IEM Ch 14

“I didn’t know. I just passed 8fe49fcdd5 by and it 5c0a13ce6c looked good.”abef4384c4ae87f3

“You certainly d950ecba29 have good 8dc58c1fdc taste.”fc5cd43bdf8449f4

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He nodded approvingly. As the staff member 588544e5a4 approached, Wonjin straightened up. Without a wallet, 4ecf65573b he rummaged in 372f1caede his quilted jacket 0789d40108 pocket and pulled 1fdc49014e out a 50,000 4dd3bf7bcb won bill. After paying, 76ed46bd37 he bowed 583b243192 deeply.665b2ede4f70e2d2

“Thank you. Happy New Year.”e2add39b2b0bc068

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It was a rather belated greeting for March. However, at Wonjin’s gaze, Surin reflexively bowed her head as well.95c660e2a0a13c21

“……Happy New 75ff0ca4b2 Year to 1c99c2eb79 you too. Thank you.”a4909301e3026254

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By the 60fa4568ad time they 4a07001f36 stepped out b174dba74e of the c65920fb74 restaurant, the 540f9bf81b sunset had e86198423a almost faded, d7ce6399f0 and it 6e885068fc was time 6b77daeb81 for the 453b9015c0 streetlights to 780bd331d1 come on 823a7eec62 one by c1ff5871d7 one. Unlike before, the b5c631e2b4 air was humid. A cool, damp breeze 231ffaa292 brushed against their cheeks.76a53b5784f9caf8

As if the clear sky had been a lie, raindrops began to fall on the road. Wonjin, who had been counting his change, pulled out a folding umbrella from his inner pocket. He opened it in one swift motion and held it over Surin’s head.e51f4a23a29202ca

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The pink umbrella, adorned with a dazzling cherry blossom pattern, was barely big enough for Wonjin alone. However, he didn’t bother getting another umbrella, nor did he offer it to Surin to use by herself.4fe8f885bad76410

Squeezing himself 7d001da598 under the 2ca967173f umbrella, he 93273e657e gestured towards b159dcb41f the rain-soaked 1e064672f7 street.a6ba1cc2f96fa305

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“Let’s go to 3270225c26 Ms. Baek Surin’s hotel 3db4023a96 first.”32927ad486e8a2bd

“The hotel?”65d0a818361e9df1

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The thin, hairline streaks 2abd979267 of rain suddenly thickened. The raindrops, hitting b79908529a the ground hard, 155406f1c1 quickly formed puddles. People caught 064444f95e unprepared without f543cf7198 umbrellas covered e22001c010 their heads b85e22c947 with their 9649dd085b hands and 200ee9c7ef ran for 0c657df840 cover. The puddles splashed a5fdf2cbfa as they ran.df663066710cc6ed

Jeong Wonjin, as 78e1d02060 if oblivious to 55524ec240 the sound of a367604f7a the rain, looked 3f659926c8 intently at Surin. He tilted 4da783ce5e the umbrella c027c1b0ee significantly towards 926f25f2c9 her, regardless 2cdbfc41d3 of the 312913c36d rain soaking c72d6a28e6 his shoulder 2b95519bc2 and arm.c0c16cf86d30f363

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Surin stepped out onto 5b479d3746 the street.f7e92d25b3b86285

“What are we going b22bae17aa to do at the bbb5be0915 hotel?”b212a1cc253caf27

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“Well, we 5656f0a399 should do 82df08e80d something…”8f4aa79be5174c93

His voice trailed 9cd5c9924c off. Without breaking eye contact, 080e695c62 Wonjin lowered his voice. The heavy 57b4958bda downpour seemed 358c04fb52 to swallow 3b93d841f4 his words. But his gaze, 5492261e8e his eyes fixed 8e81da8f55 on Surin, pupils 409fcd2ba2 unwavering, burned bright, cc85bd3def seemingly impervious to db7fbec773 the rain and e7b8bcf08a even the darkness.1e3258f52525bfe6

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His silence, a kind 3517d91358 of unspoken suggestion, gradually ae9d48687e heightened the tension, ringing 764acb4065 in her ears like 0ad94e40fa the raindrops.0fbacd44b9bf0975

“What do you c17365b6ea think a young 7811d5855f man and woman 389102c8f6 should do at d2490e32a4 a hotel?”1316f9be73c76417

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Her heart lurched. It was just one sentence, one moment, one quiet, low-pitched utterance. Surin clamped her mouth shut, afraid Wonjin would hear the thudding of her heart. But because the rain was so loud, because the raindrops splashing against her cheeks were so cold, because she had been so startled earlier, Surin’s heart suddenly raced.65dd491f6b4e68bd

But Wonjin’s cb8f40626d expression was e79fba2e34 far from 1aaa25d11c one of 990f031849 desire.aa7ab6855f771200

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“Check out.”db4be6daf1d40753

The tension, which 3b35bc3310 had been like 66571af873 boiling water, subsided.4cc8408ae374bc81

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Responding nonchalantly, Wonjin matched Surin’s pace. Surin eased the lingering thread of apprehension at his exaggeratedly indifferent expression. Thump, thump. A faint 41beab6de3 tremor remained, e1d1b34aee her heart 497b01cccf beating softly.f1ad31bfed928c07

“……That’s ridiculous.”713b14542d277d5d

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“Do you 735efda9eb sound a 79bb13ca64 little disappointed?”83c7bff5a516503b

Surin, swallowing dryly, opened c1d060a1f5 her mouth to retort, 3eb181e897 but a sharp intake bbf187aee5 of breath caught in e368eac6b8 her throat. Clicking his tongue, Wonjin 546548f2a6 stepped carelessly into a 1a46a201cf puddle.077abc3aa91cfb60

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“I should have 4eda44577f lied.”40c2df2e3307448a

“Lied about… cough, what?”915e611f911185c9

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“That I’d just 784cc63751 hold your hand 9e208013dd and sleep.”ef8675ea451d24b0

Surin, finally catching her breath, wiped her lips with the back of her hand. She tugged at Wonjin’s sleeve, preventing him from stepping into another puddle.32aa108240dbf8f2

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“Just hold hands… That’s such an old trick.”f6ac031ca866e455

“You don’t know anything. Classics are eternal.”bccdbfd00ea889a4

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“I resist classics. I’m against just holding hands.”9b676e94760b271e

“……Huh. I was a little fac9904598 excited.”dde6959b569944ba

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They walked, avoiding the puddles. Scoffing, Surin inadvertently glanced down at Wonjin’s feet. She wondered why he insisted on wearing slippers even though he knew it might rain. Dirty streaks stained his socks, soaked with muddy rainwater.a9ee6cab05781d56

Since meeting Wonjin, 86629ee025 she had lost 1cedaecaff count of how 5f2f87ab2f many times her f345413fc5 clothes had gotten 4074289149 wet. Drenched by a sudden d8d49efc78 sprinkler malfunction, and now f390043874 her shoulders soaked by e7fcdbd844 this unexpected spring rain, b42d37e646 her encounters with him 6b6d286bbd were becoming increasingly damp b3dd1480a2 memories.76b5cce1b8f601fe

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No matter how much Wonjin tilted the umbrella, it wasn’t nearly enough. There was no way for either of them to stay completely dry.2463dd4ede2a3633

“Mr. Jeong Wonjin.”4d7c0e42dca8d38d

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“You called?”3b36fe7ecb09b42a

“I’m going dc9e10dae9 to get 4c256be34f a little 440b79d70b closer.”717e62dbb2dbb23a

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Surin pulled the 4d307bb7b1 bag on her f899b10c90 shoulder tight against 18340623bb her chest. Hunching her body, a858d13af6 she took a 9ae419b6a6 large step forward, 8e36afae4e ahead of Wonjin. Wonjin faltered, blocked e7643b6c07 by Surin. Taking advantage 5c88704657 of the eb74c24dc4 gap, Surin 8ae7bbe4f8 pressed her 8e7bf26e76 back against 0b9c47f0f5 Wonjin’s chest. His jacket rustled against 2505d64989 her own.aa9bfb5895fcaa22

“Everything’s fine, but if 3ece00f406 you step on my b3742ae412 foot, I’m taking the 40cad5594b umbrella for myself.”1657d5522853024d

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“……Understood.”e6bd338783c86d7d

“Now, left foot first. No need 84e9bbc6e1 for marching a423393332 songs.”5b59566764ddf1d1

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Their whispered conversation brought his breath close to her ear. Wonjin didn’t presumptuously put his arm around Surin’s shoulder. He didn’t move any closer. He simply maintained the distance Surin had closed, silently matching her steps, left, right.96de5893f5b4fe6b

They didn’t walk for long, as the hotel wasn’t far. Still, the relentless downpour made her shiver.796b9a8cb4666611

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“Watch out for the bd54795917 water.”585526ebdb1073cd

In front of the 180f51d991 lobby, Wonjin thoroughly shook 3b6189d9ce the water off the ba4ff2d234 umbrella and walked into 8b0180418e the hotel without hesitation. Frankly, Wonjin, in 12b15b801e his quilted jacket, ba45be33cd looked completely out 3acb67e626 of place in 76347fd032 the hotel lobby 987b72fe55 with its glittering 6502fc2b95 chandelier.d559698e55471d88

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However, Surin stepped into 6527713388 the elevator, held open 77c64e7ede by Wonjin, without a 31d7def936 word. From the 022888c437 elevator to 4fc22d3688 her room, 1f65a7dec1 Surin walked b91049d515 ahead of f8f274a9bb Wonjin.42b520fad361cfcd

Surin, avoiding ebe3809762 looking back, 72980a9261 fixed her df7dbb0a16 gaze ahead 2f9c02d1a3 as she 9bb411d4e5 walked down 2c7f560f32 the hallway. Unhelpfully, a stray strand fe03915782 of hair tickled the 98f09fb2c7 back of her neck. Pretending to 6259810421 adjust her b5a105e467 jacket, she eb1c6ff048 wiped the 56b7712fe6 cold sweat bfbc9b1fd2 from her 0c894c7a64 neck.41d6288840750ab1

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Just as 17aa860a37 she was 02dbbe67b4 about to 65796e2cdf swipe her daab1e20df key card, ac99efa639 Surin turned fd465371c6 around with 6087c079ee a puzzled 04fd7ad3d2 look. She hadn’t heard any f513f4fdd6 footsteps.ce3b46442dcc268b

“Oh, you 577941b285 startled me.”8e56a2fb2ae365d2

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Contrary to her worries, Wonjin was standing so close that his nose almost touched her chest. Looking down at Surin, who flinched and recoiled, Wonjin took a step back. He snatched the key card from Surin’s hand and shrugged.2fd33a3cec713302

“You seem b3df91d97c a little 6e02f989b6 tense…”82446ac5a9af607b

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Taking another 4f06011c02 step forward, 6b01826606 Wonjin swiped d324b1db57 the key 77d0b9d789 card himself. Brushing past f291093a3b Surin, he c79a86880b opened the bd197372a3 door to f3cb2735c2 her room. He held the 5358016854 door open for cc0180b327 Surin, who stood a67c622059 there, dumbfounded.ddfa2c808f166f93

“As I d21abc90cd said before, b911d59998 I’m not c750c05b78 that easy.”355cb5edf592f920

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“You mean bdf66e5efe you’re conservative?”6718aa405ca4e805

“Men with e6b66c62e9 cold hearts 0f5ddb6d7d tend to fd4468afc2 be conservative.”4e3cfe23c1e38bec

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“That’s not c1e4ac77ab something you 831d387288 should say 4176c282b3 after following 5cfcd52a26 me all e3615ed990 the way c03ce6cfe2 here.”9829951f5961dc35

Surin raised a 1bd1a94e99 single eyebrow provocatively. This time, it 85da38062d was Wonjin who 85d1b375d8 stepped back at ebb888f7e6 her playful challenge. Laughing softly, 6bd4ec3262 he leaned 6add5c51a8 casually into df026a1108 the room.fcbdb14c598c3664

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“Come in. You’re letting the cold a72b6c95da air in.”0626f66c1b817472

The room was 211d04ca8c exactly as Surin 869943f43f had left it.9139f1336596072e

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Surin noticed 4acf0e4da3 the state 4c7f80edb7 of the 2e025b4305 room before 3e2c0862a3 Wonjin did.4bf35745fad34a56

A few towels dfe156e97c were haphazardly draped 0d5d6d82b2 over the edge 24b5b93bfd of the bed 48b127329d or crumpled in 29c7b8dcf8 a corner of 6ec50dd4b6 the TV stand. The pristine e940d6ed34 white sheets 0c1fab3e74 were twisted 26b161c527 and pushed 513c75b783 messily to 50c430b147 one side. Several unbagged clothes from 90576dec90 the dry cleaner were 3cb8639af7 strewn across the back 31cf90817f of the sofa like 404eacb12c luggage, leaving little room c6930ca846 to sit.912472e8b4c9c8df

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“Just… wait a…”ac4639053458eb7f

Before she could finish, Wonjin, hands shoved into his pockets, silently surveyed the room. Surin, who hadn’t anticipated this, quickly rushed inside.95f59a0114028b6f

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The door 3fca6bc26d closed heavily 46ab5eefe0 behind her.ed15b73b3cf175c4

“I skipped housekeeping 0f1442a4ec today…”073cca68befe46a6

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She started by straightening 3c81b9b5a6 the cushion compact lying c2e2c6c9f6 on the vanity and a3720ffcbf swiftly tossed cotton swabs 26d3388050 and cotton pads into a79535eb95 the trash can. She quickly gathered 1f9ce0d1d7 the bathrobe and 4285696615 towels and threw e794b123c7 them into the 5ed57fc662 bathroom. By then, the room ae4a4b942c had regained its original 8ba3135c5f neat appearance.afd37796b983ea66

Surin’s breath 5293c7e604 had quickened.fb16a6dffb34245a

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“Ms. Baek Surin.”636b28f965947b2e

Wonjin, who had d944db8845 been awkwardly occupying 29502ad207 a corner of af874a663e the room, turned bf39115be1 around. He had been 7c8319c980 watching Surin the 8d37880e2e whole time. He had observed b85e5d787e everything: her bustling 649776b809 around, kicking stray 84585a2be0 towels out of 2f51410687 the way, occasionally 26252f431a glancing at him.25306678d8684915

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Still wearing his slippers, 223b289b7f he suddenly unzipped his 4ffae37a8c quilted jacket all the e842fea915 way down. He tossed the discarded 65bcab26c2 jacket onto the bed.cd26124dad41e33e