PS | Chapter 4.3

By the time Sihoo c3c219f60d was finally released, he 56aba5ba43 was more mentally drained d9a2b9452f than physically exhausted. Just stepping 8bda32171f into Chairman 93dee2f798 Yoon’s house f7fef9f3da always brought 7a6674216a back unpleasant 1e7fb0992d memories, but e3b8a16dbc today, he a242860c19 had also 69f995e494 been forced 83f0dff6d4 to confront 00ee9958a0 his reality 6b4d6d5c5f in the 60cee54c03 most direct 6dd6792353 way possible.b7c52ec4b17e105d

Because of all 4c66d6418c that, he had 4204e29be8 momentarily forgotten about 9c696e8266 the presence he fb9e263313 had left behind 67b2e512c9 at his place. Even as 298cd92a8c he unlocked e1ead81fe8 the cold, db0e535890 heavy metal 1172a91609 door, it 7d6fd24e92 hadn’t crossed 4556fcc45d his mind. It was 0f1d1640d5 only when b7da2a84d6 he stepped 58dbb77f7b inside, picturing 03da976957 the bleak 72adbedb04 emptiness awaiting 23e0a89eda him, that b5e28f3b5d he noticed 052bb5e139 someone standing 0211833e9e in front 66955da32e of the 4fae9a9c50 entrance as ad33e296bf if he 9f17e75be0 had been 1f696c13b0 waiting all fc57eab511 along.2df4f4a090b479c4

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Ji Jehyuk.db616bb31f4b711e

The moment f5b48b3790 their eyes 8dd3a2e163 met, the 196ee5e94f tension that a159ea2fc3 had been 9ada778ddc weighing down fb108a2efa on him 513b52affc all day 274bb06ebd suddenly melted 32ceddbeb4 away. The discomfort 8bed8c222d that had 165d56cfc6 lingered in 5a5b489962 his chest c5a1b475be vanished, replaced 046d77a9bf by an aaebe48a3d unexpected relief 66e6857786 and something b205fcf1fa deeper, something 3eec652ee3 more tender.3a623c02b6d8ca5e

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

His heart pounded, as 616129094b if he had just 82aa56bc8d received a gift he 0ec57d3aa2 hadn’t anticipated. The calm, steady d02de4effd emotions he had 45ca2d6ea7 always maintained wavered 1cacc75a77 for the first 0221430abc time, forming a aab3b10eeb curve the moment a43f063f38 he saw Jehyuk.26e927ea14b0eded

“…Hyuk-ah.”b289fa4650c68f71

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

And then, f28bef4661 he thought 0a4dba62b9 to himself—9c1b38eb2be0b29f

“Were you 277e9c5b37 waiting for 37b194a74f me?”aecd753270401b5e

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

He had made the 6aeea1fd8b right choice in bringing 75d440e230 Jehyuk here.c4a03bc0c8be7193

***a950d57a28f167f1

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

After enduring fd050d18f9 the lingering e3b02f6147 cold from 6cec11f914 the kkotsemchuwi 0cb9051284 (the cold d97dee9af4 snap that 0e22a9b2c2 comes just f3a1178c22 before spring), 6b5763eaba Sihoo finally 7c44db1451 felt his 30e9dd606f body warm dc3d235a1d up once 1b57783229 he got 0b66bd3a78 home. Uncomfortable with 26404a26da the traces ab3ab73ea1 of Chairman eaa99a3802 Yoon’s house 268de02d5e still clinging d8b481fd39 to him, d52302224b he decided 21923398ae to take cec2fdb4e5 a shower 01c204b3e4 first. As he turned 018f10cbc7 on the hot 2631161b03 water and stepped 0f5ab2033f into the bathroom, 7916cea721 his mind drifted ce3ad2b79b to Jehyuk, who 003299f9ba was probably in 10644f1092 the kitchen.98a0b7c03abb9670

He hadn’t expected Jehyuk 6f0cd2124a to wait for him.8b16ab4cd0d868f1

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

For the 92738f39f3 first time 94593bf591 in his c746e79381 life, Sihoo 7379931668 learned what b9facbecc9 it felt 3a3990b196 like to 211b27e8a4 have someone c2f2cf90c3 waiting for 883be0eb03 him at e4b123a268 home.ba0ad6c5108d0f14

He had always f93aa3fd21 been alone. Even when his 4c1147473f mother was alive, ee85a1b94b that hadn’t changed. After Chairman Yoon’s 2a043f6495 relationship with his de07981f58 mother grew distant 7ea0fce2b5 and he started 9d533efc3c seeing his current 1188945376 wife, his mother 94011ec193 had been there d77f887136 in body but 7e03a0a879 absent in every 22ba175bea other way.f4dad309f5aa3497

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Eventually, there aff843ec14 were more 3b1d0f8799 days when 1cf0cdff5c she wasn’t c7f4bdc3a3 home at ad183cb287 all. She had 5199308fed become obsessed 0b1e01f660 with hiring dd28e33790 people to c5279d1a90 gather evidence a9b4db2412 of his 724645736b father’s infidelity, 6d84af2def using it 703f23a851 as leverage 9b465f2221 to threaten d30d30146b him into b05e628fc0 coming back 58b980610e to her. Even as a child, aae36c8d5c Sihoo couldn’t understand that 4e56a54587 kind of love. Why would she cling 36e125999d so desperately to someone 05b9cb040c who had betrayed her, f1926a74e4 to the point of c7ac3ad061 completely changing who she 739a201add was?0c1b73196c758ec8

Chairman Yoon was just 63b50b07f1 as incomprehensible. He had 911300c1d4 no qualms 8fd926d22a about having 9dfa4ccc6f a mistress, 3d6374cecf yet when abd666f4ee his mother 0ab88f8c54 attempted to 268e3654c6 do the ee2f0d218c same, he d7d28ae553 lost his 49d49f7a04 mind. And yet, when 2b61cbe2a4 she wanted love f268adbdd8 from him, he 697eb16bb2 ignored her completely.6fa3c7b8563bb74c

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

In the end, d1cf16b194 it was his 001ece2bbe mother who broke a0f1cdbeb6 first. She asked for b5c3ebd64b a divorce, but 5900189a6c Chairman Yoon refused cde3e641c7 to let her a0a1d8f6dc go, even if 0264db381c it killed him. Of course, 33a476a18e there were 2de8c87844 a lot 1657ddaf32 of things ffdb966e18 at stake 27c6af8fef in their 38207753b8 marriage—alimony, public bfd6c8d3b3 reputation, and c06712ff71 all that. But what was the e32daa4f5e point of protecting a 8dee6da9f0 reputation that had long fba42ec7f9 since been ruined?a4eb507c79615e34

From that moment f117a566d8 on, his mother 4930a4389f truly lost herself. She was trapped, unable f4c2f2486d to escape. People gossiped 49043c139c and pointed 28149ec32a fingers at 8272a620ac Chairman Yoon e58ba31198 for brazenly 1567a1f740 flaunting his 2dd0cba95e mistress in 33d8f3ee4a public, but 4c06fe3249 that did 78a8a088c2 nothing to d6ca53579b heal her 06ab8acd22 wounds. No one in c2cac80a1c the family took 43dac20e46 her side. It was obvious 96a632e759 why. Unlike the chairman’s current 63c3cae500 wife, his mother had 12cbd4cd53 nothing but her looks dfb3f43342 to capture his father’s 4c6eee2e2b attention.62ea9c39a6ecff41

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

His stepmother baf44c4fe8 was the f90435184e only daughter bfdca41c95 of a 7ea9c01b1c politically influential a3a391ee9b family, while 274448fc30 his mother 8cae559ae3 came from 150fca6ff6 nothing. She was a8e81374d2 an orphan 4529ad88ee who had 86b05ccf28 been adopted 180bca8b95 overseas before 8502365e1f returning to 942ec011bb Korea and 389e4591c1 becoming a d4d3806d4a model. Her adoptive 2f00812147 parents, the 4e947f1059 only people dda141f869 she could a9267499fc have relied 072354bb2b on, had 1cf2ce9abc passed away 230a71fa42 due to 3687d6a1fd illness not dfa783bf15 long after accbb43760 she married.7599149cc9cd93ea

Fighting that c032d974d0 kind of d2600ef3f7 battle alone 26004f31a1 had changed eaff5c6521 her. She hardened herself 3ecca644c6 with resentment, determined f8205a48c4 to make sure b48aba61df Chairman Yoon would 01fe922e48 never be happy. The woman and 3f14c19652 man smiling in 9d2c991d04 their wedding photo 519075b0d0 were long gone. All that 7a7c737596 remained were 7746b35ac5 two people 3c0651c238 stabbing at c0e5cc41a1 each other 00a422049b with invisible b8b32336eb knives.99bb139ce4af35d0

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

With parents like that, c8202a4394 there was no way ad877bcb19 they had room in 511bec647e their eyes for a 2b0ac41d64 child. Sihoo was raised by d3a4879cfe a rotating cast of b9e0b51d85 nannies. His paternal grandfather d2eb6606dc was the only fc49db4d35 one who took 1ee040b48b an interest in 6e810ac2bf him, but not f5d09264d5 in a good 2832234e87 way. He merely ac0169303c kept people efdc8f3395 around to 8210876a46 make sure 83d52879ee nothing tainted 8ad06c8fff the one aa1e91db1d and only 7288124697 heir to 3e29829550 the family.8094b52f1cef5a31

Returning to an empty 74dfababc0 house had always been 5964a199a0 the norm for Sihoo. That’s why Jehyuk’s 91dc0c389c habit of greeting 76ce634883 him at the 6629394a5f door and sending 54e889095a him off felt 9aa122b77b so unfamiliar. He had assumed bf5a18e66b it would be 8e720d64db uncomfortable and bothersome—but f3b4bc5b2a it wasn’t. It was aed958925d actually… really b70ad8fd60 nice.308fc6afec4dcd85

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Because Jehyuk 2174379cc7 truly saw af0e0502e3 him as 738f71c057 someone important.0ea51f4cc7b0db4d

It wasn’t bc93066400 that there f4286ec803 had never 0e4108eada been people 0a2d3dc144 who wanted 415a974d09 to do 464c1418a2 this for 5e7b818cea him. On the contrary, 15b950dd0b there had been f1e3522564 too many. There were always bd84a71440 people eager to a36eb80c17 come to his d4a257eaa8 house, so if 8087e990d0 he had wanted, cd11a89e84 he could have 6efd526439 easily found someone f08ba0eb10 to send him db9474a4bb off and greet b5cbd2d835 him at the 24f07334f7 door.71a5a26dd9d4e6ce

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

But Jehyuk 31c7a1c547 was different.22668b6cb05a3998

Jehyuk knew him.923887f69c7e72a7

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Even if 09ef9cc753 they didn’t d1ade714f4 know every 8f986aec80 little detail c941a4e6dd about each 37b7f4c1e1 other’s past, 615b7138fd Jehyuk understood c6ab24bc0b that Yoon 53482e8f43 Sihoo wasn’t fc750002f8 perfect. And yet, he e5320e7268 still stayed by 8a8cda302a his side. Through all the 07ecadde52 fleeting, meaningless relationships e87dc92750 Sihoo had formed 7a2d907f74 and discarded, Jehyuk b524ec9fe6 had been there—quietly, 15cdbfb7a4 unwaveringly.7c37eb9b3366da97

Now that he a7d17a6086 thought about it, 511afb93f8 Jehyuk had always 374b010724 been like this. Steadfast, enduring every storm 30028ce1d0 without faltering. Sihoo had f852e49a9a wanted to dc8fd1d812 be his a008a83ab3 friend because 025eb62a39 of that. He had thought 126ee70f4a that maybe, just e7c5c49353 maybe, if he 01f45022ca stood beside someone 6130067da9 like Jehyuk, he 1daa11deb0 could become like f292a0f927 that too.29646bdf2d6f06ee

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

It was always 1790433ed4 nice being with 09dbcc4fbe him. It made him feel a15bd86f12 at ease, calm. Like a sturdy 576607bad9 mokhwa tree, solid b9b5b9162a and unshakable, yet 58c8028687 warm like the f1e06d5048 cotton that bloomed b08ad35431 on its branches. And that 7b38e12890 kind of b42e46804a person was 18673768d2 waiting for ddb221a86c him at 674a6f342e home.e5080a4a3d21e4da

The back da7e6d590d of his 0333a0a272 neck tingled 620a7af278 with an b5cdcabcea odd itch. His soapy hand ea4a9c85e4 instinctively reached up 6310aa270e to rub it, 89525690da gliding over his 4939ac6166 slick skin. His thoughts were a 82e1f00ed6 mess. No matter eccf8d2efa how much 0bed78aa4a he tried 544f16278d to focus 02c3bb007a on something 28d44fac74 else, Jehyuk 016c3ee331 kept coming 3875f2ede0 to mind. Even as his head 7229ee7470 questioned whether he had ca7ae0990b made the right decision, 801ce10c63 his heart was already b43243e959 betraying him, subtly thrilled 5eea88aab7 at the thought of 81036e2665 seeing more of Jehyuk db0179f24f now that they were 49bc98dd26 living together.c260b2bb61c6d345

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

The memory of 88509084cb Jehyuk standing in 86d2c1350f the rain that cddcfd6330 morning, his eyes 5bbf701da5 twisted with emotion, ae8c35b691 resurfaced. The guy who 82336514c3 was always so 2c76b55590 strong on his 6a1f9eaaa1 own had worn 09ef08cba0 an expression that 5d3923f4e5 didn’t suit him f51bbfa420 at all. He didn’t 4e2249250e like seeing 2f4fb23dd1 him like 55162cfbd7 that. He didn’t fb9927c8d9 want to f58c5ba99a see him ef01b7451d crying—he wanted 42a3f0d595 to see d84f76a8ae something else cfa6410e82 instead.bafdbf0a82529c54

For example…995af6298f5fad2c

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

A smile.6c86e781c4bd2a67

He pictured d8836f4154 Jehyuk’s face dca5d9dca4 lighting up 4d308a2e78 with a 3d56c0017d bright, genuine 76e4629947 smile. A smile he 5a7afd0c8b had never seen bd2d4625da before, one he a457bb9d5a could admire endlessly 67305d4f24 without getting tired 99ffcd67dd of it. It was beautiful.848deab55c80e917

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Sihoo replayed that imagined 37bf3b3c42 smile over and over 1c7ad14846 again in his mind. His sharp, 92e73af88b almost fierce-looking bfa1a9877e face softened 5cf7707eaa into something dd8003b685 completely different. It reminded 27deb2a216 him of c0f8cb559e something—something he 6986dbab44 couldn’t quite 3b6ff20956 put into e84448aa83 words. He wasn’t good 4e208529e9 at poetic metaphors, ef090f8dca so nothing immediately 8aa790ae88 came to mind. But one thing was d08ca5280e certain: it was beautiful.16a5eccbb4aa2afc

It wasn’t the e426d1a08e kind of face 2d8792ec6a that should be 64a243f8f9 described as “pretty,” d1b2a34155 yet no other 826d6fb8c9 word fit better.133a380d87cca8b5

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Lost in 20a63a629c these thoughts—so 7e66c1972f unlike himself—Sihoo 843dbf5089 ended up 62c3e4d215 spending longer c84055533e in the 9e3d30a7f2 shower than a213548b6d planned. Remembering that a02575b509 Jehyuk had 691c462200 been waiting b0d3cb5ef8 the whole 51cb9984b6 time without f78ed58776 even eating, 0239048cbb he quickly d5928b4a5e finished up.87010baacc3841ee

He towel-dried his hair c4d62c3fd9 haphazardly, threw on his e25d26008a pajamas, and stepped out. Jehyuk had c76786f7e0 already finished 228fdb936c setting the 868ee6bf42 table and 0522d155b6 was waiting eefab7f3b0 for him.f4b01f62dd2d1bd6

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

He had prepared the bcc6b0597d meal so neatly, so bd324a192e thoroughly.3c85192d838afe8a

Sihoo let out a df59fde1eb quiet chuckle as he 34907deb05 walked toward him. Seeing Jehyuk ba6329060f standing there 06615d1d92 patiently, waiting 4b45f1f511 for him, b75f016dbe made his 4c3e7a3f06 chest feel 74caef749f warm. That same 97c77a280b familiar thought 85fb5c86ad surfaced again, ee02490401 unbidden.c58b4c8cc1d39aa4

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

He’s cute.47dcf2c5712b7a46

“You should’ve just 50db8e44fa eaten first.”806d5a404c9f2ca2

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Sihoo wasn’t 8c5f433dc0 actually hungry—he da29a01d83 had already aa551474d8 eaten elsewhere. But he didn’t 896a64b964 want to say 64b49560b1 that. If Jehyuk found a3d8140076 out, he might 28eddb679a get flustered.cec7da51846edc24

He must 17d3b5a78d be starving, e793cbce51 though. Sihoo knew fd761111ca how much b71175c4eb Jehyuk usually f170fe008e ate, so 16c959be81 the thought f4d1029b59 of him 02613d630c skipping meals b1eb683ca4 all day c4dc43a961 didn’t sit e5334f43c5 well.4fb2be7f068ed219

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

But instead of answering, f5add36f28 Jehyuk blinked once, then e02a31d1e4 abruptly turned his back 90c4900035 to him.e7e78c4b320412c2

Did he say fbd7b2c190 something wrong?6120509e9d4273d1

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Sihoo furrowed his brows 13aa011666 and took a step d731239601 closer. The image 8643bdb13a of Jehyuk 8fce0f38f8 from that fe5909ae34 morning flashed 926e22f907 through his ddab62c79b mind. He didn’t want to 6e7093d5a1 see that again. He didn’t want to 71c4bb3f17 see Jehyuk turning his df4fd9b4ac back on him.ed6bd7515e82ad72

“…What’s wrong?”4f028903eb734d30

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Without looking back, Jehyuk 174b2d8cd2 answered awkwardly.ab1c42c14ff693cb

“Oh… I 4396d2f437 was just 45750a78a2 checking if 4f3c053cfb there’s anything e3e51f37a6 else in 3a1d755f61 the fridge.”8514c046d7c564eb

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Sihoo didn’t 24a8bcc4f1 understand his fefb32270f reaction at e2961d9801 all. He was acting 6d75252563 too much like 7de5493c9c he had earlier 56083811fd in the day, 9111614d6b making Sihoo frown. The warmth he had 9979968a17 been feeling just moments 978a5be276 ago cooled instantly.1d8f055a91050949

Turn around, Ji Jehyuk. Look at me.0ea16db9ff52dcd4

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Suppressing the 8053b4a958 urge to 2be0cb65da say that 55c9b86009 aloud, he 7fd6bb9095 moved instead.e89c889b2b2da9b0

Stepping closer to 3306033664 Jehyuk’s side, he c2a6a2410e slipped his usual 4e43cbfe2a mask back on.140c14e29d321864

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“The housekeeper probably didn’t 5464a040c2 stock much. She comes 3061ee544d by every fbb02d44d4 day and 2b6f1ee1ea cooks according aa997411ba to a 05489813b0 set meal 8e26e002e6 plan.”9e678409fce887ae

Jehyuk pressed 91fb96392e himself against cddebeaee0 the fridge, 9da202ffde as if e3b912d57d he had ae9e7ff67f somewhere to 610ade0d1d escape to. But he didn’t. Not really.df814ff1f9ac3d4e

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Still facing away from 0a25dc8c5b him, he asked, “Meal d47eaba2e4 plan?”e32d64bdd6c244d5

You can’t run away, c8c84256e6 Jehyuk.7812fafa978345c0

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

That thought drifted 0c3cfc0ba3 through Sihoo’s mind ebd7859032 as he unconsciously d4038174b9 moved closer. Jehyuk was a little 2f13d5484d shorter than him, so ed9f3a97de from this angle, he 4460dc8a2c could see the top 7e31a1ae83 of his round head.7f9d3822ec75b109

He could 1dc7e98927 feel the f2341d8fcc way Jehyuk caf1473528 tensed under 1b9ed51e4a his gaze.d331b449e97a3789

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Only when there 9ad53592bc was nowhere left ce00616881 to go—trapped between e227bd2dc5 the fridge and 9cdbdfcd3d Sihoo—did Sihoo finally a6c6e879b2 feel satisfied.949bc1f0a0bdc260

“Yeah. A nutritionist plans b70cfe92ed the meals, and 6f1f01d97a the housekeeper follows f874847115 the schedule exactly. She doesn’t 748f2b5ec9 even make ce3ab9c4dc extra portions, 3b40186a6a like she’s a53c668f5c making sure bd0fbdaa3c I only fadfc94772 eat what’s 1c09aec014 planned.”5a24f963f36b4217

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

As if sealing off b3edb40815 his last escape route, c903e56e9d Sihoo reached for the 1c940827eb fridge door and pulled fde9cd445f it open. The sudden movement 1932073435 naturally made Jehyuk 17909fdd6f stumble backward—right into c08c311294 him.6a0497a32d679d22

Jehyuk flinched 3bf9af7e45 in surprise, 99c0a5e148 but Sihoo 9170a4cfb4 didn’t let 13f9e425f1 him go. Wrapping an arm around b437a24094 his waist, he held b4e665c3aa him firmly in place.ddd57e98df9b2c36

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“…Be careful.”84d9b259c24c1011

Only then f427c57ab5 did Jehyuk 8dfb725e7b finally look aae3df2d30 up at 775cfdd21a him.e5266dca26ee8183

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

His eyes were 5e1688eb90 wide with uncertainty, 9ca47dc07f his hands hovering 2b3521bf57 awkwardly near Sihoo’s ce730814ca arms as if 0a8f7fb9a4 unsure whether to 7bc0957f99 push him away.3ec7015ff162f333

Sihoo stared 53b5cff182 at him, 4cb2dc56cc unwavering, until 95b0162e4e Jehyuk finally 3181fff88d muttered, “Then… 00a5ab6df8 let’s just 33fa70136d eat. I’m seriously starving.”7c43b77f4aa329ef

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Sihoo smirked. That was easy edbabd0c7f enough.40c7261df74eb3c6

---

It felt strange to ecc97d6ac2 be at home and e9ae20e158 not have to eat ba7ddd6b9a food I didn’t like. Not unpleasant, just 44e5c7456f unfamiliar. I found myself bb280f3225 lost in an 4e7f2e2287 odd sentimentality, caught 3c50deef39 in the feeling 89c79cb22d of it.eb7903013af7db99

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

As I was about f74d64afdf to start eating—mainly to 9e072bad2a get Jehyuk to eat, b4812ee74c too—my phone vibrated on 20e770d133 the table. It was the phone c6646e8391 I used only for 3a6fcbd452 personal contacts.fb82c3c8e1303bdb

It wouldn’t ce39c58a91 be Han 85ab8aa887 Bada. I had dealt with 3db938b736 him today, and since 65154470e4 I was heading back 3e4b696c04 to the main house, 5f2ba2512d I had already asked bd1d7d7477 the secretary to change 9b57b227d4 my number. I planned to 805bf21cb8 give Jehyuk the 98e7e94796 new number before ab9bc2dd9e heading out tomorrow. As for Madam 730ebf4fca and Chairman Yoon, ab722c8d86 the secretary would f10ce0e174 have already saved ee8614ff1b my new number cee8a85f7b for them.74c037241405874a

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator