Stay Where You Are

You Like Me Better with You

It has been almost a year she has started to work at the chain restaurant. Given that she's an ex-convict, Inhee are also confused how easy for her to lend a job pretty quick right after she was released from prison.

But anyways she keep working her off to live like a normal people again despite her red identification card. Eventhough her Manager and almost the co-workers are very aware of her, she put a high wall toward them.

"Inhee, there's a customer asking for you", Yohan the Manager pull her abruptly toward a specific table.

 

"I asked for A lunch set but why did you gave me this ridiculous expensive set?", a woman in her thirties glare at her.

On the table, there's the food she finished eating but on her hand, holding a bill that was charged for her.

Inhee can't help to feel angry too. The customer was indecisive when she's taking order from her. She keep asking questions and yet she was half-half understand and mistunderstood on what menu and what price that was on the fancy menu book.

 

"My apology Miss, when I was repeating your order, you didn't corrected me so there must be a misunderstanding", Inhee flashes her fake sorry face.

"What do you mean? You are saying I'm at the fault then?!",her voice started to get higher in angry.

Inhee felt the wrath radiating off her manager. In their S.O.P manual, never make the customer at wrong and have to quick make them feel at ease even if it's their wrong.

 

"We are very sorry Miss. We will rewrite the bill for you now", Yohan beat infront of Inhee's step. "Please come with me", he flashed a professional look on his face.

Inhee didn't missed at how his cold glare go through into her head.

She mentally sigh and go back to continue from where she left her post.

 

The night after closing the restaurant few hours early, there was a meeting with the upper superior. 

The eating area are now cleaned and then the Manager gather them all by the main hallway to stand in line, expecting their superior employer.

Once the so called Director arrived, they all already standing in line to greet him. Since Inhee was at the back, she can't really see his face.

 

Rumor said he's so handsome and tall. Aside that,he is the next line being the only heir. Eventhough she can't see his face, Inhee can hear his husky voice.

"Good evening. Is everyone already here?", the manly voice asked in authority. There's a few of them watch for their friend and finally the Manager confirm it to the Director.

"Alright, since I don't have much time here I'll cut the chase. I hope there will be no one to pay off their attention into me", the waitress next to me chuckle to herself.

"As if..you are too good looking for us not drools on", Inhee mentally scoff at them all by herself mentally.

 

"All of you knows that our restaurant are far way down from our target in every each month. Customers are not getting in here not because you have competitive restaurant out there but it's because of your food and your service for them are boring".

"To be honest, I'm really disappointed to share this news about the rumor you all have been hearing lately", the employee whispers around them, wearing frown and sigh through their face.

"Yes.. I'm afraid this restaurant will be close down in four months. Only if you can show me why your restaurant no need to close down, I'll reconsider the decision back", Yohan look at his subordinates and can't help to feel done.

Inhee watch as the hand of the Director grips on Yohan's shoulder. "I've been receiving report that some of you here don't really take Mr. Yohan seriously. Care to tell me if he ever treat you all like slave?".

The restaurant worker shook their head. Knowing that them need to be disciplined, Inhee exasperated on how they treat her alone. Most of them don't really show respect to Yohan because he is more younger than them.

"I believe it's not about his age right? That you guys always find reasons to disregard him as your close up superior..", finally the Directer exposed to Inhee.

 

She drew back from her stand. That guy over there, is the guy who his sister died because of her hit and run case. He is the Jung Jaehyun, the older brother of Jung Hana.

Jaehyun has been messing with her life since she has sent to the prison. Only come back and visits her, tormenting her deep inside.

He always come and blackmail her to hurt the one she loves. Her the used to live Dad and her sister's daughter, Moon Byul.

 

When her eyes finally brave to watch back his face, Jaehyun is already looking at her like a prey. His face twisted into brooding one.

Inhee can't help to divert her eyes onto the floor and other places than him. She heard Jaehyun clear his throat to gain back the attention on him.

"Also I heard that today's lunch, there was a customer sent her complaint to our company. May I know which the woman she mentioned?", Jaehyun look down from his taller frame to Yohan.

 

"That will be Ms. Moon. There was a misunderstanding. It dragged the other customers attention", Yohan explained the truth but Inhee won't be surprise for him to shoot her down.

"Okay, I would like to meet her in the office and I want everyone to reflect on their own behaviour at work. You all can start making small improvement from now on. I'll give you a week to redevelop the menu and hand me your presentation on next weekend. That's all, dismiss!", Jaehyun really look like a real boss to them but in the same time he also could keep a secret to his firm insistence in his words.

Some are confused but Yohan paste a piece of paper that contain new information on the board for all of them to read it.

"Inhee, come with me. Director Jung are already waiting for you", Yohan pull her attention before she can read about it for herself.

 

Once Yohan left her with Jaehyun, the air in the room turned dark. Inhee can feel the same disgust she has for him.

Last year was a nightmare for her. Jaehyun order her cellmate to mess with her. One time the thing she never thought he would do happened. He was so cruel to her.

Inhee's father starts to less visiting her ever since Jaehyun first time meeting her. Her father was very ill because of his Alzheimer condition but then his father passed away, Jaehyun make sure she can't attend his funeral.

Not only that, even after she was early released because her good reputation, Jaehyun make sure everywhere she goes, he won't leave her easy.

He bought her lease house which she has lived with her family for years and kicked her out from the house she grew up in.

There's also when he always show up when she would meet her kind cellmate, the one stayed by her side all the time, Jaehyun would hire gangster who her friend owes to ruin their time.

He has done much of hate on her and yet he still can't move on and maybe he's the one who would hire her and only now to show his face. Inhee are very convinced that he want to keep her here only to spy on her.

In her life, she never make a wrong deduction and the only one she will make,maybe some time on the future.

 

Inhee didn't asked for a seat and she stand there wearing at blank face. Jaehyun keep his eyes on the paper and ignoring her existence in the office.

Then she started to grow uneasy. She is tired from work and yet here she is wasting time on him.

"Mr. Director, can I ask you a question?", Jaehyun nods but didn't meet his eyes on her.

"Was it you asked me here to talk about the lunch mishap?", Jaehyun chuckles showing his set of deep dimples.

 

"You call it mishap? Are you kidding me? This restaurant about to close down and yet here you are talking about your wrong doing like it's nothing?", Jaehyun's voice boomed all through the office.

"I know there has a part of my fault at lashing onto the customer. I will not keeping give reason. I'll reflect on my wrong doing", Inhee bow to her employer.

At least he's not messing with her for fun or revenge. He was quite serious about this restaurant actually.

 

"On you are going to reflect about it, I want you to come with a new menu book, i'll give you a week", Jaehyun continue to behave like someone she expect him to be. He has done so much funny ideas on her for the whole last year.

But upon noticing the order he gave, Inhee's blank face no longer decorating her face. She change it to a shocked one.

That means she will have two mission to accomplish and will make her in bind. "Is there any problem with it, Ms. Moon?".

Inhee shook her head and after he give his permission her to leave, she thought Jaehyun will never change because once she turn the door open, he added up an insult on her face.

"While doing that, you need to cake your face with makeup. There will be as customer who will feel terrorized with your pale face",he glare at her.

"I really hate a person who has no common sense. It's not a great idea to only wear the lipstick without using vaseline first. Your lip will look chapped and pay attention on eye and face makeup too will you?".

"Do I have really to say this on your face? A female can have a nice face only if she wear makeup. Don't go around and not wear makeup because your face is really ugly without it", Inhee grow upset and she left the room faster as she can.

 

 

Inhee spend her time with Seha, the close friend she gain from the prison. Since she's a pro with makeup, Inhee asked her friend a favor.

To be honest, she stop wearing makeup when she entered the prison. It has been two years and only after Jaehyun said something about it and it's the truth, Inhee doesn't have reason to ignore about it anymore.

"Hey, what are you looking like that, hm?", they finally arrived in front the nearest mall.

 

"Nothing. Let's go!", Inhee pull her friend along. First they have lunch and then they start to walk the way where cosmetic store near them.

Next to the store was a high fashion boutique. It looked so high end class.

Seha lead Inhee to the lipstick section first. "Hello Miss, may I help you?", the store staff was smiling brightly with her face caked with nice makeup.

 

"Can you show us which color that will look good on me?", Inhee shyly asked without looking the staff. Seha on the other side is busy with trying every color she's interested to recommend to Inhee.

"Alright. Give me a second!", the pretty girl give her a small smile.

"Here, this two would be fine. Go ahead and try it, on your arm", Seha hand her the two light color of lipstick.

 

Inhee quickly draw a straight line on her arm from the nearest place to her wrist. Then the staff hand her another two color and another one on her other hand.

"These two, you can give it a try first too", the staff named Yumin open the lipstick lid and waiting for Inhee to take it from her.

They three spend almost an half hour over there before moving to the eye makeup section later.

 

After almost an half of hour being in the store, finally Inhee exit it from there with two bags that cost her two weeks lunch price.

Lucky for her, Yumin gave her a chance for a makeover and Seha give her two thumbs up for the staff superb skill in making Inhee look more radiant than usual she was.

"So where to go now?", Seha happily walk next to Inhee in hand. Inhee look so trouble that Seha can't help to laugh at her friend funny face.

 

"I think that's it for today. I'm going to be broke if I stay here longer", Inhee speak as her eyes is still all over the bag she's holding.

Suddenly the bag she was holding lose it from her eyes. Apparently she knocked onto a sturdy chest.

"Oh God, I'm very sorry Sir!!", Inhee quickly apologize even before she can take a look on his face.

 

"Are you really serious? Where did you eyes go?!!", a woman in her twenty's scream with the top of her lung dramatically.

That's when Inhee's eyes meet with the guy who she just bumped on. Her eyes grow big as the person that standing in front of her right now was her ex-fiance, Cha Eunwoo.

He's with her today, the guy she have always loved but she feel really betrayed right now instead feeling happy to finally meet him. Ever since she was released from the prison he wasn't there.

 

She tried calling and finding him at his work place but he never pick up and avoided her for months. That's when she know, Eunwoo used her to get away with his own crime.

Eunwoo grew up in orphanage and no close relative that she know of. They get engaged at their small party with their friends witnessing it but since it's easy to break it off, she already sent the ring to him.

She wrote a letter that they will no longer related. She let out everything on him and moved on. Only left with Jaehyun always coming to terror her life after that.

 

Eunwoo still looked handsome as she can remember. Even just wearing a simple casual outfit, he can still look amazing. But today his eyes are trembling, his porcelain skin paled in a second he realized Inhee is in front of her right now.

He look at her with unknown emotion and when he saw Inhee is not happy to meet her, he speak for himself. "It's fine, Sarah. Let's go", he walk over Inhee in a blink leaving his now girlfriend behind.

"Inhee, you okay? Wasn't that Eunwoo. I think it's really him, right?", Seha guess but when she look Inhee is being lack of expression on her beautiful face, Seha guide her to the nearest sitting area.

"I'll get you the water. Wait here okay?", Seha left her in a second to the convinient store.

 

 

 The next Monday come and Yohan didn't come to work. It was weird but the restaurant still go on with the business, He never skipped work without telling that he either will be late or have other family business to handle.

All the confusion come to end when the next day, there is a news about a new Manager will start to work here and Yohan resigned because of he has his own personal reason.

Everyone were talking about the new Manager while at their own station. They gossiping about who and how handsome the Manager are. Yesterday he was here but Inhee didn't even had the chance to see him around.

 

When the lunch time arrived, finally the worker are told about he will come into the restaurant any minute now. The Head Chef is already standing by the front door and when the first step of polished shoe heard by the main hall, Inhee stopped to do her work by counter,only to meet the pair of eyes she used to love.

Eunwoo stood in front of her and acting like he never met her before. "Good afternoon everyone", he greet the people near him before Head Chef, Wonwoo lead him to the office.

Inhee feel her stomach twist in a bad way to know Eunwoo are now going to be in front of her at her workplace. She feel distaste to work under him. Not after she able to forget about him and live her life better.

 

 

Jaehyun is visiting the restaurant right now. He's in the meeting with Eunwoo inside the office while everyone are focusing on their own work. "Inhee, Diirector Jung asked for you in the office", Wonwoo grabs her attention and later disappear by the kitchen door.

Inhee knock the door unwillingly, knowing she will be in a room where both Jaehyun and Eunwoo are. She grow anxious as the permission to enter is granted.

" There she is, my favourite employee", Jaehyun chuckles as he gesture for Inhee to take a seat next to Eunwoo while he already be sitted by the other side of the table in the room.

 

He can see how uncomfortable Inhee right now yet he ignored it. Jaehyun watch between the intense air that building around the two of his employee.

 

"Have you guys meet before?", Jaehyun smirked as if he already know about something that amuse him.

Eunwoo flash a smile and Inhee doesn't know what to answer. "Yes, we were friends from college", he easily answered by himself.

"Really? Wow! That's amazing to know that you guy are friends. Did you know he was going to be working here as your direct superior?", Jaehyun shoot a quick question to her.

 

"No. I haven't think that he will work with us. Since I thought Yohan wouldn't resigned just like that", Inhee answers while giving a confused face.

"Right. But why can I feel the awkwardness between you guys are more like you guys have dated before and broke up in a bad way?".

"I mean, not to be a busy body but you guys were so stiff around each other when it's the first time you guys meet today, right?", Inhee can feel something wrong with Jaehyun. He talks too much.

 

"Oh I'm sorry Director Jung. I don't mean to. Ms. Moon are probably nervous around you. With all do respect, despite being a Director at the HQ Jung Food, you still come here and visit our restaurant".

"We all feel grateful and respect you as the Heir in line for your family Group", Eunwoo are being snappish right now since he know, Jaehyun have something up to his sleeves.

"Wasn't it to feel like that to you, Ms. Moon?", Eunwoo smile at Inhee shortly.

 

"It can be take almost thing like that. Since it has been years meeting a classmate too. I feel small compare to you gentlemen", Inhee bow her head a bit.

Suddenly Jaehyun's phone rings. "Alright, take your time to catch up cuz I need to answer this call", he excused himself near by the tall glass window.

"Can you leave from here? I've been working here for good!", Inhee speak with low tone and making it friendly enough to Jaehyun's back.

 

"That's not how it works, Inhee. HQ sent me here in short notice, how can I just leave this instance?!", Eunwoo keep the same facade that Inhee gave him.

"Well maybe you can lose your job and leave me alone!", Inhee almost yelled but Jaehyun is watching.

"What's wrong with you? Do you think I like to be here, if I'm rich like Jaehyun, then I will do it now but you see, I grew up with no silver spoon in my mouth. You could at least be patient while I'm thinking a way to get out of here?", his handsome features make Inhee want to barf.

 

"After all the time I wasted in the prison and you left me, you still think you are kind of have a privilege over me?", finally Inhee burst her bubble after for a long time holding it in all by herself.

"That's a past Inhee. Why can't you just move on?", she can hear how her heart shattered yet again.

"You are a kill-", Inhee almost let it slip by her tongue when Jaehyun interupted them.

 

"Hey! HEY , what are you guys fighting about while I'm still here?", Jaehyun booms as Eunwoo run his hands on the face to his hair.

Inhee on the other side try to calm down. "Okay, why not I ask Eunwoo to leave first, alright?", Inhee nods and Eunwoo raised his both hands in defeat before stepping out from the office.

"I'm not stupid or a doll here, Inhee. Why are you so worked up over right now?", Jaehyun give her a disbelief face.

 

Inhee messed her hair and feel unfair. She wanted out from here. Whatever she can do to leave, she will to do it right now. "I will resign".

It slipped by her tongue and made Jaehyun raised his eyebrows. "The hell you think you are doing now?".

Inhee undo her tie by her work uniform. "I'm ing done with Cha Eunwoo..and YOU!", she burst yet again.

 

She get out from the office without looking back. When she passed through Eunwoo who still standing near the office hallway.

Right then, Jaehyun is already quick on his long legs, striding outside to the eating area and catch Inhee's wrist.

Inhee yelled at him and claw his hands right in front of the customers. "Let me ing go!", she hissed.

 

"Moon Inhee! ", his raspy voice calling her fullname still won't work on her. "ing let me go Jung Jaehyun!!",she scream finally.

After seeing her all worked up and going crazy. Don't think what can happening to her or will made Jaehyun use his last resort.

Her feets were raised from the floor when Jaehyun scoop her up onto his muscular shoulder. His secretary quickly lead and help him to the car. "Step on it!", he boomed to the driver.

 

 

After a long hour, Inhee wake up on a bed but it wasn't all white like in a hospital. The room lavishly decorated with red and black interior.

Inhee never believed she has hyperventilated. She only had it once when her father passed away and she can't go to him.

"Feeling better?", Jaehyun emerge from the steamy bathroom with only towel covering his hip to almost the marble floor.

 

She noticed that her uniform was changed into other clothes. "Where am I right now?", she let her hair straighten down again.

"In my room", he simply stated and disappear by the door, which maybe it's his walk in closet.

"Why did you bring me here?", she questioned slowly but Jaehyun didn't give her an answer so get down from the bed quickly as she can.

 

"Don't you know where my house is? You've been stalking me like for years. Why do I have to come here?", she beat her feet to where Jaehyun get into.

She screams and turn her back from the door. Inhee accidentally saw Jaehyun still shirtless and buckling his belt.

Inhee hit her head when she heard Jaehyun chuckled. "Enjoying what you see?".

 

"If you weren't going to answer me. I'll just leave now", she open the door quickly and steps out only to find endless hallway.

She realised that, she doesn't have her phone with. When she look behind her, Jaehyun already dress with prince white t-shirt, waving her phone inside his hand.

"Looking for this?", he straight away walk over her and get Inhee to walk with him into a rendezvous eating room and next to it a spacious kitchen.

 

"Give me my phone now. Let me go home!", she stride closer behind him.

"I will..if you have your dinner first", he nod at the long table which eight people could have their seat.

Inhee wasn't gonna lie how delicious it smell and eventually she take a seat too because of her growling stomach.

 

Jaehyun chuckles in amuse when he watch Inhee already drink up a whole glass of water.

"I know you could be hungry. You passed out from lunch to dinner time. Help yourself", Inhee wasn't fimiliar with his dimples, it is his first time smiling and show his special feature.

Inhee glob down the good food and stop before she gets too full.

 

"I won't ask about why you are generous with your hospitality so give me back my phone", she hand out her both hands.

Instead giving her phone, Jaehyun throw a light brown package. Inhee scowls at him but he ignored it.

She eventually undo it cover and greeted with photos of her genuine smiling face with Eunwoo hugging her waist from the side.

 

"Do you think you can fool me easily? My hired personal investigator got an information about you are engaged to that bastard", Jaehyun wipe the remnants unvisible smudge on his lips after done eating.

"That was a year ago before he betrayed me!", Inhee suddenly get mad as the defending mechanism.

"Oh I know about that. Don't worry", he smirked shortly before speaking again.

 

"I just want to hear it from your mouth specially before I can proceed to reinvestigate the case", he take a sip from his wine.

"What do you mean? You already know what he has done? Since when?", Inhee's eyes grow bigger out of shocked.

"You told me to move on like a thousand time but how can I do that? How can I let go Hana just like a snap?", he surprisingly looked calm.

 

"I found a blackbox from the other car. I asked for it to zoom in and it's not you who is driving the car at that time. It was that Cha bastard Eunwoo", he twirl the wine glass between his fingers.

"You know what. I don't care about that prick anymore. Did you hired him to mess with his life now, just like you did to me for years ago?", Jaehyun chuckles darkly.

"Great mind think alike right, Inhee? So will you join me then?", he smirked.

 

"No, I don't want to. You can go ahead to crush that sick bastard but I won't have be there to watch it with you", Inhee hug herself.

"Why? Do you still love him?", his face contorts with a disappointment.

"The hell I am? No ing way. I sacrificed for him because I used to love him but now it's about time he will bloody punished foe his crime", Inhee scowls.

 

"So you are really going to resign then. Want me to help you for finding a new job?", Jaehyun offered but that will be easy for him to find her around.

"I don't know. I'm going to go far away and live my life free from this all ty life I've been through", she rolled her eyes.

"Want to leave a message for him before he's crushed by me?", he smirked yet again. Inhee think Jaehyun is probably has something twisted and dark inside his head.

"No need. If I'm going to move on, I would want to forget everything and anything about this all nightmare", Inhee stood up with her phone in her grip and steps out to leave.

 

 

 

"Inhee Moon?", the Professor call her name for attendance today. The long wavy green blue hair girl raise her hand.

She is in her final year of college. Inhee decided to continue her study at London. Currently is her last day of the class before she has exam to sit on.

"Alright. You guys can do everything, I mean except leaving this class, for an hour from now", Prof. Adam end his morning assembly.

 

Being a free spirit, Inhee doesn't care about it. She left the class when the teacher busied with his favourite students in front the class.

Before she can realise, Inhee was drawn to a voice come from the music class, just under her class level.

The owner of the voice is singing a well know popular hit song on the radio.

 

Stay awhile, stay awhile
Stay here with me
Lay here with me, ooh


I like me better when I'm with you (yes I do, yes I do, babe)
I like me better when I'm with you (oooh noo)
I knew from the first time, I'd stay for a long time, 'cause
I like me better when, I like me better when I'm with you

 

How can a heavenly voice like this easily give everyone a free show. The music instrumental are going to end in a second so Inhee look at the see-through window over the door.

From his back, Inhee find his lean muscle ripple by the sweater he's wearing when she absentmindedly push the sliding door open.

"You have a nice voice", Inhee doesn't have anything to say and she watch the guy turn his back to her.

 

"W-what are you doing here?", Inhee can't believe how possible he can find her to the London.

Jaehyun seems so calm that he just smile at Inhee who is still by the door. He come to her and slide off the door shut.

"First, thank you for the compliment", he flash his dimples onto her.

 

"Second, I'm very glad to be here right now. I have been searching for you almost three years by now", he proudly stated it while looking into her eyes.

"And finally, I missed you so much. Can I kiss you?", Jaehyun didn't give her a chance to reply because he place his lips on her already.

"Please stop", Inhee weakly whispered and she try to push him off slowly. Loosing his warmth in a second.

 

Jaehyun open his closed eyes while kissing her just now. He seems broken as his eyes look so sad.

"You can't just show up in front of me in a second and feel proud about it", she let it slipped out of and Inhee wanted to run away from him right now.

"I-I I'm in love with you but I-I went to psychiatrist to treat my disorder, I survived from it. I don't do anything to him, I asked my lawyer to settle it for me, without you have to meet him again", he explained himself.

 

"I'm glad for you and why can't you just forget about me? I'm no one to you, how can you tell me, you fall for me even after I pleaded to you to stay out of my life?", Inhee cover her face with her hands.

When one time Inhee had enough of his torture, she pleaded at first but he never stop it and even after continuing it, Inhee was immune to it.

Until he dare to show up as the owner of the restaurant she's been working and Eunwoo too appear in front of her again, she had enough going through the same thing again. So run away and only three years after that, Jaehyun claim to love her.

It doesn't make sense.

 

"No, you need to hear me. Let me explain. I don't want you to think I'm sort of bad people", now Jaehyun's turn to plead.

"I never show you that from when I have been falling for you. I have been watching your daily life and I feel amaze how strong you were even when I ignored your plead".

"So I let you to get a job at the restaurant which my family own it eventually me as the owner later. I have been visiting the restaurant regularly because of the sale that keep going down so I tried many ways to get it back up,selling well".

 

"But then when I was following you, Cha Eunwoo make me feel challenged. So I hired him after Yohan decided to resigne willingly, we made a fair deal about it".

"It was just about to start well, when my investigator found out that it was Eunwoo that are behind of this. I get very mad that it's not enough he killed my sister and now he's torturing my love".

"And everything happened so fast, it was already to late when I realized I'm and I will losing you if I don't start to get a grip".

 

"I deal with everything in help of my psychiatrist. We make a great job and only now I finally found you".

"Just give me a chance, Inhee. Please accept my feeling for you. I can't live without you", when he has finally finished with his explanation, Inhee can't help to give him a hug.

"Oh Jaehyun, you did so great, for me, for us. Thank you", Jaehyun break the hug. Without wasting a second, the quickly make an eye contact before sharing a passionate kiss.

 

Inhee already knew she has feeling for Jaehyun long time ago. He let her to keep her family house. She noticed that Jaehyun wasn't really the bad guy here.

Even he lose a sister yet his heart is genuine. When his father tried to out the life of her, he personally took the job which made her more less tortured.

To be honest, love can be find even at a complex time and place. It's up to them for giving it a try or to live on without it. As long your love wasn't toxic in your life, you deserve to have it together.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Writing is fun. Especially when you get the plot idea easy just like a running water. 

Upvote and leave nice or constructive comment down below!!

Thanks for lending me your time reading this :)

 

 

 

 

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