One day deep in summer, the eastern coast of Korea was churning with unusually violent waves. The swimming areas were already empty, and dark clouds hung low over the beach where warning broadcasts blared incessantly.

In the middle of that sea, there was a person swept away by the waves.

Cold water blocked their nose and mouth, and salty seawater rushed in as if tearing their lungs apart. Even as their limbs twisted uncontrollably and their consciousness unraveled like a thread, the person instinctively struggled. But nature was not merciful. The moment a massive wave struck their back and their body was dragged beneath the surface, all the sounds of the world were muffled underwater.

And then, several days passed.

On a remote coast near Kyushu in southern Japan. On a private beach where public access is strictly prohibited, a man with deep black hair was stepping on the sand alongside a Golden Retriever. The dog, called Terry, walked leisurely in sync with his master's steps, his golden fur shimmering in the morning sunlight.