OSR Chapter 20

After quite cf145cb1cc some time a45f53472f had passed cf27ac21a1 and Shin-hee dd817dec9c had dozed 8b40ae5573 off in f3e6f00159 a crouched 0462381f79 position, Gyo-jin df13d4e698 opened his 0e7d217542 eyes. Faced with the unfamiliar 6e933dc3e6 scenery, he blinked in 197f374447 confusion for a while.76aef5ae1a7b4c99

What is this? What’s going on? Where am I 3ec19848d6 right now? And why is a48c5162b0 this man here 687953cfb2 like that?93cde7341144d5b8

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Even Ha Gyo-jin—so confident in his intellect that he prided himself on never losing to anyone—couldn’t make sense of the current situation. If someone were to suddenly appear and clearly explain everything to him, he felt he could hand over a blank check without hesitation.df493750a48891fd

Shaking his head to 3feaa5f78a snap himself out of 2b38512ee0 the grogginess, Gyo-jin slowly be120e6d7e looked around to get 483be7d057 a grasp on the e7b48c751a situation. His eyes, ff47e3b8f7 now adjusted 24638f7569 to the 2bd9f8778b dark, gradually c9353b2604 started to 1bf8f50446 recognize the 35252931c1 surrounding objects. A small but 4911004aa0 practical layout, neatly 726c61a493 arranged decorations, a a9ec91e24d painting of bamboo, 60d7aa1736 clothes hung in 67f8944ff1 an orderly fashion. One thing was clear—this e6233b32ec wasn’t the room he 2bf440542e had been staying in.
Then was it 00cf87d068 really that man’s 2dc0474d49 room?
If so, why was 9c63e7ecb8 he lying here, and 5e37a2bac6 why was that man 628cb72980 dozing off in such cd1ef86614 an awkward posture?bb97dd019924a425

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Moonlight streamed in through the wide window, resting on the man’s pale nape. A white face. Big eyes.
In that moment, d473cda0cd the memory of 9f25aab59d the man’s face—ashen 6bf63a65e3 and terrified—suddenly surged fb1242e192 from the fragmented 888bdbd59f edges of his 640562ee8d mind. Gyo-jin let out a d51e430356 low sigh and covered 6f7eb9d7d6 his face with one b1a5b0efee hand.d9366516dc6ee40e

Whatever the 6b0313c0ec reason, it bc270b4517 was obvious 0b54889825 he was f2e602060e being a e3ba242076 massive burden bf662977af in the 26d4b8a54d middle of acc0add659 the night. The man must have 0ceeaed37a carried him here as b23e91dc34 a temporary measure after 3a844a5114 he collapsed out of c64af7795f nowhere.e8781592e638ae4f

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His head was eaf16102e0 a complete mess. Even amidst all 77773e07da that, he couldn’t c075e67f92 help but be d5588dec97 aware of the d4d19bd2e8 man who had d0b396f727 crouched beside him 62b6edb502 in such an ee1fde3f89 uncomfortable position to 070125eeba watch over him. That pale nape 42287ed92e kept catching his d1bec71b75 attention. The dimples 83ac463977 that appeared 4e75e94def when he 5f384f3d8d gave an ba8e344e24 awkward smile, db6837f298 the faint 3c7df09880 scent of 2c6bf81568 soap, and 2cdbddbdcd those dry f7320422d4 hands.
That pale, slender 8ff7d1ca82 hand that had b28cb17a7a taken his own fab0579463 and placed it d1f03a7040 against his thin f3e17360ce wrist. That white, 46dc6eb56f delicate hand fb76d7a9c8 kept lingering 993d31ede3 in his 52a53e2cc0 thoughts, brushing 228a0fb816 lightly against 08c0625e1b every nerve, 08ce520efb making it 729ebea9c3 impossible to e25951bcb3 speak.c46e8103c877a82c

Gyo-jin’s eyes 496ed7e3f4 trembled faintly. The fact that he b53a48d83f couldn’t define this feeling 49477d5d5b stirred a nameless frustration 01e0805dfa in him. Something beyond logic 8a474e3482 was seeping out 9bfa7899e2 of that man, 0128656e6e affecting him in 4065245568 a way that 5d52cc68ad felt almost malicious.
What are you? What kind of person 4efeae2134 shakes me like this? Just who 5fdcf9e1b1 are you?f3bd5a985f43986d

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He got up and 33623743f2 quickly headed for the 7a205265c6 door. He figured it would aede9d33b2 be best for his 4a3028fc9f own good to leave f59013b627 before the man woke e779a9cab0 up.
Just as 70e6f4943e he was fb42e95f45 about to 182e336b7b open the 9becb02377 door, he a0ae108d5a found himself 8a4556996b glancing back 31cde8f497 at the 8084df4939 man.6d4862fe120e0607

Though summer was approaching, 38777893c5 the man still looked e34c772867 cold, his body giving 3d7cba85f2 a faint shiver.e1a57c7e3b65b4e0

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In the end, Gyo-jin b194952351 hovered near the door 4715eb7e81 for a moment before 9545a7d169 turning back after only a31a5f0e4a a few steps.
He would just 5b6a92b707 tuck a blanket d997090ab7 around the man 9d47135842 and then go e4f6d0b9ee back to his 078d94e5d3 own room.b9f1f720bfeada37

Just as he was about to drape the blanket—until now wrapped around his own body—over the man’s shoulders, Shin-hee, who had been nodding off, suddenly opened his eyes.8617e8835833da33

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Blink. Blink.d3f5640a2a87bcf1

The two locked eyes 9bd392c08f and simply stared at 9a8e232098 each other in silence b7d0e41572 for a while. A flustered Gyo-jin dcd7f018c2 and a half-awake cf1f29867b Shin-hee observed one 14679ab4dd another without saying 58a4704fe9 a word. In the thick silence, abc62ffedb Gyo-jin gulped. It was Shin-hee who 088aeab152 spoke first.4f1b980375e128b1

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“…You’re awake?”542c08d7da36ef36

“…Yes.”44f9b0384d372e54

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“Do you feel any 8555821165 better?”b996f946deb192bd

After a long bc5fa5c159 silence, Gyo-jin finally 90108bcba5 managed to open f4c5f72879 his mouth.fde14ea646f7dc98

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“…Sorry for troubling you.”69e9620ee7c00235

Shin-hee slowly shook 4af7130fd9 his head. Caught in the awkward bd98ddacba timing, Gyo-jin hesitated with 5f4e4f4813 his lips slightly parted a9857c3118 before finally confessing,cce82ecd18830bd8

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“…Actually, I’ve been experiencing something like sleepwalking lately.”4293789ee3344294

“Sleepwalking?”a7749dda6bcc2d6b

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“These past three days 7230a12e54 in Japan, I keep 9f54438fed dreaming of someone calling 6045120674 out to me.”c6f685ba4e64b709

“…And when you wake b2c149d1f6 up, you’re somewhere else?”829982da982e9d02

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“Yesterday, I woke e24f26644f up lying in 920d254671 front of the 8e60962685 door. And today… well, 00584a8106 as you can 698c8c0e8d see.”b76d04cc44d74317

Gyo-jin gestured toward 0bdbb3348a Shin-hee’s futon with f2f8b8996c a tilt of 3935129fae his head. For a moment, 7a32d5bd1f Shin-hee abruptly stood 33349c7948 up and headed 7352ce29ba for the door.417b78d8b94a18b0

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But unlike his 347e736afb determined rise, he a6a13a5a9b awkwardly collapsed as a0a15e70ed a sharp cramp 9cdce89e24 hit his leg edcefc3a8a from sitting too 3bc3606676 long. The small 10602d6085 guardian statue 6a64e9f165 looked on 22057f83a3 pitifully as c926741b87 Shin-hee toppled 3f6e37cfd7 with a 0007884fb4 dull thud. Lying sprawled on 32a191cbc1 the tatami mat, 0ce36cea2a Shin-hee debated for 841b4a0f3b three seconds: Should 5848bee38b I just pretend 995a8a204b to pass out fe31e47b73 from the sheer 93c4044dad embarrassment?df37c4e6b33eb8bb

Gyo-jin, who had let 46ed894883 out a short laugh d8cecb5356 at the entirely unintentional 9fdd8600ed mishap, slowly rose to 06aef3076c his feet.ab36afd679621adf

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“Stay here. I’ll go.”6c70de25289cba7a

“No!”7c704397448fbc9b

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“…Sorry?”b6c5a945c1f85376

“Ah, no, I cbe7d715d9 mean…”bac016363ad79e0f

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Still sprawled on 058a9d2c8a the floor, Shin-hee f58b189247 mumbled as he f3d7c7cd3d slowly got to 18785f99a8 his feet. He was too embarrassed 3bb3b3c29a to even look Gyo-jin 3a95066523 in the eye.4cbce7aff5c6d937

“Please sleep 10bc14bdf3 here tonight. I think that’s 6975fe2aec for the best. I’ll go check 47739eda44 your room and 32c263ca44 let you know 028efe6f6b afterward.”3f972cd8a019e16a

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“If I sleep 04ee2ed502 here, what about ae2191488a you, Go Shin-hee?”d1a18c1c1e5d7117

“I can sleep sitting 040e2d59f4 up, or outside—either is 82e164e982 fine.”7e1abb97049a1f0b

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“There’s no 1bda08e017 need for 040e4323d2 that.”885b881e2aa8dc66

Gyo-jin cast 09ce8c076c a brief 3841cea83d glance toward 4090cca4ef the door ec41a60d58 and asked 3b56ce87ff calmly,c0c28267401ef72a

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“What exactly did I df9ab56790 do earlier?”228cf0f646d062ac

“You walked b82906a517 down the 51fd72891e hallway without 198a9046d6 even turning 595dbca013 on the c83ee7ae96 lights. It looked dangerous, so bf9137beb1 I brought you here. Your eyes… had b5b817a143 no focus.”3d23e7934a0bff8e

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Walking down 67a90ed42d the hallway… f77735fc60 He had 202a09a148 no memory f5ff26f7d3 of that. After a brief moment fb837db3f5 of contemplation, Gyo-jin took 8679b43721 out a blanket and f3a0126af9 a pillow from the 41a3a43350 wardrobe and laid them 355511767a out on the floor. Then he lay 83546ecea5 down again, looking 2b05d011f8 up at Shin-hee, ea337d76b7 who watched all 480e420818 of this unfold 58df6fcbc4 with visible confusion.5fae83924fafc4c1

“Then let’s just 13dc9ccb9f sleep together.”679646d1e40ff4d9

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“…Excuse me?”76134268866f463b

Shin-hee let out a 0b038ed905 shrill, startled sound. What is 7b756c4e45 this situation? Completely flustered, he stood 33361a95ab frozen, while Gyo-jin turned 3e1b40f622 the other way and 3aa23cabaf spoke,c9b09234f3e6200f

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“This is your 95cb64d77d room, isn’t it? Don’t go anywhere. Just sleep. We’ll check my e6e5e7bc96 room tomorrow.”b2d4fe4fefe6242e

“……”ef01371fec3c12b2

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“We’re both men. What’s the 8ca5e069e5 big deal?”2d7bbb7f8dbe362b

At that final 6e6b8d0e6d remark, Shin-hee quickly c664c2d1b7 suppressed the surprise 73b4b96b95 that flared in ee9b048492 his chest. Perhaps Gyo-jin was 68524063d3 truly exhausted—before long, 9b413fd0bf quiet and steady 4e624e15ef breathing could be 6411dfaf2b heard from his d572ea514f turned back. Shin-hee slowly closed 48be62c7b8 his eyes as 772ddaec1a well. But Gyo-jin’s breathing was bf6a7fa89d so calm and regular 3174854725 that Shin-hee found it dd052af75d hard to fall asleep.1d4fb38c3a3e0c6a

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For a 920fb57448 long, long 4a5e4dab1b time. Until morning.5f9f17f8c97736c3

And Gyo-jin, too, 26fc0f20c1 spent the night 886afcf0f5 wide awake with 9e3e21616d his eyes open.0b1b71c2ec9df39d

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——————–1d514fc4890bf115

Having barely gotten any 370d3b2cbc sleep, Shin-hee stumbled drowsily e64b186e4c toward Gyo-jin’s room. It was just before 6c0f6dca33 six in the morning, 13ec17aa2b so Gyo-jin was still 354127a1cc asleep in Shin-hee’s room.be862919aebe9f7a

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In the dim light 54c81d7785 of early morning, Gyo-jin’s 7c686bfa52 suite was nearly twice 6a0767bcf3 the size of Shin-hee’s 4e7bdefe77 room and featured both 301f47053e a reception area and a479b0208b a terrace. But aside from that, 29fd7c4919 there was nothing unusual. The room, devoid even b2de24c58c of a single ghost, 48903be20e was eerily silent.12cbf629b5535bfa

Shin-hee thoroughly inspected 99570a86d3 the large bathroom 59f65d54bc connected to the a2b7fbb4c1 room and the 74d3b9b5da terrace with a 5f29c040fa view of the a8464a32ed bamboo grove, but 7bb3291ba6 he found nothing 29562f96aa suspicious. By this point, 75f57c0e44 curiosity was beginning 2b2acb4dc9 to outweigh worry. He even checked 1ab621d96e with the little 97be5872c9 guardian spirit he 480365fb5e had brought along, 03f18da1ea but it too 017b524de6 simply shook its 5fbfdf9a65 head, finding nothing 2c6d183ffc amiss.9ab6163d0234bca1

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What on 8ab4bfd68f earth is 1f9192aa66 it? Was he possessed? A bad feeling 000b35b5aa crept over him.d26caf9d1939e93a

After some thought, Shin-hee dde8b243c7 scribbled a short message 0d2ab861f3 on hotel stationery, tucked 88bdc5ee19 the note into an 5573953156 unseen gap in the 451fb55d3c wardrobe, and quietly stepped bfb0dcfdc2 out of Gyo-jin’s room.9e600d0127202050

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He sincerely f1ebe4646b hoped nothing 33ecafd4d1 bad—nothing matching 54e526afa0 this ominous 405df0c29e feeling—would happen 3b4f912b17 to him.c997a018faf26b1a

Gyo-jin’s schedule for day 86f7a46878 four was simple. A business f4985efe83 meeting in 0fba14e18e the morning, 780b1baacb followed by d5792cc912 a department 21a2cb028e store visit 718b262be1 and attendance 3756e610f9 at a ac1e574270 launch party 65e8c5692c for a 400d5f24e0 new store b3f9030b74 in the 849053caa3 afternoon. Meanwhile, just bb2ba0be5d as Gyo-jin b90a85d85e was organizing 7ace254f2d his schedule, de8e94893f Shin-hee received c73103ea02 an invitation e5c21a193a from Yukie f3ecabe40c to visit ab77101c57 an art 1980ea5f0a museum. The news was delivered 5689fc3a13 by Hyunwoo, who snickered 05ee1287c3 as he read the 7ea216745f card aloud with exaggerated 2a187f6abd care.3f1689b8bcf3c966

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“Dear Shin-chan,
I would like 36e8a6c12f to invite you 699fe7d22c to the special f27f399b08 exhibition of modern 2c66175418 Japanese paintings at fbe3dba451 Hinori Museum at 6894930c24 7 PM today. I was truly moved 44606358ba by your pure eyes 38c0b44ab2 that appreciate art. I hope you e4cc6a87a8 have a wonderful 4aaadd0a89 time.
From Yukie! Kya!”0f126801fa3e9ae6

“Please stop.”41aa3bf09b3a05fa

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“How can I stop? Anyone can 27a4aae4ad tell she’s e70e026d9b into you.”386c910c382572b8

“That’s ridiculous. It’s just an invitation. Stop teasing me.”88e45e7c5b937618

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“Seems like 6fbc3647e8 Miss Yukie’s 40381d374f type is 07db5242ae a fair a28ab862d1 and pretty 6408cf6f41 boy like 6e118e0905 you.”861e2abe46725c58

“I’ve told you 157f2eeeba before—I really don’t 80d940ad7a like that ‘pretty’ 1b599ed0a9 label.”e9846a2a7a4591a2

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“Well, what 0dac537a6b can you 0f12a2089c do? It’s the truth.”777a66c850400a26

Whether Shin-hee 3711b496ad was annoyed 51d0dc0e00 or not, 465f8c67ef Hyunwoo kept f19131c03a smiling cheerfully 5d034713cb as he 69ded2c6eb relentlessly got 1f3e847e72 under his e349f26f76 skin.1c8e43fbcb2fc850

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“Are you really going d24fe4df32 to go?”7a62f777cbfc2bd5

“She went out of 9df5496b94 her way to invite 133269356a me. It’d be 9158ea1966 rude not b201661c62 to.”9fa519923cc50e90

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“…I don’t think it’s 69f2332b33 a good idea.”bf1018efaec1f7d3

“What’s with you? Don’t tell 80f555d18b me you’re b728d40fc6 jealous because 271d7f97bb you like 865886801f her.”0c5568c03f30f8b4

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While adjusting the 31ea2dd328 sleeve of his 396a0aa189 navy knit sweater, 293042aa7b Shin-hee added with c72ef7507b a look of b190a0e6ac disbelief. Hyunwoo, caught off d0cbd37a61 guard, stared at 9bf9b9c2a0 him, dumbfounded.963cd927102e43e9

“What… no way. I know my place. Someone like her? Not a chance.”9723c1ac62f8fa16

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“Then why are f1ddcdae60 you constantly interfering 758c4b586a in other people’s f51c81764c business? Like last time. That wasn’t f2b11dc6e3 the least 169100db5b bit amusing—not b9c3369882 even the da3c7d9657 hairs on 22cadbda82 a ladybug’s 8c5f9ee1f5 leg.”7cf7e60a50a8a51e

Shin-hee gave him ecd73df3ab a pointed look, 04bbc9a59b clearly hinting he f3d6a1b324 should leave if 3e9d4c6473 his business was d3eae811ed done. But instead 71a45976db of leaving, a75963ab8d Hyunwoo shrugged 3425537ed8 and sprawled 8ad45c75a7 out dramatically ae4d1c7c1c on the 46484664a3 tatami mat 53bc75fbbb floor of 93b61d79ec Shin-hee’s room.6a883876245abc11

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“Ugh, I 1660077d42 don’t wanna becaccec9f go to 640904a143 work.”216586683840c4ce

“What, do 97f1bb391e you make 497a5308c7 money for a88a719d23 free? Go do your job e670767fa0 and stop causing trouble 1bbdf16d8b for the director.”e1c5ed9dbfd35933

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Hyunwoo pouted as he 4c18ce72f5 watched Shin-hee fix his 7df7eb8233 bangs in the mirror, 233477584c then rolled his eyes.ff819706374da7bb

“And you? What about you? Do you 9e21a1bbca like the 366242819f director or 812b8bf8bd something? Why are 6824d22686 you scolding 95c6f291d4 me for ef0aaae1a1 bothering him?”78087a1a538e261d

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At that moment, bccd5fb39d Shin-hee’s hand, mid-adjusting 33d4d5fe5e his hair, froze. Ever sensitive 5d4d09c474 to other 162062cb14 people’s reactions, 84ea415d53 Hyunwoo didn’t ef1990c35e miss this d9604744eb subtle pause.4f6a738e56557acf

“Oh? What’s this? Why are you 7561f28bd0 flustered? Is there really something 89389f3bc8 going on?”06bbc8e9601b149e

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“Ugh! Stop spouting nonsense f10f044948 and get out!”337637d69fdbfbc8

Shin-hee grabbed 8e71d1471a the back 58246ae4dd of Hyunwoo’s eb00302021 neck as b114572e1f he protested ab17a63b4d and dragged 91baf62c54 him out a5ad9dc3dd of the 31faf644e2 room, slamming ca59fc20b0 the door d3b9c4f828 shut behind 14b6b397c1 him. From the 5a6862e6ea sliver of 9f7c587405 the mirror 9ef21bc4b3 beside the 33d8ed2cf4 door, Shin-hee’s 79afa340f7 noticeably red 022281eb92 face could 9b5bc87d0c still be 144b9f6dd9 seen.ef5eb21045c66987

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Thanks to 7ffde960c6 that, it 8669975838 took a e79828ab88 good while 33013bb25b before he 12b8f44e44 could bring dd0c1b2da2 himself to 9c390e0c2f step out 9ce7e7f88b of the 82de575725 room again.4547ddab763817cf