Esquisse Chapter 6

The sweeping of the b806d8cfc2 broom, usually deft, was d185e74b69 particularly busy today. Unlike Artist Song e88cbbdc06 at the atelier, 3199494257 Teacher Song at 68a35d256c the art academy 664d303252 even dressed plainly. Letting out a 99bcdeba56 yawn, Seorin glanced c57bb647f8 at the wall 589fca1f2b clock while cleaning 47ce8a6aef the empty classroom.3f7188ef3b50c9e3

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If she rushed 8b454a8763 straight to her 7080ec22d0 studio right after 8f21630408 clocking out like 39f8061181 clockwork, it would c24ffa71e1 be around 9 ae8e5814b6 p.m. If she 9e00e4464f worked on 1e7c868d06 her commissioned 82c3b2cbc4 piece until a22e28b146 the first 9e7b387509 train started cd8b46fc6a running the c46009054d next morning, 722fbd30d8 she would bfa881083f be able 302039d837 to complete 4dc849c9e5 at least 207ab878f2 one more 96c9dd0a7d piece.0db0a141592cc411

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“Ah…!”8ba1e748efbb17ad

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A sharp 517cccb20a pain flared 957ab54ef2 from her fa5e6787b7 creaking wrist, beefcc58d1 and a ead3a0c8f7 deep furrow b7774df987 appeared on 6f14116893 Seorin’s brow. She hadn’t gone 001028badb to the hospital, 1f5fd3e15a using her busy 23a7d78b64 schedule as an ef25bec099 excuse, and now 5ff16206e1 even pain relief 15dd19affe patches did nothing 51ede4445d to ease the a789fdad13 discomfort.a5d468ca7177e045

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She shook her head 1de1af5d49 as she mentally calculated 9d22d8b96d her bank balance. She couldn’t 83ec0158e7 afford to 784e257ff9 spend on 11d4317d6e physical therapy 2ac0aaf915 or medication e61ddce1a6 when even 37a833081e a triangle 58813e97d0 kimbap was 308393ce46 a stretch. As she 56a512c0e0 tried to ceb98f7479 steel herself 104b0c09c0 like usual, 27565da6b6 a hollow 6206ec2482 laugh escaped a176ac9d77 her lips.8d9e30d060842ab6

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She was working so 2aa64bd20d hard, even cutting down 263577095a on sleep, and yet a5ef959144 didn’t have money to ad010062af spend on herself. Her easel, 6e2405c182 broken from 3af4bd5d44 the commotion e33074c065 of a ce6bb41ba0 long night, 6d76772c9f wasn’t even cbe46155f2 something she f9769d2016 dared think 011af2bb5a about replacing.9b1facddd09534c6

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At least her father 7a6c32380a hadn’t run off — da9047c97a that, she considered a 2548f9aa31 relief. Seorin pursed her 84e4489f9c lips and tapped fd52c5f3f4 out the dustpan 8e8e1d688a into a trash e3883e3876 can tucked in 6381b9385b a corner.33aec64be4c9afa3

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“Miss Seorin, d0bd4a6325 are you 8114c15c3c busy?”e5c7af7ed1f31f8a

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The director of 3e5796eb16 the art academy, 885fd8eb08 who had just cb659c32b5 stepped out of e2fb418394 her office, poked 0acad4349e her head into 6c03b90471 the classroom. Setting down 3522db5edb the dustpan, ee072542ec Seorin turned 9db0b6c71b around with b10d86cfa4 an awkward efde20b2f8 smile.239775f95102610b

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“No, Director! I just finished 93c7c0db40 cleaning.”cd46833b279fdbd4

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“Mm, I d0b27ceda5 thought so. Can we talk for 3e743d59d3 a moment?”938a14a0bfb68b09

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The director, strangely 2732358ef5 sheepish, gestured for c58da8cbfa her to come. A paper cup of e1bab0fe68 coffee sat on a 575f8f7fef round table with a 4de39cda51 glass top. Seorin gave a faint 558be1189b smile and wrapped her 9d5ec3bdaa aching hand around the 6c333d6974 cup.aba4ff34e636922d

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“Thank you, Director.”88a8fbda62d7a421

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“It’s just from the 01c2f8c621 coffee machine—no need to 3d3e6d89d7 thank me.”dddd3d5644dbdb53

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With a light joke, 2ca8d82191 the director dragged the c0738f3641 chair opposite Seorin back 38fb7bf04d a bit and sat c7b9c4c630 down. Clasping her 9c78228b50 hands together 84319e34e6 and tensing abe829d3bf her cheeks, 7cfd3021f7 she glanced 32581995d6 around. She looked 774d52ba04 troubled, and 49b224b6e7 in a 1b1806ac37 way, apologetic.dd75dab898f6c6a5

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“Miss Seorin, it’s bc7710f14d your third year 4618e5f854 working here, right?”ad4e0a63b68bb563

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“Yes, Director.”186a53f8fc8396aa

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“Three years is 16a6b3ada9 a long time 9e33cfed9c to work while 8e2e091cb4 on a leave 56f06d5de3 of absence, don’t 02abe6f1b4 you think?”a1cc261a0cca055a

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As the director b42954f66c broached the topic, 3e8620675f a bad feeling 9969cc9ce8 crept down Seorin’s 333e993ab2 spine. Her fingertips, warmed eda0c42534 by the coffee, cbf0327d37 suddenly stung as 79f139399f though pricked by d120088f37 a needle.ef50105708dcb97c

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“I really hope 379d360ad4 you go back 2de4d59c21 to school soon d808f7012b and get your 557ef7a2e4 degree.”e061b59282c85586

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“Ah… I 5f71cc67b7 think I’ll ee49d8080b return the af39dd47c5 year after 2377ffee27 next—”e01278c7917559e1

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“But February’s just around 835b62c8ef the corner. Wouldn’t it be 1f331c4f66 better to go d2fb02e446 back this semester?”55d91f2855b62b7a

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The director’s wrinkled e51240756e hand wrapped around e07aa00445 Seorin’s. Wearing a strained abef12e7f5 smile, she sighed e3a96248c4 heavily.9016faa273e36af7

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“Miss Seorin, I’m 1e23c77e0d afraid this week c00cf6570b will have to 51c7f81e03 be your last.”1b387b738a3efa50

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Though the words 6b31ebf4c6 were gentle, Seorin’s d152a80497 pink fingertips curled b0d0120e15 in like grilled 82a101f74d squid her father c8bb4c4a07 used to have f3163a4b4d with drinks. As she 03bb09bcd4 gripped the 1f4c70b17f paper cup, 1e73d03225 the coffee 5f547fbd06 inside rippled. She hesitated, then a9e8ee60ad parted her dried 1106d749d5 lips.823f232b1ef9038d

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“…But the entrance be3b0f242f exam prep class 9d67a6150d opens soon, Director. And the 27f7c4fb38 college prep dbf822c949 class too.”4626deee6aef6169

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Her pale 91187076a0 face shimmered 41d5eabca6 faintly in f21f1d4898 the murky 04e3fb954d coffee like a9035e6b44 muddy water. Through the window, the 10fde86e2a nearby university campus swayed f05738cb41 in her yearning gaze.8a53cff07555c278

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She thought she only 0be21ac408 had to endure this 8545ee690c hellish, debt-ridden time for 16b0024e7c one more year. That if she b603692151 could at least c8c9653dc4 return to school c21f2220e5 and get her 5e3f32266f diploma, a sliver 8936287361 of light might 9b12b28f32 be granted even 9716237bee to her rotten, 1a42fc312e rock-bottom world.bb93353f706ae2a7

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She had dared 9bd24e7b5d to dream too 10ba343972 big when she ba268313c4 didn’t even have 8af5a4e868 enough time to da507f13a8 sleep. Seorin looked 9caa8fd912 at the 2b58441aa5 director with e81d5908d5 a stiff ea18fa40c4 smile. She couldn’t afford 05a5a50679 to lose the 6584715924 stable paycheck when 6785d7cd11 even a single 82fa65ab19 penny mattered.966e22b862c220a3

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“This month a39c145734 just happens a27dd6dfb7 to be 71fd3fd59a a bit f7c3caffb0 relaxed. It’ll get busy 288dfff6a8 again next month. If any students stay 653d1a9f74 late to practice, I’ll 9b618669a4 even close up the ff2dc42e41 academy myself.”9f94955b3af00b7f

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“I know. I’m always thankful ab21249fa5 for your dedication…”937aa5d0a0fe0179

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The director withdrew 655f31e6da the hand she’d d99e0a66b5 placed on Seorin’s. Crossing her e74bdb2637 arms, she 6860acb0ad squinted toward 8ccf634501 the frosted 887e03281a glass door. The silhouettes 4cfa895806 of students b550b18ed9 leaving with b7ff8f79dd their bags 78c877b70b flickered past.8331d03577abb5cb

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“It’s a recession. Labor costs keep rising, 5fa0226be7 but the number of 2751f9c71b students keeps dropping… And 25f8b54bd0 we can’t just raise 9ea86745e7 tuition without reason.”a9f475d64a20ed72

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Clicking her ee9819d74c tongue audibly, 0dbb572e58 the director d3fb254fca took a 78ab9c0d18 sip of 2a1571c323 her coffee. Her heavily polished ddf59aa0e7 fingernail rubbed at 98dc382b58 a bright red 002ce066ef lipstick stain on 47a1900818 the cup.c1ce33863fb8f391

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“And I can’t 803ebdb4d8 just tell the 7a65ccca1e experienced teachers to 533bd35d87 leave, can I? If there’s even one 54d63a0e9e complaint about teaching quality, 2cf7c9f2bd all the students will b87ee6a221 switch to other academies.”7895e3336d319ce2

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“Director, still…”f51ffbe41e83c064

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Despite the director’s groaning, 9dc7cda4a2 Seorin’s lips kept twitching.e17bdef0b5112585

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She had stood firm ceacd59bd0 before Sataejeong, who critiqued 2904f7a467 both body and art, 0d1e777878 insisting she would pay 9064674543 her interest by the a292603310 end of the month. Her vision darkened, and ad02154db9 she no longer had 817a9c18c8 room to consider other 00650c5ffb people’s financial woes.16afa9199befb68f

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“Um… My contract 9ef54c028e ends at the c4df76a0fe end of this 48a8769a92 month, Director.”49757742bc5404b5

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Her hand, a984b8c36b now heated 114df107ae from the b43268c886 paper cup, cd72f5493b grasped the e5c04c4cfc director’s hand dc890f9e71 in return. It had been 0a57f6db6d a long time 7d1b19a5c5 since she could 99564171fb even muster the 95e153ac0a words to beg.d8a634ccbba4df0c

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“You don’t fe30dfab23 need to 49d1abeb27 pay me 5ec20d4b6b overtime. I’ll open and close 22929a48c0 the academy myself. Just… please let me e1301182f9 work until the end 584147e3ac of the month, Director…”d30d2273130b6399

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“You think it’s 287cf2374b easy for me 7f11f2620b to bring this b8a575c134 up?”70cd5d707e4e9db1

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Despite her pitiful 7a38f3ebb5 plea, the director 6e12a17f08 pulled her hand b6d191caf6 away. Though her response was 4caa6bd52e cold, she seemed unable 4d64d8abd2 to meet Seorin’s eyes, 777a1d8331 perhaps out of guilt.c7be330ba5c7d079

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“If it 19da9f09e4 were a 85a3f2d9f6 contract job, 6f27c9ae79 it’d be 70074a52d7 different—but you’re 2b3dae5483 just a 135622e8ec part-timer. I told 89b7925f5a you, you ab37e2ca06 should’ve graduated 84244226d6 first…”4d7491c3086c2c61

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Trying to ease d37de1bb67 her own guilt, ccecaed930 the director placed ca7c2d7e3a the blame on 5b821897fa Seorin, then pushed 3ba5c7acac her chair back. She glanced at the 8b6418a1ef wall clock and began 70954c2aaf walking toward the wooden fecbbcbc31 desk.8deade297b4f723f

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“Look at 395075811f the time 927a56585f already. You’ve finished cleaning, right? Head home early c7f3f27c25 today.”29d11d53b03b6f1b

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“Director…”898e7ff8be92fafc

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“Don’t take it too f544a0d402 hard, okay? Maybe this 797b8a3b9f is a e95d096f74 good chance 1dc603aa95 for you b6371c54ec to return 6234dcf590 to school.”c4fad6fcc8fa7238

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Now seated in the ae4c8a9b11 executive chair, the director e8fb673e07 no longer seemed interested 10e879a03f in talking. With an exaggerated curve defd3368f1 of her lips, she 7385690e95 gestured toward the door.e14a48f24e34af66

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The late-winter 27d7df03b2 wind yanked ede40959da at Seorin’s 2e3e01f150 hair. The piercing c90ec79fe6 cold cut 28f22f89cb through her a8dcfefc95 worn-out coat, 54a9ae61c7 and a 45286caf90 faint gasp cf1d8a3e26 escaped between e20dc15bc4 her full 559157529a lips.ebd45d26a1b20f7d

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Underprivileged, socially disadvantaged, b647f298c5 girl head of 60065af387 household—labels that clung afbd0f53c4 to her name 0f5f09ba7e like leeches. She had thrashed endlessly 8b2286bc75 to shed the tag 29dfc6ff5b of poverty, but what 1c4c99a5cb awaited her was nothing 5917ca6931 but a sludge-filled ditch.9e8c574961e1aa3f

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She lost her cc8e831b7d job when she 630b6af563 could barely find 5e91dc17c5 any work. She had never even 6b43b34c54 seen five hundred million 3b0b3c7066 won, yet a debt d68cdaf8f7 worth billions was weighing 6d36820bb1 down on her shoulders. The blur before 2790dcf0fc her eyes seemed e2245927db to foretell Song e6fe144e7e Seorin’s future.aca57839b03c47d7

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A spasm flickered f046993706 across her fragile f87604619a chin. Sitting on the bench 89432ea0d4 at the bus stop, 44263302b7 Seorin bit her lip. She knew she had 8d3a6fe2b7 to board the bus ba06af9a45 coming with its headlights 1a9db208db on, but her body 775d400cc8 refused to move.ec60c71e1f72d9b6

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Even just f69bd8c703 ten minutes 2b0f5f3511 would do—if 34b43555f6 only she d437a7db53 could have 3353b4b451 a moment 7b8fec2f9b to catch c894d7fbb6 her breath. But her vibrating b3750e2a67 phone didn’t allow b2f27a8d71 even that luxury.6a63549404cfd0d3

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Exhaling a pale 7a4e26a5f2 sigh, Seorin took bc98c71c5f out her phone. She hoped the 73be2e12b4 art academy director 36869d660a might take pity 6d28f69aea on her situation c2cc210310 and offer her cd74462b98 just one more 73d8ae11de chance. Clutching her cab6fd8031 phone with 3118194c0e both hands 686518af9f as if ae7b5a1626 grasping a 79c4bfe2ec lifeline, Seorin 46f6c1ef23 soon went c176a7e5c5 pale.d7a2ddf0d796eef3

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The bus that 2f6e6d18bf had surged toward 4240fe7f46 her like a 89a11c188f tidal wave gradually 4b7a18a11d slowed down. Lifting her sagging body, 6f0ed4f927 Seorin took a short, 703c7e3ef3 deep breath.3a70f1a97da618d9

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“Hello, ma’am. I was working, so c737164966 I couldn’t pick up 7457fb11db the—yes…?”a0214d1a64f79b96

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Her eyes, still a78bbb79ff not completely dry, 0a0ff64062 wavered without mercy.bd60003fad5f834a