The boy tells his name to Ye Mu who seems to have no interests in it whatsoever. It frustrates him but he pesters him nonetheless, relentlessly.
Loma, the little boy, suggests bringing him back home to meet his grandfather, where he might be able to find a job. But Ye Mu declines, quite politely, before promising him to pay back for the meal in the future, and promptly leaving on his own.
Ye Mu isn't sure what he is supposed to do next. He doesn't even know why he came here in the first place. Regardless, he walks. He walks until he reaches the end of the bustling market where everything is lively and colorful, to instead stand upon a calming scenery of lushes and old houses scattered here and about. The peaceful view disorients him, his mind cannot help but go back to all that he's known and seen throughout his short and eventful life.
Back in his homeland, he lived in the darkness, the night sky was his veil. It comforted him in his shame. It hid the hurtful and horrible actions and decisions he willingly took. When the sun came to shed light upon it, he chose to hide in the leftover darkness he could find in the city: underground. He was in bars, nightclubs, organizations, gangs, and would only come out when the sun went away.
This life is the only thing he knew, it's not that he didn't have other alternatives, it's not that he didn't have other choices, and was constantly in an ultimatum, it's just that he didn't know anything else. It's like a starving person sitting in front of a meat pie. It's there, it smells good, it seems good, but he doesn't even know what a meat pie is, he's never even seen one. And so he doesn't eat it.
When Ye Mu came in this world, he finally started to face the sun. He slept at night, lived at day, and observed the world of the light. He saw it's beauty and all it had to offer, and had a little taste of the meat pie.
It didn't last long before he paid retribution for his past deeds. He experienced pain and insanity worse than anything he's ever felt before, and it lasted up until this very instant.
Now, he is standing before something he thought couldn't be real. It makes him feel vulnerable for a second or two, which makes him feel disgust at the same time. Disgust towards himself for his weakness.
He is standing on a snowy dirt road. On his right, a small bridge made of stones decorated with tree leaves and lush connects to the opposite street where houses with smoking chimneys and snowy winter trees are. The houses have glass windows similar to the European styled windows from earth. Light can be seen through every window; a warm, flickering light like the one fire creates. The roofs of the houses are packed with snow and icicles have formed on them. There is lush covered in snow everywhere and a small church can even be seen in the distance. The beautiful village is only slightly separated by the flowing river under the bridge cascading downwards and creating tiny waterfalls thanks to the obtruding rocks. A thin layer of ice is covering the calm part of the river and its water is clear and blue like the pretty sky above.
Upon seeing this village, Ye Mu stays speechless, uncaring for his frozen feet buried in the snow, whilst he watches starstruck the calm winter scenery.
The marketplace a few miles from here is hot and scalding like the desert, how come it's suddenly snowing?
After having stood there long enough for his feet to feel numb, as well as a few odd looks from the rare passersby and carriage drivers, Ye Mu finally goes deeper into the village.
Following the river, he soon reaches a beautiful town square. A lot of people are assembled there and seem to be having a heated debate over something. Children are messing around and playing by the fountain while a man stands in front of hundreds of sitting people with a serious expression as he tries to communicate what may seem to be an important matter. The women are all dressed in warm traditional clothing with intricate patterns and colors on them. The men are in a similar outfit but with fewer patterns and color for instead more layers and fur. Their haircuts range from tied up to lose and flowing; however all, men and women, have very long hair.
The older ones seem to all carry their hair around their necks like a scarf, the ones with children have theirs high on top of their head with jewelry and pearls to decorate it, and the younger ones without partners seem to let it be completely loose or slightly attached or braided.
Ye Mu stands in the snow, half-naked, and watches the group of people with slight curiosity in his eyes. He doesn't make a move and no one seems to notice him.
Several minutes go by and the man finally finishes his speech. Everyone seems relieved and happy as they can finally enjoy the festivities and delicacies at their disposition.
As expected, as soon as people move their attention away from the podium, Ye Mu is instantly discovered lurking from a distance.
With Ye Mu dressed in an expensive blue Cheetah pelt, but we no other clothes or ornaments, and his hair cut short, as well as the scary aura he constantly emits, the man is the very definition of sketchiness.
With regard to all of that, people are wary of this strange man that seemingly appeared out of nowhere. Since when was he standing there, without making a sound? Why is he watching us silently in such a questionable manner? Why is he half-naked in this cold weather, is he not freezing? His hair is shockingly short, could he be an escaped prisoner? Such questions are being asked and murmured between the village folks, unused to outsiders and bored from their peaceful, mundane lives. The children especially are agitated and excited from the visit of a person they've never seen before.
The excitement continues until suddenly, a burly man with a stubble and long dark hair up in a ponytail widens his eyes and, full of emotion he chokes:
"Ye Mu?"