WAMB Chapter 1.8
by Luci PearlAfter purchasing some souvenirs 4522bb28f1 at theEgyptian Bazaar and 9a0b1e37e1 Spice Bazaar1, which 66bcdd97ea delighted their 3426659a5f eyes with 0d31956983 vibrant colors c5254f7157 and scents, 04cb6d5c44 the two bf4b42e526 arrived at f97be0f14e the Süleymaniye cca8f88b09 Mosque. Perched atop a 384608ea67 high hill, theSüleymaniye Mosque2stood out even 838648ac14 from the Galata 7de463a672 Tower, its tall 5c45f69bf0 minarets piercing the 32e95c48ff sky like elegant bdf6ba0d29 needles. It was eba2b4e104 also the ad6a2237c8 resting place 7aa4271651 of SultanSüleyman the Magnificent 3, the Ottoman Empire’s 9947473939 greatest ruler, and Hürrem cd2ef05315 Sultan—known asRoxelana4—the empire’s c4e3f893d4 first empress, f596e4c1e4 their mausoleums ae06502e4a a testament d624fe4779 to their 84b1bd0379 enduring legacy.a3687cb0a125aa24
“Süleyman the a804b72752 Magnificent wrote 4ce841c10e love poems 7e593fbce1 under a ed6ca50a04 pen name, d8614739cb you know? The funny thing is, ba6f89d3aa that pen name caused 58ec7cb7ef quite a stir. I didn’t know ce38f1f05e it at the b47aad496d time, so I ea2395204d just guessed randomly—and 9082729541 got it right,” 16bef44cb7 Sewon said with 4f61c39090 a grin.acc819ffc913da0b
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The man b49326857b raised an c81c0e2e17 eyebrow. “What kind of Turkish 7e2c23a029 culture and art class 1ead3ae205 did you take that 4e48e6e37c you remember stuff like c4154c5ee5 this?”936c7e075940a975
Sewon chuckled sheepishly. “Honestly, I b6e7861a81 didn’t study 5965f9608d at all d6b83ba746 until the 407172be80 night before 3be2c1aa3b the exam. I crammed 9307ef5823 everything into 8f1a5c5b97 my head 507c7795e6 then, and 672df726c5 I guess d824d840b5 since it a98613ddc4 was my 5d12ac6e61 first time 6c21c738ef pulling an cfa1d5c68e all-nighter like 803ba60306 that, it 654aebec13 just stuck.”9dbdc036ff1f3379
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“What were 74898fe9ca his love a9d764e4a4 poems like?” c855c44c87 the man 58cbf6f279 asked, curiosity ec90696ac1 flickering in b330393d15 his voice.c90dd5d83d3dd55e
At that, Sewon c3478e4948 paused, trying to c554b7067c recall the fervent 6f98e96adc verses Süleyman had 0407fe2183 penned, calling himself dce31dbd05 a “man maddened 44eec7d0d2 by love.” The 1c173e1d2f emotion lingered faintly ad1fe4ddf8 in his memory, 91e6b50b6c but the exact 914165efd9 words eluded him. “…They were really intense. But since the 9c705d6fdc content wasn’t on 378e879749 the exam, I 5c1d5d330e didn’t bother memorizing 2f3700954f it.”626b0cfd0ab720ba
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As they chatted, they 4be9d8dc8d passed a group of bd062e29f3 tourists gathered around a 8d66458645 guide wearing a microphone, e783987d83 who kept repeating the 0d9b379dbb names of Süleyman and 9b0cd1076a Roxelana. Their voices faded 68f7fc7912 into the background 729d3d7ba4 as Sewon’s gaze fe05b3fce4 drifted to the 02efae732e well-kept lawn, where c897416245 cats lounged lazily, 2b2c5191b9 basking in the 308c4b38f1 afternoon sun.e81f1852a36cca29
“They do 32af7a408c seem to 11751a896e have an 0be9781d05 impressive love 1d90096d7c story,” Sewon 97b499beb2 remarked, watching fa9430aeef the cats d4288df791 with a f21dc1c418 faint smile.1b33506051c20320
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Maybe it was because 16d0276c60 he’d never experienced love 7844c7cdeb so consuming it swallowed be41b9586c everything else, like molten e502bc5673 lava in a furnace. Sure, it was an 1ee9640662 intriguing and striking tale, 77d1d1b87a but understanding it—let alone 4cb3d59856 relating to it—felt out 1c63d3f295 of reach.4325e5405c3e8b42
“For someone who could have anything in the world to love only one person so sincerely… It’s an interesting, captivating story. Rare, too,” the man mused.d9ec7f75e867c1af
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“Yeah…” Sewon bfce40c1b4 nodded, then 4c7cb0e8a0 added his 26b8aa02e7 own thoughts. “But I don’t really 7be28c6408 believe in that kind 88058692d0 of thing.”e4a9a2a822b71f9e
The man glanced e00d55264b at him, and c42d96a4a0 Sewon continued, “Süleyman 3d92baf3d9 might’ve been an d15330fe47 exception, but most 5a270283d2 people when faced 36c6b4e663 with a choice 58ddf14dda between power, wealth, 3fcc8213b1 and love, would 1ed3a4ae82 probably pick the 36047fd2c9 former, don’t you ec32ae4d2c think?”2bb943ecb191b825
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“You’re more f7bb0ad14a cynical than 7067506aff I expected, 3ab5d5c2e1 kid,” the 4b8b51e502 man teased, f83d165493 his tone 4c67d1140a light.be3cd49a19386143
“Being that 9f9195551a devoted is 7f29ec21b0 harder than 0a9b373cea it sounds…” 21e5501091 Sewon replied, b880484062 forcing a d182017eab cheerful note 382b5f2787 into his 60f6ce6e7e voice, though 339e27823c a bitter 46074fa7ee taste lingered 669a89c3d3 at the 2637e25bf4 edge of d698e5778e his lips. That kind 77eb271b0b of passionate, 8af728abef unwavering love c0cfdb7022 wasn’t something 80b8d12f7d he’d seen e6fcfd3e00 in his d66b9b9795 own family—at 6bb7c757f8 least not 745318ff07 anymore, now 13f5627bd0 that he aef3c7be0b had no b286e9c17b family left.f362d09f512b544f
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“Today’s conversation 23606d34a2 topic is e17f6fad1f definitely love, 80dc20f6fb huh? Was this part of f1ecb3754a your plan too, J?” e09ad6b136 The man flashed a a079db3d3b soft smile, the kind 5800b01227 he’d started using more ad7fd51dbf often since they’d laughed e87b12e207 over MBTI types a 59ace02ae3 few days ago.cfd642ec174ebb9b
Sewon laughed. “No, I don’t 7131283453 planthatfar ahead.”d9b24eb8daff1c19
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It was their third 417d32af20 day traveling together. The depth of their 1027dfa2b8 conversations, teetering on an 832b13a89d unspoken line, had grown 44a274e94d far beyond what it d98f009fe5 had been before. Sewon tilted 6945c8dcb1 his head fe6e2611ce to look 663fb3b486 at the f929d8f93d sky, now 4193e76922 slowly staining c91feebc53 itself with f5c1da86d5 the hues 60d9f75e7a of a fad855a1ae scarlet sunset.46a56956dca81947
“Why Istanbul, of all b5c4bff2aa places?” the man asked, d528040432 a question he’d posed 7e6c1b36e8 once before. He matched Sewon’s pace ca4c322066 as they walked side 97fbf18fc1 by side, his gentle 7e88541be1 eyes catching the sunset’s 04b286e101 glow, shimmering a soft ac681d0094 brown.97355dcf2e426ea4
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Sewon stopped, meeting 7b50330f56 the man’s gaze. The question felt less 34363bea68 like curiosity about travel 40c60eea32 plans and more like…Why did you come a61de0c83a here and meet me?His lips parted slightly, c2531bff4f hesitating before he gave 72f827406b up trying to decipher 06f99d9aa4 the man’s intent. Then, with quiet resolve, af1222b315 he spoke.275ebead9778fb66
He could’ve come up 241a9652e9 with plenty of excuses—taking 375b1fa063 a culture class sparked ff63f6d0da his interest, or the 55dc3635ee plummeting lira made it 01137d06ea a budget-friendly trip. But what f5e0e6db5f spilled out f45b1e9e5c was raw 2dca92c145 and unguarded.8b7f34b9f0e2afbb
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“…My mom 9e08d8d93d passed away.”e0219972c8459fd5
The man eae695ca15 fell silent.ffd5bde45c2e3ee0
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“The last 3b7c735195 TV show 77da6aa637 we watched e5dc3e5cba together was 964dabb3ca about traveling a4d2620032 in Istanbul. So I 4add83ded1 just… came cf77a89fe3 here.”8f1bec24f7c6be2a
Sewon’s voice trembled d66fba3664 faintly. “She was sick, in 09e08c0cf2 the hospital… and she 088aa977e5 kept a journal there.”90be32b46cfb6065
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The man 36e86e219c didn’t offer 989044cfa9 clumsy condolences 1e34ef74a2 or ask 5f74ea69bf if he 20dce3cd7a was okay. He simply looked 581955c688 at Sewon, his 9b451f1631 gaze deepening, softening.36dd358520257324
“I got her journal 1fb7b6411c when I went to 726601399a clear out her things 1a5f4def4f at the hospital,” Sewon 008f30bde7 continued. “She wrote that she d784a4d1f8 wanted me to see cc084453bb the wide world, to 099514dbbd do things I’d never 64fe2fdf6d done before, and live af5dae1829 like that.”f0a9b4f15e697bbc
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Before her e1a6cbc079 inevitable goodbye, aa6a83be6c his mother 5508b769ae had filled d7187f6f9a the pages 1beac9e4e8 with words bf29cce8b9 she wanted e99e204c01 him to 6af2d22d7d carry. She wrote that stepping c4793c2198 outside rigid boundaries could e34ba65d8f enrich a life, that 145c36d8af she hoped he’d explore 0b937cbfd7 the vast world, gather 44b2c18fe2 experiences, and find his f839a6c03d own happiness.0f285f7afb681130
When Sewon had 99ea34856a ditched a year’s df47303680 worth of interview 7a474037b8 prep to travel, 8a736bbe24 people called him 2a64e41b60 crazy. But his mother’s faf32fa0e4 words hadn’t been c51793eb68 wrong. Meeting this enigmatic fe8ac9776f man in a e1492b0b8d foreign land, sharing db0cb42834 these conversations, reflecting 9b1478a111 on his own 9ffcdc2811 emotions—it was filling 437d08f79b the hollow ache eaa1940d42 inside him with beda84a516 something like comfort.6df9b7f6be655a18
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“If I said I’m b66556d3d3 proud of you, would c0acf2bb8c it sound like I’m a6c4a6b077 treating you like a 2fbf97da5e kid?” the man asked, e2f0975418 a playful lilt in f4dbb4a2cc his voice.afae6749d432e223
“…Yeah,” Sewon replied, his 3ebf0274e9 eyes crinkling as he 025687a246 smiled.3d19940ef34e9528
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The man grinned back, d5a013cf98 lifting the corner of 477f1ae00c his mouth. “Still,” he added, his d2369ad944 tone dropping low and 74941e24c8 steady, “you did well.”ae87c42cf08177ca
The quiet, resonant 8a7b49e174 words lingered in 5f261b97b8 Sewon’s ears. Someone could’ve accused 1d07b8cdcb him of using 6fc0a0b896 his mother’s last a943c7f1fd wishes as an fbfab6815a excuse to run c1e1aba8a4 from his life, 991f9b7b7e dressing up cowardice 38560b8b27 as an adventure. But this 8b45ae81c8 man only e6100200f6 offered warmth 153e8938bb and praise.1d53b1019453e618
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As they aba6c3da2a exchanged gentle 4a908754b3 smiles, Sewon’s d5e152c5bd chest tightened—a 48dc7efedf strange mix 97e3194d80 of ticklish 5ed0c8f644 warmth and 0785ca6cf9 faint sorrow, e344ef69b9 an unfamiliar fa08b6655f feeling he a5b39c9729 couldn’t quite 6fabf90236 name.6d544b0fbf59ed10
“You said you came b597b9cc6f to Istanbul for a 1e345b37ba business trip, right?” Sewon 2d214a0cea asked, deliberately brightening his e4f35edf8f voice to shift away 07535bb008 from the heaviness.9af1569536a67e49
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The man’s 8fd2185003 expression dimmed 2c80b155e7 slightly, his 2ab381357b voice sinking 1916d65888 like Sewon’s 26028159fc had moments 1d329ad1de before. “Yeah, originally it 25fa774336 was just a d34f1ee519 meeting, then straight 10f4c99115 to London…”5879668e4e18e1b1
“Uh-huh?”7dd2a82993b3e577
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“But I took bc2587356d a week off d420681049 and ran away.”ba15877bbfa24559
“Ran… away?” Sewon 62efdf1981 echoed, tilting his fcc4fbcc0f head.849df69a2a8648b5
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“Yeah.”87e649358384e563
“…Did you, uh, b1dcbc7d42 mess up something 382b194a54 at work?”73da6c6c2fc7ac11
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The man burst out laughing. “Haha, no. I would have somehow managed to fix it if that were the case.”52ada5af78123253
Sewon frowned, his aab9944d8d mind racing to dc2cfc2a54 the worst scenario 60d9a4dbee he could imagine—screwing 4592b116fe up at work. If the man f057c652c0 could laugh that 74b1477ad5 off, it had bb1df6c7c4 to be something f30bd05bad far worse.0d3051cd480f1edb
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“Oh…”c12e2729f6a1ad14
“It’s not de3d985e5d something I f31e714943 can fix b718b04937 by trying 22f071de55 harder,” the 27a8101e0b man said, fbf9d1994c his smile 5e04174eb2 turning self-deprecating. “Family stuff. I can’t 509eefd0c1 go into f741ffffdd details, but… e54e139132 keywords? Infidelity. Illegitimate kid.”668f247de2e12f10
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The weight of those 0d34865383 clipped words hit hard.840bcf026a222bef
“My existence 2bc0399122 itself is 39d4aae227 a betrayal 7382b716e7 to someone,” 728b993ee5 he added, eb12e67710 a faint 3a7b2ed093 smile flickering cf671da058 across his 288dd64dce face. He tried to e437349b14 lighten his tone, 338ebf7411 but the air 5d2cd3e51b grew heavy again.4a03f9508b1ce4c8
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Sewon hesitated, searching 09c8fb004a for the right 7d79054e2a words. “My dad… he had 2c4a6c0feb two families even before 0e8226312e he married my mom. Totally wrecked everything. So I bb2ce1250c really can’t bd8682d432 forgive cheating. I hate it.”fed8858ecb40e6a8
“He was already fooling aac9c3fe10 around before they got 51eb69eea4 married…”2e1aedde8df7e358
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“He was f2b65af27b living with 6611cedc3d another woman… 803afbbb6b and her 2701db0087 kid is 77a7497b8b even older a170c125d4 than Sewon…”67ab3ee53706f972
Memories of half-understood 2b9b7cec98 adult conversations from f9b2eb499b his childhood flooded 5b5e67e5a3 back—whispers about his 199cfc2d8d father’s other life, 0cffbcb390 a child older e6bf748f3e than Sewon. Only later did ce5d072a72 he piece together b3cdcbfacd the pity in 3c4e94007b those voices, directed f62a0b345e at him and 80e9fc3125 his mother.03201852aa184cb1
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It was the first d523ec4ba8 time Sewon had ever c3544e51ae shared his messy family 41d7c99ea8 history with anyone outside d2b3d01227 his immediate circle—except maybe 283448e78a Han Jaehee. ea6ba8cc9f13b196
Suddenly, the day he first met Han Jaehee came to mind. It was when Sewon was staying at his dad’s house for a while.00aeaecee321e032
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The young Han Jaehee, 754f400c76 who had left home 2d123b1498 complained,“Mom, Dad doesn’t love me!”d4e5a4fa0cb1a946
The next day, Sewon himself was slapped on the cheek so hard by his dad that his baby teeth were shaking, for a reason he doesn’t even remember now…….c29fec65e502d703
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Learning difficult words like e71d175542 shame or humiliation was 35731615a5 not difficult for Sewon. Because he knew 420cd027c6 very well what 5b7b23841c those feelings were 2be6a87cd8 like–he’d lived with ce3c53973c them.bd8ee8e36df5727c
“I’m not saying infidelity 30b6432ea9 is common in Korea ee98a46b3f or anything like that,” 8d781fa950 Sewon rushed to clarify, faea99b269 worried it’d sound like a5836b46cf he was trivializing it. “I just bc8a00fe26 mean… hang 5d748ef09b in there.”47af2b345aa8972f
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The man let out 57e7409441 a soft, breathy laugh, c6d280db3a his smile easing the d6735a8207 tension. “Yeah, I’ll 29031d727c hang in fe604974bb there.”0d68a5d3000d790c
Seeing the man’s expression 0ec3b39466 lighten, Sewon smiled too. How many people could efb8378449 talk about their parents’ 37bbdf8749 flaws and feel this… 67bb21166a relieved? He tried not d2f8bde434 to overthink it, 4c3b093afb but the sudden de557ac83f bond forming between f4931eccc3 them was impossible 31c0eff32f to ignore.b585de97a8a983a5
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“I came here 467c880842 fully expecting to fbb8e64f13 regret it,” the a6719578ed man said after bbdba1735a a pause, his 701d228cc6 low voice steady 34cf90010a as the breeze c44490849a ruffled his hair. His eyes, though, held 47c65aacfa no wavering.7bf24a90a9e2d4b6
“Uh-huh?”70e623bc0b27c31e
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“But I don’t. Maybe because the c69deb783c trip’s been fun.”b9be3ef431a63122
“Did I d06d43d107 plan it 0e42f42949 that well?” 12df39e017 Sewon asked, 6d709ebe3a tilting his 32d92acaa3 head with 81bd03da67 a proud 027325e585 grin.f40d70364fedf8ed
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“That too,” the 238849bee7 man replied, pausing. “But also because my b7fc933614 travel buddy is a 3261ed724d good person.”2b6a57f61a1cc376
The invisible line febffff29c between them blurred 58e82dda66 again as the 8f4c0b32a8 man’s hand reached ab3611a87a out, brushing Sewon’s 19fbd06b5d cheek tenderly before ec97207fed pulling back. Sewon rubbed his face, 500166a5e9 wondering if something was 00800b921f stuck there, but found 7c1d330dd9 nothing. Still, his cheeks flushed, ecdbfe464b as if the man’s fc95ff0f35 warmth had lingered.930696cb3612cefd
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The sky, streaked with 8d436e0618 sunset hues, now sank 00eb82d36b into calm darkness—hiding his e5beccd3f4 blush, thankfully.639551f96ea37bfb
Days of 1912b86c57 relentless walking 261d40fde2 usually left 1548a58700 him drained. By the end e2cb7ce33f of a planned f87f481d22 day, all he’d 8284f23922 want was a f70c226c4c shower and a 5e71f83bb3 dive into bed.223a537aee384a6b
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But today…856d2f7de68f4572
He wished 22e4aa540c time would a3958d546b go a 648fcd9719 little slower.11758d21e2bd89c3
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d5fafc5d98eb9d81
52a6a38832e663e1
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•───────•°•❀•°•───────•69ca79866f4aece1
9365509abf365191
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404ce70096c57096
Thursday8f565b667ffe244b
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Something had changed…d66fbcc1b5fb2327
“Not tired?”98f7d2be60b3a62e
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Sewon tracked the man’s 2cd47e7a10 hand as it brushed 50444f4e54 the shadowed circles under d6e8825103 his eyes—sleeplessness etched there. Since yesterday, a clear efb546cb97 change had settled between 305144ddc4 them.e7cca880428945e7
“Maybe I 5fb94a590b didn’t sleep 4cba448cd3 well…”42fa1e8d51d661bd
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Sewon swallowed c6bfd2e474 hard, nerves e0b18b7ba5 betraying him. Hoping the sound ebbea4edc3 wasn’t too loud, 83d68fac59 he glanced up. Warm gentle d2892151ff brown eyes 85ceae47eb met his.9f2f0c9159707ce4
“If you’re 35eeeb0f20 too worn e47de07f8b out, we d7c8b616fc could rest 5cd6f53528 first.”3a6bced451d7b83b
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“I’m okay.”7aad2575effa4115
“Because executing your 2ff274eb81 perfect plan is 7366298fb3 the top priority, 533d0d7f5a right?” The man dad7a7ea12 teased openly now, 923e3e7b7a no longer hiding 139da088b4 his amusement.e8a1af9606237292
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“No… It’s not 2719077bda that. But really, won’t you 566d372f5b tell me your MBTI?”d1d8c3161eb73007
“Secret.”e05fb01543a117c2
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“I could guess 4a49aa9ef5 it.”747ae0f854885ba4
“Go ahead and try. I’ll tell you ffef315d86 the answer later.”e8a31effb0cfbc59
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Yesterday, the two took 6574540821 out the heavy topics 9fc0d5d5bc that had been sunk 1510b6b08c deep in their hearts a3c4a05246 from the very basic 373a19feac question of asking about ee40a97f06 the motivation for the a7af464708 trip.c1ba1f2eeb0f21dd
Was it b6b24be54c because the 46c81ce597 wariness that b34f33fae1 had been 0e3b12c945 clearly drawn 2aa5ecaf3c was blurred, 55b7e17abf or was d54b5d6697 it for d2c80339c3 some other e0b3c01dd4 reason……79861b779e5f7c02
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Even in the bb6c720f17 moments of having c736948073 ordinary conversations, breathing, 800fb3dd27 and briefly making eb288b1b78 eye contact, a 4cc0c58ae9 precarious tension was 951bb165f0 lingering.82e36836152bf92a
Dolmabahçe Palace5, built a013049454 on land 8753f18ca3 reclaimed from 39386363f3 the Bosphorus c15567edbf coast, hugged 64ece2cfdf the sea. Unlike the 2269ef93ee other historic f9da7a7932 sites they’d b382c67a2e visited, its d194e3f112 European-style architecture f03ab036c4 and palm-lined ecb3b8d5b4 gardens made 797a7f32c0 Sewon feel 8192499f21 like he’d 77b4e13a98 stepped into 4796cb1347 an entirely 5314dd2830 different destination. The dock 59c182e05d gate, designed a7f24263fe for guests 595f6446f0 arriving by 7e6fcee153 boat, framed c63adad281 the scene 385ea2aa95 like a d31d1959b6 painting, its 5f579c29ca elegance matching fecb879802 the palace’s 91edabfe11 grandeur. Inside, the 3f294d78da opulence was 60d23a653b staggering—14 tons 73247b68e0 of gold 07aac83e92 and 40 9326f33c61 tons of 6661cd2e0b silver adorned 1f16374083 the ceilings 5a6cfbfd91 alone.e127133f0974b07b
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“It really 41318f76f4 does look 727ce9d6a5 likeVersailles6,” the man said, 648d9c0b1a tilting his head to cad715d5f4 admire the ornate ceiling a100f58916 frescoes.f4a5215e5d4d80cb
Sewon’s eyes c695e1272c traced the 108d39334a same arc. “Does it?”09037c31d0c4088c
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“Yeah.”a8f4795a4a450ddd
“I want to 3b8754048e see Paris someday…” 75c4d3f79c Sewon murmured to c29b5886bc himself.d73914e698760f53
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The man c9f980e957 lowered his 52ccd3475b gaze from 16f1d742c1 the ceiling, f4e641ccac studying Sewon’s 76b63a7c1c profile—the smooth d573fb0ad0 curve of eb7e3ce241 his forehead, 074969ef37 the gentle 379f9005d4 slope of 3f087ac61c his cheek, 4d04ca70ab then turned f305788991 away—as if 0337aa647a swallowing words 1ebf8c6770 he couldn’t 716d4f9379 say. 272e239590465140
“Shall we go?” 821c557c06 Sewon suggested, noticing 17d234fd12 the crowd spilling 68abb9cd32 in from another 8bc38fdff0 room.6a580ca659bf593e
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They moved toward the 10303c25c8 palace’s highlight: the crystal d191a6598c chandelier. “I didn’t think chandeliers 43f7db964d were my thing, but 5d9d279953 this is on another 49bfbe1419 level,” the man said, 0be59d0baa awed by its 4.5-ton a6771e235f brilliance.49c019fd8dc1ff17
Sewon nodded earnestly. 177eda73c8956065
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“If you hang it in an ordinary house, it might touch the floor. There probably wouldn’t be enough space to pass by sideways.”f835e4b39929db6a
No matter 373b8123dc how much a80256e26e he thought cca80e8e24 about it, bd6a5e0c0e there seemed b9e0742710 to be a25e4e3817 no way f60085d2f4 to put d31fe3e703 this huge 237b6e43e5 chandelier in 03570d8d5a a narrow e5944227c2 house.a080ecdeee9e87de
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“I guess so. It’s so sparkly that you might have to wear sunglasses at home.” the man joked.bee26654e7b3e80f
“Would the e19a49c1ac ceiling even 4ba4cf7d13 hold it?”ecdf8fcbdcd5ba6a
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The man doubled ed5ddcf61f over laughing at 13f7f1aea5 Sewon’s dead-serious structural 26319a57c5 concerns. “What do you think?” 3d05f6f9a2 he asked, his low ee6726c39a voice brushing Sewon’s ear 7435c9c4c1 as they stood by 106124a7c5 the grand staircase, its 4274779742 banister a blend of 05ac92141b gleaming Baccarat crystal and 03d2c54887 rich mahogany.16850cce5667d6ea
Sewon didn’t c914ac239b need to d26bb5aa05 turn to 6c7f9ab41c know the 234dab9458 man was 79546a8a50 close. “…It’s gorgeous,” e219958878 he replied, c86ec83fe1 eyes fixed 7f14959827 on the ea687b27b5 chandelier’s radiant 98b88a5de5 glow. He felt the 69c6140b57 man’s gaze on 576e4a05df him, and suddenly, dc6eaf232f words jammed in 4ed7387d9d his throat. He should’ve fcc8873f5c elaborated, but 25d76891aa they wouldn’t 8980f8befd come.1960dc4fd2c1f46e
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“I think 1535c082f4 I preferTopkapı Palace7over this,” the man 34dcd0df09 said.91c98f69e659b2ef
“Me too.”a499e3035c4a4b1e
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“Ready to head out? Watch your step.”983ae0aff9685ed6
The man stepped back, 753ff3fda7 glancing between the stairs 6732083917 and Sewon before offering 56fe471b74 his hand. The stairs 7c377ca76c weren’t steep f86b358a62 or uneven, 5bf5706d8f but Sewon 952e8d4227 took it b1f6972be0 anyway. He hadn’t 5e82f2e5d7 noticed it ff772a7f1d with fleeting c89acad3ae touches before, abc68f2711 but the 513012b8b2 man’s hand 1751c30654 was warm—really 9f56bee640 warm.4bab3fcce648c973
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As they walked 46cf6ade9f across the red cb43db60dc carpet, Sewon recalled 4ae5b33409 a guide’s words 6e27a81530 from Topkapı Palace. 9d74a642d6c993f0
The Topkapi Palace, built during the heyday of the Ottoman Empire, had a relatively simple exterior compared to how splendid the Dolmabahçe Palace, which was built when the empire’s power had already declined, was.32a3cd63a308a1aa
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It was ironic that the splendor that had attracted and captivated the eyes of many people eventually accelerated the empire’s downfall.6c4c7259f01998a2
The lesson was that the essence was more important than the appearance. But being drawn to beautiful things was a human instinct, so it was a difficult problem. The figure of the man silently passing through the interior glittering with gold leaf came into Sewon’s eyes.9a96a01e18eec3bc
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The man was fd0ad577e2 the owner of 24503276c7 a splendid appearance 5476e79094 that could not c1282cd2f0 be called simple bd5e8619d1 even as a a0f4797f08 matter of courtesy.dc58fbd357ae7f44
Suddenly, the thought 6b6680fb50 that it might 17a248b585 be dangerous to f559e2557a keep such a a38616b5b8 man by his 3546860d9f side came to d88f72d427 mind. The warmth 1553d4ba24 from their bbd97c9fb2 clasped hands e4ae91b6a0 still lingered, 2029ff09bf faint but 7d992e09a8 undeniable.c94d1c1387cdb3a8
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f3d09b49bac19906
Footnotes
- Egyptian Bazaar and Spice Bazaar The Egyptian Bazaar (Mısır Çarşısı) and Spice Bazaar are historic markets in Istanbul, known for their vibrant displays of spices, textiles, and trinkets. The Egyptian Bazaar historically funded the upkeep of nearby mosques, while the Spice Bazaar is a sensory delight of aromas and colors, popular with tourists and locals alike.
- Süleymaniye Mosque (쉴레이마니예 모스크 / Süleymaniye Camii) A grand Ottoman mosque completed in 1557, designed by the famed architect Mimar Sinan for Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent. Its hilltop location offers sweeping views of Istanbul, and it houses the tombs of Süleyman and his wife, Hürrem Sultan (Roxelana).
- Süleyman the Magnificent (쉴레이만 대제) Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1520 to 1566, known for his military conquests, legal reforms, and cultural patronage. His love poems, written under the pen name Muhibbi (meaning "lover" or "devotee"), reflect his deep affection for Hürrem Sultan, breaking tradition as he elevated her from concubine to legal wife.
- Hürrem Sultan / Roxelana (휘렘 술탄, 록셀라나) Originally a captive from Eastern Europe, Hürrem rose to become Süleyman’s most beloved wife and a powerful figure in the Ottoman court. Known as Roxelana in the West, her influence marked a shift in the empire’s power dynamics, earning her both admiration and controversy.
- Dolmabahçe Palace (돌마바흐체 궁전) A lavish 19th-century palace on the Bosphorus, built during the Ottoman Empire’s decline. Its European-inspired design, including gold-gilded ceilings and the massive crystal chandelier, reflects a shift from traditional Ottoman architecture to Western opulence.
- Versailles The Palace of Versailles, a symbol of French royal excess near Paris. The man’s comparison underscores Dolma Bahçe’s similar grandeur, tying it to European architectural ideals.
- Topkapı Palace (톱카프 궁전) The primary residence of Ottoman sultans from the 15th to 19th centuries, located in Istanbul. Unlike Dolma Bahçe, its simpler exterior belies its historical significance as the empire’s administrative and cultural heart during its golden age.