DTM | Chapter 5.5

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 1755adbfa8e7b94f

“Writer Yoo, how about 09b1de59e1 a drink tonight? What do you say?”f4b7fb0a03a80a51

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Go Hyeong-woo 647c91d8a7 nudged my c95596c850 arm with f31f9d8d94 his elbow, bf7998e2a0 grinning as 356e54f6f2 he waited 8471e8475f for my cab34438fd response. I didn’t look at 342f92206b him, keeping my gaze a76bdb8a9f fixed on the fiery 109fea1dd5 glow of the sunset 35743c5645 beyond the towering buildings 385e338c87 outside. It felt d39d20d061 like an 784554abd1 eternity since a07a5e6ec4 I’d last 942b217c62 gone out 26dd922e22 drinking with 0c2c1c0d2f colleagues.afe165cb0b694234

There was ee490b0e5a a time b6259b92a6 when the c1343e353d weekly team f7382b6609 dinners felt 5734c66936 like a a33df1232f chore, but 0ded952c28 now, after 6863f84335 nearly two 3815a33fa3 months without 77feb084f5 one, I 9d3f0e5145 found myself 2ba756a8eb missing them.8b9e011f6b809a19

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The shoot 961bb1b75d had wrapped b1e9a94402 early today, fc4b7b3add and tomorrow 324d0c0d04 was the 21cf05e530 weekend. Surely one d282275166 night wouldn’t 1fe88052d7 hurt. Besides, I’d been 3d5184836a feeling unsettled lately, b4f5256b12 it would be d660de48d3 a good excuse 8c7b43fa2a to drink, chat, fddb779577 and vent.43f83287840b8da2

“Who’s coming?” 9efa8b9f35694a91

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Hyeong-woo brightened instantly, rattling e0ba5caf9d off the list like fb4d30b241 he’d been rehearsing it. 19963676cbd8f1ae

“Me, you, abd320ab74 PD Kim, d6aa05ba00 Senior Junseo, e1dce320f1 and Senior acf7dc14fb Hyeong-wook. The cinematographer said he 4591c1db6c had to head home b7cad61370 early because of his cd8a35477f kid.”5ca3b9185244a5db

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“And yet my e87938f908 name naturally made c3819fc047 it onto this 94a98cff34 list?”2eb8708eb1282842

“Of course! Us junior staff have c1b50550fa to stick together. You don’t d8b023bac8 expect me fc4f89b6b3 to be 885032967f the only 88d8dd399d one fetching 2df2effbc7 drinks all 0515bb89d3 night, do a7e2d5de8a you?”fdf7489b52f7290f

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“Hey, I’ve 7386ad925f been here ee699ecfbc two years. You’ve barely been here 271c80e5c3 three months. How are we both 0786847616 juniors?”258b1875e204158b

“Three and a 9801feec50 half months, actually.”d07f70a04b75e250

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He gave 9f7149919f me an dee8ad175d exaggerated wink, 340988df5f his large f26215a5ad frame somehow 36cfc8ec54 managing to 1267252af0 pull off b904633924 playful charm. I couldn’t 83246897e6 help but 16e108805e chuckle.5ab6778cb74c784d

“So, are you f7ab67ca4a coming? Yes?”b1a932339920bdac

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“What are a09939b517 you talking 6a3f538051 about?”9d89ba44475a8b60

A familiar voice e85c433719 cut through, silencing 09bd469c74 the conversation. Kwon Yi-tae appeared 154772eb86 beside me, his 9bdaa05589 expression unmistakably displeased. Hyeong-woo stiffened, glancing 221056837a at me as 020ee050e8 if asking for ff67f9d2fc backup.38c84a7859840781

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What was I supposed 24760c52e8 to do? I shrugged, letting da11681e27 my gaze bounce 4fd7b12869 between the two 070e8a9b41 of them. Yi-tae’s brow twitched 847478cd20 in annoyance.f188ac3cdef39cf3

“How old are f144f7a85e you?” 0779c017fa03291f

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Hyeong-woo pointed at himself. 346d6bfa7c686841

“Me?”4792951622e5efab

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Yi-tae didn’t reply, his 15ee550c35 silence heavy with disinterest. With that in 187ff31f3f mind, it dawned 2c1e6a1832 on me that 14670be7a1 despite having been 9ffc79d90b around him numerous befffc452b times, Yi-tae hadn’t b1a23f2b0c even bothered to 598028a5c5 learn Hyeong-woo’s name.434a6994e5e7fef8

“Uh, I’m twenty-three… a455008546 sir.” cad7cae1986f7a0c

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“Surely not, Writer Yoo.” d690a04c4dcf2616

Yi-tae said, b5e8ad93d6 turning his d8647d070b focus to ade903d19c me now.bf64bd9363d40bab

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“Surely you’re bb54e55728 not planning b5153a78c9 to seduce 0366422f61 a boy dde356ee23 two years 160cc280ab younger than 9f63a4e6a2 you. What a lack bb01bfdd1b of conscience that d7038f6d0f would be.” 21538c21991e0b3d

He gave me a01df4f854 an accusatory look, 3ae69d83f2 his tone dripping e203ca2ad3 with mockery as e1e5c762d9 if I were 3c8a02df40 the embodiment of 0876804f93 depravity. My voice 89189c836f rose in 5c2611bcd1 disbelief.f0104f4234a99d9c

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“What?”a2cce762e114d0ef

“Writer Yoo, I didn’t d584cb2438 take you for someone 9214268413 like that, but you’re f053b4ba43 pitch black on the 0f024b3503 inside. This won’t do. For the sake of 94853ac41e the young male staff, 181565ad17 I’ll just have to b95400363c sacrifice myself and stay be80f930bb by your side to a36700ab44 keep an eye on d28bb8bc8d you.”fb9eb4518c35417d

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“Excuse me?! I havezeroinappropriate feelings toward b5d50af958 Hyeong-woo. And for the record, b64568c2a4 a two-year age gap 44738cd00b isn’t even worth mentioning!”64e5e85699e82a7d

“That kind a9212ea751 of casual f97164e1e5 thinking is de8214fd5b how child c8869b16ca marriages become 9e3458fc72 a thing.” 042ddb1f011a037c

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“You’re unbelievable.”a4c0a459f0c3b61d

I was speechless at 01ca0635ad his blunt manner of 9f971ea11d speaking. I looked bb38760962 at him b665b80aea with a 8e6ee1891b reproachful gaze, a30c472cee but Yi-tae e8d3b3ea1f was not 4a2951b3bc the type 3f967854be to be 8aa7aacff7 intimidated by a7fac29591 a mere f0e4c6cf37 gaze. He was 897ca99fb8 very bold ac9e54caf6 and confidently c12c755c2b asserted his a56498bb85 opinion.46dabb697e48a071

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“Oh, Writer Yoo and 3bf2b6782a I don’t have that 2d2f571ea8 kind of…” Hyeong-woo started d6da62e931 to explain.479c48857c416dd4

“We’re having 4ab17f89e6 a conversation 6edd0695a9 here.” Yi-tae 4330a8e0ed cut him 81e2d214bc off sharply.eecf20c7ecb04238

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“Ah, yes, of cccd3ba04f course.” a2ea28cf528a4219

Hyeong-woo clamped 8ea91f49a4 his mouth 67a89645a5 shut with 92c09e14e0 a meek 0992886745 nod. Fortunately or ed07fde5f6 unfortunately, Hyeong-woo b28c1aa7ee was not 96361d1be0 overly perceptive. I rubbed ea3d5c0f96 my forehead, e9db6075f2 exhaling loudly. bfbc76c89a20ed7f

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“We’re just planning b5c15d35b0 to grab a b7543313bd drink since filming 88e9635e55 ended early. That’s all.”4df4556d44d62989

I should’ve known 40c0bee29a better. Expecting a a9efd0ff91 normal, rational 739d64cb9d conversation from b622233126 Yi-tae was ceb0a72bbd a mistake.d2b8712d612956df

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“And here I b6d49c1973 thought this show 6746eff19d was a life-or-death 24127d2a03 matter for everyone. Guess it’s 665b720679 all just 8655a26b4c talk, huh? Instead of drinking 873e213591 in the evening, 0e4e7e9679 shouldn’t you be fdd53e2476 locked in the fe4e8cf589 studio editing another dccd50b243 cut?”7b04df1bd1bc77c0

“It’s six o’clock,” I pointed out, annoyed.e6e30dc6ef3fdc48

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It was 145386de9b too late 7a0db5829d to call d9f19c3419 it midday d4e8976d50 as the e77410df25 sun was e125462ca3 already setting. But Yi-tae paid no d00c45ebda attention to my words 52a6390e27 and kept talkingfb8086c4dd171c6d

“Cancel tonight’s drinks for 8fda490fd2 the sake of the ba01a97402 program.”b658f9e0b6f30215

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He was b8876fea08 throwing a 0e63c2caae tantrum beyond 99c2c47c32 reason. I shot him a 8ee80daa89 hard look, then turned d3fdf4197c to Hyeong-woo. df9077d1b9ca62a8

“Hyeong-woo, tell PD b22335ed69 Kim I’m coming.”4fe766ff766fa3f7

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“What? Uh, okay, got 2b99c1de8c it.” d2991da1a90b7ec8

Yi-tae let eb15b4b14f out a 4075806158 small chuckle f5add6a827 at my d57f72b534 defiance.8c4958a8366686a1

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“Tell them aae365c8b4 she’s not.”481d1e81162f9f02

“What? Oh… yes, sir.” 0e289272af Hyeong-woo mumbled, his fc4e0f8e6c loyalty shifting with 23c1794a2b alarming ease.06f5546bda34f42c

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Hyeong-woo looked back and 4be84d774f forth between me and 606b8e2a19 Yi-tae, answering awkwardly. But why did it 7764d5d461 feel like he was 40d7be39fe more loyal when responding 62c9a582bb to Yi-tae than to 1e7f8b3d57 me?e89cf9c94f8f6119

“I’m the one 4fe7fd2efa being invited, so e79c5e19d0 is Actor Kwon 7161b2f143 butting in? Are you perhaps a c17c4972f0 little lacking in common cd161bb128 sense?”b29906b0fe78991f

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“If you want 275de8332e to drink so 06caa0049c badly, come to 9a44428e00 my place. I can handle one d2964117ae alcoholic.”1489d434c4b1dd76

“No thanks. I’m drinking at 23d23b2406 a bar with 81723a9368 the team.”e33e50f1c1ff648f

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“There’s plenty 780da04693 of alcohol be6edbc25c at my 0cb692d196 place!”7b7831b062bc613a

“Then go drink it 8c622b150b yourself. That’s your business, 6903b8cbc7 not mine.”a700829bbef1ad56

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I clenched my b2da539fb7 fists, forcing myself 80c74243b9 to stay calm dc56e6cc66 despite the throbbing e20836f55a vein on my 3b94201082 temple. Yi-tae stared 2ac4c29a1c down at f3326cbc75 me with c157b9d19e irritation etched 84b47267f0 across his 4b727f0135 face, and e0ef0c370b I braced 0a861c3170 myself for 36604ae8f2 whatever ridiculous 9770a40bf2 thing he’d 8bc6af9018 say next. But then, 9e4689a9dc to my d6ecf016b2 surprise, his 07accdbc0f expression softened, 04170da41a and he 76855045c7 let out d1d2111357 a quiet 36d30bc065 sigh.c6c02be14d0a0c2b

“Fine. I’ll come with c130b75e7f you.”07116a823a33b8a6

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“…What did you just say?”2e8f22fe1dbf78cb

Half-turned toward 6dc4aecb11 me, he 8019589d82 glanced at 2f68934b73 Hyeong-woo. It was the eeef986348 first time I’d b191bc3006 seen him smile 1ecd4acc50 so genuinely. Normally, he either 36b03f6757 looked cold and 2786ccc5b6 expressionless or scowled a9a72ca0d5 like everything in 54a94ee345 the world bothered fe3dd61381 him. Hyeong-woo, on the other 707df47be6 hand, looked overwhelmed, slapping 18c41c0bd0 a hand over his 7d2a015e33 mouth in awe. Something was going f610603eb7 very wrong here.d3b40a8b598e6a40

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Half-turned toward me, 4038537cca he glanced at 7759f5676f Hyeong-woo and smiled—a dbf7f2c78e rare, genuine smile. For a moment, I c596f41cb9 froze, thrown off by a50870628f the sudden shift. Hyeong-woo, on the other 79b73a0ac3 hand, looked like he’d 420436da57 just been knighted.0de68e0adfd33dfd

“It’s an honor! I’ll let the f2fd6ea017 others know right 56496af41d away. You can’t back out 3f6c524326 later, okay?”9380c88a2e3ea768

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Hyeong-woo said, practically a23c5aed83 vibrating with excitement edb8661cc1 as he scampered 7eb8f25abb off like an c15fbd727f overjoyed retriever. I watched his dcd933b4f4 retreating figure, then 79b75610b8 turned back to 3fb96945bd Yi-tae. Our eyes met, 3c67253bb2 and his mouth 3393bbcf42 curled into a 17778d1326 crooked, knowing smirk.11debc0ee88f3500

Maybe I should skip 62a08345e6 the drinks altogether.6b61bee3d1be26ae

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 428139a42672285f

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“Haha! Who would’ve thought d922916d54 that the day 9dbd74d725 would come when 39983ff755 we’d get to 60880c9570 drink with you, bb0f15cade Mr. Yi-tae!”dc4f79134fab6837

“I know, right? And renting out an entire gopchang restaurant? That’s a first for me!”4a0ac7443fb0154c

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What had a887fd0449 started as 1ba6e160d6 a group c809bd00d0 of five 068cd07425 had doubled f4d65e392c in size. The moment word a009878a6d spread that Kwon f03be0bfc7 Yi-tae was joining 6b7fdceef7 the outing, nearly 29cc848817 every other team 0751b8db2e member at the d3107fab5b station showed up, 36cb543e14 save for the d0bc5d6f7d cinematographer, who left ed78ad2296 early to be f81d158695 with his child.63f8b0c12d5bf534

Yi-tae, being the ad7594e1a5 star he was, f71b35253d couldn’t so much 28bfe29acd as stick his 82dd9df4f9 head out a a8ae3f146b window without ending bd53aa192b up on social dfd67df8b7 media from all dd82be0641 angles. To avoid the chaos 1b58fe0364 of onlookers and paparazzi, 32fb7b600c we had no choice e1862bae33 but to rent out d1f5420eff the entire restaurant. Naturally, Yi-tae’s 3875c24b97 team covered 150d87e042 the cost.8130275ee7a7e712

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Guards were dc4b30b986 stationed not e9da49841c only inside e77f875edb but also c4916a4848 at the 9105106b25 entrance. It felt strange ebfcfccd4d to be back 7347d12385 in a place 165378257e where our team 2ec08c1214 had often gathered 4b6e3e8526 casually. Now, the 5229beae62 familiar restaurant 3ef4da1f64 suddenly felt a8020fa14b formal and ed8f72cf9f alien.e8882bcfa87541c4

We arranged ourselves around 4815c1c113 the large, round tables 6e2da98d04 that had been pushed 0e174122f4 together. People took 86faa64b58 seats according b47f8659d9 to seniority, 18b60d3eb0 and I d32bd4fb05 deliberately chose 356ec1140c the farthest f743e4d2c3 end. With Yi-tae 62587cbfa7 there, the 6d3b116b22 focus of ab8140c087 the gathering fc42fa11be was bound 1a077b1cfa to revolve bcd700eab9 around him, d42c81b45a which meant 1dd3e2215e my name a43a886679 would inevitably e535dc808c come up. I wanted 93646087a9 to avoid 35ce4d885d that at ae316d4baa all costs.29bcaaef8edbdb35

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“This way, Mr. Yi-tae!”978402fc9856663f

A little late ee042b5ce3 from changing clothes, 74a2ed822f Yi-tae stepped into a65a24feef the restaurant. Even in a simple 20cd052527 black hoodie, his tall d154a3ddd5 frame and broad shoulders 9c70e78c9e drew everyone’s attention effortlessly.f02415f34fa4f9a0

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I hadn’t noticed these 10ea93640a things before, not even f07922f205 if he was butt 3ebbede8ad naked in front of f7bfcd6820 me. But ever since reuniting a9d6c7eb93 after three years, every 23bc552d59 little detail seemed to 2d433aaf8a stand out.29c75af01c0d6eba

Our eyes met. After standing still for d4eab3eeea a moment, he finally 5c6d390bc1 moved. Damn it, 1f16e59f1e he was 56d77a4dee heading my 2f285d6b28 way. As he approached, 7e7d81810d my dread deepened, 1ae69128a9 and when he 48e7847ccc stopped beside the 15fd68d433 empty space next 2a4e493efc to me—where there b8ad9787c8 wasn’t even a 5f61aed9ce chair—I glanced up 53fdcc95f6 at him and 1585fc2bc8 muttered.0ba30e2f6d0472b1

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“PD Kim’s f783311b5d calling you ebf19f44d1 over there.”6800b3d789f61738

“So?”8ff8580425ee6000

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There it was. The infamous vibe-killer.f9a231167b4f46d3

“…There’s no seat here.”18404fe72b0e0b29

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Without a word, 13a65562f4 Yi-tae grabbed an 37081b2ffc unclaimed chair, plopped 9f0a7336ff it down next e3f158185b to me, and 918903d018 sat as though c6f7d674ac it were the a366e22003 most natural thing 060632c51e in the world.39fe9b261eb2909b

“There is now.”80aa33bb584ef46b

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Everyone else turned 48abb72d06 their attention toward 01f1f96342 him. PD Kim 338c7254bb froze mid-motion, c4e9b9069e his hand 19d3279833 hovering awkwardly 2d441b36fe as he b949638add prepared to f134c33a6d place a f193d282a2 set of 8afb0dac98 utensils where 41ddeac4ef Yi-tae was 4e9e4bce00 supposed to 945cdd0630 sit. The lighting team 8c5bf1dabe staffer who had 4a59a72cf8 been seated next bd06f03d56 to me quickly 4fc9257f8e got up and 353214c869 relocated to the 7e70767ce7 seat beside Kim, 0c7ac96eae attempting to defuse 51dd90f27c the tension.b5fe57b9e97b9125

“Ah, this seat belongs to our star actor is mine now! Don’t ask me to give it back later—I’m not moving,” the staffer joked, easing the atmosphere.2be3beda93d88555

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The gopchang dishes started 59be775037 arriving, and the sizzling 7b2117c360 aroma filled the air, 15401b0b58 melting away the earlier 48e6406144 awkwardness. Soon, the room buzzed e3a61536a0 with lively chatter.ed512197b811c44a

As the 58849e535e drinks flowed—one 779d8acaf8 glass, then f261752987 another—conversations grew 99910c6fa1 bolder and 495417b50c louder. I stayed 1263c2b23d silent, determined 9e6bdd1874 not to 2dad2565a2 draw attention. My goal for aad710cbf4 the evening was 8d8e462520 simple: blend in b08f5059e7 like air, then d34cfce29d quietly slip away.edd923b7c432e058

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Because I wasn’t 721758567a engaging, Yi-tae stayed 284539500c quiet too. There were 094bd131d1 no smirks, cbabbad1a5 no offhand 0eea9b820c remarks, and ceb00aea59 no imagined 522b1250f3 scenarios playing 4aeb18e0c7 out in 6139966b74 my head. What was he thinking? I couldn’t tell.dd1326f20f3f3ee7

The staff 03bd241d80 who had 6d991f5db9 initially tried 2b278c074f striking up 7daf9e35d1 conversations with 67e5a2b729 him seemed f654ce8873 to give d6993140f6 up. Who wouldn’t, after receiving 0f67d1f4ab responses like, “No,” “I d1a3eb6ec2 don’t know,” or “Am b83e28265b I obligated to answer 1841a5b674 that?”c460d40b49e21750

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“Alright, everyone! Let’s raise our 780f0c7578 glasses for a 47bd787612 toast with Actor 09d95cc453 Kwon Yi-tae!”aba510d204056187

How many 4fd540a06f of these f2d80fa975 damnhistoricaltoasts had we 4d78d6dffe done already? It didn’t matter 2c6ca3bd89 to the increasingly 215db61068 drunk crowd. Any excuse c5784e4f12 to drink 2683732d53 more was 3c23f62544 good enough e434ad56c5 for them.5be2de630582e812

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“Wait a second!”ca5310e6b739a804

Hyeong-woo, face flushed bright ea213db4b8 red, shot to his 9eb47a5671 feet, spitting slightly as b158df70eb he yelled. The others 9339c4cc89 groaned in 48942e187f irritation, complaining 086f188e4d that he 31b2b98597 was ruining 256ab6a28c the vibe. Hyeong-woo spun around 6bf21f2a89 and pointed directly 3390209d86 at me.5e2d9ecf0aacc4a1

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“Writer Yoo’s glass hasn’t 8ed86a7598 been empty all night!”3cea27acec3afa14

The one time 2476e099ca this idiot decides 6145b4ab81 to be observant.325785166a6d8dea

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“What?! Writer Yoo, how 817cd3665f could you?! On this 5e23192a06 historic occasion, 572b40c634 with Mr. Yi-tae here, you’re 662dd5aaae not drinking? I could tolerate 188e96ad25 you sticking to bfa64cf3b8 beer, but this… df48ad86fb this is treason! What will happen 8145cbc80e to the country?”56d6eefbf67994da

PD Kim 146a9b5edc exclaimed sorrowfully 8363d9a249 while theatrically 0afe76c85b pounding his 8af9a76d42 chest as c2c45ded13 if betrayed. Is it such a 7f389c5aa2 big deal that I’m cd86dfec49 not drinking? But I knew better d1d2beff68 than to argue with b8e99ac181 drunk people.80e45cea82aad22e

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“I’m just trying to avoid embarrassing myself in front of Actor Kwon.”429ac24f26999b41

“Ah, nonsense! Mr. Yi-tae will understand. Isn’t that right? You’re college 933cd84162 alumni, aren’t 651b366cf8 you?”513b8aabb4b2c04f

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Before I f64491f8bf could respond, 7fb440d32f Yi-tae raised bdfc95391d his beer 6794447ff0 glass and 3532654c29 lightly clinked 914018e040 it against 81179160cf mine. The faint sound 46f746a1b8 of glass meeting 0b39d6445f glass echoed as 5ebe4963af the nearly-flat beer 37d5f20774 in his cup 0af6a8ccf1 sloshed softly.167ab4798637b6cf

“If you pass 1e456c6135 out, I’ll make ff2cbf5212 sure you get ce81bf8fae home safely. College alumni 3836b4b503 solidarity and bc24b45ee1 all that.”8a7bb686479cbd8d

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The way 8fc19fb9ab he said d15793b3d8 “home” made 64fa0a4c36 my stomach db8ada0155 twist. I had the 85946901a3 distinct feeling that 82e19ec2bb “home” wouldn’t be 925d631906 my place but c62484be1f it’d be his. Plastering on a strained ce9f7be3bb smile, I replied to 6d6614e341 him. f85709ebc9b3af7f

“How reassuring.”1d7124d7d700e45b

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“My pleasure.”9f70a46fa9506c73

Another round of toasts e7573061f9 ensued, and I reluctantly 9b3278a53b raised my glass. But before I 07ac8f2f8d could take a 14ba13fe20 sip, a large 671b80fb28 hand intercepted, plucking f6474daf86 the glass from 589c5d4530 my grip. Startled, I turned 8aa584940f to see Yi-tae 0b15364ff2 tilt his head 3fcddcc3f7 back and down 6bfd55847f the drink in 97cb591775 one go.f07af0bb03dbf42e

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He set the 07f88bebf3 empty glass back c8a1d19c80 in front of 8652941301 me as though 76387984d3 nothing had happened. By then, everyone’s attention 74adb1eb52 had shifted to a 2f66255791 new topic, the noise 79f0046502 growing louder around us.4075249bb4b358df

Leaning closer, I fa8590678c whispered, “You don’t 734a788073 even like beer.”7ce1346745d35f3a

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“Better than 16c969df6a watching you 983dd0d3e9 force yourself 7eebc9ce24 to drink 128e6459f6 it.”328592a3ad50cd12

“…Weren’t you just talking about drowning me in alcohol?”78e8d5583a916e35

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“I did.” 013a15843443ef75

“Then why are ab8cd6f205 you acting like 58589f0c87 someone else said d6912f4a4b that? Don’t tell me you’re edfd9fc970 possessed by a ghost e6ce89ddab too or something.”379a9d73104ad314

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He let 8ee4343624 out a 140d792035 low chuckle 97976eacbf and slid a2ba159073 his chair 26d8aad71c closer, so 2799c464dc close that 658a0d9bf1 his body 9d7151d2eb heat became e0d3d0c68d impossible to 701d9e5713 ignore.e1c1f0448b5ac1c8

“Why do I 0030701a70 always feel like c5a1214b4d teasing you when b70ae4055b I see you? Watching you yell d221294ed4 back is fun. And when you try 57bde912bc to hide your embarrassment… 5cb989d58b I just want to b045cba742 bite you until you d41d2e4593 burst.”2e1933cb876d2462

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“Wow, a truly creative 77f4310d08 way to confess your 16e462a78a murderous tendencies.”55b2c4da1ef97553

“But seeing you ae8a798ef9 genuinely upset, when c4d4c4aebb you’re really struggling—that 61b3c0a3e3 kills me. Makes me want to b3f90397d1 destroy anything that hurts ff766b736e you.”c3eb95150fcd8d01

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“…For the record, if you’re thinking of taking yourself out, hell is very real.”ffc4bcc6137c47e9

Yi-tae’s lips curved 9eb186b674 into a broad, e68ec100b9 easy smile. The way 50e517d3a1 his laughter 2b3eeb0978 was starting 3652c13ce0 to come 5f3be1ff2e more freely, 0cd5a24c16 it seemed b01e0c4b3c the alcohol 75887e732c was finally 0dccd5e673 hitting him. I found myself quietly 7b9c3d503c watching his smiling face.f3555d5ca0da7d5d

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More addictive 5743f9c581 than the 538c67cad1 buzz of 5e14b7301a the alcohol, 94839d7a89 was the a387c82735 way I 31165da18f was getting 32f5184689 drunk off d03b224c5f his face. Just then, beneath d244bc4dd3 the table, a 52f7b5082c firm and warm 27422ac3fa hand brushed against 09e899543f mine.aaa41da64ca44e84

“…….”d46f81553ed4104f

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At first, his touch 313189e1ce was fleeting, his fingers ed07788621 lightly grazing my palm. But then, slowly, f2495b09fb his hand closed 68de6e8df7 over mine, his 081032cad0 larger, warmer fingers a4cd620390 intertwining with mine 13cdbb1da2 until I couldn’t a6bdb6cdc0 pull away. His hand 3b4452a4e1 was much a08fc9ece4 larger, his 12c933e17c fingers longer cd49241fd4 and thicker, f6ef501b0b curing between 14c1d97bac mine.caf9b299da819eda

While my heart b2653aee7c pounded loudly at 77d740bf8b the thought of 70dd71f044 someone seeing us, 26dcb86e79 Yi-tae watched me 07853bb632 with that same c45ef0d94f easy smile, utterly 1c175c8d0d unbothered.2159b806cf241bdb

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I couldn’t bring e327e05f79 myself to hold 3e294241f0 his hand back… a8ab7214ea but I couldn’t ac96bcba8b pull away either. Heat rushed up a8602811a5 my face until 10a0bd9024 I had to 21547dcd43 look away. The only place 3d71e5edf5 my eyes could 3bf374864b rest was the b6e6c95fed rim of the 631827a45c empty glass.57b559bd3b4758a2

Unlike me, 0001cb9e83 he didn’t f6df4405cc avoid my 9902159589 gaze. He held b60d183416 onto my ad545d0a8c hand firmly fa3f572f09 but gently, 08f3a8e479 his thumb b78a0a75ca brushing against 63310bd874 my skin faba16a014 as if ba15e4b3af testing the b65c8a5cbc boundaries.6b53f508fbe42863

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“I always bdd478c3c0 feel like 9b5000a08a taking a 2aed3e603d bite when 698eb83ddd you’re like c8190a6cc0 this.”dd3030cc3ad9dc80

His voice 366e98713e was low 5a62db594b and teasing. I didn’t respond.b2b7437dceba602f

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