Polar Opposites ⎜Taegyu

❀4❀

- Mentions of abuse -

No One's POV

Taehyun limped back to the orphanage. He couldn't call the orphanage his home; it simply didn't feel like one. There was no one there that was waiting for him. And honestly, it wasn't like he needed anyone anyway.

The door to the orphanage looked almost too welcoming; the bright colors and intricate details made him want to vomit on the side of the doorstep. Reaching inside his backpack, his fingers traced along the edges to find the thin slip of metal he kept hidden. The key to the door.

Unlocking the large piece of wood, he yelled "I'M BACK," loud enough for Ms. Kim to hear. Of course, she was on the couch reading the newspaper.

"Oh, if you have nothing to do, go help the kids prepare dinner. We need some groceries too, remember to grab the grocery list." She handed him ₩30,000 (around $26). What am I supposed to get with this? It'll probably feed 2 people, not a whole orphanage.

Taehyun gave her a blank stare. "But I have homework and I nee-"

"I don't care. Unless you want to starve again since we don't have any food left in the house." She said not looking up from the newspaper.

She was right. It's been so long since he had eaten a proper meal, he couldn't risk skipping the only food he can get. Deciding to wash up first, he dumped his stuff on his bed. It should've looked messy, but since all of the kids shared one room anyway, it didn't add a lot of extra damage. The bed itself however felt like sleeping on a frame with no mattress. Taehyun sighed. Nonetheless, he was thankful he had a roof over his head, it wasn't like he had any other place to stay anyway.

Quickly changing into sweats, the walk to a nearby convenience store wasn't that bad. He got a few groceries like bread, jam, pasta, and some other cheap things that could make a small meal.

He went to the counter to pay for the things, he had some extra cash so he decided to spend it on pocket warmers because he has been feeling cold. As if almost predicted, two droplets of pure ice slid down his cheek before dropping onto the sidewalk beneath his thin shoes. The panic hit him all at once.

He needed to find shelter. Immediately. Taking cover under a bus stop with a roof, the bitter wind slapped against his face, sending shivers down his spine. The world around him felt depleted of all color. The clouds, the only thing keeping him company, kept the sun from peeking through.

He sighed heavily, deciding that if he waited any longer Ms. Kim would be livid. She hated when they were late, slapping them until they couldn't endure any longer and then locking them in a room until the crying would stop.

He's heard a few stories circulate around the orphanage about how a few poor kids were starved until they couldn't think straight; the thought itself sending Taehyun into a frenzy of panic. No one would stop her, even if they could. Everyone would stay in their room, huddling together for comfort, feeling pity for the one poor child outside who's facing anger at its worst.

No one would intervene; if they did, they might risk facing the same punishment as well. The worst part was that they couldn't report her either. They all had nowhere to go. It would simply be moving from one bad place to another.

Noticing that it was already dark out and that the storm had momentarily paused, he decided it was finally time to go home. He ran all the way grimacing each step he took back.

As soon as he stepped into the building, Taehyun's fears came true. He watched helplessly as all the kids ran upstairs and locked themselves in their shared room. He knew exactly what was about to happen. He could hear heavy footsteps that belonged to Ms. Kim. Taehyun decided to at least set the groceries down; he wouldn't waste the effort he had to go through to get them. He didn't even have the chance to blink before falling to the ground in a heap.