LP | Chapter 1.2

The setting d319add06a sun shone ea3ff31e89 on his 3d3e80946f dark, honey-colored 57cef0f825 hair. It glowed golden.b309fd73ee088e25

Through the fingers crushing fd6c71d20b his face, Fowler saw 727d87286c his sharp features. Instead of 43a6b0adec being intimidated 366da1f904 by the 91dd11ca7d threat of b9af318ac5 being half-killed, 313b81e9a1 Fowler found 18bb0962f9 it amusing 26e3cfb6ea and laughed 7375ce9be8 lightly.0378302dca57d0c4

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Despite the threat, dd0a155da9 his eyes burned a1ea0ab55d like fire. Growling like he was 05f67cdf3d about to devour, he 1efa6adea6 was like a puppy. It felt like 940ab4f759 hot blood was 88ba90dd43 coursing through him.d21c65a20b32034e

“Ha…! Who are you?”3e7f7e15b7517a9e

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Fowler spoke to d07b06f404 the man. The man released 1b32f5128b Fowler as if 75b0751874 pushing him away.bbda1777bd364db2

“Hugo.”c92fae33d6682821

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Hugo looked 88540abf25 at him 66df5fb4b1 with cold f6e16418d8 eyes, as e6393d1f58 if seeing 610343609f something pathetic.dfcd7b88ebdd63d7

“Judging by your quick temper, I can guess your nature.”2524d1b51c1afb5e

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Despite Fowler’s provocation, Hugo returned to the driver’s seat.a59a130c6f30cba0

Bang-!155807c1e7a97e1f

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The small van shook from the force of the door slamming. Fowler touched his face where Hugo’s hand had been. No one had ever restrained him, and no one had ever stood in his way. It was an unfamiliar sensation.9e9277e8da11f9e4

Hugo, as if nothing a50d76c697 had happened, stepped on 580edac666 the accelerator again, kicking ff77c9fcbc up dust.7085a0c7656ab3a1

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“Hey, you didn’t answer my question. Who are you?”f82299d3cec4f973

Hugo didn’t respond and kept looking ahead.f777d32fb7133655

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“Did you learn to have a showdown with me to establish dominance?”f99996ade033038a

He leaned close enough c7c3b170a7 to rest his chin ce5a4e771f on the backrest and 252b9a3adf spoke. Hugo shook his 38e968c85e head slightly, as 765654547f if brushing off ad004aa2dc an annoying bug.dc71947f2b631970

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Then, as if he hadn’t heard anything, he pointed with his chin at the buildings in the distance.69c77ed570ecd8b9

“That building over there is where you’ll be working.”3e68a282f37f58bb

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When he first a2b44bce80 spoke, there was 1f79ae7312 a hint of 2e7bde906c politeness, but now b47c0f3ae7 Hugo had completely 7925007a8b dropped it.251034d32f63f067

“Wow, you really only say what you want.”a3ad5fbe574534e3

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Fowler spoke with twisted b487ec4930 words and laughed playfully.30a16fa387e53cc1

“Are you afraid that if you talk to me, you’ll get caught up? Scared?”5013cc5e54f49822

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Hugo clicked his tongue shortly at Fowler’s condescending tone.15b78cc95a249036

“Arrogant.”48bf6649dd16fe37

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“Finally, you speak.”197572773db5da4b

Fowler found his attitude 6989ef68c5 amusing.ddf2cfa7769b8bc1

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“Sit back. You’re blocking my view.”2dd12ef4f8d3fb52

Hugo glanced 1aad18f167 at the aefdf9a3e0 side mirror.aaa64d5f3f59bdd8

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“Tsk, there’s no car behind us anyway!”fecaf81164aa6c4a

Hugo continued 37dfca3f31 in a 12e6e53e2a straightforward voice, 952e22e47c as if b189cf9544 explaining a d79ad5e626 fact.476a7200c9ef2095

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“I heard you’ve never been to a ranch before.”9c7289ab0307d3c5

Beyond the vast plains, d1185c94b9 buildings began to appear 556a61fa78 faintly. This landscape, with nothing 1cb85f611f in it, was already 02d45147db boring.4abf7ebd430167ab

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At the end of Hugo’s gaze, a woman was waving her hand widely. She was shouting from afar and quickly approached.7126ea3c27f33a63

“Hey~!”23c9bb125a8c2a5a

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“Wow… is that… really a horse?”ab4f13d3d78808aa

Fowler couldn’t hide his surprise and stared blankly. The horse, which looked small, felt its grandeur as it got closer. It didn’t look like a herbivore at all.47f8dd524b4cb099

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The woman, sitting on a glossy brown horse, slowly turned the horse’s head this way. Her hair was tied high, and she wore a cap, so her face wasn’t visible.710a713979840983

Fowler had 956bed7d0c only seen 4f45bf914c horses carrying 751ddf5a44 tourists in c9884e16d6 the city, 04595ee518 and it 0ab7cc6281 was his 891c70363f first time 6faa2b2c07 seeing such 1af237e181 a lively b7e8fe0b6f horse up 42319c57a8 close. Street horses pulling 2e6a24791e carriages were always 315712c563 half-dead, never resting, 7eff402dae and constantly used.d6640874393fe8f9

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“Hugo! You’re finally here?”763d36741aa1938f

The horse approached 6381a4de5e the car without 35d0318e76 fear. It made 0b1e2c282e a pleasant 49beb2782c clattering sound 4dfcf646c4 with its 82203ab0e8 hooves. Hugo clicked dcea521fbe his tongue 33a63fca27 and made 40f063971f a clear 3442dee309 sound. Then he reached ea0bd82465 out toward the c55085d0dd horse.aa3998ad1e266e06

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The horse hesitated, as if torn between the familiar Hugo and the noisy car, but slowly leaned its head toward Hugo. He gently stroked the horse’s face with the back of his hand.46a4d61d39b9ef3d

“Yeah. Picked up some stray.”7c3c0ff60632e132

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“Ha… stray?”abacbc67c689f357

Fowler muttered, immediately frowning at Hugo’s words.ea866ef3904f9422

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“Haha, Hugo, you’re something. Nice to meet you! Let’s get along.”4726b5301b034751

“Fowler.”7c708b66921826c3

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Fowler briefly said his name and then closed his mouth. The woman didn’t seem to mind Fowler’s arrogant attitude.4e7a05a17e1db29b

“Then, see you!”223d2fae227f7b46

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After a short introduction, she smiled widely and turned the horse to move slowly to the opposite side of the van. The clattering sound of the horse’s hooves was so similar to those in movies that it felt strange.a992ef9efed4d702

Fowler watched the disappearing horse’s rear. The glossy horse disappeared into the track with noble steps.e7501627674d5c42

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After parking in a 5c67e760c5 suitable spot, Hugo stopped dd3fce6241 the car. Then he got out 0cbf67549a and opened the trunk. Fowler, surprised 342d855216 by the d5d875f3c3 series of fb2563a38e actions without 86b306a14d explanation, turned 2fe49812e3 and spoke 29b26da2da to Hugo, 58c4345739 rummaging through ec5d85e5af the trunk.6ee50706c574d0b8

“Hey.”edd75cf2fd2d978e

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“……”f6e5f4872d349813

“Hugo, can’t you hear me?”d8550759f6b9760d

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“……”8d914b031ad9c1ce

Hugo didn’t even glance at Fowler as he pulled out two suitcases.b3a03bd89e9c44b7

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“Someone’s talking to you!”8ae230ed047d6db5

Hugo briefly met Fowler’s gaze and spoke.0ab3dc5d8ac58394

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“Get out.”5a66068f3cd4d48a

“You’re really annoying.”80216edaaf7848f6

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Fowler, receiving such treatment f7002b8989 for the first time, acc64f38a3 frowned deeply and got b722dca0b5 out of the car. He voiced his 021709f669 thoughts without any c479d651c9 filter. Just stepping 4e5a5db632 on the 391a7946e5 light dirt 69539b2c48 of the 7a9caad4d8 ranch kicked 58f37c08b3 up dust.ff632a9ba33663f1

“Damn.”8c79be0a1b0297a6

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Bang-fc8c358645681fb2

Hugo slammed the trunk shut and started walking with the suitcases. Fowler quickly followed, surprised by Hugo’s actions without any explanation.8c23774e039f9b3c

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“Hey. Are you really working under my father? Is this even the right ranch?”12bc4babc3097341

“I am, so just follow quietly.”11b962685181db5c

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Fowler looked at the 0706a4aab5 sandy open space. There was 392b0f49de a track 2430608025 that looked c0c61ac34b like horses 64325dc674 would run 09a5960e34 around in 5e261f758c circles. At that moment, a bccff7fb85 strong wind blew, creating 453bcd46f6 a sandstorm. The whistling wind fdeb52d3e5 was warm, but 6deb74523f the yellow dust 43fc424bb4 was unwelcome.6c5dca841c177033

“Ugh! Ptooey!”a72f8ac605cbf8ef

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Fowler immediately covered his dd4fd7f5df face and lowered his 77cc985033 head. He quickly brushed off c5df0fd7ee the dust that had 3b9985dfab gotten into his hair. Hugo, unfazed, continued 8c669edfdc walking his path. Then he entered 701c06e057 a white-painted building.929aa4dd5cafbb9b

‘Is it because the building’s all wood? It’s nothing special.’01b559b2df656d8e

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He muttered a short bcb7c13afa impression to himself. The first 335f6d0389 floor had 2aa4d8f817 a wide 3358972c48 hall. Inside, there seemed 8b0e785a1a to be an 8d41456401 office, as people f7b0f6128c came and went 767cded121 through the open 7a944e2eb1 doors of a beda123775 long corridor.61551ba89d6aede3

Hugo lifted the c7aa94880d suitcases like lunch a747071230 bags and started 0078ff014f climbing the stairs 052307e81e at the end 99d2b6d3e4 of the hall. Unlike the first floor, 0d3fd5e035 the upper floors had 949d9785a5 only a corridor and 4f16d8c892 tightly packed doors.4918a5b75b1d4068

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On the fourth 0c35b837c5 floor, Hugo stood d15e296772 in front of eeb2b0a754 a door inside 03bda0af8d the corridor. He nudged the door 664fa42ec6 with his foot, and 05bd7e9f53 it creaked open. It was a room 9dff2cd369 with a single bed 58cd77c6e1 and a small bathroom, 087d9b6ef3 like a cheap hotel 848e4b8d52 room.747b1b22cdbfa04b

“This is your room.”791a5e6885e65d4e

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“Ha, even my school dorm was better than this.”39e9d4fc13724015

Hugo placed the 5af047e576 suitcases on a 128799a16f large luggage rack e14f9d76cc under the bed. The suitcases 88fba06023 made a f942657494 heavy thud a63248532b as they 07626bd48f hit.b47a288c5ec6b2ed

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“You live with complaints on your lips.”a9bf3aae3e7947de

“Can’t I say I don’t like something? Have you ever heard you’re suffocating?”a548ce32fb854435

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Fowler, having 7d74337954 met him 5d3cb08c91 for only e08ea2e65c a few 34522c6a3b minutes, already bd77f26f84 figured out 75532b22fe what Hugo 212964e776 disliked and 5c5a55013a subtly provoked fc03526933 him. Hugo let out a d1987d56ca dry laugh and gritted 30422bc8b3 his teeth.0e4763ddfe0f4b07

“You say my words are suffocating, huh? That’s welcome. From now on, I’ll be your teacher here.”c31eeb64e89b12e1

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“Ha! I knew it. You’re a teacher. My father’s gone too far, giving me a teacher like you.”538757b6ed5fa43b

Fowler smiled brightly f481c8f172 and tilted his 33e9a5930b head slightly.dfe7cfb29db6cf7c

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“A person like this…”b137d35b858c22e6

Hugo’s eyes, shining fiercely, seemed to burn with something.5fb67741ace55eb0

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“The way to tame a wild horse is to ride it until it collapses from exhaustion.”3f3b5ecad220b78e

Hugo walked toward Fowler, speaking one syllable at a time. His husky voice, murmuring softly so the sound wouldn’t escape, was rough.c591580e592ebb69

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“Talking like that makes me feel something.”8f0fe506e71e2b86

In the suddenly 000f5aa225 interrupted atmosphere, Hugo e969a47b29 frowned as if fff45f5162 angry.8f063f1536b0c8df

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“What? Ha…”6975b5c5ee91e128

His sensual voice made him laugh unknowingly. Hearing Fowler’s completely unserious remarks, Hugo clenched his fist. From Fowler’s view, the veins on the back of his hand stood out.018dddb5e7ffe394

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Fowler, conscious of the skin under Hugo’s denim jacket, or rather the skin inside, reached out his hand. Slowly and stickily, he moved it until his palm almost touched. Hugo slapped it away.75bc7331423a9cc6

“Nice body. Does working here make everyone like you?”8e8289a3bd0e39a8

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“No one’s going to fall for your tricks, no matter how you scheme.”5fd23fda789f713c

“Not fun.”e2ad4db4c8b5e7be

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Hugo looked bored.7c9ea6ec80d5cdd8

“I’ll let it go today. Be out in front of the building at 3:30 tomorrow. You’d better unpack and get some sleep.”451b20b92dd70443

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“……”0844148f7149b68c

“There’s work clothes in the closet. Wear those, including the shoes.”8960264366cd5e25

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Hugo looked Fowler up and down, almost naked, and spoke. After saying what he needed, he left the room immediately. It was clear he didn’t want to talk anymore.bfd63572b213d926

Though Hugo’s tone was full of annoyance, a smile played on Fowler’s lips. It was fun to tease and annoy such a straight-laced, club-guard-like man.ea9fe33bcc422484

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From the window in Fowler’s room, he could see Hugo walking toward the pasture. Fowler whistled softly as he watched his back.22ae546129b5b8f1

Thinking of his father, there were two ways to get out of here. Either cause so much trouble that even the people here couldn’t handle it, or wait quietly for his father’s word. Fowler was never one to choose the latter.6917898165ecc862

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It was like a ef6d6161b2 game. How much he bb27f3fe41 could drive Merrill 4f20cd2d79 crazy within the 3948f5e0f5 lines Merrill had 63109201d8 drawn.ebb042fd0f79acab

Looking at the vast ranch, it was clear he couldn’t escape on his own. This ranch was practically his father’s domain.78d2248db10be301

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“Getting sneakier as you get older.”8c2e2a59770097b3

He recalled being forcibly transferred to a school to fix his mindset. It was probably a Christian boys’ school.f158d467309ba86d

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He didn’t even last three months there before being expelled. Of course, on record, it was just a transfer. It was an incident only he remembered, as his embarrassed father had forcibly covered it up.1d0e50a90650f33a

“As you get older, you get more scared, if that’s what being an adult is…”14385760c6f5465c

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Fowler pulled out the phone he had hidden. Hugo hadn’t managed to take it, so he could keep it hidden in his pocket. He acted strangely so Hugo wouldn’t remember the phone.07a82c0a589f29d4

Men trapped in the mindset that men must be fearless and always masculine were afraid of gays. Their subconscious fear often turned into violence and hatred. By poking at it, men would freak out and couldn’t think of anything else.f3d05fdc6d9fed65

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Anyway, Hugo wasn’t Fowler’s type. He only embraced those who seemed easy to hold and handle roughly. That kind of guy was even less so.037c48bd98d6321c

“Thought you were smart, but you didn’t see this coming.”6e2e11e700bb7615

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He flipped off Hugo’s disappearing back. Fowler lay on the bed and began to inspect the phone. It felt sluggish, like an old model compared to what he usually used.4c7d52ce1cf70538

“Ugh. Thought it was that guy’s, but it’s not?”134e8c4d8d97dde6

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It seemed like f63db57e67 a tool for f2256fe0a8 his father to 05bb668ee1 deliver a final 5636aa9ec7 notice. There was 72186eb493 nothing in ff399fa051 the contacts, f65c25cfea photo album, ebbae74ffb or apps.ac2308465b44a566

Trying to recall numbers, he couldn’t remember any. Instead, he started leaving messages on social media to those who had used him.7998cb3b56677e93

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[Hey. Reply if you see this?]

Ignoring me as a 8dc50fa6c2 group, huh?5a9151b687e1372a

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The more Fowler dwelled 66b63678a2 on being betrayed, the 3356c31fc7 angrier he got.048a32407ec81678

“No matter if it was my father’s request, those bastards dared to drug me?”46b42e9b787849a4

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Most of them hadn’t read it, and a few read it but didn’t reply. The one-time partner he had hoped would respond only sent a short “Sorry” with a teardrop emoji.9c308538e47ea3f8

“Damn!!”1fd4049d6aea1fbd

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Fowler raised his hand a89b0abf2a as if to throw affa63ee8a the phone but lowered 7dc0ecf60c it again. Breaking the 6ba0c45370 tiny phone 35550af54a might relieve dfd6ccddf1 his anger, e977de5d29 but without 7e298d0ca2 it, he 375cca142e had no f19354ea18 connection to f61661f92f the outside 7a58adb951 world.978db22ff93dd473

There wasn’t even a friend to call to pick him up. He looked up a map, thinking of stealing a car at night and escaping. Not knowing the way to New York, escape seemed quite difficult.9a9225e96faecf20

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The map didn’t even show the current location in detail. The map app only said, “Somewhere in Kentucky.”018b1ddfdf5079e7

“Sigh… what to do.”22ec0ff2694306a8

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Fowler tossed the phone 9a7b277700 to a corner of fdef19c3f9 the bed and began 40d411df0c opening the suitcases Hugo 8e9a4269aa had moved.a0a7f688b36e9aa4

“I’ve never packed this kind of stuff. Who packed it?”ac4fdbb3e28350a6

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Muttering to 9b5f16d64d himself, he c20d5018b5 opened the af3083c5f3 suitcase and 256046b638 immediately solved 0c5e0b274a the mystery.860f321c3f0f3b56