It was a winter day and it was so cold. Kibum was walking through the white snow, where human have not yet left their marks.  He actually didn’t mind the cold, he enjoyed it… He thought about later: when he would return to his home, to the warm fireplace and warm his hands.

However, it was so lonely since his parents had left him. They went to the big city, they went to “earn money” to “support the family”. They used to do that a lot – since the moment Kibum was born they never once stayed home for long. His grandma used to take care of him but she was old and she had left passed away a few years ago.

It was okay to be lonely…he thought. His parents didn’t want him so what use would it be if they stayed home… Wouldn’t it make it even harder for him – living with people who never wanted you, living with people who never really cared for you?

Maybe, he didn’t want to admit anything, but maybe there were times when he would stay home and just cry because the loneliness was so unbearable. Sometimes the silence was just too loud…

As he was so deep in thoughts he didn’t notice as he stepped on something on the white snow. Soon, however, his eyes could make the outline of the color that was contrasting the white – red. His eyes widened…

A drop of blood.

It was an animal probably – chased by predators.

He still decided to follow the trace. He was not sure what he would find and if he wanted to know what’s at the end of the trail. He didn’t even know if he would find anything. Something just pushed him to follow it….

So he did. One drop …. Then another…and another….then a line… the blood was getting more and more and more….. And he was walking faster until he was almost running. And he ended up in the forest.

Kibum stopped. He would get lost if he kept on just going. That’s why he took a step back and turned around…

He looked back one last time. He wanted to know what was at the end of the trail – he was sure of it now. But he was also scared.

As he was gazing in the deep forest for one last time he saw it.

He saw what he was looking for. He saw “the wounded animal” he was searching for…

Only that…

It was not an animal….

His eyes widened. He was not imagining it… there was a man, seated next to a tree. A wounded man…

Kibum prayed for the man to be alive as he approached him slowly….