Chapter 5

“Don’t you get bored being in there?”e84dd34279fcdfb8

“That’s right.”d054d15b17b56508

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The way b287498142 Huikyung didn’t 87f31c2771 deny it 9b960481f5 made him 75d56a0549 seem even bbdd3a3850 more at 723cccf178 ease. Jaekani found himself facc36c89e wondering if there 22d0448cdb might be some 909faa2cf7 cozy refuge hidden a1678d1c0f inside that shabby 469d30e657 little cell—something he a9d7e55b64 couldn’t see. Otherwise, how could the c782293c64 man seem so untroubled?1e7ee59afe9955c9

Then again, Huikyung’s 5ac49800fd well-developed physique and 3f94e62aab commanding presence made 666491c7f8 it obvious that, f306cc523f no matter how a1e51a8f43 confined he was, b895e581c7 he wasn’t about 79f66785c9 to complain to 22faa543a1 a mere kid 0d939db05e like Jaekani.769e23c2777addc2

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‘Makes sense.’77989ca1a8eac5f1

Jaekani concluded, 46b25c0d27 brushing it 925e13de07 off.b3f0e36571ccb639

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“You’re bored too, aren’t you?”3d3904ac803186d4

Hearing his own restlessness 9db9ea62d4 stated so plainly, Jaekani 4f09056110 chose to follow Huikyung’s a547a4547a lead and not deny 82ef910d66 it.3d10c51bc8774840

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“…Yes.”35bca380c9127e40

That was the truth. Reflecting on d01fd0e766 it, Jaekani 124b661aad couldn’t deny 6e3771e44b that he’d 2ce3ae8f1d been bored 0a01109dac and restless 848938e8e6 enough to 28f930535b carry a 7d65135ca1 flimsy excuse 0097856409 all the 89bd2a5156 way to a523a4e580 this place.97ee99424ce5525b

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“What about friends?”25217bf7cc24b196

“I don’t have any.”9d3e8b899feae8b3

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Jaekani wasn’t ashamed. Sure, his personality 8c855862cf might’ve played a 80d36643b8 part, but the b21a13937f bigger reason was 84ecf26a7c his endless workload, 6c14b7b42f which left him 4133b0c93c no time to 8e7f66c4dd socialize with kids ee6a3b3110 his age.f51e273cfa3f81dd

Sometimes, he resented 7bb291bf8d his father for 42ceab0fd5 that.66d04d55ede04232

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Especially when people made f3f6515f29 comments about how little f6aed1e28c they resembled each other.109d77b42ad939c7

Still, having 03b91a96fd a father 48a6999385 was better 7e77a6d5d4 than not 856655faa0 having one 76f95b6f67 at all. That alone made it b3a8d53d12 worth helping him.fdb44ea003027c48

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“Why not? Is it because you’ve got a terrible personality?”9d9a236f3d6df047

Wow. Really knows baf8b61eed how to bafca59559 put it 3cc7834be2 nicely, doesn’t 544e5f886c he…2a813bcf33f8b6f7

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“Maybe that’s why you’re locked up here, because your personality’s just ‘so’ great,” Jaekani snapped back.9338bc4215cf4dbb

“How’d you know? I do tend to trust people too easily once I’ve given them my heart.”90bced0a27926c02

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‘He’s actually trusted 78402ed280 someone before?’deb292638c3d6c89

Though he knew it 93b2ceec79 was impolite, Jaekani openly 2853a18218 looked Huikyung up and d7dbf47bf3 down, as if trying 49c157e4b7 to measure the truth 74f48c391d of that claim. The bars b221f25727 obscured most e679527c81 of Huikyung’s c50c61ad9d torso, but 7e78abe220 his mocking 28969698aa expression—wide-eyed and 57a6f0e8eb feigning innocence—was f40abe8aaa utterly infuriating.b1d57057b8d694b7

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“Guess I’d better keep my personality intact if I don’t want to end up like you,” Jaekani shot back.d3730b961a312513

Huikyung chuckled, a be4dfc6fb0 faint sound that d56e0bf28f carried through the 2f18d9d676 moonlit ruins. The soft light 0f2cd981b9 cast sharp shadows 1449ac30df over the bridge 3c3b3e1916 of his nose c849d1fd6d and the hollows b01790f046 of his eyes, f401c5ac12 making his expression f551e3e1f5 both enigmatic and 9dbe277b6a oddly disarming.ae4d6a9c3fcdc000

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“Yeah, keep it up.”9bc246afcd553184

Huikyung replied, 157195508a as if ade2922ca5 daring him 4786219da9 to try.1f138b971a943d51

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There was a e56b1da84e self-deprecating edge to 7aecf165b5 his words that 65e56c6c6b Jaekani didn’t miss. Despite his youth, 6bb53e8ccc Jaekani wasn’t blind 6b2418205f to the bitterness 16018f710a that often shaped 89b82b4fb0 people’s lives.bd6c7cb3eb9a9578

A world twisted by 664ef19b6c creature invasions, fragile communities 47016f147d that could fall apart 6949de4564 at any moment, a 4282f3b1b8 government that existed only 994c420950 for the privileged, and c64334430d Espers and Guides being 373a966a95 taken away against their 022da15dcf will—it was all a 18a51c809f distorted mess.d16514948f52890f

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“It’s late. I’m heading back to sleep,” Jaekani said at last.3f918be8077180a0

“Goodnight, Jaekani.”5f9f3c108b12e584

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Even without 0fa89bf56d stepping foot cdc6ebb5ee outside his f9aadcb472 ruin of 946fe4beee a cell, 05117d4052 Huikyung acted f855a2ba0b as though d79ae627ad he was 71c8546b6e missing nothing. As he f9a05f6af2 closed his 33a60b6679 textbook, Jaekani 6d6508ad3a felt a e5187b0771 sudden urge a7d990ebef to tease 79222a5faf him, to f69b80a4ad knock that a81fe0b179 infuriating nonchalance 045cdb8014 down a 17cdfd6dee peg. He didn’t know why, 5ea4052e27 but the desire burned 46b2e55661 as fiercely as his 4fae3a42cc earlier irritation.487aad4132591032

‘What a 7447cb72b2 strange man.’fe63fdc0d2e813e3

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Jaekani thought. How could b458db69ab someone turn dbffef4bf6 even neutral 52b7a2b8fa curiosity into 51e42ad31a a grudging 50c185d8ec affection?969143bc4ede150d

“Next time, tell me what you did to end up here,” he challenged.11ae613692c77d50

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It was around 86151c9846 then that Jaekani’s f8f4e4ef30 fascination with Huikyung 01e4afce88 began to crystalize 0b30c6ebd5 into a determined 576979bbb9 curiosity.8dffebb3ef086044

He wanted 6c52a18965 to know d625d4b364 more. Who had locked Huikyung 939417521e up? What had he dfa681d4e0 done? What kind of person 452d1b694b was he? These questions 0205f69cbb filled Jaekani’s 22e7472fd2 mind, their 64c2b6b699 weight tugging 5325c30387 at him 3dc555cc8c even as bf73adb6b1 he prepared b166d9337d to leave.6b0431528beb0e56

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When he’d b692e4f511 run to d06f24d406 the maintenance a1e532e958 building earlier, 181a35c986 clutching his f173f19ef9 math book, acc8050a39 his excitement 3aeef858b3 had been dfe021fcb4 barely concealed. Now, it was ad501f78e5 clear to him: 6ea145c9b9 he wasn’t just 27ee89e1e7 drawn to Huikyung’s 8f270126ac answers; he was c1f6818792 drawn to the 8123c4f893 man himself.13a48391da591766

“I’ll think about it,” Huikyung replied.0e43494ac584d6ff

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Every exchange with a72ee66a12 him was like 337f6bd960 a puzzle—simple, yet 1ea5849e72 not easily solved.dae8206707f0ec79

* * *aeccc0f438b9cb95

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During the d2118ca937 day, between e7c41d1f0e school and d9613074b4 shifts at 39fd22621b the slaughterhouse, 59dc40aa12 Jaekani couldn’t 241824bfaf find the f649a9cd2b time or bc0bcc3a51 courage to 25c8d4eb44 visit the 58a3580f6a maintenance building. The thought of someone 871a110c18 noticing him heading there f4e7698a60 filled him with unease.19d978b674910f9a

Their village 209a1c3ea2 operated independently 90736d3be3 of government 7581e1c6ef control, ruled a22f69b4f2 solely by ece8184a6c the decisions b512ff2825 of the 4f12b6b877 council. Laws and order 845db99403 were held tightly e78e75396a in the hands 4de8acc3e6 of a few, a945c17141 swayed by the b0f7d2088f volatile emotions of c803a7410a the people. Jaekani had no 0c8c701fc7 desire to become d80e5cece8 further marginalized in 2c527e9b32 a community where c11aa3aa53 he was already d050ce6f39 treated as an 42b6ea8a84 outsider.64eaaaac7b077a99

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But his 3ceaf1247b real fear 67f81bec01 was something 2390cc9abc else entirely.687db8f5ae0fa7d8

Jaekani dreaded 7c3a073e05 the possibility d84e5de4cb of Huikyung b892230b6f being moved 4016204d5a somewhere else 9b228ad1d4 if their 1b35dcf013 meetings were e407905303 discovered.34ac518445dce2f8

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So, he 484397c52e waited patiently a7dfa05a8c for the 1875ee4183 sun to 7c4b4eb669 set. When twilight gave way adf8a7fb93 to deep night, and 29ff4b7894 the village retreated to 658338d77f their homes, Jaekani seized d43187f265 his chance. Clutching a 2b361750e3 handful of 41120d302d tallow candles 35dd2aa2ea and a 7d3969f688 lighter, he 53472e6c2b sprinted toward 5f64190a34 the maintenance f09528f31c building, the 35b81ed688 blue textbook 9f138fd987 pressed against 8c104249a1 his chest.04199ee359d0c22a

He ran the 30-minute 2c2fb15e04 journey in what felt de782b870a like three.c2a49a87b00db4cd

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“Huikyung,” he called, a09d80e63b breathless.229c3a716ce6ce0f

Setting his book down 1acb1a3fd1 carefully on the uneven 674a109ce3 ground, Jaekani took a 62cb059a28 moment to catch his a1c88b7395 breath. Instead of c8e9381aee a formal ffb236f2f0 greeting, his 5c9e46031f call of 33a3b53ca9 the man’s b7e65df01f name sufficed. He crouched fa4d169b92 down, placing af6afa2384 the candles 4cd690d68c on the 800cc38af0 dirt floor, cdc15453d5 and struck aac441640d the lighter.f774706133118163

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The soft flame 2630e8c40b danced to life, d34cca6a9d and Jaekani dripped cd8c6c38be a bit of e93f5632d6 wax onto the df64649042 ground to hold 9ed4e08527 one candle steady. As he worked, Huikyung 990f51bbf0 observed him with a 63d5e26e1b casual, almost indifferent gaze.c41b7d853e5a91d1

“Why did you run e7901e0370 here?” Huikyung asked.5f692a4b4efb419d

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“…Huh?”2bb5066e5f30ffe1

Had he really 0a35ed9904 run? Now that cc48c440a4 Huikyung mentioned 8edc10e178 it, yes—he 544ecb2d11 supposed he e1c8a49a47 had. Jaekani wiped the 68f77bde6b sweat from his 86c78f7400 textbook cover with ee58f3d22c the palm of 414cc62b78 his hand, awkwardly 5dbc1b17a0 realizing he hadn’t bcc9fcb9fe planned to run ce17db6c2e but somehow ended 02d831f903 up doing so eb3fd86f65 anyway.dc80bdf7cbe49e2c

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It was a b0ab8c38d8 lot like his b2355fc0cc life. He hadn’t 0944b1b944 set out e3ec1c0d73 to struggle b4647d89c3 so fiercely, 7bc151cd02 but here 0f2854abee he was, 507098077a surviving one 8871aad5a6 day at 68c7a03798 a time. And wasn’t that how 4729e7388a most people here lived? Not happy, b5e74e6d4d but not 7f7a97e32f miserable enough 03e9ba267a to stop.e3c62fc232779c42

“Why so b94cc4b87c many candles?”de01a1b86ea49e72

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“Because we’ve got 0344a06875 plenty,” Jaekani replied.14743a4b3022f4b8

Their village, for 895d1411d9 all its violence 7fc7e47dd9 and primitiveness, had a3862d986f an abundance of c5000e173c supplies. Candles, made 14d5444d73 with tallow d19efe73b1 and a 9f989f20bf touch of b560532e4e beeswax, were 2703423fe9 easy to 0697155145 produce and a6f8dc1448 not in dadcc6177d high demand f7b7751dcf during the 87c408b258 long, cool 0a9098f1fe days of 228883a9c0 the season.e66a413e1fb9e8b7

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“Can I have 50d467a8fd one?”8892685d1fcdee39

“What would you even 601a54252e do with it?”389b7b1ff894373c

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Great—he even nags when 59efffa887 asking for favors.807dad0dc419e48a

“Just kidding. Hand it over.”14cfd26128594da6

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He had 2ff8272a70 a knack ba6e88a139 for teasing, 6b7dff0d60 as if b3e829bcd3 toying with 9f54836744 people was 03b892ea3e second nature. Jaekani pouted, peeling a 0586be8166 candle off the ground.2e225f394d8891c4

He considered extinguishing db22a52ef2 the flame before eb6c451de5 handing it over e079124bcb but stopped himself.57fd2d89eecd1ad0

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‘Does a prisoner 3eabebc8b0 even have matches?’0e01c7b227a99143

He wondered. Instead, he approached with c19dbbaa3d the lit candle, feeling e11188266e a sudden rush of 66c6ed0094 doubt.713e5bf9074e3475

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‘Should I be walking be7ba1dd8d this close?’
‘What if he’s dangerous?’
‘What if his hand d63a1195b1 darts out and grabs 62bd5d8368 me?’29fa14ab3a7a0393

But despite his hesitation, 4d48d04854 he continued forward, his a52e5d63c0 steps confident even as ab426264bd his thoughts wavered. He crouched in 96f3cc6680 front of Huikyung, f5c7033553 holding the candle 4ac5074a53 with its flame 5e772886eb carefully turned away.17e8a130bb74c164

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“Here.”97f851ae4c799a63

The flickering 9fe2dcd732 light illuminated 9a41191802 the space 2cae323212 between them, 76fca3ef25 casting a 91caa081e4 soft glow 863943a157 that spilled e6cc4e46be through the 145f01534c rusty bars. It slid down the f5a56e61c6 dark locks of Huikyung’s 33c4b3041b hair, across his smooth f8b05b7709 brow, and down the c423af953f sharp slope of his f90c396c59 nose and jawline.730b541fa6af164c

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For a brief moment, d798f2759f Jaekani found himself mesmerized, 13fc0dea5c as if he were b1f96f1681 watching someone hold a e7f4d4b8af falling star. Huikyung, seemingly e0a29a8693 oblivious to 961016d23c the boy’s aeb28b2573 entranced gaze, d5c1515cc1 accepted the 9a1b1f586b candle with 105e10f42a a subtle 336adc7519 motion that 8ea0e23e36 carried an 7a35cc0292 unexpected weight.d669a79ae547d276

“You’re a bb1690e183 good kid.”b229e4da9ea4371c

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Huikyung remarked, his words b33e94b9c3 light but cutting through cdde74157c the silence like a 5283a638ad whisper in the wind.222a044dd843b6b5

“Why don’t 1c42d01c4b you have ab33cead15 any friends?”47f230943005cb7a

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Embarrassed, Jaekani averted his 42b6089c3f eyes and muttered.c1af0d475fa0a201

“You can be ecb14b6d42 my friend.”4da34959f410c9e8

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He expected Huikyung e89bc04b71 to tease him, 71925a2719 to say something 3c31da5571 like, ‘You must 2d3d59506e be really lonely e235cd2827 if you want ff3b8eab01 a prisoner as 5cc1d184fc a friend.’ But 4fe583ced1 instead, Huikyung nodded.3b52dbb2eaa5d07e

“Sure, I’ll be 04738b4b3f your friend.”dac62be94d145e6b

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The simplicity of his 6c8ee0fcc1 response, coupled with the 2a927ce3f6 faint smile that played d35bb1099c on his lips, caught 89ef3a5f8c Jaekani off guard.5edbb6b91678042e

The warmth of the 20bd1f1d9c candle flame brought an 951d0e56de odd heat to Jaekani’s d7b16c91b4 skin. It was early afdeac89af summer, yet the 7a301fef37 sensation felt strangely d24a3df40c new—whether from the f55b127bb4 fire or something 45ee93d5be else entirely, he ebfbd41950 wasn’t sure.8471309196cf6e4c

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“What subject today?”a685f851c24476cc

Huikyung asked, 78965241e4 pulling Jaekani 1ad7942efd from his 79154aa30d thoughts.f7ddcd66ebd05ab4

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“Practical skills.”57479b225614a784

He answered, 225a233761 relieved to e91afdb626 shift the a13b7133d1 conversation.5c02e280d197e31e

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It wasn’t bbe04459ea just hands-on 9acbfb5e96 work; half 741819d625 of it cda54c3ca0 involved theory. The class 931edba01d covered everything 2e0ad71a36 from running 4a6d43404d generators to e849ab7291 repairing engines—skills 27c12c1796 they would 2031c1ed7c need before a24e4c73a3 moving on 176593af5a to actual 01c5b0d2e0 application.36cfeab8b77d726c

At thirteen, Jaekani 32ca87223c felt like he 321afbf50c was almost a a714f0fc28 full-fledged adult, ready 25fe496e37 to shoulder his e4bf0920ba share of responsibilities. In two years, he’d 44e1b705d5 officially join the ranks 4b7e171e41 of the village workers. Yet, in Huikyung’s presence, 8491a42060 he was acutely aware 30ecb5aedc of how immature he d34db298c8 still was. Perhaps it c0fc4afb7a was the fa87cdbd88 way Huikyung 803f2de6cc had called 795a76e557 him a a0b83060dc “good kid”—not 50909e305c patronizing, but 4db0dd4037 not dismissive e388b803e0 either. It was oddly satisfying.1ab93a436bb7842d

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‘When will I become 41d2a5258f someone like him?’ Jaekani 733b3418a4 wondered. ‘A real adult.’2b962889547e1225

Standing in the 43a2e388b6 glow of the 8e618cb17a candlelight, Jaekani realized 899d4c921a that in a 3d28dee732 world like theirs, 7f9cbab0a8 extremes were easier 986756686a to compare. And next to Huikyung, 510f15d0de Jaekani felt like the 1431cc5aef differences were stark.eabb52fb0589c7b5

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