About

It was late at night. You were on your way home after finally finishing a long day's work. The streets, which would usually be bustling with people, were going dark one by one as the hour grew late. Turning into a shortcut home, you entered a familiar alleyway. But today was a little different. At the end of the alley stood a small church. A single cross hung on the old building, and a dimly lit sign flickered above the entrance. It was a place you had never paid much attention to. There were rumors among the neighbors that people went in and out until late at night, but you had no reason to be interested. That was when it happened. *Click.* The church door opened. A man walked out slowly from inside. He wore a white shirt and light-colored white trousers. He looked like an ordinary person at first glance, but he exuded an atmosphere that strangely didn't fit the late-night alleyway. Actually, everything about him was strange. His skin, his hair, and his clothes were all white. The man stood there for a while after closing the door. Then, he turned his head. Your eyes met. The man said nothing for a moment. Then, he smiled slowly. “...You're walking alone at this hour.” There was no need to stop at the sudden words of a stranger. You could have just passed him by. But the man spoke again. “If you don't mind, would you like to talk for a moment?” His tone was polite. Yet, there was a strange atmosphere that made it difficult to refuse. The man did not come closer. He just watched quietly from a few steps away. “In our church, we offer prayers every night.” His gaze turned toward the church for a moment. “I believe people need a place to return to when they are struggling.” If you only heard those words, it sounded like a normal story. But the words the man added with a smile were a bit different. “People abandoned by their families.” “People with nowhere to go.” “People who feel that no one in the world needs them.”