TL | Chapter 11 | A Seal that Says “Mine”

ffad78954b1977f71db5Seowon had always been a sharp shooter. When asked how he could be so skilled in shooting, along with his Taekwondo and Hapkido training, he’d joked that it was because Koreans were descendants of Jumong, the famous archer.

9072112e1fd3a1986230But now, he seemed even more precise than before. His focus on the target board was intense, almost frightening. With the entire shooting range to himself, it was easy for him to concentrate, yet his gaze was so fixed on the target that it felt obsessive. Even with Iden and the shooting range manager openly watching him from behind, he didn’t seem to care.

e7cd4a292b0a385c4befWhat could possibly make Seowon so focused?

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

3e9cb14122478cab87a2As Iden pondered this, a bitter smile formed on his lips. The more he guessed at Seowon’s feelings, the more complicated his own emotions became. He’d agreed to let Seowon work as his bodyguard as he wished, but he had no intention of using him as a human shield. He’d only allowed it because it was safest to keep him close.

b5aa799f88dc0b3452c3Seeing Seowon like this, he wondered if he should take him off guard duty immediately. He looked as if he’d step in front of a bullet without a second thought, just like before.

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

7ad63e0bca6fdb9c60b0“Even with the bulletproof vest on, I still can’t feel at ease,” he murmured to himself. The range manager glanced over, but Iden waved him off as he stepped into the shooting range.

e9cb4cf0af1e8af3f4c0Bang! Bang!

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

d077190373372f9c3fc5The gunshots were ear-piercingly loud. The manager shouted from outside that he should put on ear protection, but Iden ignored it and approached Seowon. Engrossed in his shooting, Seowon either didn’t notice him approaching or was choosing to ignore him to focus on his shooting.

66ebde7152a10ea0c7bdBang! Another shot rang out. Iden reached out and grabbed the top of Seowon’s gun, making him finally turn to look. His expression seemed to ask why Iden was interrupting him.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

c708d813d70454a67877“That’s enough,” Iden said, pressing the gun down. Seowon frowned slightly as Iden removed his ear protection.

7f22eaf0a5d2290c5600“You don’t need to act like you’re about to kill someone on the spot.”

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

40e7607964d199db3859Seowon looked so blank and detached with the gun in his hands. It didn’t sit well with Iden.

930c777e7210601b6db6Seowon silently stared at him. This man was a mafia boss’s heir. That was the biggest difference between him and the Iden he’d loved. The “Iden hyung” he knew hadn’t yet been the official heir. Though his father had called him to the United States to groom him for the position, he hadn’t been deeply involved in the mafia world.

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

67ccab5e35a3bc783b94But the Iden in front of him had been part of that world for over ten years now. Unlike the Iden who’d just been named heir and brought over, this Iden probably had far more enemies. And just as many people might be out for his life. Because of that, Iden’s words about not needing to be so on edge didn’t quite resonate.

72c0f8b6e74d3a7d97d2Was it because they were in South Korea, not the United States? Was Korea really safe? Did he have no enemies here? Without knowing any of that, he couldn’t relax.

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

02635a3673a4ddd9943d“When did this building come into existence?”

9f8793d9a2a0686b161dThey were in an underground shooting range within the Luciano building. Ordinary companies wouldn’t have a live-fire range in their basement. From the outside, it looked like an average office building, but who knew what was going on inside? Seowon knew nothing about Iden as a mafia figure. The Iden he knew had grown up in Korea and graduated from college like any normal person.

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

52613a5951c43e885685“Six years ago, after I found you.”

ddb9d92c4e35032ede9aSeowon tilted his head, unable to understand. The past he remembered was very different from the past Iden knew.

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

860191e687617367737b“I needed an excuse to come and go from Korea. I couldn’t just kidnap you outright.”

391264c944cf06802b92Seowon’s brow furrowed at the use of “you.”

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

63aedfadd110177a3110“That wasn’t me.”

5f6d67f2db3d1165c166At his retort, Iden chuckled and nodded. He didn’t seem to deny the distinction Seowon was making between himself and the Ha Seowon of this world, yet there were moments he treated them as one and the same. Seowon understood why, so he didn’t press the point and turned his gaze away.

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

50145a051d28f49a74e5“So, what exactly does this…”

cdd713b55c3ba0f937fbHe began to ask, intending to change the subject, but stopped mid-sentence. Mafia. That word hung in his mind, and he suddenly didn’t feel like asking what exactly this place did. None of the words that came to mind—drugs, arms trafficking—were positive.

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

53fdd79b128a91b7aa76Seeing him trail off, Iden raised an eyebrow but didn’t ask him to continue. Instead, he chuckled knowingly and reached out to ruffle Seowon’s hair.

fc0eb20f911ab9f78758“Let’s get out of here. I suddenly feel like eating something good.”

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

42952e6b7384ace8cb1dIden smoothly shifted the topic. Seowon let out a short sigh as he watched Iden’s back as he walked out of the shooting range.

5a7629e34c787a552d71He really couldn’t get used to this.

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

0a5e02b3d2125c4d7a84The more time he spent talking with him and observing him, the more he saw differences from the “Iden” he knew. Especially the way he looked at people—it was sharper, like he was assessing them. That made him uncomfortable at times.

33c37094a6c2d1b2afaeEven though they shared the same initial meeting, their memories of the last ten years were different. Ten years was enough time to change a person’s character. He wondered how the Ha Seowon who’d been here might have been. Would he have been different from himself now? If so, did Iden feel the same sense of dissonance when he looked at him?

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

f69b9cbc588af29aa816With his relaxed expression, Iden seemed unaffected. He was so calmly collected, almost to the point of coldness, that Seowon held onto his rationality to suppress his own confusion.

17a00765e6306e24cd5c“He’s hard to read.”

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

04dd3195e727f6154ca8In the past, he’d been able to tell what Iden was thinking just by meeting his gaze. Sometimes they’d silently exchange looks and then laugh at each other for being so in sync.

d8d40cf93a664695e96eBut now, that kind of unspoken communication seemed impossible. It felt natural yet bitter to confirm that this Iden was different from his “Iden.” Even though he’d drawn a clear line, he still found himself searching for traces of the past in him.

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

3ca86022c0c11d4f3e44If he were a complete stranger, he wouldn’t be feeling this complicated…

ddc4a9ff31b63f18c945Swallowing his bitterness, he followed Iden. There was no choice but to adapt to the moment.
•

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

b38332828c3728952510They’d been driving for a while since leaving the building, supposedly to get something good to eat. The car had been moving for quite some time. The silence in the car was heavy. Neither Seowon nor Iden had spoken, and Min in the driver’s seat glanced back at them occasionally through the rearview mirror but stayed quiet.

508c1b27324595a6c80fOnly the hum of the car engine filled the space, and even that felt grating in the silence.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

9f3634c7a41a2bedb64c“What are we going to eat that’s so far away?”

20546227b4d08d7f9dadIn the end, Seowon broke the silence. Iden, who’d been staring straight ahead, turned to look at him.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

ed9ab47fd7cb917ea7e3“There’s a place that does king crab really well.”

c887939667ec329085baAt the mention of king crab, Seowon couldn’t help but almost frown. He wasn’t picky about food, but he avoided king crab. Specifically, he had a shellfish allergy, so he couldn’t eat it without breaking out in hives.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

6c852308c0b36a06e3e9Did the Ha Seowon here not have that allergy? It was surprising, learning something new each time, but also unsettling.

bc47a3bbf55872b4edc1“If you can’t eat it, you can just say so.”

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

4dda57ee11ece45296ceAt Iden’s words, Seowon looked directly at him. There was a hint of mischief in his eyes. Did he know?

6c2d12a1feb1b6c3a456“I’m allergic to shellfish. It’s not life-threatening, but I get hives all over my body, so I try to avoid it.”

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

7d03957d56d6d7376cffAt Seowon’s response, Iden’s lips curved into a soft smile, as if he’d expected that answer.

81de18ba417aee58aaf1This guy was testing him. Outwardly, he acted like he trusted Seowon completely, yet sometimes it felt like he was trying to confirm if Seowon was indeed the “Ha Seowon” he knew.

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

ec16db66cab2ac7a85d6His gaze was cold. Sometimes, that coldness was directed at Seowon as well. Though he hid it well, Seowon hadn’t missed the fleetingly chilly look. It was another difference. His “Iden” had never looked at him like that. Even the briefest hint of coldness was something Seowon couldn’t overlook.

782de5ccc8a6983df762Did this Iden never fully trust even his “Ha Seowon”?

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

f79d79bcf92eedc304f0“You managed to complete the marking, though.”

bb70f09c9de54d446635Before he realized, his inner thoughts slipped out. For him, marking someone he couldn’t fully trust would’ve been impossible.

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

505b19344d3ce564fa6b“I don’t know what you mean.”

098ea900e6a3f4dfea8bIden tilted his head, smiling faintly, yet his gaze remained cool, unlike the warmth Seowon remembered.

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

18497f898414d1763a5b“Maybe it’s just the way you look at me, but if you looked at your original partner like that, I can’t understand it.”

babb78ed1bc5f23eac6b“What don’t you understand?”

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

364c467e1a2c49b6a57bIden asked.

ca323fb2f443063e2368“The thing I don’t understand is ‘Ha Seowon.’”

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

449f7dc6c13e7d14fe55Seowon added an explanation.

d1bfd63163a025ca2627“I couldn’t complete a marking without absolute trust.”

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

d091d267a77f3dd41d5fAs if he’d understood, Iden’s face stiffened slightly, but he quickly broke into an even more charming smile.

25c0bd2bd8901cd8631b“Marking isn’t about trust.”

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

d959359678ade94daf01Iden reached out, gently holding Seowon’s chin, forcing him to meet his gaze.

b208cf0a9ed17e9c1de2“It’s a seal that says ‘mine.’”

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

6f0818285fcbceb7082dAt his words, Seowon’s brows knitted together.