'This person... He looks homeless, but it's freezing here. Should I help him?'
However, why would I even help a helpless stranger? It's not even my fault why he became homeless.
So, I just sighed, 'Life is short and cruel. I'm sure he's gonna die anyways. Just why would I care...'
Something is holding me back, but I kept telling myself that I should just move on. And so, I kept going and never looked back.
The next night, at the alley, I saw him again. He seems sad and depressed, but I guess that's the life of any homeless. Right? However, I'm starting to have a conscience. Does he really deserve this?
Again, I don't know what my feelings are telling me, but I continued to keep going and never looked back.
The next night, I saw him again... He was freezing in the corner as the cold breeze continues. The wind breeze is getting intense and the snow on the ground is getting thicker.
A heavy feeling in my chest, made me uncomfortable, 'Should I... Should I let him stay in my apartment for a while?'
I then tried to poke him. However, as I touched him, he was hard as ice.
My eyes opened widely, because I thought he was dead, but when I checked, he still have a pulse. I then tried to carry him and hurriedly took him to my apartment.
I don't why I'm doing this. It's not like it's my fault why he became homeless nor why he's freezing to death. But, something tells me that I should help rather than just watch.
As I took him to my apartment, I quickly boiled a hot water and prepared a towel. I don't know what to do, but giving him enough heat would probably do.
After the water boiled, I then soaked the towel into it and then folded the towel into a rectangular shape, after. Then, I put it to his head.
I took another towel and soaked it again. This time, I wiped his face, as well as his hands.
I was wiping him with a hot-soaked towel, when suddenly, the electricity turned off. I tried to turn on the lights again, but it seems that we really had an electricity down. So, I quickly took a candle and light it up. I put the candle beside him and then continued wiping him.
While wiping him, I began to ask myself, 'Why am I going this far? What's pushing me to do this? I don't even know this guy...'
After a while, he woke up, "Huh? Where am I?" He asks.
"In my apartment." I replied.
He looked down, "Oh... I'm sorry to trouble you..."
"It's fine..."
Then, he looked back at me, "What's your name?"
"It doesn't matter, just get some rest."
He nodded, "By the way... Thank you."
He smiled at me. I then left him alone for him to get some rest.
As I looked outside from the window, I saw the intense cold breeze. It seems that the cold weather is getting worse. Even the streets outside are covered in thick snow, as well as complete darkness due to the electricity down.
As I observe the city around, the homeless guy then said, "You know... No matter how cold it is outside... The warm inside can never
be extinguished."
"Similar to a person..." He added.
I was surprised that he is now able to stand, "What do you mean?" I asked.
"Like you... You just kept going whenever you see me, until one day, you helped me. Which is today."
I shook my head, "I never had the intention to help you..."
He smiled faintly, "You could say that, but your action showed it differently."
I narrowed my eyes, "What? You don't know me..."
"Oh, I just did. I simply define who the person is based on their actions." He replied it confidently, "--You're maybe cold from the outside, but you're warm from the inside." He added.
I smirked, "Do I?"
"Look at the city... It's not so different from you."
We both looked outside, "Yeah, I know... Cold, lifeless, and boring... Just like me..."
"Yeah... But try to look closely."
I then tried to look closely, but also asking myself, 'Just what is this old man trying to show me?'
As I looked around, I saw a bit of light within each and every window for every building. It seems that some people are still awake and that those little lights could be candle lights. Just like ours...
"You see? The city maybe cold, freezing, and covered in thick snow, but if you look closely, it has a warming light inside." He said.
"Just like you. You're maybe cold from the outside, but warm from the inside." He added.
I rolled my eyes down, "Ahh. You mean physically?"
He shook his head, "No. I meant emotionally..."
I raised an eyebrow and looked at him, "So you based that all in my action?"
He smiled, "Yes. And I believe that the warm inside of you has a source."
My eyebrows furrowed, "Source? What do you mean, source?"
He then points his finger outside, "Look closely... The little lights you see inside those cold, freezing buildings are made up of candle lights. Right?"
"Yeah?"
"And who made those lights?"
"The people?"
"Exactly. The city's source of light are the people. Without them, the city would be completely dark."
"The city can be lifeless, cold, and dull, but since it has a source of light, it can now have the opposite." He added.
"You can also be cold, lifeless, and dull, but in your action, you showed that even YOU have a warm heart. So again, what or who's the source of it?" He smilingly asks.
"The source of heat that warms my heart?" I asked curiously.
"Yes. And not physically. Ok?"
I looked down, "I had no idea... All I know is that I met this girl, but I had to let her go since I'm just gonna bring trouble to her."
He sighed, "Look at the city again."
I rolled my eyes down, "What now?" And then looked outside again.
"You see, no matter how intense the weather is, the people inside are happy. Because the city buildings are protecting them inside."
"If you protect her from troubles, don't you think she'll be happy too?" He added.
My world just stopped and I immediately stuttered, "I..."
"And you will be happy too... Just like the city with people that has full of life. You and her can have full of life as well." He smiled.
I was then lost in thought, 'I-Is he telling me that I should live a life rather than being lifeless?'
I looked at him, "What are you trying to tell me?"
He looked back at me with a smile, "What I'm trying to say is that you are not cold and lifeless, but rather a person who has a warm heart."
"Since she is the source of your warmth. Don't you think YOU TWO belong together?" He asks.
I was lost in thought. He was giving me realizations, 'Do we really belong together?'
It's true, that I was a cold person before. If it weren't for her, this old man would probably be freezing to death by now.
This old man... I don't know if I should thank him or hate him, but I'm glad he's here to fix my dilemma.
"Hey, old man."
"Hm?"
I looked at him with a smile, "I appreciate your words of wisdom. Thank you..."
He smiled back at me while I continued to stare off into the distance.
I now remembered everything I said before. The reasons why I loved her.
I closed my eyes and clenched my fists. Then, I looked into the distance with fierce eyes, 'Yuna... I'll be back...'