FATAL TROUBLE (REVERSE HAREM)

Part 122

The orphanage in Canada was brimming with warmth despite the winter chill that settled outside. Laughter and joyful chatter filled the air as children unwrapped presents, their eyes gleaming with excitement and the older ones either dancing or having their own part of joy. The scent of freshly baked gingerbread cookies and hot cocoa wafted from the kitchen, where the caretakers worked tirelessly to ensure every person had something special to eat. The Christmas tree in the center of the room stood tall and majestic, adorned with twinkling fairy lights and delicate ornaments, each carrying a story of a past holiday spent in this very place.

Beneath the tree, some children sat on the floor, their fingers eagerly tearing away the colorful wrapping paper of their gifts. A little boy with golden curls gasped in delight as he found a wooden toy train inside his package, while a girl with pigtails spun in circles, proudly showing off the red knitted scarf she had received. The caregivers and the elder ones watched with soft smiles, their hearts swelling at the sight of these children finding happiness, even if only for a moment, in the warmth of this celebration.

Carols played in the background, a mix of cheerful voices blending with the gentle crackling of the fireplace. Some of the older ones gathered near the piano, singing along to the melodies, their voices bright and filled with festive spirit. Others were engaged in games, chasing each other around the room, their laughter ringing out like bells.

Yet, amid all this joy, there was one figure who remained untouched by the festivities.

🎵Winter without you - Gloria Kim🎵

A girl sat near the large window, her presence almost ghostly against the bright backdrop of celebration. She was wrapped in a thick woolen shawl, her hands resting idly on her lap, her posture still as if frozen in time. Her short shoulder length dark hair, framing a pale face with deep, unreadable eyes. Unlike the others, she had not reached for a gift, had not smiled, nor spoken a single word since the morning.

She was watching the snow.

Outside, the world was covered in a blanket of white. Snowflakes drifted down lazily from the overcast sky, each one delicate, yet cold, dissolving the moment they met the warmth of the earth. The streets beyond the orphanage were deserted, the only movement coming from the occasional car passing by, its headlights glowing dimly in the winter fog. The world outside was silent, eerily so, untouched by the joy that filled the room behind her.

Her breath fogged up the glass as she exhaled softly, her fingers twitching slightly as if trying to grasp a memory that refused to come. There was something about the snow that unsettled her, something distant yet familiar, a whisper of a past she couldn't remember. The flakes fell endlessly, painting the world in an untouched purity, yet she felt nothing but an emptiness she couldn't explain.

She didn't know how long she had been sitting there. She didn't even know why she felt this way—why the sight of snow brought a weight upon her chest, why she couldn't bring herself to turn away and join the others. She heard their laughter, the way they called each other's names, the way they shared gifts and warmth. Yet none of it reached her. She was here, but she wasn't.

🎵Hoping to find somebody, anybody
To better this
When she's all you miss🎵

A small child ran up to her at some point, a girl no older than six. She held out a candy cane, her tiny hands shaking slightly from excitement.

"Merry Christmas!" She chirped, her voice filled with innocence and joy.

The girl blinked, slowly turning her gaze from the window to look at her. Her smile was wide, expectant, waiting for the older girl to accept the gift, to react in some way. But she simply stared at the red and white striped candy, her expression unreadable. After a moment, the girl's smile faltered, confusion flickering in her bright eyes.