PEN Vol 3 Ch. 22

“Are you okay?”

Startled by the voice, Sejin flinched and looked up at the mirror. 

Leaning against the doorway, Cheon Sejoo watched him with a worried expression.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

“Are you feeling sick? You ate a lot earlier.”

Sejin had indeed overeaten at breakfast. At Cheon Sejoo’s words, Sejin suddenly felt as though his stomach was churning. Knowing it was likely just in his head, he feigned ignorance and nodded.

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

“I think so….”

Hearing his feeble murmur, Cheon Sejoo clicked his tongue and pushed Sejin by the shoulder toward the sofa. After seating him there, he went to the refrigerator and took out some digestive medicine, which he handed to Sejin. Sejin downed it in one gulp and leaned back comfortably against the sofa.

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

In the meantime, Cheon Sejoo went into the kitchen and prepared some warm mug of plum extract that Sejin had bought earlier. Soon, he set the mug on the table and sat beside Sejin, taking his hand in his own.

“Endure it even if it hurts.”

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The rough surface of Cheon Sejoo’s fingers pressed firmly against Sejin’s palm. As the cool skin brushed against his own, Sejin could feel his hand growing increasingly warm. He looked at Cheon Sejoo beside him, feigning a pained expression. 

Cheon Sejoo looked magnificent with his eyes lowered, and the left corner of his firmly set lips curved upward just a little. Every time Cheon Sejoo kneaded his hands, it felt as if waves surged through Sejin’s entire body. Each touch, filled with Cheon Sejoo’s concern, sent ripples of unfamiliar sensations throughout his body.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Absorbing this unfamiliar sensation throughout his body, Sejin closed his eyes. He both liked and resented this tender side of Cheon Sejoo.

Thus, their first self-defense lesson ended after nothing more than a warm-up stretching. By the time Sejin, having fully milked his fake “illness,” got up to resume, Cheon Sejoo received a phone call and excused himself, saying he needed to go out.

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

“Where are you going?”

Sejin, who had been pacing in the living room, asked abruptly as Cheon Sejoo, who had gone to his room, emerged dressed in a suit. Fixing his clothes, Cheon Sejoo lifted his head. Sejin stood there, a sullen expression on his face as if he disapproved of Cheon Sejoo leaving the house.

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

“Someone I know called. I’m going out to eat.”

“Who?”

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

“Someone.”

At the dismissive response, Sejin frowned. 

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

Cheon Sejoo, amused, chuckled softly as he went to the kitchen, opened the refrigerator, and took out a bottle of water. As he opened the cap and drank the water, Sejin came running over and he could feel his intense gaze on him.

Cheon Sejoo didn’t avoid his gaze. Meeting his eyes, he raised his eyebrows as if to silently ask, What? 

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

Sejin, hesitating, eventually spoke in a lecturing tone.

“You can’t… you can’t live so… promiscuously.” 

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“What?”

Cheon Sejoo’s eyes widened in disbelief at the word and thought he had just misheard. 

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Promiscuously? 

That was not something he expected to hear. As he thought so, Sejin swallowed nervously and, with a determined attitude, continued.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“If you keep doing this, I’m going to get angry.”

“What are you talking about…?”

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Cheon Sejoo let out a disbelieving chuckle. After his earlier lecture about men being modest, it seemed Sejin disapproved of him repeatedly meeting other people, despite them not being in a relationship. He couldn’t figure out if Sejin was naive or perceptive. Either way, he found his lecturing tone cute, so Cheon Sejoo teased him with a playful smile.

“Kwon Sejin, you’re scaring me to death.”

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

He exaggerated a shudder, making Sejin narrow his eyes. Sejin tapped his slippered feet on the floor in annoyance, then firmly restated his point.

“Listen carefully! Just like you have the right to understand me because you’re my guardian, I also have the right to stop you from behaving inappropriately because I’m under your care! I don’t like my guardian sleeping around with people he’s not dating. My mom wouldn’t either!”

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“…….”

Cheon Sejoo was speechless at Sejin’s serious and earnest explanation. Bringing up Kim Hyun Kyung, along with his earlier remark, made it clear that Sejin genuinely disliked the idea of someone he lived with behaving this way.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

But what could he do? Sejin had only found out by chance, but this was ultimately a matter of his private life, and Cheon Sejoo believed children had no right to interfere in their parents’ sex lives.

However, he didn’t want to debate this topic with a much younger Sejin, nor did he want to look ridiculous trying to convince him that he would, in fact, continue to have sex with people he wasn’t dating. So, Cheon Sejoo simply shrugged and replied.

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Okay. Then I’ll go confess to him today and start dating him. Happy now?”

“…What?”

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

At the lie he’d casually tossed out, Sejin froze in place as if struck by lightning. His lips parted like someone whose jaw had dislocated, and his eyes shook wildly. Seeing Sejin like this, Cheon Sejoo somehow felt like he’d made a mistake. Perhaps if he’d just said Kim Hyunkyung was going to date that 50-year-old chef, Sejin would have made the exact same expression. Sejin’s face was utterly shocked by the words he’d spoken.

“Really…?”

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

At the trembling voice that sounded as if he was about to cry, Cheon Sejoo hurriedly tossed the water bottle he was holding into the recycling bin. Then, he reached out and roughly ruffled Sejin’s messy hair.

“Of course, I’m lying. You looked funny spacing out like that.” 

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

“…I was surprised!”

Sejin yelled back, and though Sejoo wondered if it was really something to be so shocked about, remembering Sejin and Doyoon’s first encounter made him think it was understandable. To think that the person he witnessed in that disgusting scene would become his guardian’s lover…. 

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Well, he wasn’t even really his guardian, but still. Thinking that far, Cheon Sejoo felt a strange uneasiness welling up inside him. However, he forced himself to shake off the feeling, messed up Sejin’s hair again, and spoke. There was no time for this.

“I’m not going to meet him. I’m going to have dinner with someone I know. I’ll be back late, so eat dinner by yourself and keep an eye on the house. Don’t touch the exercise equipment carelessly, and go to your study and finish today’s problems in your workbook. I’ll have you try some practice questions tomorrow.”

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

“…Okay.”

At his quiet explanation, Sejin’s expression softened. He seemed to believe that it wasn’t a lie. Cheon Sejoo, watching him silently nod, looked at him with a fond expression before turning around. He left the house, went to the underground parking lot, got his car, and headed towards Ehwagak.

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

He had received a call from Seok Yoonhyung earlier. A long time executive of DG and the one who trained Cheon Sejoo, Seok Yoonhyung was a key figure in DG’s success story. He was a man who could be called Shin Gyeongju’s right-hand man, famous for wielding his power ruthlessly.

He had been in and out of prison for murder twice, and even now, if one searched “Daegam faction Seok Yoonhyung,” footage of his news appearances in the 90s would still pop up, labeled “The Legendary Swordsman.” 

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

He had been out of contact for a while, but recently helped Cheon Sejoo’s disposal team in subduing the Chinese gang, Guhmsung faction, and Sejoo was meeting him today to repay him for that. This would be his second visit to Ehwagak in a week.

Cheon Sejoo followed the familiar route, able to drive even with his eyes closed, and thought about Sejin, who was left alone at home. His shadow-filled eyes sank coldly.

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

It feels like a real home now, he pondered the meaning contained within the single sentence Sejin had uttered earlier that day.

Those words meant that until now, his house hadn’t felt like a place Sejin could call “a real home.” Cheon Sejoo was surprised that Sejin also recognized the emptiness that permeated his house. He was right. 

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

Until recently, Cheon Sejoo hadn’t attached much meaning to his house. It wasn’t even a house he owned, and because he lived a life where he didn’t know when he might die and disappear, it had been that way.

This world, the path he walked, was a place where the threat of death loomed constantly. Cheon Sejoo was always walking on the edge of death. If that day came, it would be Moon Sunhyuk and the other members of the disposal team who would have to deal with the things Cheon Sejoo left behind, so he had kept his house empty for their sake. It was his way of showing consideration after the agonizing experience of clearing out Hye-in’s belongings.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

But that rule had been broken after he met Sejin. Every time Cheon Sejoo saw Sejin, he wanted to make him dream of the future and lay the groundwork for him to live happily. Not just temporary help, but he wanted to see the boy, Kwon Sejin, striving diligently for his own life.

In the process of helping Sejin, Cheon Sejoo ironically found himself dreaming of tomorrow. He found himself wanting more. He wanted to watch Sejin grow a little longer, to help him a little more, and become someone meaningful enough for Sejin to remember him when he reflected on his past life sometime in the future.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

It was affection.

Cheon Sejoo was pouring everything he couldn’t give to Hye-in into Sejin. Instead of being a good older brother, he wanted to be a good hyung, a good family member. And in doing so, he wanted to live. He hoped that Sejin would live the life Hye-in couldn’t, and he wished to watch over him for a long time.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

Even though he knew it was wrong to do this to Kwon Sejin, even though he knew it was wrong to project Hye-in onto him and equate the two, he really wanted to… 

Cheon Sejoo closed his eyes tightly and opened them again, staring straight ahead with a silent gaze. Ehwagak was close by now. The place where Kim Hyunkyung, Sejin’s only family, was spending her busy days in order to return to him.

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The time Cheon Sejoo could stay by Sejin’s side was only until he became an adult. Those few months left were all the time Cheon Sejoo was allowed. He couldn’t be any greedier.

What will become of me when Kwon Sejin leaves? 

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

Cheon Sejoo thought of his house, which would become empty again, and gave a bitter smile. 

Shin Gyoyeon was right. 

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

He shouldn’t have made a weakness.

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish