He was twelve, and there was a new kid at the orphanage. Baekhyun eyed the boy with interest. He was the same age as him, wearing ragged jeans and a baggy black t-shirt too thin for the chilly weather. He had a mop of messy black hair that flopped over his forehead and fell into his eyes, the ends long enough to almost brush his shoulders. His expression was clouded, but Baekhyun was used to this and wasn’t daunted. No kid looked happy about being dumped at an orphanage. He stepped forward and smiled.

“Hi, I’m Baekhyun,” he said. “I’ll show you around.”

The boy glanced at him through his too-long fringe. He didn’t smile back, but he followed Baekhyun inside.

“What’s your name?” Baekhyun asked.

“Kim Jongdae,” the boy said. His voice was soft and melodic. It didn’t match his defensive expression, but it did match the gentleness in his eyes.

“You’ll be in my bunkroom,” Baekhyun said. “They put kids the same age together. You can have the top bunk if you want. I don’t mind swapping.”

“That’s okay,” Jongdae said. “I won’t be staying here long.”

“What? How come?”

Jongdae shrugged. “I don’t need to live here. I can look after myself.”

“Oh.” Baekhyun was disappointed. He’d hoped Jongdae would be his friend. “You know kids aren’t allowed to live on their own, right? They won’t let you leave unless you have an adult who’ll take responsibility for you.”

Jongdae smiled at this. It was such a sweet smile, with the corners curled up in a way that make Baekhyun think of a kitten, and he had to smile as well, even though he was confused.

“They won’t know,” Jongdae said. “I’ll just go. I’ve got some friends who’ll let me stay with them. I just have to work out how to get back to them.”

Baekhyun didn’t argue any more. He already liked Jongdae – how could anyone not like someone with a smile like that? – and he didn’t want to push him away by disagreeing. He was pretty sure it wouldn’t be as easy as Jongdae seemed to think to escape the orphanage, but maybe he would change his mind once he settled down.

Their friendship came swiftly and spontaneously. Jongdae was far more streetwise than Baekhyun had ever been, and he seemed absolutely fearless. When some of the older kids started knocking Baekhyun around, more out of boredom than out of any particular dislike of Baekhyun, Jongdae hurtled across the yard and flew at the kid who’d just knocked Baekhyun over, headbutting the bigger boy in the stomach so hard that all the breath was driven out of his lungs. Baekhyun sat in the dust and stared as the first boy fell to the ground, straining for breath. Jongdae ducked a wild swing from the second boy and punched him straight on the nose. He howled and clutched his face. His third tormenter, a girl, backed away rapidly.

“You lot better leave Baekhyun alone,” Jongdae said, “or you’ll find yourself hurting a lot worse than that.” He didn’t shout the words like another kid might. His voice was calm, almost soft, yet somehow it was far more effective than yelling. It sent a cold shiver crawling down Baekhyun’s spine.

Jongdae turned and gave Baekhyun a hand up as the older kids backed off and went in search of easier prey.

“Where did you learn to fight like that?” Baekhyun asked, rather awestruck.

Jongdae shrugged. “Here and there.”

“Can you teach me? So I can hit back too?”

Jongdae looked at him a little sadly. “I told you I won’t be staying here long.”

Baekhyun bit his lip. It was already nearly four weeks since Jongdae had come, and he’d not mentioned leaving since the day he’d arrived. Baekhyun had hoped he’d forgotten about the idea.

“So you’re really going?”

“Yeah. Pretty soon,” Jongdae said. He turned, gazing around at the large, dusty orphanage yard. “I’ve nearly got enough money for the train ticket now.”

“I’ll miss you,” Baekhyun said suddenly. “Do you have to go?”

Jongdae turned back to him, met his eyes solemnly, and nodded. Baekhyun's heart sank. He could see Jongdae meant it. They were the same age, but sometimes Jongdae seemed much, much older than him. His eyes were so serious.

There was a short silence, and then Jongdae said, “Do you want to come with me?”

Baekhyun looked at him wordlessly. How could he go with Jongdae? He wasn’t like him. He couldn’t survive on the streets on his own. He didn’t have friends who’d take him in. The orphanage, heartless as it was, was Baekhyun's home.

He shook his head slowly. Jongdae let out a small sigh, then offered him a smile.

“Well, maybe I can teach you one or two things before I go.”

A week later, Baekhyun woke when the bunk bed shook slightly. He leaned over the rail and peered down. Jongdae was getting out of the bed below him, already fully dressed. He crouched and slid a small backpack from under the bed, then moved soundlessly out of the bunkroom without waking any of the other boys.

Baekhyun scrambled down the ladder and padded after him, tiptoeing barefoot down the empty hall. He caught Jongdae up at the locked front door. Jongdae glanced around at him. He didn’t seem surprised to see Baekhyun.

“How are you going to get out?” Baekhyun whispered. The door was always locked at night and the windows were all barred.

In reply, Jongdae held up a couple of small lengths of metal. He stuck them into the lock and started working them around. Fascinated, Baekhyun watched, until a few minutes later the lock clicked open. Jongdae opened the door and they went out onto the porch. The cold night air made goosebumps rise on Baekhyun’s bare arms. He hugged himself and shivered.

Jongdae turned to face him. “Are you sure?”

Baekhyun knew what he meant. He bit his lip and nodded. His eyes were hot and prickling. The place in his heart where his mother and father and Baekhee had been torn out was hurting badly all over again. He swallowed hard. He didn’t want to cry in front of Jongdae.

“Well, I’ll see you around, then,” Jongdae gave him a sweet, bright smile. He turned, jumped down from the porch, and ran lightly across the yard. When he got to the wall, he leapt up, caught the edge with his hands and pulled himself easily onto the top. Crouching there, he turned and briefly raised a hand. The moonlight flashed on his smile.

Then he was gone, and Baekhyun lost the battle with his tears.

---

The next time Baekhyun saw Jongdae, he was sixteen and walking home from after-school study. L