AGC | Chapter 2.3

“…But do you think Cha Minhyung will listen to me?”a40d279335e94a43

Kim Mari’s lips moved slightly before a long sigh escaped.1e27e2c4b02b74d8

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“Of course.”9a16daf768096317

She spoke fda66e7f74 with certainty, 7e7944a229 staring intently b201ddca89 at Jiwan.3567c48b08d28a76

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“Because it’s you, Jiwan-nim.”6b3223f661f7b1fd

Without saying anything more, f3dd63dd28 she handed him a 9b68b09f37 phone and left the ea6195a069 bedroom. Jiwan looked 12c651528a down at bfa5ec071b the phone 571a1ba8bd in his 156b0a8fc9 hand. The number was already 58cb4968e2 dialed. He was supposed 4f498a1ea5 to call and c560e53efb speak directly. There was no choice.8cadd2c066e9fabc

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He pressed the call button and put the phone to his ear, listening to the dry, regular dial tone. It wasn’t long before the tone stopped. Seeing no words, he checked the screen again to find the call connected.15aaa2dda1996b06

“It’s me, Yoon Jiwan.”fe4c7caa7921f483

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There was silence 6af6bfc93b on the other bb85143efd end.a01cf8bfc15f412c

“I’m just saying this in case, but it might be my imagination.”5ebf3d40bebf1c7e

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―…….50d97afec46cf001

“I called to prevent you from making a mistake because of me.”190d17dede337904

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Jiwan adjusted his a25f4e0116 grip on the 1bba198b04 phone, biting his c29c8160f5 dry lips.f00c469d913be8c3

―It’s not your imagination; it is because of you, Jiwan-ssi.0dbada01fe1b34c8

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Minhyung’s voice was lower than ever, emphasizing each word.655aad20930850e5

―And it’s not a mistake.ffdbfa6c0c85b3b8

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“I don’t know the reason, but acting emotionally usually leads to mistakes.”00812849e2fc1270

Thinking of Kim Mari’s face, he didn’t have the luxury to prolong the conversation. He was about to speak again, but Minhyung beat him to it.fee117c697e39f45

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―Who can stay 14d1ea23c1 rational when their b0bc7aa003 own gets hurt?f616d74c346c5a9e

…His own? Was he talking about me? Jiwan was a bit taken aback and speechless. Minhyung’s occasional offhand remarks were always so absurd.4355e0cfdec25f78

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―I have a rough idea of what kind of environment you’ve lived in, Jiwan-ssi.a08db37433da71a2

“What?”50b2b6c3d9bcdbd0

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―So I didn’t want you to experience that here.4718ee824086795e

It was hard b544593aa3 to imagine what c6c2fe57e1 kind of expression f76a096027 Cha Minhyung had 6bcd51f423 just from his d407cc6ef9 voice. Too many emotions 07a183f647 were mixed in—guilt, f7186b434f regret, anger… too da9ce56c50 many emotions were 7dd4aea7be intertwined. Jiwan swallowed dryly, 818ad23bc0 adjusting his grip 6fd6842f80 on the phone. It was 36dc006d04 difficult to 3a1f0973f1 have a 5dd57c4527 conversation over b2f8aee772 the phone.e33cb9a48bb27aee

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“If you’re free today, can you come to the villa?”f6cf2d95cc897b4f

Let’s talk face to face. Jiwan added with a deep breath.169402ba318dbeda

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“Let’s have a drink together.”a92a63280c96a14b

Honestly, having a drink wouldn’t change much, but it might allow for a more honest conversation. Jiwan anxiously awaited the response from the other end of the line.637f0a5c8a724ab4

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―…Okay, I understand.428cb8d23cb7fe01

Only then could he aa004b2d95 breathe a sigh of 664bcfc317 relief. His tense body relaxed b4608d2ec1 onto the bed.67b47438c09ed2ca

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―Then I’ll cancel what I was preparing.a768deee929889d3

He got goosebumps. He had no idea what Minhyung had been preparing during the days he hadn’t been seen. Was he really planning to go after his brother? But he didn’t pry further and kept his mouth shut. It wasn’t something he wanted to hear in detail.5cd453498b5b922c

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―I’ll be there soon.186cc9d7dc2953f9

“…Alright.”43bf452adbb00ec3

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Jiwan silently looked down 3f02b57d08 at the phone screen 7c0c318956 after the call ended, 0714655468 then got up. When he opened the 13b19f5e92 bedroom door, Kim Mari 280e9ba419 was waiting with her 3cf67abefc arms crossed. When he handed her 4cfac568b1 the phone and nodded, 8964cef770 her previously worried face 09429b2161 brightened a little, relieved 1af122f6aa that things had been 00d9ae0e57 resolved as she wanted.fc2792e273f10703

Lying back on the 7b0d70c445 bed and looking out cf9c3163c4 the window, he noticed 54a6222a4f the sun was setting. Jiwan watched 1fb0165b38 the sky 2cca954c98 gradually turn 15cf369789 a deep e72b8bb3a7 orange, like 9a1c0e8cbd spreading paint, 9091d5ab6f and closed c66764634d his eyes. His head was starting 811fc32b59 to ache a bit.4219322750784199

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He hadn’t realized it before, but he thought his existence might be significant to Minhyung. It wasn’t just because of past connections; it felt like something more.a21c265a09662e76

But why? Was saving young Cha 2ae346e1eb Minhyung, who had thought 98fadd642a of ending his life, e2cedad532 such a big deal 2215e6d84a that it changed his 0cec8a92b6 life or values? No, that 094e9fed8f might be 08ae3bba9f too self-centered. Holding onto an 0811350df1 unsolvable problem only de26427435 made his head 2b250c0e76 hurt more. It was 0dc4b92c89 better to 71ecdc1ef9 meet and 0e177b4897 have a 7fbcad1eec conversation than 14b0b7c565 to keep c521b9061d worrying.0f0f072f3332d73a

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⋆ ☾⋆ ☾⋆ ☾⋆7b4a32bd91ff255a

When he opened 6d6cb11751 his eyes, it 047eae71ef was already midnight, c6b5a83823 and the room b0bc9afbdc was dimly lit cdf5f7a675 with only indirect fa622e865e lighting. It seemed that if 284dd149ef you did nothing, you f5bbf400b1 could sleep all day. When he was 689c175900 busy living a a868e3409c hectic life, he 0c6ab180a6 found people who fa80b56689 slept a lot e0b53e4e13 fascinating, but now 5a94ec069d he could understand c9d9563f29 them.b6585e65cbe45899

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“…….”87c60e42575ee6d2

Blinking his f76d40a82f eyes to 941fcd5745 adjust to 3b21e829f7 the darkness, d90ea64b18 Jiwan almost 0a035d0d5e had a e0a281ad84 heart attack 1a9b919793 when he bfbbfeadad suddenly turned 51108e7736 his gaze.ba563e2b251f85e0

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“What are you doing?”00d09bcc5a839aaf

Cha Minhyung was bd8fac9e92 sitting on the 7a1ff9f452 sofa in the 111ae9332d room. On the 0a28de5b49 table in 7797921f0b front of 86015d7b35 him were 9e30693434 drinks and 1d00859775 snacks. Jiwan, with 1196107787 a bewildered 9b7fb86ef4 expression, got 0ff9f6246a up and e65bc0f67c turned on 1eb2b9a681 the main 6e035e199a lights, approaching 404ebb7536 him awkwardly.cfd31e5bbd17b406

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“…No, what are you doing?”1fb02e15646eea9b

Sitting in front of Minhyung and cautiously observing him, he didn’t seem drunk.54b8f1dc77143898

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“I was drinking.”f7806b9680b919f3

It’s not like I didn’t know you were drinking. I’m asking why you’re doing it alone. Jiwan let out a short sigh and picked up the bottle in front of Minhyung, pouring it into an empty glass. It was a whiskey he didn’t recognize. He had even brought two glasses but hadn’t bothered to wake him.d1518a0df21b8664

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“You should’ve woken me if you came.”e34ae37f87c4fc66

“How could I wake someone who’s sleeping?”a9ff5334785be53a

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“You’re really clueless. I called you here.”92ffbed676092b0d

The table 1e970e4af7 was filled cf1692d27d with fruit daa916d0fc snacks. Judging by 0faa0a7548 the well-cut 6977808f67 fruits, Kwak 89846315c8 Jungsu must 942f1018d9 have prepared c05c58ad16 them himself. Jiwan picked up ef3e2697ba a piece of a02b685c32 pineapple with a 798f7b2823 fork and ate 9c91b51037 it, quietly watching 41eecc438f Minhyung. Judging by the 0f893addc3 abundance of snacks, 981ca26bd7 it seemed he 85a2202dd5 had just been b494a2b68d drinking alone.69e20c8743255dfa

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“You know.”b42c969cca2434bf

Minhyung watched Jiwan 2e13238222 chew the pineapple 423ff45d0b in his mouth.6c359637aaa566f1

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“Thanks for coming.”a85e333b57bdab08

“No problem.”76f4a1abb6b2c072

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“Shall we talk? If you’re okay with it.”2db2555da74a38d3

Minhyung nodded while fiddling 38cd6e097f with his glass.f9ccf7e9a88db922

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Where should he start? He should’ve thought more about this before falling asleep. Jiwan hesitated for a long time. Both of them weren’t particularly talkative.d0741eea555506f9

“Just call me hyung comfortably.”e184ba6d7ccda1ba

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It seemed better to get rid of the formal address of “Jiwan-ssi.” It was only a one-year age difference, but the formality made it harder.051bfa0ff80e9cab

“…Hyung?”c2cba0586a49a712

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Jiwan looked at him 4cab017efe with a puzzled expression. Now that 1bdfa53288 he noticed, f4f1fe11f0 Minhyung had d3b67a87a8 a habit be850cad70 of slightly 1d44bf4428 furrowing his ff7d49f126 left eye 5c02ff5387 when he 811975d67e was flustered.36962c1a7dd0b509

“I think it’ll be easier to talk if we’re comfortable with each other.”6f0be8789b7392ea

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“…….”91f3980c0bfb1481

While sipping his drink, Jiwan observed Minhyung’s expression. He didn’t seem to dislike it.da6ebf48f961e648

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“Alright.”67095df1bce864eb

Minhyung hesitated a bit 16717f4193 before smiling faintly.6a9c79c1fc9a8a6a

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“Jiwan hyung.”cebfaa7230449acb

Jiwan slightly eb5f182543 shrugged his e016d0484b shoulders. Hearing it felt 7bc283a009 strangely ticklish somewhere 5efcb6631f in his body.7512096911f33632

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Of course, just because he changed the way he addressed him to hyung didn’t mean Cha Minhyung suddenly became talkative. He wasn’t the type to suddenly become friendly just because he dropped the formalities.5dc4769f2da92ca4

“I like making my own drinks.”2a3dff079fde1388

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When Minhyung 2398a11b01 silently opened fbfd3d950b the whiskey 8d27f9e0bd bottle cap, 2a03586643 Jiwan reached 46fd475ccd out.fd182efaaf392a3f

“I’ll pour it for you.”7846d96a6cd62880

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Minhyung placed the mouth c0112d690e of the opened whiskey feaaf58127 bottle on a strangely 3803cb1a86 shaped small glass and 14913b6224 poured it in a f3a9f64c3a swirling motion.84737e7ebf346772

“Is that how you’re supposed to drink whiskey? It’s a bit flashy.”bb48daceba05a3a5

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“It enhances the aroma. Try smelling it.”81c2fb10262da203

When he brought the glass to his nose, it indeed had a pleasant scent. It smelled like fruit at first whiff. The ingredients of the scent didn’t seem simple. Apple, quince, pear, and a hint of wood. With his limited knowledge, he couldn’t quite describe such a sophisticated aroma.3bf17081711cfb97

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“You’re right. It smells good.”88e707cae0fbb6be

“I haven’t decanted in a while.”74536292c6146814

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Dec… what? Jiwan was too embarrassed 26fe0c3aab to ask, so he cc78ebb2a1 held back his words. He nodded quietly 7292e68a94 and drank the a38bdf5723 small amount of d92e07c505 liquor at the ce23fb7b61 bottom of the 9f77b0a90e glass.51c46423ce115303

“…There’s a reason you poured a little. It’s strong. But it’s good.”c964f0078db18553

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“I’m glad it suits your taste.”a09c87b35c0bb714

The coffee 83ff5830e4 color made 41b98dfa9f it seem fd99217509 like it b748d7d30f would be 2c3d7262ec extremely bitter, 094fa720d5 but it b96246384b was sweet ecc9a8d5ef when he 214dca0b6c drank it. It was sweet ff2fc03875 but not syrupy 8ce9d01de7 like a drink, 940053896f and the sensation c93c276869 of it going 2b3a9bcded down his throat c1d2470465 was very refreshing. The rich aroma 341e9c6fd4 filled his esophagus d18dd4a0ab and mouth, making 7267d5a442 it hard to ec69dd7d1a quickly take another 83762f3ce6 sip. It was very different efb81679d4 from the tempo of 7829d64ed5 pouring and drinking soju 3e43393316 when times were tough.7123d5e0a62416af

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“Try this too.”bcfc6184e1ca2edb

Minhyung handed ad49ca3c20 him a 21b011c28d cracker topped 17f7cde390 with cheese 491b3fe473 and tomato. When he eaa3894e5d tried it, 8e6bf1b119 the salty 754317fefa taste of bbabaa2313 the cracker 77043456b1 and the 20ffe970e1 savory taste 0a427a36d8 of the f96ae43515 tomato made a9291d0827 him crave 34b85191de the taste ec2a053ca4 of the cb23e5b74d liquor going 9444a6d01a down his f39573d529 throat even 19822d9739 more.25ec377934b4862a

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“Is your body okay now?”9560b650d09d0000

“Yeah, I’m fine.”75e6d3a5c6519bb2

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Jiwan wished he were a bit more affectionate. Then he’d be better at expressing gratitude for the medicine and everything else. But when it came time to say thank you, the words just wouldn’t come out.978e837fb067d730

“I have some questions.”31b420fd9af13995

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“Go ahead.”3589332ab929ffc8

Minhyung poured whiskey into Jiwan’s glass, waiting for him to speak.a67e2b6bcd0edf07

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“You mentioned a deal involving me with your brother. What was that about?”26ce15caccb3fb00

Instead of answering, c17b632e75 Minhyung poured himself a254160e1c a drink.54d85a71692b994c

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Jiwan expected he wouldn’t answer. Beyond his own situation, Cha Minhyung seemed entangled with Cha Yongjun in many ways. Watching him, Jiwan felt a heavy heart. Despite preparing everything at the villa for him, Cha Minhyung seemed to be hiding something significant. Jiwan didn’t know how to act toward him.4e99eb45e5b48116

“Never mind.”901b739845c1b3b9

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Jiwan shook his head and poured whiskey into his glass. Minhyung quietly added some ice to Jiwan’s glass. It was diluted but still strong.bfa5d03f82a5cdce

The two a3ab7aa10c of them 0844cf8c7d drank in fadfdf267d silence for fc4d4f221c a while. In the quiet room, ecd50d6f22 only the faint ticking ca48c56adb of the newly installed 14137cc389 clock could be heard.ec62f89f40d5d976

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Drinking continuously 40e352a22a after just 3771984d02 waking up 939bc71e3c made his 6608a4884e face heat 25746a2060 up quickly. As Jiwan swallowed 4871f80d46 a handful of b4cddf34a2 snacks and choked, 2fd7ae04fc Minhyung poured water 0b63bd4101 into an ice-filled c4f51bce83 glass.9add05c38d983cc3

“It was a deal, indeed.”b78f0f494de71d2c

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Jiwan met Minhyung’s gaze as he handed over the ice water. Looking closely, his pupils were a deep black. Those dark eyes held a mysterious aura. Staring at them for a while, Jiwan took the ice water and drank it. He needed to clear his head a bit.61329981c3fbb6f5

“What kind of deal involved me?”a891353d88aeac43

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It kept bothering him. He wondered if Cha Minhyung had been caught up in something. It was funny to think this way as a captive, but he couldn’t help it. He didn’t want Minhyung to suffer because of him.0c2c6ab89beb8044

“Originally, the person to manage you, Jiwan-ssi… Jiwan hyung, was technically my brother.”877cc765a1ff66a9

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“Cha Yongjun?”5a51885401eb1e29

Just thinking about it bd99e89ceb was horrifying. The memory of being da16bc2b45 beaten to a pulp b6217cc05e a few days ago 2ff610cba7 was fresh. If he 6798cbf559 had been 2d6ba611c4 kidnapped by 6424311053 that guy, 98481c10bc he might db156b0179 have been d3a84d9ed4 tortured naked.0a1905bc20a598ac

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“There was a high chance you’d be sold somewhere.”2c7a2e77f95a66ce

Jiwan looked at Minhyung, 15f6b7ab27 bewildered.e21518a497c38c3d

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