Haru was born into the Meong family, a quiet household tucked away in the city's peaceful edge. He was the second child, with an older sister named Rosy, who was two years his senior. While Rosy was loud and playful, Haru was a quiet observer—thoughtful, curious, and often lost in his imagination.
On the day of his eighth birthday, everything changed.
---
The family went out for shopping in the bustling city. Lights glowed from shop windows, children laughed in the streets, and the scent of sweet bread filled the air. Haru held tightly to his mother's hand—until, for just a moment, something distracted him.
He let go.
A second later, he looked up and realized—he was alone.
His heart pounded. The cheerful noise of the market now sounded distant, almost threatening. His small footsteps wandered through the crowd as panic grew in his chest.
Then… everything slowed.
He found himself standing in the middle of a road—confused, frozen, headlights blinding his eyes.
A truck was coming.
Fast.
Too fast.
His legs wouldn't move. His mind screamed, but his body refused to respond.
Suddenly—a shove.
Another boy, about his age, pushed him hard—sending Haru flying to the side.
Haru hit the ground hard. But before he could stand, he heard the screech of tires, a horrible crunch, and then—
Silence.
He turned his head.
And saw it.
A body.
Blood smeared across the road. The boy's skull had been crushed. One of his lifeless eyes seemed to stare straight at Haru.
> "No… no… this can't be real."
Blood splattered across Haru's hands and shirt. His chest rose and fell with panic. The world spun around him.
He couldn't breathe.
His legs moved on their own, staggering backward, away from the horror.
That's when his parents found him. They came running, faces filled with fear and relief.
"Where were you?!"
"Are you okay?!"
But Haru said nothing. His lips trembled, but no words came out.
> (What do you think? Why didn't Haru say anything? Leave your thoughts in the comments.)
---
Later, at home, Haru sat silently in his room.
Then—tears.
He burst into sobs, clutching his knees to his chest, rocking back and forth.
"I couldn't protect him… I couldn't protect him…"
His parents tried to comfort him, but they didn't understand.
Three months passed. Haru barely spoke. His laughter vanished. But little by little, the boy who was shattered began to rebuild himself.
He formed new habits.
He spent his nights on the rooftop, sitting under the stars, alone with his thoughts. He found peace in the sky's silence and comfort in the moon's pale light.
He started reading—books about nature, power, the unknown. Something inside him had changed. He was searching for something. Maybe answers. Maybe meaning.
---
Then one evening, after visiting his aunt, something strange happened.
As he walked toward his home, he saw a man standing across the street—still and silent, watching him.
His heart skipped a beat.
The stranger didn't move. Didn't blink.
Haru felt something cold crawl down his spine.
He rushed inside, shut the door, and ran to his room. Later that night, he climbed to the rooftop once again—seeking comfort.
But what he found… was him.
The same man.
Standing there. Waiting.
---
His body trembled. His heartbeat thundered in his ears.
But this time, he found his voice.
"Who are you?"
The man stepped forward, his face hidden beneath a smooth, white mask.
His voice was deep. Calm. Unsettling.
"I am… Mask."
Haru narrowed his eyes. "I've never met anyone named Mask…"
"You don't know me," the man said, "but I know you. I've been waiting for you… for a thousand years."
Haru's breath caught. "That… can't be real."
"You think you're ordinary," Mask said, "but you're not. You were born with spiritual power. You can see things others cannot. Sense things they cannot."
"What does that mean?" Haru asked, stepping back.
"It means you are special. You were born with God Power—meant to fight against those who use Demonic Power to harm the world."
Haru's mind raced. "I have power? But… what about the boy who saved me?"
Mask paused. Then he said something that shattered the memory.
"That boy never existed."
Haru's eyes widened.
"He was a devil power user, sent to kill you before your powers awakened. They already knew who you were. But they failed."
The truth hit him like a wave. His knees buckled, but Mask caught him.
"Sit down," Mask said gently. "That was just the beginning. More will come. Greater dangers await."
And with those words—
Mask vanished into the night.