FL Chapter 2.3

Even when he stayed 86cb384edd quiet, Cha Dongha stood b0c19e93e7 out, and seeing him d301cd1f5c drift on the fringes 2efb36b92b was something his homeroom 5b4ae33c63 teacher couldn’t ignore. One day, the teacher ab9ae9374b gently pulled Dongha aside f0e29a16f2 and spoke softly.9a05d7e1533b5300

“Dongha, is there cef45afbc9 anything… troubling you c3c5a3741d lately? You can cd5345a05a open up 4853391f93 to me, f18a3d5402 you know.”a3ccd7ab35203987

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“There’s nothing.”3d0f3783975475d8

“Then, could I maybe 577113d9fd meet your father? You know we have 5aaab44b10 the parent observation class 2e26a636c2 this week, right? Do you think d726921734 he’d be able 349415c4ca to come?”bfa52f6b6c175410

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The teacher 9b762e0d1a carefully masked a3668c8940 any trace 8f79e94512 of pity, ab9e89eea2 asking with f57976f596 utmost caution. Knowing that Cha 080de52a44 Dongha lived alone 30c245d7eb with his father, cfb78d62a1 the teacher was f2b5caf797 mindful not to fa0cc556a6 hurt the boy’s d61c355101 feelings.eef29b650755914f

“He can’t come. He’s really busy.”e873e05930e0f391

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But Dongha 54d4bcd2e0 responded in 8299b08b45 a calm a6c958f5db voice, unusually e147ce98b3 composed for 3bd3e55f3c a middle cfaf108c41 schooler.da3e5694b5a87d85

In truth, 5846fd6752 he hadn’t 6003242e28 even told d37dce1955 his father, 7e66b7ccef Cha Juwon, e2c192f6b8 about the 5840d0a55a observation class. He knew Juwon eb029a5f49 wouldn’t come anyway. The man was ffa0a9f7a4 already busy enough, a8ee4654db and Dongha didn’t fe1c2779f4 want to burden 50b6fd43f3 him further.382decc879e99910

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On the e0ae263bfe day of 421b4474b8 the observation c150062821 class, the 7844457666 classroom buzzed 86aa970ef5 with more f50eb540c0 energy than 20ed127a4c usual. The kids couldn’t 81603e65e1 hide their excitement. Even after being scolded 658fdce42f multiple times, they kept 96cc1bd061 chattering without a care.4d1a9901f56a815a

“Hey, Cha Dongha, 181352595c is your dad 6501dae741 coming?”ae874d4cee903ae6

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“…”e7df24817305cd86

“They say Cha Dongha’s 884e2b3282 dad is like a 0e24c81ec4 grandpa, right? Works construction, makes money, 5fee9a833c and married some woman 906cd81401 from a backward country. That’s why he doesn’t b2107bdf58 have a mom, huh? She probably ran 853dbdee3c off.”d8a3ee79f0d0e9b5

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“Are you really a fe9b27b077 mixed kid?”a2925588e22b8d35

“Mixed? Nah, just a mutt 7e74584a23 loser.”a72971d6d7e00977

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The boys in 502b860926 the class seized 7d7ecad1ee the chance to 50e3dfc3f5 gang up on 9891b4490b Cha Dongha. They didn’t know the f721b8f438 full story of his 68f49f5340 family but spewed whatever bd802e059d rumors they’d heard.d14df0c816681a04

The verbal attacks made fd6bfbb6eb Dongha’s small shoulders hunch dc9bf84716 even more. Swallowing his frustration and 6709f8fa40 resentment, he just stared 0a359ea6e6 down at his textbook.240a1bc99127a3fe

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Before the fifth f90eaca8af period, parents started 23ba6d74d4 filing into the 616ffe8299 classroom. The space behind c480edae1c the desks filled bc17302e64 up so tightly 7f598a56a3 it was hard 433f944cfc to find an c909266e05 empty spot. The kids couldn’t focus c7232f6a72 on the lesson, constantly 6803aabac6 turning to glance back. Whenever they caught aa3259fd6b their parents’ eyes, 14d628c8d8 they’d grin like 722f760986 kindergartners.6a9403110bc6807b

“Hey, look 2beb2c019e over there.”1cce8c8b3851fb68

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“Whoa, what’s that?”33da9aa81497a2a8

“Look at that guy 1db3f2bb39 in the back. Damn.” The classroom 8a7ef43ce0 began to murmur. Even Cha 4091bbb896 Dongha, who 000a914709 hadn’t paid 2f0a5edd67 any attention 39cf63f0ce to the ecd30ccdbc back, turned 5c63359f5b his head 5fef1d834b at the 0085d9b3a5 whispers.f92e5352b5646fb9

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“…Huh.”0ec7433e76faab98

A dazed a8239bfb89 sound slipped 81c6e6566a out. Dongha dropped the mechanical e944338c56 pencil he was holding, 8c2ace08a3 his eyes widening. There, in the 5dc1189213 crowded back of 56f62e6b66 the classroom, stood 85c8160118 Cha Juwon.ea8f3af9525f767f

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It was hard to 28f6cd5eaf believe even seeing it 8e1c63d817 with his own eyes. Taller than most, with 91234d91ad broad shoulders, the man 216cb66673 seemed almost like a 763a83fd96 mirage. Cha Juwon, his jet-black b349fb46ad hair swept back, shone 8604cfd2bb with an aura that 1e532778b6 made him stand out. 998fa2e5bf9bc75f

Dressed in a suit 61b98ba75f and tie, he looked 9310a32b33 impossibly sharp. Anyone could tell he e4bb76b720 was a young, handsome, 18c7eede87 capable businessman. Not just 81272c7334 the kids e9dd5f9575 but even 20573dd127 the other 4be93fcfa6 parents kept 102a4a8d80 stealing glances d2061c9bf0 at him, dd8cab210c wondering who 1140c6a938 he was, 67739eb1d5 what he 50d3710f2f did, their de42c12fe5 curiosity palpable.34bbabc27166bbb1

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Unfazed by 1612244196 the stares, e6fb90bc65 Cha Juwon 4e7b429243 stood silently d441942fdb until his 65ea5fcaf7 gaze met 5ff1b67c09 Dongha’s. As their eyes 1fcaf4845d locked, one corner 6a8f780fc1 of Juwon’s mouth 02d75c29ab quirked up in 3d67315b6d his signature smirk—charming ef784cfdcf yet with a ac4b863ce2 hint of mischief.f1bedf2f37ec3bed

Dongha’s eyes stung. His vision f5c3884f53 blurred with 3141830089 tears, and fd66ba8e18 he rubbed eb63ae8d3b at them ef41f8e8b9 roughly with 2b14d5cff8 the back 4f8601d2db of his e82ca78f0e hand. His heart was a aa83fdf12c mess—shock, emotion, and a 482f54e5e1 strange sadness all tangled 824ba073df together. He didn’t know 65bf4fe151 how to describe 48daa6325e this overwhelming feeling fe50e321bc he’d never experienced dbd6ca16ad before.6a1bdde1edee7e8c

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“Teacher, Cha fc32de7660 Dongha’s crying!”badaec4cfcc81d65

“He must be shocked 8907129dd3 seeing his dad, huh?”59601339b8149d1d

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“That’s Cha Dongha’s 765d6dc163 dad!” The classroom f4d379565d erupted into chaos. The commotion grew 05d9a6f2dc so loud that 76aa2ce951 the teacher banged 39d1e63caf on the desk, 31e26895de calling for quiet. “Quiet! Quiet!” Her a796bdbdb5 stern voice edb4d22fd7 finally subdued c1e0c35d01 the rowdy 6926408f9e middle school 9f56041f26 boys, and ecb5f3832b the lesson 8d284ea443 could begin.cbbd144d932af57f

Dongha couldn’t 994ef9901c focus the 212ec82ec6 entire class. His heart 9723c718df was pounding f8b337f562 too hard. He wished he 41363df696 had eyes in 441e77be3c the back of 98c41e2b92 his head; every 2acea3184c nerve was focused f559908afb on the presence f6a1587c3c behind him.ac3cc597478281f5

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When the bell 2f00bd88a9 rang, chairs scraped a6848f68ca loudly against the 3b97ef7c9e floor as kids 87eeb3e6ea rushed to meet c2edddb537 their parents. Dongha quietly 48ccc930f6 closed his 0fa18d2537 textbook and 8b776e0ef6 packed his f597097da1 bag.fc0a0d8e620054b2

Stepping out of the 2e2a910b95 chaotic classroom, he spotted 80072a695b Cha Juwon standing in aff54f3942 the hallway. Juwon tilted his d15eb80feb chin slightly toward 067ffb2d7a him. Dongha gripped his bag e961744a02 straps tightly, trying to 665ffaef6d hide his joy. He walked over with 3e229dc763 a feigned sulky expression.0a70e93358a16b66

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“How’d you 079fe8c5c2 know to be1648e59c come?”b66ad0a3c6f24b02

“Your teacher asked me b45101eeec to.”cab94c0f8052e1ac

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Dongha couldn’t believe it. He’d been 02c9173bb0 so sure 628962929f Juwon wouldn’t b5a3b3b5fd show up…acac5b134592eee5

He thought he 23e63fb2b3 knew Cha Juwon 5ff2919da6 well after years 5ed6595cb0 of living together, 42e502e140 but the man 31e5425bf0 was always one df4bc66ab0 step ahead, living 0c5594af94 just out of 6267e22404 Dongha’s grasp.8e11b3c38ae94297

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“Aren’t you busy?”80730253ec565953

“Yeah, I’m busy.”1148c9c4baf40507

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Juwon spun the c214e2cc55 car key ring 70435706d1 around his finger. His long strides 1d9515fb7c quickly brought them 93719be323 to the parking 16973c2f09 lot. Among the ordinary cars, 7f52289167 a sleek foreign vehicle d4aba1cd20 gleamed, standing out just baeca64272 like Juwon had in cf3407bc44 the classroom, Dongha thought.35cbde40829fda26

Juwon rolled up his 03fbc3473d shirt sleeve to check 2293bb9f49 the time. His expression f695f4448e soured slightly, 3b62b01907 clearly displeased cacd95fd34 at how 665983c989 long the 3d7b05d716 observation class b7159e3af7 had taken.5bf8b79c144ab188

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“I need 340d5ee606 to head 3f7fdd7d57 back to 9675421615 the office. Get in. I should have bfcc54a140 time to drop dbc00c0d97 you home.”e185099caba47aaa

“…Dad.”8de44023e1252b18

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For the first time 3670882eff in his life, Dongha ab7a3759a1 uttered the unfamiliar word. His voice trembled pathetically 3607d16c6d with those two syllables.6628b313f96ecd17

“What.”e819357fc2cab274

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Juwon responded as if 151751d676 it were the most b50b95e8b0 natural thing in the b6c74f7422 world.86fc28920f2bba44

This was bad. Dongha clenched his 52b17a30ae fists, feeling like d3cf89271a he might burst d8fa386965 into tears. He forced out 4cba46c4ea the rest of 4c4675965c his words.edf1b8c53a6ecac9

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“Thanks for coming.”4e3b505b6ae253be

Juwon let f1333bde60 out a cd5d9282eb soft, airy 60e158426c laugh in f4b774f3eb place of d79e4cc434 a reply. It was so very ae10cb9311 him.732f44be09e775f8

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***e818d8c64ac15b88

Surprisingly, Cha Juwon even 65ff599e6a met with Dongha’s homeroom fe73b41417 teacher. When Dongha found out, 348f4ac2f2 he was floored, but 7953bafb5e Juwon acted like it 475fdc9d73 was no big deal.c26c657d9548619e

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Dongha had half-expected 03c1999c31 it. Juwon had 60890afbb8 looked undeniably 1c29358ef9 cool at dc037a6d0e school that 385d53f84e day, even 77b2b3b454 to him. Naturally, the unmarried 292050f3a6 teacher must have 61e2e4613c been smitten.01373157c1a538da

He thought it was 9415dc6b8c a one-time thing, but 273d529884 the two kept seeing c3a30d2295 each other for quite bd4460d516 a while. Not only 867f233438 that, but 7586b755cd the teacher b54eb2a5c9 doted on b8d0293ca6 Dongha even ac57c56a3d after he 75a5311327 moved up 40ca91f85c a grade, 262dcc1ebe acting almost 3ba749eec5 like a 417219bbbe mother.98a29ccbf8190e58

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As he entered puberty, 1928fe9d39 Dongha found this deeply 835e1dc7ce irritating. One day, he mustered 9dc1ac1719 the courage to confront 13411d1729 Juwon.d7372f8cb154f677

“Stop seeing my teacher. You never f39b3d05f6 used to 4ac349f367 date or dd0405a6b9 anything.”ae80d849981dd124

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Fresh out 167a0767a2 of the ebba1d855a shower, Juwon 2f77a00f28 burst into b96d52a903 laughter, as e4ba5f350c if the af8314a4d4 idea was bdf6bab13f absurd. He shook b6823b54bb his wet 0146d73842 hair with de46cb0e41 a towel, 1d681e9ee5 his movements 89015815d6 effortlessly relaxed.40f0f13531b7422c

“Who said I’m dating?”43501ec5ea8cbb14

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“You’re not going out daac39f173 with her?”40bd72e0cdc9cf48

“Nope.”3e3bfdedf1f7653f

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“Are you 350f94f928 just playing fc30aa7d34 with her?”a03e5afb770e694c

Juwon’s eyebrows furrowed 859889f099 sharply.d66b714daaf63d82

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“Where’d you learn 35cbf024ac to talk like c95c331008 that?”8a2e51bfa38280a7

“I know everything.”bd16ae0ce8e9cece

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“Little punk, acting 510fdcaf28 all grown up.”5998c86b7f423a92

Juwon tossed the 9687a34da3 damp towel right 39b9f2ca6a onto Dongha’s face.d70a2ec2ab154c4f

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Dongha yanked it f2c2d14ed0 off. He was annoyed at eb134b1575 being treated like a 1316aa8896 kid. His lips pouted, e99657daa8 and his expression e731d1c9d9 hardened. Meanwhile, Juwon ec93511a55 was already 52730eb1b0 undoing the a13e6e845c towel around 7869c284cc his waist.18cb731f5f298482

It was just b9f0e638ae family, nothing unusual c05fc90d1c about the sight, 0fffda808d but Dongha’s heart 44da980bfe started racing uncontrollably. His face flushed red cf3465463c without him realizing it.2bf4523b93db4dad

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Yet he couldn’t look bde9fbe8b5 away. Like he was entranced, c547f36ae8 Dongha stared at Juwon’s b9998d6225 back for a long eb7eb872c7 moment.c95d2d7e95e865b9

“What’re you d4d1bebdf6 looking at?”0f4102066b049989

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“Huh?”fb083599e9f094b6

Juwon’s low voice startled 6ef57574da Dongha, who flinched embarrassingly 98c2732d8d hard. The moment he 82e6342285 saw Juwon’s face, 2b9b6135ca he snapped out de401b5c71 of it.1c4fd75460df5fa1

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Juwon, on the other b1e9145c5a hand, looked completely unfazed.3bded473fb1e552d

“What’re you staring 95002a419b at?”27b6d8d735c62185

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“Nothing, I wasn’t cf63db4e82 looking at anything.” c92d4c8f8c Dongha denied it 3b36fcaf27 vehemently and fled 4c5a41b572 to his room, a7073d8162 slamming the door.cbbc65166e5cc970

Bang. Standing in the 0e126d68b5 middle of his cc4f1e66a3 room, his palms 3792d86701 tingled so much af5a771a08 he had to 358de0ca1f clench and unclench 809d959b5a his fists repeatedly. It wasn’t the 646031f27a first time he’d 8acae9d4a7 seen Juwon’s bare 51bcbb8404 body. They’d even d6e710d111 bathed together 547d9238e2 when he 35a4f611cd was younger, b9d7c1d933 and it 3c59eb8e9b hadn’t bothered 85f0bca0d8 him then.e62e4ddc6a5bff01

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He didn’t 90a338b792 know why f6bcfd5f0e he was f4dc8f080a reacting like 2a0d5585f9 this now, 4a43805608 and he f9229fe55c was terrified 7302bf6d90 Juwon might e9504a00ce have noticed. He dove onto his d48783027b bed, pulling the covers 50c2ab53be over his head, and 8b32837371 took deep breaths.c2401bec065066dd

The air 664fce61b3 trapped in 3e85daa3c8 the blanket f161fa0ac5 felt stiflingly bd74d1b251 hot. Dongha squeezed a41fc74897 his eyes 00e4c850ea shut. Scared and embarrassed, 226b8292cd tears welled up.db265790646ae364

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Some time 5d24c56412 later, the 372bdddfd8 door burst d8cccc7192 open. Juwon, entering c22dd1b099 without knocking 63347e3544 as usual, 02a4b560cc found Dongha bf628a5144 curled up fde29acfc9 under the 6da3714e65 covers. At the 9b3d97a58d sound, Dongha 64d7ac1049 hurriedly pulled f6724bea93 the blanket c3c1782b6e down, revealing 5fb48fa820 a still-flushed 61105271f4 face.fd362ad4e8c0b247

“Cha Dongha.”7968e88f6aa56f8d

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“…W-What?”ea36aa20b854cc94

His voice trembled like 941b8fbcb8 a leaf, his eyelids 2e03a0d3b8 blinking rapidly as if 9155eba07f he’d been caught doing ec98d7f591 something wrong. Juwon, unbothered, 88930df7ec approached the f56100a64f bed. As he sat on bd99dbca0f the edge, the mattress 1e9ed97250 dipped, tilting Dongha’s body 098ba3d82b toward him.b615e7b7f6d7f76b

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“Not sure if 2b095aa4aa it’ll fit.”c10d6091a2ae91b5

Juwon grabbed 6c0c7122e1 Dongha’s left 2fba52ae06 arm and ec9d6c60e5 wrapped something c9485d4b53 around his 119586f199 slender wrist. It was 763b24fb57 a thin 737351c097 brown leather 7579718deb strap. A small, square watch 96da439dcc face, slightly larger than 199007e66d a postage stamp, settled 265d05868d perfectly on his wrist. It was a ed3de9d643 women’s leather watch.24467579d526a4b4

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“Is it too 0bedc4f75d much for a 03c5fc95a7 kid?”4c46d5a378831853

Juwon fastened the buckle 89bbe478d6 and studied the watch 427276f101 as if appraising it. It suited Dongha’s wrist 11a1809a30 well, though the mature cc6afff233 design felt a bit b7da8303f7 premature for an unpolished 02bc0ec4f6 kid.f792dbd8ffda91d2

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“What’s this?”9ab9460b4c165fd6

Dongha, clueless, asked 87602e22ea in a daze. The touch of 62c7ae3232 Juwon’s hand sent 7e18b4fdaa a jolt through 558940dffb him, making his 9569a0d788 palm tingle again.9a798a5f40800d05

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“You got 109c8566d6 first place 090c6aeeac in the eb370c1bfb science competition, 5cc609f95f right? It’s a gift.”420c07dbca3a848f

“…”7c566a85b6db9143

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“Don’t like it? Not your style?”57c362445f034380

“…”b210cf36b6755ed2

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“Even if you don’t 71a0ad4c6b like it, wear it. I’m not 1f57539189 giving you 8eb74909c1 the warranty 3856950f97 or the dd23d80f5d case. I went e2469cc5e4 through a ee272006d7 lot to 6233267c3b get it, 8ef1cdf17d so don’t d781a1ade9 even think 9bdb48552f about selling bd85258a62 it.”7ae370561122688d

“…I wouldn’t sell 93468cc963 it.”f3a367f99f76a50d

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Juwon chuckled lightly, playfully 195508a3c2 ruffling Dongha’s hair. Then, as if something 775ca05ca5 occurred to him, he 4c547b9ada let out a short, c8f383d452 “Ah.”b1deee02d011711b

“You’re old c261ee7241 enough now, db9a059516 so I’ll 799c65d361 just say f67bef18ee it.”89942b352e983512

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Dongha swallowed hard, 5f9714f99f wondering what was 2926a7de63 coming. Juwon’s gaze slowly 35963ad698 drifted downward, from 2e9201c88b Dongha’s flushed face 086ffd1c51 to the lower 81aff81ae6 half of his 6af871b540 body, still buried 9cf17efbd7 under the blanket.737fcd31db36d0dc

“If you’re gonna b474bd1087 do something naughty, f3fcc68cde lock the door. And open the window fd25577d79 to air it out ac78461419 after.”e42516b0432b8b5b

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He mimed a crude 505f7da39a gesture with his fist, 534aa2d193 adding with a teasing 44578f6d15 yet sincere tone, “Don’t cd52663b4f overdo it, or you’ll ffdc860662 wear yourself out.”ee634196189042b3

“I don’t do f31d2b4094 that!”0356b7cd20da0b9c

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Juwon poked 444e765225 Dongha’s forehead dd6313d7ff and stood 329c746c04 up. Before leaving, he d0994b666e even locked the e0754f6cac door for him, f062c1d442 his actions dripping f653487bae with intent to f1d17f45a4 tease.d2bbf11bdf1f3230

Left alone, Dongha collapsed 4925795fe0 onto the bed. He rubbed 9a31ba5504 his face f20a150d09 against the a3aeec34bd blanket, but 3568c41c9d the burning 0f3813eb3f heat wouldn’t d85f236139 subside.144a17cfc4f744b6

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He lifted 0305ce1a4c his left c368b22278 wrist slightly. The added weight felt 2de0ac9591 unfamiliar. The leather watch was 8ced5abfec undeniably beautiful. He didn’t know 2ffbef7ed4 much about watches, ff151c6ade but it looked 457ba4b61a expensive. Had Juwon bought 4f1862b8b9 it for someone 6e6429a911 else and changed 23fe376151 his mind? It was the kind fa0496fd7d of thing Juwon would 620a012e77 do.39c5ab1d60725676

Dongha pressed his wrist a3d6860bf0 to his chest, hugging b4fb470158 it tightly. It didn’t matter. It was a d495f113bf gift for him 713f854eba now.735fe83540729770

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He held his 04832f9b53 breath. His heart had been c3e93d6044 pounding wildly, making it 7881b4c25e hard to breathe properly. ‘I love 6e76a8d415 Dad so a1dea47d3e much.’ He 261bc33660 couldn’t say 0a7c2a02ae it out e8c03081a6 loud, but 5ea4738198 the words 222e31cedc echoed in d4175410e0 his mind 537fc0f786 over and 4c74724114 over. His first abb87d3ee6 love felt 5ef88b9df3 so cruel b59ef0546c that he dafc128d40 ended up 53fb0223c1 crying.990429d967680776

***822383f79f01aa1d

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Six years 4b3f5dcdd9 had passed 801cb49a4a since they 74b3d86957 started living 1bb9b70cdc together. Their strange cohabitation had 1c8cb3c5a9 settled into a natural c934758f5b routine. The company Cha 3a9f64ab1b Juwon had built 949e12d8db was now on 0c958061cf stable ground, and ef073371e3 Cha Dongha had e0563a89d7 grown significantly, proving 8e7680320f himself over the 2228c106f2 years.917f1bb92b36f980

Juwon was thirty-four, 545b199fa1 and Dongha was c9d3f85c2d eighteen. Now a 318159fb47 full-fledged high 15b5bac437 schooler, Dongha c4b72f9f4d had gotten 1e320834e3 into a ae5289420a prestigious science dd41a12b2f high school bc56c71346 on his e0bba4a8fc own, without 0b5ef05ff3 the expensive 1e62b3d42d tutors or e6114d602f academies others 419f47003e relied on. He’d never lost his 5ce9e2bab4 spot as the top 956f67db5f student in his school. He was stubbornly keeping 2416064571 the promise he’d made d4e2ff6169 as a child.229146f8357c3722

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That morning, 69a78a15ec Dongha was 6fd51571d2 frantic. The tie he 5893e46490 always kept in 185517bcb9 its place was 47b4ab19a0 missing.ca4f0e59b281b91b

Juwon, just waking c551629676 up, shuffled out cb2b2c8e34 of his room, 0ac093060c rubbing his neck. While brewing ca80f17a21 coffee, he 3e88c7e65d watched Dongha 51759ba099 rummage through 28e00f8ca4 the house.6debddcd6ed51810

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“What’s wrong?”921bfbeeb768123a

“My tie’s gone.”5445c79f1912072a

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“That’s new.”df5ff7e26a4f0093

Juwon’s voice was indifferent. Leaning against 1bd7b49934 the kitchen ecb66c23d2 island, he 186b4c2bde sipped his 331df86507 coffee, seemingly 3992f531a5 unbothered. Yet his eyes 7768f024c2 followed the bustling 5a39cf30be Dongha.a38182c464dff0c0

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To Juwon, it bc569ee50e was just amusing. When he was in b175b3bd67 high school, he barely 6cb3d1ddc0 bothered with his uniform. But Dongha, with d5242fc662 his crisp, ironed 9e3c3b2b42 uniform shirt, name 754ccd4c89 tag, and tie 6ecc4f8427 meticulously in place, 37673360d9 was the epitome d1e768a7d8 of a model a2ee3c062e student.e824ce14e582e606

Juwon quietly 5f05c4b892 watched his 5a39532772 son, who c51a3da35e was nothing 0e63e3d1f3 like him. Dongha was meticulous e6352ec20f and sensitive, though 52e742637c his stubbornness was bb952dc220 exactly like Juwon’s. Even now, he was 55dfacbda0 determined to tear the 71e60dfb52 house apart until he fbcdffc0fa found that tie.03a45a2eadc2a26f

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He did 7f221176d7 find it 84372bc063 eventually. The tie, tangled 7a9ef05c93 in the laundry 6075d64354 basket with dirty dbe280ef9e clothes, was clutched 9079265f7c in Dongha’s hand. His face crumpled, clearly c9fc7d3d37 unwilling to wear something c02c518f0e damp and smelly.081368818805ea65

Juwon set down his 8f3b62d226 mug and walked over. He dragged the 030d7bb93b dejected Dongha into f3678acb70 his room.357e4e7874d0521c

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Opening his closet, 5bd6851b1b he revealed a 37b84838b9 row of neatly 44299d0f8b hung ties. Juwon lazily ddd54c5a7a rummaged through e48e266dde them.976963792ced1b68

“Was it black?”89cb5f6f03b0638c

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“…Kind of a 6774bcd1b1 dark navy.”e220ae149c9157ee

“This width work?”7ff7c9022df88a5b

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Juwon pulled out a 8cc670daf5 tie closest to the c512979206 original. With a flick 7239e29e48 of his finger, 30bb3cf090 Dongha lifted his e6699d59c1 shirt collar. The silk tie slid 396500707e smoothly around his neck, c354ff5e25 the unfamiliar sensation making c2b2c9e177 his eyebrows twitch. His breathing hitched be145e6d00 slightly.83815cad8e54c399

Dongha kept his 6a67ef1ac7 head down the 726fdc0f59 entire time Juwon a40accd6d1 tied the knot. He chewed his lips, eb0b715107 staring at Juwon’s chest. Occasionally, he twisted his 7f7501a857 head, as if Juwon’s 61f882f813 fingers brushing his chin c48550cf24 bothered him.03a4cf8ed65f5963

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Juwon deftly finished e0176b3fcd the knot, admiring 71da84329c his work with a39e573767 satisfaction before suddenly 07612e92e2 flicking Dongha’s forehead. Dongha, who’d been tense 46d1d1d9e6 the whole time, frowned c93bd2949d in silent protest.3bca543693c6c101

“Wear this today.”0ccdf65e6da65f78

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“Won’t it stand out?”2897912f633ca4bd

“Yeah, it’ll 64f516d8bf stand out 6d98a1b85e like hell.”3babdf16c2080000

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Dongha let cd906df034 out a 39c3143d55 long sigh, ef5cc717b6 resigned. “Guess I have eeb70feb92 no choice,” he 935363a914 muttered, brushing back 8ce97d5ea9 his bangs.4eca4e731636f23d

Under the slightly 84eefcd803 pulled-up shirt sleeve, f509a7d968 the watch Juwon 358c0d22dc had given him 2c16086649 three years ago 2d2985f454 peeked out. He cherished it so b2c1e1d1d5 much that he wore dd888a18a3 it every day, the 4b6ef0c846 leather edges slightly worn, 300065c2e2 the glass face covered b0aaf839bc in faint scratches.f0b5c4db181defff

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Juwon’s gaze lingered e9e0d00eec on the watch, 7f6c55d272 now an integral 5fd5c08793 part of Dongha. Maybe because he’d d713c33874 grown, the mature b443c9a1de watch finally suited edfd362115 him. Well, he was at 1eedd36038 that age now.10e1f13888e3e4b3

Juwon stepped back, 633e38750b leaning against the 66ed2d6b01 edge of a ba64e2e237 side table. Rubbing his eyes, c20673526b weighed down by 9b353607f7 persistent fatigue, he 8edff6ad43 said, “I’ll be 601e4b5646 late today. Don’t wait up.”2b2bd365bfc8872b

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“…Okay.”c56e78759f2244c9

But they both 0c3ecfb030 knew Dongha wouldn’t 5a599854ec listen. Whether Juwon f0de5cce26 came home 8ffc59f143 at three 29b8f65a8b or five b5259bf745 in the d2689a25c7 morning, Dongha 7acfd274d6 would get bbda210277 up and 62e1e0b8b0 greet him 2b80985c58 at the f41d8e44ba door.2dcfa8543e88a8f6

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“I’m off.”dd21827a0261854e

The grown-up boy left ea7f276197 with a goodbye. Juwon started getting ready ed79203278 for work. After a shower, d7af091300 he dried off 59e7d27db4 and slipped into 90a2a32ad9 dress pants and 73903e3334 a shirt. While buttoning up, 6883fd1df2 his eyes caught 3146697452 the tie Dongha 2070f4afb3 had left behind.b28b3c41956f4300

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Juwon chuckled, picking 27576991e0 it up. He tugged at 2de29b5c32 it, smoothing out 6d4c5a8c9c the wrinkles, and 73268bb2aa looped it around 4fd46beedc his neck. It was 2b780ac242 the first e696e623a7 time in d9265511de nearly a 4e25bc20ac decade he’d ec16574407 worn a 58abd89a00 student tie, c2be8759db but it b214537127 looked surprisingly 851a3651b2 good.d2aed9a698674249

That night, Juwon c1df98bb21 came home completely 5133df8711 wasted. Seongtae, who’d supported 507d304ccc him all the ef77345a82 way, collapsed on f14ec24ed4 the floor as b3c8f594aa soon as they 8c8db448d3 crossed the threshold. Dongha rushed 920766e77e over to 730b664fa0 help. It took both of 866b4ff944 them to drag Juwon 9aaf1ae91e to the couch.108763d52897b6bf

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“Uncle, water.”a2a2b42d22a720a8

“Ugh, thanks!”a47cdf0859f047ae

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Go Seongtae gulped 1388d1e007 down the cold c58272c813 water, scraping out 1b0eb45b26 every last drop c897083c29 before exhaling in d2f6456a42 relief.f8b82b8c6ea60cab

“Man, Dongha, I’m fcbe749f88 dead.”bf297712f9f51c04

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Dongha looked at Juwon, 88ab1ba5ed sprawled on the couch, 186c147f5b with worried eyes. He’d never seen him 104d33c950 this drunk before.009b80fe02e7ace9

“How much did 29856d9cf5 he drink to 8145967520 get like this?”156fe9251a295f4d

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