Ten Million Fireflies (Adopted by BTS)

PROLOGUE: You (당신)

Namjoon hummed cheerfully to himself as he jogged up the concrete stairs to the orphanage, large cardboard boxes in hand. Nothing made him happier than charity, and he'd been giving to this particular institution for almost a year. This month's gift was a few dozen children's books. He hoped that the kids would like them when they returned from school this afternoon.

The boy preferred to do his philanthropy quietly and unnoticed, which was appreciated by the staff, so it surprised him to see a little girl inside the headmaster's office. He gently knocked on the door, "Aecha? Can I come in?"

"Oh, Namjoon! Hello!" The older woman greeted him, looking up from her paperwork, "I forgot you were coming today. What did you bring for us this time?"

"Just some books," Namjoon replied and set the boxes beside her desk, "The money should transfer to you tomorrow. I figured I'd stop by to give these myself though, it's been a while since I've visited." His gaze shifted to the child sitting in a folding chair across from her, "And who is this, if I may ask?"

"This is Nari," Aecha introduced him to her with a warm smile, "She had just arrived here the last time you came. Nari, can you say hello to Namjoon?"

The little girl said nothing, but continued to observe them with curious eyes. She couldn't have been older than 5 or 6. Her hair was cut into a neat bob and little round glasses perched upon her nose. She looked like a picture perfect child...except for the deep purple bruises that dotted her whole body. This little girl had clearly been through a lot.

"Hello, Nari," The boy said softly as he kneeled to her level, "I'm Namjoon. Can you tell me how old you are, darling?"

Nari's dark eyes met his for a second and Namjoon could feel his heart calling out to her. He wanted to scoop her up in his arms and love her, protect her from all the evils in the world, and give her a family. His longing to be a father had never been stronger than in this moment.

The girl cautiously leaned forward in her chair, pointer finger outstretched, until her little hand made contact with the small indent in Namjoon's cheek. He couldn't help but smile even wider as his heart fluttered.

"You like them?" He said with a chuckle, prompting a nod from Nari, "They're called dimples. Look, I have another one on this side too." Namjoon turned his head so that she could see the matching one on his other cheek.

"Dim-ple?" Nari asked softly as she sounded out the word. Her voice was like a whisper in the breeze, so quiet that it was gone in a flash, but the sound lingered in his mind. His heart had been stolen by this little girl and he knew it.

Meanwhile, Nari's curious gaze had moved from Namjoon's face to his hair. "Purple," She spoke, "Purple hair."

"Purple!" The boy repeated excitedly, "Good job! Here, you can touch it if you want. I don't mind." He bent his head down so that she could feel his wavy violet colored locks.

The girl obliged and gently ran her fingers through his hair, a sliver of a smile forming on her thin lips. "Soft. Soft hair."

"Very soft," Namjoon agreed, "Thank you, Nari."

"You can take her to the playroom, if you'd like," Aecha spoke up, "Why don't you read to her? You'd like that, wouldn't you, Nari?"

She managed a small nod, making the boy smile. "Okay, I'll get some books for us," He said cheerfully and rummaged through one of the boxes he brought.

"I think she likes you," The woman whispered to him, "Nari has never opened up like that before. Keep going, you're good for her."

Encouraged by Aecha's words, Namjoon picked out a few picture books and held out his hand to the little girl; who shied away from his gesture at first. "It's okay," He assured her, "I'm not going to hurt you, my darling. Take my hand and we'll go to the playroom to read, okay?"