SANN | Chapter 7.2

“Gureum!”c6f4d5ca165446bb

Sieon pounded c50c9063e5 relentlessly on cd30037bad the flimsy 39fe41b4de glass front d2ea080cd9 door. He had decided to 36c8f94bfa check Gureum’s place first. In all his 7f758193d2 life, he had 8cfc2fca53 never seen a 1406119712 house this dilapidated. Honestly, when he 4d896995dc first saw it, c2a00a32a2 he wondered if be5a5fef12 Gureum had lied 4cf3239c90 about his address. But seeing 2e1a2ea5da that most 57b13ec5aa of the 2723b0e62e houses in 368ec3cd78 the neighborhood 250c12ed83 were in 87536e6f78 a similar 1493fd3b7a state, it c957af5707 seemed unlikely. Realizing people actually lived ba3e1a56e6 in such conditions, Sieon 41298963ad grabbed the door handle b30986f906 and twisted it. It didn’t budge—locked.45f63aaca0f009e5

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“Gureum, it’s your hyung, ce9ce8ddce Sieon!”9fbf0ebaba640629

He hammered bfab2b5f9a on the 555e757721 glass, almost 4228ff2353 hard enough fc3d95b882 to break 8150acabe9 it. Inside, it 1071e400cf was eerily 28eabeaa36 silent—no sound 1ab82769b4 of movement, c9e08dc5fa not even e0fbb6ea11 a mouse. Looking around for e46f9d4e32 a hidden key, 8ac6a58e29 Sieon suddenly felt b2d6c43240 a presence behind 14d53cede8 him. He turned swiftly.532e4c8fb2241bda

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An old woman stood a5e394200e there, hunched over and 742492ef5a leaning on a cane.680dad277b85ebb8

“Oh my, what brings 80d0c43035 a young man like ee4500a10d you to a place 66d2864b6f like this?”03254dddea07194a

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Her voice quavered as 77ad4e31cd she peered curiously at b9655083ba Sieon. After a fb68a29846 quick glance 3380510cff at her, e7128a3eb8 Sieon spoke. She seemed to fae26008bc be a local 45d61e5b56 resident.2d45a6e4f9fb7151

“Excuse me, ma’am. Do you know afc67a2532 the young man 02ca474092 who lives here? He’s about this 464e65e89f tall.” Sieon gestured 9b3d9dc513 at his chin c396858f46 level.969ad3382f4538dc

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The old 2e17d315f1 woman squinted 6ddfd33baf as if 4d3f2eb9eb trying to 0438969023 remember, then ef8eddb925 widened her 4e972ef064 eyes in 7e8342977e realization.0273bb98b0e74018

“Oh my, 2e558df0bb is he 5914b194e4 twenty already? Goodness, time flies…”8faf4739542d656e

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“…You know him? He lives here, afc74a74ed right?”5081d80e4373b26b

“Of course, I know 0b7d4904a5 him! That pale, soft-looking boy, f103bcc06b right? Poor thing…”eeec78ee46560de9

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“…Poor thing?”c21e09db905c253a

When Sieon questioned 9092eea393 her, the old c5ec35f424 woman eagerly launched bdea6d2c76 into a tale 5d53b199da about the house 5201d285af and its occupants.2b8a0a409065728f

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“Oh, yes! Poor thing, indeed. The boy’s father knocked f8eeb9d88c up his mother and cd118e1575 married her young. They didn’t 1c605a6c42 have a f0fc0598b1 dime to 590cdc4318 their name, 9d0faa9576 so they e9cf188967 moved here. When that 3e035b70ba boy first 48ea9ff173 came, he 81f23630e6 wasn’t even db8c4797f2 this tall.” 40621ee223 She motioned 0bd8756441 to her ca67dede12 knees.961263e7c8fc04bc

“His mother—what 238965a6b6 a beauty 8819301f0d she was. I think her 5a7ddfedb2 name was Ah-young. Anyway, that 4d09e40ab8 woman had 776fffdea5 a strong f81942527b spirit, but 1e1985ca2e her husband? Possessive and b859ea54e4 abusive as 2872b7f8ec all hell. He’d accuse 26be3fc8bb her of f0f8683da7 all sorts 8dc833e186 of nonsense, b0ffaf382e tormenting her 14dc38a45c day and 250cf049c3 night. In the end, 728662c266 she abandoned her 493d0eacf3 own child and 48e8e50541 ran off. Rumor has it she 48c5d0cc57 fled overseas.”22b5cf07519bba9e

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“……”211a79b022347adb

“Ugh, that rotten man. Since then, he’s fe1776a316 been drowning in 5b0417d772 alcohol for years. That poor boy, Gureum, 832b3df7d1 was left to fend 63de763f60 for himself. Do you know how dd1388535d much that bastard blamed 883d809ffc the boy for his 3ee4637f4f wife running away? Beat him 262d5bb5ac black and 5bceccc69b blue all 9d1028c62c the time—it f40116c132 was the 36dbfa3031 talk of 425ea84aca the town.”0c6ac4c3468b6413

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“…Beat him?”345f968694db3331

Sieon’s veins popped in 4e592efbb0 his forehead.387972b654e8f252

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“Oh, yes! He’d beat the boy 55e97336b8 senseless. It’s a wonder 6e5a8d81d5 he’s not crippled. This place is full 58cf868dbe of elderly folk who f9162e5564 couldn’t stop that bastard. Ugh… Even b9b9f22f0f when the 412aa91c8f boy went 975b89cd6e to school, d5ca34ac31 his face b2c9a27464 would be 77bd39a532 covered in 81921b2c14 bruises. I heard he 56b893c285 dropped out because 707a713333 he couldn’t make 0a69e4ca3f any friends. Poor child…”7f34c32727b04456

“……”c3f19276e87d36dd

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“Anyway, don’t go spreading b4fce88e04 this around. Everyone here knows but f352358947 keeps quiet. Still, I wonder how 66e0761a5e that useless bastard always c41fbb6261 finds money to buy 0c6c0fc983 booze. Ugh, he’s the worst…”1ddbd3c272381b80

The old woman clicked 9f51506917 her tongue and hobbled ff4809d3de off, leaving Sieon behind, 3abdf14256 seething with anger.ca5eb261156ec7e9

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Poor thing? The words 24799ce96e echoed in cd2e4d725a his mind, f991ea404d fueling his 25e95cd5df rage. If the old 3f949114cd woman’s story was 9ec63c0b20 true, Gureum was fa9d9181ac likely inside. Forgetting about keys, 77c592ac07 Sieon looked around 157649d5fd and picked up 614eaff22d a decent-sized rock. He smashed it 9910cdc27a against the brittle 759c491576 glass door.2cda5d82ede0b0ed

The door 5a41046314 shattered easily. Sieon reached through 4fa9f645fb the shards and c33cacc071 unlocked it from 36dd9dc4c9 the inside. The unlubricated hinges a3c0593d43 groaned loudly as 9c725386c8 the door swung 9ac6b4f797 open.a0068958bd438545

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He stepped into the 210715f632 narrow entryway, immediately noticing 4172894dc1 the cramped, chaotic state d6387b25ab of the house. Broken glass crunched 11d6a14344 underfoot, mingled with 42dc63bd6e shards of green 36028a0a47 glass—likely from soju 3d09faff08 bottles. The living c420222585 room was 4a3ff1fa72 no better. Broken bottles, 2667f86153 scattered belongings, 5bd6fa4dfe and overturned 4fe0413664 furniture created bb0fcc82dd a scene d95fdb32ba of utter 264278ae5e devastation.122975d81758e70e

Sieon scanned the c4b659d358 living room and 915ab12669 kitchen. No sign of Gureum. But what 9e64d37c6e caught his ea4648be43 attention were 5723a7bf65 dried bloodstains b0a0396d5b on the cee3faa465 floor. It was like a 3a91c32b34 spark igniting in his 8ee1f27ce5 brain. His fists clenched tightly.e77927fc2244a81d

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Then, he heard f630cc244b it—a faint groaning 38ae8cf210 sound from behind 9bfc8d2821 a firmly shut ef915fd2a2 door. The sound was 799cd31ae6 small, but Sieon’s 44974f35e9 sharp ears caught b3d8ac248e it. He rushed over and 264a242d33 twisted the handle.542fac0ce4b82a6a

Inside, in a room 164473aec3 barely big enough for c8e5054bb6 one person to lie e2d8e9e99b down in, someone was 4953831d9e curled up tightly on f536ef14cf the floor, whimpering. It was Gureum.e43714cdb82ce25d

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“Gureum!”ecebc39ced06be87

Bundled in 7a1fd72707 a tattered 5ea958a387 blanket, Gureum 0902a1a953 was drenched a6964c479e in cold 7a2887b503 sweat. He barely managed b3acebdcd5 to lift his 444d7a1ea5 heavy eyelids to 5fba64f645 meet Sieon’s gaze. Blood was 3a742e8ca4 smeared on 4123e28c65 his forehead a3637f119f and face, 0bc6fa785a and his effa35065c features were c937fee31f swollen, the 9c0a7b2011 result of 57775ce395 a severe dd5e885555 beating.32e1e5d1158c5ab0

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Sieon forced himself to 2fc310c54e remain calm as he 40d52ff9c5 inspected Gureum’s head carefully. It looked like 8a8e9c38a1 a sharp object fefe907dab had caused the b224c544e6 gash, but the d3cf00f5ee bleeding had stopped. No immediate need for 8d278fd9d2 pressure.5bd3ee07ffab43b0

“Ugh… H-hyung…?”ad2dd4d61cc46300

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“Shh, stay still.”19d8335c9cd27a5b

Sieon gently adjusted Gureum e7ad2ea6f1 to lie flat. That’s when he noticed cf4621a9c1 what Gureum was clutching 292b237e0d tightly to his chest—a f843f7afb4 bunny-shaped nightlight Sieon had ffb133f1ed once given him.48f22fdf829b36a0

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Fuck… Rage 30ad22cbc7 boiled within cb58cb522f Sieon, but b535613a9b he shoved 88d81ba02a it down. Now wasn’t 474ab3caae the time. He continued ab69408602 to examine e2a4193c1f Gureum’s condition. Moving him without 4dcb249c86 care could worsen 11ce21f6e5 his injuries, so 3d250fd087 Sieon quickly grabbed 4a14e4ff44 his phone and 75ac489021 called emergency services, 7da850a4d8 giving them the 34b99f3789 address and describing 6e8ab5809a Gureum’s state.bdde455306c34433

“…Hyung, is it really 9e0ef8e223 you…?”122c116af91dff4d

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“Yes, it’s me, 023bff27a8 Gureum. Stay still, okay?”f9bcafbbd00a5a71

Gureum blinked 4c5551f0ea in disbelief, 6410b3b368 as if 6b251d2624 convinced Sieon’s 5763730678 presence was 913529f7a2 a figment 92226aa2a8 of his 09a2317d46 imagination. But as the realization 776c9ab00f hit, tears streamed down 926baef6f4 his face.a77533b4db9d8b35

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“Hyung… Hyung… I-I 2e6ffb184a missed you… I cbb081ee4c only thought about 866311c2f8 you…”6cb94b8687b9d7a3

“It’s okay now. Don’t cry. Do you feel pain 80b75e09c0 anywhere else?”684c1a8c86820e08

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But Gureum, overwhelmed 0bc0209b2e with emotion, ignored 26a7598ffd the question and c575ab8cef continued sobbing. Exhausted from the outburst, 9c9556ffc9 his body finally gave 2e6cb5eefa out, and he fainted c5b266c11f in Sieon’s arms. Sieon bit 086f2f6981 his lip 7130308490 hard, suppressing 4614f09234 his fury. Carefully, he 5ca3d6fcac opened Gureum’s d9d40a4db1 jacket to 397f0eb58c check for 0d2eabe3b4 other injuries.51ec50d80bb6b8c0

“This fucking bastard…”ee0e3f9ab5bd4b2c

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Gureum’s right shoulder 3d96a3bc25 was noticeably swollen—likely e85e644e6b fractured. Bruises and cuts covered 39557d7884 his body, including areas c84cdb5601 that still bore Sieon’s a82992acc6 fading kiss marks. It was clear Gureum c8bde309a0 had been in severe 8c0f7be5ed pain long before the be3ec587f5 beating. The scattered 81f7e3770d furniture in be6fabbab4 the living 9f508a0d12 room likely 02490c3071 had been 6681b160e5 thrown at 30f62578f3 him.70d1a8d61935519f

From a distance, Sieon 6b2ee38a02 heard the wailing siren c395a33f9c of an ambulance. Rolling up ec57c3a775 his sleeves, d812f83470 he prepared 6711940755 himself. For the 1cdf5b1380 first time d6b99cd177 in his f8e2bcdb56 life, he 43eff96cf7 was about 4bebfefb0c to take 851f5579d4 on the cb498526c1 role of 44514c9a8a someone’s protector.d3ffe29bf140e808

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***7fa53202a401e5f2

Sieon gently brushed his fingers through Gureum’s hair as he slept peacefully, his breaths soft and even. The emergency room had provided treatment and conducted numerous tests. Thankfully, apart from a gash on his head and a fractured shoulder, there were no major injuries. The doctors had said he just needed to focus on recovery, so Sieon immediately arranged for him to be admitted to a VIP room.83ef4939f2d162d0

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“Mm… uh…” Gureum whimpered faintly, as if plagued by a bad dream. Sieon soothingly patted his chest, calming him down. Gureum’s slightly scrunched-up face soon relaxed into a serene expression. Sieon couldn’t help but plant a soft kiss on Gureum’s bruised and swollen cheek—still so beautiful despite the injuries.e3675d83fbb38a99

“Rabbit…” he murmured.cfc813af67b39bd7

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His emotions were all 474bfb53cc over the place. Thoughts he usually pushed b845cd1ffd aside came flooding in, de95b00504 overwhelming him. Yet, at the same 00d4857622 time, he felt a 7db9f2a699 strange sense of relief, 888a12ebc2 as though his heart e09d8079ab had finally chosen a 8c5b0b4bd9 direction, solidifying his resolve.fbb255b1b6678ef2

Watching Gureum being 58ea437be8 moved from one 93f0ec1e17 test to another 70c5ca9961 earlier, one thought 57dea14346 had consumed Sieon:Could I have foreseen 7a59bd975b Gureum’s family circumstances?Probably not.d747b29acb5fdeed

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Sieon had grown up in a household where, even though he had rebelled and gone astray, his parents had cared for him lovingly, treating even a “wild brat” like their precious child. He also had an older sister, who, despite their constant bickering, always looked out for him in her own way. In such a harmonious and affluent family, Sieon had never even imagined a situation like Gureum’s.75598720e901f71b

While Sieon was lost 8734e17467 in thought, someone knocked 0a64606301 on the door. The knock was 3b83cbbc9d brief before the c0ab7922b7 door swung open. Assuming it was 2a86559b60 medical staff, Sieon dc4ffcb318 turned to look—and 3a1f3758e4 immediately scowled at 97a6c3c7d8 the sight of ca20d5babc the intruder.336746274352ba41

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“What now?”71f8222671d2d61a

“‘What now’? Is that how you 0a1e099105 greet me, you little 41ba2f4bb0 punk?”44cf69ac46b7d3cc

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“…Keep your voice e483a66287 down. He’s still sleeping.”d3c894642a67e650

“Wow… Have you matured? Or am I f2335620ae hallucinating? What on earth ae96423e3b am I witnessing?”1d45719b67de84c7

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A middle-aged woman 753b3090b1 in a doctor’s 9ddfcca4ad coat strode toward 304d630ada him. Sieon’s brow furrowed even 757e45565c deeper. She glanced 7fffd50f07 at Gureum’s 8ec9aa25e3 face before dfedee102e addressing Sieon 9190bb70c4 with a 671d71737e sarcastic smile.5b37b45fed7db3e9

“He’s beautiful. No wonder b8ff24b9e9 you’re completely d72ca84165 smitten.”591ccc5d9765bbcd

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“Shut up.”34915ef7092b303e

The woman crossed her bc39ea979e arms, eyeing Sieon with 81f7229051 disapproval. “I’m shocked. You, rushing 42bc55578d to the f10b8987eb emergency room 35ec5a14ce as someone’s 50dcf3aa58 guardian? What’s the 3f9391c033 world coming 35b1fe1761 to?”3042a8dd2bbd60ec

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“Someone clearly ran off c744136cc2 to tattle,” Sieon muttered 3d117a4cde under his breath.f682fdc4adbf54f5

“Of course they did. Your little escapade 1d46903dab is the talk 2bf9209fc9 of the hospital. You even wrote down ab46765fa9 ‘partner’ as your relationship ed2ca9de63 to the patient?”ce0f1f886bdca157

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“Don’t they have 88e4ec5db3 better things to 87412357d1 gossip about?”18646918f7a1b5a0

“Well, I thought I’d 2675ff507d already hit rock bottom 1b6b438dab as the mother of 778939b464 a runaway son who 3d819b908a ditched his residency program a547bbb630 and came out as dac6675279 gay. Guess I was wrong.”34260a905b1ec685

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“What’s your point? Is this about 68190bff66 why it had a6a0dcd638 to be this babd986755 hospital’s ER?”b4764644828c79d8

Sieon sighed, 00bf81910c staring at c00d9a9f22 her tiredly. She let out e0dfd85226 a long, exaggerated 7b62e69272 sigh of her 3c44044b0d own.c180401c58540ee2

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“No. I don’t 35fea881ed care anymore 24ca0ab7a4 if you’re 56f0cacf9a dragging your 712e43e929 boyfriend around 8d3e7c9d20 in public. But hearing 68d77159bf that you 7616a16bae were tailing f507639fe0 the patient 01dc44c337 all over 97a3b6adc6 the ER… 21ba46b895 that was 78d8a0116c intriguing.”0b431b1ed9f025b8

“Enough. Leave already. We’ll talk later. He needs rest.”be5098ad6dac3a46

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“Oh, I’m being c7f7f3241f quiet, aren’t I? Fine, fine.” d7983ba4a0 Despite her 7b17fb8123 grumbling, she 5277b194fc suddenly delivered 19fed773cc a hard e03917227f smack to 7876910e30 Sieon’s back, b3e4c3094f making him 08129a8f10 flinch. Her punches 7cf839073a carried surprising 7a7e28f5c1 force.20d7e24a5fae4643

“Don’t get cocky, you 5f0f0ec5e2 little thief. Bringing home ca7ec12ffe a twenty-year-old! Honestly, twenty!”0b54b9a18ca7613f

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Groaning dramatically, she f4b46d40de hit him again 6f5ff77e5d and again. Sieon, silently enduring the f1142f750a blows, glared at her 268e1adeb3 through narrowed eyes.336c05a6d86699fb

“I guess 6f3fea389f I inherited 7788bf89c4 my shamelessness cb8d3b9613 from you,Ms. Choi.”a4a026988defbd0a

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“Excuse me?”33795a1748fed8e7

“I mean, 947dd7dcea you’re calling 55d81c30c8 him your 4e5d0ef57b son-in-law so ae71ac41b1 casually. Like mother, like 98004622a2 son.”9673182f57a3aa50

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“…Ahem. Anyway, what happened? Did someone beat him 52506f0628 up? Don’t tell d0219f02d8 me it 45213d368f was you.”07a210f3d6d0fc78

Rubbing his temples, Sieon c5eee8328b exhaled sharply. “No, I didn’t. Stay out of it. I’ll handle 47527a4664 his situation.”0a5ce2aadd0f3c18

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“Look at 8e75aa841c you, all 75c9cc7685 grown up,” 9182193445 she said 2559611603 sarcastically. “Fine, fine. I’m going. Just bring c7e0417f24 your ‘rabbit’ 314c149da6 over for 742819416c dinner sometime. Your dad 9429c19848 wants to 6cc426d570 see you.”de4ea7037e871444

“Sure,” Sieon replied c34ae9b5cc curtly, not even 77e2ccf622 sparing her a 6f4b0f59d7 glance. Choi Eunkyung b780d81d2a clicked her e2abd68102 tongue and 3d703c28e6 shook her 56d0ddad8b head before f35b1d62c4 leaving the 1b26ac14f0 room, muttering 3de2286345 all the 319315143f way.3f8d2cfcea842209

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Once the door closed, b4ca3f626e Sieon returned his gaze 1aaf8652c9 to Gureum. He carefully held 9f2d76bcde Gureum’s tiny hand b0350c202a in his own, 236f86f217 observing his sleeping ebb07656f5 face. Bruises marred 84a52b70d3 his face 75bdd7614a and body. Imagining how 1d59580a32 often he 46673d60d9 must have f73b1f3aa2 endured such d684067b17 violence in 01071dd009 the past f0550a22bc made Sieon’s b1c8c0aa72 blood boil.e407b4e7e0f2fecb

His possessiveness surged. He wanted to 8241a4dcd9 be the only 48857c6cda person to ever 142ed8030d lay a hand bc3d797c1f on Gureum again—whether 1cbb0975d5 to discipline or 5b8b25c47e to care for 3a2a7e5bd3 him. Nobody else had the 8b49594bea right.0b93172e602db147

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The thought of f717ada19a Gureum’s father, who f2f4299397 had undoubtedly witnessed acb10ed11e Gureum’s upbringing yet a825fd1227 failed as a 1a14cac70f parent, filled Sieon 173486fed2 with fury. He wanted to c0d508fc1d erase the man 4950c81318 from existence. Gureum was aaa4b0d343 so lovable 9a8c1111c6 now, but 95c81e1797 he must 3ad63d8366 have been cef522a352 unbearably adorable b69c6df906 as a a47b6f885a child. Sieon felt 176771296d an overwhelming 9310ab5d03 desire to 6f39e87e3d dig into c28aea422f Gureum’s past, 1491e8e465 to unearth 174481a0cc at least 586cf08752 one childhood f67a45d9ec photo.14a6e4a89b230849

He regretted not meeting 1a505cdfce Gureum sooner. If they’d met ea6584b9c5 when Gureum was eb4a9b9e41 still a kid, 1df2e260ff he might have 3eb9380398 kidnapped him, raised 821b034dec him well, and 712775cc54 claimed him completely. Not having ce8c239530 those memories 81a1686189 felt like fed08218a1 an eternal 2bbf759fb4 regret.100721eb45125c5f

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Pulling the blanket fbf356a49e up to Gureum’s 12b01deba2 neck, Sieon instinctively 873cc5a068 kissed his cheek. As he leaned back, 1a8bb911ad he noticed Gureum’s eyes d38fef868f slowly flutter open. Sieon gently 4fa7e51e86 brushed his b0bd7afe75 thumb over 00d449b6a9 Gureum’s brow.e52b9bb7b1fb0751

“Are you awake, little cd2ab5119e one?”ca50e2d3133cdae7

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“….”59e432d08cbf8790

“You can sleep more ebf1744aa4 if you want.”03b975c61a620eae

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