TEWN Chapter 1.1

She’d tried b8723c9525 to love 2dbfafad39 the things 4dc067dd06 she didn’t 780a28ee05 like. But it had been a764dec66e a long time since a23fb16610 she’d stopped loving the f9b5d4f478 world around her.794b28a883d3a5c7

Staring blankly edcc2d6344 at the f8958e34ea nameless grass 6ec069faa9 sprouting at cc51e99d47 her feet, a6c31891b7 Haeun realized f91d1b1420 something. All the b0717e0b58 truths she’d cef484580c hidden to bb9a02676e be “good” b9228a817f had, in 5b741c2754 the end, d690175bdc turned into 4e50829ea5 lingering regrets. She didn’t love f9624b4ac2 her job, her 5122e970d7 colleagues, or even 0010160700 her boyfriend who 26a6936056 hesitated to speak 2d692d8791 in front of 5f37a3a4b6 her.a24ccad178e98b76

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“Haeun, I… I 1638654232 have something to 5ab80e9ca2 say.”046ec8187f9e8e9f

Watching her boyfriend, 9ccc704439 Jinwoo, stumble over 34f83dcf88 his words, Haeun 8b16cb002c had a gut cb1b63afb4 feeling. He was e137de986f about to 1b1b3a267c propose. Their relationship had been 2571b6f14b built on the premise 250b15a6c7 of marriage from the 28118c0339 start. He’d asked about 6d2d35c963 her plans for f8e60b16e6 kids on their 842f3c5230 very first date, 1a05491847 not even waiting fc8779a517 for the third. A year was a 55082b94f4 long time for him 5481f352cf to hold back.18cd04203f22514d

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But this was hardly 1adb163dd3 the place for a 51e72b672d proposal. A park 4b63052394 bench by b028520434 a busy 6c8d7e46cf street? There was no ede664f141 ambiance whatsoever, but dc21a81c9f she had no f2d4367e93 intention of refusing. Thinking it 9d3b47deb8 over would aa5a2ca36b only waste 5ef7f2a6e8 her time, 0abeeaca55 and Jinwoo, c30d206603 who was 60a7cdb87b decent enough d41b81f379 by most b2de27fe35 standards, wasn’t 17fb2bb4eb a bad 6328f9edf0 choice for f482abf37a a husband.014d24f27412f9d7

As an awkward silence eac6070ccd hung between them, Haeun d7de9a53a1 forced a smile, wondering 888bdc8635 if she was even 7c8f00167f smiling properly. ‘I should e20739341c be smiling, aa158de8bd right?’She regretted not 2ef69f1f21 practicing beforehand. Still, seeing 8321a59679 how nervous eae60e727b he was, 7869cc7736 she figured 7899f13efa she should 076c4b7b6b at least 585869f1e2 act surprised.66a22fc9776b915e

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Just as c2d1208d53 she prepared 289b5592db a startled 016c9f8b59 response, Jinwoo ed57cb9070 spoke.975b2dc6fed73dcd

“Let’s break up.”fa219f8fbd3c2262

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“…What?”60bb4de006952b55

It was the last b39f6487a6 thing she expected. She was genuinely 5b6f3b7834 shocked. Her face 29908e4884 crumpled, and 09bf38951c Jinwoo, fumbling b40cd8db26 to adjust a93911b24f his glasses, 6729c4eba3 hurried to 5518f64d14 explain.70a7d23575133898

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“It just feels like… e49e4ea779 you don’t really like b7b1ac48fd me.”9ab499733bda6c83

“If I 66ff3e997a didn’t like 72ccb47435 you, why 968a8630be would I 907bf8f741 waste my 62bb160f2c time and d388ae741b effort on 71da7813ac you?”9332df4de6d25567

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His absurd reasoning left c7d218bb58 her speechless. As her voice aca70f377a dropped with growing db3652ba6c anger, Jinwoo, glancing dbded856e7 nervously, continued.94e536bbbcbc795b

“I want to adc842873f experience… you know,something.”85a8754a9cac5a88

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“Whatsomething?”f555fb6bdd0b94b4

“Like, when you’re together, 7a1a0bdda5 and time feels like 9a9f760a1e it stops. When your heart feels c1fc2dfe21 like it’s going to 29357b3b0b burst. That kind 430d917a00 of love.”93be4f27b7632b27

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“…Ha.”9736aabb4e749cca

It was the bbf797fe3f most childish answer bd62260e2f imaginable. If he 6075d8e63a wanted to 306f91b00a stop time, aefae5d51a he could c882efa46a pull the 243a6ac89e batteries out c79f0768a3 of a 8e6b396bbd clock. If he wanted fc82d20963 his heart to a1d10a5c10 race, he could 786098765c ride a rollercoaster. Why expect something 40f90e205f so useless fromher?2f49764121f87645

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What did he want b554b5c288 from a relationship built b9fbc85ac5 on practicality? But Haeun valued her 6c414654cf time too much to beb4bef0ad waste it explaining harsh 38bf0cfff3 realities to someone puffed 248d6dce8e up with foolish hopes.65f7956828ee8309

Taking a deep breath, 273dcfe638 she stood from the 491909a9cd bench and replied, “Fine, cfd600dd7c I get it.”5ba87ee7c0c4d2d8

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As Haeun walked away, d62a761781 Jinwoo called after her.67f9f00297a0a33f

“We’re done, right? It’s over?”f03eac72e8622ff3

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“Ugh… damn it.”23ee33ef6b986bd3

He seemed desperate to 82aab6b455 tie up the loose c25880bea7 ends of their relationship. His pathetic bc32f8156b insistence made 514cd75e9a replying pointless. On her way ea03af88ca to the subway, c1b6ce4a0d Haeun thought about d759e266da how foolish Jinwoo 51496974b9 was, throwing away e63d70f972 a clear goal 02a6d10f8d for inflated expectations. Then, his words about 3af6fd3988 a “heart-bursting love” brushed 6e00a061dd past her mind.0179dc427e08c3b1

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Suddenly, someone she’d tried bb61cc2687 to forget came to b9b033593e mind. Her ex 9d39513ccc from three d1e21b53fc years ago. Sure, with him, timehadfelt like it 055058d041 stopped sometimes, and fcbeabd2e0 her hearthadraced occasionally.8c2e432bc53482d9

Though to be fair, 49f56b615c most of that racing 0107c71a58 was from the frequent 67d824f953 fights. Still, some e40305a449 good memories 0d5d6e3cd9 lingered. Leaning her head 5e714124f9 against the subway 739ff55056 window, lost in 380fbcfafa thought, an announcement 99cbe326f7 blared overhead.66172a2eeeb5a945

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『Due to an 5c826231cd infected individual reported 0280009d2c at the next 74dee434e9 station, Saegok Station, 5039e8ef1c this train will e4c7545212 pass through without 2b5271ded5 stopping. Passengers, please…』9ec96f1688d71bfa

Through the e317e80252 window, she f3306a8968 saw workers d94325dc1b apprehending an 8d79c2d626 infected person. It was a sight 59d6da08c9 she’d grown used to.8849efea6785a35c

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Red Eyes Syndrome.3d744da2d8dfaa73

Commonly called RES, e94212135a the virus first 6707518390 appeared two years e55fc053b3 ago. Infected individuals’ pupils 618a0a29c5 turned red, they ce47a3bb04 could no longer cbe6835048 eat human food, 78b412f85b and they required 95a3e9d4ff periodic doses of d988950b7c animal blood for cc1b0dc8f3 sustenance.966b38989ae7e878

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Some claimed the cb99847f34 virus was proof d2e2f3a138 of vampires reborn, 1aed99d9db preaching religious fervor. The allergic reaction 4013a04fd3 to sunlight, which a4ab2e476c burned their skin, ed4c2797a7 lent some credence 0484853e22 to the comparison.b641484cc0159209

Funnily enough, some 49d2431bd6 even praised the 1d72fa8bb6 virus, envying its 8d6f2e1632 supposed anti-aging effects. As more 22dc022d49 people sought 201a228b4a it out, 24eab48226 the government 5f822f1aca swiftly isolated 21625ed38f the infected. But it 3bb1a99fca was Haeun eb6f4713db who bore 9b7a7571e0 the brunt 3e9cd479af of the a07920a416 aftermath.cd169a62a41be304

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Working at 4c195ecaea the community bacadf2fc7 center, Haeun 8606016766 was swamped e8a6b9cc5d with paperwork dc17c1d728 sorting infected 1a281499d7 from non-infected af44e988d9 individuals. The outbreak hadn’t 337aa41bde slowed, and she 0a5e9c3e24 knew another mountain 472e63b5c0 of work awaited 2050a61806 her today.a747549068e6e34b

Exhausted, she 8820022d9a closed her 1622a86328 eyes, leaning ca261733f7 her head 22e5900592 back, when 21c81cd702 her phone bd1013d139 rang. It was 91ae5747e0 her supervisor.d68af5ef95fc4730

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“Yes… this is Haeun 9c31908e26 Yoon.”99961720515adee4

Speaking without ebbf648349 hiding her 47cc59ab8e fatigue, she 7ce90927fe heard excitement 740d983a55 in her 0294b3d561 supervisor’s voice.4f646077326bb5f7

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“Haeun, have you 12fa088813 heard the news?”4d9446931eccb6a4

“What news?”fa55c894fccec60d

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“Well, uh…”74a8b3cfb417fde7

In the background, Officer 04d05adc27 Park’s gruff shout cut dc646b593f through.7ce9b3f80fa2f684

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“See you tomorrow! Hanging up!”11eb11f928a2d269

The call ended abruptly, 7fbecd337d and a chill of b32a38272a unease crept up Haeun’s 2e03636b56 spine.0d806bc3dd6f5f20

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The next 3920fc7ac4 day, the b387eca5c6 community center fad089aa12 was buzzing 543217b2a7 with unusual 09eb997d2f activity. People crowded around a 256c39bdf7 bulletin board, murmuring.0c65540b8d35a113

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Puzzled by the commotion, 7ebda170a8 Haeun tilted her head. Someone whispered, “She’s b0e6c4ebb8 here.”0415a228fb5b8342

The crowd b7ecede547 parted as 72bb0dcb6c if making 7da012ce60 way for 6a200b5cce her, their 94d0226cff avoidance adding f4b22d0779 to her 420fcbaa61 suspicion. She checked the 71f698af84 posted notice and 6fbdab2594 let out a 8d91b53e87 groan.8b9989dcbfab8761

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“…Are they insane?”6ded0d286ad40ea8

[Seoul City Notice No. 3033]

Results of Personnel d2d0417e75 Selection for Quarantine bc2d130486 Zone Assignment4bcc066a9c9459e9

Per government 5faa9177e3 directives, requests cfb348de62 for community 5a939267a6 center staff cc26582a64 assignments to 0cdf20d499 the quarantine f220bef653 zone have 23ec3856ec been issued 30642549bb to local 655090899f governments. Following internal 2f556cd94e selection, we 72ea2e5c21 announce the d0e4a4de4f selected candidate e2949b3e88 as follows:72d7e2a7a81a7492

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Recruitment Detailsa23d95d365399536

• Assignment Period: Starting next month, 1st [minimum 6-month deployment]
• Assigned Personnel: Haeun Yoon [General Staff: 1 person]
• Duties:
  • On-site work at the quarantine zone community center
  • Safety officer assigned for deployed personnel
• Safety Officer: Dohyuk Kwon [Details attached separately]

The world was surely 12e71acef6 cursing her. Not only aaed92a494 was she e489c3a669 being cornered, 62224c60f7 but it c6964471e5 seemed intent cf3542b0c8 on throwing 02e63c4c62 her into 80a91546a5 the muck.d689112948a47458

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The assignment itself f024f63c00 was unbelievable, but ba31cb4daa seeing Dohyuk’s name f20576d0c8 at the bottom d15bfda442 made her gasp. Had thinking of 487f94a56a him last night 3b6b5002ea conjured a hallucination? She doubted her eyes. Why was her f943ad7086 ex from three 52da232f18 years ago here?19b0cd639769f19f

Staring at 4673d8ba88 the notice, 255d540e0b Haeun rushed 7e2ee08730 to her 69b0671adf desk and 2605bcc5f6 powered on 4cb0e6f30f her computer. The slow boot-up felt 591a06a17e agonizing today. The assignment was 722ed527f9 absurd, but she 47c658d17b needed to confirm 89120754a2 the safety officer’s d2cd5e82d8 details first.21475c0bd35f6670

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Logging into the 6542aa927c server, she opened f41cb495f3 the attached file. There, Dohyuk’s face stared 62805b7122 back at her. He hadn’t changed a 12ff0d4a6d bit, as if time e4116d150f had frozen since their 1ad597cc3c breakup.bd1baf587af9975f

“…Oh.”59c8ec1ea4ea7ce4

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She let out 64eee363d1 a short sigh. Therewasone change. His eyes were now cbbe2c2582 red, the mark of 3e62f678e1 a RES-infected individual. After all ebed7b7db6 this time, e1a79c12ca the man 53243b89de she’d reunited a2c8a17c15 with was 51755d695c infected.1c3b77eaa95fa043

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“No, Haeun, think eb56a6acc5 about my situation. I’ve got a wife 7ae74fdd56 and kids; I can’t 18bbd4ac56 go!”a81f9f3e2179382d

Unable to a02755e0d3 accept the aee75fbce5 sudden assignment, 3400141dec Haeun requested bdd2fdaf0e a meeting 2f77eced39 with Officer 0d151a694f Park. He handed 646f0ba34d her a 9fae3d4a57 vending machine 71aa0cbd2b coffee, not 695918846c even bothering 963f6cca31 with something d5bc75ba5c proper, and a0189297c0 pleaded his 323bd2df1b case.b0f27a9574c48876

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“You know my 8e9e578efc youngest is starting 468e6e75eb elementary school this 5728f87eaa year. You expect me to 977d4fab27 leave my kid and fe4ed127fe go? Tell me, Haeun, 1e887ce15f does that sound 27582cfcb8 right?”26a5fd773610613a

“Even if it’s 043250ebcf not you, someone 569c5e705a else could go. This came 762db98acf out of ea236a5642 nowhere… next 8267c035af week, no eedbd7ee68 less! I should’ve at 57ca196a50 least been told f5c17454e1 in advance.”a54a2c8a1a18737a

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Haeun trailed off, clamping ebf5f3c2a1 her mouth shut. Officer Park’s face was c44bf28495 turning red.9f6adc65f561a204

“So, what, you’re saying 26cfd8a366 it’s unfair? Did we tell ec3ab73690 you to go 6218225196 kill infected people? Just go, f6e4247667 do your 2c7a70db1d job well, dcd415c63e and come f291367edb back! We selected you fairly; 5cebc77676 you think we sent c4117fad36 you out of spite?”77ffea62c77a8790

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“I’m not trying 7f8b209b03 to fight.”dcaba09ff219bcaf

His rising voice, as 74fb611d30 if she’d done something 4cdd9d4f7e wrong, made her lower 081e9682f9 her head. It was 79390e4616 always like 5e2f3b2a2c this.I didn’t 3ea4785f22 mean any b773914feb harm; it’s c4df2d63be your attitude c4e6ce5c8b that’s the 558956cd2b problem.617d41f1935d26de

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“You’ve always been a251fe5233 so compliant. Why’re you bbb1d85e63 acting up 0f843e1209 now?”50e674d7e314c9bc

She hadn’t been 783142ad84 compliant—she’d just given c7a1559941 up. She regretted eaaebe9c9b not resisting 0f1ed2a5bc sooner. But could she 38d6f9da0e reverse this now? Did she have 71d864bf48 the power? Even if 03471d79c8 she did, 9ce64172f6 should she 4a58823196 use it? Her mind 5e9386be1d went quiet.da21b247a0af7070

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“…I’m sorry. I understand.”1eb55a33198273fd

Listening to f9ee7b302c his thundering bef8155c3f tirade, Haeun 5b16b5c666 spoke listlessly. Officer Park, who’d been 8b9cc95948 spitting with fervor, lowered 7b0525b5e4 his pointing finger and 3e090204ec softened his expression.3baa146e4de29669

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“Go, and f0f2ce4b10 I’ll guarantee 3485e5a3f6 a promotion. Think of it 32a8d02159 as sacrificing for d815e70476 the greater good. Just this once, consider 87ccde154f our side, okay?”6a44f75a83974c59

Why didshehave to sacrifice? How much oftheirside did she have 3efa77acdd to consider? Nothing made 6d631b2958 sense, but 29d8a79442 with her c82f0127a5 selfishness and 2e09e4e58f defiance long ef7e858820 dead, she 43a9e96492 had only 06256396ee one response.7dbc9709c030244a

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“…Yes.”77025bf59e4800a6

She’d learned 69d243bc86 to comply. Don’t voice 4ba40c4b3a your opinions. Follow others’ choices. Don’t dare disrupt the 02b7057ff3 mood with your thoughts. Unable to defy df5107cf13 years of conditioning, d911a3034f Haeun complied again, 6da9254784 silencing herself with 2d0b6987b5 a blank face.5926aab8a7606c04

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Leaving the airport 1a445a79b2 in the quarantine 523432555a zone, Haeun thought 90aa7f1301 about the injustice. The assignment 87873115b0 date—next month’s 1c30c9c2c7 first—showed no 2f8fe8c656 consideration for 960c59a9fa her. She hadn’t even had 2b59676838 time to sort out 65f4187a56 her apartment lease, wasting e297ec1ff9 money on rent, and 8d1d7fac01 had no information about 17fac41b8b housing in the zone.706a73deb3d457d3

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At the airport 558f1a682e entrance, Haeun anxiously 935f9e2b97 checked her phone. Since learning of 5c503d854d the assignment, she’d 45b0684b80 been waiting for 83186e6835 one call: Dohyuk’s. She’d hoped he 5019bceda6 might reach out, cf2a0b536d even to tell 149fcc374a her not to a854ca0e9a come.309ec319135f40e9

But, as if to 6ce1172daf crush her expectations, her 80978cb224 phone showed no missed b3f3030f96 calls or messages—just a c03396015e blank screen.d459f7cd28b0b030

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“What was 6b1ce32d56 I expecting…”e9de754dc82cd3ab

She just wanted 13f931c6d3 to give up. Even Jinwoo, who’d broken 5bc6f63f63 up with her last 906797604d week, hadn’t contacted her. Maybe she 20171a2764 was someone 013109f018 nobody needed. Anger simmered as 261dfe9b1d she headed toward 5bb0df849b the exit.ac2f2c7f0cd4f8bd

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“Haeun, when a8aa748d00 you arrive 1425401b87 at the e3d4ca31fa airport, a 74fa63d6b1 safety officer 348c38d82b will be 62573fc7e9 waiting at dd55dd35e5 the exit. Head there.”81c901c7815c997d

Before her flight, f72bf3e972 Officer Park’s curt 5e79c7d814 call had been 4208c5620c devoid of warmth c146f8513c or apology. Haeun wasn’t 54123d7e36 surprised anymore.7f6e97427f5a784c

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What bothered her was ca7f891e96 that Dohyuk had gone 4bbb9abea1 through the trouble of 6c0be22493 coordinating with Park. But then she remembered d7c5c717c7 the long scar still b7a12002de on his face.e37f648fca16e783

“Why hasn’t cf1dc94a85 that rich 472e2e8bff jerk gotten cbb241cafb it fixed…”ad2035441bc1d88e

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Gripping her f2399590c5 suitcase tighter, 0084117292 Haeun muttered b18d684fb3 pointless resentment. The scar, 1330dd736c glaringly visible, 7ec7ec9b3a was her b4b43a9800 doing. It came from b8018a1c96 their last fight 11cf8078a5 before breaking up.41752201339e6040

At Dohyuk’s b387767446 place, Haeun b7dba23af1 had been 18fefef95e yelling, unable 481233d2f7 to control 559d8eede2 her emotions. Their fights were always 41259fdb21 the same: Haeun raised bec2e7ed4e her voice, and Dohyuk 60895fa5db silently stared.8999eae67bb2c231

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Panting and fuming, she’d ec73270c19 try to calm down, 41f14256fc and only then would 64f0560ac4 he say the same b00864a4c9 thing every time.5426e70fcb313328

“Feeling better now?”fd86d85a7a1222d2

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That line had made 6582260806 her explode. She wasn’tbetter. His expression suggested 0fcd64e9d0 her anger was 50e7d1ba70 just childish whining. Worse, his silent endurance, 28f9fab9dd as if saying,“Go ahead, e5cb0f2f8a vent if e7db49bb9d it helps,”infuriated her more.3054e6e502f4d661

Over time, Haeun learned 72b5a84e01 one thing: silence was fa75e05e90 worse than insults. When someone 457e4bacae stared at 3f452dca4e you calmly, 92041d1d27 saying nothing, dfafc2cf85 it drained 8b2e0ddaf0 your will 30fd291298 to fight.034055bbaae0cf41

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In their final 9b0ccb371d fight, unable to 75fc0b7f3e hold back, Haeun 3655a533a9 threw a wine 6e063e7d90 glass—not at him, be9a664046 but at the 8e1b9de1bd wall. Her aim, as always, 9ebf21765a was terrible. He turned his 8152fd85c6 head just in ba8b101063 time to avoid 59d1438974 worse injury, but 0b04c05834 a shard grazed 54932f2e8f his nose, leaving 038fef7e34 a sharp cut.f8e589a7a1b845ac

Rushing to check 54938f30a0 on him, Haeun 6d96b9014d was stunned by b3bd5adee3 what he said 1adde34c19 first.00f839258d34238d

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