“You know you don’t have to come with me,” you say as you stare at Daehyun. You have decided to go visit the orphanage and Daehyun came to tag along with you when he saw you walk out of your house.

Daehyun shrugs at you. “The little girl expects me to come again.”

“Ah, are you getting attached to a little girl, Daehyun? That doesn’t seem like you,” you tease, giggling at Daehyun’s response with a crinkled forehead. “Keep frowning and you will get wrinkles~”

Daehyun scoffs at this. “Maybe this is why you have wrinkles,” he says, poking you before walking ahead. You squeak at his touch and pout at his comment. “Let’s go.”

You stood there staring at Daehyun’s retreating form before smiling softly. You could feel the bond between you two get stronger. And the more it got stronger the more he was opening up to you, somewhat. Now you were just waiting til he says those three magic words….honestly, you were waiting to see his face.

“Oi!”

Jumping out of thought, you sheepishly smile at the boy of your thoughts and race towards him. “Mianhae~ I’m coming.”

***

“Ahjumma!! I’m here and I brought someone with me~” you exclaim as you open the door to the building. Daehyun came in after and sighed as you bolted towards the living room.

When you entered the living room, ahjumma was sitting on the old ruffle chair while reading a book to one of the younger girls in the dorm. “Annyeong dear,” ahjumma says, her eyes crinkling as she smiled. “Did you bring your boyfriend again?”

“Ahjumma!” you cry out in embarrassment, face turning red. “H-he is not my boyfriend.” Daehyun coughs in ignominy. If you looked closely, his ears were turning red. ‘Not yet..but I will be…hopefully’, he thinks glancing at you shyly.

“Ah! It’s mask oppa!” a little girl cried out. The ahjumma laughed as the girl attempted to jump and hug him but only hugged his legs.

“Minnie, behave now dear.”

“But ahjumma~~ Mask oppa is here! I must give him a hug!”

Daehyun rolls his eyes at you as you struggled to stifle your small giggles. You thought it was adorable the way Minnie looked at Daehyun, it was like a younger sister looking at her role model.

You then looked around to find Hyun-ki, he was like a little brother. He reminded you so much of your old ones. You sigh as you remember your younger brothers, you wondered where they were now and if they were doing well. Every night before you went sleep, you prayed that one day you will all meet again. If only it was that easy, right?

“I’m going to look for Hyun-ki,” you stated, walking towards the dorm where the children would sleep. Daehyun and the ahjumma nodded towards you as you walked away. “Hyun-ki” you frowned as you entered the room.

Looking around, you couldn’t spot the little boy and decided to walk around just in case. “Hyun-ki?” you say unsurely as you go to his bed. You got even more worried as you see his bed was unmade and his covers were on the floor, like he was in a rush. Picking it up, you held it close to you as you once again look for Hyun-ki.

‘Where are you Hyun-ki?’ you make his bed, a job that the boy would usually do, and walked out to meet the ahjumma and Daehyun in the front yard.

When you arrived at the front yard you called out to the ahjumma. Turning to you, the ahjumma smiled at you. “Yes dear, what is it?” she says but frowns when she realizes that Hyun-ki is not with you. “Where is Hyun-ki darling?”

Your stomach churned nervously as you now know that she doesn’t know where the boy was either. “I don’t know,” you say softly, clenching your fists. You were getting worried. Hyun-ki would usually wait for you. He would usually stay in the living room or on his bed. Unless, something happened.

“Are you okay?” Daehyun asks as he walks towards you with small concern written on his face. You shake your head as you sigh deeply.