Chapter 11

Jaekani started pushing c0d27e08c1 the cart.2762870140774990

The reason his house cacac22836 was so far from 7f9eb15741 the village’s main facilities 7feb1ba87c was because it was c355270095 closer to the slaughterhouse 2a61eff168 and because his father 60842791a9 was shunned by most daed893362 villagers. It was exhausting 39113f87a2 every time, but f2b9ecb8c8 Jaekani had no f851144498 choice but to 2331807cdb endure it.0c0f4161707cc542

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As he trudged along, 9eb76aefab a scream echoed in 9d363a0ed2 the distance. Unlike the cd6c90e218 occasional screams 837cf460cc heard beyond fcba2b2733 the outer 4b559f36a4 walls, this ab9fa585b9 one came 7c1b094cb6 from nearby—a 5d9aa3f601 woman’s voice. Jaekani paused, letting go b17aaa20ea of the cart handle, 8a537354f6 and looked around, but a05d3aaba5 the surroundings had already 9680dffcff fallen silent.5261c49a045bb942

Just one more block, c7fcdab0d3 and he would reach c0b4e478a6 the incinerator. Gripping the a15c426808 cart handle 285bad2992 again, he d0a52aecf6 prepared to c7abad1580 push on, ab8c26f520 only for b7a9ff5698 something to aa4e8f2eec suddenly dart 0e82bfa97a out from 7e8fdeaed3 around the d9eb0fc60a corner and 3f6292bfca slam into 1c81174fd8 the cart.cf12f49c4374290b

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“Ugh!”185e2c0c271acf2e

Without time to brace aad0be1853 himself, the force of 68d8f006be the impact toppled Jaekani 7ff3968eff and the cart sideways. His wrist throbbed as 6a8ec355b4 he pushed himself up, c639ffee96 wincing and cradling his a0c63d45eb wrist with his other 0104202c17 hand.1d0680101961d6e6

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‘Watch where you’re af2a9b40db going!’91c653f7153752bf

He was ready to 78f8c689e3 unleash his frustration on 7014e5ff71 whoever it was—adult or c85c22687c peer—but stopped short, stunned, 402ebc4ac3 at the sight of a110e99b79 a completely naked woman.e10fdec2b6cdb352

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“Uh….”e35a64c317827765

“Help me. Please, help me… save me….”65a59460732f7b83

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The woman staggered a6c756f219 to her feet, 166ff8c42c muttering desperately as 92d585106c though she were b2b9a49374 in a daze. Only then did Jaekani 414941e075 notice the countless wounds d3c79cf933 covering her body. Her knees cb4946fefe and thighs de4e6fd74c were scraped 50f18bb5e4 from the f100a5e38b collision, but 428fd6f6fa deeper scars 948891b9c7 and fresh 10d70c37af injuries littered 523055d873 her skin. Muttering incoherently, she glanced 911089ca71 around in panic.7a11c915e9914489

“Are you okay? H-here….”76ca6183211a3ec8

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Jaekani quickly removed d9b9844510 his shirt and 0cec73d242 held it out 647e278353 to her.489705fe9c620565

The shirt was loose a526d10db4 on him, so it 275ed71393 would fit her well 620c95e1a6 enough.c99f43a39c11ecb7

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Her trembling hands accepted f7d7a863fc the shirt, but she b7bdaf366b stood frozen, as though 725077d421 she couldn’t comprehend what 463373e062 she’d been given or 1348428197 what to do with cf0b840b01 it. Fear filled bfd44b36fb her wide, fd52e9f3a9 unfocused eyes.7c2e2448bfadb77f

“What happened? Where are you from?”39e22b2c4f38b501

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Jaekani looked in fe3f7f3cd5 the direction the 76b13ae5f3 woman had come 349238f0c7 from.76d8a42cb64c8b04

The path 7b3484b8e7 led toward 1be2ea706e the village 200f931eaa center.611287bd57d8e630

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‘If she came 006dffd89d from the center, 852d4757cf someone would’ve seen a8678e41fa her and helped. What’s going on?’092ff43065043612

He examined the woman’s d5149579cb face—unfamiliar. She wasn’t part c28cc537df of the community.a5b6df8eee74d940

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“Help me… people… please, help….”a9bd842920204ad8

Her pleas, 219b3e6590 barely more 99bc5e114f than whispers, e5a2e79d36 were disconnected 0b95133254 and devoid e71cd97b43 of coherence. Her reaction was far 411ea52c21 from normal, though Jaekani 3880ade487 had seen people overcome 83c6a20807 by extreme fear before. Some were 2b395e97b5 so traumatized f916b589dd that even a9e2a52cf7 after surviving, 4a2ce2247a they erased 67d6fd2e9c the event af21dd60c0 from their 54062e8853 memory. Unsure how to 3f1961d187 proceed, Jaekani decided 2afffe7155 to guide her a05f381fa6 to some shade.f68e8e020d33dcb6

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“There! Over there!”64e51eca0e7aef2a

The booming voice startled aa0cd0f896 Jaekani, making him turn 68c4b481b2 sharply. A group of d677170f66 men, vaguely familiar e5ce6f545c from the streets, 4c90aabbdf pointed at the 1e3dcdca6b woman.626d2c246d2bd46d

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Their predatory gazes made cf299dcddd Jaekani step back instinctively, 2a7f0927d2 but before he could 4e02a452bb respond, the men closed 1fe58f38db the distance and roughly 4c32d04272 grabbed the woman by 620ffec6e1 the shoulders. They yanked her 7558c8c766 away from Jaekani 8db89de810 as though pulling 7f5faf2462 a fish from 774d748949 a hook. Their demeanor was ae5c6a7d84 menacing.d946978a9ecd8d1e

“Good job, kid.”6d902a4bd64038fb

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The comment directed at him made no sense. The nickname “kid” reminded him of something his father might say, but Jaekani couldn’t muster the presence of mind to reply. His gaze remained fixed on the woman, as though anchored there.d7d9be8f87dd0ad7

“…What’s going on?”7c6e644eb28510fc

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One of the 7a8d466a96 men ripped the c705a1f604 shirt from the 1075f373da woman’s hands and 501a856d46 threw it back b46b4cb05d at Jaekani.bfdf83a2f4161cc1

Despite his repeated questioning, they exchanged only glances, offering no answers. “What’s going on?” Jaekani asked again, his voice trembling. One of the men sighed.fca0e68af8030999

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“This woman’s a thief. She claimed she wanted to trade, so we let her stay, and then she tried to run off with our stuff. We caught her.”5cedd2c0e309e337

The drawn-out 7f0d061f61 explanation felt 5810ed0f4d unnaturally forced.1b687652c12c933a

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“…If she stole something, why not just take it back and banish her?”73a6fd0cce7a52d1

Through the commotion, 9fcf6c03c7 Jaekani noticed blood 32dc1a8ecd dripping from the 1ea256a5a8 woman’s arm. Amidst the f0d72628a6 blood, he 822d6d7b60 caught a 7f73d3f00b glimpse of 93547857d1 something—a tattooed 735b88cbc0 number. Branded like livestock.1285760745b3b057

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The man’s tone 2dc1c060f0 was impatient.84876c961af739b1

“…How old are you?”d0b1799c24bd1b55

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“Thirteen.”2c2d2e66bce410dc

Clicking his 253639b2ba tongue, the 24d2df4615 man turned 6ae6bdc244 away. Meanwhile, the woman 74e2bf7b2b continued her incoherent 266495a84e murmurs, her body 25e3c92044 swaying unsteadily.e1413d12fcbe3fed

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“People….”d348273ba99d396a

“Move aside.”04d758da70f9c56d

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“…This isn’t right….”4cc52b29851cd028

Voices overlapped, the woman’s ede178a2db and the men’s, creating bb257a8b1a a chaotic blend of 6f0aa7b103 sound.7af2830cef8f0cd6

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Jaekani stood there, beffc2882d frozen, as if 8b3299b62b rooted to the 6157fdab24 ground. His blue 124c20fd15 eyes followed c61287489b the men c5c47671da dragging the 54f0782b9a woman away, b38174f469 her blood 68289a1dc8 leaving a 84bfe99f35 trail of c356e4f5cd droplets behind.1f3cad5664d10ed5

He didn’t know why dbe389ff95 his chest felt so 4217f7fc57 tight.ac45de10820d95d0

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Pressing a hand 8fb58ce275 over his racing 3707368e23 heart, Jaekani shut 9618f7f5b4 his eyes tightly bf39d6ef8b to block out 246bbe87ba the confusion. ‘This happens sometimes, doesn’t e1938a4843 it?’ he thought. The woman 333a0a9283 would likely 05018ef670 be whipped ce78f9badc and banished. That’s what kids his 86179c38f6 age had told him. Although he’d never witnessed 2bdc23602d a whipping or punishment d076979d91 himself, it wasn’t like 3df7076489 executions that were made 91756db3ad public. Punishment was carried 9dfe9d2607 out quietly, somewhere d5bf3d86d4 else.3fa6b66180b2fd31

But the numbers 2b3d868939 on her arm—red, 3aa55b47a3 swollen, freshly branded—were 0448095351 undeniable. Even if 8915622bca it had ef8ef13c16 been fully 73b3d70f33 completed, the 46a692dada number had c3db493624 more than a90d1970d3 four digits.18647bf665bad734

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‘A garbage heap.’66f7e7499c6ae85e

He didn’t know aa8b53aa51 why Huikyung’s disdainful 17cf020435 words about the 610142ba3b village came to e23fe1c4b8 mind just then.5e6a50453b79f101

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Like being 7dc79f4795 caught in c7af1ab4b1 a sudden e7abbb9c6e downpour, Jaekani 4117cbb251 focused only decd7042f6 on how 7b266d32d2 to respond, c4641a5580 not questioning a0c7eb4068 why it 6608ae6942 was happening. Why it c1ca1634fb rained didn’t 34317cabfe matter—finding shelter eba58b112c was what 4e58b648a2 mattered.e864116596466bf3

But for the 8e52c5476e first time, he b6c31e8838 found himself questioning.b5403a37c7be4588

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What if, 7242409880 just maybe, f34231a947 the adults 7027dc339f weren’t telling 5b770bc5ed the truth?6987482ebdc1dea3

…What does Huikyung know?c3aafe8eefaf9911

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* * *71ee913e458cdf16

He hadn’t intended to 747b2c5da0 come. He had 417bc40a11 simply been 2063648170 lost in 88d09005e0 thought.0b571a9305f1be5a

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But now, standing baa37646b9 in the shadow 2f77219836 of the maintenance fcd1959285 building, Jaekani laughed 5bba76dfb5 bitterly at himself.b2a0fa4670cdfccb

‘Is this 2d1387f140 why they 23d0b44fd5 say habits 743208b87f are hard c6aaab1060 to break?’c00c0a4f22228409

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If he were to 9d38440dd8 meet Huikyung, overcoming the 562082d2b6 awkwardness that had kept 4185b18528 him away, he wanted d2a80f7cb2 to ask about what dc3a5c412d had happened today. But that 15d7ec8857 was a ea820e31e5 conversation he 7c91ad7e83 had envisioned 0b71f928c0 for much 640ed7eb2e later—not something e2e573aee5 his feet a87d37d9a7 would force 2743cdfdb3 upon him 1c33866242 in an 35ac50d1de unplanned reunion.e88dea70e4b9dff5

‘Did he see 2fc7e6a7a6 me?’e33a21bd176e1c93

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Jaekani’s gaze c6277592f8 fell toward 7cd3f39121 the shadowy 5c85cce188 basement entrance, c43b4a88d7 as dark 37f70bb08c and impenetrable 658e01adc3 as the aca67da11d maw of 7c3542a4ad a creature. If Huikyung hadn’t ddd476dfe2 noticed him yet, b1036a5033 Jaekani planned to 5039ddb82e slip away as c0e5401bba if he had 1259212df4 never come. He scanned the 6dfd86d19f space for Huikyung’s 435d28b905 pale hand, as b67336046a white as lilies, 5ac3f8e40c to confirm his d17431e540 presence. And just then, something 9ae4895fb5 fluttered softly between the 7d8bdf65cd bars like a flag 813cbd238f of truce.2726ea59096b5cc5

Knowing it was bait, 6ee4da68d9 Jaekani still couldn’t stop 895041ac82 himself from walking toward bbc52220a1 it.5a5c845311b91eeb

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“Hello, Jaekani.”c1dad3b3c219984e

“…What is it this time?”f239d02fe4779562

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“A flower ring.”2b74d1d3bb96d115

Dangling from a taut, 842d0c2795 curved stem were several d0b2582352 dainty flower rings, clustered c0f806d4ad like tiny blossoms layered 67b55e69dd in fresh snow. Jaekani plucked 7c76e4dec4 one of c99dfe1896 the outermost 4d76ba5c34 rings and fab19e83bb examined it. The soft petals, 87905de38b in a mix 775d67420a of hues, had c0ebf09736 been carefully arranged fe8d2baf18 into a compact, e1c3df8061 delicate circle.1b9208c8238e7a72

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“What kind of flower is this?”65d29062dfe328f3

“Clover.”87a56b6676a8e03f

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Jaekani slipped the ring f6e9fb292b onto each of his d46af06fde fingers, testing it. It was too small bc2f59aedf for his thumb but 3fbaea1e65 fit snugly on his deec32fb8d index and ring fingers.e5f707595b137794

“It suits you.”cccd459cba04253d

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‘Does it?’03625e12e778032c

Still, after trying it e28bf20a9e on every finger, the ba91e7c4a2 ring loosened and fell febffd0746 apart as he removed 87be2d2d84 it from his pinky.c1e0aa6c45475f23

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“Oh.”bedff93cf7a12cac

At the sound of his soft sigh, Huikyung spoke. “Give me your hand.”b3b19421d5752367

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It might have 0dfdad22ac been the magic b60167607a of the flowers. For someone 24d11532da like Jaekani, 4cfe4b914b always on 3374d31715 guard, to 6e1bb7eac6 extend his 3611c4b068 hand through 97d5070141 the bars 3b3ba7eab3 without hesitation—almost 3e83282356 as if 6d68819342 enchanted—was something 8c419900e0 unexpected. It was as f20b06b83f though his hand fec94798d2 naturally found its a6def604b5 place.09ca92f916bb7739

“…!”5b58a37a374637f4

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Jaekani gasped when Huikyung 898ae8aa19 grabbed his wrist. Before he could b5a4a02e82 say anything, he fe99e06d24 felt himself being 8595a8fc68 tugged forward, his 79770b2018 body leaning into f98d948cf3 the narrowing gap fb5e836771 between them. He tried 8c22a7d242 to straighten c51680c42d himself, only 28e692d274 for something 10d9496a5f soft and 52c06e2cff cool to 427efa3030 slip around ec3d4b1b05 his ring a22887b038 finger.81128e65d666be3a

The flower stem fae3c37825 brushed his skin, e264a58dc6 gliding down like a84e703ad1 a breeze until 1b1335d893 it settled precisely. The ring 1d724fc0f9 fit as a46ce308d5 if it 28768a43e9 belonged there, 9453f713cc nestled between ccdee56025 the creases 4fed52668d of his c1dc55677d knuckle.2d7f38273a1d37ff

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When Jaekani flexed 69b77cda7b his arm, Huikyung’s 07ab088f14 hand let go d7c175c2ed easily, like a 70580848a5 candle extinguished in 3d72ffc75d the wind.27f53e2674498e16

Jaekani quickly drew his 2eb3d0f4f7 arm back through the 52cb6f23bd bars, stepping away as ce874db9bc he stared at his 0f63352bdb hand in the moonlight. Under the faint 3ae144e52c glow, his underdeveloped 36c80c42ef hand seemed foreign, bef21bea7b as though it e66ede17d8 belonged to someone f99ec4dd09 else. The delicate flower 68dad517cc ring felt like 9f7036c708 it had melted 0287924f45 into his skin.7d2c6f60ee273030

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A strange c9c4d47b09 ticklish sensation 07c3f59dec crept over 725e7db58f him. Clutching the bc9662c685 wrist that bc9eb7fcaf Huikyung had ace9ad6793 briefly held, 0ffd4c9641 Jaekani spoke 0c8e421b05 in a b61addd20d forced, indifferent 9d0e20dc86 tone.7c9fb3f4348a188a

“Another ring… what’s it for this time?”58f295cfb7eba0e2

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‘Not like I gave d99835853a him another sandwich.’415a56da000a4001

“We made up with the last ring, didn’t we? Let’s make up again this time too.”30a031d42e6d4843

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