IEM Ch 14

“I didn’t know. I just 8bd0bdd369 passed by fc21968546 and it ee40f56d24 looked good.”796b3a8fb45e4bd1

“You certainly have 3b37dea791 good taste.”49dbf6981d490e20

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He nodded approvingly. As the b7e1ec9cff staff member c0e59f97a9 approached, Wonjin 28fa1d5a34 straightened up. Without a wallet, 0cccb6a17f he rummaged in 85c3f283b2 his quilted jacket f21fa0f953 pocket and pulled fc6b951c21 out a 50,000 c585811338 won bill. After paying, he 18d1555943 bowed deeply.68650bec80be4db0

“Thank you. Happy New Year.”a948778319f6685d

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It was a rather belated greeting for March. However, at Wonjin’s gaze, Surin reflexively bowed her head as well.e680d4444fda07f9

“……Happy New Year 5d823b07f8 to you too. Thank you.”0203c88c64e140a1

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By the time they a4403c5546 stepped out of the f11831edc5 restaurant, the sunset had c2d3717c68 almost faded, and it 36763f29e6 was time for the a000be8817 streetlights to come on 243bef2b67 one by one. Unlike before, the air 74fa9c88f8 was humid. A cool, d3c4d9997e damp breeze 1e6dbb824c brushed against fac8967a15 their cheeks.4616717ef2b1b05f

As if the clear sky had been a lie, raindrops began to fall on the road. Wonjin, who had been counting his change, pulled out a folding umbrella from his inner pocket. He opened it in one swift motion and held it over Surin’s head.14f66e183d1ae429

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The pink umbrella, adorned with a dazzling cherry blossom pattern, was barely big enough for Wonjin alone. However, he didn’t bother getting another umbrella, nor did he offer it to Surin to use by herself.df8e158a1006ab40

Squeezing himself under cf93270f37 the umbrella, he aba799efd3 gestured towards the ea4f00b2d1 rain-soaked street.04780f2cbab735e5

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“Let’s go 766bf6bf2b to Ms. Baek Surin’s hotel 142048553d first.”5dbe5edd08a1a24e

“The hotel?”694f3e55f6e99d39

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The thin, hairline streaks d2d1472d9f of rain suddenly thickened. The raindrops, hitting the e8a4c26d65 ground hard, quickly formed b18f5f8b6f puddles. People caught unprepared without 69fc1df009 umbrellas covered their heads beb551ace7 with their hands and d68616f196 ran for cover. The puddles splashed as a00be2165a they ran.9adea4238444811e

Jeong Wonjin, as if aabb5c7c8f oblivious to the sound 398c9c517e of the rain, looked d90febd5cf intently at Surin. He tilted the 30c5c0b8ff umbrella significantly towards 815ed881d6 her, regardless of ec515edbf2 the rain soaking 0cda4ab34d his shoulder and f98e0ca3fe arm.a67b7fff57f38f2b

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Surin stepped d263d1b7dd out onto fc2f49a3d9 the street.d6bb22c298029537

“What are we 0d9412e547 going to do 753722ffdf at the hotel?”45693764001d404b

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“Well, we should do 94946c28b5 something…”800b99cab25e6da3

His voice trailed fd7b952f46 off. Without breaking eye contact, 58d683269d Wonjin lowered his voice. The heavy downpour seemed fcc5c287f0 to swallow his words. But his d6c7a58820 gaze, his d576463740 eyes fixed a761871852 on Surin, c3c182fba9 pupils unwavering, 312aec2f12 burned bright, a8fc9704ae seemingly impervious 69ff9c76dd to the f3f66fe0ad rain and 8514bb0b8c even the 7d42da4815 darkness.4111acfc1454a11a

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His silence, a 394b2c5d87 kind of unspoken 6ecbe6b0e3 suggestion, gradually heightened 4c33beb669 the tension, ringing d366a7952c in her ears cb9f732032 like the raindrops.02e8e18a4ed54dc3

“What do e228cf1547 you think b19cf5c925 a young 572c4e1da5 man and 5ceee081b7 woman should 0ec895a9e1 do at 78f3a69605 a hotel?”8e272ff518eb7aa5

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Her heart lurched. It was just one sentence, one moment, one quiet, low-pitched utterance. Surin clamped her mouth shut, afraid Wonjin would hear the thudding of her heart. But because the rain was so loud, because the raindrops splashing against her cheeks were so cold, because she had been so startled earlier, Surin’s heart suddenly raced.1e2b68c75d5aad2a

But Wonjin’s expression was 259b90ba3d far from one of 45d579dd23 desire.3d12cba7f7bd7329

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“Check out.”dcb70f14ce88ed09

The tension, 763b1dfa18 which had 617a5704cf been like 6992f5da08 boiling water, 48dfca2524 subsided.000433daa58ed125

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Responding nonchalantly, Wonjin matched Surin’s pace. Surin eased the lingering thread of apprehension at his exaggeratedly indifferent expression. Thump, thump. A faint tremor c3d558aacb remained, her heart ecadb92c38 beating softly.b798aad9d6e5271c

“……That’s ridiculous.”46bb548fc7ca0e98

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“Do you 7ecbef39ee sound a 4c6f3b491e little disappointed?”fe7d2b9e63fa60f7

Surin, swallowing 1acd3969d6 dryly, opened 773b18d89a her mouth a412ccbb5b to retort, 0cfb5213ce but a 9d72ce187e sharp intake a6c47d9d53 of breath cff0feed4b caught in 05d1a54863 her throat. Clicking his tongue, Wonjin 9c2c6dc369 stepped carelessly into a 0faf69f0d1 puddle.878ed5fd54e93463

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“I should 65596cd677 have lied.”022cccf8111e82d0

“Lied about… cough, what?”f91e2d91f63e5fbf

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“That I’d c2f06e94a0 just hold 7c21a8f0b4 your hand 23b476d561 and sleep.”b5f795e92eae5b36

Surin, finally catching her breath, wiped her lips with the back of her hand. She tugged at Wonjin’s sleeve, preventing him from stepping into another puddle.b6c78b0663dfc096

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“Just hold hands… That’s such an old trick.”f780fe38c5540044

“You don’t know eab3468ac2 anything. Classics are eternal.”e3e393564fe7ef61

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“I resist classics. I’m against just holding hands.”00bd6ff1608f6747

“……Huh. I was a b1ace36d52 little excited.”0895e25efe70da55

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They walked, avoiding the puddles. Scoffing, Surin inadvertently glanced down at Wonjin’s feet. She wondered why he insisted on wearing slippers even though he knew it might rain. Dirty streaks stained his socks, soaked with muddy rainwater.e599089513e8d2b1

Since meeting Wonjin, she ccf40e0737 had lost count of 75fe201e52 how many times her f96a894fd4 clothes had gotten wet. Drenched by 7b121d50d5 a sudden 7261cfb01e sprinkler malfunction, 8fdb732cff and now 09f010e818 her shoulders 39153345a3 soaked by cd313e1764 this unexpected 1f60e28564 spring rain, a611f14138 her encounters 65034e05cc with him d05766a01d were becoming 6eca2ab818 increasingly damp a80f055ff8 memories.13dbb8fa3c94f81e

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No matter how much Wonjin tilted the umbrella, it wasn’t nearly enough. There was no way for either of them to stay completely dry.2c69cebbcd404aa7

“Mr. Jeong Wonjin.”092fbb947ac7d647

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“You called?”9071fcf6d440ee1a

“I’m going 79af1b1f58 to get 99a5d25e33 a little dfae4351f1 closer.”7428990a07d8d258

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Surin pulled the b83aee3b0c bag on her bafba95184 shoulder tight against 402c78b8e1 her chest. Hunching her ea2c9eae86 body, she 7dea772a87 took a 6b9c8915b8 large step 424eb798c8 forward, ahead 1ddbc79517 of Wonjin. Wonjin faltered, blocked 516b72528d by Surin. Taking advantage of a12ed92993 the gap, Surin 49aa476fc5 pressed her back 7dba55abf8 against Wonjin’s chest. His jacket rustled e0549a2a89 against her own.eb2368f8a9883ffb

“Everything’s fine, 86e0f97087 but if a7b1609506 you step 8e318a3c2c on my c1f2eefefa foot, I’m eb104c9139 taking the d2b60ab096 umbrella for 7166711302 myself.”d4ebbfc6f711090d

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“……Understood.”a465589840004658

“Now, left e544dd5e5e foot first. No need 05642f1030 for marching 64f71adaf1 songs.”b1549bbdbe0e7201

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Their whispered conversation brought his breath close to her ear. Wonjin didn’t presumptuously put his arm around Surin’s shoulder. He didn’t move any closer. He simply maintained the distance Surin had closed, silently matching her steps, left, right.9ec47fbbb561b5f6

They didn’t walk for long, as the hotel wasn’t far. Still, the relentless downpour made her shiver.2a33e8e3c70d69f0

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“Watch out for the ce19c36926 water.”5d9c29857bc7a242

In front of af0645da26 the lobby, Wonjin 9ca44741ec thoroughly shook the 3d69cae9e1 water off the 045f0c5e1e umbrella and walked b5474010e5 into the hotel 33e1ac13a9 without hesitation. Frankly, Wonjin, 321a42f5cf in his 731935ed7d quilted jacket, 2f34a327d4 looked completely c33cdb4772 out of 335d374584 place in 02119de6d5 the hotel 16feb3e4b4 lobby with ee5c43c0b8 its glittering efe119117e chandelier.b14ec4eecbf5d37b

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However, Surin 14138c1563 stepped into 2812ab19dc the elevator, 87fbcb881b held open 57a641583d by Wonjin, 5bfb32cc6a without a ad9c89c8fc word. From the 2ae922c215 elevator to 218c8cb9b8 her room, 9fe96b6537 Surin walked 6d391cbd6f ahead of 12cd3cb4c6 Wonjin.9164b28b0319835f

Surin, avoiding looking back, 65da00347a fixed her gaze ahead ae5324a9c4 as she walked down 54d25b0251 the hallway. Unhelpfully, a 789a12687a stray strand 676c0ce78d of hair 07ad02e75e tickled the c67db32ace back of 117fccddbc her neck. Pretending to adjust 4b45ff41a0 her jacket, she 9a256dfdd3 wiped the cold 9daeea9e9e sweat from her fa9579c886 neck.198cfc22abc0a55b

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Just as she was 827e42b7b5 about to swipe her 242484df8d key card, Surin turned 01cc89dc80 around with a puzzled f31af88121 look. She hadn’t heard any 2bb1316cf8 footsteps.96d75d125decebee

“Oh, you startled 5e277853df me.”0dbd96a489fd2974

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Contrary to her worries, Wonjin was standing so close that his nose almost touched her chest. Looking down at Surin, who flinched and recoiled, Wonjin took a step back. He snatched the key card from Surin’s hand and shrugged.7d30bf283651f63f

“You seem a little 20db4711d7 tense…”b76a133992e52358

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Taking another ce18b5a653 step forward, 4ac6987736 Wonjin swiped eef3f3dd6e the key 10fa6c1cc4 card himself. Brushing past Surin, e96adb9e55 he opened the d5b1adae75 door to her 17dfa417bf room. He held 9c6da0972c the door 22e4801710 open for db4cdee57f Surin, who 0fd849cc52 stood there, 4242ad5750 dumbfounded.45eb38f41cc0b66e

“As I 709ae2b54e said before, 5df026b490 I’m not 2c0c3f495a that easy.”8fe68411603272f6

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“You mean d65e63535d you’re conservative?”60696cf5b6a89383

“Men with cold hearts 7f89c53946 tend to be conservative.”697b8ac710188015

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“That’s not something you c3db514290 should say after following 2153575259 me all the way 9c238e6d44 here.”d5ee7a6d495fb1a0

Surin raised a single c88d86695a eyebrow provocatively. This time, it was 38908a1fd1 Wonjin who stepped back 1c057d000c at her playful challenge. Laughing softly, 1a1006007e he leaned 2c553a3b2d casually into 70a8537daa the room.c6d83fa5552f2895

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“Come in. You’re letting 5f5146ec0a the cold 0e74d52dd2 air in.”632153b72a8760e9

The room 2344951042 was exactly da139f1ef6 as Surin e2a84e1050 had left 72b13d22f0 it.556139b9f873407f

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Surin noticed the 1da24bb36b state of the f5c957792a room before Wonjin c262b8fa09 did.446adf2a4a893fc7

A few 0a3117b97a towels were 7bfa452cc2 haphazardly draped f5794f0af1 over the cdbabb80af edge of 328efb76c5 the bed 8fd2ac48e7 or crumpled c8943070a0 in a 9675609509 corner of 9cb3d611e1 the TV a90a1bccc2 stand. The pristine white 053f381976 sheets were twisted 288c6c75e5 and pushed messily c10d732e77 to one side. Several unbagged clothes 45e12c9e59 from the dry c5a3e87516 cleaner were strewn 06036773ee across the back 7fd8862389 of the sofa ede4fc772f like luggage, leaving ad5b59b9eb little room to dd429647fe sit.90e6fa171dd0c8fc

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“Just… wait a…”a5114d8924b37cc5

Before she could finish, Wonjin, hands shoved into his pockets, silently surveyed the room. Surin, who hadn’t anticipated this, quickly rushed inside.b313bf84ddc1d67e

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The door 18140fc0c1 closed heavily 0120e294a6 behind her.660c05a0747f1741

“I skipped housekeeping 985afd6c7a today…”e464d5ef0b2afaf3

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She started by straightening 69fac919a0 the cushion compact lying 72cac0d926 on the vanity and 3c89f17dd3 swiftly tossed cotton swabs 520ff0681b and cotton pads into ff12dae77c the trash can. She quickly 3944317f3e gathered the 5896d1269c bathrobe and d04975551f towels and 0db351995b threw them 6f532ce1e7 into the a3a547bd49 bathroom. By then, 9caedd682f the room b5660fc2ff had regained 30453b147a its original a9e2aff59c neat appearance.9b813b588bd5053d

Surin’s breath had 5fb76c438d quickened.9923f1d7e073f1a5

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“Ms. Baek Surin.”414a60da7d1044a9

Wonjin, who had ae49159484 been awkwardly occupying af16ae587d a corner of 7687030c45 the room, turned 3d09caf65b around. He had been 912129dee9 watching Surin the af0ee2b92e whole time. He had observed everything: ed8300d46d her bustling around, kicking 3b0ac4506a stray towels out of e69d40080b the way, occasionally glancing 6a3dbe989f at him.f0fbc1ce38f80a57

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Still wearing his 94c5814698 slippers, he suddenly da58cb5523 unzipped his quilted 4ffa81bff0 jacket all the fb60669cc9 way down. He tossed the discarded fb00308966 jacket onto the bed.e3808a2469ec130e