Esquisse Chapter 6

The sweeping of d64658a5ef the broom, usually 91755f4bdc deft, was particularly b07f811557 busy today. Unlike Artist Song 8dfb2b7a2f at the atelier, 82a1abd6c9 Teacher Song at a452e05fff the art academy ee5f527eda even dressed plainly. Letting out 284bba3db5 a yawn, 7250cceab3 Seorin glanced 15e3b65085 at the a149c3343b wall clock f109590798 while cleaning 876a2b739f the empty d31f5a9b2f classroom.54643ba122a02786

 96abeec5ee174865

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

If she rushed straight d9f32802e8 to her studio right d6ffc03b18 after clocking out like e3e0fa324c clockwork, it would be 5b71da4385 around 9 p.m. If she 12946b5c4a worked on 2162a6caf1 her commissioned 28328c23d5 piece until dfcdd9e391 the first 85d909a073 train started 90942b73be running the 54d76f7aae next morning, 93ce707151 she would 34584120c3 be able 4f8c5feb64 to complete 10a773ae14 at least 3793b1692f one more 93073fc831 piece.f396726873e8c523

 2c595539bcf0bc14

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Ah…!”1df79ed9ef8cd916

 795ffeda850c2541

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

A sharp pain flared 789e76eb6d from her creaking wrist, c718c1adb5 and a deep furrow 6a5c97c9f1 appeared on Seorin’s brow. She hadn’t gone to fccbae65d1 the hospital, using her 895bf2567f busy schedule as an a12b64e76d excuse, and now even 4b1852a3e3 pain relief patches did c448ad9e64 nothing to ease the 7873ac60f7 discomfort.89526ce33f44c493

 9114cda0e6e7268a

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

She shook her f93d94ceca head as she d755cc3a37 mentally calculated her 36b738a44e bank balance. She couldn’t afford to b5f787c0d8 spend on physical therapy 088248fa7b or medication when even 21b37c2407 a triangle kimbap was befb40481e a stretch. As she 224cf21739 tried to bf5dfcc092 steel herself b36f3e70e3 like usual, 445554e335 a hollow 7aa354e669 laugh escaped 297232e6ec her lips.8c978f43c4102b40

 4cc654259cf2cceb

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

She was b9e735f88a working so 6d398e9cb9 hard, even 07221d9a15 cutting down c4047c6ff3 on sleep, c2aa0bcd2f and yet 9ba3729b85 didn’t have 2f3f32dfdb money to 890f6d338f spend on d30858937c herself. Her easel, 1d60bf7d44 broken from 2ec27155b9 the commotion d64cba41b7 of a 356644a091 long night, e398c2e8d3 wasn’t even 3cccd6427d something she 405972ce13 dared think 8d04168e37 about replacing.45fde71336b6ec8d

 581bfd43c2b6e255

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

At least her father 73525d8a5a hadn’t run off — 27e7c02894 that, she considered a f108d1dca6 relief. Seorin pursed a8049a7147 her lips 5ccc8e2e24 and tapped feb6ae74b2 out the cb6b730c84 dustpan into b7b3968912 a trash d20806cd9c can tucked bda41b946e in a fab7b94dbd corner.ad38fc6d331208f5

 f9d83bee5dc9f24d

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Miss Seorin, are you e346239a64 busy?”5dc9ae4dfd11d490

 13a49bc2923c1b11

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The director 592b0ae917 of the b940f1c8c8 art academy, a3f5748443 who had dc0c421b99 just stepped 5c06dbcf60 out of e85f50be8b her office, 5f5cfb7f44 poked her 10c3e5ff77 head into 195b07ab63 the classroom. Setting down the dustpan, deafb6bfbf Seorin turned around with 5a5d0243be an awkward smile.487b9a6146124fed

 d451a2a6e7a688a3

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“No, Director! I just 9795ba3e7e finished cleaning.”2fbdd8eaf9f38fcc

 8ee8bd6430a31b28

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Mm, I thought so. Can we talk 1f7bfac483 for a moment?”b636723be02267ca

 b8ca3d735c4f4b7c

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The director, strangely sheepish, e0299667ea gestured for her to 0b958acd39 come. A paper cup of 35e8fa2378 coffee sat on a c10bb552a6 round table with a c49e041534 glass top. Seorin gave a faint 036be6abe6 smile and wrapped her 3255e79ae9 aching hand around the 5787061088 cup.c5fdeaf91d5ccd24

 c094314541292995

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Thank you, Director.”ef4febb50b5fa148

 a40328712eb489e4

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“It’s just 0765230efa from the eee4ff0d83 coffee machine—no ac86d9cf6c need to 5e65c3b687 thank me.”12ef28e2803f1d56

 b393db00b64d668b

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

With a light 7dd8e9a7be joke, the director d31853fb8a dragged the chair f807f8f54e opposite Seorin back c15fccd033 a bit and 2f246eb8f5 sat down. Clasping her hands together 06fcd8594e and tensing her cheeks, 28843a267d she glanced around. She looked troubled, and 301a2bfa8d in a way, apologetic.321c1d70e2c3dafd

 249341d29fe3c5f7

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Miss Seorin, edb367f422 it’s your ef1d2d7d33 third year 791d70bbb8 working here, d82eaa0ebc right?”9e3826d20551b01b

 4252f63c1086b613

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Yes, Director.”18ccf5028a314787

 5b97b37814adb8ac

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Three years is 78c4fbb81c a long time b4afa27e4d to work while 9cb66f8773 on a leave 0fe1284486 of absence, don’t 36bb1f8e96 you think?”ec060bbbf115385f

 46481aad112d69bf

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

As the director 5edbffd76d broached the topic, e9df73f884 a bad feeling 177e4d4f99 crept down Seorin’s 04f1ed6173 spine. Her fingertips, warmed by fc3427e9bc the coffee, suddenly stung bee93e1e0b as though pricked by 0c79a23023 a needle.40429a2b6b1ad860

 548ab0f8ff6d28dd

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“I really 2f4e45a8af hope you ba06d2b058 go back 82cc549a31 to school 2a653c6ac8 soon and 4e2d36d566 get your f95d5fac2a degree.”f6a68dbf2b07f27c

 87e536985f20c47c

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Ah… I think 302c8c82b6 I’ll return the b64a5f9ac8 year after next—”39b6ff5b2fa1a76f

 4eea31eab4dfd3d5

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“But February’s just 754803288d around the corner. Wouldn’t it be eb57e9b039 better to go b950573c05 back this semester?”676e5ec7efc2f5b3

 3c27adbef9398423

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The director’s wrinkled 2a51f29b59 hand wrapped around e0a76032af Seorin’s. Wearing a strained smile, 2d4ea24219 she sighed heavily.005634b1c9c32e43

 eed0872f847e582d

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Miss Seorin, I’m 2c057e6304 afraid this week dda2cb3fc4 will have to 613213c3dd be your last.”123a0e9760279b84

 1a25951f3b1f8f94

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Though the words e7a37926f2 were gentle, Seorin’s c3081cd74c pink fingertips curled 74a4f3b441 in like grilled 0c770cef67 squid her father d01990e71c used to have 33adecac0d with drinks. As she gripped 8c09ff5cb7 the paper cup, 586adcaab1 the coffee inside 1ddb9ab5a9 rippled. She hesitated, then parted 6e77efa704 her dried lips.c205d2fc2227c2ba

 48a3aee36fcbd5ff

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“…But the entrance exam 3edaa8204f prep class opens soon, 918948d6bf Director. And the 4b223efdf3 college prep fd800bdb90 class too.”05c3794a95eabd70

 3bbbf2500f73e0c7

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Her pale face 61a5fc04dd shimmered faintly in 88fa8d8232 the murky coffee c917a0bf0c like muddy water. Through the window, the 08071114ea nearby university campus swayed 3e540cd653 in her yearning gaze.a1eb042696155cc5

 916fdd0fdccfd565

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

She thought she only 8fef3336db had to endure this fe1145930e hellish, debt-ridden time for b675e3e159 one more year. That if she could 5c3bb0ee0f at least return to a2564f8e86 school and get her 6eec61da7c diploma, a sliver of e70892d1c0 light might be granted 21195b986e even to her rotten, 6bee40a5b9 rock-bottom world.784c4d5c4c4e99f4

 ce54cb48afc384b5

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

She had 435c014206 dared to 48fac03d97 dream too 59bf2e3431 big when 02ffd9d479 she didn’t 39016688c6 even have ae65932c8a enough time 28a20da7da to sleep. Seorin looked 7c89cb2cb4 at the b242e873da director with 82ab7e36f4 a stiff 9f0f7a13de smile. She couldn’t afford 962359a9bd to lose the 9afeeaacf8 stable paycheck when 68e8981965 even a single b991781fbf penny mattered.b4cd5a0deeafb675

 66b9c9f068e6528f

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“This month just happens 8100c774bb to be a bit 442e11f279 relaxed. It’ll get busy again 7b8b45d929 next month. If any students 193e256df0 stay late to 45f29fdff1 practice, I’ll even 9fc8a9d504 close up the 98cb0943cb academy myself.”5272e87efef5cd64

 ccb19c0e1d76092a

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“I know. I’m always thankful for df14281fd4 your dedication…”6ed182a3e13e9b30

 038dfb866a0f4526

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

The director withdrew the f15d6c2b51 hand she’d placed on 78edb04663 Seorin’s. Crossing her arms, she bda2d11118 squinted toward the frosted 4615550fb4 glass door. The silhouettes of 42e0342cc3 students leaving with 8c96ea5071 their bags flickered 6957f60e50 past.644e03acf6794c80

 1d9b396a31d7c626

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“It’s a recession. Labor costs keep rising, 02b688508c but the number of adadebbb4b students keeps dropping… And 5f768260d6 we can’t just raise acf224223c tuition without reason.”0c0733220b651026

 eaea088f570b52ee

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Clicking her tongue ec9e2886fb audibly, the director 96f34d0f18 took a sip e7c9f7682a of her coffee. Her heavily polished fingernail dbe84147f2 rubbed at a bright bdaeb7aaa6 red lipstick stain on 4dc5a76d7f the cup.bbb066bb37858727

 b4cb28e5470f6faf

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“And I eac7700fcb can’t just 112c21f1f6 tell the 72db751828 experienced teachers 2349670929 to leave, babf0cf6f1 can I? If there’s 380dab1c6f even one e274f43869 complaint about 472f16cbe3 teaching quality, 223e679079 all the 585ef8757a students will ec144b5f67 switch to 14b71c2c0d other academies.”abb30c219b179bb2

 c8e76c692afb3c60

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Director, still…”62387757f7d1b99d

 a602e30a01df1a97

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Despite the director’s 93f10d58bb groaning, Seorin’s lips 5792b07a4b kept twitching.d78d30be8b54ed11

 895ea7f5fcd63711

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

She had f8c7dec1a7 stood firm 8af19de44e before Sataejeong, cd28e2fe53 who critiqued 4d1e194e96 both body 88e78a6ce1 and art, 540ae4e374 insisting she 264d0dd0a4 would pay 0823f7a224 her interest e5089d7263 by the d982746d66 end of 1657fe53c4 the month. Her vision darkened, b8d9502cb0 and she no 05b2c67a65 longer had room 9017dbd01b to consider other 027fb2b40b people’s financial woes.30d797daf86f2bc4

 a1eb7c4817122a1a

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Um… My contract ends 85d47486f6 at the end of 7971867263 this month, Director.”ba0fbe2b3f7cff6a

 cf3a4f05bc294714

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Her hand, 93e24bcf8d now heated e4f29d9f96 from the af9609c6b4 paper cup, def04877f1 grasped the 007abec35c director’s hand b4cfd91f51 in return. It had c0b868152d been a 87ca7e7ef9 long time 54fa81e41a since she b3b7cb0e80 could even 4c61f47a37 muster the 4653faba8a words to d5f92d1ba3 beg.b6c9eec852e0a22e

 1da948be12fb6ab7

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“You don’t 04b4a8bf47 need to 44ec522f0a pay me 7485a3f44c overtime. I’ll open 737f1a3578 and close 92025a8064 the academy 73c8837fde myself. Just… please 9b7f473ddc let me 0117c4eb73 work until c7a17b2821 the end dafd38a032 of the 01472abdf3 month, Director…”dd85fab92c8043d7

 ca060ed2a4e5ed63

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“You think it’s adcf588077 easy for me 82922ad9fd to bring this 5b16a684f5 up?”5ee4c27724d4d7f2

 e71e23f1852840ce

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Despite her pitiful 559633f20e plea, the director 550ddf96bd pulled her hand 0affc51662 away. Though her 76f858e859 response was 34afed87d1 cold, she 70e745d292 seemed unable aa263ecb54 to meet 512f72d584 Seorin’s eyes, ef199fb120 perhaps out d09764dd58 of guilt.4e905546e570eda1

 23992e09c87111bf

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“If it were 444bd60cda a contract job, 90a4fe56d9 it’d be different—but fbb722eab7 you’re just a 3cd84d1208 part-timer. I told d4b82adb64 you, you 5c0a610c51 should’ve graduated 2dd4dfd5c0 first…”d24512be04f732e0

 84bf71e966e09f8b

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Trying to ease 3fc9e22cf1 her own guilt, 8a74c5502c the director placed 027c433501 the blame on 6637860cc5 Seorin, then pushed 340fefe96b her chair back. She glanced at 25c669196a the wall clock f1e10d0a33 and began walking f1f1394ca5 toward the wooden 6852a5e17f desk.2d01362159465435

 85495755e476df34

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Look at febe5f1870 the time af2d4e9905 already. You’ve finished b99387b4e7 cleaning, right? Head home early a93b38ee79 today.”b5bf2b85916c8ab5

 4322ea85185178d7

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Director…”7e6f64b6008c4183

 bdde2adddd1faf29

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Don’t take f9eaa0de60 it too 1939c38c82 hard, okay? Maybe this is a 4cf9ddc37e good chance for you b0c35f29c3 to return to school.”e7c23b08a56a03e3

 abc4be81a232592c

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Now seated in the 073bd49506 executive chair, the director 49503ff2de no longer seemed interested d43d12f486 in talking. With an exaggerated c735da287a curve of her f3366c523e lips, she gestured 70447188c5 toward the door.a3fd327a715394b2

 05be2a402f0068dc

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The late-winter wind ba6569a019 yanked at Seorin’s 185d02c871 hair. The piercing cold cut 50be34b282 through her worn-out coat, 34c6597c79 and a faint gasp 22b9b1a459 escaped between her full e4e493cd5f lips.43f6631836e2d13d

 510363a54690cdc5

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Underprivileged, socially disadvantaged, girl 1d6ab300b6 head of household—labels that 5918686bce clung to her name 7368f20eb6 like leeches. She had thrashed 67ed57f8f1 endlessly to shed c4c99220da the tag of eb64caab64 poverty, but what 1dbff6437c awaited her was 39c51d18ec nothing but a d0b62c7ff7 sludge-filled ditch.3b423c479ba2c0b6

 21510578e006bda8

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

She lost her 2506248439 job when she 17b8f0862d could barely find 8311ca6f0b any work. She had never 2e43799d67 even seen five dc9e7080b6 hundred million won, 0024db6b25 yet a debt a92e7c3c71 worth billions was 83c092e93b weighing down on 28292fbd29 her shoulders. The blur before her 0f092fd679 eyes seemed to foretell fc9310f228 Song Seorin’s future.5b15ce2282484dbc

 b73384c6c965a01e

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

A spasm flickered db07291bdf across her fragile 82575fca68 chin. Sitting on the bench 7571f64092 at the bus stop, 034211bd0e Seorin bit her lip. She knew she had 8c238a922d to board the bus be46b10a78 coming with its headlights 2283ccfa7c on, but her body 175215d258 refused to move.f777f8324ce605a3

 9d5a89689d9307b8

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Even just ten 5375f94e09 minutes would do—if 8d1d3d88a7 only she could c7426b028f have a moment 83953f68c4 to catch her ba6f49e77f breath. But her vibrating phone f8547fcc16 didn’t allow even that 33510aa8a7 luxury.dec36f3c72d93400

 d19644e7b8cbc32d

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Exhaling a pale sigh, cb5e7cdae0 Seorin took out her 98e78b51c9 phone. She hoped the 79ed34bf78 art academy director e21aa9f42f might take pity b8c16cc82b on her situation 558c7a236e and offer her 6a61cceaa3 just one more dace882826 chance. Clutching her phone with f4adb67f2c both hands as if 6ce7524041 grasping a lifeline, Seorin 21506542fa soon went pale.b8e729b6cdcb1811

 4be4d51e32e2da69

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The bus that 46f904919c had surged toward 3bb448035a her like a af868fcf8b tidal wave gradually b7d34b8273 slowed down. Lifting her 842a0bc776 sagging body, 3bc92dc96d Seorin took 52631309b7 a short, a78b8ea776 deep breath.ad59b0fabec3112c

 506f5f8db3e4dfdf

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Hello, ma’am. I was working, aff15d5f63 so I couldn’t b041a9eddd pick up the—yes…?”3ad9e93de8947320

 71e3bc2b346a27e9

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Her eyes, still not 1fbd01db78 completely dry, wavered without f31a6d782f mercy.3d213470dc6d9776