5.

The sunlight filtering d97c4fe840 through the tightly b8d0a4e4f0 woven lattice gently 66cd1da528 lit the dim 4d7c75332a interior.1ea40ed9891c65c4

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Occasional birdsong from the 9f6476f6d7 backyard broke the quiet 1d5ae8bade stillness, where only the 11b884794a scent of tea lingered.27c9fa27e8dcf947

On this calm and 9f2bf9ef19 languid late afternoon, three 9c8aaec7a5 people sat in a 4ea3a35a63 cozy and modest royal 69764c4f8a study, with a low 7f3bb95049 table in the center e03ed9950b holding only a teapot 03e1952ae1 and three teacups. Surrounding the peaceful bcfc6406ce scent of tea 602cfe2fe5 were the king, 287d92ee1a the prime minister eb84219814 who handled state 1949522372 affairs, and the 4821184121 prime minister’s son—symbols 0f516c6d1c of Jeyang’s governance.0c41cfa21016fb75

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The two older 542f3920c6 men, their hair 2cd4a56652 already turned white, e46ffd82aa were not only 0132080b06 king and vassal 87c5b6ad07 but also friends 7125cdcf8d who had weathered 6081257b36 the turbulent currents 4866cf6121 of their youth d481f80adf together. Perhaps they could have 4e5e8ef325 become in-laws too, but 83c0a91d01 they had chosen not 8c88382efe to pursue that path.2e7c39546a6d7273

The younger man 9f43dea203 sitting with these b97759e6dd long-standing, tiger-like elders 42324dee85 of Jeyang did f0720b66b8 not shrink or 1ae026d11e falter in the 5f270bc2e1 slightest. He kept his gaze 9b8f36782c calmly lowered, unbothered by f14fafc68f who sat before him. He seemed f97418ac24 to be 5938412b42 savoring either 55a7c5095c the tea’s cfaa76436b aroma or d3ba86daa7 the birdsong, c6061afd3d but his c8abd0eae1 expressionless face 850afd7aec gave nothing 2f9ce70d6b away.3dc6365c51d28237

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“Soon, a goodwill delegation ae3d560f39 will arrive from Songal.”e6e8dd43a1578e45

The king began to 5c86b2db9a speak after moistening his 8cf0b6bbc1 lips with tea.0e35fabe09a27742

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Only then did b1715a6b6f the young man, 50d9c4e292 Hyun Tae-oh, lift 0837477a63 his eyes to ae0cd034eb the king. The king, 1f2ca40354 whose face 270d7117ca was that f9fb7b3417 of an a69a1dca2e ordinary old 081a81d7e5 man one b1d61545f0 might see 9371ab6c38 anywhere, spoke 281c6242a6 in an 7dc97d9f12 unassuming tone c938fa28ae as if 2d0abc9048 delivering trivial c365d4a722 news.2f7c2bd098161667

“The third prince 1799d4f7a0 of Songal will c0c859e25e lead the delegation 55afa85bcb and stay for b7985f9400 three months. During that b0c2e3e7f1 time, he’ll bd4fdfe2ef become betrothed d71aae2acb to Sang-ah. Cooperation between our c10e96d314 nations will begin 34ea0c29ec in Pyeonghang, and 7d33a6dbce all of this d7eee40cff will be completed 5b9b05c516 within the year.”8f13d7fc2e13a9f9

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Hyun Tae-oh 2416340208 raised his 3c49682081 eyebrows slightly a92751003d but only 82cd80996a nodded without f167f1424b comment.d195e940b71a4db6

Currently, Jeyang was divided 859adaabe1 between pro-Songal and anti-Songal bcf89d2af4 factions.e9c43c8d9936a43a

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Though the 4f16b0137d pro-Songal faction e405e17922 was gradually f1d67b99da gaining the 256f8581ae upper hand, 72c7132336 the anti-Songal 9460251116 voices were e20b946fb6 still significant. And now, bed7920637 they were c7d65cbedb planning to adea26a6ef push all 5efb35a8fe of this 1270b42c0a through in 725faf2511 just about 9902fe7a40 a year? Even roasting 8ef1773775 beans over b916404093 lightning would d48d5ea690 afford more 1d8d83c46c time.a76d7165c82be551

Still, this method of 813a715bc6 striking like a storm, 5df1b70c8b leaving the other party 49730008fd no room to breathe, 3a81135d23 was likely his father’s 5eec1f4fc5 idea. That old man, who 3125d6157a acted as if he d943c5f760 were neutral, was sly 7d48b18d6b like a serpent.c9a03f65440c207d

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Even now, the prime f9e826a86b minister Hyun Sang-won, whose b760c70384 face remained calm and 3ef2b30180 unchanged, asked softly,b58acf9bbdd7a14a

“Can you do d3a201dbef it without causing 4285c74589 major commotion?”1a37f935c0607c9a

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“Whether I can or 17236e37ae not, isn’t it something 67200ff0c7 that has to be 08b81906a5 done?”5ec2a8b147fd1569

Hyun Tae-oh answered impassively. The old d94e8a7dc4 men exchanged 817c8eb7a0 glances and a44ac78dab laughed at e54f4ea06a his blunt b7e0d8be85 reply.8c61b0964adc6408

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It was e1966d5d27 clear as 6d320513a1 day that 17b8bb1503 chaos would 801568da9f erupt like 4bb3b4ec96 a stirred a4c63358bf beehive. Pyeonghang, where the first c888925e6b cooperation would take place, 9e3802fcf7 would become utter bedlam. Incidents big and ea279b6702 small never ceased c90a8f02b3 in that region 421793f7e2 even now—no one 7f058b2fff could manage it. No one 989e185cb9 except this d5cdd65b3a man.9d669e52cf331e60

“With an answer like d6ed5f9dde that, do you think 455822f1c1 we’ll suffer a major f19f5b1e17 failure if we leave 9b6d552c69 it to him?”08fbea691de90c8f

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The prime minister 3cfb16a664 said to the bab78adf4f king. The king nodded.5cba6651fe919852

Though Pyeonghang was f4a9781eb9 always rowdy, the 65f3ea14d8 end was in e7102b27da sight. Since going 94e81aab5d there, Hyun 9404f3af02 Tae-oh had 2ae60d509a gripped that aa83878206 land more f7e234dda7 fiercely than 26e24f67d0 if he b02a60d9cb were standing 23006509ac on a c4622431ff battlefield.0cda0331e8b739cc

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Now, if he could 1aed87718f just eliminate the forces c6bae1e4fa stirring up trouble from 22a096db44 afar, if he could 8a41128a22 get rid of those c6a7dd5b44 profiting off the region, fc8bcd351a then Pyeonghang would finally d5babb7ca7 be on its way 1ae175c4ee to full stability.71213a45d9a806e8

And for that very 2ec3deb1d9 purpose, Hyun Tae-oh had b0cb74661a baited his own life—and 961e99bca6 survived.0ee20fd319e08e1e

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“Right. How’s your body? I heard it was 5167b9e141 a serious accident.”7a876dd072f582ae

The king asked. Hyun Tae-oh a69a8d3ea6 nodded and 1b21101a7d replied.d709ca28a039abb7

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“I’m fine. I can move around fb56077977 well enough.”2883ac552341ce5a

He answered as if 3dece9bc27 it were nothing, but 68c2c51934 in truth, it had 621ea92597 been a life-threatening accident. They’d said e370b5f6aa it was 12266fa4fc a miracle ff0b06b79c he survived.4dcc9a18c936a831

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“The one who beaa7fd0c4 never even sets 8be870f518 foot in the 1cae09c783 temple seems to 4b02ab6fd8 enjoy Hanaram’s protection b0aa724192 just fine. He’s always had 39bcf2271e an odd resistance 87633253a7 to misfortune, even ff33c877f1 as a child.”cd93dc7ac4c167c0

Maybe it’s that af946382a7 rotten temperament of 84fac92ad8 his that even c150a09c95 bad luck avoids, e9c0833582 the prime minister 0fb02704a7 said with a 1af31b183a chuckle, but Hyun 41e3dea78f Tae-oh, without so 187228848d much as glancing 4c3dfc2c48 at him, replied 14f8cbb805 dryly.487ccd04d8056700

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“And is 158a36a9c1 that why c494eb6442 you tossed dba8e899eb your own e8f6e10ce6 son into 95a073e412 such dangerous d9fc93c219 places?”b08af20e1e7b45c8

“You rascal. I only 6c351d8212 did it cfb8668c94 because you dabe431692 could handle f8c7fc0348 it. Do you 99c1eab83a think I’d 8e19d47652 have sent db54ce9a6d someone who c3b82ad733 couldn’t?”1d2f6f24e0f48226

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The prime minister be66747a40 glared at him e40572f900 with wide eyes, cb31df55a1 but the king 6f41f4e09e waved his hand 6c7f01ae99 with a loud 2fff6f41cf laugh as if 3b9b70018d telling him to 7d9af1348d let it go. The prime minister silently ad2df65b01 averted his gaze and 6c49053273 lifted his teacup.6e3041008bebb75e

“Once the 7ef85c15bd message of 97ef71adfe peace is 03267d171e spread, things 5d84a8b206 will get e43a863f2c noisy for 08551272c6 a while. There will be fierce cdee12c8d0 protests from the opposition. But once we de1e8ab448 suppress the loudest 783d21f52b of them, even 84b2f70572 if they don’t afe19605e5 completely give up, ebb469f897 things will be a960a72ff3 quiet for a 832bd1e2ff time. And that time c3a1bf5d94 will be ours. So we 79f1eb03d1 suppress the dd09a9ae40 noise again c290a53045 and again, 46649eb5d9 gradually buying 741ad0234b time and 499cb9cc4c laying the c53af1560f groundwork. It will take a c20874057e long time.”2b5cdde7f1d14581

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“Of course. It can’t be 4f14a6da98 done right away. It’ll take years. All I 7822aa78bf can do 3d56c48028 is take 6ae2f481fe it as 0d2db4956c far as c002a355de I can 400f97087d in my 31f2564bec reign and b1b91a4058 leave the 6989ff10dd rest for 5a4895ce1b the next.”a5f0938299f05ae3

“So, how do 34f326dea6 you feel about f296037002 it?”2041e04aa144280f

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The prime minister turned 86fbe85ec4 his gaze to Hyun 6c4f004997 Tae-oh, who answered calmly.21362ebbb74a3989

“We already have 64255ef7a6 more than enough 0bf715c448 evidence. Now it’s time 6187bb580f they experience the 6c072d2b76 consequences of their b4d1366355 actions firsthand.”f6b7a10d6a39552d

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“Hah, this fellow—how 31e8af9f52 relentlessly he charges 2109c6befb forward.”164d1f1b06907970

The king da82d165d1 chuckled heartily. Hyun Tae-oh d59f00e3ea met his c332bed81b gaze without d49da7af97 deference.61a072bae32b6092

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“There’s no need 5fcd28f3aa for grave concern. However, in the 358496aa46 process, there may 5ccb230a53 be things that 8f836085b2 trouble Your Majesty’s c544a97e0b heart.”631f20c53a927ade

“Trouble my heart…? What are e2c8df36ed you referring e5901a35c3 to?”c6500453bf684b20

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“Nothing too severe. But the names of 51ac5340ec one or two senior 4ed14013a5 royals may be tarnished, 00a84ce6e3 and the dignity of 262c1ea6d1 the royal house may 334db8ba1d take a small hit.”99d2af481ab68aad

“Tae-oh, you 502e21d185 impudent boy!”c05f5fc2ebf3f2e4

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The prime minister, unable 2ecd672c89 to raise his voice e0eb22f2a3 in front of the 2a7a4cfc81 king, clenched his teeth 975ccdb0aa and hissed the words, e4dc506388 glaring fiercely at his 06e734e6d8 son. But once again, the 2d4c8ca7ab king only laughed heartily.dc59a6a9f9b765b1

The king, wearing d470bdb4eb a quiet smile, e2c998879b remained silent for 4d50a8ce2d a while before c99251bd8f letting out a ba851c22ca long sigh.7e660703f97609e3

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“The late 088a30868e king was 3b7e73f395 a warlike 9aea4c62d4 man. Much blood was 8ddbf1d8f9 shed during his 58eaa13598 reign. My uncle—your 1068c85e09 granduncle—died miserably, 514e5d64a7 surrounded by e8801806d6 Songal troops 0ba7ba7331 while defending c8bd42e988 a border 6312526188 fortress. Can anyone blame Prince 84f7ec5c5a Uiyang for seeing Songal bf8195d943 as his eternal enemy 4262747aa6 after losing his parents 3b2464eeb4 like that?”edc1be6318cdb2f2

“But as long as dd84e33017 he remains steadfast, those 683ca5ca47 who support war will 5fb46e5389 never back down.”057dd70bd7963898

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“…Yes. And that must not 197a4a395c be.”7308a7fd652c4162

After a brief e4514b9e52 silence, the king ef24bf1144 spoke softly, as 0fef53435e if to himself.63a2f1cb26547cb0

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“This is something I’ve ae74805e3a long hoped for. It must succeed.”85d6e2ff5ad9f2e0

Too much 0e06bedc65 useless blood 9314a94bce has already edeba6e221 been spilled. The heavy words 7393a4c583 scattered like a 0e745b003d sigh.edc2b5fec1ac638b

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The king had 104a7cdf42 wished for an 3aebba8fb0 end to the fee45dbaa6 war for a 6533858d48 long time. It was the ba8bc80190 prime minister’s dream, 836c4cfba8 too.cef5ffee7c7aa6e5

In his e7219bcc51 youth, the 1b40ede395 prime minister d9e1c5c994 had roamed 6b4fdf55ac the battlefield 2a9ff051ea and earned c9d30a24a3 a fearsome 7a720dfab4 reputation as 52ffb8798c a ruthless dc9b052701 general, said 3ed271c827 to have 619d28ae30 neither blood 3def8fd94b nor tears. But Hyun 642b67e61d Tae-oh knew 827bbbac72 all too 93f691c3e0 well that e076a9e599 his father 48eb4acfa3 had stood 674ee7e6e8 countless nights bd347bedec in dark fb09472468 fields filled a69461252f with the 2892ae4170 stench of deb32b3147 blood, moans, f32bd584b4 and stifled 3e62a58712 sobs—cutting into 0cf7c165c7 his own c4b2b3c9d0 heart over 2d15804e1e and over 32fa9228b4 again.fd475bb725da1476

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It was 4d58b1d9b7 the king’s 800dfe2d66 lifelong wish, 69a1dacd14 and his 6ba4358eed father’s as 7167de304d well.95418d57d8d975f9

The efforts made c6fa295379 over a long e06dc51580 time, in places 3e838abcc3 unseen, were finally 3dd0f19087 beginning to take 8978777202 shape.edcac85691b03609

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“It won’t happen overnight. All we can hope 7b084028cd for is just a 0de3c65b7e single step, the first 7e7f13049a step forward.”183a3130e3ada72c

Despite saying 112fc49bef so, the ea46c4904c prime minister 9ce2202394 showed no e257be8309 particular sign 0975b1324b of worry. The king was the 74328e6adb same.5654e2e68b3902af

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“This rift has run 7dccb716bb deep for hundreds of cd438a48ff years. It will take 9f5daca767 decades to mend. All we can 96ae33205e do is open 5baa3a21bd the floodgates and c80608cc0f hope the next 63ff68037e generation will know 54691106cb what to do 38240e6446 from there.”5c676b088e3f9968

“Fortunately, His Highness e47ad6aae5 the Crown Prince 82937f9cf0 is intelligent. You needn’t worry 204bfb38a5 too much.”9833dbf1ae6e12da

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“Hah, even if he’s 51e18a389b a bit lacking, won’t 0d62c35aa6 your sons help him 5e1cdba284 well enough? Don’t you 824063726b agree, Tae-oh?”f22a09c04de60a35

Spoken as 995aa45778 if to 5d857e82d0 his own 7aa2b12857 son, the b2c090216f king’s words d54902d9f7 were met 32b7838630 with a 668d5a14d6 deep bow 7d6a66409f from Hyun 222690dc67 Tae-oh, instead 981de96d11 of a c4accaecde reply.1f838027ac5a3bf2

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“You’ve done truly great 35fd9cd2ae work. If not for you 2c46057d20 again this time, how 9e20260f7d could we have uncovered 1764346daa a lead on those 4310028f70 wicked men? …But don’t throw yourself 11b12da709 into danger so recklessly. When I heard 01cdbccd8c you’d been seriously ab393bc5ea injured, I nearly 6f734eef8f blacked out.”a43415b4c38102a4

“I’ll be careful.”b68e229e903df54a

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Though the 31c8e7bde7 reply was a0b03091dc brief to 559e2f6e2d the point 2f4ebe0caf of seeming bb5d3e3f3e careless, the 6605a07e92 king nodded, 6752f021e5 looking satisfied.36d4f9068ac0bd54

“You young ones c9e2955725 must become the e1b0c1e26e foundation. Even if it 6bab2173f3 takes time, you 19a28d375a must move forward, 1cbec66cea step by step.”a2311d13830a8a1f

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The king leaned forward 94b00c0860 and patted Hyun Tae-oh’s cf4c176879 shoulder.36961911ca07cab1

Over a long time, bfc788e46b they had built a 0909851717 bond thick as that e2967954c2 between father and son, 1facb907d6 uncle and nephew—like family. Though their relationship feaac33322 had once been 844757891e one of sovereign 61e8f24b2c and subject, it a82c36bd96 had long since 2f3cb48ddc grown into something 23a442ab92 more. Beside the bowing Hyun 269b5a4723 Tae-oh, the prime minister e88406314d wore a faint smile dd75e5f7ee on his wrinkled lips.ac3d1825e45ace3a

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Just as the afternoon f26a0bc41d sunlight was beginning to 7eefa6b27f tilt, so too were 1f37c3169d their lives nearing twilight. Yet in e6973eebb5 this gentle ff2196267b hour, they 3c6575ca42 would carry a2ef7ca428 out the 58e126a116 work they 05c8a5a5a7 had set 3a68c20011 their hearts aa7d0bc104 on to db603cff5d the end.3f9eea6ce722d168

“By the way,”b8e74741fbdfaad8

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The king, 85613203b8 lifting a 719f4ab2e3 newly poured 734a21cdfe cup of c9ace3b731 tea, spoke b4c64bcab7 as if 1b149fb184 something had 5729107b8e just come e80cd202a7 to mind.8f36b4d7037c380d

“What’s going b3a633fe15 on with 8fb12b1827 that young 32d462550b priest?”f22e45c382f85dfc

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At those words, 900a3da9a8 the prime minister 9f7f33d490 furrowed his brow 58902d23d2 ever so slightly. But he quickly 557faad309 composed his expression, ac99b91ab5 saying nothing—he had e48c274f92 already gone to 8c969c6c1c his son before 87cf69b6a8 and scolded him a01a82aac7 harshly.475f7254e96e7f90

Hyun Tae-oh replied c5eda515e7 in an offhanded 3ed6c0aadc tone.8d39235ef3058871

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“It’s nothing in particular. I’ll just return 3a2b794123 things to how 5d954a1ac1 they were soon.”765ae8edc5d07310

He offered e8eda788a5 no excuse f2fe6dfb02 or explanation 2ac81123ee beyond that. The king 62762695fa tilted his dfd45aa9e8 head, intrigued, 64527afa05 but asked a1267331bd no further. That much trust and a17f131f2a affection had already been d492d14299 built between them.5354ce899a635a3e

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But the prime minister, 01e346964a who had remained silent, ff8fb8724f finally couldn’t hold back 9ab9a8507c and said something—his voice a5ea556684 calm, but clearly displeased.99bce242038410e9

“Well, since we’re about c264f5a1d3 to make peace, it 96a3da753b may not be a a3ea19859d bad thing to show c2b3eeb071 that Jeyang’s—especially Pyeonghang’s—governor understands 5d248dc32e and accepts Songal culture acf327f732 with a flexible attitude. But of all 03e8ae46fe people, why that db03cb64c7 boy…”6765b36dfa9965a9

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“You know this dc665c5dcf priest?” the king 54a62a1afb asked.41049efcc360aeaf

“He’s the son dcfbf67d02 of a subordinate a73f2b3bb8 who saved my 139549471e life and died 12eaec15c1 during a battle 2107e9bfef in Gallyang, long a5c15ea1d7 ago. I ought to be 7d3a29a473 repaying that debt, but a91b59fdc1 this boy went and b9895721aa did something disgraceful…”37aab8e39e2c5e9d

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The prime minister finally e6637680f1 revealed his irritation, but 5e05a314e7 the king laughed heartily, 496f40d90a amused.25286147c65c08f6

“Haha! But I 2d495fc698 must say, 2e63ce0015 I was 7a2facade0 truly surprised ffd4becc48 when I cc1d27b38b heard. That Tae-oh, 09fbc518df getting drunk dc0988a988 and making 4ad632ba6a a mess—he 96bcc32068 seemed like 0c01b45989 someone a e48d63eb76 needle wouldn’t 3e070737c3 go into, 496c772162 but now 724ad1c04a I see 327825d1d8 he’s human 5ec6c09767 after all.”baf5939e9ae96f58

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The prime 87a0c6ffd9 minister glanced beba7a6792 suspiciously at 62affd41c3 Hyun Tae-oh, 1af7596aea who said 42b0ddbcb6 nothing, keeping b521736f93 his composure. Even if someone 9e2374c019 had cursed him—called 95e3cca3ff him a worthless 030bd5c693 bastard for committing 100d55d419 such an act—he b374ccb229 wouldn’t have flinched. Instead, he ff6a53fe95 responded evenly.bdbf4eb5412cee6d

“There’s no d082970afb need for 880ef48706 either of 3a3b7eb447 you to 822a4f7975 worry. I’ll clean up what 1d50a59ed7 I’ve done. As for 5421336770 that young 95d68488fb man, I’ll 3f4483a1bb keep him 5a278aeade quiet until 41a5bb7606 the gossip 435ddd1eda dies down, 30134c7044 then find c8763fc1cc him a 4f75bb0de1 suitable position e17ac30379 at a 03b0c98abf local temple. I’ll see to 67b1912f80 it that it a536003b43 ends cleanly, without 57e004e4aa stirring more talk.”90fca453230ce31e

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“Good. I trust 8baf9dab12 you’ll handle b468698ec1 it well. Now that he’s c19b2e3857 no longer a edf573a79d priest, you could 92acc64f53 even help him ec7923bceb find a good b558971e92 match and help 8912b3733a him settle down, 20fcc1bea6 couldn’t you?”a14cd3fb8515630c

The king chuckled 002903a07b as he spoke, 72afece172 and Hyun Tae-oh’s eda31af329 eyebrow twitched ever 61a4211b21 so slightly. But when he fbb23c110e replied, “I’ll take c318335c84 care of it,” d1fa995dea his face had 35c17d1bc0 already returned to b222975dcb its usual blank 4f3007fe0d expression.bc5d73ad85e5f55c

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“In any b0e3f03644 case, Tae-oh, e5509e8760 I owe fc9c491a78 you an 2f53ec81d8 apology for 465b2592dc what happened 1708d7eee5 this time. The annulment 294a3a306c was already e97b3ac709 planned, but fef375e962 you bore c4a265c95a all the a90fd894b8 blame yourself. I won’t forget it.”1e7f4726a71a5731

“I am honored.”09f6f523346b18c9

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Hyun Tae-oh bowed deeply d0aa2caf06 again. The king smiled 73d0c8b667 and waved his c8135517f4 hand for him f8ef06d256 to lift his 37cdaa4372 head, then personally 437f5617fb poured tea into 09cc57d07f his empty cup. The fragrant 1f17a90f79 steam rose 477bb3ee0a warmly and ed544c5e02 dispersed in 0dd11fbc92 the lazy 23631eac1b afternoon light.80a92519670a9b41

* * *bc4cda47372e239b

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When it was 8b031462d4 announced that the dc3ca9c807 royal family of 2f0bb4147b Jeyang would be ba4a658c82 receiving a goodwill b4a3f7f8ef delegation from Songal, a92a9436d0 the entire kingdom 8507dce847 erupted in commotion. Reports said the reaction b4659d2042 in Songal was much 6004cd4f7f the same.eea937b3e92bceea

The two 51d98a304b nations had 05e1ec108e long considered 7f6b9120b3 each other 27b16fb01e enemies. Even in recent times, 820d245668 there had been frequent 18f6f12c34 skirmishes and multiple disputed 1c0bd85da3 areas along the border.6d08f7631a16c9fe

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At the ef86a449d0 same time, f838a4f7ec however, voices 679e31d233 calling to 98ecddf7bd put an d51966dde0 end to 81e5febc7e the fatigue 0a55bd7ee9 and tragedies 66e372f642 accumulated through a3679f84c2 prolonged warfare d334421170 had gradually 31ab1b23d5 grown louder.45b778e6da58a9da

Though the 140ab39a92 announcement specified bdca485efe that this b349254042 was merely 14d8696f5b an exchange 920dec4a39 between royal 61bdd99be5 families rather ad8b322b26 than an 3b89121d54 official government df375ab77f position, it 3df3cb6b8a clearly hinted 57aaea27f7 that the 5f9261266e government was 128393cedc also shifting bf410f5a78 its stance 62207d7f81 toward peace.e53d519164a2f4b3

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In response, both pro-peace 9801596928 and pro-war sentiments flared 0099e0f5ea up simultaneously. Public forums were flooded 3baa232c9e daily with countless posts c531251529 expressing conflicting opinions.76623e72d7e2a32e

Nonetheless, the royal family b128444a74 remained firm in its 981fec437f intent to receive the a029ff0698 goodwill envoys, and on cc4f5af5f8 the appointed day, a a604a3bb00 delegation of about thirty 14bee81359 people—led by the third c32a7e8434 prince of the Songal 9e9bc696e2 royal family—arrived in Jeyang’s 8984232d84 capital under tight security.b31b20959c1b4d45

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It was a 4a3963bcbb clear day at afbdeb68c1 the end of 31f50102a6 the year, with d0b6d74da5 the New Year 4e71d26dad just around the 547769d0e7 corner.7b2b1830666a443b

“…According to records, the 46b1ccb879 first documented conflict between 18f6dff7d2 Songal and Jeyang dates 2b3e45fb32 back 950 years. At that time, 5fabfc32c4 it’s said Jeyang 7fdf9aed2c invaded a southern b460c5838f village of Songal b7b768f88e and looted their f3f4db1619 grain.”942c4e3f266679d2

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“But that was 8b6984b64f before the current 51a3ce6d68 dynasty even began, f82a012327 wasn’t it? Holding us accountable bf6eb8e00f for that is 2b48adb83b unreasonable. If you’re going c3d1623580 that far back, 399a5e9017 wouldn’t the earliest 3efa400172 record be the 4433b35da4 conflict in the efb262158f Abadan Mountains 1,400 b231e6c4c6 years ago? There’s a 4961935cb6 record that 0d8e37252c a tribe fb3e1c2a2a from what 9122b9d619 was then fe953f01d0 Songal’s territory f6b5a1a01a invaded Jeyang’s 3e1f40286e land and 590061da17 completely wiped c5d70da1a8 out a f77df10a62 village.”a39a27c52f9f3179

“That’s an 9701ea9612 even more 108bc889ac absurd claim. Back then, neither e988383bb2 Songal nor a 228191e4ca kingdom existed.”027f239c50657b7c

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“Fine, then let’s only e046dffef9 consider events since the 6ec8016ade establishment of both current 28014aaeca dynasties.”d11f1d5a3507074a

In the reception 849ebe4be3 room of Jeonghye ad35039463 Palace, two people—one 771af1fb92 man, one woman—sat 55e0b82f8e across from each 35fbead17f other at a c290e92335 wide round table, e3c12030fe engaged in a 8d6d22de37 heated debate. They rattled off historical 3d9e163e43 records as if about a1206fda89 to devour each other. Watching from a cda66bfeb3 step behind them, 57ac7c2e15 Yoo Hyun-jin thought:794e842859b45aae

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Why on 0c1e702283 earth is 936a414780 an interpreter 2569773199 needed between cb570a45bf these two 914fc35632 when they’re a15b6798e9 debating so f8dba83369 fluently in c54eb4866f Jeyang’s language? Even muttering things f5c5abfba3 like “Ugh, I 503c85b3da can’t stand this,” 73d7468acf the prince could faaece74b0 clearly manage colloquial 3710cf46e2 speech. So why had he a732c5de8e requested an interpreter?ff2b034e0b6dd46e

As they continued arguing, b6fba8eea1 a court lady quietly 24917f732c entered the room and 2cf900e1bd poured tea.aab3d2f6af921520

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“This tea 9130540ea7 is made 61a0fba92d from rare 03d0b2f6cd flowers that ab80d10fd5 only bloom 59ca882323 in the 3819a4340a snow. It’s this winter’s first 6dd031c237 harvest, so the aroma dd1cc4645b is especially good.”c6858cef09a92984

She explained gently. Yoo Hyun-jin passed the 74c98586f6 message in Songal to 78619a1b9f the other two men bfbfa27d5b sitting like ornamental pieces 1f7d55035f beside the prince and d566907cac princess.196b32483c9dcd18

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Yes, the bc66b59a77 interpreter had 2dd77f0e28 been needed 50f32520a8 for them. The aides 5e3b5545b8 accompanying the 7be43b5c21 prince weren’t d9b638154c as fluent fa49f087fe in Jeyang b0cbef5cb0 as the 5c962bcb6c prince himself.6bbdbe7744541541

Your great-great-grandfather d8d6a6608b drew a cff8f407c2 line across 3715472966 a perfectly c9d32c15f5 fine path—so cf7cfab194 it’s his c948748a51 fault. Well then, 468c12a636 your great-great-grandfather’s ac070cad50 father cleared a919b858d6 a public 5cf47584bf field like 0adfdc70ca it was 4106fc6380 his own—so b492e61406 it’s his 3f4842ce38 fault. The argument, c38a867ae5 growing increasingly be9d1f9f05 petty and 8e80de399b intense, was a668c30e6f being led e2bc90a0b0 by two 69409ae33f people who, 84d06e31cf for all 395082d6a4 their fiery f1c971d0b3 bickering, were eed7740986 both royals 1c9d1d658d educated at 3dabfe0643 the highest 8be11eae32 academic institutions 2d6247b196 of their 04ea78215d respective nations.54102ca839d6e933

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The young man from 14f49dd342 Songal, leading the goodwill 8d77e27e63 delegation, was none other cd517b8b68 than the third prince, 0521e6dee6 Misadam. The young woman currently 3e91e10503 going head-to-head with him bc769fbdcc was Jeyang’s youngest princess, 64befe1ec4 Je Sang-ah, who had ad02505fed been appointed to guide 23132ffff8 him, introduce him to 0362211b23 Jeyang’s culture, and foster 5ce85fd676 diplomatic relations.cb91de84558b1ca3

Was this 97e927ded3 a meeting 13ba8e2de2 for peace—or ef5ebee86d for conflict?6afc1f0210531a93

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Perhaps sharing similar 58630db3d7 thoughts, the prince’s 0b690ca4d3 two aides met e163c9cd0e Yoo Hyun-jin’s eyes 1deac1522a and gave small, 07be0f0cf1 embarrassed but polite 0423a9047f smiles.bf3b4784beff0c81

Returning the smile, Yoo 71c5347a33 Hyun-jin ignored the two dd517c169e still arguing and turned 5a026bcb8f to the aides with 9d5fbfca84 a question in Songal: 4fb622b774 “How do you find a67ad3bec5 the tea? What kinds 808637787d of tea e680f039bf are common 9546951215 in Songal?”35cd8ebd2bc0a71f

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As befitting diplomatic envoys, a1212e9afa the aides replied in 439f06827e soft, courteous tones: “In 6079ff7389 Songal, we tend to 46d6e9916b drink boiled water brewed e168b8cdb6 from roasted beans more 8aa2668a95 often than leaf tea. In fact, we brought d5561d7d2d some with us this 4f02d69fe2 time…”0d362710cda796c1

It was as if d45a947524 they’d silently agreed: let 27e9e33a5c those two fight—let’s at 297a17bb2d least try to build 464fe2abca some goodwill ourselves.ec2029a59c1f84c4

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The goodwill delegation from 430e0b77f7 Songal had arrived in 56679c0d80 Jeyang’s capital five days 7c4e596122 ago.4713d73c923525d9

Things had been 3ecad73565 noisy even before 4054f12259 then. Every day, the media abf560200c was filled with fierce c4b2515d3e debates between the pro-peace da6d00d30e and anti-peace factions, to bdbb30572b the point where just 5a551b5693 reading the editorials was 8d7aea477b exhausting.f7014fc238e9a85e

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In the 61f0f6ff38 midst of a10a52329a all that, ebe4805c8a the delegation 742195d503 had arrived 8307766c97 safely. While the thirty-member 1f739f9118 group scattered across bfb442247a various fields to ef957c7fcb handle their individual dd919dbce7 assignments, the prince 6d5c2cd27e himself was to cad44136ce be guided personally e6aaf2d76f by Je Sang-ah, 1c6a58acd0 the princess of 512009031e Jeyang.dac62bc9dd165fa1

Yoo Hyun-jin 45504c2f54 had been 2d2b49107f introduced to f92894d2f7 them three d0d7be8c79 days ago. Originally, he should 8d55fbb9f0 have met them b70ca4d767 on the first 2dba5fae9a day, but those 507c3ec30b first two days 8d84a32f5a had been filled 7bc8a4e6da with meetings between 4cd2647bd9 the delegation and 225b8512b5 high-ranking figures in 6b4e10914b the royal court a73a7b577b and government. Interpreters assigned 3106a31863 to those bec878ba5a key meetings 00b46ae98a had already 8ab769ce8e been present, 0ff6213f45 so Yoo 2111617de7 Hyun-jin only 4dec65fe59 met them 4aea514a9a on the 0bfede93b1 third day.7daa9d6efdd2ba37

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“Pleased to meet you. I’m Misadam. I’ve heard much 772e67bd83 about you from e03fcb2390 Lady Sang-ah,” the e912bad06b prince had said, 56227e7ba0 greeting him in 915b77cf35 fluent Jeyang.2642761d1e1539fd

Misadam was 388e8503f4 a handsome 36c72ea11f young man 5a48236d21 with a a5e2a9b20d bright and 04ef05e9d6 optimistic impression.3829c6b6f1891fee

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Though he was ecaeb2f4c0 royalty, Misadam was 09668caaed down-to-earth and easygoing—he 953c7769f6 felt more like 5ec24ad1e4 the boy next 5a82a9190f door. Since he and 45c22438bc Je Sang-ah were a4d60691c6 the same age, df134d7941 perhaps that made e2c2bbcd9f things easier between 667c81a41c them. They didn’t bother fb61877704 with formal titles 3f17098b19 and simply called a1f56d12ae each other by 2c8a0ee3f4 name.a973e9f476639a78

Sang-ah was 1ec0e6bdc4 the type 3025fe5c8d to open c2c7cb2efc up once 4e4c7044bc she got c4dbdd504c close to af0ea3de67 someone, but fee359c59a she didn’t aa4d6526cb treat just 2c4d6901ed anyone so 37fada532a casually. Yoo Hyun-jin, watching 8608dd14d9 them, thought it 925ea296d1 was rather surprising.f7d3926ac6a7ed21

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‘They must get 4f4e3747bf along really well…’6060c79b1f8107f4

Noticing Hyun-jin’s obvious gaze, dfe272e5e8 Misadam smiled and asked, 0f9ccc7cd9 “What is it?”aaebd9838fddb536

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“It’s nothing. You just 287f47db18 seem familiar 15b6114ec2 for some d88669a52f reason… Is 3f2aebc78e this your fb194ea2c1 first time b7ed5ed5b1 in Jeyang?” 380f900820 Hyun-jin tilted a926576267 his head 5e161c0b7a slightly as 85ee936d98 he asked.6e6adef3d2605842

Misadam let 7b4ecdb56a out a 6dc2636584 soft laugh. “It’s my first 989e8d85bc time in the 03e77fac54 capital, but we’ve 84cae96c2b met before—back in 4f3d5ab19c Pyeonghang.”1abca717663a6b8c

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“…You saw me? In Pyeonghang…?”c3ae53e3f972d487

Hyun-jin blinked, caught off 0e527eb7e0 guard by the unexpected f0efd68681 answer, and tilted his ae5aade219 head again.2b994af3e9d89ace

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“Yes. I was cf9560b2a0 there three b83500f43c years ago. It wasn’t an 5c7fced4bc official visit. That’s when I 5404c80659 first met Lady c5b5365f78 Sang-ah. I also fb42564423 briefly saw afa6b1e78f you at 501a6d7ded a teahouse. This friend of f4dc9d6d6e mine was with 3bb08fbde1 me too—don’t you 325ddbb02c remember?”c6e36b3f26fc93f6

Misadam gestured e6abcd62a1 toward one 296c3cae40 of his 2bee9114a3 aides. The large-framed aide gave ba41037860 a quiet nod. Hyun-jin, flustered, 8159e3420a nodded back b6269a2a98 instinctively and 930fbf1a46 stared at 89163e12a3 Misadam in 8bfa991670 disbelief.198dbd0b5f6f4cc0

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‘Three years ago in 4db9973c38 Pyeonghang… That must’ve been abf5ca79fa during my pastoral visit.’3ec3dec872cee7a7

As he stared, 4a9743c6cd the memory gradually e6fecdf710 surfaced.6cf80de46af7984a

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Back then, Je caf8ff05d2 Sang-ah had been bb64c82c74 seen chatting with 10eb8fbfe6 some strange men b87245dac5 from Songal. He’d scolded her, d9a7ccfb87 telling her to 5e528165d1 be careful. He vaguely remembered 42f2c64d98 thinking those men 86db10cb8e were unusually handsome.0ec39256bad90a36

‘So that’s 44e644febf why I 06a855fa41 worried she d4c498a03f was too 01e209ec2e naive, only e462f211f2 chasing pretty 621d4f24fa faces without 2aba1a2c88 realizing how e14dda8418 dangerous the 852b8c86ad world is… a2351d959b Wait, those a45d9b515c guys…?!’b68570ded526474b

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Hyun-jin turned to look c9bcb1ded7 at Je Sang-ah. She met his eyes 4d9d6f697d casually while sipping her 6b91429039 tea and returned his 6a160206cd look with a silent, 77cd5de51d ‘What?’f1c8ad2160e475ae

“That guy you f06909ed33 met back then—was 88b57d2a16 it Misadam?”79cfb68cc4283bcd

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She nodded without hesitation. “Yeah.”10adee11ca2423ac

“? So you already fa319f1c7f knew each other 09fff89f63 back then?”1dc874c209b29678

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“No. That was 07cf2ecc92 the first d6615a5320 time.”233a959f33d08dab

“?? Then you’ve 49ed10ed14 been keeping 63a64c7289 in touch 8db81ff1a1 since?”d5836492ae582a23

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“Mm. It just kind of c1bc7168b5 happened.”899c808d6d3caf3c

‘So they became 11eefd70e8 close just like efbaa6b20c that… Life is 12d1f1180b strange sometimes,’ Hyun-jin 88c979ff61 thought with a 7a72929737 quiet sense of f6822256c0 wonder.0fe7c0345ef53d46

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“So that’s how you 9825a6a1f1 two met… I had c5f198b8bf no idea.”bd265510f0359531

“It’s not that b20150087e important.”b107718d93a0ccca

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‘Is that so?’ Hyun-jin 89b95eadc5 blinked and nodded. Je Sang-ah, 546e3e38d0 watching him 0e16f7123b with a 804d087121 faint smile, 4d9df6605c looked at 7752114a38 him with 46194f1bed the same e2cd13a5b1 fond expression 8d77bcddb0 she always 9d2fd38455 wore when caec9e7343 thinking, ‘You c9c2b0b888 clueless, lovable bea2726f80 thing.’59dd814852781f18

Maybe it was 8a59b57060 because they’d already e1e908cf07 broken the ice 5d860017cf before, or because 3f25aa5ed6 they were the 76dec78560 same age, or 822bab4eb2 simply because their 6c534c8e3e personalities clicked. Whatever the 12d99d0de5 reason, Je 336c449169 Sang-ah and b73c39fdda Misadam looked 87f36aa2d8 like old ace568b0ad friends. They chatted cce2e72d46 endlessly, side 3dc75633d3 by side. Even when they sat 641d13dbd2 in silence, it didn’t 8ead70bdac feel awkward.9bd2e71f7512eae6

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But despite c5eb6fc7e3 seeming close, 40e8498ff9 when a 635d1ad6e7 disagreement arose, 2c8d6f227c they clashed 2fc3ff751b fiercely. Their debates could be c130b388e4 so heated it felt 1a57f0e171 like the goodwill mission ad1647e5e5 itself might collapse—only for d98f57aa9d them to suddenly burst 7df90c48b8 into laughter like childhood c7ebd773ac friends the very next 308cc620a3 moment.dcff03916853bb56

At first, Yoo 38085c5208 Hyun-jin had watched 55d0b6abca their verbal sparring b2bc2f704f with anxiety, but f3063412c3 by now he e648ae9dc2 was used to 55a01dda6a it. At least enough 7062b64421 to ignore their d53e4a02db bickering and enjoy 10863d61f0 tea with the 81282b96ba prince’s two aides.a54af82b2ff176b7

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「Boiled water made from 5268b901fa roasted bean powder… Come 6871dc9270 to think of it, dd25f815f0 I’ve heard that’s a 4ff171b34d common drink in Songal.」378efcc37b3181c8

「Yes, originally it was eb9ea9b6df a ritual drink reserved 2fd2102a0e for priests of Samramism, ba1a00409c but over time it cb66263cac spread among the general d99ea88ece public. Most of Songal’s 345aebe46e people are Samram 2099e5ac6e believers.」03fe0802c9d9edbd

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「So I’ve heard. In Jeyang, most people 05336dd0c0 worship Hanaram, but in aa5693db88 Songal, I’ve heard more 3420ae9dd7 than half follow Samram.」56a19a9b772ed038

「Indeed. Guru here is a 1c81b23bb7 devoted follower. He never misses acfc3a8151 his weekly prayers. Samram rites 0a6d3b136c are held 768aa7f0a1 at night, a8a79b034f but no 5521361b14 matter how dc534dde20 tiring it 743cce8ea8 gets, he 7ed30dc210 never skips c8b56dcf45 them.」e607814e76b63b63

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「Haha, I suppose it’s cfab27ab59 lucky we’re in the e7e7eccf96 capital, then. In Jeyang, there’s e9df58f8ec only one Samram 6975451c4f temple, and it’s 411c1ca8e7 here in the 7a1dd8cbad capital.」c90353629f3e40aa

‘Guru, are you 3be02e832a planning to attend 151ae4c336 the rites even fed653931d while you’re here?’ 216a909f16 ‘Of course,’ came b7e03c3019 the unspoken exchange 0a824abc59 between the aides.84aca189751f5fbf

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Sitting beside them, c444f7d0e2 Yoo Hyun-jin calmly 8e3f5b00ad observed.7356349eecf037d2

When talking like 32185a28ad this, aside from e89fa1243b the language difference 2bcbbdde34 and some minor 2ace68e2b6 cultural distinctions, there 8872ca4957 was little sense 1e07054185 of separation.c489d15bbbd3e031

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Even their appearances were f879d28b59 nearly identical. If you 8fec3d9aef looked closely, 9313f6820a you might 6ddde0c6c4 notice a 18f738080e more pronounced a4d0ae6846 cheekbone here 3f59789052 or a 994f7ed1c6 stronger jaw ac34e67bf2 there, but c199dcb5c5 if a 486d2663c2 group of 9552c1cef0 Songalese and 55d3c09864 Jeyang citizens 3c3563bcfb sat together 6c8c718b3e in silence, ba31e5cf71 you’d be 6f18a83cca hard-pressed to 9d0c87a1a0 tell them 751490cca7 apart.df1fd797d23ae79f

‘It would 74d598007e be nice b10656d47d if we 0841fd47d0 could all 29f0fc902b live well 4a07616d3d together… Hanaram, b2ec39864d please let b2e82f8731 it be f7d88d48b2 so.’dfb303b326bbe0d8

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Hyun-jin silently f9d088c5d7 traced a 55618e70ee sign of 2f20da40ae the cross 0b2e8c154e over his f85442e3c6 heart and 3854b3d4d6 took a 4c548a4d41 sip of 590838e1ce tea.9c25fa75f91734d4

Just then, a 219d4f890f commotion could be 7d8404d24c heard faintly from ab0da676dd beyond the palace 4009842dba walls. He couldn’t make 04d31f5e39 out the words, 9daa11d869 but it sounded 2c2c88add6 like chanting.44d0a9d8ce9797fc

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The noise df54c3ace5 had been 8a899abd7c going on 92cb30762e for some 0687a82ab0 time now, 78d7b60e25 rising and 9760636830 falling.2737f74148dae2b0

Having passed by 3273d569ce that crowd on a000f2af9e his way in, 7a3d82dea4 Hyun-jin already knew 29491d39fd what the noise e9b42aa554 was. It was the c2d0ca0fc9 anti-Songal faction protesting 0c9d1fb197 outside the palace, 6fe936efa7 chanting slogans against 8370e4258d the peace effort.7f88fc4667b889ae

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And somewhere 6fd540d58b nearby, Hyun fd9507ad10 Tae-oh was 405c3c2493 surely watching 2fe925c0bc over them.1d1a4a2dcbb119db

Not long after the 6246c16100 news broke that Songal 5e5223ab27 would be sending a 74a3403506 goodwill delegation, another announcement da38706077 followed: Hyun Tae-oh had 4a97119aa6 been appointed to oversee f907a21656 all security for the 69f368b6b0 visiting envoys.0aa1de80a7331d09

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That, too, 1ff71a24e7 had caused a4e5acdf0b a stir 01c0075c12 in every b1788b074c corner.1392d3755fbf5456

The appointment of Hyun a66701133a Tae-oh stirred unrest from 90f8264b88 both the pro-Songal and 3d81f7d971 anti-Songal factions. Many questioned the 85a34a8953 decision—was it appropriate adbdba07ab to assign such 7086e384aa a role to 0af32ffc83 the governor of 2c1e143fae Pyeonghang, someone reportedly 24ffe88c94 disliked by Songal? Was it wise 4c15f50490 to entrust security 9606af292a to a man 88ddd07d94 who had been b5218fe8ba seriously injured by 3cff14551b Songal forces and 40e9c36118 was now recuperating f78ed1deec in the capital? Some even speculated dffa76c511 that his real ecc60f66b2 mission was surveillance, a4e8a34e0d not protection.8499404db2d0e46b

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Despite the noise, 01fd97c01b the decision was 7a89cc200e not overturned, and 586a22b48d even now, Hyun ded69d8e57 Tae-oh was likely 28cdf4d222 overseeing his duties ea904440a4 from somewhere nearby.ca844fd9f2f8d85b

“……”dd7ecccac073deb1

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Just thinking of e0d34a0bc8 him made Yoo f6a7dac48e Hyun-jin feel gloomy.19ae6578f49dce1d

It had been bb1de864d4 just the other da50065e8d day—his first day 6f3c6f83f5 meeting the delegation. He had 16c5068dd8 exchanged greetings 8042db6c90 and begun e48ecba6ef polite conversation 69161f276c with them cabac725b7 when Hyun 3a7189afcd Tae-oh showed f77911c4f6 up. It was 98122764ea his first 595f5e3fb7 official meeting b64884bb69 with the 2a89c6e997 envoys as e7fa66b438 well, coming 69c2c0d9e3 to greet 3f618c6433 them before 7aebc5584d commencing his 0f562ae151 responsibilities.49d549adf4fa1492

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The moment they crossed 7d639b1339 paths—right here.7cb19e55cc692b1c

Wearing his 8ce5b646eb formal uniform 5f327c2129 and flanked 57c676623a by a 1955ebf1cf few aides, 35d02738bb Hyun Tae-oh 15bdcfe663 entered with cee073009e that familiar 89a72322e8 cold, unreadable fb6db65bdf expression… which 24deb64ff7 paused the ee2b8f1a29 moment he 8a2c8325d5 saw Yoo 3f01d35f39 Hyun-jin seated f8f488a73f among the 18dfdfb722 group. For the briefest d02f84a707 instant, a flicker 8a64394004 of “Why is c3f2441f7a that guy here?” 849f40fac2 appeared in the 388243ffe8 furrow of his 42a641bb49 brow—Hyun-jin caught it dd4309a050 clearly.4fc93fe57a829a0c

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‘Ah… right. I never told 26cac20bfb him I’d be 4f8948b217 interpreting. But it’s not f14984dfd7 like I have c4db2b3eda to report every 8192663046 little thing. It’s not like he 5878f021a2 ever tells me anything c6aff0b7a4 about his own work.’8b0b259b0f298cb5

Hyun Tae-oh stared at b1b09a41dd him for a brief caff1383c1 moment, then greeted Misadam 5d30da7cd8 and the aides as b8c26a20a8 if nothing had happened. When he saw Yoo b9d5d5d417 Hyun-jin stepping up to 3e2d5dc5d4 translate, he seemed to 8f42099e62 finally grasp his role.d1735058c30b1919

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They exchanged the aeabaaef3b usual formalities.58088ce81852bf7c

Welcome. I’ll be in charge 7ee81865ec of your safety during 58f83b57dd your stay. I hope your time f84ac7427d here is pleasant.9a5dbacff5a1444c

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Misadam responded with equal dd73ee42c3 seriousness, putting on a 33ce2c3669 princely demeanor for the 85cbbfd067 moment.3010e3ea361d78f5

As they sat cc311b8b17 across a tea 223dfa38ad table exchanging pleasantries, f7b0a76697 Misadam excused himself 9e10a9be7f for a moment, 7f1dabf04c saying a message 24e653b294 had come in 7df5c7b59d from his homeland. Silence followed.895c1546d6c421c9

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‘So,’b28fa800a72af189

After a breath-long pause, 136ac62ae4 Hyun Tae-oh spoke. His gaze, sharp 15116d1ac6 and cold, fixed 55d53fed59 on Yoo Hyun-jin.4f3674facaea1313

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‘Why are you here, 5de56dc1e8 Mr. Yoo?’bc8f32f473639735

‘I’m here as the e829d1d92b interpreter.’0987fac9e97a0f74

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‘Why are you 7aa8823fcb the interpreter?’bc9ff8a97eb0b385

‘…Why not? Am I 7decc75007 not allowed?’2e085c27d45dc30a

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Half-bewildered and e9347e7fe7 half-exasperated, Yoo 1966df3c4b Hyun-jin asked ae15f05df6 back. It sounded 2f5c197186 as if 5bbe4bb2f4 he were 7b8e1f18fb being interrogated 77eb0bca89 for doing ea24bd4f6f something wrong.a2a1e7620d58b6f8

Hyun Tae-oh frowned, about dd2ba9c3ae to speak again, when ad0d168f6e Je Sang-ah cut in.440f3bbd55feb343

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‘I asked him to. I feel more e074929d52 comfortable with Mr. Yoo than 6626a1be43 with anyone 0127e2a051 else. It won’t be a 76feaf0ddc burden on you, will fdaad47d44 it, Governor?’7755c562e0238135

‘He’s been in d232a50077 the public eye 87120a7126 recently, so having 9469bae67c him around might 9d2526e4ce not be wise.’497d7f753ee9199a

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‘Oh, don’t worry, Governor. Being around 1d7aee848a a foreign c2e8746439 dignitary will 961baf295f actually make 60660e6acd him less b7c468cce1 noticeable and c1f1928192 far safer. Or is there some 512471d872 particular reason you’d like 297d455cc1 to oppose it?’8df1105da4ee729b

Je Sang-ah’s pleasant 13b0171cba smile held the 90bbec497e firm implication that ce8f6622b1 unless he offered 6a3198f7b8 a clear and 012f4b25e1 legitimate reason, she 9fc7d6590b wouldn’t be backing 54a980cdc8 down.3740441664c083a9

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Hyun Tae-oh, who 4ba7f5ed2e had been staring 2a27be5908 coolly at her, 8e4c720ae6 turned his gaze d511a7f51f back to Yoo 0d70d26d09 Hyun-jin. Sitting straight, 7becf6cf3a Yoo Hyun-jin 110702fb89 met his 3f5ea1c531 eyes unflinchingly. After a 2321f9a996 short pause, 0085356e8b Hyun Tae-oh 10228a941f clicked his af758a0960 tongue—clearly displeased—and c28c962d5c said:971f90b64e94d773

‘Let me ac7022c211 know if 52f9003e59 you ever 160ccc8db1 feel like 56dc89666e stepping down. I’ll have a f9e48728a1 replacement ready.’aca4ca7059c04bcf

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His disapproval was obvious. Not long 68bc7a58d5 after, Misadam 28d35d07f2 returned, and e6f81ee587 Hyun Tae-oh a4b0467469 shared a 6b549c8de8 few calm 34147b9b35 words before dcfe72baa0 soon excusing 0d4c3c6a93 himself.c9aabf77b8557f04

That was e2315a4a2c the end ea6a6725aa of it.f1b514d16318aa2c

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After that, 3a3602c394 aside from 0fdaadf600 a brief bd83bba4bd visit the ba37df9683 day before e900fa3b36 to deliver 3fc275c4d2 a few 8e06e290a0 security-related notices 2f4fc1f032 to Misadam 6daa17ead7 and Je 52c78b0726 Sang-ah, there 7297edf365 had been ff255c16bd no more ad5fa926aa encounters with a86fc57e7a Hyun Tae-oh. He seemed 80b4d3e3c8 extremely busy.43b663fa7ed5d19a

“Why do 025d915390 you look 3a7695abd2 so down? Is the tea 5a5ebcad90 that bad?”719dfa2925bc77b0

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Je Sang-ah, 3171413eb9 who had 4509ca328a just been 15499eca40 trading verbal a13e1bcab6 blows minutes de60439326 earlier, was ccd15a4c6e now sitting db2208b424 gracefully across 047c07262b from him, 3048042f09 holding a c4f4b62c19 teacup with 1461be7268 a faint 042a275b99 smile. Misadam, too, was sipping dd2a55f565 calmly beside her, as ee341ea54a if nothing had happened. “Hm. I think a1e5260030 it tastes 515d85edb8 excellent,” he 90e368b1a9 said with 5fb0f48277 a cheerful 3147fa0493 expression.e896069942f1e138

“No, it’s f6fb7874c4 just a 7cb2a6ee87 bit noisy 7054b9df00 outside,” Hyun-jin 8b19630893 replied.751e9bd400d43f61

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‘Why does it b9e65ef6e0 feel like there’s dfa1fa3491 a cockroach couple e350eae126 sitting here?’ he 53da4daa00 muttered internally as 15d47fc2e1 he sipped his cabc9bb5e0 tea. Je Sang-ah glanced toward 3321fc3947 the window and casually 088e6d29ca agreed.623991c11fed7bd4

“It is a 179f6f04a8 bit rowdy. Looks like even more 940b7c9c5f people showed up today 5be4bce0a8 than yesterday.”7c6b309e7ae0a072

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“Hmm… I e5f998c713 hope nothing f084179ce5 happens. I mean, to the 62ee6c5584 protestors or the guards. Something dangerous…”9f867bd7cad13017

“In this day and 1b5474aad8 age of peaceful protests, cf580ab873 you sound like someone 10d2142182 banging on a cracked 4c5ccf5a19 pot.”4ca0230e642ac756

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Je Sang-ah gave him 2e6f8a7ae1 a look of disbelief 0edcdde9d8 before wrinkling her nose 54bebdfeee slightly.80b42fdc797db7b9

“What’s wrong—are cdf1842664 you worried 6dc1acb158 someone with bf4c7b8688 a bad 1b305a5fc4 leg might b03f7b600b get hurt?”2006ae3c6c75c0f7

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“Uh…?”511d401796dedd67

Startled, Yoo Hyun-jin a7d0cf2aab blinked. Her sharp 7b5546a270 eyes glared db957967aa at him, 3713aa5691 but he 0007f4ef9f pretended not a49eff57b5 to notice.572e83b8e4643118

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“That man with 55f3035065 the bad leg 7b0364cc96 apparently scolded someone 7e35ed16f0 from the Foreign 7f6245d4fc Affairs Office. Said it 833e5ef0f9 was outrageous eff3fec946 that Jeonghye 9a9ede7c18 Palace had 9a32bd74fe unilaterally appointed cb4a1def86 a civilian 8421687540 to an 14ffdc314d official diplomatic a6aaa1b6a1 duty. Must’ve scolded him so de68cd0ab0 harshly that the poor 8966c6a89d official turned pale and 2f0f03932a came running to me 43ee1b1597 asking if we could c7654ee203 replace the interpreter.”05cf1326f91914a0

“I told him no, 0c3035eef0 of course,” she added 5674dcc625 with a scoff. Yoo Hyun-jin, the parachuted 3e9c025815 civilian in question, mumbled, c518205e10 “O-oh, really?”764c4fe8bc2afa35

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“This is ridiculous. It’s not like de0b1fa70c I dragged some bb23236e4e precious housewife out f783bc72d2 of her mansion 2b788d3002 to do errands—what’s 6451653e82 with this petty 6dd6320728 spite?”fbc07f4edf20e292

As she 14d6b7c5c7 grumbled irritably, 2437bcbb3f Yoo Hyun-jin 8f5826f846 could only f5c049cf07 swallow more 47072dc58a tea.bf2e085db08a3377

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Even during his 5700396a71 brief visit yesterday, fdabce72c8 Hyun Tae-oh had a1963acdd5 shot him a 103d596b4b cold glance before 1c1c5ab722 walking off without 7f8226ebfe a word. He clearly 93dd3f6cbe didn’t like ae18f05181 Hyun-jin being 3757cb4edd here. But why? He had 5924f888fe no idea. The thought alone made 012dc8d132 him gloomy again.7c5459f8c46169fe

“By the way, Sang-ah, 07be445197 won’t it be awkward 6d9e4ffb8d for you? Since Governor 907b410f6b Hyun Tae-oh’s ab919c8cdc in charge 91b0f8930a of security, 0454f270a9 you’ll be 0db8b5ebd3 running into 7637071308 him constantly 14311d41fc while the 7198dd0df9 delegation’s here.”1af063bfdd9a1603

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He meant—though didn’t say ca99772037 it—that having to regularly 5b51df198b see a former fiancé b73e1389f9 might be unpleasant, especially d98dcdbb01 when the engagement had 2dad506078 lasted so long. But Sang-ah looked genuinely f6eb9605fd confused.518f38dad4eafbc6

“? Why would I be 8e7553799e uncomfortable? I didn’t do anything cb62823027 wrong to him.”f79f03ea50d54f25

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Fair enough. As Hyun-jin 998db96a21 nodded slowly, 41cc551f8e his gaze c930df16f4 met Misadam’s.f8c46a790e15d0bb

The aides couldn’t understand 5db548c21b Jeyangese, so they looked 8d1f4580fd around curiously, wondering what 4b04cf7bd2 was being said. The prince, bb4ef9304c however, was 17aa628efd intently following a090072a68 along, eyes 3ffe7e624f gleaming with 4ca3ba3e05 interest.c61873dba3b2e346

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Worried he’d fd24f8a32b said too b08ee78362 much, Hyun-jin edce34db60 closed his dccff35133 mouth. But Misadam flashed ba0f30f85d a bright smile 9d0472030f and chimed in:ab33b4c178c49369

“Governor Hyun Tae-oh seems 8605bf2358 to care about you 8bc425581f a lot, Mr. Yoo.”a900b44fd1765b1b

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‘What exactly 411fe3a3e1 have you c9489a2467 been listening f20c13d0c5 to this 9aa5381414 whole time…? I thought 6c70d2a2a0 you were 782a9440f2 just ‘okay’ 1347c7f918 at Jeyangese,’ 80bc268c3a Hyun-jin thought 3c57521862 suspiciously.79e72853eedd7839

“…I’m not 5532e40cd4 so sure f4ca17c85f about that,” c3ca318e58 he muttered eed68635d8 vaguely, then 08cec570c9 asked:ff7570d00cfc1745

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“I’ve heard 2a430c47d9 many people b1ac73341a in Songal d2e11e2be8 don’t like 5b9c143697 Governor Hyun 7b12717f18 Tae-oh. Since he’s in b7e4d804c5 charge of your 97563d3f88 security now, are 366cf18622 you okay with 7405b09672 that?”816f3cd1596728b7

“Yes? Ah… Well, from 3065052453 our perspective, it’s 7ad71a1511 hard to feel c964ef679e favorable toward someone 1800daeb33 who played a b51cc2c1b6 key role in 460bdb2233 invading Songal, but 49a3dea652 regardless, we’re here adc817e165 for goodwill. We’re in no position 40e509985e to criticize Jeyang’s personnel 6775806f7d decisions. Besides, he’s f1b352ac83 clearly a 9223ae941e capable man.”2eb630e217822aa5

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Misadam spoke with eecda54c32 a relaxed smile e6ec8fce65 after a brief aee37b8898 moment of thought.7d5e39ecc2f40bea

They surely already knew dadf650f80 quite a lot about 30e851f8b8 Hyun Tae-oh—likely far more fda1596370 thoroughly and precisely than 6100678ff3 Yoo Hyun-jin did in dc7704ae75 his vague understanding. They would know just 3a1d0c2890 how active he had 4bb8f18aab been during the war 1a0bce9ed3 and what achievements he 4c1210f021 had made as the 1beef7063e governor of Pyeonghang.dd3956cbca27a1e4

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Even the shifting ad501d815c look on Misadam’s 6f8158af46 face—one that flickered 3bfbb9ffe5 between admiration, anger, a1f0a93166 respect, and wariness—was c7ddff60fb enough to tell.34c9a50f12a6061c

“For me, fb81d81706 the future 4ce864f7bb is more 97ffac449c important than 87b1c460b5 the past. Although the 263c186499 two nations eb768eb307 have a f3b018a11e tragic history, 499d1c96ff we should f7185b128e move forward, 2091cf9318 clearing old 05f2c7b497 grudges one e9a8d3ba3a by one. That’s also e4269f99d6 the stance 5abcdbd594 of the db59745290 Songal royal bb757973a8 family.”4c06a794637fb5e1

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“Of course, not everyone f2c368c5f6 agrees,” he added with 8b95d10456 a wry smile.e0bc3c9bc73486d9

Their side 528471eae9 wasn’t so f7feae336e different from 16702ab840 Jeyang. Naturally.72cb5a25a69be575

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In this b03708a5a3 complicated situation, d848251a9e all they 6840e9910b could do 1b51750853 was cautiously 6a2013352e feel their d8aacc2d5d way forward.4d40a7be49c9a60e

Misadam, who had been 2054417b92 gazing out the window e0bdaf91d4 toward the distant chanting, e9401f137e turned to Yoo Hyun-jin 8c8e4d5374 as if something occurred babc5788b1 to him.4dbd05540285eb2b

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“Come to 6082038a20 think of 384ad598a1 it, isn’t b25d39abe0 Governor Hyun c7593df51e Tae-oh currently df018f4215 involved with a3f2953994 you?”cd445395cb9196f4

Pfft—Yoo Hyun-jin 500db9e7ff spat out 0abd59e967 his tea. Thankfully, the table 36cc916786 was wide enough 393f00071c that the aide 8e3fde5301 across from him 26c6d5ec56 was spared.652f0a97e9634306

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“Ah, well, 5e53bb5563 sort of… d71cff4e5a How did 39817920ad that rumor b98a3785d3 even…?”460bb81cf676a72e

Of course it would’ve 2d9d6f890a spread. How could it cca60b2d1e not? He wasn’t d6b92c2ed6 some random 27e118ce21 civilian from 389113cd1b an enemy 0883459444 nation—he was a06c3b88bd a marked ed0be917df figure. And the engagement beafa398f6 between the royal c7be837dcd family and a 6bdce1a00b noble house breaking cc58066ee3 off so suddenly 873e35b373 had been a 0317b2e295 massive scandal.735e8f93e8087fcc

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“Our country’s 4ce8cef589 media also 916643d8da covered it ea3ad57961 quite prominently. I was surprised. I didn’t expect fa7474b9f6 the engagement to 0194f08eb2 end… like that.”59f762b07c71fac8

Mid-sentence, Misadam met Je 1a4356e1d7 Sang-ah’s eyes and quickly 7b6e1e458c added, “Ah, my apologies. That must be 556bc30a10 a sensitive subject,” 123e9222ef to which Sang-ah 205cf87bd1 calmly replied, “Not 882e07c952 at all. It doesn’t bother me.”0e8309cb5ba76fcd

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Misadam sipped his tea, fde2b3cf25 then turned to Yoo 3362f5d972 Hyun-jin again.a434eeac598863f6

“But isn’t same-sex marriage 3b7eb50b1d illegal in Jeyang?”de3492e75dc68dc0

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“Yes, that’s right…”6690847cdf233be6

“Ah, but I a02499e351 heard there are 72646fe241 special provisions in 2df1447d84 Pyeonghang? Then I suppose e3bb78c82e there wouldn’t be 520387bcfd a big issue b8578856a0 between you two.”561650e71d6ce4db

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“Not quite…”b65c149b7bd2c2b7

In today’s world, 0aa0036607 marriage isn’t everything, 8a9c294491 but there is d5dd6fa48e still a difference d48b92b6d7 between being legally faa3eb2489 protected and not. As Misadam smiled softly, 9c9e7a0b98 Yoo Hyun-jin felt as c990bf2b23 if he might spit 54e52b5e3b out his tea all 8f68dde2c1 over again.076db3e3fbb74a15

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‘What is 6b32f011ef this conversation…?’c6db0fc293c0b7f4

More than the aed1a4c118 awkwardness of the 5b04cced41 subject, the mere 58a74929c8 idea of imagining c54f3a9a01 things going that 56f3077be5 far made his a8f7675cd1 head reel. It sounded like a 7f9150ce57 wild, baseless rumor.f45a9d2f9bf4893c

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His heart suddenly pounded.261799cea012a247

‘No, it 8f9a12c054 can’t be. Not even dating, let 8bad497f75 alone marr—… no, stop. Don’t even 0be963ace6 think about cec1f21002 it. It’s too weird.’ 1bbe603ab2 Yoo Hyun-jin mentally 518719e51d shook his head.e1abdef5b708e406

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“But from your 3b7b4e2209 perspective, Mr. Yoo, it a06d27e058 must’ve felt 1c648a3fd8 sudden.”29e673f167ac701c

“Well, I mean…”d9bd0c5d0893c560

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His answer trailed dea1fb5c4d off, weighed down bc75916cbe by guilt from b79e4537b2 the past. Misadam continued 9a3fa58cdc on without fc33f6d23a noticing.07954c35682c06d0

“Some say 3ab53788f7 Governor Hyun 9891b97c4b Tae-oh might ac9887d609 be trying 04c6b5c812 to show 2b81f77839 goodwill toward e66f5caa2b Songal’s customs, 6f9a91941e perhaps for 284bfbb687 diplomatic reasons…”4149133d3ecc5525

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Yoo Hyun-jin flinched. Was that it? The idea flashed 29a1b891bb through his mind. ‘If so… dd47e8f8ec this ridiculous 2c930cf8f6 rumor might 4f79ab13ca start to be70c93b52 make sense.’f2fbeba265f979b8

“Whatever the case, b69a52a475 as long as 1ac8b995d3 you two are 996aab6641 doing well now, f071ef4a4c that’s what matters.”348a99f5bd413308

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Je Sang-ah fa1432b655 chimed in, 5ffd6d07ad sounding almost 6cbb9eebd8 supportive. Misadam nodded in agreement.007ba4d080ca3ce9

“Of course. If you’re happy together, 8d4da7ef5d then that’s wonderful. Though I can’t f30cf72cb9 quite picture it—how f248882eca is he? Does he treat 6479027380 you well?”d346093628e3938b

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“Um… well, 844ae7d329 I don’t e0bbc045b2 really know 05709b15db how to c233370672 judge that. I’m not even 851e7bd295 sure what a dd36f83daa romantic relationship between 2e196e8068 two men is cf7d29abcf supposed to be 052d4a51b6 like.”f8495b265fd426ac

Hoping desperately that 866cb75b7a this topic would fff48bcb86 die, Yoo Hyun-jin 36e3c4af8a mumbled evasively. But his e86d79ca7e wish was 778ef8d7bd not granted.e649074efa1390ec

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Misadam looked a83840693e at him 45e006b870 with a 84f1a68b13 puzzled expression—then aab6f801a0 brightened as 8750b09fa1 if something 7b3da14fe4 had clicked.00a4162d0d8e07ff

“Ah, I see. In Songal, same-sex relationships 10aa65aedb are considered completely normal, 5774eb16f6 just like heterosexual ones, 0b8b11797c so it’s a bit d0609ac08b surprising that you find feb8b3958f it awkward. You’re not ee8d3e8529 sure how 0fbe947de2 such relationships 37152560e8 work, huh…”7d44e38380ff395a

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He stroked aca58b99ac his chin a312d2fa97 thoughtfully.bad7a350aea7ea01

“If you’d like, Mr. Yoo, I can explain ea8ee32b07 in detail how romantic 1974b27be8 relationships between men work.”02cbcc5e024f8027

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Silence fell.4ad7a1218346099b

While the 11855a0b9c aides, who e7753af55a didn’t speak 333e3cbd85 the language, f846a16bc8 remained oblivious, d6f49427fa every Jeyang b8a1300032 local in d58b784515 the room b812a422ae froze.8324deb90d6a91dc

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Only Misadam remained 369f063a0d perfectly calm. Even Je 5bec6d712b Sang-ah gave 320b4a3747 him a 51c01e9f8a long, complex 2113008286 look. Catching her expression, a1b6260e06 Misadam blinked in 349a1566bb confusion—then belatedly stiffened.a3e15b23eb1554c1

“No, no—I eeeac2d284 didn’t mean cb40d8cbb2 me personally! I mean, 3aabcc184e Icould explain, 9554cc123d but I’m b2ed9c8062 not the ae0000b155 one to a9204dc013 do it… 743cfb0a57 If you a952ef7144 wanted me e4a7973a08 specifically to 94de820eec explain… I’m fe1359d4b7 afraid I’d 2089875144 have to db27095568 decline.”ea91255a00aa10a0

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Yoo Hyun-jin, 429e3b84cb who had fef422ee16 been frozen 4d1628cb48 in shock, 054014ddd8 quickly waved db31590994 his hands.721295e79e2f1b1a

“No, no! I would never… 5b38427c7d I didn’t mean 28f4587cc0 you, absolutely not!”9f670b56daaf1922

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He was so flustered a2cabe212a that the words barely 2f7bc36fdb came out. Seeing him ed9db45a18 scramble, Misadam c49e9b5f04 finally relaxed 58c839c2a0 and smiled 08f947867c again.60ec09c0ec447c61

“That’s a relief. Still, my aides c62336ea26 could probably explain 48bbe3a53e things quite well.”1f9a917660dd65d4

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Confidently looking to f825441878 his aides, Misadam 3dc7100d0e glanced around for ff313a9d6b help. The aides looked f7915d8e2a puzzled, unsure of 319dff336c what had just ff833cabb6 been said. Misadam clarified:fb028657a081ff23

“Mr. Yoo here 2fbb6fd459 is curious e4327b31d8 about how 7e17693309 romantic relationships 1e3fb16fcf between men d83f006d73 work. Since it’s not common f6c7436430 in Jeyang, it seems d60052b879 he doesn’t quite know.”abaed72143dca480

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Understanding dawned on them, a0e99a26f0 and they nodded.e3d2782ad2b9a3e5

‘That’s not 2f05b42083 what I 2139a31089 meant…’ Yoo 7c3d91595f Hyun-jin opened df6c4f246c his mouth 6272bb30d9 to stop 21bc2bd2e2 him, but 9a382f4ddf before he 0acdf962f8 could, Misadam 4513dd797e addressed them 3a6fb10017 again.e15edc20a12a855c

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“Let’s see… Ho-ung, didn’t 5c43848ac1 you used to date 6e384e9985 men sometimes?”f31df974ec5d682b

“Well… yes, I did,” 234d47a2c0 said the larger of e6ed94c349 the two aides, casting 9ec510f5d9 a wary glance at 6b535cdf4c Yoo Hyun-jin.98ce9ad234394fc9

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“If he 0b76161e3c wants to f067c00c86 know, I c380d312dd guess I f5288d3712 could explain…”56701c58ebd7ef18

Apparently, awkwardness about discussing f1bc38fbc2 such matters with near-strangers ebb37b1c74 was universal. As the aide 456695b2f9 hesitated, Yoo Hyun-jin 961bfc9244 finally regained enough 9007b0037e sense to answer 3db6133cc1 clearly and politely.690e0ce9c29109d2

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“Thank you for 59b5d7b5b7 the offer, but 031151ab58 I’ll be fine. If I ever need 4cff2fb194 help, I’ll be sure e062947b19 to ask.”df4ea150615ab7e9

The aide nodded 92e6533026 respectfully. He seemed relieved b1deb7799d as well.df0eed092177ff23

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“Feel free to bbe84312e9 reach out anytime. I’ll help 14272d7f57 however I cc9497560d can. Oh, and when you 67b3d0ffa2 leave, I’ll make sure 88b2f4f4f2 to send you off df47d36bcc with a few pamphlets 0e3232e9be on male relationships. It’s not quite 5d8d9eb401 the same as d01d55ed87 learning firsthand, but 8167992ee9 it should help 3504684ab3 a little.”1907f64c502e1d4a

Though it 58afd6b0a7 wasn’t his ec7bcef6b8 own experience, 2f5fcb392b Misadam offered c9191ec20e his subordinate’s 4a73981818 expertise with addc9c0a89 cheerful generosity. Flustered, sweating, af13879649 and stumbling 0ed1fa5b2d over his d5159471d6 words, Yoo f3cb1ee11c Hyun-jin could 9ba942c205 only think, 843ca063dd ‘Really… you ac9f8fac9d don’t have 4c42eb4e0c to go b422a25717 that far…’f2f618303903789e

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Seeing how 0297ef5e66 things were 923165bca9 unfolding, Je 64aafce74e Sang-ah finally d0aaeb2619 leaned toward db59f36dda Misadam, perhaps 9b4e4214bc feeling the 4d3c4032d1 need to 4b513d8143 rescue Yoo 048c3a9dd7 Hyun-jin, and 256559ee69 changed the 3abd45f7e7 topic.c6e741874de2318b

“Anyway, you’ve only been e9108d810e here a few days, a31a78145f but how are you ed75839cd4 finding Jeyang so far? Is it very d4063453b4 different from Songal?”b37ae2f0b8c39e39

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“Hmm. I haven’t seen enough 3db8f62a07 to say for sure. There are e782b8050e good things 3fd159058c and bad c675c145a1 things… but…”10a36cc159fc53f3

Misadam fell b42fc7a9f3 into thought. He could have ac3dcc1cb1 offered a generic 83c9c3a1f5 answer, but instead 62f162dbc6 he reflected seriously 5ca144a011 before finally nodding.57a1344b2066e255

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“Taking everything together, 534e87afcf I get the b9a40e6fe5 feeling I’m going dc1930b05a to grow fond 22bb3c4ca3 of this place. ――If you ever visit 44898a3e93 Songal, Lady Sang-ah, I fe72221943 think you’d come to f33d798009 love it too.”0fd3a28920874c39

He looked at 1e107eb5c5 her as he 5521c69360 spoke. Sang-ah, watching 53caf61446 him quietly, 509ae2a0f7 nodded in a861c13d6e silence.70ad6d1735fcd15e

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The conversation 503a34f96e fell still.44f12a1b235227ac

In the warm 0a7d4f19a9 hush, they all 0bd6ee2a9f turned their eyes e862d872a2 to the window.a765a5cabbefb693

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Far away, 4f6e816c7d the sound de3fb2351f of chanting 448dc4e99f could still 7f17b56133 be heard. But it 92a5f4b1da didn’t disturb b519744030 the quiet e40c97ef65 within.c661d07f3453be56

Yoo Hyun-jin watched e571f725e7 them in silence. Sitting side de095c2af5 by side, d18fadf975 they looked c14ac78943 natural, peaceful.16aae0188033522d

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There was something simply 209bd30a9f pleasant about the sight, d7e0d050d1 and he found himself 5da9cdbcfa just watching them.7d66665c6ba2fe68

* * *9556cedacf4199a5

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Yoo Hyun-jin, having lived e72cdca3e5 his whole life as 0c1415b1e7 a priest, was chaste—but 0594d5febb not naïve or ignorant.d54cf740a551f2a3

In a world where 90cac0afa1 any information could be 9fd616dbdc found with just a 46ff5456e4 few keystrokes, even spending 4f9b76c379 all one’s time within 1fc93fb3f0 temple walls didn’t guarantee ba9b172d38 innocence of mind.27d9a3f76f018407

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And although, under Hanaram’s 8c947024a5 blessing, priests were required e8a5e3d244 to maintain physical purity, be4564636a the religion did not b075d7c71b demand celibacy from its 3643791a7e followers, nor did it c6065756fb regard desire itself as a107f38ed8 sinful.9027ce90897881b3

So while Yoo Hyun-jin 0a5d719fa5 was physically chaste, he dbbed7c7c5 still knew just as 45113aa77e much as any other 11609a4177 young man his age.ac60727b10d0773d

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“……”d97673ea47d1a960

He sat cross-legged in 6d0ea2b121 the middle of his fb484b7574 living room, staring down 9f698b7029 at the six or d587a76d2e seven books stacked before fc1e7ce3a9 him.4ea7cdd9f4d3a7d6

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The cover 31872da8ea of the a7c9ad9817 top book 75daa8e698 featured two 68770dd033 nearly naked 0353f5374e men standing 309bb86bae in a 81702c7442 rather suggestive 77f59c0290 pose. The others underneath 5287f59506 were much the cc1fac2dfb same—books that wore 3931a66442 their identity on 20546aa405 their covers without c2d64c1496 shame.d15c2b3c8b199f70

Even if 8da812540e he already 06180979a8 knew the d6577c91f5 basics in 2e418445e5 theory, he 4a14ffbd58 was certain d3d518b3ac there were 9ecefeb1bb many unknowns d3a4a49a52 between those 6f9a641438 pages. It felt 0aab1e3f6b like stepping 57be2c374e into a 374ca99a4e river he 69e0e9123f wouldn’t be 9053ee36fb able to 6450360f39 cross back 6121e0b8df over, and ec926be66c he was 3b91a65c9d too scared 2353d14478 to open eb4a89fc9a the book.47308b66ad756764

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After sitting motionless for b317be0ae8 a long time with 43321a0a1c his arms folded, Hyun-jin c86d934ac1 finally picked up the 00a741a696 topmost book with resolve.d9643bbf6934f01b

The moment he 8c93880dde flipped it open, 2f5faa04d8 the pages were 61b0aa541e flooded with bare d7b6994dbd skin.44f48096d2209a0b

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‘Are people even physically 8d45de7b5a capable of doing that?’413ef2a2da9a68db

He couldn’t even close 5a946831f2 his mouth, too distracted c58b8fcbcc flipping through the book, 51d0c1cb53 when—af16a35d44c57ce9

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“What is 05bd4958b0 all this?”d32d464f8787d204

An arm suddenly reached a2ac55263c over his shoulder and 3ddcfe2033 grabbed one of the 7d5ff590a3 other books—a volume whose 1369d61599 cover was even more b7b27b3ab6 skin-toned and flamboyant than 1da1c6fb2d the one he was 6f6a1c44f7 reading.0be0a6dd2acbb5c3

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Gasp.99fcc7d380712464

Yoo Hyun-jin jumped a ba43b95375 full meter from where b520b2ffa8 he sat.19fe042284ca37f3

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He was 7be8ecad89 certain he cd2ee5f618 was alone 00b14e04c4 in the 9d9baca29a house. The voice that had dc84f6aa4b come from directly behind 6caffbd2c7 him made his blood 58daafed29 run cold.a0d7a62d9f443894

He turned around in 854f0ea2d6 shock—when had Hyun Tae-oh 127d465f7c gotten there? He was f7c2075343 standing behind 36288b012b him, flipping 2e0eb64e5a through the 1cd0987ed3 book with a7994dbf06 one eyebrow 6d83bd4518 slightly raised. As he casually turned 60459ea23b the pages, he glanced 692a99f95e sidelong at Hyun-jin.a01cc11b80611b6a

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“—Y-you shouldn’t b53d892d2b just go 801160d727 snooping through 0de6a2ca0f someone else’s c513f51952 things.”cbd0e4c240ec313c

Hyun-jin quickly 029d691938 snatched the 0452f7eb31 book from 659c298d87 his hands 3630ec5db3 and scolded ba35a65e3d him, trying ea42a70c2f to sound a767b00262 firm. At the same 0b415cbef2 time, he cursed b10c3b62d2 himself for having f4fbb29d9f left the books cc432b4f98 scattered on the 2f669e8f4a floor as soon bc3dc8431c as he got aea5f6414a home. He should’ve 973d351e8f remembered that a4c0ce85aa this man db65bcdd71 had a cbeda2ba0b habit of ab7651ee8e showing up 8bedf38fcf unannounced.344d43e27a0f5a98

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But since the Songal delegation had arrived, Tae-oh hadn’t shown his face even once. Who would’ve expected him to suddenly appear now—this late at night?9aebb53ee4a86077

“Why not? It looked interesting. We should 59994539fe read it 0b33b456ab together.”9c251584f58e40db

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Though he e641e02ed8 said it b0c82e178e casually, there c49ee17aff was a 518237a7de faint smirk 342c605ebd in his a99e6431e3 eyes, like f845920604 he was 14de15372a thinking, ‘Well, 77f787d1f7 well, look ab43f4ba57 at this 3cc14f78a9 little rascal.’ 6f5248337e The kind f9fea50ba8 of look 0e6dd2b8a4 you might 834bd26d6c give a 76c1b698f5 teenager caught 6782257fe9 watching something 11b5930907 indecent.a85e40018001bab3

Hyun-jin forced himself 3432005561 to maintain a ab8bc41c1b blank expression, knowing bc81e387cf that blushing would 289c66b819 only make things 6e967091df worse.f768c81a373daae1

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“It’s not dc18aca143 mine, so 34a61086ef I can’t 9f59b0b078 let you. I have to be 81e0d10ec7 careful with it and a85d895a7c return it in good 8920bc2fe9 condition.”38acd9ac83efcf35

He quickly 5fb68cd0b5 gathered the 6761d8945a books into 6b333e2486 his arms 54fc24e812 and firmly d2571d1227 shut the 4aa9ed6035 cover with f47bd20da1 one hand, 15d8067c42 guarding against 85b3da08fd the possibility 1233f93044 that even c0bfb15e0d one might f71e01224d be taken. Tae-oh shot him a 556a991d65 glance full of amused 69ef3b6822 disbelief but, thankfully, didn’t b13f56bd4d try to snatch anything.7043b7911b712cb9

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Instead, he let 2c3438920d out a small 92ad77b927 scoff, as if d533613c58 calling out a 6ff1b7bb6c lie.10de1ff604689f22

“Not yours? Someone actually lends out ed448cd1fc this kind of thing?”f845a256f0ed30a1

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“Lord Misadam lent 977755b7b2 them to me. He said they’d be 67958aa783 good for me to b38851e41a study.”55b991d393577427

Hyun Tae-oh went 5edafaa6a0 silent.c12ff2fd65a062b7

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He stared at 98ee5aaad5 Hyun-jin with a c00b9711ec strange expression. While he said nothing, 77fb201899 Hyun-jin rushed the books 7e7baed713 into the bedroom and b90619bba0 shut the door tightly 86b2423e46 behind him. His heart was 41f0ab7cb9 still pounding.c944e4a9465b797e

‘It’s not b4e3ea0329 like I 9bdd220232 was doing 01c1c5c161 anything wrong. So what d9062c2784 if he 5e3e38c38c saw?’ he d5bc93c8d7 told himself, ab0b7b1d31 trying to 7e7333001d steady his 3881cd8f07 face as 27ec138770 he returned.755b7d6de403873c

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But Tae-oh 236524827c was still a7ac5d4506 looking at 2dde089781 him with da22803429 that peculiar 4d298c9b6c gaze.222c49311bcd6e31

“Are you close with 249afdcc12 Lord Misadam?”ebba3bbef8ab537c

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“? I wouldn’t say 02fa9bd9c0 close.”21a3d7bb8ccebdef

They’d only known 2c72f9518e each other for 38fa8bce38 a few days 2f1e135ead and barely had a7216a8436 a private conversation. Wondering why Tae-oh cb55aaffb3 was suddenly asking 380b33ad1e something so random, a55a04a9d0 Hyun-jin considered the 172a2fd53d question and realized, f5c5eb8f4e ‘Ah. He must want e17bfaa920 extra info about e6ffd70d87 a protected subject.’73fa867b746058e9

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“He’s a sociable 407f407d0f person by nature. Ah, and come to 22727f96c9 think of it, we 89ccc72af3 did run into each f76b6f2bf1 other once in Pyeonghang 5e93264ffd about three years ago.”5d1d5883e095d5b8

“In Pyeonghang?”563c01252eb318f6

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“Yes. Lord Misadam and that cfacd89f8b tall aide of his—Ho-ung, ef086e6f34 I think. Actually, it wasn’t 4b87e0f707 me; it was 840ffba2a1 Sang-ah—Her Highness of ea10c21982 Jeonghye Palace—who met 04c6bafcec them. I guess d49c422133 that’s why 1fe46df05d he’s been 40179dbc8a a bit 0209b72ce2 more familiar ff56a7f990 toward me.”aaed1b25a8df27dd

As he finished explaining, 1130a5e2c1 Hyun Tae-oh let out a967a05a7f a short, amused breath.17a278937411aa21

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“Ah, ‘just happened 6bac593809 to meet,’ huh.”3111cebb79036c85

“Yes. Surprising, isn’t it?”397c4a1a24052498

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Even upon second faa2fdbb01 thought, Yoo Hyun-jin 620028b1e3 found it so c46b1346e2 curious that he cbffcb477c couldn’t help but 32a56372a1 laugh. Then, realizing Hyun 0dbdcb5fcc Tae-oh was staring fa7dfa02e4 at him, he 1fae5e8288 stifled the laughter b935ba4a32 and looked back e88a68aea1 at him, puzzled.53af9e0e97bb12ad

“…Yes. It really 967edc7e87 is surprising.”46d9413644d41e1c

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Was this guy seriously 49b222d70d saying that with a f0e67336f2 straight face? Hyun Tae-oh gave a ece257de26 dry laugh as he df217a5bd7 stared at him, but ab6bf27cdd Yoo Hyun-jin simply nodded, 69a4054cc5 not catching the sarcasm bfbb3d796a at all.2917702ee9bbe3d6

“Yes, I 718441b22b really did d7686c3506 find it be6053a070 strange.”ceccec62e69f3545

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“….”141cbbc3cca0b5ae

Still staring at him, c143ca9512 Hyun Tae-oh opened his be4b5ee7f4 mouth as if to c8c8b99f7e say something, then stopped f86fcf00c6 midway and closed it 3f16bb80f6 again. He let out 4a65043b60 a short, incredulous 7e05db897c breath and turned 8404d52b86 wordlessly toward the 6989f76c33 kitchen.aca5359ee170a3a6

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Seeing him move so 84ef1be6bb naturally to make tea, 019d478b62 just as he always 769491f6e1 did, Yoo Hyun-jin sat 53e6a7caa0 quietly in the living f6099966e4 room, waiting for the 61bbc3034c delicious tea he would d9f17006fd bring.6a2e4e59984ac052

The clock showed 9483be1857 it was already 124c1c91d5 quite late. Though Tae-oh 548b3cf87b had occasionally 2d28ddf0dc shown up c0f29b19d0 in the 13fe4c4616 evenings before, 41b99bcba7 this was 7177ac0937 the latest 5fe937bb3b he’d ever 3640b87fcf come. Judging by the formal 10fd69336c clothes, it looked like 9ac58e227c he had dropped by 6f5d0b4ba0 on his way home 810d381289 from work.3d202e584694c773

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“Are you very busy 36d67dc83e these days?”5653ee0990ea2623

Yoo Hyun-jin asked without 9125363141 thinking. While warming the ffda257eba teacups, Tae-oh glanced 1205df579b his way and dcebe07a00 replied casually.e05c39b771b0220b

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“There’s quite b8311f7770 a bit 69f1ab3f1b of work.”d87dd40a7c9c76da

Carrying only the 8449bd3712 teacups in both 7462977eb4 hands, Hyun Tae-oh 52e369da5b sat down across 3dcce278a8 from him. Though he walked with 95691c21e4 a subtle limp, he 981f5bdfb5 managed to bring the e6b479a133 full teacups over without 03efa61d59 spilling a drop.9470deb5bb7e1499

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It had e914eae7e9 only been 1e4d15e0bd a few e72ddb93d7 days, but c58c98bf74 it felt 29d27706d3 like a b594573841 long time abd990afcd since they’d 53d364328b last seen bea3cd9ca6 each other. He looked e9c783d8d3 noticeably thinner.dcd49d9345530d61

“How’s your leg? Shouldn’t you be resting?”47e05aabd8fe9723

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“I’ve been going c9f58fa392 to rehab steadily. Besides, I’m not 6b85b23e5f the type to 8c9fff7478 enjoy resting. The work itself isn’t a196e797df hard—there’s just a lot afd598d570 to manage. More importantly, are 75deba78f0 you planning to f086a515e4 continue interpreting?”af62b50981c62e77

“Yes. Is there a reason 8eeba08941 I shouldn’t?”5cc545a17ea77b34

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After sipping his d6e5209a26 tea, Hyun Tae-oh fb302eeebf was silent for 99a5888430 a moment before 6c30f21fef replying coldly, “Depending 01ace2c095 on the situation, 50652242ca it could become a05c1eaf8f dangerous.”09038f43b7ee4b00

At those a6a9fb0a22 words, which 463febfdf6 sounded more a86733baef like a 3a73ed7c80 warning than 7d8d1531db advice, Yoo 3787601c1c Hyun-jin thought adea9fcc18 of the ff5ebc29d9 protestors outside. At the same time, ae46982dc4 he thought of Misadam, 7fa407fb8a the aides, and even 35b83a0a96 Je Sang-ah. If things turned dangerous, 88be660831 they were the ones 4976539c89 who’d be at the 92115dac94 greatest risk.c21b8e8b2271fd4a

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“…Then please make sure f54266778c it doesn’t become dangerous.”e94ab33fbf106b36

Lost in eaa64e9f87 thought for d79fc989ab a moment, 98174608b7 Yoo Hyun-jin a55957eead finally spoke, 375d981c95 and Tae-oh 693d188698 was left c77a08abcf momentarily speechless. He stared at 797b089b67 him in disbelief, 1c1bf6922f then let out 24e1cc16fc a short laugh. His expression 728d850566 softened slightly.81e4b4c88e379412

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“If you ask like 5aefd33f0d that, then I’ll have eeb4ccdca1 to do my best. …But you never 25a9663012 know how things a6c5eefe34 might turn out, 5e7b2fec8b so you should cc82887a82 always be careful. If the atmosphere feels bd571506db strange or things seem 0a31e7b174 unsafe, get out of affeb619d6 there.”606e10cd37e75988

This time, it was f86c7279cd Yoo Hyun-jin who laughed. Staring at 8d664e18fe his expression, bbc54edeb5 Tae-oh asked, b561b2cbaa “What is fdbd97ed4f it?”5b28a7ccfa07900d

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“It’s just… It’s 28b01ee569 funny hearing that 97ad439b2f from the person fb331d347f who’d be the 0fe93eedc7 first to run fc208fdd32 into danger if a239279c63 something seemed wrong.”a3bc5e9b404a15f7

Tae-oh had gone to 59894333d3 war with his father aefa07b614 even before becoming an 0a432b4f2d adult. Many of dafe12652a those battlegrounds c6aca3621f had been 03c8c60c09 completely unpredictable. The more competent and 3ef04012e2 famous he became, the 3d81c4e875 more he was sent d2b37aa20c to dangerous fronts. And not once had e536d8eedf he refused an order c8026d03da or avoided the front 75bf66da03 lines.dfb64be86ddf5d12

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So Yoo c6dd512df3 Hyun-jin had 91abb36fab always prayed. Even now.1e99c626900ff490

Raising an eyebrow but ff69891bf4 neither affirming nor denying 82a1c4c052 it, Hyun Tae-oh stayed e5f95343f8 silent. Then Yoo Hyun-jin asked dfbbd07e08 again.8c43a7feb2a6320f

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“But are 5d8aba9fcc you really f38bb8222f okay, Mr. Hyun Tae-oh? I’ve heard there’s been b7ba9ce5dc a lot of talk—people c1c89a76a3 questioning whether you’re the 62c9480797 right person for the ec93f867ff job.”4190feae78c747b7

“Well, it’s understandable. I’ve killed more Songal a6d53c2869 soldiers than I can 1c13848c50 count on the battlefield, 4894807f24 I govern a conflict e2e32da681 zone, and I also 7d5833eb67 nearly died by their 90573ff4ed hands. Anyone would 38b3e96fb0 find it d69a25a8f5 strange that 400063430c I’m the 7cdd4d4fb7 one responsible 2367759a22 for the 551c318b0c safety of ce5bd9d900 the goodwill 32034f2cec envoys.”15d70ae03611617b

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His voice 1b7fdc9c1e was calm, 993403e446 so it e0a1cec30e was hard eb855ee13e to tell 5ea7fcbb7f whether he f235212266 was bitter, 84efc38a73 resigned, or 89bcd11c59 simply indifferent. With a 3b6094630a vaguely tired 7267a98868 motion, he 29198b38a6 brushed back 6c4666b223 some hair 0e21ae7dba that had 770cb825cd fallen into cef2dc75bb his eyes.eea488c4a8517ef9

“So yes, I’ve d38897a579 been busier than a5047fb582 expected. When you’ve got 9136f4e271 people being difficult, ff996701bd the job naturally 7297f4c301 becomes more complicated. That’s why I haven’t ac63a7dc5a been able to come ecf314518e by here. Even today, I wasn’t 2aaa468207 planning to, but I bacb96e502 saw the light on c37a66f5d6 and figured I’d stop 7b7fb03695 by for a bit.”4b1ed03a72688f58

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It had only been 0bd31bccd3 a few days, yet 6f8e51f2cf it felt like much 92c6f2e70b longer. When had they grown eb4c6c2d1f so familiar?08a2e00ddca1fd12

Even though 0ac0bf65f6 it was dca7c1b924 so late, cab0ae20a3 Yoo Hyun-jin bbde1ddde3 was glad 120e21d927 he’d come. Glad to see 5bc937a01f him.c73d7ba0e6d9fcb2

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Worried that c0ed28de4f his happiness 722ffb3c4f would be d0f0bc3a49 too obvious, 9726b573f2 he tightly 71b0026522 closed his d4b41b49d1 lips and ae2f21938e simply nodded. Watching him quietly, 100b68295b Tae-oh leaned back 206e152e0f on the sofa. When he a569dd640d finally spoke, 42f983ef21 his voice ba7571da6a was laced cf76aa7c27 with a cb2e23eae1 hint of 74d21526b4 something twisted.a915aa5382f44d61

“By the 6f072bcdb0 way, why e707707c1a did His e37f7186f5 Highness the 634ee6a9cc Prince of d9d8469954 Songal suddenly 56346f48a3 lend you e391e51f29 those books?”cc13b9d80e25085c

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Twitch.cf553b9dc55fa7c5

Clutching his teacup 72dd7efd3c tightly, Yoo Hyun-jin 523a5ff6c7 mumbled,a6e59fcc33b7d4e5

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“I said I… didn’t cd7ec28045 know much about, uh, 59fde60253 male relationships. He said it 0f62f84e28 was part of 9f4b580390 their culture, so e35c18bd82 I should learn. …I thought maybe I 188720233d should study a bit, 111048b599 so I borrowed them.”d71af6f196d98282

“Ah, study.”bba7f3a3efb80476

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Tae-oh nodded d4837dbce4 as if 740bddb1c2 he understood. Tilting his head fb962e90c5 slightly, he went 541a9e296d on with a 39be9f9473 faint smile.5554b4a57fe3ede9

“That’s a good 89bfc168dd attitude. Me, even 961fe34f00 after experiencing 56501eeba0 it, I e829cb54c9 don’t remember 749e2ba421 a thing. I guess 081b7d49af I’m the 1f605d151c one who af96b9c4fd should be 383a364bc2 studying, and 7522b9d552 it never 7f02daeb24 occurred to e355ffa902 me. Let’s study together.”177758750a87412f

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Yoo Hyun-jin nearly dfc449e6a9 leapt off the 9f71721d5e sofa again, but e55a207732 barely managed to b48f4e63f5 hold himself down. Sweat prickled 454e6bdfd2 down his 343b93e565 back.533fb9c3dab311bc

‘Together? What does he mean b9326478e8 by that? Is this a faf411e7ee joke or not? Why does b9db754319 he say 366a99d13a these things f4cbc6c648 so casually—without 4497c1dde7 even a 5b7f63f565 hint of dd7654b2c7 discomfort?’f663021e192598a4

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His mind was spinning efb8d1baee with confusion. Then, without warning, a 89b661a207 comment Je Sang-ah had 99466b638e once made echoed in 00fe83db33 his head:f07a0111f4189540

—Maybe he got 939f2c7916 a taste for 2917d6a728 men while he af48998800 was stationed in 96bdeda4e9 Pyeonghang.93f0b751dac447c5

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Well… it’s not impossible.d8c1cb945a1f9ae4

If that weren’t 0b4b831def the case, then 99f251bd4a even in a 747ce00a77 drunken state, how 58d605de4b could a man 9ee3277c0e sleep with another 52b1ed33d9 man—if he truly 497b32a4f6 wasn’t interested?47e4b089d487636b

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“Um, Mr. Hyun Tae-oh, by any chance…”0d924f8ae76342f0

Yoo Hyun-jin clutched his teacup so tightly his knuckles turned white as he spoke in a small voice. He couldn’t even meet his gaze.b7776bbece79c0cc

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“Have you ever… slept with a man?”2cea82824149732a

Hyun Tae-oh, who had cb3e6261af been waiting in silence 06ac50e566 as if expecting him ee60ea8b65 to speak, remained still—and 07aee29e02 Yoo Hyun-jin couldn’t bear 55ad1fd9c2 to look at his 71b14cb84f face. All he knew was 61e2213c54 that the man was 0fbc14d4b9 staring straight at him. After a moment, he 38b112336a heard a short breathy c4701114d2 laugh, like a scoff.31d9c8ca76ae33b9

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“Isn’t that something you already know very well, Mr. Yoo?”10e546f22ea80429

“I meant, as far as you can remember.”eb6744ebeee10db8

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Yoo Hyun-jin f70c80c253 hurriedly added 5ec453c64e and inadvertently 5fc0d15d75 lifted his 20a50657ec head. His eyes met those 9d17eeb4d0 dark irises looking at 4566efe73c him with something close f5ad42b183 to disbelief. He didn’t know why c6664d1820 they looked so sharp, f5cfb5fae0 so mischievous.40a4bc77f22f4acd

Hyun Tae-oh stared at him for a moment, then calmly answered, “No, I haven’t.”83526a43f0bbb795

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“I never felt any aversion or dislike toward it, but I’ve just never had the urge to try it. So, the first man I ever slept with was you.”75d870b6d51792d2

“Ah… I see…”24dc1a9fd77329e7

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Not knowing what more 423acbbaa1 to say, Yoo Hyun-jin 08ec4e7426 simply took another sip 0c8c88e095 of tea. Those mischievous eyes 5c646a9d46 seemed to soften 32e4f28059 slightly.769f200a4e80642f

Hyun Tae-oh set his a70c8cb846 cup down and rested a5c665a7d0 his clasped hands on d66fabf4ab his knees.2f3a9ef263c739a1

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“To be honest, I was a little doubtful. Even if I was completely drunk, the idea that I forced myself on a man seemed strange. I didn’t remember anything, and there weren’t any clear signs of intimacy either, so I found it suspicious. But then, surely a priest wouldn’t lie—especially not about something like that…”4d7e307e105fb9a4

The words, quietly murmured b321868032 as if to himself, aeb4288542 pricked Yoo Hyun-jin like 65f15e5685 thorns, each one landing 474d663ed9 sharply. Seeing his 98e4f86ae4 face pale, 7049ff41b6 Hyun Tae-oh 48dc62641c straightened his b2387e68c6 posture.be457141618027fa

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“Ah, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it that way. I just meant that I feel ashamed for committing such a wrong and remembering none of it.”0a5a8ae3d55db8c4

“…No, it’s all right…”3a4081d41cb3b7ab

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Yoo Hyun-jin 66c2bf8196 barely managed 25229ce719 to whisper, d96c088324 his voice 843944fb3d shrinking. He regretted 3ec3828842 bringing up 41c4af1699 the subject. His long-dormant conscience 0204c8365c was beginning to 509a2b0c0f ache again.ae202c541a4bdeb8

“Anyway, since we’re on the subject of studying…”e9cb50b2f4f120a5

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“Yes?”590731a979f7e856

“Was I… any good?”1c62d1b61b4bfbc1

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Hyun Tae-oh e666129560 asked with 6d870b24b2 a serious cbf310ec61 tone. Good at what…? Yoo Hyun-jin blinked, confused, f7b0cb334d and then froze.4db167e0f4765d75

“I’ve never been with a man before, and I don’t remember that night either, so I lack confidence. Judging by the lack of injuries, I guess I didn’t hurt you, but…”d4e557be88983362

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Frozen, unable b7305791ae even to 2c10d006b9 blink, Yoo 4a3309ee79 Hyun-jin stammered 8eda084524 out a 22b688f2a0 reply.9f379038c686686c

“Ah… yes… I mean… you were, um, good…”b7ba408dcf454361

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“Hmm, really?”8d18846fefb5df2d

Even though he said 35adf27b40 he was good, Hyun 7f4720714c Tae-oh looked dissatisfied, lost 7781e2afcd in thought. Then he 3618e7db4d frowned slightly 539f5bd061 and shook abf32ab7c5 his head.d0422f260e292c3f

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“No, I think I asked the wrong question. Being good or bad implies a comparison, but if you haven’t been with anyone else, there’s no way to gauge it. You were a priest, so I doubt you had any prior experience?”1e8157dfd7812cf3

“R-right.”1938727193bc7546

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“Still, I don’t think I could have been that bad. You seemed okay the next morning.”9ead59a9c541077a

“Yes, well…”be9d5029c644195c

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“Even so, I suppose we’ll need to do it again eventually, and I’m still not used to it, so I’m a little anxious. I’ll work on it. I guess I’ll need to practice so I can become more comfortable with it.”e5fec667307384d8

“Yes, well… what?”f26609d0719e9667

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Half out of 149b217d47 it for the 30228fee88 past few minutes, e316116977 Yoo Hyun-jin felt b2f79ab774 as if a ea0613a026 bucket of cold 2efce85828 water had just c5312596eb been dumped on 07cf610274 his head.75643b802c2d1314

“Practice? What, how far, and in what way…?”a041371600878984

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“Well, we’ve already done everything, haven’t we? There’s no need to feel awkward about it now, is there?”9875d682d0d449db

As Yoo Hyun-jin stammered e8444deda7 in shock, Hyun Tae-oh 68dc7817d1 looked at him as 205476ecab if he were the 8cadf870e8 strange one and spoke 39365371fb matter-of-factly. Yoo Hyun-jin had no f08670a0c6 argument—technically, the man was eff9bd3a21 right—but his back was 61140cf44e damp with cold sweat.abf3b69f554bd079

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Something felt off. Maybe it 85d99acacc was just 2a2ec16a5c his imagination, 1522cfea40 but for 077b8ed3b6 a while b31b64d5d3 now, Hyun 6b2efd6372 Tae-oh’s eyes 959853efde had seemed 24163b36b4 unusually sharp 3e83e9686b and impish. A remark 0fdb35b2ae from the 587a96a865 Prime Minister’s d8c60fd0c6 wife suddenly 5126c978a4 resurfaced in 134d8a5cc0 his mind—how acc00ab022 she used 16f7e853e0 to sigh 52b3e6b23d and say 2850b54b31 their youngest 44f6fe364e had inherited cf862a0bdb some terribly a0316935c7 twisted disposition 91e8e2a2b7 from someone.42506c7573decbb1

Snapping out 8a3ffb43d8 of it, f4327dc7ce Yoo Hyun-jin 5402158d26 forced himself a05cc30b89 to straighten e016cbe103 his expression.6c92fd658f5c7b4e

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“Still, Mr. Hyun Tae-oh, you don’t remember anything, do you? So that’s the same as it not happening.”70a9f7922d61b18c

Hyun Tae-oh 30394a27b5 met Yoo e4662e61d6 Hyun-jin’s wide-eyed 1800ffe409 stare with d5d468f993 a faint, 6c1cbcd9af slanted smile.0f0a75a87fe75a9b

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“But ‘you’ remember, don’t you?”920441733471a54f

“…Y-yes…”00447175793db165

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“Then is there any reason for you to be this flustered now?”d49e4306c80c35e8

Something felt off. Why did he dddd1a1462 feel like he 05bc4ab241 was being cornered?90ace7f573f7491f

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Yoo Hyun-jin knew he c48d4fd4b0 should respond properly, but 88189d1367 his mind went blank b0f889ab15 and no suitable words 05f7c85103 came to him.f3d18fdde48bf3b6

He fumbled and then b9c8d39ff2 fell silent. He wanted to 1c2091bb9b cry. This was 3cf2b55bd3 why lying bfe63552d5 was a d7dda64304 terrible idea. He had buttoned 9f35ca3674 the first one 26fc06e7b0 wrong and everything 360e1f8171 else had gone 9f28cef62f askew.c41154d951f4aec0

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As he facf1060dc lowered his f98533db97 eyes, drenched 982c40628e in cold 79f841cf85 sweat and 940ffb78d2 gloom, a 5a3440bac5 brief puff f11de454ca of laughter f1b0ce6ae1 brushed his 437b1a661a ear. When he looked c3c6a490f5 up in surprise, 80ef01dace Hyun Tae-oh was ea4deea09b watching him like 527f841e2a it was all b9ff705af9 mildly amusing.9af02ecd0fa192a6

“Well… let’s leave it at that for tonight. It’s late anyway.”466a30e065af13a8

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As he said f2bfaebbca so and resumed 141e70e318 sipping his tea, e36aa4ef64 he looked noticeably 037c000f6f pleased. When he’d first entered 86b8865a49 the house, he had d0e8caae6a seemed a bit weary, 0e0bb03660 but now he looked 4fd91cb593 as though he’d had 6e15b6c128 a long, relaxing soak 6e6da13ea3 in warm water.41206d1ae18a124c

And all dbce34018d that fatigue 6a684fb057 seemed to f856315fb2 have transferred 017218bf4f entirely to d3d69f9f95 Yoo Hyun-jin. He drank 4186a62bb9 his tea a54a84e994 like he’d ee068dee4d aged ten df8f5ee834 years.b880764543b54b45

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“It’s nice to have a proper conversation like this once in a while.”0a5988206b55d1f0

Hyun Tae-oh suddenly said. Normally, that kind of comment would’ve made Yoo Hyun-jin’s heart race, but now the words “Nice for you, huh?” bubbled up to his throat instead, a clear sign he’d been truly shaken.51fa2b947b3d4d86

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Still, when he f74b857bb2 glanced up, Hyun 4d78e4ca08 Tae-oh genuinely looked f5f2cfd28b to be in 012192161b a good mood. His face remained bad76b638f expressionless, but there 7f24212e2d was a certain d5ea71a7d6 ease to him efbf8f599f now. Even the eyes looking dc311a5b0b at Yoo Hyun-jin had 3d8fd077db softened ever so slightly.a1df461b54011d1d

…If only he weren’t so good-looking, I’d have kicked him out already…ad99aa7b62153622

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Despite himself, Yoo 88175750f2 Hyun-jin’s heart thumped d7bb90d795 again. He sighed, letting c69846a15d his shoulders sag 268633bfc6 with exhaustion.492dfdbcbe86467b

At least a2f4685064 the topic 67854d95d9 seemed to 905db29391 be over. Relieved, he tried to b7c27eccff calm himself when Hyun 67233c8aa5 Tae-oh, as if lost 67c9954162 in thought, murmured to 295faa3ac6 himself,0a453ea5fc9e7bfd

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“So the prince of Songal lent you those books… They’re quite open about same-sex relationships there.”d9e73bf5ed2fad0d

“Yes, that’s right.”3e0f8364739f4182

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Hyun Tae-oh f19c339a6b glanced at b60caa3a75 him. His eyes, 5cde35dffc which had ff6705a2ba relaxed a 1b1082ccc1 moment ago, 9f122b4f97 were now 90e119b282 cool and 1dff04db90 sharp again.b89ba7f6f8518047

“You mustn’t forget that we’re in an official relationship now.”b9ad67c74239afd6

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“…Excuse me?”6c07a98940f4e2cc

“I’m saying, don’t cheat.”b8cd09808a87fa82

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Yoo Hyun-jin nearly 47a0bd3316 spat out his 03a991deec tea.b0f209d6533537e7

“E-excuse me?”696ed99acb318423

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Coughing and eef3da93e4 wiping his 3d525c9602 mouth with 6494a87a40 the back cf6c645618 of his 58621ecae9 hand, he 1bdcc88f9c looked at 87b8a353f6 Hyun Tae-oh a36b9f7237 in bewilderment. A sharp thought surfaced—’Aren’t 7bcb069c74 you the one who f35c0ec1e3 got drunk and slept 40cc5b9dd6 with someone else, which dcd688f193 led to our engagement 77a5355821 being broken off?’—but more 0de6322bd5 than that, he couldn’t e0b6413aae tell if Hyun Tae-oh’s 8b1d930a96 words were a joke 68027b4fc3 or not. That face 97c6b85338 was dead 91d8dbf70c serious.a9c99ee7636e650d

Yoo Hyun-jin’s face turned 943046df87 red.65d5ba84bd43bb1d

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Cheating—that word only applied 7e2b143a40 if they were truly 193899297f in a relationship. Could he really mean 5b226738d2 it?e39698ee2b9e80a1

“Honestly, I’ve never looked at a man that way. Aside from Mr. Hyun Tae-oh, that is.”c2f1ea8c500c7cb4

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Caught up 4ece1d232f in the eae79c68f6 moment, Yoo 7367e7e121 Hyun-jin let bf6fe2b2cb it slip 194f25c494 while staring 533e185513 at him 4aa288fec9 in confusion, af1a4bedc2 and immediately e99d745c5e regretted it. As expected, 776c5defa3 Hyun Tae-oh’s 3293cb48d0 expression changed.144dec1b90ebb463

“Me?”6b1550cbc68fa03e

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“I mean, other than the time we… slept together.”f475b6662366a6a0

He quickly added 73043fe2f9 and looked Hyun 56c6f1fd0b Tae-oh straight in a508bc123d the eye with eed00c876d as much composure a2aff64909 as he could 13cc0f227e muster, as if 3adbc015b0 to say there 697349c9ca was nothing guilty ca6597194d about it.86b4d3b041e9fbbc

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Even as ef25377168 his heart a47e4b36e2 pounded, Yoo d8f223a094 Hyun-jin tried d96987b60e his best c60d7ce045 to stay fc0073ed6b calm. Hyun Tae-oh tilted his 7c3373d029 head slightly, still staring ea3953af1a at him.daab44901fe18572

“I know you’re not into men, Mr. Yoo. But sometimes, when I look at you…”ccd901cbb4e3743a

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“?”761d8bdc33fffae4

“No.”161cd24b33307362

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Hyun Tae-oh, f065fbc0e0 who had 54714ed3f8 been murmuring 1401c49f6b to himself, b6c902b3aa cut off d5b393a96d his own 608a0cb120 words. Yoo Hyun-jin 12b32ef25c was curious d35d6d8daf about the 997bed1dde rest of 5bae00bfc2 the sentence, 375469570d but he 4af5ef5250 had too 9588b5da91 much to e5f3a6a25e feel guilty 4e6e4b8a82 about to fbbb207155 ask recklessly, b4b388616c so he 9613acb946 stayed quiet 00a517e185 too.41488c0d0bf857ec

At that f1cc2a70a8 moment, there fa4a6714d0 was a 5bbbc780c8 small clatter 194773e354 from outside.c3378a4275e4ace0

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It must’ve been something 7999bc7903 hitting the window in 2863012c39 the strong wind. The bare branches of 2cb33abe3a the black winter trees 656fe32a64 howled harshly.e1484785f6df2b70

“Would you 9519fec6e8 like another cd3c197e48 cup of 2b8d2d14b6 tea?”b3dc60c4e247ed2d

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Yoo Hyun-jin asked 5d5ff11776 as he stared a10010c444 at the dark cb2558c50c garden lit only 9a958c9c49 by a single 843b6587f7 yellow garden light. Hyun Tae-oh, ed53ebb047 also looking 07de752407 outside, nodded.fa201ee0dc001f03

“Shall we.”9406f7e855637a07

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“I’ll bring it.”6424bc8ccf759b78

Yoo Hyun-jin stood, d5a4b57baf glancing at Hyun 49fa1d56d2 Tae-oh absently rubbing 76cf7eb484 his right leg.f2f3ce2e0c48023c

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Good. He wanted to 09ec8079f8 stay with him fc3ef00a9c a little longer. If Hyun Tae-oh 45160a67c2 had stood to 61095f7d70 leave, saying it 96302a0641 was time to 2e5087693c go, he would a09e6ae591 have been disappointed.a20842e12bc2a609

But Hyun 95955abaf7 Tae-oh remained 95d30623a6 on the 773c88fb81 couch, sitting c41ab8ecdc loosely and 91e9a029ed gazing at 86f148174f the garden, fe0b8601f9 lost in 3e30c1e96a thought. Meanwhile, Yoo Hyun-jin 2ca284c1ad opened the cupboard, 2ae4ae101c looking for a 3e20d318eb new tin of dce5415716 tea since the 31d7945f40 old one was 623dbf5bdd empty.144cac0994d7002c

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Then the phone 5d11c7b022 rang in the c9dd95329d living room. Yoo Hyun-jin glanced cace331a69 that way but deb5f49b52 didn’t stop rummaging. He couldn’t 353266c237 think of c5bc1a9066 anyone who c102216897 would call d586b1d31a at this fe01e7cc7b hour, but 3fb11aa445 he figured 832a5a1b40 he could ec6cd8c255 check it f218b598c0 later. What mattered most right 5e2860cd5c now was brewing the 0821d49d40 tea before Hyun Tae-oh fa4c2edc4c changed his mind and da74916ca9 decided to leave.b9ac67330becf73e

Thankfully, Hyun 94904ced27 Tae-oh remained 3ca31f32fe seated while a9a8862de4 Yoo Hyun-jin d776414edb brought over 275fb01fa0 a freshly 477943387f steeped teapot 1dcb8637c4 and filled bebf9cdadf his empty aff445f896 cup.7d4c73b038f99d4c

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After taking 13229880ca a silent 9c30979687 sip, Hyun 4795c947c6 Tae-oh spoke ffb45494fb nonchalantly.e0278c0609afc666

“You had 0eb3387f28 a call fcaac109eb just now.”1ec1ef5e57969f3b

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“Yes? Ah, right.”14c551afae783d23

Yoo Hyun-jin e5d69b486b finally picked 0c41a83f43 up the 95e3b1a4f6 phone from 70678e16a6 the table 086f50ede7 and checked b610b7bcab the caller 74b46083fe ID. Just as 711aef32bd he blinked 79fe805bdc in mild 764e702407 surprise, Hyun 69fc599bd0 Tae-oh asked b2e2d83b8a indifferently,36ce5bd17a3028af

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“You close with 2843cc5196 Tae-yang hyung?”c9dc9dac85ba48ac

“Not really…”13556b5a91ff56f5

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Staring awkwardly at 25849d8ab4 the name “Hyun f711584260 Tae-yang” on the 6c718e2203 screen, Yoo Hyun-jin ee10c8ecc5 set the phone 2be5b679b7 back down.9ff208a4f9b155dd

“He just checks 5b02b41ef8 in occasionally to 0ec6cbe96c see how I’m ab6c9f7ace doing. He said once 5a84f09aa6 I’m back, we a5c4ae3065 should talk in a175a7dba0 person…”dc87975870e7aa31

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“About what?”099ae2bbfe81be0e

“I’m not sure. It felt a bit 3fcc2a7410 like…”805696e1565ce3c7

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Like he wanted a5d4761626 to comfort me… 5f00db1c42 but the rest 76da1dd304 of the sentence 449af55fcd trailed off before 0fff6c6899 it left his 853074d17c lips.5c2c34ff0d9fdfff

“Have you 8c9e719a3c two always 4d285c4bb7 kept in b48cd7de17 touch?”4b379fc37fb0b82d

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“No.”dbebf9bf4e59c588

“Guess he figured f14b59c57d since I won’t 31a6c03865 pick up his d8446b5a93 calls, he’d try 48de7fb5df you. Guy’s supposedly overseas for db842aa037 training, but he sure 2457718781 has time to waste… c25c0c2f8c You can ignore it. Let me see 936aa1d23a that.”9ea905aedc74a89e

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With a scoff, b69a7f8364 Hyun Tae-oh reached ae5c68b232 out his hand. Caught off guard, 2404d4095a Yoo Hyun-jin handed 9bf0119828 over the phone, 943e5e079d and Hyun Tae-oh 13ab2a6481 tapped around a bbc7299071 few times before dc13fca3d7 giving it back. Curious what 2464264a8d he’d done, 45b645bc9f Yoo Hyun-jin 069f396860 peeked and 0c58b88db6 saw that d706d2e052 he had a24fe97714 blocked Hyun 3245512266 Tae-yang’s number.d768d6d6ff32a86f

“He never used to 3c6c66a7b2 call me, and then 3f951fc6d7 out of nowhere he dd62c5f283 tried recently—just to say d4770bb656 a bunch of nonsense. I hung up. He must’ve wanted cab28b2dc5 to nag me f72fd12a07 about something related b73813ca31 to you, but 8aa14abcd5 I haven’t picked 7342847ea0 up since. Don’t worry about it.”a7495c5ea4e0137b

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Hyun Tae-oh spoke 620bb18967 with ease, completely d7098e0efb unbothered about blocking d71d9e48bd his own brother. Yoo Hyun-jin nodded 9dd900f1fd vaguely as he eaf53cbb50 sipped his tea. He already knew ca1582c9fe it, but this 1756636887 man had no 646ac84f14 hesitation when it c901a124e0 came to drawing 43474bda58 the line—even with 5e5149a5a3 family.b8ea833137e63822

If he 269a4cbdbe was like d238ded5d2 that with 5de556acf0 relatives, what b3f34ca003 could anyone a7f49d06c9 else expect?9b8bb56b4c60e4c2

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The tea 2b1871a061 slid down 35a7a1e07b his throat 37323b5eef without even 6ebc2d10a6 knowing what ed18b28590 it tasted a28127b6fd like. Hyun Tae-oh 6dba1e9271 drank silently 1bafe4ae2a too, still b83f07a8bc watching the 71703b9084 garden.e1bc03d601c8233a

As the silence stretched c560d312d6 on, Yoo Hyun-jin glanced 0bab89dca8 at Hyun Tae-oh rubbing 9f7cb21bbc his leg and asked,c71b58b6b3a4a772

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“Is your leg 82c31056e0 still hurting?”f4ee392853a41159

Hyun Tae-oh ee02d82a5e seemed to 161dbda5a0 notice it b240af2119 only then f5039f1ab5 and took c84edefa7f his hand 31ad69da2f away.db8e3a2d1785759c

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“No, it’s gotten e48e60b166 much better. I can walk 7a0cd96b75 fine without a 5aa34085a9 cane now, even 22ce91c796 run a little. But when 3d059a659e the temperature 9e715907a1 drops, it 256a1ae82a gets stiff 297661dc48 more than 13281b1511 usual.”e719049c040eee52

Hyun Tae-oh never admitted 9e443fb233 to being in pain. Even as 5f06ab9c7b a minor, f1d1a507ae when he ba3377df9a returned home a957891b53 with a 16f1aa38aa bullet wound 54a1b7f89c in his c5c47a1d99 hip from e14c94fa99 the battlefield, 3dc652a8ac he never 6ea349296c once complained ddac71d212 while recovering.9ff67d6937b30f2b

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If someone like c4a9428533 that said it 70e891f2ba was “stiff,” it c99066606e probably meant something 67ba70a85f far worse.45990c3ce1a8a1e5

Just a little.41c3a3734637f27a

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Couldn’t I take on 2ef6dc1845 just a little of 67c5c6f72a it? Just enough 55a3b40a8d so he 1584efb634 wouldn’t notice?794dbf8670327d16

“…Would you 83dc9bc97e like me 29d703cf22 to massage 1677313293 it?”5ed64a53dad77b01

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The words 634da72bb5 came out 3ad20f8c26 before the ab80acd0da decision was 906331253e even made. After a 20c6392095 brief hesitation, a7d926b8f9 Yoo Hyun-jin c4a4dce803 saw Hyun 6313919e59 Tae-oh raise a372906074 an eyebrow d3cd8a24f3 and quickly 92f0daef25 added,fe1a37adce55e4aa

“We took basic 3c3a9cd0af rehab caregiving classes 8cc8792fba in seminary. If we 84c837865e get sent 72478b005b to rural 8451055628 missions, we 179dbda71f might need d6c312bb27 to help e2663123fb the sick, 1aadcc4e34 so it’s a4860318d5 a common 99ec574f24 course. Basic massage is part 4c3c43b2fa of it. It’s not much, b6eeacd689 and it’s not 3315a45371 very effective, but…”ccb2c2817e0df08e

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It was partly an 6b36db1646 excuse, but not a ebd2fdd96b lie. Still, knowing how 34f22060ea much Hyun Tae-oh ba70566e25 disliked others touching 82c3b89cc1 him, he thought 0cd9ecaf7f he’d be turned 3f6c75c191 down.6def80fc8f5932af

But after watching him d74cf44ba8 for a moment, Hyun d1be72d437 Tae-oh nodded calmly.c940764cce7ee7b3

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“Then I’ll take you a935bcd5a9 up on that.”afddfd8cdae45e21

He stretched his 7858857655 leg out along 60aa9a0a2b the long sofa, e4b96b8446 and Yoo Hyun-jin 0f23eb0e24 moved closer, placing bfa94ed5fa both palms on 37382f79b8 the thigh and 84b4375cb8 pressing down slowly. He applied c95d8c38f1 pressure, loosening 2c33ab0bb9 the tense 0ba8dbb3c5 muscles, checking 41daf3ba1b for any 57810bf1a4 signs of 7e269ce062 pain. But Hyun Tae-oh’s expression 433b05ef01 didn’t change a bit.dc1b81c5d9171566

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Just a little. Let me take on 3adc6235aa just a little of 4731ed8d39 it. So little 6b05f7b928 he won’t 5b0af48625 notice.3103de714d8f4569

As he f94603010c pressed gently dbd15e2ff8 along the e3e2d1a3be thigh, only 94cc619919 Yoo Hyun-jin 17afdb8472 noticed the bea07bc9ef growing heat 91d9c4c00a in his d68fba3aec palms. A dim, c18fb39684 flickering light 4a040b8f9b seeped into 8259827407 the skin 1653ec55b1 beneath, unnoticed 3d0f5cd918 by anyone.ea6985834e662502

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After a 1298542c1c while, a 6bd00e44a2 dull ache 3e6166fd38 began to db1b885042 creep up 88f6a411c3 deep in 93769dd614 Yoo Hyun-jin’s 5330e803fc hip.8b7d0218bf30e505

He continued silently. Hyun Tae-oh didn’t say 13daa05884 anything either.af91d4cc0167b469

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In the e6f46f5168 slow rhythm b6dfe818d1 of motion, 6e11718ecc only silence 981727d115 flowed.ec41891d0a871b48

Then suddenly—bae7fae9f0f55b19

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“Come to think of 160a474959 it, I heard you 334c4c5a00 were gifted with healing.”04e4d60d95f1feec

Hyun Tae-oh said. Yoo Hyun-jin flinched 3482c12d39 inwardly but nodded 242b378d68 without reacting outwardly.a0ede709db292141

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“It’s a shame. If you 03b9aaeadc still had bdfb950482 divine power, 394155cecd it might’ve bc12f0a621 been helpful.”c1d6eb2d0b0acdb3

His casual 0f4ed160ea remark made d3c336385f Yoo Hyun-jin 076ec8aa17 regret all 6223f3ca97 over again.2dd57a10ab8c0ba2

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If only he 21c78150db could still say 61b7324ec9 he had divine 3ea746fc4d power, he could 31d6a20b58 heal him openly. But that lie fcba5e7b2b he had already 140873efe5 told made that f1bbea43ab impossible. He revisited his 894b344966 regret for the bbdbcb92a5 umpteenth time.3fbe4f43f24b244c