Hey everyone! 

I'm back with a new chapter. She gets to meet the group... kind of :) Hope you all enjoy it! And thanks so much for patiently waiting!!

Chapter 4

The two girls gradually neared the somewhat run-down building that contained the only orphanage in the entire city. The walls were faded grey, and the paint was peeling off in most places. The sign, “Hope Orphanage,” was somewhat slanted over the gate, and looked like it was close to falling off. The parking lot adjacent to the building was nearly empty, and only held less than ten cars.

As Elise and Kate neared the entrance, unexpected sounds entered their conscience. Laughter leaked through the front door, especially children’s laughter. Excited chatter followed soon after. The patter of footsteps echoed through the walls and passed through the door as well. The atmosphere, contrary to the physical appearance of the building, was that of happiness.

Yet, all this excitement threw Elise into confusion, for she paused with her hand close to touching the handle. Kate noticed her friend’s silence. “Elise?”

The young woman shook her head and her brows furrowed. “They’re… happy…”

Kate nodded in realization at her friend’s meaning. “It’s their break time now, and I think my aunt’s the one who is making sure that they’re staying happy despite their situation.”

Elise nodded. “Do they really need us then?”

“I think so,” Kate replied. “My aunt really needed volunteers, but most people these days think of helping those in developing countries, not necessarily those who live right next door.”

“Even if the orphans happy, she needs us?”

“I guess so, right? But just because the kids are laughing doesn’t mean they’re happy all the time… so I guess she does need us.”

Emily nodded again, taking in the information. “Seems like there is much about people that I need to learn about…” She twisted the doorknob, and both girls entered the complex.

~~~~~~

Elise and Kate found the head of the orphanage, Ms. Lee, in a daycare room with many children of all ages. She was currently reading them a story, which just so happened to be Winnie the Pooh.

The two girls stayed outside, but peeked their heads in to watch as Ms. Lee imitated the voices of the characters. When her Tigger voice came about, the children all guffawed in laughter. One young girl even shouted, “That’s not it, Ms. Lee! It’s like this!” and the girl goes to try the voice out for herself.

The laughter and chatter that come about brought giggles out of Kate and a small smile out of Elise, and Ms. Lee spotted the two at the door. Her smile disappeared just a little as she motioned for them to come in. “Kate, Elise, please come in.”

Kate shot a quick glance at Elise, worried that Elise would be offended at her aunt’s sudden change in behavior, but Elise remained stoic as the two walk toward the crowd of children. The children gazed in awe at the two girls, and silence engulfed the room.

Ms. Lee glanced at the two girls. “You two are on time. Good impression.”

Kate gave her aunt a nod. “Thank you, Aunt Lee.”

Ms. Lee stood up from her chair to grab a small portfolio that contained Kate and Elise’s applications. “Can you two introduce yourselves to the kids?”

Elise looked to Kate, her eyes showing some apprehension. Kate then gave an eye-smile to Elise before starting. “Hello, everyone. My name is Kate Lee, and I’m looking to volunteer here at the Hope Orphanage. I am also Ms. Lee’s niece, so I’m very happy to meet you all!” she spoke in a gentle manner.

“You’re Ms. Lee’s niece?” one young boy asked in excitement. Kate smiled and nodded. “That’s so cool! Ms. Lee, you didn’t tell us she was coming here!”

Ms. Lee shook her head and chuckled. “I guess I didn’t.”

“Will they be hanging out with us?” another girl, around 10 years of age, spoke up.

The older woman shook her head again. “I’m afraid not both of them, Louisa. Kate will be with you guys, but Elise will be working with the teenagers in the East Wing.”

Gasps erupted through the daycare center. “The Big Twelve?”

Ms. Lee chuckled. “Yes, the Big Twelve.”

Elise observed the casual interaction between Ms. Lee and the children, and also noticed that Kate’s brow furrows in confusion.

“Aunt Lee?” Kate asked. Her aunt’s brow rose in recognition of the question. “I thought I was working with teenagers too?”

The older woman nodded. “I changed my mind with you, Kate. I remember how you were wonderful at babysitting children back in the day, so I placed you with this group right here. Is that alright with you?”

Kate smiled. “Of course, Aunt.”

Ms. Lee nodded and turned to the children. “Would you all like Kate to be with you all?” A large chorus of yes’s exploded into the room, and Ms. Lee chuckled in delight. “Wonderful! Now, Elise, would you introduce yourself as well?”

Elise squeezed her hands in nervousness before beginning. “Hello. I’m Elise Joo, Kate’s co-worker and friend, and I’m here to volunteer as well at the orphanage,” she started at a slow pace, clearly enunciating each syllable in order to prevent any mistakes. “Although I will working in a different place, I hope I’ll see you all around… too.”

Ms. Lee nodded as she observed Elise’s nervous state. “Thank you, Elise. I would show you where your working complex is, but I’m currently with the children, and the two boys I told to come here are late…” she muttered the last part while shaking her head.

“That’s alright, Ms. Lee,” Elise answers. “Should I wait here?”

“Yes. They should be here soon.”

Elise nodded, and just sat down at a table when two boys with disheveled hair and ripped jeans came stumbling and panting into the daycare. Elise saw how the children’s eyes widened, almost as if they were all in complete awe of the two boys in front of them.

Ms. Lee clucked in disapproval. “Luhan, Yixing, I thought you two were going to come ten minutes ago?”

Luhan nodded, panting heavily. “Sorry, Ms. Lee. We were trying to help Sehun find a new job, and we forgot how long it took to get here from the other side of town.”

Ms. Lee blinked and set her lips in a straight line. “Can I therefore assume that when I ask for a prompt arrival that you do not arrive late in the future?”

Yixing and Luhan both nodded. “Won’t happen again, Ms. Lee,” Yixing answered this time.

The older woman then flipped through Elise’s file. “Alright. Can you please introduce yourselves to our new volunteers?”

The two boys turned, and noticed Kate and Elise sitting at a round table next to Ms. Lee. “Hey, I’m Luhan, one of the orphans here. Currently twenty-two, I work at the Café Bistro down the street. I’ve been here since I was around… nine,” Luhan introduces himself and sends a charming smile in the girls’ direction. Elise remained unfazed. However, Kate looked like she was about to faint from the boy’s cuteness.

Yixing then cleared his throat. “I’m Zhang Yixing, another orphan here. I live with Luhan, and I take care of the orphanage’s garden. I’m twenty-one, and I’ve been here since I was ten.”

Elise nodded, and Kate waved at them. “I’m Kate Lee, Ms. Lee’s niece. I’ll be working with the kids here.”

By then, all attention was on Elise, and Elise felt her hands turn clammy from perspiration. She gave both Luhan and Yixing a firm gaze. “I’m Elise Joo, Kate’s friend and coworker. I’ll be working with you guys. Nice to meet you.”

Ms. Lee then picked up two folders, both holding some papers with instructions. “Thank you, everyone. Now, Luhan, Yixing, can you take Elise to your living quarters?” she asked them as she handed Elise and Kate the folders. “Elise, you can read that after your shift for today. I want you to get to know the boys today, and you’ll find out what to do during then as well. Kate, you can follow me around for today. Off you all go, now!”

~~~~~~

The walk to the boys’ living quarters was relatively quiet, for Luhan and Lay did not exactly know how to approach Elise, and Elise was not about to initiate any conversation. Footsteps echoed down the walls, and three passed rooms that held babies, children, books, and games.

After what seemed like hours, Luhan decided to try and start a conversation. “So… Elise, how come you wanted to come and volunteer here?”

Elise paused in step, which threw the two boys off guard. “I’m not sure,” she answers quietly as she looks at the floor.

Luhan snickered. “What kind of answer is that?”

She took a silent breath and shook her head. Luhan stared at her, his gaze turning disdainful. “So this is a game to you, then?”

Elise at that very moment tore her gaze from the floor and stared right back at him. “No.”

“Then why can’t you have a straight answer?”

She shook her head. “Because...”

Elise didn’t manage to finish her sentence when Luhan scoffed. “Oh, how wonderful! The stoic -faced girl has no idea why she’s here! What a perfect opportunity wasted…” he stalks off in anger after the sarcastic comment.

Elise’s eyes shut and her fists ball up in frustration. “God, damn it. He’s wrong… I just can’t tell him… and I have no other way to-“ “Elise?”

Her head snaps to the quieter boy. “Mm?” Elise responds, trying not to lose her temper.

Yixing shoots her a worried gaze. “Sorry about him. Luhan seems like he’s all good, but for real, he had a ton of happen in the past. He didn’t hurt you too bad, did he?”

Elise shook her head, but her fists were still balled. “I’m fine.”

Yixing nods and begins to walk. “Come with me? I hope you can forgive his behavior…”

She nods. “I will,” was her terse answer.

Yixing gives her a thankful smile. “Thanks, Elise, for workin’ with us.”

Elise looks up again, and sees Yixing’s sincere features. She gives him a nod back. “Welcome.”

After a few more minutes, Yixing and Elise arrive at the door of their apartment. “Well,” Yixing starts, “wanna knock the door?”

Elise takes a deep breath and glances at Yixing. Seeing that Yixing’s peaceful gaze was able to comfort her worries, Elise gently tapped the door a few times.

A tanned-skin boy opens the door, and glances really quickly at Elise before turning to Yixing. “Yo, ‘Xing, who’s this?”

“New volunteer, Elise. Now will ya let us in, Jong?”

Jongin waves his hands before opening the door further and backing up. “Come on in. Your name’s Elise, girly?”

Elise tried her hardest not to cringe at the boy. “Yes, name’s Elise. Elise Joo.”

Jongin grinned. “Nice name, gal. Say, what’s your age?”

Elise raised an eyebrow. “Twenty-two.”

The boy smirks. “Ooh, seems like you’re perfect for Kris…”

Next Elise knows, Yixing has the younger boy in a headlock. “Stop teasing her, ‘lil bro. She’s here to meet us, not to get harassed by your cheesiness.”

The said girl raises her eyebrows in amusement as she watches the two boys interact. But this amusement does not last long as the rest of the boys file in to the entrance.

She sees a total of twelve boys, including Luhan with his face full of dissatisfaction, and her hands clam up once again. Yixing, who noticed her internal panic, decides to help her out. “So Elise is our new volunteer. She’s twenty-two-“

“’Xing, she can talk,” Luhan retorts, rolling his eyes in the process.

Yixing tries not to roll his eyes in response. “I’m trying to be civilized, Luhan.”

Luhan scoffs. “Not like we’re civilized people, and not like she has us in her concern radar anyway.”

Elise shook her head vigorously, which the boys did not fail to catch. “Elise…” Yixing starts.

“I’m okay, Yixing. Thanks,” Elise nods at him. “As Yixing stated, I’m Elise Joo, currently twenty-two, and I work as a freelance writer. I came to know of Hope Orphanage through my friend, Kate, who is Ms. Lee’s niece. I’m relatively new at this, so I hope I can learn from you all. I also came because I want to understand what it’s like to work with others on a more personal level, and to help you all in any way I can. Thank you,” she ends, taking a deep breath of relief that her introductory spiel ended.

Although Luhan scoffs in the background and mutters ‘We’re not a charity case,’ Joonmyun smiles at her. “Thank you, and nice to meet you, Elise. Guys, let’s introduce ourselves. First of all, we're EXO, or we're more better known in the orphanage as the 'Big Twelve' among the little kids. I’m Joonmyun, one of the leaders of this group, twenty-one.”

“I’m Baekhyun, twenty, and I like to sing,” a shorter boy with brown hair waves.

“Kyungsoo here, nineteen, resident cook,” Kyungsoo nods at Elise.

“And resident mama as well!” a tall boy with large ears speaks up as he raises his hand in the air, earning a scowl from the “resident cook.” Elise could feel her lips pull upwards just slightly at this. “Name’s Chanyeol. Twenty. Nice to meet you, Elise!” he booms out in his deep voice.

The tallest boy in the group nods at her, keeping a firm gaze with Elise. “Kris here, other head of this group. Twenty-two.”

“Jongdae. Twenty. You’re cute!” the next boy tries to flirt with her. Elise’s eyebrow simply rose, and the boy blushes in embarrassment.

“You know that doesn’t always work, Jongdae. Anyway, I’m Minseok, twenty-two,” a boy with cute cheeks grins at her. “Welcome to Hope Orphanage!”

“You already know me, cutie, but I’m eighteen,” Jongin flashes a smirk at her, and Elise almost rolls her eyes.

The next boy was relatively stoic faced as he bore his gaze into Elise’s. “Sehun. Eighteen.”

Next, Luhan stared at her in distaste, and Elise was starting to feel really self-conscious. “Luhan. Twenty-two,” he spoke, his voice laced in anger.

The last boy looked relatively tough, but his smile gave away his sincere disposition. “I’m Tao, or Little Tao, whatever you want to call me. I’m nineteen too, so you’re like my older sister! Nice to meet you!”

Elise nodded. “Thank you for… the welcome,” she spoke quietly.

Joonmyun beamed. “No worries. How about we get to know each other a little bit?”

“I’m out on this one,” Luhan stated, as he briskly left the group, entered their bedroom, and slammed the door.

Elise flinched at the loud noise, and Yixing looked over at her with concern. She took a few deep breaths before looking out to the group. “I’m sorry.”

Kris walked up to her. “What are you sorry for?”

She took a moment before responding. “Luhan and I didn’t start off well earlier.”

Joonmyun and Kris both nodded. “It’s alright. In that case,” the taller boy began, “let’s just start off with knowing each other for today, and that jerk can wallow in his own sorrow for all we care.”

Elise looked up in alarm, remember Yixing’s past words. “Are you sure? I’m sure he’s not a jerk though, and I really don’t want him to be angry-“

Baekhyun gently clapped her on the shoulder. “Don’t worry, Elise. He’ll come around.”

Elise could only nod as the other eleven boys guided her into the small living room. “I hope so… Oh my, that was the most I’ve spoken in a while… but I’m still sorry, Luhan, for not giving you the answer you wanted.”

Hope you all enjoyed it!

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xoxo shadowonsapphire