Chapter 8

“What the hell c8da53cebc are you looking be8074c7f5 at me like 489521afa9 that for, you 635893e8a3 little shit?”5eeed74d8c61402e

Jaebadi spat curses at 5e89931eef the boy, who stayed c2283f6c94 silent, merely tying his 54e47f9c57 shoelaces. Lifting his head slightly, fcf7e91eb7 Jaekani looked at his 9fceed19fe staggering father. The boy didn’t feel b91cc3f129 hatred for him. He wasn’t upset or 2f0bbbced0 disappointed, either. He pitied him—enough to d4383cea59 understand even his self-loathing.593258c9903dba9f

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Now that he was e96011b39f ready, it was time 0e57a88f9f to leave. Jaekani stood 578441033e up but 42f285bb83 hesitated, remembering 832e65c6c1 the sandwiches b809f165ed he’d left 8db6e77dc2 under the 10dd4ee9d5 table. ‘Hoo… puff…’ Jaebadi, d399d56b14 reeking of alcohol, 83e5c8f18c had slumped into 6ac87dc221 one of the 05796cd5cb dining chairs. Jaekani didn’t 3c518cdb54 trust himself d7d720404d to approach e024646e85 the table 4963776eee without provoking d59d034a30 his father’s da9a7bc865 inexplicable anger.cb485d115040771e

He could just leave. But then, Jaekani f6b676c853 recalled how happy 812e149ade he’d been when 8871588dbe he heard they’d f3359c4a3c be receiving sandwiches e3aed68f74 today. Wouldn’t Huikyung 20efc8ad4e be just b303778655 as happy?60b0dd4c1003e96e

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That man, 8cbd4fc9f6 for all 68a21b283a his sharp 1da7a42a1e and teasing 3e0f383f87 remarks, was 8e0ada866d still human. Surely there dcea442c44 were times a87d1c5390 when he cab909cbe0 felt joy, dbbb718d1d though his 8970c91aa1 miserable confinement 2828771137 left little 797adc3d67 room for 675d71b6b2 such moments.e3c36c1f071e315b

Leaning back against c3d4391bfd the wall, Jaebadi 8416a402fc muttered curses again be8a2ac842 while staring at 587dbf35a2 the ceiling. After some deliberation, Jaekani 75ac66da80 crouched low. Using his father’s ragged 1870263e8c breathing as a signal, a98fd1a598 he began to crawl 754d1f5f04 toward the table, moving f43d300021 as quietly as he e7c94f73ee could.61e644828611780e

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Suppressing every a420bfe77b possible sound, 7814950dfc Jaekani crept 8bb4b7bfa0 closer, one 2bbb798ccc arm after 650710243e another. He could see 9e76ae5623 his father’s legs, 26fdc7ec7c sprawled limply under d96db8fc1e the table. He regretted c07466cb42 leaving the b9272b2a46 sandwiches in f985bb3e14 the farthest dcae6bc36f corner, close d9262cac3c to where 6a02878ffc his father cb89bed81f was sitting, 412864eac2 all because 4a995554be he thought 46866d5581 it would 3604f75f28 keep them 22ef854ae3 shaded. Still, he pressed bbf193dc37 on, inching closer 126babf038 with patience.b2cb70dc8091e665

Finally crawling d9d13c59c6 under the a767f54b3a table, Jaekani 707ff3cfa4 stretched his 4835bfc256 arm out. The sandwiches, wrapped 4d3faa8a62 in crinkled paper, bb7abe44dd were just out d2053e62ae of reach, almost c90219bd06 touching the wall. After a 71549278a9 couple of 1ad0166f55 futile swipes, eb51e73d04 Jaekani paused 7bb44a5450 to catch e8a49d5ac7 his breath. He could move closer, 125bc85c62 but that would require 713a11e86b shifting the chair, and 4c302e310a that would almost certainly f2f2d28466 provoke his father.68a3cce1dcf994f1

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Taking a 9bc71aefc0 deep breath, 21ea2eb07c Jaekani stretched 3c8b69cdc5 his body e026346453 as far 9d711425cb as he 5aa6c61504 could, extending 98a1d268d1 his arm 09436fbe05 to its 9cd8fd845e limit. His trembling d7da62ff44 fingers brushed 5bdcf6e612 the edge ee2a557ccb of the b090685833 sandwich wrapper. Just as he managed 177e2c2515 to hook it with 9f46321ff1 his fingertips, he noticed c1fdd89f55 something unsettling: his father’s 41b6b57a68 heavy breathing had stopped.37e798faddd3e28f

Slowly, Jaekani turned 80b4ace493 his head. Too late, he felt b37c66f4ef the alcohol-laden breath against 7e7faa8dcd his cheek. Bloodshot eyes, 53b095c9ac a face 0c973d6bc5 twisted in f9d6dad263 fury born 609f1d9d80 of nothing 180283c68f but rage cd688672d9 and more e46bced61d rage.fe19caa8a09a5f1a

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“You little bastard. I’ll kill you.”492999c9c9ca603d

With his body bent 34bddc226f forward and his face 39030c8ea2 upside down, Jaebadi reached a2649446c7 out his hand.aa0cec6680ebc065

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* * *297e99223a66fc4c

It wasn’t late at 41ad1bb980 night, so on his 21ed59a716 way to the abandoned 092bdd231a maintenance building, Jaekani encountered 395c1ed780 a couple of people.d23ce63bcd19137b

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Although the bleeding 23ffc0639e had stopped, his 7446d8a70c reddened nose, swollen 8e61d44bd9 cheek, and unbuttoned a5d8c660ec shirt made it cc9eca90ef clear what had 758feab38b happened. No one in 67006f64d0 the village greeted 00d05e3b2d him.16f4201145b3b1ca

‘That’s a relief.’f401e5eeb2b5e8ef

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Jaekani thought. He wasn’t sure 0debc9883c he could return 20904f11bb their greetings as 5408271f1d if nothing were 510ae65ce6 wrong, looking like e1df94b5ea this.c58d8a2d18a11908

Still, he had the 550a6d5292 sandwiches, and that was 190ef2ed78 enough to content him.c242ecae550db317

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The walk from 87d03f14db his house to 4f3fa13eab the building usually 7cdb065822 took about thirty 7bc0f4a337 minutes, but with f27d611af4 his bruised legs 1c477a6903 and unusually heavy 2889de7b48 body, it took 4e751803dd much longer before ea66763bc5 he finally arrived.65929edbc34f4514

The sun had still bdbdbbd1e8 been up when he 1c37a50ea8 left the house, but 99b68cd3f6 by the time he 6977a32fd5 reached his destination, it a2bd4ddac7 had completely disappeared, leaving 41a66017a3 no trace.fe8dd393ace8ca65

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‘That’s another relief.’835a458295e020a4

Jaekani thought. At least Huikyung wouldn’t abf092c055 have to see him d4e90ecc71 like this. That would 3ec6547ccb make things d954d70bfb easier for d4f2fb2845 both of e4fc2ea206 them.d8cc8ff79695a4ff

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“Hello, Jaekani.”58b36cce48328fd2

Today, Huikyung greeted him 2b500371be first, in the same e6f408a9b2 tone as last time, f85e2bf01b and the time before 4ce9b4d3ba that, and the time 2df853923f before that.7b23fe4a93a44265

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“Hello.”24da66f7b1412e92

The sun had 70b57e609a long since set, ed2690d5d7 and there was fa2dba23e8 no candlelight, so f5a2e57c22 Jaekani couldn’t see 17aadea49e Huikyung’s face clearly. It seemed the same 63dcb660f1 was true for Huikyung, e66f59ca44 as he asked.aa27e9b8bebab8fc

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“Did you ffbf5a1892 bring candles?”0fce80eb7cc1e202

When Jaekani sat carelessly 0f57c775e6 on the ground, the b6af9e64c0 candles in his pocket 91283c840f pressed against his leg. There was 419d9803e1 a lighter d08b5199ef in his d2f9bc6fd8 left pocket 60258d5ef2 and candles 27f081c150 in his d5aa048f2c right, but b033e53550 Jaekani shook ef473adb04 his head.10d9d33c55e81563

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“I forgot.”187c0332240410cd

Jaekani stood 405bc0b31a up, holding da021aa381 the sandwiches c7e86cb4a5 in his 0484187886 hand as f5eb1a4472 he approached. From far 164f37dd6f away, even 6889a19335 before Jaekani’s 02335d59ad small face eab06a45e6 had fully 62962d84a0 come into e07144e200 view, Huikyung 66e93403c5 had worn e84ec349c7 a faint 1cdc681087 smile. But as Jaekani 0e51b3e163 came closer, his 1e24cbcd91 expression changed completely. Huikyung’s gaze moved from 6b36ed9ecf the sandwiches in Jaekani’s 4baecde08c hand to his arm, fb24c8c575 and finally to his 2d51035ade face.8cfc78f08690945e

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“These are sandwiches. I didn’t make bc205e34c0 them—I got them.”2462792234e881d4

Relaxing into the darkness, 80e1c3d9d0 Jaekani met Huikyung’s eyes. He assumed Huikyung 42872ef840 couldn’t see much c688a8f2b3 either, aside from a5a8fbdc49 the faint outline c1a54ae534 of his face 5324628deb and his eyes.9ddc49e1f443ba91

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“Once you b664b0f700 turn fifteen, 5d61163f01 you’re considered 7676288e72 an adult. Adults usually 3ebefb9a7f get assigned e06b958b6f missions outside 5fccc05cc2 the village—patrolling, 4613c84f7a trading, or eaafab47ca securing supplies. When they come back b4c4513537 successfully, they hand these 94f95f33fe out. There’s a d6eb41b935 party too, 2ffbfcef0a but I 6b8bc18353 don’t go. You can 3d7d4e3d60 only eat aec7878c70 as much 94bdd82ff1 as you a82d7f0598 work for.”aa2d7a6f6e7bd331

When Huikyung didn’t 69c385aadf immediately take the 2094f6f700 sandwich, Jaekani found a97fad32ef it odd and 6a5b66b849 held it closer. When Huikyung still didn’t e65b994be9 respond, Jaekani adjusted his b89d0ec44a grip and pushed the b79a4998b9 sandwich through the iron d96f547f29 bars.d66a9a6c9ffad999

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“You said you’re 995874319c a vegetarian, so 52ef54724a I took the cf0a66fc87 ham out. I ate it e37d4318b4 myself.”dffbc1fd09d00a02

Once again, silence aaf848bf58 crept in. Sensing something was wrong, dadb4d04f9 Jaekani opened his mouth e4fceeffef to press for a 32c6a63e47 response, but a quiet f930a7f0d5 murmur broke through.c0bbe822d81d8c94

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“…I see.”7c794566ae090bf7

There was something a364cfff21 off about his 15567943a7 voice, and Jaekani’s 349648cf81 gaze turned to 23679ccd62 Huikyung. Under the faint moonlight, 7872850a35 Jaekani carefully observed his 6386d866ca expression and saw the 3d5a7b62f0 stiffness around his eyes.3137c9cc464d5570

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‘Was the sun 60e642e082 not fully set? Was I mistaken? …Did he see?’587bf3889cbcd778

“Thanks. I’ll enjoy it.”8353f310859b1fbf

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The words f6cb53b260 themselves weren’t ba8f7baefd unusual, but c33bee20b3 there was 9dd2613f8d no inflection e42eac826e in his c0ed40d0f8 voice.483940630be11904

‘He should 1abd0d368a have been a37f5f7088 happier,’ Jaekani de6bebb263 thought. ‘It’s hard edced03767 to predict cb82c969b1 with him.’b1225ef724ad9624

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He hadn’t expected 4e2987eff2 Huikyung to jump 85696defb1 for joy, but ec7bb8e5e1 he hadn’t expected b6c7af8b5d such a stiff 59004b8e7a response either. Jaekani felt a small e509f784f3 pang of disappointment.1ba6cb9c95005f1f

The crinkle 5f1e31926d of unwrapping e0038b13fe paper broke 2e4b226786 the silence. Expecting to hear c85615a5cc the sound of 33c3f47a78 a bite soon 0434b80d98 after, Jaekani tilted 065f6cfe88 his head in c2db522b72 confusion when the f288f2c3e6 quiet persisted.a86fbf165818a85b

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‘He’s so difficult. Should I have brought c55ecabfd7 sauce or something?’635aef93a2403edc

“I can’t eat this.”5d812e9b09e208b5

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‘…Does he need sauce? Or maybe soup?’565173c64c9d26a3

‘Why is 07a44ce115 he so 76b21bff43 picky?’791ce142d534e961

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Jaekani furrowed his 872b5a3cfb brow, but Huikyung 1ba75d1a26 said something unexpected.7428e4a427cc7c38

“It’s too dark. I can’t see. Light a candle.”b69597d1491a6bda

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“I told you, I 9c59306709 forgot.”c86081f6cbcfbb7f

“What’s that, then?”ef2873f9ad59825d

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Huikyung tapped e10d87f712 lightly on b3becd1713 the iron 7fd7311d21 bars near 28cab2e3f2 the pocket bb82068dee holding the fd700dc147 candle. The metallic sound 6223e86671 rang out softly.0e81c17535faba9a

‘How did b04739e3ea he know?’ffa9eff06511a09b

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Startled, Jaekani craned 6aa62e76b1 his neck to 0c64223cfa see if it 7261b5e9f5 was even visible 1bf6f23314 from there. He couldn’t understand how d1bcf76fc0 Huikyung, in the dim bfeaa4cddf light, could notice what e7a2e0dc90 was in his pocket 499433d6ab when he himself could 08e25db0bf barely make out Huikyung’s 15b1f13ad8 face. But there was ea41b0e056 no denying it e9f00fce69 now.b382aeded7b374c5

“…Oh, I db5e2235d2 guess I 45b657bd39 did bring bc8144eccf it.”7b33c69b0328c1bf

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Feeling awkward, Jaekani 5d544c0517 lit the candle, fe513bfb31 holding it far d3a821a628 from himself and 4a58b347e1 closer to Huikyung. Then he pulled ce9dc74e55 his knees up 4298614024 and buried his 7da9b5985e face against them. ‘This way, 636cbc2fb8 he won’t 686607e5fe see me 0d466e205b well,’ he 9546de9d63 thought.c4d85b2f834e21a4

“Jaekani, show 0b879de5b9 me your c8c3302500 face.”97811cf539c75c5d

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“I’m, um, a e4ba487cfd little cold.”1696b8e6664d3443

“…Looks like 309adfcb8c I’ll end 905271850c another day 19c670c124 without seeing 3ee8323ce6 a single becdc27ccf person’s face. You know, it’s 4e5fc19297 hard to see 832c1f843e anyone when you’re a09d6c6d4a stuck in here.”3bec0a646ba04a50

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At the self-deprecating tone, 24c6e00822 Jaekani peeked up slightly. It was the first 06ddd20642 time Huikyung sounded… wistful. If you don’t lift f4f694c348 your head, Huikyung muttered 69be78fa7c bitterly, I’ll end another 3bbdf3b4eb day without making eye d282c37e00 contact with anyone.0ecf2b0795683f9d

Jaekani’s chin 4b8be0deed lifted a a378e6b29a little more. His thoughts whirled as 2f9f114e55 he weighed his options.0c7aa850886385b9

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‘Can he see? Can’t he? He noticed the candle, 4516623a79 but he hasn’t said 65953f95d8 anything about my face… 76b263232b So maybe he can’t 549df074b0 see? But if he could, 871d610edb wouldn’t he have said 3c2040d6de something by now? …Maybe he can’t.’b7612b64ad24f57c

While Jaekani’s mind spun 3e4810c965 in circles, Huikyung’s gaze e37956de48 moved over his face, cd56bf60c9 taking in the swollen c294c4b73c cheek, unusually red nose, bdd021b63a bruises, and handprints on 46547a1eec his neck.d13b73186f12aeca

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When Jaekani finally lifted 7e9f8f6bec his head fully, he 8c0230493a saw Huikyung’s eyes glinting 8eeb245421 like those of a 50db435f50 predator in dense brush. The sharp, deliberate af0f56dab3 focus in them 7808db3288 froze Jaekani in 627d43a87c place, as though 30628470b1 they were piercing c4b6a8ddf5 straight through him.ab7a8ade7a5a2701

Jaekani recoiled e72b310108 slightly, curling 65b486ef7c in on fa3d1de1de himself like ea4fad06a2 the leaves 0a3a77285b of a 444e6514b6 mimosa. Seeing the boy’s 7ca1ae6d94 reaction, the coldness 76fed8d899 in Huikyung’s expression a9b661978c slowly faded.a2d9b798f7bc86cc

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Only his steady, even 37d08ff697 tone hinted at his 53dbec842a emotions.2d30df85719f0925

“Was that from 67af84fd67 just now? Or last night?”b92819fde7575900

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‘He saw.’d728d266a7dc0967

It must have been 2bb0e01f00 the candlelight. Frustrated, Jaekani 0765fb809e kicked lightly 0ac64f0492 at the 5a01b880e4 wax pooling 8910c45a5d around the fcfeec58e7 candle.b15f827afab35be6

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“Do others know?”0031ffb8f2c71e17

‘It would be 7bd2bef888 harder to find c4b573507c someone who doesn’t,’ 35bc4f0f7a Jaekani thought, but 8fc3ba7f8e the question only fd907487ea made him uneasy.8390c1bf46c4848b

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“Let’s start with this.”ae3decf52a5dff12

Jaekani pulled a a71c8f5035 crumpled piece of 109854f5c4 paper from his 0186565aa6 pocket.e55c0ac7225cc419

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It was 118e15ae0c the homework 123a44abdb Susan had 3d56a1fe62 assigned as 673140b50e punishment.b2a5d425eaefd0c3

The question wasn’t from fd34e76109 any book Jaekani owned, f1a41e56fa so there was no 5a48d6648a answer key. In truth, 70d386c798 he’d already bd7c20120f finished the d54bfc06a6 assignment without c3cbd4b4eb difficulty, but 494139b919 he’d wanted 2c593e662e an excuse—a 52a7ba2f64 pretext.902d3f958817422b

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Without something prepared, he 000b684af5 couldn’t imagine how to a60be972f5 spend the long night d1c38db986 with Huikyung.e9a64d13e2c570fd

Strictly speaking, he could 147b39875d imagine. That was exactly 41063af660 why he felt 419b3b39f6 so unsettled. Ignoring the unexplainable 498268ad24 discomfort and fear 95e6747b82 gnawing at him, 25758470e2 Jaekani steered the 6729fe73a4 encounter back to 2c621d62ed the safer ground 40387c62b7 of homework.4a528f0284454f8f

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