The terrace of Choi Miran's house was alive with color.
Dahlia Choi drew her bow across the violin strings, letting the notes float into the morning air.
Around her, flowers of every hue swayed gently, carpeting the garden in golds, pinks, and purples.
Her grandmother, Choi Miran, sat in a rocking chair nearby, her frail hands resting on the arms.
Despite her sickness, her eyes sparkled as she listened to Dahlia's music.
"Miran, you look like you're asleep,"
Dahlia teased softly.
Her grandmother smiled.
"No, my dear… I'm listening. Always listening."
From the folds of her shawl, Miran pulled out a small, delicate box and handed it to Dahlia.
Inside lay a white gold necklace — a fate pendant shaped like a sword with angel wings, with a tiny jade stone nestled between the wings.
"This belonged to your great-grandfather, Choi Gunwoo," her grandmother said.
"He was a soldier… brave and honorable. This necklace protected him in every battle.
And now, it will protect you."
Dahlia's fingers brushed over the jade stone.
"It's beautiful, Grandma."
"Remember, my child… courage and heart will always protect you more than any charm.
But it is good to have one… just in case."
---
Weeks later, the garden was quiet.
Choi Miran had passed away, leaving behind the memories, the scent of flowers, and the soft echo of violin music.
After the burial, Dahlia sat across from a lawyer, listening to her grandmother's last will.
Her father, Choi Hyunseok , a stern district prosecutor of Haerang Province, took her hand briefly before reviewing the documents.
Some of Miran's property would be inherited by Hyunseok, but her grandmother's last wish was clear:
the house and the flower garden were to remain untouched, preserved for Dahlia alone.
"You must promise, Dahlia,"
the lawyer said,
"to honor your grandmother's wish. It cannot be sold or altered."
Dahlia nodded silently, the weight of responsibility settling over her like the petals in her grandmother's garden.
Her father's other family lived quietly in the province of Haerang;
her half-brother, Choi Dojoon, was too young to fully understand the significance of the inheritance.
---
Meanwhile, in Haerang Central High School, the gym erupted with cheers.
Seo Jaemin, sixteen, black belt and scholar, had just won the Taekwondo championship.
His movements were precise, powerful, and graceful — every strike executed with focus and poise.
His father, Seo Hyuk, clapped wildly from the audience,
pride glowing in his eyes.
After the tournament, the family returned to their modest home.
The first floor housed their small chicken restaurant, warm with the aroma of spices and fresh cooking.
"Jaemin! You did it! My champion!" his mother, Seo Rin, exclaimed, setting a feast on the table.
Jaemin laughed,
wiping sweat from his brow.
"It was nothing, Mom."
"No, it was everything!" she said, handing him a steaming bowl of rice.
"You made me so proud."
For now, Jaemin's world was simple, safe, and bright.
---
A few days later, the Azure Horizon Hotel glittered under chandeliers and crystal lights.
Seo Hyuk met a potential sponsor for Jaemin, a chance to step beyond provincial tournaments and begin the road to becoming a national martial arts champion.
The lobby's centerpiece, a towering cylindrical aquarium, shimmered with coral and vibrant fish.
The colors and motion captivated Jaemin, his focus momentarily drifting from his father's discussion of sponsorship and opportunities.
At the same time, Dahlia Choi wandered the hotel lobby.
She had come to see her mother, the famous pianist Victoria Yoon, perform at a gala.
It had been a year and a half since they last met; Victoria stayed abroad for her career.
Bored by the glittering crowd of socialites, Dahlia slipped quietly from the hall and found herself in front of the grand aquarium.
She leaned closer, mesmerized as schools of fish swirled like liquid jewels, their movements hypnotic in the gentle lobby lights.
On the other side of the aquarium, partially hidden behind the shimmering glass, a boy appeared.
Their eyes met across the water — green and hazel, vibrant and rare.
For a heartbeat, the world seemed to pause, the lobby noise fading into nothing.
The aquarium was a shimmering barrier, a delicate veil between them, yet it only made the moment feel magical, intimate, fated.
They smiled at each other, wordless and fleeting.
Then reality intruded.
"Miss Choi?" Victoria Yoon's assistant called, voice sharp and insistent.
Dahlia blinked, stepping back, her heart still fluttering.
With one last glance at the boy, she hurried back to the hall, leaving the magical moment behind.
---
Jaemin
He remained on his side of the glass, heart pounding.
Wow… she's beautiful…
He watched her hair catch the light, the gentle curve of her expression, the way her eyes seemed to sparkle with curiosity.
I didn't even get a chance to ask her name…
The sponsor continued speaking, but Jaemin could barely hear a word.
The image of her through the aquarium, smiling faintly at him, stayed burned in his mind.
And in that instant, something unspoken stirred, something he didn't yet understand, a pull of fate that neither of them would forget.
---