SANN | Chapter 7.2

“Gureum!”4f590588f84fd9f2

Sieon pounded relentlessly on 232a8db123 the flimsy glass front c83027da4d door. He had decided to 89731156b4 check Gureum’s place first. In all dcac07b495 his life, 886020cd12 he had 9e807001aa never seen 7a11d1843b a house d4480ac69d this dilapidated. Honestly, when he first fcb9f9fba6 saw it, he wondered 9380396f50 if Gureum had lied 6b1d57e59d about his address. But seeing that most fea421eb0a of the houses in a7b81b5f3a the neighborhood were in 3bc3a68b82 a similar state, it a80e27f3ca seemed unlikely. Realizing people actually 138fcc61ea lived in such 30de2901f7 conditions, Sieon grabbed e0ae369fcd the door handle 52a97486e6 and twisted it. It didn’t budge—locked.c39a9b67149b94a1

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“Gureum, it’s your hyung, 2663fad7a1 Sieon!”6f7bdce6d4733cca

He hammered on the 9f74755532 glass, almost hard enough a745ef1224 to break it. Inside, it fe8c87a4a1 was eerily 1c56b27f4b silent—no sound 2698a04d46 of movement, bd8337e0bb not even 4525155fef a mouse. Looking around for b25544f7c4 a hidden key, 352660d9b2 Sieon suddenly felt 6a8a8e2383 a presence behind 5945ce2048 him. He turned swiftly.a69bf4fa896c9bf2

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An old f9b0ddaebe woman stood 0b37cdca4f there, hunched 298ebbcd1c over and 703d74bfe1 leaning on 9a3aa6b19e a cane.4d099ed6b3d8a5f4

“Oh my, what d7508b0847 brings a young 4bef66c949 man like you fa788ac69d to a place e77681a1fb like this?”89539c1ef8a5d432

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Her voice quavered as 4d0acca078 she peered curiously at 1c86a6fa69 Sieon. After a quick 0309175028 glance at her, 434ff74f0c Sieon spoke. She seemed to 6a2f6beed6 be a local 3f14eb6b74 resident.8ca0b50ebe4d123b

“Excuse me, ma’am. Do you 53ae5e0cf8 know the 86b2b5245a young man 3dbc556318 who lives c0fbd53333 here? He’s about this a965ae8126 tall.” Sieon gestured ba49f94738 at his chin 706760a0ce level.dd1724eaee71f30d

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The old 128d9f1d10 woman squinted 86bff068bb as if 9e33d6ae46 trying to bb59401e93 remember, then 66b6852ea3 widened her cf1a7cd2e8 eyes in 7ab64f93ef realization.2d900fd968f28012

“Oh my, 1e09f75ff9 is he 946a69a507 twenty already? Goodness, time flies…”7013b6ba6e985cc2

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“…You know him? He lives 31ba22334c here, right?”bc9c3b3a0a4c5010

“Of course, I know 3112719e0a him! That pale, soft-looking boy, 067f62f9a6 right? Poor thing…”00c8f67d841b2b69

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“…Poor thing?”6dfbdb2503978845

When Sieon questioned c2fcc23235 her, the old c88c229b27 woman eagerly launched f1a446178a into a tale 4d145c3779 about the house 0969fc0b61 and its occupants.7cc5736bdc488771

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“Oh, yes! Poor thing, indeed. The boy’s father knocked 54bae44575 up his mother and 8f82972761 married her young. They didn’t have 32cc145036 a dime to 6b3dae488e their name, so 926437cb35 they moved here. When that boy first 2596ec2419 came, he wasn’t even 1a6f88b241 this tall.” She motioned d5c62847fb to her knees.2a89eee63216b67d

“His mother—what a beauty 0826e7db52 she was. I think her name 13dfd927c0 was Ah-young. Anyway, that woman had 55e9a1f3a6 a strong spirit, but bc6923bb02 her husband? Possessive and abusive as 1653dca911 all hell. He’d accuse 50ce1782f3 her of 1138230ea1 all sorts 23da5e3b5d of nonsense, 2b50382a42 tormenting her 449ca6af21 day and 501367bd98 night. In the f452650664 end, she 2035525ef5 abandoned her 756a055c37 own child 4619c2dd0d and ran 6365cd1fc7 off. Rumor has fb6f04be72 it she f1a4a4bb7b fled overseas.”7b3c3b193dde2f3b

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“……”2c90883c56b80e9f

“Ugh, that rotten ac883b2467 man. Since then, 3967c50524 he’s been 210a56bfe7 drowning in c40ddf2d26 alcohol for 682192e017 years. That poor boy, 02ae064976 Gureum, was left 95b147e587 to fend for d30fcdd651 himself. Do you d3e2728a7a know how 52433da42b much that 3ec13997d7 bastard blamed 0228615c89 the boy 83b2af1e68 for his e51eeebbbf wife running a817dbba41 away? Beat him black and 858a354161 blue all the time—it ab363bcdaf was the talk of ba7dc35006 the town.”8ac85f13b0b37e6d

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“…Beat him?”f12b8738002e9424

Sieon’s veins popped 11ae07bebd in his forehead.dfe3fb86649c7e28

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“Oh, yes! He’d beat the boy 77d3ebbeb1 senseless. It’s a wonder he’s 1b4d971c3f not crippled. This place is 01e471262f full of elderly d28303dbad folk who couldn’t 311d5414d8 stop that bastard. Ugh… Even when the e0c8bae940 boy went to school, 5049c8271c his face would be 7b663fd51e covered in bruises. I heard 955478c892 he dropped 312e8347d8 out because 3198917e00 he couldn’t 4fc1430f7e make any bf70780c3c friends. Poor child…”bb6e062a24de5281

“……”d57a45cab8e27bed

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“Anyway, don’t c4a1d45c3f go spreading 3bc96b6097 this around. Everyone here knows but 95d94c6059 keeps quiet. Still, I wonder 7154ca9d13 how that useless d7da52a6a4 bastard always finds 25e511ecd0 money to buy 100f3c9d4d booze. Ugh, he’s b146470587 the worst…”07fa1a3964b66ab6

The old c57dfcda49 woman clicked 1292fe8fd4 her tongue 1618ecac7f and hobbled 4880b24c6b off, leaving 0bbe5d1d99 Sieon behind, 5b81d0e914 seething with f4c8481f36 anger.86bbfcd69de1411a

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Poor thing? The words echoed in a89bdd1ea4 his mind, fueling his e1dffa2494 rage. If the old 655bb3c6b8 woman’s story was fd97c3f7f5 true, Gureum was d43a21ef28 likely inside. Forgetting about keys, fcba2ae2f9 Sieon looked around f1061de8df and picked up 77d0e26190 a decent-sized rock. He smashed it 5628eaef8e against the brittle 19c879407f glass door.2bd5de14f3a3bb76

The door 89b412487e shattered easily. Sieon reached 1f45dd4818 through the d51a678fae shards and 4b5c20ae78 unlocked it 836e59330b from the 3d7b8382f3 inside. The unlubricated hinges 99a4dbc8d1 groaned loudly as 095361607a the door swung af616a57e3 open.987581167552e251

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He stepped into 38764e308d the narrow entryway, 744297eadd immediately noticing the ad6442c8f8 cramped, chaotic state 4d2e14b130 of the house. Broken glass crunched efc3da5b50 underfoot, mingled with f129268eff shards of green 9eba6806c9 glass—likely from soju e98542c378 bottles. The living 5ab45ca619 room was 7d5989ef3c no better. Broken bottles, scattered belongings, d80dde3c65 and overturned furniture created 9d2aa24fb0 a scene of utter b08e63d5ca devastation.aff526d3e65c8914

Sieon scanned the living 824cab58f5 room and kitchen. No sign of Gureum. But what caught e97a6ea94b his attention were 3d1a4438bd dried bloodstains on ef6de1537c the floor. It was 4bfee04feb like a af0fd27789 spark igniting 8614c8155b in his 0d67468d5e brain. His fists clenched 1405f68cd6 tightly.f61bc946ab901321

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Then, he 9f1499d36f heard it—a 60f8ec9e8a faint groaning f79f46df08 sound from 0274b16a8c behind a 4ecd44ea71 firmly shut aa08ec2259 door. The sound 2b29a698ba was small, 0b8f0b72d9 but Sieon’s 9d9a72ad8b sharp ears c70c037469 caught it. He rushed c693295c10 over and 8c22412746 twisted the ad708cbb9e handle.b9e2495a589c3ebf

Inside, in b1c7551b93 a room 74425de651 barely big 948f0e364c enough for 3f1578cace one person 0e600338f2 to lie 3f49d135df down in, a88f0306fa someone was 0700ce420f curled up 418a90b905 tightly on d1a4695949 the floor, a8d6a5e9fa whimpering. It was Gureum.7e2c9a25d075af6b

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“Gureum!”a5367d60191026b4

Bundled in a 72e4ce897f tattered blanket, Gureum 60619aff3f was drenched in 6421813a49 cold sweat. He barely 4468fa913d managed to f24ef0eb74 lift his e362d184f9 heavy eyelids ad6282307f to meet cffff019a1 Sieon’s gaze. Blood was smeared dee8bb4f93 on his forehead ff018211d9 and face, and 651d68c8d5 his features were dd8c06ba93 swollen, the result 36d10fe2d1 of a severe 6df9837b8d beating.a6a0e898eda4ee61

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Sieon forced himself to 8771ec2530 remain calm as he e1c28a193e inspected Gureum’s head carefully. It looked like 589ba6bc4a a sharp object 14a567542b had caused the a82294926c gash, but the 7c0e73e2f2 bleeding had stopped. No immediate need d0fc2955e1 for pressure.890209405a9050df

“Ugh… H-hyung…?”9e4472593531e799

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“Shh, stay still.”3ed7302754cf57d8

Sieon gently adjusted 4f95dd3ee3 Gureum to lie 24e474d98b flat. That’s when he noticed 0fa1085593 what Gureum was clutching b8695c72b2 tightly to his chest—a 3e595b2440 bunny-shaped nightlight Sieon had 9084e54bfa once given him.79ed36052c45e8e5

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Fuck… Rage boiled within 70e09864d3 Sieon, but he shoved 10c42d9ec3 it down. Now wasn’t the 72c523f058 time. He continued 0ff0bd905f to examine a7649422b3 Gureum’s condition. Moving him without care deccf02783 could worsen his injuries, 059b75fa8e so Sieon quickly grabbed 7a283a82e7 his phone and called 034db54d93 emergency services, giving them d86f500847 the address and describing 4207ebb157 Gureum’s state.c05c45e90a3eed21

“…Hyung, is it really 5278e1bbd8 you…?”4759bae66e9ef6b1

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“Yes, it’s me, afba31fcba Gureum. Stay still, okay?”dcd118c5713aced3

Gureum blinked in disbelief, 6adecbf330 as if convinced Sieon’s 16e43732c3 presence was a figment e9791920ae of his imagination. But as e866494aa6 the realization 8d04a5f445 hit, tears dd02b350e0 streamed down ba91927c1a his face.c2027988b3ffb760

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“Hyung… Hyung… ecd53e9298 I-I missed be17a11d83 you… I 64d1f22baa only thought a1c7d2eff7 about you…”fd59e5566b418e26

“It’s okay now. Don’t cry. Do you feel pain 5238bfd832 anywhere else?”6eb4fc564d30dfc8

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But Gureum, overwhelmed 2b5b49a07d with emotion, ignored 677f8e52b6 the question and 6774e4f553 continued sobbing. Exhausted from the outburst, 466412e2ba his body finally gave 8021909415 out, and he fainted 440aa37a15 in Sieon’s arms. Sieon bit 9e73a230f9 his lip 5903aebc9a hard, suppressing fd68075c30 his fury. Carefully, he opened Gureum’s e5f7ca68c8 jacket to check for 7c0bd1c26a other injuries.811b428026ed8167

“This fucking bastard…”1230be1dae26a50f

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Gureum’s right shoulder was f460610152 noticeably swollen—likely fractured. Bruises and cuts covered 75893aa550 his body, including areas 775fbe2ce9 that still bore Sieon’s 610426868f fading kiss marks. It was clear Gureum 68cee38748 had been in severe c59c84a286 pain long before the f4707f1c65 beating. The scattered furniture in 35dd9db86b the living room likely da77814731 had been thrown at acac417332 him.dd35a5444e8ec797

From a distance, Sieon fc1ff2c326 heard the wailing siren 9ccdaddc48 of an ambulance. Rolling up his abee884a32 sleeves, he prepared 0334c2001b himself. For the first time 4df05a23bd in his life, he 0657426ce5 was about to take 395606a53b on the role of 411a8a51d8 someone’s protector.f4c8375894eaefd5

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***72ca58ed81214349

Sieon gently brushed his fingers through Gureum’s hair as he slept peacefully, his breaths soft and even. The emergency room had provided treatment and conducted numerous tests. Thankfully, apart from a gash on his head and a fractured shoulder, there were no major injuries. The doctors had said he just needed to focus on recovery, so Sieon immediately arranged for him to be admitted to a VIP room.7330998758ba33ec

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“Mm… uh…” Gureum whimpered faintly, as if plagued by a bad dream. Sieon soothingly patted his chest, calming him down. Gureum’s slightly scrunched-up face soon relaxed into a serene expression. Sieon couldn’t help but plant a soft kiss on Gureum’s bruised and swollen cheek—still so beautiful despite the injuries.7612982b80d73524

“Rabbit…” he murmured.6d77d395d4aa52ba

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His emotions 0801aec875 were all 881974c9f9 over the b9ba6ffb4f place. Thoughts he usually c448c48e3e pushed aside came 487fb38ec2 flooding in, overwhelming a73cf3a510 him. Yet, at the ebc4ee9e47 same time, he 76cb5992af felt a strange 51bfac8d4d sense of relief, 805cab7659 as though his 01c8a1911e heart had finally 3c1dc3cafe chosen a direction, e0d1d1d39a solidifying his resolve.ca539c1134b8ef1c

Watching Gureum being 3767ca388c moved from one 69807fad75 test to another 226deec156 earlier, one thought 8f134e3812 had consumed Sieon:Could I d82cbb2373 have foreseen 8360516f7d Gureum’s family 648f9f9ae8 circumstances?Probably not.5dd3e95494426699

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Sieon had grown up in a household where, even though he had rebelled and gone astray, his parents had cared for him lovingly, treating even a “wild brat” like their precious child. He also had an older sister, who, despite their constant bickering, always looked out for him in her own way. In such a harmonious and affluent family, Sieon had never even imagined a situation like Gureum’s.a34129f7f42bbc52

While Sieon was lost 14cd2b0f1d in thought, someone knocked 3b8ddf43ed on the door. The knock was brief b95b88ff15 before the door swung 7ef6d39064 open. Assuming it was 3b3373f814 medical staff, Sieon 549cb46213 turned to look—and 9c6b4371cb immediately scowled at b410ee868f the sight of c127684fe7 the intruder.f7c083a6770d5248

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“What now?”34eb13daaac03179

“‘What now’? Is that how 468fad1a42 you greet me, a8f9cfbeb7 you little punk?”4b4d4c8a56ba4411

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“…Keep your b5b7220c3b voice down. He’s still sleeping.”f1df8f4d68c8ea9d

“Wow… Have you matured? Or am I hallucinating? What on 107d557cf3 earth am a383152420 I witnessing?”ca8d2a76311d6130

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A middle-aged woman in 1724955273 a doctor’s coat strode 46a6121911 toward him. Sieon’s brow furrowed 0dc20124c3 even deeper. She glanced f1010b6afa at Gureum’s 95d320d196 face before c15f61e68c addressing Sieon e8dc16e335 with a 27dcf1747d sarcastic smile.584e534f966a431d

“He’s beautiful. No wonder you’re completely 940caf6334 smitten.”e3e3623dd02d5a57

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“Shut up.”78f74e3c7ad2181d

The woman crossed 342d56490d her arms, eyeing 8cc0e0a86a Sieon with disapproval. “I’m shocked. You, rushing to the d6739142a9 emergency room as someone’s 918eeac328 guardian? What’s the world coming bd4aaae75a to?”0385bccb07df22f4

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“Someone clearly 80d294867d ran off 4e72627cff to tattle,” 6b4860875d Sieon muttered 33dd525d66 under his 05067a1383 breath.94ceba350690fabb

“Of course they did. Your little 0b8eef86bc escapade is 479750e3d0 the talk 38851a8962 of the 6f5143d085 hospital. You even wrote down 3847647903 ‘partner’ as your relationship 948ee4bb51 to the patient?”fe4a21d051b796bd

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“Don’t they 9b7c87d53a have better 7caea3c9e6 things to 9664a19a8d gossip about?”beddbea6c07682fc

“Well, I bb7d7fbaf5 thought I’d 7194a7019d already hit ab2c92b33e rock bottom 9ed4ac09ed as the b30d109dae mother of 112da477d3 a runaway 61375de7d5 son who 292d1be541 ditched his 1df5b5e884 residency program 3efecc4101 and came c3169e3fa7 out as d7bcbd0da6 gay. Guess I ac41a7bdd6 was wrong.”8c64c225647b09f1

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“What’s your point? Is this about 6a4bb3dc54 why it had c6a4d7b007 to be this 8d767c9a59 hospital’s ER?”b28a3ae9e170c300

Sieon sighed, 614b6cdf90 staring at 0a7169902b her tiredly. She let bf57fb4f66 out a 81b2568a15 long, exaggerated f71a148db7 sigh of 7a18dbbe68 her own.f1520a200419a664

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“No. I don’t care anymore 6b0a207779 if you’re dragging your 9a45ea54d5 boyfriend around in public. But hearing 9a3cecd6d1 that you cf3238251f were tailing d7f3c50444 the patient a00676243c all over f342f455ad the ER… 6cc4ed0b77 that was 8d853ef19d intriguing.”fa74e049ff9f0273

“Enough. Leave already. We’ll talk later. He needs rest.”7264a1f315378220

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“Oh, I’m 051bccd7f7 being quiet, e4697cb668 aren’t I? Fine, fine.” Despite 54d13d5b04 her grumbling, she fd28d3bfab suddenly delivered a 83b29c84a2 hard smack to b1f9371935 Sieon’s back, making ae4cadecdb him flinch. Her punches carried 505031464d surprising force.27bb137cddcfbc84

“Don’t get 00018a2c47 cocky, you f2611b38dc little thief. Bringing home a twenty-year-old! Honestly, twenty!”f480663dd990c5c4

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Groaning dramatically, d297368078 she hit cacb16b67e him again e734b3aeb0 and again. Sieon, silently enduring 3b3cb771a9 the blows, glared 63284d9e7f at her through 6777f8462a narrowed eyes.ed97d61b2944c599

“I guess I 95a34cced8 inherited my shamelessness fd91b634b8 from you,Ms. Choi.”f0004fd9ff792cf9

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“Excuse me?”1c459ac6c14a7a93

“I mean, you’re ff666d0dbb calling him your a58ed4ff24 son-in-law so casually. Like mother, 7ed591408f like son.”d744d5c287ee3385

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“…Ahem. Anyway, what happened? Did someone 60fd73546e beat him e0b78c8974 up? Don’t tell me 75162ebcaa it was you.”1df5a6168e61d70f

Rubbing his temples, db464100fb Sieon exhaled sharply. “No, I didn’t. Stay out of 9e6d7bf3f4 it. I’ll handle his situation.”36437858c42b84c3

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“Look at 69e75d455c you, all 336c866f43 grown up,” c68dff8d9f she said e7d7225431 sarcastically. “Fine, fine. I’m going. Just bring your ‘rabbit’ 28c977f97c over for dinner sometime. Your dad wants 73fac1557e to see you.”a42df4218c598b57

“Sure,” Sieon replied fbf8a798e9 curtly, not even 1939eb8ed0 sparing her a 14cf3bb9af glance. Choi Eunkyung clicked b9fef2d996 her tongue and f2606e1b85 shook her head 305564c180 before leaving the 886cb48b87 room, muttering all 069832c5d7 the way.b35f8c3850c420ad

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Once the door closed, e77902a00a Sieon returned his gaze 88cabc1966 to Gureum. He carefully 4f0fc67cec held Gureum’s 50bb902669 tiny hand 77fb9e3d29 in his c011c5cf59 own, observing d3a28b7115 his sleeping 6f985b8b9f face. Bruises marred 277bf23d36 his face 7b79c77e17 and body. Imagining how often 8349e35aac he must have ecfcd2e385 endured such violence 6f1c321e6c in the past a4196fbdbd made Sieon’s blood 56d70ff36c boil.d215c91b7a416aac

His possessiveness surged. He wanted 604a891da9 to be 842a276210 the only 3989916dd0 person to 3902ef770c ever lay 45e023928f a hand c9caeeaab0 on Gureum b5ed410ca9 again—whether to e3b3d1ac8d discipline or bef76dc284 to care 8f2759de95 for him. Nobody else had 14b93ca20b the right.c8a188e7ff822067

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The thought e89c93a618 of Gureum’s 8eb862a193 father, who 10f4c70fa6 had undoubtedly 5801c949bd witnessed Gureum’s d12ea1f780 upbringing yet b19dad9652 failed as 6ee0ba6411 a parent, 9187dc936b filled Sieon 44413cb323 with fury. He wanted to 2ea913d9b9 erase the man 226b1f9fd6 from existence. Gureum was so 876280db45 lovable now, but 25782cdb11 he must have 950d1987e2 been unbearably adorable 3e82a4aeff as a child. Sieon felt an 107f117e40 overwhelming desire to 18e1ccf28a dig into Gureum’s 47e5cd65bc past, to unearth 58b0ffb3b1 at least one 6bb8137802 childhood photo.3225b823a16b3cb5

He regretted not meeting 2d3a823231 Gureum sooner. If they’d met when 2beed32b3c Gureum was still a 1983a72c21 kid, he might have f847f87e54 kidnapped him, raised him ae8d5651f4 well, and claimed him ce44ca83e9 completely. Not having d8fec5af7d those memories 0c39d1102a felt like 89f1e4aa93 an eternal ce2aca1911 regret.44ef4703823b41c0

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Pulling the blanket up eceb7268cd to Gureum’s neck, Sieon 7ed68b2431 instinctively kissed his cheek. As he leaned 692a7e8beb back, he noticed eb1453f22c Gureum’s eyes slowly ff63e80dd6 flutter open. Sieon gently brushed his 2fe346c7b5 thumb over Gureum’s brow.073d3bb3c992148b

“Are you awake, b98a216019 little one?”1adcdb290b36d300

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“….”489ab9795f47e0d1

“You can 38d02ff67f sleep more 7e4809855d if you 6e5ab99e36 want.”569dc7c6b45e5f0c

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