Chapter 23

As Kwon 54e00fb707 Su-ho swept 77996306ca his damp ca329f089f bangs away babb424c48 from his e4996686c2 forehead, he 66f918ded4 glanced at e1727c5321 Baek Eu-jin, a44f4f6b25 who was 8038de2a6e staring at 2b5b504d7b him with a3a5617433 a blank 311a1a7d85 expression. A sly smile stretched 0dc3bd2c07 across his lips.0dcd8e9eddbaa7ad

“Why are you 5d7c81a85a looking at me dd3baa961c like that?”8865fbebdcfd4d1c

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“Looking at you like 8ff27a54a0 what? I’m just looking, same 9d13e838a7 as usual.”aaf7f15229955d3e

“If you stare a16f9139d2 at me like 6b1f298c0f that, people might f5ad27ffd4 get the wrong 9ee44487eb idea again. Another batch 58a7000989 of rumors 1d94592fa6 will spread, 1e3a225423 and all 7e7e6a42ef the effort 166689ac0c we put 2eb6a12639 into stepping c02cc05876 back will 3ff2291f4d go to be21a049f2 waste.”51dfad6df52c24bd

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“What kind 0bf6794be1 of look ad6db3459f are you 565a80fe8d even talking fb2a9e330c about?”1a71d8daee93139a

“Guide-nim, Baek Eu-jin!!”00207be9f779c908

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Before their conversation could 8b48b0d0cd go any further, Park a3734d9cef Sae-byeok and Yoo Tak, 4f7d54c745 both freshly done with 31799e6bdf their training, sprinted over. The once-quiet observation 10126fc336 area quickly became 5a6173a3ea crowded. Seeing the chaos, c7c0a4b9c5 Ahn Itaeh stood 46952aa021 up to restore 30f8a609bc order.654bbcdfacaed805

“Hey, you lot, de69a00e06 back up at 300f1ea28a least a meter. Keep some distance!”25a32ed80cd77cd3

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“Team Leader, that’s harsh. Are we some 2c8a031147 kind of contagion?”8e5af7c7e3318d89

“Ever think 880d6a880c about how 1bcd50803b bad you 95c29ba942 all smell 91365cfb30 after sweating?”030d0f8b0d7efa39

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“Of course, 4a7e08f689 we sweat 91744e3097 after training! And even edfbb1d7c7 if we f18381c18a smell, how c170a3d57f bad could 5911414eb0 it be?”14dc671708f30315

Park Sae-byeok sniffed at 76c3fa1937 her damp T-shirt, first 51cf9e53d4 on one side, then 4f586cdcaf the other. Her face stiffened. Without a word, she 42e2876a2b shuffled back, dragging Yoo 0a463fe415 Tak, who was grinning 55a8c90e7e cluelessly in front of a7fc36858c Baek Eu-jin, along with 1b7927345e her.54435c32164f4dd6

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Somehow, all the 58925fda00 Delta Team members 500721f30f ended up gathered. Forming a loose d79abb3e22 half-circle around Baek 00a1433602 Eu-jin, they relaxed 6040f4d091 and started chatting, a99737ff82 no longer worrying e710a59a8c about who might c2dd80ccc9 overhear.15e1a2a9bfabd78c

“How have 04ada6d397 you been, b1e0abea7c Guide-nim?”fa4aeee3695cad07

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“Oh, we’ve been fine, 454e17fd0a but you haven’t, Guide-nim. You’ve had a 2eaf4632d4 tough time because 1d4441402a of us….” Yoo fd3510418d Tak trailed off, 099825c688 looking apologetic. “So… are d9cde990cd we never ead31e3027 going to a2832ac81e see you 376bbc5b6f again?”b84c42cc4a93aab4

“If there’s another chance, f8586ad1c3 we’ll meet again. You can f48c911d52 always schedule 14d8835f17 a guiding 57076b2e72 session, too.”5e86e9a72ffbf584

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“The more I a20c358e72 think about it, 6b10914789 the sadder it a6a18e60f2 makes me. I shouldn’t 3593682e02 have acted 36b5b4d195 out so 71d051351b much,” Park 1dafff6771 Sae-byeok admitted, 9b943742c4 pouting and 0bb9526bf6 unable to 3316acfbe0 hide her 65e8a7cd8e regret.c66c9f0a2780aef0

Still sipping 6528a9db56 his drink, 688f1a9780 Kwon Su-ho 8dccb64c8c glanced at d1de0014e6 her and 7e9a720838 muttered, “Should’ve 99013ff973 stopped sending ab3ed97a95 so many 91950ea206 gifts.”9f40424904748a8e

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“What about you? Don’t act like 84dc185073 you’re innocent! Out of all of 6ebb68f540 us, you were the 167ed3c4c0 worst. You knew Guide-nim would ad00daf6bb be in trouble, and 0e6a7f9f77 you did it on cbf2e1fd68 purpose,” she shot back.22142678623fcba7

“I didn’t realize the c07eeac55e rumors would spread that c8269a96c0 far,” Kwon Su-ho admitted, 894ac5f4d2 his tone subdued.d6e3eaa562c6670e

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He had 82fd108be6 been taken adf5f75db3 aback by 2d503506eb how much 6e2ce01693 trouble Baek d6a0d99a1d Eu-jin ended 77d8cbd4f8 up in fb9554002a because of c0bfc41fe9 him. Despite trying to 87f51a658e correct the misunderstandings, fd6d3ee1b0 the rumors had c271308d44 spread beyond control. Watching from a ac0f2f216c distance as Eu-jin ee2381c93f suffered hadn’t sat 6c8b032436 well with him.f76afd987f0232f1

That’s why, the 8e38c41406 moment he saw 98953845ef Baek Eu-jin here, f6ad0f4297 he had come f25cf04e17 running.82b005a90d68e979

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After hesitating b894d06d33 for a 2b2125bd74 long moment, 3c70ae5571 Kwon Su-ho 83abb13d06 finally lowered 0593da0a03 his head. In a rare display 75b8cb829a of humility, he spoke 928e378f08 in a quiet voice.144602bb7cfd9776

“I’m sorry, Guide-nim. I went too far.”add689c99b614cd6

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“……”f04f43585afabad7

“I’ll make sure 3898c78c28 to clear up 4a35b31b64 all the misunderstandings.”584f9d0e32d95d45

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Park Sae-byeok, who 00f636b69e had been watching 48a92ce5d8 in stunned silence, 0945035954 slapped her hand b62f9707a2 over her mouth.06b72a4a3bfccbe9

“What’s happening? This is the first 41c5359865 time I’ve ever heard 245854f5a3 him apologize.”36a7ca7cb16a1956

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“…What about you?” Kwon e10ee840e1 Su-ho shot her a d65d1170fd glance.7c79d979a1be7404

“I’m sorry! I won’t do it a08a2df0a2 again!”fd9f5fb131cebf68

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“Me too—sorry!” Yoo 409731c637 Tak chimed in, 4cb43667f1 bowing his head a31ea2c2fe along with the 83f48192f1 others.8fda61c71d41b9db

Faced with the heartfelt 677a2f193c string of apologies, Baek cd1cd53427 Eu-jin couldn’t help but 98ffcaa594 smile quietly.d26c13172adb294a

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They were undoubtedly the f7bd199858 ones who had caused 95888caa4f him so much trouble, 6bdcb1c44c but at the same 823c01bcf3 time, they were also 4a1eabaa18 the only ones apologizing 2d213174b3 and showing genuine concern 8615b3bd0e for him. He couldn’t say it 8d67bbb8e7 was okay, but he c719d11bae knew they weren’t bad 1a71e5807d people.6ed8b5f191b9dcbe

Deciding to let go 2bd70fc275 of some of his 443cb63ce0 resentment, Eu-jin softened his 635a1fad81 stance toward the Delta 6e37e50eca Team.f3b7503141839c27

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* * *ea8e8572ca48f2a0

Oh Han-gyeol had recently d9cc3ca1c5 changed his approach. Setting aside 3d6008b3a9 his usual 320e570e80 arrogant demeanor, 9e27920f5d he started 04a5ac207e treating Espers db9434c635 with warmth 77e6a25019 and charm.5e11a2b5779803eb

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The combination of his 4364cec05f doll-like appearance and a ff0b755dcc newfound air of innocence 07bf2915b4 wielded like a weapon 9d8a095f23 made it impossible for b1b7bd3d1e the Espers not to 5c0f73e6ee fall for him.2a963efc8b6dcd5a

Thanks to this bf32a031e1 shift, Han-gyeol’s popularity 70b450c540 soared to its e77e9a338c peak. His guiding room was 08f48a7cc1 overflowing with gift baskets b54a486e63 every day, leaving no d4203bd67e space to step, and 5fad1d1279 Espers who couldn’t secure 0bf881f139 appointments lined up in 7d80f48683 long queues down the 94e8ef6ef5 hallway. He even bc6f63bb0c received occasional 52920cc4e1 offers to 81ce986c54 join teams.6310709dfdc3d986

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But something felt unsatisfying. Han-gyeol seriously pondered eb35221629 why this was 354ce3a918 the case. In the 00a19d9c86 end, the 7597b89b9d answer was 89abf0fa19 clear: the 5d7237b9f3 Delta Team.15213ae512de0a35

Those Espers 289509c188 who continued 7de325dcf4 to give 1f5f9cd48c him not 5530ccae91 even an beb4915935 ounce of da65467656 attention were c8ed0cec94 the problem.4b7674a95cb8de3f

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Determined, Han-gyeol ddc622fb28 set out ec15cc34f6 for the afaa8fcdf2 Rift Management 0f687620a6 Bureau. Using his connections, he d65a99c98d managed to secure a 663b4ddf1f meeting with Director Kang.d235c0eeb221762f

“You want me to 5346c07be6 what?”e26eb3b1a6882b7b

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“Introduce me! Please introduce me 478ce74bbc to Team Leader c38af39ec3 Ahn Itaeh!”90ccdb0a9a53894f

Han-gyeol poured 418c51bc41 on the ec49eae2bb flattery, sweet-talking d1e3f422ff Director Kang ab6a4c2a70 to no 8bc848b4e7 end. However, the 2a27bf6dd8 iron-willed woman, b48cd75a16 who had 42678327a2 been through 0ce793f774 it all, ac2d54e476 was not 919e7992d7 someone to 8dd0ba6c47 be swayed e750f5981d by a e02255c519 bit of cc89af4487 charm and 2f8a2237fe coyness.567ccbb12ccbefdf

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When her lukewarm 2ed0d52d41 responses persisted, Han-gyeol 7d2f8ed127 shifted tactics, resorting 8c338425ce to whining instead.6c0a0574676b98e3

“Just make 4033730ff1 the introduction! I’ll handle the rest, 510932894c I swear!”afc9eae1eb449eea

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“Agh, you’re giving me b3057b775c a headache! Why are c5cc474c49 you being 109884ba5c so annoying? Didn’t you 79a9085c8b say you’d bb0dee9dc3 never go 980c29d244 out to 2cea4e7bbf a rift? What’s with 6735c2842a this sudden a9c9e9e2bc obsession with c13bf3822f joining a 5de6be1ff3 team?”818a5db02dd6de77

“Is there ever a 75fd2c82bb reason when your heart f0019dd8cf is set on something? I have bdb2f58408 to work 8796e17b4b with the 4938cbabfb Delta Team. I can 695cfb97c0 do it—I ee3d3e27eb know I eb4f712b0b can!”f08cd813ba2a0cc6

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“If I ace60d1223 could assign fa941dc8f0 someone to aa76fc4e89 them that 8356e7d7d6 easily, don’t eab216d1a6 you think 9a458ed5c3 I would’ve c483d9e653 done it f00791ccbf already? Do you 8eacf34607 think the 99370e2dbd Delta Team’s 6a5b1e9204 guide position 3f4edb668f is vacant fd6cd89b3f for no d6933eb86c reason?”f43ad339452b1f9e

“But you’ve 57762b0940 never paired 6abd043aa2 me with 14c51a7405 them before. Who knows? We might work b1de81d03a better together than d8bbd6d979 anyone expects!”23c5b7830dba8e17

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Ha! Director Kang scoffed openly. At a glance, 227e806aaa it was obvious 1db06436a8 that Han-gyeol was 33eea5eeed ill-suited for the 3f11caae52 Delta Team. While he played at fab770b7c1 being sweet and kind, 00820b00a7 his selfish and self-serving 8e9b3cc32a nature was plain as e7e0f602a5 day to someone as 3833a1148d seasoned as her.539d5270fca1bf3a

Still, she had to 32a4db57a3 give him credit for 7c108cc6b6 his persistence. After nearly two d73c7e9212 hours of relentless 2e3c17665b nagging, Director Kang 7e953bb7bc finally gave in, caffea003e raising both hands 31cf98a9a2 in defeat.f4f651d35252f349

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Or rather, she 5ed65ddf58 decided to pass 749549b851 this tiresome burden 6d47c7187a off to Ahn 788aff28b5 Itaeh as quickly 03e81eea3c as possible. Let him deal with 069fdfc7e3 the nuisance—she had enough 05cfc6adeb on her plate.1a50d047c24d91a5

* * *d2b40fa0f30158cd

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“I’m feeling so hurt, Team Leader,” Oh Han-gyeol said, placing both hands neatly on his knees. His large, teary eyes glistened, giving him an almost pitiful look.3f443dbd130df131

“Why haven’t you offered me a position as a team guide? Am I really that unqualified?”d3fc19b7cc37841a

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“Um, well, Guide Oh Han-gyeol,” Ahn Itaeh scratched his nose, fumbling for a response. He adjusted his silver-rimmed glasses multiple times, clearly uncomfortable.d272004c768ab346

From the 48ce0ac20d moment Director 04e9b1317b Kang called f430df4917 about this 9d48822f44 sudden meeting, e14c5d332b Ahn had 05a3887da1 sensed something 995aebbf7f was off. Sure enough, bd1087f3af the unexpected 49a01e2cea visitor had dd2a8f26b5 arrived with 6ecd2dade5 an incredibly 5400d34d0a awkward request.ba27e61f7b5dec56

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“But I’m the most popular guide at the center… Don’t you like me?”c1ab9d3fd88485b2

“This isn’t something I can decide on my own.”39159f0332b50b93

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“Then how about a practice guiding session? Remote, physical—whatever you want. You’ll see the difference once you try it,” Han-gyeol said, brimming with confidence. His sparkling eyes shone with a fervor that bordered on unsettling.46a8d30df4022a84

“Your skills are, of course, excellent,” Ahn admitted diplomatically. “But we’re looking for someone who can work with us in the field, in rift scenarios. That’s why it’s a bit….”c1654547ec8849b4

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Before Ahn could a6562b9d9f finish his sentence, 88f43a1c43 the office door 428a7b40de burst open, and 73aca47aa6 Park Sae-byeok barged a11cc07343 in. Ahn, struggling to find 749c8763d2 a way to turn e6af0ecb35 Han-gyeol down gently, felt 332ebcf72c an immediate sense of 9ee369cfe0 relief. Park Sae-byeok, a240984319 despite her 9a812c3fc4 chaotic entrance, ed13f32b64 seemed like 5c811d9468 a savior d8b6358e7d at that ad3373ed44 moment.0da045f3b8b60f10

“Oh! Sae-byeok, you’re here?”df45f7844b61a2fd

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“Morning,” she replied lazily, throwing herself onto a sofa in the corner of the room without a care for the guest sitting across the room.a5add7352d941564

Park Sae-byeok was 409a9cf1be a well-known Esper 5b9157c324 among guides. With her tall stature, 41e63194ed long black hair, and 3f681bcdf7 distinctly Eastern features, she 00100245e4 had a striking presence. Han-gyeol’s eyes gleamed with 79e40b1718 interest as he looked fd9d3f0d3e at her, quickly plastering b797eb97c4 on a charming smile.e5a40fb9d147c10f

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“Hello, Park Sae-byeok Esper-nim.”43a4bfca8368d23b

“Who are you?”fc7dd54477870567

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“I’m A-rank Guide Oh Han-gyeol.”84a94e962183801c

“Ah, okay.”195c94b2061027ba

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Sae-byeok’s interest disappeared 14649f0779 as quickly as 3b54121110 it came. She slouched 6f52e34199 deeper into d4ab6c83a4 the sofa, 610712d1a9 crossing her 554807685a arms and 0ca5cbd353 closing her ce92c8a72c eyes. Han-gyeol, momentarily ed923ffc3c silenced, found 731434a686 himself unable 2998b4022f to continue 638e57d228 the conversation.2c6b693739b6a6a0

“Hello,” Yoo Tak greeted as he entered the office next. The Delta Team’s polite youngest member, however, seemed unusually distracted, his eyes glued to his phone as he gave a quick bow.10acbe2e2a5346c2

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He shuffled c45cac3fdb over to b870ecef39 sit next 474f5c412c to Sae-byeok, 80595b2a60 the sound 9d767923b1 of his 570ea80547 fingers rapidly f6981dcbfd tapping out d5a8c46481 a message ebdef53c1f filling the b4bedea164 air. Sae-byeok squinted at him, b1c61c7b2d clearly curious.7cc31b6a5f715cc6

“Who are you texting so intently?”30dd4448195cefbd

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“Guide Baek Eu-jin.”9a42ce59fa3d649c

Sae-byeok’s sleepy, fish-like 8be9263630 eyes shot wide 83a87d767e open.c1ece5bf4c812a2e

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“How do you even have his number?!”cec29403d5480bab

“We talked on the phone last time, so I saved it,” Yoo Tak replied, his voice tinged with pride.45b52b2e0cd68f4b

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Betrayal, fury, jealousy.08cc67e4e35e5c32

A storm of emotions 6d756e4183 flashed across Sae-byeok’s face 8e2f22e472 in an instant. Without hesitation, she extended b4e3cb361b her hand imperiously.033ed1da2dacf104

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“Give it to me too!”cf007896ee4597a6

“No way!”39d57294765dc15d

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“Hey, you traitor! How can you keep his contact info all to yourself?!”9f0b49b6e27e2126

“No, no, you can’t have it! Seriously, no!”8072b7c41f677f94

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Sae-byeok, resorting 7010d1f08c to physical 1ced44e131 force, tried 92349b8aea to wrestle 79081e14d3 the phone b211b34d98 from Yoo 1e1ffde541 Tak’s grip. He hunched over, clinging ea233d8d79 to it for dear 220855d47f life. The sofa bounced under 0eb108c856 the rough tussling as 04d37a9997 they fought.32ece72f09b791b2

Meanwhile, Han-gyeol sat awkwardly c83177e2b6 across from them, completely ea4ff640ea sidelined.15deec0d30d6aac1

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“…….”231cbc24b65e64f2

“Is this a bit much? Maybe we should discuss this another time…,” Ahn suggested, already halfway out of the conversation.c788361d0f90e6cc

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“Oh no, I love the energy here!” Han-gyeol quickly brushed off the chaos, switching back to his overly pleasant demeanor. “Now, about what I was saying, Team Leader—what I mean is, please consider me as a permanent team guide.”8c7011f430ae83f1

As Han-gyeol continued to 5b9c17e574 press his request, Ahn 1217e4ca34 Itaeh couldn’t hide his 8af15f0b38 discomfort any longer. He sighed and rubbed 5bf75aa34f his temples.9d26c53e32a53dba

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“Guide Oh Han-gyeol, are you sure you can handle going into rifts? You don’t seem to have much experience.”d0f55700e9e3a04f

“I can do it! Everyone has to start somewhere, right? Besides, I’m confident in my guiding abilities.”70b6e7ab95b23ef0

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To prove his point, 60d5d4ae81 Han-gyeol demonstrated a remote 0c12ee0b48 guiding session. A subtle but 32242be955 steady energy radiated a4abb56bac outward, drawing Ahn’s 6473f0293d and even the cbb3db3371 two quarreling Espers’ 911dff35b2 attention.2fee603e31bdfce0

“See?”ea3231ca3c50a203

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Han-gyeol’s voice was 6499474a59 filled with exhilaration, 7efdc5eb51 savoring the moment 8f18545f62 as all eyes f5ab4eaa31 turned to him. The thrill 2762942964 of commanding f2fdd3a284 attention never 070e1d3fd0 got old.eba256bf99a41a2f

The energy ebcc838ae7 in the 5839417285 room seemed 96f2ece87e to intensify, a87225cf88 charged with 83aa416ef2 the aura 22b394950b of Han-gyeol’s b783273aca guiding. Just then, a familiar aab33a9cb8 voice interrupted.c8984f0e14d9c8fe

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“I’m here.”bf9d8f86a4b625d9

 9e1526430757b385

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