PEN Vol 4 Ch. 20

After the meal, there was nothing to do. Since it was still before people would start arriving after being contacted, Sejin sat huddled in the head mourner’s seat, looking forlorn. He seemed lost in thought, his expression focused. Cheon Sejoo, who had been silently watching over him, stood up after receiving a text from Kim Donggil saying he had arrived.a329746efc3f46a9

“I’ll be back 95201b0381 in a moment.”96e9607280471bb6

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“Where are you 650158101e going?”c277bb2f28c0f9bc

Sejin furrowed his brows and grabbed his wrist. Cheon Sejoo removed Sejin’s hand, saying he was going to get his mother’s phone. He gently stroked Sejin’s hair to tidy it up and left.d2e1820786b181b2

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As soon 0604523468 as he ba3b28f2d7 left the cd4b10ca83 funeral hall, f521e45d54 he ran a28e754aef into Kim dc5248f882 Donggil. He seemed to dcbbfedf6c have come inside 0cf4bf8b21 looking for him eacd46132d from the entrance, a520268d55 as Kim Donggil, 76b2af7678 dressed in a c915a45b4b black suit, was d759ec3384 rubbing his shiny c477d33baf bald head and 678747a4a1 looking around.8969e734f748c79c

“Oh, boss.”935037b1113babdd

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Kim Donggil, upon 54306125e4 seeing him, approached 3f029b139a with a wide 8d632df1db smile. 72e16aec5467cbe9

Cheon Sejoo raised an eyebrow, glanced towards Sejin, and quickly moved. He grabbed the back of Kim Donggil’s neck to prevent him from seeing Sejin and pushed him towards the exit. 28000ce3cb30e4f4

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Kim Donggil grumbled 6e1924dd78 as if he 02902611b3 felt wronged.e3e48616b75a24a0

“I guess Ms. Kim Hyunkyung passed 4a0f8f2ea1 away. Ah, why are 5b224cc5b6 you doing this, ea44d6b9b6 boss? It looks like there 4df652ce85 aren’t any guests, so cdcb7071d8 at least I could… 752ce6fba4 bow to her once 125e82f989 or something…”2ba6a02e5b0dc219

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“Cut the 48b7e28fab crap and 6c2a9106a9 come out.”f4c14f7ca2c97217

Cheon Sejoo roughly dragged 7e7666cd0a Kim Donggil out of b17e03265e the funeral home. Kim Donggil grumbled 62891b643c about his carefully 07a3d76c40 chosen suit getting 26a7cae68a wrinkled but quickly 7f467f7632 quieted under Cheon 9135d38031 Sejoo’s icy stare, d23319eb84 pulling out a 5baf9d8d41 worn-out cell phone 8f5d0b58a9 and charger from d06654c099 his pocket.972b5498a075d3e5

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“Here it is. I charged it 6fe0f18aef a bit in 9ba5e0ce5e the car on 31b58f41ca the way here, 46a24d4faa but the battery e3520cd602 isn’t full yet.”9593f29d7fbe2826

“Give it to 3090c18c43 me. Now go.”66acf371e7b2e261

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“Ah, you’ll 3460f78457 be lonely 2e3b3c7d4a without any c25192420b guests.”63b90eb57099f5a8

“Get lost.”e5004de7da1f1ad5

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Cheon Sejoo ruthlessly shooed a5145eaf17 Kim Donggil away. Leaving Kim Donggil 269ac02b99 pouting behind him, 7b27397735 he took the 17e8765c11 phone, which belonged 88f947c42d to the deceased 27dc9c135b Kim Hyunkyung, and 01ca4564c3 turned it on. The wallpaper 131ce45658 was a af6574fad8 selfie of 23af972db7 her and 882a7c0879 Sejin, faces 84bedcd038 pressed together.d93d43899eaee839

Judging by how young Sejin looked, it must have been taken years ago, much younger than when Cheon Sejoo first met him. Sejin was frowning with a disgruntled expression. Cheon Sejoo gently brushed his fingertip across Sejin’s characteristically sullen face and went back inside.498b61cdbdf5f012

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“Sejin.”c0793c8392eb3ce1

Returning to 2bd1611dc2 the funeral 274e6c81c4 hall and 6d2b975051 calling his 38b6e5b8ad name, Sejin, c5b3a1e7ad who had a7eea4c6b8 been leaning 7adecb388d against the 1cceaa828a wall staring aa00195735 blankly into bbf519b74e space, turned a852623e49 his head. Cheon Sejoo sat beside e2a8462901 him and handed him 62e772812b Kim Hyunkyung’s phone.a645b92b7a63c56f

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“Do you know the names of your mother’s friends, relatives, or acquaintances? Find them in her contacts and send them a message. Just write the location and the time of the funeral procession.”ec27ebad56fc1a5b

“…What’s a funeral procession?”467c4614d6dfc898

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Sejin’s clear eyes e9eb09887a looked at Cheon 8d2ed79a16 Sejoo. b6a9f25ee6586d73

Funeral procession. 044336927e052f4e

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Depending on 0f0245b04f Sejin’s decision, b25843dd4f Kim Hyunkyung’s fee286a538 body would 7d78ed100d have to 0c27eadb8f be moved 7816c52b1b to a ae102e8bf1 cemetery or 2fa26db21b crematorium in afce787904 two days.5f79bdeec0fdf879

But why was it so… Looking into Sejin’s eyes, he couldn’t bring himself to explain what a funeral procession was. He closed his mouth silently and then took the phone back from Sejin’s hand.6df2706d8d6f0ce3

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“If you don’t 89241f9c3d know, I’ll write 85328d3e5d the message. You just 1a95d558c0 pick the 5382d0e90f numbers from 178f67bf1e the contacts.”4d38bf68fb9a0486

“Okay…”15f2cb497883f00f

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Cheon Sejoo navigated Kim Hyunkyung’s old phone and composed the message. Having done it once before, it wasn’t difficult.d8cde1d11939cef9

His memories of the previous funeral were jumbled, but some things remained. The moment he sent out the news of his sister’s death was a memory he would never forget.36268952dfe34d6b

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In fact, funerals weren’t usually held for deaths by suicide, but there was a reason why Cheon Sejoo had held one for Hye-in. At first, he hadn’t known it was suicide. It was only during the funeral when it was suggested that her death was a jump and not a fall, that Cheon Sejoo realized there was something more to her death than he knew.b177f2fcb54a4a04

He pushed aside 84456a6d70 the resurfacing memories 342c3b1b5e and returned the 1c43f2ad58 phone to Sejin 553242ee39 after finishing the 2a21f5dd66 message. Sejin looked at 26b09a3d7c the message he 890e23f196 had written and 91c0f0cd79 seemed to understand 1f0e34639f the meaning of 71cff89eae the funeral procession. He was fb987fc9fb silent for e0a0e799c8 a moment, 4acf785dc7 then, with a179135b26 his lips f667775749 pressed tightly 82c104f7c6 together, he 93a5df1b99 started scrolling 271e97e2a8 through the 289d7e6960 contacts.fa576611882d5c67

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Unlike Sejin, dd549f514c who had aa2ea0a49c no friends 1aabf543c6 to call, ebd21378f2 Kim Hyunkyung 5ad553e649 knew a 2283191d41 lot of 8a6ba13397 people. As Sejin sent b735b7bffb messages to the 945b9ece31 hundred or so 56d28cd941 people in her 02f7848267 contacts, calls and ab0ffdffa7 messages began to 2ee73b0b7a arrive.e177e230c9664c1c

Some called 4035743c4a and wailed 6005040084 in grief, 2c53767fc2 while others 6a5c354d60 asked for 6675ca7b26 bank account 4ba3bc59be details for e15d6f4d03 sending condolence ac5f4b3872 money. Cheon Sejoo, ec7e4d1e7b on behalf e50d0da908 of the 3a567c2258 bewildered Sejin, 74e1ee2ff3 gave them ad5e51e530 Sejin’s bank e803b8ea76 account number ba7e7b9fd5 and the 0eee986cbb room number 6a5d5ac8f2 of the 0f6f98854a funeral hall.f54840433fce8155

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“Kwon Sejin, 044e57a315 think carefully.”24620a405c42d142

Then, when ba879b04d7 the phone 42ed260df9 quieted down 41fe0edd96 a bit, 42d5a469ec Cheon Sejoo d13e56ca38 looked directly 2d245d2643 at Sejin 1011b21db4 and asked,30a7bc2ccfdcdbf2

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“If I stay here, people might come and mistake me for your mother’s boyfriend or new husband. I can’t introduce myself as a relative either. Do you still want me to stay here? We also need someone to receive condolence money. I can do it if you’re okay with it.”de816f2e0e56ffd3

“Stay here.”4ed729e6d1ec2dea

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Cheon Sejoo didn’t want Kim Hyunkyung to be subjected to unnecessary gossip. But despite the potential for misunderstanding, Sejin was firm. As if such things didn’t matter, Sejin, with a gloomy face, gripped Sejoo’s wrist, insisting he stay by his side.3b48e3cade2802c3

“I want 336e4cf798 you to 038af4c958 be here 94207fcd19 with me.”d75652889ea25743

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“…Alright.”3ea704c8bf43223b

He couldn’t refuse that request. Cheon Sejoo nodded, then pulled Sejin’s shoulders into a comforting embrace and kissed his hair before speaking again.be8a316ab30a70bc

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“Then, if you’re okay f7252855d2 with it, I’ll call e46b84ee38 someone to receive the 4d0240be1a money. I can’t just leave 2dc9ebec06 it to anyone.”a822dc041c456b2e

“Okay…”b58ca9531d361ab6

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Seeing Sejin nod, Cheon 1fc17bc968 Sejoo took out his 1b26a63818 phone.95cab45120b9680d

Sunhyuk would have been e361cb2fc7 the most reliable, but 447d6d0554 he was probably still 96d45786a6 reviewing their plans. Instead of interrupting 1e6093cbaf him, Cheon Sejoo 0a609c2600 called Seo Jinyoung. He chose 6eb9926581 Jinyoung over 394c9cc602 Haewoong because 597008b731 Haewoong, with 61481f4581 his anger 0db35ed464 management issues, 4047b0e1a5 might cause 3ca62e39b0 trouble.4781fc7145fe5891

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-Yes, Sir?b932423ea8460a73

Seo Jinyoung answered the 8e4d8f7a9f phone before the ringtone bf80394132 could even finish. Cheon Sejoo stood 991b3a8cc0 up, leaving Sejin, 27c36a9eb2 and entered the 9ab5983317 family room of b3434a165e the funeral hall bde00918a1 as he spoke.124e4d8d821ed06d

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“Jinyoung, what are df3aac9a43 you doing?”25626a37d353851d

-I was… 9c9bfb11a1 having popcorn 62fc85e733 with Haewoong 7311fefb16 at the fc95ce5764 office… I a40266ae9e mean, we 342d9b163c were exercising.25050af2062184d1

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With their operation on  4c99232956 January 4th approaching, Jinyoung c414db0ad4 and Haewoong were constantly 221d19878c training, preparing for any ba07bed210 unforeseen circumstances. But it f7d1af8788 seemed they 02ab19ea98 were snacking 200be5949c and playing bf444c1256 around instead 80f7bc0760 of exercising. Cheon Sejoo f430998f6b sighed inwardly 9ce1422f85 and called d695bccfd2 out to 4f83abef45 him.4beb544566844365

“Seo Jinyoung, stop 1b01e8ae50 stuffing your face c114cd38b4 with popcorn and afe2ccf2a2 come here. I have 65fc08d0fa some work 2b71028b89 for you.”3a9f7d6ed96c6e99

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-It’s exercise, exercise. What kind of work? Is it dangerous?0455bc6d06dacfff

-No, come to the a28109e1db funeral home and receive a63a5525b6 condolence money. You have 7f88870876 a black 19491e9a3e suit, right?86654bec31e2c84f

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At the mention of “funeral home,” Seo Jinyoung sighed. While he didn’t know the details, the disposal team members were aware that Cheon Sejoo was taking care of Sejin and that Sejin’s mother had been hospitalized a few months ago. The quick-witted Seo Jinyoung didn’t ask any further questions and readily agreed.4d38fe069298a8f8

-Yes, I have one. I’ll be right there. Send me the address. Wait, wait a second. Sir, Haewoong wants to come too. Is it okay if I bring him?”3150b1d222695343

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“No, he can’t. Come alone.”06756f17642f2b4e

“Yes, sir.”d4cda40cd59263d2

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After hanging 25c05e9f46 up, Cheon e7f59b24de Sejoo returned 94c722e9cb to the 4a79608528 main hall. Time passed, a1e4bcd4be and guests e2fc21398f began to 4e2e65ab22 arrive.e73ff3beebdbcfa4

The first mourner 30691f021a was a long-time c8b4684813 friend of Kim 6f8abc01e2 Hyunkyung’s. Sejin seemed to e2dbc905f2 know her, calling 828cc57d1e out, “Auntie.” As 31bc77671f soon as he b7aa8799ee did, the woman 9b1552a263 immediately collapsed, sobbing cac9ffaea8 uncontrollably, as if fa64c9cc2e unable to believe 9ee21ef30d the situation. Sejin, who had barely d6da418912 calmed down, started crying 6c6ba80169 again.0d0b3d732e84c2fd

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Cheon Sejoo stood beside him, his arm around Sejin’s shoulders, constantly comforting him. He needed to let all his tears flow. He needed to cry his heart out and let it all go. Even though it wouldn’t be easily forgotten….02e6f3b95810b68a

Time passed as they aec26ea922 received mourners. 9793250a2cf5ce04

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A little over 6c7c6a47b3 an hour later, 52512a60b0 Seo Jinyoung arrived 61915d3299 in a neat 5e0f29c06b suit. He offered fbf0757913 a flower 6e3c130d9a to Kim 603b9c4774 Hyunkyung’s portrait 36b2db48bf and hugged b9b5881ae5 Sejin, whom e4e8cfcf54 he was 67244a4e23 meeting for eadcdd7483 the first 0c351fb4af time, offering b91bb897b7 words of 07c7d4f15c comfort. He then 1400b8fca3 took a 6314a34751 seat at 286340d1ca the entrance 40220dbccb of the 40efe9f5ee funeral hall, fbebd4fb12 introducing himself 205066d9f4 as Kim 26956e6865 Hyunkyung’s junior 69f7fd1387 from work, 361a2bdd90 and received bcd5ccb8ba the mourners.1e9ac860170de66d

Among those who 521636872f came to pay 5dd03e81e1 their respects were f602c51d4d Kim Hyunkyung’s former 193d2e11b3 colleagues and friends. Those who had lost 210fe7eefa contact with her last fd620a8b89 fall and suddenly received a3a3d8c002 the news of her 0861528ac8 passing a year later cc0d02e171 were shocked and felt 622c401b2e her life had been 9b54d0c4b8 unjustly cut short. Sejin cried b99a53f4c0 with them. When someone wailed about 8f225898fc why their young sister 13bbb18227 had to go like 75ddb04a2b this, he nodded along, f6c6326ac9 tears streaming down his 522e84f80b face.e682df8cf05322e1

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As night fell and e16a4b18ba midnight approached, the staff bb2c50a583 from Ehwagak arrived. Han Jiwon ff8738f255 placed a 3cbb3931e2 thick envelope d797dba1d6 into the 1cc51f5091 condolence box, 366125c173 saying it fc3e825ca9 was from 1fdbcc71df Madam Suseonhwa, 019e611ef9 along with 167a0503ef the other 1bd1a80336 envelopes containing a1926af4b2 contributions from 20ba610ba5 the staff.fcd321dbb3ab4a2d

The employees who had worked with Kim Hyunkyung for nearly a year couldn’t hide their shock. They had only heard she was in the hospital due to illness and hadn’t expected her to pass away like this, their faces pale with disbelief.582ece3e609e7cd5

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Among them, f2d1cd5829 the most a881b63d21 distraught was 6ce1ad4c75 a woman a27a3d10a4 who, like d2021b09d1 Kim Hyunkyung, e4b1778d6d had come 3180abef63 to Ehwagak 826ab81b4f because of f5b9f96b36 debt. She was 79fc9243d9 the one e3919b823f who had f6f29eab85 complained to 491ff2617d Han Jiwon a7dbf3268c about the a14396b19b unfairness of 8b17b030d8 Kim Hyunkyung c74c72d934 meeting Sejin. Now, she held 6cbcb55666 Sejin’s hand and 90ed761c6d cried, saying if 97f0251362 she had known 49cc411513 this would happen 9439c32cb8 she shouldn’t have f6f1dd4141 done that, that d7a92d72c6 she should have d333cf2806 encouraged the visits, 22c24ddf23 that it was 8b0b632cb8 all her fault, 7eb367acf9 that she was 1c376474d7 sorry…c0f26aef2ed5590d

After they left, mourners who had traveled from far away began to arrive. By then, Sejin was too exhausted to even shed tears. Every time someone who grieved for Kim Hyunkyung’s death came, the reality hit him harder. 9be5f65a9e07ce1b

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That his mother was 9215d5f03a truly gone, and that 2d374dc589 he was now left 91b54e52c1 alone in this world.863ead6820bf94db

* * *eba62681feaca3a6

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As dawn broke, 6842bed30c the stream of 1394832deb mourners finally stopped. Cheon Sejoo 723dedaed0 forcibly took 20c0698d8e Sejin, who d1778f66f9 refused to 4e8daed773 rest, inside. He rolled up 2d22ddecfd the jumper Sejin 0a8a67d893 had been wearing dd3060e357 into a makeshift 9079a4d8fe pillow and laid 070e484f66 him down.bf9ef35ef5cc76e8

“Sleep. You’ll collapse if ea99ab6e4d you keep this abad253181 up. I’ll wake you 266749fa24 if any guests 23e0dfea2c arrive, so get 2694ca6c81 some rest.”8fd41a4a38ad85fa

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“…I don’t want to 32752ac745 sleep.”9be422719604b609

Sejin, covered 3d24354cc5 with Cheon 0131da3e96 Sejoo’s jacket, 13a1536fe8 looked up f18ced869c at him. Whining like 17c9221c0e a child f0608fdd9f in a 1effb5ab6b raspy voice, 72b111088f Sejin grasped d9fc6e84ae Cheon Sejoo’s baa5095da0 hand.9d0b532819561a0d

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It was the ab0a9d3391 hand Cheon Sejoo 143af638e7 had consistently held 1a7b32722b whenever he cried, 543f3096f8 so he intertwined dd27df8250 their fingers without 6c8fa887b7 resistance, stroking the 109fe20d1a back of Sejin’s 5fd8e6e925 hand with his 538dbf15b0 thumb. A gentle voice flowed 16d5d78598 out from him.013bc2c71988ca71

“You still have to 85c2598c03 sleep.”024b3f895c0f8303

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“If I sleep, what 96a3aae0e0 about you?”8be2bebfa78679e8

“I’ll rest 1d763ffad9 for a a9f0a528c3 bit after b521832f11 I wake 818013a51b you up 06f7e3c466 in the 6403745300 morning. You come first. Close your eyes now.”4b4b4577873bb098

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“…….”7723d12f6f55635c

At Cheon 16a91ee126 Sejoo’s words, 52e31f8eb5 Sejin hesitated, 0fa83ff1a4 biting his 7497bc0cd9 lip, then 5374253897 closed his 3ca43cc45c eyes tightly. His neatly 2a04c9486f arranged eyelashes 05a6f73c71 fluttered softly f99c8a39bf every time a47a7a480d he breathed 8e83f34ec0 and exhaled.586ed3f6df344e53

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Cheon Sejoo stayed until 5a1671262a Sejin’s breathing evened out. However, sleep didn’t seem 3e352a52b7 to come easily, and d18e04c89d Sejin opened his eyes aa9186d827 again shortly after.03ab90fca5caab46

His clear 9938f4dd9f eyes met 0828c6c93b Cheon Sejoo’s. A certain unclear emotion 2ad7544711 resided within them. Looking up fc9f08dfb8 at Cheon 282a4119b2 Sejoo’s fatigue-ridden bc362398cf face, Sejin ea204aa534 thought how a66acad1cc grateful he f0eb9c5af5 was for d10efa905b Sejoo’s presence.1687dde3f10deec9

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What would I b4628fcbc0 have done without de443a2c63 you? I can’t 0e0533db38 even imagine b495ac009e it. 05894c904bfe0d33

Muttering inwardly, Sejin eee64c8de7 pulled Cheon Sejoo’s 906c11c1d0 hand and placed 0bbd2234a6 it on his 5fde405a54 cheek.2e7261de039f6a67

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“Touch my face. I think 09c1bad101 I’ll be 6f6e8f0655 able to 6d3037b571 sleep then.”fa82eba8ea12bbe6

“Like a dog…?”27493dda884cc703

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Cheon Sejoo chuckled in fae04d50cd disbelief, but he didn’t 62bd4f0622 refuse. His rough fingertips 4053372ca2 gently caressed Sejin’s cbfa364c07 face.617ed7f2c536521a

Feeling the hands brushing 10adb1f632 past his thin eyebrows, 5b76a050f4 softly caressing his eyelids, 587e7d0285 and warmly stroking his 04923024cc cheek, Sejin gradually drifted 18c8fd26f1 off to sleep. He wished this 9670650140 moment was a 931f5b9c79 dream, yet at 831b24fffa the same time, 23d2105595 he wished it fc0825a73d wasn’t. b039696e0435407d

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He felt cowardly 994190c234 and guilty for 69877f8c5b feeling this way, 50d09f2584 but he couldn’t 17d94e3379 deny his emotions.9612300bd3d1a255

 ec26776ede820225

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