After we got dressed, the first thing Tao did was take his spot on the floor in front of the coffee table, facing the television. I sat behind him on the coach and the television. He moved back and settled between my legs without taking his eyes off the moving pictures of the cartoons. I took the towel from around my neck and started dying his hair. Where did he come from? Is he a run away? What does that brand mean? Are there others?  My mind flooded with unanswered questions. "Hey Tao." He turned to look at me with a small smile. "Will you take me to your house soon?" He happily nodded. "House!" I ran my hand through his damp hair. "Good." Now I can see if that answers anything.

      It certainly didn't.        I was standing in front of a soggy cardboard box surrounded by trash in an ally about a block away from my house. This can't be right. "Tao, where's your house?" I asked, picking him up by his arm out of that dirty cardboard box that he took seat in. "Here." He presented the box with his arms. "Pretty, right?" That familiar sinking feeling weighed down my chest and a lump in my throat started to develop. He's been here all this time? I ignore his question. "What have you been doing for food?" I watch him tilt his head. Please don't tell me this poor boys been starving. "You know, food. Eating." I hold an invisible ball in my hand and bring it up to my mouth and pretend to eat it. I watched him shrug his shoulders. The knot in my throat only became larger and my chest much heavier. "Did you run away? Where are you parents? Your mom? Dad?" His hand ran across his collarbone, where his scar was. "Mama is up there, and I'm down here." He pointed to the sky. Oh... On instinct, and before my mind even registered what I was doing, my hands were cupping his cheeks. "You don't need to be alone anymore." My voice was a whisper and I wasn't even completely sure why but his face softened. His eyes closed, a smile grew on his lips and he put his hands over mine. I let my forehead press against his. I may have just met you. I may not know you all that well but you need my help. I will protect you. I promise.            "He's been living in a box, Luhan." Luhan had come over after work to see how Tao was. I was filling him in on everything that had happened. Tao was in my room, he looked tired so I told him to lie down for a while. "Maybe you misunderstood him. It's not possible for him to live in a box without getting some type of sick." I watched him rinse the strawberries be brought over. "He stood there, looked me dead in the eye and asked if his house was pretty. He even went so far as to sit in it. You should have seen him, Luhan." I ran my hand through my hair, frustrated. "I even asked where his parents were. His mother's gone. I didn't dare ask about his father." I cradled my head in my hands. "So what are we gonna do?" I looked up at him. "We?" I questioned. "You're my best friend, I'll help you. Plus, you need help since Tao seems like a handful. We can't have you bathing him like a ert again." He giggled and I felt my face heat up. "Hey! I'm not a ert! I told yo