The old building creaked as the wind ran through it. Jongin sat with his knees tucked to his chest in front of the fireplace. He shivered as the damp cold seeped into his bones. Another strong gust of wind blew out the fire. He sighed as he buried his face in his knees. He wanted nothing more than for the others to get home already.

 

Jongin sat in silence for what seemed like ages. The only sound was the sour wind rushing through the rickety house. There was a sudden creak behind Jongin that made him jump. He snapped his head around to see what the noise was. His stomach knotted when he saw that it was Mr. Choi.

 

“Jongin,” he said, flashing his rotting teeth. “Where are the other boys. Did they leave you all alone?”

“Y-yes sir. They left,”  Jongin replied, clenching the light material of his shirt in his fist.

Jongin, just like all of the other children in the orphanage, hated Mr. Choi. After their old caretaker Mr. Jung croaked, Mr. Choi took over. The boys didn’t mind Mr. Jung. He was a sweet old man who did his best to take care of them. Mr. Choi was a different story. He almost always had a cigar between his thin, chapped lips. The top of his head was nearly bald; All the hair probably went to that gigantic mole sprouting out of his third chin. He was a truly disgusting man.

Just as Jongin finished his sentence, the front door burst open. Chanyeol was the first to walk in. He had to duck so he didn’t hit his head on the short doorframe. His raven hair was wet with sweat, and his shirt was also soaked. After him trailed Sehun, Zitao, Minseok, Luhan, Baekhyun, and Kyungsoo (who were also covered in sweat).

 

“What were you doing to cause all of you to get so dirty?” Mr. Choi asked, further annoying Jongin.

 

“We were playing basketball, sir,” Chanyeol replied for all of them, his deep voice contrasting to Mr. Choi’s shrill one. Chanyeol towered over Mr. Choi’s short stature; In fact, Chanyeol towered over everyone. He was well over six feet, and had the muscles to match.

Chanyeol had been silently nominated as some kind of leader for the group of boys. He was the oldest, tallest, and strongest, so it only made sense that he was in charge. He protected the younger boys as best he could. If Mr. Choi was in a mood, he would hide the others away in their rooms and try to keep Mr. Choi away from them. Even if that meant he would get hit instead. Of course, he couldn’t always be there, couldn’t always keep them away from harm. Chanyeol would have become the caretaker if he could so that the others didn’t have to suffer. But he was only 16,  and a caretaker had to be 21 at the least.  

 

“Well, go wash up and then we’ll have dinner,” Mr. Choi gestured towards the stairs.

 

As the boys trudged up them, Jongin scrambled to his feet to join them. He was terrified of being alone with Mr. Choi. Jongin grabbed the back of Sehun’s hoodie as the eight of them walked up the creaking stairs.

 

There were only two showers in the house, so they took turns. Minseok and Luhan went first; Then Sehun and Zitao; Then Baekhyun and Chanyeol; and then finally Kyungsoo. While Kyungsoo showered, they all gathered in Baekhyun and Chanyeol’s shared room. Jongin sat in the corner of the room and watched the other children interact with each other. Luhan and Minseok were sitting close to each other on the futon in the opposite corner of the room. Luhan's arm was around Minseok and Minseok was cuddled into his side. Sehun and Zitao laid next to each other on the bottom bunk that belonged to Chanyeol. When Baekhyun finished dressing, he climbed up the ladder and threw himself onto the thin mattress with a thud. Chanyeol was still only half dressed and was currently drying his hair with a towel. Kyungsoo opened the door with his hair still sopping wet, but he was fully clothed. He climbed up to join Baekhyun on the top bunk.

 

“Chan, pass me a towel,” Baekhyun ordered, extending his arm to catch the cloth. He wrapped Kyungsoo's head in it and started scrubbing in an attempt to dry him off, muttering something about how Kyungsoo was going to get sick.

 

After dinner, the boys returned to their rooms and started dressing for bed. Kai pulled a white shirt over his head and it slightly ruffled his hair. Kyungsoo was already tucked in the bunk above him, reading some book about angry grapes or something. Jongin could never understand how he loved to read so much.

 

“Hyung,” Jongin spoke to get the older boy’s attention.

 

“Yes, Jongin?” Kyungsoo’s voice was monotone, which meant he was only half listening.

 

“Do you think-” Jongin paused.

 

“Do I think what?” Kyungsoo said, closing his book. He could tell something was upsetting the younger by the tone in his voice.

“Do you think… that we’re ever going to get out of here? Is anyone ever gonna adopt us? Or are we just gonna rot away in here?”

Kyungsoo thought about Jongin’s words. He, too, had thought this. When Mr. Jung was in charge, there were couples here all the time. They were always taking bubbly young boys into their homes. But since Mr. Choi became the new man of the house, no one ever came anymore. The unfortunate eight that were left were starting to get older.

 

No one ever adopted the older kids. They wanted the cute toddlers. Not moody teenagers. There was no chance of them ever finding a home now. Kyungsoo knew that, but he didn't want to break the younger’s heart.

 

“I hope so,” Kyungsoo left it at that.  

 

He climbed off the bunk and turned the dim light off. He hugged Jongin and wished him sweet dreams before climbing back into bed. He tossed and turned all night as wind rattled the window.