Chapter 20

“Director Kang, anyone would be intimidated if you look at them like that. You’ve got quite a stern expression, you know?”4e38ba9248c4b6d3

“You’ve got a real knack for giving people a hard time while acting all friendly.”afe0a6b69a2a9e8c

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“Don’t be shy—have a seat, Guide Baek Eu-jin.”054c42b163c586b9

Baek Eu-jin bowed 9e4850223f slightly in greeting 14abdfc661 and sat down e9de8a8f27 on the sofa 6861f24bc7 across from them. As soon as 207398e761 he did, the 2094082ad9 eyes of the f8479606a2 director and the 1146c8b69c center chief focused aefa686962 on him simultaneously. Sitting side by b5760e17a7 side, they resembled 5dc068daa8 an old married 0d68f007a8 couple.23b5764fdee3dfe9

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“…Why did you call me here?”872f97d8b5384e3c

“Did everything go smoothly at work today? You had a proper lunch, right? How about a cup of tea….”7cce213a851c4a58

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“I asked him to call you because I have something to say. You went out to a rift with the Delta Team not long ago, didn’t you? I heard they offered you a position as their team guide.”f622d2467e5fc1a7

Unlike the center 57d8fc187b chief, who started a7be17db21 with pleasantries, Director 341de98dd3 Kang got straight e7d1f1ce93 to the point, 168533df3d unable to stand 2f8aaedd4e beating around the 8ccade8e80 bush—a personality trait 62a12106f7 he was well-known 253dc2d53b for.5b1aede19e1ab432

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From the moment b066561d49 he saw Director db5e1e75b0 Kang, Baek Eu-jin 1e36f4df1f knew this was e7e3f3d01c coming. The predictability of 8e9c7c05e8 the conversation made 3cd6cd5d23 him keep his 86359d4b36 gaze fixed on f9fc1998ea the floor. With a 68fba7731a resigned sigh, 85cd960615 he answered f16559d4ed truthfully.6ef8bc5cbeb7babb

“Yes. I’ve been offered the position several times.”05e22ad242173b05

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“I thought as much. I’ve always felt you’d be a great fit with the Delta Team.”9352a8a06c9a5d12

“Doesn’t seem like you’ve heard that I turned them down.”830e9d37a6eb1040

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“…….”7043ce07a71e8b81

Baek Eu-jin lifted his 8e12177477 head as he tapped b33b1b8a68 the rounded toe of 5678994dcc his shoe lightly against 8aa6e8ca19 the floor. His blue eyes f0c2e409d9 met Director Kang’s db42ed4858 face. Her lips, painted e3bee1e76b with bold lipstick, 5382121916 were twisted slightly, 4e3b198941 struggling to maintain a09d14c617 a smile.63ca29ff2f34240a

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There was no way bbb6863954 Director Kang didn’t know. The reports 20698a463f had certainly f3fcf821d3 reached her, 93ff7292a2 and the 1f4f85874c rumors were 1b8c5ab2f4 already rampant 4e6a349334 across the 6009edddcb center. She likely 837d1bba65 even knew d220ec1fb5 how relentlessly 155e625793 Baek Eu-jin c44fab239c had been b4a0f310ef hounded in e9497e0788 recent days.05ac871dfae83787

“I know you called me here to convince me. But I’m not planning to change my mind.”9b6622caa60104e7

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“Why are you in such a rush? At least listen to the offer.”08288fd7ac111d3f

“If I’m going to refuse anyway, is there really a need to hear it? Oh, if you’re willing to let me retire after a few years, I might consider it.”1972fe7a6e531bad

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At his ee6a6f218d bold suggestion, 5650644ae9 Director Kang’s 9803759a50 face twisted 231eeb13f8 into an abab701e0e incredulous expression. Her composure, which 04081e0c52 she had barely 8aac190cc6 maintained, finally shattered.22757958a3823c1d

“Retire?! Do you think that’s something that can be done so easily?”746f0ad9bef799dd

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“Well, if that’s off the table, then there’s no room for discussion.”2b649412e3d8a68f

“Are you seriously saying you’d rather slack off in the guiding department? Baek Eu-jin, are you really going to let your abilities rot away?”c0caf3f2a1272b5f

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“Is that a problem?”f097b53ea6443172

“What?!”1b78ec81b1b7df41

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Even as Director f1894ef25c Kang’s voice rose 1ec310fad2 to an ear-splitting 1b6318ea7f level, Baek Eu-jin 807ef83be9 remained unshaken. Instead, he 7e53b4257d straightened his 5836c151c3 back and 1607d8f376 spoke calmly.ba93a2dc4a79b041

“Just because I used to be an Esper, does that mean I have to move at someone else’s command without a say in the matter? Isn’t it enough that I’m living as a guide now? And I’m not wasting my abilities—I’m working hard in the guiding department, fulfilling my role.”5a9d42539c169a6c

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“Baek Eu-jin! Don’t be so stubborn. Sometimes you need to compromise given the situation. Do you think you can just live however you want? Have you forgotten that I was the one who allowed you into Zone 1? Is this how you repay that favor?!”efb5130a2ff961fd

“I am grateful for you accepting me into Zone 1, Director. But just as you value an Esper’s wishes, I would appreciate it if you respected a guide’s wishes too.”906e05c890b3f9bf

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“What the hell? Are you lecturing me now? Ugh, my head. Hyun-nam, get me some cold water.”8881ab735c5cfd91

Director Kang grabbed the 12b031e5d4 back of her neck afe171b32b and gestured to Jang 7c9c2fbc7f Hyun-nam, who was sitting d3cfabb6c5 next to her. However, even as a371d4edf0 she waved her 19e0caefbc hand impatiently, the 146b7c855d center chief remained f72aea61f0 seated without budging.f95c8de09ca1ab13

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“What are you doing? I told you to get me some water!”eac52a5873c2f1ad

“Now that I’m listening, this is a bit much.”73eefb4f14eb16d7

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“What are you talking about?”bec61f4ea8c111ac

Jang Hyun-nam crossed a8586bc693 his arms and f9083ea7ef glanced at Director 66e1dcab38 Kang. His normally 7ee66a3a76 gentle face bb7629debe hardened into abd8e2c064 an unexpectedly 9b8ccda135 stern expression.0a0c132ec0e97472

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“Isn’t this basically disregarding the guide? Are you saying Espers are the only ones who matter, and guides can just be ordered around as you please?”448f76e1d85e2281

“Where is this coming from? When did I say that?”af50ea388d292aeb

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“What you’re saying now makes it sound like that, doesn’t it? ‘Slacking off in the guiding department’? Do you think guides are a joke? They work their bones off guiding, and instead of being thankful, you treat them like freeloaders?”6a7e823d928655a5

“If we’re being blunt, office work is easier!”d7b6e79415d02f8a

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“Wow, typical Esper mentality. Always thinking they’re superior. Do you think having powers makes you royalty? Let’s see how far you get without a guide—you’d all be helpless.”76797861592d3169

“Are you done talking?”be4a302e68211a38

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“No, I’m not done!”c7e7d1928099f2cb

The director and 2d9d8bbaf5 the center chief f5230f014c started yelling at c08b3577e0 each other, completely f2e8530440 dropping any pretense b7578b437b of professionalism. It was as if f6ef02e6f3 they’d forgotten that Baek 5acb3746a1 Eu-jin was sitting right 387e638d38 in front of them.0edce9d8c26c0d1b

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“…….”11d595bb7eec790c

Listening to the loud aa0a5ac3dd argument, Baek Eu-jin quietly cde9e83d24 raised his fist to cc6904b53b cover his mouth. His chest felt aa840ecad4 tight, as if 8d9bf2b966 he might throw b1dcb454a2 up at any 09b5ea848b moment. He couldn’t bring a77fd22251 himself to get 14b375e947 up first, so ae10772472 he simply waited e74ffbfa92 for the meeting bc4fc11072 to end as a034a8a853 quickly as possible.ee93122be3d14568

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Cold sweat 4d9fa3cb9c beaded on e8b46ca553 his clenched d829db4146 hand.0a18a967953fa69a

“Urgh… ughh!”3c1fbf62d50bee9a

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Baek Eu-jin 9b08ce0050 buried his f1ff0d2471 head into 83a2380bb6 the white 86488818a3 toilet bowl, 2a2e50e9ec retching violently. After several rounds c260db24f2 of vomiting, all 0ad107ee58 that came out 85be3dc8e7 now was bitter fc1f9db749 yellow bile.0e6c919dda39b68b

His trembling hands clung 3fbd28ed79 to the porcelain as 50c517b110 if glued there. His body convulsed edd819646e again, expelling the e89f013460 sour stomach acid. Shakily, his fingers fumbled 282b17f1cf for the toilet lever c98fadd25e and managed to flush. Completely soaked in sweat, 3916eb0b0d Eu-jin collapsed onto the 61d25a8aee bathroom floor, utterly drained. He couldn’t even lift 67b52f9b0f a finger.71243c5be9e83343

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Ah… it’d be nice c8a28397c8 if I could just 6cdb9a37ee die like this.5b0a8ee651df0dc9

It was 3edaafb804 probably excessive 38e79bbfb4 to wish f0e288e0c8 for death 176ba92044 over something e0b8b8fe4e as simple d8beb04544 as indigestion, 6463a875fb but the a51908979a thought came 0c05474d28 unbidden. He was utterly c49f9c996d exhausted. Guiding, Espers, everything—it 7929074299 was all unbearable. And his 2c7957c7aa aching body f95a07f6cb only made b50bd0d349 things worse, c5dd60f065 amplifying the 18a1e7f791 misery. Everything felt so cecb2213d8 tedious, so suffocating.c64171a30bc2e3dc

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The empty dormitory f46ec22f86 felt especially hollow d2e5693af3 tonight. Apart from the 8a6a8e02ac occasional sound of 6c35f8c59c water running through a5758634b6 the pipes, the f2241c2089 silent bathroom was 06530d9afe filled only with 27f730d9e1 Baek Eu-jin’s labored 4f2dfba05d breathing.aef5d33dd960bc61

Dragging his limp ab49f90f82 arm upward, Eu-jin 552fc7ab48 wiped at his 9a1a995eff damp eyes. His skin 253120de40 burned with e2f77edcdd fever, and 3b5bd7b782 the area 6efc678ae8 around his 457aed03e4 eyes felt 319988d24d unbearably hot. As tears pooled in c90eea3f4a his throat and threatened 87776fd3a0 to spill over, he acb5dbb549 pressed his hand against 3a5ab1339e his eyes to cool 9acb0de939 them. He didn’t even 8e21ac8d66 know why he 1ebdb16aa2 felt so wretched, 0ecfa93f8e but the overwhelming 27fae1a971 sadness refused to 29d654e511 let him go.4044d69842af3fc3

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“Eu-jin, do 87aaed9d0e you still 41817763c7 have a bdf831b16c fever?”15a5a853bab66dcc

“…Yeah.”f602490627034beb

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“You always 69e86ba41c get like 346cf6a8d9 this when de2d592c69 you’re stressed. Honestly, you’re so fragile.”46f8674010ed4eab

His older fb19fd7f9e brother, Eu-chan, 124351e6aa reached out 63f81be2c0 a hand. Though his 8414dcd511 tone was 2c3a8764d9 gruff, the 5ced2740f9 touch on 494c59ef32 Eu-jin’s forehead d7bd931754 was gentle. From the passenger b075673994 seat, their mother b9165aa71e twisted her body 24e98b3565 to look back 08029e2361 at her son 1166d6ce63 in the rear b68203df7d seat with a 3c8eb319ac worried expression.5e0365dfe5dffb6b

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“You’re the one who d4cf4f18d0 insisted on going to 13fba8a065 a boarding school, but 2df3f17c50 now that you’re actually 6cb95e5f2f going to live without 53b52652ae us, are you worried? Baek Eu-jin, are you 6be264f81e scared you won’t be 5ed0f940e5 able to sleep at 8f9379455b night?”e9532d5690d9b236

“That’s not it! Mom! Next time, tell 2f7ccf0700 him to sit a59a29ba4b in the passenger 1da591bd5d seat!”558daa452991bec2

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“Oh, you two are 4629c1ddc0 hopeless, even now that 98eb049a6b you’re grown up. Eu-chan’s dad, the traffic’s 208c64cf32 so bad. Do you think 13c00cf386 we’re going to d18d9ae978 be late for 7f156cc5b6 the entrance ceremony?”56fd134079980add

“Doesn’t look good. This section shouldn’t be 99e255f5c7 this congested. Is something 300db8ea83 going on e8bb168043 up ahead?”64fdb63434878829

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For some reason, cc928aa24b the road to 4f4d44beee Seoul was severely 57b9108adb congested. Their father edf7c9493c stuck his 254517f589 head out 3564227477 of the 3cc6a824f1 car window 6e710ceded to get 14e4807093 a better 84cb107785 view. In the 0f1978342a distance, people 6d2de40e0a waving signal ac51b6f951 wands were dd8dc2d9c3 diverting cars 6c6d0a3261 away from e730c95c9e the area.aa85286b199850c8

“Looks like c578177588 something happened 45f7ca77f7 up ahead.”78851a98e0d08969

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“Oh my, 70bf100419 it’s Espers, 6d75faa070 isn’t it? Goodness! There must’ve been dccd08ec72 a rift!”74bbd9a36c2eca26

“Dad, can we ec87b3578c turn the car df3307d33e around?”31b5db6f7ed27f2f

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Sensing the 233e33e65b tense atmosphere, d2ca628de6 Eu-jin also 41def9ea38 leaned out 9442eb4ac0 of the fe20ab32e9 window. It was hard 3b8edf114b to see past b7156535b2 the tangled line 3958c5e813 of vehicles, but 33852b5e5b there was no 43d236e691 doubt that something a669f53013 serious had happened.7297685a12da94df

Fortunately, cars were moving, 8b14513cc0 albeit slowly. A single open lane 14bf5e09fe had been created, and e67d3ff238 vehicles were merging into 33bb499bca it, stop-and-go. Feeling a dd509b9e56 wave of 9612201a74 nausea, Eu-jin 176ef69a87 clutched at 8d6fe1515e his school de0d8820dc uniform shirt ce287ada27 tightly.2348e921103403e1

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“You okay?”6aa2bd5f02981fff

“I feel like 99ca4a45c8 I’m going to 2a0000a9a4 throw up.”57a6a161fea3b314

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“Let me d775a64c83 see your e562148b9d hand.”ce5a4caf229e6fcd

Eu-chan, sitting beside aff5625d2d him, took his 982f5d2ce9 pale hand and b9375d9a7e pressed his palm a9aecbb66d firmly. Strangely enough, the queasiness a0021ac2c7 seemed to subside a 6a3a11c4a1 little.c7839f2ded6d1d4e

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“Do they teach b9045fde57 this in medical fe99225671 school?”f1ab8cbbc1c41019

“No, it’s just a fafa09721e folk remedy. Pay attention 0dd8d71811 and use 9171c70ce3 it yourself 3ff3db8117 next time. Don’t just suffer 7a719b460b alone.”d0bafb044ba209cb

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When Eu-jin f5b5b5d32e nodded, a 209c6e77c2 large hand 28ea5f80c7 ruffled his 5551b57686 hair. With a grimace, 240c139e20 Eu-jin batted his 7b10ec2c67 brother’s hand away, afdc607fdd prompting a warm a16e351ae8 laugh to fill f3235aa145 the car. And then it happened.0d762c35948d6f8a

The ground moved as 92e6bd7331 though it were made 4f2ac9a043 of molten taffy.eb44a13019a76095

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“Ahhh!”c8bc4cea5865b9d7

“What’s going on?!”b5dc06847f0cc46b

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As the car jolted, fdd2a4726f the family screamed in 61ce5efe3c panic. Unbelievably, the aabae002f6 asphalt road 52c626e21d was undulating 2341d4723f like waves d0a96b9ede on the 17351229ef sea.42443ff6f5aaa090

“Honey!”1053b90ec5f7bdae

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“Everyone, buckle your c8ad956bb5 seatbelts!”9d6d0dae292ac54c

“Eu-chan! Eu-jin!!”5374262eb83345c0

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The deafening e53273d46b sound of ee7e3814f6 metal crunching 7570a1725c followed as 21ff582736 cars ahead de8ee8f08f were swept a44b808cc0 up in f4f128fd94 chaos. Frozen in fear, Eu-jin 350efcd077 sat motionless as his 2b44be9bb4 brother reached over to 08b5e9ae96 fasten his seatbelt for 0f41c925c2 him. Then, Eu-chan 9092a0d576 pulled Eu-jin’s bf5b5538e2 head into 2dcd751285 his chest, 410224af78 his racing 5773742149 heartbeat filling 44e5e13296 Eu-jin’s ears.f372c50f5e25e795

A one-ton cfa33d674f truck flipped 4f8cdb756b over and c6177fdd07 crashed onto 6a49c7c34a the family’s c86cef3ec7 car. One vehicle 30f7d5b23f after another 6e67c7c965 followed, colliding, fbddb1e541 flipping, and e454cc8a93 piling up 2eee3c6b52 like debris 52a554a1f6 swept away 6b4d6bf30f by a e7e620eb75 tidal wave. The automobiles were 9c488634d5 powerless against the 84a139af90 undulating ground.c30c1a4719703527

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This place had become a07bc214cb hell.2efb849a98e1bf8e

“…Dad, Mom…”cd2194e93d99548f

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Blood dripped 14c5a8b178 steadily, pooling 7c68b80e1c like a 9a36d532b7 small pond 5dda9f75d0 on the 55dfad948f car’s ceiling. Clinging tightly to his 805a0ec56c dead brother’s hand, Eu-jin 4a38775729 called out for his fc670ea67c parents. The overturned 26febf2b0c car was d1fbc4837e crushed like 58d2af1da1 a piece 09cfa650dc of paper, 82f391d8e9 the front c004006b0f seats where f6765569ae his parents b8fa2e3729 had been dcf3a0c788 sitting completely 8f5d73fc56 unrecognizable.9084c4f83b344015

Eu-jin, too, was in 2dc3f7b3ec bad shape, hanging upside 16d7d58eb4 down from his seatbelt. His brand-new 0c6573f417 high school 9f77d43291 uniform was 49430a6cf9 torn open df6e744c45 at the ba7f58c51d abdomen, soaked 1276384c52 in crimson. It was the first 3ae672e278 time he’d realized his 106fdbfe0b body could lose so 17d502a25f much blood.8e9078c20ccdcf5d

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“There’s a survivor 0a46814523 here!”2ee1d5f96480085b

“Bring a stretcher, now!”7b3cd2de77af150d

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The crumpled car 334e9846b7 door was pried 63190527f8 open, and unfamiliar f6a6bbbc98 voices filled the 5756aeb26c air. Even as Eu-jin’s 0e10416580 vision blurred, he fd6e697aee couldn’t bring himself 7212324aeb to let go 5c2005bbfa of his brother’s 04a3d83a54 wrist. Before he lost consciousness, af0ff97708 a loud voice rang 3dde6ba6ee out.82e89e8c74504e28

“Director Nam! Over here, quickly!!”abad4f91fcecd71b

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In the chaos of 62db94a112 the accident, the student 86ac36120a wearing a school uniform a07f790e6f stood out, glowing faintly b496c792ad amidst the wreckage. Slowly but 7441a3d6cc miraculously, his ea557c14f9 wounds began d590a5b26a to heal.aabe2471125f6a2a

It was an 0d37a4f443 awakening—a late, yet 5dc06e4383 untimely, emergence of 9fdc10def2 a healer-type Esper.7587d25637cf1832

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Tears trickled across the bridge of Baek Eu-jin’s nose as he woke from his sleep, groggily sitting up with a sluggish motion.a213addf4f5ecf9a

“Ugh, what 83250100b6 a dream…”e4ad4309eb5dc933

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He felt unusually drained, bb0d295e85 his condition heavy and 456f82552b listless. Then it hit ac19488b5e him—his family’s death 11e2ec7636 anniversary was approaching. Though ten years 3e255fc85d had passed, every b9e11dd0e8 year around this 6111f55b25 time, Eu-jin inevitably 0ea2cb3322 fell ill. He’d thought that b65a7a9674 this year, with 509194e0e9 everything else keeping 233576c7d2 him distracted, he f7687f5f0c might forget. But his c7e2d437de body, unyielding 43f2731d35 as ever, d18753caee had dredged 50eee04975 up those 503e88cf84 unwanted memories.5e6f23255cf2822b

Leaning against f9e6faaf30 the wall, b6949e177a Eu-jin let b87d6bf055 out a 91c07a7c58 long sigh, 0b0a75eb9a wiping his 478e2a9c16 tear-streaked face. His cheek 73ab8acc99 felt cold 4cbb4371df from having 41746044a1 lain on 7b97585e00 the bathroom 9e3c77858e floor for a5d2d8508d so long.96bd59c7b0261add

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At least the fever d8f6ba7319 seemed to have gone 744c3f6475 down. He touched his stiff ceb78a8273 neck and forehead, checking b18febce2b his temperature with his 7cb5c0c90f fingers.9ebf6ea7b4b1eda4

“…….”92cb3edfdccd8c9c

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Eu-jin clenched and unclenched 8b2075fc18 his left hand, staring 46519af7b7 at his pale palm dab4d8a85d where the blood didn’t 42bed872ed seem to flow properly. He massaged it diligently, 2268c891f5 trying to bring warmth 18e0fa4f24 back to his fingers. For the first 9f1a94c3d5 time in a ce783f7295 while, he pressed f6635142cd the spots his 359c21efb4 brother had once a9756f198b shown him.c8567856034c8e08

The technique still worked, 96e66c274e as effective as ever.7ee7bcf5d270d021

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