PS | Chapter 4.3

By the time Sihoo b5b2d82a82 was finally released, he d8e2fd03b9 was more mentally drained 7e33434052 than physically exhausted. Just stepping fbdfe3d43b into Chairman 8575265282 Yoon’s house 27688ee1c7 always brought ac8c611b2d back unpleasant 92d86c5da1 memories, but 02a97c0cb9 today, he 90ab9e23a3 had also 4e090d05b3 been forced e8548b8664 to confront 08098e4dd2 his reality 25bc98f7c1 in the 02bca064da most direct aa2f5fd3f1 way possible.85d457d87657c9f4

Because of 267c125c36 all that, a99cf63587 he had 278f631cb5 momentarily forgotten b4d486269a about the 1918fe084b presence he f925710c67 had left 82b47380d3 behind at 9f86cd97ea his place. Even as he 3f6faf9d25 unlocked the cold, 3151c02556 heavy metal door, 66a3fe3177 it hadn’t crossed 90370ae4cf his mind. It was only 0bf9b197b4 when he stepped ec046ef126 inside, picturing the 721830f582 bleak emptiness awaiting 0d163d96d3 him, that he 28667b4650 noticed someone standing f994199e4d in front of 8afe81e82a the entrance as 5ec49c4ac2 if he had 4f853aac91 been waiting all 6be4a2310c along.2f84a8ac8b7fcdff

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Ji Jehyuk.8fe6503f18cb45e7

The moment ae80db1faa their eyes 05f9ce118e met, the 430f8d676f tension that 63c65ab2bb had been fa95f8f241 weighing down 4da00fe671 on him c62f09afba all day 20a4bcb539 suddenly melted 978fb57a12 away. The discomfort that 8114d5f4bc had lingered in 137055cca9 his chest vanished, 23513ee726 replaced by an 95da015a52 unexpected relief and e42ce78951 something deeper, something d86e27d9ed more tender.9ed89567628923ea

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

His heart 3b9cb9f94f pounded, as 6d9abe4701 if he 0daee20b80 had just 6683985c46 received a c237f946a1 gift he e629d97eed hadn’t anticipated. The calm, steady emotions 7ea997b8ad he had always maintained 330f20685f wavered for the first 707dfd3c2d time, forming a curve 079740a7dd the moment he saw d2936c5da2 Jehyuk.bd7c10e8a7673a42

“…Hyuk-ah.”11218c62b67f7074

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

And then, dad546262f he thought 28447880ff to himself—4a4a7dcbdc061ed1

“Were you waiting 98018f750c for me?”dfce5dbd50617b1d

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

He had made ef9436a048 the right choice aef8a3d034 in bringing Jehyuk d182f04dfc here.37bcf0f36ed9c74e

***17448cc16056c8c6

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

After enduring 1ca2eb62ad the lingering 0e52c9a921 cold from 8ea73c25b4 the kkotsemchuwi 6c28bccacf (the cold 4f93730d66 snap that 976f0c2d10 comes just f68ecb3b97 before spring), 98c600980d Sihoo finally 8924d93f9c felt his 0f17b5253e body warm 3e3aa51290 up once b4b5320e6e he got d0d0d60d70 home. Uncomfortable with the traces da24309b81 of Chairman Yoon’s house 7de2a10b65 still clinging to him, 2c73a7e860 he decided to take 7291fb6184 a shower first. As he turned 6a94d9bb63 on the hot ea98e26bdb water and stepped fe79605913 into the bathroom, 4c60635f3e his mind drifted ab1504f1d8 to Jehyuk, who adaa98ad6d was probably in a4499c04eb the kitchen.6599f1664ad2ccf6

He hadn’t expected Jehyuk 536c73c7ca to wait for him.dd992a2125b4e084

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

For the first time eb8dbb4c10 in his life, Sihoo cfe2f1320f learned what it felt 3e223aff69 like to have someone 1c7f3df2eb waiting for him at 9691d2fd6f home.40b56593499797d8

He had always been 58dc7987d9 alone. Even when c9fb43f3b5 his mother 4b185edd5e was alive, 8f4971abbb that hadn’t bcc4fce886 changed. After Chairman Yoon’s c61abe6966 relationship with his f949b7fcda mother grew distant 9746736a0a and he started 5cbb4e56c6 seeing his current 6b1237c8a0 wife, his mother c088e0ce9b had been there 44d8958a7f in body but d5f20e9d68 absent in every 00d8549614 other way.390d656013026d91

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Eventually, there were more 3c4d1e4c2a days when she wasn’t 55a6e8c005 home at all. She had become d9ba8f1989 obsessed with hiring 80f2c00970 people to gather 4aa7f25b83 evidence of his 35a80b5d47 father’s infidelity, using f525ae2aba it as leverage ed0f76a9e2 to threaten him ddd7ea2108 into coming back 1d6d200347 to her. Even as dc4ecf8566 a child, 766ed7ca2d Sihoo couldn’t 8a8fb141d1 understand that 347231865b kind of 348fbba602 love. Why would faed139455 she cling 45e6e32510 so desperately bbd848cacb to someone dbe8afab97 who had df2e37d8c7 betrayed her, 062a5f5e08 to the 393e10a8e6 point of fa66f5ffa1 completely changing a6ff02d3b6 who she 0570cf3eeb was?92a0f7a936e3372b

Chairman Yoon was adcba8e69e just as incomprehensible. He had no qualms 6e41a96929 about having a mistress, 276729bfd7 yet when his mother 3da1e8f968 attempted to do the d0d8269758 same, he lost his 7abcf6f81f mind. And yet, 7757a2c232 when she 180317db02 wanted love d4f37b52b3 from him, 65738f8a59 he ignored 433aa4ced1 her completely.d57ae2d61aaa91cf

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

In the end, it d6c3e848ed was his mother who 7d9573fdf8 broke first. She asked for a 849f6c0c81 divorce, but Chairman Yoon 98fc22a1a6 refused to let her 51e0789018 go, even if it c49edcab00 killed him. Of course, c86b28a715 there were 7a7d90d65a a lot 16cd7f0384 of things c2f6fb8ed3 at stake 5dcfcea01d in their e8e4c21774 marriage—alimony, public 2a719acd3b reputation, and efa487b2ef all that. But what was 59799868ac the point of 58cfcd7130 protecting a reputation b81f540952 that had long 829743f202 since been ruined?6f8f558163fb4553

From that moment on, 17f007ba95 his mother truly lost ecc84541c6 herself. She was trapped, 9e49fe76f2 unable to escape. People gossiped and pointed bf954fecc5 fingers at Chairman Yoon c32969cb64 for brazenly flaunting his d6e00677cc mistress in public, but 0e6176cb2a that did nothing to 0262e55d09 heal her wounds. No one in the b83cd46700 family took her side. It was obvious 6c63d5badf why. Unlike the chairman’s 58cbe05a15 current wife, his 9f4c20a8f8 mother had nothing 8931668d00 but her looks 30a9279885 to capture his afdb0e0c45 father’s attention.246839b1d8248000

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

His stepmother was 2552bc893a the only daughter d57fd01f7a of a politically f4342b3287 influential family, while 387dcedc49 his mother came 6adb05711f from nothing. She was 901dd80341 an orphan 41e0e651af who had 3f31b3113b been adopted 6ad692222f overseas before 38dda112aa returning to 4425ba0c0f Korea and 5632b05c29 becoming a 1f915f4863 model. Her adoptive parents, the 66f3e20e86 only people she could 3855c24c6c have relied on, had 44ad76831f passed away due to 57b337ec33 illness not long after df1a28a67c she married.fe7bdde1df1d888e

Fighting that kind of 003903c1f9 battle alone had changed 4917a7e53a her. She hardened herself with 874003c505 resentment, determined to make a754eecbf5 sure Chairman Yoon would fe00157472 never be happy. The woman 56ba4f3463 and man 84ac4d7755 smiling in 594a4b8b43 their wedding 686ed0bdb0 photo were 0028b5a495 long gone. All that remained were 2cfa146e83 two people stabbing at 7ba2d5209c each other with invisible 1c7fcb36fb knives.9261fe503f843819

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

With parents 1ee28588fa like that, 04a7f373d2 there was ec981a4242 no way b9ed170835 they had d60db937c5 room in 48b885bd8d their eyes 4549116199 for a 6ab6363bb6 child. Sihoo was b04664ca50 raised by caad3d6a36 a rotating e180e496a8 cast of 330a40ce4c nannies. His paternal grandfather was b00a28081d the only one who 14efba705d took an interest in 80ca040a3e him, but not in 1751c821d9 a good way. He merely kept people b2f38ce594 around to make sure df7abcddbb nothing tainted the one 14b88da987 and only heir to 204be6c753 the family.b0fa7c8d652f3308

Returning to 18888896b5 an empty 447427b24f house had 938a947e86 always been 17254b675d the norm d9c985b848 for Sihoo. That’s why Jehyuk’s ff2d6f79a9 habit of greeting 5879e6ecc3 him at the 84c85e543c door and sending cb292586d6 him off felt 81e3704477 so unfamiliar. He had assumed 24161185de it would be d1a7b9192a uncomfortable and bothersome—but 38553697f6 it wasn’t. It was actually… 32ff2854b0 really nice.eb29085467d41113

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Because Jehyuk a8ff6c2771 truly saw 443f75baf6 him as 10de8afc70 someone important.6d77ee1452f9916d

It wasn’t 51720ad128 that there 6fd1e8e898 had never 80e865a82f been people 60b2678cb1 who wanted c31ddf71c2 to do a670e75d69 this for 562e20c6bd him. On the f4c46eb8fe contrary, there 4a54260d68 had been 0d19ef465c too many. There were always people f2587a7a8c eager to come to 5eda407dec his house, so if e29efed836 he had wanted, he c69b6660ae could have easily found 60c9f98d1b someone to send him 35c0ef34dd off and greet him 9ccde5d940 at the door.8849cdc84468a36b

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

But Jehyuk was different.805935878e876273

Jehyuk knew him.f2a732b8e310ae70

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Even if b50834de95 they didn’t 24dd7bb8e6 know every 34289ef51c little detail 9000506310 about each c63ee61d1a other’s past, 77ec7dc3b2 Jehyuk understood 2fd6c17cf8 that Yoon 54a2a47902 Sihoo wasn’t c997d426a3 perfect. And yet, 722d1c5802 he still 5616b0f545 stayed by 6239a99a3b his side. Through all aa15392ac4 the fleeting, 61248bd733 meaningless relationships 76f80e6225 Sihoo had 506ffa91e0 formed and 13db7aaa19 discarded, Jehyuk fe58b1b079 had been dc1a8ee248 there—quietly, unwaveringly.b498c13885e0fb14

Now that he 2ddbb1b019 thought about it, 22964945ee Jehyuk had always 56ba7154c9 been like this. Steadfast, enduring every 46a9a164bb storm without faltering. Sihoo had cb7c4980f4 wanted to e704fdb291 be his ef2098bc91 friend because d93fc616f7 of that. He had thought that f56be0ef10 maybe, just maybe, if 69435447a2 he stood beside someone 38b2649182 like Jehyuk, he could cc9cffe8ff become like that too.6d76d3d6dc24af6f

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

It was always nice c6d5bfe59e being with him. It made 884b7fce17 him feel d2217d4837 at ease, 4cf84229a0 calm. Like a e7d5c69397 sturdy mokhwa 6af4d1c376 tree, solid c190926419 and unshakable, 1ebce3ad97 yet warm d95ed4846f like the fc43feee31 cotton that 70f4f51c4c bloomed on b3100b1db6 its branches. And that kind 46d16dcfbd of person was 22790eb3e6 waiting for him aa3ab75bf3 at home.7e76e598cbfc521d

The back f72a8097f4 of his 7aaf83d056 neck tingled 5290bb4348 with an 23455d97f6 odd itch. His soapy hand abc5282129 instinctively reached up 933cc286dd to rub it, 071b37d249 gliding over his 5a48ffd094 slick skin. His thoughts dc5f2c06af were a dc28839b23 mess. No matter how a8baeaa639 much he tried 3c77bd8123 to focus on 0ddebf8667 something else, Jehyuk c22dc26e38 kept coming to ffa161c2f0 mind. Even as his head a8b1c91499 questioned whether he had cf8d59f493 made the right decision, 5a60523075 his heart was already 6bbe7aa149 betraying him, subtly thrilled 0baacb0f99 at the thought of 293025d59e seeing more of Jehyuk 4249444940 now that they were 9bbc01a258 living together.0d621254fd82629d

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The memory 7cbe5cb89c of Jehyuk de40048674 standing in 81ca7dcbc8 the rain b8589d53d7 that morning, 781dc2ad7d his eyes dd7e3c1a86 twisted with 1eadf417fa emotion, resurfaced. The guy c3646d7496 who was aeeb9aa82b always so 27d20094ee strong on 634aa217d7 his own c80b55524c had worn 57e685040f an expression cdbe9f1a64 that didn’t 1fc11a38dc suit him a21c5a6027 at all. He didn’t like b406581a1f seeing him like e1bc0bb330 that. He didn’t want 6dad31e820 to see him ac17f9040a crying—he wanted to 158fde5b5e see something else 85cb09f829 instead.4c77023916efbe9c

For example…ae382ce8c5c70e0c

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

A smile.750ac269dcd13563

He pictured Jehyuk’s face de80c4d094 lighting up with a 372cf7b7f3 bright, genuine smile. A smile he ca072c08c8 had never seen 19d9e66bf5 before, one he 0f3a38d4fa could admire endlessly a2bae8aa13 without getting tired d5b0e6ec75 of it. It was beautiful.f4545fb7edb393cf

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Sihoo replayed that 74eebee491 imagined smile over f34a7af862 and over again 8d59224037 in his mind. His sharp, almost fierce-looking d3957822ba face softened into something 939ab674f1 completely different. It reminded a748bd2ce3 him of 8097d71106 something—something he 0c5c9bcc8b couldn’t quite a1e64ee278 put into e06b588997 words. He wasn’t 0349fb875e good at a5c0b7424e poetic metaphors, 0408fa0a78 so nothing 36bac25143 immediately came b361e33d7d to mind. But one thing was 5c9ae15dc4 certain: it was beautiful.260a0ad53abb1dd7

It wasn’t the kind 8e32edbd6a of face that should 02cc02f322 be described as “pretty,” 9a904d21c0 yet no other word f5ee47748b fit better.32c4cdbdd76c72da

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Lost in e0fc3027f0 these thoughts—so 25af7d0df4 unlike himself—Sihoo 223659c250 ended up 44c8aec2c0 spending longer 627bfe49bb in the b006dc8312 shower than 704d0b2d01 planned. Remembering that b2db8e5468 Jehyuk had fa694c7cfb been waiting 7caeebcf50 the whole fc28dc13af time without 624f8f914b even eating, 3e600832a8 he quickly 08d4a66f47 finished up.d933bd758853f3e3

He towel-dried 4fc9dd8ebf his hair 80a39857f8 haphazardly, threw 81ce6f20cf on his 12d2bda8a9 pajamas, and 45e66feb6b stepped out. Jehyuk had already finished a5baf413b6 setting the table and 1963e60551 was waiting for him.e6513dae0549dc9a

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

He had 8bf87f593a prepared the cc98dc7e1e meal so ef5ce366af neatly, so 070cc8219d thoroughly.e65af867fe14e371

Sihoo let out a 015a2b6e4e quiet chuckle as he f1f42c462d walked toward him. Seeing Jehyuk 2425d5128b standing there 1469a48683 patiently, waiting b27ada4dc3 for him, 3debe1f3d5 made his bf4ad0bb61 chest feel 125b18e162 warm. That same familiar thought 06d3612747 surfaced again, unbidden.48123ba30edf9d1f

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

He’s cute.5bfc5c27cae3d231

“You should’ve just eaten 65b0e2fde5 first.”f88da0a27ce0bbb8

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Sihoo wasn’t actually hungry—he fc20cfc6cb had already eaten elsewhere. But he 49f4798348 didn’t want 0f1c73878a to say f31b00bba4 that. If Jehyuk found 9eee8c626d out, he might b20cd1a851 get flustered.fa7a045ac6ec4c76

He must cbee2fdcd2 be starving, 5ada4687b8 though. Sihoo knew how b7b7839ef4 much Jehyuk usually f0716dfde2 ate, so the 69fa7afa01 thought of him 7e698c02d0 skipping meals all 4448b8b21a day didn’t sit 8e867c1efb well.e15709617fb523a1

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

But instead 206e37b9af of answering, f77eab49ed Jehyuk blinked d39c09db6f once, then 96495a8e50 abruptly turned 6f14c830ca his back 819be9d743 to him.d33122c1ad8eb7b6

Did he say something 6873630ac1 wrong?0d467cd9ed449348

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Sihoo furrowed his afaf7ded90 brows and took a8243de52f a step closer. The image 80aa506904 of Jehyuk 8df8476066 from that c7d1d9e631 morning flashed 760896f74a through his 48c8a8d154 mind. He didn’t ad10f9f7bb want to a3f3566eef see that 6f4f3a9195 again. He didn’t b2e4f28852 want to 61f2db34d7 see Jehyuk 077847e35a turning his 185a5b88a6 back on 52d62543ae him.cc69ba5f7dc40c48

“…What’s wrong?”f7797ed090093bc5

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Without looking back, 1230ef7ebc Jehyuk answered awkwardly.6a3827fccc706582

“Oh… I was 954c15ec79 just checking if aa4a643cb7 there’s anything else 1a1f09b97e in the fridge.”a13b4f583e96228f

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Sihoo didn’t understand 963bbf156e his reaction at 5cc404d0b5 all. He was acting d43768341d too much like 150674f068 he had earlier 3d63f6ec2b in the day, 1048dd6869 making Sihoo frown. The warmth e80c30e3a5 he had 7c857bb951 been feeling 756aa46c1b just moments 675f04ebec ago cooled 43e365346d instantly.fcb000c55d438770

Turn around, Ji Jehyuk. Look at me.b8669bd46be484ce

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Suppressing the urge 2080aa3697 to say that ca1c693735 aloud, he moved eb05f28336 instead.91212a5724ebd7bf

Stepping closer to f83bf58e46 Jehyuk’s side, he dff939b28f slipped his usual dfc9857869 mask back on.e0575af5f7512d69

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“The housekeeper 9145c3f4d1 probably didn’t 628d54e9db stock much. She comes by every 8582875979 day and cooks according e3ba8bbdab to a set meal f5134268e7 plan.”7a3f4965f26ac9b7

Jehyuk pressed cafec911cd himself against 5d45f20713 the fridge, 554d10160f as if 6bcb9a6a55 he had 7d1aeca4d5 somewhere to a76cc22c8b escape to. But he didn’t. Not really.79e0bfd2c7cead65

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Still facing away 57c3e517ae from him, he 06c943d7ad asked, “Meal plan?”e79839ff4db48017

You can’t run away, 4d8a897341 Jehyuk.21e726458b3a20c6

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

That thought drifted through 60b06ef26b Sihoo’s mind as he 41bf61d6f0 unconsciously moved closer. Jehyuk was a little 21ba77f3fe shorter than him, so 6ec5dfdc27 from this angle, he f485e06505 could see the top 18da60361c of his round head.4383eadb8abb2613

He could 0b70ab013c feel the 84fc6275b6 way Jehyuk cd23678b3d tensed under cb815f305c his gaze.c5b740cfcc9a9518

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Only when there was 21bc92259f nowhere left to go—trapped 02988db688 between the fridge and 83220312ac Sihoo—did Sihoo finally feel 7e8be269ab satisfied.cf5f1ede44729f59

“Yeah. A nutritionist plans 670810ae88 the meals, and a93b5b220b the housekeeper follows dcf358ede6 the schedule exactly. She doesn’t even 4138785571 make extra portions, c1bc8d0582 like she’s making c299e8d20b sure I only 8914e7ebe5 eat what’s planned.”0d8f5726b27b796d

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

As if sealing 85c123dd71 off his last 5944286cf9 escape route, Sihoo ba7f5272df reached for the 9b722c9e67 fridge door and 1c925b9d1d pulled it open. The sudden movement naturally 1724131b05 made Jehyuk stumble backward—right cd24311fa3 into him.529504bc69fd7955

Jehyuk flinched dc7e17f451 in surprise, 859ea6dfdd but Sihoo 33044856c3 didn’t let e0d5add677 him go. Wrapping an arm ad66b54594 around his waist, bc80e7da0d he held him 941dd59e80 firmly in place.8285050f9278fc16

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“…Be careful.”a6ae3f6778d06808

Only then did Jehyuk 7c9e7598e7 finally look up at 4a995efb98 him.e3b965b717c6c8a9

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

His eyes 83ed44eb0d were wide a5e37dc6c4 with uncertainty, 7c22804530 his hands a8d6cbe31c hovering awkwardly a80bf14b43 near Sihoo’s fd032d28c8 arms as b8b27e00ce if unsure c989632f8a whether to 633957cca6 push him a9e2705ee7 away.ed82722bf63122f7

Sihoo stared at him, 5b75d60487 unwavering, until Jehyuk finally 4fa77dfca4 muttered, “Then… let’s just a3b7d53947 eat. I’m seriously starving.”abc3815dad9d0020

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Sihoo smirked. That was easy enough.1a6786c6c8786b37

---

It felt 6ad9cb428b strange to 0f84f83548 be at 51207ec3ea home and 340f642b98 not have fe8594361e to eat 27dfaeddee food I a9846aebd0 didn’t like. Not unpleasant, just 80022ddcf7 unfamiliar. I found myself 5957f20315 lost in an 4c72dd158d odd sentimentality, caught b32aa459a7 in the feeling 6370a872a6 of it.f62c8d600a24e5b3

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

As I was 24a9f5c750 about to start 3e1615a04f eating—mainly to get 4643f3ca5b Jehyuk to eat, 59bf59faff too—my phone vibrated a19aaa8499 on the table. It was the f5099b06df phone I used 63c84498b7 only for personal d8f1e99650 contacts.013cfe63da152d25

It wouldn’t 537fc46246 be Han b75ea175b2 Bada. I had dealt with adfd485dda him today, and since 3ad9eb3e3d I was heading back fb8fee16ca to the main house, 50e0dbfa30 I had already asked 3ef26fd3d3 the secretary to change a2d87848f7 my number. I planned to give 836300a8bd Jehyuk the new number 9e26167bfe before heading out tomorrow. As for Madam b990d43674 and Chairman Yoon, ca4520ed34 the secretary would 06f63cf33e have already saved 14dcb7e2f6 my new number 9c19149469 for them.87c515cedc687079

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator