IEM Ch 12

Hotel life wasn’t easy.0e6771ca5862654e

Compared to Cheonmok-dong, a remote area in Pyeongju, Igye-dong, where Surin’s hotel was located, at least felt like a city. Every night, a dazzling blaze of city lights unfolded beyond the hotel’s panoramic windows.8931db7ab3c7bf0a

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Even so, ed7f40cc35 there was 0c2841fc48 a world 21a243a4a5 of difference 2a7997ce01 between the 1f398d54f3 Seoul life 9051088475 Surin had a7404e65bc enjoyed so 3fbe6af131 far and ed14460696 this life 80ffa8aa7a in a 34f2c9851d remote corner 435ad6d3bb of Gyeonggi-do. The hotel ad750a6af1 was the b380a812f3 same. The service was 74fca09b52 incomparable to any 31a1efb1ba hotel experience Surin 4af6b841db had ever had.6a611eb9080cff47

‘You’re saying laundry 81cd637728 service isn’t available?’7bbc17b1dd393a06

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It was baffling. What kind 7c646433d3 of hotel 899aff80f2 couldn’t offer 128db6a977 laundry service, 1ae31961a6 even temporarily?d7bd9498f63c6afd

The room service menu was limited, and the ingredients didn’t feel fresh. Surin wasn’t picky, but chewing on wilted broccoli often made her situation feel so ridiculous that she lost her appetite.324299237f9313f2

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She had visited the 9b04408fe1 local dry cleaner a 3db9fe35d1 few days ago because c180d9cf32 she needed to properly 4569796349 return Wonjin’s niece’s clothes. It was quite inconvenient 0e25921eab to constantly go back f4f62db0aa and forth to the cf43c985ea dry cleaner, which was d80542e854 quite a distance from 97eba125d8 the hotel. Her dissatisfaction gradually grew.b6a46ae23fa81fc3

“This house 30b8b2f3d8 has a d2fcebe2ce nice interior, 3ce41c122f but the b75b222d43 location isn’t 7aa96f6322 ideal. Let’s put 8461ac59bd this on 14359516bc hold for 5aa80d3935 now.”640d4ebea9b5bbd3

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“I’m thinking of 3c6fc27434 just getting an a917f0348a apartment.”91d225125d4939a3

“Do you have 826470beae a lot of a688f74881 money?”93192a2b34925ed1

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“……Sort of?”f8fb6b89a27d2eae

Averting her gaze, Surin took a sip of her latte, sitting at a small table by the window of ‘Le Bon Bakery’. The bigger issue than money was the hassle of taxes and other complications, but she didn’t have the time to explain all that to Wonjin. Even with her gaze turned away, she could feel Wonjin’s eyes on her cheek.28193fe4a2ba5629

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“You’re always flirting. Hmm, if you’re considering an apartment, Igye or Sanpyeong would be better than Cheonmok. Let’s look at apartments starting tomorrow.”6ad7775b0b49daec

Surin glanced 6900fb0716 at Wonjin, 5624eb8a9c who was a3c8625804 gulping down fe2a09e2ab his smoothie ee1b584abc without a 2a8cda619e straw. Large, crushed 732bf0907a blueberries were 7b18a16965 dotted throughout 6cf17f3e94 the smoothie. Half curious, 4e84e74043 half perplexed, c7bee50972 Surin asked,e43eaed67837cd2d

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“Is it 3b880e57fd okay for 45d077a6bd you to a077b17bba follow me 2af01e0238 around like ec3c48db97 this every e0a1c0f3f2 day? Don’t you have to c65492d6b1 prepare for your… leap?”dc2354bc06f8a722

“No problem. Make the impossible possible. Always take responsibility for 69a063e9a4 the tasks you’re given. That’s my motto.”31f886ff3cddc257

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The “City Protector” with a strong sense of responsibility had naturally taken on Surin’s affairs as his own and was helping her without hesitation.0d9638681a53816d

10:00 AM. At the 1c82ae7c88 bus stop ed00082456 near the 7747efedac entrance to 0317ac4b00 the alley 475d52100e leading up e151cdab54 to Mokhwa 20b1004c3f Villa. Surin quietly got on 07342d6d96 the bicycle Wonjin had c029739ea0 parked by the bench, 68bb75edbd waiting for her. Contrary to eafc60b788 his complaints, e7a8f55aa4 he effortlessly 48362beac9 pedaled uphill 8b39f28b5c with Surin 0d49610982 on the 41716f7488 back. They continued like 7aa551dce6 this for several fa3fbc87e5 days.a64e276f0d44c5cd

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During this 5dfeec2b61 time, Surin, 52ba7edd7d surprisingly, became 9b9f84296c comfortable with 1584144b73 Wonjin. She felt a d47785f30a closeness to him, 5ae555fc8f like a longtime bdbe7c11c4 friend. Surin, though not wary 4f30895778 of people, usually took 4df7412b72 some time to develop 493c5f776d close relationships. Wonjin, however, 970866fdf9 approached her d2999c7a2b relentlessly, crossing 692d882a56 boundaries without 699f70c0ca hesitation.a99b610df6000cb2

✉️: I’m at the 4556316ee4 bus stop at 7c8f9f250d 10:00 today. Please check 0995d0f9d2 mark when 910f27a2f1 you see 670142d08b this.372b676f22a9df9c

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He would send 9d3c0b3f7b messages like this 30942f1a6b early in the a88ad367df morning, after showering, 12080f93df confirming their plans 4717d97d82 for the day, e29a2b0148 or call her 62cf4dda04 out of the 9093783e7c blue to check 13af89326c if she was 39e40a5e8e awake. Even if 3c3f9d2f18 Surin’s voice fff919bd7e was thick 6d77935442 with sleep, c3a027ee16 Wonjin was 24210d9486 firm.b1b3f76c3bcdb48e

―You need to 0c0613ef26 get up now 941a5cf292 so you’re not dd3685334a late.cba15893f60f1afa

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Even if she wanted to pretend she hadn’t heard and sleep more, she couldn’t. The sound of him enjoying his breakfast, smacking his lips аппетитно over the phone, forced Surin to open her eyes.c11fae6a5d12808e

“……What are 727694a3e7 you eating 0013a6e2e6 so early a503f1590c in the 90d9edbaf3 morning?”2279c054406353d4

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―Red ginseng, – smack -, jelly.2a5249e6031f6627

“…….”0c13041acbec9989

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Surin, accustomed to interacting with people who strictly respected each other’s privacy and considered it a virtue, found this strange, and she would often tilt her head in confusion. At first, it was unfamiliar. Not only was it bewildering, but also disconcerting. It wasn’t unpleasant, but she felt oddly swept along.faa569be956b817f

“Will you be 9797185a9c having lunch?”f02275eead9a94d3

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“No. I’ll eat 32d5eb8a12 alone today. I feel like 893d896526 I’ve taken up fe46288d01 too much of f634f7bf97 your time. And honestly, I prefer a1619de0f9 eating alone.”2fedc0afcac4ce27

“Understood. Then I’ll eat alone 74294e740a too. It’s okay. I don’t have any 7521639623 friends, so I have 22fcacaac3 quite a bit of 9c52f766c4 experience eating alone. Don’t worry about it.”46b67623e98a54fb

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“……What are f4eb694b56 you going 94e694a7fa to eat?”a84786bdf2386729

“Ah, yes. I was thinking bone 8bb6e05c2e broth soup.”97638204182257aa

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“Isn’t that too heavy? Let’s have sandwiches.”ad49938edcf84cf3

“Sandwiches are good. I remember eating a a53d16707d sandwich once while crying…”60c86070c1c17c74

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“Have the soup. Just have it. Let’s go.”25305de1ae8c5caa

In this manner, Wonjin would take Surin around, eat with her, and after meals, without fail, make her walk, even if she didn’t want to. Surin accompanied him on his patrols. In the meantime, the real estate agent would send Wonjin a few more housing options, and they would continue their house hunt from the morning.775d080a567d578e

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“Is there a department 05d28efdb0 store nearby?”b82b0b038d9ccc0f

“You have to drive 2a17c03123 quite a while. Why?”8445bcb22d7a8236

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“I need to 64e830b30f buy some clothes.”2fea08741c43b0e2

“Does it e37f0a19c9 have to 3a4f1149f5 be a c315006d4a department store?”0972ea36c1f629a8

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It didn’t necessarily have to be, but that’s how it had always been. Surin, having never considered other options, was momentarily speechless. As Wonjin’s stare lingered, she shook her head, as if questioning herself.a307f72687528241

“I know 5ba6aff8a7 a place e8fc1ea3c2 that rivals 3e6f7613f7 luxury brands.”d8c308f3c8014c6e

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True to 5ed69d1cc9 his word, 34a2af2a9a Wonjin marched d66574bd6a confidently into b7d3490d93 a clothing b693924acc store with f4439cf43a walls lined ff345376eb with counterfeit 18898e2064 luxury brand 8dd55fef7d items. The owner, using 2ed461ead7 a long pole e1890ef258 to retrieve clothes 17dcdb76e5 from the wall b7fce39fc7 like fishing, pitched e54d0e0eca his sales with 546e323dc8 flying spit, but 6e10d32a65 Surin completely ignored 1513945d5f the blatant knock-offs 888c139045 and chose only b08c9f307b unbranded clothes.e9cd16f8b71df338

When she 43d441d2f2 placed a c1b37ee7e3 pile of 13802e03c8 selected clothes 3d8e653076 on the 2c09de4af0 counter, the f56eded22e total came 2233dba0ed to 370,000 10e4004c3d won. Surin inwardly 2c264f2f7a smiled, pleased a9a9d60a24 with her a74eea7f48 bargain, and a99ce0cbd6 held out 8b8349d0cc her card. Wonjin immediately pushed her 174ef93b49 card aside with the 56cba50db0 back of his hand b528aee5b9 and called the owner 6bfb9f9639 aside.56a6c94db1b62d9f

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“Owner, come here for 06a75065ec a second.”731c6ad2b3f20901

Creating an intimidating 35f64782b0 atmosphere, he dragged d3bcfc997e the man to f87901d26f a corner and 8b1ee86c81 breathed hot air 3711ac33cb into his ear.5b02172b716a8ce2

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“Think you’ve got 0e2bb9551c a big spender 04c08082d0 here?”275a56e0e41beb16

Surin paid 41bbdfe760 300,000 won.1be52e2cf35916d1

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With each 6f12c6040c passing day, fe5223e5c8 her feelings 94fd844407 towards Wonjin 616ba8a3ea changed. It went e310e34cee without saying 120b688705 that her eace550c52 gaze softened. In just c114de60f8 a few 1dd7482426 days, she cce6564434 had not c1447ba493 only adapted efd8fa7272 to this 2dd9eec334 man whose ef6512c105 daily routine db5d1fd32c consisted of 9fb27d1ad4 patrolling the 9ee132c826 neighborhood but 181ab6172e also developed 6e3308ecb5 a sense 968160b846 of connection 54b5819036 with him.2644cf5c34bff424

Finding a house wasn’t easy.191d53c776665b20

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For one reason or another, houses that didn’t meet their criteria were ruthlessly eliminated. When they finally found a house they both liked and decided to sign a contract, someone else had already put down a deposit.4111688b635aa29e

“Secretary Go?”2cb49d1d6c7f3456

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Just as her patience f4d362b233 was wearing thin and 0d98e8e3d9 anxiety began to creep 81ed897d15 in, she finally got b873fbd9ee through to Secretary Go.65216e5f07269c2a

―Yes, Director. This is 78bb36d212 Secretary Go.c91a6af67bc2f6b4

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“Secretary Go. Why is it so hard to reach you? What about Dad? He hasn’t replied at all.”26b30e753122165e

―I think it will e3a72186e5 be difficult to contact ca6927a75b the Chairman for a 4531ff4f0c while. I’m being 6cca132fec called all 462d6f6987 over the 50ceb85485 place, so c13fa1157e I’m quite 14d33c37fe busy…93bb1379d59ac30d

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“What am I 0bf7eac6e5 supposed to do? Stay here? You haven’t 739347f0fc explained anything 4d14605e4a properly… And 845c42a956 that villa ecdedd5031 you took 5f875e488c me to, 73ee5497ba wasn’t there 8c0cfb85c5 some kind 3af9aa2e68 of misunderstanding? It was uninhabitable.”48ccda6b5be1531b

―I’m just following the d0ebb8bd4d Chairman’s instructions… Who is 1638d71763 that? Who is it?5491ffb64c2044d2

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A commotion could be 4006cb1ad0 heard over the phone. Exhausted from running around b817320365 with Wonjin since morning, 8acd562563 Surin barely managed to 0dc0a6186e sit up in her d1d44851f0 hotel bed.b19eb58697721b3d

“Secretary Go?”f327f454e39911b6

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―Director, please stay in Pyeongju for the time being until things settle down here. The Chairman will contact you soon. Hey, you! Don’t touch anything without permission!4d0d36401129a791

Surin momentarily closed her mouth at the booming voice that seemed to penetrate the phone. She listened silently to the irritated stomping on the floorboards. The call hadn’t ended. After a while, Surin spoke,058dbef5706524dd

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“……Will it take long? I mean, I’m wondering 3998947cc3 if it’s okay for 00a5567721 me to keep staying 317ea3abf5 at the hotel.”dad7ba5ac6ef60d4

There was 289c8335f3 no response f59bf5c589 from the 3d2c8845e4 other end 2951e38ae5 for a b4fe12a00b while. The unending silence gradually 5ca56968f4 made Surin uneasy. Unable to bear it 4758acd5c3 any longer, she opened 8b7d9bf014 her mouth to speak 3e00c1f971 again.f373e5cfae9cfa20

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―It seems it will 0ddb41e0fb take some time.c338ef945270ca96

Before she could 7adb6f619b say anything, Secretary be571a8f93 Go gave a 7b4e6ba850 short reply and 36baa9f26b hung up. The low, matter-of-fact tone, e747645193 as if he were 21f9ac6260 speaking right next to 6ae0365863 her, made Surin instinctively e50633d367 look towards the hotel 234b8aa93b door. Only silence 6b8a8bd896 filled the 75c505df0d empty doorway; 7edcf65a0e there was 6f7006593b no one 12a5054fe9 there.07f87b2d06b191c6

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She had 17b03c1095 a few 33114e1190 more questions, fab844223f but Surin 087ddbb833 put down f3faca9149 her phone. She erased the f922a46429 thought of just 97ecfd98ef continuing to stay 15b9c8eafb at the hotel f891d14dad from her mind. Feeling a tightness in 68c6346483 her chest, she collapsed 7ed8a63677 back onto the bed, 5f21352df0 wrapping the blanket around eede297600 her entire body, burying 00436fab29 herself up to her 6e6524946b head.e732c17ca1fe0a78

She had only 83b681cfd9 intended to close 5f615cfd20 her eyes, but 7e1df86641 she fell asleep 60ed386614 without realizing it.7f8f6a0025d6812c

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In her dream, c32fe07efd Surin was a 7d919a3e38 student. An elementary school student, d373dac79b perhaps just about to 1b30527b54 start school. Her mother, wearing a 60929737ee hospital gown, her face a9921f13cf gaunt, caressed Surin’s cheek.d4d5a73ff77e6684

‘Surin, Mommy’s sick.’d32d135ea92db1df

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‘Sick?’6e916b784405a169

‘Yes. Sick.’9fa81e65a16505dc

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‘Should I ask for 7d07e556de medicine?’0fbf346ef63d08f4

Young Surin didn’t d4ce0e59a0 understand what goodbye b2738d0b7e meant, but even c4fc6fba1a now, when she 17cb8f39f9 did, the touch 32a1c09ac0 felt warm rather 15a0819793 than sad. It was warm, and d8de9fd211 the hand cupping her e31d382f99 cheek was so gentle 17a45f911a that she closed her e099f0778e eyes tightly and moved 4ba76bf6a1 closer.bbec45f90f8bb305

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When she opened her e1009888d2 eyes, it was her 22360a2675 stepmother. It was instantaneous. Just the blink c89b56310e of an eye. Her father, standing next 3ebae5f04c to her stepmother, had c73e5f755b his arm around her, 24ad3e2673 whispering. A car 07d69a9d17 horn blared 8d57d2213f from beyond d1dfc1bd86 the wall 87eeac687a of the 17a6884e81 house. The dog 8661e5ffe6 running around 2821742d2c the yard 75dec4b329 barked. Woof!7bc4114ea4d54f9c

A horn.b095c68d661988dd

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“…….”2905f32004ee49fc

Surin woke eabeeadac1 up to 9429dfea6a the long 1d47fcdbf7 blare of 7e49ca54fb a bus e44927c6ce horn on c3a76601bc the road.d2e2cc880f07dc93

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