I have no idea what I wrote.

I have been so distracted by church school, Exo's teasers, fanfiction, and a bunch of other stuff that I don't want to bore you with. I've been trying to write, but for my AFF stories, words escape me.

Anyway, I am sooooo sorry for my really late update. I really don't like the ending of this chapter, but oh well...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO TAO THE AMAZING ROMANTIC BEACH WALKING GUCCI LOVING KUNG FU PANDA, BAEKHYUN THE ADORABLE EYE SMILING LIGHT SWITCHING HAPKIDO PUPPY, AND SUHO THE WHITE SKINNED GUARDIAN ANGEL OF A SMILER GRANDPA! I WISH YOU HAPPY, HEALTHY LIVES!

Green is Japanese.

(Alaina’s POV)

I didn’t know what overcame me. A compelling force that kicked the sensibility out of me. It controlled the muscles in my body. Because that instance, I snatched Yuki’s wrist and bolted out of the public square.

Yuki’s voice, pleasant and manly, was a startled cry behind me. “Alaina, what-?”

I didn’t register his words, nor the faint, alarmed shouts of Kai and Baekhyun not too far from us. The soles of my shoes dug into the pavement. Yuki and I plowed down the avenue and barged into the nearest, crowded street, filled with vendors and shoving people. Summer throngs proved useful in hiding us.

Amidst the rush, I was panicking.

What do I do? I shrieked in my mind. What do I do?! What in the hell am I doing?

I realized my first instinct was to run. More precisely, to run from Miryo. It was my strong point, but a coward’s way out. What else was I good for?

But I guess there was an advantage of being a coward. A coward only stayed in their comfort zone, their domain, but they knew their domain like the back of their hand.

The smell of street food. The ring of wind chimes. The blur of incessant Japanese. The familiarity...it reminded me: I was in my comfort zone. I knew these streets. I knew every twist and turn, every nook and cranny. I could find my way home blindfolded.

Or maybe it was the fact that while aimlessly sprinting, I found a familiar sense of ease from the wrist that wiggled loose from my death grip; a hand sliding down to slip into mine. As if detecting my fear, Yuki squeezed my hand to soothe me. I’m here, Alaina. Don’t forget.

Now I took direction.

I led Yuki down the congested length of the street, pushing and bustling past people who swore at us irritably, distancing ourselves far eastward. We barged down into an open boulevard lined with fancy trees and increasingly taller, broader buildings. My lungs burned and legs ached as I feverishly raked the area.

There! A public plaza!

Yuki and I unceremoniously charged through the open doors, ignoring the incredulous looks by nearby passerbyes. We didn’t bother with the elevators, just straight up ducking into the emergency staircase route. Our surroundings were stuffy and dim, an occasional window lighting our way, but I knew every step under my feet. We climbed as high as our legs could take us, eventually slowly when I heard a breathless, “Alaina?”

I stopped, one foot perched on an upper step. I was panting hard, like a marathon runner, chest rising and falling laboriously. The hand that I still clung to had slightly loosened, tired from gripping too hard. I was afraid to turn around.

There was a tug on my hand, forcing me to wrench around abruptly. I nearly lost my footing, but steady hands clutched at my arms, holding me in place.

So I could face him.

There was a window about three paces up. The afternoon light that streamed from it was enough to illuminate the paleness of Yuki’s handsome, angular face. His chapped lips were parted in bewilderment, raven hair windblown from the flighty run, but I was lost in his eyes. Those hazel eyes I realized I missed so much it churned my stomach with gooey feelings. His eyes were wide and searching, color like after a storm.

He spoke again, seeing how I could not form a coherent sentence. “Alaina, what’s wrong?”

My wonderful, caring best friend.

With a hitching gasp, I yanked myself out of his grasp and threw my arms around his neck, almost sending us over down the spiraling staircase. I sobbed into his shoulder, body shaking.

“Are you crying?” He sounded dumbfounded, but didn’t hesitate to encircle his arms around my abdomen. Now he began to soothe me, the best trait about him. His voice was impossibly soft by my ear. “Please don’t cry. Tell me what’s wrong.”

His tone reminded me of how he used it against inconsolable children. They would immediately quiet under his care, clinging to him like I was undeniably doing now.

“I-I just missed you s-so much!” I blubbered hysterically. I didn’t mean to confide my feelings so willingly, but it was too late to swallow back my words. “And-and...I was scared,” I whispered like a fearful toddler.

Yuki squeezed me closer to his chest, enveloping me in his scent. Sandalwood, books, and Tokyo air. Things that pertained to Yuki. “There’s nothing to be scared of. You’re home. You’re home.”

I wondered if he was reassuring me or himself.

My childhood friend continued to cradle me close, rocking me back and forth until my shaking subsided. I closed my eyes, enjoying the sweet, quiet moment.

Minutes later, I tried to extract myself from his hold, but his encaging arms prevented me from doing so.

His gaze was fixated on my uneasy face. “Alaina, seriously, tell me why you made us run like the devil was on our heels?”

You have no idea how close you nearly explained our situation, I thought dryly. I swallowed noisily. “I was afraid what was happening to those poor people,” I lied, then added in attempt of humor, “And I was hoping to ditch the tour while I had the chance. I’ve seen the shrine like a billion of times.”

Yuki noticed how I wanted to steer away from the ‘scary topics’, so laughed at my lame joke, rusty and breathless, but it was him. “Well, now make that a billion and one, with me.”

His smile was genuine and relieved. I wanted to burst into another round of tears, but belittled myself. I hated crying; it showed weakness. Once was enough.

Yuki reached up and touched the edge of my eye with his thumb. “Your eyes are puffy,” he noted. “Do you need to clean up? Wash your face?”

I shook my head. “I’m fine, really.” I gently put his hand down, smiling meekly. “Anyway, enough about me, what about you? Why were you at the shrine? It’s far away from central Tokyo.”

“Oh, me?” He fully released hold of me then, pondering on his answer. “I was...taking a walk.”

At his guarded tone, I felt something within me stir, prodding me to investigate. I regarded him carefully. We were both suspicious of each other at this point. I wanted to pry why he was overworking himself, being indifferent towards Ayano, and hardly speaking. He couldn’t hide it from me. I saw the tired wrinkle of his eyes, the grimace of his lips, even when I touched him, I detected there was something hidden under his happiness to see me again.

As for me, he would ask me that one question sooner or later.    

“Souka,” I responded in a careful, light tone.

In a much concerned formality, Yuki asked, “Won’t any of your teachers or classmates notice your absence?”

“Not really,” I replied absentmindedly. “None of them would-”

Then I backtracked, belatedly realizing someone would notice my absence. Scratch that. They would go berserk because I ran away! Guilt ate me. I had ditched Kai and Baekhyun back at the shrine entrance in the square. Oh no. Kai must be raving mad because he lost me! But since he was clueless of Tokyo’s streets, he couldn’t blindly teleport to me right away. And knowing Taemin, my auburn-haired soulmate probably foresaw my disappearance and was desperately trying to locate me. He might as well uproot Tokyo from the soil to find me.

But Yuki...

Was it selfish of me? Just wanting to be alone with my best friend just this once?

While I was internally battling with myself, Yuki reached out to squeeze my hand, imploring for my attention. I raised my chin to meet his curious gaze, still waiting for an answer.

“Oh! Gomen,” I blurted out. “Um, my teachers won’t notice for a while. If worse comes to happen, they’ll call me and tell me to rendezvous back at the hotel. And my classmates don’t care.”

He cocked a brow from under his askewed bangs. “And...what about any of your friends?”

I bristled inwardly; I bet he caught that. “They’ll probably call me in about one-”

My phone rumbled demandingly.

“-second.”

My skin went from pale to ghostly, afraid of the rectangular piece of technology. “Excuse me for a minute,” I murmured apprehensively, the phone vibrating in my pocket agitatedly.

“I’ll wait down there." Yuki inclined his head at the level six floor. I nodded and he trudged down, giving me some space. Expelling a big breath, I braced myself as I took out my phone and accepted the call from Taemin.

“Taemin?”

“ALAINA!” screamed a medley of frantic voices, making me cringe at the volume.

“G-guys?”

“WHERE ARE YOU?” Key wailed, hyperventilating. “Are you hurt? Scared? Alone?”

A dark voice interrupted Key before I could answer. “Where. In. The. Hell. Are. You?”

Trembling on the inside, I shot a sideways glance down the flight of stairs, seeing my best friend lean against the wall, minding his own business as I confronted my more-than-upset guardians. Thank goodness I was speaking in Korean.

“M-mianhae, Kai. I can’t tell you,” I said, sincere, but apologetic. “I’m with someone. So don’t you dare try to teleport to me.”

A third voice pitched in, wild with disbelief. “What?! Who are you with? It’s the hazel-eyed man, isn’t it? ISN’T IT?”

“Taemin,” I whispered like a soft plea, “its Yuki. My best friend.”

I sensed the cauldron of broiling anger simmer down to a safer temperature.

“Oh,” was Taemin’s feeble reply.

“Yeah, oh,” I echoed, a faint affectionate smile adorning my lips. “How about I give you an address and we meet up in about thirty minutes?”

“Ten minutes.”

That was an order.

“What about our class? The tour? Where’s Onew-oppa and the others?”

“The tour’s been cancelled,” stated Baekhyun calmly. “And our school group is regrouping. They’re still in shock from the demon attack.”

“Chanyeol-hyung and the others went off to join Luhan-hyung to find Jea,” Sehun added, sounding glum he couldn’t join them. “She and the other two she-demons pranced off before we could apprehend them.”

Therefore, we summed up the call when I gave them specific directions to a favorable café nearby the plaza. They agreed and made me absolutely promise I’d be there. Punctuality was demanded.

Pocketing my phone, I clutched at my chest. The worst part was over. I descended the stairs to approach Yuki. He glanced up expectantly.

I smiled tentatively. “Do you...wanna meet my friends?”

Surprised, he leaned away from the wall. “Your friends?” he repeated. “Who are your friends?” He frowned. “You never mention enough about them in your letters.”

Although the token was small, I was deeply touched Yuki spared some time to read my letters.

“I – they – ano...” I faltered helplessly, fiddling with my fingers. “They’re worried why I ran off with some random stranger.” Worried was the understatement of understatements. I laughed nervously. “They’re really good people, Yuki.”

An infinitesimal grimace contorted his angular features. “...Alright, have you told them about me?” He eyed me skeptically.

I nodded wholeheartedly. “Of course! I never fail to talk about you, or think about you!”

That made him flush a little in his ashen cheeks. He softened, taking my hand in his. “If that’s a bribe to butter me up, I accept it. Let’s go.”

Yuki led the way out of the staircase hall and out the plaza’s glassy-door entrance. Meanwhile, I was quietly observing him with a tender expression.

Yuki, you weren’t aware of it, but you had asked me to stay behind with you, so that we could always be the king and queen of our orphanage. I’m sorry – so sorry, for rejecting you. But letting you meet my friends is the least I can do for allowing me to abandon you. Because if it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have discovered my true identity – who I really am. Intentional or not, you always help me, Yuki. All the gratitude in the world can’t compensate how much I owe you my thanks.  

The atmosphere between us was carefree and uplifted as we leisurely strolled along, pace unhurried. I had told Yuki the café we were rendezvousing with my friends and he only smiled amiably. Our hands were interlocked, a cozy warmth blanketing us, shared between him and I. Through our skin-to-skin contact, Yuki’s content feelings crossovered to me, melting me in blissfulness. Nothing could ruin it, this feeling.

Bystanders took notice of us.

“Aw, kawaii!”

“They make a nice couple.”

“I wish my boyfriend and I were like that!”

Normally I would’ve fidgeted and said otherwise, but my confidence and blissfulness overruled that. I didn’t have to waste my breath explaining Yuki was my best friend. I knew the truth and that what was important.

At the front of the café, Yuki, the gentlemen, held open the door for me. I smiled at him and said in a mock accent, “Why, thank you, good sir.”

He tipped his imaginary hat and replied suavely, “Anything for a pretty little lady.”

I couldn’t help but glow with flattery, entering the cozy, chicly-decorated café. It reminded me of Park’s Little Town, minus the elaborate interior painting and expensive furnishings. A twinge of nostalgia tickled me. I willed it away.

Yuki and I divided tasks. He would order some drinks while I snagged us a table. I sat at an unoccupied six-chaired table. It would have to do. I zoned out as I waited, staring blankly at the glossy tabletop.

A fancy to-go cup was shoved in my face, snapping me out of my stupor. I blinked twice.

“Here, I got you a caramel frap,” Yuki said. “Hope you don’t mind drinking coffee so late in the day.”

“Arigato, Yuki,” I said genuinely, grasping the cup gratefully, the condensation wetting my fingers. I smiled at the cream-topped contents lathered with caramel syrup. My favorite that, of course, Yuki knew.

“So who are your friends?” my best friend asked conversationally. Much to my puzzlement, he sat right next to me when I originally thought he might sit across from me so he could see me better. Our legs brushed under the table.

“Eto...they’re...very accepting people,” I managed to say. “Around five – no, seven – I mean nine people!”

Yuki was impressed, brows raised. “That’s...a lot of people, Alaina. You usually don’t hang around such big cliques.”

You have no idea, I deadpanned, but outwardly chuckled. “I’m not in a clique.” I sipped my chilly coffee as I pondered what to say next. “My days in school were...troublesome.”

His arched brows furrowed in concern, seeing my grimace. “How bad was it?”

My thoughts drifted to the bullies who tortured me and the students who alienated me. To all the injuries afflicted on me and the demons that wanted my blood. But to top that, the feeling of bizarreness, loneliness, and being the odd one out was still forever engraved into my being.

But I had SHINee, the café owners, my school friends, and even Exo now. They were my new family and friends who supported me. They risked their lives for mine. They literally opened up my world. My gaze fell to my taut hands grasped around my drink. “Bad,” I allowed in a whisper. “But if it wasn’t for my friends, I’ve would’ve been a...goner.”

“You’ve should’ve just stayed here,” Yuki muttered almost inaudibly, but my sensitive hearing caught that. I was conflicted, but knew his feelings reflected mine, the loneliness, the way no one understood you, except I had abandoned him, leaving him behind to dwell in the darkness alone. I was at fault here.

I took a deep breath and opened my mouth. “Yuki, I thought-”

“You don’t have a boyfriend, do you?”

His voice was strained, as if the question pained him.

Now I was off-balance. He had dared to ask what had been bothering him. If he was looking at me, he would’ve seen an apology b in my eyes. “I...”

A strikingly familiar presence alerted me, diverting my attention. No, there was a hoard of presences that I knew, ingrained into my being. The café’s door chimed and a percussion of footsteps entered.

“Alaina?”

My soulmate’s beautiful voice was breathless, thick with relief. I stood up only to be assaulted by many pairs of arms, my air choked off. 

My self-proclaimed mother jabbed a finger in my face. “Don’t you EVER run off like that again, young missy,” Key hissed.

I shrunk back at his ferociousness. “N-ne, umma.”

Baekhyun was clutching at his pounding chest. “Oh, thank whatever wants to be thanked that you’re fine.”

Sehun bobbed his head earnestly, brown eyes locked on my face. “You gave us a heart attack when we heard you disappeared, Princess!”

“Mianhae,” I muttered through tight lips, a bit rueful.

“And sorry for not being here earlier,” Minho apologized sincerely. “We misread the street signs.”

“Yeah,” Kai mumbled, voice low and exasperated, “it’s more like Taozi directed us the wrong way.” Due to our cramp proximity in the café, no one would notice that his fingers made a bracelet around my wrist. He found comfort in the pulse of my heartbeat.

Tao pouted at my dark-haired soulmate. “Yah! At least I tried!” Then he added smugly, “I was smart enough to use the map app on my phone instead.”

From behind my squished circle of bickering guardians, someone cleared their throat loudly, making a statement that there was an audience – a one-man audience. My neck grew warm when I suddenly remembered Yuki was present, having watched our aberrant interaction but not understanding a wink of Korean. He was out of his seat, hands gripping at the back of his chair, as if he was debating whether or not to break our circle. I was acutely aware of Taemin’s arm habitually resting at the back of my waist, his bright, expressive eyes fixated on my face, and Kai clutching my wrist possessively, his breathing tickling my shoulder. Luckily for me, Yuki could barely see the skinship with Minho and Key blocking his view. Reddening deeper, I sidestepped away from my soulmates, who shot me puzzled, incredulous glances. I coughed self-consciously, not meeting anyone’s questioning gaze.

“A-ano, Yuki,” I began skittishly, “these are my friends from Seoul. Well, some of them.” I added that as an afterthought, thinking about my human friends and the other guardians. During my introduction, I gestured with each name. “This is Taemin, Kai, Baekhyun, Tao, Sehun, Key, and Minho.”

My best friend was overcome with stillness, as if paralyzed with shock. His hands, which still gripped the chair, turned white across his taut knuckles. His hazel eyes reflected how stupefied he was. I was already wincing on the inside, knowing what he was thinking. Boys. She befriended a bunch of boys.

Then he refocused, composing himself smoothly, shoulders and arms relaxing. It was something introverted orphans learned to do when hiding their weakness and worries. He sent me a pointed look. We’ll talk about this later.

I dreaded for later.

Yuki was civil, smiling affably. His politeness could rival Suho’s. Bowing his head, he introduced himself, “Konnichiwa, my name is Sakuragi Yukizora. I am Alaina’s...best friend.”

It was strange to hear Yuki’s full name, like hearing a foreign language that you only knew a few words from. Unlike me, when he had arrived at the orphanage, he already knew his full name, his true identity. A seven-year-old boy abandoned to a forsaken place because his parents died – first his dad from an illness, then his mom from depression – when he was young. No relatives left to take care of him. The social workers thought it’d be best to spare him from foster care, seeing how unwilling and unresponsive he was. Such a lonely child who shunned the world.

A memory prickled in my mind. I heard Ayano’s warm, lyrical voice, answering a question of mine when I had asked about the new arrival’s name. I couldn’t have been a little over four years old, meaning I had been with Ayano for only a few months.

“My shelter welcomes him with open arms during the season where the cherry blossom trees bloom fragrantly. I recognize him immediately, and remember what I was told about him. A boy with hazel gray eyes – almost silverish-white – like the snow-laden sky with its clouds precipitating cold tears.”

I had tugged on her long skirt in puzzlement, staring up at the old women with probing eyes. “Aya-baa-san, what are you talking about? You didn’t tell his name yet. You’re re-re-” I struggled with my words, still too young and uneducated to properly articulate my thoughts.

Ayano had understood me though, looking down at me tenderly but with an amused twinkle in her eyes. “You mean reciting? I was in a poetic mood, but that wasn’t poetry, A-chan.” She had tapped the tip of my nose which I wrinkled like a rabbit’s. She had smiled. “And about your question, I did answer it. You just weren’t paying attention. His name is Sakuragi Yukizora.” Her eyes had drifted across the entryway of the orphanage, landing on a small figure being ushered into the threshold. Hair like a raven’s. Skin as pale as mine. And eyes of hazel, currently dull and lifeless, but indubitably a cloudy-gray color.

“Alaina, meet Yuki, your new roommate.”

My flashback dissolved when I heard Taemin’s alluring voice respond back. Apparently he, Minho, and Key interpreted fairly well with their limited Japanese, but Kai, Sehun, Tao, and Baekhyun were hanging ducks. “Ah, nice to meet you, Yuki-san. Alaina talked about you sometimes.”

I was baffled when my best friend shook hands with my auburn-haired soulmate. Too anxious. I was too anxious. My hands became clammy.

Yuki indicated with a wave of his hand. “Please, sit. All of you.”

We all managed to arrange ourselves in two tables, personal space invaded since the cafe limited elbow room and was still bustling with customers. Like before, I was by Yuki again. I was his support as he was mine. Taemin, Kai, Key, and Minho crowded around us, all wanting to be close to me. The communication-deprived three – Sehun, Tao, and Baekhyun – sat sulkily in the table before us, near the wall-length windows. They didn’t mind too much, though, ordering snacks and being oblivious to the appreciative looks from ogling girls.

“So,” Yuki began conversationally, albeit unsurely, his fingers absently tapping the table top, “how long have you been friends with Alaina?”

Key smiled charmingly. “During her first day of school. Two days after she arrived in Seoul.” The blond looked at me for confirmation. “Am I right, Alaina-chan?”

I paused in the action of stirring my melting frap, then immediately glared at the smirking imp from under my bangs – even Taemin and Minho were suppressing amused smiles; Kai looked lost; Yuki barely noticed. Don’t push it. “Uh, yeah. Key-kun, and the rest of them were very...courteous.”

Yuki seemed to accept that. He prodded on, “How long have you been in Tokyo?”

“About three days if you count today,” Minho answered smoothly. From the corner of his eye, he snatched away the chocolate cake he ordered from Taemin’s itching fingers; the maknae pouted.

The answer made Yuki’s brow scrunch down. He gave me a sidelong look. “Alaina, why haven’t you visited the orphanage yet then?”

There it was. The question I dreaded. I inwardly cringed.

Countenance shaken, I was stammering helplessly, “I – um – thought that – it wasn’t allowed-”

“She’s trying to say we weren’t allowed because we have a schedule and strict rules to follow,” Key supplied with easy grace. I let out a relieved breath. Under the table, I felt someone pat my leg reassuringly – it was Kai, sitting on my right. “We’re not free to wander on our own until the last two days. We return to Seoul by the end of the week.”

“Alaina wouldn’t have let that stop her,” Yuki said almost inaudibly, especially from the din of the café chatter, but we heard him. “She would’ve found a way to come home.”

“I would,” I blurted out mindlessly. Everyone stared at me and I flushed. “Well, I would,” I said defensively. Then I faced Key with a determined expression. “Key-umma, I have a plan. Can we get Onew-oppa to use his powers to convince the teachers to exclude me from the schedule?”

Key’s feline eyes widened, and so did my soulmates’ and Minho’s. Sehun, Tao, and Baekhyun from the table before us heard my proposal and perked up. Because I spoke in Korean, Yuki frowned at me, wanting to know what I was saying.

“But the demons,” stressed Kai, already apprehensive.

“Not only that, but most of your plans tend to...” With his hand, Minho emphasized a declining slope. “...go downhill.”

I scowled. “Only because most of you weren’t with me. This is different. You guys can come with me.”

Taemin seemed to consider that, curious. “You mean...to the place where you grew up?”

I rolled my eyes. “No, to the place where it’s full of candy and unicorns. Of course, I meant the orphanage!”

“Yah, I was only asking!”

Kai laughed at his indignant friend.

“It’s settled,” I concluded, fist hitting the table. “We’re all visiting the orphanage after we get Onew-oppa in the midst.” Ignoring their verbal objections, I smiled at Yuki who looked at me confusedly. “Guess what, Yuki, we’re going to drop by the orphanage. All of us!”

My best friend was taken back, and echoed, “All of you?”

I nodded earnestly. “Un, just let me make a phone call and we can all go.”

Getting up, I distanced myself from the table and ducked into the girls’ restroom. There, in the unoccupied enclosure of the restroom, I phoned Onew. He immediately picked up.

“Alaina?!” cried out my cousin. “Is that you? Are you okay?”

“Ne, ne, it’s me, Onew-oppa,” I assured, staring at myself in one of the restroom’s many mirrors hung over the porcelain sinks. I looked too...hyped up. There was an eager gleam in my chocolate orbs, a flush to my ashen cheeks, and a certain anticipation when I spoke. “I’m fine and everything – but listen, I have a request. A really big one.”

Onew grew subdued, wary. “What kind of request?”

I scratched the back of my neck nervously – a habit I always saw Lay do – and smiled despite myself. “Oh, you see, you know from Key-umma I met up with Yuki – my best friend from the orphanage – and I can really tell he wants me to visit.”

There was a pregnant pause. Few seconds later, Onew asked wearily, “If I told you to stay away from there and come back to the hotel, would you do it?”

“No.”

“Darn.”

My velvet voice dropped into a soft plea. “Please, Onew? I won’t be able to feel at ease until I see my home. I need to be there. I can’t explain it, but this feeling inside me, this pull” – I put a hand over my heart – “is telling me that I have one last deed in my old life. To-to say goodbye.”

The second I spoke those words, the second I knew it was true. I finally came to realize why I was homesick, because I hadn’t let go of what kept me human. I wasn’t human, therefore I needed to sever those ties. It sounded mean, but I didn’t say I was going to forget Ayano, Yuki, and the orphans – no, I was just moving on.

I closed my eyes, turning around to lean against the rim of the sink, the phone still pressed against my ear. The only sound in the restroom was my soft breathing and the hum of the air vents.

Finally, I heard Onew sigh. “What do you want me to do?”

I perked up, leaning away from the sink. “What? You’re going to help me?”

“I have never not helped you,” he sulked. “So what’s your plan?”

Although struck with disbelief, I briefed Onew on the simplicity of my plan. He agreed wholeheartedly.

“Just don’t make me regret this,” sighed the guardian. “More than I already am. The others are going to kill me when they find out.” He mumbled that last part.

“Sorry about that, oppa,” I said feebly. I was sorry. It wasn’t my fault fate liked to mess up my life.

“And Alaina?”

“Mwoh?”

His musical voice was gentle. “Remember your home is with us, too.”

I smiled sweetly, insides growing warm with acceptance. “I will.”

...

It was official. I could really say it.

I was heading home.

In my mind, I imagined the cracked, faded brick wall that outlined the grounds of the orphanage. The dusty gray street that was aligned with it. The black, metal-rusted mailbox that acted like a guard at the front entrance. The dreariness and bleakness of such a forgotten place for forgotten innocents.

But it was only an outward impression. Until you stepped onto the orphanage’s grounds and experienced the hospitality and care of the caretakers – especially Ayano’s – you found yourself coming back.

We were all crammed into a subway – Yuki, my guardians, and I – which was paid by Yuki and me by our subway cards. I was lost in my own thoughts, sitting by the window, watching the barely illuminated interior of the subway tunnel fly by. Many people were stuffed into the same subway carriage as us (well, it was the summer). Most of my guardians, like Minho, Tao, Sehun, and Kai, opted to stand. If you peered closely, you’d actually noticed they formed a protective arc where I sat, warding off unwanted people by their mere presence. In order, the seating arrangement was Baekhyun, Key, Taemin, me, and lastly Yuki.

Baekhyun and Key were blabbering about something pertained to clothes, and Taemin was listening to his music, earphones plugged in, but his hand had crept to the small of my back, adhered there protectively. Beside me, Yuki also stared distractedly out the window, but occasionally shot cursory glances at me, which I didn’t notice because I too absorbed in my own world.

Soon enough, our stop came and we spilled from the subway along with the hoard of people. Everyone tentatively followed Yuki and me, expertly weaving through the sea of walking pedestrians, and ascended up the subway stairs into open air, now above ground.

“Ah,” I exhaled. The scent here was more familiar, and so was the scenery. A run-down part of Tokyo’s cramp interior, lined with decrepit buildings and family-owned stores. Accented with full grown trees, landscapes of flowers, and even the weeds sprouting from the cracks in the sidewalk. The pathways swerved left to right, the slopes up and down. From above, the afternoon sun glared down at us with its rays. At least there was a nice breeze blowing by (unless that was Sehun’s influence, then thank Mother Almighty he was born).

Yuki waved his hand at us. “This way, come on.” He strode down the street’s sidewalk with a great sense of where he was going. Once in a while, a car would putter by. A mother and son walked by with their barking dog. A biker rang his bell at us.

I nodded at my guardians reassuringly. “We’re close. Let’s go.”

I could barely contain my excitement as I caught up with Yuki up front, my guardians cautiously trailing us from behind. As if I had eyes on the back of my head, I knew Taemin and Kai were shooting daggers at Yuki whose hand had slipped into mine unconsciously.

Only a few paces left. The brick wall I’d depicted in my daydream appeared to my right. Up ahead, I saw a patch of sandy dirt on dull pavement which was the road that led into the entrance of our destination. A grimy, encrusted plaque was embedded into the brick wall, presenting its name to anyone who passed by.

The Akiyama Orphanage of Tokyo.

I detached myself from Yuki’s grip, my body switched onto automatic as my legs started into a dash. I darted past the mailbox, past the giant plaque, past the entrance, and swerved a sharp right. Voices called out my name, but I wanted to get to my destination.

And I stopped.

Little kids horsed around in what was considered the front yard. They were dressed in frazzled tank tops and shorts and donated summer dresses. Some of the boys had mini water guns handy, and they darted across the dry plot of land, shooting spurts of water at the screaming girls who ran away. Older kids, those old enough to be in school, were playing in the rusty, creaky playground or were scattered elsewhere – at the bench, under the trees, or on the lawn. Fussing about the front of the orphanage’s massive, haggard shelter were the caretakers monitoring the little tykes.

Unconsciously my gaze locked onto one particular caretaker, whose movements was slow yet purposeful. Her shoulders were slightly hunched over from years of labor. Her long salt-and-pepper hair was twisted into a loose bun, some strands falling over her wrinkled, but once beautiful face. Her features was firm, from the shape of her eyes to the tip of her lips, but countenance caring and gentle.

Ayano.

As if she heard my unspoken call, she glanced up from where she had been admonishing a troublesome child. She spotted me at the entrance of her property, standing there dazedly, with a bunch of boys hovering a few feet behind me, but she only saw me. Her eyes widened slowly in realization, recognizing my features, and her lips formed my name.

“Alaina! Alaina, is that you? My A-chan?”

Ayano’s weathered hand flew to , stunned at both her outburst and my sudden appearance. Yuki stepped up, and with a gentle nudge, pushed me forward.

“Go on,” he whispered to me.

Now I could move. I meant to approach Ayano, but I was stopped by a tsunami of shrieking kids barreling towards me. They engulfed me with their rampant grasping hands.

“A-chan! Is that you?”

“She’s back! A-chan’s back!”

I was suddenly tackled into a fury of vice-like hugs. I was brought down to my knees, at the same height of most orphans. They beamed at me infectiously; they might as well blinded me.

“Hi-hi!” chirped a girl with twin plaits. Her thin, dainty arms wounded around my slender waist, holding me tight. “Hi-hi, A-chan! You’re home!”

Back then, I would’ve chided at the children not to touch me, or at least gently brushed them aside, but I wasn’t doing that now. Their euphoric burst of feelings was contagious, affecting me. I began to laugh and hiccup uncontrollably. “O-oh, hi-hi,” I sputtered, tears blurring my vision of the angels. “I missed you guys. Soooooo much!” I bear-hugged as many of them as I could and they giggled madly.

“Alaina?”

I raised my chin to peer over the children’s bouncing heads to meet Ayano’s watery eyes. She was also crying.

She held out her arms.

I did what was natural: I got up and ran into them.

“I’m home, baa-chan.”

...

(Kai’s POV)

Kai had never seen Alaina so uncharacteristically emotional before. Out in the open as if she forgot whoever was watching and shed her mask. From the months he spent with her, he knew very well that his soulmate hated being over emotional, which was ironic, because she was naturally emotional – mainly because her powers influenced her to be so.

And yet there she was, happy tears falling down her beautiful face as she allowed thirty or so children via for her hugs. Then a women he presumed as her adopted grandmother opened her arms, and Alaina – as if a vulnerable, needy child – dove into those arms. The old women rocked the crying girl back and forth, crooning her name like a lullaby. Alaina buried her face into her grandmother’s neck.

“Need a tissue, Tao?” he heard Sehun ask the panda.

Tao sniffled, dabbing at his eyes. “Y-yes, happy reunions make me bawl.”

Sehun wore an amused smile as he watched Tao blow his nose into the offered tissue. Baekhyun patted the tall panda’s back while Minho and Key rolled their eyes.

“You can come in,” Yuki said politely, but somewhat forced. “I bet Alaina wants to introduce you to Ayano.”

Kai shot an unsure look at Taemin who nodded. They were the first two to officially enter the premises. Kai actually felt nervous as he and Taemin neared Alaina, Ayano, and the ecstatic children.

His teary-eyed soulmate composed herself enough to pull away from her grandmother’s embrace and smile. She indicated at him and Taemin as they bowed their heads at the old lady.

“Obaa-san,” she said proudly, “I want you to meet Lee Taemin and Kim Jongin, two people that I care about very, very much.” She smiled contently at them. “Taemin, Jongin, meet my grandmother, Ayano, the owner of this orphanage.”

“It’s nice to finally meet you, obaa-chan,” Taemin greeted with a bright beam. Kai smiled sheepishly and bowed his head again.

The gray-haired women raised an intrigued brow at Alaina’s way of introduction and scrutinized the two foreign boys with trained eyes. Kai gulped inwardly, the woman’s tender look snapped into a gaze of steel, trying to pry information from him by her own two eyes.

“Hm, interesting young men,” Ayano commented dryly. Then she allowed a polite, approving smile. “Very interesting.” She glanced sideways at Alaina. “I see why you avoided telling me about them.”

Laughing awkwardly, Alaina conceded with a guilty shrug. “Hehe, sorry I forgot to mention it?”

Yuki had ushered the others up front. He, too, was soon overwhelmed by little kids who jumped up and down like excited monkeys, clinging to his shirt hem.

“Yuki-nii! Yuki-nii!”

“My boy can handle them,” Ayano dismissed when she saw Key and Baekhyun be inclined to help the hazel-eyed boy. “Anyway, you boys are?”

Key smiled winningly, as if to stun the old woman. “Konnichiwa, obaa-chan, my name is Kim Kibum, but I prefer being called Key.”

Minho bowed graciously. “Konnichiwa, I am Choi Minho.”

Alaina continued the rest of the introductions since none of the Exo boys could speak for themselves. She pointed. “Mister Eye-Smiles is Byun Baekhyun. The quiet panda over there is Huang Zitao. And the shy one who keeps his lips is Oh Sehun.”

Taemin, Key, and Minho snickered behind their hands at Alaina’s mirthful choice of words. The Exo members thought nothing of it, only winning Ayano’s affections with their lovely boyish charm.

It worked; she was charmed, hand pressed against her flushed cheek. “My, my,” she uttered in wonder. “Such handsome young men. So fit and colorful.”

She just commented about our looks, didn’t she? Kai guessed, thinking about their dyed hair and expensive clothing. They were out-of-place in this scene. For once, it was Alaina who fit in, not them.

Before anyone could pursue to topic, Yuki came straggling over with about four monkey-impersonating kids hanging onto his arms and legs. Luckily years of dealing with the little charges helped him develop the muscles and energy to endure the exhaustion.

“Ayano,” he said and winced when someone wrapped their gangly arms around his neck. “Can we bring this reunion inside? The kids should clean up and get ready for dinner. We can talk more then.”

“Ah, good idea, Yuki,” concurred the old lady. She turned to her new visitors with a welcoming smile. “Please, all of you, come inside. We can gather up for dinner.” She touched Alaina’s arm questionably. “You are staying for dinner, aren’t you?”

From the inside, Kai knew Alaina’s willpower was crumbling without effort. “Hai, hai, we’re staying long enough.”

Because Onew-hyung made sure we could return to the hotel anytime we wanted to, Kai thought as everyone was herded into the decrepit building.

Ayano and the caretakers swooped into action; Ayano gave out orders and the caretakers followed them. The children had to be washed and dressed appropriately for dinner.

Kai was surprised when Alaina scooped up one child onto her hip, then guided another child with her gentle hand. “Come on, Sayo-chan, Mii-chan. Time for a bath.”

Key looked at his unofficial daughter with startlement. “You’re helping?”

Alaina nodded as if the answer was obvious. “It’ll make the procession faster. You can help, too, if you like. Just ask Yuki.” She was swept into the crowd that pooled down the long, narrow halls.

Yuki, who had guessed his friend’s suggestion, turned their way, a wiggling three-year-old in his arms. Another boy gripped at his legs, his thumb.

“Might as well be useful,” Yuki remarked bluntly, and jerked his chin at the west wing. “Down this hall is where all the children one and under are. Mind helping the caretakers?”

Understanding bits and pieces, Kai opened his mouth to acquiesce, “Um, I don’t think-”

Taemin glomped on his back. “We’ll do it!” he hollered ecstatically while Kai struggled under his friend’s hold. The pretty auburn-haired boy eye-smiled sunnily. “We love kids.”

Regarding him oddly, Yuki granted him a brief nod. “Okay,” he said slowly, “come right this way.”

Baekhyun tugged on Minho’s sleeve as they mechanically tailed after Yuki like lost ducks, squished together in the tight corridors and limited space. There were so many little munchkins running about! Their heads no taller than the guardians’ waist. It was impossible to get a head count as they zoomed past by, giggling and exclaiming wildly. Passing caretakers who tried to catch their charges paused to look at the guardians in wonder and appreciation. “Hyung, what did he say we were going to do?” the brunet asked.

Minho blinked. “Something about taking care of little one-year-olds?”

Sehun, who had been distracted by the kids that could practically crawl through his legs like a tunnel, yelped loudly.

“W-wait a second! WE’RE BABYSITTING?”

...

Disclaimer: I don't own pics. I just spam.

(I'm so late. T^T)

(Dang, just gotta love these fan arts)

(TEAM JACOB! I'M WITH TEAM JACOB!)

(I like it how they just fix themselves up right here.)

(Those eyebrows.)