Esquisse Chapter 1

The goldfish ac12015c9d rolled over fe83f7e21b the shattered 6fcbe917fd fishbowl. The 18,000-won 649c682d2c easel she 53dcb4accf bought after 6fb9f6cdde much deliberation 9b56f4f2b0 met the 1e9bac157f same fate.2dd35b4aae402df6

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At least her father 0a3dfc9972 wasn’t rolling on the ee4661b39a floor—should she consider that 72479f386f fortunate? Her empty 205952f3ad gaze swept 8b44e0caeb across the 0e577cbcbe uninvited guests 6e6df5059c trampling through a51854a716 the living eb45c5ddfe room and c81557a864 landed on 0f0d46c6cb Song Mansik, b3d23add00 crumpled in b3d82a1061 a corner.693a0782608af8cf

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“Oh, ooh, my ac51bc3d56 Seorin is here!”f1bf37a61a6d2c6c

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Kneeling down and 01543110f2 pretending to act 4dee4f48ba familiar, Mansik looked a99c0a45d4 a complete mess. His cheeks, still 9ff70ed7c0 marked by tear 1ab1063bd0 stains, and the 4e343ab134 blood stuck to 8b864ace20 the philtrum seemed 621f490b0e more ridiculous than 4cffcc7a99 pitiful.82de9c7b53e1e06f

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“This girl 049405b6c8 is Song 33f5b1e66a Seorin, sirs! I, Song Mansik, this 3831ecf18c is my daughter, Song 0f32228a5d Seorin!”09b439d51d08c731

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Mansik forced 8220dd9fab a smile 580063b6f2 toward the a4ba412153 intruders pressing 04e82b8830 down on e258d95db2 his shoulders f4e1f97a19 from both 9f485fdda6 sides. It was the d79c8a6d07 desperate flattery of b676718fde someone who had d4e7164963 submitted to violence.4cc5c70af968cad1

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Despite the pitiful sight, ce55bbf84e Seorin scanned the living d61586c349 room. Even after f7cbab51cb moving from 363022a893 a semi-basement 0b925951d1 studio with 71f4d879f1 no sunlight f7e3e88b2a to a c60f5e0e7e showy apartment, d92014307e being harassed 8d08f010dc by loan 6c8c8cdc02 sharks remained 2efcd4f9cf unchanged.cb891c4e364a00fe

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“It’s past fee58e8b08 nine o’clock.”06064142b2c88cde

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A soft, clear voice 86272a3cf8 came from her plump 9a09a59b23 lips. Every time her dust-stained ad0f51fb66 sneakers stepped on the 71fb1cd8d6 floor, shards of glass 6ce97d7c16 crunched beneath.4326503eb690e3d4

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“Coming for f36d4e5174 debt collection 2b75177518 at this 59e920669b hour is e07d3c2145 illegal.”4b1bc7846639b7e4

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Seorin spoke mechanically fa0fe12fd6 as she set f94cbe89f1 her bag down c8777d086f on the dining c6aa4386e6 table. Her body, worn e54b3046f4 out from working ee385adfc0 sixteen hours nonstop, 6fcab13212 felt like it 1d366c29e3 might collapse from e35ef88cf0 exhaustion.0747aa2a804efd83

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Even so, instead of ce719f1bf9 taking off her coat, f3864bff1f she opened the refrigerator. Aside from 0ae6be7575 the coffee 65d363d488 she drank 62222af966 to stay 5f05724f8e awake, this 1bcd04c820 would be beee753584 her first f5268d701a meal of c7d0c37adb the day. She pulled f61516f2ff out a fe94186624 couple of 1e0908306b side dishes e1fd42fbc5 Mansik had 8f49edf111 left half-eaten a12dcee1f8 and shut db2bb66035 the fridge.74d1a36dfbeaec67

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“If this is 01cd036617 about debt, come 27a63e0143 back after eight 7b2ef30d18 in the morning.”99d5b047a8d1abf8

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The cheap 9a66387bc9 coat fluttered b663ea6819 in the db93ef9856 cold air f2b4fec851 seeping through fc7b2a7136 the broken 14079d5ada window. The situation 01cd9dea25 was so 6dad314296 familiar, she ff34d5ebb9 felt like 89adfc3acf dying rather bf876f9a4e than crying c397c760c5 on the e747af2b0e floor again.a73c22c165ee5c25

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“In ordinary cases, that 5564c67224 would be true.”14e325994ba8106e

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A calm baritone 5f1e515884 voice was as cdc27679ec cold as the e94ca9560b container of side 1177b84d6d dishes she gripped 816cd64b77 tightly. As Seorin set 4531355603 the side dishes 5514d5ea88 on the table, 59e4a8e6fd she slowly turned ee4cb49417 her head.385a23d37c9e1427

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“Unfortunately, this isn’t a41538f362 about debt collection. We’re here to 5f4d48c8ac deliver a content-certified db50967490 document. We met feb64c96fd President Song 9baad65ce9 around eight bff1df7122 o’clock this 78ab2fd2d1 evening in 3f964c4e82 front of d66cebb4af the house.”b63b1d37c1cdd330

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The suited men parted 30bdebf2e5 like the Red Sea. A middle-aged 7d2f13acf7 man stepped c7e46bb7bd confidently on c11dc7c21e the shards bbd0102188 of glass. His crane-like upright posture 3df2cf5d52 seemed far removed from f4837b04fe that of a mere 37e30476e4 loan company executive.c75a9c4d67fc3a0d

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“Therefore, this visit is 261cca4b3a not illegal, Ms. Song Seorin.”b2c281d3a884c0e1

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Wearing half-rimmed glasses, he 14f6295f12 adjusted his clothes. Not a single button 15b6a1454e on his sharply tailored 95dc9ee704 suit was undone, and 2089703a50 his upright posture stood f8715e9040 out. Grey hairs 93cadd0df1 in his a787c6637e thick hair fae5ab8c4b and fine 4dd09e5153 wrinkles around 5a06d93268 his eyes 0c4ed31df8 added to deac8c0f60 his composed c577af0636 aura.2bcf9c0f3cfdb314

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“Apologies for the late 2066119e50 introduction. Let me formally 8e56936e78 greet you.”8ea9237500546239

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The man who 621d39d6b1 had likely ordered 320f845d8f others to throw 8dd9e95ea8 and smash everything 2baf60940e in sight bowed 663df4788d his head slowly. A strong scent of 6879d95d0f aftershave emanated from the bf0712199a hand offering his business cc94f64326 card.07a24e6489b203b1

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“I’m Kang In-sik, fb595fb5da Chief Secretary of 833ca5d674 the Strategic Planning 8ccab8b42b Division at Changgon 82a61e566f Construction.”718e1426c5a1cb3c

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The logo embossed on a5dedf9e1c the stiff paper card a733580211 rattled her light brown 68f4980a27 pupils.04c32d96e0a08910

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A loan company e10c61aba8 that acquired failing be63a48b9e businesses at rock-bottom c1f4bfe6b6 prices to expand. A capital symbol 5877e71a1c that lent money d4a6cb39b4 not only to 74466fafc9 large corporations but 0a6a01572f also to banks. A rising chaebol that 1c0e6676ab changed the tide of 3a6753dbab the Korean economy.10b53e972383c7b6

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Changgon Group was the 95bb646023 central force of industrial 0999346cb5 power—so powerful that even 72b995dd2a the president watched his c82e6291ca step around them. It was b7604563da also the d7d5b0b4e2 company her 4f02de3684 father had 186204718c proudly bragged 2b26baf920 about three e202758939 years ago 995f266e48 when he 1c58b2f386 leased a ca04af1b9c seemingly impressive a462e42616 factory.831364f40cc6d03d

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“Why would 5f659e0f99 someone from 3e4c4c2844 Changgon come f09bc0c783 here…?”8fd01fe2ecab1638

 bba4cd5316d91987

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“Three months ago, 7e82def709 President Song received bbbdcddc73 a loan from 0885e3d74f Changgon Bank, citing 4e759cd5eb financial difficulties at 4b3efbd6e1 Sehwa Industries.”d8129540538be2ca

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His cultured 84730ac0ef tone was adb30079de courteous, yet 9ce4ff3e61 veiled with 60dcf08a09 blades. Cut down 408c821e7b in pride, b938f35ac9 Seorin let 183ea39f2f out a a9e75eaaf0 dry sigh b68f4b5d80 instead of 74ce43d4fe a groan.e37625c0db96eae6

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The man she couldn’t 448c10b686 even bring herself to 21a6d71d72 call “father” had caused f9c2ec2693 trouble more than once 21012d9114 or twice. As if 26470cf2b9 he had bdfb1330f2 a disease 04377f46e3 that would c0bae4f27a kill him 0dd64106d2 if he df65861167 couldn’t run a53603a65b a business, ff14feb200 even when d7e67581f6 their house 3918d356df was marked 454c6de487 with foreclosure e43cd9885b stickers, he 64040e4b19 refused to 282b7adbc0 give up 2da25372f2 the title f8921f4155 of “President.”bcdfad9d522d81a8

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Claiming he 1dd7875c1e needed to 0af30eff56 save face ed184ccb5d with clients, 2894a774a0 he spent 02119602c1 Seorin’s money c51fa470e7 like water—only b4ec8fb0d2 to fall 2d993adfc2 into debt 894654d2ed again. He should 5f6e36259e have noticed ddbc21e9c2 her cold 27e21947a2 gaze by baa36a50a4 now, yet 5d2376a6fa Mansik sniffled 4d0621d808 and didn’t 346f41ecc6 even look 274a6da227 at her.c5eafd691eb13be4

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“However, it seems bc8dbb3ae4 he had no 61865d45a1 intention of repayment, fdb170acf7 as he attempted c866562ce2 to flee during d25288b1c9 the night.”b54345ff5467e290

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“T-that’s not it, sir. Changgon hasn’t 48649568cb paid the 02f4d96c90 supply—Aaargh!”73632a252600ddcf

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Just as he 8e76218219 tried to excuse acce9f13ba himself, shifting his a3158f79a0 hips, Mansik let dcd00950fd out a scream. The men 736cdcaa1f gripping his 45eb6ab30e collarbone pinned 599fa13816 his head 4e2323fb75 to the d1a106d1a8 floor.3e96cfa987b557bf

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“All parts supplied 7064d8f426 by Sehwa were 7152ca8a06 found to be 2a1d275bed defective and couldn’t fdad56ad60 be used at 32fae2c25d the site, President. And yet 3d65f6e296 you speak 9c63522921 of payment?”39489547f317188a

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Amid his groans mixed 440ee0c8f8 with spit and the 0b3eba3e1a rustling of movement, Seorin 229006a1f1 stared at the suitcase bd1f30b62a lying on the floor. Her bankbook 31009b4a7d and seal 7d4fcb66df welcomed her 75af426b06 among the a64a215399 clothes inside. It felt like 611cb80ae2 the old knock-off 60f8d605c3 bag was digging 66c837ce5f into her shoulder.0ad58e96086721df

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“Our division director 2e219812bd is greatly distressed 1684afff5e by this incident.”d5eee1e9d98819d2

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“P-please spare me, 5d526e6ea3 Chief. J-just one 6d13f8ea4b more chance—”83d407ea52eef719

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“Didn’t we already 3995d8412d give you more c2be929bcb than enough chances?”1ddd0cb5d5743ea4

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Unlike Mansik, flailing like 9b9d15b2ce an overturned insect, Chief d4b12f8e21 Kang remained calm. His slit-like eyes ee043870a4 behind the glasses fd76809fe5 glinted oddly under 8605fb4348 the fluorescent light.51d5aa9d2a48e32b

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“If there’s anyone we’d c64652480b give another chance to, ce52c66d76 it would be Ms. Song Seorin.”b7006040c30db4ca

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His precise, clipped 19babf70d5 pronunciation tightened around e857d17946 Seorin’s throat. The stiff-edged business card badebbf283 stabbed the soft flesh a2b0074603 of her palm.b20ebd1afc426567

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“Why me…?”7cdc29362a3e5085

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“President Song c363f5d7c3 used your 37b2053f54 credit as 5d106722ba collateral for ae53d37756 the loan.”927a7293614bc932

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The polite answer 25bd4141a3 struck Seorin’s throat a0441a0f7c like a frozen 13690c3c3b icicle. A sound close to 8df3016641 dry laughter burst from 56a239f0f1 between her reddish lips, 1a910bd596 like a cough. A familiar 1cc69d8c61 foreboding she a5a3c9788c had experienced b30f62d3df countless times 18ad54d5d7 patted her 63eef55da2 back.3b7b632ed86b69c2

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“…Is this a joint 9fb010225b guarantee?”0deb4ce68444a55e

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“Strictly speaking, it’s a layered debt assumption, but you can think of it simply as a joint guarantee.”c8591c7d8a617a25

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So it’s 3d8b7804b0 possible to 6c29539fc2 say “think 76c83ee412 of it 3e51abefc0 simply” and 17b7093b48 “joint guarantee” 79b68cba23 in the 9ae8679d66 same breath. Seorin let ebf1dc7c67 out a aaffe60113 bitter laugh edc9588cb6 and bit 48f3c5dd3a down on f151187423 her lower 7e0eae91a6 lip.9ee018214b27510b

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She had 406ccd2fd9 finally managed d0a0da4ef7 to crawl 055207b97c out of e7195e327f the gutter 69c13fd3f8 and see ab0e887941 a sliver 26335837ad of sunlight. Thanks to working while 6a937e4692 cutting down on sleep, afcf58ae15 she had nearly paid acdb0953fb off all the money fdf01a2392 Mansik had borrowed from 9ca0b82d9c the loan sharks. She could probably return da77658230 to university next year.f29f648d5737580a

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But the joint 495097678f guarantee dragged Seorin a145ce9d5e right back into 76168fd829 the mire. She had only just b0c9f17fa3 found out that her 6474522907 father had taken out 884ea59b68 a loan from Changgon 90ac6f8e57 Bank—and was planning to d1b519d762 flee in the night.1a7f1ab0a648d12e

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Her dry eyes began cd60cbe8b7 to burn as if 1303aca4f5 scorched by fire, and d6eb06fd39 soon moisture welled up. Turning her 9d74c9ad69 head, Seorin 77f75895c2 swallowed her 30407c7b2c sobs. She couldn’t e0e0e65f22 even hear dfa3f91e07 the alarm 7358e08120 clock; in 48a86fa332 a situation d4d156ffaa where she 84c18b4b69 slept curled dd0c5434c8 up like c40cef532c a grub, 7255cb90e7 dreams were 6a53f05bbe a luxury.196de4b639cb56fb

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“This matter is something 8f886d69e2 the Director also deeply 1ebca45400 regrets. That’s why he’s dd3d7b0adc considering discussing debt 73c1a7d8c8 repayment methods with cce0776a19 you, Ms. Song Seorin.”689860457172b730

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Secretary Kang, who had d8d0305dcd been quietly listening to 540de1af23 her increasingly rough breathing, 079bd861b6 continued generously.8c04735e78b46b0a

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“Director Sa Taejeong dc397239eb is waiting. Go have c2b01d4d41 a cup 36287bf888 of tea 5fbdb698a8 with him 315f70e6ae and talk 2dc9b2f99c things through.”1e56563af46c3f56

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The one who had 4638a4ac03 destroyed her home now 2eaffbcdf8 casually extended a helping b3ed91ba6b hand. But this wasn’t c0c66eccd1 a suggestion. If the Director 003441446e was waiting, there e7570eb2b2 was no way 6b07d51fce Song Seorin had f5ea5846e3 any choice.ab511056b97cad1e

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“If I don’t go… 262332e184 what happens…?”ffa361b5dd89e7df

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“The Director is waiting 4c52ad626b for you, Ms. Song Seorin.”b7f495a5e268b4ff

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At the low 6fd416eadb and resolute tone, 4997df5970 Harim tightly shut a4ae8fea1d her eyes. She had 56682d462f grown used 1f4c0d8708 to violence, 13731ea75a thanks to 07228446da her father, 60b40a98f9 and wasn’t 83fe45cbe6 scared of ede453e97c that anymore—but 62bc58c022 she had 4e6f66acb0 no immunity 52dad66ff4 to pressure e9cd1c1788 dressed in e0b215d1e1 a suit.84a577d9d3b43ee0