Min-gu opened the creaking wooden door and stepped inside the old, drafty cabin.Perhaps because no one had set foot inside for a long time, cobwebs were tangled everywhere, and puffs of white dust rose with every step he took. Sunlight barely seeped through the grimy window gaps. The broken wooden floor and the old, rough furniture revealed how long this house had been neglected.Min-gu carefully lowered himself onto a rickety old chair that looked as if it would colpse any moment. Stretching out his entire body, he inhaled deeply the air mixed with the scent of dust and mold in a comfortable posture. Then, he slowly closed his eyes.Suddenly, memories that had been temporarily forgotten surfaced vividly in his mind, as if becoming clearer in the darkness. The faces of people distorted with despair, the desperate gazes of those taking their st breaths right before his eyes, the heartbreaking cries... all traces of those memories became sharp fragments piercing Min-gu's heart. The more he struggled to escape the swamp of painful nightmares, the more the memories continued to relentlessly weigh him down.Min-gu raised his hands and gently covered his face. A suffocating pain enveloped his entire body. Finally, he let out a deep groan. His despair was like wandering through an endless maze. He didn't know where to go or how to get out. Overwhelmed with frustration, he colpsed endlessly. Min-gu despaired at his own powerlessness and the inescapable cycle of the past.However, Min-gu suddenly lifted his head. In that cabin, there existed the quiet chirping of forest birds and the rustling of leaves that Min-gu had missed while living. That pce connected Min-gu with nature and slowly began to bring joy and peace to his heart. In that pce, Min-gu felt the changing seasons with his whole body and began to realize the simplicity and preciousness of life.Life in the cabin was nothing special, but deep happiness and contentment resided within it. With firm will and hope, he boldly continued his life in the cabin.Time, which had seemed to stop due to the pain, flowed steadily, even if subtly, slowly permeating the old cabin."Knock... knock... knock..."A dull knocking sound broke the silence, echoing through the desote air of the old cabin. As the old wooden door creaked open in Min-gu's hand, an unfamiliar shadow seeped into the space.Min-gu, staring at the doorway with fearful eyes, had his lips tightly shut and trembling slightly.However, the man standing before him did not budge, like a deeply rooted tree. His gaze towards Min-gu was as deep and still as a quiet ke, yet within it swirled immeasurable complex emotions.Min-gu gripped the old wooden door, his fingertips, damp with cold sweat, tightening their hold.'How did he find me here?'The question whispered in his mind scattered into the cold air entering through the door, and only the man's shadow grew darker.The silent stillness between the two filled the old cabin. In that long silence, which felt like eternity, the man only stared at Min-gu. His gaze pierced Min-gu's anxious inner self like a sharp bde.Various thoughts began to sprout in Min-gu's head. Meanwhile, confusion and conflict still mingled in the man's eyes, and his tightly closed lips did not open easily.How much time had passed? Min-gu slowly, very slowly, released the doorknob. With a creaking sound, the door opened a little more. And the man, unchanged, was still gazing intently at Min-gu.Finally, Min-gu opened his mouth."H... how... are you here?"The man still had no answer. However, his gaze became clearer, and his breathing grew slightly louder.Min-gu no longer knew what to say or what to do. So he closed his mouth and simply endured the silence, not avoiding the man's gaze.The gaze, carrying a message stronger than words, slowly began to melt Min-gu's tightly closed heart. As if a frozen ke during a long winter melts in the spring sunshine, Min-gu cautiously began to open the door of his heart."First... please come in."Min-gu's voice was still low and trembling, but he could feel his wariness towards the man lessening little by little. Without a word, the man followed Min-gu into the cabin. The creaking of the old wooden floor broke the silence.Min-gu tried to force an awkward smile as he faced the man, but his face was still stiff with tension. The man sat down on an old chair in one corner of the cabin and moved his gaze around. He slowly scanned the interior of the cabin, quietly following the traces of Min-gu's life. Min-gu simply watched his actions."Would you like... some warm... tea?" Min-gu asked to break the awkward silence."It's alright. Just being here together is enough," the man replied quietly, shaking his head.Min-gu didn't say anything more. He simply decided to accept the man's presence. His silence was no longer uncomfortable but slowly spread through the room as deep understanding and empathy. The awkward air gradually changed to comfort, and a gentle warmth spread through the cabin.However, even now, a taut tension lingered between the two, like a drawn bowstring. A silent stillness continued, as if all the sounds of the world had stopped. But it was not a perfect silence.The faint creaking of the old wooden floor, the rustling of leaves, and above all, the very clear sound of breathing filled the silence. The breathing, tense and audible, amplified the unease like the quiet before a storm. Min-gu felt the need to break the silence and say something. Otherwise, he felt as if he would suffocate from this stifling tension. He barely moved his trembling lips and carefully opened his mouth."Would you... listen to my story?"Min-gu's voice was as cracked as a dry twig, but within it, the emotions he had suppressed for a long time were desperately present.The man nodded and replied quietly."We have plenty of time. Come on, let's hear it."Encouraged by the man's calm voice, Min-gu slowly, very slowly, began to tell his story.