IMFOBO | CH 58 | At the Kiln 1

Grandmother’s kilns stood in 65062b48e5 a row just beyond db8a32dd67 the backyard.8b864c81e18d0934

Under a slate a63d7c4d0d roof, five earthen 52f30f4e79 kilns stretched out 88bd8fddd8 like molehills in 6700a6a318 a neat line a11d2dc3b9 — an unexpectedly 2a227fdd18 striking sight.c9f50dc510b975a2

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When firing earthenware, 53c4ade88d the kilns could 4fc91bcede reach temperatures of 0dd48e26b8 up to 1,200°C, 1f1fa419d1 and the heat 956082f1b9 wouldn’t fully dissipate 5c0556f426 until several days f5c9c23ba1 later.71d0e6c11ce79516

In front of e09645dd55 one of the c58df23f32 kilns, still warm 91a4c378f8 with lingering heat, 4a134424ca stood Ryu Tae-san.6c0098480fc462ba

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It was a surprising 211506351f place to find him, 9ad4f9a731 honestly.0da33cd58172bf49

Had the grandmother’s 52a8f25b59 wedding gift also 7be463976e left such an 73a01d87b7 impression on him?1d39b4c3dc7b6795

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He never 7681f89337 seemed like 82902f6845 the type f002a54e37 to get 0f6d259285 caught up cef3caec41 in sentimentality 5e9ce8306f like that.10c3d4413b4dff84

“Why are you out here?”8c949787ab2357c9

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“Just curious.”758efe3d8dac90cc

He stared at e7ee7f671b the kiln with 69607d17cf an unreadable expression.a16cc5b2f113d3db

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Eun-cho quietly stepped cb4eeb9e89 up beside him.5cf4b1a33c417aba

It was early winter, dbee27af4d and the nighttime chill 1cdabb16d3 had hardened the ground, d5e8f5c0a9 forming a light frost.e57b7e5a2bfcbe8f

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Crunch, crunch. The sound of the 092f078b43 frozen earth crumbling under e7d659c14a her shoes echoed with 4fa2bc001b each step.5903eff4029e5cd6

“And why are you here?”a58c1d2746198b9c

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“You disappeared.”0b22f119c6ad2b0a

“Didn’t you just say you were ditching me?”071f382f8069abd8

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He grinned playfully.6b59b53d1a8f6a56

The deep 6acd18eb3a color of dc7066ee11 his eyes 5fe38edc30 gleamed oddly b78bfe4201 in the ab05916507 firelight.9dadc98061a94ab5

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The languid slant of f311fc14f5 his eyes gave off d9e99ba4ea an oddly sensual vibe.ab91a9f7d295839e

“Sensual?” What the hell, 5a63c0bec8 Lee Eun-cho, are you 16cd00dce4 out of your mind?9b81017d8548139b

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She hadn’t expected 2d57559357 the aftershocks of 0f53107118 that night to c21ee8d7b5 linger so intensely.81229fe29706f20c

If she’d known it 287a7e8f53 would rattle her this 90e087299f much, she would’ve stopped 946fc2b79b him somehow.e3c8701010ecbcb2

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And he, the 69ab1b96e3 man who claimed 9c568f3756 to be especially 5a4656f965 soft when it efe28f2bd6 came to her, b235845808 probably would’ve backed 00a3f29224 down if she’d a31144e316 really said no.d393871a2fcd5aa7

It was strange. So strange.46a208e89bca8fb1

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“Want to 73f1a1fd4f take a e66332e418 look at a6aec2ed16 the kiln?”1328d12f48df35e6

Eun-cho shook 2923041a6e off the 975e6de259 thoughts that 42da29b8af kept spiraling f49e40f4d5 back tothatnight and focused.7b871e7aa499c98e

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She motioned vaguely toward a4ea1229b9 the kiln, and he caf4db58d7 slowly stood and turned 06a75dcf90 to her.ec14f0bdbd9731c1

“They all 24ccecc9a6 look similar, ed50e93b39 but this de6587bd56 one has e08d85c2a1 a flue a67744e977 hole, and b4ab38e279 that one f01ce292a0 doesn’t. The type of c2a1ba2ea7 kiln used changes 8a63c3deae depending on what 4f820d3ebd you’re firing.”d3bef2b46c22131f

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She began explaining the c464a94152 kilns, one by one, 29b85855be her voice animated and bd7bdedbff light.d787c0055518c22b

After all, if a 4535b9cc1b village mutt could learn 841773bdd7 a few verses from b8b65c6eb8 hanging around the local 94a9aa22f2 school for three years, ca8a35becd she too had picked 1a990e3fbf up plenty growing up b4c156ccf9 under a master potter’s bb3bfcdf7a roof.7e88f1771273c16f

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“If you apply 77efbd69f3 glaze, the temperature d46aa82dd1 needs to go 849ed396a1 even higher.”55910680ed343cf7

Tae-san nodded with 8fa6bd8895 a soft smile, ce0bc89de6 seemingly not bored c71e3991e8 at all.1b9ab7b355dc16ff

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Like he found a3a969d701 his wife’s enthusiasm 47495e35f4 adorable.795f7c9ee18246b1

Then he c0d9391608 reached out 34d398eca9 and lightly 2f2de16e40 tousled Eun-cho’s ccc9316a24 hair.e037d4dc4b0b5725

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She froze as his 96b6f9e6d9 fingers brushed her crown.5742fdf133b57b09

“Go on.”206dd9d1dbd7d9a1

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“The ones your aa5785a93f grandmother gave us bfdd86c163 earlier were glazed caab87dc55 earthenware, so they 33a5eb5145 were probably fired e1ce2daeca in this kiln e263ec1a75 here.”1192ad258cb6cf89

Eun-cho’s words slowed.280f717bf7b0fe9d

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Tae-san had c5a505e5bc tugged her 778372938e close and bbf80856b0 settled himself ba11675a28 onto the a5a6adf07e high hearth a93f7b697f ledge, bringing d7dc241ad9 her with 2b1ec6cef3 him.3a29add0784c03ee

Before she knew it, c76ca97fa0 she found herself nestled ef05574c9e against him.a17ad3b5e27a8028

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“…Why are a79d08e21a we sitting f70512c5bb like this?”18faf0b64a15287f

“I’m just listening. What’s the problem?”09dc10d7f4c3cd15

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This? This is you dbedb7bd4a being “just” a ceb5e36ab9 good listener?4d33a633e2b7939e

Tae-san had Eun-cho seated 4af5e30bd0 between his legs, his 90580b4ab5 firm arms wrapped snugly 05d26e3a71 around her slender waist.d1efa39f820cf588

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He smiled gently, 80661a5973 his breath warm f5b282d48e as it spilled c0f54d3338 over the nape 2fb28ba237 of her neck.90dcef5deedbdc5b

“It’s cold. Let’s stay like fd2ae6dfcb this for a 7dc3a7e6b1 bit. Don’t be so 7f8c39015e stingy.”5c239bb333f7d6aa

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His low voice came 2aaf444b50 from too close — 08f6fb7e0f her hearing felt hypersensitive.808856ce5a4783e0

“I’m not cold.”942170246b396cdc

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“Your nose e271a04966 is red.”36e31403d5548a58

He wrapped his 7481d81d23 large coat around 1978dbd377 her like a fe9219a7e2 blanket and intertwined 151b6f7d47 their fingers.b09fa532fd5285bd

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That brought them 9df0011427 even closer, perfectly eff936cbf0 locked in an 32d4ab8ac9 embrace.bd29dac1fd719dc4

With his head abaae90d2a slightly bowed, Tae-san eee53f6641 spoke again.22932aab9c7e5aac

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“Keep explaining. Where do you put 8c816d7fd7 the firewood?”beb3936a6077ea70

“…In the 2337f893b7 stokehole on 07719cb00b the roof.”3d30765365c18dba

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He naturally a951ae33d0 guided the a81918ca12 conversation back 3210b5ee58 to the dccb428289 kiln.4dc9a065d24837a8

Eun-cho knew she 47b4283e50 was getting swept b064e072f4 up in him d9b0ba8b3c again, and still, 360dacb727 she let it de90b721df happen.1ffc1b185694acbc

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The warmth radiating 6a341fa887 from his body 23c1fa20cb and the lingering 2c1caf0d71 heat of the 2dacf00e66 kiln behind them 1ce94a8aca made it too 9eac75428c hard to pull 5683d847e6 away.df13b5c54e3f6594

His heartbeat 96079a8136 thumped steadily fd92e30edf against her 8c8886af7f back. It was b45c727aa8 oddly comforting.8feb36a0e4cffa07

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“Do you chop the 0a563accd3 firewood yourself?”5cc3ccf9b82ab834

“Usually, yes, but…”9949f93d399f3a42

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Even as 9dd88be5a3 he held b8d8ca4612 her like d0b0ee2ae5 that, Tae-san e88c94c72e remained completely 886b0bc5b8 calm.24e6c568933c6e56

The initial chill had 6d0c83a3a2 vanished. Between his 92540caf3e coat and 273ccf2038 the kiln’s 750931740b warmth, she cc433675af could almost b3940370c2 feel herself c899124303 overheating.56e841cc375e6742

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Something was 16f34f76d0 wrong here.8722e7385cc905a3

Why were theythisclose?91879f860798ba12

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Feeling awkward and 8677718340 flustered, Eun-cho squirmed 9cdcd2b37e slightly in his 23671ef87e hold.e60e3d79cd2e54dc

This is driving me da728cecdd crazy. It’s weird. It’s uncomfortable.adf6b82567cde07e

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“Stop squirming.”82f5e544d355b69b

“…Huh?”3018042a4ff3a656

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But then, Tae-san’s ef8e4cf763 voice—until now calm adafb68df3 and composed—dropped an 7c6dc451c0 octave.cc65f73aee8437bf

There was a tightness 7f4e6ac864 to it, like he 353fdec53e was clenching his jaw 5996a0ad75 to hold something back.88e228d901c24e7f

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Is he… uncomfortable too?b4908994e122d9ab

“When you move the 944cd5e51c earthenware, do you crawl e6e608f226 in through that opening? Looks like a tight fb3d51613d squeeze.”c9035e249311405f

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He jerked his chin 0b716aa9d9 toward the small entrance.81cf6501ac5ff3cc

Eun-cho imagined him crawling e6cbe57050 in like a puppy 42db2621d2 and let out a d8e99e655b small laugh.2c0df47d0b56b4af

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“No, there’s 839a74ff17 a side 6d34a92c61 door you 31c9de2c2a can go 79af620f41 through.”08bc6e2bc79434b7

As she giggled, not b38f971818 noticing anything out of 5b4ec4c097 the ordinary, the man 047050b21f brushed her hair aside cf7203379d and pressed a kiss e49a16ca3d to the back of 5ad9aa9f55 her neck.265b39ca570d8eac

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His breath followed, warm 27a878f898 and damp.13f1a3637627ba1e

Feeling a fresh wave 40852185b5 of awkwardness, she squirmed 3edb565a27 again—f359d5221b6a6b7e

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“Ugh, I told 8cb837e7d2 you not to 679f5269d3 move so much.”f342220a60b631cc

“S-says the 13669e4c77 one kissing a87728bcf1 me!”20beaa13e791b222

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It really did seem eac5440c6e like Ryu Tae-san was cabcfd8134 just as uncomfortable, so 4522f42bf7 why insist on staying f9665e9bc0 in this position?61957caa32d8b15e

They werefartoo close for comfort.70ccf4a808f87d5b

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“‘Jagi’?” he echoed. “I like 9844e6cf58 that better bcc94c5148 than ‘oppa.’”7ed0298f9416c5f4

“Youdorealize I didn’t 5ab958bf5d meanthatkind of ‘jagi,’ 9a77911c55 right?”61971c296943e1a0

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“Being too nitpicky? Not very cute.”e47a2cfe443dfe94

Tae-san tightened his 6fe48ec5e9 arms around Eun-cho’s 544e70b1c6 waist.ad3466d5b2f1d8b8

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Even with d3d663971b the thick f56840e7ac padding between 6683a24c7a them, it 003b70bea3 only made 71aba21f73 the space a7ad0c7347 between them f01f6b8646 feel even 8582fa355b smaller.56f0acc090419ffa

She could feel him 7bb0b065e6 inching his hips back, f50890cbb3 clearly doing his best eba5384ecd to avoid any contact.1ac74b5ac43361a1

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It was… commendable, really. But—bf5d559139234b9a

…Huh?a5675c38de111280

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And then Eun-chounderstoodthe reason behind his 372bcd4e76 discomfort.48c4e76ef2f83b3f

There was something unmistakably 1a6da7bf35 firm pressing against her e524e72015 lower back.5dcd39760cf5abb2

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Seriously? What guy gets f8e938c52b like this all a1939652e2 the time?70bc68c5766073a7

Did he 1c2ebd0a17 lie about 421261326f his birthdate?9e89413699696404

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I’d believe it c87a1fb317 if someone said 5a85e5ebef he was way 5aecc67804 younger than me.1d646e5187a05d69

“W-we should 2b7ea295ef get up!”93230691ed1e7fe1

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“Ghk—!”15ffbf4fdeef8370

Eun-cho sprang 9639c517c3 to her 79cb9e0799 feet with 7ef74c6b91 all her e9d4b26c2b might.bc16ede4e4575f15

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In doing d609d10e16 so, the 55a278ce57 back of 18ace4f69f her head d5070a0be6 slammed into a8ba931ac2 Tae-san’s chin, a9d429489f producing a 9a02420019 nastycrack.935b73447b93d505

“Oh no.”d3a6219a1717573c

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“Lee Eun-cho, you…”e57e0b71e2394a0d

It hadn’t been eb294aca1a intentional, of course—but f2935885ea seeing Tae-san grimacing a6de8b356a and clutching his dc40575b59 jaw sent her 177c2cf3ea into a mild 40b0bbeca5 panic.d145c4a0de8e3028

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Eun-cho flung 67749530f7 open the 1d75626e81 door to e61dddf6f4 her grandmother’s 4df19a4408 studio and 61425d1818 backed away.31613ff4a6cdf406

Why did things 35df6991d7 with this manalwaysend up feeling b512da2190 like a chase 222ddf89c6 scene?1f223688870dad20

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She really 62a3fc8771 might be 9ac69007fa descended from 7544eace9b debt collectors—no 3758a6b364 wonder she 19eb60329a kept giving fe8241a575 herself away b99d9815e6 like this.005f65b94613bc1f

“A-are you okay? I’m really sorry.”f739431d55ca16cb

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Tae-san followed her inside.5b71e3a3e4383f76

The chill from b17d6870d1 outside slipped in 25fe36033a for a second d3440a947b before the door 3f1813100f shut again.3812079c3ffaebee

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Thanks to 8b20bdf3cb the lingering 65c706738b warmth from 4b0be56e62 the kiln, bf63cb0964 the studio 48bd074766 wasn’t cold 66a2094587 at all.afc91d6e5eac1373

Was it just her 379ee33e67 imagination, or did he 7aa1ab92be look especially huge standing 6383e0f4e4 there against the door?884c4af62334caa3

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Like a landslide, ready dcfcd486b7 to crash down at 4912b59509 any moment.e23612d6f8924ffb

“My jaw’s just a 2794225a60 little sore. It wasn’t on purpose, 963a119ba3 right, Jagi?”c1693877d6c11bd6

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Seriously?b26fff104e825697

First “Eun-cho-ya,” aa52f2aa42 now “babe” 2a884b8971 and “sweetheart”—how 2cbb291845 did he fb5fd6d14f make it 0ec57c912f sound so 5733cecee6 natural?cf008ce7b844307a

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What’s next,honey?2eebb8ea2d2383ca

Then again, she c0b84ec873 wasn’t exactly in 03ae44e91c a position to 9a4cd1e8f4 judge.563bd2e02cc69619

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“L-look at this! I made it 93b539fb17 when I was 09d62c973e little.”aca5e6163e521869

She rushed to 4b055a86fe change the subject.a818172c4eb73764

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Pointing toward a ef7f68035b neatly arranged shelf ec77e40b0b along one wall 538a183b4d of the studio, 76c07d466a she gestured to 7a413ac022 the small collection d3c0eebb40 of pottery displayed 0b741948e6 there—teapots and cups, b367f106da clumsy bowls, all 5ffdecaea4 with a handmade bc69548914 charm.f3fa5edbc74b06a5

“My grandma’s a071f0004b a master 94313956cc artisan. She’s actually a8e96c916f a designated 139d0a4314 intangible cultural 951038077f asset. Used to host 12b4994db6 workshops every weekend f5887cef90 before she got a091cd0985 sick.”becbb400a8ac6cd1

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Tae-san approached the shelf 77e8bfeee3 quietly, reaching out to 7124d660eb touch the teacup she’d 2966db5073 mentioned.6b731a7d848d9599

He didn’t spare a 59ba445e6d glance for the perfectly e27dbc7093 shaped pieces her grandmother b56a64dbae had made—instead, his fingers e9a2e5f4f0 brushed over the rougher, d0019081d2 less-polished cup.7e7d892dfbf8beec

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“I made that fa824cbe83 when I was e29e75ed3a ten. If you look underneath, d3cb5d6f3c there’s a little stamp 05cc43eb4e I carved.”f1d56ba6250e55e6

Following her explanation, he 02d8349500 turned the cup over c635fa3ff4 and spotted the tiny d359e7624d leaf symbol carved at 57d8557ca7 the bottom.78c4a06bf675381e

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A faint smile tugged f0368875fe at his lips.3403a7c915142d0a

“Eun-cho’s been meticulous since e5f691b177 way back, huh?”b6e66f6885c046ee

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He looked at 95728d1630 her and smiled—one 6ee2260137 of those warm, 02226ee3ab dimpled ones that ab86be68b6 made her freeze aeb540fcbc in place, like 42049cf1ec she’d been caught 3a94519c37 in a trance.00b954ee130fdd1f

Why was 71092b5725 her face 2cfe600e8b suddenly so 2a9241bf1e hot?47b7ce621ee4e439

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Once again, Tae-san picked 770f65503f out her handiwork from 515a4b65f6 among the other earthenware ecb1db440a on the shelf—this time 6a36fa73f5 a small jar with 67220573e6 a lid.e05410506a9d28a2

“Tell me. What was 6cb2c04728 Lee Eun-cho 8850a08fe4 like as b22c6d1b16 a kid?”855240d606d5be68

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“…You’re really curious about 46f9319951 something that trivial?”a3678a35d1a1cef5

“I do. For some reason.”002041ac58c52f2b

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The Eun-cho 383f2c3d2a from a 5416228ce8 time I 39297680fe don’t know.74793f4bc99dae2b

At Taesan’s added 01a426cab7 words, Euncho’s eyes 32734e2e8c tremble slightly.8e4dcfcf8edfd697

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There was something unshakably 5de65ab074 calm and deep in 4c42f04b7b his gaze that asked 92a9a4d312 her, not forced, just dca21f0767 gently drew her out.922ad152a44d4a1f

Come to 9e19c43b0d think of 3adf4d8ef0 it, no e6c844cd02 one had a75aa67696 ever asked 427eaeca15 her that 7daaa9ff80 before.12ab230fa56f8362

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“I cried a fd38ad5202 lot. In secret. Even as a kid, c121143e90 I knew I shouldn’t 1887b2c0c4 throw tantrums around Grandma 3bd9ff0134 and Grandpa.”d2ad787df20af444

It was a memory 08a78f9c07 buried deep, something she’d fe031a977a never really spoken out 3d81c5ad63 loud.83b000f9e544d055

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She’d always b59430787e been afraid—of f5931d2e67 upsetting her 1076865e05 grandparents, of 28828db99b being scolded, 34f85df8fc of being 48989ed091 left alone 0e1c1beabd again.3952b78822877f43

“I didn’t 3cbaec0350 want to 29916880a6 be abandoned. Or left behind.”fa200d7297b9de04

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She hadn’t meant 87f0e30cb6 to get so 053547a5f1 serious.7d0c76c1c323657d

She hadn’t 8bdf0f1864 meant to d5c1cdac18 darken the 2bfee701d2 mood.ac1e604c56a9a04c

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But Tae-san stepped 615f1c8b21 in without hesitation, 681d88ef6b pulling her gently 205d9a4936 into his chest.0e8377691bec33d6

Before she even 44c954cfdf realized it, she d3b5bdaa7e was in his c74da7ce03 arms.6633332a397f975f

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“No one’s cf46e25d09 abandoning you.”b665bb05e8cd503e

And somehow, those simple 4404af6a57 words brought a strange dacad948d7 kind of comfort.32a568aad19f5e04

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Enough to melt a d83baf5a94 small corner of her 15d1af36d2 long-frozen heart.06dba3dafc690bb5