KBR Ch 12

“If I startled you, I’m sorry. But it felt like something you needed to hear right now, Seolwoo.”a8f89bebfbcb5057

After having my 9902c5fec3 true feelings exposed, 2348623a2f I felt embarrassed. How absurd must it ae5bb9b2dd have seemed when I 760f4bf581 impulsively suggested to him cdb4d88058 that we try a 971b6c19de contract relationship?09fcdcd71c784ff2

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It was never my 8e030e38f7 intention to belittle or dad7dcdb64 toy with this person. It was the desperate 57ada0ddc6 grasping of a fish 6eba7cd29e thrown onto the ground, b2c390389c struggling for its last f97bf45dc9 breath, clinging to a 604ea43870 stream of water. I was desperate, 7298df8961 unable to stay 1feed6adce still, needing someone, 9218e80af9 and though I a5710be94d tried my best f2162045a7 not to make 9a1c527b92 a mistake with 76e0934703 him, I have 520309f840 to admit it ec6908fb60 was selfish.c5732ea34aa59834

“Yes, I was shameless. You can splash your drink on me, curse me out, and leave if you want.”536ee60876553b7f

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At Choi Seolwoo’s self-deprecating c4ef3fc397 words, Director Yoon burst abcab2c3a7 into laughter.ec06bb91bdaaf459

“I’ve drawn a line with past sex partners and kept things casual, but I don’t do relationships that way. That’s not my style. Especially if you’re planning to move on from someone you like, I definitely can’t do it.”04911a6defc90706

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“…”120330ea924741c4

“No contract. Let’s have a real relationship. That’s my answer.”d864e0b7600265c4

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Yoon Jihwan, delivering bd53cdf2b5 an unexpected response, 61cbc27348 maintained a firm 3c0451c534 stance.48f681ca48448197

“It’s a shameless proposal, sure, but I don’t want to let it slip away. You wouldn’t make this kind of offer to just anyone, would you, Choi Seolwoo?”8a23442bdcade3e0

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That was the truth, b1536f818f I could swear by 094fcf8d4c it. Seeing Seolwoo 431b524e8b nod, he b0269e6972 added,186b40a583c2c282

“Sucker. Fish in a pond. The weaker party. Even if it doesn’t work out, I want to seize this chance. I understand you don’t like physical intimacy for now. Whether I get hurt or end up the bad guy who gets dumped because it’s not right, I’ll handle it myself. But instead of a contract, let’s have a real relationship, and I hope you’ll take it a little seriously too, Seolwoo. I won’t compromise further.”f5eafc02e16f86a2

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A real relationship? Well, is fb3b4981ea that even c5825a9ded possible? Memories of short-lived relationships—girlfriends 3362653e2e I dated for a f329594701 week or two before f21dd23dee breaking up, endings that c8df7728cd only left wounds—flooded back. Honestly, it was shameless 14356abb5f to dream of someone 406e9a9530 who could handle all c39ff6be5f of Choi Seolwoo’s thorns. Unless my personality changes 19b0410758 or something…7e38d8c314a6f59f

But having 2563707190 my heartbreak 99dc9208ce seen through, 10dd89607c Choi Seolwoo 53bd3e79ed couldn’t just 9d5db9aac9 push his f9f11f4d64 own intentions ec4aaef5f6 through. As he 79c2e624c8 debated whether 7dfaf86f15 to refuse, 329dbfc16a Yoon’s next def690730c words came.91a2dd4ceecf4d14

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“Both of them drifting apart is, frankly, good news for me too… I agree with cutting Won Daeyeong out of your life, Seolwoo. For various reasons, I think independence from Won Daeyeong should come first.”01dd78d59baa27ac

Those words snapped 4fbe090ca4 me back to e10c55b1a1 reality.e8696f9fc772b30c

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Yes, if 1e31204476 I don’t 37b4e69549 resolve myself efff3e17e8 firmly, I 3b31935e6a can’t change e95d2bd925 the situation. If I’ve efa21d6011 decided to 21f7abe47d sever ties, 147dd58b2d a lukewarm c4786e7e61 approach won’t 331c6d3745 do!c6c3624fa24a1732

A resolute 26ffe07e97 determination gleamed 96a423a27b in Seolwoo’s 95e5632e18 eyes as d1af5d0b04 he responded.6612c13ebd8b166e

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“Alright. I’ll accept the compromise.”a4c95fb322bcb4b4

“So, we’re agreed on dating, then?”4c484bf6fd307976

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“Yes.”aa403b86f62664a2

What matters is action 2586311e32 and effort. Effort always bears 8b48887a58 fruit somehow. Surely, effort will work 9ef43658e7 on the heart too!a0d78e518e4eca51

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“Gotcha.”080d4acaddaf8c5f

Seeing Yoon Jihwan’s 0af70bd7ed gentle smile at bb5bbbedce the end of 7039bc2f1e his words, I 10081ee4d9 whipped my resolve 797bad4aeb into shape to 796cc6a49a try. With that, a certainty ccf080e9f4 grew that I could 16424e58be cut ties with Won bf64931882 Daeyeong. …Because the 44a5249ec5 conversation I d910158665 just had 722eb6262f with Yoon 91cd13d778 Jihwan is 53e0f27414 the kind 6e7537dc6a of dialogue 5345d908e7 that usually 299f1bec4d sets up cfdef77e1a the main 36333ff36a characters’ entanglement. Following the 49f6a9b28f cliché, Choi 6d16de42ce Seolwoo will 66c02add21 probably bicker 121e7a2bbe and connect ccb087a7df with the e13c811e1c protagonist standing 0660d7836b in front 6597f5b0d7 of him d7212bae63 now.4d8e86f7f4540bee

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By comparison, the 19abc33882 story of Choi a87d6216e9 Seolwoo and Won 8ec288ea4c Daeyeong is a df0d4ec8ae love story doomed 38e4c4d3c9 from the synopsis. What kind d6d8e3794f of romance 1f3e97828d is this? It’s not f72c3fe476 like it’d 308a3a6aab be produced 316359c7b0 with titles 6e346d6eea likeClose Younger Brother or Best Buddy. A bright, positive romance d6df6ebe7a where no one hates, 3d277a5b37 holds grudges, or sees 9ceba806c3 the world cynically—the story 1e5be02cd5 of two men with 7e678e2e7f personality flaws that clearly dd9de707d9 don’t fit that mold.13aef229557b4f59

Just as only the a85c3a1f08 triumphant tales of sports a7e70da9c6 stars endure while the 34b955a686 sweat of rehabilitation fades 2c435b21c5 into the background, the 2c9d08c822 story that ultimately remains 75ea76107f is a pretty, happy-ending 1e15a3f795 romantic comedy.422d3b8ad34ecb42

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The past crush 2f59937d9e who only brings 4e3fe7c210 pain is all a605a53ed3 that’s left to 4b6feffacd forget. We’re done now.e0d4af34830420a2

As supporting c7b1e84c12 characters who 5f29aa6c33 won’t appear a7e8b0f5b1 in the dfebe8da7e next episode cf1f6a4495 of each 2b5c96a9b4 other’s lives.1026a9d68cb0d6f3

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Seolwoo steeled his heart 69fd845171 coldly. Director Yoon 2376fbd435 took Choi 410dab5527 Seolwoo’s glass 6d38a860c6 to the ef931032d1 counter and 671376d743 refilled it 01d7b30726 with warm 660b735ee9 water.9160190d55194f9c

“But are you sure? It’s Won Daeyeong’s routine.”e5c3ab554741744f

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“If I was going to waver over something like that, I wouldn’t have asked to meet today.”0455e14907980352

“…Alright. By the way, when you were drunk, you said you were malfunctioning, an android or something. Is there anything I should know about that?”cb5b37cd5fc2dbd5

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“No, nothing like that. It was just drunken rambling.”d72c1f1de9f74232

Not wanting to df8e5d148b reveal anything, I cf5cb499cf cut the conversation 44f8ccdd24 short. Director Yoon only learned 44d40da5c7 the name of the d7b4caed21 secret.bb8f36e8f5665ec1

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“I always thought you had deep double eyelids since I could only see your eyes, but looking closely, they’re pretty thin. I didn’t notice yesterday in the chaos, but are you wearing contacts?”0f87a339386a35fe

“No.”2359bab06e384478

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“Really? I thought you were. Your eyes look even more striking up close.”2c738c4984c8f48f

“Someone said if you punched my eyes, a cup of water would spill out.”294d93a030b95b17

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“Hm? Why would anyone punch them? Who said that?”536bd8e346bd6c1d

That someone, without question, 266b983e81 was the captain of 8e3d0ffb38 the national track and c95fa05a4d field team. Yoon Jihwan 9cfeef9b31 asked in b5b462f2d2 a calm 8591aeaa6a voice,8b46a0864d9cb319

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“So, since I’m your boyfriend now, should I go tell Won Daeyeong right away? That I’m uncomfortable with how close you two are?”3255bdea9d5b678b

“No. I should be the one to say it. I think it’s right for me to do it myself.”00b2bcd8ca4bc86a

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Choi Seolwoo 68c5163f26 shook his d2e6782739 head firmly. Yoon Jihwan, 19b55feca2 who had 4418dba12c been watching 9008bb6b06 Seolwoo quietly, f094245e4a gave a 98fa40a54f small smile d682ea17a0 and said,3e068cdc0521f491

“Seolwoo, don’t push yourself too hard. You don’t have to.”cb8bd1b5875ac041

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“…”8b72524df3f7fc42

“Let’s take it slow, you and me.”88683ec8fb0d6874

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The freshly 8738edf282 refilled warm 116a94c9e8 water in 0484c8eaa0 the cold 2a7bbb8073 cup was 954caa62c4 still hot. Seolwoo forced himself to 142308caec grip the cup and 4feddb161b took a few sips.283feae28db5a318

— This station is 194e917c7d Jamsilnaru. Jamsilnaru Station.3487fbed7ba9b611

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Choi Seolwoo sat a5027ec00c in car 6-4 83b60f8e4c of the Line cf653e3468 2 subway, looking 25405590e1 out the window.d2fefab143b5cda3

On billboards at 9799fd7d18 subway stations and 7c02163559 across the city, 111a13e39e Won Daeyeong was edede3184e still glaring powerfully c09bb3deeb somewhere. It hadn’t even been a31965f9b2 a few days since 5117377cf6 the Asian Games ended, 5c5663f144 yet the medalist’s face 58d03b8e16 was plastered everywhere—people really 6ee348ca23 work hard.44ad24735d4b4ee9

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<Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Visits Korea Athletics Federation — Encourages National Team, Promises Support for Elite Track and Field>12985b1873b8fdbb

<National Track Star Won Daeyeong, the Ultimate Real-Life Boyfriend Vibe>e1899901fd9ef679

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<Claims Surface That Won Daeyeong Dated Ha Youngseo in High School (+Hyungil High Graduation Proof)>ae792745cdc99f23

<Seems Like Ha Youngseo’s Denying Dating Rumors to Protect Her Image. Her Solo Album Just Dropped, and It’s a Pure Concept>efbf4ceae399c480

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I turned off f20b5fa845 the search window d75c40427c and rubbed my bcc860732e eyes. The subway, crossing an 6e15593848 iron bridge, shook heavily. Looking up, 2860d26716 I saw 26b463201d the twinkling d3da3b5a21 night view ae6d125830 over the b4dbc196ff Han River.b22a165431af937e

Taking Line b89cd44d52 2 from da1fdb0e2e the Sports 82a45f2d47 Complex Station, 113d04a1f1 Seolwoo could 9280385e90 go straight ace5271e49 to Ahyeon f683c12df6 Station, where c34a451d14 his home 934a20c757 was, without 3a1a0c39c6 transferring. Nineteen stations passed 22a00f4db5 in no time. For nearly two years 1c5106ca57 during Won Daeyeong’s rehabilitation, c4ae1416a2 they’d commuted together every f37e65ee64 day from this seat. Always in the 45994f18ae same car. Car 6-4 for quick f00e41d815 exits. Looking at the empty 4c2d310bb1 seat beside him, Choi 146b65f413 Seolwoo turned his gaze 465e42c83e back to the window.8175f1e00329242b

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— The 185d94518c gap between 2cf7f2a22e the train baa6399555 and the 657a1e2831 platform is 276ebf8998 wide at 0d64ef740b this station. Please be f3f704d423 careful when d0135957cd boarding and e0eb1f1404 alighting.8120e4a86e8ce7b8

As the train c78829e53e descended underground again, 4e665e9bb9 the outside turned f3dd60dedd pitch black. Staring blankly at the 02ed73c2ba darkness, Choi Seolwoo got fe0afcc78f off at a random 8a62ff9415 station and slumped onto 2277d63a05 a platform bench. He wanted to 8c962429bb quietly organize his d85f5dfed9 thoughts for a b03280969c moment.64415a6f6aa39f3a

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The resolve ada262d667 was simpler 81ba117cae than expected. The words 7616621336 he needed a9582fc962 to say 9ffd19c1f5 came together 14879eb188 quickly. Facing the lingering afterimage 7755bdd0dd of Won Daeyeong on cfa9ac3989 the safety door, he 0cfacaaa8c offered a final farewell.33f2356726ca998e

I wanted to do 4e821b9d81 so much for you 5eb65ff656 when I became a d337f124f2 high earner.349599f28fea071c

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I wanted to 2aa3388375 do a lot, eb77f6acbe and I worried 48d29c0cc4 about you… but 4617f66589 that’s probably just cf710fb563 overstepping kindness.e7e2b1d580b3ff32

Goodbye, my Daeyeong.7a3a61ed9826f3c1

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Whispering the 7efbd13828 farewell in ac8def343c his heart, 2b036bbc4b a sharp 91e6edddc9 pang stabbed 6b8e3dd4b1 his chest. It felt like letting 2c8daabc07 go of his teenage 0e07f11542 years and early twenties.6b1ae799a8210198

Even friendships have their e91782736e time. We’re just 14175da056 meant to 669ffad3ba part ways 290458f7a7 and run 11cdff3352 on our 30b7ec8b50 own tracks a22b403f73 now.7014e49e63d1e927

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When all the 812c7f9ce2 reasons for cutting 2c7eb75fd5 ties were neatly 1738072d96 sorted, he made bb5cb1b89e the call. His hands 37ca073a15 didn’t tremble, b3fbf4eadc nor did 6d81de6151 he feel 0c2bbc7ebd nervous. The certainty that b3be579d21 this was a 52c5225f84 necessary step made a0c76d5f15 it feel like 5d1f579c38 just another task.3cb417f8710b6ed0

— Why? What’s up?4cbc675dee52adab

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Won Daeyeong 2c63e1a959 skipped the cc2af0e62b formal “hello” 4556a48968 and got 5ba03880d3 straight to 8885138c65 the point. Since Choi d148269b56 Seolwoo rarely f1df4445e8 called first c5ba0d8838 without a 07b4b79899 reason, he 30488c7bfa must have 2a3fc23a4e thought something 194a29d8df was wrong c37a58fe5e when the 7fabc038c6 call came 55dc7c1604 late at 1e2459dc9f night.ede4024326cf9e27

“Hyung, where are you?”cf1d7a5ce93e9074

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Deliberately using 2162b433a6 “hyung” instead 6f1ba4aee3 of speaking adc3001791 casually, Seolwoo 8d393c0d7d spoke. Noticing the difference 9990e74e98 in Seolwoo’s tone, 72ce29ecf4 Won Daeyeong asked b8195e7f3d more gruffly,91372040f58f6f6b

— At the 769284a98f gym. What’s up? Spit it out.588878cc27ef64fd

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“I’ll come to you. Wait there.”56d56a06926f46ee

Choi Seolwoo took 08d7dfe749 the opposite direction 03ff4894a2 on Line 2 2d17914d19 to a gym 71d577312d near the Sports afc87c0c64 Complex. Won Daeyeong, who’d been 30a5d44d1a running under the autumn b25451a000 sun all afternoon and cbb1101949 finished weight training, appeared 2a13e8dbb3 with even darker, tanned e7854ace3e skin.398d226d0fa7dcc3

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“Why? What’s this about? Why not just say it over the phone?”1e701f1b04efcaaf

His attitude 7e6fd6f2ba was sharp. The contrast between 3a449962f4 his playful, crazy 647f191b76 talk in private affbd9b644 and moments like dd7b9242f5 this was stark. Choi Seolwoo d195c4ac6f paused for 7287d8279d a moment 7c1a22d6c8 before speaking.4e18cafea560c178

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“…I don’t think I can keep in touch much going forward, and I’d like to keep some distance.”851cd301efa31920

“You came all the way here at this hour to say that?”d2d54207974a1739

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Won Daeyeong’s voice a03e3570fe was deflated as d7264b0e89 he asked. Not wanting to 6b27bbe511 drag it out, 40075d3109 Seolwoo got to 93585467b0 the point.b173a2f85fefb260

“I’m seriously seeing someone now. Someone you know. Director Yoon Jihwan.”4bc8a97318a99c93

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Won Daeyeong’s expression 24fd453d6b didn’t change. He showed no aba92ba14c reaction at all. He just d5e5129d0e stared at a45364bacc Seolwoo with 72e3fa6dac sharp eyes, 068ccd2e96 so piercing ca29fb9025 it felt 9a66c37449 like he ba25dea3d8 was digging b01479e4cc into his 446543c1b9 mind.173d737810e5d489

“I know you don’t like this kind of thing and have no intention of respecting it, but as friends, wouldn’t it be awkward and uncomfortable to keep going? I’d like to sort things out for various reasons.”925aa46ff69157e9

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Even that kind ChatGPT 60a671a71e told me to be 3c7ec34c4d firm. Choi Seolwoo 292d5f5706 finished his d6059dca59 prepared words dd42a256cc in a 5d2531e6c9 resolute voice.8fb475975581aaf6

“I’ve kept your secrets, so I hope you can keep this one too.”3bb62bd5cc03c62f

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“…”cfe9005b4a0cdc3e

As the 620a993454 silence stretched 1e4f1811de on with 86aa5444aa no response, 062b96937c his heart e286636c55 raced. Even if he 0d74a17982 thought he wasn’t 6607be7e76 nervous, saying this a600b09d5a face-to-face wasn’t easy.eebbd17f20ff7efb

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