ORPHANS: NCT DREAM

03 | playground

AERI
5 years old.

i was sitting, wanted to slide down but i was somehow scared. i felt my arms and legs shake, like an earthquake. a lot of children behind me were waiting, waiting for their turn.

"you can do it, i am here!" donghyuck kneeled down in front of the end of the slide, he waved his hand signaling me to slide down.

i pursed my lips, and the same sentence "i can't." kept repeating inside my head. kids from behind shouted at me, and was annoyed by the long wait. "hurry up, just slide down! it's not that hard!" a boy shouted at me.

i looked behind him, with angry eyes. "can't you be patient?" i asked, he gave me a death glare and pushed me right down. instead of sliding, i fell on the sides.

i could hear donghyuck's gasp echoed, in free area. i fell on the solid floor, and landed on my knees. deep scratches were placed on my knees, and it was painful.

i cried silently, and studied my wound. "aeri, are you okay?!" donghyuck asked worried, he leaned down and rubbed my back to support me.

i sniffed, and felt tears flow down my cheeks non-stop. "oooh, who did that? i will kill him!" donghyuck angrily asked, turning around with his hands balled into a fist. he looked up at the slide, and you could see a boy scared at donghyuck's saying.

i grabbed donghyuck's wrist, and stopped him from what he was about to do; fight the boy. i won't let him. "no donghyuck." i said, he looked down at me then back at the boy, then at me.

"fine." he frowned. "does it hurt?" he asked, looking at my bloody wound. "mhm. it h-hurts." i stuttered, and didn't knew what to do to myself.

donghyuck offered his hand, i placed mine on his and he powerfully pulled me up. he let me wrap my arm around his shoulder, and we both made our way in. "let's go in, and find a band aid."

we went in, and entered sister lina's office. when we opened the door, we saw her sitting on her chair, eating a round colorful food, her feet on the table, and she had newspaper on her hand.

"sister lina, we need your help." donghyuck said politely. sister lina flicnhed at our sudden presence, and quickly hid her rounded food. it seemed delicious though. she sat properly, and cleared her throat.

"donghyuck, and aeri! what did i say about knocking?" she angrily said, and scared me.

donghyuck frowned, looking down at my knees. "it's important, aeri hurt herself, and there's a mean boy out there. you need to scold him, and help aeri."

sister lina sighed-scoffed, and glared at us. "seriously, was that it? i thought it was something more urgent, please stop wasting my time and get out of here right now." sister lina commanded, pointing out of the door.

"but sister lina, aeri is hur-"

"hush haechan. go out now." sister lina squinted her eyes at us, me and donghyuck, scared, slowly closed the door and left her alone in that dusty old office.

"what are we going to do?" i asked donghyuck, who was clueless as me.

we heard hard stomps coming near us, there we saw jeno and jaemin laughing cutely while chasing each other. they stopped when they almost bumped into us.

"aeri, are you okay?" jeno pouted, looking down at my knees. "of course she's not fine you stupid, can't you see?" donghyuck rolled his eyes. he smacked jaemin's shoulder, making him frown.

"please search for mark, we need his help!" donghyuck screamed, stomping his feet and pouted.

jaemin nodded his head. "yes, sir!" he playfully said, as both jeno and jaemin ran to search for him. "we'll be in the canteen!" donghyuck shouted.

"don't worry aeri, don't cry i will always be here for you~" he supported me, patting my head and smiling brightly.

"always, like a brother?" i asked happily, he nodded. "i promise to be like a brother to you. always."

he stuck out his pinky finger. "promise i will be here for you, as your brother." he said, then we both attached our pinky finger and gave it a quick shake.

...

"you're so brave, you're not even showing a single tear." mark said, watching sister nancy pasting a band aid on my wound. all the boys watched.

chenle laughed high pitched. "she's trying to be brave." donghyuck rolled his eyes, he keeps doing it. "yeah right, she is brave!" donghyuck defended me.

"who did this to you? please tell me, so i can talk to him and should show good manners." sister nancy asked, still plastering band aids on me. "it's that dude taewhi!" donghyuck growled angrily.

"well then." sister nancy stood, slowly patting my head. "thank you sister nancy!" mark said cutely, bowing politely.

i wonder how mark could be so chill, and relaxed. he's a kid, and he's not silly and goofy like us. he must be a really good boy. imagine if he still had parents, why would their parents give him away? he looks like a good child, and polite kid. even maybe a good brother.

"thank you sister nancy!" i smiled brightly, with teeth shown and bowed.

"okay kids, go and have fun i'll find taehwi." she patted our head, smiling at our cuteness.

donghyuck grabbed my hand. "let's go!" he said, and ran as he and mark led the way to the playground.

note: so soft, hehe nct dream as really small children.