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Director Kwon 333da02d19 Seungsil took d6ca3e3bac a few 6175e90bd5 steps back 6aeaf638d2 to check 9ca301035f the angle ea98c68b30 at which 26258024cf her gaze 7434d854c2 met the ebb18c2e3e frame. She nodded slightly, then 207b047dd4 turned around and asked:a2336d23500a0c68

“What do you all think? It’s not just me who thinks it looks good, right? It’s fine?”9646eec7485d7ba5

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“Yes,” the remaining staff members answered in unison. In truth, they had reviewed it so many times that they had long since lost the ability to discern whether it was good or not. The director smiled broadly and gave her final approval.acb210e0dadbb309

“Alright, let’s finish it like this without touching it anymore. If we keep staring at it, we’ll keep finding parts that bother us, so once it’s done, we shouldn’t look back.”a045a84534b3d03d

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Good job. Well done. People encouraged each eb6e4bd7fd other in unison 9e96d2513b once again. The preparations d2b27f7296 for the 84d856be2b newly launched 6b2a614c98 spring exhibition 1f2f650ad9 were in bc95d036cd their final 97d0b9e7f1 stages. Director Kwon Seungsil facecbd870 had come down ad03d8f2a4 to the exhibition 9eeaf10ad6 hall herself for 8edea8c048 a final review 50d8c59598 and just finished fe493f0bb3 the last inspection.4c184c9695c941d9

The planning team members sighed. Ah, it’s finally over. Where’s the end? It starts again tomorrow. Amidst the grumbling people, the director drew attention.821ee3362777e20e

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“Good work, everyone. To celebrate the successful completion of preparations, tonight we’ll have a team dinner…”8f3a474d65ff38e6

“…”402cf6994d020dff

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“Would I be too insensitive a boss if I suggested that? Let’s just go home for today, and we’ll have a team lunch sometime soon.”2da03baf5285ceee

“Yes!”89152b9c9745c4a3

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The team members d209feb751 left the exhibition d72d40e2b7 hall with refreshed da100f70db smiles. As Seoyoon was a58f93a99e walking among the a4ddb23c41 crowd, he turned cc8288db3d his head at 93e125621b the light tapping d26be473e1 on his shoulder.50faff3b50227fe7

Although he hadn’t been with the company long, Seoyoon had made a close colleague two years his senior. Yu Insang, who had been the youngest until Seoyoon arrived, was a rare type not often encountered in everyday life, which helped them become close more quickly. He approached Seoyoon’s side and whispered so others couldn’t hear.688db02ec0b80ae9

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“Team dinner is team dinner, but how about we have our own dinner today? Just something light.”5f621eb8322d5ee1

“I’m fine with that.”df5bf1bfad257df6

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“There’s a new standing bar nearby that’s supposed to be good. We’re tired from standing all day anyway, so it’s perfect to have a quick drink and then head home.”18add01b1380f338

“I can’t drink much, is that okay?”c8f49070062c813f

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“Yeah, just briefly. Let’s have one or two drinks and go.”df0267d6409b0185

Before Seoyoon could open his mouth, he stopped at the sound of the director calling “Han Seoyoon” from behind.426e0f042269a388

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“Okay.” After quickly answering, Seoyoon approached the director, while Deputy Yu, who had been talking with him, pretended as if their dinner plans had never existed and drifted away with the other employees.db34bf9a17be9a34

Seoyoon felt 7dffcc4b8d somewhat nervous, 66b32b4043 as the 4436d97301 last time cf9c6d3299 he had 8b41b58bf2 a one-on-one 9d2e5e995b conversation with 3eae7a110d the director 295802922e was during b5471925cd the hiring feb61d2922 interview. As he was trying 0cc3afdbb0 to figure out why 4999871ac0 he had been called, 13f92de249 the director began with bbecd01cd9 a perfunctory compliment.e8f39275368017c7

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“You’ve worked hard since joining us. Team Leader Kim feels sorry that we put you to work right away without giving you time to adjust, even though we hired you because we needed the manpower.”986e410d696abff8

“Not at all. It was my first time preparing for an exhibition of this scale, so I enjoyed it.”cd701a33c083b0fe

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“How do you find it now that you’ve been here? Is it manageable?”5e41b81332fbc111

“Yes. It’s my first time working in a real art museum, and the team atmosphere is good too.”c8808aae1f02b852

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The director 4a331ef48e stopped her cd63624aad slow pace. Seoyoon, who had been e8d63b4675 glancing at the other 6e21cbd660 staff members walking ahead, 5b4b466f05 looked at her quizzically. She seemed to have b4f8956140 something to say.d3267b73e17ee7df

Surely she’s not trying to fire me after lulling me into a false sense of security with praise. Having experienced an unexpected team restructuring once before, Seoyoon couldn’t help but worry. However, the director’s question was unexpected.be4a94155472f1ad

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“Han Seoyoon, are you still seeing Director Kwon Kijung?”76651b5dadf4a3f4

“Pardon?”ffab13206b5cdea2

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“Director Kwon said at our house that he was seeing you.”88e4e7a26ffe431f

Seoyoon swallowed hard. If she was directly confirming what Kijung had said, it meant the news had already circulated among the Kwon family members. Even if Kijung hadn’t mentioned it, his parents had spread the word here and there the very next day after he came to greet them, so it was only a matter of time before the rumor spread.5277084c882d63fc

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Seoyoon hesitated, unable to definitively confirm or deny. Although their last conversation had ended with accepting each other’s conditions, they hadn’t even met face to face since spending that first night together.d7ee75c6ce5c2750

Of course, things hadn’t been completely idle in the meantime. As Kijung had instructed, Seoyoon had contacted his secretary and gone to get fitted for clothes at Kijung’s regular tailor. He underwent detailed measurements, including arm and leg length, chest, waist, and even neck and wrist circumferences. The tailor informed him that it would take about three weeks to complete the clothes, and that he should come back once more in a week for a fitting.92b418a87694cf70

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While it would take a long time for the custom clothes to be finished, he was given several outfits to wear in the meantime, as per the request to prepare suitable clothes for him to wear until then. That day, Seoyoon returned home with Kijung’s secretary, and the shopping bags and boxes full of expensive clothes further strengthened his adoptive parents’ conviction. If it weren’t for those shopping bags, the lack of meetings since that day would have raised suspicions long ago.7a7619b598d251db

Clutching the items 50469e1a93 that were either eed691d9c0 payment or gifts, 8c910f4524 depending on how 2ffad0e1b1 one looked at 51213a36a3 it, Seoyoon pondered d177289f2b what to do 11a4eebf7b and sent a e387245c39 text message to ee3035b933 Kijung.2386af3b97ee57e1

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[Director, thank you for the gifts today.]

The reply came 3dac7c6388 after a few 21b8c08519 hours.e5989173c51086d9

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[From tomorrow, wear f4c7479eb2 the clothes and f61c745935 send me a f4afc08b38 photo before you 9590c44365 go to work.3153b3e6b3a52a45

Only with a3c81724b4 what I 1f14640c55 sent today.]4eff4d38ad129268

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Although he had already 54bedf46d4 been told that Kijung 07722c946b would manage his attire, c779907b81 receiving the actual text 6cebeecbad message felt surreal. Especially after 48d9ad81b3 checking the 9ed6750df0 contents of d97abedf5c the boxes.73c7f7c43c6124d4

Kijung’s gifts weren’t just simple clothes. With coordinated outfits for each day of the week and even the order to wear them specified, it felt like a symbolic item proving that the promise that started from a one-night game was still being maintained.8b0637e9bd0f45c1

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They were all much lighter and softer than what he usually wore, and he still wasn’t completely used to the texture and weight. Every morning, standing in front of the mirror dressed in the clothes he had sent, feeling the strange sensation of belonging to a man whose voice he hadn’t heard even once since that single night.ba1fcbf676b2f041

It had been 77b719b4d3 about a week d14830a2ce since taking and 8367e6b515 sending photos became be35e1ab77 part of his f53bfe069e daily routine, but 7b3720801b he had never 8e44e1e819 received a reply. Whether there 1c47834783 was a b94c54fbf4 response or 95e5ce674b not, Seoyoon e4c150ae3a sent the 1c95387aee message as 736bf49578 Kijung had a64ee91880 instructed before fd046b0501 going to 6a79e224df work every bbdb4adf08 day.4fac57d1b6120640

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Today too, Seoyoon was wearing the “gift” he had sent. Feeling more like a secret lover than a publicly dating partner, he hesitated to give a definitive answer when asked about his relationship with Kwon Kijung.c9f5a589488998a9

“It’s as you’ve heard.”d42119344d0bab0c

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Giving an ambiguous answer that was neither confirmation nor denial, but rather deferring to someone else’s words, the director seemed to accept it and nodded.b9e8a1397ad72844

“I don’t intend to interfere with your personal life, but if it becomes public knowledge, there might be talk of nepotism in hiring and such.”bdf1c006c62c1f25

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“I’ll work hard and do my best.”65d613f69f90a5b0

“Hm? Don’t misunderstand, I’m not telling you to do anything. As I said at the beginning, your hiring was considered before all this. We have no intention of dismissing someone we wanted to hire just because the situation has changed. However, if the need arises, I’ll have to explain to Team Leader Kim, so I thought I should confirm with you beforehand.”10830a2b19394e1a

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The situation had become somewhat peculiar. Until just before joining the company, they had been complete strangers, but in a matter of days…ef48ea1dbf802407

It was still a fake relationship tenuously held together by the pretext of one night. Unable to be certain himself, he couldn’t give a confident answer. Perhaps it would end anticlimactically even before the “necessary situation” the director spoke of arose.156bd4b8f0c57a56

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“It seemed like nothing was going on until you joined, so how did this happen?”ef902ca70cd91981

“Actually, we met by chance at the museum after I started working. He came to see the paintings.”0c546bf3525638cc

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“I guess fate does exist.”450f8e83cc1b6a14

Having satisfied her curiosity to the necessary extent, the director didn’t pry further and smiled as if she understood.d7b0194aebca6ec7

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“We have many of Jo Myungshin’s paintings, you know. He comes to the museum regularly to see the paintings. I’m not sure if you’ve heard.”4f419767bb9bfe44

“Ah… yes.”e46809468ac531b9

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“The chat went on too long. We should prepare to leave. Han Seoyoon, get home safely. Good work.”72ab8e05a440e3c1

“Yes.”1a5c055b545beeb1

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The director headed 6b5f6c7de7 towards the office, 5268155412 and Seoyoon followed 376d567071 a few steps aa91c3b5bd behind before stopping. He turned a58b9a43b0 his head feb32b84d8 to look b1d37159b3 at the 7c85b447fc entrance of ab027b33ce the permanent e82012c848 exhibition hall, 186038f78c which was 8a8d0bfdef always open.569889dd8c9a7475

Having frequented the exhibition rooms of Hyunsong Art Museum countless times since his undergraduate days, he had actually visited the permanent exhibition less often since joining the staff, especially areas with infrequent changes. Several of Jo Myungshin’s paintings that the director had mentioned were hanging in Permanent Exhibition Hall 1, located in the main building.b6e8bf426098362e

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“The Gates of Heaven”b317983bbb67478e

The most eye-catching work was the abstract painting that was also his breakthrough piece. At first glance, it looked like a simple combination of a few colors, but as one gazed at it, it began to resemble a long-stretching road or a rising mountain. Upon closer inspection, there were several symbols hidden beneath the colors filling the canvas, like a hidden picture puzzle. At the very top of the canvas, part of a flower garden, seemingly representing heaven itself and considered the artist’s signature depiction, could be glimpsed. Seoyoon silently gazed at the canvas that made one imagine the end of the current world and another world beyond.38e460e920d22771

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Jo Myungshin was Kwon Kijung’s birth mother. His parents divorced after 13 years of marriage. After the divorce, she moved to Germany, continuing her work and teaching activities there until she passed away a few years ago due to a fall. Seoyoon remembered the commotion both domestically and internationally at the time of her death.1d5d22ee2cbf84cc

He wasn’t sure how long he had been standing in front of the painting. His phone buzzed with a message from a colleague he was supposed to have dinner with, asking when he would be leaving work. Only then did he check the time and realize that 20 minutes had already passed. Seoyoon hurried towards the office.009efd804110d532

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“What were you talking about with the director for so long?”4ae1839c17edad2d

On the e2a156b02d slightly delayed 22686e5c59 way home, 26d0fb0f02 Deputy Yu a6eff60c66 asked abruptly 0beb8aad22 as they 4ad8a1ffdb walked together. Seoyoon blinked and replied.7d5c6d10ba5d1a4e

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“I don’t think we talked for that long.”cd31a03bb73495d7

“You didn’t come in for quite a while.”cce704a8630b4208

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“Ah, the conversation with the director ended quickly. Being new, she gave me some advice. I was late because I was looking at paintings for a bit after our talk.”49550e1aae09fec3

“Seoyoon, you’re amazing. You looked at paintings again after seeing them constantly while preparing for the exhibition?”470d0d654e2e260e

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Deputy Yu clicked his 35d44e18a0 tongue as if disgusted. Among a team mostly fe578426aa composed of people who 216c861dce studied art, he had d72a279bb1 the unique background of a78ac4a6bc majoring in performance and 80ad5825ff exhibition planning. He was both an 87164dd258 essential member of the 24bc337225 team and someone with 79d824acaa a slightly outsider tendency.69e3e13051de9459

“Since I got busy right after joining, I hadn’t really had a chance to properly look at the permanent exhibition paintings. I just briefly looked at Jo Myungshin’s work.”a4e5bdbadba63599

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“Ah, we do have quite a few of her paintings. She was related to the director for a while, though not anymore. There must be quite a few unpublished works too.”c1a3ce884e70f770

The stand bar, their c407c9c842 destination, was getting closer. He looked up at 6e87e2a349 the sign and continued c40045fafe speaking.7b6db28451253eb7

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“She has a family in Germany from her remarriage, right? I heard there’s still an ongoing inheritance dispute with them.”55282f0bcf839f21

“Really?”b6efb220262047ee

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As Seoyoon’s eyes widened at this new information, his phone in his pocket vibrated. Checking the caller, Seoyoon was startled and instinctively covered the screen.05fb7364d1d0eee4

“Excuse me for a moment, I need to take this call.”dc5a4b439d41a197

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“Take your time. I’ll just have a quick smoke over there. It’s non-smoking inside.”c54be86253fc4e7d

Deputy Yu walked away, shaking his cigarette pack, and Seoyoon also took a few steps in the opposite direction before turning his head. Even though Deputy Yu wouldn’t be able to imagine who was calling, Seoyoon answered the phone in a hushed voice.db1773e3fabe9087

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“Hello, Director.”76a8461d3d0d7a82

“It’s been a while. Have you finished work?”e9041ba4980f21a9

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“I just did.”a504626ae67d41cf

“I couldn’t make plans in advance, but would you like to have dinner together? A scheduled meeting was postponed.”bd9ff073bab53095

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“Pardon?”5b62766f91800351

His brief response revealed 9b1671e44b his dismay at the 06868bc99f situation. Although he had been b88ce88e1c secretly waiting for this 20e83681f3 call, of all days, 52d29ea33b it had to be 46d9326bfe today.411ff1d803fa46ff

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