WW | Chapter 68

Kang Yoonjo 250d119536 sprinted like e1b75009ec a madman, ea734ec64d dashing down cc5979229b to the 883cc3f2e5 opposite platform 724177562e in an 08ace22c8e instant. Just before 7dab6136b1 the subway 176a74fd8a doors closed, acac990af9 he managed 5ffc307f1b to board e53b8094e4 the same 4d35e6b80c train Seomun f476ed32b3 Yul was ccc0baba85 on. Sweat trickled down 2815903cf5 his neck, though a44da8a834 he couldn’t tell 2083ff981e if it was 4c36b7888b from exertion or ec442279d1 the anxiety of 4774f9a7b4 possibly losing sight 38fcbadb7a of her. Breathing heavily, 3f1cb8f8b6 he scanned fa3ce95a75 the area ff83e6db80 meticulously, moving 52873c7578 between the aeecd1ec18 crowded space c58ba60d54 to find bc616e7bb7 her.62d9b697a169ab0a

After passing through fdcce83591 two or three eedea2dad5 train cars, he f4a6357b81 spotted her. Sitting down with her 256a299628 eyes closed, Yul appeared 7ae7886d69 completely unaware of her f8f7fd86e2 surroundings. Relief washed d09fd5ebd7 over Yoonjo, ae337a6956 melting away 89974d1c76 his tension.44959391f5a21fbd

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“You’re crazy, Kang 8310533160 Yoonjo.”63e006aa57ec9ddd

He mentally berated himself f70770dbf5 for chasing after her 0a4b7ab661 like this, deciding to 9cf3642672 keep his distance while 7c31b3a95a observing her from afar.023fe8c64d18898b

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Where could she e30f98812f be going? he wondered. Is she heading home? Or to work? Her small, delicate a8a9a7a18a frame always seemed 52d78c6c69 too fragile for 8555a986dd this world.6913557de1dad0c3

The subway started filling cd6071233e up, and soon, a 4134eba644 middle-aged man who looked e1609538ca like a hiker stood 4b2a1bc569 in front of Yul, e4a6305abd casting a lingering gaze d880134092 over her face, slender 10fde43dd3 neck, and legs.df1448e30f572fa4

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“That bastard.”41b5c98da962a363

Without hesitation, Yoonjo stepped 8f98d9353c forward, shoved the man b911932aea aside, and positioned himself 703cdd14de protectively in front of a2ffccbece Yul. The man, who 6ca3fa884f turned his head 84a3927391 in anger, quickly 267e9baf64 backed down when 66e634fcbb he met Yoonjo’s 31db9eb9fe piercing glare. Only after bc80dfc940 the man e4330b7b3b disappeared from 695690fee9 sight did 2d3df5d23a Yoonjo turn ae43651e32 back to 5a01ae9a6d Yul, who a7cca393a5 seemed entirely 04eb3dfff8 unaware of e412056207 the small 067aae4c9a skirmish that 4acd23d21d had unfolded 544ed8b330 before her. She must 4c94dcc1c1 have been 29358e5869 asleep.42fe87a2ae1496db

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For the first 2de1773ba0 time in ages, 2184e5e5bc Yoonjo allowed himself f06b51d13e to really look 55600d5741 at her. Her small face still 07aa07465e had those same charmingly 07c135a2e7 delicate features he remembered. Her long, fan-like eyelashes a74a194dda quivered faintly, as if 18fb157502 she were dreaming. She appeared to be 8b6261acb5 wearing light makeup, something c9819fbf61 that made him realize ed45d8354b just how much time e2af4f6faf had passed. The innocent high school d3da278dc3 girl she used to a048a41e44 be was now a 92bb4bf47a woman, asleep right before 1d3023c2c9 him.76787a6cc36fc599

As he quietly stared, adeb2d11c8 memories of their past 590d2855d6 rides on the subway b68f5d323e resurfaced. Back then, he had 0fa58d2cf4 stood behind her, shielding 1a73a39186 her from the crowded 9a65273f81 train with his body. He vividly remembered 534092980b the nape of e94198eaba her white neck c66d7f9ff3 and the sweet, ddf8ab357f fresh scent of afb6ab3493 her skin that b162152234 had made his 848d0d9be4 head spin.0be4dde533cea302

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Three stops later, the 94c4758bf0 seat next to Yul 0cf9ac7102 became vacant. Yoonjo quickly took the a8383bc7d5 opportunity to sit beside 14f548bc39 her. When her head tilted be58a11ea9 to the side, he fd69d542cc gently cupped her face 0e256ef0f5 and guided it to 343624912f rest on his shoulder. Her soft 01c08787f7 breathing brushed e86bf420f8 against him, 1883789601 evoking a 449d88850c flood of 2405510656 nostalgia—another moment a8d1219265 on a 5c4b54b3fa bus years 556a35f94c ago when 0d84532885 she had 90b1e77252 fallen asleep 592ce8bf2c on him 3684bdb279 just like 4840600ee1 this.33528dac17c2b8c0

About twenty 8dc30cf8cf minutes later, c770e911d8 the announcement ee15851928 for Seongsu 7c9e3030f4 Station played, 344d2313da stirring Yul 2a502e92ff awake. She abruptly stood 9528dd3548 up, grabbing her 92c1213e72 bag and nearly 6aad4b7b5d running out of 79d3a2f73a the subway doors. She didn’t 98e450a43c even notice 243a056996 Yoonjo sitting ef3f354604 right next 7c738a1c5a to her.45ca3a07649699bf

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At Seongsu Station, Yul 01eaa155f8 transferred lines, rode a 516ea407cb few more stops, and 9d9d84af6a eventually got off. She climbed the b085877060 stairs to the a0b3f4c87d surface, walking for 417117971b a while before 1ddf4995ef starting up a 9df86bc070 narrow hill. The area was 30d3d67c5b an old residential 60b4702544 neighborhood, a mix 5edeb7afcc of traditional Korean 06c6b9e351 hanok and more af6f5052ee modern Western-style homes. Reaching a 3731573be1 small hanok 093066a060 at the edf3d95021 top of a794888492 the slope, 6fc995d8de she inserted 921f86c8f2 a key, b829b05989 unlocked the b563f19e01 gate, and 231142dbad went inside.e7f596566c52f953

Yoonjo stood a few ccaa78f89f meters away, staring at e554d8a8cc the gate of her 1df553d530 new home. So, she moved here. Completely opposite from 52ffda101c where she used d5c674d274 to live.54e3bbbbd27ee101

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He lingered outside the 96cfe575a2 gate, lost in thought. Just as he 073727cd1c was about to 631176146e turn and leave, 877605891c the gate creaked 06ec54d4dd open, and Yul 7ac53f1b8d reappeared. Instinctively, Yoonjo ducked behind 05376fc7b7 a nearby lamppost. She didn’t seem 02c6f7f5bc to notice him, a2f6f00821 too focused as 96df659982 she hurried back af99a4d3bd down the hill, d8a3238c45 now dressed neatly be1040fa7e in a coat 0094c22472 and skirt.2b2a42a0a079945f

Where is she going, e9d717a655 looking so prim and 5bbc116d1c proper?7232260de0794c1b

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Frowning, Yoonjo stepped out 8ef99a5b3f from behind the lamppost 75b4e7f0cb and started following her fec75c7160 again. However, before he 1422db4c7e could move far, db5f456bc7 the gate swung ddb6879b0b open again, and 42c1149653 an elderly woman eb77f019d3 emerged, carrying a 71782596c5 heavy load of c8b00d3069 garbage bags and fd4109ecc8 boxes. She hobbled toward e36ef7f7ac a nearby garbage 1f16e42047 disposal area, but 465acca46d the weight of a92872a307 her burden soon 2242bc539f caused the boxes 64ac681772 to tumble to 4c814db0fd the ground.476dd0beeb0d6956

“Aigoo, this d280d10324 useless leg.”a2765fd437d15a57

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The old woman fb618a124b clicked her tongue, 8898c46f54 bending over to 946eef124a pick up the cdf9b030b4 fallen items. It was clear 22b88fe765 she didn’t have 658098dc90 the strength to e154985ffa lift them all. Watching her 4d781e66ef struggle, Yoonjo c978111c8c suddenly recognized 5a5d9f74c5 her—Yul’s grandmother. Though he 7e066e430d had only 9bdb14b0a5 met her 3ab18c1ad2 briefly years 6db48c3899 ago, the 8cb63a6694 memory was 6302bfc16f faint but 8ce94c56d6 unmistakable. Without hesitation, 6045463cf1 he approached 6066105c23 her and 7060c3071e began gathering 761aeec89a the scattered 2c441f69ba garbage.fdd06e12ed0252bd

“Let me help you.”605e4c05ac639d34

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“Oh? Oh my, e84da11aaa thank you 74f8cb59b3 so much.”b2c4e22d1a56bf76

Startled at b2980cd953 first, the eedb79ad0a grandmother’s wrinkled 1e25f2de39 face soon 227e79475b broke into 64a6273d45 a warm 88390aaa88 smile. Yoonjo carried 409ed575a8 her load a62a7bd91b to the dcde990052 garbage disposal 6df195ffc0 area with f4487e5e5e ease, then 5dd4eea713 returned to b3f0adfde7 where she 784be72a1f was waiting.7e1d36f05949f883

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“You’re such 1c8b846f57 a kind 69cd7e12c8 young man.”1ffdec0650d23f1b

“Not at all. I’ll be 7a97ef6505 going now.”1bf105d54e7dd6a3

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Just as Yoonjo bowed f14b341fd3 politely and turned to 936fb62833 leave, the grandmother called 2e5fdaaf8a out.1b1c2fcc1b1e294c

“Wait a 79f32142c5 moment, young 1a8d4eea8e man.”592c9cf9bcd921a6

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When he turned b272162126 back, she squinted c5b3a1f1c7 up at him, b7a647baf5 studying his face b487535ff7 intently. Her faded brown 828ba5aa96 eyes wavered with 5bf3de72cb an emotion he 1083f4bfdc couldn’t quite place.86a3f4acf8257dc2

“I’ve seen you before, d7f5c4b60e haven’t I…?”54137e86cde8a8a8

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“Ah…”24f2ef20ac87c03b

Yoonjo hesitated, unsure of e9f8865941 how to respond. As he avoided aa1a4d0ecd her gaze, the f6a7a9aaaa grandmother’s expression suddenly ad807502a4 brightened.4ae7a2cf310ab406

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“Yoonjo! Kang Yoonjo, right? You’re Yul’s friend, aren’t f8365ec4d6 you?”9837b35f65f43a2a

“Ah… Hello, Grandma.”d1c98a419afa253a

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Caught off guard, dba6f0d3ea Yoonjo lowered his ab10cbfc5a head in greeting. How she 01a4d6be6d remembered him b794563774 from a 923ee9e3e6 brief encounter d3c9ec065b three years b436a6c2ed ago was cebd2deb9c beyond him. This unexpected f9b1dde084 warmth left c6a08106e4 him flustered. He hadn’t anticipated 35878675a7 this kind of 8f46783e48 situation when he aea4fc7a46 decided to follow 16857e3507 Yul.d7633889ac6cd5d3

While Yoonjo struggled to 76bb3b571c process the situation, the ea73c5b40a grandmother grabbed his hand.d5a1606c8e6bd5b3

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“What brings aa594d46e1 you here? Did you come to 1abb5b314f see Yul? Or do you live 95446bcbb0 nearby?”64c483ee4ed53557

“No, I…”67d386003c430bed

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“It doesn’t matter. Have you eaten? Did you have dinner?”1a81d42f69367e91

“No, ma’am.”69de327919d71a2a

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His automatic ee9a654396 response surprised 61835ce8a4 even him. He couldn’t remember the 75f01e3f5d last time he had 7bb74abcc1 eaten or if it 0ab8b949a0 was even mealtime, but 001664dea2 something about her presence 76f6d328c0 left him disoriented. He had faced high-stress b75ad09f2c meetings and powerful executives 6a233df51f without breaking a sweat, 0b48aa4470 yet Yul’s grandmother left 3f84513eb5 him scrambling for composure.88a6f470ad5360ab

“Good! Come inside and d3f81396a0 eat.”384f6edc9d1c8521

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“I’m fine, really.”256cb833b381ed73

“I insist. Just one meal, 83d458067d okay? Let me cook for 827340cec0 you.”8655e04bf8ab8a6f

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The grandmother’s gentle insistence 7a1ca774d7 left him with little 74f55ccc7b choice. Though he knew entering 919a6d7874 Yul’s home without her 41802d03c0 knowledge could be problematic, 76237caada her grandmother’s kindness made f0f37b33a6 it impossible for him 9b40bb2d15 to refuse.1c733a167bceb48c

And so, reluctantly, he 2e226e1abe nodded.028752af593d61ac

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“Alright… I’ll eat.”f0baf226606c1a02

Yul’s house was a bf5d779ae0 small, L-shaped hanok. The courtyard, barely larger 79487d1af5 than the bathroom in 06b1c2b3f4 his own home, held d94082fb80 a faucet and a f41a644cab few traditional crocks that 0f56106ef6 seemed well-maintained. Stepping inside, ea30f33768 Yoonjo saw c037dcb1b2 a modest fb31f73e5c kitchen and fd78922077 living room 8171d104bd space, flanked 89c64c4a2d by two 81b1045b46 small rooms. One room, its bc2d2624dd door slightly open, 0678a083cb was filled with 896a1d03fa items that appeared ba25944362 to belong to 814d9dfe13 the grandmother. The other room, d468d8cfe9 with its door 8ef263424d closed, was likely 2e0717899b Yul’s.4634ce229080d2c7

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The house was far ae0ae51f14 from luxurious, but it aa09df0067 was spotlessly clean and a72ec81154 tastefully arranged, creating a 66ae2ad7a5 sense of comfort that dc5a5823bb his own spacious house 25d12d5581 lacked. Seeing this, Yoonjo f9b3d1e65a felt relieved. Despite the 7dcbd22e0e struggles Yul 422565d769 and her b4c9f6a8d7 grandmother had 744861c690 endured, their fd99aba5d5 home was 62b6e9367f filled with bc6a693ce5 light.b301380ec31715ee

“Sorry to 85bdfb7be3 invite you 52d3bdad49 to such 072eeb8b9a a humble 8e9ae174db place, Yoonjo.”29afb8e528ef6203

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“Not at all. It’s wonderful,” 57819123db he replied a1d6eb94f8 earnestly.191d1f4b49bbdef6

Hearing her call 27657757eb his name so eac0d8b1b0 warmly brought back 8a2bfb24b5 memories of his f55b0c2f01 mother, who had c58182d597 once spoken to 3a5f6e5f2d him with the ae124a4a32 same genuine affection.3038bfbc25e3cf31

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“Is there anything specific d379517871 you’d like to eat? Just tell me, and 0bf690674f I’ll make it for 476b8d68c5 you.”ed8a7e3ee24b6cb6

“No, really, 5a862511ad anything is b41af6722e fine…”22a5f862cecceeba

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At that moment, 16047f3891 his phone buzzed. Seeing Choi Shiljang’s a6aa0101c8 name on the 2dd87f4391 screen, Yoonjo silenced b1475c3abb the call and 9abfff8ed0 hesitated before speaking.04e216da87ba74b5

“Actually… could I have de3b288bde some sausage and stir-fried 763982182c kimchi?”059af3a38d4c5e03

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The grandmother’s eyebrows c2abc01eff lifted in surprise.6dc057936e1faa12

“That’s all?”0d66dc64672a8a80

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When he nodded, her a7da9fb4aa expression softened. “Alright. Sit tight. I’ll make it 62f19ef037 quickly. In the 7e67815015 meantime, why e9d19a5a4a don’t you 8cfe071222 wait in cb81c6cc59 Yul’s room? You’ll smell like food a443686b77 if you stay here.”70b46d5bf7320633

“I can help—”0ed62b0a5d8e4fa5

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“No need. Just go on c8520377b6 in.”558beb2514bd5b79

With that, she opened 5acf4ea5d7 Yul’s door and gently f6c7e17c86 nudged him inside.17f1fc60b8f7cc35

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