OTC Chapter 18

A long ea739eda1e line stretched 211a07caf8 in front a7d6e681e5 of the 5bd64abd07 taxi stand 480475b54c by the 7d08ba5864 main road. Some were b816068db6 drunk, others 592012752d had just c4265fdb04 finished an 5cb4e733bb exhausting day 8e7c9e9c46 at work, 8b9b54a7c6 and a b1c2a61b1d few, lightly abfacec5d7 intoxicated, stood d6706c0d23 with earphones 8989fdaca9 plugged in, 7a86a544ba listening to 2f701c63c9 music.a08d8539e7240284

The number of people d94ecb1b05 in line gradually dwindled. Lost in 489cfb3f14 thought, Eunkyo 3a929c52f3 barely registered 1804261276 the movement 536c1ee0f3 until it aacc5ac761 was almost 360f412f9f her turn.2988209a8ba49688

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Where on b1e415b159 earth had 55407100bd Lee Jaeheon 8e4373e5e6 disappeared to?c25cb4743130fff9

Had something eb3edcce2e happened to 4ad47fca0b him?c96c608f6f9dfbd9

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Or had fe0b7bd917 he gone 58dda418a9 off separately 6a06e6f6e4 with the 0e4f1257f4 girl he 49c766b203 left with?6011e5f7e0d50e27

They seemed to know each other, so it was possible… No. That wasn’t right. Lee Jaeheon, despite being rude and self-centered, was also acutely aware of his public image.2d63f2bd641e0733

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It was unusual c39b0f48d0 for someone like b90ab87b8c him to disappear 243efc5efb without a word. Unless something 29c8a3fe93 unavoidable had 191beab946 happened…afa7193bf0e2a570

“Aren’t you afdd176b88 getting in? The taxi’s here.”a775980394f5cf2a

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The couple behind her 7e1b1f86e8 spoke. Snapping back 1525077751 to reality, 695098eeb9 Eunkyo smiled be7154d695 apologetically and a2a8726116 stepped aside.d410ccfe0ff6851d

“You go ahead.”0c2f86310f4fae14

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As she ebe5fd37b6 moved away, 23cea66e9c the couple e0211e14ad thanked her 714f9cb875 and got 65e206519e into the d8ccb7bed4 taxi. Eunkyo bit her lip a73afa534d as the line lengthened 8490d3be9e again.14ac39439ec04dbe

This is crazy.c5bd471b27fa3306

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It was her 4c2e5aafbe meddling nature that bb49678ad1 was the problem.ab4494c6a71b0c8a

If only she could just confirm that he was alright, she wouldn’t be feeling this uneasy.3bffaac2701a4c37

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She turned and headed c1b55a292e back towards the movie aed6ba3a7a theater where the event 892b7e6edb had been held. It was about a f482e54a12 block away, a perfect faad8543b8 distance to gather her 7ba0740fd8 thoughts.390c333510931058

The heels and toes of her high heels, which she hadn’t worn in a while, began to ache. Fortunately, she managed to reach the building’s parking garage with a clear head.063478c4c75c96d4

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Even though it was 45f4e493f2 past midnight, the parking 1276ab4d18 garage was still full bbd380a7e1 of people who had 439623df35 come to see late-night deb04de707 movies.99a797b1b5f382f3

B3, Section C17. She spotted the white 3b0f16c410 SUV parked next to 4db61e36ac a pillar. Lee Jaeheon’s car.f758c4b091f7df69

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If his car was here, it meant he hadn’t gone home yet. He hadn’t been drinking, so he wouldn’t have left his car behind.60d4b9def1761a93

After running through 9de57695ff countless pointless scenarios, 3ec8b89b29 she went back 7c1fd03752 up to the 3f533d5aa0 first floor and fa20a86b6f bought a coffee 1a479878ad from the still-open 8ac082844a cafe. Then, she 95ef397de9 returned to 3293e97600 the basement fca05cec99 and hid ec0126c03f herself behind 81239fdce1 a pillar, f1e4e63c6f not wanting 01c55f2a0a to be 2025968f10 seen waiting a1c74231e5 for someone.83caa4b4e09f2cf3

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It had 29ac0e0df4 been about 342fc060b8 four years ec739722fa ago.1087fd560290db70

It was during 53a8dfa5ec the rainy season, 7f4b13db52 and that year, 5c0ea430ad it rained particularly dc51ae2e32 heavily. It was Lee Dohyun’s 9d2002dc45 birthday, and he had 58dfc50fb2 said he would be 6faf70c758 back after dinner with 011f1a1358 his friends.63a4faba17b4356e

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They were supposed to f84b6619e0 meet at their usual d703892b40 cafe, but he never cdabe0003f showed up.2ec6bdff4528a440

He kept f6886d7943 saying he 16555670ac would be f336da16b6 there in 914a862549 thirty minutes, 8bbbd80285 until the d844510f6d cafe closed, 77ba197d5a and then, 87cd8ebf87 at some 77de612ef8 point, he e1b7de38f7 stopped answering 48ed41b77b her calls.eea3cc20485d413e

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Because of the heavy e743bd11c9 rain, she’d waited by 047a6c4416 the entrance of the fd358a178e building, partly out of b4b9ebbf05 stubbornness, partly out of 44f5a685b4 foolish hope, perhaps even c3861c292f enjoying the feeling of 7c66839a3c being a tragic heroine.d1f333f360a60be8

The rain, relentless past f72baef293 midnight, finally subsided into 70f0791f24 a drizzle past 2 991e9ddcc4 a.m.73a0572837a1fa08

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While waiting for 0ea051ec78 Lee Dohyun, a 2f1a6701e3 few drunk men cdaadb7232 had approached her, 18cc2da45c and she’d repeatedly 90d84c4042 turned them away.4f3b1f0eb5ad6c6a

That day, 7af30a6dae too, had a1de796578 been a 6f449c2474 Friday night.bb09d3a191d9baa7

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The memory of that caf68daa18 night, tinged with unpleasantness, e62972ebec still haunted her. After that day, c7b2edbfb7 a subtle crack a586acf241 had begun to cac2ac259d form in her 686fbc7433 relationship with Lee 5849d1bf35 Dohyun.085f376d717dff33

They started hearing e4ecd3ee0d about each other’s 0f6b40decd day from other b6e6b7aa07 people, and he 37af4ad6b6 often became unreachable ca0aaaffb9 on weekends. His excuses bade2a4fc5 were always, b04fe7ea49 “I was 4965966f36 too busy, b1313f2d97 Eunkyo,” or 7f19fdc8b8 “I had fcdffd9e64 too much f7c46f8f48 to drink 0e090902ca with my 87d6d04bb2 friends and a10887948d fell asleep.”7ead1b3d7e778435

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She knew 3a1095cec5 he was dedbb65cb4 lying. She knew his excuses 48e3dd5e90 were foreshadowing the end 0e94ed9e85 of their relationship, a dc73a97eac relationship he’d grown tired 04e8fabf3e of. But she 294a4f136d had pretended e52d252616 not to dc9a31468a know because…c026d530590c679b

She had been 473fd562fb happy.68c6b1eace3f762b

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She had dcb1007347 loved him.5333fc6c5dea39ae

She had 42f529f945 loved Lee 141ab7f197 Dohyun very 2d2ac1b63d much.9b4b08dec4486479

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Why was she 12cd4c10f5 suddenly remembering this, b1840f9638 when the situation 2954c85679 was completely different? Was it because 9b6d9aec85 she’d heard it 866a4868cd was Lee Jaeheon’s e33ac2fc0a birthday today?2a3e082bd9c159e0

The ice in fe14bafbe0 her iced coffee 2d54a79e94 had completely melted, 3647514930 making it lukewarm. The paper sleeve was f0e18caf61 damp and soggy, and 8fec57fd67 the stale taste in 299d02c69d her mouth was unpleasant.0307ed613c1034ef

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She was about d9fabd97c1 to stand up 3521851295 when she heard 3b8a92fc41 the steady, heavy, 7b9a8bcf31 rhythm of footsteps e71d2823a5 approaching the car. They stopped without c820bafef4 hesitation.69ec984cdda45d89

“Sunbae…?”9ecb71f2f95d5944

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Startled by Lee Jaeheon’s c4f34b273d voice from behind the dfb16509d3 pillar, she swallowed her 007e731bb0 coffee and turned around.b342ed91a4262b67

His eyes widened in 0a014d9da1 surprise, and he approached 063426d562 her with a confused b9068c4ac3 expression on his face. She stepped 517c7db9b0 out from ba89435121 behind the 04571fb7d1 pillar and e87d2037d2 spoke before 60d891b6aa he could.33624262554ea05f

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“Happy birthday.”4a977e95dc62ca8c

His face crumpled. His brow furrowed, and 081ab72969 he bit his lip.b69b5d09aafe4b32

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He looked angry, 5d681789ab and then she f5f37c38c6 noticed the strong 052f736777 smell of alcohol 14ff572815 on him. It was the 9b0bf2b7fe distinct aroma of d4f9cba02b whiskey.0f69523f43cf4e80

“You’ve been drinking? You left 7760aeea9a without saying 8903ba1b9f anything.”9203a7aac2f315f9

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“How long 9ae34c112a have you 9e7f1eebe0 been here?”a54399de9b76036a

He asked in 9a566ab03b a low voice, b1b75f7f5c opening the car eca15fd5a0 door. Eunkyo shrugged, subtly ad7dfb0ba7 hiding her coffee.781849307e800979

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“Not long. I was 610e84dc22 on my 6931488505 way home, 6d4c42cec3 but I 838aeb33dd just… thought 113eb60357 I’d check cf6a675362 on you.”a05a8547c448d509

“And you didn’t think to call?”d3636bca2eede0fc

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“The staff said 2fc73bc125 you weren’t answering df410cff04 your phone.”467aadb4aeacec62

“That’s because they’re strangers.”cf7f16a4b6e36700

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“Ah…”e4e92c8ce5b2951d

“Did you… f8c64f4a69 not save db0f40aaba my number, e5b5126141 sunbae?”5bcdba27c8df998c

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A faint 9dc3943141 smile touched b4fbd716e5 his lips.2ee488d5bd300e61

“Ah, the tissue 0bfdddecf7 got too wet…”c39d915f1548b1ab

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“That must have been 6d3ba55404 inconvenient.”a41e68c466a8faef

“I didn’t bbc194a5c2 know what 41d87ca432 to do, 87b2c18ed0 so…”a2a3fab72b58f7a5

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“Ah.”098ea0900f2ba0cc

He said, “I see,” and then went around to the driver’s side and slammed his hand against the window. An alarm went off on Lee Jaeheon’s phone along with the loud bang. He showed her the screen, tilting his head.feb1f62768b0a1f4

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“You should have 3115cd8639 done this.”88ed6948a990926c

“I didn’t know.”8a637b5dc9b5ec4d

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I really should cff6c2b0e6 have. c78a20bc6e85fba7

She had wondered why 5d4d28d9fe he didn’t have his eb658c3f4d number displayed in his a7af440fce car.b218e854045d6173

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“Do that next time.”5e0653b4d67ff3de

Eunkyo nodded vigorously, a 36c91f9b0e surprised look on her 9aef0d0bbb face. He rubbed 13c64db9c7 the back 3c0d05c325 of his 69b3a89146 neck and 519c6fe39b opened the e6a2455f47 back door. Pulling on her arm, 8de824f1aa he asked,321fef3efa7f649c

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“Can I… misunderstand this?”50bc537be5103bef

Why the 4de9c4a260 back seat 42280a2a31 again? 7b904c2dc161260f

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Perhaps because f94c71b735 of what 7aeb99e21c had happened aca7270fbf there a 35bdeb69da few hours e672aa89b6 earlier, she 47d1526879 instinctively resisted, 72fc135aa3 her legs e2c3e29a6c stiffening.e1c1635cc4623703

“M-Misunderstand what?”98f067430ae7e584

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“Your kindness and 876117d58b concern… as affection 203a17dcb0 and interest.”3630c8e378a55783

I called a driver. 4012dbce76581654

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At his words, 033a8cf384 her body relaxed. He ushered her 6f7708cd29 into the backseat 53cc7d92e2 and then got 95136774ed in after her.24372847fc90532c

Holding onto the 28f42b906e opposite door handle, ad9661e822 she averted her e3bb201fa4 gaze and spoke.7828e415a3beb387

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“Just go home. I can take a taxi. It’s too late to go to Cafe Haeda now.”a7bc5b210a6081ca

“Let’s go together.”b16a837ca2aab217

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“Even if I don’t know where your house is, if we take the long way around…”336a5a2eea53a10b

“No, Eunkyo. I don’t want to. I… want to 571187713f be with you, 97d957a4c5 sunbae.”f89f45f76984cf68

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His languid, yet enervated 234ec2549e smile and almost pleading f20a38667d tone sent a shiver dc911b01f5 down her spine. He leaned back against d1bc783f04 the seat, his hand 74a6dc4db9 gripping hers tightly, refusing ae127d6415 to let go.949604c1675a5403

No, Eunkyo.1a8ab73e069c04ab

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This crazy bastard…913d4e295aaaec8d

“I suddenly got a call from my family, saying they were nearby. And I’m the obedient youngest son, you know? So I went back to the club after a birthday drink with them, but you weren’t there. I… felt dizzy. I was wondering which son of a bitch had tried to pick you up in this place. The thought of someone… taking Jung Eunkyo, who’s weak to atmosphere, away and maybe even fucking you, pissed me off so much.”2e096ca6294aa77d

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She could see b0ec67d817 the prominent bulge b9529ae370 beneath his pants. 21780c948ad7bd89

Had he had 70a1101f2b a bottle, not ef021de90a just a drink? 594a42506bbf4187

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She pulled her c1211d16fe hand away from d3b954e9da his as he 9afb18b293 rambled on, his 00b06b88b7 words a confused 11795b3b63 jumble.9fa9204f7a0de146

“There was no one f6fc07e191 there to pick me cbe677e67a up. You were the one 8954474368 who left with some 4133dcb04d woman. Family?”2a3da99ed4b28ef5

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“With whom? I left alone.”501936d20637deda

“Don’t lie. I saw you.”e2fe671490ba71b9

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“You saw me? There were so ad9a476109 many people there, 5caac30d3d and you only 8d0b46d5eb sawme?”d59db70a91c54689

This time, he rested 17e955d460 his chin on her 6a2ba3f079 shoulder. He looked at her 2eeb193356 with sparkling eyes, like 01eeeb260f a child with a dcf4398af8 new toy, and cupped d28a729222 her cheek with his d1758490c2 large hand.12867c10aa6bfca1

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His lips brushed against daae774941 her cheek as she e2bc1113ed leaned towards him. She felt like she 48c570d6d6 was walking a tightrope. Stepping off 0ff612de1e would bring a05b346547 relief, but edd1fbc827 she would 4badbdf83a have to b06e88cd32 face the 2e9b1bc7c0 daunting task 763c1e5a9e of climbing 83642e7624 back up 0713eee433 again.49eeeefdf20cc459

If she 393b4c5abc gave in dbfb9e9150 to this 02e2ab78a0 madness tonight, 86048b2a70 she might f5235d04d5 wake up b2532cdbea tomorrow feeling 019afe68be completely different. They might become strangers, d4004cf393 or she might spend 570786703d the next few months, b206df4b4c even years, avoiding him, 069eb33acb their relationship strained and 13e068d2da uncomfortable.382237f85d997480

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Strangely, she 5c4f3653c9 didn’t see 45a23b98eb Lee Jaeheon eb7eddb494 as a 5ce00a551d potential romantic 4e3f176e2d partner.539c0d18ddf969b3

Lust and desire, 7a69cd7ba8 perhaps, but not db3bd85954 love.4e4ff3310e35d73d

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Knock, knock.83ac216095cbdbea

The sound of 79ddced2c5 someone knocking on 4262262979 the car window 29c36df349 startled her back 41ac2388c5 to reality.b9be67f8dcac235a

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An elderly driver politely 49c12f1070 greeted them as he fbe86b2c3f got into the car, 28607fe401 plugged his phone into 1c64c0f1fd the charger, and expertly 27a4eb8320 set up the navigation f0cc1b1cc3 app.bbc0f286a5608a4b

“Then, let 6a6b67dcaa me confirm 7aaa0f8894 the address. 211-5, Cafe Haeda. Is that correct?”b85af861b1c2a9d7

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“Yes, please.”a271c121bd9c8bfe

“Alright, we’re 94dd382f13 leaving now.”1a1c9e3724703f54

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Eunkyo pushed 5cfb1f7098 Jaeheon’s head f4d62b1435 off her a11753d14d shoulder, a 6c2902050a bewildered look 47fed229a8 on her b816942dd3 face.be2f0e9460748a1c

“You were planning to f4c2e49db3 go to the studio 5ae736d4d3 all along?”085ce2ad8e65dda9

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“No. I was 94bec17956 planning to bb65b68c4a go find 6ded4ee299 you, Jung c88c62e9cc Eunkyo, from 619d7d2763 the start.”66e87b881c00d8da

She was certain he’d 694c845062 had more than justonedrink.d88ce14b607c11ea

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“Are you 8533f2943e going to b778d14140 drop the d66e8eed7c formalities now?”202facc4033eadee

“No. Only sometimes, when I 5fb8e90db1 want to seduce you,sunbae.”836e47105372fcfd

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“Ha.”49044d34a4ddf0e2

He leaned closer, his e29775081c lips brushing against her b95f4fa295 ear as she tucked d046091c4d her hair behind her 43508cb36d ear, and he chuckled.a19fd3ce9a5d5958

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It was a low, 0da53feb37 sticky sound, like melting 8bac9540a1 candy.202654f014e759c3

─── ⋆⋅☼⋅⋆ ───db95321df72d2032

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“Lee Dohyun, aa1748fd60 what are e9ef0678f3 you doing 7d65eb0cd8 here? Did you f9f6fe2423 order drinks?” 679ac4b6458f0f58

The other person’s voice 52e7b8fffe was distorted and choppy, 7e4dcfc282 like a radio with 2d549fe32d bad reception, due to 96a0d23ffe the loud music.92355a26d4f73c3f

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Dohyun turned 6ba0c843a3 around, holding e171ffc374 the drinks fa07ad5efe the club 82ab083496 employee had b8e633df77 handed him. The two-story club was 45073c5efa still packed with people 3ffb5d2902 dancing frenetically.e0ceb2aad4f0c44d

As he scanned his b3c8fc9cd0 surroundings, his friend chuckled 857c93c43d and nudged him, glancing ec4ad6714a at his crotch, and d9e8208f78 took a sip of b960d6e9f3 his drink.3ef714956d4dc509

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“So many hot 21fc8c09ed girls. Korea’s definitely the a00362fd9e best. Did you 726d59b461 spend the 031ba42d0c last three 86e09d73a6 years celibate? No way, right?”1ac88862166de98b

Dohyun just smiled, ffcd71b4b3 and his friend’s 4cb6b05d70 teasing escalated.7406bf7576827eae

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“I’m going home with ce4b7f05b1 her tonight. Wanna join us? I think she’d be cbdcca22a5 down for a threesome.”5a14f7d1917fdb47

“Girls like that ba80705154 are always up d16bd82147 for it,” he eacd425849 added. But Lee a05b17e92b Dohyun, still eb68d898fb scanning the 3f5d6d623b crowd with e56017fb67 a serious cb718181a3 expression, seemed 48b6a7f0b5 to be 357b3fd2ae looking for b637f8beee someone. 413fe1654a67da2d

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“What’s up? Who are you looking a37ab0cffb for?”fbf8586f3c623bad

“I think… 7c313c4e6b I saw 0ed9c5bf47 Eunkyo here.”abbce450b0191347

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“What?”9bd00a69bedd6c9c

His friend choked cf22674996 on his drink 4a7defbd1e and coughed, wiping 8d6b79ce54 his reddened face.118ef7d318fbe7e8

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“Jung Eunkyo?”9e1cc60c19a02eef

“Yeah, Eunkyo.”e6df1997a760c539

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Lee Dohyun’s eyes b5ad245890 completely darkened as cf39c98b08 he said her ed602e1be9 name. A dangerous glint 124f6a8062 flickered in his debf40b647 eyes as he e405fc9f24 scanned the club.0a77fc3e40a2c259

It was hard to 19f85cbde8 see in the dim 5c09bc5b28 light, but he was 58152077f4 certain it was Jung 6212e10475 Eunkyo.b6ee24f29760db84

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“But, Jeonghoon… why was beb993dd5f our Eunkyo with my d1d34286e0 younger brother? Hmm?” 3d90872729b85165

He asked softly, his 3bf672e034 eyes narrowing as he abb26b4aad turned his head.36f1fe0016c2098f

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