The Cursed One : The Darkside of The World

Youra's Hard Life

It is already afternoon when Jin says goodbye to the workers in The Food Warehouse. Although Jin doesn't know where he will go after meeting Youra and returning her necklace, no way for him to stay in the food warehouse every day and see Youra making love with Hyul, the person who slandered him and made him expelled from the Golden Flame sect. "See you again, Mr. Taeman and everyone." Jin said while clenching his fist before leaving.

"Be careful Jin, don't forget to come by if you have time in the future. You have family in this place." Taeman said on behalf of everyone. Jin smiles wide, he is happy to have someone who cares about him although they are not his real family. For a moment, he forgot his broken heart and walks lightly out of the Food Warehouse area.

This time, Jin wants to go directly to Youra's house. He still remembers if Youra's house is located in the center of the sect because his father, Ja Som Fa, previously was the headmaster of this sect. He has to pass The Blue Hall area and several other buildings before arriving at his destination.

In the middle of his way, from afar, he saw someone that he knows and that person walks with three of his friends in his direction, that person is Hyul and his g**g, Eral, Cha, and Gwang. Although their appearances have changed a lot, just like himself, he still recognizes all of them. He even still remembers very clear in his mind how they slandered him in front of the investigator team with the result he was being expelled from the sect over 6 years ago.

Jin keeps his calm when the four of them walk past him. As expected by Jin, the four of them don't recognize him anymore. Only Eral turns his head backward to see Jin when Jin passes his group. Eral's sharp brain can recognize Jin's face although he can not remember who Jin is or where he met Jin before. As for Hyul, he is still as cocky as ever, with his unlimited money from his family, he feels as if he owns this Golden Flame sect, moreover, he will marry one of The Golden Flame family descendants, Youra, in the next few days. He is very sure if his plan to become the headmaster of The Golden Flame Sect one day is only waiting for time to realize.

Jin doesn't want to make a commotion in this place, that is why he tried his best to maintain his calmness amidst his angry heart when seeing Hyul and his friends walking cockily. As much as he wants to give them a lesson, he knows this is not the perfect time and place to do it. He keeps his focus to meet Youra and return her necklaces and will find another time to give them the lessons of their lives.

Arriving at the destination makes Jin confused as he doesn't find Youra's house. He is very sure if he is in the correct direction as he ever comes to Youra's house once. The place that previously was Youra's house has become a beautiful garden. He looks in all directions and sees an old man that is sweeping the garden. Jin comes and asked him about Youra's house, that old man seems to be very sad.

"Could you tell me where is Mr. Ja Som Fa's house, Mister?" Jin asked politely to the gardener.

"Follow me, Young Man." That old man asked and Jin happily follows him to the back part of the sect area.

"That is the house, Young Man." The gardener said. He pointed at a small square building that is more like a warehouse rather than a house with small windows in it. Two men standing in front of the door of the building.

"Are you sure, Mister?" Jin didn't believe what that old gardener said. "I am talking about Mr. Ja Som Fa, the former headmaster of this sect, Mister." He thought if the old man misunderstood him by pointing at the wrong people's house as impossible for the high-ranked family to live in a small building like that.

"That is truly Master Ja Som Fa's house, Young Man. I am not lying to you," The gardener insisted. "Are you a new guest in here? I think I am not familiar with your face."

"Yes, Sir, I just come here after 6 years ago."

"No wonder you don't know what happened. Master Ja Som Fa is having a dangerous illness, no one can cure him. That's why the current headmaster decided to exile him into that place. Mr. Ja Som Fa's family is also exiled to that place because everyone was afraid of the illness spreading everywhere." The gardener explained.

"I am sorry to doubt you, Mister." Jin feels uncomfortable with the old gardener for not trusting him before.

"It's okay, Young Man."

"Thank you for your help." Jin clenched his fist before leaving the old man.

"A polite young man, very rare indeed." The old man compliments Jin's behavior because he only sees cocky students every day.

Jin walks to the building that was pointed by the old gardener, he directly comes to meet the guards for asking permission to meet Youra and Ja Som Fa.

"Go away! This is not a place to play around." One of the guards shouted at Jin once he arrived, even before he said his purpose.

"I am sorry, Sir. I'd like to meet Miss Youra." Jin tried to be polite after the guards were harsh on him.

"I said go away! No one is allowed to meet anyone inside the house." Thar guard still insisted on his decision.

"I have the permission, Sir. Here, take a look at this." Jin takes out the VIP plaque that he got from Kim Sang Pil and shows it to the guards. This is the last thing that he can do to meet Youra Formally. If the guards still don't allow him, then he'll have to use the hard way.

The guards look at each other after seeing Jin's VIP plaque. Both of them are in doubt now whether they should allow Jin to meet Youra or not. Amidst the guard's confusion, the door behind them opened from inside. It's Youra who opens it after being told by her mother to check the commotion outside.

"What is happening..." Youra couldn't finish her words when she sees Jin. She instantly recognizes the young man that is standing in front of the guards because he is the one that always fills his heart and dreams. "Ji...jin!" Youra squeaked while covering her mouth using both of her hands. A smile blooms on Youra's face, she is very happy to see the one that she has waited for years. But, that smile suddenly disappeared as she realizes her current situation, she is no longer her previous self and also had agreed to marry Hyul in the next few days. She decides to enter back to the house because she doesn't know how and doesn't have the guts to explain everything to Jin.

"Miss Youra..." Jin is confused why Youra suddenly running inside the house.

Youra enters the bedroom and cries a lot.

Her mother, Youha, who currently treating her father, Ja Som Fa, in the other room, immediately stops her tasks to see what is happening to her beloved daughter. "What is it, Youra?! Why are you crying?!" She asked Youra who lay face down on the bed.

Instead of answering, Youra keeps crying and that makes Youha confused also curious at the same time. Youha comes out of the house to check what is happening outside because Youra cries after she came out. "Who are you?! Why did you make my daughter cry?!" Youha stands in front of Jin and asked him.

"Greeting Mrs. Youha, I am Jin, it's nice to meet you."

Knowing the name of the person in front of him makes Youha understands why Youra is crying. She knows a lot about Jin from her husband and also from Youra who is always excited when she talks about Jin.

"I am sorry, I didn't have the intention to make Youra cry." Jin is surprised when he knows Youra crying inside after meeting him.

"Let's come inside." Youha asked Jin.

The guards intended to stop Youha from bringing Jin inside the house as the headmaster, Kim Yong, ordered them to stop anyone "But, madame..."

"You just shut up! Don't report anything to him!" Youha asked the guards not to report to Kim Yong.

The two guards were unable to do anything and obeyed Youha's order. Anyway, they will get severe punishment from Kim Yong if he knows Youha bringing someone inside the house without his approval, so, much better for them to keep silent on this matter.

Youha closes the door after Jin enters the house. In the meantime, Youra still crying inside the bedroom, but she knows if his mother has allowed Jin to enter her house.

"Sit here, Jin." Youha asked.

"Thank you, Mrs. Youha."

Jin observes the entire house while Youha is preparing a hot drink for him. The house is in the shape of a box and Jin feels it is very small for a noble family like them. It only has two side-by-side bedrooms with a small kitchen area that is integrated with the living room. A small bathroom is there in the most back part of the house. It is very improper for Youra and his family, moreover, his father is sick and when someone cooking in the kitchen, the smoke spreads all over the building include the bedroom. Jin can hear Ja Som Fa is coughing several times because of the smoke.

"Here, Jin. A tea for you. I am sorry we are only able to serve you a tea." Youha said while giving Jin a cup of tea. Although trying to be strong, Jin can see the sadness on Youha's face.

"Thank you, Mrs. Youha. This is more than enough." Jin takes the teacup and opens the lid to remove the heat inside before starting drinking slowly because of the heat.

"Please forgive Youra, she has a hard life after his father's illness." Youha tried to make Jin understand her daughter's condition.

"It's okay, Mrs. Youha. I heard about Mr. Ja Som Fa's condition from Master Sang Pil and also from the workers in the Food Warehouse, but, I never expect if you and your family will move to this place. If I may ask, why is that?" Jin carefully asked because he doesn't want to hurt Mrs. Youha's feelings. He somehow feels if this is a sensitive matter related to a family problem.

At first, Youha still doubts telling Jin the reason they lived in that place, but, she finally decided to tell Jin after considering Jin had saved her daughter's life plenty of times and her oldest brother, Sang Pil, was also approved Jin to enter the sect. "It's because of Kim Yong." Youha's tone is changing when talking about Kim Yong. Jin can feel sadness and wrath at the same time in Youha's voice. "We only punished him lightly after k********g my daughter, but, he did all of this to us for years with reason because of my husband's uncured illness." Youha shows some regret because they were wrongly treated Kim Yong.

"I don't understand, Mrs. Youha. Does Mr. Ja Som Fa's illness contagious?" Jin asked as he starts to feel something fishy from Youha's story.

"I don't think if it was a contagious disease. We lived with my husband every day but, we keep as healthy as ever," Youha said seriously. "Kim Yong insisted we exiled ourselves in this place to prevent the disease from spreading, he managed to influence the elders to support his decision to exile us with reasons no cure for my husband's disease as of now. Kim Yong even didn't allow me and Youra to go outside with reason we might bring the disease out. Since that time, we feel as if we are a house prisoner." She tried to hold her tears from coming out and Jin knows this.

"I am sorry, Mrs. Youha. I didn't mean to make you sad with my question."