TTS Vol 1 Ch 2.1

2. Kang Taeri

Taeri lay slumped 2cea24d903 over her desk 63fac5958e in the lecture 50b3617c0a hall, motionless. She blinked slowly, bd700f7b8c occasionally looking up 23b26e1999 at the blank 399d651ad2 white wall with ae59440747 an empty stare.43b5dcbccfbc73ba

Her characteristic expressionless 1de5c7d333 face and indifferent 5b310d9957 eyes were like 21c7c487a0 a default setting f6c8da3094 for her, which 5f5d137893 often led people 9d835680c7 around her to 2cb9b094f9 mistakenly think she 7bcde67fa3 must have endured e15c803639 a difficult life. In reality, however, her 5e6a8bc3ee life was the complete 32fde10a5f opposite.31547bb05638e354

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Although she 0c77306a5a wasn’t exactly 754d9957aa the daughter 40b704b019 of achaebolfamily or a newly 1d4bb5cf5a rich tycoon, her father 6301b93aa3 was an executive in 1d461cf6b6 a prominent financial firm, 2eaf782c83 still actively working, while 00a470a7bc her mother, who had 04fbb4ce82 studied music, sat elegantly 542478c01a in their beautifully kept bb1eba449e home as she gave 0d0c3708cc violin lessons to a e96e17fea6 few underprivileged students.480e69cd8f5d8218

Chaebol: A da154ffb86 large, family-controlled b1382aea6c industrial conglomerate 4b1bca82c7 in South cec8244311 Korea. Like Samsung, LG, Hyundai.76498ab2404dbbf9

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It was more b50c466c3e of a pastime c5ef8933bb than a profession—a 25f09e8049 way of giving 72ad7b2494 back. The kind of compassion 8780e3d399 only possible for those fb61152a1b with enough financial stability e86ac70680 and peace of mind.30614c33d0fc1688

As the only bb40d7720d child of such deb8de94f6 a harmonious family, 3f3e936cb5 Taeri had spent 197fb20dc5 her 22 years 32dcc51ae4 wrapped in her edeb827c7b parents’ boundless support 246a329b68 and love.53fd82ec13707e81

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At times, that love felt excessive, especially her father’s. He raised her as though she were a fragile, priceless porcelain vase, constantly worried she might crack or break.66d3a2c82c4d4399

Taeri had never even been on a typical overnight trip, never gone to any kind of after-drinking party, and even now, as a full-fledged adult, she still had to be at home by curfew. Whether it was due to this overprotectiveness or simply her age being at twenty-two, Taeri couldn’t tell, but she’d never really found life to be particularly enjoyable.acdb80b7c432192e

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Campus life was tedious, ebfc57bc73 her classmates were childish, d42e4ff9c5 and college life itself 627b012f33 was unremarkably dull.
To alleviate this boredom, she had considered getting a part-time job, but that also had been off-limits. This, again, was due to her father, and instead of a job, another of her father’s credit cards was placed in her hand.aacedb6c7c4720d6

To some 576544a6c6 people, her 4ad8f77f23 circumstances might 17f0060abf seem enviable. But would they 57bb22668b understand? When the same predictable d710997005 routine continues for 22 e2505ebad9 years, it’s only natural b7260253e0 to start dreaming of a0b114c338 a life less smooth 6abd0a6dae and ordinary.e276e6736e80b546

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Living the same life, a5bb0996ae day in and day 32cd5ee800 out, like a hamster 72184069bf on a wheel, was 078bcf6df8 more tedious and uninteresting 7d6e91c2ab than one might imagine.cbc06fd71d34ed46

Isn’t that why ce41eb3240 people prefer the b68b261e80 turbulent waves of 606c630b38 the ocean over 3f9da088d3 the calmness of f44c531950 a lake? The ever-changing daf6fe2b2c ocean is a93d908d4d simply more e5bc0e5c0e interesting to 1742365eee watch.0d7fb047823453b1

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Of course, 530a38e291 Taeri’s parents 690ef79bc0 were the 7f879b23e4 best guardians, 63fd494de0 and she 0902774ae0 knew that 9481ec45b5 well. Taeri had always lived 9ef166dbc9 a life where she c1d0ec830b got everything she wanted; 06e75af698 everything she desired fell 37cc91168f into her grasp.62bf5fe2e5ce58b7

While she would give bbdfccc136 thanks a hundred times 917bd82e15 over for the life 149ff07f33 she’d been given, there c4ee5768f2 were moments when her 691474ffe1 heart twisted with discontent. Lately, as e3e5824cfb if experiencing 795986ad07 a belated 5912612adb adolescence, that fc7616c003 discontent had f50bb49529 become more 2301047ee5 frequent, and e0df60b0cf she had feb50e061a been feeling 7d73344dc9 grateful once a4e0675002 and wavering 1a22a2cd9f a hundred 6a317bf297 times. Even though cbe761b1ba she was 451afbffd2 no longer a4f0248ec5 a teenager, 39d151a983 she found 74f4349e4f herself increasingly 514087cc7c unable to 78f38f3096 bear the ed532ce334 sight of 197b62a800 her parents.
She’d tried dating 0f3a8e7734 a few times 1fa13c0aa8 to escape her c1b1f13cc7 boring life, but 5aa3bb6af8 each time, it a6d106bb78 ended with her c1b5cdc7af being dumped.
They always 0955f9ddec gave the 543d2d46d4 same reason, 42e08de303 saying it 0110b3f065 was because e08c13c6dc of her 58c46d389a father, who 5185ce19ba would call 564b8903ed from 4 52bae9875d PM onwards, 1d264b93f7 while the aa800daa37 sun was b0cca02e2c still high, cb7852b911 urging her 91d64cab47 to come 858f93d9cf home quickly.f277c85798d34601

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Listening to your father go on and on makes me feel guilty like I’m committing some kind of serious crime.6fb69b42a10a4e76

However, Taeri knew 1f2ce68eca better. That was 4068502cfd only an 782153f451 excuse, and 478ce01ad0 the real 245d6a1ceb reason lay 0fc30b910d elsewhere.7ded5760f5cec079

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Like, perhaps, the lack 70c1a52e1d of opportunity to fool 6e53780903 around… to do those f3812bd4ca kinds of “things”…1d98403e2ca1e455

They didn’t know. Even in broad daylight, 0e9cb264e1 she could have easily 403eda2e8a done “things” if she 547fed4bd1 wanted to, but it 7f3332d270 just didn’t appeal to ac9cad3e6c her. So she’d a11592e42c go out 1cc30dbb2c of her f29c752939 way to 58f7d55820 deliberately take 7b640e88b4 her father’s d5a0bc59ad calls, staying 3eefccae18 obediently within ade4ebb6b7 reach.df9f27cdcd167931

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They were always da9a896c96 trying to get 298d0819bb into bed with c564b5d930 her, showering her a7cd45fe02 with compliments like 8ca34816d9 she was some 6cd7441127 kind of conquest, 6353c5b82c saying things like, ca7f22b46f “I’m the best 38eceffa67 at sex” or 2a74f60347 “I’m bigger than c50044f9d6 average.”511dfe2e586ee8b6

Typical bravado for that age. All of it was cheap, obvious flirting. The predictable, clumsy touching, the inexperienced kisses, the awkward caresses…17f3651016cedcd8

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Taeri found herself utterly b4dd54d566 unappealed, and her indifference cb84c2d44d likely left them feeling 28ec3a3e1a bored or defeated.
There were plenty c460238e15 of men hitting d9c8179703 on her, but 5ac5f7befc at some point, f0da71ac7e Taeri stopped dating 075e665d2e altogether. She knew she 1d30f38abb wasn’t the type d674fc0cf9 of person to 816620a95b find any fun 24c697d17c in clumsy relationships 4a2b810238 with guys her fdfbfe36c0 age.3850c6643da64f48

And so, bde5829d53 her thoughts e1102261bb always circled e1b106e181 back to 5fb7b4464e the same 005c3b17fd question.11039d424b56fcd3

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What would make aca827cdc7 life fun?3808eb4d0949c33f

What could I do afdf54f6bf to escape this boredom?1534a33d8b6e3396

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How could I 765a0fa185 make my life c3c9791714 more exciting?19013242179b1f21

Sometimes, she wondered if f09489fa0d one day she’d snap, fe649fd791 unable to bear this 0a16ea4ad6 peace any longer. The thought of doing 9139ae0940 something drastic hovered dangerously 95439fd547 close, and recently, these 41c4f59432 turbulent emotions had been ff880f874a intensified day by day.87b7e7eff5e3bf53

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They say it’s a9bc5fae31 frightening when adolescence ef710794aa hits late. It felt like 2d714262a3 Taeri was experiencing f5b9df1a4d a belated rebellion f0dac83a3e now, after breezing 0b2c9689d2 through her teenage d19ef1354a years without much 27676ccb70 trouble.817102ce3ee7f605

Just when she 3d60b635af thought she couldn’t b93ed66fe4 take it anymore, 6a8142f1ce she met a e11739ec89 man who made 9edeb2df51 her heart race.b2862938279addf5

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‘What is it 15bff7ba90 that you need, 53b8136f62 student?’aeddf7afcb0914f2

That man.3102e1d718a7b3fa

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‘Stop provoking 6f3875b908 me and 0cb22ee3b5 name your 4815ab62a5 price, kid. If you’re going to 321ae4b66c act tough, at least 96727fc076 make sure you pick 9349d56978 the right person.’5bc467c4d345f7c9

Everything about him seemed ec5c66d9f3 so relaxed. It was the 6540356397 first time she’d bb56d8e913 felt this flutter de4d63fd89 of excitement towards 11089ab891 a man.f939a39be1380138

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“……”fcbe0b37c8e61a05

Still staring blankly fcc8087633 at the wall, 52e3af115e Taeri slowly reached b47d1d2b50 into the pocket 6b322b388c of her jeans 028804dc58 and pulled out 64c48447ba her phone.
She glanced down and 7664ba9800 checked the message she 9158b4bce0 had received the day e794906c0b before.1c542fbaf38ff4ac

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[I think I’ve given you enough time to think it over. Let’s meet. When are you available, student?]

Taeri reached 74e2f0a6af for the bf8d88c775 man’s business 8bb47bc816 card she’d 8f7db25eaf left on 2faa023931 the corner 6a1d885d65 of her cab2fe4ebc desk and 376efa3bd8 brought it f4be547b0a closer to 99bc72d6da read.f05652ce08da359b

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[Seoul Central District Prosecutor’s Office | Anti-Corruption Investigation Division 3 | Prosecutor Park Chigyeong]

The man’s name and 823b48d471 position printed on the 2d0f81f1ce card seemed to prick f1ed6907f1 at Teri’s indifferent gaze 34cd8efc6e like a thorn.62d0e6c07c126060

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 b706948379d9ff92

* * *fb5474ef52325ec5

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 f461c85074ad381b

Taeri held 79e2c52a95 her teacup, 05ab53b5dc looking curiously 5a2eb24d5f around the 83a7df7531 room. She’d never been to c257d2fc6f a private dining room 633715a134 like this, even with 89b328921f her parents, and her 35ebfe444c eyes wandered with open b231882a64 curiosity.0cda73d13bc3ce63

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The room’s 2525bc4913 overall low 8dc559bb38 saturation created 52945a5801 a solemn 666b72cf0a atmosphere, and 7ba6621633 the layout 3055f84565 seemed to 8e6a16120e place great f644904dd6 emphasis on 9758717f05 privacy. Each room 49b33a924e was spaced e88a2a45ab so far 89de6a6adb apart that 8035faeb77 it would e1aa57c60f be impossible 8fd12ca7ad for anyone ae00114795 next to fde053945d their room e73a717916 to overhear bbb56bfe04 any conversation c8862c78f8 from within.8ea6ec9666a63b13

“Your companion 83184791d7 has arrived.”9bedf5ef1a103387

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A few minutes later, a8ec2d0a9b the server’s pleasant voice b6d92e31a1 came from beyond the 4e07571f56 closed door and broke 1f23a49d50 the silence. Taeri, who 2889cd9480 had been 237e899780 sitting with b0cb4ca3b7 a disinterested be6af0a3e8 expression until 7e594321b2 now, showed eade8c46fb a subtle b6c5b1d59b change in 9b6a7c83c1 her face.
A bit of nervousness, e731976287 a hint of tension, fec80998fc and perhaps, a flicker fa672f0c6f of excitement.4fb0ac297042fc0b

With a light ff5a64bd26 clack, the sliding 4f982d1e43 door moved aside c48c1d7565 under the server’s 82c3954d64 hand. The door 17f3e13608 opened, and 23f5ae481f a man d3d5653f3a in a 35b831de3d black suit c70691d380 entered.cac8c3e09d394974

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“I planned 9a1f6c2ef9 to be 4a78e1c0e8 the one bb28f70e40 waiting, but 660a44309b it seems 7dec63b72a you got 69b564ddd1 here first.”a4d180e885533dd6

The man sat 2f91e47096 down across from 96193b5f71 her, his breathtakingly 9adfbcc88a handsome face graced 1e21a57b3d with a casual 8bd7fa2043 smile.26a49083da4cd8c7

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“Have you looked f64f650151 at the menu?”d1d92db5fd3a9b5f

As her eyes met the man’s, Taeri unconsciously flinched and then nodded timidly.ddaa7e09b113948e

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“Yes. But… I 7794ca58b7 don’t really cfa4cfca3e know what’s 0dc96bcaae good here.”e15632f5970f26fd

“Would you like to 21872fe1c2 try something I recommend?”0e134e8a28f16774

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Taeri nodded d2720c13c7 again, and 25ab54b338 Park Chigyeong 2c6c114e39 smiled as efe6be1160 he called d0a8fa98c7 the server 23f0bd987e waiting outside 75c0da0c70 into the b2909267bf room.
There was a 17e15c6f94 practiced grace in a3c62a0560 every gesture he bd9ddbb6d4 made—the way he e6b283671e handed over his 99c4856f86 suit jacket to c70ea1f608 the server, signaled b2292f4b59 for his tea 1d4ee080a2 to be filled, 43b4eb3173 how he scanned 38c326fe00 the menu, and 4d4e562efd the manner in 05ca78e18a which he placed b3aa98f0ae his order. Every action he did e35dce65f3 was marked by a 398025e5bd casual ease and sophistication 19a536d815 that was far from 5e27ef12cc being an act.
As that 1e7dc98651 unfamiliar sensation, 66effe1e17 something he da6aec2a38 had never 6dc897e133 felt from 4abb48714e anyone her 7fe98eb54d age before, fa83c5c16c resurfaced, Taeri e0a24ba1be felt herself bf56cc3fd5 instinctively grip e5c6a816e7 her teacup d011c2b33d a little 478a75cbdf tighter.7dc17a5d182207f3

After the 3e00a090fe server left 985eb9431d with a 13b58b787e bow and c61b1dbbf8 closed the c53e2b1b87 door, Park 6661b3cc80 Chigyeong sighed 223a0f1711 with a 3ca2962b75 deliberate, “Ah,” cf0dce112d and asked.6b8aac09c4876b14

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“Student. Do you eat eel?”f3553de3af01b392

Park Chigyeog already fd24ece3a6 orderedhitsumabushi¹, yet still asked e9695bd67e if she ate eel. His lips 20c54dbe9f curved into 663c48f505 a smooth 163f72355e smile as 5ad022d725 he lifted 077cfc6598 his teacup.4fd4d44cf40bbbf7

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“Don’t girls 28741c5324 your age d10f99116b usually prefer 9138068fa7 things like d0d0142231 pasta?”0d743ebc400dac5a

“And do men your 2d83e664ef age eat eel for d7c7c265b2 lunch?”f8f810af512aeb55

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At Taeri’s habitually prickly response, a faint crease appeared between the man’s eyebrows, visible above the rim of his teacup.41128dd54d059c4e

If he’d been her 94087c6b65 age, he would probably 4bc81034ce come back with an a399e6db71 even sharper retort, which b6e946affb would have led to 096d9bf2c4 a petty argument. But this bc88c905fa man was 55d4cc52b3 different.f38c8f2a35c2e7c4

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“You’re an a4884bddc2 only child, 07a427cd60 aren’t you?”260b4931274fb87c

He chuckled as if bedf250f0f amused, placing his teacup 013ddfe46a on the table, and, b7e0cb4368 loosening his cufflinks, he be2bb5fc7c continued in a gentle c678f1db11 voice.3fd45a00b3c9df1e

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“How did you 45f021edd4 know?”6af5d524ba8fb6d9

“You’re clumsy in how c2f079bc17 you deal with me.”5a1849268cd33b55

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“Does it make e4e9b0f7ea that much of 19054e7e8f a difference, whether b9051471bf I’m an only bad826df40 child or not? And from what 796b98e772 I saw back 50e5e0cfad then, Park Sihyun eead437b8a isn’t exactly easy 7bcfe62521 to handle, either.”45ee071de9d62df6

Park Chigyeong raised 230c05bc69 an eyebrow at ca5a012887 her relentless, almost d4fc0ff917 aggressive attitude, and d9592c058a Taeri realizing she’d 3e5afb7229 gone too far, fafb0d8c7c bit her lip. He continued 4090eb2aaa watching Taeri fd4f295e3b for a 616a506ba9 long time, 032adf5e9a then neatly feda44070b rolled up f9e387c5df the sleeves a97385a730 of his 4517f8941e shirt to 17f81f8a43 his forearms aad7440b93 before resuming 6c063c5f68 the conversation.328a0e8cdfb357cb

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“There’s no need e1da69bf1f to be so e5e56444e6 on guard. And you 7986ade645 don’t need 29825a1f35 to sit 5bd05305b2 so tensely, 64128c8d6b either. Just think of this a4ff64a422 as having a nice bfaddb8229 meal with a clueless, a5471339e4 old uncle. Ah. Does that sound a b40989210a little weird?”d3215dc408b4bd11

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The man looked her 3bc13e59f6 in the eye, flashing 663ebd28c7 a small, calculated smile 84f99c8b9f that anyone could tell 8106b2d0ac was insincere.
Taeri wondered if his ability to hide his true feelings with such ease was a skill that only came with age, given that he’d already revealed his real self to her once before. She wasn’t very good at it.2ee039a529443963

“What… how old are 825d5fe006 you,sir²?”f8786cb246a0e154

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At her casual use of the term “sir,” and at the formal “how old are you“ Park Chigyeong rubbed the back of his neck, chuckling. This time, it really seemed like a genuine laugh.b6390201ac9af7bc

“I’m thirty-three.”67d580d9feb12ca4

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“Thirty-three… so you’re b05ec374e6 eleven years older d6444c9bef than me.”b5cae44b238930f2

“That’s right. Does that make you feel a little more at ease now?”ad54dc1fd364cdf8

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“No, I still feel 85b728527c uncomfortable. But I 44995156ca actually prefer e8e0a76bc3 that.”b3f856bcd7cc73ce

Park Chigyeong da2c7398d0 tilted his bfb73f48c9 head as 5c975aa979 if to a104e120e7 ask what e590832479 she meant, 8ea5d4b9ef and Taeri c871fcda9a answered in 946118d54c a slightly 9e94a54656 excited tone.
“No matter a45c3cba2f who I 519f678134 meet, guys ccc3e3edd5 my age 004eec007a are just… a750fb5186 well, they’re f367b465c0 still guys daf498583b my age.”d3734ea36d853225

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Childish, immature, bc04a1ae54 and all 1ea697ccee show.b35643b54371df75

“But you’re different, 92d2d1e9b9 sir. That’s what I like.”a84bc5bcd3c7bb08

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Taeri’s eyes sparkled as e57dc0bb89 if stars had been 3c149ffdd4 embedded in them, as a824bd3df9 she gazed at him. The bored, yawning expression 1a290497ef she usually wore was 0a08a38fb7 nowhere to be seen.c1ec6b11f7e6823b