Shadows of desire || SVT ||

(38) Innocent Children

Yuri's POV

I was sitting in my room after the whole mansion tour with DK. He’s sweet. Today, I realized that even though they are mafias or considered "bad people," they are really good to me. He made me laugh a lot today, and I felt genuinely happy. His smile is so cute. I wonder what the others' smiles are like.

I walked to the cupboard and took out some books from the bag I brought. As I looked through them, I accidentally picked up the books I had already read. To make matters worse, there is no library here in this mansion.

I found out about this after the tour when I asked DK. He told me that this mansion is quite old and they used to live here before joining the mafia. The library was converted for work-related purposes.

I sighed, feeling a bit disappointed. I love reading; it’s my escape. Without new books, I feel a little lost. Maybe I can ask DK or someone if they can bring me some books. It’s a small comfort in this chaotic world I’ve found myself in.

I was putting the books back when my eyes fell onto the diary. Yes, the diary—I can read it. I want to know about them.I quickly put the books away and sat back on the bed, opening the diary to Entry 4.

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Diary Entry 4:

It's been a year since I found these six kids. Watching them grow closer and play together has been an incredible experience. After Seokmin and Mingyu started living with the boys, I decided to buy a mansion for them. A place where they could all live together, feel safe, and create memories.

I made sure to give them a room with six beds so they could sleep together. They love it. Today is Christmas, and the house is buzzing with excitement.

Mingyu is helping me in the kitchen. He insisted on learning how to make blueberry buttermilk pancakes. It’s moments like these that make everything worthwhile..

Seungkwan, Jeonghan, and DK are busy decorating the house with lights and ornaments. There’s a lot of laughter and a bit of chaos, but it’s heartwarming to see their joy. Woozi and Vernon are helping too, hanging up decorations and making sure everything looks perfect.

Seeing them all together playing around makes me remember someone, them happy and carefree, makes me realize how much they’ve become a part of my life. They’re more than just kids under my care—they’re my family. I’m grateful for each of them and the warmth they bring to this house. I wish that they live like this for the rest of their lives.. Together.

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Reading the entry filled me with a sense of warmth and nostalgia. It painted a picture of a family built on love and trust, even amidst the challenges they faced. The diary seemed to hold many stories like this, and I couldn’t wait to uncover more about their journey.

Diary Entry 5:

Today, I went for another routine check-up with my doctor. These visits always make me a bit anxious, but they're necessary. While discussing my progress, a staff nurse rushed in, visibly distressed. She explained that a severely injured boy had been brought in by locals who found him at a bus stop. The boy was alone and had no guardian.

The doctor, overwhelmed with other patients, instructed the nurse to find another doctor to treat the boy. However, the nurse hesitated and explained that no one was willing to treat him because he couldn't pay for the treatment. This infuriated me. How could they refuse to treat a child just because he couldn’t pay?

Not treating a child because of money is unacceptable. I decided to cover his medical expenses and sign his forms as his guardian.

Leaving the boy without care was not an option. It wasn't about the money—it was about doing the right thing. I remembered how Jeonghan had suffered due to similar circumstances in the past. I quickly completed the formalities and went with the doctor to see the boy. He looked pale, with blood dripping from his legs and bruises on his face. He had lost a significant amount of blood.