Nemesis Embrace

Visitors

Ji-hoon and Mr. Park sat at a wrought-iron table surrounded by lush greenery and colorful blooms in the peaceful garden, bathed in the mellow glow of the morning sun. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee blended with the scent of growing flowers, producing a serene scene that belied their relationship's strain.

Mr. Park served steaming cups of coffee while Ji-hoon sat in silence, staring at the horizon. "Perhaps it's time to give her a chance," Mr. Park said carefully, breaking the heavy stillness. "She seems like a kind soul, sir."

Ji-hoon's expression darkened at the mention of Eun-ji's name, his thoughts consumed by memories of his past life. "Kindness can be deceiving, Mr. Park," he replied cryptically, his voice tinged with bitterness. "I've learned that the hard way."

Ji-hoon's thoughts wandered back to a time long before the 800 years had passed-a time of innocence lost and hopes shattered. "Mr. Park," Ji-hoon began, his voice weighed down by memories. "Do you remember the village where I was born?"

Mr. Park nodded solemnly, his gaze reflecting Ji-hoon's somber demeanor. "Yes, sir," he responded gently. "It was a peaceful place before... before everything changed."

Ji-hoon's eyes welled up with tears as he remembered the faces of those who had perished as a result of Hye-jin's reign of terror-innocent lives lost, families torn apart, hopes crushed.

"And then," Ji-hoon's voice broke into tears, "I made a mistake-a simple accident that changed everything."

Mr. Park's eyes widened with sympathy as Ji-hoon described the fatal day when he accidently destroyed Hye-jin's dress, an act that sealed the fate of his family and the entire village.

As Ji-hoon recalled the tragedies of their shared history, the recollection of Hye-jin's callous disregard for human life weighed heavily on his heart. "To Hye-jin," he grumbled angrily, "I was nothing but dirt beneath her feet-a mere inconvenience in her quest for power."

Mr. Park nodded silently, reflecting Ji-hoon's sadness. The memory of Hye-jin's brutality lingered like a dark shadow over their conversation, casting a pall over the morning air.

As Ji-hoon's eyes glistened with the fire of vengeance, Mr. Park couldn't help but acknowledge the validity of his master's thirst for revenge. However, a nagging thought tugged at the edges of his consciousness-800 years was a long time, and surely the soul reincarnated as Eun-ji was different from the cruel Hye-jin of old.

Mr. Park couldn't get rid of the thought that possibly Hye-jin had already made up for her transgressions in a previous life, even if he didn't say it out loud. Maybe in this new life, Eun-ji was not burdened by the horrors of her past life; perhaps she was just an innocent person trapped in the web of fate.

As Mr. Park excused himself to attend to their business issues, a cold rushed through the air, signaling the presence of a grim reaper-an unexpected guest to Ji-hoon's domain. Ji-hoon's eyes narrowed with mistrust as he addressed the spectral figure, his speech filled with skepticism.

"How dare you trespass in my realm?" Ji-hoon shouted, his tone authoritative. "No spirit or grim reaper can withstand the energy of this place."

But the grim reaper was undeterred, his ethereal form gleaming in the low light. "The gods have granted me passage," he said, his voice a solemn echo in the silence. "I come with a message for you, Ji-hoon."

Ji-hoon's forehead furrowed in bewilderment as he listened to the grim reaper speak. The message was clear: he was to stop interfering in the business of life and death, to give up his self-appointed position as judge and jury. However, Ji-hoon's resolve remained unwavering, and his will to seek justice for past wrongs burned fiercely within him.

With a defiant glare, Ji-hoon dismissed the grim reaper's warning, his voice edged with defiance. "Tell your gods to come and face me themselves," he declared, his words a challenge to the divine powers that sought to thwart him. "If they think they can stop me, let them try. For I will not rest until Hye-jin pays for her crimes, until justice is served, and until my vengeance is complete."

Ji-hoon watched as the grim reaper vanished, his words lost in the wind. Ji-hoon saw the gods as unpredictable beings that toyed with mortals for their own enjoyment. If they wanted to punish him with permanent exile, he'd gladly accept his destiny.

For Ji-hoon, the concept of divine justice held little sway. In a world where the innocent suffered and the guilty thrived, he had long since abandoned any faith in higher powers. If the gods deemed him unworthy of redemption, then he would forge his own path to righteousness, consequences be damned.

Ji-hoon turned his gaze to the heavens, his heart filled with furious determination, his steely resolution belying his inner struggle. He would not falter in the face of any hardships or obstacles that were ahead of him. For he was Ji-hoon, the everlasting wanderer and seeker of revenge, and he would go to any length to see justice done.

As Ji-hoon watched Eun-ji from a distance, he couldn't shake the impression that something was wrong. Her tear-streaked visage drew his attention, and despite his best efforts to remain distant, he couldn't help but feel drawn to her. With a wrinkled brow, he approached her, his curiosity gnawing at him.

"What's going on here?" Ji-hoon asked, his voice reflecting his surprise as he approached Eun-ji.

Eun-ji looked up, her eyes red and swollen, her cheeks stained with tears. "It's this poor kitten," she explained, her voice choked with emotion as she gestured towards the injured creature lying nearby. "I found it here, all alone and hurt."

Ji-hoon's gaze shifted to the injured kitten, his expression one of mild surprise. How had an injured animal ended up in his garden unnoticed? It was a mystery he couldn't unravel, but one that piqued his interest nonetheless.

"But it's just a cat," Ji-hoon said, his voice tinged with mistrust as he looked at Eun-ji. "Why are you so upset?"

Eun-ji's eyes burned with rage at Ji-hoon's contemptuous tone. "Every life is precious, Ji-hoon," she said, her voice full of passion. "No matter how small or seemingly insignificant. How can you not see that?"

The audacity of her, he thought, to utter those words. How could she dare to speak of the value of life when her own past, as Hye-jin, was stained with the blood of countless innocents? The hypocrisy of it all fueled his resentment, dredging up memories of her heinous acts and stoking a burning rage within him.

Ji-hoon opened his mouth to respond, but the words evaded him. Eun-ji's eyes were filled with an intensity he couldn't ignore, and for a little while, he was at a loss for words. He was unfamiliar with the experience, which left him feeling strangely disturbed.

"Fine," he conceded, his tone laced with irritation. "Close your eyes." Confusion flashed across Eun-ji's face at Ji-hoon's quick instruction, but she complied, closing her eyes tightly as she waited.

Ji-hoon channeled his power towards the injured cat, his expression unreadable as he focused on healing its wounds. In an instant, the kitten's injuries vanished, leaving no evidence of its previous pain.

Eun-ji's eyes widened in amazement as she witnessed the remarkable transformation before her. "How did you...?" she asked, her voice dropping off as she looked for words.

But Ji-hoon interrupted her before she could finish, his demeanor cold and distant. "You're a freeloader," he said frankly, his words piercing the air like a knife. "And now you've brought another freeloader into my home."

Ji-hoon turned on his heel and walked away, leaving Eun-ji to puzzle over the unexpected change of events. As she watched him fade into the distance, a sinking feeling crept in the pit of her stomach, leaving her to wonder what else awaited her in this weird new chapter of her life.