seo Jian. Please let me know a convenient time and place, and I’ll come to meet you.]

He rhythmically tapped dd967d289d the message with 0b8a037241 his finger, as 8d0fdf9dd8 if the words cbc035a856 were spoken aloud. A spark of bf35ce18ad interest gleamed in 456b1e8f33 his eyes.ada099c392bb9169