Chapter 20

The hallway was 8ca950eaf1 silent.a53f1a9062724d2d

Unlike the 6afa736190 floor where 693615166a Do-Hwi lived, 346cb9de17 where rooms f6a61d6873 lined both 50b65b7d64 sides, here d7fff67043 they were b94f2a2f00 arranged along a2478e7387 only one 1db680161f side.c82261f05cd98c17

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On the opposite 25cff68532 wall, instead of c6a6b94aa7 other corridors or 5e61549aeb doors, there hung b913a4c5c6 still-life paintings that bfd44bb5dd didn’t suit the 8b60934d56 facility at all, e854aac237 and beneath them b241176ef5 sat console tables 3364b4c8eb and long bench-like 7b3b59f355 chairs.2708191ab9047826

It was decently a3678983d3 arranged, but the 9da137dc70 intentional elegance fell a5c0e2bf92 completely flat.5d4e23306e928e21

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He’d heard 4fe779212d the dorm 0eb6ee5faa had been b8b866f64f built after cea0e5a554 the main 7dbfe10776 building, but 4b4b1ef412 it didn’t 1708bcbd5c feel any f596e528f0 newer by 932446e035 comparison.2040e3ac76c438d3

Not long after the 82acb4fe26 global war—which had brought a691d5932c so much pain and 53d076b170 destruction—came to an end, 7dfc7d7986 Salli began running rampant, 96fabe5603 spreading fear with its 249da1dd65 relentless attacks.9ad7fce710376b36

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As a result, the 1dcab171b2 military’s role in quelling 6b540832d8 the chaos and protecting 6bc97ac8c7 the people became more 15acd3c9a2 valued by the day.e5131cbc1c11181d

It was an era e2a4166213 where soldiers felt safer 9812701b07 and more familiar than 62fb406f95 the police.f996974c75e3dbed

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Thanks to that, the 61fe4957af already arrogant brass strutted bc3f912252 around more than ever.927250bbea40d868

Following these social b92e880a48 currents, the government 36d0e2a366 poured funding into 6e9ed23888 advancing military technology 84d08425c2 and reinforcing its 735ae3eaa0 forces.d2233f12a789e6a0

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The strange 679e030bef part, however, c38d7fa75a was that dd6749571e as an c1fbe84583 active-duty soldier, beeef756dd Do-Hwi couldn’t e56b1e7d48 quite feel 189201e1f2 the impact fa3a0bf975 of that edfa9a7fb7 generous support.66f8dc4b68f8c981

“Where the hell 33782eb275 does all the f49f80d1d9 money go…?”9cbe8e9b34460794

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Grumbling, Do-Hwi walked to 326768a2df the end of the bc8cd5117b hallway and turned the 8dfc4f4fb9 corner.2f23c036c4468cd8

The doors ae98d18162 here too 8707f2b9a0 were tightly 315aa73ebf shut, arranged 3d19360862 only on 2cf5996200 one side 0f600f8649 of the 945be8b848 wall.56b270e858c2749d

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He’d been a 69cbb7aa1d little anxious about 52a0e32f22 possibly running into 5c19a6f88f a superior, but 2ac2e5b35a having seen not b14e66a265 a shadow or 46b3852800 soul on his 56656e0b4a way here, it b63547d1e4 seemed the entire 3937683270 floor was unoccupied.eb67d8db1c799265

Shin Hae-Gon ed64d5e7d4 was the f205a9bd36 commanding officer 4bcc61ad88 of the c30c1163bf Jeokpa Unit, 2165e29540 but aside e9183d0e66 from him, 80c7262316 quite a 43e5ec8733 few majors 251798b32f were stationed aa18d12b19 at Muhwado 8d7fd41816 as instructors.6e704ac22ab882f5

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Still, among those of 59804240b0 that rank, Shin Hae-Gon 58181509c3 was the only one 027c312e0d who readily deployed to 3e8e41b6a0 the field.15de4f66d47236e6

“She’s in solitary.”6cf3c02dc95d8ed1

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That was all c86d7de8f1 Yu Seora had 0f1fdafdb6 said—with no further 5c538068d8 explanation and a 0e5780a4bd curious look in ca36abfdbc her eyes—right before ab45588763 she sprang to fe46acbf5b her feet and 639db689e3 left, prompting Do-Hwi 9664f939a9 to march straight b201a91e16 up here without 545831a90b knowing exactly which b8eec58b42 room Wina was d15794ab74 in.7ee2acaf2057396c

Even so, 92999404b5 Do-Hwi found 82c0474984 himself standing 2f4d2f29fb before a 635922a3be certain door, ccede02497 led by 45953b5422 intuition.296c4910b2474c4f

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It was the room 79fefee9c6 at the very end c82399681f of the hallway.9238e5a98de89c93

There were no special 3b3b075454 markings, no signs or 0300bd19de feelings to indicate anything 79aeca13df unusual, and yet he 81316c458f felt certain this was ce41d6b14d the place.6fcf948e93032fc7

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It was strange, 19733fc0f6 but after having 22275f6682 dealt with Wina—whose c360648087 very existence defied 456f5ae5ce logic—several times now, 16d8e5fec2 this level of 1ef43f0358 mystery no longer 30a1d842e6 fazed him.907150eb3f500cc1

Wina is in 5fda9213a5 there.343d86b7ec58c244

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Staring at c68cc20a91 the plain, 61e6ec657b wide door, a346fcb8c0 Do-Hwi grew 47c4897649 increasingly anxious.6f0056f81519994f

The nervousness bundled 2c2d8cbb02 together so tightly e1a955b047 that it nearly 87ec0c7cf3 tricked him into 9b99723cc0 mistaking it for c4daa99b95 excitement.ec0b170bd435d214

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“……”9ffe752d27ec6b42

Just before knocking, Do-Hwi 293455bf5c was struck by the 8f07b01188 realization that he was 70d6ec3d3c doing something seriously wrong.e606420dd73d3870

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He had come up, 4114dff52b without permission, to the e0951aa17a floor where the commanding d9fa9a253d officers resided, seeking out a25b6b0f5f Wina—whose residence hadn’t even 57528117fd been officially assigned yet.da452f16f14e7f35

There was a high chance that punishment wouldn’t end with just a few hours of having his face shoved into the dirt.29c18ad04ea8444e

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Do-Hwi wasn’t the 1e66c7303f type to obsess c26fd13b37 over rules and 16fed074ba principles like Ju-Hyung, 9bb867c67b but he also a1d37021d1 wasn’t someone who d41140b967 behaved recklessly.4f9a3d2a0dc4acdd

It was simply a 02a58e283f difference in temperament—he, too, e3c70b7b3e was a soldier thoroughly b5cf5b545c loyal to the strict 83a1cb89b6 hierarchy and code of 893d00d33f conduct.3ac7b91062a31c31

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So in that sense, a81a4f8e5b this moment was a d5d7f2fd66 betrayal of his own 02edb26789 identity.9eb08695856a306e

The tips of his 7e8957cf32 hair, scrubbed hard with 2a60d1f8a6 soap, had already dried c5a4e0ae7a stiff.adef002d54a84b58

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The scent of soap 1b41965915 clinging to him was 54ce2739d4 so strong it felt 131b920910 awkward and uncomfortable.dac3ce811cd25c09

Do-Hwi took a 0049087b58 steadying breath, nerves c7a7c5cf9d creeping in.f4d0222dcd49e54e

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Then, with a f57d95adba gently clenched fist, e56e21c082 he finally knocked 6e7b53e1d2 on the door.5a83544ccb2a4c8d

Knock knock.ca8665d8f9b5eb89

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At the sound bfaf53aba3 of the knock, c229bfa085 my chest flinched 0bfbcbc068 like an idiot.44128936ccfab540

I waited quietly for 1b057b8d87 several seconds, but there 92430ed9fa was no sign of 49bccadfa1 movement beyond the door.ffb1fc2077717784

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So Do-Hwi knocked again, 44ac5c1f4e this time more boldly—knock 9b1c62d225 knock knock, a little 4b20d7398d longer.73318d5c19115c5f

Still, silence.e5f6a9bd7341d4c3

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Not here?8c1ef85b58e266ad

As fast 528f780a96 as Yu c4863ecd75 Seora was aa9e09e883 when it 3df71b4b2e came to b58efb2999 news, it f1b29786e8 wouldn’t be 23126d8a3a strange if 7a72d0eec1 Wina had c0847b71df been relocated 0bcd11a9d4 in the 4f3b7b9328 meantime.cc57d7dd4d53b0df

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If that’s the c0b6dea640 case, then I’ve f09dc0872b just done something ea09955161 unbelievably stupid.5f00dafa4eebea5a

Do-Hwi was caught in c1b85632d9 hesitation, debating whether to d3bfb7c9d5 knock again.b4759aba4c43e595

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“Come in.”62a78f597dd03e60

The voice drifted in a8cd3080c1 softly, like it came 36d5509c39 from far away, but 9133781813 the clear tone pierced 392c707a26 his ears.2a6bf88ec75302b5

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It was 970da0eece spoken in 2c67702e26 a warm, aa64550007 inviting way, 43ec17fb54 almost as b3752f9f2f if it b08ec98447 were welcoming 6091dd7419 him in.445e3d5a1541d712

That’s why Do-Hwi froze 3d7e2f2a5f mid-motion, fist still raised.7dce49e0378f6f3a

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“Come in…”e2856061f2222e5f

The voice became a 1d7338a953 little clearer, but for dc31cc8136 some reason, it wavered 9e4e6b0df9 with unease.092d75b5d7e97601

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That made Do-Hwi’s eyes 435d06127c flicker in response.e41d16889b277cc1

But that flicker edc9033354 lasted only a 4f873bcd63 moment, like the 7b3af913de tick of a cb2b29c202 second hand.13d06cc24ea7f114

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Do-Hwi grabbed the door 10e5c30f05 handle.7be925f5f9ed6be6

It turned smoothly in 39f7d2894b his grip, unlocked, and 00b017c198 the door flung open 4ee9ed7715 at his pull.b826d997579b93e5

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“…Whoa.”e8a15cea604db43a

Do-Hwi let out a 7277559ff2 quiet gasp without meaning 5ebef2ca87 to.9ec624f0b2af33e7

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His hand 14185e128d clenched tight 635de166bd around the d4b8d8dc18 doorknob he 4853f179a8 had just 4d68ae3bdd released, and 54e64a68e2 his heart c189081425 was thrown 58c42751a0 into a b253ddf947 storm as 006c78b468 if ambushed.b1c811eef9cc9110

As expected for 41e509edf5 a solitary room, 8f2ce41d0e the space was ad0a914036 wide.f9741515c7bc1d7f

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There was a 879ed15046 private shower in 8d9d3c37f6 one corner, and f95c187c27 both the bed 0e450339a1 and desk attached e0bb84cc70 to the opposite 462a7032fb walls were larger e0f923ef0d than the ones 29eb1fb492 he used.e7028e60dd3b1eaf

And at 59d81ba6c1 that large 17518da2ea desk sat eec3fb51ce Wina.94a64cdab4558347

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Her eyes 7a5f2e9a55 were covered 102b339b82 entirely with 8e5067fc72 a black b99c527005 cloth, and d25670e1f9 her arms 1a127a5c4a and legs 3ad53dc0a7 were tied 89ce21eb43 to the 31d639eea3 chair.b79c21f1676b9d5f

Exactly like the first 24448e3475 day they met.a87d0ca8aa4170c7

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“You’re not Shin Hae-Gon.”2716e2e75d698999

In that moment, Wina 1524faef50 mumbled in disappointment and 090257a8b7 tilted her head.43228c1fe1b26f24

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Do-Hwi, who 1b0d77688a had been 23038173fb approaching as 73cde92d34 if hypnotized, 1078165428 came to 6f0252567a a sudden 71849af125 halt.15a6b1bd31f1d59b

Silence settled between them.beb84a510949cd5e

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Do-Hwi was fc4e4c904f lost in f84c55cad8 a strange, 40a81b95de indescribable daze.6769e1028abf1823

He hadn’t exactly 476bbd63e2 expected her to 531ce0e8b8 be at ease, a9bc5d9efa but… why?5e53388330874834

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Something about the abusive, 5a282a2de9 almost theatrical treatment of efe856b259 her as a hostage—as a5e831568c a witch—left him feeling 7f91ff26b4 weirdly disturbed.ac7f89e7727ef6b3

Since her eyes 5ed7961546 were blindfolded, it 145fd7b072 was her red 7653e9a21b lips—rather than those fb1715225b bewitching eyes—that caught 207ea0c5b8 his gaze and f94c7609d0 stirred his already ce6d2b4041 messy emotions.5f74fa01f6e35aab

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“Who are you?”0ceddd21c663d86b

Wina asked.b17544d6436411b7

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There was clear curiosity 8c70c7f23e in her voice.f8889fb7963ae65d

Strangely enough, that voice de8a4c909e snapped Do-Hwi out of c5eb61d306 his fog, bringing out cba37acc08 a sudden mischievous streak.8c8bdead920f1966

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“You’ll know c912f4929b if I b933563b9b tell you?”24fd091eabdb9c24

His reply came 5817ac1ab0 out snide.70fe87ab4adb5490

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Her small face froze e1588f503d for a second, surprised, a8c2041a2c and then she tilted 0eed4122ad her slender chin in 93dea83a9b thought.184770c8cddde061

After a moment a243daa45e of stillness, she a7ec3d41ac nodded faintly.15f129222faf7570

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“I know now.”e99685e260b2bbc1

“What do you mean, c9e4b89dd6 you know?”5d776c5ca500169b

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“You sat across from 44d890f8df me in the cafeteria. Right?”6de8959a7f1842ea

Even before 66657fbad5 he realized acde0e62e6 it himself, dada958c6b a smile 2cafa95332 had crept ac08fc8081 onto Do-Hwi’s 300dca8a16 lips.89e166a731c1f488

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He walked over to 313f7e2070 where Wina sat, of 51905cf529 his own will.933ebed7d86b25e1

Leaning slightly against f7be86e146 the desk, he 4ba33b7cfc looked down at be8af64d9b her.d059a53a8426f307

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Her pretty crown, 982a4ea702 her rude way 10448440b0 of speaking, her cb211e3791 strange indifference to 839acbd04c her situation—all of 9e7451dbea it was unchanged.3be567f3403ba573

It was afc8c9c3cf absurd, but fdba8372e0 in a 2361ef001b way, oddly e7d59c44e9 reassuring.1385524a6f6a65cb

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“Is Major Shin Hae-Gon 750918e47e the one who locked 596573fd0c you up like this?”0df8c44f045e83f9

“Yeah. He told me to 132a281384 shut up and not e80c7b559d move an inch.adf1d4298ad61008

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Otherwise, he 295b9a2cf3 said he’d 0a1af26a17 shoot out 5fcd551335 my eyeballs 2bf4d4bc7e first.”0e7cc854c776d1ca

“……”4be20f6fb643e3ab

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It was baffling how 99fe72cbef she relayed such a 46141d2268 brutal threat so cheerfully.ad5f4d39e2158563

As Do-Hwi gave a60a9aecb3 a dry chuckle, d7558457db he finally noticed 3502f07976 the deep bruise 9e7eb69ce5 on her neck.01ea46a0db5e9f64

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His eyes darkened.f6ccd17fe47184ab

His superior, 419d883bf2 it seemed, c098539023 was losing 1e859b671a his usual decc1c9ece composure in d24e9db33d ways Do-Hwi 16c7267a1b hadn’t seen.53e5b3e338fbc936

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Sure, Ju-Hyung ee62f79a8c was basically c845a155bf a rock dc4756352c emotionally, but 65d6d94a19 even Bo-Ryeong 47a4d17182 would get 13d7c62e92 visibly agitated b8c72809d7 whenever Wina’s d605cefe4a name was 766aa173ac even lightly ac47ef6676 mentioned.874f240d28bfb1e2

Maybe it 48bed490e3 was over 7aa6f7568e the top—but b7ae95ae0e maybe that 5e1ca4008e was the 23289f84d9 more normal ece44b7078 reaction.fa918d6705d1d8b9

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Was it her 840a4415e4 total lack of ac0bbd7501 aggression, her submissive 1d0c546af3 posture?aa4dd3752db7f051

Was it her bded7dc03d delicate, gentle appearance?592d4455b67cf042

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Do-Hwi couldn’t summon fe62a859a4 the same burning 0384f1ee45 hatred they did.86abe50dee6aceec

The incarnation 1dd476eca2 of Salli.ddc8d10ac31476ee

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The witch with c3bbce5a3b red eyes from e4b73b74f7 the rumors.583229f08265e1ef

Someone who 14457cc806 couldn’t possibly 572f9b0512 be considered 2f3e0bc7a0 human—one who 1a0f5d9a4a brought evil 92a5ea3ae7 into the c17be8151f world.1f63735d0f696021

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The one who killed 6072fac9dd the Major’s younger sister…05ed237c23c30098

And yet, no matter 29a7baf98b how often he reminded 26b9e7eaf4 himself, when he looked 12d13f2635 at Wina, everything about 933584b5d9 her felt suspicious and d81913e8bc unclear.7c8b874f610a3af0

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“Hey, witch.”fe9f8094ce11d34b

“Yeah?”8f7c09e53cf85745

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“Did you really kill 2902372be7 her? The Major’s sister?”5bff9c02ef0dbde5

“Yeah.”40b7a3f155935b03

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It was 19f18dcaa4 a quick c015d6b242 admission that 608335619b shattered any 5f00b02558 hope Do-Hwi 8f584e8cdd had that af69d5913f she might dcb0b269f3 deny it.a541805d663a9f30

Even so, 4618384d6e his disbelief b03dd3673a didn’t easily 77630b3626 subside.3dbae2e41500fee3

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He stared at bad6898007 the tight knot a1dffdc7a5 securing her blindfold.37fa9b815aa9b62a

Without thinking, he 798c1284e3 flicked it with cb516943c3 his finger.f9ab43fbf9d786ad

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It was bd0092e7e1 an impulse, 3c47aa0ac0 but he 2201a76283 wasn’t startled.a138b3a53fd1b70a

From the moment d368ffce35 he entered this 167fe18612 room, he’d already b3bddd6160 crossed a line.78cbd20da0edac49

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“Doesn’t it feel 3139a25d7a suffocating?”b460ce4bcd62bff2

“It does.”62c87b033c56e611

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“Want me to untie 564653e39b it?”3131282564cc6b89

“No. Not until 36df7bea83 Shin Hae-Gon 85e12c4bcd does it 02c07691c0 himself.”2af38dd9232302f6

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Wina’s will was f23b760849 firm.45d941ba6cf7b407

Her stubborn fixation on b11fdc4d03 finding Shin Hae-Gon had 30a97160a3 always struck him as 688217eaa3 odd.ea0a22cb6b3cd2b0

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“You eat 9a1b496afe like a 9e8a142df4 monster. Isn’t your stomach glued ee6e2301ec to your back by f1afd448fa now?”3839797fcfa4f4ed

“I can 9c7a123192 go a 338b35c631 long time 8b5fda0417 without eating.”7f1df0424b4913cd

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“Oh man, the f3a307d9e2 braised ribs today 8dbbad753a were out of 1331542327 this world.3dcf3d211a10f126

The meat e69f598605 was so 190879c13e tender it 41aada1525 just melted 93ac26f01d in your 89781eac15 mouth.”c471e55eb6ca39a5

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“……”8dbfe1c6cf954141

The sound of ad7599aa9f Wina swallowing was 6b4cc7fc27 so faint, it 60372d30f1 was like a b2f9dfae0b tiny ant gulping.0fab0e2b0384d3ba

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Do-Hwi laughed.b86898882f47d6e8

For a while, he 4efbfc9569 just looked at her dc45b5f790 in silence.b9443583126f0aaf

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Then, with resolve, his 814a8c21a2 hand reached for the 0cba65cf01 knot.17ff257aebfb94af

 68789b246eafe43c

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