Chapter Text
Waves of soft white clouds swept across the sky, drowning in breathtaking blue.
Yet their eyes no longer saw, and their minds no longer contemplated these miracles.
The birds played a symphony of souls, and the sounds of stray insects and wild animals intertwined with the gusts of the cold northern wind, resembling silent whispers of mystery and awe.
The tree branches swayed and leaves gracefully and fluidly fell through the open air, gently landing on the thick grass with a soft and comforting touch.
It was as if nature was at play in such an atmosphere.
Yet contemplation here was suffocating.
All forms of life and the small, faint sounds were natural; nature was beautiful, but it was also cruel.
It was painful to attempt contemplation here.
Amid these small touches and those faint whispers, like an eternal call from the depths of the vast universe, with any bit of focus, a tiny, fragile, almost broken sound could be heard.
The world screamed with all its allure and finesse, drowning out this presence.
She leaned against the edge of that towering cliff, next to the cave's entrance, struggling to drag herself inside.
But the pain was unbearable, it felt as if she were tearing apart from within, as if her insides were melting. She wanted to vomit, scratch her belly, or even hit it, hoping that the agonizing feeling would subside, even just a little.
But life was never that kind, never had been, and never would be.
Her trembling hands, filled with fear and uncertainty, embraced her rounded belly. She leaned her head back as she rested her back against the rough, uncomfortable rocks.
Suddenly, those soft, gentle plum-colored eyes shed their tears as her mind bitterly returned to her horrific state.
But she didn't even have the time for that.
She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.
She took her trembling hands, as though lost in the farthest reaches of the North Sea, naked in the thick snow, and touched her cheeks with her fragile, weak fingers, trying to wipe away the mess of tears and sweat from her face, struggling to regain her composure and focus.
"God... please."
She muttered weakly, having no support in that place, forcing herself to be her own back, shoulder, and arm, at such a young age, in this terrible situation, with such cruel luck.
She steeled herself, knowing no one was there for her. She was there only for herself. No one would come for her; no one would try to help her, and no creature would care about her plight.
She must not rely on such nonsense. She lived in the real world, not some beautiful fairytale.
She must not wait for anyone. She had to be that person for herself.
She pushed herself and groaned.
The groan, drowning in storms of suppressed pain, was overshadowed by all the small sounds accumulating around her.
The world was singing, even the earth itself didn't care.
No one in this world deserved anything. Nothing was worth anyone's attention. If that cry was stifled by the wind’s howling, who else was there to intervene?
The only thing that broke them, the only sound that echoed off the walls of that cave, the only sound that refused to submit to such grueling and arbitrary oppression...
Was a baby's cry, gasping its first breaths in the form of piercing wails, announcing defiance and boldness against the whole world.
When she looked with her fading, extinguished eyes at the tiny creature, covered in delicate streaks of blood and some sweat that clung to it as she held it, her swollen, reddened eyelids adorned with wet, coal-black lashes soaked in tears narrowed.
Despite the overwhelming weakness she felt in her limbs, despite the tightness in her throat, and the breaths that scratched her insides and throat like sharp blades, she raised her head toward the sky as if trying to pierce through to it. Her eyes then met a refreshing sight.
The masses of clouds had parted and fled, leaving behind a sky that boasted a brilliant blue, as if showing off its dazzling height and clarity.
The soft rays of the sun, like a whisper from a dream, gently crept through, enhancing that stunning blue without diminishing its splendor.
Clear and bright.
Despite the temptation to give in, a faint, defeated smile managed to creep onto her cracked lips.
She lowered her head slightly, letting out a laugh that defied the bitterness and harshness of time, passing through her teeth.
She hugged her child to her chest, planting a welcoming kiss, brimming with patience and hope, on the crown of his head through the light black hair, stained with blood and moisture.
"Myeong-ah... my little boy."
The tone was weary and broken, but within its cracks and pains, a beautiful hope blossomed.