The incessant ringing of the phone finally made Jaekyung pry her tired eyes open. She squinted in the brightness and picked up the call before even looking at the caller id.

"Hhhheeelllllllooooooo??" she drawled on sleepily.

"You're still sleeping? I'm outside your door for fifteen minutes already!" came a rather amused but somewhat frustrated voice.

Jaekyung frowned. "You sound like Myungsoo Oppa." she mumbled.

"Because I am?" the voice replied.

Jaekyung's eyes widened and she perked up. She glanced at the clock and realised it was 9:15am, fifteen minutes after the arranged time for L to pick her up. "Oh no!" she flustered. "You're outside the door already?" she yelped as she ran downstairs.

In less than ten seconds, the door flung opened, revealing a very clean and sleek looking L, even though he was just dressed in casual slacks and a button down shirt. He raised his brows at Jaekyung's messy bed hair and tweety bird pyjamas.

"You like Tweety?" L asked, amused.

Jaekyung looked down at herself and blushed. "Shut up." she pouted, pushing L into her house. "Give me ten minutes to wash up and I'll be ready okay?"

She rushed up again and L could hear her throwing her wardrobe open in a frantic search for clothes. He chuckled quietly to himself when he recalled her half-sleepy expression as she opened the door.

It was adorable.

Even though she didn't have any makeup on, she still looked immensely cute and endearing, innocent and breathtaking. She was the definition of true beauty.

True to her words, Jaekyung was done in ten minutes. L was surprised to see her looking fresh in casual skinnies and a cute tee, when he was expecting to wait for half an hour. "You're done?" he glanced at his watch. "That was...fast." he blinked.

Jaekyung giggled as she pushed the boxes. "I'm not like other women who take an hour to get ready, sorry to disappoint you Myungsoo Oppa." she teased. L chuckled as he helped her load the encyclopedias into his truck.

They departed for the nearest orphanage: Sunshine Orphanage.

L's gaze softened as the orphanage came into view. He smiled gently as he helped Jaekyung bring some books in, his eyes taking in the every corner of the rundown place. *It's been so long.*

"Hi may I help you?" a woman came out. Her eyes widened when she saw L. "Myungsoo!" she gasped. "You're back!"

Jaekyung blinked in surprise when the woman and L began embracing, with the ahjuma looking L up and down, praising him for growing up well. Jaekyung was confused. *How did Myungsoo Oppa know the Head Mistress of Sunshine Orphanage?*

"Myungsoo Oppa..." Jaekyung tugged at his sleeve gently. L broke out of his happy reunion and brought Jaekyung to see the Head Mistress.

"Head Mistress Im, this is my co-worker Jaekyung." L introduced. "And she bought all these encyclopedias, wanting to give it to the children."

Head Mistress Im smiled at Jaekyung warmly. "Thank you Jaekyung, you're such a dear!" she praised. "I'm sure the kids would love the books very much! We don't get books often and the library is getting more and more depleted."

L tapped his chin thoughtfully as he followed behind Head Mistress Im who led them in. "I remember there wasn't even a library when I was here."

"Of course we did improve on some things," Head Mistress Im laughed. "It's been years."

Jaekyung looked at both of them puzzledly. *Myungsoo Oppa stayed here before? But this is an orphanage. This place is for....orphans.* she frowned.

L noticed Jaekyung in her own world, blanking out completely and he shook his head in amusement. "Jaekyung ah." he waved his hand in front of her. Jaekyung blinked. "Yes Oppa?"

L chuckled. "Head Mistress Im told she can help us transport the books to the other orphanages since there's a meeting between the orphanages next week." he informed. "So for now, she hopes we can help with cooking the lunch while waiting for the kids to come out from their morning lesson, then we can present the books to them during lunch."

Jaekyung beamed. "Okay!"

The afternoon found them both working hard in the kitchen, chopping away veggies and meat, stirring stews and all. Jaekyung was talented in everything, singing, dancing, electronics, kungfu, seduction, musical instruments, and other thousand things you can think of.

But if there's something she's lacking, it's culinary skills.

She puffed her cheeks frustratedly as she watched L stir the pot of vegetable stew, not able to help. "Is there anything I can do, Myungsoo Oppa?" she asked.

L gave her a pointed look. "I don't think you should help anymore. We don't want to pour another bottle of salt in, and waste another pot of soup."

Jaekyung pouted angrily. "That was an accident!" she defended. "I won't mess up again! And it's not my fault that I'm just not adapted to kitchen life."

"Kitchen life?" L laughed. He tasted the soup and bit his lips thoughtfully. "Pass me the soy sauce will you, Jaekyung?"

Jaekyung nodded happily, glad that she was finally of some use. She looked up and down, opening numerous drawers and skimming through shelves, but she didn't see any soy sauce lying around. "Where is it?" she muttered.

L came behind her and opened the wardrobe, taking the soy sauce from the top shelf. "Sorry." he told her. "I forgot you weren't familiar with this place."

Jaekyung blinked as he took in his words. *So he is? Then it's true? Myungsoo oppa really stayed here before...*

"You must be thinking that I'm an orphan right?" L broke her thoughts, smiling at her. Jaekyung nodded bashfully. L shrugged, continuing with the stirring of the soup.

"It's no big deal." L stated. "Me and the rest of the Infinite members. We were orphaned from young. We left the orphanage when we were fifteen since we thought we could depend on ourselves, and gained more orphaned members along the way. Sungjong was the last one who joined us."

Jaekyung cocked her head to the side. "How did...how.." she mumbled.

"How did my parents die?" L asked. Jaekyung nodded shyly. L grinned at her to show that it was alright to ask.

"I don't know if they're alive or not, to be honest." L told her. "I was just found, abandoned. I don't know who they are and I don't care. It's their choice." he shrugged.

Jaekyung softened and went to his side, touching his arm lightly. "Don't say that." she frowned. "I'm sure they had a reason why they had to abandon you. Every parent that does that will have their own unspeakable reason." she said firmly. Her gaze lowered. "Just like mine did." she whispered.

L didn't let that pass. "Yours?" he asked with raised brows. "You're an orphan too?" he asked, completely astonished.

Jaekyung nodded. She sighed as she cut the vegetables. "I was abandoned too." she confessed. "Chunji oppa had been there with me from young, but his parents were dead. Mine? I have no idea."

She bit her lip for a bit before continuing. "He told me, that my parents had reasons for doing something like this. There had to be. So I believed him." she smiled softly. "I choose to believe that my parents do love me, and even though I may not have the prettiest childhood, at least I'm willing to give other children a prettier one."

L's gaze softened. *She went through all those as well? But I couldn't tell. She seems happy. Does that explain why sometimes she so uptight and suspicious about things?* he let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. *Lee Jaekyung, just what else is there to find out about you?*

"Waaah! You're such a great cook Myungsoo Oppa!" Jaekyung praised as she took a sip of his stew.

L chuckled and ruffled her hair. *At least, I know I won't let you suffer like you did anymore.*