1 The Moon Mansion

"But master..."

"Your time with us is up, child. It is time for you to embrace your destiny."

Those were the last words of Kim Daehuyn's master just before he left home, he remembered as he stood in front of the big gate in Yongsa-gu, Gangnam area of the big city of Seoul. After a long 9 hours from the mountains of Seonamsa and the extra five hours Daehuyn had to waste on finding this mansion in such a big city, he was finally at his destined destination. After explaining himself to the elderly gatekeeper, he was granted access through the gate as well as directions to the house. Daehuyn wasted no time as he quickly made his way to the big white house.

"Who are you and what is your business here?" The guard in front of the door asked, unaware of Daehuyn's arrival.

"I'm here to see Chairman Moon," Daehuyn said as he was told. The two guards looked him over once and decided that someone like him couldn't see the chairman,

"If you are here for charity, then I suggest you wait till Saturday like everyone else. The chairman gives out food and other necessary items to the less privileged," the other guard explained. Daehuyn looked at them confused. Were they not aware of his arrival?

"You have me wrong. I come from a school of monks deep in the mountains of Seonamsa. A letter was sent to my master by Chairman Moon that I needed to be here," Daehuyn explained it again. The guards looked at Daehuyn again, and this time they didn't even hide their disbelief.

"You? A monk? If this is some sort of prank, then I suggest you should leave before you hurt yourself, kid," they laughed. Daehuyn was already losing patience, and that wasn't good as that was one of his major problems back in the mountains.

Daehuyn said, trying to force his way into the mansion by moving past them, "I just need to talk to Mr. Moon. I'm sure he'll confirm what I'm saying."

"Wow, kid, you can't go in there."

"Yeah, we already told you that Mr. Moon can't see someone like you," one of the guards said.

"So, listen to your heart, take this cash and go buy yourself some ramen. The other guard said, putting money in his hands.

"You should go while we're still nice, kiddo."

Daehuyn laughed as he stood in front of the guards. He was already provoked and the money they gave him, driving him away like a mere bigger, was the height of disrespect he could bare.

He was about to retaliate when he remembered his master's words. '...I want you to be at peace when you get there. Seoul is a big city with different kinds of people than what you grew up with here. So, you must be calm at all times.'

Daehuyn took a deep breath, and with a straight face, he walked up to the neatly dressed guard in a black suit, black pair of shades, and a white earpiece hanging over his ear.

He placed the money back in his pocket with a little pat before answering, "With the way your energy is scattered all over, I believe you need that food more than I do."

The guard's face fell, feeling insulted by a beggar that was no more than a pile of garbage. He decided his best option was to use force on the 'begar' and tag it as self-defense.

"You've said such big words for a kid, you know." The first guard places a hand on Daehuyn aggressively.

Daehuyn is very sensitive to touch, as a result of his training. He wasted no time grabbing the guard's hand, moving swiftly behind him, and bending his arm behind his back. The guard screamed in agony as he called to the other guard for help.

Daehuyn, knowing he had unintentionally started a fight, decided he didn't want to hurt anyone, so he pushed the first guard into the other and they both tumbled over. Both of them struggled to get back on their feet. Angry, they began stretching ready to attack Daehuyn while he stood there unfazed by the unequally matched two-to-one.

"You're going to regret this, but you had this coming," the first guard said, charging with a fist toward Daehuyn. Using his palm, he deflected the attack by simply moving the energy to the ground. The guard stumbled as a result.

"You little..." The second one also charged at him. He swung his feet at Daehuyn in different directions, all of which Daehuyn avoided easily. Once more, the guard swung his leg and, instead of avoiding the impact, Daehuyn caught his leg, bent it, and sprung him around till he was spinning above the ground and finally on it.

The other guard again tried to land a punch on Daehuyn but also ended up with the same fate, on the ground. By now, the two already knew that they were no match for the man. They looked at each other like beggars and decided to call for backup and claim there was an intruder.

In less than one minute, five guards stood in front of the tall mansion doors, and another seven stood in Daehuyn's way. Daehuyn sighed at the fact that he was outnumbered, but he was also grateful that he would be able to stretch a little after that long 9-hour bus ride. Besides, this was also a form of self-defense. What kind of man would he be if he decided to back down now?

"That's him! Give him some good rough-up!" The guard on the ground shouted.

"I'm not here for trouble, I'm only here to..." But before Daehuyn could try his last attempt at peace, he was attacked by one of the guards in front of him. The man in front of him was obviously a skilled boxer, but he wasn't centered at his core, leaving his stomach wide open without defense. He opened his hand so he wouldn't cause a fatal wound and hit the man in his stomach. He landed on the ground holding his stomach. When his colleagues saw this, they all came at once. Daehuyn dodged intended toward him from every corner, as he also tried not to kill anyone in the process.

When all of a sudden, he felt a sharp pain at the back of his head, one of the guards had broken a long wooden stick behind him. That was nothing compared to the harsh training he had been put through, but again that made him very angry.

He turned to the man with the stick, and in the blink of an eye, he was in front of the man holding his jacket, ready to plant a hard gift in his face, but before he could, he was interrupted.

"Enough! All of you!!" A voice echoed.

The guards all assembled in a straight line, as well as the slightly injured ones. The person speaking must be really strong as well. Daehuyn stood quietly as he watched closely.

"What is going on here?" The man asked.

"Chairman, sir, sorry to bother you, but we were called to deal with an intruder," one guard said.

"An intruder?" The chairman asked. "Who would dare attack this mansion in broad daylight?"

"Yes sir, he was trying to force his way in, and when we tried to stop him, he became violent and beat us to a pulp," one of the injured guards said.

"You should be thankful you're still alive," Daehuyn said under his voice but loud enough to get the attention of those close to him.

"And how many of these intruders were here?" The chairman asked closely.

"Er... You see, sir... Well, just one," another guard said, stammering shamefully.

"So, you mean to tell me that all of you couldn't take down just one man?"

"We're sorry, chairman!" They all shouted together. The chairman stood quietly as he stared at them before asking.

"And where is this intruder now?" The chairman asked, and the men went to surround Daehuyn, who had kept a straight face like he wasn't part of anything that had just happened. The chairman looked at the eldest Daehuyn and then back at the guards.

"This is the man who you couldn't take care of?" The chairman asked again while all the guards held their heads low. The chairman proceeds to ask the young man, assumed to have invaded his private property.

"Who are you, young man, and why are you beating up my guards and disturbing my peace?" Daehuyn composed himself and tried to move forward but was stopped. He looked up at the chairman who was watching him closely.

"Hello, sir. My name is Kim Daehuyn and I'm a student of the Chamsari sect in Seonamsa. My master, Il Deok Chul, sent me here at your request. It's a pleasure to meet you, sir." Daehuyn finished and proceeded to bow on the floor for his new master.

The chairman said nothing as he looked over at the young boy who had just breached his entire security system. Then he laughed. Everyone fell into confusion as to why the chairman was laughing like that. Even Daehuyn was tempted to take a peek to see, but after a while, the chairman spoke.

"So you are the boy Deok Chul sent. That puts me more at ease." "Come inside, child." The chairman said. The guards around him moved aside as Daehuyn proceeded into the mansion.

He followed closely behind the chairman and his two bodyguards so he wouldn't get lost because with a house as large as this, he was bound to get lost. They stopped in front of a big brown door, and this time the chairman went in alone, confused. Daehuyn waited for instructions.

"Aren't you going to come in?" The chairman asked, and quickly, Daehuyn pulled off his shoes and walked into the room.

The room was lightly lit, like back at home with his little candle, and everything here was polished till it shined, even the book. The chairman proceeded to seat himself on the leather chair behind the neatly arranged table while Daehuyn stood, still waiting for further instructions.

"How is Seonamsa? Are you getting any more students?" The chairman started.

"Yes sir, we have at least two to three students each year and at least 15–17 orphans as well," Daehuyn answered sharply.

"You don't have to be so formal with me. Didn't Deok Chul tell you anything?" The chairman asked, and with a 90-degree bow, Daehuyn answered.

"He told me it was you who saved my life as a toddler and I am forever grateful, sir," Daehuyn answered.

"Your Korean is pretty good for someone who lived in the mountains." The chairman commented

"We thought in various languages and had a broad study," Daehuyn answered.

"I see my donations are being put to good use." Well, if that's the case, I'll cut right to the chase..."

"Yes sir, I am ready to protect you even at the cost of my life!" Daehuyn said, cutting short the chairman.

"That's good to hear, but the person you'll be protecting is my daughter, Moon Hana."

"I already told you, Daddy, that I don't need a bodyguard." A girl said," bursting through the doors.

"Yes, you do, my sweet child, and I will be taking up that position. Or do you have any objections, Daehuyn?"

"No sir."

"No daddy, I don't want a bodyguard and especially not him!"

In Daehuyn's gaze, he looked at the girl he was supposed to protect in his master's stead. This was definitely going to be a lot of work.