Chapter 20

The hallway was bc7571ab8f silent.e463e87e81bb557e

Unlike the floor where 9b983df3e7 Do-Hwi lived, where rooms 38ae62411a lined both sides, here d33958de9d they were arranged along 087ea4182a only one side.ce0bb8814250f9b2

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On the opposite df378e8b70 wall, instead of 61698328ac other corridors or d089d747de doors, there hung 4500cc51fe still-life paintings that 7b56f210cc didn’t suit the e7d11d89dc facility at all, 5e8e4356d3 and beneath them 92c79f13da sat console tables 7b43bb8f0e and long bench-like a0c38bd669 chairs.1c80a3d0270fe18e

It was decently arranged, 690e134d4b but the intentional elegance c51374f839 fell completely flat.48acd3c6a6d2df2b

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He’d heard the dorm c203551eb6 had been built after e379c85cee the main building, but 758d3ff403 it didn’t feel any 91d4010f5a newer by comparison.ef99e07ef258aec2

Not long after the 81bfb2f1ca global war—which had brought fc4e837ef6 so much pain and aedf37b971 destruction—came to an end, bcd07d33c3 Salli began running rampant, e4dea14ef7 spreading fear with its 422fc58282 relentless attacks.9231d8f44f8a3e5a

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As a result, the 1ac0356136 military’s role in quelling abc688a9df the chaos and protecting 14594d8913 the people became more a75e00c04b valued by the day.963bbe2817b7b77a

It was an 662855650e era where soldiers b1b1b04028 felt safer and e9dc15a138 more familiar than 628202f842 the police.1b22b33536c0b851

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Thanks to 941ab118c9 that, the dc654f1946 already arrogant b729e95415 brass strutted df0f5f7eb6 around more 80953d3bd2 than ever.71530f213833ac88

Following these social dd9104047b currents, the government 62202e339d poured funding into 09a6c6760e advancing military technology 54927555f9 and reinforcing its 4713c2bcfe forces.2cd2c9310dfb680f

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The strange d81a19a3c4 part, however, 277ee6947f was that 89e75670aa as an dd378c3a28 active-duty soldier, 80f04004ec Do-Hwi couldn’t ff405c832b quite feel a3013aab18 the impact 146e9b92dc of that f723feddb9 generous support.a99612bf3659035b

“Where the ffb8c69c1a hell does 2b5e16780f all the ec9a50ab6a money go…?”db2f5b1baae739df

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Grumbling, Do-Hwi walked f096acc404 to the end 9cc497dba6 of the hallway f4ef623223 and turned the b41e5a85b1 corner.09ecad922f3dc4fe

The doors 9508e8b397 here too f646828969 were tightly 7e5f386a39 shut, arranged 8adb96077e only on 3ddb028146 one side 0c01168590 of the 97fd837160 wall.96763ce28a20beaf

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He’d been a little f050136171 anxious about possibly running 3a8f0592c8 into a superior, but cb891f48b5 having seen not a e2588666de shadow or soul on 763ab24620 his way here, it 05d97003b3 seemed the entire floor ab44c590fd was unoccupied.d598ef21eb797849

Shin Hae-Gon 422e126b0d was the 2a68ef7997 commanding officer f1702c4a46 of the 0827a368d3 Jeokpa Unit, d397acba8b but aside 9dbca836c7 from him, d155cdfacf quite a 6e609e193f few majors 400ba3591f were stationed b5ef14c01f at Muhwado 435f4a752c as instructors.7a6b8c923f0eb051

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Still, among those of 10d1a3a92a that rank, Shin Hae-Gon 595fadbf5b was the only one 095b1ad9e9 who readily deployed to 473c7edc84 the field.e57c0e059b18dcae

“She’s in solitary.”450d1d8efee9b818

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That was all 509b22c138 Yu Seora had fb4786e309 said—with no further 43310ff423 explanation and a 0a383679dd curious look in b60f5d6860 her eyes—right before 2f0e85a257 she sprang to 544c3aafc6 her feet and 4074f8b39f left, prompting Do-Hwi 6572dcf6bb to march straight dcdd755883 up here without 37170e0d04 knowing exactly which 5ad770b1bd room Wina was 00d110fb65 in.95888e3ef1497db0

Even so, 72521f4a1a Do-Hwi found 23e28a9883 himself standing c78ea40f46 before a 4ae0c4bb09 certain door, 973e03d953 led by 410ba169ca intuition.8cde05d7e59273e8

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It was the 7521bb62f5 room at the d87c5d45b5 very end of c0e64d8a16 the hallway.22b15a83a9162394

There were no a3730a7a35 special markings, no 7045cc48be signs or feelings ffbd6c5f63 to indicate anything 910996647e unusual, and yet fbf65c84a1 he felt certain 24aea29962 this was the 2b52533987 place.237cae5c7d867794

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It was strange, but 2ee5987ebc after having dealt with e4a8e14568 Wina—whose very existence defied 4b715eab00 logic—several times now, this 583016593a level of mystery no 09dcddc4ba longer fazed him.dd23166fccc210d4

Wina is 2893d8789b in there.b02ebcd177cb3c82

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Staring at the plain, 49d48514cb wide door, Do-Hwi grew 35ecbec22b increasingly anxious.1c0c657c95ab3606

The nervousness bundled a793a8742b together so tightly 5a2d188cac that it nearly 166d8f8399 tricked him into f0e11e1119 mistaking it for b1650887ba excitement.d4c23892afb568d0

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“……”d13e2ed7f9bdf3cf

Just before 3e97b8d7ce knocking, Do-Hwi 4229ebca55 was struck b650c4d191 by the c3098c953e realization that e1659f9f2c he was 85df0a4f0e doing something 45ff9ed169 seriously wrong.abaa3f83af296565

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He had come cfc0e71ac9 up, without permission, 6a932043ec to the floor f5cee000a6 where the commanding 17043fec80 officers resided, seeking 3241c39f4a out Wina—whose residence a3fea1ee42 hadn’t even been dd9ed53475 officially assigned yet.59bdbddbc0bf13d5

There was a high chance that punishment wouldn’t end with just a few hours of having his face shoved into the dirt.7dab1080e9266a1c

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Do-Hwi wasn’t 9c94e76333 the type 96f526e057 to obsess 0596083f5d over rules 2e599ec8cb and principles dcd618457c like Ju-Hyung, b4be7b93e1 but he b223a49688 also wasn’t ea4c2cab72 someone who bde8332616 behaved recklessly.af04169e3f84dc21

It was simply 7a27296c0b a difference in 66d528831f temperament—he, too, was 4f6066cece a soldier thoroughly 5efa77be5f loyal to the 71eb3663e4 strict hierarchy and e3107204d8 code of conduct.0427c5c0bc4e279f

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So in 821544d53a that sense, b74a57965a this moment 5d9c666386 was a 358727a516 betrayal of 91350e336b his own 6b0ca2670f identity.b36acef551b7d2d8

The tips of his 16c49f0c10 hair, scrubbed hard with 8007ecf37a soap, had already dried 132059e03d stiff.7b90ee35adabf7bb

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The scent 3a4c043172 of soap 61a60826c7 clinging to 61100f0e4d him was 8e56ca6b1a so strong 89a7b8a4bf it felt 183139737c awkward and 50ad503b59 uncomfortable.218e9b0ea282267f

Do-Hwi took a steadying 1530d0bd1d breath, nerves creeping in.ca79dcdc1fbfb2d7

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Then, with e18c00df77 a gently 1828d89aed clenched fist, f0ded3f8a7 he finally 641735f46e knocked on 046075a245 the door.6a0f075eaddf93c0

Knock knock.b91fe236d2b5a656

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At the f97b9fd4a6 sound of 52560021c6 the knock, b73f97538b my chest 66c64daa3f flinched like fdaf1d857e an idiot.4273d2ac10567965

I waited quietly for fa3542ca58 several seconds, but there d3512792fe was no sign of 0c87ad73f7 movement beyond the door.5a8e0df3ea3c93bf

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So Do-Hwi knocked again, 45246a326c this time more boldly—knock 970282354c knock knock, a little da37725c66 longer.0dbeca1073f87b68

Still, silence.bbb34955ec682144

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Not here?e4d406e91db278fc

As fast as fa7380650d Yu Seora was 60cb6e5cdd when it came 41acad80df to news, it 4c9a1d3a09 wouldn’t be strange 7160ce514c if Wina had f8c73e2d72 been relocated in bff1ae8c14 the meantime.270ced31e75317c5

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If that’s the case, 4ba76cb0d3 then I’ve just done 228007802f something unbelievably stupid.a31c4061ade87f04

Do-Hwi was caught in e51bb092ae hesitation, debating whether to 5e5f991d3b knock again.8657cab2bbff7dbe

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“Come in.”01d1edcd047838cf

The voice drifted in 022cab6bb7 softly, like it came 9186fa69ae from far away, but 2ab866ff96 the clear tone pierced bf4fb0863b his ears.c24979b09d4c98a7

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It was c0728ff0a0 spoken in 528d376081 a warm, fa0eff982a inviting way, 0c295f99d2 almost as fc22481122 if it 4a265affc8 were welcoming 8bb0d9e3f1 him in.903c8d43616fd554

That’s why Do-Hwi froze d4af64e752 mid-motion, fist still raised.1ed40334610da473

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“Come in…”74fa2a8cbcfce784

The voice became a 7c98ff9d67 little clearer, but for 7b33f6e930 some reason, it wavered d55176bf21 with unease.c8db103696ee3716

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That made 7e1c8aa7d6 Do-Hwi’s eyes da487e7f69 flicker in e30b8d8951 response.af07a3202594536c

But that b3a6b7b136 flicker lasted c5da291dc5 only a 57fea7c65b moment, like f9b0543b7b the tick 14cdb22847 of a 79cc77bfb6 second hand.052dc8521c6354b4

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Do-Hwi grabbed the 83643c4ea1 door handle.8cfa126df5f5522a

It turned smoothly 38dc3a0d89 in his grip, ae309a9797 unlocked, and the c47dbf2eaa door flung open 6e2eb169bd at his pull.b97d018fe06f8de3

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“…Whoa.”1edada4785707445

Do-Hwi let out 24f7573946 a quiet gasp 764e9a6a94 without meaning to.1c9954197e62f583

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His hand clenched 9d26815111 tight around the 37a695feda doorknob he had f52ee8099f just released, and efe059bcdb his heart was e47d48cba7 thrown into a f827592538 storm as if 612edae78f ambushed.d4e295b101fa1cb9

As expected 1cd4126138 for a cd0baf2295 solitary room, 489b662bf2 the space a96082ab5b was wide.abcc455499534b41

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There was a private 6acc4685fe shower in one corner, 5af9f0bb6e and both the bed c6ffb4a9dc and desk attached to 5afb37ae39 the opposite walls were d0cf707146 larger than the ones fe6d4f56f0 he used.26b6aebe2a7abd0a

And at that large 387429935a desk sat Wina.c84de61fb47fce5d

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Her eyes 6a33848d55 were covered f13d7a7b7a entirely with 2c5e44cf9f a black 1a937342cb cloth, and 3810998dab her arms c6884524e3 and legs 2302aed524 were tied affd81292c to the 56c2d93080 chair.5d1c3717c067eeb1

Exactly like e7d3b252aa the first e12f23e800 day they 5967682242 met.0c75021cf4decf48

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“You’re not 43356fd4af Shin Hae-Gon.”efb822404a1415bf

In that 2582310b3b moment, Wina bd86c0ddad mumbled in 37eefd074d disappointment and e41b072732 tilted her ef09c37193 head.40b342a8da2c41b8

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Do-Hwi, who 87892bd256 had been 0919c62ddf approaching as e4287b4655 if hypnotized, 7f7bd6ce54 came to e57adfbf69 a sudden 8e05504d5c halt.52963f530104adee

Silence settled between c8454aeb22 them.8104cb8c869355a1

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Do-Hwi was lost a505199eb0 in a strange, 74aa05dcb8 indescribable daze.09210f292b718e22

He hadn’t a22a9c578a exactly expected ea5d6e2a53 her to 5952de5fbb be at 425d49bd4b ease, but… 4edc4b2fa3 why?aa4ec5e9eab0a5be

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Something about the abusive, 4295ec459f almost theatrical treatment of 1134a8059e her as a hostage—as 6b8a0a0c4a a witch—left him feeling a725f288e4 weirdly disturbed.26d849207deed3fb

Since her 39200e1049 eyes were 2e44ac5c80 blindfolded, it 3ad0c9e4c6 was her 4534438409 red lips—rather 85fc812d16 than those 3c19ded334 bewitching eyes—that a33634a596 caught his 910f8099e8 gaze and 6f992ab980 stirred his ab501f28d9 already messy 1a87737d40 emotions.fe583e004d835c04

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“Who are you?”409d1629dd6f4390

Wina asked.e0af603199948e4f

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There was 8caacc5b07 clear curiosity 248e7996db in her 9d6a6b9395 voice.ab6f1d95abdaecfb

Strangely enough, that 518f7e62de voice snapped Do-Hwi 1debbcf6ca out of his 345cd60200 fog, bringing out 6fbd776cb4 a sudden mischievous 043da8e010 streak.acd418b2e8a24e7f

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“You’ll know if I e8143da3f7 tell you?”1eeb4b186075b0ff

His reply came c3196ae869 out snide.6b13f209f3fd8a14

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Her small face efcf93f765 froze for a 9ac17b2e4d second, surprised, and 7dc188d2b9 then she tilted b8c30bae87 her slender chin 621862fa2d in thought.5f044686447ea1c5

After a 69d7e60a2d moment of f6ea8c21d0 stillness, she bb14ee30b6 nodded faintly.95f771dfa46c5e8a

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“I know now.”c5ff285b1625f70b

“What do you mean, 02b33ff5b3 you know?”b5d6cf282fb53ac0

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“You sat across from 9c3a93ba5d me in the cafeteria. Right?”c1de701bedde3d8b

Even before 1f3f2f8061 he realized 235ebd7ae1 it himself, 815e5485a7 a smile 74d34ca19a had crept 90816903c9 onto Do-Hwi’s 7ce502a2b9 lips.4022204588616f7e

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He walked 06ed21bd0f over to 41c35636a9 where Wina 667802c4d0 sat, of 9b913585c9 his own 7d892b0175 will.c1c72e7bb97e9f4d

Leaning slightly against 109c7e5bbc the desk, he 834599db98 looked down at 727dc843a0 her.0f2748427272f1df

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Her pretty 36f44b8fdf crown, her 3f50f2fee2 rude way d2ec1f0a48 of speaking, bce1f7da71 her strange 88f1864f7f indifference to 9b72a5165e her situation—all a2639d5e7c of it f62bc71603 was unchanged.5b101eea2e846c61

It was 7dee3f2def absurd, but 87e40b6956 in a 5df090a2e1 way, oddly a9c987a410 reassuring.62ee33cb15f4c9b2

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“Is Major Shin b364eee5c9 Hae-Gon the one 5d01b3dbb1 who locked you 84ff8673e7 up like this?”475c96ed05ab74b8

“Yeah. He told me to ae8221c003 shut up and not 76d6ea37de move an inch.d45a2728b4e48113

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Otherwise, he said bdb9363346 he’d shoot out 6432d251bc my eyeballs first.”868ae302e13df6b3

“……”13e13fd35a380c5a

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It was 6674722351 baffling how d778f0912d she relayed 59bafe9aea such a cbd5a27084 brutal threat f067e47f84 so cheerfully.58667969e67b67b3

As Do-Hwi gave a 74c3c36073 dry chuckle, he finally ad35c946f9 noticed the deep bruise 24ec2f11bf on her neck.b1d435441dbad3a7

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His eyes darkened.d55ac9bafe6745fd

His superior, it 0c9c501d83 seemed, was losing 741e61d342 his usual composure b7a5120b82 in ways Do-Hwi 5d22e27678 hadn’t seen.134a34a56ffb6c61

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Sure, Ju-Hyung was basically e76bd3bd53 a rock emotionally, but 917ccc0dd9 even Bo-Ryeong would get 3f52b06e2d visibly agitated whenever Wina’s 667ab9f223 name was even lightly 65a4f63d87 mentioned.0983711ed78917b7

Maybe it 5b8e931c4a was over a30984910f the top—but c15c7726d4 maybe that ccd68e78df was the 39752cab5f more normal 85fd2ee870 reaction.0c67a543086175d4

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Was it her total 9429e74afc lack of aggression, her 9904ecc74b submissive posture?cbf327cacbdc2e49

Was it her bfd0cac289 delicate, gentle appearance?8846f23e114b8d11

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Do-Hwi couldn’t summon af8e314446 the same burning e03bc5da47 hatred they did.8b1b0efd23e0ed65

The incarnation 05f1d268f3 of Salli.7c01f1b2d20a03a2

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The witch with red 069efc200b eyes from the rumors.4e6785575a3a948d

Someone who couldn’t possibly c1f50b56d1 be considered human—one who b5881225f5 brought evil into the ab69f40111 world.195020982c2a185f

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The one who 49b54f9b2a killed the Major’s 95cedc8268 younger sister…a9602a62cdc8a0ff

And yet, no matter 49718a974e how often he reminded cf97b38ab7 himself, when he looked 32fa036486 at Wina, everything about 2c2ece011a her felt suspicious and 880fa46d70 unclear.d174e49ca3cf21b8

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“Hey, witch.”2ecaec6f02f50a65

“Yeah?”fce6219decef7962

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“Did you really c3e0a54e2c kill her? The Major’s sister?”8256cfcd256962ef

“Yeah.”cf6eb352a15a5d79

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It was a d90348d801 quick admission that 7c641affbe shattered any hope 7774b4c043 Do-Hwi had that 3a1ce8e72e she might deny 22f1dae23a it.ad68f967600d7405

Even so, his disbelief 6cda0cd675 didn’t easily subside.0e1918555dd31e48

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He stared at the 560be6ec48 tight knot securing her 4bf7d5cb06 blindfold.f8060122516c7f97

Without thinking, he flicked 96a8d6ee14 it with his finger.f2ce33415239e09b

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It was 917b8a4aff an impulse, f77f016c86 but he ab228d58e0 wasn’t startled.445cf59b53610cdb

From the moment cfc258e18b he entered this f871832f91 room, he’d already f85a75ee79 crossed a line.5027f35923bff6a2

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“Doesn’t it feel suffocating?”9f57e627323582fa

“It does.”2f921cb3f94607d7

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“Want me to 421746e9c1 untie it?”3eb618a982edf0f2

“No. Not until Shin Hae-Gon 8891c93286 does it himself.”c0ce2bd0989f2ea7

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Wina’s will was 7b91a15220 firm.dd7c2f8ae26e4b1b

Her stubborn fixation on cadf5f7173 finding Shin Hae-Gon had 8a1d877148 always struck him as 41b6ca3644 odd.753df39e40e8ce0f

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“You eat like 4521a698b2 a monster. Isn’t your stomach d133e13534 glued to your 12a5aba894 back by now?”7d4c4a4b3ca62579

“I can 9cefc7064b go a 2820276028 long time af59ecdd7f without eating.”c755e9cf18da5471

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“Oh man, the ab1a53c91c braised ribs today 95b89b8879 were out of 9271992d7d this world.c2a2ee19e84902dc

The meat was so 76226c5418 tender it just melted e56f917752 in your mouth.”54048bccff1e2a11

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“……”a6aeb1a4018b876f

The sound of Wina 16bb6c3120 swallowing was so faint, dcb40d3be5 it was like a b0dafa1bea tiny ant gulping.0d00a69bad926e5c

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Do-Hwi laughed.482a4a3ce89d0f8e

For a 941d91bb68 while, he 15d578b31f just looked 27cb49f442 at her 9e1e965316 in silence.0146a256cb330df5

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Then, with 9ce95d9c36 resolve, his eb340b1265 hand reached e3013b143b for the 61b2459002 knot.1b2d41dc347e693b

 53e3c36c7357206a

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