“Why were you alone in the forest, boy?” The man asked as he received the empty bowl from the boy.

“I—” The boy’s voice cracked. “Daddy… Mummy… asked me to wait for them, but—” Tears welled up in the boy’s eyes, trembling lips impeding his progress in his story-telling.

The man reached out for the boy, carrying him onto his lap. “You were looking for them?”

The boy nodded. “They… they d-don’t want me anymore, isn’t it?”

The man widened his eyes at the five-year-old boy, surprised that the young pup understood despite his age.

“Kyungjin always—said-said-they… throw me away.” The boy started to sob, tears wetting his innocent face.

“It’s okay. I want you. We will stay here from now on, okay?” The man hugged the boy close, his head affectionately. He allowed the boy to cry in his embrace for minutes, till the sobs died down. He knew it wouldn’t be easy to help the boy walk out of this, but he was determined to raise the boy into a good person.

“Good boy, you are a brave boy.” The man wiped the tears off gently. “Tell me, what is your name?”

The boy attempted to control his hiccups, swallowing the lingering cries. “Sung-Sungmin.”

“Mmh, what a nice name.” The man patted the boy’s cheek, sliding his hand down to lift up the boy’s chin. “Will you promise me something, Sungmin?”

The boy nodded, rubbing at his puffy eyes.

“Never shift into your wolf form without my permission.” The man said, trying to sound serious and gentle at the same time. “Can you do that for me, Sungmin?”

The boy stared for moments, before answering in a soft whisper, “Okay”.