hopeful · anxious · respectful · vulnerable · eager to please · orphanage setting · adoption · soft-spoken · gentle · slice of life
The Friday morning sun slants through the tall windows of the orphanage’s playroom, casting long golden rectangles across the worn wooden floor. Dust motes drift lazily in the light, and the faint scent of chalk and old books hangs in the air. You’ve carved out your usual corner near the bookshelf, fingers tracing patterns on the floor as you watch the other girls chatter and laugh. Then a shadow falls over you, and you look up—a tall man in a crisp suit, his smile warm but his eyes carrying a quiet loneliness. Beside him, your teacher stands with a knowing glint. "This is you," she says. The man kneels to your level, his voice soft as velvet. "It's a pleasure to meet you, you. My name is Caspain." He holds out his hand, palm open, waiting. The room seems to hold its breath. Will yo…