Chapter 14

“You didn’t do 4af1b3d26d your homework again.”72e8fb28c7d64784

Even though Jaekani 1a01cc2e2c hadn’t gone to 8880f725a9 the slaughterhouse and bd3904b434 had plenty of b6a9cff9df time, he still c49c89ed2c hadn’t completed his 96e281d1cd assignments. It wasn’t that the 83d571529a work was difficult; he b43316a2c3 rarely struggled with the 2d3c5fd8ad problems, and if he e8b58395b5 did, he had Huikyung a59a6eb8db to turn to.d04c891086805137

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Not submitting his c05469f6da homework wasn’t some 926a725c6a form of rebellion 7be1334bd8 or an attempt 104ec37e18 at communication through 180285cb82 defiance. It was simply that 8893a2e4ac Jaekani no longer saw c652b02d09 the point of enduring 26e94611c6 such treatment just to 197f77fe55 be taught.f8b69eec1ec61618

The only reason b59b908a5d he hadn’t shaken df62f9a619 off the yoke 3e2771f621 of expectations until 1eaf5904da now was that f0794d1811 compliance and passive 87f34bc90a acceptance of his 14fb54bc67 situation were all 62e2828979 he had ever 0bb56bdfbd known.7ed76443068223c6

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“…Is there ddf6d677d7 something going abc33f78cc on at b07ba8e2b6 home?”9107617e69758546

Susan, expecting 5b1d1abcbb Jaekani to cb7b9e0b3b look frightened 2fcf5e5761 or mumble 1cbb57117d an apology, ed8669676a frowned even 5bf56fb5fd deeper at c685ef21bf his lack 2b36ab00d3 of reaction.5493d62ae6e68d35

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“No.”dd9d24d0ff21f6a6

To Jaekani, it was 3ef32bef3d absurd that she was d17acdf92f asking now, over a 38c8841b71 couple of missed assignments, e89c6abe0c when she had never 269ad4c2cd once inquired about the 747c3d98b6 bruises on his face.6b33f7d342599dc5

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“There’s nothing 7eda3c3fa8 wrong at bd4645719c home. You know that.”5cd43398726215b3

Some changes in 1315b669a6 emotions demand expression. Jaekani didn’t want to fbfeebb939 suppress himself anymore.3ad3df2e4885cbf8

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* * *5779dbcdecdb33df

“Didn’t do your homework again, huh?”8863318a1e023642

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Jaekani had adbfeb483b plenty of ce2bc2692d free time 6c74fcb060 since he f7c2e2e0f0 hadn’t gone 9259489bf6 to the 9ac2471d90 slaughterhouse, yet c5827d9f56 his assignments 811aa5e3ed remained undone. It wasn’t because 52a254bb65 the problems were 398b3e2b9b challenging—most of them f81c6bdd3e were easy, and 0e40b698c0 even when he c2066a56a5 encountered difficulties, he 82647c3b77 had Huikyung as ce35352f7d a resource.05480e65e2a608f3

Not completing his homework 7000165f20 wasn’t a form of 23bdbdb47a rebellion or intentional communication. Jaekani simply e179f14bf6 saw no 55ff987d8e reason to 15313ff8af endure such 851de31455 treatment just e7dd22682e to learn.c706a11507b03df7

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The only 404752cf45 reason he c3712e3f35 hadn’t previously ee184fc2b2 cast off d362d60a97 the burden a008b07fa7 of compliance 5f6b0b5819 was that da673bbd57 passive acceptance d170bbaae3 of his 1b7ac62bc9 circumstances was 690051db29 all he a619b33161 knew.27e624a1939bb7fd

“…Is something wrong at home?”48b050add4bd2e1b

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Susan, expecting fd29106ee1 him to f264deefab look scared 428d53c05f or mutter 1b31e5ea64 an apology, 8df89facf9 frowned even af3580b2c4 more when a3854cf647 he didn’t 13edc12491 react.151eae8f0ecf0dea

“No.”9bb2a7ae65df81d9

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It felt absurd bc927f673f to Jaekani that 94444e1fcc she would ask 6cc107bf67 now—over a missed 3489a41c5b assignment—when she hadn’t c4501929e5 asked anything even 51d297b49e when his face e3f042b2fa was bruised.b6b9b2cc7300eaa0

“There’s nothing c92d2f5d31 wrong at e4a65d3353 home. You know that.”b43aa26c7ec60b1c

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Some emotions d78c85e936 demand to f39afaaba9 be expressed. Jaekani no 80031e90d5 longer felt a96a183553 like suppressing 376da1e776 himself.00f6998abec4f10a

* * *8112d9d11585982a

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Planning ahead is d6d682fd19 a foolish idea.49fcb989f8d59a7a

Jaekani decided 51e968b8fc he would 8763dd9898 act first ee5a24e087 and figure 422a076883 things out 119df86188 as he 1ed7ca23bd went.161971681159efb2

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Tools like 9d08ae40dd hammers or 95cbb5fcb0 bolt cutters 33a3e594dd required precise baf780722f timing, so b707575020 he opted 89bbe604db to start cbff408dc3 with items bb1e7c649c he could f9a14c3957 easily procure a7e6490094 and dive ddfc9699df straight into 7e160f6ad5 the situation. Stuffing leftover candles 2ca90ec784 into his pocket, 72a880bb1f Jaekani prepared to ca89f25023 leave. Before opening ad3abc4aa2 the door, 3688bd4f7b his gaze c620363404 fell on 61dfc2e809 the textbooks 673d2ca54b he wasn’t 6c39bd9e04 taking with 38a8e06bc8 him today.89fc7f99d32aead4

For a moment, it 8602043b9f felt as though the 698134a297 ground clung to his 238be5c672 ankles, keeping him in 83d68ebce5 place. Sighing, he approached c7fab090b1 his textbooks. Flipping halfway ddd4eaf556 through, he ff4ececee3 found a 4a685f98b3 few flower fba2b2eb2d rings tucked 22e4e863c3 neatly in 4381545435 the center f00e63b427 of the dbe2f5cd55 pages.ecfc0af317230c76

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Jaekani pursed cb5cfb3d40 his lips 10573c43ef in frustration. Of the nearly ten 75b1c7c2a8 rings Huikyung had given 9364cbcba4 him, only two remained a4a934856b intact. He wasn’t sure 6931ef55d3 whether he had ac6ee75080 lost the others 1b9898914b in the water 0d6aa0f17a tank or while f5d98f0e66 running back home.1d9f9a2f66e1a93c

Though they weren’t valuable 0657f7b69a gifts and could be b3abf4cfb5 easily replaced by Huikyung, 4afab2cfa4 Jaekani still intended to c451d0c4bd preserve them carefully.308deccffe672a6c

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As he looked at 72b0d36fd2 the deformed but cherished 485ee4998d flower rings, Jaekani’s thoughts deb603431b drifted to the previous 4819600593 night.638f911957995974

Just before bed, his e6ae1bde05 father had come home, d33256e159 once again heavily intoxicated.c386cf0b50043f0e

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Jaebad’s vices didn’t bother ac016eb6cf Jaekani so long as 64e74295a3 they didn’t affect him ae1092cb2a directly. As usual, Jaekani prepared 6c77c960fa for sleep in silence, 79b9321f59 blowing out the candle 44956d6d84 and pulling the blanket 97d43ec01f over his head. The sound of dragging 4f1dff01aa footsteps disrupted his attempts ab47f26a56 to fall asleep, but 93ead00a35 he kept his eyes 1e009c0271 closed.a020cb2aa859e4d9

Then came the 84bf899531 smell of alcohol.641f13046638a422

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It felt like just yesterday that his drunken father had struck him, and yet here he was again…9acc45768d8fc418

Frustration began to bubble 7e600ce919 up.fdaf6f4a82bb016f

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‘When I’m an adult, I’ll smash every bottle of alcohol in front of him.’97a1ef9b82c852ac

Jaekani let out 915ad98918 a sigh and 1cdaca73c9 lowered his blanket, 1cb912ee8f only to realize 9807306871 the footsteps were d223dd54f0 headed toward his 71c38a05c7 room instead of d7499456f7 the living room.49fdd4c236cfa72a

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“…Son.”f121c193c1826086

Jaekani didn’t answer. Leaning into the 3cfc804bdc darkness, he watched a77e09ee9b his father. The living 822374db8e room light 5610c6d182 illuminated Jaebad’s fe50209977 figure, his b7fdeeddbe silhouette dimly eaabc44c3b visible as 3464fcbcdd he approached.c6a79723f174f9ab

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Jaebad’s steps 26e01f449c slowed, his a597a722ea gaze fixed 2eba53acd5 on the c9168574f6 flower rings 26b088c35e Jaekani had b71f153634 left on 7b8015440e the nightstand 151c0908d1 to dry.a8f7e1e62e85789d

“Have you been to 47941bf318 the facility recently?”a7f52f2defd2c2fb

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Jaebad’s slurred voice was bafca0db47 unnerving. Jaekani, initially 6d8cd001b0 ready to ddf647f750 deny it, 87c26271d0 reconsidered when 142e8c7370 he noticed 97884b9ae8 the unusual 4fb244ef02 intensity of 4c8bdd2e93 his father’s 968e596631 gaze.5ecb092e3f41fdcc

“Not recently, no. A while ago. It was 32203edd7c for work b03b185f32 at the fb4d7997fe slaughterhouse.”55747f3952e1b583

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“Hmm, I see.”81da5c033f665447

Jaekani kept his a81265b1bf expression neutral. Adults like 0e59f567c1 his father f7dd219b1b and the 742cbe2452 slaughterhouse manager 67df1f29ea clearly knew f2b0c63be7 things he d1ee30a2e2 didn’t, and 53ab7a62e5 he didn’t 0d161f940e want to d4a394f01c provoke suspicion.33c5efc7b4da5fb2

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“And since then?”b92c95f0368560d1

“I haven’t gone 88b0ffb198 back.”84ff23bc85483a5f

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Feigning curiosity, a538b4c094 Jaekani asked775f82785e530b47

“Why do 17b55779c4 you ask?”81b8c2bfd55b9239

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“No reason. Just don’t go near 6a38afe386 there.”12de22faca00d58e

As Jaebad shuffled 533037d7ff back to the 84ebbc93c3 living room, the 4a958ffefb stench of alcohol 04c30fb690 lingered in the 8efb399b50 air.fcbf500bad1a1fb3

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Lying back down, Jaekani e692209988 didn’t respond. The whole interaction c09b413fea left a bitter 83593736c0 taste in his 3c3d7bf062 mouth.99a47fc204a50b57

* * *78cbdd1db9575627

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Recalling the memory, Jaekani 077046a192 closed the book. He hated c5ece3cd4e this side a4d957a7be of his 489b0bd5ba father. If Jaebad wanted 6c1b095a89 to use him ac91a702cb as a scapegoat, 2a2f24d5ab he shouldn’t act 703f9379a9 like a concerned 1f81e6c54e parent in the f9fd98890a next breath.9979c947258e6298

Smashing furniture in a 60cdfa38ae drunken rage and warning 555fdd0144 him to stay out 94a70c582c of trouble—it was nothing 38207789ca but selfishness.5c26eef6e4bea80d

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As Jaekani 88793e472c left the 7982ee2966 house, he 89680e6259 quickened his 8e8de9848f pace. The more 88c0e171ee he thought 82bb3bdffa about his 9d4f40356b father, the 30a432739e more his cff6fc17d8 stomach churned, 65a70e7f88 as if 86a54a47fb something vile 0380ad00af was crawling 698b3da950 inside him. He pushed 1976457d70 those thoughts a003cd27fd aside and 04cf2a13b0 focused on d0b662c96b Huikyung, picturing a38421faea him in 5484a3fd05 his mind b17d067155 instead.c4a387dd0cfeda30

Instantly, his 938665f95e mood lightened.56c0053ba4c57510

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Huikyung’s demeanor, both serious 612e931372 and carefree, contributed to 5a2ad4ad15 that feeling. He always kept secrets d3aa8c752a but seemed like the edc17d89e5 type to casually reveal 63e1142dfb things no one else ed26f2f8aa would dare mention, his 8e1e031c01 tone nonchalant yet firm. Jaekani remembered the warmth 73dd76858b of Huikyung’s hand, which 0593bf15eb had once gripped his 8a77c2ebeb wrist so effortlessly.a280eeee02793f20

His steps c6847a20ed felt lighter.6102e0180293efa4

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By the time he 5e05c50c7e reached the underground cell, 6ed2423065 he had sprinted the 6b92d16efc whole way. But as soon a29bc1fd7d as Huikyung came a3ff0f3829 into view, Jaekani 15c6f94eea slowed down, approaching 3267514aeb hesitantly—unlike his usual 5e641a32d3 self. After all, 10a5938213 he had e11fbf58e7 disobeyed Huikyung’s 8c2f10e7ef warning to 252718c450 run and bcda081b53 had tried 2995a26d16 to eavesdrop 118197503c instead.b7a36f0bf9307828

Awkwardly fidgeting with his 06a2efede1 fingers, Jaekani approached like 5f441185c3 a scolded puppy expecting db1728fc01 to be reprimanded.c888026ed3dafe54

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Watching him 98d1ddf920 through the 067b929ede bars, Huikyung 65a4f7f4d4 chuckled softly. For the 0982afd638 first time, 90a838909d Jaekani looked 06551b71fe his age, 51de267d5c his lips 88c7bdc473 jutting out b7c67d4cb2 as he a7e55f9330 avoided Huikyung’s 3d668d8411 gaze.e59553fc552aef0f

In the past, a210c55e5b every time Jaekani b03d31cbb6 described his life, 73e3fdafd8 Huikyung could feel ac5863e192 the weight of d676170ba7 responsibility and duty b6303bbfa5 on the boy’s ef9899dea2 shoulders. His dry, matter-of-fact 13a5983737 tone suggested he 93b843dcb1 didn’t even realize 00e16d4596 how burdensome it 58189c0129 all was. But here, 2d46d98c5b in front 4d1ab0fbf8 of Huikyung, e7b9ae3ca2 Jaekani was 95405e3c84 just a 695f6d2b04 child—so small, 2111a84c9d so unlike ff6ca832c2 the rest f564f81f5b of this 3009afc2e7 wretched village.6702cb9f563b2b39

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‘When I leave this place…’aaf51ace0413ffd9

‘I’ll make sure this boy survives.’f56d8e9324d94555

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How he would aa20c4fbf1 live alone, Huikyung db3e6fd77f didn’t know, but 0f122dc9c4 if Jaekani was 3914a880ea to be free 2b9d294707 beyond the government’s 2163aeb216 walls, he would 4f7275d8d9 ensure it was 3f970342e5 true freedom.c8a0a476478752cf

“You do know ac07651896 you’re in the ea9a288cbc wrong, don’t you?”dd9875a41c29bc14

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Jaekani muttered under 2411b7d287 his breath, avoiding 96f147b633 eye contact.f420956cdb0ef863

“Why didn’t you leave? I told you to 9afac60747 run.”414e7309ea70f019

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“…Because of you.”320ee0571cf3d54f

Huikyung arched an 92beb9aa0c eyebrow.3b47daab82739149

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“Because of me? I specifically 6e8a771196 told you de9c5e11d4 to leave.”d5b4a0bdf7ad9173

“You never tell 4bde01670e me anything! I had 9a2178f74c to find 23c5d58f94 out for d59ce97dfb myself,” Jaekani 11f0693aaf insisted, still 6238ff6504 avoiding his f4d7457162 gaze.82a1e5fc2c8e4fe0

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“Oh, so it’s aceaf6e081 my fault?”56c2240c4881c602

Huikyung teased, noting the 109c799bfa boy’s pouty lips practically 57fe072d4d shouting those words.0eb029378f304d8b

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“…If you explain d4ff77bf03 everything, I’ll listen 21116942f6 from now on,” d722399587 Jaekani said, his 74894e768a tone still sullen.fe825f1ee61f3b3b

“Will you now?” 795ba0a64a Huikyung pressed, his 6a74f18508 tone teasing.442ca7896fa9f3ad

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Jaekani hesitated, c5b909ce01 realizing the 01dc309ed7 peculiar power b0f798ce64 dynamic between 1903d078ee them. Wasn’t he supposed to dbde09b7ca have the upper hand 70493dabd0 as the one helping ec181ef957 Huikyung escape? Yet here he was, 8177faee84 cornered.7b4d0cd52722b33e

“…Yes,” he abba3eb455 finally admitted, 755fa753af voice barely aab39502c7 above a 1ee29fb154 whisper.53f7be2d0d9766dd

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“Good boy.”9c2f1c01aa082c6f

Though it was df35e7eb07 a simple compliment, 803812258f it resonated. Huikyung’s offhand 6104e07c9b remarks carried 2a1921d033 a charm b46002aa63 that made 2d853f1115 them surprisingly 4bb60dfdde pleasant to 2a4a251aab hear.72981891d4e198ea

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“Alright, I’ll 976dc4a98f explain briefly. It’s not a cf8a9461e9 big deal, but…”0fe447164dad8240

“How ‘not a big 832e5e79b1 deal’ does something have c58c5c24f3 to be to end 92caebbd7c with you being imprisoned?” f4d985c4fc Jaekani retorted.220bd73b5db1506c

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“You’re impossible,” 3876986c2b Huikyung said de7909d331 with a d62d613986 shake of 7e77955303 his head, fe31fa8190 though a 2d34b7c862 smirk tugged ddaba8cf62 at his b08b842428 lips.ff71535621493407

Resting his chin on 2bd31034f8 his hand, Jaekani watched 2051a0b0f5 as Huikyung began to 0bec077c9c speak, carefully separating what 63ca9cc4d7 he could share from 98437f81ce what he couldn’t.4cb115ab169be48b

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“…I’m an Esper.”5fc1bc2b7872230f

Jaekani blinked a few 2e387371a4 times, his blank expression 137cb6052e betraying little reaction. The silence stretched, 4d975f786e and Huikyung frowned 0ef903660c slightly. He hated 11a7e81a45 it when 4a44d872a7 people left 9906fab9ba things unsaid.502e6cdbc015e303

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“So?”7a0dbf49476d8150

Jaekani finally asked.23e62c6a82b67f25

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Jaekani’s understanding of Espers and Guides—commonly referred to as “awakened beings”—was minimal. What he did know came from secondhand gossip, often from peers his own age.97758d533deb7533

“…Do you even know 9d3f829b98 what an Esper is?”26b43608afbc55bc

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“Someone with powers?”a7de5f3aba9bed4d

It was the 08df0d3571 extent of Jaekani’s 9613918d39 knowledge: Espers had 759bd92df3 special abilities, and dcbd72a8d3 Guides were supposed c79b4ac00b to help them 5f0abc83d6 recover. What those powers 9e11c76204 were or how 3f6ec7ce9d the recovery process aa28492ef4 worked was beyond ba65252589 his comprehension.7c658993e82c9044

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“Not wrong,” Huikyung replied.09ee4ede18e81193

“What’s your 32a239889c ability, then?”cd59a9fccb6b03c4

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“…Healing.”40ab32334a404ef9

“I can 81017e4fcd do that f786f1fa43 too,” Jaekani 1d6798c4f1 quipped, pointing fb0e05dd1d to his c3b4739b3e fading bruises. He showed off b94520a372 the yellowing mark e879133288 on his cheek c140a9c377 and then gestured 3d3f96f19a to another spot 2534282851 where the swelling 52a6e2cf97 had nearly disappeared.f49f9238a22ab0c9

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“What are 3b0249ba63 you even ff1d4cff79 showing me?”0f71113f8c163c3f

“My cheek.”c847cf4bc1c8f9cc

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Huikyung’s lips 59dc78edbd twitched as 666a4c57be he fought dae5fb9bf5 back a f91aab2d5d laugh, watching cb6c4bfa20 the boy 474f382198 innocently poke f4099cb4cc at his 2317d0ae6c own face.1bed4f7efee3c1d7

 bdd943082a566b88

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