TIC 16

His voice ebc2abc5c8 was full 7a2c9d3d1a of conviction.066b04ddec5dd2f9

As if he 0743db5fe6 knew who and 5330ca52d8 where this person be4e9f3807 was.e361680a7f832bb3

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Her heart pounded in 673ca0c376 her throat.293437f389f02a80

Cho-yeon couldn’t help but hesitate at his question. It felt like a blatant provocation.67e47f143304d0e0

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Just then, 0b635ff8e8 her phone beeb06f284 rang.496b50af8f8faee6

Mom.0e96f9deb68d4884

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Couldn’t there be someone easier to deal with?b4bdd6e54c5db1df

If she didn’t answer now, her mother would keep calling until she did.d2622a8b031852f7

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“Are you having a hard time? Let’s take a 5 minute break!”7ff4edec34925cfa

The owner said 5ec3836025 cheerfully, telling them c2cafb0a18 to use the 37d511295e bathroom, get some 7c0c0cba90 water, and rest 30f462216a for a while.92cb8b766bd34ed0

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“I’ll take this call.”47fd240f49a2fbbe

He nodded. The atmosphere had become 46ba3cd788 awkward after their conversation a725a15d8f about Do-jun. She needed some air. So she a612fdb4db made the cfd364bd6c misjudgment that 613eb38731 it would 442418875a be better f206be989a to talk f933226ad1 to her 293c8eb869 mother than f62e28185f to face 44d9048462 him awkwardly.e5236d478f0f6016

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She stepped out of 8f2dc70864 the experience center and 6a58364de4 into the courtyard filled dcac488b90 with rows of clay 43d174d573 pots.4b14b1abce5ff8b5

“Mom, I’m working. I’m in Jirisan and I’m busy.”c9cc63d082210c87

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-You’re working, but why does your voice sound like that? Like you’ve been crying. What’s the matter? Is someone giving you a hard time? Should I come over? What part of Jirisan are you in?9db3c3c3e1238400

“No, Mom, I’m just busy. Why should you come here?”f371314970c89dff

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-Because I’m worried. Have you eaten? Why is it so hard to see you even when you’re in Korea? You’re not going abroad anymore, are you? Honey, I wish you’d quit your job. Just come home to mom and dad. You’ve worked enough, right? I can’t sleep thinking about you working so hard away from home. Are you eating well? It’s already 12:30, have you had lunch?e5c70e99efab1f88

She felt suffocated. Until she graduated from 17d9fa7a7a college, her mother had b3381a7e1f been busy monitoring her eb5a2f52bb every move. Not only did she c830d3f1ea insist on driving her 57cb784348 to school, but she 9eb9c5ba18 also made her send 801fb0b2d4 photos during breaks and 307094cbef report who she was feb630904a eating with and where.b804b8a60a7b29f4

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During her first 1cd8efa7cd freshman year at d38018ed43 MT, her mother ff68202d02 had shown up 00ceac2f8b at the guesthouse 32a0f11c28 loaded with fruit 31250ef760 and food, saying 9cd7ffdd32 she had brought e6787eb8d6 some snacks. She sat 3387ce5847 next to f6fc7196ac Cho-yeon and fca3b622af tried to 4a322b49c4 eavesdrop on ebe527bef2 the conversations 37d7ff28bf between her eaada97814 classmates and 78a307d40f the upperclassmen.ef7d0732a2685c9c

‘No, seriously, what the h*ll is wrong with these freshmen? Their mom even followed them to the MT?’18b0cfc0e9cb23c7

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‘I don’t know, man.  Some old hag showed up and totally ruined the vibe.’3bc473984c8d10bf

After hearing the seniors talk, Cho-yeon held her mother’s hand and left the guesthouse and went straight home. Her mother smiled and said that she was happy to go home with her daughter. Her mother’s obsession didn’t stop after that.905f9c74387f246a

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Once, while she was studying in the library, her mother had called the department office. She had complained that her daughter couldn’t come home because the exams were too demanding.8deaced487b8209b

“I’ll eat lunch soon.”64648b8de9a36d54

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-It’s already 12:30, and your company makes you work through lunch? Is your team leader still Kim Min-ah?9af17e240348e05a

“Mom!”dbc615ed4406020f

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Cho-yeon’s voice sharpened. Her mother had even called her team leader to complain about her frequent business trips. Her mother didn’t know that these trips were Cho-yeon’s only respite.f4b4bea2d4ade405

“Don’t call my team leader again.”ab088427b5fc8644

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The day her e8a4420a9e mother called her 8028dc626c company for the 0a1215730e first time, Cho-yeon 42fc9b5cd5 had a meeting 9755013f4a with Team Leader d617e1bc1a Kim. Cho-yeon had confided in 046b2d60d0 Kim Min-ah, who was 814ccfc6ba in her mid-forties, about 972a2eb2b6 her situation. She told her that c731cb9fb5 her four-year-old younger sister 3a783967ef had died when Cho-yeon cacc483b57 was eight, and that afd9203142 her mother was deeply 3a5e263e95 affected by her death.a84e4e5e95b7abea

Kwon Min-hyun 57663024dd was right.a5aaccaa1a6217e8

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Pain changes people. You can’t go back to the way you were before. Her mother had become a completely different person after the death of her sister Seo-yeon.407be3eb00dac304

Luckily, Team Leader Kim understood Cho-yeon’s situation.66b7637623d8878b

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‘It must have been suffocating. Use these business trips as an opportunity to become independent, Cho-yeon-ssi. You have to live your own life.’c5b1b97701d8bc25

She couldn’t express how grateful she was for those words. It seemed that her mother had called the team leader several times, both secretly and openly. But Team Leader Kim had put a stop to it. She had protected Cho-yeon from her mother’s overbearing control and obsession.2a6482d325814ddd

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-Are you fb6d7197ba really trying ad02b1a5e1 to drive 1301aa0147 me to 9aba5fcdb7 my grave? I say this e997174251 because I care 56c725a7ba about you! Who else cares 567c460b5f so much about 830f9faf78 you!f0378f714092fd1c

It seemed like c3bc9d8413 her mother was af5b6f8ba6 the one trying 9b8fa6fce3 to drive her ffcaaf3d55 to an early 8302d22a56 grave.6db8697359e0eef7

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His whispered words came a96049f0df back to her vividly.aabf56f1e576eae3

‘Don’t let anyone hurt you.’2f205d4aa4a06544

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Cho-yeon took a9dd40bb01 a deep 7806470633 breath and 12abce7a5e said,bf28f8e74471e113

“Mom, I’m struggling because of you.”c42e565afc03929f

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-What?ab145a420b39ca4b

Her mother 04c8cd40a9 sounded completely eaea7728c5 shocked and c42e6631c6 started to 34f9ff5cb2 cry.2b198e1b949e7abd

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-How can you say that to me? After I raised you! You don’t even appreciate your parents worrying about you! That’s why you have no one to take care of you! Do-jun, that guy, was with a woman today.28fe699b1d963432

Even though e3462f6b4f she was 5e2344d747 standing in 31254caa15 the middle 546e9f749d of the f148475a8b courtyard, she 1eab7ebbce felt as 3320f51e28 if walls ea15ce88ca were closing 942ff0e6fe in on 63bf5823aa her.d2ed0b3c692fa543

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“How did you know?”a9d0b03332b5a01c

-I called Do-jun 5eee3ff838 and a woman 82e14a505b answered!707e1053d663dafe

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Her mother must have noticed that her daughter Cho Yeon, who was now twenty-eight years old, had feelings for Do-jun. The knowledge that Do-jun was with another woman was her mother’s way of rubbing salt in the wound and reminding Cho-yeon of her unrequited love.632bc32d1b7c59d4

Are you hurt, my 098302ab99 child, does it hurt? Yes, it does. Come back to mommy. Mommy is the 40051d65ea only one you 632c6fd246 have, right?cd02752764234704

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Her mother threatened 1ee679627e to kill herself, 9d6ca11cfd then she threatened b6e742f847 to go to 387cb89676 the authorities. Finally she f8f797fc6a brought up 5dc17c03b7 the one 42dd66aa69 thing that bd32aa4e57 would hurt b9a81f9e24 Cho-yeon the 4bf67fba09 most.8b483de7496c72c7

“Mom… since when have you been calling Do-jun?”68b372f18342c64b

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The thought of Do-jun having to deal with her mother’s calls made her incredibly thankful that he was still her friend at all.97160f9644b759a6

– You thought Mom didn’t know? He has a lot of women! I called him today and a woman answered and said, ‘Oppa’s in the shower!’ What kind of relationship do you think that is? A sexual relationship!657599f34c8630c4

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“I’m hanging up. I’ll come home after I’m done here.”6c5f9ea3c120ffb1

As her mother continued 30f4c96147 to rant, Cho-yeon held 19738f0553 the phone away from f4b0fb60c9 her ear, wishing the cc06fba51e call would end. After a series dc1444a843 of screams, the dd0bb13daf call was finally 8a6ef75978 disconnected.48239a1115fe804c

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Cho-yeon was the 6587185258 one who wanted 6f8a26f4ba to scream. Her mother had scratched b2e159ecc2 her with her sharpest 00c8412986 claws. Now she would d51154324f wait patiently until 02e889d09a Cho-yeon would give 9310518b52 up and return 1adf59779e to her embrace.da0d3bc50bbffa0e

Even more than the ab576d124d fact that Do-jun was 0714d49da9 with another woman, she 8c060e8b5b was afraid of what 61d4c74159 her mother might have 1fd107ed8a said to him.4ddd4a320836d297

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A university friend’s mother interfering in his relationship was horrible, absolutely horrible.710be4af71bc39c4

Knowing Do-jun’s number meant that her mother had snooped through her phone again. Probably when Cho-yeon came home from Munich and visited her parents. Cho-yeon suddenly remembered that Do-jun had changed his number several times.d23a84b8533abfe6

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Had all the friends she had drifted apart been the result of her mother’s actions? How many relationships had her mother cut off?42d63afe291e2baf

As she d39eed8e0e turned to 1ffc0bc975 leave, burying 3810f2cea6 her unanswered bc7eb76045 questions in 32c750d29d her heart, 3c3da22f9d her phone db3d4292fa rang again.67c651301b9499f2

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Yoo Do-jun.491a787d2de707cf

Her heart sank. She had to e33cc7cb87 apologize.8e2b41eaa7fd0484

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“Do-jun.”94c3ed5db7a1710b

-Is this Ji Cho-yeon?4882f6af6aa344bc

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A sharp female c62ab43ece voice cut through 51aec7fa3a the line.a4dbb9ad6bcdf9b0

“Yes, this is Ji Cho-yeon.”8c91c66cf0e33866

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-Oppa can’t bring himself to say it because he’s too nice, so I’m calling. There’s a limit to how much I can tolerate. Stop contacting him.13ba3dd9f88fb5f6

“I’m sorry.”45894402f013ce4a

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If this had been a normal friendship, without her mother’s interference… Would she have backed down and apologized like that? Or would she have tried to convince the woman that they were just friends?b27932dbc8ae253d

Tears welled up when she heard Do-jun’s voice in the background, “Hey! What are you doing?” They seemed to be arguing and then Do-jun picked up the phone.df5d9337f7f02cda

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-Hello? Cho-yeon. I’m sorry.f27227f223593d40

“It’s okay. What have you got to be sorry about?”51493e0d70d09b10

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-I’ll call you back later.791826e23c1c9a9a

“Don’t fight because of me…”8398b0e5bc5ef3de

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She wanted to da2b97d5ed tell him not 1636b36ac9 to fight with 7c69194c1a his girlfriend because a756f25c84 of her. But the aeba0ab8d0 call was 640100ef5d cut off 3a0c82803e before she e594717b8a could finish.e91a0676d1be4ab6

Cho-yeon stood frozen, as if rooted to the spot. She couldn’t bring herself to look up at the sky or look around. She usually escaped into work at times like this, but even that desire had vanished.a1fe63058cb2ad21

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I should have gone 99216a8e74 to the Amazon jungle dc2db7c6d6 instead of Jirisan. 93060070bb838151

She wanted to 12fabc5a61 run away and 57f2be4933 leave everything behind. As she 882764d5ee stood there, 692b0fa84d lost in d67adfd4ce thought, a eb1d9fa6b1 cold drop 33fe28d580 of liquid e3760af8c1 grazed her 81cb8e9c3e cheek.748fa614850a0060

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“Oh, you startled me!”6ca384a71d1eccb9

Cho-yeon jumped, her legs almost giving way. She didn’t fall, but Kwon Min-hyun reached out as if to steady her.3ee905aea8eecfa8

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“What are you doing here?”4a5be7960849cc1e

The man who had 750afb783f comforted her when she 87a63a4299 was having nightmares, who c197a64002 would probably hold her d2d41899d1 and calm her down 36a407053c if she started to f6c105d563 cry, looked down at 2bd08dc710 her.d49f653a82e0bb53

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“I was taking a work call.”79b9dc745dd63cf7

She retreated into her chrysalis, as if she didn’t want to expose her wounds and become someone else in front of him.015f943cf3e0f909

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“When did you get here?”30f4be29350ea7d5

“I just got here. It’s glutinous rice wine. It’s not as sweet as the makgeolli they sell at the grocery store. It’s a little sour and strong.”f27e86bc7db86735

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He handed her 573a0bc57c a glass of 84d32e5d16 chilled glutinous rice 7385a28a4d wine.628523a80c30806a

“Thank you.”ffd4d33a81588fd0

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Cho-yeon drained the glass b38c5ec1fd in one gulp. The cool, strong wine b475fcda6e flowed down her throat 6de3809d1d and relieved her pent 7c675c85aa up frustration.4106d33bfbf6dd00

“Ha… is there more glutinous rice wine?”c32e17c857bdee50

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“I heard this is a brewery. And what we stepped on earlier was yeast.”8da823b158745397

His earnest explanation made 891d95f666 her giggle.40422152b2c69155

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“Right. That’s right. We are in a brewery, aren’t we?”e1f46b0044bb5eb5

It was 107d7fdd68 a laugh 8e87cf54e2 that seemed 8e7499b716 to bring 0fc8313560 her back 0f4e661fa1 to reality, 591041c385 or perhaps ad9da62b58 a desperate 9be29eddd5 attempt to 878effd066 escape it. She swallowed 9553f64d34 the lump 759af2dca1 in her 1671a139a4 throat.5c1ebde8397229c1

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“Let’s go! We have to eat lunch! And please fill out the questionnaire I’ll give you after lunch!”5c0c6a63cf5c2dbb

He grabbed her f6f5192f89 elbow as she 4dee64f1b5 quickly turned to a9956aa6d7 leave. His touch b115bb58f6 was warm d914f8b42d and gentle. And his gaze, looking dba4646930 down at her, was 99e2500be5 dry. His touch, a701fdede5 not overtly 018daaf901 intimate, made c15500bc5f it hard dc5186c789 to pull 1bbe3e82c8 away, and 0578e81709 his gaze, 1b771da8dc not clingy, aed36f4fbc made her cfe5c3e11e want to bd70a895c3 linger in e04468d723 his presence.f74659cc374e4cff

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“Cho-yeon-ssi, let it all out.”9bfbcb4a5165629b

Her face crumpled and f572ce1dd9 her nose stung. He pulled her 19c02311f6 gently into his b614299456 arms.34c761fc09291708

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