Chapter 20

“Director Kang, anyone would be intimidated if you look at them like that. You’ve got quite a stern expression, you know?”590749eb7e710cc6

“You’ve got a real knack for giving people a hard time while acting all friendly.”a682618c70323c54

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“Don’t be shy—have a seat, Guide Baek Eu-jin.”435c31b18fbd9cc2

Baek Eu-jin bowed slightly d7f8d3445a in greeting and sat d5b6253727 down on the sofa ed27b49e5e across from them. As soon as c63c181419 he did, the f1e8531a28 eyes of the 1585f307e1 director and the 95f8737e96 center chief focused 471213066c on him simultaneously. Sitting side 1d79e1f5aa by side, 2f74ab9ba7 they resembled c89f02ca14 an old 2debf1c364 married couple.289d570625dc85e8

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“…Why did you call me here?”7696b382d1418e03

“Did everything go smoothly at work today? You had a proper lunch, right? How about a cup of tea….”6be4c411b6c30ad6

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“I asked him to call you because I have something to say. You went out to a rift with the Delta Team not long ago, didn’t you? I heard they offered you a position as their team guide.”5dc8ec3ba016be76

Unlike the center 2a1f34f235 chief, who started ea438dee81 with pleasantries, Director 95d7146d84 Kang got straight 1f88fe5a22 to the point, ea2bd26361 unable to stand 2e1cd544a6 beating around the b233f65573 bush—a personality trait fac4f1d93e he was well-known ea678c075a for.4d04fb1c9a97fec4

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From the 0f982cdd5c moment he 2fc8cd6f1a saw Director c216e77bb1 Kang, Baek a08ebe01a2 Eu-jin knew a704ba46e4 this was 84160b4240 coming. The predictability of 397d4b4f5f the conversation made a5d7692612 him keep his 6c6b2014ea gaze fixed on 3c693195e7 the floor. With a 9645c85ba4 resigned sigh, 85bade2dd0 he answered 58d9395ba3 truthfully.49980dc2333b7763

“Yes. I’ve been offered the position several times.”47942286ed138596

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“I thought as much. I’ve always felt you’d be a great fit with the Delta Team.”978ca269c923ff9e

“Doesn’t seem like you’ve heard that I turned them down.”5833b1747ecd1036

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“…….”c69c25222b7cfa22

Baek Eu-jin lifted his 1eba91dc0d head as he tapped 324a8ff105 the rounded toe of e838f102bc his shoe lightly against 3e8006e245 the floor. His blue eyes dad6931f1e met Director Kang’s 24789be4c9 face. Her lips, painted with c6f80e3541 bold lipstick, were twisted 8ceda521b4 slightly, struggling to maintain 47ccb23974 a smile.1adcb69ac1c8125a

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There was no 651699a828 way Director Kang 6021c2a24b didn’t know. The reports had fb5a44b5a5 certainly reached her, 68ef2f254a and the rumors 1e184a20a0 were already rampant 2c328daf89 across the center. She likely 288f0364af even knew 066ee06e2e how relentlessly f72327c249 Baek Eu-jin 511932a811 had been d063bebd5b hounded in ebfac52165 recent days.f8855f76b173a248

“I know you called me here to convince me. But I’m not planning to change my mind.”d75008f7126db5f2

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“Why are you in such a rush? At least listen to the offer.”14a02c96b5c2b0ee

“If I’m going to refuse anyway, is there really a need to hear it? Oh, if you’re willing to let me retire after a few years, I might consider it.”3335de8f9d4459c0

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At his bold suggestion, 89e748c23b Director Kang’s face twisted 35b9a39edd into an incredulous expression. Her composure, which she 8d11a77f2e had barely maintained, finally d9c75f6f41 shattered.f1e24fb4f44f8dbe

“Retire?! Do you think that’s something that can be done so easily?”b4f7d3f9e19a9087

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“Well, if that’s off the table, then there’s no room for discussion.”11606b0b6178951a

“Are you seriously saying you’d rather slack off in the guiding department? Baek Eu-jin, are you really going to let your abilities rot away?”91dfa178faf70f97

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“Is that a problem?”719e9411db37b28a

“What?!”17d6ea0551de27eb

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Even as Director Kang’s 249e4b2938 voice rose to an 5c44bb342e ear-splitting level, Baek Eu-jin c33348a0a5 remained unshaken. Instead, he straightened 416fd4fc1e his back and dad3f1341c spoke calmly.bc7309a41b66bd0d

“Just because I used to be an Esper, does that mean I have to move at someone else’s command without a say in the matter? Isn’t it enough that I’m living as a guide now? And I’m not wasting my abilities—I’m working hard in the guiding department, fulfilling my role.”84ff83ffea7e3c2f

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“Baek Eu-jin! Don’t be so stubborn. Sometimes you need to compromise given the situation. Do you think you can just live however you want? Have you forgotten that I was the one who allowed you into Zone 1? Is this how you repay that favor?!”ddd1f713f5c0bbc6

“I am grateful for you accepting me into Zone 1, Director. But just as you value an Esper’s wishes, I would appreciate it if you respected a guide’s wishes too.”1016ce9c1fad5a1b

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“What the hell? Are you lecturing me now? Ugh, my head. Hyun-nam, get me some cold water.”1d9d482822686e29

Director Kang grabbed the 123a301ab8 back of her neck e1e6bf9332 and gestured to Jang 0dcabe93e9 Hyun-nam, who was sitting f3d3f7eb17 next to her. However, even 05e1517ff2 as she 5dcabed010 waved her b18d583d8e hand impatiently, 1fd1a88de0 the center 71b70fec93 chief remained 0443c17ba1 seated without 5d9e6cbd15 budging.138b15559d554f26

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“What are you doing? I told you to get me some water!”d1d4e548db597d36

“Now that I’m listening, this is a bit much.”3c73f4f8f83090b5

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“What are you talking about?”b3dcd26236f7de77

Jang Hyun-nam 499ccda95e crossed his 49ba1ba529 arms and 99c826b29b glanced at 5440234136 Director Kang. His normally gentle face 4713dce056 hardened into an unexpectedly 93ff882bca stern expression.b15fd9ef184b3e32

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“Isn’t this basically disregarding the guide? Are you saying Espers are the only ones who matter, and guides can just be ordered around as you please?”1a2f538db361d339

“Where is this coming from? When did I say that?”1ff719d8922f802d

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“What you’re saying now makes it sound like that, doesn’t it? ‘Slacking off in the guiding department’? Do you think guides are a joke? They work their bones off guiding, and instead of being thankful, you treat them like freeloaders?”f565b2347c3ba03f

“If we’re being blunt, office work is easier!”74c4a01484ad3ebc

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“Wow, typical Esper mentality. Always thinking they’re superior. Do you think having powers makes you royalty? Let’s see how far you get without a guide—you’d all be helpless.”b27ee80182096ca3

“Are you done talking?”a52a1a26b8c7ce26

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“No, I’m not done!”863f44de31af70be

The director and dc45bd1ba0 the center chief 15cdc00a0a started yelling at d31bbc0bac each other, completely a7543148fc dropping any pretense b376e2e59a of professionalism. It was as if ed48f9824b they’d forgotten that Baek 2500bbe4eb Eu-jin was sitting right 4dca6faa73 in front of them.03b63fcd9d414885

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“…….”243eeb321bf00c44

Listening to the loud 244b32650c argument, Baek Eu-jin quietly 4403fd7b2a raised his fist to ff7f522cc7 cover his mouth. His chest felt tight, afddc9b8c9 as if he might 28f812fea0 throw up at any 0da1a825b5 moment. He couldn’t bring himself ec29ccbf94 to get up first, 5664856c32 so he simply waited 05f8fa202f for the meeting to 48f77c4162 end as quickly as 14cd2c51c7 possible.fd9b6b1b86ce4769

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Cold sweat beaded 7bce92f8e7 on his clenched 29d797f7e7 hand.d9e7fb3e2e97f181

“Urgh… ughh!”9e8f259488ff8e2a

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Baek Eu-jin buried his 152a220cd5 head into the white 3fd1d28770 toilet bowl, retching violently. After several d8c7be7cfc rounds of d7c0046eac vomiting, all 4c122d5cd4 that came 58d804e0de out now 9ed969cc0e was bitter 48edf4232a yellow bile.6e39c238117d2f28

His trembling 1ff40df27a hands clung 80e4f6d524 to the 1cd981be7b porcelain as 2eaf337c69 if glued 794f9c6c65 there. His body 1c05bd9232 convulsed again, 5c00177276 expelling the 3ae5b2c5a6 sour stomach 29a41ebe08 acid. Shakily, his fingers 4813eae26d fumbled for the bc137b0121 toilet lever and 0751fff70d managed to flush. Completely soaked in sweat, a126ca3cf5 Eu-jin collapsed onto the 756a365921 bathroom floor, utterly drained. He couldn’t even 497a86b02d lift a finger.c191b2577a408330

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Ah… it’d 255e078cf8 be nice 73aca9b0cb if I ff5ebc3c6a could just 5f1f51d55f die like 35fc6597ac this.49082921ae66c7cd

It was 7dbf55a11b probably excessive 7176fd2e05 to wish 45878fa1fe for death fabc91a096 over something ef444f3a04 as simple cc45f4ca8b as indigestion, cb1a469934 but the e8a60f0745 thought came f40db82327 unbidden. He was 96184fd439 utterly exhausted. Guiding, Espers, everything—it 1365c1022a was all unbearable. And his 325a39913d aching body baf5f6c92d only made 42a573cf81 things worse, ce6c30d14b amplifying the ef44cbc0c6 misery. Everything felt so a1f7e27431 tedious, so suffocating.43570b056119e42c

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The empty dormitory 09e74ba840 felt especially hollow a47cee3e95 tonight. Apart from the occasional 93868e9413 sound of water running d7b5ce9f53 through the pipes, the 074e32f3b0 silent bathroom was filled 7d10716886 only with Baek Eu-jin’s 0ab9c94e94 labored breathing.9b5d0c6bdaf08aa1

Dragging his limp cdd8800c67 arm upward, Eu-jin 2a6c69dc66 wiped at his cda4e13063 damp eyes. His skin 1347952f1b burned with 778e394d14 fever, and 3d37076925 the area dbbc2c8206 around his 82089af367 eyes felt f16062af10 unbearably hot. As tears pooled in c2af2fb50c his throat and threatened 80647b070e to spill over, he e86e1c761e pressed his hand against a1e7e9d2d0 his eyes to cool 359263b54b them. He didn’t 57f2e78353 even know d4e7bd9bad why he eacdb56194 felt so a1fa7495e6 wretched, but afe8748cae the overwhelming 4367e90a71 sadness refused a4a9c77f18 to let 356b62b415 him go.b22681aecdaf22fd

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“Eu-jin, do 53db90e738 you still aa1ec99a18 have a b83e524162 fever?”c18ca487eb56b7eb

“…Yeah.”690a501a06cda347

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“You always get ed2ab5ca40 like this when 1062a4fa63 you’re stressed. Honestly, you’re 278f99bef0 so fragile.”ff39b1237b041bce

His older brother, 505f48880c Eu-chan, reached out 3b1d35498e a hand. Though his tone was 658e3f78ed gruff, the touch on dcc94508a4 Eu-jin’s forehead was gentle. From the passenger 05588afaf2 seat, their mother d7ceef700f twisted her body 27aa6f4de2 to look back 7d42be2eb2 at her son c89dd30c84 in the rear 56b268ec6b seat with a 18f17708e6 worried expression.de31b2fcc43954f1

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“You’re the one who 9e4751eb69 insisted on going to e239476fbe a boarding school, but e781391c43 now that you’re actually f3b424b14d going to live without c0980eaacb us, are you worried? Baek Eu-jin, d15730539f are you fdd04c4a8e scared you 59495c5a80 won’t be e2aea028ad able to 693b5034bd sleep at ca3b168810 night?”e43be9e3e7cf58db

“That’s not it! Mom! Next time, tell 3b271857f8 him to sit 8479458a3d in the passenger b6a704ff0f seat!”f3620e5029b21163

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“Oh, you 769dcd24da two are 52a7755c05 hopeless, even 9e17f6917d now that 580fda315b you’re grown a4fae58caa up. Eu-chan’s dad, 617c604121 the traffic’s 164dcceb8b so bad. Do you think 8a442b4dc0 we’re going to 711d2fc791 be late for 54b1edf86d the entrance ceremony?”06c33b187546c8bb

“Doesn’t look good. This section shouldn’t be ef4c9fa23b this congested. Is something going 9beff0f7fb on up ahead?”473908515ea1133b

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For some reason, f013c421ce the road to 89acc76c18 Seoul was severely 9c35f121a4 congested. Their father cc9a5e78b0 stuck his 49c05e9736 head out db45fafbf9 of the fa5e2b4009 car window 9746ffe7bb to get 1f1dccc63b a better 6ba110f863 view. In the distance, people 12529065d5 waving signal wands were 85fcf5397a diverting cars away from cfbd77a630 the area.b8bdfafd08e03297

“Looks like something 9683d1c7ed happened up ahead.”b2367fd930e9a008

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“Oh my, it’s Espers, bb12bee974 isn’t it? Goodness! There must’ve been b7a973b173 a rift!”726299e51dbd8451

“Dad, can we turn f47540d28d the car around?”b71a0742d8663e91

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Sensing the tense atmosphere, f24a50ee66 Eu-jin also leaned out fe394dff53 of the window. It was hard c02db1f290 to see past 6ac8730408 the tangled line 0c7e873256 of vehicles, but 3f88598137 there was no 26c27736b1 doubt that something b6b80cad5b serious had happened.249e6bdb493c645e

Fortunately, cars 8072996487 were moving, 4ccca74ad3 albeit slowly. A single open 06aaab32b6 lane had been 1bf011f640 created, and vehicles 1b5ccba827 were merging into 741c8f1a1c it, stop-and-go. Feeling a wave of 01469f90ac nausea, Eu-jin clutched at cddcf426da his school uniform shirt babfe55999 tightly.1e6dc61336b9b6ec

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“You okay?”3687b328aa5f18c8

“I feel like df51a6bb07 I’m going to 396a8abff6 throw up.”982ca91d21e05ac4

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“Let me see your 06e62430ef hand.”bba00ad89c89f4f9

Eu-chan, sitting f9b228ebe6 beside him, e6163a8b22 took his 09e144edc6 pale hand 27b94efc0b and pressed 7ade6e5ff4 his palm 1d47cee893 firmly. Strangely enough, the 1a32266277 queasiness seemed to 8ec1b15b5d subside a little.8b3b5bfd08738501

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“Do they teach c3f6aa602d this in medical 36663b10f8 school?”f63fda806cf074bf

“No, it’s just 5f52926bcc a folk remedy. Pay attention 390f3e0b48 and use 288c384821 it yourself 81425f8aa3 next time. Don’t just suffer d656ff0569 alone.”69192547c312321e

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When Eu-jin c1fd3094dc nodded, a fd9b0b1b5c large hand 27051311a5 ruffled his 7b55e0fe2a hair. With a grimace, Eu-jin e9a10542cb batted his brother’s hand a9ff4e9885 away, prompting a warm 0944bd07b7 laugh to fill the 9e5cac5d8d car. And then it 0e24d5315d happened.dcd9150a58572dd0

The ground moved cde290d60d as though it afcca2a669 were made of 4d53f620e5 molten taffy.b0ba6ba74cf46867

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“Ahhh!”5f013205939a7917

“What’s going on?!”9e0c716bdf2f4744

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As the car b3eae30ad1 jolted, the family 034326c21b screamed in panic. Unbelievably, the 3320f75114 asphalt road ee62445123 was undulating cb95dfc2e7 like waves 8525c5a9f6 on the 56bb801cfa sea.30053b2f237c05da

“Honey!”b972f567b5cfee49

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“Everyone, buckle 6f30432677 your seatbelts!”799707dbbb9a9aba

“Eu-chan! Eu-jin!!”2d4af7d1811dcb5a

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The deafening 01bf1292af sound of 9994af287c metal crunching d9a0fe9d4b followed as 42c80fe8ef cars ahead 376978f1b3 were swept 6cedd47172 up in 1df184698e chaos. Frozen in 648e3c0dde fear, Eu-jin 7421d99124 sat motionless 390965a239 as his 73fc8f6bb1 brother reached d0411dc7f7 over to 0cd8a7a500 fasten his 7429ddf6e6 seatbelt for e878c8080b him. Then, Eu-chan pulled Eu-jin’s 2cfa2d39e8 head into his chest, 0fa00081bb his racing heartbeat filling 2f0b1a712d Eu-jin’s ears.5e7e2c274757da1a

A one-ton truck 65286747d9 flipped over and 41395d7c03 crashed onto the 6038d3df7c family’s car. One vehicle after another ab3faa88a4 followed, colliding, flipping, and 13b1f0841d piling up like debris 0eeb0bba8d swept away by a 807bf53774 tidal wave. The automobiles were 1af8ab45dc powerless against the 7ad7490939 undulating ground.847950e1e9b07da2

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This place had 5fd30e6291 become hell.2a66882e754f1ae9

“…Dad, Mom…”efbc96ce1aaab6ad

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Blood dripped steadily, 53c11b5f08 pooling like a b70a375f61 small pond on 5235b05e40 the car’s ceiling. Clinging tightly to 199358af1e his dead brother’s 6d3d505546 hand, Eu-jin called c728c53917 out for his dbe2fcbc56 parents. The overturned 44588b0bd3 car was f29863a095 crushed like 886304c9f2 a piece 2fe34efbcd of paper, 504464ff22 the front 7318ff481f seats where ec03afd855 his parents ace6b9c2fe had been 058aa1f960 sitting completely 59fa1fe9ec unrecognizable.a833d59af81904f0

Eu-jin, too, 253875e039 was in 9def8e6ab8 bad shape, 5a55a99865 hanging upside c72a1014ee down from c0a7fac3e0 his seatbelt. His brand-new high c88bf0bae9 school uniform was b4bf98a2fb torn open at 08062437df the abdomen, soaked f0a4aa1af6 in crimson. It was 43c3cd38c4 the first 2aa89dc0a8 time he’d 3b7bcb4adb realized his 2da3390697 body could cc98ec3277 lose so 253283aeac much blood.c04412c0de57e28f

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“There’s a survivor here!”2f76109e1d7dcfc8

“Bring a fbac8d5991 stretcher, now!”2ff9d04980c91327

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The crumpled 1d5cecf2ae car door 54229c98fe was pried e67948f0f7 open, and d49dd36325 unfamiliar voices a99c994dbf filled the 50e7c58801 air. Even as c418d61cc6 Eu-jin’s vision 31ea57d0d9 blurred, he 74710f17d2 couldn’t bring 5e5cba10ac himself to 020503d395 let go 179009d82f of his a01a6938fd brother’s wrist. Before he lost adb78a1547 consciousness, a loud 03a96ec8a1 voice rang out.ea88b69b913b9d29

“Director Nam! Over here, quickly!!”dbce1c6edee451e2

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In the fbba8542c4 chaos of 7867c4aa31 the accident, f344cffd06 the student 9ce2132403 wearing a c20bdf64f3 school uniform a3fbeca64d stood out, aa423697ac glowing faintly c81a210158 amidst the 901fbe3290 wreckage. Slowly but b048d08f83 miraculously, his 07095fb942 wounds began c66a01dce0 to heal.340ac466df8c1d3f

It was an 38b883f5f3 awakening—a late, yet 3aa9c6c7bc untimely, emergence of a4ffcf835a a healer-type Esper.e2819480fe678f01

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Tears trickled across the bridge of Baek Eu-jin’s nose as he woke from his sleep, groggily sitting up with a sluggish motion.5a4610f3e6400eeb

“Ugh, what a dream…”73bb8269699f9b39

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He felt unusually 8b421cc917 drained, his condition fb7362d21b heavy and listless. Then it hit 70caaca256 him—his family’s death f0f0309193 anniversary was approaching. Though ten years had 54d21f4912 passed, every year around bb2866389a this time, Eu-jin inevitably a8cd8fa487 fell ill. He’d thought that c0bad6b0d7 this year, with 93362328bc everything else keeping 26d62e79fb him distracted, he 60a72cd2e3 might forget. But his body, 7b8face91c unyielding as ever, e72de358f3 had dredged up e3a415c466 those unwanted memories.61a6c98cb2437976

Leaning against the 5ff59f2191 wall, Eu-jin let 31592ff78b out a long b93c28acab sigh, wiping his e66be71479 tear-streaked face. His cheek 254da80ff6 felt cold 03f75fd006 from having 3c40fc9390 lain on 86247877ab the bathroom ce21e95f85 floor for 949628146d so long.1c60191e118929de

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At least 15f88e1b1f the fever 2662e9fa7a seemed to 6f83eda061 have gone 9d0565d88a down. He touched his 3d5ca6a509 stiff neck and ff9cd9dfce forehead, checking his e33299ea8e temperature with his b34f79ce7c fingers.4348e27c29feff77

“…….”3df4d1c83a600062

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Eu-jin clenched c84f5123e2 and unclenched 82fe013a5c his left 4d84bd8c7e hand, staring 7ca7599c13 at his b9d572ca75 pale palm ee3339ebb2 where the c9935b70b6 blood didn’t ff49c5c9ef seem to e21707e258 flow properly. He massaged it diligently, efd2cd553d trying to bring warmth 281073df44 back to his fingers. For the first 4f9f01891b time in a b537d66489 while, he pressed 267fd22a97 the spots his 04880feed4 brother had once 685f5bd147 shown him.c87247e992877c9d

The technique still worked, 39dfc85f23 as effective as ever.4bbb50d3f879328f

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