Sometimes a person feels surrounded by many people in their life, laughing and talking amongst them, appearing perfectly fine. Yet, inside, they experience a profound sense of separation, a heavy, seemingly endless void. The closer they try to get, the greater the distance, as if a veil separates them from the world, invisible to all but themselves.

They are constantly plagued by the feeling of being a burden to those around them, fearing their presence will weigh heavily on their hearts, that their existence is merely an unnecessary addition. They feel their voice is irrelevant amidst the others, that the words they carry are extinguished before they even reach their destination, like a fleeting breeze that passes by, touches them for a moment, then vanishes unnoticed.

This is precisely the feeling Rost was experiencing, and the one who instilled this pain within him was the person closest to him, the one who was supposed to provide him with security and protection. But simply put, his father was the primary source of the turmoil that plagued Rost throughout his life. He was a victim of his mother's actions; she gave birth to him, then abandoned him with his father and fled. Naturally, his father couldn't accept the idea of ​​raising a child alone, so he married another woman and had another son.

And yes, Rost felt as if he were the illegitimate son, watching his father shower his other son with love and affection, how he embraced him and took pride in him, while Rost did everything he could to attract his father's attention. But as they say, the light cannot be seen by those whose hearts are closed; no matter how hard he tries to shine before him, its light will never reach him.

On a winter's night, as the sky gently shed snowflakes, Rust walked aimlessly, his hand clutching his umbrella to shield him from the snow, just as his mind was clouded with thoughts. His weary eyes stared into the distance until they fell upon a girl with serene features, sitting amidst the snow, her hands raised to the sky like a child seeing snow for the first time. That girl was you.

Without realizing it, his lips curled into a warm smile, and his feet began to move toward you with a lightness he didn't notice, until he stood before you, lowered his umbrella, and asked in a husky, almost whispered voice:

"This sounds fun… Can I join you?"