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      NHL 21

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      by mimi With a groan that sounded like pain, I tried to check the time, only to find several messages had arrived on my phone. They were Christmas greetings from colleagues and old university classmates. “…Today is Christmas.” My muttering voice cracked from the dryness. Looking at the time, it certainly didn’t seem like I had woken up early. A smile tugged at the corner of Joeon’s mouth of its own accord as he fired off return greetings. ‘I think I’ve sent them to everyone I need…
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      NHL 20

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      by mimi Whether he understood the muttered words or not, the volume dropped immediately. The music, which didn't even have proper lyrics, was composed entirely of electric guitar. To Joeon's untrained ears, no matter how much he listened, he couldn't tell which part was the first verse and which was the second. However, Joeon relaxed his body, watching the nervous face of Aaron, who seemed to be waiting for a judge's evaluation. “You’ve improved a lot, haven’t you? The sounds have become more diverse.…
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      NHL 19

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      by mimi After scoring the goal, his gaze as he celebrated seemed to momentarily wander somewhere into the stands. The duration of his glance was not long, so Joeon completely ruled out the delusion that Dylan might have been looking for him. That would be megalomania. Thinking that he had become something special just because he had shown a little interest was a huge miscalculation. Besides, Joeon had already rejected him. In such a situation, there was no act more futile than agonizing over his relationship…
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      NHL 18

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      by mimi Dylan, who had suddenly shaken his head from side to side without finishing his sentence, put on a determined expression. “If you ever find yourself struggling to make a living, you can sell it on an eBay auction later. I’ll give you special permission.” A mysterious sincerity could be felt in his words, though it was impossible to tell if he was being serious or joking. “Are you really giving it to me? No backing out now.” Dylan laughed, giving Joeon’s shoulder a light tap. Unlike…
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      NHL 17

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      by mimi Dylan, who had been standing blankly for a moment, willingly complied and moved to a stool. The electric kettle made a bubbling sound before soon switching off with a sharp click. Before it, Joeon tightened the waist strap of his bathrobe once more. It was a matter of no small concern. Soon, two cups of tea, sending up sweet and warm steam, were placed on the table. “Here. I mixed in some cold water, so it shouldn't be too hot.” The cup with the company logo was placed in front of Dylan. It…
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      NHL 16

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      by mimi “I just saw it now. It was too chaotic after the game ended. I hurried home and went straight into the shower, so I checked it a little late.” —I understand. It’s nothing special; I just contacted you because I wondered if I could see you for a moment. “Aren’t you tired?” —Me? Not at all. My condition is top-notch. “I guess my worrying about your injury was unnecessary.” —Obviously. Dylan’s voice, seeming to be still intoxicated with the joy of victory, was more…
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      NHL 15

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      by mimi Joeon would fall into the category of people he knows lightly. Because there is still not much they know about each other to label it with the grand name of "friend." However, the fact that he thought of himself, and not someone else, first among those many people clearly meant that in Dylan’s mind, Joeon was at the top of his list of people he was fond of. It must be because he’s the person he became acquainted with most recently. After all, Joeon would still fall into the category of a "person…
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      NHL 14

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      by mimi “Because I’m sorry. If I happened to make you confused or anything like that….” Dylan placed a hand on Joeon’s shoulder and patted it as if to comfort him. “Don’t misunderstand. It’s not like that. Hearing your words, I felt like looking around for the first time in a while, and since I happened to be nearby, I just thought it was a good opportunity.” “So…, but it is true that you came because of me, right?” When Joeon looked up at Dylan with a remorseful expression,…
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      NHL 13

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      by mimi Why had Dylan called me earlier? Suddenly, I wanted to know the clear answer to that question. Even though I’d had several days, he had never sent me a single message before. At the end of the long and boring relay of presentations from the executives, the moderator took the microphone again. “Now, we need to prepare for dinner. They say we need to set the tables. So, we are going to take a 30-minute break. For smooth preparation, we need to clear out the event hall. Please take some time to look…
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      NHL 12

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      by mimi Once you start getting swept up by people trying to escape into the web-like network of alleyways to avoid the surging crowds, it was common to find yourself pushed all the way to a quiet lane at the edge of the market before you knew it. Even so, nearly a million visitors found their way here every year. It was an effort to overcome the bleakness and gloom of a seemingly endless Canadian winter with the vitality of a festival. Since Joeon had visited a few times before, he remembered the way…
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