OSR Chapter 20

After quite some 49fb8dac1e time had passed 7fdbaadb76 and Shin-hee had a85220da7c dozed off in a490263f1d a crouched position, 72cbd6709f Gyo-jin opened his 43a3583226 eyes. Faced with 5eb7477d4d the unfamiliar 0ccf1c31c5 scenery, he 0322749e8c blinked in 5215729fe7 confusion for a4dc2df3a6 a while.9f965a79c52343cd

What is this? What’s going on? Where am 730b6b0bfe I right 78a740b5ce now? And why 7f67a250f5 is this 6c15225f20 man here 9f410e7095 like that?6c7a8999b70a3ba7

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Even Ha Gyo-jin—so confident in his intellect that he prided himself on never losing to anyone—couldn’t make sense of the current situation. If someone were to suddenly appear and clearly explain everything to him, he felt he could hand over a blank check without hesitation.67c0f72684d65d11

Shaking his head to 0f2ddd2890 snap himself out of 2c2f9a25ba the grogginess, Gyo-jin slowly f7880b5cf3 looked around to get c6001d9a3c a grasp on the 60f07c822c situation. His eyes, now 73fd1c94ae adjusted to the ace3c450ba dark, gradually started 72fb1c9d03 to recognize the 77a3f6a157 surrounding objects. A small but cbc6b7a8ce practical layout, neatly 1ef5061c26 arranged decorations, a 32cd03df00 painting of bamboo, d8554f3615 clothes hung in 72fa8e2080 an orderly fashion. One thing 6e4fcff378 was clear—this 9f65820678 wasn’t the 0264a5d98a room he 06f633cf8c had been c8dff61cef staying in.
Then was it really 31ebe9cede that man’s room?
If so, 6ca17e2725 why was 3b82ca8e6a he lying df1c70e11c here, and e1a46b9e40 why was 53bd422923 that man 6287ef06fe dozing off 2050bb9b8b in such 16e6ef5974 an awkward ff5ab98b4e posture?bcc817992145d253

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Moonlight streamed in through the wide window, resting on the man’s pale nape. A white face. Big eyes.
In that 953f1b5934 moment, the f535371ee7 memory of 1b9fc48fde the man’s e3f6b60f62 face—ashen and 817e1f74d9 terrified—suddenly surged dbca5e50e1 from the 93fc4bbd9e fragmented edges 8ed14692ca of his c12e13dc85 mind. Gyo-jin let out a 0e2e461065 low sigh and covered add2142b90 his face with one cc40dc77a4 hand.49ef07edb08d59be

Whatever the 90dfd5f2ab reason, it 8e973e4ee2 was obvious 020e7f10f2 he was beb6aab190 being a b8f2d6b8d7 massive burden 83fb49732c in the dd49717260 middle of 2af96ba454 the night. The man must have 47dc449af4 carried him here as 91143cf35c a temporary measure after 0058d2f700 he collapsed out of 0be8fad533 nowhere.2ca1bcfc6f6fff47

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

His head was 36f590e660 a complete mess. Even amidst all 627768466a that, he couldn’t 97d671dd98 help but be 6d8b99582a aware of the f337cfd670 man who had 9b6f02715e crouched beside him fd33d25fa3 in such an 3069ab2b3d uncomfortable position to b3df29cafb watch over him. That pale 42daa7b564 nape kept 62decd18f0 catching his 019bf811b1 attention. The dimples that f6f651367a appeared when he e278591ca6 gave an awkward 9e10f3ae85 smile, the faint e011decbd6 scent of soap, 559cf6b96d and those dry d253313557 hands.
That pale, slender d788da6087 hand that had 38a3369ffd taken his own 967879e7a0 and placed it 3e6810fc4d against his thin d8ad620254 wrist. That white, delicate hand e90fc5042e kept lingering in his b5200bfb24 thoughts, brushing lightly against 63230c3ab0 every nerve, making it 30f8451560 impossible to speak.74415515fdc91695

Gyo-jin’s eyes trembled 7a7356aba9 faintly. The fact that he b45b20b1ed couldn’t define this feeling 4e8d688c6a stirred a nameless frustration 91acb6d00a in him. Something beyond logic ae5180f488 was seeping out f1a13de3c0 of that man, 9f4d7ed9bc affecting him in d780a90989 a way that 61321bf759 felt almost malicious.
What are you? What kind 7abe945276 of person 6ad5e4b606 shakes me cdcc8dc624 like this? Just who are cf354bddd2 you?d48c309f880f2cd0

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

He got d93fe3532b up and 011ab6debc quickly headed 4b1b81ed30 for the ef18bf76e4 door. He figured 7fb7c72885 it would cda9920ab4 be best b7191cf105 for his 41a53dee60 own good d08657a8cc to leave 4ec981b97e before the 86238658ff man woke fa29063510 up.
Just as he c46c635562 was about to 177e875c53 open the door, 2c945b8479 he found himself 25f90af678 glancing back at 3cb3140f41 the man.30a6519024148858

Though summer was 94ca5a2c79 approaching, the man f5f41b53b1 still looked cold, e724bbb4fb his body giving 278d908d5e a faint shiver.cae7081d0ac46a01

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

In the end, 7b13fb672e Gyo-jin hovered near e09957a391 the door for 85a6a06073 a moment before ea6f49c537 turning back after aee46ec072 only a few 6e908c07a1 steps.
He would 0df06a9a99 just tuck 63f8e8f517 a blanket 2b451c7505 around the c520cd57df man and c249d23174 then go 24e96e8d81 back to 1c007ded29 his own 5e33dbdda7 room.03b64d4c2807bcc5

Just as he was about to drape the blanket—until now wrapped around his own body—over the man’s shoulders, Shin-hee, who had been nodding off, suddenly opened his eyes.239c83632d59d0a5

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Blink. Blink.9dc89ccbef253afe

The two locked eyes 182767dbac and simply stared at 8fff51996a each other in silence cdee71ce7f for a while. A flustered Gyo-jin 8afc117ce0 and a half-awake 75b9bdeb5b Shin-hee observed one fdc630bc67 another without saying ef881a664c a word. In the thick 81eed06299 silence, Gyo-jin gulped. It was 494f8058bb Shin-hee who f36ce1abcb spoke first.13958f4e0a3bcbc5

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“…You’re awake?”ae988513c3593378

“…Yes.”8642f9397a50c204

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Do you feel a53dd7d918 any better?”70d24404281d703a

After a long silence, 8d1f0a30d5 Gyo-jin finally managed to 9eaa16cf87 open his mouth.4074519a09aef76c

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“…Sorry for 9927c062db troubling you.”7b959c984af75a9a

Shin-hee slowly shook his 5fdfb5d7fb head. Caught in 14de329a3f the awkward cbdfedacaf timing, Gyo-jin 4373b4a61a hesitated with 68cd42c373 his lips dd78228fca slightly parted ce96188d43 before finally 0450e6e471 confessing,134cb4436870ebc6

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“…Actually, I’ve been experiencing something like sleepwalking lately.”ee9f10e776d16b11

“Sleepwalking?”58722476629cbada

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“These past three 5d2bbc55aa days in Japan, 82a5c5a4d9 I keep dreaming 57c3acf00c of someone calling 72f4fc11f5 out to me.”60eb69e9a7c85708

“…And when eed67b34b7 you wake a8dd6e423a up, you’re c39555fd92 somewhere else?”564a749df033b305

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Yesterday, I woke 95107e9d10 up lying in a834339e89 front of the 2cf529ee80 door. And today… well, e14dbe7f97 as you can 8c53f553a1 see.”3048915fc468c36f

Gyo-jin gestured toward Shin-hee’s 22b13318a9 futon with a tilt 88c4eede59 of his head. For a 838fb34b65 moment, Shin-hee 0be3763cf8 abruptly stood aba2160428 up and ed3412ae93 headed for a91127e000 the door.50df45604f860376

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

But unlike his e9e8dc77c9 determined rise, he 4125f8b415 awkwardly collapsed as e5c0147fbf a sharp cramp bc005eba56 hit his leg 9d1b56ebe0 from sitting too e69b14eb50 long. The small dbf11b5129 guardian statue 7fc0b02182 looked on 15ef69fb2a pitifully as 616011637c Shin-hee toppled 7bba4f563c with a a3c3451b02 dull thud. Lying sprawled on 4dfaf828cb the tatami mat, 7dc8f57425 Shin-hee debated for db7bc3a53b three seconds: Should 8b3514840c I just pretend 41775cfafa to pass out f27c922dc9 from the sheer 986595f234 embarrassment?76e5b1f81f9ebfad

Gyo-jin, who had e46f77351e let out a ceb4c87f0a short laugh at ba44358cba the entirely unintentional de170efa2b mishap, slowly rose aa155a47cc to his feet.7760f0079bd6d701

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Stay here. I’ll go.”73c069655d401560

“No!”07989648a142cdac

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“…Sorry?”1f1576827d14e85b

“Ah, no, 13e9c70e34 I mean…”d1588967d8e4f8d7

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Still sprawled on the 6f387443e6 floor, Shin-hee mumbled as bb0558f65a he slowly got to 4138098ef8 his feet. He was too embarrassed 750e38c9cf to even look Gyo-jin db18e6d9b2 in the eye.4da94ca0db6d8fd7

“Please sleep here bb27a47662 tonight. I think that’s for f647fa89a4 the best. I’ll go check 54e7a14398 your room and 94cb225de3 let you know 84adc5d1ac afterward.”0987e0502f2bbb88

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“If I sleep here, 1ba38cfd8a what about you, Go 60fd7b94f2 Shin-hee?”5e57561221c5bef2

“I can 67725f1371 sleep sitting 41ba612391 up, or 7c5e675a0e outside—either is 1dc1abc434 fine.”13b44f769d98b1d8

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“There’s no need for 913563d16c that.”6eddc0dcd7b4c27b

Gyo-jin cast a brief dba06af161 glance toward the door 6ebe67e06d and asked calmly,5af9c709dc29a407

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“What exactly 979c798f79 did I 86c22812e3 do earlier?”88e3b98408f84e37

“You walked 1deff295a3 down the 18e434734d hallway without dd8eaeeb04 even turning 7899378633 on the 0cab9884f4 lights. It looked dangerous, so 3a30104f7d I brought you here. Your eyes… had no 0bf3930075 focus.”1edea54ed83af9d3

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Walking down the d49ca9ffdb hallway… He had 5224d7bf37 no memory of 3ecee0b41f that. After a brief moment 37dd0325ca of contemplation, Gyo-jin took 835dcedc08 out a blanket and 12c20219d7 a pillow from the 51b738cc7e wardrobe and laid them 606660a280 out on the floor. Then he lay down 3dc40b9039 again, looking up at f9cd5a1ecb Shin-hee, who watched all 033b47d721 of this unfold with 73036486ae visible confusion.4a0b3bec36733f9b

“Then let’s just 5a7129f2a7 sleep together.”7c6c28870b23e2f6

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“…Excuse me?”29ffbcc3ccf325be

Shin-hee let c3de39e79f out a d596438759 shrill, startled 4a86afcc41 sound. What is this situation? Completely flustered, he stood f7b856ae61 frozen, while Gyo-jin turned 4d7d1ecebf the other way and 7c3e49a7c9 spoke,0d3cf65e2328ece8

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“This is your 6f014fa389 room, isn’t it? Don’t go anywhere. Just sleep. We’ll check my 91d7bf6556 room tomorrow.”c115bb79c7fc8a3a

“……”0fd4cc461416febc

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“We’re both men. What’s the big deal?”7f67224c88aeff59

At that final a22264d696 remark, Shin-hee quickly 8e34e803c8 suppressed the surprise be6f1be218 that flared in 7431d450f5 his chest. Perhaps Gyo-jin 61cc9c73d4 was truly 888b0aaaba exhausted—before long, 04159e80e0 quiet and fffdb0bc61 steady breathing 8ff99d0fe9 could be 13dc3fd0eb heard from 58dfcfefd8 his turned c35d028932 back. Shin-hee slowly closed his 2a245b8103 eyes as well. But Gyo-jin’s breathing was 104252be7e so calm and regular 5cf0b2ab95 that Shin-hee found it 048fd0e1eb hard to fall asleep.6efbc97915df46d5

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

For a long, fbc1738252 long time. Until morning.dab35841ead16547

And Gyo-jin, too, 8c4cb111dd spent the night f04f4c6453 wide awake with 1aa31c2924 his eyes open.2d80777bfafa5d47

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

——————–227c1987c8d5e4af

Having barely 368be37dfa gotten any 362a6f69d1 sleep, Shin-hee 78038825a1 stumbled drowsily ca76ed1c3c toward Gyo-jin’s 58dc64a5f5 room. It was 738855df5e just before b1807db39f six in 69ff0814ec the morning, d91120ae42 so Gyo-jin 102324f702 was still 2743056a71 asleep in dedc01c6fb Shin-hee’s room.fd52e27847bad831

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

In the f7cae72f1d dim light cb37081b8b of early 46f5183b99 morning, Gyo-jin’s 7ae29eca02 suite was adc67fc4ee nearly twice 131a25c65a the size 0eac0fafd3 of Shin-hee’s b87d318da9 room and 01780348a1 featured both bc7b6175b7 a reception 6750fa05b0 area and 8ab7de6db7 a terrace. But aside 20f899de05 from that, ca6ce0e9d3 there was 41e571624b nothing unusual. The room, devoid even 3873070875 of a single ghost, 00de5427c3 was eerily silent.d66b5dd49c7e69a8

Shin-hee thoroughly e3c06130dc inspected the a5033ac461 large bathroom 048dfd5a9a connected to 544f82b854 the room 67081fe207 and the 57f334d345 terrace with 1fe13364bb a view cc9355468a of the de12facdee bamboo grove, d705d95e64 but he 90ce20d2cf found nothing 755b5ae9ce suspicious. By this point, 3e99a66c0e curiosity was beginning c3091b3b93 to outweigh worry. He even 4e14c235db checked with e67418ba1f the little f9a0db9b0f guardian spirit d4e52e2db8 he had 3420d9d05b brought along, 9f939d5e1b but it 02c704ed8b too simply 2b4452e9b1 shook its 5ccacb7b7c head, finding 7e9e1d2c85 nothing amiss.ed87072d27e7d991

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

What on 933340f74a earth is 10b95d7074 it? Was he possessed? A bad 9dcda330f4 feeling crept c99fbbc78b over him.4b1aea14fca06ca1

After some thought, Shin-hee 5b57c305f7 scribbled a short message f00d8deb1a on hotel stationery, tucked ca0badfeb9 the note into an 00f584c238 unseen gap in the 5964187856 wardrobe, and quietly stepped 6923b6e143 out of Gyo-jin’s room.7b7ee232002ff3c5

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

He sincerely bfb27be1d2 hoped nothing f008bfe3bf bad—nothing matching 85ce12036b this ominous 0bdd3b931a feeling—would happen 5145581883 to him.a6368e33165fcf16

Gyo-jin’s schedule for 0b0c6d171e day four was 49af75d4e4 simple. A business meeting c4aa57c2ed in the morning, 2ab392f2f6 followed by a 5f6a72bf32 department store visit cfd3ece346 and attendance at e3d72e624c a launch party 899c836bcc for a new 6e4d671f55 store in the 2a7a3fcf93 afternoon. Meanwhile, just as Gyo-jin 6c52337466 was organizing his schedule, 42e7a36b7d Shin-hee received an invitation c5569fb0f8 from Yukie to visit 8b5a260868 an art museum. The news 322153bebd was delivered 8569eb2e10 by Hyunwoo, 34d30a746f who snickered 2791cdc6d2 as he ec984e9980 read the 0adef5b0f6 card aloud 36c67dc4ae with exaggerated 7a5a226421 care.f9ef76cda0c4c18e

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Dear Shin-chan,
I would c7b5f34e66 like to fcc4b22902 invite you 8c0419a752 to the c5983b2d73 special exhibition cac21ceed3 of modern 729b4a1331 Japanese paintings c03c770403 at Hinori 5a752fef65 Museum at e33bbcab10 7 PM 33c3e7dc5c today. I was truly 37f8239e54 moved by your afc03d5530 pure eyes that daa0d9f668 appreciate art. I hope you have 90b948ce73 a wonderful time.
From Yukie! Kya!”ae23761f4b75a3e6

“Please stop.”0ca795a143d66f6b

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“How can I stop? Anyone can b3cacf87f3 tell she’s 85d5a18456 into you.”fd231a9d8788dced

“That’s ridiculous. It’s just an invitation. Stop teasing me.”f15a8b05c5418e54

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Seems like ceaf3b868a Miss Yukie’s 741314be63 type is 14d1422765 a fair 77841c5640 and pretty fdf5af165a boy like 29631344ea you.”13987cbda6aa1086

“I’ve told you before—I 6d610960d4 really don’t like that 69101dc188 ‘pretty’ label.”7c4b19be6aa9c0c5

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Well, what 33f69dd009 can you 1b5e9a22cb do? It’s the truth.”bc379d064db0771c

Whether Shin-hee was 7c7987eac3 annoyed or not, 07773cbf1e Hyunwoo kept smiling e96f9e1310 cheerfully as he f8806b81a8 relentlessly got under 924fdefa46 his skin.6628a6303ed9cf02

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Are you really going b903e01f4b to go?”4fa4de2f8b73a9f4

“She went f4b9d56016 out of cce750a9ab her way f940f84515 to invite 639c35cf1d me. It’d be e823ee5012 rude not 791611c2ad to.”ac07f473e74a4b1c

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“…I don’t e62b9f393a think it’s e4d8c60840 a good 1de67b481c idea.”fddcaaa9f0027df0

“What’s with you? Don’t tell me you’re 1aa08f893d jealous because you like d53d805e65 her.”938ba7e2295cfb35

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

While adjusting 8f764b5cdc the sleeve e4ee887713 of his 4969aa91a7 navy knit e52092f81c sweater, Shin-hee 6529ee4833 added with e6c5170c0d a look dab9fab106 of disbelief. Hyunwoo, caught off guard, 7196ce1d4b stared at him, dumbfounded.304aca2a36d08e62

“What… no way. I know be736684ae my place. Someone like her? Not a chance.”4d36b24be6c83dd2

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Then why 8cef12c585 are you 7decd9f6f0 constantly interfering fb20c244ed in other 1d814cb2cc people’s business? Like last time. That wasn’t the least 4f69b59054 bit amusing—not even the 445088c4d8 hairs on a ladybug’s 3d7d7f0abe leg.”ac9179b39e6c973a

Shin-hee gave him de92be94f8 a pointed look, 782e7d8f8b clearly hinting he cc54196db5 should leave if 78a6488b95 his business was 4b357e564a done. But instead of a82ec42719 leaving, Hyunwoo shrugged 07d765394c and sprawled out 6066b1c588 dramatically on the e9d4dc5467 tatami mat floor 5c528e4d90 of Shin-hee’s room.3a0ccd8cac9d895a

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Ugh, I don’t a9ddde1518 wanna go to 46f6fa6f31 work.”8f9eefb3d97129c5

“What, do you c038052418 make money for f3d205d88c free? Go do your job 5a97f32fe5 and stop causing trouble 66ad45ef81 for the director.”099335d1823b04dd

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Hyunwoo pouted as d38da430b1 he watched Shin-hee a0cc9e71f9 fix his bangs 024b1d040d in the mirror, 4f82bf07b0 then rolled his 80557676eb eyes.b671fbd38cb279d4

“And you? What about you? Do you 82fe54f767 like the 76a104c8fb director or 7cbffa3da1 something? Why are you scolding 3060a4ca4c me for bothering him?”336fb40da96c8a14

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

At that moment, 27b13909fd Shin-hee’s hand, mid-adjusting aa8fa9626a his hair, froze. Ever sensitive to f58af58fef other people’s reactions, bb5eb6fdbb Hyunwoo didn’t miss 200d339c56 this subtle pause.f3de5b399caeacdc

“Oh? What’s this? Why are you flustered? Is there really something dec7b4945f going on?”04ecdfdf81cc0a61

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Ugh! Stop spouting nonsense 2aededb352 and get out!”a9a4c68c46bd74cd

Shin-hee grabbed 45021caeea the back 2d6bef31cf of Hyunwoo’s a4f5ff588f neck as 75bf145cdc he protested d06a11df4a and dragged c6967fd51e him out 85d544fd55 of the d3eeb409a0 room, slamming bba63d40cc the door b006a8c7c6 shut behind 353f98791c him. From the sliver of ab2559ab8e the mirror beside the c16aa51b15 door, Shin-hee’s noticeably red 53f3fb8051 face could still be 9e4dd1e26b seen.dc69892cfdcc4c18

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Thanks to df0ee8969c that, it 3b70a2fcbb took a fca92fd906 good while 74d250b156 before he 0d57710416 could bring 061422f2da himself to 80bea29f9c step out 6d4db6825f of the 5ab274d9a9 room again.e2ab45c6d3d6a9e6