Chanyeol thinks he's always been fairly good at handling kids. After all, he has babysat his younger cousins before and back then he had been determined to do a good job since he was motivated by the prospect of extra pocket money. Now he is going to be babysitting not two but a dozen kids at once for free. He never expected himself to ever be in such a situation, yet here he is. He steps foot inside the orphanage, feeling nervous and hopeful at once. 

All heads turn to him, even the teachers' and volunteers'. The children are mesmerised at the sight of a newcomer while the adults can't believe they hit the jackpot with a handsome volunteer. Chanyeol sets down the box full of clothes at one side and takes a small step to hide behind you, though his height overtowers you and everyone can still see his face clearly. The children who were all sat in the corner of the large room all come running over to crowd around the both of you.

"Gayoung noona, who is this?" one little boy tugs at the hem of your sweater. 

"What is this? Is this a new toy?" a few children scurry behind Chanyeol and knock on his guitar case with their little fists. 

"No, it's not a toy." Chanyeol bends down to match their height, feeling like a giant in a sea of dwarves, just like in the fairytales. "I'm going to put on a performance for all of you with my guitar, while this noona here is going to dance."

"Can we watch it now?" One girl asks excitedly before her friends chime after her in unison. Chanyeol can't remember the last time he has heard this many squeaky voices sounding in one place. It was probably when he was in sixth grade of elementary school. 

"You can watch us after your class. If you all sit down and listen to your teacher quietly, then everyone gets candy after class is over," you coax them. Thankfully, they are taken over by the thought of sweet delights. The children race each other back to their teacher, leaving you and Chanyeol still standing at the doorway.

"Bribing children with candy? Do you even have candy on you?" Chanyeol raises an eyebrow at you questioningly. 

You scoff at him before ping your bag and giving him a sneak peak of the brand new candy packets, having to be careful not to pull the whole packet out in case any of the children see and get distracted.

"I always come prepared," you tell him proudly with your chin held high. 

Chanyeol puts his hands on his shoulders with a doubtful look, before he turns you around. "But are you prepared for that?"

He is amused to find some of the female volunteers already approaching you. He wonders how you are going to answer their questions, whether you will take them calmly or dismiss everything. Anyways, one thing's for sure is that whatever answer you are going to give them, he won't be there to listen since you'll never take him with you anyway.

Without a word, they reach for your hand to pull you somewhere so they can ask you questions in private. Before you are taken away, you are fast enough to reach for Chanyeol's hand. You drag him with you, much to his surprise. Chanyeol doesn't refuse or draw his hand back. He lets himself register the fact that you are holding on to his hand, the feeling of his palm pressed against yours because you seem to be holding on for dear life. 

He feels like he can hear his heart thumping in his chest if he listens close enough. Is this going to be one of those moments he will think back to every night when he looks out the window? He pretends that he is unfazed by it, but he can feel his cheeks burning the longer your hands are in contact. 

Eventually, they bring the two of you to a vacant playroom at the end of the corridoor, not far from where the children are. One female with long black hair who is wearing her volunteer vest over a high school uniform closes the door quietly before locking it. Strangely, this is starting to feel like an interrogation by the National Intelligence Service rather than a casual questioning.

The room is suddenly silent after the door closes. Chanyeol notices that the girls are busy ogling at him and he feels slightly fearful because they look like they want to pounce on him. There is one girl who looks like she is in high school and another two girls who seem to be in their early twenties, also university students like them. 

"Gayoung-ah, you never told us about..." The girl wearing round, silver-framed glasses tries to cover her other hand that Chanyeol can obviously see is pointing at him. 

"Well, it was unplanned..." You hurry behind Chanyeol as he turns around and you push him nearer to them. "Introduce yourself," you whisper. 

"W-what?" He stutters and looks at them before giving them a deep bow, even deeper than the one he had given his grandparents on New Year's. "My name is Park Chanyeol. I'm Gayoung's friend and studying in the same university and currently in my third year. Sorry if I appeared unannounced. I was just curious about what kind of volunteer work she did."

"No, no, it's fine. In fact, it would be nice if you came in unannounced all the time," the girl wearing wearing glasses laughs.

"Yah, Kim Heejoo, are you trying to flirt?" You huff, deciding to take it in to your own hands to introduce them to Chanyeol.

Chanyeol listens intently because he doesn't want to miss anything. The girl with glasses is Kim Heejoo, she's a third year too, studying at Dongguk University. The girl in the high school uniform is Yoo Bin, she's a senior. The girl who had been watching by the sidelines while the other two talk is Min Yehyun, she's a first year at Hongik University. 

"So, what's your relationship with Gayoung unni?" Yoo Bin asks while circling around him. "You're tall, handsome, deep voice, musically talented..." She pinches his bicep out of the blue and Chanyeol pulls away, hands covering his chest. "Hm, unni, he's pretty muscular too."

"I'm just a friend," Chanyeol answers, although part of him knows they aren't going to believe him. 

"No way, a guy and girl can't just be friends!" Heejoo tuts as she shakes her head in disapproval.

"Heejoo, this isn't the Joseon dynasty..." Yehyun chides her friend with a softspoken voice. "A boy and a girl can be just friends."

You are touched and cling on to Yehyun's arm. "As expected from our Yehyun, smart and considerate. Unlike some other people in this room..."

"We were being considerate!" Yoo Bin frowns. "We brought you guys to this room to not draw attention and on top of that our questions were minor. Let's get to the spicy one: have you guys had a first connection?"

"N-no!" You and Chanyeol say at the same time, both flustered. Whether you have had a first connection seems to be the first question someone will always ask you when you introduce them to someone who looks like more than just a friend. A connection is treated like one of the milestones of your life, on the same level as getting married or winning the lottery. Which is why Chanyeol is embarrassed that he is twenty one and hasn't had a first connection yet. 

"Are you kidding? Even I've had a first connection. I can remember it so clearly, we kissed under the streetlight in the alleway next to my house..." Heejoo recounts, but Chanyeol can't be bothered to listen more because the stories always seem to start with kissing. 

"This is like the fifth time she's told us this story," you tell him in a hushed voice. 

"Should we leave?" Chanyeol whispers back, gesturing to the door while the other two gir