Bound By Fury:The Forced Path

He arrived with a taxi at Seoul village in Bukchon.

Every step on this stone-paved street of Bukchon stored echoes of memories Akira had kept away. Soft hums of the village filled his ears until one voice pierced his thoughts.

"Akira?"

He freezes, his head snaps toward the voice.

There stands Hiro  a few feet away, his high school friend he hadn't seen in a long time.

Hiro is 19 year old , with a lean build and striking yellow eyes behind simple rectangular glasses. His black, slightly messy hair frames a calm, thoughtful face, and he tends to dress in dark, fitted clothes. 

Hiro's eyes are wide, treading into a mixture of shock, disbelief, with a touch of color from relief upon his face.

"Is… is that really you?"

Hiro's voice breaks as he edges forward cautiously, as if he half-expects Akira to disappear if he gets too close.

"I thought you were… I thought you were dead!"

Akira gives Hiro a hard stare and slow nod of his head.

"It's me, Hiro,"

He says in that low, even voice of his.

Hiro approach, Akira's face studying it as if he's trying to map the changes.

"Everyone thought you were gone, Akira."

"Your grandmother… she…"

His voice finally just trails off, and he swallows, trying to steady himself.

"She was devastated."

"Someone came… they told her you had died."

"She even held a funeral."

The words strike Akira with the weight of a handful of stones, each heavier than the last. His jaws clench at the picture of his grandmother mourning him-a ghost.

"I'm sorry, Hiro,"

He murmurs out, his voice barely audible.

"There's so much you don't know."

"I was trapped, cut off."

'I couldn't reach anyone."

He stops here, unable to say any more, unable to explain the half-life he has existed in.

Hiro nods, his features soft, though his eyes still reflect some of the pain:

"You really don't need to explain it all."

"Just. come with me."

"She needs to see you."

He motions toward the path that takes them back toward Akira's grandmother's house, and they walk onward in silence.

As they strolled, the streets they had roamed as kids unraveled before them; everything was just so familiar that Akira felt the pang of bittersweet emotion.

The tree where they used to carve their initials, the corner shop where they'd buy candy… he felt like peeling back the layers of time, each memory tinged with the realization of all he'd left behind and the path he has choosen or let's say this path choose him.

They start walking on the narrow path uphill toward her small little house, nestled between the cherry blossom trees, with faded chipped wall paint.

As they come up to the house, Hiro turns to him,

"She never stopped believing you would come back, you know,"

He says softly,

"Even after they told her… she held onto hope."

"But as time went on…"

He falters.

"You were the only one she had left, Akira."

Akira fisted his hands at his sides, fighting the scratching guilt.

They reached the front steps, where Hiro gave an encouraging nod.

"Lets Go"

Hiro gives a light knock at the front door as their hearts race in waiting.

Soon, the door creaks open, and Akira's grandmother appears.

Akira's grandmother is in her early 60s, with silver-gray hair pulled back in a neat bun. She has warm brown eyes with faint smile lines, and her skin carries a light tan. She wears a simple sweater in earthy tones, a long skirt, and a jade pendant around her neck. 

Her eyes were red and swollen, the traces of tears still wet.

She looks up at Hiro, and in an instant, confusion flashes into her wearied gaze.

"Hiro?"

She whispers thickly, the grief still strong in her voice.

Hiro steps aside, looking at Akira with silent encouragement.

"I brought someone to see you."

Slowly, Akira comes forward, his throat tightly closed in front of her.

"Obaachan,"

He says, shaking.

"It's me."

"It's Akira.

A feeling of being paralyzed, her hand shot to her mouth as her eyes widened in dismay:

"Akira?

"For real?"

"Is that really...you?"

She stands dead still for a moment, perhaps for fear that he will disappear if she gets too close.

Then, with continued shakes, she leans towards him.

Her tears fall freely down her face; her voice cracks as she reaches closer.

"My boy my sweet boy."

"I lost all hope"

"I thought I lost even you forever."

Akira pulls her into a tight embrace, holding her slight frame tightly with his arms, closing his eyes as years of distance, years of missed moments, dissolve.

"I'm here, Grandma."

"I'm so sorry. for everything."

"I wanted to come back, but-" He stops, the guilt thickening his voice.

"I was involved in something dangerous, and I couldn't contact anyone."

"I should have been here for you."

She holds on tighter now, her sobs heavy with years of pent-up grief and relief.

"We held a funeral, Akira."

"We buried an empty casket."

"You have no idea what that did to me."

"Every night, I just wished this was some mistake-that one day, you'd just walk through the door.".

He pulls a little back, his eyes locking with hers tearfully.

"I know, Grandma, Hiro told me and I am so sorry"

"I'd have done anything if it would've spared you that pain."

His hand brushes her cheek, gently wiping a tear off.

"It wasn't safe to reach you out."

She studies his face, taking in the changes: the fine scars, the serious glint in his eyes.

"You've changed, Akira… your hair, your clothes, even the way you look at me."

"You're different from the boy I remember."

Hardness was there in her voice, but her eyes seemed deeper, knowing.

Akira gulps and nods.

"You're right something in me has changed."

He falls silent as his voice turned low.

"I must ask you a favor , Grandma."

"Please, don't tell anybody that I am alive."

"Just for now, this must be kept under wraps."

She does not say anything for several moments, but then she nods slowly.

Trust and understanding flood her eyes.

"Of course, my love."

"I won't tell a soul."

"But please, tell me what happened."

Akira's jaw clenches as memories of the past flood his mind.

"There were those I had trusted but were finally betrayed by, being put in a corner since that tragedy happened to our family and now, I have finally come to set things straight."

He takes a deep breath.

"To do that, though, I have to lay low for the time being."

"They must not know yet that I am alive."

Her lips tremble, and she lays her hand on his cheek; in her eyes, apprehension overflows.

"Promise me you'll be careful, Akira."

"I've already lost so much."

"I can't afford to lose you again.".

Akira takes her hand in his and gives it a soft squeeze.

"I promise, Grandma."

"I just have to see this through."

He forces a small smile to lighten the mood.

"And I'll come back here as often as I can."

She snuffles, pride and love lining her tear-stained face.

Her hand finds his, quivering.

"No matter what's going to happen, I'm so proud of you."

Akira smile , little did she know what terrifying path her NEPHEW had choose to walk and if she would still be proud at the end of it.

Hiro-who had remained mute all this time, observing the reunion-breaks the silence; his voice rings with warmth.

"Glad to have you back, Akira."

"Whatever you need, I'm here for you."

Akira looks at Hiro

"Thank you, Hiro."

He nods, with evident shine in his eyes.

"Obaachan,"

Akira said, his voice dropping, a gravity threading through it.

"I have one something to ask you."

Grandmother looked at him, and her warm eyes were soft with concern already.

"Of course, my boy."

"Ask me anything."

He took a deep breath, composing his voice before speaking.

"Have you… seen Mom lately?"

"Has anything good happened with her condition?"

Her face fell-the most terrifying moment of hesitation on her face.

She looked at the floor, refusing to meet his gaze; her voice barely above a whisper when, at last, she spoke.

"I do, Akira," She whispered, her voice low with grief.

"But… nothing has changed...if anything… it's only gotten worse."

Akira's jaw clamped down as he listened, her words adding weight to his own grief.

His fists went tight at his sides.

"I see,"

He managed, barely louder than a whisper.

"I should go now, I can't stay for long here."

He finally said, he hugs his grandmother and the turn to leave.

"Be careful out there, Akira,"

His grandmother implored, her voice soft yet full of urgency.

"And remember, I'm always here waiting for you."

"Thank you, Grandma,"

He smiled warmly, trying to impart some comfort to her worried heart.

Hiro added,

"I will take care of him."

"Don't worry."

Akira turned a last look at his grandmother, standing in the hallway, while a maelstrom of emotions churned within his chest: relief, sadness, and determination.

After they left the tangerine and pink hues of the setting sun sprawled across the sky as Akira walks down the quiet street with Hiro.

Hiro looks at Akira, his voice almost dreamily reflective.

"You know, Akira,if you hadn't been there for me back in high school.

"I don't know where I'd be today."

Akira turns to him; his face is questioning, though he says nothing.

Hiro's eyes glaze, staring back into the past.

"Those bullies , they made living hell for me."

"Every day felt like I don't know, like I was invisible or worth nothing.

"But then you stood up for me when nobody else did."

He takes a deep, shaking breath.

"Honestly, I don't think I'd be here today if it weren't for you."

Akira's expression softens, and he looks down.

The corners of his mouth curve in a faint, almost sad smile.

"I didn't do it so that you'd be indebted to me, Hiro,"

He says softly without faltering.

Hiro shakes his head, now desperate to get this across.

"But it was so much more than just stepping in."

"You were my friend when I felt like I had none."

He pauses, his voice catching at a slight lock of eyes with Akira.

"I never got the chance to tell you how much that meant to me."

"But now i do and i don't know why i feel like if i don't say it now i don't think i can in the future"

A step closer and the sincerity in his words stares right back through his eyes.

"So. thank you...Akira, from the bottom of my heart...Thank YOU"

Before he can say anything, a loud, blood-curdling roar resounds down the street, dispelling the tranquility of the evening.

They freeze-the peaceful evening has turned into chaos in a split second.

Screams fill the air, and the faraway crash of crumbling buildings sends a surge of dread into them. Akira and Hiro turn to see gigantic, hulking figures charging down the street: Orc-like monsters with tusks, swinging crude weapons, their eyes filled with an insatiable rage.

Hiro's face goes white as he stumbles back, his voice laced with terror.

"What. where in the world...came those…?

Akira's eyes hardened, his voice dropping to a deadly calm.

"It's a dungeon outbreak."