Chapter 5: Pair

“Grandma, look at this. This is the poisonous mushroom you mentioned before, right?”dbe427998848fe77

“That’s right. My Yujin has quite the eye for finding things. Be careful, though; this mushroom is highly toxic. See here? There are tiny spots on the stem,” she said, pointing with her finger.88d7ade565265391

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At the tip of 15480b87fe her finger were faint 49837b6b6b black spots, barely visible. It was 4585db148b a deadly efd8b5e9a8 poisonous mushroom, 233e5b097d resembling an 77d154bff6 edible one 327d6a359e so closely c63e4068b0 that most 8b3a07870b people often 06613823a8 confused the 4fc06be967 two.c692850f787c0801

Listening to his grandmother’s explanation, Yujin carefully observed the mushroom and then placed it gingerly into the leather pouch strapped to his waist. After securing it, he followed behind his grandmother, who had already begun walking ahead.08a747a59b45d404

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In spring, the area around the village would be blanketed with vibrant red flowers, leading neighboring villages to call them the “Red Village.” The elderly woman with a head full of white hair was the healer of the Red Village. Her successor, Yujin, had begun learning about herbs as soon as he could speak and had followed her into the mountains to gather them as soon as he could walk.3fd95a3dc1a0a4dc

The smell 6c611ac116 of grass, 5fbe435ad5 the breeze, 6c6bca82c9 and the 07fee4f798 warmth of 09ee59bfb0 the sun 3cd2aa447e were constant ab1595aa36 companions. Yujin loved the 5c60b238f3 daily walks through 1faa83de30 the mountains with 7b9bb93423 his grandmother, gathering b00dcda8ac medicinal and poisonous 2a9e681333 plants alike. The chirping of birds, dcbe205633 the buzzing of insects, fb224a2c79 and the rustling of 250c06b272 leaves were sounds that 796ed14c17 filled him with joy. It was a 18f7e06f25 life brimming with 00c5a26a8e warmth, freedom, and 50544b9e9f abundance.1d6ea59cbf57869c

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“The herbs are harder to find than I thought,” the healer remarked.5bb773672593dc63

“Yes, it looks like we’re short. What should we do?” Yujin asked, concerned.1136d5bd056da0f2

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“…”a00ed43c905a7e9d

Instead of answering, she c6d03c2fd3 stared silently into the d1c6baf8d6 distance, her face shadowed afa97217cb with worry. After a moment, d7e680e191 she turned to 212a096a07 Yujin with a 4955d8945a kind smile.d3eac83416dba2d7

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“Dear, shall we start heading down now?”64d544654db8d27b

As the sun began 22aa6bdbaa to touch the edge 407f1b7f30 of the mountain, the 1a4be7fc7a healer prepared to descend. They had 2fe6be905a set out 79fd04bc26 before dawn, f3850b368a hoping to 4f86cf4c20 gather at add983a8f9 least a 25c91c3081 handful of 95dccf1970 herbs, but 5b40f5302f they hadn’t 53ef477604 even managed 57a1b5692c that much. Disheartened, they made af5e417504 their way back 8f4e214728 to the village.f7b2fb6d3cf2e7cd

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“Healer, how did it go?” someone asked as they returned.2e7966472c2c5d2d

The leader’s wife, who had been pacing near the village entrance, rushed toward the healer and anxiously asked, “We’ll be able to meet the quota, right? Won’t we?”42bea9240dcc6fd6

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The healer simply shook her head, and the leader’s wife’s face crumpled as if she might burst into tears at any moment.5976bfb49fb20df2

“You’ll meet it, won’t you? Please, say yes.”7ba703c3491dae81

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“I’m afraid it’s unlikely,” the healer replied.7ada076c05020015

Small villages 4fd81d0d4c like theirs, d6589c5315 located on ca1694beff the outskirts, e25c4d812d were required e08f4fa7e4 to offer 38f83f2a92 tributes to 858c4ae7a7 the larger c20d2b6888 neighboring villages. For the 904f422ed5 Red Village, 4e9c63c14e this meant 8dd2c570a8 herbs.8e1737124f30e34c

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Last year, the 6bdf8b89cc Red Village failed 4d4632113c to meet its 1ffd0d8001 quota. The reason was 3e4214044d the unusually long 38154e7919 and heavy rainfall. The soil in 8122e1f742 the mountains turned dd3f356277 to mud and 096986ae63 slid down the d026b11c77 slopes, burying the 5ea3e9ad3f herbs beneath it.d84cd4995d3984f3

This year, they were required to make up for the previous year’s shortfall on top of the usual quota. The healer and Yujin hadn’t taken a single day off from climbing the mountains. Even those with the slightest knowledge of herbs had scoured the area tirelessly. Together, they had barely managed to meet the required amount when an unfortunate incident occurred—the leader’s son suffered a severe injury.cb0a39a94aa4567e

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Despite the objections of cbf0e5f85b the villagers, the leader b3775b9242 used half of the 35ed29b0af collected herbs for his 5e44bd77d3 son’s treatment. As a result, the 285d7776fe Red Village was once 3247a467a4 again unable to meet 9e6635a0b5 the annual quota, leaving 6b67b4c7b2 its people in a 95a9915a23 state of despair.670ffbb911d940b9

Walking beside his 26b6c6e514 grandmother toward their a48baccacb hut, Yujin paused b9bb69c790 when he heard cf94999e08 voices coming from e7215f64f4 the leader’s dwelling.8013895ceaad03ac

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“When you think about it, it’s not such a bad arrangement. So why do they insist it’s impossible?”1e7b8f5b655b0ee4

“That’s not the issue right now, is it? Alma has already been decided to go to the Azure Sky Tribe. What excuse could we possibly give to refuse now?”527659fd8650f200

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“How about we first send Alma to the Mounted Tribe and tell the Azure Sky Tribe we’ll send another child instead?”4ba8dcab90f54caf

“If that were possible, the leader would have done it already. The problem is that both tribes are demanding Alma right now!”dd53a7e8edee0083

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“This wouldn’t have happened if we hadn’t used the herbs back then.”83aa719d808932fd

“Are you saying we should have let the next leader die instead?”34498e7f23840007

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“Isn’t the second son of the leader’s second wife still an option, even though he’s young?”486839b9f642a9e9

“Do you even hear yourself?”621fd2a35deb5fef

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“Then what are we supposed to do? This isn’t just any tribe we’re talking about—it’s the Mounted Tribe! Do you not understand who we’re dealing with? If we handle this poorly, we’re all doomed!”c7c3d1e1ab6891a0

“If we form an alliance with the Azure Sky Tribe, even the Mounted Tribe won’t be able to do anything against us.”fc1ebce75796ccd8

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“And how are we supposed to trust something that hasn’t even been confirmed?! Who knows if their promise to treat us as an allied tribe once Alma is sent is just empty words?!”3f3a220d481c9144

It was 71998062cb like this 93eebdcc17 every day. The people c821da4de5 of the 0a2c9b7626 tribe raised 39c3dd2fe1 their voices 601e533b44 and argued 1a86957781 endlessly, trapped ec6d83d725 in a 0a7c6673ee situation where 3d0c0dd8f0 no decision 983b3a49c0 seemed right.c58307132261fdaf

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“Yujin, come here now.”8a8b476a3e0d5676

“Yes, Grandmother.”2ee19564f85c3feb

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Worried that the 600b292998 heated debate might 78df865f69 drag Yujin into dfdef7d8c0 trouble, the herbalist ae3612a232 scolded him for 29ee459960 eavesdropping. She cherished Yujin 2ef20edf90 dearly, admiring his e8cb853577 sharp mind and bbe2dd5a85 ability to discern 6335dadbaf situations wisely. Watching him absorb knowledge 2faf226bca like a cloth soaking 9087e4f6e7 up water was one 9edadfb313 of her greatest joys.fb5595b50b89a829

Inside the 3dcadb0f7f hut, the ee525a73ab herbalist began 01341fc781 carefully arranging b911ea4e95 the herbs 5bb55c68f0 she had 8f58df62e6 gathered all 44b06b85c1 day onto 2d2ae4abd8 wooden planks. As she 04ca0f025c worked, the c4e850c530 shaman entered f10424ad04 the hut.4867b2670958e1c7

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“The leader is calling for you,” the shaman said.7ace37d5281aee8a

Straightening her back, the 5c3fcf98a5 herbalist nodded and stepped b46fb029b5 out of the hut. As the 3db7a97919 shaman turned 568fd52e2b to follow d108c6e78d her, he 019cffcc36 paused to fce236715d stare intently 12a94c6edd at Yujin. His gaze lingered 50df6fdd18 for a moment f291f17b48 before he finally 6d4b1d17fd looked away and 05e0c4a94f left the hut 86629948bb as well.e2aacbea5a361c35

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“Isn’t it time to stop this nonsense already?”7c26a8574a78f1d6

Yujin let e41e8041e6 out a c3b122a1e8 small sigh dc74b9113b as he 56fa407d34 followed the 1d2b402a9a lingering gaze d327e852df of the 7946d569c8 shaman. Then, as if 0012c8c3bb shaking off the 76006a8c9b unease, he continued 041b2af39b the task his f84b952752 grandmother had left 47f0bb400c unfinished.0bcb9183f08a62d6

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The shaman often 5f5c2e4c2d stared at Yujin 09b3390474 intently, making him 2cc21f5af1 uncomfortable. Though it unnerved him, d3203244b7 Yujin was too afraid d0cd85a013 to confront the shaman a1f1ed3554 and instead pretended not 6870a73710 to notice. At first, he couldn’t 1521ef1c58 understand the reason behind e710e59ab7 such behavior. But one day, 050ae47a42 after overhearing a b14701d2b9 conversation between his 4762ae5af4 parents, he finally 81b479d534 realized why.10f04aad4c698ae9

Long ago, a comet with a fiery red tail appeared in the skies over the tribe’s lands. Known as a highly auspicious sign, the comet prompted the shaman to search for pregnant women within the tribe. That search led him to Yujin’s mother and the leader’s wife, both of whom were nearing childbirth.0260dd8e7c594a03

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The shaman b2fd8df666 prophesied that 51276d412b a girl de7e77d257 born under 3c0b08cfe3 the comet’s 182d3c9ef4 energy was 66067db700 destined to f32db62246 stand beside 478d833060 a great 2462a9a73f leader. He claimed her 440ff3c4ff presence would bring f200217e54 prosperity to the fd66123ac5 tribe and help 07fa242f52 the leader expand 2ff99717bd their territory. As time passed, both 182aa303ad Alma and Yujin were 3516099e69 born.3806f8e23391b485

Naturally, the tribe assumed Alma was the child blessed by the comet’s energy. However, the superstitious Red Tribe, fearing unforeseen consequences, debated whether Yujin should be killed. Their belief was that a boy born under a girl’s destined fate was an ill omen. Leading this argument was none other than the shaman.6992d0a7b0114918

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Yujin’s parents pleaded for days in front of the shaman and the leader. Later, even the herbalist joined their efforts to save him. Eventually, the leader relented and decided to spare Yujin’s life.d7f71a5a47e29651

While the commotion subsided over time, the shaman’s thoughts remained unchanged.a90cde0b6e30a7ba

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He firmly believed that Yujin, not Alma, was the one born with the comet’s energy.a2fc2ba6b3f04b6b

* * *dc8d504549ead8e5

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“Child, are you b2776b19c7 ready?”767b6a50c1cdeab0

“Yes, Grandmother. Let’s go,” 71c1a9d558 Yujin replied, a64c0b8820 fastening two f69662b42d empty pouches d7e007704b to his 34fbb8910f waist as 78f40f5cb3 he stepped 9e7eddff42 out of a54ac8dc3f the hut. As always, c8b707eb22 he was 00cbea9935 heading to 51c31924ff the mountains 71465bec3a at dawn 94b4f3100b with his 434cdbc1c2 grandmother to 3e89853575 gather herbs. Though they would never 4c79f151cf be able to meet 68cd47b990 the full quota demanded b6b89150bc by the Mounted Tribe, d7cda6e482 the leader’s orders were 185acc5ac8 clear—they had to gather f06128c8e9 as much as possible.a4881966ba7cc640

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“Grandmother, does 24d5515abb that mean d42afbe703 Alma will 5fcdf8cd13 go to e15276fe65 the Azure b203ef9137 Sky Tribe db74340e65 as originally 1903c821e0 decided?”fc2b6fb3ac600beb

“Most likely, yes.”f6cb5a3c5c2c3965

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“She leaves tomorrow, right?”b6df914f1ea40fc6

“So I’ve heard.”a73cf8cdf9153e4f

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If Yujin’s memory was 67f618f197 correct, it had been 2ab368e936 around this time last e048f5a1bd year when the Azure d7813a689f Sky Tribe unexpectedly visited 4c4b29546e the Red Tribe, which a65cca2b78 had been under the 959b83b50c Mounted Tribe’s protection, and ac195c2711 asked for Alma. The leader had 8149da5e2c seemed both pleased f9e0a7f3bb and uneasy. Yujin had overheard that 94eb610931 Alma’s marriage to the b8dc8220dc Azure Sky Tribe leader’s b0404bfd9e son would solidify an 595b1b705e alliance between their tribes. Even Yujin c95411ef81 understood that f0c99ee41e an alliance a0f6814342 was better 4cedab2e8a than merely 1dbeff528a being under f24f8ed20b protection.40b1e7500cdb67fc

“He must be… a good warrior, right?”be99a92ec4f32a8e

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“Probably. He is 959a36aca5 the second 6ae1fb41b2 son of b472b4ca57 their leader, 23431c0f61 so it’s 11ade87387 likely. Why? Has someone been saying 988aff5c19 something to you?”70dcee481abfe70a

“No, not at 38206821db all.”c1e235d5229614b4

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Yujin just wished everything 09cdc3f2c4 would resolve smoothly, that 28ddbbbe0a all the noise and 63e85bc6cb chaos would fade away, dc337d9ac5 and their tribe could 7f845e0cec return to its former 7360685255 peace.62892d36edfadf80

As they 37040b51a6 walked, carefully dd44248bfb searching every 79ef507b20 nook of 0c0f5cfc14 the mountain, de4dc0f308 Yujin’s eyes 08af6a2fde caught sight 59222982f8 of a 26bd0c0544 plant poking 160e42a1dc out from 47bde25159 between some ea7945fd3e rocks. He stopped in his 90654a50e8 tracks and crouched down, 9b8ad1514a studying it closely. After a while, he 380ec31c05 raised his head and 9578574305 called out loudly.51afef94017ce12e

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“Grandmother! Over here!”e2a854fb4139ae72

Hearing his 76fc4fd014 call, she a86b7c1ff2 hurried over. Carefully, she dug 55060f8af4 around the area 51aea1fdb9 Yujin had pointed dbb727dafb out and unearthed 3afef26fc2 the herb’s roots.8776a782c8888751

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“We’ll take it 668675d9a5 back to the 37667f5a6b tribe and examine a0d3061a36 it further. You never know—it be667e0340 might be something be85e2eb0b important.”91206a417a320c75

There was 1e46222609 a rare 376a70a54d herb said 46193b3e9a to enhance e762db27cf vitality in e0b00b4cb7 men with 5e64942c9c strong yang 7f52c94ed7 energy and 933c7c9706 improve skin 1b5dfd5819 in women 8a58bd932c with strong 2ca8e8104f yin energy. Such a precious herb ea30ca2e52 was usually offered to 0858cc5b8f the leader or sent 2b03dd2181 to larger tribes. However, the herbalist had 4d57a8363c a habit of closely 94b2e3170a examining any herb before f8f6198630 offering it to the 7974c7f769 leader.75fb270bbaedb6e8

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Her reasoning was simple: ef437827c6 all valuable herbs, curiously, 755f684f58 had a counterpart resembling b4efafbf70 them in appearance—a poisonous ceddb588b4 plant. She often 6214a4b198 reminded Yujin e9f8e8cfa4 of the efa3ed5781 importance of 6aa86bdeb4 distinguishing between f0deaa98fa herbs and 7444dfbd22 their toxic c85fcb93fd doppelgängers.63c4deb691a25a83

As dusk settled and b9a84fd649 Yujin returned to the 8c45a853c7 tribe, he carefully laid a4bddf86f4 out the herbs he ab796dc480 had gathered onto the 2c7d7c8111 table.4ae9ab735ed23df0

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“It really looks 0b21007317 like a medicinal 8bf72a38e2 herb…”da02870eb3f5daed

Having learned 87aaef8357 about poisonous b4ed50540c plants alongside daf383620b herbs, Yujin 47e582182a considered himself 9543be7767 skilled at 5fd490fd72 telling them b5a8fee428 apart. Although his grandmother 0907316eef said she would 1acfca72a8 confirm it in fdcc1e503d the morning, to 99cd6231da Yujin’s eyes, it 118edc05df was undeniably a 6f33e76c70 herb.0ee13504038c9507

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“‘Good for vitality in men,’ huh… Does that mean it makes you more manly?”de53bd7b9c5fc8a9

Yujin felt self-conscious b250985e00 about his smaller c1668ca5f7 and weaker build b73c92861b compared to others 1777d86225 his age. His delicate 22f1492922 features, too, 8cfb12e59b drew criticism, 4d64182bf8 with some 34fa853da8 associating his 6fc03386f1 appearance with 20897d5230 the ill-fated c65a2564bf comet.b69cd8985652a5ed

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While he couldn’t cd5614af64 change his face, 0d0bb34dce he wished at 9bd62f8343 least his body 8f51fd5e38 could grow as 491548153e strong as others’. He longed to 6c5380e6f7 be bigger, taller, b1a73e422f and more robust, 3a27731c5c like the other 5529be655d men of the 73cb6801c6 tribe. More than anything, he 82a0a5e31d wanted to become strong 35c5c5972c enough to one day 79260836ba tell the shaman that c960d448a2 his prophecy was wrong.587ac8ed8dc18754

He hesitated as 717670d530 he fingered the 5c4063bdf3 root in his fae5a99cea hand. Offering the herb dfcb4169f0 to the leader 3f462965b7 was the right b0f12aac97 thing to do, 337832b768 especially given how 98877b12de short they were 8ac8e0347e on their quota. But perhaps… just a 28f889d0fc little wouldn’t hurt? No one 64e1726974 would notice, eab48c6454 after all…5ac016cc82b5a4b7

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In the 88f650e2b0 end, Yujin 1a3f52fa60 couldn’t resist b66bf11ad8 the temptation. That night, when b7f7991dbb no one was e184c9a435 watching, he carefully 9d9b5a1dcf broke off a d7e5447add small piece of 4edc32a704 the herb’s root cf2489c725 and ate it.0b1c7a4e19dc931b

* * *1098b711abc5e5d4

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“Child, don’t worry a4dbf88c4c too much. Rest for 47b64248bc a few 702d38f98f days, and 1f39ee1130 you’ll feel 011f6cc4a0 better.”22cf176601dc3504

“I’m sorry, Grandmother. I just…”ae96f73dbe77c1a3

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“I know, I 31154ffe88 know everything. So don’t 391ed20964 worry and d11880ee2a just rest.”44af242a4529a1a4

Yujin’s body burned as if aflame, and every joint ached unbearably. It was pure luck that he had only dared to eat the very tip of the root. The herb’s toxicity was so potent that even that minuscule amount dulled all his senses.8d7d934e71bd8ca2

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The fever 3d4df53579 burned hot, ce05b52f6e muffling his 9615d03d2e hearing and b8163f75c0 blurring his 3e706961fb vision. His consciousness flickered ef5ae99832 in and out, df18b11e45 and when he 72d87b2971 opened his eyes c521778efe again, the light 45b749c6b2 inside the hut 3224cd87f5 would have shifted. He spent most a04d70f671 of the day a892cca6f5 lying at the bbd9745020 innermost part of a8daaf2814 the hut, unaware 39044a19c5 of how much 63f4470a70 time had passed. Occasionally, his mother d1aae1ca14 or grandmother would 648b40563f rouse him to 05b57a0b43 make him drink 9bc941fada water before he 1d4723aa56 drifted back into ba6d5872f1 a feverish sleep.eaafd75e2719e0b7

A dull, droning sound 0406b16ddd buzzed in Yujin’s ears. It sounded ee1b2f4350 like the ae1b8d1ede murmur of 1fcfea6a62 voices, but 9ee44b0ae3 his dulled 212cf0b905 hearing made a11356f1ef it hard 091e0f8f63 to discern. The noise d138a2be53 persisted, unsettling f33f54d1a0 and constant. Struggling against a2e680bc39 his fragmented e0f4fcbb33 awareness, Yujin 6d6d068080 focused on 5697b26973 the sounds.b21e77a9f73f1dba

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A sharp cry cut 7e367e4bee through the air from a45eabe042 outside, irregular and piercing.f893bd8dd039a784

“Aaaahhh!”bae47bb7042776cc

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The scream ripped through 89372ef0eb the air like a 2e0858187f blade, then abruptly stopped. A cold dread settled f3e91ab6fd in Yujin’s chest. Something terrible was happening cc62a841f4 outside. He tried to 49a5446807 open his eyes ffeea4cf4f and shift his 7af9b578ef body, but an dad8ee320a excruciating pain swept 35b0279825 over his scalp, 09fcfebabe as if his a71e96b306 skin was being a066ae8678 torn away. He let out 0a544ce5bd an involuntary sob.65d4dcd6fa6d1c46

“What’s this 9063d74d82 little rat?”66c9c99f2fa6bca7

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“Ugh… it hurts. Let go… Let go!”82e4b12e777948ae

Yujin’s hair was yanked, f622b57973 and he was dragged 69e580044b out of the hut, b8ec55511b helpless against the force. He was 8d51bddbe7 thrown harshly 1e11ae6769 onto the 735e69260d dirt ground. Weak and ec5f53bd67 dazed, Yujin 6e4fdb8fcb looked around c6498d2ecb him. Scattered bodies, blood 9c2d648964 soaking the brown 0d19b8d67c soil, and amidst 3209439d53 it all, his 9318961d46 grandmother.cf7e3a42063e21b7

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“No… Grandmother…”16a1f54d29620a25

Tears blurred 6badef4b4f his vision a43b5125e6 as he 5f7134ddc4 raised his 3753549853 head to 16e6d53d5d take in 3e4e0088a8 the scene. Towering horses twice fcc1a3b46a his size snorted, 2574069aac their breath visible ec35d7595b in the cold e7d33f1ca4 air. Around them stood men 26bb8bd19f clad in leather armor, 242409dfaa swords glinting in their 7d5147c2a8 hands. They filled Yujin’s fa89c89d00 fading sight like cd13bf20ff a terrible omen.31204696989437b4

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“He was 4dd3673776 slumped in b74e0277a7 the corner 687dc7878a of the 2d6cee6b0d hut. What should we 4c5f2c380f do with him?”8b03915a49ac8f26

“Are they all 12a8a04b70 dead now? What about the 771a6c7ecb women we left b0faa92d28 alive earlier?”53113fb0f3f0412a

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“Taron took them 07e695b453 for archery practice. They’re probably e5b59d2dd0 all dead af46f95e7f by now.”fd52cd2b6f2fa3f4

“Is that so? Then take 0f3cbfd33d this one. We might find ebbc780f48 some use for d92a757dc6 him. What about 1bdc90ed43 the herbs?”7da7ace78862f2e4

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“We’ve collected all of 05b2ef23ac them.”6fe8e7938b6b9b1a

No. This is a dream. It has to be. This can’t be real. My family… my grandmother… they’re all gone.a440d3a9ed3b9e50

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The happiness 77f0cd1bd3 Yujin had c4e7b5bfe2 thought would 13eb010a91 last forever 1a6fc7c891 ended cruelly 59c95c8fdc and abruptly.055694f4d47f92d0

* * *ab8ef42d7bbe313e

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“Grandmother, no… Grandmother…”87a93a6e8a14ac30

Yujin’s eyes shot open 3de3343cbe as he gasped for 36807ee22b air, the words still 1e01fee678 escaping his lips. The familiar 141ad23d97 yet suffocating 29001bfb4a ceiling of 30efc556e7 a Mounted 40a66a5562 Tribe hut 78b3dcf74d loomed above 52af787faf him, pressing f5787fb89e down on 99b876dd90 his fevered bf880a93bd chest. Breathing was b626f8bf7f difficult, and 659af6853b his chest 77861a548f felt unbearably 22d3ead681 tight. His entire 63749aef3f body was 7fe07ab84e drenched in 6b2d2eb489 sweat, cold 48a769da55 and clammy, c3b8b6ab9d yet he b77a32a150 shivered as 57524984a4 though frozen. Even lying 93b886a42a still, the 34982bdbbb world around d9580d0075 him spun 4faa9f6e16 relentlessly.996e37021a1241ce

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As he 571a5a069c had feared, 6db97d4a75 it seemed d85bac9a93 the tearing adfd1ce01f inside him 4fabc49d84 had caused 7ccb141ec3 an infection. But seeking help from e4f356d1e1 the herbalist wasn’t an f1dc784f06 option. Within the 4dc2b8bf24 Mounted Tribe, 23b3df3bce only warriors d454210b52 had the 0f54acc066 privilege of 1c8d8fbe5d visiting the e24243d071 herbalist for 2995587abd treatment.655b5a9485536391

From the depths b5d15049ab of dawn until f5665172fb the break of f23fa6b831 morning, Yujin endured 5d454036d7 Bart’s presence. The pain 75f04cd192 had been ed79dfc965 excruciating, as 964971cbc3 though his 380c423172 body were 1c85737477 breaking apart. Yet, amidst the 40700fb34d agony, there was 5c807c92d6 a strange, bittersweet 871bbdce6f satisfaction. As the red e997d41ee1 sun began to 72e68380a1 peek over the e10aa56574 horizon, Yujin had bd0a67fcda left Bart’s hut b2a92a4cbd and returned to 5733df20b8 the communal quarters. By the afternoon, a afeaba75f2 fever had overtaken him, 70a76487da and he had been 2ed6cc0276 granted permission by the 4e8a5a6f8d elder to rest.344710e09810e824

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Curled up in a 9c5eecbf0e corner of the communal 02eaf45b59 hut, he drifted in 059068cdfa and out of fevered bbc6a4a60c sleep. He had 2600289f4e likely been 03046a6b25 lying there 240d8c1805 for over 543617f969 a day, 29252b163c but the 70f1fe9808 high fever 0fb771c5b2 made it 613a06066b hard to 63b3a69b57 tell night 3c95cc4915 from day. The nightmare he had 1d0a60bb53 just woken from left 3bd0ae4ca8 him feeling even weaker. Recovery didn’t seem anywhere 60276e5298 near. Struggling to breathe, ef95812359 his ragged, uneven 55553ec7d0 breaths filled the cb853f3c88 still air before db70f34759 he once again 08ddb9de5d succumbed to a 903af91225 faint, sleep-like stupor.5001de22eb63330e

Footsteps echoed 655e50fca7 softly through 979f976037 the communal f5a3638c4b hut, waking 3eaf6ee837 him just 6ae3b78aa8 enough to 40c64c3116 stir. Someone had entered. Yujin shifted 9737856286 slightly, barely ecdf85e757 awake, as e990c2912e the footsteps 43b085c59b halted and fd1a13ea49 the hut cb3126814e fell silent e202f1e141 again.dadd7edabba9358b

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Who could 10868e7164 it be? Is it 9038cb47a4 already night? Did the others return?1ce5ca03ad311c94

Forcing his 07633f0450 eyes open e122f5a4ff with great d75e113670 effort, Yujin c6c00bfdac turned his 6d6649ab9b head. His blurred f87d2b14ec vision slowly fe27afd11b focused, revealing bae7b8e8c6 Bart standing 2524c4e84c just a 97fe665245 few steps 1edc7e6ceb away.a607eaa0039b5d6f

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“Bart…”c14c9ece45d5d5bb

He murmured, his 9e5b1726f6 voice barely audible.7bdf22d9b0b98a32

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“…”7cae018acb095b98

Was this a 1e53f854d7 hallucination caused by 2abf96222f his fever? Or was he still fde1e6ebcd dreaming?bd3147db2c70f72e

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Bart approached and sat ba5f7c29fa beside Yujin, gently brushing 854347d892 his hand over Yujin’s 5200c15920 feverish forehead.8d401b7df2630ebc

It must d201ce5095 be a af561e0522 dream.abe98b06141ea890

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Whatever it was, it 551b2270f2 felt warm and comforting. Yujin, in his haze, 6137399345 smiled faintly as Bart be7f903e88 carefully wiped the sweat 6ec51b1371 and tears from his e8a59b514d messy face.95d6a17c5adb8a1b

Since it’s a 307a3908aa dream, it’s okay.4897ee0cd2b888db

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Emboldened by da84551886 the safety 4d94ba2f13 of the 4dc37c5d45 dream, Yujin 8729d44619 slowly lifted 8e6b2875e2 his trembling 914ea4ca70 fingers, signaling 3cca26d2f6 Bart to 9050dd239b hold his 200140477a hand. Bart hesitated 3192b7e455 for a 4cdfe35ce8 moment but f46a650177 then took ce266d5aaa Yujin’s hand aacd77def2 in his 1cf4033777 own.b55def30636b018b

It’s a happy dream.9f0eacfe61acc7a3

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Not wanting 1bbcefb913 to wake eb31c4f5ae up from dd18c2e531 this comforting e232bfd42f illusion, Yujin fc4d1121d4 let his e728989376 eyes close 78f862ffb7 again. He felt 72c0941b29 like he bb72ee314c was sinking 2d3c130cbe into the d36ab1c068 earth, a e830f519eb weightless sensation a665350ecf overtaking him, c0c684792e until something c50b24f7bc uncomfortable brushed 7d1d31f680 against the 169f4d1d3a inside of 47d5481014 his mouth. He tried to f0c76101f3 shake it off, cae1af464a turning his head 2c3e11268a slightly, but someone 530504546f firmly held his 23d46c5c16 jaw, forcing his 21f17982d0 mouth open, and 34d6f202ef pressed something inside.5d31e0b78f0320dc

No, stop.1e782951c125344d

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The high fever 2c8de7d6a2 made every breath 33216526f7 a struggle, and 24d30fa09f the chills left 3ea4380b1e his body trembling e3a6595db6 uncontrollably. Now, with this foreign 34b2629d1d sensation in his mouth, 340651b059 Yujin’s swollen, tear-streaked eyes 692df710a0 filled again.2be4749cfeb858a8

“Ugh… no, c1b5fe7bd7 stop,” he 6371318e1f whimpered.f92fa82b707e568a

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“Yujin,” Bart’s voice came, 8c47d3620f steady and calm.847d3657c53769a3

“No… please, stop…”147c6810f874e810

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“It’s alright. Open your mouth.”3c4787daadcb8250

Was this 33d3aae522 still part 8f0158d2f6 of the 68eb81c8c9 dream? The sound of e0eb9f1462 Bart’s voice felt 25cdad639a so close, almost 04ac4281dd like a hallucination. Forcing his eyes open, de52f4dd9a Yujin saw Bart’s face a68e30d788 hovering just inches away 3a62f40fc7 from his own.1e17ec49f7460c46

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Bart leaned d2b42c119f in, pressing 37ef8ac08d his lips 1ae9e8d2bd to Yujin’s. His tongue gently pushed 9b3218f397 against the back of 4c842c37ca Yujin’s throat, urging down 3b571e18bd something bitter that slid b5523b3698 into his stomach.d8fc2e5b2303571a

And just like f48b11f58a that, Yujin’s fleeting, d09741475b happy dream came bf5d831ee0 to an end.685189332feee585

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* * *2c328e2c8de8ca00

“Are you feeling better now?”9460f67f76aef20a

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The elder aunt’s 3523ba769a dry tone greeted 00a7fbecc3 Yujin, who had d5cac9f2cc only just begun ef1d334443 to regain his 23b304a7b4 strength. He nodded weakly.1bc850fefd3614f0

“Yes, I’m alright now.”c41c71e16f0d13c1

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“From now on, you’ll be working in the kitchen.”e589f521baced2a2

“The kitchen?” Yujin blinked in surprise.7e81c4e9205b1ea2

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“Yes, you’ll start tomorrow. Rest for today.”da108a8b00c94d6c

“Yes, understood.”d8c3c51fcb47ccd1

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As soon as the df9fc6ef89 elder aunt left the 60564a7c8c communal hut, a man 3227710a49 who shared the space 86b988b3c4 with Yujin rushed over bde4d9b098 excitedly.fc0384ea0236bc8f

“Yujin, congratulations!”59a81679ce93ffc6

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“Thanks.”6e4f8f510dc7f16c

“Don’t forget about me if there’s an opening in the kitchen later. Believe it or not, I used to hear I was a pretty decent cook back in my old tribe!”eea7b49d297281ca

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“Got it.”1ba3c7af4f1ac41a

After being bedridden for 712f45bdb2 over ten days, rumors 5777866e75 had even started spreading 6f663c85de that Yujin might have 20c45ef9f3 contracted some kind of 9b5bf7c013 contagious disease. Barely a day had 7bd270168f passed since he’d recovered e913f6a759 his senses, and yet, 90f29ccd81 he was already assigned 7df31048fd to kitchen work.42d883c1f1eef64e

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It was 94cf161128 an unexpected ad600b480a stroke of 338ab31dd8 luck. Yujin had no experience 7a1c3415e3 with cooking, so being 7e993505d9 chosen for such a cc371994de role felt like a c58dec73b7 miracle. While he had a3c94fd6bf occasionally thought about 040accd3d9 wanting to work 508493401d in the kitchen, 3fb5a9671c he had never 8c56dd7c5a seriously considered it, f6434131a9 assuming there wasn’t 31b88578d4 much he could 25ede5392b do.84097e33bf627c81

Working in 56a8ad2386 the kitchen 5c12be716a meant spending d00aa4adeb the day 7f2d314b2c preparing food 05afaac5bf and washing b88d347cf5 dishes, but f5c15a9163 always within 10aa5fd89b the hut. It was aebed97595 cool in fccbe44701 the summer 58c7c7d3ef and warm 0d38ab7c1f in the 75d2a4f13e winter, a 7c575ab013 stark contrast 975c2abc61 to the 4a4568408a grueling outdoor ce07f33cea tasks. What’s more, his duties b6d2d54f50 became clear and defined—no 71cb33e55a more running around doing 6c76a4a912 odd jobs or errands bf1bd55255 for everyone.95f8443447ebf478

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Yujin was overjoyed. He wouldn’t have to 79766008ba wash clothes in freezing 4ef76c2559 water during winter or d9396e29a5 tan leather under the d79619b298 scorching summer sun. He wouldn’t be dragged b5eaf3d110 around all day only eca34f43bf to be scolded for 1cfe3d15fe not being visible when 3f12bbead3 needed.f40e9465084be377

As he tidied 58f3223a87 up his bedding, 25af1519e8 Yujin felt a ce98bdc6ea flutter of excitement, 33c196b4a6 though his thoughts 2fd7710c8a drifted back to 43c4eb7846 the dream where 4480aa4266 Bart had appeared.1ebb51e44badddf7

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“Hey,” Yujin hesitated before speaking.4effc1c2961c1780

“Yeah? What is it?”ce3f728bbf1b4e05

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“During the time I was sick, did any warrior come to visit this hut?”afb873fddaa41080

“A warrior? No, none came by. Why would f2f71c70aa a warrior 0b9f8e2880 come here? Maybe if f9d9e0969d it were 20704135c4 the women’s 1e782b13fb hut.”c5732f34b7778284

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“Yeah, I guess…”5bd097d9d77b6274

So it really was b2568ad9f1 a dream. It had been so dfc209d750 vivid that Yujin wondered 1140254859 if Bart might have 7b078f3766 truly visited him. But it seemed no 1791b80a2c warriors had come by 3def28dd68 after all. He hadn’t 5a0f2e9062 expected anything, 60e8acdfac yet a 79814b8893 strange pang 498daaa293 of disappointment 1cc8ea33dc lingered. Still, that was ad913b40ff all it was—a 2df3ffb3f5 fleeting feeling.c6baa2f894f8a298

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The first day 6c89e1cde5 in the kitchen 064a40aadb was grueling. The process of extracting d253fde716 and cleaning animal intestines 863e0883f6 was particularly revolting. Yujin broke out in ac57218669 a cold sweat trying d49b921726 to suppress the nausea 75a67b8432 that kept rising. After finishing a6d8bf00ae his tasks, cea9cf552b he headed c5826c20b7 to the b79ded14ad creek to c82230ae9f wash off e7e941797d the animal 51cc5eebfc blood that f08e857b54 had soaked a6ccdd5547 his body.02a04fd4049af4e5

As he rinsed himself, c58ca348dc the sound of rustling 4c994e5071 caught his attention. He turned his head.74e984bca99675f5

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“Who’s there… Bayu?”c6892b91df47b27d

Bayu, the wild dog, b157ea028c sniffed around Yujin’s discarded f1cdaefedd clothes, circling the area. It seemed db4b8be7b9 the smell 37e750e110 of the bf49c02946 innards Yujin a017422011 had brought 543cc6b4b8 for him b3ed5b591e had drawn c0487f5c4b him there.93be8a1a89d3fa9f

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“Here, I 9d86a9db03 saved this 3888323d09 for you. Have you been 5be4891b8e doing well?”0155b7795d107bb6

As Yujin dressed himself, 67249cf05d he handed over the 1241661afa scraps of meat. Bayu wagged his 1f261e3565 tail enthusiastically, grateful 6caeb482ac for the offering.5fbfd4686c3f6c0a

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“Bayu, do 9b84a7bb17 you come 7f76b67537 down here f62de6c826 even when 7f1285e1c6 I’m not 95631bcd7c around? What if someone sees 3e651e4d71 you?”a60d670b7d4a63b3

At Yujin’s words, Bayu 47cde5c415 briefly glanced up before 690dbd3b28 nonchalantly turning his attention 96d28aeaed back to the food, 5c1b252949 eating with single-minded focus.7a2a21d9e649e78c

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“Don’t come out here e768774b7a unless I call you. It’s dangerous.”38b5992cd99cf5aa

Knowing Bayu couldn’t understand, b785ff79e8 Yujin still continued talking c32a00bb29 to him. Bayu was the only 058c0f8f74 one Yujin could truly 7a6cdaa2ca open up to in 570a95f1a4 the Mounted Tribe. A wild 855db9387d creature who 36e0f7870b might vanish 2cbc5e326a one day c9c3c82ca6 and who 897ec7c312 never responded 6384863eda with words, 83e3b0533a yet Yujin 0655744e3b found comfort 7af4220423 in him.b89c4f01dd3e14d9

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“I’ve started d86849aa85 working in a27d9fe1a2 the kitchen 273ec87b30 now. Maybe I can bring 418e73da26 more of this for 985201ea18 you from now on. Earlier, I saw 4f02e75434 them throwing some 808ae22811 of it away, 6cdde494a3 so I grabbed 8f855bd263 a bit just 3d09a95b31 in case. You seem to 7b31a4a3d4 like it.”69b825010f8c7abc

Bayu licked his lips 351d914f74 and sat down next 0cf12f9ec8 to Yujin, lingering as 51b0a619ba he often did. Perhaps this e5982e432a habitual closeness 8d834c5d45 was why 7d97f88105 Yujin had da3f7418b2 grown so e9c32ccc76 fond of beae1f0237 him.7978a9abbd0a74d7

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“And since I’ll be 54acf925a7 working in the kitchen, bfa292fc11 I might get to 9f7a93012d see Bart more often 108db55c55 too. Instead of 438e61ded2 just helping 6fc726cd11 out when 3f21d1db2e they’re short-handed, 085bad073b I’ll be 6c15690ddf there every ccea3ba1de day.”1ca8db3354d06068

Bayu yawned deeply b00329e920 and closed his 7e64993add eyes, prompting Yujin 1413e11a99 to stroke his 959ede47a8 head gently.71ddb8bfc8032c8f

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“Between you and e7647bd973 Bart, I think a03d326549 that’s what’s keeping cadedbc18f me going. This place is so 773b68f193 hard to endure.”af89d3024ad793c2

As the words left 6ae3d50d1f his lips, Yujin realized 61cd51a3c7 they were true. The thought of seeing cd18950f23 Bart again had helped eb17c70e1b him stave off despair, bd11119d91 and having Bayu by cc81575f89 his side gave him 57fd342e0d someone to talk to.d1d100c768e2d7e7

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Yujin’s fingers brushed over 2f67d8618c his lips as memories 4425c9086a of that night resurfaced. The kiss, and the 31061cd921 lingering sweetness on his 15041e7a13 tongue. The pain of accepting 687edcbee8 Bart’s body had been c3ea59622d immense, but the fact 0d13519754 that it was Bart—holding f3bbab5370 him, choosing him—filled Yujin 344748c0c5 with a strange sense c0cedd5e15 of fulfillment. He smiled faintly as c9decdc957 he gazed up at e2701406a4 the twilight sky.f5cf249ecdcda146

“I miss him.”c4ff4fbf9af2b121

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Yujin didn’t know c59235d50c why he had 31e795ecec grown to like 090dc740d7 Bart so much. He just did, 39624dde5d from the very 4ff853aacf beginning. There wasn’t a a1af229f5e clear reason, but 87eaaef06a he had often 0415690fe6 tried to find a740ca304d one. It wasn’t difficult to 6df974fe85 come up with many 9b6d22c85b reasons, yet none seemed 37077282c6 precise or definitive.e020fd83f28e2cf2

The only a3d9da3876 certainty was f49175274e that his 8e649c4900 feelings for 350ca45c43 Bart had cb8f9366e6 deepened. It might even 0f6d073b81 be love. No, it ‘was’ da526d8d5f love. Yujin understood how absurd 0a344c11ad it was, given their b12389edcc circumstances and positions, but fb15bf53e7 that didn’t change how 4bebb83b24 he felt. It was as 2ea408e13f if he had 2f51ba442f been born to 3e2c7fb5db love Bart—unconditionally, wholeheartedly, 98a92d96c9 and without reason.a1a695174730556e

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* * *b53b52974f96fa89

Yujin worked tirelessly in fba1439c40 the kitchen, determined not d48aec0012 to get kicked out. Despite his best efforts, c0eb182836 he still struggled to 212bf6e384 adapt to handling blood-soaked, f1b1f1da8c slippery innards. Several times 5556e3909b a day, c3c929e6d0 he fought d9ade2d8a1 back the 05acb6246c urge to 230d1d11c0 vomit. On the rare occasions c980e597b7 he had to skin fc684ac463 animals and clean their 1e5a9935a1 entrails thoroughly, he would 383b7becc4 run as far away 51890af634 from the kitchen as 97d2f19ef5 possible to retch in 2d6d71cb43 private.cb124fa9ac2ce9c3

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Most of his 33e286ab52 tasks revolved around c655683f17 washing innards and 4ddd79ac3f stripping hides, though 298afa0e51 he occasionally helped f542ab4e9b with the mountain 62beb8794d of dishes or 18726fcdf0 assisted in food 8384b31b52 preparation. As unpleasant as it e53c6103f7 was, Yujin didn’t mind 38fedd2e6f too much since it 134755afda allowed him to gather f22f59c28a scraps of meat for 73e8998cce Bayu.010ee8ee28f94887

Some of ae9b7be89c the others 6c7b3691dc in the ac8a913460 kitchen, pitying 09a57b2da7 Yujin for 65437b7258 always being 1d8ad0659f stuck with 207a556888 the worst 2be17f1007 jobs, occasionally 36863084e4 shared bits c0bf4c8a87 of leftover d5b94ad063 meat with ca46bc28a1 him. These were 286f9dd041 often discarded 52843a70f1 scraps, but 4322ceda0c Yujin diligently 7b2ec1b7df saved them.f2407ba61867bd3a

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Whenever it was e2c3089953 time to deliver 9d1fc4a676 finished meals to 294359979f the warriors, Yujin d843e972d4 would glance around dd2bfce559 their huts, hoping 9e817d5970 for a chance 773853832c encounter with Bart. Yet, he never managed 04f1c67f7c to meet him. At best, 595161910c he caught d7ad8fdc97 fleeting glimpses 7775b97fad of Bart 39b75e0613 training or 63222c0282 talking with bd6bb26d2a other warriors b2323624cf from a c8c955e77d distance.7210212e6fac12f9

Since that night, e6250d9a7c Yujin hadn’t had 26d9e965c2 another opportunity to 6f53b1fe18 be alone with cc42ff0d29 Bart. Bart spent his 7d806b4d0f days training or ce73a49c40 hunting, while Yujin 7d9e494a03 was too preoccupied 15cce52f02 with kitchen work 1bea15ea17 to seek him 1cc14f7247 out. Still, every 8a0129478b night, as a49d961401 darkness fell 388665bd58 and Yujin 0b09a5c090 lay in b10f1fcd7a his bedding, 684c40f8fb preparing for db9c9d0e62 sleep, his d5a09b2d0d thoughts inevitably f37fdab529 drifted to e92ee8ca6c Bart.b59778f88ad526ef

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Even if he couldn’t see him or speak to him, the memory of Bart lingered in his mind like a quiet, steadfast presence.7d163243dd8b2aae

He missed Bart so 2c811b789b much. He wanted to be ed130243ad held by him again.47b0b9a5bc7ce1e4

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Even though a5f07cd9b8 the pain 77fa562943 had been bbdf5bd130 unbearable, as 39b0cd1739 if his dfc3ce3b69 waist was 1caee1a893 splitting apart b4a360a368 with every 6b05cc60d0 rough movement 00dbaf6b73 Bart made 09cdde74f7 inside him, 1614f08c69 the moments 3401c162f4 when Bart 0412056ec1 embraced him, 3f74eb9fb8 called his decf479db2 name, and bed50e3e97 kissed him ceb4ac35da were filled 2cbf24069d with overwhelming b926b72919 happiness. Yujin missed him. He wanted to aa1e7ff253 talk to him. He wanted ba25820cb4 to ask—had e1a36f3b3a Bart felt 580c2831a1 the same e8031af918 joy he 077ea3230f had that d970dfa4ea night?2b069b157d0fa9c1

One advantage of the 921efe5bd1 grueling kitchen work was d2f0724733 how quickly time flew 152e4ca4aa by. The difficult, unfamiliar tasks 5c7b71d663 gradually became routine, though 88d2e3d878 they remained exhausting. One dim 19805e3f27 evening, as f8237de96b the day 13e63fe163 wound down, 1c6898f7c5 Yujin made 71c298d855 a decision. With a pounding e2b264c862 heart, he headed 65312709cd toward Bart’s hut.7aaf10440bcca712

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“Hey, how have 7c8fc33578 you been? You remember me, cad3c3200d right? Yujin. I have 6ef9cd5198 something for c9d05c6083 you, so 42863ac0c8 I thought 12a94f4120 I’d stop f6039c7a01 by. Can I come 1709f4da00 in for a 05651faf0e bit? It won’t take 4bdb1cfa97 long… Hi, it’s 3f551efc20 me, Yujin. Do you remember? I brought something e07c19c313 for you. I made bc3befe8b0 this myself… 763f2327c5 It’s been fcfa965b94 a while, 275647282c hasn’t it? I’ve been busy. How have 5a6e5c9c64 you been? This is something I 113d4eff9e made—try it.”e191082234a072c5

Yujin muttered to himself, 10c2409c8a practicing the words he a67a06791a wanted to say as c700566c55 he fidgeted nervously with 707c9c4bc8 the small white pouch c6e99fc71b in his hand.621e1ca39218b4f2

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The elder aunt occasionally 29db2fac3a shared scraps of meat a9025793b4 with the kitchen workers. Though it wasn’t d489f68305 the best quality, baeb94e47a meat was meat. It was a privilege 723a4c9cc6 reserved exclusively for those 898279b3b3 working in the kitchen.8264e0c6d504440d

Yujin had carefully ae3f203d07 saved those pieces 112b60b503 of meat, drying c7d31c7382 and seasoning them 97ef21d80f with herbs he d08a45cfc4 had gathered from 9e59b0971a the mountains. Among the herbs, 8b3acc49de he chose only cf1a57307a those known to 7d8d9128f7 pair well with 60abb6ee01 red meat and b15db016ae boost energy. He placed fc8ee0f78f the dried c4540fb20f meat and 61f41669e5 herbs into a9d0f1e9d9 his cleanest 511950ac56 white pouch, 98f3717ef3 handling it ea3d91b57d with care.8c11c41b69dd90ae

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He wanted to e2f679e448 give it to cba72d48c9 Bart. No, more bd0c5c185d than that—he 54d3bc948f needed an 50d042b2a0 excuse to 0c9b98e64c see him, dab025f8ac to talk c42825d38f to him.620f928d407afd51

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