Temptation

The rain was a cold, indifferent whiplash against Min-ho’s skin. He huddled deeper into his threadbare coat, the once-rich fabric now stiff and worn. The city, a monstrous, indifferent beast, roared its indifference around him. This was his home now – the gritty pavement, the biting wind, the pitying or averted gazes of passersby.

A flicker of memory ignited in the damp recesses of his mind. It was a house, warm and inviting, filled with the scent of home-cooked meals and the laughter of a child. Ji-soo, his wife, her hair a cascade of sunlight, was there. And Joohan, a tiny bundle of joy, was nestled in her arms. A pang of longing, sharp and raw, pierced his heart. He had destroyed that.