Shadows of the Past

The silence between them was heavy. Joon Ha stood at the edge of the lake, staring at his reflection in the rippling water. His hands clenched into fists at his sides. The men in the village—they weren’t just searching. They were hunting.

Behind him, Ha-Yoon approached cautiously, her footsteps soft against the damp earth. “They’re still asking questions,” she murmured.

Joon Ha exhaled slowly. “And what have they found?”

“Nothing yet.”

Her voice was steady, but he could hear the unspoken fear beneath it. He turned to face her, the moonlight casting sharp shadows across her face. “If they find out who I am…” He trailed off, the weight of unfinished words settling between them.

Ha-Yoon met his gaze without hesitation. “Then we deal with it.”

Her certainty shook him. Once, people had followed him out of duty or fear. But Ha-Yoon—she stayed because she chose to.

Joon Ha reached out, his fingers brushing against hers. “You don’t have to fight my battles, Ha-Yoon.”

She let out a short laugh. “That’s too bad. Because I already am.”

A rustling sound broke the moment. Instantly, Joon Ha’s instincts sharpened. He stepped in front of Ha-Yoon, his eyes scanning the darkness.

A shadow moved between the trees. Then another.

Joon Ha’s jaw tightened. They weren’t alone.

He took a slow breath. “Go back to the house,” he whispered.

Ha-Yoon shook her head. “Not without you.”

Before he could argue, a voice rang out. “You’ve been hiding for too long, Joon Ha.”

The words sliced through the night, cold and calculated. A figure emerged from the darkness—a man dressed in a sleek black suit, his stance rigid with authority. Behind him, two others stood, their hands resting on their weapons.

Joon Ha’s pulse remained steady, though his heart pounded against his ribs. He recognized that voice. That face.

Seo Jin-Tae.

An enforcer for the Haewon Group. Ruthless. Efficient. And utterly loyal—to those in power.

Jin-Tae tilted his head, studying him. “You look different, Joon Ha. Less like a prince. More like a ghost.”

Joon Ha remained silent. He had no interest in exchanging words.

Jin-Tae smirked. “The elders sent me to find you. They were… disappointed when you vanished.” His eyes flickered to Ha-Yoon. “And I see you didn’t disappear alone.”

Joon Ha’s stance hardened. “Say what you came to say.”

Jin-Tae took a step closer. “Come back.”

A bitter laugh escaped Joon Ha. “And do what? Kneel? Beg?”

Jin-Tae’s expression didn’t change. “The board is shifting. You can still reclaim your place—if you stop this foolishness.”

Joon Ha didn’t move. He had spent too long in exile, questioning himself, wondering if he had lost everything. But standing here, with Ha-Yoon beside him, he knew one thing for certain.

He would never return to being their pawn.

He took a step forward, his voice like steel. “I am not the same man you knew.”

Jin-Tae’s smirk faded. “That’s a shame.”

The tension snapped. In a flash, the two men behind Jin-Tae lunged.

Joon Ha moved faster.

His fist connected with the first attacker’s jaw, sending him staggering. The second reached for his weapon, but Ha-Yoon kicked his arm, knocking it loose.

Joon Ha grabbed the man by the collar and slammed him against a tree. “Tell them,” he growled. “If they come for me again, they won’t find a runaway. They’ll find a war.”

He released the man, who crumpled to the ground, gasping. Jin-Tae watched with unreadable eyes before adjusting his cuffs.

“This isn’t over, Joon Ha.”

Joon Ha’s eyes burned. “No, it isn’t.”

Jin-Tae gave a small nod and turned, disappearing into the shadows. His men scrambled after him.

The moment they were gone, Ha-Yoon exhaled. “They’ll be back.”

Joon Ha rolled his shoulders, the tension in his muscles still thrumming. “Let them come.”

For the first time in a long time, he felt it. Not fear. Not doubt. But purpose.

The battle wasn’t behind him. It was just beginning.

Shloka/श्लोक/절

"सत्यं एव जयते न अनृतम्। सत्येन पन्था विततो देवयानः।

येनाक्रमन्ति ऋषयो ह्याप्तकामा यत्र तत् सत्यस्य परमं निधानम्॥"

"Satyam eva jayate na anritam. Satyena panthā vitato devayānah।

Yenākramanti r̥ṣayo hyāptakāmā yatra tat satyasya paramaṃ nidhānam॥"

"사탸믄 에바 자야떼 나 아니리땀. 사탸에나 판타 비타또 데바야나하।

예나크라만띠 리샤요 햐프타카마 야뜨라 탓 사탸샤 파라맘 니다남॥"

"Truth alone triumphs, never falsehood. The path of righteousness is the way to the divine, tread by those who seek true fulfillment."

"오직 진실만이 승리하며, 거짓은 결국 패배한다. 정의의 길이야말로 신성으로 향하는 길이며, 그것은 참된 깨달음을 추구하는 자들에 의해 걸어가는 길이다."

Just as Rama was tested in exile, Joon Ha is forced to confront his past. But like Rama, he refuses to bend to those who once controlled him. His path is no longer one of submission—it is one of defiance. The war has begun.

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