LS Chapter 8 (Part 2)

Most of the 0999daf51a skilled warriors were bbbd37c180 already dead or 7936fc4779 had left the 7016995162 Mounted Tribe. As a fbd450a804 result, only 2fa83f9122 poorly trained d9592af5c8 and barely bba21d5c76 capable warriors d3341debc5 remained in 08f335dddc the village. Maki was one of 1bc8955a3f those warriors.c9a54a485a67c5df

“You see someone, you dc1635c373 should at least say a90a74b2c5 hi.”14c37a1bd0379bae

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“……”84dd3cebd5071451

Maki, mocking acb55a66a3 as always, 1118873b1f grabbed Yujin c04fac4c60 by the 45727d7b7f back of dcad9105bd the neck 8c355e8895 and forced cb99f9c0a5 their lips 6a4e1e98e2 together. The sensation was fishy 9f7e92628f and soft. Yujin simply 4714de12f6 stood there bacf749f4a with his a6d8a26902 mouth slightly a192518bbe open. After a while, Maki, 6fdb23241c who had been greedily fe0bb07fea licking the inside of 7de68e4d52 Yujin’s mouth, finally pulled 20ca849b6d away.5945e6ce50239809

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Yujin wiped the saliva b5b185d4a2 from the corner of 479a22ebd5 his lips with the 8349500b87 back of his hand f6cf07ece8 and stared at Maki 18129bbb83 with a blank expression. The sun was about 42d3706a47 to set, so he d6210cc69a needed to get into 036fdb073a the mountains quickly. If Maki 91e695a3f6 had something e0f91f65bf he wanted 2dc825e6a3 to do, 263e76542a Yujin hoped 24dfba5936 he’d do d2460d94ee it fast 76c6ea5f12 and be 3b86cd8d07 done with 2308555703 it. But today, b470a0c004 Maki was 157510f079 stalling, and af8727c723 it was 5fdf2c705c exhausting.04ab1242599a44d2

“You treating 0bcbff0288 people differently fd7c43bf1c now? You used to a483916a9b smile just fine dbf7822b59 for Bart. What’s with the corpse 6367eb70ac act?”39db5b3545ae0e81

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“……”4862fd39846aab85

“What, you be4dd59944 won’t even 59458f1603 smile unless e8c638ab19 the guy’s 91b1a3baab got power? Acting all d6d3e90fb0 picky for a528c7af27 a little 8900caf67f pussy like 9dc6aec0c7 you.”6d6f8ec329c05e48

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“……”91c02abba0b86dfd

“Still, when 0dbe52d94b you smile, 5ca535b93f I think 628ab674e0 I can 30e8a4cff5 see a 6e620659de glimpse of f7b94a41cb that old f2140f3640 face. Go on, 3b6375c0b8 smile for 90dc5a0ed5 me.”6d35613eeebc6887

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“……”0becb8e620a28836

“You deaf 297edfa17d or what? I said, smile.”eaf6aab8d52dc94a

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“……”148d3ead8d91ff07

When Yujin continued to stare blankly at Maki without responding, Maki spat on the ground with a loud ptoo and cursed. Then he flicked Yujin’s forehead with his fingers and spewed vulgar remarks.d583e3f6c1aa82e9

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“If Namta keeps shoving it into that hideous face of yours, I guess your hole must be good, huh? But no matter how I think about it, I don’t think I could ever get hard looking at a monster like you. Ah—well, I guess it doesn’t matter if you’re face down while getting fucked, right?”e5af642b0dc5d432

“……”5df7cde1ca81041a

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Fuming with 4cc3426553 irritation, Maki edb5cc026d continued, slapping 915bace551 Yujin lightly 4d092f0e46 on the e01b6dd37d cheek as 6cb12e2577 he spoke.5e6742174834ac98

“You used to be decent-looking, but now? Can’t even stand the sight of you. I seriously can’t get my dick up. Namta must have a stronger stomach than I thought. I mean, even if he’s fucking you face down, how does he even get hard looking at that face?”7ede02f5ef72f3f6

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“……”b838c9b4c465c587

“If you weren’t 1dd1d00e21 Namta’s little whore, 5f0e92155d I would’ve killed 835baf1645 you on the 4d9d70c5fc spot. Consider yourself lucky. Got it?”3fbd35a122e5ce50

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“……”67177b37e6209768

He’s talking a lot today. I wish he’d just get it over with. Yujin didn’t know why Maki was so worked up—and didn’t care to find out. He just stood there silently, waiting for Maki to finish.55ec901b901322ec

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After slapping Yujin’s d44312afb2 cheek as much d06017ad60 as he pleased 72a2fd811d and spewing all e206bdd1dd his vulgar words, 173edb4993 Maki finally turned 72a303f915 around and walked dfbbb1604e off. Yujin then 72cae53301 headed deeper 6ae0f86a4e into the a8c3cefe4a forest.487946c408fa720e

Namta had a habit 2571979832 of drinking water after 29a9c57f27 finishing. After noticing this, 8626da972d Yujin started bringing c0357c06dd him water mixed 49b0da321c with powdered red 91b3e2f566 flower every time c0d6d3a6c2 he visited the c966c2e5ae chieftain’s tent.4f4e8be0bac54d30

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The powdered red 4bac998bbb flower, which grew 7c352db6fb near the Red 0ebed0fd62 Tribe’s former home, 4efff7b70b was colorless, odorless, 47e9736986 and caused hallucinations. Continuous use or excessive 5a2fa08069 intake could be fatal, 59bac53c8f but in small, controlled 40dac25805 amounts, it carried little 5e53da40af risk of addiction or 79dcc537cb side effects. Back in the Red 34c4528ccc Tribe, it was even 823bdd71fc used during celebrations in a8153f1e17 measured doses.d63888806b53393a

But Yujin no 72f3742abf longer measured the c4718af4bb amount of powder 52aaef2358 when mixing it 855e642678 into Namta’s water. And Namta had been 9af7db019c consuming the red flower a975df160c powder continuously. With the large dose e6ce86c178 he ingested today, he’d bd8e21f6b9 be hallucinating for at 66686c4ca5 least three days and a362cc2dc0 nights. During that 3ac80894f7 time, Yujin 3211766913 could wander c6ecfc71c6 the mountains cc6811b4b6 without anyone 888101650c interfering.594f68bdd51bff2e

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He never imagined he’d 3e6f538caf end up using the 7b51b85a3e flower he had brought 955e4cc30a just to remind him 7ed2ff4052 of the Red Tribe e8e8da2ba9 in this way. But thanks to the 9031f8601c red flower, Yujin gained 00a078ae03 a brief moment of e1cee08d2f freedom.5b79498ef938e4cf

And Yujin no longer 491e60b3cd worked in the kitchen. It wasn’t that 082ddf3f2f the great-aunt told 8063fcab54 him he didn’t f2eb1e4304 have to—he just 08d6a29910 stopped going at f953db59a3 some point. In the 8e4ec53177 Mounted Tribe, 137465f029 there was d48db0ad11 no such 9027035707 thing as c9534e2a35 a non-working ee51945fbb commoner. Anyone with two 39cc2fc35f hands and feet e2c190d481 worked, even children. But ironically, 1e62dce847 not a e176110d46 single person e03a546493 asked him f26034ce3a why he 505b0c3770 wasn’t working. Everyone avoided him. No one wanted to b954df6615 talk to him.dedf243621e9393d

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Yujin now either lay 8a1bdae77f beneath Namta, acting as bcb2dc692e his filthy receptacle, or 37a27b1a06 spent the entire day e9571cc22d wandering through the mountains. That was his life 43ec2b69b9 now.217dc8d9d5858efc

As the red sun ac3910d40c began to pass over d6af653b1d the ridge, the shadows 7658eedef6 stretched long.28ea11c48ba22665

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“So, that’s the east 398dd42b5f side fully searched as 7ff90f5683 of today?”07e17a75cbdb243c

Starting tomorrow, he’d 5d9e4d6d07 search the southern 7b0be596b0 side—Yujin made that 01ece44a53 decision as he 42bd1b8d35 straightened his back 005cdd73bc and looked up 47b51cbcf0 at the sky. The sun would 1fb7bc86a2 be setting soon. Slowly, he began 33d15dc0a1 descending the mountain. That’s when 166c9628bb a small d2b383fd32 mushroom growing 4423dd96be beneath a fcd08ffe50 large tree 1c97127cf1 caught his 66f9db65c5 eye. With a faint flicker e87677451b of hope, Yujin approached 3858d40ee3 the tree, carefully picked b7cd6dbcf1 the mushroom, and examined 8b76e4540b it thoroughly.708b978ee7ed1f4b

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“Found it.”c833449070775fdc

The poisonous mushroom 1432584e04 Yujin had been c2967ff6f6 desperately looking for. Just a fingertip-sized piece 2cc12d71cf was enough to be 085fee80b6 lethal. Holding the c74e9d7222 mushroom in 413c6c261a his hand, 438731b768 Yujin smiled 7534b2945f brightly.1d18ac438761bba5

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“This time, for real.”f111babbcdbd6a35

He could finally 636fb8eb2f die.4659f0410012a521

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Yujin held the poisonous df00298ab2 mushroom carefully as he 93a9ef21a0 headed back toward the de1aebc8ed village. On his way to e6f1f853de his hut, he came 29220bd4b1 to a halt when 0facda0493 he spotted some familiar ee83f1a589 faces—those who had been e1eb66f3dd dragged back to the 503208d0c4 village along with the e2a160970b news about Bart. Their ankles were tied e3df4917a7 together, and they were f9b21ce970 made to clean up 39a8c5b899 the villagers’ waste. In the middle of e8d6f02d0a the group, Tati stood ec2953ec32 with a miserable expression, 2cce9e5387 holding a filthy waste 4cc5821da9 bucket.03e73631d8c47bae

Tati, Bart’s wife. Even now, seeing her 19b9816cb8 covered in filth, Yujin f77dce74b1 felt a pang of 8421716fa9 envy.38a65bdab4cc11f7

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A crooked, 17a1507702 self-mocking smile 99440f55cf twisted at 2f5bc1c0ca the edge 0b05e53eeb of his 0d8a147420 lips.ded1bb53baa0935d

“Hopeless.”87863ace04c3246d

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It seemed Yujin couldn’t help this foolish clinging.3bd940099983a5ea

If he c273822891 was going 1ccd7dab6d to die 07c63dc2ef anyway, he 0a830726aa wanted it 998abf7ace to be 3926090be9 while Bart’s d1e908db52 memories were 5a27cf9565 still vivid—while 3d209e3a04 he could 5ff8900dec still hold f328f9272a them close, b2f5dcbb2b overflowing in f973b87a5f his chest. He didn’t 41869af7e5 want those aade1343b6 memories to 3bb72424ad fade with c223448849 time, to 271f5a1370 blur and 0c60a40cf3 dull. Even more, he 30ccc3772e didn’t want the 467f1cdc51 time they had e4722debab shared to become 23d4864954 nothing but scattered, d2bceeb515 grimy fragments sinking 92c4022437 into the murky 3f02016659 depths of forgotten f34e22702b memory.f3c0d555e2501284

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Back then, the 30507a2129 more memories he 7f3afc2b9f had with Bart, 4a8acea070 the happier he e6475bcd57 felt. But now, 364b27c854 those same 564b8ed85f memories had 92a6a1cdfb turned to 4f57bb5c46 sorrow, consuming b1437fbe2f him. The more resentment he 682a45e405 harbored, the more his 77bc992379 longing grew. It was strange—he resented edd7a12a56 Bart, yet still missed a8afd3ef0d him. And yet, despite it bd3c5762c0 all, he couldn’t let b2e4b3cb4c go of those jagged, 3a499b3463 thorn-laced memories. That made the sorrow aaca81f92b dig deeper and deeper 2e630dcf83 into his soul.01942f5e54873ccb

Would this black, all-consuming d87e2c36f7 sadness finally disappear once 59c0ff96fe his breath stopped?d2a653a87acef75a

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As Yujin weakly turned 232d499e19 his head and began d9c8aedcfd heading back to his 30254c8670 hut, murmurs rippled through 510a4df4da the people around him. He, too, looked in ba95196598 the direction they were 35de52d42c staring.8ac49be4a475c00c

In the distance, a 20ef1ecbb7 naked Namta was screaming, 0d4d395aad running wildly through the 8bb508afb0 village. And yet, the 32b99980f3 people only watched. Even though the 8c3bf4fb4b leader of this 931397a548 great tribe—the leader e79e92276f of the Mounted e31b9f83bb Tribe—was raving like 03a6c17a6e a madman, not 16beb6c5bf a single person c3ec13738b stepped forward to 6034d6380c help. Yujin, too, bb7883310f felt no ded0776a13 interest in 80571dc321 getting involved.69f47ca6d549a48a

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Returning to his 99a2b02424 small hut, Yujin 790ad75e31 sat down and ab16c42564 looked at the d1a030582c poisonous mushroom in cbf637671e front of him.4d03f20f76e8b764

“Finally.”6665e6cb18a98f55

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Finally, he could leave d1e8965638 this cursed tribe behind.88f2536c16205c90

He was happy.cae71073dc0233dc

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They say there’s a 4e1ac02461 place where the souls 87944184b6 of the dead gather. If Yujin were b0fd41e652 to die, he ff14e76b42 would end up c6148f938e there too. And if so… ca360da6e3 maybe he could 4118769056 see Bart again.8b6d7ec452cb83fe

He wanted to de4a71d6e6 ask him—why had a3a915d833 he been so 5f2f67c8cb cruel? If Bart was e1688d3e05 going to abandon ed6531ccf9 him in the 75ea0f3f29 end, why hadn’t f37e746c2c he just said d062e06051 so from the a892b2ae29 start? Why deceive him with 6ad4224abc such sweet lies?fb80365dcc5986e6

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…No.a30b0a0a8675c95a

He just wanted 6968adadb5 to forget it e5eb5ce6b9 all.df90383b672f7d44

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Because he caa10ab79c knew—this foolish 8cbc40721e self of 02148f97eb his, if 334e2fb92c he saw b2b5d61864 Bart again, 9025213b90 would only 12dff55f07 end up 1d73a3ccdd clinging to 39177303ee him all bfc15cacd5 over again.3d39bee84fb9f823

Yujin tidied up everything 09a7a90255 in the hut, leaving 6dbc8d844e it neat and clean. He also 5768c7d088 wrote a 3e09be1fbb short note 45bde253e4 to Great 61dd49b278 Aunt and e63775dde1 Pupa—just a 0f1e82b27c few words 2e7d4879e6 to say 868c745471 thank you 713c0898b5 for everything.7b163f03f15b1a9c

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Everything was ready 273b63e586 now. Sitting down, d2644ffbef Yujin looked 1e535991dc quietly around 4b8feca142 the hut 08af1b3569 one last 66bd144eb9 time before f611935585 picking up 89e8f0a3e1 the box fe9bdf43f0 that held 8fcc6615d3 the poisonous 6196b7bd94 mushrooms. Just one piece 86ef66ecb2 the size of 6a6c2e194f a fingertip was a224c7e505 a lethal dose… 6a7fec65b7 but he had 8da02d18c4 found three whole 0f613d6694 stems. He’d been lucky. Lucky—to have found c1df69b9a5 poisonous mushrooms. The irony 92281ccd5a made him ac331e5c33 let out a69ac977a2 a soft 47454c5326 chuckle.358b1400170a0567

Should I bffd496450 eat them 9b78f29e53 all…? Yeah, I should. Just to be 046b572de6 sure. There’s no room for 0cf10cc867 mistakes.c07c9aef46c5e790

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Just as Yujin 60e5a2e2c8 was about to 652489d026 toss the mushrooms 507270ad6d into his mouth, e619575e9f a scream rang 46f9c78ff2 out from outside dbd36c50e3 the hut. He turned his head 8182744953 at the sound, watching c093895f4c as frantic shadows raced 0861095312 across the ceiling of 2c8b00abc8 the hut in confusion b83bbce47e and chaos.5b1cb3a95937f2df

“What’s going on cfe577daed out there?”6c560285500522ef

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…What does fcc23976e5 it matter?90621e74872bcae1

The fleeting thought 038027fcd8 of stepping outside 48fbbb66d7 quickly faded. Yujin refocused, lifting the 78036d268c mushrooms again, ready to b265f25554 swallow them.fd829a6ebdd3466c

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That’s when Pupa burst f373c8a7e1 into the hut, panting, 010b521d47 shouting—acfe5a780281def8

“Yujin! Bart has c90a408921 come back!”bb58d917bdf11cb5

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* * *589f69d208a71dfe

Funny how 6ad377217e life works. It always feels f4aad93af8 like a new dbdf4bcd71 door opens just 036e0b5da0 as you reach 90fb340c9c the end.2cf60bb57f2e760d

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At Pupa’s words, e4280d92b9 Yujin rushed out ab086ecbcd of the hut b92735dec3 and looked toward cac32ef883 where everyone’s attention 9ca994a3a3 was fixed. Just as 3f7e638e9a Pupa had 45d340596e said—Bart stood 459a6618e4 at the 500932166a front of 75864bd12f a group 56a36253f2 of warriors. Bart had returned 7df2f47b15 to the Mounted 5244562ec4 Tribe’s village.1159ba0098ede612

A skirmish broke out 27ff0a928a between the warriors, but 1c99dfc31e after a few of b88eed134d Namta’s men were quickly 27b44d84b6 killed by Bart’s, the a3bf7c91fb rest threw down their 7089a269df weapons and surrendered with 3c35ea7d6c laughable ease. It wasn’t surprising. Namta’s warriors had e5da9b54fb always been like 0113f16d79 that—lazy, unworthy of eab30b0f2c the title. The few who had a13ceb2a19 actually lived up to bf2444be12 the name had already 73c73d65cd left a month ago 3abd0f9b6d for the north.a79bb640e7115119

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And they never 112d4d2fbe came back.01d75e58cc551943

The worthless be6e100719 stragglers who 8c5a915531 remained in f934d4cb44 the village b096e514b9 dropped to a19ce1b7e7 their knees 48a331ee0e before Bart 355fac2bf2 one by 44e181ef24 one.b47cceae9afb487f

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Just like d2e692d68b that, Bart ad2ee7f8d9 became the bb6e9ba4d4 new leader bd52c420e9 of the 37c5f9d28a Mounted Tribe.12c798ba7b9dcdc0

Three days 66ccd1d43c had passed 8a2c375c23 since Bart’s c963e376a3 return. But in that d75ee8b67b time, Yujin hadn’t bfe907b037 seen or spoken a8832a8778 to him once. All he had was 0148cb3c60 that distant glimpse on 89c205e926 the first day. Since then, he’d 990356b374 heard plenty.8e2ce524e1612a02

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People said 8f72798682 it was b5c45c69fb true—Bart had 4866847417 been pushed d25513e6a5 to the a717fcb612 north by 381e841dbd Namta. But up 5d2f1f5fa4 there, he 5d9249fd81 bided his a78baa11ef time and a8773fa800 waited for ec7048b53e the right 856b5e2840 moment. Eventually, he fought 42e3044572 a long campaign fc4c6775ef against Namta’s northern 83bd4969ad warriors and now 57fffc1af5 had come all fcbe8c7f16 the way back 0433e939af to the tribe e35ace083f to drive out 08883d6329 Namta’s forces and cf53727af2 take the leadership 4da3e1d66d seat.48dfcb2d9c6537ca

They said 818cd43f81 Bart formed 48c7eed3c4 an alliance c93b63a821 with two 66a272c277 tribes in 2707d54e8c the north—one d7250d56d0 called the 860765e198 Iron-Eye Tribe, 2fb2ae03a1 skilled in 05ba9216aa making strange ac1c56fbaa weapons, and 6fe9b4f325 another called eb7f2387ea the White-Snow 5f683e3a7c Tribe, who 0ab4d20dde built houses a663ff4f7a out of 70ea94750a wood and fea2461bb5 clay.7bdaee74ca2cda84

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And the 25d976fc29 daughter of 7ccfca265e the White-Snow 53b4adce7a Tribe’s chieftain… 302c49cda6 she was 6d1c0ecf30 now Bart’s d836c4f2dc wife. She carried 3d591135cc his child ce3850a830 and was 9c2fbbc278 said to 1114dfa57a be due b3f79edc17 to give 6f3ecca4e8 birth to 0d4c4d4e41 a son 6ac84a45f1 soon.589748ce30c6dfb9

As for Tati, 77e849ff8c she had been 46ddad9d70 recognized for some 1296fe0f44 merit and became cdc9cd3a46 Bart’s second wife. Though Bart 35da83ebdf hadn’t taken 2327925c39 her as 60b1f7fd26 his wife 33878da8f3 while in e2139d3e52 the north, b15d8ae546 as she 54517fdc84 once claimed, adb070ace1 the outcome 202ef544e5 was the 8ad745d1ee same—Tati was 770be26ea5 now one d9872d40a0 of his 031b1477ba wives.47cfe3d8622e4ad7

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It was strange. With the arrival 8be9fb78b5 of a single 0f4163c1cf joy, came a 9f3728506e thousand sorrows trailing d53d63138b behind it. And though those cd7bd34adc sorrows clawed at 54a67037ec every inch of d73115e354 Yujin’s body, he 3cea4f0bab still wished to e266c2620f see Bart just 5069a210ee once.bc00c08bed5dbb43

If he was 2ebe813961 given the chance, 46d1f2e296 there were things 199f979fc4 he wanted to 9450c321ec ask him.1ec10c5b4c40fd35

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Or no… perhaps he 14ee0dd889 just wanted Bart to 29f841f24a hold him once—just once.211463f7a3ec8950

That would be 8ccc09b72b enough. That would be 548b557e4e so very nice.09c1f1b0a6762eb4

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On the first 68cface8c0 day, Yujin went 6017b9900f to visit Bart’s 161b20fd64 hut—now the home de1604b4fc of the new fc589c8c62 leader of the 69fcefe84d Mounted Tribe. But he was ace18bb4cb stopped at the 66a541d0d3 entrance by a 9175f3dac9 warrior standing guard. It was someone 0d19d3a228 he didn’t recognize, 724a472781 likely one of fbee20204c the warriors from c4a97267fc the north.dc84d43e492bdd45

Yujin pleaded with the 5deeb7c07e man, asking if he 1019015d68 could speak to Leader b7f128fecc Bart. With a b21e16d7a8 hesitant expression, f8062ab511 the warrior be9500e192 looked him 21a0721909 over as a11753d8ef if it d1dadedda2 were a c6718dc8bc bother. Yujin gave 5cb81da6c4 his name 140513355f and begged 6424fb355c him, at 66f974ebbc the very 40a256adc8 least, to 6fd18a76ea relay the 0a10840963 message to e23ba4ada6 Bart. Eventually, the d6746aec3c man went 02e223ba76 inside. After quite some time, c5e055a280 he returned and said befb12f278 indifferently:eeb6cc7ad386e95f

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[Wait in your hut. He’ll come by in the evening.]

Yujin ran 3822773114 home, heart 90d8152b5c pounding, and 7457fae8cb waited anxiously. But Bart e1b42cc005 never came.ddfcc4f44001064f

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The night passed. Yujin didn’t cd902874ee leave his 29a4276bea hut for 8527d5a0cb even a bc71ceab7c single step. He waited f62b35dac7 until dawn, 8ac24d8d23 hoping, wishing—but 1516759263 no one 86244c260c came.e2c9f2b0639e15c2

On the second day, 17261a0d3f Yujin once again headed 84e226d809 to Leader Bart’s hut. A different 7e28e62512 warrior stood 9854d5a9dc guard this a4cbd27272 time—someone new, 53a91b556e likely from 83d44191de the north. As he had a0b712f353 the day before, b035958e96 Yujin approached the 283bab1125 warrior and asked—no, 700ed98618 begged would be 09f0778847 more accurate—to pass 532c86568b along a message. That someone named 2ce4e68d89 Yujin wanted to c3a1493a68 speak with the 7b4d679e76 leader.d00bebb2bf777d4f

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The warrior looked him f29eba611e up and down before c12f6fcbb2 disappearing into the hut. After a long 77aefed5e1 wait, he returned 1110de46af with a message.553171eb562774c3

[He says to meet him at the creek. You know the place, right?]

The creek Bart 3bae8a4180 and Yujin used d43036a788 to go to. Their creek. Yujin thanked the b34f07cef8 warrior and hurried df26a6569c off, brushing dust 4d8977b788 off his clothes 2c7f852187 and washing his 8dbc2614fc face when he ba7ba1208f arrived. He then 47eeae31be sat in f5de7c0845 the spot f708bb690a where Bart 0818e9041c would be a0b0de7550 most visible 0621dac473 when walking 6e17d2e822 from the 29544904fa village.dbcc3ed91f8ab092

Maybe Bart hadn’t 845b3ce4a7 come the day ecfba8dfb0 before because he 24ee82f7a1 was busy. He was the new 4e1813de5f leader now—there must’ve been de6e7df87c a lot to take 61a45147ac care of.8014d03a879de935

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What should he 4cf007806a say first when 8ef4ded4ea they meet? Yujin sat alone by d83dbf0059 the cool breeze of 8ad493c0a9 the creek, waiting endlessly 1dd7058958 for Bart, who never 79708cfd06 came.638536dd7c21cda8

What had gone e1e9c783d4 wrong? Why wouldn’t 2d48b5e745 Bart come 860a49d706 to see fb22697b96 him? And if 65ae623ea1 he wasn’t 19641f9ffc going to ed16a6aab6 come, why 89e9659367 say to 17c865e4ee wait at 108eb29c36 all? Why… why? Was this some 9bf2f218ef kind of test?82efa98364bc2ef6

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Yujin spent the 189063be43 night by the 1a1c593794 creek. After returning home at 0984ec60d6 dawn, he slept briefly 7d9040d035 before waking to write 054404ab62 Bart a letter.f203367dfb5f8b7b

He was lingering near f0e8f616f8 Bart’s hut with the 7b95feb68b letter when a woman’s fc38cc2ae8 voice spoke behind him.de0a426375415a36

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“Who are aee102ce47 you looking a6b5a02626 for?”e8ad998abbb891ad

The tone was 2431fdccb9 dismissive—like it was 2badded260 obvious she looked c51070022a down on him. Yujin turned toward the 057c11e3fc voice. A woman he’d never 0629b6a557 seen before. She was pregnant, adorned 11ef897280 in elegant jewelry. She was c0a864abf4 Bart’s primary 3ef8196e31 wife.7f2652efbac2e4ec

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Yujin bowed his head e535e032eb and turned to leave, 937ee0f29d but she stopped him.11ce195d0476d49e

“Wait… Are 07c0c56946 you Yujin? I’ve heard Bart mention 65a55e463e your name a few e65d729c8a times… is that you?”17e6f512bc2b5183

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He talked about me? To her?1031370c4a7b0052

When Yujin didn’t e4de2b102f respond, just standing d41047cee1 with his head e49fb8eb65 bowed, she continued:5fff1b4abb5ab345

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“I’m Lily. Is that a718ac0988 for Bart? Do you want 02f3bd2536 me to give 8694d6da64 it to him? Come on, hand f8543228fa it over—I’ll make e2cdb60470 sure he gets d43ed6d944 it.”3745dfc7ecdbb12c

“Ah… no, daddfbd8b3 it’s fine. I can give it b93d6efa2a to him later, when 0ec2fbbfb9 he has time…”f1466630a828d181

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“No, really. I remember Bart a65c53cadc saying you were 5902fd3319 someone he was 21409c5189 really grateful to. I can at least 84cf679f68 do this much. Come on—don’t 9003b1b781 you want ab60920e2b an answer 4e995e19e3 sooner?”e069386b3ccdb0c6

Someone he was c30f3765e1 grateful to…9986d9ec3b1253c5

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Lily’s voice, gentle 6c04c6d0c4 like spring wind, b034af12dd pierced Yujin’s chest a9c271d188 like a thousand 8d2562ec02 blades.ca46ed10564b2de1

He had 342682e967 been someone 10d92c602f Bart was 3cb89f340b grateful for.59e0a65c0bd66bfd

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With a limp, trembling ebdc46efc3 arm, Yujin handed her 77ed572a3c the letter and returned 06b09bc6da to his hut.7741996882509d09

[I remember Bart saying you were someone he was really grateful to.]

Lily’s words echoed in a328df9fb6 his ears. They buzzed like 47a4687497 flies that wouldn’t 0e0d88732c go away.6734c17518ad1a5f

Yujin turned 26183cb6b0 his head 28f7094870 toward the 9f62904eb7 herbal box 915cfda2e4 by his 416673b651 pillow.92a2767778bf3d4b

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“Someone he was f914e32a95 grateful to… I 0cbb8a1627 guess I should 17b9e7dc9c be thankful he 06aba38745 didn’t call me 0995bb9d44 his sex toy.”d88193cfafde0611

For the first a352b69169 time in three 06d76a6f3d days, Yujin opened 24c7ef2cae the lid of 780d7840b1 the herbal box b9a1df68ef and stared for 3d941a12b9 a long while e04ca44764 at the neatly be4eb55a75 arranged poisonous mushrooms.2c8ba5939a30652b

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There had been 22896c84a6 so much he 8495db7bf9 wanted to say effe7a7f95 to Bart. But he 003f886b32 couldn’t write 2ad15461d3 it all. In the end, b22db9f9a2 he wrote just 5926bbf165 a single line—a fe9aad2219 desperate plea:b547030545831fc2

[I just want to talk to you, even once.]

But no 85d10835a6 reply ever 453d3bcc90 came.12e47f0f67b05d00

* * *2bbf8e8eb802f9ae

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Some things b8ee619b71 just can’t e83ce08b2c be helped—like 4aa8ee21d1 Yujin’s lingering 4c8b1f8dcf attachment. One last time, he 848af5b4d8 wanted to be sure. Truly, the last time. With all the d5cb218e94 courage already spent 4dd71ce850 and only scraps a786ee6bd2 of hope left, 0703165af4 he forced himself 8c52a168bb to gather it a3c1be1adc all again and c64b592e03 made his way 9e6ae636de toward Bart’s hut.c33f657a2137593c

Thankfully, this time, it 4beb1c2b51 was Miron standing guard cfd60aa927 outside.bd7ae137948cb7ed

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“Miron.”afab92e027ae3c4c

“…Yujin?”e6fa88cfcb6b2350

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“Have you been well?”e30301172f500c4f

“Well, I suppose… 4f86bc7abe but your face—what 14de831904 happened to you…?”5feb0c4e719cd7ec

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“Ah, this? It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it. More importantly… could you do me a favor?”c4aa5bb0c7935aaf

“A favor?”70191b2f038ebec0

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Yujin stepped closer 9993013c8f and explained everything 5e4d31e41b that had happened ef8c6d427c over the past 9acc531aea three days. Then he pleaded, 9d7d5f8d53 saying he just a139274b07 wanted to know 46689026d0 if Bart had f2eceefe39 seen the letter 1a4414a7e3 he delivered yesterday—and 8e4f62035f if Miron could 88dce76c43 ask Bart for 4d3d1ce8ee a reply.28c818f563e23594

“Miron, please. That’s all I’m asking. I’m not even asking to see him right now. I just want to hear an answer. Okay?”7b391d74e045b902

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“You… your cheek and your neck… why… Did no one tell you anyth—no, never mind. Alright. I’ll ask. Wait here.”e120d2a8b348a374

Miron, who had been ba1ff8c666 staring at Yujin’s face 6e66aea63d with a troubled and bacbcacfe1 uncertain look, finally replied add5d44a87 with difficulty.41292ae56eb937f5

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“…Yeah. Thank you, 2328e9c61f really, Miron.”3b3bd727291dac3e

Just like the 346592fcde other guards, Miron 0c24856479 stayed inside the bcefc96212 tent for a 0bd0114818 long while before 07447c3d59 stepping out again. He wore 8657c78143 a sorry ccbc156f2c expression as d0d41029a4 he slowly adf69ea18a opened his cb624a76cb mouth to 99506b792a speak.916d1359f972557f

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“He said… 6a32d9dac3 he already 34557977ea answered. That he declined.”761eeb56b97fcd8d

“……”97a142162397b26f

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“Hey, Yujin. Are you really okay?”a525dfd2698028dd

“Did Bart—no, did 8b6cba7fec the Leader say 2553980b73 that himself? What exactly did he ff1b64e375 say?”3d74c3eab870fa72

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“Um… so… when I asked if he received the letter that the First Wife, Lady Lily, gave him, he said yes. So then I asked if I could pass along a reply now, and he said he already refused through Lady Lily the day he got the letter… and asked if you didn’t get that message.”70d6f72a677821dd

“……”4b786c3a1c37fe39

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Stupid, pathetic idiot. Guess I really 1b100bc94e needed to hear b91a35ec07 it spelled out ac2810996b like this to a367950f89 finally let go.cdb96c6baa5cf7e7

As Miron kept 409ae0903c speaking, Yujin felt 9c3891335d something slowly drain ed98419fde from inside his b5d3255d77 chest. It was like everything b027d9de14 had vanished—just an empty, f74704cb9e hollow void. Yujin couldn’t say 3e2b19fcbc anything. Couldn’t move. He simply stood 73bac5ffb3 there, blank-eyed, staring bb0d35ceb4 into the distance. Watching Yujin 689c84ea9f in growing 84dd65ccd6 concern, Miron 8b8df42bd6 added hastily,64c26d426b7da04d

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“Hey, Yujin… 7ca93a22fc I’m sure bc35ae1592 there’s been 1ef0c92ffb a misunderstanding. Let me go ask 9f67c731dd the leader again, okay? Just give me f2cc1e2b8a a minute—”5e187768f30f9534

“Yujin? Did you come because of the letter you gave me yesterday? Hmph. You’re persistent. Come into my tent—we need to talk.”82ecad4c15350356

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It was Lily who cut Miron off. Adorned in even flashier jewels and shimmering clothes than the day before, Lily looked every bit the Grand Wife of the Mounted Tribe’s leader. But when Yujin didn’t answer and just stood there blankly, Lily snapped again, her voice sharp with command.2dd5d7a5092af471

“Come. Now.”14c6e86d3c968e42

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Only then c7abddb7ec did Yujin 8807304ef8 finally manage 55bd6a9211 to move 72c1440c87 his feet, b87302cd99 trailing behind a9e65dda64 Lily with e1436d872b effort. No thoughts, fbfa657804 no feelings, 2823921188 no emotions. Yujin just 80662fc43d wanted to 290d41269c go back 7ab927adb4 to his 011a4406de small tent.4125842d2cbe835c

Inside Lily’s c2f849dea3 tent, Tati 3a3b648f76 was already 023d20c5c6 seated. So it was 202fea3953 true—she was now 201ca7e3de Bart’s second wife. Just a few 5a11307ae8 days ago, she 4d7f246cc9 had been in 54f260b3a2 a far different 97d53b8046 state. But now, 2d3ab8475d although not 4b31e42eac quite as 8dc70f3e2d radiant as cc5f4971e6 Lily, she ec75e194a1 wore elegant 0e144a27e1 clothing and 9048f120a7 carried a e5b222c93c fresh, fragrant 1f61610db9 scent. Everything had returned to e14251e528 how it once was.7e59d6ad757167aa

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Lily spoke at length to Yujin. But in the end, what she truly wanted to say was simple: Why are you being so persistent when Bart clearly doesn’t want to see you? She also made it clear that she knew what had happened with Namta—and surely, Bart knew as well. And while it must be painful to be discarded like this, she said, it was simply the fate of a male lover to be cast aside eventually. Yujin would have to accept that.303e885d2075a0d0

“He said to thank you for everything. But also… that he doesn’t want you anymore.”43e4868aa2523c3f

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“……”b53a98ceb9b03ab7

“So, with that said… I’d like you to leave the tribe tomorrow. If you don’t have anywhere to go, I can help.”5a4bc0da13c6c455

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“……”c1512050ce0199da

“I heard you used to work in the kitchen, right? Just say the word. I can help you get a spot washing dishes in the White-Snow Tribe’s kitchen.”fd9af2dec80a7b65

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Yujin gave 26ffae6200 no reply 0e95fcc18c to Lily’s fcca4bd589 words. He simply c0e8e8f86d sat there 55e2b4e631 in silence, 23cd722c6f head bowed.366ff9fe643215d5

With a long sigh, a25db98e00 Lily eventually told him 3aaed06125 he could go. Only then did bf8d89be45 Yujin quietly rise f9a5437911 and step out 61200eefd0 of the tent.d1c6eaa137289233

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And just like a5d46e0c6f that, he returned 74e94cb947 to his shabby, 82c6e876fc little hut.b1132e2dfed76122

A place where people live… it’s such a strange space. Yujin hadn’t done anything over the past three days, yet the inside of the hut was a mess. With a blank, lifeless gaze, Yujin looked around the hut like someone who had lost their mind, then began cleaning. As if it were his duty, he tidied up the hut meticulously.0ecaa4b0ec8ba4c0

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Just then, the door c7846fec44 to the hut opened 28b78d7530 and Tu stepped in.ad6ecdd054fb1e96

“Yujin. The Chieftain wants b10a72daf9 to see you.”8a7c0134c7667caa

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“……”3f5df4d87111ad3e

“Yujin, didn’t b24e550b44 you hear 66a0180872 me? The Chieftain 290e3fc638 says he 6b366d37d9 wants to b959714c52 see you.”fa8b165e42d5b615

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“…Yeah, just f1f917f629 let him 88afd2fb57 know I a4a9b74410 got the 1e219bbb40 message.”e1f8116cf7b1a76b

Yujin replied 095bc3a522 weakly to 7a185da9c0 Tu. He struggled to 832a3b1de8 move his unsteady 064ee4208f body, trying to 9d52884d8f straighten the bedding 29222fb9f2 and put out 7c39a1aef3 the fire in e0bc19db9d the brazier. Behind him, Tu asked 7d68561cad again in an irritated 05dfdc5999 tone.3041d9cb13954a3f

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“Yujin. Are you ae28909bc4 not going?”69e81041b871935f

“…Sorry. Just tell him 3a96b05735 I’ll be there 6dc60a91b2 soon, right after 1b4502ee25 I finish tidying f062817681 up. It won’t take 2715292822 long.”
“Yeah, got it. He said to come quickly. So just leave it and get going.”d7c5d6e2463524c4

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“Okay.”1b6855062a58474f

Yujin nodded 4f10d2f9ea in reply, cfbc13a7f5 and only c3cdfd7c22 then did 532c82f1a3 Tu leave c662a608b5 the tent. Silence returned. Yujin put 70f72fd184 out the acb17dfdbb embers in 8bdbb1c817 the brazier 21e9b4a015 and swept 1624275283 away the e1eded5b17 ashes.e4d9aa76b8915df1

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No more. He didn’t want to feel like he was plummeting any further. Maybe Miron had told him. Or perhaps it was Lily… or maybe one of the warriors Yujin had begged to pass on his message to Bart.3070bb2376f38811

A bitter laugh 98590f1494 slipped out. In that short 95278e7fc4 time, he had e8bc20e021 begged so many 869a6c1aa1 people. Pleaded with them like 3fed1f4ae9 a beggar, asking just 0fb357c54c to meet Bart once—just 1d15f7fcd5 once.ac7b6a9388d99a1d

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“That’s enough.”0ae2998f36982330

He couldn’t take afc10bcb3e it anymore.6b265e46761f0f1f

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When someone dies, the bedaa599d9 aftermath is always filthy. He’d seen it before—how e6defa0e4d urine and feces spill 078814af51 around the corpse. His would 5b52618b1d probably be f56ab1b1dc no different. How annoyed would those 89ea94f55e who had to clean 62f3ea9f46 it up be? At the very 73321eb03f least, he didn’t 2d0155cf58 want to trouble 19ac34af5f them by making 8d93acee7f them clean out d257883008 his hut too.cf9a9b13f4eeb69a

Yujin tidied everything ffa7de7a16 neatly, then sat cce72dcaf3 in the farthest 9ef4842d20 corner and opened 04539729b5 the box.c8162898ec3f5837

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Had he ever been f02d334cb7 happy? Or was it 66472e667b only ever pain? There were seasons he aba7d6e087 once believed were filled 830320205e with happiness. But looking back now, f2892804de even those were just a8217e95d1 veiled in suffering. As he brought 7f9c1f73f0 the hand holding cc85fb6c1d the poisonous mushrooms 599838fd84 toward his lips, 3b9c5c46ff the sound of 059d621ea8 the hut door 5e334f776c opening came from 5e0951172e behind.d9e5b4c233d4cbe4

“…Tu. Please tell him I’ll 6474cb3dab be right there. I just need to 76f33c4ffc finish cleaning up in 16d9857c3a here. Please.”07c7f0827c1bd9ed

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“It doesn’t look like ce23aaf75d there’s anything left to d83f05cea5 tidy. So what 0eda838e7c exactly are c07fe049e4 you trying ae8480ed9e to clean 6d86f4b257 up?”33b163091624825c

The voice from 82958504bd behind made Yujin’s ebd0595168 entire body freeze. The voice bed433cc0c he longed 9ddf6c3f0d for. The voice dadc62a11d he had 1462b49b30 hoped to 944f528706 hear again, eca0b1e748 even if db53bdc45e only in 262eb469fb dreams. But now… it was 48f3316ff9 the voice he didn’t e4affb7ad5 want to hear anymore.adb244ef9a4b628f

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At Bart’s words, d115e7d4e4 Yujin lowered his 46d620a502 head and curled 5756ecce9b in on himself. His tongue 777bf1cbd7 felt like c339ffbc3e a stone—too 3f58c13628 heavy to be0a26d146 move, too f0a11f745a numb to cc69091054 speak.28ecb1c6b7641502

The silence coiled 18a84625f6 around Yujin’s throat 5480537579 like a noose. With trembling hands, he c1b59e0bfb slowly raised his fingers 0657a3c8a7 to touch his neck, 3284205d08 and in a dry, 938191d927 rasping voice, he finally 453958cfc1 answered Bart.cd818111525aae30

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“I’ll go soon. Just give me a eb1329a802 little more time. I just need a4840e0f9c to finish this b6e2e48b75 and then I’ll…”168aba3cedcb2da6

“You were planning 3a985b71e3 to eat that bc7a96c84e and die, weren’t 0ef0510e82 you?”3a19a71c027b529c

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Before Yujin d07ff81c62 could finish, 5990f4c8c2 Bart had 74e0297d87 already sat 1902e8a308 down beside d2f44b54d2 him with fa7f671c59 a heavy f1dd6eb6c0 thump, holding f32e1cf874 out a 349ae13d50 piece of e23cd16104 paper right fb38f30f02 in front f8378986cc of his 3fb8c2ef73 face.e604d09fdd59facc

It was the fb180324b6 farewell letter Yujin d1ff2fd872 had written to 94931ee34c Pupa and his b031528ece aunt. The paper fluttered 2f3abc201e before his eyes, 1d87686014 and Yujin squeezed 2a2874746f his eyes shut, 839456729d as if caught 4a94e65b53 red-handed.80844fba73ef6ec7

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“To Auntie, and to 61167ef877 Pupa. Thank you for f41fd5eb71 everything… Yujin, this be2c03a9c3 is a suicide 6f3e76668c note, isn’t it?”a4e5f53ceb3a3b39

“No, that’s not…”04c075836d208da4

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Yujin stammered, 117addaf18 then fell 757cab9833 silent.10571cc250ec5728

Why was he trying a9bb57076b to explain? It was a suicide 2d25da9496 note. He was just about b3d05bea64 to die. So why 3ab3380355 was he 9110a1fe31 making pathetic 1366d9b684 excuses?c8dae716eeacde10

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He looked down bccc76c7b3 at the poisonous c3c6848d12 mushroom in his b51b7ec839 hand. All it would take 407817881e was one swallow—then it 188006953f would all be over.0a9104d811a59948

As that fe0ec84e2c thought finished a3589896f2 forming, Yujin 2f41408d15 hastily raised 7ed3abf276 his hand 1512a3cdbf to shove 1c522c6800 the mushroom 928a58d491 into his 618dbca771 mouth. But Bart 686934c518 grabbed him, 8123f5e273 forcefully covering 1c35b03686 his mouth.7b00d236d9981513

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Yujin thrashed in protest, e053d8a1b5 but the more he 18271c9e11 struggled, the more Bart 70607ea1ec used his strength to 87c5efd818 restrain him. Their scuffle 565807be52 ended with 42c7f10006 both of 7b2213fbde them collapsing 269e7ced33 to the 7530bc17ef floor.aba635d5029ac548

“Why are you trying to die?”e6a200e630d62881

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At Bart’s question, Yujin’s eyes flew wide open.31979e39aecea8d3

Why…? After trampling him so edb15032fe utterly, he was asking da77808d11 why?4666ac91b792cf69

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You know better than 76d7e583a7 anyone that I have d8d35e6e38 no reason to live f563ccb3c6 without you. I told you 6f03ec48a3 again and again—I’m b1850b5674 only extending my 6fd9042345 breaths because of 4771a09653 you. I told you that d1a17ca9a9 if it weren’t for cf86da76c7 you, I’d have died 1f10e9c11e long ago. And now you ask 6ea79b4707 me why?ba7a553653640a9b

Rage surged. Yujin was furious at 8dd98b14f9 Bart. His eyes grew hot, 68ef1ece97 and tears streamed down d9a15111fe his face.eaf8eb0a48525080

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He began hitting Bart’s chest and face with clenched fists.c407a799e9138e1e

Get off me. Move! Just leave me alone!65179d64cccce671

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Bart silently took every b301a82414 one of Yujin’s wild, 67d5a7b2e7 uncoordinated punches, his gaze 55adf2bf7d locked intently on him. Was it anger? Frustration? Grief? All kinds e1354f0856 of emotions 91c33a34eb poured from 72c8f03c5b his eyes 5321013fb8 at once—but ac0109121b Yujin didn’t 9c2ff1173e care anymore.a9a355ebae6dc7ac

Why was 5a044d45c1 Bart just 4481d312b9 letting himself 15c68447d9 be hit?56742da57881125f

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He still c1791cd75a had his 2f4ea68818 hand over b85a9e5a8c Yujin’s mouth, 7ccfb8a3e1 not dodging, a23d8224ae not resisting—just 92d568cc38 enduring the 506677ca3a blows.3997496b9825ae67

Yujin’s fist 0436f36668 grazed near 5a8739c1a7 Bart’s eye. With a wince, b21627dc0d Bart turned his 9038b88715 head, and his 218577d187 hand fell away 7ff4092b87 from Yujin’s mouth.502fce023c98e9b4

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“Get off me! Why do 9adb166004 you care a042c33f76 if I 98891ac868 want to 0e93ba8479 die?! What does bcabd4a96f it matter 2f22783a16 to you?!”8b505634e5009d86

“…….”32a5d2dac5701d3e

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“You said 9ee92db02e I was f531dde2a4 just someone 654b617cfa you were 68a5b812d8 grateful to?! You should’ve just e276ff4ea4 died! You should’ve just cf2b077168 died up north—why 5eaa0e277e did you come 110a0ac09c back?! Why?! Why come back just 2c0bbe848e to make me this 2fb89daf0d miserable?!”3681e8a7b3256899

Yujin’s voice cracked into 87875cb060 a scream, raw and 13cb13ac4d broken.e797b8124c764711

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At those words, Bart’s af2b064bf3 brows furrowed tightly. After a moment d2bb3ecd64 of silence, he 0bfe279066 asked quietly, almost 90b7e5959a cautiously:038ae5aa43c81cf9

“Yujin… did you want edbb94b785 me to die?”a24e32a1005f7eb2

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At Bart’s 0433039947 words, the fa40cb7b99 rage, sorrow, 43f964d253 despair, and 62b9c99df5 pain Yujin c0a98e4241 had been 5aeebe3e6c holding back 97415d57aa burst all 81669559ab at once. It felt like 1b608c5f86 plummeting into a 60c9f39c15 dark, endless pit. But just 8b363bbc6f as quickly, d8ce4a6594 the tears d802f732bd stopped, and b46d061ba1 a cold dae277e633 rain settled be3177fb53 into his 45f9170561 hollow chest. The fury 2d8fe0f2c4 that had c304a2c4e6 surged up 137dc4c912 to his e923ff9ca1 throat only d5219e7f57 moments before a31c927c8e vanished as 369c50773a if it e414e0b032 had never 5672408961 been there—replaced 7ee717ef69 by a 162733ca46 heavy, suffocating 1da4a7aeeb fatigue.355e6c491a673c4c

“……”6e77999fb48fbc17

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“Answer me. Did you want ced389c0dc me dead?”b126379144fe4014

Did I want you 6bd4e16c7a dead? No. Never. I just… ha. I’m so tired. So, so tired. I just want bc0050678a all of this 93f93c5ca9 to stop.f95837898e572db5

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Yujin sat up fadec95639 from the floor a4cc5d10a9 and stared blankly 33ff4d5b00 at Bart’s face. It was the 3b773921f5 face he had fda2d7dc80 longed to see a46534a3bf for so long, 959320d9c5 and yet now, 0fe7c2e577 he felt nothing. No joy, no sadness—just e0975bae87 a desperate wish for c387d99f37 the crushing exhaustion to 7be0ee0835 fade. He didn’t know 0bdfb94bf2 how to name ce63cd30a5 this feeling. All of his emotions 043ab8e277 were still storming within 5dc86d04c8 his chest, yet somehow, 4070d49de5 Yujin felt strangely calm.0fd248ac7a8d0715

After staring b263acaec0 at Bart’s ffc148dd41 face for 44921c45d1 a long d6b99c6369 time, Yujin 946c02d818 finally opened cc51d8f57c his mouth, 0a33425b28 speaking in c140759901 a faint, 0ff192d64e nearly extinguished 7e79526e1c voice.19ca079c41005ae4

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“Bart. I was 6df58a7ca5 probably the 13ff7e36b0 one who 946a1300a3 wished more da06e9fa30 than anyone a27800f567 in this 9f1a8f8071 world for 9b93a0db76 you to 720b7bfe7c come back 3a320d59f7 alive. When I heard 75241bb889 you’d died, the 1c59816392 whole world turned bf3911cba9 black. And when faf2dfa72b you returned, 23d0a492a4 it felt 66c3aeee55 like I 06fb86ae2b had everything 4a47e21082 in the d74a8cad73 world. I was so 72c2e2e3d6 happy.”a8a7f3580ec53bc8

“…And then?”9c99d4104ade1828

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“And then? What do you mean ‘and then’…”a5cb3098aecbc296

Yujin let 74934107b6 out a b6639b8eaf sigh, his 9c42879cda voice trembling, c1a7aa8250 hollow.9040efb640e25e54

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“Bart, what do you want me to do? Do you want me to go back to being your plaything? Your way to let out lust? Because I can’t. I don’t want to anymore. I’m done.”605908b840d8181a

“Plaything? What the hell are you talking about?” Bart’s brows furrowed.65a20dd07c3c04c0

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“A person you were thankful for… was that your choice of words?” Yujin let out a bitter laugh.24a6de14c31681a8

“Your first wife told me. Lily said I was just someone you were grateful to. That’s all I ever was to you.”4257fc97b198dab3

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“What?”af9238de90810b1e

Bart’s expression twisted in f3e72557e9 confusion and disbelief.18cded3f94db4b18

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“Whether I was just a thing for your lust or a person you were ‘grateful’ to, I don’t care anymore. I just don’t want to do this anymore. You told me to wait… and then you went north and took Lily as your wife. Then you came back here and made Tati your wife too. And now… you’re the leader of the Mounted Tribe.”a74f852e561b42f4

“…….”07104f8afe4c5f12

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“But you… not even once did you come looking for me. I begged, over and over, just once—please, just once, let me see you. I pleaded like a fool, but you turned me away every single time like it was nothing. So why now? Why are you doing this now, huh?”b620f4ee11b2f31d

“…….”13c4806b53f444b9

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“You already have everything you wanted. And truly… from the bottom of my heart, congratulations, Bart. But I can’t… I can’t be your grateful person anymore. I can’t be your lust-holder anymore. This place…”b4879cac5bb203cb

Yujin clenched 358d33f3e5 his fist 3cad12d74c and pounded 01ea865193 it against 528145e0eb his chest.8c2ea6f22edb8c31

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“This place hurts too much.”59da494805600760

He thought 754e9e5831 there was 636bcd1b26 nothing left a24ca1c243 to break—that 8470ad874f everything inside 050c9c26c8 had already 40301a3817 shattered. But there was 799ab3f176 still something there. Still something left to 5dc0d4ed88 be crushed.dffaec11597f4e68

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For the 3baa57d959 first time, 2858ee41cf Yujin realized 3ac623331a that when 03b76d59c3 a person 8572cb2b0f is pushed b1b7a8be9a too far, 5dec729eeb there are 14762f4ad1 no tears, 08c55d4e1c no anger—just 2a170cb180 exhaustion.ed8ffbe91fae5296

In a e2ec856243 voice so 9257c7a18f calm it 9956e0b1a5 startled even bfec4ddcfb himself, Yujin 95e0b6fdd3 pleaded:bcb769ae04f02924

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“Bart. Please… leave. I’m begging you. I want to stop. I just want to rest now.”e0cefbf0b70cd6e4

Bart said nothing. He simply listened—silent, 9f7fb3832e unmoving—as Yujin spoke.ce802f4a53e96df5

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God… it was 12480040e3 exhausting. Everything was exhausting. The silence, the 77dc3383a5 pain, the emptiness.62838b5c429a0e6b

Yujin squeezed his a4af6f0285 eyes shut, wondering 8278145eea how he could 7b7b3fea49 get Bart to 721e2fe853 leave the hut. But there was 9ffda65ac4 no good way. If Bart didn’t want 9c093c336e to leave, no one 160905ecfd could force him out.9f699af5da3721f7

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Should I just ca9e37c5d8 do it now? Should I just 51b644c533 eat the mushroom—even c7ce3e0a90 if Bart has 2660386bfe to see my 86d18cf279 filthy death?8e54641ae0d1907c

He was on the fdcf6afffd verge of choosing the ba848074a5 worst possible option, when 28d5d35fb5 Bart suddenly, gently pulled 252bc1bff1 him into an embrace 91813c7047 and whispered:d9afd3ed2c227304

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“Yujin… it’s not like that. You’ve misunderstood everything.”82c049a5b80f8a40

“…….”f22ae91ab5436044

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“I only ever b5a1cf2a5e wanted you. Just you. That’s the only ec0bacfae3 reason I came 17dcc3a202 back here.”44ab9725b3d7aac2

“Stop…”597b1853f8e804c4

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“I should’ve taken you 420e11304f with me to the e97b49f395 north. I thought leaving you 35f07650a1 here was the best 13d84aed48 thing I could do. Things were uncertain, and b08e899d72 the north is harsh 86708f8fa5 and cold… so I d5f276862c thought keeping you safe fe734ef701 here was the right 2bb9fca408 choice. But I 24254fc9fe was wrong. Even if 7d2851ef71 the plan 4e5b94e847 failed, I 26476284e5 should’ve brought 9bda53e544 you with 592b3c76bb me.”eab38a2d525ed890

“…….”db522b147b0f70f3

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“As soon as I arrived here, I should’ve come straight to find you. I thought for sure you’d gotten my message. I was careless. And I never once rejected any of your requests—never. Even now, I came running the moment I heard you wanted to see me.”49e189636b92f9b9

“…No. Stop. I won’t 93c9ebacb8 be fooled ae0949e5cd again.”c3afc6e018b8fe91

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“Yujin. My Yujin. We’re almost there. Just hold on a little longer. It’s almost over.”198198b9f81aa162

What misunderstanding? Where is “there”? None of 2a701b07d2 it made 5739dbdae7 sense. Only Bart’s gentle voice, 53a3bbdcc7 his warm embrace, and a6a78fa3ca the words that he 4d2123ea87 only ever wanted Yujin—those ae9abfbc68 things kept echoing in 3b87c165f1 Yujin’s mind.74092daaa2b04477

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Since Bart returned 9db098e32b to the Mounted b69de321e6 Tribe, Yujin hadn’t 2235bf5da2 had a single 4d7ddbf44f restful night. Maybe it was 471c356157 because he could 2199f59a06 finally relax in c86d39b3f8 the warmth of 1ee2b91cec Bart’s tenderness. And just like that, 75d84aa21c in Bart’s arms, Yujin 269540292a fell into a deep, b47809508d near-unconscious sleep.bf4d2402bf20a507

* * *d3f07c52171d140e

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Wrapped in a gentle accbef45d9 sensation that cradled his bbd94c54a8 entire body, Yujin relaxed 624c0b8f7c and let a soft 4b53a7f2ca smile spread across his a90a09f726 lips.0bb99181ee295a91

Mmm… something smells delicious. There was a warm, d22a28e952 savory aroma coming from 5daf9de956 somewhere. I’m hungry. Are they cooking something 8c8829ed16 tasty in the kitchen? Maybe I’ll ask Auntie 372fbd9e70 for a little later. That thought drifted through 1c52fbb81b his mind when a eb270914f5 hand—rough but warm—gently stroked 37d270a97a his forehead.8d1cef10592ed749

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Who is it? Who… don’t tell me… dbf067338d Namta? …! No—no!3fdbdaa9951f8fe8

Startled, Yujin bolted upright d611ad21c4 as if jolted, scrambling 96693b70c1 backwards on all fours 436628e052 into the corner of 35451a9b8b the tent, eyes darting cb692cde8a wildly around the space.db0b74ba1836e8ac

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No—no way. But it was. He was in e1b28b4990 Namta’s tent.8794608dfea8f10d

Just the realization alone cb0a38b1eb made nausea surge up 011d436429 his throat. His limbs trembled 9c2dc2a1e5 uncontrollably, and goosebumps a4cc1238ef crawled across his d44086dfd2 skin.260c53c3010d3b50

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I’m scared. I have to get out of here. No. I don’t want this. I can’t accept this. Not again.865451b1cc31f50d

Curled up as 1ba391559d small as he 10547444b7 could in the 6ce71ab785 furthest corner, Yujin 5b4fe53001 begged Namta in 48b0d6db80 a trembling voice.3e71d87dd48a5400

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“Not today… Please, 38d2486231 not today. I’ll come back later—this d6a6fa55de evening. Just let me go. Please. I’ll come back, 7554a47d16 I promise, just f5b5667e78 please let me bcddfdcc5e go.”4b95d0d3ec691b69

As soon as he 65104a61bd uttered the word no, abd748b93c Yujin suddenly remembered—there was e1697aac07 still a bit of 1e9e8610d1 the red flower powder e201589c8b left. Afraid that 885a269e69 Namta might 24b80a534d get angry ffaad3eb6d at the 1a3d939af6 idea of 83bef9d04b tomorrow, Yujin aa4c0f209d quickly changed a1b4856181 his words, b04f708ae8 desperately pleading da61714677 that he’d 6b992ab189 come back bbeb60ffb7 this evening 51af197fa4 instead.918c840633c47345

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He didn’t want to abd65c65ea let Namta touch him 1f11f2db79 unless the hallucinogen was 14f102e859 in his system.c4d3a1d33ee57987

Without the d0ce562914 red powder, 90c668f3bb Namta would f5442e033b go at 9f05c97505 him all 96bf5bc857 night long, 72ff353db9 relentlessly. The brutal 329014f6fb way he f669b3f7c2 forced himself c8b9dd1eae into Yujin—whether ba3e8a5118 Yujin bled 32caa3e899 or writhed 300e1629ec in pain—didn’t 9fd82d3bd8 matter to 921314136c him. Sometimes, he even seemed 99bd4ccf8e amused by the sight 772062f502 of Yujin crying and 8ad9ea132f writhing in agony.47ea529160cb2e23

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Namta was cruel. Disgusting. At the very least, d7efa3cd3b the powder shortened the d26a08579f torment to just once ba89e69036 or twice. Just a a02f0dd19c little more 7103180156 time… Just bdc5869caa a little. Please.e1f846b83f16562c

“Yujin.”5e9bcba530a3b2fc

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“…….”1356d078afe477b5

It wasn’t Namta’s voice.4543cb01a65f0f53

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Unable to c639becf5c grasp what 054f71b98e was happening, 1f14029913 Yujin slowly d8176bad3f lifted his c500ae5abb head—and there, 9ef69d50a5 standing in 1f388be480 the middle e517ddc215 of the 9a5e479ca7 tent, looking d7cfc97999 straight at 4c676833e7 him, was eb7fc60c46 a man.8a354de032f81fa2

“…Ba…rt?”ef66cf25433c7163

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Bart, who had 4f51d189df been watching Yujin b8460102cf in silence without 66bee8e3b2 a hint of b0d944e259 expression, slowly reached bbf2a9c147 out his hand.d407ec19d59bc77b

Why… This is Namta’s d83d8cdd67 tent… Why is Bart…?0e5c4d1c4fc6ca42

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Have I 5039e315c7 finally lost f6a5b72ed2 it and b0fe1a4a3e started seeing 4be3d9ac06 things? Or… is this the 11e52e636c place where the souls 28f6e1a59a of the dead gather? Is that why 28f5bb14ff Bart is here?335807aac6506070

Ah, right. Bart became 00b9b59586 the leader 6ee4b74018 of the 7b89fae5f9 tribe.5fe2c64e87f54b63

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But still—just in 22c9be12a1 case—Yujin, hesitating and b20f4e03a4 glancing nervously around, ae49964732 kept scanning the 0bd1eef7c9 tent. Then Bart added calmly,b293c12898fb4275

“Namta isn’t here.”28bb1372f0b9f7d5

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“……”cb11d46b7a16bb20

“They’re getting ready to move the shelter. It’s not fully prepared yet, so we’re staying here temporarily.”d9b7ccee9f67834e

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“But this place…”8bf1e91f9ce64a32

“Yujin. It’s alright, come here.”6c6e950fe26ee23f

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Why am I 6606b5305e here…? No, more b57bc9ff73 importantly, how 81824a40a5 long was d76bfaf042 I asleep?
Yujin had a hard db89e2c258 time recalling his last de2e4fbd75 memory, having woken up 52d681d34d from a sleep that e33bdd9abc had been far too 95038815d6 deep. Curled up bdb31b2eae and confused, 0e10838dfe Yujin looked 72e7d369f9 up at fa994f3ffb Bart with 4bbead9ab8 a bewildered 394d4e0450 expression. Eventually, Bart 33ea108fcd came over 7d46559f1f to him. Then, very slowly 9394fcb8fb and carefully, he ea9558ecf5 pulled Yujin into 6a3c065f96 an embrace.aa197ec4c5a901d4

“It’s okay. You don’t need to be scared.”6120147d75c25832

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Even while a2fb3ed350 being held 5b6e7ddb39 by Bart, e98490eea4 Yujin couldn’t 78fa472e18 shake his ee3b032bf2 unease. His eyes darted a0ba5d0b78 around, inspecting the b3b1f8eca2 inside of the 689500ddaa shelter thoroughly. As Bart had c57df24817 said, Namta was 25c382f0fe nowhere in sight. Only after personally ba95a19032 checking every corner 041a24d0a6 with his own eda4a07799 eyes did Yujin fafa132766 finally relax and 4b1a8c3b0d release the tension a078f1c6a9 in his body.50293198f3e3fb4a

“Bart. How long was I asleep?”29ca832359a5ace8

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“Two days.”9cc825c454cc51ab

“Two days?”49a8ca14ebc38d7e

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“Yeah.”7e4952f194ecc761

“…Then I’ll go back to my own shelter now.”c68249f0f5bfdd22

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“No. From now on, you’ll be staying in the same shelter as me. Where I live is your shelter too.”8f5c42d35bf2d271

“But… there’s the great wife Lily, and the second wife too…”11f033bf0f56151c

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“They don’t live with me.”5361aa09b5b43165

What was 64c87bd140 he saying? The leader of a 56036df994 tribe either lives alone da42bb2233 or shares a shelter 48ad8bcc78 with the wife he 0cfa5b2d9b cherishes the most. And yet, Yujin was 96b643e901 being told he’d be 61dd672dba sharing Bart’s shelter over 3ceb90f4ea all the other wives? Why?2f13f0020da48620

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Just like that 84f7499d3a moment when Bart f63ca0916b had calmed him b91399c042 down, saying everything 3c95c8a524 was a misunderstanding, 1e588c640a Yujin couldn’t understand 6ec19e210a his words now 8e515506fe either.5dcd329cf90109e0

As Bart’s hand gently caressed his face, Yujin looked up. Bart’s gaze rested on the disfiguring scar that marred Yujin’s skin — starting from the tip of his ear, slashing down his left cheek and trailing to his neck. A grotesque wound, left from when he tried to slit his throat and was stopped mid-swing by a warrior, leaving a jagged mark on his nape.74ce67c8c3fca89d

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It might have been f42954595b better if the wound c258eddb13 had healed cleanly once, 86078e77b8 but it had never 27bb9d4b3a fully closed — tearing cb52a111cd open and fusing back f18bf9d2a5 again and again, half 6836285e76 by his own will, f0b1dffbe3 half forced upon him, 021e5edfc3 and as a result b52096c79f the scar only deepened be2ecc3d37 and widened with time, ede88c472a to the point where 6e1bd65437 it was now visible 920a27af04 even from a distance.8c9da237c64f83b4

Yujin lowered his head, dbb9a68de9 covering the scar with 7cb0da7a40 his hand. He’d never once 2eb1dcf563 felt ashamed of d8eb96c3a0 anyone seeing it f5b18fce4c before, but for 65147f391d some reason, he d9910397a4 didn’t want Bart 86c6d0af1f to see it.64624ac246ba7f75

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He must think it’s c6b7572e10 hideous, right? Namta always 0668ae68a7 scowled whenever c3772f9440 he saw 4fd9cae4d7 it, and b4382ed6d4 he’d even 67548d62cb spat in e3d61f5058 Yujin’s face, 4748555165 calling it cb7759963c grotesque. Others might 036ef0e673 not have 9f8e8cdf25 said it 8614fdc413 outright like 4026c248a9 Namta, but bc454fa6e6 none of 961cc94eb0 them looked f6646495c9 at Yujin 0f38818396 directly. Everyone avoided him 38676436e4 and whispered behind e9c5efc613 his back, too 2fd5918ac6 busy gossiping to 536152fdb2 treat him like e9a35b2d25 a person.327b63c4fc8492c8

Should he 2048d6dee4 offer an 8dfbeea328 excuse? Would making one 0c9e3ce104 even matter? It’s not f7e206402a like an 4b1c0fea22 excuse could 58bd8e9590 erase the 57317ead1b scar, and ad506c830d maybe trying 7d02ec1fee to explain fc09266032 it at 0d1a8852d4 all was a742a7c89f pointless.bef673b8356f9620

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As Yujin sank deeper f522819820 into silence, Bart gently 39b601e22e lifted his chin. Then, with care, he 360ece534f touched the scar — 5204e14751 softly, tenderly.5c81eceef4d8109f

“You’re still beautiful.”aa9d766c5c94c5cc

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“……”ba427041293dc3e3

Bart smiled 0e32aa71c5 and whispered.af0b334cb86dcf84

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“I missed you, Yujin.”b56314396bdf61bc

“……”d441605d12f8d064

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“I’m sorry I was late.”9eb4e659e80ab8a0

“……”cc989b899655e3a7

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“I tried to come as quickly as I could, but it didn’t go the way I wanted.”a4a25aa7d97cf1d7

“……”7356c9047fef3cc7

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At Bart’s whispered 6e0d695687 words, Yujin’s vision 7b99781c78 grew blurry. For a moment, e330a31aa9 he nearly blurted 07976058d5 out the question b544fe3d38 — Isn’t it f69099a993 ugly? — but he bit c747a00680 down on his lip 2b77ebf8ac and kept his mouth a02e25a2e9 shut.fe05bfdab438484f