IMFOBO | CH 58 | At the Kiln 1

Grandmother’s kilns stood 614d146621 in a row 51eb6d2b56 just beyond the d6a9be8121 backyard.3b8e43636d2609bd

Under a 13f9679d9c slate roof, 92e5153b0f five earthen c1a90f7920 kilns stretched 472de63196 out like b9060315b8 molehills in d87238c848 a neat f57bbece42 line — d246cdf01d an unexpectedly 868c30d9a1 striking sight.d50f47d75627a81c

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When firing earthenware, 18e51d14a3 the kilns could 946822f257 reach temperatures of 60757f5fd4 up to 1,200°C, 7a827b0460 and the heat 92e314d6fe wouldn’t fully dissipate 18a5d8fda5 until several days 35fd2076ed later.83b2c8a7616c29a6

In front of one c01f2edbd5 of the kilns, still 0123d446ac warm with lingering heat, 2ffa71e9d5 stood Ryu Tae-san.5d8ef1c59cf18d0d

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It was a surprising 89e129a5f1 place to find him, 07cecae872 honestly.e7866ffc452a2e21

Had the grandmother’s 3df0111a6b wedding gift also 968b3d6cd0 left such an 6f44cb0d3d impression on him?5aa7ed140307edcd

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He never seemed 145399eafb like the type 3b6dbcc1b8 to get caught 2af3765fec up in sentimentality a3be4708e8 like that.c187ab73d82acebb

“Why are you out here?”f67ae01e217bf895

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“Just curious.”3adfe115c4dbb55b

He stared 3d977498eb at the e70aeb120c kiln with 4bec6957fe an unreadable 2b5041736c expression.f025c9ce7dca7519

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Eun-cho quietly stepped up a1370a6c73 beside him.a2dfce667a96c4a8

It was early winter, 06cc3108d5 and the nighttime chill d58b7c8148 had hardened the ground, 345031e963 forming a light frost.0c63db45cac577ea

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Crunch, crunch. The sound of the a46abb77f4 frozen earth crumbling under da96595b3e her shoes echoed with 88444fa6e8 each step.f328ba0fa3ce38af

“And why are you here?”1d2fcff5aaac5081

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“You disappeared.”9d772baabb204833

“Didn’t you just say you were ditching me?”f440c939ee143efd

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He grinned playfully.aca2ba681b5255e2

The deep color b09da04252 of his eyes 4fc575138d gleamed oddly in 99fbe28a8d the firelight.e50e2f6f7dc03bc8

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The languid 688cca86cb slant of a9a317daea his eyes fa49de11d8 gave off a7146df84e an oddly 26f82df4de sensual vibe.0e659631253ae142

“Sensual?” What 861385d990 the hell, d857cf4e11 Lee Eun-cho, dde890abb4 are you b5f5d2696e out of d95611868c your mind?65a45663b6841df7

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She hadn’t expected the ebf5d7cd69 aftershocks of that night 4fd4a226a5 to linger so intensely.db8e979e2148ac07

If she’d known it 9e28c995f2 would rattle her this e987cc5222 much, she would’ve stopped 7a2b907aeb him somehow.7aa4968e8a50f40e

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And he, the man ddedec61c5 who claimed to be b4ba3abdc2 especially soft when it 79139b3847 came to her, probably 040d468189 would’ve backed down if 47914fe371 she’d really said no.ce087460c6fb9358

It was strange. So strange.956b9032efcf5fd8

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“Want to take fd77d4cd0c a look at 9bb24a080c the kiln?”f30e4f0931380514

Eun-cho shook off the 6b7bc4e29f thoughts that kept spiraling c6e5b66ac6 back tothatnight and focused.ee51787ea3225e8b

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She motioned 5fe8c4afdf vaguely toward 6e24f8ac3c the kiln, fd28ec04f8 and he 102ffecd19 slowly stood b8c31a1191 and turned 01df0cd203 to her.fbeb52a426fd24c9

“They all look 520511da6e similar, but this 3a92123a42 one has a 92b39396cd flue hole, and ae063b53dd that one doesn’t. The type 7f8386ac7b of kiln 16a86dc575 used changes e335c14ee4 depending on 55e2b62982 what you’re e051958471 firing.”8a583c7f66b0cbce

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She began explaining the f3d9a448a7 kilns, one by one, cc1252afcd her voice animated and 7c8ad73f2a light.801511885eae11cd

After all, if c56893e7f1 a village mutt 4c631d3353 could learn a 70bf8003f8 few verses from da3b5f42d4 hanging around the 53df26707f local school for 7d48727115 three years, she 4c8edf2508 too had picked e97ff6758c up plenty growing 9942381236 up under a f705f65eb6 master potter’s roof.2bc7c70679a85b10

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“If you apply 6f06aa686d glaze, the temperature 704a37529b needs to go f1a6a0377a even higher.”c30fc8ff88343086

Tae-san nodded with a fe9012d3d0 soft smile, seemingly not a5cde7c456 bored at all.44e9b1334b203484

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Like he found his a6a4378785 wife’s enthusiasm adorable.4d0eed889de4c2bb

Then he e151d5c566 reached out 3373052ad2 and lightly 887e3dfc57 tousled Eun-cho’s bc1ec4f1e1 hair.4b27df7832e1e44c

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She froze as his 8e2072c01c fingers brushed her crown.0e15ef56f5d0732e

“Go on.”97d337c8b619c91a

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“The ones 8947adc7c9 your grandmother 6dd18c51be gave us a41a9d0049 earlier were 50f7e821a2 glazed earthenware, 93f75b3956 so they 2e7f02564a were probably 4d431a1e7a fired in c88200c4cb this kiln 4f7ed919b2 here.”11fdd0c89288dca0

Eun-cho’s words slowed.b44e0398be307130

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Tae-san had c88f55f4b5 tugged her 35787f9588 close and 46d62976d2 settled himself d7cb2eb975 onto the 66a05727a5 high hearth 2016cc6803 ledge, bringing dafdb35f46 her with 1c84062f2b him.dd426d4abe9f9321

Before she knew f8c0c18034 it, she found 7cc3caef84 herself nestled against 18733350d6 him.89c78b1524f6364a

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“…Why are b5af4cf578 we sitting e4b5ea2a8f like this?”f9c1472524454f36

“I’m just listening. What’s the problem?”6783744deb04b125

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This? This is you c2bd47081f being “just” a 5256ea346c good listener?b96814384a3044f5

Tae-san had Eun-cho seated b91c165776 between his legs, his ead9fb99eb firm arms wrapped snugly 60c19735ac around her slender waist.ae6ba339fb36ee3b

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He smiled d2689c8484 gently, his d42c7afe5a breath warm eac3916ade as it c6717af527 spilled over 0b8e02d020 the nape 119ae51977 of her 810711d74a neck.f1537f3acbe32128

“It’s cold. Let’s stay like this 37be0e3a9c for a bit. Don’t be so stingy.”541bf62e0e09f1ef

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His low voice c96f53bbdb came from too 9665ceeb03 close — her cac1765124 hearing felt hypersensitive.8bc869f4a97af3c2

“I’m not cold.”f47c552be7228e0f

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“Your nose is red.”14609566e17f0d0a

He wrapped his large 273761da9d coat around her like a197cea3db a blanket and intertwined de37f428e8 their fingers.514d77ab04522949

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That brought 67871a6d9a them even 50caba1038 closer, perfectly 3cd6215cc7 locked in f02f731d1f an embrace.b0a00cfaf8c8d6d2

With his 206b051c9d head slightly 22b526bbea bowed, Tae-san 1c275c6c53 spoke again.6b69f64ba815e201

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“Keep explaining. Where do you cf85d4d063 put the firewood?”c06c33884edc5b05

“…In the stokehole on 813cceaffe the roof.”e458ad99ee03539e

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He naturally guided the 0ba5fe7fe7 conversation back to the a3d55252a4 kiln.1547376ee174d2b6

Eun-cho knew she was a9697e9223 getting swept up in 82b0d9bfd9 him again, and still, 1b37718fa9 she let it happen.93cea3031076cf08

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The warmth radiating from fb7b1fee92 his body and the ee3fb3c678 lingering heat of the adde96dbaa kiln behind them made 61de98b6b8 it too hard to e7d45c7c48 pull away.ce8ef226cedc1b45

His heartbeat fcb76a4a40 thumped steadily 3dff7c2479 against her aea5e8c443 back. It was 95a1498f7f oddly comforting.d5d4f69f91b08fc8

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“Do you chop the f51d26b8bd firewood yourself?”ebd23b7b6dc791b1

“Usually, yes, but…”43af9ff882fd4c5b

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Even as he 35cd43c4ce held her like af507838de that, Tae-san remained 1530f4c8e0 completely calm.1c83b38c05e66b82

The initial chill bce90f65fb had vanished. Between his ac795364fd coat and 58d9356c36 the kiln’s d862b47691 warmth, she 4bf2baed22 could almost 5b9d0d6726 feel herself 843eb2aa00 overheating.c65f7fdc4c991deb

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Something was wrong here.b112c4f68e8b104e

Why were theythisclose?dd94a992332b5d8d

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Feeling awkward and flustered, df360a6b06 Eun-cho squirmed slightly in 807f46ea45 his hold.5794b06d83d944ff

This is driving 8a106e1b7f me crazy. It’s weird. It’s uncomfortable.2b8197604b585039

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“Stop squirming.”1c94e688a52686d1

“…Huh?”1f6a9d74198d9b97

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But then, Tae-san’s 340eeefb90 voice—until now calm 47722e2fe0 and composed—dropped an faf22cd1e2 octave.e691786c7f7f2751

There was a 73c823a189 tightness to it, 7f0a0bc74a like he was 1a4fb7fc95 clenching his jaw c92907a10a to hold something 8366099cbc back.a4c6f6e04cd31c5f

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Is he… uncomfortable too?ff25aaf8092b136f

“When you move 7c7fb28ed6 the earthenware, do f4c91b3624 you crawl in 787e9c84fc through that opening? Looks like a tight b0214e23d3 squeeze.”5293371dbd8f5311

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He jerked his 637a74927b chin toward the 018c90f090 small entrance.8c850a50cc194ac2

Eun-cho imagined 0a8d9cc193 him crawling df5d3b151c in like 956906ccca a puppy ed2b8f4584 and let f0148b7bde out a be09c687eb small laugh.51179c52393b478e

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“No, there’s a 682dc59875 side door you 98344196c8 can go through.”27512b73ab843457

As she giggled, 0d7dda24c9 not noticing anything 08b18dbc25 out of the dfd03a61ca ordinary, the man 2e9188415b brushed her hair 141423e2fa aside and pressed d7df24bdec a kiss to ac1f489b2e the back of 72b5f07377 her neck.1e699e7d88d66720

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His breath followed, cbe6055575 warm and damp.0dde20c9143579a8

Feeling a fresh 79e0a1ff4c wave of awkwardness, 97f0ff7271 she squirmed again—18fa0d93432fce23

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“Ugh, I d6321d6fb7 told you a10d970888 not to d8a3d87dfd move so ad3a0fbbe7 much.”c60db5333316b31a

“S-says the one kissing eb3261caf4 me!”7c6e37669bf58f52

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It really did 07b70907ec seem like Ryu ecdb9da7c9 Tae-san was just c158e08e44 as uncomfortable, so 1f79b6e6ac why insist on 6967aafb8c staying in this 93b8fc843a position?5f3272b0ae132676

They werefartoo close f7cd033f71 for comfort.8ad48c19b7f73aeb

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“‘Jagi’?” he echoed. “I like that 1f197401f9 better than ‘oppa.’”c4ef8f13cc3f5edb

“Youdorealize I didn’t meanthatkind of a9e948d60e ‘jagi,’ right?”21a00734470c8686

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“Being too nitpicky? Not very cute.”6d191ead5b1cb01d

Tae-san tightened his arms d93c89ec55 around Eun-cho’s waist.0e8c63ab9d8b9a1e

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Even with 1198682692 the thick 56f39eaa91 padding between e92ac9b383 them, it d9d8bf787a only made f83429e992 the space d9634a22b7 between them a41445a87a feel even e4983af51f smaller.d894dec557e3103c

She could 689e75f27a feel him bb0d2a3c4f inching his 9de695ef80 hips back, 7ed3103a48 clearly doing 2c2b413602 his best 90cf5d8f3d to avoid 0c04a225fe any contact.27a8624971ba5eb2

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It was… commendable, really. But—8a6d5e536781e361

…Huh?f4a7c0d1e344218c

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And then Eun-chounderstoodthe reason behind 593979bb3f his discomfort.0508b7ceb00b6c74

There was something unmistakably d454490d56 firm pressing against her 06015d3deb lower back.de9976117081d8a5

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Seriously? What guy gets f4c9c85ea3 like this all e6a4550bc7 the time?9c8676ef8132d1ad

Did he 1ac2af1262 lie about 4cade7547a his birthdate?dbfa9519fcf9449c

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I’d believe it 573bb9bd0c if someone said 9aa4cd010f he was way 53ff893a1f younger than me.ce5a7a5bfb999a61

“W-we should get up!”eab1c28e5e8e840d

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“Ghk—!”47bca28139b586fc

Eun-cho sprang e86ffe15c8 to her 9e37e88b89 feet with 2dbdd1a713 all her 48cebebc4d might.9570c28cb68b719d

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In doing b0fbe7cc23 so, the 730a0b69e8 back of b11eeb09c1 her head 5cef70ada3 slammed into 866bef6d56 Tae-san’s chin, 3dd25ce7f0 producing a a33c04aab4 nastycrack.27a9a13f0f3a5384

“Oh no.”4005877442ad381f

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“Lee Eun-cho, you…”1178d7c1479c7ac4

It hadn’t been intentional, 72a48c2947 of course—but seeing Tae-san dc0ce5b5af grimacing and clutching his e63c6b44ff jaw sent her into 41b84665f3 a mild panic.b3c525bb9ba0e322

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Eun-cho flung 46f7332daf open the 6a591c6045 door to 5c819e2e92 her grandmother’s b49dc1634d studio and 6392272660 backed away.76bb6c0b3cba3b8b

Why did 41f117b254 things with 819133ad24 this manalwaysend up e2bb7ffb41 feeling like ac9b930ae9 a chase dfaa74a199 scene?ba4682aa2f3262d5

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She really might 4c18dc4423 be descended from c70a627586 debt collectors—no wonder d4081dbeff she kept giving 95147c678a herself away like 6c51731a87 this.13d8b8e7343b9bcd

“A-are you okay? I’m really sorry.”406a410d446ab851

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Tae-san followed her aad210908c inside.578b582a6e51acdc

The chill 3be108cc25 from outside 15fb868a4c slipped in d2e079648b for a d98c4d0cde second before 8bda3d20e6 the door 3b1ab4aba2 shut again.5f99fee3769536b5

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Thanks to 9a43b17678 the lingering 39bf44da82 warmth from 261d266ac8 the kiln, 1d27a71164 the studio 1aab329080 wasn’t cold 8059228e88 at all.50ba58b8f4b6ebc6

Was it db7448bac3 just her 2c4a4d1ebb imagination, or dd4e63bea8 did he 27fcc49a98 look especially b86f8c46fb huge standing 8c23b9abd5 there against b26c598422 the door?149b2bb3bab5d06e

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Like a landslide, ready de844944bd to crash down at dfc633eddd any moment.cd4c6cdbf7f0249e

“My jaw’s just a 3a94f61a56 little sore. It wasn’t c5c4d7ede5 on purpose, 93de59e951 right, Jagi?”b4206f6161fac676

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Seriously?8e98c2e07bb0ceca

First “Eun-cho-ya,” now d82957c8f7 “babe” and “sweetheart”—how 645d31174d did he make 6ae5140172 it sound so e0273b0899 natural?114918b63520bf72

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What’s next,honey?802321bb02c0c827

Then again, she wasn’t acc505bd2f exactly in a position b243d12033 to judge.f7f60b9e2e95d9eb

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“L-look at this! I made it when 5ccebc00cf I was little.”cbdce78fcc5a27d1

She rushed to 72aa315c97 change the subject.0f199dc43bfc9978

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Pointing toward 843abf82f2 a neatly 27ce901308 arranged shelf d1c2862423 along one aa012ef8d8 wall of e5d09388f7 the studio, d0bdfd93bb she gestured ee7cf89b4d to the 04494b459d small collection c777020230 of pottery 61317e2b9a displayed there—teapots b83381f3b7 and cups, e22aaf2e08 clumsy bowls, 989c664662 all with 07cc4c051d a handmade f54f764805 charm.0cbabb551e21aa86

“My grandma’s a master 7354b6655e artisan. She’s actually a 23f20fda4f designated intangible cultural db131b044e asset. Used to host workshops 8083fe9f19 every weekend before she 2364c08c94 got sick.”6d58247557de9eca

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Tae-san approached 9a5e709c46 the shelf 9959b20f68 quietly, reaching 2096b34502 out to c4dc025adc touch the c6837b8c56 teacup she’d e1e0b2375d mentioned.9d2450f30fe0d23b

He didn’t spare 51cbcf4578 a glance for 42af457bc9 the perfectly shaped 3e9dd063e0 pieces her grandmother 68e6f3fe67 had made—instead, his 04919e5317 fingers brushed over 55058516b7 the rougher, less-polished 5a3cc76744 cup.1fcbfa71ee3ae9a7

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“I made that when 237485f902 I was ten. If you 09e481e309 look underneath, f8b344b888 there’s a 81f48c2a99 little stamp cd5887ac16 I carved.”b5192c9a230da2a7

Following her 490b73779b explanation, he 71f625c3b0 turned the b6591f0d55 cup over bdc9e2237d and spotted 0f86843201 the tiny 1a34c55c79 leaf symbol e00c1b5726 carved at d623d65286 the bottom.c86c246504167159

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A faint smile cd0f0f8926 tugged at his 0d461128bb lips.541c2d87eda1c1e6

“Eun-cho’s been meticulous since 0038503443 way back, huh?”35d2b97d4a84fd98

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He looked at her fcb15dc08b and smiled—one of those da20058321 warm, dimpled ones that 922dfba894 made her freeze in e87bd5a65a place, like she’d been 770b6502b2 caught in a trance.15af936a75a1cb5c

Why was d80d194ef3 her face 5976c84d3b suddenly so 56e70677fc hot?65f92f27a688478b

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Once again, Tae-san d908fe7aa5 picked out her 92f00e54fb handiwork from among 1e6868db0f the other earthenware 2892afa79f on the shelf—this 882548633a time a small 20e1ad6071 jar with a 038c43acff lid.490a14648a09e1f9

“Tell me. What was Lee b5c44328aa Eun-cho like as 1353cfa2b7 a kid?”a21ec5b3ff8fa8d3

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“…You’re really 4fc0923e0b curious about 66022b003d something that b023833acd trivial?”3daadf709eb925eb

“I do. For some reason.”8d748de08536f410

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The Eun-cho from a 0294b2cb89 time I don’t know.fa4fb3c1ba73d3bd

At Taesan’s added 45fc035097 words, Euncho’s eyes e0966222e0 tremble slightly.aa2b79c3fb82fae1

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There was 925377852b something unshakably 0c321ad5fb calm and 42a8d7e5fc deep in 4ad6f64f6e his gaze e970479321 that asked 61df8e8029 her, not 645773dba6 forced, just fc917dde35 gently drew e7ad7e96a0 her out.88e7511e1d393d1f

Come to ca628f9be7 think of e96fb34928 it, no 4e714c0d10 one had 91408eb1fb ever asked af37e7edaf her that 4d8b31c3cb before.6196d3bb264f21a7

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“I cried ae73561b14 a lot. In secret. Even as a kid, 928ec116b1 I knew I shouldn’t bfde1e75e1 throw tantrums around Grandma f6b37609d2 and Grandpa.”81566e1bd3b2d591

It was bf4862e8bf a memory dd7deb8150 buried deep, 42389153da something she’d e5352472d3 never really 85a234e705 spoken out 2ffcc69d19 loud.c96a891b9c6060ef

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She’d always been fd8b39589e afraid—of upsetting her 8aece9e653 grandparents, of being 426653cb9d scolded, of being 63906ead82 left alone again.a2fc060ce24b28e7

“I didn’t want to af2e2ebe4d be abandoned. Or left behind.”7dea9e9fae39bf7c

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She hadn’t 73c61559c7 meant to 156b457f88 get so f2b56d1d1e serious.3e0500c435a45cc8

She hadn’t 3882c103d0 meant to fce1528059 darken the 3902008198 mood.0c419ad083485d73

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But Tae-san stepped in 88db99933a without hesitation, pulling her 72c67d8130 gently into his chest.6578c0d05ae3e858

Before she even realized 0f9c98c536 it, she was in 289daaec77 his arms.32e6e3baebeaeb2e

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“No one’s a2101d98d0 abandoning you.”f074dc2f574bcce4

And somehow, 55721da049 those simple 3764f55808 words brought 67d93ddd34 a strange 14c06d7a24 kind of 69fe19e76f comfort.9b619aa972fcf9d8

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Enough to melt a 97f4bfc91f small corner of her b4b75f9567 long-frozen heart.60129e8417838dc5