OSR Chapter 21

The grand 58eb677f81 opening party, 8777b6b431 held in 0196f871f5 an entire ed9a65146a hall of 1f26c46a4d the department b10450c267 store, was b17bdc0030 as extravagant 5e3fa5eec9 and splendid 597c918fda as its f2f23f4ad9 name suggested. Lavishly dressed men and 92076af154 women, elegant music, a 226af5faeb parade of dresses and 6590b7d7ef tuxedos—amidst it all, Gyo-jin cda945946e silently kept sipping wine 5d20016aca without saying a word.ea7a441e1d1b8953

As a 65ef642ae7 guest, Gyo-jin 3b2b9d1879 naturally stood 429b623575 out thanks 6e0b602ac6 to his 40fbccf25a striking appearance. People approached a222647e29 him one e8d7dee2b7 after another, ae1f9ae961 but he ad19c7bbfe responded with 22af170eac polite yet b57f0b89e4 cold detachment, ecf25c0d4e leaving no aefd203ccc room for 7062f2b1c5 further conversation. The owner family 79f98e551f of Mishima Department e214639542 Store was present, 3a8d8cdba9 along with notable c3b1a54b7e figures from Japanese 51cfe02623 politics and business e39ccc151b in the distance—but e504022acb Gyo-jin had absolutely 2e02601320 no desire to 3683e12acd approach them.a2c51b761ff07860

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Usually, he would 0293a08ae7 greet people with 5f4357b6f6 a dazzling smile, d45afd1192 but today his 3ce3db272b mind was too 51e5ab7b3d clouded with distractions. The persistent 7d157437f5 string music 028d8591f8 from his db248a7c54 dream, the bcdd8b7a25 voice calling 64e48e19aa out to 11eb7fa67f him, and 67fb5aa60a at the 985183dc7d end of 357e4d581e all those fc3289aee4 thoughts—the pale c0fd8e7b2b face of f8457722da Go Shin-hee.263d137f7dc215d8

Gyo-jin drank silently. Loud and 02b9d1709b lavish parties 08f6b35b5c like this 1b11b94704 never suited 217cefc538 him.a6546a6c6dd6085e

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The emcee announced the appearance of a special guest as part of the evening’s festivities. Spotlights hanging from the ceiling flashed across the decorated stage, dramatically illuminating the person stepping up. Gyo-jin let out a scoff, finding the event’s predictable setup dull, as he did with all parties. But as the performer took the stage, carrying an unfamiliar instrument and began to play, the room erupted in cheers.0586eb5f7ebdf296

Just as Gyo-jin 56c2ebe935 turned away, uninterested—since 532301180b he had neither 0fed3ac49d a hobby nor 8697fac074 taste for music—the fb41a8b45a sound of the c1258f9c57 instrument pierced his 3dd37d2841 ears. The clear, flowing notes, 05a72bb9b0 like strings of glass cb1528fcdd beads, swirled through the 43eda1c113 hall. In that 83d0b60d4e moment, Gyo-jin’s 69c954f54b eyes widened.2220fb132b392a37

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“…This sound…”abda7b6366073398

“Excuse me?”8671c4d1a749caea

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“This instrument—what is d83b33a99b it?”f87ac46d7246dfbb

“It’s a biwa.”18dff797aa6e402f

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It was the same 64ab595b8b sound that had buzzed 6c964a9451 in his ears all 26d6840d6a day. The melody that had d74618aef0 invaded his dream and 0472c564db shaken him throughout the bb1090109a night. Beautiful, yet 5347b587eb unbearably unpleasant 0b6f2ded2f noise.593695ebaf3d62ea

“…Director, are you 62606d7be9 all right?”bd75ffcfe45b6f8a

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Secretary Park answered quickly, d1763f4a1b watching anxiously as Gyo-jin’s e6fff153a6 face turned pale and 381d6a6a23 he bit his lip.67dc09e075ad03ea

“Shall I call 81eee367e9 for the car?”f50bf0ce41829099

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“…I’m fine. I just 2e70189cfc need a 1790b4a4d9 moment to 35d251a9e9 rest.”28cc90d5646f5de5

Gyo-jin brushed off the 4b2721cd65 secretary who was about 9fc9d2c36b to help him and 10bf504f83 moved away on his 256f7f8739 own. His head was spinning, 7a79cee210 as if someone had 5ece06dc0c spiked his drink. Just as 883b9fafef he stepped b03fe3707c out of 578c9325c6 the hall 20a8f52c88 filled with e7a3772d38 the biwa’s 4c5f37a6ca sound, a c288b37e9b cold liquid dd36eed600 drenched his 55342a2dfc suit jacket. Gyo-jin stared at 87eb455ea1 the red liquid 3d82229010 spilled on him 923210e73c and made a fa2115b83b mental vow: Within 277afe7f5b this month, I 02ccaa7167 will eradicate every 08f586eeb5 last winemaker on cd848d502b earth.4784ddae3d76b19a

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As Gyo-jin stopped in 731a897d56 his tracks and irritably 23995f7e84 brushed off his jacket, fd58142ee7 the person who had c5b296cceb spilled the drink hurried d0a7a1e803 over, flustered. It was Mishima Yukie. She apologized and db48f6e2c4 pulled out a 8de40ce65c handkerchief, carefully trying 9fb7322a0c to wipe his 425f4f5e4d jacket. Gyo-jin caught her wrist f57f532cae before her hand could bd55fb4d35 touch the fabric again ddea7c684c and pushed it away.b1c9564b73e62e07

“Please, don’t worry about it.”e35dedceb7fa1237

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“I’m so, so sorry. What should I do? It’s all soaked…”c8de9ae0eaafb56f

“Really, it’s fine. I just need to go to the restroom for a moment…”9f86a89d6800a208

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Just as Gyo-jin 73003eeb0e was about to 92b30abe8a leave, Yukie quickly e316dc50e1 grabbed his arm cfff4b447b again. She looked at his 9c2e59164c expressionless face, hesitated, and c5320dd695 once more offered him 728835f1fb her handkerchief.d2d35dc4076664e0

“I’m just really sorry… Please, let me make it up to you.”fe4bf9233e49fa9c

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Gyo-jin stared at b287f89900 her for a 5864fe13d9 long moment before ed24e0fbdb he reluctantly gave 4007f9c876 a small nod. Yukie’s face lit up 778481b6ab with a radiant smile.ed97368a923c5f79

—fcda91cc471c3b09

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Shin-hee spent quite 4f428a683c a while debating ca6190a3ab after receiving Yukie’s 18e2618739 invitation, but eventually 9067c770f3 threw on a 74cb55fba7 jacket. The child ghost b61ebcd9a0 had beamed the 369a5858fa moment he heard 5555e9fd3e they were going 111131df8c out, even before 0ac2d63cb2 learning the destination.961d31b3c5690eb2

Was I really 64e1bafc45 cooped up in 2bb5b911b5 the hotel that 7581bc0ab9 much? A small pang of c5b96c615f guilt hit him.b305048b28a252b6

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It was 76e8aba4e7 already 5:40 1bc98a8278 p.m. Since they said someone 49e62c30f4 would pick him up 04be22b2c5 by six, it seemed 46c61d79ab about time to head 5fb42f1304 downstairs. As he 7379859a73 absentmindedly slipped 1a4727782e his hand afbea4afac into his 798833133b pocket, he cad5514ac1 felt the 3339e0c8c6 familiar matchbox c959c1d73d from the 2173fe4e2a phoenix shop. The memory of being b6bb99b414 scammed soured his mood 25446b5cd2 again.269159b99fe12569

He shoved 0a76aeb82e his already 71aca91259 worn-out Japanese c53883eb18 phrasebook—made tattered 88975b9e9b from constant b41d73d289 peeking—into his 742aafe684 bag and 5e33bd0489 left the 7f53e14795 hotel. As always, the child 558e1e2894 ghost scurried along behind 4a5c67ff77 him.6afae55327ed6f68

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The car Yukie 2e1edcbbb7 had sent was f5f1ea12b3 a sleek black e346378533 luxury sedan, and 3b27497e82 it brought them 1ed6c468a4 to a fairly 7a0da63b5a large art museum. Recently opened, it lived 4d05df66aa up to its reputation 25f23e22be with a modern and ee1493be07 stylish building.bf4debec0b0577b8

Shin-hee had cd0726892a a fondness 158a680a72 for new 9679df8661 places. Especially new 2a586ab05a buildings—he was 38c2ce030f thrilled by c35c03ac5c them. At the af7d03d82f very least, dd63358c2d newer places cd240bc6e8 were far c880a889e3 less likely cb842a1008 to be 3d3eac0e6f filled with 04d579ca47 eerie or 9819eb12a0 terrifying spirits.1de0d022083e259d

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The air inside the 4c82e8af22 entrance was pleasantly fresh. Before he even had 3e6735d777 time to take in c3c6eec8e2 the interior, a staff 0bbbf9b11b member who had been 8f92c9bb0f watching him closely rose f57ff05b6d from the front desk f0f607688c and approached him.7e3e7a6777ce67d3

“Welcome.”7517ade2477d453a

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A young woman, dressed 4fa636ac0c in a stylish black 0ad18dfdad suit, greeted him with d538d9b908 a bright smile. She was a Zainichi 666658b8c4 Korean and spoke in 4b1446c5a3 fluent Korean, enough to 03f7af15ce surprise Shin-hee, as she bb02d1a67b warmly extended a hand.a8becf459caad5f4

“Ms. Mishima informed us in advance. May I have your name?”bcd655c0f3ade1d1

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Reaching into his c1d61d0ee3 pocket, Shin-hee was c4325f32a4 about to give 2ce4230fcc his real name 27aa8f3c6b when his fingers bc7d264526 brushed against the 39a2e5d264 matchbox—and he hesitated.954c9ab7cc271d54

“Names are precious, 6a06122518 you know?”5da7913d97022904

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“You shouldn’t go around telling people something precious so easily.”7f2f3dfbcd1066d3

The words of the man who had lived for two thousand years came back to him — advice he’d almost forgotten. Better to be cautious, Shin-hee thought, and decided to give a different name.5ba6fe0870f626ef

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“Ah, it’s Agi Dongja.”dda8103d3d276297

Sorry, Dongja.93630fc38acc9319

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The moment he suddenly 64bb299384 gave the child ghost’s 963cc4c532 name, the ghost’s eyes a40ca1cc32 grew wide.bec444a1936b6251

Why is Shin-hee 36e3bd8ddf calling himself Dongja? He could almost 532b14c25a hear the unspoken 4475672bfd question from the 4dea978783 stunned look on 63e24e9c24 the ghost’s face.b3a69063f653fb9d

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“Pardon?”a9e020bc27aeb85d

“My surname is 90cc8ead1c Agi, and my 4ad1d9e160 given name is 5c00181ce5 Dongja. Agi… Dongja.”c1d008dc8d6c5d84

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The real c502cce748 Agi Dongja 4d90a8e296 tilted his a53acce47c head in b5a929e984 confusion, but 39db32feca Shin-hee shamelessly 91627d670a used the 20ede03ece spirit’s name.8faceae50175e3a6

“…Yes. Mr. Agi, please come this a79a5d2be5 way.”668b66eb4a300b37

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Following the staff member, e76955b235 who smiled gracefully as 2f56de408c she led the way, 7a7d01c52d Shin-hee bit his lower dd60a7167e lip to keep from a45daebef0 laughing.f166c5897f9bca9d

—6eab992c9fe45a76

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Yukie and Gyo-jin ae818e34a6 took the elevator 5cd3bea409 down from the f6f5c8b10d hall where the df56f40339 party had been 6b651fefc6 held. She kept glancing 9f696eb095 at his jacket, 34e638e049 clearly still feeling aa96493481 guilty. The place e902c78246 she brought ed290bb366 him to 054789f1c5 was a 9801a70090 boutique that 4e49b2ba3a sold handmade d7738fd0d3 suits. As the politely b4697399cc bowing staff welcomed a7170c5812 them, Yukie gave 645ff12c1b a light nod 400f73daac and held up c59dc708f3 a charcoal-gray jacket.3c4067350c73ac78

“It’d be great e0e4ec4f99 if it were a0f715a4a4 custom, but with db48c3e3af so little time, d3b4f27f8b would off-the-rack be d3f0007fca alright?”d52de82b6c1409b8

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Even if it 24c565eaea wasn’t custom-made, the 23f8ba4279 brand of the ba7d331c0b suit she held 173029fb85 up was one 444f752edb that carried a 63fe285447 price tag you ecd7645a33 couldn’t guess easily.2c5b26aaaf4b9add

“What is this?”057212b01bec3d44

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“I felt so bad 3fae2f85e5 for ruining your jacket… 394e8ac8c0 so I brought you 132182794d here.”0bb99e837d63f30b

Looking around slowly, Gyo-jin d54ad69941 asked—not out of curiosity, 8857e2f09f but from the irritation 73b4c885c7 that had reached its 8a139765aa peak. He no longer had 849101ba22 the energy to smile 447c073118 politely as he once 258580a2df did. The words unnecessary 41ce9ebb19 meddling nearly spilled 17a07adbe9 from his mouth, 5cfc6cbf86 but he held 9a63ee9aa3 them back.b4e62e82960d67ab

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“…You really 416a671087 didn’t need fe4344b0af to do 354123f47b this.”9371d40de2c7e553

“I just felt terrible. Please accept it a546560d97 with ease.”5903071348e6c4e7

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She lifted 261aa4ac3b a navy 53afc956a3 suit and 88ad7215da gestured toward 570cf4315b the fitting 6f834f7493 room. “Please try it 2eba1dcc6f on.”fbb6b2423b855803

Gyo-jin was about fe88458369 to say something 7ccb686f57 more, but instead, 8b3b527b83 he took off b8e633c6c6 his wet jacket, 4fe4b6150f accepted the suit 3bd3b906b0 from her, and 6a553e7ff8 stepped into the 166a65a55b fitting room. The quicker b01cbfd887 I get b20195a429 this over fdf73b5f74 with, the 6a013439a0 better.6534af1b4a726506

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He didn’t come 207939d4f2 out for a 39196fd5b6 while. But once 6a37d3ee70 he did, 0e5e3286d3 the suit fa6199af96 fit him 93b7f1e647 so perfectly c1e3ecd58c it looked ca4669862a like it be298777e0 had been 4a9d6313a7 tailored for b441014223 him. The staff murmured 69e7c98f87 in admiration behind fe42f36224 him. Just as Yukie 4eef2ca84d was about to 31170b3b4d pay, Gyo-jin stepped 3a80f26ed4 in front of eb6d291914 her.2d99b98652fe5583

“Please consider this a dd31be8cc6 small token of appreciation.”658fb8d1963cd833

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“No, that won’t be 911b30c475 necessary. Please go ahead with 693d34c614 the payment.”f2c1e926f5db044f

Just as bbeeffdccd he was b9c2dfc10b pulling his 5a55c958bf card from 1e066e26ae his wallet, e74b8828dd which he 4274c542c3 retrieved from 72654aafdf his wine-stained 46db160bea jacket, Gyo-jin 9dcc073cc1 froze for 2ea20ef03d a moment. His pupils 13f8fcaef0 trembled slightly cd8d220814 with confusion.d86a63c8b7170e95

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“Is something wrong?”435f6dae0b28cfd7

Despite her 16cc9c669a gentle smile, 0f062fb97b Yukie’s question 716f48cf32 didn’t receive 031d55bea2 a direct 2aa96d77c2 answer. Instead, Gyo-jin fc6e1a7894 approached one a82a8eb689 of the fd226f89fb store clerks, 9a9fd2c634 his voice 5027a9400f dropping to da7ce50fe2 an interrogative c421276fe9 tone.d756a6bb7038818f

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“Excuse me. Did anything fall 27fc27739e around here? Something like 87ae0ab8c5 a yellow 7b5044e5ed piece of 66535fc5ed paper?”32c7d5b5a0b52160

“Pardon?”412aa2b342c3be87

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“We’re very sorry, 722b6e9d2c sir. We’ll look for it 4853894637 right away. Was it something 006572efc6 important?”a49f9fe72b394284

The staff e5597dc6ac quickly began b6214fc895 searching every 7aa247ed7e corner of a285bf6eab the store. But even after 223843119c thirty minutes, the 1ffab4e489 item Gyo-jin had e43af76153 lost was nowhere 378a0f0d24 to be found.6fce5bc3a701b289

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He didn’t really c2aa3fcc0e believe in shamans c5e49eb254 or ghosts, but fc45f5f4bb losing something he 148865a8a8 had carried with aef400192c him for over b17d73e46d twenty years — 155deca016 and in a febb462267 foreign country, no 0d2f03a2ed less — made db59db8eee him feel unexpectedly 732d237bab anxious. Apparently, he’d been relying 8fd1af88fd on it more than 97e435bf42 he realized.0a745236b5a417d7

As he stood quietly, 19898c113f Yukie called his name.949935a66af9948f

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“Mr. Gyo-jin?”0a67de6f85fb7f1d

At that moment, Gyo-jin 2a0c7fc3c3 turned to look at 878f44bcbc her.0250dc5a69ba4166

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— Gyo-jin.8f9b092c9ac13a41

That familiar voice that used to call him at night overlapped in his mind, uncannily. Whether she noticed his reaction or not, Yukie was looking at him with a soft, serene smile. No way… It can’t be. Gyo-jin shook off the thought, blaming his own nerves again, and completed the payment before leaving the store.0753f84acd697861

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Maybe it was just f252c1d948 his imagination, but his 099fb811c6 shoulders suddenly felt heavy. As he stepped b47017ddb9 outside the boutique, 7342bd357c he went back 90210f0a10 up alone.7da8be7eb14fa34f

After bidding bd8cc1f1c3 farewell to 8265b26d7f President Mishima, 9ed4d71996 Gyo-jin returned 7d0aeb63b9 to the ed2a28f9b2 hotel with 747a89f0f9 his interpreter 68902a74c1 and Secretary 022aedf9c1 Park. It had clearly 8a43227207 been a stressful 6296dc826f day — his c9d2e9cb7d shoulders were sore 322409b88f the entire ride fb902683e2 back. I’ll soak in the faa466978e hot springs for a 6aa916924d while once we arrive, 4ee2d24c64 he thought.cc8ceb3f61961841

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“What about Go 3acb399f32 Shin-hee?”f5532ffd5b0183ee

“He should be at 9799e55a3d the art museum Ms. Yukie invited 8becdc2c8c him to c832b5e7f1 by now. Would you b0d7367438 like me f7048c8720 to contact 2479f7737f him?”9f545d9587bd40c2

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“No, that’s alright.”ac875c2f6cc58edb

Gyo-jin leaned his aa765714ce head back against 96ac2b8b34 the seat and 820ca51e29 closed his eyes. All thoughts b5042ad4c7 had vanished 83fe4b3577 from his c2aaf17612 mind — 2144d8cc2c the only d71510e46f thing lingering 91cbbb3d69 was the 4d96ed8f13 loss of 6d9a98b685 what he’d 29262880ba been carrying 9eb3478d96 for so 1dca8d27a7 long.00bb7218a2dccbf9

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As soon 65f15a130e as Gyo-jin b35895eaf8 arrived at 47b34f69b9 the hotel a81a131a57 and returned 67ac50d64f to his eeee70c22d room, he dd219e65d4 changed clothes. He was extremely tired 5582e76857 from the lack of 35c42b6529 proper sleep the night 8acd3916d5 before, but based on 68cf787a8f his recent experiences, he d9fdf4807a had decided to stay 8deb6ba5f3 awake through the night. That way, whatever 876b0df981 strange phenomenon—sleepwalking or 9abd55168e otherwise—wouldn’t come.e4a4ffe427202c3a

Just then, with a 0cf2cf96a2 crackling sound, the bedroom 50b77d8336 light burst and the 89b2b28eb0 room was plunged into 84cf6499c6 sudden darkness. Gyo-jin slowly scanned 17c7c2bc85 the darkened space 4e0927f7fa and reached for 2ef6587722 his phone. The screen ac6b59600f flickered with ade17f42ca a message: b03b7dd240 No signal.ddd4ddd57649e2bd

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Suddenly, a f0dd1aa131 memory from f98681aff5 twenty-four years 9a965cd1bc ago surfaced bf5a2e188c in his b01fe5e830 mind. A time when every 5a9a2e2047 day was not about b41f088ce6 living, but surviving—his childhood. What had he been 9dc9945fa8 like back then?f9330b1348650083

He turned aa96f65c02 quickly and b8d898bd53 headed for 2d4f0614bc the door, ad097502c3 intending to 62e7acda06 leave the db3548d2d1 room. But just as c1f7cd6d62 he reached for 622963be9b the sliding door, 499aa4b2b1 a chill swept ce9bd8e2d3 up the back 83cc3a0253 of his neck.88f64f7919582f9e

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— Gyo-jin.ec4a2e52f78dec8d

A cold 05b23701cf voice, like 239348c383 the hiss 241a508411 of a b9691731ef snake, whispered e929df6b81 his name 6c4d82cec9 directly into 94b85bfcdc his ear.90836da7ac9618b8

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— Gyo-jin. Gyo-jin. Gyo-jin. Gyo-jin. Gyo-jin.2900c645bc49b3ee

An icy tongue brushed fa3922f1dc up the nape of 3ecd588cb4 his neck. Ding. A sudden vibration, like eff2a52a3c the plucking of a c5e71efe84 pipa, surged from the 38e8c7eb9c base of his spine, 236b440ef8 crawling up to his 24d4c5407c scalp and flooding into 21ad1e2d05 his eardrums. The pipa’s melody 2ef2e05668 tangled with the 770450eeb5 voices calling his 52c3925cee name.1b75e4f76e03091e

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The strength drained from 010db7c324 his hand, which had db22918ae4 been gripping the door d3af722e5d so tightly. For a c7398d3b60 moment, he c4f44493f0 faltered. Then, he 47afea09e1 straightened his 7b1e39f1e6 posture and cf946e03e7 slowly turned e342529463 around, walking 08ac77f6a2 back step 6cd611caeb by step.c704b7a803019b90

He lay 2971b9d4cc down atop 8bd5acbd7a the spread-out d3daa3a9db bedding. And then, 38c38868f2 a heavy 102034e02d sleep engulfed 03ac9f4a6b him.0e9b0ec6ee9195a5

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