The night air was damp.
Su-ah, returning home after a late class, paused for a moment on the Han River promenade. Though she'd been struggling all day, overwhelmed by tests and assignments, the breeze blowing across the river provided a soothing solace.
A ‘heavy rain warning’ notification popped up on my phone screen.
“Heavy rain? The sky is clear…”
When I looked up, the moonlight was obscured by thick clouds, and even the streetlights seemed to be dimly lit. Suddenly, a pungent metallic smell wafted past my nose.
Suddenly, a surge of water swelled in the middle of the river, and a whirlpool began to form. At first, I thought it was the mark of a boat, but I soon realized it wasn't. The entire river rippled as if alive.
thud.
Vibrations that reach your feet.
Su-ah instinctively stepped back. But the water had already surged up the path and wrapped around her ankles. Her heart pounded wildly, and a blue light flashed across the river.
It was a dragon.
Its blue scales shone in the moonlight, and its long, graceful body soared, splitting the sky and the river at the same time. Its eyes were cold, yet somewhere, an ancient sadness flashed through them.
"I finally found it."
The voice echoed straight into my head.
Sua covered her mouth as if she was suffocating.
“……What, what is this…?”
"The eastern vein has been severed. The balance is crumbling. Now you must take over."
The current swirled violently, completely engulfing her body.
A cold pressure pressed down on my chest, making it impossible to breathe, and at that moment, a blue flash was etched deep into my heart.
A light that is neither hot nor cold.
But the light was clearly an imprint.
Su-ah placed her hand on her chest and gasped for breath. A scale-like pattern shone faintly across her palm.
“What is this…?”
My eyes trembled.
The blue dragon's eyes shook for a moment.
"Don't avoid it. The choice has already been made."
The huge body disappeared into the river, and only silence remained.
Only the phone screen still flashed "Heavy Rain Alert." But the sky hadn't shed a single drop of rain.