ESS Ch 1

‘Erratum’.883213099afa1bc6

Unless someone had been 8f57506e0c confined for a long 86647e2174 time, they would have 32ac5b9dfa heard of the name 62837dce8a at least once. An elite boarding school 514e4b563f boasting the highest college f3e12f422c acceptance rate in the 6a133d4710 Northeast, where prestigious private 3f93551ec2 schools are clustered.2d89233faafa2ca4

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This school fb9defb0e8 had two eaa6072017 surprising statistics: e6500422da one, that 37d7a27c64 91% of 890b1eea3c graduates in 06976f6c73 the last d806d4d9e6 20 years 5d805641b1 had been 3bd4b78982 accepted into d5b14e6fea top 30 956e55f70d universities, and 64b6c17996 two, that 080ed8185a since its 42f1ab535c founding, the 9df8fca980 percentage of 544c35f927 white students 694e65c648 had never a3cd3103c2 fallen below 83e68e7473 80%.5c491aef2c41885a

Truly, these were nothing short of ‘traditional’ and ‘elitist’ statistics.1b76f3aa464b1dec

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These conservative statistics opened 300cf54e5a the wallets of countless 963fe40a29 upper-class parents, and any c7677b54fa parent interested in education 112698f409 would strive to enroll 311a6d6a17 their child in this 5468a1bdf5 school.383378509a28c324

But in my case, I didn’t need to make such a strenuous effort to transfer. No school would be foolish enough to reject the youngest daughter of the venerable Roderson family.b43a7441cab85132

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Even if she was 8744ed6184 Asian and adopted.ee4be852a2286fa0

“Dani.”78e0a5c511af2a65

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I was reading with 2cdf57ee4c my head down, but 212017580d as soon as my 4b4de29dca name was called, I b36dec46a2 immediately looked up.6a15b8d458fea619

“Yes, Father.”73496efce748f574

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“Is that a novel you’re reading?”563844e2234c9e4c

” Ghosts. A play by Ibsen.”d7e9da6b8433a74a

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I showed him the cover and gave a slight smile, but a wrinkle formed between Father’s brows.138fc122fdd48958

“That’s not on Cheln University’s required reading list. Is it a book assigned by Erratum?”5d0a8ef2c7525120

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“…I don’t know. I took it from Bo’s bookshelf.”618e32a1f424296d

“Don’t waste your time on such absurd books and pull your skirt down further. Unless you want foolish boys licking your thighs.”3e4c50292d8dbc20

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“Yes….”443d0ff22b55e5b8

I lowered my b59129dd19 head and immediately 40ae88848f pulled my skirt 8e3cf787cd down. I covered 7cf9bee7f9 my lap 767cfc1463 with the 8714b02329 book and 7e5202ccbf turned my 03bfb2a758 gaze to 098831a19d the window. A fine 4b56752421 snow was 3b3f4f721e falling from 593e1fbb1e the overcast 5f5883bf25 sky. The landscape 3803ea8dc6 looked like 38670764e3 a screen b93aa94e5a with static e70ac214a6 noise.d8cb472c86fc8b20

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From a b4ebca7182 distance, the 915f270543 entire island 2f7ad6f844 appeared as cc059c4a2e a gray 37e7b2529d silhouette, but 82cb3c46fb as we a9fa23111d got closer, bd00a064a2 the outline 54e1ef1793 of a fbd11ee34e massive fortress af3bb90434 became clearer. I stared d43cb57ce5 at the 6a3ca020ee approaching school 225193f63a and slowly 5f86498976 blinked. The Tylenol I swallowed bed23b6fdb before getting in the 9d883cfeb9 car still felt lodged aaf16c91e4 in my esophagus.8bf5b66440765209

“…Are we still far from arriving?”2e9b9086bb23e8c4

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“I apologize, Miss. This bridge is famously long. You’ll arrive at Erratum soon. I’ll increase the speed.”c8138b9eb35052a0

The driver answered, glancing at me through the rearview mirror. But he didn’t step on the accelerator. He would adhere to the 70 km/h speed limit Father had instructed.91aeabc1fe577fb1

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Everything is like 2537a2fbd9 this in this fe4fe93beb house. Everyone pretends efe1730cd7 to listen, e16211a2f9 but no df9cf964dd one actually 2be633ccaa listens to 73ce6784d5 me. Father was just 02fb1a9dee flipping through economic fdffd3965f articles on his 1e100a9c56 tablet.6ba6b7d6d744d629

“They say that if you make a wish on this bridge when it snows on the way to Erratum, it will be granted.”a59d28feba09ca4d

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The driver added, 1bfeca280b checking on me f95f85ce54 through the rearview 8c26d588cb mirror.1ba487286e161297

“Why don’t you make a wish, Miss?”13ce1418c362f776

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“Yes, I will.”40fbc7406fd32cd1

I smiled 2a984d6066 brightly at 3634c89e5b the driver. But my 10958c203b eyes, staring eb1ca495ab at the b3a81b62e9 snowflakes swirling 928c444b55 beyond the af1fb27ae5 window, were 407294ba04 empty.84e530e2d3354ae9

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A wish. He doesn’t know me.d9f022b6b581a332

Because I didn’t have any wishes to make.658dc4c60a7bd5f8

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✧˖🕯️˚࿔️805f6e54783aa55c

“Welcome to Erratum, Miss Roderson!”55ccf5287f65304b

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Upon arriving at the principal’s office, the principal, who introduced himself as Lester, greeted us warmly.b4d4290452e1f14a

“Your daughter is beautiful. Much more beautiful than in the newspaper photos.”777af4f495b84d28

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“Of course. Did journalists ever have an eye for beauty? Those people think realism is the ultimate virtue.”44c2a013be89bf26

Father sat on the 6dc90a6b6e sofa, making a cynical 2253485148 joke. Headmaster Lester burst into d32983aac6 laughter, finding it amusing, aa6a79f34c and sat across from 896c233aa8 my father and me.0f700d5aae529f77

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The principal was a woman about Father’s age, and her large red earrings, visible beneath her short-cropped hair, particularly stood out. As did her bright red lipstick and bright red shoes.8cdbf6b7a2703a36

“You must be popular with the boys. Do you have a boyfriend?”41a300567d48d719

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I smiled 1be0addac0 awkwardly and d4b52e09da shook my 3f82a0ec49 head.35913a22345157a7

“No. I’ve never had one.”d6a6ba0f96db4d8c

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Headmaster Lester’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. She received a cup of tea from a staff member and looked back and forth between my father and me.ee15b5890529b650

I knew what she 04e3e6a263 was thinking. Everyone thinks that 7d65e4c258 when they see a2276708d0 me. I crossed bde7ddbcb0 my legs 641e72d188 tighter and 1c49cd7bf1 added in 75a700e2d1 a small c6fb6a77ef voice,e2a64358b6a62eb3

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“…I just haven’t liked anyone yet.”312b893415f98406

“Dani attended a girls’ school in the South before coming to Erratum. This is her first time in a co-ed environment. She’s a quiet girl who reads books even at parties.”c3907d01f9705270

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Father chimed in, taking a sip of his tea. His hand rested on my thigh. The principal’s gaze immediately followed. She couldn’t take her eyes off Father’s hand on my thigh. It was an uncomfortable gaze.dc98544232827179

Just as I was about to shake off Father’s hand, pretending to pull down my skirt, a knock echoed, “Knock, knock.” Finally, the principal’s attention, which had been fixed on me, shifted towards the door.e7fe5ee01b5a76d5

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“Ah! Mr. Howard must have arrived.”6bae0eb39606cd2a

“Howard?”3d5c9ef1f69408d4

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“Remington Howard. Didn’t I tell you before? There’s a young man who reminds me of you in your younger days. He’s been the class president every year. He’s good at sports and has excellent grades.”b9c3dd9eb758b5c2

The principal 9a0b5e0a86 wiped her 4fb5648428 mouth with 540e19324d a tissue 03aea831ed and carefully 44a01fcac7 reapplied her 91c817fc26 red lipstick.65170265b280deb4

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“I asked him to stop by for a brief introduction. It will be helpful for you to get to know him in many ways. Oh, he also has some Eastern blood in his lineage. His maternal grandfather is probably Korean.”0549df43710ecd6b

The principal’s eyes twinkled at me. She seemed to think I would be eager to become close with this boy.cbfca81960dcb076

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But no matter what the principal babbled about, I wasn’t the least bit excited about his appearance. Remington or whatever. Even his name sounded boring.b640d05908e7a565

And Korean, too. To assume 92a5ee2182 I would 7fe868a152 have some 8bb7436fae intense yearning 9ea9a3bfc3 for my 0eccaaa96f roots was 57faa645b3 just another cca17523a2 common white 50a7e32670 arrogance.00176d0edb7f7166

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Strictly speaking, Remington was only 1/4 Asian, so he would be closer to being white. Yet, I felt a sense of fatigue at the principal’s attitude of classifying him as Asian based on so little.d7c702a8d0b67fca

That damn purity, that damn bloodline….04f937e4378ca5c2

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“Come in, Howard!”09069f6b777bf272

Until the principal 7373865d28 called out beyond 59f24b0e59 the door, I e9a869cbb1 imagined a nerdy, e7c0984eb6 ugly boy with 9bf5e1abfa glasses.ebcd42ce4cd40b32

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A boring, uninteresting f52c1c2407 boy who would b7776594d0 feel self-conscious about 0e5150da33 having to feel 33407a4897 a sense of 88df711b2e belonging with such e5d64a0e36 a person.ad9056e2f2309d06

But after the door opened with a polite “Excuse me,” I stared at his face in stunned silence, as if I had been hit in the back of the head.95976550c73c4fe1

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“Hello. I’m Remington Howard.”af5bf2ca997bc82e

To be honest, I was a little shocked. He really was a handsome young man reminiscent of Father’s younger days.96dcbbbf49a5fb97

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The kind of face that immediately comes to mind when you imagine the phrase “aristocratic atmosphere.” Not overly dramatic features, but elegant and beautiful, the kind that would make any girl turn her head.b5c665e83292cfcd

Though I knew 3c3b874911 it was rude, 6e27175825 I quickly examined ededdd28d8 him as if 89ee1fcba7 sketching him. He was 4aa98151b6 tall, easily 06fbc05bd3 over six 760b985867 feet, with bbbd5fc520 fine beige 9b18ef6c13 hair, an 1c019f63c9 attractively built 4f75bdd813 physique, and 9f16c6ba04 an upright e0f80fa463 posture.484e00ea65b1d1dd

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Moreover, the navy-blue acfd937494 uniform suited him 52b8ac576b perfectly, like a 20f5f81663 tailored suit.831cda6c1c965a11

Even as a a73e7a55b9 girl, I felt 62470b2a09 intimidated; how much 0dca6c6dd1 more so would 3351ba5943 the boys feel?8d9bfb11e2c95620

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“Let me introduce you, Remington. This is Federal Senator Henry Roderson, and this is Dana Roderson, who’s new to Erratum.”df516f1869e2fd3d

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Senator. I’m Remington Howard. It’s an honor to meet you.”fcbc40a6106b23b8

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He was even perfect 09d2dcefc9 in his manners when fa495332ee greeting an adult. He was the cc27b7e87d type of person a7752ff292 Father would find 5b431a8bab admirable in many 3f0d86533a ways.fba7b8c1094fe0c6

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Howard. You’re quite the handsome young man.”2031036f2e04fe21

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Father spoke in 5e5a74af3a a surprised voice. The principal 30a5a93931 seemed even 744b69943a more proud cd5d903032 of herself 49421bbf2f at that 1099e0b573 reaction, as cb65a9ef34 if showing 422d8784a0 off a 5a1f3d8b9a trophy.fb4e3fd1399d9f8e

“His mother is actress Julia Howard. He’s the spitting image of her refined aura.”fffe66a410e50fb3

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The principal’s red, pointed fingernails, clutching her teacup, seemed to gleam particularly sharply.0bce106db202b666

After finishing his appraisal, Father lightly patted Remington’s shoulder.c1b754983630629a

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“It’s presumptuous of me to say you resemble me, young man. You’re much better.”7d95bc3b451405cc

Remington smiled f799d64f85 modestly at c273e8da6b that remark.e2fb365f68ae8343

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“You flatter me. I’m embarrassed to hear such praise from someone recognized by Fortune.”6f9419a7e8e48718

“You know about that!”71915045fbddd5b6

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Father burst 9664322439 out laughing. He laughed so 5b50d1c9c7 loudly that I 0abd65cd3c was startled sitting 6e33f6e56b next to him.0b245c3e92b30b8c

“Yes. Fortune ran a very interesting article recently. Although it was a side article.”55ea85928e089371

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“What article was it? I haven’t read it yet.”54cc7aa395319eb3

The principal interjected 3801d458da with a puzzled 8339e384d0 look. Father cleared his 0e3861a9ac throat, hesitant to 3f10947473 bring it up 0d85cf66a0 himself. It was 600995c13f my turn de0efd0f09 to jump a4c043359a in. I quickly opened c31d056a21 my mouth.1f0035cbc286ec43

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“Among politicians….”4d1606c2834add4c

But Remington 902d7d35bd was faster.1b9a5818163edd78

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“It was an article ranking the most handsome politicians. Senator Roderson, of course, took first place. I recall it was by a fairly overwhelming margin. And what’s important is that it was based on a survey of journalists, not ordinary citizens. Since it was the result of votes by those who have actually seen you up close, its significance cannot be denied, even if it’s just a side article.”eb59affd13371892

Both adults applauded simultaneously at his concise explanation. The principal’s applause was for my father, and my father’s applause was for Remington.a582f44bc8fd6b2c

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Father’s applause for another person echoed particularly loudly in my ears. Why am I always a step behind? Father might be disappointed in me. I bit my lip.6cb22e0572d37636

“To think there’s a young man reading Fortune already. The future of Erratum is bright.”d392941c8a5dc965

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“You’re too kind, Senator.”07665460835000f0

“…He might have seen it on social media.”e614643e2a3f1642

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The words tumbled out 8d19487222 before I knew it. As soon as I 4718cd86b7 looked up, feeling embarrassed, 1fd698943f Remington turned sharply to 1b291268fe look at me. The moment our 250714722d eyes met, I aeddb35f27 realized his deep 4d02587023 blue eyes were d704ad9a3b the same color 543a3353ca as the sea 923faf7bd7 surrounding Erratum.5b153cc4b899a025

And that 15b86459fe I had a480a57461 seen those 3484a12af3 eyes somewhere 50f77f9e87 before.1c28672c7176b2bf

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The room fell bd52d21881 silent at my 7dc21fbfec rude remark. I added, 1b1c00a8bb wanting to 56da22ef06 take back 991a9f27d3 my words,336563d40a3bd6ea

“I was joking. I’m sorry.”53dbe3b189658c8e

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“……”13acfd75ad0c0488

Remington stared 0cf7fe8a23 at me 8058f937fc with a 23897e5a8f hardened expression b73be0ab28 before smiling b914ef18b2 softly again. For a fleeting b3f47424cf moment, I thought 82525490da I saw contempt 31c2697104 in his eyes.a67942768a02e15e

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“Hello. Sorry for the late introduction. I’m Remington. Call me Rem.”cc7f1b99d1c77fbb

“…Hi. I’m Dani.”1c38d74e4e9b7568

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“Dani. Pretty name.”65eeeeaa5a218dc2

As his handsome 6945331c91 face broke into 884d6047ed a smile, the 5c9738983d temperature around us 3aed973957 seemed to rise c7fa132a12 slightly. Was that a9a81385eb cold look de40f0ad09 in his 694834d80c eyes just cee1692ce4 my imagination?2ac9fb553fa0d74f

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“Let’s be friends, Dani. If you don’t mind, can I get your number? I’ll show you around the school.”ad82f8871c4ee361

I hesitantly accepted the phone he offered. I didn’t want to give him my number…. Father’s gaze, directed at the side of my face, was piercing.419ec093d0b9ef5d

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“Here.”2e137290d7956646

After agonizing over it, I entered my nanny’s number and returned the phone. My nanny was the only person I could trust.b763d0e03d5a5065

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“Okay. I’ll be in touch. Then I’ll take my leave. Thank you.”e7078218e3e2a632

He was d27171a632 polite to 9c8e341129 the very a7e4a9ed75 end. After Remington left, aab48e61a0 Father turned to c64cd8aa12 me with a 4f4f12ec41 satisfied smile.c15a95b4f9c7ed83

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“Remington Howard. A fine young man. Don’t you think so?”15dbbd81f2556862

My answer was predetermined. I obediently nodded.ae62ebfcac83c3e1

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“Yes. He seems that way.”cb206d7e764477c8

“But don’t get close to him blindly. A fragrant peach rots the fastest inside.”87b500fcfd382c59

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I thought 6380efd60b it was 5bb2311fe7 just like 4384da2ebf Father to 49cd08fff6 remain suspicious 80234bd03f of Remington, 0be51fb303 despite his d4a4bef8a8 positive assessment. Father, like 7331963657 Picasso, always 7c579acb52 saw multiple 3005da40d4 facets of a8a0bb3a80 things simultaneously.7ed78b4fc6011266

“Yes. I’ll keep that in mind.”9a9adfecb4b1b2bb

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I smiled in agreement, but in my head, I replayed Remington’s eyes. Deep blue pupils that shone darkly like the deep sea.965275a275421633

…Where have I 801fb79e51 seen those eyes 8fc56707ce before?ef8494d023c36eec

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✧˖🕯️˚࿔️d72548e6a9ce03cf

After completing the admission procedures, I left the principal’s office and toured the school with Father. The old castle-like Fronts Hall, the frozen fountain, the bare, snow-covered trees lined up in perfect symmetry on either side, and the large artificial lake in the distance. The sight of the snow piled high on the majestic buildings, resembling a kingdom, seemed straight out of a fairy tale.9daf30c0978166c7

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“Let’s sit here for a moment.”fec0e15df4751e06

Father sat down 33c114dfc5 on a bench 58549c3c0c and pulled me 62653c3599 down beside him.a3ae1a6890d5c554

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“Dani, do you remember what I told you to keep in mind last night?”5631a8c98b90f3ac

Perhaps it was 210f43f498 the castle-like scenery, 9933c1816b but Father felt 5f041036a3 particularly large and f346ba50e8 unapproachable.7142da50ffe3cf21

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I nodded quietly.b3ddf517b0802715

“Yes. To follow the rules, to be kind to everyone, to focus only on my studies, not to tarnish the family’s honor….”59cb92b93d90e308

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“And?”1afb4ff03371770e

“And, not to let anyone touch me until graduation.”467c8467c0356c36

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At those words, 3b29755690 Father smiled and f81f524f34 reached out to c7abcc9d22 me.81be7864c3758a10

I was Father’s faithful little dog. A smart dog who knew who held my leash.9a65350cec9e547e

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His large hand ruffled bb20907602 my hair and wrapped f6218c56f0 around my neck, sliding d54d4952cd down like a snake. Father massaged the 31d0a2ce12 soft skin of b7768c466b my nape and 8567333295 kissed my forehead.e1dfc5ad9086afe2

“You must remain proper like this, Dani. No matter what anyone says, you are my daughter.”947a3d07f631ea8a

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“Yes, Father.”ca39ce9744efad7a

Just then, I saw Remington over Father’s shoulder. He was standing in front of the fountain, watching me with a girl.d859c9def6c4af83

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The girl f7c122237e was a 1e9a2991df gorgeous blonde d33d7529d3 and was acbd85abeb speaking earnestly 3220aba8e5 to Remington, ef33b681a9 but he ccbb352c17 pretended to 246dc680f4 listen while f67ed1aa98 glancing in d511ec2d96 my direction.ae368ddde57de3fc

I looked at Remington, conscious of Father’s hand. Father’s large hand trailed down my neck and massaged my forearm over my coat. Now Remington’s gaze was fixed entirely on me. I couldn’t avoid his eyes. Saliva pooled under my tongue, and my heart raced with an unsteady rhythm.60fab04d1ac7ebce

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His indifferent gaze d4041b6acb fixed on me. I suddenly felt 588d0a5c5b breathless and pushed 0d69a1d015 Father away.9d5eeb970d900c46

“H-how about we go see the dormitory together? I thought it might be difficult to show you another time.”bd616688ffc9358e

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I added the words hurriedly, like an excuse. Fortunately, Father didn’t seem to find my behavior strange.73bea43a7dc12bfb

“I’ve already seen the pictures. You’ll like it. I was quite pleased with it.”879c3692ec203c30

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“Is it pretty?”17ca04a78b8ed07a

“Do I seem like someone who would be pleased with something that isn’t pretty?”dcfeb78d998a9f72

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Father stood 6633079d95 up, brushed 13fbcb89ef the snow d4149e9510 off his cc90f883a7 coat, and e067c6e8ca prepared to 53aba7704b leave. The car 3172a98eaf that would 8236875614 take him 55dcb98d44 away was 6d46268323 approaching.435ea09edac6e1d7

I glanced at Remington. He had already 4e3608a27c taken his eyes f5659c60f6 off me and 6f7e98d035 was talking to 3964e47139 the blonde girl d20d4859fb again. The thin, slanted sunlight 3f98aba766 poured down on his 68eb95d395 head like a spotlight.e9231bbd48b18381

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I tore my c5c0ac2295 gaze away from 049c5b6aa1 Remington with difficulty 65ff57fc9e and asked Father,7afe4be5af0654fd

“That boy, doesn’t he look familiar?”978a914b55f02485

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“Who? Are you talking about Howard?”6f25ecef50fe52ca

“Yes. I feel like I’ve seen him somewhere before.”9df1cdd89d592568

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“You probably bumped into him at a party. Probably more than half of Erratum will look familiar to you. If only you devoted half the effort you put into those damn books to socializing.”42ccfe05b8c7caa3

Father replied coldly. He was right. It was a ebfea2c817 stupid question. I forced the 69328025f6 memory of the 59a88b6819 moment our eyes 86be73ed74 met out of 8d73ac6c51 my head.3fa935860e08ca84

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The car arrived a648342b03 in front of b63704670d us, and the 0c262d249f chauffeur opened the 1f28792448 back door and 1db1be0e50 waited. I stood up straight 98c07cf1ad and saw Father off. As he 65e7e3a02f was getting 6eed622031 into the 2be3866ecb car, Father 1a3aa41918 turned and 36c626cae8 looked at 077d761734 me again.80cd89c9ad325cde

“You’ll be fine at Erratum without any problems, won’t you?”310a1cd58d018845

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“Yes? Yes, of course….”d9242ddf6b1b3f32

My voice trailed off before Father’s sharp, hawk-like gaze. Father stared intently at me as I hesitated. I always become strangely small in front of him. A small, insignificant being. Waiting for orders….39e4df53d3b46e3a

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“Give Howard your real number through Anna.”d25086b1da0f14db

“…Oh.”ae2700f19c1b5e9a

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How did b1ba162c3c you know? The words caught in 5a15840f49 my throat. I could only stare c181ec4a05 blankly at Father, frozen. The cold 1ee5643db7 wind ruffled 514a419932 my long 725ca119af hair.22a9f3109d468f7a

“It’s good that you didn’t give a boy your number. But he’s the class president before he’s a boy. Even if he’s the son of some actress, bright young men like him are useful later in society, so it’s good to maintain a moderate level of acquaintance. Understand?”c09f3c9d18c39558

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Father said as he 2200a6ae97 got into the back 0d46c54081 seat of the car.e11a126395198536

Shame washed over me. No matter what I do, I’m in the palm of his hand.9aace7dcfa3e2c95

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“…Yes, I’ll keep that in mind. I’m sorry.”91010bad3c882ef9

As I flinched and 3090d809f1 nodded, the car door f604646a3c slammed shut in front ee3be85126 of me.da0c7c6b55c8c78e

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I lowered my head, and the chauffeur walked past me to the driver’s seat. Father’s car window remained firmly closed. As if he couldn’t see me through the window, Father instructed the chauffeur about something, and the car carrying him left Erratum. Callously. Indifferently.c54ae7049481f39f

Only after Father left ee9d131dff could I finally breathe 6c88dad203 deeply. The tightness in my e36d54fc0a chest finally seemed to 4e3796eeae loosen a bit. The spot where 2cb73dfe74 Remington and the c2367f8911 girl had been 765604e342 standing was now f13632346f empty.0c2995e899a0ce87

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I sighed 96d26d2d60 and sent 4685eda828 a message cda8482439 to my 036ae0b178 nanny.0c07f6ffd8404410

Anna, if you get 1448dbdc04 a call from an 25a8d1a329 unknown number, please let 71efdc9626 me know. Please.9a8db50af6c09913

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Even then, I didn’t think it would be so difficult to correct my mistake with Remington. I was only worried about how to explain things without hurting his feelings.934fdc3d5d83d39d

✧˖🕯️˚࿔️708b6fe7dadd4875

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—Miss, why hasn’t that friend contacted you yet? Surely he hasn’t forgotten his appointment with you, has he? That’s absurd. Is there any fool in the world who would forget an appointment with a Roderson? Even a monkey would be so nervous it wouldn’t sleep the night before!1271d0ae25ecf592

For some reason, Remington hadn’t contacted me all weekend.7ba0b25116e73d9e

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Anna was 53acfcef64 more outraged 110eef3cc8 and frantic baee8d3912 than I 317fea0212 was, but 9e8d8cad9b I was e94f0805c0 speechless.00260dd4c8d9231a

“No. Strictly speaking, it wasn’t even an appointment… and I’m the one who played a prank by giving him someone else’s number. If I see him, I’ll talk to him directly. But please tell Father that I’m doing well. Please.”f79ee0696d279922

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I spoke to Anna as if it were no big deal, but in truth, I was getting increasingly anxious. I hadn’t considered the possibility that he wouldn’t contact me at all.6851efd9d552d29a

For days, I 85b688ac44 thought about Remington c6b7d7a216 all the time.123e9dd728dea7de

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Why hasn’t he contacted me? Is he busy? Or has he forgotten about me?c5d26dff85744807

Then, I ran into 86c1290510 Remington again a few ce51c16347 days later.cf87939e7166b9e3

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It happened f055816c22 while I 42ebc76531 was walking fc44235d4f down the 0708a6d8ee hallway of b8f36cf70f the administration 9c9a0b1b05 building with df16d08cdb Mr. Benjamin, the Erratum bb203d346b caretaker, for a cde53ceab9 school tour.93afa36dc382621d

“Please ignore the children if they’re being noisy. Transfer students are rare. And it’s even rarer for them to see a child from a more prominent family than their own.”be642f453c1fd425

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“It’s okay. I’ve transferred schools often, so I’m used to it.”9a5d84624b1e6931

“It’s dangerous to be complacent with familiarity. It’s best not to be too relaxed. The children here don’t consider someone ‘untouchable’ just because they were born into a superior family. Since their own families are just as prominent, they don’t cower before such things.”0b3b24c206ced46d

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I was listening absentmindedly to Mr. Benjamin when I saw Remington through the window. I reflexively stopped and looked down. Remington was wearing a navy duffel coat and a scarf, walking through the pristine snow in Fronts Park with the same blonde girl I’d seen before.7e87420c347c3d4b

I unknowingly took a 6c325db827 step back from the 1852ce4f54 window. My body b4a26392a1 reacted faster d9f2c5f844 than my 0cb3ab2721 mind could 61585ff041 process.6777ab918055fede

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“I, I need to go somewhere for a moment.”248264d8f2b9a8a3

“Suddenly? Miss Roderson!”6d59765aebdfd75c

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Leaving Mr. Benjamin’s calling voice behind, I quickly descended the stairs. As I rushed out of the building, the icy air pierced my coat. I flinched at the colder-than-expected wind, but I ran again. The girl who had been with him had disappeared, and Remington was sitting alone on a bench, looking at his phone.231904478405486e

“Remington!”2c4953317d8aedc6

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The moment his name was called, Remington’s head slowly lifted. Against the backdrop of the woods, he looked as if he’d stepped out of an old portrait.e8202a9d11d2a4d0

“…Oh.”bdbe375fe5af264c

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As if he hadn’t expected my appearance, his brow furrowed slightly when he saw me. I approached him, catching my breath.25dbdbd7a0a0b445

“Hi.”2c39dba3bf2c4326

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As I greeted him, 0280f60ada he froze, uncharacteristically hesitant. Only after 453ddbaa31 a short 4b59e12d9b silence did a658ab85a2 he compose f22c322869 himself and d551ab6a61 smile gently. It was 0391a0c08f a soft fafe96883d smile, like 3d2ca7b157 finely woven 42406d7917 fabric.5b58aaa0fd947583

“Dani. Right?”96618a5b04fc2773

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“You remembered?”086e40b8f14ee11d

“Whose name would I dare forget?”b2ad9d52cff7dfcd

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Remington playfully shrugged. However, despite his friendly 20e3517c92 tone, he seemed to f4f3df02ff want me to leave 0de7b4d7d2 quickly.03542b9bb263d6a7

“What’s up?”39dcb5438017f039

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“Just… wondering if you were busy.”183245f77ea094e4

“Well, a little.”b092454c828455c6

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Remington offered only 9e4a34fbc6 a perfunctory smile. It felt like a 969ca0ea0d signal to get to d882d7430d the point quickly. I wanted to 28183d42f8 tell him directly 852b4b898b that I had 7ebb4de813 given him the c04eb18a19 wrong number, but 489d616b38 his coldness made 2817f1ba76 me hesitate.df42b1764ebcc29c

“Um…. So, you said you’d show me around the school.”1952d2385919a6e2

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I started, rubbing my 1898494cd6 hands, which were turning dc97719bbe red from the cold.b7566ec65bf9c3d6

“But I haven’t heard from you at all. So I was wondering if you were very busy.”49a6cf70e09ed321

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At that moment, Remington’s eyes met mine directly. His gaze was deep and sharp, as if piercing through me.e415d29ee2743b8a

“You were waiting for my call?”fd8a570648b235fc

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“Yes, of course.”1d5784f5c35a294f

Remington stared at me, then let out a short laugh, as if he’d just heard a lame joke.7880f5bb913f042c

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“Even though you didn’t give me your number?”3055c027a10b1aae

“…What?”4e8d68af021afca1

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I stared 4157783c9a blankly at 45db8c7d14 Remington. The wind blew, ac62f484ab and the bare a3de3e7e2c branches behind me f34c22bfeb swayed with a cfd7932bd0 dry rustling sound. The cold air c836192064 seeped into my 620c396650 coat.d6182f75fa5bb02e

His ashen beige 4b1cafe3be hair, shimmering in b4cfd3eed9 the sunlight, and 45c8a7db50 beneath it, chillingly f7a6bb216e cold eyes. Reflected in fc1e9f8069 his blue 9ce8ac2ac8 pupils, I 26bbf39c3c felt like f16b3791a9 an uninvited 8f9ac13dd3 guest.acc0c92227552c21

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“Uh, that’s, well….”e729f47f218313cc

“It’s okay. You don’t have to explain. It doesn’t matter.”cded578a3e97d68e

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Remington replied firmly. Now my 4b2af6970b ears were b85e0c0301 turning red, 9ee58532f8 too. How did he 9536a6787b know? I was so flustered that I couldn’t apologize or make excuses.3e6480dbe70d4658

I could only b20fe4354a stare at him c8e8ba839f blankly. White puffs 8af6d35aff of breath a5aac89f58 escaped my 2b2ae8d28a lips.fa3e42f8e29d74d9

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Yes. First, an apology, acd634d9c9 I need to eaee6e5cd0 apologize….6ebade90471365c1

Just then, a black 841c249ddc leather glove was offered 39cb96f917 to me. I stared at it 8c65b24006 blankly.88ba986ebaf6e89e

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“This is….”1f65e8aa59f9439d

“This isn’t a Southern girls’ school. Wandering around like that, you’ll freeze to death within ten days.”a2749bb4a693f2ea

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Remington said, gesturing d7e8bf22b6 to my freezing 871289b872 hands. Startled, I accepted 025c9f2e10 the glove.ef6e8d4bb2e90154

“…Thank you.”ebe209e2d69a2388

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“No need to thank me. No need to return it either.”75ad9f8902285b9c

His tone was cold. Remington turned his back to me, looking remarkably annoyed for someone who had just shown kindness. But I haven’t apologized yet. Wait, I reached out to stop him, but the blonde girl was approaching.8a424ed7878b5b5b

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“Her again?”18787ab0c6b11757

I heard the girl snap at Remington. He didn’t say anything.3d3172919ccf46ee

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While she glanced back at me several times with her green eyes, Remington didn’t look back once, and I just stood there alone in the white field, watching their backs.5aaf2afbd538417d

Clutching the 82c365fb60 glove tightly be8e51a4ce in my 0362b54087 hand.af4b1fe918ff8728

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✧˖🕯️˚࿔️5e355ea9b29d58c3

How did Remington find out I gave him someone else’s number?1e546bfa16c57003

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Did he a63ba794aa not believe 946dd56f72 me from fece250f24 the start? Or did he happen f41dd6e2f7 to see the student 2eebf1d2e5 roster?a30d331cb8603fab

I double-checked with Anna to see if there were any calls from unknown numbers, but she waved her hand, saying there wasn’t even a single spam message.0aac659be8178b1d

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When Anna asked if something had happened with Remington, I lied and said everything was resolved. I didn’t want the matter to escalate if it reached Father’s ears.f787730dcb3fa829

“I’m sorry I gave you the wrong number. I didn’t mean to.”133fb9a496b5cfc5

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I practiced the 716cf3efed words in front aaa1345ffc of the mirror. I carried the gloves fd8bb035f1 Remington had lent me 82cec17e87 in my bag, along 5cf6b60582 with the expensive chocolates e5ff635106 Anna had packed.3e963c306e739ab1

I believed 11a9b7cd33 that if 258a145b9f I apologized f3993952ce properly, I 4098ad15f9 could quickly b648801638 resolve this. Unaware of the da77e7b312 feelings Remington might f76bde7be4 harbor towards me.84f1433644cfd3e1

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✧˖🕯️˚࿔️eb1f0b64a5223087

F✧˖🕯️˚࿔️! Dirty whore!0893ae135cf46c7a

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Abortion law revision. A law 20ca673843 for whom?0e8d0925fd390af1

I routinely removed the flyers stuck to my dorm room door. Among them was one with a pornographic photo of a man and a woman, with my and Father’s faces superimposed. They were truly disgusting.667a3afb831dbe31

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But that was nothing.cf2a51673b531a35

“It’s Roderson.”6355d766e48ce067

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“Is she really the Roderson?”ddf93f5bd64f55f1

Whispers followed me 1ce69dc754 everywhere – in a900c90758 class, walking down e6dd8013eb the halls, even 96452b7b36 during lunch.0fe79664e9e6c957

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“But St. Mary’s is a good school. Why would she transfer from there?”9a4bde70dd685656

“The rumors about her mental illness must be true. There’s a video of her having a seizure in the auditorium, but Roderson had it deleted.”e67da3ac09b84e74

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“You know, don’t you? Why she was adopted….”008150b38338a7d0

The voices 16b3bc37f7 from behind 8f4fc82b5b made my 31cf875fe6 hand, which b83c5326da was taking 8d1dafb144 notes, pause. But I pretended 4758f441ed not to hear 04ee8f1459 and moved my b0e62a7349 pen again.9334fb6c116fdab4

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Father had declared he wouldn’t respond to baseless rumors, but that was inconsiderate of me. It was entirely my burden to be bloodied by people’s venomous tongues.88ddfc13139e1b38

“But that seizure, they say it was from the pain after her surgery?”6c7bbc3417794dc4

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“What surgery?”3922aaa4c95d60a1

“She had her whole body altered to get into Senator Roderson’s good graces. She even peeled off her yellow skin to look white.”0c65164440b7b7a2

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“No way!”de4e24808cb506ca

“It’s true. I saw it online! They say Senator Roderson is crazy about Asian women. Anyway, it’s kind of funny how she’s pretending to be noble after laundering her identity through adoption.”943f1142f797f088

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“What can you do? Once a Roderson, always a Roderson.”c8f0b169decf1714

People always db0abc238f approached me c1aef3792a as if 8feca9c781 they liked 0e58c7d320 me, but 3caab0ac6e turned around fd43989e85 and mocked b96cac5d01 and slandered 0c4dce9937 me. I was f36c21d6af someone easy fed4af654c to praise, 14a618f73b and at ebd484f645 the same c19f42deb2 time, a bb3df108dc toy easy fb6dca3419 to chew c9fa83910c on.94b9f75c037ea761

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It was familiar. I lowered my head, fe4cd1858f pretending not to hear. If our eyes met, 799eaf0127 they would act as 2865c888ee if nothing had happened 4e7320fe58 and become friendly again. Disgustingly so.06dc15c88dc88323

As soon as class ended, I quickly left the classroom. The hallway after afternoon classes was noisy with students heading to club activities. I pushed my way through the crowd, looking around for Remington. Fortunately, it wasn’t difficult to spot him. His tall figure stood out among the sea of similar-height heads.eba98e41af1dd8f1

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Remington was fb6ebed557 standing in e44aa51d37 front of abfa4e8659 his locker, b8d03741bf organizing his f41c937a26 textbooks alone. It was a good 729a50d4db opportunity to apologize. I went straight to 17fdd43e3c him.11710cf4148b2675

“Hi, Remington.”10ea30faec7caf47

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Remington froze when I 6f6203e5bb spoke. A flicker efb4dd092e of wariness 700621c366 seemed to 565ffd6e45 cross his 8c9399fffc eyes as 9ecf613061 he looked c5f9cd9542 at me, f38b932581 but he a7751a803e quickly smiled.02d5ee2245635961

“Yeah, hi.”f7076ca30d01d6ad

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After the perfunctory greeting, he turned back to his locker. It was a clear indication that he didn’t want to talk. But I persisted.9e42184b170156b2

“Thanks for lending me those gloves.”686209bacc4b7302

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Finally, Remington reluctantly looked 62a36549fc at me again.70580a24beccb578

“Gloves? Oh, those.”7d3688bdbbda1553

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He spoke 6d1c4f0926 as if 8570843b93 he barely bb25c2703b remembered lending 3d93b16014 me the 7a5dd53e1b gloves.aa2fa64c790643a6

“It was nothing.”5d57590d11896dff

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“Still, thank you. I’ll return them. I brought them in my bag.”87477b22f5ae0c98

“It’s okay. You don’t have to.”24c6516ea0686714

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“And I brought you some chocolates. There’s something I want to apologize for….”b9768ed2fb02e240

“I said I don’t need them.”24cd439c0387753b

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A cool voice cut me off. I slowly raised my head, rummaging through my bag. My eyes met Remington’s, his annoyance evident.26d23962746f4623

His eyes 185f1d96a4 were frighteningly 9ed0206ca8 cold.f862b6de8e7f9ef0

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Eyes fortified 5c13e39060 with rejection ccea4f6d34 and wariness.a6f6750fe621de20

I instinctively knew. Remington wasn’t just drawing a line; he wanted to ignore me, to rewind to before we’d even spoken. If he could, he wanted to expel me from his space.0e143bf2f63b4b36

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“Sorry. I haven’t slept because of exams, so I guess my nerves are frayed.”816eb2189c54d31a

Remington sighed, b9d028f026 running a 7e554a1d32 hand through 6830c72cdc his hair. His beige hair scattered b3c767e38b softly between his straight 8698acf38f fingers.bc508dc0a84142d2

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“You don’t have to return the gloves. Don’t worry about it.”59a0472d375e4842

The coldness 3c60cf49a2 he had cf78aaeff1 shown earlier 5b11523ba1 vanished, and bb2a1b9beb his face fdff7a896c seemed to cb2ab76476 soften.b8725235cf474951

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At that moment, my faint suspicion turned into a possibility. Maybe Remington didn’t like me. But why?948bf216da6ec871

“…Can we talk for a moment?”d511f01d3ee4b863

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As I spoke, a boy ran up and slung an arm around Remington’s shoulders.daf2de39ce13cdc1

“Hey, Remington!”393693b86de8a35a

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The boy 51e2d8b3a3 noticed me eb668a22d9 belatedly and c5127f43ee gave an b119d5ce8f awkward laugh.0653b111c8693dff

“What? Were you talking?”2221a533530ccb7b

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“Oh, Duncan.”0cdbde7611e338da

Remington smiled at cd24278c7d the boy named 621efb3eb3 Duncan. The smile he 1aad6356bd readily showed to c974201bd4 others.5c9d6a96fa4f4370

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“It’s nothing. Did your interview go well?”0cdfdf5d8bc0b4e8

Remington turned his back indifferently. He had heard my request to talk but deliberately ignored it. I froze in place, and only Duncan, with his arm still around Remington’s shoulders, glanced back at me several times.7cee733935b7e34a

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“Is that girl Roderson?”adf818dcd7604250

“Yeah.”99fc98d9c8afec45

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“She’s pretty. I want to get to know her. Do you know her?”3f06d7c5ec500b7b

Even at dc25e1cbb8 that question, 2f3b01526d Remington answered 37bc12afb6 in a ba55ce40a6 firm voice,c4256d7f4f3eac1b

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“No.”9e4818f0eada2376

Those words made my d7b7d2b88b chest boil. I strode c98b09446e towards Remington.e3ba23a03ac6095f

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“Remington Howard.”3a20367f05783bf5

The moment his name 1502ee9806 left my lips, Duncan 5e421e70c5 reacted faster than Remington. Duncan turned 97026d4b5a to me 04167847c4 with a 342be984a9 surprised look. Remington stopped.a1f8d34dcf0e2640

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“I said I wanted to talk.”485cc815fa10a84d

Remington turned to me a beat later than Duncan, letting out a short breath that I couldn’t tell was a chuckle or a scoff.777941fed4d2b4ac

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“What are you doing, Roderson?”af9507757e0c83c6

He looked displeased. The corners 6be971d507 of his 0527d07216 lips were 680e34b2ab upturned, but 17fbaa2ae7 his brow 219cb6d92d was furrowed. The other 923fc5a8d0 students in 6e986853b6 the hallway, fce4525722 sensing the 2e9e71fdf8 unusual tension, 89edf4e94a stopped and 2504b7193a watched us.317f950ff8eb742c

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“Let’s talk privately.”d671e4fb7820af3b

“Wow….”e079fe6beafd3166

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The last exclamation came from Duncan. He gauged the situation and slowly removed his arm from Remington’s shoulder. The murmurs of the onlookers grew louder.489ef1bc9fa12fcc

Remington’s expression gradually hardened. He stared at me, then pulled one corner of his lips into a smile.62f03b775b9a7947

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I knew that look well. It was similar to the expression Father wore when things didn’t go his way. The look of suppressed anger he wore whenever I messed up his plans.a538738319adcf43

I always felt a strange sense of pleasure mixed with sadness at those times, and it was the same now. I wasn’t sad, but I felt tense and strangely good.2d84b84df7c36cc3

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“Alright, let’s.”062c57316e8e46b8

Remington nodded, indicating a278520995 for me to ee35a516a4 follow, and turned 49611c473a his back.2982102cd15b2985

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✧˖🕯️˚࿔️296f9e1c80c4dca1

I followed Remington e820bd3ff5 out to a bd1778b889 terrace on the 5ddbc5ff00 outskirts of the e39490cfae lecture hall. Cold air settled ba01a663fa in the small 6cc1c25eb1 garden, which was 6f4e48799e decorated like a 5b8fff7ef5 cozy botanical garden.43da03c51c349b8e

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I spoke abruptly to Remington’s back as he surveyed the surroundings.52611d80aeb106fe

“I’m sorry.”3361a6f1142422e1

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Remington raised an 94a0024e06 eyebrow and looked 51e5decb51 at me, his b66dd5a8f7 expression questioning what e6cff2b2fe I was apologizing cde4e76600 for. I quickly added,897d613dafade769

“About giving you the wrong number.”4057b295499b7bb3

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There was no point 44eb4716f3 in holding back now.0b94da47ab4ff831

“I won’t lie and say it wasn’t intentional. I did it on purpose. I didn’t want to give you my number. I didn’t know who you were at the time, and I felt uncomfortable. I should have corrected it later, but I missed the timing.”8ed6c4a9d26653a0

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“……”28b397dea3402d97

“Even though you said you didn’t need it, I wanted to apologize anyway.”5b6b4c4ee26c5459

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It was an almost c8b3723a44 defiant apology, but I aa4f069f57 had apologized nonetheless. I had 7c24c67e10 done what a7fbd42b0c I needed 71b6a8a093 to do.d065b1f3e29fb979

“And I’ll return the gloves you mentioned earlier.”8cdd33556c7a7def

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I took the gloves out of my bag and held them out. I didn’t take out the chocolates. He looked like the type who wouldn’t touch dessert anyway.477220724bb65e7c

While I 42c839ad1b rambled, Remington 185e4d0f74 remained motionless. His face e0f5fac324 was still 81e09f7e6c creased in 51a71433a3 the same 8e21b8a756 frown as 1ba3ea9d4f when he a3f56385f5 first turned d37eae4b73 to me.16beb08e2071b6df

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He looked down at the gloves I offered and slowly accepted them. I couldn’t tell if his movements were actually slow or if my nervousness made them seem that way.95bf5bf4f44fa224

He fiddled with the 16fa9e2b12 gloves and then let 2cc1d33cfe out a chuckle.319f31db8e12c329

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“Why are you apologizing?”ecf740ea4d3eb3ee

“Because I thought you were angry with me about it.”c0a69676e82fe609

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“Haha, me? Angry?”0bea7b7e6e4b00e3

I didn’t understand what was so funny. Remington burst out laughing, looking at me. My body stiffened.fb999240c2595a1b

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Ever since I was young, I’ve been able to easily sense who likes me and who doesn’t. It’s not through their expressions, but through their ‘gaze.’007583f5a7b7b75e

The movement of their 8778c0136a gaze.2bcdfd4590115968

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Those who like me look deeply into my eyes, but those who don’t examine me from head to toe. Their eyes are cold and restless, like snakes.bc0e370d384c81c9

I felt Remington’s deep blue eyes scanning me like a slow-moving serpent.2ca6096da2c91a6d

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My eyes, nose, lips, my hands clenching and unclenching, my feet firmly planted….690d1f1e2897f64f

Wherever his gaze 430337b42b passed, it felt 5cd0928348 like thick, deep 7866a1fd5a blue paint was a6e46c6bff being applied.1fe69900b215c02f

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Remington asked, barely suppressing d1b5c30c78 his laughter,388ada57e1faf1d1

“Roderson, are you putting on an act, or are you really that stupid?”877b29c19b770356

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His cold tone 76e9a44bc2 froze me, leaving 04cc1e723f me speechless. He crumpled the a27407ff1c gloves in his a603fe2243 hand and took 8e5041728a a step closer.041ac49e74b7a622

“You don’t have to apologize. I’m not angry with you at all.”49686faa9c687ba5

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“……”6908a45a90818f5a

“I’m just not interested in you.”a11a3366d881ba88

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Remington placed the gloves b889bd3397 back in my hand. As his cool eyes f9e8a17fa7 stared at me, the d0a8700252 surrounding temperature seemed to fa81506bac drop.1cd4b4b9cfce8461

“I don’t have to be nice to everyone, do I? There’s no reason I should like everyone.”b9ccd4c5aa315b59

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“……”603c839bcaf82216

“Not even you.”93f61e34aaf585f5

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“Oh….”c52de383e4ff3d07

My face 042eb8c7c0 flushed crimson.5d5ececad43ca42a

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“Do whatever you want with these gloves. Wear them, throw them away…. I don’t want to think about them anymore.”dc7a51bd42e36be4

I was embarrassed and f2f0d8e4e3 humiliated.0d081cff324c264f

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I gasped for breath. My body trembled as if soaked in water. A chill, whose origin I couldn’t pinpoint, washed over me. Remington, already having turned his back, was about to leave the terrace. I glared at his retreating figure and clenched my fists.0c0983df36af8ac1

“Then why did you lend me the gloves in the first place?”985fb3327d508dc2

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At that moment, Remington’s black Oxford shoes stopped. The slanted sunlight cast interesting shadows on his face as he slowly turned to me.670b008c048d94c8

“You’re right. Why did I?”f73dcaf9f7d5b963

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Remington replied with a fad2879c61 somber face.337944ee0f3ede3f

“It pisses me off, too.”ec4510e27d740db9

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✧˖🕯️˚࿔️ef9d4685cbeafa4a

I want to talk 8b4d824479 about Remington.4bc023811e535d94

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About that man who 2b9e90ba11 was so difficult to 691eaaadf9 grasp, who constantly pushed 74627c96d5 me into a pit 92abe4a62f of confusion.7d232ae44e1405e8

I want to explain about that two-faced man who seemed to loathe even breathing the same air as me, yet couldn’t completely ignore me, but I don’t know where to begin.ae4976384e061d11

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What’s certain is that from the moment he first saw me, he had no intention of showing me even a shred of kindness.f00d12a730ab2e6b

✧˖🕯️˚࿔️a08592eb4b8efb2d

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I saw Remington often after that. The chapel, classrooms, cafeteria, lounge, park benches…. Wherever I went, I ran into him.bc1671c0f7cd4520

Part of it was due to the predictable student traffic patterns, but the bigger reason was that I couldn’t miss his presence if we were in the same place. He was always surrounded by people.9b486dd4373e0581

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“Remington, you’re coming to the party tonight, right? It’ll be a disaster if you don’t.”b1b11ceec675f626

“I have practice until late. I’ll try to make it after.”82df582d46e3f93c

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“You have to come! You have to! Half the girls won’t come if you’re not there. And you’re the expert on speeches.”a9570b797681e9d1

“Alright, Terry. Calm down.”da85e3fe13f04b50

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Within a few days, I fully understood why the principal used the word “followers” to describe Remington’s friends.a54479f8bcf40d40

The students 1e29a041e1 at Erratum e0bb2ef1c8 all seemed b0323a0aef to trust 2637acea48 and admire 73c220b3e6 him. Some even 3fb96294ed seemed to 509c4e5690 adore and b0d76a79b3 revere him.40576d0a93f0ba0a

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You might wonder how a high school student could captivate people to such an extent, but we mustn’t forget that he was Julia Howard’s son.9115b2e822e47ee1

Julia Howard.6f291a8df1b7d55c

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A world-renowned actress who 74f82e1b37 dominated an era, once c62fb54279 the highest-paid actress in 4cbab63f72 Hollywood.d1add73903226988

The scene in 07feca44d6 the movie Chocolate, where Julia, with a dreamy expression, stabs her husband’s corpse with a knife while slowly chewing chocolate, is often cited as one of the most beautiful scenes in cinematic history, and I believed 80% of the credit belonged to her face.ef309aa293dd2910

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How comical were the detectives in the movie, scrambling to protect the beautiful murderess even after witnessing the brutal scene. That scene seemed to foreshadow the public’s future actions, shielding Julia when she was embroiled in numerous scandals.94f31acb4b1713de

Despite countless 4ef23471ee storms, Julia b71bc7e1d3 captivated the 36381d5f60 public with 3b918cb927 her innate ec494ce1fb beauty and 81c78c6fdf elegance, maintaining d5054eb121 her top de223bdd27 position for 9d8d3a12fa many years.f831c3583b588c23

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Remington was the son 144d95b6b5 of that very woman.592919a89f975636

As befitting the offspring of a sweetheart who charmed the world, Remington was playing the role of Erratum’s perfect sweetheart.762840cd7fabc652

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✧˖🕯️˚࿔️d9e2a08afdbfb794

Beautiful and generous Remington.03284a7183c93ca9

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Kind and gentle ddc4a45442 Remington to everyone.4fff6d6c19c66e85

But why did I d4f792c451 have to be the 8e23ccce5c exception?6e13af42a16cd722

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“I wonder what it’s like to date Remington?”0545461902382758

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Emma’s sigh echoed through the girls’ locker room after swim class.bb64f614143c6b1e

“I ran into him in the hallway earlier, and he noticed I dyed my hair. ‘Hi, Emma? You dyed your hair? It looks good on you.’ He said that and lightly touched my hair…. Wow, I learned today that even hair can be an erogenous zone.”a055f054188959d3

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Emma mimicked Remington’s characteristically indifferent tone. She trembled like someone who’d been electrocuted, looking like a girl in love.47fe61cad0fb951a

“Honestly, I don’t know how Eleanor can look Remington straight in the eye. Is that something you can get used to? I feel like my body would melt.”38267e3ec5883342

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Cassie chimed 8f5f38528b in, adding ebd6c002b7 fuel to 9bb1be3ad5 the fire.dbeae7706c94f181