TTS Vol 1 Ch 2.1

2. Kang Taeri

Taeri lay slumped d9808623d4 over her desk 3b6f35c4f7 in the lecture fe004bc428 hall, motionless. She blinked slowly, 3d1eae4dc4 occasionally looking up 9c6abd78a5 at the blank 9f51d0af98 white wall with 8521dea114 an empty stare.7d6086f9557e1ae2

Her characteristic 27a07e31af expressionless face a350d518ee and indifferent 742fc85f12 eyes were f530486d7b like a 9f60921e9d default setting 85ee43f0f8 for her, 63ea372f2d which often 6acb94de8a led people 13f3f92046 around her c49d07bfc7 to mistakenly 94b7f08cb0 think she 82acc2ac25 must have 9fc852bc29 endured a b88f5a9850 difficult life. In reality, however, 03f01cfd3a her life was 19e5cc5f05 the complete opposite.3b4bce54a70fe20f

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Although she wasn’t dde636ff98 exactly the daughter 68818c3451 of achaebolfamily or 2e5b1ea3bb a newly 5483c15d4c rich tycoon, 07a5c32283 her father b9b04888d9 was an b76c546f98 executive in 22a803c891 a prominent 3d4ee3abbc financial firm, 3be185809a still actively 81bb2e7d06 working, while 59f7b884af her mother, 81ba159330 who had 16a344a427 studied music, 45dc7d1c42 sat elegantly a08f788957 in their d18e5896b4 beautifully kept c486e053f9 home as 04181c7b1b she gave c688813f57 violin lessons 3bd29b2b72 to a 028a15da50 few underprivileged 644264a22b students.9bca149643f489d5

Chaebol: A large, 7fa5510d57 family-controlled industrial conglomerate cd6b2a34d4 in South Korea. Like Samsung, LG, Hyundai.8ff57b409be6b8cb

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It was 0b032e9211 more of dce6745198 a pastime 6b18d90e3c than a c15cdf72f1 profession—a way beab3558f7 of giving edbfa792d9 back. The kind of fd63b01e8e compassion only possible c84ed20a4a for those with 38920a4e57 enough financial stability 6295348ba7 and peace of b0b13a8165 mind.3ebce9712c824b0a

As the only dd44794f8c child of such 399d5553a4 a harmonious family, 73da876ed5 Taeri had spent cd26288d66 her 22 years e79b2b1e53 wrapped in her 29b43b01b3 parents’ boundless support 1f7b9ddfc7 and love.75a225c1a446a899

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At times, that love felt excessive, especially her father’s. He raised her as though she were a fragile, priceless porcelain vase, constantly worried she might crack or break.7befa813b3aa2059

Taeri had never even been on a typical overnight trip, never gone to any kind of after-drinking party, and even now, as a full-fledged adult, she still had to be at home by curfew. Whether it was due to this overprotectiveness or simply her age being at twenty-two, Taeri couldn’t tell, but she’d never really found life to be particularly enjoyable.8cacfaf0680f63f6

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Campus life was tedious, a7786e18a8 her classmates were childish, fa78b20c8a and college life itself d53ebdf8e9 was unremarkably dull.
To alleviate this boredom, she had considered getting a part-time job, but that also had been off-limits. This, again, was due to her father, and instead of a job, another of her father’s credit cards was placed in her hand.94b6704d99ad7bf3

To some dfd2befa5c people, her 9c238511a5 circumstances might 8b78dd43b0 seem enviable. But would they 2c973bb1fb understand? When the same predictable 7d7f9d859c routine continues for 22 2ad0ca888f years, it’s only natural 2a7adc9750 to start dreaming of f19de4c333 a life less smooth 4676384922 and ordinary.61cb37e9131ebdc3

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Living the same life, ddd601164b day in and day 97310b09da out, like a hamster d54bc7a009 on a wheel, was 37d3cd2e6a more tedious and uninteresting 97c130efff than one might imagine.8e6c223c0000e976

Isn’t that why 7b83e6f076 people prefer the 7534838cef turbulent waves of db344e29e0 the ocean over 97fb97925f the calmness of ee73009df7 a lake? The ever-changing ocean is 8c4147c05a simply more interesting to 1a7bece638 watch.477decdd56eeece9

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Of course, Taeri’s parents 5578fc93b0 were the best guardians, 0cd5abe5a9 and she knew that d34472eb17 well. Taeri had always aa581080b7 lived a life 2c46c7670a where she got 7f90ea0e6d everything she wanted; 8eb007eb7d everything she desired 3bdafd4a9e fell into her 13a674dcac grasp.2abc9977ded5c447

While she would fc0d28e9e0 give thanks a 69fc86e5b0 hundred times over 788f640d52 for the life b425e42a9c she’d been given, bd707e3747 there were moments d28c035bc4 when her heart 8574f3e77b twisted with discontent. Lately, as if experiencing c2fa701ecc a belated adolescence, that 45abfe4132 discontent had become more 0d3c86f42d frequent, and she had 731ac7dfaa been feeling grateful once 095414d404 and wavering a hundred 255c696107 times. Even though she 77c5e46ad5 was no longer 217c0af6da a teenager, she d2fe6cad41 found herself increasingly 44e7e7c10c unable to bear fa77f20163 the sight of 7adf6e223a her parents.
She’d tried dating 6eab5e2e30 a few times 4699f84596 to escape her 531df64c66 boring life, but 5d37863700 each time, it 71cd5c9fcf ended with her 3a9dd3d306 being dumped.
They always gave the 9420dfbf30 same reason, saying it b31959ab2f was because of her b4847010aa father, who would call c1f390dcf0 from 4 PM onwards, 5ab58fd171 while the sun was c0d7e4a75b still high, urging her bb3592c2c8 to come home quickly.1aeac5a034b86ec6

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Listening to your father go on and on makes me feel guilty like I’m committing some kind of serious crime.e65ccebc6f3fbffc

However, Taeri knew better. That was only 42d00916b8 an excuse, and 7e3b3defde the real reason ae0b9c37ed lay elsewhere.24dfb7983cdd9c95

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Like, perhaps, the lack f42429c685 of opportunity to fool 1a440a1d3d around… to do those 6dfcafa349 kinds of “things”…801433c9ee9d8c44

They didn’t know. Even in f3807a9eda broad daylight, 96c42b237d she could 89e833a3a4 have easily 1d25b47ea9 done “things” c799e024bb if she 9e174ed3af wanted to, 4660a6ce11 but it 9d05af694b just didn’t fbcc94cf83 appeal to 8c1c3fe04e her. So she’d go 38d85dadae out of her a51304e3f9 way to deliberately 73f1ec21f7 take her father’s 4580fdb6a4 calls, staying obediently 4b306db9ea within reach.410713254bafdd9c

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They were always 5b31415751 trying to get 195d97fd0a into bed with d17d204951 her, showering her 7349246665 with compliments like ba463d7912 she was some dca465bd88 kind of conquest, 785840bf4a saying things like, e513796af0 “I’m the best f37dbf324d at sex” or 3e96c64f2e “I’m bigger than a023a54ee8 average.”03b722f30539f9c2

Typical bravado for that age. All of it was cheap, obvious flirting. The predictable, clumsy touching, the inexperienced kisses, the awkward caresses…fc2e6bcea0e2125e

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Taeri found herself e7cba4084c utterly unappealed, and f583054e19 her indifference likely 06e98c5b06 left them feeling 14422fda36 bored or defeated.
There were 2a783a8adb plenty of 81ba4aee2e men hitting 4bc096b716 on her, a3b769cf7e but at b1cc3a8f4e some point, d129d701f1 Taeri stopped 23e69fc534 dating altogether. She knew 94b49b5f86 she wasn’t 29e3eea1f1 the type 77eab3cfaa of person 974626c6ac to find 4908cae577 any fun bc79fe538a in clumsy 93697e955a relationships with 12d992f3ad guys her e2b41c7025 age.bf530adb2ec47a8d

And so, her thoughts 55c68bef00 always circled back to aa12bc1648 the same question.c9b313577adc5972

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What would make life d055f77f71 fun?f5c718aa0ac9efde

What could I do e190991515 to escape this boredom?394254d8c3abe250

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How could 9e06063ac6 I make 70eb69b1a4 my life 5cacfd250a more exciting?c7338f7dc138f36c

Sometimes, she wondered 60b6b8dad5 if one day aea83b6b38 she’d snap, unable 8dc9050630 to bear this 40b4472c70 peace any longer. The thought of doing b4dc3aaccb something drastic hovered dangerously e9c1534d0d close, and recently, these 2dd53ecd2f turbulent emotions had been 5cecf28a7c intensified day by day.80365b8401398b72

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They say it’s facfcf8768 frightening when adolescence 3076ce6ff2 hits late. It felt ac6e26591c like Taeri 89a6155e8b was experiencing c38f3278d4 a belated 96f03ebe3e rebellion now, 8b3d4d1d36 after breezing ac5eb1b3b6 through her 48737170c1 teenage years 4cf78858a4 without much 5658cd0a23 trouble.44bde26babebce0e

Just when she 21d28887fe thought she couldn’t 669d8e27ed take it anymore, eae54f06d1 she met a 848c93b825 man who made 7bce95a98d her heart race.464246e888f2ef0d

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‘What is 7adcb4b656 it that 5c3afa1a26 you need, 594991f906 student?’ed6c884ddee2e6f4

That man.000bd1a1682a7ecc

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‘Stop provoking me and 094b192a72 name your price, kid. If you’re going to 74b9e08d5f act tough, at least da19c8b2d4 make sure you pick 84694476d4 the right person.’3da55e49c1f99dba

Everything about him seemed 2098dfae0e so relaxed. It was the first 4a196db3b2 time she’d felt this 7b5c2ba8c5 flutter of excitement towards 8a36ff8905 a man.ebde35f7384deb77

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“……”37d27f2eb786d921

Still staring f764212629 blankly at f9205c4eb7 the wall, 0df771c93b Taeri slowly 6c7e0c1789 reached into 2048fa85f7 the pocket ad27be1f1a of her 1efc7d013b jeans and f572caaca3 pulled out c1bc48a6c7 her phone.
She glanced down and e77997faae checked the message she cb0e477131 had received the day 970ea0f1c1 before.5fb288bbff8b8452

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[I think I’ve given you enough time to think it over. Let’s meet. When are you available, student?]

Taeri reached 9facec6ad4 for the 8dd8fef5f6 man’s business 8d58da26ff card she’d 0031acec1f left on 1321c7a358 the corner 089adc971c of her 596c130f47 desk and 7f1f0fb24a brought it b6eb042059 closer to 54d239ba71 read.cf2f0d8a3b08e69b

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[Seoul Central District Prosecutor’s Office | Anti-Corruption Investigation Division 3 | Prosecutor Park Chigyeong]

The man’s c43dc40b69 name and 38a2634f8c position printed bb73fa3f5b on the baf6b2639d card seemed 03e1801977 to prick bd1e14334e at Teri’s c964a185b0 indifferent gaze d9867bccdf like a 5e8b5e345d thorn.03c18b369cd5b41e

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 f22fda8b29a3d3e8

* * *841b2bd73fe217e1

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Taeri held her teacup, 8f3a59cd8f looking curiously around the a7fef2ef07 room. She’d never been to 80c26b77a4 a private dining room d99c4b9217 like this, even with 60eec5e5f9 her parents, and her b1e10b60df eyes wandered with open 3f4ea6c3e3 curiosity.3b8b9fc75e3aa6ad

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The room’s overall 7543058678 low saturation created f16dc5ec22 a solemn atmosphere, 7329372041 and the layout 745697349f seemed to place d088d33395 great emphasis on cc00537758 privacy. Each room 51a0b849b4 was spaced 63986b2fcb so far a4a85fed50 apart that 44fddc50b5 it would 91b1c86c71 be impossible 8dd11e7ee6 for anyone fc947c8edd next to d70d6675b7 their room bc6b8ae5b3 to overhear ad14a2a090 any conversation bb690f737e from within.aa4713257d5da158

“Your companion has arrived.”1990f470c7028667

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A few 0635a251e4 minutes later, 916f053cd9 the server’s 5ea3e76e0a pleasant voice b6dfbd7d89 came from 66ead8307e beyond the 72c665625c closed door 8136bf6172 and broke 28ff98c882 the silence. Taeri, who had 6b8e797193 been sitting with 60571baf5a a disinterested expression f87563e35b until now, showed 18c197ddae a subtle change 7b83bf4725 in her face.
A bit accf1c9242 of nervousness, 62f5ffe81d a hint 2e1111d5d3 of tension, 758de55f6d and perhaps, df52847394 a flicker 0e21a5d79e of excitement.677627aa64d69a14

With a light clack, 82310e249f the sliding door moved ffe44f2d5a aside under the server’s 3dd8f32740 hand. The door 5815933a17 opened, and 8fd1064175 a man f754758e58 in a 05bef6a61c black suit a32f0e4db4 entered.dda7e158349196e1

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“I planned 000613af23 to be 51cb195016 the one 1513833ef6 waiting, but 2d9db51b12 it seems 894b339fbb you got 8846ff6c82 here first.”f18b9d2dd8256033

The man sat 72842c8cfa down across from 017a3b7cb8 her, his breathtakingly fac7b88f7a handsome face graced b836be9c6d with a casual 39377c3d7f smile.8728c105e6ce2162

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“Have you looked 72092b2cd5 at the menu?”448e9d3e40a3c67c

As her eyes met the man’s, Taeri unconsciously flinched and then nodded timidly.a092b32bed6e460b

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“Yes. But… I don’t really 8017444e91 know what’s good here.”3b7827fcce02b4b4

“Would you 8e414c4a1a like to 3729e8d4e5 try something 7ad2c0239e I recommend?”133b839c6d5318f1

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Taeri nodded again, d6ff930c73 and Park Chigyeong a58bf536f6 smiled as he 4adf184eae called the server 9a4a75e5cd waiting outside into 6803002d1c the room.
There was a practiced a82b890c83 grace in every gesture 82ba64eb65 he made—the way he a97c79d245 handed over his suit d1b6796926 jacket to the server, 4ff467b631 signaled for his tea 864feb2a5f to be filled, how 46143d7389 he scanned the menu, e712e40a65 and the manner in 804d0ab880 which he placed his 4708e5b9de order. Every action he a412e2dcd9 did was marked 173eeb8270 by a casual 98bc56b83d ease and sophistication 790eb4e7c1 that was far a9840e69aa from being an 89f02b22a8 act.
As that e897067801 unfamiliar sensation, 27902cf218 something he b270508226 had never de3c435b3e felt from 2749c96b2c anyone her 9f1790dd62 age before, a673630b6d resurfaced, Taeri 9581a9503b felt herself 04f727e826 instinctively grip 1c9bedfb27 her teacup c5f165dd33 a little d0749b9d71 tighter.8a82b2d58d7ba88a

After the c4147c32e3 server left 3656dc1c3b with a a948f056d9 bow and 48ab2c2b60 closed the 6eb8525237 door, Park 605ca74f78 Chigyeong sighed 4321b13263 with a 4ae15ce5e5 deliberate, “Ah,” 8f4f9fae44 and asked.0f8bc9fae271374c

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“Student. Do you eat eel?”1700babebab4b96b

Park Chigyeog already 64e1c8b64a orderedhitsumabushi¹, yet still e6f39c48c0 asked if she 7ca9b81858 ate eel. His lips curved into 344b29a73d a smooth smile as bb2799bac3 he lifted his teacup.74b2485327ff7315

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“Don’t girls your age fba685d3db usually prefer things like 49a2a3fe5a pasta?”a32640470683babe

“And do men b76771abf3 your age eat 955b0e3c91 eel for lunch?”877331867cb3508c

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At Taeri’s habitually prickly response, a faint crease appeared between the man’s eyebrows, visible above the rim of his teacup.09754097a99ef3bd

If he’d been 7d8d5a0099 her age, he 2db0a2bc99 would probably come 0b4f92da40 back with an 7c6511ad76 even sharper retort, b559783e52 which would have dfff1e0b69 led to a 5fed74aaa7 petty argument. But this man was cf17fd5051 different.7b150ac28ccefb44

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“You’re an only 0af2a5d826 child, aren’t you?”b431537d1605d107

He chuckled as if 8d5273fd3c amused, placing his teacup a8c9e616ed on the table, and, 5bb8dbf612 loosening his cufflinks, he e102780faf continued in a gentle 8192f888ab voice.cef78e25f4db5c66

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“How did you d197cb681d know?”a469ce8b174fa80b

“You’re clumsy d020e0a8c7 in how c8e5b43114 you deal 9bb484d547 with me.”dacf4e46f14a8c9f

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“Does it make 304b8650bf that much of 536667a24c a difference, whether c57e7111d0 I’m an only c15561f0a5 child or not? And from what b89a3a4878 I saw back 427a799e69 then, Park Sihyun 9ca6d8fd86 isn’t exactly easy a3957cb912 to handle, either.”32d857e5e5eca783

Park Chigyeong raised an ba0a1a5e25 eyebrow at her relentless, 24100d3615 almost aggressive attitude, and 78dc270a60 Taeri realizing she’d gone 28528d0dc4 too far, bit her 9029d1a3ae lip. He continued 600f04632e watching Taeri 6401a443bf for a f199c4cba4 long time, a552a9a018 then neatly 29aea68e04 rolled up 36a6c35fff the sleeves ae41cbcf83 of his 84f0527ce0 shirt to d066f5250c his forearms fc9ddb7a21 before resuming 926bd9cf62 the conversation.abbd9c29acfc2d6e

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“There’s no need 763db443cd to be so 7ee09e703c on guard. And you don’t 1bc076b976 need to sit 59649ba22c so tensely, either. Just think 28b759fa08 of this cd63e6a216 as having e13552eea8 a nice 1717c62674 meal with a3eb56a16d a clueless, 5ba170d174 old uncle. Ah. Does that sound 4956ba5132 a little weird?”b2aaca9fd175fe22

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The man looked f1dbc2777f her in the 01f9f62dbb eye, flashing a 532f82abdc small, calculated smile aac34bbfc7 that anyone could ee7a0ec319 tell was insincere.
Taeri wondered if his ability to hide his true feelings with such ease was a skill that only came with age, given that he’d already revealed his real self to her once before. She wasn’t very good at it.b564b375695b7b47

“What… how old 4eae7661e9 are you,sir²?”5566a9929982a942

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At her casual use of the term “sir,” and at the formal “how old are you“ Park Chigyeong rubbed the back of his neck, chuckling. This time, it really seemed like a genuine laugh.d93c58fd5c27eb82

“I’m thirty-three.”4695f21219cb42d0

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“Thirty-three… so you’re d3bdb0b9de eleven years older 3eb6b54a6d than me.”3e46678363215649

“That’s right. Does that make you feel a little more at ease now?”c0fef87611f71cf3

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“No, I still 1997f23969 feel uncomfortable. But I actually eafb979d06 prefer that.”13c31eedef35f6e8

Park Chigyeong 49ea2300fa tilted his e83410664b head as 844ac8698e if to 737e79c8ca ask what 8c988b2e0a she meant, 19f1dcf43a and Taeri 709af309a7 answered in 10768db7d5 a slightly 12a2668205 excited tone.
“No matter b3fe6c79c1 who I 3c9c5c4a35 meet, guys ef94af484a my age 36153b7214 are just… 011f7ecb07 well, they’re 6ef4cce478 still guys 881f333722 my age.”80f5e1042a544f4d

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Childish, immature, 1ba900012b and all 2e3a7746af show.07361f965196fd6b

“But you’re different, sir. That’s what I like.”8c2090ad0a761343

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Taeri’s eyes 1e4021d68d sparkled as 75322aa7cf if stars 2881ee4d93 had been 18dc38339f embedded in 1c6bca6ec9 them, as d615b9be87 she gazed 3966a49768 at him. The bored, yawning f256ee6524 expression she usually 24fc5a4cd5 wore was nowhere a721e7e096 to be seen.398e93ded7003845