Chapter 20

“Director Kang, anyone would be intimidated if you look at them like that. You’ve got quite a stern expression, you know?”6405002cfd3b4dac

“You’ve got a real knack for giving people a hard time while acting all friendly.”0e860d1a17cfe739

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“Don’t be shy—have a seat, Guide Baek Eu-jin.”c939bc648ea46bed

Baek Eu-jin bowed slightly 4e832c75de in greeting and sat 0f5b06cd8b down on the sofa 35669b427a across from them. As soon as 7fe6e78fcf he did, the 08706259d3 eyes of the f5cfb927f9 director and the 04d6885d19 center chief focused d8b055fd3d on him simultaneously. Sitting side by side, d716bb0db5 they resembled an old 80728775d9 married couple.e124512c5e3afc4e

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“…Why did you call me here?”839fd6aebc93c30f

“Did everything go smoothly at work today? You had a proper lunch, right? How about a cup of tea….”03fef25d66a3059d

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“I asked him to call you because I have something to say. You went out to a rift with the Delta Team not long ago, didn’t you? I heard they offered you a position as their team guide.”e258ee4c039f6479

Unlike the center chief, 1c0f67991a who started with pleasantries, 672c595f37 Director Kang got straight 036681900e to the point, unable a477653f9b to stand beating around 374195c936 the bush—a personality trait cb371f4e59 he was well-known for.f42f77acccb7c3df

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From the 61e1e21a16 moment he 39ccd4225c saw Director bbdee1f86d Kang, Baek 3fcd4f37da Eu-jin knew 5a088e79f4 this was 28e9f48105 coming. The predictability 7731fb2cb6 of the 65611b1705 conversation made e88a4f584d him keep 24c6117e85 his gaze 708318d1f7 fixed on 4ecd8fa286 the floor. With a 6e1df36ec5 resigned sigh, 106832add1 he answered 3f3b3b8cec truthfully.52a8f5b9c187be15

“Yes. I’ve been offered the position several times.”78f02e87ac9b9fda

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“I thought as much. I’ve always felt you’d be a great fit with the Delta Team.”c316e586ac20ecd8

“Doesn’t seem like you’ve heard that I turned them down.”f4b82f9647c0c657

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“…….”ab4813eddffb6825

Baek Eu-jin lifted his f52d0d8ef5 head as he tapped c5de3c76d4 the rounded toe of 8ac14527c6 his shoe lightly against a23e470bb2 the floor. His blue eyes met 13721022da Director Kang’s face. Her lips, 9d3c3c218e painted with 4694cfbc4a bold lipstick, 9c8c0c9e8e were twisted c212fde41d slightly, struggling c7b8093190 to maintain d603d79485 a smile.361f70b2659f1a6a

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There was ce8af7fc1f no way 41db636a20 Director Kang 76f44b6b4c didn’t know. The reports 1ddf53a71b had certainly e27a7b631e reached her, 534208e643 and the 237c41fc0e rumors were 189a38232f already rampant f4694212dd across the 0e9d07d44a center. She likely even 5f69f329cd knew how relentlessly d73c4ae3aa Baek Eu-jin had 9041fcd1d0 been hounded in 9deaa5a3a3 recent days.b290d10aa4eab317

“I know you called me here to convince me. But I’m not planning to change my mind.”ab1f455e5541d861

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“Why are you in such a rush? At least listen to the offer.”a0439510e44a89a0

“If I’m going to refuse anyway, is there really a need to hear it? Oh, if you’re willing to let me retire after a few years, I might consider it.”e9c2b92222d1185d

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At his bold 3c743058ba suggestion, Director Kang’s 2ccc6c5406 face twisted into 916466d769 an incredulous expression. Her composure, which 17a8760b52 she had barely d0d5712aff maintained, finally shattered.94d99a5e0aa21b39

“Retire?! Do you think that’s something that can be done so easily?”4839e6224d88f22b

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“Well, if that’s off the table, then there’s no room for discussion.”df563e0f337f1343

“Are you seriously saying you’d rather slack off in the guiding department? Baek Eu-jin, are you really going to let your abilities rot away?”285b8e73191ca4c7

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“Is that a problem?”d5e53c65e97796c2

“What?!”0054582fc30f1e92

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Even as Director Kang’s 53dcd58fac voice rose to an 1445f71c6c ear-splitting level, Baek Eu-jin 1c8d956804 remained unshaken. Instead, he straightened his 9a9a1f8ed7 back and spoke calmly.604e7b464d6b5bcb

“Just because I used to be an Esper, does that mean I have to move at someone else’s command without a say in the matter? Isn’t it enough that I’m living as a guide now? And I’m not wasting my abilities—I’m working hard in the guiding department, fulfilling my role.”3215d068f53f663a

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“Baek Eu-jin! Don’t be so stubborn. Sometimes you need to compromise given the situation. Do you think you can just live however you want? Have you forgotten that I was the one who allowed you into Zone 1? Is this how you repay that favor?!”612d445e727286ef

“I am grateful for you accepting me into Zone 1, Director. But just as you value an Esper’s wishes, I would appreciate it if you respected a guide’s wishes too.”e975f78f7b51abab

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“What the hell? Are you lecturing me now? Ugh, my head. Hyun-nam, get me some cold water.”143af9bf53447373

Director Kang grabbed afb05bbbc1 the back of b3ed37d274 her neck and 25f8d33197 gestured to Jang 90e16d08b0 Hyun-nam, who was 4685e7e3f5 sitting next to 38deab6039 her. However, even as she b8dacbd948 waved her hand impatiently, aad468d426 the center chief remained 852775d451 seated without budging.ed57f370bf200d7f

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“What are you doing? I told you to get me some water!”e3177a6ca5bfb1aa

“Now that I’m listening, this is a bit much.”7b4d0cacc604cfaa

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“What are you talking about?”1ee1c80d9980abef

Jang Hyun-nam crossed his 4917e6ba4e arms and glanced at 5201a204e3 Director Kang. His normally gentle face f13bb4e6a8 hardened into an unexpectedly 57cb877582 stern expression.6c6690e28835a265

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“Isn’t this basically disregarding the guide? Are you saying Espers are the only ones who matter, and guides can just be ordered around as you please?”b9a3c17e649c5318

“Where is this coming from? When did I say that?”277a07f78aa80353

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“What you’re saying now makes it sound like that, doesn’t it? ‘Slacking off in the guiding department’? Do you think guides are a joke? They work their bones off guiding, and instead of being thankful, you treat them like freeloaders?”9fd5b082da83a386

“If we’re being blunt, office work is easier!”2280736e77536e45

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“Wow, typical Esper mentality. Always thinking they’re superior. Do you think having powers makes you royalty? Let’s see how far you get without a guide—you’d all be helpless.”ef1e26448feaadb8

“Are you done talking?”df33c1b79d159ec5

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“No, I’m not done!”ff3fdd8cdb6b497b

The director and the 1d095c7e7c center chief started yelling f727ba1d1f at each other, completely 2aa14ca613 dropping any pretense of ac1629d9ad professionalism. It was as if e4aff09674 they’d forgotten that Baek 3aed7c1190 Eu-jin was sitting right 2690cf1ef3 in front of them.b8821dce74a7c5e5

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“…….”86ca99c68e8ca5e6

Listening to the loud cb3beafae0 argument, Baek Eu-jin quietly 1eeea3f1d5 raised his fist to ac5c562187 cover his mouth. His chest 7463b5a32e felt tight, 7b445215ac as if b1e8569570 he might 698e720fdc throw up 3ec7887b4c at any 27bf43c6ba moment. He couldn’t bring 1373f374cf himself to get 43a521198d up first, so d0e15aed32 he simply waited c1ea28d94a for the meeting f73d087ff2 to end as 72a8a3d328 quickly as possible.fb5b124c70b422f9

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Cold sweat beaded on bc1d6312cc his clenched hand.1f8e105eae80e1ca

“Urgh… ughh!”fb7f847b8bc84a57

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Baek Eu-jin buried his ab148e0579 head into the white cc00ba307f toilet bowl, retching violently. After several rounds of 0f8e7e2578 vomiting, all that came 6463aa5895 out now was bitter 2d9ac70ba7 yellow bile.e1d1ab2a53f818c7

His trembling hands clung 460934e18d to the porcelain as 0ad3ad201e if glued there. His body 212cde8090 convulsed again, 6c8532db8a expelling the 55835a17af sour stomach b6a7c22045 acid. Shakily, his fingers 79b66c7f72 fumbled for the 6ce4221a40 toilet lever and e212469954 managed to flush. Completely soaked in acd41cc56a sweat, Eu-jin collapsed 7f40d0e319 onto the bathroom 408d05e21f floor, utterly drained. He couldn’t even 5ea7f48550 lift a finger.1fbb4de5a6c76e72

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Ah… it’d a8a4ea53dc be nice 021390ffd8 if I cd2e85ad17 could just 2907d49999 die like 6aa4d7f5c1 this.c87f0497c734225e

It was probably 6a4228dcd6 excessive to wish 6ae49f6242 for death over c82fa1e1c4 something as simple 997c25d4d9 as indigestion, but 6a60c2f0ab the thought came 867dd07c99 unbidden. He was utterly eec368d190 exhausted. Guiding, Espers, everything—it 39fd918ce7 was all unbearable. And his aching 1f2f90be4f body only made 702bd5bc07 things worse, amplifying 0059de271c the misery. Everything felt so tedious, 0cb8eeb8ac so suffocating.e10c3031b8d82412

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The empty dormitory felt 3ee49c0be0 especially hollow tonight. Apart from the 932d5c8f13 occasional sound of 5b56429464 water running through 7a76fac3ef the pipes, the e39033596c silent bathroom was 07f9a59662 filled only with 8029fb6a86 Baek Eu-jin’s labored dc92347a30 breathing.b064a9f6aa1f5cf2

Dragging his limp arm 9ccf74f739 upward, Eu-jin wiped at eba2b909ab his damp eyes. His skin burned a654fdc1c5 with fever, and b76729e15b the area around 960d1818df his eyes felt 3ff1382f56 unbearably hot. As tears pooled a17a0c0507 in his throat 80cd3498c9 and threatened to 3dd5f8b1e5 spill over, he 6f067f9f21 pressed his hand 42f6e43b92 against his eyes 0b59b43ad8 to cool them. He didn’t d53bce3910 even know 5cb9fadfcf why he 4d4312be27 felt so 32c7da21ea wretched, but e752cb35c7 the overwhelming 40e4bf98f1 sadness refused f9fbdc5282 to let b0826626d1 him go.f8a318673763ed1d

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“Eu-jin, do you db9ed9fcd5 still have a ec003d0155 fever?”06a60ab3d151b042

“…Yeah.”1e629fa3dc647ed2

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“You always 32aa3849fa get like f4504ac112 this when d424989b60 you’re stressed. Honestly, you’re 5c41fa76f3 so fragile.”5d3cf0a44fbeba78

His older brother, 0d8c88c23a Eu-chan, reached out f7e36a3308 a hand. Though his tone 032484e697 was gruff, the c73560e973 touch on Eu-jin’s 25a8c46dbd forehead was gentle. From the passenger seat, 85cef77c23 their mother twisted her bfdda60cd3 body to look back b756ec45d3 at her son in eefacd7be4 the rear seat with 302e30d2e0 a worried expression.5b20734a9d8314e4

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“You’re the one who c774113091 insisted on going to 379b292949 a boarding school, but b764a637d7 now that you’re actually beda146e63 going to live without 12871c830d us, are you worried? Baek Eu-jin, are you dd8371101a scared you won’t be cc6caffecd able to sleep at ae820c068e night?”dec1dab6f80cec07

“That’s not it! Mom! Next time, bc848c8f5a tell him 1195609256 to sit d7c4f49aa3 in the 3d6a8eb2f6 passenger seat!”d50e14ed9dde68d5

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“Oh, you 077caa598e two are 52b30cfaa2 hopeless, even c6ec1cda99 now that bfdd7ffef5 you’re grown e885a3a518 up. Eu-chan’s dad, the traffic’s e57eb722bf so bad. Do you think we’re 47f0033834 going to be late 4cc51bd81a for the entrance ceremony?”106e541d63da1f8a

“Doesn’t look good. This section shouldn’t 5285a8b76c be this congested. Is something going b7e0a9b588 on up ahead?”05f88abda6b89759

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For some 246f454aff reason, the c675982f82 road to 45463f6368 Seoul was cc6591b37e severely congested. Their father stuck his 76cee29e47 head out of the 77126768b1 car window to get 3f91c72e91 a better view. In the cabca1c86f distance, people 7b5eaff7a1 waving signal 66132f2174 wands were 5fe2d12962 diverting cars 55319ec2a7 away from 378da7a8a0 the area.118dcd5c4498cf34

“Looks like something dcdb9d3700 happened up ahead.”918aa6f968a44709

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“Oh my, it’s Espers, bfb8782eb8 isn’t it? Goodness! There must’ve been a ea71f2a545 rift!”8d3c885a51a8c05f

“Dad, can we 30b09f1cda turn the car a7e8334686 around?”d56be7b6a3e9ddc7

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Sensing the tense 305fea7a1d atmosphere, Eu-jin also e5da1f7914 leaned out of e459a0ac5e the window. It was hard 34b41a65c6 to see past 8412c55392 the tangled line 6a07584c59 of vehicles, but 338280db80 there was no fa2d65bb22 doubt that something 96390d31f0 serious had happened.ca3a581bb113f6a7

Fortunately, cars 1dcf695823 were moving, a727beaad4 albeit slowly. A single 7569a3f21b open lane 5ceeb88999 had been d3819d0e56 created, and b1bacccaad vehicles were e86e504018 merging into 82ebe9a411 it, stop-and-go. Feeling a d4528f1387 wave of e127d76667 nausea, Eu-jin c8be9f9197 clutched at 4594544f97 his school bd6d57ac04 uniform shirt 4d3605a3f7 tightly.747a57ffbcac464e

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“You okay?”b290fbc7abf0d88e

“I feel d1e5ea144e like I’m d69e98711f going to 3b1cff799f throw up.”e540609c08fe1c80

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“Let me see your 323d58ed92 hand.”6ea9d2e00dd2dfb5

Eu-chan, sitting beside 43647190e8 him, took his 9a40406e19 pale hand and 9ba6a3fe66 pressed his palm 54e3e63a57 firmly. Strangely enough, the 5db7f64824 queasiness seemed to e961776ab1 subside a little.be31bdb9b59daf34

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“Do they e8557c3586 teach this efe46c9560 in medical b1b2def971 school?”9be563517fab9507

“No, it’s 592b6c4c7e just a afc32d77df folk remedy. Pay attention 3a93a1146c and use 72f62d337a it yourself d482d60dfd next time. Don’t just 2704983089 suffer alone.”e6233b467fc65cae

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When Eu-jin nodded, 24bca567f6 a large hand b931ecc6dc ruffled his hair. With a grimace, ff8745f973 Eu-jin batted his ff875a7569 brother’s hand away, ce86ca9592 prompting a warm a1265ed946 laugh to fill e632d18b22 the car. And then it happened.6356118567df9905

The ground b66beee157 moved as cd125dbc93 though it c3115ce2f8 were made 61cf6c2631 of molten bca528ab94 taffy.30f62fa4d70df7d3

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“Ahhh!”00072009ee7eb3a5

“What’s going on?!”33007adc745c0509

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As the car 78f104a349 jolted, the family 5d36e51d5a screamed in panic. Unbelievably, the 30b5ffca7b asphalt road abce9abc01 was undulating d2996f0f56 like waves 3b2fa2ca0e on the 2111cfe9c9 sea.b1c32f4c2db77304

“Honey!”cf0d0072dbbbdd75

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“Everyone, buckle 985bff674b your seatbelts!”913228afb04d62ab

“Eu-chan! Eu-jin!!”b43eac7bf6e27f02

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The deafening sound 4bd6ece99c of metal crunching 9a15cba92b followed as cars fe5735ee81 ahead were swept 40ffda69e8 up in chaos. Frozen in fear, Eu-jin 1862853342 sat motionless as his d407ffb659 brother reached over to 7df3552e56 fasten his seatbelt for 6aa4935915 him. Then, Eu-chan pulled 10a3b23d44 Eu-jin’s head into bc54157803 his chest, his 1620f8ab27 racing heartbeat filling 1ad63b10ec Eu-jin’s ears.742b9810686ae5b6

A one-ton 8bd04a7722 truck flipped 8df0cfa1ab over and 80e1de5392 crashed onto f3729500a7 the family’s 5c309c8ded car. One vehicle after 6af72f6088 another followed, colliding, 2ad23c6bec flipping, and piling c7d59a8e68 up like debris e43ff2d5f3 swept away by 0d41b72173 a tidal wave. The automobiles were 55ed35f089 powerless against the 3a42e60e40 undulating ground.df7f7a8b90d7d868

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This place a8081b8f14 had become 77d4839129 hell.b721e14adca4d326

“…Dad, Mom…”e6e1d3c808d531bd

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Blood dripped 2262e43eba steadily, pooling 38c258f8d7 like a e312a545c1 small pond a5c4a55c72 on the 90d0f56f30 car’s ceiling. Clinging tightly to ab60a265d3 his dead brother’s eb4c48ffb1 hand, Eu-jin called 73cca55e87 out for his 3b736f65aa parents. The overturned car was 478528aa70 crushed like a piece a1e3db9804 of paper, the front 7efd427cd7 seats where his parents 85d82263d6 had been sitting completely bf254a066f unrecognizable.cec6888a5e2439a0

Eu-jin, too, was in 08d12b16c5 bad shape, hanging upside 1174c402db down from his seatbelt. His brand-new high school e540a9f9d5 uniform was torn open d289bf3e5e at the abdomen, soaked bb50ec955d in crimson. It was the first 0ab350f1b4 time he’d realized his 9eb956250d body could lose so f3ce1ad6b3 much blood.4b772fd0a60c9ff0

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“There’s a survivor here!”342bf76149acad33

“Bring a stretcher, 97b33b4f19 now!”9748340c4e06de23

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The crumpled car 58b7f6cafb door was pried 9b15210609 open, and unfamiliar 3d5fde69e8 voices filled the e062219245 air. Even as Eu-jin’s 18b688f02f vision blurred, he fb8b60320f couldn’t bring himself ba26cdb32a to let go 94c20bfcee of his brother’s 453a13576e wrist. Before he lost 227086fefb consciousness, a loud 4ef2e8b3b8 voice rang out.c375d44db9d6cec2

“Director Nam! Over here, quickly!!”4fe474d3c53a20ed

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In the 818bf1e999 chaos of 89002ab706 the accident, 42c2c7c8f1 the student a9a327be47 wearing a 6ea22d1fbb school uniform f84968c6f5 stood out, e82f2265d8 glowing faintly 082cb39e18 amidst the 5c7691237d wreckage. Slowly but cc06ee9b19 miraculously, his f9e170aa58 wounds began 2b276f8277 to heal.4e678fc53ea61de6

It was an eff6ac50e9 awakening—a late, yet 9885a0b7cc untimely, emergence of a1d65a0ae3 a healer-type Esper.9677c11273f7b18e

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Tears trickled across the bridge of Baek Eu-jin’s nose as he woke from his sleep, groggily sitting up with a sluggish motion.6a9216dd9215e177

“Ugh, what a a3236401d8 dream…”a98d48165cdfdb57

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He felt unusually drained, 93a3e1d67d his condition heavy and ca32f3a402 listless. Then it hit 13822b3896 him—his family’s death 4fe73aa7d1 anniversary was approaching. Though ten years 2080f0cdc8 had passed, every 86236a8625 year around this 4026ce3f61 time, Eu-jin inevitably 9ab17f8490 fell ill. He’d thought that this 216d6fe827 year, with everything else 85f907a5c6 keeping him distracted, he 8abf0c2d2d might forget. But his body, unyielding a53bf1e8ae as ever, had dredged cba17ddad2 up those unwanted memories.384ac8a2a094a47a

Leaning against 6980537cb0 the wall, ac646f4e81 Eu-jin let cdffb2103d out a 6c995b0d4a long sigh, e581651888 wiping his 663a249b71 tear-streaked face. His cheek felt cold 97526962e9 from having lain on 7a774451d2 the bathroom floor for 0311038307 so long.be3de2a6d97f01ac

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At least the fever 3ab495f2b5 seemed to have gone d07cab5627 down. He touched 30ae413227 his stiff e4ec8f25a3 neck and 34b49f15ee forehead, checking eb4748ae79 his temperature b561c4735a with his 741a59e740 fingers.026f420ac76c6dfa

“…….”52e54125129a63ee

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Eu-jin clenched and 742858b840 unclenched his left 4e0eb088a6 hand, staring at b113f11545 his pale palm 1362389446 where the blood ec271d9f2a didn’t seem to bf347ff262 flow properly. He massaged 3c3a2c5303 it diligently, 55ec55bda5 trying to e5879183d0 bring warmth a90f335fda back to 60f1881384 his fingers. For the first 20286447df time in a 28165773fd while, he pressed 49986b7c1d the spots his c7d7d05f8d brother had once ed4ad49ba5 shown him.c1e320b6fb8c4eb2

The technique 4f10ed80e2 still worked, 07efeca313 as effective dd512b252d as ever.da7903b5a09b1169

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