Ming Soo's house was quieter than usual. Only his footsteps echoed softly through the hallway as he walked to the kitchen for a glass of water.
He paused mid-step, hearing muffled voices near the door, his mother and aunt speaking in low tones. His mother wore a long coat, a scarf hiding most of her face. Without another word, she stepped into the cold night. His aunt quietly closed the door behind her.
"Where is she going?" Ming Soo asked, stepping closer.
"She's meeting someone," his aunt replied, stopping beside him. She glanced at him with a faint smile. "You've really grown tall… You look just like your father."
Ming Soo looked at her, a spark of hope in his eyes.
"Is my father back?" he asked quietly.
Her gaze dropped. "No, he's not."
Ming clenched his fists. "Not once has he ever visited me," he said with a dry chuckle. "I've only ever heard stories about him, from you." His voice softened. "Still, I tried to imagine what he looked like." He looked up at her, eyes dim with something between longing and resignation. "I bet he was a good guy."
He turned and walked toward his room, leaving his aunt frozen in the hallway, motionless.
Outside the house, a shadowy figure waited under the streetlight. When Ming Soo's mother approached, he pulled out a thick envelope and held it toward her.
She snatched it from his hand.
"It's all there, everything about him," the man said, his cold blue eyes locked on hers.
"I don't need any of this," she muttered, eyeing the envelope.
"You will, once you meet him," he replied. "It'll be dangerous."
A faint smirk touched her lips. "So am I." Her eyes glowed an electric blue.
The envelope suddenly ignited, burning with a hiss until it vanished in her hand, just as the man disappeared into the darkness.
"I was wondering when I'd get some action," she said to the empty street. "Babysitting the little prince was getting boring." She vanished in a burst of blue flame.
The next morning was colder than usual. Frost clung to the edges of windows. A chilly breeze drifted through the streets as Seo Yeon walked up to Ming Soo's house and knocked on the door, rubbing her arms for warmth.
The door opened, revealing a tall, handsome man in his late twenties. He smiled at her, as if he had been expecting her.
"G-Good morning," she said, startled by his presence. "Is he Ming's uncle?" she wondered.
"Good morning," the man replied calmly. "You must be Seo Yeon."
"Uh… y-yes. That's me," she said, blinking. "I'm not famous or anything. How does he know my name?"
"As expected of the young master," he thought to himself, chuckling inwardly. "He already has a beauty at his side."
"I'm Lornad," he said aloud, "a friend of Ming Soo's aunt."
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Lornad," Seo Yeon replied politely. "Why do I always meet the weirdest people at his house?" she thought.
"You're here to see Ming Soo, right?" he asked. "They asked me to let you know they're at the hospital."
Her eyes widened. "Is he alright?! What happened?!"
"He's fine. It's his mother, she was in an accident."
"Oh…" Her shoulders relaxed slightly, though her worry lingered. "Can I go see them?"
"I'll take you," he said, closing the door behind him. "Let's go."
At the hospital, Ming Soo stood silently outside his mother's room, leaning against the wall. His aunt stood by the window, arms folded, eyes watching the world outside like she was seeing something far away.
A doctor stepped out of the room and glanced at Ming Soo, who didn't move. He gestured for the aunt to follow him.
"Why does it feel like you haven't told him?" the doctor asked in a hushed tone.
"I… couldn't," she replied, her voice tight.
"You? Afraid?" he asked, pulling a cigarette from his coat pocket. "Now that's a surprise."
She didn't answer.
"You have to tell him," he added, lighting the cigarette.
She exhaled slowly. "I will. He's been living in shadows his whole life… Maybe it's time he stepped out of them, and saw the light."
"The light?" he echoed, raising an eyebrow. "That's a poetic way to put it."
He took another puff. "The situation's changed. You've been linked. You need to move. He's not safe anymore." He paused. "Neither are you."
She brushed her hair back, eyes steady. "I know."
"You can't protect him forever," he said, offering her the cigarette.
She pushed it away. "I'm good."
"You're gonna need it."
"Just tell me what's happening outside," she said, rubbing her temples.
The doctor hesitated, then nodded. They walked a few doors down to a quiet window.
"It's Crimson Veil," he said. "Haven is on the move."