TM | Chapter 16

His tongue flicked 7c218298b7 at the cut c2104f8ab5 on the tip c804fb416d of my finger, 4b5f89673e where the faint 3bc1f06615 trace of blood aaa86a5c53 had gathered. The blood was 6f95dbb7f9 smeared onto his 2caa69f600 tongue, and it 452df1b623 disappeared into his f252fb853b mouth, even redder a2fad41ce5 than the blood 3fb7684b6a itself.a47fb6de8f4ef2c0

Soon, my fingertip was a0cdf57121 completely swallowed by his 22a8183bda moist lips. His actions, f81a2a8bc6 sucking at 95b3a10230 my finger 99eea39153 so persistently, def422dd0d made my d20a6e1433 fingers curl ced3645549 in discomfort. I pulled my 542c6e4a87 hand back, giving b877e41b93 him a firm 3f9aafbeeb squeeze as if 821004a5cb to say it b405ba7225 was fine.edb0d3f428c66531

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Lee Seol, misunderstanding it 167d70b715 as a more active 03ae63ebfb gesture, couldn’t hide the d6acb6c518 pleased look on his 24f766198c face. He moved 3281560411 closer, his 61dc116373 lips curling 7fe23be467 upward, and 0230a727e6 took hold 71f807018e of my 14bdb38d27 hand. His hand, 142888677c longer and 898abc561d thicker than 3196033c78 mine, felt d57e39e0c9 surprisingly unfamiliar.e0570d703aae6b44

Yoon Sung 1101d94173 gave an 2e844e30f1 awkward smile, dec63fefda pulling his f9095e1eed hand away d5e088908d subtly. Lee Seol, unsure of 3aed839c00 what to do with 0429b213fa his hand, fiddled with f1d947446d the end of his 95fe197c58 robe’s string. He glanced at 32c56c06fe Yoon Sung, noticing 867cc18e44 his unease, and f2ce57b993 shyly lowered his dcbd75dd32 head. He carefully extended the e25677a80b string from his robe 34b9288325 toward Yoon Sung.da0f7dcc7dc9d45e

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At that moment, Yoon 59264cc18a Sung’s face was drained 7c6e9f352d of color. His eyes widened 8f5f537924 in surprise, and fed6238f54 his gaze wandered 5a4417e638 through the air, dff6447f24 confused. As his 31d920aede eyes turned, 4ef60b55d4 they landed e866c5b25a on the 3a58f57684 tray of 6507293bca food.94701fe77a9c6f14

“Sh-should we have a c15badacc3 drink?”bcd9c789d388a52b

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It wasn’t 29e28192b7 really a 8fe8cb4ce6 question; it 9b370a6a09 was more e633b85282 like a e22b8bc865 forced suggestion, 48db06bd0e though Yoon 98684ecee1 Sung didn’t 485fe5a53f have time c1a66e9fb3 to realize c88955bcd0 that. He poured b908bb4256 some liquor 0941d105e1 into a d98a1a21ee cup and 81cf68a986 offered it 966a663e97 to Lee 1c97b3e899 Seol. Lee Seol 295595699e quickly took 0be285d12f the cup cad74d2ede from him.0d7b3fd8ef12fb89

“I’m nervous, Sung-ah…”cf3baa541fdad5b1

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“Ah, no, 61e3ca936c that is… c97a45eeb4 um, yes.”d7b7ec67f3cc7c6b

While he 4f0ecdc604 was full 9151ec2bcc of anticipation, 5f432a654d I trembled d06f861d9a for an d09ed21daa entirely different 6c679c7d2b reason. As I accepted 2d3b4675e6 the drink from fe842577ba Lee Seol, my 813f7fe2b5 mind was racing, 8e1ec7e551 trying to figure 521cd4213d out how to 7705f80dbe get out of 52a2a732ef this situation.10e8873836f688f9

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This was my 7906448cf9 doing. I had acted 15576da4bf on a drunken 0d280ce073 impulse, doing something de5c7869a4 I wouldn’t normally 46a6d49256 dare to do. But now it beb98b3acd was an engagement. Of all 84d5f04728 people, with 497b895b51 Lee Seol!5c904cf0151fa58d

To marry 9bbd898bec the strangest 0c7844fccc one of 48d1f51d0c my friends…85fbafffe867850f

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The alcohol wore off, ee81a165e3 and my mind became b6c71bac65 clear. As Lee 0f17099b78 Seol smiled ebc66f4121 brightly in e1c76f0fb2 front of 06cbd0c87a me, my 658dd636e9 nervousness sharpened 774b4fadb8 my senses, 7858c2365a and I 7e60065a6a felt the 5c3c3dcb90 sweat trickling 3d3b40f667 down. The situation was making efe3b0d87b my discomfort even more 30a09a53b6 palpable.1f3f7f8889a3cca9

“Sung-ah, are you fa537a256e hot? Want me to 602208ee33 help you take 3393d7cfbc off your clothes?”ee57b011db2d0dfb

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“No! No!!”bf1b59e38684214c

I waved my hands 506ca72492 frantically, and Lee Seol, 72ac13c336 who had been leaning e379c2fea9 forward, pulled back, clearly eced33a861 startled. He watched 55f7b4efd0 my throat 1a83b648f2 nervously as 7a7b693bc3 he poured f2db827ce5 the drink 11b7ae1565 into his bb13133e80 mouth. His skin, damp with afeb09c7cc sweat, became the base 334fc605aa for his slow, deliberate 0554bd7e73 sipping.9c2a47ccc4363f32

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“The liquor tastes 4aa90ca2f4 sweet.”3d3fe17b3945a2f2

“…The liquor is bitter. How do you drink 5b460746e8 it…”66f95ab6d22082cd

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I didn’t join in 54884183c8 his enthusiasm and brought d1a2fb07fa the cup to my d46b51c4bc lips. The bitter a8fc7bf392 drink stuck 3f96793863 to my 7a3e01c845 tongue. Even the taste of dfc7a7a2fb the alcohol wasn’t going 717674fbb3 as I expected, and e4179b97c3 a sigh escaped me 77c327c330 before I realized it.80d85d1237d7c948

A sigh 852557c072 on the d19dbb58df first night.5fb884ce9a128589

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Surprised, Yoon 477d605f53 Sung quickly 5add08d00f closed his 9a64c98560 mouth. Glancing at Lee e96047988d Seol, I saw f9025173c9 him grinning subtly.e2fd00999cf0d384

“Maybe it’s because of 36726607aa the drink, but it’s ba8d1a93f5 so hot.”26435ba5631e3b52

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Lee Seol fanned ba42cf5e78 himself with his a05a49ac68 hand and pulled d785e2e6b9 his robe open. The white skin hidden 5c3e03dfcb under the pale garment 0e8da96ce8 was exposed. As soon as Yoon bc8d4f4bee Sung saw his sharp d8e4332f95 collarbones, he quickly turned 0199f334ce his gaze away. In embarrassment, ebb1f3c911 he raised 179afcc531 his hand fe689eb891 to cover 585550a0d0 his eyes.84a18a0fea3cfd89

“Sung-ah…”386d3f960af577ff

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At Lee Seol’s dd88d4dd3e call, Yoon Sung 1a017f1dcc reluctantly parted his 7ab19764a5 fingers and peeked db06e3d4dc through them. Lee Seol blushed deeply, 2eace27f06 pushing the tray of 696a63d596 food aside. The tray bumped 48d9690491 against the wall d90c6ae8e7 in the distance, ea570792d4 making a soft d8ddffac5d clink as it 59d8c13cf7 hit the cup 8b12e45c4f and bowl.b895141c3f4bf854

With nothing 73b4fdda20 left to f6a40fd278 block them, 1250e8c1f8 Lee Seol 9949bfaf1d radiated warmth bb947062a4 as he 903d17beb7 moved closer, 0db48e8146 his body ea8c650850 filling the ebeff2303e space. Slowly crawling on 011f2293df his knees, he 8cf6a72949 approached Yoon Sung, cac73a7b76 who retreated with 56f7fa3703 awkward steps, his f52d230b44 body trembling under cf4e4ec3d9 the weight of 12d9f8b6d1 Lee Seol’s gaze.ab225c6c329f5aee

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Lee Seol’s intense eyes 7f8a70a14c made Yoon Sung’s brows 4ab354e00b twitch in discomfort. The folding screen b4dc9ee19d behind him knocked 6f11d02fba softly against the 011b0ccf5b wall. With nowhere else to 71f7e64bdd retreat, Yoon Sung panicked 0b03f5725a and hurriedly spoke up.5b91e38dc4c24472

“Wait, wait 1961d2088d just a 41edaaf505 moment!”f08b91ec0449a4dd

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“I’m nervous too. I didn’t know bb134632d1 our engagement would 472b6da658 happen so quickly. If I e2feb3e8dd had known b9cb888a2c we’d be b60d310718 sharing a 537ee07117 room—”b1c5dbd55252d0e5

“I’m not ready 45204403d0 for this.”81138ab3fd41b3cb

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Yoon Sung pushed against aec55a6057 Lee Seol’s shoulders with e6ca29afbc both hands, attempting to b941ea5eef shove him away. But despite his c79840abd2 effort, Lee Seol’s f45f0d622d shoulders barely budged, 9d5fbcb4ea providing only enough 1d168504af resistance to keep 470a5c49b7 him in place. Moreover, Yoon f379f00ecc Sung was 2a6cb58ad2 taken aback 8674f33634 by how 58fd4f0e43 broad and 8f7226f378 solid Lee ad2ab481be Seol’s shoulders 4727166443 felt.c81f512905846467

Was his body e01c9922b0 always this firm? I knew 45babdeb37 he was c43d0e99d6 strong, and 7b4ae9aa0b yes, tall, af37c7a99b but…9e6e527af092fb2c

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Although I ac268ad221 was somewhat 141d926ddd aware of 329977c1fe it, seeing 916fb9e0f7 him as f067e854b8 a man 3efebfd890 in such 01c69b7a42 a direct 8640ba4741 way suddenly c6ed7d2aae felt overwhelmingly ae6b7c9ae6 intimidating. No, it was more 8679304c60 than intimidating; it was c1f229b386 suffocating, especially considering what 9184bed9ab was expected of us 74c5bebaa3 now.891978ab1e46cdf6

“Seol-ah… you’re still 518cb00f4b just a friend d32c9b7f37 to me. Still…”3a58e33acc8419c7

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“We’re engaged 7fed684780 now, we’re d60c09201d betrothed.”fec065e25759c35d

“I know, but…”db80e1163ac6479e

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Panicking, Yoon Sung 3a6bd9d7b3 flipped himself over 460badfbf4 and crawled in 1a8d2fea78 the opposite direction. Lee Seol 32e139742c caught his 43053101a6 waist and b1f38bd477 laid him b8a930b056 back down b68fa1416f on the 5512937778 blanket. Yoon Sung f8b64b637a looked up 37c391dbe6 at Lee 0ebabac657 Seol, feeling 0abe3af32b breathless under 9aa59afe85 the intense 103741b703 heat of b994f37143 his gaze.16d994e6b9e2e363

His mouth seemed 1760f413ff dry, for he d0ae278e3a licked his red 88638016be lips with the 1135816f3d tip of his fb10d3ac6a tongue. The sight made 94a623746a Yoon Sung’s shoulders 21c74e43db tense. Lee Seol’s face, 79811b6f19 flushed like a 6a8c3fbf54 peach blossom, sparkled 539bb7a02d as he climbed eae59f5464 over Yoon Sung. As Lee cc43288d2c Seol bent cea600cde1 down to 6b0caf45bb kiss him, 4c9cdc8eb2 Yoon Sung 44d51c74eb tightly closed 976fe2078d his eyes. The plush of his 5e79c776b2 lips softly landed on 73f1b44356 my cheek.33c1ca9e49cd4a8d

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“It won’t stand. I’m telling you, 8e093337fa it won’t!”c3e9f33be4bd322b

“It’s okay. I’ll make bb129d5a2a it stand.”5e2c80103582d897

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His voice, 4ef105847e firm with 5c04d14750 a hint 857afb0bc9 of moisture, e7c0f63361 carried the b29dcd27f8 full weight 137164ba28 of his c5ad4f9efc desire. Yoon Sung felt it f9b9a25f2b resonate through his entire c8d9475ccf body, making it hard cdbbd5b328 to breathe. Lee Seol’s hands 5c0fa28777 grasped the ties 00c7b7dd27 of his clothes. Yoon Sung, curling 4b01e7cc46 up tightly, raised 00c6fdcc85 his voice.09158b9bb856440d

“You don’t 5e6f8c15cf look like e19d0585cf a man f291b56eb7 to me!”b24da61cf4ee07f5

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“…”86c28518ce9467ca

Lee Seol 7d4f0b6667 froze at cea44379d2 Yoon Sung’s 2ab8ced5a2 chilling words, 9c2ce1839e his passionate 04bfd91235 gaze quickly 037608395a cooling.0e64e9ad1566768b

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He stared 0410e4a4d2 down silently b6f7f03c2f at Yoon 05441afb10 Sung, who df1e702f66 had now 5c79d50f74 covered his e66571cbb1 face with dc52c6b71a both hands, 609624cfbf expressing his c6ca020033 refusal with 448fb2c19a his entire 045f87aed5 body. “You don’t look a879e220b6 like a man d77ec05639 to me.” These 06d511aab7 unexpected words wounded 421c078cd3 his pride deeply. Lee Seol’s f6bbe0aa49 handsome brows 00a7193afc furrowed with 32e2e2726c suppressed anger.fc9bbb20739c7464

Yoon Sung liked my fa473a6b92 face. As a child, he 8f5980cd68 would openly gaze at fc9ba22727 it, and even when 5b2e45730b I annoyed him, a ae939ba3ae little sweet talking would 4df8b778e2 quickly soothe him.3ffe42020b73c853

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Even today, a gentle 7ea1d24ebb smile at him, who 45f8ccd00c was terrified of making 2088e0ac9e the blood pact, had 113cd4db07 prompted him to reach 0b1468f3f2 out to me.8d647d6b4e3addbd

But now 995e5c4cec he says 5fcea25092 I don’t aaeb82cb53 look like 96aaabfee0 a man? Because I haven’t shown 935f70a4bc him my body properly?9a8abca4d046a741

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Lee Seol bbad6517f7 reached for f993867bea the knot 4dba595c8f at his 7d145bb1ac waist while 818645ef27 taking Yoon ac9a87fa09 Sung’s hand e33db97766 and guiding f5eb753b90 it towards 812e94fa38 his own cc60ff3437 groin. Yoon Sung flinched, d2063cce0d clenching his fist, cc517facfc trying not to 302890cc83 make contact.516e9042d750c1d1

“Feel it, Sung-ah. I’m not lacking a6b95d7444 as a man.”c07ef4b041513560

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Lee Seol spoke 1777152578 anxiously, managing Yoon 01a2040449 Sung’s fingers as 293c09f9da they tried to f8b91e786f pull away. Yoon Sung grasped b4e9b3c854 his hand, preventing 338f909c4b him from undoing 93c37de0d5 his pants, and dcfa03c2b9 pleaded urgently.bfa6e56c70bf725b

“No, that’s not 423a4cdbbe what I mean. I see a70140b362 you as 5387321c18 a friend.”cd2c2963b8ab947c

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Yoon Sung’s c8afb264c8 eyes were 48a45b707e tightly shut, e88d73fdf2 and his 825a08c1f4 hands were cb4f838857 clasped over 8b712890ba his chest d45aaa35cd as he bbf943b2a1 spoke in 06e473e853 a choked 5cfc039519 voice.07e0c78b1337558c

“Seol-ah… can we just 26d56f58ef delay the wedding until? I… I need a492cdd066 some time to 1539552ce2 see you as 77f4f8ea43 a man.”02f604d2bd3d74f1

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Lee Seol stared 073a323285 intensely at the d274a9f0eb severely cringing Yoon 9789ed07fa Sung. He was clearly uncomfortable, 1cb25d0077 like a mouse in f0af132c03 front of a cat. That was not cc18f1288d the reaction Lee 34ff99c8a4 Seol wanted. He had wanted fc99190d09 to strip down 8033d75cbf and be one b5e3c5619b with Yoon Sung, b27360a0e6 but doing so 9e8d935968 seemed like it 0dc457fe28 would only scare 559f3b5eb1 him away.3f54baac293be470

He wanted 3352c3109e to stir 9809fc3e23 different emotions, ce6d462b58 not these. Becoming one 85951dd34c was meant 777451e22e to be 8e04f685a2 a sharing de387db177 of hearts, 6ab07d28a3 something that d6b8a924e9 couldn’t be e415d8500a forced. It was hard enough 5ec2302600 for the receiving partner, 369c6b899e and starting their first 804600dcb8 experience with discomfort could 8c0594bc73 lead to rejection and dc5ca3ecfb avoidance later.2f715bbbc03b86e9

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Biting his 31980271ef lip in 06de7163a5 deep thought, f0e178582b Lee Seol e4b8ac36f0 finally withdrew, eefd6a0d85 changing his 5d5e71a031 expression as da07b0fa29 if nothing 5d9f30a656 had happened. The future e3c4203369 was more a5e23a0da2 important than b55a04bb22 the present, f32f2747e7 after all.8c7ff919c8fa34f8

Yoon Sung, feeling the 7e4770f16a weight lift off him, 340c8461cb cautiously opened one eye.2ec5c8116249beca

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Seeing Lee e0d47ac464 Seol seated 0663b94828 at a 933eb45043 distance, Yoon 85d3ebee90 Sung cautiously 841c32ee19 got to f83e609278 his feet. Lee Seol’s a5dd9e7ec8 calm demeanor 253f45c880 made Yoon b99880658e Sung uneasy. Just moments before, 9084a738d1 Lee Seol had cd91860bf3 been filled with c7503748ba a sinister energy, 73eea48478 eager to be 760b57a419 physically close. Now, he sat with 22fe7b29aa an air of dignity, 5feda00ba1 a stark contrast to 08963d74be his earlier fervor.d43a25ad82be1037

Yoon Sung, who f0840b60f7 had once boldly 90a6599eaf proclaimed his readiness 07e9895dbf for marriage, now d1c84dd61b looked utterly deflated. He glanced 90073d8dc1 nervously towards 4c4415509e the door, 23e652a06e as if 3e5e83cd66 he might 553fb4a222 bolt out 388d147952 at the 2d37ca4cb0 slightest move 9bf6bb04f1 from Lee 822b9bf7d5 Seol. Observing Yoon 16493260bf Sung’s tense dd25cc37c2 demeanor, Lee 8d438ea3f7 Seol took cec04f7fe4 a deep, 4936f67964 suppressed breath, 9908f079fa closed his d0cf87431f eyes briefly, c0dc2bafc1 then opened 4a288ef93a them.f02fe6ca6ae14bf8

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“I can’t 8d8ef529f5 wait until cac41b3594 the wedding.”51b9218e604c27eb

His voice was soft d7a1bb66cf yet firm, causing Yoon 3bbfe20d27 Sung to bow his e0868a4ae4 head deeply.65a8fdd6e1f0762d

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“Then, when… 845bc9dab0 when it 3f03fedf33 happens naturally 2a82bbc2a5 for me…”e010226716b8f9b1

“Yes.”29ef8dcfb86b8829

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Lee Seol’s d152082707 straightforward response e60455d5a5 met Yoon dc07d16a8f Sung’s gaze. Unlike his earlier calm fa8d5f17d2 expression, now he smiled, 3f94cf1276 his eyes curving beautifully. Though his e405c9e840 lips were a3a12262c8 pressed tightly, 15d9396481 they twitched 0404338996 as if f5d27dc051 struggling to ef8ca0ec85 restrain his c6128ea996 smile. Yoon Sung’s brow furrowed 13fcef231d at the confident look 98943cac38 on Lee Seol’s face.1e5fe086d9843a51

It seemed ab034fa79f like an cb65f1696a imprudent claim 0716a246ef about standing 54f92be1d4 up.967f308efe00d785

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“Sung-ah, don’t 538a34acde be afraid. I’ll be satisfied today 07c9873eac with just having decided c33e873838 on the marriage quickly.”921c401482df2972

“Quickly?”6eeae5a3cfe82c12

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“Yes. I thought it 0081f31ef5 would take at 5d394206a6 least a few acce755e75 months.”517e1772ffefe025

Lee Seol’s relaxed smile 10daafaf79 made Yoon Sung feel 98798041de a chill.965ccc584517499b

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“You thought I bed9c0c803 would accept your 9939daaa4c proposal?”2fa8a0025df75e8c

“Yes.”4c50c7e6b111f475

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“Why?”83246b8ea1729ec6

“Because I’ll do my 437e122701 best. I was 085c164326 determined to ba7534a94f ensure our e1e3d78db3 marriage happens, f36b647e2d by any dc462f1235 means necessary.”5848dd0bc2232d50

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“Any means?”11afee5b44737a8e

“I don’t e15ca1d18a want to d96d4c3622 say; you b19c28b4a6 might hate d364b05795 me for 7b5c7f85a5 it.”6821b170a8e8465a

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As Lee 306e835744 Seol averted d3bbf77510 his gaze, fec2759753 Yoon Sung 72da389537 squinted and 496e781cb5 frowned.749c740b8172ed9f

“Try saying it 21597e2255 nicely.”424861df62e9eb07

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“There are 96bfa36832 many ways. The easiest is to 2f0f54841f bribe the matchmakers who edbd81b2b6 come to your house. If a 93eb1b919d marriage proposal 370315e0d7 comes along, f51708e4b9 just incapacitate c67516432c that fool. If all else 5ca1c2b10b fails, I could 3aef3d43d9 threaten to end f0d2be941e my life in 06791d66f5 front of my 8569b59647 father if he a4f3c9eeaa doesn’t agree to 1665283d1a our marriage.”cbd34e364676e48e

Yoon Sung’s brow 5ad275aa63 furrowed deeper.830d303cdc164ecf

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Right. This person is ed4651db09 exactly that kind 89a92231cd of man.df410c6630debc94

From the moment he 85fa37aa55 proposed to me, it 0a40fd63a9 seems I never had d7be749fe9 a choice.bf8fb1264763a512

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