Marks of fate
Gguk stepped into the tattoo parlor, the heavy hum of tattoo machines filling the air. He glanced around, the walls lined with designs that ranged from classic to abstract, but none of them seemed to fit the feeling he had inside. He wanted something meaningful, something that would anchor him, and maybe, just maybe, something that would finally give him a sense of control.
Behind the counter stood a man with dark, intense eyes, and a calm demeanor that immediately drew Gguk’s attention. His name tag read “Jin.”
Jin
“Looking for something specific?” Jin asked, his voice calm and smooth.
Gguk
Gguk tilted his head, studying the man for a moment. “I want something that means something. A symbol of... strength, I guess.”
Jin
Jin raised an eyebrow, as if seeing through Gguk’s carefully guarded exterior. “Something that tells your story, huh? Follow me.”
As Jin led Gguk to the back of the shop, Gguk couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something oddly familiar about him. He wasn’t sure if it was just the way Jin held himself—like someone who had seen and weathered a storm—or something more.
Once seated, Gguk began to explain his vague desire for a tattoo, but the more they spoke, the more Gguk found himself opening up.
Gguk
“I don’t know why I’m here,” Gguk admitted, staring at his hands, “but I need something that represents me... who I am now. Something strong. A reminder that I’m not just floating through life anymore.”
Jin
Jin paused for a moment, his eyes focused intently on Gguk. “You’re not looking for a tattoo,” Jin said quietly, his voice almost contemplative. “You’re looking for a way to remind yourself of who you used to be, who you could be again.”
Gguk
Gguk looked up, surprised by how Jin seemed to know exactly what he was feeling. “Maybe.”
Jin
Jin gave a small, almost imperceptible nod. “I think I have just the thing.” He began drawing the design—a white tigress, bold and fierce, wrapping around a strong arm in a way that seemed to capture Gguk’s inner turmoil and strength.
Gguk
Gguk’s eyes traced the lines of the tigress, feeling an odd connection to it. “It’s perfect.”
As Jin prepped the tattoo machine, they fell into a comfortable silence. The needle’s hum filled the room, but Gguk’s mind was elsewhere, focused on the way the tattoo felt almost... meant to be.
When the tattoo was done, Gguk looked at the finished piece in the mirror—an elegant, fierce white tigress, its tail curling with power and grace. He felt something stir inside him, a sense of satisfaction, but also a strange attachment to the process.
Gguk
“Thanks,” Gguk said, standing up. “This... means more than I thought it would.”
Jin
Jin gave a rare, small smile, but there was a quiet understanding in his eyes. “You’ll be back when you’re ready to face it again.”
Gguk didn’t know why, but those words stuck with him, and as he left the shop, the pull to return gnawed at him. There was something about Jin—a quiet strength—that seemed to draw him in. Gguk didn’t realize it yet, but the tigress was more than just a tattoo. It was a symbol of his past, his future, and something much deeper than he understood.
Later that evening, Gguk found himself on his motorbike, his mind still racing, processing the weight of the tattoo and the strange connection he felt to Jin. But as he sped down the road, distracted by thoughts of what lay ahead, he lost control. His bike skidded beneath him, and he crashed hard onto the pavement.
Pain exploded in his body, and his vision blurred as darkness overtook him.
When Gguk woke up, he was in a sterile hospital room, his body aching all over. His eyes fluttered open, and he saw the familiar figure of Jin standing beside his bed. Gguk blinked, confused.
Gguk
“Jin?” he rasped. “What are you—”
Jin
“Don’t get too excited. You’re lucky you didn’t break anything.” Jin’s voice was calm, but his eyes showed an unexpected depth of concern. “I couldn’t let you leave the parlor without making sure you were okay.”
Gguk
Gguk frowned, unable to fully process it. “I didn’t think you cared that much.”
Jin
Jin’s lips twitched slightly, the smallest of smiles playing at the corners of his mouth. “People don’t often know when someone’s looking out for them.”
Before Gguk could respond, the door opened, and a young man walked in. His blonde hair gleamed under the harsh hospital lights, and there was an aura of quiet authority about him. He was dressed in a doctor’s coat, and there was something immediately familiar in his gaze, though Gguk couldn’t place it at first.
Min
“I’m Min Soo,” the man said with a calm smile, “the doctor on call. Looks like you’ve had quite the night.”
Gguk
Gguk’s eyes widened in surprise. “Min Soo...?”
Min
Min Soo nodded, his expression unreadable. “You’re going to be fine. Just some bruising, and a few stitches, but nothing too serious.”
There was a moment of silence as the three of them stood there, an unspoken connection forming between them. Gguk felt it—this strange bond, a link to something more than just the accident, something that reached deep into his past.
Soo Min, Jin, and Gguk. There was something about them, a shared history that neither of them could yet understand, but that was beginning to pull them together. The tigress tattoo wasn’t the only thing marking Gguk’s life—it was the beginning of a connection he didn’t know he needed.
And somewhere, in the shadows, the tigress herself watched from afar, sensing the bond that was growing stronger. She knew she had to act quickly. Their connection was starting to attract attention—attention from enemies who were closer than they thought.
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