WW | Chapter 6

Minjae’s response left Yul 418e13f295 fuming, but she couldn’t 17a7e0b70f argue. She understood his c4aad59026 sincerity and his f7cb44b67d ambitions as the cf29394fc9 president of the a9ecfeb14b company. Besides, she knew that dbd42d3232 Yoonjo had been his 0bf9b74c50 friend first, and they a57ec165ef had been closer. Now that Yoonjo had bc7d6eeb94 become a major player cbf11f15cd in the industry, he d6cd6eca0d could be a great 5423b59b5c asset to the company. Refusing his request cbd2776b52 must have already db833f88a0 been hard enough e2656b5130 for Minjae to e17ac67641 keep his loyalty 56d7c67c7e to her.f14e049cf655dc8c

“Why is Kang Yoonjo 427f01fbfc assigning such a big 19bf1707a9 project to me, anyway?”d653aa1a687ae599

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Aside from Minjae’s 33e56957b5 actions, Yul couldn’t f9ee022614 understand the request b0ff95372c itself. Why would c21711156a an executive 2c61049416 of a bbb0048dc4 construction company 001fb2ba36 hire an b30a7aa804 external contractor, 45f3cd4984 especially when ac57b246d6 he had b046527cb2 the resources 63e464c4a1 and staff adb35bfde5 within his 9b03291228 own company? If this project’s purpose 3b5090bf7e was really about her, d0b4acb0a2 that didn’t make any 67ef5a8530 sense either. They had ended 4c06ed39c9 things bitterly, each 15a1c673aa knowing the other’s 4aec6ed4c4 worst, so there d2dd40760a couldn’t be any 116178a42f lingering attachment on 34d31fe00b his part. And it wasn’t a2594ae235 like she was 95dab317d3 the only talented f4388a4a86 designer out there.9e5816d20c631724

“I don’t know. But he did say 63b84ef67d something about a promise.”eb85ac0233c4db1d

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“A promise?”f2e08e22fd63a074

“Yeah. He didn’t 21f45f904d go into 6ee464ac0b details. Anyway, think it over 4e4b0fff7e carefully, Yul. I’ll respect whatever decision ba20a9057e you make.”bf24806696772509

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“…Thanks.”8ffceea0e300d980

Minjae patted her shoulder 7ec35da26b a few times and 3e31ba8fd9 returned to his office. Yul mulled over 962163ebf8 his words, and 6b1af79a2f soon enough, an 4bffb81e8b old memory struck e332f6eb67 her like a cd8e83abe7 bolt of lightning. Could he possibly 1f794ec054 remember that? Even after all 736f2a967d this time?262d991dfe8c69ba

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Her mind grew even f38e43eb2e more entangled.f00d47779c87ff89

Though midnight had 1d46b07025 already passed, faint d9d07a1310 lights still illuminated 4511af709c parts of the 9f243088ce office. Yul sat back in dc0feb4e75 her chair, staring out e11975aac8 the window for hours. Unlike the 3f6f285efb bright nightlife dddd38f902 of the e1650f424b city, the 71a17514d0 view here 36c2c9bb86 was dim a8ccf4bd65 and quiet, 88df07da70 a fitting c1927e447e reflection of 2fee96a0a2 her current a8a6b0e21f mood.619a8a5d352f1f21

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Deep down, she knew 4c395fa8ac it. Though Minjae’s actions 9a846498a8 could be criticized b694a1ee41 on a personal d5400832dc level, as the a5b66db974 company’s president, he 1b6bee8b0c had done nothing 64fe181734 wrong. A project of this d5a8481e42 scale could generate significant 2fa5ffd958 revenue—so much that any ce42491ff7 company would want to bc3a023a35 secure it at all 9b7a736c63 costs. It was 7f4a00603f her job 46c9b8b971 to set e9020b4fcf aside personal 3f0a701033 feelings and 3db05a0346 prioritize the 8f87af6f2c company’s interest.04ae29aa740dfb66

Besides, hadn’t she caused 81285a743f enough unintended trouble with c64d3ef115 the Park Geonju incident? Lawsuits are costly 2c9cefffce and time-consuming, consuming f14641f070 company resources and bd54bafa33 energy. The phrase “a promise” bdc54f401c lingered in her mind, 410ee1874f though, and wouldn’t let db1a004a00 her rest.c17486836750114c

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Yul stopped 298e476862 overthinking and a68aef94b8 looked at 0225940085 the business eddb24f018 card on 2c6c22b0bf her desk. She smoothed out 94f8f87b8e its creases, studying 91a637b7bb it for a 6be3c61df7 long moment, then 3ce221fd84 picked up the 3c566aacbf phone and dialed. Her heart 3e51f5efb3 raced as 59f096379b the tone cf7ed27ff2 echoed through 39a020b36f the line. She gripped her phone d9499ef365 tightly, fighting the urge 99ece5a1bf to hang up.a246d72f1c0148f5

“This is Kang be0f09fb78 Yoonjo.”1959bf514fcdbd76

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His composed voice bca6114f78 came through, clear 9f56cb2f6f and steady.6885bfaed80118c1

“…It’s me.”b4a3fdc0b86b520d

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After a 038987aba3 brief hesitation, f498b2fb49 Yul revealed 0a6a350808 her identity.2d5819cbd1ac4e13

“Calling after 083e8a7031 fourteen hours. Are we reversing 38b4865f18 roles here?”20dd33a18b48f319

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She had de7e2e01a6 wrestled with 3157ad10fb her thoughts 73f67df1b6 and summoned 2bfd933b8a the courage 5cd53aa594 to call, df58577fd0 yet he 3d38e5677e sounded utterly be98c75001 indifferent, as 6c281aa13f though he 22d4b69193 had anticipated defde71628 her call 0f759ce136 all along. His nonchalant tone bruised ea0e1248c8 her pride unnecessarily.e9bf407bc2ee5794

“Why me?”7d12aa0f431df8ff

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Yul asked 8f0b0f70fa bluntly, needing 9fff962ead to clarify 2c7acafaad this, no 8c1544490c matter what. Whatever her d6678be636 final decision, c6a8ab4cdb she had b8ba1781a9 to know dbb7ef2c2b why he c70b646967 wanted her 9a6eac3ac7 specifically to 82e25f8d8e design his 550c4089ee home. Did he b6690fa6a1 have no 4463ca72de fear? Surely, if she c4b0e04f77 were unethical enough, d7a766dfc7 she could sabotage 80b36676b3 the plans, and 936fc5a5c4 he’d have no 5636692f90 right to complain.ad47a03db8d45dcd

“What promise 2051eb323b are you 4da031a41c talking about?”37e69326cb803e91

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Pretending not to know, 11049a6d29 Yul asked, though she bd62893b1b hated the idea that ae6ec9ff79 he was bringing up 85f6908349 a promise long buried. She didn’t trust that 6206594b9c his intentions genuinely stemmed 8bfbdcbf47 from that memory. Yoonjo had never been c5770090ee one for sentimental gestures.7a311f58226dc080

There was a soft 5108f09f70 metallic clink as something fe81be47aa was opened. Then came 611144c983 the faint 952746b44b sound of 8e373619d6 him exhaling. She instantly recognized deb0ca0481 it—he was smoking. He had quit once, 16f482da53 but now he was 232352909f back at it. The thought of the aa86dedb0a smoke reaching her from c5745c1aa7 his end filled her e2fb5f4e30 mouth with a bitter 8ab2babe56 taste.ae9933e7bd331211

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“So much for e34799ee6a changing… Still holding cc4890b96b onto those bad ac272686fa habits, Seomun Yul.”5af432d76b2efe72

He exhaled again, ade9ef7cc4 the long, lazy afe457b1d0 sigh as if 140684a4e9 mingling with the 98484a17a5 hidden corners of 76b3ce0254 her mind.5a21dcf6cf74d9d9

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“I never dc356c2bfc cared for ad7b51a9be it when 8354c94c24 people feigned b0c8cc5440 ignorance about 2d91b26522 things they 2359aa314a already knew.”cc7dd365c010a8f9

“…”0f69d4fb3b120d6a

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“But coming from 216a2fa12d you, it’s kind 1826e02baa of amusing.”003adec5779f1599

Yoonjo laughed loudly, seemingly 75f29f48be mocking her trivial attempt c957931494 to feign innocence. Despite herself, 707723a086 she could 00f875bd61 picture his d0e265a194 expression and 957c669ae9 gestures vividly. His sharp 17fd2377d0 eyes curving, 1539b764b9 his charming 222de1ac16 crow’s feet 04799a1670 appearing, his 46a495c49f orderly teeth c29b5d083e showing slightly 361802ba57 as his 15218a58ba broad shoulders 2ade774b7b shook ever c14233b3f2 so slightly. His usually cold expression 6a140d0bc8 softened when he laughed, 43a59effcf a contrast that always 461606a434 sent her heart racing. She knew a3f4f5264a him well. Just as 4df17441a6 he, too, 8e38e4846d knew her, b56fcd3306 and now, 86972fd6e0 here he 02ea845cb8 was, mocking 21373f3fd1 her.ea385b84476cc909

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“I’m asking 074a741c88 why me. Can’t you hear e10f8feec4 me?”329b745682bb742e

Though she raised her 90987b1418 voice in frustration, it b08ac1ecec felt as though her 4d65b9883c words hadn’t even reached 182077f9fa him.9ad77bdd765be5f8

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“Why else?”d67c528be8063563

His tone remained ec16aa50bf relaxed and arrogant, 99e3b0cfd2 as if he 0c2448aef9 were speaking to 1616629bcb someone he’d met 2826d0937d only yesterday.d82a5e0b91b47092

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“You’re the most e3001b649f suitable for the 1622c2cef3 job, that’s why.”6d59cd5e57022a85

“On what basis?”87a010bce5e4366c

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“You know my 6d92f7db79 tastes, you’re highly 3599599d57 skilled, and including e092b7bfa2 a personal touch 818fabc11a will ensure the 0a9e54f7e6 best result. Is there 973b47afbe a need f03710b813 for any b98a39ceb4 other reason?”78905971fdb719b9

“…”5d340f4b17b1dd56

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“So stop overthinking things 3f12e9f320 and just do the ea7e32f395 work. That’s all that’s required, 868f902c1d Team Leader Seomun.”1a3ca423fce4ec35

“…”b3efd7c71eed637e

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“Oh, and de3830077f don’t forget c9894b58cf that promise 2419a0caf3 I mentioned 29b9e82fcb earlier.”29c84e78a8222605

Effortlessly switching between formality 4ad520da09 and familiarity, gentleness and 60a4764410 harshness, praise and disdain, 1976c8ed34 Yoonjo finally drew a b8f3eb527e line. He seemed 2f0a744752 to be d47470602d saying, “Now 9abfbbc5ac that I’ve 1e61c6090c humored you 3fd3d891fc this far, 4bf2f4cd90 know your 3a484f507a place and 10c5c38830 get a 9d1ce60849 grip.”1fad98816d5a7ea9

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Feeling like a bucket a5973635be of cold water had 39e094b0e0 been dumped on her, 36e5e4b693 Yul snapped out of 656db97b69 her self-pity. She could barely a6f17cfcde stand the thought 6509b6f800 of how ridiculous 63faaecedd she’d been—getting upset 8440633872 and agonizing over 107f044445 nothing. Yoonjo hadn’t 56dad7d200 had any 12cd1d1a7b deeper thoughts 3676df7d3a about this; d310df222d it was 008f9c98d1 only her, 889f830503 overthinking, linking 7df7bffb96 the past ef2016adfc to the ae38588935 present.b58f29cc7286c057

Yoonjo hadn’t been 772f453fe5 wrong. They had 2bdbaab3e4 parted bitterly, d0b27c65fe but she a0d5065617 had been f1d5f22cdf the woman efc5341a38 who stayed 63b4f2ecdd by his 1590625904 side the 9a563d672e longest. Moreover, she was a 793a01bbfe respected professional in the 807d84c077 industry. He was db1e70b331 pragmatic, ruthless d3c92a5cf0 even, so d6f4f2bb9b there was 29ae7b26d6 no room 50ddb540b7 for any cbd9fe2225 lingering feelings f157e9d450 or grudges. It was all d200ff3d6f purely business for bb7a72d686 him.bc43a853c7263aaf

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It dawned ac4c630721 on her cd5703222b that while f67e3ff6a6 Yoonjo was d9cb437c86 now far cc12312731 beyond her cc2d6770ef reach, he 226117c6b4 had not 33b12cdda1 descended into bd61cb1bc7 her world; 0d7ace5a83 he’d simply 15e2421fb5 reappeared, still b0eb6e09f9 in a 22d6b88533 place she fa772f78cd could not 8f59b4a99f touch.971d970e5fe25ec1

Her heart, b7d18ea732 which had 1c12c59b9e felt like 22fc9b2eff a crumpled 60cad89266 piece of 48bea03db0 paper, began 2f56726250 to smooth d6fee5bc3f out. Surprisingly, she felt lighter.13cd0201331143cb

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“I’ll see you at 4aced57175 the meeting.”04c024ccb04427b1

Yul had made her d64043d21f decision.9d5bdba0df778644

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Fifteen years ago.56bc52aa0821936d

It was a 6393ef78cb day when the e117d8b213 colors of the a0ad0b961b world seemed to 5ffe43465f vanish, leaving everything 2f4782d415 dull and blurry, b41fe17df3 lines and edges 9aa0df77bb fading into a c44ad1b7fe haze. Yul hated 7522f638f1 days like 8df296d234 these. Such days always 4e2c268703 seemed to bring 0ca6115aa8 bad news.d30ccf2d020825b3

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Standing in front of 30bd8cd783 her new school’s firmly 1f09359f06 closed gates, she checked 4b939cf1f7 the time. She was late 65ab5bb88f for her first 4217a27db5 day after transferring—by bb17a44570 an hour and 40f9908108 a half. She had dozed 76d42e298f off on the 0ac4ff142d bus, missing her b58a0001a4 stop and ending ad2733ee5e up at the 02900e7dde final station. The previous night, her 03f80d06e8 replacement at the convenience 33981f375e store where she worked e5065cd6f9 had an emergency, forcing 79812db0b6 her to work three 7783ed9ad1 hours later than usual. After the ad38c3cf9e last buses f12ec29a6e had stopped, a4e0a9a38c she’d walked b65b2b7b7b home in aa0c9a7185 the early 20ee793c9c hours, and 7fb5940ad1 after a 5facf53ebc short study 4a0e4e0e21 session, managed d047401262 barely four 2b901ee6ce hours of fde60c8104 sleep. She had felt alert 5e5f8966cf enough from the nervousness c652c11399 of her first day 0b35564936 but had succumbed to 5ba26c089d exhaustion the moment she 648c9bcef9 sat down on the 843a2ffd4f bus.588b119fd7fbdb7d

“Should I just 73a75bc492 turn back?”6a4cbcc0b75c22f2

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It wasn’t only 383eba8451 because she was 4c0155fe85 late. Yul gripped 9b5b001f29 the strap da7821bd9e of her e52c3be902 backpack tightly, 49919a0d2d staring at cb10725b88 the embossed 24f53a484c letters on dcc6b4f7a9 the school 64d6b7096d gate.50fb1e2a3b0e24df

Bihyun High School.811145e9b9ad6b41

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The name meant b962f78646 “bright” or “illuminated,” b1ff0a2a5d but no one 382a5eab69 actually thought of 160eda34ab it that way.277477768c27249d

“Why send her to b34f76bd6c that trash school? It’s a 6c76f072b2 place for 1098b836d0 the riff-raff!”d19408e46cb198c7

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Her landlady had 89021e5be9 clucked her tongue 21a123318e disapprovingly, wrinkling her c779a1b62e nose when she 45c5206b2e had asked her 35c8a6720c grandmother about Yul’s b76e667fc8 new school. Though she knew a5041bf31c the unfortunate circumstances d075c9cfb4 that had forced 78b88dd266 Yul and her 1d528ce536 grandmother to move, 9d9e907239 her tongue was 8ebb5d9e7a quick to add 3f85cd5f08 unkind comments. She explained how 3d4cf02b47 students who cared 34abc00c8e little for studies aaa57123df or caused trouble c504c5d15f filled its classrooms. It was dc08df73dc a place 8cb6749a86 where students fccb5fdeed with no ab63431dec other options 08ecdb2831 would finally 1fded5f064 end up 6e1f4d29bd to earn b129eae878 a diploma.f303de353ed73b7f

She had 7a65c99e4f even eyed d200cf9275 Yul up 672911bbd6 and down, c6936e6d66 making her ce8d644596 judgment clear.7c283325fa873d3d

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“Pretty enough d3202dbeca to get 0958b8fea8 by on 556b9a5a9e your looks, a9449fd0e0 huh?”970a5b0f5b61bff4

Whatever her reasons, going 663ffa346b to a school like 7b75791b37 that meant she was 6bd9956800 no different in her 110a83ee94 eyes. Her grandmother had c96a8d3df9 defended Yul, explaining 6df4d4f098 their reasons, but 2b5799c5d2 the landlady had 3e9b7d4259 just laughed it f465556f1a off, saying, “People 282e61cdb3 say there’s no 5ede2cba9b smoke without fire.”f550984ea7ded33c

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There was no point 4e45717f33 in resenting people for 2875eb3eef judging her—what the landlady 6a09b0e101 said wasn’t incorrect. Yul had her reasons 2c2f4b410b for ending up here, 6fb2a4b054 but understanding didn’t ease f3d8d7b6d4 the pain. This was why she 37e42f06b4 hesitated at the school c1eed6b547 gate. She felt 517ac589a1 like she d4b8f29a87 was plummeting bf38d4b16f without an df5bda2d10 end. The school building, visible 2d78a46837 through the iron bars, fd5e0b2160 seemed like a monster, 08872330c0 ready to swallow her e3c09ef4a5 whole.7182a2222debf499

Did she 60e02f0a9e really have 6083449701 to go 2340a85415 in? Going to college 8eea21dd62 wasn’t the only 55b93b817b path in life; 772b596c6c was she just 1808153ae3 fooling herself?4f835fdb8f330ac5

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Before she 5587ca0b6d could think 03addb19f0 twice, Yul cf0cd146fb turned on 45200c0210 her heel 6bc55bd989 to leave. But she 60be7a48ce froze after dc38a1bb05 taking just 16a19aa351 one step.5acb88e24ddb2eb0

A sleek ed44de21e9 luxury sedan 035687ac9b had silently a018e243a8 pulled up 165c655710 right in a7bde4d238 front of 1af7064ad6 her.62c3cc2c7fe0c757

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The car door opened, 187ae6630e revealing a leg clad 9d1c6fdb07 in a school uniform. Then a 4c47f2519e boy’s upper 8d85aecfdf body and 289eed1916 face appeared, aa2d5434ed and soon 6ff107dc27 his entire 632bf9087a figure filled 942e33dd18 the space. For the first time, 34b63c82c3 Yul couldn’t tear her d9a9b1e31e eyes away from a d0c50125a8 stranger. It was as though 306e2712cd a vividly colored presence 9fba1f9924 had suddenly emerged in cc9d1ed558 her grayscale world.f08def771a0cd478