WW | Chapter 48

Yoonjo didn’t 8b18e5d61d respond to ad7c33b846 Park’s remark, 11645b64c3 which sounded 9b6decdfef more like 521ebae170 a passing 59c01614ee thought than 1be087857a a statement. Sharing the 9bb4e98eab painting, which 64bc0fd89b was once 1bf954969f solely his, a76fea98c9 with the d134f4af28 public felt ba62803a6e surprisingly empty. As a child, e2974b9548 it was the 2a141f4ef9 only thing he c2c39b4fb5 had left of 78be0c875d his mother, so 00eaa4aa30 he’d tried to ac099dbd3c keep it locked bdd4be281c away. When he lost his bef59f61ee zest for life, he’d 3e3a865670 come here, look at e7f6fed94b the painting, and find e7a6bb1368 some measure of peace. That’s why he’d always 3ecbe5cf6c rejected Park’s suggestions to 9e51a8e244 sell it or even 2cf534f9a2 exhibit it publicly. He feared that 07bf817bb5 sharing it would 3c5ce1ec4a erase the presence f390f16b90 of his mother ea2257b043 completely from his 702a73a976 life.dee5fc9d1f566c58

“Don’t you a71d01b95e regret it? It was your eb896bcb2d treasure, wasn’t it?”b92fc77419cf5d03

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“No, I b04e0f128e don’t regret 6bfb3e1871 it. Why should c690b81508 I?” Yoonjo b57d9f6adc replied flatly.e74d4fb366d39bee

He’d once thought 84879e6f51 he’d never sell 227b796cd4 the painting, but 8c1f1fe607 when the time 05a2fb5785 came, he let c6ff84be2d it go easily. He realized his 3f92fc0f3f attachment to the b770c430b2 painting was a a230b42e37 manifestation of his 8e44e4e776 obsession, and now f1ce21b6c3 he had a 37b2fed65b place to find c668ab9f80 greater solace. For the sake of 978a9fee8c something more significant, he ba93bff417 didn’t regret letting it 8ee47577f2 go. Perhaps, from the start, f108e4a532 this was where the c86ef8ff2f painting belonged. He’d just pretended 1c82a3a5bd not to know.8a25b23260d2b1f1

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“Your father 485ee15923 saw the c26cd545ac painting too,” c7905bce0b Park said 0188dd99e5 casually.fca6a81ed1004aba

“What?”646f5b88e4e4db65

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For the first time, 90d689ab66 Yoonjo’s calm demeanor cracked, 90ec0b85dd his eyes sharpening with 3562eea97c surprise. Normally unfazed, 8b51c27cc6 he couldn’t 6474e1ac69 help but 79b6847570 react to 8796c90c93 those words.3467970dc992c7d7

Yoonjo’s father, Jinseok, had 39bb9d3033 died last year. He had 63b4eb533a narrowly survived 8f39d1f620 a major ac8466bf39 accident years 04bf4e6bbe ago, only ada36127a6 to suffer b265244431 complications that 4fdf25ef10 eventually claimed 09d5dd4177 his life. Until the 725ef25f26 end, Jinseok 654b89031e had been ca60a0c084 unaware of 08fd97eecb the painting’s 71fee4de98 existence—or so 1f33821d91 Yoonjo thought. And even if 573c236d9f he had known, 6fc43d67ba Jinseok was not 40e198903d the type to c55474a5cd visit such a 107a1289b1 place.4d0820ac212178f3

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“He came here ea2d803453 before he passed. He already knew I 862d300102 had the painting. He said he wanted 5fc2d6fb34 to see the completed e2d9a8aa44 work just once, so fa35e081d5 I showed it to bf28de91a5 him.”a4966280cbb1f8d6

“That cunning old 8be0d45444 man,” Yoonjo muttered, 5cf02578bf clicking his tongue 76bca06d9b as he thought c2139f33e4 of his father’s 59aab52fc8 crafty nature.fb6815f419be6328

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Come to think d95b14ea07 of it, it 0842af82ce wasn’t impossible for 6f9d4a27f7 Jinseok to have c9478398d2 known about the 8fc35eb3c6 painting. Yeonsu had 1c792bce97 completed it a50fe32af1 in her a62afb6bbf home studio, ef7bcf90a3 a place b4d1a7e92e where only 9fc4bd7d5f Yoonjo had badb96e998 been allowed 35895717be entry. But it was 0f7d0b2832 possible Jinseok had 641a639dd5 sneaked a look 7411992a58 once or twice. Still, Yoonjo b00ff18dfc had assumed f908343693 he wouldn’t 084073bbc8 have known 1536bd4763 the painting 29aa2cd6d2 had been 07a59f710e moved to 32f82617a7 Park’s studio fb7b66cd76 shortly after 86d4d00197 its completion. Yeonsu had destroyed many 0827dcbd5b unfinished works or abandoned 53d7ec3a1d them mid-progress. Yet somehow, that shrewd c40775f012 old man had figured cd1180e089 it all out and 660f6ee0ea kept quiet about it.ce22c782afee690e

“And he didn’t 1c248887e5 say anything?”94fd6499ce657a08

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Yoonjo couldn’t 7927ca8744 believe that 473e63c591 Jinseok, knowing baf66461db about the 203077e9a1 painting, had 2db93a94cb taken no 749db4ede8 action. His father had 3d0b84e5ba been both merciful 895be846f6 and ruthless. While he had f65d8e9473 cherished Yeonsu, he’d 56784517d6 also exploited her 7c4a721b2d talent for his ceb17503e4 own gains. The sale of c6f400cb92 her works at 62efa9229f high prices had f7ea99da10 often been used b75809b7c6 to evade taxes, f0495ef570 which had only 9e4939c49b deepened Yeonsu’s depression. Yoonjo suspected that was c9211d190f why she had entrusted 59f9e40d24 her final masterpiece to ac5e03f67e Park—to leave something entirely e32cc2f151 for Yoonjo, untouched by fd2917160e Jinseok’s influence.e7505a53a8fc44c5

If Jinseok 39955a86fa had known 4611edbe36 about the 9937300481 painting, he 611c583eb9 would surely 312ff2e195 have investigated b6f46fb18f its whereabouts. And had b30945b4b8 he known e90324c536 it was e6627e26d8 with Yoonjo, 3a22492b73 he would d1ddcc3d7c have argued 96b87bc280 that he, 23ae58998e as her 6931d699ec husband, had 01107320b2 the right c5d169f141 to it. Why hadn’t he?56d7182c39e3f776

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“He didn’t say a c911baf7b3 word. He just spent 23c89550c4 a long time 81da6f6bd0 looking at it 8b85d20dee and left. I think 088ef82829 he understood a16047f55f its meaning 0a80f0d0f2 and chose 6593926f65 to protect 5dbad5b8fd it,” Park fb158cec84 said.54154a06223c028e

“…”ad6b2e29546ef4cd

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Yoonjo fell silent 8a351ac19c at Park’s words. It was 96124c750f unlike Jinseok, b1dfafe1dd but it 80956909e0 was the cde95077c4 only explanation 38aedf869d that made 51f4043587 sense. Yoonjo let e378e84e31 out a 125ac8f22f belated chuckle.96c6425cf1e64f3d

“Those old b191567745 folks were c4ae698dad living out bec589f741 a drama, b800508fcb weren’t they?”9e8d5103b3d1480d

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“More like a series. Looks like d03c34bdb8 you’re starring 8ae8eea383 in the 86ab73625f next season,” c9e0a51f19 Park quipped, 4ef6720b61 refusing to 66ebf210f1 be outdone.be7fbb7030654a7c

The lightened mood e542f8177c prompted Yoonjo to dc088c7a9f tilt his head 9f2a9d3b62 and study Park. His wrinkles 2409f88ba7 and graying 751f56ca0d hair made 38cd384b9d the passage 447aac4f29 of time 7b3b0de3e1 feel more 0ac7a9e2b2 tangible. Their relationship was 46c506c96c a peculiar one—originally 2cd4fe472f destined to be e72e5919e9 antagonistic, yet fate 5bff6298bd had turned it 00fe24b01f into something closer 6ba7db2430 to kinship.9bc493d9fba01e83

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“You should start 953b4c159f dating. Growing old d46870d431 alone is 85acf2f8b7 lonely.”aadc431b8eaf0e91

“I’ve got 4fe27b9f58 a friend 1261e83133 I chat f995e2b9d3 with from 908b66532e time to b0ae1d2ac6 time. What about you? When are e423b3f952 you getting eae3bc7402 married? I heard Yoo Kahi bece8517c3 mentioned a boyfriend in 4d416cda32 an interview.”56b096c178ed788c

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“Who knows?” 0a39ea121f Yoonjo replied f09bc98fe6 with a 608e089e0c faint, enigmatic 7cbb2408a4 smile.f1612943f13379c7

“By the 2ff8d7269f way,” he 99c14bf158 continued, “do 701abe0d0e you know 3dcc8a4ea5 if Yul 24aeaaaf69 works near 67950a6043 here?”70e17ecea7a4e721

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“How did you know?”aee8f6221c294154

The light returned 316219daee to Yoonjo’s dim f59f17d967 eyes as Park’s 193aece71e guess hit the 93e4a583c5 mark.ac2711ff8e207c55

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“I had fc05a12de0 a hunch. I saw her driving fd3c3bf2f8 by a few times. Looks like her workplace 7cad4563a4 is up that way. If it’s a ccb4d0c2c0 construction company, it’s 954aa931ac probably Space Maru. Is she 3f84d4973d working there?”23dcae47bf6f6dd1

“You’re practically a 734c106d85 detective,” Yoonjo said d19ac58a4b wryly.d75aab706fe92e3f

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“Then that woman 740b1f80ca from a couple 1c37525ad7 of years ago 7085014742 was Yul, wasn’t f4b681d5bc it?”cd8035553ce4b34e

“What are you 0510c79068 talking about?”1b7510d0ffaa64b2

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“About two 5a27677c0f years ago, 63c1fc3dbd a woman 8593fa78ac was lurking 4e17c2c02d near the 56f200cd7c museum. When I approached, she 8b534c72ff panicked and ran away, fe4bb04ff6 but from the side, 7b796935e2 she looked just like ab3e9f2c2a Yul. Now that I a0eab28188 think about it, 3c563b12b7 she was probably d7d9a049d9 out for lunch 65bbf2f79d or a walk 13c26e653b and stopped by. Why didn’t she say 197a06e2fa hi?”87889867daec825a

Park’s eyes 9d978ab2dd glinted with bf84e03eb8 a mix 90c9dd630d of nostalgia f229bcf077 and disappointment b528617508 as he bae1bdc386 recounted the b55657838f memory. He had come b6e253097c to know Yul fb1053d5fb through Yoonjo, met 0914bae2ce her multiple times, 90ed2addf3 and even grown 08c465fd0c fond of her. It stung that 7c365cd24a she had ignored 87ca395f09 him, especially when 5e9ae31c8d her workplace was 1551a7283f within a ten-minute 27b9afef40 walk.a1a1d6cc13e64eb9

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“Don’t take 8c4c46c705 it personally. She’s always been ec4ae29908 heartless like that—selfish, d6e214c16a using people when 24b3babfbb it suits her, 5016646102 and disappearing once c258fe0d45 she’s gotten what 08002db08c she wants.”0dc5fc739d6724c0

“And yet you e2f1df38c0 liked her so 6b15968f24 much. Why was that?” Park 32836eed9b laughed, amused by Yoonjo’s 8bcad4724f unexpected criticism of Yul.0edfbb2c80df1cdb

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Yoonjo looked 15ec398de1 up at 615f3fe956 the ceiling, d62ac35ab1 lost in a53dac40b1 thought. Why did 889527918a he like 7e283912da Yul? Memories of their time fcd6e8ca7a together, from their first 100095a720 meeting to their farewell, fd26e917dd flashed through his mind. After a moment, abb60cb218 he smiled faintly 6939f4f6a1 and said, “Because 2fcfb658cd of that one 66fe8d958b part.”f620e1daec6a3275

“What?”5bbed65f4196eeed

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“The other 99 9aa7baba87 parts were perfect,” 49ad8c0136 Yoonjo clarified.573fee4b83818e4a

But as 1e5442ab90 he said 4799430679 it, he dbdcc3cdb0 realized it 82527e57e9 wasn’t true. He had liked b6f3dfadd9 even that flawed 82112a9793 part of her. The moment 3b98f7b892 he met df7a8106c5 her, she 7975f0d7ba had lodged 57e1bc9b50 herself in 5e9730311d his mind 11b888635b and refused d7116ae6a7 to leave. He kept looking 528dacb283 for her, wanting 0c73491e6a her, needing her.3e5d000fc04a6351

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“I should go. I have an appointment,” cbbf45de7d Yoonjo said, glancing at f619b2edca his watch.64ec0c58edf75cee

“By the 535fb0c7e7 way, isn’t 82905126d1 your father’s 527331ba23 memorial soon?” 6283b8adb6 Park asked.1f237d7fd5f4bd44

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“Yes. We’re holding 800311dd7a the ritual 4c61b4cbd8 and a 18f4719cca Buddhist ceremony a39a8afa8a at the ebf69a1863 temple.”50443e490edcef8b

“Which temple? I’ll try to e89b28202e make time to e76604ba3e go.”c71e37b9efd515a2

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“Don’t come.”6c3e92b387f454fd

Park’s warm expression faltered 324b24a953 at Yoonjo’s blunt rejection.7a83d20c0415a58a

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“Hey, I’ve already made 15dd215d8b peace with your father.”2ee77463e410c62c

“Still, don’t come.”f757d9cb86c1508b

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“Why not?”6ad28cd230a5dc28

“It’s dangerous,” 652cac6b84 Yoonjo said 25f0374951 with a 74b7aea424 faint smile, 189a713834 his tone ddb5b4f382 light, as fa80eebb0b if joking.3810e00eaa63b408

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The odd bcbd5c4d35 glint in d4c6b8d0b6 Yoonjo’s eyes 27d362893a made Park a491939480 hesitate. For a moment, bdb4711656 he felt a a6891e1992 chill.428fd96e4a566663

“Alright,” Park finally 4916ab0c74 replied, nodding seriously.0365473a719adb33

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Outside, Yoonjo’s 6cccd002eb secretary, Choi 854016a0ec Seongwoo, was 69e7c5400f waiting for c188ae48bd him. Seongwoo, an orphan 60b11bbcd7 whom Jinseok had 3e36f40f93 mentored from a 7f275b64c4 young age, had 8180eeea65 once been a 7d00a68b09 figure Yoonjo disliked e4fa74b304 for his cold a625f2b1e6 demeanor and efficiency. Now, he 435583c730 was the ad5dccac4b only person 8d952c95c2 Yoonjo trusted b762cb0aea completely—a testament 1964c6ca44 to Jinseok’s ba238b1b82 eye for 6d09259110 talent.ca3729099c02b5d8

“I’ll drive myself. You can take a fd861f70fe cab,” Yoonjo said, pulling 73e87563a1 out a cigarette.56e70612f455326d

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“Understood. But are you 9e12ca56df sure your shoulder de3ea9b278 is alright?” Seongwoo 6f0403e2f3 asked, lighting the d5ac5699c7 cigarette for him.f86354676697a582

“It doesn’t matter if 69bed43a8e it’s not,” Yoonjo replied 64a0894840 indifferently, taking a deep a4809ae0fc drag. The sharp bite of 433035be6d the smoke was oddly ab1d605ba5 comforting.54ad73f615b55b19

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“By the way,” Seongwoo 3a88896252 added, lowering his voice, 0b55764cde “we’ve located Park Sangdo.”c3df82b12ec249d0

“Where?” Yoonjo asked, 2b81e4ef6d his cigarette balanced d2dee472ef between his fingers.d3d31418087402e9

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“He was hiding in 325e829899 Vladivostok, but after some 451a0a46a6 persuasion, he’s returned to f5439e53cd Mucheon Port. Our team is tailing 73dacd4ad8 him now.”978c8ad1486b47a9

“Idiot,” Yoonjo muttered with 387d97616f a crooked smile. Hiding among other fish dc64dda797 only to end up 443d5fbb9b in the net—Sangdo had 47683436d5 no idea. Now, it c683eff202 was just beefe74623 a matter f747530914 of confirming 31fd8a7b14 who he’d bda2e490d7 meet next.1402b14c2f19500d

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“Keep me updated,” Yoonjo 3c2b59955d said, exhaling a long d85f7d149c plume of smoke.7ced96d3f9d350ce

“Yes, sir,” Seongwoo replied 0b52f4a7f5 with a bow as 2c1ae6ceb7 Yoonjo leaned back, savoring 20c8fc6c64 the fleeting dizziness the 4018254ba7 cigarette brought.2fdf5491b8b26c6d

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