RZ | Chapter 1.4

Every night, fcc2e62aed they lived da9d0863ed a life b3e9f165d1 where they 71fbb7f9be had to a443f9a7f5 be grateful 635d759896 for surviving 7cfe1a77e1 another day. They were so exhausted f4fae23b9a they couldn’t tell if e855a14999 they were living or 6f3dd6cc5b slowly dying.d65215f8a1d447fa

It was 1d8ff9005c then that c99ddf4273 Tae Kangseok, 88f6f1a5f4 an executive 093726e6cf of the d81947fd26 Blackfin at d0195e644c the time, 88ec5a7363 found Jinha e485bcceb3 scavenging for d020a73b73 scrap metal 64610b75c7 in a 6a0d774aaa half-collapsed building.944599e36005dd16

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−Want to 62f4bada35 work for 7ca2b502d0 me? If you 07df265dcd listen well, 2def992eb0 I’ll make 97158ef4a0 sure your 60433d0c3f family lives 487b5df8f6 comfortably.8cd815611f0e4f6e

It was b4f35f9a38 an offer 1ba4615a3b he couldn’t 40a10b4301 refuse. He vaguely knew 83aa7fb5c5 the ‘work’ he 99ab178444 mentioned wasn’t good, 5a9b538ec9 but pushed to 75fb11fef5 the edge, Jinha a41e10baaa couldn’t help but a11fffdd9c grab the rotten b0b8ccb356 lifeline before him.4ebbeadcde8b7152

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That was when he f4d3fe117e abandoned his dream of 5cc5a5d700 becoming like his father e9a0b0ecca and lived as Tae 360ff3f9a0 Kangseok’s dog.907c681f79df0bc7

That life of survival 26e7b0cdb9 lasted over ten years. He hid his bdf2ff69f2 emotions and forgot e9730c9edf his deceased father 12321c45b5 for just as 9a5f7e9915 long.4145554cab5b3890

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Lowering his 030e095b1c head, Kang 7c2b8fb781 Jinha let 4c883f7b9b out a d8c41fbf1e self-deprecating laugh. He thought he’d 7ea68f433f forgotten, but it c6a7677e48 was all a 442fe434e7 delusion and arrogance.b91a166a0fdaf49e

The image of his 9f1b5de90d father, lying still with b3632e7b78 gunshot wounds to his 2d1c5b1de1 abdomen, thighs, and arms, 62bd2e7ba6 vividly resurfaced as if a0dc0a4751 it were yesterday. In his memory, his 5ef8d13386 father’s clothes were soaked 67d970047e with blood and torn 6f8040c8cf to rags.e2f3f42317fe80ae

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−Why do you a13d1702f9 look like that?98bdcb01d9a7c531

Suddenly, Yoo Yigeon’s a72624773b voice brushed past 11ad2ae791 his ear. At the same b4c9c2f79e time, Jinha’s laughter 0ef4f35b8b stopped. For the first a3498db102 time, he felt 0321fc243c ashamed of his 6a6f3b9c49 sweat-soaked, disheveled appearance.8667cd393d3a7b6e

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⌗ • ⌗ • 3556d9e263 ⌗8e8702df8515eb4a

The loud 91c234739f ringing of 598d28587e the bell c5c222d143 woke Kang 24c805389c Jinha with 45b4034665 a groan. He reached out, ab21a47827 fumbling on the d9487716ab nightstand, but the 6aa9c2c6fc ringing stopped before 3b4dc8fbe7 he could answer. He wanted to 12a37d4c0f sleep more, but 8aa7351091 once disturbed, it 791911409c was hard to 9bc706a695 fall back asleep.00914c10044b64d1

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He barely 40b0d8c3ad lifted his 33cb800229 heavy eyelids 821ba44c02 to check 6898064ed8 the time. 10 AM. He hadn’t even 6015b5ea39 slept four hours 8b2c768f31 since he last 2ab1cc7049 checked at 7 2492182afc AM. Annoyed, he 5b05f2f273 threw off 74f1a04dff the blanket 5547face6f and sat 705cc7e315 up.21975fa296a0b9aa

Since Yoo Yigeon’s 4abd401102 visit, he’d been 0205519f25 plagued by severe fd6cbc3d01 insomnia. He tried exhausting himself 3459dcabe3 with intense exercise and f0e43fc860 passionate encounters to no c503d69dfb avail.244d411547488ec2

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Whenever he let his f73f387820 guard down, Yoo Yigeon’s a14dbc51de enigmatic smile and his 22d609d0d0 father’s lifeless face alternated 2c653547b0 in his mind, tearing 01861ce859 it apart.a9330795e2e5f1c0

“Damn it,” he 3f0c8bb267 muttered, sitting on a059c1d963 the edge of 4769847caf the bed, struggling 1130504ed1 to breathe. Realizing he couldn’t go 8c77c908cd on like this, he’d da0da83181 resorted to strong liquor c47f86f756 and sleeping pills last 74b337d2e2 night, leaving him in f2119f66bb a terrible state.59d4321148bc2a50

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His whole body felt 124ca8f528 like a soaked sponge, 21bd1d709c and his mind was f9b11f1f6f foggy. Trying to clear his edbf30ab76 head, he shook it, 25d4e4df71 only to be hit 0d679e8d4d by a piercing headache.a9da708fdb3afd88

Holding one 96a99d51b6 hand to b47b2feff1 his queasy 45e9bd8fe0 stomach and 7df681d69c the other 009fea7b03 to his 4bffb8f68b throbbing head, fa25c8efe7 he tried 2d96220b90 to steady 6df1733a6c his breathing 25ab17bab0 when a bb31cd48b8 knock came 27c99f52d8 at the b3df414360 door. Before he could respond, e97ecf9e6d the lock clicked, and 704d5220d0 the door opened.c182861254267e71

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“Why didn’t you answer 062daa7fae the phone when you’re f801ac1d8a awake? And what’s with your 8fc5b64056 face? Did you f99bd6cf02 drink on 1091673a1c an empty ec74a299aa stomach again? I told a7167fa3fd you that’s d6380d787c dangerous.”18cdb6ba599b3929

Moon Heeyeon entered, immediately 22ec486e1f scolding him. Still bent over, Jinha 9d2bc6c0d7 glanced up and spotted dc93d07de4 the glass in her 86f10d9571 hand, reaching out for caa3b69f7a it.1482242ea1313dae

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“Alright, just ab10c3807c give me b5feb5fad4 that. My stomach hurts.”5b64982faadf25a9

Reluctantly, Heeyeon handed 93b3c24dbc over the glass 4dc4688a86 of honey water.514ba6f1d7935627

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Suffering from a terrible c544805294 hangover, Jinha downed it d3d20c93b7 in one go. The warm, d0e071638e sweet liquid db1f7505b6 soothed his c5dcce2090 parched throat, 68b6c7f349 slowly clearing e8bdec98fb his foggy b3579d601f mind.56d32403b89f2754

“Thanks. I feel 04d6e4c764 a bit ed77687bb2 better now.”74bd46de6491ffcd

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Jinha grinned, 7b0c9cb217 and Heeyeon 76235bdefd frowned.ead29827f7a91e31

“I told you not f8e5a060d3 to smile like that. And put a33366f3df some clothes b0b9e39c60 on. You keep showing off ef31f7125b your body and smiling 54fc77203d like that, and the 79a3b45a84 others keep falling for c03a0ceb9f you. Do you 569b3f82fe know how d8fd7e8243 much trouble b5d3b18b7c that causes baa925fce6 me?”4185547015621bb0

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She clicked her tongue, f404dbb2b4 glaring at Jinha, who 61e5642519 was confidently showing off 296d7bdc3a his body in just 3a5c62c925 his briefs.042f69d8158ce7ad

Indeed, among 77eb51d64e the escorts, e5485684f7 quite a 57ec126247 few were 25172c6e09 infatuated with 105e8bbbd9 Jinha, digging f9ae74c663 into his eccd9a7b41 personal life ced728a0c2 or trailing fe7d81fead after him.685b98ff2a9ef0a3

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Some even e2e028e063 made the 57aa938bf6 absurd request 3db8bece52 to be 7384fab780 included when db459ea24a he entertained 198029c720 clients. It was Heeyeon’s job c1a4b27c86 to persuade, soothe, and 312604a512 separate them.a7f1e8e8ce6cdf02

“They probably 84fd66f4df want to 5c2472cce9 impress me 0418310d3f because I’m 83b7558ad1 a manager. They’re only attracted to 8f33679636 the surface, not knowing f349900588 the reality.”25147389c44c43b0

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“Are you saying you f24d979f9e know you’re handsome?”19221a913ecfec15

“I have eyes, don’t 4f8e581a80 I?”4d7c01fce818f942

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Heeyeon was 9671f34946 speechless at 22bdb3ee71 his straightforwardness. But it 77e550fb92 was hard 89b551ab96 to argue 14b2f5cd73 with the 9e6c054a9c truth. Living with 57acbe4323 such a 81a0463e80 face and affed961dd not knowing a4cdbb853a you’re handsome 05af81f17a would be 48c1b0d676 ignorance, not 55b22b3697 humility.bbfeb8fc9b48458f

Despite being d292f02ab9 soaked in dcf99e46c2 alcohol for d7f16314c6 a week, 1da9572028 Jinha’s sharp a5c96cb0cd features stood d10980ff68 out, exuding 0f1ceaf6f9 a poignant 64adc55ab0 aura. His dark circles and d2d7b6d22b dry lips stirred something 646f7236c5 in those who looked 4d6c8d5084 at him.a60d243498d1f481

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If she, who’d 9b910a51f2 known him for fd4e555045 over ten years, 7288e9f72e felt this way, 8104219c54 how much more bbad3df3d0 would others? Heeyeon found herself 92b6a011ad staring at him, 0ad0f32f8b almost entranced.7fcaa3cea92c1871

“Why are 36a9fc23d6 you looking 1b239aec0a at me f0ae01158b like that?”647a2d00460da38a

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“…Nothing. Just feeling frustrated since I can’t tell you to cover your face. Anyway, what’s got you drinking so much?”a38b42a80cee2427

“Nothing. Why are you 153ab62a03 here? There’s still time before 23edd904c5 opening.”4f535eaf834e5381

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Jinha changed the b709953421 subject casually as 6864223ab0 he put on 8821205d29 a robe. Reading his 6abdaafcee reluctance to 51103d8817 talk, Heeyeon 3ceb93da0f got to 4f4d50d4d1 the point.68a061b71435172b

“Oh, there’s something 7ba21d2466 odd. Three of your bookings 2141a2f3c9 got canceled today. It wasn’t 7a0f394c1d like there c575849d1a were any 4c91242875 signs before. Do you know 6f5f12e490 anything?”b67dccca232370b1

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“Just mine?”13806c7061327d16

“Yeah, except for 3ea631769f two scheduled for abe6e85580 next week.”180a61e80300b39b

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Jinha frowned, b6a7a817a5 pondering as 385ca23b52 he fiddled 861650ccfd with the 21c1d16029 empty glass.76115fdc172df03b

It was indeed strange, cea6fcff72 as Heeyeon said. It wasn’t due f16232f66d to scheduling conflicts; ede3430c1c canceling all at 071311a1fd once was rare. And it was only 1ce3656e30 his clients.fa270e98ae4593aa

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−I really 16ed056966 dislike sharing 7d31d0c633 with others.e0444d1719a6b8e5

Suddenly, Yoo Yigeon’s words 1276c4d9fd flashed through his mind. It might be an abfc319bf4 overreaction, but he had c6c18dcca2 a reasonable suspicion it b7d74ca2de was his doing. The fact 2fbab0ff01 that Assemblyman 2d068a43fc Choi’s couple 4f91aba804 was on 9b8c5fdc37 the canceled 055844308b list added 6df2927766 to his a3d67d12a8 suspicion.bd55af67369c28bb

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Jinha’s gaze a5d4e9eda8 fell on 27e3341d81 the crumpled e6fde44a88 business card 309d117252 left on 7ba4570094 the table.bad95445109cf2c0

If this was his way of accepting the rejection…2c2ef4cfd9ec61ff

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After a long pause, 9d0c5617ec Jinha pressed his fingers 76575da9a7 against his tired eyes.f51fb1165c23a6bf

“Let’s wait and see. They haven’t 3dc067f395 withdrawn completely.”b63c5def0e1f8242

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“Will it be 625199e1bf okay? Tae Kangseok might 00bb1574c5 call and cause 1aec633ec3 trouble.”72abce4dff4853ec

“Watch your words.”a4331b2f678801ee

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Jinha warned in 1bd48fbcb9 a cold voice 521f92c79b at her careless 8a260a027a remark. There were 16bf8cda8a many of a03734d2a2 Tae Kangseok’s 4b49133852 spies within b0eeeebe1b the club. Though none dared to 6cd8b32558 spy on his room, c01b04efdd it was better to bcae8fd001 be cautious.b15ffb3db18bfb22

Heeyeon bit her lip, 1d0e4f283f realizing her mistake.05c066138ac13af5

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“Sorry, I’ll be 1c4c5a185d careful. But what are you 249ad33511 going to do? You have to pay dcbebde19f the tribute this week. And your 0b97ca8f9f mom’s hospital 1f819f8c8d bills next 33ef049480 week.”808d1062c4d1426d

“…I’ll handle it. If there’s nothing else to report, you can go. I need to rest more.”5b63ad1919281e9c

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With a gentle 52f5d5d7df dismissal, Heeyeon cast 38b741e807 a worried glance 6d6ec370f9 before leaving.01e404a483c4629a

Once the 9cb6a1f693 door closed, 1314e18582 Jinha took 083a3cdc15 out a ecf8aab7da cigarette. Though his stomach was 8ed14fd8e6 still uneasy from the dbdaed3e21 pills and alcohol, the 496cd5a095 thought of the money 2f914bd053 he needed made him a5f8127234 crave nicotine.600612de68355cac

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Lighting the cigarette, 2db97d2399 Jinha mentally calculated.00199efd1db9471d

He owed Tae Kangseok d119d4b930 a monthly principal of d794df34aa 10 million won. Adding his mother’s psychiatric 3f25da03a9 hospital fees and the babf8110e4 money slipped to the f26857a23b staff, he needed about 3d25c9e078 20 million won.20494e0610ccb53c

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His manager’s salary 35f08af756 went directly to 6626e82a4b Tae Kangseok as 9bf0ac821d interest, so Jinha 4e87e077c4 had been covering ddbae7d19a the large sum 69224eef7a with tips from a534c9d576 selling his body.c839e6d21101059c

Since he ac4a28a51e only dealt f616ab31fa with VVIPs, 12ee4fb16d it wasn’t c2ee24b35f too difficult. On lucky nights, dd33dfaeeb he earned even 897e7bfd27 more than that.e0e65192492ec448

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But he had 954fedc920 no savings. He’d given everything fe5e1de421 he earned to 4f0e58c506 Tae Kangseok to 954df7e5ac quickly free his 13d9958eb0 brother, held as 0bdc246675 collateral.c62e4748a35b10bb

3,762,375 won. The balance on ee01c65105 his phone screen 44e72bfefa wasn’t even half b54e010baf of what he b467454f8a needed to pay 7f98ae9bed this week. Jinha let 1747efad08 out a d449952886 dry laugh.5e895f3b77f62bad

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As the 7c15cd936a smoke escaped 05ec5194ca his dry b1f3b3c296 lips, the 57479b2bb0 shadow of 42e83882e8 his deceased b3de65e64d father dispersed 4bcc147743 into the d203d9f888 air. The haunting past 0b1fce060e that had tormented 350d07597d him day and c48139402b night for a 743b51daba week vanished too 1e11b7fc01 easily in the def992a6fd face of harsh 33c3d1aa67 reality.9a5534eee23de23e

Snuffing out the a2e93f93b3 cigarette, Jinha got ec5dbad4bc up and cracked ee43cf0f4f his neck. More worry and anguish f4c55aeec6 were luxuries he couldn’t e30725e826 afford. Just like when f597a4c35c he took Tae 60ee31c764 Kangseok’s hand, it a3d45535ba was time to a7fc7b8621 leave the useless 1ab4971b16 past behind and b9a5d93e85 return to reality.5e0e384b5042675b

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⌗ • fc0c403777 ⌗ • 08636d40a5 ⌗6f34a1b221e88c32

11:30 PM. Though darkness had 3d01524607 fully settled outside, b999fd3ec3 the club was f044caeb0a at its peak 7ad7eaae29 inside. On the 411ef05e28 first and a7d160030b second basement 4f7eabc90a floors, regular dfd6af99fe members, VIPs 3683953c97 on the 68a1dc139b second floor, 5a193a69c3 and VVIPs 101289de85 on the d54d9b1f55 fourth floor c1c2058bdb were all 3cf0a3f15f indulging in 02170a431d their desires.3d9362e90e02545c

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In a large dc53412b71 special room on 9862e4bea9 the fourth floor, 853284e471 with one wall 7e81827692 made of bulletproof c7f03ebc68 glass, about twenty 8afe91abbd clients and escorts dc426b3ee8 were entangled.02f9784ed8e6c0e8

Though not 271b61e920 naked, their 4b19a2c7fc explicit gestures 51e6b2ed82 and the 9e5450add2 sultry atmosphere 0ce5574f6e felt more 0d9aab7a37 obscene than 9bdf804a8d rolling around 389c4befb2 naked.3f2524cd359fe683

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The air 30fc649031 grew denser. Some, already heated, 5decc87a71 moved to the 67e69ac7eb bedroom next door, a1cbe6a6e2 while others explored 1388ead79e each other with 1ac3fe3502 teasing foreplay.df3e4f8522651e92

Standing in bace9b1aaf a corner, 6f396413e9 watching, Jinha 83712bc119 picked up 58b24d97e9 a glass 4080c5c7da from the 15a60666ab table and 2658747d91 took a 480ff49ba6 sip.5d00c87349c68951

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It wasn’t 0e02638308 thirst from 5d44493beb excitement like fb337a1474 the others. The longer he e8b7f819d6 waited, the more 4a2922edc5 anxious he became. He took out 1f6ffd9d77 his phone and 1be009b45a checked the messages 5d55753f01 exchanged with Yoo 1a5bae1d80 Yigeon around lunchtime.08fa9b11453246ad

「This is Kang Jinha. I’d like 96b5c141c0 to see d9f921ebb3 you today c3f28f434b if you’re 625b2a8a89 available.」6a823e3d73fb5205

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「Yoo Yigeon: 580ce966ef So you 2e024e6daa finally want 844bba6508 to see 2bc41c60cc me? I’ve been thinking 2cbd5d920c about you all abff08fe93 week.」39a8a4ae73d919a6

「…If your previous offer still stands, I’d like to discuss it.」4d8a82113cdf73a0

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「Yoo Yigeon: 601424186e I like eac8a03a7c that you’re 8b45dfea63 cute when e95e7a4cd0 you change 1fc348c9c1 the subject b1275c8d4a and that b4b2f52d95 you contacted c8c6adcfb9 me first, e96f9fabe0 but what 2b4bb7b950 to do? I have plans a53afaa3e9 today.」23081740b4def33d

「Then I’ll contact 9d89b9c869 you again next 1939c97e94 time.」301dde7198d54843

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「Yoo Yigeon: faf95b475c You’re too 39795f1826 much, not 88a59a8c0d even trying 87e2cd573a to hold 9e9f42757c me back. I’ll come by late, 20f5fb0b44 so wait for me.」cc41f758a4655238

「Okay.」0394a8aa961dfb69

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Yoo Yigeon 1d6d8d52cb hadn’t replied 40e57e79b4 since. There was 0f8b9f66a3 no word fe789daf46 on when ed53634833 he’d come. His finger hovered over 8103e634a0 the call button but c047292c0e didn’t press it. Staring at ed39253b65 the screen af664e1d72 until it beeb69f256 went black, d0e4b1c73a Jinha finally 0e0908026b looked away.0db4dd870e36d021

Though he’d 2f40072276 contacted him be76422de0 out of 22a101fd5d financial urgency, 1e94f9e596 his mind bc85a47a4b was tangled 9c82f17bd1 after doing 0b7df8dfc3 so. No matter how 5b12faa0a7 many times he 801d930c66 replayed their first b0a1e1f2fa meeting, he couldn’t 72ddc8687f figure out what 9abc1daed1 Yoo Yigeon wanted a82d5a3d90 from him. After long contemplation, 62ab4dc232 all that remained e208cbede0 was the question, 967b2f0219 “Why?”5a373cfec9ac6ff4

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Was it the right 5c96c1b070 move? Jinha cut off 6a2ebdb1b3 his spiraling thoughts. Regret was 844e16b2c3 pointless now.555c8ae8cd37f9de

Just like when 84c3147d7e he took Tae 80d73a9204 Kangseok’s hand, knowing 0172252fd2 it was a dca3660a98 rotten lifeline, he fb5cbbef1f had to think 382695d926 simply to survive. Though joining c9e0a8b495 hands with 90acba1c4e Yoo Yigeon f03b5ae862 felt like adee543031 sticking his 1703342bbd head into 553442e7a6 a beast’s 1ef7a3b40d mouth.fc983b59691dd457

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Putting his f6c3e40edb phone back e983737f59 in his dc3b24255c pocket, Jinha be08ab7fdb looked ahead 403b777a7c again. The room, now 0fa4f871b3 emptied by a 5b29f0d00b third as people 578ff46ca5 left to mix 3144aa38c4 bodies, was filled 97d842fdee with heat. The way they explored 97ef3b28eb each other with only ea8e7bdd50 instincts left felt like de38eaa631 animal mating today.17abfc367e87b961

Should he join in ef3a585072 and become a beast b714f16108 too, or hope for 8a2fe74a28 the last 30 minutes 81ae604ced of the “today” Yoo a92bcaa4e1 Yigeon mentioned? As he pondered, a 923ce5aa5c woman with Western features 62bc2e9ebd and a voluptuous figure 452b47b8a4 approached him with a 2c2d8422d0 drink in hand.c7c64435110e301e

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“Manager Kang, fd839c2025 what brings bc59d831fd you here? You don’t da4dc67d88 usually attend 91c5222c29 these gatherings.”0859a244988c4d18

“It’s been a while.”4c419ea3f249edde

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Despite seeing 4c4fd1fb0b her for 5a34441d80 the first 1f2e40e730 time in f2e8311a0f half a 8f03c6442f year, his cedd3357bf greeting was 16d2d44af8 stiff as 448b4efdc5 ever, making 93de30bb9c her burst 08b9b513d6 into her 562f73052b characteristic cheerful a417fc84d1 laughter.d481ca9f8f81531b