Luci Pearl
Stories
4
Chapters
78
Words
157.6 K
Comments
11
Reading
13 h, 7 m
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“Eden! Good heavens… Are you alright?” After what felt like three years, Nathan returned three months later. At that time, Eden hadn’t eaten a proper meal, leaving him too weak to hold a brush. Nightmares plagued him since the market incident. Forcing a smile, he tried to focus his blurring vision. He just wanted Nathan to hand over the money and leave—interacting with anyone was too exhausting. “I’m fine.” “Eden…” “Winter’s almost over, isn’t it? Things’ll get…-
12.5 K • Ongoing
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After finishing lunch, Eden shut himself in the workshop to paint while his uncle wrapped the prepared paintings in cloth. As the sun set, a knock echoed through the house. When his uncle opened the door, a stout man with a warm expression enveloped him in a hearty embrace. “Well, how’ve you been?” “Nathan, it’s been a while.” Nathan was an old friend from his uncle’s days working in the capital. A merchant, he visited Eden’s home every three months, selling Eden’s paintings in…
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12.5 K • Ongoing
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When Eden was very young, he once asked his uncle why no one ever called him by his real name. “Uncle, my name isn’t Eden, so why does everyone call me that? My name is—” His uncle, always foolishly kind, changed in an instant. Before Eden could finish his sentence, his uncle grabbed him by the collar and dragged him outside the house. It was a day of pouring rain. Stunned by the sudden turn of events, Eden couldn’t even cry; he just looked up at his uncle. But his uncle’s face wasn’t…
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12.5 K • Ongoing
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There was a time when the New Humanity was revered as sacred beings. They looked no different from humans, save for one thing: their horns. Two sturdy horns, rising proudly from their heads, were both a symbol of their dignity and a beacon that compelled humans to look upon them with awe. The New Humanity willingly endured the pain of being named, transforming that agony into joy, living lives of sacrifice for the sake of humans. In return, humans regarded them with reverence, and the New Humanity…
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12.5 K • Ongoing
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📧Received Emails (0) Hoping against hope, Sewon clicked “send and receive” again, but no new emails appeared. He stared blankly at the empty monitor screen. Tap, tap, tap. The office still buzzed with the sound of typing, but Sewon’s hands were adrift. Gnawing at his lower lip, his gaze fell on Dojun’s samples. The box, battered and dented at the corners, was wrapped in layers of tape. Carefully peeling off the shipping label, Sewon opened it. Inside were test samples and product…-
53.9 K • Ongoing
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Sewon’s face hardened as he turned on his computer. He hadn’t messed up, yet it felt like the blood drained from him in an instant. The number of incoming emails was absurdly low. 📧Received Emails (17) Working at the company, Sewon had learned something new about himself: his body reacted to stress instantly. As he bit his lip, sorting through emails, when a voice interrupted. “Sewon, you busy?” Manager Kim approached, laptop in hand. The past few days, anyone could see Sewon had…
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53.9 K • Ongoing
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Once Again, Monday “Ugh… another damn Monday.” Sewon, face blank as ever, mulled over his feelings about the start of the week. He hesitated over the email’s closing line, torn between mentioning the “sharply rising temperature swings” or wishing for a “lively start to the week.” He settled on the latter. Moments later, an email loaded with files as heavy as Sewon’s mood was sent off. ‘Lively start to the week.’ At least he hadn’t written “Happy Monday.” That…
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53.9 K • Ongoing
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As 6 p.m. hit, team members stretched and rose from their desks one by one. “What’s the occasion? Treating us to sogogi?” “We crushed it this quarter. Heard we exceeded targets in North America and globally.” “Maybe we’ll get a bonus.” The team threw on their coats, tossing out comments about tonight’s dinner. Though hastily planned, it was at a pricey, well-known spot, so their expressions weren’t entirely begrudging. “Sewon, still got a lot left to do?” Manager…
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53.9 K • Ongoing
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The next day, Sewon arrived at the office early, as usual. Sometimes, he’d even beat the diligent executives to claim the first spot, but yesterday and today, Dojun had taken that place. “Good morning.” “Morning.” Dojun nodded at Sewon’s greeting, which felt more natural than the day before. His gaze briefly met Sewon’s before returning to his laptop. Sewon set his bag down, opened his laptop, and, after a moment’s hesitation, stood in front of Dojun. His mouth went dry because…
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53.9 K • Ongoing
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After shaking hands with the man and returning to his desk, Sewon still felt dazed. Reading emails, the words seemed to float aimlessly in his mind. Time marched on steadily, and soon it was time for the meeting chaired by Department Head Kim. “Some of you may already know each other,” Department Head Kim began. “But for those meeting for the first time, shall we do quick introductions?” The man started his introduction. At the phrase, some of you may already know each other, a cold glance…
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53.9 K • Ongoing
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