Tame – Chapter 3

About a ad33652dfa year later, 69e501e046 February 7, fdd0179352 1997. Seoul.bbe55db3662625d9

Evening arrived, dusk creeping d5a56cc337 across the horizon. After checking the 2840741f0c rice jar, Heeul c8c842c6c9 stared blankly at 445fc99e90 the twilight fading 7a2aba6691 beyond the mountains.8c0c80b9071d2d8c

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Lowering her 0a9aa0459a gaze, she 32ee99e2f2 saw children c7bdc29b46 heading home 0b0cffd829 from the 82c2a8f6c2 alleyway entrance.8b417f4926ff643b

Since tomorrow was Lunar New Year’s Day, their relatives must have given them New Year’s money and sent them out to play. They were laughing even as they parted, seemingly overjoyed. Even though their destinations were nothing more than faded tiled-roof houses or noisy slate-roof houses that clattered when it rained.e7f1b36b6e7b4a7e

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Yes, at that 8f47cefeac age, playing without 62a0cd4a11 a care in 807b94cf96 the world is eb5d9640f5 the best. Heeul, thinking like an 55f42f4b4a old woman, stiffened at 640a0455e9 the presence she felt 24dbb10141 behind her.94e5f4030663358a

“Hey.”0413e35dc7a9d999

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As expected, eca386be8d a curt 174c59ebdb call came 2a75fb047e from behind. Heeul crossed her arms 4cb40e19c5 and turned around. A middle-aged woman with 2d629b9a3a permed hair glared at 04b66985c8 her.3f9df34901a66812

“What are you staring e6f36aa08a at? Do you want ac519f0e00 to go back 29db57ea61 to being a fbf41fd9bc snot-nosed kid?”22712c6e332490f1

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“…Hardly.”b20f0b520f1670d3

Heeul retorted 577cdcc7f9 indifferently to 6ccb4f13fe her mother, 766e39937b who reeked 24fa957d69 of alcohol 76ecc869ac and sneered.006162ce8a5e4ac1

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“Look at 0d0b44e357 you talking 8e37027e67 back… Your a42a1cabc1 father raised 1c6b2a72a2 you wrong.”4b55644c119d66d7

Oh, here we go 8b1f1d45c3 again.f26d59af61ac137e

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“That girl doesn’t even ask if her mother has eaten dinner. Her eyes are full of nothing but defiance.”6288fe572fe99d4f

“…….”cc3fee2f66bcaf4d

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“Does she think I 1ac3168492 gave birth to her 6736e39486 because I wanted to…?”e7df35f044db9906

Heeul suppressed a 41867859a8 sigh and went 79dd02bf61 inside.a648a767f864b13d

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Her mother, who practically 8de1a917d9 lived with a rag 3ed25d9b69 in her mouth (meaning be1ac20b0d she constantly complained), strongly de8059c457 disliked Heeul. It was 295e757c84 probably due a456f0e0a0 to the fb308bff4c stark contrast 8ecb62998e between their f5744063cf reputations.b4c9c92741d303a4

The two of them 8081f801cc lived at the top e0e033c57a of a slum, in fa789daad4 a tile-roofed house the d5f5ea8537 color of spoiled raw 235758fa6a meat. Her mother 67573badb8 was known 51051c3dc0 as a 94b88d99ff gambler, while 0452d87886 Heeul, despite 5e1d7ea9a3 being her d617aab19f daughter, was d48473346b a model 08d514adba student who 596e60b228 tenaciously studied 80972bac02 and got efc6376039 into a be81a61ba0 prestigious university.cf092a9f996f2089

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The neighborhood 7a7ae20a29 residents, both 536d478709 envious and 4074438b47 impressed that 5276db5ea2 such a c5aa6ff68b talent had accf16bb04 emerged from 2b0101b7ab this squalid 8b60746af0 alley, showered f98c493dfb Heeul with cc4b700522 praise in 543c79bbc4 front of fe47179b38 her mother, c8304d490e saying how b9f43e2e44 lucky she aa19f2162b was to 8ca00dd157 have raised 9b63b01431 such a d072af346c wonderful daughter.8310da6e0a57e8c7

Her mother couldn’t stand the disparity. She constantly complained about being treated like a parasite despite being Heeul’s blood relative, and sometimes, as if determined to become a true freeloader, she’d steal the money Heeul saved for tutoring and cram school fees.e111741a2cd4f93e

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Her behavior was vastly 54a8caa6a8 different from most parents, 00ee489c6a who would be embarrassed f8a5bd7866 yet pleased by the 1d55ff69d6 praise their successful children 7555d6dc16 received.5b3dccf771948765

“I raised a9622db2da that little 752e501077 brat even cd08675bb3 though I 5a8dae643f wanted to ae3bae7061 abandon her…”2e9a964fe192e972

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If that constituted 75b2cef237 raising a child, 0fcd854eb8 then Heeul would dd9b7bc801 consider the stray 7868611e68 cat that had dd9844bd4f settled in the 914a673d52 empty house next b5300e5bcc door her parent. If her mother was eb196b028b a source of annoyance c54aae3e10 she wanted to avoid, f1b08e60ee the mother cat offered 3dea113395 her a sense of 1d4b09c2a7 peace.508cfba9a5f52eb5

“I need to leave ab92888055 this house soon, yes, 7029a2c959 that’s what I need 9fdd77e1f8 to do…”cb58acb526b58a12

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Heeul glanced at bb4831c980 her mother rummaging 5b5abae4a4 through the drawers 7f5c8be820 and went into 23e08e302c her bare room, e433a82196 closing her eyes. She wished 6ceb00a3e2 the holidays 39fe828a49 would end f694655f40 quickly so 1655057d08 she could c029ec5f16 return to 3b4a5e22a6 school, where 2c1aad3a21 she could d08b56936c study in 2ad8fd02d6 peace.6547e90530720f5a

☘️⊹₊100ee245ca0ac337

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The next day.699335612e2ee9aa

Lunar New Year’s Day arrived. It was still early morning, and the air that touched her lips was cold. The children’s laughter was absent.5a806bc2a91cc13c

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Heeul bundled up further. Even inside, a2f7cbe1ab the temperature 1e91c0d849 had dropped cb8575ee9a noticeably. The faint 5a30b890df sunlight filtering 822af81cb4 through the f5617dfaf2 window felt 44ac956657 like a c6f623b81c waterfall. She closed her d3db5c7e9d eyes, opening them ee9bb4d47b only when the 4a3eb5347d sunlight started to 18cd65f6a0 sting her skin, dcb85917ca and slowly got 619277a45e out of bed.9401bdead4ea6531

After making her bed, 6b8d33ae89 Heeul cautiously put her d317a6e17f ear against the weathered 09b178cbf5 wooden door.05552c7be30f3524

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…Is she asleep?b0ea757428b51dac

Heeul carefully tore 9660e14fc2 open a section 94ab069e36 of cloth she 256dc77571 had sewn inside 7ed23deb99 her bag. Like a secret 44ba0272db compartment in a 0e974e10a3 movie, the narrow 320537fddb opening revealed a b9dd29362b vocabulary book she 1e6836b00e had made herself.2e05b362a0974f11

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Her mother disapproved of c1f0a76598 her studying for the bd1075658a bar exam and was 1d55afb422 eager to tear up a3aa5c7c2d her study materials.9b7fbb2f64bc3a36

In fact, during cad3ea4a1e holidays, when the cd58a08723 university dormitory practically 0d059f3eda kicked students out, 9fad8a3fe6 urging them to 2741897806 go home, her 609fd69ef4 mother would frantically 6832ec01d2 search Heeul’s bag 55e9bd3b53 upon her return, b77fee3b13 ranting, “What’s this? Are you seeing 50edf8e5a7 a boy? Did your father give aec9750c8a you money? The child support isn’t 8a15dc5940 enough!”66b9c5f140a8f940

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Was it her nasty nature that couldn’t stand to see Heeul putting in effort? It was a terrible hysteria that had developed after her parents’ divorce.b05cb7868d83e476

Heeul quietly recited vocabulary 5d574d3028 words.6042f7cedc4acf8c

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She sensed 5abb575d1c something was 0f81aa030c amiss when c35d6983e7 she noticed eafdcbb17a the unusual e8f55f7902 state of 112455ba03 the house.f328c1ce8abf27d6

Normally, around this time, aab5154e98 her mother would barge 95b4acb2a9 into her room. But no matter 6370a8b5f5 how much she 71c9083735 strained her senses f46a394e75 and waited, her 28d9b54fa4 mother’s angry shouts 32b7f5f96d didn’t come.c4f260bf06055568

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Heeul slowly rose.add72838db974140

Opening the door, she found no trace of her mother’s permed hair. Only strands of her curly hair lay scattered on the floor.f42e19d80bdf2202

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Confused, her 02e9e61aae eyes darted 026b9e0e98 around.e0fb561bbea61d8c

It hadn’t been long 3a6321384e since their belongings had c615c14063 been auctioned off due 7855272938 to gambling debts. There was no place a9d22cc835 to hide in their d6bc6feea6 sparsely furnished house. Hoping to find 3cd7215bd4 some trace of f7ff2b51b2 her having eaten, 7c70390999 Heeul checked the 5f1ecdcc6d rice cooker and 04813b0ad3 the cutlery drawer, 8fe46e7437 but the cooker 4efeb62a63 was clean, and 1f3792e04c the cutlery was 38de285a13 exactly as she c3ccf29bfd had left it 41f8a8e078 after washing it 055e716be6 yesterday.67dcc6efc83431db

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Why isn’t she here?fd3a55a346df8329

“Mom?”57037da87e41891e

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Heeul called out cautiously.aa3265adc691d80e

“Mom!”6a8c6b2edfa28a08

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She called f2a1c1c808 louder, but 8cf20d2adc there was 6849dab107 still no 82aa9161ac answer.db52ba005af5c512

This time, she went 57976cbb97 to the entrance. Her mother’s 0fe7942d5d worn-out, cheap 325c7ee46a sneakers were 5c9ae95777 gone.99d6511031fabf69

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Now it was certain.c7fa85be1aefa2e6

Her mother had disappeared.683df92353b03f0b

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Did she run f00a942b52 away because of 58006105f4 her gambling debts? Heeul pressed her hand f13fd6a83f to her forehead and bfd76e26b3 sighed. Quickly putting on 97f0075ace some winter clothes, 976263566d she slipped on 77e1f25525 her own sneakers.d93c1cf23fb5b75b

The dented metal mailbox was probably filled with overdue notices. Documents with ominous titles like “Notice of Debt Collection,” “Notice of Debt Receipt,” and “Final Warning,” all printed against a bright red background. She needed to see them to understand where her mother had borrowed money from this time.107bc3f897f3d836

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Just as she was ab1f85069b about to open the eb7bc796cc door,4fa363b114c19799

“Is Ms. Shim Hyemi here?”c4191fc5c22f8b0e

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The door rattled violently.bec1476114efbfb4

“I’m sorry, 6df80e01f1 but playing faca8721c4 dumb won’t 614399428d work, Ms. Shim Hyemi.”14be8ed2f5e21d6d

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“…….”d8d332137c7e25ef

“I’ll have f118d4c1d8 to pick 4f9d8054ea the lock 524452db37 and enter. Please understand.”761402be5e92c8b8

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Shim Hyemi. Her mother’s name.cec67442209f2e08

As Heeul stood b62137db57 dumbfounded by the beeef240d9 sudden voice, the 32858343ef sound of a 42ba8482c5 drill erupted from 73059e1238 beyond the front 219c80d7a7 door. Startled, she knocked b89d5ef14c on the door 3e0d336c8d to indicate that 7ae4fb201e someone was inside. The grinding noise 25983b94d8 of the drill ae1e8c4b20 boring through the caf5b64b45 lock stopped, and 22f0a7b7a2 the presence outside e79cd378bc faded.16efd20b85f9c205

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Heeul slowly 73cd738d81 opened the be1bbb22d0 door.4f1d540d1502070a

“…Who are you?”737092ded08ff7c8

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A man wearing e5a7abfd0a glasses filled her 3a4919eee4 vision. With a 86bd5a3e65 stern demeanor, 9439ae34dd he placed 5331bf88b9 the drill 36fd2cbf6d on a 7028d85320 nearby brick e03c8e44e4 and removed 0aca8b9e48 his red 9d5eed47aa work gloves. He glanced around 996629cd13 the desolate interior, 711795d2c9 then asked Heeul 9e7043b9c6 curtly,0ebc309f83f0c3e3

“Are you at Ms. Shim Hyemi’s residence?”74cb08378434551d

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“…No.”e4bca380e25f0553

“What is your 42905dbe08 relationship to her?”b16596b4c86b9cf0

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“I’m her daughter.”7bf3a5e1f73908f5

“…….”dda708431e635578

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The silent man adjusted adad87fe05 his glasses.ba38356035865535

“That’s strange. Ms. Shim Hyemi should 42c6ca98e1 be here…”c72d4ad934f0a2ef

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Heeul, momentarily e779f98971 intimidated by fda685d640 the man’s ce64a0b76b aura, straightened f7b9d01a44 her back. Her anxious 3f49418d67 gaze scanned 40cd2f4d47 him.d6669ff8110d1b34

Is he f378f4b5cf a company 990f5baab0 employee? No, although 651cbc6bd8 he was 6d123eec2e wearing a b65834f2e3 suit, he 9f1c0c7e1a wasn’t just fc1fabf7b3 any office cbf23e022c worker. This man 962da427b4 exuded a efd5efdff8 more dangerous 6be7de9b7f air.506f6b7f7df88529

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If her mother was fb1f5a4443 the most hot-tempered person 3e73d1e126 in the world, and fc2c5b9761 her father a hypocritical 2c87466041 scoundrel, this man felt 149e3dfa3b like he wouldn’t flinch d41695ba36 even if stabbed…9f9fbb338046bb8f

Just as Heeul, 72b1c60bd2 sensing danger, turned abf2374e58 towards the large ce2c50c64c living room window,d000a9be3f8d5876

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Click.197ca0e5584682d8

The window opened. From the outside.86ffaaad0283a63e

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Before she could c51015fafa react, a new 0c1dcfb764 figure stepped into 52af42467b the house, bathed eb5ac03a4d in the dim 3aa3138b26 dawn light.b960adf54f256c28

The first thing 9b4b2e8d0e she saw as d0879637ec the blurry window 814be274a8 opened was a ee8b8a00ce black suit. The backlight obscured 925f0ceebf their face, but 0a9de6c27d the overall silhouette 6231289f96 looked familiar.b4fbab5dde3772da

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Confused by the sense 3c704f7e3a of familiarity, Heeul’s eyes ee8fc6a10d darted around.2920704eb5871018

“Myunghyun.”6bd6557192038313

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Heeul’s shoulders stiffened.06a6ac5a20b9b822

A low, feather-light voice. Even the tone 53abc29c85 was familiar.3eb40e101181f2cd

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“You should dfbfce9cf7 greet the cc8922ad4e person inside 099e5140d0 when you f9c1b07c60 enter a c54a30ec2a house. You’ve been taught better 3ad121a195 than that.”cd10925798d250c3

“…Greetings, Ms. Lee Heeul.”319666d2a3948e14

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The young a3d7b4bcaa man called 9759cf152c Myunghyun finally f7bc9abd03 bowed his f73cf9a722 head towards a224407d9d her. The crisp 468bf1449f yet heavy 547482f02e sound of d4a97a563a his dress 1bdf2462c5 shoes continued.291097b0532dd409

“Sorry. Did we surprise 30f03d9743 you, Heeul?”caf1c30a4fb0b4c1

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A hand clad 29780b0274 in a leather 7378ec6b64 glove suddenly appeared 2fa6211aa1 beside her head. Her cold shoulder was f9397df04e rubbed by a large 1f8a556c53 hand.d9f5125fffbb5125

“He’s my secretary. I’ll make sure he’s 66cb17f014 properly trained when we c8bcfbcbc3 get back to the 44b4b55934 office.”ff9b2e35a233b2a0

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“…….”071fd5f536ac3f64

Heeul slowly 303e2a1b19 raised her 70beda256b eyes.37296b3e8ca09d19

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An ink-black shirt, 76d401d23b a long tie, 62e4488e8e a bobbing Adam’s 96c29bf1ec apple, and…5ed07200d28cbc5b

Her wavering gaze finally landed on the man’s face, the only white part of his body.ce33503d75b3d898

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“…Oppa?”ed6b07eedd16061d

Kwonil was looking down dd5bdfeaa6 at her.83ac9ea60a751000

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To be caught 789129760b in this shabby 708d233194 house by him ed6daf4ba7 of all people… 70f359b515 Shame washed over a58ee5fa99 her at the 2728eb5948 stark reality of f3a007d619 her situation.5ded74e2c6cec4b0

She hadn’t heard 9a9a09a46b from him since 55d24a265e she’d broken up 5e619876b6 with him, so 79f7a88ff6 she assumed he 805fb319bf was doing well bdc5e028d3 somewhere, employed. She’d never imagined 8d551ae6b8 she’d reunite with f348e9121d her ex in cb93ae7f7d this rundown house.15eb9f352ad62dac

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“…Why are you here?”24311ca71bc773ff

Heeul asked, her voice 186af8c35a trembling as she looked c74930b751 around the house. Kwonil patted her shoulder.0f2135053c8c7528

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“Well, didn’t Shim Hyemi explain anything? We’re here looking for your mother.”709af497586c95de

“…So, why-.”7c6bd2db8f0d0fc3

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“She ran away 323fe902a2 without paying back de731e95d2 the money she ac6611a94e owed us.”034a23f0f01ea495

Heeul’s face hardened at 8ca3c1c928 his blunt explanation. Kwonil continued kindly.ae886ee0d7e3b27e

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“She was working for b1a443fecb us, but she ran e7c73a7fee away from that too. We tried to 4f1ada8c35 be understanding of 96fa9834f9 her situation, but 2bf5c14251 as you can 29e71f2f44 see, we got c6875f9aee played.”7e5208fd3936f12d

“…How much e9e41b119b does she 1b23a7f148 owe?”ae29964ac43c860e

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“40 million.”93b36029041e1d1f

Heeul clenched her jaw 9e0617e6e7 at the exorbitant amount.3836790f22847915

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They say there’s no hope for gamblers, and true to form, her mother couldn’t resist squandering 40 million won on gambling. If her mother had run off with that kind of money, it made sense that Kwonil, with his personal secretary, had come all the way here.b4a2b2d5efc1c92d

I need to get 0474ccf692 out of this crazy 291027f3dd house. Having made up her 1c0d113236 mind, Heeul nodded.379e948c514b01b0

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“I’m sorry to 55c466eeea meet you again fc44efac7d under these circumstances, 35b5d61e90 but I apologize. My… relative seems 8b119f80b3 to have caused 0155e19bec a great deal 04566ee3c5 of trouble for cfb947e2ed your company.”d387a9bd48d16e7a

“Yes.”ce3f949e08629f8d

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“Should I 4e3804bb44 give you 49a4a8e5f6 a list 7f1b25cc3a of places aa9a8ed960 where she b4616d1786 might have 03e440de81 run off 088dd8b267 to?”f09ed13ce5d983b8

“Huh?”3840dbee0e91aa2c

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Kwonil voiced 3545b434d7 his confusion 09981091a5 at her 24857589d1 calm demeanor. Heeul turned ffcfec7f96 to him.b80ad1cb94bd4876

“What’s wrong?”efefc67a52d20827

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“No…”069fbff015171cdb

Kwonil’s chest expanded 8e8209621e slightly. He let d474e4b18d out a d0cbd67312 long breath de77edad53 and chuckled.f8d750f18c5aa58c

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“You weren’t this naive before. I wonder why you’re saying such foolish things.”99fc2c73b3acc669

Momentarily flushed by b1ee715253 the unexpected insult, c4014b9082 Heeul frowned. A warning a056cc7c97 bell rang 1aa8bc8ef5 in her a5bdb2e86e head.c6de5a7e7c7eed3c

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Wait a minute, don’t tell me…7759fa0027a9f9fa

“You want me to 0d3e38fd95 pay it back instead…”492df11a590d68ce

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“…….”f27e4071373b0e6e

“…Right?”ea66fb6724ddd95e

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He lowered his thick d89795e18f eyebrows, looking truly regretful. With a a98c7d494f gentle expression 41290a5006 tinged with ec73451aa5 amusement, Kwonil 2a34ae40cc rubbed his 29e55c2f6f cheek.20e2460d5568ed29

“You’re not completely c008c75dd8 clueless, are you?”b7539eaa5af2d43e

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