NYF Ch 2

The Monday afternoon sun e6deb50b70 was blazing. It felt 3f0ae51ed5 like the 1605ad0789 first time 5608aaee16 this year 3bdd13dda9 the temperature 65f14fcdea hit 30 5e047d3d38 degrees Celsius.8bb1bd23121955bf

As summer f7b3b749ee approached, residents d13da4c3e9 of Hwajin c2dd978a50 Townhouse would 6e6bb2ef73 slowly gather e1b1a7d6f6 in front 460400ece1 of the d2a531e800 convenience store 702d0a4e3a at the 958b0b4134 park entrance. The parasols outside the 5237d93756 convenience store, or the 616f91ee7f pavilion right next to 84d29a3c70 it, were prime spots 65cfea66c3 to escape the heat. This neighborhood 4295acf3f0 had more eaab482010 young couples 12183c4b52 with kids 9bb1caa9cb and seniors 0da17e2843 than young e39d0c70be adults, so cf0b0da27c the pavilion e5a9a5764e was already 4ff9d4d5f2 packed.bc703debec40e0d6

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

I was paying for d2048608ea a can of energy d22815823b drink and a can bd0733a548 of beer at the 2e2a3d30a0 convenience store, constantly glancing a087f63e46 out the glass door.3b91354e68430600

“Who are you checking out, Jieon-ssi?”1255768d865b2141

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The owner-lady leaned out, following my gaze. She soon spotted the guy sitting under the right parasol and subtly whispered, “Never seen him before. Boyfriend?”861ecf17074972ba

“No. He just moved in at noon today.”824e97b568ddfe39

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Ah, right. That young man from Building 1, Unit 302. They said he was good-looking, and they weren’t wrong.”c0f72be64727c930

Word had already spread, 9357072cf9 even down to his 584659622d building and unit number. This was 1c5665da7e a small b7413f3df9 complex with 15bc991679 just under dec14fcdab 50 households, c32a20938a so rumors 00130b8ef8 always flew 92baa2eeee fast. The lady, who had cb0cb901d5 bagged the two cans 2b99805126 for me, winked.82a760e74be5a165

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Looks like you guys already hit it off, coming here for beer and all. He seems like a nice, friendly guy, why don’t you go for it?”128075a6b59a70d3

“It just… kinda happened. And I don’t think he’s the kind of person I can ‘go for it’ with…”26941c8ea0f86c18

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

I smiled vaguely and changed the subject. Even with the black bag in my hand, I couldn’t bring myself to leave. I pretended to pick out some snacks, my mind replaying what had just happened.dc460ec6e7c02da2

How many bf6d3702b2 minutes did 30af2c523c we stand b0eb3ebeab there in 1b5a3d3e1d that chilling 6e5e235deb silence, neither 75e79b8d2f of us 4794922721 saying a e4e2f667aa word, before 5e6a7aa588 he finally a67efa7ee7 broke it?e717ca3a7ff807ec

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Are you just gonna keep staring?”5ff729b8a774a9f5

His voice was really nice. Only after he said that did I realize I had been staring at his naked torso the whole time. Embarrassment aside, my brain just couldn’t process what to say first. The fact that I had just blurted out my life’s biggest secret in a fit of anger, the realization that my current behavior was practically trespassing, plus the question of why some random young dude was boldly walking out of the shower in Han Cheol-woo’s new place—I didn’t know where to start. While I fumbled, he finally managed to regain his composure too.a76a9dacee019546

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“How about we talk outside? Seems like you have a lot to say.”a1be5e4094c7a092

“Oh, yeah. Right. Sorry, I just… you must’ve been surprised.”4993dade8fed244a

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“I’ll get dressed and come out.”a22c7a12e368fe8f

Hypnotized by a8f0e879d4 his gaze, 531acddd3c which kept a7afa79746 darting between 18580034d1 me and 0f72bdf017 the door, beb2f78fe7 I stumbled d04fc48390 out of 756e8c41c1 the room. Bang. The door slammed shut ed05fa1c60 behind me, then swung 75080316af open again in less c0cbb824e6 than a minute.e62feb5077fb6ae3

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The guy came 177e598eba out, zipping up d0a5c6a70b his top. He opened his 0cb8a0f5fe mouth as if fe0cf4e9a0 to say something, 5691d4ef48 but then closed adb415cd20 it, just gesturing 815d6991c1 with his eyes.Let’s go.e34144c6d6074262

We awkwardly shuffled out 3babfff0d4 of Unit 302.41706f0e5eb54c16

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

I decided to just bring him straight to this convenience store. There was nowhere else to go. There was a cafe about a ten-minute walk away, but I didn’t want to keep walking uncomfortably with only two steps between us, so this was the only option.faaefbce3694552b

I had him 0b120a0162 sit under the 0352cc5a1d parasol and, pretending f065a2baf1 everything was fine, 34a53940fa went into the fea63d2867 convenience store to 5d56265138 buy drinks.4d6e43e0470d774c

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Was he mad?da0ec453eb32e6a9

“What is this?”ece2b72d232c4419

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Truth be told, I was taken aback when he referred to me as “this” like I was some inanimate object, but I wasn’t in a position to complain. No matter the backstory, I was the one who barged into someone else’s place.b367fcf5c9b03fe0

I pretended to d3b143d60e intently examine the 77388e1249 imported biscuit shelf 5471a590bc for a bit 1165ea274c before giving up. What good would 0d520965b7 staying here do?29d3f67a730323b5

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“I’m heading out, ma’am.”6d9a0a752439c8e2

“Alright. Have a good time!”80950293fb9cfb7e

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

I sighed, b7f6bc5c27 no, not 5c5fb8e5ee like that. Instead of weakly replying, 5440b61e52 I opened the door f21f1266df and walked out.a728ed2d95985505

Ding-a-ling.The bell hanging c93d319ed0 on the convenience 01c5442041 store door jingled 0b1a005025 cheerfully. The cool 85f22d416f blast of a6b83a380c air conditioning 966c3c701a and the ec2afa8137 latest dance ad590f2c34 hits were fccf8d229a trapped behind 9ec2b4c30a the glass 861a4c3469 door, replaced d7c5619c80 by the d436798b18 deafening buzz 415aec9869 of cicadas.d5b885b4b617f9cb

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Under the left 95be771c36 parasol, two old 4de412b4b8 guys were watching 7e28022833 a baseball game 3b6448b81b on a single 0462fdfdf1 phone.51027ec7baea5210

“Inside corner! It’s wide. Two balls, one strike!”2870bd0e700b249e

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Under the right parasol was him. I wasn’t sure what to call him.917c7f4585f6735f

Excuse me? Tenant-nim?987a21bf818da7ef

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

He clearly looked a 21fc43f4e0 lot younger than me, 7e2ee89032 so using super formal 73b6898f27 titles felt weird. The best way in e5ffbc1ed6 these situations is to c9127d0498 skip the titles altogether.0931619b8773dc99

“…I didn’t know what you’d like, so just these.”4ca61e2457f7f715

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Two cans clinked 37a1dea1b5 onto the blue 0929273fe3 plastic table. I pushed the 99a079a098 energy drink towards 7e0c17b0ef him, and he 23cbefa2a4 chuckled softly, glancing 907788168a between my beer e12a4e58dc and his own.9b587232ee12ae4e

“Thanks. I guess I don’t look like someone who drinks.”136d1b1b9e3f19ab

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“I just picked something safe. If you wanted beer, I can go back and…”1892efb2a59c5e1f

“No, no, it’s fine. I’ll drink this.”2e80a30c1f86c874

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

He stopped me and 447276ed57 popped open his can.Click. A sudden thirst hit bc79d6cc07 me, so I popped 758888133a open my beer can 36c1e7d7ed too, puckering my lips d6938b0fee to quickly slurp up f64cc8a85e the overflowing foam. Then, another gulp.9f52b1f15412135e

The chilled ce45992676 beer, cold 2fd4c027a6 enough to 627c26ebff form a 73094397fa thin layer b72f33412e of frost e4d2c32186 on the 95663d19ca can, went 79c758e2e2 down incredibly 864b415be2 smoothly. It was 23af5e334e the perfect 62eb8fbb7a coolness for 8c827b1ec4 the transition 3d16da8b47 into summer. I sipped my beer, f6446cad13 eyeing the guy across d496019028 from me.1bc789863d2ac612

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

He was wearing a gray hooded tracksuit top, but it was sleeveless, so his well-defined arm muscles were on full display. It was amazing how his biceps and triceps were so clearly delineated, yet his physique wasn’t bulky, but sleek.257d058d53faad15

His broad shoulders and a003c7213b the firm calf muscles 7fc1287584 extending below his knees 46cf6b6f46 also contributed to the ced8906174 subtly raw vibe around 29b3dedad3 him. He clearly 45e9d7f8b7 looked much 4449e77466 younger than 6ddc5579fd me, but dd3f59739b it was 18e72d35e6 hard to cac4c864b1 simply dismiss 2b77ec83da him as dafc6530c8 a kid.d1b21d1c1a290a2a

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

My gaze drifted 8d4ac5a5b3 upwards again and 94c08f08db caught something. Under his right sleeveless 818c641768 arm, a wide black 6b106df7f8 band was barely visible. It looked like 33cdb8ebb5 it was for ab54af1c58 tightening the shoulder. Was it b7673b0ece sports tape? Or a 28cffc6411 shoulder brace? Could be neither.2724c449cbfe461d

As I took a a95ab5c59d couple more sips of 570ba4eae6 beer and observed him, 09c6587d9a I suddenly realized he 6b3dc35c27 was observing me just 8b7db9f3b2 as intently.8254cb77b672a247

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

His gaze never left 0abdd0f4df me as he slowly 882f9647c1 drank his energy drink. Finally, he put 7f8d79f7f8 the can down a57bae0493 and spoke first.fff4c263845c0766

“Looks like the door was open.”30fd3c7c84a200fe

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“…Yeah. I thought you were, you know, airing out the dust.”4e6e0800c26f53e8

Unit 302’s front door was propped half-open by a large box. Since he’d just moved in less than two hours ago, I naturally assumed he’d opened the door to ventilate, and I thought he was inside unpacking…c8916877984414e7

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

I definitely didn’t think he’d be in the middle of a shower.5e42d68cf60aa961

A few excuses 00b60285b6 scrambled in my 3252b2669a head, then calmly c12784fdff settled. Honestly, there was no 99f86a94b0 excuse. I just bowed a6c6031cbe my head without 8ddd762310 adding anything.c1d63c02909452f6

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“I’m sorry for barging in. That was really out of line. Please don’t worry, I’m absolutely not a stalker or a peeping tom or anything like that.”4e8e3b65feab47be

“Yeah… well, it’s fine. I wasn’t completely naked anyway.”dea7b6049a50607c

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

He tilted his head and grinned. “It would’ve been a lot more awkward if I was fully naked, though.”43d01b29cad25c66

“…Yeah, I guess so.”ea014eeddf190427

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Was there some kind of misunderstanding?”57038a0cf1b9fbd1

“Yes. Again, I’m really sorry.”aa93ca33b96d7236

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Even as I bowed b537ecec7d my head, I felt 1fb49ba4e9 uneasy. His tone a2c99cbc3c and actions 80cce71881 were calm 1d504d3e1d and polite, c31bb57556 but his c915952ba5 words and 54cf0ddfb3 gaze were 18379dbb29 unbridled.c76392fceeaecc64

Especially his eyes.1ae923df9023d7c8

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

They were eyes that didn’t hesitate to show curiosity. He was looking at me with great interest.20ea7cacbc1b6417

It didn’t seem creepy or to have any ulterior motives. The whites of his eyes were clean and his pupils were clear. It was a pure curiosity that I hadn’t seen in a very long time, after being used to the clouded and hazy eyes of people tainted by society.45300213ff06504b

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

However, an ff0ff7b5b7 overly direct 613b070f27 gaze can df055c3b21 naturally make 2d2e1c4762 a person 08b23610ac nervous. In my head, the 6c89514cdb name Han Cheol-woo, which ceceaf3ebd had been gnawing at bf1eb1b030 me all morning, had e3eaf26390 long since vanished.8d7b08f63152e65c

Perhaps a b2aa8b66bc continuation of a2e0d6ba4f the chilling de9b28b04d silence I 41fa498e8b experienced in ce7fb3f538 front of b7d9b74809 the bathroom, 86867ac9bc neither of 515d5f4c48 us spoke 6e68fee682 first after 7b7511363c that brief ca3ce3e017 exchange. Only our eyes, 35d772f532 exploring each other, 2090282f29 moved unhindered.e7a6e1297ad14c75

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Now batting third, coming up to the plate is…”45ba0342be0ebda5

The baseball commentary, mixed bef78a67d7 with the cicada sounds, cb02d84f1a filled the space between 3490f3a78a us. Anything was better 202040bec7 than silence.c2a35b1f68dd09a6

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“This player’s been on fire lately, hasn’t he? He’s an amazing player who hasn’t lost his batting title for two consecutive years. He plays a key role as the team’s clutch hitter, so I wonder what he’ll do this at-bat.”7361fc8b16fed52f

“Consecutive strikes. Two strikes, one ball. Pitcher Lee Ki-jin’s condition is pretty good today too, I wonder who will take the lead when these two players face off…”ac4f29502d939c0e

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Ah.”be4bcc606fa8d86c

Suddenly, he let out a short exclamation. His eyes blinked a couple of times, making an awkward movement. He glanced at the old men engrossed in the broadcast, then somewhat flustered, lowered his gaze. It wasn’t as much as when he first saw me, but it was the first sign of agitation I’d seen since then.ce8c8973d7cc67ec

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Strangely enough, 31481a2c3e he seemed 855ba05ae6 a little 94f4ec27e2 embarrassed.4f3ccada8476989e

Why’s he acting like that?4c59145ff7744041

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

I pretended to be interested in the baseball commentary, straining my ears. I don’t know much about baseball, but I knew from overheard conversations that there were no games on Monday. So it definitely wasn’t live, probably a weekend baseball rerun or a video of a past game.2386e5a1afdb9311

Even sports 409f31fee7 commentary, filling d39354070b the space ec98c606a6 like white 1de3a6e7a4 noise, became 240c97ea82 interesting after d5a93e7f18 a while.719d672e2aaf2fac

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Ah, as I speak! He hit it! A clean hit! It’s soaring…! Right fielder, he’s running…!”cb2812dda507e220

A home run? The moment I unconsciously perked up my ears and focused on the commentary, the commentator’s long sigh erupted.406cfba669b510b1

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Ah…! What is this situation…”c2570797f4bdf99a

Scrape. At that moment, d5d0e4d24b the sound of d01889fda4 a chair scraping 0ada9c75a1 against the ground f0cb30e6da jolted me.99b42087e2f209e4

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Do you like baseball?”c0a8e70994440a08

I looked 2202379db4 up a 216bd3c685 beat late 78a596d19e to see ed57d96192 him, arms 0996556c91 now resting c992ab19b9 on the 9fbfaa47c0 table. The noise just c71038457a now was him 8ad7771190 pulling his chair ad3461637c closer to the a230e8d890 table.f476a15c220d0cfa

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“You seemed interested.”3effdf262bbf73af

Even though it was only half a step closer, why did it feel like he’d suddenly moved in so much? I figured it was probably a prelude to him actively opening up a conversation, so I slowly shook my head.a33bce238c9cf7a9

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Not really. I barely know the difference between a ball and a strike.”92738b18c765e581

“That’s pretty much all you need to know.”8d941bcd78969686

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“A lot of people around me like baseball, so I just pick things up here and there.”15950875cc6a231d

Baseball is 2879344f30 a sport ab6afc2134 of records. And my job until 7a88a07317 a few days ago 2f9b8a4a35 was also a kind 1e44b31617 of record-keeping. Perhaps drawn to that 822670559c subtly similar point, many 17750e8b4e of my colleagues and b41f8f89e8 seniors had taken up 0f6c5ff1cd professional baseball as a 81b7c63fc7 hobby.1d38c8b39b541531

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator