Taehyung had to share the same room with Taeil. It was big enough for two children. Everyone had their own bed, own cupboards, boxes, own desks, and pillows to sit on. There was also a carpet with ornaments spread on the ground. It felt heavenly soft and tickled a little bit under the bare feet. One of the four walls was covered with a blue wallpaper and a drawing of two birds on it, the others were polar white. The room was set up so that those two children felt comfortable in it. They lived together for a while now, but they were still like strangers to one another. Because they had never exchanged a good word, these roommates barely knew each other. Taehyung wanted to befriend the other boy for months now, but Taeil tended to stay lonely and avoid the others. Everyone assumed that he had stopped speaking since the death of his parents. Nobody here even knew what his voice sounded like.

“Do you want to be friends with me now?”, Taehyung gathered all his courage once again and asked him for the very last time.

Taeil did not answer. As always. He just wanted to sleep already, but they still had to wait for dinner.

“Hello? I am not talking to myself, you know…”, Taehyung said a little bit annoyed, but he still would not get an answer.

The little boy decided not to like his mute roommate. He had enough. It was also difficult for him to put all his courage together and talk to him, so being ignored like this again and again had hurt him a little. He gave up on befriending Taeil since he thought that he would never get to talk to him anyway. Taehyung was not sure whether they were friends or not. Well, if that was the case, Taeil should remain a loner and die alone. At least that was how Taehyung felt about him. He did not want to keep sharing a room with him either, no.

Taeil always fell asleep early and did not want to participate in most activities, but he had to, whether he liked it or not. He also had a low appetite, never ate much. He looked pretty absent all the time. His body was here, but his mind was somewhere else. The purple iris of his left eye seemed warm, but it scared Taehyung a little because it had no pupil. His right eye was covered with a cloth. King Byunghun, Seung-gi, Suzy and all other fighters and guards were neither frightened nor surprised by Taeil’s left eye. They just took it for what it was. As if it was totally ordinary to have a pupilless eye and a purple iris. But maybe they knew the reason for it. Maybe they just knew more about Taeil. They thought it was ‘normal’. But what was normal in this world anyway? Nothing.

Taeil's hair was bright brown, straight and reached up to his neck. His fringe on his forehead covered a little space. He was around three fingers smaller than Taehyung.

“V, Taeil! Come here immediately! Otherwise, dinner will be cold!”, Suzy called for the boys.

Taehyung did not have to be told twice, but Taeil hesitated at first, then he went along. They sat down at the table and waited hungrily for the service. At least Taehyung did so.

“Here you go. Enjoy the meal and take your time eating. Drink slowly and chew thorough.”, demanded Lee Seung-gi who served the food.

A noodle soup with pork feet for starters. Taehyung thanked for the food and ate it in a few minutes, while Taeil did not even touch it. Suzy would never get used to Taehyung’s habit of eating. She was startled like always that someone so small could eat such big portions. She served the boy the main course. Rice with a vegetable garnish and turkey slices.

“Take your time, honey!”, she ordered.

Taehyung nodded with a watery mouth and still ate fast. He could set a record if he wanted to. His appetite was great. Taeil, on the other hand, did not stir yet once on his soup. It was getting cold.

“Taeil... eat it. You will starve to death at some point. One sip is not asked for too much, is it?”, asked Seung-gi.

He was worried about him. Suzy was also very concerned. After all they were responsible for these two kids. Taeil quickly glanced at the young guardian, picked up the spoon and sipped once. Then he looked at him again and put the spoon back down. Suzy exchanged an astonished look with Seung-gi.

“One sip is not asked for too much?”, she whispered to her companion, “You should have said to empty the bowl is not asked for too much…”

Seung-gi nodded in amazement. Taeil had really taken it literally. As he was done now, he got up and made his way into his room. Taehyung watched him, dropped his cutlery, and hurried after him with quick steps. He was raged. Suzy and Seung-gi watched them until they disappeared into their room.

“Ugh, it is always the same with these boys.”, Suzy groused.

Seu