Chapter 1 In the Beginning

In the deep darkness of the night, the door of an old hut was pushed open in a hurry. A young boy, no older than seven, ran out as if his tail were on fire.

Tears streamed down his face as he cried out desperately, "Mother, please don't die!" He ran as fast as his little legs could carry him, his voice echoing through the silent village.

After passing six houses, he stopped in front of another hut, nearly identical to his own, and banged on the door repeatedly.

"Please, save my mother!" he shouted.

A moment later, the door creaked open, revealing a hunched old woman with sleepy eyes. She scowled.

"Which bastard is trying to break my door at this hour?" she growled.

But as the moonlight illuminated the boy's tear-streaked face, her expression softened.

"Little Shin? What's the matter?" she asked, concern replacing her anger.

The boy, his eyes brimming with tears, pleaded, "Please, save my mother!"

Without another word, the old woman grabbed his hand and hurried back toward his hut.

---

Inside the dimly lit hut, a beautiful young woman lay on a straw mat, her pale face contorted in pain. Blood stained the bedding beneath her.

The old woman's eyes widened. "Boil some water, now!" she commanded, rushing to the woman's side.

Shin wasted no time. He ran out and quickly returned with a basin of steaming water. The old woman grabbed it from him and shoved him out of the room.

"Stay outside!" she ordered before shutting the door.

Shin paced anxiously in the yard, his heart pounding in his chest. Minutes dragged by, each one heavier than the last. Then, suddenly, the light inside the hut flickered out.

Panic gripped him.

Just as he reached for the door, it opened. The old woman stepped out, cradling something in her arms.

Shin shoved past her and ran inside.

There, on the straw mat, lay his mother—her breathing weak, her skin ashen.

He knelt beside her and whispered, "Mother, are you okay?"

She gave him a faint smile and beckoned the old woman closer.

"Give him his brother," she murmured.

The old woman hesitated before handing Shin a small bundle wrapped in faded animal fur.

His hands trembled as he took the baby.

His mother's voice, barely above a whisper, filled the room. "This is your brother. I named him Jin."

She gripped Shin's tiny hand, her strength fading fast.

"Promise me... promise me you will take care of him. Protect him with your life."

Shin's throat tightened. He didn't understand why she was making him promise, but the desperation in her voice terrified him.

Tears poured down his cheeks as he choked out, "I promise, Mother!"

A weak smile touched her lips as she looked at the newborn—her child, whom she had given life to but would never hold.

Then, she took her final breath.

"Mother? Mother, wake up!" Shin sobbed, shaking her gently.

But she didn't move.

The old woman gently pulled him away and covered his mother's face with a cloth.

"It's up to you now, child," she said softly. "He is your responsibility."

Then, without another word, she walked out of the hut, leaving Shin alone with the newborn.

Shin wiped his tear-streaked face, his heart heavy with grief. He looked down at the baby in his arms—so small, so innocent.

"I promise, Mother," he whispered. "To my last breath."

Unbeknownst to him, the baby in his arms was just as confused.

"Who am I? Where am I?" Jin wondered in silence. "Who is this boy holding me? And why does looking at that woman hurt my heart as if I've lost something precious?"

As these thoughts swirled in his mind, exhaustion overtook him, and his tiny eyelids fluttered shut.

---

"Where am I? The light... it's too much," Jin complained.

He felt bound, his body stiff. As he tried to stretch his neck, his blurry vision cleared. He noticed a small cottage and a surrounding compound that resembled ancient China.

A sharp twang pierced the air, followed by the dull thud of an arrow hitting a target.

The sound snapped him out of his thoughts.

He realized he was tied to the back of a boy—the same boy from before. His brother, Shin.

Shin stood in front of a wooden target, mindlessly releasing arrows. His hands were steady, but his aim was poor—only one arrow had hit the target.

"I need to get stronger," Shin murmured. "I have to protect him. I promised Mother."

Jin shifted slightly, and Shin immediately noticed.

"Are you awake, little Jin?" he asked.

He quickly untied Jin and held him close, his gaze filled with warmth.

"You must be hungry," he said.

Looking around the small house, he found a dried-up bun. He broke off a piece and tried to feed it to Jin. But as soon as the bun touched Jin's lips, he turned away and started crying.

"Why are you crying?" Shin asked, his voice tinged with frustration.

When Jin refused again, Shin picked up a nearby bowl and tried to give him water, but it was murky and unclean. Jin continued to cry.

Panic flashed across Shin's face. He quickly picked Jin up and ran out of the house.

Jin swayed in his arms as they hurried through the village.

Shin pushed open a door and entered another hut. Inside, the same old woman turned to face them, scowling.

"What do you want?" she snapped.

Shin, out of breath, said, "He's hungry, but he won't eat the bun I gave him."

The woman's frown softened into a chuckle.

"Who told you a newborn can eat a bun?" she said. "He needs his mother's milk, not dry bread."

At the mention of "mother," Shin's eyes turned red. He held Jin even tighter.

"Don't worry. Give him to me," the woman said gently.

Shin hesitated before reluctantly handing Jin over.

The old woman took a bowl of thick, white liquid—likely deer milk—and carefully fed it to him.

"Drink, little one," she whispered. "You were born too early. You need all the strength you can get."

Jin eagerly drank, his empty stomach welcoming the nourishment. But as he did, a familiar dread crept into his soul.

"Who am I? Why am I here? And why am I so afraid of dying?"

The thought terrified him. What is death? And why does it feel so close?

His tiny body grew heavy as warmth filled his stomach. Sleep overtook him once more.

---

Jin awoke to find himself cradled in Shin's arms. They were standing before a fresh grave, staring in silence.

A bulky man stood beside them, a bow slung across his back.

"When?" the man asked coldly.

"Last night," Shin answered.

The man grunted. "I see."

Shin stepped forward, trying to pass the baby to him.

"Mother named him Jin, Father."

The man didn't even look at the baby.

"He's your responsibility now," he said before walking away.

Jin watched him leave, an eerie emptiness settling in his chest.

"So this is my father… then why do I feel nothing for him?"

He turned his gaze back to the grave. The ache in his soul was unbearable.

"Why does looking at her grave make my heart burn?"

As Shin carried him home, Jin made a silent vow.

"I will live. Not just for myself, but for the woman who brought me into this world."

And with that, exhaustion overtook him once more.