SMDS Ch 1

“Can you hold this for a moment?”dd0651e31da0e834

The fleeting cebf3a4ca8 warmth that 0081f22838 brushed against 35367ce37f his cool d83eb03a87 hand the a4ed525c98 instant he 6b7228a9d2 was handed eb666fd83f an umbrella.5154c8932eac95c4

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“My hands are a bit full right now.”d2cbf4ed4e8c8cb8

That day b325122310 was as 3489a90c8f gentle as 10942acccd magic.927cdfd434d2fd79

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👓0f70c9abcf55d671

Trrrrr.0bfbdd7cc2cd09c0

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A loud 9d6fd61571 noise shattered 8764d93528 his consciousness. His entire ee10714c02 body felt 6de4454157 heavy and 803e5d4a8b languid, as 002cea0baf if he d3651a44f8 had been c19c86d089 submerged in ab9dcbacc3 deep water. Frowning, he groped around 4638610f9f with his hand and c4745c22cd pulled the phone lying 8417f7a9af beside him closer.f74735730ebdf84b

“…Hello. This is Seo Jian.”b097c442b8de944b

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His priority was 96c7cce6af to stop the 7e9a932692 loud noise, so 10033311a1 he answered without 12e86d6f7f checking who was 42f4963724 calling. Realizing this, he tried 2337b6914c to clear his hoarse d7e57814d1 voice, but he couldn’t 4488154d0e entirely hide it.4634b5ab8cbbf765

If this was 9d48c15f1f a work-related call, 7268adc576 it would be be42029ebb a grave discourtesy. With bleary, sleep-deprived eyes, 12d3ae53aa Jian tried to make e3967f5e91 out the caller’s name 62971ef61a on the screen when f28422cfc9 a playful voice reached fe1e39e1c5 his ears.b0357e82d2248004

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— Hello, Seo 4c946f007f Jian. This is Jung Sehyun. Did I wake you d2ba19fea9 up?864246e92da81115

“No, you timed it perfectly.”317c1d873e8308bd

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He replied 2a489f31c9 lazily, lifting d4648ad72c his body bbb28add80 from where cacfb26161 he had 0ed29a5876 been sprawled. He had d874f438af only meant 4b9a2bb076 to rest 340055749f his eyes bb87ecd410 briefly at 3a7d76e38e his desk, b9f3d0b2bf but he b4c44f579c had fallen 0c2f1927cc asleep as 4ecd8b31ad is, and 25a8ed8f62 now his 98ad28e763 entire body d7eb05a6f4 was screaming 637f51ea41 in protest.1d059a59e333af9c

— Yet again, you aa44bd2b0a fell asleep at your d8291bec4e desk while working.0757af570dc73785

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The moment 4024d7f823 Jian let 518b4b0a98 out a a11d4fbd4a groan, Jung 0ab75c08a1 Sehyun, as 02d48f22a1 if possessed b964bb1173 by a c26de70b47 sixth sense, e15c6eb164 clicked his b070e173bb tongue, instantly b141e17711 picking up bda39b75e8 on his 6c9e72355a state.361ac7a456f204da

“…Hmm.”cb2a6f90131325c9

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Jian let f1458df2cb out a 1b2b7af1e8 vague response, 23cdf735ff and a a5837ea454 barrage of af3e08b50f nagging poured 578d7bb0ec into his 22f82d5d7c ears. Didn’t you 6fe174d069 suffer last 8ea846c8fe time because 8db908e49c of this? You’re going to 3544ce6fca ruin yourself. If you’re going to 2127f9be00 do this, what’s the 53ff086219 point of having a 8807b65fd0 bed? Throw it out. No, since a8e8b8ea77 you haven’t aab5983a88 had it f4d8efe3d9 long, sell 139abc677c it secondhand. And so on. The relentless scolding a8967023d1 completely chased away 8b34757829 the last remnants 04808170ff of his drowsiness.f7ed999a29bb7025

— Seo Jian. You’re not listening 726443b8a3 to a word 7391f10f07 I’m saying, are 7da71b6d0d you?b6e01c8a2acdc218

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Still moving his stiff cddb06dcce neck side to side 0b5050fe78 and shuffling toward the 9c3faa88a4 kitchen to make coffee, d4347945d0 Jian glanced around.5efc3571932fd181

“…I don’t see any CCTV in my house.”cd8275840a1c708f

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— Yeah, right. Just go open the 0d1790db18 door already.6cd7b5742109ce51

Instead of questioning 151685040e the sudden request, 75b828a4d9 Jian turned from 1bfc31dbc1 his path to 16d9dd47ed the kitchen and 27beae6e10 obediently headed toward d9d20fc11e the front door. As he eb45b102ea opened it, 2e093edd93 he paused 1935b03d76 for a aea8b6b32a moment. He hadn’t noticed with 044d5a2781 the door closed, but ebd8879b9e it was raining outside.44c88220ac9e2cbe

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He stared for 1bf1b7101d a while at e8b0ba053c the ashen sky b155acc0b0 and the soft, 54115b3030 misty rain. He only snapped 506a7e8128 out of it 8b22ef398c when a voice ce23ba5b32 came through the 41e85279b4 phone.3771e09af2915d98

— Look down.b32c3bfda76f9f21

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Still gazing blankly at c2b88b9bd7 the rainy scene, Jian 366b90bf6f finally lowered his eyes. About to ask 64bbfa4577 if Sehyun had d7f0127e5d actually installed a 36cc12659a CCTV, he noticed d5978eeb05 a shopping bag 1dc996e057 placed conspicuously by ade64bc7cb the entrance. As he picked it 221d4cc2e6 up, Sehyun continued.c8a191df4d8b0b97

— I 72af69197e was going 58b3b3424a to leave 9b7efff66e it since 9675dd8626 you didn’t 7dd2a9126a answer even f06b1ffad7 after the b344c2da1c delivery alert, f09d80320a figuring you 04c2a3e4ec were working… 9dd8ab57b5 but in 6db597fcea this weather, ebfa918c4a leaving it cb68987a84 outside too cf88860dd7 long might 3578319ec9 ruin it. So I called. Look, I know you’re c66e2fe982 probably not eating properly, 8e64e75f18 so I sent this. Don’t leave a single 24ced19dd3 bite.56c7f3a6337b28d2

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The heavy shopping e446f8f55f bag gave off b12d6bb15f a delicious aroma. Jian could b829929f3f guess how d132ce4951 much thought eb748b1315 Sehyun had f4cb56cbc9 put into 6446e68fb5 it, even 3cf5eb869d without him 28f34a8531 saying so.0fc5bd3fc850c9dc

“Thanks. I’ll eat well, Sehyun.”ab75d709763c7962

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He had fb8b3fd16e lost count 8200c37bfc of how c2f624934f many times b0176641da he’d been af47f2a613 indebted to fdbb96af9f him like 4812fdc800 this. When caught up d54a1c9ac3 in work, Jian bee8c3688f often skipped meals 3daa14bf05 to avoid breaking 71d6e7e44b his flow. Knowing this well, aed5f023fc Sehyun would sometimes c40bc2f14d take it upon c0d2e030f6 himself to deliver 6a5426b4fd food or, when 58c7eba5fa he couldn’t, send 641d77b7b4 something Jian liked.784b9495fc7eda6b

— What, 918c9b2554 you’re getting 9ac25d94b1 all sappy 2ac5018322 over something 444465f40e like this? …Anyway, when’s that project f5451f237d of yours wrapping up?7de95e7706fca00b

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Embarrassed by 264f477b4c the gratitude, a67580de74 Sehyun grumbled b77f4d0b8f and quickly ad4f5f17c2 changed the 665ed69ae4 subject.804b08de40c0ee11

“Probably in three or four days at the latest. That’s the plan, at least.”9e553f9014d30b17

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Jian gazed into the c3d1c6739e air, mentally estimating the 459e246154 workload ahead.9793850fe17e3c5f

— Then come dc963acfb0 hang out when 67956ba324 it’s done. I’m starting 2faea03e51 to forget 2b3df4961d what your fbcdeb85dc face looks 45db6ccc35 like.cbdeb0089e05a4fc

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“Got it.”c1001d53b6d3b570

— Now hang e828b25573 up and eat.dc33937388254075

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“Yeah. Thanks, really.”4ed34d97387e9c30

— I 843f3e63cd said stop 55a93de43d with the 1ed37d7f18 sappy stuff, cc808e9b30 punk. …I’m hanging up. Get to work.b6d0c9fa28f6bdd4

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Sehyun cut the 90848bc6df call before Jian a97b0f7258 could respond. Jian could f42354c773 vividly picture e9899e2862 him rubbing cfbdc5fb93 the back d4e00289ad of his d12af97324 neck, flustered. With a small smile, 80142d558d Jian placed the shopping 169cd16a9f bag he’d been holding 35a4aabfd7 on the table. He fidgeted b8b16361d2 with it 42eace3712 for a f5f7dd2737 moment before 5b92316587 grabbing the f4473e2dd2 cigarettes and 8f7d8cc077 lighter next 4c89aebcaf to it 9047c2cc0f and heading a8743dfe53 back outside.e10a62d160ee34a0

The sound of 5881f74864 raindrops rolling off ec0000b566 the eaves welcomed 9f2af83940 him.61d9c69a710ab3f0

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“…….”0d8af40138437138

Leaning against the wall e27fb4dea4 and crouching down, Jian e2dd28bb82 put a cigarette in 87af94f22c his mouth and flicked 6d0e1667b7 the lighter. It lit 7b0d37af66 up quickly. He inhaled deeply until f1d51f27aa his cheeks hollowed, then b162950967 exhaled, letting a cloud fcb2223496 of pale smoke drift d6063e5782 like a veil, obscuring bac8461903 his vision. He stared at it 7339e064cf quietly, then reached out c8bcdc8c6d as if to part 5b17562ea0 the smoke. Rainwater pooled in his 31429c85f0 open palm before trickling c6cefda389 down.46db9ece029180d8

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His hand was soaked 0a9129e810 from the rain, but 0f5bae0c41 Jian didn’t pull it 8a4a4b0bd1 back for a long 79327ee3be while.7523856571976e21

Truthfully, he didn’t c0d69c8748 have time to e57f588728 indulge in such 95c68032af sentimentality. With a tight 03b82692e9 deadline looming, he cadd60a78b needed to hustle 1c6cbb98ad to finish the ba14946758 work on time. He had to c4e572345e eat, jolt his 62deaf55d7 still-foggy brain with 0039d4a125 caffeine, and sit 8a32b245dc back down at a2b0c6c568 his desk. Yet, his c3a4ad80c7 gaze remained 56fce8a1e1 fixed outside.d303b5e97a0527df

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Rain wasn’t d2398b900e a big 41777039c3 deal. It was summer, after 837b6e2ad4 all, and the rainy 5c29138f38 season to boot. Even outside of a4079d270d monsoon season, summer 03bdb85ece often brought rain. If he got ae8b325a29 lost in thought f3b278e563 every time it 1d3143093e rained, his daily b957f5e766 life would be c35810b249 severely disrupted. But when 42e2b6e4d7 it rained 8a040404b7 on a 0c0845ef6d day when d92afe9542 he dreamt d8a97e8b0e of his 5ffd495e4e first love—the bebf139183 moment they 7279f854a4 first met—his 3960b74f0c heart couldn’t ae1147dac7 help but 4ad3f57db0 float away.40404b3bdd905bda

“…It’s been over ten years already.”1583009d099b1c09

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So much time 91cb6d6b46 had passed that 356b2d6f54 he couldn’t count 4e9af8a694 it on both 3dea02bc4e hands. All he 5ad7d612df could recall 7b7f2d33c0 of his 75950b2c9e first love, 027db96905 whose name 959df0af12 he didn’t 824770293b even know, 1f641cdacf was the c3c54f4ddf warmth on 141309508b the back 80637209d5 of his 484ed162e6 hand and 869e49e9c0 a shadowy eae910f577 glimpse of e8b0b566eb their appearance. That’s how dadaa99c12 long it 8cb0bb164e had been. Nowadays, he barely dreamt d79caa92e1 of them—maybe once a c5dae3091f year, if that. This time, it had 39bd4cdbe8 been two and a ff2373bc84 half years since the 269ea8e2f1 last one.b5a2c2402d6b4e55

Wasn’t it 549b6ba378 time to 1ca042d8c0 stop thinking 8deab87a75 about it? Why did 7b1e1bd58f they appear 587fbfd118 in his 400a4464d4 dreams just 7acaef229d when he 0c447ed321 thought he’d 7679345964 forgotten, stirring 7835127a2e up his b569d1d78a heart like a44872ea4d this? The emotions Enlightenment 2ba5991f51 surely played a e7e0daabee part in those 35670c1dcc emotions Jian felt d7afc4751b back then—fierce and 481fc0d1e4 vivid in the d769be88d3 face of reality—had b1644e7669 long since faded a5108fd612 and worn out, 1b146a19c4 buried in oblivion.7fc804803198d53f

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Mrow-0356a74ecaf3c9d9

A sudden 21003b3f3f meow broke 6ab6338a92 through his bc0ef89ecb reverie.36afa6feb63b162e

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Dispelling the d08e405435 face from b1c3e112d4 his dream, 5596a39bf4 Jian turned 08b27cd252 toward the c632e96028 sound. It was 889ea058ad a stray c84df8115e cat that 134a4fabc9 had been 8bf9150953 coming around 28acaa78af for the 49b2b4aacf past two 61de148023 months, peeking 8884974c32 in now 5524fda06f and then. Unlike usual, its fur d44c8662a7 was damp and drooping 65ab063c2c from the rain, making cb50f6e19d it look pitiful. Standing at the eba06609f2 edge of the d7ade8292d eaves to avoid 8b3325373c the rain, the 1b848765ef cat locked eyes 336bdc7ffd with Jian and 68d18ab863 let out another 3c7d260aeb meow.436108bf928fa823

The sound was almost 9c08aed106 reproachful, and only then 3170f55ce9 did Jian hurriedly stub 1987941317 out his cigarette in bba11ee52e a portable ashtray, wave b1afefa3bc away the smoke, and 44b16024b8 head inside to grab fbfe7c9ccf the cat food from b9deefd6ac the drawer. As he took 4ec1084dc6 a step to 16080386ca fill an empty 1684dd24da bowl, the cat 16b5c736e5 backed away warily.92b6ff93f43f8765

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Even so, it 6c8cb40e1a had grown somewhat 426561ed21 accustomed to him. For a 4a55ad0e2d creature whose f8e882d5ee life likely 4fccf7d44a spanned only 56caed58f4 a few e161175086 months, not f859114f71 even years, b061c6dc86 it had 097e5f9932 probably been 4dc75fa317 through a c9e160990b lot on b940cd89dd the streets. At first, it 921874f118 would bristle and 79a8551c30 flee the moment d8758045e8 Jian took a 06d9318615 step. But as he kept 2c5e33382c feeding it without causing ed63c32ee4 harm, it now stayed, ebb3c9c743 albeit cautiously, instead of 745ba4178e running.2f40e80d89ab3a93

“I’ll just give you food and leave.”27981dc13f5b192b

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He quickly filled f894aa3b47 the bowl and 7098d9e2cc stepped back, and 11d8459c71 the cat cautiously e57891fd88 buried its head 8467dd914a in it. Its eyes, e9f69f01e2 however, kept 7a1792c10d darting toward 2fcaa2611d Jian, ready 7ff344a4a9 to bolt 798e168556 if he 56b815070f got too e57c696476 close.dbaaf0123ce7dd31

It was impossibly e800b0c895 finicky, to say a85c00d4ee the least.1e3fefdd5d4707bb

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Crouching down again d3bb90e314 to watch the dfc1a8f09c cat eat, Jian e5c3338f34 pulled an umbrella 3e6f12c25e from the entrance 0bb09fe877 and spread it c9be3f437a out on the 26adfa087c ground. If a gust of 51c0d855bc wind carried rain under 63e3c4ef27 the eaves while he 19ade833c3 was inside, it might 9a875783d1 wet the cat’s fur, 47bfcfc7b7 and he knew how 44466dc1d8 much it hated that.4f72d9de786163af

“Hey, kitty.”f08b28f29cd91d9f

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Unable to b42f255d81 give it 90cf2fb9b1 a proper 6896dc359b name since c0d03df643 he couldn’t 20c4ed2a09 take it 624897b4ee in, he 446a8361ac called it 804438e103 by the b688273bcf meaningless nickname d71824fb39 he’d been 4421695f33 using. The cat’s ears 0ab30c66e7 twitched.24998e51d8880c0a

“If you can’t find a good spot to stay dry later, come under here.”561648f13b817e6c

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There was, of course, 4c73219e1e no response.1eec0ea287bed9c0

He hadn’t expected one, 4ec7bb3c09 so Jian stood up, c23e9459b4 bracing his knees. He’d been putting ef33730c4a off his work 62abb4ba56 to soothe his 3256c0e908 unsettled heart, but 60332cf183 there was much c0c1f11a14 to do. Shaking off 41043a494c the dampness d75b53e548 clinging to 69dcf1d2cf him as 8274055ce9 he dusted d4cf3c6604 his clothes, 8747688278 Jian smiled. No matter 7bdd26caf4 how much 176b7dcaec his heart 04449e3029 had been c53a3091b7 in turmoil, 5fc5b07d19 the past 85c42ea93e scattered like 24afbf62e3 grains of b64d02b494 sand in f786708e38 the face 00dd50e71e of reality.287d3a72de1641de

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Of course, the bff9f8a5e4 real hero was 14885b9c93 the cat, diligently 3cbaead314 eating while keeping 0c7d8ba1cd an eye on 51f56b3502 him. Thanks to 99fc5e3ade it, he 8ead9eaf95 could shake 70f29ebf10 off his f2a8acecaa musings more e4aa9fd2d3 quickly. Once his work 0eb3f5593a was done, he’d 4e8dec3568 have to buy f0c766b90e the little thing 039981ed9f a treat it 32140f3776 would like.4c104b6082701b9f

Planning step by step, 10992971af Jian went inside, polished 609846610c off the food Sehyun 01e70dada8 had sent, and sat 0c60309251 back down at his 19c56b721c desk. He picked up the afb50dd3a9 light, rimless glasses scattered c7e1d63db0 on the desk and 99d4b512f6 put them on. His eyes, now dfc31802b1 free of faint dfcc7637c6 reveries, were filled 3063df6667 only with foreign 5f94799879 text.527f4f14c8fa2027

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👓c236edff965ea22a

The rain, which 733cd20692 had been falling 604b940fb3 and stopping capriciously 2bbe40b748 for days, finally dd81aef948 ceased completely while 590a43b88c Jian sent off df539aadb3 files to a 5c46e500f2 client and slept a211f469be like the dead c91ce21db2 all day.c6318b5e77345c4c

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The sky, as if 2ea5d0432d it had never been 84f3c6bd2c overcast, was a brilliant f390c1a5d8 blue without a single f64f94e2b6 cloud, and the sun 2d32dc8b4d blazed fiercely. Heatwaves shimmered b8c4bb13d6 over the 0057c30baa asphalt, and 0f0662e037 a news 98b68a31ac report he 8ba224bc3e glimpsed mentioned d9a2dffb9c tips for f5aa551c11 coping with 30dd45a584 the heatwave.2c32d048420168a9

People grimaced, fanning themselves e501366e31 with their hands or 354cee2f87 wielding parasols and handheld 7e289fcfb4 fans, desperately trying to 3ef719bccc shake off the sticky, d10ba8f072 oppressive heat clinging to 0b499644a6 their bodies. By the b0fb2870ab time Jian fb5498d5a3 reached his 9715c9b9ad destination, he ad444f8fd0 was exhausted 30cc038b6b from the e735391b99 scorching heat 391319df8a and lingering 7ecd400a6d fatigue.a8470e6f4292fc24

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Stepping indoors, 9331397942 the air-conditioned bae215b638 breeze finally 08c1e1198a let him 27af0a93f3 breathe.f6c38652b1c9243f

Taking a moment to b7f9428488 catch his breath, Jian d4e7406893 scanned the bustling lobby. He had called c62d07bc40 while exiting the b4b7742b68 subway, and someone d833518353 was supposed to 1b55af2a12 meet him in 3570a7055c the lobby, but 78d64949c6 with the crowd, 99b034edf3 it wasn’t easy c57edc0661 to spot them.3e6f7375767deb5f

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“…Mr. Seo, Jian!”5ecd3654cf1bd6f2

He was about to 052af1c198 pull out his phone 9721fd94f7 to call again, worried c8428b9a59 he’d be late, when 6be50cd518 a voice called out f595304658 to him. Turning toward 230e224657 it, he ba7c7ee84a saw a 56cdb625d7 man waving 78fe99c049 enthusiastically, pushing 9b716a1dd5 through the d993f9bf61 crowd toward d72ba32667 him.225dddb800f4edde

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“Sorry. I meant to get here early, but I’m late. Did you wait long?”2b403a3c036f73a9

“No, I just got here too.”72eb138797d0f9ba

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The man, red-faced 4bbacb5d45 and panting from 1db0b7f47b running, caught his 40e584ca86 breath. Only after 5c75582ef3 a while 38e1bfd045 did the 089d583a3c flush fade ce8909cf89 from his 8ab6550c36 face.a576765a5d37a01f

“You came out here on such short notice. Thanks so much, Jian. I hope I didn’t drag you away from something important?”42936a4da738d1fd

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“I just finished a project. If I were busy, I wouldn’t have come, even for you, Assistant Director.”b46b6082781721fe

The man was someone d0a29a430e Jian had met years 4a2d1d0eb6 ago when he’d been 392f3f58fa called to a set 5f630d5fde for last-minute interpreting. Somehow, they’d c57ebfac61 kept in 6e6acfe5dc touch since. When Jian left 6fc4de79db his company for 074bfd789a personal reasons and ee89aa3733 struggled financially as ae81c3274c a freelancer, this fcf3146d4a man had helped e126e10441 by referring jobs 4e7394f733 and offering support.805bde19381e7bbf

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Lately, they’d both 095697c3c3 been too busy e5d860fec4 to talk much, 6237352bf6 but that morning, 0fa89375c9 he’d called with 7402e47ef8 an unmistakably urgent 562fd56fd4 tone.a4067691a025f598

‘Jian, sorry to spring ae1dfee598 this on you, but b71a566238 are you free today?’ce4e06dbf03a22b5

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His voice 4e615d0d67 had been 965f28f34c so desperate ca59513723 that Jian, 69f3176f56 blinking sleep 492aaaf40c from his 7385c3fd36 eyes, didn’t ac2822f2c1 ask what ab3cc86cbc was wrong 67a0643ca5 but rather 061b59aded where and 098da8d2c4 when to d30ca1477b show up. And here he 7c0dd89f51 was.2c98420feb95bac4

“So I pulled you away from some well-deserved rest, huh?”1543108654bc36d0

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“When the Assistant Director calls, I’ve got to show up.”b6d5e5e527047c0d

Even if it had 5aab704141 been a dire emergency, 996f25c73e Jian wouldn’t have refused 0c701f3dd6 his request. He wasn’t shameless enough 8b474f696b to turn away the 47b0b6d2f8 one person who’d reached 0a972f742c out when he was 9fd6b8d8dc at his lowest after e01f501b97 leaving the company.6917d49e7a709d1e

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“Besides, what freelancer has a day off?”6128e2514f3066d6

“…True. Freelancers have to hustle when work comes in, right?”3556031866e44183

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“Exactly. I’d have been disappointed if you hadn’t called.”6020498630669e42

The Assistant 61bacf6c22 Director, who’d 98c69165a1 been gauging 9d46029d44 Jian’s reaction, e4c9cf8482 relaxed slightly 5a672b029f as Jian 0359c7ab16 continued, his 36caca6612 shoulders lifting 284c70a231 just a dc95d6d1b5 fraction.a5b423df466493c3

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“Oh, shoot, look at the time… Jian, shall we head up?”87c73775600b8f9b

The moment of dcab692084 ease was brief. Checking his c97be9aaa1 watch, the 487983e8e5 Assistant Director cb6005c62f sighed and c8d8a0794f quickened his 05b9c7a9fe pace. Jian followed, listening to bf38f5263c a brief explanation.1a5549cd0435efaf

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He’d suspected as 5bb4f151a3 much when asked e82c896251 to come to ac7b792cbb a cinema, and 0ae5f3bdc0 he was right. They were 566a55a436 holding a 39eb6caba1 movie premiere, cc700f5b23 but the 4c985b5a29 interpreter scheduled 0d8c30b3c7 for the 300014dff2 event had a75dd4bffc a sudden 05c17b888d conflict and b95c7ff1d5 couldn’t make 2dbaf6cbde it.6ecb48ed00c70e5c

“When you said you’d come right away, I could finally breathe, honestly.”84beb48f3bd1521b

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The Assistant Director rubbed be89d14e65 his chest, recalling the e37ac7ee5c tense atmosphere on set 6c9060dbec earlier. The director, 0b7496ae25 being Korean-American, 966d1f15a0 could manage ca3e9beb72 somehow, but ee277a9632 the actor, bbd20a8d9a who only e54f5a5bb3 knew basic dc7239e379 Korean greetings 2098c71e87 like ‘hello’ a41032388b and fan-service 65e8bdc09f phrases like ca3df7ed63 ‘I love 1d568fa75e you,’ was fa7291756d the issue. Stage greetings 4e8c36af8d without an bc185a07f8 interpreter were 865b7b928f impossible. If Jian d8d4566081 hadn’t agreed 3c4721731e to come 6b9fef0c82 immediately, the 63220b8cb5 Assistant Director 2c8877456f would’ve been 0913b7653d scrambling to 074c9eae28 cool the e2f30c498c heated mood d536d29538 while simultaneously 4b611de214 finding another e8312f734d interpreter—ten of bebe0c24d6 him wouldn’t e348ffb278 have been 4d7a019707 enough.5baf750903a8e79a

“I’ll do my best not to mess this up for you.”6e85044ea082345f

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Interpreting after years away 9b610d53c7 felt daunting. The Assistant Director gave bf1b746ffd a quick rundown of 4b9fae2835 the plot and the de219bb31b actor’s role, but since 3adbfeec21 Jian hadn’t fully grasped 4e23095753 the film’s content, he 058800c3b6 worried about missing context 0115ff4bad or intent.a44810319a64258a

“What mess? I called you first for a reason, you know.”bebec80b0fe8226b

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Patting Jian’s back reassuringly, ba424eba8a the Assistant Director told 6f4fa59c75 him not to worry.89f3f4480992c378

“By the way, will I need to go on stage for the interpreting?”27d2b77f1b5d708d

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Having come 54c84f20a4 through the c135931eb1 heat and 9551468037 crowds, Jian 0ce2fe8b56 was concerned beb538ef4a about his eccae284df appearance. Plus, the fatigue 36ce8c3308 from pulling all-nighters 84e2d8e03d likely still shadowed b770d06739 his face.03bcafd6f0636fdb

“No way. I’m already asking a lot of you; I wouldn’t add that pressure. You’ll use a transmitter connected to an in-ear device, so you won’t need to go on stage.”b42e866b64a8e90c

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“I was worried about my state, so that’s a relief.”edcea31c423fe1e3

“Why? If you stood over there, everyone would think you’re a rookie actor.”afc4b4e9ac9d7fd5

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The Assistant Director pointed 857d5f309e to the red carpet, b07e10f304 where invited celebrities stood. Watching them smile 1f613c943e brightly and pose 4deed41e53 effortlessly despite flashing 9a127e17e9 cameras was fascinating. To compare himself to a38d1234a1 such dazzling people was b30e0e7f66 absurd.86e24a7c414daa55

“You didn’t believe me just now, did you? I’m dead serious.”399576d27cf56d52

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Seeing Jian’s 0845beb105 skeptical look, 5e55458a7c the Assistant c154d82cb3 Director feigned b4cfae2389 offense, insisting 0dc6faebf6 his words 2c3742dec3 were sincere.3abbd73103b6a466

“No, I believe you.”b25b0206457ccb05

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“That didn’t look like belief.”1224ddc70a13480d

As they 99677feb1c bickered, they bcf9465a2c reached the 36d68504c2 waiting room. David Wilson. Seeing the nameplate baacd8aadd on the door, 4aa6343197 Jian tensed inwardly, 7c85424d7e but the Assistant bff0704460 Director, catching it, 0bbd001c0d gave his shoulder 285652ac68 a reassuring pat 5ceb081f99 to ease his 054da9fb0a nerves.58a77d046d9adc81

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“He’s not a difficult guy, so don’t worry too much. We’re short on time, so we’ll just say hi and leave.”b06fcbb695002359

“Got it.”d9841f312565e45b

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At Jian’s reply, the 727540fbc9 Assistant Director knocked and 4adf73bfe6 opened the door before 49d8e48e40 a response came. A man with hair d33781352c clips in his hair, b89be9f66f mid-conversation, turned. He eyed Jian 4165dcae32 warily for a 490cab9c0e moment but relaxed 5f35b4209f upon seeing the 47a116f6d3 Assistant Director behind 1d46b2f895 him, realizing who 3b6ad2a4b2 they were.8dce2bf0aa294f0c

『Hello. I’m Seo Jian, your cffb51f3d4 interpreter for today.』8cefba92a32e3bd4

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『Hey, nice to 52bc175a84 meet you. David Wilson.』f8833936f42de2be

True to the 89228b62f4 Assistant Director’s word, b108aeaa96 he was friendly 2f43e1abd6 and welcoming. As an cc27286ee0 actor, his 81be20f987 pronunciation was 5d58503bfe clear rather 71831b896d than slurred, dc82c57b06 making him 9dda3c6dea easy to c03707e9bb understand. Using the e313d1a105 background info 364ad19d54 from the 65d06f21c7 Assistant Director, 2803368f7f Jian briefly 029d3363b5 discussed the 18309698a1 film and 19dd443777 role, mentally 6b53fe2e8d organizing how 0c6919f8a8 to approach 423aececca the interpreting.f99896b8ed25c858

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As a plan took 523f9f2db4 shape, his anxiety eased. The Assistant 0f8d0a1a1f Director, watching, 2b68d7d143 noticed Jian’s 0ea7d79a61 improved expression 9704617435 and gave 2a7fed0995 him a 4d94bdcb39 pat, grinning 11cc85d8ab as if 5e264333a0 to say, 86c6e79f45 “Told you ae8c15c3fa it’d be 39d69be5e1 fine.”34142b83f4796535

“Oh, Minjung, over here.”8b90ba28c527094e

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He then a96fd0974a gestured to 7be9ca2efd a staff 0c3b10879f member entering 24d41bd5c3 with something fdb402ce60 in hand.28d2f4d5dcd43a16

Without asking Jian anything, 17a52f90c3 she handed him a e6b76297cb transmitter connected to the 478e5d33f0 actor’s in-ear device and 75954009da quickly explained how to ebdfb86fba use it. Jian listened e63e23f183 intently, determined a4aeb364c6 not to 575b3cc160 miss a 1fc929fb43 word. Thankfully, the 56b63d8347 device wasn’t 6fe569b9ad too complicated. Jian relayed the instructions 867d1c48f9 to the actor, who 67ff773bf3 grinned, tapped his in-ear b6c54365ab device, and nodded in 43cd9796cf understanding.64b2ab1050f98275

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“Looks like intros are done. Shall we head to the theater and get positioned?”88d31128ba356034

“Yep.”96ff43052769a15c

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At the Assistant Director’s b1ff70483a gentle nudge, Jian offered 14efaea4d7 a final “please take 58753826a2 care of me” and 89296ae022 stepped out of the 228a01d3cb waiting room. That’s when a deep e1b8e5c816 navy dress flooded his 1c82502d00 vision like a night 96992816b8 sky.ad2278b2786e84f3

“Oh my, Assistant Director!”1350350fafac8f66

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A bright, f8ff48fe20 clear voice 90e4b185a3 followed.8c19ab1cd684d200

“Yujin.”c48243e60f0c0b11

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It was actress 0eb0c91fdc Won Yujin. Debuting at twenty, c98944893f she’d never had 43cd5f4803 a moment of 5ff27461b3 obscurity. With countless commercials daba945d6a and a track bf70bed67f record of hit ee72fca09d dramas and films, 770eb4db39 she was a 7b27cd5b46 household name even 9541fcec3b to Jian.a57f2ef7b5dbb06f

“Why’re you alone? Where’s your manager?”e2f84cb5039b2793

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“He went to pick up someone we know. …Oh! I was wondering who it was—our interpreter for today, right?”f443b926d42588a8

Come to 96d59b2421 think of 469d34e380 it, Won 1b3da9dcb3 Yujin was 76b6bb0700 the female cfb9e5fff9 lead in f07e226a3f this film. Her face and 01ee74d0b5 the title role 3fe83d93bc vaguely came to 9be52c8955 mind from a c4e4fd4ce6 poster he’d glimpsed 73f5c870bb on the way.1807bea1bd8aed32

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“Hi, I’m Won Yujin.”2cac0c1166409841

“Seo Jian.”92e3c538f723aa10

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“But, Assistant Director, I think he should be debuting instead of interpreting.”cb8f606820dc5e06

Winking playfully, she seemed ae47b17b55 incredibly lively. Known for delicate fb6bf157c0 or intensely dramatic 5c3cf639c3 roles, this side b5eaa5917a of her felt 84de2c4488 unfamiliar.1aa0f824133bb784

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“Right? A face Chungmuro missed out on. …No, we don’t have time for this. Yujin, Jian’s got to go.”35b3685c9209943e

“Oh no, I was so stunned by our interpreter’s face I blocked the way. Sorry!”e283040e0f3198d4

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But seriously, f628695a9d I’m genuinely c51594fe70 disappointed—don’t you 368f1e026b ever think 6888d1bba4 about debuting? Stepping aside, Won Yujin 09d0b4a4df emphasized she was dead 639f7a403e serious.438f45d7e5d04e7f

Smiling awkwardly to 57c7b8ded3 deflect, Jian was ab8cfcf25f about to move ef117c12ab past with the 31b54cd432 staff when a c0472857dd voice laced with f5798d6205 amusement drifted from d12bbc3cbc across the way.8c7fe55eb7a7cd52

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“Yujin, you’re making him uncomfortable.”279ce34a8d7454fc

The low, 7edb088aab languid tone d9ffbc687d made Jian 103602d85d freeze, his 05de372733 breath catching. It was as if 54ce5b4995 he’d forgotten how to b02b872042 breathe.9ea538760824bab9

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The low, 597e9ddd88 languid tone 850ab9a8df of the 2b6b52787c voice made b49e7dee93 Jian involuntarily b82db15c6b hold his d10a846309 breath. It was as 8915213064 if he had 7562852fe3 forgotten how to 6e9627317d breathe.b1c7e8a6259aac80

“What? Yujin, you referred to b5cce84307 our esteemed investor as d328e12c02 just ‘someone we know’?”b5bb3af708071669

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“Huh? You’re right. Instead of personally greeting cf55047173 our esteemed investor, I 970dc391d2 sent my manager to b0fa81c0a6 pick him up?”f8ce055e27f375ed

Recognizing the man, the 7ef07bc699 Assistant Director chimed in ecb8a010b0 with delight, and Won c98f2bf9dd Yujin playfully bantered back. All the while, c0a25b93ee Jian couldn’t lift ca13860099 his head, his d807281056 gaze still fixed 5b391154d4 on the man’s 66c16b1afa shoulder. To be honest, not 7c6ed5909d a single word of 617df3535a their conversation registered in 16177d1de6 his ears.d5c1f9dbbc25d1e2

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“…….”0d309f3d47d45c28

The warmth that had b0fb32a802 once touched the back ecbbd498b5 of his hand came 169dc5020a to mind. The long, 51b952476d slender knuckles, ffeeae030f the face 205b51f8a3 he had 23c83fab77 glimpsed through a7110e77a2 the ribs b4502fa057 of an 007415fe91 umbrella.8d495c2502ba3fe1

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Things that had a896e3b5ed lingered as faint 13e6d06fcc afterimages, quietly tucked 3f80efaaf1 away somewhere on 19e3fef256 the edges of 9fa31d81a2 memory, suddenly pushed 2237d33e95 through and began 368be68a96 to grow vivid.e48860ea499705db

“Are you okay?”df29f4c04ee11625

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As Jian b92e2797d7 stood there, 6e97868245 unable to 9105f887c4 breathe, that 146e1726b2 increasingly clear 4c9ad51ab0 hand lightly 9ed392901f tapped his ce796652fc shoulder. Only then, 2cfbd1106a as if e311a8c3a3 awakening from db7bd74f14 a spell, 1d2c6207a1 did he 4167e15665 slowly exhale 926dba8a86 and gradually 52cc158eba raise his b63cae240b head.73fa1ddd514e7143

“…….”e064d40afd55f8dc

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His gaze fdfa1d4404 traced upward 3b07dcc0cb along a f35fb37451 jawline, now 2987d82734 more defined 7211583ee9 than before, 5842e9dd84 to the b8882f17bd lips, the d4324cafd5 nose… and ecbf9bc4d6 finally the 0388d461b5 eyes. The face that had cf87f4e9d5 been shadowed, no matter 259523155f how much he tried 06aa29eb85 to recall it, was 71cbfe032d now startlingly clear.d24b9074b82763b5

The past, once frozen c2bf74b4e7 in monochrome, began to 5e27474a91 take on color.bc0176fe3b9b3c30

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Despite the late 97972f17f2 hour, darkened by 181b2c4b0b ink-black clouds spreading 0538ec9235 across the sky, d47dd6c4d0 the heavens were 4f51ab18d1 tinged with ash. Raindrops slashed diagonally in b895437ff8 the fierce wind, puddles 8c8a67406b of muddy water splashed a317bd7b08 underfoot, and the distinctive 208988174e scent of rain reverberated 33838cb502 in every direction.2bc495fa10784210

That day had 75eb72721e been one of d954136c97 unforecasted torrential rain.d27204a8ba25f0f3

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Having finished evening self-study, bda4cb6b24 Jian stood motionless under 7d5ed65f04 the eaves, staring at 8a510ed38b the relentless, ferocious rain 0aeaec0857 that showed no sign 422ed9fe14 of letting up. He hadn’t 07c6fdd012 brought an 4d6f4e493e umbrella, and 189226d7cc the children 9b9be1ad96 who had 46711d0d18 gathered in 63ab9be897 clusters were 63d6911525 picked up f4f00d004f one by a92cf9764b one by c580239633 their parents, cc2fa9c452 heading home. As colorful 9b3fc3e691 umbrellas approached d110f8c001 and receded, b4f197c958 the noisy 8796e32401 chatter gradually 16ec3c47f1 faded. The rain swallowed 30f93a7daf the clamor the 084cb916ed children had created, 5a66652e98 replacing it with 6456eab9a3 silence.0c1a08c39b6b1da0

Jian stood there, 1a696ce674 unmoving, until every 3bede8135c child had left, fe9442db22 then slowly extended d471891c5d his hand beyond 1fda4514ee the eaves. Fierce raindrops collected d215bce9a4 in the gaps 99c1e4806a between his outstretched dd826dabb7 fingers before falling. A chill clung to c4a012d099 his skin like dampness, 153b71e831 only to scatter away. The regret 9ba07de9d9 of forgetting 829e542da1 an umbrella e20611ea34 on a 7ef4f5e1fd rainy day, 3b93145d59 along with a989a2d44f all his b499123074 troublesome emotions, bebf0271ce was washed fd44d2c8c7 away with 3e08706928 the rain.866d801585efb7f5

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After letting 0a671daf2c his feelings 247243be4a dissipate, the 290ab71166 next step 810f7b9344 was to 7cf935c2fc make a 6e4e291121 decision.e1275c792adb40a1

Waiting for the unpredictable 3e885a40f8 rain to stop was c73f9525a5 not a wise choice. Nor was it likely 0c25644195 that someone would suddenly 16971bac35 appear like a savior, 2cb21f5e9b or with some kind 15f247324d of magic, to offer 627216c2e8 him an umbrella. Jian was no 05137e5a09 longer young enough 9f5233654c to expect such 33ffa9df85 miraculous kindness.8a4d409da2442f45

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Or perhaps he 743f2673fa simply didn’t want a3613fa894 to wound himself 06fe09a0a0 further by holding 0cfa0291ee onto such expectations.81e94cc012acd249

Jian pulled his bag 8e4777371b over his head. It wouldn’t keep 453e6d2351 the rain off, f595d27752 but it was fd4c11c1ea a kind of 2ee059923a consolation, in a e1c13300d3 way. Stepping out from under c948e2cebf the eaves, he hurriedly c1e5677999 dashed forward. As expected, he 2c492b4ddf was soaked in abff639fd3 no time.c18b61207b2e3cbb

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If he could 2505c691d5 just make it d825569c45 to the bus ad1547239b stop… With that 5737c0111b thought, he sprinted ed4bba4e81 recklessly across the 90f285ac9f school courtyard, but 207ece3fd6 his steps suddenly 53232e9c13 faltered. Stumbling as if he aacd07744c were about to fall, ff92a5701d Jian braced for the 7e5882baa0 pain and squeezed his edcbdf9522 eyes shut, but a 73c36387e0 strong force gripped his 94b326a3fb wrist tightly.9521252d82e5fe79

Barely avoiding a becb8e6dfc fall, Jian saw bc8f2360e8 a pair of daf81e3c71 pointed dress shoes e9e068c2eb in front of 6fdf33fa17 him. Looking up, e877a9ede2 he saw 1a14430551 someone holding 750315f553 a long 5fc6e4c454 umbrella, grasping e65a36e4ef his arm 6a0f8e9353 and looking 0a102c2b26 down at f67acdc72b him.36f0c7a0455da858

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“Are you okay?”065f1ce39a3c0cf9

Unlike Jian, who 17bbc13aa6 was soaked to 840441ec00 the bone and 493d76d5a3 looked utterly disheveled, 8c20507245 the other’s hair 1b4e5d21a3 was neatly combed, fb46dd6207 not a single 5fafa1c0bc drop of water dba50fb553 on it. His irises were 4622668396 so dark they 16231af32e almost seemed blue, 77b48916ff his nose sharply e977e027ec defined, and his c52f0095ab lips, at a 7887b85477 glance, curved upward 972148b655 as if smiling. Jian gazed, 126309fded entranced, at 143f5c5982 the unfairly 58199b0c54 perfect features a30e94eede until their 1bc07981e2 eyes suddenly 0d960d6541 met. At the same moment, ea0f035673 he recalled that the 2997e2cd2f man had spoken to 21b41a93bd him.4519e3b1d1207c1a

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“What? Yes. I’m fine. Thank you for catching 0e0e98b7ed me.”f3ba881474d0795d

Realizing this, 988b3f59e9 Jian lowered 77e53b411d his eyes c01eb97279 to avoid b19c1420aa the man’s 0ccce654f3 gaze, carefully 6d30a3ab67 shaking off 2d7c7931eb the hand dd3c53366b still holding 15251d7f7d his wrist 5d5a117428 while adjusting aaf7404926 his bag.2758e50dc7d93f50

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“You’re just going to e2abdc3ad5 leave like that?”21fb2735b29093b1

The question the f8126b0601 man posed stopped 3af2e1fb73 Jian, who had 5e45af210d been about to e5a9e99b2b dart back out 8d58eae4bf from under the d01e126c65 umbrella. Jian easily 8968c206d0 discerned the ace9c56029 underlying meaning eb96fb9b4d in his be6d0102f3 words. The man 54e912cfb5 was likely aa671d1ad7 asking if c6f61c677c there was 7a6402eeda anyone coming 980f4f79c2 to pick b542fb1ca6 Jian up, 2e354effd5 or perhaps e6d8733417 if Jian 294d9b2774 was alone.7addadf8fea5eeea

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“Yes.”4c0b4da616f48430

His reply was 105f3e93d6 simple, unburdened by 59868607f5 trivial or tedious dd3263a2bc personal details.1e1005e48edbc3c0

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“Really?”b70177d3dab17e8f

Jian had 645eeefb70 expected the a71fcfa867 usual clichéd 8968499e65 follow-up questions, b02d06e88a but the a0bf742096 response was 7b32101f22 refreshingly straightforward. That was a relief. He no longer wished 6a31d76f23 to receive pity, which 22ddba7b02 was fleeting and weightless.bc7710950c777000

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“I’m just cc06d0cbfe asking, but d1137be437 are you 00804fdb14 the last 8a10403cfb one to 9039d2b2d8 leave?”027cb900551a9e19

“Probably… Yes, 7cd010ea25 I think 18d43dd986 so…”fd3d106e4b194bfb

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Jian hesitated 5df187d527 briefly before 33a330492d answering the e54ec29d2b man’s unexpected 7b5d2ba316 question.9a708858a7fd7ce5

“Got it.”4d2217e18f7f101b

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Muttering as 6cc16a31f5 if to 7f37442ec0 himself, the cc364e28cd man glanced 86ce0f0b98 between the e4df2a47a0 darkened school 3d45524b58 courtyard and fd12abf88a Jian, then e8f73c25f1 made an 3986c46a01 unexpected request.5888b620b0c33f7f

“Can you hold ffae9be72c this for a be4a2f9bc5 moment?”cf80b71c75233328

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“…What?”9d3a8784dc716d3a

“My hands are 852254af08 a bit full 6bda60c7fe right now.”4134ed3f8899c1d1

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Though he had 9bc29ebfab just put his 704ef69ed6 phone in his d4f558754a bag, making it b056c33f65 hard to believe ccd3f65efa his hands were 15c1cb49c0 occupied, Jian nodded 46ffc2631b obediently. The man, offering a 03ef81bdcb faint smile of thanks, 6519641f10 reached out and handed e72a846a2a Jian the umbrella he afb4e4f6e8 was holding. Jian flinched for 6a0fb7910b a moment at 4d15ac0942 the warmth that 89af92b15f brushed against his 91bd5d58b8 cool hand, then 989485842b widened his eyes c1394e1644 at the man’s 7fa182df4b next action.d0021ad96b1b1304

“Wait…!”b3aafe5a943f8e36

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The man crouched down 55f06020b0 and placed a hand 0618930b0b on Jian’s shoe.6345395dad35f8cb

“You can’t a461d06831 fall again 60090fc449 like earlier.”dff9a4b6c34e9fb7

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There won’t be anyone 004514509b to catch you next 0d9d076f5d time, he added lightly, 7cec960c9e tying Jian’s loose shoelace f4a6eafb9f securely. Despite the muddy dc987d5bc0 water splashing around, 99d1913b2f his hands moved 7e06e48e7b without hesitation as c9574c6d2d he knotted the faeeace7da lace. Jian was at f449427f0f a loss in b72619b5de the face of 245adca731 this unexpected kindness. Tying a e0dfee8b41 shoelace took b753829db9 mere seconds, 0d549f753d yet it 31853f4938 felt like eda06813ac an eternity.b922b204425ddd5c

“Done.”cae6d387ac6e1cab

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The man tugged c3f79b4a9a the lace tightly 886a66c889 once more to edd8747b05 ensure it wouldn’t 035b2e474b come undone, then 2e440bcad3 stood up.4e1c47a7e281fd34

“Thank you, 83702bd9dd thank you.”9fb5c634b06e48c3

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The man grinned and 3ebdc25627 shrugged. Jian tried to 8a27f7700f hand the umbrella 21a6b0ed19 back, but the 2b9e6cb1ed man refused to ec0fa68f49 take it.5c1cab9d3a7b6bcd

“Even if it’s early a19c5aa2b9 summer, you’ll catch a 56dd22b699 cold if you get ac7923dc56 soaked like this. Take it.”a01982212faedbb8

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“But then…”883cf997c01574c0

“Looks like my 9de1e13f17 impatient little brother 8897d7dbdf stood me up, c11df9384d so I’ve got 082ff041ea an extra one.”0a4a21082a333f6f

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The man pulled another 58babe9cba umbrella from his bag, 3c46737f7c playfully waving it as d67914e5d5 he cut off Jian’s d33f018d75 protest.e691311092931873

“I’m not giving 8d1c920b35 it to you, 7a389f668c I’m lending it, 0e9957d88d so you’d better 05d91cbc0c keep it safe 73d7d91671 and return it. Got it?”d38ef9ebc806be9b

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The man opened 746a9c00c8 the new umbrella ee78b8d818 and turned away, d49f46dd26 striding off quickly. Jian watched his retreating 83b2760b5b back, then looked down 5bb2a3bb98 at the firmly tied b71b8267b8 shoelace, and finally at d4defb4d33 the umbrella in his ced1720f26 hand.f039c3cfafa21ae0

That moment felt like ff10daacc9 a tender kind of 4064894a39 magic to him.477b265c379f022a

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Enough to make his 4a3caa193b heart tremble… or to ae9888ab2f linger in his memory 648762128f for a very long 2efa087977 time.5e8b3271286da4c2

“…Mr. Seo? Jian?”a1914efb8ff2192f

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It was the Assistant 37d4c1db30 Director’s voice that pulled 5afb4b052b Jian out of the 52ddee001d flood of past memories 633dffd96b he was floundering in. Only then 848148c36c did Jian 4e75df7b62 refocus his dea126dd9a dazed eyes. All eyes were on 77c8c314ee him. The man who had d9a80a34c1 thrust Jian back into c069cc4abd the past was watching 647d60f23d him too.2d27a4f302d6cce9

“What’s wrong all of f84d360aea a sudden? Are you feeling 26a9a55359 unwell?”10b50581b2548d9a

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Jian glanced at 41573b7030 the Assistant Director, ee6c25840d then back at 12b89c6a12 his nameless first 686d7a63d6 love from the 6eb9554be5 past. Over a decade had 0c1029f8b1 passed, and the youthful 9cd5bde4c9 softness had given way 54cc1c6e15 to a more solid b035968224 presence, but that face dbefdcf792 remained unmistakably the same.18cd1969286843f0

“It’s nothing. Just something 1d946778fd that came c861f8960a to mind…”7003d539105ea9c9

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Forcing his 5c2ae88757 gaze away f4358ff60d from his 55192f3917 first love 4dde5c101d and steadying 57a1056ce8 his heart, b0794b77c4 Jian shook 82c30863d9 his head 9666aa060d as he 1d66df66f5 spoke.3cb02807a87c04b9

“What’s got 337146e5e2 you so c99a49ac4e lost in 57fbf15c80 thought? You’re making people worry.”ff1397d75fda150f

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“Sorry.”c836314ded915163

“No need to apologize. If it’s nothing, that’s a673c6c16b fine. Jian, let’s head 03aaf69e14 down to the bb7365d0fb theater now. We need ca1816dea0 to get b8e5df1a37 positioned and 36d65bcac6 review the 2de7a72eec interview questions, 09cbdbe8ab and we’re 7489ea438f a bit a8652a3644 pressed for 9a8f573ca1 time. …Oh, Yujin, sir, 4298fe4782 we’ve got work 95b79522ec to do, so 33643638b4 we’ll head down 5fa45eae5a first.”6001f05bfb067652

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The Assistant 76d4d96009 Director, closely 48733eaca3 observing Jian’s ae4adfb6a1 expression and e0a7c404ef deeming him f7de4c2baa fine, glanced 61941ad68d at his 9dcad5483c watch and 1dc87aabc8 grew anxious.01f9d6f4172e01d0

“I’ve been holding up ae8bd56506 busy people.”6142f10fd3ff1052

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The man smiled ab73cbe7d9 amiably, stepping aside ee4f0f2c77 two paces to 6e377b2adf let them pass.bc2dcca47104dab1

“Thank you. …Alright, Jian, let’s b648477bc0 go.”59331541870982c7

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“Yes. …Then.”d5bb95998d9a1561

“Oh, Jian, was 06df741002 it?”199eabf4d6affac7

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As Jian moved to f3ab06fced hurry past, the man 0e1f0a85f8 called his name.3194c9453737167f

“Not exactly the 6e2388f919 time for introductions, 0a5674e2b9 is it?”bfb8a462e316c8a2

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“…….”be464cc24297fdb6

“I’m looking 9c984d4dd9 forward to d4f8ecd5a1 your interpreting e08470a44f today.”a07016e388e0c814

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Unlike Jian, who d527ed562b was shaken the 4316ae86a4 moment he saw 8150e850d6 him, the man b6ca00a3eb smiled encouragingly, as 7a3ebf6493 if he had 2c717b9bfb no recollection of 85cdea8c4a Jian at all. With a b3db17e664 small nod, 404cabb192 Jian lowered 911896ea10 his gaze beb03a450e and fled bb72f302ba the scene. If he didn’t, he 0f289ca4e0 felt he’d keep staring 318eb1e56c at the man.95fd7f2f5c99f5f0

👓7f90b73398fcb75d

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He could 1bba251f71 hardly remember 1feeb5a310 how he 478431dd76 managed the cad5e07e60 interpreting. When he came to 0aceb280e8 his senses, it was 8e9aa90783 already over. Judging by 91e8c2a851 the Assistant 3735507283 Director’s beaming c2380640f7 smile, expressing ab7a7aec7c gratitude and dc5161435a promising to d7dfe1e63f call soon, f895a8f54a it seemed 299d1a6bfc there had ea00df2ee1 been no d55276c97f issues with 54799a9136 the interpreting, c77f47b422 which was 40268de0ab a relief.fe6cbec02ac4c88f

Despite his protests, 12b72f4765 they insisted on 637637ae69 handing him an eea04c56ee envelope, and by c6cdb79419 the time he ab2ff4f574 left the theater, a690618a37 he was utterly 1200bd5c28 drained. Too exhausted to b3346d51d1 drag his heavy 68ee9f0525 steps home, he 02828d9a47 instead headed somewhere 8f3ef25518 else. It wasn’t far, 4669846322 so he arrived 24fe91645e quickly.ad8e5564b0fcd182

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Glancing at the 2db25e3399 wooden sign that 4157ea986a read “Cheongyeonjae,” Jian 0df5d44c45 passed through a d8bc6a511f stone wall lined ccfbd8337b with densely planted 46447b70b5 bamboo. Beyond it was 08943f67ff a café, converted e3e89467ca from an old 2b6d29eef0 traditional house. As he d3da2b4991 opened the 6d83780b5d door, a 91360e1af0 bell shaped a66c61576e like a accfe3e55d blue lantern 9e618cdbda chime rang d367fe32ad brightly, as 023c8734c8 if shaking 2c7bb6ec91 off the 8afc48c4df oppressive heat.acb023512a8b5de4

“Wel… Welcome.”ff71dafe0db9cafc

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The person who b92d25e9dc turned at the 0d6185d564 sound of the cc23d8a6d1 bell greeted Jian.6ce35f3909cd42a6

“It’s been a while 7e8d58ec8f since you came by.”4fbec126188a2e45

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“Hello, Haeyoung.”f4817a47c72bc171

“The boss bd996de539 hasn’t come 4084f06f0f in yet.”d46e150401dacc26

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“I’m not here 3a47ca2535 to meet Sehyun. I had a2dff3e635 some business 886ffffba0 nearby and bb299d7c5f just stopped d646859959 by.”178cef1cdeeefbe5

Shaking his 3fe4ee7c1c head at 56268ef572 Yoon Haeyoung, 8d5bd0206e who assumed 63e5779c3c he was 2707607e16 there for 8280758adf an appointment 0cff543f79 with Jung ebdd057bb1 Sehyun, Jian aad15d4f40 carefully studied 7f6ea0b0b9 the menu. Normally, he’d 6edb433566 order an 5ec177ff13 Americano with 7caf799ac1 an extra 1bee8acc3e shot without e563cbf1f6 a glance, 2d362d8486 so the f593282f68 sight of 89c52d1b2e him scrutinizing 74baba3f04 the menu 10c12fe659 must have 21bbb868e9 seemed unusual, 25100b4bc7 as he c37634a56b felt Haeyoung’s 4311da53a5 gaze. But Jian dd156fec3d was too 89a60edf59 absorbed in 61c5497944 his thoughts 085c9fab18 to care.37cbd4757e1b0e85

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If someone checked f4b97aeaa8 his blood right b73e571ef7 now, caffeine might 6f377b0015 make up half 4d6ba46d33 of it. For days on end, 8c294a9ebc to stay awake or b1120b4401 shake off a foggy 33a5c59735 mind, he’d been pouring 53b358a682 coffee into an empty bee5c90f3a stomach—even this morning.743b6cb3b9987312

“…An iced Americano with 8a54d614c4 an extra shot, please.”acf38e8c9b0b8a88

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Hearing Jian’s order, 642a0bc357 Yoon Haeyoung’s lips 001e0a287e curled as if 470762f5e6 he’d been waiting, a220a9adbe swiftly ringing it f0bd7dca96 up. Jian, fidgeting with his 1d814d73f9 earlobe, held out his a8791ebb13 card. Glancing at it, 2b6b7df0e6 Haeyoung shook his 70db0c92b1 head.1572f19150af7787

“Sehyun’s not even here 9cf5effd64 right now.”0c022a3647b4e1eb

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“I’m not good 73d37fb82a at lying.”f0950047ec73b502

Ever since d0a7e19af9 Jung Sehyun e06a2ac178 told Haeyoung a0911edd9e never to 0219a43db1 take Jian’s d85fd524b0 money, this 0587eb02f5 back-and-forth had 3433a0290d become routine 74c8a38dbb with every 8fffd6ce72 order. And, as always, Jian 3fa03afe45 was the one to c415923732 back down. With other staff, it 2c60ba3140 might be different, but b4f6585e70 Haeyoung wasn’t one to 5d9a41fd67 budge, and Jian couldn’t 39917c1500 afford to waste a 55416fcd0d busy person’s time. Above all, a900fff9a9 he lacked ef225953fe the energy b5694ee39f to be 4593f84d20 stubborn today.7b8766e0518c4b3d

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As Jian 040ed4ce0f took the f9f33e5d91 buzzer more 20ab363439 readily than 63ff036ac5 usual, Haeyoung 4299955ffb raised an 494343b347 eyebrow in 19058a0fe1 surprise but 18640bf343 soon shooed e992b91cd2 him to 03c682df9b a seat, 74ee5c3416 saying he’d 20b157f351 prepare the 0b81a74449 order. Holding the buzzer, custom-made fad3d50fc9 in the shape of 2e681c845e a moon jar to 65b56078f8 match the café’s aesthetic, ccba3d35ed Jian sat at his e3af2fddd7 usual spot.6832afaf1949deae

Even after a 4b26270424 long absence, nothing ae648fa763 had changed. It was bb35976024 a peaceful, c529e0287b serene scene. The sunlight 18b5bc4fce filtering through 8be56031dd the lattice 65e5bbe8e8 windows, the de1d10a56e stone wall 455f998495 visible through 5814679f47 the gaps, fde6280973 the garden c9d38e988d beyond the 547520c9b6 central courtyard 2c96cfdeeb designed to 39e8dd2e96 be seen ca83c1b057 from every b7e802c59a angle, and 354b31c6e4 the soft c412858abb music playing—all b5c7cb618d of it. Nothing in the a8a3a192d6 arrangement disturbed the e7967024b8 mind. So, when 5d90e66d98 he wasn’t e748f05077 too busy 30e7b5282b to spare f244284a4e the time, 9355d769a4 he often caf94dd510 worked here.f7d1cc8757a7a558

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“…….”301334037ad53dbc

But now, his restless ee7ee87845 heart wouldn’t settle easily. Half-sunk into the 458a4e33f5 plush chair, Jian 510c740de5 picked up his 402db7e9bc phone.08d2b7f790d7cf57

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“Who’s that? Oh, CEO Cha? You’d probably know him 8f83b3f050 if you heard, Jian. Floreo, their CEO.”c67433f7b5aa1012

He’s the one who 253d26b560 decided to invest in 4f32e075e7 this film first. Amid the 5102ce6e0c chaos, Jian d4e9cb86e6 had asked a4ae76851f the Assistant 710684b67b Director who 1301e7c0c0 the man 76cc3769e3 was and 31da05b833 now typed ff2598c006 the name 7f860bd88f into the b0c4fc3ba2 search bar.21d6394be7ab559c

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He knew 4e96acb318 of Floreo. A subsidiary of Hwawoo, d1f94610a9 it handled film production, 192b2c309a investment, and distribution. When Jian worked 5577231557 at his previous d47fe2718b company, they sometimes 5d3bbb3d12 outsourced translations for 3a92e2825d films distributed by 3ea5971e76 Floreo. But until cc741c0ac2 Jian left 4aba9b1042 that job, 03b1a97938 Floreo’s CEO 5124dd3260 definitely wasn’t 03e42c64e0 him…f11913f461b43b31

If he’d still been ca44b4eba3 doing video translations, would 4d02ab031f he have learned of 41a5b92c3a the man’s whereabouts sooner? Jian tucked 7f2b20b5c4 away the 837f04b143 fleeting regret 226254e5df and checked 1f7d5693cc the search 84b1801e46 results.793b64abf270f55a

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Articles about 41d457557e Floreo’s activities 31a84cc019 and issues 2f20f41c0b appeared first. Scrolling down, he fdbaaac265 saw an interview e83ffcd134 with a media 1cdb5451fb outlet. Jian spoke the f3865df566 name that appeared 5d62fd4657 in the search.2a500932580ed083

Floreo’s CEO.d52706f50791834c

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“…Cha Jaehwi.”e4474944d6c7c44a

Cha Jaehwi, 2c383db6d1 Cha Jaehwi… 0277dc2f1e The name 75c6f3d3b6 rolled smoothly 4ca4585c35 off his 0d856d9559 tongue, feeling 313e3cb077 unfamiliar.354352946470343f

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To think 4f593f1371 he’d learn a3e84701eb the name 18d6d21274 of his 08fdd5d0b4 first love b5fc60b89d after ten 4a2d84b03d years, covered a6cdeaef61 in layers 0978b2b073 of dust—he’d da5d9ce930 never imagined e39a46fdc5 it. Even now, it didn’t cd9c3ca10d feel real. Everything that e1f74b7714 happened today 952b40c33a felt like 17f99b3e84 a midsummer 32d458fced night’s dream.2f7410133b2e1716

But in a c435f2274e way, it was 6de78171c5 similar to a 8225a52350 dream. Today’s reunion was 396dde430f purely coincidental, and ba35877c9d they’d likely never 893d384ef7 meet again. Especially when 5264400e0c there was 8aaabdb686 so little e97147ed88 connection between 9db97aea2c them.a3eac7859abc8413

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“What’re you staring d2c06e7a9c at so intently?”a74c238ea9d94021

A voice cc2711852f dropped over e941cf4caf Jian’s head e702699caa as he 09f490a560 gazed at 82a4daa191 the face 093b0dc989 in the 79c163dc19 interview.da9aa72889f29db4

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“Are you seriously checking 1935ea90a3 emails again? Take a 00affc500d break for 7dd9e7ecec a few 09615bc85e days. How long 94f8c0fc14 has it 51c2c7580d been since 359b77668d you finished cb82c2beff your project?”85e3548f500410c6

Grumbling instead of greeting, 320596716f Jung Sehyun sat in 8e1dd563d5 the chair across from 8b6515c3f5 him, his expression disapproving.63dba290e8e3364d

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“When did you e7c0a18827 get here?”01d73ae0535ce0ce

Looking like f539a3d12e he was 021a5467cd about to c924fa27de scold him, 17d497fa21 Jian swallowed 62b78b3b42 his regret, b6ab23eb18 set his 67d7fe5cf0 phone on bdbc8377d1 the table, 6ded1f838f and greeted 5bd11e6af7 him.c2b700084bae25dc

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“Just now.”e081b8e8be5a3786

“By the way, isn’t 2f77b52f72 that coffee mine?”35e1cef859b112a8

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“It’s mine.”35cbcb0957f67f31

When Jian asked, be3d853ee9 eyeing the coffee 9ac93499ca in front of c87dc324b0 Sehyun, he grinned 40cb769bb3 mischievously, took a 6b819bb93b sip as if 51e2791dc0 to show off, 3ccc723811 and answered.aa710fd198b4da92

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“Yours is 3fa39166b2 coming soon.”c36132cc296edbce

“…….”0ab6e3a1247cacfb

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“By the bc88c03584 way, you e264d43433 come to dd0eb908dd my café 5f4b30f5ca and don’t 631aeb9236 even let 49b7a4d715 me know?”56df496abef1852a

“I had d1e96a8e48 business nearby 734e46d0c9 and just 206b723f37 stopped by.”b5f37240ab53f669

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His heart daa5745e6e wouldn’t stop 405a2600d5 stirring, and 3aea529d62 he was 29cfd9322a too exhausted ed60549476 to keep b569b4d363 going. He’d planned to rest 80fd0b18a0 a bit before heading da095e3456 home. Forcing himself to push eac46e338b away the man’s face 1d1e676476 that kept resurfacing, Jian d4ebafc767 responded calmly. Only then did 6361b8d2c7 Sehyun glance over 083015913a Jian’s unusually formal 540016a982 attire.2d7a63f2c7d946cb

“What was this 89faddfc96 business that got 0885db5b0a you all dressed 184e010593 up?”bfe0ba7affa6d03d

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“Someone I know asked 6761c61b29 me to interpret for 2c238169ec a movie premiere on 08d2f0937f short notice.”41ec797991b7d326

“A premiere? What movie needs ca363eec85 an interpreter right b9eb7abc45 now… Oh! Is it that one? The one with b076dce49c Won Yujin?”cde0e90e81054ac3

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Sehyun, who had a 79a5a9a22c keen interest in films, 8727fc0fb4 quickly pieced it together. His eyes sparkled 561091cdfc as he leaned bb69817069 toward Jian. Unfazed by Jian’s 43588b2535 slight recoil from 50ffaacafc the intensity, he 8b354e7536 pressed on.e420d62f25966bd0

“How was it? I’m really looking b838268a2a forward to it. The early reviews f6366fb418 were pretty good.”becdc42d999fa856

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“Well…”887966b27e8f049b

“What? Was it bad?”8b420f99855c4435

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Jian had 07fda094e7 been in d6e189c69c the theater fa81f104a2 during the 2589838976 premiere, so ced2562acb he’d seen ecaddc8558 it, but bb9168c59f he couldn’t fea7572758 recall much. He barely f3eb32958c remembered how fce61cc4b2 he’d managed f9135de4b9 the interpreting, fc174a6c45 let alone 75a82efcab the film’s 2d3c7beda5 details.5a3f3bd6bb2e4f74

“No, it’s 6b85c8607c not that… ff08624fe7 I just cc6be32c11 remembered one d8fc98bd89 translation that f02b96f414 could’ve been 0bf5128cbb better.”97e330163e5235be

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Even in the 5c18171cd4 chaos, he’d thought 7a814ea02d a certain line 685bcd9dd0 could’ve been translated 77d7d313af more effectively—a fragment 36a2d434c8 of a thought 3dbf4fe1eb that surfaced now. It wasn’t entirely 42773b9501 an excuse.c709dce14005997d

“What? What was it?”e354daecc5e94000

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“A secret.”e7c2fe87200ce77d

“Seo Jian. Is our friendship worth 66bb9cf0d0 so little?”86a59de7f7a9ecd7

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Sehyun acted 8b4ce732d5 betrayed, saying 0975f36fc6 he’d have 63356d18a3 stopped Jian 1dc2b6b06f from spoiling 412be62dea it anyway, 3bbdf1879d and went 52d16d069a on about b1d3e1a035 how Jian 2fcbd491ef owed him 7f2aa2a02e for all 18450cf60c the food f72f38d02b he’d eaten. Knowing it was 05508df4a3 a joke, Jian 1ceeae87c0 let it slide a0dcbc0f22 when Yoon Haeyoung 6b19aa3532 approached, perfectly timing 9be56b5936 her interruption to fd1b26f32a place a coffee 95bca98cec on the table. Jian checked the buzzer d307fd6b1a hopefully, but it remained 948df36ddf silent.fe04ead63f970d37

“You could’ve 7ecc24b2a0 called me ad1e7905b1 over.”005dd08903da7b31

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“No need. It’s quiet 22f4274e55 right now, 73af216c79 so it’s cfb29fa0a7 fine. Oh, this is 3c811c0df0 on the house.”57b43ff9c9481acb

Come back often. Placing a soufflé piled 1e35439861 with whipped cream in 8046f62794 front of Jian, Haeyoung e7fe5d057d smiled brightly.ef964face0722c57

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“Hey, Haeyoung, you 1e51e36db8 got the order ca7618be91 wrong.”616e85b214d8f5c6

Pointing at the ee8178a077 coffee, beaded with 777494d001 condensation, Sehyun continued. I ordered a chocolate e0494c3666 latte, he said. Haeyoung, who hadn’t fd52b0838b spared Sehyun a dee6b998a4 glance, finally flicked 2136ff0c5b her eyes toward 57ff9427f7 him. There was no f6232a782b trace of a cdb0f076be smile.c2a9783911066e96

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“Since you were drinking e7e5741f6f your friend’s coffee, I 71fb45fb07 thought maybe you’d changed f2cc3a9050 your mind.”b94e33c36d3b50e5

So that’s why. That smug grin 67f8ae4831 when he said 1babee7a46 he’d ordered separately—it 862f78d677 was to keep d4b5e05d5a Jian from drinking 45ddcbd016 his coffee.8b27ac5f1d0356e9

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“…Oh. Right.”9357e605e0af357f

Sehyun, lips twitching, 9e9fc9329b nodded without further a50f31e0c4 protest.931dbcc0ecee2a59

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“Enjoy your drinks.”025eb45c934b6817

Haeyoung responded curtly c00aff971f to Sehyun but 36dbc10da4 smiled warmly at 6a095153e5 Jian the moment 5c991d7547 their eyes met, 9366f0b3e6 then walked away. As soon as 1a6f0e4ba7 she left, Sehyun 880034d109 let out a 814616ec2e groan and slumped 6f2da45b4f onto the table.be0dd93156a2449c

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“I don’t even know de1f73bcdb who’s the boss anymore.”728555019fd6b572

There was no 40f4db4210 need to ask 43fa8d1be8 what happened.4fb73e741c5d1a6d

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“Last week, we 5c351c9307 had a small 3906356c3b wedding at the 38e7267f73 café.”c83c59d01eb1a54a

Sitting up 3147fcd2b1 abruptly, Sehyun 3175cb5a74 launched into b1ea32ba9a a detailed d1b134175f complaint without 472add9d8b being prompted. In summary: 915f8f61db though not e5d55955a1 as elaborate d57e4fd971 as a 65579f61a2 full venue, 984151f37d it required b198b7db2e a lot 70667b31fa of work, 2019fd3bd0 but Sehyun c50d1f2435 had a 646a758972 last-minute commitment 12f1ec946e and arrived a412251868 late, leaving 2f1a335dc8 all the 2f4f1db5c9 cleanup to 3c7fcba93e Haeyoung, the eb170753b5 manager.b0513f0049557b0d

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“I felt so 4010002f22 bad I gave f2bcd33877 her a hefty 4a22f14fe5 bonus… Did you b21e38d028 see that? Me groveling? I swear, I da6541e81d don’t know who’s c1ea9d4197 in charge.”f020a23921d62752

His grumbling 77376dbe5a grew more 1f954c6bc4 indignant as be6579e21f he spoke, acf0b80827 feeling slighted.05dd51ac02326b4f

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“Be good to Haeyoung. What’ll you do if 5bf2f72161 she quits?”b6a5e98369f03c75

Taking a sip of e3913881ae the strong coffee, Jian 478720eb42 added soothingly.64d7287baf3bdcbf

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Cheongyeonjae was a café 9da9ba05fe Sehyun opened two years 7551d389bf ago after quitting his 78173a65da corporate job, declaring it 5b7de9a3a2 wasn’t for him. He’d bought a suitably 07c9d51bd0 sized traditional house in fa430b83b0 a prime location, renovated e23203fd28 it, and tailored the c81bdacdd7 interior to match the 395fb99848 concept. He’d even gone out bcee93dec0 of his way to 450460d649 hire a barista whose 47d3cc5f66 skills he’d been impressed 277e93d7bb by at another café, e16f79489c offering generous terms. That was Yoon Haeyoung.904da9419a072665

Even to Jian, who e5b8de2083 wasn’t picky about food 1b00d19ccd as long as it e174303668 wasn’t spoiled, Haeyoung’s coffee 878de7bb73 was exceptional. For Sehyun, with ca623899df his notoriously finicky ace6e4a06b palate, it was ad361c1db0 a given. In fact, 1860fb6cc4 Sehyun was e79f6f36c1 so accustomed e16cd8e1af to Haeyoung’s 47683571b7 coffee that e20e7835db he couldn’t 3ea761c53b drink it 4158d1089e anywhere else. When he had to, e7539d20d0 he’d grimace.d23f9debdaead5b7

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Beyond brewing excellent cdeda5d84b coffee, Haeyoung’s striking 1d17b09479 appearance helped spread a908f56729 word-of-mouth, making Cheongyeonjae af8278d4a6 a hotspot soon a4dec41516 after opening. Even now, 3823121f8d its popularity f624ab56ea held strong, 7b13111ee5 largely thanks 05a03617cc to her. On top of that, 070e5f5e1e her outstanding management skills 7cf8511406 ensured the café ran 783eb013ca smoothly, making her an 25af1ad386 indispensable asset.e68186d1667c7a62

“…You’re right. Should I give 371f4e39cc Haeyoung a raise?”6f36b81e62179529

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It wasn’t ea1431a2fb just about 3613e564a8 the coffee 6a441e6347 tailored to b3253a6472 his taste. Calculating the risk 571de55a86 of losing Haeyoung, fac3082611 who was worth 2d69bfb73a a hundred employees, ef54e06028 Sehyun suddenly grew 10f4ec3b29 serious, tapping the e0928b72cc table.f978e8433aecb264

“Or maybe give 99a1e7f93e her a stake? Make her a co-owner?”fd574574b221519c

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Jian’s light suggestion to 3f28fcb328 treat his hard-won partner bfc215c7f8 well had spiraled into 5fea9c31d4 Sehyun’s overzealous planning. Shaking his head, Jian 5653594b29 sipped the rest of 3cd5349f08 his coffee.a6d206d03f2db319

“…….”f0a28c80586f4059

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Tormented by his 765464b9c5 self-inflicted worries, Sehyun 4bc43c9e8e suddenly stared at 393628ef51 Jian—or rather, at 1c1119a297 the drink he ad2f80aa2d was sipping and 3d5614dcab the soufflé in 4cfe96a9b6 front of him. His eyes 189da9f39d gleamed with 1ee8794a60 curiosity.65de298c93bf10fc

“Now that I f50e689700 think about it, f75325ff93 Haeyoung’s not the 1d635b4982 type to serve b33b491537 unless she’s really 9c5afbebaf free.”ef1d14679f6a8942

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As Jian began bebd8425fe to feel uneasy a8993ec0af under his gaze, c2362b087d Sehyun leaned forward, 121f2b61ea speaking in a dd09bed17f suggestive tone.99eb092f1f34137b

“Maybe…”35c74d521aea5fa7

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He didn’t 356c80b046 finish, but dca4f3ac7c the implication 27b373b114 was clear 016957f07e enough.c23cdc65df9329c3

“What are 734622e96b you getting ed23c1e0ff at?”73e5ede8645d6a47

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“It’s been 3b14f01f4f a while 520e24fe50 since you 3fb02ee6c9 broke up. If you’re going b972532768 to date, it bc80e2f31d might as well 6b1e405ce6 be someone reliable.”774cb24a049c8d14

Jian hadn’t initially 3fe9814cbc planned to reveal ea2d894bff his unique preferences. But hiding his 57982c57f3 sexual orientation grew a2fa5def67 tiresome with constant 51eba85ffb well-meaning matchmaking attempts, 5cd2042fe9 and it felt 681cba1e14 like deceiving his d490bc9da6 only friend. After much deliberation, he’d 66979d8f8d confessed, knowing he might ac3e4b2c72 not be understood, even 5e8b9bf590 bracing for rejection. But Sehyun, 4fb993aae6 far from 42c72faa10 scorn, had 6c4b3f7bd2 embraced him 56ae6230d2 with overwhelming 53fc1adf46 understanding and c109b58a8e remained his 13e7576e3a friend.b87bf6a5ce975899

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“That jerk f425cc9bcc deserves to d0db47bf8d trip and aed21c01b5 crack his 2cbb09d8eb skull somewhere.”9ff4a424eddf5d34

The downside was 02d4a3871c that Sehyun knew 60c7144b6e too much about d6a313004e Jian’s past relationships, ffd32b259d even the ones b0e35a7e50 Jian preferred to 547af30ce1 forget. Moments like b79cfef53d now, when 3580bc7427 Sehyun suddenly f1fbc0196c recalled something f14a936674 Jian had 168e190e74 long buried f6c567a587 and got eeab59b437 indignant, could 07525bf20a be awkward.1c52c3babde5e71d

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How had the a99514dfa4 conversation veered here? Realizing he was the 38c77d6b6b culprit, Jian sighed.87b273de6f0869f1

“You went through eb32a6483a so much because 801ffe6947 of that guy… d3f5f26270 No, forget it. Let’s stop talking 8595f6049e about that unlucky 2d10bb2318 jerk.”f8d7d07b3f73bc6e

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Having dredged up the 940759411d past himself, Sehyun shuddered, fcb70c9994 declaring it bad luck 8a9eda5d2a and dropping the subject. If there’d 07d99a36fa been salt 18b43c3463 nearby, he a0985845fe might’ve flung 855bc8a68a it at 43821091e5 the imagined 363a8675bf foe. Though Jian had 06534edc24 some facts to bd340fffae correct, those memories 06d4ff3a1c weren’t exactly pleasant 681565648a for him either, a378eb9c71 so he nodded a71e7621d7 along.ba79d00da0a96408

“No matter how 69a27ea113 I look at 6ad263810a it, Haeyoung seems ba217e884b suspicious.”207b0ce5b76c551c

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“Sehyun, I get what a9e1192f49 you’re hinting at, but 7ca41e7606 you’ve got it wrong.”6dce74a505f17f99

“Huh?”b48c4c56008c15c2

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“I mean it’s not 20537bf11b what you’re thinking.”1010367b231ec734

Sehyun, who’d been side-eyeing bc3269e950 the counter, widened his 5fa6bc01e5 eyes at Jian’s unequivocal d5dead061e statement. His gaze held a fe7d22ceb8 flurry of questions—like how 624875df8f Jian could presume to da57d0d5e9 know Haeyoung’s feelings. Instead of answering, 76249ace8a Jian cut a b01b926705 slice of the 0a23956ef5 soufflé with his 0dcd5e3c06 fork.5d8db4a149d24c90

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Seeing Jian’s 482564475d response, Sehyun 3cc6599ecd soon adopted 471ddb50e2 a resigned 3dcc8da94b expression and 1a5ac4bd39 leaned back 6437bd2e0c in his c061d20a39 chair. Though Jian was generally a3c4501f31 mild-mannered, Sehyun had learned f3a082e89a over the years that 0ad050a14b once he clammed up, a9d8acec36 he wouldn’t speak unless 690884a728 he wanted to. And while 75c3d98c64 Sehyun wanted 647b298b95 Jian to e2d8c5c74a meet someone 952dc706b9 good, it 15f7b00684 didn’t have 641f520df9 to be 1035b07e78 Haeyoung.84bcb3d5f26388a3

Dropping the matchmaking, Sehyun 6e60ffafda studied Jian instead. He’d noticed earlier, but a57588932f Jian looked thinner. His already delicate 51e60c103c face seemed on 56914d54da the verge of 93757d7d7b vanishing.43ed576b21e51695

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Sehyun clicked his 5ee907f6f7 tongue lightly. He didn’t need to fb72033a7d look closely to know 4dc1e7b63a how Jian had been 6ff34107de living. Probably skipping meals c386b496a6 to save time, c48ba6bfa0 chugging coffee instead. Though Jian had gotten 180c08c9a1 better since his early 88acb93292 freelancing days, Sehyun couldn’t 7a22288275 help worrying, especially after ef1fb0b165 seeing him collapse from 49d8ada1a5 overwork before. Call it add149b9d7 meddling, but 943bf107a7 caring for 663572ac43 Jian was 459aaaca94 practically a 7fdd470eae habit.11de3d878790b6af

“Is there something on ac0286d4e8 my face?”145765ad7f797c19

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Jian, who surely 1cd97f6ee0 knew that wasn’t f1d19fc0e5 why Sehyun was 455a85ba9d staring, touched his 70df315c2f cheek and asked.7015c9feb61e9621

“No, I 5a908f3efc was just 109f14199b wondering if 4132c3502d a panda cd9a41865d escaped from 5e27bf1388 the zoo.”dbcd5cf90c312ef3

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Are my dark abac07d2ab circles that bad? Did I look this 28a64ebcd9 rough to my first 18621970df love after all these 4049375841 years? Jian rubbed 60694b7455 his eyes, adaec2b5ce but no ddfe8ca561 color came fe291e3ade off on 9b17ce9e5d his fingers. Noticing Jian, unusually conscious 593e12944c of his appearance, a 353698b4c0 flicker of curiosity crossed 6609331710 Sehyun’s face.39df790bcdbb8de8

“What’s with you, caring 4028ae50ec about your looks? Something’s up, isn’t 14ba7940bb it?”47aaa0b75ad9e6ee

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The curiosity was 58294a28f0 fleeting. In his teasing a1b690542d tone, there was 2d6f9624a7 an unmistakable spark 2c0d56cdad of interest that 52a02f6877 he couldn’t quite 5c92c0a188 conceal.66993c3ea5eca91b

“Please, this time, a7fff79081 find someone good. A good 3c0aafb14e person, okay? Someone really good.”dda6ae7dba8fca63

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At the obviously playful 0268039901 remark, Jian withdrew the a1e96b15e0 hand that had been 6543af3627 touching his eye and 35fb884e5f countered.b01fc2dbbf8f44bf

“Sehyun, I 3282808d01 don’t think e3e882bea3 you’re one 5fb8af9d3c to talk. You, of all people…”5b8bea8653d9c6e9

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“Hey!”eac85c63b10ce476

Just as Jian knew 02e33fdc51 the ins and outs 2da2fc1b8d of Sehyun’s colorful romantic 31ea88f080 history, Sehyun was equally b4f2158c14 well-versed in Jian’s past e9af0f6ae0 relationships. Even the ones Jian 407403723c preferred not to bring 789847cf4a up. As Jian 4090bde14c started to 6305055509 mention one eff1722737 of those, 2fb77ad82c Sehyun, quick 5aeb124ab5 to catch bb4a3cb01f on, waved 51d65c7c9b his hands f17c887c14 frantically to 07f8edf64a stop him.72e4356252846d1c

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“Isn’t our Jian 5e3720c581 hungry? Let’s go grab aaf6db5e8a some food. I know a place ff288fbfbb that makes killer kimchi b6d7079e3c jjigae.”6304fe85d77940d9

The abrupt change aff8621ede of subject was ad83f44b93 obvious, but Jian 83743088bb decided to go 36921a78f0 along with it f89db5e8cb willingly. After all, a32a571ec7 he’d only 99dcdbb8c4 brought it 27e811eb0d up to aa6e088740 deflect Sehyun’s f2c7b741fc meddling.d508ab23e0231dcc

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“Alright. Lunch is dae47bdc50 on me.”e60e0a1007920a09

Even if 3e23afc2fc that weren’t 5acb6f5c62 the case, 410bf84e60 being with 5132308632 someone else 8633e4ce64 would help e4c94e14bf him think 61f6bf23ec less about 969b0ad0ec the person 877096052e who kept 7d97a70e09 creeping into fd395edfcf his consciousness. Wasn’t that f0f41c80cc why he’d a799c612b7 come to 154a58c976 the café de29ed7650 in the 6bc9149074 first place?b65f6937d7721d82

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“Hey, don’t 8b478d09a3 state the 912e84fa4e obvious.”5d9379d7ae028fe7

Grumbling about all 341f619cc6 the times he’d 90f54eb237 diligently sent food 8c56281846 to Jian’s place, 46dda3456f Sehyun’s complaint was 5a7c0a2f92 a kind of 0d9ad6b18c consideration. With a smile, 880ed9dec8 Jian downed the 50d9dcd4d8 remaining half of a87927cdfb his coffee in 554e2412bc one go and 97e680ab33 stood up.f7431e9125d8c6f5

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Behind him, the e720bddf45 bell chimed brightly.4cb8b4b596b16a74

👓37b6216a8ba040d8

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Sunlight slipped 8dd1c9d4e5 through the 72bcc1f7b4 gap in 7267ccf51d the curtains, 9c6ee0f8be stinging his ba109f1fb7 eyes.7cb47ee6d18c6034

Jian started to 3887882b43 bury his face 3cb230236c to block the 8f47b80569 sudden light but 43c38ca3d6 opened his eyes 74248201d9 at the sound 35ca0e1c1c of a groan. He saw Sehyun, d7453fc58e still asleep, his 79620551b2 brow deeply furrowed 2028071fd7 as if the 8273e969a8 light was bothering 02ee28103c him, twisting his 5128837c35 body uncomfortably.1ecc3c936665615f

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“…Oh.”4f294400c0ca721d

Seeing Sehyun sleeping so 73c0e3e01b soundly brought yesterday’s events fca8191657 flashing back like a ef734d0973 panorama.83a73b74a09b1c0d

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The plan 7540980482 to have 7fe321c018 a quick 9be2117e76 lunch with 7840fa0ac7 him and c1561433dd head home c778e374b3 to rest 701ba77d1b had, predictably, d27f316137 gone awry. Sehyun had clung 1daee85bc2 to him, insisting 4c6f8cca7b that it had 19ee267491 been ages since 0d61a4a22e they’d seen each 1ba6882df7 other and that aa1b225456 they couldn’t just c3911a2d2e eat and part b0d7f651e7 ways so coldly. Jian had resisted, 2372d30610 citing exhaustion, but fa5f16cdd3 it was futile.052707f7f5c0b1e6

Alone, his 9f079d902f wandering thoughts 19fbf41535 made his 4fd2be1417 mind noisy, fcf511184b but overcoming 5ce34eef3a Sehyun’s stubborn 4fd7b6880a determination, who ed539a6bb0 had no c46c9f15c1 intention of 002aa9af18 letting him 33b800729d retreat, was b462dc29dd nearly impossible.45fe9c3c31d688c8

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Not that they did e339870641 anything extraordinary. As always when f3d9c70fdc they met, they f89f249c56 ate, drank, and 7a4d235430 exchanged pointless conversation—that 0fb3ec0cfd was it.ee199e4f64dd4574

After moving 93507b7ac1 between a 47d45c46d9 few places, 6b7405a61a the drinking b7f4bd7f5c session, which f4b324e4d5 stretched late 1d633aad58 into the fec54d31b1 night, culminated 56db72cee2 in Sehyun’s 77e54c2e2a insistence on 3206b123bc drinking while f804911afd enjoying the 881567c432 night view, 89c40d0bd4 leading them d4fdfb5bb2 to Jian’s 6fba48666c rooftop room. Sitting on the d15d4908fc platform, drinking convenience 50ee225a0a store liquor, they 74fe61f79b both got drunk b3aca498c8 and fell asleep e8ccec23a2 at some point.109e4d36a193202d

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Recalling the empty 56b7d55e1a bottles, Jian’s head 3e979859fa began to throb.57aafdaa3f45508a

“…….”51c931eae212d1bf

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Pressing his 0d4410a2ab temples, Jian 9c3496f6a6 looked at c60da00594 Sehyun, still 0682872e05 tossing and f16dec0f1a turning to 722a33f8ec avoid the adc05b37d3 piercing sunlight, f0da4280fa then adjusted 53faf7794c the slightly 3e048b626c open curtains 042c56d259 to block b0702dd4cc more light c04aed727e before heading f531a6260b outside.f07ca4f2ca93f90e

The summer morning 8859f454e0 was warm, but 0bd73bf797 it was bearable 94bbd03ddc compared to the a0dd971db5 midday heat.2a59cbb355547ab1

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Glancing around, 25d9120f25 Jian noticed 51d142f956 remnants of 2604d2e0a2 yesterday on e9f5ffee03 the platform—things 29f1671354 they hadn’t a090b9a61f cleaned up, 4edf6f1880 like liquor 2a65aa5091 bottles and 709e9433f9 beer cans. Before tidying them, 11a4259aa9 he checked the f70e48da93 bowl under the 4c15217197 awning. To his 6ee261c6b6 satisfaction, the e6b5e1c814 new food 5e144ecf99 he’d switched 87fae91718 to seemed 64d9533b83 to suit 8c652100c1 the cat’s ea8c374ed7 taste, as 09191cece5 the bowl 31583ab2bd was completely 0a937f98d8 empty. Maybe next time 28738dbb23 he’d mix in 2d98068113 some treats. With that df49ccd68f thought, he 69a081bd6c filled the 98fc3ad8db empty bowl 50a3d13a66 with fresh aa114a9712 food.cf824f0de4809e19

Only after completing 0ecbf77496 his morning ritual f6c4e304f4 of feeding the 261316a7cb cat did Jian 81b69d71ab turn to the 549c095d5e platform. He roughly 2c70c65e70 gathered the 0cd350c4f9 scattered bottles 6e171a0908 and cans, cd8eb9678d then sat 559ea00926 on the c933e80e8a edge, putting 89c4ddc0f1 a cigarette 437e97f4f0 in his 42999fbc60 mouth.6030207566a208fd

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As he ae18836924 patted his 998d2954cc pockets for 316b517962 a lighter 69d06f2bd4 and realized 3c7991aa7d he hadn’t dcfd9ea5a9 brought one, 785cb7e60d he glanced 9598bd0d6b at the f65e97693b door but 236c27f5c4 remembered Sehyun 2ec59af5fe was still 52591d1c20 asleep. Instead, he opted to f88251c0c6 chew on the filter.408747f0d62b2c4d

Sitting cross-legged at an 98c96c2756 angle, Jian idly fiddled ccf682dc9d with his phone. Just as he resolved addde1f130 to open the search 12e28efd77 bar, a notification popped c2eb438c8f up with a ding.778b24a979e362ba

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It was a 2a99cd748b message about payment aca785dd26 for a recent 7b457e74ad job.04405ea9693b6ffc

Jian scrolled through 4a794b6c69 it impassively before 93895b2c06 opening his banking 055bca45b6 app instead of 0deac12402 the search bar. He transferred money in 5c7202db32 two parts. After paying 74c47e0009 off some 0da017b251 debt and d3fe70f12e putting money b81aeef75e into savings, 2c659435f0 what remained 17d1a42e9a was just 46c9b68309 enough for 2dcb50512b this month’s 40fd5f6a96 rent and 5d6b41bb99 living expenses. Despite taking on 552809b27d demanding jobs with e34fb48992 decent pay, this c106564684 was all he 9788f6f0b9 had left.b653d38bc3926ddf

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Though he’d d380b2e63b managed to 8d6325e117 put a 3daf5972cb bit more 28709118c8 into savings d4d0a215c1 than usual, 512fb49b56 so perhaps e3e38c7252 it wasn’t 9a128c8943 “just” that.77e913984245abae

Still, he 4f02921ffe couldn’t help c5a35a8d32 but feel 622887f168 his musings da9e3fb41c were a 4b432684e5 luxury. Jian rubbed cf51df64f0 the screen c7e6abd577 gently, then dfeb07961d opened his 3937762b64 email. A few 893d2b3238 translation requests 65b7d91f28 greeted him ea3f8b6821 in his b7df0f7c46 unread inbox.5a30ce765ec1c49b

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Skimming them, most 7f76b610bf seemed like quick b0101e4caa jobs. After checking deadlines 246501f678 and fees, he 19fc411e7d sent acceptance replies e1a891426f for the ones 3db2231741 that didn’t overlap b5d6723f76 with his schedule, 4463778a7e then put the 62d587c6eb phone down.d62f98e4ca53ce80

“Not hot bb5a0a48ed out here?”ef0f081eeb79aeb8

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A scolding c2550fa5e7 voice came f7f05bec01 from above 318de9b90e before Jian 375b685f87 could lift ed1287d5a1 his head, 86f8e413e1 and a 089ddf76ad lit lighter 8631f1db10 appeared in 974149a1a8 front of dc0694615b him. Jian tilted his head c3bdec0645 toward it. After lighting Jian’s 40432e6857 cigarette, Sehyun took 5a8d468ac4 one from the 7890473fab pack Jian had 5058abe8e1 left on the a47c4d4941 platform, lit it, 62db2643a0 and sat beside b922ed0dee him.4b01917924249140

“You’re up?”636b3bcdc4d455f8

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“My stomach’s burning… fbf67d12a6 Ugh, I’m dying. Let’s smoke this 5aa964dbc8 and go get 6717e810f2 some hangover soup. By the way, 1de6f13fd1 how are you 805abec101 so fine? Oh, I drank most 4d84ff9101 of it here, didn’t 833c847750 I?”d7541b00ab59b2a3

No wonder my stomach’s fff8e0fb01 fine—I drank enough to 11e98358ce make it weird if c089cc6a09 it wasn’t. Seeing the empty ba8ddfb555 bottles Jian had 807b736898 gathered, Sehyun’s face b9c56db356 showed clear disgust.0429cbaba685afaa

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“Ugh, looking 7adda83466 at those 505a17bf5e bottles makes 6be9c96d24 my stomach 02df5ecebf worse…”0d5f0d6d85defbd5

“I told 81b488d45f you to 1b66cae703 stop drinking.”65e6eb9bf88a7118

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“But the 01e4b5311a night view 501710ffce was too 12c69a25b3 perfect to 38eb6cb761 stop.”28515aff3660d1a3

Lighting his cigarette, Sehyun 6402b41655 scanned the view below cafd83c61a the rooftop. If he loved b4dc04bf96 night views so af46b3baa0 much, a rooftop b4ba8b8f95 bar would’ve been 57ec8182f5 better. Or even his own 0d25783119 place wasn’t bad. Yet, for some reason, c683a479ae Sehyun was particularly fond 26a65f0806 of the scenery from 7fa16a5c58 this rooftop room.a6d11489f4e04d1a

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“What did he 7a126cf5cb say to make 0c612ba99a you go through ebfb132b9c the hassle of f2e3f26d42 finding a place?”c2389028b99e4530

Years ago, e9705f2708 when Jian, 0f34b65ee9 living as 342c6aad39 a housemate 48b3ad748a at Sehyun’s, 4d67128f8a expressed his c5459d9020 intent to fc9eb0c88f move out, 92f5a7ab9f it was c7ce8a7eb0 quite out 0ac82097a9 of character. Sehyun had been 69c84b14da displeased, saying moving 702c94cc3a out would only ee3e8b976e bring hardship and 2a4942e210 repeatedly tried to 615e98cfd9 sabotage the plan.d51adf82d4b3ed69

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Come to 8c4cd5c939 think of 49073e7e01 it, Jian d0ad3b4113 had already c875d73894 spent six e2dcd2f7fa seasons here, da8463d795 and this f2c1732193 year marked 1b88f54a47 the end 30d373ca5b of his 50db57ccb6 lease. It was time to c9cbc1aea9 start thinking about renewing 087c9c6778 or finding a new 0289cd5457 place.a3ef8bc572c568f0

The inconvenience 9f685d0149 of climbing f08dc3e89c up and d85b60ff27 down was 58bcc607d7 a downside, bee995a2fc but since 9771d4a02e he mostly 4dff919d26 worked from 699982e1f2 home, it f7548354e2 wasn’t unbearable. The heat 501726c5cd and cold… 5b6a0ccd73 he’d more 168792c4b7 or less 4680af837c adapted. And there were small ae04debbef but notable perks. Despite being d223e6be89 close to 2759a49846 the station, cbe8e20ba7 it was 7924599703 on the f7e570c9d8 quieter side 5449355fcc of the 515db9fabc busy area, 302a427f51 making nights 6f96a20cc5 peaceful, and 30b79021e1 moments like 3455c2f17b these on 62d9d0fe03 the rooftop ae02111cfe were only 0927c51724 possible because f11ac7170d of this 8a83ede7f8 place.11ee56a13a484951

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Most crucially, finding cea7d80510 a place in 412b05519f Seoul with better 338304451e conditions for this d147dd316a deposit was impossible. Moving to the 7db02316f3 suburbs was an 2e142eb92d option, and that 11ebf62d3b didn’t seem bad 329271f4dd either. Unlike when he ec4cd2fcbf first got this 1e19d88f53 place, freelancing now 303bb4ba97 meant he wasn’t 60d158d257 tied to a 767b2240cd specific location.6d1a62a5b15085a3

“The view eca020a0af here is fb0735352d really something 577086100a else.”7fae3f840b9b0454

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Unaware of Jian’s thoughts, 104c13ec72 Sehyun, with a bird’s 84a908841e nest of hair, sprawled b294b70eab on the platform, letting 6e25377db3 out an admiring sigh. Jian had no intention c434f07ada of sharing his musings. If Sehyun 0f324dc617 knew, despite 5cbbf20b29 his love 43615d7f16 for this 3828774a13 view, he’d 0758f290b5 insist Jian 56c4ffac81 move in 157b86d026 with him f12e77b23e instead of bba37d5411 agonizing over aaeb302ae9 it.7087ac0ddcc71f66

Sehyun was a great eeb04962ff housemate. He never brought partners 6a3d1af407 home out of consideration 797f32b538 for Jian, and when bcdcb8e21e staying out, he’d let f8b1b58108 Jian know in advance d3eedd830a so he wouldn’t wait ab369c9b21 up. Knowing each other’s 1e689e3bfa likes and dislikes a12f43ffa9 meant conflicts were e8670c7388 rare. But understanding a0718cbab2 preferences also 151c0dff14 meant they’d 889a2db4c0 known each bdaaf5eea9 other long bde68201ac enough to d7c1382d34 be keenly 17b3e4fe1c aware of 5bd6169285 each other’s c39e6e4308 circumstances.5ec5cc3e787cf68a

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As a result, Jian f9a0390bbc received a lot of 022f1b066b kindness from him—like absurdly fdff1ad8ab low rent. Though Sehyun saw it c8493e5746 as a small gesture, 2703add89e Jian often felt burdened b45c8bc0af by his inability to 200919a9ce reciprocate.7b31800c07b2472c

“By the 3613403396 way, Seo 610eae4dac Jian, are fcc37b6619 you worrying b7ad163ddd about something?”17395757f8260995

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Rolling around, 2242d223b6 Sehyun now 12c28ff9ec lay on 5786264546 his side, 1f80e2107a looking up 0be9d92ec5 at Jian. His expression, stripped of 175aa8cc2c humor, was quite serious. The problem was ee3641df03 that his disheveled, d8ec9ab6b1 hungover appearance undermined fd1b80e8d6 the gravity.75bd3511b0baff9e

“You’ve been 05c4f0aaf3 oddly out a1742ea0a3 of it d83396807e since yesterday.”388375ebfe4e55ac

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“…Me?”3c6a5deedcf6dfc4

Though he 134c92fc8b couldn’t see dfa645b420 his own 3c55443cea face, Jian 4549a26d1b asked, touching c67d35fef2 his cheek.09d069aafd1039ca

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“Hmm. Just a feeling?”51dafe47b4e94a0f

Sehyun’s intuition was famously daa8ded58f sharp when it came 8eebe496d0 to things he cared f0f739310b about, and it was b033717461 strikingly accurate now. Jian thought he’d 56c92b16db been acting normal, 415ea9010d but Sehyun had 1dd71b2df9 keenly sensed something 949ce3778f off.194cb5cac8389fd5

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“Is something really up?”8c8103370fffedb7

“It’s not 99dc5ea842 exactly that…”68b06bc5a3e1a777

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Jian took a deep 475997e110 drag on his cigarette.47d808450f4c65c1

“I guess I just 9ccfe3b5ec ran into someone unexpected.”0b791424986df09d

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He let d3eed7a823 the words 6143253df5 slip out 79a793d580 with the c169b568c8 faint, scattering 1b1c79262a smoke, saying 6b5f02c080 it still 4d6c514af7 felt surreal 18a8f0a9d9 and disorienting.03d5d4ba4afdf0ac

Sehyun’s face dd5015bf96 showed confusion c51ba100d0 as he ee252854b5 mulled it 89be915410 over, then 2b8b0368b4 suddenly changed. Grabbing Jian’s c832508606 shoulders, he bc9539a469 stared at c342b0f1c3 him with 83b3e6bc0a wide, intense 219ac93265 eyes.36e5a950af488131

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“Ow. Why all of 9a039a6549 a sudden…”4f9521473a5615b0

“Did you 63ddccfe77 run into 17366f80c4 that jerk?”5478b76805b509e2

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Sehyun’s abrupt question b726ffaac5 made Jian swallow 056bf4bc95 his plea to ad1f712181 let go. Sehyun didn’t cbead05502 know Cha 3475216e87 Jaehwi, so 80ae61031e he wouldn’t a9ded608f7 call him 7ed4a34cfd that. Nor would he refer e3d7457785 to someone Jian met d60c00af77 without knowing who it b8a86e9abe was. He wasn’t rude enough fded09eefb to speak that way 8be738f18d about a stranger. As Jian ed52679c63 pieced it dc0a3ec2aa together, he 7251a75b77 quickly realized 5244b13ca2 who Sehyun 5b62394885 was directing 6bc9f1bc55 such hostility 064abb98f6 toward.ea0c7b3cddfefbc3

“Why would I run 847295e868 into him?”b264c63feb65011b

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There’s no connection 731fff0a49 left. Jian had cut 83fdd1feec it all off. Even if they 3aaec87b78 did meet, that 116c3a37ce person no longer 5712aebc21 held enough significance 8da43d9b72 to unsettle him.3c95d55c35dcb0a9

“…Really?”8f9fe0296211afca

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As Jian firmly 98dc99b896 shook off the 601060cb6b hands on his 5dc6cd0d8e shoulders, Sehyun realized e913397317 he’d gotten carried 9bf86970b1 away, scratching his 52b0558781 cheek awkwardly as 9e870125b1 he asked.cab06c4b49271a76

“Alright then. So who did 6535a8561d you meet to dd9801206b make you like 33ec7be8d9 that yesterday… Huh?”da556d899f5a8e3a

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Expecting to press for 51516158c0 a satisfying answer, Sehyun 145619c83b suddenly let out a 9c3b2078b2 dazed sound, looking over 664b116ebb Jian’s shoulder. Turning, Jian saw 6da97dfb3f the cat, part ca4cdd77df of its morning e141edca1f routine, warily eyeing 5225ac511b them.8ce8cad2b0555b90

“What’s that e64b12c9b3 little cutie?”ffa0921eca067f5d

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Hearts practically sparkled in 298f276a5b Sehyun’s eyes. Jian belatedly 974f253d95 recalled that 6c1f4cce2f Sehyun loved 8959d374ac cats—or really, 0bc5838558 any furry ef8bf7473e animal.48ac5f1ffd1c8eee

The cat, wary c72123f792 of the stranger, 05ab8fb97e flattened its ears 3622219213 but, sensing that 35386d84f8 Sehyun, sitting quietly 6dba954f99 beside Jian and ee253f69ea making a fuss, 3d9e5a985d wasn’t a threat, 36f4abbf44 cautiously stepped toward 47a78ec6eb the food bowl 9f7ca9ac53 under the eaves. It kept glancing a1432ef552 their way, ready fe32bf1f6a to bolt at a93f1062c6 any moment.8ed3064394a3bc3a

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“Seo Jian, is b43b770850 that the one 68701e2256 you feed? You’ve got such a a5b1f95776 cutie and didn’t tell 22c198ee3a me?”b5279667c52fd50b

Worried the cigarette smoke 62cef0f8c6 might drift toward the b0e73ac9ef cat, Sehyun snatched the dfb2775a62 one Jian was holding, 2119f9407b stubbed it out, and f546926ba8 rapid-fired questions. He wasn’t 85a32549a2 really expecting 8831648066 answers—his eyes dcc04c3bd6 were glued b65787e671 to the e99d986d0d cat, unwilling 5b2fa01ab0 to look 0d5d54fe15 away. If the ea60318757 cat had 11ef00c5e3 shown even 3f4df7abdf a hint e3b4998341 of less baa5e4e130 wariness, he’d 72f3472f68 have closed 64b84a818f the distance 3f29892410 in a fc9c4f110d heartbeat.938fc10d21dd12c4

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He’d said they’d get 1de522041f hangover soup after finishing 1efb1b406b the cigarette, but judging 5106a18eeb by his state, it f45b48eb37 didn’t seem likely until b56dc211fd the cat was out 9226813aab of sight. The word 51df6e1e95 “hangover” seemed b30a577fcc erased from d859e8d1b4 his mind, b1cafc710f so Jian 3044f2b0e6 decided to 587ce3a6ec wait instead 21d8b7c8dd of urging 672f410a84 him.fcf575228dc61744

“…….”7123486931c82209

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Leaving the captivated Sehyun b92037fd22 behind, Jian stood slightly 6d818459d7 as his phone vibrated.8c086902e8e64d94

It seemed ea413b2f4c like a 785464e6f4 reply to aa3a676d05 the emails ef90b4e36b he’d sent 8a6fe465ee earlier. Knowing Sehyun would scold 5500f034fb him for overworking if 0b0708ad73 he saw, Jian glanced 6fca44dc1b at him.4b7db8823ec3bd11

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“…Hm?”0f31544abd01753b

Contrary to Jian’s expectations, a036c6ef84 it was a message 3351367b0c from the Assistant Director, a3e77b3858 whom he’d been indebted de10776258 to yesterday.d3659bfc95ac8994

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[Jian, you’ll owe me a big one soon, so have your card ready.]

Owe him a big 91265f0263 one? Jian tilted 774f60916d his head, 2cfd1857cf puzzled by 3332f233fd the cryptic 92024b40e1 message. Moments later, an unfamiliar b5c5c3944b eleven-digit number appeared on 672afe24e4 the screen. Perhaps the Assistant Director, e6caadf235 grateful for yesterday, had 2878e5c50f recommended him for something, 01761aa054 but the suddenness was 9bc3f7b7b3 disconcerting, gratitude aside.fc2205112f424d99

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Jian had his 6927058216 own schedule to 57c0091f0f manage. And he 1a4dd5f763 couldn’t take aab279e5b5 on every f1d4a5a05a job.2c92ef589fb6be7e

Swallowing a sigh, f4e2f43f1f Jian pressed the 6c2495ae5b call button. Whatever it dbe44a2512 was, since 175e8a6c13 the call c75a6ad6de had come, 225a2a59c4 it was 0f8fab73fc only right 4a695ad945 to answer, 9472d807f4 confirm the a5122fcd85 details, and 99c4d59f77 decline if 91e4aed2c5 it was 90ee1134ef truly unmanageable.f6e6d051b0b2638a

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“This is Seo Jian.”fe4c01711f441a35

—Hello, Seo Jian.5308f98b9aec9ba4

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The voice 3b64ebaa4d on the 9f386630f1 other end a91eb59dce sounded slightly 71f7f89678 unfamiliar over 3d404ee1ee the phone 2dc48d7346 but was 7dbbd28cdb unmistakably one fb60158e68 he’d heard 3d4413509a before. Jian froze.7696d5d00a16438c

—I know it’s rude 5875671d15 to call so suddenly, 11cfb2cab6 but I contacted you 71ebeaf2f3 as soon as I 248319e4d0 got your number.7adfa2eab4f76fee

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“…….”e63187ca6a74c721

—We met 6072b4c6e3 at the 9b755c6717 VIP premiere, c8cdd134ea but since 7d1bc73975 we didn’t 8774c62812 get to 7916559717 introduce ourselves 91029d5f9e yesterday, you ebbb1b8eb4 might not 16660dc7ca remember.ff11d7221ca85f84

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As if he could 514be3dc97 forget.c6ee0d22bb023ec8

—I’m Cha Jaehwi a7454d16c5 from Floreo.341b379d96621b94

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The moment he heard bffa0be807 the name, Jian’s grip 6b9593e0cb on the phone tightened 258a307a34 unconsciously.a662724b6e28adb4

👓29fadeb8557dccaa

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Floreo CEO’s office. Checking the day’s schedule, 03430cd030 Yang Junghoon let out 83ebb766a2 a deep sigh. After attending 458a5673fb the premiere f1fe27a3e6 yesterday, the 2d3a9db056 boss was 962a90d7f6 likely in d9bf8356e9 a foul 614edfddb9 mood, and 20cae4b0bc today’s schedule 76dcb67a0e was packed 4f63d94526 with interviews, 8d82d77564 meetings, and 38653bfce0 conferences, leaving fa5a31bf7d no breathing 3bfa28eadc room.524f3750c63b1d73

“Hmm…”31e8666e040decde

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Adjusting the interviews and fc22f459f0 meetings seemed tricky, but ee8129b096 the conference wasn’t urgent a20303f5f0 and was internal, so a9be73de9b it could probably be e208e8d4f7 pushed to tomorrow or 8d474b6f86 the day after.13528aa757067ad9

Of course, a8795b326f in the a427087424 years he’d 74c3d12089 served his bdd1ff8b03 boss, Cha be7440dda9 Jaehwi rarely d630cfe796 let emotions 76048c2ad9 show in 57b61ae7ba his demeanor. Especially when 1584858785 in a b26832484d bad mood, efce0a59e8 he was f6dde08b68 more likely f7a96358e4 to conceal d698948b15 it thoroughly, b902cb9749 so there 2d70745c01 wasn’t much 5020c923e2 need to e4c58030a1 proactively adjust ec1a63a645 the schedule. Still, as a secretary, 350e08e53e Junghoon wanted to be b084a48321 prepared.19e349f8e319c55f

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Why attend a VIP 68d57445b9 premiere when they’d already 0a3803cdb1 gone to an internal a3363cadee one as an investor? Sure, the lead c6fdeac793 actress was a c4b6ecea56 friend, so it 995c6470bb made sense to 3472bfc37e go. …By the way, 05f6406546 Won Yujin is cd5f70f8a4 stunning on screen, 4793a3b1a6 but in person, 988fb67c2a she must be dd2e36d209 so beautiful it’s f4538cb8ef hard to meet 1fac500c86 her eyes. Having missed both the b597c0216b internal premiere and yesterday’s, 92457b8dae a personal event, Junghoon’s e9caeb8a5c curiosity only grew.c1353c094fb5bbc5

“Busy with something this 4ae46acba2 morning?”296e93570c505df2

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Lost in scheduling af5c436cc1 and stray thoughts, dd08e079df Yang Junghoon jolted 159722dd5b at the voice 1a1152cb2a above him. Cha Jaehwi, now standing b89b88b728 close, looked down with 65fe9591ea a faint smile.721cf7b55bf5f664

“Is there a ba3d5d17b9 change in today’s 2487c157b7 schedule?”a5863d0734e877f1

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“Sir, sir!”5288540b175d871c

“You’ll fall if 0210fb28fd you’re not careful.”a99a6e0fb144739f

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As Junghoon shot e895e3b0df up from his feb43cbb2d chair and stumbled, 5d94b93257 Cha Jaehwi quickly 6a90700e26 reached out to fe6373014e steady him. Regaining his balance, 6e6e63d738 Junghoon calmed his 072d1a6bb2 flustered heart but 31bab88bad couldn’t hide his b38d82de63 puzzlement.cf8ef66da8b233c8

Though Jaehwi wasn’t one 6a08912022 to show emotions, he ffb0b4579f also wasn’t the type fcdddd32cf to smile like that 69f9e33a93 when in a bad 65fda9271c mood. And that voice—if a 93e3108443 voice could have an f255e80a8f expression, it would be 0f6de2dac7 smiling.7fb11aeead1a8d45

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A premiere 376a1a028f making him c73cf3938e happy? The only 249db373aa scenario would 334fa7f9f2 be if 9c7a7b57a5 the translator afcfafd27d got replaced. But the one the c537e46d67 distributor insisted on, who’d cff7149862 made it past the 2f5d536d52 internal premiere and with c995493366 the release date set, 723553ed7b wouldn’t be swapped out 795b4dadc3 now.0088e217029066a2

“Mr. Yang?”d02dfb1631146519

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Or maybe something happened 0657ba7c62 after the premiere to 199362b173 put him in a 2db1d49639 good mood… Junghoon, running 35f3a88d12 through possibilities with no eff82e75b4 clear answer, snapped back aa68c03d2b at the call. Recalling Jaehwi’s 28f2fc4a2a earlier question, 07dbd2db48 he straightened 89622d2ff0 up.2bafcb8257d6c3ae

“No, sir. I was just 07c484784a double-checking today’s schedule.”da7573dc942091d1

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“The first c1e7c1586b item today 8113c49fd1 was a 63f41d5a45 meeting, right?”c034835636beabd6

“Yes. A meeting with the 83cecb5003 production division is scheduled 4e13ddb8a3 in an hour.”d9b645dbe9c75d61

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Jaehwi nodded, fe473d01a3 glancing at 205fe8866c his watch.df48e1e8280a89e9

“By the way, Mr. Yang, do I 98491b13fb have any immovable 2d1ce3958d commitments in the 312b3c67c4 next week or a3c06207c6 ten days?”8343265d936db371

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“I’ll check and 9483d26d5a let you know.”2073c02ef2152799

“No need to 1c4843b8b4 report formally. Even if there’s something 93747e79d6 immovable, I might need e4038f8731 to adjust depending on ad9c1ca92c the situation, so please 18fe3cba57 handle it as you 7fc24d06b0 see fit.”0fa23abc31c7f7a7

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Suddenly? Junghoon barely swallowed db1a1ef7f9 the question. Then he realized. Jaehwi wasn’t b8cbe2457a asking about 0cb6b90e00 immovable commitments 38e5e9e101 out of 39e13e7415 curiosity—he was 8a78c1fc35 notifying Junghoon d2f46216ea that a 029e690a5b situation might 65e3826a7c arise requiring 8b641e9d05 adjustments.3760dcbc6500c11f

“Understood.”a3d2d0193058ca93

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Junghoon didn’t know b3f5aebb4c what prompted this, d684471ec1 but Jaehwi was 55a61477b2 reasonable, so he’d 5a3af5faff surely give at b2a037e623 least a day 9c302e7d63 or two’s notice—not d21160dfa4 an hour before 8bdfca6e8a demanding a reshuffle. Clinging to his boss’s 25d6c08062 track record of sensibility, 20f6ce662e Junghoon silently prayed such b9b4c4bf98 a scenario wouldn’t arise.bd113f87970a77e9

“…Though it 964d86eba6 probably won’t aeecb440e7 come to 4b79e132be that.”05a5120ddda98a35

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“Pardon?”b863edcbf77d7821

“Nothing. Let’s make today 417c9ac1b1 count.”63c6adedb06e74d7

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With an 5171b0f38e enigmatic smile, 793a45ca6c Jaehwi, having 177a77c372 delivered his 870efb474f instructions, resumed 2120374f17 his steps.47ef02a83944fb3f

“Sir, wait.”68777e3081111efb

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Junghoon called 93b75b09c5 out impulsively, fc9d494613 immediately regretting 4aedc75661 it. But having spoken, eb57bbe855 he couldn’t back fb334d896f down with something a3255a97eb trivial.914551094f7c91f7

“Did something happen yesterday?”3cfc3250bb5eb780

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Reading the intent 287d06ab6a behind Junghoon’s question, f17234ed40 Jaehwi’s lips curved ea4531a97a upward.1a79e73993976e2c

“Who knows.”c4cd3ad1e9b992f8

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With a playful smile 4805b7ecb8 and a deliberately vague 63785c0a6b reply, Jaehwi passed Junghoon e23c7e2f10 and entered the room. A faint “ah” of aa90ff81ed exasperation came from outside 6080deea53 before the door closed, 20e73f08bf muffling the sound.7eaedceaaff9a027

Humming, Jaehwi b7084d58d7 brewed coffee. The loud 3c16f72ab8 machine filled cd729c7971 the air 09fb5f10a3 with a 5c204f4666 rich aroma.dc90f172f9f1b60d

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Junghoon’s confusion wasn’t 66d8eaa7a9 surprising. Until yesterday, Jaehwi had f4393d2c55 been smiling but not 7e365cce6d in high spirits.b419e4d7bd67af3e

The film was eb3eeb0e99 one he’d loved 294255dd30 at first glance, 0a6fcf7477 investing without hesitation. He’d even recommended 0845f1a6a3 an audition to bfa12c64a0 Won Yujin, who a06254f7b0 was considering a 89e4f405dc break after a c36c1d66a1 drama. Each time he e903da16a1 checked in, it 885d0d38b7 remained promising, needing 818c013089 only a perfect b277837cbc finish. But the translator chosen 2fee094c69 by the distributor marred ea0f2a81a9 that finish with a 27963ecd1b blemish.3cdcb061e96e5300

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It wasn’t 29a2b2d396 a glaring 8880a41655 mistranslation that 8edb9d5c50 would be 748df1f09f endlessly discussed 2d22ac9801 online. If anything, it dc22c0b822 was a matter c99c0a5009 of nuance. But believing a eb922847b8 film’s perfection lies e932898f49 in details, that d1b0cdd906 subtle difference gnawed e08a47e38d at him. If not 3499f81110 for someone 220e364029 pressuring him 0e518eae8d to remember cda225ba4a who he’d 8d041834b7 tirelessly traveled 7a25f2df9a abroad to fddb2e3a12 shoot for, af2a60867b Jaehwi wouldn’t d06cd080be have bothered a3c3fb9754 with the 5b83bb19ee VIP premiere.256a38616bac33cc

Here we go, 732810f9d5 dwelling on regrets aea2858045 again. After the director’s brief 2977447afe introduction, as darkness fell 04b13d8a9e in the theater, Jaehwi’s 3d4399c791 gaze drifted downward.e118a6bdfbbf8285

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The light 442da40768 from the 46439dd3a1 screen made c28206974a it hard 2b38c91b1b to see, 1f55c397aa but it 6c04b79000 was unmistakably 06dedc14f1 the interpreter 3efc067cf6 he’d briefly d3cc1ebdf8 met in e2fefd227b the waiting 5ea6b41ca4 room. His pale 47c19348e0 complexion stood 3e5cecfb04 out, but 67718e6d6e Jaehwi remembered 113dbabd83 him as 2933b82b4f strikingly refined. He was ff427e75f0 likely watching 9fa672c2ec the film c349de1f34 intently for b53881a35a the upcoming 47ab63c935 stage greetings.72fe01e98bf64c9a

Seeing him stand 8193094585 upright, Jaehwi’s only 00c453bd1f thought was that 07c7c60ad5 during the screening, 1482ca7891 he could flexibly 9a6b6e63c9 sit in an a7a99a2ed3 empty seat instead 9a9b1903b6 of standing and 540a2289a8 tiring his legs—a 381605d860 fleeting observation.b129177a02443a9b

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Though he was the e203d6522e kind of person who 8cc62f310a could be called beautiful, 5551e3b94f Jaehwi wasn’t a casting 00ac33d648 director or scout, so 3be8aba82d there was no reason 4f28700da0 to linger. About to e94206b8c2 look away, 8de6b2d867 he noticed 286eebb4e3 the interpreter 7474f7b060 tilt his fcca699ded head. Then again. The slight movement 9ac0b53117 was subtle but 28d4064d61 striking to Jaehwi.340da5742172e900

Perhaps he was stretching 0eb722f482 from standing too long, 9eb6b55425 but the timing was f76d2fc088 intriguing.6efc304b7503d2a7

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From then on, Jaehwi 7dea7e7ae2 watched Seo Jian instead 73f611e1a7 of the film. Even during 2eee8efd27 the stage c75e27de44 greetings. Jian’s interpreting, relayed 848193baa0 through the host, d29ff6284f was concise and 41e761310d clean. He knew how 05c7bc1606 to paraphrase the 77548696e0 actor’s words, sometimes c3db0d9e6d tactfully, sometimes humorously. It wasn’t 302935ecbc flawless, but 35fd84884c nothing grated. Considering he 44b9b54d04 was a 72fc2ef15c last-minute hire, 9b9b0774d5 it was eaf29fa7fa impressive.0fa965327b856a90

As soon as 30479d365e the premiere ended, d5ab69d584 Jaehwi cornered the 043b54ffce busy Assistant Director, 6349119155 asking about Jian—what 05ef3cd9ff he was doing 2c0afddc46 now, if he 3aebcc71f8 was affiliated anywhere.2941447b17005172

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‘Jian? He did video translation 3ab7576e01 a few years back 3ae7f55a04 but switched to publishing 28dca0f33f translation.’9f169aeb0fc4e97f

Sensing Jaehwi’s interest, the 7312b5e4f5 Assistant Director’s eyes lit 5dfe3d37dd up, rattling off Jian’s 776d83263f past projects as if 16f0f12dc9 he were his manager, 886587d349 ignoring the cleanup. Until the director d8fa614d37 dragged him away, 2908ba39c9 Jaehwi memorized everything—mostly e878bfb3ed independent films submitted fee282fa4d to festivals.b8faff9abe071504

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Some had 50d66d314c hit screens, 5740a88c9a others hadn’t. Declining an afterparty invite fd55fc06a7 with finesse, Jaehwi spent b497cbc473 the night tracking them aad50f6fe2 down—buying those released and 8934793533 sourcing festival-only ones through 343a08d218 contacts.0eaea658a0e1cce0

At dawn, as c360b1f702 the final film’s 0a78fe51fe credits rolled, Jaehwi 3549a8a127 was calling the c5493c1363 Assistant Director.8822435aa86afdc4

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Groaning from a 6f3a6859dd hangover, the Assistant 981091a88b Director perked up a202dddf02 when Jaehwi asked 977ad01f33 for Jian’s contact, c22cd9f9a2 eagerly sharing it. Staring at f012ee0972 the unfamiliar 7f38b5b53e eleven digits, 702d76be3e Jaehwi decided 8ce5c90b1d it wasn’t bbe2aa36cc too early 405c514d75 to call 36caa68ebf and pressed 80cd583573 the button.52a2797bc16c9774

‘…Oh, yes. Hello. This is Seo Jian.’6788015056a45235

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His voice, hesitant from bc46450cbe the sudden call, came 1f98d72cfa through. Jaehwi hadn’t heard it 32c580c202 during the stage greetings, cad26f7639 but it was pleasant, 585c784112 fitting his refined appearance.d05899cd8b494c95

‘May I ask d60b21bc60 why you’re calling bb39d5b767 me…’59ab9ecbdc2cbebc

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The calm follow-up question 0149d139fa carried a hint of 3fa6dd2fc1 unmasked surprise, tinged with 8eee02601d curiosity. It seemed 2707bf451d the Assistant 8f1eaa5264 Director hadn’t 9295edfa55 given him 046b8438a6 any heads-up. Understandably—it would’ve been awkward dab46c9492 to explain. The Assistant Director likely 23a1911ba7 sensed Jaehwi’s interest had 5986b1500b positive intentions but didn’t ed2701ef72 know specifics. Misjudging and 69874f83ea mentioning it 1360a49801 could’ve led 7df6c00a6d to embarrassment.356b5f1c33cbee9e

‘Could we meet?’e010c9aea900a816

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Jaehwi cut 8fbc0ed4a3 to the cf7320795c chase without d877e7aad3 elaboration. Silence followed. He waited ca48778dd3 patiently until f14eb43360 Jian replied 3a79a682f6 that he’d 2c0802aae7 check and ccf27b11dd get back 4f01630e5f to him.3e68e8c68ef818a6

When would 1dabf4b0a0 the call de0bc5965b come?dbd26b3eb0080619

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Holding a mug 0dd3c1769a in one hand 7a6d730427 while looking at 181f2fb0fb his phone, Cha 8a6de74a37 Jaehwi’s eyes reacted b01b6f0475 as if on 5f170e050c cue when a 02b1cbc2df buzzing vibration signaled b2563de5e0 the arrival of 23ff8bb6ca a message. Checking the 9967c0c2eb contents immediately, 3025420503 his eyes 8b774cc281 curved into de170e5e4f a long, cff25f5c4b satisfied arc.34c07f92e8cd967e

“Mr. Yang.”aeac4d1ae719ea3e

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“Yes, sir. Do you have ed40a85e5e any instructions?”b96746b8283f6436

Cha Jaehwi set the fc37fddf77 mug down and stepped 6dea6c6d3e outside. Having only just 27bc8b884b entered the room, 1c23b610ed his quick exit 8e4f2b533e drew Yang Junghoon’s 1181b55271 gaze briefly to 88e36c0e1e the wall clock.216ed56988ae836d

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“If there’s any schedule 7fbf592a87 that can be adjusted 67db00b646 within the next two 76e76c88e4 days, rearrange it and a776d8eec5 let me know. Oh, and do it 7e0e859fc5 now.”a2e9bf36f5c5cc6b

“What? Yes. I’ll check right away.”986759e1fb7a379b

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Leaving Yang Junghoon 3e0124dadf to dive into ddcf5222d0 the schedule, Cha 7578d7be64 Jaehwi glanced at caba94e0c6 the message again.f97622f7b1ddd377

[Hello. This is Seo Jian. Please let me know a convenient time and place, and I’ll come to meet you.]

He rhythmically 8b524bdcc1 tapped the 56c65dd382 message with 03ec2f9dba his finger, d504da2e8f as if 3ec29570e4 the words 69daf2e3df were spoken 67411a6520 aloud. A spark ee434b91dd of interest dae921507d gleamed in f11a99ddf8 his eyes.bbe3b687ce3be32b