A boy was sneaking out of an orphanage. Grabbing a packet of snacks, he ran towards the playground.

 A girl’s eyes lit up when she saw the boy. “You are here!” she exclaimed, hugging the boy.

The boy was taller than her by a few inches. He bent down to her height and ruffled her hair. “Yes I’m,” he smiled, his cheekbones becoming more prominent. “There,” he handed her a packet of food.

It was just a small packet, but she was delighted enough already. She munched down happily, her fringe falling over her cheeks, but she ignored it. The boy brushed it away for her.

He didn’t know why he was doing this just for her. Usually, he snuck out to collect cardboards and trashcans to sell and earn money, so one day he can escape from the orphanage. The kids there bullied him because he was quiet and small.

But it wasn’t his fault, they can’t talk in their heads like he could. His family could too, but…. They died.

He always sees black and grey and dark blue lines around the children there. He can’t control his ability properly yet. It was killing him to see so much. It was killing him so feel so much depression around him.

This girl’s energy was different. It still had grey and blue. But some other colours too. She felt happier, and it made him happy.

“I’m done!” the girl looked up and smiled, with crumbs all over . He wiped it off with his thumb for her.

“How’s your mom?”

Her eyes fell. “Still sleeping,” she sighed, slouching her shoulders, looking dejected.

The boy bit his lips nervously. “Ah…”

“She’ll wake up one day,” she said, softly, but confidently. “Because the stars are will make her well again.”

He smiled, nodding.

He came back almost every night to visit the girl. Some days, they would sit on the swing and talk, mostly about random things like why were the skies blue or why did rain fall. Some days, she would bring him to visit her mom and they sat by her bedside and told her about things they did. Some days, they would just lay on the grass and the boy will sing lullabies for the girl, or hum some tunes together.

This went on for about a week.

“Do you live around here?” he finally asked her one day.

“Mm, but I haven’t went home since my mom was hospitalised.”

“You should go home and wash up, you know. Stinky,” he teased, pinching his nose for effect.

“I’m not!” she whined, but giggling, jumping up and down to emphasise.

“Come, let’s go,” he pulled her, away from the playground. “You’ll lead the way!”

Her mom told her that she shouldn’t bring strangers to her house. But she knew the boy wasn’t dangerous. Nor was he a stranger…

After a 15 minutes’ walk, they reached a little house. The girl looked at the boy expectantly.

“Huh?”

“Open up!”

“It’s your house…” he reminded.

“But I don’t have the keys! Do you?”

The boy laughed in exasperation. “Why would I have the keys to your house, silly?”

She shrugged. “Then why else did you ask me to bring you here?”

He sighed. After all, she seemed like she’s only five. Oh well.

He took a bobby pin off her head and fumbled with the lock. Once, his orphanage-mates locked in up in the store room. He asked for help in his head and someone taught him how to unlock doors. His name was Dylan.

“There..” he said, pushing the door open,

“I knew you could open it,” the girl smiled, feeling truimphant, even thought it wasn't her who unlocked the door.

The boy felt choked once he stepped into the house. It was not a luxurious house, not much to it. But it was comfy, filled with warmth, and love. There was a tinge of lavender scent in the house. His mom loved lavender too… it smelt of home.

He had never cried since the day they died three years ago, but now he felt tears welling up in his eyes. He may be strong, he may be tough. But behind it all, he was still a child. He still craved for love and warmth.

He bit his lips to stop himself from crying. The girl saw. She slipped her hands into his and didn’t say anything. She didn’t know what came over him, or why he felt like crying. But she knew that he won’t want to say. So she kept quiet. Sometimes, silence is the best comfort.

Eventually he let his tears fall. The girl still held onto his hand.

After he calmed down, the girl went to wash up. He looked around the house. There were still food. Not plenty, but enough to get by.

He needed to stop sneaking out so often, and he needed to stop stealing snacks. The in-charge of the orphanage were getting suspicious, and they are stepping up on sentry. He was reluctant to stop visiting her, though. She made him happy, like no one else did. He couldn't remember smiling so much since his family...

Seeing that she had food in her house made him more relieved.

He taught the girl how to unlock the door using her pin, and warned her not to teach anyone.

He told the girl what food she can eat, and how she should ration her food.

“You sound like you are never coming back….” She asked, softly. She grabbed his hands. “Don’t leave me alone…”

The boy ignored her question. “Come, let’s go back to the hospital,” he tugged her hand. The air smelt of rain and he had to go back to the orphanage soon, anyway.

The girl knew that he purposely ignored the question. She was upset, and hurt.

The walk back was silent.

They laid on the grass, looking at the stars.

“Oppa,” she whispered softy. He looked at her in surprise. She had never called him ‘oppa’ before. It was always ‘you’. “What’s your name? If you ever go away, and can’t come back, I’m going to find you when we grow up and we can be together again,” she smiled.

Streaks of lightning flashed across the sky. Thunder roared, announcing the imminent thunderstorm.

“It doesn’t matter, we are going to forget each other when we grow up anyway,” he sighed. I’m already starting to forget how my own family looked like. I close my eyes and try to picture their faces, but I can’t anymore. We forget so easily…

“I won’t… you will always be in here!” she pointed to her chest. “Even if one day, I forget how you looked and what’s your name, you’ll still be in here. With my mom and dad and me.”

They looked at each other, eyes interlocking. They smiled at each other.

Another streak of lighting flashed, illuminating the night sky once again.

This time, it illuminated her eyes too.

There was a streak of gold.

He stifled a gasp. He knew he had to help her mom. To protect her.

“Let’s go find your mom, she will be scared of the thunder.”

The girl readily agreed, she was afraid of thunder and lightning too.

She snuggled up her mother’s bed. The boy waited for her to sleep.

He then begin his work. He closed his eyes and let himself fall deep into an abyss in his mind. He found himself floating amongst different coloured energy lines. He wandered around, trying to search for the life-line of the girl’s mother. It was a tiring feat, requiring vast amounts of concentration that is unimaginable for a 9-year-old.

Finally, he found a weak reddish-blue line, entangled with black lines. By instincts, he knew that that was it. Using everything he could, he pulled it out of the black ones, making the reddish blue line stronger.

But the boy was so exhausted. He collapsed.

The Captain (leader of the stars) sighed as he teleported in front of him. Even though he wasn’t young anymore, he still had strength to cradle the boy in his arms, teleporting him back into the orphanage.

Telepathically, he spoke to him. (The captain wasn’t a Korean). He his cheeks gently as he did.

You’ve done a great job, child. You’ve tired yourself too much….

You’re going to be a great seeker when you grow up. A really responsible and capable one.

You won’t remember this when you wake up, child, but when the right time comes, you’ll eventually remember what I’ve said.

You are going to be her guardian angel. Both of you will feel an inexplicable sense of familiarity, and you two are going to be very close.

As her guardian angel, you’ll always be protecting her, guiding her, looking after her. She may eventually fall for you, and you, her. But please bear in mind, you are only her guardian angel. After you’ve done your duties, you’ll eventually have to leave her. You won’t want to, but that’s fate…

I’m warning you now, I hope you will remember my warnings before either of you fallen too hard...

The boy fidgeted in his sleep. He whined and groaned because he was uncomfortable, running a high fever and constantly nauseous.

Be brave, kid. He kissed his forehead, like a father would, before disappearing in a flash.

(It's time you guys knew what happened when they were kids! kkekek. sorry this took long. tough day ytd mmmm)