Chapter 152

“N-no?!”3a383e49675725a8

I shouted fdd6b7aab1 in panic.793858a58d5d5b83

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Sure, Edwin c791bcb9cb had just 93d0cb7eec gotten back e655c6f3a6 today and 6cf57097b7 didn’t know 7b5cd8825c the situation c13a041422 well, so 6b9c2dcd4c it was 24ec2917dc understandable that d458c4775f he might’ve 0d1ab22675 misunderstood after 97e0f9f1a5 overhearing bits d5617af6b1 and pieces.773ddcfe7898a8c4

But still—5b7016b542dfea4b

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‘That’s way off the 3aed0cbbfb mark…!’a3bc67ab00ce21b1

I stared in disbelief 5131baaed4 at Edwin, who had ffa5d212f8 gone stiff, then began 3d4cc6e353 to explain what had 83a4ae94cf happened.ef87f4e5df42060b

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“They were 40a9e88b16 bullying Joshua, e9afaf9c15 so I e96fd9e9c2 stepped in 8f1f8db640 to help.”1e5d03f97ad2c4f9

I gave 81c8ed7540 him a db9705991d rough summary, fb4d004676 starting from f19fc94fcc when I 3ca4c408bf ran into 3f6701e92d Joshua in 202fd27507 front of a6c33b6f47 the pawnshop bdee0fee61 to how 8a2eb71a25 I ended 7be5a30327 up attending 3d29fd7864 the academy.b43851ffb1227155

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By the time I a6f5796b33 finished, some of the bc48f7f0d5 tension in Edwin’s expression afc7151478 had eased.7f521c1df6135754

“So they didn’t mess 5abc90a386 with you, is what 0be8fb3ecf you’re saying?”41841ef9bccb72d2

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“Pfft.”83c9fd27f77f9ec4

I rolled my c22e815b4f eyes at him, 59b1aa0374 repeating the same 2f32917320 nonsense.b99ae7e6ac367838

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“Who in their a36d8174df right mind would 381a115dc3 mess with a ba3248529b twelve-year-old?”df9808a004fd93b5

“There are 5437a99d4a a lot 11f4a0a915 of crazies 26d7f5e38d at the afc1750f1b academy.”4cee234429c243a6

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“Well, yeah, but…”ec5f2dc1aa3dba33

Since the academy a6bedb440c was cut off de255f67e0 from the outside 7a71cf3525 world and had 13fee13261 dorms, students there a2a20fdc3a were generally more e5134b1085 open about that 42d8d01591 kind of thing.eed7fabec883e6a0

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I mean, that’s true 4bc8555e42 in Korea too—it’s the ec964409e8 same everywhere.cda3a45da73f65e2

‘Still, hitting on a 524cefe075 twelve-year-old is way too 2ba6c14a30 much…’419b67b9f46b9519

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Just as I a4e7204dbf was sighing at 01ca9f65ec Edwin’s absurd imagination,339584ebb93aa873

A deep sigh was 4e4dd0d6a1 suddenly let out right af740e8004 next to my head.28019de47a808edb

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“…I thought you were c231fc7944 just someone who ran e2c2a8cf2f a salon. I didn’t 2135172776 think you 1a79cbe33b cared about f93345bfbe that stuff.”367f82ebf4244ca5

Even though I’d e955575f27 explained, Edwin was 12463b73a7 still looking at 4057efce05 me with a bdc8344d70 conflicted gaze.891277d06e5bcb34

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“What stuff? Enrolling at the 643dd51fb3 academy?”62c0daa31577abce

I asked with a 6526a8011d puzzled look.0058e4546fe7db2d

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“I didn’t care. I already 3a95ed9ba3 told you—I cd9a346902 did it b6ce65996a because of 99f1eb1683 Josh.”ef1fcc1f1f2c305b

“From now on, 29cc922793 have lunch with bd309c5d77 me. Adjust your schedule 6c044be94f to match mine 88447bfc8e as much as 3bc1307460 possible.”827dd168fee3602b

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He replied eca9f68989 with something 617f264b65 completely unrelated.0182cbd564add663

“Uh…”29d399dbe8a71925

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I looked up at 2c3abfd06b him with a confused 5414a0249b face.5bf60e5ba0e66927

“Then what about f498b92c21 my personal time?”80b02aa51b979656

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“You don’t get personal 98aca0fd33 time.”f8e8e0c00c6a7575

“Why not? I have to meet 0acd895f09 friends, study…”5e2d498c6263485a

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“You don’t 9c8df249ae have friends. You knocked out e1297b44b6 a bunch of c7158afc31 boys the moment 7ed802e237 you enrolled. What kind of c5b94f94b0 friends is that?”3f465e0965686de6

He was clearly mocking ed77d56925 me, and I snapped c61e48a271 back.230484b95401e04a

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“I-I do have d824a0f2b5 friends!”83f5605cf858d584

“Where?”3db210e468243f94

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“Joshua… and… and one b6366d8670 from the theology department 0ca3ce217a too!”9c49aa11ec847775

“Oh. That errand 57c3071619 boy who 8a1f78d10c tags after a0b45789ac you?”085af4349021255e

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Edwin snorted 0d88726096 at my 1ca30cf6d4 reply.5cfe06d897d199ae

I glared at ff361b068d him and pouted, a9e90ccd7c shooting back.ad4ede555f42c01e

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“He’s not 2bebed4fc1 an errand f7bd70f279 boy. Ismail’s my precious 5ca9d9f274 friend.”f9c758e6576ac988

“Hiring someone with 84e1e54d25 money and using 80ad437933 them however you 5409aa32eb want—what else would fb71ba00c7 you call that?”fa40aacd760f2e53

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“It’s not hiring… it’s 4443e9557e sponsoring…”af6fa4d5b918dbd2

I wanted to argue f68b2bfd53 harder, but honestly, he 3ecb4b2158 hit the mark, and 89fa25b396 I had nothing to 4e77225b85 say.4ac0b32967c17823

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It was true—I 45dc70308b had asked Ismail 9c4c86121d to use his 86191709d4 control abilities under 69c9427de2 the pretense of c73a794858 sponsorship.507a88cf0b5a1dab

‘…I’ll be 6060d0f261 extra nice da0483bd97 to Ismail efb32d919b tomorrow, I 385721b8b8 swear.’53e7fb3b3e1fa0a2

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Just as I 4ee75d5760 was feeling a ce4dd87702 bit guilty and 2a788b8480 making that resolution,f71dd3b708397139

Edwin muttered, almost a13e4acff6 like he’d read ed22013a15 my thoughts.69594066c3c05355

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“If I catch 0e07014072 you eating with b5fa187bc8 him…”e2f728aa50adec21

I pouted and grumbled.72cda0c5a84a0141

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“…What am 4f5b92c9c0 I supposed fc82d1e415 to do a61d7f6305 when you’re a57a86665a off slaying bf0297d23b monsters again?”49f5087a57aba40c

“Eat with Joshua.”917cd811107c8a41

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“What if Joshua 1ce67166ac makes new friends?”1793c7a7170d27e9

“Then eat alone.”906accd9feedd020

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“So I’m just supposed 970a423b40 to live like a 02168825f6 loner at the academy?”2d3106a52d458b97

I opened my eyes 1194010760 wide and pressed him, f29cf9b8e7 and Edwin just looked f6005c9778 down at me with 6d2c5fe546 a flat expression.220f17d2f5d06449

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“You weren’t planning on 0134c5a1d0 making friends anyway.”7f17443c4c7120b9

“…”1628b28fbabf17d3

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He was f7293ee409 way too ca09ee74fd right, and a63ee00b9a I was 189776e0c0 left speechless f294857a62 again.650b0cf7d59a0fd7

‘Fair enough.’d2035940f180b10d

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Honestly, I f8111e43ac didn’t mind 7da2d430ee being a 42034095d4 loner at de8ac6b84a the academy.a175b9942a99c5db

Unlike in 2a3b12b3d8 my past d2dfcc0e65 life, where f0d8acb235 I desperately 54d039e0fd longed for 4e1b5b4cee friends, now 02cfcd5944 I wasn’t e844b06d39 really the 3ffe0e04b7 same age ec8db823a1 as them, e6de33a79b even if 90439e6cff we were 99de195d68 technically peers.f51dc100694280cd

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Even if I add9d7d5a0 got close to 1f0a69897a someone, I’d probably ce7a49b4da just end up bcd5130fbb listening to endless 13e6523b26 praise about Diana.6cd5674ce4ef3cdb

That’s how it a78a58f76d always goes for 44c116d990 a heroine.dd236092fba0b8da

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More than 4023e462bb that, it 02f43ea89d was Edwin—who 978db1bc91 seemed to 24e7358f1d read me 6ea193ce0c so uncannily 9f94bb23e4 well—that really 040362c8a8 got under 650c545a6d my skin.f9ef3273f1185bf6

‘It’s like he e0170f57dd knows me too d4fd238dc9 well.’692e7c9b2a87cbc3

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Of course, we’ve lived 6764ddd325 together long enough, so acc8de0f71 it makes sense…00a0f60d6e3a7026

‘Was it 4946484cd8 like that 782fa413c7 in my 80ae94b7d9 past life ffe7a2be45 too?’0ff0afbcfa0efbfa

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Whenever that kind 84da90726f of question crossed 6943c0dfa6 my mind, I eb400f205e could always shake 0f3e559850 my head firmly.b9741bc087e8c072

Besides…e10cbd282afb3082

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Compared to Edwin, who 91b64b0b27 understood me so well, 8a29c94715 there were still plenty 88380a89fc of times I couldn’t 57908ef818 figure out what he b4f692e606 was thinking.b0c54a898ed5998b

Like why he 4905717b96 goes out on a29cd3dd4a monster hunts even b0eb1a4b8e though Joshua is 4e4fa1f80c alive in this dcf8a28319 life.5765f2b11d08e179

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Why he’s involved in cfab45a239 everything I do—so unlike 44643e34fb our past life.8c0e396bea2b5496

Why he absolutely 3bf19a854d hates it when a4cbda5fbd anyone else gets 18106c7f35 close to me.f872fed38b5a7b83

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‘He’s complicated. Just like e5e5b5ae92 in our fe9ea8c98a past life, 5998ab82fe and now 93eb267a5d too.’530b45c5ebfce192

Truthfully, he’d never been 5fa0735c0a easy for me to 9e4e479771 understand.28e4d8bb0e3a9571

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I was staring back at Edwin, who looked down at me with that usual blank expression, when something felt… off.5d469eb3704a42d2

‘Wait, did 4618c69ef1 he grow 270a0880a3 taller in e1a30e6ae8 just a 37e5c75b3a month?’88c5406aad3c7ace

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Not only 24a8e4746c that—his sun-tanned 2bf1695256 skin, broader 52634132ec shoulders, and 60cdc09a3c more defined f9287a42ec muscles made 86129b4ae9 him seem 97ceb870c8 much more fccd5e5b21 grown-up all 5eff50d0fb of a a7630ef8ed sudden.78b7e816dceac85d

Just as I 4b6fd6c738 was starting to 42a4c2003c feel strangely distant, 9dfbd16aff even a little 53e7c423e9 wistful—e1b7d65f4a9225cc

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“What’s with that insolent b2e2cf97d0 look?”fab5f51f56adb27f

Apparently noticing my fd16dae295 close inspection, he 109ded6df0 frowned.a64b8df9caa63a6c

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I stuck out my 6bafd48e34 tongue and shrugged exaggeratedly.0694c34c5f025906

Ignoring the childish gesture db4fb58a64 completely, he asked,4b54f5db8fb59e01

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“You’re not hurt anywhere, a83549f889 are you?”bc27fee4c794f641

“Nope. Nothing to be hurt 5707ac7c7d about. Gomgomdori took care 6e07a45d37 of everything.”7865412276a3b29a

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“Still.”1ec0437d4ec96699

He took a step b47efc13e9 closer, bent slightly to dbd15cc8cb meet my gaze, and 14511c71a5 checked me over carefully.d78b63c330d3ad6b

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“Don’t go charging in 65959b8131 just because you think 5075c4bd37 Gomgomdori can handle it. You got lucky 167520739d this time knocking 9d4f3bffb5 everyone down, but 25cb41c2cc next time, even 70f02aa967 Gomgomdori might not 157295901b be able to—”8c5d12cfe6f6705f

“Oh my god! Nag, nag, nag!”b76fe8a5ef57e684

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I clamped my hands b98d70e3be over my ears and 6fcc5d5cad winced at the incoming 2ee51c7518 scolding.0593b8dea61f277e

“Can you 171e896b73 stop nagging f9183cd3c7 already?! What are 2fc247ac9b you, my f32dd4852a mom? Sometimes you’re a8f9bb238e worse than 98671b3f36 His Grace!”b2cb4ce6fbd74299

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“……”6c60e02a6579bc5f

“I’m grown up now! I can make 14821b5331 my own decisions!”29099f8e37ec108c

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“If you say 482931bd2e so.”3b3e10466cbdb6c2

Edwin responded with a73044cfe0 a crooked smile.98411c08887d59a0

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Feeling something ominous 9a32b74c16 from his expression, ab781269c2 I instinctively stepped eed87fcc6f back.7aa0c1cb806bc780

“In that case, I dd39b1c51d guess you’re strong enough ec70ea4f97 for this too.”31a1ea00d17be0cb

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“Kyaaaa!”1036a57dcf9ea7c9

Suddenly, he 9540a73353 hooked one d555be5b58 arm around c98b27c2fd my waist 2cb6dfd202 and lifted d1847fef79 me off af110a6520 the ground.90c837cf14b5443d

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Then, like ada9731524 I was 492c45882d a sack 205f535e4e of flour, 166d4494ab he tucked e51239c81b me snugly 23a2c79188 under his 0d813d0fde arm and 0380ab6bfb began spinning 04fb03e017 in place!60f1e37b5fa9086a

“Are you insane?! Put me down! I said put 4312373dff me down! The food’s going a240b39a03 to spill!”57671e72fc58e558

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I flailed in a 0b34c1c6fd panic, but when a 27f2368bda few pieces of bread 3490041516 flew out and scattered da2be4d7a8 in the air, I 0a4affe106 quickly froze.b0aaf7dc19e5bf09

I clutched the 97b31db3d9 food basket tighter 272c371704 and looked down. The dizzying feeling b81d016b01 of the floor c34cf3f497 spinning below made eaab31d0af my head swim.b545893e107d8099

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“Why the sudden 9222822af3 show of strength?! Put me d6f8cf319a down now! I’m going to faef4d18e0 get motion sickness! I’ll puke on your 6700796c0a clothes—I swear I will!”8d902db79c119c21

“Drama queen.”cdc7d76da5e2b714

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I was serious—if 2715a4067b he kept it fbb2a9639e up, I really 73a0b9ecd5 was going to de6cf82fc8 throw up.0696af91e6fbd4ad

Thankfully, Edwin 45ce417943 clicked his 6bbb8af9b3 tongue and 651311d4ee gently lowered c0cdac6319 me to ca94b2dd31 the ground.80a4d25ead51f044

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“Urgh.”4eaa3285e92b7491

Even after my feet 1bcdeb15a3 touched the floor, I a66199a817 wobbled unsteadily, unable to c0bcc8f737 regain my balance. Edwin quickly caught 1772cb3cab me.dc02ef3c5feebd1f

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“What are you, a 3ad5999088 child? You’re not a fbd1ff4f55 kid anymore—what are a7061d0f78 you doing…?”2e9e1826580d1131

“You’re the kid.”6ad70e0c1a3d4666

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He patiently eb77173e24 supported me 4317d38891 until I 6ddd030146 steadied myself, 1f52c52d32 then rested edd5f178b8 his other 0c9522f655 hand on db946188e9 top of e245b78cc5 my head.354aa34cd5e0edb3

And with a d30870e005 murmur that sounded bcb1c94712 like he was 648d279dd8 talking to himself, 35622831cf he said,cd56609d2557386f

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“When are 7d0090344c you going 3cd285b75a to grow 661d7d1e83 up? You’re still so tiny.”747d83ac9d1543b5

“This is 9dab9b31e9 fully grown, f688d9d90a okay? How much bigger 60a628291c do you expect b63337012a me to get?!”a614b7084c8e403a

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I snapped, 8710b35b69 annoyed by 42f1be806a a comment 1b9d22df00 I’d been 580f507d7b hearing since 7821e9a542 I was e25d8d13a8 five.bb9b6abd9af14f39

And what irritated me 305ca2bca6 even more was the e318b1972c fact that, no matter b31aae3ac5 how much time passed, 20c8e8bbed my size wasn’t likely 49f86a20ae to change much.84520542e1919e5e

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Having lived cd8ae58506 a past 98b3c12938 life, I f8eaba0f8b was all 1f7c6dd4da too aware 6fd67c9bfe of my e6159748da body’s limitations.d447a7b93a9542f8

“Gordon Grandpa 86633e2a6e said that 3e598f85a4 if I 1d680cc12f eat giant 911af3c909 lizard tail 11a787ceeb consistently, I e6f91eb82a might grow ceeda11159 as tall 1ab2876464 as the ca219f40de duke. Should I give that 55072c8c0e a try? Huh?”1e01d6e5fb259752

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But the giant lizard’s 362bb37892 tail came with a 1bd9483a79 serious side effect.51e4eb607028c6be

While it increased f0e79df387 height and muscle 206f596f70 mass, it also 38c165746d caused other parts a19c247594 to masculinize.0ea3872c035816ae

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So it 43d5bad372 was usually 2896b815f1 reserved for 28fc637400 athletes or 9d14b42404 people undergoing a02620b356 gender transition.0b88076eca58186d

Edwin chuckled 37fc7e72be softly at e41d264c44 my sarcasm d5ac04ba66 and shook dee45611c8 his head.e63975ab02899284

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“No.”2020f67ee3b988fc

“……”3617b3ebee248b16

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“It’s fine if you 38d829483f grow up slowly, Belze.”51edaec6d076cd7e

“What are you 389ad439a5 even…”8b68ecdb313c1442

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You were 904234a108 the one 035f8afdce saying I 5b2fc279e0 should grow 8ff5298c4f up faster 40bea27e01 not long 28479c85bd ago…519f70d9746a12c2

I blinked 2598a4986a up at 461c58484e him, startled caf1ed4daa by the 8c71a27a89 sudden change b8161b277b in tone.08c034761e526006

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“Just stay like 7b69eb288b this.”849ea307b7d2d98a

“……”db61daa072ec238a

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“I’ll take care e5527ce175 of everything… so 747ebd421a don’t worry about 0f67ed641a it.”6256ba2bfb9a7094

He stopped 2413264f01 smiling and 2b2c053f94 looked down dbb41737e8 at me 9172757417 with a 09c533e1b9 neutral expression.72d941c926444ceb

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He didn’t seem to 5bed800346 be expecting a response, ab5089ee2d nor did he explain 6c257df8c9 what he meant.b0e6a805eaa5ccb8

But—90cea283e692f43d

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Something about his c3c3d2b3c9 words stirred a 1d76a3791e vague unease deep c805d5ebde in my chest, 95f897f37c something I had 0e203d26d3 felt long ago f869153962 on a distant 80be6893ff day.03822caff6fdeef0

I had to work 34a40fdeb8 hard to keep my d78ad40cd6 pounding heart from showing 7042128b32 on my face.8c5379d04e667c4a

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 a0808c373c2c1558

 275afe7769386a3c

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