When a meteor crashes into Hyunjin's life, it doesn't just leave a crater-it changes everything.
Embedded within it was an ancient relic, a forgotten piece of a lost civilization, that fused with his very being, granting him superhuman abilities fa...
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Hyunjin lay sprawled across his bed, the familiar weight of his blankets draped over him, but somehow the room still felt cold. The sounds of the outside world seeped through the slightly cracked window—a soft, distant hum of city life. The faint rustling of leaves being carried by a gentle breeze, the sporadic chirping of birds, and the occasional distant rumble of a passing car were the only indicators that the world continued to move while he remained stagnant in his bed.
The house was eerily quiet, too quiet. Even when his mom wasn't home, there was always a sense of life lingering within the walls—the shuffle of Kkami's paws as he moved around or the familiar, comforting creak of the floorboards when someone moved from one room to the next. But today, there was nothing. The absence of Kkami weighed heavily on him. He sighed, his breath shaky as he glanced toward the clock on his nightstand. 10 a.m. The red digits glowed faintly in the dim light of the room, casting a soft glow over the clutter of books and stray papers next to his bed.
The dull ache in his ribs reminded him why he was home in the first place. Two days of school with bruised ribs, a twisted arm, and a limp had been a mistake. He knew that now. Every movement sent sharp, jarring pain through his body, but he had managed to hide it from his mom. It wasn't difficult to play off his injuries as a cold—after all, he barely had the energy to move, let alone explain how he'd ended up in this state. The lie had come naturally, though it tugged at his conscience. But what other choice did he have? His mom had enough to worry about.
When she told him to stay home today and rest, Hyunjin had almost sighed in relief, knowing Seungmin would be even more relieved. He could still hear the concern in Seungmin's voice when he called that morning.
"You're not coming to school today, right?" Seungmin's voice had been stern, but it was layered with relief when Hyunjin confirmed he wasn't.
It was a small comfort, knowing that Seungmin would be over after school. The thought of him forcing his way into the house, just to make sure Hyunjin wasn't pushing himself too hard, brought a faint smile to his lips.
Turning onto his side, Hyunjin winced as a sharp pain shot through his ribs, a low groan escaping his lips before he settled into a more comfortable position. The throbbing in his ribs echoed in time with the beating of his heart, making it impossible to forget just how fragile he felt. His body wasn't healing as fast as it should. Every day he grew more frustrated with how slow the recovery process was, and despite resting, nothing seemed to be getting better. Maybe the stress of Kkami being missing was slowing him down.
He reached out, pulling the blanket higher up over his shoulders, trying to find some warmth against the coolness that had settled into the room. His fingers brushed the soft fabric of his comforter, but it wasn't enough to soothe the cold that lingered in his bones. Outside, the weather had shifted in the past few days. The bright, sunny days of early autumn had given way to a more subdued, cloudy grayness. The wind outside picked up, rattling the window ever so slightly, carrying with it the distinct chill of an impending storm.
