Esquisse Chapter 6
by ArianaThe sweeping of a33a70e5cd the broom, usually c299fd4bbe deft, was particularly 4824c3ab9b busy today. Unlike Artist Song at 0887c6607d the atelier, Teacher Song 888fd900ac at the art academy b1736d01a9 even dressed plainly. Letting out a a4f83ab1e4 yawn, Seorin glanced a6690a0215 at the wall 7fe78edc37 clock while cleaning 56067ea538 the empty classroom.f7c298910511d54c
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If she f23ed22ca7 rushed straight 80ef8367b0 to her 122ec5fccb studio right 0155f4edc5 after clocking 0768b1b828 out like ec12d30eb6 clockwork, it cf59a9ec6c would be 1b17d62caf around 9 6416cd10b6 p.m. If she b31e427345 worked on 545a05b699 her commissioned 215b0c20a3 piece until 52cc3b93d6 the first 519b4dbcc6 train started 844d449584 running the 0550412f9e next morning, 4e7e78d470 she would 6920476575 be able a1c5b0bb56 to complete 45db280447 at least 38941d5fb4 one more ec0a0c62dd piece.99eca1a9df162137
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“Ah…!”eb7e53599edc9366
756e976803976077
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A sharp pain flared 6cf3253bd9 from her creaking wrist, 6d2fed70c2 and a deep furrow d05e740fd5 appeared on Seorin’s brow. She hadn’t gone to f160d4aca8 the hospital, using her d4ddcf32dc busy schedule as an 43a32d4591 excuse, and now even 424d25c79b pain relief patches did 2e19677a4d nothing to ease the cf6e5a9b18 discomfort.ebe61ba231ff2601
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She shook her head c48cf974b8 as she mentally calculated 605af5ae00 her bank balance. She couldn’t afford 645f14a396 to spend on 9521f4b8a7 physical therapy or 7aacf252f9 medication when even 0f91091aa1 a triangle kimbap 5a2b402914 was a stretch. As she tried to 90e92951be steel herself like usual, 5b2e50e615 a hollow laugh escaped 0333ece72e her lips.df75cd5e06827d1f
6d0a34f4e1cd82c3
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She was 23d5c820b4 working so 90efc68578 hard, even 6cb23e92bb cutting down e8b849075c on sleep, dcf6b30571 and yet a8101cca04 didn’t have 3e32e59e23 money to a30ae43381 spend on 9410a55e49 herself. Her easel, broken 1ae80df232 from the commotion ad1d48c59e of a long 2246657fbb night, wasn’t even ed861ffb07 something she dared be7e56ba91 think about replacing.be028a3d270e3974
ea22edc6de0cd465
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At least her father 36e1ff5d5b hadn’t run off — 9b550580c3 that, she considered a 5ba4b49e46 relief. Seorin pursed her 6d899a7a4a lips and tapped ff75907549 out the dustpan 7a7fa52acf into a trash ba50be5ca5 can tucked in e5d46fd831 a corner.0d5f7d21644547fd
f246dcf5a501b092
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“Miss Seorin, are you b10d99a2ac busy?”7da07735e54933d3
98ea745b94542198
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The director of cc2a97de5e the art academy, 07d0b0d30e who had just c648fdbb87 stepped out of 3c424c37e7 her office, poked 76bbaab99c her head into e5ddaa8157 the classroom. Setting down 9bd3628fa7 the dustpan, 9121947355 Seorin turned 1529d97344 around with f9eb4f36f2 an awkward d752b6e08b smile.3db4c9791aefee73
3774c4b890c857cc
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“No, Director! I just finished 8c719752cb cleaning.”bc208a0946cabea9
73142cd513a448b0
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“Mm, I thought 4607c26183 so. Can we 0f43f50282 talk for bee4395b37 a moment?”e371627678056d61
df5f44679c4f152c
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The director, 6642aaa08f strangely sheepish, 2894a73dbb gestured for 2f8b1b6445 her to d721420951 come. A paper cup b76a9659a4 of coffee sat 971ea0027e on a round e05af02146 table with a 94f91bc3c8 glass top. Seorin gave a 98b759d448 faint smile and 4da6d8a270 wrapped her aching 6bf25cc8c3 hand around the 577d2d528a cup.84469251c9634441
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“Thank you, Director.”415f21a19c2ffb73
8f7b2e705c9bbabf
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“It’s just from the d94eb47956 coffee machine—no need to 6101477f79 thank me.”fbb3609801711a5f
1cb47422f6efd529
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With a light 70cf090e26 joke, the director bc8f68bc40 dragged the chair 30999a146b opposite Seorin back 09baf49c8f a bit and 08d1f52ab0 sat down. Clasping her hands together 84d10f3287 and tensing her cheeks, 08eaade42d she glanced around. She looked troubled, and feaf390664 in a way, apologetic.587c44bc3f8ec1d7
4cbd7b0f06c2bc50
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“Miss Seorin, it’s b37efa47c5 your third year 22e510ccc0 working here, right?”9112bcec7b9f9711
4a3b589be8ec5f11
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“Yes, Director.”dae4477d4ef469bd
0e51c5106c1bb50f
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“Three years is a 75370eaabf long time to work 62a865e848 while on a leave 632bf530c1 of absence, don’t you a091aeda33 think?”a4d0a48d63950098
853c8db195d98826
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As the director 07a6381a63 broached the topic, b5ec704182 a bad feeling 0e6a98ab2e crept down Seorin’s d81c48a513 spine. Her fingertips, warmed by ffbc346b3a the coffee, suddenly stung c2ee94998e as though pricked by 7e9bbfdc5a a needle.831c3179d5524503
c832b72e47102409
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“I really hope you 9df2d3af6d go back to school bb0352040b soon and get your b1051dd5fd degree.”a4d60a883c48e17e
29a515363f105805
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“Ah… I 9073bda8d9 think I’ll 01eba072f2 return the f539b3c340 year after 7234a76725 next—”d5d8edde9164404c
e8dad2cea8c68c52
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“But February’s 3353ac008f just around 8207cf0287 the corner. Wouldn’t it be fad80a650c better to go d0212be7b6 back this semester?”da93656b8ef36939
32fecad9ab9a919f
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The director’s a2515be821 wrinkled hand 1406f9f359 wrapped around 81f0851355 Seorin’s. Wearing a cc0ecbd7c5 strained smile, d290b9d120 she sighed fa3687ab69 heavily.80820760d79ede46
cc95970d6277cfd4
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“Miss Seorin, 626de9cd67 I’m afraid d51a377236 this week cf3d3d7810 will have 26edbd6641 to be 263b83bdcd your last.”f7dc66fa743f0c4c
448299f3ba5782ca
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Though the words were 917ac79f28 gentle, Seorin’s pink fingertips 29223c018b curled in like grilled 9b72d09708 squid her father used 770d6fb058 to have with drinks. As she gripped e5ded66ae4 the paper cup, d3e85319e1 the coffee inside 70cd5a87fd rippled. She hesitated, then parted 23fd92f7ed her dried lips.d64b2f2c84314617
a3f81f6d188176b8
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“…But the entrance exam a922ab6bcb prep class opens soon, a18e56a01e Director. And the college fc88e647bb prep class too.”9b401bc9a6990ad9
aa4e6450b602972c
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Her pale b84cb5c9be face shimmered 13fc32ba02 faintly in 0948f29a1a the murky e3d1b28184 coffee like 0a1dce270b muddy water. Through the window, d0b978e5e9 the nearby university 9572ed9daa campus swayed in 4892cc9131 her yearning gaze.9807481ba310c0e6
f0896a15d8779261
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She thought 9e2ae92b12 she only 2780f49856 had to c719faae3c endure this e047e0eb89 hellish, debt-ridden d0528f0e18 time for ce5cae2899 one more ea6db94b12 year. That if she 005ce71e24 could at least b7d110fbb2 return to school adcab6635d and get her 31ed204d50 diploma, a sliver 68dde68c22 of light might e883453364 be granted even 97a576e1e1 to her rotten, 75256f51b0 rock-bottom world.4d3a35adac055ad0
4a240349567754fd
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She had dared to 5077d4fbf3 dream too big when ff88e7414b she didn’t even have 1d34664f26 enough time to sleep. Seorin looked at the f586d1a6cd director with a stiff 74f97a7eec smile. She couldn’t afford 2538efa7fa to lose the 28838aeeb5 stable paycheck when efa09e7863 even a single 07ae65d89d penny mattered.68b4ac913c17ec0c
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“This month 00ca2ee477 just happens f5a13324e3 to be dec211721b a bit 1315e53b20 relaxed. It’ll get busy again bf0161b6c3 next month. If any students 617f6b28e8 stay late to 3f96fd3e5f practice, I’ll even 7fe6242d46 close up the ef1d2690aa academy myself.”9f49b475c9c16619
198cffc8873f8d71
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“I know. I’m always e239b6e58c thankful for cb17b497e4 your dedication…”6815ae34e452405a
1789610789229dae
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The director withdrew 954625f0d0 the hand she’d 1e46489f65 placed on Seorin’s. Crossing her arms, 532cb79606 she squinted toward bf17c84da8 the frosted glass d779c17f4b door. The silhouettes 3c5a9f07c2 of students 320c1dcdde leaving with 2f928eca60 their bags 02fa20ded1 flickered past.08fdf290add51fe0
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“It’s a recession. Labor costs keep rising, bcd7b3d8fb but the number of 09bf95563f students keeps dropping… And ce7a92b74b we can’t just raise d6404b2200 tuition without reason.”3a0fe29293892fd9
b8f57b5a4ad2523a
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Clicking her tongue audibly, a9432a5b24 the director took a 491073b8df sip of her coffee. Her heavily polished fingernail a5e722fc0a rubbed at a bright 45b3d87017 red lipstick stain on d6747b78c9 the cup.e236d1d24dc56f75
d73448923c6be1d4
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“And I can’t just 4eeb12a5f3 tell the experienced teachers 6af4219992 to leave, can I? If there’s even 48cba0e51a one complaint about a5ce16be16 teaching quality, all 480d160f0c the students will 9aabc3ecfb switch to other c19bdce083 academies.”2d31d0c84c6f1176
e23746dd01954510
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“Director, still…”fb3843db6dc84841
b629b68470ff9698
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Despite the director’s f65059498c groaning, Seorin’s lips 8955e618ab kept twitching.89f2774890edf252
ab62f33466ef1a82
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She had a62de199bc stood firm 81271bfb5b before Sataejeong, a931ab8433 who critiqued 708824a59a both body 551089ca5e and art, 2bde3123a3 insisting she 49832c1d5e would pay 9bced8bb3a her interest 650bdee3c7 by the aa0ce75571 end of c4d16a4cab the month. Her vision darkened, and 0fb3a2a74e she no longer had 59ef195dad room to consider other 06a0cb816f people’s financial woes.0e65376529b3d30b
241140a90143d58e
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“Um… My 7d251c5cc6 contract ends 2902be31d0 at the 6f3be6be87 end of a1a0f2b847 this month, db3ed0785d Director.”d6bfe7aeeb9ad100
ab0b9cf333bfcce0
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Her hand, now heated d1246fe4ac from the paper cup, a8705759ac grasped the director’s hand 58c6b47020 in return. It had 8d3f3ed6df been a 737ebd82ac long time fe8bc9064c since she 4db27a5c57 could even 4f43e4646f muster the 71265f6b6a words to 7a96517e53 beg.8d89e48cbe2e2936
66fb3d9c7ca26f54
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“You don’t need to 0721ba9cbb pay me overtime. I’ll open and 1f85e7123f close the academy 7be011f9d8 myself. Just… please let 1c411b0d80 me work until f589319101 the end of f63492c340 the month, Director…”90d9a80715d64c6b
5af6367158bb42a2
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“You think it’s d137e439c9 easy for me 152d03d503 to bring this 4a3ecf4664 up?”4724dd73deaf1e5e
2d0ada32bed6f95a
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Despite her pitiful plea, 9c5d101174 the director pulled her eb0ddcf4b8 hand away. Though her response was f4b2ff5ee2 cold, she seemed unable 554be6f98c to meet Seorin’s eyes, 809bb684bc perhaps out of guilt.447d42c5e1351697
75e4b7f74db763e0
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“If it were a 0cc3ab9275 contract job, it’d be e9fe814484 different—but you’re just a d3aa6e9be1 part-timer. I told you, c09a535953 you should’ve graduated 2f2a81ec62 first…”82572982171d5839
4ef25be00795ec98
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Trying to ease her 6ccc0e15e3 own guilt, the director 81b6df353d placed the blame on a969360394 Seorin, then pushed her 751712ff42 chair back. She glanced at 09b2d19039 the wall clock 04ad569603 and began walking bc21328efc toward the wooden dc08d16133 desk.a7d4d238e57089dc
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“Look at the ac975143e2 time already. You’ve finished cleaning, 8af17adb6f right? Head home 0dc4611bf9 early today.”866e01be68f240c5
111f193a9ae18cd9
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“Director…”08d714eefff24eca
cf9d86a5f92c4446
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“Don’t take it 0c644ec834 too hard, okay? Maybe this is a d4784aa7d6 good chance for you f25441e055 to return to school.”7623fd7dac2d6191
502b4b2ba1d23b6a
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Now seated in the ae2c185fc3 executive chair, the director 36601044d0 no longer seemed interested 378c99ad71 in talking. With an exaggerated curve 46ba3720f3 of her lips, she 2d4e48654c gestured toward the door.4e4c23af057ad420
a86181b49d9efc7a
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The late-winter 92e554f979 wind yanked aa97d499ff at Seorin’s 6f5076a6bd hair. The piercing cold 6d775d4bdc cut through her 95b4ebc0c1 worn-out coat, and 92c95dc2ae a faint gasp c32f6b6f94 escaped between her 3ada726cbc full lips.337b44d4eb1746b5
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Underprivileged, socially 72f08c0002 disadvantaged, girl 1481635c8a head of 0cbcdb3d3a household—labels that 66d9ac28f2 clung to 6c5025f239 her name 1a524abee7 like leeches. She had thrashed 6c84067740 endlessly to shed 0f6bdaf5a9 the tag of 1f258eda86 poverty, but what 191ab13e4f awaited her was 82667f41c3 nothing but a 27494ce38c sludge-filled ditch.0f2d4a9bf871628c
c19bd9b8c7474cae
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She lost 632d275bd3 her job 591f157787 when she ada34e1632 could barely c80387ee6b find any c4706545d5 work. She had never even 2e32dc3da6 seen five hundred million 49410a4f89 won, yet a debt 5da82f255a worth billions was weighing 030de77ecc down on her shoulders. The blur before 921c367033 her eyes seemed 9e93b1e112 to foretell Song ed6fd020f3 Seorin’s future.53680ec63b3057f9
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A spasm 37f7d2c2d9 flickered across a3c35181d9 her fragile d6f1e7f84d chin. Sitting on the bench 5ed6bee974 at the bus stop, 8e5c0ed3ca Seorin bit her lip. She knew she had bc3878ce19 to board the bus 6a718c569a coming with its headlights d70610c4fc on, but her body e252763cc8 refused to move.2f2d6bea5df6a648
7649d01a22065732
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Even just f05a7f11a0 ten minutes 6504e05b47 would do—if 0bf5a862e1 only she 67bbfb0564 could have 6a932e16ef a moment ea53cbb45f to catch 673b0c0a08 her breath. But her vibrating phone 6dce7f705d didn’t allow even that 3083d9789f luxury.5c8789c0933bf26b
4ac92dbe8697a2fb
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Exhaling a pale sigh, 44d4972728 Seorin took out her 7781093947 phone. She hoped a76e6763a1 the art 064336bb70 academy director f6e87b3000 might take 0ac5ee8a91 pity on 5e62e5d4f7 her situation 42db0ec61a and offer 4c06f3ee77 her just f69c750b61 one more 80a9f2b0ed chance. Clutching her phone 34601e1213 with both hands 48c192b54b as if grasping c225c800bd a lifeline, Seorin 36a38e39ca soon went pale.0f34fae7630e9f77
861f82ca3670a3bf
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The bus 51fb02f7d3 that had 45bc5b0864 surged toward f2c06fffdf her like b40c396ee5 a tidal 99c0079341 wave gradually 9fede9a912 slowed down. Lifting her sagging 141939acc0 body, Seorin took 1ec8684604 a short, deep c3cd208c8e breath.b3bfba94eadf5cfa
ad50f94980f84c86
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“Hello, ma’am. I was working, so 753f123f72 I couldn’t pick up bd425532a6 the—yes…?”6be80fa803696472
e556da2e9f8b2881
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Her eyes, still not 69057d9767 completely dry, wavered without 6669dbb624 mercy.8b843c5853969560