(and Failing Miserably)
Tae-min blinked at the pile of books, spell scrolls, and glowing potions scattered across the floor.
"Alright, kid. First lesson," the witch said, arms crossed, smoke curling from her pipe, "is mana control. Focus, concentrate, and do not die."
Tae-min picked up a tiny wand, feeling its weight like lifting a boulder. "Okay… concentrate… I got this…"
A small spark shot from the wand—right into his face.
"OW! Hot! Ow ow ow!" Tae-min shrieked, tumbling backward and rolling into a stack of books.
The witch pinched the bridge of her nose. "You are five. Yes, five. Not nineteen anymore. Your mana reserves are pathetic. And your life span in battle… likely shorter than a chicken's."
The cat, perched smugly on the windowsill, yawned. "Honestly, I didn't even see that coming."
Tae-min groaned. "I swear I'm going to punch you in your smug cat face when I grow up!"
"That's assuming you survive to grow up," the witch said casually. She flicked her fingers, and a glowing orb hovered in front of Tae-min. "Now, levitate this."
Tae-min focused… and immediately shot backward across the room, smashing into a potion shelf. Bottles exploded in a rainbow of magical liquids. Smoke, sparks, and a faint pop filled the air.
The cat meowed in mild approval.
"Still alive. Barely," the witch muttered. "Try again. This time… without destroying my house."
Over the next three hours:
Tae-min accidentally set fire to a broom (it flew around like a fire-breathing dragon).
Summoned a glowing orb that chased him instead of hovering.
Tripped on his own tiny feet and fell into a cauldron.
By the end of the day, Tae-min was covered in soot, sticky potions, and tiny burns—but somehow, still alive.
The witch leaned on her staff, exhaling smoke. "Congratulations. You didn't die. That's progress."
Tae-min collapsed dramatically on the floor. "I… hate… magic…"
The cat stretched luxuriously. "You will hate it even more tomorrow."
The witch shook her head, sneering: "And that, kid, is just day one. Welcome to your life. You'll either learn to control magic… or die trying. Preferably not in my living room."
Tae-min groaned so loudly it echoed through the house.
This is my life now, he thought. Five years old, tiny, no mana, a smug cat judging me, and a witch for a mom who considers child abuse "training." I can't even…
And that was only the beginning.