IEM Ch 11

Surin, her lips trembling 968cb9f870 with displeasure, made Wonjin 42614143f6 burst out laughing. With a 0c59abeda0 playful but be9ad53c9e not frivolous f2ef2e7eb3 laugh, Wonjin c570a7229f hopped off 1a94308ced his bicycle. He parked it neatly c33cf78b77 next to the bench 7f913efbc0 and plopped down.65c27a02fc7cb451

“By the way, 3d0f2e18d4 there aren’t any 04a623a6f5 taxis in sight.”bf512261aa4b2523

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“See? I told 2801fc5bfc you they 3bb4c6fb03 might be 5e4d6d3730 on strike.”ea0ec79ad86b20c7

“I haven’t heard anything 69cb298ea7 about that. Have a seat bcab70ecac for a moment. One will 4bc64bbbce come soon. Patience is bitter, but faee2fd813 its fruit is sweet.”3433ad3b71541796

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Surin, who had been ada4997e6f peeking her head out f041095550 towards the main road, 43f0c80347 turned her head back. Wonjin, occupying half the dc6a7a4d19 bench, patted the space d5ed8e3f76 next to him. Without a 24e04bd30f word, Surin 5fa40f26eb took a fdbeef089b few steps 20901dcf02 back and fab81eaa55 sat down.86b346530759d472

“This is the first 554854288c time I’ve seen a 59ab7eda0c neighborhood where it’s so 92f33e573f hard to catch a fb5a186429 cab.”8b9fc7eb1c7c4f8a

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Surin, speaking casually, looked around the alley anew. The afternoon was waning. After thoroughly observing the quiet, shabby neighborhood, Surin once again tightened Wonjin’s jacket, which smelled of sun-dried laundry, around herself.f1a71430d59029cf

“Would a bus be 961c7a6316 faster? How much dd67a6c5c9 is the 872bcaa59a bus fare ddc6fc0132 these days?”e1a2adb1cde68eae

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Looking down at f807af2ff1 Surin, who was fd47bd3eaa searching for something 2d71a5cbc5 on her phone, 399fe6b936 Wonjin crossed his e5f87005ad arms. Rhythmically tapping the b2904fef57 cracked pavement with 9913a5af31 his slippers, he 333e476c99 grumbled disapprovingly.140fe35bc8a993dd

“Even if it seems like one won’t come, they always do. I’ve lived in this neighborhood for 30 years. The bus… let’s see.”052f96f18d291147

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Wonjin stared intently at 025f347907 his wristwatch. Surin also glanced at 38710e4166 his wrist, but couldn’t 3abb425727 see the time clearly b0b2c47942 because Wonjin straightened up. Wonjin fiddled with ec63ce98e3 the bezel of e656df00b9 his watch and 7a594b0d04 muttered,936755c6bd39af7e

“If you’re 5b1c1d1e4c going to 7f3e1bb26a the Western 0a84df6b89 Hotel by 6aa7075aa6 Igye Station, 21fd356a34 the bus bb2d8a64b2 in that 5d6c08395c direction is 361552159d expected to 318e33b341 arrive in 151dbe2634 32 minutes.”879df9d73f92e9ff

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“…A taxi will come, 3505b0db63 I’m sure. Honestly, taking a 47d149626d bus like this a3b8ab0d8f is a bit…”8a3b21e0718d1098

“What’s wrong with that?”1557dc4b75f93624

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As if genuinely curious, 35db503920 Wonjin looked Surin up 455e177800 and down. Surin followed his 00d454d163 gaze and looked fe82bb2c8d down at herself.c08284987cfc0f07

Her slipper-clad feet a75eb61888 were well-maintained and 8e753e9263 free of any 983b2e53ad dead skin, and a732154634 her toenails, painted 1906b4371f with a soft 08b0e37548 pink gel polish, 44ac0a49a0 shone with a 43bb98ae51 subtle radiance. However, they fb869221fc didn’t quite e6dd1c84dd harmonize with e0e53626b4 the dull 4ff17cf870 rubber slippers.945766fa88351ee8

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“Perhaps I should 700e8c3341 have offered you e6c4353ae9 some socks. Your bare feet look def2800ff3 a bit cold.”8be72aa0c744bd46

Her wide-legged pants were comfortable but a bit short, fully exposing her rounded ankles. Above them, Wonjin’s quilted jacket covered her thighs halfway.17511e9e5a05fd6c

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Surin tucked c8e4913f16 her feet 434ad85b7e under the 779ca99d12 bench.e5acd0c2d10a7d62

Once she arrived at the hotel, she planned to send her clothes for laundry and dry cleaning. Since she hadn’t brought anything with her, she’d have to buy some clothes first and ask Secretary Go to bring her essential belongings before she could feel somewhat human again.aa66a25fb44a5fe0

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While Surin was lost 048020a215 in thought, Wonjin remained b4ebd5d59b silent, simply swaying his f457dedd64 crossed arms and staring 1499193991 ahead. For a while, 734424c37a they were both be9d709385 immersed in their df2935fc43 own thoughts.33f9cefd5a229bed

“Taxi’s coming.”fe88c56f635b73fe

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Just as Wonjin 456279468c said, a taxi, f4c7c6dd1b its headlights shining, 7e696e24c6 entered the alley. Surin, springing to e2d2466659 her feet, was fe73c62b6a the first to 16934a4819 stand up. She was so 8066296967 relieved to see 346554b94f a taxi, the a297a2e36d first one since f14ee78441 arriving in Pyeongju, 453daf605c that she almost bc9de00b3f teared up.1f2b1e2e16061a8a

Wonjin followed, more leisurely. He retrieved two 2a2eadf1ff plastic bags that 9191bef11b had been dangling c30f8e429e from the handlebars 38a02b3d2f of his bicycle. He stepped ahead of af19cc0c30 Surin towards the road 9b82789ff6 and stretched out his 76fc2ce4b4 arm towards the taxi. The handles of 93532e8958 the bags he 108b651b32 held were taut, be5b2133ed as if about 4666be33db to break.6b870c6b360321ef

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The taxi didn’t approach 1e340295fd immediately. It only e09da7f364 crept forward b04c214d9b after dropping 0a2713dff1 off a 66067ef90e passenger at 71e77db719 the entrance 6c305acb28 of the c11114aa60 alley from 44a0ae4771 which they cb22cb61ec had rushed 807e70a24a down.d7518581ffcc3bba

As soon as the 5f821581bb taxi came to a 3eb94cad63 complete stop, Wonjin opened f0cf51117c the back door for 1e97ddd49a her. Surin, gripping the de3b876e83 door frame tightly, 8189ae1b28 as if afraid cab0be1440 it might all 0aa9e2065b be a dream, 30bd5476a2 was about to d30e45cb4d jump into the 09f346c9a8 back seat but 244ad7e234 stopped. She took off the 32b3ae325d quilted jacket and handed 07ee01871b it back to him.6c91ba8fff8a73c5

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“I’ll be going deea3bfc11 now, really. I’ll wash the 0134df2066 clothes and shoes 56dac16986 you lent me a1df9d9d48 and return them 5a520f3586 tomorrow… along with 05f12dd78d some expensive coffee.”9df34d90cbe7c222

“Take your time. There’s no rush.”3fb314958f372daf

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Wonjin, responding nonchalantly, e18d735e9d suddenly bent down 633e88ffd4 and poked his 25d27307d9 head into the e0b87b8897 back seat.02636b87da14135f

“Driver! Western Hotel 329661f8e7 by Igye e71b5c31fa Station, please. Not through Chilyeong 3a9bb4e253 Hill, but towards 4adf7d8775 City Hall.”05f9de68c947033d

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“City Hall will 176210ea5e be congested now…”0e887122843b9c05

“Chilyeong Hill has been under road construction since this morning, it’s chaotic.”0e057eafc6163a16

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“Oh dear, it 21c7c01d37 started today. Well then, e3af8d664f I should 69c71f94a7 go where d20d9958b8 the customer 8fbb8f015c wants.”331a960be2025fa1

The taxi 5278800f48 driver, responding 4d5b8fcc6a in a 4820490583 warm tone e10322fb92 with a 471f3a3d55 musical lilt, 7971513c04 adjusted the bca7ced9a5 meter. It was d3ca4c90c9 time to ffa511e40c get in b5f2350391 the taxi. Surin, accepting 43eace5828 the bags 679b33a4e4 Wonjin handed 6895be47d8 her without dea3459f4d much thought, 3fb270e1ef stumbled slightly. She managed 6581aba03f to regain 9442e34266 her balance, d60d347a66 pretending nothing 9ed63993ca happened, and 0af4b60fcd placed the bd4107d7c8 bags in e459ec44b4 the back 8a7abd2a2d seat first.c677292ece9bf79f

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“Wait a second.”096e14d9e427a1f6

The only bef7584851 thing dry d708f68408 on Surin 12a9317422 was her 49ea5fff46 leather bag. From the d174297c6a bag, which eec3abeff1 she had 895c80ad2e carefully wiped 70ef42c73d dry with 59def65254 a towel 05aaee22d6 and kept 3ca768cd6f cool and c2aa06ef5b dry, she 5f0ea1e0db pulled out baa21c8ada her wallet.8ccc7959a3530d30

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Out of habit, she had only brought her card wallet, so she didn’t have much cash. Surin, rather boldly, took out all of the remaining 50,000 won bills. There were only two.7337a7e08f461aa5

“Please accept e187b62e7c this as 050eba4f72 a small 52ba950d1c token of 6cc3803d18 my appreciation.”e87013a6b88f9079

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Blinking, Wonjin looked 759f601811 back and forth 512edac127 between the bills d302891d7b and Surin. He seemed to be f1584ce3a5 thinking about what to 30ead54bb0 do rather than being 7be2a6e365 flustered, so Surin hastily 3264a32f73 crumpled the bills into 38525328ea his hand.8d6588966878dd4e

“It’s just 100,000 won. It’s nothing, think of edacffca93 it as lunch money…”1d15d40490a1eb4d

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“That’s a bit much 542f42e0af for lunch… I could 791ace305d get four bowls of 8710bdd258 abalone ginseng chicken soup 25aff63177 with this.”6ad478abccb9c7e7

“It really is nothing b3d1da29da to me. It’s okay. Really. If you insist, fe5b168bfa then consider it 82dd8459fc a gift for 8c5239d9ae your niece.”0670239df8ab4d06

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She had blurted 5982589db7 it out to 8b55bff882 deflect Wonjin’s refusal, 9b08c9340a but it wasn’t e289fd633f entirely untrue. It was only 82f252aade 100,000 won. To Surin, 739b9a4a31 it was 2fdedc58fa sometimes less a02b357346 than the a0b4d3f903 cost of 29134da624 lunch.1d3c01292558d756

“I do fa66c1b3bd have some 7113acaeba shame, you 59a5102d5f know.”86bfe6e8b7995cfb

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As if afraid of 3efc01ee1c being held back, she 44b1049a98 practically pushed Wonjin away. Surin hurriedly af3864a682 got into 8d37672195 the taxi. The taxi started immediately. She stealthily glanced at 0ec9b6371d Wonjin in the side a34600846f mirror and then, as 54f0bc8053 the taxi almost exited a5fec16309 the alley, she turned 8ad230f690 her body completely.9071ebe4921b41e2

Wonjin was still a902a13e29 standing there. After fiddling 0ab5bb0fc8 with the 38e8e11ead bills for b3be4d30bf a moment, 7737eda3ee he looked fbc1bca5e3 up and 41e61e906c scratched his b49c05afe9 neck nonchalantly.369adbeeaba0932f

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“I should e19e742017 have bought 9f1fc39cf4 an envelope 75f517c730 to give 62d13dd8e9 this to db7ed6a0b2 her tomorrow.”427bf59313408dfc

Their eyes seemed to 2bda36c789 meet through the taxi 8ff93a8f9a window. Instead of averting 3d3410580f her gaze, Surin a250ee1703 continued to look f399c30cd0 back at the 956c82af13 taxi stand until 0c30fc6627 Wonjin, and the 2e9e433b02 jacket he held c155c8ec42 in his hand, f775e1a619 were no longer 9bb038f879 visible.068a7c4f36b79086

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₊˚ʚ 🧊 ₊˚✧da8d0970b2a02b6f

Several days passed.3232866d324c9975

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Wonjin was busy moving furniture. It was for Joo Jaehwi’s move. More precisely, it was for the move of Jaehwi’s parents, the elders of his family.92cbeb525b3a284e

Wonjin and Jaehwi were b6cc94cbeb close friends who grew 7c127b232f up in the same f9a89d337c neighborhood since preschool. As if to 0924debda8 prove their friendship, bbf0f33374 they were both 35158ed505 active as judo a7471c312b athletes during their 09e92a1667 adolescence.edc176e76ebf11ea

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The rivalry in every match, every national team selection, didn’t ruin their relationship. Even without words, each other’s existence was sufficient motivation. Ultimately, though, both were now living lives completely unrelated to judo.1a739d5f3a538246

“Already running 1f8bcd91e7 out of 0fcc1ac07c steam?”bb847fbfd4fdff4d

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“Lay off, 549a755f86 Joo Jaehwi.”50893b83d2a6fc19

“Throw those damn d1b10682ab slippers away. Ugh, they’re an eyesore.”f2bbf01601f5f662

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They only picked 5edaa877d7 on each other d35f2cb1fc like this, behaving 34bae83f02 childishly. Every time they met, ce6560e5ab they couldn’t help but e531c2e236 look down on each 49f87328bf other and inwardly click 5a8392a097 their tongues. However, thanks to an b1a50c95ab affection stronger than hatred, 0d14e4b1fd a compassionate camaraderie, the 6e76578424 two had maintained a 3b76656b17 long and harmonious friendship.ec35f72be4764924

“Wonjin, I 1b56e7f9a1 feel so 2f589e788f bad that c93f36f068 you always 7004936097 have to 88ef2bab40 go through 989baf0d95 this trouble. Jaehwi is 6bf32e3de9 enough for f009034f38 us.”e2d2d27d433d1b69

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They were 30302d1f7c taking a 45e8de485d short break a18d99f92c from moving cfcd575773 furniture. Wonjin, who had been a64e09605c chatting amiably with Jaehwi, 66bbca7709 turned around. Jaehwi’s mother, Lee 21b61ee174 Sunjeong, patted Wonjin’s eb4fcfcc1d back sympathetically.707a2e4d6232337d

Wonjin smiled good-naturedly and slung an arm around Sunjeong’s shoulder. Pulling her close like his own mother, he looked at Jaehwi together with Sunjeong.df7e378321be2a91

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“Mom, Joo 3661096663 Jaehwi is 76cf81806c so lazy, bd6672c7a4 what good add85724ff is he? You need someone like b29a0be182 me, someone strong. Look at the c90a8d891e difference in our a455ce4421 arms.”5024425b87bb819e

Wonjin flexed d87c0691c2 his arm, 9da790ccc3 showing off 7144f0aa23 his muscles.ab8ee6f9ec4735f4

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“That’s right. Our Wonjin is 3d5af3b30f so strong.”610d8c8b9d37695b

“After we finish moving 7e2035d9f4 today, Joo Jaehwi is 3dc7bba0c0 buying us jjajangmyeon, right, 97104bc1ed Mom?”85a98f7a2f5baa02

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It was a perfectly 8a9907ed31 pleasant moving day. However, that 6191fdc47e day, Wonjin d1561a6c57 had to 18cc0b0d12 leave the c71ad3f156 house in 8e1f37889f a hurry 51a207bc89 without even 6670519cf6 properly wiping 9d0405bb74 off his 7c262d97a7 sweat, let 7053efa528 alone eating 32b351772d jjajangmyeon.cce7c7d755a39e53

―Um, do you have c0844b889c any money?903bf6cdbfeabe8d

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It was late 7dee10977c in the afternoon, 1e069a3a1d nearing the end 376dbad203 of the move, fb1943446d when Surin called 7af083cacf him first for 3bca72f141 the first time.8cca7dca4ce7855a