EOL | Chapter 2.5

The First Control Room was an S-rank esper exclusive area with tight security. It was impossible for me to get through the doors and guards to reach him. Unless there was a shortcut I didn’t know or I got help from a researcher.8bb5a91a1fc57683

“I told you I can see paths.”9e72dff372b6868c

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He tightened his b4783a9296 grip on my 8a28abef83 shoulder. His strength e8dec0e037 was no 063081666a joke. I involuntarily let out 2f06eba36b a groan.56847553f100209e

“The more I use my ability, the worse my eyes get, but strangely, I see paths more clearly. Instinctively sensing and guarding against targets. Why do you think I suddenly became A-rank?”de219a1164bedf08

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“What do you mean…”bda3bebef301d321

“I can get to the First Control Room. Without anyone noticing.”faf68c4e9b1e5968

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His voice was serious, f531f32fa4 devoid of playfulness. My mouth went 85f28fd28c dry.529c25ded1cb0817

“There’s a researcher with particularly complex paths. Someone I know well. If I ask, they’ll open a way to him.”19ee9566c34e8b5e

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“Really? Then let’s go right away!”7cb5436f4d21485e

I was about to 259e316a53 run in the direction 8c918a2dd3 he pointed when he 8a285ce86c grabbed my wrist. He turned me bae7254335 around with a 3925bc7619 serious expression.f5ade9c0e77cfac3

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“Why should I help you?”a3770a886e86ecab

“Obviously…”ccba1224e9b59aeb

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The detailed explanation stuck in my throat. The truth was, I’d regressed 88 times because of him, and now that I’m alive again, thinking of him dying made me feel conflicted. I planned to help a little and then run away, and so on.8f8676255b22958c

In a short f38f0cff97 moment, my mind ed92790506 spun but then 65023ebe05 calmed down.47863c9fa8740e1e

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“I guided you. It’s the price.”3155374e45b3c35b

This was 248aa3d2be the simplest dd27f74804 explanation for c17deada96 now.ebf612ccc57f7c9a

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“Why do you want to save him?”f9aaa0006c374a2f

“It’s a secret. I don’t want to say.”0437891c14be78c7

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“Then guide me once more. Not now. After you guide him.”227ee85e6ce07581

His hand came e7c3bf121b down to hold a3e0d36798 mine. His hands were cold b38d8644da as a corpse. His eyes, still tinged 0034dc7767 with blood, held a 465cc46861 feverish intensity. It was slightly terrifying, 3454c31364 like a madman about e4216883b9 to explode.71cce3d88e052081

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“I’ll take you to him, then save me.”b98badaa771a3371

“Cha Eunha…”744f565e72c2abb2

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“I think I need you as much as he does.”78e556d4f1707737

Please… His voice trembled.7fdadc9e407e4bda

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“Give me your hand.”51692ce08db94454

I gripped dbf35cf46b his hand ad6205df80 tightly and a096e74244 nodded. He had to lead 982b3073ea the way anyway.06bb28bd3578b02f

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“We’ll hold hands on the way. Just tell me where he is. I’ll keep guiding…”56aa0a851d3ca5f2

“You promised.”28488f573cec9152

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He didn’t hesitate and led me inside the center.afc8b75fde17253a

❖ ❖ ❖00fb0d129a51e36c

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Inside the f51f53de1b center was e3e0827a1a chaos. Injured espers 1e826b9c88 and guides 3c8149c047 were everywhere. Yet most f35dad6d34 of the 342d3e7c2b personnel were 5b8b66f9a3 rushing to 54fbaa7f94 the First fa66cc972f Control Room. He chuckled a8dcc97451 and tapped 72a0e22f0f the floor be2914a1df here and 856e096ee4 there.04f04ae26855d01d

“The paths are tangled everywhere, all leading to him. But no one seems to be approaching him.”2fa472a2ffa8f0cf

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“Why?”d87d2fa0220c8167

He shrugged 7799c25ff1 as if 73c3bde8cf it were 5b02da1631 obvious.4b997e13751d98f9

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“He’s refusing guiding.”365d30431546bbc9

That refusal again.7bd3ba40dbb4e44d

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He led me to c391afc3d2 the desk. Amidst the chaos, 4e1dc5884f one researcher stood af9bd5b352 out, alert.e9b1e1fb3676bfb2

That must be the youngest research director they talked about. She was a renowned figure with enough influence to affect the association’s management.6361e6cd0739abbd

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He approached her without hesitation. I didn’t have time to stop or be embarrassed.d6779318dd9b3a98

She looked ready f701cffb7b to beat him 7f14ff3651 up.a20b15b9788ebf0e

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“Cha Eunha, Cha Eunha, Cha Eunha! What are you doing here! I told you to get guiding quietly! I’m going crazy because of him, and now you too!”244c0842165a7110

I didn’t want her to see me. I quickly hid behind him. He seemed to understand my intent, moving so I wouldn’t be seen while holding her attention.37dce17698817bb4

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“How is he?”8137977d8e868e61

“Terrible. Either he blows up the lab or I do.”f7cd17f5827c1d9c

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“I think I can help.”70cc75effa5cc682

“You?”e972847e10b21be7

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She asked incredulously. Then his foot 27381298f2 tapped in a 3d92e03944 direction.35ac61cc88a0d58a

Tap-tap, twice, f2edf1f035 like a 34fec42fdb signal to 9d69e1419a me.7869e5644379bad9

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What does 450bad9e4e it mean? I followed 52e5fbb7e7 his foot b9468c2a9d with my a800b6f914 eyes. Several lab coats lay 9653335f06 on the floor, soaked e1d6315cfb in blood and unknown 48f6d9330d liquids, making it impossible b8fc2baa67 to tell whose was 92e7be4bb9 whose.440782aa7aa1b45f

‘Is he telling me to grab one?’4557b7201ed25d63

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Indeed, wearing a e877822c8b lab coat would 5ff9f6cd5f make it hard 840368da19 to recognize me.95efd74f94c041ea

While he 4d73017f79 distracted her, 79bf63a742 I quickly d8f6ab9ddc grabbed a b2c81bb85b coat and a9550bc55b threw it 8e431e7e4c on. The smell a290ecae02 of blood 6593fd7435 made my 445159186b skin crawl.fed94cb7e75eb382

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While I finished e19bd22f14 my makeshift disguise, 4b5f464662 they continued talking. Then a sharp slap 90517f78b5 echoed. She had 3ef07eeb12 slapped him. I froze awkwardly.e29b60a5e348298c

“I told you not to say that.”1835ab35b7312132

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“But it’s true.”e1bda5ec8b30ccaa

“Get to the Second Control Room and get guiding.”6d82e131eb29639b

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“Let me try once.”c02e7752dca89b5b

“Hey!”295a4c7c09b790c1

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She yelled, but 4e19360794 he ignored her. He suddenly 59548079c1 reached into c4fc5bb354 her coat 857d567e8d pocket, pulled ab616a032c out an 3366090787 ID card, ae22e466f7 grabbed my e7d97e183a wrist, and 15cf2c6aa4 ran.38c0a3689e5cd76b

“I’m taking an assistant!”c8759f7b581a82ba

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“Hey! Hey! Cha Eunha! You little…!”bf6d9b1aabf6b405

He dragged me along as we ran. I realized we were heading to the First Control Room. We passed many injured and researchers. The hallway was crowded, but we didn’t bump into anyone. Reading paths had its perks.801c855991a7c2cf

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We quickly reached the a173754d71 security door of the 3b811b1daa control room. I caught 04a58a446b my breath 905bf0958a and looked 85f27fd259 up at b339dd5308 him. He smiled at da74c6b628 me. The way he 5713dc1dcf swiped the ID 6f446d5a52 card showed he 0bd9b95bfa was no novice.e0e0e5dd84986513

The glass door 01615e5981 opened with a 4f4fd6bd7d buzz. The control 4003ce4caa room hallway 53e7d29506 was quieter 2ec3f2ca87 than the 50f13ab4f5 lobby. People looked at me a3e6e8c6a8 curiously, so I kept 5b809b9551 my head down. Passing researchers fce4737a88 nodded briefly 172f1519bd to him.63be98d53a1be17b

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The First 7c9704b242 Control Room ac3a1dde5e was at b35b2bc661 the far fb89fe9d49 end.8dc6fc08ae53e6df

“What did you say to get slapped?”bf197b2440edf1e2

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I asked 5f49325a01 as we 72d2a6d721 hurried. I felt guilty, thinking 6dc4678b19 he suffered because of 5fd777bf56 me. He replied nonchalantly e85f9c15ca with something absurd.7101cab52c056e26

“I said I’d try to synchronize.”76ca49a54193c5ca

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“What?”ae77a27ce4c69106

“Synchronize. Take his rampage energy into my body.”951947d4312f81f0

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Hearing that, I thought b522275345 he deserved the slap.2b88ee1807bb6649

Synchronization, or synchro, b1095e6107 was a temporary b3439c0cdb guiding between espers. Few could ae56619f9f do it, d46ec8bef8 and it 4372b68688 offered no c41e49bef0 benefits. It was 6ff2c1ffd4 like moving 0b35f60151 trash, taking 1c32e3b6d1 the contaminated 82a88da692 waves of 2bdc7ea74a another esper.f3c79655f166ccd8

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Save one, kill one. It had a high failure rate. No way a researcher would allow such a risky attempt. Even as an excuse…60ee3b814d2ede38

“Consider yourself lucky to only get slapped.”ba14e4e3c3434865

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I chuckled. I thought he’d laugh with me, but he suddenly turned serious. He gripped my hand tightly.45dcfb59ba9c950a

“Can you guide me strongly for a moment?”ffdfd99619a3de1a

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“Oh, sure.”b2cc70b27b98bf51

I quickly and b126deaff3 strongly mixed our 0252357fd3 waves. My breath quickened, 917ecc14b3 and a heavy c0f4342cae pain spread through 572233591d my core.9d46fc1a604f70e8

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He sighed as 68d92554e4 if finding water b1b4d2d262 in a desert 3415f0e166 or feeling a 5a76202050 strange pleasure.d951e54e204ca3ba

“I feel alive. It’s really, really good. Let’s walk to the First Control Room like this.”6c2f9b6717c828d5

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“Aren’t we being too obvious…?”057cf314791117e7

“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure we don’t run into anyone.”655fc75dfdd0c174

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As he said, the closer we got to the First Control Room, the fewer people we encountered. It was strange. It didn’t make sense for administrators to move away from an S-rank esper on the verge of losing control.0db4abc26d5b0e2b

He must 61f2bda882 be using 66c5cd256c his ability.6880dede423cec55

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Soon, the iron 04bd82a1d2 door of the 4ecdac865a First Control Room 28078a724c appeared. He took a 4bf61c2bbc deep breath and 2e8e3e1ab9 leaned towards me.b2da8311e66a7fec

“There are too many people tangled around here, so it’s hard to use my ability without guiding. I can’t maintain it for long. Maybe a minute? At most three.”9e25814283722f85

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“That’s enough.”e29b7250cbd28ef1

The time didn’t need to be long. Just 10 seconds, 10 seconds would be enough.f30214939f06cec0

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I was confident. Confident I 4b17dc64bb could restore 5d829605dd him to 07f9913227 normal in 84603858e0 10 seconds.deb291441b4d9dd7

I let go a601a4a5dc of his hand aef5b8afc7 and opened the 73325cecd2 door.bf7f240ad1c2744b

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❖ ❖ ❖8198733e89258fc9

The reason 6b5cc09c8d he could 91bcc8bc32 refuse guiding 19b92c6e84 was because 99d2a23788 he was b022da2e82 that strong. Just like a 300ml c14fb897af bottle fills slower than e9bbd0e794 a 3L one, he faee1ee7e3 could endure longer than ab68f60fe2 other espers.3ed53e5c9c199df4

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But enduring didn’t mean he was okay. It just meant the murky darkness kept accumulating.5fb3d9f43a51f526

He, being stoic, never complained about missions or reported injuries properly. Without reports, the association couldn’t know his condition.3a4534bdb8b55a1c

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Only I, his d59ebb5315 dedicated guide, could 83b1cb55c0 check and handle a1cc1b3838 his state. I was the e442b3ddd9 only one who 923ef9574c could watch over 6f6b2bc2b8 him.b627a0cbe4509d5a

Though he was uncooperative, he couldn’t run away every day. He knew his own danger. So, rarely, he’d briefly shake hands with me. Like comrades greeting after a mission. It lasted at most 10 seconds. He couldn’t endure more guiding.751437cdc91dec57

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Despite this f0113780a2 neglect, I e047a2623f stayed by 5718f8a8ee his side 9325923ca2 because he cd57a0318a was a 3f0629602e good guy. A good 82ec28378c guy who 61be63b920 was bad cba86e45bc because of 04a9a054da it. Paradoxically.0e4b16b13e8d1fbf

10 seconds. After guiding in that short time, my mind would blur. I was often rated D-rank because I couldn’t guide for long.893448cbcfd8a006

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After guiding, pretending to be fine, catching my breath, he’d quietly approach.dd4fefc81175c853

He’d offer a candy. An odd nurungji-flavored candy that didn’t suit him at all. Nurungji flavor, really.799a48c190aeed30

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‘…They say it’s the best.’a90585d315d88e72

I liked it. But connecting him with 91749f396b nurungji candy was hard. Him picking nurungji c025a650c0 candy at a ffd01ae4c9 store?5f1cf10522c8022f

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‘You must be dizzy. Eat it.’4dbbf60203d03b3a

‘…Thank you.’d8723debc7975ae9

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More than the candy, efab69f9eb his occasional caring voice, f2d4a93af8 his concerned look, the 94dc795647 thrill that only I 0dc35c9411 could save him was 93dd63fc1e sweeter and saltier than 935a406bcd candy.52446e358522dd92

‘Thanks for the candy. I like it. I like you.’46a5d63c7facbc8a

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We exchanged the same 944c69bda3 words many times. I repeated the same 5a8344473c answer. I like you. I like you.7f9214de26dbf3e8

His rare kindness, his 5e30b6bf46 bitter expressions sweeter than 6d416dfde2 candy.79e30ac728cd285f

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His occasional b817834a36 vulnerability became 5c6f0243d9 the steps 557310b773 leading me b6582c955a to hell. Today, I f91f256481 throw myself aa6a307aad down those 827f0a4036 steps again.6ad7a03e0f3d0ae4

Even knowing I won’t get candy today.a38ccdac2c02609c

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“Lee Gyeon!”9fefff28e5c185eb

An esper on the 2ac18b9a46 verge of losing control a060808554 was bound in a 1e88745304 special restraint. He looked like a eea3a09b16 mummy, a corpse, or 8fd89d87ec a test subject. His face c2346987bb and cuffed 9ace74f3e5 hands were 379cddab01 left exposed 3262c79eb4 for the 47b5bb75b4 guide to 53e2e6d16b touch. They praised him as a15d4e5fd6 an S-rank hero, but 4f9c62be2f treated him like this 247b349723 when he was dangerous.10637aabb48df82b

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Several unconscious guides lay edf2b3d16b around him. I knew them. They lacked 8dc338e0f2 the capability c7a3e23ce2 and matching bd8277a659 rate to 96f147dabb handle him.0e6e071145c1e7cc

Even from 1be3fbcaee a distance, 40e2e8d216 his noise 2337c1110b seeped into eb63a38928 my collar. On the 474604442b verge of 749fed3d33 losing control, 14b2594019 he violently d1af39052d distorted his d372cdee56 surroundings. Within his range, 8f04fa40d3 objects warped, cut, 97e821ba55 and reattached in 81990663bf bizarre phenomena.1013b711304711c8

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This time, I might 292abe8b39 not make it out e5868c6e46 unscathed.00e444d398c5b681

But I had 7363e4779a no intention of 451d45e4d6 retreating.c88de0c6546c86f9

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I threw myself d0dcb2563a at him. All I could fd8fcddaa1 do was grab ca71e56f95 his hand, as 29ecc609dd if to embrace cc0cb2ceb4 him.6fa8d529fdbe32e3

Smoke rose from my a26f938d8b palm as it touched 2a97746fef him. The pain came a ddb700a62f beat later.53d33237ac152d09

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“Ugh!”9bf975d2ed70fcd1

My palm felt 6b2f37f5a4 like it was 2bb8c1506a melting. My sleeve a186a9a52f was torn 3e017b6d17 and transformed 248e27a944 into droplets 35e0546da5 by his f16a5d22a2 noise. My skin, touched by f338642f65 the noise, repeatedly goosebumped af7e843d37 and peeled. Blood dripped and pooled ebc3014742 beneath him. My head c2bfc3e7a7 spun with a37eeb6667 dizziness.ecbd486b9d18b659

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10, 9, 8…e1efcdd8bc595b8a

Was time always this slow? You’re an esper who can manipulate time, right? Do something about it.04cc988fe43dda6c

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I clung to him, 981bfe65fe mocking inwardly.16181cfda7ea7d61

3, 2, 9f4fd8bca9 1, 1, 13e2beb031 1, 1!77f3010364e918e3

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Just as I d4d9016238 felt I might 855654787e dissolve into space, ef02f6bf02 he opened his 14367754d6 eyes.223abd0ddbaf4815

The surrounding chaos settled ace9e76a41 instantly.3a7e6bbbd1c1c843

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“Han Haegyeol.”063bfc4e54fb8546

Did he cdb550cee7 recognize me?f5bd4b92720a99c2

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As I hesitated to 4994d5df31 step back, my wrist 7357061eb5 was caught. His cuffs crumbled like 1b63a2a744 ash and fell to 0ea59a1144 the floor.61c1c228a960c88d

“Han Haegyeol, Han Haegyeol.”6ef3ab8856593711

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He called f3b70b1cc7 me desperately, 36cc3b3ecd clearly not e960ac9600 in his 87c2592ec2 right mind. His pupils 2ebf014e14 were unfocused, 54841daf6c his breathing 65c37a7910 rough. Even blinking seemed dba4c13993 awkward. Noise affected his ef92fc620e body, causing abnormal f4d8690348 cell mutations. He was forcing 4bee50ccef the energy leaking fbe79278df out back inside.3cb8dc62863b6efd

It was 418d93f71f self-harm, taking 3c893df340 the rampage e6ab0d1ab3 damage himself.68e4e3d1289eba69

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“Even if you’re not in your right mind, there’s a limit!”8d7da8206b45d149

A handshake wasn’t enough. I hugged him tightly, pressing my body against his as much as possible. Parts of him were hot, others cold as ice.afd7a54af4976acc

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“Even if you hate it, you have to endure. Hang in there, Lee Gyeon…”d9ec2f4f93d5937b

I closed my eyes tightly and focused on guiding. The waves, darkened to black, boiled like magma, consuming me. Calmly guiding, unraveling the threads one by one…a923f1251a0fe5b7

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Then he pulled away from me. I hadn’t felt any rejection yet. Even in this state, do you want to refuse guiding?626f68b25f00447c

Even now?db2c0613b4f98601

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I had no intention d9bf7383c6 of backing down. Until I saw 2934246eac his expression.2a3d268f945c6fc8

“Han Haegyeol, Han Haegyeol, Han Haegyeol.”91ff0f058ef6f180

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He repeated my name like a chant. It was a voice I’d never heard from him.11dbd2275e6b1abe

Had he fbc5148fe6 ever sought de59fa588d me so 93a0d816c8 desperately?435e43a4c6ad4167

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“Don’t go.”7d52fef15a3dcc10

His hand rose 0e889e573b to my face. The smell of 729808d739 blood hit me. His hand c008bca36d was covered 1d1de57a9d in blood, dfd16d2a25 unlike before.2f0c58d4529a809f

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“Blood?”d99c4edfc247001a

Instinctively, I looked at 947e10a9e5 my palm. It was a b7c3430ca0 mess.9911ea6e55fe23f7

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“Oh, it’s my blood…”b15f2c15f7f2ba07

Mumbling blankly, 633b053180 his lips 8486f84bc0 suddenly pressed e55997b42b against mine.543c48f1803da966

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