Jin Taewon walked through the streets of Busan with the cold wind biting his face. The marks on his body no longer hurt as much as the burning sensation in his chest. For the first time in years, he had allowed himself to fight back. The punch still echoed in his memory, the sound of the impact, the looks of terror on the others… it made him feel alive.
But it wasn't enough.
He wanted more.
He didn't want to hurt just anyone — Jin hated the idea of becoming an uncontrollable monster, someone who attacked innocents. But the ones who mocked, the ones who hit, the cowards who laughed while he was beaten… those were the ones he wanted to crush.
He arrived home as the sky was already darkening, his hands stuffed in his pockets and his steps heavy. When she opened the door, she smelled the freshly prepared food. Her mother was in the kitchen, distractedly stirring a pan. She glanced out of the corner of her eye, and one look was enough to understand everything.
She didn't need to ask.
She knew.
Jin looked away, the weight of guilt and recent freedom mixing in her stomach. She went upstairs to her room without saying anything. Lee Hana stood there, her eyes moist, and whispered to herself:
"Now... all I can do is watch him."
A few minutes later, Jin came downstairs, no longer in uniform, wearing a simple black shirt. He was walking towards the kitchen when the sound of three sharp knocks on the door made him stop.
Her mother hesitated. Her heart raced for no apparent reason. She walked to the door and opened it slowly.
When she saw who was on the other side, her face paled.
There, standing in the doorway, was the man she swore she would never see again. Tall, broad shoulders, a face marked by age, but still carrying that implacable gaze. His well-groomed black hair and an elegant dark suit completed the image of a predator on the prowl.
It was him.
Park Ryun. Jin Taewon's father.
"What are you doing here?" Hana whispered, her voice filled with hatred and contained fear. "I told you to stay away from him. You're a bad influence. A damn monster." Ryun let out a slight smile, as if those words held no weight at all.
"You can't stop me from seeing my own son, Hana. He's my blood. Sooner or later, he'll hear the call."
Before she could answer, a voice came from behind her.
"Who is it?"
Jin Taewon appeared in the hallway, his eyes confused, trying to make sense of the scene. Ryun looked up, and for the first time in years, he saw his son. It was as if he were looking at himself in the past.
Hana stood in front of Jin, as if she could protect him from something invisible.
"Go away, Ryun…" she growled.
But Jin was there, and the boy's eyes met the man's. A moment frozen in time.
"
Mom… who is he?" Jin asked, his voice tense.