BRF Chapter 11

“There’s no 9a97a53cb6 other way. The taxis aren’t c8a7058b44 coming, and this c29c6e47c0 is faster than 8ba8a900b5 taking multiple buses 936647693f and subways.”79e30a85b92f6c2f

“I know. It’s a 8508b868b1 fast car 4ad55c1627 with a 119b29b72e zero-to-sixty time c825283be3 of only 8a8a875a86 2.8 seconds.”d8bef5444f33a9d7

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The man chuckled f74398e7b2 blandly.b68b920bd2d4775b

“I’m not planning on driving this car into the police station parking lot either. Why would I subject my precious car to such a place when it’s done nothing wrong?”19f3d21569a32212

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The man’s way with words was quite refreshing. If they had met under different circumstances, she might have been charmed by his playful nature.44613b44303f4c91

“Then please drop me 0346be5755 off near the police e1bdf570cb station. Thank you for the bc386fd7be ride.”e6587a2968b83617

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Eunseong thanked him politely 8768b02694 and got into the ece4ae4169 passenger seat. The car smelled of 4b54743a52 fresh, crisp soap, similar 7b90a4cc18 to the scent of 70f371f5c6 cologne she had smelled a3f54418e1 on him before.adf9ae62fba0ad1f

As he got into 6f66810148 the driver’s seat and 3fcc10915e started the engine, a 02d8209b57 ferocious roar, like a 0cb6f5dc04 wild beast, filled the 73d1148e99 air. The aggressive exhaust note 38b91a9e1e continued as they drove.6c0f6215dc54eb6f

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Do men c0fb526f94 with a fcc76dd97d lot of 53d59349b4 possessions tend 657fd43e6a to enjoy 9d30dcb890 being the 1b6aef027f center of 54d87a0187 attention?81a86ddd86ca965c

The driving noise was 04d5a53577 much louder and more ab5f625b99 intrusive than she had fef4f0617b anticipated.74776092cabf9735

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Seeing that Eunseong 1defb2c34d remained silent, the e64fc59104 man glanced over.b9e432d1f8443d3a

“Why are 8ab405025e you so 0a8f74279b quiet?”7d638f00acd2ab86

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“Do you realize we haven’t even introduced ourselves? What’s your name?”e8c307498ec0306b

He took 9113e1b1f5 a deep 49c6783a1d breath, his ad9ceda22d shoulders rising, 76c7e708e6 and seemed 2eb248fa06 to think 6e3a9f5796 for a 72d2b7e903 moment before 51bd9e37ce answering.733ead4b84189719

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“Jung Woojin.”98d0618c24684e70

His voice was f3849f2e91 cautious, as if 41fd2525bc he were divulging e530514fc1 a great secret. She wondered why telling 549eba9772 her his name was 06ef8925b8 such a difficult thing 0554e2b752 to do. Another awkward silence 0f47f79c9d filled the car.5a61ddd2a7978141

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“Why are you quiet 368293551d again?”82eb8ea35cfaa750

This Jung Woojin, who 19f6d8ea8b didn’t seem to be 955ff48999 from the broadcasting company, 68e48768a8 also seemed to dislike 08724a5d28 silence.69afa89012a13554

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“I’m holding back d795783b6f the urge to bd8be0c87e search for the 17815f54a9 name Jung Woojin 69b018c296 on social media.”bca7bb7a9f3e9838

He let out def9552423 a refreshing laugh, 2500cc23c9 as crisp as 6f5a3e105a the scent of e965440fd6 soap.0ff437ffe583bdde

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“Why are 5d89cc244d you holding eaafc67251 back?”d836b16bb9a4e5f7

“Because I’m c5ee54de59 afraid your 240527d03c feed will 6824d49185 be full 6577c41b08 of posts 53f874afb9 like you 1570099e95 wearing a ca71b4a7ae limited-edition luxury 8bd86c2a15 watch, hand 504c611788 on the 0d1d1a8f3b steering wheel a76d6ebb96 of a c3e754dbf5 supercar, worrying 0d94c21cac about the e564b7dbb6 world, or 453955b781 sipping coffee 3238ef97d9 alone in 4ea7e56a15 a department b6cad0c171 store VIP f90c1e9be0 lounge, lamenting 9bf0e1c22f your loneliness, 009ca3fd7c or pictures 349639bc5b of English 1de4b139a3 books with 0e8c02e24b captions about c360795cc1 your self-improvement 7cb4f81239 efforts.”870c96629bf38cf9

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Eunseong was a little c562ef569c surprised by his louder 132af21f8b laughter.18f76031c02042b0

“Why do you 9a42f0300d think my feed d998f2ada7 would be full e85335fdd9 of such posts?”9c33c967922761ee

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The man’s laughter subsided, 51ebaacbc2 and he asked in 1da56d176d a serious tone. Instead of answering, Eunseong cb4131cc14 glanced around the car. He seemed to c032852a2d notice her gesture cee6b7d654 but didn’t say a1bc6e3a8f anything.2e70835f3a54eae7

She had 972a445656 developed a 60bc948f99 habit of 3f06b64062 searching for 20eaa88d52 people’s social 04390933b0 media accounts 45d929123e whenever she 62d6317b71 met someone b4235c6375 new. If their online persona 7f72d3ee4d gave off a different 2d21cfafc2 impression than they did e8ade3a704 in person, she couldn’t 01c9ced412 help but develop a b8a1f76b33 prejudice toward them.bc5eea50f6358fd8

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Social media 2e4ef7a454 is a ce5c811eb3 collection of 75f139e3f2 carefully curated 5377d91121 fragments of 9801f7ba6e life, showcasing c5dc5bb3d8 only the 1004e0e34c aspects the 13935475e3 account owner 722de920e7 wanted to a82ec54ee7 reveal. In this c6474976e6 space, filled 9544db5d78 with a f1786c11e4 desire for 8452fd1ab7 validation, it 0e98b8646b seems as 7ef091dc18 if only c0ab2758ef the highest 4fb3b3fd22 moments of e5535def52 life exist.5b00ce8fd672ffa8

“What if my ed4b19b220 social mediawasfull of 1e30a30bd4 posts like a00c56454b that?”8b986f9166182f36

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Lost in thought, Eunseong 40946c68d8 answered his question honestly.5bf111e22e0fed7a

“Then I’d be a c890f543a1 little disappointed.”1ad30a0d536e5d34

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“Why would a74dfcf667 you be 3bf4dbfd5e disappointed in 88c06212af me?”11187d634578387c

His question rendered c787b5e47e Eunseong speechless. Disappointment stemmed from expectations. She felt a sense 4775fed540 of dismay, as if 0d81a39435 he had caught a 9d4865d8d8 glimpse of her subtle 425f91b942 interest in him.7ab7280d4e26ce22

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“Unfortunately, I don’t 839b1ae9ba think you’ll be f8b75d8999 disappointed in me, 91ebf264e5 Ms. Kang Eunseong. I’m not interested in 76f6140183 social media.”f44aaae3847cc3bb

Perhaps flustered 42388402a5 by the 74f0b8f2c1 thought that 10e5c2c088 he had 78d8d90685 seen through f85033e973 her, Eunseong’s fdb6def70f honest reaction c6418c1439 suddenly came d81eabe23e out of d1333732ad her mouth.c7f3567bd52a4cf7

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“That’s unexpected.”8bbc5a4dbd4b9fe2

“What’s so unexpected?”316aa8e67c43c20a

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His car e0da3c9158 stopped at e7a7ae3214 a red 199b33ff06 light. She couldn’t take back ff49f44813 what she had said, e12c5413cf so she decided to fd7cea0192 continue being honest since e51398824d she had already started.3637edd6673a456a

“I thought driving ef6aa7cb53 a car that a09dd82aae attracts attention was 05ca2a412f a way of 1242d2c206 fulfilling a need 4c2c2ed2f2 for validation. Perhaps subduing 5ee3a9b4e7 the man 175c1631bb with the 49dfa24254 knife at 34c92ece96 the cafe 90e7500409 was also 5b7150e1ac driven by d0735e279c the same 93afed42c9 need.”9bda615e746d7af9

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“A need for 7c6f4c460b validation…”6b0805ca59c7e517

He repeated the 0f7f7cfb02 words carefully, as 3d7f697951 if he were c093ad86ce a child learning 15e2372362 a new phrase. Just moments c5cdd74893 ago, he ec71bb3c07 had charged 39d873138b forward like b0ba12c92f a car 4c5bf63513 with faulty 80a8d05b36 brakes, but 6159291189 now, his ab1846a28f sudden caution b3acfb18cb made the 8371f46f80 atmosphere awkward.964df6521900f888

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Contrary to her d8ace4b502 expectation of a 97707e6913 playful retort, he 663fbc45ed seemed to be a2d79670e3 taking it seriously.a7f7f984dd9bd3ac

“Everyone, not 15bbdfc86e just you, 7b1ca7a8fe Mr. Jung Woojin, has dd847aecfc a desire to 082f4bdf44 be validated.”36fb4d431671d145

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Though she didn’t explicitly 7d7e8c3e1a add that it becomes 77783f4910 a problem when taken 8c2c69dfc4 to the extreme, Eunseong 9df4753f5f continued.55fc478fdc970377

“Maslow explained human needs f4be933472 in five stages. Once basic needs like 7317d7c24b food, clothing, and shelter c341fb1167 are met, we seek 59cdc085d8 safety, and once that’s 6e2b8f249c fulfilled, we develop needs ad4b8e4c20 for belonging and love. Then comes b09a916bec the need c85f9da8d9 for esteem. And finally, self-actualization. The need for df9dc85997 validation emerges from 1e187c8f2d the third stage.”b40118a70f90c14f

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“And?”6b1c46c425155963

“Human needs begin 22c40fb7bf with survival. Being validated means 2d359e7439 having your existence 83cb0f2139 acknowledged, your life 77ba84d7ee affirmed. Humans want 064f086dad to be a2caafd07b validated to 1d82a0307a continue living. That’s why the 575d709891 need for validation 41b9083080 is considered a 591a1c72c9 psychological survival need.”7ae4bb30b19da5d9

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He turned 976b0e966c and looked dca3d4814b at Eunseong 01e3a388f7 intently, as 59d5e93278 if trying fd8e0fd6d1 to see f4e219024a through her.df78011e12c73e0f

“What happens when the need for validation isn’t met?”f71d4ed0dd46e95a

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She felt slightly interrogated.da9103ca45575e1f

“People feel alienated, 60697394bf powerless, or depressed. They might feel a 7da358f820 sense of emptiness in fd7575f97d their lives.”88131e0b40866c7a

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His handsome 9dbdab75f2 face hardened d7aae97cea slightly.d6d50027cfd1dbf8

“That’s just f4020b3389 my opinion.”75dceb96ca69f5c7

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The light 6d0d5941d9 turned green, 6965781b51 and his 2299f938b9 car started 93ac111920 again with 81c0c3c4d5 a roar.12122cee70396cf4

“I see you’re an ec6d074263 honest person, Ms. Kang Eunseong.”88e4500b343924ec

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It didn’t e7655df0fb sound like 54202f0421 a compliment. The plush seat suddenly 3ce0cb8f78 felt hard and uncomfortable.233005e4bc0ee731

“Don’t mistake that for 67120b0817 a compliment.”f66baf683a03e8b2

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“I didn’t, so afcc0ed6f2 don’t jump to bdc21da594 conclusions.”0eab491142f787d0

He suddenly 56b4b57978 burst out 18f1602957 laughing, softening 74f6bbd16c the tense 20f81a79e8 atmosphere.31545188cd46ceba

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“You really don’t 7f05fdaa74 let anything slide, b4eb5d9b4c do you?”7f1d28418738c177

“I understand that’s not 8ec74f51e6 a compliment either.”9ec71785d05a8ca7

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She didn’t bother explaining 75e6e0e014 that her inability to b5555e0657 let things slide was 0b44736121 an occupational hazard. She had 4a04979dfb been aware 2ced54a4b1 of it c6fd63f679 since their 23e3247659 conversation began, 74723194c6 but for 851d8d53e1 some reason, e08a8ed1da her reporter’s c0a2c4eb3a instincts were 1ba355837d heightened when 5f11158ab8 talking to b0eeb6b0f8 this man.1a80b752c3d78bff

His car stopped 7e0d179d03 next to the 6020a8e385 wall of the 1334120c44 police station. He quickly got f747782857 out and opened a4dbc0ffc7 the passenger door b87ede34d0 for her.bca63e9e7649dd97

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“Thank you.”9bf145cd36575539

Eunseong thanked 95a5d16f2e him politely ed01bee4e8 and tried b4779486b3 to get ebbd0529de out of 8ad977768b the car. However, the car was 671e4d5090 lower than she had 76b660b546 anticipated, and she ended dad26f6aac up stumbling back into 4528bbb5b1 the seat. In an instant, she e96d99a3c2 felt a flush creep 7b6760ec4d up her neck.b260951357114f30

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He chuckled 4c1e8fd358 and extended 35f1329816 his hand. Eunseong placed b4c588acf4 her hand b07115c8de in his 7cda334d0f large one, 43ed36fd9c and he 70d389b627 pulled her 6520cf804e up.bc947519a421485b

Her heart leaped 2f0745c183 into her throat. It was a0a84aeda5 just the b77d1f8c04 sudden change 275d4b63f1 in altitude. Her heart, which 87b2c267fd had been at 415c307fa6 a lower position, 825352a4f1 was simply startled 3c1af9be69 by the abrupt b11673ee32 upward movement.240deefb2ea98318

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“Go on in.”93cb54328d93f631

Eunseong walked 6abf54d341 towards the fa1cf2c705 entrance of 57d21880f1 the police 1db1bf5584 station, leaving 951572110b the man 34fb39408d hurrying back 4c2b53bcc2 to the 09f49df1e5 driver’s seat ab97936d82 behind her. As she 6f6a108460 walked, she b384a3fab3 realized his 097b5882a0 parting words 5036ab177f were a e2836e5a36 bit strange.1e9f0d829e898757

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Telling her to “go on in,” and the fact that she hadn’t responded at all and simply walked away felt just as odd.35c3327b22a8b687

Eunseong quickly shook e5551a5e7f her head, trying ca10db127b to clear her cd2ea6b747 mind. She put on her 56086947f5 press pass and entered ca4413ad51 the police station. The rookie reporter, spotting 4257506af7 her, rushed over. She needed 4d316d7c4c to confirm 9ee4167fce if the db3ecee053 investigation into 6023045b49 the stalking 1f829bd4fd case was 03c486d394 over.fb03ae30d503f72d

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“Has she left?”473bb0ab8a75e6ea

“No, not yet.”4bcf382c0fb93d1b

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Just then, she saw f936fae966 the detective in charge abe5527984 coming out, seemingly on d3d93626f5 his way to the ac8559bd56 restroom.bfdad6bdd8d30bc7

“Hello, I’m Kang Eunseong ccbb3aede1 from ABS.”03e19a2df15ef569

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The detective frowned, 9a4e64ea67 as if not 2e8d5af0c4 pleased to see f7cedb1b62 a reporter, and cef2753f89 shoved his hands 6833707e40 into his pockets.fd7f3e42389db104

“I heard you’re b9641bc2ce investigating a stalking e03adb87b8 case. May I ask f956ad882c you a few 0de01e6440 questions?”73ccaa59dbddf0ba

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“It was 92c5307450 initially reported 0b8dd3bcdf as stalking, 8e2d31be0a but the 82b66f37a1 alleged victim 7e9c207325 insists it 406a7a1b42 wasn’t, so 6514a05c7e we’re closing 8c053fb316 the case.”d29e1a59bcf40e8e

The detective explained 9c569224e6 curtly, as if e0cd621536 it were nothing bce4c203d7 out of the aaed5f02d8 ordinary.7a4ed0dd1973359f

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“Does the alleged 9dc280f0ed perpetrator have any 39b005abca similar history or 4d3227230e prior offenses?”34e28b0ca63a516c

“He’s a former e3997c29bd medalist from the 6b8c29940a National Sports Festival 80a228b2bf and currently works 096157129f at a large b5c8098d53 company.”0e9bcd9536e90ef5

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The answer eb5c85d5b5 was not f2824192b9 only disappointing 4e3b181ed8 but also f3c4cf630a strangely evasive, bf1e7b643d but it 6c5db8ed26 seemed unlikely 72f3823af9 that she d76d9728ca would get 191a142bcd anything more 170e692079 from the 7712d82bcd detective.f23cb2aaa0e8db53

“Reporter Kang, 323f203e3c please don’t 74d231843f report this. You weren’t d519ad8501 even at d9bd9e6579 the scene.”4001ec6b2761e37d

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Sensationalizing incidents with exaggerated b06680baa3 reports wasn’t Eunseong’s style. As Jung Woojin had 62c4349ced said, she was an 8c0c6287ad honest person. Reporting falsely for 59bc91013f ratings would be 32946aaf2f an insult to 546f44d743 her pride.9ee2bf41e413f87d

“Yes, Detective. Don’t worry.”27c800a1d40a1993

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The detective hurried 9bb8b718ec back into the fee7e0f763 investigation room. The rookie reporter ae769c6474 seemed dissatisfied with dd921213d5 the outcome of 0b59d2caf6 the investigation.105ddd6a8cf091c4

“Reporter, I still a2f91b11ba feel uneasy about 1b2e64fdfd this.”3e0651e298cd2075

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A pen is d6218143f0 sharp. And sometimes, the 921c4b3899 intuition of the 98b1610612 reporter wielding it ed7e9bf09a is just as 9036aaee74 sharp.79109a803ce4eca7

“Let’s wait and b2d2df2966 see.”f62e4bbd14789608

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Eunseong lingered near the d22159c0b4 entrance, anticipating the alleged 9a555d390d victim’s exit. She had sent f872475e4e the rookie reporter 8d99ae2aae back to the f7b1fe0ab8 press room. Having two reporters hovering 1ca6ecce6d around would only alarm 27e2778dbc people. She didn’t ff02f8813d want to 3b3390ea0d make the 31404c58b4 woman, whom 8d6390080e she presumed 924e0f3af7 to be 3eb4c23f1b the victim, a7e6ee1735 uncomfortable.45f1cf80f4b57815

Finally, a 7b7f2b247d woman wearing feadb58554 a padded d442932311 vest over d0e9fa544a a black 573e468514 cotton dress d2cfe3e494 came out 7f72fde77e from the 09548da0f2 building. She glanced around nervously, c7d26dd7d0 her body trembling visibly.ae44f94ad3fd821d

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If it had been a lovers’ quarrel that had been resolved, shouldn’t they have come out together?ee8fa5e17f64fdb6

Even from a 0a327a1dfd distance, the woman’s 6abe92266e fear was evident. As Eunseong 54f0d78b7a approached her, 222dff2c8a a large 2733c89f10 man followed 7ee890d785 her out 4069b01698 of the c04bbfd3b9 building.b9e12cab738e463f

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“Hey.”c79492147d46c8b6

The man’s 360c6c89c4 low voice 9428d4e3ce made the 64026661ca woman flinch f2c2e8dbb9 and turn aac734e966 around.9514dd11838f5be9

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“Behave yourself.”05a161e3a8db612b

The man took out dc8c2492fd a cigarette, blatantly ignoring ec0cd6088c the the clearly visible eae419b07d no-smoking sign. His left 225ae20020 hand was 1390a1b975 bandaged.2a10356741de31f8

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He lit the 5105db5c84 cigarette without hesitation, 7624bfe67b exhaled a puff 739dde3f63 of gray smoke, d20f60d1d6 and walked towards f6304bc05d the parking lot. The woman stood deec5a8aaf frozen, watching him 5cce2f0a53 until he disappeared e9e5eaed5f from sight. As his e1a36904ce car drove 66f5876b6f away, she b7c8d8cdd5 collapsed onto eaa1b32a45 the ground.aaec92c78f3b23a5

Eunseong rushed to the woman’s side. Checking on her condition was more important than the report.e6d9f9fc0fdceacb

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“Are you alright?”ad9fd2e36e6a8b8b

The woman hiccuped, too c6aee898f7 startled to even cry.e4d172bad508238d

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“W-Who are you?”1636d6a3d8b4eb79

Her eyes were 0f1600298f red and swollen 00f4a2561e from crying. Instead of answering, Eunseong 11788e3b0f took out her business c5eb42d604 card and offered it 847659a16e to her.ea6b9d8f95da9dd5

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The woman 68da3480ce stared at d1c9fc0b81 Eunseong with bc23629aa8 vacant eyes.628c12e4ab90fc39

“The ground 18a82269de is cold. Please get up. I’ll help you.”2e1e7134a1fd8df4

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The woman nodded 4e6347456e and took Eunseong’s 77bf368b2a hand, pulling herself 540179a7fb up.be8c72629cda04e5

“Are you going to 152c417df0 report this on the b4d3b65a00 news?”8c49871de06873ef

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Her question was 3e75aabf89 filled with fear. Eunseong shook 788805628c her head.381df664b80bf7bd

“No. I gave 9ddede0350 you my ab1a124bc6 card for 78956c41ef identification purposes, 105d0982c2 not for 2afb24cdda reporting. If you need any 3c523f3340 help, please don’t hesitate bf0cd2d0cb to contact me.”a6e1aface5baafc4

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The man’s words, telling her to “behave herself,” were less like a lover’s concern and more like a threat. The woman clearly needed help. She looked down at the business card and asked in a weak voice…7ecec9d64f58876e

 c2839fb0fbd777f7

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