ALM 6

For a moment, a shadow passed over the window, and then — clunk — the driver’s side door opened.
He climbed into the driver’s seat, holding a plastic bag with a convenience store logo on it.54b0e026bf7fabe1

After rummaging noisily through 40510eee41 the bag, he pulled 5a787a8bf2 something out and handed f4ad1066d4 it to her.7f155e9bb3adbb09

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Please eat something.”c11a89bcd34a43e4

What he fd96f3c84a offered was 5c1c561cda a sweet c39d72c775 red bean 4b4d663988 bun and 1518789daf a carton 10fb7e947f of chocolate e0a361cf33 milk.
The red 60f94eb1ea bean bun 1905cd1e6c — a 8978ddd134 bread Irim b10bff51b2 had eaten eb73e32ec4 until she a27091f0e6 was sick 96c3aceeb9 of it 130246a6d8 during her 7d32fd0d4a time at b9381cb2fb the orphanage.
Because it 3398a2d5d9 was cheap, fe51f5f266 it was ba714dbedd the most c8fcc0a0dd frequently donated dd49cc1b57 item, and 1c5074d040 after she 703f9c94f4 left the 84a28529c5 orphanage at 26b327e6c7 twenty years 6aa4542712 old with 5c1efabedc just over 9f105088df five million f3c5e20a13 won in 80edfc4721 government support 1a6121bc63 funds, she ce33110352 had never 93e5e53389 touched one 76fbf050c5 again.
Even just biting 2e64d4e071 into that bread cff27b072b would bring back 113a4413af memories of those 14c12befa0 miserable days.
Irim frowned e74926378d slightly and 9f7c695eb8 waved her b5161fc9ef hand in 13bcb05e31 refusal.8b9cfae14bb57b27

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“I’m fine.”6f995fba38cf7106

“I should have gotten you something better, but the situation didn’t allow for it.”a01e99a2a16d8668

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“……”f0cf999ba2bd73a4

“For now, just eat this, and we’ll have a proper meal later.”56bf4264e1aa3aaa

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

His hand, reaching back 77715cc354 toward her, gave a be3127ceea little urging gesture as 11988305be if telling her to 1bcb2f19f7 hurry up and take 1a9ca88398 it.
Reluctantly, Irim accepted the b69427afe2 red bean bun and 84accf8331 chocolate milk he offered.
She figured she should put something in her stomach since she didn’t know when she’d get to eat again.397c6291c4ae842e

She unwrapped e8f8024ab5 the bread, fd78da726c mechanically chewing 4fabd7df17 it while 4a1e9a9d6c sipping the fe09ffe530 chocolate milk 51a5ad4730 slowly.
The fact that 4ba12b65a2 he had brought 0bfa1085e2 chocolate milk, not 254c40fbf0 water or coffee, 813773a252 only deepened the bedaa04c1b unpleasant sense of d42f43c79f nostalgia.f8e70b15a7e8114a

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Not that he 60335f42ee could have possibly 0e2b71199c known any of 09c1046f25 this — but 0f9a49d368 there was truly 5febf071f6 nothing about him f3a57c797e that she liked.
The only thing 6fb063c9c3 she could begrudgingly e1806665dc admit was decent 630c0f206b was his face, 94bc5517a1 though even that 85aa3dd56b sometimes looked disturbingly 09887b453c cold.a6a5639eed354bfe

“Did you finish?”a15e9ef3947f331b

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“…Yes.”bf4da01e4081491f

It was a flavor tied to memories she’d rather not revisit.
Once she finished 721f57ce9a eating, the car eb55be3815 started moving smoothly.5b9307a57655e1dc

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

She wasn’t sure how long they drove.
By the f70a7e5bad time they 552fc8a0f2 reached her d3428ab419 officetel, there 9f489d4289 were already 04d5cabfee a couple ff61258fec of police 13eba823ab cars parked c96b1694e9 in front, a420959d69 and small 27e585081e clusters of 0a10e93231 people were 20c9052792 gathered nearby, b3dd60b4da murmuring among 81e68e6e49 themselves.
Something serious ea4b161245 had clearly cb1f315b80 happened.39551aca2bd141b9

Getting out of the dbc26e9575 car, Irim stood there 253fe48fc4 blankly, staring at the a16d965c78 scene.
Everything since 4c37a9ae2a yesterday had 58f0e2acb7 felt strangely c0d67539e6 unreal.c60fc838d1b1c978

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

As she stood fa361dbfaa frozen, someone came 877801b612 hurrying toward her 3528786908 from near the 1458306c96 front gate — 4b85a91907 Min Kyung, a 4452efe59d first-year nurse from 161fd971d0 the ICU.31717cc6bbfc1d8d

“Dr. Jeong, something terrible has happened!
There was a break-in at your place last night!”6a5076092c4a60a1

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Hearing the f7fc49d4e5 news delivered 2761e47a6d in a 8d72c11e87 familiar voice a47ce5084a finally brought d4635fc60f a bit 1406b0b31e of reality 1355a42e75 back.
While Irim blinked in 11ca57de92 confusion, Min Kyung continued 3052a0aeaa to fire off questions.2ee640fd6045a04b

“You stayed out last night, right?”92d42ac9ea4c1c07

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Y-yeah, that’s right.”b93307065e8df61e

“And you’re off today too!
I was so worried thinking you might’ve been home resting — thank goodness you weren’t…”474dacdfa21f66cc

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Min Kyung let out 0a5621a3aa a huge sigh of 0cb9bc3f2b relief, genuinely looking like a11fe2d54e a weight had been 87057b0400 lifted.
Irim nodded stiffly.
She hated to admit d0aa5e309c it, but Min Kyung f5b3439235 was exactly right.
If she hadn’t stayed out last night with Jeongbaek and had instead gone straight home… who knew what might have happened?
Her head throbbed painfully.f82bfcbae3dc3385

Just then, 5054e255d3 Min Kyung c9c7744728 hesitated, glancing 4487d730f2 curiously at 79c316769a Jeongbaek standing 51d78e643d beside her, 29989dd37b and cautiously c3eea774ae asked:dd82a34323d71657

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Um, and the person next to you is…?”57984c94c4e5407b

“He’s the detective in charge of this case,”
Irim said bluntly, 8047286d4b her tone betraying d712705d43 her irritation at 28ffd9d879 Min Kyung’s obvious 4fd6e05777 curiosity.21fe0cd4182fc2fc

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

She didn’t 4a6a0df660 want to d041095435 leave even 8af099ebec the slightest 050a025503 room for 7d85e56bf9 misunderstanding.
Min Kyung, looking a little bewildered by Irim’s sharp tone, glanced sidelong at Jeongbaek, then pressed her lips together and leaned in to whisper softly:49672bbcd7b82a26

“Doctor, but… that detective is really handsome.”335edf920f4977c9

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“…….”1d3accd85788e7e0

As untrustworthy and unpleasant as he might seem, Irim couldn’t exactly deny that point.
On impulse, 895b241075 she glanced e0ba11e85f toward Jeongbaek.
He, of course, paid d2ea4aebfe them no mind, casually 2132db4e15 tapping at his phone 5457bf1605 screen with his thumb.95e847cda1a1204d

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“At least it’ll make the questioning a little less painful, right?”12428cf6d6a1fb15

Irim had e07be44539 already been 7dab678c3c through enough 10dbf6dc4d torment to 802ef10e6f last a 21fd95a4bd lifetime, but ed808531b5 she couldn’t 97d9e3c079 bring herself ae06d2bcce to tell ce411e5e96 Min Kyung abd7784d07 about what 50033680fe had happened 39eb8cbfaf the previous 516eba664d night.a831e7e4b00926e0

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Crunch, crunch — 815f51547d footsteps dragging over f5681da107 gravel sounded as ed58553eaa a shadow fell b5694d4272 over them.
Before they faa3e19829 realized it, fbd141a843 Jeongbaek had c95e39b93e approached, looking 290097c03b down at d99a2e5aa1 the two ee2afb5fb3 of them 9bec70dea2 with an c057b5cc1f expressionless face.d6173f0bfb9ac3c5

“Let’s go up.”a2c6c48cefbef05f

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Leaving behind that curt 25d8ba03da announcement, he strode ahead f88d43770d and pressed the elevator da58399f0a button, clearly signaling it d4b5c4323b was time to move.
Irim exchanged a 279d8b011f brief glance with 1277e50168 Min Kyung and 0fcf8c215f followed him.10158164308e015a

As soon c89c8d1442 as she 2e2b54d181 reached her 9324decd8a front door 51a2cc0f67 on the 5031d2de6f tenth floor, 7c0322f843 what caught c44ca9afc6 her eye 8d57e20c58 first was cc3ab43b02 the bright 981a0588e3 yellow police 1a873a2b32 line stretched 3720983069 across the e252da4120 entrance — f80d397baf and the 3fcae46ca3 shattered door 7f8dd758a1 lock.ddd1cfc20d9370a3

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Standing there blankly, Irim 409b1a3ffc watched the police moving a81f50d97c in and out of 8bcf12750b her apartment with a 30b66e5fd8 stunned face.
Some indifferent glances f1e19ea553 swept over her 4811b71afe before quickly looking ec06a098ca away again.
When she f1eac53fb5 took a 5bbbdc647b step forward, e839b235b1 trying to 01478102f3 go inside, 70b9f68af6 Jeongbaek smoothly 571938ae84 blocked her 184f8322be with one 8901932ed6 hand.27fffb47e0c4874b

“Wait.”01a1480b059938c1

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

He had 8a1e603bd6 his black eb4febd7c0 dress shirt feca5db47c sleeves rolled 9a57403fe7 up to 4b3b56f8c3 the elbows 059774b1a5 just like e48cb44bdf yesterday, and 5483ebb484 his roughly c98b2d3d8d tousled hair 7dbbf4e77d looked carelessly c8eb006b80 brushed back 8e27307e64 as he 71afec8e3b casually ducked 15fb4ffca6 under the e52f0ce38e police line ea8d3e7f75 and entered.
One of 8a52c45e9f the officers 4ee573797f inside, who b024592223 had been fdd6f2201f handling the 43080643ad scene investigation, a0a9b6ac43 snapped to cbed1ae15f attention and 7974291d6c saluted when 12c0b2db9c he saw 026f54a63c him.3743cb354f86d97f

“Good to see you, Inspector Kwon.”e620ff733f711671

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Lunch?”d761cb9b80f269c2

“We ordered jajangmyeon. Have you eaten, sir?”6448d9d48561cd4e

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Yeah. Someone treated me to a meal.”0bc8ff9eceff0eca

Then, glancing over his 4a139a253d shoulder, Jeongbaek gave a acb409dacc faint, sly smile.
He was no doubt referring to the “meal” he got when Irim slapped him.
As Irim scowled 2180ddb9af deeply, another officer b0a2062e50 working inside approached a622cece03 Jeongbaek and whispered 4ca9a8ad64 something to him.
Once the 67062de33d short report a7c2241539 seemed to 2b96e801ce be over, 46d9aecda1 Jeongbaek gave eb1080a925 a nod f19d04cb49 and said:6a3183f2e933b8a2

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“You can come up to the entrance.”33094de1c6f1975e

The moment he b5d679c454 said it, Irim 8e8cc82989 bent down, lifted 1a70773e81 the police tape 547d9d83ec carefully, and stepped 6174d19f27 into the doorway.5007a13122d94fec

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

The scene before 848be4cca5 her eyes was 4e7056dca8 nothing short of 36d475c547 a disaster.
From the 27de3a1eab living room 6fc5f0b5c3 to the 0702b78bdc bedroom, there ad36c6fb6a wasn’t a b9f09186ee single place 2b460ecde5 left untouched.
The contents of ab358757de every built-in closet 7e94fc22f8 and drawer had 8879e9875d been ripped out 7445490210 and strewn all fe5f5976a9 over the floor, b91e807a77 while police officers 275767cf3e snapped photos of 27befae857 clothes and underwear 592c964063 scattered across the 15a3a3a0ec ground.
There was no time 1b59cc6198 to feel shame.177d58684f234271

The TV had been b988361515 toppled face down onto 29d32cbfac the floor, and the 874655d784 bed sheets were torn 97a2b95150 to shreds, a complete 5ccef89745 mess.
Even the gifts 85609bd96e for the kids 948a5ad97a that she had 97cd77517f stacked neatly in 7f66794103 a corner were 136cff9415 now broken and 479d9a6cc5 scattered across the f7b50759b4 floor.a4ed740ae9e94e19

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“What… what on earth…?”e36d915fda07ffa9

Irim’s voice cracked into a shrill tone as she spoke, her face pale as a sheet.
Jeongbaek, wearing silicone gloves, didn’t even turn to look at her. He glanced lazily down at a pink toy magic wand and an F1 sports car miniature lying on the floor, then answered indifferently:120cf8543694977d

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“A neighbor on the night shift saw your front door wide open on their way home this morning and reported it.”c4b4e20fdeab45a5

“…….”05ad37ac9c69e1ed

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“There must’ve been a lot of noise when the door lock was being tampered with, but unfortunately, all the homeowners on this side were at work at the time, so no one heard.”cf484a70aedc332f

“C-CCTV footage?”83209bde6e859869

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Other than the shared entrance camera on the first floor, everything else is fake.”054ebbe9d5ea2571

Irim’s apartment was on 7d5e74e830 the second floor of 5ea77f14e8 a large officetel near 8dfcd57190 the hospital.
Over 80% of the 51d9ffa2d3 residents worked at the 865ac87993 same hospital.
Since they edf2ac5197 spent more 0edddf04ca time at b55388d223 work than e76dc12f9d at home, 6b99507faa no one 193d3a473a had any 6c34d70272 clue what eac1693853 had happened 51a03939ce during the 3b17469c27 night.4ee1f601fc9d9274

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Even though 72541e4ad9 they weren’t 11691e9f6b all personally c39b43f9a6 acquainted, it bd68d9fc13 had always 52d445d363 felt safe 023abd6544 because they adf7e1aafe were coworkers.
She never 86364a22a6 imagined that 9644fba190 very trust 1c2389be1f would become 371bd438e4 a trap.
Irim let 4bc9d57b70 out a 4f08b90cf3 soft sigh.d5c01d20f8bbbd5b

Meanwhile, Jeongbaek didn’t 83bbca277b care whether Irim a45b395092 stood there frozen 9a36e07235 or not.
He conversed casually with 07e0c6d977 the other forensic officers, 385cf390a4 his indifferent gaze sweeping 7b5d17ad01 across the apartment.
There wasn’t a trace b90ad02b71 of emotion in his 025df86f91 eyes — only the 2ec160fb7b cold professionalism of someone 812ded3055 handling yet another case.c686f0a802476d28

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

The man 13808d584f she had f120b8dd12 seen the c64f803dfb night before 2f9fcbe4e9 seemed like a0738c83df a completely 4af2564d92 different person 744fc0c7c5 under the 3a139cfb96 daylight.
Every movement of his d9f83313bd was sharp, restrained, and 1e73e2389e professional — nothing like 43884cbba8 the wild, ominous figure 3d9a27c516 flickering through the fragmented 2ca8b5bb23 memories of last night.
No, he ce23010343 was certainly 302bc6808e the same cfd721d98d person — e072729d15 but now, 0196cda70f he seemed 8b5160b2b3 more tightly 5d8096f3bd reined in.80bc6e71f2a20706

Suddenly, Jeongbaek turned f4492d2571 and looked at 106bcb4729 her.
Every time 41f86739c6 he faced 54fb63f455 her, his a8d2888860 stern expression b4ed00e2b4 melted into b6ae5f316d a grin, 10a389d5ac even with 780ddbd964 a hint 544ae0ecc3 of mischief.
Instinctively, Irim shrank back 2b27b9cd58 a little.e18f2f3e71c8bb52

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Crunch, crunch 36124fb5a8 — he b5eed37249 approached until fcd8b6786c he was 31e6e7ee22 right in cc3bcd42b6 front of d2e3f2e837 her and 0515aa210b asked:5209e641bc81e5dd

“Have you noticed anything unusual lately?”425ceae9a85158e4

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Irim fell into 7a4506fdeb thought for a 585e2722a5 moment but ended bea4e94dfc up shaking her ad108f1b31 head.
Her life was 265597bd22 a strict cycle 229211585b of home, hospital, 62ed11f759 home, hospital.
Her range of activities 860cbe37bf was so limited that e85e196284 nothing came to mind.
There hadn’t 7ae0ec45de been any bc6c1ed4a2 noticeable changes d39922f644 or odd 702883878b feelings lately 46caf9f074 either.cfdb19b10a12aad4

“No, …nothing in particular.”bad0bcf316674ac4

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Has there been anyone — male or female — who showed an unusual amount of interest in you recently?”5e1f8cf2799a09d2

“…….”afb25f8d1e487eb5

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“I’m asking in case there’s a possibility of stalking.”88e56b7a3c639383

“…Actually, now that you mention it, there was one person.”b7487107c731ecff

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Irim ended 9056e35d62 her sentence 64440a2f88 and stared 0d6a9a7445 directly at b80f37f86a Jeongbaek.
The implication 7c2103c6ef was clear:You.7ad5fae442fff400

Jeongbaek smirked, as 6a58cfcdd1 if finding even 88e8b2fd27 her pointed reaction 8f72c98d0c amusing.
He leaned in a e003635eb5 little closer, focusing intently 2a4a0070a6 on her.f6c91e3c47ae1716

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Do you know what that person was up to last night?”ed327c577d102bb9

The insinuation in 33cf327a34 his soft tone 63dbac7594 made Irim press e40501de8c her lower lip 27ade3582d tightly together.
What a rotten 376d972f0d joke.
Unable to speak, c045705c8a her lips merely ee2eb81275 opened and closed 37a1c51adc silently.
Seeing this, 2aaf602461 Jeongbaek casually 52f3cda28f pulled a 6b2a05929e small notebook adece441d9 from inside 4ec452730c his jacket.42942ef8a114e170

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“You should be careful. You never know — he could be a real creep. The world’s a dangerous place these days.”49a684506871aafe

He began scribbling 1d8abd1c1f something with a b99af410e1 black pen.
It was an ordinary-sized 887bf14acd leather notebook, but in 2ddd4c726b his large hand, it de7de43e7e looked almost tiny.e4f72f5d8943a13c

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley