A Promise kept

The soft beep of the heart monitor echoed through the quiet hospital room. The sun had long since set, leaving only the dim glow of the city lights outside to illuminate the sterile white walls. Jinwoo stood by his mother's bedside, gripping a small glass vial filled with a radiant, golden liquid—the Holy Water of Life.

His hands trembled slightly as he pulled the cork free, the scent of something warm and familiar filling the air. Was it nostalgia? Hope? Or was it simply his own desperation given form?

His mother, Park Kyung-Hye, lay still, trapped in an endless sleep for four years. Her face was serene, peaceful even—but it was a peace that had stolen her from him and his sister, Jin-Ah. The Eternal Sleep disease had claimed her, leaving him with nothing but empty promises and mounting hospital bills.

Jinwoo exhaled shakily, tilting the vial over her lips.

"This has to work... Please, just this once... let me be lucky."

The liquid trickled down her throat, shimmering faintly before disappearing completely. For a moment, nothing happened.

Jinwoo clenched his fists. He had bet everything on this.

A Hunter.He had never wanted to become one. The weight of responsibility, the constant risk of death, the suffocating fear—none of it had been his dream.

But dreams weren't a luxury he could afford.

"I was just a kid… But someone had to take care of Jin-Ah."

He had watched his mother struggle to hold their family together, taking on every burden without complaint. So he took up her role.

A D-Rank Hunter, scraping by with the bare minimum, taking whatever jobs he could—no matter how dangerous, no matter how humiliating.

He had been weak. So weak that others had to risk their lives to save him. How many times had he come close to death?

All for a hospital bed, a promise, and a wish that never faded.

The weight of a mother's love… It had crushed him for years.

And now, in this moment—

A soft breeze swept through the room.

The hospital curtains fluttered, momentarily obscuring his view.

His breath hitched.

A silhouette.

Feminine. Sitting upright.

The world seemed to stop as Jinwoo's vision adjusted.

His mother, Park Kyung-Hye, was awake.

"Jinwoo...?"

Her voice was hoarse, fragile from years of disuse—but to him, it was the most beautiful sound in the world.

Jinwoo staggered back, his throat tightening. Tears burned at the corners of his eyes.

He had done it.

He kept his promise.

"Mom…" His voice cracked, heavy with emotion. "How do you feel?"

Kyung-Hye blinked slowly, taking in the unfamiliar room. "How long was I asleep…?"

Jinwoo swallowed, forcing himself to stay composed. "Four years."

She sighed, her expression thoughtful. "Then… it must've been hard on you."

Jinwoo tried to shake his head, to deny it, but he couldn't. His mother was no fool.

She smiled, soft and full of pride. "But you did it, didn't you? You saved me, just like you promised."

He let out a weak laugh, wiping at his eyes. "Yeah… I did."

A swirl of purple light flooded the room.

Jinwoo barely had time to turn before a blur of motion tackled him to the side.

"OPPA!!"

Jin-Ah clung to him for a second before bolting forward, her eyes locked onto the woman sitting up in bed.

"M-mom…?"

Kyung-Hye gasped softly. "Jin-Ah…"

Jinwoo stepped aside as his little sister lunged forward, throwing her arms around their mother. Sobs wracked her small frame, and Park Kyung-Hye—now fully awake, warm, and alive—held her close, whispering soothing words into her hair.

"You've grown so much…" she murmured, stroking Jin-Ah's back.

Jin-Ah choked on a laugh, rubbing at her eyes. "I-I'm taller now! I can reach the top shelf!"

Kyung-Hye giggled. "You always did try to climb everything."

Jinwoo stepped back, giving them space.

At the door, Po stood quietly, arms crossed, a knowing smile on his face. He had teleported Jin-Ah straight from school, and yet—

"Why were her eyes covered?" Jinwoo asked dryly.

Po grinned, rubbing his chin. "Dramatic effect."

Jinwoo shook his head with a chuckle.

As the three reunited, Po turned and walked into the hallway, leaning against the wall. This was their moment.

Inside, Jin-Ah spoke through sniffles. "Mom… things have been crazy. Oppa—he's really strong now."

Kyung-Hye looked at Jinwoo, eyes full of unspoken understanding. "I can see that."

Jinwoo scoffed. "Still your son though."

"That you are," she chuckled. Then, her expression turned wistful.

"Your father…?"

Jinwoo hesitated. "Not yet."

For a moment, his mother was silent. Then, she nodded, a fire burning in her eyes.

"Then I'll wait for him."

Across the country—

A man sat by a dimly lit fire, his face hidden beneath the shadow of a hood.

His fingers tightened around an old, weathered photograph.

A woman's face.

A name passed through his lips, soft and longing.

"Kyung-Hye…"

A sudden shiver ran down his spine, but instead of fear—

It was nostalgia.

How long had it been?

Too long.

A faint smile played at his lips as he stood, gazing towards the distant horizon.

"It seems we will reunite soon enough."

AN: I hope I managed to make this emotional enough.