The Prophecy

The insistent knocking echoed through the room, pulling Jae-hyun from his restless sleep. "Wake up, Jae-hyun!" a voice urged, "You're being adopted! Get your things together at once!" Reluctantly, his eyes fluttered open, still weighed down by the exhaustion from the previous night's conflict.

As he tried to get up, a sharp pain pierced his ribcage, a stark reminder of the injuries from the fight. Ignoring the discomfort, Jae-hyun forced himself to sit up, his mind spinning from the unexpected news. At sixteen, he had accepted that adoption was a distant dream; boys his age were usually drafted into the military at eighteen.

The sudden realization that the arriving adoptive family might jeopardize his ability to claim the prize money from last night's brawl spurred him into action. He hastily dressed and headed for the window, intent on avoiding the family. The funds were crucial for settling his debts, and the prospect of being found by his creditors took precedence over joining a new family. Fueled by adrenaline, he leaped out the window, driven by the urgency of his situation and the perplexing turn of events.

The door burst open with a crash, but the room was empty. A woman, puzzled, muttered to herself, "Where has that boy gone? The family is waiting for him up front." Despite the strain on his body, Jae-hyun ran with all his might, the pain nothing compared to the hardships he had faced in life. As he tried to dash past an alleyway, he was caught off guard by a clothesline maneuver, leaving him dazed and sprawled on the ground.

"Well, well," a voice teased. "Who would have thought we'd run into the legendary homeless kid, Jae-hyun? Our boss has been looking for you for a while. How about you come take a ride with us?" Wincing, Jae-hyun spat the blood gathering in his mouth. As his vision cleared, he found himself surrounded by four menacing thugs. Panic set in as he realized they had discovered him. "Wait, guys," he pleaded. "I was on my way to pay your boss. I just need to go get the money!"

An ominous grin spread across the face of one thug. "Ha! Perfect. We'll escort you there," he sneered, a threatening aura enveloping them. In a quick movement, one of the brutes lifted Jae-hyun from the ground and shoved him into the car. As they approached the secret fighting arena, an uneasy feeling crept over Jae-hyun. "Stop here, I'll be right back," he said, trying to get out. However, the gang leader insisted on coming along. "Just to make sure you don't try anything funny," he sneered.

This thwarted Jae-hyun's initial escape plan, forcing him to come up with a new strategy. His mind raced through countless potential scenarios as they continued. Upon collecting the cash at the front desk, the head thug demanded Jae-hyun hand over the money to settle his debt. Jae-hyun hesitated, wanting to give the payment directly to the boss, but the imposing leader snatched the money from him, his strength undeniable.

"How about I just keep your money instead?" the thug taunted. In that instant, a right hook flew toward Jae-hyun, who failed to react in time. The powerful punch connected with his jaw, sending him flying into a nearby wall. As Jae-hyun's eyes closed, the last thing he saw was the thugs speeding away, his money in their possession.

Slowly regaining consciousness, a concerned voice pierced the haze. "Young one, are you alright?" Gradually, the world came into focus,

revealing the grimy alley and a towering dumpster. Jae-hyun patted his pockets, only to find them empty - the money was gone. A sinking feeling settled in his chest as he tried to suppress his frustration.

In response to the kind stranger, he managed a weak smile, "Thank you, ma'am. I am fine." Gritting his teeth against the pain in his ribs, Jae-hyun rose to his feet and began the journey back to the orphanage. He slipped into his room, only to find all his belongings neatly arranged, as if prepared for departure.

A well-dressed woman sat in a chair beside the bed, calmly observing Jae-hyun's entrance. The stranger greeted him. "Greetings, Jae-hyun. My name is Im Yeon-ji, and I serve as the butler for the esteemed Choi family. He has graciously chosen to adopt you."

Bewilderment washed over Jae-hyun's face as he tried to process this unexpected turn of events. Why would a random family adopt him, and how could they possibly know who he was?

Yeon-ji suggested they move to the car for their conversation, offering to carry Jae-hyun's bags, as it was evident he'd had a long day. Once settled in the car, Jae-hyun and Yeon-ji found themselves locked in a silent gaze. Yeon-ji's enigmatic smile lingered, unsettling the atmosphere, before she posed an unexpected question, "Do you believe in aliens, Master Jae-hyun?"

The question took Jae-hyun aback, but he replied affirmatively, believing in their existence. After a brief pause, he added, "However, I don't think we'll ever encounter them in my lifetime." Yeon-ji nodded thoughtfully, absorbing Jae-hyun's words.

Curious, Jae-hyun asked about their destination. Yeon-ji, lost in thought, snapped back to reality and informed him they were headed to Seoul. "Have you ever been?" she asked. Jae-hyun shook his head, admitting he had never left the orphanage or the small town it was situated in. Questions about the mysterious Choi family and their interest in him arose, but Yeon-ji remained silent, offering no answers.

Externally composed, Yeon-ji was inwardly astonished by Jae-hyun's apparent immunity to the spiritual energy he emanated. It seemed as if Jae-hyun was entirely unaffected, whereas an ordinary person would struggle to breathe. This intriguing observation piqued Yeon-ji's curiosity further, leading her to believe that Jae-hyun was no ordinary teenager.

Yeon-ji found the young boy intriguing, wondering if he could be the prophesied child they had been searching for. Fifteen years prior, Yeon-ji and Mr. Choi had encountered an enigmatic woman in India. Her face bore unusual markings, and she posed a peculiar question to them: "Do you guys believe in aliens?"

The question struck them as odd, for they had never considered the existence of intelligent life beyond humanity. Mr. Choi replied with a definitive "no," to which the woman responded, "Perhaps an orphan boy near your hometown of Seoul will change your minds."

Mr. Choi's eyebrows furrowed in surprise, unable to fathom how she knew his place of origin. He inquired about the boy's connection to the discovery of extraterrestrial life. The mysterious woman hesitated briefly before answering, "As this boy's imagination grows, the world and perhaps even the universe as we know it will begin to change."

Suddenly, a loud noise erupted outside the hut. Both Yeon-ji and Mr. Choi turned to investigate, but found nothing. When they turned back, the enigmatic woman had vanished without a trace. Mr. Choi and Yeon-ji were both puzzled, unable to comprehend how the elderly lady had disappeared so quickly. They decided to explore the house, thinking she might have wandered off. As they ventured deeper into the hut, they noticed peculiar artifacts lining the shelves. Curiosity overtook them, and they began examining the items closely.

Time passed as Mr. Choi and Yeon-ji picked up and inspected various artifacts. Eventually, Mr. Choi discovered an unusual pair of glasses. Deciding to try them on, he was startled when he saw a mysterious aura emanating from Yeon-ji's body. "Yeon-ji, come over here quickly!" Mr. Choi called out urgently.

As Yeon-ji approached, Mr. Choi handed her the glasses. "Put these on and tell me what you see," he instructed. Yeon-ji hesitated for a moment before placing the glasses on her face. To her astonishment, she saw a vibrant aura surrounding Mr. Choi's body, causing her to gasp in shock. Unable to believe her own eyes, Yeon-ji stammered, "Is that…?"