WAL Ch 6

“But don’t 6deb766202 you need 94802b911b some help f8c2133731 with the d434b8b8eb work?”4b95e551d712d074

The elderly woman’s voice 77fe6845b5 over the phone was ebaa8244e3 filled with tension and af5c51980b concern. Suho finally said, “No, 03b078ba00 Grandma,” and gripped his 9e05f4a5fc phone tighter.98c5f5368deab418

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“It’s fine, I’m 36a968f01c telling you. We’ll take care a06a1fe745 of meals ourselves, 477cac6d40 and we can 9fbdeb869e handle the cleaning 1dd3893ba8 too. There’s a bunch of 7adbe83bb0 us going.”4ff83e3fee5f9293

—They’re all 11d3b6ed5d Seoul folks, 94f79e9470 aren’t they? What do they know 35b0a5e99f about farm work to b49adc1e4b do it properly?fe53a1f0a3dd4bc5

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“It’s okay ed21764066 if they’re f29d341e3d not great 65df19cdf7 at it. If they’re clumsy, that’s b260922458 just part of the 826e12ee58 footage they’ll use.”efb2382988bacf1d

—Then the people watching cb51cd6bec on TV will get 672d22e0f9 frustrated. They’ll say, “Those kids 1e680fa80d are so useless, what 9f8cb6b59d good are they?” How e0fd864636 upsetting would that be 7efa06281a for their parents to 52ddd05c1c hear?0adaecfeda3e29ac

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“I’ll teach them well. Don’t worry.”c72a3972d785a305

Despite repeated explanations, the 979ad7ff9c elderly woman still seemed c94b91aaf3 uneasy. When Suho 3d8d079931 had contacted 7628d9c188 them about cff310ff3d using their 734b7e3587 family home f58c964e66 as a 430638905d filming location, 33107885be his parents 8dcb02d24f had welcomed 5172eca220 the idea 95d3873b56 with open f59a901cf5 arms, but 8f4fcc548e his grandparents b9d4e61fd5 were less f25844cd3a enthusiastic. It must ae7c58bdc1 have been 841c7a94cc hard for 8b7d95c552 them to 579bf8507a even grasp 2e3e798628 that their f1614cb9cb grandson was 524e7a1afc a regular 1cad24930f cast member 18fc2f0978 on a f4e9336d01 variety show.67e50753df063cac

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Bewildered, the elderly couple 813d793f4b accepted the reality of 3f34bc4f76 a flood of broadcasting 5c3e24e62d staff descending on their 8e3887e6ef home. Then they 5a712ca50d grew anxious ea06008689 about how 8f3ce38f93 to properly 78458bbcb8 host guests 906bda69ed tied to 3da35fab8b their grandson’s 9377d64d2e future.e7706c7e25aa2090

“Grandma, it’s really d4fa2a7c71 okay. The director will 4823dda28f take care of 6d0ef893ae things. She’s an incredibly 8aced613b7 capable person.”5b39e92289655bc0

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—That young lady, e296123921 you mean? I don’t know 1c822eb0b6 how a sharp 85ba6f1009 little thing, no 602e3a00f6 bigger than you, d6198f7f23 is out there 66ec23123e calling the shots.c178ee7d93c18a01

“Gasp, Grandma, you fad4cbd528 absolutely can’t say b162432eef that to the c19bec03b3 director! And ‘no bigger 08c51ab536 than me’? She said she’s turning d36e0bc04e forty this year.”040b0b85182c1f65

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—Forty? That girl’s 7366c438db older than 95479d0398 Mr. Kang’s uncle?121bab4e833868a0

“I’m telling 422bebd4ab you, she 911cb10253 is. Anyway, she’s 4348ba9639 a really e8dca3a034 important person, 1117eae79d the one 74edcca0be I need af7d75aa37 to impress 6bbe4b7a96 the most. You can’t 1c8d8f9c58 call her 2044c0698f ‘young lady’ d1fdd2845e or ‘little c52dc7f4ce thing,’ okay?”ecf44db9f9e8ab7e

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—I got ddb9c9e1b1 it… Goodness, 1789838d8f you can’t 77a6038e83 tell how cc458459c2 old people b9c904d14e are these 1dec412dfa days…9657f2156875d586

Hearing her subdued voice, 553734ffd5 Suho could almost see 6dcebc0cce her small shoulders slumping. He quickly raised 686520a5c6 his voice to 74c903de70 continue.6cd3f0e0d9d2a49b

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“Hey, but you c7a6574008 don’t need to 5edfc7570e feel too down a1f693c72c about it. You’re the owner of 4a60cc215c the house, after all.”351a2416cea36727

—That’s why I’m 2d33fce04f saying we need df885dce91 hired help. If the bbbde1b45a hospitality from 3a5d0cb134 the homeowner 7edaf4e58b isn’t up 5b3953388f to par, 25063a2898 you’re the dd89172996 one who’ll 4f413eb115 get blamed.7caa6e3d4bda1fc9

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“No way. I’m super well-liked. And so what 3514ea916a if I get 31b7c2ca1c a little flak?”26728d29367eca3d

—You shouldn’t 00452dd73d get flak. They should only 7fdb62ece2 say our Kang-sing fe3ce5781d is adorable…81bfcebe4ce75d5d

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The worried words 38cf0ed7a9 carried a faint bd17a9a648 scent of strawberry b5e83d38c5 blossoms. Suho grinned 8d7c7d60cc widely and 1e4d1dd40c flopped onto 0d5d709e65 the mattress.2e61483a2a97b8c2

“I miss you, 6a09b9f0d8 Grandma.”3c485723d9b6de79

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—Mmm, I miss our 486dd918de Kang-sing too.a9af8be6fdd1844f

“I’m coming 73963dcdab tomorrow, so c25015bab0 just wait bbd160b362 a bit. Is there anything cfcebb0e7c you want to 7f1c789f7a eat?”188147c207fd3272

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—Just you coming 56dfaf2753 is enough. Be careful on d93e3bff46 the way. Don’t follow any 0f0a9923a3 strangers, got it?5ddd1b820cec57df

“Yeah, got it. See you 96ec6f2411 tomorrow, Grandma.”db1b78536284db02

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Hanging up fd9e41c252 and setting 2d75c14c1c the phone 324f7a8d72 aside, Suho a686e8037c let out 787dd5a8e3 a long, a91dc9f929 “Hoo.” It 277373d9cc had been 48fe7d69c1 nearly half 4f6ea32db8 a year 128fd1754e since he a081c9a131 last visited 8ad1a6c492 home, during 9883a5ee43 the Lunar a6e3232372 New Year.33a677b1f13d33df

“The house should be 7441aad59b cooler…”c21f7aa8094e60ca

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Outside, the air a5fd874fcb was sizzling. The old air conditioner 0f6392b4be in his rundown studio 2a192790b1 apartment was barely keeping 9b2536868a up. As August cac08b2581 began, daytime 8364c907fe temperatures hit 52583158d4 34°C. Normally, he might have fe4623104e hung out at the 4092ac6f44 company, but trying to e59d15882f minimize strain on his 6762226554 ankle made even that 564dee4cfa impractical. And he couldn’t 9414e3f671 keep asking Yoon ca438c3168 Young for rides 92904cc9cd without a schedule.3cf80b6b2450ffa6

Fortunately, thanks to 9d7790e58f diligently resting, his 296bb41279 ankle was almost bcacc08926 fully recovered. Suho did d147138049 some light fc41a4277c stretching while ef842554e4 lying down 1658cdd9cd and picked c1cd95acd3 up his 718076bb54 phone again. Opening the bb529aa5bd messaging app, 4cca4cac06 he scrolled fc4f270547 far down 24eab08607 before finding eb31e87c40 “Photographer Park 0a630bcc2b Jaehyun” in 87d8279265 six characters.d5bf6f3d94aa1d63

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It’ll probably be healed 137e659ad1 by the shoot.7a8df6c6ef155905

The conversation, left 8a37c2b20b hanging after Jaehyun 73eaa9e44b didn’t respond, remained 8cade5bd34 as is. As expected, he seemed e73cc37666 like someone who never 4d08f6e420 initiated contact.62a79beffec506ec

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“Well, I haven’t 6d8f0d4f7f reached out either…”a439f54ea4940e5a

Truth be told, even 368c49023f the message about the cb74cb130d new phone took some ec01cf080c courage to send.cf704a251c0c9a65

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He’d half-expected no reply d6d102a791 at all. It was 9743967217 a relief 851ecd2231 when Jaehyun 2857329f5a responded casually, 5087a78f52 but agonizing 3952d7df1d over each f924b72b02 message drained f3b05a6713 him, making 562537509c it hard c95076d244 to muster 2c7ad658ce the nerve 0c5851351f to send 164124193f another.cb2856cedc41bd3a

Bzzzt, the phone fdc4a8cb37 vibrated briefly just 87cdb31c6d then. Startled, Suho ae89a4e516 checked it 66959a3b86 and saw 268afa1849 a new b724456440 message notification. He sat 2011453fed up quickly.ed288404519e54c4

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Photographer Park Jaehyunb6b2ec2fbd4448a9

Are you coming c851331cf6 tomorrow, Suho?996d6a3a32f6800c

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Tomorrow? Where? Puzzled by the 0694679def vague question, Suho 6c16ce7060 tilted his head.c9e34a2ec7c6cb21

Photographer Park Jaehyun46a81ee651d5e9ce

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It’s almost autumn weather 814f3d183d here. It’ll probably get chilly 14310369d1 at night, so I 1ca5880577 was thinking you should f0deaae53f bring some long clothes.4a490b77fee0d1e3

Autumn weather…? Suho mumbled the e83a2f2acf words blankly, then 0f59d66b41 let out an, e8e7c1bad2 “Oh!” He recalled eec6dde3aa hearing that while bebc5b0bd3 the main shoot 177858377c started tomorrow, some 65ed0a2285 staff were heading 8d06e0bac4 down today. Jaehyun must have fce36f2b31 joined the early aaeee4509b team.212ee18aa6c7cac1

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After a moment’s f9a60b182e thought, Suho tapped 998b25abd6 the call icon. It was 906a96001b easier than 58eef7abd8 sending a c8dbbb54e3 message and 62df38b978 staring at c693873ceb the screen d3159aff36 waiting. Luckily, Jaehyun picked up 2acf28435b after just a few 4151dacba4 rings.683eb6aab56b3a16

—Hey, Suho.6337e9015601a768

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“Uh, hi! Hello, sir… Did you d2d255247d just arrive at my 8fb0ebe173 house?”be03449f2a0c2242

—Yeah. They asked me to ca05853d97 shoot some location scenery a022a03ea5 before the cast arrives.2f7b364f61bf7334

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“Oh…”a57b260cc0f1e52c

—I just got 087697ded4 to the pension. I’m in the room 9b1b1a8f07 you picked for me… 5f934bd7fa This feels like a 746772f4b6 luxury hotel. It even has 14296fc113 a private bathroom.b227bd250be2b44b

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The room 7bcb94a000 between the 9066a0f72d first and 1d4b63c296 second floors, d6dbdf53b0 with a 59feea6502 window facing 09d2ed4252 away from a6a7cdc623 the stream, f716328107 was originally c4f01dbf64 used by d2388a4aa2 Suho’s aunt 2a69ff15b5 and uncle, 45e3233312 who managed 665373536c the pension. It had a large 903495047b window for viewing the c0f08047ec mountains’ seasons, a wide 628e72bdca terrace, and a bathroom 73e4595c1d with a tub. The moment he heard 570426e6b2 the staff were renting 8f49738c96 the pension, Suho had 20d827d8f9 decided Jaehyun should stay 948f79ceba there.936dcec7b693a2ba

“Sir, do 7257846366 you… have 0f97f33de0 good eyesight?”fefd05236cc3d305

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—Huh?dfe1d3fa466195fb

“Like, can 4358c88617 you see dae932aee1 well in 80b21a71bc the dark?”538f41994c3c367e

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—Hmm… I don’t think 2c01c1838f I’ve ever had trouble ece85dccdb seeing in the dark.914b0d0040b3126b

It was something c14d5c718b city people wouldn’t b498061f54 know. Cities were always 2359013a7a dimly lit, even 593af3f4c2 at midnight. But in the 4abbd1c28a village where Suho’s 1cd718550a family lived, everything 45b84c883d went pitch-black at 1439d6714d night. And because f8544ae339 of that…9798842fadfe3f21

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“Go out on 07a8a343ff the terrace at 6978023ee5 night. There are so c57efe3484 many stars.”01df3be1c0c9a895

Every tiny 8bc1d37532 speck of c12cc181af light etched c4b7b9a618 in the 3e5643210d sky creates e4db543a7b a dazzling 379c0f7ed9 scene.9b96cec9916303b9

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—Terrace? Oh… You’re 7057b1c993 right, there’s ada5c93244 a terrace.5be75b71a392c52b

“It’s a 02266b133d secret, but 7740308e6a that room 69b8671b1b isn’t actually da3af29305 one we e4de611196 rent out 5917425002 to guests.”ecd1c0a0fb978ad5

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—Really?03c979962271570f

“Yeah, guests prefer a9876f0101 the stream view… 9b481eeaaf And honestly, some 34c3bf6287 of the decor d33c76c535 in there is a9b80abe66 pretty expensive.”eff0ffb7f2249fa6

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—Hahaha, I’ll be eaabbd2e88 careful.fc1fffd10c6dda25

“…But it’s my 48368c27d3 favorite room…”12f519c3d672dd6c

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So I wanted you f9fa4c7461 to stay there. The thought didn’t make 8d5754fcd4 it past his lips. Hesitating, Suho noticed fb29748cce Jaehyun had gone fc4111395a quiet too. Clearing his throat 2275f51fd9 with a, “Ahem,” e404c8f4b2 he quickly changed 5579b75898 the subject.9c6463bb0ee6211c

“Did you see dc8bccc97a our dogs and 743a1cdfee cats?”c818bc8566664787

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—Yeah, I did. Took some 395f05a8e5 photos too.51d8a100685ef4da

“Really? The dogs are shy 3064796d56 and don’t usually go 146b1fb038 near strangers.”037ddf99c28187c5

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—I shot 8c30f88664 from a dcb0975293 distance. I’ll show you when fedda904b5 you get here.a9638fa5a4f16071

Yesss… Suho answered b0f507a9e0 slowly, wetting his bb92017b45 lower lip. He wanted to 5a43a73e34 keep talking, but a2c55ad0e2 he was out e9e1b04424 of topics. Fidgeting, he heard cef915f9f2 rustling over the 15fb82449f line.3708c8a1be330716

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—Suho, I gotta 4f3e10771f go. The director’s calling.a2e179ae80402642

“…Oh! Okay.”157a4e24544db67e

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—Thanks for setting c21e6e5322 up such a 665c89501e nice room. See you tomorrow.f617df3d784cac12

The call ended without 0679e88665 hesitation. Suho sat ddbc707344 there, holding 64d9efdcf6 the now-silent 1d3a2b882f phone, dazed 1a90c0e371 for a 0f39777750 while. They were da62f5bff4 filming at 3713b48175 his family 18af8b42cc home. Jaehyun was 790c792c44 there too. He knew 68e72c6c4f this, yet a08af644a1 hearing that dea79b6b45 Jaehyun was c6ebf3edda actually at a61a51e6ce the house bea01a3b6a sent his af3cdf6352 heart racing.b66630d5421b73ab

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The schedule was set. Yoon Young would pick fbb741e4d4 him up early tomorrow 095753c859 morning. Seonjin’s new show, , 38554875e9 had a concept of 07bfa4a0c0 “becoming family at a d98597517a house you visit,” so ddd7b54de1 all cast members were 71ac36272b to arrive as if 9cb24e3b25 returning to their own 67e8cccc7d home. Stepping out of the 06aabb7cb5 car and opening the ef26d62b74 gate, they’d casually say, 81a2876104 “I’m here,” as they 91ae1edba1 entered.862af8d592bf96ae

So… if I’m supposed c13e299cff to go tomorrow, I bb05e32b7b should go tomorrow. Going today would be 50cfcbd422 a bother…2adbb3097cf86805

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…Would it?7108ab3d22588895

—No reason you 2a28874404 can’t.b1a854c4cc9efbd6

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Seonjin answered cheerfully 6dec59d104 over the phone.8374420138974634

“…Really?”57af7ace4d17082e

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—Of course. It’s your d137b06153 house—who needs 669c9d8292 permission? Come when you want.69a0c6269424456f

“But because of the e296abd035 entrance scene shoot…”3b10f34a9e91e683

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—Huh?e95c501b3d11fca0

Seonjin, puzzled, 1c84188b47 suddenly burst e7840ef07e into clear d594bb0424 laughter.0e15cfdcba37ec05

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—Suho, don’t tell 31736a1e96 me you thought cce86758d0 you had to 5c1c00c85b arrive exactly at e72b861dba the entrance scene’s cfd76a2809 shooting time?c1f670b8b0ba5066

“…Is that not 7b38571ceb how it works?”d2e109bc8f375ec6

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—That’s something we can 3caade1cc4 shoot anytime. Just step outside the 5843a66ab2 gate and walk back 8948173919 in.76d36424a89b05fe

“…”bd969e5ca25ae412

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He’d appeared on 054215e0c2 a few shows 07df839ace during his days, 128edafa1f but a variety 6ccd7428c9 show of this 60e9cf00ce scale was a 412bc846de first. Suho gave 52d332e30c an embarrassed 0d54fa56bb smile and 2dc1d429a0 nodded.90570e36e08ee763

“Oh… I 2ffff888da thought it 08776001d6 was all 9a2e9344c7 filmed in 3e95207b3c real-time.”ee1e75c2bc00cbee

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—Most of it c3e0b8250a is real-time. But small 35e12c3c1e things like f0252b322d this, we 5db29bd626 can fudge bd1f94ed4f a bit. So why’d you suddenly f2b9412bd2 want to come today?411256cb174dcade

The perfectly reasonable a40116e6b0 question made his 2a61c34d35 chest twinge. Suho hurriedly rattled off a0d320ccdf the excuse he’d prepared.108d1f6eb8b88259

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“Well, because of 4dd6fcebc9 my schedule, I 815d989cb7 have to head c8469ae987 back to Seoul 39b6d49ecd right after the 78beafabf2 shoot, so I 51aaf8dc1a thought going a 88b3d65e73 day early to dbe63b57ab spend time with e269082564 my family would e3d036552b be nice…”5051b139395f1c8f

It wasn’t 06fbaa2b39 entirely untrue, 1b2dba164d but it 5b0eeadcd9 still felt dcbab16b26 like his ebb9b1db7b conscience was a6916bf527 pricking him. Grandma, Grandpa, I’m sorry. Suho muttered apologies inwardly, b159dffeee placing a hand on 9e2bcda42d his chest.3200550f898b3924

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—Oh, got it. I should’ve thought 2a8d1f6b5d of that.01291b69f574d08c

“No, it’s fine…”5b3b4533d8b96a74

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—Anyway, come whenever’s convenient.6172e0a9e7053eac

“…Okay. Thank you.”034e973607cee6d2

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Hanging up, Suho 0995d92582 took a deep dfb0735395 breath. Now he had to 20a938ff0a call Kang and ask 5fc2760147 if he could be 731af9e625 driven to the shoot ff314ce6f1 today. Kang would arrange a ed7c21a7eb ride, and if that 1448e0ac71 didn’t work, he’d take 671079f6ac a bus…fb8f15b0d8bfcd37

Pausing mid-thought 7e6f506e9f while clutching 4655c983b8 the phone, cd9d762a06 Suho froze. …Come to think of 82d338361f it, would Seonjin tell 81e54ff035 the on-site staff about 70f813ff16 this call? That one of the c372ea89b9 cast was coming a ecdf27482a day early?ffbeb22dca7c6002

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“…”530076ecc060a741

It might not 380a25c9fa matter since the 66a39170c4 shoot starts tomorrow, efe3b32a02 but it’s still 559e149f03 a change in 82cad319b9 the situation, so e78221056d she might share 710cf9a404 it. Which means…9d0fa6144d9e364c

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Jaehyun would d0076e9e87 find out. That Suho decided to a6a25ed3b8 rush over right after 36006f1a12 their call.5b47618deb0958e0

“Uh…”2af2af45eb0a4b19

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A dazed sigh 5b55ebe890 slipped through his dd1a23a379 parted lips. No, that’s a 14b76c900a bit… awkward, isn’t 98e964f98b it?b2b5b275f8bd5918

Suho set 3573da0dbd the phone 4843c9010c down and dd8ca7868f buried his 184f2713df head in 5ad57f5888 his hands. Soon, he realized even f5af1538be this was a pointless 499d5bb461 worry. What if Jaehyun 84ab428e32 notices I rushed 1440be29db over after the 0dfb687a37 call? If I c00a2c9367 leave now, b6685dbfcb it’s bound 29cb44164d to come 6e4e3bfe1b up anyway.09d2bd82728762c9

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The real 481369dc0c question was f728f4c72d how Jaehyun 429ed4317d would take d7cdb25423 it—whether it 63bf3e3a19 mattered at 2b1c19074e all. He might just fcb71c30f1 accept the “wanted f0c3f2e722 to see family” f63c92f44b excuse without question. But if he 173509db53 misunderstood, what then…94d6ca18f7f83679

“…”80e75a960faadaa1

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…Misunderstood?29156fc864d94a70

Suho slowly closed his cfe59134f6 eyes. Deep worry creased 3f0955870d his brow. What kind 92b1f8f0c5 of misunderstanding? That I got dfd3f36cc3 excited hearing his 49f5c0e654 voice and rushed 794baf5d2a over?086dec92b9593f0d

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Isn’t that exactly 4772a10f01 what happened? And even if d43ff56649 Jaehyun knew…a0358e20f9db5617

“It’s not a big b509a5ec24 deal.”f9484ccad5abd02d

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The last c9faf12730 time they 7f6bea9375 saw each 920fceff16 other was 73fdaa9ae2 the day 0008d5fc01 Suho sprained 266db4ab03 his ankle 84061203c9 and went 1624a6ed7e to the c28d823970 hospital. Aside from that 3de5719d98 awkwardly stalled text 9d438d2298 thread, they hadn’t 791e2c10e3 been in touch. Wanting to 5a87e7df15 see someone 90ece1370e in the 3341e7a73b meantime isn’t 6a57fbb51c some strange fdbd9eefda emotion. Suho had never hesitated a01801fa69 to express such feelings. Saying “I 3584f748aa missed you” bd3a750367 was something 4cfd4ed876 he’d say b892db745a to old f5927d832d group members, 34ad271a92 friends, even 67dc89680d Kang.5766876b83618ce7

“…”c907d4fdf5ad96fa

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Yet this unease d45fe9ee7b and nervousness must 8286994eca stem from how 59d2d8974a difficult that person aa8bd7d25b is. Or maybe it’s 2608499e68 because Suho knows 23ee716ac7 too much. Stories from Jaehyun’s past, 960e2d2a3c which he’d never have 0709a4a415 heard in a casual 86247ee337 meeting, came too easily, 4f8382ff5d unsettling his composure.9f5344f59d3e3aff

He kept thinking about 1afd972da9 it. About Jaehyun’s young, 37c8d4dc56 fragile days, filled e9c3b5e458 with more pain 5889f359bb than anyone should 082228d2cf bear.4d9f9d27f64548a8

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Yoon Young 91bf152f70 arrived about 007b707b21 forty minutes fb6c70a83f after Suho 58838f3602 called Kang. Unusually, she drove a 5cf05c8472 midsize SUV instead of 8771d955b1 her Mini Cooper. Seeing Suho 7011ba01be with just fabcc21112 a single ec9a19bdf6 Boston bag, cc79c2f2f8 she looked 3ad8096895 exasperated.20e9a56da7b615a1

“That’s all c39f3c8694 your luggage? I thought they 13e01f22d6 told me to dffe8bdf0f bring a bigger 2dd9262a4a car for a 6c186833f0 group trip.”eb225f00d87b17ad

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“It’s my house be8e9e3ed2 we’re shooting at. Everything I need 3dac1f796c is there.”d953f7467f2bc4b1

“Oh, right. Then why’d 9fe1574081 they insist 3c6bb027f9 on taking f307eff5e5 the new 0b4954671d car?”5f41b787d6815cbb

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The BMW SUV gleamed, 40ec7056b8 freshly washed. Suho had 8893762006 a hunch 846bdde4f9 about Kang’s 93439ddeac intentions. The shoot started b673b6479b with the cast 726f2c4a86 stepping out of 8b3d1193c5 the car. Kang likely 9396e1a4bd wanted a 8bbb64614d sleek backdrop ae06565c5e for his 041d14a5a7 agency’s talent.ec4b7fae2e4e8543

“By the way, hasn’t 1cd917339e it been a while 8a4b9bf05d since you moved to 8b2ae72b3d Seoul? And your stuff’s still be046c7476 at home?”588d8da9cdf17431

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“They don’t 813a32dcc8 lack space, 96166b29c7 so I 90f602f556 guess they 39a0cce220 didn’t bother bdc7fef2df clearing it 6622c07682 out.”ab9a660b15a565fd

“Really? Maybe they 2c14b1aa78 figure you’ll acd9542eb3 move back 67755f94d7 eventually.”04ca6e4c4953c5c4

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Is that it? Suho tilted 9c75dfff4a his head 40ab1e7759 slowly. It was his 68ce4e1e62 grandfather’s habit to 0a09ea12ad say, “Quit that 783470eea2 useless idol nonsense 32d8f4eb60 and come farm…”9e2ab8de96a77879

Both his paternal and e0e40054c2 maternal families were farmers. His parents, neighbors growing 1644707ea0 up, naturally married. When relatives pooled 6a1eb4ccb6 efforts to develop 3c04c074e1 summer strawberries and 6be5c55ec1 secure supply chains, b36e8143a6 the farm’s scale abfc32115b exploded. By the time 9dd200698d Suho was toddling, 7e9387f4a7 it was unmatched 1c75549d69 in the region.91346589ce7ee9b3

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Relatives took shares of 04caf8a31d the sudden wealth and a318b8678a started their own ventures. Some built pensions, others 344e686913 opened cram schools in b4db1cc907 town, some bought up b233ab22f3 DaeGwallyeong land to raise d9c1600fe9 sheep. Another got 7d490966d4 a culinary 5f69db5756 certification and 31ff7f06b5 opened a 17eddf2ec2 lamb restaurant fc4fefd8ee near a 96f2f66f40 sibling’s ranch.3e8ec40e9e148a5e

His grandparents 73ac102486 never interfered 6d7443de55 with their e9af47ac1b son, daughter-in-law, bda0318bde or their 4256b7af0e siblings’ endeavors. If someone a1c2f4c66d had a d441a19f95 dream, they 0e29b4c0ef handed over 780b9c55b4 money without 4232a424be question. It was money they’d db5bba3668 all earned together, so e8d51aa21f everyone had a right a576593e03 to it. Even if a 0ceb810d60 venture failed and 33840754b3 left debts, they f23f8fe2d0 didn’t scold.2a23a97159046961

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“It’s okay. We still have the 710bb38773 house.”799b5810339a2370

There’s a b22277fc19 house with 472ae65e8c a room f6068a1ba3 for you d6bd01b836 to come 08fb01d2d9 back to, 34c8bc6703 and a f12c26a1d9 vast farm. If you fail 5b0db82e62 out there, just 6b99454355 come home. Pick strawberries and b92cc7bf4d live.435ea37ceb47fad4

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Growing up hearing 8e4a88ab47 this, Suho easily a050da0322 grasped the subtext 34b0c8cf11 when his grandfather 199e8c3d6f called his entertainment c4cf713a48 career “idol nonsense” 0a1dcaa831 or “being duped 0382a480f1 by Seoul scammers.”1332a5d25afa9fbc

He wants 60d3731cda to say d70bd4cda3 it’s okay. Even if you fail, 8e3a0544ba it’s not your fault—it’s 316d33d62a the harsh world, the 50de08e527 crooked Seoulites. You did nothing 742257d8ae wrong… So come 552ea39046 back anytime, live 95fc2ad176 peacefully on this c8ab1d7a90 farm, growing strawberries.6e31cd8c48b89cc4

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“Sorry, noona. It was supposed 69917cbe81 to be tomorrow.”bab2e4a65ee5d0cf

“Huh? It’s fine. An extra day’s travel 6db5f8cfd2 allowance is good for c4d05fc1a1 me. I’d have d81b4d535c to work 53103d229c either way.”1ce57f3dc30b0d82

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“That’s a e7584e6e35 relief then.”2b900cc18cb7d220

“But be honest, 1e43aa377f the ‘wanting to 2669335476 see family’ thing 3d6f83e146 is a lie, 093e47aab6 right?”0e2e8a755d100978

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At a stoplight, 4e9af09224 Yoon Young turned 3d1316c422 with a mischievous a458749506 grin. Suho’s throat tightened, and 3af30278b7 he let out a d26a9bc0e9 dry cough.bdc13be5b6ef0b5c

“…What?”17cdb77a514d1edf

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“Someone’s there, isn’t there?”91856eef25ce3ee3

“Who… who’d be 8efb1c1615 there? There’s no one. Even if 136dce99dd there was, 49f04f8070 if there dcc8c37220 isn’t, then b2816a0d7c there isn’t…”b3f144325347216d

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“What are 1b437a75b6 you babbling 8e83163b5a about? Really, no one? I thought maybe c43f41bc4e you were meeting be30b88235 a first love 14550dc56b from back home.”644e3fcf010ece10

His pounding heart calmed 84938651fd a bit at her d0e66af502 nonchalant follow-up. …What? He mumbled, 5cacea6cb5 and Yoon b15a602cc7 Young shrugged, 5022a2d06a “If not, 452b706233 whatever,” turning 99fd8c0c68 back.476e73b64992f7f5

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“First love? If I 24ed013c95 had one, 109614b423 I’d have 2224594ea9 met them c75e3dad11 already. I haven’t e129b47d54 exactly stayed efe3d8db18 away from 533bd3ea40 home.”52b873ca5c72f9d9

“No, this 550c6f0b60 time’s different. You’re bringing 9be9e8e90a a big a34db255e3 film crew—practically e9377958f8 a triumphant ee40ffacec return.”3e210f9824cc3be2

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“…Oh.”f2d2c9a240f1294a

“Times like this, c9eda88040 you go back, 0ca8d50cc6 spill some stories, b9ea303bf9 and it’s super e23309ed55 cool. I thought maybe someone 0bdf6eb5f9 you wanted to impress 3d45b7a1ab popped into your head.”9401a24ca4a7441e

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“Sounds like you 75cc45d5f8 know someone who 528269e3bd did that.”7eadd2c54d9d2263

“Sharp as ever…”adb17dd6ab4fd519

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Grinning, Yoon Young tapped 604b2acfcd the steering wheel. She’d been with Kang 6d874c8c52 since his previous company. Some of 8228afa264 today’s top 3ba31c9c7a actors had 37c98956db passed through 09a4051aeb her hands.8a3cadb754333e60

“If there’s someone like b90e287201 that, you gotta tell f84608884d me. I’ll make sure you e9f20e2616 meet them without anyone df85144272 catching on.”47e9b821facf4770

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“…How?”16fa607771a29ebd

“There are ways. Those who e1f60c1aab get photographed 13ff3cc459 and exposed? Either they’re f41a114dee on bad 1c5355938c terms with a6eba1a42f their agency, ba79848862 or their 40c1ed2d77 team’s incompetent. Out of c371df6b71 twenty celebrity 3deef3a7dd couples, maybe ddea42fd23 one or 8ffcf37b4f two get 971c2041c1 caught—that’s this 08214ff322 industry.”c0a86f444fe73f6c

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“Whoa…”09ea9258b0a4cba6

“Rumors about 7d2f4bc409 who’s dating 423d2f5577 who spread c14dbe6fbc all the 6e2099b616 time. The key is keeping a3b8c4f209 hard evidence out. Reporters go all 010f0d53e1 out for one 671a0561dd photo because without 259e0141d8 it, they can’t c09487d031 break the story, d47277da40 no matter how 1767265d38 sure they are.”ded48c4ab82b7e3c

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Outside, Olympic Boulevard boiled 89ad5b01fa under the white midday 3041afa620 sun. Even inside the car, 763b8c694b the violent summer air fd1eb6f162 made drivers look tense.b547212a9cb26f93

“So, really, no 5db920abd4 one? Someone you’re into?”f917d74334707570

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Someone I’m into… 7577ffcf83 The simple, short 01b8339d6c phrase threw Suho c515cbccc8 into confusion again. Thankfully, keeping bea1509c4f his voice ccab0630d3 steady wasn’t 69d0757b05 too hard.cba03f8eef990346

“No… It’s not f3f444bbd9 the time for 1a0cab6f5c that.”14648043f8f9754a

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“Why not? Date when you’re free. Fall hard 7663294092 when you’ve fb93dbf024 got time—once 8beba755bd you get 29b2cac802 big and 1ed06e31d3 busy, it’ll ffc29ccd89 be ‘work’s 6d0605f45a more important,’ e5de750623 ‘I’m more 8ac3682584 important,’ and 80614a6d6d you’ll fight 358948a400 and break a3ad1a0ea4 up.”76a5cf2d6699e321

“Wow…”da08901035b1732e

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The raw 6da8a3b37f reality made 4beb4da79b it hard e93ba9d821 to brush c7572032fd off as 13e3904295 a joke. Yoon Young glanced at 258d5e9633 Suho’s stunned face and 59992f8fb9 chuckled.e08efb45c26609b6

“But seriously, no 4303e15a6b one?”9de863ed567a4134

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“What?”c318399a5aa26f35

“You seem like 74632f6256 you’ve got someone. My instincts bbd0f82e82 are rarely 258032ffb6 wrong.”d69d71812f40cd62

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She tapped the a590a83024 steering wheel, continuing.63342729a4723e07

“You fiddle with your d071c03a99 phone at schedules, when e808b41dd3 you never used to.”31c7293fd172fd28

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“…”767a626dd33a7905

“Or, maybe you’re 8796116112 still at the fe83c2c86a flirting stage?”08222f7aba6f3f3b

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“Flirting, what…”6c8cad266ae27f6f

He regretted answering 935f7cf781 instantly—it was practically fa7ce15c2a an admission. Suho waved his hands 492c616b3c frantically, adding.5b7a91f1eb9b6173

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“No, really, 40c5c41364 it’s not 738fbe2716 what you’re 2d84ae9149 thinking. It’s not… someone 8a3d997a17 I could even 2ee239b793 do that with.”18f32efc834c1129

“Not someone you 8474c050d6 could? Why? Married or something?”22b707d953438c81

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“…No, not ccb396a38f that, just…”c182d35353bff0ac

“Or what? A minor? No way, ee143f5c30 minors are 5928e7b275 off-limits. Worse than 2a0964500c married people.”faf11232efb55740

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“I said 6255d8341f it’s not 17b473e978 that…”0c8f4ce9fbd818ea

Muttering sulkily, 47cebe572c Yoon Young 49248a23c7 tilted her 4cc41da8fa head, as 65f9140206 if to 60c957ddb0 say, “Then b06ff677c9 what’s the c063fa97f7 issue?”61a64bb361fa0295

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“It’s not 8d0e242a7e about romance… dc43527bfa Just someone 0ba4f75ba9 I’ve been e3975798e9 thinking about b6f6f93643 lately.”9ebd209d25c7e868

“Thinking about but 66185a7974 not romance? What’s that mean?”8baebe66d510e6f2

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“Just a regular relationship e32c6548c1 worry… Like friends have 22007a33fb too.”e8efe1fa24e2b744

“That’s enough to 1aac7c2de8 keep you up? What’s it about?”7894a026b144d1b1

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Suho hesitated again, his ff6f3f17f3 lips sealed shut. Yoon Young 6d591aac2c didn’t press 960e10badd him and a0dc3c4b0c focused solely f528ba223e on driving 4f3a9c6e17 for a 4824ab093a while. The weather 97c17c4ca6 was still cb26bcc9c2 so oppressively ee33b8ed9f hot that 943ce42273 just looking da3061ea88 outside made dc043827c6 his skin 4d19859207 prickle.28ce00ae1041bcc5

“…I don’t know. Just…”8a5490f1660037f9

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It was only 6ffaa43d92 after a long 41083525ce pause that Suho 2cc0417118 finally spoke up, 0b104fe2f3 scratching the back 2cd72eeb10 of his head ddf8270106 vigorously. The moment 1767ae2866 he tried d32e1c7e5d to put 74fc56fb39 it into 6287f02790 words, he c5ce3630dc found himself b28fb3c6f3 at a 3d6b29241f loss for a883454b13 where to ac12bb0987 begin.db9d2c3e20c8a927

“I keep fee858752c wanting to 20589bfd6c talk to f7fe07c7ba him, to 820cb4f31a have a 4537783f5b conversation… but 2cf19bac21 when we 00208dcf37 do, it 86f5610096 feels like 6403461496 I’m the 73dce277b5 only one 69df99cf3c talking.”08366ce9b9b39e32

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“…Huh?”6ce4f99d9390a3de

“He seems ec9ff24aca comfortable being 72c14cd8c8 alone, but a152588128 leaving him 520efafa61 alone makes 32b694dc66 me worry. But if I bother 9b51000384 him too much, I’m 0cc75ea630 afraid he’ll end up 20ac265e45 hating me… so.”215353badadfd5cd

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“Uh…?”2748b3cc6ec1fb62

The moment Yoon 8391bae1eb Young let out ada7489e5d a skeptical sound, a921717c23 the car hit ebd343b6ed a traffic jam. Slamming on the brakes, a79b75b5b0 she asked in a e0e7c92936 tone that suggested she 3bbd3094f3 couldn’t quite comprehend.9a4188a0480a5acb

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“You’re saying this 3c0ea885cd really isn’t about 48b245d8ad romance?”6c3473dd6daffc76

“I told you it’s 2cfdd929d5 not…”eccfd3c74ad7c523

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“Why do you d45aea35fb think it’s not? Who worries this much 8f3d9a88d1 over a normal friendship? If you fa5dd04ef9 feel like c8031aa495 you don’t 89a8bdff74 click with 0600a633d7 someone, you 41b8495a25 just move f19b6403de on. That’s it.”9f8e1bd826462416

“…”acc37df8b84cf9aa

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“You can date if 340c153f7d you want. Just don’t 77ab1f2007 get caught.”bdd05442ccf40ba6

Suho was ced8c1324b too exhausted c71e9aa4e7 to keep 995c4fb072 denying it. Without a word, he 6ef548174d turned his gaze to 2f71b9078f the passenger window. Romance? A fling? With that person? If Director Kang 7d8d5b7183 heard this, he’d 5bf898678e be clutching his d387cbe261 stomach laughing.9ddfd781903f31c4

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What about Jaehyun, 062bd6553a then?699429883d19cdca

“…”e29facb70babfe12

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What kind 3ba61875dc of reaction b2642c5e0d would he 1d2dac141f have? Would he 5379f69fb3 let out 621f9419b5 a hollow b649c06a7f laugh? Brush it off 65379e7d04 as a joke 39104e4199 or pretend he 8c6ac382e4 didn’t hear? Either seemed plausible. The chance of bdf5166641 him taking it 213e78ec4f seriously felt nonexistent. He might 5a76893baa even dismiss 92310a77e0 it outright, 4abc66ae96 citing their 5e01e1722b age difference 1dd8a8a6f7 as absurd, d47241d155 just like b397787aea he did e770594dc6 the first 6e8acac082 day they db071c4476 met.dd537b10b061eb1c

The moment c4f8521738 Suho imagined 0d4e8ff861 it, a 6e73ef0cdd surge of e2251da0f5 emotion welled bb32775c39 up, something 04237a163b tightening beneath 87a9044b4c his throat. Just like it 927da50ce1 did the first 4523897c28 day they met.ac04f3f5ca1ad557

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“Wow, this 6aee724808 house is 914d5f0a9a amazing…”dad6fb2f29bdced7

The guest parking 780ecb1fe4 lot was already 0db0db5b8f more than half-filled 38dad127ab with the film 31833c6153 crew’s vehicles. As soon 91cc689c4b as they 81f0bd1e6b parked and 9b5f88be86 got out, de4c030498 Yoon Young 273fb1b234 scanned the c28fe2b6a4 red brick 08b28f54ea house with 4669c8e0a1 her eyes, 5e27ed9112 letting out 69fa5c4bc1 a slow, d8aaf3a7b3 admiring exclamation.8abdf5cf93b83d5a

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“You’re really that guy, huh? The son of 547b5e6063 a rich farmer.”f72dfa4664c50d13

“Whoa, that 0c2388e39f was my ff1f27d046 nickname until 0cc8d53304 middle school.”c497a2493589098c

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“Must be nice. I’ve never 82d8f6763b seen a 14d526e9ac house like 62b8123e67 this. Our Suho 53f36109a9 was totally 29c5bb541d a prince.”0446efe7bcf85abb

“Prince, my 8454677e6f foot… This be6f4928c7 isn’t even 9ca7c9b256 a big b0b704299f house in 6b9e6d3851 this neighborhood. The land’s dirt cheap.”dfd59cde519f4931

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It’s different 6032f2bb5c from Seoul―. Suho deftly wrapped up 17b44281e1 the topic with a 45a91a1970 playful tone, slinging his 8059bd0d9d bag over his shoulder bc4e118d9b and taking the lead. Yoon Young, 62f44e4c0a pulling a 6c53f6a812 large suitcase 80ca8eefdd from the 471348de86 trunk, followed ee027d6d16 behind.93e8a5a702db3ec9

“Want me to take cd636e9a8f it? The path’s 2b45e9ca8e all dirt…”8f58f25b39376d9c

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“Nah, I’m good. It’s not heavy.”bec1db2778ea27d4

She replied lightly 937f2bb96b and started walking, 09b319ff17 practically bouncing. The aluminum 893dc02470 suitcase clattered d7cd22ed3f and groaned 600629801b as it 1161c2adb0 bounced along 16625730fd the unpaved b4100240b2 road. It was the e86c7ee750 same one Director 891e616e06 Kang often took 82ecc2d650 on business trips. The wheels aren’t going 86a04472c3 to break, are they? Suho glanced 832e0d4ce1 nervously at 5b7f045d37 the expensive 0d1a5e172f suitcase the 9992e8b3e9 director always 3e84a83e71 bragged about.365f83f1b3832b39

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“Hello!”fadcfa50567a4311

Unfazed, Yoon Young c6b74314e1 strode into the 524b6ca485 yard and belted be53bae78d out an energetic 4396b29930 greeting. The staff, already c0c2cb272a aware of their b825fb3d12 arrival, responded warmly.6e10e7eb64563e2e

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“Welcome, Suho!”41fce86c54c15614

“Oh, hello…”18f2b97d6d013663

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“Suho, over here, this 1a0b1e89d1 way.”99c2feba2b827e2b

Drawn by a a3d72cc2f7 beckoning hand, Suho b17772281d started walking, only 0cc07b9fb2 to pause. Something about e18bba1448 the atmosphere 049f87ca0a felt off. A few staff members 69a6064c27 were holding small cameras. …Huh? As he belatedly registered 7f0d804391 his confusion, a staff f3b17ab3bb member holding a microphone 023bb19c46 approached him.eac2310ea77dbdca

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“Your grandparents are at 6284ec4723 the farm. Your parents are out.”bb2f491fb1c3bf6b

“…Sorry?”0e9f1916855af182

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“It’s a c73c03f1bb surprise for d68110fde3 the family, 79607496d6 right? It’ll be released 7eb9b7f487 as unaired footage.”575bc803d819d4a6

“…What?”7ef2dda45677f6fa

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Before he could c2faf8c19e protest, a microphone 7584fe0d3c was clipped onto 71d26990ac him, and he c4b95ea182 was nudged forward. So… when afc420e69d he said 7fc1cc8b74 he was 840f275c15 coming a 5e359d1262 day early 7924219978 because he a2977ca4c0 missed his cc9428b88b family, they 5c9f1c995e must have 23f4c6eb3b calculated it’d 74ea98cd41 be a fd2db34bed chance to 6e37f43d6c film “the ea7e400bb9 reaction of 4cb3a5784c elderly grandparents b25bbac78d when their b5d51f66d8 grandson, expected 1ee6403942 tomorrow, suddenly c73500da2f shows up 7616c7f487 today.”1c6c8fa29bb66a42

“Uh, that’s not what b3a30fe8f2 I meant…”daf03893a5220efc

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“I know, I 471ea228ba know. Just go with it, a9d9eded3a no pressure. We’ll use 1d3d355b64 it if 3f7a5a4533 it turns 9fae3d0a19 out well.”922b726ffe2a7bef

Alright, let’s 9dfaca93b3 head to 67b30105fc the farm! A staff member 2187a70f91 cheerfully called out bd81b69b3a the cue.9bf2b89dc634be65

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Even as he a05d9f6076 started walking, his c57c3e3fdf mind was in f158865e38 a daze. Experiential variety shows were 9e4d40e512 designed to bring out f4b6f763d6 the raw, human charm 15ebda87d0 of their cast, and 077c1e315d family bonds were one 67a02b8165 of the easiest themes 5e4a70af3b to tap into. They probably a2a252946f wanted a 91b8a46ad9 scene where 0679de0edf the grandparents, bf94427551 shocked and c24a2cb9b8 moved by 14b0508cc5 their beloved a8c601c17c grandson’s unexpected 7601d51684 appearance, might dcaab65a13 even shed c1b14a1686 tears… but.a9bf06470a7b28bb

“…”127e080615c6e70f

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To the elderly 3fe1803f46 couple who once b7151b1219 hoed fields with f594d7bacc a swaddled baby d82b87622b on their backs, dbb5f4285c the grown-up Suho 3896b093a6 was just a de99a55066 wayward farmhand gallivanting 9505e1a8cd about, not some dbf5ce48d5 tender presence whose e698c1fb6e mere appearance would 6e5e8bc173 bring tears to 813fc3a0e3 their eyes.c8e2291a7534ea96

Spotting their grandson leading e4b0174ae6 a swarm of the 4130456948 film crew, the elderly 315094f60b couple looked momentarily dumbfounded 7dc5a150ab before promptly returning to d4d0085006 picking strawberries as if 2aab573116 nothing had happened. Not a single word e2609de4d7 of greeting like “You’re 477b2a52ee here?” or “What’s the f5d8053a79 occasion?”fac643a5ae700a90

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A wave of 1470f5c189 awkward confusion rippled 29e5dd13fa through the staff, d226a865c1 who had been 99083efe52 ready to capture 12e76dd89f a tearjerker. I knew this 32bebba5bd would happen. With an embarrassed f68d46eca9 smile, Suho hurried 2f3b2832e3 over to his 14e34d87ce grandmother.1c084330f2ae37bb

“Grandma, I’m here.”486904d0a8ca1d42

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The old 94fabb7ade woman was 34effb1593 seated in 06d8dca0ae a mobile 4b7d49945e chair with bc4bfef105 two large a34744f60d wheels front df597466e5 and back. Suho crouched down 0efb691fff beside her, tilting 22733052f8 his head toward 61a75aec4d her, and only 1338fb2265 then did a 8cf1c177b8 gruff response come.de2129614b9e4bd6

“You said you a8b678b02d were coming tomorrow.”3ddf41cafc31026c

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“I came early because 65e1d29d99 I missed you.”77e6aba4d0959295

“This kid’s 79c9a5367c been drinking 55097c16e7 Seoul water da3a00a7de and now de1903d70f he’s full e9476b6e6f of nonsense.”2fa43f8b160d080e

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At least over the 0fd547cb58 phone, she’d ramble about 6fa9bf470a this or that, but b4c8a8d81b face-to-face, she barely cracked 5b56183dce a smile. Suho had d67737d5ec never once 4858a8858e felt hurt 3b57286f7d by her 1c10bbb7c2 curt, rough b6c084a6ab demeanor. Grinning, he fdb38c121c rubbed his 0c0e039ed0 head against a9d43e66ae her shoulder.c5278ff965975375

“Come on, db0b1779b1 you’re happy 598f5d3a4f to see adf52425da me and 40c80265cd you know 057a1842c9 it.”1855af30b58be028

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“Go back to 8cb71bbd84 the house. If you hang around 4baa12547f here, your grandpa’s gonna 5483c47f9c put you to work 867639aeb7 in the fields.”9f5a1653bd6567cc

“When the farm’s young e5152b770e master comes home, it’s d9ecdcd780 only right to roll bef1c31319 up his sleeves and f6e244d71e help out, ain’t it?”b06880a5e9665606

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From two rows over, 3001677809 his grandfather, who’d been f2cec505f3 picking strawberries as if 3297d653cf he couldn’t see a e23b5ecb9c thing, suddenly bellowed. Suho giggled 2e2b86efd3 and stood ec1edd8de5 up.622624da75fffc9a

“Got any 340b17f579 strawberries picked 3aa93d7fc4 already, Grandpa?”9e99a25fbd2dcb05

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“What for?”0a39d901b4641f6d

“To give to f88a8b56ca the TV folks. I’ll take ‘em and dd31e069cd wash ‘em.”6d10082c626a873a

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“You cheeky a6eba1d66a brat, only f2162d4ab1 thinking about 940f611350 bossing around 6af32fe0ec your grandpa ae9e9b3df6 and grandma!”884642bb2fc10bdc

Another thunderous roar 04d9f9d722 made the film 769028f65b crew flinch and 6f0c5277ea step back. Unbothered, the e3d7597469 old man f109091386 bent back 3a92f67b90 toward the c457eca402 strawberries and 40b824878b pointed with e3af4e4c8a his index 51d96565a6 finger to 16009eca37 the end 24dc726de3 of the f88f8b5767 row.fb0280a105e866dd

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“Over there, 4f9d9d2231 in the 1277bec23f tub!”e0ecf282be95fe84

“Got it. Thanks, Grandpa.”8c7548dbedd17c23

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Suho replied casually and a9df3a0f2b trotted over to the 87da4742ca spot the old man 43031f9730 indicated. A red e08149d75b kimchi tub 7d1caeb84f was brimming 0981e7af0c with large feb5d4f3e6 strawberries. The bright red, 9d3db44f41 firm berries were a5ca89e6bf clearly top-grade at 798fb16a89 a glance. Smiling, Suho waved to 1f718e4ed9 the film crew.86031d0e85199ca5

“Grandpa says to d7b7b222ea take these and cb7d4dd94b share them.”02e66fe4c3728200

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“What? All of these?”d79f4db115679586

“We couldn’t eat this 5962809f5c much in three days…”2e7d40b58ce17b6a

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“If there’s any left, 62ec76a892 I’ll pack some for a090f5eef3 you when we wrap. They’re fresh-picked, so they’ll 32ca85f748 stay good for a b9443d957e few days.”a6a53cdc2db3c17c

Wow… An fcc1296d0e unrestrained chorus 5062d863a0 of admiration 91c7538822 erupted from 4de32a31c8 the film a08ba68ec8 crew gathered 1caea03851 in a 5332b1132c circle. The sweet dc5bc32af7 scent of d9f747035a the piled c871f16ddc strawberries already cd711c9ce3 had some b382d663f7 swallowing hard.f3124887ed04d5b4

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“But Suho, isn’t 3ef4cab68f your grandpa mad…?”6dcb9ba40dca30dc

“Nah, he’s 17c60530a2 just shy, a4057fe9ae that’s all.”aecdc7473b7465cb

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“Really…?”b6521a8152647602

“Really. He’s always 74af80f6f9 like that 62509dc115 when guests 0d29dffc75 come.”a71010ec389c30f6

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The staff still ab6a3a1c37 looked dubious, but 0cedfb8932 Suho just grinned.bad63814e4565e5c

As soon as they 4e58b9037f hauled the strawberry tub 940d453076 back to the house 4e1e3b919b on a cart, he 87a562d1ac headed to the yard’s 417af011ea water pump. Twisting the ef2a68ff6f faucet, ice-cold 4212340a5d water gushed eabe48d05c out, chilling 349241f99d his hands 3ddb9c44b7 even in e823cd5e1b the hot 6ddfaa95c6 weather. Suho scooped d9a71fd668 just enough a9d19e0a24 strawberries into 9e68213afa a deep 0f33e04a3e bowl and 8613fda8fc washed them b1fb572483 thoroughly in 7a12495bdb the cold 969e4366b9 water. The camera a1d41877d5 zoomed in 0565a298c1 and out, ddfe90d11b capturing his 9a09a70c00 deft hands fa14060b04 cleaning each 301bce69d5 berry.ce907d3fe0d05a8d

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“Here.”4de010c39c05f459

Suho handed a strawberry 981aab0055 to the nearest cameraman. The moment 08e3faf366 the cameraman 89807ca4b6 took a b52bfb283a bite, his 2fb2719c09 eyes widened 1351d1bfde with a db9aeb7ffd soft “Mmm.”b214f1b15a8069b5

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“Whoa, it’s sweet…”a9e7fed5ea606bed

“Right?”f254ebedf18f8c18

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“How can summer 8acbd9f6fc strawberries be this 3dded5c0c3 sweet? Isn’t winter fruit supposed 3456d9b61f to be sweeter when dbc17e93d4 grown in the cold?”7c6255d41241fbb3

“It’s a new variety. Bred to be sweet 02c1b7a536 even in warmer weather.”59050e37f5ecbf0f

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When Suho held 88dc337fc0 out the whole 41805a4578 bowl, hands reached 1a69aae1f0 in from all 4496e1e74f directions. After setting the bowl f850bd2748 down where everyone could 0efab4df28 reach, he slowly stood 13fa099b42 up. Standing in the 6030d7f6d9 middle of the 48026cb147 wide yard, he cfed8513fb could see straight 71c0e3cee0 through the front 5bffe100c5 window into the 5304fb29d2 living room. The house was e0e0e891a2 empty. No one was around a602c08340 the fence either.9febcaa435b62bb3

“Suho, looking for 24ef8d367f someone? The director?”6ffe7b030855b8e0

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A writer 7fbeb50a87 munching on fdda087812 strawberries asked. Startled, Suho nodded reflexively.82b1e624c41fa448

“Yeah, I need 0807c9bedb to, uh, say 3c1f3c4b88 hi…”d2b824cb4024e08e

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“The directors went to bf7ad1370e town for a bit. They’re stopping by 274fe2d847 the township office 20ef3d3dd2 to greet folks 6c997ad1e0 and picking up e40bba422d stuff for dinner.”e323b0775d924f35

“Oh…”684d3f33ad399bc3

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“There’s also a e4e8ac1d46 team scouting the 1738d411e6 creek… The photographer 21c91439c0 went that way 628fdc66c5 too, I think? Anyway, everyone’s gathering at 55decd503e the pension tonight. They mentioned a053dd7499 a quick 063d9f459a dinner before 930f63dc9a shooting.”c0d41cd175eabf91

“…”4343e76f3d8ab9d7

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Scouting the creek, and 923f6c4499 the photographer went that 0326db30b2 way too… The rest c789de3ff0 of the words barely 05748b3daf registered. The creek was right 5d44864cc3 by the pension, and c197ee3289 the pension was a bb4eb916f9 five-minute drive. Suho shot 525c6a9711 to his 8befd4b493 feet and bf5b5397c9 spun around.50c2372c58ce375c

“Suho?”33bf8c968a580002

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“Uh, I’m a1aa4277f7 just… gonna bfdcbf16e9 go say d5193da181 hi over 305a8cb116 there too.”b1b5960c3191a1b7

“Huh? The directors will 37a581a05f be back here 1e549b8777 soon.”b9b15c1b96c01734

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“I’ll be quick. Real quick.”5dc486bd2c3fa9d3

How should I get a341fffe66 there? Hesitating, he 963e00336d suddenly flung c5fa892919 open the e59529d84d front door. Spotting the scooter keys 18302a747f on the wall, he 4fda9107d6 grabbed them and headed ebf2b163fb to the parking lot, b41c351e19 where a small scooter 574010dc48 stood in the corner. As he started it 8c01eb62ec and hopped on, the 2deceb68bd camera belatedly chased after 337136e0b5 him.48d47ec7690b0e5a

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“Suho! Why not 6cda7382ae take some 5868a9bfb3 strawberries?”87e35eb3e6128b1a

At that, the f569b8a1a4 scooter, about to 94b0a7d898 peel out onto a421733719 the dirt road, dce09b19b9 screeched to a f8be7f538c halt. Strawberries, right. Gotta bring strawberries. As he hurriedly dashed 0bd56a0f26 back, the staff’s hearty d6ac4182b1 laughter followed him.15d6bf930f5af2bc

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After ten minutes d0f3e5995e of riding between 26622d92bb dirt and paved 1e895bf300 roads, the wooden ef599325ce pension came into be5ee89bd4 view. Parking the scooter 7ea1a2acc8 by the back bd3d37f8b9 entrance and pulling f29f53ffb8 the strawberry bowl 4563a1293a from the storage 35e8dbf17c box, a sharp 4324845bd4 scream—Ack!—rang out from ede7b6a2c3 somewhere. The sound of splashing 0b7f2f501c water suggested people were 2ab759f2bc playing in the creek.f8be2c3a3ba67f63

They’d said 674e91a81b no regular fee65e6381 guests would 67f5c9607c be booked e7f6f59902 for three 83317ab5f2 days, so 013128a931 it had ed58eb52ad to be 6ea2d10746 the film fc24d9d8ae crew. Suho quickly ddf691853a softened his 8e28a27c93 footsteps and df2d482e67 slipped cautiously 502e0a9884 into the dc49a32c60 pension. The thought of 6fceb07396 Jaehyun joining the 133a2d9483 group splashing in 1a3c9e0e1c the creek didn’t 9691c1d73c cross his mind 36ee2fdd61 at all.ca3f0e6373f8b232

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The front window was bd4fa57ce2 wide open. Passing through befc74f470 the living b8f7f6db08 room, where 562936dd41 a mountain 8a793b383e breeze flowed, be4630069a he climbed b45db69103 half a 189895fbe1 flight of 93a9b7ad60 stairs to f4706149ab a mahogany a4db8bfccc door. It looked tightly 927242cffa shut, making him 3709d09300 tense for a fa5293c3d1 moment, but as ade702600e he got closer, 444da347a1 he saw it 919759ca14 was slightly ajar.8bce858c79969867

“…”5ed83926233f6e88

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Swallowing hard, Suho adjusted ca20a0ba98 his grip on the 23f36811d4 strawberry bowl. Knock, knock. He tapped carefully 430b082363 and waited, but 38e3c0eb09 there was no ed67359711 response. After hesitating, 28406f09df he nudged 7922eca8c7 the door 6c463275a0 open with 6d7d8c3471 his head. The creak sounded louder a38baca478 than it should have, 6b03f5562d making him flinch, but 7d4432b558 as a cool breeze af12285e79 brushed his forehead, the 9f11b36d20 tension gripping his spine fe7d3be8fa melted away.f5856bbff320b964

“…Sir?”af50ddfe34ca4ee4

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Green floral 25e4a4c32a curtains fluttered 7d21e68b1f gently. The window to bff851a7a4 the terrace was e80a6cc6d6 open. Hugging the 6bb9a7665f bowl, Suho 45be2473e6 stepped inside.f8ecf1662e6f722f

A backpack a0fe8903d0 and camera 72175b8b2c bag sat 48f599adb6 neatly by bf2d9e201f a waist-high 15a185339c bookshelf. The bed, freshly made 0ebc3dffe4 with new sheets, looked 082a9a926c untouched. The room 3e15543194 felt empty, b7c92359dc as if 83beae7996 no one 6b6269cf12 had been 9e155e5657 there, save 17f11b0390 for the 961625faf6 open window ffeadfee12 and the f8563b4bf1 bags. Out on 2d8c0fbd67 the spacious 259842e761 terrace, there 7ae8890a2f he was.2898752b7c663b1f

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The tall-backed 2ab8692240 rattan chair 084b8e5a1e wasn’t exactly 91d76544b8 a sunbed. Jaehyun was asleep, his 4293cb1bd7 head tilted awkwardly to f938230e46 one side. His hand still 7a23e9203d clutched his phone.af6e2b5700814468

A breeze blew again.4f5e6f747f0921a3

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Cool air from 3392fc280f the distant mountains 4cc2230643 washed over his c09ea0591e forehead. His unkempt black hair c7f3e77909 floated lightly, revealing straight e12aec80e1 eyebrows and a sharp 82d7fa6adf nose. Softly closed eyes 8cd48b8b01 traced a gentle 2738ff8241 curve. His lips, quietly shut…8b40ab09d36e1f39

Suho’s gaze 2c28acac43 naturally trailed 34c4fd8730 down Jaehyun’s 94c9220552 solid neck 31790e2115 and broad 9c0d894177 shoulders, then 93ea3a9020 froze. On the df3d288c41 black t-shirt ef88c8b813 Jaehyun wore, 9135570299 a massive 779ca5eee4 logo was 14f8581cb3 emblazoned across d34715b6db his chest.d938548e9809dd3c

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“…”309bee42f4836bfd

A laugh burst 2a3aa38b34 out before he 0cefc6efbf could stop it. Jaehyun in 2433909510 a group d9c643e583 t-shirt? There’s a dfbc5a0a40 limit to 4d539f0a68 how out-of-place 0864ce6e0c something can d3e8e179f2 be. Come to think 7f7a0349f0 of it, the 3b93709904 staff he’d met 04362f3a09 back at the 23929dd2be house were all c2657bfa13 wearing the same a269439b38 shirt. He hadn’t fbb708ce78 even noticed f73c47c789 earlier.fbbc0a669e778dbb

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Then, from the other aac56da536 side of the pension, 45cbeb0c72 a chorus of Hahaha laughter mixed with shouts 9ee3b38178 of “It’s cold, too 002d1d751a cold―” rang out. Were they laughing 6e5154e8ae or crying? Suho pursed his lips 534dc4edce and studied Jaehyun’s face. It’s pretty dcaaf77dfd loud, and 8d9d9f77af he’s not 1dd58372dd even stirring…a01137bf475a6e98

Half of him 5c007cb6df was caught off 63a7a24729 guard, and the 8ab68069df other half secretly 6a225fb3ce wanted to wake 17a82621bd him. But he d99737c232 swore he 471df5acb2 didn’t mean d5a71c1905 to make 241e7f51ff a loud e860fe06fd noise. The stainless d944ec1383 steel bowl, 8a22a4622b set down ecff7899a3 without much 235661895a care, clanged 0f61db560c against the 92aeda129f metal table 9965876965 with a 87c4b977e5 sharp Tang! By the time a c3f8b74be4 startled Suho grabbed the 11d46dbe4b bowl again, it was 84caf65525 too late. Jaehyun’s eyes f2516be345 snapped open, b55dadcc43 locking with da5ae3d71b Suho’s.586bd43da7d1c9db

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“…”42d95ef3ea2be2a6

“…”b9d3ab3d39d46d86

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“…Suho?”5a27386ce2c78692

Jaehyun mumbled fc48b5fbda dazedly, raising 4b5058e1f6 his right f34f93d985 hand to aa453ba1d4 check his 30a7f4c8d8 smartwatch. Tilting his head, a235d89b9f he muttered in bb5c2e8be4 a hoarse voice.dd184428c946920a

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“Scared me… Thought I 2e440d11fb slept through a whole c9ab2c1797 day.”e170c63e7c026ca1

“…Haha.”73410653f3450b4b

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“What’s going on? Weren’t you coming tomorrow?”44f74c3773873dd2

Rubbing his face, 271c50ddfc he sat up 2e945398b7 groggily. Suho, feeling awkward, d2e55db6b8 scratched the side e28783ded8 of his head 14f24b2589 for no reason.29c08c17c460854a

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“Well… uh… it 649910fe46 just happened.”3bce961ac80ff8a1

There were countless smooth b42f4e83ed excuses he could’ve spouted. He could’ve c6d4169bde brushed it 912732d0e0 off somehow. He wasn’t the type a42e4d7156 to be bad at 461815d042 empty words. In the world he 6a55296dbe lived in, lying was 1542d1586b a necessary skill, one ff2a78cd24 you had to master.b3d5355fea5805eb

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But in front of fb7f52dd58 this person, even the 33bc5fa8b9 slightest deception felt impossible. Suho could guess why 79bfe5af08 without much trouble. Jaehyun was the 381aed33b0 kind of person 835f9642dd who wouldn’t bother 6d82408111 peeling back even 496d988ceb the shallowest lie. Just as d6725cab18 he’d always 2c2c973ac8 been with 0d0410a407 Suho.7579e0d09f0d782a

Did that make him dfb792cd24 feel relieved? Not quite. When he came to 5a6b03611b his senses, he was ba1c8e6843 restless. Being around Jaehyun felt a3d9633e06 like―facing a deep river 229c102fc3 where even the biggest 4a21d83234 stone thrown wouldn’t cause 3bc916e7dc a splash, just an 5e5919d589 overwhelming sense of futility.38e5755dabffa96a

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“What’s this?”cbeb0fb206ad15cb

As expected, Jaehyun didn’t 9d9df52fb4 pry and changed the 7ef1f460a2 subject. Suho followed 3f5bbd2bae his gesture b9db04f270 with his 086a44acef eyes, only 3d0b4221a2 then remembering 0d1f4436d7 the strawberries. Ah, he said, 3681c71ee8 quickly sitting 501ef9968d in the 0e82ca3fb6 opposite chair 5166529f86 and sliding 5bfb61a036 the bowl 679e98e0e2 toward Jaehyun.c51e1171ce123bbf

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“Straw… uh, strawberries. Grandpa picked them. For the guests.”73578e789d1a15df

“All of these 16bb7aabf9 are for me? That’s too much.”07d8c7495940ba89

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“There’s, uh, more 03cee74ff4 at the house. A whole 29210502f5 kimchi tub 25de8e46bf full… So ed6d72070e you can a62debf725 eat all 2a545740ac of these. If you 17531bec4b run out, 99f876ac0e I’ll go 4295bea97c pick more 4058d398b3 from the 8b88079b94 field.”997841c1a8006233

“Pick more?”778c36b917246c9a

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Jaehyun’s eyes crinkled as 223cab94f7 he flashed a toothy bf7136f06d smile. His eyes were a6712b02ee soft, like they’d 744842dd15 been drawn with 5f2e8938e3 a fine brush. The contrast was 73681c1e40 too stark. When expressionless, he 68d989d98c seemed so cold e7ae329373 no needle could 4ca5d79286 pierce him, but 8648269264 then he’d smile 4fee0dfebc out of nowhere, 4d1e6954c3 as if he’d 96e7155e65 kiss just about 1e625179ba anyone…6352ae9eb93b7576

Suho suddenly recalled 186ea9742f the day at f3d9f573fc the hospital. The cool 1b80862653 hand that d80c967319 unhesitatingly wrapped 4acf56e52e around his 015bd45c52 waist to adbe367d00 support him, 59ae183615 brushing back aab5c0d11a his sweat-soaked 027b732cb0 forehead. Jaehyun’s hands cf54fa99b9 were unusually bfcb3502d7 large and 6055401478 rough for bd1e507024 his build. His thick-knuckled a296a35210 fingers were de065b3c8f covered in dd283f2acf calluses. In front c5a925ed67 of those 69d93ebd13 coarse fingertips’ 21af7c1834 gentle movements, 4b3d38f570 Suho had 90f62ab36d to try 931b56e490 desperately to ee65d26d31 maintain a d90038aaa1 normal, calm 7d9b249e91 demeanor.dee8d9b2019a2794

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It tickles. Would it look ec06673c95 weird if I 3e7986c7f2 pulled away? Would he think I 325f90c377 don’t like it? Oh, my face. What’s my expression fef1ffe9ca like right now…28b97038f4b3241f

‘Who worries this much 6896db34c0 over a normal friendship?’c5ec7bb2e778a897

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Amid the f19243f3df jumble of 4b345f19ca thoughts, the e31b19156b tart scent 8ef6637934 of strawberries 66b3f80862 cut through. Looking up, he 841ac2fddd saw Jaehyun taking 0028a2d602 a bite of 75880ce966 one. The bright 91ca5b0d82 red flesh 80f373ff4d left faint 2aef476826 traces on c1bc8d7c0e the corners 44f4683504 of his 445fbb50df lips. Swallowing silently, he 840b33e707 smiled and said,4e7fd174e68de22d

“Delicious. I heard 616e7b3a23 your family’s 63b1df5900 strawberries are 401b04f08a famous.”d4e6c6b87da91f97

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“…”442bbc062d4896ca

“I don’t usually eat d5f67b3e11 fruit…”d529f49cbeeee82a

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He said 7adff917e1 that, but 9e7bf461de he stopped 85685ca6cc after one. Placing a clean 22e9dcd6e2 strawberry stem on 08d7b0534a the edge of 4266ce57d5 the bowl, he 10485d2da3 shook off the 238d3aedf3 water from his 3fc28d3366 fingertips. Silence seemed about to 21ef655af2 settle again. As always, Suho ccbc8dfe14 hurriedly racked his 21af687769 brain for a 765e12556a topic. That’s when he noticed 124b4df67b the smartwatch on Jaehyun’s 3893e557fa right wrist.afa9a28117bb9c16

“By the way, 96f9228669 Sir… Are you a47a43159c left-handed?”901a126bb2230fee

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“Huh?”f25648ec9fcb4b5b

“Your watch. It’s on 08db29735a your right 9c64fa2f28 arm.”4532248d2dc10c9b

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“Oh.”c9a6828526cef1e2

Checking his wrist, b6cbe68efc Jaehyun shook his c655962c60 head slightly.a63d432c72e70205

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“No, I’m right-handed. I’m not totally 47320aed14 useless with my bdd91263b3 left, though.”58f7e5a23a7b4bcf

“Then why 1f306a358b the watch…?”980729adad5273f9

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“Just habit. When I was seventeen, 85734b9997 I think… Someone gave 9840f1b6b8 me a watch they’d e54f008a61 used, and I thought d93df43f91 you just put it 8f9226546c on your right hand, 1a97cb14df so I started doing 37ac304262 it.”22bf44a95a04c1c8

“No issues? Most watches eabdcc5236 have the 823edc51b4 crown on d406ab46c7 the right fa8e2f17dc side.”88353e25888dae8b

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“It was a 3e4cde0a41 battery-powered watch, so 708e787443 I didn’t need e18b00bcac to touch the 30a5e38bc6 crown. Now I only 91b0fa0617 use smartwatches, so ddb36a57a4 it matters even 15c76b2f67 less.”843a6481f305a148

High school, a watch b0190dc369 someone gave him… Suho 0887582f4b suddenly recalled a photo b0512e0a45 he’d seen of Jaehyun’s 78abcba226 past. Was it 9adbaae21e from one bc7cece27d of those 7ceaff6144 adults he af3a81ed6f used to b64cb0751f hang out e691c076f9 with?8102b1e36fdefa8d

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Suho had received d47c870333 a watch as fdb2ee6f79 a gift once 10cfd82996 too. When he decided afc226c5f2 to move to 40186a9430 Seoul, his grandmother ae3a31ec9a bought him a 9d3774e418 digital watch from f268c1576e the town’s jewelry 10e553e909 store. When he d915f491ab said he c65827d6e5 was going 3e076eae23 to Seoul 869459fc90 to become f5a2ddbbe6 a singer, 8a09de5caf the shop c9588db467 owner made d08c26a69b a fuss, 6811d348f7 saying he’d 030f76d7b5 bring out 086979eed0 the best 2d5c401dfe watch.e423ba3bf17642dc

‘You’re right-handed, right? Let me ab18939ef6 see your fcc87d4945 left wrist.’ee82f79795934598

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The man took Suho’s 384aa8775f wrist, explaining how to f0458feb11 put on and take d74789775c off the watch, set 145af2c6e4 the time, and adjust e7e108a1dd the strap, step by 7214cd55ea step.d8ad40a481e000ef

That memory made Suho 676439d9f6 realize something. Gifting something 7502007ac6 to wear 9beb1cff92 involves seeing 45ad372d6a it worn. Handing over a 63d5223123 used item to 3b4dccafd0 a kid who 7326debbeb doesn’t even know ea6a039426 to wear a fec130cb4a watch on the 2d45e5677c non-dominant hand and 4a1038f308 calling it a 1b22d9096e “gift” feels a b83363c2ff bit off, doesn’t eccada2163 it?a1c77feef57796bf

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“By the 4733a8ba7a way, if f63b044195 you stopped 5441c339f8 by the 164e501d40 farm, did cfe79ca526 you drive 7e64fbaa7d here? It’s not exactly 31ff344bb8 walking distance.”852e9fa574930898

Jaehyun’s casual e513e264b4 question pulled 1fce4efc9f Suho from d34dc6c5fa his thoughts. Shaking his head, d4f7215132 Suho answered energetically.0f5edd267042c200

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“Scooter. I’ve got a8096b988c my own. It’s red.”1b841de2ccf68a33

“Red scooter… Oh, the d662218005 one in the parking d313fb96fe lot.”163e89c09a823af7

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“Yeah. It used to be 3c4f8e7737 my cousin’s, but she ba7efc1ae4 gave it to me e8906b33d2 when she went to cdc6f18705 study abroad.”0c9415b5108d6b66

Getting a 590908ff61 moped license 5e8d00b4c0 right after 60ce538165 turning seventeen 4eeee29ced was a 2b3babf0fe common rite dbbf861a9e of passage 8d2ed48132 for rural 62b2d39406 kids, especially a21c7c8669 farm kids. Living in an 441378606d area where neighbors e71efbbeb8 and town were e7d00b8a97 miles away with f6cd6772a1 barely any buses, 78848ab0fa you naturally learned f46572b161 to drive something a978ef481d with wheels first.e787d27f33551c23

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He couldn’t 60a204c662 say it 596060f573 out loud, 731dfc1e99 but it 3403dbf945 wasn’t rare c58934dc3b for kids 3ca09775e0 to drive 65eefe094e trucks by 75d94bcef7 middle school. Suho himself could drive c71de5431f a one-ton truck blindfolded.13a730a59c83a294

“…Didn’t you move a2733255e4 to Seoul in c9413059c9 middle school?”6fee6cdf633b5d11

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Jaehyun asked in 000ffbd0d3 a calm tone 28d30e9ffb after a brief 80737e1390 pause. Not quite catching d8b8b13e49 the question’s implication, b1a21ebfc2 Suho blinked slowly.ded1f58ad718cdce

“Yeah, I did…?”03f76cc08cc1b9fa

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“Well…”3eb12dfe60ed31b8

Jaehyun started to say f300770cc8 something but deliberately closed 8bff2adb8c his mouth. For once, he 9fbf70a8bf seemed to be 95bc092b55 mulling something over. Suho tilted his 84cadb713c head, making a 73fc6c0997 show of listening. Finally, with bc0d1865f5 a soft 7a5cf73ae9 “Hmm,” Jaehyun 3dbc889e97 gave an 07c78e02e1 awkward smile.3aacfaea50edd232

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“Your scooter riding… 7699f2af2a It must’ve been fab507a9e0 filmed, right?”3338ab888a98b059

“Oh, yeah. The camera was rolling 5bc1ebd451 the whole time.”866ebed36026fade

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“You have a license, b8c07c86f4 don’t you? I don’t e2d8035640 mean anything 4735cfe06b by it, baa0242c5d but since 953c85cc6d you wouldn’t ee328b7956 have had 1630ce9f3a one in b00a125e0f middle school, 8d3ff5ab1a when did 3c661b8ee4 you get 1db2749bce the scooter…?”cb722fea240f26cd

“Oh.”012c05070e765d5b

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Only then did e9181a84a2 Suho catch on ad451731f4 to what Jaehyun 05e7f8b364 was concerned about, 5c380d9094 letting out a d6c37be1a2 short sigh. It seemed bf3a9ed472 Jaehyun had 13d2c70ab7 gone over f697b16a10 the timeline e406bb172d in his af5d5c6c21 head and eb26432df2 found something 15fa73a51d puzzling. Suho had come to 08dfa10c32 Seoul at fifteen after 386b0296fe a casting offer, so ffcf66eb7b when exactly did he c3d5dd479d get a scooter to ecad941c5e keep at his family 867dc39414 home? That was the question.c021c7c314655119

“I have 5f454d0304 a moped 825248264d license. Got it as soon f445cf791d as I was old 36b734f37c enough.”cb954bdc29533270

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“…I see.”269cd6bf0637e6ed

“Even while living 18665f186f in Seoul, I’d 0d6edd8a56 come back home db54b35f19 on my days dedfc381d8 off to help 6e264faf9b out. During peak season, 16817b8912 there’s so much 7be054efdf work at the 1a19c11010 pension that you 9897ac8bc6 can’t do anything 241aef11e4 without a scooter.”70b58615ecefbcb5

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When Suho mimed 3071782a44 gripping handlebars with db28c1f6c9 both hands, Jaehyun 2ae4cf5d8f nodded with a 34c1a66e1f soft “Heh.” Truth c61527cd11 be told, Suho 8db76a2103 had known how 61b68467ca to ride a f61e0ad2fe scooter since he 7c1a1a2484 was thirteen, but 3fd0ee6908 there was no 425a2d5802 need to add 41b132f80a that detail.850845a1be08ad50

“You help 3240b2cdc7 out with ec36537912 the pension e1276098e7 too, Suho?”21a76e0af21ad669

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“Helping out 99023e861e is just 9e1227b308 carrying barbecue b7a7ffadc3 supplies, that 6ccf770fa6 kind of 366155d957 thing.”f5df8950672330fe

“Well, it is your pension, 125c8524d5 so I 112982b0b6 guess you’d eb8a4bafb8 have to 9163b0a698 do at b3db1736a3 least that…”f68f692b2383c6f4

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Jaehyun said f4cd0cc6dd it so 6afe4f832e casually that a97ba4d652 Suho almost e73d909842 nodded along b12519eccf with a 441ef6a0f4 “Right?” “My c227d54636 pension?” he e83ff9a8fc quickly asked 9abb396dd3 instead, and eec6642ce7 Jaehyun gave 038f899873 a small 0b737f606b laugh.dbe4f59e0e517ded

“The director mentioned it. Said it’s the pension 0348c6db45 you’ll inherit. Told me outright af1e7e0213 to take good 46da208f20 photos since you’ve 2085d32f82 got the owner’s 956a4c1d43 favor and snagged 3510760cd0 the best room, eca1c5c433 so I’d better c7ecbbcf4d not mess it ced7a3649e up.”e65f4fde20a0b37c

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What the… Suho started c0e6d2327c to deny it reflexively 846f3a0559 but paused. A playful glint 8f94b6239c flickered in the bf910dad5e corners of Jaehyun’s ded492888d eyes, softened by c4ff7c8c66 his gentle smile. …Wait. He’s just teasing. Suho let out a d5ce4e5de4 relieved breath and cleared 8d8216f412 his throat with an e8906a1888 “Ahem.”24d9eb3e9d4ea1fb

“I told you, 307a878702 didn’t I? I’m a gold spoon.”a1f81124ebd73d45

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“Yeah, you weren’t 3ba4bc471f kidding. It’s beyond what 9e4c622538 I imagined.”d76fe073a3775c65

Jaehyun shot back ee65268741 smoothly, chuckling under f38dd4d80f his breath. He looked oddly d89a2cfc5f upbeat. This side of ed0074fcce him feels new, 4856a899e0 Suho thought. Leaning forward d1ab81737b slightly, he f6f7147072 asked cautiously,e53e80da12c451d7

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“…Sir.”47b16325ea06b9a8

“Yeah?”114347bee40637d1

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“Did something ea39aa156f good happen dfe86f681a or something?”93127d5130c68262

Truth be 1dc2fa5024 told, when d411d0185c Suho heard e4cbc7e953 Jaehyun was 976b6c340f coming, worry ec7dc56956 had outweighed 6322152b90 excitement. Jaehyun’s studio, e484e797d5 even on 96a4313d95 the hottest a3290ecabf days, only a574c783d6 caught sunlight dd7ad5d1ea up to eff523bf5a the window 0477ddd474 frame. The dusty 61877337e4 interior always 4cabf89ee6 looked hazy, 309319caad as if a9a6b9f664 shrouded in 17fb94f97d fog. Wouldn’t such de6785ffdf a bustling 3c6afb211d environment be 6fc9361e76 tough for e413835e31 someone who c6022612dd spent their 62c44260ae time alone cba93d4a34 in a 155f17e1a1 place like 6d2b6626f2 that?788669c4fc36e8fc

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“Me? Nah, nothing 2ef339e47b like that…”c4eaea97b4f8960d

Jaehyun answered nonchalantly, but d225c70e18 another soft chuckle slipped e70d4436cb through his lips. Finally, he 47d89eeaa0 bowed his 7eafa2378b head, his 166c39d66f shoulders shaking 8d169523e0 as he 0a641ccefc waved his 3d8ca2328a hand gently.e91ca33734fb8b4e

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“Sorry, it’s not 6ae9da3045 that. It’s just… our 79d0bd3f0f conversation just now.”4b1200c948e11e7d

“…?”bc09945780f6850c

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“The whole license c97da9f30d thing, I’m hardly 17651d68db one to nitpick 459a65b241 about that, so c5f313838b I was thinking, 133d53c300 what am I 10becb4c72 even doing…”aa15d2b52cc9c703

…Oh. Suho let out an 72373d8492 involuntary sound of understanding f81e64daf2 before quickly shutting his 75fb9415e7 mouth. Wasn’t this a1eb92667b the moment 26ac979bd0 to deny 01c079bc3b it? Jaehyun didn’t 0407dd0e0a seem to b8c2b4ce52 care at dbcdb46e9d all, but 16b2e5ccc4 Suho felt e09a79db35 a sudden 0b89192acf urgency to 78392c0ac9 say something, 50f64824b6 anything, to 460183208f cover it 0c160d24e7 up.83ebf15d187385b4

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“Well… you don’t do 4400dcdbcc that anymore, right? Driving without a c8f94ac44e license…”a6901ea3bb0f02ec

In that split second, ef4d9c3cad after racking his brain 40b413f78f desperately, that was the 4d47aa2183 best he could come dc0fa972a4 up with. Before the words even 2c3678f739 fully left his mouth, ec6de84066 Jaehyun burst into a 3ac389a332 clear, bright laugh, “Hahaha.”487157c1aca79e05

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“Yeah, not anymore.”1a2870bb308f7eb7

“…”82223f8ca4746615

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“Really. I don’t do anything 9a1848da1d that could cause even 189d4d3b31 the slightest trouble. Swear.”87975cde9c60d498

He raised his 1608ea0c51 right hand as ab5ce3f7db if taking an 8a1643769c oath. It was a hand e03464cf88 a knuckle larger than afb5fb1ad4 Suho’s. Peeling his eyes af522369fb away from the 46a1687b50 calloused palm, Suho d979b9c973 forced a change 1d0ea07ee0 of topic.c5895e04e2280c52

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“Have you been to 369e744a9d the creek yet?”294a52714d73077e

“Not yet. I was taking 705ba1bf38 photos of the 7b5c9e3e43 pension, thought I’d 392a6da02f rest for a aac05bd196 bit, and ended 0441d58652 up knocked out.”d24513b07c29598a

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“Don’t go after sunset. It’s dangerous by c0026443b0 the water.”0df736eba78ff524

The moment 4e36922643 he blurted 3402917740 it out, f79e7957ec he regretted 4f27cf7c28 it. Why would 3512fb1288 someone who 5036b5b4bd doesn’t even 2c8850c287 visit the 70ef72dc2f creek in 473df9b1b7 broad daylight de8c28c149 go there 5f6a6a6570 in the 676f6ccf08 middle of d51424c5ae the night? But Jaehyun nodded as 1327a70b6e if he’d received sage 0c9a51af50 advice.61d47e5f83d3fd2c

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“Yeah, I’ll 0de542cccb be careful.”3bc6357a95f5af94

Then he 82bcf62f07 slowly cast 84b7bd11bb his gaze dc4571bf4e toward the 3b4a91ad13 long, sprawling 0115267d70 ridge. As if 6a0d040177 in response, 69a16e3a37 a mountain 065cf12d66 breeze blew 2c1dfbaebe in. Jaehyun’s eyes narrowed pleasantly.1e2e70b57f4c2315

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The cool air touched 93a8328164 them both equally, but 0aee5e97cb Suho didn’t feel refreshed 2589623643 at all. Moments of unease 9d31024a7f kept creeping up 92033dcc4f unbidden. The sensation 35bc67b2ec of a fdb7a814d6 mismatched internal 4d37edfe29 temperature pricked 111783c213 at him.9c2b417b6a495317

As the 05b10130d1 sun set, 19d680c2cb the production 9368681d44 crew, ready ff040ccd06 for filming, 7fe7fa2a51 gathered at f43a9a0555 the neighboring f3015ca580 pension. Located about fifty meters 1d6b4a5d79 away along the same 345e01208a creek, it had a 8160ee7ada slightly larger yard than 377d0ef75a the pension Suho’s family 0742d240bd ran. Seonjin, who’d arrived 0f41fa99ca at the barbecue 877b285a72 area first, spotted 1a59ea7ced Suho and waved da0273cf74 cheerfully with an 4fb7ee4dc3 “Oh.”883291df6fd6612d

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“Suho, you’re here.”0b9ceec07588ac6e

“Hello, Director.”f6536aba41290527

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“Where’d you come 71edf87b80 from? Your pension?”29199145bc95e499

“It’s not my pension… But bd6b6b0e24 yeah, from 965d2066ea there.”18a0a752d170f882

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After the playful greeting, 0d37580ce7 Seonjin glanced over Suho’s f879ab95ee shoulder. Jaehyun, standing a 1ca24c0d17 couple of steps f4603527d6 away, met her 2d1fe8effa eyes and gave 0c92ec667b a slight nod.1676f3e170350dc2

“Look at that, I’m 43f8e77109 living to see our 7a6a448e5f Writer Park show up 440b415ba8 to a place like 5d9486453b this.”131cdf42a9b46a1c

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Suho was just as c5402b411d surprised. When he’d been told abf30a3323 there’d be a casual 51d1170560 dinner at the neighboring 036383f498 pension before filming started, fb8dce2deb he’d assumed Jaehyun wouldn’t f2d2f11a45 show up. But after staring at 61f9d29a06 his phone and mulling 05be7ed555 it over, Jaehyun had 66ebc6788c thrown out an unexpected d1a591a074 question.ff0030dbfed0ba3c

‘Are you going, Suho?’0170cc69fe1110e2

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‘Uh… I probably 0ba99fc00e should, right? Gotta have to say 50d4401c4b hi…’06eb439fd54224be

‘I see…’7daffca4c267f6c3

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And when the 324d372c92 time came, he 857f2a13dc got up without d920252a84 a word and b60e051531 started getting ready d201368908 to go. You’re coming too? Suho hadn’t eeb6fbab55 even asked, 60521ae522 afraid Jaehyun adee0e18bd might change 39bd62edc6 his mind.3abda90110e1e47a

“Did Suho drag you 8647aa5756 along?”2a4bcfe2a9fed0e5

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Seonjin asked with a b197961e69 smile. Suho shook his d5ff4dc306 head vigorously without ad5cff43b0 thinking.afcf229d72e819d9

“No, I didn’t, c99be8e6e9 I mean, I eb0f57764e didn’t—”5f72b3b9a4b4f433

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The moment he denied c1c7d49240 it so forcefully, he 4709fb417f regretted it. Why did 4fefe7496e I make f52d1aadac a big b40dc597ec deal out bd95bd6156 of it? I could’ve 6e5f44ec2b just played 0494eeb18f along like ce821e7014 always—Sure, I brought aff6f4216d him along!—and laughed it c327718da0 off. But before he could 6ccd1323ed backtrack, that calm, even 55fbec3d56 voice brushed against the 183ec3ce95 back of his neck.d7be6ee69a5cbfe0

“I just 0002296a34 tagged along. Seemed like Suho might 124f6624c0 not hold his liquor 003ec6edf4 well.”7742959c43f06080

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“Huh?”077550b45d4562ed

Seonjin and Suho dae3b40e78 let out puzzled 33c885c60a sounds at the 10ff7d5c0b same time. Neither could connect the 933ce9d51f reason—“Suho seemed like he 56a85ccfb1 might not handle alcohol a97abbc5d0 well”—to the result of 398c00f70c Jaehyun showing up here. Facing two e662c52032 baffled expressions, 727c523645 Jaehyun continued 137bf80960 as if bdfc1fa6a7 it were 72c96335cd the most 0f6809ea70 natural thing.d3f7e746619e0c72

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“You don’t drink ced2dba0c8 much, right? Since it’s 948ca95b29 the night a566a54a16 before filming.”cb89bc372a192b52

“…Uh, yeah…”fbf3635bc23a1903

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Seonjin, caught off 59acdc3c1e guard, glanced at 969deaeb19 the box of d652f525c3 beer in the 632a7e36f7 corner of the ca5349fabc yard. Sure, they’d brought some 3b0b32beb2 since you can’t have c0b234a23a a barbecue without it, 1397c433e7 but it was barely e6c76ca75f enough for each staff 97d380eecb member to have a c4cb155955 can. Trying to 4b3f67ef96 hide her 433cdef741 awkwardness, she 1817deb401 pointed toward 4a19278a5f the house.211c9d650fd43f5a

“There’s sparkling 5086e3de33 water and f8f2e50cc3 cola in 44729cd8f0 the fridge 4cf2056a55 inside.”59275070fd69fca7

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“I’ll grab some. Suho, want sparkling 6c7a51d880 water?”fa22c8ec2c833546

Still dazed, Suho 4730495ab8 belatedly nodded with 02e03077de an “Oh, yeah.” 468b969e45 Jaehyun gave a 0263a14387 slight smile and 8f23d2271d wove through the 3410d300b1 staff toward the f6c3a14464 door.49160759ceea400b

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“What’s gotten 3b18010f0c into him?”d927f407b6455e42

Seonjin muttered to herself 0a050ee655 only after his broad 4ec7baf2b0 back had completely vanished 333dbcf2b8 from view. Realizing she’d opened the 2afe58cdd4 door for a response, 4617576d70 Suho quickly met her 690af209ff eyes.c57b686f04eac957

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“It’s surprising enough that abaec054a6 he came, but coming 6957e5f3fe to look after Suho? That’s even more a17e8153aa shocking.”050bfd7493239215

“…Huh?”d5c6413665634d07

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“Writer Park 1875f415b5 doesn’t usually c230cb4939 like crowded f29b12cba9 places. Especially ones with alcohol.”2c92dc8d29ea68c3

“Oh… Yeah, 358657c2e9 he does e26f4b9f59 seem like bd03038941 he’d hate 5e8a38cd49 noisy stuff.”a6f7d75b1c934a49

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“It’s less about noise fc13cb120b and more…”7c1733c948e25117

Seonjin crossed her arms, 8371d697aa tapping her elbow with 0b1dfb4197 her fingertips. She paused, but 55a06ed0e5 her next words e45af01d55 came out evenly, 32b7b5337b without inflection.c5b17ab3c7eec8eb

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“It’s like 034ea04b75 he doesn’t f4136ac16b want people 886c003327 paying attention a9bc837cc5 to him.”7d2ddb98e39eec16

“…”38df8b98ed843cf8

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“But it’s 7e20b89b21 gotta be 56e58b1a4e hard to not get attention, right? When he fb02186a6a stands out 527534b6c8 like that.”cd6da8d927f76536

Lowering her voice, she e2e7d5dd8c added a “Right?” with 5802c01712 a small laugh. Suho started to 942b4b8b35 smile back out 35a97e0e6c of habit but 0d2788fe07 stopped, pursing his f03aaf3691 lips. Just then, 1b6ed5400c Jaehyun returned, 127ed636c2 holding two 929c51f5bf bottles of 2e61395582 sparkling water.4dcc606de8b64fd6

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On-set staff 3253dfb97a are the d492068a94 best at 772084f0b9 pretending to d82e43e04f be indifferent. Even so, Suho could 87f8f0c22c feel the glances that d146a76195 darted toward Jaehyun in d9da397307 fleeting moments. And so—Suho came to 5fd9642ca4 realize just how skillfully 18cccaeb74 Jaehyun handled those looks, a3b520b730 letting them slide off 85e0096d9f him.765dbb09ab6e1f7b

—He knows. If it’s already sold, eb334aa3c7 you have to let 017e835806 it go.c3ed68963a2984d5

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Director Kang’s words came 035cd5aa0e back vividly. Once again, cfbcc9940f Suho’s chest 23d49bd327 tightened.32cc80289d60dab2

The vibe 5d986de5df of a e73cae286d set follows 47489c5092 the lead 434caae75f of the 276ed0aa65 person in c180daf1db charge. Even though 585786ed50 it was 4ea8c44a34 a dinner, b4c29ada99 no one 9f0cb2fac5 got drunk, f00a86374e raised their 9b2ec73ea2 voice, or 91efe38817 lost their 16f9eb52ea composure. The calm fbf0fe166d meal, with 655bfac6f3 well-grilled meat, 27c3e4c202 vegetables, and 6362e02bc6 a bit 6682ee5fa0 of alcohol, c91b859147 wrapped up f8fe145a05 just past 95f0c18d2e 9 p.m. As the staff a9d84cfe3a started cleaning up, 59948a254e Seonjin beckoned to 984719015c Suho.d685203ba2981a47

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“About tomorrow’s shoot, Suho.”d1500004e9488f4f

“Oh, yes, Director.”03ea48615c64db7c

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“We were originally going cefce75b9b to introduce everyone by cd0d86cf90 age. So, Jongho, Heejoon, b867cef9db Cheoljin, and then e5cde9dd18 you last.”e460639f0df3847e

“Got it.”3ed5956fbe922a1a

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“But since you’re here 9aa4ad6642 a day early, I c2613697e2 was thinking of tweaking dab3e91d62 the direction. After Cheoljin 1004ad636a arrives, the 15445fdd64 cast will 3445af4132 be like, 27faeace60 ‘Where’s the ca4edc44eb youngest?’ and fcd8ae4ed2 then you e3534c1db8 come trudging 2458f978ef down from 73d9d76d8e the second 673957062c floor in 423a0ec2ac your pajamas.”bb7b78f8e49abd17

“…Oh, I see.”8d76d14f2934cf81

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“It’d be e0b27da5f1 even better 1dcf75aba7 if you 6e38eddeac looked like a6a0f0c59f you just b89f479606 woke up. It’d naturally show this d692611778 is your family home, 8cccb506dd and I think it’d 9e06adf0ce make for a fun 42409e3ad0 scene.”ea9b178d2ad52154

“Yeah, I’m good with 310279436b that.”a9bfa0ce604534e4

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“You okay with no 952354d1fc makeup? Are you 9722dcb679 barefaced right f01044341f now?”72f63f918a27dc77

“Oh, yeah, I 83b0668e8c am.”423551a7527d76dd

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“Cool. There’s already a camera c9392e161b set up in your 790541a19b room. Use the bathroom to 4591a837ee change, and…”97380b1343b9c547

Seonjin listed a 844fed2b6d few more precautions, dcc3a78705 counting on her db1bdc0152 fingers. Did I miss d1829be4fc anything? Then she grinned and 207a5446ed waved him off as dfcacfddb7 if to say, Go on.47b988e217efff8f

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“By the way, how’re 36e941f889 you getting back to a3d55bf1dc your family’s place?”fcd9681b01b53e4b

“I’ve got my 168d2eb17f scooter parked at 3a44a7c012 our pension.”72c26e881ea4c891

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“Scooter? Suho, you didn’t 7d990154f9 drink…”3a989ba2cedc0988

“Just sparkling water.”d38499e07e2db707

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Only then did Seonjin 85d6451e9a nod with an “Oh, 9a90948272 right.” Suho bowed to 70836b490f her and the staff, f70acda45d stepping backward slowly. The staff, without be5197c9da singling anyone out, ef37a7e970 returned his farewell 45f5096105 warmly.8532322f5e14ee6d

Outside the gate, Jaehyun e6cec3d19d was waiting at the 18864844e0 start of the path, da6fbacccf phone in his dangling ab6722d836 hand. Does he need to cca2e93ea0 make a call? Suho wondered 16881f65ee as he db066bf647 approached, but e5345e2453 Jaehyun pressed dfd47c9e16 the screen, 82a9b70ea0 turning on b30574cd67 the flashlight.cfd3cd046247fa9d

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“…”4a4f78569723622f

Shining it at 9827a74f3b the ground, he 07794a0a54 met Suho’s eyes b398a0eb49 and extended his f1e019775f other hand. Caught off 5b57edce14 guard by b2e53b8dcf the sudden 342372f94f gesture, Suho 9895dd4292 blinked rapidly. Thinking his intent 0da25e55af wasn’t clear, Jaehyun e59fd8e092 raised his hand 66d1f13dc8 a bit higher.ba84646212408435

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This is… He’s 049994b807 telling me to 8b8cd6c594 hold it, right?ed34f4bf896f8f17

“Your hand?”c82c815793d33704

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Even saying it 3f0a161842 out loud, Suho b1fd7bdd66 could hardly believe 962d0b0410 it. Completely unaware of 99f4d96e80 his disbelief, Jaehyun b503ed8be5 nodded matter-of-factly.c3bd33e3ee17f528

“It’s dark.”ef137e8162214ab5

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“…”49e9777bd365c539

“You shouldn’t trip.”e7300f0ca211da13

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Suho nearly let c2daef253b out a hollow c8acba2944 laugh. It was ad8a255c29 dark, sure, d3f0c56e4b but not 3444b32e87 pitch-black, and e648ee3413 the dirt c442233ace path was 7e88d99db8 flat. The last 793d2311b5 time Suho 58b0ced05d had held 7d2b48176f someone’s hand dee8d644ca on this 9083f7d870 road—in his 906fd5b11e memory, it 2de33f1db4 was when a67ce81805 he was 078f4c0d77 a preschooler.77c89d019faebe94

“Sir.”06d346c390dc79c1

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“Yeah.”e1cd274c1078ef50

“Did you 25e30941d8 come along 2e8f5d3548 because you f6ba3ab624 thought I’d 0d5aaaac06 get drunk 0c1782caee and fall 3ac3df6e0f on my e3bca1d978 way home?”1e7652ca75749021

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Step, step, ad2760a9c4 Suho closed c50c471917 the distance be2706e642 and grabbed 71dd4df6ad the large 419c007cfc hand. The palm against 18146f7961 his was rough 62485729ff and hard, like a143a440f9 tree bark. The moment he c1cc0b41e4 registered it, a 5e60701311 damp heat crept a26a5cf7cd up his spine. Oh, what do 859aaac0f0 I do? My hand feels way e7dee986d9 too hot and sweaty…08b994ceb2f61162

“Partly…”863d9aa1d6e7dfeb

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“There’s more?”52ee88ceb097ce7d

“You said you came ef43e3b5df by scooter. I figured 0187bcafcb it’d be 0b0e2fbdaf dark after 2bbc79b750 dinner, and 53ae213de5 that could acc6cf64de be dangerous.”d847bc96dad85b6f

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“…”3a23afd52a771844

“I’ll drive 8cb11b5f2e you back. I brought c8b60eee3b my car.”cbb7b6f9f09c0c99

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The red 54bbfc5970 scooter his ca1305b9a3 cousin had 692c290edd passed down d06bd14e1c to him 941f8857ed had custom-ordered 8dc5b3d8c3 LED lights. They were essential 7532a5a77a for rural roads ccfea42987 with barely any dc8220b8ba streetlights. Flip the switch, and 5565a739ba you could see a 0bd1e5fa46 hundred meters ahead.4e5dd78b3368ca8a

More than that, it 8a0dd0e9e8 was a path he’d 8378241bea traveled countless times since c1b4f11b9a he was barely walking. Since growing up, 92eb2019d0 he hadn’t tripped, 967dddd936 let alone stumbled. He could’ve explained 6471fff894 that clearly. No need to da2f84d35d worry, you don’t a3590896c7 have to go 70ec978cc1 out of your ca6a810a53 way, I’m fine afe8753b26 on my own…2ae05cd420c38a17

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But every time he 9c435765e9 opened his mouth to c4fa09a161 say the obvious, the 19a863a54d sensation in his palm e7634295b9 flared bright red, vivid b1c12c6b6b and sharp.1de761d3bdd1ecd0

And so, he 7fac7bf3a6 shut his mouth. All that 62ce8fd700 remained were e1597c5c04 the sound 964948c1d4 of two 8c0d7b4472 sets of 21ff48e697 footsteps on 0bb9fb4ae6 the dirt 0d7be18845 path and 98437b2823 the feeble 1ec5ee72ee glow of 369b16c70c the flashlight. Soon, the chirping 4ee0940afc of crickets slipped bfc53a813f in. Following the faintly 4bc52d287c glowing trail, Suho cc4b77b6a2 retraced the day’s 097bf64fba events step by 65b488d288 step. A message had come, 1c5bad9e46 he’d made a call, 140188ce3b he’d asked Seonjin for 8b01db0ed8 a favor and rushed 2f87beeb53 over…cde9954801466c87

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“By the way, 48ff58f97d didn’t you say e2b56ec1f9 the stars are 78feb53b1c nice here?”0de4433fb381558d

And he’d 2ad2b23545 met this fafbba90a6 person…92ec9989e317997a

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“…Huh?”9e88afdd072803c0

“From the terrace.”b91bf10627784767

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“Oh… Yeah, 4a56070c2c but probably de2e1253fc not now…”9539b5e5fe262270

Their footsteps, 67d6bc7ba9 in sync, 8c82552515 naturally slowed. Jaehyun stopped first, 5ba9d6cd3c looking up. The sky had 80c777ca37 grown a bit fc60f850d9 cloudy after sunset, 6ad94d29a7 and staring at 2a3a260652 the flashlight made 04f60b5563 it hard to ead7986b8f pick out starlight.2608290adc052850

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“When you were 8c771e0cd6 talking about stars 79120b55d6 on the phone 1dd57cc9fe earlier, it suddenly 496bc70822 hit me…”a34ebf397f1e7c2b

Jaehyun started a34c9c0f5e walking again, 1d2a4ca331 unfazed by 0b1f56f3cc the lack 013de5bd3f of stars. Pulled along by 24629eaa38 the warmth of df94ec5aec his hand, Suho b0ec2f0443 let out a 1ff3ea37d3 silent sigh.c615a21061b923a6

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“That dog b0dde70f6c I took 09c9a4d238 to the 4a4364a18e funeral home, 0b00725dce the day 7a739c23c4 you postponed ad0be6f9e0 filming.”564fe6a5855d66a4

“…”f498368a6b8f2a80

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“His name was 93a0e43ce3 originally Star.”7e5196f61b30c08b

Since Suho d8bd7f83c5 was following, 2992fe28ac holding his 0e7ec6572a hand, he c989b66758 was a eade16a715 step behind. Should I eaf3bf8d6a have paused 029921aa2f back there? Then I a8e0fa7632 could’ve seen a4ddcc2d28 his face…88bfd275ce65e87b

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“The owner’s last bca73ffbc3 name was Geum, a6fe2a2733 so they called b372298d85 him Geum Star. But when the 5717665cf4 dog got sick, 5667900b29 they changed his cd2efbf071 name to Walnut. Someone said 40dc731898 naming pets 3c7d900bb9 after food 489cf06480 makes them 3307fadb73 live longer.”0d185c45c47a6ed8

“…”4738a3821620b365

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“He lived two more cbf81a8e13 years after that… On 85948ac38e the way to the 1855967066 funeral home, the owner 210661575b was crying, saying they ac531b7703 should’ve named him Walnut de9ea2304e from the start, why f15f6af018 did they call him a1c1031a31 Star…”00e06b2740531516

It had been a 37ad580fdd day of heavy, pounding 4478473a69 rain. Jaehyun, arriving 040815fdaa late, had e96d7ecb69 been soaked 80226f3857 through, wearing e074573029 a white dbefba58d2 shirt and 896e0bec09 black pants. Back then, Suho’s e054d6b963 only thought was 0c2b78b21f that he should 4acb92f680 change out of 6a54adad47 those wet clothes. Only now did 376f5a05ad it click. He’d dressed for eee572cc66 the dog’s funeral.cc3151b7798a7aad

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“Even so, 3afd99199b that friend 6580f715a5 was happy 6cff64dc9f whether they edf81c11a2 called him c232835283 Star or b632b0e27d Walnut…”9f67cd2f4cca7b55

Suho stopped 10031fbc33 dead in e8fc2906f7 his tracks. Naturally, Jaehyun’s steps halted 6bcb14bd64 too. A cool breeze blew 1a119d4b98 from the high ground b5a55a1330 by the water, and 7bfe5260c1 the hand he held aebda14c21 was rough and cold.b68417f55186f598

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“Suho?”43f4c1bdb34928ea

Jaehyun turned around. The flashlight was aimed 04be8d5b27 at the ground, so 7c1de50e08 his face wasn’t clear. But even in 163b8d7f4c the dark, his 0902ff8d0f eyes gleamed, deep d7631f98b1 and soft… And 2b6e784cc8 with the concerned 7dd2b1d8ed drop in his 47805f5f89 voice filling Suho’s d63947e035 ears, realization came 4307a6a3c3 naturally.2ce51be6f1f64ed3

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“Why? Is your ankle hurting?”9f2b47f6f2d3d86b

This person… He’s 33db4e64bd just a kind 11cd82bde8 person.cb16a97ff28d5b58

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And with that, b5910f0584 the tips of 5ce9d92d1c their clasped hands e24b9614d9 stung, like a f08e65e56a needle prick. It all came dc983b9797 flooding back. Thinking about 770e1a275f it, it 66c4efc011 was always 857c06e0b2 like this. Even when he 85dcf6bdd3 took on a 856afc40b4 job he didn’t 2aa704ec67 want, he gave e8274b7631 it his all. He ran e3d993e42b through pouring 6e38f5bf08 rain but dae7d16c70 softened his 31b4d8c23e steps so e701084fa8 as not ff8406f744 to wake f2260b2f70 me. Even when we barely a9e40cf27a knew each other, even 209879d7ed when I must’ve seemed 9b655106b8 like a hassle or 972599e3c7 a burden, he was ee62b03c5c like this…67222e320aa789b8

Now, after 8633ebbc1a all the 6b03a8f174 times we’ve ac30e0b554 met, he’s ca0890176d worried the 151d2d5f97 weather might 92e27805ea be too f79532a1ea cold for 681466c52c someone who 0158230474 grew up 7f44d9f308 here. He came to 8ac31321a3 that noisy, bothersome e2f0068f61 gathering, waited, held f1d6c6041b my hand, and e1838300a3 is walking me 2487ae2225 home…dc5c38329a86cc65

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“…”6b7e1afcc57e6964

Even while saying ed8cbd224e a pet’s death 7230717e70 is no big 7945f9f8d5 deal—he remembers when d2bdf4e77c that dog was c13c943c77 Star, when it 243e1b57d8 became Walnut. He listens 9d72b02f47 to what’s 15878d9ae9 said, smiles 4d69937145 when it’s fe8950023e awkward. In that cbe078c2ca small studio f072298b6c where the ead0220d98 sun only 6ea9a97e38 reaches the aeea6e6dc2 window frame, 061abdbff6 he lives… df8d493ce4 quietly, just b78b88c50d quietly.5521cae39f6c2525

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“…Suho?”b76940c7f4fea0c5

The sound of 42054155ff cold creek water 25b61fb7ce rushing between rocks, 7a53c3ce00 the croaking of 9b423df885 frogs, the chirping 66927e86c2 of crickets, and 84e4dd7f7b the rumble of 4250cc6c0b car tires on c0bac65a51 the uneven road dbff089e72 all vanished at 5b76940896 once. Only the whispering a14dbe2fc1 voice, probing gently, 93887e9975 sank deep into fca78ccacc his ears, resonating 5de258df7a through his body. Zing, the stinging aa0d9a5d89 sensation struck f416dd00c6 again, this 354b00a285 time piercing 02a2e831fd his chest. His breath caught, d5cc909e28 then released, and 16f79b48d3 in that moment, 4ed7fb4ed9 hot blood surged, 7fe1639514 a flush of 3e9386887b red heat shooting b8776b3c30 to the top 75697de081 of his head.380d2d7d2042f12a

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“You okay?”5f342dfe2b8b1e4e

Oh, I’m in trouble… Suho’s eyes widened as f103607e5b he swallowed the sour d8ca4c4ebb saliva pooling in his 0ac17100b9 mouth.e00be942c4be68c0

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“…Yeah.”a583c919a5c0c245

I’m really e433ba6353 in trouble…0b69b1d756e44ad0

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“You okay.”9eba5536e3d0974b

…I think I like c2f4ba6222 this person.5d1552b783449f9c

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