It had been quite awhile since anyone had felt the sun's warmth on their skin, since anything green had been able to thrive upon the world's surface. Animals had disappeared to find warmer places to live, where snow could no longer reach them. The human population began to decline as the icy apocalyptic weather settled in for its long stay. People who found it hard to fight to survive gave up or left much like the animals did. Those that did fight came together creating small communities, each finding their own ways to survive, to get along with one another and work together.

One person who stayed, who had been fighting against this cold and snow since he was rather small, was a young man by the name of Kihyun. He had stepped up in one of the communities he had lived in since he was a child as their somewhat leader, watching out for a handful of people as they worked to survive.

Currently sitting in the dilapidated building he grew up in, the walls crumbling around them, exposing them to the outside elements of the world. Kihyun tugged an old blanket around himself to keep out the icy chill of the air that blew into the building. He ducked his head, burying it within the scratchy fabric to keep warm.

Lifting his head only when the wind stopped, he turned his attention towards the exposed crossbeams that created the support for the outer wall. The stone of the wall may have been gone, but the support beams remained making it easier for the outside elements to get inside. Light filtered in between the crossbars, small mounds of snow sat upon them where it had blown in from the most recent snowfall. The icy wind blew in, bringing with it a biting cold that nipped at the skin of whoever it brushed across.

Kihyun ducked his head in an attempt to once more hide from the chill that tried to assault him. As it passed, he lifted his head and glared towards the outside world wishing the wind would just disappear. The world was already frozen, there was no need to make it any colder.

Slowly, he stood up from his seated position, groaning from the stiffness that had overtaken his legs. It was as if the cold had frozen his limbs in place, nearly making him a frozen statue against the wall. Despite that, he got to his feet and let the blanket slip from his shoulders and pool around his feet. A violent shiver wracked his body as the cold rushed around him, seeping through his clothes. He crossed his arms to keep some of the warmth from escaping him and began walking, going through some of the various rooms that were still intact and the elements couldn't reach into them. Inside them, people huddled together in front of dwindling fires, children were bundled in blankets and layers of clothing to keep from freezing and falling into an endless sleep. It was a sad sight, but it was life right now.

Kihyun maneuvered through the people, moving towards the remaining embers of the fires, trying to rekindle the flames to bring some warmth back to some of the rooms.

After a few minutes of trying to rekindle flames, a sigh escaped from Kihyun's lips, a puff of air becoming visible in front of him. He slowly straightened back up only to feel a tugging on his shirt. Thinking he had gotten it snagged on something. . .again, he glanced over his shoulder towards whatever he had snagged it on. Instead of an iron rod or piece of wire like he thought, a small girl with raven pigtails and a pink teddy bear stared up at him with big brown eyes. She was dressed in at least three different layers of clothes that made her look like an adorable little marshmallow. A gentle smile crossed Kihyun's lips as he knelt down to the little girls height.

"What is it sweetheart?"

The way she looked at him with her big brown eyes melted his heart and warmed his entire being. If only she could melt the world and warm it with that very same look, everyone could feel how he did.

"I'm hungry Kihyun-eomma."

Nodding, Kihyun stood back up and held out his hand to the child. She readily slipped hers into his and the two of them were off to find something for her to eat. Kihyun led her out of the room, heading towards where they kept their food. Knowing there would probably be some backlash, he figured if anyone complained, he would go without his portion that day. He would rather the little girl eat than worry too much of himself at that time, especially when humanity was depending on the next generation to make the world better.

"What sounds good to eat right now?"

"Hmmm. . ."

Kihyun waited for the little girl to say what she wanted to eat as they rounded the corner into the main corridor. He was not expecting the sudden outburst that came from the little girl, jumping slightly from it.

". . .birdie!"

"Excuse me!?"

His attention snapped onto the little girl, his eyes widening in shock. Did she just ask for a bird to eat? The child must have realized how he took the outburst and quickly shook her head. She pulled her hand from his and pointed towards something down the hallway.

"No Kihyun-eomma. . .birdie!"

His gaze following to where she was pointing, Kihyun's eyes widening as they landed on what was being pointed at. There on the crossbars was a small bird perched upon a tiny snow mound. No one had seen any animals since the big freeze began years ago, so to see one brought tears to his eyes and a sudden hope into his heart.

Kihyun ran towards the small animal, it taking flight when he got too close. He turned and looked between the crossbars and into the sky. The bird was flying around without a care in the world.

"Is everything okay?"

The sound of the little girls voice broke through his thoughts. Kihyun smiled, nodding as he turned his attention from the bird to the little girl that was with him.

"Yes, everything is just fine."

"Then why are you crying?"

The little girl assumed something had been wrong when she noticed the tears trailing down Kihyun's cheeks.

"Does it mean the end?"

"No, quite the opposite. It's proof of the beginning."

Kihyun took hold of the girl's hand as he looked through the crossbars once more. He could still see the bird flying around in the sky before it disappeared into a bare tree in the distance.

"The beginning?"

The child asked softly, her eyes peering outside, wondering what Kihyun had meant. Kihyun's smile never faltered, for the first time in a long time, there was hope.

"Yes, the beginning of a warmer future."