Waking up the next morning, Liam felt refreshed. Seoul had been good for him so far. The shift from Macau's chaos to Gangnam's calm modernity had been exactly what he needed.

After a simple breakfast in the apartment, he stepped out alone, with his hands tucked into his coat pockets. The chilly winter air brushed his cheeks, making him blink awake fully.

He had spent all of yesterday leisurely exploring Gangnam and eventually ending his night in Hongdae's neon-soaked nightlife. It was loud, energetic, youthful, and strangely wholesome considering his expectations.

But today, he wanted something different. He wanted an adventure. Something new and outdoors.

he intends to visit Pyeongchang for skiing and snowboarding.

He had never done either. Not once in his life. And the thought of trying it now made him smile with genuine anticipation, in an almost childlike manner.

A part of him wondered if this was what normal people felt like on vacations. And a part of him liked that thought.

Instead of flyingz being driven to driving himself, Liam headed toward the nearest KTX station, because he wants to enjoy the scenery. The simple human experience of a peaceful high-speed train ride.

When he reached the station, he walked to the waiting benches, blending seamlessly among the travelers. A few glanced at him, as he did stand out, after all, but no one bothered him.

The KTX arrived with that smooth electric whir, doors sliding open with a soft hiss. People filed in. Liam followed, turning into the first-class coach.

He took a window seat, exhaled slowly, and let himself sink into the chair. It was warm, comfortable and quiet.

Who would had thought that he would be so carefree enough in the future, to casually decide to visit somewhere on a whim and be able to actually visit.

He looked around and couldn't help the small smile forming at the corner of his lips.

"This looks exactly like that zombie movie," he whispered, as he remembered the the train horror kdrama he had watched years ago.

The movie was emotional, tragic, incredibly well acted. He'd even watched the sequel right after because the first one had gripped him so tightly.

South Korea really was famous for emotional movies.

The train began moving. Liam rested an elbow on the armrest and watched Seoul slowly blur around him, with buildings shrinking and scenery spreading open like an unfolding scroll.

***

Two hours passed peacefully and the train finally stopped, as it had arrived at its destination.

Liam stepped onto the platform and inhaled sharply. The air was cold, fresh and clean.

The kind of air that filled your lungs and cleared your mind instantly.

He headed outside and caught a taxi. The driver chatted pleasantly about the snow season, weekend crowds, local food, and why today's weather was perfect for skiing. Liam listened with a polite smile, answering casually, enjoying the normal conversation.

After thirty minutes, the taxi pulled up to the resort where he will be staying at.

His family office had already prepared everything. He didn't need to check in, handle paperwork, or explain anything. All he simply did was to go upstairs directly to his room and pick up his snowboard.

His room overlooked the slopes, with white hills stretching endlessly, dotted with moving specks of colorful jackets.

Without waiting too long, Liam changed into winter gear: insulated jacket, gloves, snow pants. He grabbed a snowboard and headed outside.

The cold wind nipped at his exposed face immediately, but it only added to the thrill.

He approached the ski lift, boarded, and let it carry him slowly upward.

As the lift climbed higher, the world expanded with snow everywhere, sky like pale silver and distant mountains cutting across the horizon.

Even though Liam could fly, this scene felt different.

He leaned back, letting the cold seep into his thoughts, letting his mind drift.

Moments like this when he's out and with people, were becoming strangely precious to him.

The lift reached the top. He stepped off with his snowboard tucked under one arm, walked to an empty stretch of snow, strapped in, and stood upright.

His breath fogged faintly in the air.

"…Alright," he whispered to himself. "Let's see how this goes."

He pushed off gently.

At first, he moved slow—very slow—just gliding, adjusting his balance, shifting his weight. His body adapted instantly, muscle memory forming faster than it should. He hasn't done this before and he was learning on the spot.

In only a few minutes, he had complete control. It wasn't pro level but it was far beyond what a beginner should achieve in such a short time.

He smiled under his scarf.

"This is… actually fun."

He leaned in and let gravity take him.

Wind rushed past his ears and snow vibrated under the board. His coat flapped behind him, as the world blurred slightly at the edges.

Liam chuckled under his scarf. It was… refreshing.

He slowed gradually and came to a stop near the base of the slope. A few teenagers glanced at him, whispering among themselves, wondering how someone who had acted like a clueless foreigner was already carving like that.

Liam ignored them and walked toward the lift again.

This time, when he reached the top, he didn't hesitate.

He tilted forward, bent his knees slightly, and launched forward with speed.

He cut across the slope in a clean arc, snow spraying behind him in a glittering fan. He executed a perfect toe-edge turn, then switched smoothly into a heel-edge, creating an effortless S-shaped pattern.

The mountain stretched long and wide beneath him and Liam rode it like he'd been doing this for years.

He tried a small jump and landed softly, barely making a sound. The thrill in his chest grew.

At this point, h wasn't smiling anymore. He was grinning. It was a genuine and boyish grin.

By the time he reached the bottom again, he felt light in his chest and a sweet feeling too.

He stepped out of his bindings, brushing snow from his gloves, and looked up at the towering slope he had just conquered.

But for someone who had grown up fighting alone, surviving alone, and thinking alone…

This simple, peaceful challenge felt more meaningful than many of the victories he had earned through power.

Liam exhaled and closed his eyes briefly.

"…Good start to the day."

He picked up his snowboard and headed toward the lift again. He was ready for another run, ready to enjoy another hour of freedom and ready to live a little more of the life he never got to have.

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