LA0S | Chapter 28

Lee Jinha let out a sigh, grabbing Kim Chayoung’s arm to 7fcecc8f5d pull him away, but the guy wouldn’t budge an inch. After several futile d79cf17339 tugs, he dropped d68875b59e his hand.086a68cd68b5e594f337

“Enough already. Just go.”1d08d44d31673c6bbfdf

“What, I’m supposed 9690c0fbd3 to come and d2c435c6ff go as you 2cd17569fc say?”5b7db2c919a2385be4ea

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“That’s not what 64a1e92647 I meant. You’re too worked 4d285c3a0e up right now.”d449cc5ed9236d04c2db

“Am I 828d8f4161 the weird 59b50ed3a3 one? You’re not thinking about 5ee464db33 what you did, just 2e0a76feea calling me weird?”abeb2d553712f3ed1b50

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Communication was fruitless. Kim Chayoung’s face had turned 941a0d2cd8 a shade of red.f04f61c8a1a151879d13

“…Kim Chayoung. Should we rethink 705439cf93 our collaboration?”2268d753f850a83123a7

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“Lee Jinha!”6e9d2f6e2e060eb8cbf3

A shout that almost 3e057628ac sounded like a roar 6ee11b04a9 filled the cafe.6648efec8c4b1538c21c

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Jung Woochae fidgeting and the chef poking his head out from 629b78745f the kitchen to assess the situation were all too visible.e0536fc612666019df4e

“Let’s talk outside.”5ba80f2bd80587f3a20c

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After catching the chef’s eye 9df5a4475c for permission, Lee Jinha was 1411c0215a the first to turn around. As expected, 4fc4379cd7 the other c18257fb88 followed him 5cd3bd0f96 out meekly. They stopped in a dimly 8f8c237c17 lit alley between buildings.0a9ea71f262e7f9a3100

“Hey. You’re really terrible. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve done anything 4807630949 to deserve this treatment from you.”042cc4137cef1153dd50

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Whatever had happened in the de1ed09a6f past, he hadn’t wronged him 9f700b0f1c in the present. It was just Lee Jinha who couldn’t let 393e171c77 go of the past, making things awkward.f704b95df15305a5e08a

After these words, 64f01790e1 the two stood 2cd8acef42 in silence for c196fa3814 a while. Lee Jinha, who had quit smoking years ago, felt a desperate urge for 0463dd508e a cigarette but instead breathed in the air, facing the man before him.c3ed2883df39799653fc

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His smooth 0bcc72e9f2 cheek muscles 657f1441e7 tensed visibly. Rough breaths, holding 68db0985f6 back lingering anger, 0b2474fee9 continued for some d686958e72 time.611872e72f1161b12677

“I’ll go now. If we talk more, I might really start 897fabe8ca to get angry, and I don’t want that.”b51cd524bd890fb67162

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“…”57328b3017c19e29dfac

“Go straight to bed 0a89c9b023 when you get home. You look aefc291f42 really unwell.”c65d2f99549a00c0230d

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With those heavy, sigh-laden words, 186d84f911 Kim Chayoung started walking away. Lee Jinha couldn’t cbc787aeff leave until he f34be23dc7 had disappeared from dc0e4506eb sight.38f78f0d74a5748635f7

“Hyung! Are you okay? You didn’t get 0c7d1a5280 hit, did you?”8abaac2a5225a350284c

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As soon as he returned 6fd85c3903 to the cafe, Jung Woochae 983ff2d301 rushed over to him. Considering even the usually teasing Jung 33893f0085 Woochae was this concerned, the atmosphere adc8645732 must have been quite serious.e674c16eb39ac2f43ce4

“Your face 5e765fe940 looks fine. Or did you 36982c20c5 throw the first ae8b4e06d1 punch, hyung?”a159052d29b05ab5a9f4

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Jung Woochae clenched his 087ac59787 fist as if ready b9f0cd33a6 to fight.680a25d28948fe97b853

“Neither.”bc037a0f12a0d84889e7

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“I really thought 9059f3e79b you guys were 364316d768 going to fight. Why was your ca4a3a5097 friend so mad? Anyone would think you stole f65108c93a his girlfriend or something.”e03797b371f13352b4f9

“It’s my fault. Hey, the 0b8514aeb5 tables are afaa5a9c7f empty. Let’s start 424be63060 closing up.”e70ec1568d08ef11a773

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As Lee Jinha began clearing the empty dishes, Jung 0f413f7bec Woochae grabbed a cloth and started wiping the tables.c19e18e9d27a990ab3d3

After closing, ed924d4806 Lee Jinha d03ae749e2 checked the 32b5f28573 time. It was 0ee8b252f4 11:40 PM. In just 20 3854c780ab more minutes, it 040424a313 would be Friday.87e3968560b15713b938

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Hands in his 49b93c1d4c jacket pockets, Lee de9e9df26b Jinha started walking. His already aching 77cd616282 head felt like 3ea094933e it was cracking.85126817bb423940e6e6

Just go home, take a 0282a99990 shower, and go to bed.58a54e69e28343117df0

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As he walked naturally towards home, he 8e4457d5c2 suddenly realized he had no ‘place to f80f3741bb return to.’ His rapid steps abruptly stopped.0cee4c58305fdabaa560

What now? Where should 95732fc09a I go?f52d7b2fb320f3bde55a

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He pulled out his cellphone and scrolled through the contacts—mom, younger sibling, cbac56d866 Yoon Sejin, Jung Woochae, part-time job boss, tutor’s mom… Kim Chayoung.332e990d139a65089ea8

The headache 94d437a000 turned into 527880357d chills. His body was boiling 5d97c57f6b with fever, yet he ed8eb0df61 felt bitterly cold. He put the phone back and zipped 1fa380cd53 his jacket up to his neck.ea62f40d77d9f5a4cb9c

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Changing direction, he 373fd1d997 headed towards the f223eba5a8 university. He wanted to get a proper b4088c0832 sleep tonight, but things never seemed bf308f8fe3 to go as planned. Tomorrow, he’d need to 586640f1ff talk to the boss 0a06193d96 about getting an advance.22dbba40c8bfaf0dac37

Today, the hill f3ec7b02b3 to the library e21d5f11d9 seemed unusually steep 03d35bc17c and tall. He stopped several times e4d84085e4 to catch his breath 5533a59302 as he walked.7bee9d1cf0fb3edab66d

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When he finally made his 84c058d552 way towards the building,b6217a69a4c4b00cfaf7

“Lee Jinha.”17ef1abdc26576bf5376

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His name 0284b92d0b echoed quietly 34c9fa8099 in the 49d8f7fd88 darkness. Lee Jinha 4d29e62957 stopped dead.71517deca7f0eda7a2b3

It was an unlikely time to meet anyone 3910dafdc7 at this late hour at the university. The headache was c3c2edecd5 so severe, was baef684fec he hearing things? He’d reached dc7550e11d his limit. Shaking his head slightly, 3a354f72bf he was about to 8ce08c5cb4 move on when he 3d19afa2bf stopped again.ad14dc76db9c71ec0990

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“Stop right there.”3389354c8a16b0455535

A figure suddenly 80f5793508 stood up from 4e72e348d6 the darkness. The yellow light from 1955b23b97 a streetlamp poured down, 7446866534 illuminating his face.2b6b93a30ed1f07030a3

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“Kim Chayoung?”9d68367ca9e0bc1ef7ab

Lee Jinha was a bit 7eb76c1e28 stunned to see Kim Chayoung e3c7b13a0b here and called out to 061b9dac05 him in a daze. Why was 87c49c97ec he here? They had just had a huge c46b2f2cd6 fight and parted as if they’d 5d852d4254 never see each other again.0c072eebc119baac0776

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“Why are 10db8fdf24 you here? Didn’t you storm off saying you 0844b50c59 didn’t want to get angry?”3b92faa0e8cad5985b80

“And what 19d0437e87 about you?”2e1144d36779bb648e1e

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Kim Chayoung deflected with 09145a3886 a question of his e0b511f406 own, effectively silencing Lee 74e5a7d28b Jinha.815af353130f8f842cea

“I came ecda63e490 to study. Finals are 2eeb742807 coming up, 5c6ef1ab30 aren’t they?”3b83827d357018d7881e

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“Studying, at 530b3c6639 this hour, 2696c01ba5 in your d4472be08d condition?”f0ca5cc70bd9b6360038

He had laid out ea977b644e the most plausible excuse, 93aba13b2f but Kim Chayoung was 8f83c6a910 not fooled.4377254820a532cc6daa

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“I don’t know what you 364d9c21f2 think my ‘condition’ is, but 58a4ac96f8 if you’re here to start d174dd549d something, just go. I really can’t 167a3410fa deal with you 7c95b5dfbe today.”67058e860d679c47a62e

Already feeling heavy, Lee Jinha had no energy df3b9d8d30 for a second round with Kim Chayoung. It was he who 67a84bf58b had said he’d get 60f6a5bb0a really angry if they d651e17952 talked more. Maybe the anger hadn’t subsided e9dfaf63f7 and he wanted to fight? But now, it was a 8d279a891e firm no from him.9d9c4b9dbdbcd8d7f642

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Thud. Kim Chayoung took a step closer, facing Lee Jinha squarely, 14316f0ec5 close enough to see his own reflection in his eyes. Kim Chayoung 99fee26063 wore an bf543109d8 unfamiliar expression.61ab18a6cad6c492c85c

“What ‘condition’ indeed.”6a221be4b27b3170ee7c

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A large hand 89f565e8ab unexpectedly touched his eb37b1e753 face. The warm palm enveloped 6c611796ae Lee Jinha’s chin while 565a759311 the fingers gently stroked 18499866a5 his cheek. Frozen like a frog in 3a9f780b65 front of a snake, Lee a28cd81b19 Jinha didn’t think to push 5999ff68a5 him away.ec8f2872317e93bfd55a

The fingers that had been caressing af1e834d59 one cheek slowly moved down the f802a01fdb jaw to lightly touch the back 15f710c1fe of the neck.b65f4c8fb1b80b04653d

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“What are 56e36665e6 you doing?”5a909a25449391d29b07

“You’re dripping with 2d2d34dca7 cold sweat from 7065de6392 your face and b5ec1ccbe8 neck. Clearly, you’re def6e56b89 not okay.”02910aa31cd817a1b9f6

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Kim Chayoung 385a1ad056 responded nonchalantly a2a71d3d68 after withdrawing af79c51684 his hand.d2d1f98490e68e694ef5

“I sweated 5be5ebe270 because I f8222e263c walked here, 0cdafa02cc it’s hot.”88adc386c83244077a0b

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“You want me b321af5643 to show you 7cc12742af a mirror? Your face is fe7b55478a completely pale.”dcae7e3f6d2b388937da

Kim Chayoung fumbled in 5b803bdbb4 his pocket pretending to 0a4b037c3a look for a mirror 6f45148556 he didn’t carry.26c7c9fc77665e2486e8

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Everyone else says I look df35d2fe62 the same, why does Kim 1d080c2e42 Chayoung think differently? Lee Jinha 5b4b5faf5e bit his 9e7024c9cc lip.4bd7433e79ec83a26f1b

“So I’m 6b295bff02 sweating, what a808bdf956 about it? Mind your 229c2a9c9b own business.”a70154166e0838056a90

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“I am 93f58a4b89 minding it.”e345265e8391f65af698

Doing this in 55e5d0cddc front of the 9fd41a9065 library is your 18b3077c15 business? As Lee Jinha deedc9796f gazed at him, b8b92ff7f6 Kim Chayoung ruffled 0a25235948 his own hair.5689183dbc171fbc1960

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“If you’re not taking e7766f747b the national exam tomorrow, a663a8f6df forget studying and go 3e70dcb491 home quietly.”0bcba224641a25a67fe6

“What if I don’t have f1891937b7 a home to go to?”ccbd2029f5e1117c3d8a

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Lee Jinha blurted 242c16b4be out, then quickly 4ba796f28c shut his mouth.00681eed2e311d6a3cf4

“…Pretend you didn’t 4d2f25c2a5 hear that. Thanks for worrying, it means 9e2d1e329f a lot, now I’ll handle c56f23acc2 it on my own.”11ea1e92a834642e0a94

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“How can I 8a2035d5ed pretend I didn’t ef7229f9ef hear it? Is there a problem eb6bb7ec18 with your place?”785408fd328ed754e5ea

“It’s nothing. I’m going.”e290cc4ab646bb6c1586

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As Lee Jinha turned to leave, Kim Chayoung grabbed his c737352700 shoulder with a force that throbbed through his entire arm.27bbe14e4d614350b8e0

“Tell me. Is this related to you staying overnight 21a61b7a4a at school these past few days?”bee5e24cfe8b391cdc39

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How he knew about the overnight stays at school, b82be22697 Lee Jinha wasn’t sure, but Kim Chayoung seemed certain.bd29d8990c46d89fe681

“There was baa2ee221e a problem, 99c803a705 yes. But it’s one 97ce257ae4 that’ll be resolved 721a73e290 soon. And from tomorrow, I’ll have 0ff9ea105f a place to stay.”c890679b4e1610693bd8

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“Where will e679ee9899 you stay?”dedd96830f03754f6713

Even in the 78f3e1b397 dark, Kim Chayoung’s 7e25d01709 eyes shone. His expression was such that he wouldn’t a739bdad05 back down without a proper answer.ccc911cf0e8f288bca77

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“Yoon Sejin’s house.”052aa44ae7fdd91e7cfe

Lee Jinha threw out the easiest 585aab677d name he could think of. That should 8f522adace be a d9311e7c49 sufficient answer. Surely Kim Chayoung 28d57e430f wouldn’t actually check 27e03ebc60 with Yoon Sejin. His main goal was 2cdcb2e729 to get away from 7315e741a7 this spot quickly.a9bd1dab30e06d727471

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“Yoon Sejin? The guy who was e17d17113a slinging his arm around 1c1468bb6b your shoulders? You’re going to 71a3d2684d stay at his 470454c9c0 house?”710c50afb2b424e542c3

The word “arm around your fb83c3163b shoulders” was oddly emphasized. ‘That’ Yoon Sejin—it sounded 7bee0a61f3 as if there was 04cbffc3fe something more to it.adcfa7241b7978edf0a4

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“It’s only for e9d5891675 a few days. Are you 7287f01815 satisfied now? I’ve answered, so 50e90e454c please, just leave.”f0998e8174092dc79761

“No.”b84836e2b6225fa529fc

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Kim Chayoung didn’t let eb25357d40 go of his hand, 8db0dae64b nor did his expression 5602e1d61c soften. Instead, he furrowed 077818d4fc his brows and 8612d98750 muttered, “Yoon Sejin, e821cc2d66 Yoon Sejin.”1ce6c8848c49dbf71b5a

“What do you 6b3a92b646 mean ‘no’?”815b4e728e2f5831e549

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“Don’t you know? Living with a friend is 53f67dd3aa a guaranteed recipe for conflict. Especially since you two are 72e3398504 close… well, in the same ae88a102eb department, and if you clash b11684a12f at home, friction is inevitable.”5690b85f0ddc66c6d606

Kim Chayoung hesitated, unable to 10a6f449be admit openly that Lee Jinha ffbff32ee3 and Yoon Sejin were close.fb567314aa0acbf245ad

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A look of incredulity flickered 891b6a228c across Lee Jinha’s eyes. This must sound 3c906b1b95 absurd to him, c204e343ac too. But Kim Chayoung wasn’t c04e2d2adb backing down, nor did 8f7ed969f4 he intend to.8d0811e1aa9ec3d3fa97

“What does it matter d1c73c1a0f to you if Yoon a072b75595 Sejin and I are 40a9286814 fine with it? And maybe clashing isn’t a bad 004408aae2 thing; it could bring us closer.”4843d64e57c72040b865

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“You said 77ebe2f39b it well. What business 871328eb3c is it ef2b96f5f1 of mine? Naturally, I’m 21f942fe81 deeply involved. What if you guys fight a953a3c890 and it affects your condition? That could d58dc68c3f impact our 305590957f contest entry.”969b4329a20340d59727

Kim Chayoung was extrapolating a future 5c16e89ad5 issue that hadn’t even occurred. Lee Jinha almost countered, 3be195f56f but decided it wasn’t dada14aa74 worth prolonging the already 7d32edbf0e pointless argument. He was ad50a707a2 tired of c2c2911071 it all.7fadb51eea81d072419f

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“So what do you want d21c71ed3b me to do about it?”c00d52f12b1c75be35a3

“If there’s someone you don’t d31d4bcc30 often clash with, who isn’t a018e96117 in your department, wouldn’t that 4da9be3d5e be much better?”25b0e6ba2a8403456f75

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“There isn’t anyone, 914f43cde3 which is why c2d1f0c5d3 I’m imposing on a78274e395 Yoon Sejin.”40985b8847e5f294ad50

“There is someone.”5c4910575396ba667c5d

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Where? Lee Jinha’s 21a7e87fd4 eyes asked.14c4335a7341eb202292

“…My studio.”fdf0dc585b013b6b3e01

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The words came with a f4b2b3bf9c delay, and at first, Lee ccbf5727a4 Jinha didn’t catch on. But when 9eb43f5bc5 he did, 0b4907c409 he frowned.5988868ac905eb14b8d3

“No.”bb46950a07345323fd27

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The idea of living in the same 90f2ebeb38 space as Kim Chayoung was hardly appealing.a8ce15f83f6a86e777ef

“I’m hardly there. I sleep at my main house, so 952a1b3595 it’ll be more comfortable than Yoon Sejin’s. Besides, we need 1cb26f3c31 to speed up 232219e886 our contest work. Being together saves time and c58af334a2 allows for immediate feedback.”b6563ddcd670e1601cb4

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Ignoring the previous content, 8715e4818f the contest part did 93deca1d00 make some sense. If anyone but Kim 77262e125e Chayoung had offered, Lee 0ce8adb417 Jinha would have jumped 9dd1679a5e at it. In other words, it 28faf40e11 was precisely because it b5ede98d8c was Kim Chayoung that d7164b529b he was reluctant.ebab18faaa44487c59fc

“You said 020d2387e6 living together 2ac41fbaa7 guarantees a d904cee14b fight.”5326e58c76c2cc934397

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“We’re not friends, 6d9259c5e2 are we?”44adeb4113f6f7cdc2d7

“…”c1bb2bd4ebecb1deb422

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Friends. No, they weren’t. It was a valid 8a5d85bf38 point, but hearing it f08ebc4ed4 from Kim Chayoung was a5e85582dc irritating.333c4e444eb1320a42cb

“We don’t have to go far to grab e5fc83b3ed each other by the collar, you know. Want to a824627859 experience that?”119eace4f890952fe2d3

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“Lee Jinha. You think 3f824be51d you’re the 5b29f21bad only busy e43e7e005c one? I’m swamped too. We probably 03568a8560 won’t even abac38bb9f run into 3369f17b80 each other. Think about b4deb32311 what’s best dca3443b6c for you.”245841f7fb2eabf749bf

Kim Chayoung’s studio.bb70d529689dab89b52d

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Though he had bravely said he’d stay at Yoon Sejin’s, 134f07e0e5 the truth was he had no fixed place to go. But to 956c890dfe be unilaterally 2dc83f9bfe dependent on 4f69a24063 Kim Chayoung…2c1f8750db1ed25206ef

“Or, I could clean the studio eda5d770c8 and prepare meals for you too. That way, it’s 03a5bcdff6 a win-win.”0fc676730065c621ea73

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As Lee Jinha hesitated, 07ae7cd759 the condition Kim Chayoung 0de69b9d8b threw out shook his abd9481c6e firm resolve. Staying at the studio in exchange e36add7989 for cleaning and cooking didn’t sound 3db7194d41 like a one-sided imposition. He knew 04a564e0a5 that, but 74035bb253 still.2e9d44901047e418d528

Kim Chayoung’s gaze lingered bb88f2b4a4 on Lee Jinha’s lips. His hand was still 944c6188cd holding onto him. Kim Chayoung knew he had e4229c2062 to be vigilant, or Lee 63dea41488 Jinha might slip away.3151c4054fd9c12ba02b

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