Han Jaemin was just an ordinary nineteen–year–old boy. He wasn't the smartest in his class, but he wasn't dumb either. He wasn't rich, but he wasn't poor. He was average in almost everything, except maybe one thing: he worked hard.
Every morning, he woke up before the sun rose. His parents owned a small family restaurant in Seoul, and before school, he often helped out. Washing dishes, carrying boxes of vegetables, wiping tables—it wasn't glamorous, but it was family.
He used to think his family loved him for that.
Jaemin was also dating a girl named Min Seo–yeon. She was pretty, smart, and popular. Honestly, he didn't know how he got her. His friends joked he won the lottery when she agreed to be his girlfriend. She was his light, especially during the long nights he spent studying or helping in the restaurant.
Life wasn't perfect, but it was okay.Or so he thought.
The day everything started to fall apart began just like any other.
Jaemin was wiping tables after the morning rush in the restaurant when his father's voice came from the kitchen.
"Jaemin! Don't be lazy. Customers are coming in again. Move faster."
"Yes, father," Jaemin answered quickly.
His father, Han Dong–shik, was a strict man. He never praised Jaemin, only scolded him. Still, Jaemin tried to endure it. After all, he was the eldest son. He thought it was his duty to be patient.
After school that day, Jaemin met with Seo–yeon at a café near campus. She was scrolling on her phone, smiling at something.
"Hey," Jaemin said, sliding into the seat across from her.
She looked up, smiled faintly, and said, "You're late."
"Sorry, my teacher kept us longer," Jaemin replied.
It was a normal conversation, but something about her smile felt off. It didn't reach her eyes.
Still, he ignored it. He wanted to believe everything was fine.
That night, however, he saw something that shattered him.
He had gone back to school to pick up a notebook he left in the classroom. On his way out, he noticed a familiar figure near the school gate. Seo–yeon.
She wasn't alone. She was with another boy. A tall, confident-looking guy. Jaemin froze when he saw her hold the boy's arm, laughing like she used to laugh with him.
Then, before Jaemin could convince himself he was imagining it, Seo–yeon leaned in and kissed the boy.
Jaemin's notebook slipped from his hands and hit the ground.
Seo–yeon's eyes widened when she noticed him.
"Jaemin…" she whispered, but she didn't even look guilty. More annoyed, as if he was interrupting something.
Jaemin's chest hurt so badly he couldn't breathe.
The days after were worse.
When he confronted Seo–yeon, she simply shrugged.
"You're too plain," she said coldly. "You have no ambition, no charm. I don't want to waste my youth on someone like you."
It felt like a knife stabbed into his heart.
But the betrayal didn't stop there. His family, who he thought would support him, turned against him too.
One evening, his father gathered the family. His mother sat silently, not meeting his eyes. His younger brother smirked like he was waiting for this moment.
"You've embarrassed this family," his father said harshly. "Seo–yeon's family already spread rumors about you. Do you think I can hold my head high after this? No. You're nothing but a burden."
"Father, I—" Jaemin started, but his father cut him off.
"From today, you are no longer my son. Pack your things and leave."
Jaemin stared in shock. "What? You're kicking me out? For what? Because my girlfriend cheated on me?"
"Don't talk back!" his father roared. "Get out before I drag you out myself."
His mother still wouldn't look at him. His brother sneered.
That was the moment Jaemin realized: he had no one.
That night, he walked through the streets of Seoul with nothing but a small backpack. His clothes, his phone, a few bills in his wallet—that was all he had left.
The city lights blurred as tears filled his eyes. He wanted to scream. He wanted to ask why. Why did everyone betray him? What did he do wrong?
But no one would answer.
When he finally collapsed on a bench in a quiet park, he felt more broken than ever. His heart was heavy, his body tired, and his future… gone.
That was when it happened.
A sound, like a chime, rang in his ears.A screen appeared before his eyes—floating in the air like something out of a video game.
[System Activated]Welcome, Han Jaemin.Quest: Go to a nearby shrine that represents any god.
Jaemin blinked, wiped his eyes, and laughed bitterly. "I've lost my mind."
But the glowing words didn't disappear.
Quest will expire in: 23 hours 59 minutes.
His heart thumped. "What… is this?"
He reached out, but the screen was untouchable, like light.
For a long moment, Jaemin sat there, staring at it. His mind told him it was impossible. But his heart… his heart whispered something else.
Maybe… maybe this was the answer. Maybe this was the start of something new.
With nothing left to lose, Jaemin stood up.He tightened the straps of his backpack and muttered, "Fine. A shrine, huh? I'll go. Let's see where this crazy thing leads me."
And so, broken but burning with a tiny spark of hope, Han Jaemin began walking into the night—toward the unknown.