[In front of the house door – 7:30 PM]
I stopped in front of the familiar wooden door, my hand hanging in the air just before touching the handle. I took a deep breath, exhaling slowly to expel the lingering adrenaline and the scent of violence that clung to me from the day's events. I dusted phantom dust off my shoulder, adjusted my collar, and wiped a single bead of cold sweat stuck near my ear.
I looked at my faint reflection in the side window. I saw an exhausted, yet calm face. "You are not a fighter right now..." I whispered to myself, commanding my tense muscles to relax. "You are Ray, the son, the student. Everything is over. Kang learned his lesson, and life will go back to normal."
I painted a calm, reassuring smile on my face and turned the key. "I'm back!"
The moment I opened the door, a wave of warmth and the scent of cinnamon and lemon washed over me. "He's finally here!" came my father's booming, cheerful voice from the living room. I walked in to find him sitting on the sofa, his tie undone, his face beaming with a happiness I hadn't seen in years. My mother was sitting beside him, peeling apples, her eyes shining with obvious pride.
I sat down next to them, feeling the weight of the world lift from my shoulders. "You two look suspiciously happy..." I joked, stealing a slice of apple from the plate. "Did we finally win the lottery? Are we moving to a tropical island?"
My father laughed, a laugh that shook his belly, and patted me lightly on the back. "Better, son... much better! Remember that position I've been staying up nights for? The Finance Department Manager?" He paused for a moment, his smile widening. "The promotion was officially approved today! The Director shook my hand and said I was the right man for the job!"
"Really?!" I jumped up, forgetting my fatigue, forgetting Kang's threat, and forgetting all the darkness inside me. I felt pure, unadulterated joy washing over my heart. My father, who came home exhausted every day, who sacrificed his youth for us... finally got what he deserved. "That's amazing, Dad! That means..."
"It means we're eating grilled meat tomorrow at the fanciest restaurant in the city!" my mother interrupted with childish enthusiasm, clapping her hands. "I'll wear my blue dress, and you two will wear suits. We're going to celebrate properly!"
"Grilled meat?" My eyes lit up. "I approve, strongly!"
"We'll even host a home barbecue party this weekend," my father added, looking up at the ceiling dreamily. "I'll invite your uncles. I'll buy that big grill I've always dreamed of. Oh God, I feel like life is finally smiling at us, Ray."
I sat listening to them plan the future. Talking about repainting the house, replacing the old car, my university tuition. It was such ordinary talk. But to me, it was "Life." This was what I fought for today. This was the "Sanctuary" I protected with my fists. I looked at my mother's laughing face, and my father's hopeful expression. I will protect these smiles... I swore in my heart. Even if I have to break the bones of the entire city.
I glanced at the clock. "I'm going to the club with Jin," I said, rising with a light heart. "I need to burn some calories and train a bit before tomorrow's heavy feast." "Don't be late, hero," my father said, grabbing the remote. "And don't forget your key; we might sleep early to dream about the promotion." "Alright... love you both."
[The Sports Club – 9:30 PM]
The training was intense and loud. Jin was at the peak of his energy, jumping and kicking the punching bag as if taking revenge on it. "Bam! Take that!" Jin shouted, landing a flying kick. "Did you tell your dad about our legendary fight today?"
"Are you crazy?" I laughed, wiping sweat from my forehead. "If my dad knew I broke a student's nose, he'd ground me and lock me in my room until graduation. Let them live in peace."
We trained for two solid hours. We talked about school, mocked the teachers, and imagined what "Kang" would look like tomorrow wearing a mask to hide his face. It was a completely normal night. A perfect night that made you feel problems were over, that the villain's chapter was closed, and that we were just teenagers living our youth. There was no omen of doom. No sudden chill. No crows cawing. Just... a false peace.
[The Way Back – 11:45 PM]
We left the club, the air cold and incredibly refreshing. The sky was clear, stars twinkling with rare clarity. "What a night..." Jin said, clasping his hands behind his head, walking casually. "I feel like I could fly. Tomorrow... tomorrow is going to be a great day."
We turned onto the long street leading to our quiet neighborhood. Suddenly... I stopped walking. I lifted my head and sniffed the air.
"Ray? What's wrong?" Jin asked. "Do you smell that?" I asked, furrowing my brows. I sniffed again. There was a smell... strange. Not car exhaust, not garbage. It was the smell of burning wood. A thick, heavy scent of smoke mixing with the chill of the night.
"Ah..." Jin sniffed the air. "Yeah... strong smell. Maybe one of the neighbors is having a late barbecue? Or maybe burning dry leaves?" "A barbecue in the middle of the night?" I muttered doubtfully, but tried to push the anxiety away. "Maybe."
We continued walking. But with every step, the smell grew stronger. It shifted from burning wood... to the smell of something "else." The smell of melting plastic... the smell of old furniture burning... the smell of destruction.
Then we began to see it on the horizon. At the end of the dark street, where our houses were... there was a glow. A strange, intense, dancing orange light, reflecting off the walls of adjacent buildings and the glass of parked cars, turning the quiet neighborhood night into a bloody day.
"Ray..." Jin stopped, his voice suddenly losing its cheer. "That light... it's too strong to be a barbecue."
My heart rate accelerated. It began pounding in my ears like war drums. A feeling of metallic coldness spread through my stomach. "Let's hurry..." I said, my voice choked.
We started jogging. Jogging turned into running. The closer we got, the thicker the smoke became. Black clouds billowed into the sky, blotting out the stars and the moon. Distant screams began to reach our ears. Sirens approaching from afar. "Oh god..." Jin panted, running behind me. "Oh god, please no."
We reached the final corner. We passed the building blocking our view. And the scene was revealed.
My feet stopped moving. It was as if the ground had grabbed me and frozen me in place. My gym bag slipped from my hand, hitting the ground with a muffled thud I didn't even hear.
There was no barbecue party. There was no neighbor burning leaves.
My home. The home where I left my father's laughter, my mother's blue dress, and the dreams of a promotion... was now a giant mass of raging hell.
Flames were bursting from every window, devouring the curtains, licking the outer walls with savage orange tongues. The roof was slowly collapsing. The sound of snapping wood and shattering glass was deafening. The heat scorched my face even from this distance, but I felt the cold of death inside me.
I saw the living room window... where they were sitting just hours ago... it was now a gaping mouth of fire, screaming silently.
The world faded around me. Jin disappeared. The sirens disappeared. The street disappeared. There was only me... and this fire monster devouring my world.
My knees failed me. I fell to them slowly, my eyes fixed on the front door as it burned and fell inward. I tried to scream. I tried to call out. But my voice died in my throat. Only one whisper came out... broken... small... and lost amidst the roar of destruction:
"Mom...?"