01 | Rules

***

The weather greeted one young teenager a bit cold as it suddenly started raining contrary to the weather earlier, which was a sign for a summer coming. He checks his time over his wristwatch and sighs as it reads 4:00 pm. He can no longer go back to the market as he plans after being caught by the police. He put on his hood over his head ready to just run to the bus when he heard a voice behind.

"So, see you next week, Taeyeon Oppa." 

He turned and was greeted by the same young teenage girl earlier. "As if we're going to be in one team." He chuckled sarcastically.

"I'm one hundred percent sure of it though." Seohyun confidently replied. "And you will be our leader."

"Don't be so sure." Taeyeon said and finally, he walked away, leaving her alone.

"Yah, it's raining!" Shouted Seohyun, trying to open her umbrella but it won't strangely. "Aish, why it's stuck?!" She keeps trying for the next couple of minutes until she realized he's far enough. "Aigoo, he's too quick." she gives up and just waves at him.

Meanwhile, Taeyeon reached the bus stop on time a bus stopped in front of them. He wanted to be the first to enter but he realizes an old woman is in difficulties, carrying loads of big plastic bags. He hastily took one of it. "I'll help you, Ma'am." and flashes a genuine smile to the woman, who smiled sweetly at him. He let him enter first before he followed and even help him pay his fare with her card.

"You're so sweet, young man." The woman feels happy to have met him. 

Taeyeon just smiles as he guided her to an empty seat, next to the window. 

"Don't you want to take the seat here?"

"I'll take the back, Ma'am." He declined, bowing before he walks to the back portion of the bus and settles down finally. Opening his phone, he giggles right away when he noticed a couple of miss calls and messages from a close friend in the orphanage he's residing. He eventually called her to kill the time. "I'm on the road. Sister Min is not around yet, right, Winter?" They call her winter because she was left in the orphanage in winter.

[That's what I am calling. She's looking for you. She... arrived earlier than you expected, Oppa.] Winter's voice is a bit shaky. [Hurry.]

"Chincha? Don't worry, I got it. Tell her I got a whole box of chicken." 

[Whoa, Chincha? Did you get your job back successfully?]

"Of course. You know how this missed me. Oh, it's not only chicken, there are fries too, Winter."

[Kyaaa, they will definitely like to hear that. See you later, Oppa.]

"Yes." Upon ending the call, he let out a huge exhale. The truth is, the construction company that hired him five months ago did not let him return to his job anymore. The reason he decided to stole someone's side-view mirror to somehow make money from it. He's back on his usual thief side just to provide food on the orphanage that's barely giving them food on the table.

"Aish, where can I get a box of chicken and fries at this moment?" He mumbles, tilting his head to his right, and let out another sigh, as the rain is now slowly disappearing. 'I have three days before that Summer Camp.' He reminded himself, taking his attention back to his phone, and suddenly realized there's a new message that he received. It wasn't on his contacts that he doesn't know the person who sent it. He opened it nonetheless.

Unknown: I forgot to tell you, Oppa. You can ask me anything and I'll do my best to help you with it.

- this is Seo Joohyun by the way. The Police Director shared your number.

As if she's a guardian angel, Taeyeon's lips curved into a wide smile as he immediately asks if she can order him a box of chicken and fries and delivery it to the orphanage. 

Seohyun: Sure~ ^^

"Yes!" He cheered on after reading her simple message. "Problem solve."

:::

"Thank you, Taeyeon Oppa."

"Thank you, Taeyeon Noona."

"Thank you, Taeyeon Unnie."

Everyone is thankful for the dinner he set on their long table. Taeyeon's joy can't be painted while he is watching them eat before his eyes. Even though he just asks for it from someone, the fact that they're enjoying their meal is already a joy to his heart. His goal to always see them eating is still there. But with one week away in a Summer Camp, he needs to ask Seohyun later on about this.

"Come with me." But the joy in his face disappeared with Sister Min, the head of the orphanage ask him seriously.

He didn't guess anything as he just follows her outside, to their garden. "Why don't you join them, Sister Min?" He beat her to say ask her first.

"What is this?" Sister Min shared a paper with the teenage boy. "You stole something again?"

Taeyeon took the summer camp flyer and folded it. "You got this from my bag?" He played cool.

"It's not true you got your job back, isn't it?" Sister Min lowered her voice but she sounds upset. "I told you not to commit anything like this anymore." she couldn't help and hit his shoulder. "I would rather just eat sweet potatoes every day than for you to go back to that kind job!"

"I'm sorry Sister Min but this is the only way. I can't let them starve!" Taeyeon exclaimed. "If it's okay for you to eat potatoes every day then it's not for me!" and he can't help but shows disappointment and how tired he is. His tears are dropping that easily as his heavy emotions continued. "Every day feels like I'm living in my death because it to be an orphan. Do you know how much they always ask me they want to eat this, and that? We're not blood-related but I can feel their struggles too. It's hard. I so want to leave this place and bring them with me but I know outside this place is much worse. So don't ever stop me with this." he ended it with a heavy exhale.

"I... I'm sorry." Sister Min couldn't defend herself. She understands his sentiments and she had no right to argue with that. It was their fault they're running out of food and money. If only their orphanage is known to organizations, there are funds for them. "I'm sorry if it's harder to stay here than living. But just so you know, we're doing our best to provide each one of you." she however can't give up with them.

"I'm going to this Summer Camp for a week." Taeyeon sighs. If only he can't choose either of what the police are offering. 

"Don't worry about them. We'll do our best. And to think, Mr. Choi is coming back from his Busan trip. He's definitely staying over the week. This camp, you need this." Sister Min is not against the camp at all. She reads about it and it might help him rethink his actions. She reached for his cheeks and wipes away his tears. "I'm sorry again." she softly utters just to earn a nod from him. "You're too young to experience this."

-

Laying down to his bed, a loud sigh escapes Taeyeon's lips as his eyes are on the ceiling while his mind is wandering somewhere. But he got distracted when he heard a noise that brought him back to reality.

"Winter." He slowly sits up when he recognized her.

"Do you have a minute, Oppa?" Winter slowly opens the door completely as she walks in.

"Yeah, sure." Taeyeon patted the space next to him. "What is it?" He can't help and smile. She's like his little sister already.

Winter complied and shared the summer camp flyer she found in the trash can. "You're leaving us for this?"

"Oh, you found this too." chuckled Taeyeon, taking it and nodded to confirm. "But it's only for a week. So I'll be before you know it." He assures with a sweet smile. 

Winter suddenly hugs him with a cute pouty face. "Can't you go or can I come with you?" 

"Uh, I don't think I can... do that, Winter." Taeyeon answered hesitantly. He wishes he can but there's no way they will allow it.

"Why not?" Winter felt sad. She unwraps her arms and sighs. "Do they have rules there that I can't go?"

"They only choose who they want to go. And I have no power to do that." 

"Chincha? Even if I will just sneak in your bag?"

"What?" Taeyeon exclaimed earning giggles from a 16-years-old girl. "You can't breath there." she chuckled.

"Well, it seems I really can't. But can you promise to call? It'