chapter 3

Jin-ha's powers are beyond anything I've ever seen. I glance at him, and his eyes meet mine, a hint of a smile on his face. "Let's go," he says, his voice low and smooth.

I nod, my heart racing with anticipation. We step into the mansion, the doors swinging open by themselves. I feel a shiver run down my spine as we enter, ready to face whatever lies ahead.

As we entered the mansion, we were met with a group of heavily armed soldiers and the cruel minister himself. His eyes narrowed as he took in our determined expressions.

"So, Min-soo, what brings you to my mansion in the dead of night?" the minister sneered, his voice dripping with malice. "And who is this...this thing standing beside you?"

Jin-ha's smile grew wider as he stepped forward, his eyes glinting with amusement. "I think the young one here has something to say to you," he said, his voice low and smooth.

But instead of letting me speak, Jin-ha took me behind his back, his movements fluid and protective. "We're here to burn this mansion down," he declared, his words hanging in the air like a challenge.

The minister's face turned red with rage. "Kill them both!" he bellowed, drawing his bow and arrow.

But the soldiers didn't move. Instead, they fell to their knees, their faces pressed to the ground. The minister's eyes widened in shock as he took aim at Jin-ha.

I reacted instinctively, throwing myself in front of Jin-ha to protect him. The arrow stopped mid-air, then turned towards the minister, striking him with deadly precision.

Jin-ha's eyes met mine, a warm smile on his face. "You don't need to protect me, young one," he said, his voice gentle.

With a wave of his hand, the soldiers and the minister's family were removed from the mansion. "You asked me to spare them," Jin-ha said, his eyes questioning.

I nodded, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. "Yes, thank you."

As the inferno engulfed the mansion, casting a fiery glow over the darkening landscape, Min-soo and Jin-ha walked away from the chaos. With each step, Min-soo felt an unshackling within him, as if the flames were consuming more than just the structure behind them. Tears streamed down his face, a mix of relief and sorrow etching his features.

Jin-ha, ever vigilant, noticed the emotional turmoil etched on Min-soo's face. He reached out, gently grasping Min-soo's shoulders, and turned him around. Their eyes met, the flickering light of the burning mansion dancing between them.

"Young one, this is not the time for tears," Jin-ha said softly, his voice a gentle reprimand. Yet, his eyes betrayed a deep understanding, a knowing that Min-soo's tears were not just for the loss of a place, but perhaps for the loss of a part of himself.

Without another word, Jin-ha pulled Min-soo into a warm embrace. Min-soo's initial resistance melted away as he felt the solidity of Jin-ha's arms around him. It was like being enveloped in a haven, a place where the world’s turmoil couldn’t touch him. As Jin-ha held him, a sudden warmth spread through Min-soo's chest, a feeling he hadn't experienced in a long time.

In this moment, wrapped in Jin-ha's embrace, Min-soo felt seen, felt understood without words. The warmth in his chest grew, a flame of hope and comfort that contrasted sharply with the blaze consuming the mansion behind them. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, Min-soo allowed himself to lean into someone, to let someone else bear some of his weight.

As they stood there, the world around them faded into the background, leaving only the two of them, suspended in a moment of fragile beauty. The fire might have been destroying everything in its path, but for Min-soo, wrapped in Jin-ha's arms, it felt like a phoenix was stirring, ready to rise from the ashes.

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