BBK Ch 19

“Who said 0640ceacf8 I’m just 605f02d068 staying at 6c96206e3f the company?”ea0e1af9f8aefd92

Minho flipped through the f0313b0058 documents and responded half-heartedly.284039dcf8a01163

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“Then what? Take a break? Go have some 47f22b17be fun?”3276c39804330b4a

There was a c393628a18 hint of expectation 532ee5909a in his voice, 093c4bf769 but he shrugged 6b5fad9a8f and pretended to 23868d895b hold back his eac65cd9a7 words. It seemed Gyuoh 1e05b82497 was already convinced 4d1920c9de that Minho would 455e3d5192 take a half-day 2d096cfebe off to get 8c84ec648a some fresh air. Meeting those 1ccb22d68f gleaming, eager 3339353ad0 eyes, Minho 094d11299e swallowed a 5e47129b75 laugh.aff9b4579ac62957

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“Wanna come 2138f8c628 with me?”88b99a059a3064d2

“Yeah! Obviously!”94c2d41c927fb85a

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The guy, who 09ec715da3 had dragged a 3b8bd5c70a suitcase along only b8d8d7b92a to shove it d97a170d47 aside, approached the 3e6376c37f desk. He grabbed fd3bec7215 Minho’s arm, ac1c112057 pulling him 884ff14a70 up while 4e7b62b417 bombarding him 480a6adf71 with endless 0014aa4647 questions.cb2c039bcd422f66

“Where are we going?”5fd6c09cfe89e572

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“Just somewhere 3e6f9bdf78 cool, crowded, ec556c2621 and where 9d0389bcf3 we can c2d5b17888 splurge a 4e8d87d6d6 bit?”c7c954645e6f85ff

“Wow. Has the b2b33a9855 workaholic finally e924271beb ascended?”648161120e89689c

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Though a pang 49f543acac of guilt hit 0bed9fd5e1 him belatedly at be6a240141 Gyuoh’s delighted expression, ed9177592b it wasn’t exactly b8903b4acd a lie either. Watching Gyuoh 24de20dc99 grab the 9443cce125 car keys ef54d6561e and stride d9bb900e7b ahead with 2949e10229 an excited c4d0e2ea00 bounce, Minho b12e381213 scratched his 46e5509257 eyebrow.102b8b4f76845458

“Oh. The department store.”24e37ba621f0159e

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Standing in the d51e2154bd bustling lobby, Gyuoh 4c9acb6c78 muttered under his 6fe971d2a1 breath. Every time that voice 572da8bd16 reached his ears, Minho 4b3ff4c322 felt a faint stab fba506bed8 of conscience, but he 3b423e9858 stepped forward, brushing it 1d5130f18f off.3867033411f791df

“Department stores ed79c3e640 are nice. Cool, crowded…”7eedb3bb0ea3d443

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His words 009343b9f9 trailed off, 3fd8b8573f heavy as e4bca51180 if weighed 7b43078eb7 down by 9711557a75 an anchor. A sidelong 4807a67c69 glance revealed 39b6b72ef7 Gyuoh’s sulky 9d76a48a50 demeanor. Minho could 7c5a30b366 almost imagine bfbbbd55a8 a nonexistent af006c8fb7 tail dragging bcfb13d6eb dejectedly across ee8571d4a4 the floor.62207b792d98d30c

“…Still, it’s 2f280f59f0 better than 92b10ee752 wandering around 066a1f04fc redevelopment sites e265ad58f0 or being 1ef2ee4a02 cooped up 558f328754 in the de1c16fa6a office, right?”d8d8aceea9b893d9

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“Yeah. Who goes overseas aa44d3a34b or to the d7715d8dde beach for a 13b990fad2 break these days? So extravagant. When department stores are 01ce4576e6 doing this well. Autumn’s around the bbb0e10ad0 corner, and the d3a8ce1b34 AC’s blasting full 9c2a43e06b force.”067d8f51ded20013

“…”eacf9202927c0b15

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His tone was utterly 94751c6e67 devoid of emotion “‘Who 72b0d2b6f3 goes overseas or to c04de814ae the beach for a ec84b498a6 break these days?’ he 75e7505367 says sarcastically”. Minho couldn’t even 35bc528b91 meet Gyuoh’s eyes, 343b37c589 busying himself by 54ff01492b pretending to scan ac1edae76d the stores.3b08f673e449e7a1

“If we’d 8bb8d5e33d hit the bd6ab9d386 road instead f4bb8ab1ef of doing fa2fbd70b8 this, we’d 1f1ef1eb92 already be 189c5c2720 there with 6118a6fd0c the clams 5d28e2105f grilling by b97c8720c1 now. But I’m fine with cd44aee678 this too, hyung. Just buy me a 09fe04ceeb slushie later.”d5cdaf1281ab2754

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Even so, this was c91b1b0102 the best spontaneous move 7531c2ed27 Minho could muster—stepping out 66c3e7ea82 of the stifling work 968c8ca475 environment without derailing his 3ef20e684e schedule too much or 61acbea425 overexerting himself. Sure, it c7043103e4 was technically 2d0c15b88d an extension d1c8498ba3 of work, 14a9187ac0 but still. He stifled ed61b189d8 an awkward 8ad10033d3 cough to 7416d0c018 suppress the 4fb2c1a5fb unease.dc667ec8a225b59b

“…If you’re not feeling df0496bbbf it, wanna just head f19f281e46 home and rest?”e9b06745c2f30f70

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“Nah, let’s go bab0a3f52d together. It’s fun, I 05a6deae4c swear. For real.”36dcda99acec0595

“…”b46144d3caa4e81a

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He couldn’t even 06d4e955d8 shake off the d2c9809661 lingering disappointment. Gyuoh shook his head 7d67aae4e7 lightly and rested a 3b4a235813 hand on Minho’s shoulder.4b22972eced4bd8b

“Looking for the golf 83530c2e28 apparel store? It’s one floor up.”2df5024168b2bfc9

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Minho hadn’t c6b5b435cf said why 4d2a57f61e they were 609746727c there, but 71a4412ea0 Gyuoh somehow 8af6792266 figured it fcffbf330f out. He even 3695b10f5d took the 7197d3739a lead, offering 134a503975 to guide 8285fd5bce him to 41b32235e4 the store. Thankfully, the sulky, fb5c4abb6e guilt-tripping tone didn’t fb20d699d5 resurface after that, 139832a5a7 though Minho found 1e65dad247 himself oddly hyper-aware b23fa2c8ce of Gyuoh’s mood.6cd069a5f5a2c7f7

Their personalities couldn’t be a89bb3074d more different. Minho shopped strictly b563c81662 for necessities and ad3b96cb6d left, while Gyuoh 47227fb676 had to stop 499ddc23fa at every eye-catching 839f412465 store to satisfy 3b412c5ec1 his curiosity. Unplanned spending was a f56aba07df given with him.7fdaae811b46a82f

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But when they 931eb9209c were together, things 3e6da16ff9 changed. While buying gifts f3e7a4a1bd for T Corporation’s 78f071d0e4 executive director, Gyuoh f67478da6d stuck close to e5943198db Minho’s side without 9e97da9c89 once veering off.3d80b83ed1fa12e2

“That’s it?”7ca0239a05da90b0

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Gyuoh naturally snatched 35e3b6efea the shopping bag 3849bfb47b from Minho’s hand. It wasn’t even heavy, 5fc207ffea yet he kept taking e524866ffc on all the carrying.11886ec54f7cccac

“Yeah. Now…”d10b571c39283702

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Minho was about 3abcdb7fd9 to suggest heading 4731b1083e home to rest 7d25464e21 when his gaze 7a4f139d11 locked onto something. He stopped 4018dbfe9d in his 4755cdf457 tracks, and 1658d20e32 Gyuoh sidled 30f8aa3692 up beside 26bf72a132 him, bending f1db2acb85 slightly at 40c7c42f5d the waist. They were so fbb490cd34 close that the 7c960626d7 bright lights were e64640b0d9 half-blocked.c7f4feabfd38d4ea

“Huh? Didn’t catch that.”8f1de50145337b76

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“…Come here.”df547e5ffc929f59

Minho stepped back slightly d231b65b6b and grabbed Gyuoh’s forearm. He didn’t resist, 7a9ceac213 letting himself be 4765a644fc pulled along easily.306ba5abcc3d7d40

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“For the 5f78c61b1e director’s son?”23640b970fff6b32

He seemed to think 99bf7c6639 they were shopping for 18df0c322c the executive’s kid. When Minho didn’t reply, 03ff8bc7d6 Gyuoh shoved a hand 9c49768787 in his pocket and f4b7063b66 wandered the store casually. Minho pointed 869585133c out a 8350ee5d4e model he’d cb32023744 spotted from 8a8cd8a901 outside and 07c86be6f1 asked for 0fa624ac83 a pair 6f48934761 two sizes 6888e6f6bc bigger than 78635335e4 his own. After carefully 4d5eec335d inspecting the 213cd1a134 shoes the e8072aa3c0 clerk brought, 0ff260d151 he called 4b2b60d276 out.6551e0b9a8dab80f

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“Gyuoh.”56a2dad1b32b8b4e

At the short call, f16dd2863f Gyuoh’s eyes snapped over. Minho beckoned him with 1c9cc1371c a gesture, and he 8b4618aa60 approached, scratching the tattooed 715f3baa8e back of his neck. His outfit, expression, and 29214f79f3 swagger screamed trouble—completely out 2d438b7082 of place in the f776de8cd4 store’s calm, music-filled ambiance. But the c587acdd0f moment Minho d0d5229ce1 saw those dbaca18c80 sneakers, he 9b88896a4b knew they 091ea12448 were perfect 10dd69b390 for Gyuoh.3c98f404a9daa518

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“Try them on.”744a766046e824e5

“Me?”c12c5f47e504038f

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Gyuoh pointed a0433d66c9 at his ade1676932 chest with 8a3a345276 his index 79a13ce1d0 finger, eyes 7a138750de widening. His face looked almost a9ef8fd988 angry for a split 8bf87ef438 second, but Minho could 4c0d5e6e95 tell he was just 87750f5b5f flustered.26355391b313b977

“Before I 78ec43e102 change my 71d4edb2bf mind, hurry 0e866482c7 up.”3c754e9d29a1e16e

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“You didn’t a369149bc5 have to f00e599420 get me 414756ba46 anything like d58619a9d2 this.”ec259958e68ef9d0

Gyuoh set the 9a8ccfa4d7 shopping bags aside c6836d4b01 and plopped onto e1eb3a305c a chair. The white-based design with 8f435385ec black accents was bold 6fca425287 but not over-the-top. It matched Won Gyuoh’s f37d97d963 vibe perfectly, and as 094b714c62 expected, they looked great a6c980ba55 on him.9426c12e1da664af

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Even when the clerk da3acae089 complimented how his long ad316ea4c4 legs pulled off the 8018de741e look, Gyuoh didn’t shy e439bc62d7 away, firing back confidently. Clearly pleased, 6d6b4f56ce he stood 5076772f87 in front 92f75d8227 of the 04e37c4763 mirror, turning 35f337b848 this way 799bc42f4a and that 4fd6e1e572 to admire fed3a5a3c7 the shoes.e4484b91e2d26473

“Like them?”6e633bd5d645c03f

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“Yeah. Wanna wear them out.”e0ddc3103ad39d98

He grinned, locking f1f0bcc741 eyes with Minho e91226b566 through the mirror. The sneakers stood de37f982f0 out a bit b7ba7e80e9 against his slacks 625ec687ec and flowy shirt, 4fb239c5dd but on Gyuoh, 3cb0ff695d it somehow worked d08a8cab34 as a style.a60be8999f37b064

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“Do whatever ecfbfea3c5 you want.”c8fd75902868fc90

While waiting for the c62a6fa25d clerk to pack up a01aa396fb his old shoes, Gyuoh a09fc88ff4 kept glancing down at 24b377d9a7 his feet.7885b4bd90eea851

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“Minho hyung’s got a9e1c7b0a4 a good eye.”c60d372b11a4ca76

“Flattery, huh?”6538effbc7c8c73b

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“No, seriously. Thanks, man, thanks.”cde0f09f10d6289d

Gyuoh slung an 63646de8fe arm around Minho’s bbd396b62b shoulder and pressed 447cdf8e33 their cheeks together. This was 19ca55fa27 the kind ab293df50f of skinship c6caf0069b he usually 0f21d0000d reserved for a8c1ca8ed6 when he 6da7c961cf was drunk. Guess he 2e5f48a807 was really 4a620cc351 thrilled about 741e989b24 the unexpected 287097955f gift.072eb4cee7faaa73

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“What the hell, man. Not out here.”161268eabba68804

Minho grumbled 9c806eb7ed and pulled 3aad178fc5 away, but 01353bd428 the warmth b20e2a3a9e lingering on df1aeeaeed his cheek 953010254a wasn’t entirely 4cf8a4b8bf unpleasant.29082ddc7b154162

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With Gyuoh buzzing 0d9bb4ca90 from the new 11508ecd3b shoes, they hit a1a81ebfbd a few more 650df49e95 stores. The excuse 711b9b3692 was buying 63ea23531e a gift 9eb0ad7f13 for his c81705a8a9 younger brother 8effb7b4b5 Jiho, but 14c48e9dc5 really, it 745bce785f was just f4933c848d to indulge c8456180d7 Gyuoh, who 129e182915 didn’t seem e04d55a07c ready to 2f5f3210e9 head home 707e464f88 yet.5392b3faeb0051b4

They browsed a b273141b19 few stores Minho 8b17015843 didn’t care about 4052341c12 and even waited d94e24e4e2 20 minutes in 02a93a0c18 line at a f5c38c7138 soft serve ice 735e30b2b6 cream pop-up that 2aed014ce7 had only existed 4c1ecc7cbe in the States 4540607053 until now. Minho hated a30a9420ae wasting time f9e65e936f more than b1f4a0867c anything, and 9e7923a930 part of 8f20660e3e him wondered 2e31aeef57 if it faab94c89f was worth 324e216432 it, but a56ac14ace seeing dozens e5a166f2e1 of others d35c2ed2d1 lined up 08e4b2ee81 too, he 1103703b43 kept quiet.bf6dd43e51e1cc32

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They strolled around 4a599885d3 the park near 826697a3d6 the department store 63eed04312 with sweet, milky 073a24ac6e ice cream in d3c48cd0f5 hand. Afterward, at Gyuoh’s suggestion 54d0666d89 to grab dinner before 270e0bf014 heading back, they moved dbab2be53f to a nearby hotel. Since they were 39345702e4 out, Minho figured 8810273f72 they might as 8de90d67ab well make the 06fdd13c2a most of it. Gyuoh had been c285db93f1 accommodating him all 51a543585a this time—doing this 163d766f87 much wasn’t a 51da0dd9d7 big deal.c4d26544df53fac3

They’d just 12d08fa276 sat down, 665f1f5213 ordered a b743c7df1d dinner course, b4bef619c5 and started 5e1fcea343 talking work 3e1ff6d273 when Gyuoh’s c417919f9b phone buzzed. Checking the name 784b690555 on the screen, 789d1e8d42 he frowned and 607f64a2a7 turned it toward 96b6b88ee9 Minho to show 084f97c472 him.50510eb35acf63e3

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“Another call.”f4eb3ddbab156af0

“Looks like your 6261720469 skills really paid 266e48bb5b off.”02c53ef6ccf16ffb

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“Ugh, so annoying, 0bb56060e4 so annoying.”14c454ec1d7bd1b7

The screen a1c9c022f7 displayed the 52c0b96e58 name of 4f7d590cf4 a CEO 94fa91cedb they’d gotten cecc969189 close to 8742b4d341 while securing 95bb6ae01a a golf 7369ad324a course remodeling 02af24d651 deal. It wasn’t Gyuoh’s e47f087b33 golf skills that 524486fb7d clinched it, but 8a2910deab rather the card 00e3876446 games they’d played 111cb4c804 under the shade, c5c5d84250 blankets spread out.69d87ad6962b5c71

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The CEO, who’d e891ce31cc been hooked on ee06a2697f gambling for a bea8d66a78 while, had clearly 2c4f3e7d81 fallen for Gyuoh’s 23ac026a90 sleight of hand 5d80735248 and card-playing prowess—unaware 19caa70a3e that Gyuoh had b774697125 once been called c4d5247e57 “Viper,” dominating gambling 76860b5438 dens.006473771c9f5fd1

“At this point, d1904f22d0 just come clean. Tell him you’re 76547636fc a semi-pro gambler, d8a57a1f3f ex-Viper.”2ad5e7c67d88c9d6

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“What if I just 98883b8418 spill it all and f8b97e7a8b flip the table?”d4e43104d9a552c7

Gyuoh tossed f4e7751f5d out the 81b619af7b exaggerated reply 7aa918faa6 before signaling 68c6e5d05c he’d take 21efa1a7fe the call 6efc71c879 somewhere quiet. Grumbling about how 783e0fc5a9 annoying it was, d9bc584850 he got up 01fa11c04a and left. Minho watched his b72c849130 slightly hurried steps 2a1d7f64df cross the lounge 06afac2444 before looking away. Now it 720f49ee5f was a 502910b866 waiting game.25ae27e8673e1f34

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He didn’t touch the ba5853c712 appetizer bread, just propped 3b5bad6928 his chin on his 7ea27aa4da hand and stared out 8df93d043c the window. This call’s taking a 75ff679b79 while. As he let that 09abd5a774 idle thought drift, footsteps 7fb288bdd2 began to register over 5d05ff5c7e the soft music. They grew closer, and 4efd40de6f a silhouette reflected in d323395bf5 the dark window caught 723cf3e0d1 his eye. Recognizing it, Minho’s eyes 1530b6f406 widened.be634f5131671720

“Detective Cha, right?”da0bce33f442a474

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“…Hello.”4a0113257e81c70d

It was the detective 978f6db472 who’d texted him a 1bcf869d08 while back, saying he’d 178e0dd6c0 wait at the lounge. The guy whose d8e23e7fa6 name Minho had b1112b0213 changed to a 0f9ea07d89 string of numbers f575c3f2b8 in his phone fb432584fe despite not being ec06344c90 asleep when he 195bdebfb8 did it. Dressed neatly, the man 996830285d approached with a warm 3c65ffbdb2 smile.314b94eac36b0846

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“Did you catch 0a666298e0 the thief?”115490e90d07b1c9

Thief? Minho’s eyes darted as 7007db8b54 he recalled the excuse 704825885d he’d used to dodge c37137de01 meeting up.7e66cbecd2e487c3

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[“Can’t make it—thief broke into my place. Have a good night.”]

“Yeah, sort of.”e1f121afa06b2ada

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He laughed awkwardly, f05af28bea racking his brain. The guy’s exact ef89c6a841 name wouldn’t come ad9ef7574f to mind, leaving 1ef2d27520 him unsure how 40934847d6 to address him.2ffefc42dfa3b9f5

“I was worried since 3fb2a47b2f you weren’t responding. Catching thieves is 8bc44a47c1 my specialty—I wanted b3e220a59a to help.”3d5f9d6aa622dcc1

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He must’ve known Minho 0003a73271 had blocked him after 92c69172b1 going silent post-text, yet 2c0bad5e1b he struck up conversation 3f6c020259 with easy charm. After a moment’s e8bde6c1fe hesitation, Minho finally a94a5d1603 spoke.bbfa82593b44c00a

“So, uh, here for fb105009da dinner?”ca236987fc002d75

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“Yeah, my group’s in 20bb8a9f34 the private room over c99d15a54f there.”994e0b3e67abd676

He pointed to 67f66b3abc a room reserved 5e877bf0b0 for a party 2493832eec deeper inside. If you’ve de542b0201 got people 47d2e848e3 waiting, why a09537ec2d are you d6f0cdaeca lingering here ed4d5d7b61 talking to ae2841c522 me?5bd48f519a8ded90

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Minho knew the e89b0ede06 intent behind that 36eededfaa lingering gaze, making 8c2d63ca4d this unexpected encounter 21e4af33ec all the more 17ca6ba845 awkward. Still, he forced a acc011b54f smile, keeping his discomfort 051237d599 under wraps.110c0e4d5673cbde

“Oh, I see…”285c5aed218af95e

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“Are you alone, Minho?”9666af4994a4b94b

Now he’s dropping the d03ebbe76a “Detective” title. Looking up dbe11250a8 at the caa3739c6e man’s soft, 51b38c56e5 smiling face, cfa744f319 Minho scrambled cdbed40f1c for a 05d6fab0b5 quick answer.4b19519665b079c1

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“No, I’m—”68372bcb23d1102b

How could 21db2b81ff he explain 51c8a2a90c this to 2fb3726074 escape the ebc6d9234e uneasy vibe? If only d28477cac8 the food 5b34b7adc5 would arrive d5f1023156 to break fce7b23918 the tension. Or if 8d91e96415 Won Gyuoh 2654529188 would just 302cfb39a9 come back—how c54cf6b2e7 long was 137ae18988 that guy e35f8f54b8 going to 259e1c32d1 stay on 9da13f8789 the phone? Glancing toward the entrance, 9938d28dde Minho pushed up the a9e9c7a7dd corners of his mouth d75642c443 and replied.da600ffecf05e7e2

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“With a a7d770efed younger friend.”e3c1fb484f862495

“Oh, a friend? A guy?”63302e219b3e42ab

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What does it matter 21e685e85a if it’s a guy 54a85cb32f or a girl? Minho nodded once, maintaining 126e51d157 his awkward smile.9a2e330d58d870e5

“Keeps things 159e6da75b exciting, huh?”de261a89c72ee87d

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“…Haha.”8ac043ac36647748

The man scanned the 8097666454 area, then leaned in. Bracing one 0ead0da91d arm on f18e8cb31c the table c079ff6313 and the 5c38ae23fb other on 637df929e4 the back e5ca131ea8 of Minho’s c81b4031bd chair, he c006c2b817 effectively boxed 8587145121 him in. As his shadow de02f1c2e4 fell over Minho, 12fde26ee1 a hushed whisper 2184d25104 followed without hesitation.00451185b1e8f668

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“Been safe lately? I know a 5d8832de6d place where thieves ab29a31c70 won’t bother you—no 6a9137dac8 break-ins.”a5ca4412e9731463