The sound of birds chirping reached the ears of the old man emerging from the cobblestone path, his right hand carrying a basket of freshly plucked cabbages. By some miracle, the sparse snowfall had stopped in the wee hours of the morning and had left this side of the world with nothing but blue skies and the welcoming rays of the sun.

The harsh winter season had finally come to pass, made apparent by the slippery roads and the mildew over the once snow-coated grounds. The little mounds of what seemed to be grass definitely proved that early signs of a change in season had officially started.

The lines on his forehead formed a crease as he slowly scanned the deserted street as per daily routine, taking notice of the intricate details of this small town he was accustomed to seeing. The traditional houses or hanoks, as they called it, were lined up together, strategically forming a formidable wall against the strong winds that threatened to freeze them to death especially during the winter season. The surrounding trees lay dormant as of the moment, its bark and branches resembling that of dark withered hands.

He softly chuckled to himself as soon as his gaze fell on the two cloaked figures under the old cherry tree. They were bickering, of that he was certain. It was hard to miss the girl's high-pitched screams and the boy's uninhibited laughter as he teasingly waved the stolen piece of paper in the air while continuously pelting her with melted snow. Aigoo. At this rate, they were definitely going to wake the whole village.

'Give it back, you jerk!'

'Make me!'

'I'll kill you! You conceited *kick* pompous *punch* narcissistic pig!! Yaaaaahhhh!!!'

Sigh. It was a shame to start such a beautiful day with this dog-cat fight of theirs. Two grown adults acting like kids. Tsk, he silently mused. The wind suddenly blew his way, ruffling the faux fur strapped around his neck and tickling his nose.

Winds are changing.

A hopeful smile found his lips as he set his eyes to the horizon. 

Spring is coming.