Chapter 5: Echoes and Embers
The tavern had quieted since the earlier commotion. Jae-Hwan stood near the window, arms crossed, watching the moonlight slip between the clouds. His thoughts churned like a storm — Min-Soo's cryptic words, the unsettling familiarity in his eyes, and that commanding presence that had silenced a room without lifting a weapon.
Yoon -ah
(Yoon-Ah leaned beside him, her gaze fixed outside.)
You’re not just passing through, are you?
Jae-Hwan didn't reply immediately. He had long since learned the value of silence. But Yoon-Ah wasn’t one to be brushed off
Yoon -ah
Min-Soo’s dangerous.
( she added, softer this time.)
He hides more than he reveals. That little moment earlier? That wasn’t just about protecting a boy.
Jae Hwan (MC)
I know.
( Jae-Hwan said finally.)
He’s hiding something. But... it feels like I should know him.
( He frowned, confused by the twinge of familiarity that kept surfacing.)
And that scares me.
Yoon -ah
(Yoon-Ah turned to face him, her expression unreadable.)
You should be scared. Everyone’s scared of things they can’t understand.
Across the room, Min-Soo leaned back in his chair, swirling the remaining makgeolli in his cup, his gaze distant. When he felt Jae-Hwan watching, he gave a subtle smile — one that was tinged with something unspoken.
A memory stirred in the back of Jae-Hwan’s mind. A flash of white snow, a boy’s laughter, the warmth of a fire. But it disappeared too quickly, slipping through his fingers like smoke.
Later that night, Jae-Hwan stepped out into the cold air, hoping for clarity. The village was quiet, the only sounds were the rustle of trees and distant owls. He wandered toward the edge of town where the forest thickened.
He didn't expect Min-Soo to be waiting there.
Min Soo
You walk like a man searching for answers.
( Min-Soo said, stepping out from behind a tree.)
Jae Hwan (MC)
(Jae-Hwan didn’t flinch.)
And you wait like someone with too many of them.
Min Soo
(A soft chuckle escaped Min-Soo.)
Touché.
Silence stretched between them, taut and electric. Jae-Hwan could hear the wind playing in the trees, feel the sharp chill nipping at his neck.
Jae Hwan (MC)
You remember me.
( Jae-Hwan said. It wasn’t a question.)
Min Soo
(Min-Soo’s smile faded, replaced with a rare seriousness.)
Yes.
Min-Soo’s eyes flickered with something deeper — sorrow, perhaps? Regret?
Min Soo
We met when we were children. During the uprising near the southern border. You saved me from a burning house. You were barely standing yourself.
Jae Hwan (MC)
(Jae-Hwan blinked, the memory tugging at his subconscious.)
I don’t remember.
Min Soo
You wouldn’t. You were bleeding out. The next day, you were gone.
( Min-Soo looked away, his voice softer.)
I never forgot you.
Jae Hwan (MC)
(Jae-Hwan's heart thudded harder.)
That still doesn’t explain why you’re here.
Min Soo
(Min-Soo hesitated.)
I wanted to see you again. But now that I have... there’s more. Things I can’t explain yet.
Jae Hwan (MC)
(Jae-Hwan narrowed his eyes.)
Try.
Min-Soo’s expression shifted, something flickering behind his calm facade — vulnerability? Or something darker?
Min Soo
You think I’m just a warrior.
( Min-Soo murmured.)
But there are things in motion, Jae-Hwan. Powers that reach beyond this village. And I’m... part of it.
Jae Hwan (MC)
(Jae-Hwan stepped closer.)
Who are you, Min-Soo?
Min Soo
(Min-Soo smiled faintly.)
Someone who will protect you — even if you hate me for it.
Before Jae-Hwan could respond, a shout echoed through the woods. Both men turned instantly, instinct sharpening.
Smoke curled into the sky from the edge of the village.
They ran.
The flames devoured one of the grain storage huts, the fire dancing high into the night. Villagers shouted and scrambled with buckets of water, but the blaze spread fast. Jae-Hwan helped pull someone out of the collapsing doorway, coughing hard against the smoke.
Yoon-Ah arrived moments later, panting, her healer’s bag slung over her shoulder.
Yoon -ah
It’s not an accident.
(she said, eyes blazing.)
I found a fire starter soaked in oil by the barn.
Min Soo
(Min-Soo appeared at Jae-Hwan’s side, eyes scanning the chaos.)
This was planned.
Jae Hwan (MC)
Why would anyone target this village?
( Jae-Hwan asked, voice hoarse.)
Min Soo
They weren’t targeting the village.
( Min-Soo said grimly.)
They were targeting someone in it.
Jae Hwan (MC)
(Jae-Hwan’s eyes widened.)
Me?
Min-Soo didn’t answer — he didn’t need to.
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