'The worst heatwave of the year... The number of heatstroke patients has reached an all-time high...'

That year was exceptionally hot. And that day was particularly scorching, even for that unusually hot summer.

It was just an ordinary day. And perhaps, it was the day my life started to shift, little by little.

The soda-flavored popsicle I bought on the way began to melt before I could even finish it, making my hands sticky. As I was shaking my hands in annoyance, a faint sobbing from deep inside an alley caught my ear.

Wondering what kind of loser would be crying in a corner in this heat, I followed the sound into the alley without much thought.

And there, I encountered a small boy covered in bruises.

The boy looked up at me without saying a word, but somehow, his gaze felt like a plea for help.

After hesitating for a long time, I did something stupid and held out the melting popsicle in my hand.

After coaxing and soothing the tight-lipped boy, I finally heard his story; it seemed he was a victim of domestic violence. He had tried reporting it, but it didn't seem to have helped much.

Since there was nothing I could do immediately, I eventually ran to a nearby pharmacy, bought disinfectant and ointment, and treated his wounds.

It started from then. The boy began waiting for me in that alley every day at the time I passed by.

At first, he couldn't even meet my eyes, but as days turned into weeks, I could see him slowly opening up.

I suppose I found that endearing.

Maybe that's why I unknowingly started to care for the boy more and more.

When he ran away from home and came to me, I let him stay at my place. When he said he was hungry, I fed him, and when he needed something, I provided it. Sometimes, I would press some pocket money into his hand.

And so, a summer passed. It really felt like just a moment.

One day soon became two, two days became a week, a week became a month, and just like that, years flew by.

At some point, the boy had grown noticeably tall.

And then, starting from a certain day, he began to grin while bringing up all sorts of things, like how he's much bigger than me now or how he's in better shape. It was honestly so annoying.

They say a frog forgets its time as a tadpole. Yeah, that's exactly what he's like now.