✔️𝑆𝐸𝐶𝑅𝐸𝑇𝑆 𝑊𝐼𝑇𝐻𝐼𝑁 𝑇𝐻𝐸 𝐵𝑈𝐼𝐿𝐷𝐼𝑁𝐺 | 𝐻𝑌𝑈𝐺𝐴 𝑁.

⚏𝓈𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓃⚏

"...what do you want brat...?"

⊱⎻⎻⎻♡⤽⤼◇❀◇⤽⤼♡⎻⎻⎻⊰

ONE YEAR AGO

It's so cold

I should've worn a thicker jacket.

On my way back to my cousin's house, I found myself lost in thought, thinking about the last six months of my life.

I really had no ambitions in life after high school. My parents wanted me to become a nurse, but I didn't even like science. I got good grades and all, but nothing pushed me to go further in life. I thought that maybe going in undecided would help me formulate some sort of path, but it only confused me more.

I kept walking down the long and windy road. Walking like this really helps to clear my mind from all the bustling thoughts. I hugged my chest, keeping my coat close to me, praying for some added warmth.

I decided to study abroad and hoped to find my calling—whatever that may be. I was sure it would find me instead of me searching for something to do. I finally convinced my parents to let me leave our small home in Sendai. They would only allow me to leave as long as I promised to stay in Japan and stay with my family members, instead of living in hotels or Air B&B's. Since we already lived in Northeastern Japan, I decided to start up North, and then make my way towards the South. But I'm regretting that now, since it's January, and below freezing.

The walk back felt extra long, but I didn't mind it too much. My cousin lives in a small village, with the nearest supermarket being a 30-minute walk. His wife needed some vegetables for dinner tonight, so I volunteered to get them. I needed to be in my thoughts for a little while anyway.

Spending time with my family has been great and all, but I still have no clue what I want to do. Some of my family members are doctors, lawyers, teachers, military personnel—you name it. I'm sure I could shadow some of them to find out what I was interested in, but that all seemed so boring.

I trudged down the path, seeing the village lights not too far off.

As I neared the entrance, I noticed a figure leaning against a rock.

Why would they stop to rest in a place like this? And while it's snowing this hard?

I neared towards them, a bit apprehensive, but nonetheless curious.

Once I was close enough to make out some features, I noticed he was an older man—maybe in his 40s. He had on a long white robe with a light green jacket over it.

That's all he's wearing? It's too cold for that.

There were white bandages adorning his forehead.

Is he injured?

I quickly ran over to his slumped body, placing my ear to his chest to hear for a heartbeat. It was there, but it was faint.