Neither were n who would destroy themselves for love. Both had seen many things and understood even more. Jia Hyson had his own opinions of many hyped-up variations of love, and while they could be considered harsher and more cynical, ultimately, they were pretty in line with Mr. Garth's. Therefore, he wasn't offended by the hesitation. Instead, he was delighted.
So Jia Hyson seriously began to explain the situation in as a roundabout way as he could.
Mr. Garth was a smart enough man who'd seen all sorts of twists and turns. From the way the other insisted on saying it was a story and how vague many things were, it was easy to tell that there was so sort of rule against explicitly telling the truth. Explaining via a story was the easiest and most straightforward way to be as close to the truth without saying it.
The loophole was apparent, and his lover had a face of no burden, wariness or hesitation in saying things, which ans he probably didn't feel worried about any punishnt due to his actions. This ant either the other was of an important status that couldn't be touched or that this system was actually pretty understanding and tolerant to the 'hosts'. Honestly, both outcos were not bad, but Mr. Garth leaned toward the latter. At the very least, there was a minimum tolerance there, and Alaric had ntioned offhandedly that there was even an option to file complaints if needed, which was acceptable enough.
In the end, the night was only so long, and the older vampire still had many questions, but by the ti the morning sun began to rise, he had made a decision.
Seeing Mr Garth's eyes shine with resolve, Jia Hyson felt both uneasy and hopeful. Acting coquettish and cute, he snuggles into the vampire's muscular chest and sighs. "I don't want to let this go, not when I like you this much."
He blinks his blue eyes and looks up at the other, knowing exactly how adorable and small and sweet he appeared in such a pose. The beta host couldn't help it. Even though Jia Hyson knew that this wouldn't be able to sway his lover, he still wanted to do sothing to possibly try to entice the vampire and make him waver. It's not like he was being cynical, but genuinely, Jia Hyson didn't know what path the other would want to choose.
Mr Garth was like himself in a lot of ways but different in many others. He was fickle but loyal, and much easier to let people into his heart. He had a stronger sense of duty and care, more value toward life and more heart to hold love. He was also not as proactive. Curiosity was not a strong trait in him, and in the end, Jia Hyson understood the other most likely preferred a stable life in the long term. Therefore, even if it's just a chance, it was one that Mr Garth might rather not have.
It wasn't like Jia Hyson didn't want to sell the life of a host to him, either. To say that he would never experience suffering, or a bad world, or an unfortunate identity, to promise he would experience riches and glory and power. As a man full of lies that ran off his tongue slicker, then an oil spill, and a writer full of ways to speak, he could easily weave a more beautiful story to enchant and deceive without actual falsehoods. But Jia Hyson didn't dare to.
What he gave was not just a lifeti, not even three lifetis, but multiple, possibly even eternity. And as much as he wanted Mr Garth to experience this life with him, eternity with him, Jia Hyson was very self-aware and understood his flawed heart quite well. What he wants right now is eternity, but he may not want that for eternity. This may be his love, as rare as it may be, and as precious as it was to find it, that didn't an it had to take over Darrian's own life for his own pleasure.
So rather than present his lover this, he preferred the other just be happy instead. After all, their love may not stand the test of forever, and it was better to help him pursue a brighter future than bind him down to a beautiful but uncertain love with soone like himself.
Therefore, he was as truthful and as objective as he could be, laying out as many pros and cons that he could think of while warning the other this was only based on his own experience, and everyone's systems produced different levels of freedom and restriction in turn. Because he respected and loved Darrian Garth, he understood that it was only right to communicate as honestly as possible in order to make sure the other would choose with as few regrets and concerns as he could have.
Even even if it ant he would have his own regrets.
Thinking of this, Jia Hyson's eyes inexplicably turn a bit red, shining with unshed tears as he is overco with his uneasy emotions. "I really" The urge to manipulate the other, to invoke pity just so his lover could agree to follow him, was forcibly pressed down in his heart. Jia Hyson grits his teeth and wipes his eyes, which were still dry, "No, I'm sorry, I shouldn't push.."
The older vampire stares at him silently before looking up at the sunrise. Wordlessly, his arm lifts up to curl around the other's body, hugging him close. This embrace directly caused a strong sourness to rise in Jia Hyson's chest.
"Brat, you told a lot and yet nothing at all, didn't you?" Mr Garth sighs after a minute. "Where's the seed?"
Jia Hyson looks up at him, his eyes scrutinising the other, hoping to find a hint of an idea of what his lover wanted to do. Still, regardless, he obediently raises his hand to reveal the small, darkly coloured almond-shaped seed which he kept on his person while the pair were caught up in their lengthy discussion. "..You don't have to take it." He mutters, "Really, I'm not that petty well, I am, but I like you enough to pretend this topic never happened if you aren't interested. I do understand and respect your choice regardless."
As he says so, his other hand involuntarily clench and unclenches, betraying his nervousness.
Mr Garth laughs despite himself and the situation, "You say that, brat, but you sure don't look or sound very sincere." He pinches Jia Hyson's soft cheek playfully, making the younger vampire's subconsciously unwilling pouting expression transform into one of wincing pain.
"Ah! Ah! Stahp!" Jia Hyson protests half-angrily and half-amused, reaching out to pinch the back of the offending hand in retaliation, "Fuck, that was uncalled for!"
"It made you smile though," Mr Garth teases, "So I think it was quite called for."
Jia Hyson was indeed smiling. Partly from the pain, but it was a distraction that alleviated so of that stuffy feeling in his chest that had been lightly suffocating him for a while now. "You're being an idiot." He insults affectionately.
"And you're just a brat as ever," The older vampire teases dotingly, "Transmigrator, host, whatever you are, it doesn't really matter. Still just a brat to ."
"What if I was older than you?"
Mr Garth raises a brow, "Are you?"
Jia Hyson pauses, "I think so?" He says with so hesitation. His lives were fairly long, but if he was asked to give an exact number to compare to others with, he really didn't know. ntally, he prompts Bebe to see if it knows the answer.
Bebe: 'Sowhere between the Palace of Versailles and the Notre Da de Paris*.'
*392-860ish years idk math, guys, what idiot turned this convo onto age oh wait it was QAQ
Jia Hyson: 'Fuck you.'
He looks at his lover, who was only three hundred and sothing years old, and coughs. "Uh, well, either way, I'm young at heart ah."
Bebe: ( _) 'As young as the Sistine Chapel, maybe.'
Jia Hyson: (_) 'Roll!'
Mr Garth looks amused, "They do say the elderly do beco more childish as they grow older." He nods understandingly before kissing Jia Hyson gently in consolation.
Not actually that irritated but still wanting to take advantage of their intimacy, Jia Hyson leans in to aggressively deepen the kiss, letting his tongue slip into the other's eager mouth and entangle together. Mr Garth hums and wraps his arms around his lover, pressing against the other intimately.
Under the dawning sky and above the turbulent waves, they express their hearts through their bodies.
It was the simplest and most primitive way to show their love, but it was also, in a way, the easiest to understand. Love didn't have to be expressed out loud. Their affection, their thoughtfulness to each other, compatibility, dependence and willingness it was all shown with every little touch and movent. The only thing they called out was each other's nas.
Jia Hyson had enjoyed many nights with many people, so he liked, so he didn't, and so he really, really liked. And while this ti wasn't the most amazing or most morable or kinky it was sothing Jia Hyson, for once, couldn't use words to describe.
That feeling of connecting with soone who mutually shares love with you, with nearly no secrets between each other... It was like there had always been a layer of clothing between himself and others, and now it had been dropped, let go in front of soone willing to accept what was underneath. Such a feeling was like fresh air in your lungs, but at the sa ti, it had the sa rush of fear of soone sitting at the top of a rollercoaster looking down at the inevitable fall.
Jia Hyson has never been an optimist on love, but for right now, he didn't want to be a pessimist either. So even though that fear of falling was prevalent, he chose to cling onto Darrian's body and indulge in the warmth between them.
It was unknown when Mr. Garth took the system seed, maybe at the start when he pinched Jia Hyson's cheek, or maybe he grabbed it when they had been distracted during the heat of the mont, but as they lay languidly together in their afterglow, he let the little object float down between them. Jia Hyson's relaxed muscles imdiately stiffened as he saw the seed, heart involuntarily moving faster once more.
Mr Garth doesn't make him wait. With a languid smile, he reaches out to take the seed before leaning down to kiss the other's lips softly, "Well, I don't fully know what's out there," He starts, deep voice rough and a little hoarse from their activities beforehand, "and hell, I might not even get that chance if what your saying is true, but if it's you leading the way then I suppose I've got no choice but to follow for a little bit. If nothing else but to keep you humble."
"I do need to be humbled occasionally," Jia Hyson sighs with more than a little relief. Before looking at the other seriously, "You won't regret this." He swears.
The smaller vampire shifts his body to more easily reach up and kiss his lover, their foreheads touching as they separate, "Darrian, I love you." He says with firm conviction and deep emotion, "I won't lie and say I've never felt sothing like this before or condescend and say that my heart has always been waiting for you or anything. I can only tell you that I've never dared to believe I could love or have the confidence to believe that what I felt is love before you. No matter what happens in the future, I will be forever grateful you taught this, and even if we don't work out or anything, I will always do my best to protect and support you."
Mr Garth laughs and flicks Jia Hyson's forehead playfully, "You're really such a brat. I took your token of love, and you're already talking about things not working out!" He then smiles indulgently and ruffles his younger lover's hair, enjoying how the previous serious expression had beco dazed and silly, "But your thoughtfulness, your cynicism, your bratty childishness and your maturity.. I also love it all."
With his larger hands, Mr Garth cradles the sides of Jia Hyson's face, the slightly rougher skin of his thumbs caressing the blue-eyed vampire's soft cheeks. "You forget, I'm not a great guy either. I've got so blood on my hands for things I'm not proud of, and I probably have a higher body count in the bedroom than you have had in all your past lives combined. My headaches make irate and hard to deal with. I'm hotheaded, foul-tempered, and I need sex and cigarettes like fish need water." The telekinetic vampire grins toothily, "We both are pretty shit, so why not just be shit together?"
Jia Hyson chuckles, "I suppose that's one way to look at it?" His eyes glitter in bemusent.
"So," Mr Garth holds up the seed against the light of the sky, " I just swallow it?"
Bebe: 'Yes.'
Jia Hyson, hearing the confirmation of his system, nods.
Mr. Garth hesitates before awkwardly putting the System Seed into his mouth. Even if it was only the size and shape of an almond, there was a psychological barrier there that made him unsure if he could swallow this jewel-like item dry easily.
However, to his surprise, the seed almost imdiately lted in his mouth the mont it sat on his tongue. The taste was contrasting to its smooth and sleek appearance, tangy and sweet, with an electric fizzle akin to popping candy buzzing on one's tongue. However, before Mr Garth could chase the taste and fully understand the exact flavour, the seed was gone, making him feel oddly unsatisfied like a nosy neighbourhood auntie who was told half a secret.
"How is it?" Jia Hyson questions with concern. After all, this wasn't exactly a common situation. Bebe also could only provide so examples from friends of friends but had no experience themselves. It wasn't that hosts were completely selfish people or anything. It was just that giving soone else a system, even a potential one, was a lot of responsibility to bear. Too much so. Not to ntion, the price, while not insanely expensive, was not cheap either.
Mr Garth scrunches up his nose, "I an.. the seed is definitely gone" He says slowly, "I don't feel any different, though." Scratching the scruff on his chin, he mildly comnts, "I don't know. I sort of expected sothing more."
"Well," Jia Hyson furrows his brow, "It's ant to be dormant until an appropriate trigger happens, I suppose." To be honest, it was a bit anti-climactic. "At the very least- oh!"
As soon as he said this, a holographic text box appeared in front of him. What was amazing, though, was Mr. Garth's sharp intake of breath when it did suddenly pop into existence. Jia Hyson turns his head toward his lover with wide eyes, taking in the other's surprised expression. "You can see it?"
The older vampire nods dumbly.
[The System Seed has been bound to Potential Host: Darrian Garth.]
[After calculations, it is determined his host potential is 79%, almost eting standards for B-level systems. In respect to this application being sent via Beta System, Code: [Redacted], Na: Bebe, we have raised the marker to allow B-Level systems as options as well.]
[Please note, this eligibility still does not guarantee that Potential Host Darrian Garth will be bound to a system.]
[Please note, any added perks to the system, if activated, can be purchased by the gift-giver Host, Jia Hyson. It is recomnded to add perks to help ensure a smoother sailing host life. As this is the first ti the Host, Jia Hyson, has purchased this product, a 5% discount will be automatically added to your first three discounts. With respect to this application being sent via Beta System, Code: [Redacted], Na: Bebe, a further 10% permanent discount will be added. If the Potential Host, Darrian Garth, does not receive a system binding, all purchases will be automatically refunded.]
Mr Garth: 'Damn, even systems participate in Krypton Gold* huh.'
*Where you use real money in a (usually) free ga to get better equipnt, benefits, etc.
After a mont of processing, the first thing the telekinetic vampire did was ask curiously, "Hey, how co your system gets you a 10% permanent discount?"
Jia Hyson: (_) 'Not going to lie; I was just about to ask the sa.'
Bebe: DeadRaccoonOnBack.jpeg
Seeing that there was no response from Bebe, Jia Hyson could only shrug helplessly. "The systems have their own social lives; I don't always pry." He says with an innocent flutter of his eyes. " and my system have a very healthy and loving relationship. While sotis my system can be a bit annoying, as a generous host, I'm willing to accommodate their little quirks."
Bebe: Bebe will murder you.
However, Mr Garth has known his lover well enough now to not believe him at all. Lifting an eyebrow, he quirks the corner of his lips to convey his disbelief, but for the sake of the blue-eyed vampire's face, he chooses not to say anything. Instead, he veered the conversation back to sothing else he noticed in the floating holographic text boxes. "So your na.. Jia Hyson Asian right?"
Jia Hyson froze. He didn't know why, technically the other knew he was a host now, but sohow, hearing his real na be spoken felt a little unreal. "Yeah," He brushes back his hair, fiddling with his earlobe with a bit of sothing akin to shyness. "Chinese, actually."
"Ah," Mr Garth also felt a bit awkward. After all, he was so used to thinking of the other as Alaric. It was still quite an adjustnt. "It's pretty." He offers, before adding with a little perplexing look, "But isn't Hyson kind of an English na, though?"
"Haha," Jia Hyson laughs dryly before lifting his hands and pinching his lover's cheek and shaking it a bit. Mr Garth didn't have much fat on his face, so it was actually quite difficult, but the older man just winced and indulgently let Jia Hyson's slender fingers play with his face. "Ohhh, you"
"." Mr Garth smiles painfully and cutely before he imdiately retaliates by using his powers to pinch both of Jia Hyson's soft cheeks and stretch them out like he was pulling apart mochi.
Shrill screams and laughter filled the air, and before they knew it, they left behind most thoughts about the system, choosing to focus on their own current enjoynt.
Unfortunately, while the tree prefers calm, the wind does not stop*, and the holiday is coming to an end.
*In spite of a wish for peace, trouble is brewing. Things develop regardless of how you might wish. Powerless to influence the outco.
Buying enough souvenirs for their family and friends, Jia Hyson and Mr Garth readied themselves to go back to St Lailah's Academy. Just the thought of facing all the little troubles and problems there, as well as Prince Silas, was enough for them to be reluctant to leave their beautiful two-person world. However, both of them had a sense of responsibility. For Jia Hyson, it was his job as a host, as well as his own slightly controlling nature, to be able to watch things over to make sure nothing goes astray, and for Mr Garth, it was his loyalty to the coven and his concern over the royal family.
After all, while he dislikes Prince Silas greatly, Mr. Garth still couldn't say with a clear conscience that the other two princes were better. However, now that Jia Hyson, equipped with plot knowledge, was willing to divulge a few things to him, he was suddenly a lot less conflicted and was eager to prepare to help the groundwork for Prince Damien to beco king. Jia Hyson was also pleased with this result.
In the end, one of the biggest flaws with these teenage drama stories was the miscommunication and angsty ss of problems caused by general ignorance and pride. While many ate it up, it was also true that there was a limit before people grew exhausted over the repeated tropes and repetitive patterns in the story. Having Mr. Garth, a reliable adult, to occasionally help them would be a great way to clean up unnecessary sses in the story.
As they cuddled up on the plane, discussing their plans for when they get back and who to give what gift to, while they sip so complintary champagne, an incredibly handso dark-skinned man cos over. His hair was tied back in a braid with a simple rope that had a tal outline of a star attached to it. Contrary to this, he wore an elegant black-and-white, formal suit and tie that made it seem like he was off to an important eting, greatly contrasting to everyone else who was dressed more comfortably for the roughly 18-hour flight back to Arica.
Jia Hyson and Mr Garth both couldn't help but give him a subtle once over before imdiately hitting each other in playful anger for checking the man out. The man smiles as if oblivious to the strong scent of dog food coming off the affectionate couple and flashes his white fangs to the pair. "Greetings, my father entrusted to send you this." He begins with a slight bow.
The couple look at the man doubtfully. After all, they really have no such impression of this man or anyone who could be his father who would also want to gift them sothing. Much less any vampires whom they had not too much contact with on their trip, choosing to just be by themselves rather than et many friends unless they were already in the area. "Excuse , you may be mistaken." Jia Hyson tentatively says. "I don't believe we're acquainted with your father?"
The handso vampire laughs softly as he pulls out an envelope. It was black and a bit gaudy with silver inking of stars in the corner and a very familiar red wax seal depicting a moon over the sun. The Eclipse Coven insignia. "From my understanding, you n were roommates with him last year."
Mr Garth and Jia Hyson: !!!!
They stared at the handso and very mature dark-skinned man who was nearly 180cm in height, broad-shouldered and full of a sexy, masculine charm that almost bordered on scummy; then, as one, their gaze drifted down to between the man's legs. This if nothing else, probably only that part of the body was inherited by the son, then right?
The man:
With a light cough, the man casually covers his crotch with his hand and continues talking, "Prince Rigel, my father, wrote this before entering his slumber last year and requested for to pass this on. My ability is to see things in dreams; however, it is quite limited, and can only see people's situations either currently or a few days in advance. Given your rather nonchalant style of holidaying, I was considered the best suited to finding you among my half-siblings."
"That's a lot of words for soone who was essentially dreaming about us." Mr Garth drawls.
Jia Hyson leans over curiously, a naughty glint in his eye, "Did you see anything else in your dreams? Such as seeing us at night~? Oh~ looking at the way you avert your eyes, you must've seen sothing right~?"
Following his boyfriend, the older vampire also leans forward with a leer, "How many days have you been dreaming about us? If you can't control the exact timing, it must an you had to dream of us a few tis. Tell , did you get excited? Tsk, don't try to lie. I can already tell you did."
"How perverse." Jia Hyson tilts his head and smiles wickedly, his slanted blue eyes curling into crescents, "I really like it~"
The man: '' Father help ! QAQ
Seeing the handso man beco flustered as he hurriedly made excuses to leave and skitter away, the pair were in a very good mood.
"Cheeky brat." Mr Garth pokes Jia Hyson's cheek.
"Who's the one that started it, ah?" Smilingly, Jia Hyson retorts as he opens the envelope. Just like the envelope, the letter was black in colour, and the words were written with silvery ink it was quite pretentious, but they couldn't deny the aesthetic was pretty nice. It was folded up, and when unfurled, it was more like a scroll than a normal letter.
However, as Jia Hyson started reading, his smile faded, replaced with shock. Mr Garth, who was also reading the letter over the other's shoulder, furrows his brow in a bit of confusion. "Jessica Fang and her Vampire Prince? Did the prince write you an idea for so teen vampire romance story?"
Bebe, who could read much faster, was frightened beyond belief, 'Host! Even if so things are a bit off, the story summary is really 70% accurate to the original!' Even as a system with a lot of experience, it was truly as flustered as being caught with its pants down. After all, this was quite unprecedented. 'It couldn't be rebirth, right?'
Jia Hyson was also similarly unsure, 'Is there any way you can check?'
'Bebe has to scan Prince Rigel to determine this.' Bebe replies helplessly. To find an unaccounted-for rebirth and transmigrator it was a bit like cancer- one would need to specifically look for it in the body to identify it.
Of course, there were upgrades to do large-scale scanning, but most systems don't have such a feature given it was expensive, and not many had the need to constantly check for such things unless you were a counterattack type system or a protector system that run into this anomalies at a higher rate than others. 'However, in Bebe's opinion, this should be unlikely. Rebirth isn't like a cabbage in the market, and rarely will it fall onto people with OP powers. The villainous pretty boy fuckable types like Prince Rigel, who has good cards that failed to use them well due to personality issues, by general rule of thumb are usually more inclined to be taken over by transmigrators than given a second chance.'
The villainous pretty boy fuckable type who has good cards but fails to use them because of his personality issues and doesn't deserve second chances, Prince Rigel: I am irrationally filled with anger against the world suddenly.
Jia Hyson bites his lip in thought. 'Could it be.. because he's a shard?' He silently suggests, but it is a weak one. To his knowledge, with the other shards, there didn't seem to be much difference between them and others.
At the very least, if they did have information about the plot of the world, they definitely haven't shown it to him before. There simply were no precedents Jia Hyson was aware of with the others; therefore, the chance of the explanation being 'a shard' was not high in his opinion. Jia Hyson sighs heavily, ah, should he curse the prince for sending him this or thanking him for waiting until his holiday was over to send this bomb?
"Hey," The deep, rougher voice of Mr. Garth breaks him from his thoughts. The gruff vampire kisses the top of Jia Hyson's head comfortingly. While he understood so things, Mr Garth still didn't understand a lot more, partly because Jia Hyson was worried about adding an existential crisis on top of the current information overload, partly because he himself was not interested in stressing over things he couldn't do much about any ti soon. However, seeing his lover's reaction, a sense of foreboding and urgent unease grew in his heart, as well as a sense of distress. "It's going to be okay."
"I wish I could believe it," Jia Hyson sighs as he leans into his boyfriend's larger body, "But it doesn't matter. I want to do well for my mission, but if it's too troubleso, I can leave it. The main thing is you being fine."
"I'll be fine if you're fine." Mr. Garth kisses his head again, this ti a little harder, betraying his sense of anxiety and guilt.
Jia Hyson didn't say it, but he could vaguely grasp that the main reason the other was willing to go back was not necessarily for this 'system mission' but more for himself, who had strong feelings and worries toward the Golden Rose Coven and the developing situations happening with vampires in Arica. Unlike his lover, Mr. Garth belonged in this world and had ties to it, whether in relationship and family bonds, moral obligations or simply just affection for his life.
Thinking about it, Mr Garth's gaze becos even softer. His lover said he was selfish, and it's a lie to say he isn't, but that just makes his shows of selflessness for him even sweeter to behold.
Both of them lean into each other, gaining strength and comfort with each other's warmth.
Hopefully, things will be fine.
As long as they were together.
...
Little Theatre:
Jia Hyson and Mr Garth: ( ( )
...
A/N: This author has been slow slow slow haha _(:3)_ Ngl I know how to end the arc but it's getting there that's a bit mmm for haha so grit your teeth and get that camping gear on ig~
While you camp blue recs these stories:
- Five scum gongs get crazy jealousy for = omfg this was a wild wild ride, I read this in like 2 days, a lot of scum abuse, so better then others and honest I have a lot of feelings about the ending that I can't tell you because spoilers but generally if you want manipulative powerful scum abuser MC fighting against 5 other hosts to gain the love of 5 scum gongs in order to retire with ML then I recc ah, the premise in itself is super refreshinggg and the only other thing I can say is TAIFUUUUUUU AHHHHH TAIFUUUU TAIFUUUU QAQ YOU DESERVED SO MUCH MORE, LIKE TO BE VIOLENTLY BOTTOD WAHHHHH TAIFU
- Don't Covet the beautiful system = wahhh super sweet light story with a lot of unique system elents (it's actually got a lot of similarities with btbab system world ,,owo,, and it also has done things I want to do in the future too so I was very excited when reading that!) it's a system mc x host ml romance which isn't very common either ah, and honestly first half was written so good and platonic and cute that I did drift off as they transitioned to romance elent but I held on and it got interesting again and really hit my heart and honestly has one of the best Title Carddd reference ever!
-I am the Father of the Villain = I might have recced it before but imma do so again cuz main story is doneeeee! I'll say it, one of the best transmigration childcare stories ever, EVER. I cannot stress this enough, its got amazing cute children, fun dialogue, face slapping, everything you want in entertainnt circle, childcare and transmigration stories (my favvv genresss altogether ahhh) like fuck I super recc this I will stake my rep as a writer on this, readitreaditreaditttt
I probs have more to share but blue forgot :3 after all its been a while hahah (pain)
However I will instead share this!
sdiscord.gg/WaF3bKm8
This link will be open for 1 week co join the beta be a fan server ah~
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