Departure From the Past
Dimensional rifts started appearing across the planet Narae, leaving three continents in unimaginable chaos. Magical beasts and monsters emerged, wreaking havoc and decimating ninety percent of the population.
Suddenly, some individuals started gaining extraordinary powers, as if something divine had manipulated the course of extinction, leading them to 'Awaken.' This process left 'Awakeners' with a game-like system that behaved differently between individuals.
After hundreds of years of establishing 'Safe Zones,' the population slowly began to grow. Major areas like capital cities, trading posts, and other advantageous positions on the map manifested, walled off from the outside dangers.
Lu Jae-sung was fortunate enough to be born into one of the stable environments. However, as the three kingdoms grew, his biracial heritage became a flaw in the strict hierarchy, leaving him in a tough spot in Haneulguk.
The three kingdoms—Shenlong Dynasty, Rajakhand, and Haneulguk—continuously competed against each other, sometimes leading to unnecessary fights. Especially, for this reason, four neutral grounds were created between the three kingdoms. The most well-known was 'Trinity Land,' located at the center.
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It was year 700, the first of January. The calendar changed when the Awakening started occurring on this continent, discarding thousands of years of history.
Lu Jae-sung was now in his final semester of high school, and the graduation clock was slowly ticking. Quite tall and handsome, his well-rounded physique suited his height. His slightly long black hair with short bangs partially obscured his vibrant teal eyes, concealing his personality, as if he didn't want to interact with anyone. His nose was straight and refined, which matched his sharper jaw.
He was continuously being ignored and bullied by others. Being half Chinese and Korean made his life an utter hell. Others made him look unsightly and mysterious, not wanting to interact with him.
He arrived home on the familiar street, feeling as comfortable as if it were his own shoe. Slowly wavering on the path to the door out of exhaustion, not managing to see his steps in the shadows of freezing night he pulled out a key.
*click*
Only one sound implied that his mother, newly named Bu Areum, was at home. Going through the entrance, he saw her back in the tight corridor, blocking the passage. She was currently talking to her new husband, Bu Bujeo. It's a funny name, if you think about it, making Lu Jae-sung laugh in his mind.
Even though they lived in poverty for the last two years, after his dad had unexpectedly disappeared, his mother managed to remarry a high-standing noble, which felt bitter deep inside him. His mother was a natural beauty, seemingly perfect wherever you looked.
While shaking his head, he approached the two, trying to pass by without necessary interaction.
"So you finally decided to show up, huh?" said his father in a mean tone.
"Since you are here, I can inform you, that you can finally move out to my 'luxurious' apartment with your mother," he emphasized the word 'luxurious,' as this house was too small, undecorated, and in a state of decay.
"And when are we moving out?" asked Lu Jae-sung with a dead tone, totally not caring about this situation.
"Hey! Learn to talk to your dad with respect!" his mother turned around, shouting at him in a strict voice.
Her shiny blond hair traced around her by the sudden motion, showing her perfect features. Teal eyes burned through him with fury. One of the blonde eyebrows was slightly raised, her small nose pointing up, as she was just too small to look straight at his face. She also had fined tools, her bossom wasn't overly huge, and she maintained a posture, showing fine curves.
Lu Jae-sung rolled his eyes in annoyance and replied:
"Father, may I ask when we are moving out?" he said, forcing respect into his voice, feeling disgusted he couldn't curse at him.
"A chauffeur will pick you up at 8:30. Don't worry about your belongings—we threw almost all of them away." his stepfather said, smirking.
When he heard his words coming out of his mouth, he bolted through them, pushing them aside, to his room. It was situated in the far back of the corridor on the right side. Anxiety tied his heart, while anger entered his thoughts as he quickly approached the room.
As he rushed through the door, switching the lights on, he was shocked by how empty the room appeared to be.
"Why would they throw away my stuff without my concern!!!" thinking angrily at this turn of events, wildly searching through drawers and wardrobes.
As he explored almost every corner, he noticed a locked box behind his bed.
"At least you stayed with me, Dad," he felt like crying when he thought about his memento box being thrown away. A tear flowed leisurely down his face, tightly pressing the box against his chest.
If this was thrown away, he would feel like ending his own miserable life, full of misfortunes and constant struggles. The only reason he kept on going forward, was his kind dad and the fond memories he made with him.
He was like a hero to Lu Jae-sung. Strong, tall, and reliable, motivating his son to be like him, when he gets to Awaken.
He drew out a small key, tied around his neck by a silver chain. While shaking completely out of the piled-up stress, he managed to open the locked crate. A messy stack of photos with torn-out corners lay inside.
Recollection started overflowing in his mind. The days appeared before him, as he relived his time spent with his dad. Combat training, holidays, reassurance, and other events occurred in his mind, soothing his messed-up thoughts. His breathing became more regular and stable, locking up the crate again.
"Are you finished? Can't you simply throw away your past? What a trash," his stepfather appeared beside the door frame, slightly showing animosity towards him.
He was taller than the door frame, looking like a thin skeleton. He consisted of skin and bones, appearing weak at first sight. Yet his mother married this ugly fellow. His appearance resembled a walking corpse. His short brown hair was messy, the color suiting his tired eyes. Huge purple bags under them showed fatigue, probably from constant overwork.
In the past, Lu Jae-sung had some small interactions with this weakling. When money and estate were mentioned, his eyes would sparkle with interest, showing no other concern for anyone else, if they weren't standing higher than him.
When someone is born to be a noble, he or she is 'constructed' and 'shaped' by their parents. Old traditions and stereotypes are mindlessly struck at them, and afterward unable to think for themselves. This leads to an endless loop, with just a few exceptions.
Bu Bujeo clicked his tongue, left hanging in the silent atmosphere, being stared at without any words leaving his stepson's mouth.
"Who do you think you are, fucker," he thought, not daring to say it out loud.
Lu Jae-sung was growing more annoyed around him. The nobility were the people he despised the most. They created this stupid hierarchy, where biraciality is taboo.
Since he didn't get any answers, stomping, he left Lu Jae-sung alone and headed to talk with his gorgeous wife.
Since his belongings were gone, nothing was engaging at home anymore. In exhaustion, he rolled the blinds over the singular window and went to bed. At first, he was staring at the crumbling ceiling, thinking about what his life would be like in the future, but then he fell asleep soundlessly.
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In the morning, Lu Jae-sung went through his daily routine, changing into comfortable wear afterward. This made his mother mad and she instructed him to change clothes into something more formal. She wanted to make her first appearance perfect.
"At least they didn't throw away my clothes," with a sigh he redressed and prepared for departure, taking the memento box with him.
While he was doing so, he overheard his mother's conversation over the phone. A moving company would get their stuff, even if their house was somewhat empty. They said goodbye to their old residence, waiting for the chauffeur's arrival.
A black limo appeared down the street, slowly driving towards them.
"It seems to be our ride. Aren't you happy to move out sweetheart?"
A chill went down Lu Jae-sung's spine from her overly sweet question, feeling gross and scared of what his mother was plotting.
His mother was even better than him in disguise. She could transform into the most enchanting person in seconds, manipulating others for her benefit.
As he began to see things more clearly, a strange energy surrounded his mother, whenever they were together. But after his father's disappearance, she revealed her true colors, filling Lu Jae-sung with disdain.
The black limo stopped beside them, and a slightly older man got out, gently opening the back doors for them.
Before getting in, a nice warm breeze swept by. The interior was fancy, draped in black leather, with a wine holder between the two seats, illuminated by simple LED light strips around it.
"Well, I guess I'm finally ready to leave the past behind," he murmured, stepping into the luxurious black limo with anxiety slowly condensing within him.