INV 44

Born in Gyeongseong, on the fourth day of the Month of Rising Heat during the Hour of the Rooster.

A male child born at exactly 7:00 p.m. on November 4, 1910.

His name: Gwak Deukcheon.

The character for “Heaven” (天) is considered a forbidden character by onomasticians, who say it should not be used in names because it makes one’s destiny unfortunate; nevertheless, there was a unique reason why he was named Deukcheon.

On the morning following the birth, Ms. Gwak, having received the abalone seaweed soup her husband had boiled for her, began to tell a story in a rapid-fire manner without even taking a single spoonful.

The beginning of it was that she had met a certain young and handsome monk in a dream she had back in her maiden days, before giving birth.

At that time, while the sixteen-year-old Ms. Gwak was drawing water at a well, a monk with incredibly profound eyes approached and asked if he could receive a donation of water.

aHowever, the story did not continue after that. Ms. Gwak simply wore a distant expression, omitted the details, and said they should name the child this way; at that, Chacha made a light gesture with his hand.

The next moment, the scenery where the two stood shifted once again, and when they regained their senses, Kwon Yihyeon and Chacha had entered the dream that Ms. Gwak said she had dreamt.

“If it is water, I will share as much as you like; the well is not mine, after all. But would that suffice as a donation? Wouldn’t it only become a true donation if I gave something I possess, something I cherish, or something precious?”

“I am concerned that it might seem as if I am trying to teach you while I am also receiving water to drink…”

“No, I would be happy if you would share some precious words.”

The sixteen-year-old Ms. Gwak replied flatly with an expression more stoic and slightly more resolute than she had now.

Then, the monk rubbed the back of his neck as if feeling awkward.

“Dear me. Namu-Amita-Bul Gwanse-Bodhisattva. To think you would trust me so, when I have asked for water upon our first meeting. Is it because I am a monk with a shaven head? Ha ha.”

“No, it is not because of that.”

She was observing the monk with incredibly clear eyes.

Unlike Gwak Deukcheon’s dead-fish eyes, hers were clear and firm, yet in their essence, they seemed to look in the same direction.

“I have a very good eye for people, and you, Mister, have truly brilliant eyes. If meeting like this is a coincidence, it must be a fated opportunity granted to me. I do not let such things slip away. I am confident enough in my discernment that I would not feel ashamed even if you called me arrogant.”

The monk laughed for a long time at those words. He laughed for so long that an ordinary person would have felt embarrassed.

But strangely, Ms. Gwak did not feel even slightly ashamed. Was it because she could read well with her keen senses that it was a pure laugh rather than a mocking one? Instead, the corners of her mouth rose slightly, following the monk’s lead.

The monk said:

“Does it not vary by person and by situation? For everyone.”

“For everyone?”

“Imagine that everything around you is nothing but dry sand. That you are trapped there and cannot escape. One day, two days, three days… time heartlessly flows on, but no way out is visible, and there is not a single drop of water to drink. So, you feel as if you are about to die of thirst.”

For a moment, Kwon Yihyeon felt as if the landscape of the sandy desert, unfolded by the monk’s quiet tone, was vividly spread out before his eyes. Because of that, even though the assumption of “feeling as if you are about to die” was uttered in a very calm manner, he ended up trembling his shoulders despite himself.

However, Ms. Gwak still had a bold look in her eyes.

The monk took a moment and gave a bright smile.

“To such a person, this water here would be a precious treasure that must be obtained by any means, even by sacrificing anything.”

“…Were you that thirsty?”

Before anyone knew it, Ms. Gwak was wearing a sullen expression, as if wondering if the donation she gave was really such a big deal.

The monk gave another loud laugh before replying:

“That is not the case. I simply wanted to say that because value changes depending on each person’s situation, it is by no means a donation only if Lady Muhwa here donates what she possesses, cherishes, or considers precious.”

“Ah… thank you for giving me a lesson.”

Ms. Gwak—the sixteen-year-old girl Kang Muhwa—and the young-faced monk pressed their palms together and bowed to each other.

Muhwa pulled the pulley to finish the conversation and draw fresh water before returning.

But she felt a strange sense of incongruity.

“Still, I am glad you weren’t suffering from severe thirst. The people in this neighborhood are quite generous. This is the hometown where I used to live… Eh? What is a local who has never left this place saying…”

“Yes. If that is how it feels to you, My Lady, then that must be how it is. Perhaps even a monk who is nothing more than someone passing by on the road could find the people generous if it is in this neighborhood.”

At that moment, the scenery where the atmosphere of a rural village flowed disappeared. And a certain temple grounds unfolded.

No, could this place even be described as just temple grounds?

Compared to the massive Buddhist statue soaring so high it seemed it would pierce the clouds, he was like a mere ant.

Muhwa prostrated herself flat on that spot, her whole body trembling violently.

The monk spoke as if he were troubled, but…

“Dear me. You truly do have a good eye.”

Even to Kwon Yihyeon, who was merely watching, ‘this being’…

He was absolutely not an ordinary existence.

“…I greet the precious one. I am a lowly thing and do not know proper etiquette; please, I beg of you to forgive me.”

[ It is I who should apologize for visiting so suddenly. You might not know it well, but it is rare for someone to grow as firm as an old pine tree despite being subject to spirits. Thus, I only intended to stop by for a moment… ]

The voice changed. No, did the vocalization change? Did the way the voice was produced change? Kwon Yihyeon thought he couldn’t distinguish anything.

However, Chacha lightly tapped the area around Kwon Yihyeon’s eyes, drawing his gaze toward him.

Then he said:

“This is merely a past reflection, Kwon Yihyeon.”

“…”

“And that of someone else, at that.”

If your spiritual sensitivity is good but you don’t know how to control it, it becomes a poison. Someone who can’t even distinguish between spirits and ghosts yet shouldn’t try to resonate with them.

Chacha spoke in a slow tone, and although the content was clearly a reprimand, Kwon Yihyeon thought he was being kind.

Was it a misunderstanding?

[ Anyway, since it has come to this, I shall give you a reward. Is there something you desire? ]

“I have intentions to marry.”

[ Then, would you like me to fill you with overflowing luck in a husband? ]

“No. This is an arrogant thing to say, but I believe my own eyes will take care of pulling down that luck. This is the only request I wish to make.”

Between the sixteen-year-old girl’s teeth, a bizarre sorrow was frosted.

“You said it yourself. That people like me, who are born uniquely and grow up firmly, are rare.”

[ … ]

It was the appeal of someone who had repeatedly collapsed because they were born “abnormal.”

“Please, I beg of you. Do not let this kind of sensitivity descend upon my child.”

It was a petition asking him not to let her child—whom she might or might not have in the future—collapse.

The mysterious being, who had been silent for a moment, spoke:

[ …That is a difficult task. Rather, because your family’s bloodline descended faintly upon you, you are not of a fate to receive the succession, but your child will be different. ]

“…!”

[ However, I might be able to help enough to endure the days of youth, at least… Once they have grown enough to face their destiny, if they are given the chance to choose for themselves, would it be alright then? ]

Muhwa replied:

“If you only grant me that, I will sacrifice anything.”

[ I have already received it. That water was quite refreshing. ]

A faint trace of laughter vibrated through the surroundings. Muhwa was deeply moved and bowed her head even lower.

[ Deuk (得), meaning to obtain, and Cheon (天), meaning heaven. Name your child this. However, skip one child. ]

“Pardon?”

[ …The first child will feel sensations that are more than just hypersensitive—they will be excessive—from the time they are in the mother’s womb. Whether they take their first breath or are born dead, they are eventually destined to go mad or die, so nothing you do can change this. ]

Tears glistened in Muhwa’s eyes. They fell, drip, drip.

A more softened voice spoke as if to comfort her:

[ The child who receives this name will be able to live while looking up at the sky of their own accord. ]

“…”

[ I have tried to leak even a small secret of heaven; how can this be of even a little comfort? ]

How could a prophecy that she would lose a child be comforting? However, because it was clear that the unknown person was bestowing a grace, Muhwa, on the verge of tears, bowed several times, saying thank you. When she regained her senses, she was at the well. For some reason, driven by an impulse like a prophecy that she had to do this, she finished drawing the bucket.

And she woke up from the dream without seeing with her own eyes what was drawn at the end.

Chacha snapped his fingers, and having returned to the Gwak family household, they heard the sound of Muhwa declaring that she would do so, since she had received a revelation from the monk in her dream to absolutely name the child Deukcheon.

And also her speaking seriously about wanting to move to the hometown where she lived as a maiden to raise the child.

Time winds up again. This time, it was toward the future.

Toward the future where Gwak Deukcheon grows up.