Chapter Text
Since he could remember, the first years of his life were monotonous, without parents or siblings, and in an adoption center that only wanted him for the fake persona he always displayed—the good, obedient boy who would never dare break the rules. All he did was follow the mold that the adults wanted, avoiding any action that might give them a reason to reject or punish him. His life went by in routine and silence, and although he tried to find something that would make him feel complete, he never succeeded in filling the emptiness that had always accompanied him.
One particular day, a group of people visited the orphanage. They were teachers from a school or something like that, with the intention of brightening the children’s day and breaking the routine of those who lived there. Ivan, as usual, wasn’t interested in participating in the group activities, so he secluded himself in a corner with a book in his hands. It was a book with more pictures than words, since his eyesight wasn’t the best, but he had never mentioned his problem to the caregivers. He thought no one would notice his absence from the group activities, but he was wrong.
As he flipped through the pages of the book, focused on the colorful pictures of flowers, a shadow was cast over him. At first, Ivan didn’t notice, so engrossed in his reading. However, when he finally looked up, he was startled by the sight of a figure who, compared to him, seemed like a giant. It was a tall, muscular man with a visible scar on his face. To any child, that image could be intimidating, but there was something about him that contradicted that initial impression. He had stickers on his face, probably put there by the other children he had been playing with, and his expression was genuinely kind, not like the rehearsed smiles Ivan had learned to interpret.
Squatting down to be at his level, the man spoke in a deep but calm voice: —What’s your name, little one?
Ivan hesitated, remaining silent for a few moments.
—You’re not much of a talker, huh? —the man asked, not seeming annoyed by the lack of response—. Tell me, what are you reading?
—Flowers... —the boy answered in a voice so soft it was barely audible, but enough for the man to hear.
—Is there one that catches your attention?
Without responding with words, Ivan extended the book slightly toward him, still wary, but enough to let him see the image he had in front of him.
—Red anemone? It’s a lovely flower, you have good taste, little one —the man commented with a smile while gently stroking Ivan’s black hair.
The touch was unexpected, but not unpleasant. “It feels nice,” Ivan thought, though the man still intimidated him a little. There was something in his demeanor that made him lower his guard, and for the first time in a long time, the boy decided to relax a bit.
—Can you tell me more?
—Weren’t you playing with the others? —Ivan asked, trying to shift the focus of the conversation.
—I was, but it’s not good for you to be here alone. So, I prefer to keep you company, if you don’t mind—the man asked with a kind smile—. That way, we can get to know each other better.
—No... it’s fine —Ivan murmured, feeling a tingling in his stomach. He felt happy, although he wasn’t used to an adult showing a genuine interest in understanding him.
At his young age of seven, many children and even the caregivers at the orphanage commented on his maturity. The adults loved it, as it meant less work, but the other children disliked it. They considered him pretentious and distant, and often teased him, trying to provoke a reaction and make him show real emotions. However, Ivan never fell for their provocations. To him, those people weren’t worth the trouble of getting into trouble.
The conversation with the man was different. He was kind, knew a lot about plants, and spoke to him with sincerity that Ivan didn’t often experience. During that brief exchange, the man earned a bit of his trust. He seemed like the typical “gentle giant” that Ivan had read about in stories.
Although Ivan tried not to think too much about the future, he knew that this visit was temporary. When the time came to say goodbye, he’d probably never see him again. His life would go back to the same empty routine, and that hurt him.
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—Ready to go? —the man asked shortly afterward.
—Hmm...
But, to his surprise, things took an unexpected turn. The man, who turned out to be a teacher named Jeonho Choi, decided to adopt him. Ivan didn’t know how to react at first. It was a sudden and confusing change, but he couldn’t complain. For the first time, he felt that his luck had changed.
—Wait, let me buckle your seatbelt and... done! All set —Jeonho said with a smile.
—Thank you... —Ivan murmured, still trying to process what was happening.
—Before we go to your new home, how about we stop and get something to eat?
Ivan’s face lit up slightly upon hearing that, a reaction that didn’t go unnoticed by the adult.
—Ha ha, what do you prefer, sweet or savory?
—I like sweets more, Mr. Choi.
—You don’t need to be so formal. How about calling me by my name?
—Mr... Jeonho.
—We’re making progress —the man replied, laughing as he ruffled Ivan’s hair—. I know a café that sells the best pancakes.
The trip to the café was calm, with most of the conversation trying to make the boy feel more at ease. Upon arrival, the man helped the smaller boy down, thinking that he looked too short for his age. Were they even feeding him well?
The café was cozy, but what really caught Ivan’s attention was the huge portions they served. When the pancake plate arrived at the table, it seemed bigger than him.
—If you can’t finish it, we’ll take it to go, okay? —Jeonho suggested, watching how Ivan eagerly devoured the food.
For Ivan, those were the best pancakes he had ever tasted in his life. Meanwhile, Jeonho couldn’t help but smile. Even though Ivan behaved like a mature child, he was still just a child, and Jeonho was determined to give him a happy childhood.
The next few days passed quickly, and soon Ivan had settled into his new home. From the outside, the house seemed small, but inside it was surprisingly spacious, and it had a garden full of plants in the back.
—This afternoon, I’m going to visit an acquaintance. Would you mind accompanying me?
—No, it’s fine. I want to get to know the city a bit more.
Jeonho smiled, pleased with the answer.
—Mr. Fujiwara has a son your age. Maybe you two could become friends.
Ivan wasn’t too convinced. He’d never had friends, but he decided to give it a try.
The afternoon arrived quickly, and they both got ready to go out. Since the temperature was low, Mr. Choi made sure to bundle his new son up, worried he might get sick, with how fragile he seemed.
Upon arrival, they were greeted by a relatively young man with caramel-colored wavy hair and a welcoming smile. Akihiko, the man’s name, offered Ivan to meet his son, as they were close in age and he thought they would get along.
Mr. Fujiwara’s house was enormous, a perfect example of traditional Japanese architecture. Ivan looked at every detail as they walked toward the garden, following their host.
—Akemi should be around here. He loves spending time among the plants when his sister isn’t here —Mr. Fujiwara commented—. Tell me, Ivan, does it bother you to look for him a bit? He’s probably hiding again.
—It's okay
Driven by curiosity, Ivan nodded. As the garden door opened, he was greeted with an impressive sight: a space filled with flowers and trees of all kinds, carefully maintained. The aroma of the plants enveloped him, and for a moment, it felt like he had entered another world.
A part of him felt a sudden déjà vu, as if he had been in a place like this before...
As he explored, he came in front of a tree covered with purple flowers cascading down. He was fascinated by its beauty and when he tried to touch the flowers a voice startled him.
—Who are you?
Turning around, he saw a boy slightly taller than him, with caramel-colored hair and a mask covering his entire face. For a moment, Ivan thought it was a girl, but the other’s voice made it clear that it wasn’t, though it still had a delicate tone.
It was the elusive Akemi, a boy who, at first glance, seemed as intriguing as the garden surrounding him.
Finally, someone interesting.