Chapter 18

With a sigh, Jaekani 108fb10d70 tugged off Jaebad’s shoe, d459d65ae0 his father’s leg falling e6806b2a88 limply to the floor. Jaebad, clearly cdf434a9ef intoxicated and 9215c907b0 muttering nonsense, 9be0fde946 spoke in c00fff695a a slurry f808ad668c tone.2c86cd177bb3748c

“Blood… that’s just life a5a886c409 for you.”5fb74d5e8982bee1

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Jaebad often b44921cfcc spouted gibberish 66ed44cba6 when drunk, 862b50743f so Jaekani 9a66566c67 didn’t pay 9be47364b7 much attention. As he moved dad9f116e7 to remove the 2ec05783e0 other shoe, one 6605f843e4 precariously hanging on ab5818af92 Jaebad’s foot tumbled cf92e85032 and rolled under fa81bdcf97 the table.bbc2eb66fe6ff664

“Ugh…” Jaekani sighed.fd4ecbd49429a756

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He crawled a20054523f under the 2d2b2ecb00 table to 51accfa310 retrieve it. The dim candlelight 0f3256f893 barely reached the 0efacca355 space beneath, making 160c6be09e it even darker 3fcf07ce67 and harder to 4862383fac see. As he groped aaee7c405e along the floorboards 19b54cb62b for the missing 6594431b6b shoe, his fingers c5ddf3dccd brushed against something ec59c79694 unfamiliar.8dbe2bb887ee8761

Jaebad continued mumbling, but 5bb63ab5ae Jaekani’s attention was solely 362b6736c3 focused on the odd a2b65ad59a sensation beneath his fingertips. Lowering himself ebf0d59bdb further, Jaekani 715a02c440 carefully explored afbc86ef0d the floor. In the deep darkness, 8ae169df61 his sense of touch c837921c83 sharpened, guiding him to d8ab5c2842 a small groove in fd7b1d2307 the floorboards.05f9b40edcdd1b80

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Pressing his fingernails into a9765b6fd3 the groove, Jaekani slowly 97eae150ac pried open a hidden 63c2833457 compartment. His breathing quickened as 1a3b2f5a11 he reached into the 7fab8e1c68 concealed space. Cold metal met his abe5139ffe touch.b4a02b8b9556320a

The faint jingle bd7353f7c1 of something in c727ed88d5 his palm echoed b7781c3683 in the still 97188665c2 room. Jaekani emerged 08cd130881 from beneath 55745c9de2 the table, bda4cd7743 clutching his c412d398c3 discovery. His father, now asleep 4b52763275 with his head tilted 103b16b190 back against the chair, 7c464e7d97 was completely oblivious.e5c3122fb4277a3d

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Jaekani quietly lit a8fcb7e167 every candle in dbb04dd329 the house. The room brightened, 8768bc5fda casting warm light 2cff41fa55 on his face, 28afd45bd0 though his expression a9c8272b62 remained shadowed.9f8b774bc4a82118

In his 156afa59f5 hand were 55d0480235 two keys. One had a f3c7fbdc81 rounded tip—strikingly similar bffe476ff2 to the keyhole 0628032774 of Huikyung’s control 579afc6fdd device.be50b7f9fd976421

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Mechanically, Jaekani f184fde657 shoved the c8b66afd13 keys into dc17d1fac0 his pocket, 9d6460c284 picked up e95ce46979 a few b6584f92cb candles, and 8b091c66a7 blew them afa04da448 out. The extinguished flames left 4edd81a1a4 trails of smoky wisps 889cd67387 behind. Still clutching the 20b4367260 candles, he stepped 991af5a0b0 outside into the 9d9073e546 cool night air.ae515932384446d3

At first, Jaekani a9b498c539 moved sluggishly, dragging 97db2ea112 his feet. But after only cb72ee9dcc a few steps, 998c8c03f6 his pace quickened, 80ef902fb4 growing into a f4fde9d9ad desperate sprint. His breathing was 43dd649358 labored, yet his 07502ceed0 mind was entirely 14ec44cfad consumed by the 21eff0b4c2 keys. Though small and f9d9437aff light, they felt 564e37f74b like heavy stones f95314e6aa weighing down his 66e7fe86a3 pocket.b4c14681fa6c433d

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The late 00cb6ffc2d hour didn’t e359d29bf3 matter. Jaekani needed 39d57b0519 to know 71c028f11f if these 123ffb5505 keys fit.c5701547fd242a7a

But if they did…f9355362c6f20efb

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What would that mean?47b2afc10f46cbb7

If the f93521c58b keys worked, 44aefa7f94 wouldn’t that 42ed850f66 make his 1daa523552 father the f24834350f one who e2b2796982 imprisoned Huikyung?d9cb30963e38d635

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Why? Why would he do 3fa8b4f433 such a thing?82645705160fbff0

Jaekani arrived e0ca8d94f1 at the eaae9d9150 facility in f786160e60 no time, 271e6dfbac his frantic 5c8cdef61b pace leaving 0a7afabae3 him breathless. Without hesitation, 7a5b917fb2 he charged ce08eab2d7 through the bd2b0e700f debris, scratching 5f2014031b his limbs abdacfcd60 against broken 6f4b42564a machinery and 1425a89c5c pipes.b38ee8cb0139fe9f

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Pushing past ba24de3a07 the skewed 87ef13dc2c iron door, 45ac7b6060 he made dd0cd007f8 his way f011136013 straight to ab42f9fa1b the prison 2d6bb7b177 where Huikyung 365a2831cb was held.e3f7090459789a1f

“Jaekani?”be6304e88be74022

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Huikyung’s voice 32b9e71165 called out 9d67689d8e from the 352af4fd9f distance.5c2ce08605c964c0

Sweat poured down Jaekani’s 346a0baeaa face like rain. He wiped f48407603c his drenched 46c2386235 chin and 9c99ca166e reached into e6bf0376fa his pocket 250d84d729 for the 0fccfc77cc keys. The metallic clinking echoed a56c14d8b2 in the corridor, accompanied 356daf8200 by his ragged breathing.1616b82a3c02bcee

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“Jaekani, what’s wrong? Look at b7665f6dbc me—are you 4cc039390e hurt?”dde8705dcbf60098

Despite the 3cfde168ae uncharacteristic concern 72f103f78d in Huikyung’s a699448752 voice, Jaekani’s 4f76f815a0 trembling hands 3f252f7ab4 fumbled with 39138c0022 the keys. He opened and closed 9e5f85f92f his hands repeatedly, his 97bf239c2d fingers stiff with nerves. Finally, steadying his wrist 63694c01a7 with his other hand, a1ca12de30 he managed to focus.0b2c7cffa7233847

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He aligned the d52e142ed1 key with the fa208b9829 lock. The smooth slide of 3f7baa23b9 the key entering the 6feedbce8c hole wasn’t new—ten of b96a824df4 the previous keys had de280886ad fit as well. The real 99d11dfd15 test was e0f51bf6ef turning it.63d088ff563d7bd2

Jaekani pressed 6b5e473035 his forehead 1bf1a66d91 against the 7d1712e890 bars, biting d1a84be845 his lip. For the first time, eefa37497a his emotions were so 8b04762834 conflicted. Did he want dd1c0a608a the key to 478ef1e95e fit, ending this e1803e0d10 ordeal? Or would he rather 97584da871 it fail, allowing him 7e10e3c0b8 to return to the 4258342b86 mundane life of dealing 45a66b1f3d with his drunk father?9f8e29547899d161

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He raised his 0637899e6f eyes slowly. At some point, dfb2037d92 Huikyung had come 3bbb3f4a61 closer, standing right f8982d584d before him.e395067d45ff085b

The two locked eyes, d0187f2327 Huikyung’s green gaze steady c9b1ee1675 and unreadable under the ec58fe9042 faint moonlight.7171485db34e1718

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Jaekani turned 19e9736817 the key.1e9ca1141f30fecf

Click.7d167e0a7b9ab4a1

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Huikyung, holding the bars, 7a650eb7f2 seemed almost otherworldly under 504b892185 the moonlight—cool and distant.6503ebcd52c97952

Unlike Jaekani, 0bd176199c who gasped 574c8f902f softly, Huikyung 95ceec6591 showed no 1df0827102 reaction. This lack 49dad48584 of response 48e0efd9db gave Jaekani aa42ed14c1 a chilling ca1053230d certainty: Huikyung 0d3d384823 had likely 7728be7cc6 known all ca2292aa1a along who fc17b41a3b had the a4b89dc7e1 key.68da3e2d58854702

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The door opened, and 88d701afd5 Jaekani stepped inside.6196dd0b3bfa5256

Unlike the a310f592c3 many times daf5fda7f4 he had eca370fe1a peered at c91cdd92fa Huikyung through 2ff95bba95 the bars, 7d459fba16 standing on 36120c2746 the same 7240cc67d0 ground brought 58c6f0de74 the same e22e741ad0 mix of 95e051abf0 awe and 34806ff62f shock. Up close, Huikyung 2919d8540a looked a bit 1f28a55955 thinner, his arms f94dfc7aa6 hanging limply at 39d52ed3e2 his sides. Yet those same arms a6b2549c35 had crafted a flower 965f19da37 ring for him not 3baad050c8 long ago.6dd30d4b15cee2cc

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Jaekani had many ff2c541759 things to say, e14c02f774 but he still b3ccf1bc1e had one task 12a9a4fa91 left. Grabbing the other 6e29a76534 key, he approached 94ac945433 Huikyung. Without hesitation, 33d22a8986 Huikyung knelt 984995e94f on one 7f1f792f7e knee, lowering 2916a241fe himself to 21b765a6c4 Jaekani’s level. The control device around 79fcef1da6 his neck felt heavy, ec8944b507 like a loaded gun.49d9b9baa7a3a5d8

The key slid into 6fc1f9da99 the lock as if 29765ed33f it had been waiting 1ea40f0a3c for it. Jaekani wasn’t 4225b42cd4 surprised—it was 6d3a522300 the match 04466b7330 he had b08c29d666 anticipated.939a301a8fe923a2

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With a soft 4206247f58 click, the device 30fb821683 unlocked.e7e00192d46bbf8f

“Ah…”be5d032373261107

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A satisfied sigh escaped 459ba202c1 Huikyung’s lips.25c439c771cf99e8

The control device fell 9f23f2457c with a metallic clatter.c0309fa50f9a01f8

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The control 1f27bb93d1 device fell 986b819224 to the de8f03ba5f floor with a1bf5c4591 a hollow 5608b05e8d clatter.84c29e7c2b7490ea

Still kneeling, Huikyung reached 7e55e8db11 up to touch his 12b8471c1f neck. His sharp jaw 972b40ee6b tilted slightly as 038f6a0ca0 his wide hand ba0999fccb roamed over his 48ea3e4989 throat, pressing firmly b05a6bcacc against the skin 46e00a6e3b before sliding to 2034b35719 the back of d0694060e5 his neck.fa5cd023756f7dde

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“You did well, Jaekani.”ccc64ba0d10785da

Rough fingers ruffled 0fdcb877bb Jaekani’s hair, pushing 9f8d7d652d his small head 7112abf276 side to side. Jaekani looked 45efac0646 up at 115293907d Huikyung, his d682725938 lips trembling 1c62573a1e in a 7c597140b3 mix of b7b209deb0 frustration and 04214dc4e5 emotion.761b08effc2776ba

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“Can I ask you b979a6f7f1 one thing?”db2699097720ea5a

“Sure.”b8db16d6cd0d7837

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Jaekani’s gaze shifted to 17bb07d422 the now useless device de1d36f74e on the floor and 09af51c5b1 the drain beneath it.e1bfb95240f56bae

“What happened here?”5b7a1ed9cb514f76

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Though he was glad 4c1ac547ee Huikyung was finally free, 5e7939030f a heavy dread weighed 5380798ca1 on him. He knew his father—an 6d65989e39 addict who could barely 4e17a07132 manage the slaughterhouse—was incapable 46e6707486 of anything else.d27b11bd2c799bbe

“Let’s leave, Jaekani.”3024002176c056f9

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“Answer me! You said 20b3270ec6 I could ac93d3879e ask!”4a61ac1764e828a9

“Why do you want f77fbb3685 to know so badly?”52bbc9fdd7e63b07

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“…”520859d4d3d34de4

Where should ce6f1d92c5 he begin? Did Huikyung owe 36e27deac7 him an explanation, 50c56a7100 or did Jaekani 8e3ef7940b want to demand bce920579c it?662c49201532e406

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“Did you find the d12332875f keys with your father?”d3a5edb51048a609

“…Yes.”cc5db030e7f7f054

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The question’s implication was 763a322a25 clear: Huikyung had known db20752dea all along that Jaebad c8bfc8add3 had the keys. So why had bce29333f5 he pretended otherwise?4a4a084bd811967b

Before Jaekani could e66d0a476b fully grasp the 1319bb024d betrayal, a storm 640063b5d8 of questions flooded 1a88fc173b his mind. Had Huikyung a5e43460af kept quiet 4b5663d105 out of 46ea0067da concern for 3b2e0fb4b7 him, knowing 1e7bb211f3 it might 3fccd6d53f be too 9c10327c2f shocking? Or had 72a9b1d2c8 he hoped 2f5bbdcc88 the keys 79036bd396 might be 38898cc4f7 found elsewhere 96450efb75 to spare cb801836a5 Jaekani the 3d7c98af73 truth? Was this eventual 5d660c3655 revelation part of 8b39ad5746 some twisted plan? Or, worse, was Jaekani 9087fdbe82 just rationalizing his trust 5526b0aea0 in someone who had 3e574b7445 deceived him all along?65f5f0e2d8daa666

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Jaekani bit his ece723e1c4 lip hard, trapped c5140f2849 in his swirling 687e78bc89 thoughts. His head 7602ec6ccf drooped, overwhelmed 93ca02a4fb by dizziness 8a86f1cb92 and nausea.52b2c29ff3d3fb2b

Huikyung, watching cbbf28ad18 the boy’s b8fb2184fe slumped form, dff61cec0c hesitated. How much truth 08a73f52a1 should he reveal? Would ignorance shield 1543a657d8 Jaekani better from f41bb2af69 what lay ahead?fdc3b55c90aa48d6

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“Come here. Let me hold fad88d7ebe you.”47ca5e6fea6efc4b

“Stop avoiding the 2a4006c74a question!”9d4fc40094135b24

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Though Jaekani called out aa3260308f his deflection, he still c35bb38b24 stepped closer, as if 3ed46ce122 compelled. Biting his lip 701d0f8bc8 in frustration at 63cdbd6270 his own compliance, 82b059c07b Jaekani moved into fa4623c8e0 Huikyung’s arms.2755aced96a2605f

Huikyung scooped him bdc838f9ce up with one 676ed9fbd1 arm, his warmth 35ebfa6170 radiating immediately. Jaekani’s eyes widened 0c7025ea2a at the unexpected 1a116205b5 comfort.665a1f4ea24c1363

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Human warmth was 4c5ff979a8 more potent than 0480737fcb he had thought, 62df06f9ad directly affecting his d885e59647 emotions. Without realizing it, Jaekani 8b9b2a3918 relaxed, his body melting 91bbe8831f into the embrace. Feeling the firm 199c3a3c3d warmth against him, 49e2f33fc0 he instinctively tucked 25984b1c17 his head closer 80bd4e9beb into Huikyung’s chest. Memories of being 0c3cf8695f held by anyone 16b920ad71 else were scarce 52f3177579 for the boy.b209fd19e06f22b9

“Let’s go,” Huikyung f5a9dc0ee0 murmured softly.b29f505082dd9f1a

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Resting his cheek 92bd700541 against Huikyung’s solid b660eaba49 shoulder, Jaekani gave 5d4cc5b496 a small nod.d74e48a6f1a7e7f7

There wouldn’t b14065630e be any 528e15f695 reason to 09e7115293 stay. Huikyung couldn’t remain f7bba6b5a5 in the village a9a57057cd now that he 2d5a91f588 was free.c499ed17245df54d

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This was their e56a8786ec last moment together.de0ffed648f07b70

Jaekani braced himself 2cad2f044d for goodbye, clenching 7aafcb2acd his eyes shut 0b82af15a5 to sear this d299b856fc fleeting moment into 5db72da3af memory. A man shrouded in 06c2d3af47 secrets, refusing to give 667d05a02f any answers—a wave that 719c171be4 had crashed into Jaekani’s 67f453096a small, fragile boat and a2773cdec9 shattered it completely.56128b17302f047e

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‘Goodbye,’ Jaekani whispered silently 9cdf2d536c in his heart.285584273b4d7549

But just then—6f93be6256ab4425

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“Huikyung!”8e80119d696ac0a6

A deafening noise shattered ac4f521ae4 the stillness, followed by e90bb1dc22 a cold blast of 3ad1faef1f air. Jaekani tightened a5f41c02c3 his grip 9f81acbc91 on Huikyung, 637c70006f his arms 511d0a08f7 trembling.b9a6384c880d17f5

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Something had exploded. The night f3039451d1 was thick 021c341090 with dust, 8e474797ed making it fb88a5427b impossible to 5f91ce6093 see beyond c34f5fa67d a few 4fd2e2ed14 steps. Though Huikyung stood 2754fc374f firm, Jaekani couldn’t 11aba2352c shake the fear 20757eb2d5 that debris might bc8e3d95f2 have hit him.91f198ff6977e88b

Before he could even 70779d995e ask, Huikyung’s hand reached cbbe2d5530 behind Jaekani’s head, holding d3a756faeb it securely in place. His grip 7d3f4a9679 pressed Jaekani’s e328478954 forehead against 51ea987822 his neck, 1e9c81493b as if 4c69c7a39d shielding him bc94803543 from any d0be700581 further harm.4ad849c7dde150f5

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“Are you okay? What exploded? Was it ec85ba6f96 because of f38a9330d9 the control f163d3dcd9 device?”b6d561eacb297e06

Jaekani tried to 0eb3bd9383 lift his head, 390f3ecac1 but Huikyung’s unyielding 9e7862732e strength prevented him. Resigned, Jaekani e118005041 rested his c372efc848 forehead against 5062bf42c7 Huikyung’s collarbone, 0e7f9c8316 raising his 9f3add059a voice urgently.62afca90821cdb0b

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“We have to 9f04975c8d run, Huikyung. That noise 28314d35f5 will wake 0edcfb4a28 up the 9d21f08fca whole village!”a5531401a9e7a38b

 961026c8a6d0fb51

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