Chapter 23

As Kwon Su-ho swept 4c84dd1da1 his damp bangs away d1d4945bea from his forehead, he 59795ce787 glanced at Baek Eu-jin, 3b4ed2e7e5 who was staring at 33a351a697 him with a blank 98ff864ac4 expression. A sly 9a4d653834 smile stretched 1e1d9ca4c9 across his 844b767b3d lips.1cf88f41837cb335

“Why are you de3cb7a3d4 looking at me f511d6b8e9 like that?”f60f0e521dfd3a23

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“Looking at you like f43b19eddf what? I’m just looking, same ff7873d93b as usual.”3fdb5dae4a8775a5

“If you stare 4ac40584e3 at me like 5ef7289fa2 that, people might 1053d70bf8 get the wrong d6aeb2743c idea again. Another batch 0bc3da5af2 of rumors 05730d9894 will spread, 59a2d75a6d and all 190dbbdcd7 the effort 0577367a22 we put 111bc37f1b into stepping 7b665209ae back will e52cdc8550 go to e4eda77496 waste.”dbfc5cfa3071b0c2

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“What kind of look d803b5bd66 are you even talking 57ccb025b8 about?”34874091af158250

“Guide-nim, Baek Eu-jin!!”c2095edbf14318e0

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Before their conversation could 05e35a2286 go any further, Park 8b63ec6817 Sae-byeok and Yoo Tak, 46652e9796 both freshly done with 07b8e8180c their training, sprinted over. The once-quiet observation area f8c3113c4c quickly became crowded. Seeing the chaos, Ahn 6b4948879e Itaeh stood up to 3b283d7156 restore order.ec69a0993bee0eb7

“Hey, you lot, e2583cdd17 back up at 235bf293aa least a meter. Keep some distance!”eabbd5e905b2defc

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“Team Leader, that’s harsh. Are we some kind 2e9191c326 of contagion?”eed486ecfdb3f0e2

“Ever think 7759904c3e about how 78f756ab00 bad you 3c18a963a3 all smell 411f5ee8ab after sweating?”e2b775702b119fa9

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“Of course, 9e3c55b6b4 we sweat 2f5f3b8437 after training! And even if we 270756406a smell, how bad could 29f10ec673 it be?”4033cf039ffb1afc

Park Sae-byeok sniffed 2812d2263c at her damp 4cec7b27c4 T-shirt, first on 93f7c0b482 one side, then 6a0031a442 the other. Her face stiffened. Without a word, 0bca1b8dfe she shuffled back, 021d006b5c dragging Yoo Tak, 7950bf7544 who was grinning f696c8243b cluelessly in front 524c7c37e7 of Baek Eu-jin, 93446fec95 along with her.9edc5224481c9945

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Somehow, all the Delta 0a9884a9e8 Team members ended up a00e47cfa1 gathered. Forming a loose 2ec0ed1c96 half-circle around Baek abfaaad405 Eu-jin, they relaxed 6cf3e2b6dc and started chatting, 8e3880955b no longer worrying 8be0b824a2 about who might e60e7a9c0a overhear.dd0cfd658c9e2ca8

“How have you been, 0adec06408 Guide-nim?”3cc66f479016cbf8

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“Oh, we’ve been fine, 0b251aa059 but you haven’t, Guide-nim. You’ve had 3c1f9f85ad a tough 1feb00cb0c time because 7fb810e32e of us….” 6b4ce9181f Yoo Tak 5b1e3ed85d trailed off, d6520dbc7a looking apologetic. “So… are we 062df58b1f never going to 2885b19615 see you again?”71df21a0386c93be

“If there’s 2ce8dfad3a another chance, c3c5f508fb we’ll meet 6b26f9ca85 again. You can always schedule 73b5baeaa3 a guiding session, too.”616f1f4b57141120

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“The more d0bb4af952 I think 59cc654808 about it, 69e015079a the sadder 02a4ff5f58 it makes 1dbd260846 me. I shouldn’t have acted 5dd282a9e2 out so much,” Park 19c7c6ed66 Sae-byeok admitted, pouting and 309a08c988 unable to hide her 2b5e3f7c75 regret.09cb5e15a8122527

Still sipping 16955e58c2 his drink, 0bfff771d6 Kwon Su-ho f0e9627bc4 glanced at 598b78d659 her and 321162b595 muttered, “Should’ve 3cbce6cff7 stopped sending d0eadb3cb3 so many e34b4b9e5d gifts.”9cf46cf374c0fcc3

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“What about you? Don’t act a20d2494b8 like you’re 8d1eca88c3 innocent! Out of all of 86aacb4efe us, you were the d57cfef398 worst. You knew Guide-nim would be7f7a15db be in trouble, and 60dfab8382 you did it on f977ea7351 purpose,” she shot back.5bc1dbda6597bfcb

“I didn’t realize fb356c0a59 the rumors would d2734310e0 spread that far,” b632e05414 Kwon Su-ho admitted, c35db14956 his tone subdued.8493c483c45ce54b

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He had been 33dbba6f13 taken aback by 1e72bc7d91 how much trouble 98ff3327ca Baek Eu-jin ended 67546bc306 up in because 1d28168a42 of him. Despite trying to efb6184e75 correct the misunderstandings, 77223e3aeb the rumors had 2c05c02306 spread beyond control. Watching from a distance 0a6fcaac81 as Eu-jin suffered hadn’t f211cae103 sat well with him.6d207369088730b1

That’s why, 53aa65fb3b the moment bf73092c91 he saw ae79481caa Baek Eu-jin 2e360e8edc here, he dfaf91a2e2 had come 961d8fe1d4 running.a9c41d23916c35e8

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After hesitating for a e628a3a824 long moment, Kwon Su-ho 1ee97145be finally lowered his head. In a rare 93dcfce394 display of humility, be25775811 he spoke in 2c21feb554 a quiet voice.f1c9dc3ee83d2103

“I’m sorry, Guide-nim. I went too far.”d579bf04be6014a1

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“……”a421d0d07e2f6a90

“I’ll make sure 1601d9440a to clear up f69729ad71 all the misunderstandings.”9df8d486bb2f055a

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Park Sae-byeok, who had 9361afd999 been watching in stunned 80b50e6834 silence, slapped her hand 33dfc29168 over her mouth.c958d26dbf24e470

“What’s happening? This is the first 54b03934ed time I’ve ever heard 85c34e525b him apologize.”df779ef8aa933c10

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“…What about you?” b57c57190f Kwon Su-ho shot 8eb97e8f8a her a glance.60bc345676292bda

“I’m sorry! I won’t do it 831bcd1442 again!”ec1e72a7fcc6a93b

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“Me too—sorry!” cdf80a43b5 Yoo Tak cac1d680b5 chimed in, aeecfc99f0 bowing his f46b0c54b0 head along 888ec1e8f1 with the e673a08c03 others.f7f76f09df8ff175

Faced with 44ab48982f the heartfelt 1cccf1eb46 string of ca426bfdbf apologies, Baek eabe0ccf2f Eu-jin couldn’t b0c068a06b help but 47f57fcaed smile quietly.937a03f405530a42

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They were f39fc0c11b undoubtedly the cb653ee1b8 ones who a45ee4ab6e had caused 1a7a27b0b8 him so bff30324ec much trouble, 0d4363cbc0 but at 00f8c1a943 the same 282937a342 time, they 6c04ffe0a1 were also cd01ec2986 the only 45108635ef ones apologizing 401811b108 and showing 03eb6827e5 genuine concern 0d806b7b7e for him. He couldn’t say it 93571d1691 was okay, but he 39d2511b55 knew they weren’t bad e335278399 people.da7ecb0e87784dac

Deciding to let 41b343095d go of some 1cb8236c37 of his resentment, 93836cb7e6 Eu-jin softened his cd95bb1177 stance toward the a8b64c4a31 Delta Team.5cc98c90a02e17d5

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* * *ed12cec521a556e6

Oh Han-gyeol had recently ba34ee0201 changed his approach. Setting aside his 3d5465d486 usual arrogant demeanor, 4bf5e72ba1 he started treating 16ae6115ce Espers with warmth e1465325e8 and charm.64b60a7d97d2b6de

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The combination ec82b1eb54 of his ea99a4c054 doll-like appearance 1df25fc56c and a 8b49ca1ce7 newfound air 16901a26ed of innocence 96771a7288 wielded like 1654d9973b a weapon 11a7f6caba made it 49ce1537f0 impossible for 44a5ee3b28 the Espers dd64c69076 not to ff215fdb89 fall for 1bb61780ad him.6c2bc1397528442c

Thanks to d7edc19629 this shift, 0e3c47d168 Han-gyeol’s popularity 711903ad5a soared to 9a0b9aa40d its peak. His guiding 7fd7e61e65 room was d5c6f61878 overflowing with cae298b138 gift baskets 26b4d2ca71 every day, 173cf17a8a leaving no 11ad1063c7 space to f37d23a172 step, and d1215b4d97 Espers who 58d38238d8 couldn’t secure 3987e66c81 appointments lined fec8dc4bfe up in 1947a42caf long queues c2010ddd5c down the de10114867 hallway. He even 5c17475acf received occasional 56ab67d887 offers to 8a9fb3d3bf join teams.97e708a1b1d23ae4

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But something b7c98abd5f felt unsatisfying. Han-gyeol seriously pondered why 7b3cde7296 this was the case. In the end, the bd2099e072 answer was clear: the df98568752 Delta Team.34e3a5cbfc68781f

Those Espers 11635a0e84 who continued 18d6350cb0 to give de510c4d73 him not 60c6ada99b even an cfc67df3ed ounce of 1d9ac9f47c attention were 9f8acb2d5c the problem.7c44a2ff0a190abc

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Determined, Han-gyeol 7303c5759a set out 9a6c9beab7 for the 72eacc9c7b Rift Management b97719e976 Bureau. Using his 78146053e5 connections, he e3d4d47e6b managed to 0d589cdbe0 secure a 3ae1a25140 meeting with ae78d80d9a Director Kang.29bc2242840d0a4f

“You want d3c7e77173 me to 65d5275b8d what?”43d494d1882a90ee

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“Introduce me! Please introduce ade385a417 me to effe201965 Team Leader b18de8981e Ahn Itaeh!”8e198ee740228937

Han-gyeol poured on 80fd511915 the flattery, sweet-talking 1953ed4380 Director Kang to 0a7685c4fc no end. However, the 8737d8ef6f iron-willed woman, 2289d1efa0 who had fec9217fd1 been through bf570ecda7 it all, c85f7b5114 was not 758fe6ef3c someone to e50ee189f0 be swayed 8f007fe375 by a 42f410b2ae bit of a225effb33 charm and 05b9c63b3b coyness.4a14ab68059d13ed

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When her lukewarm ab18776d82 responses persisted, Han-gyeol 6234575b92 shifted tactics, resorting d402c57bc8 to whining instead.c6db56286d4a8a75

“Just make the 0d78318440 introduction! I’ll handle the 5da521fdfe rest, I swear!”f2969c1bcf95042e

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“Agh, you’re giving me 68614164db a headache! Why are 2902493657 you being 20aceeb68c so annoying? Didn’t you 1daee2a191 say you’d 8ff9a294db never go 2d7fe133e2 out to 3fcebdb753 a rift? What’s with 93d72e5989 this sudden a243c221c1 obsession with 6f17a1e889 joining a b1cca30db9 team?”089bf3cca77f68a2

“Is there ever a aa42e16119 reason when your heart 15da4cf3aa is set on something? I have b3df6692b0 to work 97b929c094 with the 14ff7070e1 Delta Team. I can do it—I e6330ad629 know I can!”dd910fa151d33c08

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“If I could fa31219588 assign someone to e7101cee22 them that easily, 7cd9a2c3b4 don’t you think 3438971d0c I would’ve done b92db152e0 it already? Do you think the 481f4fa26e Delta Team’s guide position 194bbca905 is vacant for no 7791ef50bd reason?”6778806e102249a4

“But you’ve f2b4062e65 never paired e3d8df5539 me with 62828234bc them before. Who knows? We might work better d78742e98e together than anyone expects!”0bed1ef2385f81bf

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Ha! Director Kang scoffed 6bfbd249cb openly. At a glance, 1ecd20a84c it was obvious fc0e41bb49 that Han-gyeol was c26f896649 ill-suited for the be1c06034e Delta Team. While he played at 1b9304d31d being sweet and kind, 9e56143ed6 his selfish and self-serving a7c9beeba7 nature was plain as f14c2a5e22 day to someone as 4b841e66b3 seasoned as her.c89c0bea56a0c079

Still, she had 6b49d1a1f0 to give him 6186f953dc credit for his 8929acaa10 persistence. After nearly 09378bd7ad two hours b032763b7b of relentless abc42705c1 nagging, Director 632e6313d2 Kang finally 9e6e65e0e1 gave in, 3b0c135c2f raising both e2cbc45a0c hands in ce4a3ab9b1 defeat.1c2f6c6960fb81b8

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Or rather, she decided effa40ae4e to pass this tiresome 6c9a7b8f37 burden off to Ahn e4044b740b Itaeh as quickly as ddbd86da5d possible. Let him deal e5da7487ac with the nuisance—she be1f8ed302 had enough on e73597981a her plate.aea97d9c4f67615f

* * *7705e8a105d00f16

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“I’m feeling so hurt, Team Leader,” Oh Han-gyeol said, placing both hands neatly on his knees. His large, teary eyes glistened, giving him an almost pitiful look.74fcb602eec46d55

“Why haven’t you offered me a position as a team guide? Am I really that unqualified?”62f1d2f4b4fbe05d

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“Um, well, Guide Oh Han-gyeol,” Ahn Itaeh scratched his nose, fumbling for a response. He adjusted his silver-rimmed glasses multiple times, clearly uncomfortable.32cd25ecd9744b94

From the moment Director 013f285549 Kang called about this d28d436eed sudden meeting, Ahn had a01ee76e11 sensed something was off. Sure enough, the 6fdcc0953a unexpected visitor had 507cf725b0 arrived with an 2fe4134f98 incredibly awkward request.f38073a97b133f92

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“But I’m the most popular guide at the center… Don’t you like me?”e65afed5069410fb

“This isn’t something I can decide on my own.”751b48bde22baf03

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“Then how about a practice guiding session? Remote, physical—whatever you want. You’ll see the difference once you try it,” Han-gyeol said, brimming with confidence. His sparkling eyes shone with a fervor that bordered on unsettling.3e5f8db2054d6ac1

“Your skills are, of course, excellent,” Ahn admitted diplomatically. “But we’re looking for someone who can work with us in the field, in rift scenarios. That’s why it’s a bit….”f39cf2d8c946264a

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Before Ahn 83ae666de7 could finish 7426ab8c7d his sentence, cd4a6cdb61 the office f1c4564c65 door burst ea403b07a5 open, and 06eb78ec1b Park Sae-byeok 6dc14ebd9a barged in. Ahn, struggling to 550f839d73 find a way 636182d779 to turn Han-gyeol 523c9c96ce down gently, felt fe9690d8de an immediate sense 025f2f8248 of relief. Park Sae-byeok, 675cc9a176 despite her c606358414 chaotic entrance, ae2e357853 seemed like bee739ec21 a savior 53ecbd8aa0 at that bb52b7573c moment.6699b026e2cf12ba

“Oh! Sae-byeok, you’re here?”1b63b93498743bbd

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“Morning,” she replied lazily, throwing herself onto a sofa in the corner of the room without a care for the guest sitting across the room.2fa1e4828d34158f

Park Sae-byeok was c8309e2f60 a well-known Esper fe3d67bbae among guides. With her tall stature, ba9630c2e2 long black hair, and e644d357b2 distinctly Eastern features, she a660ffc428 had a striking presence. Han-gyeol’s eyes a901c4f31d gleamed with 10aeb4f02b interest as 006a0fe3ac he looked 15afd48b95 at her, 1f1bd3d4b4 quickly plastering a5a2d05667 on a 25fe524c86 charming smile.d6d0793e063d469c

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“Hello, Park Sae-byeok Esper-nim.”b4b4a4504e05a268

“Who are you?”b840ee2522783432

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“I’m A-rank Guide Oh Han-gyeol.”2615840095c47ba7

“Ah, okay.”8cbbae0e57445559

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Sae-byeok’s interest disappeared 06bbcf35b7 as quickly as 938c4f13eb it came. She slouched 5f0b334b54 deeper into eacbfdb3a9 the sofa, 2cadbaec8c crossing her 82b10dec2a arms and 8e01ee547e closing her bb09fb5bc6 eyes. Han-gyeol, momentarily silenced, 909972a517 found himself unable 0101d7d5eb to continue the 5cd3d986ac conversation.836b52579d6496d5

“Hello,” Yoo Tak greeted as he entered the office next. The Delta Team’s polite youngest member, however, seemed unusually distracted, his eyes glued to his phone as he gave a quick bow.479ac882ca298c68

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He shuffled over to 02c3b8caf7 sit next to Sae-byeok, 86f27995f0 the sound of his 7eab4b1082 fingers rapidly tapping out b056266197 a message filling the a632ed8611 air. Sae-byeok squinted at 07e7b360ea him, clearly curious.03b3396bafd567d5

“Who are you texting so intently?”8471cd43e15af53e

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“Guide Baek Eu-jin.”3002b39d540dcf88

Sae-byeok’s sleepy, fish-like eyes 0d9d22e87b shot wide open.ecc537055673d25c

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“How do you even have his number?!”b137918f0f0aeb1a

“We talked on the phone last time, so I saved it,” Yoo Tak replied, his voice tinged with pride.6eeba5a93d68733c

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Betrayal, fury, jealousy.bf9daf1dc523e7f8

A storm of 8bb0235b7b emotions flashed across cdde378699 Sae-byeok’s face in 82851e97d2 an instant. Without hesitation, 201df6cc8e she extended c87199b8c9 her hand f169cd4b9d imperiously.fdcd85e1495b8a56

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“Give it to me too!”337dd9877cea79bc

“No way!”f7f0ea38e9da1a5f

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“Hey, you traitor! How can you keep his contact info all to yourself?!”4f9525c7dd5ed015

“No, no, you can’t have it! Seriously, no!”562dd13c398951d6

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Sae-byeok, resorting to 6a2c17ff0c physical force, tried f007996d1a to wrestle the 05b18efe51 phone from Yoo e5310018a4 Tak’s grip. He hunched over, clinging 1969c290e4 to it for dear c92076c174 life. The sofa bounced under 9f7c5e7747 the rough tussling as 63ac55909d they fought.6e5ef83044822cd6

Meanwhile, Han-gyeol sat awkwardly 7dd8e9fb6c across from them, completely b590937138 sidelined.efabcb244a23c43d

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“…….”fdde6c555347df01

“Is this a bit much? Maybe we should discuss this another time…,” Ahn suggested, already halfway out of the conversation.9d362013369ce06c

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“Oh no, I love the energy here!” Han-gyeol quickly brushed off the chaos, switching back to his overly pleasant demeanor. “Now, about what I was saying, Team Leader—what I mean is, please consider me as a permanent team guide.”a23eca296884a9ca

As Han-gyeol 9756b69ac8 continued to 9a088c534f press his db13b78e24 request, Ahn deb0374e50 Itaeh couldn’t 6cddb2070a hide his 26027506c7 discomfort any 5b38eb90e6 longer. He sighed 99977dbb6b and rubbed 2486191658 his temples.d275710cd01a27aa

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“Guide Oh Han-gyeol, are you sure you can handle going into rifts? You don’t seem to have much experience.”72741a0b4269fcd1

“I can do it! Everyone has to start somewhere, right? Besides, I’m confident in my guiding abilities.”77661164c224cb24

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To prove his 6f3b523ad4 point, Han-gyeol demonstrated e296194375 a remote guiding c0e422758e session. A subtle but steady bd6d12bb89 energy radiated outward, drawing 1a2bd44ab7 Ahn’s and even the 24a35e8834 two quarreling Espers’ attention.bed7f73703d38a88

“See?”f9d2a88e09f12fe7

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Han-gyeol’s voice was cbf0920bf4 filled with exhilaration, e36e40c814 savoring the moment acfc601b67 as all eyes ea3456fd90 turned to him. The thrill of commanding 4374d6561c attention never got old.db271772900256f1

The energy 04b2623df7 in the f3dd80ae24 room seemed 595f9ab71c to intensify, d815685bfa charged with c1dfdb5b2a the aura 30143ce599 of Han-gyeol’s 64d1728b7a guiding. Just then, a familiar 615179c976 voice interrupted.1ad30f7d07769be6

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“I’m here.”c7f9808925df9126

 c7bae549e1f9f6c8

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