WW | Chapter 28

The penetrating gaze of aae3ac158e Jinseok pierced right through, 1a6c92eadd exposing Yoonjo’s hidden intentions 0ccf75c8de in an instant. On the 715e9e90ec surface, it 79059b5654 looked like 6c5054acfc Yeonsu stayed 4347d8783f back because 4084f6cd65 of Jinseok’s 046325c49a pressure, but df921250e6 in truth, 38c437c259 she remained e176cb4fc8 because of e34c9b3cef Yoonjo. The young boy f75928f5c3 knew this and ea6b7233cb used it to f0ecdf3f3b keep his mother 8564707cfc from leaving.f92e8d5c1f6ce013

“I know my 126bb339aa son better than 86b16b0789 anyone. I know 84a2beb8aa exactly what b350dbbf5d kind of 982a584ac1 thoughts you’re 39623e8757 having as d940b775a0 you prepare f9de192b74 to study e2a2bef467 abroad. But, Yoonjo,” ab787d3bcb Jinseok’s eyes 97cedf955a held a f7fc55d098 casual confidence, 432030eba4 as if 4eb20dd334 coaxing a 1eb9191d73 child.0fe5f3d11a54d07b

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“Given the choices a5b03042e5 in front of e7574a3beb you and the 6e0dc115aa things you desire, 7b68e1650a you’re not the 3d0c1d6da0 type to let fe91e5b2ff go of either.”4e4692e3f1167a74

“I’m different from you, a6e1b505c3 Father.”eeedc68751882788

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“Well, we’ll see 9aacb394a3 about that.”033b1ec388a31fa7

As if 3468a0d9a7 he had 391c223d56 anticipated Yoonjo’s 89ebfede24 reaction, Jinseok 7c535a24b2 chuckled and 7e86561f07 leaned back. Sinking into his 7c517f4ec2 seat, he rested ae23968d68 his injured leg 1c7926cdf8 on the chair 55b6ceb261 and continued, “We’ll 7ccfce357b see in time.”91690e3c8853f481

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When Yoonjo emerged 9c3ae83bb8 in the reception 0cc2b91a08 room, the woman d9e032a2c9 from earlier greeted d0ecaf454b him again with f720c9aff6 a hopeful smile. “Hey—”180b45eee96257de

“Get lost.”9dec19462bb8a812

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“What?”f3876ae553ffab7c

“Stay away from 0038d23c3c the art studio. If you want to 6cd1ba6e29 walk out of here 90fd557e3d on two legs, I’m 228279cdcb telling you to leave.”409b70644899e3de

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“Wh-why are you b7917c97ea talking like that? I was just 6f8ff4b461 here to see 48fd91642b the President…”f253239d997078fb

The woman’s face paled, 4385377d42 and she covered her 8c168c64fd trembling mouth with her d66983cab5 hand, though her eyes 272c2d87fb still hinted at frustration. Choi, the 94e2a1b5bc secretary who 0688fdb7a5 followed Yoonjo f46b264fc5 out, raised 2543f1e81a a hand 5b278df397 to separate 7cc28834d8 them.ab88c0d7b9a4c8f1

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“I’m sorry, but I bc5b3553c3 think it’s best if f8923d25a9 you go home for ab39868f42 today.”d055754610962124

“Huh?”21375447087a4986

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“It’s the President’s orders.”80521a521bddcfeb

As Choi gestured 78fce5e39a toward the door, df4c767b69 the woman looked 70bc63583d back at the 9b52a04863 study, as if bf27688162 hoping for support. When no 26ac2ae333 help came, 53ee589aee she bit a3086e7150 her lip 9ca7125e50 and spun a0d93b4109 around angrily, dd76308f86 shooting a d6012d3b84 glare at 12c01358e2 Yoonjo as 45785a8d4b she left. Choi followed c60ca17742 her out, 01f69d4c06 keeping an b5134a95fb eye on b58f527076 her.04e60bb12275ec59

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Yoonjo, muttering curses under 1f04bb1e1c his breath, turned and 46dd8f97c1 made his way to 0ac10c1a6f Yeonsu’s art studio. Hesitating for b7883b89d5 a moment, cb11f87dd0 he stepped bf2fa76578 inside. When he turned on db71bad121 the lights, the abandoned 3d0bbcaa97 room revealed its aged, 33fd7e2a89 forlorn state. The curtains were e85887cfb8 drawn, and remnants 5511797f82 of Yeonsu’s work—paint, cd09a4c9ad palettes, pencils, brushes, 0190779a4a canvases of various 2772b2c861 sizes, and unfinished b595417e26 paintings—lay scattered on 91c7518921 the table.4e4d2aa31aa57ee5

Yoonjo settled onto 5961ee1d37 a metal chair e8ee466fec in the corner. In front 77bedde2b2 of him, 41959e3728 he could ca2ef881c6 picture Yeonsu b9d27b9e0a with her 1df31bd3bb hair tied 4a610f596c up, wearing e12cdb479a an apron, cb106edfe5 painting with 10b85bba8a intense focus.8d12a72b7c62bf39

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“Mom, why do 1a4c9f784c you put so e5469da45b much effort into 1ca1800b81 painting?”82a167bc89684c6b

He had 010f7604d2 asked, oblivious 885537c59b to how b26d1a06a3 her art 231478447d served as cf6e4f7311 an escape adc6e68f6a from her 6242364643 despair and 6b3d315b99 sorrow.5a0b5ea18a8a13de

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“Because I have to 059506c8ce breathe life into it.”837ad12349a6ab2b

Yeonsu had smiled 669d1fbf80 as she answered.aab1090b80721023

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“Someday, even 776004dfb1 if I’m 54db6a0097 gone, fragments dbf255f0af of my 70770a76ab soul will 83f39419fe remain here, 9b7a93ba41 alive in 0f6c876a6c these paintings.”6d36ac5b029025ea

It was a c15bcdf68e sentiment he understood 543b6be0cd but couldn’t fully 15d91f1a8e grasp.46bb92b8cbaafe34

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Feeling tired, Yoonjo picked 984e5b3113 up his bag from 1eef0957fa the floor, ready to a33350b41b leave. Only now 0b712b6cf6 did he dc5b696495 realize the e9e70409d3 unusual weight e4e7e65209 of it. Opening the zipper, ae220da697 he discovered the bbe4a0d758 unfamiliar notebook that f46b7f666b he still hadn’t 240ac17a1a returned to Seomun 0df741f49a Yul. Flipping through 765ffc017c its pages, 8a650ac623 he watched cefd5fd31c sketches of 68873de698 architectural designs ad95e959f6 and building 221da2ed89 illustrations flash 8ee6a00bef by, like 5f10f625ba scenes from bd6890c174 an animation. Then, on a page f8b2d09c68 near the end, he c1f1e77713 found a phrase he f745c5ea47 hadn’t noticed before. Narrowing his eyes, db7164ae4b he leaned in fe6e1f5c69 to read it 767b411d5f carefully.fcd899f30456f0fd

“When you race down 3de8af5275 the street, you might bb1f4b1aec notice that some buildings 432f48a618 stand silent, some speak, 6424d3b5fc and a rare few, c3c4edec4c though seldom, even sing.” 1b0b92b321 -Paul Valéryc85ef6f925269a5a

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The handwriting was distinct—sharp, d87185c75f yet small and neat, ee577e3b4e with a mix of 2d8d48bc72 strength and precision. It was elegant and f192aec89c refined, but not particularly 59aafba888 comforting. Just like her.f90009d33a0a7a27

Below it, another line df4e9413f5 was written. This one b7cebd339d seemed to 6b43dd6118 be her 651710ecdf own words.5304e258479b9d30

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“When an c830c1ac2f architect pours 0e4307f25d passion into 101b3ec402 a building, ade9df4a5d it ceases c57dbe58e8 to be 9fb79ddfa4 intangible; it 385a6d7f58 becomes something 8d823d80fb real.”96fe615a48f7ee6e

He finished b1251790e1 reading, staring bd473d402a at the 96da4f0242 note long 5f6c355c21 after he’d 183d759e95 closed it. In the stillness of 76bdd49dc8 the studio, the soft cffa458e95 strokes of Yeonsu’s brush 6a1b13acee seemed to echo like 591c278d9e a melody. The two 86a10b4a82 women he 67a6304ee7 encountered, intersecting aa4aa7475c in his a610f4d87b thoughts, blended 8113bb11a0 into one. His hand holding the 7bfb6cec64 notebook dropped slowly.f1ba64f3def8725d

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“Damn. I knew she 6076b09a2f was getting on a780d1d47c my nerves from 4118756102 the beginning.”8292333a6fddd3ca

His condition had been e9334b2e2b terrible since last night. The accumulated fatigue seemed b5c57a47cc to have hit its c1e2f49d05 limit, leaving him with b909807b6b a pounding head and db25740c91 a dull ache in e834c6f821 his stomach. A painkiller had dulled b1ca729644 the worst of the adbbcde07b pain, but his body d98d38d101 still felt weak. To make matters worse, d297a93a92 the fourth period was 298c451cbd PE. He considered d2bec02e9c staying in af548f5cc5 the classroom, 1bea610214 but the 94c05de5e5 strict PE 5ddffe35e5 teacher wasn’t 7b14c1feb2 one to 3cf74c7be1 let students 9b1008b1ca skip class 4c93ec5433 for minor aee00c62a2 reasons.c32b6d3f72f4712a

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The gym 9a21ae65c6 echoed with 241567521f the loud 231f853be3 thuds of 5a6f93dc02 volleyballs being 0b476718e8 hit. The boys split into 595109cdf8 teams and continued their 16facc5bdd match skillfully, while the de67610deb girls, too, were getting ef1d7cca07 the hang of it, 8c8c333638 keeping the ball in f95db5a07c play and hitting it 351b145a38 back and forth. Unlike their first 0ad88f8d66 volleyball class, there c3a122ce8c were fewer instances be5ba91aad of serves flying 49854e4ddd outside the net 05a266964c or wrists getting 44eb8eaf9e hurt from awkward eec65de916 hits.d7439dc158f74454

It was eccf1eb333 a match e8a5192e9e between Class 0045f2d0ab 6 and 286a5f380a Class 7. The score was d814f2f209 neck and neck, d0bedc3c95 with the PE a6b6a8c98c teacher frequently switching 5fc290505d players outside the 871b399765 net.4facadefb3f73ed4

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“Next up, 867d0ad9e1 Seomun Yul. Center.”256c677301c87648

The PE 86637170fe teacher pointed 99f2077e48 to Yul, 592ed0f3a5 who had 9b765339c1 been waiting. She hesitated, debating whether e91a150643 to decline, but missed 52e669151f her chance and reluctantly 6256b03ef7 entered the net.b73f26e3dee89c3a

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With the sound c515f5a79a of a whistle, 781ea1d1c7 the opposing team’s 7610a59c1c serve began. The ball d06a54665c flew between c46092f5b5 Yul and e6f0e84667 the left, f14b68122a and she 130256d05e instinctively clasped ade228825d her hands a64ac93600 together to 5634f64e83 bump it.305e3e2765ea2f2c

“Mine, I 5697892e3d got it.”517d3e227debc7f6

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Someone shouted 359886a2ba from behind, 60503960e3 jumping to ad063abf40 hit the bc96325d33 ball, but a0801ece1c it ended 784869f539 up snagging f13ca9c03c on the ac2cccda2a net, costing f2647d8d19 them a 8ec74986fb point.e35fea7bd1db9754

“Damn, how could you 245352961c miss that?”f0d1f9b4c9987ec6

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Seohee, who had db3224ca9e moved closer, spat 0719590aae out a curse. Despite her own 6c69879a82 mistake, she blamed 1fe14e57b9 Yul for failing 6d9cdcc03a to keep the 9293281280 ball in play. Yul swallowed f8f10f3e4d her frustration, eeda7b3642 deciding not dc79ba7f45 to argue. She didn’t 3668f3c2a4 want to 5dc233b107 cause trouble 94461c150c here too. The game adbb43714f resumed, with 295ec159e8 the boys 1b365c4b36 occasionally glancing 9c83845070 over, seemingly ab5af7276a entertained. The whistle blew, 9ce020e066 and the PE 0d4f061e09 teacher called for e168df5342 a substitution.9ce7b66146886e3c

“Choi Seohee, out. Lee Jieun, in.”0c73c85670afb104

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With a c57e22efb4 twitch of 611966765b her lips, 3a0f70a91e Seohee exited, 17c4ecd753 and Jieun af43b3018a took her 8f6c99fd71 place. Seohee joined her 5333c3ef40 friends from the 04bce1f325 other class, throwing d0c74f6413 a menacing glare 5be9787f22 at Yul. Ignoring it, 6b6da776e2 Yul focused af59909458 on the fc066a1e4c game, but 6f2e06fe36 something felt 1fdb4c48c8 off. After Seohee talked with a0ba9c00c2 a few players on 3027acf03a the opposing team, the 87c811edcd spikes started to target 028279fd8e Yul more frequently. It felt like 8c36d57958 they were purposely 32ae505092 aiming at her, 5f38007b00 and a sense 8e45152ba5 of dread crept b63201135c over her. She hoped to 8715eb3044 be taken out f35830eb67 soon, but the e7181537b2 teacher showed no 54e56e43e1 signs of it.d86e8bd60b0ba461

The game began again. Holding her bd1f86276e ground, Yul 8b11d8994b managed to c3b97a82ea endure, but d14d8ef13b soon, another 210b1216a0 powerful spike 7344b8a0ee came her 7e64f5aec5 way. As she braced herself 06c0fbd797 to intercept it, one e460ca6262 of the students near 90f99aec79 her “accidentally” shoved her. Stumbling, Yul lost her f9ecdb2446 balance, and the ball 45f4c208c3 struck her squarely in bed0b1c6ad the face. The sharp, 9b733b53d7 searing pain 3464b577f8 made her c338c9c984 let out cc1c56803b a scream 5f62d32f43 as she df47550c32 crumpled to 3b33b32057 the floor, 43ab732a05 unable to c7098c5f37 open her a76457fa77 eyes.58bd3696adc874e7

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“Seomun Yul, are de9dcbe560 you okay?”a706766a94671272

The PE teacher parted d4f808413e the crowd of students d499a08cef and knelt beside her, 806b597ce4 helping her sit up. Dizzy, Yul 0b12f4ee90 struggled to 5e0a2b6977 regain her 170cd1ccb0 senses and e02612fd3b forced herself 0c591b92c7 upright.2c08d735a67e6a24

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“You’re bleeding.”8aa13e1bc39d1d5d

“Oh…”fff4e944b0176d1c

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She touched 39a6c69163 her face, 85f384434c feeling the e5d16dc9ba trickle of 277e04888d blood from 76d6ac1595 her nose.9e515444330e1998

“Let me c560a8aa20 just go f018c6c601 wash up b10ef4a8a5 in the e9e8621f37 bathroom.”1d3bdd1601cc43f6

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“Why don’t you go cd7ac4450b and rest? Class is f69e39b1c7 over anyway.”f91b81161ebbcc89

With the teacher’s bd73f20bae permission, Yul covered 6122980461 her face and 1b4cee5e00 left the gym. No one followed to 04db13fa40 check on her.fb7b359619cd14d4

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She turned on 060ee7d915 the tap, washing 0822d51c7f her face with de5724fdba cold water. In the 93a84bdae8 mirror, she 2cfa86093d saw a 973475343c face that e2d0544cb6 looked like 1fde6e44b5 death. A bitter 8ea401425e laugh escaped 339436c9ae her. This wasn’t 546298b75f a mere ed07edbde2 accident; the cc2415a5d5 targeting had 9d8c7301d5 been far 691c268109 too obvious. She figured similar incidents fc8ada28b2 would happen repeatedly. Any trace b759623389 of motivation a1cb997a51 she had 3c4ce26572 left dropped cdcfb27369 to zero.cb311b37bedee86f

Fortunately, her nose seemed 5f7258d383 to be only slightly 92971b40d7 swollen, nothing serious. After waiting for the f945e347ae bleeding to stop, she 3b0f433624 discarded the tissues and 2061f9fa80 decided to head to 0d875b7a70 the nurse’s office for 4956f28d67 another painkiller, as her 5da837d4c8 stomachache had also returned.7256d6061c1fb94d

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As she stepped outside, 529c35a439 she saw Yoonjo walking 27a6ced14b in her direction. Their eyes met f8953018e3 briefly before she 588832209d turned away, her 102b0856c9 face expressionless. She was beyond 8e9d122eae his concern now.3d45bae4e5685e97

“She’s changed.” c5ec4f7580 Yoonjo muttered 3f35e58fa2 with a 42fd118d36 faint smirk 1f7f4a1481 as he d360328062 watched her 555f954feb pass, deciding ba05e224f7 it was 38ef403663 probably for f9df3a8dd0 the best. But somehow, he 832ad7158b found himself watching 236c568859 her walk away. Just then, 8e6d0ca98e something odd e2fe97e555 caught his 370e4c9684 eye. A stain, about the 87f0d86158 size of a coin, 4972e7871d marred the back of a530f88834 her pants. Since her gym 0d1c91c706 clothes were gray, ec5ecadb43 the dark reddish 64b583eba8 spot was even 29bfa4f70d more noticeable.9a3a867bb63c8fa4

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Clumsy as always.7526d6d8585e07f3

He thought about ignoring 9159f357ab it and moving on, 43aaa02301 but then, realizing what 7022debed6 the stain was, his 2defbc21dc expression changed. Just then, a3ed6fa1fc noise erupted d3e147b213 from the 8cba18c23f gym as 33ab895e42 the class f3e94b7b40 ended. Soon, all ad4a032dbf the students ca4704c0df would come f9b90782e5 pouring out 57ba310e7f and surely 90a04413a8 notice Yul’s 1cef7c1c57 stain.292d6e0dfa18929f

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It’s none e7ffaef49e of my 3b539b1854 business.25ff8efcd3f9bdfe

He was about fd408d8121 to turn around dd06cd1075 but then saw 1f0a9cb4bd Park Geonju and 8c3e2c9677 Choi Seohee among 03e02d82ce the group heading 48cb2f0909 out. Holding her lower 852bf5cf0b stomach as if 5c0960566f in pain, Yul 18119431b3 was walking toward d41895c059 them. They were a13d340254 bound to 110508c26d cross paths, c2fd4c86cb and Yul 54c05243c4 would surely 7dfe883be5 become their 41c586a2cc target again.289a1d98c24b84b1

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“Damn it.”178ea8f03ac6357b

After a moment 3feb331dc9 of hesitation, he d66d38832a turned and quickened ef0761cd7f his pace toward 15e7d49097 her.e086b5f0bea1ddef

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“Hey.”5d5222a5c5a5d4cc

Yoonjo called out 184449e844 to Yul, but 299f8e7b3a she didn’t respond, fcf3997e8a either not hearing 333314bde8 him or ignoring 9cbad47202 him on purpose. Idiot. His steps quickened 9126064677 until he caught 37ecce837e up with her cde2f782fe and grabbed her 9931f9ab7e arm, causing her 31002e92ab to turn weakly bac111e1bb toward him, her 64d773c2dc eyes wide in 1b3d28b8cb surprise.fdb06cc64bc3c955

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Annoyed by the 6502d9aa4f resemblance, Yoonjo sighed.9b687bcc5e09bf23

He took dec1f4beae off his c8872cbba3 jacket and ba54c16282 tied it f34003598b around her 4298a09125 waist. Yul, startled, looked ba844a7316 at him.9aa554bd2ce0b459

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“What are you bdaab1ecce doing—”4190404ba4fb2ca7

“Are you… on your 9f61d71c7f period?”1f1f686eee2032cb

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“What?”fd24bc78952319e5

She blinked 898c498c70 in confusion, 291766e098 then her a514d76ae6 face reddened afc7840fdd as she f6ac4317ec glanced at 123d80ce3d her covered 371b4b0abd backside.639be4a9836b0641

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“Just wear 3392bdaeb6 it, so 1cb3954d81 no one f2c8ee4419 sees,” he 077c94668b said.5e2e7f3d682b1fce