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Chapter 2
It was a very cold winter day when Yuria first met Fren.
It had been almost half a year since Yuria became an extra in the novel.
She was said to be villager 1, and she didn’t know if she even appeared in the novel.
She didn’t even realize at first that the world she’s living in was a world in a novel. When she opened her eyes, she woke up in a place that wasn’t Korea, so she naturally adapted to survive.
She only found out on that winter day she met Fren.
Yuria had gone to the village to buy food to survive the cold winter, and a child caught her eyes.
As everyone walked thickly dressed in the biting cold, a young boy, who she thought was four years old, sat in front of a remote building. He wore ragged clothes with holes on them.
Despite his hair being all tangled and dusty like he hasn’t washed it for a long time, the child looked quite adorable.
His jet black hair paired with his hump eyes made him look like a little puppy, no, more like a tiny baby wolf.
The child sat still with no emotion on his face. He seemed like he didn’t feel the cold, contrary to his lively and cute appearance.
He didn’t move, even though he was barefoot not even wearing shoes, and his feet had frostbites turning blue.
Passers-by glanced, but no one reached out to him and gave him a friendly hand.
Yuria was particularly unable to take her eyes off the child.
His blank eyes looked like a person who had given up on life, so she couldn’t just ignore him.
It was because the image of the little child overlapped with Yuria’s past self.
There was a time when Yuria had eyes like that too.
A family full of scars – rather than hugging each other’s pain, they pushed each other back, jabbing thorns on their wounds.
Nevertheless, Yuria cared for and loved her parents because they were a family. So after her parents passed away, she had a hard time.
Yuria’s acquaintances, who were well-aware of her situation, comforted her by saying it will be alright, but that didn’t comfort her at all.
Yuria, who was suddenly left alone, wandered. She lost the will to live. She didn’t know how to live.
No one truly helped her. Everyone just said empty words for her to be strong.
Those words came with great weight, but Yuria persevered.
She initially thought it was better to give up her life after facing many difficulties, but somehow she couldn’t.
And after all that time, here she is now.
Although it may not be possible to say she had lived her life well, it was to the point where Yuria was doing just fine.
However, with the memories of her scars, she just couldn’t turn away from the child.
How much had he thought of those types of thoughts?
May someone out there truly recognize his wounds and reach out for his hand.
If so, would your life have been different?
Wouldn’t it be better to live a more meaningful and valuable life, than the life you’re living now?
Her unhealed wound reappeared on the child’s face as they desperately clung to her ankle.
Recalling her memories, Yuria thought that only she wanted to reach out to that child. Then, wouldn’t it be possible to give meaning to life, even if it was small, to that child with empty eyes after being hurt by the world?
If her small favor could be of even a little help to someone, Yuria was willing to do it.
Yuria cautiously approached the child, the child was sitting there emotionless with empty eyes, which hurt her heart more.
The appearance of a child who doesn’t seem to expect any help from others once again evoked memories of the past.
The heart of a person who hoped and expected for so long until it collapsed and wished for nothing – Yuria knew it very well.
Until that happens, how many heavy burdens does this child have to carry on his own?
Just imagining it, it was as if Yuria’s heart was being pierced with an awl and there was a hole in it.
She and the child were complete strangers, so no one would blame her if she turned her back, but Yuria didn’t want to.
She felt a strange familiarity with the child, reminding her of her past, someone who wanted to get away from everything by forgetting herself but not forgetting others.
I really wanted to tell you – that I want to give you only happy memories as a child. I wanted to tell you that not only are there just people out there in the world, but good people who have warm hands and are willing to hold their hands out for you.
When she was alone in the world, that was what Yuria needed the most.
Yuria approached the child and draped the shawl she was wearing over the child’s body. He was wary of her actions and stayed still, but didn’t push the shawl she draped over him. He didn’t hold it either.
Yuria was relieved.
That day was very cold. The shawl she wore couldn’t completely take away all the cold, but it was better than the clothes of the child that was only inferior to those who were naked.
“What is your name?”
Yuria asked in a quiet voice.
It was a mellow soft, as if it mirrored Yuria’s personality. Just by listening to her voice seemed to make the child calmed down and relaxed, but the child didn’t answer.
Yuria respected the child’s behavior. If the child didn’t want to answer, then it was alright, it wouldn’t be too bad to leave him for a moment.
Perhaps because the child didn’t know how to accept favors, he didn’t know what to say. No, maybe growing up in despair, he didn’t know how to hold on to hope.
What could be forced and demanded of such a child? Yuria knew.
Wishing for something itself is another form of abuse for someone who wasn’t ready yet. She approached the child herself at her own will offering him a favor in the first place. It was compassion and empathy.
Yuria sat next to the child and quietly stared at him. The child looked more pitiful, and seeing his indifferent face, it even felt more painful.
‘A child like this….’
What on earth is this little child’s story? Just what on earth was wrong with this child to be abandoned and left alone in this world at such a young age?
She was better than him – she lost her parents and was left alone in her teenage years where it wasn’t impossible for her to live.
He – he was only a little to four years old now. What can a child do alone?
He must’ve been alone like that, not knowing that a wound is a wound.
Yuria, completely shaken by the child, sympathized with his situation and burst into tears.
Sitting next to the child, Yuria carefully opened her mouth while sharing the cold he experienced.
“You might die if you keep doing this.”
“… it’s better to die.”
Sitting still, the child spoke in a low voice, in an extremely cold tone. He seemed to have no regrets, as if he really didn’t care if he died.
Having experienced the same feeling before, Yuria knew that the child’s words were sincere without any speck of lies in them.
With that, Yuria stared at the child painfully. Does this child know that it sounds more painful because of his indifference?
The hollow void and the emptiness showed how this child’s feelings and his despondence.
“… What have you lost?”
No, she didn’t even know what he lost. Or maybe, he had nothing to lose from the start.
The expression on the child’s face overlapped with what she looked like in her past. It was as if it was reaching out to her, but how could this child’s life be compared to hers?
Perhaps the child was more hurt than he appeared. Perhaps he had undergone hopelessness and isolated himself from the rest of the world.
Yuria’s eyes were suddenly filled with tears.
Just by being with him, it was as if the child’s wounds were transmitted into her body, weighing heavily in her heart. Even in this situation, no one approached the child. They passed him by telling themselves they had nothing to do with him.
Through the short time they were together, it was very agonizing for her, so how much more was it for this little child?
At Yuria’s question, the child stared blankly at her.
Confusion appeared on the child’s face.
Why are you asking me such a question? Or, why are you doing this?
Then, the child looked away.
Like an attitude that says he had nothing to do with it.
The child was not interested in anything.
It had been hours since he sat here blankly. It was the first time that a person had paid attention to him properly.
No, to be precise, it was the first time in his life someone approached him and talked to him warmly while staying with him, so he didn’t expect her.
He had never received any favor.
What the child was accustomed to were malice and wounds.
So the child thought.
After all, this woman wanted something from him too, but he’s just a child and there was nothing he could do about it. All the child knows is….
Thinking that far, the child shook his head slightly inwardly.
In the end, this woman will also hurt him just like everyone else he had met so far.
The child was very tired. He was so tired he didn’t want to think anything nor do anything. He just wanted to disappear like this.
Was he feeling that way?
Yuria’s face distorted painfully again.
Just by looking at him and staying with him seemed to convey the child’s emotions. The insignificant goodwill that was given at the start only deepened.
Yuria wanted to give the child warmth somehow. She wanted to somehow give the child a little hope.
Growing up in poverty, Yuria was well aware of his needs and she couldn’t stop herself from feeling pity for a child experiencing the same plight.
“Do you want to come with me?”
It was a bit impulsive, a very emotional choice.
However, Yuria wanted to be by his side.
It might be too heavy or too big to carry the child’s emotions, but it didn’t matter at all.
Yes, it would just be a little more difficult than it is now.
After all, life was not easy for Yuria. It has always been difficult. What was easy and more comfortable was awkward for her.
If she can give the child a new life, if she was there to be with him so he wasn’t alone, was there anything more valuable and wonderful than that?
A life that helps someone.
A life of comfort to someone.
That was enough.
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