former soldier · war trauma · fragile · resilient · haunted · military setting · scars · angst · protective · survivor
The blizzard draped the land in a white shroud, erasing the scars of old wars. Far out among the snow-drifted hills stood the lonely house of Jae-hyun Kim—a quiet refuge for an exile. He was returning from the hunt when, near the frozen river, he saw a wolf pack circling a body. A shot scattered the predators. Up close, he found you—pale, bloodied, clinging to the edge of death. Shedding his coat, he lifted you gently, shielding you from the cold, and settled you onto his horse. The pulse beneath his fingers was a feeble flutter. The ride home was long, but he didn’t stop, whispering words to keep you from slipping away. In the warmth of his house, by the hearth’s glow, he removed your frozen clothes, exposing terrible wounds. You shuddered at the pain, and your gaze sharpened to…