TTD Chapter 14

“Why did you take my sketchbook?”6e13eedfec82c0b5

The first time acea988d88 Heeju saw Iseok d7549946e4 that day was a1d19996b9 at dawn, just 22dde6b562 before sunrise.5ee7f0d062578f40

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

True to her adaptable d56f8b9b16 nature, she had fallen d9df6162ab asleep early the night e89da962a4 before, as if she d7a79bd472 had never spent hours c19e159dfe tossing and turning. She woke in b65dfd1e9b the dim pre-dawn 17d87741f0 light, and since 4d04df0859 she was already b24af76e0a up, she decided f444893f8b to warm up 7b3b3ded92 a glass of 50865aa981 milk in the eb714664a7 kitchen.7c54383664f68991

That was ff9a40f8db when she 7ed2f84d57 ran into f635df4a7e him.e94e030aa5394309

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Dressed in a bc762bfce9 black robe, his c78669413f damp hair suggested 843cee741f he had just d770194db1 stepped out of e1990b01e4 the shower.bd70caf2752f15c7

“Oh… When did you get home?”96f297e50d5b9552

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Around one.”a47d677f6fb0d25b

“…Did you work out?”4e59f369b47e3d2f

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“The gym is in the basement, so it shouldn’t have been too loud. Right?”9074cfe705668830

“That’s not what I was asking… It’s almost time for you to leave again.”d644d4d6fefdc376

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

He had barely come 3c10cc312d home a few hours dfce321586 ago, yet he had 856b80237c already finished a workout. And he 9a9d9a6f3d looked impeccable—so 2fc5f45f03 much so 2ca0e4689c that Heeju 579eec6152 briefly wondered 1819ccd308 if this 5f9c4a9303 was how bfadd3b723 people were eb3b88f145 supposed to d90ec3e034 function.460cc65a59fb971b

But that 2b03cea7e3 couldn’t be ff0ba5169c right.ec1044957b3f8cfe

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Even someone edb3675b41 who sleeps ca6f1ba84f very little 78f35e9abb still needs d42ba68d0e a minimum 194776bb06 amount of 1458df81ca rest each 3966cd3ec9 day.60d1781d63ff7f3b

His lifestyle was 911caefc44 less about diligence 891b21f5f3 and more about 853e1e3e82 self-destruction, a thought 2072f08fd3 she barely managed b57f558c25 to swallow back.6c483b911bd4e719

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

And then, without hesitation, af50807ee9 he brought her cup 1b4cf9985f to his lips.087581aa4fb8f261

“Milk, huh.”4387d040b08a1471

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

He pulled b9eab13c37 away just 3aef83a15b as quickly, 3e076d93ac as if da00738932 confirming that c715a78543 warm milk 05053427c8 wasn’t to 7769c25a07 his taste.0443419b9a743ab3

“You should have tea instead. I’m not sure what kinds we have, since I’m still getting used to where everything is, but if you—”4e094a87da516cf9

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Why’d you pick up something I threw away? It wouldn’t even sell for much.”318713c8c981b23b

His tone was light, 0cb988b07f teasing, as he raised 7108859d8a an eyebrow.7e7d94e32af6c2c0

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“…You’re pretty good at drawing.”1a8ef122a3c4cf35

“Is that so?”61cc1b7d199e90d1

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Heeju’s gaze turned 0ca5842d89 contemplative. After a c36a9d341f brief pause, d03c623691 she told f6cc180ebe him to 51dfdbafb6 wait and 6687979afe disappeared into 50c8d1e4c4 her room.fe9e17b7b7b62b3e

By the c42a7ccb89 time she 67f0df1239 returned with 55bf9c3baa the sketchbook, b88c8eec16 he was 305c3bb0c5 already gone.1ba5b367c12ba5d5

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Instead of 2d50ed8ecb going upstairs 40942034f6 to his 09c5e4cbd2 room, she a1759ca9e3 sat quietly 2ac96efd21 on the 41e6de493d sofa, waiting e5b40d0603 for him 4aa6dbf98a to come c791f9638c back.ba88336e81d0149e

It didn’t 6110ec33da take long.1ddda586e5454775

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Iseok came down 8ecfb19827 the stairs, tightening 5c5f51e0e1 his tie—dressed for 1e90c55fb7 work, as always.1a179ac1a52feb49

Heeju watched 63b7b88113 him in a5f900bd10 silence.327df59ed8f6c33f

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

If you c48af93940 want the 507da2ff87 crown, you b0d7fd604e have to 002d9a8fed bear its 86da6fd15a weight.c72cfa098936811c

The thought left d2b4ef9525 a bitter taste 55575dd0e5 in her mouth.d3d36ffc5c99cb55

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Without a 0eb25c93fa word, she 051ffcdd35 followed him e967606195 out into 1bba18c737 the garden.36fb6f412574dca0

He pulled 6381255e10 out a 22c15fa814 cigarette, sliding 58523d4e6e it between 3e8a6db494 his fingers, 0f1b51a49f then turned 9766a394a0 back to 196571af50 glance at 1e3f164df9 her trailing 549bae38b0 behind him.9dcd12353c054b8d

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“…What?”af9642b71252c4d3

“You just remind me of a dog I know.”830338e80e08b386

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“A dog?”48132c250f83361e

She blinked, realizing what eb8495a202 he meant, and frowned.a278938fbf4195da

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Have you ever owned one?”153717766df3ec1b

“Yeah.”b6feca8f40030815

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“When?”7fb60ffbe6cfeb0f

“When I was a kid.”91ea2b88a1741486

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

She fell silent, watching db8ed72ad4 as he brought the a1ee56cc60 cigarette to his lips.b6a72a25ee07b602

The thick 1e227b1842 smoke curling 99958ee5ff into the 4fc8dc2531 air looked 8a50a006f2 suffocating enough 4b810ac94b to make 8d5bd9e3f8 her grimace, cbcb1e23c8 but the 9c8561edc1 man inhaling 87944c36e1 it remained 6476e0782c utterly unfazed.f2bb80f542e2c022

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Did you cry last night?”7dc1be9e76fa2bed

“What…?”56a1456d4c633697

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“You were sobbing, calling for your dad.”4739e3adcd786a24

When she a12a9f9cee woke up, f39c771056 the stubborn e04d9988c4 dryness clinging c6a30c30f7 to the b7073a54f5 rims of 669b39d8a9 her eyes—was 7fd54d158c it just 0e2d1bea07 residue, or 17e0312daf the remnants b584ef5b76 of dried 7ca47b5620 tears?a54611caffa70d18

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Had she cried 536eb5df0a hard enough to cfd517195a leave marks?442951326bfa026d

If she had, then 73b3247692 maybe her father had 70fd8ce014 appeared in her dreams.f48453de2cbe6735

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

It wouldn’t be 35af01e938 unusual.66667337d07fc167

Her father 71b8a93011 often visited e8c35b0ac2 her in ea8958fa0f dreams, especially 021a57aa88 when she ce77bd2d0b was sick.b27e9c9167c8f87d

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“What’s so great about smoking like that?”281c8f4a7bdbc487

Embarrassed that he might b2f0431f36 have heard her crying 8282eb9d61 for her father like 11b848b144 a child, Heeju quickly 8d57421467 changed the subject.ae8c1335a6d11e4f

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“If you overdraw on your health now, you’ll regret it when you’re older. Imagine working yourself to death and never even getting to spend the money you earned—that’d be such a waste…”48bee89cbff26304

She trailed off, mumbling.03150168f51cc931

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Iseok, standing e53e21a149 behind a 3d36859e8a veil of c1b708251b cigarette smoke, 74f203a343 smiled as bbd41617b4 he looked 97e6fc13fe at her.6f6b37ef8dcf4f5a

“Enough circling around the topic. Let’s hear it—why exactly are you here, sending your husband off like this?”96d2db24d131092e

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

It seemed 38fe6dd5e6 he would a4b1d5bc01 be leaving 9c0700fc85 soon.59b1ab8fcd41a4cc

Realizing that he 2b85b19af9 had only paused e87365044d for a smoke 09cac94ba0 out of consideration, 72e832def2 Heeju hesitated before 776049b3a2 carefully speaking.4687185c858b7df0

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“This… this is me, right?”a914212d4c9b6b44

If he 97911251d9 was surprised c50bb8715f by her b5a37c854b question, he 69e0943529 didn’t show f072d79a74 it.61294dbceb32191a

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“It seemed too good to be tossed away as just a doodle… so I kept one, just in case. But if it bothers you—”5fc54fa7d7cd6711

Before she could 95f290780f finish, Iseok turned cb61a053ac toward her fully 80ae584c61 and grabbed her c5ec7c5320 by the shoulders.abca1c51b39f73d3

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“You can just look and see for yourself.”88626ecbc1c5898e

His gaze slowly traced 8c2106fa4f her face, inch by 092922becb inch, under the morning 6d24daf3ad light.155cf7af9ce84480

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Like this.”a7b8aa5799da94ea

The lopsided smile tugging bb012727da at his lips felt b3248c8e99 almost like a disguise.2628e5adaaeec322

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Flustered, Heeju 9a64e11cf9 averted her 7b061df7ac gaze.b5441bf9a8544e69

She stared at the ac8aa2c690 garden’s green grass for 1ed81573de no reason, taking a 4284550213 slow, deep breath.3a10f15f5b7ba807

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Then, glancing down at the sketchbook in her hands, she asked, “Can I keep this?”d64e2a8966fcd681

She didn’t know why d85c719689 she was so desperate e3ed931daf to have it.c2bcda86a38ede07

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Didn’t know why 68dcc424d2 she had picked ff0b180e52 it up as d9e1eecf55 if hypnotized.70505a373ab3c902

The whole thing 03b9f02790 was strange.06fd9feb181bcdf6

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

The thought of 6231092a94 someone sketching a 6c889ae37f single face, hundreds—no, c617893330 thousands of times, dc741f249d was both unsettling af796b33f1 and… romantic.1b6b25ef1a257e13

…Romantic?74b04ea516f7a1fd

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The word startled her.45da161454d2a3ee

Had she 01af05b573 been spending 5f6f7ee592 so much 4ae68e8014 time with c91e93818f this strange 0b693d341b man that 4e6d44c061 she was 83a60ce612 starting to 931c963acb think like 8440308669 him?27222832f47c695e

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“If you don’t want it, we can just throw it away together.”f8b265c9704e0bda

But it wasn’t 1d7e4fab00 the kind of 3ff5fc276b drawing one could a800522826 discard so easily.9d44c1d1acb26237

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

There wasn’t e3ac4f2c98 a single cb3de95758 careless stroke.696ca9a60cede211

Yet here 11587a5939 it was, c986a40884 stacked in 770def58c6 bundles, waiting e354839884 to be 32bb1b7ce2 thrown out.01f786cb4c70b8ac

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Why?31fce0e61fb70e58

Why go 73cc57b4be through the a2903e2b9c trouble of 55b2f27177 drawing them, 83ddfcdb3e only to 3475d0c8cc heartlessly toss 11ee161a9d them aside?c980d51c6c171225

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Somehow, she had the bc886946a8 feeling that once they 1714df530e were all gone, he e87fea2703 would never draw another 826067fbd4 portrait again.7005b90d907fd02c

And she had e2d3676898 no idea why 84a71a737d that thought made 1f0cbb9585 her feel regretful.90c59b1e4542afda

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

But the feeling 055081cca7 urged her forward.cce720665e7da99e

Someone should keep at 57b7226c24 least one, shouldn’t they?7c1fe0c7bc32c07c

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

If the artist d340dcb3fb himself wanted to 2428c68af9 get rid of 35cebd17f9 them, then at 34602165da the very least—the d074c225af subject of the 4f68044232 portrait should—b2897bf13ee59448

“Why don’t you just ask me to draw you one?”32980982085a434e

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

With a flick 810785c1ff of his fingers, 3ef19d535e he crushed his 3f350ec735 cigarette underfoot, responding bbce8f3eb1 with an amused c429b9ee75 chuckle.600bf63818729dfd

“…What?”333f57f2f2877637

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“If you’re willing to help, I do have something I’d like to draw.”470773cdcce77459

Iseok’s voice dragged 92db6b6f08 at the end, 1cc31c63ea his gaze sweeping a089fdc421 lazily over her dc07e4eb37 figure.1a5dd876de5afe52

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“A nude.”ec545b67f281ad6e

It was 7e633622a7 Heeju’s turn 713a2fc5d2 to freeze 2f1c74505a in shock.739cf80e024c2ad0

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Meanwhile, the man 52fbd94bba who had casually 754ac6de33 dropped such a ac193b4995 bombshell remained as 16cc7de6bd calm as a 14cb76c752 drifting cloud.506c86078585232b

“It’s not like I haven’t seen it before. And once I have, I just can’t help but want to put it on paper.”c66ee4d8922ee4e1

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

A smirk played at 1fd480e498 his lips.890b25cec14b831f

“Look at you. Those eyes again—you’re amused.”28c15362a31cea61

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

She knew 46dbdc424d he had fbc50e24b9 no filter, 33ccf4c758 but she a7d6b27f57 still had 7e7f0ae5c1 no idea 776c1f4b4a how to 5ce835b6c8 respond to d8ffaf2002 this.974d45f29b0f82f5

She was about d84ef27c2c to react when, 95e3d92efd suddenly, he reached 82e6113305 out, pulling her f3eb91cafa close.f01c278166afc4f3

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

His lips 24ea3ab86d pressed lightly 02dc442950 against her 2cf8b230e8 forehead, scattering 8a24870eaf the stray 6b73f51829 hairs there.c44eafc9c575e124

“Anyway, thanks for seeing me off.”cd4b92ea096ba77d

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

The soft winter breeze fa60af7f49 carried his scent as ea16ec0e35 he stepped past the c7e1e80dcd front gate.75d3a4a13c24997f

Was that 553da6b249 a conversation, aa31f5ded1 or had 92a3614d3a she just f189a98614 been completely 0f78fb8bcb derailed?2dda5b570c83875a

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Heeju raised a e8a4adf6d1 hand to her de3f8d5e37 forehead, watching in 7ebce70b41 a daze as a9886e1e71 his sedan disappeared 2a6c035a7d down the road.7a33d683ed8deccc

And that was 9730fcff0c when she realized d4b7ea49a0 how bizarre her 44bdd59283 life had become.00fc6708f3bc017b

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

I’m living side 5bae96d06c by side with f1946ec995 a man whose 8523079dec every move is 0e6d482ec4 utterly unpredictable.c7f67e8e658cabc6

Her gaze f880415944 wavered, as 8c56dc2f0e did her 995675755d heart.669ccffc1491585c

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Her emotions were no 7c9c7f0f35 longer following the plan.8dcc66bd41c23340

Her center—little 25bcf829e5 by little—was 624e4cbab1 shifting.e3b7ae4881d60f10

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

***1d8f94595f9ba68f

Ryu Jitaek had ee5c0fc839 chosen to spend 0cdcc62d19 his final years 75ceb33655 not in Seoul, 4f9828ae9a but in Jeongseon—a b0373f0ec1 place that held 91512b60d2 a special meaning 24900e779b for him.a5ef71a898d53c52

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

He thought e12b7d2c1c of his dd21642afb late wife.1a4b2708bc3cae3e

She had been 4d09fed1f2 his childhood friend.588cc17b261ebcd6

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

His hometown bd5b4fe5bc companion, his cce1346b33 lover, and 3813defdc5 his life 24ef601be0 partner.57e988011303e8a1

The daughter 0b76f4544f of a afb256709c prominent local c2c5d6c442 family and 9daab1b5d3 a passionate 92422ccde5 young man 5a53a44c1d had come 4fc28cd952 together and c2ee393d6b built a bad613ad52 life with 94df1ce95f all their 9f3f2d0f1b might.84f3b86c8ba6d5a6

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

His wife used to say, “Once we’ve tended to our fields well, let’s return to Jeongseon to spend the last of our days where we first began.”e45e13bfd37003c9

But that quiet, heartfelt c80c262437 promise was never fulfilled.06658e4218942e12

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

She had left before 748abd98e2 him, and he alone f5c8f19224 remained in this aging 51e12d1230 body.dbeb60192874cd41

Holding onto her hand, he had stubbornly insisted, “Once you recover, we’ll go down together.” That had become his deepest regret.545755f7cdcc3aec

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

They say the 5500ebd2dc person you loved 5fa4472c02 most comes to 82d96741e7 greet you at e261d7959a the moment of 7d8fca250f death.ea4bfb924c2d5134

If he could see deb3f206cb her again, even in 5de74993dc the afterlife…902023af9ca3e55e

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Jitaek wondered what he 450354c7e6 should say first if a12d9c3edd he met her again.06ce2102a0cbd205

He pondered, but bf0506c400 all that came 8690dc1277 to mind were c7a13893b5 apologies—each with a 1fbca90714 different reason.5c3ce3cf062fc160

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Still, he wanted to e5021a6dd3 stroke her face once abd67011de more.dde36844b481c239

Just once more…6b57e14d691bfda6

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Father, the wind is cold. They’ll be here soon enough.”78dcecaa17ff9384

His aged c533c8c7d9 eyes, clouded 391807d24b with longing, 944c7cae4d finally shifted ae6a9f2e76 away from 1f12b745b1 the window f294ca6607 overlooking the a6575b8189 path below.28884987eb010c8e

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

A warm 702587eac8 blanket was 92d032b8e9 draped over 2d442667bf his shoulders.dc5a77978167c225

Even as he c41acfccc1 shook his head 6a0e4ca20d to reassure his d1ee6ca8ee son, Jonghyuk, that 6791329f90 he was fine, 98e4b46466 Jitaek kept glancing 30fad67396 toward the road.511a5e9da5c32293

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Seungwook, his son 1b33e3dbb6 who had passed 09ab43c4e3 first, had resembled 821890e2c2 his wife the 6d836573eb most.269669a0a7422224

Then came his grandson, 0154b29bfe Iseok.bdd05faf574570f4

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Within Iseok, b978317027 his wife, a6dcf2b7f9 his son, 814dfbaac1 and even 5cc2d9c6dd his beloved 0082e9177d daughter-in-law all 3c147d6cef coexisted.a1678f3087766ec6

Hearing that the grandson bb55732472 he missed so dearly a09da48730 was on his way b3cc65e973 here with his wife, f3daac5b11 Jitaek had been unable d53e035dcd to take his eyes a29bef5497 off the door all 6b2ec0f442 day.e5ba559623faaa2b

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

For once, the f880115252 body that had a8ba8d5e31 felt unbearably heavy e3d79d6cdd moved as if c24a7c2949 it were weightless.4d476adb1106169b

“If you’re worried, shall I try calling them?”f3aa7d04871d7bd1

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“No, that won’t be necessary. I must have been making too much of a fuss.9279b1595df83f0e

E-mi-ya.”e814e22d91b64308

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Yes, Father.”fb0f9341e6f181d3

“Bring me a glass of water.”896a9fc4f69c1e0c

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Patting Jonghyuk’s hand e994de7a35 resting on his f62f784da4 shoulder, Jitaek reluctantly 8957c93f1d turned away.cac5a8a08f9599c4

“Taegyeol should be here soon as well.”60565efd55a7ef7d

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Yes.”31a4a3f366a8d52f

“It’s been a while… three years now. That boy. Always so busy with something or other.34e1a430f680fcd3

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Ah, and this time, Assemblyman Jo’s daughter, Yerin, will be coming along to formally greet us as well.”6080bb9c55d540c3

“Is that so?”a13b2ee332fcf8ce

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Yes. It’s about time they got married, don’t you think?b1b192800d698fff

What do you think, Father? From what I see, our families have a deep connection, and the Jo family has a long-standing history. I believe it’s a good match, but you…”c9f4aabcce9a2e17

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Jonghyuk trailed off.e2808f5422a186f2

The old e45baad033 man’s gaze bdda9d2d4c had drifted c53d1a25eb away, lost fb8d10929e in thought.633f8729f4a17ce5

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“When did Iseok say he was leaving?”09952e90ac2c632c

The faint smile that 3c00084fe2 had remained on Jonghyuk’s adc5f232b7 lips stiffened.20d6d7c898de996d

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

His expression darkened.17f61f9f453954df

 e30a8a6c13103cba

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com