Final
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A petite figure was sitting silently at the benches, with his legs swung back and forth while his gaze was wondering everywhere near his vision. The cold breeze hit his skin, but nevertheless, he didn’t feel cold at all. Instead, he felt warm and… secure.

After a good fifteen minutes of staring at the trees and blankly at the sky, a few muffles of voices was heard by his own ears, making him turn around to the source’s direction. With pursed lips, his gaze followed the male children that are heading towards the soccer field to play soccer. They were chatting happily with together.

He has friends, of course. But all of them were tasked on a certain activity except him, making him feel lonely and soulless. He was one of the children that didn’t need too much work pressured on.

When the group of male children arrived at the soccer field, they immediately played, of course, after making a few rules to be obeyed. He silently walked to the soccer field and hid behind the bushes, watching them play carefully and attentively.

He observed them and realized that they were a group of kids that are teenagers, around the age of thirteen till eighteen. All of their faces were plastered with smiles and laughter, making him envious of how they treat each other.

“Give it to Woon! He’s the striker,” one of the teens yelled at the boy who was now controlling the ball. The boy heard him and immediately passed the ball to the boy who he claimed as ‘Woon’ as what one of the teens that yelled referred.

Loud yells and happy screams filled the silent air when the ball went straight to the goal. He widened his eyes and a smile appeared on his lips when he found this soccer game interesting. Wanting to know more about the game, he fixed his position so he could watch comfortably and be unseen at the same time.

 

 

After a few more minutes, all of the teens that are in the soccer field stopped playing and they either lay their backs on the ground or sit on the ground while their arms were pressuring their weight. Sweat was visible in their temples and arms, making it evident that all of them were exhausted after the game.

The boy watched in amusement. With his eyes, he could claim that the game seems so easy to play like how Joonmyeon told him to throw the ball for the first time. But the difference is we don’t throw the ball. But we kick the ball by our feet.

The boy stood up slowly then he made sure that he won’t be seen behind the bushes. They’ll surely laugh at him when they found out that he was watching all along.

Even though he didn’t know what the name of the game is, he imitated Woon, the striker that always shoots into the goalpost. Swing right foot to the front like you’re kicking the ball, he thought to himself and began to swing his right leg forward. Unfortunately, he stumbled and fell to the grassy ground. He rubbed his and painfully muttered.

“Someone there?” the boy looked up and gulped. Uh-oh. I think it made a sound, he thought and waited for the worst. Then the bushes’ leaves were moved to the sides, and he saw one of the players looking at him. He noticed that it was the striker; Woon.

“Oh!” Woon grinned and began to approach him. The boy looked at Woon in bewilderment when he noticed Woon’s actions. He stood up and immediately bowed in an ashamed manner.

“I-I am s-sorry, s-sunbae,” he stuttered, still with his body bent and his eyes avoiding Woon’s eyes. He heard Woon chuckle shortly before he felt himself straightened up by someone’s help and stare at Woon’s eyes.

Woon gave him a lopsided smile. “What are you sorry for? You’re watching the game, right?” he asked and the boy nodded in response. Woon held his wrist and began to pull the boy towards the soccer field. “Come on. It’s no fun watching discreetly behind the bushes and far away from the field,” Woon said.

The boy blinked in surprised. How come could he know that he was here all along? Is he that obvious? And why wasn’t he mad at him? He—

“Me and my friends won’t bite you, you know,” Woon mumbled, making the boy’s cheek flush in embarrassment. The boy pursed his lips and began talking, “I-I don’t k-know y-you…” he stammered.

Woon looked at him and crouched down to the boy’s height. Yeah, he was tall. Woon extended a hand towards the boy and the boy just looked at his hand. Woon chuckled at his innocence. “I am Lee Woon. Sixteen. Male. And you are…?”

“K-kim M-minseok. S-seven. M-male,” Minseok slowly spoke although he was stammering all along. Woon ruffled his hair and smiled affectionately.

“Now it wasn’t that hard, was it?” Woon gripped his wrist and pulled Minseok towards the soccer field.

Minseok was about to protest about being ‘strangers’ but Woon beat him to it. “We are not strangers anymore, Minseok-ah. We already introduced ourselves, right?” he reasoned and it made Minseok speechless because of how right Woon was. “And call me hyung. Sunbae seems too formal for me.”

As a response, Minseok eventually nodded.

Woon smiled and picked him up from the ground by holding his waist, making Minseok shriek when he felt that his feet wasn’t touching the ground anymore. Minseok stared at the older male wide-eyed while Woon just chuckled at his behavior. Woon walked towards the soccer field and was greeted by his friends.

“Hey, Woon hyung!” one boy with brown hair greeted him. Then suddenly his gaze turned to Minseok. “And this is…?”

“Minseok. This is Minseok, Yunho,” Woon introduced and put Minseok down to the ground slowly. Minseok quickly hid behind Woon as soon as he felt his feet were already touching the cold grassy ground, shy because he never knew them.

Actually, Minseok knew who they were. They were the teenagers in Sanwoo Orphanage, but he never knew their names besides his friends who are still around his age or younger. However, he sometimes likes to glance at the teenage boys’ direction when he got the chance.

Minseok let out a low shriek when he saw Yunho’s face appeared right beside him—grinning. He buried his face into Woon’s shirt deeper and shut his eyes tightly while clutching to Woon’s soccer jersey. He heard Yunho chuckle and his face were inches away from Woon’s body when Yunho pulled him to meet his gaze.

“Hello there, young man,” Yunho greeted and crouched down to meet his level, but Minseok just blinked at the older male. Yunho pursed his lips and ruffled his hair playfully. “I am Jung Yunho. And you must be Minseok. Am I right?” he spoke slowly as Minseok processed his words. When he finally got what Yunho meant, he nodded.

Yunho smiled and picked up the soccer ball that was near him. Minseok’s eyes twinkled in excitement, but he didn’t show it by smiling or giving a curious response. He was afraid that he might embarrass himself and he knows he wasn’t supposed to ask what that ‘thing’ is.

Yunho showed him the soccer ball right in front of Minseok’s face. “This is a soccer ball. Do you know how to play it?” he asked again.

Minseok shook his head slowly. Yunho smiled and straightened up himself, making Minseok have to look up to him due to the height difference. “I saw you hiding behind the bushes for a mere second, though. Do you want us to teach you how to play it?”

Hearing the offer made Minseok’s hyperactive mode on. Minseok nodded abruptly and Yunho laughed at his response. Yunho turned his head to Woon and pointed at Minseok. “Should we teach him? He seems so enthusiastic,” he asked.

“Why not?” Woon gave Yunho a small smile. Woon traced his gaze toward’s Minseok’s curious eyes and tugged on his small hand. “Do you want to play with us?” he asked and Minseok nodded abruptly again.

“Then watch Yunho hyung first, okay?” Woon pointed at Yunho’s direction and Minseok followed his gaze. Minseok saw that the ball wasn’t in Yunho’s hands again; it was already on the ground. Yunho looked at him but Minseok’s eyes were only focusing on the soccer ball.

Yunho kicked the ball lightly and aimed it to Minseok. Minseok who didn’t know what he was supposed to do, stood there and let the ball hit his shoe covered toes. Minseok blinked for a few times before he picked the ball with both hands and looked at Yunho and Woon in bewilderment.

Woon approached him and crouched down. He took the ball from Minseok’s grip and placed it in front of his right leg. Woon held Minseok’s right leg softly and began to swing it. Minseok held Woon’s shoulder just stared at him in confusion.

Knowing that his motion didn’t work, Woon stood up and pointed at his foot. Minseok obeyed and looked at what Woon meant. “You have to kick the soccer ball,” Minseok heard Woon mumble then with a small push from Woon’s toes, the ball moved one foot away  from Woon’s leg.

Minseok nodded in understanding and he picked up the ball before placing it in front of his right leg. He imitated Woon’s action and was happy that the ball moved although not as far as Woon does. Minseok started to kick it here and there as his laugh echoed through the soccer field.

“Looks like there are going to be another soccer lover,” Yunho told Woon as he saw Woon looking at Minseok with a smile in his face. Woon turned his head to Yunho and nodded, agreeing with Yunho’s statement. Seeing that Minseok’s face brightened when he played soccer made him knew something; he has an interest for soccer.

“I guess you’re right,” Woon chuckled and Yunho followed. Both of them observed Minseok from afar.

 

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After an hour of playing, Minseok was covered with sweat. But he didn’t care. At least he knew some techniques that Woon and Yunho gave to him so he could play alone if they weren’t there to accompany him play soccer in the field.

Dinner time arrived, but Minseok decided to go a bit later since he went back to the orphanage house a bit more lately than usual because of the soccer lessons. However, he didn’t seem to mind about that—in fact, he is okay with it.

After he took his clothes on, he went out the door and was greeted by an unfamiliar female face. Shocked, he took a step backward to control his breath. Minseok was about to explode, but suddenly the feeling went away when he saw her features.

She looks younger than him. Shorter a few inches from him. She had those dark innocent brown orbs that managed to steal his breath away. Her skin was fair-toned. Her hair is dark brown that reaches two inches below her shoulder. Her lips were formed into a small smile.

She was pretty, he thought.

After a few minutes of silence but still staring to each other’s eyes, the silence broke by the girl’s voice. “Umm… hello,” she mumbled shyly as she looked down to her hands that are fiddling with each other, motioning that she was nervous.

Minseok blinked and a small smile formed on his lips. “Hello… too,” he replied. The girl looked up and once again his eyes were caught staring at her dark brown orbs. Her eyes were telling him that she didn’t know him or this place.

“You’re new here… right?” Minseok asked hesitantly. But the girl nodded eventually. Her eyes were still staring at Minseok’s eyes, but her head was bowed a little. “Yes,” she mumbled and her fingers fiddled with each other. Minseok noticed this and it seems that this is one of her habits.

“And you are…?” the girl pursed her lips, almost regretting that she was going to ask a question. However, her instincts told her to ask him.

“Minseok,” he answered casually and smiled at her. But suddenly he went nervous. “Kim Minseok. S-seven years old. How about you? Who are you?”

The girl bowed her head and blew out a sigh. “I’m five years old,” she answered a bit sad.

Minseok was expecting another introduction. But however, his predictions were wrong because the younger girl didn’t say anything else. He was expecting her name. He wants to know her name. Age isn’t enough, because your real identity is your name.

“How about your name?” Minseok asked. Suddenly he realized that he wasn’t stuttering. He already felt comfortable by talking to the girl even though they just met less than ten minutes. And that was a huge surprise for him because he wasn’t the type that would feel comfortable with anyone in an instant.

The girl opened and was about to answer until a voice made both of them look up. “Oh, there you two are!” Yeonwoo, the chief of Sanwoo orphanage, sighed in relieve and quickly approached them. She crouched down and looked at the two youngsters. “I was looking everywhere for both of you,” Yeonwoo panted, because she has been running through the whole building to find them.

Minseok bowed almost immediately after realizing his actions. “S-sorry, Mrs. Jung. I-I didn’t mean to be l-late for d-dinner,” he answered. But then he realized that he was stuttering again and ignored it. However, he was curious again on why he stuttered again.

Yeonwoo smiled at Minseok and nodded in response. Then she turned her head to the girl. “And you, little girl,” she said in a cute tone but slightly failed. “Where did you go? I told you to stay in the office until I came back. I thought you were already brought to the dining room by one of the caretakers.”

The girl bowed politely and Minseok just noticed that the girl was wearing a pink floral dress that reached under her knees. She looked stunningly beautiful, but Minseok couldn’t put a finger on it when he found something odd about her. “I… was finding a bathroom,” the girl answered a bit nervous.

Yeonwoo smiled at the girl and she looked at the two kids. She straightened up herself before she said, “Okay. Now let’s go to the dining room. I bet your tummies are growling of hunger already.”

Minseok and the girl nodded in unison and they went to the dining room with Minseok leading in the front, the girl in his back and Yeonwoo watching them from behind in case something happened to them. Yeonwoo smiled when Minseok told the girl the directions to the dining room slowly as she understood the directions slowly. Then the girl exchanged places with him; she in the front and him behind her.

Minseok slowly slowed his pace to get in rhythm with Yeonwoo’s steps. He tugged on Yeonwoo’s shirt and Yeonwoo crouched down a little so she could hear what he was going to say while they’re walking towards the dining room.

“What’s wrong, Minseok?” Yeonwoo asked softly and looked into Minseok’s eyes. Minseok glanced at the new girl once before focusing his attention back at the chief. He pointed at the girl’s direction.

“What’s her name, Mrs. Jung?” he asked hesitantly.

Yeonwoo chuckled and she straightened up herself. She took a spare glance at the girl who’s walking in front of both of them not knowing what they’re talking about before she answered, “I think you should ask her yourself, Minseok.”

The latter sighed, but he nodded eventually before he began to pace up to meet the girl’s steps. The girl was surprised when she looked to her left and founded Minseok standing right beside her while grinning at her friendly.

Not knowing the time, they finally arrived at the dining room. The three of them entered the dining room and founded that no one was there and the table was clean as new. Yeonwoo claimed that everyone had finished eating and now the kids were studying in the orphanage’s study hall.

“Okay. Take your seats, okay? I’m going to prepare your dinner,” Yeonwoo instructed and they obeyed. Yeonwoo left the dining room to take their food.

 

"I need to pee..." Minseok heard the girl mutter a few minutes later after Yeonwoo left. He turned his head to her and saw that she was looking at him; hoping for an answer.

Understanding what she meant, he nodded. "The bathroom's there," he pointed to the corner of the dining room; where the bathroom is located.

The girl smiled at him before she made a dash to the door. The door slammed loud, making Minseok flinch in his seat. A few minutes later, the girl came back with a relieved expression.

"Have you flushed it?" Minseok asked when the girl had sat back to her place; right beside him.

She nodded and smiled at him. "Yes, I have."

Even though they had barely meet more than fifteen minutes, Minseok felt like he was already drawn cloeser to her---because he wasn't stuttering that much when he was with her. Call him ridiculous, but this was true.

The girl beside him kept silent as Minseok threw silent glances at her. He gulped down slowly and lowered his head before he muttered, "I... w-what's your name?"

Minseok turned his head into a left angle; peeking through his bangs. He saw that the girl was still silent, and only her breathing can be heard in his ears. A few seconds later, the girl managed to say, "I-I don't have a n-name..."

With that, Minseok raised his head and stared at the younger girl in disbelief. Before he could say anything, the girl added, "B-but mom said that my family name is Kang."

Mom? Minseok silently hummed and his gaze suddenly was interested at the napkin in front of him. He felt sad all of a sudden.

Mom... the person who gave us birth.

Mom... the person who raised us.

Mom... the person who loved us.

But to Minseok... that was the word that he had never said it again after two years.

The person he had never met again after two years.

The person who left him two years ago.

Minseok shook the pained thought as he fixed his vision at the girl. She tugged on his sleeve when he didn't respond her. "Are you okay?" She asked a bit concerned.

"I'm okay!" Minseok tried to beam, but his attempt failed. He hoped that she didn't notice his odd behavior.

Fortunately, his hopes were fulfilled when the girl let go of his sleeve while smiling at him widely. She blinked her eyes before saying, "I'm hungry," a small growl managed to reach Minseok's ears.

Knowing what the girl said, Minseok turned his head and began to search of a presence that brought him here. "Let's wait. Mrs. Jung will come!" He turned his head back to the girl and grinned at her.

The girl nodded a bit sorrowly and let go of her hands from Minseok's sleeve. She stared blankly at the empty table in front of them, making Minseok curious on what she was thinking.

Then a thought