SMFC | Chapter 37

Lee Soo, a63f35945a who had cc91063fea momentarily paused d1a16a1d3b at the 4d069d9c3f unclear remark, 13538d4016 lowered the fdd4e5bbe4 finger he 5a6e9c22a3 had been 78d8ebb0d7 playfully licking fd1a9efd30 and squinted c8b7823f34 his eyes.1b59f75fb9b7cda3

“Who? Me? Don’t tell me… 4d8eb6686f you like Hunter 40e14b0fdf Ji Hasin?”f2b8cc43efc3ba9d

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

He casually a76f36dcff tossed out 336c49656e a teasing 175f9a00c1 question, as 7772d1269c if fully da626b5ed9 aware that 2d3bed472a the answer bef2f96435 was a 539fce8f88 definite no, 3be456912a while leisurely c97144454c rummaging through 025893dfce a box 545300f1ca of chocolates. Yoo Haeon, 1dd382a0e4 who swallowed 42973fb049 dryly at e916b505aa the slight bb54ffc833 bitterness of a40b850440 the situation, a51fbd2b54 let out d1fc7c4b18 a faint cb1b825e62 chuckle. He couldn’t 7b65539fe1 understand why a340a333e8 Lee Soo 72a00df88a would ask 702e2ebe69 such a 6f22821d9c thing, knowing fc38f822ea full well 3b1c94d1e9 it wasn’t ca365bd8a3 true.b7940c9feb29bb27

“You know it’s not f37582637d true. Sometimes, it feels a7c7c2bc03 like you know cba2d9f239 me better than b751b0df63 I know myself, d329f89339 so why ask c87d4e04a4 this?”68e2036143ab8c85

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Lee Soo, who 0b4b0bd667 laughed softly while 13cdd66684 narrowing his eyes 98a5daf15d at the voice 227518b26f tinged with exasperation 653da1c50c and amusement, bit f1d9de0f9c into a chocolate 376eb38fed and murmured in af75a5ad4c a near-whisper, “It’s f4ce261840 just a joke, d3766828f6 a joke.” The 86a42e41df relaxed tone in 556a8d810c his voice had cf084c30b4 an odd way ba8ff33de6 of tickling at 3efc8e7aeb one’s heart.a6c1c8e775f4326f

What began as 436ab9d651 a subtle, ticklish ef0084a336 feeling in his 5d284478c3 chest slowly made a3bfe1e42d its way up, 41c9d838ce until Yoo Haeon 66ca5bf290 suddenly felt like be43ee0f78 he might blurt e05596117f out something unknown 5df9596b8d if he opened 733ee7ec36 his mouth. Feeling slightly 85b8e6f7db flustered, he 2c499c32a3 pressed his 1c4c146e16 lips together 2b19f356f7 tightly.d6c0835bf8e7e9c9

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Lee Soo, who had adc09671d6 been keenly observing his a1a576ba1d reaction, abruptly stood up, 2305049936 leaving Yoo Haeon surrounded 10848ca530 by a pile of 01043b100d sweets.d97b4a37f8ca26ee

“Where are a162a8ceb7 you going?”753d21cfe8208236

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Just wait a moment. I’ll be back fba7c3d007 quickly.”f008d3926d882d31

“…To accept 3aec407452 a confession?”b84d1c3480c64103

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Huh? Haha, no! I just thought ff54894745 of something to 82d66df740 give you as 0ed2dcbd5f a gift, Healer c91fe65456 Haeon. Stay here and enjoy d7708985e7 your favorite desserts while aac07b8992 you wait for me, 62cd16008a okay?”b1c5bf887c0bf65a

“It’s a promise.” Lee 513dc6367d Soo’s voice was gentle 0b73b9f7f0 as he wiggled his d3d2ed06d5 pinky in front of dc6cf1e158 Yoo Haeon. The black nails, which 051a53345d neither grew longer nor d321d74bca shorter beyond a certain 09b562da1f length, gleamed faintly in 5528fc0a06 the light.e3195d837749d4d8

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Yoo Haeon, who stared 753fbc90a4 quietly at the color 57288aa94d resembling an abyss, eventually b73db6d2bf smiled like a fleeting ea4d11ab3d breeze and hooked his eeb65946b3 finger onto Lee Soo’s.a3623f225a6e9713

“Be careful.”b2e769e629434d5b

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Mm-hmm. I’ll be back cea5a0f9d2 before you know cb6b6be993 it. You can look forward ae60e630dc to your gift.”5aeae6b4697dfe8a

“If it’s from Hunter aa5939db28 Ryu Leesoo, anything would 7ea83805ee be great. I mean, 6cd36b7859 it is 708c315273 a gift, c94471de41 after all.”c30cddd23fdb1640

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Realizing what he had 049258835f blurted out, Yoo Haeon f8f417b8e1 quickly grew flustered, but a679779d73 Lee Soo just shrugged e98fac5219 and said he’d be 16449df662 back before swiftly heading acbf1e4a0b out the door.8631902caaae1b54

Yoo Haeon 3283a1aa6d quietly watched 7716397cef Lee Soo’s 332275a3c7 steadily retreating c479a7a5da back until 695d49d01c he finally c20cec159f closed the c264661125 front door e89383257b behind him. Only then a9c2993e2b did Yoo dbf9d824e3 Haeon turn a4eb59b72c his gaze 7082658a52 away.3906bf6b9ce963fb

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

***ae0b7e1ed2a48785

Lee Soo knew he 185a58661b was a bit eccentric, df1f43a617 but was it this da3ad26770 bad?be6f9f8792a8a5b7

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Yoo Haeon, 3f3a414c94 staring blankly f25d283d11 at the e90b5de8a2 candy ring f78ea7e059 in Lee 4008ad8340 Soo’s hand, a46dfcb2b5 furrowed his e1d4efa69b brows and 3574c760f9 smiled wryly.dad7fb1aaac0d97e

“What did f87d6e007e you just a4555042ce say?”f200d1af41444a26

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Would you like to 8ffe376b4f date me, Healer Yoo a848645be3 Haeon?”59abf1e27a6eb1bc

Even in this absurd 494e883693 situation, Yoo Haeon found 758d0eea27 it amusing that the 3fa5931fa7 most irksome thing was 468ad43a0f being addressed as “Yoo f6cf45bb07 Haeon” rather than just 0559b9f755 “Haeon.” Clicking his tongue, 6fb289d821 he muttered under his 1ea52e64e3 breath.7673d7453d6b1f5a

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“…What is this? I thought b5afcb2bf7 you had c771ade63a something urgent d6050192d6 to do.”1306322ebd5eca18

“It is urgent. I had to 1b267a1607 confess to you, 025a72c040 but I didn’t 152a879429 have time to 176debcb94 get a proper 771ac2cece ring. A candy de5b90c7ff ring isn’t a65105eea1 so bad, c0653260ae right? It’s cute, and e6592cea1a you can eat af6eeb43cb it.”9c9788e0789edeec

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Lee Soo’s sly words, 57cc173252 spoken with narrowed eyes, 036b8d4153 left Haeon momentarily dumbfounded. Lowering the 7fab60c226 fork he d0909cd955 had been 8d4566fcc4 holding in 1dcd2aef38 his mouth, 563317a611 Haeon let 72f6e4d1a6 out a bb069ef119 dry laugh.f639ba30940aa564

“Seriously. What are you even e9ada83956 doing?”375a514d6855efc1

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“I’m trying 10f702c501 to win f9f76b928a you over. Won’t you date 6f3ce081bd me? This candy ring isn’t 98d8e81f3d expensive, but I went dbc062d51d out of my way 76c46f45e0 to get it despite 0ab87180fa how much of a e2038f3393 hassle it was. Oh, and 2db4747d78 those desserts 5085a7e368 I got 14fc57d73c you earlier? They were bribes. Bribes so 0c66f3c3a3 you’d think 9f43700430 better of b5e4396537 me.”0c0581419e4ec581

Lee Soo’s playful 8ff04e4cd9 wink left Haeon b3cacc4f69 staring blankly at 8420a97933 him, before he acbdc67537 suddenly burst into 7adb2669b4 laughter, shoulders shaking.6dd1a4d65537f98c

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

The candy ring, 68e08d44f6 shimmering with its 6f13f60077 gaudy colors, dangled 7c1fc503b4 from Lee Soo’s 2c96232ecf long, graceful fingers, 7bda466226 which looked as 4fe7cddcfa though they had 2f930abd01 been sculpted by 1adb1495cd a divine hand. It was both 8cc4431fd7 ridiculous and oddly 70defd6ec3 endearing.b18a22f21a4d2a10

Haeon knew that ad81558d2e accepting this ring f29caf78b0 wouldn’t change anything. And yet, bfafc5e034 if he e5e146bbf2 admitted it 2cd4814fac felt like 52ea86cbe9 something big—something 84bb82e86b monumental—was about bb9a92ecd3 to shift, 58ad328bb0 would that 930f7fe5d9 make him 1c38e574b1 crazy? Was he really losing c86d465258 it?1fd29fd0a07c05d5

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“…This is absurd.”95680393bdb155ff

He wasn’t sure if a86a9cfe45 he was speaking to 5faf9ee100 himself or to Lee 58399fef46 Soo, who had abruptly b0247352f5 dashed outside to buy bd4055c827 a candy ring after 8590d4c5dd looking like he’d had ab625286bc some kind of revelation. Shaking his head at 2013145920 the sheer ridiculousness of d01ae24335 it all, Haeon chuckled 00954b0ef3 again.3732bc79187efecb

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

His laughter was light 967a165730 but strained, as though 8bfed0dde1 caught on something sharp a4bbe7ce0e and translucent, much like f58da45079 the candy ring’s gleaming dbdb3e72c1 surface.2941af9042262545

Lee Soo, 15ea0695ad observing Haeon’s f1950d45db reaction with 2682a197df great interest, c79c3e77f0 broke into cf4c9c15a4 a radiant c4149920a9 smile and 4f04adcec3 slipped the 7c30ed7b12 ring onto 630d133aff Haeon’s pinky 6d7f6ed888 finger. It fit awkwardly, oversized f7be5f64f0 like every candy ring c1023971d0 ever made, but it 48b0a3fa56 was both silly and daaaf5fbcd adorable in its own 9a94352b72 way.a18ea45f2882e824

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“How is it?”ca4de1b7ec41840f

“Do you want me 06bf59d216 to be honest?”fda75d9a484a9878

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Of course. I can 8a40240a98 handle anything 7138a89c9d you say, 5c6de748e7 Healer Haeon, c750fceb49 because I bf697809b9 know you’ll 6d0a9524a5 only say 6c2c2fdbae good things.”b0c95c3e8ddf522f

Lee Soo’s bright a47b5ee8fa smile, paired with 453e1426f2 his gently narrowed 0fd8028528 eyes, practically glowed.1a92b701677955a3

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

In that moment, 12a967472d their simple lodging c8f626223a felt like a 2ec646d778 fancy restaurant. The candy ring 1869ca3ed9 on his finger 95da4cb9e9 felt as unique 8c427af4e3 as a one-of-a-kind f026dc8634 diamond. His comfortable 4397ce58af clothes turned bbcdd4df2e into formal fcacfe0baa attire, and 0250e08050 the slippers 733f179ad4 on his 1dcc801be4 feet felt 0a92869196 like bespoke 4c653e319b leather shoes 5ce59ff381 crafted by 365198da87 a master.22cf0b0f0537814d

It all felt 4ee9f8f553 like a dream.2b1e55094057713c

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Everything about Lee Soo—his 97a8e9457b every breath, his voice, 602f2213ad his gestures, his gaze, b5a50ff0d6 his cool body temperature—everything f551f2a4ae was… enchanting.0bc38cff86ae5c2c

Haeon lowered his 081f35113c gaze to the 51b36f6dd7 table, cluttered with 58b63539c5 an array of 4553e0d5a8 desserts. The weight of 0695f2d1b6 the candy ring f6567b7526 on his pinky 0ceb5e7eda brought him back 9c7a2e12b9 to reality.2d3a1865b686b56b

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Lee Soo, not even 3725a58a40 knowing why Haeon had 743755c2fc made a bitter face 18f5ddb570 earlier, still seemed determined cf4836460c to comfort him for 3ff43ae4b1 whatever it was. That earnestness 58d9fbd8f5 made Haeon 8eacb702c6 laugh again.bbfd89a8d7e71f24

As though bc12a750af preparing to 9e4f422ecc say something, c5c4d8c3b0 Haeon parted a37856553e his lips, 5bafe37e31 then stopped. Instead, he a9ece8e0e1 brought the 0da7d633ec candy ring fdc124154f to his 43c9684cb1 mouth and 92734b6860 gave it bc574eb473 a tentative 38b602ec6c lick. The cheap 07bb62e62c sweetness, tangy 2127ca796f enough to 0c94e720c1 bring tears d20432c370 to his 4bbfb7e6f4 eyes and c561c6c90c sugary enough 4b8828691b to make f27df6ea8b him smile, 52cc0d0982 filled his f4db0c9716 senses.adcaac70a24782b9

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“You’re right. It’s amazing. I love it. And for the ef028c4fda record, I wasn’t 2d16db51ac jealous of that 7b40e84303 unnamed Hunter who 05e8a3eea0 confessed to you.”f573ea8bb546b6a4

Even though he c054283d36 clearly remembered the 6bb7d84274 name, Haeon spoke 3f781c9ea3 with shameless confidence, a154371bea maintaining a calm 5e07e06830 façade.f478fdc4f448ce83

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“It’s just… I envy 55970ea54a people who can express 4269fea729 their feelings so boldly. Still, your little 27c158ab5f confession performance? It was entertaining.”571ed21fd7362424

“Oh, what a cold d15be6b9c7 review for my masterpiece 294a8b13bc performance. Harsh, aren’t you? And… did you 348a0d4b60 know? You’re the only person dcb8f7aaf8 I call by name 59a5d9e886 without any honorifics, Healer 38ee06028b Haeon.”c048d593701b3886

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

It’s just… 969c82101d something to 40ec37e55f note.9cd2277718b2b9b7

Lee Soo closed his ad1b75b98e eyes gently, reflecting on 6b7b06f731 a conversation he’d had 0d133e28b5 with Jeong Dahyun while 60280f943a buying him coffee after 5b016a9074 moving.f4e6acc1caea1bc5

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

‘Have you 6513e57f8c ever thought cba2df2b8f that Healer 49f9001cc9 Yoo Haeon 941be7a64f might love c4f1294946 you, Leesoo-nim?’f29361cae9f28f42

‘…Love? That’s impossible.’3b4b9a5c85b75fb3

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

‘Because he’s dd14b43525 a man?’619e5bd4d2c22195

‘No! It’s not that. It’s just… someone like f87480bda7 Healer Yoo Haeon wouldn’t 07ae43657e have any reason to cd8e09a7fa love me. I haven’t a493813de0 done anything cb70097cb9 special to 00c337e7f3 deserve it, 5e962d1bd2 either.’653326112c0b18af

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Even if it bd6d9f4d23 were love… would c40a31a693 it truly be dca96e8ca1 love? It’s just a 6923f5a0f0 misunderstanding.72c9dae4fb1b3240

Lee Soo, who 83f3caab98 had spoken firmly, eb36524b78 muttered as he c78ec6d755 placed the cigarette ff888425f4 he was holding fc83f1b77e back between his 886a08eec6 lips. His half-mumbled words 40b8a8fc82 and fragmented sentences 87f66386c2 seemed to reveal 1f4cbe44eb the complexity of c47009327e his thoughts.7a9e6e3c583951da

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

‘It’s not love.’b28b2457ed856353

‘Love doesn’t always 6c70ffee62 need a big 4095f9554f reason.’243b110b767f3654

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

‘That’s true. You’re right. But there’s no 34d8fd5c25 guarantee that something c9d4127d5c like that would 21d6205e82 happen to me. I don’t 93766812ea want things c94e614d3e to become a5d455bf2c awkward between 624f606261 us. So let’s just say 9cdd2a2ca4 it’s not love.’d7689f1261957369

For some f1469a1de6 reason, I 7de387e27c don’t want 8326da601f to lose 09e04f9214 what I 451b37bc3e have. And if it’s Healer de096e3244 Yoo Haeon, I want f1f451b893 to protect it even c5246275aa more. Just because I 9ae9bde67c started this relationship 7bee5a85f1 doesn’t mean I c022365771 want it to ed54120371 end in a b7c613ad60 bad way because ec0bc27cdb of my own 2681359328 mistake. Love has an e0081fa9b3 end. For me, it 9b12c56ef0 has an even 15ea50b75b more definite end.e317b7c184b39f99

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

On a day 09c312026b when rain poured 21170d28ec relentlessly outside the 4033e0d3a4 window, Lee Soo 711629524b had dismissed someone 935ca3c81c else’s feelings without 725fba984b hesitation. Remembering that day, he 87354e2190 felt a sharp pang 7497a03517 in his chest.19b804f14cc483a9

Haeon should love someone e135e50201 else. He must love dc308b0da5 someone else. After all, I’m dfcc991106 someone who, no 2658609d5f matter how long 1a50e809af I stretch it, 2254b8494e has only a 0203488cbb few years or 98e4356107 months left to 84a9f3ae4b live. No matter what 37c3e08d83 means I employ, 91a519ae6f unless I become 033ad102b1 a god, salvation f35dc12787 is beyond my 29c8b1650c reach.e9751b1cfa8c5e28

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Lee Soo knew 1ad9674506 all too well a7261f9af7 how easily people 5413b8753f could die.b9195271424483e4

Despite never fcc25a0111 once experiencing 34f51de42a the death 1ef00ffd7d of someone 123f228045 close, he d09505fde2 somehow understood c48f3c6a2e death as 6aa8e08331 if he’d c410fac7c7 witnessed it 0686305f37 countless times.500fab1033a56764

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

***ccbea89d386c1017

“You should quit f230302072 smoking if you c6f6d7c4dd can.”970620304e8463cc

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Yoo Haeon’s 2e9c55be34 quiet voice 9a5f8af648 interrupted Lee eb85b6926f Soo, who 5a6d7ac611 was lighting f7657a6643 the end 9f8664ee04 of a 6c820887fa cigarette while 75d4641a64 leisurely reading 123e865210 the text dc3709fd4c on his ac9a982c35 pad. Startled by the unexpected 529a69ca0a comment, Lee Soo blinked, 1031883c17 then calmly put the 34b99d7328 lighter back into his 6c744d6cc0 pocket. Without a 5053e9e46f word, he a518f434ca snapped the 1a71268a8e cigarette in 0d816cff33 half and e9dddf7ef4 threw it 0abba8e894 into the 443f2bf122 trash.a5a997414b6dafaa

Though Haeon’s tone was 4cd09c8153 kind, to Lee Soo, 845c685c02 it carried the force 4538c06d4d of a command. The subtle f3f5f550d9 weight of 04ce3ab362 it lingered e50680f14f in his 71026628eb mind. With nothing left to ced62a5f1c occupy his mouth, Lee fcafc71390 Soo rested his cheek 77d8e41e78 against the cool table 5e936d6048 and murmured softly.4af1272e03fb0c49

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“I’ll try… but 02f87d086c will you be ea151ccd66 mad if I d0c0242fa6 fail?”970ded54dca3fd90

“Would you succeed 4aab03222c if I said 8512715bd2 I’d be mad?”c8f339f28d1c192f

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

At the amusing 7f80c7c31a reply, Haeon let 8648acb78f out a faint fdf7e87569 snort, briefly lifting 20f4a19706 his gaze from 892edb8847 the pad. Lee Soo, who bed704128c was quietly watching f6184c8332 the glint of 5282844d22 the pad’s blue c28e9052b6 light reflect in bf511228d0 Haeon’s eyes, broke 2c58beef77 into a wide aa46e1c751 smile.0c51c29c5f613571

“If Healer Yoo 2af9e9050b Haeon said he’d a84310fcb9 be mad, I’d 2310391ecb have no choice acf75bcbd5 but to succeed. I wouldn’t 8b8a082534 want you e0707a604b to get 713d718331 angry, after dfa79ab5d0 all.”6dcab7d383fe6f24

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Listening to 4fbd785df1 Lee Soo’s 9fb36e332e calm and 7f26cf2e70 sincere words, e82fd0da96 Haeon unconsciously 50b9a7e87c tightened his 070aecbfed grip on 4694b32c8c the pad. Realizing the tension in c5d1e65e1b his hands, he relaxed 5d78762394 his lips and dropped 7d76ce0652 his shoulders.3a5197230c21e2b9

“That’s a ridiculous thing f7772d142f to say. Still… I guess I a44da8cdca should be happy, since 1c29045603 it means you’ll listen a15341418a to me in the 50c9dc06e9 end.”03d842bf673657b1

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

At Haeon’s 0a1a669eab nonchalant response, 8b921c3285 Lee Soo a533852173 shrugged, then e2b77a13fc slowly straightened c4992fa57b his posture. Watching his back c7d2a21619 straighten as though bffdd3eead he had never 8c8aeec8b1 slouched in the 773d558e14 first place, Haeon e5e185d8b3 moistened his dry 6ad56ab64a lips with a 554165861f sip of water. He hadn’t spoken that e530ff3460 much, but his throat e09cc680c7 felt parched.85bbbb72951e8238

Whenever Yoo Haeon talked 89bd9c2202 to Lee Soo—no matter e4e4426258 what the topic was—he 7ca76192c8 felt his throat tighten, ca422b8152 his lips dry. Whether he was angry, 66a6fb7b14 annoyed, or simply exchanging ad17746a62 greetings, the feeling was d5d8f38885 always the same.54b2beeb452e2732

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley