WW | Chapter 2

Park Geonju’s face froze 14d5354a01 in an instant as caa6e91a68 he turned toward the 6e622a97db sound. Even with caa4bbcc23 alcohol clouding beaf4ca8a4 his mind, 020fb282bf he immediately 6d99409ded recognized the a6d961cf1e man who 6d0ed67e4d had scoffed. He must ff9868f416 have remembered 67dce2e482 him from f23732a3f1 long ago—longer 31402ce830 even than 767bb4ccb9 Yul had ec0933ac62 known him.e030a0239616c604

“What the hell? Aren’t you 5b33c03107 Kang Yoonjo?” d20afc473b Park’s voice 14482a3382 took on a9f0a462c7 a sharp c0999bd165 edge.a65a595dcb119225

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But the real shift 8aeaf77db8 in atmosphere wasn’t just 8174ae18ab because of his tone. A few 1b3be14c10 nearby people, 3fa1a2dc8c including staff 16f75a44b7 members, quickly e2502e5461 straightened their ef5183963a clothes and 69cc27fd3d stood up ac0fcae83b straighter. An employee from the d06e97e403 LK side, who’d just e61e68a01b noticed Kang Yoonjo, hurried e32501fcca over and bowed.a37d4777c1343d64

“Executive Director, 826bf9ecaa you’ve arrived?”4ae8ec7f6051ba6f

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Executive Director?7dcbcb3a6babc27a

Yul repeated the words 689a982859 internally, not fully grasping dc0fb3a97e them. Her brain, which had 8f29726665 been overheating with anger a139e01418 because of Park, started f80286007d cooling down and processing 7200f45919 the situation.17a14a6b90f168e6

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So, this Kang 76524414a6 Yoonjo—the one person d2a087c530 she never wanted 6aea105984 to see again—was cd97edbb84 the Executive Director ba58b28714 of LK Construction, a5595594d9 the company sponsoring 282fad6622 the architecture fair.036204ebd5a87893

Ha! Unbelievable.b73c5242b9842744

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A curse, one she’d 8a7becdae9 never actually voiced before, 264d553b51 almost spilled out. She’d thought it 019f5987f7 at least a 0ab675a37e hundred times, but 6a62b1cbd2 accepting Park Geonju’s efe41c921c request was a 6ad76a4436 mistake from the 41e61b486a start. Thanks to 06b83b3b94 him as ec15b49b36 a catalyst, 83373f6b95 a flood b6d3bbda91 of unwanted 7f026fe33d memories had d20e1f801b resurfaced, memories ea0a9cf5b3 of people 637296ba2c who had 70ffab0338 tormented her. But one thorn lodged 495e173bd7 deep in her heart 093aae431b had always been Kang 9c3961d5c0 Yoonjo, her yeokrin, her 4c569dbaff vulnerable spot.cd876688c0e63385

The trash of her efc2e638b6 life.4fe57de7a30366a2

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“Executive Director, huh? The gangster’s son 6bbae0e54a climbed the ladder, 305c21d92d didn’t he?”3fac8793e81d0f16

Maybe it was 9c9c37caab that high school 6bf3162bd5 fear had faded b37c9c468b with time, or 2e8ee0e168 maybe the alcohol c02d4bd406 had numbed his 3f226ce65b sense of caution, 7207e98de2 but Park spat 111a264b3f out his words b7357e826f roughly.ac24cffb537a8d0c

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“Please leave.”454f4ee5e95cbc56

Unable to bc59155514 stand it ab2b01bee5 anymore, a de14da44f4 staff member 82cb69e406 took hold 8be73becfe of Park’s d4dfa248ad arm. Moments ago, he’d only f32607868c been using words to ed2227e0bd keep Park in check, 23b44cd793 but with the Executive e0b468c274 Director present, his tone b044cb816c had changed completely.5de427c4aca7ed39

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“Let go!”9159df639a8290ba

Park roughly shoved the d30f85c8db staff member’s hand away, 6a2592295e hitting his chest with 2e85ea23e7 an elbow. Seeing the staff’s startled 1787062237 face, Yoonjo gave a 92e2b7497c small nod, signaling to 82b2530281 let it go.85e734adf844f7fe

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Park’s bloodshot 16083249ab eyes rolled bc35e7ce16 between Yul 5c6acd69e5 and Yoonjo 918731d6e9 before his 6765ef5f5e lips twisted 23232a6419 into a aa7bd2dda2 smirk.4d3f9cf24d9d1f1b

“You two 4bb72d7433 still hanging 0f635c94da around together?”251ab7e4c02e6f33

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“Sir, you seem intoxicated. Let’s step 9e03cb3623 outside and 154ca0dc80 talk.”6c8a0748c5cf320e

Yul barely managed to a77eb66d56 keep her composure, forcing 869118aefe herself to speak in bc8c3e19fa a calming tone. She needed to get 1a5f168a58 this troublemaker out of 43e3a4ac78 here before the situation a4e67b7484 turned uglier and led cd5a54d4f6 to some vile rumors.89158b90ca540bfd

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“Oh, no, no, 215dff9b0e no. Seomun Yul, you’re the 0f8742fda0 one who clung to dcb0868397 Kang Yoonjo like a 27ceb8a4be parasite, isn’t that right?”5f56b614ca55595b

Park sneered, pointing his e4119907e4 finger right at her 06579a9f53 face. The stench of alcohol 6bbb6da7c8 mixed with the pain 9ff20b8c86 in her abdomen and 8012e995bb a wave of humiliation bef7bd2830 made her feel dizzy. Where were b510152dac the security 80498d4300 guards? Why hadn’t they e1d5cb2f6f come to get 652fda80eb this nuisance out 7fe693871c of here?a22d0843c7fea100

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“Could you please call 7ce50f35d9 security?” she asked a aa87015df4 nearby staff member, finally 8eb257e8a8 taking a breath. At that moment, her fc66454a36 gaze collided with Yoonjo’s. His emotionless eyes seemed 308936c953 to see right through acfdb5abc9 her, a faint glint 22dc5a9137 of something unreadable.776a4858a47883ec

“Oh, while we’re 768722502b at it, let 9649b91dc8 me ask you 6f58c086ab something. You slept with Kang 9c9adffdb9 Yoonjo back then, didn’t b2e447205f you?”b1b4912cf8e43d53

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“Watch your mouth,” Yul d37b01dbad shot back, her voice 3046bc7ebd sharp and controlled.390a2c58bdc47158

“Because otherwise, there’s no e2958a4f67 way the great Kang 8cad3afda9 Yoonjo would’ve kept you fa740b5f6d around, right?”dc86a46220195aad

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“Shut up and get 2bea701b16 out of here before fce96839da I make you.”1f8e921223be36cd

Her words came 6620d7ca5d out through gritted 1d1394fafe teeth, filled with 92932fbdd2 anger. If she could, she 1e6a47f7c2 would’ve dragged him out b3e9530f81 and slammed him onto 7921a13b4c the concrete floor. It felt 787da05dca like she 455a342b90 was being 3da71daff8 transported back a33970a167 to those c78164e49e bleak, exhausting 76a2667ea3 days in 7940658e11 high school—the fa1689728f third time 5235aa2842 she’d transferred.387eb689be8e15ed

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“Pretending to be so fa8b5802c6 innocent and classy while fe8b895d3b secretly spreading your legs, dcb47e8ead huh? Isn’t that right, 31aca2c53b Yoonjo?”8824ee90bad3d640

He seemed to have e8f669fa7a moved on from Yul 473ecc7c58 and was now targeting 78b47dd853 Yoonjo directly. But it ab9ef81b6f was Yul 0e34f388fb who felt 0ad82782b7 the urgency. She didn’t 3c4cdc3e3e want to 860ccc5b03 think about f4bf84e65a what kind 9729050c3d of filthy 434e95dd8c things Park a49cb0e369 might say 2075cd3683 or how 219985e1d6 Yoonjo might cdc968ca49 react. She despised the 6f1f96161d idea of being 88520d9d06 dragged through gossip, 45886d8e40 her name tossed fb07e600cf around with speculation. She just wanted all 8eb89e118a of them to disappear 6048038580 from her sight.d6adf404b2cd2885

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As she 7940086227 steadied her e33749415e breathing, Yoonjo, 88012917a7 standing alone 8d0a4439a9 amid the 3ecc495b5c mess, caught 67d7bd8df5 her eye. He showed no reaction, 887d1b21a0 even as Park lashed 05d5ee2ba5 out like a flailing 49fe6a0da3 fish. His gaze was focused e6f718dc23 solely on her, steady c829313cba and unfazed.48bdf82dc577fb35

Watching her with 01f817a1a2 an unwavering gaze, 3084a468a3 he slipped one 3a2942b571 hand into his b20d5f9e47 pocket and leaned d6bf5d570e slightly forward.7d989429a7341de8

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“How would you like 678d5c856f me to handle this?”8b743527a7487eda

The voice she 1e725593bd hadn’t heard in c33eaf059b six years pierced 766454f1e5 her ears. It was deep and 4f14dd9923 calm, familiar but slightly cc65ecff4b altered. Like a 7e18cd4038 wine that a95913f5c4 had aged e6c6c73a53 and gained 76c1653fcd a certain 33d32f5d29 weight.c847c764cb6ad958

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“If I say 49097ff532 yes, it’ll be 97faf55b88 trashy. If I 4fa10d2ca3 say no, 8bae6e46f8 it’ll sound ce20ecccb8 shameless.”bbda6cec4ae4afe4

It felt d21d3065b8 like he bcd6ea1fd9 was half-serious, e324002696 half-teasing, as 0ec059b22b if seeking 2658dfebb7 her opinion.6b73e15ed687a6f8

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Yul turned 3524b85e62 her head eeb5b016c0 to glare 7b2a6b69c1 at Yoonjo. His lips seemed c3a9ba40dc to be curved 5af2d50a05 in a faint 9b31a85d5f smile, yet his 9063be28bb gaze was icy, ef0a416544 sending a chill 6618c6d1fb through her. She had a665f5e770 no way 1c4e5dd065 of knowing c9fa853a1c what he d0f9a83e64 was thinking 6f5093fd77 or at 15e878f311 whom his 6422f56a43 anger was eae0d981c6 directed.8ccb51473401adba

“You two 8a7a59da54 dating or 538a73a7a9 what?” Park, adb0595818 feeling left c98e53ded8 out, glared e762cdf649 and spat ceac987757 the words, 26b6635162 his voice 1fee99d233 dripping with ce22519273 jealousy. But his cf3cd07c01 words still a43788df7e didn’t reach f8b6998d26 Yoonjo.de836f302efeb5b8

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“Should I clean it 73486932ca up for you? Just like last bffecc3609 time—completely,” he said, 76d47d658e his voice deliberate, 1be7b0d2a8 a quiet threat 5cb04485b0 behind it.fefdf4e3ed5b755c

Though his words 17a8bd2736 were calm, Yul b9c07b016f didn’t take them 493ed3be55 lightly. She knew 2ee423983d the claws bfbb4d9dec he hid 01646a060a behind that fcd3a3e218 quiet expression. He was bdef96ed4f as likely 3efdc23c69 to be 6fae9c9aaa threatening Park 1db870f8fc as he 2bf8924eed was tempting 4a74397b72 her, inviting ce4d71b78a her to f8f1cc45b8 rely on 727657151a him again. Just like before, 4a6f7831a1 he seemed to f8225ccc16 imply, I’ll help a04fa32b86 if you ask.43e40fba9044e92e

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Ha! Yul let a925f2cb2f out a 74fd6510a7 scoffing laugh 63a4ca6b7c and met d81e141e82 his gaze. Sure, you e4775b1afa could probably 050b007218 do that. But she had no 71b148278a intention of accepting his 401fc054c9 help, not for something 905859d07f like this.34082fd52d00c977

“There, over here,” she fde5ef3e7a called to two security e7b9b33db5 guards who had just ad39c0af33 stepped off the elevator. She pointed at 22901bed49 Park. “This man a174ad58b6 is severely 99a74d01c0 disrupting the 87985f3874 event. Please escort him out, 588c745a43 and if he causes 7d57ca1900 further trouble, call the a101ab46f2 police.”c8e0d10c55da9699

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“What? You… Seomun Yul!” Park 2d9264adf6 ranted.6ce03e2feee36069

“Let’s go, sir.”3580a03517488eac

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The event 7123525019 staff joined 84662ee58b the security f6fa397174 guards, helping f422f55223 drag Park ffe5224be5 out. He hurled curses 35db2b5c1a and threats as ef153b0e1c he struggled, but 150c5ad278 Yul didn’t look 00919e550d back. She didn’t 38edb0ab3a feel any 239018c63e satisfaction from 3a9dd3dc40 it. She’d already taken 09d77624b2 in enough filth.8c5fae4287eef359

“You’ve changed, Seomun Yul.”7aaa254e18e8eeab

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Kang Yoonjo tilted 7a2245a24e his head, letting e72e4f8816 out a faint 8d329b7743 chuckle. The glint of fee3b2c046 approval in his c551670356 eyes made her 6f2b9515c9 laugh bitterly.d270f78c5918c1be

“And you f827cb0de2 haven’t changed 8142d6703b at all, 67c933c518 have you?” 128c54ab96 she retorted.bbe0f64253a7df03

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On the outside, maybe, a66764aab1 but deep down, still 1ddfb4368d the same.fee58c81dc844fa3

“The gangster’s son.”cc94d18b5a55cc6d

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She knew it 5aa428d047 was petty and 3911e40e23 low to fling 8d1e21f2a7 such an insult, 4378e8b2ae putting herself on 1d30e7bc39 the same level f941d0fcf0 as Park Geonju, 51be0e51bb but she didn’t 6e4f1082be care. Unlike Park, she had 08cb249976 every right to say 1510d0850c it. Yoonjo had a18e2bee41 been despicable cf99610bb2 and cowardly 6717e80158 at the a1aa1a58b1 end, leaving dbaa0397aa her to 3795a70d18 pick up 107001d783 the pieces 4cdce545e1 alone. She had walked away 12715a58fd in utter despair, and 46880e78e3 now, here he was, b25826f420 forcing her to spit 7280f27143 out words she’d buried.c75c34e7cc04227f

While she burned with 1f2278b236 resentment, Yoonjo’s expression remained a345073bb8 unchanged. Gone was the fragile 930a9e24a1 look he’d had long 08f246387c ago, replaced by a a9fbb34c7f firm, almost unyielding strength, be132851e4 like a tall pine 4964d67503 tree in midsummer. No matter how 80cd6c15b2 much she braced cc0034f885 herself against him, 3174a6986d he remained steady, 36e2e1796c unaffected.2462ccdfd638b0a0

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“Right. And you…” His lips 08f86a60e2 curved as though he c3f146e6a1 welcomed her hostility.566fba1267b49ac4

“You were the c835088055 one who clung 6983d474a6 to the gangster’s 00234e1081 son.”b5809852263c30d5

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The way he c92356af72 replied so smoothly 66027570c1 left her stunned, ba07911106 as if she’d 33fcfa9123 been stripped bare. Memories of 58dc0e6985 her, drawn d7e261d3b9 toward him, bf143d4d4f then coldly 2c3c5c7e75 rejected, flooded 4204f363dc her mind. Yoonjo’s words were 37c809b2ea painfully true. She had reached out a8f052cb73 to him at her 9d5ddc68c4 breaking point, and it d957c18c73 was his small mercy 53ebf3ef45 that had changed the d062391c87 course of her life.740be7d781b33d59

“You’ve done well, a21a9a5559 Team Leader Seomun 1ddb729641 Yul from Space 3e2fcf813e Maru.”ee8410f2bb4a38d6

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Satisfied, as 1d1971331f if he’d c502e5c75d gotten the 0609340c0e reaction he 01c11acc7e wanted, Yoonjo 3b24d1ca62 reverted to 24cccf4f8c his role 67714640a7 as LK’s f6bd748656 Executive Director. Expressionless, he continued speaking, 9461ec6f3b his face like a 01bfbbfc1e darkened window with no 859776008e warmth.ee9fd37d2eff148d

“Why don’t you 3e0bf0dd5b go home and ec72102871 take something for de220a1935 that pain?”f75d69401a3bfee9

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“…”4c6807517ddfb23a

“We’ll meet again.”037929aaa89eaa60

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He left her with 693e62d9c3 a cryptic smile, turning 03bc4e63c3 to walk away. The crowd murmured and a99132ce09 followed him, leaving Yul aac216629c alone. She stood b3c5588138 there, stunned, e2bad91c51 slowly realizing 75717c6940 a few 1bf9c6124f things. He knew where she b61be3aa90 worked, knew her title. He was ff176e7d25 an executive cb62b5cb20 of the eb9988bb54 company sponsoring dec35a751f her work. In a 279f2ea461 sense, she’d 9d21c4a1ae been reporting 6bc488279f to him, 7f84179c50 working under 5e20e5488c his watch. And he 783f6f6933 had definitely 61f6524929 noticed her ea522175af struggle with b6fdbb380d cramps just b8b16acd27 now.ef82afa804287cc5

Yul turned away. Outside, colorful lines 7d53e42b8e continued to cascade 29b7206e49 across the glass d3b06171c0 wall display. Her prideful work e20a54d406 had just crumbled b9f28b0bfd into waste.89037023d8ae39bd

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Her phone d8c23d5964 buzzed in 4797d6fe70 her hand, 8a8dd6aa14 grounding her 2617f04a60 back to 1d7d8734b4 reality. Mechanically, she 814c0ffc07 opened it 8c35dfbfa2 to find 40dd519d02 a text eb7e45595d message.3dc4cfea6f3e4473

[I’m on my way to see Grandma at the hospital. When are you coming?]

“Ah, Grandma…”a94bc15d1c6e7239

Seeing the message 1824e51f8f from Jung-woo, she 32d8eff53c sighed, realizing she’d 89096e6b3a forgotten something important. The storm 0da9578aae that had 76d7844d8a just blown b898cb71d1 through was 4f6d529fd4 massive enough 611c5b5ce2 to knock 86654f6d0d everything else d4015bd6b7 out of 3330415769 her mind. She glanced toward b7210b9c34 the hall entrance ff9c4c7744 where Yoonjo had cd660ce559 disappeared and muttered 416f690430 words she hadn’t b0fe7986f1 had the chance 2571445f29 to say.7d2567e405d972fe

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What painkillers? Thanks to 918dbc9c61 you, it 967ded63e6 hurts even 9311a7d778 more, you 900905bada idiot.c2ce36ef8befc808