City ₪ Three

I head down the lounge where some several staffs who have ended their shift had to wait for the curfew to end. I sat by the white couch across the two lady volunteers who had been conversing with each other, their voices were too low but it was easy for me to eavesdrop on them. I reach for the magazine from the table infront me, covering my face as if I was reading, but not.

"I thought she was going to survive, I heard five doctors participated in that assessment. Take note, they were the bests here in the institution." One said.

"Her body even rots in less than an hour, the experiment gets worse every month. None of it would even survive. If the Westercourts keep on doing such thing, turning useless people into their experimental pets, it's better if we just die in hunger than to rot our bodies like that."

"You're right, I would have run away if I want to. But we have no where else to go."

Then a device suddenly flicks on one of the lady's wrist, "Oh. Duty calls again. The Westercourt doctors would like to have another set of assessment. Let's go?" "Aish.. I'm so sick of seeing dead bodies for a day." "Shh..! Let's not talk about it anymore or else, we'll die if someone hears us." "Yeah, yeah..! Whatever you say."

I gulp, the way everything sounded made me nervous. But even though I was nervous, I scoff in disgust as I place down the magazine back on the rack. I have never regretted the decision to come with Jeno today, I have been able to crack one of the secrets of this institution which I have been working with. I thought the Westercourts has a clear motive for the society, they provide our needs for free, they provide jobs for us who did not even get to have a proper education and they even ensure our safety.

Suddenly, my peripheral vision caught a group of boys wearing the same hospital dress as they were heading towards the lounge area. The odds weren't in my favor, my heart even flopped the moment I see that one of the boys were Jisung, Renjun, Chenle and Jaemin. The boys were walking in straight line, following one of the lady volunteers I saw just a minute ago.

I can clearly see the anxiety and fear through their eyes, they all looked down innocently like kids who were strictly instructed. The blood rush in my body severely, forcing me to stand up from my sitting position. I can't remember the day when I haven't awakened to doubt, worry, and heart-sickness. What are they doing here?!

"J-Jisung..?" I nervously mumble.

Jisung, is the youngest and the orphan I was assigned to take care with every single day. The kid doesn't like to take his supplement on his own as he wants me to do it for him that is why I would always visit the orphanage every afternoon. Jisung is sweet and fragile, he reminds me of Jeno.

"Sister Angel..!~" Jisung's facial expression glows up the moment he sees me, I rush into him as I embrace him not minding about the two volunteers who accompanied them. "Why are you here, Jisung? Why is everyone here?" Even though I am embracing him, I cannot help but to look at Renjun, Chenle and Jaemin who had their frail smiles as the see me.

"They said that we will no longer live in the orphanage, Sister Angel." Chenle spoke innocently.

I pull away from Jisung, "And they will give us alot of comics to read with." Renjun added.

"And they gave us free candies!" Jaemin chirpily said. I see the innocent look on their faces, but I assumed that they were blinded by the Westercourts. Jisung tugs me on my elbow, I look down on his palm in which I saw small beads in different colors. "Do you want some candies? It really tastes good, sister Angel! I bet you never tasted anything in your life."

I was too busy thinking about the candies he was talking about. He was offering me to get some on his palm but unexpectedly, one of the volunteer slap his hand away from me. "Excuse me, but the doctors are already waiting for them."

"D-Doctors?!" I mumble in beneath my nervous breath, until I watch the arrival of Jeno from the elevator. I immediately pull Jisung to stay behind me, Jeno glanced at me for a moment before he talks with the two lady volunteers.

"Mr. Han just told me that the doctors would have to call it a day, the assessment will proceed as per instruction. As for the boys, we'll let them stay in the quarter rooms for now." Jeno turns to look at me, "Angel and I will led them to their rooms. Mr. Han needs you two in the lab room."

"Is that so, well then, okay." One lady volunteer said, Jeno has the higher position among us since he's the right hand of Mr. Han, the executive doctor representative of City 127. "We'll go ahead now."

As if as though my beating heart slowly stops from tormenting my body, I sigh in relief as I watch the lady volunteers walking out the area leaving me, Jeno and the orphans. I face to look back at Jisung, embracing him wholeheartedly. "Thank God."

"Why are you worrying, Sister Angel?" He asks innocently.

"N-Nothing, Jisung." It's just that I don't want you to experience the horrifying thing I've witnessed an hour ago.

I smile instead, pulling away from him and I take a notice on the sleepy looks of the other orphans. I felt a hand on my shoulder, it was Jeno. "They all looked so tired now. Let's accompany them to the quarter rooms."

I nodded in understanding, we followed Jeno as he leads the way to the other unit building where us interns use to stay for the night until the curfew sets off the day. I suddenly wonder why did he take us here and not in the quarter rooms in the main institutional building?

From the second floor of the building, Jeno makes a turn on to the end hallway where a huge maroon door is located. He took a key out from his side pocket, he inserted it and now it opens.

Slowly, the whole room is dark and no lights were on. "Jeno, aren't we suppose to be in the main building? And what is this room?" I haven't been here at this room at all.

"Shh, let's talk later. Okay? The boys are sleepy, look at them."

I turn to look back at the orphans, they were half asleep as they were standing behind us. Jisung even yawned, leaning his forehead on my shoulder. I gently catch his head, "Okay.."

Jeno plainly smiles, stepping inside the room as he switches the lights on. The room is about the size of my room and Jeno's when combined. There were two master beds, a couch, television and a round table. There was also a small window from the upper right wall.

I lead Jisung and Chenle on to the first bed, Jeno leads Jaemin and Renjun onto the other bed across us. I watch the boys crawling on to the beds. "Goodnight, Sister Angel." Chenle mumbles groggily beside Jisung. I tuck them to their blankets, even Jeno across us. "Sweet dreams, my Chenle." I planted a kiss on his forehead, and then I walk towards Jisung's side.

Seems as though Renjun and Jaemin already fell asleep. Jeno stood up, switching the lights off. The whole rooms wasn't invisible, the moonlight casts from the small window from the upper wall. I sat beside Jisung's head, caressing his soft silky hair. His and my favorite thing.

I have been with Jisung for five years, I was like his older sister in the orphan. I watch him grow over the years, I feed him, play with him and share bed time stories whenever he feels sleepy even in the afternoon. Jisung isn't as healthy unlike the other orphans, when he was a child he usually gets sick from not getting enough supplements for each day and one of the workers in the orphanage told me that ever since Jisung's parents died when he was five, he never liked the idea of getting supplements because he wanted to die rather than live in this world without his parents.

That's why I was so attached with the kid. I felt the same way too.

I lost my parents at an early age, I wanted to come with them in heavens too.

I was also in the verge of killing myself out of sadness and depression but Jeno was there.

He was the only friend that I have. He saved me even though I was not asking for help.

And I know how it feels, even though Jisung doesn't asks for any help.. I wanted to be the light in his own darkness.

"Sleepwell, my Jisung." I mumble silently, planting a kiss on his forehead. He used to sleep easily everytime I caress my fingers onto his hair. I know he's already asleep and it's a relief to see him sleeping so peacefully.

Suddenly, my peripheral vision caught Jeno staring at me. He was seated on to the bedside where Renjun and Jaemin sleeps. I can still see a smile on his face and then after he walks to our bedside, he takes a seat and carefully look into my eyes.

He did not smile anymore, hence, he looked like he wanted to say something important to me that I could feel my heart beating so fast.

"Angel.."

He spoke my real name. Not Gel.

"Am I really too young for you?" He asks out of the blue. I stuff my palm on my mouth, holding my laugh not to burst.

"Are you serious?" I whisper exasperatedly.

"Yes." His iris glimmers as the moonlight gave an access to his features and I can't help but to admire how pretty he looks. It's leaving me breathless.

I cannot speak a work out of my mouth, it's not because I can't collect the right words to say, but I am scared to atleast give a hint about my hidden feelings for him. And I don't want him to feel the same way as I do to him.

Suddenly, my hand that was once on top of my lap now being gently touched and held by Jeno. My heart suddenly beats fast once he scoots closer to me.

And with his words now being said, I don't know what to feel anymore.

"I like you, Angel."

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