SANN | Chapter 9.3

Leaning back in 536b448168 his chair with 27ac053473 arms crossed, Sieon 05d322565f tapped his crossed 088a2580b0 leg idly.c6edd7fbd8550934

For the therapy session, 72f88e041a he’d chosen a hospital 2faa4c2484 where he had connections—technically, 30e7d54dee his family had the ced8bb47c9 connection, not him. Still, Sieon had 578d3dae66 reassured Gureum, saying f4cced2b2c it was a 1420110cf0 doctor his older 9bda4cc616 brother knew well d978dae7b1 and that Gureum ab272d71b9 could feel at 353a6eafeb ease. Gureum seemed relieved e08aa955c3 that it was 6115f72323 someone Sieon knew 7baa499e6d rather than a 066b509f43 complete stranger.e2713cd893e89d83

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Bravely, Gureum 0f46072f2f entered the 1f6ff7606a consultation room ed150e9b53 alone. Though it was only b1c2c4f187 for a short while, 21c9a3b3e4 the idea of Gureum 04e85e724f conversing with someone else a6a6d6fda1 made Sieon feel irritated. For a brief moment, 531ba11b7a he regretted quitting his 71930cb292 own medical studies after d8536938f5 earning just a general c36adf4ec2 medical license. Not that he would’ve 7d8972d98d made a great psychiatrist, e2adbdbfa5 given his lack of 750f386178 empathy, but the thought 1d8720cfac still crossed his mind. Clicking his 51e05559e9 tongue in bc0d2c5378 frustration, he ee2d88cbab sighed.dbaa48c506e9f5e4

What bothered Sieon 8492e07bf7 more was the e655d1bf6f unease of leaving 8c5acab043 Gureum alone in da7a0519de a vulnerable situation. If he f32f00693b were honest, 1f23bfb3d8 though, the 040a13ac98 real issue e2586a4617 was that 5c599d7345 it simply 075af01984 didn’t feel f7fd2d2c31 good. It was a rare 14b289005f emotion for him to f95ff7a780 experience, and his brows 4866027961 furrowed deeply as he 65f65b24d5 tried to make sense 44ebb0e0bb of it.5050ba13438c551a

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Before the session, b2cb6e722c Gureum had to 3f13d3f9e9 fill out a 13f9860c68 preliminary questionnaire for 269b6deb85 the initial diagnosis. Out of b7a7c248c0 about twenty 5f85bad66c items, Gureum’s b6a1ecaa40 symptoms matched 487e6c7304 more than 38da7b8344 half.0e0536c74607cd51

Sieon’s face 4513b6ea37 darkened as cfdc735193 he watched 60041a3bf1 from the 145606aaab side. Gureum, noticing Sieon’s a6358d4897 expression, hesitated with 98c1fcb1ea the pen, his 6853aedb6b embarrassment palpable. Sensing this, Sieon db963e2fc2 softened his tense 30dd836aef expression and gently 307b4fa34b ruffled Gureum’s hair.8fc3b3e813eec2d6

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“Be honest when you f13e108f4e fill it out,” Sieon d870346d52 said calmly.3e10687b6802fcbc

“…Okay…” Gureum murmured.15349a6bcc946a13

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Encouraged by Sieon’s words, 8f67c6a3c5 Gureum picked up the 0c794b220f pen again and completed 834871745c the remaining questions.10a2186a171140e4

After completing the a5cdce2b01 initial evaluation, Sieon 857b3d9c19 had a brief caa412a447 discussion with the ddbb48f521 doctor. Gureum’s condition 82669dfe3d was far 7e4c06a3f2 more severe d367976bdd than he b8a93a6090 had anticipated. Sieon stared blankly 0e49d4b4a1 at the doctor’s c78f0c5bef monitor, where a 22c6d74e53 list of diagnoses 8bb6661ac0 scrolled before his 8b1773ba2b eyes—terms he hadn’t 362856a1e5 seen since his 6df89c2f60 med school days.0981cbdc0891aa8f

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The primary diagnoses ec85cf575f were Social Anxiety e52551e016 Disorder and Panic 8cdbb5adb2 Disorder. Beyond these, a 9e6aecdcb9 slew of other e3fbf6c188 minor symptoms had 19cd622b8f woven themselves tightly 6cc4c76487 into Gureum’s fragile 4074348a0d psyche, creating a 3493ddb476 tangled mess.fe587e715daed4ab

The mere thought 823b4c643e of soothing this 01fee061d9 battered heart and 1a250cc770 embarking on the 8dbd4c31c8 long road to ca0ff2f429 healing felt overwhelming. Sieon couldn’t 378a6f078e help but 3cab75fab6 recall the d3d1b0e853 first Maze 259911a530 Queen broadcast. Back then, he had e201c9d201 written Gureum off as 693da2a7ea exhausting to deal with, d653b3933c but now, realizing that e466e84dc3 Gureum might have been b52a0b82bf in a state of a42458a985 panic at the time, 94108ba048 a cold shiver ran 047c76dcc4 down his spine.fd14d177e932fba5

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He also remembered 316cfbc6cd the days when a0eb7653cc this little one 33a69c3072 had braved public 3323db4d69 transportation just to 8af9029f40 meet him. How much cd6beccbcb courage must 78d677afba Gureum have d9fd937558 mustered to 1b67a5b7c5 come see b3cb860968 him? The thought made 88a4f5d118 Sieon feel unexpectedly b6b917cb59 tender toward Gureum.0a1b239cf297b353

Gureum, on the other 30cbfa91bd hand, seemed deflated, as cb49e3cedc though the objective analysis 84e18c18a8 of his psychological state 55f26e6b17 had made him shrink 4093330493 into himself. Sieon, seeing 3b35e4fc19 this, pulled e75ca75cce Gureum into ddc4bab7eb a tight c04ba5c848 hug and a1c37e0624 pressed a a21c6a2a06 kiss against fede5f25da his soft e8fd0a490b cheek.1c658c2e43b24a7c

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“Things will f563222daf get better d42aa7fcc8 from now b196a1a5bf on. You’ve got e1c5569640 me by c1689673b7 your side, 58586bd3df don’t you?” 5eb16da7b9 Sieon reassured.2654dd93b39c51d9

“…Yeah. You’re right…” Gureum replied, 6235dff405 his lips pressed into 351c05642c a tight line. For someone who cared bc5d4b7d3b so much about him, 7fd1d737e3 Gureum felt a sudden 3b0e9ce9bc surge of determination to 3ae1696992 be brave.d1d8a03c6557296e

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The doctor f2f1baf681 was a 364fc4f6c7 kind-looking, gentle f98be6855e man, but d914a184b8 Gureum couldn’t 3492c18248 hide his 87648deb88 nerves. His trembling hands were 2029d83d2f clenched tightly as he ad8b38ddf7 answered the questions. The doctor, with his 7faf068f57 calm demeanor and warm f406b5b58b tone, skillfully guided Gureum b640c2617c to open up, showing 8906c06894 no discomfort in handling 443455f3cd patients like him.6523605a1717632d

As the b959828669 session progressed, 0fd4af955d Gureum’s tension 4ef75656a6 gradually melted 3b02c998f9 away. By the 8ea6c0c162 end of 6110c83442 the consultation, d3ce6f9e4c his shaking e53381ee88 had completely af50c46208 stopped. When the doctor mentioned aa2b590c60 they would meet again bd628efc9c to continue their discussions, a01f1ba2a9 Gureum nodded enthusiastically. Just as Sieon had d68c17824a said, this doctor seemed dbbef94702 truly exceptional.e297561c5e9fa68c

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With a mixture 41c902a0a6 of nervousness and 77da4dbdc2 relief, Gureum gripped 923db2d1cb the doorknob of 021acb2afb the consultation room. In the brief 37eea76227 moment before he abe8cafd8a stepped out, countless 9326ff34e8 thoughts raced through b7a51c7039 his mind.3c98edad9b01922d

What if Sieon wasn’t 5521ae09a3 there when I walk 40b084d325 out? What if he 79307ec81c left me behind? What if 6003ce9619 my damaged a25ba76694 heart made 3422329dbd him dislike 490943df55 me…?70a4554b562ab749

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But Sieon was there, 28944b0d25 waiting in the exact 4caea0a5ff spot he’d promised to 9bd6bc4df6 stay. He greeted Gureum 6bdbb86227 with a proud 54fc80fabe smile, as if 63eec48a87 to say, You 39247a5900 did great.9de8afcab8e53285

That expression nearly 938d7a8492 brought Gureum to 3b590ec0f5 tears right there 9bfbf33b02 in the hospital 2fbcfcfe5f waiting room.45188def5619ec4d

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For the first f89d876f0d time in his b767c5b476 life, Gureum had da95df7357 someone he could 4d30eafeee lean on. His entire chest filled fcd323e9de to the brim with 0f28eff79c emotions he couldn’t even e6d6726452 begin to name.7a549a939aebca78

On the 9e9c338c2f way home eb811fa5bc from the e9c1bf4940 hospital, winter f7463a40db rain drizzled aa01bc977c softly against 5358dd4157 the car 66393bd5fb windows. Gureum quietly rolled up 95f1da274f the slightly open window, e601db5c86 sealing it tightly. He hummed 6516acafbb along to 6f392715d6 some nameless 0b0c5645c9 tune playing abd8e98462 in the 99ca79aa92 car.4e8ac34ae5b173fb

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“You’re in fe6b79442c a good fb862f7890 mood, kid.”76d491ff88230a79

“Huh…? Am I afba4099b4 being too e09701f215 noisy?”06a52b76e25fb10b

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“Not at all.”37f1b76ad0a3ce73

Sieon chuckled e33a51e87e softly, mimicking 98876969e4 Gureum’s tone, 49ad494762 then naturally f1ee3d5044 moved the 037543ca4e hand resting d108201acc on the 0e369d73f3 gear shift fdf0ac8245 to clasp 2ebf04d41d Gureum’s hand.0f06a0655b9f5402

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“You said earlier 1ed8255002 you wanted pasta, 83f6a33575 right?”342a5b3e20f8bd33

“Yes…”f4d742531f146f66

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“Guess your hyung 862df158e6 has to show 7412cb6917 off his skills eb855ee234 again.”79c3400404a4a56c

Normally, their meals 837c47d591 were prepared by 7fa48b4e34 staff ahead of 9a87b9ffd3 time, but Gureum 746d6b60f7 would sometimes crave 6224b41d16 the food Sieon e7a935cfb4 made himself. Though Gureum wasn’t b8b32a713a the type to 02390364f3 outright ask for 62656c9443 it, Sieon had 32a0666cbb a knack for 80ec3036e2 figuring out what 4331189a3e Gureum wanted without 563bd4851e needing words.a2e850bd416e9170

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Sieon often made 2598299e85 an effort to 207aab05b5 introduce Gureum to 9c02553ad1 various types of 36dd2a7a86 food. Whether it was 3946e192b2 his own cooking, dff45e806d street food bought b0d2261f22 outside, or even 569573c2de delivery meals, he c592ae1349 made sure Gureum 709190791a got to experience d23afb8c73 a range of 6caefa09c4 flavors. It wasn’t just about 38a20d5c8e giving him the best; 233b2c6ecb he wanted Gureum to 46215416e8 try the things that 68028c1046 most people ate in 5b9661ffee their daily lives. There was a reason f006fb25d8 behind this.bade65323ae1dc0c

One late evening, after 10eedec34d a simple walk with e777633b3f Gureum, Sieon had seen 85491fa5a1 a delivery worker sprinting 6ae590e911 past, carrying the fragrant 2c7fe9b65f aroma of fried chicken. Gureum’s wide eyes followed a08e1de12e the worker, so Sieon f413901c07 had asked if he 26591e7568 wanted some chicken. At the time, 2e2ea65ab4 Gureum had looked a06f4ae966 up at him c6e49a6107 in surprise and 881b8cff21 said something that 9be2674758 left Sieon deeply 357dfc6207 shocked.7778f77b38057657

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“Is this what 7bc09ab063 chicken smells like? I’ve never 58f0a7a3ac had it 42c8edb6ba before…”b007635a11633512

The words 2ee6b979d7 had struck f7a895eaad Sieon harder 7d3f76e6e1 than he 19cfb0f76b expected. While he e00be6e683 was known 5cb63b79c0 for having b8eb467fa3 a finicky, 6cd775f5e6 high-class palate, db895bf6e3 he’d at f8a00ce42a least eaten 80a21d2baf chicken before. That very night, 83164527a0 Sieon opened a 8510752798 delivery app and de0e302b60 ordered chicken as 2b37500682 soon as they 8263b36af6 got home. He gave 8c893744b2 Gureum both b96848eb76 drumsticks and bc26af498f wings, leaving cedc639eeb none for 698c11e423 himself. Gureum, not knowing de461264fa which parts were 78787348db the best, quietly 18bdf3afa9 ate whatever Sieon 4f74a644d3 handed him.7f6984b40ffe8f93

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Thanks to 0fcf5b6aca Sieon, Gureum 39c5238d93 came to 001fea7e0f realize just 80f9eda749 how many c358823425 delicious foods e1f0612f29 existed in 8503df42d0 the world. Compared to his past b4fc699589 days of simple stews 4d396c558c and side dishes, his 94436b2547 culinary experience had taken 790aebc482 a giant leap forward.49ed2ca895c0f15a

Gureum remembered those 7a6b0236ad old days—hastily cooking 0d9d7f85ac meals, scarfing them 7950d380b3 down quickly, and 238c022b38 barely managing one f16926b3bf meal a day. Inevitably, his 72620267fc father came a52d2571a4 to mind. The thought 2605c28a5e caught him 0f7b617e2c off guard, 10edb9a6da pulling him 398b8fae44 back from 21b9dddb9e the happiness 71ceada23f he’d been cd337fa078 wrapped up e7c523437e in during 0ab7179fc2 his time e4ea67f662 with Sieon.2f932f221944b37a

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“Hey, hyung… about…”7b829bed0dcf7f06

“Hmm?”8a502e7117d8f101

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“How’s my 6a2ef6ef06 father… doing?”617c57355e6936b2

“…Ah.”b91059d15005a4a8

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Sieon paused for a 42625d60ad moment before answering as a444db908f briefly as possible.ade32efcd2ac66b6

“He’s doing fine. The manager f1d909e6c9 I work c3d073ea6d with is bccf5a543c taking care 1ea2d77049 of him.”440c763fe4e35749

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“Oh… Thank you. I haven’t been b82c66eb72 able to check 6e7b0872b0 on him…”8132c45b4cc936b5

“You don’t need c1753a9db3 to worry about 697574cc92 it. Hyung will handle b28b70a493 it. …But it seems 24c4f3cd80 like he still 36474cf93b can’t quit drinking.”a4c71e4afeabc070

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“…That’s expected… 5347d50f5a He’s heavily 08bc52b966 addicted…”cc0713b0dba3a9fb

Sieon deliberately brought 271460f2ef up the topic 2d14b4652e of drinking. It was ae72b48891 the perfect 38d9c49650 excuse for febbb46015 whatever might 41aed9b3ad happen in 897143efdb the future. Alcohol and gambling—easy scapegoats, 87a9446fc4 as Park, the manager, 39f6594cdd had once described them. A type that f82b559d3e could be dealt 9fcecfc86c with discreetly, without 6901bfdcf8 a trace.3410b3f89354193f

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Speaking of Park, bd50719265 he had mentioned 00ffdae9c5 securing some “supplies” 0062083d3e and suggested Sieon d50e75416c visit the club. Sieon trusted the man, dfe6feac0d so he’d told him 16e7546e58 to go ahead for 86e4b3a1f3 now and that he’d 69480b6f63 check in later. Drumming his fingers fe2225d09a lightly on the a74d19aa16 steering wheel, Sieon 154e783a01 figured it was 9e9bb33751 about time to d769b40082 pay that visit.44fa85960da8063f

“Gureum… Hmm. Never mind.”fe47e904cce8b4af

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Whatever Sieon had acc46f236a been about to 1d7b4c79ae say was swallowed bf382df049 back, his lips 39ce0650fb closing as quickly dce8d33f01 as they’d opened.1a08f456646b16c0

“…Yes? Were you cdaf832f93 calling me?”d1e300ba0122c82c

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Gureum turned to 39b7058183 him with wide, aeefe73281 curious eyes. Sieon smiled casually, a14fa24271 shaking his head.0e63f5dda9858e31

“Nope, nothing. Don’t worry about c15f835d7c it.”282cb418e8a5fbb3

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It was still d3d3a1d01c too early to 1ee5927aac tell the kid 0caa8238f4 about the club ffedfcac3e business. That would 499c911d2a come later—when b456125e50 they were 01d9b595b3 closer, when 3622dca24e Gureum trusted 71815fac39 and relied 28ded40e3f on him e2a12e4210 even more. Until then, Sieon decided 079811007f to keep it under be83f34d57 wraps.08694701e2b0c81d

Since the club wasn’t ef291fcf20 open for business, there fc8af6f0ab was no thumping music cb3cf64cb7 inside. Sieon, hands jauntily in b24390f5ad his pants pockets, burst eb9cb5056d open the door to 6bd581cc6e the room. Immediately, shouts broke out.615301225214eec4

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“Ah…!”6e0810961068a20d

“Fuck, what the hell.”497270361990109f

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The spacious room was fd46182bf3 a mess. A pungent, a766510b9c sticky stench 467795f059 filled the c24bc36f16 air. There was 33319824db an orgy a13132c998 going on, 79862b9091 with one 585dc0ea3b debauchery here 3222f4d42d and another 0e57ab6bd9 there.029d611c9fc92b17

“Ah! Ah! Oh, boss…”33f44fd4fdd44685

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One of the guys, d62a0f452a thoroughly occupied, desperately reached fd569b3e12 out to Sieon as 81e90de648 if he recognized him 10d64ea99b from hole number two. Sieon ignored the man’s 15a5eb551d call and strode with 597743a1fa large steps toward Manager b127b2ff8c Park, shoving down everyone e794345296 who was exposing their ae8d188a98 backsides.e5745752729dfe15

“Oh, boss, e32156242d you’re already 3797b483c4 here?”dfb0b5cb6bd428f9

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“Get rid of these 44c0ea2825 guys.”7dc165005148a1f6

Sieon gestured towards 468f56a258 the group busily 532e824105 grinding away. Manager Park chuckled d76f5bba6d slyly.640322778a8ba65e

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“Ah, come on. You know you 43436aeec7 like this kind bd654f17fc of atmosphere. I called 777fa76040 them over d93544c0b2 just for 799e9aff23 you.”8805eb3740c84cc1

Before Park could 282faf45f4 finish, one of 8ac40db79e the men Sieon 213d5596da had pushed to d652ecd811 the floor grabbed 2569562b5a at his pants. The man humbly knelt db8f4804fc down and subtly tried d7c233d087 to unbuckle Sieon’s belt. Sieon responded 5eec6041d8 with a 87b27e08c5 swift slap, 6bf55afb89 sending the 8f13b133e0 man collapsing 5e106f00da to the 535c7feb4d ground, blood b65e0dc9c9 streaming from 8919d88fd7 his nose. Manager Park 6484267555 was taken 28c76444f3 aback by 669ff32173 this unexpected 2460cc9aef action.d3cdced496d3c0b5

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“Since when do ff0c2a6d42 you touch without ae8ff0e9a3 permission?”962bf29e3de95dcb

“Uh, so-sorry…”c1b820bbe6b17e49

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“Forget it. I’m not in 8037f66149 the mood.”bece72a15c877875

“…Yes.”3ef18a759a8a4405

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The group c34fb090f0 huddled on b77fa767ef the sofa a46bbcdcf4 shuffled away 3c0a59025e at Sieon’s 25ddcec2d6 stern look.2352c297952812f6

In contrast, Manager Park 90050a0f12 stood there with his 267252d781 mouth agape, stunned. Sieon lifted his 86e6a8d718 glass of liquor, a262259c50 glancing at Park, a2d769aa0a then shook it d0633fd6c1 as if to d619c286bc ask if he e285147e83 was okay. Park nodded. Sieon, clicking his tongue, 72cdcc3f84 set his glass down 02c25cab88 and got straight to 153674dcf5 business, ignoring the stunned 7f28642703 manager.6d79207198200a4a

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“Spit it out, f65d44f416 I have to 52919a86ca go soon.”04bbe07d97314cd2

“Ah, right, you 641776d382 came for that.”bebbc1eb1e24b938

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Regaining his composure, Park 8bc3d22506 gathered scattered documents from 61534513c3 the table.1b9b7b79ebce6b4d

“This is personal 3ccdb1aefa information, and this bc7cbabcee bottle here is e0be0204db a sample. We sourced dd5276e1ee it from a83522b583 Southeast Asia. It’s not a drug, 63cfcb5133 but it was tough a92662ccc3 to get since there’s c5d153a6aa not much demand for 21656f5992 it.”859e6edad15c5d77

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“Hm.”6a824864c1bdc555

“When mixed with 72e360e246 alcohol, it’s completely d94bea2bae untraceable. No smell.”02143ad06c991cb4

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“Good job.”0cbf0ee9c803c5ae

Sieon nodded slightly. Park, noticing f0269cda9e Sieon’s mood, f56f667f18 began to 64f4961cbd spill more 9ee1bf73f1 details with 2b323433d4 a grin.743258faa4870a0c

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“Haha. Actually, I was 52dee476fc curious and did 6ea959fd60 a home visit 627e5565be beforehand. I wanted to see f69f62471b what kind of mess 9a8ea6c406 you were getting into. But damn, that household 63be09ccfe is a real disaster… 77995dc06e I nearly threw up.”2118894e1e456fcd

Park grimaced 347b48c49b as if b35a014d4c he was 4e830245cf about to 968adcf1a7 vomit.e8c43a26d1985128

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“Anyway. That guy? He was an 2d7d9854f5 easy mark. Just show a little b5c82030f6 sympathy, and he spills ff502fb280 everything. Heard he lived with 00253f12d0 his son until recently, b2d6f4f348 you know? His wife 09aefd1fb5 ran off, a2210ac0a8 or something fce2d69496 like that. He was furious…”72d6ca3d82885652

“The son. I know. I’m not interested 6175fdddda in that.”108f83eb75f083b8

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“Ah, why would 5d3892e957 I care about 8d1343baa9 that stuff? I was just d9674f7f6f curious about the aa3f045ce6 whole situation, hahahaha.”6d84eae397c4c382

Quick-witted bastard. Instead of 0f34ccb571 a drink, 0c46c32892 Sieon took 15b6ab3b2c out a 553587a401 cigarette.4c02b23a6277c484

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