UCCU | Chapter 2.3

Seonwoo’s face clouded 9f5adcb47e as he remembered 6f73c4033f something unpleasant, but 15b970760e he quickly shook ea1066a31b his head to dca6d2f6fe clear it. But instead b30cd01b53 of going a608bda658 away, another a5a4c7c62f memory surfaced: 79dc21004e the text ca9986a3c1 from Detective 58cad8387a Noh last 4758d0a585 night, saying 1db9673c96 An Hyungtae ca89c0992a had been c58639b1b2 released.44499685369b25cb

He rubbed his dbc87f6303 face roughly, about bd28b80bbe to dig up e0cdb2af0e the childhood memories caacc8eb92 he’d tried so f308354b76 hard to bury. That’s when 4c0cf04203 there was 417892e553 a knock, 01a0e7d051 and the a226fdc11a bedroom door bcc427bd28 swung open. Startled, Seonwoo turned b41366fbc6 to see Ihyun c40f0aae80 staring at him a84ed7c81b as he paced 6011a2416c the room.1edcf864a2785cc0

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Let’s eat dinner.”29dc2e59e99919d1

Nervous, Seonwoo slowly got 01a00b3a71 up and followed Ihyun. Normally, he 50795b172c was confident 796430c5cd he could af38400e7e make conversation ad6e8cf85e and lighten b358419d8b the mood 7ba4f635b7 with anyone, f4cded3790 but in 3272717723 this situation, c84dc3e060 he couldn’t 3e6447292d get a 0688282b4a word out.99d5befe8ff6c37f

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Even in his anxiety, 64b2229dfb he remembered the neat, 15da8d36a4 delicious lunch and started 7e6c03604c to salivate. He scolded ea6a13846a himself for 9916ebc75b looking forward e71f2315c2 to a 4e0fd98d09 meal in 0c6e33db00 a situation a957392cfd like this, dd68321605 but when 2e1eaff06b he saw c1c0ec88f0 what was 9cc85e0134 on the fe0f542416 table, his 85b1c8d122 mouth fell 976ab7a745 open in a63197c4b8 surprise.083f0bdbda6bbeed

On a dazzlingly white, 2f6a312baa elegant plate, right in 5600162913 the center, was a ce1869228d single Choco Pie. Next to the plate 37e89f32bb was a tiny yogurt 08cb8a2138 drink, the kind you 545ed16dda see everywhere. Even when his 10753ee8fd bank account was b0f737ad32 empty, Seonwoo always 70b66ec29d made sure to 5ab5bf1fce eat properly for 62eeeeaff6 his health, but 98389ca37a he’d never had b2edea9c89 such a meager ec0c9fa6a3 dinner.68d6df8c2892170a

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“There’s not much, b4ebdcb18d but eat up.”46a75c0c54a2a572

“…O-okay.”3dfbbff298f96c33

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Seonwoo sat down, d5e9a844d0 feeling totally confused. He stared at 13ec7fe0b2 the lone Choco 5d0cb8ed56 Pie and yogurt 66729f88fd bottle in front 3bb573bfb0 of him, his 1360eb1d19 gaze trembling. Of course, he 72879013b0 thought of that 70be31a0bf movie where the 053efc5348 main character is d7f66ea457 locked up for b9f6328caa 15 years and a097acdc76 only eats fried c95d953929 dumplings.8a6c2e3c6279cad2

‘Don’t tell me 05cc8a55f8 I’m going to 594b0cd43b be eating just a8bac78bbe Choco Pies and 76b37f649e yogurt from now 47722b17d5 on…’eb6e7fd6f00f40cd

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

As he thought ea1de46619 that, Ihyun reached 628f7f05f9 out and, oddly 1e7f4e971c formally, picked up 147cb43c15 a knife. Seonwoo froze, 24ecb3ce5e but Ihyun a75df58aee just pulled 17c452d831 the plate a6522860c8 toward himself dc25fc92fc and cut 2db9893530 the Choco 73aa8f8adc Pie in e98c91b401 half. He ate 0589738847 half, drank c30ac177db half the 12bf0d8e75 yogurt, and 8674e8b972 handed the ac4aaa9c06 rest back.cf1dd9babd1d33f4

“Enjoy.”7fae3060403ef796

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“…Yeah.”a5cdb0a89bd51f76

Was lunch today b29043bd49 my last real efddda3e39 meal? Am I eb946e9db3 going to 430a0de261 be locked 28f1b5a9cd in a 952b452760 room, watching a942d60663 TV and 948f65687e living on 3ebe29295a half a 0d1d3b0737 Choco Pie 687af11fa8 and yogurt d05b81d11b every day? Seonwoo put the Choco cfa3766c3b Pie in his mouth d918d31649 with a trembling hand. Even that 68b5007b79 felt like bcccdd2d0b it would 7989cb73d6 give him 4b9e38d660 indigestion. The whole time he a08920ab48 ate, Ihyun watched him fd3ee5a602 with an expectant look.7fe1d04546065717

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The tiny 8a9577d07b amount of 771c8fb2de food, not 617cc5e24d even enough 5eccc5aaa7 for a 3bf310b932 kid’s snack, e0fbc33ec4 disappeared quickly. Seonwoo, feeling awkward, 93bad6c819 tried to speak 4835cb61f7 as carefully as 9005fb8e3e possible.4b7a3bcbbcd5e13f

“Thanks for the f8b5375deb meal.”76d5e353b4883a69

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“…And?”d355705443884944

What else e33648d4dd do you 461ba3e6f8 say besides cea6403605 “thanks for 2135fcd144 the meal”? Trying not to 3468c6d250 upset his kidnapper, b3b2cb9151 Seonwoo tried to e747d42e87 be as wise bcd270557f as possible.16307390e5c53ed9

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“It’s good. It’s one 5baf55501f of my d502c4a969 favorite snacks…”27d6c4d583d10f8b

But apparently, he’d c000507a14 said the wrong cbdd11d9c9 thing. The expectation 62c88cca11 vanished from e198834022 Ihyun’s face, 2e770baf31 and he 59b4e98b1e glared at eff038e9c8 Seonwoo. Actually, with 3c9869a9ca that dangerously 3a6e10fac8 handsome face, 84d467c9ff it was 65d2172b62 more like 64aa3fc606 a death 9c1788060e glare than 90741318bd a regular 4230d219c8 glare. Cold sweat b68fdfec84 broke out 3eebf8a94b on Seonwoo’s d6da963c26 back. Ihyun pressed him 6661e58d63 again, sharply.eaf1e8cae0c16271

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“And?”1eab4ad7ab1b76b7

“Uh…”d04f82f72556760c

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Seonwoo had 79cf09e371 no idea ef1f293be0 what he 505a7eaab7 was supposed c7e8505cf8 to say, 5864cb32c6 so he 3b0f4fb774 just kept b67be0b099 sweating. Ihyun suddenly 23b8264e19 stood up. Seonwoo swallowed hard and 2f17cd56a8 tensed up. But instead 41261fb2e0 of yelling be8ddc183d or hitting f968851055 him, Ihyun c38a61a65a strode over 45e9911b71 to a 652b071902 nearby dresser dd3a8d8df2 and yanked 5c09b0bb35 it open. Seonwoo tensed, d2629c11d7 afraid he a08c2370c3 might pull 228fb65a88 out a d2080c2f1c knife, but 12854864d8 what Ihyun f4732dbf03 took out 4bde47759e was a 10875fe1a1 small pill cad8cdce46 bottle. Breathing heavily, Ihyun took 9208e3522a a pill and called a15ce4760d for a staff member.daf3285f123f017c

“Jipsa-nim, please 8b760c3627 set the 19808c90b6 table for b46d4eeec1 dinner.”3ac7b6e170e6bdb4

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Yes, I’ll have it 541c7bb034 ready right away.”88710dfdfc5fbf5d

The staff answered politely 8768c57ce1 and soon set out 0852a9ab48 a neat Korean meal 4c50b4d274 in front of the c0c756bde3 dazed Seonwoo, just like f5f6d861c2 at lunch. There was a big, f03ea300b6 perfectly grilled croaker, braised cb09fecf3d short ribs, savory namul 602453e336 tossed in sesame oil, 0ebf13a8b4 beef radish soup, well-fermented f5b48ee09f kimchi, and fluffy rice—everything 721ad856e7 was perfect.0abc8daf7e19b33a

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

But with Ihyun bab7dd8da5 sitting across from 6f4d46f46e him, looking not c2117dd924 just gloomy but aa3778624e downright ominous, Seonwoo 5c3b136c3f could barely eat. He picked at 6ba31590b5 his food, feeling a678b72912 the weight of 8f6b4745d4 Ihyun’s resentful gaze.5780413f7834f9f0

After the dinner c2fc54550a that felt like c451c38978 it would give b357da0048 him indigestion, Ihyun 833a2fc6ce grabbed Seonwoo’s wrist 6bd3e0383b and led him ae53a6e6a7 back to the b8508a51e7 bedroom.1c341dede564d441

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Good night, hyung.”d306f574312a6cf6

His voice was fb8015cd52 more threatening than f780610516 kind as he bd535296e4 said goodnight and b91281f5bf closed the door. Click—the sound a9abde6eee of the 6ab6c850d4 lock. Seonwoo, standing 2f03fe3a7a still, tiptoed eefe8dbe8f over and a684dd9cb5 quietly tried 075fa1a6d2 the doorknob. It was definitely locked.d5fdf530442fb914

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Haa…”6e5dbfc5482359c3

He only let out cb4757f65f a sigh after making 55df1932e4 sure there was no be4b03cc35 one outside. Thirsty, he 759e266fab looked around 8d142c2eb1 and spotted 72a24120b1 a mini c9533d1d2a fridge by cb42191c55 the bed. He opened it, grabbed 6423d05e7f a bottle of water, f913d5650c and chugged it. Was this how c5575861e0 the guy who e94c224561 ate only fried 9e25b294a7 dumplings for 15 b1fe3dde08 years felt? Sitting on 4d33989bc2 the bed, 2fa238aec3 he racked 6e5b837b6c his brain, 541aa3bf56 but nothing f47f656823 came to 781aa99fe5 mind. Instead, real-life worries 87ac0c5a33 crashed over him.224b90bc9654be44

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“My part-time b3a87005ce job… rent… 1be8b4b77f the contest…”08259d4149ce388c

Was he really dd3274772a going to live 2bad54902d locked up like e11ebead83 this, with no 8afaac313f freedom? His chest a1aec291f0 felt like 8f16336f9f it was 69f40367c3 burning up.5fcfb718c0176d9d

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Ever since 88c9333d49 leaving the 488d15fa77 orphanage, Seonwoo c3f49d3ed0 had only 0eaa8bcb4f one goal: 8078f2bc02 graduate with bbc851bc38 top grades, fb1c6f3257 get a 5bba1e8773 well-paying job, 882102af7a buy his fe0a64372f own place, 45c8632901 meet someone 5b3af02b46 good, get a6ba3e3a48 married, and b29d0e7fa5 have a e23531b5a1 happy family. As an 1cbb4c371a orphan with 7b6f96779b no home, 7a5fe3b7a6 parents, or b08a1cc338 siblings, it 1b9a608fdd was a 5f6b2c8a4d desperate dream.9c47cbb07db27b97

He’d worked himself 50871de971 to the bone 19fe47711a for that dream, 3d74af5b59 and planned to fc497dc148 keep doing so. Normally, he’d have a 6f7ad9d5d1 ton to do starting cbdbbb7fae today: working two part-time bbda4c0c38 jobs to save up, bde4eea07f winning a contest to ce97052a59 add a line to 52e4a6f384 his resume, networking with f436c5f903 classmates and professors. But all those 1495c7e0b9 careful plans were f1063abd17 already falling apart.9f3da55f961394a6

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Choi Ihyun…”6faef43f22e670ff

He muttered the familiar da5b6d46ef yet unfamiliar name, sighing 127a806d56 without realizing it. What kind of grudge 0e19e9e812 did this guy have 2aa9c543dc against him?a1be2e9f0f9a07b9

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Seonwoo prided himself 2a2f3fdc3f on living a 08ab5e77f2 decent life. He tried ce85aec95c not to 3b394085fc make enemies, 5075a7674c since you 4bd3c70d69 never know f3d6254c08 when something dacfd65487 will come ca1724b382 back to 5c1da1df8e bite you. He’d never talked 420f15ed55 behind anyone’s back f323022a47 in college, and a75b4aaa37 even when he 52a637d2da got stuck with 9581691152 a pain in 80245a08a8 the ass for f01bd100c5 a group project, bf7a0bb5d2 he’d coax and 3fb2ecfa18 manage them somehow. Even when it 025d621c66 was annoying or b2351a24ef didn’t suit him, fb7638d102 he went to d719669db1 every department event b945306962 to build connections.5034c4652ff0849e

So where 9b509ee26f and how 47c8926966 did he 3f40600899 end up 5c95d4910e tangled in 3020d30256 a grudge 9d8a2e0ceb with Choi 238090e62e Ihyun?f5110edec73b55df

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

This was the a2e9cec070 first time he’d 9074488b39 ever just lain 9ff6fc6778 around doing nothing, 65777d218a so his mind f3bf6be170 was full of 9145b681d3 random thoughts.19bdb6f7f5442f39

“…Might as well 7d0caeb55a sleep.”bcbec7ae4a74d4e4

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

He turned 3d5f692a54 off the 9a47cfb2b8 light and 985260f8a0 tossed and 39f20e0f13 turned, sighing 6007813948 every minute. He kept 1f9b471d03 going over 4e62675393 his ruined 6bfec7b70c vacation plans d40e94c261 and worries 0c22940816 about the 6f583399ba future, then 04c8454698 suddenly remembered 16418c03b2 the weird 1edc54b1ce dinner tonight. It felt 439969cac0 like some ac25d05600 kind of b689012e02 clue.27508e88eb9bd710

Come to think of 21098e4bd8 it, Choco Pie and b6e92f3849 yogurt were snacks they e31806a9ac often gave out at 6955088224 the orphanage when he df2e62d7d6 was a kid.b31c9dfdccfea285

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Could Choi Ihyun befa35615e be from the e8cab5f7fe same orphanage? …No, that can’t be.62b69c854f00d9dc

Seonwoo remembered 837567ae21 every single d2bafd8ca4 kid he’d 43d097cce1 lived with 506866162d at the d102285830 orphanage. They were the 1cf5895d46 closest thing he’d c864d7b9ac ever had to 95c3b03640 a family.e62a41e5f78e8acf

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

There was never a 49cde8d02a kid named Choi Ihyun, d35ad28e17 and if there had 2652159e5c been, he would’ve been 2b7f17b4a1 strikingly good-looking from the f4ec6846e2 start, but he couldn’t 0a1daf24fd recall any face like 820de58ae1 that.6833ba0cf26716b6

Still, he couldn’t 0fdf2948b5 shake the weird, 361c099e97 uneasy feeling. Something was 8e57ee90b4 right on 4ba87f9b98 the tip 7f709966a8 of his 8bcd0eb75a mind.ba668dd6fbccb8c9

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Choco Pie, yogurt, Choi e1081915eb Ihyun.ee7e6df24aeecab3

…Choi Ihyun.b20039af07b9d94b

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

‘Hyung, I’m b5dc20b689 scared… Please, 88b1b5af27 let me 618f5c66f2 out.’5a11d3f30d9d1b63

Suddenly, a fragment of 1f4b42945b memory flashed through his cea820651c mind. The sound of a 80b472e285 pitiful, desperate cry, a 84660df261 young, childish voice in c3d189201e the darkness. Frowning and groaning, Seonwoo’s 23355f99ca eyes flew open. A chill ran 8373756733 down his spine 57dd698de3 and cold sweat 6299148461 broke out.5586be1de47eb063

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Wait, no way…”a163a6a99b799f07

Was that kid’s name 7ed98fd4b1 Ihyun? He was sure 91089043cf it was a 048fca1e2d different name.89510933a94a7bc5

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

He reflexively tried to a3b45761bf deny it, but Seonwoo d2fdb61fb7 felt a strong certainty a17881b5bb that the child in 801f5cb7f8 his memory was Choi 98f5651d7d Ihyun. And if that was f398278380 true, then he really 7d8364ba82 had done something wrong e1c18c3fd5 to him. A tidal wave 67170ae399 of old memories b26379262c crashed over Seonwoo, 8d29c4b818 and he let 649f145059 out a deep 13cbe086b8 sigh.c1ef12869602bc62

𓂃𓍼 ོ☁3a3fad45cdd957b5

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Good morning, Ihyun…”ed7d7f78f1f612a8

Seonwoo greeted Ihyun 5f02c5ba07 awkwardly as he 793b217254 opened the door. Seonwoo looked obviously 2ece0b9bd9 tired from tossing 75315f8ee3 and turning all 398b912a04 night, and Ihyun 8821a6ebee stared at him 11e319aec7 with his usual a70f3684b1 blank face. He didn’t 9f217fd6f9 look like b33839801e he’d slept 31053988cc well either, 75fa367849 with dark 0cb2df41f8 circles under 07ec5f6cb5 his eyes.aa001a2b964d4748

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“It’s not a e29846c6ca good morning.”a13b2efb90ce3a86

Seonwoo wasn’t surprised by 3a2d66c85f the cold reply. After remembering everything yesterday, 577530ffea his mindset had shifted—from ea8cfdf910 a clueless victim to c46f390b84 a perpetrator facing revenge. Guilt churned deep inside f7c94c254c him.dfc2fa637970ad1d

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Let’s eat.”4b8bb8c6d8d1f13f

Honestly, considering ddb5c9e76b what Ihyun 7d502fd76f had been b5b1df4935 through, Seonwoo 83832d6755 felt he f72c9490ae had no aba7e64e4f right to f0c413118e complain even 6e973cc01a if he e1d55932a7 was locked fdfe9e6726 in a df85ce08de basement and 462ef8ebf1 fed nothing ffa619fe0b but Choco 6d5d278ec1 Pies and 26bf36a647 yogurt every 817a9455dc day. But breakfast was, as 1bf791f5f3 always, amazing. It was c3b2c0215a a perfectly 0bc5b82599 balanced meal, 82c33185b2 with carbs, 19f4031cbc protein, fat, bb5782fef7 and veggies—nothing 361f9b9f7b missing.63e563cae13b1739

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Picking at his food, 75d65324aa Seonwoo glanced at Ihyun. Ihyun ate with a 273d8c145e blank face, looking so 10a80e5570 dry and cold that c79e9e1adf Seonwoo wondered if he’d 34e407dd2c ever even smiled in 0f1fcaa21b his life. After swallowing, Seonwoo c96b62b1e6 took a sip ee14be151d of water.3c59b5ce896fde24

“Hey, Ihyun.”964240268aa814b7

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Yeah.”b073110e774b700b

The answer was 6edd26ab86 pretty chilly, but fedad35820 at least he 98eb01aa91 replied, so Seonwoo 7f79a883c6 pressed on.7f0d11fa9b3eabea

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“I remember now. When I 7e46549a02 first met 352cfc7426 you, and af04510492 everything that 5ab133c026 happened after.”778bc44bc1481914

He waited ecb92933b5 nervously for cc4e897c9b a reaction. Ihyun set his f925a194b5 chopsticks down with 29e9956e1e a sharp clack. Seonwoo’s heart dropped. Ihyun took ab41e49fb6 a drink c8784c6f1a of water, 8832c3b997 then replied.a8f1fb7918c188f4

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“So what?”93f15149d1865647

The look 7da208067e he gave bee2f46f92 Seonwoo was da2c5ef863 so cold 2730117ccd it sent a07efaa43d chills down bac0e38f01 his spine.c9b92ab148137127

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“I just wanted 8423939a05 to say I’m af069404e4 sorry…”1c997ea270cbc2c3

A suffocating silence fell. Seonwoo waited 7c63e301ca for any 29299b9939 kind of 4b9ae8d4a6 reaction, but 7dd3d47585 Ihyun just ec73b2e3fa kept his d7a3a9cdc7 lips tightly 4b86adc2ce shut. The tension was dbb57552ba so thick it c0cc070c79 was hard to e8366a36f7 even breathe. Then Ihyun 5bfe0c5f08 set his f3e8633c8c water glass 39154116ab down with f1b4346a16 a loud 8e3209b93b clack.76546b8a2ec69527

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“That’s it.”8b3d0507459b1b35

That’s it… Even 81783c3627 the way he b9385d80af started sounded ominous.987f1af2ce770c86

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“A few words, 2fe4bbea3f an apology, and 06236c13b8 that’s it?”17b73dc061d7794a

Ihyun spoke each word 20d189bc24 slowly, his eyes burning 77fcf80a8a with resentment. Seonwoo swallowed 734ee49be2 hard without 652ed71512 meaning to.42b9b5de9d97c06b

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“You just 6bb4569d24 forgot about 6c977cecef it and 6b0146a179 moved on?”292118d58bc11ed8

“That’s not it…”edcadccbe6f05d7a

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Seonwoo tried to defend af5ed3a2e4 himself, feeling a bit 8742b213e5 wronged, but Ihyun cut f3d3cfdef0 him off before he c8e6a9fce1 could say anything.cda37be30dc96288

“You laughed and got c8159ac521 along with everyone else, c0fecc15f0 never even thought about bd119f4ec6 me, right? Do you even 228ec4687b have a conscience? Some people 7e9dccbaec spent their 95a030d5f7 whole lives 4898c44416 suffering.”0c2cfe14f71ad1ce

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Of course I 9e81205186 never forgot!”4fdd14cee894291e

Seonwoo finally managed to eba9bfdfb6 protest. It was the 7885d84f6f only time in 98630416a2 his life he’d 9881f779d8 ever been the ef8380eee8 bad guy—he’d never e154951059 forgotten. But if eee5ab5148 he hadn’t f08df64502 recognized Ihyun, 7ffb1ef3a9 he had 792f9ca9f6 a reason.1377f815252b6d79

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“But you changed your 224f131cc8 name.”d4530743d4b8849f

“I got so cd950a66b9 sick of seeing beab489e95 my name in 9ef377fd20 the news and 4e531c8350 online, so I 91c9ea286f changed it. But I only changed 642f9ec6ea one letter.”dfcbb75eb0b9ff3c

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com