Perfume • Woosan | Ateez

p r o l o g u e

One good deed a d a y
Keeps the demons a w a y

• • •

»HALMONI!«, San screamed, as he jumped down the stairs, way to exited for this upcoming weekend. »I found the dvd's you were looking for last week. We can use them for the movie night on Sat-«, he stopped talking abruptly, after he spotted his grandmother sitting at the kitchen table, the phone next to her ear. She looked really concerned, which scared him for a second. San could now hear the persons voice through the speaker as well. »I wouldn't ask if it wasn't urgent, Mrs. Choi. The boy has no where to go and it's getting cold outside. My hands are tied, I can't do anything else for him but ask you for help.«

Mrs. Choi, or for San his beloved Halmoni, was the mother of his father. She always had the wish of having a big happy family for which she could care and who she could have endless love for, but since she only had one grandchild, her children were never to be seen and her husband passed away a while ago, she used to be very devastated. So some day she had the idea of starting a business where she took in boys in need to foster them, until families where found for them or they were of age and could care for themselves. Her house wasn't small, but also not gigantic. Usually around five boys found shelter with her, including San. Right now the three rooms were already more packed than usually.

The room in the basement was taken by two tall boys named Mingi and Yunho, who could need more space then the room gave them, but they never complained. The room on the first floor was shared by Hongjoong and Jongho. Although most of the time Hongjoong's boyfriend Seongwha was also present, which is why Jongho was mostly seen hanging out with Mingi and Yunho in the basement. The biggest room in the attic was San's room, which he kindly shared with a shy boy named Yeosang. He got to them three months ago because he ran away from his old foster home due to unhealthy living conditions. Normally his Halmoni insisted on that San had his own room, but he didn't mind sharing. It was big after all and quite Yeosang didn't bother him at all.

So right now there were already seven boys who Mrs. Choi cared for, which was two more then usually. »I.. don't have enough space for another boy«, she finally told the person on the phone, after a long silence. She sounded like her heart broke right in this second. San knew how desperately she wanted to help every kid she could, which is why he walked up to her, grabbed her hand and squeezed it a little to show her that he was right here by her side. Suddenly he had a strange feeling in his stomach though. Something told him that if they didn't take in the boy, something really bad would happen. »Halmoni, it's almost Christmas time«, he whispered quickly, looking at her with big, kind eyes. »We can lay down one of the spare mattresses in grandpa's old office. I'll help you.«

His grandmother had tears in her eyes while she told the person on the phone to get the papers ready and that it was okay for bring in the boy as soon as possible. Helping others was the thing that made her most happy in live and she strongly believed, that this was her destiny. »Sani, my sweet, sweet boy«, she said, after she ended the call and lovingly pulled him into a tight hug. »You truly are my angel sent from heaven.«

»No one should be alone at christmas time«, he simply said, smiled at her softly and went up the stairs to check out the room that they never used. Only a floor lamp and an old dresser were left from the old furniture that used to be in here. When San did come in this room he saw his grandpa sitting on a green chair in front of a really old computer. Then he would sometimes close his eyes in search for the gentle, kind voice of the man who raised him together with his grandmother. Get your legos out of the box, son. How about we build something really big today? Grandpa will be downstairs in just a second.

San took his time with cleaning the room, making sure he did it really neatly. Then he went downstairs and had Yunho help him carry a mattress upstairs, so they could put it right in front of the heater. After that he nicely made the bed and even brought up a extra blanket, which he stored in the dresser just in case the boy would need it.

Even though Jongho complained about why he didn't get the old office as his room, after Halmoni informed everyone about the situation at dinner, San strongly felt, that he made the right choice with changing his grandmother's decision.