ʟᴏsᴛ. ☾ ✓

34) Their Smiles

- Chapter 34 :

"Mom! I'm going!" The kid Taehyung shouted as he ran off, his mother smiling from behind the window. It had been three months sinse Taehyung had met his friends and his mother was used to seeing him running off everyday now.

Of course she had times by when he had to come home and he followed them, so she had no problem with him going. She chuckled before closing the curtains and returning back to her work.

Taehyung however sprinted faster than ever towards his target, the orphanage. He smiled as he saw his friends and halted abruptly, crashing into the fence with a messy noise. The twins turned from their spots siting in the grass and grinned, genuinely happy to see Taehyung.

Kate and Deri padded over to meet their friend as they started chatting about their day, and how it was. They e noted themselves and silently waited for Taehyung to pull out an object. It was their ritual now, sinse the kids weren't allowed out, Taehyung brought his own object to show them from the real world.

"Here." He pulled out a set of small bracelets, gold in color with sparkling colored stones garnishing the metal. The two kids squealed before gently taking them and examining them, slipping them into their wrists with wide eyes. "So that we'll always be together!" Taehyung chanted smiling, holding his wrist up for the other two kids to see his own bracelet bound to his hand.

Kate half hugged Taehyung through the fence and Deri followed example, laughing like the child he was. Taehyung pulled back and looked at them straight in the eye, "It would be nice if my mom could adopt you." He sadly said as he pouted, his baby fat bulging.

Deri and Kate glanced at each other before shaking their heads, "It's fine, we can still call each other siblings you know!" Deri exclaimed and Taehyung shyly looked up, realizing that they were right.

"Still I want us all to live in the same house." Taehyung sighed before hugging his knees. Kate and Deri frowned, confused upon how to console the other boy. "Taehyung how old are you?" Kate asked tentatively and the boy looked up.

"Five." He mumbled and Kate laughed, pointing. "I'm seven *mm fans?* so you have to call me noona and Deri hyung now! That was we will be siblings!" She managed and Taehyung thought about it for a second before smiling and getting up, "Okay!"

The trio played more games like cars and ball over the fence as their laughter echoed through the evening light. Taehyung checked the clock on the nearby lamppost and frowned. "I have to go now, I'll be back tomorrow!" He mustered as he got up.

"Wait!" Taehyung looked back as Deri and Kate engulfed him into a hug, smiling gently. "Stay sage out there Taehyung." They said and Taehyung smiled weirdly, "I know! See you tomorrow!" He screamed and left.

For the first time however Deri and Kate didn't reply, only looking at each other sadly before shedding tears, not able to tell Taehyung in the end.

***

Taehyung woke up with a start the next morning. It was Sunday so he had no chores theoretically. He quickly showered and brushed, eating his vegetables rapidly. His mother warned him about eating too fast but he didn't care.

Finally he kissed his mother and ran out to the candy store, eagerly eyeing the lollipops. "How many lad?" The store keeper mused, amused at the little boy. "Three please!" Taehyung tried jumping to the counter as he grabbed the candies and bowed, running out almost immediately.

He wanted to present the surprises to the twins, eating the candies with them as well. He smiled at his bracelet and ran faster, stopping in front of the fence abruptly. He frowned as he tried to spot his friends, seeing them no where.

He mustered his courage and padded to the main building, pushing the doors as he hastily walked in. A woman gave him a weird look before bending to his height smiling, "Is there something we do sweetie?" She smiled and Taehyung nodded.

"Where are Deri and Kate?" He frowned and the lady's eyes widened as she sweated. She got up before picking Taehyung up and sitting him into a table, looking into his dark orbs.

"Listen little boy, they're gone. So don't come back here please. It's not good for you." She said, looking around wearily. Taehyung geared up as he shook his head. He knew this was an orphanage and this would happen one day. But not so soon.

"Can you tell me the name of the people who adopted them?" Taehyung asked and the lady gave him a look before biting her lip. "They weren't adopted dear. They're gone." She said as she pushed him out.

Taehyung came everyday for one month only to find them gone. Maybe that was when he realized that they were really gone.

It wasn't until he grew up that he learnt that they weren't adopted, they were sold. It was human trafficking. He couldn't save them. They were his only friends and he couldn't save them.

Maybe that was why he let go of Min So.

He couldn't protect her either.

Oof here's another update. I will be updating a little more but there will be time gaps since I want to study for my science exam tomorrow :) Also this completes the memories Taehyung has. To clear it up, he breaks up with Min So because he couldn't "save her". He lost his friends to something like this as a child and couldn't protect them so he always blamed himself. That's why when he couldn't stop Min So from being hurt he was scared that something would happen to her so he broke up with her. I hope you all have a better idea of this all now! <3

-lunar1029