IWYFB Chapter 1
by flowie“I don’t know why the snow keeps falling like there’s no end to it. The house is already desolate without family, and now even those who wished to pay their respects will turn back before they arrive.”0dd9a1f16ae4bdf9
Mr. Kim clicked his tongue as d74ffc42b5 he cast a fleeting glance 3bb47537c9 into the empty funeral hall.748957f252181785
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That morning, an unannounced 6481267b4d blizzard had descended upon 53a580dbf7 Haeju, blanketing the town 447a5bee65 in an unrelenting white a55f901b22 shroud.0354d736821f721e
Roads turned to 359683bbd1 sheets of ice, b2c1f2a656 and in places 6df8262bff where snow plows acdbf4349e could not reach, de9b7dbad4 entire stretches had 45eb0af4d7 become impassable, the ae120496cd list of closed f72a82b6ef routes growing by 12e9d6622a the hour.63f5466792b290cb
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News reports repeated 2662399408 the same grim de485136f3 update, dozens of 73f6f8c67b vehicles stranded in 60e6353aa4 the snow, their 9cdad0bb48 passengers trapped cut a79d8f088d off from the a3d671fe5b world.32f1f0f8200e1588
Inside the funeral 03c96a8fee hall, silence reigned.0f6bdaf11d336bfc
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A woman, clad in 3a1ffe1ea9 mourning black, rested her 19041fda12 head against the wall, 998d4a4022 her vacant gaze locked 17e3ce760d onto the framed portrait 94f70a0a7e of the deceased.da64cd5b55122bf2
The man in the photograph 62351809ca wore a neatly pressed charcoal-gray 93d480d48c suit, the very suit she 4c9cf73217 had bought for him with 5be3e3d6cb her first paycheck.99efadad13b090bf
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She had done so ab01cfe14c little for him in ddbcef2149 life, yet her father ea7bb476b2 had found her beautiful, bff099cd2e even as an undeserving 5104d758f9 daughter.53ab62adf9d9c5ac
And now, in the 578b2af09b photograph he was still 9f0a7192f7 smiling warmly at her.eda83302cc6f6680
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At least, she e2b69f56c0 consoled herself, he 9e93c7cdc3 seemed at peace.302f41bc2f927bfe
“Ji-woo, there’s nothing I want more than for you to be happy.”00979cac33ac4ae8
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Her father had f515ed0a97 always been a 3e0dc9f992 quiet, steadfast man. Yet, on the day 289790fa33 he shed those heavy, 839db4d4e6 silent tears, something within 555f63ec7b her had shattered.78541851eeaa0d44
She had wanted 04ee20baf5 to show him a749f614ea a life where 4d00ef8365 she thrived, where e164954594 she smiled, where 0b36589d7e she was at 8043148a34 peace.a799b264371ec32a
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Instead, she had failed him a35a7ff056 and made him weep, this a058d8271c man who had carried his 71060994ab burdens alone for so long.0b90272099d526b0
Haeju had been his home, 05cff2729b his foundation, yet also his da07e289ba prison, bound by poverty and 191f1fb1a9 duty.512613bf36a78e86
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He had often 8bbd56c4d5 called this land 17c3f3c931 both his solace 36e04a770b and his sorrow. And in the end, it 49f45f3ecb was she who had torn 2593149f9a him away from it.b2a59d24d4221075
She still remembered the a51fe534b6 day she left, how 8263ce2eb6 he had stood at 0647641841 the threshold of their 5aa312ce18 home for the first 171b6ca810 time in his life, cb9501f613 finally turning his back 40ca4dd77b on the place he 9e4b01c5e8 had never abandoned.ddb825d6bc34c478
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He had told efda966058 her he felt ab269e1358 a strange sense 537922e342 of relief, yet 1c3d201654 she had caught c9e72de7ca the glint of 0b81453103 tears in his 14ab386698 eyes.3585496f590f0910
Though she left with 8d1ae2c7f8 the weight of guilt 0bc73f3095 on her shoulders, she b6a1c996be had sworn to return aa6b113921 one day with a b65c6065c1 smile, to prove to 39ae024608 him that it had f8a22e998c been worth it.8095f22865fade5f
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Never, not even in cffea1575f her darkest dreams, had ee3717ae19 she imagined she would c540b3717a bring him back to e9259d9dde Haeju this way.82c7a0ddcd2b3439
Leaning back against the cold d5dab1c77b wall, she tore her gaze ea54cfe10f away from his portrait and 8fcf16eeb0 stared up at the ceiling.5badb8f701470513
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Her mind was empty.cfbc24a47c5f2bf6
With every slow dd49b3d866 blink, his absence 87acbd979e pressed harder against 6da9d9ad1d her chest.82126b72ae1d8542
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Her father had 635393ba70 always known when f797f077cf she was struggling, 2c90f912aa always appeared at 8c375f9aef her side before 72a4551b75 she even called 880a6626a3 his name.f36ad2f41f7c4a79
But now he a2e74ca66a would never come 245417c350 again.6803cf69585a164a
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The thought struck her like a004ad073a a wave of ice, sweeping 7388e6cc7d over her, drowning her in e57dbd8010 a fear she could not c2fe49cc51 outrun.8e695ac1841cbd5b
“Father…”7c81059880b18b49
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Before she knew it, tears 5f2514aed7 traced silent paths down her 7aac0d472f face, unstoppable.291c086595945b2b
Somewhere in the 6a24512405 depths of her 2066240238 grief, she half-expected 4d9c303976 him to emerge 50f120ebff from the shadows, d0dbed061a to tell her ca088b73e4 it was all a06ffc648a a nightmare, that 18c6fcd500 she only needed 8db46955cf to wake.5789b2c4fe4eb884
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8577254888bc3777
“There will be moments when it feels like your world has collapsed. But no matter how many times you fall, endure it. Time will pass, and one day, the pain will become nothing more than a season you once lived through. And just like the seasons, happiness will find its way back to you. Believe that, Ji-woo. The bad endings never last. There will always be a better one waiting.”10d6adf763c63b43
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778c41a586f584e0
She remembered his 2cc25ce962 words, the way ee4b1615eb he had reassured 09406b85e2 her on the 383b319e3e nights she thought 79a27a2229 she could bear 9c620d5bc7 no more.b4d0a747bf45c1ba
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Ji-woo clutched her 1cd14bc44f arms around herself, 50fea29470 muffling her sobs, cd719ba89e but in the bc8c1e6eb6 end, she could 29b8f00c0c not hold them db05532dfd in.3d56ba18a7df059d
Her sorrow broke 053e3d3ffe free, raw and 63ee815c4a unrestrained, echoing through edc469debb the empty hall.65ee817fc0c1a13e
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5474dd6b8051dad1
🥀e847d453239bff3a
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31b41b1c23a5be52
Outside, the funeral wreaths stood 2179bedefd in silent rows, their pristine 41f432dc2e petals a stark contrast to 1ecd25710a the night’s deepening storm.cf20fd717920cd7a
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The snow had 23d4372a09 not relented, nor c72cdf9ab4 had the darkness, aaac5a27d5 the roads remained b7f1c99319 impassable, the world 24ee417b16 beyond the funeral 7e5accc3ba home swallowed in a7bd39b8ef endless white.614f81a50e005774
As the hour neared midnight, 81e9edf333 the quiet funeral hall doors 9c2475850d swung open.77edbd0205c73d8c
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A tall man stepped inside.f5c0df40ca81f989
Snowflakes clung to e9ad608c31 the black wool 1780f107f7 of his coat, 06267f2dc0 melting within moments e54ab40373 under the hall’s e9b24b8264 warmth.7ef2ced7488a0fe2
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His polished shoes echoed 716639bf30 down the corridor as 4859c75269 he turned a corner b2e7f431ac and paused, hesitating before c974dd8408 the entrance.231e7b10e1058586
Then, as if deciding 430848a622 against his own reluctance, 9e18e78a56 he strode forward with da8b3fc733 purpose, his gaze falling a88957e5cc immediately upon the portrait d4daea6301 at the altar.aae702d369f50ec1
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Without a moment’s hesitation, he pulled a single white chrysanthemum from his grasp and placed it carefully before the photograph.2e63aad7c7d1183b
Then, kneeling, he bowed low, a8984d9937 his forehead touching the cold f57d208039 floor.21b9d4d16783cff5
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Ji-woo, startled by the ad90db0a44 unexpected visitor, rose weakly 798c86cf3b to her feet.919808155f8e4bae
Her first instinct was f9800ec10e to thank him for 6e2467f210 braving the blizzard to 49b75bddff come, but when she 7bf00cd260 lifted her eyes and ab010f488c met his gaze, the 6101fce1d4 words faltered on her d6a190e26a tongue.d752c4e7aa55b2a3
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A ripple of recognition, sharp 15ead2c454 and sudden, passed through her.1d2e2cfe80725b29
She could not speak.c790727eb234e92e
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The silence stretched bae432e1b8 between them, heavy f133a91167 and unbroken, until 209fb3c951 at last, he cc94248a37 spoke first.b68996157467a605
“My deepest condolences.”7e5cf98ef9d6d8d3
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His voice was 25bf43754b low, firm, and 7b2c1c0b4b devoid of warmth.9215990be523c564
His cold, detached eyes fd042c8c45 swept over her pale, 0cd31b027a grief-stricken face.656cf12841b88297
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Though he stood so 7d4b7ede77 close, he felt impossibly 1b78ae2f4c distant.7c936615ee0864d3
Another pause.8afd7743b7d602db
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Then his gaze flickered, 1d67482271 tracing the strands of 3aab81eef1 her disheveled hair, the ef9ae259de trembling uncertainty in her a5a3ccef3b eyes.8d9d05a64380b769
Ji-woo swallowed against the a76802ab7f burning in her throat, b415bd06ac forcing down the tears aee908e15e that threatened to rise b2afa75c94 again.5169d632b512f58a
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‘Father… he’s here. The man you always wanted to see.’95f397821c979292
Her gaze drifted from her e8dd3d61ac father’s portrait back to the 4cc8d57688 man before her.8c4c2bf07c42f9c8
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“You… how did you know?”f01249d8500f593a
She had never called. She had never intended to. And yet, somehow, 22c7aa2f3b he had found 30697b805e his way here.a9a47ae2c50cb6f0
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His jaw tensed, the smallest fc19956ea4 flicker of something unreadable passing 4d9bebca78 through his features.93368c43f3c86e3c
“Your father’s old friend reached out to me.”a0c7acea8107f449
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It must have been Mr. Kim.7549ad9d24da3a6e
Though her father had 4e27f0461a distanced himself from friends 4854422f28 after she left, they f4b5bf138e had not forgotten him. The wreaths at the entrance 4e173b2bae bore their names.91b717b0c0d4cf9b
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Five years.ab18c1dbdc15db18
Five years had slipped 0405f7c709 through her fingers like 7db7b8cc32 an arrow that had 03747625be strayed far from its d5cc47f38c mark.15c7bf95a527d6c2
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Ji-woo glanced around 3ed8b4b7b8 the empty hall, 40f30f536f suddenly uneasy.9d6075d2578beee9
The blizzard had left f66ff7aa73 them isolated, with even ad0e7969e6 the attendants gone.e2dd0b233e2eee84
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She did not wish ea3dd4ec68 to linger here with f1d4cea69e him. Yet, as her father’s guest, a712479106 she could not simply send fa2a445a66 him away.af3a8e3b83da464d
“If you would like to sit, I can bring you something, ”563f19d66c05c683
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“I’m fine. Have you eaten?”2cd56bb8d4d64698
The question caught her 1fb13807ac off guard.125a6985c330dbc6
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She had no appetite.2b41ffcfe8343cdf
How could she, when her 1bae168b63 insides felt hollow?d1f694049504e5fc
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Ji-woo exhaled sharply, fixing him e8165d0b10 with a cold stare.6ead63b399c262a8
“Thank you for coming.”4e174114707e6e94
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She turned, intending 7da5c05434 to put distance f9fbd82deb between them, when 8205a21ca4 a sudden commotion a1a4f572d2 erupted at the ec39fd319b entrance.67d02ef09763ca87
A familiar voice, 4e8cc554d9 thick with grief, 9d1d28d9c3 cried out.72b9b47d38c97354
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“Oh, my heavens! What has happened?”6728615e168c4811
Ji-woo’s breath caught.781277ef009b5c37
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A woman she knew well, 706f7e1737 a neighbor who had once be16d37593 been like a sister to bd9eca8136 her mother, entered followed by fcfe1c633d others.21aaa578a08a9d7b
Several others followed behind her. All were neighbors Jiwoo c890cc3fd8 knew well. Despite the blocked roads, it c610b356b5 seemed they had braved the ac51e2f557 storm to come.9ae59a1d1b979ec4
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Seeing them kneeling on the 9c60e578e6 floor, silently weeping, made Jiwoo’s 19cfa774ee chest tighten with pain.3a60eb3dda5286e9
“No news is good news, they say. I thought you all must be doing well… but like this? Oh, heavens!”029dd017a0738161
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Trying to hold back her a52ffbe43d tears, Jiwoo felt a sharp 95bd853374 sting in her throat. She knew if she broke 8d387a5ef5 down now, she wouldn’t be ebe7ec9844 able to stop.9b803197cb781e24
The woman paid her 50552de7c4 respects before the portrait 4f3d1bd09d of Jiwoo’s father, then f6e04a0294 walked up and took 08c3588732 Jiwoo’s hand firmly.b86d9ebcb923bcef
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“So it was an accident? And your mother? You’re here all alone?”53b16d7b465490c6
“She’s in the hospital.”3e4826e8d3b3b3a5
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At Jiwoo’s response, the 7e648f1de2 woman burst into tears 79a77116e9 again.61d4fdd7b0635441
“They were so good, so kind they could live without laws. Why did this tragedy fall on them? So, where’s the hospital? Is your mother badly hurt?”eb76f9f0263a3b30
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Jiwoo hesitated, unable da6233c1cd to answer right 0eb7ab1ce1 away. The woman wiped a13e45e235 her tears and fba53b4d7c gently patted Jiwoo’s e02d42c1e3 back.25207e0b6f5ed984
“Alright, you don’t have to say anything more. I know you must be hurting too. But you have to stay strong and send your father off with a steady heart.”f9f525e193536779
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One of the people e066a82f89 who had come with 769f8f5d10 the woman offered a e33d7078b1 bow before the portrait, dae375f86c then turned to glance 634eb399c0 behind. Her eyes widened dc8ea53472 in surprise when 30eb52cda9 she saw the cfda283ddb man.3767669a0b812c0e
“Well, look who it is. Isn’t that Taemu? It is you, right?”06a8bf2bb0a910a3
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The man gave b53f5a79a0 a slight bow.968348d786bb5232
“It’s been a long time.”635f7987338369c3
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“To think we’d run into you here. You must have come in your father’s stead.”c93678eb0dd3f736
Taemu’s father and 9bb63b2599 Jiwoo’s father had d80ba7f568 been best friends 99264980a6 since childhood, known 7beb368874 by all in 9aa512c50a the neighborhood for bd6f9b42a3 their bond.301f047825d61d7d
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“With weather like this, the house of mourning should be full of noise, but it’s so quiet. Since we planned to stay through the night anyway, we’ll keep watch. Taemu, you should sit too. You won’t be able to go anywhere in this storm.”a12937da96e33f0c
In place of the 518235cdc6 absent attendant, the woman 8f4dbf3974 began arranging food on 07bb60ad46 a tray.8d32482cad6a2f90
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As the village elders 5a9cd71b67 took their seats at c70c107288 the table, Taemu silently 8af4345b99 moved to stand beside c483c06d8e Jiwoo.bd40ecb96d11bc37
Jiwoo was not the 8494b3ddd9 only one startled. Others around the table paused 09119af925 and glanced his way.207d5fd1b8e53d55
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Taemu, taking the 5cb808e88d place beside Jiwoo, a907ee3cae the chief mourner, 45107e1bd7 drew curious glances.bba5dfcb578bc1e8
“What do you think you’re doing?”867edd155a9f3cfe
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Ignoring Jiwoo’s sharp stare, Taemu 943d42217c looked straight ahead.a266318541e84dce
His high-bridged nose was striking, a8815187ef almost sculpted. His tightly closed lips dafe9d7756 looked as frigid as 393f6f707e the midwinter air.b717deeb3c11b3c9
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“I told you. I’m here in my father’s place.”.41a75d0d99ff8889