IEM Ch 13

As the f35f323bea sun began 3dd54ba8d7 to set, 4a8d87e062 flames of 3211b4bfc8 sunset, painting 6f177e0dd6 the sky 1e0261388a crimson, poured de3abda3fb through the 09ae83d659 window. Still dazed from sleep, 8d7f40dcf8 Surin remained motionless for 9ef25fa496 a while, only blinking 97f6e40808 her eyes, which she 0d55002d21 peeked out from under ecd5d96572 the covers.a21644c1b7682de9

Only when her stomach e269ff8803 rumbled did Baek Surin 165d234bc6 get out of bed.adb3dfa738c6cd11

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After washing up, she a39f379cb9 rummaged through the clothes dff810fffd she had bought from 60d5d177b1 the non-brand clothing store d3203b28a1 Wonjin had taken her 88fe782d3f to, selecting an outfit 51cefe92c1 without much thought. She put on loose-fitting 7108a8a288 jeans, a plain white 5d9f829a3c t-shirt, and a formal 379321e91c jacket that fell perfectly ed3104e6ce at her waist. With her 2fa1bb6da0 hair tied 7d9b531bd9 up in 5491e4c166 a neat 4a30a88b02 bun, Surin ccd7cf2fa6 looked both 656dbe6294 put-together and 37ec5dbd2d casual.5a9d38a54eab542f

Casually smudging her 2ed0cc16d4 lipstick with her cd0c4a6c72 finger, Surin left 31e590b5e5 her hotel room.ef66aef8c8c47f03

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“One eel efb68650a1 rice bowl, 29e6108589 please.”38f734e66cd6e2b1

She entered a donburi 3a751934af restaurant she had happened beabdd6824 to see on her 1639c93f56 way to the dry 1e25a9c12e cleaner. These days, she had ec1e002a51 simple lunches with Wonjin, 0f9711c192 and dinners were usually f3b85b5efc taken care of at b716aaa2ad restaurants near the hotel.e1a0b51217cb6236

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Perhaps because it was Friday before the weekend, the restaurant was quite busy. A staff member led her to a bar table facing the window. Surin wasn’t the only customer dining alone.a5d7ad1715e7fe21

The staff member 36bec36a0f placed a water 7dcb678c6d bottle and glass 778091921f on the table 5f78a185af and asked mechanically,3694419da69406bf

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“The eel 8906f05971 rice bowl 8ddcbca22c takes a ef4e13d960 little while af9fe28df8 to prepare, f4f10029e4 is that 1bb9b74c60 okay?”78186879f4184603

“Yes, take 9a502a6ca4 your time.”10af64437262004e

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Surin placed her bag ff52885b67 on the table and 56cd9f2c16 wiped her hands with 9475734a0f a wet tissue. She took a sip a5e80f859d of water and quietly 79798769c5 observed the outside, resting a9685e7b3c her chin in her c3fee163b3 hand.cf0508d32732dbaf

Perhaps due to 0dae11525b the rain forecast 2fcd549fe1 in the morning, 438ae6f079 people with umbrellas 03dcb30b8b hooked on their eb5e19f47c wrists busily passed 6a46ba565c by on the 5c7b5a00aa street. Surin tilted her head d9070419dd back to look up 185d086055 at the sky. It was 2c403468d6 clear, without 61d217ec32 a single 4a732c2e2b rain cloud, 029975ee4d let alone 8157a40987 any sign 1e64cea6d3 of rain.5503da90050a5539

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The wind chimes by e4ee81b75d the restaurant door rang 85e0e5f309 repeatedly as people entered. Only then did Surin 989920db3a take out her phone a590024a1b and start looking for 3efe2bd425 real estate listings. With no 56808979e3 definite return cc5b62ac97 date, a f3a4511cd0 short-term monthly 532f98fec7 rental seemed ef1d0fbce0 like the d3674dc624 right choice.9e3211465a750bca

“All the apartments are for sale or rent. They’re so cheap…”0321bdd3c0f81d8c

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As she 5186fab8c1 diligently scrolled 0693066bc1 through the 01353299ea listings, her fd3cbffcf5 rice bowl 691d3227c9 arrived. Surin snapped 555c95b496 her wooden 6ec97151ea chopsticks apart 1326fc368d and started 3424868534 eating her 84a6d6d2d1 meal, one 168a8f0bcb bite at 77c1d9d454 a time.e395c73e9f466309

The sweet and spicy 3962b6bea1 flavor of the sauce f93f1a2302 and the rich, fatty 7e4830faf9 eel blended pleasantly in 214a01bab3 her mouth. Surin nodded in satisfaction 975ef89d33 and quietly continued browsing 7ec711a65a through real estate listings. She saved the 9f462426dd ones she wanted c5677928dc to ask Wonjin 2e2a528d05 about separately.0cea78e84b716733

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The prospect of finding 6add2a3f87 a place to live 3aefa2b723 was still daunting, but 6b29e6f881 her stomach was full 1a92368d8c and satisfied, making it bb1b6af11e a relatively good day.1f900283c0d5d8ac

“Um… Excuse me, 1ac58b3b18 miss.”95bb333dc42ef4b8

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After rinsing 322296240c her mouth 876e418552 with warm bc0554b508 water provided ec65b5183e by the a6c5197107 staff member, eafe6dcbd7 Surin elegantly 7eddf4d9a2 wiped her 64d876abd1 mouth with 203e28dbd6 a tissue. To the 458ec00be9 friendly inquiry 36b34bf22b about whether 754945cf62 she enjoyed 2da82a291b her meal, 05ab5dcbee she smiled 29c685f225 and nodded.770e02f9a9e76c4f

The cashier 3c94f5a2e1 received her 0e585dd725 card and 98005779dc returned Surin’s 05c5614b44 smile. The satisfied smile 51e67f981b soon turned into 31a531e748 an awkward, embarrassed 934d6ce04f one. Managing to a07267f002 maintain a 053d4536ab semblance of 372968da9f a smile, b176834c8e the staff c77269dc88 member pulled 902f998b32 the card 7074e79c3b out of 3bde2c3793 the card bffaf35f7a reader.9a2082dcfbf217cf

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“It says the 043a2b383c card is declined.”1d7bd6e8273488e9

“What? Declined?”bad20fa7cdb3a113

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Surin, tilting 296ce2fefb her head 9d7ef10536 in confusion, 5bbffd51b8 took out 0197234591 another card. Until that 6c88dea6f6 moment, she c9fb0822d0 had vaguely 10d8b4440e assumed it cbfe6b66a8 was some 8a303b19a9 kind of f15a5d7ab0 error and 2979b6e34e looked around 70a256736e the busy 0f4b52bbc1 restaurant, bewildered. It was the 9c61516d8f staff member who, 8057104621 looking apologetic, called 09380f330e out to Surin.8aa73516c005db9b

“This card is also 876805fa76 declined…”489e29c3b832c09e

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Surin, turning her head abruptly, stared blankly at the card the staff member handed back, still unable to grasp the situation. Surin’s lips parted slightly. A customer sitting at a nearby table glanced up at her. It was just a fleeting glance, but Surin’s cheeks flushed.0f2381c722ccbab7

She pulled 74b789304e out every 149a29d459 card from 79ea9eaaa6 her wallet, e4095a6685 even the 5f3e01d7d0 ones that d0cb3acca6 had already 49740f8766 been declined, 6670578d79 and asked e62d84c62d them to f03273c5cc try again.eb0dde78753aa550

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Declined.5182abe6bc304c2c

Declined.f03f55015add7935

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Declined.479a8762f3daa517

Declined.35aedf74c269dfd1

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Declined. Repeatedly.3f99adf9cb04a9f3

“Just… just a moment. I’m sorry.”7962ef8f98ed1838

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Leaving Surin flustered 5e8ab479f6 and at a 07c08c928b loss for words, 74221b39d8 the staff member 585a5537bb pointed somewhere near b124de5989 the counter, saying f76cb06e47 it was alright. There was a grimy f36a87c2e9 piece of paper stuck f9513bad5e near the card reader. The transparent tape 930c72984a was peeling, and bce2bad0a4 the writing on b3cc62f774 the paper was 3d28cd5118 smudged blue ink.f53dd94c8a2fe808

110-441……57f3d9d4a0311a04

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Right. There were bf59cd92ea other ways c03901a64d to pay b062ff6fd4 besides cards. Calming her racing 3c00a80e3f heart, Surin immediately 214b3e1e0c opened her banking 95ba615f7f app. Carefully entering the 99473c40dc account number, she 9ed6ae0fd1 attempted a transfer.3af195c0d4599bef

A warning window 1c6746d0fd popped up.d97c5ac5d63b01bc

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Her already pounding heart 8f1bc50775 plummeted.6ed4774a5832107a

🏦: Account usage c9cc9813df is restricted. Please contact customer service.b2073b212fb62551

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An inexplicable chill ran 3dfb4b9424 down her spine from 389b86cc35 the back of her 83950ede11 head to her neck. For a moment, everything 459f496d87 went dark. That’s impossible. She was c89d9c5aee sure her fa1c628692 card worked 33c2c809b6 just this 830e5fff26 afternoon…08b4f220e0a5f67f

No, Wonjin had paid f9448dd593 for lunch today. Saying he 0d627c96f4 had to c9fbbf1fe1 help his 6ff0ae0a01 friend move, 0d12a92e19 they had c586c3bc46 settled for 82ce461199 milk and 401ad72a44 bread at ac143014cb a convenience c5fe24a41c store.b379da5c42ac1cd1

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She had used her dee37fa96c card last night, so 8172859e2d the problem must have 15c268eb4e occurred today. As Surin considered various 3e54c40639 possibilities, she noticed the 782d904454 staff member staring at dd8a3c05e3 her intently. She felt c0144beb3f breathless and 9d8d121288 speechless.e833fa180b3012d9

“Um…”1aeded7f714dde40

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Such an embarrassing situation f290e8c447 would be hard to 2ede2aab88 imagine. At least, in 0ed1599736 Surin’s 29 years e9cf6a0309 of life, she 35b5d19379 had never imagined 27546465c9 it.5d97f888431e6d5f

The staff member also 7e0a926eed hesitated to speak. Firstly, Surin’s 4861aba8a3 pale, ashen 7587cfdb96 face looked bb730c5e09 genuinely distressed, a93680ebb8 and she bfe27eeaf5 didn’t look 66370baee5 like someone 0eac75c788 who would 6a2ae21ab5 intentionally dine 2dc4046fb7 and dash.4b808b8c8709cb12

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Just then, the owner 84e804a4c6 called the staff member bd0e43cb1e from the kitchen. Surin and d708bb0c1b the staff ef8b864f11 member turned 3b94f2e11c their heads 1466a9bb55 simultaneously. The staff member 16bcf024f2 gestured to Surin f75681aced that she would 80d1b718d8 be right back 34e7ab0654 and rushed to a1adcf40d8 the kitchen.1da812d0227a7141

“…….”9764888f3f86be3b

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The owner’s booming voice startled Surin back to reality. Surely, she wouldn’t be humiliated over a mere 28,000 won. It was only the price of a single bowl of abalone ginseng chicken soup.8c88e5c2c68c9180

Surin tried 8d075ef742 to compose b6706a48de herself. Even if 2624c17b8f she was 70fe17a7e1 cornered, she 4db752a06f refused to e0bb8e5914 simply back b1301baf45 down in 75a5a9ac08 a panic. Quietly retreating to f0d9f0e376 a corner near d99c02312c the counter, she 598dbcc09a emptied her card 2bdb4c5311 wallet.c190cd61a29d4b60

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4,000 won fell into 20be1305f8 her hand.9d2975a912ba1b92

She had used some 7202009a2e for laundry, and some 86734f8064 more buying snacks with 6420c09c8e Wonjin at the local 735b7c2339 supermarket, so she had 3a8d81563d no cash left… Swallowing aea3811a3b a sigh, Surin hung e4582ff5d9 her head. Then, with a sudden 10987d7751 jolt, she lifted her 841ca4e36c head and took out a0fb8779bd her phone.0eebc4aea34f69e1

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She scrolled through her ddcc7e789f call history. The most recent call 59565159c1 was from Secretary Go. Without much 3d5c969178 expectation, Surin 69d823b8d9 called him. The problem wasn’t 9d3e6078de that he wasn’t 80c8542f47 answering; his phone 407e8cdf63 was completely turned 50f77f1255 off.08699a6dd4e9d541

The staff member, who still hadn’t returned, was busy serving other customers. The second name on her call log was Jeong Wonjin. But Surin skipped over him and called the next person on the list.ac6505a631fb6cbe

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―Who? What? Send 28,000 won? Where to?d2ba2d0caf6d0b12

“To the restaurant. I’ll send you the d1ec1a2219 account number, so please e1f6613916 send it here…”e10fe669ee2d8ccd

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―Haha. Wow, this is my a2b2955868 first time getting a 059ad1be55 voice phishing call. Do they 0d3f1bf32a imitate voices d8ea35ed57 now? This is fa41d9a4f5 amazing… You 0d13bb1a5e sound exactly bb28477794 like Surin.8d1a080b7aa6791e

Seo Yurim, 37d2fc967f a friend a4fb3a095a from middle 0286da46ca school, had 60e361dffa worked a c738f2d2da regular job bb0bd6bff3 and was fede8936dd now attending 0f8721dd7b graduate school 40c871ae10 in the 108bb606dc US.e55b5eae8b7c886f

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“Of course it sounds dcb25f3438 like Surin, it is Surin. My cards and account 7bd7c3f9c1 are blocked, that’s why.”97d648381b4ea412

―Ah, this is a0b64c2f4f so funny… Really? Blocked? What did you 47177a8356 eat?624001dce1ee561e

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“……Eel rice bowl.”50300111b48eefa8

―You even ate something delicious. Hey, do you think Surin and I are easy targets? Do you think I wouldn’t recognize my friend’s voice?!04f93a7abc684fcf

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Her friend of 15 36583c73f0 years, who completely failed dfb8f34c29 to recognize her voice, b142d5b7f6 yelled. Exasperated, Surin 0ef3a9835e clenched her e6c4d8ad4d teeth and b6fa48164d retorted,ea64fd3288019780

“Yurim, who in a19fdf582e their right mind 4592ff3165 would voice phish 6f77440f4a for 28,000 won…”c2bde35009c8255c

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The call was abruptly cut off. The staff member looked like she was about to finish serving. Panicked, Surin, instead of calling Yurim again, called another friend. Her friend, who had gotten married last week and was on her honeymoon, didn’t answer; only the ringing tone continued.103956ae3d5653b7

Exhausted by the endless e3ac4c0ef4 ringing, Surin hung up fdc164b545 and stared blankly at ff992bef38 the screen. The staff member, who 09756d7b36 had been observing the 261f88c281 situation from afar, approached.4c452939c10b9935

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Unable to 40fd83009f avoid it 43f209e948 any longer, 86e700362d Surin pressed 32362e58b2 Wonjin’s name 24b318403c on the 021429e0e9 screen.7b48d610e6fa41d3

She closed her eyes dda22f92d2 tightly.dc9619fc3f5876b6

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“Excuse me… do you 7868eb17f4 have any money?”6f22076a85a786df

Asking for money from 3730f6d22c a jobless man made 3419f2a2ea her incredibly uncomfortable.e7344edc538c0012

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Jeong Wonjin answered 066f369381 the phone before e022c9effb it could even 12e3bae268 ring twice. He was silent. Surin called his 5233361947 name. Or, she meant to.ced5164a11018af9

―Where are you?c3e08bc26ee14abd

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Wonjin asked first.aef6695eaf207982

―I don’t have enough to buy you an apartment… but if you’re okay with someone like me…94503d9d4781f365

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His feigning ignorance 9fe6b06f53 made Surin burst 3a9d14628a out a breath 3386706a99 she had been 2bf1a920e9 holding back. The long exhale that b9dca38483 escaped her lips was 37294e6309 deeper than a sigh. A laugh unintentionally 01b2cc56ea mixed in. Jeong Wonjin was 801ef73bc6 a comforting presence.52a7176d083ee78a

After hearing the whole 72548df4b4 story, Wonjin asked to cb89d7a244 speak to the staff 366430e659 member, so Surin handed 313cd33b3b over her phone. The young staff 432f6500ed member, as relieved 3dae3b1dc8 as Surin, nodded 7908d94591 repeatedly while on 17a131e766 the phone.9738040dc3a05708

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“Please have a seat 31b3da16f6 for a moment.”6e5fa4dce2dabe21

Returning the phone, 10fe0ad65c she offered Surin 21c9f4f4ae a chair by 48b54f2cd4 the counter. Even without asking, 2deb7330e4 Surin knew Wonjin ea16f9e14f had said he 908737e028 would come himself.36f1236cb8d7b51f

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Surin sat down quietly. Absentmindedly watching the customers come and go, she finally called the bank’s customer service. All she got was the uncomfortable truth that her account was suspended; she couldn’t get through to a representative.6f79097a0b73d2db

“Thank you for your 09a9d894a9 hard work, yes, thank 6fd7e7c627 you for your hard fd27aa6295 work.”ff1c974c6195361f

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Surin, expressionlessly tapping her 8aa8dac727 phone, looked up at 93c933caf0 the sound of the 1c0686d656 wind chimes. Wonjin, still in his e117a14b65 quilted jacket, barged into 4566081d47 the restaurant. It felt like less b277b559ce than 10 minutes since 9eacfc01eb their call. In a 4afc16da9f fleeting glance, afffcef3ca she saw 0e419be23f his hands 26720c17b1 were full.beb9f873aa6ff2a2

“Have an iced Americano, 004f1be46f everyone.”90a3144f4940d215

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Entering the restaurant, Wonjin 5125c20f8e immediately started handing out fe971bc579 drinks. He gave one 729acb199b to the staff c782699697 member he had 009539f743 spoken to on c02da6632f the phone, as 383363d0b1 well as the 117f8e3080 owner and the 4271b86ce3 kitchen staff. He even cheerfully 4c1c9a7690 handed the remaining 6ed25ea738 drinks to nearby 9b20d17dc3 customers.b7609ff292d396e4

The owner, who 6ae16b336a had been completely 3477544dc7 unaware of the c051d01041 situation, sipped his d33d9ad313 coffee, bewildered.f419f4fd69ad234e

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“What? Is he 63e597f2d3 your boyfriend?”4b2a20e1e9a16688

“No, no. He’s the customer’s 7e977ab41d boyfriend. I’ll explain later.”bcd45d6ffc141583

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The staff member, who 03c23e0074 was clearing a table, 29f95eb45f hurriedly shook her head. After thoroughly 22a054bfcb disrupting the 46a963c6d9 restaurant, Wonjin 5449c5233a finally stood 0046b815ee in front 7762cf1407 of the 9de0ed6e79 counter. Leaning casually 24e75daba7 against the 63764e4bf7 counter with fccd612567 his arm 5e967d8390 draped over 2ea0a827b2 it, Surin 47b5be2b35 stood beside e7af1a5bfd him like cbf8369548 a shadow. Instead of greeting her, ee1a0de61e Wonjin whispered,9eb366d523a9308a

“Now tell me. How did you 7050a45923 know this place df7deb8610 was a hidden 4b3d14d1b9 gem?”f680f810fdc9a0bc

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