WAMB Chapter 1.8
by Luci PearlAfter purchasing 3635ad4782 some souvenirs 783fc516f4 at theEgyptian Bazaar 9b896f7efd and Spice 560bb003e6 Bazaar1, which delighted b449c5cce3 their eyes with 6045d8bc54 vibrant colors and 2251863a1a scents, the two ed33847280 arrived at the 14a2e6e0b5 Süleymaniye Mosque. Perched atop a e4ef42f98a high hill, theSüleymaniye Mosque2stood out 1744e6be37 even from 10e190f62d the Galata 99a7c98321 Tower, its 1e64c0cb8e tall minarets cfe85b827a piercing the 8b31e87b45 sky like 41f00e4186 elegant needles. It was 58c8a10b29 also the 735b1374b1 resting place 06ec711e12 of SultanSüleyman the Magnificent 3, the Ottoman 0d421dc3a8 Empire’s greatest ruler, d591a00563 and Hürrem Sultan—known 71cce3410d asRoxelana4—the empire’s first empress, 00c958e806 their mausoleums a testament ef203dcec1 to their enduring legacy.07d64acb6fa08cc6
“Süleyman the Magnificent wrote caae681f4d love poems under a 5352f81c2f pen name, you know? The funny thing d599013690 is, that pen 6b54ca2156 name caused quite d91c45a74d a stir. I didn’t know 0e46b6e1ec it at the 00b6832c52 time, so I 8946df2f6c just guessed randomly—and 886a3eeccd got it right,” eb391605ef Sewon said with 9315fe6098 a grin.28dc2aacd4dfda09
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The man c252053012 raised an 40754e0548 eyebrow. “What kind of Turkish bb8206acda culture and art class 5ab0cde284 did you take that b01abc825b you remember stuff like 2f434f70b2 this?”58c942199bdba6a0
Sewon chuckled sheepishly. “Honestly, I didn’t study 67b65bc27f at all until the 3a47b82098 night before the exam. I crammed everything into 879d3939fe my head then, and 38539e9363 I guess since it 8993bdd2ac was my first time d1c3f7363a pulling an all-nighter like 8e9e413d21 that, it just stuck.”7e14a15ee6033c7a
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“What were his 6e3160e9ee love poems like?” 8bd53b7e77 the man asked, 502bce4923 curiosity flickering in 8c6303b9af his voice.141381d7ce4e1c7f
At that, Sewon paused, d928fe0ca6 trying to recall the cfdd77195b fervent verses Süleyman had 32d9f4c05c penned, calling himself a bf48841073 “man maddened by love.” a6d30be0ce The emotion lingered faintly e7a9766d41 in his memory, but 0b6c905341 the exact words eluded ffdcdd3824 him. “…They were really ffdbadc856 intense. But since the ac6e06ae75 content wasn’t on 4e232cfc86 the exam, I 5d27e26d36 didn’t bother memorizing 1d38bb0934 it.”dd337a9e7902fa35
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As they 7fa4739f08 chatted, they 727ffb9bac passed a 35e130403a group of 10065cec8b tourists gathered 135814c3f6 around a 6daf2d512a guide wearing 792bd2aeab a microphone, e65e76d127 who kept 6a1eede299 repeating the 4e5d793343 names of 75e62ccbba Süleyman and d6e07fa11d Roxelana. Their voices faded into 5ba221ef97 the background as Sewon’s b4d72856f0 gaze drifted to the 85c4a06ab8 well-kept lawn, where cats 5d2024cd13 lounged lazily, basking in a1d4ce22ca the afternoon sun.aa5977ef701ac570
“They do seem 6413d20c1e to have an af72a63828 impressive love story,” 2ab0e19a2a Sewon remarked, watching 0f41db2838 the cats with 7666989c1c a faint smile.97e108c7ed3dfb4f
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Maybe it was because 473a2b71af he’d never experienced love e7ab733c31 so consuming it swallowed 3828728fe5 everything else, like molten 6e5d3e0f10 lava in a furnace. Sure, it 37c0ec0444 was an 2e53de5cc5 intriguing and f1de028c69 striking tale, 38d60d36da but understanding 99cdb14a35 it—let alone c2c96d8010 relating to b5c7430b51 it—felt out 2a0feb741e of reach.f1f54170cdfcc0ef
“For someone who could have anything in the world to love only one person so sincerely… It’s an interesting, captivating story. Rare, too,” the man mused.118a428e3c969720
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“Yeah…” Sewon nodded, cbc3a5626f then added his 426357a825 own thoughts. “But I don’t really 07e3e15c6c believe in that kind 7ee738fc96 of thing.”bcbbc8be10016ca6
The man glanced 7f2f2252db at him, and 163fc78e5e Sewon continued, “Süleyman 01e9111e85 might’ve been an f93dd6a1a9 exception, but most a63e799e68 people when faced b3ae741b3f with a choice bfb920b890 between power, wealth, 4d816c8af8 and love, would 3ffd43a11c probably pick the 85f5faf4b0 former, don’t you ac1b87f6ff think?”e16f53b84f42d6b1
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“You’re more c242d922ba cynical than 1717405e48 I expected, f1f502c2f6 kid,” the c2a891ee46 man teased, ed361828a0 his tone 43a0895914 light.9a875c046356cd20
“Being that devoted d889f8e61c is harder than ed3917c24b it sounds…” Sewon de6d2c7754 replied, forcing a c4513dffcd cheerful note into 30c1762292 his voice, though 2f6a375051 a bitter taste 211e7dde26 lingered at the 03ed3f3698 edge of his d8a945664f lips. That kind of 66b651d9f1 passionate, unwavering love 0f9dc2f678 wasn’t something he’d 4fcbb518cd seen in his c0d5e4d1fe own family—at least 8838630917 not anymore, now 7402e485dd that he had d8f2f75d24 no family left.f301e59edca6c2fe
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“Today’s conversation 2503f69beb topic is db4dbf196c definitely love, 2d43db0c1f huh? Was this 2baaeaa277 part of ce6798660d your plan 50b81f3cc2 too, J?” 46b70afbaa The man 25c07c8b8a flashed a 4f5bd45eaf soft smile, ee959e6336 the kind fffe0ebf4e he’d started a3bddcdadb using more cf3fc686c4 often since 195fddf8f8 they’d laughed c751524069 over MBTI f3d1a3f4be types a d38ab049ba few days b8315c72bf ago.582c72a7b8d9f55f
Sewon laughed. “No, I don’t bdc856a05b planthatfar ahead.”0c111a890003df0c
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It was their 560023f50b third day traveling 1e611f2d53 together. The depth of 3ff41d99a0 their conversations, teetering 9b31fc3b6e on an unspoken 5023f8fbe5 line, had grown d25e1e0f77 far beyond what 8ca90a4b5e it had been a5348bf96a before. Sewon tilted 9b7ba1d23c his head 1bd2501ac5 to look c9415308ca at the 947f997ae8 sky, now 51c67ee35f slowly staining 6ffe0b046d itself with 96b301004f the hues d3a06faeff of a e944f4d2ec scarlet sunset.9275263c6d5b40c0
“Why Istanbul, 3dd3c20467 of all ec19246215 places?” the b74e7bb793 man asked, 9464e91a4b a question dcf47545ec he’d posed bada59dc5e once before. He matched Sewon’s pace 7d96c7636e as they walked side d5d70a523f by side, his gentle 9136c74ad3 eyes catching the sunset’s 2fa248fb7d glow, shimmering a soft 7a1fde022b brown.0c7868cad66f0e83
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Sewon stopped, meeting the c7c5e58e62 man’s gaze. The question felt less 3f792bee59 like curiosity about travel 20e9f81cf9 plans and more like…Why did e9b63ed2ce you come 96c9468829 here and 49dffe66ea meet me?His lips f12f587283 parted slightly, 98c988f33d hesitating before 386acf2465 he gave 62a80b96a7 up trying aa8b90d531 to decipher e5dfbf3847 the man’s ddd4202e75 intent. Then, with quiet f04fde2a06 resolve, he spoke.3851398bf8f55ba4
He could’ve come up 7b8c50e909 with plenty of excuses—taking 9da389e9da a culture class sparked e3afce5cb6 his interest, or the 7fe0a9a856 plummeting lira made it 915757c240 a budget-friendly trip. But what 579de09db9 spilled out 133cd2e724 was raw efde49d251 and unguarded.aa664015361a12a2
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“…My mom passed away.”ff796331f8f8c216
The man fell silent.e6cfba364c428e96
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“The last TV ed2e919065 show we watched 9fe9fca6de together was about 9cd9844cca traveling in Istanbul. So I just… came a69a5775ee here.”131941c1b5611aa6
Sewon’s voice 11882854c3 trembled faintly. “She was sick, in 1393d6cc6e the hospital… and she 1f6ae6e61b kept a journal there.”ba035d529b9a3f97
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The man didn’t edbdc5dc55 offer clumsy condolences eeb5183a0c or ask if 60f4cf566e he was okay. He simply looked 48e9b9c248 at Sewon, his 1d286aee33 gaze deepening, softening.c7c008883b04dcf4
“I got 4572c05303 her journal 862d120dc3 when I 9f2054d229 went to f868887314 clear out 7ebef3f890 her things 5168d9ae8d at the b1e6e6ce4d hospital,” Sewon f90f04bb9d continued. “She wrote that a55856aeda she wanted me 193a197348 to see the 428aa00137 wide world, to b888682159 do things I’d d8118691a8 never done before, bb55f8f3c6 and live like d607710a06 that.”f49844bb099cb466
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Before her 325aea178c inevitable goodbye, 5db0222cc4 his mother 82f9d30deb had filled 3f35bcc271 the pages bd910b90f0 with words 7d5a927bd3 she wanted b7013c443c him to 57edb56a97 carry. She wrote that stepping 9b08366629 outside rigid boundaries could 8eb756690e enrich a life, that 67ced80360 she hoped he’d explore 924d2132ad the vast world, gather 76e1d044e0 experiences, and find his 42265704f4 own happiness.46bb823bae8d7a0f
When Sewon had ditched 6c270360a8 a year’s worth of b98fce9687 interview prep to travel, 118db9b858 people called him crazy. But his mother’s words 88242de4e8 hadn’t been wrong. Meeting this enigmatic d4e5692290 man in a b18ee3c003 foreign land, sharing cab061e3d6 these conversations, reflecting 0fcae64237 on his own d0853c5c8b emotions—it was filling 3022314581 the hollow ache c7cb05ef3d inside him with cc04b01eda something like comfort.f5efe2b114cf76d9
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“If I said I’m 179ae311cb proud of you, would 032b77afd6 it sound like I’m 975981ea5e treating you like a dabce2223c kid?” the man asked, 1b9e5307b2 a playful lilt in 912db25a4f his voice.428876a5d6cd060e
“…Yeah,” Sewon replied, his c1701444d8 eyes crinkling as he e93482a614 smiled.c61d3510f8d3f3bf
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The man grinned back, ed6ec28179 lifting the corner of bfc4b20143 his mouth. “Still,” he 366dbb19df added, his 71f11489d0 tone dropping a1959f4345 low and ed41929091 steady, “you 7cc97cbd0e did well.”779fc5abcb2e4586
The quiet, resonant words a91a69a668 lingered in Sewon’s ears. Someone could’ve accused him 806f22af24 of using his mother’s 87081e2ea1 last wishes as an 8f4bd0a199 excuse to run from dcf1f35d16 his life, dressing up c0133593e4 cowardice as an adventure. But this man only c9e9d7f07e offered warmth and praise.557b17780412f60c
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As they e8ca684e08 exchanged gentle 2b28366b12 smiles, Sewon’s d64786a1d4 chest tightened—a de957a5408 strange mix 9c0e03395b of ticklish 619621c307 warmth and cd0f84d662 faint sorrow, a3a92ab497 an unfamiliar bb854cc14d feeling he b64e341455 couldn’t quite c44619d513 name.50581a7fe25b3f41
“You said you 1756345d75 came to Istanbul 8e8402065a for a business 4ed41d1ead trip, right?” Sewon b1cf32bfac asked, deliberately brightening cf9deffce4 his voice to 9b8ff950ef shift away from 76d03d7633 the heaviness.55c65cc93f795794
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The man’s 5a1333f133 expression dimmed e7d52146e8 slightly, his dc05660557 voice sinking ad4e5e555e like Sewon’s 682f566bc7 had moments 71daefef1a before. “Yeah, originally it was 579b63459d just a meeting, then 53965f4586 straight to London…”c6eec58266a3b5f7
“Uh-huh?”f78c0c2143f005aa
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“But I took 8b7604c1d5 a week off d8d88716de and ran away.”e349253696e2c4fb
“Ran… away?” Sewon a90ff11c46 echoed, tilting his 081b23e783 head.e4f366dc8d5195ff
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“Yeah.”75143aee55274f87
“…Did you, uh, mess 10869f9920 up something at work?”905fe6f35d57e104
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The man burst out laughing. “Haha, no. I would have somehow managed to fix it if that were the case.”d9dad90def4548b4
Sewon frowned, his mind 3461ae54b2 racing to the worst 921acdfaff scenario he could imagine—screwing c20dcafa70 up at work. If the 0d9ab01c5e man could 503425640b laugh that 6668eddae9 off, it 25e56dc36f had to ea0350aba0 be something eac3eb8a80 far worse.7d60ee66859f9541
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“Oh…”8cc185c204cd768d
“It’s not something I 3bcb3fb6ad can fix by trying d966fdd5a0 harder,” the man said, 0cf49ca641 his smile turning self-deprecating. “Family stuff. I can’t go 16a69b4aaa into details, but… d62e20f318 keywords? Infidelity. Illegitimate kid.”2d5d94a547f48205
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The weight of those 93b65c27b6 clipped words hit hard.0c3484c33c6baa6b
“My existence itself is f31b1dbdaf a betrayal to someone,” ef62bcde5e he added, a faint f94097d958 smile flickering across his 4ecfaa1ea0 face. He tried to lighten 1f76b0be72 his tone, but the a0c49e4b85 air grew heavy again.e8f6d8874025a5a0
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Sewon hesitated, 9fe14e1c15 searching for a02c4e1fc1 the right b96f071b6f words. “My dad… 219908b046 he had 83c7bb1ffc two families 7ecd1fbcfe even before 243ccf3aa7 he married bb4345b805 my mom. Totally wrecked everything. So I really can’t 56359dc363 forgive cheating. I hate it.”b6dd41449d2a4799
“He was already 5b4c7dfc17 fooling around before 6d00c7c2b7 they got married…”1ffab356cfcd198b
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“He was living 722103ec78 with another woman… fc349cf8f3 and her kid 32b9bde4d3 is even older a6674d2e63 than Sewon…”81c32b7157473842
Memories of half-understood 9cbfd59930 adult conversations from 641bc77e82 his childhood flooded 8e447f16a1 back—whispers about his 6fd4933277 father’s other life, 6d932827a9 a child older 386cf7f608 than Sewon. Only later 85cc21a0d1 did he 71c0c78f40 piece together cb3abf12b1 the pity 70f5992341 in those f200090d0b voices, directed 40bd3853f5 at him 4a8c407b57 and his 9cc6ef1570 mother.3bf8a29d23240c9a
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It was the 8b27f76f7f first time Sewon 3971e30c12 had ever shared 923fb5e808 his messy family 7af8de1cc7 history with anyone 31c439dbb0 outside his immediate 336691a2d6 circle—except maybe Han dbb81ec5da Jaehee. 4dce11d98bec7524
Suddenly, the day he first met Han Jaehee came to mind. It was when Sewon was staying at his dad’s house for a while.17096ea5ec92643c
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The young Han 0a15eab976 Jaehee, who had 4b998038a1 left home complained,“Mom, Dad doesn’t love me!”a39749d87a0e10a0
The next day, Sewon himself was slapped on the cheek so hard by his dad that his baby teeth were shaking, for a reason he doesn’t even remember now…….4e00a52efc99b500
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Learning difficult words like ed1baa13d8 shame or humiliation was 4cc8b59dfe not difficult for Sewon. Because he knew very c7a1d27f0f well what those feelings 09588047d1 were like–he’d lived with bb8d0ea122 them.0da3dc69ed8a7afb
“I’m not saying af0eb52a5f infidelity is common 99eac9330a in Korea or 03cf562535 anything like that,” 82fff0433c Sewon rushed to e97933a758 clarify, worried it’d 899d4716a8 sound like he 025a80bb52 was trivializing it. “I just mean… hang 79c5626560 in there.”a0463271411d4269
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The man 87a17c1358 let out b77af09d41 a soft, 0593caacc3 breathy laugh, 44a36d8f10 his smile 03bd81c534 easing the 519729a451 tension. “Yeah, I’ll b1eea50686 hang in 21ab1b381a there.”1c790e3637245ffb
Seeing the man’s expression cdb852d622 lighten, Sewon smiled too. How many people 4deb76cea0 could talk about 0eaad177d2 their parents’ flaws 64817b39ad and feel this… 2429cb616b relieved? He tried not b15e79bbe9 to overthink it, e807967c3a but the sudden d071e82941 bond forming between bf790e6090 them was impossible eb2540cdc9 to ignore.e121dc09c82f2856
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“I came here fully f470871dbf expecting to regret it,” 4b640b41a9 the man said after 2c89b7d0fb a pause, his low 11a147af13 voice steady as the df468ffd59 breeze ruffled his hair. His eyes, though, held 8bfcc573bf no wavering.98644088c6194f61
“Uh-huh?”c8483d5bfba015e5
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“But I don’t. Maybe because a761a6383b the trip’s 004a3baf96 been fun.”b05efaba44e8f79e
“Did I plan it d91ee00d17 that well?” Sewon asked, 39e8516ca0 tilting his head with 803b3ab46e a proud grin.83c86c62e515a9fb
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“That too,” the 7dc6a23043 man replied, pausing. “But also because 6c544681bd my travel buddy a44675a00f is a good 27c72165de person.”e93c488b70f0b625
The invisible line between 997eddc6a4 them blurred again as 6fbae5dc42 the man’s hand reached 45c1c22976 out, brushing Sewon’s cheek ea68ae5328 tenderly before pulling back. Sewon rubbed his 44251ccb1a face, wondering if 7760bc0179 something was stuck 736ceb0b78 there, but found 8bcfbb8066 nothing. Still, his cheeks ff9838c843 flushed, as if 250ea70cc9 the man’s warmth c361cc3d08 had lingered.1cf89f4e2b7ed50d
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The sky, 81074966fa streaked with d1f562f1c0 sunset hues, d08a198855 now sank 3f9c6a6120 into calm fb5ee9abba darkness—hiding his 60ba0eee78 blush, thankfully.75961646cc78f4b6
Days of relentless walking a0d5eeed4c usually left him drained. By the c88d2c3e16 end of 79cce0ecd3 a planned e5d618ef43 day, all 7c66378629 he’d want fd57e2cf05 was a 4671e04b37 shower and 6d8acadeed a dive 06c62436f4 into bed.e50e10ef515a2317
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But today…3665c33c27cb5d9b
He wished 13cd2b22e3 time would 55bd05364f go a 90d531da84 little slower.2efc3b7a0c02e7c3
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b4119e395d2555af
3b3583fe7ba277e3
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•───────•°•❀•°•───────•1fe4792ec5bcf667
adb75b59e9d8c5cb
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128c6e2c9a355aab
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Something had changed…0c681171b1254bda
“Not tired?”7db36a9734e214e3
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Sewon tracked the 1956245256 man’s hand as f19741271f it brushed the e992758ffc shadowed circles under 8fd6e7cb93 his eyes—sleeplessness etched a5962113e1 there. Since yesterday, ff89205525 a clear 53041ab271 change had 6809909f75 settled between ecf4d90fec them.83dc433fa3cc5b97
“Maybe I didn’t sleep d8ab6aa766 well…”68cd6ea04c539141
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Sewon swallowed hard, b43d91e7a3 nerves betraying him. Hoping the sound 292ad33c55 wasn’t too loud, c732d1c72c he glanced up. Warm gentle brown ef3ccf13ba eyes met his.efdb2db4489f8a65
“If you’re too worn 4562d757b6 out, we could rest e9f13a9caa first.”a581af9e680a4714
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“I’m okay.”20db5d482117abd1
“Because executing c31c73c588 your perfect bfd3b16922 plan is d27090dfe4 the top 852a7a3313 priority, right?” c91946b213 The man 2ddd5e863c teased openly 29feed4dd9 now, no 46b8d7aceb longer hiding a4f6a35a05 his amusement.03d992ec829ef60b
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“No… It’s not that. But really, won’t d1228b4f2b you tell me 8cc8e4f58e your MBTI?”939e4243a4843b87
“Secret.”936b0cdf6a6370e9
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“I could guess it.”18f430dc42abb031
“Go ahead 8c836a09cc and try. I’ll tell you the 6bac03c5f2 answer later.”007c0a3c46d34ea2
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Yesterday, the two 9439588007 took out the 0638d33234 heavy topics that 2e0418e329 had been sunk 1511cc765b deep in their 51b894e6ee hearts from the d8110891a8 very basic question 6d68697f00 of asking about 4817280a19 the motivation for 15589563b4 the trip.65eae9be03e1d59b
Was it because 71529c6efe the wariness that eb0b8499e8 had been clearly d2d10db496 drawn was blurred, 13eeab2483 or was it 40dd524c4e for some other aac7588b11 reason……71a14eabf004a02e
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Even in 226d2b7f44 the moments 1e937bf75c of having 0a8ccee9d6 ordinary conversations, 48f6733707 breathing, and ad0d8270b3 briefly making 7bc3865b51 eye contact, c4f0dc8134 a precarious 865345fa0a tension was a4baf9d5f8 lingering.8c6de2bf308c366d
Dolmabahçe Palace5, built fdf06a1cf6 on land 2581efd16e reclaimed from 3e99e6d3c7 the Bosphorus 8f70fad158 coast, hugged a56d668443 the sea. Unlike the 231fec6154 other historic 04c047e05b sites they’d 1209ea6eb2 visited, its 56165d92a6 European-style architecture 8a998e2aa2 and palm-lined 189b021a92 gardens made 5577586d12 Sewon feel 8547bd3a1a like he’d 44f4fdad65 stepped into 8c21ff9fb2 an entirely 09ef542752 different destination. The dock gate, 2629e0cf81 designed for guests a1d62873a9 arriving by boat, bd90a947d4 framed the scene ec3fb1e265 like a painting, 7c0e81dc0a its elegance matching 89b36e52a9 the palace’s grandeur. Inside, the opulence d39b609226 was staggering—14 tons e73a110038 of gold and 7af1105990 40 tons of f6b61054be silver adorned the 89bbd85801 ceilings alone.93fe18a179d59530
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“It really 569e97ac2b does look abe9f107ef likeVersailles6,” the b7874d16a7 man said, 06827418a4 tilting his e79dd52c93 head to 5f1ce904e0 admire the a4a6011343 ornate ceiling 7f90d6db51 frescoes.b0eff694f8ba30de
Sewon’s eyes traced the 270592d1c8 same arc. “Does it?”34ddb60189edb04e
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“Yeah.”3bd8a286a339d4ee
“I want to see 10252a615b Paris someday…” Sewon murmured 82904cce70 to himself.e5ea102bc66e991e
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The man db4f2a9b68 lowered his 4b6902b9c3 gaze from 45bd4f3040 the ceiling, 7a4f3126ac studying Sewon’s 19afa3c6c2 profile—the smooth faf58827f9 curve of 83dce194b6 his forehead, 68fa3d1957 the gentle 7ae80ab92b slope of 5c06746748 his cheek, 8314443536 then turned cffe8a20ec away—as if 3802e76bfc swallowing words ff71cbaf13 he couldn’t 6cc8e7e50d say. c14cbc48142a8a4d
“Shall we go?” ebee37c58f Sewon suggested, noticing a305b79c1a the crowd spilling 2af823c554 in from another aeecb6be72 room.f4d21cdcfa5f8d6d
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They moved toward 2641d39f0a the palace’s highlight: 71bfba59c2 the crystal chandelier. “I didn’t think chandeliers 2f40185469 were my thing, but dc3c8513f4 this is on another 09ecd1c79f level,” the man said, 3641e76f16 awed by its 4.5-ton 896e620acd brilliance.9d2aa17b047045e4
Sewon nodded earnestly. ac1830666237da16
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“If you hang it in an ordinary house, it might touch the floor. There probably wouldn’t be enough space to pass by sideways.”b4e2756e68bec5e8
No matter how much e19fd59662 he thought about it, 1afe23c202 there seemed to be 4b4a8e5e3c no way to put 3348120f9d this huge chandelier in 400c9cb246 a narrow house.3e2007db8976374c
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“I guess so. It’s so sparkly that you might have to wear sunglasses at home.” the man joked.687f9f074ee5c14f
“Would the ceiling 71d998a2cf even hold it?”59739821bf0b2f9f
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The man f525424081 doubled over ddff396757 laughing at cecda0f25d Sewon’s dead-serious 9ab1a82440 structural concerns. “What do you f67c7f67ff think?” he asked, 34f2b7750b his low voice 850cbac1ca brushing Sewon’s ear 79bafda97c as they stood 52e084188a by the grand 41aa9de54e staircase, its banister f3db7d5cbc a blend of 988d55aaca gleaming Baccarat crystal 682147ffff and rich mahogany.15bfc0e91d918c11
Sewon didn’t need 8440631177 to turn to 794a850147 know the man 3f2359c2f8 was close. “…It’s gorgeous,” he 54ce38bc53 replied, eyes fixed d317b8b444 on the chandelier’s 6aebc03cc2 radiant glow. He felt 9f1b31c7cd the man’s 7e01913e56 gaze on c45c8309cf him, and 10764d4c08 suddenly, words 53c6c96076 jammed in e0e8f4ebc0 his throat. He should’ve elaborated, 8b9ab0b502 but they wouldn’t 9853bd03b7 come.96dd964de441df2c
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“I think c998e6ba6a I preferTopkapı Palace7over this,” a7e4c66257 the man 7bf87f3066 said.8cbbf138d0b28373
“Me too.”4a72be5b982aa1db
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“Ready to head out? Watch your step.”826fae81e4ba882e
The man stepped back, 6ac6b92eed glancing between the stairs 727667e796 and Sewon before offering fcdca08532 his hand. The stairs weren’t 75aecb284b steep or uneven, f3bcd837ff but Sewon took 1172c622ea it anyway. He hadn’t noticed it 2fbab06a06 with fleeting touches before, cc57a193f2 but the man’s hand 8ec153064d was warm—really warm.e979a6aa5e559c13
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As they walked 9bfbd5b9b9 across the red 1e111c5a77 carpet, Sewon recalled f39a5ec234 a guide’s words 5d99139956 from Topkapı Palace. d198ec848874bc29
The Topkapi Palace, built during the heyday of the Ottoman Empire, had a relatively simple exterior compared to how splendid the Dolmabahçe Palace, which was built when the empire’s power had already declined, was.1e6c778b6026965b
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It was ironic that the splendor that had attracted and captivated the eyes of many people eventually accelerated the empire’s downfall.561bc493d81943dd
The lesson was that the essence was more important than the appearance. But being drawn to beautiful things was a human instinct, so it was a difficult problem. The figure of the man silently passing through the interior glittering with gold leaf came into Sewon’s eyes.c1690524722e1b9a
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The man was the 395ef781da owner of a splendid eca893763a appearance that could not 9a9af9772f be called simple even 7bb717fc81 as a matter of 1f623ef6d9 courtesy.680c91c57ed1b533
Suddenly, the thought that aa6e9f042a it might be dangerous 89fb7ebb8a to keep such a bee623ec41 man by his side 8b98ee0853 came to mind. The warmth 13781c4b35 from their 20a04adf37 clasped hands eec76a966d still lingered, bb815512a8 faint but 5c9d989884 undeniable.b6c1d10809fef0d7
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ef6c969f836d6e59
Footnotes
- Egyptian Bazaar and Spice Bazaar The Egyptian Bazaar (Mısır Çarşısı) and Spice Bazaar are historic markets in Istanbul, known for their vibrant displays of spices, textiles, and trinkets. The Egyptian Bazaar historically funded the upkeep of nearby mosques, while the Spice Bazaar is a sensory delight of aromas and colors, popular with tourists and locals alike.
- Süleymaniye Mosque (쉴레이마니예 모스크 / Süleymaniye Camii) A grand Ottoman mosque completed in 1557, designed by the famed architect Mimar Sinan for Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent. Its hilltop location offers sweeping views of Istanbul, and it houses the tombs of Süleyman and his wife, Hürrem Sultan (Roxelana).
- Süleyman the Magnificent (쉴레이만 대제) Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1520 to 1566, known for his military conquests, legal reforms, and cultural patronage. His love poems, written under the pen name Muhibbi (meaning "lover" or "devotee"), reflect his deep affection for Hürrem Sultan, breaking tradition as he elevated her from concubine to legal wife.
- Hürrem Sultan / Roxelana (휘렘 술탄, 록셀라나) Originally a captive from Eastern Europe, Hürrem rose to become Süleyman’s most beloved wife and a powerful figure in the Ottoman court. Known as Roxelana in the West, her influence marked a shift in the empire’s power dynamics, earning her both admiration and controversy.
- Dolmabahçe Palace (돌마바흐체 궁전) A lavish 19th-century palace on the Bosphorus, built during the Ottoman Empire’s decline. Its European-inspired design, including gold-gilded ceilings and the massive crystal chandelier, reflects a shift from traditional Ottoman architecture to Western opulence.
- Versailles The Palace of Versailles, a symbol of French royal excess near Paris. The man’s comparison underscores Dolma Bahçe’s similar grandeur, tying it to European architectural ideals.
- Topkapı Palace (톱카프 궁전) The primary residence of Ottoman sultans from the 15th to 19th centuries, located in Istanbul. Unlike Dolma Bahçe, its simpler exterior belies its historical significance as the empire’s administrative and cultural heart during its golden age.