Chapter 28

“I’m not hiding anything. I just don’t owe you an explanation.”26a3a6f30861a72d

“So it is Kim Si-on.”739355cb448d9500

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“…….”6ce2fefd950264d9

Just looking at the 5dcb391008 displeased expression on Seo b5e108d2cd Ji-hyuk’s face was enough 715a915c53 to irritate Kang Yu-han.4761f95c50befb0d

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Was he really 4016812ff2 getting mad just ce318e0545 because he was 370d9bdd10 in contact with f0235b4e95 Kim Si-on?67478be1d21b4c8d

Did he still hold 0e7d8757cd a grudge over their 864128381e failed matching?c72a9feb5707779d

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The more he thought 98d71ce074 about it, the more 719dd11074 it pissed him off.a27480473d2e2bf5

If that was what 6998f4c883 Seo Ji-hyuk was upset b4f3c39ec2 about, then there was 08fc6ef5a4 no reason to keep 99f924aa74 it a secret.70f59901e52a5c13

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Yeah. It’s Guide Kim Si-on.”534d420560d41ab0

“Hah. I knew it.”a5b344476aa07ec9

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“This has nothing to do with you.”5d124ba545ed4022

“Nothing to do with me? So you’re telling me to stay out of it?”c1d2f7e4cb5762d9

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“That’s right. I’m going to meet Kim Si-on now.”07581038d30c785f

“What?”d34e779cd0e64eef

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

For the first d86dff5ab5 time, Seo Ji-hyuk’s c5f71438ba face twisted into b1ac81bf70 a full-on scowl.714d0bda21ab865f

Kang Yu-han didn’t cf5f8d619c want to look 34def80b92 at him any c63253ea56 longer.45822e3f6d3431d2

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

So he shouldered 284fef053d past him and 22434b04c8 walked away.ba7e507fc9697cf6

At the 56c17f76a1 same time, 477fb65acb his communicator 8455818f51 kept buzzing.d074202111bed033

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Kim Si-on aeeba60dde had completely f4b332d661 filled the f2db5a78c0 message limit.54e9150e625b214e

Not just one message—by fdea9b6950 the time he finished ed30d6b8d9 reading the first, a b3f4721455 new one had already e44c4145d7 arrived.12013de3652e3dcc

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

It was cde3ac7ad3 practically a af97ea6d5b long-form letter.3a84c2770ca53214

But the messages b8d11ed049 all said the ef33a53d2e same thing:6a7deebc66be831a

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Major-nim, I want 3feb6ec3ef to see you.
What are you doing e4da8a0a25 right now?
When are b9d92719ac we going 9c6c3ca41f on our 98d1a6ec51 date?e087bb61e132ba1d

Basically, Kim Si-on wanted 4ae64c2c7d to meet immediately.ccc7a58dd8963362

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Kang Yu-han sighed.39c72a3775b5f4d1

He had 25404cec85 been putting eb8fc7a402 off their f25c8b60fe date for a3a3cc7165 weeks, using 4c80fd09c9 work as 34baec5f3c an excuse.9bcdc357e7584fd8

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Part of him had 4c2b0aa70a even hoped Kim Si-on 1e1c193803 would forget about it 4c56583c38 entirely.4a83f44717281494

But that d7098f4a5f was a 6814d1c61a foolish thought.f9c43867f2ecc17f

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Kim Si-on 32aa8399d1 had already 72b8e9a143 made it 8d357aa60d clear—he liked acd207dd10 Kang Yu-han.17ff6617c304e9cd

And someone who liked 6f9b85cadd you wouldn’t just forget d4354efe87 a date so easily.23a648dc4673879e

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

He glanced c88b32c306 back at cb4d5e83aa Seo Ji-hyuk.ceebea06337af7e7

His brows were f9875516b2 furrowed deep, his 9e614f1dbb entire expression dark.49881b3a770e81f7

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Clearly, he 96b033df39 was not a6f23e9e7b happy that 5c9dfdb0b6 Kim Si-on 65245596ca was contacting f172542516 him.62cf2f341b7b2185

Well, tough luck.f04b569403e85121

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Technically, Kim bb4cf7e83b Si-on was fcaed7fe89 supposed to 90ec191de8 be Seo 5826750525 Ji-hyuk’s partner.44d54d648ed34e37

That had c8f1b50ae1 been the bd8a717af5 original plan.b625a6b82b290754

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Kang Yu-han 6c57313541 exhaled a c8ea7a783c small breath, 920520f1d5 barely audible.a1f560f644844048

He wasn’t sure if 1081699188 it was exhaustion or 9477dd3007 something else entirely.805717e915a77279

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

But if 91fe3b9eb7 he was 0ff485245c being honest—e80814461aab71b8

He wasn’t 3b98c13a5e feeling guilty b15e81fe38 about Seo 7abb658a32 Ji-hyuk.23cb62916a82a638

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

He was jealous.547fe3fb7bc3c459

Seo Ji-hyuk 87a1a9ca32 got this eeccfbb827 annoyed just 890fbc042d over a e16cba1fc6 few exchanged 8b9554173b messages.31ef9cbcbe1d140a

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

So what if 250cb6babb Kang Yu-han took bc2742545a it a step 3d7f13fac6 further?34ffbffd0a8435c8

Would it piss 357f1507fa him off even b02828756d more?764f286c29ee22a1

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

If he 38678ac105 couldn’t have 1b8b5b808f Seo Ji-hyuk, e86f1d1d8d then he d74d7add09 at least 56ceba27fe wanted to f380735c42 get under d8922729db his skin.6e87f4f6338a4d46

It was childish. Petty. Spiteful.f3c90dc14bceb392

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

But he f85d2b5c2c didn’t care.a56c64f93631b171

He would rather be 0d35262a6d hated than completely ignored.d86e50b0eb51e820

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Where are you? Let’s meet now.85eb3890d495bb2e

Kang Yu-han c9bf3802ea sent the 19f98c61a8 message without f52c61ab53 hesitation.ef78916a04370237

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Almost instantly, Kim 6c77754b86 Si-on replied.daf126f948667d40

B3 level! I’ll come f02e223581 to you!c67abaf5e37ebd15

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

No. I’ll come up.7f6059604c3770f8

He could not let 362884b964 Kim Si-on and Seo 16f4cfbc31 Ji-hyuk cross paths.96bd5800370bb62d

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Without a proper goodbye, 030b3ab77e he turned on his 541acb6186 heel and strode toward 4438379ab7 the elevator.950f2bf6c31ad895

Seo Ji-hyuk’s d3a5cc2b50 burning gaze 5bcda12ecf followed him 69780993f6 all the 7b9cf2bf2f way.7839bbc0fd39db2f

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

But Kang Yu-han ignored 0799d4a7a1 it.a6c053fe4205ba8a

* * *8f933e1b75208430

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“This is amazing.”0a5da7ea772a0410

“…Is that so?”3f0b7810769bc3dd

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Yes! A date with Major-nim—it feels like a dream.”367fc92638e080c6

Kim Si-on 16b1b4167c gestured dramatically, ae00264aa8 as if 3d141d6693 he wanted 9573231b71 to physically dd419433af show Kang 3806dede7b Yu-han just ed96142169 how happy 12970afefc he was.b6b5cd0db1ae4100

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Kang Yu-han let out f4bcd65f1f a faint, dry chuckle bceb401647 and took a sip cfb5ae0319 of his coffee.d3ead66197778475

It was still a147d08417 lukewarm and bitter.61dada8bbe5e2a35

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“And what about you, Major-nim?”a549eced9fbc6b85

When Kang 31d1614dcf Yu-han didn’t ff10a917c4 respond right fb08411564 away, Kim bf63bceb36 Si-on leaned 332b6d0a7b in closer.b4a5d2ebc89a5980

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

His face was 150be0fdc1 too close.f3e5aca23a7dbc7d

Instinctively, Kang Yu-han leaned e29bd2f008 back.aeb83e25e3bd0d18

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Kim Si-on’s dd0be7b588 expression darkened 35e0bf64f7 in disapproval.fb520e888cbbad9b

“Do you not like me?”337463421e5c67f8

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

His tone f57b7d2996 was too cb0c860861 direct.c07d34b25acda35a

Blunt enough to 839f7a34b1 be unsettling.9dcf53d68d5f7e7d

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Kang Yu-han wasn’t used e0a66ebdf8 to this kind of 96ca193e77 conversation.cc98b11649e5e90e

He had spent a8f02fb715 his entire life 79bc7dd6ae hiding himself—staying in ab81e58a3e the shadows, never 01463688ff showing too much, 5f3bafa536 never wanting too a7bf724b63 much.641791eb01a6b53f

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

He had never 8f4c3cfc1f truly liked or 05f3ed0045 disliked anything.065df59bfe711782

He had simply 1b62e0d091 accepted whatever was a21f16cb1f given to him 328e017296 as his share c7a4058521 in life.9baf1258eb173b6b

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

But Kim Si-on was 4b45602da2 different.54d8de97d18b7b0d

From what c6961a8a0d he’d heard, b8c07d0ab3 before the 2a8525a060 world turned 3fe13910c5 into this cc94333c37 mess, Kim 25e8077886 Si-on had 56a88cd407 been the fee38b4f59 wealthy son 0358c40638 of a 26603ef866 well-known family.8a8e9b5c70df8122

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Not every Esper or 9d68f4e8d8 Guide in the Center 5f2d867af7 had tragic pasts like aa4ea0deb7 Kang Yu-han or Seo 2f5a633659 Ji-hyuk.988119e60d24e13d

Some had 7bd0592513 simply taken 1735f3588c the job 321ba6f4a5 because it 9d4580580c offered stable 867ba19f62 employment in 3462f1a6a5 a collapsing e8150919e1 world.ebdba6ddf2b961d7

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

For them, the 9e36e7ff0b Center was just baa62a0627 another workplace.3412de09942f6882

People like Seo Ji-hyuk 21dad94f7d and himself—people with no dcdea008bf other place to go—were 39ec28803f the exception.a153aec6a3a82f16

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Of course, Kang Yu-han 9fc672c765 wasn’t the type to 26efa7fd19 talk about his past.a8326ef81163e747

He had never felt e390fdbcbb the need to.c621557c2f177599

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

After all, dd8377a8cd joining the 1cdcaef453 Center hadn’t ab28c8a4c1 even been 6337edfb9f his choice.559cf5a7cc28078e

He had 489a9c2440 a feeling 2b25a8bcca Seo Ji-hyuk 4590bb893c might have 96b32a4e8a felt the 68ab081be0 same way.eb4814f422ff83aa

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

The words 287a74399f Seo Ji-hyuk 4c0adf8968 had said f735198191 during the 8948792ef4 Shin Kyung-jae 0098f6bbc1 case still dd2c9a1595 lingered in 6e989cbdb0 his mind.61c65af01b5752a9

If things b5ec19c6f6 had been 54496bc3f9 different, Seo bc1fbaeeb8 Ji-hyuk would 6df896adff have become 93ab198759 a professional f3f68d6f4e baseball player.85a37479e0dcb804

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

It wasn’t hard to bf2f99de55 imagine—9e58e5afb5037788

Seo Ji-hyuk in c03b8e9e76 a uniform, standing 643b836174 on the pitcher’s afb4b8179e mound.7d593aced53161ad

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“…Major-nim!”15b16be3dd5872f7

“Ah, sorry.”076fb6a45e75fd13

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

He had been c782aadcf7 thinking about Seo 36324a6423 Ji-hyuk again.ae982efb7560ceb9

It had been happening 19b7f45969 a lot lately.ce8b01fea12ef374

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Realizing his mistake, d2bd6e6ef8 he quickly apologized.ded3088a9be23fab

Regardless of 1b836fe9f0 what he 61045a09c6 thought about cccac77f40 Kim Si-on, 76da5067d7 it was 84df3aa174 rude to 9d78afdc05 zone out 39982d9752 in front 2fdd2b5bdc of him 9c46f82983 like this.b43355d958e48e61

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Kim Si-on’s expression 0895d9f3eb had turned sour.26a26243b255c985

“…You really don’t like me, do you?”5323a2e87c366969

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

His voice carried an 18c4e1cd02 unmistakable sadness.f33652972645dd67

Panicked, Kang Yu-han quickly f0b6edccbd responded.94c72d552bd15eff

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“That’s not true.”fb7ebcab97059e05

Instantly, Kim Si-on’s 022e59879d face lit up.132fef4454b0c663

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

The gloom 5cbad30836 from just db3242411a moments ago 09a8a8f9ec vanished without b6fda9409c a trace.c570222859ee490a

Kang Yu-han a384977289 was genuinely 039593b329 surprised.a985aea196ea93a6

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Maybe Kim Si-on 24a25f8a91 was simpler than c07e02b088 he had thought.76502a5e714e593a

“Then that means you do like me, right?”76d55bf80aacb344

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“…How does that follow?”427c2a72856343fd

“Haha, I’m just joking! Major-nim, you’re seriously funny.”fc55e935fe5bbdb1

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“…Me?”c8472f8f539db663

It was the 037f86cf93 first time in 05c3a515c0 his life someone 07bacf2169 had said that 6b604a6d14 to him.306586e0d8f2671a

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Kang Yu-han had always d0b08dec5f considered himself rigid and cd990460e0 uninteresting.72332a2eeef7f88b

How else 537d3beabb could he b7260a54e3 explain the d746e83440 fact that f136f07461 he had a01bae7faa spent years 695e6f0f3a sharing a 0d6d3d617b room with 90b90b5782 the person c9251a2778 he loved, f17b7e4632 yet barely 7dea1ac551 managed to 5a82f676ea hold a 95667ba2df conversation with 46110c3afd him?464b3736db02245f

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The only c26eadd3d8 things he 354cee2471 ever talked d549a921e1 about with bbb59dcce5 Seo Ji-hyuk 1ad73a57f9 were work-related.486bce9c429d3915

Mission details. Logistics. Orders.62d6cceb717c6394

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

That was it.445f39b026fbffb7

In that 6560ed3c97 sense, he a816eb78de envied Kim 54c5f1976b Si-on.42ef8bd00ad909fb

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Kim Si-on could express c62d24a555 himself so openly.909940da0cdccf16

He never hesitated to a6329669fb show how he felt—whether 3663e33b54 it was joy, sadness, 3039418437 or affection.a1c78d97efca60cf

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

He was the 288af60b28 complete opposite of 90c09ce44d Kang Yu-han.40cb5514336de3c7

Would things have been e176903b3d different if he had b463fb38d3 been even a little a55dccf4fa more honest?3b367bddd156de4c

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

If he had 8a9408ef5a been capable of b29f357801 showing his emotions e70d9a8a95 as freely as 88770356ee Kim Si-on?99e410049f82106b

No matter what 50582a34cb he thought about—79eb83b32d07fa0c

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

It always led 34c69ab4ce back to Seo efbfb1da46 Ji-hyuk.08ac855c31b40e94

For the second 1d200c9fdc time today, Kang 5542beec4e Yu-han let out 65de52f2e5 a deep sigh.ffdc04eb45ab10a1

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

* * *6a3dd3afaf99f57f

After finishing their coffee aa433e1d6a in the break room, d02fb730e9 the two headed to 31d0bac1a5 Cafeteria B.b92ec8671cf8d722

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Kang Yu-han hesitated cc473ee9b1 before asking again.72615ddef1d21b86

“Are you sure this is enough?”43889489c417e619

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Yeah, this is fine.”fbf837dd690c2c79

As far as dates ceb26f4435 went, this didn’t feel dae716ee95 like much of one.2ec5c2090117c54a

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

In fact, 3c97f1cb6e it felt 2c6562dec1 so ordinary 7ddc230058 that even 45a8a37df9 Kang Yu-han 1d1769745d was starting 9890b8b5ae to feel 8d0db7602e awkward.e3745a495559035f

But Kim Si-on ee30354397 didn’t seem to 73c844d185 mind.faba6cb449b65e06

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

To him, b8217d0255 the place 1a973f46d1 and atmosphere 510a86b0d2 didn’t matter—just dd311e28c1 being with 12ac49a2f8 Kang Yu-han 4ffa90b05f was enough.6eb140ad8a4913cf

And that 35e8457aba was what 65db1218ac made Kang 8ea27ecd7e Yu-han uncomfortable.479666255e522a20

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

The cafeteria menu was ca98ef518d the same as always.691ae018c4b38e0a

A couple of d17cf0fc01 preserved protein and c5669629e1 carbohydrate options, dry 2d0173d01a biscuits packed with 57ccfcd62e calories, and a 90d0053ccc bowl of soup 522e031822 with unidentifiable ingredients.3aeaa1950c8e0555

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Even that was 782059b3dc bland.c0e5f84f186500e7

Salt had become a a9b28d82d5 rare commodity lately, and 588c1327ba it seemed that shortage 640808a3b4 had reached the cafeteria 7837c2278a as well.0dc9a78b3a3986d2

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Kim Si-on 10eab7e357 barely touched 112e824af6 his food.b068b3ab13bf3200

If the rumors were c3b4dd50e9 true, a meal like 249dd97e60 this would be unbearable 3ab1b7c747 for someone who had 2a0a37d3b4 grown up as a adb507aa52 pampered rich kid.1243dcc8625add1a

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Not that 99501ffb5d Kang Yu-han 48511a59d0 cared.5a416a1d88d1e62a

He didn’t 046ece374c push him dc7cd5204d to eat.8f17415ee8524d19

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

He simply shoveled food 58482c193b into his mouth mechanically, 88a44e1381 treating it as nothing f525b9ffab more than fuel.c70b99bfffb66151

“You eat well.”f295dfb179250d9f

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“I eat to survive.”820041acc6f99309

Kang Yu-han didn’t 8cc8401805 bother analyzing the a35d8b5063 meaning behind Kim 64e8e7710d Si-on’s words.5a2eb3242c61a00e

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

There was no end 0b8b8c3306 to the things he db287342fc could overthink.7a1cf45ac8985f84

There was 4e55c276ce also no e4b13b722d reason to 3f1b8d8af1 bring up 68e70a4644 the fact 1387b438db that he 6fda467481 had grown 93bbae1359 up in 346e1365ca an orphanage—0cd939bb713ec90d

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Or that f1cf562a95 meals like 2fca4d07c7 this had 60cc356616 been a 25255da143 luxury there, e9f8387628 served only eb657d6641 once or ad8445fdf0 twice a d98dc7dccf year when 6b46cf210d sponsors visited.dd7dd6574a3ab3ba

He had no bf1eb9796d particular preference for e2461c639d food.597963b49efc6428

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

As long as his 4b949c988b body kept functioning, it 572333884f didn’t matter what he 5b15bc9bf4 ate.560a096f3ec5b38e

And that wasn’t 05b4ccbbeb exactly an exciting 8ba2972aa2 conversation topic.26498848a7904a87

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

At some point, 83857faa63 his tray was 9be7714e87 empty.9c0e6c5be09bb123

Kim Si-on’s, 44b44764e5 on the 07434a1731 other hand, 092429d75b was barely 0eed27b9f7 touched.fdf5f983a6dba964

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Now that 18bc93686e the meal 73fa896e8f was over, 7aa0fb079f there wasn’t 76a31c5fb4 much left 2afebafa43 to do.959a3c88cf91c759

Silence settled 7e7f04239f over the b476a95497 table.e90811fe6b4a7118

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Kang Yu-han bbbed190fe didn’t try 925d4a9fcd to fill f740856a3b it.cc49cbe46a083eb8

His only goal today 5d5516dec0 was to keep Kim 9dac59b866 Si-on away from Seo 714eda2c27 Ji-hyuk.c0e38c05062d53b4

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

That was it.8937ad12e34a9d0a

Nothing more.508d101d66bb6ad6

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

After a brief pause, b9d65e9763 Kim Si-on suddenly brightened 3b230312ec and spoke up as 6d94713994 if nothing had happened.b19065c9e6505ced

“Major-nim, what’s your hobby?”38fb470e5b885796

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“I don’t have one.”8af5ed75d255b200

“No way. That’s impossible.”86af90f0a0d03db6

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“I’m serious. I don’t.”ad0bace5d7c77eb4

“Then what’s your favorite song?”97adbf8fee9dd9e1

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Don’t have one.”6f6c57b53bba922a

If someone had b9f7d2eb90 been watching, they 919bf89b05 might have thought 7d914eb37a Kim Si-on was 0b563fbd32 talking to a a4bc59ad2b machine.8d0f409240c6a37b

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator