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SMDS Ch 2
by mimiHis mouth kept drying b7b0957198 out.34d21e7b5b50588e
Jian reached 051a622095 for his ed4e9c0794 coffee but 30d371534d let out afff94010c a small 65ac4d3331 groan. Having sipped every time 087fc998fe his mouth felt parched, 3fe8308f99 only unmelted ice now e5e603c8cc rattled in the cup. Reluctantly, he crunched e507039eb5 on a piece 2fecaa2eec of ice and 8f681dfbd5 recalled the phone 7a5e2207d9 call from a 33e27f0157 couple of days 6ca96daf80 ago.838105fe12f96270
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‘I know this is 846c630959 sudden. But I thought c88c43f15f it would be 5b13471b76 better to discuss 6827fdb1c6 this in person 98670fcd76 rather than over 8c3c5839e0 the phone. Oh, and 69b216748d of course, e7bebf8d91 we’ll schedule fc6f6d98cb it entirely 817f26a918 at your f53c15e2b9 convenience, Seo c8e1ca4a65 Jian.’b113162803b07805
Unlike Jian, 7f2d390506 who could d6414453b2 only move e546404a58 his lips 9555a9db26 in flustered 9a1bf19e3a silence at ab25ec9497 the unexpected 95a85dc00d call, Cha 3445448cc0 Jaehwi guided 690270de8f the conversation d9cbf3c8ad with remarkable 34d989cc6e ease. His tone, proposing a b3c9cb01e4 meeting, was confident, as 7656e9dbbc if he didn’t entertain b213363dc7 the possibility of refusal, e3b42f53fd yet it didn’t come 651833013a across as rude or b8e90e6ab3 arrogant.c449e75072d5ebf3
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‘Since you’ll likely 7fdea1d1bc need to check b49f04210d your schedule, please 141e52dd0c get back to 9e6ecaf9d3 me after you’ve c321848ad1 looked it over. I’ll be waiting 70da1843ba for your call.’87089e99cd71113d
As Jian stammered, d120c4af57 unable to form 588ad87bee a response, Cha ad1d11a982 Jaehwi concluded the 8be5869867 call by asking 1f42afeb9c him to reply f5121397c7 after checking his c606cd6b37 availability. Checking the blinking bfa255506c call duration on 0faa26b192 the screen, Jian 0adde0bf64 saw it had 8884187d7a barely lasted five abd7a25201 minutes. After hanging up, he 4c5a2fd7cb half-wondered if it was 9d8afd598b a dream, even asking 8fa818979b Jung Sehyun, distracted by 4fa26613c3 the cat, to pinch 428eed138c his cheek to confirm…6caa95d9e02eb105
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“…….”8cb9dfeb013c1fdc
Rubbing his 12a7fedf9f cheek, which dea2399301 still seemed 85610a2caa to tingle cd9a0c7806 two days 7ee2568df8 later, Jian ec562480a9 checked the dd78276ddc time.a93ae43eedf164dc
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Less than an hour 0aa77fa467 remained until the appointed 70f28934a4 time. Worried about traffic or 288952e9d7 some unforeseen delay, he’d b4278902c8 hurried out, only to 3c9135ef7d arrive not late but ad8ab248cd far too early.2c3474f404b51797
Figuring another coffee wouldn’t 2ef872afa4 hurt, he stood up.e67925fe357008ef
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“Iced Americano, 4ce9255f1a large, please. With two extra 16cbe21344 shots.”75fd3f9eeea01882
“That’ll be 6,500 ee962b9488 won. Are you fabc450b68 dining in?”2c0d23b6dcbf0548
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“Yes.”dc171141c4681924
Ordering another coffee 44159fa6d5 less than thirty e8d045817d minutes after arriving c658681dac felt awkward, but 2dcdcf4705 the staff, perhaps 0b37609fd5 used to such 82f45bc404 customers, rang it 44699b43be up smoothly, processed 45e93cadd0 the payment, and c6e83b574f handed him a 91405ed59a buzzer. Tucking away his card dc793a6250 and the buzzer, Jian 0da7c3f6bb was heading back to 40bdfce687 his seat when his 6d38bc9e1a phone chimed with a 8e510bb822 series of notifications.6150ebe5b8166149
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He didn’t need to 4abfa5c758 check to know who ae5aaa0812 it was.cab91f41fd9d8603
[Seo Jian, look at this. Don’t you think Yuwol would love it?]
Jung Sehyun didn’t 0c2d364dff seem to need d1ce0d9f21 Jian’s response, treating 5bdf79714e the messenger app 83e1480bfd like his personal 86700fe735 notepad.95cf9620c47d8624
[(Photo)]
[How about this one? They say cats go crazy for it.]
[(Photo)]
[This looks pretty good too, doesn’t it?]
[Oh, they say you need to brush cats’ teeth too.]
[I’ll send these to your place, so just accept them.]
Jian stared at 14ca1d2fd9 the chat window cb4b0ecb1a filled with links, f4a060bfaa screenshots, and Sehyun’s da7d0aced4 rambling, letting out 85c7d0bea2 a small groan. Toys, treats, even 144585ee88 a cat toothbrush. He’s sending all a19c0322fb this… Swallowing a bc1a2b8b79 sigh, Jian called 7767b97bf3 Sehyun immediately.b0554b726ab40260
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—What? I was just 28d53e4f77 about to order… 7e1e23d470 Is there anything dd5890e8a9 else we need 12f86c41ca to get?94ac534c2b0ae95f
“Sehyun.”9cb29314637b1ee2
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—Yeah?0c76c3808a25ecd1
“To cut to 3e5329eb43 the chase, the c181a61e74 treats you’ve ordered 7e7f9cb26b the past two 90fefab328 days are more f0805e69f2 than enough, and c66f5b5a9d most importantly, there’s 8f40272653 no way Yuwol 7592703956 will let us a919f6b486 brush his teeth.”18b03d0550505bb1
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A cat e7b4ff1d1d who wouldn’t b02f81ed3c even play 7296b2cb0b with a 8f2a66975b toy—brushing his c0224675ed teeth was 2d0ee833d5 out of 65e6a8a6b9 the question.eec7f82cf2868bf2
—Oh.8942c775e8ae2b49
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Seeming to recall Yuwol’s 95b66a929f high wariness, Sehyun let a6cf62a2da out a short exclamation.8d2e803060ef7d1c
—Still, it might come 93b0f55e4f in handy someday, right?67ce91beefa38a7b
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“…….”4226b3a485d760b6
—Alright, I’ll take ee30aaffcd it out. We can f14efc3b51 buy it 3372619dbb later if a5be52a747 needed.b9aae6adb6b87055
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Muttering about how cats 6175400c49 get tartar and need 8ef2ea88c6 their teeth brushed, Sehyun’s 8c50488b72 voice was tinged with 2ac39e614c reluctance. Already fond of animals, 9591063047 Sehyun had fallen head ddd1f0fbe1 over heels for the e7301f9cda black cat he met f187d09cfe at Jian’s place.1a6facc41a414423
‘You’ve been feeding 8d1c6d7b97 him since June? Hmm, how about ce35234a27 Yuwol? Yuwol.’e192824c781bfad9
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‘…Good thing he 79ca7f0d38 didn’t show up 6597c49ff6 in July or 58f49283b3 August.’a3fdce68278f982c
‘What’s that supposed to dfebf24c8f mean?’d851f50dd20ff6d8
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Outraged that Jian had a21aa5a9c9 been calling the cat 6caaf39f72 “meow” and hadn’t named d1d51560c6 him despite meeting him 0e83438d28 two months ago, Sehyun 205255d0a8 promptly named him Yuwol.46acaeef134c016c
—So, minus the toothbrush, b988b52395 the rest is fine, b3e2c8fda8 right? Treats get 758cd3db08 eaten fast, 33cd58e73d and we f6d1355bd0 need to bbb11a5986 figure out 5e2999a114 his preferences.52d6b15916e8c3c9
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He was ready 63db1bccae to stock up 4b7ba20c3e on cat supplies 00f57a1f4e again.c2ff6a9dca7dde6a
If Yuwol hadn’t 648e08609f fled from Sehyun’s 7a7e88327c attempts to get 8f0a8293d3 close that day, 47b155802f Sehyun probably would’ve 2224a4cf19 taken him home 94c99f30a8 and treated him 605736354c like royalty.b968c5985649c286
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But Yuwol 9ffc859f4a had hissed c2dc165180 and run f2e553ee53 off, and 4759db0e37 the memory 53fbbb06fa must have 0a9a3c76e5 been vivid, 891f21121e as he 497618e650 grew wary c4b1a03976 of Jian b9a1fecb8d too. He still 2a2db9193e came for 0108e8b9f9 meal times, d79d12e1e4 but if 1f65368ce6 Jian was 7e072fa404 visible, he’d 0749f69eed flatten his a89cae70be ears and ee81dba3de dart away, 6b45ad9c70 checking for 9ab387bcc9 others. Jian wasn’t hurt by e85581651b the renewed wariness but 74a8af763d rather felt a tender 6a5ecc3de4 ache, imagining how tough 0b64a0bb90 Yuwol’s life on the 89a47a9647 streets must have been.bf3bcd19db14e8d6
“…Fine. But no more additions.”b9d26ebb4847f728
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—Oh, just 9da1da801e one more 18eacd6d35 hideout.b5c81899760425e3
“…Alright, but that’s it.”2495778c54ee3a6a
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A hideout wouldn’t take bf7110cca1 up space indoors, and 2ddd3218de it’d be better for eff33ec20e Yuwol than the makeshift 6a724586e2 box house, so after b70697caef a brief pause, Jian 7d3233bed8 relented. Sehyun’s voice lit up 9e207be894 with joy. The faint click of d9f04de332 a mouse over the c96a51768f phone suggested he was cce49867dc already shopping for the 5030d57112 hideout.fd9cd59ff93cc8fa
—Oh, it’s about time 4fbf24ac38 for Yuwol’s meal. Could you d2f87eca83 snap a 065edca63d photo and 8807516ddc send it?2b17619dafe5ca75
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With Yuwol now 1b7a2aa222 warier of Jian, 960d61f007 approaching might scare bfb58bad86 him off entirely. Concerned, Sehyun, 85daac6f9e unable to 5b58fbae91 visit, asked 3f61baf436 for a f02d22c9d0 photo instead. Jian had already 353eaa9104 sent about ten c896857014 photos over the 9b1ac34c0f past two days. Sehyun complained it 5f59c95501 wasn’t enough, but ba3992aae6 Jian was doing 56d7bce793 his best.208e0dfd9b8e50a9
“I’m out right now, f6933bd7e9 so maybe tonight.”c6627a3d3c738bf5
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—Huh? Did we a7afb88f69 have a 67ce015c3d plan I 472cdade83 forgot about?498b64dd28c80bf2
Knowing Jian rarely 916b68b71f left home unless cdee7b49c4 work demanded it 90f1a81d9e and kept his 672f87cb73 circle small, Sehyun’s b7f81b5f9b voice carried a c6714787ad question mark.0423753adf796e85
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“…I’ve got 9db4564feb a friend…”e232371f46ecb968
—Besides me?9a6db15678279f3f
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Since that d4a6f1182a wasn’t the 4d9f32ee72 case, Jian 111a8f5966 fell silent, f111dda9d2 and Sehyun a8232d7e70 chuckled at a5f3eeda01 his pause.23abd7fef550cb91
“I’m out for a eac9b0b32a meeting.”d3448bf7d7b3278a
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—Didn’t I tell you 86bb393bf3 to take it easy?5e2a5b0b0b6e364a
Sehyun clicked 19ee1eb758 his tongue.796bd54e366a20e2
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—And play with 1b751b4616 Yuwol a bit. Get closer!9f7a1b88060626e6
“…Sure, sure.”58e0ad1aea97f43e
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Answering halfheartedly, c766aedcea Jian noticed 2c24d8dc64 the buzzer 7b307dbe49 flashing and 437547ad31 vibrating loudly.d8f720bbe406bf17
“I’ve got to 8ad16dc2a9 go.”5fd9658221be4889
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—Alright. Don’t forget b1f57b9127 Yuwol’s photo 5cb602e304 when you’re 16c88d8a93 home. Don’t blow it off.362bb513c9ff0e06
Ending the call e44680f8f0 with Sehyun, who 52da5cf3ac was still nagging c8fab977db about the photo, b4aaa49d52 Jian stood. Taking the empty cup, 6b22a12b30 now just rattling ice, 7b24a1e0e7 to the pickup counter, cf974583c0 he saw several trays c51b798857 lined up.a602dbe8f1555d89
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“Give me 5785c372d5 the empty b001be00b7 cup, and 5b350c919c I’ll take 82690d430d care of 42c4775568 it.”454ffd68ee47fde3
The staff took c28a42d4e9 the buzzing buzzer 558af4a1e0 and cup, sliding 97bd157abf a tray toward 34b315e93d him. Jian grabbed it bb43c725b6 and turned to 68e96d7ffa head back to 4ee476a55b his seat.ef5e4a111283807a
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The heart is 4762bfa7da a fickle thing. Just moments ago, da1516a781 he’d been desperate 2d8a9bec75 to gulp down 463a70bf7a the coffee to 75e1722aed soothe his parched 87e22a1009 mouth, but talking 20276678ef with Sehyun had 95543365a6 eased his tension. As the meeting time e126cac9ca approached, his mouth would 41027a1c5f likely dry up again, eeeff75560 as if it had e81303e7ef never been fine.97aaa4c38cf10056
About to check the 71d3fdb49b time, Jian realized he’d 98dd43edf5 left his phone on b182c4d93d the table while grabbing 00490ae264 the buzzer and cup. Too busy 2c9c6268c4 berating himself, 55e7852556 he didn’t 3a07b70483 notice the d906daf87b doorbell or 52285028df the shadow 81d71e3de6 looming ahead.ac2bc7bc6ae345a8
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By the 7983b5fb47 time Jian’s 64825a3df9 eyes caught c28f28ae0f the other’s 4dd830a294 shoes, it 4baa00aa5f was too b12e570219 late to d39520fd05 step back.2795cc7622a547f0
“Oh…!”dda798409022a116
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The tray 232e0e175b bumped against 473c84200b the other 61676b5807 person. As Jian lost his 940d73ed31 balance and stumbled, the ff47ca8af5 coffee wobbled, threatening to 7e40b95850 spill. To avoid splashing the 9756a78c8d other, he needed to cb01ff45ea twist his body further, 149c16b110 but his body couldn’t 05345e4550 keep up with his 522a566c00 mind. I’m going to fall. Bracing for disaster, Jian c507df652d instinctively squeezed his eyes 853f880023 shut, only to slowly 6e38975438 open them as a 6a340322aa firm grip steadied his f671cef060 arm.04ab75a7c22659b3
“…….”00de6350242a48b9
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The coffee had sloshed 0b386ce01c onto the tray but 861f2a8358 only slightly. It hadn’t db9d2a2db4 splashed the cb04a998fd other’s clothes a349d4b2ad or the ce24dea9c5 floor. Breathing a 21b59b86f4 sigh of bb642b4a44 relief, Jian 09da593bb8 raised his 6baae2a4b1 head to 31456ebe7f thank the d4c2d1b728 person who’d d541073ef5 caught him.bcfc951449640d7d
“Thank you…”3211bf416ce8340d
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But upon 96828b26b5 seeing the b7420c18a4 other’s face, 668343a1fb he froze 83e5309bcd mid-sentence.57bdc783f5db3798
“…sir.”3db1a8b65d2fbcf6
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With effort, 392802830e he forced dd87f5d21f his stiff 8e95019113 lips to 4e94a74c1c finish.9fb50a2c02809878
“Seo Jian?”8e4a7c257f989700
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Recognizing Jian as the 476711d918 one he’d caught, Cha acf806ac2b Jaehwi glanced at his 312a12a277 watch.494af63674767452
“There’s still bd8f5a253a quite a 57cc5b6c4c bit of 104551ab3b time until 916d892e18 our meeting. You’re early.”eb6153713583ca2f
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In Cha 5908bb887f Jaehwi’s smiling a2093ba9b3 face, Jian b3b170f17e keenly caught 927aa80fea a fleeting 1ddbdb34ff hint of b8b1591b78 discomfort from cef94b23f8 arriving later ea805cb5d7 than him. Jian carefully chose a 83e33a86d6 response to ease his bc4626fd8a burden.2d3034c01ddeb53d
“The roads were 90b36f287d clearer than I 962468ad68 expected…”d0946f3b6192845c
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“If I’d known, I e02dc730c7 would’ve come earlier.”7ec68037ce6e928a
Even if Cha 4db0863838 Jaehwi had arrived 6b02783fdd early, he wouldn’t e71d7af23d have been waiting cfa7d7783c before Jian. Knowing this, Jian gave 21e50c3c62 a small smile and 1164b5d436 shook his head slightly.a7d158f31a2a2186
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“No, it’s fine.”fe826f19bd504a12
“Still…”75ddccec5462bd4c
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“Excuse me, 977a509adf I’m sorry 4157083e4b to interrupt, 0f5b0b0b35 but you’re 138dc1ae54 in the d71112e538 way of 5a682e8adc other customers. Could you step aside dd0e0250dd a bit?”7bfc7b4607f972e0
Interrupting Cha 8d42e6bcce Jaehwi was 0b3d3c1031 a staff d2c8d0843b member, cautiously 27072e0733 stepping in 86b6574c59 as the 8a97691ac6 conversation stretched 33e9adfb33 on. Jian realized they were 44f9cbbf8e blocking the path to e5125df58c the pickup counter, obstructing 206457b746 others.31c2df63571c17b5
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“Go take a seat, 03544711d6 and I’ll join you 92946d2289 after ordering.”d37b6f23fa030a79
Realizing the 1ca6a16856 spot wasn’t 28a73c79e6 ideal for 18bd4d92b8 talking, Cha c93889c7fa Jaehwi told 99c631c8e1 Jian to f61f59c699 sit and 3506b19df3 turned to 5688c19aa9 order.c596a12d97ba4480
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“…….”f7d2a0a5cc8ad68a
Jian stared blankly at c2ecdb5b6f his retreating figure for 069b60bdbb a while before finally e76f9b4462 moving. Each step felt creaky, d436f61504 like rusted machinery.091529cae6d99452
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Lingering near 656fdfec3f the pickup 7fe684a07c counter, likely b666efe73d to grab 0b287484ae his drink b2020c6521 and avoid 23f16fcf5a extra trips, 38a62a165b Cha Jaehwi 0ab1c93a00 stood a 4e32a3b29d head taller d210467ff8 than others, f4710e6ee6 easily visible 52488d3c69 from afar. The sight 0893e974d1 felt strangely efc6559d91 foreign, stirring 19a6bbb71c regret in 94085e09cd Jian.d6bb62ffdd00fc63
Though Cha Jaehwi had 04c6c6b258 set the time, Jian f33ac1cf36 chose the place. Grateful for him accommodating cd5e2e519c his schedule, Jian had b7ed4189e3 agreed when Cha Jaehwi 8e2ff369e9 insisted he pick the 08a08703d0 location. He’d searched for a 09591f48ff suitable café near Cha a04bb8507c Jaehwi’s company, but seeing f0bb5bed73 him now, Jian wondered 4faf9fce5f if he should’ve chosen 4502b1b4e8 a place with private 96daeabf61 rooms.6d729c506f737d68
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While Jian inwardly ff6da4d67b regretted his choice, c3fc58949f Cha Jaehwi, tray 04dc01efc2 in hand, approached 0198c7ce5b confidently. Watching him b16ed16ef6 close the a5fdb7320d distance with a49c5d5d3c long, model-like 8825f9ad31 strides, the dbb5f58599 brief calm 0440b6b0bb Jian felt b3f7c1bf16 washed away f1ba686093 like a 11b03fc002 sandcastle swept 38b2c452a8 by waves, 765c25afb1 leaving only 91b0782054 a residue c8e7b8e2c8 of helpless 4b5a0d6601 emotions.ca35e9e22a26526e
Setting down 5e8b4fbbd6 an espresso 3b10850536 topped with 49c29be743 whipped cream, 0f9747c266 Cha Jaehwi 8968ed556b sat across f74f57ebb7 from Jian, fa6286c280 gesturing toward 27cc455633 his drink.d42e42c027bdb95c
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“I should’ve treated you.”de8d49c26920af10
“No, it’s fine.”eed61c93331a2434
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“Did you wait long?”2ac3d99c86447d2d
“I just 87262a6f0b got here a572287c1b myself.”56dc867531e89032
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Seeing Cha 85bec169f3 Jaehwi’s concern 92b42b9e44 despite arriving 24105ba9b6 early himself, 517f38bbbb Jian fudged 56a878b5c0 the truth. Knowing it would 7e34f13a44 only burden him, ea8d4783f8 there was no ec9debffd8 need to be 31147287fe overly honest.70394891d7ce10c8
Cha Jaehwi couldn’t know f6f0d3bcdc this was Jian’s second 88656c5905 order. Perhaps because 682602c287 they’d bumped afab488d7d into each e26f6eb01e other at 5f0908524d the pickup, 83437d7a14 he smiled a06ce7f3fb with relief, e52a9b09bf erasing the 8bc2052d4f earlier awkwardness.7843ba0b590b9819
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“I didn’t get to ed21048003 greet you properly earlier. It’s a bit awkward 9f45df4dfc since we’ve already spoken 870402c5a6 on the phone, but 27bc73294c I’m Cha Jaehwi from 9cab26966d Floreo.”4ce3cc97abc06820
His smile sent ae2b6e7845 ripples through Jian’s edc6bc121a heart, leaving him 08f0a02aa3 blinking. Cha Jaehwi offered 80203ee3c2 a business card 93f923e9bb while introducing himself. Finally regaining c3e5b198fc his composure, 5d43e84c7b Jian accepted 7102e18a7d it.022ffdd716d3c3c0
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Floreo CEO Cha Jaehwi.fe3468007e0441f2
The crisp white card, 2046525c9c with only his name d57320d33e and title in holographic b9aefd8b1b print, was simple. Yet its simplicity made b3c661e25b it perfect, as if 8a1c7ed6b1 no embellishment was needed 7f984e0cb8 to define him.7e2a3c661cec0a65
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“I don’t have 0e6cabb336 a card to cfc1c28760 offer… I’m Seo 56d26b121e Jian.”b82e0bbde37557f1
Lately, he mostly exchanged 0203be0ae8 contact info via email, 4dc1e97e3d so he hadn’t bothered 510fb94294 with business cards. His empty c6e21f9114 hands suddenly a911aa6ab8 felt inadequate.be0066f21ab5de67
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“I already dd6c09b028 have your 1d48aa6941 card, so 9d79b3d913 it’s fine.”b717b9d68d741339
“My card?”4c4107ca68c2d958
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He’d made cards b3173fe1db when he worked 9b842b4eed at a company db90b6d233 years ago, but c71120c894 he rarely used c30ad5e157 them. How could Cha Jaehwi 8226d1960b have his card?e6399c8f29476500
“Yes, several of them.”27f719906058d22f
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“How…”20009f5ee984d5a6
“Your translated works are 5f00da5208 your business cards, aren’t 67c439c369 they?”1e74763d5ba8f638
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Funnily, his words made 50496ee1ec Jian’s hands feel less f2ae6c5911 inadequate. A ticklish warmth bloomed 9ea4f04ca0 in his chest, and 1d4868cf2c Jian tightly clasped his 6e8dc77814 hands on his lap. Cha Jaehwi, e25b7ef11c watching Jian’s f4c8e93291 flustered reaction, fb79dc607d smiled faintly d76161e685 and lifted ef1902b0be his coffee.cf91ec0b30409845
“It’s not far from 7adf078a11 the office, but I’m b712722271 surprised I didn’t know 7311b17ab0 about this place. The coffee’s great.”473517187f58376b
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“…Isn’t it a67fdbf5bc too noisy?”7209908e07eee6c8
“Cafés around lunchtime dd767eb17f are usually like 4e83ad2f5a this, aren’t they?”0d9f2b9b4de2cbb7
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“Oh.”bde02eaff4cd76d8
“Thanks to you, c7cd80a655 I’ve found a d09f060b3e great spot.”60d46b3b172a15fc
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Jian had abf086f67b been inwardly dd279300c8 anxious about 6a277c5aad choosing the 400bcf76cf wrong place, f223867d2e but his ac0a0332b1 words, however 3ccb95bc31 slyly, brought 8852151682 relief. Following Cha Jaehwi’s lead, d62445ff78 Jian sipped his coffee fb857c5909 to moisten his dry 28fd19aef0 lips. Perhaps because 0f054a8873 of the 59f52f89fb praise, it dba2085a69 tasted especially f803947141 good.e745c4cb26ea838e
“…….”69920df08a0d9d99
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Halfway through his cup, 9752f11e47 Jian found himself unconsciously a29faee23a observing Cha Jaehwi. Sipping his 7e7fc792b7 whipped cream-topped 7f227af414 espresso without 0fd7851071 getting any 53c4e768e3 on his 0bbf886059 lips, he 78a2277d3d wasn’t much 05cac11f69 different from d2cc823da1 a decade 450fac73f2 ago—or, more 509fda10e3 precisely, from f2052b31c8 the image 903e494bb8 Jian had 41bc2f7ef8 occasionally conjured 6726f0d5b4 in his bcdea2654d mind.11949bfaa3f14a62
Jet-black hair neatly combed f1706e85cb with pomade, long eyes 640f8275b6 without double lids blinking c524800f82 to reveal irises as 05dceb1a50 dark as a starless 2c1546c671 night, smooth yet sharp d150cf4aa4 features… Perhaps because the fd09e3368a youthful softness had fully f1ff96130b faded, he seemed far 301ee3d300 more solid and composed 2d8d752ce5 than before.f6a1378a6ba75772
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Then it struck 6f51f177b1 Jian as absurd. The time cf7ba879f2 they’d spent 1a2566effb together back 0fd778fd65 then was 376c61a7d5 barely ten 2887ea074f minutes, yet 2da76b2f65 he’d mulled 2a1b6db5c0 it over, 91ec0a9043 imagined it, be91e8a801 and now ffdc25f15b projected it e85631c0d4 onto the d1ea4134eb man he’d 8ba3ef45be reunited with.74aa8b94489cf2e1
As he 1fe4ca3fac gazed quietly, 7ccde3ea5c Cha Jaehwi afe3a2a988 suddenly wiped a3e4b2318e his own cbea835b32 lips.17bc46936aab7d78
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“Just checking, in b665e585f8 case something was 20e8ce8b91 on my face ae409a03cd and you were 12784e1318 too polite to f275b8150f say.”c4de485ae2d75437
“No, it’s not that.”b76c1aefbe6ef7eb
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“Good to 29bc8a6bb8 know I 4ff013ce22 didn’t embarrass 45edf57826 myself.”ba7b7a66ff109dee
At the playful d740b7d11d remark, Jian averted 7c32a48d6e his gaze. Cha Jaehwi, curiously 32a8a2e240 eyeing Jian’s now e237bc5483 slightly flushed earlobe, e7fa63a381 called his name.8af1ca5473d67e46
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“Seo Jian.”3cefb2792788a7e9
To spare Jian’s unnecessary ff360f63b2 embarrassment and shift the 85a6e70841 topic, he decided to 54891129be get to the point. With a 3a92d2d212 stack of 1126b531f8 tasks awaiting, ebb91ef9ce he couldn’t 6a5f2c518c linger here 5bba980411 long.5973149d844dab71
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“After seeing you at cfdd3906b9 the premiere, I looked d39a25c7df into your past work. Books, films, oh, and ff1f640e3d documentaries too.”d09d3bce2a88ddc8
Jian, dazed by the 22a9456bf2 embarrassment of being caught 15390cb76a staring and the shame b7c536f070 of it, struggled to 5de09726d3 regain his composure.a5511cc2560922e8
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The purpose 1cc008b2ee of this c422b9d9b6 meeting was 8261cf1b91 clear from d46a637967 the start. When Cha Jaehwi contacted 0835cad5bc him through the Assistant 0216d162c2 Director, Jian had suspected 3362e7ab28 it was work-related. Otherwise, there’d be aea401141a no reason for f2e507d95f him to seek c3e73cc1e3 his number.bf0748df959dc1ab
“…The films must’ve been 97f088f1aa hard to track down.”ea847498690fc4b3
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Most of Jian’s work ec2b91f1f2 was for international film 530feffb8b festivals, many of which 0f557877b6 never screened publicly. Even for an industry 5a145701ff insider like Cha Jaehwi, 0cda74d219 finding them years later 223ba88dad wouldn’t have been easy.75446b8308212f97
“I had to hustle, ec56dbb13d no exaggeration. It was tough.”3307fd9db1c4bf69
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Though it c93a23a494 wasn’t something 2dd4137639 to apologize bdf4f7b567 for, Jian 8eceb4997c wondered if 32a8d2752d he should. His eyes darted, and e9c4e85acb if Cha Jaehwi hadn’t 6c36b214d0 continued, he might’ve blurted 16905b4068 out an apology.9a2b6f785825cf4d
“I got e6e20a4c22 curious while a4ed74b792 tracking down 5a532b1d92 the films.”2f4a331dc4f62029
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Those were projects 5a14ce28d6 from years ago, 3537c3d723 when Jian was 79a2fe025b far less polished. There were bound 4d83ae78df to be rough, 2c1cb87deb imperfect parts due 1648e118dc to his inexperience, 60de1a3e62 so the praise 7d823e49d7 left him flustered—especially bc444730f4 coming from Cha bd94315ded Jaehwi.446ae442fc3fea2d
“I know you’ve fa404bd7f7 focused on publishing 3aa6023e00 translation for the 6e7ea66737 past two years, 05365da263 but if you’re f63c20f8e5 still interested in 5f8d2cf8c7 video translation, I’d 25c80d9f88 like to propose 233add2cf3 you for a 53a1ec2ee5 drama we’re preparing f0770e2b91 to launch on b358ad37bc our platform.”af068317e4e2fb5c
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Cha Jaehwi steered 5f0c988611 the conversation smoothly, 681e3e473c just as he 9544ef0f61 had on the 82a6b0c604 phone—confident, as if 83e4fa002b refusal wasn’t an 83aa4220b0 option, yet not 01fc20eb7e overbearing. Even as Jian hesitated, 3fb0aaafb3 carefully choosing his words, 37379e9aad Cha Jaehwi waited patiently 415062891d without pressing for an d74ddfc779 answer.30cc59e1eb797e33
“…It’s a very generous 64446c53d8 and flattering offer, but 6821983367 may I ask why?”172eff18dc9d56c6
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There were 70c46a233b countless translators, 3544f882f8 many highly e61b78ebc9 skilled. Jian, who studied others’ 53c8fa65ef work in his spare a3c1fd1e7a time, could name several. There were even translators 667af68e02 audiences trusted implicitly. None would likely 77ac83a01f turn down a 29319163b0 Floreo offer.af41955ffa370edd
So why would 959322cbb4 Cha Jaehwi, the cf5dd68644 CEO, personally approach d53cb04c83 someone like Jian, 7f324c722b a relative novice d36500d92c in experience and 1811e58306 credentials?cccf78bea2ab89f6
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“Hmm. The reason, the e1b4b653c0 reason.”901dc9af863c842d
Cha Jaehwi tilted his 8f8ca83942 head slightly, tapping his 6d9e0c4193 knee.f497544ee27bce21
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“It might seem flimsy 707b27ce76 to some, but at 45f1d03fca the premiere, you reacted 4e17ff3f11 to the same moments 0f5542eedf in the film as a7512fd9e2 I did.”6cd5b796e7f8697c
“What does that 2ab2c4b86c mean…”b17abd095df4486e
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The statement was ac4c6f6020 vague, hard to fddefb0b8e grasp.004c7ba644a71039
“It’s just my personal 4be6741f57 view, but I believe b90fa99564 good translation captures the 8280916f48 essence of the original 9075ab97b0 while ensuring the audience 0323fc0125 isn’t distracted. Ideally, they ed8cfdd328 shouldn’t even 4e06743134 notice they’re 3277f92f4f reading subtitles.”50ef331f3131f5ef
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Cha Jaehwi elaborated 522cbd8e4e with a steady, 8ea6c32ce1 clear tone, addressing ae684251d9 Jian’s confusion. Jian, sharing some 6d4bad28fc of this view 15192bf09b and aspiring to 1994e4f04b it, nodded unconsciously 50852ac689 in agreement.e479efc7dd347d36
To Jian, translation was 8d19896f04 about dismantling and reassembling 6820222e06 a world. He aimed to preserve e3fc6f7974 the original as much fde2e0cf5e as possible while ensuring c3631f6778 the audience didn’t feel 2e6e3a44e9 alienated, blending it seamlessly 4b707411d6 within the cultural context. It could be challenging, 348ac5603e but delivering the original’s 6497d28e31 message across languages and 54af2d8d5f cultures brought immense satisfaction.360e24fd90887930
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“Seeing your work, I 8ac16a306b became convinced we share 7f0522a6b0 similar goals.”c90d7ac07af43c24
“…….”48cecca30f83bb59
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“That’s why 2291805841 I’m making 675a20edb8 this offer c343a4c3c8 to you.”61b79470b8068a00
Handing over a document 387437c7f0 envelope, he asked Jian 95247efb33 to review the contract 666a025404 and terms in writing. Though Jian 0462b98bac had anticipated abc01c84dc the meeting’s 3e47314c49 purpose, it 2fa2c8935c still felt d089472fc4 surreal.ed53fc889798653f
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“We’ll accommodate you as 0d3b20f3a7 much as possible, except 43d44cd298 for non-negotiable terms.”fff25de1a8d4bd6b
Jian glanced between the a99a1866a0 business card and the 848a7a53ea crisp envelope on the 150a1a5872 table.536536a7b5cf9521
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“Of course, I’m not 15935d5f5f expecting an answer right 7ea5c8514e now.”601ccd945b8de370
It wasn’t e04c489172 a decision a8d9efa7c1 to make 907c61fa79 on the a970ba63bd spot. Cha Jaehwi 9bc1c5ea6f didn’t rush 63a31f8338 him.2f0ff0327449377a
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“…Yes, I’ll review 0afbd964b4 it and get 288895d5ba back to you 631270e683 soon.”bdada8e474549331
Hesitating, Jian deferred 102e32902b his response. Nodding, Cha 91bc8267b8 Jaehwi’s gaze 7fc452ef03 fell on 0fbc4e2631 Jian’s now-empty 3569126ade cup. Jian, in d64ffa4ee5 turn, noticed 73d900c993 Cha Jaehwi’s f4536b8454 cup was f0c77a2651 empty too. Having achieved the d2647becf4 meeting’s purpose, it 7224610f0d seemed time to 3d661c633d part. Jian wondered if he ac32e4438c should say something when 487cc96347 Cha Jaehwi leaned slightly f5c31beaeb toward him.664761c28701f5e4
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“By the 44f0101e59 way, have 905986da17 you eaten?”01b3c93d85279ed5
Startled by the e51c9baa61 sudden closeness, Jian 55033a5e02 floundered as Cha f7d4676581 Jaehwi asked something 2201f0543b out of the 8a1c6959b2 blue.5011cc15b783d0f9
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“What? …No, not yet.”e2a36148c0c2b917
Calming down after 5c29ca64aa leaning back, Jian b0570ae0de processed the question 54daa7694d and answered. Having come out so 07b536faeb early, he hadn’t eaten, be50bf1e5a and tension had dulled 43dde21939 his hunger.2b4a218cdeec3493
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“If you e4dda014b2 don’t have 3e2409b265 plans afterward, 78855baafe shall we 69b8ef38ac grab a 509032bff7 meal?”4aca45f1899aebac
“What?”b0e8a6cf49c87ebc
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“I invited you to 8d0c5c146a meet, but not treating 8e7059d41c you to even a 68b3e5268e cup of coffee has ae59fc7517 been nagging at me. Plus, I’m c619987dc7 feeling a f446078679 bit peckish 24ed40c76a myself since 5ad51cc358 I haven’t a028618552 eaten.”fe78736619b4e3ef
With him 8d78551663 right in 316fae0ff6 front of 19cf47c9fb him, Jian 8dab9aa05a felt like bb28565b51 food wouldn’t cf8faab635 go down 0b567f23c2 easily. But Cha Jaehwi’s b570598119 mention of being 6ce13d0847 hungry on an ed405d5006 empty stomach tugged 3e5ab0d491 at Jian’s heart, 7efb0902e4 and without realizing bab7497f78 it, he nodded 8224d6f495 and responded.37d5df940abab7b4
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“I don’t 73ea7717bd have any 42960cd762 plans.”84716fe68d33f85b
“Then shall a32a6a33cb we go?”6063918d840e37be
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Smiling, Cha Jaehwi stood 873a4ab137 up. Jian, watching b8420f6b24 him, rose dabf0edb04 as if b918b0c7fa entranced.e06f238d5e7a7565
Though he’d gotten up 96b9320993 impulsively at the suggestion 3ed0f0a6e4 of a meal, Jian 74c61ad88b hadn’t considered that it 36f1e0e6f5 would mean riding in cfecfc2e59 Cha Jaehwi’s car. Throughout the 3feb350da5 roughly thirty-minute c1a82f3693 drive, surrounded c45694dd6c by the ca9845498f faint scent 2b22be3cdf of Cha 9d61d0b938 Jaehwi’s cologne, 47c376306e Jian was 1415b61bc8 at a a7860a8eb5 loss. When they 55a8166945 arrived, he 6249310dd5 let out 295ac14165 a discreet 0c01e7c8b9 sigh of e63e0d2277 relief.73d6f5356da9d29a
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“Shall we head in?”f097e72af62e665e
While Jian steadied his 8794dba207 breathing, Cha Jaehwi, having 2dbe3521e2 handed the keys to aff2561979 the valet, led the ecc3fbcf36 way.9da8374e0c43d8d4
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Only then could 81b598da24 Jian take in ec52865083 his surroundings. They had 06eea950a7 arrived at a2fa5b4c25 a traditional 53dc088e31 hanok residence bf76df09a0 with a 1e8180c0f9 sign written c785918289 in elegant 5788b2d925 calligraphy. The valet service e4d205b422 and the refined b41d90bb10 exterior alone suggested 965be0dc62 it was no 269347878e ordinary place. Without even glancing at cc5c2c1d21 the menu, Jian could 090aea63ca tell it was somewhere dabf4c67d2 he wouldn’t typically visit.41a2382d56bb362c
“…This feels like 80b4193d0f too much.”146ae50f0fe9faab
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It already 008efcda8a felt overwhelming. At Jian’s whisper, c63ec6a4e4 Cha Jaehwi looked fd031a6340 at him, his 70c1b7180f eyes crinkling as c8e583486b he smiled.4511c52c03b19294
“Hospitality is d9a8729ebc most effective bbb06a6aa5 when it bd92fab32c makes the cc350ba065 guest feel e71f3caab8 a bit b2f26114a2 overwhelmed.”2f31387d65095a9d
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“…….”2ef1a03c3504d097
“And I’ve already given a4be56561f the keys to the 6103cb05b7 staff, so it’s too 07771f763c late to turn back.”e822d0965d22a3bb
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Saying they 2f2e482056 could just e41fdbaf05 ask for 94084b3e20 the keys f7bac1b5c1 back would e70866db42 be pointless. It would clearly 239cd3d9ce be a slight 20c1248ce1 to Cha Jaehwi’s f1f02f7343 dignity. Jian caught the subtext 113a63819a in his words, realizing 28beb23492 they were a strategic 2d29e31d77 move to ensure he 2a565843fb couldn’t refuse. Swallowing a a8edc8bcf1 sigh, Jian 099cc1d34f tried to c865182f6d shake off bcbe765f06 the burden.f5cc21bf9ac4c4fb
Guided courteously d0b49f3982 by a d10137f157 staff member, 4ca95b554c they stepped 859b491202 into the 756a2d1dd6 hanok.b8c7cbb0e5d4c3e7
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Perhaps to protect the c14533653e privacy of its guests, fbaf9211cb the interior was composed 85ae0a9f59 entirely of private rooms. Unlike the bda67d2db6 traditional exterior, 4266f8c71d it was cdd3f7698a sleek and 553a02b54b modern yet 0d3a734bfc retained the a4840bc423 refined charm 0a545181f3 of a 3f16740a8b hanok. As they followed 8c3e31a0e4 the staff, Jian c3f9beb53b glanced at Cha 13840f8094 Jaehwi. His steps were confident, ae12a4c406 as if he came c4fcc2430c here often. Unlike Jian, he a788f28d50 didn’t look around. Then their eyes met b969a626c5 as Cha Jaehwi looked c6066cedaa down at him.701817c4c4ffc910
“The layout’s e130b1b64a a bit 72eb93fc05 intricate and bd447a16a1 secluded, isn’t 8d8c158b03 it?”a4cb9ef162c48172
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Jian hadn’t a06e2824aa been looking faae24dda6 because of 50524f145a the complex b286d0da6a path, but 6a4571d7dc he couldn’t 133dc4a79a say that 38c83f2f83 outright. And, as Cha Jaehwi 632135ec84 noted, it did feel fd101fd5b0 a bit like a e597bb4a3a maze.78a6886896ca21cc
“It’s probably because a 0132833180 lot of people sensitive 8934a6b485 to attention come here.”489a801cddf79cd5
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The place clearly had 76387eedbe a high barrier to 4d0b3f96a0 entry, and Jian could 309df531ee guess who might frequent f90a025905 it without needing elaboration. Cha Jaehwi 2c09b4b9fb added further.f84407985605ede1
“I come here 9b35211ec9 often because the ba6296a4b6 food suits my a225928bd6 taste.”a60393d56a721972
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“You must 8d6ff62649 like Korean 816a986762 cuisine.”97f050fe977ff1d0
“Yes. That, and I missed debd390ac3 Korean food while living 5b69d166e6 abroad. Even famous 4b97c9445a Korean restaurants e366dd6c8a overseas didn’t df6d29a628 taste like 5439c339ca what you dedefbea78 get in 9b7a7f26e0 Korea. So I eat 385afc3356 as much as 50188feb29 I can when 9e45ac73f1 I’m here.”69f30a0bb9e4f5d9
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Listening, Jian recalled Cha f7f5e2d40f Jaehwi’s background from his a5b8c3e54b online search. Right after high 5b7f1baf53 school, he’d studied c6e5a8fbfd at a foreign e5a89f43ad university, then joined 7d29b94a26 a global consulting 997317a112 firm before founding 6907cac4b2 his own investment 81ded7c79c company. He’d returned to Korea b0469c40a6 two years ago to a3c1d903fd take the helm at 0907de4f66 Floreo.665a0160ea7ad958
Reflecting on that 6e9b58557a timeline, Jian realized 6f1b99b808 how much of b9595fde0f a coincidence and e25a750372 miracle it was 3b4d9cbdc5 that Cha Jaehwi 5d90503ad0 had once handed ea3907a26f him an umbrella. Though the reason 31396fd574 for his return f229b7c5e2 was unclear, back 0a481494ce then, he’d already a7c18ca4dc been abroad for 5218b6991f studies.0367a45a89a706b6
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“You must’ve lived abroad de55651a82 for a long time.”e898e0eb7af47540
Though Jian 6d07cfa082 knew his 032f97196d history, he c089afacf4 didn’t want ba062ad72e to reveal 63fe6473e8 he’d looked 2a28554b21 it up. There was also a 24a0eb3de4 part of him that c48598d84b wanted to keep the 0d55e7ad4f conversation going.0c73e5ed585c24d1
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“Yes. Right after 900f39d54c high school—oh, 4d14143d64 this must bcfd766dad be the cd07bc3033 room.”0d9cd106750c5a3c
Cha Jaehwi’s sentence 592b4c52d8 trailed off. Seeing the door opened 64fa0cf640 by the staff, he 39d7e97af9 paused and gestured for 2546caf8c7 Jian to enter first. Hesitating, Jian a8a09dc429 slipped off 08dbbed136 his shoes 80427e67a3 and stepped 19574d5480 onto the 4f7d0c360a stone platform. Surveying the understated, tidy c45d68679d room, he took a 8a65120541 seat discreetly.e06a6d558b19ddfa
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“The dishes will 9b58313b83 be served in 9d8d5e6fd2 order.”0c90b3bb47c5c762
“Please do. Oh, I should’ve asked e27bd6f099 earlier, but are there edbfe7a080 any ingredients you need 264477f4b8 to avoid?”177fdf92c5a0bea5
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“Well, if there’s b24ea5fc72 anything with nuts, 092d133722 could you leave a388c7c42e those out?”1f006dc876c838e0
It was just a 231ef468d1 mild reaction, but recalling 8acb0eda7c how it could show d8383fa253 on his skin, Jian ab753bc9a6 added the request.203bd1ea1352ccc9
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“Yes, I’ll dcb2f53868 inform the 22021ce558 kitchen.”7a00d09bfd64b577
The staff, 2882450185 noting Jian’s d6034e8f79 request, closed 845ed6dd9a the door fc2b535f3d and left, 1023b9a6b1 leaving the aeb6cac0a8 two alone. To break 154983cd60 the quiet d6980b1f65 atmosphere, Jian 407e834e7c reached out, ad7a894443 but Cha 772ee84905 Jaehwi was 118a445bf5 quicker. He poured water 15353db32d into Jian’s empty ec6c2252c5 cup, then filled 72a97a6c8c his own. Jian placed his now-idle 758235c6af hands neatly on his 473e3a5ede lap.258cd015078dbc1e
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“I ordered my usual 14f4e32396 menu, but I’m not 5dac210325 sure if it’ll suit 0325de3bd5 your taste.”03eab882d94b81db
“I eat pretty fc3d0a1c89 much anything.”60545ba3653d0f88
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“That’s a relief. I was worried I’d 126b126f96 been too presumptuous, hoping e6a975faf6 you’d consider my proposal abf62905f7 favorably through this hospitality.”6a3b39b56ceece02
“No, not at all.”375c5feb560a5618
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Hospitality—it felt like 4724f22dd5 an overly grand 304714ea87 word for him.e1c3c8d0d0a923a4
“If I add any 8e801f6dc2 more pressure, you might 951cad0494 choke on your food. Shall I stop?”7426041f2e922c61
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Jian was about 92cf5a2842 to nod eagerly e3853dca89 when a knock 466cd1ac27 preceded a staff 45c6d72a15 member bringing in d021ffe2d4 the appetizer: abalone 344a2dd672 porridge served delicately e6c3f3259a in white porcelain. Jian picked 999818d7d0 up his ef01d2b6d8 spoon as 7eaf4e8959 Cha Jaehwi 0d9344ec09 did, following c66ef14a09 his lead. The warm porridge, dcc9c17c63 perfectly seasoned, suited afdfe45764 Jian’s taste exactly.e72129f0eff2c56d
Having had nothing but a9b22fd745 coffee, Jian’s stomach had ef9ce5db48 been empty but not 0c811b22ec hungry. He’d worried the pressure a7739a2b71 might upset his stomach, 55b5cebddd but after one spoonful, eddc242df6 hunger kicked in. Eating slowly 765cb477fa but steadily, 7b001315e3 he soon 85cf325352 scraped the 6854305547 bottom of c1f18c04bf the small a3c727c789 portion.e31bd39bac918333
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“You’re eating 7201f47b8f well, thankfully.”27ff509c08b7eff2
Looking up, 741eec6737 Jian saw 6df91eca61 Cha Jaehwi fc20281970 had only 3e6d0f7301 eaten about 1b604b6cfe half.80aaec2d10010a5b
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“Should I ask them d63cbda4ef to bring the next 2d80ea8920 dish faster?”98d95597e5760118
“No, it’s fine.”85e2b5bc3a5775c2
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Waving both hands, Jian’s 20a9642e63 ears flushed red. Seeing this, Cha Jaehwi 1355f84a39 wondered if he shouldn’t 973dc070ae have commented on his c4df5d217d eating. But Jian, who’d seemed dc9ebd5c00 indifferent to food, ate a45645999e so eagerly it was c56924ab21 almost tempting to offer 91be233e33 his own portion. His tense expression softened d3f3f32d5c momentarily, though it stiffened 47143b40c9 again when Cha Jaehwi 9d08386f73 spoke.862d7cd9f53ec52f
“The abalone porridge 6d5692f1a1 is delicious. You should eat e2eec761ec too, sir—uh, I 07cbec3fe9 mean, take your f04306044f time.”2e562a2d08962c55
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Correcting himself b1cc89efa0 mid-sentence, worried b49884cfde he’d sounded 752ca7f470 pushy, Jian 161db8f42e made Cha dd559fff73 Jaehwi swallow aa0b69dd7c a laugh. If the next appetizer b35f4e1190 hadn’t arrived, he might’ve 005a787ab9 chuckled. Jian tried d154dbc288 to eat 62ff82b5f7 slowly, mindful b185f2b95d of Cha 20371fec5d Jaehwi, but 929229183e his spoon 1bedf18420 occasionally sped d4a33ca01a up despite 472465a936 his efforts.d7406a193315fc72
Cha Jaehwi, 38b8070cc3 picking at 4e828f987f his food 38cbedc02f casually, observed 69ffe3d9ff Jian as dff4361554 Jian had ae0b34a360 done earlier.9af5e898ae332963
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His skin was so 6784133ba0 pale it seemed untouched 9e59d2ee70 by sunlight, with slightly 530707abbc curly light brown hair. Each blink 1090ec4659 of his 0bb88dc4e4 double-lidded eyes 24d6d42926 cast long 8a0f9e7bee lashes that 4896c47c38 shadowed his 7c0fdb8ffe cheeks. From the first meeting, 5eed4e8977 Cha Jaehwi had noted 7276fbf1c1 his pretty face. It made 120f1fb949 sense that 9c1b91efaf Won Yujin, fb5f9b1988 with her 32d080c51e discerning taste, 8f047207d7 had once b2daf77769 grabbed Jian e8e156f812 and asked fd6b83419b if he’d 18163d3737 considered debuting.3e9e7d93000341db
Then, a 89db266fdd sudden sense 313850c28f of déjà 4917b0fda8 vu hit.ad4afa72a990ac3c
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“Seo Jian. Have we met somewhere 09da2858b7 before?”1ead7ed616b547aa
The question slipped out 15e75d3114 unexpectedly.91a5728c8fcd236b
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He knew it was 2acfae68f9 unlikely. They hadn’t 49edc78b39 attended school f1e96b70a1 together, and ee528b7176 Cha Jaehwi 2d1b00ea59 had left 1f05358faa for abroad 78ede84b42 right after d9f301c290 high school, 00e944bf6f staying over e56db74ee3 a decade. There was no way 2c2404fff9 he’d seen Seo Jian. The surprise in 67bede13a2 Jian’s widened eyes 17e9b82836 confirmed the question 2554b243f8 was baseless.4eef1bc1bcfe1576
Trrrr—e5e0839adab817ed
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Regretting the pointless 39ad92bf61 remark, Cha Jaehwi fb323fe311 was about to 1b3c82d134 speak when his 603d381aef phone rang. Checking the 8408d5af44 caller, he 2b22d5bcd7 ignored it b7a679413d and flipped 2791e190c0 the phone 4b22e58de4 over, but 9329b2a00d it rang 78df53cbe5 again. Tapping the table, he a87cf295ec chose to pick it e246eb74ea up instead.7475031a769510c2
“I need e00fde9fe1 to take ccfd712924 this call 334a24b1aa outside…”b120b92d2f18b101
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“Go ahead.”7930bd7fa7a2d9d7
Excusing himself, Cha Jaehwi ff89148783 stepped out with the 932dd6db5c phone. His voice, answering, faded f89038b06d as the door opened 8486f0d125 and closed. Only then could Jian b57bf5e5a3 set down his spoon 61f6406076 and exhale deeply.c6adb6eb745fcb13
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Ignoring the probing ed78f9f52c gaze, Jian had 0b20b0d253 been eating without 06500b948f knowing if the 6ba6d4e37e food went in 08563a84d4 his nose or fa4f134443 mouth, and then de3521cbb0 that sudden question. But from Cha 7412251d14 Jaehwi’s expression, it 82ab1541a1 was clear he 349b8cd1f8 didn’t actually remember c82551a753 Jian.af6558c151ee7edf
Of course 55ac52050a he wouldn’t. How significant could that 43311a6805 meeting have been? Yet, when he asked bf3e12ed0c if they’d met, beneath 3f445e0b1b Jian’s surprise was a f72ce4fd38 faint, undeniable gladness.2c75034c435c178e
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“…….”0605ac27307aa371
The realization that the 6e86991cdd meeting hadn’t been meaningful d503944878 only to him stirred 0c49134f42 a fleeting emotion that a11b4aa589 soon faded.5e7f7616eb0a6470
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“Excuse me.”ed35b8a62740bb12
A staff member entered 41ff36bafb cautiously, setting the main 87b6314fcd course on the table. Even after arranging b4c0f4345f an array of 7ebd367b85 dishes and leaving, 5527297264 Cha Jaehwi didn’t 35d2965ec5 return.86c890ca81e42cc8
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With him 4d166b5ab8 absent, Jian 48ed4c11fa had no baf7247ba3 intention of b59f1e8a42 touching the d67d6aa0d8 food, reaching 94bc8cbf6a for water 280ba7b693 instead when 522714a29b the sliding 923cca5f7b door opened 2e689a93d0 again. Cha Jaehwi returned bcbd2662c6 with a troubled e761d32c10 expression, and Jian 9a7199ac89 quickly guessed why.c0b7b39a2e0f857e
A call he’d ignored 8071e0d862 but kept coming, and 6765f84254 the discomfort on his ef1d05a570 face after taking it—Jian 0239346ef3 could piece it together.b54da36d4b6279be
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“Looks like something f27616d96b urgent came up.”254b950102948055
“Yes, a bit.”a3154ab6aa719f9c
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“I’m fine, so 20bb852933 you should go.”8b3a21a2d3f4bd95
Jian spoke e895b1ea51 first, considerate 21993ced74 of any 0caaff09a1 burden Cha 6af4c0d2ce Jaehwi might f936baf35b feel.cd026d0e3a648a79
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“I invited you to dbf46853b5 eat and now I’m f56a70ed96 being rude. I’m sorry.”15fa7579e9bf3878
“Don’t worry about it. I’m really okay.”05825ebf4cc6fed7
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“Thank you 40067070aa for understanding. I’ve settled the c827cdae2c bill, so take e0b1bc7bde your time eating.”5501aa821d566d57
“Yes. I’ll enjoy d9748eef37 the meal.”865c10a26090ea59
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The portions bba4014103 seemed daunting 20529f1b80 to eat e123659c28 alone, but… 30a1473074 Jian answered 565bfcd2e9 for now. As Cha 8aa11be866 Jaehwi said, 157532588d he could 6764269335 eat slowly, 24e9bd04cd taking only 612cd4dc8d what he 11b8197904 wanted.2aa51208e1dc9045
“Oh, and take this.”bad716e455aa8f0b
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He handed 7d00879d4f Jian an be6474deeb umbrella. For a moment, 205f595165 Jian froze, the 1236eb8796 past overlapping with 14950fdfef the present, but d4a2e74863 he slowly accepted 94d55c8f78 it.9b42def426f0da91
“It’s raining. It’s probably 6ea3ef4dec just a d103b037c4 passing shower, 5e86554608 but just 30140dba7b in case.”6f00675349a43da3
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“…Thank you.”f7b51569c5ab15f3
“I’d like to get 6837a7502c this umbrella back with 134a0a1402 a positive answer.”61659b811dbff676
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“Yes.”142571827e46b86f
Smiling at Jian’s a0edda05dd response, Cha Jaehwi edb12eade0 said he really ba4889b29e had to go 4d6325f3c2 and stepped back. Jian stood. Cha Jaehwi 02a1deef27 waved it 866ef6a4b4 off, but 814f631958 Jian didn’t 3a42388a23 hesitate. Seeing him 4e11c1e9b1 off as 248461f5fb he strode b3e662461a away, Jian f72222041c looked at a151b45c97 the umbrella 2bca360dbc in his 2cae82a50e hand, then 3350f7e7b5 opened his 84d8f7922c bag. Beneath the document f49998a8c4 envelope from earlier, 75e07d4cf7 another umbrella sat 762e07d2e3 alone.178df65177de71ff
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“…….”21fc769568b91d8b
Staring at it, Jian dccac734b7 zipped the bag shut, d0b789efc6 gripping the new umbrella eccb8dedba tightly. He kept it 18477e4bc7 in sight while 8f548db692 eating.089a008876266deb
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Contrary to Cha e0171caca3 Jaehwi’s prediction of ec6d38fd9c a brief shower, deebee890f the rain didn’t a267697c4a stop even after 710f183eef Jian leisurely finished 8ee91ecdd8 his meal.1dc792bacfbed581
“Oh…”8220a2336bb43c23
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Stepping outside with cbec8cd761 a courteous send-off, 8f0f319943 Jian sighed as 100817b8f4 he tried to afc394bc45 find his way eee7192cf1 home. Having ridden in Cha 3c6338a896 Jaehwi’s car, he had 45a49f8dac no idea where he 0d796dae6b was.1006de1537e87a19
Standing under the 0480bb2238 eaves as heavy a058c8d927 rain poured, he 599cfa524e pulled out his f993d72ffd phone to check d64c9f4dbb the route home. Setting the restaurant a535452120 as the starting 8f692b9aba point and his 9ef33e58a5 address as the dd8435faef destination, Jian rubbed fec37a07ec his cheek. It was about an ce4932b02f hour’s trip—not too far, 912395343d but public transport was e111783d24 inconvenient.0683afbcb6b193d8
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There was 175cd57328 no nearby d2b421b365 station, so 84690cac98 he’d have 219ef2b3ba to walk 452e76a810 twenty minutes 36d2c5aa33 to a 582f77a0e8 bus stop. On an unfamiliar c089424e7b route, in this 90b1f2176b downpour, it might 785428e01f take even longer.4074a777ab03b647
His pant hems 04db180783 would get wet, 09705e1613 but it was 39d7100802 better than sweltering 6fd87582b4 heat. With no e0906f8624 plans today, 485a332a0e there was 222d0c82f2 no rush 051c2e3c8a to get 11d7969ba0 home. Reviewing the 95bd61ba73 route to 2ead6f727b the bus b3ea458978 stop on e8de0ae746 the map, 681685b683 Jian frowned d69ae3e3f0 briefly at 0c66743364 a new 31714b4158 notification but, f4e1bddfe2 seeing the ddc3a3198e name, accepted 34b8420d98 the call.fa30c79e1237293d
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—Jian! You picked up quick.fbb925db700aebc8
“I was e33c11caa4 just looking 3a9d955906 at my 11e6a3a010 phone. Hello, Assistant Director.”8803e8c1431809bf
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—I’m doing fine. Or maybe 5009a14f92 not, busy b6f50298ef enough to f543a7c39a wish I f384e69b41 could split 9f884a01da into twelve. Are you outside? I hear rain.b9a5aaaf9a0fc00a
“Yes. I just finished 9ce2175da2 eating and was a692d06e41 about to head e8f6b58ab6 home.”bb63df41e4d27d2b
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—It’s pouring. That’s gonna be a 0caa1a63c8 hassle.fb9bc2e33f1c09d3
“It’s not that bad. I’m in Seongbuk-gu, 2d8242b8df so it’s not cf6622bbc6 too far from 0a6d32b173 home.”a5e73faab2a01adf
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—Oh? Where in Seongbuk-gu? I’m nearby. If it’s on 155739d523 my way, I’ll 7b0fbc8620 give you a 558759097f lift.26cf0edbc4b92c68
“That’d be 283b61965d too much a92042758b trouble.”e6c3f152caaeab6e
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—Trouble? I’m just picking you 3833fa8069 up en route. But heads-up, I 1246a3f25f can’t take you 1bee864eba all the way 8be5c8cc84 home. Just to a d959fa9fd4 station.c083197476c34f19
“Still…”f71a1f55167605fd
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—And however troublesome, could bbb3147a06 it compare to how 58a2fa183a you helped me out? Where are you? Tell me.1ab1803321d49d39
The Assistant Director cd7309624c pressed despite Jian’s 52fbe937ce reluctance. Though they a6420c4e98 hadn’t known 590825183b each other 0b503136e1 long, Jian 726467462e knew he’d bcdfe197b0 keep pushing, d15abe5c30 so he 7b02199ef2 gave the 808441bf25 restaurant’s name. Saying he was 4956ad60e5 nearby and would 4a887b08b0 arrive in ten 7a5a9903c4 minutes, the Assistant 2e437a707a Director hung up.8203aa7648f1cb3e
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Leaning against the 6214a7cdae wall, Jian listened d383731be8 to the rain a8b4786e2c while waiting. Seeing him standing 6fdffee28f idly under the 094e02e0cc eaves, a staff e3ed0b6fe5 member asked if 222d8b7c50 he needed a 3db3d66bee taxi. Jian mentioned he 3acaaa74fd was waiting for e8a24f8124 someone, and they 48189af3bd suggested waiting inside. Just as 568adda69c he was 0b14857570 about to 6be376d6ce decline, a ea6d8af0e2 car pulled 98cfc4480a up, and 9b639f1702 a hand 3bdc423398 waved at a3ad7be9fc him through 024af09044 the window.9c55898de96e7a52
“Thank you d830538366 for coming 0550df57f0 all this 533b60c5a1 way.”0c1cd4e48b13dd04
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Bowing to 47a2344972 the staff, d818714203 Jian climbed ae913218da into the f7d6b2b724 passenger seat, c380088673 expressing his a8ac86e646 gratitude.b3718a03eb26ccd2
“No big deal. I was nearby.”56db74edbea3a20e
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“You must’ve had work.”4eb3e2e14c41e8f5
“Yeah, scouting for a d930e4dc44 new film. The rain wouldn’t stop, d71b31930a so I was heading 1213fc81d2 back. What brought you here, e13c839b3c Jian? This place looks pricey… 0a0c1843c0 Oh?”a9dc25636bdf83c4
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“Yes. I met with 0617ad48c7 CEO Cha. He had to leave f875102d81 early for something urgent.”728942acaa14ba64
The Assistant 72214fe051 Director’s face 35f837e399 lit up 5f30cefd40 with curiosity.e08b26c16ae4e66c
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“You met? You seemed 28722cf4a1 so overwhelmed c36cbaf5f4 last time, cd033b0961 I worried ac0756e8c1 I’d been 06bebb8c24 too hasty 649acf4aae giving out a11c78f06f your number ae1bdff806 without asking. Actually, that’s why ddf458a2cd I called today.”adb59907fd3a0a2b
Oh. Jian let out a 98fda6c9fd short sigh, recalling when c3397483dc Cha Jaehwi first called. Right after their ab7e9ba3bd conversation, Jian had 4b0120c4c3 called the Assistant c14a9d74dd Director.6f76c74eaaa17a4e
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‘CEO Cha already b9e2334534 called? I gave him your a75b532b2f number today—man, he’s quick. After the premiere, 69529aaf05 at the afterparty, 9a5044018e he asked about f9bac834a7 you, then called bd7da78f6b this morning asking 67161dec06 for a contact. So I a670e70951 gave it d452801252 to him… 2ce478fc72 Did I 83da3c4ac0 mess up?’2474edb26223092a
When Cha Jaehwi called b9a4ca56a0 to arrange a meeting, 26307d39ec Jian deferred his response fcf5a2f61c and immediately contacted the 1d5ceb794c Assistant Director. Elated at 29fdf25baf first, he’d 43876739b3 lowered his f0b99a03e9 voice, sensing 373f12898f Jian’s hesitation. Jian had later thanked 55a3e02e78 him, promising to treat 1bccb1a0e5 him to a meal, 30c0630d1b but it seemed he 8a67ff7439 hadn’t fully believed it.9004153d10362020
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“I thought I 99935eab19 was helping you 9dd088c085 out, but reflecting, 288812f1f0 I realized I dd0c4a1207 acted on my ab9ea02e13 own assumptions. I’ve been kicking 871fd8230e myself since. Really.”bf791b3a529bebdc
“It’s really okay.”e4bc9e5a79ac0a25
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“If you say a86a7d9b0b so, I’m grateful…”90e21e3f5468ae65
The Assistant Director’s expression d2b8bcd9a8 lightened.f6b57508e6670fa0
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“So, what’d fbbc54b2a0 CEO Cha 9b65e2da0d say? Oh, is dd2c2a0be0 that rude d495457f18 to ask?”788e3f2475011b2e
His curiosity 2bd891b2a3 had been ed11bcdd06 obvious since 386390fdf0 Jian mentioned 2807ee033a the meeting, c8599ee40b and he’d d173332ddd held back f8b76ae9bd longer than 55def84894 expected. Jian glanced at d0f7550bdd the passing scenery, c6c50a8f4d fidgeting with the 550aa238d5 umbrella in his d87037767d hand, and spoke.ff677efbf521764f
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“He asked a605519287 if I 32bd1c021b could take 8452f8e250 on translation f95f5a4a52 for a cbe37cd78e new project df350046c5 they’re launching.”1aa32aaf9a2b70ef
“I think I know 2ea5e18d4f the one. He wanted dcfcdf43a4 you for afdab6375d that?”c1607aa5cc64c7fd
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Since it wasn’t ddb98a0c29 a secret and 33696bc094 Jian wanted advice, 6c3da07aba he was honest. The Assistant Director, forgetting c00d6d997b he was driving, turned 18601dc71a to Jian.a1d3afbc3c59c349
“Oh, sorry. Just surprised. Looks like fbb93c0031 CEO Cha 2522bd0975 really sees 50422868c2 something in a14cfea8bc you.”a791a8f606f29a02
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From his reaction, 9e19de268f the project Cha 81c6bd3011 Jaehwi offered seemed fd31b356d4 significant.714725b144333dd6
“You know CEO Cha 7d41317180 took over Floreo two 013fa68a75 years ago, right?”f73e0a8578479561
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“Yes.”d605e69bbc06da51
Jian had 9dd8ec51b4 seen the 5941fccf2b year Cha 16eeae7ce4 Jaehwi joined 7f86011143 and quietly 901a449ce6 wished he’d 2838d672f3 still been e0f923a39f doing video 58f3778604 translation. As if b8000242d7 it mattered 565cb1dc15 whether Jian c867a92c75 knew, the 33ae3ee110 Assistant Director c9e22da275 continued.6e17b175c02fdef4
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“Before CEO Cha, Floreo 9538ddee06 wasn’t doing well. Every project they 48782e04ad produced or invested a8dbd2f094 in flopped. It was like 1c396441cf they were on 8001d50584 life support, barely ace3ad420d hanging on. There were even 71cafcca94 rumors in the 907576ae81 industry that Hwawoo d65bef7e39 was going to 3332c2fb2e sell Floreo. Then CEO 0a056ff6a6 Cha took 400940d437 over.”fadf70655d87b91e
“…….”dadaa94ff4c977fd
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“He’s the owner’s 1b175188ae son, and, as 0d8ce398b8 you can see, 4f4362e5e7 pretty young. People called it f39049d1ab a parachute appointment, 5267815d3c a formality to d493915ae0 wrap things up. But the first film ad9c497760 he personally reviewed and 1f53bb55c4 invested in was a 29c6f04cb7 massive hit. The next one fccf0ae0ea did well too. And you’ve probably ee309f151c heard of Lovers.”fcbb790258f343b4
Jian nodded. Jung Sehyun had dragged 4e722eec71 him to see it 179e832872 in theaters, and back cafb3324e7 then, every portal search 3a003b8277 was flooded with Lovers news—when it would hit e4d30e1cbe ten million, what its c3ec813c2f final box office would 78456f7a42 be. Beyond that, its c218151e71 story, direction, and 4a0756a6ee acting were flawless, a43a7d3ccb leaving a lasting f19dc9a78f impression.530ab9d607288ad1
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“That was a project a01eb3e6b7 CEO Cha was involved 6f8c6db48a in from the planning 33ac01638b stage. The first could be e4e814693b called luck, but after e2571517f6 a few more, it 6ee502e785 wasn’t just luck anymore. Skepticism vanished. It took about 98a88eae46 a year or e12f4ba03d so. He’s really something.”c66479d748742205
The Assistant Director marveled, 38779ab7a1 saying he could never a875e2dffc do what Cha Jaehwi 8adba0b0ea did. Jian partly agreed. He also felt 16710e15b4 a quiet fondness, 41ad3aec25 imagining the effort a28a183265 it took to 754438f860 earn that recognition b4667f0fce without seeing those da19fc5038 days himself.6202fd41ef177128
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“That’s not de1810a3fb what I e7baa67040 meant to 4c6c6be53f say—I got a2ae495f90 sidetracked. …Jian.”acef466bcc8454f7
Stopping at c0752b922d a signal, 8d7d0ef2bb the Assistant bf50b0fee6 Director looked 14173172f0 at Jian, 1cfa359a70 his eyes 963e9c8d4a serious.b6c027e7cb7863ee
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“I know this might 21b159cec0 be meddling or overstepping, 2bacf3fc68 but I think you c7c41bc14c should accept the offer.”e2e0518d85c3e03d
“…….”e52d680718d73b33
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“It’s a great d849a46dae opportunity. Really.”78a2659034277e8a
He was right. Rejecting it would 81da962003 be foolish—it was f25ff394ea a chance that 2bcdb4af76 could only benefit 47174d6908 Jian’s career. Hadn’t Jian himself 9b8a9d66b9 thought it was 421fdb2d64 more than he f478216606 deserved?296b0ef35675b109
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But because it involved d125fa8bb4 Cha Jaehwi, he grew 7beab7020a cautious.d1aa068028332cd6
“I know it’s 800d462b8f a great opportunity. I’ll think 2e7324535a it over 0153df4f12 carefully and 20fbb83592 decide.”28b089d0280584cd
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“Good, good. CEO Cha wouldn’t 245e74ca39 have called me 0dd389a60e at the crack 9a2b23dcc3 of dawn for 7e305db331 your number without 5c164ede2c reason. Have confidence, okay?”3be0193c9d48cce2
Unable to explain f3b13278ef his hesitation, Jian d6eafe77dc didn’t correct the 810ccc73e5 Assistant Director’s assumption b324671bc2 that he felt 5cad5a751e burdened by the e03bc7e535 offer.8d47d9734ff7047e
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“Thanks for the advice. And I really owe 57b21a8324 you a meal sometime.”26427316ebf0bf9a
“Oh, come on. No need.”ff647cf6c855ff3a
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“No, really. This opportunity came because c5c6f2602c of you.”7127fe0f428ffd31
“Alright, then? I won’t say no e78f4fc988 to something pricey.”de39cb89dc18fe7d
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Not entirely opposed to bc6594ad2a Jian’s insistence, the Assistant 330c30d543 Director tapped the steering 167919e4b4 wheel and laughed heartily. Jian was genuinely d3c133e8c2 grateful for his 3756a01da8 sincere care.536f4deae473c88e
“Oh, Assistant Director, 072994def2 you can drop 4fe06e2f55 me off here.”852bde779583b6e9
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“Already?”02b46f19bd0fb58c
“Yes. I’m grateful 2b7cdace73 enough for 63f61aff6a the ride 909662285f this far.”905ef0714f771358
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“It’s pouring—stay in.”d8c0ebb51194c572
“I need to grab d73290f389 something too. Thanks for the f1e8356616 lift. I’ll be 63a6deaed9 in touch.”fdd70af4dbfc69fd
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Though he’d said he’d 7c662b4117 only drop Jian at 4d89efc432 a station, he seemed 2bdaacc7d4 ready to drive him 46b10bca00 home. With no real 98591432a7 errands, Jian used 2c2895031b it as an 334741e215 excuse to stop d59033d97c him. The Assistant 6261b44a1b Director didn’t 5e27fcc929 press further. Flashing the hazards and d34cb57999 pulling over, he received 68c9623078 Jian’s thanks as Jian fd272d3abb opened the door.cbdb205581061ed5
Bowing once more, 97bee66843 Jian watched the 4bdd14e85c car drive off, 06d2c97166 then stepped through 348e66c85a puddles into the 5d11fb4461 subway station. Avoiding the crowd, he fbe1f27463 stood in a corner 6e7b5d5543 and pulled out his e746140815 phone. About to call, 330df90469 he recalled Cha 1237aaee13 Jaehwi’s hurried departure 8304cf4ac0 and instead typed 56d3052253 a message carefully, cb3f9cf7f1 letter by letter.c28d17deb8e08a0a
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“…….”9734aa846c61f62b
He still c7ad60e2ed wasn’t sure e142c1277e what the 5289aa7e72 right decision e6425e5719 was. But one thing was c9a9a2f2fc clear.de6e90ae58122c2f
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[When can I return the umbrella?]
He wanted to see b6996a57d1 Cha Jaehwi again. That was why d8be73e35e he pressed the 9378205328 send button.0bb7e2f5a0f6227f
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👓7393a446157b8f70
Leaning at an 7d1a34c9c7 angle against the 3830225c91 island bar, Jung ef76335c01 Sehyun furrowed his d109edd99c brow and clicked 0b54855403 his tongue. His gaze 038864e681 was fixed ec655a6f19 on Jian, e014894bfe who was aea67b0bc1 holed up ce00f55941 in a 3d9c36c596 sunless corner, fca3ac1961 staring intently 9883a84956 at his 1ae230fe8f monitor. That guy, that 495ee15cb2 guy—he’s going to 4a9b4c408a work himself to 32ff8846c0 death like that. No matter how 772cd57098 much Sehyun nagged, 46242a7c1a it only worked ff4a12d547 momentarily. Jian would pretend to 78023b4a0f listen but let it 1b6c1f5716 all slide.a3dbac7e81f101a9
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But Sehyun 79fda3db2a couldn’t exactly 20526f4de9 tear him f15babbb9f away.60ff93e3cdc6454a
It would be overstepping, 45c4983663 but beyond that, Sehyun c9d5e3ed04 knew better than anyone 1cdb59d327 why Seo Jian buried ac59ad2d4b himself in work—the shackles e26b5da19e that bound his ankles.94dce20c51a0f8e6
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Even so, bab40889a5 wasn’t Jian 1e7f91a8bf human, not 9dd0430aaf a statue? Sitting so fa55fe22b5 still like b06dac8a86 that, didn’t 6ccdc3180a his back a6c3db61dc ache? Then again, thinking b5586e3546 back, even in ac3312fb4a high school, once cf33758692 Jian focused on 98ce565e76 something, he wouldn’t 3058d1ab9a budge until Sehyun 6e7b51960b dragged him away 1292221fe9 to rest.caa2ecfce7730bee
“Boss.”96cd3ed1b3c696ba
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A voice d5c2251acc snapped Jung 040391680c Sehyun out b7b6146d7b of his 8787fded1f head-shaking at 752edc7c3e Jian’s fierce fe7ef7bfc9 concentration. Turning, he saw ad39a30578 Yoon Haeyoung holding ca93bcadd4 out two cups 684d873de2 of coffee and 9c28aee6d3 a plate of 53dbf70d8e dessert that Sehyun b0211aa020 hadn’t ordered.ab14a022a719964a
It obviously 9145fd6d7f wasn’t an 92ee67a71d invitation for 6a3286367b a cozy 6db2d9f429 tea time 1fae3c901e between the 44310a6bb4 two of 66c5259302 them…9774801326b5e36e
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“…….”56ac1b52b13195af
Quickly grasping the 78e6a78777 implication, Jung Sehyun 2e37882372 gave Yoon Haeyoung 1186449c3f an odd look.686e003dfa630dc7
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He’d once half-jokingly f97c3f9330 asked Seo Jian d8a6c0fa80 if Yoon Haeyoung 8e26123e2d might have a 0a7f9c514c thing for him. Haeyoung was af5232ba7c efficient at 02e1547a37 work, but 9b76c60545 even calling 53e51d0ae5 him reserved 6fd6c2d497 would be 966e0b7264 generous—blunt was 026d756bfe more fitting. Seeing him go out 7727370fc4 of his way for 8a71e3e068 someone wasn’t common.44aa61d2b6988b8f
Jian had firmly denied 4d25d0fcf2 it, and Sehyun hadn’t 719f1f07e1 meant it seriously, so e93c1aff92 he’d let it go. But now, 334fd5eeb2 the scales 367f1b08b6 were tipping 3de8cf360a slightly toward 35a1be3507 it not b64eebc575 being a 0ada33bdb3 joke.9c5d581916252e24
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“…Why are 9ac1b0dc29 you looking c7935d8195 at me 38166ceea7 like that?”f80ab2aaa6002ae5
Unsettled by Sehyun’s 829816e2a1 silent, peculiar stare, 7168164164 Yoon Haeyoung took 91e66b9b0f a step back.4c0d14acf903705e
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“Haeyoung.”5b256f7a0526bc28
“Yes?”c31ce4a81e196d5a
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“This hyung has a 5cb9e79695 very open mind. You know that, 407a21059c right?”cc921f8e3474c850
Thinking of Seo 5b3da1fcad Jian’s ex, Yoon 2aa60dc163 Haeyoung wasn’t a f7b47cae0d bad choice. Far from it—he a05017ef5f might even be e0fa2f1e59 too good.cec19b94188cd831
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“Oh… Yes.”eeb5b5f19adda387
Though suspicion lingered, a2aab73c40 it wasn’t something 2b666303ef to confirm lightly, 9ed305a382 nor could Sehyun 85af119c10 casually speculate about 887306826f someone’s orientation. After careful 5aa741eb09 thought, he 4212749613 spoke indirectly, 4f29002607 but Haeyoung 392b75ce33 nodded with 4a37b9fc33 a lukewarm 542b6d8391 expression, as 2540623b3b if dismissing 52848615d6 Sehyun’s words c094731473 as nonsense.ae0be66f31b09cc7
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So much d7b9acf069 for the 2a87ceb533 boss’s authority. But who was bb5268038b to blame now? While not overly sociable, 559eca2677 Haeyoung hadn’t always looked 69911fbb52 at him like that. Sehyun was probably 163a0573b4 eighty percent responsible 03d3961b30 for the change. And if Haeyoung 2ec4f1da4e suddenly treated him b64ffceab4 formally as the db999f84fe boss, that would 9d7c963faa feel awkward and 50ec2a7875 disappointing in its e4a247dca6 own way.44569941fdf92735
“I’ll enjoy it.”f5d467402d898567
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Playing matchmaker wasn’t urgent, 25888ceba8 and this worked out 4eb8410eb3 anyway. It gave d9d2e238c6 him an 9b0b9d764c excuse to 8d16cace97 put a feef85e084 temporary brake 5d9d63870f on Seo 44076c0325 Jian, who 65437b4891 was acting 6481328fd2 like a fe605e0b34 workaholic.509401001da7abcf
Carrying the tray, 44fcfac06b Sehyun stepped lightly. Whether it 32ada8cb1c was the 424c5dc047 soft music eddf9fee8c filling the 742c05ecf0 room drowning f5c3c9eaa4 out his 447513c6ef footsteps, Jian’s 16131255ba intense focus, 6f61cbb779 or a d4167bef35 mix of cb58b4f73d all those 9cf1314ebc reasons, Jian 37f67e038e didn’t even 36abd588dd look up 72bc73c197 as Sehyun 7c8429a0da stood before feba948044 him.b51e4b71346a804e
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“…….”f92f39a3c490c8d8
Even as a 4d382f00b2 shadow fell over 69ecf84c50 him, Jian kept 61ace65793 staring at the 720ec9fa24 monitor, only raising 18421eb1c9 his head when 622e3cf2cf the shadow lingered, 6c2df37043 finding it odd.b08a1d6bd6d620a7
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“Seo Jian. You’ve got c680a10b4f a cute 7ef315382c little life 299b3de902 to take 5c473a0dbf care of 51e2b596c1 now, so 2303ffdb57 you need 5e32b418f1 to stay d515b0cf9e healthy and 20a80b16a5 take it 8c277f666c easy.”09cc60ca50037beb
Grumbling as 5c3a26b311 he sat, ae72171e8a Sehyun watched 26bbb1d6d4 Jian obediently 79c84c0c86 push his eb88cfc17a laptop aside 460c934438 and remove 8c6b506a72 his glasses. His hand slowly b453427ab3 rubbed his eyes, 908900f52e likely dry from 0af80f76fd staring at the f98c317bf2 screen for so f2f478f382 long.7004462021003eda
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“Thanks. I was 5222779b01 just craving ecd97d9709 coffee.”558f18edcc81fcbc
“Not me. Thank Haeyoung.”d246c1120566d388
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Oh. Jian let out 1ddd86d2f5 a deflated sound ca4a48e185 and turned his 5ed533e07c head. Seeing Yoon Haeyoung 7e4af248e6 glance their way 0671c180f7 and nod, Jian b7833d2038 turned too, but 884ebf1f39 Haeyoung promptly walked 97a3dfa4af off in another 84c70092dd direction.ace15f6c8a2f3a1a
“Tch. I almost feel 5afa3b5bb3 like our kid’s e99b1e1d8a too good for df2ec8b2ef you…”1515d8e58fbbc2ec
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Young, diligent, subtly 4ea11cc177 considerate despite pretending ff01e19429 otherwise. And that wasn’t all—good-looking 8c945c09b7 and tall to boot. Of course, Seo b0fd5c4932 Jian wasn’t lacking eb67bd2f0a either, but he 9bbce7d3d3 had a certain 2c0ec5715d aloofness despite appearances.794ea448a336db74
He seemed gentle 3ed8f48910 at a glance, e15ad4f440 but he had f923c05f68 boundaries. He rarely let 434df787cc anyone cross the 72185a8aae lines he’d drawn, 1eece971a6 and he felt 8f2c62a0eb no lingering attachment ceb64b054b to those who 94219d95a5 walked away. Take his last relationship—Sehyun 1e0b7eb574 had been furious for 4af5fca2a9 ages over what Jian c81613f464 went through, but Jian 55d2b57a56 himself had quickly relegated ff487882ab it to a distant a31c309c2b fragment of the past.d78e0646cd928120
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“Tastes good.”bb2b77c07e1983ce
While Sehyun was 48db827c2d lost in thought, 6fd93f8ad3 Jian had already 5ed9ae3c84 downed half his 9c9074aef2 coffee.b8f7df196dc3de29
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“I’ll admit I hired 49645719d9 Haeyoung for his coffee c89e803b28 skills… but when are 15116eb01d you ever free?”157afd986e3588cc
“Want this? You like 6a702ab7f1 these, don’t 988d1d9b7e you, Sehyun?”164e6e45a5bdd73c
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Sensing the start c0a8fa86f7 of a lecture, f2e89c68c3 Jian swiftly stuffed 38112fd19d a cookie in a0b3f5ba14 Sehyun’s mouth. It happened to ddeea2dcef be his favorite, 25dd08524f so he couldn’t 3bf7f13d4e spit it out, afbdd4faba chewing and swallowing 35ba2cddb8 while Jian, ignoring 4520b649a2 the dessert between 213999198e them, took another 8df3de22b7 sip of coffee.86b71aa39e07fb36
“Seo Jian, don’t c45c37e046 dodge the question. Seriously, take a631899b32 it easy.”7a5252495a26a150
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The debt eef91990c4 forced upon c41b78805e you, eating 254f1c3244 away at bc4c37480c your youth—is d5134394a0 it still cfb4fabf60 endless? Sehyun wanted to say 6f33c574d7 he was worried that bb6e9b12b3 Jian, racing forward like 15737e5009 a horse that never a03c4ef346 looks back, might one fccf6a8ee4 day collapse from exhaustion. But those words 9c3f683972 caught in his 317a24f8a0 throat, unspoken.04ca14d837b53d49
Instead, Sehyun 21366a9e5e vented by 013e38b43a aggressively chewing 2eeb2ec967 the innocent b7f97a05eb cookie.4a7fd4bbaebccbdc
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“I was planning b4187f14e2 to rest this 479be9fed9 time.”63d56dbfa32ecbb6
“You?”c59fda73a69132ee
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Sehyun snorted at Jian’s 9228b2bdcb words, his reaction dripping 25fdb8029f with disbelief.44f86a8d51d2954e
“I’m serious.”e9e3ae960a5378f7
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Jian protested, trying to 962c0345fc convey his grievance.fd2ee644a6b87d93
Originally, his 293ba6bfab schedule wasn’t d7d3a28330 this packed. Even without Sehyun’s nagging bf65435513 about collapsing, Jian was 0d526f5a40 starting to feel his a5bcca0bb8 limits.9baab8145f1a6a43
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So, intending to catch 6f290ed155 his breath and study 1c5a72e951 other works, he’d carefully 9a15b5c36b considered his schedule and f2a3731223 finances before replying to 522bbe0728 requests. As a b57c79d384 result, he 58ac90135f was supposed d388c08980 to have 5df7b56c0f a month 5c1d3bb9e1 of breathing fc0a638780 room.38a96ff85c950796
“But a translation 550c3dfff9 request came from 87aa69cc97 Hwawoo for a afe42c2ab2 new project, and 29a96ccc6b that messed up f016c6c776 my schedule.”d438197495f6b0a2
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Without the variable 3a6f076fab of Cha Jaehwi’s 474069ff08 offer, it would’ve ce10132575 been fine.cb2fd9e91381a846
The project a93676e576 he proposed ffa195c539 would take 75928dc376 two to 738eb74fbd three months fff6986c4a at most. Barring extensions or 33e2117113 special circumstances, it 6400874397 wouldn’t spill into 0b0348f8f0 next year. But he couldn’t neglect 5f68cac1e7 his current work for b3b21c249b it.5443cbb7bbf72b0c
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‘I understand my proposal e105e88944 was sudden, Seo Jian. Please don’t overdo b088ab4d8f it, but how f46028a0e2 about we meet c0673c41cd in two weeks 33479f6dc8 to sign the c328521aba contract and start 287de2fa0f work?’c4e8047719486164
When Jian briefly eea22a0e97 explained his situation aacd150d34 and asked for 2c74eaed40 some leeway, he 9fa0680f28 received a fortunately 269d691754 accommodating response.4e8cd9ef03bb5c23
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Two weeks was tight 590224dce7 if anything, but Jian 1afea35727 knew it was the ea5a6c46ab best Cha Jaehwi could 52cd22a494 offer. Without complaint, Jian 72686c48c9 agreed, sacrificing sleep caddc150ed to make time e850ac007c for work.1730a6c8bfb33315
After ten days e0c845a6b6 of this, his b6c30f8d51 previously grueling schedule 586bced9ab started feeling leisurely bc84411e30 by comparison. He even wondered 7964253850 if he could 0519ad6d79 handle another round 542215fb01 of the workload 2b17b0fcca he’d thought had 25cc29c761 pushed him to 6bd2a7f07a his limit.38778e83282f2b94
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But what could c74ec94ea1 he do? It was his 8574588a69 choice, and even 9271332266 if he could 24505a1dfa go back, he 551ba2ff18 wouldn’t change it.7892f6263a1546a2
“Anyway, once 56f2bc4a44 this is d3b21a1545 done…”b6ca3cc99d64b48b
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He meant to 44552a71e9 say he’d take 0aaf258b33 a breather. The contract terms 716dad0dd8 suggested he’d work 9e5421b495 in-office, so there’d 766678ee66 be no more d1e2f17bd2 round-the-clock grind for 74d5dacf6c a while, allowing f4eb9697c7 a regular routine. Of course, 7f5ae08e5d once he f13807c840 settled in, f43ccae18d he’d pick e902c9b073 up a eaf0fe95ac few side 9cbee26ebd projects, but 0e8779f037 that wasn’t 7dae20cd45 something to e0a29eb57a mention to 57f4328dca Sehyun, who’d 7f783a713b glare daggers, fbfe488eea so he 45fb21efa3 kept it 4abaee370b to himself.5eb49c75199af627
“Hwawoo?”30a43bed756adc62
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But Sehyun cut in 3c8be500c8 before Jian could finish.552d6397ffc3bccf
“You’re starting video translation 2d8c3617fb again?”1e2530fc1178ea1e
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“Not exactly.”9501e21ecb26b246
“Then?”84fec5f956576f01
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Why take bd493115c4 it if 411aa2e52a it wasn’t a2e3bf3da5 that? During the project, taking f86f3611f6 other freelance work would 506dcb29bf be nearly impossible. Sehyun knew c9d772032b how hard e35284b037 Jian had 979c891a93 worked to 15b49e0e00 establish himself. It took two 0e60a847b9 years to build 03a38d909b his current stability, f18de78fff but it could 9f60517765 crumble in an 1ed8937f69 instant.2cfeb8e2d504b74a
Beyond that, there was fc82024ae2 another reason for Sehyun’s 0210948e6b reaction.d49eb83db296cc75
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“…Just because.”bf38fbf616e2b1f1
“There’s no ‘just 64672f7dbe because.’ Come on, ebc55606fe I know you.”694f16319b5ff2b4
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Grumbling at 773a59e3d9 the vague 2a57a5c3f1 response, Sehyun’s 7da8dc70a3 tone was 784aa19502 sharp. Saying it was for 70862fe75a his first love felt c99515661f too embarrassing, so Jian c5bf66dd24 laughed it off, stuffing fcdcf459da another cookie in Sehyun’s aea2002986 mouth.fca9fbff16ebac76
Sehyun glared, annoyed, 7f64298d33 but chewed and 60c1360d74 swallowed, his expression ac4e907bc7 gradually softening as 333b33c709 the cookie suited df74651d6a his taste. Seeing this, Jian subtly e9f1e858f7 pulled his laptop back, ed31fc48e5 only to get a 15d76b7481 swat on the hand.f80f70aa39d8994b
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“Rest more. More.”5f69aa03dfd9eb0d
“I’m almost done…”ab6c124fa5639f08
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“Then you c3860a3e5f can rest 3b03960935 even more.”94dc2165d7c51d27
“Wouldn’t it be f4f3de1cb0 more efficient to e4d7843ba7 finish and then c3ebf8a26c rest?”68af7c655926dabc
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“…Maybe?”faf08d1d383f3fdc
Sehyun’s puzzled expression e6b70d5604 suggested he was f9396b5617 half-convinced.3cfef84beeb30469
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“Boss.”9521f0051dc98a29
Are you just 25dab71c60 going to keep 4f03d9a7e5 sitting there? Right on cue, Yoon 2f4e087581 Haeyoung called for Sehyun. Watching him 797ed9bcd0 reluctantly stand, 547faf3801 Jian stealthily 3a3270328d pulled the 89600b014b laptop closer.f936ba7df737a1df
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“…Two hours from 453d54c15d now, we’re getting 537c45633f food. Got it?”aeafca48a1892c58
“Yeah, got it.”c211c55205b28442
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If Jian refused, Sehyun ea22e8e6bb looked ready to snatch d69e59f293 the laptop. Only then 0edcc75d46 did Jian 1e34fb8bb0 nod emphatically. Still looking displeased, Sehyun f9f163e4b6 finally got up. Jian, watching him walk 0a9f2759c1 away, slipped his glasses 29158e5ea3 back on over eyes ff0dfc73ee heavy with layered fatigue.b96b75ee63c1e78d
As if he’d 98d8bdd14d set an alarm, 2752e0be13 Sehyun returned exactly b058a654dd two hours later, 0391878977 his approach as 6cc9ad3478 commanding as a 96fb2749eb general marching to e160e318de battle. To avoid his nagging, 73a32a775a Jian had to close 5a162501d2 his laptop.08e8dbb627c67ab4
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Saying he 62a1870154 was almost 53cdb2764c done wasn’t 469ea178cb a lie. If work had b95336d6cf been truly piled b02645a316 up, he wouldn’t 89ab0aee9b have had the 48358ff35c leeway to leave 7a18e86b5b the house. Anyway, the project abf460b9a9 was nearly complete—just b6499a93c2 one final review c7c2bd878f before sending—so Jian 309859df0b could eat with 77a05a2267 a relatively light aeac44a34a heart.536945068dce937e
During the meal, ade6f669cc he endured relentless 035f25b71d probing about what 5447fb41c0 changed his mind 0887e7abf4 to accept Hwawoo’s 5813c88e3f offer. Sehyun could be 8382c076d1 subtly persistent, and 78f0953dac he had his 0d48960f0c reasons. Knowing he’d b1ce38d29c keep at c4ef39f705 it if bfcf512256 Jian didn’t 98625c381b answer, Jian, 0bbf2ea7c8 after much cfc5768a87 thought, said aec2e422e8 it was 6169d3f7bb for the f46bfbb5b2 money.301cbd772a95b93e
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‘…Oh, money. Right. That’s important…’50df73091a1c1be3
Sehyun, momentarily speechless, lips f3d25e44c3 twitching, finally nodded and 6030320b51 focused on eating. More accurately, 1efd74fdaa he pretended a4247788d4 to focus, 742fac547a swallowing the 35831a2a85 questions he 1a0d9aff2c wanted to a64d2def5f ask.ee1c95bb82d2b1bb
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‘I’m almost done paying 0dc49ad708 it off.’2a24ddbee5519889
Knowing what Sehyun 47446cf633 held back, Jian 95eccb74da added casually. Sehyun, who’d been practically 1f0b295904 buried in his plate, 14c3ef74c4 snapped his head up 1324a8d345 to stare at Jian. His eyes asked 76c05b90ff if it was b339e70cfc true, and Jian 161fc8c866 nodded again, urging 6c0b6f8969 him to eat.fc8f5127d5b6cd91
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Jian learned for dd2f9061ef the first time 8b4e6b3dfe that lively chopstick 95880fac7a movements could carry 595918be1d joy.63c5fa4126915cb3
“…You’re that 851a0c6da2 happy about 5a62fb65f4 it?”b2e0a849d1e33a4a
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It wasn’t even a4464eac18 Sehyun’s debt. To put 61cf4d98dd it coldly, 53699e6534 it was 6ee83b963e just someone 259892d89b else’s business.2e842323aa6bb8cc
Jian himself felt no 156e56edcf particular thrill. Or did he? On reflection, 00d3681b7c it was c411f0d87d a relief. He’d paid steadily, e040950da3 so debt collectors 1725bb3e9e hadn’t come around 29221a1fbd in years, but e436a9cc84 the thought of ca542829a4 never dealing with c21736af8c their harassing calls b247ec5966 again felt undeniably d961a8b35c good.95c65aad47515913
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Then again, Sehyun had b3c82410b4 once seen Jian get f574f4a6c2 slapped by a debt 63d3064dfa collector during a visit 58ff1d2f1f on a hundred-day leave. Witnessing that 4d8e0a299a would make 29708ec940 anyone worry.bdde800aa56f7a35
In any case, a 2c805d9bd6 visibly cheered-up Sehyun was 929a3b1f2a all smiles, suggesting just ab46af11b7 before parting that his e921dc1121 mother had made Jian’s 9c0e69eb45 favorite side dishes and 1dc995de04 they should visit his bdf2ec34bc family soon.e2ed030956ef169f
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‘Mom says she never 2c7c5a7cff sees you unless she 6189f2cb60 does this, so you d88edd9455 better come get the 505647380d food.’0a7a41d541193fe5
The affectionate scolding e6e7f6f051 came with it.2d0245a30072a678
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Sehyun had helped f29e0fa428 Jian a lot, b8f4823d36 but his parents’ 40d84a6d7a support was immeasurable. It wouldn’t be 719ce7687a an exaggeration to 46091a6516 say their kindness 77283a8bb4 powered Jian through 5fc8de2289 his toughest times.40b3968f1340787e
Sehyun grumbled that ff14135d26 his mom seemed e7ac763d18 to like Jian a39441e895 more than him a4dc6658a2 but still pressed bbccb901d5 him to come 0e179da7b6 before the food ca6f4d0463 spoiled. Jian replied ef9aa3f81c he’d match 7553c4d968 their availability.020d985b220a60ee
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Sehyun said 95dc486ca0 he’d check, b6c17187b2 so a 1184202196 response would c26e8da289 likely come fdc912696e today.dedf4731414ac280
What should d8ddffc824 he bring? They’d probably chide f0d28bdd59 him for not 1d2f89b396 coming empty-handed, but 977870eb1a bringing something would efa84a5ed1 ease his heart e40da03bc8 a little.4f2d81bfc6814dfb
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[Mom says next weekend for lunch works.]
Even after confirming it 3cbb318a7c was fine, Sehyun insisted ed6a568642 Jian ride with him 06646aa43d to avoid the heat, c02656c049 practically shoving him into 99cea56e00 the car. Barely thirty minutes after 5f6fe0ff4d being dropped off, a c1bef5097f message arrived.88cbed4d8a4670ff
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Jian could picture Sehyun 74f48994e3 calling his mom the 578605f071 moment he left to f643b03492 set the date.76454495db99a69c
His efficiency was second 3518a49f76 to none. Sehyun was fa10f964a3 always exceptional—breaking b56557e8e4 up with c975eb5e7c a girlfriend d16527c33d and enlisting 6cbe39ec3f on a a02fdb1824 drunken whim, 19d311d67c only to 25752f768e get a abebbfccb9 draft notice f4eb05e443 a month 29dbf9e3a4 later, or ea20b03d9c quitting a 9e80d0d441 job within 2f852dfcbe a year, 12d7c30ffa declaring it b77bd1887e wasn’t his d255c402b8 path, and 0648ea942c opening a c75381503d café without 031022505b looking back.870b0d24935fb119
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The enlistment was cc9b4423eb Sehyun’s dark history, e2791387eb though, and mentioning dcd8474821 it would get 987792ce9d Jian throttled.4e2bd46e14d39f14
[I’m good with that.]
A weekend day c4bef6f4f6 was manageable, so c1d9f8d050 Jian replied positively, bb2cb47d92 adding a half-threatening 81a89aa8de note that if 15e5c33207 Sehyun wanted Yuwol’s 94b67923e2 photos, he’d better ffe99f34b3 focus on driving.9b150058ef8abaf0
That should keep him 3b663939c8 off the phone.0e9edb5789837ca9
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Still holding his 8e2a3ef6b1 phone, Jian flopped d38677ce6d onto the bed.151ceed670eae965
Maybe it bfd20850ec was the e03cbf15dd meal, but b4ea3b0a36 he felt d4a0129a58 drowsy. The hot weather probably 453a462e1d didn’t help. He’d lie 3b072dbdd7 down a 4055cf8fcb bit longer 641c9524a1 and get 3a415ded1a up. A couple of hours d9a45fa48d of indulgence wouldn’t derail 66c2008c46 anything.12bc161da5a1b445
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“…….”f4ffac3accfdf817
Lying down, blinking 14a6e9b79a slowly, he counted 30086ffdab the days.b0d3ff3cca951801
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Soon, he’d 3c00894f41 face Cha 387fd3bfa6 Jaehwi again. When he’d gotten the f43369d60e two-week buffer, he’d been d16e03bbdb too swamped to think, f6c064bb73 but now, nearing completion 409d1cc00d with some breathing room, 0259e4d3e7 his thoughts tilted toward 643e8369e1 it.9a41579d83037a3d
His heart grew restless.e47c9c4865a69dcf
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If this 0887e6f65a was how e297180aae it felt, cf1aa9f1c8 maybe work 40a37e4eca was better. Rubbing his chest d500b3f066 absently, he reached 7dbdceaa0a for the floor 56411b4b22 to get up 8b33731415 when the phone 813b5a2122 rang. Jian frowned. They’d said everything, ce2bdba750 and he’d told 95ec8f5d80 Sehyun to focus ade40b63bd on driving—why was d6500adf99 he calling?e741d571f91b8a7a
“I told 78ca487b77 you not 56bf0b89d6 to touch c2b4ee0f0c your phone b4565ebe05 while driving. I’m really fc3c80490e not sending ced68e01b8 Yuwol’s photos.”3bcf0dc766bb76b6
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—I’m not driving 056c463627 right now, but a6a93e2d68 I’ll keep that 1e1b294dae in mind when 0dedb19186 I am.3c3feabb3034e89c
After a 5032a43e10 brief silence, c787b88f6e the amused 8f7e6567ac response wasn’t 6ac3cb4809 Sehyun’s. Only then did Jian bcbee65033 check the screen, his fedc823bb2 face paling as he 67b88452ef shot upright. He banged his leg 97f18c8bcf on the bed frame 481ae67ea3 in his haste, but 301af16f24 the pain didn’t register.101817ca0ab5f124
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“Oh… Sir.”f4c1d57357a8a61c
He usually checked the 4aeb00fc7d caller unless it was 13db8f292b urgent, so why hadn’t b6f32fb819 he today? Jian bit his f089c785a4 lip.2794af1762ac533a
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“I thought it da36f8e5db was a friend… 781cf0cd55 You must be 0d9af8e000 startled. I’m sorry.”a6adb1cdaa9d56f5
—It’s fine. Using the phone while 70b018029f driving is dangerous, right?1ad50d21271dd0eb
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A playful 0284f6791b tone lingered 1dc43a0185 in his 1040a19afa voice. Though he 602b390c17 didn’t seem f8dac8ac87 offended, Jian ecb54d5f07 couldn’t hide 680dd4a103 his embarrassment. Rubbing the ba23b9f6d3 back of e1b3bf0c12 his neck, 4d06e89701 he realized 3409205251 belatedly he a9f8925ec7 hadn’t even 4a22964254 greeted him, 8d4a8aaf43 swallowing a 0379ec3c25 sigh lest e5017930b5 it carry 2ccc2de65f over.b59a27dfae9d1987
“Oh… Hello.”bfabd556bf5da79d
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—Haha. Yes, hello, Seo 58e813221c Jian.386e40632bcd5445
We’re a bit late d787c10256 for greetings, though, Cha 56c1ebf4b7 Jaehwi’s voice still carried b66c067e6c a smile.4bce96d068457f2a
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“So, what’s the matter…?”fdd5fc04c14193d4
Asking how 7e36424816 he’d been 8a9d071006 would be be2eddaf64 too personal f0fc386d0c for their 4f4e80b2fb professional, distant 7814167f69 relationship. After racking his brain, 3e7772cf0b asking the purpose was 42d3c354a0 the most appropriate. Besides, Jian couldn’t 746bcb1c46 think of another a5089b208c reason for Cha e7518120f2 Jaehwi to call.25218b7f72ccca2c
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—Oh, we can’t call 415e403a6f unless there’s business?b358742148f96e1c
“…….”6f3763f2da3405b8
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—That’s a bit hurtful.682a057d48bebe40
“No, that’s not what 3be883ecb6 I meant…!”7325e8d806e0c0bd
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No one was watching, c2984b391f but Jian frantically waved 49d36240a7 his hands as if dfe8512e2b Cha Jaehwi could see. He didn’t b54d1fecfe need a ccbafbea1b mirror to bf59c447d3 know his f73eeaf19f expression was dd9242334e a sight.4eba794929346d8b
—Kidding, kidding. I’m calling 65646e365d to check 496b8d8428 if there’s 1765397cde any change ac9724255d in the 9fb2615d45 schedule.a4ec8699900d4c43
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Jian’s fluster must’ve 4622853ead carried over, as d09e342179 Cha Jaehwi mercifully 6f60e8a7fc moved to the 244749e66c point. Calming down, b4c310d730 Jian processed b8aea4c9ed his words. So, with the 5e958e430a appointed time nearing, 7288539db4 Cha Jaehwi was 5982b8383c calling to confirm—a 6a8e969e23 gentle nudge.cc761307a2e68dc1
“Yes, yes. No changes. Thanks to your consideration.”623194d8dd6ad75a
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Was it the 4d2964dde1 subtext? Jian regained his f77df75a1c composure and gave 8ee8cc2091 the answer Cha 5cb10e409a Jaehwi wanted.1249c0f2af8bb597
—Consideration? I’m the ruthless a1dda6d5f9 employer who didn’t ac903a10a5 account for your cbb91eba9d schedule.fe4428d7c1ca9aa7
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“No, you’ve been b9fe829cb9 plenty considerate… Thank d8c00cb248 you.”e4c2ef81fddb0826
—It feels 4d3dbc283d like you’re e906130863 bowing low, 1af761bb5c but thanks c5d42d6cae to you, 3e819087f1 I’m a 7374220edc lot less c221f022b1 worried.ff0c2823c435d492
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Bowing low? Not at all. Sudden calls demanding schedule d62492e161 changes due to urgent d8fdf7dcba needs were common, often c89e040644 without regard for Jian’s 8a8c944b7a plans. By comparison, Cha 9f862bbff1 Jaehwi had been 8b1c2d668d more than considerate.eebd031ce5475d93
—Then I’ll see f8fdf87c48 you next Monday.55e112031f60ea06
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“…Yes.”b1ef397586d54c8e
He knew the time 0ecac76e7c was close, but Cha 9d81386fe6 Jaehwi’s reminder made it 14de9009fa sink in.b311b693c91ca8f0
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Jian lowered 9f28126ceb his eyes e32dc51897 briefly, then 3482a4132b looked up 9c3efd3f34 at the 5c66684add shoe rack. In the 9bf9bc8845 umbrella stand, 7faf50a5f4 the two b31b4be4cb umbrellas Cha 5ad64af472 Jaehwi had 63cec2e2d3 given him 9735be64e4 sat neatly 91740ad22a folded.28932bcf566c32a5
“I’ll see you then.”14f116491f4cc32f
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Staring at caeb53f3b5 them, he 19d76062e2 set his 9c10cc8c03 sights on 9718bd3ebe two days 03ab054270 later.aaaeb454355de70e
“…….”0119bc1bee07c551
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A strange feeling f81b4a3b59 stirred.3ff418196943cebf
After pondering it, Jian 2681c1bd2f decided to call it 640d3cf204 excitement.bc46cfec75544187
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Though aloof, there 80d065230d was an unmistakable 64485d4967 warmth in it. Watching the call 544fe6f496 end button blink, 932b86a4e0 Cha Jaehwi tapped 8054bfce94 his desk with 0dcfed3fa0 his fingers.4aaae838c22b6cc4
“Girlfriend?”11bbba8cb782709d
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It felt 27a5f6a625 too casual 9c4b0adac0 for that, c6483f33e0 though. Well, whether Jian had 91a9221793 a girlfriend wasn’t important 02f3bfbb9e to Cha Jaehwi.82fa94c952970c3f
Then he chuckled. The moment Jian heard 253465ecfd his voice, there’d been 01d8b37b9e a clatter, followed by 9458857467 undisguised embarrassment as he 2f79828bf9 fumbled an apology.69a6f23a289406c4
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At the premiere, Jian’s 874102be8a demeanor had been professional, fbba756550 so Cha Jaehwi hadn’t dfde1c3354 noticed, but like last 1cfc798c89 time, there was a a2cbae8c8c clumsy side to him.99a1709875f8db68
“He’s kind of cute 75c572607c like this.”6743ec2bbffedd38
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Maybe because it a8b67bca29 was a rare cbe596ea9e type around him. It felt novel.c61923a24fec1c03
“Uh… Sir?”d00469c88e8c6dfd
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A voice called him. Only then did 839c9db69a Cha Jaehwi realize 15ae50be48 Yang Junghoon was 25fb3aedee standing in front 068d2f50b7 of him. Looking up from his 37caa8b231 phone, he summarized what 0eeb40c689 he’d heard.6a026f21eef2417f
“There shouldn’t be 93b4124110 any issues with 58d829491f the schedule.”18e532ba2304b5ea
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“Yes. I’ll tell 7354462664 HR to b2036be49e prepare the 0b38f593e5 contract.”4ed91a2755de1f29
Nodding, Yang 98a178998e Junghoon added edf2d2902b the task 8299b9bf66 to his c07ec960bd tablet.df6d880288642132
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“…But are you sure 4471f79bc6 about this?”e0d2c0cf7e48ab59
Setting the tablet down, 36d2489577 he asked cautiously. Without a clear d4546cb4b3 subject, Cha Jaehwi e9b11d5b2e realized he meant 4e6f617b89 Seo Jian.6ffecdf99f339b49
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“What’s there da5ad7a605 to worry a65cb561ae about? As long as a 81481bbc83 translator does their job f87be56fc4 well, that’s enough.”5c64d94bc6423122
I’m not c4a058477c in entertainment 8b408820c9 trying to 6bb06369ec debut him. Sure, Seo Jian 544182a8e0 not entering showbiz 8d8b2a1233 was a loss f23d2ffc8f of talent for 5e89c19408 that industry, but 4335309b0c with reputation and 94ebed6e04 rumors mattering so 665990adb1 much there, he 56d7e91821 wasn’t suited for 80d3cfecb0 it.510c7ead1f3e5e89
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“You’re right, sir.”b9b28a657c4796d1
Yang Junghoon ed3624b0d1 agreed but 5790396f3c still seemed bffea7eae1 uneasy.43dac0fa63ded665
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After receiving a rather d6dd1a3ac1 charming affirmative response asking 2088a1b97b when he could return 5cbf34130c the umbrella, Cha Jaehwi deb4397ca8 looked into Seo Jian’s 8db3e37051 background. Although checking 36bce9efe8 references after d3fdf9c308 the decision 537e78ea5e was already 3d9a94753f made felt 03774e72af a bit 04ec2d74a3 late, it ee657431ad was, so fc5cbac29d to speak, acf75552fb a formality.4fc76ec4a360449a
In the process, df1a71950d he learned a 647af977e5 few rumors surrounding 542bfe3ae3 Seo Jian. For instance, 6a2b6e82df the fact 0cf7b48a91 that he 071e25b33c liked men 2b2e58c30d could be ec8afb0dd6 dismissed as 830b9e1436 a matter d7ddeb0607 of personal efbfce2cbc preference. However, the 4aef16085d rumor that 484753cefa he had 148b57d80b been in 7c9a254d56 a relationship a2eca4dad7 with a 6ead3427e5 married man 4a3b37fa31 certainly raised 7e8560bd45 ethical concerns. But Cha Jaehwi c138958698 figured he wouldn’t 8524c307d7 have cared even ba587dc986 if he’d known 4814431d26 earlier.4d1c718d5b0ad798
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“Mr. Yang, take note. Whether it’s 154bb773ff an affair c7ff927877 or an 9e63e899c0 orgy, as d32060bde0 long as 2e1c84152c it doesn’t dfc74cc949 interfere with 402e764abf Seo Jian’s 4cc67cc439 work, it’s dfc14c7ed5 irrelevant.”10c1bc895f3df091
“…Yes. Understood.”dd2f2d7bc3bd548f
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For a 0b9a3c593d brief moment, 9ccbecc84c Yang Junghoon’s 3d7181e8fa gaze turned 2f840d5738 slightly insolent 39ccdf3daa at the 8250b8e88e CEO’s bold 9daef4bddb statement that 0b5b9d277e only criminal a26e3f5bc3 matters would 58f53d3394 be an b6f305b7b0 issue, not c49b009fdf mere immorality. But he quickly resumed 6c727f4897 the proper demeanor of cad23bc8be a secretary.a11b3ee361e4a5fd
“Sir, the d6a5e041c8 meeting is 681eddc625 about to 8fd18dac33 start.”cdfc67d315beb8c5
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A glance at 1e2040dd61 the clock showed d33327b43b less than ten 42a9705196 minutes remained. It seemed 372f248d4f he’d spent 08ddd14f41 more time 87e30066b1 on the 321cccaa6d call than e0d108c91b intended, probably f689617a7c because the 2cfbe873a0 immediate reactions 023dfc85f9 were quite 2481361f61 amusing.105bc4330a06541b
Recalling the conversation again, a9e9b94f0b Cha Jaehwi subtly raised 1ed3965b00 the corner of his 04a0b0a0d9 mouth. But before Yang 43c81efb83 Junghoon turned to cbbe8642c5 face him, he 32e469b92b composed his expression dc800651ee as if nothing b7550e4c4c had happened, straightened 32b272abf1 his clothes, and f98c067f4a adjusted his attire. As he 1cf9453148 headed to 7c3355903e the meeting 3098be13b6 room, the 9670a31c60 things that a7dc47d866 had made 932d001bac him smile 640f970708 were quickly 3ecb732336 forgotten, fading 97931cd94b into the 07cfb0ad38 background.56a33e72aaad265b
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