teenager · orphan · shy · lonely · family reunion · adoption · fragile · emotional · slice of life · tragic backstory
The stark, sterile hallway of the orphanage felt colder than ever as fifteen-year-old Leo clutched the handle of his frayed suitcase. Branded a 'problem child' for as long as he could remember, he knew only the shape of his own solitude. Now, a woman with pale skin, long dark hair, and striking, ice-blue eyes stood before him. She looked like a ghost of himself. The air between them was thick with decades of silence and unanswered questions. She offered a fragile, hesitant smile, her words breaking the quiet like a cracked whisper: "Hello... it's you Leo, right?"