They said the moon only watched.....
It did not interfere
It did not choose
It did not love
For a thousand years the kingdom of Eunwol prospered beneath its silver light, unaware that destiny was not written in ink — but in blood, betrayal, and sacrifice.
Hae Rin, a young lady in her early twenties, an apprentice in the moon temple chased a runaway chicken through the courtyard of the moon temple.
Stop running! I am not dying because of poultry! She yelled nearly tripping over her own robes.
From the steps above, Ji-Ah laughed loudly. " If the moon goodness sees you like this, she might return you"
Return her where? Soo-Yeon asked innocently from behind.
"To whatever mistake created her". Ji-Ah replied.
Hae Rin straightened up, put her hands on her hips and turned to Ji-Ah.You talk too much for someone who can't even light a candle without setting her sleeves on fire.
Ji-Ah gasped. "That happened once."
"Twice," Min-Ho corrected calmly from the training yard.
"It was windy!" Ji-Ah snapped.
"It was indoors," Joon-Seok added helpfully.
Soo-Yeon blinked. "Maybe the candle attacked first?"
Hae Rin burst into laughter, the sound light and warm in the cool night air.
For a moment, everything felt normal.
Too normal.
Because somewhere in the fabric of fate, something had already torn once before.
"Hae Rin."
Master Han's voice cut through the laughter.
She turned.
His expression had shifted — not stern, not angry — but searching.
"You laugh easily," he said quietly.
"Is that a crime?"
"No," he replied. "It is a blessing."
Ji-Ah stood and dusted off her robes. "If this is another lecture about discipline, I have alot to do in the kitchen.
"You will stay," Master Han said without raising his voice.
And she stayed.
The air changed.
Even the crickets seemed to hush.
"Hae Rin," Master Han continued, "what do you remember about your mother?"
The question startled her.
"She liked jasmine tea," Hae Rin answered slowly. "She sang when she thought no one was listening. And… she told me never to remove the jade."
Ji-Ah crossed her arms. "That old thing?"
The jade pulsed faintly.
Hae Rin pressed her fingers over it instinctively.
"It's not just old," Master Han said. "It is ancient."
"How ancient?" Soo-Yeon whispered.
"Older than this kingdom."
Silence fell.
Joon-Seok leaned toward Min-Ho. "So… if it's older than the kingdom, does that mean it owes taxes?"
Min-Ho elbowed him.
Hae Rin tried not to smile, but her chest felt tight.
"Master," she said carefully, "why are you telling me this now?"
He looked up as if looking at the moon.
"Because I can feel that the moon is restless. He looked at Hae Rin.
Hae Rin wondered what that has got to do with her or her mother's jade.
I'm hungry, master Han said as if dismissing them, Ji- Ah was the first to leave.
" Finally " she murmured.