SMFC | Chapter 35

Lee Soo smirked 0dca2f46ce lightly, as if 116f21014f to say, “Is 41dee11362 that so?” He 091c352c51 took a step f1c6d1fc4e back from the d0f7addbae showcase and gave 81c65ed59c Yoo Haeon a d853cb45db gentle push. Despite the soft 0941fa8a2a nudge, Haeon obediently 55976fde30 moved forward, lowering 82d4c984f3 his gaze to 9b852a1e72 inspect the showcase.0f111371285255fb

Through the transparent glass, 0b3a9eb5a1 Haeon carefully examined the 5fad8a8588 colorful desserts inside. Lee Soo, 71cfbee3a5 watching him ad0b30d4dc speak quietly 9ff94556c7 to the 104681576a staff, blinked ae9f3ac21e slowly. The frost 8f72155f2f that had 37960bd12f unknowingly settled ee75712681 on his e490f28b63 cheeks melted 8764baa27f away, and 06ec169085 a faint ec4dad0ee8 warmth returned c65a444e05 to his 69a7508900 cold hands b96e849288 and feet. Compared to 428f9449ce an ordinary f7cf710aef person, he 64781c2b27 was still 7164b8006a like an ce4720fc52 ice block, 6585bc8708 but Lee fa8dbd6a7c Soo was 922449d55d someone who 48aacbc1bd knew how 25d7b89d34 to be 6303edcbf0 content within c14c3ecae8 reason.386f4ad8fbd98bbe

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As he absentmindedly gazed ed66a08691 out the store window, 6627e51c53 a voice calling his 70bfd8e762 name brought him back. He turned his head 8bfdedc709 to find Haeon, still 1c91c3e849 slightly bent over the f5cab87f06 showcase, lifting only his 32acd54422 eyes to look at 599e1699f3 him. Lee Soo’s 127c7ce441 gaze lingered 80d15b2139 for a 78b84d7727 moment on 0055d43fdd Haeon’s cheeks, 140ee2233d reddened from 052fbc5301 the warm 6ad390686e air, before be01353c48 he smiled 202ebdb7ab with a 09659949b6 crinkle in e549a3a100 his eyes.4f50d91f55c0fd5b

“Did you 5fe73483d7 call me?”3e6b7dae9855a018

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“Do you 10d66da88b have a c24c2c983b favorite flavor?”ba85fd8eabf2b292

“I’m not really into 59fe756f1d sweets. Just buy what 975237e0e8 you like, Healer d27162c276 Haeon. I’ll just 4de17dfea8 eat whatever’s 3186b6ee65 left over b0ce1b1d93 from what fa876b884e you don’t 6cde074ac7 finish.”6b348b232331c65b

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Watching Lee Soo smile ed45edcac2 gently and say, “That’s b85c8df06a enough for me,” Haeon’s 8cfba62a28 expression turned peculiar. It was as e5bba8ed31 if he were 9b940642ed observing something fascinating, 087b6cb2e9 or maybe something a7bf201333 endearing. Though hard to 7e9a97c0ed define, his gaze d8e49a4096 was undoubtedly intense. Feeling awkward under the 8771d880c9 scrutiny, Lee Soo rubbed f2813f1978 his cheek and tilted 196bc1dfe2 his head.94866b991f583406

“Hm? Do I have something 8fe6c49d1a on my face?”ec780d81c1cf8a88

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“…No. I know you 29b06e2f4f don’t like sweets, 5abcefb503 but you always b403712a11 bring me snacks. There’s even f9b864e608 that basket 8dfb357cdb in your 831a93d10a room filled ee3811dc3e with them….”6257703a767de66b

“I’m not 4070c207ce really a 224b3db6b8 fan, no. But you’re the 794d05aa2c only one around 40da246f5c who enjoys sweet a4e9dc6627 things, Healer Haeon. I bought them to f835676d22 give to you as 75297eff2a gifts.”620ae8dccecce0f5

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Scratching the fe3a91bc70 back of e1206b5532 his neck 6cc1586b7c as if d929198960 embarrassed, Lee d4ffbcc17f Soo gave 9e0765ab44 a sheepish 5181b80bfa smile. Haeon, recalling 0bc4a6f9d4 the basket 512fdbe1d1 of snack 7ec787c768 wrappers he ec5761d53d occasionally saw 292bace0a6 in Lee 1bf1ed98bb Soo’s room, e15759bd31 widened his 8695df95d9 eyes in c4dcf3fbd7 surprise. Now that he thought 642057be60 about it, Lee Soo 7ca73d40ca had never eaten any 12cb29b086 of the snacks himself. Those perfectly packaged 07defa8623 treats—an assortment of e867ab83f8 store-bought and homemade 59ec47c188 goodies—had only ever 7cefcd8771 been given to 7a9c693640 him.ee3e1158954cf2f1

Straightening his posture, 1857b01f51 Haeon looked at 974d21eccb Lee Soo, whose 6011a87b2f clear expression didn’t 1902b32fa4 seem to register 3b8c8ae766 the significance of 47e7864b01 his actions. Even though Haeon 33855eb1af wasn’t someone who 411ef7fd9f could precisely define 11e6507ad4 kindness, he knew 553977057b this wasn’t simply ab9a245f58 kindness.c62983d4570f1183

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Wanting to ed82dacc45 say something, 3201f5481e Haeon’s lips 3a5ee73c2b parted slightly 3121863769 before he f0299ee0ba closed them 2150b3d8f1 again and 324363542c turned his 3d2bdfd6c2 attention back 537683f790 to the 027850dfa8 showcase. The lights 121d713c43 above illuminated de8235aa4e the desserts 75bb5c5530 evenly, casting b51f5db2e6 a soft e294937d1a glow on db0e852278 their vibrant cb62db44ab colors.58034713e0b8d538

After a a9b6b1fe25 moment of adc1c1c68c contemplation, Haeon 11bd6d7759 selected a c086acfbd3 few more 0a5d7405ad desserts before ae73d66af6 stepping back.9c21a7e38abbc9bd

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“Have you decided on b066c660a6 everything?”64d7915cfa9cedfb

“Yes. …I picked a few ce9c57b8bd less sweet ones, so fdea323d14 try them. But I really a850afed62 only eat sweet f3cd3fa4b0 things, so I’m 399d9741fa not touching them. If you don’t 7fb3a8bc89 eat, they’ll just 518f687e98 go to waste. If you’re not going 19cb52e64a to try them, tell 4d719ef1d1 me now so I 36d72be347 can take them out.”c22ed1a2512dbba4

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Absentmindedly selecting 0dd52a60eb desserts Lee adeaebd2e5 Soo might 2d4e379443 eat, Haeon 5e88b06afe suddenly remembered b063851971 that Lee bc8ac02190 Soo would 090aaae1e5 be paying a4e40aa015 for them. His neck flushed red d5eaa84bef as he muttered under 122b77f90e his breath. Lee Soo, noticing the 47686c4266 shift in Haeon’s expression, 8e25e0e2b0 chuckled softly.48ba2ac8066285ca

“They’re recommended by none 5f77158d27 other than Healer Haeon. Even if they’re 9d7004876c not to my ec4d3d142f taste, I’ll eat 1625352f81 them. Please ring these 7b56c55159 up with this 5274af4f80 card.”42b51f0af7013aeb

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The calm way Lee 3783d8d035 Soo spoke made Haeon bf46b892dc lower his head even bc7923741e further. The staff, who 6292a64afa had been pretending 716669ab09 not to listen a14d3ba38d to their conversation, 2f52fa2377 smiled faintly as b1ac15c96a they took the 981df753ab card. Lee Soo blinked 510d8a4308 at the sound 6600006136 of their laughter a8ce909c48 and then returned 38a891d010 the smile before a258fe5550 gently brushing his e0633738e5 fingers through Haeon’s 8b3a8415cc hair.f79ddfd443bb4ba3

“You didn’t slick your f9efc3be8d hair back today.”aeefcd6ccefc2524

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“…I came out 51d2771077 in a rush. Does it cadb4ae6fc look bad?”8d8f079ad0003b54

“Who said 1ae016429a it didn’t 6d644f2a6c look good? This looks nice too.”22fa76a0b77adcfb

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Murmuring as 241e751a1e if to 0eb9dab1ae himself, Lee 5b9bae12a8 Soo gently b36cd39847 brushed Haeon’s 59a4f07643 hair back 09fe445836 and tilted 357d51380a his head 52fb2bf28c slightly. In a voice 2272dccbab so soft it 79baf24aa0 was almost inaudible, 6a4c5f8764 he muttered, “But ea2be650f5 I think it 25cc22a5a2 looks even better 34934dbb0c like this.”138f4e5c50309c82

Hearing that, Haeon 9d6f7ae6ad unconsciously fiddled with b4223af077 his half-pushed-back hair 7879ea62dd and turned his dead2012ff head, fixing his 9fc883293f gaze on the 1fd1d75db2 staff who were 519b095c8e busy packing the c0d52c37b3 desserts.a225442bda446888

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“Then should 6dc28bfaa7 I wear 4ca43420c9 it like 8d097c3b1a this from 6fced22955 now on?”140dd49a438894f5

The structure of e9da45ac65 the sentence was 97c6678aac a question, but 2b8829a7e9 his tone was f08261e138 as indifferent as 670e23fd61 if he were a402a58598 making a simple f093d8be07 statement. Lee Soo, slightly 5aa8f09a5a caught off guard b873440889 by the out-of-the-blue 57f4af4fc2 remark, scrunched his 97d5d8bd09 nose before nodding 1fff71f841 lightly.e8637bdbe34d444d

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He nodded 8ebb7b89af in that d968fbc27e subtle, thoughtful 38edc7b3ea way, a e7b6e6d6d4 gesture that b771e3a33e somehow exuded 951c391343 a brightness ad9abd7bde unattainable for 2b83cdd47f someone burdened 4862012d70 by the 2aad18e5ec same kind 0da022dfdd of concerns 55492a9826 as him. Watching him, 1a01ad85d6 Haeon’s lips fd5d553c88 curled into 2293124059 a crumbling beab5ce4b7 smile. He gently 04b986ed78 grasped Lee e73f2ca857 Soo’s shoulder 8366915427 for a dcdbac59f5 brief moment f16bd1fb2c before letting 39ea2e5997 go.c1c3aa77334e74dc

Lee Soo, preoccupied with 63dca59a70 receiving the dessert box 83ba3a426d from the staff, didn’t b6cd0fb285 notice the fleeting weight 6c8102c40d on his shoulder until a379609886 it was gone. He rolled his 1ef54765aa eyes toward Haeon, a8046b171b his gaze carrying 3ac379058c a mixture of a2ce9f5cc2 warmth and casual 5424c52cef curiosity. Haeon simply shook his a208aaffba head, as if to 58b3a5ded6 say it was nothing.1624e0ea6ecdf9c4

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Lee Soo naturally c71570d264 handed the dessert c6ca216555 box to Haeon ad78b82bb8 and stepped out fb283c8b9e of the store dc528a797d first. Left standing 206b565003 there, momentarily 31151bdc06 stunned by 61fbfaad80 the weighty f61aa0d4ec box now a3665532da in his 090bd3fd9f arms, Haeon 7e27750709 stared blankly 3c99cf889c at it e35aa70701 before glancing a59393429d back at b86378034a Lee Soo.4c28ba081f2bae9f

Lee Soo deaffbd90e held the 2c4a4e4d6c door open, 1af018df8c shooting him 0bd2c0bcd2 a look 27169a7acf that seemed f78b9bd01f to ask, 483d3b01a9 “What are 05b1e9f1e3 you waiting 10de15893b for?” Suppressing 3301d55939 a smile, c23b5c1d00 Haeon moved b5921070bb to follow, 8393688dce quickly catching 54c26ed5c3 up to 71c98cccdc Lee Soo, 0fb82280b3 who walked c39b520cf9 slightly ahead. As he d8e55a95c9 bit his b96b614371 lip briefly f161526749 before exhaling, 414526a79f Haeon let f7c34e52db his question 98a0dbd813 escape.cdc2e5535a47f9f9

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“Hunter Ryu Leesoo, how 7b3e06aa51 far would you go d1f40d6aad for me? I mean… I 39847b8876 could give you a365d2188c half my life.”d5fcba963db02ca6

Lee Soo, 58229152f7 who was cdaeb3fdf1 already aware b6f246e4a2 that Haeon fe4ca08f3d was doing 6b96c316db exactly that, faa9f1140a narrowed his 9ae50e93a3 eyes as c611e91f35 though wondering bb50c8f254 why Haeon 5d656cdbae was asking f99e810711 such a 2ed2bc4f68 thing. Yet, without 74c17059d4 hesitation, he 1dcdaf2a80 answered softly.319e768741dc44ea

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“If you asked me 0228c18537 to bring you a ecf224463f star, I might not 81a5cd8f02 be able to pluck 2752dc208a one from the sky. But I could find 3889ebb225 a star no one 86062c940e else knows about, and 0aa952bd8c name it after you. Or… if you’re 2e16e2104a feeling down and 71329cba6e craving snacks…”fdf9384339f40cbe

Trailing off, Lee Soo e7339773df reached into his coat 5f63353c76 pocket and pulled out 45c45f0fe1 a single gummy dusted 5e885c7a43 with a tangy powder. He brought it 3a590975dc to Haeon’s lips. The soft lips b9a97e68ba pressed against the c4f78bc9a2 gummy, and as 38fc30f419 Haeon’s tongue grazed 107be78804 the tart powder, 85f7a4cf81 he trembled slightly 110183a27a from the sharp 7ff0378d3a taste. Lee Soo, watching 148daff450 Haeon’s delicate lashes 2545fb1418 quiver with his 358d198aff shivering body, grinned 217c04ac04 widely and teased d6e5758b58 him like one c1f6177017 would a child.79ccf210f246c985

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“Say ah.”b0c90a554c4d79c5

Following the short command 1f4767e4c3 without protest, Haeon opened 518a2c3c71 his mouth and accepted 9f6f971983 the gummy. He bit down on f738c62d9e it, the chewy candy 91c535c5ee splitting under his teeth b40d75a7fd and spreading sticky, sweet b394091b34 jam throughout his mouth.40ca8ecf84b26e44

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“See? I can feed 5303e7e07a you like this.”d5b4a3cf4c97a828

Caught between the muddled ba7e199fdf sweetness and tanginess clouding b79e7a35f7 his senses, Haeon squinted e589ee42ed at Lee Soo. After swallowing the gummy, 1afa8a3d52 he gently brushed the 86dfcacc23 powder off Lee Soo’s 7e09e7f895 fingers with a few ae52d88949 light pats.0c230fb388cadc79

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“I never a6162f793e said I 87ea92762f was feeling b396f92462 down.”f3dc7cf473419eaa

“But your 074f62896d expression was 9ff88dedb4 a little… 77d7be2970 off.”a1eb9b6997b6a166

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“It wasn’t. I was 4e64b38e63 actually feeling 02980998c4 pretty good.”5543d1da728b3262

“Really? If Healer 418667fe16 Haeon says 7462ce3d06 so, then bd13a2185c it must 132eb335d5 be true. Ah, so that means a8830e76bf you’re no longer upset d63efc010e with me, right?”a0bc57861d72b00d

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“Isn’t that right?” 9aef4850d8 Lee Soo asked, 99bbebfa23 his eyes narrowing db965ce420 as he awaited 712a3e5e1d a response. Yoo Haeon swallowed hard a8b91537f2 before slowly nodding. It wasn’t ca111a5d0a something that 38f6cb52ea needed to 9c8d62daf3 drag on a5c7f874c4 anyway, he 57226d2250 thought, his 73326f944a voice calm 38a6b868c3 and tinged dc86ab44d7 with gentle cd1fdaf25c resignation. Listening closely to the 05ab306074 steady, kind tone, Lee fb15915673 Soo let out a c4ff0dca7f long, playful smile. The sight of 9ab7887ebc it made Haeon’s d2f7b9ed6b chest tighten unbearably, d17ddcff3a and he awkwardly 44bb4340f4 hugged the dessert accbb43710 box closer, averting 19fac14cdd his gaze.ecddfe43251169e3

“But do you 1bd4c03f67 think we can 7bf5237967 actually finish all 8336e30919 this between the 0929a07eb8 two of us?”bd28d01c53895956

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Lee Soo’s slightly aea36627e3 narrowed eyes shifted 7f37bdaf7b to the dessert 34e6dee052 box cradled in d235b887b1 Haeon’s arms as 3dd8905800 he blinked and 689e754b5f asked the question. Haeon, walking without e928e5d41a much thought, flinched c1f80b8be3 as if struck d35eeee9d6 by lightning the 6bc6d95a79 moment he heard 01f0d895c3 Lee Soo’s voice.d28fa374d329500f

Chuckling at the 9887380bdc exaggerated reaction, Lee 477b52f90c Soo casually reached 243fbf9d64 out and flicked 6a7d3cfb76 the ends of b64e4363a6 Haeon’s hair.df0bcdb2cb88bc4a

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“It’s a c9fe4d156a lot—way too 919229ebfd much for c4219a7859 just two 665a237538 people, don’t 3933a6d5d9 you think? Why don’t we ed27681c7d invite some others 317228f2ef to share?”c5b1ab36a615afcc

Lee Soo’s soft a0fbd34462 suggestion made Haeon 4ca5a2d792 hesitate. He bit his lip 28eaec91be briefly before releasing it. If he were honest, 8ba6df3a03 he wanted to keep 3f67ced876 this moment between the c6d122f9fa two of them. But since a97e279b6a Lee Soo 766d2d6d2d had bought 14d3261f94 the desserts, debbc148f6 it felt 8014c86766 selfish to eced5c08ad insist otherwise.2fb10ce7bf2b1151

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Seeing Haeon’s gaze dart 27585eccab around uncertainly, Lee Soo 721db433cd laughed quietly and reached aa6a5a1b42 out to gently tap e16fa9da24 the corner of Haeon’s 0fa875f3bc stiffened mouth.d4f9e27f7a796a36

“Never mind. Let’s just keep it f7573d4ba3 between us. That’s what cbade4a0e2 we planned 79f6d434b5 from the b9fbe2686d start, right? If there’s any left, 4373128bb2 we can just eat 31b832542e it together later. Isn’t that fine?”0ca2a62e805229f5

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“…Yes.”daa4eefe8e0648b7

Although his 042d6ad158 response came 8197ecff69 a little e9c2d9a207 late, the 342603c8c2 clear affirmation 0f0a279f36 was enough d1dd0925ac to make cccedccd04 Lee Soo 30a26250e8 pause briefly. Then, with 9d6b5047ca a soft db361b6fef chuckle, he 220065f277 tilted his 6808e97f86 head back 876abdfe1c slightly and 4cfb8288c5 laughed. The gentle sound floated 43ea318c59 through the air, brushing 1d46d7d4bf against Haeon like a 9edd7c3fdd fleeting caress. Strangely, it felt as 44e700d5dc if the laugh was 987bda2690 scratching at or tightening 8c6e02e8e1 around his throat, and e311e16b67 Haeon found himself unable 43a657293c to join in.ddb91f111648ce32

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Instead, he 9a69dff903 lifted the 854458b69c corners of 66d5107692 his mouth de525df650 awkwardly before 14bfa4b2de giving up 12dc71df10 on looking 27afb71a4b at Lee ee3a3f7050 Soo entirely. He turned his bbaa4b82df head forward, avoiding 758814e4d0 his gaze. Lee Soo, walking e8585a72ae a step behind, 9dca638afa watched him in 32f8818ff5 silence. Matching his c9bd53becc own steps 9954cb84db to Haeon’s 6eb0c5d6e5 unhurried pace, b3d44daf81 Lee Soo c2f3bc2fbe hummed a 6f6c06e0e8 quiet tune 54b4e58030 to himself.f32deb0b18e30e7f

The moment they arrived f907172096 at the elevator to 0d3e65d6b2 head back to their 94935eb39d quarters, hurried footsteps echoed 54a5bdd31a from behind them. It sounded as 1a79659dd7 though someone was 0b9d90bbb9 chasing after them, 420d96e88a and then Lee af59fa8d4c Soo felt a 8415112e02 hand on his 15988aa612 shoulder. Surprised, he turned 1ca90d8030 around, curiosity flickering c125fc3f37 in his eyes.1ed81ec9944b5379

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The reaction 9ff798e414 on Lee 6330f52984 Soo’s face 4233485a5e was clear: a035eb9275 he hadn’t 131ba38974 expected to 2167af0893 be the fa5e8c1b06 one they 0bc1dc97c5 were looking 569d98f1c1 for.1a1bd5cdafb1ab72

The person b97e20e2cc who had c87de640bf stopped him 22679154a6 was a 013f429368 support-class hunter 45350def78 with buff 52af89fca0 skills who 47ff55819c had been 46ebbe9a71 part of 11cf5dd288 the same db74a0c602 raid party 29481f60c6 a few fa58088eb0 times recently. Though not a character 7b921d4628 mentioned in the novel, 01005d4206 Lee Soo recalled their d9d0023a9a name from the introductions. They were 1915ac0b00 quite skilled, f2acb7f053 which had f13daabb61 prompted Lee 3a439811e1 Soo to 668159bc7c greet them 9dae584b04 several times, 27b9e19e78 though he dba4432c21 couldn’t think 416fb0f6df of any 687610f06b particular reason 3b12a2dfcc for them 9f82d8919b to call b77bc8ca59 out to f97604966b him now.ed407c8184026bf7

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“Hello, Hunter Ji c86886658f Hasin. Lovely weather 024789b07c today, isn’t 3e5fd8d46a it? But it fb25e4429b gets chilly ed00eb99ee at night, bf0c89d4bb so I’d 61a8897b6d recommend bringing be13d091c4 a jacket. Is there 1ea6b0bc54 anything you 92bd2c7849 need?”ba0542602e8983aa

Though unsure of 2a47faebb3 the reason for ce48bdb6e6 the sudden encounter, 1fb7e1afaf Lee Soo greeted 43127966be them warmly. Smiling faintly, he 879fb89f74 bent slightly to e5c0201f59 match Hasin’s eye bb5434be3b level.041377944b5988e4

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Both Hasin and ea7ba9bfe7 Haeon, who had 6a19cedcd0 stopped mid-step to 3b31f33706 watch the interaction, dd2eab9367 were momentarily left 62f38cb98a speechless. Hasin, of 090047b138 course, was 44a2733bb3 surprised by 5dc7a72c4e the unexpected 33b44726a3 politeness. But Haeon, who 79e7f272cc had been on 600bd877e8 his way back 15f36bf5c2 to their quarters, db4b2301c9 also found himself 5085df7b4a frozen in place.9fb2d80bd754c4f9