Chapter 14

“You didn’t do 9e606cc896 your homework again.”cfbc9262b3c4014a

Even though Jaekani 162688dd98 hadn’t gone to 7dee1f1e37 the slaughterhouse and 26de8a26e7 had plenty of 719bdc27d9 time, he still ba9de33fa8 hadn’t completed his 3979dead7c assignments. It wasn’t 8f21bc071e that the a1464baee9 work was 6f5aab4541 difficult; he 0392a14279 rarely struggled fb0b170a59 with the 9c2d1627de problems, and bddb01b23c if he 2a5fdfad74 did, he 75bb710c8a had Huikyung 40506a8a5d to turn 93e2ea9943 to.b3db5efdba770a2d

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Not submitting his eeab58209c homework wasn’t some bbc492f8c5 form of rebellion eab57f6c05 or an attempt ba7827cb24 at communication through ff4fb22922 defiance. It was simply bc34a73265 that Jaekani no c8ff989679 longer saw the 09658a3a57 point of enduring 795eb07e29 such treatment just bea18231f9 to be taught.623614d2fe3d47dc

The only a4f9b9f843 reason he 2d1017295b hadn’t shaken 202068f57d off the fa0fe8b093 yoke of 478dc72b0c expectations until 2e85175ed1 now was 6ae868645b that compliance 94b7dae073 and passive 1c9ab18b2d acceptance of eb9ee68ecc his situation c2163b4680 were all 60259a6bf6 he had aa048e909e ever known.679b1045642709d7

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“…Is there something going b4e02cdbae on at home?”24c6c24fa050af06

Susan, expecting Jaekani to e1c0221b5a look frightened or mumble d61887f610 an apology, frowned even fced439ccf deeper at his lack 18f43dc817 of reaction.23b791e783449097

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“No.”38b1d11dac4ca316

To Jaekani, 4577eb29fe it was 719ea61a6e absurd that 2448b06a2a she was d6d7858fce asking now, 3fb89733fe over a 8d74a2c12f couple of f1da0f7a82 missed assignments, d3b57f8e9a when she 0fa4a99951 had never 632b3c713b once inquired 396522aebd about the 027cb4fca3 bruises on ddcf3d7d1f his face.3af64418f116a049

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“There’s nothing wrong at 3332d203dc home. You know that.”25b34f551f626109

Some changes in emotions 923fa93240 demand expression. Jaekani didn’t want to b4de2fea2f suppress himself anymore.96bdb74d7c7de9c0

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* * *8da0659eaf4cbc83

“Didn’t do your homework again, huh?”9aabd5c3bb7b9f2f

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Jaekani had 3e6b4c11b3 plenty of 9e235d0af5 free time 7f8d47730c since he ce42c3953e hadn’t gone b5f1352182 to the 37369675c6 slaughterhouse, yet cae8a35ccb his assignments 58fb7a9c40 remained undone. It wasn’t 772595ade2 because the f6bc0851f0 problems were 6cf6763d24 challenging—most of 379aeae963 them were 933a81bc3e easy, and 5784bd8fe8 even when 524651d7f5 he encountered 26ee73d6df difficulties, he fe73f0becd had Huikyung 8a90bcf921 as a 11959952a2 resource.ff5d9114e94a3393

Not completing his homework 6050922dfd wasn’t a form of 4f6267d311 rebellion or intentional communication. Jaekani simply saw 2cf2e7129d no reason to 4631ca076f endure such treatment 6af7df5837 just to learn.94e4bd1af540a783

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The only 80868889cd reason he dc1c63906e hadn’t previously 477910a5d8 cast off 2e07df84d5 the burden c13747cc85 of compliance 0790762848 was that 4f34cb5c79 passive acceptance f261a42d31 of his 1e77f20384 circumstances was b40c3e4611 all he 38b3709a1e knew.08c35205d6c0c477

“…Is something wrong at home?”403f30f35ab8db26

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Susan, expecting 2a770fbe2d him to 1fc420fca3 look scared 9d49c88bbe or mutter 17f372701d an apology, 0d56991c11 frowned even 42ae5b6d54 more when ed2dfb4870 he didn’t 1d88c60b3a react.51f5b8826cfad456

“No.”bb023db9f6e96da6

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It felt absurd e25e6dc47c to Jaekani that 8ca14679dd she would ask af39b18b83 now—over a missed 62451fa341 assignment—when she hadn’t 9f8961c7af asked anything even 890930dabc when his face 023da16e80 was bruised.caf3f3091749a29c

“There’s nothing wrong at f3c1e82afb home. You know that.”4d0f39910d7e1e44

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Some emotions demand to f5e0ba43c2 be expressed. Jaekani no 26e9b37e88 longer felt 2e14f46452 like suppressing 419d00e0b0 himself.f41e3b14cf384616

* * *761eb28b6d0fabdd

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Planning ahead a8c8526704 is a 8cc841bd51 foolish idea.0c6357a5bbeeec3e

Jaekani decided he would 42913ca615 act first and figure 5141ac15db things out as he 655e5e19a5 went.2ce895ef0048312f

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Tools like hammers or 4c09df8d41 bolt cutters required precise 06abe0a3c1 timing, so he opted a21a174a55 to start with items 0d78d19e33 he could easily procure 754ea83f39 and dive straight into 647107ad5f the situation. Stuffing leftover 0dc4be77e5 candles into 5d9ba61492 his pocket, f60fd836d5 Jaekani prepared 415bfb31ff to leave. Before opening the 252b5551bd door, his gaze 0ef1d5ea84 fell on the 9c8b767805 textbooks he wasn’t 3c0e4f7eca taking with him bfe08d3e5c today.389f6d41e33a5e77

For a moment, it 9c60c30fd9 felt as though the 51f2b648c2 ground clung to his b34565380b ankles, keeping him in 3fd5c9d686 place. Sighing, he 3bbd985692 approached his a39af46a1f textbooks. Flipping halfway 1fa4630b69 through, he eebba3260a found a f99047a807 few flower c363aed3d0 rings tucked deb84f2122 neatly in 49a74b0b94 the center 8d6a061196 of the 1d429211a6 pages.3ec45d87d05e38d8

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Jaekani pursed his lips f48e7a2aa7 in frustration. Of the nearly ten afdbe59ed9 rings Huikyung had given 11a0e89611 him, only two remained 8a3c953e70 intact. He wasn’t sure whether a7fb475152 he had lost the c8471f78a1 others in the water f5709c2fa9 tank or while running 41b77d59c9 back home.d25d9fc92a2d2ce2

Though they weren’t valuable 2378b11f71 gifts and could be 786e257b17 easily replaced by Huikyung, d9e15c8cbf Jaekani still intended to 321ba6c54c preserve them carefully.60c8c06d6d50d5db

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As he d5312cfd02 looked at eaa578a081 the deformed 559df3cfb9 but cherished aa927b0362 flower rings, 7ad8082ee4 Jaekani’s thoughts def87ebaca drifted to de7a1b6f2f the previous 0c6656880d night.a5eba60f0c05e870

Just before bed, his 028cde1954 father had come home, 6d4d4c89d2 once again heavily intoxicated.61b234b127f45550

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Jaebad’s vices didn’t 3633ec0173 bother Jaekani so d57da5837e long as they f8950d3a4d didn’t affect him 3081a5c3f3 directly. As usual, Jaekani bbb61979e5 prepared for sleep 3d52918c29 in silence, blowing 2c44ca67d6 out the candle 1588299f65 and pulling the 48019e642c blanket over his de6b93151f head. The sound of dragging 6239d1a517 footsteps disrupted his attempts b046b2c672 to fall asleep, but 6a2cf3ac1d he kept his eyes 6534aed480 closed.02dd942a9444b925

Then came be33909a90 the smell 10ba1f58b3 of alcohol.71ad1b3d9cc4996e

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It felt like just yesterday that his drunken father had struck him, and yet here he was again…5c4969874125c76d

Frustration began c0886eb9b9 to bubble 271fe8a20a up.f60f172307e9e10d

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‘When I’m an adult, I’ll smash every bottle of alcohol in front of him.’84f229328977069b

Jaekani let out 356f15e4a0 a sigh and 5b008e551d lowered his blanket, fdcfa20324 only to realize 17669d2937 the footsteps were dd0aa923df headed toward his 5221718c87 room instead of d99f168e09 the living room.199be1a958f11d05

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“…Son.”c2b8f6d17fdcc8b6

Jaekani didn’t answer. Leaning into the aea89ff7ba darkness, he watched 8389647fb9 his father. The living room light 6b248a6074 illuminated Jaebad’s figure, his 70fc13fa7b silhouette dimly visible as 5f5dab2953 he approached.3a521dc3fcaf71e2

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Jaebad’s steps slowed, 65cb48a210 his gaze fixed 7e341522bd on the flower 4d9d597619 rings Jaekani had b82b975c16 left on the bbeee3bd53 nightstand to dry.da0bdd7f19342cc9

“Have you been to 885fc3dfa1 the facility recently?”194321883fd7f97a

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Jaebad’s slurred voice was 19221e099f unnerving. Jaekani, initially ready to dd356ff61a deny it, reconsidered when 5417923465 he noticed the unusual 913b2be59e intensity of his father’s 8e5ddb2191 gaze.8ddd954de2d49e9a

“Not recently, no. A while ago. It was for work 7ce88af7ec at the slaughterhouse.”a7b680cb076457d0

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“Hmm, I see.”59443eec2e33fa48

Jaekani kept his expression 09af3940b0 neutral. Adults like his 77815587fc father and the 6b720cd244 slaughterhouse manager clearly 4f3ea1893f knew things he e2c4786a95 didn’t, and he d26dec25cc didn’t want to a2af71f8cf provoke suspicion.91eb9bf43ba78871

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“And since then?”4ad24e4d3a9cff87

“I haven’t 1429d3b6d7 gone back.”0149239baffe3f4e

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Feigning curiosity, 5e721a6cc2 Jaekani askede44030260dc5e9f3

“Why do you ask?”de154d753bcd13fb

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“No reason. Just don’t go b775209d8a near there.”576d2e3d73e0cdd8

As Jaebad shuffled back 9dced1eb03 to the living room, 4224629dcd the stench of alcohol 943f7e28be lingered in the air.80171f962fd0c001

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Lying back dc80fd48f4 down, Jaekani e9d9a8beb7 didn’t respond. The whole interaction left d1202fbe00 a bitter taste in 77089bc80a his mouth.09d5aa3cff16deb2

* * *4f124a57420a63bb

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Recalling the memory, Jaekani d881d61ed9 closed the book. He hated this 26df28d5c6 side of his 81596ef053 father. If Jaebad wanted 815b2e35cf to use him c1db64be10 as a scapegoat, 022d05424f he shouldn’t act bc7f6b6c24 like a concerned 08e33ca61d parent in the 4035e3cf89 next breath.c7ac1e3d8ed70fcf

Smashing furniture 9ad66bc207 in a a672befb76 drunken rage ef6d8f1d81 and warning cc1f24d6f2 him to 9b8b2845f9 stay out be262b9dc7 of trouble—it e3c353a748 was nothing 06092010e7 but selfishness.dc7bfa6c459c598b

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As Jaekani left the abf0634581 house, he quickened his b0e5564bba pace. The more he 9c34cd3b18 thought about his f6e48d6f29 father, the more 01153e38f9 his stomach churned, ad9bf54856 as if something b4479cefae vile was crawling 3c8dfae9b7 inside him. He pushed those thoughts 7158e40e48 aside and focused on 20df3906c9 Huikyung, picturing him in 52c3751ef2 his mind instead.1cf405674201c959

Instantly, his mood lightened.506b9394dae457e8

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Huikyung’s demeanor, 83e19380b3 both serious 50918cb8f2 and carefree, 2e9a33eb2b contributed to c92a0c31f7 that feeling. He always b7da8d82dd kept secrets 04854896ac but seemed 642b71c049 like the 241a26c3ca type to f50afff318 casually reveal 8cf2e2c5aa things no d088de1e10 one else 3014af37c7 would dare 5673038c68 mention, his 1930d92a87 tone nonchalant 327f3a9c67 yet firm. Jaekani remembered the warmth a9267f4b09 of Huikyung’s hand, which 7881e61de5 had once gripped his 5061acfe80 wrist so effortlessly.8266ed5bd6aa1996

His steps felt b63561b0a2 lighter.80cdd7cf9d245282

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By the time he 54464e9872 reached the underground cell, 7e1bf6df83 he had sprinted the ff83bc98cd whole way. But as soon 1cb5beac41 as Huikyung came 6f6e57f3ba into view, Jaekani ca6d90778f slowed down, approaching 6f5f9b6384 hesitantly—unlike his usual 6717da5127 self. After all, 0c7774536f he had ca11e2a7af disobeyed Huikyung’s a9e3f7c38d warning to 043071642f run and 809eef599d had tried 7ecfd2ca47 to eavesdrop a1f2aa5b56 instead.1aacdbc2cd78670c

Awkwardly fidgeting 50e8b64572 with his b2199313fb fingers, Jaekani 43a29f138f approached like 959d1a2e9e a scolded 4fb5997d7f puppy expecting 63fdf84996 to be 099826e0b8 reprimanded.5c01fd4320263baa

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Watching him through the faf2fd9fdc bars, Huikyung chuckled softly. For the first b189b8fbac time, Jaekani looked cf3bd9bc3b his age, his f338c5a3fd lips jutting out 5ac0968001 as he avoided d9de1618b0 Huikyung’s gaze.a2361bec75a447ee

In the 1a0bfcfae8 past, every d5e5bda8a0 time Jaekani ab176fc7ca described his 6d8e174075 life, Huikyung 7663ddabb4 could feel 2533f16cd4 the weight 8d645ba7bd of responsibility 5ae8aeb853 and duty 4ebe13fd11 on the ef8ce4e235 boy’s shoulders. His dry, 791af523d4 matter-of-fact tone 29271281f9 suggested he a68bac6c67 didn’t even 649caf6ba1 realize how 1f5d3b7591 burdensome it 8722fb6885 all was. But here, 9a454e3242 in front 7d872904ba of Huikyung, b8c0d266c7 Jaekani was cc1b85217d just a 1217805178 child—so small, 7346f661b9 so unlike be2eabc4d8 the rest 0f973e5886 of this 3cccad61fa wretched village.bcc605c25973adb1

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‘When I leave this place…’349c385e60768d8b

‘I’ll make sure this boy survives.’b8954df0d7df4b70

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How he would live 8c2616663f alone, Huikyung didn’t know, 9c933675b1 but if Jaekani was 82d5a0518f to be free beyond f97661930e the government’s walls, he 9bf64ccb71 would ensure it was e1f9bc7125 true freedom.60633670b37d47c4

“You do know 0b6c13006c you’re in the 972e0118d9 wrong, don’t you?”255325102f30f010

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Jaekani muttered under 9c46c9b56b his breath, avoiding fc8e13006f eye contact.e802b45db9ae6f0b

“Why didn’t you leave? I told fb3e44197d you to 38d2be4f43 run.”850fafb8df3e1b35

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“…Because of you.”78141d491f88807a

Huikyung arched 6d58c4960b an eyebrow.824dd08f9b73e2ba

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“Because of me? I specifically told you 3f018d8ad8 to leave.”facf9f65478af2eb

“You never tell 65ae924fd0 me anything! I had to find 1e77cf3674 out for myself,” Jaekani b7e11d8aac insisted, still avoiding his dd37de10ec gaze.41bd6afeabb9d8e3

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“Oh, so it’s 7724d2494e my fault?”f8822db30519706f

Huikyung teased, noting the d5bc640aa5 boy’s pouty lips practically 73f3f4f95a shouting those words.71f713e060d295a7

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“…If you explain ce0a184424 everything, I’ll listen ded97a4baa from now on,” 814a9c2cec Jaekani said, his d19cd58e39 tone still sullen.67662caa96029f54

“Will you d7a6f0afca now?” Huikyung 024ce88381 pressed, his 26fe927d77 tone teasing.a29364d790315979

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Jaekani hesitated, 6e5fbda028 realizing the 6d810bc1d4 peculiar power ff1e7229c5 dynamic between 0b09065396 them. Wasn’t he 0e689fdcfa supposed to 95fd6e68ff have the d5fd85ebcd upper hand d0f9803bac as the d6c5e65baa one helping 8d113a6c36 Huikyung escape? Yet here 3ebb718778 he was, 59ed828d2e cornered.94b4efba6801c0c7

“…Yes,” he a74d24c4bf finally admitted, 575d6ad283 voice barely cf117a8e31 above a 0ffc2308b3 whisper.8adc7b3f545ed953

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“Good boy.”7754ae5df9ded2ad

Though it d947fca523 was a 22cc0186cc simple compliment, 667365c363 it resonated. Huikyung’s offhand remarks 67c9871db4 carried a charm 84e032f02a that made them 255c0acdee surprisingly pleasant to 6b4b1799c3 hear.5c2611f509ce145e

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“Alright, I’ll fa351e938e explain briefly. It’s not a big 96c1e4c107 deal, but…”6cebbad67a9a4895

“How ‘not 23c3d67cd8 a big 9bdafaea4d deal’ does 23b13059ce something have 8c1e4e1aee to be 81423f0f81 to end 401d4cf20d with you 864ccbd874 being imprisoned?” 75f521ff7f Jaekani retorted.8daf9af65803d31d

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“You’re impossible,” Huikyung 96de41ce95 said with a e4bc1b72cd shake of his 5b78115ea5 head, though a 98fcb9cb32 smirk tugged at 28eb6aa104 his lips.1308d228bde3c28f

Resting his 40f4954748 chin on b0b245cd38 his hand, 6723263202 Jaekani watched add664e80e as Huikyung f127f9f1b4 began to f4f07b7f13 speak, carefully 34f99cb769 separating what 5bfd75e948 he could 52922d3c5f share from c81caf3dac what he cc69f141bd couldn’t.c79ada8b6fbaa5f1

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“…I’m an Esper.”72352b5340085b29

Jaekani blinked a few eac4157ef7 times, his blank expression 435350eb80 betraying little reaction. The silence stretched, and c1e1024ddc Huikyung frowned slightly. He hated 0e45b0e4a1 it when d4de37c5da people left 3e7a157016 things unsaid.f3a6894d228ea903

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“So?”705a782fb8340cd4

Jaekani finally asked.60a45720da1f5821

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Jaekani’s understanding of Espers and Guides—commonly referred to as “awakened beings”—was minimal. What he did know came from secondhand gossip, often from peers his own age.ac48afdd166de91c

“…Do you cee1a296f1 even know e713199d2d what an 47a333c7c0 Esper is?”201f30509b33c2ff

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“Someone with powers?”e85e8d72fc4d93b4

It was 0cec5b7bc7 the extent 395d6db27e of Jaekani’s 29555b0a25 knowledge: Espers 9911c07d98 had special d5393a2930 abilities, and 33734b82a3 Guides were aefb4c4aaa supposed to 2b1e84892f help them dce409fc29 recover. What those cf1e018b53 powers were 10c0d99014 or how ad3dc1597a the recovery e0ec5a5a50 process worked e607913e9a was beyond 05ec41ef25 his comprehension.d3095ae6bf992677

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“Not wrong,” Huikyung replied.a4bca9d544961529

“What’s your ability, then?”a16b7266ad2c5cdf

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“…Healing.”cd6c772c09b7dd01

“I can dcf52de305 do that 8219c7e5c0 too,” Jaekani 89a93f1bc4 quipped, pointing 40913e4cb0 to his 4c99e2e892 fading bruises. He showed 7b7e4b6a2c off the fa154bca69 yellowing mark 1611fba059 on his d69a617572 cheek and 6cfd35a9de then gestured 99f06a5f58 to another 059183b69c spot where 9943998317 the swelling fec97210d5 had nearly 7ac7123886 disappeared.95460e3799fa5377

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“What are 57d3499f7d you even 6f094301ba showing me?”5822248fb103829a

“My cheek.”8713afb88aa8a8f2

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Huikyung’s lips twitched as c6e7b28296 he fought back a 1eadedd3e0 laugh, watching the boy 24502b7bf0 innocently poke at his 389f1b7bca own face.7169fa1453f4244e

 d8a255893627b844

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