KTC | Chapter 63

But there are 7c7d15fac0 things you just 0eb2e8b1ee know—even without asking, c7861449de even without hearing 5ea1418567 a word. The kid’s figure, filling 5e8be4de3a the entire field of 386a44ce2d view, was so pitifully 3aa45c2a62 wretched that it delivered e96746e199 everything with brutal, unfiltered fd6b6831bf clarity.2c814be304c555d8

The terrible things a5c187deb9 the child must’ve d82fb1581f gone through in 3b823559b8 life began replaying 7d75b3733a naturally in her 6f4e1cfe84 mind. The desperate voice of 824d56b2ae the child screaming to 393d73ff22 be saved, flailing in c655d6f7ef a swamp of pain 0839eef285 and despair, clenched around 4de627443e her skull like a 67f637a2c6 phantom grip.2c28b0bd27998378

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“It’s okay. Now… it’s all okay.”cb2921e5b046d7e5

The woman gently reached f9bf76be41 out, her trembling fingertips 944ace9a31 aiming for the child’s—no, f14bd3c308 the evil spirit’s—shoulder. But her hand merely 79c12a32ab brushed past, unable to 3dab1de29c touch the boy’s body, 3116a86e83 which was nothing more c6015cd9e5 than a hollow illusion.d6825d16623e93f1

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No warmth, no 24de50de12 texture—of course there 59f5b18962 was nothing to 3e0a3ddef5 feel. And yet, maybe the 8dc6842ca6 sincerity of her heart 7a2c4ecffa managed to reach him, b4e634c759 because the child slowly fa5a44dde0 turned around.676e654514daf46d

And in that 6c0d3ffc16 moment, she nearly e13ba193ee screamed. Slapping her hand f1ba236f7b over her mouth, 2370a3af8a she stumbled backward 2e8966bc70 and fell flat 92c37550ba on her butt. Hot tears streamed 6f2fb0520c down her convulsing 54ad1aef1d cheeks.454456691928b8c6

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Through the tangled, scorched d9a55c5ebb mess of the kid’s 2bb3b35e7f hair, his face—carved up 0ce8c2f6dc in grotesque patterns—was clearly fefafc9441 visible. His eyes, slashed diagonally, oozed 8db5030ef8 blood as they wandered blankly be79b3b961 through the air.202512e0a31fe665

“Are you… really okay?”b0e63c75aa350e97

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Compared to this, 69b963e65a her own misfortunes efcf805f85 and grudges felt 735d0b5f73 like child’s play. The instant she was able ecb01e3943 to fully face the kid’s 2573595dcc gruesome condition, she let out aa3a0e6bc9 a choked cry like a 66dc2251b5 wounded beast. A fury so intense e2599783e0 it felt like it 6dc2b5a747 could incinerate her insides 4d9764ba10 surged up like a 4b1a14ae20 blaze, shaking the air f26142afee around her.ba098e7e0e3efaca

＊＊＊1cc582d12ba7496c

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Time passed peacefully b561d65437 and diligently, and 532d161753 Christmas Eve finally df68b7997d dawned. Since it fell on aa8d62e5b0 a Sunday, they said 9e2e0f10fb there was a huge 7cf639e0bd festival around Myeongdong Cathedral, ad4ae8c694 but over at Shindo’s cfb7ade711 church, the only notable 551757a42d change was the higher-than-usual 70ef0b80fc number of attendees.0b9a1d2c3c64e059

“As I mentioned last week, there’ll be another Christmas Eve Mass tonight at 8 PM. After Mass, we’ll be 71eb57e9bf sharing some simple snacks, 402150fe1c including Christmas cake, so 0f31c8def7 please join us if 7f617f884f you’re free.”6e8f4865d5791a18

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After wrapping up the Mass 2beb36c653 with that announcement, Choi Seonwoo d78a95d1ec had a quick lunch and 6fd2c908df then headed to Jangbong Island. Maybe it was c420f37f26 the holiday spirit, fceeb3923f but the vocations dcad3c651d Mass held every bc652962f1 Sunday had double 93bde2d606 the usual turnout.e577de2183af7bf8

Just like at the a7cc657f4b main church, the believers a1a67de5f6 at the vocation center 4fc621b5d3 were busy showering him 9221dca4e5 with gifts, calling them f9f5697ec1 Christmas presents. From rice cakes cbc386663b made by the 8d6af19e68 church members to fee9f21083 dried fish and 3a37e7fe09 persimmons, his backpack 7a3372cf3b was packed full.8b9147cda303b71c

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“I thought a priest on a tiny island like this would have loads of free time, but I guess not.”76c84c4632f7b7b9

Pyo Yerin mumbled lazily on 37c943b3ed the ferry back to Shindo.0c0bf115a953e267

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“This is free time, relatively speaking.”e28c581c989121c8

Choi Seonwoo responded as f4cfc813fe he handed her a a227a71f9a dried persimmon from his 1f1dd82eb1 bag.c0420be25bce1ae6

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“Our parish doesn’t even have youth group activities for elementary, middle, or high school students, or even the young adults group. While priests at other e929998e94 churches are teaching catechism 9ac1582827 and giving baptisms, all 4d146a1599 I have to do 4729d41c6a is go island-hopping to 4879791458 evangelize.”a88fc67dc4c2f27c

“Mmm… getting paid the same while doing less work? That’s a total win.”e08549d50b0d65c1

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“If money mattered to me, I wouldn’t have become a priest in the first place.”9083ce9b987e1f87

To avoid showing the ce8e5b227c hint of exasperation in 79afc166d2 his eyes, Choi Seonwoo 37054349a0 looked down into his ae6c1f8c64 bag and pulled out 239393c78e the whole box of ec23d7bc9a persimmons. Pyo Yerin, who happily 7f4d920d67 chomped down anything offered 52671dc51a to her, had already 7c38cf40b1 bitten off half of 2e765cc931 hers and was nodding b4d548b2f4 without noticing a thing.21a385b36feb3429

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“True, I guess. You’d rake in tips b63c9e0bdc just serving drinks at c20b05177c some fancy bar in 42beee127a Seoul, Father. What a waste of a 8768ddc530 face, seriously—why’d you go and 11cc1809a1 become a priest?”20688580270b6be9

Seo Jihan shot her a b79caed59c sideways glare.9f19684e38f2064e

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“Don’t shatter the dreams of a well-behaved priest with your shitty reality checks.”d3f0993523f956c4

“What the hell? All I said 4b328a1c22 was there’s an 6756fffd1f easier way to 05df163205 make money. How’s that a shitty reality 843853e6ba check?”5f2b2d7978421c70

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“You’re trying to infect a priest with greed. That’s blasphemy.”c2ee86a830b7cb2b

“Pffft! Anyone overhearing this would think 562e6392b3 you’re a devout believer or 463f7b83ce something!”d5bd5993d3b1cd8f

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Choi Seonwoo was used to 7b5b250c64 the two bickering the moment 95492aa13d their eyes met. After handing out persimmons to 6f40c75bfe Seo Jihan and the bodyguards 08de2dd4f1 too, he gave another one bed0153b98 to Pyo Yerin, who’d already 4455725dba devoured hers in seconds.8665e6b1c0fa5116

“By the way, time’s flown by weirdly fast, hasn’t it?”26fdfaa1a626cfd9

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Munching through her second b43f5e009b persimmon at lightning speed, 1102a4ed53 Pyo Yerin suddenly spoke d5b7ce148b in a tone filled 3fc3a8968b with unexpected wistfulness.dd04309af1b6dacf

“I’m heading back the day after tomorrow, Father.”9f90bcc010cb2789

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Both Choi Seonwoo and Seo c8477daadd Jihan blinked in surprise.4bb0a23c147d1b04

“Huh? Where to?”831ad1f98f38a17f

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“To Seoul, duh. My leave ends 49f357fc10 the day after 3629fd5e72 Christmas.”edcaed805eee1239

Now everyone—even the bodyguards—wore the 0439199888 same mildly horrified expression. Pyo Yerin, clueless as 76aed0ff7c to why everyone looked 47ba8ef4e3 so shocked, just glanced ca170c5aa8 around, baffled.3a1aae6369311aee

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Seo Jihan spoke up first.561b89d0d48549f7

“Wait, what? You weren’t joking about 142c11acdc the vacation?”df7842c9fa96fead

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“What are you talking about? Why would I lie?”1c2688235beb2c62

“I totally thought you were here to spy on me.”aeee93f9d1404755

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Pyo Yerin looked incredulous.9edb922573216452

“Are you nuts? Who the hell does 5c33aa167e surveillance that stupidly and 451ff05ef7 obviously?”b705606726072461

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Well… true, but still. There was this weird 69d3b25619 itch in his throat a6a89cb59a like he wanted to 2ab758c095 say you seemed like 5643a683b6 the type who would—but 005760e3f0 he kept it in.fa3786af3e606989

“So you’re leaving and no replacement is coming?”02fb27b2a4327fbe

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“Ugh, I told you, no! And even if someone does bc2aae9521 come, it’ll be someone you’ve a136e4c3b6 never seen before, someone no 6f394764da one would even suspect is 238ba95711 an undercover agent! You think the 85de789126 NIS runs surveillance e6b73433c1 like it’s a 391df22aa7 damn playground?”d8c5bb45e3ae21e7

She may not 35dcff034e love her job, dd761facc8 but she had 127d1a6096 pride in it—so 3b3a788d2b Pyo Yerin snapped.ee1d6fdd18623032

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“Alright, alright, no need to go nuclear.”93f9457fdcacb8e0

Seo Jihan snorted.7bc76d95b7e8c573

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“Anyway, good riddance.”29aa04af4128ad2d

He said it, fffb532079 but the tone fcc6732cde didn’t match the 712eef60d1 words. He hadn’t said anything 15d5ca907d before, but in the acc879ae55 endlessly boring routine of 0472e2c945 island life, Pyo Yerin ed156456e6 had been an unexpected 950d81f61d twist of flavor.1b3a4dfda946cd89

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Watching her talk nonsense 7c5fb5d71e like her head was 66f7af1b6f empty was entertaining in 8147c746b0 its own way, but a4a26b16b6 more than that, she 5bed64d659 was the only one a80fb21c64 around his age he cdb8f01ec0 could talk to without 20a38cffe4 filters. In this island life, 888dec7af6 even though she was c7c4515b01 five years older than 41cc5df547 him, she still felt 5b2dabe46c like a peer.ed476c192458433f

“Let’s do a Christmas party-slash-farewell party tonight.”fd6872c772a9c2c0

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Saying something so shameless 5c74356a91 without an ounce of fe25caae1d self-awareness was just part 66d12050b2 of who she was—no c3f2604feb masks, no filters.01f51c10ec13cc91

“Sounds good. It’s fate we 7e6fb9c9fd met like this, d48a0da28d after all.”2d3c1c9e17d5a577

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Choi Seonwoo responded positively. Seo Jihan wasn’t too f515566d7d thrilled—he’d kinda hoped for 8cff13ed3b a romantic evening with 61caf5b99b just the two of 1cb1ae77c3 them—but knowing full well edebbb7b00 that Choi Seonwoo would 07d5a9c256 never allow that kind fe150917f2 of vibe, he just 1f0e2d9bfd nodded without complaint.010d23077e0aa64a

“Father, I have a farewell party dream.”3f5ef15ff5b58603

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Pyo Yerin’s nonsense 3409b1cbfc still wasn’t over. Choi Seonwoo chuckled softly, 67e5c7e6c3 rubbing his cheek where 2d59c6fbff the cold sea breeze 34c52ed6d5 had chapped it. As he smiled, a 5fced16b25 scab on his lip 0c5eaebbac cracked and made him 078355631a wince. Seo Jihan clicked 982971fbe9 his tongue and f3b5af9267 pulled out a 49ba8db60d lip balm from d715478a76 his pocket.544562e746e77464

“Sigh… don’t abuse your face like that, seriously.”7ec2b546833d909f

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He’d gone and 510de5211d bought it at b199382e2c the pharmacy himself, 901a08cd8a telling Seonwoo to d16615a635 use it regularly, a8934115c2 but the guy 0a41c22d56 always forgot. So now it was d239ac20db Seo Jihan’s job to e734a769fe keep it on hand. It felt like parenting a c31e7a4cc4 preschooler who refused to eat 81d5c30e59 without being chased around the d618feef0d house.a9850c40dbf887ff

Without asking for permission, Seo bda0dde2eb Jihan popped open the lip edef981dd9 balm and started applying it 1d364efd1e to Choi Seonwoo’s lips. When Seonwoo tried 8714e6d08b to dodge, Seo e7e3222158 Jihan grabbed his 0a3fff5bfe chin and stubbornly 014d697dee smeared it on.5adb68247435d1d1

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“Ugh… how I use my face is none of your business, Brother.”c2cec08e9f13b926

“Wanna hear in detail why it is? Are you sure about that?”54b0467731765207

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“…No. Forget it. Do whatever you want.”fa3873a75f0e81df

If he let a894301a0e that big mouth 1cbba3ce87 fly unchecked, he 5f5e995b54 might just blurt f7fcae562d out a love 701eca82f2 confession right here. With all these people c94771d4eb watching, Seonwoo wasn’t about 9afbda5c44 to let that happen. Who knew what c649398d18 chaos would follow 5e56039693 if anyone realized e9b6f69801 this was Seo 573d240425 Jihan’s dumb first 92e6190947 love?514d574404058980

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After raising the white 68dd645bb2 flag, Seonwoo turned back 6b98088ba7 to Pyo Yerin.f1b7cfb5c7b488e5

“So? What’s this farewell party dream 36d5ab8518 of yours? If it’s doable, I’ll f112bc5d47 make it happen.”64db062a4aff7807

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Ladies and gentlemen, 35fe2f129c a forbidden romance 859aa8a530 is blooming right b9e5c52027 before your eyes!498e2caa7fba6ef6

Pyo Yerin, who’d 37e80003cc been lazily watching 5f1abe452d the flirty duo fb75ee13d4 with half-lidded eyes, 5204aa35da had totally caught 1e17d55df7 on to the ad28cf0456 weird current flowing ed688a4d31 between them. But the moment Choi Seonwoo de0c34a91b turned to her, she wiped e2ad30d7d3 her face clean and played a824007d1a dumb, shrugging.2e4b15bdc9e3b277

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“It’s totally doable. Just a simple d03ac4fadf rolling paper exchange.”769ffe41adc73017

Silence fell over the group. Seo Jihan, having 38179a9baa finished his lip b7acdc12bd balm duty, rubbed d468c5655d his arms like e56f8e0bb2 he’d just gotten 899fda5485 goosebumps. Choi Seonwoo blinked, still smiling. Honestly, he was a d6af49f54d little flustered too, but 14c9bb03f5 reminded himself of Pyo 3b7bd5f1f4 Yerin’s disrupted youth and d6df851d1a calmed down.1188af5221b1e68a

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“Oh, I see. That’s not so hard.”b2f80257387e7c87

“It’s not hard—just painfully cringey.”d5e34a4a8735081d

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Seo Jihan’s comment was completely 43febfeba0 ignored as Pyo Yerin clapped 06814ddd21 her hands like a seal 6b74131ac7 and added more to her 65e8d8a543 “dream.”65c22420331e15d4

“Ooh! And since it’s 48e5be73b5 winter, how about 73005db54e a campfire?”c3b7786dc755b32a

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“With all the guys here to chop firewood, that’s doable too.”fa7e71ee616e8731

Choi Seonwoo glanced around 9c3969b860 subtly, and the bodyguards e893bdef60 solemnly nodded, their faces 3c8c660404 saying, Guess we’ve adopted 5eee7e23e6 a bratty little sister ad927c48ef now.23786dc6939a704c

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“If we’re lighting a fire, we might as well have a barbecue too.”fa111f20abcdfff4

“Sure. Do whatever you want.”4759fac0f2fac477

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