The Beginning

In the heart of Mesomin, a city embraced by a tranquil morning, the day held a quiet promise. Unseen by its residents, a shadow of impending events loomed, waiting to unfold.

A soft yawn marked the awakening of Tai Jung, a 21-year-old grappling with a past stained by tragedy. Sunbeams played on his face, revealing a visage that could be described as above average. His parents, victims of a heinous and unsolved murder, left him navigating life alone in a small, somber apartment.

"Morning already?" Tai Jung murmured, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. A simple breakfast – a piece of bread and a gulp of water – barely sufficed as he readied himself for another day. Despite the meager pay from his job as a cafe waiter, he somehow managed to scrape by, haunted by the lingering mystery surrounding his parents' deaths.

Entering the café, Tai Jung acknowledged his co-worker Lee Sung with a nod. Lee Sung, a cheerful presence, greeted him with a smile, "Good morning, Senpai!" Tai Jung's response was a simple, "Good morning." He was a man of few words, an introvert who preferred the solace of silence. Another day began, marked by the monotony he had grown accustomed to. "Another boring day," he sighed to himself.

As evening descended upon Mesomin, Tai Jung concluded his shift and embarked on the journey home. Lee Sung, also making her way home, joined him. Their conversations were sporadic, punctuated by comfortable silences that spoke volumes.

The ordinary evening took a sharp turn when a man in a disheveled black shirt materialized, blocking their path. The ominous scene unfolded as he brandished a gun, his eyes reflecting desperation. Lee Sung, gripped by terror, recognized him as the stalker who had plagued her recent days. Tears streaked down his face as he apologized, then, in a desperate moment, aimed the gun.

Time seemed to freeze as Tai Jung, a solitary figure grappling with his own unresolved pain, propelled himself between Lee Sung and the impending danger. The gunshot echoed through the air as the bullet found its mark in Tai Jung's chest. Pain surged through him, but a moment of clarity accompanied the anguish: "What am I doing? Why am I sacrificing myself for her? I barely even know her."

Lee Sung, spared but bewildered, screamed for help as Tai Jung crumpled to the ground. The assailant, gripped by fear, fled the scene. In those fleeting moments before consciousness slipped away, Tai Jung felt a profound sense of peace.

A blinding light enveloped him as his senses faded. Opening his eyes, he found himself under an open sky, a world unfamiliar and extraordinary. Tai Jung had been reborn into a new reality, leaving behind the pain and sacrifice of Mesomin. The tale had only just begun.

To be continued...