Chapter One: The Beginning After The End of A Life
School was, as usual, brutal and bad.
The boys in my class didn't miss a chance to bully me, tell me I was weak, helpless, poor and worst of all, an orphan.
The school bell rang to indicate the end of school day finally—at least for today.
But just when I thought I was free for the whole day, here came the bullies.
"Hey weakling, where you going?" The first guy asked me all blocking my path.
They were three—as usual, First, Kim min ho, the son of the school's owner who carried himself in high regards like he was famous even though he wasn't, brutal and evil, glaring at me with glares that could cut through steel, chewing his gum like he was looking at something he wanted to rip apart.
Second was Lee Ji hwan, the coolest in school—at least that's what the girls thought but I knew him better, he was bad news, he was cool I agree, wearing his uniform like it was a party clothe, he had no respect for teachers, always thinking he was the best.
And the last but not the least, Park Sung Min, the shortest of them all, always wild and mannerless. Just like the others, he holds himself in high regards, even though his head hasn't been able to make it's way to my shoulder height. All of them were fit and muscular unlike him, he was robust but still got guts to be mean to others.
For a moment I chuckled as they stood on my way expecting an answer.
"Hey, weakling," Min Ho uttered poking me in the forhead real hard.
"Can you hear us,?"
"Loud and clear min ho," I responded glaring him in the eye.
I didn't fear them, but I couldn't defend myself, that was the problem. I always walked the beating they usually gave me off.
"Lower your eyes boy, don't you know who he is?" Park Sung Min, the short stack yelled.
Soon, everyone were watching.
"He's the school owner's son, so?" I asked bravely.
"What is he gonna do—glare me to death? Or beat me and get suspended?"
Gasps and mumurs filled the air.
This made the trio angry.
Min Ho then grabbed me by the collar and dragged me to the back of the school.
My ribs got the first hit with a mighty punch from Min Ho, my head bashed to the wall, legs hit with sticks that were lying around. I was hung to an iron that hung out from the fence and flogged with Sung Min's belt.
When they were done, my head, gut, arm, leg, back and even my neck ached with excruciating pain. Still, I smiled, my mouth had blood on it but I didn't care. There was nothing to fight for anyways.
My uniform also was tattered, some parts torn and stained with blood. I had finally freed myself from the wall.
When I came out, i was met with glaring eyeballs and gasping mouths.
The students were shocked to see me.
They couldn't even approach me, except for one person, Kim Yoon Ah, Kim Min Ho's twin.
She ran up to me with shock eyes filled with tears, mouth covered. She was the only one that cared about me in that class of ours.
"Ji woo, i-i-i-i'm so sorry for what my brother did, you must be in great pain, I'll give you a ride home, come with me,"
"No, don't worry,"
I protested, I was not about to go into the car that belonged to my bully's twin sister. I would be asking for my death wish if I did.
"What?, Why? I can treat your wounds, you are badly injured,"
She was right, I was badly injured, bruised everywhere and when I say everywhere, I meant everywhere, but still, I didn't want to go with her
"No, like I said, don't worry, I'll be alright, it's just a minor thing,"
I replied leaving her there.
I held my backpack and limped all the way home. It was a long walk but, it wasn't the first time.
I walked in through the front door into a small yet barely maintained building. The curtains we're in good condition thank goodness. The dishes were always done by my sister and grandfather always read newspaper.
I didn't have the chance to know my parents well before they disappeared into thin air, I only remembered the 5th birthday mum threw for me. Dad, wasn't always around but I missed him too.
I headed for the stairs to my room but was interrupted by a towering figure. I turned to see who it was.
"Grandfather," I uttered and then covered my face with my hoodie so as for him not to discover my injuries.
My grandmother, Han Sang Ho was a very tall man, 7ft was just his starting point of growth, he was a man of wisdom, an ex-hunter, S-rank to be precise he was always a welcoming and friendly man who always enjoyed the company of his family. Always smiling and laughing, even in sad moments, he always stood strong, I now know who my father took after.
"Don't hide it kid," he muttered going to the couch. He sat and spoke.
"Come son, come, sit down,"
I sat down expecting the words of advice he would give me like usual.
I had no choice but to listen to him. A ninety five years old man giving me an advice, it might as well be useful.
"Boy, this might be the last time I talk to you or give you an advice, don't let others beat you up or take advantage of you. You are a boy with great future, you might have not been able to that but, you're going places kid. Your father always looked at you with hatred, I wondered why, but it's now I know that, he always wanted you to be strong,"
"Grandfather?" I muttered
"Yes, after I'm gone, you'll need to be strong, strong enough to protect yourself, and most importantly, your sister,"
"But, why are you telling me this now?" I asked, a little bit nervous.
"Because, I don't believe I'll always be there for you and your sister,"
"Grandfather, don't say that, your scaring me with your words," I said scared to the core of my bones. I loved him so much, I didn't want him to die—at least, not yet.
He looked at me, smiled and spoke.
"When will you go for the hunters assessment? Who knows? You might have awakened, that will help you to be strong enough to protect your family from whatever harm life might throw your path,"
"I'm going tomorrow, I'll go tomorrow grandfather," I responded.
"Good. Ji woo?," he called out to me.
I looked at him with fear still. He had never called me ji woo before, it was always son.
"Yes grandfather?," I asked
"Don't be like me,...I was a great S-rank Hunter, I used to have alot of friends because of my rank, but now, I'm all alone, no one cares about me anymore, I'm just alone. You're on your way kid. Keep going, for your sister, for yourself, and for others," he said laying aback and resting his head on the couch's top.
"I will get stronger, for my sister, myself, and for others, and I'll find my mum and dad, I'll find them,"
I noticed, grandfather didn't say anything else, he just sat there relaxed and silent.
"Grandfather? Grandfather are you there? I'll go for the reassessment tomorrow,"
He didn't say a word, I checked his pulse, nothing. I checked his breath, it was GONE, he was, DEAD.
Just then, Han Hye Ri, my sister, walked in through the front door holding a bag of fruits and snacks.
"Grandpa I'm ho—," she yelled but stopped abruptly, shocked at what she saw, me, badly bruised, tears full in my eyes.
"Brother? What happened? Why are you crying?" she asked.
I couldn't muster up the courage to say it but I did.
"It's....grandfather, he's.....DEAD,"
The bags of fruits and snacks fell from her hands as she covered her mouth eyes filled with tears. She ran to my side, shaking grandfather to see if he would wake up but it was to no avail.
"Grandpa, grandpa please wake up, i bought your favorite fruit, strawberries, please wake up and tell us you are joking," she said as tears rolled down her cheeks.
I couldn't do anything but watch her cry, it reminded me of when she fell trying to ride a bike for the first time, she was crying alot. Grandfather was the only one that could console her.
Now, grandfather's gone, it's up to me now.
I walked up to her and sat beside her consoling her.
"Ji-ji-ji-ji woo, please tell grandpa to wake up, tell him to wake up," she uttered crying in my arms as I held her close to me.
"I'm afraid grandfather isn't coming back, he isn't coming back. It's now the two of us. I promise, I'll take care of you,"
Hye Ri kept crying uncomfortably that she even forget my injuries.
The Next Day
The next day, we burried him in the backyard. My injuries were all treated by my sister, Hye Ri.
She still couldn't stop crying, she knelt down beside where grandfather was buried while I stood there holding my emotions trying to be the man in this situation.
"I will go for the rank evaluation test like grandfather said earlier. Only the Heavens know what made him remember that. Anyway, I hope my rank would be a High one so that I'll be able to provide for my sister through those Mana crystals. They must worth a fortune," so I thought in my mind.
TO BE CONTINUED.....