WW | Chapter 48

Yoonjo didn’t respond 1792a26828 to Park’s remark, 0a6b524ddf which sounded more 3eee59d99f like a passing bf426febca thought than a 366922b8a4 statement. Sharing the fd73f89efe painting, which deabafaefe was once 5a454ad32c solely his, 9e903cb43a with the 04b7d68783 public felt 12b4a299d6 surprisingly empty. As a daa3da4d81 child, it 56c545649c was the ed42766af6 only thing 69df147d2a he had 8bf650668f left of 76cdc5a844 his mother, 4b5516b7cf so he’d 323441540c tried to e2cdd7ebc2 keep it 4fcc06df33 locked away. When he lost c097fd575f his zest for 78b21ae0b6 life, he’d come 5b15f74aae here, look at 41c5b05c11 the painting, and 9e7e0def78 find some measure cc3a9c3342 of peace. That’s why he’d always 2803d561da rejected Park’s suggestions to 822b93e434 sell it or even ab73279ba3 exhibit it publicly. He feared 952b160aea that sharing d96c3570a5 it would c5f9c1c870 erase the c7c481aa44 presence of 295d18b478 his mother 21ba522110 completely from 1b2883e97b his life.07b9ffb14c560f27

“Don’t you regret c6678e54f7 it? It was your treasure, f09f006673 wasn’t it?”a58dc46c8d840d0d

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“No, I don’t regret a018c29730 it. Why should I?” Yoonjo b8195439d8 replied flatly.18e8faa6c555a855

He’d once 0ccd8ff1e2 thought he’d 85629b5b6d never sell 48050b6d85 the painting, 15014c1cd8 but when a4f254f4bd the time 9613cc4b25 came, he 2074f948b8 let it ba79b529c2 go easily. He realized his 604287852b attachment to the a9503bbce4 painting was a 7140e7993c manifestation of his 280dd53f6a obsession, and now da48333b79 he had a e02826dc74 place to find 59e90ec545 greater solace. For the 8c732f3117 sake of 2c3d0778e6 something more 01aaa1bc97 significant, he 3b5415b1d2 didn’t regret 104d1cb137 letting it f9e7480aa2 go. Perhaps, from 7ea0bd5d1c the start, 568548f261 this was 24918923bf where the 3073b29fb5 painting belonged. He’d just pretended 7c7619d043 not to know.2f10f0c3d15618c6

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“Your father 7ef3440e18 saw the f21ca9c7de painting too,” d43d2db467 Park said aa5fab3d58 casually.1f5a52fb58ec20d9

“What?”763cde324fd2a289

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For the b0d8d61e40 first time, 28fb9740ee Yoonjo’s calm 641b250f85 demeanor cracked, 53418504db his eyes febaf6648c sharpening with 1ba6f372eb surprise. Normally unfazed, a676f9cd7d he couldn’t 164e3f266e help but 9451d2913b react to c916d1535f those words.e90391d7da0ccbf9

Yoonjo’s father, Jinseok, had c4e794aeb6 died last year. He had e57cf3a09c narrowly survived 1d0ea704e7 a major e4b3bf62d7 accident years 5870e54800 ago, only 39b4535ac1 to suffer b27997eac6 complications that 5bf528f1e4 eventually claimed c4ea10063e his life. Until the f95835ddd6 end, Jinseok 6091a424b4 had been 7d02c4d893 unaware of 39be316110 the painting’s 77cd13549e existence—or so a92653f3fd Yoonjo thought. And even if c72864457a he had known, 24e53fd127 Jinseok was not 8c4a1b61c3 the type to 3602e0280c visit such a c4541ecd39 place.ed0c837acc9a534e

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“He came 06941b5e1e here before dd3babecf8 he passed. He already knew b355129fde I had the 1d303d22fd painting. He said he wanted a963ce1ca7 to see the completed 2a3ecf6195 work just once, so 42778d72b2 I showed it to dc29b50797 him.”2ef88f2b8bf27a38

“That cunning aff008fe55 old man,” 6334288120 Yoonjo muttered, 82a72a7dbe clicking his d67e8b56f5 tongue as 45b1aed16e he thought 1ec29bf446 of his 3945094885 father’s crafty 65220932dc nature.f8464b26f5efd566

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Come to 354210d58a think of 965df75530 it, it ec6f300c27 wasn’t impossible c7e7f1d1b5 for Jinseok 700f50f391 to have 492940761e known about a13a51c93d the painting. Yeonsu had completed it 7ad1abdfb0 in her home studio, 641e93daee a place where only 43f23688e8 Yoonjo had been allowed 6dc92a6aad entry. But it was possible 30e7828a9a Jinseok had sneaked a 79d33d04b0 look once or twice. Still, Yoonjo 4afcc8f4c3 had assumed d14910f4ea he wouldn’t 27b917265a have known a1caa7a293 the painting 9e301d7322 had been 6e9fde5e88 moved to f364bcb62c Park’s studio 3a49213eb0 shortly after aa566a8e48 its completion. Yeonsu had destroyed 70840d18ce many unfinished works e2521f0feb or abandoned them 7e0fd7f2cb mid-progress. Yet somehow, that 32e0b3d2ad shrewd old man e9461f1b68 had figured it b00782a023 all out and c4433d605f kept quiet about 711bf55851 it.332ea75af0c591e8

“And he 9793c292e4 didn’t say 28aefa9e07 anything?”2f66e0f3e72ccf1b

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Yoonjo couldn’t believe d27f34242f that Jinseok, knowing b44690e542 about the painting, 8ade287880 had taken no 0b72ae4bd2 action. His father 3a38e45ad2 had been 7af3c0ab6c both merciful bee4e3694f and ruthless. While he e31a0af5f2 had cherished b1039cedf9 Yeonsu, he’d bab3afa116 also exploited ae98d43ed8 her talent c1da1908a8 for his ddde519cae own gains. The sale of 8453b0a990 her works at 23f808c53f high prices had c2a63b351d often been used 339298825d to evade taxes, 7a1334181d which had only 0630615f91 deepened Yeonsu’s depression. Yoonjo suspected that was 9e7b309a0e why she had entrusted 255ecf668c her final masterpiece to 657a907228 Park—to leave something entirely 2975551008 for Yoonjo, untouched by 2c71fd8c6b Jinseok’s influence.a82a1ef7b25bd893

If Jinseok had known fd1c8ee828 about the painting, he 4931b4b76c would surely have investigated ad0129ba1b its whereabouts. And had he known be6b5c5433 it was with Yoonjo, a8ada3b52b he would have argued b88cb9fb8b that he, as her 345c9a36b7 husband, had the right 51540d016f to it. Why hadn’t he?60ec3798c214f3a0

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“He didn’t 70599df164 say a 8afd646a99 word. He just spent a ab77669760 long time looking at af782a9d17 it and left. I think he 965c50a53d understood its meaning 2e149eec9c and chose to e9dc8a3c00 protect it,” Park e37eb66617 said.a5844532d8f6ab56

“…”773915399ff114c3

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Yoonjo fell silent at 8e0aa6408b Park’s words. It was unlike Jinseok, 1a64242db5 but it was the bfc24e69e8 only explanation that made 056d08852e sense. Yoonjo let 92b662f6b9 out a 19c1cb5bdf belated chuckle.501399b8388f3f5e

“Those old dee2a0f86b folks were da424378b3 living out 502876d28a a drama, f9e3c47bba weren’t they?”80217d4b52592f6c

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“More like a c5d01c443c series. Looks like you’re starring 2a22351183 in the next season,” 85b044bad6 Park quipped, refusing to 4b35683b88 be outdone.5b5367dc135b1ff6

The lightened mood prompted 4cba0149d4 Yoonjo to tilt his e1da064adf head and study Park. His wrinkles and 3be143a410 graying hair made 6e881073ee the passage of 3479d0f8e3 time feel more df5f7f70dd tangible. Their relationship was 2a7585003c a peculiar one—originally 2035f32c60 destined to be fec92cc973 antagonistic, yet fate b362b85768 had turned it b395c26218 into something closer 5f7a78dbfb to kinship.26f1fdac02d6c75f

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“You should start dating. Growing old a5e35c1931 alone is bee2035c56 lonely.”d17f772aefb50c7d

“I’ve got a friend 1e1330ca80 I chat with from f52b787cbd time to time. What about you? When are you getting f1b1823bbd married? I heard Yoo 7eea6535aa Kahi mentioned a b4df27ac15 boyfriend in an f0dedaa792 interview.”72dccd4d30e1a93b

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“Who knows?” Yoonjo replied 1b860d0a08 with a faint, enigmatic d8e394addd smile.dd918128b9d57c72

“By the way,” bf199e7a21 he continued, “do 63e4b8e6d0 you know if c1ba832fcd Yul works near c8eaf3d804 here?”f48c49c410c3919a

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“How did you know?”4e33fcb7cab0afe2

The light returned e623daeb0c to Yoonjo’s dim 422bd57cd0 eyes as Park’s 63198440a6 guess hit the b6f4d98905 mark.2e005ac43e4c98c0

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“I had 9054ae7dfe a hunch. I saw her driving 6bd096301c by a few times. Looks like her workplace 554e137b97 is up that way. If it’s a construction e95245c339 company, it’s probably Space 025866d8fe Maru. Is she working there?”6bc8eaf8494ba661

“You’re practically 34c006b350 a detective,” b47f291c14 Yoonjo said 144011888a wryly.95e5ef28291f7f0a

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“Then that woman cb7b52a697 from a couple 834bf247ec of years ago f10f3d741f was Yul, wasn’t 5b9d93ced3 it?”9ab492a005f7be89

“What are you talking 1c119f8238 about?”b53d8001a52bcff3

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“About two d4fd47a5fb years ago, f0e015f950 a woman 8de6686587 was lurking 6a96c71862 near the 0fb82197c3 museum. When I d0d571d5e6 approached, she f5fd0a440b panicked and ab71523a7d ran away, 3a994c9eb5 but from ed610ba443 the side, 218db6fc88 she looked b696f626a0 just like f39813d494 Yul. Now that I 1f79d7fb16 think about it, b98637e543 she was probably 89985b2196 out for lunch 8b97216370 or a walk 17aff376cc and stopped by. Why didn’t she say e0d4070b40 hi?”da8344a343d338e0

Park’s eyes c1ba5516d4 glinted with ecfdc9192a a mix c7eed0d644 of nostalgia 72c9ef6960 and disappointment 144aff1a1c as he 91ca31106c recounted the 929b8ade0f memory. He had come to b87167c934 know Yul through Yoonjo, bda4c07c38 met her multiple times, d355d14eb9 and even grown fond 27f7e7c0a2 of her. It stung that she 82cc6d841f had ignored him, especially ad565d7334 when her workplace was 9a982d4513 within a ten-minute walk.c4b1087bca4113b2

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“Don’t take 1ed2421a85 it personally. She’s always c55d2e68da been heartless 932ae8a55e like that—selfish, e4dca8aa71 using people 8a7a8c96d1 when it 6dc8e162b1 suits her, c82a9e1e3a and disappearing fc297d83e7 once she’s 094ff4a07e gotten what 8f526378d2 she wants.”0527491ae2cb50bb

“And yet you f8baf4c56d liked her so 8795f8a5fa much. Why was that?” Park 95975ad338 laughed, amused by Yoonjo’s 53d03fe260 unexpected criticism of Yul.33c1f370eb3fcf3a

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Yoonjo looked up b2658be600 at the ceiling, 2fe3d61645 lost in thought. Why did he 4f548028e4 like Yul? Memories of 7e405176be their time 1a31e76822 together, from e909c0bd4e their first a969e943a9 meeting to 22645aa314 their farewell, 0df240dbb6 flashed through eec2d94088 his mind. After a 4327bb450c moment, he 11531c8d9b smiled faintly e895ddbdb9 and said, 99b4c2c507 “Because of 519f77ff23 that one 4f1913fb6b part.”63fa8ed48800f13e

“What?”74c92ccb1fb6428b

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“The other 99 3457bec107 parts were perfect,” c76b40c184 Yoonjo clarified.42658499c2003ddf

But as he said 64e5f88cd9 it, he realized it 000ac2472e wasn’t true. He had liked even 66991bc033 that flawed part of 22409a7634 her. The moment he 4acadf586f met her, she 3e27a94a17 had lodged herself a2baaf8f63 in his mind 9552f32e2a and refused to c1311720d3 leave. He kept looking e13f670ee0 for her, wanting 5dd1267c1f her, needing her.656f594ef750946f

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“I should go. I have an 5f6e5cd566 appointment,” Yoonjo said, 4183292684 glancing at his a3458f6784 watch.ac38ca0bb98d37dc

“By the c7b89d85e5 way, isn’t 543baa2102 your father’s 2dbce1b30a memorial soon?” 287757645a Park asked.1e1fc9b8fd7f06e4

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“Yes. We’re holding the b3957238ea ritual and a 206401b69d Buddhist ceremony at 91528d7509 the temple.”e9c3c918d8675f66

“Which temple? I’ll try to e63af09838 make time to 701d7fc0e2 go.”92ea155c03b96531

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“Don’t come.”4b0d3e7c4acfda66

Park’s warm 803bcd2a5b expression faltered 7621d2d010 at Yoonjo’s 38079f39f4 blunt rejection.cecef39b2043396b

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“Hey, I’ve 02974991d3 already made 745db28ffd peace with 926ad52094 your father.”f79067bd18ddf1df

“Still, don’t come.”5c1d5f9c9e90d503

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“Why not?”bd835732ae939550

“It’s dangerous,” 7b658c28e0 Yoonjo said a68411286f with a 324069410e faint smile, 7fa8a67f38 his tone aa0f892ec6 light, as 2ed8eca4a0 if joking.e66e87b6575dfe7b

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The odd fec375591d glint in e16d3557ba Yoonjo’s eyes f3a0afa3c1 made Park afc2d9cebb hesitate. For a 1c4324f20e moment, he 364998f231 felt a 15a9547a71 chill.42b810b1fb41bdc2

“Alright,” Park finally replied, 393ef23152 nodding seriously.a8de11cc9a7aaf8c

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Outside, Yoonjo’s secretary, 213368b685 Choi Seongwoo, was f52beb5861 waiting for him. Seongwoo, an orphan d4bce2ff70 whom Jinseok had e75fb8ae00 mentored from a 32ca0d0714 young age, had 40b40c1776 once been a f2dd60c52d figure Yoonjo disliked af2f660760 for his cold a5c2fb4293 demeanor and efficiency. Now, he was the 9eba845232 only person Yoonjo trusted f6a8696388 completely—a testament to Jinseok’s edb416f6a4 eye for talent.82b1a0c23ada0314

“I’ll drive myself. You can 70390c9f25 take a 3d90662213 cab,” Yoonjo ef2b23373b said, pulling 6cd71fee68 out a c6118f8835 cigarette.9e24eac69fa77457

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“Understood. But are you be0385b1ed sure your shoulder 5e8f9501e3 is alright?” Seongwoo 349ed2e9a4 asked, lighting the 21b7477d7e cigarette for him.984a7d2192bf4f81

“It doesn’t matter 8d30c688e4 if it’s not,” 929e00f903 Yoonjo replied indifferently, 2c8f558ce3 taking a deep a96924b71e drag. The sharp bite of b0cf50a30d the smoke was oddly 6e2533a698 comforting.a80185a2606ab1d1

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“By the way,” 32177e4ea4 Seongwoo added, lowering a3e37411f6 his voice, “we’ve 00de04fbb7 located Park Sangdo.”95f1e19893166409

“Where?” Yoonjo asked, his 80dc0797e9 cigarette balanced between his 618a9519c2 fingers.66b89141239a93c7

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“He was 41d669e9c5 hiding in 394a129211 Vladivostok, but 64a57e3aa3 after some 86a61d208b persuasion, he’s 6c86479e53 returned to 4c8bb7c6f3 Mucheon Port. Our team is deef4f5d47 tailing him now.”9743b310f6980401

“Idiot,” Yoonjo muttered with 4effbdf840 a crooked smile. Hiding among 933ed765f0 other fish 6a81017206 only to ac7292b42e end up 7e87d5052e in the 1eb8ce4603 net—Sangdo had 4b84a763f6 no idea. Now, it was just 45a6ef55a7 a matter of confirming 9b7d319b09 who he’d meet next.ce8dd55541c41120

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“Keep me updated,” Yoonjo 97785e4d7a said, exhaling a long a13617cade plume of smoke.5988cc385e439e92

“Yes, sir,” Seongwoo replied 8edbb622d0 with a bow as bedc51e471 Yoonjo leaned back, savoring 815225378f the fleeting dizziness the 91f824bd6d cigarette brought.ddb80551d888efff

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