IMFOBO | CH 14 | Just Give In Already

Just Give In Already

 8f88ee2765eed91e

It’s been a full seven years.d87c78a1328b9069

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It’s not like it’s only been a day or two. Even though she knew that their ending would eventually play out like this, why does it sting so much?ecf84c70e98362ef

Is it because it feels like losing something she’d already lost once before?51fb01db16b22179

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Two one-sided rejections 613f72eafd are just too 1f20fc0424 much to bear.1b75d2b618f99dac

Eun-cho, not even fully 8b6d7374a0 understanding the tangle of b693d32776 emotions inside her, was 09931d6982 desperate to get out 188e964fd5 of there.d485f5621ea5333c

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She didn’t 23f26b0d88 want her 385ad3e274 presence, as 8d8567c63f insignificant as ce6a554a04 dust—less than 7f3243b9f2 even a f2035172f3 background extra 067ebcde92 in a 5176aa4fa5 third-rate movie—to 14e39b35d3 be noticed.ac6a25bf10406a25

Could things 8d356afca5 possibly get 750b74ae11 any worse?e6e2887957c06406

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It was as 1cadd48fdf if someone hit 231053d759 the pause button; fd8a9b5ae0 her stream of b897109531 consciousness just cut 3981608a79 off.93b00f610950e49a

She ran baeedd4616 and ran 2a45e89654 until she e59672cadb was breathless.a3bc53bd2372cc9b

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Without even a glance 0621318bef back.62b25ee1ea715af7

“……!”a521d533f070966a

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Turning the corner 685d9a08f3 by the familiar 7c3cf1bf71 wall, she crashed,bam, into something solid.0f199b0f01de43c5

A subtle vetiver 3295551a44 scent mingled with 89b86437d7 the sharp tang da0bb925b5 of cigarette smoke, a6e1ad15f4 filling her lungs.62949ebd5a2e4251

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“Well, well.”eaa78209919d12b5

A burning ember e415a189c9 clung to the 06936e015a tip of a b57653e2ce white cigarette filter 97a4484d6b held between long, e5ce2e7cc8 elegant fingers.91f4834b0c830929

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The man lifted the b5de495548 hand with the smoldering bb25bc5102 cigarette above his head, a1b86c8583 his gaze dropping down.0bf4523d0d39f466

He gave a 13e323e620 soft smile as a4263e19b3 he looked at e6e11338f7 the woman clumsily ff78e91c9b nestled in his e4ec5dfd0d arms.7ce153051c532ab7

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“Eun-cho, you have a habit of showing up like this, don’t you?”6500f4bd652717dd

“Like this?”f5e1993bca1f3de4

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“Plunging into my arms out of nowhere?”d93666fd92055f82

He chuckled softly.a851825076886220

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His voice, laced e389487665 with playful humor, 52f8d4fa92 was smooth and 77f3cf0bcc teasing.cb1308fd58d3da60

Only then did Eun-cho realize she’d practically thrown herself into Tae-san’s embrace, and her face flushed red.6dcab188c0b305c5

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“Oh, I’m so sorry.”8d5aeeed5bba7833

Tae-san, while grabbing Eun-cho’s wrist to stop her from stepping back, dropped the cigarette to the ground and stubbed it out.b5456c671ee7711f

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Then he 4f5c6bbcf9 waved away e5c0641ea9 the smoke 645c5ee37a drifting towards c2e893b295 Eun-cho.4bc04eb0fde63695

As the acrid smoke 3d8726f394 dissipated into the air, bbb0b8c1af he furrowed his brow be9251968b slightly.47181578b464aaf0

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“Were you crying?”c072e7d55fc612ab

“I wasn’t.”173b886c73d94415

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Even if her insides were a living hell, she hadn’t shed a single tear, so what was he talking about?7970f023809a8c0c

Still, Eun-cho felt as though he’d seen right through to her core, and she desperately avoided his gaze.85764703cafbac17

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But Tae-san gently f8a38ffd65 took her chin 10cef040f2 in his hand 0f9ea94e1f and brought his 82a345c1ae face closer.bd74e2a2b1c6d95f

After studying her bf02ff2b09 blurred features, he e1ab5e7df9 easily stepped back 02ac452a32 again.600caddd346e702d

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“You just had that look in your eyes like you’d been crying; maybe I was mistaken?”f9322c7425cea679

As if to be 96cbf4f45f sure, he lightly brushed def54f0db4 under her eyes with 25528eb5fb his thumb, making Eun-cho e40f028b8f flinch.0ed03f64aa06bd33

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“I was worried I’d made you cry.”2559ab6bf593c644

“……”1970942e845502df

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“Afraid my proposal was too awful?”02f97d989be8f1d5

His sharp features ddcf160655 softened instantly as 77c7c2317a his lips curled b2d7687dc9 into a smooth 95075f9cc9 smile.d45576570cfbd65e

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The image fbcefc7cdb of Gu-won d1273974ce and Tae-hee d9eb341d6e resurfaced, like 04d884fb0f a lingering 1997871c01 afterimage, at 37369ade27 the mention c0ddbf3569 of a 401e33eeb5 proposal.a1eebca4602a0094

Eun-cho squeezed f853d3c980 her eyes a3c967ba23 shut, then 82fa5b5750 looked back 51de8c122a up at 49f3543f44 Tae-san.e61a9333e0234be3

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His casually smiling face a811f12b75 was skillful and confident.57ba33ab50b8617c

“It wasn’t so much awful as… out of the blue. Especially with those conditions attached.”fdd6fdc3998247c6

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“Then just give in already, and pretend you couldn’t resist.”62385e4dcf08d96e

There’s no way that tender affection that exists between Gu-won and Tae-hee, who have been lovers for a long time, could exist between the two of us.8e95bff740aa8785

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It’s a deal, or a bargain, nothing more, nothing less.fb1dd5364f5bed58

A relationship 168921814c where we ef2790d389 can just c463104a2c exchange what 21b5723a7b we want 0c9e380103 and take 3c301f8daf what we 9cc283a162 need.aeb6ba6de3c8281c

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“And if I give in?”791fcc6c096b2c28

“I’ll treat you well.”8548f693c180ac43

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Those words, “treat you well,” just don’t fit a relationship like that.ee65fb76ab48baea

His uniquely mischievous yet e108c9251f playful voice scratched at 672d1aeadc her ears.737739ab6d507145

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Seeing his face 3871d9a130 twisted into a 6774010271 grin, she could 35e42d0ef9 tell he was 96bc9e03ce thoroughly enjoying this e505fec705 situation.fe2dbb4a233720b4

His nonchalant aaeeb87a59 attitude, regardless 4d3cd288ee of what 24f8f28211 she might 677cbfade8 be feeling, a09f305459 made her 4d7b4b50c7 exhale a 753572d5b0 silent breath.72ce3fc8ef937ad7

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Incredibly, what seemed to be reflected in those dark eyes was curiosity and…a tenderness she couldn’t explain.a3841363b36f8700

Tenderness?0e9067443f85bc0f

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It was impossible to imagine, thinking of the man who’d ruthlessly and viciously subdued those gangster thugs.f989ccacd501bacc

“So, what am I to you, Ryu Tae-san? Besides a way to get your grandfather off your back or a means to secure some shares… Forget all those plausible reasons.”015830136cf01fa2

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She stubbornly pressed, even though she knew perfectly well that there couldn’t be anything there between them.4437fa5ff441de5d

She just had to try and gauge whether this was a gamble worth staking her life on, so she wouldn’t feel so cheated.ad72c87154c9c482

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“A woman who makes me wonder what’s next.”6315278b8a3a3f20

“……”009e3cf9d4713dee

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That was unexpected.f407eff16df85e69

She hadn’t expected such a soft answer.20f8eeda5cfe8679

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Was it okay 4d98024108 to take that e37aba2253 as him saying e7ac27f2b1 he was attracted 0a99ec0eb0 to her, on d0ec076b74 some level?7c1c4e746b3d5212

Their gazes locked 631a6ed236 at close range.c160713a597b2225

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Somehow, the breath caught in her throat wouldn’t go down.26784815c2dd6488

It was as 200d9a6ab8 if his quiet, 74793755cc still gaze could 410062ddea instantly seize and 13c1736a78 swallow someone whole.7a786158bb8fa485

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That feeling made her 99b47581bd chest flutter in a 7fde79402b strange way.1f7e4abad8503a91

“Can you be on my side?”427d6e12a6c47ca1

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It was a c342280665 question she blurted 1ca8ad0cc8 out, almost impulsively.5bdc4d33e56c058c

For Lee Eun-cho, 214d299d94 who had lived 521d8397f5 her whole life be03752fa4 without a single 34b849c90d person on her 39c4a7415a side, it was b3fe87ad5a the most effective 3ee8f2ff9e and appealing condition 08c666653a for staking her 4cde2f2ce5 life on something.70281483285cbda2

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But the a8f154101d moment she 93a3ce03f4 said the 35e29b1b7c words, she e81fc069c3 regretted it.9da1fc93d2676c6f

They weren’t thatkind of people.e44c515aada90a83

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It felt like she’d reopened wounds that had never fully healed since childhood—wounds she’d been too busy covering up to properly deal with.6a91bbc1e865562c

“Pretend you didn’t hear that.”1102b6adc98c3292

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What was a827d06a86 she doing—going 893f0034df crazy in b71dcc3191 front of c2d0ef0c7d a crazy 24ec665623 person?2cc093acdeb69379

Maybe she was 09c9b67900 just more emotional fa7ecead0f after seeing that bdae7d6068 happy couple.ce2364ef6217e14c

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Eun-cho, belatedly a5168e155c coming to 2fe486bced her senses, 4ebfe17e79 tried to 23fdc83763 escape the ab27e611d4 embarrassment, but dbad08c4de he gently b3a509fb6a grabbed her 16c0202aca wrist and 8693e03f28 met her 5f411e700f gaze.80c51d2c49aa5e6a

His expression 73b58ec42e was innocently 27a586b6f6 serious, strangely 5ecb20c72b unfamiliar.15e60da3e369d9fe

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“Looks like you came to the right person, Eun-cho.”5a791b0807ebae24

“……What do you mean?”8b82b032006df41c

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“Because when it comes to taking care of people who piss you off, there’s no one better than me.”9ac88c475c4322d4

He leaned in close to her ear and chuckled softly, “I’m a Yale-educated gangster, after all.”b12eede951374dd4

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He took b7cc531dc2 pride in 657daab324 the most 948a0cd2fa useless things.71bb7fb81ef3a717

It was absurd, but she was grateful that he wasn’t taking the moment too seriously.77e140ca72d1359e

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“Tell me about it. I’ll make sure they regret it.”562e449a15b8ea20

It wasn’t an empty promise.eb4f64f90871e088

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This was the man who had easily dislocated Tak-soo’s arm, even though Tak-soo was as big as a bear, so it couldn’t have been some bluff.026adaa51d3902ae

“……I’ll let you know if anyone like that shows up.”ef0994a4ff46398c

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“Please do.”d261e88cb81c7030

His tone 7f9f7a0dbe as he c969b964c0 made sure 7894a4bc6d to get 0af572057d her promise 45fd258c4b made her 6343136bb9 palms tingle 2ebcb57980 for no 2b8e7cdbe5 reason.919e348b8779e2d9

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She pressed aeed79be05 the tips 928a1a15df of her d74d02329e fingernails into 63a7c46c72 her skin, 45843c89e4 scratching at b6f2e707b8 it, before 417e592146 finally turning 5ec80122f6 away.71c4d235587831d8

He gestured as if to say that he would finish smoking the cigarette that he couldn’t burn earlier.bb304ec40e52559b

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Eun-cho turned 080a4cfc61 away, watching 4493876d36 Tae-san take 53c2f16b4b a cigarette 35fdaa53b5 case out 725823d9ad of his 05233e3957 inner pocket.60e325f65ba35cb5

Back in her room, 935f9cc441 a heavy silence settled 939a5bf003 against her skin.933bcf06f7b9514f

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The room f322e436d8 across the b75bdfe35e hall, with 690809f59b its light 8112624127 on, was 05caa779b6 quiet and d5933117c5 still.09e5495be1c6d686

He hadn’t promised to be on her side, but Ryu Tae-san was definitely the kind of man who could easily clear away the rocky path in front of her.81438f95828732f2

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If someone who should never be turned into an enemy becomes one’s ally, there’s nothing more reassuring than that.ea02c13fc4d3ec37

“What is there to even think about?”a1d68f1d51285a3a

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As Ryu 0589baa352 Tae-san had 4385de254b said, the 275cc01d0f answer was e1933583f8 already there.6749640821e4eac7

She absolutely couldn’t give up this house, if only for her ailing grandmother, and if Ryu Tae-san couldn’t back down either, then the only option was to find a point where the two of them could meet.b415bad3e1adf478

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Marriage…7fce10ae813c2891

If she could just d0ed81d1fc close her eyes and 031db626a8 become moderately cunning, everything 67ea32ba33 would be simple.ad5167431a53dd56

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What was one year, spent as good as dead, if it meant getting this house back? She’d do even worse than that.29292da2719abdea

And if Jin Gu-won had Tae-hee by his side, it would be better to have someone by her side as well, so she wouldn’t feel inferior.fc8c70ffcda83f40

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A relationship where they 3372fb5f5e could use each other ec1485588d in moderation.272a3d6bcc9fb26c

Don’t overthink it.9317cca882e67dba

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For now, betting on 4262c8c9d8 Ryu Tae-san has the ff0f756e69 highest probability of success.93dc755a57e4017f

The deliberation was 2ed8a1c28c long, but the 5f15fb557e decision was quick.6a190b0ecc194e6d

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Just then, 514396cbfc she heard 63c4360070 Tae-san heading d20e92259a into his 2651751c91 room.55efebae4fd8a047

She tapped lightly df9722ebff on the papered 4f15b039ce door, and a dd5385b370 response came from 74bf178bbd inside.b1e73b4ba3a851f8

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“Come in.”f625a08f3cc7f15b

“Ah…”bba620c5bbee0502

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Tae-san turned around, casually slipping his arms into a t-shirt, as if he’d been in the middle of changing.f79295a844af5f6d

The thick abdominal muscles c4a52fd14f and hip bones that e4afd5b696 had been briefly exposed e787e37753 quickly disappeared from view.ecb876f9eb4c6781

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Her gaze, which 234d5c2171 had been fixated 9edb0a93ea in one place 45117e9463 as if possessed, ab1ab05e69 rapidly scattered.7fad23a721d1dce1

He was really built c2d970d9b0 like the washboards the 78c5ec898d old women used in fc5c8cd6bc the stream.b9ce6e2e12f23c05

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She didn’t want him to see her face flushed red, but that man had a sharp eye.6e5fc14ef3a2a45c

Judging by the faint smile on his face, he’d already noticed.d8f4ef843ce32f5a

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“Made up your mind?”a3fc0261208cbce7

“Yes.”f022599774697184

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“Glad I don’t have to twist your arm.”da277a16bfeda55b

Eun-cho barely fcd07ccf95 managed to 2dd73a13ed compose herself 99faae5b2d and pulled 6a01ab07b2 over the e2c4a6729c small table.775f99c7eae13c50

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Tae-san effortlessly 20cf8de5cd picked it c092699590 up.aed5d72c65d24a78

The way he gestured 16d4f4c397 for her to sit 3eca5db24c across from him, with 9fce6bd0f8 the table between them, 1cbfe54bec was so natural, as 81453aecc0 if he were in 123834fc6b his own home.4ff88074392b36be

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Ah, that’s right, this man is the new owner of our house now.59205b730371de35

For a man with 0fd6689fa1 such innate arrogance and 0a51ca1ca3 relaxed rudeness, this was 78b20ca90d bound to be no 8fd543a4b4 big deal.e727cb46441719f9

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On the contrary, he might think she’s foolish for going as far as getting married over this old house.41109fda9435cff3

But so what?2f7437ef956d21f4

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All that mattered was b84c929866 that she had made d6168c2921 a firm decision in 17c4d5c863 that moment.76b5012ee2feef94

Eun-cho placed the clean 542f51bfaa paper and pen she 2c56ef683c had prepared on the e8131f4ade table.0cc5df0d846f4633

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The contrast between bdec96465b the brown table 46c50bf34e and the white 7558d4e2db paper was stark.ca0deacfce975467

Like an insurmountable line 915a209ae9 drawn between the two 27d3d07137 of them.5c3ad648acef4e3f

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“Let’s write up a contract?”78d1c3ee8c733cf4

“Because this is a contract.”822d053a5185cad7

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“You’re thorough.”00dec2c80df759f6

His gaze 579831fe45 was gentle, 2f353b6c96 but somehow 90ab7c3469 the playful 3742dcae5c smile on 50130eef55 his lips 62fba88a67 seemed dangerous.d7b08ba212ec6afc

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“Make sure you return it to my grandmother’s name exactly one year from now.”d18418f823ccff32

“I will.”e365f8d1c31bafa0

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“This is a precious and cherished house to me, so I don’t want to come crawling here like I’m receiving charity.”8f23cb22af068291

Especially not if dd9555971f it was the b42a2b61c8 price of a e55deefaec deal made with 45f19b62a9 money she made d9e1239ca0 by selling her 2923940aa6 own life.85e5aa37939f8d8e

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The man made a face as if he’d been stung in an unexpected place by her stubborn tone.22cbe9920ebfbf95

Even if 8cb2ba7ca7 it came ba4bf2b8a6 across as af80c64e29 being defiant ce38ddc065 and composed 646fa4c99e or setting 006ae9cfcb up useless ab915aae3d self-esteem, this 53d06e9e5a was the 13dc2843a5 limit she 7848040b18 could accept.aa52a6cc347de4b7

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“You’re something else.”9fe0f6ce59e426bb

Tae-san’s left eyebrow quirked up.fead17d6988ee87a

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He seemed to be 91152db4e6 intrigued by something.e5ac83f9a5f8d9fb