There were three dormitories in SIA, located right behind the Sport Complex. Each dorm had about 50 rooms for two fitted with all modern conveniences. Therefore only students who came from at least middle class family could afford to live here.

Suho and Sehun’s room was always the place where the whole group gathered at the weekend. Lately they had invited Luhan to join them as well.

The Chinese boy couldn’t help but felt surprised at how the two boys arranged their shared room. It was neat, tidy and simple. Compared to this, his room with Yixing was just like a mess.

D.O handed him a cold soda, giggled and patted Luhan’s shoulder as he noticed the older one’s jaw was dropped the whole time since he stepped inside.

“I know hyung. I felt the same when I came here the first time too.”

Luhan was snapped back, scratched his head shyly. He stepped toward the sofa and took a seat beside Jongin, who was checking something with his phone. He looked around the room to find Sehun and spotted the dark brown head boy on the upstairs, chitchatting with Baekhyun.

“Sehun ah.”

The tan skin boy next to him suddenly called out, making both Sehun and Baekhyun stop talking and turned back.

“What is it?”

The maknae put the CD he had shown to his hyung previously back to the bookshelf, made his way downstairs.

“How long didn’t you call home?”

Joing tossed his phone aside, leaned back on the sofa with an unpleasant expression. The other boy shook his head, finally reached the center area of the room.

“I don’t know. Maybe two weeks. Why?”

Still with his not-happy tone, Jongin said

“Aunt Chaerim texted me asking if you’re still alive”

Sehun let out a sigh, what's new? His mom was always like that, sensitive and excessively worried about him. He had to call her at least once a week and if he accidentally forgot to do that, she came to the tan skin boy to cry on how her only precious son didn’t miss her as much as she did. Sometimes he felt sorry for Jongin to put it up with his mom but his friend seemed quite comfortable with it and eventually sounded exactly like her.

“I’ll call her later.” Sehun simply shrugged his shoulders “By the way, is any one of you come with me next week?”

His hyungs shook their heads in turn, sending their apologetic looks to the youngest boy.

“Sorry  maknae, me and Baekhyun had exam on Monday.” Chanyeol threw his arm around the mentioned one’s shoulder, pouting. He was always against doing test on the first day of a week but apparently, his professor was kind of an who loved to put her students under torture.

D.O and Suho also had to go back home for family issue so there left only Jongin. Ah, and another boy who Sehun didn’t find comfortable enough to invite.

“How about you?”

Sehun averted his eyes to his friend, hoping the other would say yes.

“I have practice schedule for club monthly meeting. But if you want I will try to find someone who could cover for me.”

The younger one pursed his lips, even though he didn’t like the idea of going there alone, he couldn’t take too much time of his friend like that. Waving off his hands, Sehun tried to hide the hint of disappointment in his eyes.

“It’s okay. It’s not important anyway.”

“Wait! I’m free next week. I can go.”

Being taken back in his seat, Luhan raised his voice. Although he didn’t have any clue about what they were talking about but sensing the overcast atmosphere covering the whole room, he thought it would help if he offered a hand.

And that was the last thing Sehun would wish for. To be honest, he didn’t know if this Chinese boy was a pure angel or an idiot one. No one had that much impatience on him, even Jongin. In the last period of time, despite how much Sehun being mean to him, the older male didn’t give up on bothering him and always found his way to crawl back.

May be it’s time to let him know a little about me, Sehun thought before got up and his heels towards the fridge, opened it to grab a bottle of cold water. He took a huge gulp, staring at Luhan who was also looking tensely at him.

“Okay, Saturday 7 o’clock at the bus stop. Don’t be late.”

Yeah, it came out from a person who had been twenty minutes late for his date. However, Luhan actually didn’t mind the last part. The fact that Sehun finally accept him to accompany was enough for him to dance with rainbow and unicorn.

The Chinese leaned aside to whisper against Jongin’s ear excitedly yet curiously.

“Where would I be taken to by the way?”

The tan skin boy smiled gently, this place must be somewhere really special that even y Jongin flashed his rare sweetness like this.

“You will meet the second family of our Sehun.”

**********

It was a lie if saying that he was not looking forward to this day. It has been a long time since his last visit and Sehun was sure everyone there would miss him so much they probably being angry at him for not coming around more often the last year. Well, it’s hard to blame him cuz his college’s life was literally busy with assignments, practices and contest. He had to rearrange his schedule to have free time this weekend because of this special occasion.

Sehun checked his phone, apparently he was a little bit early but luckily it’s Saturday morning so there was just a few people waiting for the bus like him. The young boy carelessly looked around, the cold fresh air of late October made him shiver slightly. He remembered the first time he left home to Seoul after the big fight with his moms was also a cold rainy day of October. He still remembered the pain of a slap he got when they found him on the street and the warmth of the embraces after that as they headed back home.

Thinking of his past made Sehun unconsciously placed his palm against his cheek, smiling softly.

Five steps away from him, Luhan watched a whole scene with a hard-to-explain feeling. This was the second time he saw the younger boy smiled like that and fortunately he had taken a photo of the first time at the bookshop, kept it safely in his drawer. He wondered who or what would cause Sehun show his other side like that.

“How long have you stood there?”

The Korean boy suddenly shifted his eyes to Luhan’s direction, noticing the older male was staring at him blankly.

Luhan was snapped back, he quickly rushed to the latter and beaming brightly, trying to lighten up the atmosphere.

“Hey, you’re early. Did you sleep well Sehun?”

Normally Sehun would say his beauty sleep was none of the Chinese’s business but today this boy would be with him the whole time so there was no need to be rude. Besides Luhan was nice enough to come with him even though he had no idea where he was going to without asking any question.

“Suho hyung increased the heater again.”

“Oh, so that’s why you’re early.”

Luhan giggled, nodded his head understandingly.

“So” he stretched his hands forwards “Where are we going?”

“Bucheon.”

Sehun short answered, but seeing that info was not enough for the latter, he added.

“There’s a small orphanage near Bucheon. Today they held up a charitable auction for their 20^th anniversary.”

The older one’s eyes opened wide

“Really? I don’t know you doing charity Sehun.”

“There are many things you don’t know about me.”

The bitterness in Sehun’s voice made Luhan suddenly want to hug this boy so much to comfort him. He stepped up a bit but then was pulled back to reality as the bus showed up and the younger boy already made his way to it, leaving him bewildered.

“Are you going to stand there or what?”

Sehun looked back, reached out his hand to signal the other. Luhan shook his head in response, grinning widely before skipping to that direction.

*************

The orphanage was located on a small ground, quite separate from surrounding areas. It took them ten minutes walking from the bus stop and Luhan couldn’t hide his excitement all the way there. This was the first time he went to an orphanage and an auction. To have a full review, he realized there were many ‘the first time’ of his he spent with the young Korean boy.

 Sehun pushed the white woodened gate open, revealed a play ground decorated with blue theme and colorful ribbons tied around big trees. There were some elder women standing along the tables, preparing snacks and drinks with other children’s help. Hearing the gate opened, they averted their eyes toward the entrance and called out happily.

“Sehun ah. You came!”

The younger male bowed politely while flashing his smile in greeting. One of the elder women put down the basket in her hand, stepped forward to hug him, her voice was shaking as she gripped his arms.

“Aigoo, you. Why didn’t you come here at all? We missed you so much.”

Sehun sent her an apologetic smile

“I’m sorry. Life has been crazy lately.”

”Come on in” she grabbed his elbow but then noticed someone standing behind, she squinted “Oh, who’s this handsome man? Your friend Sehun?”

Sehun looked over his shoulder, nodded head slightly to motion Luhan step up. The Chinese boy bowed 90 degree and introduced himself.

“Hello, I’m Luhan. Nice to meet you!”

The elder women smiled homely, waved her hand toward him.

“Aigoo, you’re welcome to it. Come on, we need your strength in there.”

All the morning, the two young males helped to put up a big tent, carry heavy stuffs and decorate the background of the auction stage.

The older one couldn’t help but felt warm at the hospitality and friendliness everyone here gave him, especially the kids. They asked him many questions, gawped at him as he told them he was not Korean, listened attentively as he entertained them with his adventure, where he had been to and what had he done. Looking their eyes, Luhan knew that every of each kid here had their own dream and his story was like a fairy tales to them.

The auction went really well, the money they earned would be put into education fund for the kids of the orphanage. Luhan also bought for himself a pair of pottery cups which were drawn with beautiful green pattern. When they finished packing up it’s almost 4p.m and the two young boys decided to play around a bit before heading back Seoul.

Luhan was sitting on a bench, carelessly rocked his legs back and forth. He looked across the yard where a dark brown hair boy was playing with a bunch of kids under a big tree.  The childish grin on his face was something Luhan has never seen since he knew the other. He quickly dug into his backpack to fish out a camera and captured the moment. He checked it again, zoomed in to have a clear view of the younger boy’s smile. Suddenly, someone peeked over his shoulder made him jerk aside, turned back and saw a boy, about twelve year old, was staring at him curiously.

The kid walked around and finally sat down beside him.

“Did you like Sehun hyung?”

“What?” Luhan’s jaw dropped

“Is that why you took picture of him?” the little boy continued, pointing the screen of camera.

Luhan scratched his neck, didn’t know how to answer properly. This was new to him too. Normally, he didn’t have interest in taking human’s photo. But everything about Sehun always naturally caught his eyes and he thought he would regret if letting it go.

It seemed like the kid took his silence as an agreement, he straightened his back, gazed tensely at Luhan.

“You can’t like him!”

The Chinese male startled at the seriousness in the latter’s voice, he tilted his head aside, squinting

“Why? Does he have a girlfriend or what?”

“No, not yet. But soon Soomi will ask him out.”

“Who’s Soomi?”

The little boy pointed a chubby girl who was playing with her friends not far from them. Luhan tried his best not to burst into laugh. He pursed his lips and patted the kid’s head slightly, reassured

“Oh, I see. Don’t worry. I won’t like him.”

“You won’t like who?”

Sehun’s voice made both of them jolt back. The kid quickly sent Luhan a don’t-tell-him look before skipped into the main house. The younger male looked at the kid and then averted his eyes to the other with what’s-wrong-with-him facial expression. Luhan chuckled, flapped his hand in the air and pointed the space beside him, motion Sehun to sit down.

They stayed in silent for a long minute and surprisingly Sehun was the first one who broke the ice.

“This is where I came from.”

Luhan gawped at him. He bet his face now was really ridiculous as his lips parted several times but no sound was heard. This was shocking.

The younger boy kept going on with his soft voice, looked into the space in front of him but nothing particularly.

“I was adopted when I was almost one year old but not knowing about this place until seven. Since then, I came here quite often to play with the kids. They’re like my family.”

Now Luhan understood what Jongin meant before. But still, he didn’t know what to say, his mind became blank when he need it the most.

A noise coming from the entrance cut off the conversation, Sehun stood up immediately when he saw two women walking through the gate.

“Mom…”

Mom??

“Sehun ah.”