PEN Vol 4 Ch. 20

After the meal, there was nothing to do. Since it was still before people would start arriving after being contacted, Sejin sat huddled in the head mourner’s seat, looking forlorn. He seemed lost in thought, his expression focused. Cheon Sejoo, who had been silently watching over him, stood up after receiving a text from Kim Donggil saying he had arrived.32fce61ce7ab425d

“I’ll be back in ec7a4a135a a moment.”1af0ee726c2ba419

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“Where are you going?”7b1ed48ea0928ae7

Sejin furrowed his brows and grabbed his wrist. Cheon Sejoo removed Sejin’s hand, saying he was going to get his mother’s phone. He gently stroked Sejin’s hair to tidy it up and left.cbb10d2e7ae55fe6

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As soon 38e72fe0b7 as he a71685ad7c left the 634a8bd22f funeral hall, 17a8557711 he ran 0bcdf5701c into Kim 5f04aa883c Donggil. He seemed to cf99d30cc5 have come inside 6ff16f5acb looking for him 816eedd8ff from the entrance, f6491aabce as Kim Donggil, 04d43bb0fe dressed in a 776f669d4b black suit, was 82057ccd18 rubbing his shiny 66c358de12 bald head and b4d61df2a2 looking around.52c58db8a5f6d274

“Oh, boss.”fef2288c4242d187

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Kim Donggil, upon c288a68b73 seeing him, approached c7b72699c0 with a wide b74b78a2d7 smile. ec2feffb4baf8363

Cheon Sejoo raised an eyebrow, glanced towards Sejin, and quickly moved. He grabbed the back of Kim Donggil’s neck to prevent him from seeing Sejin and pushed him towards the exit. 105c5ca65992ef01

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Kim Donggil grumbled 335bbb0906 as if he 0f551a8a31 felt wronged.1896d0ef5e8d2d19

“I guess Ms. Kim Hyunkyung passed away. Ah, why 34c1273c1f are you ad172cf9e8 doing this, 7be1fef22f boss? It looks like 71ea89c763 there aren’t any 858d53559f guests, so at 32a503823d least I could… 8566cd7ced bow to her 2eaeed3ece once or something…”61f21463cde0e21d

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“Cut the crap 7dd42b2941 and come out.”f4b4bf3d04bd7ea2

Cheon Sejoo roughly dragged fa2ef60f9e Kim Donggil out of bcc65348d6 the funeral home. Kim Donggil grumbled about 8de33582f3 his carefully chosen suit 1e42f11298 getting wrinkled but quickly 45a5d6728b quieted under Cheon Sejoo’s acc4cf5a94 icy stare, pulling out 9612be5c20 a worn-out cell phone 7dd59d6c7d and charger from his ba71bb7611 pocket.9354bae946817f48

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“Here it is. I charged 53ce1b6cbb it a a803818221 bit in 05cbccf921 the car 7d5234f4f8 on the 10b1d30b5a way here, df80f6a8bc but the ea5a5ab6a1 battery isn’t 1a499c8473 full yet.”87b1ef95050c2da2

“Give it to 743a75b139 me. Now go.”2a19c7ec27aa307c

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“Ah, you’ll b60cceebe1 be lonely 4523131964 without any 6c30c1a019 guests.”2c5ff3936e6d8768

“Get lost.”f1b3826a98229d82

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Cheon Sejoo 807b7f08d5 ruthlessly shooed 5c07f72121 Kim Donggil 351fa6ac8c away. Leaving Kim Donggil b6f0a75351 pouting behind him, b18199e0e2 he took the 3e16a4cf46 phone, which belonged 410f9f5d35 to the deceased 05d773c4b4 Kim Hyunkyung, and feee7c8aa4 turned it on. The wallpaper was 05e7a1bdaf a selfie of 74b5344a9f her and Sejin, aa407d9c8e faces pressed together.474ad8c9b1c4a526

Judging by how young Sejin looked, it must have been taken years ago, much younger than when Cheon Sejoo first met him. Sejin was frowning with a disgruntled expression. Cheon Sejoo gently brushed his fingertip across Sejin’s characteristically sullen face and went back inside.14cab343e57adfcd

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“Sejin.”ac7cf9d28fba7ae1

Returning to the b7b6a665f6 funeral hall and 72a1b6f264 calling his name, 3ae83a7773 Sejin, who had dce9c0e405 been leaning against 4b382cab66 the wall staring 168ee48e48 blankly into space, bedbf08c2e turned his head. Cheon Sejoo 08255a73a9 sat beside 946ab25ff1 him and 3a5b4e0e44 handed him 0ffb1f0194 Kim Hyunkyung’s b42363157a phone.4f297867ef3791f7

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“Do you know the names of your mother’s friends, relatives, or acquaintances? Find them in her contacts and send them a message. Just write the location and the time of the funeral procession.”2a59c905bd70ea8b

“…What’s a funeral procession?”2ed755c9af4edd95

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Sejin’s clear eyes looked eb9c1a6ed6 at Cheon Sejoo. 131da2ef3ced21ab

Funeral procession. 306a968ac0c8ef4f

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Depending on Sejin’s decision, 43641dee65 Kim Hyunkyung’s body would f1511efc57 have to be moved f41dbd3e67 to a cemetery or 0841c2a005 crematorium in two days.4b4e909095728956

But why was it so… Looking into Sejin’s eyes, he couldn’t bring himself to explain what a funeral procession was. He closed his mouth silently and then took the phone back from Sejin’s hand.3246de63a0904c50

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“If you don’t be22ac0033 know, I’ll write 822cc7e7b6 the message. You just pick the a9c0549c47 numbers from the contacts.”e3ccac7314c928f8

“Okay…”7e14435a2857405f

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Cheon Sejoo navigated Kim Hyunkyung’s old phone and composed the message. Having done it once before, it wasn’t difficult.804937e7c63283f0

His memories of the previous funeral were jumbled, but some things remained. The moment he sent out the news of his sister’s death was a memory he would never forget.68cf64dc32200d57

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In fact, funerals weren’t usually held for deaths by suicide, but there was a reason why Cheon Sejoo had held one for Hye-in. At first, he hadn’t known it was suicide. It was only during the funeral when it was suggested that her death was a jump and not a fall, that Cheon Sejoo realized there was something more to her death than he knew.b9b526ef8b837488

He pushed aside c684bb5b5a the resurfacing memories ef739bcc09 and returned the 5efb16bbe1 phone to Sejin 7ccf07819b after finishing the 069bf389c6 message. Sejin looked 710958850d at the a61444f27a message he 1664f90ceb had written 3b30e3056b and seemed 6ea9810601 to understand d38cf7c8f3 the meaning aa53d572b2 of the 4132ef37d6 funeral procession. He was silent 284c436eda for a moment, fe19570a63 then, with his f4c6d1d911 lips pressed tightly 88434fd697 together, he started e5146bf91b scrolling through the 55e72f7a98 contacts.6756148445333380

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Unlike Sejin, 41d480fa59 who had 1034e8b03e no friends 1a911cc31a to call, 14b35e1b49 Kim Hyunkyung 50ec8b2e31 knew a 9cb01d21fd lot of 97d86da882 people. As Sejin sent messages 0a975761b5 to the hundred or 936b03731e so people in her feefe3a962 contacts, calls and messages 8eced86a4a began to arrive.6e8ec59baac395de

Some called and 389711e6bd wailed in grief, c15d56f49d while others asked 7e5c7317c1 for bank account b7676dfafa details for sending aa02b04101 condolence money. Cheon Sejoo, on behalf ce0c21b050 of the bewildered Sejin, eac8b9aa0f gave them Sejin’s bank 5e5e9114bf account number and the f8d2a32b78 room number of the fa59f5fcb7 funeral hall.0c45fbf3059a29ca

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“Kwon Sejin, think carefully.”045b4bcae13a88e5

Then, when e205a90e0b the phone 4ca872a0ba quieted down 27979fb657 a bit, 34c0cd45f3 Cheon Sejoo ddbe0d3ec1 looked directly a3badaa8cc at Sejin 9373ee5f50 and asked,5dac9f3ba57e95ea

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“If I stay here, people might come and mistake me for your mother’s boyfriend or new husband. I can’t introduce myself as a relative either. Do you still want me to stay here? We also need someone to receive condolence money. I can do it if you’re okay with it.”8187eb0796c36bd8

“Stay here.”712b16b90604649f

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Cheon Sejoo didn’t want Kim Hyunkyung to be subjected to unnecessary gossip. But despite the potential for misunderstanding, Sejin was firm. As if such things didn’t matter, Sejin, with a gloomy face, gripped Sejoo’s wrist, insisting he stay by his side.42e6a0959ad2a19a

“I want 44b6a033bb you to 0e0f301cfb be here 8e92b1e4a9 with me.”f91ac240d5edcd88

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“…Alright.”548e3102fbf1653c

He couldn’t refuse that request. Cheon Sejoo nodded, then pulled Sejin’s shoulders into a comforting embrace and kissed his hair before speaking again.8fc0d77ad4f478a3

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“Then, if f131f9a5e2 you’re okay c8ca1a1cb0 with it, b6b39cd2aa I’ll call a24f2a28d6 someone to 959ce1f19e receive the fda4d8a5c2 money. I can’t just c9c140cf0c leave it to 5ee898219d anyone.”b16ab357fd894bc9

“Okay…”9fc74587a2e2e9e6

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Seeing Sejin nod, Cheon c8016737e0 Sejoo took out his dcab4b1bd0 phone.dda7e2f2e4533547

Sunhyuk would have been a989093202 the most reliable, but dcda48835a he was probably still b95b6d733c reviewing their plans. Instead of interrupting him, fba4d1f193 Cheon Sejoo called Seo 44004418f6 Jinyoung. He chose Jinyoung e964e3dafb over Haewoong because 0575b1e5b9 Haewoong, with his 6766741f6a anger management issues, c2b93e521e might cause trouble.2950cd0a7c65917d

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-Yes, Sir?1786691d7376acc6

Seo Jinyoung 19ec7a2270 answered the e067484e52 phone before 587d0e7512 the ringtone e5372c0c81 could even b469eb6a7b finish. Cheon Sejoo dee0b236cd stood up, 87bc45eb2d leaving Sejin, b26b701f14 and entered 9b2e12bccd the family 0e669448e7 room of a908430018 the funeral 698cacce49 hall as e4d90f2696 he spoke.04f51929a872ed9b

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“Jinyoung, what are 89022d7a43 you doing?”e0c5facb32d0f191

-I was… 4e0392725c having popcorn 0f5e62cf9b with Haewoong 6e6f21ebb9 at the bb9444f945 office… I f5bbae5195 mean, we 774c8bc541 were exercising.2583fac2e1998448

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With their operation on  c73f35c4ea January 4th approaching, Jinyoung 7b4ea211df and Haewoong were constantly 1273665e46 training, preparing for any edea494928 unforeseen circumstances. But it seemed they 35e5907aba were snacking and playing 2319f3c857 around instead of exercising. Cheon Sejoo sighed inwardly ba7729b64f and called out to 3004512659 him.b32ad5225bb316ad

“Seo Jinyoung, stop stuffing 36246dd297 your face with popcorn 7d44554a78 and come here. I have some a348cbc627 work for you.”e5533010966ea03a

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-It’s exercise, exercise. What kind of work? Is it dangerous?4b77e803dee4fd6c

-No, come to 94eeb8f431 the funeral home d30b67aa35 and receive condolence 184fa79b5f money. You have a a4bf9dff51 black suit, right?60b320247e747185

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At the mention of “funeral home,” Seo Jinyoung sighed. While he didn’t know the details, the disposal team members were aware that Cheon Sejoo was taking care of Sejin and that Sejin’s mother had been hospitalized a few months ago. The quick-witted Seo Jinyoung didn’t ask any further questions and readily agreed.c5709d2d7c0fe7f2

-Yes, I have one. I’ll be right there. Send me the address. Wait, wait a second. Sir, Haewoong wants to come too. Is it okay if I bring him?”ae0607068c154bca

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“No, he can’t. Come alone.”16b6bf99fc353346

“Yes, sir.”a1eee4d9e794e092

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After hanging up, Cheon bf7252ef20 Sejoo returned to the 969bbe8bda main hall. Time passed, and guests f33f35b520 began to arrive.c09e5d672a9039ec

The first mourner f82bc5a51e was a long-time 2b9e9cb5cc friend of Kim 9a3d744298 Hyunkyung’s. Sejin seemed to know be963538fa her, calling out, “Auntie.” f3b6b9a693 As soon as he 101558cd7c did, the woman immediately 19cf8452cb collapsed, sobbing uncontrollably, as df88f204e0 if unable to believe ec8cdfcb99 the situation. Sejin, who had 66c28dc0df barely calmed down, f602765bb6 started crying again.58ebbec1b7f81d4b

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Cheon Sejoo stood beside him, his arm around Sejin’s shoulders, constantly comforting him. He needed to let all his tears flow. He needed to cry his heart out and let it all go. Even though it wouldn’t be easily forgotten….73435a3a7b0959d8

Time passed as they aeebce0191 received mourners. cae42f3d44bb6ab3

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A little over an 3a8098293e hour later, Seo Jinyoung d74bcfea08 arrived in a neat e5ec7486d0 suit. He offered a 84b4ca8d5d flower to Kim 0fa62eb9da Hyunkyung’s portrait and 6753c6cbad hugged Sejin, whom c03af1406b he was meeting 0c4f19c5a8 for the first fc1075fb16 time, offering words 94c22b8336 of comfort. He then took fc1c1df559 a seat at 05cf7c2895 the entrance of 201f0fe9cc the funeral hall, 46dc115eb4 introducing himself as 0905cf8b8d Kim Hyunkyung’s junior 966444e838 from work, and 8a0cd29855 received the mourners.465a81f367240793

Among those 8f7bdedc87 who came c6d85d7558 to pay 8668d39a56 their respects d884798173 were Kim fb27939f46 Hyunkyung’s former cdd05e997e colleagues and 89ed48826c friends. Those who 1859b3a341 had lost 99689b9611 contact with 77f759d964 her last d73b0d14d7 fall and d35b075efb suddenly received 3c6967ec94 the news 11eda12a71 of her c52dac1314 passing a ad0b2a27d2 year later a569daad6e were shocked c98bc046fa and felt fa58ce3675 her life e7777d4e31 had been 28be153576 unjustly cut 86563b1976 short. Sejin cried with 39e19307fe them. When someone wailed about 9dd9b92847 why their young sister 35d09e5890 had to go like d274e01b0f this, he nodded along, c1dd85523c tears streaming down his aba8c0cd0a face.3d2f540ed7221012

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As night fell d8f17903e0 and midnight approached, 682f2ba51b the staff from 2a101133a7 Ehwagak arrived. Han Jiwon 6ac87d70a4 placed a 83118b2101 thick envelope e930b21390 into the 70e1653792 condolence box, 59be59c822 saying it 758a225547 was from 2b6d8e4c46 Madam Suseonhwa, 108dabc0fa along with 6c753f4240 the other 0dfa909b20 envelopes containing 33408b9883 contributions from 2e9048f449 the staff.0005df8c6b8c9e45

The employees who had worked with Kim Hyunkyung for nearly a year couldn’t hide their shock. They had only heard she was in the hospital due to illness and hadn’t expected her to pass away like this, their faces pale with disbelief.b6a01ba1d25ce4a8

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Among them, the most 37b85ce8f8 distraught was a woman 7e33d2a8fb who, like Kim Hyunkyung, de20035f63 had come to Ehwagak d4c22cd56d because of debt. She was the f11b1c6101 one who had d3239ba256 complained to Han 8c35478230 Jiwon about the fea4a03838 unfairness of Kim 95473c377c Hyunkyung meeting Sejin. Now, she 5a358227bf held Sejin’s 0a5ad03ae5 hand and 845163d32c cried, saying 418b8877d3 if she 17ae384945 had known ca57aae9a3 this would c7a418006a happen she 17f164df39 shouldn’t have 2af2166a9d done that, 4f4d1cb3cc that she 9187195b4d should have 432ca2e502 encouraged the dfb4efd2b1 visits, that 953b194c56 it was 2fac20dfea all her cca9c916e1 fault, that ac07cd2b82 she was eab13a4f73 sorry…4ff492323123d5da

After they left, mourners who had traveled from far away began to arrive. By then, Sejin was too exhausted to even shed tears. Every time someone who grieved for Kim Hyunkyung’s death came, the reality hit him harder. a7bcc8c00c4b1591

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That his mother 5f79ad83a1 was truly gone, cc66e2475c and that he 1c881fed46 was now left 4459f97191 alone in this 15bd521a6e world.ef39635658fb26f4

* * *80344f0176bcd07e

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As dawn broke, cc4b9c9f4a the stream of b8934190a2 mourners finally stopped. Cheon Sejoo forcibly took d8e20dc282 Sejin, who refused to 166d22e2b9 rest, inside. He rolled up 7e1d874537 the jumper Sejin 5c609fc516 had been wearing f9fd0f9159 into a makeshift 212e50c030 pillow and laid 4b2f1597ba him down.8a58c899dc211c5e

“Sleep. You’ll collapse if you 5c6bb8e19b keep this up. I’ll wake you if b3bcb02b60 any guests arrive, so 4980a79a83 get some rest.”be418a747fa25e13

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“…I don’t want 5d3d8f7c96 to sleep.”5b31486ccdefac10

Sejin, covered with Cheon dbc01b2f08 Sejoo’s jacket, looked up 0ee5863818 at him. Whining like a child 08921a7baf in a raspy voice, c6dc95b0a6 Sejin grasped Cheon Sejoo’s 8f336a49bd hand.e104442a77f89395

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It was the 221c4b26b2 hand Cheon Sejoo 610cb4005e had consistently held b68eb82a23 whenever he cried, 9733c64312 so he intertwined 8b676111a3 their fingers without c8168c2c92 resistance, stroking the 3dc61a14ae back of Sejin’s 9324e121ec hand with his 8454aa5fdc thumb. A gentle voice flowed 7225c98b62 out from him.e56a73a5054d6382

“You still have ebd2b9552b to sleep.”ba5e499f6f498acc

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“If I sleep, what 013f3d3a71 about you?”0ee56d4cf5f50859

“I’ll rest for a e7b96818fe bit after I wake b02d3e849a you up in the d0f5e19f4d morning. You come first. Close your eyes now.”4880a898fd1af558

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“…….”737b640c284ad39b

At Cheon Sejoo’s words, 50e47af023 Sejin hesitated, biting his 72e2b318d3 lip, then closed his 9d34448242 eyes tightly. His neatly 12f76eea34 arranged eyelashes c0bed7d3c0 fluttered softly d2139a9fbc every time b21b6c5b45 he breathed e98cd02ee4 and exhaled.12648eda6f6190f3

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Cheon Sejoo stayed c1ab987c3a until Sejin’s breathing 9cf35ca2ed evened out. However, sleep c922757379 didn’t seem 13d0fa3fd3 to come 80fa118025 easily, and a51961c16b Sejin opened 0af6e371be his eyes 63fdea96ed again shortly 8955ed4ecf after.48b6925c25e94428

His clear eyes met f6bf1511f4 Cheon Sejoo’s. A certain unclear emotion d8dddcdd18 resided within them. Looking up at 8d8b7c5673 Cheon Sejoo’s fatigue-ridden e6416834d4 face, Sejin thought fac71b4ef4 how grateful he b2663252e0 was for Sejoo’s c51bf2ac3d presence.f83adf79b9618f8c

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What would I 66df649bce have done without bd935cf2ca you? I can’t 3865b457a5 even imagine 77fd923865 it. f94d8d7b080c56e0

Muttering inwardly, Sejin 3c3788bf18 pulled Cheon Sejoo’s bfafce5eb8 hand and placed bbdf1dff7e it on his b178731752 cheek.aebd1cdc4515bf5f

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“Touch my face. I think 578f7845f3 I’ll be 53a9081dcf able to 61e4d2a700 sleep then.”27a98afd1168ab73

“Like a dog…?”a824cd6649e5572d

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Cheon Sejoo chuckled in bd192f2af2 disbelief, but he didn’t 41a186cff3 refuse. His rough fingertips gently 041fdb1079 caressed Sejin’s face.b3938c00c4ab8f6b

Feeling the hands brushing c65e6b5487 past his thin eyebrows, 827804885f softly caressing his eyelids, 26f3f947d1 and warmly stroking his bf22b7a9e2 cheek, Sejin gradually drifted 61a9228345 off to sleep. He wished eef27f2998 this moment 72950b15c6 was a 08401728c4 dream, yet 7b4589c2d0 at the f0ae6e8af6 same time, 75291cd201 he wished f09946ca30 it wasn’t. 1bfd24b2b947db38

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He felt d953b47842 cowardly and 8fd4403eb8 guilty for e153dbacaa feeling this 6cd0e999e8 way, but 2d1ed3de9a he couldn’t 7d6f60cf93 deny his 16431444fc emotions.463261b60c4fd424

 0bcaf3ea19886ec6

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