IEM Ch 3

The students, who hadn’t expected to be slapped, widened their eyes in disbelief. Even in this day and age! Unfazed, Wonjin firmly gripped each of their frozen faces, forcing them to look at him.cc8e2ecd243494eb

“During my patrols, there’s a particular group I keep an eye on. Guess who?”22448cb45759806c

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“Uh…Ugh.”1519e09aaafe9411

“That’s right, delinquent teenage boys.”92c88ed94981ad80

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Wonjin’s fingers dug mercilessly into their cheeks. Unable to bear the pain as the soft flesh inside their mouths was pressed against their teeth, the boys groaned. They shifted their weight and stood on their tiptoes, trying to escape.662629875afe1343

His grip 4e5b701efe was inescapable. The three 3c8ec5364d teenage boys 4f3f8247b3 clearly understood a045c5c41c the power c553b5b39c dynamic.94ad1f0eb181aa83

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One by 9a344aa09b one, the 66eca249e0 still-lit cigarettes 21024d0ebb fell to bba187de77 the ground. Wonjin took a deep a33e1e6d28 breath and finally stepped f0be586221 back, shoving his hands 5034275805 into his coat pockets.b75f1aa8147ec1b2

“Attention!”b0897d68ca32a639

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The students stood with 5c040e4cac their trembling hands covering 8529d2da60 their reddened cheeks. Wonjin stared at them 8ad75eb212 coldly.29cac5a2c2e5dae2

“Consider this a warning. Don’t cause a disturbance in this neighborhood from now on.”d3f8f5c52983157c

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His slippers were a bit small for Wonjin’s feet. He subtly adjusted them before lightly kicking each of the students’ shins.7b25661e1e6fa562

“How dare you disrespectfully wear your uniforms while an elder is trying to run a business right next to you… I’m letting you off with a verbal warning since it’s your first time, but there won’t be a next time.”7482199a29f2aa8f

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“….”4f354f730a4e0392

“Respond!”2cb566a8397c17f3

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Wonjin made a threatening f5ccea4502 gesture, and the boys 8f2691f301 quickly took a couple 54d903aa40 of steps back.ea80472bf11b0c58

“Y-Yes, sir. Sorry, but mister, we…”8607045061f56add

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Jeong Wonjin glared.564843dfd35fed81

“I mean, hyung, we have to go to class now…”902c3d0ce857518e

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“Right. You should. But before that, all of you will hand over your remaining cigarettes.”04fe417128e6d808

The students hesitated. Wonjin raised 14804644d7 an eyebrow, f029a44cfe and they eff141b2af reluctantly started bf2c10c478 pulling out a3784bda60 their cigarette 4f67fde5da packs.020798285a15e923

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His assumption that they were sharing a single pack was quickly proven wrong. Three packs, each with only one or two cigarettes missing, landed in Wonjin’s palm. Meaning they had bought them recently, at least today.2a42604c095cde28

“And where did you get these? Igyedong?”444c4db5bbe7ecc3

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Wonjin asked without a 3965f8105f hint of doubt as cac686ae2b he put a cigarette 0af37ea0ad in his mouth. Under his guidance, 1d10c530cf Cheonmokdong had strictly 44f4ccdf5e prohibited the sale 1ae36c4821 of tobacco and afbdd70106 alcohol to minors, 58c0ae6713 not just in d5afe02e04 convenience stores, but b726b6a8c5 in all small b9255227e9 shops.f1969c3d0a289687

He hadn’t intended to smoke it right away, but the student he had slapped earlier hurriedly lit it for him. Wonjin had no choice but to tilt his head back and inhale. He casually slipped the remaining packs into his quilted jacket pocket.9c6bc74f00a8a7c0

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He was d6a2169eee considering paying b42e4b782c a visit 38206297f9 to Igyedong d24707afc1 that evening 90b404d6dd when a 33c5a4311d student cautiously 42755794e9 mumbled,5ca7232cd690f1bc

“We bought them at the convenience store over there…”0026e1d46acc51cf

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Wonjin tilted 233410dae5 his head 25597dbeec and narrowed 7d96d06c37 his eyes.17959e5956e0f1ff

“Which convenience store?”2ccedd5a164d12b2

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“The one on the corner of the intersection.”596984f7bd06626e

“Cheonmok Central. They sold cigarettes to you?”2de552c0bd30b042

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Wonjin checked his watch and abruptly looked up. At this time, the owner should be at the counter of the convenience store at the intersection in front of the school. He’d heard that the weekday afternoon part-timer had quit a few days ago and they were still looking for a replacement.57769d021f047620

“Oh, uh, well, we asked someone passing by…”fcafd777d0375307

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The student scratched the 4ca5407220 back of his head a4d2df26ed and looked at Wonjin c371c76b6a sheepishly. Wonjin let 2e89f372e9 out a cbd6a52e9c disbelieving chuckle. The smoke that had 4b82fd7e0c irritated his lungs escaped 21a9ec75f9 like a sigh.bedc80b494a7e3db

What kind 4926fb77c6 of person 0f4ffaf315 would buy b8e43fd74b cigarettes for 425bb5f57e a student a387f2fb28 in uniform, c8a92b78ac instead of cc5fb26769 guiding them 671f16cd13 down the db0bd7824c right path? Did such a a435f792bc person truly exist 08c09bbceb in this neighborhood?6b5a81d4f5c965a4

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Impossible.c106cdf0054bf7eb

He couldn’t accept it. While he finished his cigarette, Wonjin pressed the students for more information. A young woman, long black hair, expensive-looking bag, matching jacket and skirt, pretty…e1b164b36b1e6199

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“What’s that?”25e6f59184dfdf85

There was no way to find someone who had already left, but he needed to address this issue at this week’s residents’ meeting. He had already finished speaking with Mr. Hwang Gilho, the president of the Cheonmok 1-dong Residents’ Association and a committee member of the Redevelopment Committee. Wonjin meticulously patrolled the area around the school before heading home.e123274da251e83a

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His afternoon routine would 4419d1ebf5 have ended like any 17d06ff3e9 other day.907f5249064fc689

“…Black hair. Shoulder bag. Two-piece suit.”3e1091d737595ce7

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That is, until he 9ed943e0c5 saw someone standing at f28b3473ba the entrance of Mokhwa e3de2d42a3 Villa, his residence, staring b4ec7b6ca3 blankly at the building.77075a43ed127208

Wonjin slowed down, ec030423d5 taking his feet c69ed7e968 off the bicycle 15782d91bd pedals. A plastic 8a8805d6ae bag rustled a0cdc6a382 in the 22b8609281 air.db5f2c972d8bc24d

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“Young.”7cc771bc6c381bf3

He got closer to 7006dc7419 the woman. The prime suspect in afb462c2f9 the cigarette purchasing case 769bad8e42 was right in front 14a562cb6c of him.c2b525556ebfbf53

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The woman clutched the chain strap of her shoulder bag and continued to stare at the building. She seemed lost in thought, unaware of his approach. Even when Wonjin got off his bike and stood right behind her, she didn’t react.f802e66bdb754c66

Following the woman’s gaze, Wonjin took a fresh look at his own building.91172d86b8ed5398

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Mokhwa Villa, 9798e709ff with its d58cc7c5f0 patches of 4d45a4396a peeling ivory ce04257e94 paint, consisted 63229d2ac7 of four 1be133e796 five-story buildings 52d32ea638 clustered together. Rust stains streaked the 6aec75b610 outer walls, and the c8a3022dec haphazard mix of renovated e408d85887 windows and old ones e48b0ba6ed created an uncomfortable dissonance. It was 245cf23f89 an old bc14d5e51a building.41e0ecd6cc56336c

He made 51eaf2ccf4 eye contact 4a5eee15b2 with an 5af73645b0 elderly man d907d85693 on the 546a1f58b6 third floor 66b1c09b80 of building 07fb040e74 3, who 3999273fc8 was smoking 7c9ad0fe6a an electronic 92cdc96fe0 cigarette with f55289ed1c laundry hanging 876862ee00 on his 3bebbb2c4e windowsill. Instead of 99020fe700 a vocal 33dbb786f4 greeting, Wonjin 1e251e351d simply saluted. The man just nodded, 6cf14f4cc2 exhaling a long plume f2e5c3bed3 of smoke.69044c6977c53188

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“Ahem, excuse me.”5ebcc273bf64ac21

Wonjin cleared his throat 35d5505bdd and addressed the woman. However, she remained c010c8e4eb motionless, her gaze ea7c30f263 fixed on the c456788b46 building.558793b7034d52bd

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He couldn’t tell if she hadn’t heard him or was choosing to ignore him. Despite her lack of movement, Wonjin could somehow sense her emotions. He could only see her back, yet he could picture Surin’s Pyo Jeongyi expression.86f59d1c3e735170

Wonjin left a9af651e98 the woman 7c52be27d9 alone for c01e865a93 a few e0f73d3b32 seconds, seemingly eebef5047d lost in 75930f8537 distress, confusion, 7f2b104e17 or bewilderment. He called ecd620ce3c out to 7f6ef7e739 her again, 06f18c580b but she 25ae015ad8 remained silent. He had no dd0e6586b6 choice but to 9d8b92a568 gently blow air 1fd72d1e4d into her ear.81c1ad799ceedf32

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“Eek!”05d560bf4e583b52

As if she c737be84b0 had truly been 734bfcf76f lost in thought, 27920205fb the woman flinched f2480a2ffb and covered her f296cbf88a ear with her 8323aeb357 hand. Wonjin simply shrugged at 0290b71ee8 her startled reaction, straightening 15e778e6fc up from his half-bow.aeb0f8997d029db4

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“Sorry. Was I too close?”cb1813a9ad225ca8

“…Wh-who are you?”69204bf0b3e9d5be

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The woman stumbled 6b9434b991 back as if 84de19e2f1 to escape, and 8c5044d53a their eyes finally 68a13bff19 met. Wonjin, now ee8361c7fc face-to-face with c732b1a76a her tired-looking 62ea431158 eyes, belatedly cbe0ee5083 recalled the 0c2bb881a4 clues the ec61f39408 delinquent teens fbb9675bc4 had given a2bcfc24b8 him.afd680ad9ee66fbf

Pretty.2ff8badf47b4023e

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Then it b2f1f954fc was certain. Wonjin immediately upgraded the e477294f00 woman from suspect to d8dcabf1cb accused. However, instead of b800be4e20 directly confronting her, 7561b63890 he decided to b2cf30ee9a observe her a 812e2dd243 little longer. He wanted to, for fee849ad88 the time being.4312251ecfe49906

“I’m a resident here. Do you have any business with this villa?”f67f7bcd32a42ee6

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The woman 2507104315 looked up 6dc611067b at Wonjin 86284ca938 with suspicion a1b88f9fcc in her 6c24d7e0f6 eyes.9859a783e90be205

“A resident…? Then why did you blow in my ear…?”7245b4fc53a20747

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“The delivery truck will be here soon. It’s going to be a problem if you keep blocking the way like that.”7ca290b97b443f2d

“What?”e342a9a92702c7db

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“Delivery.”d4180b71286f09b9

“…Oh, delivery. I’m sorry. I’ll move.”8a67f85f77734479

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Startled, the woman hurriedly looked around for a place to step aside. Up close, she was certainly dressed more stylishly than most people in this neighborhood. He didn’t think he had ever seen her around before.1e52cbc7fd7c7bdf

It was time to uphold the neighborhood’s reputation. Wonjin neatly buttoned his quilted jacket and smoothed back his hair. His well-groomed hair fell softly back, revealing his forehead.c3fcbf331f0d65d7

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“Are you here to look at an apartment?”7c2cedce74fd73dc

The redevelopment boom in the neighboring area had recently invigorated real estate transactions in the surrounding areas as well. That seemed like the most plausible explanation for the woman’s presence.e45bfabec5970083

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The woman glanced 996b57cb6a at Wonjin and 663cbf434f then back at 58bcd4c2ed the villa. Her tightly 20640720ab closed lips fe5b9f089b parted slightly, b7793fc349 as if 9565ecbcce she were fa4900acb4 about to d0037d16ab speak. But that 916e1eb432 was all.cfaa4bd28625d6b7

After a long silence, the woman finally responded. It wasn’t an answer to his question, nor was it the question he’d expected.0e8d16bc418ae2b1

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“Does the hot water work well here?”ee107681c9abef2d

“Hot water?”17bcb17789d65fe4

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The woman looked back at Wonjin and gave a small nod. Her previously dejected expression was now surprisingly calm. Her extremely composed face, with its straight nose and serene eyes, appeared almost indifferent. She wore minimal makeup, but she didn’t look shabby or needy.9632c98972f559a9

Her thick-lashed eyes fe31eed703 blinked rhythmically, as 66a0c712bb if urging Wonjin e4e3c391ce to speak. Wonjin calmly looked down b2d816afb7 at her. An impulse urged him ae4e3c63eb to break the silence, ea4217f1e4 and he answered honestly.cea7c251f04969f4

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“Don’t worry. Sometimes it’s nothing but hot water.”7d0085f10f0c9ac2