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And I'll Be Me
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It's a rainy, gray afternoon when Kim Jongin comes across the dancer.

 

In front of an old statue, a body dressed in beige pants and an off-white, ratty sweater swung to a song in English he doesn't quite recognize, bare feet finding hold against the earth with every graceful movement. While his movements are graceful, Jongin notes, they're stiffer, less fluid. It's easy enough to read that the boy is self-taught, but still.. with that kind of skill at being self-taught, he can only imagine what could be accomplished with some lessons. Maneuvering himself through the small crowd that's gathered to watch, there's a few things Jongin notices as soon as he gets a proper, open view.

 

First off, the boy could be no older than 20 at the very most, yet is disturbingly thin, visible even through his sweater every time it rides up. Malnourished. An umbrella lays open against a statue, covering a tattered backpack and speakers, guarding his things from the rainfall as best it can. And there are not a pair of shoes in sight. That, and there's an upside down cap at the front of the crowd, the glint of coins and bills barely visible over the rim.


Is he— 

 

Before he can finish the thought, the song fades and muted applause rings out, the crowd moving to disperse with a few more strangers dropping a coin or two in. Jongin stays where he is, watching. Thinking.

 

Changmin's lungs are burning and his feet ache, but the moment he picks up his baseball cap and sees the evening's profits, he's relieved. There's enough for dinner, for sure, and maybe even a little extra to finally get a pair of socks. Shoes he can do without, but socks would make the cold evenings (when it wasn't raining) far easier. Pocketing the money carefully, he heads back to his belongings and shakes the cap out, stuffing it in his back along with his speakers and iPod, zipping everything up while pocketing his cash.

"Hey, kid."

There's a momentary pause before Changmin realizes he's the one being addressed, turning to find a young man standing before him. He looks to be close to him in age but evidently older, navy blue trench coat draped over his frame and a gray sweater peeking through, dark jeans completing the ensamble. The most striking thing, however, are his eyes. They lack a l

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