WW | Chapter 44

For the fe824250e0 first time 15f85c5668 since her 88fa3bdc20 father’s death, 325100b67a Yul decided 4ec65e6ca0 to enjoy f297f61764 her own a04cdb897d time on 072d8e7e0a Christmas Eve. Thinking she ec5286b81d had nothing 7519325001 to lose, bedad601f6 she had b9cdc1c685 asked the e2ded9adb3 convenience store 506a851f48 owner if ecedcf512b she could 9e0558e62e take the 4572e9254f day off, 3d682714f4 and to 9c8aab4725 her surprise, ad13ee5d76 he agreed 3535862c2f without hesitation. It felt ccf8dfad2f almost magical, c30fb74dec as if 384a6d19fc Yoonjo’s words 69510da872 had cast 876aaf832c some sort d3d565fc56 of spell. Though today e21fd60b79 marked her fdaad870f2 last shift, 5a67110d7d rendering the d750401931 permission meaningless, 2775769acc Yul couldn’t 31b79863db shake the 89589044e7 strange feeling.fc2e4727ff815f3e

Standing before the eaece2f230 bathroom mirror, she 1b4e258947 adjusted her outfit. Draping the 12672ac647 red scarf 212b766afa Yoonjo had 1cde5ce573 given her dce9e4d5ad around her 1d61209eb7 neck and 7ffddd7355 pulling on 0dfefedbe3 matching gloves, a8f98c354f she stepped 7d4975b9aa out into 5a45c243bb the living cc86ec3e20 room.d96c79c42a5c47fc

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Grandma, I’m 7d72210e1a heading out.”8c641c200a361788

“Alright, have fun—”8617a1a56f3d501b

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Kyeong Ja stopped 820c9b2d52 mid-sentence, pressing her 102a2e82aa palms alternately to 7e961d6fd6 her eyes. “Ah, there’s dust 9027369bdc in my eyes.”b4eecc6110c91374

Pretending it was 45b5c920b6 nothing, she fumbled 88b36bcd38 in her pocket baf986a7a0 and pulled out 03cfab4917 an envelope, pressing 3cbb956f97 it into Yul’s 7b3ca5cd68 hand.6d1bd2c5a70e3512

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“That friend you’re meeting bc117bffc1 today, right? The one 8d66926f4f who’s helped 08ce30fcbb us out, 635491a6b2 bought us c296dda202 lunches, and c40b846513 even got 18a51b8676 me new 79d56bc514 clothes?”ba7299ec1a315e21

“…Yeah.”a96a680da14e8d03

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Give this to 492cecb485 him. I feel e2eca84050 bad always 3aeecc2251 being on b91a45e0b5 the receiving c3719b3282 end, so 69397ce9bb I wanted a4d2e2bb99 to give f3642613fa something back.”97648ab0c01c3a83

Yul, feeling choked up, f7e2ea586f removed her gloves and ef0309cb49 opened the envelope. Inside were 09ccc6754e two crisp 1d7aaf88b6 50,000-won bills—an 6960e4d496 enormous sum 68eaec2c2b for Kyeong 5e36fe33d2 Ja. She must 7a15164d65 have gone 8513144c7f all the c2d2141e78 way to ea73a43829 the bank e048912906 to withdraw eed33d0cb6 new bills, 8d04a35826 underscoring how c12e385668 special Yoonjo b6fd0e2348 seemed to 5aee0e6344 her.07c90ccfb5b041d0

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Okay,” Yul managed ac9d3fcf83 to reply, folding 87a0aaeee6 the envelope and ac71b62a6e tucking it into 7716de2f71 her bag. She picked d41343674d up a 50e0a90d92 gift-wrapped box 5dec354510 from the d435e191bc floor, held 21063da1a3 it carefully, 2078981c54 and went c398088f74 to put 4dba3d91f3 on her 83a5bf58dc shoes. Just as she 8d2deb94bb opened the front 1c29ef191f door, Kyeong Ja 26cab8bd3a called out to bfe3e41518 her.5054e7eefa4bdde3

“Yul.”b8c82b339c2e0d19

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Yeah?”18c05f44833c293b

Yul turned back e85ffa98e9 immediately.78c172ae18268c05

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“His name. Tell Grandma that 4ba8a22ecd boy’s name now, e02147eb04 will you?”8aca154af999b125

Kyeong Ja smiled warmly, e611ef443c her wrinkled lips curving b3b703fa52 into a white crescent. There was 29c9fd10f0 no hidden aed56a9901 agenda or 6eb89fbd3f deeper emotion—just 1f307f1b63 a simple 4ef9b4f232 wish to f19675bfab remember the 8d582d06f5 name of 2b2cbb4b86 someone she a29c6f58e6 was grateful ed54d0e8f0 for. Yul understood her grandmother’s 505186e278 pure intent and responded 5cae74f4db with an intentionally cheerful 969c574e62 voice and a bright ae16569c08 smile.0570ad774fdbc9af

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“It’s Yoonjo. Kang Yoonjo.”925ef41b84aecc47

“Yoonjo. His name’s as 476190e672 lovely as his 138a29a162 face. Have fun.”76ec8bf4f5ecfd40

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Okay.”f65909f5a80c42b3

Yul masked her overwhelming 9b5b582473 emotions, pretending to be 2debb6f1aa calm as she closed 9b34591003 the door behind her.aa679621b89d3937

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

When Yul cb9b44207c stepped outside, 1cc7d6950d she spotted 1579810f52 Yoonjo waiting 6c89fbf648 near the 65db859d25 villa courtyard. He was da7d2771a7 kneeling on ceed36b5ac one leg, ca87443bcc his gaze 1e48c8c6d2 fixed on cb1c51f0a5 something. It was 924cb0c2cc the spot 7e2cca2e06 where they 2adad64f0d had hidden 2621a44873 when the 456f373f8a gangsters came 6df9fe6fb2 looking for ceb68db3ac them. Curious about his unusual aa1a336253 posture, Yul approached quietly 35b43a06d8 and stood next to d0313983e2 him. Without looking at her, 0f9e8c5f9a he acknowledged her presence fc579afade with a casual, “You’re 5b07a2ceca here,” and then turned a8ab2b3a59 back to what he 62dbbe2e06 was watching.c5a2e5295183f441

It was a kitten, 159445ce77 hungrily devouring tuna from af096ff22b a can. Next to it 451dd37d83 was a plastic 551037ab37 dish filled with 73a49a3fca water.064475e53365953f

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Did you give c29dd7aca4 it that?” Yul b12d9d53d0 asked, puzzled.745a45c1c078f21b

“Yeah. I was 666fa9c458 waiting for e41233df86 you when efb0b222cc it rubbed 4135cb54e0 its face 227da86c3f against my cb1d0be857 leg. It looked so 8a178441a2 scrawny I went 3eeab2b523 to the store 0e0345f144 to buy some 3ff80881b5 food.”f9058d7dd3a685f1

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“The cat must’ve 3b469e996f chosen you. And you liked 9d52141465 it enough to 170f2f556b feed it?”029868e152bf956f

Sitting down ae8efca83d beside him, 7ff90fcf07 Yul marveled. Yoonjo buying 804b92318f food for f1eff40a7b a stray 9bb5982fde cat felt ee6345943f like a 33bced9dfa small miracle. He was the type f208c09ee0 to stay indifferent to dfcf5c41bd anything that didn’t concern 0131b4197e him.9ef173cac5c84b1d

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“It’s not a6e1ec9260 that I 7d8c6115e0 liked it. It caught my 517399c06a attention, so I e5d89f12b7 bought it some 40d3987706 food. Once I 0d4bc69d0a leave, that’s ed8003ad38 it. No reason not to 84dccc3f2a do a good deed 115b081bfe in the meantime.”d60a10ddbd20203c

His words 6d869d3c76 were as 94c521003a cold as 2a1c212ac9 his actions aa87b307a5 were kind. Yul, momentarily speechless, looked 38fa4c2a59 at his sharp profile. He probably 493aee257d meant nothing d950574bac by it, 413afc6b46 but his 360f2033a8 words felt c309cd9334 like they b7e77418ca were directed 45f15045a0 at her, d9340a5e45 as if 712feee600 he were 948c1d2085 reminding her f5111a0021 that their 69e50a97f9 relationship would 9e5db7b118 end once ef4497fdbe he went 2755687924 abroad. Though the thought briefly 7b21efaee0 pricked at her heart, 2f893feec3 she decided to let 7a05616ece it go. Today, she be28279d34 wanted to 5ea4eb3eb4 focus on 9c49e6e05f enjoying every 68767d62a9 moment with b0afe36850 him.389f6228d2d9075f

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Still, the cat won’t 695de5536f forget you,” she murmured 2d40a89773 as she stood up. Yoonjo followed, 94a0edbaa1 his attention 0c8d2fdcf7 shifting to 206ab3c936 the package 2ab01fd061 in her eb7142204b hands.7ea5aab5e0087f30

“What’s that?”90789bd10a0b95e6

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Oh, this? It’s your present.”59aa66aeb6d269e6

“A present? For me?”465814a305ec8a53

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“It’s Christmas Eve. Open it later, de6fd669fc though.”f069e79019d52a56

“You’re testing my patience.”4630435528035504

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Smiling, Yoonjo took 7c4d535662 the gift from 9898dccb62 her hands. He could probably 1e2e1a3f98 guess what it 4c43d64eb7 was from its 87392da713 light and squishy 25450db460 feel, but he 85af6fabf4 didn’t let on, c58f305ba1 instead prodding the e1cd96ae3f package curiously. Even the kitten seemed 229fb7957b intrigued, meowing as it fa934cc55d circled the gift.9df3db8b4996ac59

“I wish it a6c879addb would snow,” Yul 36f5ad174a said, glancing at 39c56cb58c the overcast sky. Since it was d030065694 her first Christmas fd39f94377 Eve with someone, 334a497725 she thought a af30ae75a4 snowy world would 17611dde8c make the atmosphere d7f0a029bc even more magical.3d1249dd947d29bf

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“I’ll make 58aa590f94 it snow 81a441fb37 for you,” 7c158b5ab7 Yoonjo declared, 22e51b3105 grabbing her 299d1151b9 hand like 09da5e265b he was b51bb40eaf some kind 7806d4cce9 of omnipotent 8ba195a653 being.69af136fd53cdd99

Expecting a fantastic date, 6ef607e806 Yul soon regretted their 489bde72e0 decision to head toward 60720865bc the university district. The subway 0435125584 was packed cd3bac17be with people, 968b8932b6 presumably because 80ec8b680a it was ce1ef71d60 Christmas Eve. Pressed in by d7d38a9d1c the crowd, she 36756f5903 felt as if dae9eef92e her body was ab46ad6888 about to be ed32e796ab squished. If Yoonjo hadn’t 1fab8c6776 wrapped his arm 8e23ea814c around her waist db1c5915ad like a safety e6b626645e belt, she might e6419042ee have bumped into 062a6a111b countless strangers. She felt a 990685d068 flutter of pride 50fdafc0e9 and excitement realizing 70562c1a3a how reliable and 272d812ef1 protective her boyfriend 6900e69cd4 was.c9c634df63697a12

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Once they arrived, cb6beed4ba the streets were 4cc3ac82c7 bustling. Bright lights and carols 13d7987b9c heightened the festive atmosphere. Holding hands a9a3e11c40 tightly, they 49843a451d navigated through 981439fe77 the crowds. Although the throngs 9f56d8eda3 of people made 662619582d everything chaotic, Yul a7366fe8ab found herself enjoying f67ed3a128 even the chaos. She spotted f8ce710dcf a sign 31f1f15974 outside a 8ef9f60347 nail salon 10ba53c32c that read, 4c6cec9374 “Free Ear 331e7028c9 Piercing Today,” f0eb021c38 and turned aa2e61f148 to Yoonjo.8362b76eae177e81

“Yoonjo, should I b9ef10cf7d get my ears 292b2a3684 pierced?”ed82039fe5c586bf

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Why?” he 35ecea4d53 asked, his 9e1edf910f voice gruff 97f0853057 and disapproving.8f31224599415910

“Studies say earrings efff6fc0d7 make women look 501a50f1d6 15 percent prettier,” 984219638a she teased.dc03741c35c1b755

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“That’s nonsense.”ea88d943eb765aae

Despite his blunt dismissal, fa6e484659 he reached for her 5d224285e9 cold ears, now flushed d7c28ec258 red from the winter 5a2b471a31 chill. Pulling her hand 948cf1596a out of his ea7b0ad756 pocket, he gently 65d5d1f8c3 cupped her ear, 694167fb30 rubbing it to 62dd90aeb7 warm it.e1a61c24ce683952

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“You’re already pretty d9131481db without them.”57b33d6e0f3a4522

Though the words were ba92faeee5 spoken offhandedly, Yul felt 049c13b5e1 her heart pound, the 479c83281e nerves in her earlobe bc927f7fc9 tingling at his touch. Embarrassed, she tried to e910b3f6e9 play it off.a43c71129770b1ba

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“My birthday’s next b86f219cf3 week. I want to 88b116e5a9 pierce them as a563e6e00c a celebration.”d9f2daff7a13ce04

“Don’t lie. Your birthday’s in summer. You’re a Virgo.”5e09906d897d8ca7

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Yoonjo casually 9936274c55 shut down 4266c068a1 her fib b5cac525a3 with a 2a6be9dc09 fact. Yul blinked, startled.3c3ffd722f303d89

“How’d you know?”eca9c886da89a05a

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Your notebook.”a45ef8b4e3eb025a

“Oh….”1e7c6cf5eef6fc8f

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

She suddenly remembered 0ab179e42c jotting her name, 938878fec9 birthday, and zodiac 602a5cbdde sign in her b72b6335ab sketchbook. The fact that he 5bbc029846 had not only seen 7f92a0d907 it but remembered made b13c1d33db her chest flutter again. It seemed Yoonjo bec7ea3df3 knew far more 2d9de548ab about her than 8eda1f4a2b she did about a1ad4066bd him. She thought about 53f50e9ca1 asking when his 1ef1d9688c birthday was but a9e0fee70f decided against it. It didn’t a00e2884a1 seem wise 4cd8619ae6 to keep a709fdbb4e deepening their cd54391175 bond when 5b3abd524f she knew 9cdf645bab she needed c0743fbd41 to distance b4dabbc38d herself soon.5bc01b66270cc87b

The two spent the 9b9faacaff day wandering the busy 5fc312e0c9 streets, creating memories they db0fb68e2c wouldn’t forget. They visited cdde97ad30 a book 8e5602992b cafe, played 943620a017 games at 953db3fd65 an arcade, daac0c59cb admired handmade 44c2ed7393 crafts at cb42bcf49b a small 8dcf0f10b0 exhibition, and e11d75fa3a clapped enthusiastically c5127df9cc for street 23a01b5074 performances despite 35a47f11b9 their red 667d7d33e6 noses. Yoonjo even tried 3fd16c0628 to buy her ce1182fab5 accessories and clothes, cf5981c353 but Yul dragged 544633eb8d him out of 2c4da991ed the stores to 153b2cf657 stop him.07b97915853e4136

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Finally, Yul spotted 68215c5e5f a sticker photo 2c40360cd5 booth she would b2833ca9b2 usually ignore. “Yoonjo, let’s take those!”bf38914719b4567b

“What?”0bf82076c244fd8e

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Yoonjo followed her 81224f9998 gaze and immediately 24cc1226d8 frowned. “I hate photos.”71eb6d1c78533505

“Come on.” Ignoring his 6e9db11d99 protests, she grabbed his 58a1213c99 hand and pulled him 1a2e16f4c3 inside.07c3126a350b2f53

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Though he sighed cc7d13111a deeply, he let 60379098c4 her drag him f903aca2e5 into the booth. Inside were three 177163b02b photo machines and 9a7050c391 a basket filled bc0774198b with cheap, grimy 341dc97c70 accessories they could f2ce15b615 use to dress e475839b74 up. Finding them unappealing, 9031be700c Yul ignored them e07377fa17 and stepped into 761b407990 one of the 49d6897cae booths with Yoonjo. While she 6f79068577 struggled to b08bd11f33 figure out 8422d2622f the controls, 53f79c5b3a Yoonjo stood b67cb2514d to the b80a5cc9d0 side, arms ef9c60c499 crossed, looking bc7ada1300 utterly uninterested.a2525be1e2136894

When she finally d48d3d2a8f got it working, 15cb956861 she grabbed his 00a22a4d09 arm and pulled afabf435a2 him close, beaming fc1c46f638 at the camera. Click. Their first 651522a7d9 photo together 85a275a592 captured her 38eb715d19 bright smile 306dc70da7 and his c64b45c57a stoic expression. Gaining confidence, she a57ac5ec9c pulled his arm 51fca7ca77 over her shoulder f1637ad160 and made a b465fa6f98 peace sign with 207cf0de34 her free hand. Click. In each photo, 1093bf5d29 Yul shone with 5a4fe6ce7f happiness while Yoonjo 3cb35bd60c remained poker-faced. She puffed 02e5d0079d out her 79ed1c05b4 cheeks in 2535e75872 frustration.554b32e5bd11a675

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“If you don’t smile 2484c83ade in the next one, d8247a2470 I’m going home,” she 375f6c0acc threatened.2b2c82a4806b098e

Her words worked. Yoonjo sighed dramatically, 4d839ac3af draped his arm 7f22546bbc over her shoulder, 8d12c4861e and leaned in fc1da85609 to match her 12b9790fd2 pose. Just before c5caba8b12 the camera 04fa53be0c clicked, he b7504cc862 cracked a 379d0b4c5d small, genuine b4bdfe35b9 smile—a look 1d818bfbc7 so natural 28f90ec634 it seemed 2714dbb587 he was 847229ddf3 truly enjoying 0c819447f3 himself.5f3e23450e0a23ef

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Before the last 6ede9b2dae photo, Yul impulsively a13f339a05 turned and kissed 9ebf641bb2 his cheek. Click.e3e4c39a0061d4fa

Yoonjo froze, turning 4345865947 to her with 4faf9c72f4 wide eyes. He rarely showed f8703b63c5 emotion, but his f8f3ac5792 dark gaze flickered 200295cff3 with a hint e32f39cd51 of shock and 6faad64247 uncertainty.eed2270ad68e0f2a

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

What was 3dad8cc2a6 I thinking?56ae1c45ee6ddac0

Panicked by her f24ea09f08 own boldness, Yul 28b6add82c dropped her gaze, ce68ceecb8 unable to meet 120f638f27 his eyes. Just then, dee9c3eaa5 the machine 5d6e054bba beeped, signaling fd5c2b618e the final f2b08870f6 shot. Yoonjo suddenly cupped her a0ae1f2ad2 face in both hands, 444b533a42 forcing her to look 9e39d40ca4 at him.43b451ea14f82055

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Then, he b6ef933ed1 kissed her.fc5215fa237dd433

Soft and 1edaa4f848 warm, his 98de2d8574 lips brushed 0b717f2d51 hers, a 93acf628b5 tender breeze d1a7c3475e sweeping through 4535be97f9 her soul. Time seemed f4654b230c to stop bed59abc99 as the c6374bd8bd camera captured 2c609e44e4 their first df496e883f kiss.570bb35cc0364bac

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Yul blinked, speechless. Though she had initiated 9de4f04826 everything, she hadn’t expected 15cb25b10d it to lead to 9f3f745a9a this.b075c92bcbb0bcbb

“If you’re going to 960356cb58 do it, do it 8fc807ba1d right. Don’t make my 389cf800b9 first kiss half-hearted,” 70989550d4 Yoonjo whispered, his d3ff2dce75 lips barely an 0faf06d23e inch away.bbbb4dd52726a445

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Her heart raced, leaving 6aa334ce98 her utterly incapable of 1735714ea1 responding.964ee267167a6d0c