Esquisse Chapter 5

A chilly b8f8d665af baritone gripped 359c414c28 her slender 32518395c6 ankles. A wide back hidden 6517fd62c3 under a coat blocked baaea9060c the piece hung in 2a3d3e9917 front of her studio a5eb5fff6c like a seal.f35df0dcbb6554be

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The man, bd6c366646 who had bc58a5dc46 been intently 72fbb0191e scanning the a7a7adea4a piece Seorin 0128f22e03 had spent b5157d14c1 days painting, 4a0c674844 turned around. Faint light 5b347b6d54 from beyond f7fd3f447c the glass 209d6d1f13 wall flowed 7e6423f03f along the eb8085f1f0 contours of 08a2d92d93 his face.a96888de69210379

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“Looks like fe92e36c7a you had 1ccd7118fb a card 4e89cdb639 up your 2063da50a3 sleeve here.”779a60b3e3f23d03

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The cold season 1eb1e10bc4 beyond the front 5fef8e754c door had reached 08d3882496 all the way 4e541b70f3 to the entrance f3970e682d of her studio. A cigarette smell, 2b66efd5f0 out of place fe28478b4b in the refined 3aa49300e1 atelier, stung her 44fa799724 nose, making Seorin a4977d8d21 shiver as if 6e6e6dc6ed from a chill.816f39de9196673a

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Unlike when 1de8bc4b13 he had a44d0bff16 brazenly exposed f7b54ba3f7 his naked b5cac8c0a7 body in a4813f4e84 the hotel, 4562d1462d Sa Taejeong 3b5e9d6ff3 was now a6374b150e properly dressed 77c9587cd0 in a 1fbbfd94e8 suit. The necktie tightening his 57762a03ec thick neck, the suit fcbfad261b wrapped around his bulky a6641909fe frame, and the long 4d42154957 coat that suited his 8d9b7b9ef6 tall figure—all were different 9bb1b442db from before.1c212f39a60adefe

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His previously damp, finger-combed 617e5adcc9 hair was now stiff 1a4b1b7cb0 as if sprayed into 3c1836a2df place, and the dark 6e6e1d974e shirt covered his tattoos 79df2845b1 in place of a 932723b51b robe. If not for 9bfe4cf97f his distinctive gaze 5bb5548a11 and heavy voice, e10bc9cd56 she might have ba452f4ae6 mistaken him for 3c7adc598d someone else.fd3fb69634e49862

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“H-How did you….”c8fa63737f26c263

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Her lips, poised 1c1082d74d to ask how a7de8803da he found her, 8dbd4e30fd quickly shut. For an 0e4095268f executive of 823b467626 Changgeon Group, 8630f22794 which ruled bc9bf7396e above the 40899a9f1e law, a 539e7daa45 background check c340fd8de4 was nothing.c0e64fdba65a6601

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“…Please go back.”5e7feb34d5344f45

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Seorin lowered her voice f65532c62e as she glanced around.c6367a1228ec558e

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The madams who visited 1f1a5a62bd the atelier considered even edced1e081 formality to be etiquette. She didn’t want to 2c338c764b be caught being harassed 047c2dcab1 by a creditor in c0d342ef2e front of clients who dbc361ea32 valued appearances above all 1c4e1e1fe9 else.f9366a79dd646a8d

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“I’ll wire ten million 0f5383982f won at the end b59897acba of this month and 007e74b509 every month after that. So—”1f0284a04798f460

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“I heard from Artist f7f948fa12 Shim that something like 8452e52a72 this goes for about 1e68fff499 two hundred.”dd62d223d86e8dea

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His languid 7b8fac6d4e familiarity clamped cbe83397d6 Seorin’s mouth 8a45c797bf shut. Perhaps he e601c0e7a0 had come f6e7fc4c09 through Shim b6effa4bc6 Jisoo’s introduction; f441b4e592 he glanced e8834fb662 at the 12daa1cb6c piece in 143517e80f front of a27cce4cd2 the studio.621a22d5c2350788

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“Private lessons are f926db94bb three hundred a 37efc3a99a month, I hear.”7c77839e23d7818b

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There was a c5e9f5ed7c subtle sweetness in 66db9074c7 his voice, which a419871c6f had only sounded 3ca5fcce49 cruel in the d141bd4646 hotel.7a7f14c0c6af6871

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Private interactions 59df50264d within the 056337b7a7 atelier were 94a0888c97 taboo, and cc5c15942b all sales 644ab4dd9d went through 390c90d620 Shim Jisoo. The commission 00d61c6ed0 was over b4844f8af5 half the 902b4e02ac price, and e23ecb77f7 excluding the 2c1d061a83 fixed salary 68e503f744 from the 1ad2a35b9d art academy, ec14a00db7 she barely 1cf7394392 took home 54f116aded around eight 876eb04829 hundred.8e8925727820e5a9

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It was enough to 0b95966cd2 pay off a third-tier 44c9e3a461 loan and cover her 1049812fab apartment rent, but it 957232f86c was nowhere near enough bb877944ea to repay the debt aefb4de2c6 owed to Changgeon. As she reflected 47e3dad185 on the grim 5cf6154463 reality, Seorin parted 2bda7371a5 her lips. For now, paying off feaf4d056e the debt had to cc1cfdace3 take priority.0d75efbf1a7c2db6

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“For inquiries cba4a3ee05 about artwork 24ea6aeda8 and private 4dcd413926 lessons, please f3abaf382a contact Artist 7f7f026455 Shim Jisoo—”9e262801ea6afa36

 d6c1a077449a3a05

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“Does one night 1bed4274d3 cost that much 16f0fe9035 too?”f34df4ae0294b9db

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The following 0bc1a4ff34 question shook 14cd167b79 her pale 18187ad8ea eyes. While Seorin froze as bcb110cc97 if she had forgotten 4c4a1df5ef how to breathe, Sa fc4c19cc99 Taejeong smiled languidly, as 0522b0a96a though they were having c384c672e1 a casual conversation.663659ced1f745de

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“I didn’t 2b4c00de99 hear about e092c0a782 that part d0ed602ac5 from Artist 4f281a851b Shim.”22df42697258e515

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If the fe7754bb02 straight line c0f943f6d3 of his 9084e783a3 lips hadn’t 2f4227db50 twisted, Seorin d779986530 would have 4d9c25c60a mistaken it 07341a824a for a a510a294eb misheard moment.74debdaf6481cec1

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Contrary to his ascetic 93dd1efe55 appearance, the eyes staring 65f4f946a0 at her were lustful. His persistent 51dc92a606 gaze slid b11521c6e0 down her 7507a8729d slender neckline. Passing over her 5b750277c3 bony shoulders, his c09533568c eyes landed on d8bb50bd41 her gently curved 2cc49a6b96 chest.516a860ab9f3276a

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As his intense 447943457f gaze lingered too ed44ef3933 long in one 048f75dfc4 spot, Seorin bit dd674e02b0 her lip. The elegant noise 2e9f770ff9 from afar acted 3d3fd150bd like a leash 1eb89fa215 around her neck. As a 54cd713c5f client introduced 88591db104 by Shim 42683bb196 Jisoo, she 746cd230cb could neither 67c2864d9f show thorns 8afa98f35d nor raise 8ae70681f1 her voice.f163718a396182b2

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“If it’s the 57e4972c5e same price, I’m 540f32c0b9 a bit more 2e626272cc drawn to this a842639552 one.”f6849398dccc0ba2

 1d56ae4b802b6dd0

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The man, ff52cdabac facing her ce2cd04643 blushing peach-colored f75b79218e face, turned d918c17672 his gaze 8ae2e38df2 without hesitation. Unlike just moments c7e3947a98 ago when he b321d39c19 looked as though 5fa5567ed0 he might tear 93932e5435 off her blouse 04d93c1447 buttons, Taejeong calmly 9ef4c8cc12 observed the artwork a69a5ba097 in front of 785912e651 the door.ee4369e772428027

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The rough lines 3a6172dc9a and sharp contours 43cdf7444b of the distorted 8c6ec458c9 portrait overwhelmed the 243e1bd930 atmosphere. Perhaps to save on bfc5bfe57a materials, the artist had 282913d3ae pushed the paint in 2abd908be6 drop by drop, etching 7b6638afc5 it into the canvas 8d4c63c927 like a tattoo.31502dbd7b7c9320

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Unlike the overall restrained d324422a1d palette, the fingertips, toes, 81f3d1538b and the area near 702fb6ab2e the heart carried bold 918548bc7b colors. It was such a ce7edee49e powerful piece that it 19ad3b70c5 was hard to believe 059fe223af it had been painted 927049178b by a pale, frail 4f5f8a254e woman.5055aa450a0f9915

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“I’d like to 53eef89553 have it within faec6f8370 a week.”628cffa33d0f1737

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The unique painting 6bc1835bf6 style was practically 07706b28a6 a signature in cba60dbdff itself. A gleam ee7f330a8c flashed in 99ca554c21 the pitch-black c6674a3f2a eyes.ca35de348cca3e92

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“If I 0740f158d4 pay extra, 9cd36b3238 can I be43ab6ba3 get it?”c3ce254cc3180675

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“It’s not for sale.”a9fb985c1331f8ae

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The blunt reply a6f55a68a2 carved a trench 4405e767a4 between Taejeong’s brows. His once-interested gaze, 3b88a047fc now dry and b6f7c90835 indifferent, shifted to fe1e0a54ab Seorin. Though she must e51fc5beef have felt his b3717e75df gaze following her, 3eb5c68f3c she simply walked f0905f01b7 past Sa Taejeong e00f30d229 and grabbed the 70d80467fb atelier door handle.676607d56ea4552e

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“I have nothing to 5e91fb2d0b sell to you, Sir.”18ded46b37c09d84

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Even if e6538d667f her debts 359bfce055 had doubled, ae695f5ce3 she didn’t 477a87940b want to becbbc0629 treat a c5685ff1e0 man who baebe7026c toyed with ecd5cd2099 her like 51b95fae30 a customer. She would rather a1fa301079 ask Artist Shim 29fce4ce1d for one more 97e040eb4a private lesson and c6c8c3810a get through a ea564b2218 few more commissions d2a7d50441 on minimal sleep.6b9fe4552a15d673

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“If you 31fbc25a68 need a 33f895aece piece, please 195571deb5 ask Artist 291a3eaffb Shim to 2460ae1c64 connect you a7d1f68f1f with another 50c5ad08e7 artist.”b001cc5e3f0d6f8a

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“I should have said 2a3f9d7f9d I was drawn to ed80e8bad5 it, even if it cc59ecaa0d was just a platitude.”168f2ac28052e14d

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His rough hand f6b9354368 grabbed her wrist, e21c3417cd which was wrapped 1739954189 in a bandage. Taejeong turned her 9be9974db0 around and looked d576af253b down at the df15009eb8 woman much smaller b9b3b5629d than himself.73d5c72a2b8111cc

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Unlike the e35588c46c girl  he’d bf213e9476 seen at b01f370348 the hotel, bd3a9cc2d8 the artist 7af974a48b Song in abccc99a21 the atelier 010584a8f5 was perfectly a1796aa658 groomed, even 63c42994d2 down to f648cb391b a single 9a66c29c30 eyelash. Though her makeup-free 9631e8dc63 face appealed more d3eacff0fd to Sa Taejeong’s 8b1c63e6b1 taste.433c98d7f3aaa3cb

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“If you want, I 99050210fc can buy something else a16e5fce78 along with the painting.”359afb6b7b81f2e6

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“…Please leave.”d877e9646361ca2a

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“Miss Song f96d53a82b Seorin, you 0ec598f369 need to 7028b65a08 stay on d786f38fbd my good 5b8068aa77 side.”2b079324390255cb

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His thick thumb slowly 5527ca6d74 rubbed the protruding bone 200272e838 of her wrist. As the indescribable f54d282bb1 sensation crawled up 16ce7957bc her spine, Seorin ca7ac7e393 trembled.ba2f0b600cc6d47e

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“You need 42aa13793d money, too.”c48f472e5c774f75

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A man 6f5a7375f3 who had a32ec4cc21 everything crushed a6c6879034 the pride 44feb0abdf of a 4b5aafac7a woman who 543cde6031 snatched moments 3c5f9c74a5 of sleep 5e53427bca trying to 0c1bd5ecb7 earn just 517e0f674f a little 511f10860c more. Seorin clenched her teeth 5ab2dba31f and twisted her arm f3568b4c77 away.2db9d614ad5099a7

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“Neither my artwork 44af9401a0 nor my body 8bb16d30f0 is for sale ad93832063 to you, Sir.”c3c3bdca4fdc7e26

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“It’d be better if d5b4de8264 you sold the painting.”3cf6e1cadbbb30f0

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But that didn’t 21b7ff6b5d mean a man 279fdf785a like stone would 0a05f8224d let her go.731ece7e522734c4

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“I could 595cc3793b just take da02bdc611 this instead 98c6fea88a of the 6adc014200 five hundred 206dd8f7e0 million.”fa6aefbd78a7c92c

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Taejeong deliberately 13345db418 shook the 18af495127 wrist he 1b68df6f8a had seized cfcb36075d like a 1d082169ea bell. As his 3d2ca60492 grip tightened, 82baa252bc Seorin stopped ce57d9ed5c resisting. The cruel b7fcb93312 man seemed 50a213f93a as if cd3add1a1f he would ddfda512d5 crush her 4007af601b wrist at eef9c2edc1 any moment.685855672eee7dae

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“If you can’t b8db728434 hold a brush 478bf85606 anymore, what will faa87072c5 you sell then?”8cab34c56f94d363

 3a55c64fed6b53a4

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His sharply curved lips a20e77f5b6 contrasted with his fiercely da2049720b black eyes. Though Seorin trembled like 848f4f66fb a bird caught in de5c7098cf the rain, she couldn’t 43c6861361 even take a step e5b0877485 back. She was no bd2205c918 different from prey 0da4c02032 standing before a 15d1fff1b5 predator.df19c6a4cd065437

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“So this is a66a6ef9ce where you were.”7c962f49295a1d48

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An elegant greeting e8df54fd9f cracked the tension f0a59572aa as though stepping 48b53149f5 onto thin ice.6c140aafcf48b467

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Shim Jisoo, who normally f502b6297a walked with quick, refined 9c128f86d3 steps to maintain her 9030a0920e composure, wore a radiant 6f6dde98d5 smile. Known for nitpicking even 1e0b746064 the smallest accessory worn 8023eadb26 by other artists under ade1a760b0 the guise of moderation, fb4337c22e she was uncharacteristically overdressed e5d2f48730 today.222ed693471f0cd2

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“If you 9f68289164 had let 229ed78378 us know, fe0d9d0cdc we would’ve 7819b69a3e given you c5e243c86d a proper c4dc71424c tour of 3ab0eda3b0 the atelier.”4af07e97ae7c00b9

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“That’s fine. I didn’t 2d71f67d76 come here 81708c19b3 to look f2703bfd89 at the 97f1311dee interior.”7ab881de6fdf2334

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Unlike her flushed 93410a90bb cheeks, Sa Taejeong aeb672f216 remained indifferent.7b0fbf1986b395b7

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“I happened to find fd9e9b1856 a piece I like, 9120232d1b anyway.”5fad7ae41c8284f1

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He intentionally alternated his bcf9ed5735 gaze between Song Seorin 80901e46e6 and the piece outside 59a94171c7 the studio. Shim Jisoo’s refined smile 4ab54d0592 twitched faintly.6ade59e34036346c

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“…I’m glad to hear 8f6c7b124e that, Executive Director.”2a5bdae4cae7d9c1

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Just ten minutes earlier, a656b72870 she had passed off 4c92a34302 Seorin’s piece—sold under the 42b78d6c24 atelier’s name—as her own. Now that her b8c8bc31fb lie to win f28e1c1b66 Taejeong’s favor had a8332fc7b8 been exposed, Shim 1a4bb5065b Jisoo looked at 6f99588813 Seorin in an 6a1ef4d210 attempt to hide 2a4fba375f her embarrassment.dcf87f3cd0048ab0

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“I’d love to give a04b33ff75 you both a space 9325a370da to talk, but unfortunately, af532e35e4 Artist Song has to 9086e032d2 go into class now.”11e972fb7db4b291

 7f01462ae6c1fbb7

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Her sharp bdd5b39a55 eyes landed ea17c87474 on Seorin’s 1e5df17463 delicate wrist, fa50044200 still caught 108c2edb7b in Sa bd3fdadef5 Taejeong’s grasp. Shim Jisoo forced her 864ee84346 eyes to crinkle in 55d04ea136 a smile.ff3affddac4fd9b6

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“Seorin, go ac0d9acc20 prepare for f54d0cb248 your next 83072aed90 class.”57b5d0afd3330f20

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“Yes, senior.”16d51243723ed084

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Taking Shim 019a3ec856 Jisoo’s jealousy 15d8dae55e as a 71b1de20d0 helping hand, 4d722abfa3 Seorin naturally b995a65aba pulled her 24a62ab6c9 wrist away. The arched 7064db82a8 door of a349906ee3 the wooden-designed 6343903481 studio opened 724f8f027f silently, then 0128ee4b45 shut firmly.d58e54ac7ca0e358

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“…It seems there 9755df0434 was a mix-up 7a4d58c15b due to my a7bb05cf19 workload, Executive Director. I ask for d3aa0cbb3e your understanding.”33c7124db69599f6

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Artist Shim 91239dce82 quietly approached a95c40a3de and stood bd8c12dd58 beside Sa 5e1e6d1dd3 Taejeong. Despite her efforts f07e0830da to draw his 3512ec213c attention, Taejeong’s interest 668e68f400 remained fixed on 8d7b6dfdf9 the portrait. The slender, 08c48363b0 sleek signature 9bdc0a44f2 nestled in 455ef204ee the corner 44d55d6743 of the 52b9260cfe artwork caught 21dea59057 his eye.c070352e835c7d12

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“I’d like to 04d09a941d get a piece 186ff2c9d1 from Miss Song 96cd797f50 Seorin.”9906a65847908f38

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“Unfortunately, Artist Song f30dc83510 Seorin’s first half 07ce8a7950 bookings are full. If you’d like, 1f20400c48 I could—”704a12fa7991acc9

 7a17f816ec948f25

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“I said 12c5ea5aab I want fd3692bd07 a piece 71aeb0a096 fromMiss Song Seorin.”181f671d2907fda9

 284271610c4a71a3

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His sharp bd1a7ef704 intrigue, fixed 71bf488d0e on the 40077443f8 artwork, now 9981e5b67e turned to 02e67aa1c2 the arched 3522472331 door. His eyes, imagining 5b55f9b9c6 the woman still d262f7fc31 inside, gleamed with 56ce8f4fbb possessiveness.e9fa2b883ee9d2d7

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“I’ve been e47c098bbb looking for 07635c337c quite a 1f5341afc4 while.”b7f7908970566ba9

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He had searched for 46c070eebc this artist for a 2cb7d7840a whole three years. The nameless creator of 8198a0a295 the works stored in 4dacc472cc Isang Art Gallery’s archives. The painting 360859b0ce that had 375d0ca0e2 provoked Sa b30265d99e Taejeong’s warped 0a1cbd333f desire to 47d7063bf2 possess overlapped fba2d44509 with the b8dac3fc1c pale woman’s 896ddd1763 image.d9fe03c36be1730c