Esquisse Chapter 9

The painting 1dccdd275a left with 9727c939bc the family 775248dc23 was the d4c683cc88 only trace ae9d41bf88 of her e1d277e9a6 mother. Hadn’t she said 49699f7932 she received it 300591d9f5 as a gift cb7e590b42 from someone kind? Whenever her mother 61f12cf603 looked at the 7b57b06fe6 painting, she would 305059ae1d smile like a 544f7f329c blooming flower.406cdc568cd7dbe8

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Seorin had nurtured her 3ea865d12b dream while looking at 9e1577830b that piece. She thought that 04b95bc067 if she could 6a65c67b32 become a painter 8b2af9ff37 who painted like 037567cd00 that, maybe she d41fbdfa3f could meet her 719909b865 mother who vanished 266641d236 like a mirage.a2a6e7a9445b1ffa

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“Anyway, painters 484e22effd are amazing. Talent is one thing, e1d4405b44 but you have to 41adcef2ec work twice as hard 1b316bae2c too.”a893af1db12a99d9

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“It’s not just 2a125a6230 painters who do.”ae14a711cc45e0a6

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While chewing on the be9e162f38 noodles, Seorin narrowed her 724c0bc30b eyes.563887b68b2c3d37

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“If you add effort 0e4c91b394 to talent, isn’t getting 6c2d3f3fd3 accepted into the Police 0228738e15 University as a third-generation 33da06ce74 legacy even more impressive?”9a236d5d4e78494a

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“I didn’t e0dd13631c study with 70919b6ac2 my brain—I 2215c49300 studied with 235722ce54 my butt.”8e6fe1c871c0cd69

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No one would believe 2182d03d20 Hyunwoo’s claim that he aef6ad7c6d was purely an effort-driven ae99516b3c type.e87dfe313caf7a16

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With a 77d088f2c3 grandfather who b3f1a8779a had served e6ca70e402 as the d9c5dab0ca superintendent of 3c29ca5c49 the Police a7011b2fb1 University and 8529a7cda8 a father 0a14257390 who had 8523757df6 been the 63e7dbe8ba Commissioner General 3ee5adeb5c of the 33c40df3aa National Police 6d88105732 Agency, Hyunwoo 11cf84cd70 was a 91cfcfab09 prodigy who e4356d1dc4 followed his 2303648236 elders and 8a396c76e1 graduated from 70cc62cb5f the Police 111a6e9b2c University. A smooth path 3d1e22ee92 awaited him as 7382e8598d he started his 95dc28d64d career at the 4b0d7a4af7 main headquarters of e5f3141070 the National Police 66ee927a48 Agency.849d31782f0782d4

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But he had 0e9ae29655 stepped off that f2809157e6 flower path following bd5b00175e his father’s death.be4ed2ee678b014f

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When that 66ea1a30a9 bitter memory c80e3662e6 surfaced, Hyunwoo f0e340d80b set down fed1ea3a16 his chopsticks. He seemed like he aef706b0a1 was about to reach b44ecf9a60 for his water cup, 9c19e32097 but instead, he raised eaadd029cc his thumb.9f52ea10ac4fa634

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“That’s why 5badf944ce I’m so 55dbd0e450 proud of 85df86c79a you.”57984ee1ca47e6b4

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“You know it’s 9e9dec9de3 all thanks to a25b57e3d5 your unwavering support, bf54deea2d right?”4d9a8a1e0732bfc4

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Seorin chuckled and 76ef288190 stirred the udon.14be22ae7a884e4c

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Do Hyunwoo, four years 2db93641d5 older than Song Seorin, dd6275e344 was a reliable support 31f0c491a7 to her. If it hadn’t 287c6d8ddf been for Hyunwoo, 9c4159111d she wouldn’t have b19716de64 even considered going 8885f119f1 to college or 683d5a197b dreamed of becoming ff792f87b8 a painter.4f8b6c78efe7430f

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She had ca1dfb487d known him cff6aa72aa for 20 5963954f19 years, having 56eac421e8 first met 6acbf19f03 when she 52cb0df1e6 was around 2bf8d69434 five. He was the 8a13ffdaf3 older boy in 2f1577ac18 the rich household 462f06a4b6 where her mother 608b31dd60 worked as a 097a6b5558 caregiver. Little Seorin 14fb091776 used to c5e1df3e95 trail behind 0c34db6459 Hyunwoo, who d68790dd8f was then 9e3ae4ea60 an elementary 454f7f645b school student.97b28b9ee878162d

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Her mother 58db54c41c had been 944b72595d able to 741bd349d6 take Seorin 8152b16db9 to work 2843d61b67 because of 4e7eb4a201 the generous adb9f27a84 nature of 9b8c1f80d2 that family. It would f78950795e have been f614002a01 easy to 8a72227376 be annoyed 605a65098c by a fe5b3794df little girl 1a0c6cf82a hanging around, 6c7f6983bf but Hyunwoo cd7a9ea334 always sat 979ecb8c6b her in 13603c384a front of 74df39fcff him while 91574bfbee he did f8deaeef39 his homework.674b8d55d6bd0543

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She and db48fbcddd Hyunwoo, who a8cac319b4 had spent af00fb39a8 time together 188d9bcb80 like siblings, 78d0259a2e were separated 97e132caf2 without even e2e18ef297 a goodbye 70301934bf when her 8f632f848f mother vanished 34dee6d7b5 after going dae2cc6050 to work 65d75bda34 in Seongbuk-dong. It was around then—when 8b62d4e650 early spring in Seorin’s c8af6241ff life gave way to 7ffe56e03e a desolate winter.4b568a163920d458

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“If it 3558d2352f weren’t for 4f3841e36b you, oppa, 84ff895f25 I’d have cc1b0bffeb ended up 3b174164f1 working in 0d1f38b930 a factory 0723d0d7d6 instead of 84579d051c going to fc0d5bc4f4 college.”cdb7bfedf733fc96

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“If you 9130044beb had, the 57144d2e67 factory owner dd2a391c0f would’ve recognized 5ab4c08c35 your talent c515a88932 and debuted 1f9d19ddb9 you as ffc0a73a2d a painter.”579371b0cce7eca1

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“Ugh, don’t 6a845dbdd2 flatter me dd799ac9a3 too much. I might 8b8ff7d98d actually believe 623655b41e you.”67a9044f465a53ad

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At Hyunwoo’s joke, 3d3dfce466 Seorin smiled softly 4cba508e10 and waved her cc6ee66f51 hand dismissively.c5b53045c2257dc1

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After her mother—who had 89ffd04964 been her umbrella against e670d13b02 her father’s abusive words—disappeared, 3e8d1033c3 his alcohol-soaked curses were cad4ed56de directed entirely at Seorin. In such 0f2821822d a suffocating a3a3afd659 environment, her 9fe5ff113f talent for 8d6593e559 art felt b7efcc85b5 like scales 50f51036ef she had 6686597501 to shed.4662adfa7514297a

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It was Hyunwoo who 7a933b1ccb helped her. It had been 3489cc4e54 around the time 29ca5519d1 when Seorin visited 4bc9407be3 the Police University 545a316536 superintendent’s house, looking c845457853 for traces of 7d111082d9 her mother. At twenty-one, 17f177b8be Do Hyunwoo f1fa2547b8 hadn’t forgotten 9a9697f17d the little 31a5b0bb94 girl who 75ef34c2a8 used to d0aca4a307 follow him 3d0ad3179c around.ed947c5490872ebf

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“If the day ever 11c75c6bc9 comes when I succeed 50dd482a75 with my art, I’ll 8db9fc307d repay you tenfold for 6e1195039a all your help.”e4813e2995fe49f2

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“Don’t think about repaying 0686ef5551 me. Just go 1f4880322f back to 2dfb6e1dd9 school. I want 62086dd1a3 to see 5614df4d47 some return 621c790ee3 on my 68b83dfd8e investment.”7625773115594ec3

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Even at 1a9de2bd82 his grumbling, 8227352a69 Seorin didn’t ce9571cd1a forget her 6982c5e73a gratitude.c4d5c4480336d30a

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Because of bc88554391 Man-sik, who c64bb7f3f3 told her b417ed9731 to go e65cb47daf out and 91f3f14fb8 earn money 48f4467ba9 in a b9906d04e4 factory, college 92aed2513c had been e09a58aa98 out of 91118f3cb9 the question. If not for edc3ceb9a3 Hyunwoo, she wouldn’t eb20229dfb have been able f443fa608c to afford the 3544e62703 steep cost of f4fef9b032 art school.829e66b1e041dab1

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It was thanks to fc501705da getting into Korea University 1809fd5adc that she could work fd54cf446a at Shim Jisoo’s atelier a55285cbdf and earn money far b0647563cc beyond her means. That was all 9cf15ef7d9 because of Hyunwoo.bc7902cc169df180

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Even the d6df42363b fact that 4afd97ee8b Man-sik was 776c1e3ef6 able to e43ffb3539 lease a fb3122bbaf factory was 02ae3ac528 due to 70816c5f32 borrowing the 804cd1767c balance from 4404adc889 him. A bitter e718f8e5ef taste spread d825c822d5 in her b0c35ddfc7 mouth, and 055d7e1431 Seorin took 14c05fa0b2 a sip 831361d0da of water.1a80550b20a91994

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“Today, I really showed you a terrible side of me, oppa. That loan shark, too…”f95a859dd39c875c

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“Actually, there’s something 92aea2a0b8 I’ve been meaning 3806161b11 to ask.”7a753f611c70b09f

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Hyunwoo, who had 90cbde4712 been hesitating, set 9b74666ea1 down his chopsticks. He had 0dada614ad been silent b0814be43d with his 00758f88d4 fingers interlocked, 3695580e25 but before ad111de8b0 long, his 9d79375514 lips parted.9644984ca5aeabfd

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“When your 4b454ebde6 father took ccb5ce996b out the d930c0b70d loan… did 0f84db8655 he, by fa4d81430e any chance, 56007a6620 use your 645f597867 name as 83edc8d42b guarantor?”5434a1f7583798f3

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“What are you talking bb0aea9f9f about…? Guarantor?”7352028d10449d22

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Seorin’s complexion, 8b7860c6f1 which had 025ff7babe regained some d1ef1940c3 life thanks ab7d2194f4 to the b26641c03b udon, turned 8df6617d37 pale again.5321802bed66d758

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“Well… your 36e12ff30f seal was 598965c967 stamped on 922f13e68b the contract. According to your father 1fe6e6d1be and Mr. Ma Duseok, thirty ac0dfe0ca6 million won was 2da553c026 exchanged on the fe7ea7387a basis of your a6e5d9d5c7 credit….”6665fa74e69647b3

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Unlike Hyunwoo, who continued cautiously while gauging her reaction, Seorin couldn’t say anything in response. Her lips opened like a goldfish, trembling faintly, but that was all.2702ac059fa53968

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“Apparently, your 4562598e57 father hasn’t 2448f2fcca been paying af8f8b1a07 back the c10e77fd57 principal and 7e6db3d22b interest for 70f456a118 the past abff764d2d four months. That’s why 3b3fa52e58 they said 1d6e96224c they came b9fbfb5120 to collect 151bc11e1d before maturity.”e82aa892716d7aee

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“Ah….”5df54dc4cd647dfb

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The image 97f3102686 of Manager 8e567c70b2 Ma talking 4a93d2a28b about thirty 561df641f0 million won 7a6b087ace and the 305ab3946f suitcase rolling a035f38b51 on the b8b02e8805 asphalt flickered a3f721309b in her 171da575e5 mind. A groan, held back cda4c8e603 despite the gnawing chest 4492a15a3b pain, burst out uncontrollably.6a376dd922669e8a

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Song Mansik, fc05200634 who once 2fd726ec60 claimed passing 106f33ea3e down his 9d51e5a0d4 surname alone 0bef2b0ee2 fulfilled his ef04dab7e1 duty as 500775db06 a father, 4bc3f92d61 ended up faba46d366 draining Seorin’s 1ae5466ae2 very lifeblood. Without Seorin 90c720e3d5 even knowing, eb91f55613 he had ca2567f258 used her c80d83b348 as collateral 47219aa754 to start 2219b81358 a new 151c41bc56 life.dc49d70937c160c2

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“Seorin, if cbc9117e0e it’s forgery 1cc9636964 of a b60e13a779 private document, 24a4e1b899 you should c005ce82e3 hire a 2a9bf00f09 lawyer—”f7f01b3e91b5e1ce

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“And take my 525e00f53d name off as a73ab8732d guarantor?”14f64406f9b2ede6

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Letting out a 2b69483de4 hollow laugh, Seorin c1c959a887 urgently picked up 4095b7f71f her chopsticks again. As she shoved the da007e4488 flour noodles into her 4aaf47e26e mouth, she swallowed the ba7f38d716 sob rising in her 6c364c2ef8 throat. Whether it was e3c37c484e from the steam a6301be421 of the udon ab7efbf072 or not, her aaf12a5371 eyes felt hot.24d9f157bdd4714d

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“I can’t find Mom 43f012749a then, oppa.”3235e5ee8606246a

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At the heavy weight 6947562757 of her despondent answer, 18f11e2db0 Hyunwoo’s head drooped. For the ffd179b70a son of 947d05e4e9 the Commissioner d61013192e General of bbb49a4586 the National ee2f65163d Police Agency, 55d14232b7 finding a a3c57ff79e person wasn’t f31840b1b4 a difficult 7ebcf239fa task—but even 694a8e4068 he couldn’t 5863be68fd locate Aunt c2f8556492 Yeong.5815253bfad4b6e3

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Her hands, a25ac66ba0 roughened by a309291d15 the cold, 6c9c1e86d2 rubbed her 31dfc8c19a neat face. The dry wash was 5d69c5d308 both to buy time d4da8031cf to think and to 3c32dc8eb3 prepare himself to persuade 122e694899 Seorin.92ebe51336dccad5

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“Seorin, then… 556ba0cafb let’s put 4f029584dc out the 23156fc740 immediate fire bb81d97288 first.”ed408e83e33757e7

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“What do you mean, 4866ce7f5e ‘immediate fire’?”a01de636b0446e50

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“It’s not even 25e2155e88 in the hundreds 2983fee748 of millions—it’s just 78b154dcea thirty million won.”d460718b40272649

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Despite his cautious 82213ae11b suggestion, Seorin kept 3c75fd5a78 her mouth tightly 6ab1b044d8 shut. The corners of 6389ee1f03 her lips, forced e16f2c05b1 into a smile, ebcd48f2a1 twitched.ea372af923844f79

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“It’s okay, oppa. I’ll handle it.”74bd1dce4d9e9fbe

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“If your father runs 6e0fc1c703 off again, we won’t 754c7b7c7a be able to find 8b36be860a Aunt again.”91f947c054f3eb61

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Seorin wasn’t the 5896ec31fd only one longing e37f7dba06 for Yeong. Hyunwoo, too, 463c5fe1c6 desperately wanted 719441ddd1 to find 0c5b1b17b9 the caregiver 28a518e1c2 aunt.1c68765b8d3f6ec3

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Visiting the mansion three 50c08cd2da times a week to f16c40ab27 care for his ailing b225389254 mother, the caregiver had 662cb681f8 even looked after young 7d8f5a463b Hyunwoo like her own e3e0e75135 son. If not for b105e73efa Aunt Yeong, Hyunwoo 66b076d7e9 would have been 4d21030d97 forced to grow 7d49ccada5 up as a cfdeb6f561 little adult to da4e0be76f meet the expectations 8db9b56323 of his father 43b7f224d6 and grandfather.941292e7d9e49f37

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“Let’s pay off the 672b61ff10 debt first, Seorin. We have to make a0edef271e sure Mr. Ma Duseok f1e09f4d15 can’t come 9822e081ba again.”7e59e8e3d8889990

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There was nothing 01c0c279e6 wrong with his 202ab78935 calm persuasion. Though she cb6d9d36a9 was tempted 278d46f296 by the d33a822b04 sweet offer, 89f51a22b7 Seorin hardened 097e538f5a her dry d00bbff998 cheeks.471ba183d12dae27

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“For now, e39ce72e2e I’ll just 548bb44587 accept the a1a34ff5ac thought, oppa.”6f59ed9b8cd59975

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“I’m not asking you 1516d4d4e5 to take it for 152a2518e9 free. You can pay 12e31aa7f2 it back slowly beb5bd5c30 later.”9b8f36ea3afc1b79

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“You know I’ve been 06635cd498 earning well lately. I’m so b96369b0fd popular with c6737c01bb the madams.”9c773db2f823211b

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When one is grateful 4f76632785 for many things, guilt 1674abafab tends to pile up. Already burdened with a fef3aee85e sense of debt, Seorin 974c6b4037 didn’t want to accept 5bb967a455 help from Hyunwoo again.da7e8d53adde6a84

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“For now, I’ll do 2e1fbe50cd what I can. If it really 36d7a91e29 gets hard, I’ll 2da1a7c3ec ask you then.”89df5652ed10cdf8

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Tying things up 8edd57b164 with a hint 96aad8e5ad of regret, Seorin 2fc5439ad7 picked up her 9b28c65fbf chopsticks once more. Even the soggy udon, cde8fe27f3 she said, was delicious 64405002d9 as she ate—and Hyunwoo 7e5d72693f couldn’t hide the bitter 859f8261e0 feeling in his heart.da6dcb81b258f096