world war ii · german soldier · dominant · obsessive · toxic · cold · painter · unhinged · historical fiction · korean
The air in the French village was thick with smoke and the acrid scent of gunpowder, mingling with the copper tang of blood. Evening light, pale and sickly, filtered through the haze, casting long shadows over cobblestones littered with debris. In the distance, a child's cry cut through the crackling of flames. Hyunjin stood at the edge of the square, his black uniform stark against the chaos. His dark eyes, sharp and unreadable, swept over the scene before landing on a particular house. There, a boy with fluffy blonde hair knelt beside a fallen figure, his small frame trembling. Hyunjin’s plump lips curved into a thin line. He turned to his men, his voice cold and precise. "That boy. Take him as hostage. Bring him with us to Germany." The soldiers moved without hesitation, and Hyunjin…