Yang Seo-yeon was a 19 year old debate competitor in her university in Sokcho, South Korea, on the defending team for a random topic. With her fiery spirit and strong-willed attitude, she brought competition for the opposing side. This kind of attitude attracted a young man who recently enrolled in said university who was trying out for debate.
Seo-yeon couldn’t help but notice the young man; how he brought a superior aura that made the young woman feel inferior. But, it wasn’t all bad. In fact, this whole new feeling was rather interesting and wanted to feel more. Flirting with the attractive male, she introduced herself. The man introduced himself as Jung-sik and said he found Seo-yeon attractive.
Flattered by Jung-sik’s words, the two became an unstoppable team. Seeing Jung-sik in action for debate made Seo-yeon’s heart asunder. Two weeks of flirting and dating, a faithful night encountered and lead to sex. When Seo-yeon woke up the next morning, Jung-woo was nowhere in site. She hated herself to be used this way, even more so for getting too attached to Jung-woo.
A note on the bedside table read that Jung-sik was the Greek god, Zelus, and she was pregnant with his child. It also read that the child must be taken to camp at age 13 to avoid being attacked. An apology was also written, but it was written rather rushed, like he thought of it last minute.
Angered, she called her friend, Hwa Min-hee, that she’ll be staying with her for a while. Fleeing to Daegu where her friend lived, she told Min-hee the situation. Least to say, Seo-yeon was far from angry, she was enraged that this man - this so called “god” - used her. Min-hee couldn’t agree more, but she also told Seo-yeon she’d be with her every step of the way.
Around a few months later, Seo-yeon gave birth to twins, one female which she named Jung-hwa, and a male born just a few minutes after Jung-hwa, which Seo-yeon named Jong-sik. But, because she couldn’t support the children on her own, Min-hee agreed to help her.
While Seo-yeon was searching for a job, Min-hee thought it was best to move into a larger house the was beneficial for all 4 of them. With that being said, the two made a plan to save up their money for a house that held 4 bedrooms. Because of this, Seo-yeon began to work overtime for the extra hours and money while Min-hee watched the children.
About a year later, the two finally moved into a new house they could afford and perfect for the 4 of them. Things were fine, but both Seo-yeon and Min-hee noticed Jong-sik’s odd obsession for his older sister, Jung-hwa. He’d follow her around, throw a fit if someone tried to take her away from him and search for her if she wasn’t by his side.
Jung-hwa, however, didn’t seem to mind the company. But, she’d always order Jong-sik around, ordering him to fetch her items or her favorite dolls. Seo-yeon and Min-hee were rather concerned at their behaviors, but Jong-sik didn’t care, note with the big smile on his face whenever she’d tell him to grab him something and comply with a cheery, “okay!”
Jong-sik also made it well known that he hates sharing. In Kindergarten, Jong-sik never left Jung-hwa’s side, always glued to her and followed her wherever she went. Since Jung-hwa never liked playing with others very well, she often sit and watch the others while Jong-sik always tried to provoke her to play with her. When one girl came up to Jung-hwa asking her if she would like to play with her and her other friends, Jong-sik stepped in and pulled Jung-hwa away, looking over at the girl and sticking his tongue out at her very impolitely.
Jong-sik thought he did good, but Jung-hwa scolded him, saying that wasn’t very nice of him. Needless to say, it made Jong-sik’s heart sink, but that didn’t stop him from leaving Jung-hwa’s side. A few minutes later, the same girl came up to Jong-sik during lunchtime and took his lunch away from him, saying that he was mean and pushed him out of his seat to sit next to Jung-hwa.
Jong-sik didn’t cry, he wasn’t upset someone took his lunch, pushed him out of his seat and stole it to sit next to his sister. No, he was angry. Standing up, Jong-sik walked to the girl and began pulling and tugging harshly at the girl’s hair, yelling at her that she was mean. The harsh tugging made the girl burst into tears and the commotion became so excessive that their teacher had to break them up and put Jong-sik in time-out for pulling on the girl’s hair.
Oddly enough, Jong-sik was satisfied but it did end up with him in large amounts of trouble with his mother. When their mother came to pick up the two of them from violin classes, Seo-yeon heard of what Jong-sik did and scolded him, saying that it wasn’t polite to pull at people’s hair. But, Jong-sik countered saying the girl took his lunch and shoved him. He claimed he was “protecting Jung-hwa” because he didn’t like her going near new people.
Seo-yeon said she’ll talk with the girl’s mother, but how Jong-sik reached mildly concerned Seo-yeon. Surely, this was just a phase, right? Her son’s clinginess to his sister couldn’t last forever and was just a phase because the new people probably made Jong-sik nervous, that’s all. Since then, it seems Jong-sik’s clinginess increased and everyone just left the two alone since the other kids heard what Jong-sik did to the girl and it scared them. Having your hair pulled and being yelled at wasn’t exactly the first thing on the children’s “to-do” list.
Things seemed to be going well until the children were 10 and Min-hee began bleeding from the mouth and had to be sent to the hospital. Min-hee were like the children’s aunt, caring for them when Seo-yeon wasn’t around, baking with them, helping with their homework and playing with them. According to the doctor, Min-hee suffered from chronic Von Willebrand Disease. Min-hee’s mother suffered from the same disease and the disease is hereditary. No signs formed until recently and, unfortunately, the disease seemed severe. They could perform surgery to try to help cure the disease, but Seo-yeon didn’t have much, so they can’t pay for surgery to cure the disease, but could pay for her hospital bills. Despite this, Seo-yeon could do the best she can.
For months, Min-hee was kept in the hospital while Seo-yeon seemed to work more. The stress was becoming unbearable for Seo-yeon, but she managed to try to pay for Min-hee’s medical bills and keep her children alive and well. Seo-yeon had high hopes Min-hee would get better, despite being in debt. She seemed to care more for Min-hee than her children at this point, wanting nothing to get Min-hee well. But sadly, one day, the bleeding became excessive internally, damaging her internal organs. Seo-yeon got a call the same day saying Min-hee passed away.
Seo-yeon’s world seemed to crumble and fall. Her best friend who supported her for a very long time is dead. She can’t manage without her and she fell in a deep depression. When the twins’ 11th birthday arrived, what was suppose to be a joyous occasion that they turned another year older, was filled was grim. Jong-sik tried to cheer up Jung-hwa by trying to bake for her, but ended up making a mess. When Jung-hwa saw, she became rather disgusted and sneered.
The expression made Jong-sik shocked because this was the first time Jung-hwa had done something like this. But, Jong-sik explained how he wanted to do something nice for her. With a large smile, he tried to take his sister’s hand into his flour covered ones, but Jung-hwa retracted. Jong-sik was confused, but Jung-hwa went how she hated that he was so clingy and persistent, how she wanted to make friends but Jong-sik was in the way and wanted nothing more but to get him off her back. She screamed that Jong-sik should grow up and to stay as far away from her as possible.
With a turn of her heels, she went to her room and slammed the door shut, making it clear that she was enraged. Jong-sik felt his heart shatter because his sister was the only one who seemed to show him any form of affection. Jong-sik looked over at the mess he made with watery eyes and began cleaning up, trying to steady his shaking hands and wipe his eyes from the rapid falling tears. Jong-sik had to grow up, right? Then, if he wanted to grow up, he cannot show any form of weakness, right? If he was going to please Jung-hwa, then he needed to grow up first.
Since then, Jung-hwa and Jong-sik fell apart, much to Jong-sik’s dismay. He watched her in a small group of girls, laughing. It made him angry that someone can make her happy and not him. It made him livid. But, he could only watch because he knew if he was going to get involved, his sister would know it was him and cause her to love Jong-sik less. So, Jong-sik simply watched.
The only time the two were close was when they were walking home together. Just walking together made Jong-sik’s heart flutter since he still loves his sister very much. But, they never said a word to each other. When arriving at home, Jung-hwa would immediately go to her room and stay there until dinner while Jong-sik did everything he can to try and help cook with his mom because he wanted to impress Jung-hwa. But ever since the death of Min-hee, Seo-yeon became angry and would take it out on Jong-sik, criticising everything he did and how his face was too much of a girl’s.
It made him self-conscious, to say the least, but if Jung-hwa hasn’t said anything, then what’s their to be self-conscious about? When dinnertime rolled around, no one said a word to each other, no matter how thick the tension was. Jong-sik would try to talk to Jung-hwa, but she would ignore him and his mother told him to be quiet as dinnertime was not a time for conversation.
At age 12, Jong-sik was walking home alone since Jung-hwa’s friends decided to go to out for ice cream after school when Jong-sik felt a nagging feeling that he was being watched. He tried to shrug it off, but the rustling in the bushes spiked his paranoia more. With that, he began walking faster, looking behind him but bumped into a solid object, causing him to fall flat on his bottom. Looking up at the figure was a large, jet black dog, larger than any normal dog, with bared teeth and sharp claws. Scared and terrified, Jong-sik scrambled to his feet and ran, running as far as his legs could carry him with the hellhound on his tail.
Looking around frantically, Jong-sik found an alleyway and took a sharp turn in there, hiding behind boxes and trash cans, hoping to rid of the beast. The beast did follow into the alleyway, however, but the foul smell masked the scent of demigod, so the beast gave up. Sighing in relief, Jong-sik emerged from his hiding place and began to walk back home. By the time he arrived, dinner was being cooked and Jung-hwa was doing her homework. His mother was about to give him an earful of coming home so late, but the slight foul stench that lingered on him caused his mother to make a look of disgust and simply ordered for him to clean up.
And that wasn’t the first time it happened, either. It happened at age 13 and 14 as well. The second time, he narrowly escaped by fitting into a small space but the hound made a swipe and cut his cheek, lying that he just clumsily cut himself on a bush and the third time he hid himself well, but the sound of metal slicing into flesh made him curious and come out, but found a pile of gold dust.
But, at age 15 is where things began to change, for better or worse. Since Jung-hwa’s friends were busy with trivial things, she was forced to walk home with Jong-sik, which made him delighted because he got to spend some alone time with his sister. However, things went south quickly when a van that was driving at a particularly high speed pulled to a haul right next to the twins and before they knew it, they were being thrown into the van, mortified and heart pounding in their ribcages.
Jung-hwa scooted as close as she can to Jong-sik as the boy took her hand, intertwining fingers with her’s. Once the van was pulled to a stop, the twins were dragged inside of a house in an unknown part of Daegu and put inside an empty room together. When the door closed, Jung-hwa burst into tears. The sight of his sister made his heart ache terribly and enraged at the people who made his sister so upset.
Another man walked in, carrying an aura of intimidation, but it didn’t scare Jong-sik - not in the slightest. He arose to his feet and demanded that they’d be let go. Alas, the man simply chuckled and egged Jong-sik on. What was he going to do? Out of anger, Jong-sik slapped the man as hard as he could, which turned the man’s face aside. With a dark chuckle, the man retaliated, causing Jong-sik to fall to the ground with the side of his face stinging. He was pulled to his feet and dragged into a different room where he was thrown to the ground and the man on top of him.
The man commented about his pretty, feminine face whilst dragging a blade across his chest up to under his chin, a warning that if Jong-sik pulled anything, he’ll die, before doing the despicable and the unspeakable, leaving Jong-sik disgusted and broken. The man threw Jong-sik into the room with Jung-hwa hours later, emotionless and his clothes haphazard and torned in some places, and left them. Jung-hwa pulled her brother close, Jong-sik not giving any sort of reaction, and cupped his face, sobbing and hugging him, but Jong-sik didn’t return it.
A few minutes later, the same man returned and Jung-hwa held tighter to her brother, but the man grabbed her by the forearm in a tight grip and tried to drag her away, but she put up a good fight, begging Jong-sik to help her, save her, anything! Then, Jong-sik saw something gleaming out of the man’s back pocket - his blade. The man decided to throw her down and loomed over her, leaving himself vulnerable. With an idea in his head, Jong-sik got up quietly and snatched the blade, grabbing the man by his collar, taking him by surprise, and pulling the man off of Jung-hwa, straddling the man with wild eyes and muttering, “don’t touch my sister,” in a dark tone before sinking the blade into the middle of the man’s chest, but it didn’t just stop there. Jong-sik didn’t stop stabbing the man, Jung-hwa completely in shock before shrieking.
The scream alarmed the other men and went to see what the commotion was, but saw Jong-sik stand up and turn around, a blade in his hand and the body behind him. Jong-sik growled that if any of them touch his sister, he’ll end up just like the man behind him. It scared the men that a 15 year old would resort to that - or even accomplish such a task - and when Jong-sik approached them, the men fled. At that, Jong-sik dropped the blade and went over to his sister, asking if she was unharmed. The sight of blood on her brother scared her, but nodded. Jong-sik helped her up, getting blood on her hands in the process, and heard sirens outside.
The police explained that these men were criminals, with other crimes on their hands and caught them running when one policeman was doing a patrol. Jong-sik told them what happened and he was only trying to protect his sister before she met the same fate he did and they were sent home, but Jung-hwa was weary about how her brother retaliated, but told herself that he was just trying to protect her.
Ever since then, their mother decided to pack things up and move to the states, so they can leave everything behind and start fresh. They moved to a small town in Minnesota and that where Jong-sik and Jung-hwa began to learn English, to speak to everyone better. Though, Jong-sik wasn’t the same anymore. He was apathetic to most people except his sister and didn’t even sleep alone, always sleeping with her due to the nightmares that haunt him.
It didn’t stop the monster attacks, however. He would still get attacked each year, which he narrowly escapes, but it wasn’t until they were 18 where their mother had died in a car accident. And then, there were two. Jung-hwa got a job to help support the two of them, but things were lonely without Jung-hwa in the house, Jong-sik realized. But he didn’t understand how much he’d truly miss her until they were 23.
The two were out where they were ambushed by large monsters, but a couple of demigods spotted them and sprang into action. With that, the two demigods thought it was best they went with them, explaining that they’ll be safe and the gods will keep them safe and with no questions asked, Jung-hwa and Jong-sik went with them to New York. Upon arrival at a camp, large monsters, yet again, ambushed them and attacked, killing one of the demigods. Jong-sik was trying to get his sister to safety until she was caught in the crossfire and slaughtered.
Jong-sik felt his world crumble. No… no! This… no! Didn’t those demigods say the gods would protect them?! They… LIED! Picking up the deceased demigod’s weapon, Jong-sik began to kill the hellhounds in blind rage and heartbreak. Revenge for his sister and killing the other demigod who lied to him. One older male saw Jong-sik cradling his sister and begging the gods would revive her, holding her tight. The male made himself known and said the gods would not answer him. It’s because of them that his sister is dead, it’s because of them that he had to fight those monsters. He explained that he was apart of the Broken Covenant and they had a plan to take down the gods to take over themselves considering the gods have become unfaithful to their children.
Jong-sik wanted in, he wanted to take revenge for his sister and get the justice she deserves. The man nodded and led Jong-sik to the Broken Covenant and Jong-sik gave himself a new name, a name that people will coward in fear and bow down to - Morphine.
Morphine 
