Life had not been easy for him. His parents caged in the prison, and it made him had to take of his two young brothers. The three child also lost their house and had no relatives made them to stay in the orphanage.

 

The first day in the orphanage went quite well for the three of them. The other kids accepted them with the warm heart, making them sighed in relief.

 

The first week also went smoothly for them. They went to school again in the second day - not their prestigious school they used to go, but the one the orphanage could manage to pay - they didn't want to waste any day to study diligently.

 

All this time, the three brothers went to their school only to play around. Being the brat their was, they didn't even have the time to open their books. But knowing their conditions now and the speech from the oldest brother, they also used most of their time to study in the orphanage.

 

As the oldest, he decided to do the part-time job after his school. Because how poor they was right now, how poor they get kicked out from the school, he knew he could not just depend their self on the small orphanage. He needed to save money for their self.

 

In the fifth day, the oldest managed to get a job as a waiter in a cafe near the railway station. Lots of people passed in and out the station, making the cafe almost busy everyday.

 

Sometimes, he would also find some of his previous classmate went into the cafe, shock plastered on their faces when they saw him served them. They neither say nothing nor greeted him, but acted like a complete stranger.

 

His previous classmate used to have a tight bond despite they lived in the same rich environment. So, his heart couldn't help but to clench in pain at the sight and he would only sighed deeply. However, he didn't have time to feel ashamed and keep doing his job.

 

The first month ended. He planned to use the Sunday to bring his younger brothers to give their parents a visit. He didn't want his brothers to forget about their parents' existence, being the responsible brother he was. Besides, their parents must be in worry to not be able to hear their child's current conditions.

 

After getting the permission from the cafe's owner, the three of them took a train to go to the jail. He made the two younger brothers wore a cap to hide their faces. He didn't want them to experience the sad feeling he had witnessed with his previous classmate. He hoped they wouldn't meet anyone they used to know.

 

They stepped out from the train once they arrived in the destination place. They took a little walk to reach the jail's building and getting inside, they met the officer. From what the officer told them, they waited few minutes for their parents in a small white room. One officer was waiting in front of the door with a straight face.

 

"Yifan!" A female voice made him turned around. Suddenly, he was crushed with a tight hug from his mother. Done with him, his mother also gave a tight hug to Yixing and Zitao.

 

A pat on his shoulder made him turn to face his father. He looked tired with that eyes bag under his eyes. "How are you, son?"

 

"I am fine, Dad. How are you with mother?" He asked as they slowly took a seat, sure this conversation would took a quite long time.

 

"We are fine. But we don't have enough proof to get out from here. That bastard Sungjae! He stabbed us from behind!" His father's voice went higher as the anger came from inside.

 

"Calm down, Dad.."

 

His father sighed, "I don't know, Fan. If we can't find the proof, we need to stay here. Who will take care of you and your brothers? I am really worried your mother and me will be here for years! Orphanage is not enough for the three of you!"

 

Few seconds passed and Yifan took a deep breath before answered, "I will be the one who take care of us. That is why I have a part-time job now, Dad." "Part-time job?"

 

"Yes." He nodded. Then, the stories about the three of them in the whole month flowed out from his lips.

 

Meanwhile, the mother was also having the time with the other boys. Yixing and Zitao were telling everything as much as they could to their mom, and Mrs. Wu was happily listening to her sons' story.

 

They told her how diligent they study now, how happy their feeling when they get a perfect score, until how they need to share one bunk with three people every night. They also told their mom about the oldest brother had a part-time job now.

 

"Yifan as a cafe's waiter?"

 

"Yes, Mom!" Said the fourteen years old Zitao.

 

Yixing who was older one year than him nodded in approval. "Gege starts working after his school end until 8 p.m., in the weekend he would also working until 8 p.m."

 

[ Gege means older brother in Chinese ]

 

"Yeah. When we offered to do a part-time job, he rejected us and said that all we have to do is to study diligently."

 

"Well, that's true. I can remember in the past two months, we only played around and didn't have any will to study."

 

Their mom smiled at the sight. My child are growing up, she thought. "You two need to study hard, okay? Also, don't forget to remind your gege about it."

 

"Of course, mom." Then, they held their thumbs up with a grin plastered on their face.

 

"That is my son, I am so proud of you! Let's do a group hug!"

 

After half of an hour there, finally the officer told them the visiting time is over. With a last hug from their mother and father, the three brothers bid their farewell and promised to visit again in the next month.

 

Before they reached the station, the oldest bought a street food for them and ate it together in the nearby park.

 

"Whoa~ It is so spicy, but I like it!" Zitao said in the delight.

 

Yixing chewed down his food before nodded in agreement. "We can't find food like this in the orphanage."

 

He could only chuckled and shook his head at their reactions. "We must be thankful the orphanage allowed us to live there. They even pay our school fees as well as our daily life. How about after visiting father and mother, we will always buy food and eat it together here. Does it sound good?"

 

"Really, gege?!"

 

"Waah, that sounds good!"

 

The cheering sound from Yixing and Zitao could be heard by Yifan. Just hearing his brothers' laughter really made his day. Then, he smiled.

 

____________________________________________________

 

A young girl was watching the lovely scene of the three brothers. She was reading her book while throwing some glances at the them. She assumed the tallest boy is the oldest between them.

 

After finishing the food, she could see they were going to leave. He saw how the oldest walk in the behind to keep an eye on his brothers. Unconsciously, she smiled at his act. Such a caring brother, she thought.

 

At the next month, she was surprised when she saw the three brothers were eating together again in the same park. She took the most near spot to them and sat down in the bench. To be not too obvious, she read her book while eavesdropped their conversation.

 

She saw the skinny guy said something to the oldest. It looked like he was asking for some nickname.

 

"How about Lay? I already have a new nickname for myself." The oldest sad.

 

"I think Yixing ge would suits that Lay name." said the other boy. Honestly, he looked quite scary to her. "How about your nickname, Ge?"

 

"Kris. My nickname is Kris."

 

Kris. That name replayed over and over in her head.

 

Kris. The name that made her keep coming to the park in the last Sunday of the month only to watch him and the other boys secretly.

 

Kris. The stranger guy who made her heart flustered by his warm smiles.

 

____________________________________________________

 

Three years later....

 

"Go! Mari, go!"

 

"No! Bora, let me go!" I whispered back at her. But she was still struggling to make me go forward.

 

In the end, I stumbled to the front and made my head being slapped by the damn glass door. I knew I couldn't win against her so I straightened myself up and made my way to one of the table. Bora was following beside me with the happy face, being proud of her successful mission. However it made me irritated.

 

Trying to enjoy the calm atmosphere in the cafe, my eyes was wondering around. I was looking at the waiters, trying to spot where is Kris when my cousin touched my arm. "Take a peek behind you." She whispered.

 

Faked a movement to see a clock in the wall, I take a quite long glance at my back. And there he was, writing the order from the other customer. For this past three years watching him, it seemed like I still couldn't get enough of his slender figure.

 

"Excuse me, Mr. Waiter, we want to order now." The girly voice could be heard from Bora. It was obvious that she was calling for Kris.

 

Understood that she called him, he took more steps near us. I was still not used to him being that close, making me held my breath slightly. Damn, why did I have to be the one that like someone who was not even the person I know? Damn it.

 

Not giving the attention to the conversation between Kris and Bora, I was only listening to the question Bora gave me. "What do you want to order?"

 

"Hm..an orange juice." Unprepared and nervous, I said the first drink that came to my mind. Later, I regretted my order though when I actually wanted a strawberry milkshake.

 

"Okay." He wrote down. "Is that all?"

 

"Yes." Bora said.

 

Then he smiled and said, "Please wait a minute for the drinks." After getting some nods from Bora, he went away to put the order.

 

Bora scoffed. "Why did you become so quite all of a sudden?"

 

"Shut up." I glared jokingly at my cousin, making her giggled a bit.

 

I continued to talk with Bora to kill some minutes away. And there he came again with a tray of drinks in his hands. He said nothing and just smiled as he place down our order.

 

However, when he was going to place down my orange juice, I could see that playful smirk on my dearest cousin's face. Then everything was going to the slow motion for me.

 

She positioned her right arm behind the small wooden table and waited for the time. Just in time when Kris place the juice and he was still holding it in the brief seconds, Bora started. She lifted up her table's side a little, making my drink slipped away from his grip. Not long after, I could feel that juice covered my lap, thus making my skirt drenched in the sticky orange liquid.

 

Still in the shock, I felt someone tugged at wrist and made me stand up from my chair. Kris held my wrist and he dragged me to the cafe's bathroom.

 

He let go of me and bowed down for apology. "I am really sorry for making the juice incident just now."

 

No, Kris, it was Bora! Oh how I wish I could say that out loud, really. "Don't, it is okay. It is not your fault." I tried to cheer him up by a little smile.

 

He sighed a little before said, "Maybe you should clean your skirt first. I am going to take something."

 

"Okay." I replied.

 

Then with the little smile, he went away and left me standing alone in that room. Had no choice, I went to the ladies bathroom. At least, with some tissue and the water, I managed to clean it up.

 

When I stepped out, I saw Kris waiting for me with a jersey on his hand. "Oh..Miss. You can wear this."

 

"Is this jersey yours?" I took his blue jersey and wrapped it around my waist. Glad it could cover my stained skirt.

 

"Yes, that's mine. By the way, what is your name, Miss?"

 

I got surprised a bit when he asked my name. I mean, why would he? "My name is Mari. Jung Mari. How about yours?"

 

"My name is Kris Wu." Then, he took out his hand for a handshake. "I see you come here often, Mari-ssi. Nice to meet you."

 

I became surprised that he actually noticed my presence here. While laughing inside me, I was wondering if he knew that I came to the cafe mostly to see him. "Yes, nice to meet you too, Kris-ssi." I take his right hand for a handshake.

 

After a few seconds of handshake, I asked him a question. "But how can I return the jersey to you?"

 

He thought for a while about it. "How if we meet in the park?"

 

"Which park?"

 

"The park near the station. This Sunday, at 9 a.m." He grinned at me and said the next words with so much anticipation. "And don't be late."

 

"Don't be late?" I said with a furrowed eyebrows at his warning-like words.

 

He tapped my shoulder and whispered something before he leave. "Because it is a date, Mari-ssi. In the first day of Spring."

 

I was completely dazed. My heartbeat became more faster, my hands became more sweaty, and all I could do was only watching his back until he disappeared from my sight.

 

Spring? I smiled. Why do only now I become so excited with the Spring?

 

I looked at the ground while trying to bit back a wide smile. I knew we were going to have a good time from now on. Thanks God.

 

Also, thank you for this, my lovely cousin.

 

____________________________________________________

 

Seven years later....

 

I brushed aside some hair from his forehead. He was sleeping soundly while his arms wrapped around my waist. I could feel his breath on my hair, making me sleepy again. He must be so tired after the meeting yesterday.

 

Some minutes later, the alarm let out the noisy sound as the sign for us to wake up. Well, I had woken up so I reached out to turn off the alarm. I would just wake him up by myself.

 

"Yifan." I poked his left cheek with my finger and did it again and again. However he woke up and looked at me with his half-opened eyes.

 

"Hmm.." He hummed lazily at me, eyes closed again.

 

I kissed his nose and smiled. "We have to go to the family gathering. I am sure Baixian also missed his grandparents as well as his uncles. Wake up, okay? It is the first day of Spring!"

 

Finally, he opened his eyes completely and gazed down at me. "First day of Spring?" He chuckled.

 

Leaning in, he gave a peck at my lips and whispered, "I am sure I have said that somewhere, Mari."

 

 

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It's completed now. A one-shot for you guys ;) ah.. how is it? Haha I think I am going to make a chaptered fics of this one-shot x)

 

By the way, thank you for reading. It means a lot to me ;) See ya~