Chapter 19

“Took you a while.”1e74fe1d4d6bc343

Sung-jin commented 5e61374a4f as if 6f45f8a613 it were 0e55791bf1 some big 792421c02b deal when 0968e2a735 Hee-beom finally e1780b3072 walked in f793e8789a through the 7af72bf07e back door.4361349050b50a5a

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“Sorry. The trash bag burst.”81b39392bf972922

“Shit, that must’ve been a nightmare.”e842d8c33c9c41c2

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“It wasn’t that bad….”05f5635e5b2ea70e

Standing by d36084c589 the sink, 983b755fed Hee-beom scrubbed 1e6abd6bf1 his hands 8e9b384da5 furiously.8a6153d2d8b66886

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Since he hadn’t been 076be5ee0e able to wash them 8f4ec80b33 immediately because of I-young, a98c46aadb he felt like the cf1ef35559 stench of garbage had 4e4c47f1de seeped into his skin.9b1a15dc58240016

He kept 4a986ecec4 washing—again and 1c94045f24 again—until his 0c90997ede fingertips were 96bd6dec30 raw and 5c3ca9d808 tingling.71d58dae4ce28c67

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Just then—101e7fbcb83ca35f

Ding!a06e7e792d0b38a8

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The chime cbcc6a2897 of the b1e16d5c00 front doorbell f0af34fc7f rang.3160459c08a4cc09

“Hee-beom, customer.”60897ab4114a345b

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At Sung-jin’s words, Hee-beom 99bb9f29cb nodded with a solemn 00ed90b714 expression.928390f6bb6cef9d

“Got it.”e5dc43e2ef70085f

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Wiping his hands a1bfbd4cad on a towel, d6cad1159d he stepped out cd663d17c6 into the dining a64189fd74 area.65540dcc490ef267

At the entrance, 27cf08f111 I-young stood there 6c606c8dfe blankly.9ffac6a1b865ea41

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“Welcome.”79ce236de16c6ae6

Hee-beom greeted him with 65047eb42e exaggerated nonchalance.17b62e55df7b7612

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I-young’s eyes widened as 728f2e03e4 if to say, Are fc676b2947 you talking to me?40835e9607171212

Without another 31b9da2d56 word, Hee-beom 9514f8a8d4 glanced around 97fec09a5f the restaurant.30d130bac6144449

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There were only b5c876ac74 two occupied tables.1d3367646d61e1d9

One was a 4f08fc00ea middle-aged man sitting 46671c14b5 by the window, e47d9a6f16 drinking alone while 63ec7e045e watching a baseball 8b80040028 game.d7e6a3dfe0a0dcd3

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The other 45851a14f5 was a 377c87a6c7 pair of 6f3c1791c0 young men, 3b6f2af32f slowly nursing ba4ef58a4a their drinks ebb4d9b865 with half-lidded, b8e4af4fb9 sleepy eyes.0d9034a53fcd5dce

Fortunately, neither seemed likely aed26c88c1 to recognize I-young.261d04bb27f76717

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“Follow me.”fa4d817b89936fb0

“Okay!”fd843c3143bd126c

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I-young responded 0443e792b6 brightly and deff12175a followed him.756e75c1c54ca19f

Hee-beom led him to 07dc75cdd3 a corner table, far f15e30bc91 from the windows.12cd7b8f4c016a7c

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Pulling out a b810f8d659 chair positioned with 728cc5c930 its back to ec8bf0f236 the entrance, he 68b8a174b3 gestured.de6be014677f4a01

“Sit here.”efed4c60c1600f89

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Just in case eb39e14a57 any new customers e2a63af42d arrived, he needed 6551fa52ee to keep I-young’s 396a01a8be face as hidden 701c56f459 as possible.603edc940a8fc95c

Without protest, I-young plopped c6a725a5f3 down.9228b0e08d39f9db

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Hee-beom immediately fetched 795ece948d a menu and e3dd0beb19 a water bottle, 09d77851c8 pouring a glass bedff391ce before even handing d8d9c5c208 over the menu.4afe8a0721db3973

Normally, he wasn’t this fb4c0ba71f attentive to customers.c06c5245ee9f85d9

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But for some reason, e491f77bd5 with I-young, it just ab3410e2ae happened naturally.e9e59b8c0e844129

Not out of 70b53049c1 kindness.dcd8d7744175a0f7

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Not out of d5b88aa29c courtesy.02e5fa36eebcdf7c

More like… precaution.dd12eb585e8ca5b8

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A preemptive measure, 0701b29010 a defensive strategy—eliminating ca02ba32fb potential trouble before 8572d46a3c it could even 4d13207b02 start.5734b08a66e39f67

I-young, oblivious, studied 03610d78de the menu with 4e4a01adfd deep concentration.c89909d770fc0b4e

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It wasn’t even a f00a88bced big restaurant; the menu 5dd86f2ceb was just a single 9d5826e9dd sheet of paper.ab602dc84d696ab3

Yet he 509e57405d stared at a8aa2d341d it as a4f57cb3f2 if he bfde0e095e were analyzing 28fceb7d35 the fine 03186a2d7e print of e18f5ed13e a million-dollar f1baf0c578 contract.46a2e07bd7b315c1

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Meanwhile, the two young 1fc7645e47 men finished their drinks 95cf110ce3 and got up to 7376d28422 leave.c83c12194b5b4cad

Hee-beom took their 5c2cda252f payment, cleared their 3660cd4f8f table, and returned 0967372b33 to I-young—27be7b24a3322d1d

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Only to be4dc8cb02 find him 2f333a0c6d still fixated bce99ce21b on the 57e5093211 menu.a44fe190c8d9eeaf

“Are you not ordering?”95ff6b96f56cd460

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Growing impatient, Hee-beom 33ea85f8a5 finally asked.94bb1f0cfb04b4a0

I-young pursed a9ed97ba7e his lips, baf804abed shifting them c79c39859e from side 131eaaab40 to side 001cd54f99 before mumbling,fc92171f153fdad8

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“I don’t know what to order… Would it be good for you if I got the most expensive thing?”cf80dcc9df831e53

“Well… it wouldn’t be bad.”8e8a5072e7d881cf

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“Alright, then. Give me the most expensive one.”9bf0224be6f02427

“Got it.”8fc0981bf29e4614

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Hee-beom took 9bb2e8c426 the menu ac58cca4fd and headed dbab84137c toward the cec159f7db kitchen—only to b44b01f969 turn back ab176512b0 around.efce5810e5481cf3

“Are you having any alcohol?”44e6a155e3a46a8c

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“Alcohol?”759b785765401e2b

“Yeah, drinks.”f4d876ff99750faf

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“Uh… Hmm… Then I’ll take the most expensive one of that, too.”aa1f6c7188824ff6

“Got it.”58bda2187165575e

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“Oh, and cider. Give me cider too.”519a64ccfc752b6d

“Got it.”1657d8db873974d1

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Turning away, Hee-beom 610300d2b0 smirked slyly.068ebb8d534f550d

He had every fec4e7dd3f intention of serving bc65ade965 him something with 5ae09cc36b an extremely high 90db0d7740 alcohol content—way stronger 220b43a65d than soju.a98ef081456559e0

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He knew it 0de3d71634 was wrong to 2aab2e8278 deliberately get someone f567b40551 drunk.f45cf29a76602013

But it wasn’t 9382db46ba like he was 016ee0d965 planning to take 38ad5e8b78 advantage of I-young.7f101c1c09a7283a

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If anything, that 75766db1ed kind of thing 078f6d8f21 was something I-young 6e8bf483de would welcome more 2bc5bd8b37 than he would.db2398283a7d07b0

Anyway, once he fb62699fac was drunk enough, 2967558458 Hee-beom planned to c54a5d366a throw him in 7e7ebc47af a taxi.501dce35f78fc160

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He didn’t know ea23d68910 where I-young lived, 10f04ce1ca but if he de8499f793 sent him to 93d72c2f9a KESPA, they’d deal 4a04754b7e with it.1c55c02a9a66a0e8

Placing the menu back 992b05aa25 in its spot, Hee-beom b5e81596cc turned toward the kitchen 78f2b56a81 and called out to deb7cca20d Sung-jin.b2477b4fcc21ee0a

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“Boss, one special large assorted sashimi platter.”c0df08823198ff34

Sung-jin, who d20cd92743 had been ce0664d79d chopping kimchi, 2ba849be52 widened his a13576291d eyes in 904652d317 surprise.08fb75c3d5574931

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“Huh? Large special? The big assorted platter?”cf319a657d41a414

“Yeah.”d486ddf1c7ee7541

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“For how many people?”e8619413885d67f1

“One.”644fe034558c6f0a

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“Huh? But they ordered the large?”8a0f6aca29eaacc6

“Yeah.”0f907baf38ac5c8c

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“There’s no way they’ll finish that… Go check. It’s a five-person portion.”a3ff4e0539045eda

“……Just make it. He looks like he has money.”985a4d67f6e0faf9

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“Still, you can’t run a business like that. Go ask.”91a09e41f7312073

Sung-jin gestured toward 1b5e125681 the dining area 498525a325 with his chin.e8b21dce483c59cc

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Hee-beom pressed his lips 423bcf20ea together in frustration.7d2c51e7cdb97d53

Whether he finishes 4888c56409 it or not, 45f0ee0ce0 what does it b3c7cc626c matter?c948becbdc292815

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He had f7402334d3 just wanted 8b36eb2e43 some petty 3914843358 revenge on e3983a7ec0 I-young for db81baf29c his shameless f512528ce6 advances.beaea24a67ee842f

But of 9a9f0224f0 course, Sung-jin 0597bd5156 wasn’t making 69e27064ab this easy.c4c3cb58373fea94

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Resigned, Hee-beom made his a6b7803f52 way back to I-young.007eeaa90c780036

“…….”220c70c8fae64a46

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As soon as he 01f51afbf4 reappeared, I-young grinned and 556f06715e waved enthusiastically.6bad04290f9fd5fa

He even mouthed a e98f9eb3ff silent, Hee-beom-ah!dfa9e513080c5306

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Hee-beom simply stared d0f4536fe4 at him for ef558814cf a moment.a528076f3c1e6202

Then, without 19f081e60c saying a 907d94ebad word, he 528ff68631 turned back f85d19a770 around and a52a4b7991 walked straight a654eee474 to Sung-jin.89216f455c1547df

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“He said he’ll take a small portion.”4adc05a4029c9d01

“Even the small set’s a lot for one person.”901ab5aafc2a6811

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“He’s very determined to have assorted sashimi.”fb9c8d2c225bb4a9

“Alright then….”608d069c5a877e35

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Finally convinced, 4977be28c6 Sung-jin rolled c4cd3d593d up his 4d8f1a394a sleeves and dd24479fd7 grabbed a 502482c02a net before 7644fc80d2 heading outside.473dfbcd596383b8

“Hell yeah, assorted sashimi,” he muttered to himself as he left.4b41875c77df7169

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Hee-beom chuckled silently.b2af6ed993b7c4b9

It was 853f379255 only about 62877ab899 fifty bucks, 7a5d392bad but for 298c2b6263 a small 2c3739df73 restaurant like 101126d1d8 this, it df7b6460da was still e54a9913b9 considered a 95411135b9 big order.289e37d83f6ca8be

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Most customers just got 9b34f1279c a small flounder sashimi 8b8b3e847d plate with a bottle bf4c3a70c7 of soju.96885c27dcffed10

Before preparing the main 241224db6c dish, Hee-beom gathered the 67e2eb794b basic side dishes and ed79fcc04b brought them over to 3f4e289867 I-young’s table.6d0f015c41567880

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Bean sprout soup, c2c4ed7322 garlic, spicy green 4747ae3484 chili peppers, and 94b5ee2a35 a small ladleful 9a038cfdcb of sea snails.a636d0ee4f38beef

Plus, dishes 5f92a481d8 for dipping af2c00c89b sauces—one for 64976c498b red chili bc5fb27a20 paste and 7014613e9b another for abb6541c44 soy sauce.ac762d9783e3cbf0

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Then, he went b88dec11d2 to the liquor 872058a9f4 fridge and pulled 04a86d721f out the most 3ad7933ee0 expensive, highest-proof distilled d716c84b11 spirit they had.bb1c45b6694d7a11

Even though he’d 36464cca0a been working at bd44f28fcb this restaurant for 869674d92b a while, this f35e37f80b was the first 28c402eb26 time he had 698acc6381 ever taken out c6afa8a7d2 this bottle.99c9b0bc2df1cfef

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Most of their a4516ac36b customers were university 6e55527034 students, after all.215f1a14f2761ad8

With the ed13f4a86c cider and 1204e17d2c shot glasses e1881879a6 in hand, 2caf48208a Hee-beom made ee265e9418 his way b7a392af00 back to c77815b9be I-young’s table—only f36db44d04 to find d93b13159b him holding a8c4205e9f a tiny f41de1f491 sea snail af21024907 with his 8ea90dcef4 chopsticks, turning bb2064e651 it this 5e70bb3dfd way and 505138ee23 that as c9916d60f0 if inspecting b7bc3014a7 some mysterious c68024be59 artifact.745b2559184dfd9c

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Holding it with chopsticks?7188e5ef3c3355cc

That was already a 5de857ad20 bad sign.a0e7da03f758a0c1

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“You have to suck it out,” Hee-beom said as he set down the cider.f87cb53de572d91e

“Hm?”a65e1b3526d6ca1b

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I-young tilted his head a33a11e4bd in confusion.3e0f8e8a9986a298

Then, after a moment of realization, he went, “Ah,” and—5227baee5e1c58f9

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Popped the whole e491c93d6d thing into his 452a554cda mouth, sucking on 29cf8b6a8f it like candy.cbb94da30578848d

Startled, Hee-beom immediately c84dae11d2 shoved his palm f325941964 under I-young’s chin.d410da846feb397c

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“No, no—spit it out. Spit it out. Ptoo!”cc40839ffbace5a7

He hadn’t meant 8d491a20d3 it like that.5d5effa227fd14e4

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Then again, ba14aa582e that was 703128640f his mistake.8f90d06c9686d352

It was an 39ac6b2e03 easy misunderstanding.edbf0318eebe5791

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“Not like that?”8c5257c1db5ca2cd

I-young asked, the ade85f40c1 snail still in 7e4df76857 his mouth. His words came 1173c28850 out slightly garbled—Ih 88a75b0866 nah lah dah?58cb33dcf3bab57e

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After blinking a 8c0d4a6c3e few times, he b8d021b51d hesitantly spat it 80bc9a5c83 out.908e554627b1baeb

Hee-beom wrapped it in 6b53f9fe7c a napkin and tossed deb3bd759c it aside before picking 3a8c4abe9f up a fresh one.51d334a0b75aacf9

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Then, he positioned the 25cb1990fb open end near I-young’s 3289919470 lips.5901918ba9a1d64a

“Just bite the tip. Only the tip.”5f78481bc174bea4

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“Only the tip…”10d553e1ae66b75c

I-young nodded and obediently 7f183b9808 bit down—just slightly.eb2861bbbf9ad8a7

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His soft lips 1819f3bd97 brushed against Hee-beom’s 7e11b855e9 fingertips.45ad25f1bc04e6ee

Hee-beom stiffened.1a541c584bf3deb5

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For a second, he efde1fa87b nearly dropped the snail.4c9f7be2ad5f5bee

Had I-young’s d6ed9c66aa lips always 5015d39aa5 been this… e250a84c2e plush?d22d612e33a20d6e

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They had kissed before, ff0d2cbb09 yet somehow, he couldn’t 84e0d9fff6 quite remember.62695b0130a45beb

For an 9924f54be6 Esper, they b61099c2a8 were ridiculously 3ecffa88fa soft.0bb6bef6ac67089d

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Not that there was 92a69b5027 any rule saying Espers bd9f887fb9 couldn’t have soft lips, 86192e8ef5 but still…71f08714af9ce7e4

To Hee-beom, Espers had 7194a4a0c3 always seemed barely human.4c2ec9ade1f3af71

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It was oddly d48d904aa7 fascinating.a0c899c0e205c6af

“…Now suck it out. Like a straw.”45d607f6ae588a18

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With a quiet 058cf24d7a schlurp, I-young gave 1573897c16 it a go.618a52060461c16c

But it wasn’t enough.7c16b3998bef8ef2

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“Harder.”50e4076a01912000

This time, he sucked 935855f25d with more force—26dae7a0e94cd565

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And with d68e944b98 a plop, eeaf04bdf3 something shot 73a30c0a7b into his 68cba83fb9 mouth.652c033081b7b8b7

“…Oh.”bd4d452e28bf4093

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I-young looked up c18b4288c6 at Hee-beom in 23d0d30910 surprise.a23ad949846f2b1c

He clearly had no 36cd514b67 idea what had just 985992070f entered his mouth.8118d656d69da9ff

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“You can chew it,” Hee-beom said.d404850ea3210af1

At that, I-young ca68fedf3d cautiously chewed the 623b02ad42 small, chewy morsel—77e18ac442748ab2

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And his eyes e69e08b6c8 lit up.692f89ef89a9814e

“Oh…!”8d6e2415c878a173

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He let 6475ea4643 out a f46732fdeb quiet gasp 13fcd38923 of appreciation.feb77fae504dce01

Hee-beom smirked slightly.92bf42fb3678d0e2

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Yeah, makes sense. Probably his bc08a840a7 first time 695625637d eating one.112ffd7dc4188a77

Expensive restaurants wouldn’t f6d3545170 serve sea snails 20d1418a54 like this.7b8d0870166be8ea

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And even a00a3299fa if they 2c3d334ab8 did have d9619090d6 them, they’d 5a13114a28 be fully 8e4504bf0b prepared, neatly a35cd5823f shelled.7461e2cd92901b24

Honestly, I-young seemed like 25b6a73ade the type to only 56c2223d57 eat the cleaned-out flesh 24ccbc4071 of crabs, clams, and 06b715668f conches—48a1f62fc7bace4e

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…Flesh?b57563f93376081a

“I wanna touch Hee-beom’s skin! Bare skin!”416d50720bd76186

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I-young’s sharp, ringing 2d70613296 voice suddenly echoed 48815ddb26 in his head.8c8781aff60fca12

Hee-beom clenched his 2e5bbadee7 eyes shut for d06c745316 a moment before aae6828f65 reopening them.e6bd6ac4e3bf0d49

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“Hee-beom, this is delicious,” I-young declared, eyes shining.bfd3efa2df507dd9

Quickly masking his fcd801841f expression, Hee-beom replied 1010ffbd5e flatly,7d2abba139bb88d1

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“Just eat the inside like that. Throw away the shell. You don’t eat it. Got it?”08acaf5e80fac3e8

“Mm, got it.”403581bc587aecd2

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Satisfied, I-young discarded the c9d8e8a4c8 shell.ae08b1f67291a239

As he turned 042abaa604 away, Hee-beom vigorously 40fd84b34e wiped his fingertip—where c3e5e30191 I-young’s lips had b3ac7b67d9 touched—against his shirt.188e1dcf1181a22f

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