Once upon a Valentine, fate set them to be both orphans, living like the old stories-bruises, abuses, sharp words, and lies.
Yet, miraculously, someone took the hearts of these kids. But it was destined for them to be adopted by different guardians...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
In 2009, at nine in the morning, two kids were sleeping peacefully in an uncomfortable rug. One was hugging the other, seven years old, and the other was six years old.
They once asked about their daily basis, but a lady whom they were secretly calling her 'old monster' said that it's life.
So it was now engraved that life is about punishments: where they were left hungry for the reason of not being obedient. Which stated by themselves how bad they were. Bad kids, liars, cheaters, and thieves.
They don't even know how they ended up being one of the orphans.
Behind that, their remaining memory before locking up in this hell hole was vivid. They could say that they saw light, purity, laughter, and parents.
Due to innocence, they never knew it was the life they longed for.
Being called how a bad child they were doesn't make them feel right, not even thinking about it further, but they don't feel that they are the evil among evils.
They've been chanting how much of a good boy they were, trying to stand in a mud place to say they're not the ones who deserve to be loathed by the old monster.
If so, how could they be adopted when it would always be disseminated to fosters that they aren't as good as the other kids?
And they never lose hope with that, these two boys are caught promising to each other that no matter what happens, they pray that they'll take both of them. And swears to be a very good boy.
"Pinky promise, Yuki?"
"Pinky promise."
And that's how their untruthful life begins.
—
It was the familiar sound of the hall's alarm.
"Kids! It's time for breakfast, remember the 2-minute rule!"
The two-minute rule. Yuki, seven. And Haneul, six. They never like that, because time is pressuring. They had numerous times where they'd skip that meal for the reason of waking up late, a problem unsolved like Haneul was tripped, and just the usual bullies of not letting them out of the bathroom. It's always these two innocent children who get targeted by everyone.
"Oh Haneul, we should be fast. I don't wanna feel the hunger again. And so are you." Yuki, seven. The responsible from the two. Not saying Haneul isn't, it's more like, the older still weighs due to their gap.
"Mhmm, Yuki. Wake me up, phulease.." Haneul mumbled, and the sprinkle of conscience crawled him. He tried and tried his best to keep him awake. He also doesn't want to disappoint his best friend again. Yet the things he mistakenly did would always be considered by the other.
"Yes, but please help yourself too, I can't take you.. mm- all at once." Yuki pulled him by the arm, wrapping them after, and ran as fast as they could. Haneul did his best to run its pace with eyes closed until he was fully awake by the prompt action of the elder.
"Yuki, be careful!"
"Look we can't be at this time! Do you want that stomach to grumble again?" Yuki whisper-yelled whilst holding the other firmly. Haneul pouted, shaking his head aggressively.
"The old monster would beat us again, too." A small voice added.
"That's right, so we had to be gooood boys. There. Hah!" Yuki panted, hands on his knees while the other giggled at the sight. Finally falling in line on time.
"You did it, Yuki! I could smell a good breakfast today." Haneul whined in excitement.
"Yes, Haneul-ie. And correction, WE did it." He ruffles Haneul's hair, making him giggle again.
"But I did nothing.. how so?"
"Well, you ran faster than before! Come here." He tickled the younger on his side, giving him at least a warm morning. But that makes the other in line get mad.
"Oye! Stop playing, you lovebirds!" Of course, the unaware homophobic children, take lovebirds as a mock to those boys who were always together.
"And so?" Haneul furrowed his eyebrows, now being held by Yuki who was shushing him down. This time, the younger ones would always be the ones fighting for themselves. Never hurt Yuki or he'll bite you with his iconic yet cutest teeth. "- you're just insecure because no one tickles you!"
The other kids started a long 'O' in the background, making the opponent known as Adrian, reveal a grumpy expression. Attacked, but obviously would deny it.
"Stop fighting kids! You know the punishment." And that's when the old monster joined the frame, arms crossed and shook her head. Ugh, she would never look good in that red checkered dress.
"Sorry, Mrs. Vicky." That's the name, Elondra Vicky. Known to be the horrendous head of the orphanage. She creates dirty punishments that kids would never lock an eye on her.
And her favorite kids to be punished are none other than, the lovebirds.
"And you two must be thanking me for saving you. Because if I saw you fighting again, both of you would weep due to hunger." The lady narrowed her eyes to those frightened kids, especially Haneul who was trembling between Yuki's arms. The two immediately nodded, making the lady leave them with a scoff.
"Psh, now look who's the weak here. You'll never be strong enough, wimp." Adrian rolled his eyes, satisfied with the sight of Haneul looking down.
"Don't believe him, he's nothing that only relies on a monster." Yuki whispered, soothing the little one on his back, and he giggled.
Once the lane was done, all the kids filled their bellies with the tastiest breakfast they had. Oh, how they wished that lasted forever.
The two boys were back in their designated rooms, 342. They're sitting comfortably on a floor, which would always stay in a corner, with papers in their hands.
"Yuki, do you think we'd be adopted together?" Haneul worriedly asked while instinctively folding papers, as if he knew what he was doing.
"Of course!" Though it was uncertain, Yuki still told him that they could be chosen together.
"What if one of us gets adopted first?" Haneul pouted, leaving hanging the progressing origami.
"Don't worry much about it, if fate told us that we're meant to meet again, then why don't we meet outside the orphanage? We could do what we wanted there!"
"How about if we're far from each other..?" The younger's worries deflated when Yuki held his hand, soothing them with his thumb.
"We'll make things possible, Haneul." With an assuring smile, Haneul eagerly nodded, motivated by the phrase as he continued to fold.
Even though it wasn't perfect, he still managed to finish the origami. And what he just made, was a boat.
