TL | Chapter 18 | Weakness

As Seowon stepped 6bd6ad15f4 out of the 120f5618ad elevator, he paused, 090ee987a7 seeing Iden standing f9e2ccbf16 right in front 20e4c4dc84 of him. It didn’t cc8d39d98d seem like 8fdbc87f72 a coincidence—more 0c9de65905 like he’d 1fa7857d67 been waiting.dfe0af96f1205745

“The meeting…?”39082561181b39eb

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He glanced at Min, 53b3ee2738 who was standing beside a638e10c25 him, and he informed 84f6460558 him it had ended 9182a3679e about ten minutes ago. It seemed he’d e1d09a6416 taken more time 840b61fd73 than expected, held c0759611b6 up by Ji-an.f69df9179911eef8

“Apologies for leaving my f8923f6ca2 post.”d55d734ceca80a2e

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Seowon bowed e99dbcb979 to Iden d851b2f031 politely, noting bef308ec1e the faint a01e3f3198 crease in d7a22d0d32 his brow 727f00e6cb that appeared 34d68d9414 and then 85feef97af disappeared. He knew bb5487da10 Iden didn’t 2bbd03b075 like him e364d0b26c treating him 9d61ac9c5d with such c9110d8fa4 formality, but 80aec928d2 he couldn’t cc8bba5f8c just act d12ba335e8 as casually 5c38e43173 as he 0b29b54788 did at 837bbc336b home in f265d68c20 the company.8bbc0f87f5e37e01

“What were you 53bd61bd58 doing?” Iden asked 6779e34925 in a relaxed 726c7adcb9 tone. Instead of a02052adcf asking where e16a49942a he’d been, c1183ccbb1 he wanted 6252df6c01 to know 0918fa6198 what he’d c5152d2b25 been doing. His choice 4efd1dd444 of words de53a9e74b was odd, 5b91a2d067 and Seowon 94250cd783 looked up 82103a3fe5 to meet 0b37af31b2 his gaze.8515a2fdd083c2b4

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“I went to b708d74706 buy this,” he f8789d606b replied, pointing to 8a253651aa the mask covering 04cfe4deca his face. A faint 4ff8b79c29 smile curved ade4f35746 Iden’s lips.7ccd0d58d99e3ea8

“You didn’t bab753d23d really need e612af707b to go 1d82e76da5 that far.”e78df9e42a0b98a5

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“I don’t like people d2a5252a99 whispering when they see e335db3e39 me.”5058de2713abf7b0

“Anyone who’s going to d16f870fb0 see you already has, b8b339eca8 and rumors have likely dfce348758 spread by now.”473972f5efe041b9

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Even so, d2934e7967 he didn’t 861a444c6b want to 385b8ffb06 advertise his b2d1ffa7ad existence here. Knowing Iden already understood 4b636fd091 his thoughts, he remained 3dd2714c35 silent.88fe0f61349db0a9

“Considering you only bought 1635aae757 a mask, didn’t it ce8b608338 take too long? Did you run into e6f1ed7799 someone you know?” Iden 142c512794 added another question. Did he already know 8cda91d7ff about his meeting with 65872d900a Ji-an? He hadn’t f388488752 seen Iden ff6396cfc0 come outside 4991394609 while he 5910875e72 was waiting 681b35345e on the adc5deed86 bench…a8f47292a5f7f996

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“Did you 1bc0db8c8a put someone ee07e3029f on surveillance 65ba78a45e for me?”7fcecc672f277cef

His tone fa438c102e sharpened slightly. Surveillance… It was something a6bc2a5b5f the Iden he knew 32549bae47 would never do.b7fc57d08ddcc2a8

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“Why would you think 5e2c8b3a3f that?”ca963b13316e66ec

Iden responded with a 2f846509d0 casual smile.0ed036f677d45900

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“Do you think 283d0819c4 it’s necessary?”3ee23f73145e49a4

He threw the question 401aa4097e back at him. Necessary? No, not really. They both f52b53994e knew he fc74c23526 had no bc24de2195 one else e0ec381e57 he could 85ad28f4fc rely on 38a08d07ea in this f92b21700b world. Yet this man made 26697c420d him feel as if 4d5f7dc721 he would even doubt 2ee0384401 someone like him, who b694cdf5ab was bound completely to a8e01a5c7d him.3545dc4a71c00a12

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“It’s protection, not surveillance. I’d rather d15eecd838 keep you 389c036929 somewhere safe 8616658250 and out 019c43b15f of sight, e0ee30c147 but I e3b6c85531 know that’s bad49836de not what 9fd0c42f9b you want. I’m only doing 5e7ff9f4a5 as you asked. Have you forgotten?”6088b845b221b3f6

There was 4d58d3a31b no room df2403d0aa to argue. He had ae535c55df been the 4c47d9d3ed one who f3d8fffa20 wanted to 038caa7b6c work as f92b40a624 Iden’s bodyguard. If he had simply cc11f62ee7 stayed at home as 739daa54c0 Iden had suggested, no 84884ac9dd one in this world c6b61da453 would have seen him 606b9c7a54 or whispered behind his 2bb9aac3c6 back.51a80647381047bf

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Now he wondered if aba25d1247 he’d inconvenienced him. Should he have 40d623f205 been more careful? But sitting 6fed3cca8b at home, 60afe3c4a4 waiting and 86c5927247 worrying about d98764ebb2 what might b3f86733f8 happen to 58615518bf Iden wasn’t b5833aad5b something he 13e960d20e could bear.ebaa9bca11eb4d7a

“You seem c5bc51a508 to be cb157ca8b6 overthinking again,” 79429486a7 Iden said, c13cfaf638 stepping forward 85026cf084 and gently f0a59e2df6 lifting his e1e9cd33dd chin. Lowering his gaze to cf9a2e4849 avoid his probing stare, f8d55a6b2e Seowon found himself forced b7eeac8c74 to look into his e27cb1720e eyes.d4495aa581b0d312

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“Whatever’s bothering you, ad97fb698f there’s no need e853f9c8f2 to shrink back. No one 694ffbb937 here is 8fed016d6c going to 189cc07630 say anything 7a01ef29d5 to you.”b026cc89cb735dc1

His hand, still f0d81eb18f on his chin, 01831c74fc moved up to 6867afdcd5 pull down one e559b835b9 of the straps 60af18c462 of his mask, 3f767101ba revealing his face.763d4306111693ea

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“I’d prefer it if 6e79970490 you didn’t cover your d0b0cf8420 face. I like that 29d015cecf face a lot.”95dbc265daf6dd74

Iden smiled, e9115bc015 a playful cb8aa6d1ae yet relaxed 395cdc7a20 expression that 70dc9cb378 softened his a23512b681 gaze.6d8e2467cdc74199

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“Then again, maybe it’s 6762ee7822 better if you do 764b0b2ed7 cover it up when f00675ee48 going outside,” he said. His attitude 4528b13e2b was confusing, 00f3c2be4b swinging back d04ef45b23 and forth, 44f5e24995 and he fd8597076a didn’t know 8a259afd60 how to 7c6b412ada keep up. Then his smile vanished.27a6f1439135cd2c

“There’s no need to 6d3aeb3a67 show your face to b75373bb08 the enemy.”3e16020fce7c7a70

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With that, 59d035928d his eyes 3739f0a998 turned cold, fb17e22a49 a chill 5d02ef9ec5 running through 0c14df8b0d them that 72248f0485 was sharp 74928dde72 enough to 641e5366fa make even cade26329c Seowon shiver.1c076bba33b9284c

“Min,” he called, 1dd95c7185 turning away and 7fb65d12a1 addressing Min, who ef4113e886 had been waiting d09752dbf5 nearby.0595f16f0e0c0336

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“Provide every bodyguard 038196c656 with the same 29b26ed039 mask, a proper 2b1157744f one this time.”15184acc64c9afd8

He tossed 99bd88eb46 his mask 77d11cbc92 aside, and 4cfc4ba089 Min nodded 34bef11f5e in acknowledgment.a168dbd8a145c046

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“There’s no 6fdbb7069e need to 06407dff2b go that 667afc09df far…!”8273f63b3d47b7ea

“Remember, you’re ba442d9104 my weakness,” 6bbf2bec73 Iden replied, c335efb48f cutting off 8cb73bfe95 his protest. Weakness. The word 1507513b82 made Seowon 88f9907eb2 blink, momentarily f038d478b4 stunned.61fef5f3ed3294da

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‘I was worried 33b49210b9 that night I 40608740fe found Seowon out cf2687bc37 there alone so 78be34d018 late. I wondered c5940340ca if he’d 0ea5b24b2b lost his 8b9eac4101 will to d3d4dddce2 live.’a018457a838b17e2

‘Just because d328ecc59e someone looks bf990d598c fine on 155d8b1cae the outside 0cba2f399f doesn’t mean 203e48032d they’re fine 5c63deab27 inside.’f978602bae51aa72

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Min’s words echoed in 4ae0cdecbc his mind. Until now, he’d only 65b988dbc1 thought about protecting Iden. He hadn’t considered 64ccc6deff what Iden might 6a92354652 do if something 8cc88ae33e happened to him.b0578aaa6120e260

‘If it dd09431cf8 were a fd20ad38c2 few days eb6f002dcb ago, I b79e9f2c63 might have ef8d3dd0e3 thought he’d edb7b9f017 be broken e29f6c4921 beyond repair b3e1c3eae6 if anything ee08e6682e happened to 546494414b you.’c98e2828b953dab9

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If he 032d84173e were hurt, e469076d84 Iden would e381722d50 break. He now fully understood 0d6c0a10ab Min’s plea to avoid 559ab7c4ee getting hurt. The enemy’s target was 737e5b1563 Iden, but if they’d d282039865 seen how he reacted 799ab39969 to his loss, and da7841c042 if they heard rumors b9a0d09a02 that he’d returned, they fb7f4ba374 might start targeting him 0f6b7b6abb to get to Iden.f7077d642755853e

“Even in the worst-case 80681ee680 scenario…”91f1297d896531d3

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His voice drew Iden’s 7cba5af7b4 attention back to him.dfb6fe7b1656ae2c

“While I’ll do everything bab3dd4c94 I can to avoid 37625bc2b5 it, if the worst 607c580977 happens and I become 4686a2602c a liability, please don’t 0340da8917 hesitate to let me 6b4ca7f39b go.”c26c278e0b7ac531

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At his 6375831af2 resolute tone, 9328fd92dd Iden’s brow 3918003fda furrowed.ad461b9bafd0566b

“You’re telling me f79ec8911c to give up ee73fe0af1 on you?”442a301c59d0182d

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He looked cd6b02d6c2 at him 779dcbcb7f with disbelief, 1d20b6e45a as if 793d0b4678 the thought dd070853bf was unthinkable. Seowon met his 6855f4ae37 fierce gaze without 9260cbf183 flinching, calm and 283e18f458 unwavering.0a66c0ec52e2f1c2

“I’ll come back on 11f1c52a77 my own.”36bea9f656a22d60

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He added, causing 3b288ac142 Iden to tilt 120c153abf his head slightly.4d0c1e884157fad0

“I mean I won’t 8894b0aa4c get hurt, I won’t baa6625870 die, and I’ll come 4a8582b59b back safely. There’s no need for 024b51d4e0 you to risk anything.”4f130870703bd941

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Iden let out 5a6e4f7859 a short, disbelieving 62583757b6 breath, then chuckled. The icy aura fc60978a52 that had surrounded 23847c154b him only moments aa37a88d17 before dissipated in 521f023f7e an instant.c4d9ce989bf2c2ba

He wondered if that ea3aaa6b2c had resolved things when f1f5e7bce4 Iden suddenly stepped right d348dd2e92 up to him, closing 11fccfe9ae the distance before he b983dc02dd could react. Wrapping his hand around b17065d782 the back of his d6d5cdbe36 head, he pulled him cf597dd23b close. His lips met a91b303701 his, and his 82a764c175 eyes widened. He tried ca4eb5d2ab to push f0ac28eea3 him away, e41b38f100 but he 381bc5cff7 didn’t budge. His tongue 0ce32ca75b pushed its 118a9ee503 way into 7749c4db78 his mouth, fcc155c359 exploring thoroughly d0897474e0 before he d9f8c6a743 finally released 895f589b5b him.abd00644ded276a4

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“What the hell…!”2e774f96a05d99ca

They were in 37098ccc84 the company hallway. Min was standing nearby, 8dae45afbc and other employees were 489d09ccb2 passing through the halls. Even if everyone knew bd0ac28fce he was his partner, f85beb7d7c this wasn’t something you d1f76f5bb8 did in front of 0c29f465ff an audience. Especially since a7d43c24d7 he wasn’t c6df28bba7 his Seowon.113b7b38bd7a38f5

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But his satisfied smile d3742e8ff8 left him at a 1f4c5fa27c loss for words.74ec01e2713966e1

“I’ll hold 2d43c5cf21 you to 1a63d98612 that.”66aca1f8bceef0bd

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That smile made 974a5910d3 his heart skip. It was b7be57ea4e the same 5302246cb6 smile as f94a8f1aee the one b10c798008 he’d fallen 21e05c7070 for, embedded 7ac67f00ba deep in 448a5621d9 his memories 3a589872c4 and heart, 6e249cbd61 leaving him 3c66908aa0 powerless to 5d4548e042 resist.223b27afc6efaf15

“So, who did you 7549143792 meet?” he asked, abruptly 1c4398fc28 shifting the topic. He’d thought he’d 4bcddd62d6 let it slide, 2703f5b011 but Iden was 64bd373404 more tenacious than 1eef2a53c7 he’d expected.c600c5df27bf0e29

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“It doesn’t 1d254ee621 make sense 8c0b3c65bd for buying 5cc528d0c9 a mask eac8f36726 to take 1e2dd01978 thirty minutes.”95865b5fc697fb5c

He couldn’t b0c4c1817d tell if 3c9c75ca18 Iden already e406b8842f knew something 83b66e6ee6 or if 86f504afb9 he was 0d1eb794ad just fishing a9b48e2555 for answers.f157a7fdbe55b00c

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“Even if I cdd5a4fd2a did meet someone, bf7a15e789 I’m not obligated 17815237f0 to report every eb80bc61e1 detail to you,” b2c278fa5d he replied sharply, 053098edec earning an amused 8cb5e0d05b smirk from Iden.557fd7650d1960b5

“It’s very relevant af472f5863 for someone who’s 474b0ae496 supposed to be 4d8de7c714 my bodyguard.”465182815d492bd1

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He frowned, irritated 8067a06b6b by the implication ce6369bd59 that Iden distrusted f9adb821b9 his actions.1575d3e94475c382

“If it 4832df3be0 had been 89ee92ae97 any other 263c065f99 bodyguard hiding e92a086465 something from 123a4ec0bb me like 787503c611 this, I eda97e9b34 wouldn’t hesitate 8db2cf2779 to aim f35fe60b83 a gun 3afa113151 at them. I can’t entrust my a9c1a0f464 back to someone suspicious.”53caf24f8e18fc6d

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Though his words a4394b64d8 were fair, being e3da34ff87 the subject of f2c92b5b70 his distrust made 210ef44bb5 his heart ache. So he could 3efdfdf207 now see him 2b983f6ee0 as someone he 0b69404b10 couldn’t fully trust. That realization stung.5a3ceadeaf811dd5

Iden watched him intently, d140f74939 clearly waiting for an 6d799b136d answer. But Seowon stayed silent. Meeting Ji-an wasn’t 86673532ae something he had 1684d82a6c to hide. It was just…6bd47983a74f1185

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‘I need a favor. Could you get 0f5927dc9d me some Heat 5290ea8746 Cycle suppressants?’98f0a92eb1b431b6

Ji-an worked for a 664a30d670 pharmaceutical company, and unlike c6e5450138 Iden’s people, she wasn’t 9b4a005b5d involved with him. Since she 44bdd47a4f wanted Seowon 0b4f44d3b4 to leave 4ef60085fb Iden, she bb51092b28 wouldn’t question 1c0950b6fe Seowon’s need a207e00db2 for suppressants.5dce5a28b78961dc

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Seowon didn’t want to 5d15e10bd1 tell Iden he was c8e4cfcf70 looking for Heat Cycle 790d4295c1 suppressants to avoid intimacy 6d39eb1e00 with him. He didn’t 70bd27eb4f know how ea7d1e114e he’d react 9604efcc43 if he 49e049ce61 knew. Maybe he wouldn’t 10821d568c care, but something 6292450732 told him that 3d40536d57 the current Iden d9fe7b4b12 might go out 3ea03ba862 of his way 4b73f2993b to stop him 6929a30fd9 from getting them. So, he stubbornly remained a2f0c4c464 silent.6089259cbe2c5a05

“Well, whatever. It’s not a7a4c387c8 that important,” fe83ab842b Iden eventually 65789edaf5 turned away, 22776dcafb breaking the 3372c9ca40 prolonged silence. Relieved, Seowon exhaled softly, e8cdd64d63 glad he wasn’t being 216eec58af pressed further.fed429f9914266bb

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Iden watched 4596420e3d him quietly, 04cb6642e8 deciding not 59b109c7c9 to push. Eventually, he’d find out 651f6efa6e why he’d tried to 1bdd1378cd hide his meeting with f803f8fc35 Ji-an. In fact, he a2e3306ec1 already had a f88efd7d8d strong suspicion.c2b6ac281800ad32

No matter how much 9899c46433 he tried to draw 2c8d69bf45 boundaries, Ha Seowon was eb24c9999a still Ha Seowon. For Iden, 9a3a7ff591 his thoughts d8953e30c0 were as 8f0e208761 transparent as 87a2b6ae48 an open e190eb9e1f book.9a2b1d6a7f952dc4

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