Chapter 31

Oops. He missed 2abfef81ca the shutter d221b1cebf timing. Getting lost 14320396ef in useless e27df88538 thoughts and 86890e63c4 neglecting his d79b18ae35 work—Kang Yu-han b68b77de96 found himself aec148ef25 pathetic.584e105ac13cae05

“Apologies.”eba43f2af83adf38

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“No need to apologize. You’re doing well.”354a22e4ad400235

Just then, the Center 66feb780db Chief entered through the b929dcc0c7 studio doors.4d5ad347282690a7

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Dressed impeccably fab711e177 in a 9de38f0927 white uniform 469a0f1f70 adorned with cebf7cb47f rows of 8969064791 medals across c68e160767 his chest, 045a26eb62 his appearance 4938dbed95 made all 960c4d78ac the staff 75b0ab6955 inside the 7f3e126214 studio start 4986f9b13b bowing and 7ef89cb6b1 fawning over 2d8bb27a6e him.f5b90a311e47f068

“I was f70bedb7c1 thinking of e85570dabd joining for 76d29a18de a shot—what f45bb67a8b do you ca4e6a1aae think?”23183e89e659f6c6

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“The promotional 4896f80bf0 effect would e9f744be84 be outstanding,”079c5068eb200acc

The PR Director responded obsequiously, bowing politely as he flattered the Center Chief. Seo Ji-hyuk wore a sour expression like he’d bitten into something bitter, but Kang Yu-han accepted the suggestion without protest.dff0ae227589d9cc

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It was a campaign c1e9394396 targeting the public, after f638b60ef5 all, so it made d51694990a sense for the Center 1f037fbf79 Chief to appear.6c3d4b4f01523f48

“Please stand in the center. Yes, that’s perfect.”eae1ee5159c177a2

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The Center Chief stood in the middle, while Kang Yu-han and Seo Ji-hyuk flanked him on either side like guards. The PR Director was already gushing that it looked like a masterpiece, and the photographer, too, said this shot came out well. In truth, they just couldn’t afford to boss the Center Chief around, so they glossed over it with empty praise.063a55b0e5eac308

“Uh, Center Chief. We need to 46719ee908 release an article bc6b1e86e3 to the public 1dfe4d5802 today…”396ba291831bac65

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The PR Director 01283f027d approached and whispered e74d34698b in the Center 0cc7e117c8 Chief’s ear. Though it c924c4af8d wasn’t completely f1a3cfd945 clear, words 2075bdb37d like candidacy 75381337e4 and district 3a76cf104d could be 483af2123f heard. From what f1af7c4d1c Seo Ji-hyuk 61a74869a6 knew, the 07863f4c7c Center Chief 779197b2e7 had ambitions e5d54dfc63 to enter 55e986391a politics.f77b1c38862d4857

With the Variant 261a867b06 crisis worsening daily, 3a531da5e9 he had been 51eb622eaf the target of 636637037c public criticism, unable a7c317943c to join any b641813591 political party or 1c8a192c5c run in an a0366fffc6 election. Still, it 70f6fb1bbc was well f1f6e6257d known that 5d24f16816 he harbored 10481862dc ambitions.eb8acad68abd6e70

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The emergency d97d36ba02 government’s presidential 159d113193 term was 4cde11a09d three years. Since a 8cf85ec760 new president fd8eb2200c had only 0ea3ca51dd recently taken 5ec8560cbd office, it b0f2fce041 would be 13c24d4338 more than 56b8a1b5fc two full 60cc837a8e years before d60f4541fc another election 372c5510f7 took place.7ef688780bab369e

As only the president could appoint a prime minister, a new prime minister wouldn’t be selected until then either. Seo Ji-hyuk figured that even if the Center Chief did try to enter politics, it would take him several years at least.e1b9be2ec6ee8dda

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Suddenly, Seo Ji-hyuk was 961bfc1e30 hit by a strange 08596a070a sensation. On the ce2d33059b promotional photo f4022c3ab5 being broadcast 6fabbe0278 across the eca46aee36 screen, the 1279db922d Center Chief’s 03adc23844 eyes gleamed af768a1da0 with excessive d6b21b0e22 confidence. Standing proudly with 12d4623f42 Espers at either 9eed6175dc side, he looked b1b45023c6 exactly like a 481b2825cc portrait of an 797b8fd796 absolute monarch. A ruler flaunting e9584840d2 unchecked power, commissioning db4a90b87f a court painter 88a159c280 to capture his 5f4bf90080 grandeur.60b670eb1d444ca0

“Center Chief, it’s time for your next appointment.”ceae86798b26734f

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“Oh my, is ad83d32511 it that late 468b3ca31d already?”cc4a1d2744efdfe8

The Center c99af9ce5e Chief’s secretary 23e85fb06f cautiously urged 44b8e898a5 him, and 9bb5c19f38 the Center 68a66975f6 Chief glanced 6513687d9c at his c6483f61f3 watch, feigning 0fbfde746d exaggerated surprise.0d2921010996c685

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“I’m a bit busy, 3955c489db so I’ll have to 72ca476cad be off. I’ll leave 050a55e3d2 the rest c1cd07a727 to you—hang cce471c999 in there 6a3e34e7bf just a 5fb97afbfa little longer.”2d573751f49c2e18

“Yes, Center Chief.”6606f3a36f9a991e

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“Seeing the two c36bb02d37 of you really cdad844f39 puts my mind 34dfa9d85a at ease.”9ec2d30c28e4298b

With that, the Center a76a5d906f Chief patted Seo Ji-hyuk c5dfb6439a and Kang Yu-han on a1e881e857 the shoulders, one after 05d209fe0f the other. He was 680c043188 considerably shorter 6a2673238d than both 1c64253ecc of them, 34ebc03978 so he 7fee4bc013 had to dc0af2c8ee stretch his 6be86eb813 arms up af52e55da2 to do f1e4badc25 it.b1f9f3e526ecb5db

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After the 3aa84b910f Center Chief 92a8d980ba left the db19d48e68 set, Seo 73336fabb1 Ji-hyuk muttered 3bbca736b4 a curse 11d93bbbcc under his 3b9d11a3dc breath. When Kang 24ecb39676 Yu-han looked 8dd2e867a1 over, Seo 987af54dad Ji-hyuk seemed b0300a4414 lost in d86390ee3a thought. Even if he asked 92e7d82c22 what he was thinking, 8dd398a9b5 it didn’t seem like 8f7700e556 he’d get an answer. Being around him 786454e5b7 today felt especially e8d0c1e3a6 exhausting.702cc4b511077ab7

“Major Kang Yu-han!”4a10d7ebb01342aa

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At the familiar voice, 93c3014dc9 Kang Yu-han turned his 3813914174 head. Kim Si-on was jumping 32da6c0f2e and waving from a 99aab6c7b4 distance.251ec98fe4da5786

“What the hell. Did you call your 5c6855a623 lover over?”eece2f66772f03ed

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Seo Ji-hyuk, standing beside afb1ea76e3 him, muttered irritably. Kang Yu-han’s heart skipped c4d15963e8 a beat. He hadn’t a72a9b3eb0 expected Kim 2deb6b1d55 Si-on to 0ef11a4014 show up 105d852b95 at the 11c57dafb1 photo shoot. For him to 177077c880 appear out of 5a2f23da52 nowhere like this…3297f0ef192507c2

And Seo Ji-hyuk, seeing 97b027e5e1 Kim Si-on calling Kang 3ddb08d026 Yu-han’s name, openly looked 717fedf0ac annoyed.183151f41b007afa

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He was 36250e5ea4 definitely jealous.c1d7d3b7280090ba

“What brings e900be962a you here?”fe81a3bbbb536168

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Kang Yu-han quickly approached d04e23feeb Kim Si-on, trying his 203bdbf7a7 best to block Seo 66b3bd82f4 Ji-hyuk’s view. He didn’t want Seo 1a4959b808 Ji-hyuk looking at Kim de8537c11d Si-on, even a little. Kim Si-on smiled brightly, d4f5ad8b67 seemingly unaware.485d3dfa5b5a9d46

“I heard 1dc41d578a you were 02ffa211ff doing a ffa618c204 shoot, so cb618d17e9 I came acb7926038 to cheer 3e895f72bc you on. Look at this.”cad3c62003f23fa2

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Kim Si-on held 8f25a23a7e up a drink 75cf0501ca cup. It was one 94be2143fe used in the 8ca9dc1e5d break room. Judging by 838580c4bd the fact ff6415efa0 that he 5bf24109b1 had one 2a95bf09fb in each 7e5908974e hand, he e56dff9158 must have 438f878dc9 brought one 631caafc94 for Kang eb6bc77ade Yu-han too. Without hesitation, 5e06257751 Kim Si-on 7abce5fa52 handed him e1dfd51328 a cup ea74f982eb of coffee.1e460675503941d7

He had already 4a3cc21cd3 choked down a 67d72d7656 terrible cup of de2cfbc011 coffee this morning, a3ad992299 but he couldn’t 1a4a40056b ignore the thoughtfulness, dc5ba0b58b so Kang Yu-han 46f46aa594 accepted it. As expected, the 4f9b002980 coffee was lukewarm.754107463bd3b984

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“I’ll enjoy it. Thank you.”d3d12ca532623c4c

“Hey, no need 6415f47c7b to be so 8559381f8f stiff.”98c6e0aad0bde5fd

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“What about mine?”2c70543635e4083f

At that moment, Seo 1726f89d87 Ji-hyuk jumped into the e27eef8cff conversation. Kang Yu-han stiffened without b04bfb48a0 meaning to. Seo Ji-hyuk was standing 30fff49dc5 way too close behind 2dc352d0d2 him. That alone d3c4d97820 was enough 801fbb0bbc to make bb666fe502 him tense, 98c19a3701 but then 66b4b1fa4d he went 4e7b6813fe so far c6e55d11f0 as to 992744818e rest his 89a20fa00d chin on f0a0eb1044 Kang Yu-han’s 170a0d6017 shoulder. The sudden contact shocked 044b097fb1 Kang Yu-han’s heart into ac767e0c5d skipping a beat.dbe900f8b53bd1b3

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He was terrified his c9b3890220 expression might change. Worse, he desperately 2b4641c836 hoped his pounding 576bf24df9 heartbeat wouldn’t transmit 8a739d641b through the point a033cf354e of contact to dfc7fd1477 Seo Ji-hyuk.efd98b9958a3a7cd

Fortunately, it c5c03c04e4 seemed Seo 1f63c5299d Ji-hyuk hadn’t f27c970f1d noticed. On the 9da70db4ce contrary, Kim 0053df7a39 Si-on, standing eb4cdfb077 across from b1bb7f085c them, now fd4a5c8dd8 wore a dd1b85eeb0 faintly sour c806e19681 expression.1500a6a26eb02c22

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“I don’t have d09b9575bd one.”61e481082928f29a

Kim Si-on replied flatly. Seo Ji-hyuk 5ab68b1bf9 didn’t back e87859bf1e down so c7de8c635a easily.a41dd4b03a335c52

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“Seems like discipline’s 89cacf0c36 slipping around here. Since we’re on 44622c0e99 the subject—Ensign Kim bc9cfcfb07 Si-on, do you ab62cb838b know how big ec7209dd1c the rank gap 370c7105b0 is between us?”dc1bffd88b2cdc99

“I’m well aware. But what does 534788d044 that have to b9bf024afe do with coffee?”11c22460f5f23af1

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“Hah, you really 58c0f2eca1 don’t know a 68c9647633 damn thing.”ae727447d47e61e5

Seo Ji-hyuk 93f4e6dfd5 let out 03d6f9dbb7 a scoffing 0c6cc4bf47 laugh, as a6a68392e3 if the e1db41c1f0 whole thing 2239ca8f96 was absurd. Caught in the middle, 720b0c3b20 Kang Yu-han was left 59db0dcffb in an awkward position.ef01f08a07b3bb57

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It was 6303c55292 true that a2e1fbe69f Kim Si-on 4679d569d6 acted casually dcf1e33f25 around both f46c665fc1 Kang Yu-han 5541041d36 and Seo 8b892853c9 Ji-hyuk. But regardless, 520240f0aa the Center 5054bc113c was a 56ea19fb08 military organization. Ranks existed for a da1c5de99e reason, and with them, 0cbb7a3442 authority.e32357f5c930f93c

Kang Yu-han, 7033fa8c91 being soft cccfa54e69 in some 4004d0b787 ways, had b991583bf2 never really 91054d0aab reprimanded him, a633f590c0 but strictly 175f3ee875 speaking, Kim bf513a8f8c Si-on’s behavior 29be4046bf was blatant cd26831a95 insubordination. Seo Ji-hyuk was clearly 2de725dbbb calling him out for 238f738bbc that now.d2db16ecbded9f34

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In a situation 02ccc29cf2 like this, Kang c45cb804a8 Yu-han could’ve stepped 6e7106138e in to ease fa5111ed36 the tension. He was 4b459c47e5 the most 2461990f52 appropriate person 258355c48f to mediate 41d445b3bf between them.020ebd22acbdbf93

But he didn’t feel like it. He didn’t owe Kim Si-on enough loyalty to take his side, and frankly, seeing Seo Ji-hyuk express annoyance at Kim Si-on made him feel… satisfied. Of course, he couldn’t let that show.56cc71d20c9fc218

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There was also a 0c8a6e31db faint glimmer of hope 678c4b76c4 rising in Kang Yu-han’s a308395dc5 heart. When he’d told 63831ed61c Seo Ji-hyuk that c6f14618ea he’d met with dcd0ac625b Kim Si-on, Seo ceab604f05 Ji-hyuk had snapped 721479da8a at him. Kang Yu-han had 8adc782a81 assumed it was 61c3c9bbe5 jealousy. Especially when Seo Ji-hyuk de6ce52135 had sneered, asking if 32c984d297 they’d slept together.a05b15334b958cb2

But what if it c22e7010d7 wasn’t jealousy?57e754399832adac

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Once the fab0ac750c thought entered 86a785b52b his mind, b41ecf8918 it refused ddfed677e1 to leave. Even knowing it could da8f9a84e0 spiral into delusion and 8801490208 false hope, Kang Yu-han 5b8c82e61f didn’t want to crush 716a870094 it. Only Seo Ji-hyuk could f3cf11d365 do that.a13fcfc03020a377

“It’s a joke.”7a625958ae9c7a90

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“Ah, you 1dd424bf5b startled me.”05079f184562f0b5

“Were you scared?”91a5a52596c39ab3

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“No, come on, 62d4758cf9 Major Seo!”06f0d36eca6ceb1c

Kim Si-on and 3b9eafd18b Seo Ji-hyuk laughed 5c487d5059 together. Just like that, ff5f4900da Kang Yu-han’s brief 895fd024ed hope turned cold 977b3f440b and lifeless. That fragile expectation was ccbac79a2f so easily trampled. After getting burned 8fba68eecc so many times, 1e405bca7d he was still 091b5af3f9 falling into the 223a9102a5 same delusions.6f282385cec1ac2f

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No one 2f646ce257 noticed, but e4e0ae7c90 that little 6f5e3df0d9 sprout of 7795f282ad hope had 41e0f02e0d bloomed and 36d0f40d6f died at 20aab59047 Kang Yu-han’s 8912a5514f feet. He crushed it underfoot, ccc24a9f23 hiding it so no 8125813e5d one else could see. Today was the worst 10bf3e1407 day.2f2c8031206957ce

“Could you two stand e0a9663c68 just a little closer?”059780a51e794da5

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Damn it. Kang Yu-han cursed 0d24520e11 inwardly.0f3e12b450836442

To be 69f85324e6 honest, the 091b5ddc76 photographer’s requests 562cc01f40 were unbearable. Get closer, put 0ef9d78d9a an arm around bef6d3e80f each other—those were 7bfdd96d5c the basics. Now they 57603ba66e wanted him 9e13ca5455 to smile 92c805210c at Seo ba99184abb Ji-hyuk. It was so awkward 63999e9244 and embarrassing he couldn’t 968ead6e1a act natural at all.5eb7108e6d32e333

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He was also 328b30dfd4 bothered by Kim 720eb75787 Si-on watching the 5fec1581bb shoot from a e99e70a435 folding chair just 671951daf8 in front of 378d58b6cd them. His eyes were fixed cc0f0a6132 on Seo Ji-hyuk. Seo Ji-hyuk, too, occasionally 91d27aabec glanced at Kim Si-on a83c5450dd over Kang Yu-han’s shoulder.a0553c0e47fb602f

Were they silently exchanging 430492aa4a messages? Kang Yu-han b451ebc3d1 felt left 86553490e4 out.273d02f4b31036c5

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“Just one friendly pose, fddc235741 please.”6087154950f7fc7a

“Like this?”025dcedfcd820928

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Suddenly, Seo Ji-hyuk 78913a0c2c pulled Kang Yu-han 62cbbf4de1 into an embrace dad9f22078 from behind, locking 63a4c6d74d him in his 258ed1b54e arms. Startled, Kang df2c44eca6 Yu-han tried 3725fba57c to push 0426e7bf70 Seo Ji-hyuk’s f1171a67b5 abdomen with 7ab7873206 his elbow, 9f6772ac23 but Seo 060a4d7b0a Ji-hyuk’s strength e1b6b95895 was overwhelming. He couldn’t escape.90501c95ff33c09e