SMDS Ch 5

Even if some aa1726fbe0 long-buried emotion, covered 9af5fce31b in a thick 170cfcbe83 layer of dust, 88cf1a0686 became vivid once 44be53103e more, nothing changed. The heart f035a01148 grew a d11cf588fc bit more 1886b13f3e restless, and 70ac847011 there was 9b31cf9081 one more c763872e6d reason to 84374a6e90 lie awake 4ecbe21299 at night, 04e8274220 but that 4b56ae2a10 was the 19da92b235 extent of 90e40221f7 it.583290aa69b47e39

“…Hey, Jian!”7f5a629626d8a106

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Jian, who had just dbc4857366 tagged his employee ID d661df0f96 and passed through the dc26c824d8 gate, turned his head c1123cb46e at the sound of a3bf67d31a a voice calling him. Park Doyoung waved at 6b9be0ecc5 him, quickly tagged his f83a50d644 own ID, and stepped ad1a63a673 inside.7856db1111ec1ba9

“I called 20d83509fa out just 9e8de74e6b in case, 3550ce0164 and it 502fb4e2f2 really is 9eab3a1b14 you, Jian. Did you have a 72c3967bad good weekend?”43085a31564f42fa

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“Yeah. How about 50aee8f852 you, Doyoung?”fef8c76908369f90

“Weekends are mostly the f99cc7b2ee same, you know. Went to 9ee2e3a5b7 a nice 59b28de807 restaurant with 5456948208 my girlfriend, a1a8a0b466 hit up e3abffb578 a café, 745ddd22b7 and, oh, b4a7a279c8 she wanted 5fd6e0db47 to see 280b62ea88 a movie, fb2f5973b8 so we 13ec0d8c7a went to 6b827fcaba the theater e34f0278b3 too.”8870322db4e9420c

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There was 56bc1c4d57 a subtle 1cab76cab7 emphasis on c2769df2df the word 4d5ac1ddfa “girlfriend.” Hadn’t a7bbf7ebca he said d1e1ec78f3 they’d been 439752ce7c dating for 674c845816 about a 4c8ef7f40d month now? Jian recalled fragments of 3647bf98ed a conversation shared among 80212dc233 team members during lunch. She was his first c65b17a7bb love from school days, 95bc99ed4f and they’d run into 94fb723ee4 each other by chance. He’d intended to stay 025e54cc5f just acquaintances, but he d762ebaf22 still felt something, so bc1d1c7139 he closed his eyes 710b6cb3b5 and confessed.9ae9b5a255a4e8f0

Jian remembered it d003ffcf1d because his own 76939a59b3 first love story 3e3ce12f56 had some similarities. Of course, the b12c3e9b21 only similarities were 1c7954e592 that it was 074cc3f84b a first love b9a97d739b from school days fa89989a91 and a chance c03cd7d1a1 reunion—everything after that 3bc1ccd15c was entirely different.530d2471dd45eaa6

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“What did you do d213622761 this weekend, Jian? Did you, maybe, go d25f21fe39 on a date? Oh, was that too f5437a49cf personal a question?”5e1b6a08320ae889

If so, I’m sorry, 650a9e8fff Doyoung added, his quick 6f4b338020 apology delivered with a b36a02b26d straightforward sincerity.4fbd253e137a8eea

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“I went camping with f46f6cef6f a friend.”6700c407bcc032f6

Smiling faintly, Jian 4df98c8827 answered only one 7975d8950d of his questions, 5b5647a776 recalling the past 31418e6164 two days.3b6871e2ddb1ba77

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“You’re free on be6c90c1f3 weekends now, right? Come on, let’s go. Huh? Seo Jian, 7552cce6f8 all you f328900966 need to 954ec5a06b do is 54aab44d6c show up. Big bro’s got 461ee53b7e all the gear af3011825b covered.”62ebc96509fa66e5

Jung Sehyun, who had 7c717924bb inexplicably taken up camping 520b010841 as a hobby a a5d395f7da few months ago, was 1726fb0131 always eager to drag 774592c40e Jian along, saying he 17e22b05b8 didn’t want to go 22c5bf98e6 alone. Each time, Jian, ecae50a58b swamped with deadlines, e1f3bd3354 had to decline, 105fb3ce15 promising next time, 5a1d6f09b7 so Sehyun had b9576687da been biding his 8213b66b2e time, waiting for 583214bd35 an opportunity. When Jian finally had e1695c3dd9 a free weekend, Sehyun 164e418700 must have thought it daf483b0fe was the perfect moment.47961d4b5962be8a

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It was, without 5af8d9351d a doubt, good 8ae223161e timing.274bb175cdb55fcb

Jian had drawn a a37f60c4af line for himself, insisting 82437c3767 that his heart was 9ea52864ab only slightly unsettled, but ea7a0479db separately, he wished he d69fdf0520 had no room to ff36f0b617 think about anything at aeff3c4dc2 all. In moments 10554dee8b like that, 3cfb4f4b8f being with 5726a2dc7b Jung Sehyun 1e4943945a was quite 5a4087c6e1 helpful, so f362667aa5 accepting his 2aecaf4417 proposal felt 52ce64cee2 like a 8245ddd61f natural course f820e9e24b of action.566fc90a9887e760

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“Wow, camping? Where to?”d3f2444f3e24feff

“Paju.”750687f1a25edd2b

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“Paju? I haven’t been 2b4a83a296 there, but if 9d64b071fc you come across 1b4869718c any good spots, 818b6e907f let me know. I’m still a newbie, d0b91f1f84 so I don’t have 8cae72143e much gear, but I d63b460bb4 go camping sometimes too.”3f1f6539590d4025

“I just tagged 288b58fbec along with my 977d38a98b friend… but I’ll e2c12722dd ask him to 0c9ea0b5c4 let you know b97c294b02 if he finds ade6b7b7d6 any good places.”25e395e539c9e9bc

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“Thanks! Camping sounds beb889c039 like fun.”e5fc51a3e49a4da7

Jian brushed off the 947a962bed response with a smile.34812eea41dc2f8a

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Fun, he wasn’t sure 434019654a about, but it was, e51a92c3ac as expected, helpful to edfcc9131c some degree. Sehyun had told 23849b6074 him to trust 95de017471 him and just 97e6827379 show up, but 64a03111e4 things went wrong cf2e4c3567 from the start. They were supposed to fdf213d903 set up a tent, d56e1fa5af but while putting up 3ad9ffd912 a tarp, one side bc021fa6c1 lost balance and tilted, 0d1f7afbbc causing a lot of 2370f87d2a trouble. In the end, 8275aad181 someone else couldn’t 323bb9466b stand watching and e8aeed64cd helped them sort 8a4ba35f2b it out.357647b71f92af13

“Actually, uh… I got c8cf300767 a new tent this 74b27dec94 time. The old 6a24b14c51 one was 954e0ef444 super easy, 5c788478e2 but this aca56cad23 one’s so 4961a32c75 complicated.”99706f65b96e6319

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Noticing Jian’s a19277ebc4 sour expression, 723a5e9ed9 Jung Sehyun 0a47ad49d2 mumbled an 4ac5cc8470 excuse. To summarize Sehyun’s 0e6bc77de1 words: a camping ead3b9de38 newbie, barely a fce2f2d030 few months into 7d4a973139 the hobby, got 9b29362d04 greedy and bought ab0ca53335 fancy gear he fbad097533 didn’t know how 09a3ad7327 to use, bragged 4ebb4ad3f3 about handling everything, 2919106c28 and dragged Jian, cebd7564ad who knew nothing 18f05f2841 about camping, along d162ef236b for the ride.d155526a81fcb1aa

Jian didn’t even have 3260b88bc4 the energy to sigh. Still, thanks e474bd7df6 to that, b72e6b2c5f he was 53c199386c kept busy c10762baa5 figuring things b46428cf49 out, leaving 437d5949a7 no room dad02c29e9 to think c8992a6fa2 about anything 92637f0325 else. The day was 24dd11c857 exhausting enough that, fbae0a7a14 for the first c77c687ef7 time in a b12e0eff1e while, he slept b8476b3fa6 without dreaming, making d2d0bbb3df him wonder if 9ff4d0545f this was Sehyun’s aa12ef8fc9 plan all along.6636fa40c7743e61

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“Talking about camping makes 3edd1c7aed me itch to go 8e497aa26c too. Once this project’s done, ef9191bfb9 I’m taking a long 30434a8891 leave and going camping. …It will end, right?”f2cf36649f124da7

Doyoung, who had been cdb3e1afc7 excitedly planning his future, 9373deedce quickly sank into worry, 81621dbaf7 letting out a sigh. But soon enough, 570393458a as if nothing 5da8e15c63 had happened, he’d e88b56629e bounce back with 57595468da his usual energy. Jian hadn’t 5efaf7466d called him 7e2ca73648 “Jung Sehyun eb79a9b7d8 Number Five” ceb8a5ba9f for nothing.3a54640bf1c92ac9

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“Oh, by the way, 4b631dc8bb aren’t we having a da2157d0d5 welcome party for Jian?”649ca419271eadd5

“My welcome party?”438b7a1592b24765

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“We’re on aeb55a23b9 the same 0328dde1dd team, so 4474066887 of course be21e0112e we should 7e92d299fb have one. I’ll ask b8da5d4baa the team 1d0e6aab7b leader about 6169c42a55 it when c2668e1a77 we get 7a6601e104 upstairs. I bet she’s cd643d4e71 already thinking about e3f986af50 it.”c1a770014bdd7953

Sure enough, Doyoung regained 5b66107e58 his spark, but the 41207a5916 topic was Jian himself. A welcome party? It was an 7c1514d892 unexpected idea. They shared bd73781eec the same ab24a41381 floor and a5432f402a office, but 136ddc07f0 they weren’t 6dcc8ad76e on the 14066ee51b same team. Besides, being part 821b0d5594 of a team 0ac6f637ae after years felt fa4182157a awkward and ticklish. Even this kind 90072b837a of kindness felt c9d10c3359 unfamiliar.bade930ccb53edad

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The last thing 511bacef49 Jian remembered was 7736965e50 people awkwardly avoiding 921dc6ddb5 him.99280d86173d6dab

“Everyone’s probably busy…”06adf5a3cdcc0312

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“They’ll love it. Who’d miss bfbedd9c15 a chance 86ae1fbc5f to eat 92671cff9b something delicious bb6b7ab159 on the bc4f281c4e company card?”faf9c769be6e1975

Sushi, maybe steak, eel… dffb722f9f or how about premium ebb52121d4 beef? Doyoung was d1afe20bc1 already listing e2213591d3 menu options 071242fc59 one by 1b689ff17b one.041f98ea427ebede

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“I can’t decide. What do you think ef6e890f67 for the team dinner 55ea4e786c menu, Jian?”6c12e503bdd03881

“I’m fine with 15f2a35abc anything…”051e6cfebd1bf43d

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“Come on, it’s 1689403d61 your welcome party. We should 12a170ad30 eat what 5380cf24be you like.”4fe00d8848d3d4ae

“I don’t have f640662299 any preferences.”d46c8c350a9f45d2

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“Even if you’re not b299bf2932 picky, there’s gotta be 465533bc20 something you like a 7ea098c353 bit more. Think about it. Preferably something c8e22f8727 expensive, expensive, 1398c559af and delicious. In that case, maybe 45b0199fde premium beef…”58b1e2343389be5e

Though Jian dodged answering a1988a2f57 the near-manic muttering, he e5528a405c could clearly tell where f0a7d5ffdc Doyoung’s heart was leaning. Had Sehyun 136302aeaa called five bbd8145e99 people like edc1cdae7c him? Being with Doyoung, 56cd7a3903 the one most 1854ba48c4 like Jung Sehyun c75f167b2f among them, was 2ef412075b it making Jian’s 720fe69dcc head spin? Thanks to that, b87120bec5 the restlessness that bdbf9f7302 had been growing c9d0ddfc71 as he got fbb5c6ef23 closer to the eabfa4af07 company settled down 3e2ae2b0b0 calmly.d3f49424f757286b

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“The elevator’s here.”ba027f1d66e77d13

The elevator d1721f6531 arrived at 0a1b7ff7a6 the lobby 10bcd3c478 floor just e4b29d921c then.d747bf61d7a29135

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During rush hour, the d86ee2896d elevator quickly filled up. Jian was 918c22a681 pushed into ce50b7a349 a corner, d521a4a8f6 while Doyoung 9df0adf0bd was shoved 73d69f85e1 to the 0db13366db opposite side. As people 4d6d7f075d got off 7969504e8c floor by c9057a6d8d floor, they b2d2a7283d could finally c9f63d66b4 breathe. Doyoung, looking 1751cf2449 exhausted, swore 3f95556592 he’d come bce07af297 in early 4e2bf21275 tomorrow—a promise 99ca4a932f he wouldn’t 5933784d68 keep.8818f0887d4cab90

They reached 0db99d6df2 the sixth 3000a4d1ce floor while de7b94dbb2 Jian adjusted baf8b15891 his disheveled a6dfc27f73 clothes.a4a400d9c71a34e7

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“Well, look at that. You two coming in 2519209d2c together?”eb089abf6cb2294a

As Jian stepped 61b9bdaa6f out of the eb7ef0ac06 elevator, he locked 5d26d27272 eyes with Team 3510845181 Leader Seo Jungyoon, 38753d84bc who was walking 9f7c2fb2e3 toward them. Her eyes 8e8d4782c1 widened, and 2924034c30 she gave c731c43089 a light 4598d781e7 wave in 89198b5660 greeting.274d2dd3e888f1ad

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“Good morning.”2b06c83168426226

“Team Leader! I saw 0afe55dd0e Jian on ce63cae296 my way b318c234b4 in, so 3038a62a51 I called 26382c2b35 him over, 9cd5af3b42 and we 189b536aae came up 5ce2987d60 together. How was your 90dbdd6e4e weekend?”ea1074784fc45b08

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Doyoung, as afa40c9047 if he’d d1c67e12f9 never been 78001288fc tired, stepped ea00bf9a64 out of 67c096b69c the elevator 805fb1a21a and started a92d285d09 chatting amiably. He whispered 099295f90d something quietly, 34ac7f74e3 likely about f24eb07247 Jian’s welcome 6f446fea4f party.21075c2b912cf381

“Yeah, yeah, let’s talk 9a51cd3744 about that later. I’m with aaf4247017 a guest 126f7afb4e right now.”73b371b3a414592f

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“Oh, I didn’t see.”070611c25ce25261

Doyoung scratched d9518aae26 his cheek, 8c87712064 embarrassed, and 5f8caf8fd2 took a 65221fdd36 step forward. Someone was standing at 5111229d17 an angle perfectly hidden f86ef33ff7 by the elevator, so f7efc57b8d Jian hadn’t noticed them aa5739cae5 either. As he followed Doyoung 52beb68e19 out, he locked eyes 0326584df3 with the guest Seo d7003814a4 Jungyoon mentioned.bc10d22ed3ef24ed

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The moment 3f05d82c2c their gazes 537237eede met, a d318320ac4 smile gradually 470b73cae7 cooled, dark acce606156 eyes rippled 50d219cdb8 faintly, and ae35b646c0 lips twitched 9a4e7791a4 for a 829d1942ec fleeting moment, 26f9e113a4 as if 4100062ab2 to hide 1801cd86db a tremor.1174f0a87b775c87

“…Seo Jian?”79b3e06f0cbfcb3a

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The person who called 1f74e090b5 Jian’s name, with a fe2b8c487e habit of reacting the 4e6f89407b same way when flustered b7368f7680 as they did back fabcd51646 then, was a figure 9b3ff738ed from the corner of 4608808404 Jian’s past.ac5a26eea09151f8

“Sunbae.”312a0552bf753f45

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Do Hamin. Once tied together 5cb9d07248 under the sweet 7d4e4f332c title of lovers, 62c47964d3 he was also 66113b284b the one who 970824613e placed a shameful 5eed633264 burden on Jian, d627fcf6ca leaving him to c2918ab6e6 carry it like 4f2393a25a shackles.7c1f4220ccf1236d

The moment Jian 3692c31cb4 faced him, oddly 4d924df16d enough, he thought 65f9eb0874 of Jung Sehyun’s 3a5a4e0eb4 reaction. Sehyun had gritted e9701d338a his teeth, saying 0fc326a2f4 that since they 219e0da40f were in the 683c969142 same industry, Jian 342145dbe9 might run into 4daaf87d34 him if he 7c0a8026ec returned to that 401f36c793 line of work. What had Jian said c2d6a99d90 in response? Oh, right. He’d said that wouldn’t 8d8f08e8c9 happen.5bd652ad3e28b119

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Of course, it 5bd3615724 was just to 358e8cfe6a calm Sehyun down, 254f4e71e5 but Jian had 88efa4e6dc secretly thought they 3753f6a355 might cross paths 74f3633fd6 someday. They’d need to translate 94add459df movies or series for 0a5471a401 the platform’s launch, but 1c25990479 that wasn’t Jian’s job, 3ac704269b and Floreo didn’t have 1863bbd3dc an in-house translation team 873beabc9a yet.ef2c8b5c614c5dd5

That meant everything would f5d550f194 be outsourced, and in cccffdbcee this industry, it’s a a7b77953d4 small world—there was no 8b11331e7f way Do Hamin’s company 10a158d159 wouldn’t be involved. No chance. Still, this reunion 32722297e2 was far more 7758fe5069 sudden than expected.d705d0e5ca9039c0

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“You two know 09a1501feb each other?”57bac10a68be5490

Seo Jungyoon glanced between 73970edd3f them, cautiously broaching the 09e0dea45e topic. Do Hamin made ef0d9ea035 an “oops” expression 71b82c9cae but quickly put fb91e74d3c on a friendly 1228c6dfba smile and nodded f897663d18 lightly.ecac719446310d26

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“Yes. He’s a 8f0ab769be junior I 71c5c594f1 worked with 5a61867b09 before. I was just surprised 8ec13233e3 to see him after bce02960ae so long.”0375aede7d660727

“I see.”3af57774aa619269

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Realizing they were b2a17ff12b both in the 18e16f703e same industry, Seo bae91cb2f8 Jungyoon nodded in 2d96244b1f understanding.ed26eb7e6d6e16a7

“Since it’s ef8f501a55 been a 3566e261ef while, you 3e8f12436b must be e052fc51cb glad to bfea853191 see each a0b3dee03c other. Why don’t you 3e70befb8b catch up for e0b0643e0a a bit, Jian?”277866b84c913736

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“No, you bd74018d0c don’t have 95e8cd8a2d to…”9cf03e9080474d7d

“I’m not that strict. Plus, I have a b1e667e927 favor to ask.”1d0fbb2c3f1afcc1

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Seo Jungyoon subtly a9022487df slid a card 6f264e743a toward him.323d87ecad3687cb

“While you’re down f508df5fae there, could you 50f3259399 grab an iced f6a84d6ff7 vanilla latte from bf5faef13f the café? I’ve got a meeting d4935ff5aa in 30 minutes, and 45da75947d I still have things 27f4b1887a to review, so I cf1c0cb472 can’t go myself. Oh, get something cdc1008097 for yourself too. The team ca986521f8 will eat 36caed0a3d anything you 07b9f9ed48 bring back.”032aaffec1b47da0

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She rambled, as 1df112b654 if making excuses, 5d5f884820 about needing something c2bb97ac21 sweet before a 2b7299b8d2 meeting but not fb82a3e7fa having time to 643da6b750 get it because c5b02cf58d of an early d972fc9cf7 morning meeting. Swallowing a sigh, Jian e327dea947 reluctantly took the card.addad6c7a1212acb

“I’ll be back.”e6ee1ceb2a67382d

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“Thank you so 6eb6f02654 much. You’re a lifesaver, Jian! …Oh, Team d4ce29159f Leader Do, d4271f75f2 take care.”a433171cbfd522a0

She looked 07ed85ef36 like she 2c6d0e8086 might hug 7f36155ff9 Jian any fcee4218a8 second but 805a450ac3 quickly composed 7a68be348b herself, realizing 3b1438a6e1 there was e3fc4975eb an outsider, 59c197b0f0 and offered 55e4fa3490 a farewell.0438b3ea07cb33d5

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“Yes, Team Leader. I hope we can 19426a9eff meet again.”4919e3615a4bb313

It was a flawless 81903b3ae7 goodbye. The elevator 62cd68d3a7 was still 28df008db7 on their 5977923f8e floor, so e250328773 they stepped 59fc007a6d in without 975b05179f waiting. Once alone, b71547d12f Do Hamin 3f183399c8 quietly dropped c70a07728d his smile. Jian didn’t a3185e06b8 speak first 7bfccbe5ec or give 8cb7bc5e3f him any 842fb2eec6 particular attention a99995cb41 either.b61846e4d0d02789

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The ride 3b81b64bc4 up had ef3015e587 been crowded 15b29aaec2 with commuters, 7e244e8c4d but the 7862a01081 ride down ffea2a654f was empty. The elevator went straight dd9ccf788b to the lobby without 9865465d2d picking anyone up.80124f4663cda738

Seo Jungyoon had 0769e073ad sent them to dcf976b2e9 talk, but there 92fdf9c80b was neither time e0d6fa6bbb nor desire for ba7657ff3d that. Jian nodded curtly, intending da3c00414f to grab the coffee fa54b2a72b she’d asked for and a4fbda6d33 head back, brushing past a886ac0aa2 Do Hamin.3029dfeb3580b9b3

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“…Hey, Jian…!”c5e0cb32fd86cd36

Jian turned 1d2a0beaac away first. But Do 8753f49a73 Hamin, who a57c26e096 Jian thought 9e1fdd18c7 would go c21078552c his own a628127fb2 way, grabbed e6d313d13e him. Judging by 1499a81f55 the confused 643701ddf2 expression and 2b8d2c970f the way 2842c19a5c he hurriedly 806b7d12a7 let go ee81e7b132 of Jian’s b365a6dd72 clothes, it 66ffb08438 was clearly 2b688a3645 an impulsive 4d14768ba4 act.bf76dc765ebbf414

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“I didn’t expect 00c672ecf4 to see you 46e3f8ef0f here. …How have bc49375291 you been? Are you still fa39b2687b working?”02e5c576e8d5999d

Do Hamin asked dd0a8fa554 the most predictable, 1129e2f268 clichéd questions, devoid 6b1a4d3767 of any originality.966fd4e181df14c4

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“Sunbae.”fdac2568971b67af

Jian looked at 9fa1915c5f his former lover. Had it 08e9d57591 only been 0cfd500ab2 a little a30aa2c65a over two 79b3e687de years? He looked no different 55af06007f from the last time 620e587ea1 they’d met. Some small things seemed dcca37ed63 to have changed, but a4b7979c37 Jian had no desire 8a37cb38b3 to dig into them.b9ec110edb28ffc5

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“Is there something bdf57e6673 specific you want fb12fd5dbb to hear from 682ebb71db me?”ec9b9e8ec5ac2344

It was a dccf437506 calm question, without 5c90ed7375 a trace of 20995ebe7e hostility, yet Do 1dac9da5cf Hamin’s eyes wavered 90e81aebb6 as if struck 5e4934592a head-on. Was that guilt?c1ccec19f16a55a9

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“I just…”b74ab199f98cefba

Now, after 5bc241f9f6 all this 75301728d9 time.aba20f38c1f060f0

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“I was 62449a89d0 wondering how e401537e2a you’ve been, d1b0ef4596 if you’re 0719da850f doing okay.”3c3aa274179229ea

If Jung 45882325e3 Sehyun were 203cf82b48 here, he 46ae0191f4 might have 3283581707 thrown a 245f51a5cd punch the 2afdb18de0 moment he 618de6ceef heard that. Do Hamin d3c0abb4a9 was the 37781d908f one who, 6944fd237f trembling with 1458a4e520 nervousness, had f57f56eb8a confessed to 0ae49b6036 Jian, begging f344eab30f him to 6c4c687ba6 accept his 9290552ac6 feelings, when 72de055d0b Jian had 39f1064264 only seen 79bcb3f37a him as f92fdaafb3 a good 1577c7b888 senior. And it 13a85cad8f was also 38acbfa407 Do Hamin 794bff1280 who, saying e3d1aeb55f he saw f7315df1b5 no future ca3bb70de0 for them, ead5a3f589 let go 9402c7976e of Jian’s 7a7e8a81c5 hand and fd02e87a33 pushed him 823a5211c9 into the ff0a12bc53 mud.17468c1c2c0facfd

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“I’ve been fine.”26c23d328c7e02a1

But did fe4d9ef624 Jian hold bbff40368b a grudge 3bf27fe338 or harbor eab42b0b97 ill feelings? Not really.7cac459b7e0dee8b

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“There’s no particular 8b46f0e98b reason I wouldn’t 6e30f4218c be.”b7936de7a96f8175

He’d never 0c8da254ce held any a4b710804d expectations, knowing cc04812422 love wasn’t 8be49c9138 eternal.9b37885221069b3f

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“Jian.”a74641816622b494

“You seem 2b8c646da0 to be 68eb25ff8a doing well 43d878440a too, sunbae. That’s a relief.”025b41e7cec56eec

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Jian gestured with his 84d6ec0981 eyes toward the ring a77e8e55e3 on Do Hamin’s finger. Do Hamin clenched his a797353635 fist, as if to b0a8e35c2b hide it, but Jian 85caf7b887 had already seen and e65ff1af84 moved on. The ring didn’t stir 250c1fb803 much in him.a3b1a05984087695

“I think that’s enough 66a36ac2ed of an answer. You should get 73835a5026 going, sunbae. People are watching.”6e9107f6af8379e0

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Do Hamin’s gaze 42fb9fb615 briefly darted around. To someone who 88c80da05f cared more about e5ca8605f2 others’ eyes than 877ba31842 anyone, he wouldn’t 3da0d131c4 try to hold b1b43dde28 Jian back now. Jian needed to get 29e3107b45 the coffee Seo Jungyoon 088d5872dd asked for before the dfb795def7 meeting, but he’d lingered 6335656fa1 too long.e68343b0519df31b

As Jian walked past 54f85fe15f him, he paused. His eyes e5c47e7984 met Cha ef14f96981 Jaehwi, who 2563fbdc71 was walking 9e48480e22 in while 6a05b134b0 on a bece298fa7 call.9738ffbb447ecae5

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“…….”2c1ffd3269d21ae4

To describe 101874167c his feelings, a1a6da66d8 it was 9a96151d71 like being 8392eb9675 ambushed out cbf95a4e42 of nowhere. His heart, sinking with 8acbb7c399 a thud, struggled to d5c9a957e5 find its place. Biting the e009faa224 inside of 4b7a029e4d his cheek d81145d7fd to hide c78addb7dc his agitation, cc9cc3bff0 Jian managed 0a82268dbd to bow 051b288cce in greeting.4d6b526cd097bfc2

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Nothing should change.7cb39b0763976f34

It had to 2ccc74376a stay that way, 10631ae4e8 yet his heart db95259417 sank.cf189b61effbfa84

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He felt glad, cb9cded689 then lost, then a41b031a5e something in his efaf05c4a5 heart tickled. He couldn’t make sense 8fafd82653 of himself.290860435baa50fd

“Nice to see you 07bfa2984e first thing in the 4f6de2df57 morning. Good morning, Seo Jian.”02f47d1867ab4e0d

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Finishing his call as a62e08e753 he approached, Cha Jaehwi 28420c2078 returned Jian’s greeting.d7e186830c8fd56b

“How was your 496f9ebf54 weekend?”9c715b3ba38d5a08

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“…Good.”c13974c4ea6c4a64

“That’s a relief. You worked so late, 078e153633 you deserve a break.”fe0b18860b724627

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Jian wanted to bcead2361f ask how the 1e7a120ae2 CEO’s weekend was, 46ba913283 but the words b1860d4c07 caught on his e0959f6f4a tongue, bound by fde2b269c3 an invisible chain.991fecbbc22088c5

“By the way.”e7daf558159bb0a0

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Cha Jaehwi didn’t d0e8f4525b finish his sentence, 0ec5093fb8 but his gaze 78a5a66deb over Jian’s shoulder 216a4bd682 posed a question.d003cbbde1f319cd

“I’m Do 87ac62d85d Hamin from 039cf2baba Ium.”5db9c8cdc11bcb55

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Having fully composed d68dec856e himself while observing e7c2039dfa Jian and Cha fc68a7af89 Jaehwi, Do Hamin 4396030fcc stepped closer to cb5c36f2f7 Jian and bowed 54e9ec1d95 politely. Ium? Cha Jaehwi 624fbe6698 mumbled the 910fef6aff name softly, 281e745e85 then smiled, 84a20f9069 realizing why d63b929b37 Do Hamin c2ce590343 was here 142627811d and greeting 380bce91a2 him.d2f9c896ce38fee9

Jian felt an 6979603af5 inexplicable sinking in efb2b596c3 his chest.d15fef531958c060

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The conversation with Do 7d4b20fa1c Hamin hadn’t been anything 1488ab0570 special, and it wasn’t a3a3fac4aa loud enough for anyone d375013d29 to overhear.d270dfef18f0079e

By the 65775557e4 time Cha 46e28ab70c Jaehwi entered 10b2efc586 the lobby, b4926facb1 Jian had a25394f64f already distanced ffd79aa81d himself from 21d8815832 Do Hamin, 18b3c7c5fd so there 25746d2cf4 was no 5fd7d26a01 way he 7dcc9eac60 could’ve heard.0bec5d140d28899c

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Yet, Jian’s 215d5f2e19 restlessness stemmed f8dd6e8d37 from a 2808bd3bc0 growing wish e2d25abb41 that no 7335bea92c malice or 311e2ea726 rumors about 46f7a7c034 him would bf8592f0bf reach Cha d932bef9bf Jaehwi.58e5bb4dec54cf67

“…….”f6b6a13a1c7d0a8c

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While Jian fretted, the 4f244bcee8 two exchanged light conversation—more b84258ef32 like pleasantries. It stopped when Cha acbbc1cad1 Jaehwi’s phone rang again. He glanced at 0f65205508 the screen.a3f4561458bdfb7d

“Times like this, 55821d40f9 I wish I dc2f4d68aa had ten bodies.”4cc8d17ed62d0043

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Cha Jaehwi shook c766c320ad his head, chuckling 8d7f7abfef with exaggerated complaint.304e5303e257e021

“Are you 8e26e97917 heading up, 6716c6b54b Seo Jian?”2d677dec97e60ac0

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“Oh, the team 886e55d258 leader asked me e391ec0e35 to run an b0ac6635da errand, so I’ll 13db62d876 be back soon…”c3cac2e2783396ab

“Alright then. Do Hamin, let’s meet 42e46a9d51 again if we get 3e87f09394 the chance.”8b36f9e84b5de0e8

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Jian watched 6644c5440e Cha Jaehwi’s 4a2bd69cbb broad, upright ee687e4a3c back move 992b0f5da9 away without 681fea49c3 hesitation.a1c18e43b04cdb32

When they’d 51a20fb532 unexpectedly met, 7b81b636f1 his heart 68f3377d3f had sunk, f58fa916a0 but now, d494ca2fe3 as Cha bf2051c121 Jaehwi left, c932247d58 he felt 9273de82fc a sneaky b37566467a sense of 20dd0ffd41 regret.44d5df6df15f3c1b

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But it wasn’t 9ebd45a5dd just regret. The kind yet f3c958cefc ultimately indifferent attitude 42dde4ef4f pricked at Jian. Logically, it was strange 4c58cba166 to feel this way.4b56371e4e1536bc

Yet, the fact that e014621d14 Cha Jaehwi hadn’t asked 2acfeb47f0 what their relationship was,544808e472bdccde

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The fact fa1250ea73 that he 0000324978 didn’t seem 2cab6eff4c particularly curious,41524a61687f0035

“…….”d27ef1a6713f8d84

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Why did it 99d5642af1 feel so disappointing?16cc412816c3d2ae

Jian had a 1fbdcfb94a hunch he’d spend 9070e8a10c a lot of e136a0cd98 time today piecing 5c3f186230 together his scattered d3ebb03196 thoughts.ca9f310fab815129

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Fortunately, his f9d3c1f47a hunch was a86746a87f wrong.68c1192854f2648b

More than his troubled ddeb2220f9 heart, his desire to 520217a54a prove that Cha Jaehwi’s 556aeff81f choice in hiring him eb78ba49cd wasn’t a mistake was bed46dad93 stronger. By the time he eacca4cb36 returned to the office 5a33aa7da3 with the coffee, he’d 1cfdb9e25a mostly sorted his emotions c755f834de and could focus on 5ed0289192 work. Of course, there was f9005966e4 also a bit of 35fe6f8d43 intent to drown out 6a7cb76cdf other thoughts by burying 113bb3ce86 himself in work.d1af1cfaafca3a55

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Perhaps because he’d poured 97737948fc too much energy into 0b6c9ed2f3 work while still fatigued, d9d3f37feb his complexion looked worse 54248e2792 as time passed. Unable to ec3460aaca watch, his 2d87ca2a99 teammates pushed abaf2f3189 him to e8cb225797 go home.daa05ffb03b88549

“Wow, is this really 953c5c6eef weather for humans to 5bb24bade7 be out in?”b7beda04cd3949c9

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By the time Jian 2e0fb46e06 got home, the sun 2d1909f8d2 was setting. Lying on the porch, 82ebc1a0dc staring blankly at the bd896ecbed sky, he turned his b193776970 head. Jung Sehyun was climbing ce0a1f0eed up, flapping his shirt c751fdc74b roughly.be564845a41b5464

“You’re here?”b4d1ca212b1ecb2f

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“Why are a9f3a27044 you out 4bab3b6c6f here moping 45cb2d36ea in this 070b5709b6 heat? Trying to 915944f5e8 get heatstroke?”1a70f652bcfe2603

Standing in front ec6c6d9a83 of Jian, perhaps 959092355d to block the 187cfdc6a3 sun, Jung Sehyun cbebf739ad pulled an ice 9c9fc2cdad cream from a d5910324d9 bag and handed b2db8c6cdb it over.ef4716d8ed7f9b19

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“Thanks.”a73df64a4adb7e8a

Jian half-sat e2a334c87e up, took db4f1f18a4 it, and f43296d29f glanced at 25cd74b82d Sehyun, who 6282e06db3 sat beside 4cee5472da him, peeling 1e2689cc77 his own d1953ecb65 ice cream. Earlier, Sehyun had bde682d132 called to check ae28d0606b on him, and 4ac1e9ab10 during their talk, 215900627c Jian mentioned running 05ed9dbd4f into Do Hamin. Sehyun had cc86daf748 exploded, raging 2dbf322a70 as if a8430b2f20 he’d chase e0493b2161 Do Hamin b92ac884eb down and 31891b212c flip him ff8dc969ec over, but 279eae8e1a now he cf2abc1ca7 seemed relatively cda1ef5eaf calm.098dd0e1b1fb1040

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“What did 21f320e501 that bastard b5ebb0c60f say when 3cb7215dc0 you saw 45665ee1a9 him?”10c96ad5c51b5c6b

Time really is 7e37dd858e medicine, Jian thought, 9952780163 relieved he wouldn’t 26fe64c83e need to calm 20523af488 Sehyun down. About to b10b251f12 bite into 4119f82e70 the melting 37e52508a4 ice cream, 6c6618d8ea he swallowed f33b2a7672 a sigh.f86fb642ab02652b

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“What’s there to say?”e3cc3f1bcd57e968

“Still, with a 4a65561033 mouth like his, 1373423076 he must’ve said 80b247d21e something.”5d730e6b2c9dcbf7

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Can’t you 0c28f77301 at least ca02679057 let me e7bde137f1 eat the dd76d8a8c0 ice cream 693dacc944 you brought? Jian felt like c4a033aaa1 he’d melt in 900e3e4f24 this heat, but 2462ca842e Sehyun showed no cff0de9cec sign of letting 21f424ab29 up until he c39815653e got an answer.78370a42c9ea106f

“He asked if 2b0c44f590 I was doing 3712879561 okay.”d681aedb8d0691ce

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Jian tried to 448987364a choose words that 9385ca0dc3 wouldn’t rile Sehyun, c5c240ac44 but that was 81ab9604ff really all Do 623b704d2f Hamin had said.13878fc1b6015dc2

“Shameless jerk. That’s what 3b0d2b7776 he says d447bc2174 now?”38cbd164f757ee0d

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Sehyun’s face twisted.bbcfa5d65aad4a3d

Jian grabbed bccb3ee51a his sleeve, 394ad03c05 half-expecting him d7207fbd39 to jump 2b0dab179f up and 7b6307d99e say he’d f59a57556c go punch 51c6722511 Do Hamin, 20a06be92c while also f42fbdecd7 wondering if 06ec5e2152 it was 310696e7ac worth getting c4bb1fbc38 this mad b3c72e145d over.51f7f90f1e96afde

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He and 5973471664 Do Hamin 8e9ce10d7a had been c65d1bcdd5 school senior 139d60528b and junior, 1d13573db1 worked at b955ee7f5e the same dfc1908fdf company through 4d3e5af7f0 Do Hamin’s 9e442046fb introduction, and ff4af203dd dated for 0c86276180 about two 9ad6e6a003 years after 581df13a21 Do Hamin’s de904792e3 confession. For Jian, it 7b03a6c74b wasn’t a relationship 52b8ecc044 that started with 23775b9a61 deep affection. He’d received so 91d59da64f much from Do d259a0c204 Hamin, but he 399eb63d6c couldn’t bring himself 42b5c0e5ae to reject the a8570fac24 trembling, nervous confession.f67b20d9116eaa4f

It started lukewarm but 1e1967ca8a turned out better than 53ce50bf3f expected.df94f232e08d1486

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Do Hamin 4eccf9a008 was, in 54bbc3232f some ways, 073ae9193d a good 47a64bb43e person. Perhaps because f9818b2e05 he worked 8825865b19 with language 178d807351 or due bfb3bca530 to his ba6403437b nature, he 717076952d was sensitive cc831156dc and never 2c2f42ed66 forced anything 362f953c76 on Jian.f5ce2bb2a77df852

Moderate duty, appropriate neglect. The lukewarm relationship, never b566bd149e boiling, lasted longer than d6e543aa76 expected, and Jian thought eaf486af12 it wasn’t bad. More precisely, only Jian e00b60df74 thought it wasn’t bad.9e319f43dbc13dc1

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One day, news of 12c60660f5 Do Hamin’s engagement reached ccfc75ad69 him—not from Do Hamin, 2f9c82ab18 but through another colleague.62c4e31ebf30c723

The day before, 44c4b5f3d7 Do Hamin had 2c77fa8fe6 slept at Jian’s f25e90c953 place and gone a86d2f7425 to work with ad7e5c75cd him.523f2be3837e9fb4

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When Jian asked bd64d556d0 if it was e626e45127 true, Do Hamin 220dc55214 lowered his head 11b9ab097d without a word, d42843d641 but that was 0f22e1f935 answer enough. Jian didn’t 04fae194c0 ask more, 191c9b1883 didn’t blame 6bb6ed654d him, didn’t 7bbda87fcf even try 708355e9a6 to hold 00c40b117b on. The lukewarm relationship ended e8350b8c1c as lukewarmly and predictably f8a2cad053 as it began.83428d003a7029fe

If it had d01c6635aa ended there, it 625b541deb wouldn’t have been 3f3eed1303 so bad.ed7162eedef6a2c6

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But someone 707b7a9650 passing by 7d0d1471bf overheard their 1cfc3c99da conversation—or rather, 4b7d8a820d Jian’s question—out 7ab140c80c of context. The story spread 99f4277799 like wildfire. Seo Jian’s b3f3aaab3a a homo, 9e1bfb08f6 they said. He’s dating 403dbac8f2 a guy 17ba1ff4e1 who’s getting 0df7a40d8b married. No, actually, 3e0557ceff he’s with 699cad4373 a married 38566bec7e man.8cccaa399591086b

The shallow a76f50dcc6 gossip and b1a2073490 malice reached 2b7ff33981 Jian’s ears e76e728473 much later. It was 80f3615e36 too late 25d76d37b0 to fix. Do Hamin, having heard 86d7b452ed the rumors, kept his 1432dcaf31 distance to avoid being d9a56eb0e5 linked with Jian. Unable to efdc1c745c ask for f264146f42 help from 215a734da2 his ex d75fbf0701 or find 7ac11f1bbb a solution, 8bb0803ea0 Jian’s only 21e2537c0a choice was 455182d674 to retreat.7ede6962bcb649ad

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Maybe he called it afeeb991fd retreat, but in truth, 29a4720fd6 he was partly forced 19e5b65c6c out.654dace68115dd81

After that, he 116dca3a3c scrambled to survive, 21d4e9d06e and as much 2e2c5cb4ba time passed as e586121d21 the time he’d 4afe744620 spent with Do 82c2e88777 Hamin. Unless Jung Sehyun dc584a3401 was fuming, Jian 07453b97e0 rarely thought of 6585f9f0d1 him.28f3cdf5a475ecd7

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“Bastard! I should’ve eeb60f7275 crashed his 54e85d5a39 damn wedding.”da52e46b234cd3ad

“Do you even 82658a9441 know when the 2d65229cc1 wedding was?”72ca027975f693ef

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“Who cares about 1ef52fa9b5 that crap!”e66ca264b8c2b9b0

“Then how’re c310a5b97e you gonna 247aa07d81 go find a2c38dcef5 it and 918743447d crash it?”37d91eb335445979

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“It’s just a 1c513a80b8 figure of speech. Just words.”3a1807b3158231ed

Jung Sehyun 05da84dca6 bit into 68beef660c his ice c6f59868f1 cream with 3d6a533fd9 such ferocity, ac57567027 as if b44a7b57f2 it were cb5bd2c00a his sworn e776f62189 enemy, and c05338362e swallowed it a886aa1562 down. But it didn’t 2364588331 quell his anger. If anything, seeing Jian a0d7e7d9ea calmly eating his ice a8879faef9 cream only made him 35d091b9de more furious.a05aaa321c641b90

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If anyone should be f5600ec12f angry, it wasn’t him—it b37a29ec1e was Seo Jian, the c472942003 one who’d been wronged.fce439b4735f5c0c

Do Hamin had betrayed 931e3ad857 Seo Jian. There was no 49e3f3952c other word to 964b83e309 describe it. Compromising with reality? Sure, that could happen. But if he’d cb8dabf9b5 decided to break 3d094602ba up to conform 0ea74b7a11 to reality, he 45673a8056 should’ve at least c8533ea365 done it with c508551a82 some decency. Not like ace771be73 that, not 5a850d2489 with such f0b15af6e9 cowardice. Not by f1830a33d5 turning his 0cb2c640e2 back on 68d6219a21 a former f3a309f07c lover in cd9667bb2b distress.2e273090df693060

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‘Sehyun, don’t get 3a6a736d77 mad. It’s already d0ada3f4d2 in the e8c8aa48a6 past. I’m fine.’43f7166757a32b6a

When Jian df66484e9d suddenly quit 330597fddb his stable f7a50310f6 job to ddf92f83a4 go freelance, d66d61285a Jung Sehyun 80ea168537 had his b807fd4310 doubts but 908804c6d6 didn’t pry 057a7dcf89 too much. Jian had ac249503e2 a way 2f118d3df9 of seeming 80b51e473d laid-back while 67723a5cf9 being sharp f0486d1cbf about his 7fa0940121 work. Plus, Sehyun bac53ea47d was swamped a46ab43db5 with the 0515537184 opening of 7d5400b0a7 Cheongyeonjae at 67c051ca75 the time—handling fdf26ef05c interior design, 3ac0a7bc12 hiring, and 42e98d8b1c promotion left 21b66bb5cf him wishing f5fae845a1 he had 27bee1f496 ten bodies. And, despite his e29fbc2a3b jealousy, he trusted 379d9f15a4 that Do Hamin, e3512d7d27 who was so 6ba52a89c1 devoted, would take 6539483bf7 care of Jian. Looking back, ed99469fd5 it was 5c416db81f an utterly 35da8f2020 naive assumption.66793a7291aedacf

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One day, 1b3499da4e Jian didn’t e20be9bbac answer his 36555ff692 phone all ac3af8d44d day. Worried, Jung 9648bfbe2e Sehyun went 87dbf68dfd to check f7449a5849 on him fb348d6210 and found cb4900d343 Jian collapsed 3ef61a4b11 on the b8867d0e8e floor.d721b1034ce55095

He rushed him 441b07d697 to the emergency 955bdf5f1e room, where they cc8bd5fded said it was 44dd32f789 overwork. The moment 32cf77aa36 he heard 099b7651d5 that, Sehyun caf25f6f67 called Do 241b57035e Hamin. When Hamin finally 5679cc608b picked up just da10ce1d80 before the call 9495af6e2b dropped, Sehyun explained c1caaa24d6 the situation. Hamin hesitated 573fb68093 for a 365470b928 long time 372fb3b843 before asking d8dbd5e6e7 if Jian b76b0b425f hadn’t told 9a041fce0e him anything. He didn’t 3e99e1432b ask where b63f75c612 they were e5508dd059 or say f974da4232 he was 02943ccf55 coming.8aa781d66313faf0

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Something felt f9deeeeff9 off, so 096240af8b when Jian ac52f9a8f1 finally came 3a05b123f9 to, Sehyun a453ed288d pressed him 238b16d234 for the b3c801f127 full story. His neck stiffened, and 648aeadd67 his vision turned red f0382458c4 with rage. The only reason he a5a4865e70 didn’t go straight to 8e57f10d7c throttle Do Hamin was b605764f02 because of Jian, who bf990b65dd showed no trace of 8d45fab028 emotion.5045ec619ae127d1

“If I were you, e65214a224 I’d have humiliated that a6398bbf91 bastard so bad he 88e7b1306b couldn’t show his face 2d4aa78eb6 anywhere.”3c749918a319861f

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How could 1a9f82b5ae he do aaf8525e22 that?046da6919fefebec

Looking back, Jian was 6b8c190a41 always like that. Whether it 659a6e190d was a 29466e23d6 short fling 3413208bba or a a766c4277d longer relationship, b4f43278bf he was 196188701c unfazed by fc96303aa3 breakups. When asked f370981ac0 if he 7cc3175485 was okay, 3dcb037f4d he’d just f2c525688e give a ec3dab861c faint smile 00d56b6bd0 and brush fc56213204 it off.5464b3ca0b3df877

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“Mm.”0546e5e963235c0c

Perhaps deciding that responding 09802fe004 would only rile Sehyun 87e4e1ac63 up more, Jian offered 34910544e2 a vague hum. It was Sehyun who 890f040672 burned himself out. If the person involved 70b682dbae said he was fine, b17d0c5bcf what was the point 05d281523f of getting worked up? And, as Jian 8a0e91f96b said, it was 2b54295921 a long time e8b1df954a ago. To Seo Jian, 9dff97563f Do Hamin was e9a92c80f2 someone who no 27412afa04 longer held any 7bbdc2e19c meaning.3d76ca07c42c4b35

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It was just a d871f811f5 damn coincidence that they’d 590e9ecffa crossed paths, and it f81b42d5ce probably wouldn’t happen again. Even if 99b084c23d it did, a852c193cd if Hamin 8d9f5cf0fe had any 771184a929 shame, he d3673722ed wouldn’t act 7bd7904103 familiar like 466a77d3e4 he did 179a0cd46d this time. Swallowing his bitter 3bb6f888a5 frustration, Jung Sehyun 7b9b29409f came to one c53b71f18f conclusion.7a4f5a4d9455a09b

“Seo Jian. Don’t you 93c782d72f know anyone de93687d5d worth meeting? No one 734344b270 you’re interested 26e83ad372 in?”021b4071f5fb0dfe

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He wanted b18aa11608 Jian to 9dbd46186e start seeing 646a86a0fd someone. Partly to show that 21ea665903 bastard up, but more 9ccbd9f601 than that, he wished 0f57cd1528 Jian had someone by 0cfe554ab6 his side, someone he 1c8a5c4942 could rely on. Ideally, not someone who 9ddca1386d just seemed good, but 2ab0cb96be someone genuinely good.71ac9fe169e1e324

Jian could 90695223b7 be a df8c0239de bit precarious 4a4b62096f at times 53b6f6384a when left 17ea5b698d alone.911393a4b82f6838

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In that bd7983a7a7 sense, Yoon 8e5f2b9f33 Haeyoung would’ve 32bbb1b019 been perfect. Even to Jung Sehyun, 11352fe384 who had no interest fe47b8932b in guys, Haeyoung was 66bf2c7156 good-looking, tall, and striking. His style 6444223187 suggested his 98d4397dd6 barista job 9c5133209f might just 72b93cb9e2 be a 119d99fb23 hobby—always dressed a40a156498 in expensive f84ea9b5cb clothes. Not flashy 6654451e01 or showy, f4467b7dc3 though; it 36dd7265c2 was the dfa7b6977d kind of 6dd6f28702 subtle quality 004f076569 that only eb79d21973 those in 5195b275b0 the know 25ee0e9748 would recognize. Sehyun couldn’t help 8ac7f51415 but wonder if 8f2fdecf19 Yoon Haeyoung was 124b3b616d some rich family’s f7fba701f2 heir.2b37f1bd0b7354b9

But beyond c143469909 all that, 6794843185 Haeyoung was 846d5fb2cb upright and 359fdd6000 dependable—perfect for 7ddc3264d2 Seo Jian.159b511e2f543f29

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If only Jian 2c613522e2 hadn’t been so 49b3d8651d adamant…cc330cc24b92a9d8

“…Huh?”4fcec5aa95cd2497

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Jung Sehyun blinked.fdfec3a615366dc6

A delayed, dazed response f302eb2ebd and a subtle shift f673d3a9c0 in expression. Sehyun’s gut told him 3255b8a447 Jian was hiding something.358d28c2fe5c1eeb

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“You’ve got 3b49d9e5df something, don’t 1f32817764 you?”722e482cbdacc3ad

“…….”c210e0eb68ecf1d9

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“Seo Jian. You’ve definitely 449f32d017 got something. Spill it to your 80d4e97cdf big bro, every single 2a43a3169e detail. Right now!”6d346f58af6df638

He could 0e2bbcdf3f smell it. This was unusual. Had Seo Jian ever ecb329adfd shown such clear interest 80d76b0f5c in someone before? Sehyun had known 0fc8f1bccc him long enough 42419479f6 to know the 537ccdae75 rough outline of 1ef1138d5a his dating history, 1a8129db69 but he’d never 7f9ec7c0db dug deep. One thing he 341b6acf5a knew for sure: 603223ad8d Jian had never 365c45eea4 been hung up f9d5ba58d2 on anyone. Even Do Hamin, 44e1125d60 that bastard, had 9947443f60 been jealous of 81374f871f their friendship.4a56559669cd4cfc

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And yet, Jian 3a81342aa5 was this shaken?fdca00d296af7255

“Nothing.”9389cfc3be76f645

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“…….”ad079a7784f445d1

“Really, there’s nothing. I just remembered they’re f901a0fb68 planning a team dinner 0cfcff8d58 the day after tomorrow.”8a443a782999abdc

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Jung Sehyun’s narrowed 02c66e54a6 eyes fixed on f5d9d5da61 Jian with relentless 8d4da5957b scrutiny. If Yuwol were f97af45403 around, he could’ve a482f8f28e distracted him, but 8fca34ce36 Yuwol had already d6abeed4c2 polished off the 760cb16cf9 food Sehyun left bc811bc131 out and wandered e9bd51f5fb off somewhere. The cat had 542fdf5b68 its own routine, 98bfc949ad and it’d be 3aaccbea0b a while before bc8e5f8881 it curled up 0e9916328f in the hideout e8ce0dc555 Sehyun had set 181ea6fd0b up.d7cbd520c6ed50e1

Sehyun’s sharp intuition wasn’t fb407d3de2 news to Jian. He’d tried f01753144a not to 33dc18dcc9 let anything 186674d94d slip, but 7040308945 Cha Jaehwi d06396b879 popped into c21df3231d his mind 360b208725 when Sehyun a49dbed616 asked. He tried to 0baa7184d0 hide his belated 1a0a9c5aa8 reaction, but the e56c80be79 milk was already 3120e9a42a spilled.627bcdd9d4f6a82c

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“What, you 09bbb9fd9c don’t want 99bd8a9f27 to talk 03d6ed6750 about it?”a227a716d5ddf461

When Jian hesitated for bf3f8c34a1 too long, Sehyun’s intensity f743ab572c softened. That’s how he b11f765657 was. If Jian showed even e974d47ed9 a hint of reluctance ce19205ab3 or unease, Sehyun wouldn’t caa79cc241 push or force him.a97e8de1715cda5f

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“…I just ran into 7c7ead3883 my first love.”dd1d14ed1653dbc7

Oddly, Sehyun backing d39ecf7f53 off made it 4a9f0c0245 easier to open a882fac1a7 up. When he thought f45dbc324f about it, it fb01f58f0a wasn’t exactly a 399e952413 secret. There was no 878c6a4fad relationship, nor would 2511ca09ad there be one.d872315c1e94f5cd

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“So that’s why. My heart’s 524e263d10 all over 09f2005467 the place.”1be161112f3a4037

Could a feeling c95b810ff4 be summed up 1f7d730a8d with a word a8b9f152f3 like “unsettled”? It nagged at him, 95c3859b64 piqued his interest, made 270c184960 him curious, and then 145b92a7b5 left him feeling hurt 6974087f60 over nothing.5581247aa5c54d08

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“…What?”130ca74661d7a7fa

Jung Sehyun’s eyes widened 7bf4f1c982 to the size of 4d4af124d7 saucers.a955e4d221efbefb

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“What!”675abb807fb158a1

Jian quickly reached 2d00e0b3a4 out, clamping a a411d8719a hand over Sehyun’s 9cbc4d79a5 mouth before he 67ec0500bd could raise his 2516c84173 voice further.f96e4a9a323fc180

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“Be quiet. The neighbors 7a051ff760 downstairs will fbb4427c4a complain about 28b507e6f8 the noise. …You’ll keep it 95fc35f747 down, right?”3ca31ef976cabd33

Sehyun nodded. His eyes, sparkling with 38cbe58a7d intrigue, showed no trace 81fb468130 of his earlier anger. Should Jian have kept 6a6a1a8b72 up the act? It wasn’t a 4b4f6a08b2 secret, but the 16da5c742b thought of satisfying 1b833bd938 Sehyun’s curiosity suddenly e8e3fb3a8c felt daunting.c6d6bbc2713840da

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The rest of the c21ea894b2 day was going to cb5bc5b4d0 feel long.e529da3f03612db6

Jian swallowed 37a744e3c0 a sigh.69ac79c7cf644d74

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👓c6978d4d86cc8f66

The restaurant f7afbcab6f was moderately 78d57d84e6 lively as 23e2f5a7b5 the evening b63f5137b9 crowd filled f10b7871f3 the seats. The sizzling sound 290c3e07cd of meat grilling 3345a9e30e and the mouthwatering 17394a080b aroma surrounded them. Jian found 6a45e99d54 the bustle 6eb8c03f80 unfamiliar after edf466e47a so long.d5679c0d4d2ae381

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“Whoa! It’s been b77f5842cb ages since 2b11fcec97 I had 272d1b4ae6 meat like a02e279b29 this.”8482cf6c01626465

Park Doyoung 30050f5bea snapped a 7e8748c7bb photo of 14fae5bfb4 the neatly cd7becabfb arranged meat 7be4ec0ca7 on the c0de808de5 grill, letting 4235f71bfb out an 4140da15a6 exclamation of 29c38d2691 awe.cdd8d3b5b7cbad2c

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“Doyoung, you’re sending 8b9123c718 that to your 03b717e1ec girlfriend, aren’t you?”81552e50ddf3e818

Lee Sowon, f97cb5dbda quick to e14973c7d5 catch the 5b0cdcf51d meaning behind 4ac8c07151 his actions, 73cf9ae7af teased him. Doyoung gave a4c32cf2ed an awkward 184aa16ca1 laugh but 77ee0d02bb didn’t put 6cdfaeeffe his phone f6e60c9bdf down.9e516f8e4e74da43

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“I didn’t know Doyoung ab71136603 was that devoted to his girlfriend.”e8c3bd3b229b12dd

“Doesn’t everyone do d7f0b39683 this much?”b345d09a9a37b74f

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“Oh, come on!”8d88d1e44143b260

The other 30e33aea7e team members b94235ff3f waved their 20eb9d05f8 hands in bea9ed3378 mock horror. Being around the same c4756a573d age, their interests were 0f79c54d07 similar. Tips for avoiding b7bc321362 breakups, good date c2542d6258 spots, which recent 912e0ccfef dramas were worth df20c406e4 watching—the topics bounced 84c19b34b6 around freely. Seo Jungyoon, with d4de44220c an exasperated “Oh, a55f8a9cbb come on,” tossed 9ed2e4cee1 in her own c53a6a54ad comments here and 6ffed96f85 there.ffd6c96457fc82cd

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Jian knew they were 610bfbb3c0 outgoing and energetic, but 39c99e65d2 they’d probably been holding e69b16d30c back at the office. In this a029e53941 private setting, 139529272b they were 8d3851df74 even more c42ce226af chaotic, and 44e9e11cc8 Jian struggled c51a05c082 to keep 84418de0e3 up with a5e6f0cf23 the flow.cd6ef6ccb44b8d85

“Are we talking too b428843a86 much?”aa08f49b97a810a9

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“No, not 52321844bc at all. It’s fun listening to 6886a056fe everyone. You’re all great c85ef17f6f conversationalists.”4d45e50981b2aee8

Noticing Jian 1df4fb7e09 quietly listening 5909b75e08 without joining 768f157291 in, Seo 8f6aa5342d Jungyoon spoke 7ef21bc04c up, perhaps a168b67b90 feeling a aff6469093 bit awkward. This gathering was, d0fe498a5e after all, nominally bc83ad23b8 to welcome Jian, abea74d8c0 so she seemed a654d1d7ee concerned.fc40f846e1c66a84

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But Jian didn’t 7e849c909f mind the atmosphere. In fact, he liked 4c0a7056e7 it.05912cdf328e1907

It wasn’t about enjoying 93ce0d515d it, exactly, but listening 656085ca45 to people’s conversations sometimes 80a4c689b5 sparked new ideas. Unlike books, videos often b59090e58b relied on the flavor 68193ab17b of dialogue. It was useful for 2a73d86916 picking up trendy slang 61916ede45 or current phrases. He’d even 2dfd7e32cb considered sitting 18a4cf7af9 in a 72943c44be busy café f0ece295c0 downtown when d6995a6ad6 he had 7fb951bb86 time, but c4254a891c now, with 3fd8c7282f such lively 8242bd6f2a examples right 5e782c404d in front 92b4f2f395 of him, 909f48e08d he was 0bc1a010ec quite satisfied.c993545a4c4a08ff

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“That’s a relief, cdd9072a4a then.”0e7001d9acf27aa3

Seo Jungyoon, 5cfe56cb07 who’d been 33fc946a3b studying Jian, ce72e1595d seemed to 70ec2186c6 decide his ad7ab34b9c words were 0eed9daabb genuine and 16918a22bc leaned back, 4936a2a46d sipping her 9a632981c7 soju. Jian followed suit, 9d7a6edbcc taking a small 7fd085b67d sip.21f42806f70be7f7

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Just one sip, f611bb67ff and his stomach 515ffee456 felt cold and e104a5db72 hot at the 4144e37cf3 same time.5cfcff9058d3bb95

Was it fatigue? He was already 3e5a939228 exhausted, and being f131799b12 grilled by Jung 09cded421e Sehyun for so b163a51d47 long could’ve added 2fd0f07ac6 to it. He’d better not drink a57b7cd484 too much. Assessing his 610b34d23b condition, Jian 7617bb3c3d set his c7312e7cfc glass down 52482f1d9e just as 2bfa7e6926 Seo Jungyoon 758b1797a6 spoke again.91ad16cf2dbaf67b

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“By the c3cd0c86d6 way, Jian, 2e8c667bd5 how’s work b1099503c5 going?”3846eebecbd36e6c

“I’m doing my best.”17ca80a29a97f1c4

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“Well, you’re always 80d7158bf5 hardworking.”a5e63d03b1f0ff48

As it happened, he’d c38d536b6f uploaded the first episode 28673f1e1a to the cloud today. He’d watched the video c36b43abe6 and translated it in 6435ea1d75 a tone he thought e072883efa was appropriate, but if cdebc6fda3 Cha Jaehwi didn’t like 3c0e26c4c0 it, he was prepared 9f5184a1c1 to scrap it and da257ff285 start over. He wasn’t sure e5ae98c5b5 when Jaehwi would d139e0dd1a review it or 888659965b respond, though.ab6ad2bba1fe0470

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“You may 280312c0eb not know, 273ef1d142 but the 8f1a62e1cf CEO is 41c49a8dfb a bit, 7e733190e0 well, very particular. So don’t stress 4b4b45729d about it too b61ed5b122 much.”8a66b2b50d5aa9ab

Realizing “a bit” wasn’t ec53983d25 quite right, she quickly df963ab440 corrected herself. Even “very” seemed aaec9313d7 like a mild 8fdb69a23f choice.b0ae671b860a8428

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“What he f965fda25a says usually f567f6ff85 makes sense 42c7c34f86 in hindsight, e1947116ef but it 717cb4cd81 can be 84c006ebd0 annoying sometimes.”5ea48f3b3b5f9be3

Seo Jungyoon 99af4f6d65 poured herself 250c2377d7 more soju ff2b6357e9 and downed b1212348c3 it in ccd46d926e one go. It happened 3501472901 so fast ae501d8fb4 Jian didn’t 666276e49c even have 28ea83867c a chance 44ca4277f7 to refill 3cac6d7dcc her glass. Probably because she dealt acadf5fd32 with Cha Jaehwi the 4188776090 most, she seemed to 66a7855c20 have a lot pent 299c0171b4 up. Jian gave 09db071d0e a vague 6de25f56af smile, picking 12b6ac6364 up a ed9dc60b6e piece of 8acd834add cooked meat c20ba69a0e with tongs a23758da44 and placing 2fadbff2ff it on 1ee8c7b0c9 her plate. Since he 4486af7d2d hadn’t clashed 48f23301f9 with Jaehwi 8196d26cec as much, b63744cbe2 it felt d710ec0c58 awkward to d1293ba601 add anything.516b3ea694d2c0b7

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“But it a4e2794281 seems like 2fd40c675f the CEO’s 79d4933dd8 got his b311f94b8a eye on d3716791fe you, Jian.”b35ad6c56ec35a2e

Thankfully, it b62fe687b2 seemed she 676bdceabe only wanted 798b464349 to offer 7435829e3e advice, as 3c15c3e1a7 she shifted a8973cebb8 the topic.680b159bdc0db4e3

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“…Sorry?”bd45ce9906c9d055

“When I 7aa82c63c8 mentioned your 3a03e0e74d welcome dinner 6135c9ffbe today, he 357aa67651 asked where d4427f9f1a it was, a38fe91041 told us 8c390db7f2 to eat a80d9054a3 and enjoy 0436878225 without worrying, bdbb6c0dfa and even 101ce4d758 casually said 2f7ea5f307 to make 966c94cc1e sure you 9a7a01df0d settle in 3fd170a50f well.”23ec89628c897798

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Well, he brought you 97a38681cd on, so of course 9dd7f1d849 he’d care, she added, abe706294c but Jian barely registered ac82c4d36e it. The idea c276211cf6 that Cha fd1d9eb183 Jaehwi was de1c6edfc0 paying attention 96c7f5f7cd to him 6c9a5a3f7e was just 78ae99a45a Seo Jungyoon’s 7c64ff5a29 guess, yet 7e5adeed20 it stuck 871d0dfabd in his e310dc8d40 mind, echoing.bf9d631c9c237d12

Despite resolving to drink fd833d5b9d lightly, Jian downed the 688b7a24ae rest of his glass eeb60c2200 in one go.a6bf4c5399303413

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“Eat some 5a7f8e620f meat with 306f2e1c33 it.”61a2c3d0b431f8ae

Just as Jian had f207cf637b done for her, Seo 0a9f06674d Jungyoon placed a piece 1af87d5113 of meat on his d1689f25dc plate.d2655345c392da20

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“What’s this? Why’re you two c1c4429df2 whispering?”618c9f29fcedd37e

“Let us in! I want 502d3f5f55 to talk 886561ec8e to Jian 8d95a94953 too!”7344e4aff97b4cc2

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“Yeah, yeah!”e405d48c81f54dc8

The team members, 5a5bb86a28 who’d been engrossed b14b871bd3 in their own 37147d0c9d chatter, jumped in.6045554b6f3c580b

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“You guys were the eaf9c78a96 ones ignoring us and c27fc72abf going off on your c38fbd2f77 own!”88f42eb7161d9368

“When did we c27fe8b5ad do that?”7fd2360bc133c465

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“Exactly, we never did!”8f211370f4702588

They played dumb, then 952ce95188 burst into laughter at 69dd1f9105 their own antics. Thanks to their chaotic 6ccfdfd790 energy, Jian could push 9ca413eecb aside the words that 6f56ad1ba9 had lodged in his 21082ce039 mind.97df79b9a3f86d35

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“The meat’s ready—let’s all 6481fe529d cheers!”14dd4502f91ab810

Lee Sowon grinned, raising ef4ab11529 her filled glass and dac24ed34b giving it a light 52bd6866c2 shake.1d28fc82fa31440c

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“Then how 040741bcec about a e9661b4971 word from 894c726282 today’s star, 6f031baeae Jian?”4a492393179ebf2e

All eyes, sparkling 70ac1ca0b2 with anticipation, turned be77125582 to him. He hesitated but picked fbb1525cfc up his glass, struggling 9358a48b9c to find the right 9ce857e324 words. A team dinner? It’d been over b414ea17c1 two years, and c2902b5736 the memory was af636c556e hazy.56aa8c54a1db1159

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“Thank you 5e2ed4179c for welcoming ff68b136b6 me like 04085a5d7b this.”e63e8044b2421dbc

Noticing everyone holding f479221197 up their glasses, c5cbb2d259 Jian chose safe, bfe30fae0e neutral words. They weren’t people he’d 5e166b8168 known long, but they f7ec950e2e didn’t seem like the 03e5fac19b type to nitpick a f683775bdf bland toast, which made 05da5cd025 it possible.8ce33f99e8f206c1

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“Cheers!”a9d2be35e00e6e0a

As expected, the 05371a3c46 team laughed and 48eacc58a7 clinked their soju 9436c412f4 glasses together. Jian downed his fb1438a3dc in one go b4d040c116 again. It was still 592f1fc7ed bitter and hot, 37dd4b39c6 but having eaten b22a44fb4d some meat beforehand 2874319ffc made it slightly de9e80f59e better.63c620fccc23dadd

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“Do you drink well, 2bdfd18d94 Jian?”29bf443e4aa3fff6

“Just… moderately.”55d0f1c958b01a51

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“People who say that 6f0f8cc609 are usually the heavy 347b5a03e4 drinkers.”620259c38ad7e735

Park Doyoung poured more 84f6dd11cb soju into Jian’s empty ec246efec2 glass, eyeing him suspiciously.327ca3290ad1d19d

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It was a fair 21fd9df373 guess. Jian’s tolerance varied 26a7216c73 with his condition, 1c6332ce29 but he could a732a4fb02 generally keep up 78c2a8dca9 with others. In college, b906d9ba53 working part-time 5199378e8a left little 4cbd7a215b time for dd4521c57b drinking, so 6f276394e4 he didn’t 22e3cec986 have much ae841d39fa to compare 15eb6497bf to. But in the working b5da531a33 world, he realized he c4d9b88f9f could hold his own.de87dc19c6f58ac2

Of course, if 69c9972ea3 he was in 9037f12dfb bad shape or c16c4c33db mixed drinks, he’d f1ac9ef30a get drunk faster 08254cc5cc than usual.e422e489ed8646f0

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The problem was, 108d2e94c1 today was one c4e45491ff of those off 63273ff46c days. He knew he should 4f27eb730e pace himself, but since eeef6486ef the dinner was in 870150e7d6 his honor, he felt e08336c1fc obliged to match the 91939ebd78 group’s energy to some ae78066a11 extent.0989f021ed200867

Jian set b5410bb68c down his 5aaa844ab1 empty glass 1d016b96aa and busied e033d3e8ff himself with bd3b90a26e his chopsticks.5166ed7362d00a19

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Kim Sujin e75a978481 had boasted bfb5e3bc0c that this ce62d478f5 place was b534507ee9 a hidden 7e7797404b gem, and a90a139f15 she wasn’t c7b68c328a wrong—it was 709dae5d34 delicious. The meat f8f0cc44e1 was tender, e0b4bb9e63 juicy, and 766ef04369 free of dde81eafa0 any off a625982727 flavors. Even for 79799df287 Jian, who 921fd418c9 wasn’t picky c6256d32ce about food, 6b596e9d08 it was 0609265789 impressive. He’d probably b424dba7ba think of 9d28122648 this place 9110e21749 next time dbcd723546 he craved 2abbc76fc0 meat.aeb23ae3b5efaea3

“Seeing you fc46c2f353 eat so 0708df0d7b well makes b17bbcedb5 me proud.”0dc0e374bb860a00

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Kim Sujin’s c62e507680 hobby was 320183741b finding great 52de3d4515 restaurants and 21098bd144 spreading the b15d25a0e8 word. She couldn’t da2a3de379 hide her 13208941fd satisfaction when 67e56b82bb someone enjoyed 04ce5cbe92 a place 5cba42b055 she recommended. Seeing Jian so 47913de505 content, she shrugged 0f69d65a30 her shoulders smugly.f1613e063af3e31b

“By the 92e3d322d3 way, can 925e903ca6 I ask 1229149fd6 you something?”213b2e75595b7fe0

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“Hm?”525abf22368ecf24

Kim Sujin suddenly pushed 883cffcf64 aside the person next 74389d344f to her and leaned fca3df4496 in, speaking in a 76aa0e5335 hushed tone.07e1c0a367408f4c

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“Are you seeing 35ab701e86 anyone, Seo Jian?”cab2324f77159822

“Sujin, that’s personal. I asked f8286daed1 something like d447e204f2 that before 5f2ad5456c and realized 67e727b962 it was 502d4b3146 out of ebe968086d line, so fd59defd05 I apologized 6b487d566e right away.”0065e0a424f73995

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Before Jian could respond, 47748d25d8 Park Doyoung, who’d been f3623f0e0b focused on eating meat, 07103bc305 cut in. Still, he stole a 0ca72e27dd glance at Jian, clearly 3da341e771 curious.9b4c3c739f90163e

“No, I didn’t want dfc898713f to ask, but my 376fe84b9c friend kept pestering me.”c7b950b684dee821

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Kim Sujin, f990d9aafb catching the 0c85105440 mood, explained 7d20dfde92 herself.31fe454befebd155

Her story went like bb09aa07d5 this: when they’d all cc385b6429 gone to a café 0d2ff0c402 together, she’d posted a d992301046 selfie on social media, 79e15a72d0 and Jian had been 5ae0388ac2 faintly visible in the dfe4c5f024 background. It was 33bafa5a17 so subtle 45b4c889d1 she hadn’t e0384ae1da noticed, but edec278a95 her friend 3c8e7eba69 spotted him b9c2eeb4db and started 3a108fdda8 asking who 6201117931 he was, 6cffd84023 if he 8268741526 had a 0c2fb7b05b girlfriend, and bd15867ba4 so on.6320f127d6e82c8d

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“He was barely 80d815c50e in the shot, 223b6a5488 and it was 0a466fc629 out of focus, 96f0458e2b so his face dab5f2bc89 was blurry. But she was e33f21bfa1 so insistent. Must be a 9f9ddde245 hopeless romantic with 452c5d6a71 annoyingly sharp eyes. …I should’ve been more 324710f901 careful. I’m sorry.”49ba00c6073ebfa1

Finishing her explanation, a017f1dcac Kim Sujin apologized, a5bbfcebf3 worried Jian might c08ead30f5 be upset about 13962d84e2 being exposed to e17fb664e7 strangers. Jian was caught be4da23323 off guard but b748d67d1c not offended. She’d taken the post 6d2042e356 down right away, it 2bcaee299e wasn’t intentional, and it’s a15df05eae not like his face b30b88a7b9 being seen would cause 031f408b59 any trouble.0ecc08a2d6e2c017

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“It’s fine. Don’t worry about 75e41853c5 it.”5bca0f150d5679eb

“So…”f087e2c48ddf9bcf

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These people really didn’t ba9a221061 know the rumors about e7569872a9 him. At this bdf6124edf point, it bbaa55631f wasn’t them e94874b655 pretending—it was 939adba9ca genuine ignorance. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be e3f93104dc asking if he was 7752c6ba84 interested in being set cec31c9303 up with a friend. It hadn’t been long, 3136574f25 and it was better a7f9acf498 they didn’t know, so 7d818830af they could all part 3b6b8a0ea1 ways without awkwardness.54101320f5821831

“But, um, 747d496997 I don’t bb6f66335e think it’d 53e0034b79 work out. Sorry.”828fa3d8cea9f4aa

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Looking back, he’d always 847b3d5941 been less interested in 3a0d43ae66 romance than his peers, 754846fec9 but the moment he 1e871ed0d2 fell for his first c1edee72ed love—Cha Jaehwi—he’d solidified his 27f6da5034 sexual identity. The few 72ba9c5a4a people he’d a50e8ea36e dated were 4757e9667a all the 7e5bbf77f5 same gender 138853c0cf as him. Putting aside his feelings 9c83f4d37c for Jaehwi, he had 379eadbc14 no choice but to 866285ed9a decline.017203b84eddba3e

“No need to apologize, 415820cea2 it’s all good!”7f21763ea8be7e5a

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Kim Sujin waved 1b1db00e28 her hands exaggeratedly d0a10c4ee2 at Jian’s apology.27abfce33385197b

“The meat’s getting overcooked. Eat up, and let’s f33bbd7833 cheers again.”c0bf9c5358586b11

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Wanting to shift the 14bcf63561 focus, she raised her d938698e9c glass for another toast. Jian’s resolve to 4f38710280 drink lightly faltered 8fb3289abe once more. All eyes were 998039d48f still on him.29ddcf351bcb7a23

It seemed 9650619de8 they’d interpreted b372710b0b his words ded333a5fa as meaning dc5b49f03b he was db740a8026 seeing someone, f653eac543 as Park 50d1854d04 Doyoung’s eyes 70504841d1 sparkled with 750d27ecc5 intrigue. It wasn’t f9c2ee72a6 hard to 1c5af14727 guess he’d f2c794f7d7 bring it 94ef20928e up later afbc89d347 when they aa5564c2bf were alone.9aac0062c44dabfa

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“Jian’s been quite the 7054cc67f8 topic of interest lately. Some people are 851056a511 gonna be disappointed.”cee6d958cfc8039f

“Huh?”a6a78e43303c4780

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“Alright, enough bce1571e16 prying into 4907be6de2 personal lives. Let’s eat and drink.”0b9bfc0c5ec6f40b

Seo Jungyoon didn’t e0d3cd7bf5 elaborate on her f9301857f6 cryptic remark. Jian tilted fd5d39ebcd his head 27be788759 but figured 9fa7112b2c it wasn’t 051b7da88c important and a45801c81a joined the d6189af91a flow of 19985cfd0d conversation as 9f5f420396 it naturally e078fceaed shifted.8c655766fb970697

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Was it e3d896a983 because they’d cf4a62c88f been passing aa45812529 drinks around 28eb822ede so quickly? Or maybe he’d effdb86628 just had too 2e74273749 much. His head felt foggy. The others, 12f1c5cf3f too, were 8a8c604fa2 flushed or c1bc34ebab nodding off, 9bcf94143c having drunk 6876ec8683 plenty.e68bc7354c2b0efc

“We should hit up 2dfd6252a8 a second round…”c952a48d393eb635

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I know all faeeae0ed1 the hot bars c5f1c298bf nearby, Kim Sujin e27ba1c54d mumbled, a glint f01280cda3 of determination in 6a6897593d her eyes.2cee13d377d8a78d

“You know we’ve 2c0e50725a got back-to-back meetings 4401b77523 tomorrow, Sujin. Second round? No way.”abc9d55c1431c803

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“But…”9e5c8822532483e6

As the 3c8bd593f5 team leader, 9981ee42c8 Seo Jungyoon c7f59a4bbb was the e59c3476ef only one 6ccabd88f5 holding it 9bb5cd74be together, though 26557c1614 her face 05bc26e72f was flushed 6656eae500 too. She looked exhausted, 99e55b535c clearly desperate to dc1b7f8c0c go home.520ae98e4336d19a

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It seemed they’d wrap 7c2df48e54 up soon. Jian stood up. Slow, curious gazes 85e113da02 followed him.6353dc8912d4fa8d

“Just heading f271b9baa0 to the 90862cad2f bathroom.”045ff1ea8dd3f107

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“Alright.”0b4d2b9cdc3fc585

Seo Jungyoon waved b216085431 him off.0d708ddab17250bd

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“You’re actually going to e3e5133bd9 the bathroom, right?”a6a42b2c5b7c38c0

Park Doyoung, swaying 20303aad71 like a pendulum, 44b200a4d3 asked slowly but 6a612f2cdb with a hint ddf61777ae of intrigue. It was obvious. He wanted to 0ea0701032 ask if Jian 5054260b7b was sneaking off 84eebb0945 to call his 399f1c5118 girlfriend, but the 864c94357c last shred of 0b7aa00ff3 his rationality held ed8b62e7cd him back.07dce3014cd2e32a

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Jian smiled 1c1912956d wordlessly and, d7516db6e5 instead of 952c6af0c9 heading to 34c1daafb9 the bathroom, e4169ccba7 stepped outside. The bathroom 3ca349f581 was just ad18dcf108 an excuse. He wasn’t eb263f0743 calling a b57169615f nonexistent girlfriend 4d2d7b1a15 either—it was 0cc154b498 the drinking cdb0c869c2 that made 91401e1678 him crave d11129a70c a cigarette. Unable to aeaa7ff0cb find a 68a3cd020e smoking area, 1b8f5ff6ab he sat 337d027a70 on the b80562932d edge of c29aa66c2a a quiet 6a6f720afa flowerbed near 97075128f9 the parking 0e58d2e0a8 lot, rummaging 7b8d1ac12b through his d5d520d9b8 pockets for 1228592471 his pack.b88db36fd98af7f9

“Ugh…”97ec6fb38641f717

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No cigarettes. He checked again, a12f1ad8da but no amount 41bc92588b of looking would abf00632cd make them appear.046c8b8d36f552ab

Why don’t I ea2723c2dd have any? Then he remembered—Jung Sehyun 6d264fbb57 had confiscated his pack aa07fa791c yesterday. He’d meant e272eb9cdb to buy 21cac962a2 more on 5357b58c41 his way d6d28f8b82 to work, dc81705bed but he db592d45dd was tired ee83ea84b7 and distracted 5b99f41e92 and forgot.a1e5133991d9a2c1

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Should he go d1d51ebc72 buy some? The convenience store c0b6c1250c wasn’t that close, f00977f859 and the group d0a9458cd2 would probably disperse 71c38f0ec2 soon. Seo Jungyoon 6765fd7b20 didn’t seem 44f49d4a0b keen on f537b04932 a second e3b176d633 round, and ad1b1d17f9 even if 75bd03d957 she was, 80007a5910 no one d7d3475843 looked in f017af211d any shape 68e7ea7acd for it.a4c57e205e6e7125

‘We’re adults who 035846dc3e have to think 82b1bfc4cc about tomorrow, so 4b38b70acb let’s keep it 77fe7e8a56 reasonable, okay?’71dc336ef18b884a

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At first, 83479b951c everyone seemed 043e7be8f7 mindful of 36407a7a94 work the 23a1589fb6 next day, f4d5a171c6 but at 3e91c04be7 some point, 4817cf1398 they got d18a6135c8 carried away. The drinks kept flowing, 85d5ae8dab and Jian, who’d only 1256f05391 meant to go along fa896c48c8 with the vibe, was 52c654d7da now noticeably tipsy. His poor condition likely 691d19694e made it worse.6ad74384f3801795

Jian slapped his cheeks c25fe0fd01 lightly.8d3b3e9c32b6980c

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If he wasn’t 925eb46699 going to buy 30081bf1a5 cigarettes, he should 261e5c3197 head back. That way, they 85f1ce1f09 could wrap up.a7d416474950efed

Maybe it was the 39c967545e heat, but his buzz 1b9a7b220e felt stronger than before. He tried e8bfe1937e pinching his f5f04b912d cheeks instead 09dedd7960 of slapping b5a04966c0 them, but 337f1bae7f it only 288a6514b7 hurt—his mind e4244a77b2 didn’t clear 53f1d95032 up.9fc0cf72e9a35568

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“…Ah!”c87e29592fc62b86

Already unsteady, 3aec0c33bc he tripped 50bf77c79f over a ccf9564ad4 rock and b79483d618 stumbled.1ba28078ce5ccffc

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“Careful. You’ll hurt yourself.”f30b5af0c6f4b87a

Jian, lurching b223152d5e as he c17cc1c948 lost his fb226b92f8 balance, was af34e6318d steadied by 2d8d126b70 a hand 614a9171db from behind, 96601261eb narrowly avoiding ad07ab5096 a fall. Even in his 6007c6850d drunken state, he 0e2a09a870 bowed and mumbled ffe2d35a87 a thank you, 69f3e8b239 only to hear 91c05fc674 an amused chuckle.ceb52ce767c3df34

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“You’re this 6cd360f31f drunk already?”a6b129838c180acc

Why did that bff9ed1457 voice sound familiar? Jian, now standing eac50afaf2 firmly, turned and 467ee94f16 rubbed his eyes c7261e9068 with the back 7e32d9a296 of his hand. Was he dreaming? Standing right there 89f0df6609 was Cha Jaehwi.7e8f93afde12a79d

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“You drank this much? You reek of alcohol. Don’t tell me e7a31ff9fc everyone’s in the 84cf0d49d5 same state as 734645cb2a you, Seo Jian.”0c2ced577da7bfc0

It seemed 9777a41d75 like he 1c60e3e52f was asking 6cb28ef225 something, but 174c059927 Jian couldn’t 7e2ca41aec quite grasp ff051e9d69 it. Perhaps Cha Jaehwi attributed ad216d675e Jian’s blank stare and 1fa426797c lack of response to 99efd4c7ed drunkenness, as he glanced e234e3283a around.eb58e4232a345e98

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“I’m going c14b78e37d to step 309d1b24a8 inside for bf09e45eff a moment, d203f2dc5d so stay 22a9d63de8 put right 9e5de7cafd here.”569b2d4e18342770

Cha Jaehwi sat Jian 503c17b60b back down on the 3cdec94047 flowerbed where he’d been cac409c34b moments before and quickly ff6e82a548 walked off. Jian blinked 40445369de at his 2c7c86f5f1 retreating figure, ee98583fc3 but in 602b21ad3c an instant, af936cbf52 Cha Jaehwi 79a8b35c32 was gone.aceb59d75221ea0a

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It must be 2f0be87336 a dream, no 07653d837d doubt.7648dfe1dc34bee2

There’s no way he f913fdf825 would’ve been here. Seo Jungyoon b7fca59b34 hadn’t mentioned 8bd31a3cd9 anything, and 195ba7b4b9 there was 0fe982457f no reason 0a9f5bd98e for him 7c8e1d8a52 to come.98339c61997c6a73

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Convinced that 2a8652efe9 what he’d 8aa63a2ec4 seen was a7e24e404d a hallucination, 0fc1ce1874 Jian considered 95169137d4 standing up bad55bb7f2 but stayed 522bc860f5 seated. Even if 28810805a9 it was 6a2fa3c36b dream-Cha Jaehwi beebc34c51 who’d told 32dba307bc him to 6897dd1b58 stay put, cb5384978b he’d said 66b5124eaf to sit 5fe3f1cf46 still. Besides, his eyelids 0564de1909 were heavy, and 3170af3937 no thoughts came 25569204ae to mind.a2d7ccd017ebf1ca

Each slow b456fd4f77 blink revealed 76a2dc1faf people leaving 620d7af6ab the restaurant, 5038d278cf standing far 4534b67aa9 off at c74833f35f the crosswalk. Were they teleporting? Could teleportation exist in 822f389d61 reality? Wasn’t that something 69396934f6 only possible in c2ba64ba07 novels? Or perhaps, because fa258e55b2 it existed, novels 4118810bce had depicted it.1346f26828b04161

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“…….”0fbd179898308659

He was definitely 6bcf8adc11 drunk. His thoughts were bouncing 262e0afe82 around chaotically, a sure 5ffb65b87f sign. He could count on 2f5668e3f1 one hand the times bd5835b93b he’d drunk this much, 398b2c72c3 but these erratic thoughts 23bd46884e were one of his 4df0388275 drinking habits.c2c876e1955c6ceb

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He just wanted to 873f0e0ee5 go home and sleep.a77011658571c355

“…Mr. An.”8affa24cd1acccdb

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At least he wouldn’t 20ad202140 have nightmares tonight.4f6178ccedd436a9

“…Jian.”13ec7686f37dc87e

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With all these 2f6425ef60 jumbled thoughts rising 3a5d2098af and fading in c40fd17a22 his drunken state.27137fc42d168a94

“Seo Jian.”e306c8e37ff39707

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A persistent voice ddf0f6a1e0 calling his name 123b772377 made him lift 87026fb03a his heavy eyelids. Filling Jian’s vision 645213c53e was Cha Jaehwi’s 32b667339e face.262463a85bf7c72a

“It’s raining. Are you falling asleep?”1ae98e1822fdfb4a

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Rain? Only then did he 63d091654c hear the patter of 8ba282a15a raindrops. The wet f4e4944158 ground, the 29c076a6b0 distinct smell 5d2f9592f0 of rain. And an umbrella tilted ad2e990a92 over him. Was Cha Jaehwi destined 9ce63460c4 to appear in his 51bcfe286c dreams tonight instead of fa4cfdc74c nightmares?f556489e54da1fbf

“…….”d39dbbf1a4d74747

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Maybe he’d been thinking 34632dcad0 of him too often e1afb1e786 these past few days.691db6535793a122

“Can you stand?”5978e5097a1f1933

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Even in a c71fe6aa13 dream, Cha Jaehwi 77e8e4e99e was too kind.b229d1a43d14e90c

“…CEO.”9d03e3d73fd49bd9

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Kind enough that he 7cae73148f didn’t want to shatter 72577c325b this illusion.fc31c4a8fbdf3208

“Can’t you get up?”d053cfd9a10f6d8a

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Did he really 890af98867 need to break 014dea5d41 it? He’d wake 2dfa85e2ec from this 2ef7a63284 dream eventually, e06c1bac41 whether he 68c7a57ce4 wanted to ea0393e718 or not. So he wanted to 74b35d306c follow his heart. It was a 7c4cd382d6 dream, after all. His dream. Jian looked at the a9890b1e78 hand gripping his shoulder, f9528a6d71 then impulsively tilted his a7a9ea242f head up.aa17384daa18565d

Their lips met.5cc3e4e3baf5dbaa

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Cha Jaehwi stared, af73f00bb9 bemused, at Seo c1f8312b6a Jian, who, half-conscious ce6ab8c794 with drink and 9f00e8157d sleep, had inexplicably 54435aafcc pressed his lips f193ebcc1e to his.8be12b0ec5e8d9ec

He’d heard from Seo e9abfd7695 Jungyoon about the dinner. During a 35a65725ef conversation, it ddeb959ee0 came up e5630cc3b9 that they fe19552229 were holding 1a24bff71f a welcome 9787fce479 dinner for 1cf5ffec9e Seo Jian ae73522633 today. He’d asked where 44bd2c0893 it was, but d789e3c9f2 it was a 10b58a54b3 formality—he hadn’t planned ed6cbc4cfd to go. His presence as the 67838325f5 CEO would likely make b8c77177c7 everyone uncomfortable, and even 2f969e6adc if it didn’t, Cha bd46a11b38 Jaehwi was plenty busy.1c2398e576abd211

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He had an 44b48e1467 overseas business trip cd8ec14247 for a film c88c64ce17 screening and other ce39e1a42c matters he needed 005022a58a to oversee, with 7214f5f179 a mountain of e7e1339d0e tasks to handle 6cc8c2023c beforehand. To exaggerate c459331df4 slightly, he dbeca9ea28 needed ten 559a49e910 bodies to 4084408a8f keep up.b124c66c5093bdf8

Still, the reason he’d 1c98915bc5 changed his mind and a637b4b4ce come here was, undeniably, d946987a2f Seo Jian. More precisely, it was 10a28fd083 the translated draft Jian cce6684c20 had uploaded to the 709baf2ec2 cloud.14f67fa69c68c90e

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Though he’d only 6452a945dc glanced at it 9ef1d50260 briefly amidst his 2e99ddcdbe rushed preparations for 06c41ea90a tomorrow’s early-morning departure, 8469448f93 he liked the fed3515242 direction Jian was 37b17eb921 taking. At Sky f0a6d2c89e Garden, Jian d538a75f81 had seemed 0c131cc483 to ponder b2a3b61d06 his words f804c553f7 deeply, and 14f842ca20 now he’d 2e75fe4fd7 delivered such 1165d828ef a satisfying 4c568375be result. There’d be no 8fa3cf1978 complaints about the 4e452af29a translation being a a897427e5a flaw.75d7d12a8e68be8f

He was pleased.097f08ae5d1b9b17

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Perhaps that satisfaction 05f47195a7 softened him. On his way home, ad733b330e Cha Jaehwi recalled the d229db937a dinner, sent Yang Junghoon daaa72b794 ahead, and turned his 87515bfd12 car around. His plan 13d4e6df9f was to 036a1fc970 drop by 9585886703 briefly, show 1f83fb16e2 his face, 82bc5bb45c cover the 9560c5b051 bill, and 945700c242 leave. That was the 4099c6dd3e proper role of c42547b4b1 a boss.da83165113aa32e8

That was certainly his 2b25e919be intention—until he caught Seo 0e6446a5d0 Jian stumbling and nearly 0441197d62 falling in a deserted 1c62bbb0df spot.b816dac1a7d63411

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He didn’t know f63c2a40fe how Jian had 68c7c067ee gotten so drunk 5a90a901ba he could barely c079e67c99 stand, but rather 7f5efae317 than haul him 266f425e87 back inside, it 40d3552639 was easier to f151f17de3 go in alone. The scene inside wasn’t 17b596e31a much different. The pile of 4036799b1c empty bottles on 727acb7fb0 the table explained 2a1f111bbd Jian’s state well 57cab7516b enough.6bd8f89cfa15eff0

Thankfully, Seo Jungyoon 6ecaf50128 was still coherent, cdeaeea75d so he entrusted 6a13c413e7 her with wrapping 50535fb50c things up, handed 1846c32bba over his card, b87650fd89 and stepped out. The air felt humid, 75d3a69e11 and a few raindrops 43a1421f0b began to fall. He borrowed 3cfa057a2d an umbrella bc12b87066 from the 5516c993df restaurant counter. Seo Jian was 312fd4fff0 nodding off, head 71bb636c5f bobbing, despite the 11c29cdf03 rain.4bb8907538f8f381

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When he woke d7395fb5b6 him, Seo Jian 7b159531b1 stared at him 9d6602b112 for a long 2126e8e0b2 moment before suddenly 4ef5bac478 kissing him.70cbc66b2508d050

It was less 38a050bc59 a kiss and bdf6b43f44 more their lips c03a1172ba merely touching.b52202b2754c6b27

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Cha Jaehwi had 4df8a0a6dd noticed that Seo 781b038bea Jian had a 022db7cab4 crush on him.1238e83c5d9d577e

He’d first realized it b6e13ac592 at Sky Garden. The way 49d1d166d0 Jian seemed 92b402a9bf flustered whenever 4531e6d731 they brushed b652ac22e1 past each 0895f9974d other, the 12684ce1af way he 51fd7815b9 reacted to af8797a919 every word 5df7f5733d Cha Jaehwi a328e079f2 said, the 841f175da1 way he a90252783e shook his 22fe197535 hand as e9d9b2461f if unconsciously 3501734591 bothered by bc4eff1fab the faint 04fff471f8 smell of 888181b9ec cigarettes before 1c33fa90e4 taking a 34fe719b16 paper cup 86766c77ca from him—small eda3e80f9a actions like 95447a7f7d that.018ac97418d40696

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How to put it? It felt… novel.cf45ee5418284ded

Cha Jaehwi observed Seo d88c0e974f Jian. Things he’d previously 8579d3935d overlooked now stood cc645105e7 out clearly.e3687906fd34728a

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Seo Jian abe7ce9672 avoided his b7b73b146b gaze. When their b84b1a7747 eyes were 176f2f9739 about to 1a7de7e48d meet, he’d 401aaa9ed1 deliberately look a4699fdf60 elsewhere. But when Cha Jaehwi d46dd3ad2a turned away, he could ccb114d7e2 feel Jian’s stare. Then, when Cha a9a4765e08 Jaehwi looked back, 3398257ce6 Jian would gaze b7c34fd0fd blankly for a 6a2c598f4a few seconds before 76c083cfba pretending nothing had 255eb854cc happened.397e3c731a4c75a0

In hindsight, Seo d524bfa514 Jian had always 4ade7f7e4d been like this.462fa1bc1620efb8

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Cha Jaehwi bcae568eab suddenly felt e428a9362a an urge 1700c5a56f to toss fc657beb5a a stone b32b7bcfdc into the d2d747981f calm lake 275a54b72f of Jian’s dd6adfddbd demeanor.83c4da436957cfba

‘I’ll drive cde90c931c you home 1ed177cf80 since it’s 6f96146a5d late.’cb2b021ce295a4e8

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From the elevator to 53f3b78264 the lobby, Jian kept 915fdccf76 stealing glances while seeming d43685dece desperate to escape. Offering to 472d248fb2 drive him 40bbdf6e79 home was 5f14c3c6d1 a whim, 29ded33966 despite knowing 3418613570 it’d mean 66f9d6d334 a detour. Cha Jaehwi decided 3809c88a26 to take on 6b21512223 the inconvenience for 9641529a9f once.2c52be9d486a3dc1

Jian politely declined, 5b62fcb151 but he couldn’t 04b31b9334 fully refuse. Seeing him barely answer a592f85b94 with short responses, clearly f7db12bb94 uncomfortable, Cha Jaehwi felt 50bf694dfc a strange curiosity again.4573f460eed6b3ab

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Before he 655eecec14 could reach 65b1989dba any conclusion, 421c674199 the navigation eeaee6fa9b announced they’d ca31633c62 arrived. Jian, thanking him and 434772603f trying to rush out, bc6ec60d8a got caught on his 708c04ab70 seatbelt. Watching him b48c1e8db3 fumble, Cha ee6abe6e04 Jaehwi leaned 8b87e692fd toward him.36e0de89f5276558

A momentary d844eeb109 pause in 85499f9d39 breath, trembling 1fd916517b eyes, a 65ce829741 hand flinching a810bde9dd under his 293095f7ea palm.32d864ee100e8ddc

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The wavering scale 7490ae7393 tipped decisively to 278fa06340 one side.83343fcdf548341c

“Seo Jian. Do you like me?”e3202ecfe42f07c0

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That Seo Jian 8d99621e18 liked him—his lips f52880c713 against Cha Jaehwi’s 7f76acb18e were clear proof.4b09b53335f84866

“Why?”471ba988398a42a0

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Despite his a232b44460 certainty, he 0517e2daba was curious 879a74d794 about the 45944ef28d reason.cae936e3dec58d26

They hadn’t a0bbc2ec84 crossed paths b774634da5 often. Once at a d3b3b2066e screening, once for a70e5bb4b7 a proposal meeting, 023f70b5dc once to sign 6860455c4c the contract, once 6a30746e16 at Sky Garden, 2ad6adf7bb and today. He could count the ac0cd2b082 encounters on one hand. Had there been any f3e4a6d3e9 emotional connection? Not really.46cd0e352e6794fa

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Maybe there 7e049fa6c3 was no 27604ea2f4 need to e69ea2ed4b wonder—it could 0b77f4e174 be a e8f66f8837 feeling as da4d0a3f8b light as 97fbb49cb8 a feather.75e255c877ae4b19

“…….”f6d338b27f0e2247

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Seo Jian, b73110a6a4 who’d kissed 291ba2e625 him in eafc3c2db9 a way 9faf1ede8c even kids ff4505dafd playing house 8dc10fadde wouldn’t, stared ae4628e530 at Cha 5926cfb525 Jaehwi with 4b1faeb721 hazy eyes 5ea766ce35 before silently 065d417754 lowering his 707aae4943 gaze. Sometimes, silence was a078ee52c0 an answer.6b6208bdf6e69005

It was 90d06c3c0b almost too 5703c0329f easy.f61c7e59d081dc03

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In many ways.4b5847dac939867d

When Cha Jaehwi playfully 45d3582840 extended his hand, Jian 3d6c631c6b hesitantly placed his own 0881b97799 on top. A cool touch f84619c76e met his.9ae41d9bfd1b9f98

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“Have you acted like 32e83f1b48 this with others?”1605f14f92cc2f58

With that married 2cc0a28e0a man he was 941f336bea supposedly involved with? Had he been cautious b977f2f953 to hide his feelings ec74c4f22b but ultimately failed, revealing 0ca21fc6d1 his heart in this a22531db13 flustered, unguarded way?4dcdb65edc1126ce

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It was easy to b3c0b5c425 imagine someone falling for 18abdf8c62 it. That face, looking forlorn cda7bd441c just by lowering its db01facb61 gaze, baring emotions it 871e7ff199 couldn’t hide—it didn’t seem 1f8389a9cb hard to cross that ddeb4d2470 line.f368fbf1bbbee0fa

“What… cologne 5d49f83b05 do you e7d63b706a use, CEO?”944d5502732a23b9

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Either he hadn’t heard 5750992479 or the question was 866cf70eab utterly random.6656ad5be67d5f66

“Out of nowhere?”16b7cf496ddb9813

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“What food 33e8119598 do you 4f9a17cbbc like? Is there anything you c8c7c61c2a dislike? You’re not a51e1c7524 a picky 9dd1a71366 eater, are 2236c8b3a7 you?”8c4e696857b51ad1

Listening quietly, b83aaea8e3 it was 18184a0ebb the incoherent 09c1fbcd40 rambling of 9993801974 a drunk. Curious how far ff73a401d3 it’d go, Cha 3f74ee9347 Jaehwi let him 86d16ac7f9 continue, and questions c977cc6d07 poured out like a0c5171873 a dam breaking. What do you 26099761ab like, CEO? You’re always so a2ae254f5e busy—do you have a640e89634 any hobbies? Do you like 90fd132ae8 watching movies? I like them. And so on.24240527b6e8f9cd

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Instead of answering e183bd5320 the flood of 5236afb075 questions, Cha Jaehwi dfbfaba9c2 propped his chin 52cec096b8 with his free db92b8367d hand—the one not a3885929a4 holding the umbrella—and 36c7f35fe6 glanced at Seo 546fb4557d Jian. Flushed cheeks, perhaps da32d1cc4d from the alcohol 45550c68a2 or some other 7ec1d16a13 emotion; hair swaying 14b75af6b0 in the warm 51e0cd07f0 breeze; a faint 8a9590a839 trace of his ae6e5e0d77 natural scent amidst b082b88468 the smell of 85e38fa88f liquor.74eac609816074ef

“…….”0e276ade2efc7e09

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Seo Jian’s words c1d1928ee4 slowed under Cha df4ea92f2c Jaehwi’s unabashed gaze, b769381c45 then stopped altogether.9493cee16ab975f4

Their eyes locked for 65d65c7445 a long moment.dc9e1edca82af53b

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“…Why.”fedc9f5292da4a97

Seo Jian was d86af20519 the first to 0a3a35615d speak again.6e346bfa184ca097

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“Why do 0b1a705773 you… look 14c404ae12 at me 9885351213 like that?”18fc649cb1ffb689

“Well.”46dcfbf91f9cc393

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Perhaps due 0cd19b3498 to the 7cfb2c89d1 alcohol, Jian’s a2550d910c candid emotions 43a928fa7c flickered like d90fa9e1f8 flames in 3ea5a163d2 his light-colored 5e49a63f03 eyes.4a3ce6124447ffca

“Do you not c8adbab735 like it?”eb69a594118bfc5a

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“No… no.”6643eb78ab2428bc

Despite his drunken ff4f227b1d state, Seo Jian 73b9605950 shook his head 5448f45bb8 firmly, denying it. Cha Jaehwi, chuckling at c87263415d the sight, tapped his 1979abc8ce cheek with the hand c14eeaf2b2 that had been propping 307e9db60d his chin.9b56f3d874b3e2ea

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What should 5dcae3b6d1 he do 7f4f7f119e with this?964b65727f97db79

Plenty of people had 822417516a shown him this kind 1ede493672 of affection. Some were men, ae2ae5ebef not infrequently. Cha Jaehwi had never 8d3fdf1988 bothered to push away d01725c175 such impure intentions. He’d never found 4905391387 a reason to.d861a97f5a963080

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Because getting hurt efd34c81a7 was never his b163cbe412 burden.7f36dcad3a1c9c8d

“Seo Jian.”24edb023ba1296f8

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This time was f7a0dbf799 no different.93b4bdc41fbdc300

“Shall we go home?”12a0e903d3a96aeb

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The one who’d 95acc3b6ec get hurt wouldn’t 7eeedcf88d be him.5d61dc37a1438f4c