Seeing the shocked expression on his face, Donghae gave him an understanding look, which showed so much hurt, that it nearly took his breath before the other turned around and smiled at the children again. He really must love them very much.

Feeling his heart clench, he held the boy sleeping on his shoulder a bit tighter, now that he understood why he had been crying when Hyuk asked for his parents. He had non, because he was an orphan just like his brother.

He didn’t save them from being alone he just brought them back to it, because they were already left behind.

Flashback

After what felt like years the taxi finally had stopped.

Even though Hyuk was still in some kind of soft daze, after he had been sleeping the whole time, he realized something was wrong.

He didn’t know what it was yet but it was still something out of order. The cab parked at the sidewalk of a small street and across from it there was a church.

Small lanterns were lightening up the surroundings, although it was still bright enough without them.

Hyukjae assumed that it was just the ambiance of petite towns, making them look cozy to big city guys like he was. Everything was so peaceful and silent, it was nearly frightening.

Getting out of the car to stretch his tensed muscles for the second time this day, he heard the taxi driver swear over and over again.

Walking up next to the older man, Hyuk asked in the most friendly way he was able to, since he was still grumpy:

“What’s the matter, Sir? Why did we have to stop?”

Seeing how enerved the other was and how much misery was written in his face, Eunhyuk felt pity for the man. Nobody needed troubles a few days before Christmas.

Running the fingers of his right hand through his grey hair, the elder looked up and answered:

“I am sorry young man, but we won’t get anywhere soon. We got a flat tyre and a snow storm coming up. I already called the breakdown service, but they told me they won’t get to San Leandro within an hour, so we can just wait. Please get back into the car and rest some more. You looked really tired and I turned the heating system on to keep you warm. I am really sorry.”

Pretty annoyed about the news, Hyuk sighed and walked a around the car to get back into his seat. He looked calm from the outside, but inside he was about to freak out.

How much more could possibly happen on one day.

Freaking car, freaking weather, freaking everything!

This stupid, little of a …

Hyukjae stopped in his all movements when he heard a faint sob coming from the other side of the street. Or maybe he had just imagined something. Glancing back to where the taxi driver was talking to the breakdown service once again on his cellphone, he decided to go and look from who the sobbing sounds came, since they wouldn’t get anywhere the next few minutes.

With every step he made towards the small church the sobs got louder and louder, until he saw a little boy, about three years old, with nothing but a thin jacket on, sitting in front of the gates, his little face all red and stained with tears.

It seemed like no one was there to help him.

And once more Hyuk felt pity rushing through his body. No child should be outside alone in the cold, at this time, crying his eyes out.

Nearing slowly to not scare the boy more than he already was, he got on his knees in front of the child and looked up into big, puffy eyes.

The boy watched him closely, but stopped crying for a moment to see who had been approaching him. He sniffed a few times to stop his nose from running, even though he failed in the end and just kept on staring into Hyukjae’s face.

Smiling a bit, he got a little bit closer and asked:

“Hey there little one. What are you doing out here all alone? Did you got lost?”

The child didn’t reply and kept silent with a frightened expression on his face, so the blonde tried to reach for the younger in an other way. Still smiling he continued:

“I am Hyukjae by the way. Would you mind telling me your name?”

Sensing the nervousness of the boy, he stayed calm and waited for an answer, which never came.

“Oh common. You must have a name. Everyone got one, even the cat of my neighbor had a

name.”

After mentioning the cat, he saw the eyes of the child lit up for a second and found he was heading to the right direction.

“Do you like cats?”, he asked and the younger nodded, what left Hyuk smiling again. The kid was really adorable and cute.

“I like them too. Her name was Minsu. She had big, green eyes and brown, fluffy fur. Pretty right?”

The boy nodded again and took a step forward.

“Do you want me to tell you more about her?”

Another nod followed.

“Okay but first you have to tell me your name, I want to know who I am telling all the stories about Minsu you know? She is something special.”

“Wookie”, the kid whispered.

“Excuse me what did you say?”

“My name is Wookie.”

Hyukjae was proud he finally got the child, Wookie, to trust him and wanted to ask him where his parents were, but first he stripped out of his jacket and put it over the boys shoulders.

“What a beautiful name Wookie. So how about that. I will tell you about the cat and you will tell me why you are out here all alone?”

“Yes.”

“Fine. Come here and sit down on my lab. Don’t worry you can trust me I just want you to warm up again.”

Wookie nodded once more and sat on his knees after Eunhyuk had started to tell about Minsu.

A few minutes later the little boy was leaning against his chest, finally feeling secure.

“So Wookie, why are you out here alone?”

Unfortunately the question caused new tears to fall down from the boys eyes and Hyuk was fast to take out a tissue to dry them off and also stop the youngers running nose.

“Hey it is ok, I am here now and will help you so tell me, Wookie:”

“Wookie and Jaejae wanted to go get a Christmas tree for home, but then Jaejae was gone and I couldn’t find him anymore and then it was getting dark and appa said, if I get lost I should wait here for him. But I have to find Jaejae, what should I do? I am afraid Hyung.”

Lifting an eyebrow in surprise, because he had just been called “Hyung”, what was the correct, polite Korean way to address his elders, Hyuk focused back at the boy in his arms.

“How about we first get something to hold you warm, while we are gone, looking for Jaejae?”

“Promise we will find Jaejae?”

“Promise little one and now stop crying please. We won’t find your friend if can’t see anything, because of your tears, right?”

“Jaejae isn’t Wookie’s friend, he’s my brother.”

Lifting the kid up, Eunhyuk walked back to the taxi rather quickly.

“Okay let’s go find your brother then.”

At the cab, the driver was already waiting for them.

“There you are young man, I was already worried about you. And what is it with the boy?”

“Well I don’t know yet and I don’t have the time to explain”, handing over a small paper and all of the money he had with him he continued, ”here is the address to where my luggage needs to be delivered. About the money ….I don’t know if it is enough, but it is all I have now. If there is still some left to be paid, please tell the people living at this address and they will pay you off. Thank you for taking me to San Leandro, Sir. Oh and could I get the blanket to keep this little guy here warm? I have to help him look for his brother. And of course you will be payed for it as well.”

A little bit stunned, the driver took the money and the paper.

“Sure. And don’t worry about the money it will be alright. Please take care of yourself and Merry Christmas, Ehm…”

“Hyukjae, Sir.”

“Merry Christmas Hyukjae, but please call me Jeff. I will take care of your luggage don’t worry. And now go and help this little cutie. He surely misses his brother.”

“Thank you Jeff, Merry Christmas to you too.”

And with that he was off, enveloping the small boy into the blanket, because he needed his jacket back.

“Okay Wookie now tell me where your parents are. They must be worried about you and your brother if you are out here all by yourself.”

A little bit shocked, Hyukjae watched as Wookie started to cry again.

“Shh, it is okay you don’t have to tell me. We can look for them later. Let’s find Jaejae, neh?”

“Neh, Hyung”, came the answer through some sobs.

Recognizing, that the kid was totally exhausted he decided to take out his cellphone and look for big places around the small town. Somewhere the other boy could be.

So he first walked to the small park, but no one was there to be found. The same went for the library, the toy store and the playgrounds around the area.

Sighing, because he was about to lose hope Hyukjae thought some more about it, searching for a clue where the other boy could be.

And taking the weather into consideration he should hurry to think about some more eventualities, there wouldn’t be any chance left, once the snow storm would reach San Leandro.

“Hey Wookie? Did your brother tell you where you two were supposed to go?”

“Neh, Hyung, we wanted to go to the big Christmas tree.”

“The big Christmas tree?”, earning a fierce nod, Hyuk gave it second thought and then it hit him like a rock.

Every city or even small town had a Christmas market!

Taking out his cellphone again, Eunhyuk searched for the place in San Leandro where they would place the most important thing at Christmas.

Not having to wait long, he had the name of the big market downtown and thanks to Google maps he found it rather quickly, even though the snow had been starting to fall, making it rather difficult to see anything unless it was further away than ten meters.

Luckily the tree stood in front of a rather big shopping mall that was brightly lightened.

Walking nearer to the actual destination of the two boys, Hyuk looked for a second body somewhere under the tree, since Wookie had been crying again, because he thought they lost track of his brother.

He couldn’t deny that this was his last hope either. If the other boy wasn’t here then where else should he be?

Luckily he heard a sneezing sound and turned into the direction it came from like he did earlier this day.

And to his relief, he saw a little body curled up into a human ball.

Closing the space between them, Hyukjae walked up to the boy, he assumed was Jaejae.

The kid must be around the same age as Wookie, hugging his knees because he was freezing. What else would you expect if you were dressed in a simple jacket and thin trousers?

Stopping a few feet away from the child Hyuk called out his name, since Wookie was still crying and not paying any attention to his surroundings anymore.

“Jaejae?”, he said softly and the boy looked up with a frightened expression on his little face, that was so alike his brothers.

Lifting his head abruptly and looking into the direction the elder was staring, Wookie started to squirm around, as he recognized his twin sitting under the big Christmas tree.

Letting the kid down, he watched as the two brothers hugged each other while they were crying. They were so young and still felt such a strong bond, that the blonde nearly got jealous.

Deciding it would be better to give them a few minutes to calm down Eunhyuk just stood there and followed their every move with his eyes. At least he would get time to think of how he would find their parents.

“Wookie is so happy to have Jaejae back! Don’t leave me again.”

“Jaejae won’t leave Wookie again. I am sorry.”

“Jae, what do you think will Appa say? We did a bad thing right? Now Santa won’t get Wookie the cat he saw at the store”, the boy whined looking to his brother, who held him tight.

“Neh, Wookie we did a bad thing. I am sorry, but I wanted to get us a Christmas tree. Minnie Hyung said without it there won’t be any Christmas. And we all wouldn’t get the presents Santa will bring us.”

“So what are we going to do?”

“I don’t know Wookie… I don’t want Hyung to be angry at us…”

Listening to them for a while now, Hyuk decided it would be better to get them out of here. The snow storm was starting and the darkness of the night didn’t make it easier for him to get along in a foreign town, with two little boys he didn’t know as well.

“Wookie, Jaejae? I guess we should get going. They said a snow storm will be coming up and it is already starting.”

Looking up to him the boy with the serious expression asked:

“Who’s that Wookie?”

A little skeptical that kid, still Hyuk couldn’t help but smile at him.

Everyone had to be careful nowadays.

Beaming at the blond, Wookie ran up to him, hugging his left leg and saying:

“That’s Hyung he helped me to find Jaejae. Right Hyung?”

“Neh. I am Hyukjae by the way. Nice to meet you Jaejae.”

Even though the child wasn’t convinced to trust him yet, he still bowed in a formal manner.

“Nice to meet you too, Eunhyuk Hyung. I am Jaemin. Thank you for helping Jinwook to find me.”

“Haha you are welcome young man. Now would you mind coming up to us so I can envelop you into the blanket too and lift you up into my arms so we can go and find your home and parents?”

Hesitating for a bit the Jaemin kid looked to his smiling brother and back to Hyuk, before he allowed the blond to treat him as been said.

Surprisingly the faces of the twins sadden as he talked about their parents.

Not knowing the reason why, Eunhyuk decided to encourage them nonetheless.

“C’mon boys let’s get you home and don’t worry everything will be fine. I will help you okay?”

Clenching to his jacket both of the children nodded in agreement.

At least it was something for the beginning.

Hyuk understood their confusion and wanted nothing for them to be save home again. He didn’t want to think about what would have happened to them, if not for him getting them back together. Even though he wasn’t one to be selfless he knew what it meant to be alone as a child and he made a promise to himself: if he was ever going to be a father or get to know a kid in need he would help him or her no matter what, because every child needed someone to rely on.

He knew it better than anyone else even if he never talked about it with everyone, he had experienced the feeling of being left alone and it wasn’t a pleasing on.

At the same time he had to admit that he liked the boys, which were currently in his arms.

They were so mature and still so childish that it was just nice to watch them and spend time with them.

And somehow his mood was lifted up by them. Not even once had he thought about his broken heart since he got to know Jaemin and Jinwook not more than four hours ago. Well he had known Wookie longer, but Jae was just the same of a good child as his brother.

Their parents must be so proud of them and surely worrying for them now.

What kind of parents wouldn’t if their children got lost at night in the middle of a snow storm?

The weather indeed got worse and so he stopped a second to get the blanket over the boys heads too, before he picked them up again and continued walking.

Deciding it would be the best to go back to the church first he headed west.

After half an hour he finally reached the gates, where he found Wookie and was about to walk further down the street when he heard a male voice calling out the boys names in a breathless, panicked way out of a great distance.

It must be their father Hyukjae thought and turned around to see a man running up to them. The twins started to move in his arms to reach for the person coming near them as fast as it was possible without sledding on the iced streets.

Getting on his knees to let the boys down, the blonde was pretty surprised when he saw a young man, around his age, kneeling down to embrace them into his arms.

“Appa!”, Wookie screamed and Jae just hugged the man as best as he could with his short arms, both of them crying again.

“Jaejae, Wookie I was so worried about you! Never ever do this again you hear me?! Are you alright ? Here put your coats on. How could you even run out of the house without dressing properly?! And what about your sister? You should have told her where you wanted to go!”

“Yes appa we are sorry…”

Letting the man scold the twins for running away and not paying much attention to the following conversation, Hyuk took his time to have a look at the other.

They were about the same height, even though the blonde seemed to be a little bit taller.

The strangers body seemed to be slim but not skinny and well build, even though he couldn’t be sure about it either. It was cold outside and snowing after all, so of course everyone would wear warm clothes.

He had brown hair and was as pretty as a man could be called so, but he couldn’t be announced as ugly either. But what was most beautiful about the other male, was his warm and heartily smile.

When he saw a few tears escaping the mans eyes, he felt even more sympathy for him. That guy, as young as he might be, was really a great father and the boys should be happy to have him.

After the three of them were happy again, the brunet lifted his head and looked at him for the first time. Even those brown orbs were beautiful.

Hyukjae really had to get a hold of himself. He couldn’t think that a guy was beautiful and after all that man was probably already married and on top of that he, himself, was straight as a man could be.

Greeting him with a stunning smile, the brunet walked up to him and bowed 90 degrees.

“Thank you very much for saving those two. I don’t know how to thank you Mr…”

“Hyukjae. Lee Hyukjae.”

Receiving another smile the other held out a hand and Hyuk took it.

“Thank you Mr. Lee. I am Donghae. Lee Donghae. I guess you are from Korea too?”

Nodding, Hyuk was quite surprised to find someone from his country far away from home.

“Well anyways thank you so much again. Let me treat you with a hot chocolate as a thanks. You must feel cold by now and I want to thank you properly.”

“That won’t be necessary, thank you. I loved to help them out.”

Smiling at them he got down a bit and ruffled their heads through their bonnets.

“But still I insist on it. Please? And I am sure Minhee would love to get to know you too. And the boys seem to like you too, right?”

“Neh, Hyung. Please come with us”; Wookie said with puppy eyes and who was he to reject so much cuteness. Sighing he gave in.

“Okay, okay I will come with you but you have to stop staring at me with this expression young man.”

Nodding fast to keep his new friend by his side Jinwook stretched out his hands and Hyuk lifted him up into his arms.

“Let’s get going then, you lead the way Donghae-shi.”

“Haha drop the ‘shi’ since you don’t seem to be much older or younger than I am. Donghae is just fine.”

The brunet got up Jaemin as well and took out his cellphone at the same time.

“Please excuse me for a second but I have to make a call to say I’ve found them.”

Waiting patiently until Donghae finished, Eunhyuk stood there and hold the boy in his arms a bit tighter.

“… yes Minnie everything is fine. I will bring them home now… thank you. See you later.”

Receiving an apologetic smile, the brunet put his cellphone away and started walking.

After a few minutes of silence, the phone rang and Donghae picked up, sighing, after he saw who was calling him.

“Yes Hyung?”

“…”

“Yah, Kim Heechul, would you calm down! Yes I found them or do you think Minnie would joke around about it? Seriously use your brain Hyung.”

“…”

“Huh, stop whining Hyung, we both know the only thing you are concerned again, now that everything is alright, is how to remove the wrinkles on your forehead.”

“…”

“Whatever Hyung see you later”; with that Donghae hung up and send him another apologizing look.

“I am sorry but Heechul is a bit different sometimes and noisy.”

Chuckling a bit, because he actually enjoyed how the expressions on the others face had changed with every answer he got through the phone, Hyuk only shook his head.

“It is fine don’t worry, my Noona can be just as annoying herself so I know what you are talking about.”

“Thanks”, was all of an answer he got, but thought it was enough for now. A little bit of silence wasn’t as bad and apart from that, they had to get to house Donghae and his sons were living in and out of that freaking snow storm that seemed to had reached his worst condition.

They walked fast and after a few minutes they reached a building that looked rather old and as it had already seen better days.

The other man must have noticed his look, because he said:

“I know it doesn’t really please the eye but at least it is warm and cozy… you just wait until you get to know the others and you will see it isn’t as lonely as it looks like, when it is filled with laughter and all that.”

Nodding his head once again, Hyukjae followed the brunet without wasting a second thought at the house. If Donghae said it could bear more than it seemed to be able to, then he would trust the other male.

What else could he do anyway?

Reaching the building, the door was slammed open and a dark haired guy rushed out towards Donghae and pulled him into a death hug, followed by a bunch of other kids.

It was then when he realized that this wasn’t the brunets house and that this guy was far away from being a father.

The boys lived at an orphanage.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Hello everyone!!

So I am back with a new update earlier than I thought, but well since I got through my job interview without many difficulties I am happy I had the time to finish this Chapter...

Thank you to all the new subscribers!!

I hope you are all doing well and things are not keeping you as busy as me XD

If there are any mistakes in the Chapter please don't bother with them I didn't have the time to beta read it yet...

As always I hope you will enjoy reading it and leave a comment to tell me what you think^^

Please all of you stay healthy and see you next time^^

Regards and all the best Slade

PS: if you want to check out my second fic on AFF... I worked on the plot and idea for years now so I would be thankful if you could tell what you think about it^^

http://www.asianfanfics.com/story/view/882635/a-ghost-s-whisper-forgotten-secrets-angst-donghae-drama-eunhae-fantasy-romance-superjunior