NINE

      “Hey, I'm home !”

Some variety show named after some family showing off their daily life on TV is airing when the front door opens. A glance at the hour on the TV box tells me it's eleven in the morning and some boy just came back home. Certainly this Danny boy Gabe talked about.

A wave of anxiety crosses my body before my curiosity takes over. I can't help wonder what this boy looks like. With his only 'Hey I'm home' I can bet he's a lively boy. I'm impatient to meet him, and a look at Hyesung sitting beside me on the couch makes me grin. Here is shy Hyesung back. He was never that comfortable with new people in the street, and if over time he decided to just be rude and tempered around them -here it's not something he can do if he doesn't want to create any issue with Danny.

“Hey Danny. How was your day ?” I hear Gabe's voice from the kitchen where he settled just a few minutes ago to think about lunch -that's what he said !

“Good. Michael said I could have my week-end if I wanted. I'll work overtime tonight and tomorrow then.” The boy's voice echoes closer before meeting Gabe's in the kitchen.

Hyesung and me are still sitting in the living room listening to the new boy and wondering what to do. Are we supposed to go meet him or are we supposed to wait for him to come to us ? I don't know and I'm itching to just go meet him to get over with it and eventually know if I can settle in the same room as Hyesung. The sudden reminding of the rooms makes me anxious.

What if Danny doesn't want to switch ? What if he doesn't like us and don't even want us here ? Why would he even be nice to us and leave a room that's definitely his ?

! Now I'm worried and uncomfortable.

“Should we go say hi ?” I hear beside me, and even if Hyesung whispered it sounds like a yell in my ear which almost startles me.

The boy frowns at me and eyes me before rolling his eyes.

“Jeez Minwoo. Relax. You've been so tensed since we arrived.”

I can't help glare at him. “You're definitely too comfortable for your own good. What if...” I say, whispering on the last part to avoid being heard -but Hyesung rolls his eyes again and looks at the TV screen.

“Come on. We already talked about it over and over again at John's place. You said we'll give Gabe a chance.” Here is the pitiful look back on this idiot's face.

I hate him sometimes.

“Doesn't mean we've to lower our guard and wander around as if we're at home.” Hyesung looks at me on these words. “It's no home ! You've to remember that. You can't trust people blindly.”

The boy sighs deeply (almost exaggeratedly), throws his arms in the air and stands up.

“I'm tired of your always same Minwoo. I know, okay ?” He looks down at me. “I know.” The expression on his face softens before he says, “Come on ! Let's meet the new boy.”

“Technically, we are the new boys.”

Hyesung glares at me and I smirk before chuckling and standing up.

“Come on ! Let's meet this Danny boy.” I say, slapping his back and grinning at him.

As only answer, Hyesung rolls his eyes, shakes his head and follows after me.

      Gabe and the boy's voice can be heard as we walk to the kitchen. Listening closely to the conversation, I can't help notice how close the two sounds. I mean, not the creepy-close way but more of the family-close way. It's weird and I'm not sure how to feel about it. How can strangers be that close ? Mostly people like us with people like Gabe, or Razzak for the record.

I just don't get it.

“Hello ?” I say, knocking on the wall with a playful smile on the lips.

“Oh, hey there. I was actually about to introduce you all.” Gabe smiles as the boy turns around and observes us with a stretch of his lips. “Danny, this is Minwoo and Hyesung. Hyesung, Minwoo, this is Danny.”

“Figured, yeah.” I say with a grin and Hyesung elbows me in the side.

I frown and glare up at him with a pout on the lips before focusing back on the two in the kitchen.

“It's nice to meet you.” Hyesung steps forward and offers a hand Danny shakes happily.

“It's so great to have new faces around.” I can't help smile at his energetic behavior.

One wouldn't think the boy's like that at first glance, but despite his tall stature with rather mature face for a kid his age he's full of life and happiness. It's great, I guess.

“I was starting to get sick of Lucas' one. He's such a depressing looking guy.” Danny says and pulls an exaggerate pout after shaking my hand too and stepping away.

“Danny.” Says Gabe with a smile, and if it's supposed to be the man's way to scold it .

“What ? You know I'm right. He's so gloomy and scary. I'm always worried he'll creep into my room and try to exorcise me or something.”

Danny's words doesn't reassure me. I mean, not his description or worries about a boy we'll have to live with -but if he can't stand this Lucas there's no way he'll accept to switch room for me and Hyesung to be together, and this makes me nervous. Besides that, if he refuses to switch I'll have to move with this creepy Lucas and after such reassuring protraying I really don't want to.

it ! I'll just sleep on the couch or something.

Gabe maybe feels how awkward Hyesung and me are, and taking over the conversation he says, “Well Danny, then I'm sure you won't mind moving in with Lucas.”

Danny frowns in confusion, looks up at a grinning Gabe and asks silently what the hell he's talking about. Observing from the kitchen's entrance, I become more and more nervous and feels the strong urge to just get my stuffs to get away from here before any trouble ensue because of my presence. It's become a habit to just fly before becoming the source of any unpleasant things.

“Hyesung and Minwoo aren't feeling that comfortable here yet and it'll be good if they can share a room.”

“Huh ?” Danny looks over at us and I can't hold his gaze. My feet look a lot more entertaining for now anyway and I'm bracing myself for the mess to come. I'm sure if we're fast enough Hyesung and me will be able to go upstairs, grab our bags and run away.

I really don't want to get in any trouble.

“Hey, no prob guys. I'll get my stuffs then.” I'm not sure I've heard right, and looking up I feel utterly confused by the boy walking to the room's entrance.

I watch him move with a disbelieved look on my face I'm sure will look too comical if I was able to see myself. But I can't help it. It's just unbelievable to me this boy knowing about us will just move out of his room for us to be comfortable. It just doesn't make sense to me.

Still feeling confused, I share a look with Hyesung before hearing Gabe walk closer.

“Is it really fine with him to move out of his room ?” Hyesung sounds uncertain and worried, and I can't help love to see him all shy and awkward again. When did I even start liking him like that anyway ? Dammit, just stop having such weird thoughts !

“Don't worry.” Says Gabe with a sincere laugh. “Luke and him are friends, actually.”

“Really ?” I can't help say with widening eyes.

Gabe laughs again. “Yeah, really. They just like to mess with each other. They're cool kids, you'll see. Don't worry so much, okay ?” He says more seriously once in front of us, and I can't help tense up.

“It kept me alive so far though.” I don't mean it like it comes out, but the sad and worried look on Gabe's face tells me what he heard in such comment.

“I hope it'll change then. I'm not doing this for nothing. I sincerely hope kids will find their happiness through this place.”

“How many kids have you taken in so far ?” Asks Hyesung as I decide to ignore Gabe's reply and just look around absentmindely.

“Eighteen.”

“Eighteen ?” Hyesung sounds really surprised.

“Yeah.” Gabe smiles with a hint of amusement in his eyes. “I've been doing this for a little while, but as much as I'll like to give such chance to more kids, quantity doesn't make quality. I rather focus on the kids I've here until being sure they can handle themselves on their own instead of getting ride of them once they've become too old for any kind of social services to take care of them.”

“You mean we can stay as long as we want ?” I ask, not believing such thing could be real.

“Yeah.” The smile on Gabe's face is so ing genuinely happy. “As long as you need my support, I'm here.” I really can't believe it -but it's nice if it's true, even if I don't believe at all Hyesung and me will stay that long.

I don't know, I just can't picture myself staying for long at the same place. It never happened before, excepted when I was a kid and living with my mother. I spent fourteen too long years in this house but even at this place it didn't last. So yeah, settling down isn't part of my life so I've no doubt I'll end up back out there at worse or in some ty place I'll be able to pay at best.

Staying with Gabe until I'm in age to work full time and gain more money is a good plan, and I hope Hyesung has the same. We didn't really talk about it yet, so I don't know how he feels about staying for a long time or leaving as soon as possible.

“Danny's here for over eight years now. He knows very well the kids who were here before you, Lucas, Tina and Sarah. Paolo left a few months ago. He was just like you, living out there before one of my friend gave him my address and introduced him here. He was eighteen at the time and persuaded he didn't have his place here. Danny was just eleven when he arrived so he thought I was only taking in children.” Gabe chuckles softly at the memory.

The man looks like he sincerely wants to help kids like us and seems to have an honest liking for every kids he helped so far. As if they were family. It's still a weird concept to me.

“He stayed until he could get his degree and a job to pay for his own place. Then he flew across the country and promised to come by around for Christmas if he had the money.” Gabe looks a bit sad as he laughs. “Well,” He resumes, smiling sincerely. “We keep in touch and he's happy, so that's fine with me.”

“It's such our luck then you had two free beds.” Says Hyesung and I can't help stiffen at the mention of 'luck'. So far, my supposed luck didn't do for me, so me and it aren't on really good terms.

Gabe smiles tightly, almost sadly as he says, “Yeah. It was your luck.” He clears his throat silently. “Well, I've lunch to cook. Wanna help ?”

I immediately feel awkward at the idea of helping in the kitchen. I never used one actually and I really have no idea what to do or how to do it -so having me help in the kitchen will be too risky for everyone.

“Huh, well, I'm not good at cooking. I almost burnt my parents' kitchen once...” Hyesung laughs awkwardly and I'm glad he talked first. At least I'm not the only walking disaster around a kitchen.

“Okay boys. Just go watch TV or something while I cook. I really can't afford a fire in here.” He laughs sincerely and I smile slightly at his joke.

 

      TV bores me pretty quickly. Actually, I was bored for the past hour we spent watching it before Danny's arrival, and I really can't get how Hyesung can be so fond of it. I mean, it's just bull with stupid people having too much time and money on their hands to waste. It's just annoying in fact, and I really can't stand all these rich idiots having as only concern in life the car's brand they should choose for their daughter's sixteen birthday. I mean, what the ? While this annoying woman gets close to a panic attack because the flowers aren't the one they choose, kids like me are dying out there and being ed up beyond possible.

I'll certainly never get this variety concept and if I think about it too deeply it actually makes me sick in my stomach. So better avoid these kind of things from now on. Hyesung's so into it anyway that he won't even notice if I'm still here or not -and my bladder's full besides that.

I find the bathroom very easily -it almost looks like I've lived here forever. If only. It's only my good memory coming into play here and I wish it was not so good at times. There's a lot of stuffs I wish I could forget but can't.

      Danny's coming out of his (Hyesung and I's) room when I'm done in the bathroom and walking out. I can't help feel awkward for a second before the boy's natural friendly aura wipes the feeling away.

“Hey. You need help ?” I ask, already stepping closer to take a bag from his hand.

“Thanks.” He says, smiling and walking to the room at the corner. “Don't mind the decoration.”

It's certainly a joke, because in Lucas' room there's nothing coming close to even a personal touch. It's like no one's living in this room and it feels weird. I can't help the curiosity bubbling inside me for this boy I still have yet to meet. I'm a bit nervous about such meeting but at the same time I want to get a look at the gloomy boy people here doesn't seem to want to bother with anything.

I'm starting to wonder if he's dangerous or something. Maybe he's a really bad temper, even worse than Hyesung. It could be the case. Why ask Danny who's living here for so long to move when asking Lucas who didn't even put a poster on the wall to move would have been easier for everyone. Danny's room feels very much like the boy's. There's posters everywhere on his side of the room, stuffs discarded here and there and a distinctive personal scent.

There's none of that in Lucas' room. Not even a forgotten sock on the floor.

“He's not that bad, you know.” I hear and snap out of my observation of the untouched room. “He's just not comfortable around here yet. Like you two I guess.” Danny smiles and bounced down on his new bed to get out of a box some of his stuffs.

“Is he new ?” I'm not the prying type usually, but here I'm gonna live under the same roof with this Lucas -knowing stuffs about him is only for safety measures.

Danny shrugs a shoulder as he folded roughly a t-shirt. “He's been here for...” He sticks his tongue out on the side of his mouth, squints his eyes and looks up to think. “Three months almost.”

“Gabe said you're friends.”

Danny laughs. “I guess we are. I mean, I like him, he's cool taste in music and I love his hair.” The boy shut ups abruptly and blushes visibly. “I mean, he's cool hair. They're red, you know.” He says quickly and I can't help grin.

“Gabe said you were here for eight years. How old are you now ?”

“Sixteen.” He says with a smile full of a sixteen year old boy's innocence.

“You've been out there your whole life before that ?”

Danny nods absentmindedly and finishes folding a boxer. “My mother was Russian. She got me very young and when she disappeared I ended up alone in the street. I was living with a small group of kids.” He says, looking up at me with a smile. “They were cool, but you know. Life out there's rough.”

“Yeah.” I say, leaning against the door frame with my arms crossed over my chest.

“Gabe found me one December night. What a lucky little I am, right ?” Some dark emotion crosses the boy's face as he reminisced his past and stares down at the box on the bed.

I suddenly feel awkward for bringing this up and presume it's better for me to leave now.

“Well, thanks for the room. It's, it's really nice of you, you know.” Why the hell am I stuttering ? Well, at least now Danny's smile is back. “You didn't have to.”

“It's nothing.” I attempt a small smile feeling too uncomfortable in my liking. “Huh, who's taking my bed by the way ?”

I frown, wondering why he cares about it. “Me, I guess.”

The boy's cheeks look flushed as he lowers his head and nods. “Ok.”

That's all ? Weird.

But whatever. I've spent too much awkward time here and I should just go back downstairs.

“I'll go now.” Danny nods and smiles up at me.

“Thanks for your help.”

“Tsk. I barely helped.”

The boy's smile widen as he watches me walk away.

Well, at least this boy's nice. I guess I can live under the same roof as him and not worry much about anything with him.

That's already great.

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New character, yeah ! I hope you like him, and before anyone ask : no, he's no one famous, just an OC of mine ^^

Anyway, thanks for reading this story and all. It always feels great to know people enjoy your stuffs.