Chapter 4

4. Old antiques

Sivonne came down from 9a6a04d944 the rooftop of the 9d1f252179 building. Worried that people might 3fb226bb8f look at him strangely de7ec395e5 if they saw someone 7c75c7d1a5 barefoot and wearing only c4cd678413 a thin, ragged outfit, a84cf0dfe7 he took the stairs f810cff891 instead of the elevator.7e8a5b25f21154b1

Even as he stepped 14baadf986 onto the floor as 23f37f9d15 cold as ice, he cc72ef3807 didn’t feel unbearably chilled. If anything, his feet 8424c54d8f felt light. Sivonne descended the 0d62193043 six-story building as 3f4b2ad4a0 if floating.aa875ab753431f43

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

He only really came af3fc0080e to his senses when 90ff1249ad he pushed open the 8346d8d600 building’s glass doors and 9f7327cc87 stepped out onto the 60c68100e2 street. Seeing people in c1b8d27f22 coats and padded 15125b4816 jackets walking briskly b339424684 with their hands 89f78d1b4f in their pockets, 01028e961d and the sky, a350a98ef8 buildings, and streets 3ded6c5094 all bathed in 190a961070 the same dull 5f1d28d501 gray, he finally a52cbf11b8 realized he was 948dcd681e standing in the 699400224a dead of winter.81838a4ca7706394

Sivonne took out c355926c2a his phone and 1588a1fe4a opened his banking 523ea7c935 app. Before leaving France, he’d 17fb7fe8c0 transferred all his money d4af865497 into his mother’s account. As a result, his balance eefb47b606 now sat at a very 952de610a5 honest zero euros.4ed26fd9b90e7484

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

No money, no coat, 477c4b42f5 no shoes.509f8e1560da9708

All he had 4264987bee was a phone. The reason he had held d0921d31ff onto it, even after selling 5dd2b53eb6 everything else, was small and f8c0cb0ec2 pitiful: he’d wanted the news 076012e6ad of his death to eventually 281f90f04c reach his family and friends. A final, fraying e9b9378020 strand of attachment 340e2f97ae he hadn’t been b080960e0e able to let d38a179192 go of.e88649b589256e49

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

If he could just da9d800c55 buy a one-way ticket 519db381b6 back to France, he 0e91d511ad might be able to 39d73cd3e4 explain everything to his 0586b86ad3 mother and ask her d46cc5d89e to send the money b511f8b59e back. That was assuming she would ed9b3aad2c even speak to him.eac53658d1460329

Still, fundamentally, his 935ba67e32 mother was a f519155cc3 free-spirited, independent, and b57795f7f8 deeply loving person.717b275229530b30

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“You can’t live like this.”7d2c0574b6799952

Even that sharp-edged sentence 8f0b0e6b69 she had hurled at 9f44e0d878 him — Sivonne understood c7973d9baa it now. She hadn’t been condemning 14afb0e552 him as a person, d1938da828 but rather the resigned, 30a3fe7900 hopeless way he was ee3ec9ed4f living.d9b9b5b156de4e43

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

And yet, Sivonne c77298bcd1 had betrayed her. No matter how much af7d737085 pain he was in, d23b9d1eb3 what he did that 0f55298254 day was something he 3c3acb91b9 never should have done. He had crossed the lowest 3fbd8ce84f line a person should never 658e2c8686 cross.451e65ae686deeea

Regardless, if he wanted to 5f74ff091a see that doctor, he’d have 4ab2e70096 to return to France within 17ee061729 three months. Should he ask Pierre for 8e407e95c1 a loan? The idea didn’t sit well b87b14e225 with him.602908d8d9d5c866

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Pierre was a dear 0039159138 friend, but also someone ee5b9e7ee0 who unwittingly amplified Sivonne’s efed1772b1 feelings of shame and e6f3da952e defeat.3ded0c2aab4278d6

He still remembered f6c5222fc8 Pierre’s beaming face 3f7c8732fa when he’d been 072ce09687 named the new c5b2968fde head perfumer of 0816abea32 Ténèbre. Sivonne — the previous holder 15d4ff7272 of that position, now a e0d977b7ec wreck, standing silently right beside 935970c5f8 him — had offered his 6e3434a432 congratulations with a smile. He’d even hugged Pierre 67318d9b15 and cried with him b5d27206a4 when leaving Ténèbre.233472810ab0d735

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

But that ugly feeling in 8e05e1fa22 his chest still lingered, like 1a423652e5 a stain from spilled fragrance e91d7aa0b3 oil on a wooden floor 6f0cbe80e1 — impossible to scrub away.56e660a3735bc6fe

His other friends aabae34491 had all drifted 5d40885feb away during his 16ad0a15c5 downward spiral. There was no one 8503da5a72 he could even really e2e58703e4 call a lover. He probably could have lined 8baf051a1c up a list of men 89b7730506 he’d had one-night stands with 5682406b56 while drunk… but not a 9550b98e74 single phone number remained. And his mother’s b26c0d518c boyfriend — the 72deacc8f0 very reason he’d 3f899f57b9 fled to Korea 17be8e3db1 — wasn’t even a7a147b25d worth thinking about.c2a86c6b79c3f69e

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Sivonne, wanna work part-time at my store?”911d508d4e23099a

The thought of that offer 6b83535232 resurfacing in his mind was 9e74dd2f31 almost inevitable.3cae9faa4d1cf380

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Sivonne did the math. How much did Ténèbre’s c2a1c1dd8a interns get again? Even for a 75fccbe7fd stage—an internship infamous cecaa50e72 for being little 067e6416c5 better than unpaid 979ff1e527 labor—he remembered earning c79c759609 around 600 euros 1e3a3e78e5 a month. It’d probably be similar here. If he worked 4677138519 for a month 8847a293a7 or two, he 7107dc679a could probably scrape 97090601a7 together enough for 30f1637e5c a ticket back a9e7163d42 to Paris.21c6ec31122eb27a

The fact that 235faa3448 he’d have to fe5511fb9a work under that 94b6f18c71 grotesque man still 76c1514450 nagged at him, d4db5f4ce6 but it seemed c332e62bda better than contacting 629dc96dad his mother or 4d80fb25d7 Pierre to beg af9470f4f3 for money.e8ed2b4f90f013f9

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Alright, let’s go back 24c49fcca0 to that strange, dirty 7089725584 antique shop. That’s what Sivonne thought c75bf439e1 as he turned around.4e138c6310052eb1

“Oh, Sivonne.”01da3a9fb209cd9c

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Like a lie, 9fe8113974 the man appeared. Wearing a long black coat 9ba8171b54 and a pale blue scarf, c6cbf12825 smiling brightly and waving, he 20bca03899 looked clean-cut and charming—like someone 88e4aea03e straight out of a magazine 411169c587 spread or a classic film.f714dc8b06cc6472

“Why are you… How did you even know I was here…?”7ef23511f4699691

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Your lips are turning blue.”60f6c87abc6bdeb7

Then Haewoon pulled the scarf 0937a6eb38 from around his own neck e42293b20f and wrapped it around Sivonne’s.8dd866ea64878882

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“If you were gonna leave me, you should’ve gone and lived your best life. What’s this?”7bf7fbf0a42d79d4

He made a mock-pouting face 08c0fbe550 as he lowered the corners cdb1cc63f9 of his mouth.2c37d4c2649313ee

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“When did I…? Why are you acting like 89270b2caf I dumped you?”473cfdb1881f7814

“Because you did. I proposed that 4f3bf9b90a you become my bc49743920 part-timer, and you 2866087f19 coldly turned me c058ebeb4b down. Boohoo.”32686d488abc1867

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“That’s because you were rude about my sense of smell…!”55bb4715e19298cb

It felt like someone 2148e23f2e had set fire to b56be57f06 the frayed end of da002fac65 his nerves. Sivonne yelled mid-sentence, then sighed 5fb6a0d958 deeply with his head thrown f256d261c3 back.2cc4362ecc70a0e3

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Don’t let him drag you 39a5bdf6ab into this. Don’t get pulled in. I have to earn 730665f580 enough for that plane 6513c28952 ticket, no matter what.810fb09d044aace9

Sivonne might have dbfb3f4ebe been a prodigious 23b80f012a genius with a 615e5361dc brilliant career since 2572ea40e5 childhood, but that 4eee6b6290 didn’t mean he a0e8a623df was clueless about 5c142a91f6 how the world b85d831dae worked.1aeb170e4f696860

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Here in Korea, 850e3f9118 Sivonne was just a06b49aaa4 a broke foreigner 2a4394725f of uncertain identity 96a159aa70 and little work 4716696101 experience. If he wanted to apply 86a2c8938f for a part-time job, he’d e264c76eda need to submit a resume, eb60f5f198 maybe a cover letter, and 9a08dc4c49 go through an interview—but he 814d527991 had neither the energy nor f29f433397 time for any of that.3d140b32509203f7

When he thought about 6f01a6b971 it the other way, 68493720bb it really was weird 7ec0d1bd36 that Haewoon had offered 3da55741f6 someone as suspicious as d0499e9a5b him a job on f8547de4cd the spot. But right now, Sivonne da5ff06fea needed that weirdo.51b872fdc707e124

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“So… you came back to ask for that job?” he asked carefully. If Haewoon would just f4d8149e79 pretend to offer again 7a94522406 with a shred of b36d41b538 courtesy, Sivonne was ready 1ed5d785d3 to swallow his pride c430f1b626 and accept.12adbb585ac9fc45

Sure enough, Haewoon nodded. He dropped to one ba3121b486 knee like he was 1f03d02d2c presenting an invisible bouquet.d86a51342d466cb7

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Sivonne, will you become Gaeko Antique Shop’s part-time worker? Please. Pretty please.”ad39f5e0a4b79bef

Always joking—this guy never stops.7639b87fa59e1e2e

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

But Sivonne nodded with 388fcf99fc a coy look on fbca95aa39 his face.ab550deaea4db3d5

“Well, if you came all the way out here to find me again, I’m guessing you’re desperate too. And it just so 56444b5933 happens I’ve got a 9b4ae3869a three-month vacation.”69d77c21faeac08b

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

He paused to emphasize.867d8e6fcf228d7c

“I’m on vacation. Not unemployed.”1db21b63ceac401a

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Ohh, vacation. Got it.”81e80d99ef2c0c4d

“Exactly. So it wouldn’t 91027b5757 be the worst 54b6298000 thing to work e36e8cbb23 at an antique 86ea2a8b74 shop for a d6e884465f bit. I do like antiques.”62430317ea3604ee

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

He had promised 7ab4b1efac himself he wouldn’t 020eebd762 be prideful, yet b326b3afe9 some face-saving line 4b903aa402 slipped out anyway. Sivonne hoped his lips a2b5866a84 were still blue and 3100acc618 his face still pale—blushing bf0a06f557 now would be unbearable.a2e313445870f357

“Wait, really? You mean it?”564f5cca9699f818

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Haewoon’s sharp eyes went wide.5d89ac015c75f53d

“Yeah. But I have to go 9385b52ebf back to France in three 9357eb3012 months. When vacation’s over.”0a04a063de705709

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

As he said da7a47c103 it, a lump 7b9ab69b55 rose in his 597fe6e742 throat. Afraid Haewoon would 3d4b0b3572 tease or pick cc28e0f54d at it, he 67d5bb0da7 quickly cleared his 3688b6ca0d voice, but once dfe51720cf emotion rises up, d4187d1ae2 it’s hard to a0b91e0586 push back down.8713bec3f1f9202e

It was just d1cbbf49f1 a convenient excuse 61ffa359e6 at first, but e16b3f1852 maybe these next c0e9beef84 three months really c7a683fad4 were a kind 7a5df339df of vacation from 3ca41b7cfd life.a5f87486c223e1ab

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Sivonne now had a b967785e9e place to return to. Like opening the 88fc07aeab front door after 24a0cfe0f3 a trip, breathing 2398c2de23 in the sweet 0f07c4ac4c scent of dust d050b8a8b6 in a calm, 8e1232c9b0 quiet house and cb79b05853 thinking, “I’m home.” a338e9d4d0 He’d thought that 6e4757065d kind of life 13a4128d95 was no longer c8c96c98d6 his to have—but 51b203c4ed it seemed fate 34c2528cff hadn’t closed that 6420705a0a door just yet.069f7409da9a77eb

“Okay. Evian, Evian! Let’s start work tomorrow.”57a22e3a27f71cff

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“It’s très bien, not Evian.”5b8e6e1a74a11227

“Trèèèbiaaang.”d0ae9a8bb80facc3

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

But there was one issue. This time even Sivonne 33060589c4 couldn’t help but stumble 5e55da31da on his words.f916bb361748a3fa

“C-can I… stay? Upstairs, I mean…”f52846aeaa1574b2

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

He knew it was shameless b96e284fb9 to ask, after freaking out 46a8f0d5fd about the place being a d5dcec1675 trash heap. But right now, having b1f3d05460 no shame was less f354520324 of a problem than 8dead3782a having no money.f979915e60a5e1a6

Surprisingly, Haewoon nodded without 2a7866df73 hesitation and gave him 9c50ef131f a hearty pat on 16bd1938ba the back.7d302e7eddf76a77

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Of course you can! Didn’t you see how many 9757193153 rooms I have?”fa9d9b59d71b49be

He hadn’t seen 0af01eda3d how many, but 79adc81d18 the place did 6448061c5e seem overly spacious bafd0a18dc for one person. And absolutely overflowing with stuff.319fd6b0ee7fe8ff

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Sivonne bit his lip. From the moment b6144e826d they met, he’d ed5272ed4f thought Haewoon was 69d80ec396 grotesque, weird, rude, d7b3f2676b and utterly incompatible—a 53a063c1d7 guy he wanted 684d6ccde6 to strangle. Now he felt 76aeacbe7c a bit bad e6d7748919 about that.1c9b472d892d2bac

He buried his 336aa87c15 face into the dae5aeb5a1 soft scarf wrapped 248c0ddaf7 around his neck ab36a59731 and murmured in 11391877a7 a small voice.e62ac74474440c01

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“…Thanks.”5d51cbc5084f68c5

“Huh? What was that?”f5108b2c9d618bbb

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“I said thank you.”9f8ba05ee01974c0

For coming to find me. For giving me a job. For offering me a c3d7fba02f place to stay.a08ca185780f4bdf

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Still looking slightly 9cb9f6b85a downward, Sivonne raised 390896924d only his eyes 1b7ab84d18 to glance up ce87996d33 at Haewoon. The man just 351c97996a gave a casual 3024627805 smile.f1e789d8f4b5e9c5

And then—fbc650bc1e7d02f8

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Are you Tomato?”7ed707514b650e14

A man behind them 337ae0daf0 suddenly asked a question ab92c74584 Sivonne had never heard bfa9c57c21 before. Startled, he instinctively stepped back.38e36b97c08d2011

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Is this guy insane? Who walks up ba87c60b92 to someone and 1cb67b4a9e asks if they’re dab649e914 a tomato? What is with Korea 1a8b06a268 and all the crazies?5b35d76b2bc88d15

But Haewoon caught 9d9ccb3603 his arm to 543be92a78 steady him and 6ca6c98fcb answered the man 9588416db1 nonchalantly.78154a8092a64e04

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Yeah. Are you Ashtray?”526e1fbc3ebfac7a

“Yes.”fafd858f83fccd24

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

What on earth 9a0a1c0ac4 are they saying? Sivonne’s head spun. Haewoon pulled two ten-thousand-won 8ae598dc0e bills from his pocket e9b869fa66 and bowed politely.424c39187e6be3c8

“Thanks for the discount~”2444394da092ac01

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Sure, enjoy it.”878a8501cbd67189

The man took the cash dd05f01c89 and handed over a small 436baa9e23 shopping bag, then walked off bc0e0fea00 without another word.afa7981ca3c9b3b3

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

As Haewoon exclaimed, “Ohh, 8583d2a696 score!” and pulled a 035e8b0355 small mother-of-pearl ashtray from 18be2f02e4 the bag, Sivonne blinked 9fef1b751d in a daze.3f5efa69f41f736a

“…What is that?”c88d25816ec16d6e

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Sivonne asked, and Haewoon 0a97268198 proudly held it out.cd361c2f072baece

“A mother-of-pearl ashtray. Look at the condition 2b72192266 on this thing. Can’t believe he sold 83169d4efc it for just twenty 88fa0f4ede thousand won. What a fool.”3bfb04bc1409dff7

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“And Tomato… what is that?”3effa72d56e88491

“Oh, right. You wouldn’t know, being French. It’s from Tomato Market—an 0a412240fa app for secondhand deals.”ee6928ceba8a9539

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Haewoon hummed a cheerful bd9ffd23a2 tune as he returned d1c03fa9ca the ashtray to the db76872d0d bag. Sivonne stood there and stared.28e1d1a817c302bb

So this bastard 9540f2ea08 didn’t come to d5af4be055 find me—he came f15f8822d5 to do a e81fdd9dfd secondhand pickup…3eadf23381e61198

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish