This…isn’t my ceiling. I blink and feel a tinge of pain across my pain. So…this is reality. I’m probably in the nurse’s office.418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRqURQisDW7
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I swallow and exhale a long breath. Everything that has happened flashes through my head.
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ8kz85d1f7
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Nao: “What happens now?”
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs1BcDxugW0
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4MpcPrhWwZ
Alyson: “So you’re awake.”
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!418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUVZcrIkHA4
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I struggle through the pain and look to my right to see Alyson by my bed.
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmLkERqcgAI
Nao: “What are you doing here.”
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAOtxCyeTx4
Alyson: “Is that a problem?”
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Nao: “No, I’m just surprised.”
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Alyson: “…”
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Tx9gVr1lN
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Nao: “…”
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIhFIPNlpeX
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ41yvINC72v
Alyson: “So, explain yourself.”
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzVMexjrB1x
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡffvUIpb9nM
Nao: “Is it not obvious, Trevor beat me up.”
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfs65pQ32ox
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJEZRBGXQd1
Alyson: “…I mean before all of that.”
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ53e7KUtXXS
Nao: “I did the right thing, any humane person would do it.”
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeogwbUa8nM
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4CYDyG8Ism
Alyson: “Those eyes didn’t look human to me.”
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVdpIzD9NMD
Nao: “…”
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGgq5eAhdLp
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjNEO9Zz11O
Nao: “Maybe not, but I couldn’t sit by and let them beat up my friends like that. If I…have to become a monster-”
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDobC5TOFJx
Alyson: “Don’t finish that. You don’t have to do that.”
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwaXoIMhaB6
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZRbPRjwxQJ
I begin to retort but something is happening. Alyson’s general seriousness begins to crumble before my eyes.
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhMwiI9vaQs
Nao: “What’s with you?”
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHJ6aTo7qwR
Alyson: “That’s my question!”
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCCs7BlaoW7
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHDj3G6CxFt
Nao: “!”
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRsqxnnMPSs
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLktDufvpyI
Alyson: “Don’t you realize that if you keep doing this you’ll get yourself killed! Stop trying to do things beyond your ability!”
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn9x2V9bYn8
Nao: “…”
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdF0x1t6Ck5
Alyson: “I…don’t want to lose you too.”418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡACa4lRMS3X
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy5OVkfTisL
Tch.418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPOvXjVLQgY
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo4Lbl7UHU6
Nao: “What do you want from me!?”
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYpsBPhYwEI
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCaNmetN0Bm
Alyson: “!!”
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDCQFbyXFrO
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtGfmGM7urm
Nao: “Should we just shut up and take our abuse? I don’t care whether it’s not within my ability, I rather try than live the rest of my life on my knees.”
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRuMB5YpEd7
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL47v2MDkAr
Alyson: “…Nell and I won’t watch you burn up in the sun. Goodbye, Nao.”
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmnkEAV8Qi8
She cleans off her tears and leaves me alone in the room. No, not alone. I’m in a room full of broken bodies. Those of my friends and those of my enemies.
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSLNIPpYDeO
Nao: “It’s too late to back out now.”
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP2ZSXoQruf
*Sigh*
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoqYKIFqWlu
Nao: “ So this is the cost of being the main character. I’ll know when this ends if the price was worth it.”418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOWVH1AkcVK
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYPCpNeiTLJ
Arc?418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtG9lwFF1rF
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwuPIV4nYQa
Arc: “Yes?”
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡINjboHULnL
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpCQaGZkaWo
How’s my body?
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXobQBTW056
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡin0DGeZBsS
Arc: “Healing well enough. Speaking of healing…”
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*Ding*418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTG62hT85QZ
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzt9Ri7hTFE
Points: 6418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTJPsQ7vDvc
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Arc: “You did well over 10 spells today.”
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuNKSN2AvdC
Good, I need those points if I’m going to beat the King next time.
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqBqob8wzEV
*Door open*
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKsMYP5UQFU
I look to the door and rushing to my side is the person I didn’t want to see. Not after what I almost did?
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5c1sQdZkKU
Nell: “Nao, are you okay!”
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSY3oH1XRMg
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxw7ni2NrkG
Nao: “I’m okay, mom. Sorry they had to call you from work.”
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXmBUPMANW6
She hugs me gently, enveloping me in her warmth. Something I need but don’t deserve. And as soon as I think that the warmth leaves and is replaced with dread.
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRjwsmiURfl
Nell: “You promised…”
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuKrT7A9aAe
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLE4VMquJ1m
Nao: “Mom I-”
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrqmrF2koRD
Before I could say anything she flicked my forehead hard enough to push my head back some. Knowing my mom, this is as bad as a slap.
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm0SCcqBO9o
Nell: “You broke your promise and got into fights. Even Alyson seems shaken by what she saw you do.”
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFqERXLQu5C
Nao: “But-”
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOG3PaSxoQE
Nell: “Nao, you’ve been suspended from school for a month.”
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgCMZTLZxGs
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUdcGPSeo76
Nao: “!”
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVft8PxSFeS
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0P8TkxqI7Y
Nao: “What about those bullies?! Don’t tell me they get to go free!”
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsQjZwEvVcG
Nell: “Nao, you beat one of them so bad that they might not make it.”
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc7ShCrNlmn
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDYNUROUvfe
Nao: “!!”
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx4FfbGxTeW
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ55LAPlL3UE
Nell: “What they did to you and your friends is unforgivable but that pales in comparison to you. You…might really be charged with murder.”
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkUnAEpOKV3
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7KVNbMWr2a
Nell: “Why didn’t you tell me…we could have done something….anything but this...”
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZdAcFZm8td
I couldn’t say anything…she’s right. I already killed 3 people and now this….
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWbF6Lgjnvv
What am I becoming?
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEIxb34RPnf
Arc: “What’s necessary.”
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W-What?
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD2DEBtnzwh
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN1YJEhAB0E
Nell: “Nao, despite everything you’ve done I forgive you for breaking that promise.”
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf3utlIa5wl
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf3h6QIQqLp
Nao: “R-Really?”
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuEMi6n0vzv
Nell: “Yes, because I also kept something from you. Our…living situation is not the best.”
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTSfaC0D8Se
Nao: “What do you mean?”
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwetcWUc0AT
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgq2eTir355
Nell: “It means that I’m getting older and can’t be as productive as I once was. Income has been steadily declining along with work hours. I…can’t keep up and one day…we might lose the house.”
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9TZpnBe7Fe
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtNXJRKGjSZ
Nao: “Mom! Why didn’t you tell me? I could have helped or lessened your burden in some way. I would never have been as lazy as I was before if I knew.”
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJAczPA8G04
Nell: “I didn’t want to further burden you. I assume that’s the same reason why you didn’t tell me.”
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVc5eQ9osKw
Nao: “*Nod*”
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMPYznbnx9u
Nell: “We both made mistakes Nao. If we were more truthfully with each other then maybe we could have avoided this.”
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4DsnkGp9gt
Mom bows her head and I try desperately to stop her but she insisted.
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiTGrdLw4oS
Nell: “I’m sorry for keeping this from you.”
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBv3E225LIa
Nao: “Mom I…”
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3kBpF8lE6G
I bow myself. As best I can in my situation.
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWp2BPq2wbB
Nao: “I’m sorry too, for everything I’ve done and kept secret.”
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0QXZu9qpmU
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCwtgrk8lWR
We both bought our heads back and accepted the other’s apology.
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYJdZrQMeiW
Nell: “No matter what happens, we’ll be truthful and rely on each other more from now on. Promise me.”
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxHdJJXgNAu
Nao: “I-”
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxi82BwjTjo
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoxqJ4jhskq
Nell: “Promise me.”
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8i2AfXcdYk
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMWj3ekZEnH
Nao: “…Okay. I’ll tell you everything.”
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpH1apiuYju
Arc: “What are you doing?”
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPwld6TtBNc
You said we need more allies and the one person who’s been an ally to me all my life is right here. I never should have kept this a secret.
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJyu7jspJXW
Arc: “I don’t thin-”
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpdqYzJsasu
Nao: “Mom, I have something to show you. Can you draw the curtain?”
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtdKA7opKcj
Nell: “O-Okay.”
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnHXJUeSdM6
*Curtains close*
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBGuf9ctoKV
Once she sat down I transformed the necklace into a book with a flash of light. I used minor illusion to be on the same show I did in front of the Black Listers.
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaFQTTQIppo
Nao: “Mom, I’m a mage.”
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ73By1d8LtM
I told her everything and this time I mean everything. I watched her eyes start with wonder and end with horror. The one thing I wanted to keep through all have this, is torn away right in front of me. And it’s done by my own hands.
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiNMKWt746O
Nell: “I…need some time.”
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Ur6YmOj7L
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJlFxicZ0wE
Mom leaves through the curtain and leaves me truly alone.
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEH7aa7yhUy
Arc: “I tried to warn you. Now with your damaged mental state, you’ll be weaker going forward.”
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSAEDJYHA1i
I tuned Arc out and sunk deeper into my bed. The harsh light bare down on me, burning away any comfort left.
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ2ptRVw5EA
Time moved fast after that. After I was healed enough I was taken back home by mom. I assume the others went home in a similar way. When I got back home, it was colder. No one said a word as they went into their room.
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbIBzoo9P5S
In my own room, I just laid in bed staring at my ceiling. I was too bruised, tired, and depressed to work. Despite Arc’s protests, I refused to meditate or work out.
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc0qgGn012m
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoauUFR3pIy
I just wanted to sleep it all away.
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*Ring*418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGt2FglqPHt
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I turn my head to my phone on the desk. I consider ignoring it but I remember that there’s only 1 person that would call me.
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvgF1GH8LMe
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdxo2lt5pWW
I sigh and transform my head into Alphon.
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhxkZP5WFYi
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNhCRdF5cph
Alyson: “Hey Alphon, I know this is sudden but would you like to come over?”
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVjLI7Ft2Vy
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOQzPD1ruT0
…Are you serious?
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY4xp8MOglW
Nao: “S-Sure, what’s wrong?”
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo1Xb2il6jL
Alyson: “I just…need some company. A lot happened today.”
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIkLhd2WCQA
I can understand that, I suppose this can take my mind off of everything.
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOCS2QkAm2W
Nao: “Happy to help
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMrqJsqlzQr
Alyson: “Thanks, I’ll send over my address. Knock and I’ll come get you.”
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbtTARNJsKH
Nao: “Cool, I’ll be there in 20 minutes.”
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyMkS6f14af
Alyson: “Thanks…it’s nice to know your voice.”
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTQrKV1b6iY
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8jhGK12X1p
Nao: “…Same.”
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9NiNuzhsLO
I hang up and prepare myself for Alyson. Transforming, clothes, washing up, healing wounds, and mental prep.
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418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT3jcxmi6oa
20 minutes from now, we’ll use each other to forget our problems. I have no problem with that.418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsfSB0TNfgU
