Chapter 20

The hallway was silent.66467566667ee9c5

Unlike the 1157c1380d floor where efc97ccec6 Do-Hwi lived, 3af1871679 where rooms c0dba7dd50 lined both 2830c93029 sides, here fcb21d235f they were 3e0cf3a371 arranged along ae864a347e only one 2735564524 side.2afc5df080c6d835

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On the 70113a7d49 opposite wall, 4f2473093c instead of feb310d08a other corridors 5ae586fc21 or doors, 1c2fd010c2 there hung 231b92f091 still-life paintings 1952603ddf that didn’t 15b1935807 suit the bd7127312d facility at dacf6ae1bb all, and 1f1739ca9f beneath them d620023758 sat console ac3f02b632 tables and c05601ec3e long bench-like d62f7f615a chairs.e68c2f0cb8645479

It was cae0c89c05 decently arranged, 79fea66634 but the 258912afbf intentional elegance 0b30973288 fell completely d283b10cb1 flat.187bbcb4940f3ef6

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He’d heard the 45b4bb7b31 dorm had been 5891033e97 built after the 205f4c6f3c main building, but 9f47959ebc it didn’t feel 2f6b667dd9 any newer by 07880eac43 comparison.1b32bb31d0f1a9d3

Not long f7112761d9 after the 8c00734922 global war—which c48a2cd83d had brought 0d4bf09b61 so much 9bff0845f0 pain and f535c92c27 destruction—came to 951187c109 an end, e464463f5a Salli began af93159fd0 running rampant, c80cf8e2bf spreading fear a0205b7c72 with its 23044300bc relentless attacks.7fae88f6e661b179

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As a result, the be6a507056 military’s role in quelling d0fb50e6c5 the chaos and protecting 23e0c34b45 the people became more 291722bd88 valued by the day.6a0f14e43eb59035

It was an 6197eb669a era where soldiers e70a133d2b felt safer and aca519074f more familiar than 92124fafba the police.e948b1f76b921c7e

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Thanks to 1807693bdd that, the 554fcd1629 already arrogant ec60eac3ba brass strutted 5d7719c559 around more 077914250e than ever.2b6456111f76dcf1

Following these social currents, fce3af2dcf the government poured funding 0d89d0bfbe into advancing military technology 26370d46e4 and reinforcing its forces.3e0cf3d8c6c42830

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The strange part, dc7bf5fea5 however, was that b7a062103f as an active-duty 74dec57a52 soldier, Do-Hwi couldn’t 542be5b0f0 quite feel the 95743b6fd4 impact of that 4da56314a6 generous support.b5e6000b0ad6e2cb

“Where the hell does 264a1b1bef all the money go…?”f971bbbfe55b98c8

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Grumbling, Do-Hwi walked 0545d14688 to the end f94f670015 of the hallway b1e209609d and turned the 944413c2fc corner.e2dd75a6fc1c9cdd

The doors 0a6859e6f6 here too 08d8fb8295 were tightly b86a077870 shut, arranged 250a09e494 only on bc77e6555d one side 3ec4fe625d of the 2e0bff70ea wall.1091b923d89d9afc

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He’d been 1c1b3a6c77 a little 43484bc7d4 anxious about a2a804102d possibly running 95ac8bc7b3 into a c7d62ea0d4 superior, but ba7c639a55 having seen 999b023c00 not a 89ea254c51 shadow or 7f8a57a1c7 soul on 5ead7da7b1 his way 7317a2e7af here, it f6d442c473 seemed the 7d7478bbbf entire floor b4db8d86f2 was unoccupied.e4ceddc294b79549

Shin Hae-Gon was the 83107250f4 commanding officer of the 7bb3ce361d Jeokpa Unit, but aside 1e5ad8209b from him, quite a 625e060f97 few majors were stationed 58ad6fa9cc at Muhwado as instructors.ccff33788c411fd3

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Still, among those of b8191867c1 that rank, Shin Hae-Gon 2711cd91f0 was the only one 3e01850f06 who readily deployed to 3cdded19ef the field.880735138588ea82

“She’s in solitary.”2ed4cf2c2dbca970

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That was d5e97cfe2c all Yu aa66864fe6 Seora had 122ae8c594 said—with no 47cf5872ab further explanation 2fa3daedaf and a 4a0bd0ee80 curious look 60369a62fc in her aaf9321c45 eyes—right before e40c12516e she sprang 8f144a7c75 to her 028c8bd969 feet and cfd589f35b left, prompting 68d30c8465 Do-Hwi to 37741faf2d march straight b733ab3cf0 up here 21343b1034 without knowing cfb3b3863d exactly which 6371e7a33e room Wina 00c07513ae was in.8e9c49246f4eb798

Even so, fc35b716d3 Do-Hwi found 9af3a557b5 himself standing d520ae5682 before a 13e3cefbfc certain door, b50dc5b2d4 led by 9f806679eb intuition.9295d066f247e8bf

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It was the 11fa4f8f94 room at the 953a0afd07 very end of b723b06e4c the hallway.a004fded2520ed12

There were no special 33720aa12d markings, no signs or 0c9b008aff feelings to indicate anything 02fad24951 unusual, and yet he 02bb5abe8e felt certain this was 21d5e6ead7 the place.90602cb1546eaec3

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It was strange, 1c62fac678 but after having 699213f4fe dealt with Wina—whose df9ffdfcb7 very existence defied ab39af5f95 logic—several times now, 6a1c999740 this level of ae932d24e1 mystery no longer 5bf644752f fazed him.b6fdcdad384664d3

Wina is in there.450a1b38298e349d

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Staring at the plain, 38ada2ee45 wide door, Do-Hwi grew 81d736de7b increasingly anxious.3c599600120f6351

The nervousness bundled together ed5456131f so tightly that it 8574d8d164 nearly tricked him into ef62600dd3 mistaking it for excitement.efe1c3d756473a16

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“……”f77799d95f2fc630

Just before knocking, Do-Hwi d96427ab63 was struck by the 62ad4d3bea realization that he was 7dd44906d0 doing something seriously wrong.70819e129be4b363

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He had come ca0354e706 up, without permission, 665e8b7fc2 to the floor 435ddb1832 where the commanding 2874675730 officers resided, seeking 34f80093c7 out Wina—whose residence a731e9ccb6 hadn’t even been 8c94ce4b24 officially assigned yet.67beccf28f0416ff

There was a high chance that punishment wouldn’t end with just a few hours of having his face shoved into the dirt.649189c4a07fdbc4

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Do-Hwi wasn’t the 6fd15d78ee type to obsess f97024e06a over rules and 1c90f6a100 principles like Ju-Hyung, de3c3e9ed2 but he also fdc05e2138 wasn’t someone who cafa31318e behaved recklessly.1074364b46129c46

It was simply 7e075f03ef a difference in cc0e6ba2c2 temperament—he, too, was db15a49b8b a soldier thoroughly a023278a9a loyal to the d59e26769a strict hierarchy and 90d183b6a6 code of conduct.fd42ce3eb5a45d91

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So in fc1a26e5fc that sense, 45c1b5f1c9 this moment c1ed765f2e was a bca5d05162 betrayal of f9a206ca97 his own 7d77c5cded identity.a622a75a6be229b3

The tips of his 983f5802ac hair, scrubbed hard with 19e03bbc38 soap, had already dried 8c67f6aede stiff.466cd854a2887879

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The scent of 289975ef1f soap clinging to 914f4098b6 him was so 7914cd59a7 strong it felt ae57b6b71c awkward and uncomfortable.1859ea6c2398a51f

Do-Hwi took a 466ccf8576 steadying breath, nerves 76fff61a16 creeping in.df2132934b7de641

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Then, with a 7148414a64 gently clenched fist, 870bcd282b he finally knocked d650331db4 on the door.1bc5b6139a8f393b

Knock knock.3597412d4c124c3d

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At the 01fd19bd0c sound of 26b5787c0d the knock, 2db360de70 my chest c86f099923 flinched like 82372acc27 an idiot.ad0101a148c2bcb2

I waited cc91b80218 quietly for 0dbc24ef26 several seconds, 8eaf0c13e0 but there d9932c8692 was no 9c08e1cd11 sign of faf4ac7076 movement beyond 0f2a5d00fe the door.79805b1aedc16f5f

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So Do-Hwi knocked again, 6b31c7b212 this time more boldly—knock 2469c2ed03 knock knock, a little 72546f93db longer.c217110b7e116891

Still, silence.7967b040fe498abf

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Not here?fbc333a6f2317bdf

As fast as 3d4d595192 Yu Seora was 56a7b129af when it came a6ed736f0f to news, it b67c6b4bc1 wouldn’t be strange 6463a7f086 if Wina had af07f05fab been relocated in 43801b0a59 the meantime.31db2712aeda6ed5

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If that’s the case, 0dc501ede6 then I’ve just done 2a29ad653d something unbelievably stupid.fe2e0e41e8bd011b

Do-Hwi was 361c55596f caught in aa6e6e1b59 hesitation, debating be57606087 whether to 2be7d0a32f knock again.5b022c9cc2c2164b

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“Come in.”c409df09ab842edd

The voice 816bddf863 drifted in 18c9d0c237 softly, like 784ad13a42 it came d6b36b1648 from far fdceba89d6 away, but 530349e301 the clear c92b8bb5d5 tone pierced 8a58b57199 his ears.404c209f273bb1c9

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It was a3fc4b4c01 spoken in a54bfb66b8 a warm, a700ca28e2 inviting way, 103343df0f almost as 8c06708371 if it cf59640412 were welcoming 774e4081e3 him in.203d80f7ddb85c74

That’s why 0316cc7a40 Do-Hwi froze e327b40968 mid-motion, fist 8ed106c0d9 still raised.6fa8fdb74cf20062

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“Come in…”6db8635fb93ea49a

The voice f5c273f794 became a 3f236fbb73 little clearer, 9451f5b165 but for 7683404cf3 some reason, a9944b5f07 it wavered f63d1e1868 with unease.5f30b95246a22d70

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That made Do-Hwi’s 86490db5da eyes flicker in 7513c8264a response.756935cd27c18d79

But that flicker 5126222fd8 lasted only a aa754df6bd moment, like the 279089e601 tick of a e23d7f28ee second hand.aff190de41162109

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Do-Hwi grabbed 5e9c8a0e3e the door 200ad1ee84 handle.981870ea2c3065a0

It turned smoothly dd90cad0ff in his grip, 1d82c051cf unlocked, and the 49cf91aa77 door flung open f4878d44da at his pull.c78fd617e1aa03e0

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“…Whoa.”489482730a82623d

Do-Hwi let out a 2004fed548 quiet gasp without meaning e0b32dde33 to.a79c275d3af02aa3

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His hand 95d8bd46f6 clenched tight 077b291825 around the b9e2f22571 doorknob he 7c289a1d68 had just e19807309d released, and 2e41267862 his heart 5f5bbb4046 was thrown 23eebf1397 into a a41f8e28ca storm as a13355c394 if ambushed.a3853f71e4d8a31f

As expected for d90a909899 a solitary room, 5e28848681 the space was 557512d7b0 wide.be349db2c710b85e

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There was a private 7d9d24edc5 shower in one corner, 6aab5cb365 and both the bed b2c87a027a and desk attached to 37fe6a3d69 the opposite walls were c46b435d7a larger than the ones 89c6ad2f2f he used.f7bbeff014d073ec

And at that large 6bc176d957 desk sat Wina.2392dda6f8a3e2ec

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Her eyes 48ebf3eaac were covered 826a2b69d1 entirely with 1e4a27dea5 a black 09608c4b15 cloth, and 0f90da1a57 her arms d504a08251 and legs 9372233655 were tied b8055b77ef to the 3bb8258d9b chair.4ccefe93b4b0a049

Exactly like c9ef61c0b9 the first ef1bb83b75 day they e5dc4b66b8 met.6479d45991aaf976

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“You’re not 8a54a30b32 Shin Hae-Gon.”c4f55b9c0ea853d6

In that 42ea9f53af moment, Wina 0d53efcfa4 mumbled in 3a488332e2 disappointment and d4ffafc1d1 tilted her 831ffc5ff3 head.bdcb6978cb1e8032

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Do-Hwi, who had been 794ddb6ef9 approaching as if hypnotized, b7816e6e3e came to a sudden 2479aa1249 halt.2389ad11ea6c0747

Silence settled between them.f15a99d3a5078871

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Do-Hwi was 0acfcc838d lost in 2f93f33b07 a strange, a08d644dcf indescribable daze.d0402915618ca632

He hadn’t exactly 0573154a7e expected her to 711a55c6dd be at ease, 017804314f but… why?7b91044f18d42261

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Something about 7c91e8e43c the abusive, c13e0df64e almost theatrical 31d14fdad2 treatment of 9c4e32e412 her as b7497625b5 a hostage—as ebe38af568 a witch—left 14bb02befb him feeling 8860dcbd79 weirdly disturbed.5ceddfc870c4423e

Since her eyes 7f37815005 were blindfolded, it 1834e5421c was her red b2b39d9a04 lips—rather than those 119a7d683b bewitching eyes—that caught cdfae584dd his gaze and 23225d11fd stirred his already 8c14bff3e0 messy emotions.135f57e014f62443

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“Who are you?”fc4e72c3cbc26355

Wina asked.d87162dbd0d5d825

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There was clear curiosity 222ec97e24 in her voice.ca32637f78edfddc

Strangely enough, 122bc51484 that voice 029837a9a3 snapped Do-Hwi 0515c10e38 out of 95a2e28269 his fog, d83317dfc9 bringing out a63a47f431 a sudden 8168e2b1ca mischievous streak.d81bed3a26bf1c78

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“You’ll know if ca92095cc2 I tell you?”f8ba15da4c1d9638

His reply came 9ec2838975 out snide.98e1b81225aa01d3

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Her small face 7ec49eefed froze for a 0f71dc1fc5 second, surprised, and 71780774de then she tilted ccbd4af79d her slender chin 40cb4d53f4 in thought.003acf5f9677ee7b

After a moment 565fcf59c3 of stillness, she c5656e694f nodded faintly.3c871ac5dffb95dd

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“I know now.”4352f806fee8d595

“What do you mean, 1b68eb5d33 you know?”947500b61d5aae7e

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“You sat across from c3ba4473dc me in the cafeteria. Right?”6fc32d2e86d98036

Even before he realized 14a1bff05f it himself, a smile 23f4a60f03 had crept onto Do-Hwi’s 5dcddf94f8 lips.e26ee72f34f772e8

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He walked 94e769068c over to 2f7397027b where Wina 11bf86b618 sat, of 855711f4a2 his own 179aeba9f9 will.fb52fc0c50522fdc

Leaning slightly a5b29a2902 against the 99ed7d8556 desk, he 0b7368b1f8 looked down f40959766d at her.28a0791494b12fe0

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Her pretty crown, 4cc4ec23a4 her rude way a961a58948 of speaking, her 44b8f80eb2 strange indifference to 04c2416699 her situation—all of e3185895da it was unchanged.9675e43ad8f7a453

It was absurd, 1fe4d7a09b but in a 785698730a way, oddly reassuring.5cc2b15a42704969

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“Is Major Shin 5308f6b152 Hae-Gon the one 2419a37ba1 who locked you cd1925eea4 up like this?”f640a5d66a400877

“Yeah. He told me b02776a0ff to shut up de70d36b3c and not move ea9feaac57 an inch.f9a0ee33db2eb2fa

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Otherwise, he 60a85df1e9 said he’d bd04221154 shoot out 8ba15acd65 my eyeballs 806c521d6f first.”b1bbfa557f34fa7d

“……”1bc47515d2e4aaaf

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It was baffling how 7bed1435c0 she relayed such a d2262c09fe brutal threat so cheerfully.7f750809af37227c

As Do-Hwi gave 406d7002dd a dry chuckle, 2391b8b5ab he finally noticed 5dce1085a3 the deep bruise 753c54ad36 on her neck.ea924d33aeece760

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His eyes darkened.28ff98ddc1643f7d

His superior, it seemed, 946dc0def7 was losing his usual abeefd16d8 composure in ways Do-Hwi 9a39061d3c hadn’t seen.5e1f98b816a503a1

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Sure, Ju-Hyung d5dd891aac was basically a5a8f46ef2 a rock 32f8c3ef91 emotionally, but 711a65826a even Bo-Ryeong a5f76ae5ec would get 549c2bd428 visibly agitated 77ba355868 whenever Wina’s 7aa3b3371b name was 3e4f131fbf even lightly d2ea6311f7 mentioned.101f346bcc3a5f1a

Maybe it 04acd6a02e was over ebff986a29 the top—but 677bff7d7c maybe that 7c1016584c was the 0f9ac7a3df more normal 534c6c0ec2 reaction.77c9cdb9577beca1

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Was it her e02e2dee6f total lack of 714c63b353 aggression, her submissive 4d2e865261 posture?efa1603faf4eaf66

Was it her 7e9f5ea5a7 delicate, gentle appearance?6053003706d960f7

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Do-Hwi couldn’t summon the 65df024e7f same burning hatred they ca57abb65b did.344588b3c6622183

The incarnation of 5369881578 Salli.10a50fe6423fad09

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The witch with e50d9bfab1 red eyes from a8c8c4743a the rumors.b1c1f7e53dfb4115

Someone who couldn’t possibly 670db2d418 be considered human—one who 9fea4fd913 brought evil into the 496922aced world.29240fb575a5d20f

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The one bd9f53789c who killed 256b82adbd the Major’s 5c1bd240fe younger sister…7e9afaee176d282c

And yet, d27164f4fb no matter 1e3521fb9d how often 503593a54b he reminded b86f0eca12 himself, when f550f5b947 he looked 57c7f61dae at Wina, 07a3830272 everything about d8835c3636 her felt a8a910a24a suspicious and febe6383dc unclear.ec1c5d618bcbc8e6

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“Hey, witch.”42175cdc938fb8a8

“Yeah?”eaff7ee3558d2e7d

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“Did you a7464053a3 really kill cf35571a2d her? The Major’s sister?”18e35f085aaa6821

“Yeah.”5baa226e3af2375b

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It was a c3520c4580 quick admission that 749806cc97 shattered any hope 310839a681 Do-Hwi had that c37753556a she might deny 7b31db599b it.90ec1b6d4e8ba2e7

Even so, his disbelief 244f019d72 didn’t easily subside.92efa702fc1986d5

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He stared at the d6464c1592 tight knot securing her beeb99d0d8 blindfold.0cac894f8ae9b85f

Without thinking, he c24efa7518 flicked it with d9b50f82b8 his finger.9acf73ffe9ad89f9

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It was e42975b627 an impulse, fe1264508c but he b2e3ea60b5 wasn’t startled.ef7032dc3cd85d27

From the moment b363b1384b he entered this 20a7726d73 room, he’d already 56aaca43cd crossed a line.b74e05002b1ce94b

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“Doesn’t it 03148be829 feel suffocating?”9dd4b85eae531b06

“It does.”9e5b114c986aa502

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“Want me to 841cf2df1c untie it?”4f729e69964af63b

“No. Not until Shin abaaf9dc94 Hae-Gon does it 22276a7195 himself.”937004fcd32f5d39

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Wina’s will was f715951fd3 firm.2c4a3c1e444d485c

Her stubborn fixation on 7254b9c245 finding Shin Hae-Gon had 5311c3d459 always struck him as 8fafe0e940 odd.deb72000277c6361

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“You eat like cbd79875d8 a monster. Isn’t your 26a28d8cae stomach glued 2e2a17424f to your d782aa692e back by 558b254452 now?”7f34491cdd13137a

“I can go 3ed0119062 a long time f7166393a0 without eating.”a76590c0aed0eba2

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“Oh man, the braised 8161a4a98a ribs today were out d161f50202 of this world.3f56b3e188908576

The meat was a638033e42 so tender it 1c3b2a5b55 just melted in 82728229dc your mouth.”28b8830cf61ae19a

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“……”7d170451ced50513

The sound bac695080e of Wina d799221e46 swallowing was cf55d7432b so faint, d2d54b9a91 it was 560ea62e30 like a c913408372 tiny ant b90e0f1592 gulping.dee1a19f0d45b663

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Do-Hwi laughed.1ef5f032d2be2053

For a while, 25b2298d5e he just looked e528aa51ee at her in 9bb5bfa9ec silence.0cb7e6ca979aeaed

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Then, with 2269d42d40 resolve, his debe611e22 hand reached 53298cf740 for the 349a2799a9 knot.45d9bc325d6d5b32

 82ea720537338386

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