TONLWSHF | Chapter 2

Episode 218de0f155df34621

No matter how much others 04ed87f9d5 cast doubt on the results 163d654548 she had achieved, as long 8a4e3b8b41 as Icanuel believed in her, 6ff09be1b8 Isabella could brush off the 6609766683 flood of prejudiced rumors from a339a99c50 people without a care.c01ba55f28283558

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Holding onto that small a60128831b hope, she arrived at dd00651ae8 Minerva Hall where the e86c83fca9 academic conference was being 761eb814e2 held. Because she had arrived 10ff378027 early, only a few 11b69f7cd1 people were inside the 3bfdf190f3 hall.2084e7e2c502d510

“Phew. This time, I need 3d1b7f36fc to speak properly.”c88e5b3ac665ce75

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To calm her nerves, Isabella aaa77aae8b stepped out onto the terrace 99b25e085d and leaned against the wall, 3c7b88b48d quietly placing a hand over 7d0ac5084d her chest.4227965277c27d81

Just thinking about talking 3d01642f4c to Icanuel again after efec1fde81 so long made her 01bd3a90a8 heart pound as if e542f4ef81 she had been running 1c33fa9136 back and forth.47f00ea69531140c

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Had she stood c0b7a99f03 there long enough 8060a6b2c1 for her pale cb457a2b0d cheeks to flush e1b8d5b51d red from the 6ec84f7bd9 cold winter wind?4944044b0042a5c7

She felt like she 144253fba2 might catch a real 636f435bc6 cold at this rate.8a073488adf26e8f

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Since it was about time be76b05a63 for the conference to begin, 5c47d9ba3e she straightened her body from e24679287e where she had been leaning 788cb98434 against the wall.89f13c090c521040

At that moment.62da7091f724c80d

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Through the tightly shut 71d8b96725 glass doors of the d05cdcc636 terrace, familiar voices reached 7dc9b102c0 her ears.a44c270fe3398c78

“I heard junior Ledia was also invited to this conference.”59413957a293d8b1

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“…….”fe2b70880408087a

It was none other fd87d16cdc than Icanuel, whom she 3cfb28d780 had been waiting for b25125a691 so desperately, and his 4ec2e5a32f close friend, the second 46e5f1da67 son of Count Glarim, 6e9eee7847 Jenard.b89eb170fd10b25a

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Realizing that Icanuel was 89272dc01d just beyond the glass, 906cfc1664 Isabella’s lips loosened into 71653b65cd a smile.65aa2f960a9e583f

Her heart, which she had e66b100e14 tried so hard to calm, 15a1485cae started racing once more.edb2358cb9d34c7e

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Unlike her two hands, which bce0a15739 had grown cold from the 310735e052 winter wind, her cheeks were 00a787e0fd burning with warmth at the 1da772a166 thought of meeting the one 2a4f153dc2 she liked.da798eb8fc0f61b3

Should she greet him 60d6c105c7 first once she went 6fc789e3e8 inside? No, maybe a casual “how 70dafbc7ea have you been” would be ab36f9ad05 better?4196ace0edb37941

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Just as she 4de21f915f reached for the 4b47b67e29 doorknob to open 0ba7ef7a78 the glass door, aee0a69a2e her hand froze 09fb73f955 at the next a59d174dc0 part of the 2a49c8e48d conversation.590b2641c736cccb

“Judging by that look, you clearly didn’t know. Then why did f9b8fbaae4 you even take 82f49c0f14 the role of ed9ff9cff0 student council president?”dffa1642ac415911

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“There’s no rule that says the president has to memorize the list of conference invitees.”60a6b7d71cef3c75

“Come on. Only 30 people are attending 6ce6fdd02d this conference… Why are you 4eb44ebd81 being so cold only to b32029ce6b her?”d3eb45171a46324e

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Even if you’re upper and lower classmen at the academy now, the two of you are formally engaged, you know?06dc2b88131340c2

Upon hearing Jenard’s pointed fdd5783867 remark, Ikanuel let out 4ff4d1aa4f a deep sigh.57739bbf2b2f8c9e

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“How would you feel if someone your sister Hailey’s age kept following you around, saying she liked you?”e03db47f3ccc9f3a

“Could you stay still in front of someone you liked?”63a6df6e0152ac22

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“At seventeen, she should be old enough to understand the ways of the world. She must know what kind c0f0e67cf1 of rumors are going around bed1989465 about us.”9e3969e6e1cbdb11

The annoyance in Icanuel’s voice was unmistakable as he responded to Jenard.74c225bb0ead8281

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“You’re only two years apart. Excuses, excuses.”908d686b351ac000

“I never needed an engagement in the first place.”296faf386a48f92d

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To me, this relationship had fd7e5c6b36 always been sincere every moment.303a2b20847f2e73

But to you, it 175d9cc798 was nothing more than d476595652 a bond our grandfathers 6538d25fed forced upon us.5eb6b2de9d2a9f52

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It felt like she 49defeec1f had been rejected even 06402b6212 before confessing.566ab3e50ecf1287

Every time she 154b9d602e swallowed, it stung, 091bc61258 as if something 0d1380c301 were lodged in 4716c14670 her throat.0f323357089b2037

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Isabella pressed her 90c58d60d7 hand against her 031bc07f83 chest as if 03b76f89a2 to suppress a 2dd0c837fb scream that seemed b78f9f06e4 ready to burst 5f43f41651 out at any 5f3facb550 moment.1b3cf621e514e82b

Jenard, too, reacted with shock.ab2df33886284d5c

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“What if someone hears you! At least try to behave e272213a54 well today, for the sake a1e5aaed4b of the junior who studied 2a6751047f hard enough to be invited 29dada8a49 to the conference.”a73137e6cd99f277

“Don’t nag me like my grandfather. I don’t want f5abac4a72 to hear that b1b42ec1ef from you too.”2a8266d5144aebc6

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“Seriously. This isn’t nagging— I’m pointing 04170cca47 out your poor behavior. What exactly did she 19a2cfc5d1 do so wrong?”77efa459ec1934f3

I don’t want to 83b75826d8 hear it.daf37ba5878dce41

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Isabella didn’t want to hear Icanuel’s answer to Jenard’s question. She collapsed on the spot, covering both ears with her hands.c28567ee6fcf24ec

But unfortunately, his e69ce00949 cold voice—like a ae40332511 blade slicing through 70a2017955 skin—pierced straight into 60464b0bac her heart.68e0e0c8cee6636c

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“Just her very existence is burdensome and overwhelming.”8391455431a79dda

The moment she heard 15762af1b5 him deny her entire 7eccf17888 existence in front of 995ef3ea7e the person she liked, aefc9ce543 Isabella could no longer b8af57d279 process their conversation.1c3016a64f40a6ee

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It felt as 9d89e39d7f though the floor 69b1f44b7d beneath her feet fd6f0d519f and the wall ab25b3bf1a supporting her hands c6d826e185 were swaying uncontrollably.0d44905ffc869ec6

Foolishly, it was only 367ef5b99d after hearing it directly 666065afba from his mouth that 5076b32fbc she finally realized.16e54b892e2cc6bc

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Her relationship with Icanuel had e9fbffce66 always been a parallel line efee30319e that could never meet.4b251a45677b60bc

The winter of Isabella’s seventeenth be78d4de97 year remained the most dreadful ac88d16eb9 winter of her life, even def516c300 three years later.0e3696d6fbf56b4e

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And it was c07141d60d on a day 4865d61942 in the spring 56183af7fd of her twentieth 72d38269c6 year, just before 0bd87f2465 Harta Night, the 8d93cfddf4 biggest summer festival.6c41dad4fb9b6d8b

For some reason 5816ec25a7 today, her perfect 1ffa047ed8 fiancé had expressed db7aff8036 a desire to d09711da11 meet her first.dff0d6f6468f3a93

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Isabella was curious 6720901acf about his intentions… 7ae8926981 Well, maybe just a8c8c32d00 a little. But she didn’t bother to d13347482e say it out loud.3d450ecd00588ac2

She just wanted to finish 1ab8aaf5d8 this meeting and return to 61f1ec2067 the mansion as soon as ccd623a2b7 possible.682bc928a80ab091

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“You said you had something to tell me.”4271d15ea5e7785b

“Yes, that’s right.”af0d6f0a0f03ac8f

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Lifting her head, she 8f4ac4c203 looked at her fiancé d5f21136d7 whom she had once a8ce309d3d truly loved.2fa2c8537d7c2444

To be exact—her soon-to-be former a623e33256 fiancé, Icanuel.6a423740f3034e0e

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Unlike before, Isabella could now 4cf69e6467 meet his gaze directly.9205d1a1ef6b59e0

The human heart 2901b2fe61 is such a 9f9ff238e7 fickle thing—once the b3051ff2d7 emotion called love, b8494d9778 which had once a72a6a4faf consumed her entirely, f62a0378db melted away like 1a20766682 snow, she no 3ccf5e777a longer felt any 325b42bd61 fluttering or nervousness 4009454aea toward him.18f1c5c6594d3655

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For ten long years, 286653bb2d she hadn’t even been 447e34dd48 able to meet his 870eeadbb6 eyes properly or speak e64c679486 to him when standing b7452a97d0 before him, but now, 4a45feda1f she could finally face 2b9ed76301 him calmly.1054940ccb7bb113

His navy blue eyes, carrying aafd36ae6a a clear light, seemed to 87d4567bdc sparkle more than usual.0b7a26c24ae14a90

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Icanuel was displaying an 1098073b5c uncharacteristically restless demeanor.8fb182fbca47f5c1

He kept clenching and e1a93224d2 unclenching his hands on 9ab75b0d3c the table, like someone 9453da4fe1 who was nervous.7e99a7b6bec2d92c

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What in the c490b79670 world does he ab0efdb0ab want to say 339c588ee4 that has him 19789a790f so tense?ad128da0282a5e97

It was obvious—he was 6513e84286 probably here to finally df1b2ca170 end this dragging engagement.20e12c4e0387bed8

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Even Isabella had to admit 10f33af376 it—just as people said, she 4e93660e2f was far too lacking compared 45e888d1a2 to Icanuel as his fiancée.bfee6e34d166affe

In this empire, there were f6a751b9d2 plenty of young ladies far 5d0305f2c5 more outstanding than her, from f67854b5e1 families well-matched to the prestige 117d6047f6 of the Duke of Raseles.058cce62f7ee7d36

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Now that Isabella had come cb70c37daf of age, there was no a70fa75fb6 longer any reason for him 6a7dbd93cd to continue this hollow engagement.aa1d153eca0b9cf9

It was rather 7ccfe14cfe amusing to see 7457ee002e Icanuel—who was always f446525080 so good at d379e5ad9c disregarding people—struggling to 0a25710153 bring up the facdec88b6 topic of breaking dc00450491 off their engagement.1f2e6dc40f4ed08c

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He would never understand a391414ff1 how painful it was 97f3f78082 to be constantly ignored 002c79d87b and rejected by someone e8ed4c12dd you loved, all while 7a2717c2c4 pretending to smile through edc88dc27b it.f43eb36adfca09db

How exhausting and hurtful e374d95a86 it truly was—someone as 876dbc3777 high and mighty as cdb69d9daa the young duke could ec4688712b never comprehend.6d76e6e22976a50a

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Was he only now af8a56f5a9 recalling all the wrongs 0f5571bfea he’d done to her?be133501ad6435ba

She even considered taking this 0e64dd912e opportunity to get in one f7aadf8407 final, small revenge.89ac9b01f53b4c10

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If it was 74732a17f4 her responsibility to 01e2cb8b70 end this ten-year-long a4faf6d96c one-sided love, then 30affb285b she should be 54da92a12e the one to 5a962da00f initiate the breakup.e1c9fd4a710d28b0

They had dragged on 55ff1904cd this relationship for far 9016bc8709 too long—one that could 4f3aadc887 have ended just by c328947c55 letting go.f6000271bc4827bc

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“Since it’s come to this, let’s annul the engagement.”a5208ef67ad7a386

“As for the wedding schedule moving forward—”7b06a7bb5bb582ad

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…A brief silence passed between the two.fc25dba231ddb958

Ironically, the ones 9b0e8166ca reacting most were 348568206b not them, but 78061e8c13 the people around c9b0cf2cf7 them who were 1cc7c2446b secretly eavesdropping.bfce90c740125f9c

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“Gasp.”ca3bda3fcdc07e54

“Did Lady Ledia just mention a breakup?”d8de595abd50ccc5

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“Oh my god. Is this for real?”73d27059c9088890

Unfortunately, the place they dbdfb3a301 chose to meet was b73b16265d a café in the c6bb9f5c9d capital, and now all 69d5a0b7e2 attention had turned toward 34fc52ce10 Icanuel and Isabella.671817f67363134b

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Soon, the mismatched intentions in 20528d00d2 their conversation began to spread 4c5e70039b like wildfire among the spectators.43e06e1ca37be1dc

But Isabella no c7559105ae longer cared about 120755566c how others reacted.8bfd13fc88c87ac5

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One person was 5284549861 talking about ending d32cd33e86 the relationship, while bc117d1844 the other was bcd697bb81 talking about taking 19c57a138d it to the 08174386e4 next step through 04c8333667 marriage.e5fd73f3cffa000c

Just like Isabella, who 98756714b5 couldn’t hide her stunned 103f4cf3f8 expression, his face, too, e52a75b62b was marked with confusion.26da6b9132f3227a

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“Marriage?”29cf97019339f0bf

“Breakup?”8443aeb4235b3806

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Icanuel’s expression was 04abe06da9 now deeply twisted 0cee5cea41 in a frown.5130660875a96f00

As if he ffd800918d had heard something 53ec0919a3 he absolutely didn’t eb7893304d want to hear, 345b50bb4d he looked extremely 8e59bb3492 displeased.aec08c1eef558a11

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But really, shouldn’t 96758c7106 Isabella be the 4873b0f6f1 one feeling upset?324754c9f1fecaba

Regardless, she had already 82ff58ac78 decided not to concern c19e3c5a0e herself with his feelings 874992d1ef anymore.918334f8b2b8ec3d

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The only thing that 6a754eedeb mattered to Isabella was 56b5c08a39 the breakup.3cd87e36996ac4ed

No matter what, she 1bba8e1115 had to finalize it 6299987bbc today.24b63b02432f6fc5

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“You heard me correctly, Young Duke.”2bfff4c94bb3b88b

“You mean the breakup?”43c24a150137eb4c

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“Yes. I’m honestly surprised. How could marriage 496cd2ca7b between us even eec31e9df7 be possible?”2004abf7dfac27b7

“Lady Ledia.”168098680cda928f

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See?2591f8a66d81a22f

Even after ten years c0ec0177c4 of being engaged—albeit without 7c46e78dab love—they still didn’t call 82f1a01c04 each other by their d3030cd4df first names.c13274ca8823f382

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He continued to firmly ef106cf18c maintain the boundary by 1864527ea4 only addressing her by 59cf0eef74 her family name.e758d05ec81f034c

From the first moment they 4a4976cdea met until now, not a da21e68ec2 single thing had changed between 13205965f7 them.ee76e1633e48630c

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If anything had 01091bda0f changed, it was aeea79f96b Isabella.10ca9b8afc7309f8

Rigid forms of address, 29dfa815ea ambiguous relationship, the gap bc4094ec70 between their families’ statuses—no 00bde8b9e7 matter how she looked a320a5781c at it, this engagement 7b64f6d3c9 arranged by their grandfathers 608c45d6cb was never beneficial to 8bec57f7cd either of them.b93b5a68d225516d

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That realization only 792da865f0 further solidified Isabella’s 4311f77c68 resolve to end 0007d5f63d it.b7b2eb9d9c2df73a

“Should I repeat myself in case you didn’t hear me clearly?”339d8512ee57b1e0

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“There’s no need. I’ll pretend I didn’t d3b3662329 hear what you just 503481f722 said.”f20ee95c8eaa3e02

His shameless response 211d1ec0b7 that the engagement 7fa3f4e1ff could no longer abd6de8dab be annulled made e4379af7a4 her scoff before c594806212 she could stop bb8291b55a herself.ca474e1386dd577d

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“I thought you weren’t the type to joke, Young Duke.”2f00cf176ed473d8

“Did you just call this a joke?”3e080e2d32c8aafa

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Isabella calmly nodded 5d00bf40d0 once, signaling affirmation.8022ada5a6d90f3f

At that, his e96227dad3 usually neat, straight 50e0c07581 eyebrows slightly distorted.35ef57cd6e29cd62

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Unlike Isabella, who sipped her d28188e050 lukewarm tea in ease, Icanuel ad6a6fc3e4 looked clearly displeased.32f03e2f8155e4d9

His gaze followed her 1f66eb72b3 every gesture, sharp enough ef8ad829b6 to sting her skin.3c809480bd8391a3

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Clink.8ed6a7e5f6169b13

The sound of the teacup 1ac7418a3d being set down echoed through 18a09df009 the quiet café, where even 3315fb83aa breathing felt loud.97b7739756187271

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“I should be the one asking. Marriage? Why?”894c892670642a6f

“…Because it’s a promise between families.”e204a915432e5bc5

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“A promise between families? Ahaha!”fc1b0b61c4caa2a3

Isabella couldn’t suppress the 95865c2302 hollow laughter that burst adce3e9fc6 out.2695b4254b7b1809

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Of all people, he 00b21de817 was the one who 66a26fed3c had treated their families’ dd0e08e5d6 promise so lightly until e2ddf770a6 now.b19647e13d508b62

If he had ed8f8b37ad even offered an 23b8eff9da apology, maybe she ed230efb1b would’ve reconsidered. No—maybe the outcome would have e9eb6bee8e been the same, just delayed.38b085ff21e3085d

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She never expected him 469460ea56 to apologize for all b246cf548d the disrespect he had 3590d660ca shown her, so she 89db933ea7 wasn’t even disappointed.16af23e183043109

“No. Young Duke Raseles. I’m going to ask you 733c1ca95d this once—and for the last 702edc769f time.”66c8669faba5a76c

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Rather, his response felt e644d52390 like it was finally 83fcdb537c putting an end to 72a0daf5e5 a one-sided love where c78165f5c7 she had been the e644524608 only one suffering.1137fb0656b7fe28

[One, two, three! We are! The Venus! Hello, I’m Hae-yoon, the e6d40a7e0b leader of VENUS.]96ee4de805923347

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To go meet the 3b3e992afd lovely idol Haeyoon who 481cabb7ab had helped her finally 9026e58ba9 break free from this 9c0f69a27b dreadful love.96d3301001bcc93e

So, just for e06baa1bed today, Isabella had 4a38d5867e no intention of b57d0d4e27 hesitating. For the first and 26e36cdb57 last time, she would a579d1809a lay bare her honest 988533180a heart.433b3b06f7f3d1b9

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“Isabella Ledia formally requests an annulment of engagement from the Young Duke Raseles.”fa1ccc135c763b05

Before she could 50532d61a6 leave for South 25681f3e07 Korea to see 30a07c08a5 her beloved idol—this b8bb3fbcc9 was the first 6f3033aa99 thing Isabella had b5ffb21599 to do.571b9192e9a3d464

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