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Baby Cheonhee may be young, but he has heard a lot of things from the adults around him.
Many of the things they say do not make sense, and baby Cheonhee doesn't understand much, but he knows one thing.
Everyone in the world seems to see his Master differently from how he sees his Master.
It's like they're looking at two completely different people….
The world sees Jaegal Lin as this powerful, legendary figure, capable of toppling down mountains and splitting the seas.
Baby Cheonhee recalls those moments when he wakes up in the middle of the night and sees his Master sleeping — fragile, soft, and sometimes even vulnerable, mumbling in his sleep. Where is his imposing demeanor?
The world sees Jaegal Lin as a ruthless person, a man whose hands are stained red with cold-blooded murder and other unforgivable acts.
Baby Cheonhee recalls how his Master pats his head with his cold hand, gentle yet firm, and how his Master tucks him into bed and chases away the nightmares. He recalls how his Master holds a small spoon to feed him porridge, and the way his Master wipes the corner of his mouth.
His Master is gentle, with not a hint of ruthlessness.
The world sees Jaegal Lin as a cold, unfeeling person. A man who looks at others as if they are made of stone, a man whose eyes are filled with glaciers that never melt.
Baby Cheonhee recalls how his Master hugs him, a familiar embrace that warms his heart and fills him with comfort. He recalls how his Master calls his name, his voice tinged with affection and care.
How can this person be called cold?
The world sees Jaegal Lin as a vengeful spirit, a child who clawed his way out of desolation and despair, making his way to the top through sheer skills and shrewdness.
Baby Cheonhee thinks about how his Master laughs at his antics, even comforting him when he makes a mistake or spills items on his Master's clothes.
His Master is kind and magnanimous. Where is his vengeful nature?
The world sees Jaegal Lin as a man with a time limit, a sickly person destined to die. A pitiful person, yes, but thank God for that… if Jaegal Lin lives for too long, he could become too strong, could become a threat to the world….
Baby Cheonhee hates the mere idea of his Master dying. A single cough from his Master is enough to ring alarm bells in his head. Who dares pray for Jaegal's death in the presence of his disciple? Baby Cheonhee will hear none of it.
The world sees Jaegal Lin as a man with no interest in life. A mere husk of a body, living painfully from day to day.
Baby Cheonhee sees the light in his Master's eyes, the spring in his step, and the way his mouth quirks upwards when he sees Cheonhee.
No interest in life? A laughable idea.
The world sees Jaegal Lin as the most beautiful man in the world, an icy beauty, a rose with thorns embedded inside….
Baby Cheonhee only has eyes for his Master — the world fades away when he sees his Master. The most beautiful man in the world? Even if Jaegal was covered in warts and scars, baby Cheonhee would still think of him as the most good looking man in the world.
The world sees Jaegal Lin as a fierce beast, an animal that cannot be tamed, a force that cannot be stopped….
Baby Cheonhee recalls how his Master kisses his forehead, how his Master buys him whatever he sets his eyes on, and how his Master shields him from the evils of the world.
How is he a beast? He is clearly a gentle dragon.
Baby Cheonhee thinks the world is quite stupid for judging his Master so harshly. Perhaps they don't know his Master that well, and perhaps that is the reason they never understand him….
And while Baby Cheonhee is right about several things, he clearly hasn't realized something that everyone else knows.
Jaegal Lin's kindness, his magnanimity, his protection, his sweetness, his warmth, his hopes and his dreams and his happiness and his gentleness…
It is all for a single person.
Jin Cheonhee.