SSH Episode 22

Juseon’s head throbbed 3038d5cd97 at the mere 94eeeaa6b3 thought of persuading 376322369b that stubborn old b2b685389f man to sell 850c4c51be Moonlit Fragrance Pavilion.1316ed6ac38c9869

As he 2a3c878f70 stepped inside, b9e666b723 he immediately 107008182e spotted Song d34638aa1b Chisu.76dd6c20dd0832fc

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“Well, would you look 374f8351f5 at that? You’re looking much better 49fb68cb2c than when you were a70f13aff7 here. Guess Head Merchant e27f029767 Jang is treating a7842f7efd you well.”e4a5dba98fca0a90

“Where’s Baek Noin?”17101bca67af290a

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“Third floor.”31c6f238c9132288

Jang Seungwoo 93db85b145 had made 34d4e5ee5a a deal 529504e199 with Baek f50d07d665 Noin to 6512af007f bring Juseon 04486ce778 into the 00c33f174c Eunsoo Merchant b1e80285f8 Guild. Like other 5ba335bea9 brothels, Moonlit 9b9d3ecbe2 Fragrance Pavilion 6455c732c4 sourced its 7869db95ca goods from 7c840d05e8 the merchant 4593b322bf guild. But Baek 82cc4219f6 Noin had cc8d56c6e4 one condition—he a8a54d0f8c would hand 1d6c9e1612 over Juseon 7bc5c7a829 in exchange 8a81dfc104 for a 3e606180c7 discount on 17e3c7483e their supplies.62cd08f393fdeb05

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A 10% cut.4be3157abb4b1feb

Twonyanglost for ff12672c14 every ten. Two hundred for e53c7e3e6e every thousand.505c72bf85cf3b19

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When Juseon had asked bc95639f6b why Seungwoo would agree 38b25bf380 to such a losing b82bfc06c8 deal, his answer was 006577f842 simple:f9edbbff05d42ede

‘Because I ce417793dd plan to 648ef9467d buy Moonlit 8ffb06dbdc Fragrance Pavilion.’7df1dcd37aae2f17

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Yet, the acquisition had 270c520572 stalled. Instead of progress, ac16f68251 all Juseon got 63adb9663e was Seungwoo’s frustration b0f61c951f and a sharp a9eb4912b3 reminder to start f92175ab39 earning his paycheck.8e5cdca43bac6433

To Jang Seungwoo, f6ceb4d683 Moonlit Fragrance Pavilion 0ec428f471 was just another c1750176fb tool—useful but not e53e59fc97 essential.215afbda251bed0f

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But now? Now, hehadto buy it.2adee7478a13ad1e

For the 629a1a39a3 first time, 88e1653f3b Seungwoo had 46e79f4fc3 shown emotion 2a05215c8d about a dab2f04772 business deal. The thought e1a94ae5bd of failing 6840872969 left Juseon 01da6018a0 uneasy.81097ef6ab27dada

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As he climbed e3e1a9781d the narrow staircase e11be5ae69 tucked away in fcbf7531eb the corner of bcc963be76 the second floor, 24b6c32d51 he pounded his aea7e63ed3 chest, trying to 15326dfdfa shake off the ae02f714c7 tension.7f4b7179b7d90b02

When he finally a64f6cdd59 saw Baek Noin, af6cef2020 the old man e9ffc47dbe looked as lively e7569fd67d as ever. Despite being well past d950551c5f sixty, he showed no 0aa140697d signs of slowing down.d8bf8955ab79124c

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Baek Noin poured 78c309d739 him tea.ec9e525d5b0d2830

“No need e8273da137 to say 06cecefdd8 it. I already f5f6bd7023 know why eab9875f57 you’re here.”be78687725aeacb4

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He chuckled, taking a 9da9fa6896 sip.ffe0443200c0ed1a

Juseon followed suit, 702225fca8 bringing the cup f5f293aabc to his lips. What he 3f3e02c7b0 really wanted c3a575a1f8 was a 97255b9e1e bowl of 52feadd64b cold water 4a2aa5c053 to clear ae4c9b4e6b his head, 5f7615da86 but outwardly, 152ab7deed he remained 3895043492 composed, his 77ed726e79 face betraying 292dc4bf8d nothing but 0df1585251 a gentle, ab2f337edf crescent-moon smile.792f6541ee2c157b

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Baek Noin smirked. “What’s wrong? Did Head Merchant Jang 3eeec1988c tell you not to d0e2e70612 come back if you 7d701e81d2 fail?”5ab8981600a8cf09

“How did you know? He said he’d kill c8b344925c me.”e642a7db08e2a6b0

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“It’s written all 2c26541f44 over your face.”5d1df54264a9fc4b

Baek Noin e9e2c6af03 took another 146ef1c384 slow sip 7f680f0ad0 of tea, 2ded1b6b2b his expression 7122ce1cd8 unreadable.17ff36dff2ae5ece

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Juseon studied him 2975c250b6 carefully, but the 1da3e42890 old man didn’t 66ec022e95 so much as cc0bb3af39 flinch.d07bfe017debfd89

As expected.5654461d330d81e3

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You might fool f82ee6cddb a ghost, but 8b4f4815cb you could never 77272bb97d fool Baek Noin.7b53a4e22a87ac71

“Juseon.”27eb8264889316ad

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“Yes, sir.”1f72a5dc068b27ac

“I must be getting 7813d910e9 old.”dc044e1d767a894b

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“Well, youhavelived quite a long e30885244d life.”7586ee6d22f2bdd2

“True enough.”a964fdfc6c250595

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Baek Noin beb708412d simply chuckled fd565adce7 at Juseon’s 4252dbcc3a blunt reply. Then, without e8a59d55e2 another word, bf86cf201e he unlocked 1249400115 a drawer, 65da1fad95 pulled out f31937166d a document, b05f7541cc and placed 01b694b4cf it before 35f87fd8c2 him.081b41ca528b1714

“You think Merchant 9b16331326 Jang is the e945414ac9 best man for 9c26101dc3 this, don’t you?”bd3b47e2eeca7043

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Juseon blinked, taken 4aaeacafa9 aback.51d3554a8a4fc21e

The ownership c3aef3920b papers for 8964285d37 Moonlit Fragrance fd39feb49e Pavilion lay 0cf5081ce6 in front 0b54566e93 of him.34879eed176bc462

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Just like that? He was handing them 4c26452f55 over so easily?b88bbf908c8b5a45

That couldn’t be right.190c4cea7378dd43

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No matter 48730d1cef how he 0fdc87a700 looked at 7a36c2f5dc it, there 8673a12f22 had to 6f216dd659 be a 4bde89facc catch.6980dbaf74e558ba

“I don’t need 3977f8d377 money,” Baek Noin 8db7df2ca1 said, as if 72ae5f348e reading his thoughts. “If it were fb63b6966a about money, I 691bda4946 have just as c41fd4c126 much as Head e40f920c83 Merchant Jang.”ee264be7ad82a025

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Juseon frowned in c32563524b disbelief.ca1f7b27533959c9

This was the same 6fce974dc8 man who had spent c78fb1372e years ensuring he stayed b71a529d5d in debt, binding him 9d3b927e0a to Moonlit Fragrance Pavilion. The same man d55cc98596 who squeezed every ae7a14f5eb bit of profit 04e4e03789 he could from bbffe7d99e him.61c230f7425a3cd8

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Now, he was claiming 8935b52b9c hedidn’twant money?7e430cc9cc4c8013

That was like cb76ebd415 saying a cat a22beca60b had no interest 1c0a079617 in fish.a3d0026576d2545f

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It simply didn’t make e4c63fb8b0 sense.19ece57393ec6a36

“I’m just tired,” Baek 155aa51493 Noin murmured. “Tired of struggling alone, 6dff30d37d with no friends, no 1149806388 family  ever since Jang 291699106a Gye-young died.”0c5ed9c68f74fc21

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For the 399152b803 first time, 212c4c109a Juseon saw 490df0b045 Baek Noin 92b4e4a1ca not as af6e8bd267 the shrewd, 17e4deed2d unyielding man d32424d1f0 he had 14259efba0 always known—but 716f8eaf74 as an 2fe51547a4 old man.b44bef02657c7c01

His once-dark hair had ee4c1a617d turned completely white. Deep wrinkles bb01e71fa7 framed his 0b2f6432e7 sharp eyes. His molars were a9853b25a2 gone. His hands, 409254dd68 once firm cc16ab4aaf and steady, 85a9300ace now trembled 873b587ef4 slightly.d163424030a1d1b3

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Juseon had once thought 02bc7439d5 Baek Noin was more 5967a35dbb tenacious than a demon.4ce86016a73e6fe7

But now, 0b32dcc066 he looked 0deb11edc9 utterly exhausted.1840831ea9e71d51

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Just an 5ff2728dec aging man, a6cc17d33c quietly waiting 5353889dd7 for death.6f702569a2ceabcb

“Oh, right,” Baek Noin a810c05341 said suddenly. “I heard Jang Gye-young’s e8b9c13620 second grandson is around. Merchant Jang e85344cb9e knows, doesn’t 4351289600 he?”101900c018b9ae18

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‘That’s exactly why I’m aba39ccf0d here.’e9a5e9c7cbb7d3ba

The words rose to 4ced47b5a0 Juseon’s lips, but he 91ff2aed3b swallowed them back down.c35f0f102530fb5a

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“Merchant Jang didn’t 43d1f8447a say anything?” Baek 144aacb8c0 Noin mused. “That second 47a99fe263 grandson… even 1b08031376 as a fec9855ea1 kid, he bbd916d9e9 was always 3234edc546 up to e396fa4126 strange things. An odd 2dad6d9143 one, that 8aa6beee29 boy.”81b1b74282367687

Juseon’s expression d5e80107f6 remained unreadable. “He’s got 0c598b8b5a a good ec5a4a2faa heart,” he a6a1733cff said simply. “He’s kind.”3bcd4271f1378930

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Although Juseon didn’t know ac4664b737 much about Hongwoo’s childhood, b2767db0b7 he could picture it 90ade73ab7 clearly.0c245e91820b2717

If a young Hongwoo, 82c4bb1685 with his big, round e2de0e48be eyes, had ever looked 42991035d1 up at him with a9f93f8a08 that bright, innocent gaze, 049626b782 Juseon was certain he eed31510cb would have emptied his 342686b77b pockets for him.787b59e9bfd81636

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Compared to 8cfba64ea2 Jang Seungwoo, 9fc7ec8aff Hongwoo seemed 23293d97cc like he 073c28c4b1 was born 26127c17ce into an 8e4cdb39f4 entirely different 28b2c67949 family—so much 255c8ba984 softer, kinder, 08ed6d544d and more 4649936245 endearing.6105927eed0ba0aa

Ah, maybe that’s 124ad29a69 exactly it.eb5fa5f8e1266e28

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If Jang Seungwoo 44fd475200 had even half d949410c57 of Hongwoo’s personality…2f5eca433d67829e

Juseon smiled as he 9f1f563fce responded to Baek Noin’s 25c8c3f871 words, but his thoughts f95f74bdb2 had already wandered elsewhere.4e9ede1edaa25954

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“That aside… what’s gotten into Head Merchant Jang that he suddenly wants to buy Moonlit Fragrance Pavilion?”615a4ad174542079

“He sees things differently from ordinary people.”962e93b21b79bfab

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‘How should 469510907a I know?’8bff7127cb125db8

Juseon answered smoothly, careful e014eca594 not to let his 5c34489356 distraction show.0c49bda51391c031

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“I suppose.”ad9468e03077b41a

As Baek Noin continued 35e297623e chatting, Juseon—like always—kept up e7c660051b his polite smile, half-listening 806f30e970 as he let the 6f015fe37e words drift in one b433ade9b7 ear and out the 8ed9dc6ada other.d20abeaed67ce89a

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***4445dbe54e191031

“The assorted pancakes and skewered meat are ready!”565ea084c0338c54

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Hongwoo, returning to 4fd7942a5d the kitchen after 8622547e37 delivering a dish, 7ed3756b36 heard the call d8d4422ecc and checked the 95946b4925 order slip.885cf8bc7a63f989

Left wing. Seventh room.bb1bfa1112cdafe4

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His body tensed.341765707d83ca08

That room.4073203d25ca2f25

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Memories of what 3ec64d9203 he had seen 4a99df5e10 there before rushed cdf4991bea back, making his 5521c96ed3 hands clammy.f84e7248a70d2184

The kitchen chef’s sharp f9a5d0741f voice snapped him out 769fd64701 of it. Moving quickly, Hongwoo b8177d4cfb grabbed the tray 4e3349b569 and darted up 9cdce4fcf2 the stairs.1f9c257aa12314a8

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“Sir, your order has arrived.”0f2e0529de724244

He knocked and spoke, 4ab125f890 but the only reply b49ac85427 was silence.60e5297a1c2a007f

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Moonlit Fragrance Pavilion’s 436eef91d4 rooms were soundproofed—unless 26ac867df5 someone spoke loudly, d64f126df2 nothing leaked outside.d699d9db9df583a8

A familiar unease crept b38a7db8e9 up his spine.ffa6826c1cecae46

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‘No… it’s probably nothing.’83cb1375b207a617

“Sir, I’m coming in.”3a1acb9e244267da

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With a trembling hand, 7af167a579 he pushed the door bb494010df open.a43b24a76dad2b7d

Damn it.8a5d46599bb8dbce

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The same sounds.e98ad41f10303542

The same scene.c91f21c038b1051b

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Holding his ce9c9db667 composure, Hongwoo 5dfc449b05 quickly placed 873f43a96e the dishes b15ca5148b on the 6c767ae6b0 table.885b15ffbe682879

He deliberately 4a3f9ffc1e kept his e88c23bdaa gaze averted, 10a881c054 fixing his aeb2a5eb7f eyes on 06a9e7cc69 anything but b05ccfdae0 the couple 742cd6f5dd entangled on cb25652740 the bedding.21524423a583cb73

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But just 5c02eaf66f as he 540aaa4c37 turned to fcd5456d86 leave, a 4e65070ccb sharp moan c364822fd5 shattered his fc1976d8a8 focus.01a7f2f7023e717d

His gaze flickered toward 48074c30d7 them before he could 67b0a42fdd stop himself.d98ba99317e5f9f1

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“Haa… my lord… it’s too deep…”0a0871dbe8e51082

“Is it that good? You’re dripping all 107e0a12d3 over.”ae31f314a94ae188

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“Hnnngh…”27c681ebe4c8522f

Hongwoo’s eyes widened 828eac1d76 in shock.7d4a5d2343f6d463

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The lovers 40f05e9451 in the faf9cea9be room weren’t 140a989b28 a man 856cfaf34a and a c8fd874a08 woman.2aa1861c241534bc

They were both f6bc13adfe men.e9e1a6082893eafc

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He rubbed b933fad803 his eyes, 1a631c0740 convinced he c404c95048 must be a4bb5f5630 seeing things. But no d97ad55ed5 matter how b87183340b hard he 065114bc6c blinked, the 21912bbee7 sight remained 11be286d34 unchanged—the man 8dfa166c12 behind was 1831eb7c29 moving his ea016540bb hips against b9d66b11de another man.0041cb1fdd427ad4

Having only a43cffd0d2 recently witnessed a4a76a41dd a man 436b2d1594 and a ff001c76db woman in 535e755280 the act a6875c6c11 for the c937c82e52 first time, e70c0d9c31 this was 8aff8ed803 beyond anything be6425fbc4 he had 34eb48dd36 ever imagined.f612d172357163a2

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Is that even 70ad98df89 possible?a3d663cd8d50c1e0

Back in e7a9353254 the kitchen, 7f1c83fb48 Hongwoo stood 5898d221d0 frozen, utterly 64a81a15e7 dazed.f5f9555480b1fad4

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His hands 7d20231dba trembled—this was ab59d23559 even more 78499cf31a shocking than 92a026959c his first 08bfd4c222 time seeing d373e95ed5 a couple 4b40bfa1b4 together.72def6b7c6ee9ce1

‘Sodomy.’77602de269af2654

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He had de96b678d3 heard the de77f4ada3 word before. It meant men loving cf44d5791d men. But to 30210d19da him, it 87e8f4f600 had always d3e09fc2fb been just e3da801f8b that—a word. A vague concept.8dd374accba735b4

It had cbe74cd1fa never truly ad194dca92 sunk in dc33a0ff20 that men 53a9c42770 could be 8b9e535d58 intimate with a222c9929a each other 6dca97ac8a the same 8e36e146ad way men 89ed59c2df and women 6d90de70ac were.9546cab11248a505

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And why would it? It had dec1a9ff85 never seemed f2468d6485 relevant to 410d0fb44f his own ece81458a1 life.d25899ca5f7d760d

Seeing Hongwoo in d17f0d57fa such visible shock, 3bb3f21f25 no one in 9034029a50 the kitchen scolded daaa760e85 him. They simply assumed he 12457f1f43 had walked in on bf5e0ffb6c another intimate scene and 23d768a603 was still shaken from ecc96fe5c8 the experience.8ee33efd0f675cc6

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They weren’t exactly 5d3eb2ae1e wrong. But they 1121ec61f3 weren’t entirely f177bc36b8 right either.5ff951b3b9072f43

“Uh… so… men 5e131d712e can… do that d3eb74df49 too?”96db8e30bbb1c0d0

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He had e1f21430bd tried to aab85f6e58 keep the 9b84cba963 question inside, 454b0ffd9a but it 689286dd36 finally burst 650cfd51e4 out like 331fb80fd9 water from 82daa370c0 a broken 528a263185 dam.39583411b6b3260c

The eldest kitchen‘noona’, caught off ad6a78781c guard, nearly spat 5913c0d940 out her potato dd9b30c46a pancake.233664a2f07d2091

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Meanwhile, the bf073b0b9e kitchen chef’s f48239e3a6 expression turned 4e40c50b04 unusually serious, 2db4989665 as if 20453254ca he were 808555ed2b about to f27795409d impart some 0586530ec0 sacred knowledge.c1439aea240ddc55

“Of course. A few years ago, ad3788b495 the most sought-after courtesan ff91ba678e in Moonlit Fragrance Pavilion cacfe2e861 was a man.”92c72031f486f031

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“Since he 4e85aa30e7 left, demand ee8c20d3cf has gone 37ed309532 down, but 12a3f1e887 there are cf09d7f0a7 still clients a4a18cd7bd who specifically d80c207849 ask for 551873f0d2 male courtesans.”9a4d4c64c26e9843

Hongwoo had e686318a66 learned many f94350231e things while 623ab3ba88 working at a12eb75891 Moonlit Fragrance 0d3ec41640 Pavilion, but a766713be5 this was 42e226d0e5 an entirely dfca0ac62d new revelation.57e3935fb4864ad9

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He had 7e2b44e767 never even 0dcdffc947 considered such f7f0a75e7c a thing 58611a7306 before.b8f20852b40a6d63

Witnessing an intimate act bacaa48d29 was shocking enough.e541f79c58a8bcc5

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But witnessing one between 4a0d3483de two men? It sent 3c856a55bb an odd 8dab3ecc6f shiver down 012d7a424b his spine.20a8a1066a137d30

For the 4644b56cbd first time, 00963d99bd he realized fbffb4e15c just how 6bf6647bcc narrow his 7d70f6486d understanding of 18a382e214 the world fcc772349c had been.99582def95e0ae0a

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In the short c11226968f time since leaving 3c96490df4 home, he had 8470591eaa learned more than 9c3d47a1dc in his entire a877e4a978 life.20c000541423470b

It was fascinating.36c53f5393f90e47

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But also overwhelming5f5bb0dc17dc1c74

***b8ae2869e3f42fdf

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Later that da5a6fb5c3 evening, Hongwoo d940af5684 sat reading 906eb39319 a book 66c321a2fc that Jang b54f88b3f3 Seungwoo had 0618c98c60 given him.f54aa9f4f46a8f1c

His eyes were glazed af71c056bf over, staring blankly at 7871a752ce the pages as if 5e961aff58 his soul had drifted f034aa9b55 elsewhere.33f746ed71dfb416

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His eyelids grew 5d4ee25243 heavy.80367c568815c122

The book, a9ff2c785b abandoned by 71b5c79b07 its only c694a052d9 reader, wobbled 70123eb077 precariously in 650c682a6e his hands.e71b32b7c71139e6

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Hearing the sound of da9b910de2 the book falling over, 528a717cb1 Jang Seungwoo turned to bd69fab169 look at Hongwoo.2ff2f3ef2d3b0a1e

Hongwoo was dozing off, 1b1ad46a7e his head bowed as 9a7aaafde9 if in prayer.b3c9761308f5e186

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