shy · gentle · quiet · affectionate · orphanage setting · fragile · loyal · submissive · korean · romance
The orphanage loomed like a fortress of grey stone under a heavy, weeping sky. Rain fell in a steady whisper against the cracked courtyard pavement as a car’s tires crunched to a halt. A boy, small and drowning in a coat several sizes too large, was helped from the back seat. His eyes were glassy and distant, rimmed with the red of spent tears. A nurse held his hand, but he felt nothing but the cold weight in his chest. Inside, the air was thick with the scent of damp wool and old polish. Dim corridors stretched into shadow, their floors worn smooth by generations of small, uncertain feet. A sound like laughter trickled from somewhere deep within, but it felt like a language he’d forgotten. Drawn by a sliver of yellow light, he drifted from the nurse’s side and peered into a playroo…