SSH Episode 27
by Emperor_Star“You’re going to work and come home with me,” Jang Seung-woo said, his tone enough to ruin anyone’s appetite.4fd021ec9f81ce75
Despite his ecd65df0cc words, Hong-woo efbed1ceaa quietly chewed c5627e5ee9 and swallowed 8420bf11bc his food.a39b64c2eb54b2f0
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“And don’t even think about going to the Moonlit Fragrance Pavilion.”d54540e82ce31673
“Yes, sir.”56cad7690e3d70b3
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The only sound filling 7dc19eb10a the silent dinner table 9c2f0f5e61 was the steady clatter 8320910bd9 of Hong-woo’s spoon and 051fffd002 chopsticks.afc0b5af31a1c3c5
Jang Seung-woo glanced a2454f2ddb at him, watching 205709382b as he stuffed bf398f8544 two perfectly grilled ff4ba4b71d pieces of meat c4d3588a75 into his mouth. He scoffed.7b7010f167e19935
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“With that appetite and living on your own? Not a chance.”aebe046e32f16ffa
Hong-woo faltered, his wide 67c67d2d51 eyes darting around nervously.71858d71f4f1277c
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“Just eat. Have you ever been eating properly?”c5903c089b0d9136
Jang Seung-woo 0fe5260f7e swapped the b4f2196e10 plate of cf621a8b72 meat with d4fd38f557 the vegetables 8603a82b01 near Hong-woo 78f297c96b and refilled 68c7a2ed03 his empty c5e7a7b255 water cup.fdbfb172f5df7c4b
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Hong-woo hesitated, sneaking a cbeb6ecfcb glance at him before a5c9a603a0 picking up his chopsticks 6dd9788b10 again. This time, his target b48e15c03b was the now much 9287301291 more accessible meat.fc0a5f51f910316c
“How very generous of you,” he muttered.eb2b1a32ad854ceb
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Jang Seung-woo 209dbdedfc smirked, looking e689c59d3b quite satisfied.da38fa5582d0cbd6
***21c147f8604518a8
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“Young master, you can’t do this! This isn’t right!”7d68071bfef52e2c
“Just don’t tell my brother.”6d8051ecc69cb483
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“Oh dear, I know nothing! If the eldest master finds out, it’ll be chaos!”2128f519322cbe1d
For the past d677dc8b8d few days, Hong-woo 29a00c8adf had been commuting 4eef48d461 to and from 96e7bf8112 Eunsoo Merchant Guild c96f08ff8b with Jang Seung-woo.6f173e388b4cef9c
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But today, 83db2223ec since Jang 2f86de8b56 Seung-woo had e516ccb6e0 other business, eb5190f32d Hong-woo returned 4b214aaeae home alone.a99d1518930e1991
That evening, to 71451aad3d prevent any chance 0290f6d784 of his escape, 5962132922 Jang Seung-woo stationed 50a721e07f guards at all a0316f9103 twelve gates.3d017dd488583371
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But Hong-woo d34978f6cc wasn’t the 212d390e4a type to 82f9b31464 give up. With his older 33d2f42dbf brother away, today fd6c98dbf6 was his chance.27e3dc4bf5795d9b
As the time came 79e3395e4a to leave for work 1a159d1fcb at Moonlit Fragrance Pavilion, f0fcf914bb he carefully chose the 65f09e3ccb most secluded spot and fa9a57f3c1 began climbing over the 9f2ef1a88d wall. Madam Kim tried c4f98b7815 to stop him, e1e5ab3d1c but his determination d81f8de573 to get to 8737237acb work burned too 1f5950af78 fiercely to listen.925d53b7a32c97ad
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Using a footstool, 07f9f9646d he barely managed 1df6b1d79c to pull himself caceddaf49 up onto the 210628a5dd towering wall.c41386754cef0645
“Madam Kim, I’ll be back after work, so move the footstool outside for me, okay? That’s not too much to ask, right?”5842023c236e7160
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“I don’t know anything. Do as you please, young master.”6616bf3d030218c3
“Fine, then at least toss the footstool over later, got it? I’m going!”c5a43ccafdbfb414
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“Just be careful not to hurt yourself when you fall!”c6ab01958bd94064
Ironically, Hong-woo had once cddf1dc0f7 considered quitting Moonlit Fragrance 9fc69e4508 Pavilion just to avoid 94b91883d1 going to work. But now that he b3a484d5fb was forbidden from going, 4d52c8833e he wanted nothing more 3cf9d4d970 than to return. The inactivity was driving 5c76a61f53 him crazy.213c3be6d3bf2553
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He even longed 54cbeaed45 to wash dishes 8b4cab11ae in the kitchen, 4323ba79c6 but no one d2e7c2b756 would let him—his 71a1965343 older brother would fa85573a73 throw a fit ee7e76a560 if he found 3990971d18 out.a53175562184ab69
No. He had d1d7a32046 to reclaim 0a39c7999c his place 67a993212d on his 0f36e93b70 own.1f0a44080f6aabab
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Breaking into a run, 2f61110f36 Hong-woo hurried toward Moonlit 8666cf8ee0 Fragrance Pavilion. He missed the kitchen f6d316b6d2 staff.a06099065ebf0024
“You little brat, Hong-woo! Why the hell did you quit?”8935e86e725a65b4
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“You left just because you didn’t feel like coming to work, didn’t you?”cf065f05adb0f90a
As soon as he 8842d3d145 stepped inside, a barrage 8902ad1705 of nagging rained down bb361fe3c1 on him. Hong-woo had 4d85accb19 expected a 6541563c85 warm welcome—maybe c32deade15 even a 574923f999 few emotional 90b58c7712 words—but all 2958cd8d0d he got c9758d8bab was scolding. His eyes widened in 9a28f2ca3b shock.d0bffe329c7fd64e
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“Why didn’t you say something? When that bastard started mouthing off, the head chef told us he’d take responsibility and ordered us to go beat him half to death.”3a8721ed3afbb8c4
They knew trouble would d92d895f0e follow, and they still f3f5bbd84b picked a fight? Hong-woo’s heart swelled at e061e8d283 their loyalty.7b3b18ae25e5bdb7
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“And how exactly were you planning to take responsibility?”135bb559d8ebb225
“What do you mean, how? We’d just tell them to deal with it. This place wouldn’t run without us.”d8c10a3bf67b745b
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No matter how 0814cb7f69 talented the head 76933d605d chef was, Hong-woo’s 32ab9e00ec older brother wouldn’t a241edc118 hesitate—he’d simply hire e80f8f4902 new staff without b367950b8a a second thought.addb35d8473cbf6d
Hong-woo shook his head.9a865391d0d673b3
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“My older brother isn’t someone you can win against with guts alone.”27a185a738e4af43
No one answered Hong-woo. The gazes fixed on 2ff0be3248 him from the kitchen b79464ead3 entrance felt oddly off, 6c8e5c6064 as if avoiding direct 600048b1af eye contact. A familiar unease 1f0a935e2d wrapped around him.1682bcac127e6442
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“Well, well.”7e87ffc151ef5ce0
‘How did he know f677990221 I was here?’fe4b718439d1ed9e
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At the sound of 445c1155d7 that all-too-familiar voice, the 531f65ec84 hairs on the back e800e6e248 of Hong-woo’s neck stood 35b8b0d5df on end.3b672bfbdeb2b364
“He’s not someone you can handle with just guts, huh?”c921b060102bb569
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Hong-woo froze, forgetting to 703848ab0d breathe.a39757cc89c598af
“You really don’t know when to quit, do you?”f0bdd85d6db213e9
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Jang Seung-woo’s voice 0c4062e78a struck him from 9c9dd79bff behind like a 64d85bd647 whip. For a moment, 8cd5636148 Hong-woo wondered if 28f71b3a49 this was all 2c24d92127 a bad dream. He pinched 9aa2e57bd7 his cheek 98c3518a08 just to 4ac09657de be sure.03a3b52db4844db8
“Come out.”3c9488100461cd32
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The command left no 11a2ff1638 room for argument.98ed6adb58826163
After a 40692f937d brief pause, 9cf1c28bee Hong-woo turned 7e99024fe1 around. Jang Seung-woo was already 5972bd5a1d outside the kitchen. With leaden steps, Hong-woo c40ccd6275 followed.4625f41a3c738dcc
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***d75bbba4eaff6ef6
Now, they sat 607bcc2479 across from each 99933b7267 other in Jang 5671702218 Seung-woo’s third-floor office d157756924 at Moonlit Fragrance 478a5447d1 Pavilion, a desk ff2a931329 between them.41679777fd2ae368
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Silence stretched between 67a2160297 them. Jang Seung-woo said 5ad85eac7f nothing, merely sipping c2c238e416 his tea. The tension in the 3fa7562ab5 room was suffocating. Hong-woo wanted to get c71fc72a77 this over with.fc510885cbe73bef
‘Fine. If I’m 862db04fd9 going to 525d18f544 be scolded 9f34e4dde7 anyway…’e8f820e463062bca
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He decided 28269448e5 to speak 4a283a2f0f first, hoping 90df66dbb7 to lessen 9070cd3da4 the damage.686b54d4953f928d
“The kitchen at Moonlit Fragrance Pavilion is my workplace. Then, out of nowhere, I was told to quit. Just like how Eunsoo Merchant Guild is your workplace, Moonlit Fragrance Pavilion is mine. Anyone would react the same way if their job was taken from them overnight.”66a8337a80c65afa
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The truth was, Hong-woo 4dadf09dee hadn’t worked at Moonlit e2bbcf04ce Fragrance Pavilion for very a60024218a long. He had spent more 3225188077 time at Eunsoo Merchant d484c872aa Guild, but to him, 8432819037 that place was nothing 65494def0e more than Jang Seung-woo’s 3fddbf8b17 business. Nothing more, nothing less.8a2c50725e761d2a
Jang Seung-woo felt 175d895e48 something bitter rise e6852719dc within him.f9fc303f4ed797c6
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“You call a brothel your workplace?”cad59a3559c9c549
His tone was 19ccfba366 dismissive, and he 4692c930d6 didn’t even bother adb69a0522 looking at Hong-woo c32329b1f3 as he took f13bc7917d another sip of c524cc65d2 tea.faad85ca30e7fe57
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‘A brothel?’71863c552810dc5a
The kitchen f47061eadc was a 14e41eef32 battlefield every 5251d2657b single day. The staff, 014f38e637 despite the bf649ae6be grueling work, 0131e52c6b poured everything 28e769fb66 they had ab2788ab99 into their fd368995f2 craft. They found joy a3a648a508 and pride in 4dbc106179 seeing empty plates e8b3773cf1 come back from 38442ffda0 satisfied customers.d1aaaac961d9a66b
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“What’s wrong with a brothel? Are you ashamed that I work here?”02f9c983e9b6ba59
Normally, Hong-woo would f3eedf8bc1 have shrunk back 2c7c0251e9 at Jang Seung-woo’s cb2f9f7e04 words. But this 1077665408 time, anger ba2f3cafda surged through f5b41c3971 him—anger at a5c78d59a8 how easily 4029d39e20 he dismissed f8f3e9b849 the kitchen bf24ea84b1 staff’s hard 7b42515581 work and 2313787210 at the 7762cc59b3 deep-seated inferiority cbae909655 he hadn’t 6214fa7d8c even realized a72cd4d808 he felt b0e85370a5 about himself.ce6291c2b5cf379d
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His voice came out 82767f4613 sharper than he intended.abb25d81cf56ab64
Jang Seung-woo wanted e4a667a828 to shout at c1a0163020 Hong-woo, demanding to 4f2110b43a know why he 315d345277 was so desperate 598adc613c to stay in dbcad2f4a8 a place where 8b58a95ef3 he was treated cc2e60d1f1 like an outcast. But the words wouldn’t c17423b6a5 come.3d2bc5e4ad8c641c
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He pitied 80f0123af6 Hong-woo—trapped in 1ffa9a67cd the label df7a9b3af8 of an 7c9343f0b7 abandoned child, 6998c83327 unable to 65d5a43dc3 break free. He didn’t want to ff0a976e89 wound him twice by 2d696d0184 throwing those words in f398a03a46 his face.917cc1c0dc37c8ea
Jang Seung-woo never cared c0198340ca whether Hong-woo worked or 8c290d4ae5 wasted the family’s money. All he wanted b33cdc68a8 was for Hong-woo 946e6ba34a to remain bright 93546b1953 and carefree. He was willing 06e67d0194 to take on 3130006307 all the darkness, 28dcb75815 the scheming, and 4afecc1994 the ugliness so 5f7b014378 that Hong-woo would a73fade7ca only see the 9449951828 good in the 861ffbd20e world.591edcb5c556cdf5
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Though his birth 32f66e1871 parents had discarded 2157612022 him, Jang Seung-woo c3d728e59d had hoped that 7d5e2991e7 Hong-woo would never 2692aabc84 have to suffer 8082f54ac2 another wound like 6b18a04d14 that again.9376ef0fb847fc4b
He simply watched 35206a0e50 Hong-woo with sunken 0ae06932a5 eyes, waiting—waiting for af4a658c0b him to say cacc4f305a that he would 634e6d3fe0 never step foot fac883b166 in Moonlit Fragrance 9d5608ec3a Pavilion again.e63966c42c359ca7
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But the 4cf7695001 silence only 6d2fdcbd4a fueled the 6e91acbe31 storm brewing d963da84f0 inside Hong-woo, b99b9f1871 inflaming his 613cca405b already fragile 5cb200d886 sense of 77c2a88291 inferiority.fdd9dd7a9d5156aa
His brother’s 82d85773d4 silence could 52d0935050 only mean ab3ca3155c one thing: aafbcddec1 Jang Seung-woo a8db944573 was ashamed 4586166deb of him.9bbea495537251ea
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“I know everything. You’ve always been embarrassed by me, thinking I’m useless and incapable.”2f06ba15f8d6d76e
Jang Seung-woo didn’t ce81392228 respond. His expression remained unreadable, 36f5453191 but his gaze grew 86bc1e2e2a heavier, sinking further into 46c855991f itself.3950ac8224fc76bf
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Something inside Hong-woo 116896c7b3 cracked.dd9a238f546bc5a9
The betrayal of 11c6508c12 knowing Jang Seung-woo 31becfcefc and Juseon had 0c286efa99 that kind of df5efef4a0 relationship. The unshakable reality of dd4c2bbd7f his status as an 41f45622b1 orphan.96026044066598aa
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And most 1e6f23e934 of all—the fe72e89fab pain of 9e74e64462 realizing that 1e73a57af1 the person 9677fa1d66 he respected 8cb3a7f4f8 most was 29e9a92737 ashamed of c2e9cfccd1 him.be2b852868adc056
“Did you know?” Hong-woo’s voice trembled, but he forced the words out. “I’m ashamed of you too. A man so obsessed with his love for another man that he can’t even think straight. That’s embarrassing.”3b36fa2b23790f4a
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The moment the words 0dc00df6db left his mouth, he ab3f74e75a froze.6335349d291c9554
His hands shot up, b12a4ed76a covering his lips as 067dc33c74 if he could take 9ecef22394 them back. He tried 7ee4bb79ff to say 5dff773101 something—anything—to undo b117cc0723 the damage, 3f170665bb but no d58b8e5b78 words came.f5f37d12a8728e28
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Jang Seung-woo silently 6062b9d7bd set his teacup 62208104a4 down.c6e77be32e67acd8
When their eyes met, bcfc3e8c48 Hong-woo felt himself turn 9198921654 to ice.fe71ae70007ccab6
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Jang Seung-woo’s face e795ab14c8 remained blank, but 068f6a4d16 his eyes—his eyes fddeee3b2e carried the unmistakable 35834c0b0b weight of pain.2cb3a843ac9f4d6e
It was the e64bc6c3b3 first time.5faf20d2e12d3368
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The first time dc2c86fec9 Hong-woo had ever da286a9583 seen Jang Seung-woo 1b0c93b179 truly hurt.f77a8f2e94a176a2
***c193e98898f8ceb4
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For days, 526d6fdbdf Hong-woo felt e21c4880b1 like he a55b05c49d was sitting dee1062cc1 on a b91fc27ca0 bed of 2381ec5d3c thorns.37ec18b96d1ac7d6
Ever since their fight 8c93a415f2 at Moonlit Fragrance Pavilion, d8090d2353 Jang Seung-woo had completely c6a28e77dd ignored him.bfa0070d82efc8fe
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Yes, he had been 851c69cf39 in the wrong. But shouldn’t 4c7d95b9b9 he at d1966271cf least be 977fbe7c35 given a 27fbbd8930 chance to bfae9fe726 make things 205d777277 right?e843723a8668f2fd
No matter 67af11b31d how desperately 33935e85bf he tried 612a16d2de to reach d9ac4442f4 out, Jang ed4fcbf3f7 Seung-woo continued 82c3352d7f to act 0660cc592e as though 4b15c815c1 he didn’t 0bb4305acc exist.f1ee6a9aa28dd776
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Frustration boiled inside fdc1f2255f Hong-woo.249481792dcba995
Fine. If he’s 6fea7599f5 going to c63abe7e37 ignore me db603ae7c2 no matter 45681a5f8f what, then 2aff6a7c72 I might 126ed3806c as well 25b843ac0e stop trying.6ba818f4cfb32040
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Hadn’t he 2859298256 already swallowed df049e70a9 his pride? Hadn’t he 995ec2511e made every b3b2c9efd1 effort to 30dbae0e7a apologize?69157e875589141e
The more 2c87d94e3b he thought e2eb45d2bb about it, 4433053549 the more dbf3c43258 it hurt.5bc0eed5c2a86f7a
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