A Small Step Toward the World
The tearful embrace between the old woman and Emil lasted for quite some time. While the boy, Emil, seemed a bit bewildered, the old woman, clearly having worried deeply, wept as she patted his back.
Before long, Emil slowly pulled his face away from her arms. He squinted and flinched at the blinding noon sunlight pouring down, but he did not retreat. Only then could I properly face the boy's features under the light.
'...He's much more handsome than I thought.'
The appearance I had only vaguely guessed at in the dark room was far more striking than I had imagined. His skin, so pale it was almost translucent, the large eyes framed by thick lashes, and his slender jawline gave him the look of a delicately crafted doll rather than a mere boy.
However, that pretty face could never have been a blessing in this ruined world. The gazes that a boy with such looks must have endured in a world where men were all but extinct, and the extreme isolation his mother had chosen to protect him, flashed through my mind. The weight of the life resting on those small shoulders and the storms he would have to face in the future made a corner of my heart feel heavy.
The old woman, still holding the boy's hand tightly, turned toward me. She bowed deeply, her waist bending until it seemed as if her face might hit the ground.
"You have unraveled this old woman's worries, sir. You have given our village a future, and given Emil back to the world. I do not know how to repay this grace. Truly, truly, thank you."
It was the greatest gratitude the village's highest elder could show a strange traveler. Flustered, I hurriedly grabbed the old woman's arms to help her up.
"No, Village Chief. It was Emil who found the courage himself. I merely gave him a little push from the side."
As I helped her stand, I whispered very quietly into her ear.
"Village Chief, Emil is still very afraid of people. If the villagers suddenly crowd around him, he might retreat back into his shell. Please, treat him with care for now."
At my whisper, the old woman's eyes brightened, and she gave a short nod. Her gaze signaled that she fully understood my consideration.
"Big brother, that... rabbit you mentioned earlier? Can we go see it?"
Emil tugged at my sleeve cautiously. Still seeming unfamiliar with the outdoors, the boy didn't want to move a single step away from behind me.
"Sure, let's go see it. Village Chief, Emil says he wants to see the rabbits."
"Understood. Emil, you want to see the rabbits? Let's go see them right now!"
With a hearty laugh, the old woman took the lead. Guided by her, we headed toward a small breeding pen located in a sunny spot behind the village.
Inside the small, shed-like pen, there was a fence, and a few brown beasts were huddled inside. Emil peered over the fence with eyes full of expectation. But a moment later, the boy's brow furrowed subtly.
"...Big brother."
"Yeah?"
"Is this... a rabbit? Really?"
Disappointment was evident in Emil's voice. The boy stared intently at the creatures inside the fence before turning back to me with a sullen face.
"They aren't cute. No, they're actually a bit scary. Their eyes are red, their fur is matted... and above all, they're too skinny. The 'small and cute animal' you talked about wasn't like this. You tricked me again, didn't you?"
At Emil's protest, I looked into the pen, flustered. Indeed, the rabbits caught in the wilderness of the apocalypse were far from the pet rabbits I knew. Perhaps due to a lack of food, they were very thin, and their ears were even torn from adapting to the harsh environment. Far from having bright, sparkling eyes, they had sharp, wary expressions, twitching their noses with suspicion—they were certainly far from the 'cuteness' I had envisioned.
"No, that's... well, Emil. I told you not to judge by appearances. If you look closely, these guys are cute in their own way. If you touch them yourself, you'll change your mind."
To salvage the situation, I reached into the pen and carefully lifted the one that looked the most docile. It struggled for a moment but soon gave up and huddled on my arm.
"Here, try petting it. The fur might be a bit rough, but its body heat is warm. They are much more full of life than you imagined. They were probably just surprised because we came suddenly. They seemed wary for a moment, but look, they're staying still now."
Emil hesitated, backing away as if scared. But watching me stroke the rabbit gently, the boy slowly extended a trembling hand. The moment his fingertips touched the rabbit's head, the rabbit perked its ears up. Emil was startled and tried to pull his hand away, but I smiled slightly and nodded.
Emil carefully raised his hand again and stroked the rabbit's back. The warmth of life was transmitted through the fur that had only looked rough. The vibration of the rabbit's rapidly beating heart flowed into Emil's fingertips.
"...Oh? It's warm. Really. And... now that I look, the way it twitches its nose is actually kind of cute. Ah, is it looking at me?"
A bright smile finally bloomed on Emil's face. I handed the rabbit to Emil. The boy carefully held the rabbit close to his chest.
"See? It's different when you touch it yourself, right?"
"Yes... I really think I didn't know anything at all."
Seeing Emil's expression as he looked at the rabbit, it seemed he finally understood the cuteness of the animal. Then, it was time for the next step. I picked up a few strands of grass from the pen.
"Emil, look at this."
I held the grass I had brought up to the rabbit's mouth. The rabbit sniffed and immediately put the grass into its mouth.
Munch, munch.
"Whoa! Big brother, look! It's eating the grass!"
Emil stared intently at the rabbit eating the grass, looking fascinated. I took the rabbit back from Emil's arms and held it. Then, pointing at the grass with my finger, I said,
"Now, you feed it."
"M-me?"
Even though he said that, Emil quickly took the grass and brought it right to the rabbit's mouth. The rabbit accepted the grass again and moved its mouth, munching away.
Watching Emil's fascination, I looked over at Eve and the old woman. Realizing they were both watching this scene with satisfied expressions, I felt a bit shy.
"Ahem..."
As I cleared my throat and turned my gaze away, I saw something outside the pen.
While we were busy wrestling with the rabbits and laughing, faces began to peek out from the corners of houses and over the fences near the pen. They were the village women. Despite the Village Chief's prior warning, they had come to see 'Emil,' who had come outside for the first time in months. In fact, Emil's mother had been so overprotective that they probably hadn't even been able to see his face normally.
'Or maybe not? Maybe they came to see me?'
It might be self-obsession, but there were quite a few women who made eye contact with me. When they did, they would shyly cover their eyes or suddenly pretend to be doing something else.
The old woman witnessed the scene and flinched in surprise. She hurriedly gestured toward the villagers so Emil wouldn't notice. She could have shouted, but the old woman kept her lips tightly sealed, desperately waving her hands to silently pressure the people to leave, fearing Emil might be startled.
However, that movement was conveyed clearly to Emil as well. Emil's shoulders, following the old woman's gaze, stiffened instantly. His hands tightened, and his eyes scanned his surroundings anxiously. It was as if the instinct to run back into the darkness of his room was overcoming the boy.
I didn't rush Emil. I just waited quietly for him to calm himself. Emil stood still behind me, breathing heavily for a long time. Soon, as if he had made a decision, Emil bit his lip and clenched his two fists tightly.
The village women hesitated at the old woman's rough gestures and only watched from afar; no one could speak first. In front of the silent pen, Emil hesitated for a long time. Clinging tightly to my clothes from behind my back, he only peeked his face out to look at the women.
Emil parted his lips several times from behind my back. And finally, gathering his courage, he opened his mouth ever so slightly.
"H-hello."
A single word Emil managed to spit out while hiding behind me. At first, the village women were bewildered, perhaps not understanding immediately. Maybe they hadn't heard him well.
"Emil, I don't think they heard your greeting. Do you want to try again?"
"...Hello."
"Hmm, still too quiet."
"Hello."
"Again."
"What? Again? Ah, hello."
"Again!"
"Hellloooo!"
When I greeted them loudly without realizing it, the villagers were surprised. But bright wonder and smiles bloomed on the faces of the villagers who had only been watching from afar.
"Emil! Did you greet us?"
"Emil! It's so nice to see you."
"...He's really handsome no matter how many times I look."
"Standing next to the guest, it's like a painting!"
"Wow, I thought Emil had left for another place all this time."
Only then did the women break their silence, whispering to each other. Then, they cautiously approached Emil. They maintained a reasonable distance so as not to startle him, pouring out all sorts of stories.
"Emil, that rabbit likes this grass. Do you want to give it some?"
"This one is timid, so let it smell your hand slowly at first, and it likes it if you stroke its head."
Emil still didn't let go of my clothes, but he gradually began to join the conversation. Asking and answering what the rabbit ate and how to pet it, a little vitality returned to the boy's voice. The women, too, didn't look at Emil with those hungry gazes from before, but treated him cautiously and kindly, as if handling a fragile treasure. Before long, the area in front of the pen was filled with the women's laughter and Emil's chattering voice.
The sight of Emil mingling with the villagers was like the process of a sprout emerging from frozen ground. Although he didn't completely leave the safe fence of my back, the boy was already learning how to communicate with the world.
How much time had passed? A red sunset spread across the horizon, and it was time to return to the Research Bunker. The villagers came out to see us off to the village entrance as if they had promised to.
"Are you really leaving like this? You could stay one more night..."
"Ahaha... It's a shame, but I have work to do, so I must return now."
The old woman seemed genuinely disappointed, but she didn't stop me anymore. Emil seemed incredibly sad that I was leaving. I was worried that he might not come out of his room again once I returned, now that he had just found his courage, but I trusted Emil.
"Emil, I'm not leaving forever, so stay well until I come back next time."
"Jaero-hyung, you must come back. I'll name the rabbit and take good care of it."
"Right, feed the rabbit well. Next time I come, I'll check if you've raised it well, okay?"
"Yes! I understand. Please come to see if I raised it well. I'll be waiting."
Emil bowed politely toward me along with the old woman. The villagers also waved their hands, each saying a word of thanks. The sight of the boy standing with people as a member of the village felt more valuable than any resource I had gathered since coming to this world.
"Stay well! Village Chief, stay healthy too!"
I walked out into the wilderness outside the village with Eve. At the receding village entrance, the people waved until we were out of sight. I entered the forest where the Research Bunker was located again.
"Jaero-nim, what happened in the village was very impressive."
Eve, walking beside me, said in a low voice. I rubbed the tip of my nose, feeling shy, and replied.
"I'm glad we came out to explore. Right? They're all good people. If there's anything we can help with next time, let's visit again."
"Yes, I will be with you wherever you go, Jaero-nim."
Our shadows stretched long in the sunset light, reaching toward the Research Bunker beyond the forest. A day in the ruined world was coming to a warm close.