WITH GRACE.

7장

"we're here," i announced as the two of us got off from the bus, "i meant the stop. we still have a long way to walk,"

i led the way towards the orphanage, which was situated in a relatively rural area in the city. there were buildings around, but they weren't as many and as tall as the concrete jungle in the city's central.

after about a couple-minute walk, i was able to spot the small gate and the two-storey building ahead of us.

"oh, eunhye! come on in, darling. the kids are waiting for you inside...and who is this young man with you today?" miss lee, the orphanage's directress, threw sunghoon a curious glance.

"he's a friend from the university, miss lee. did the kids took their naps?" i inquired, shifting the subject.

"unfortunately not, dear. i'm afraid i'll bother you with putting them to sleep again. i have to go attend some school matters for kyungmin and taeyong, and yoonwon is still recuperating from his leg injury," miss lee apologetically explained.

"it's alright, miss lee. the kids are such darlings, i wouldn't have a hard time with them... probably. you seem to be in a hurry, i suggest you go now. i'll be able to handle it. besides, i have a companion with me today," i smiled at her.

"thank you so much to the both of you, dear. please look after the kids while i'm out. i'll be back as soon as i can," she said before waving us a goodbye and left.

i led the way inside the orphanage. i could hear the giggles and noises coming from the second floor even when we were just at the door.

"can you tell me something about this place?" sunghoon gently inquired while we walked our way upstairs.

"this orphanage was my mother's charity. dongkyu and i basically grew up visiting this place, but when our parents passed away, the orphanage also suffered a loss. the number of staff were lessened, so miss lee faced a crisis with looking after the younger ones. my volunteer work here is basically my vow to continue what my mother has started, so i come here during my free hours to assist looking after the younger ones. here we are," i explained until we were right outside the younger kids' ward.

"this is the younger kids' ward. there are six of them at the moment. i reckon they're between two to six years old in here. i hope you can tolerate the children," i said, looking at him with a gentle look.

"i've played a lot with my younger sister when we were younger. i think i can manage just fine," he gave me a reassuring smile.

i opened the door and six eyes fixed on me like they were meerkats.

"eunhye unnie! you're here!"

"noona, we missed you!"

"unnie, are you going to play with us again?"

"wun...na... up!"

the kids chorused as they ran towards me. i carried liho ㅡ the youngest of the bunch ㅡ in my arms and kissed his cheeks lovingly.

"hello, rohee, hajun, seoyul, naeun. i missed you too and yes, we are going to play later. only if you guys promise to become obedient kids and take your noon naps, alright? where's siho?" i looked around, finding one little guy.

a tug on my shirt caught my attention.

"there you are, siho. i was wondering where you squeezed yourself into this time. next time, speak up so noona can hear you, okay?" he shyly nodded at me.

the kids' attention diverted to the guy towering behind me. they looked at me in curiousity, expecting to get an explanation.

"kids, this is sunghoon oppa for you girls and hyung for you guys. he came here to play with us,"

"are you and oppa," rohee joined her index fingers together, "like boyfriend-girlfriend, eunhye unnie?"

her eyes twinkled with innocent curiousity.

"silly girl, where did you learn that? he's only my friend from school," i chuckled as rohee looked dejected with the truth.

sunghoon crouched down to their level and flashed them a gentle smile.

"hello, kids. i'm your noona's friend, sunghoon. do you mind telling me your names?" the kids' eyes twinkled with enthusiasm.

"i'm seoyul!"

"my name is hajun!"

"rohee! you're handsome, oppa!"

"i'm naeun!"

"go on, introduce yourself" i encouraged siho who was still tugging my shirt and patted his head.

"siho,"

"and this is liho!" i held liho's small hands and waved them at sunghoon.

"now that you introduced yourselves, should we go take naps?" the kids pouted, but obediently agreed.

we followed them as they tucked themselves in their beds to nap. rohee, seoyul, naeun, and hajun dozed off almost immediately. siho, however, needed help in order to sleep. liho, being the youngest, still required a carry and lullaby so i was stuck with the little guy.

"sunghoon-ah, do you mind putting siho to sleep?" sunghoon nodded and went to siho's bed.

sunghoon started caressing the little guy's head gently. siho isn't the type who's good with strangers. however, he didn't flinch at sunghoon's presence and allowed him to lull him to sleep. soon after, all the kids finally drifted to dreamland. i was able to put liho down his bed as well.

"you seem to be good with kids," i commented in a hushed voice, looking at sunghoon who was already a distance away from the kids.

"i told you, i played a lot with my sister when we were younger. besides, my kid skills are still far behind yours," he complimented the statement with a smile.

"i guess," i released a yawn.

"you're sleepy?" he fixed his gaze on me.

"no, i'm alright," and another yawn betrayed my defense.

sunghoon was chuckling at me.

"i guess there's still one more kid needing a nap, huh?" he playfully smiled at me and i responded with an eyeroll.

sunghoon moved himself to a carpet situated a few steps away from me and sat in a cross-legged position.

he tapped his thigh, urging me to come.

i looked at him in confusion, ready to say no but i stifled another yawn and i knew i really needed some rest. i walked close to him and gladly took his offer.

my head laid on his thigh. it was strangely comfortable. before i drifted off to sleep, i felt fingers running through my hair making me succumb to sleep even faster.

i woke up after about an hour when i heard the kids close to us, talking to sunghoon in hushed voices. i was embarassed to have used him as a pillow, but it was a much needed help. i thanked him for his generous offer and played with the kids.

the rest of the afternoon were spent with giggles as we played like little children. miss lee came back not long after we started playing and before the both of us knew it, it was time to leave. the kids were reluctant to let us go, but i assured them ㅡ saying i will be back. i didn't expect them, however, to demand bringing sunghoon the next time i come around to visit but sunghoon smiled at them saying he'll be back with me.

as we sat side by side on the bus, i looked back on the events that progressed from lunchtime to the afternoon. sunghoon wasn't a bad company. he didn't talk much, but his company held a comfortable silence.

i was staring outside the bus' window when i felt a weight dip my shoulder. sunghoon must've drained his energy from playing with the kids. i think he didn't get some sleep while i was napping on his thigh so i just let him be as compensation.

a little while later, sunghoon sleepily muttered.

"i had fun with you today, eunhye."