Hwoarang looked up at the clear blue sky and smiled. The grass beneath him
felt soft on the bare skin of his back. He sighed happily. Life, today
anyway, was good. He sat up and shook his head. The younger kids were
running around the field playing tag or something of the sort, and he
remembered how he used to play that with Mina and Kei before Mina found a
new home. One of the smaller ones fell over and scraped his knee, leaving
green streaks from the grass down his leg. He started bawling and Sister
Gloria came running out of the building. She picked the boy up and carried
him back into the building, pausing to tell Hwoarang to put his shirt back
on before he got burned. He groaned in protest but did as he was told. The
hot Korean summer was in full blow and the last thing he wanted right now
was clothes.
Kei wandered over holding two glasses of freshly squeezed lemonade with huge chunks of ice floating in them. He sat on the grass and handed one to Hwoarang.
"How long until your birthday now?" Kei asked, taking a sip of the cool drink.
"A week, then I'm so outta here."
"I can't believe you're nearly sixteen already, it doesn't seem that long ago when I broke my arm climbing that tree" Kei said, pointing over to and old apple tree in the fields centre. Hwoarang laughed at the memory.
"Hey! It wasn't funny!" Kei protested, although unable to stop a smirk appearing on his face.
"I know" he said, "I'm just kinda glad I'm gonna be out of this place soon. I guess I should be thankful that taxi guy came forward, otherwise how would I know when my own birthday was?"
"True" Kei agreed "so what are you planning on doing when you get out?" Hwoarang looked over the field at the kids, then at the building. He couldn't deny that he was going to miss this, but he would have all the freedom he wanted once he left, and that was what he looked forward too.
The Reverend Mother had already gotten him a place to live, nothing fancy, just a cosy little apartment in town with a rent he could afford with his benefits. He lay back onto the grass and propped himself up on his elbows.
"Your birthday's in October, right?" he asked Kei. Kei nodded in reply and took another mouthful of his drink.
"So, you're gonna be out of here soon too." Kei smiled and shrugged.
"Yeah I know, but it's hardly next week is it? I mean it's a while off when you put it in perspective."
"Well," Hworarang started "at least you're not still ten and trying to climb over the back wall with me." They laughed and went back to drinking the lemonade. Sister Rose appeared in the doorway to the kitchen. She had an old blue shawl about her shoulders and her face, though tired and lined now, still always had a smile. She called out for everyone to come in for dinner.
Hwoarang pushed himself lazily up from the grass and downed the last of his lemonade. They handed their glasses to Sister Rose on their way in, and after Kei had gone into the dining room, she stopped Hwoarang.
"It's hard to believe" she started "that he little baby I held in my arms nearly sixteen years ago has grown up into the wonderful young man I see before me." Hwoarang grinned cheekily, as he always did.
"That's because I've had the best lot of ladies looking after me that I could have ever wished for." Sister Rose smiled at him warmly, a little tear coming to her old grey eye.
"You're sure your doing the right thing next week?" He nodded, "I'm sure." He walked into the dining room and took a seat next to Kei, the other children looking up at them admiringly. They were the oldest in the orphanage now and the set role models for the kids. Dinner was served and they all ate enthusiastically, except Hwoarang, his thoughts were elsewhere, thinking about how he would never have to eat Sister Clarise's rather bland cooking again, and how pizza and takeaways would suit him fine for the rest of his life.
**** He woke up last as usual, and slumped downstairs in his usual bad morning mood. No one was inside the kitchen and none of the kids were running up and down the halls as they usually did. Hwoarang scratched at the back of his neck, the length of his red hair was starting to irritate him, but damn if he was getting it cut. He ran the tap of the sink and filled a glass with water. He drank half then looked up at the clock, bemused that he was actually awake and up before noon. He stretched and yawned. He finished the water, setting the glass back on the marigold yellow worktop and pulling his t-shirt that he had been carrying on. He heard a giggling from the doorway behind him, and turned to find one of the little girls standing there, nervously twisting her raven black hair around her finger.
"Good Morning Kimi" he greeted her. She giggled and ran up to him. He knelt down and gave her a hug.
"Sister Rose is in the common room," she said in a cute little voice "she said she wants to talk to you."
Hwoarang nodded and followed Kimi to the room next door. The lights flickered on, practically blinding him and there was a deafening shout of
"SUPPRISE!!!" Hwoarang genuinely was surprised. He grinned widely and started laughing.
"Happy birthday!" Sister Rose cried, embracing him tightly. The kids jumped up at him, all wanting to get a hug off the birthday boy. Kei handed him a little parcel, which he unwrapped eagerly, revealing a pendant of a silver eagle.
"Happy birthday, Talon" he said, smiling. Hwoarang grinned at the memory of his childhood nickname and hugged Kei while the kids bounced around his feet, grabbing mercilessly at the black denim of his jeans. He secured the pendant around his neck and led the way over to the long table in the centre of the room. Food was piled onto it, cakes and mini sausages on cocktail sticks, just finger food mainly but all looking as delicious as ever. Sister Clarise had outdone herself.
She came through the kitchens swinging door, carrying a tray of freshly baked cookies and set them down o the table. The kids swamped around them tray, devouring the sweet treats while Hwoarang sat down with Kei and let them enjoy themselves. Sister Rose came back in, followed by the Reverend Mother. The frail old woman sat across from Hwoarang and smiled lovingly at him.
"This time tomorrow, we shall all be saying goodbye to you," she said. Her eyes grew sad, "It was a pleasure having you here Hwoarang, I think I speak for us all when I say you will be greatly missed." He nodded; it seemed more appropriate then just sitting there with nothing to say.
"Just do us all a favour, and don't go getting yourself into too much trouble, okay?" Sister Rose added.
"Well, I can't promise anything" he said, grinning "but I'll try!" Sister Rose reached over and ruffled his hair. "Now, go and have some fun." He practically leapt out of the chair and, followed by Kei, ran for the door and out into the garden where a huge game of Hide-and-Seek with the kids commenced.
Kei wandered over holding two glasses of freshly squeezed lemonade with huge chunks of ice floating in them. He sat on the grass and handed one to Hwoarang.
"How long until your birthday now?" Kei asked, taking a sip of the cool drink.
"A week, then I'm so outta here."
"I can't believe you're nearly sixteen already, it doesn't seem that long ago when I broke my arm climbing that tree" Kei said, pointing over to and old apple tree in the fields centre. Hwoarang laughed at the memory.
"Hey! It wasn't funny!" Kei protested, although unable to stop a smirk appearing on his face.
"I know" he said, "I'm just kinda glad I'm gonna be out of this place soon. I guess I should be thankful that taxi guy came forward, otherwise how would I know when my own birthday was?"
"True" Kei agreed "so what are you planning on doing when you get out?" Hwoarang looked over the field at the kids, then at the building. He couldn't deny that he was going to miss this, but he would have all the freedom he wanted once he left, and that was what he looked forward too.
The Reverend Mother had already gotten him a place to live, nothing fancy, just a cosy little apartment in town with a rent he could afford with his benefits. He lay back onto the grass and propped himself up on his elbows.
"Your birthday's in October, right?" he asked Kei. Kei nodded in reply and took another mouthful of his drink.
"So, you're gonna be out of here soon too." Kei smiled and shrugged.
"Yeah I know, but it's hardly next week is it? I mean it's a while off when you put it in perspective."
"Well," Hworarang started "at least you're not still ten and trying to climb over the back wall with me." They laughed and went back to drinking the lemonade. Sister Rose appeared in the doorway to the kitchen. She had an old blue shawl about her shoulders and her face, though tired and lined now, still always had a smile. She called out for everyone to come in for dinner.
Hwoarang pushed himself lazily up from the grass and downed the last of his lemonade. They handed their glasses to Sister Rose on their way in, and after Kei had gone into the dining room, she stopped Hwoarang.
"It's hard to believe" she started "that he little baby I held in my arms nearly sixteen years ago has grown up into the wonderful young man I see before me." Hwoarang grinned cheekily, as he always did.
"That's because I've had the best lot of ladies looking after me that I could have ever wished for." Sister Rose smiled at him warmly, a little tear coming to her old grey eye.
"You're sure your doing the right thing next week?" He nodded, "I'm sure." He walked into the dining room and took a seat next to Kei, the other children looking up at them admiringly. They were the oldest in the orphanage now and the set role models for the kids. Dinner was served and they all ate enthusiastically, except Hwoarang, his thoughts were elsewhere, thinking about how he would never have to eat Sister Clarise's rather bland cooking again, and how pizza and takeaways would suit him fine for the rest of his life.
**** He woke up last as usual, and slumped downstairs in his usual bad morning mood. No one was inside the kitchen and none of the kids were running up and down the halls as they usually did. Hwoarang scratched at the back of his neck, the length of his red hair was starting to irritate him, but damn if he was getting it cut. He ran the tap of the sink and filled a glass with water. He drank half then looked up at the clock, bemused that he was actually awake and up before noon. He stretched and yawned. He finished the water, setting the glass back on the marigold yellow worktop and pulling his t-shirt that he had been carrying on. He heard a giggling from the doorway behind him, and turned to find one of the little girls standing there, nervously twisting her raven black hair around her finger.
"Good Morning Kimi" he greeted her. She giggled and ran up to him. He knelt down and gave her a hug.
"Sister Rose is in the common room," she said in a cute little voice "she said she wants to talk to you."
Hwoarang nodded and followed Kimi to the room next door. The lights flickered on, practically blinding him and there was a deafening shout of
"SUPPRISE!!!" Hwoarang genuinely was surprised. He grinned widely and started laughing.
"Happy birthday!" Sister Rose cried, embracing him tightly. The kids jumped up at him, all wanting to get a hug off the birthday boy. Kei handed him a little parcel, which he unwrapped eagerly, revealing a pendant of a silver eagle.
"Happy birthday, Talon" he said, smiling. Hwoarang grinned at the memory of his childhood nickname and hugged Kei while the kids bounced around his feet, grabbing mercilessly at the black denim of his jeans. He secured the pendant around his neck and led the way over to the long table in the centre of the room. Food was piled onto it, cakes and mini sausages on cocktail sticks, just finger food mainly but all looking as delicious as ever. Sister Clarise had outdone herself.
She came through the kitchens swinging door, carrying a tray of freshly baked cookies and set them down o the table. The kids swamped around them tray, devouring the sweet treats while Hwoarang sat down with Kei and let them enjoy themselves. Sister Rose came back in, followed by the Reverend Mother. The frail old woman sat across from Hwoarang and smiled lovingly at him.
"This time tomorrow, we shall all be saying goodbye to you," she said. Her eyes grew sad, "It was a pleasure having you here Hwoarang, I think I speak for us all when I say you will be greatly missed." He nodded; it seemed more appropriate then just sitting there with nothing to say.
"Just do us all a favour, and don't go getting yourself into too much trouble, okay?" Sister Rose added.
"Well, I can't promise anything" he said, grinning "but I'll try!" Sister Rose reached over and ruffled his hair. "Now, go and have some fun." He practically leapt out of the chair and, followed by Kei, ran for the door and out into the garden where a huge game of Hide-and-Seek with the kids commenced.