A dark haze flowed through the night, swirling in the cold air as gentle snowflakes fell to the ground. The streets were crowded with people, moving like a river, their faces blurred under the flickering glow of the streetlights.

I remember that night so clearly.

It was cold enough to bite through my skin, and the air smelled faintly of wet pavement and smoke. I was walking down the street, one arm wrapped tightly around my friend’s shoulders, half dragging her along because she could barely stand straight.

“Come on, Hana, walk properly,” I kept muttering, but she just laughed, tripping over her own heels.

“Drinking is life… and John is a bastard,” she slurred, her words all tangled together.

I sighed. “I told you that long ago, but did you listen? Of course not.”

“I should’ve listened to you! I’m sorry, Ae-ri… sooo sorry. Muah—” She threw her arms around my neck dramatically.

“Yes, yes, I know,” I said, patting her back with a sigh. “Stop crying, you’ll ruin your makeup.”

We kept walking, and then suddenly—I stopped.

Right there, in the middle of the nearly empty street, stood a small boy.

He couldn’t have been more than six or seven. His tiny shoulders were trembling, his head lowered, his fists clenched at his sides. His thin t-shirt and shorts were no match for that freezing night. He looked so small, so lost, that it made my chest tighten instantly.

Hana blinked at him in confusion. “Huh? Who’s that kid?”

The boy didn’t answer. His quiet sobs were the only sound echoing through the cold air.

“Hey, kid, who are you?” Hana asked again, squinting.

The moment she spoke, the boy flinched like he’d been struck. His breathing quickened, and suddenly he broke into desperate wails, crying louder and louder, his little voice shaking with fear.

“Ah—wait, wait, don’t cry!” I quickly crouched down, lowering myself to his level. I softened my voice, reaching out to gently pat his head. “Hey… are you lost, sweetheart?”

He hesitated, then slowly lifted his face. His eyes—wide, red, and wet with tears—met mine. That look broke my heart.

So I smiled at him, trying to make him feel safe.

And before I could say anything else, he lunged forward and threw his small arms around me. His tiny body pressed against mine, and he buried his face into my shoulder, sobbing uncontrollably.

“There, there… it’s okay,” I whispered, rubbing slow circles on his back. “You’re safe now.”

Snow kept falling around us, melting on the road, but for that moment, all I could think about was the warmth of his little body trembling in my arms.

That’s how I found him.
That’s how I found Ezra.

A dull ache suddenly bloomed in my chest as I remembered that night. It was strange—tight and unrelenting. My breath hitched, shallow and uneven. Then, through the haze of pain, I felt something warm. My hands… cupping his cheeks, just like I did that night.

“Ezra,” I whispered.

His name came out softly, the way it always did when I wanted to wake him gently. “Ezra… wake up.”

The morning light filled the room, spilling across the bed where he lay. His eyes fluttered open slowly, a faint groan slipping past his lips.

“Uhm…”

He looked at me—still half-asleep, his face peaceful but pale.

I watched him, worry twisting inside me. Ezra was grown now, not that lost little boy anymore, but to me, he still looked fragile sometimes.

I sat beside him, my hand resting on the bed. I could feel his eyes on me.

“You’re awake,” I murmured in relief.

I was wearing a dark blue one-piece dress that morning, tied at the front in a single knot. It hugged my body closely, showing a bit too much cleavage, and the hem barely reached mid-thigh. I hadn’t planned it that way—I just threw it on. But Ezra’s gaze made me suddenly aware of every inch of exposed skin.

His eyes lingered for a second too long, and I could almost feel the air shift.

He looked at me like I was the only thing in the world.

And for a moment, I couldn’t look away either.

To Be Continued...