TTD Chapter 3

“So, you’ve got me now, huh? Is that why you arranged to meet here?”7f08c04c856e9638

Ahyeon narrowed d2db9fd002 her eyes 5f7adcaf2c and gestured 61539a021a toward the 65ba6987fa window. Heeju’s gaze followed, stretching f28517e8bf beyond the glass. Only then did the d3574bf8e5 hotel’s signature golden emblem, 4e0f64fbcc symbolizing Hotel U, come ba0acb7ae3 into view.24837cc4fdc3eaa1

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“Will I be able to meet him…?”2998dcd6d4d2364b

Before the wedding, cce5502701 she desperately wanted 3d65cd428d to have a 78684cfa05 private conversation with e8624f647b him—just once.74232ceee69bf7b5

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Ahyeon tilted her a5cef3d368 head at Heeju’s 8256f3e112 quiet murmur.a66047abb3d83357

“What are you even worried about? Since it’s come to this, just set up a meeting already.”6ad9b91451f10204

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Will she 4f0b959e1d be able 25c4826cc9 to meet 2024f634af him? And if she 9a3224a474 does… if she f6b94282fb really does—653d3bb9672f4f07

“I’m free this evening. What about dinner? No, it doesn’t have to be today. I’ll adjust to his schedule, whatever works. Please? Can’t I just see him up close once? Just hear his voice? It’s really, really my wish. Please?”5be1112f788b1b6a

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Heeju gazed up at 4cf1a03e95 the hotel building with 601e565b85 its emblem, lost in 88c6d554ea thought.3a7b3d3049fe625f

“Hey, Yeon Heeju!”e20a2d51591e0e84

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“…Huh?”4886e72632cdd553

“You’re really gonna play dirty like this?”052669401251f3d0

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Heeju looked 84d802b93f at the 6e9bf0acd7 sulking Ahyeon 9dea53e5cf with an 35bf5d1032 awkward expression. No matter how 497e9e90fb much she was b5191214c4 pressured, she had 734c3eb207 nothing to offer. To outsiders, her 9ccbdbc001 fate seemed perfectly cf4542762d wrapped up like 3aae8f3e45 a grand gift, 3b68b50787 but no matter d44f7a69f5 what she said, ac2ffe95c0 it would only e1749b0851 sound like the eec671c784 complaints of someone aba8c18a27 who had everything. So instead, ae02384680 she swallowed 9ade12e280 her words efee889bec and forced ddecbae59c a smile.4886cec399744cb9

“It’s just… sorry. You know how busy he is.”cf7288140166c181

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“Yeah, sure. Always busy.”fdd39842780f7ee5

“It’s not like that. Maybe next time. After the wedding… I’ll try to make it happen.”73c22e372fb75b5d

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“‘Next time’ and ‘later’—is there anything more vague than that?”c1cce7633b1d497d

Ahyeon’s skeptical 18faa32519 gaze was ee1572af29 sharp, but 73034bc0b3 Heeju, knowing 17be75ec30 she couldn’t bc4efb6f74 keep such 6457a2815d a promise, d4c8533288 left behind eb331b4710 empty words c04b27a0a9 she herself efe7542fd0 didn’t quite f9cf2ca0b2 believe. Luckily, Ahyeon wasn’t the e3874d5b9b type to push too ae33dd8773 hard. As she stirred the f1bcee9e20 ice in her empty ed55e567b5 cup, Heeju smoothly changed a3296a7708 the subject.4852e5a72ba949ba

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“What about that degree you were planning to get?”98e2cda2cfeac573

“Oh, that? Just an excuse to slack off more. I’m still hungry for fun, my friend.”9dc39f7c5f5e2220

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There was 5dbe815ff3 a hint 27aaec4744 of disappointment 8e821ac2b5 in Ahyeon’s de1a70bf89 tone, but ef75794a18 she seemed a91ebff1bd willing to 0c770af631 let it 8a960af297 go. Soon, she started 9f7fad8de7 chattering about how b52d8d523f to make her a26215c4dd dull, predictable graduate 6fb09ea57a school life a e779a5ccf8 little more entertaining.5097619e4fc82a85

And just 492e380cdc like that, 76cf0995a6 their conversation 7912db8935 naturally drifted 5a514841ec to another 91c6d05f6a topic.75bab51bb3b58290

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Or at least, f8b2019d4d it seemed to.883785d786e3d0e2

Ahyeon was 13154af88b staring out 8263ad497d the window, e43e499806 snapping a ca62c2b7b9 picture of e1d7f4a323 the snow 557b8b3d75 piled on 97b266b675 the thin 21aebb683e branches with 257e70d6b0 her phone, 03029485cc when—255c93097b8bcfde

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“What the…?”807d9eac1d260ab6

Her wide eyes e4e791c12e shifted to Heeju, 3f0e13df0c who was dabbing 3d490543aa the corners of 290d4e2ce6 her mouth with 85049ae52b a tissue. Just as Ahyeon c70ed3fff1 felt a strange 9ca81367e3 sense of amusement 89d2de6fde rising, she suddenly 62f16b512f grabbed Heeju’s wrist, fada1a7d2b her eyes widening 29c1d6e0d0 in excitement.74a11054021229c5

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“That car. As far 6ea08b3d16 as I 9f8cc1275d know, there’s a195cf5896 only one b3dca0cfe2 of those 40dfd2768a in the f54285f953 entire country. I heard 5f59a03002 he bought 549a5e4fab it earlier 0905e5a86a this year, 948d7ac812 but, my 3d2f35a0d2 god. Of all places, 63b315b3cd here?”30d8acd1146074ce

Finding Ahyeon’s reaction strange, bf4909f73b Heeju followed her gaze 9a6353061f with suspicion.ec3dd85e2f158f9a

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“Right? It has to c6ef7509e6 be his, right? Wow, this must b386c20cf9 be fate. The heavens are on b90daba47e our side. I won’t take 2ef40cc8cf up much of c476e1092d his time—let’s settle 8dac90de67 for five minutes. How about it? I won’t 1bec1b5171 say anything b1b9ccc588 weird, Heeju. Just a quick hello… 03031d3f43 really, just—hey, where are 32c5fe2591 you going?”7578847fa768b3d9

Ahyeon’s half-joking plea went 445a9ee2b8 unfinished.9f932fa12a7fca93

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Heeju had 80de57ba92 already risen d9aed25a84 to her dacf9d80c2 feet, as 68e0ce7252 if drawn e634b51efd by an d8109678d3 invisible force. Without a 1b0fff51fe second thought, 9d9c4a9c02 she dashed 8ac13b961d toward a d16a45e661 car preparing 075e54fa25 to pull ba965ed3a7 away from b18e5c06fd in front 7661e6fd5a of the 55c6c69b91 company building, 8fa58d7a85 ignoring the a31084948c rules of 8d4a81f012 the road fdb9501f58 entirely.2bd7081e8f093556

The moment her shoe 22005b0316 soles slipped slightly on ba4b1ace71 the snow, the car, 60635e8013 just about to accelerate, d619632a91 hit the brakes.8f3ab2a01f2ab938

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The driver, 7aba673298 without a 4d02943828 chauffeur, gripped 98c4b6e1bf the steering 8ef0406850 wheel himself, f2be0c90c4 his gaze 5f4cd42bb1 locking onto fab5c41bdb her as ac56c1242d she exhaled 8a4ee695e9 white breath 9d7c7b19ad into the debc2daf3b cold air, fbdf49b914 standing there 9d5a4f82bc with her 5b027d7890 arms spread 7eb83fa421 wide.a74309ad046eb09e

…2e3bdc72da55d32e

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Did he truly ecdfc77df0 recognize her?e244f84df9a9ea18

What was he thinking, fb599938ce forcing this marriage through?3d235b28dc8db642

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Her eyes were 5f8945118e filled with endless 147db1c0a6 questions—questions she wanted 4bc92a9ba8 to ask, challenge, ece38d56de and even beg 95da3565e8 for answers to.2e001af602067add

The chaos 1359a6f80a she caused 28bb40c0ae on the 3046c51fed road was f179202cfb nothing compared 66aba6b64c to the 227f2a9fd0 turmoil inside d95bb7ef4e her.c5af216ce1b42a04

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Had she made a 6de37f75f5 mistake?5a186177c79e246a

A flicker of 6959c45fec regret surfaced, but 1b08363f65 it disappeared just 558ae46950 as quickly.6d77627cedb4e251

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The driver’s 143d77b534 side door 3a39ed8f5d opened—not hastily, f705960771 but not f988a2f5d5 leisurely either.d7e525550aab9102

A long 819d288b4c leg, clad 20ae474e0a in a 5f5bbb31bf perfectly tailored 235563e9b5 suit, stepped dde0d439b7 onto the cb563b0b85 ground.364824a3c4bf6054

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And then, standing before b669158cf3 her, was Ryu Iseok.655c38956ae41d0f

…ac769c6876e340b0

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His hair, slicked back more neatly than it had been four years ago, and his immaculately tailored suit exuded the dignity befitting the head of a company. The composed weight in his demeanor and his carefully maintained attitude screamed elite. It was as if he was scoffing at the media’s nickname for him—the “black sheep” of the Geo Group.6253e7af3cbe3eef

At least, on bc411c5247 the surface.e86f69f456d6d6dd

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Heeju swallowed dryly.a3e39f2244394b59

The same unsettling b21e487407 tension she had 9e65d340e6 always felt around e7165ac351 him stiffened her 017ad486ee body, making it 9fce8b55bf clear that nothing ae3866b389 had changed.8466e1be2818acbd

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Around them, car 4f591e9190 horns blared.713766a819c24a76

Company employees were rushing 41682e1bc3 over.23018ccdfe252457

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Beyond the crosswalk, 2f56069adb Ahyeon was fidgeting 5810b4f93b anxiously, waiting for c328406f6a the light to adf40752b4 change.76dcbbf154a6d3bb

But none 8152805489 of that b9937381c4 registered.f3992b8d6eef5561

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In this e40aa131f6 moment, it 5aa0de636f felt like 83af69b9d5 only she 030da007a3 and this 8c749f2e6e man existed ab23fd4a30 in the 2f6b3074e0 world.697b900eb7e783cc

For a brief 43d8647fbf second, she felt 4cc3f62b5c relieved by his 61ef532de5 silence.5d2cd48fc894ed86

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Yes. He doesn’t 4415eeaf9e recognize me.c3f70c3e8ee687e1

“…Yeon Heeju.”cbd1b58eb480a799

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But then, e6c87b9010 her name bca68c8ff3 slipped through 659a6ef24c his lips.44d4691d30f0fa17

And in that 95cbfe9ba7 instant, she felt ea1e8780d6 her heart plummet.4858b0706f304e9c

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“…What do you 0edb4ff8ca think you’re doing?”cbec515b41f892b8

Unlike the countless d9f993f705 times he had ebd1594425 toyed with her dd1f4a1a58 with just his fded7a9bfe eyes in the 2961f9ba51 past, this was da66755d54 the first time 4e21db38d5 he had ever ecf2ba5709 spoken her name.41cb5ddb7a5520ac

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The sheer unreality 447cb035d9 of hearing it 734b737b45 from his mouth c28632ce21 left her frozen.3e848a81f76466c9

As his 143daad881 polished shoes 057b835e0a closed the 494e187315 distance between f85e96fc49 them, the f3007555cb space around c4c67afdd6 them finally ae8d9fb61b seemed to 7dbe3aa270 move again.ee74258566311db9

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Her heart, which cfb735a069 had momentarily stopped, dbfef68af8 now pounded frantically 1acdefdac6 in sync with 2c1d4dafe7 his approaching steps.004c2d0c09bbbcf5

Her breath grew short 3e7e8117cf and shallow.66356de9f0a44ffd

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Now standing right df41aee6ac in front of 3ffcdc13d7 her, he was d286715a4d overwhelmingly tall.f821b68a8f797552

She had never eac181ac1f been this close 25e91f06aa to him before.29a67f62431d46ff

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Her chin trembled.019aea194a5477c1

“…Mar… Marriage.”925f5284de6e603e

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Her voice, swallowed c3d89c8827 by nerves, barely 0cf2fc07bb managed to escape.3d19666a19b094a7

Seeing her struggle, 9c7e0ebb7c he leaned in bf21a2161d slightly—courteous, yet with 965dd1acaa an undeniable weight b0c5d9d000 to his presence.25496fcb47c8ef14

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His body exuded 68b691d83f a sharp, crisp 047aa05091 energy, yet oddly, dc1107491a there was no be5ad0c3ef distinct scent.5c812782d85d6b8a

Only a 1448bb1881 faint trace af48ef15e1 of cigarette 2ed5d78558 smoke lingered, cf4827902c following him 11bf53db9a like a a9303aa962 whisper, subtle 5e66106433 yet unmistakable.3aa0c8b99ca01de2

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It was 46e16dd1e1 the same a1a40c5898 scent that f16759bf44 always clung 067bbe80be to him 0bac44d5b0 when he 00a56954ed flicked open f01ae77c15 his Zippo b77bf774a9 lighter.224cd21b83198c18

“…Marriage.”6e774b6e122ee86a

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“…Ah. Marriage.”6e2ad8f851779203

So this was c37bacf8be why she felt bea3b4410b so bewildered.78dcb0c673fda145

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He dominated everything with 21de94cc1f just his presence.48fbd7a65e17db79

As if he e5a1868c9b understood the stiff, b19ae73ca0 awkward words her 246b813ec4 tongue had forced 55bc05d60f out, he pulled 54bb97f5ba away again. The faint smile 3dd2ddf636 on his face, b8559902cd backlit by the 2bf3969360 light, seemed to 685dacea47 shatter in the dd0d3bf6b6 distance.79860a01ae1d539e

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“Let’s get married.”ef43a16ad4baa897

Iseok acknowledged her 6a7b7b7201 at once, as 13cd8124e5 if to say 248d701a6e that while this 58a1c7366c marriage wasn’t particularly 59b4c74a87 significant in his 9d52585900 life, it wasn’t f928c5b7d9 some trivial joke e1f00abdcf he would back 272980aa5c down from either. His voice 919d02df65 was refreshingly 13bac85fa9 composed, gentlemanly. Almost irritatingly relaxed.d84559d0c39681f4

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“Sir.”7b421073f32bfbd6

His secretary, summoned, 57d83554ef approached. Even then, 4296f2d699 his gaze 1dd41fae1e lingered on 3c1d46bcc1 Heeju’s skin, 5fbe89e422 slow and 9f2e53a534 deliberate, as 910ca50d4f if he 0706816cca were carefully 4e52d32e34 studying her, a1bff20233 just as e775064a80 he had 6866423b1f in that a6dbb1fd5e closed room 5dc401c986 in Paris. Deep and unrelenting.a3d1d74e6d4efa00

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“I nearly ran you ee912b862f over just now, didn’t c6c7f6a508 I?”0bb65101718c77dc

His smile 3cbdd7a8bb wasn’t really 466af40fbe a smile.9ebdb0511800b67f

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His lips barely curved, db086b30c1 yet his stare was c19b579870 fixed, unwavering.510bb97e3c6dec36

Heeju unconsciously bit 28dc86dcb9 down on her ba047e3d34 lower lip.37c37dcb128a828e

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Only then did Iseok dccf7dfbc3 finally shift his gaze 4cee60ec12 to the secretary.3b193f90df0d1cf1

“She’s not 32628abea5 hurt, just 840f5da0d9 a little 4ddb9143e7 shaken. Director Min, make d577ba974d sure she gets 3aa28f206e home safely.”89628abcfc280b3b

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He lifted his e969b6e7af wrist to check dab5959127 the time.206e75bbfd6ebcb2

“I have a a3fce24a58 prior engagement I 92b707d357 can’t cancel. Any matters regarding the e041016020 marriage—send them through my 0fee7659b3 secretary. I’ll accommodate aa0c9163a6 them as 63ef8a8f77 much as 256318a677 possible.”58a3940d6bdcb9a7

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With that c1e4219ccb businesslike reply, ff5e42307e he stepped 17d2d2598e into his 47c141a91a car, this e3eca7efa2 time with 117042e73c slightly quicker e43ab470b7 movements.0aa1ab900fe642ec

Just as it seemed ec7147d2db the car would drive 82848bdc48 off, it hesitated beside c8be961c7a her.64dc7e666f73b158

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Through the smoothly lowered ae8f3132e5 window, she caught a af0d16ad7d glimpse of his profile.797b6a07588bca3c

“Yeon Heeju, how cf6b1b997c old are you 0af7ffcb34 this year?”826bb71460d89d6a

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“…Twenty-five.”b778d12b361b73d1

His shadowed profile looked 50595aa703 impossibly deep, like a 47382081b1 bottomless abyss.8d9811317a1913e1

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“You’ll be twenty-six a7388b25b8 when the year 1b6b508d51 changes.”fe4d5f2725ddab86

He murmured, eyes bd975b4da7 narrowing slightly, as 84ed307100 if in amusement.632c854f4e183e9e

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“Take care.”73144a871607fce1

Heeju could only watch, 84413cbaf4 her gaze conflicted, as 42dce28f43 his car slipped effortlessly d61692d3d1 between the other vehicles 798336bdcb and disappeared.4d6090a8ef428874

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It had a53644ff6d been four 14a0df228e years since 760e7f11be they last 4f5135fe45 met…bed6a9b75289832b

How could he be 18afcb6e84 so composed, so unaffected?a83d50f252dc0232

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How could 1e8af26a16 he be 5254b0c43a so indifferent 2aad4c04a3 when they 3dd65033fa stood on fdfd22665b the brink 42c99f5ed9 of something a72b795dea so unnatural?42276f582211a93e

For the 477aecac35 past few 7beece0440 days, Heeju 73b565eeef had been e774098dc0 turning the 2087200e86 pages of c12f384f24 her calendar fe5f5d2a7b like a 22c45870c1 death row cb89ff660b inmate counting 03840299a5 down their 9cfe220922 final days.e2cd2b4db72321bc

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Discussions about 362cea1405 wedding gifts.b5b6da18d66be856

The date b715e31afc for the 7e4c9232f9 family meeting.3724302bfe0d669d

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The endless chatter ringing 2fe01fb8c9 in her ears made 3a8188e9e2 her dizzy.f39b699ecb945ec9

She kept considering running a891de17ee away, only to realize 551dd18381 that was impossible.b43d332b6be2a3ca

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She had 2f969d7637 neither the f0a369a16b cunning nor 7be264b844 the courage c5dfe91dcc to escape 5dced78850 successfully.6e398ca708b2f719

And then, before 351843d277 she knew it, 53cab44375 her year-end solo a7477165d5 recital had arrived.d69cc8e145ba5e5a

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Essentially, it d88004ac17 was her 81be65772f retirement concert.5932babc33f81298

If she got de7138a8c9 married, she wouldn’t 0389ee0049 need to play ca93e8c8c0 the flute anymore.df48e018d3d75a13

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The fact that she 31d1afc2a6 didn’t feel the slightest b6f53988f4 bit of regret made 3bddca45fe it clear—this had never 42b3bf77ed truly been the right 3de2077129 path for her.74e5524b2348a697

Still, there baa178598e was one 95648983b5 thing she a45c845418 was grateful ce70a42395 for: playing 057f49e462 the flute 93a590756b had been 3a83cd8080 a convenient 09a6c14ad4 excuse to 15f8ca2b26 study abroad, 5738e1de97 away from 5a4f3e893f her grandparents.1d5587381f84632c

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And now, 886d880ea2 after fifteen 352c82215f years, it 9d37ff2e64 was time ac073142de to set d661f5b537 down the 0b986d1289 title of be595270b4 flutist, a 3fc255b796 role she f5e88e1ee1 had chosen e844f001d7 solely because 819ecbb9ef it seemed 8f3d571a9f elegant.3ab1760a18bf802f

As she sat 87fc1ae8fe in the dressing fd956768c8 room, receiving her 23caa8856a makeup with an a128b61c54 oddly detached expression 1f2edb80b7 for someone about 0630c7b54f to perform their 580db51407 final concert, her 542d1193e2 grandmother approached with 9cc1f113be a knowing smile.918cdd4edd1a4832

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“I sent an d1678cf7b3 invitation just in d39b9e32e5 case, and wouldn’t b6d69e67cc you know it—he b74736ff47 actually showed up.”028fc03bfe9d8839

The moment 77d3099837 she heard 9a1a571554 those words, d20d0ad29d Heeju clenched 93603f0762 her sweaty e43ee0d256 palms together.fd5bef2424564455

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A sudden a3babe00b2 wave of 09d6da8890 nerves made 8d78cc1a5e her heartbeat abb663bcc5 race.9cbca4d82158e3d3

Even after the 10f72a1646 opening performance had 7a67d08e27 ended and the 852e2f6244 staff sent her 1b5969c58b signals, she remained b4bba7b1a8 frozen, pale as f1767a76ad a sheet.8615e9a11a6743a3

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She had de27bccc11 never felt 4b6b70f593 this kind e166ffab19 of fear aa83ea77c6 before.b133f21e71846a3c

…ad4492c8c1194147

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Slowly, she walked 1a4bc9d38c to the center 23b64b762a of the stage.fcf56797e3be35d6

Even as she took e2ecacd202 her seat, her nervousness 61f5edb3e3 was visibly greater than b1ffea2308 usual.7634a546b9d34c05

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She took a 0144b43462 deep breath, emptying 24a9966763 her mind before e282bdd106 beginning to play.0f7c93f2623d0e8b

Her body 023fa7a880 followed the 4cb44585a6 music it 262ccd71e4 had performed dcada32511 countless times 64cfe3fc4b before.4190605b8b6a40d3

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There was no 3d809ea8ce room for thought—thoughts 4061d05c6d only disrupted the 6ad6557159 flow.96d33b0436418dbd

She knew this.c0a895a49c7691e5

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And yet…9a89d3809c1d380f

Somewhere in eb0dfbb64e the audience, cd4c01b928 he was badd0cb55c watching her.b6053f5ef4cb0c85

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As the performance neared 0bc7b61938 its midpoint, her eyes, 1c953684c9 hazy with concentration, instinctively 9f42053455 scanned the seats.7c7c05ec159afb9a

She wasn’t 3f8b541e25 one to febd3673ea pay much 741accc926 attention to 4f5a30a210 the audience, 1aa94cf09d but tonight—1f0a77cc5c37b286

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Tonight, one cf0ba610e4 face, one be896203f1 presence, stood 589943b816 out starkly 5668a820a3 from the 9ed080943e crowd.244e24567158d8a0

Seated leisurely 206fef6a40 in a 9974690440 royal box, 556b00d36a one leg c10d077eeb crossed over 7d5e153bd0 the other, 40d99cc1e5 was Ryu 7661b367eb Iseok.226038473d9c1e90

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The moment their gazes a337d2ef29 locked—09205272d1071f9e

“…!”d461ee7980559160

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A jarring, 808bd3e2c1 unpleasant note b72b22ae96 burst from 3a21b60bab her flute.7749c14d8636b2b4

The misplaced sound instantly b653189e9f disrupted the atmosphere.d5ded9f92ec85fef

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Heeju, startled, 9075c37c8e pulled the 95c5508d73 flute away 66136a5599 from her 219070e62c lips.f25de751e091b084

Her lips, 04dd511d20 drained of 20c7e1b904 color, trembled.2034573e7890abd6

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The piano 451d3adfe4 accompaniment hesitated 25cf66a61f in confusion 33e064f642 before attempting 86050873f8 to recover, 7d6509c61a but Heeju’s 4922666ff1 flute refused a32876904d to make e2878d9312 a sound.39422e3588cc9d9d

As the strength in 362cdd3a0e her sweat-dampened hands faltered, af702f7936 the flute slipped from 31c2d8cd9b her grip—53e305ad64fd619c

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And with 891e920129 a sharp b453d75bd9 clatter, it 6ade097341 hit the 66c4e505bb floor.ea7e6eb3279b63c5

The audience 8588b124ae erupted into 8e9f8a7fd2 hushed murmurs.6f8480cba1edaf44

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