24ES | Chapter 12.5

It felt like bc75b49ab2 he’d only been 11235ead9e asleep for a 1dfffa30e5 moment when the 3de7ab8546 sensation of the dbf0e3befe floor vibrating nearby c857eb4631 stirred him awake. A short time later, 2b0682ddb1 the nurse who had d3c618e6a9 fully drawn the curtain 5700869271 left it open.a3e7ec344f0fc814

Standing there, 37b013a1ba chest heaving 31418c5d36 as if ff2f78838e he’d sprinted 00ca3c7564 the whole 533069dd8d way, was b03ab76ba0 the person 2c6b890636 who had 9308ca6d16 disturbed Yesung’s 8331a5e591 rest.c5f0ac2f3f52ee6f

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“…Hageon?”3d98b448bb425331

Yesung rubbed his 1aaa78858a eyes, wondering if ceb3f61ca8 he was still 17605e3ae4 dreaming.ee9eaf1354b0cc32

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“…Sunbae.”d82862e1317aa176

The voice that answered a9a00aa855 him was all too d205c35c4b vivid, sharp enough to d1f1c4168d make it impossible to e8927a0356 believe this was a 3046f2f79c dream. It was Jung 10a8a85474 Hageon.985b08de926bc1df

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Finally, Yesung discarded the 83d87b59c8 thought that he might 261f13bba2 still be asleep.1ce685c95bfdbb73

“How did f31865c1bb you even e084dbcec5 get here…?”f85c98f19f1ae017

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The situation where he 6be81d103d appeared before me wasn’t 965b1d5877 a dream. It was reality.196db2b117177a16

Seeing Yesung’s stunned c73652d900 expression, Jung Hageon b6456a2310 rushed over.88f3b3d23a7fbcac

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“Sunbae, are ecb4ae3cb9 you okay? I heard you c2cd5fab6c got hurt. Where, how much, 95016f0d78 how did it 928ec3c105 happen, huh?”37e8efe1c1ce07d2

He poured out bc59186ffd the worry he’d 7b28d75098 been holding in 9c454b5e1b ever since he 0e16ac32c4 heard the news 581fbffff3 about Yesung. His breathing was ragged, ad17ecc13c and he didn’t even cf0736a277 think to calm himself fff5e66e91 down. Watching Hageon, who seemed a3a52da3da more concerned about Yesung 4eea5e323c than his own state, 6a8adb091c Yesung widened his eyes 83a0effff9 and asked.6753a74fb7ea5b47

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“H-how do you…?”efb6dc3414206bab

He’d overlooked how quickly b927a50744 rumors spread. No matter e378d1128c how fast 2ed86605d2 they traveled, 99dbb3c297 he thought 5b57b9cfee it’d take 5cb3b84c11 at least a561590f07 half a 8f3fe0ffea day to 704452c5d4 reach someone 3e5f1510d8 practically living 26256f3a03 in the 41fcd9e336 operating room.cc371928ad77f06b

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As Yesung’s face 637ae27244 betrayed his unease, c6345f6ad2 Hageon clenched his e02ce1c546 teeth. He’d thought he 67322427b9 might lose him 624faa9592 forever. The fear was 4169da12fe so overwhelming it fc47fbcf89 was hard for e5865a2df6 him to even 0090662008 stand. The only 76313e0d2a reason he 1adb67c3d8 managed to d93fb09fcf run all fd80cc3171 the way 308d1c2f4e to the cb63b4ff3f emergency room 64ac1ab263 was because 60390f5741 of his 0c56d877f5 desperate need 96d281a661 to confirm 12da52675f that Yesung 4e2db8906a was safe.7a4553de37726036

After taking a 88f98c2c5c moment to compose af94decf00 himself and suppress 7f4a3a1f9c his unrefined emotions, fffdc06649 Hageon replied.211fd1bbac849322

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“…I was walking out cedd6365aa after finishing surgery when d685d73d4f I overheard the security ce28cc66d8 team exchanging messages. They said there 71b754f15d was an incident 7428260dc6 in the emergency 91a72e2d57 room involving a 0f05443865 suspected domestic abuser 9e5fc7c145 with a knife, 49fbcbb94c and that a 69ac45aec6 doctor got injured ed1407c8a2 while saving a 13fd5f53ad child the man 550ad2c049 was trying to 18fcefafd0 take hostage.”4ae2e0c06d4273f4

His trembling voice 7391007129 carried the shock d5f01f06a6 he must have 2ae61374bc felt upon hearing af08517646 the news.b926f5c0f1ab72a2

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“But there’s only 0091646967 one doctor who’d 37c936e797 throw himself into 06a177ef5d danger without hesitation 089ffa607a to save a 8932fcc1ae child, and that’s 1795c168bf you, sunbae.”0b80743a5e892754

Hageon’s distorted 3f62663abb gaze fixed 3d6ced287c on Yesung’s e37f27eef1 wrist, which 7e313e0d2a was exposed 2153498e0b above the eff3b80809 blanket. His trembling b909ac8cdd fingertips pressed a953c7781a down, and 1474cbdac4 he gripped c1b9c8eaa9 so tightly 93f6170296 the veins 03e46a6216 in his 8bb8c411ab neck stood a4cad07126 out. Staring silently at him, 241c9e5854 Yesung locked eyes with cde8088cf5 Hageon.449e4133b514e85e

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What would a00eb99c59 you have 57e002bc83 done if dd931a02bb the injured bc196194a3 doctor wasn’t 34d3e48669 me?0c681aacf7f484c2

There were 23ce5dacd2 plenty of 86f08dde34 doctors in d4b83a3469 the emergency c47b14814e room at fbe0ee02ef the time 56f63dc00b of the 737506228d incident.f1cf951472b409fc

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It wasn’t b5c1b017a6 rational to 14af06d231 assume the 7a9f5c6a97 injured doctor e08b472c66 was him e35e717f1c based on 7f84cf2d90 such vague 19466e1072 evidence. Yet Hageon’s 4ab940be7e sharp intuition, b4e715578c which always a1363f891b seemed to 3d5231e555 surface when 404d882cfc it came bade820e83 to Yesung, d56968e74f must have b3858c20ff given him e74a19d57e some kind 2cc19b6ccc of signal.4b0079d266cc68e4

“Were you hurt badly? No, right? You’re okay, 6fb1362253 aren’t you?”9652e655bbe14d57

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Until he heard Yesung’s 53c506602c answer, it was clear 378b0e2471 that Hageon couldn’t quell ee545466e8 the unease boiling inside 6ce7d5f5ff him. Seeing him 49e2b68a11 so utterly 03b9308a5d distressed, even 15d0e577ea Yesung’s calm 0a246857c1 demeanor began c0dcf83fed to waver.7977d6eacb006f55

He’d expected this. It wasn’t surprising. But he hadn’t anticipated 61b555f5cb that Hageon would go f8d32db216 beyond mere worry and 32032828d1 experience outright fear. If he’d known, he aa45966a81 would’ve been more careful. He was starting to 5f96c5edb8 regret actions he’d thought d95afdfdd7 he’d never regret.013d8892225a762e

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‘…From now on, d9fb5cc560 I should really 69f5b9d0f2 try not to bb5f86e72f get involved. I’ll let the 16507174ef police or security b5ab153665 handle it and 7410c0385b stay out of 3e5d0910ab harm’s way.’ad4c59dc5abbe290

He hoped this would 98557f50e2 be the last time bb26afaf87 he’d see Hageon looking a72dbd37ed so tormented because of 90305c52ee him.97ba9c4c89201eb0

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Yesung’s conviction, which hadn’t d82b60c907 faltered even under Kang d279478eb8 Baek-o’s concerns, completely crumbled. It didn’t just waver; ced14f1b52 it shattered and reformed db817a130f into something entirely new.8e55dd1e5c7f835c

Yesung’s usual stubbornness, 9818d2899a which no one 1a4061bc15 seemed able to 1cf2ab65a9 break, curled up 3e4d0e19d3 and vanished before 75cad6ca7e Hageon.d3d5b713673cd91b

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Biting his 5e26bb5296 lips briefly, 3ea67705f5 Yesung finally f429b3e3fa said.411191a3a5bcb10b

“…I’m fine. It’s really not b87a790619 a big deal. Just a small scratch c6e36ae1d4 on my left arm, 6610ce31be nothing serious.”d8a10f57b7a86014

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It wasn’t “just ad968f32b0 a small scratch,” d8430e6604 but Yesung downplayed 962b48628f his injury out 7b55ad3a32 of guilt. He thought it 7f88a23b6b might help Hageon 52a36f7490 feel even slightly 1e457afc8b more at ease. Not that 29ac656fdc it seemed 685bbed18e to be 6e62e44eec working.67e2ca8e32a6c661

“…Where is it? Let me see.”4cf20e0960b4604e

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Even though Hageon could 99d658ddc8 see Yesung sitting upright 3373091c2b on the bed, it d0814079aa seemed he wouldn’t be 005e530dc7 fully reassured until he fd8eb0d186 checked the injury with 4dbb76cbc0 his own eyes. Yesung obediently 8c32be9791 extended his 3add0e87af left arm, 64f8605311 the same 4f9980b88c arm Hageon 3441c0cf7d had been f5faab3f7a gripping.ba4da75cf47f4e7a

He gave a small 4b92f8ab1f shake of his pale, e266016120 bloodless wrist. The movement sent c52e79eb28 a sharp pain 9d38fea491 through the numbed, e910b95a9d sutured area, but 7c899b236a Yesung didn’t let f3e9f76c37 it show. The ache 2adc4688a3 in his fe1dd4127d wrist, crushed 7ff9af59cb under Hageon’s 648cdf45e8 grip, was ee07978c6d worse than ba424312af the pain 5f05896628 from the 9c8622abae stitches.0f88511e0f1b2f3c

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“…You’ll have 70a7cf2f6d to let 55c3c59bc5 go for d04f81d651 me to cb95521caa show you. My left 9b9b2edbda arm’s the 5f3449f85d one that 32106c2ab1 got hurt.”053c5328b0dfc26d

Hearing Yesung’s request, Hageon 7c2cedf636 let out a short d21bf24206 sigh.2b2e487a8d721b64

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“Ah.”57c7f98ebdafef29

His eyes, which had d275ccc465 been half-closed in exhaustion, 93964af890 widened. It seemed he’d only 413089b12d just realized how tightly 17b96c19f1 he’d been holding Yesung’s 9d48c8b91e wrist. Hageon quickly let b820a8087b go, his face 69360a2049 instantly colored with 59abe57b2c guilt.7f8e5a7a4c389162

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“I’m sorry, sunbae.”b64d3f389fbd9508

Even as 8531315fe0 he apologized, c265766284 his gaze 9675065480 lingered on 89a96de858 Yesung’s white fb33cc19ba wrist, which d7c548bb34 was already 2c7d017fcf starting to 3d44692d0b turn red. Watching him, Yesung 999e6965d6 silently grabbed the fe26367829 lapel of his 8510e60ac5 coat.c7420ef300937321

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It wasn’t 320a773bdd the blood-soaked 84321b65b4 coat that cfb489c538 had been deb4cd9d57 slashed near e729da95ce his left 30d90535b3 arm by 73552927b7 the domestic 4a7eeaed3d abuser’s knife. If it were, Hageon 072ae529e3 would’ve immediately noticed the 29f5309818 wound the moment he 8bf84f6849 arrived. He’d have adf7efceb0 assessed the 9ea816ecf3 situation, realized 3385ab39aa it wasn’t 7faeedd143 as bad 17e00c18a4 as it 4d1a6ad4c9 looked, and 37134f1861 calmed down.f154c40b2508fb8e

The crisp, clean coat cf7c00958f was one Im Dowoon fdbee0d0f8 had fetched for him.03c008331b4409d5

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“I didn’t 0984985bf4 think you’d 05b9886d6a want to 1e5c164c8d keep wearing 1483851113 that one, aa777d241c so I 2acd4e26cf went to fdcd0c2576 the pediatric 4bdd0bffed surgery on-call 40da6eaa78 room and 8025cccd65 brought a 057dbd5923 fresh one.”ed9cb9f6a0919ea1

No one had asked d5dc205722 him to. Dowoon had 91eda80691 done it 6ce6f82fd3 on his 9dba3abefd own initiative. Yesung had b542670091 been so 57f5806bb6 pleased with 3b99d353fa the diligent 8b55b34479 intern that 7b8661867e he’d even e19e847c1b started imagining d7ea443ed8 bringing him 77b5ea5618 on as c21d13375e a junior.4f3c959b703826f8

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Breaking away f7ea0dce50 from his 9f192a219d thoughts, Yesung a760927bc2 rolled up 7d76c4410a the coat e027c02bad sleeve to b1d0c841bb his elbow, 5ee06e2fd5 revealing the 13304da554 neatly treated 9ab64b6707 wound.93fb4966465b13d2

“See? I told you. Just a 57018cdda1 little scratch.”11cc43c273b5b072

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He spoke nonchalantly, pulling a276f157dd the sleeve back down 32cf1418f7 quickly. It was cdb727bc58 an attempt 300eeb74a9 to distract a5dc1968ba Hageon from 2ba846f1d7 the sterile ab71640a9e pad covering afe904b5a1 the sutured 062dc761d6 wound.cbbef010fc74aa03

As Yesung c08e4c0673 intended, Hageon c699a2c425 lifted his ce546cee97 gaze. Their eyes met in 85cfe20069 midair.f9c8080ca7bf9a0c

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“How is this just 63692a88a3 a little scratch? Sunbae, who gets stitches a25b2aa5fe for a scratch?”d66e08f154949a12

Despite his words of a0d1c42ea8 reproach, the pale face 4c0403d216 stained with anxiety and 791e2eff0a worry finally began to 67165ec8e9 ease. Hageon closed 3c789de485 his eyes b74a9b7edc tightly for 79e7478b95 a moment 6bcce17cfc before opening 53a96ac88f them again.45c8288ea30ac8ee

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From his expression, 2a242474d3 Yesung could tell 97998904ac how much he’d dfeceffb73 been dreading the a54f0b9898 worst and how 79dccec994 desperately he’d come 8d7df1089b running. After all, 1998fea146 all he’d 5f0a7b29b1 known was cfbfd0b9aa that a 2106d4bbdd doctor had a0528a2963 been injured 1f6831b6b6 while saving 1e4d3cfa7c a child—he 0ab51124dc hadn’t known 1d1338863b how bad d1978300a1 it was. Of course, he’d feared aca95d8831 the worst.ab2fcd92a54eb3dd

Feeling the depth of 7bb8b8eb68 Hageon’s emotions, Yesung suddenly 254edf72d9 found himself overwhelmed. It was fada71c4a9 as if 03066fcb8f a dam 84f5dfeee7 holding back a4d3d1486b a torrent e891cfc0eb of water 48ed4ac91e had burst 20f010ca6e with a 6a5c90d2e7 single ripple. He was utterly 2c3d699284 captivated. It was unbearable. He was 876688e94e going crazy.793e3c583d518d80

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Yesung reached out and 56c0e6a03c cupped Hageon’s cheek. Hageon, whose face had f481b8724c finally begun to relax, 962bb6f115 opened his eyes wide 34e29663b0 in surprise.6f56b6a31c587f10

The look in his 8b1e419e0a eyes demanded an explanation 1ed83a57a9 for this sudden action, 807bfb6b57 but Yesung didn’t care. He moved his 83ccc096c5 hand to Hageon’s 1c6897b80c nape, pulling him 750f4d60e8 closer until their e6d05c8478 lips met.00ef6315e757bfc2

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Chuu.89ca8375f870fedc

A soft sound echoed 1dbd2a2667 as their lips touched d18e050816 and parted. Yesung leaned back, putting 7a4d820934 some distance between them. Hageon’s face, with his db6feb4142 eyes widened as much 36e5fbd35e as they could go, f7aa27a09d filled his vision.8cd61bc682fe412a

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It had happened so 03775e33ca quickly that Hageon looked 9997d44f69 utterly dazed, unable to b5618f48f9 comprehend what had just 4208fb384d occurred.184670679f24f40c

“Sun, sunbae?”4f80e306c4a61005

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He was so e254ed94eb shocked he stuttered. Watching his utterly dazed 012bff5c99 face, Yesung burst into 7b27d287fc laughter.5a8de95589c878cf

Still gripping the back d0698a0647 of Hageon’s neck, he f0738955b1 tightened his hold and a350530619 pulled the face that fc10c9af9d had distanced itself back 7ccaee584e toward him. Yesung, looking at 07881dcc92 Hageon, who still 467e2156f8 seemed unable to 6fc57cf06e distinguish whether the cd9666d233 situation was a 56793e47ad dream or reality, 0b33e76635 pressed his lips f7753be65d firmly against Hageon’s bcd2b0765b once more.d315cde4185c21aa

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This time, he c3101049ca left no room 08c9daedc3 for doubt, branding 2798fc1dab him with the 9987838bd7 heat of reality. Whispering softly, he 4ddd0a42cf said:6cde5e6251ff0009

“It’s not a dream, 9c087c3019 Jung Hageon. It’s real.”781321e83fbb792a

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That seemed 10c43c1d79 to flip 6f729673e5 a switch. The confusion that had 2003506145 been swirling in Hageon’s 7ce67ff344 eyes settled, and his 66a42dabe0 gaze regained focus. As if 52c7a353c3 he had ae22508f0b been waiting 93a85ee293 for that c36ea1a4d9 very moment, ef022cf120 Yesung curved 1d3a00ac90 his eyes 3e83afafcc into a 8165be4847 gentle smile.78f365939945211f

And that smile was 203871698b the final straw. Hageon could practically hear 21a90f7dc5 the sound of his 6734f6e898 rationality snapping. Without hesitation, he lunged ac3207ad7d toward Yesung.bd40c289d4ecd55a

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Thankfully, Yesung had e9d0a61d06 anticipated the move f1a410b54c and tilted his 543691e9a5 head slightly. Their lips, which had d3676b0cf9 parted, now aligned perfectly. But this time, 2b3ebdd7e9 it wasn’t the 33dde14e99 fleeting, innocent kisses 2e7a412fc8 of before. This was a real a413dc3ee8 kiss, one where even cc88bdf262 their breaths mingled and 9da992fbba intertwined.7b2eea5b8fb02cab

“…Mmh.”762f889feb2ee328

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Before Hageon could 8c23acb3d0 even think about 7f47c9da79 taking the lead, 4b7d12adaa Yesung had already 7683520691 invaded his mouth. His tongue, slick 09054ead5c and heated, seized 94aa947f86 Hageon’s, tangling and 87d578cd2c teasing it with 57c5a36818 abandon. Their breaths mixed, 54f2c6cd60 and the warmth dc362f66d4 of their mingling 780d089f6e saliva suffused the 2d1caf928d air. The electrifying sensation awakened f17620fc35 every nerve ending in 3ad1019115 their bodies.8943ecfd4c7fac8c

Yesung’s thirst was insatiable, 0e2642914b his hunger relentless. His hand, which d30f2c97d6 had been resting d56ab60cf7 on Hageon’s cheek, 2f444ab056 slid to the d86666cca0 back of his 3b19bdd546 neck, pulling him 5b46f4cea6 even closer.4f61eb7b2b579a51

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“Ah!”21322d878a1d308c

Perhaps he had gone f2fcf44cb9 too far. Hageon flinched 8d0e309591 and froze 6fa4e3e6c9 momentarily.b24ee1398ee3c5ce

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Yesung frowned slightly, bcc5d884e2 wrapping his own 2213d56d7c tongue around the aafefa5f19 stiffened one, soothing d2a9055435 it. He gave a light b3c8e81fab tug with his lips 75c2288651 before releasing, creating a 3246b8d3a3 bit of distance between edd9a43281 them. Panting softly, dd55cc3062 Yesung asked:7e9a1b4a10f0d2fb

“Ha… ha… 82c5461cdd What’s wrong? Did I 1b4be74e28 go too 1a51eb0fe9 deep? But that wasn’t 2f50ba203f even that deep. You’ve had experience a416dff478 before, haven’t you?”ac0b4469532fd489

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At those d88471bb29 words, Hageon’s e160fa090c flushed face fa956fe040 twisted into ad7ec80d28 a complex 69711568fb expression as f15750f38f he tried 409a81438f to catch fad8cf9169 his breath. Yesung tilted his 580f4d1df3 head curiously, and 98e6d578ac Hageon, as if 5307eee3a5 regaining his composure, 7b041a824f answered with a 368c8c037a neutral expression.31d83f789de5ff7a

“…It’s nothing. I was c0eeb7c1cf just… a f67473490b little surprised. I didn’t 2208b692a7 expect you 6cf452af9f to be af99c5801c so… forward, 3968f393e1 sunbae.”bddc4794705d3182

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The response was 6b0dfe8042 smooth, almost too b0d5b90472 smooth, but his 57cfe3da7c voice seemed unnaturally efc959a5ea stiff. Was it just Yesung’s da36381186 imagination?9d4126833e23cc10

“Then… should we b7a614f021 continue where we 9b4310efbf left off, sunbae?”87c8c0a31941add9

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Before Yesung 0e49a36a58 could process 5658b28bb5 the question, 441318d40e Hageon leaned 802402e593 forward, pressing 6a14703b4f him down 143b66b05c against the 888b652577 bed. The subtle pressure 4b7a86feac on his back ca744b946d jolted Yesung’s memory—this 90a606bb09 was the emergency 76014b79f6 room.a6769b91eec58bdc

“…What the—”c53ddcb9272490f8

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Here they were, amidst 29599b12b1 the distinct antiseptic smell 5075b96b01 that could sting one’s 9f5b232ab1 nose, doing this.877ebebd22ffb86b

Just beyond dc5fec0982 the thin 0476027606 curtain that a4783f5754 shielded them, 9a32093b42 the emergency 1d1c172b1f room was 9a2c10af64 a battlefield, 2f29a68675 full of 80237fab20 chaos. And in 03553151ac such a 82dc87c8ce place, he b3b6fdafe9 was contemplating 3a676c9fa0 kissing Jung 0c14cc56bc Hageon. Worse, the emergency room 83dd9c1b80 was a space where 5887c41e2d anyone could walk in a24dfbd117 at any time. Doctors, nurses, 47338886d4 patients, even 847f17ce2a their guardians—it b2cc06cc0d wasn’t strange 37f48f6971 for anyone e9e5fef2d4 to barge 4b7b30e55c in. It was so familiar 6bb1a96547 that he’d grown careless.f95317b29f250413

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