"This," Zhou Mi said, motioning to the child he was carrying, "is Kyuhyun. He's a bit shy at first, but if you're good, he'll be warming up to you, as would the rest of the children, in no time."

Walking, Zhou Mi began to point the children he was going to keep an eye on. "The two playing at the back with the tin foil hats are Eunhyuk and Donghae. Donghae insists that aliens exist and he's got the other boy believing that too. I don't want you to tell them they're just a figment of his imagination, okay? Let the children believe what they want to. Eunhyuk is a rather gullible boy, so please be careful of your words, okay, gege?

"The two sitting on the tables are Kangin and Eeteuk. Eeteuk is the eldest of all of them. Whenever I need to go somewhere for a while or answer the phone, he's the one I ask to look out for the rest of the children while I'm gone. If you ever hear anyone of them call someone umma, then that would be Eeteuk. Kangin, on the other hand, is a bit hard to handle. He likes playing pranks and likes to tease other children, especially Eunhyuk, so keep an eye out for that. But, if it's too much, you can get Eeteuk to stop him. I don't know why, but Kangin listens to every word he says."

Zhou Mi paused in his talking as he set Kyuhyun down in front of the game consoles. Turning to Hankyung, he explained, "Kyuhyun likes to play games. Plus, he almost always wins against anyone." Zhou Mi smiled and ruffled Kyuhyun's hair before pointing at the two other boy's sitting near them, "That is Shindong and the one with the pink hair is Sungmin. They've been stuck together even before they came here, I heard. Although when they did come here, they've started talking with other kids. Their parents keep on thanking me for that, although I don't think I've done anything to stimulate that change at all."

Walking around again, Hankyung noticed three boys huddled in the corner. The one in the middle seemed to do all the talking, the one on the left seemed bored and the other one was smiling and laughing along with whatever the boy in the middle said. Zhou Mi must have noticed his gaze because he said, "Ah, gege, you've found him."

Brows raised, Hankyung asked, "Him?"

"Kim Heechul. He's the one I wanted to warn you about. His tantrums are the worst so be careful, okay? No one's been able to stop those until he gets what he wants. The other two at his side are Kibum and Shiwon. Shiwon's a little gentleman. But everyone else picks on him for that. He doesn't really mind, though. Kibum is...well, he's quiet most of the time. He and Kyuhyun would sometimes just sit in a corner watching everyone else run around. There are times though, that he can be as wicked as Kangin or as loud as Heechul."

Chuckling, Zhou Mi said, "They're Heechul's little minions, as Kangin would say. Although both Kibum and Shiwon have been able to stop Heechul's tantrums before but only on occasion, that is. Other than that, practically no one has ever did. Some employees have quit solely because of Heechul. Some because of Kangin. Most others resigned because of everyone in general."

Hankyung doesn't know what to say to that. So he shook his head before he asked, "Wait, everyone? Half of them don't seem so bad."

Zhou Mi laughed at him and waved a hand as if to say 'you-don't-know-what-you're-talking-about', "Oh, gege. Just you wait and see. Still, I'm hoping you'd be able to endure everything. You've always been so patient, yeah?"

Frowning, Hankyung replied, "The way you mentioned it, it seems I'm gonna have a hard time keeping patient." Sighing, he said, "But I can always try, I guess."

Zhou Mi nodded and smiled, "Well, that's all we can do, I believe." Moving towards the couches Zhou Mi continued, "The one on the left is Ryeowook. He's a bit shy when someone new comes but the boy can really, really, sing. Yesung's quiet most of the time but the children say he isn't. I haven't really seen him loud before but maybe that's just me."

And then, smiling widely, Zhou Mi patted Hankyung's back and said, "Well then! I've finished the introductions! Now it's time to start your job. I'll be over at the other side in case you need help."

"Wait, am I the only one doing this? Isn't there anyone else?"

Hankyung's heart fell the moment he saw Zhou Mi shake his head, "I'm sorry, Geng-gege. I'd help you, really. But we're a bit short on employees and someone needs to take care of the toddlers. And besides," Zhou Mi said, smiling widely again, "They're all pretty grown up! You only need to make sure they're distracted enough not to fight or pull pranks on each other. They can take care of themselves pretty well, you know."

"Okay. But if something happens, I can--,"

"Of course. Now go introduce yourself, okay? I'm sure you'll do fine. You're Hangeng, after all."

Hankyung wanted to ask what that had to do with anything but Zhou Mi had already turned back and headed outside. Looking around, Hankyung sighed and thought, 'What have I gotten myself into?'

---

And then, all of a sudden, Hankyung realized It's been weeks since he began working at the childcare center. The pay was good. It was really, really, really good. But somehow, Hankyung found himself thinking if it's still worth the torture.

Sighing, he looked at Donghae who was, for the nth time this week, tugging at the hem of his shirt.

Smiling down, he asked, "Yes, Donghae?"

Hearing his name, Donghae brightened immediately and smiled wide, "Nothin'! I just wanted to make sure you still remembered my name."

Donghae skipped away after that, sat down beside Kibum and listened intently to whatever Heechul and Shiwon were arguing about. Hankyung shook his head as he watched Donghae. The boy was good, really. But he was pretty weird. Ever since he had come, the boy had been asking him if he knew his name, if he still remembered him, if the name 'Donghae' rang any bells, or if Hankyung had started to forget him. The constant questions concerned him but now... Right now, he had Shindong to take care of.

Kneeling down to face the chubby boy, he said, "Shindong, I'm sorry but I can't let you eat the snacks yet. They're saved for the afternoon. And you won't be waiting much for long anyway."

Seeing a pout about to come, Hankyung quickly said, "But you know, Shindong. It's okay for me to let you eat the snacks."

Immediately upon hearing that, Shindong's face lit up. Smiling brightly, he cheered, "Really, hyung?! You'll let me eat them?!"

Ruffling Shidong's hair affectionately, Hankyung replied, "Of course! But."

"But?"

"Well," Hankyung began, tilting his head sideways as if considering things, "I can only allow you to eat. The rest would have to wait."

"Oh! That's okay, hyung! Most of them probably aren't hungry! Not at all! So it's okay if I'm the only one eating. Right, Sungminie?"

Instead of agreeing, Sungmin frowned at Shindong. "You don't have to eat all the time, Shindong. You're not even hungry! And hyung," he said, looking at Hankyung disapprovingly, "You shouldn't let him eat! Zhou Mi-hyung never allowed Shindong to eat ahead of us. And besides, Shindong's parents have asked Zhou Mi-hyung to not let Shindong eat when the rest doesn't! You're gonna get in trouble if Zhou Mi-hyung or Shindong's parents find out!"

Shindong, who had been trying in vain to keep Sungmin's mouth shut, frowned at his friend too, "Aish, Sungmin! I won't tell Zhou Mi-hyung or my parents! So Hankyung-hyung, it's okay, really! I promise, promise, promise that I won't tell anyone!"

Smiling inwardly, Hankyung tried to arrange the expression on his face to look terribly confused. Scratching his chin as if in thought, Hankyung began, "Well, as long as Shindong doesn't tell, then it's fine, I suppose."

That earned a loud cheer from Shindong. Sungim had shouted, "Yah, hyung! You really shouldn't do this!"

Smiling knowingly at Sungmin, Hankyung continued, "But since Zhou Mi can't know, and since we're trying to hide this from everyone, when the time for afternoon snack comes Shindong would have to lie and say he isn't hungry anymore."

Shindong's eyes widened the moment he heard that he'd have to lie about being full. "Wait! Why do I have to lie about me not being hungry?"

"Because we're trying to hide this, right? If I get more snacks from the kitchen and Zhou Mi passes by and sees me, he might ask me what I'm doing there. And what would I tell him then? I can't lie to Zhou Mi because Zhou Mi possess mind-reading powers. And I can't ask any one of you to get more because I'd get in trouble."

Standing up from his kneeling position, Hankyung smiles gently at Shidong, "But you want to eat now, don't you? So it's gonna be all right like that."

Sungmin, who wasn't as devastated as Shindong, realized quickly what Hankyung had been aiming for all along. Trying hard not to laugh, he patted Shindong's back and said, "After the snacks, it'll be almost time for our parents to pick us up. I don't think you'll get hungry that fast, right? Hankyung-hyung's really kind, Shindong. He's allowing you to eat before us! So just lie later about not being hungry and watch all of us eat instead."

The last five words of Sungmin's little skit shook Shindong hard.

"I'd have to...lie? Lie about being full while watching everyone else eat?"

Both Hankyung and Sungmin nodded solemnly at Shindong. Sighing as if in deject, Hankyung said, "I'm so sorry Shindong, to make you lie like this. But you really, really, really want to eat now, right?" Taking a step as if to get the snacks at the back, Hankyung continued, "So I'll just go and secretly get your share, okay?"

Hankyung hadn't had the chance to take another step after that.

"WAIT, HYUNG!!!"

Trying to contain the bubble of laughter that had come up, Hankyung coughed, "Yes, Shindong?"

"I'm okay! I'm still okay, really! I was just joking a while ago! I'm not hungry, I swear! Right, Sungmin?! I'll eat along with everyone, hyung! I swear!"

Facial expression fixed as if in concern, Hankyung asked, "Are you sure?"

Shindong didn't hesitate to say, "Yes, hyung! I'm sure!" to the amusement of Sungmin, who was trying to hold his giggles. When he'd calmed down, Sungmin sighed and smiled approvingly at Hankyung. Hankyung just winked back at him.

The problem with Shindong solved temporarily, Hankyung turned to everyone and began to accomplish the scheduled activities. As per schedule, Hankyung invited the children to play. Most of them had cheered and joined the game immediately. Others, like Kibum and Ryeowook, had taken a little bit of coaxing from him. After the games, he had let them rest while eating the prepared snacks. He began to tell a story at the end of the children's stay so that when he finished the story, each of the children's parents or guardians began picking them up.

Smiling contentedly as he watched Kangin being led outside by his father, Hankyung nodded at himself. It had been a terribly, terribly long and tiring day. But it had been fulfilling nevertheless.

"It's almost a month since you've started here, hyung."

Turning to Zhou Mi, Hankyung smiled, "Yeah."

Zhou Mi smiled widely at him in return, "I'm really glad you didn't quit, hyung. Most others have given up by now." Laughing, he continued, "See, didn't I tell you, hyung? You'd have no problems at all!"

Confused, Hankyung asked, "I still don't get what you mean by that. I'm just doing my job."

Hankyung didn't like Zhou Mi's knowing smile, "Yes. You're doing your job. But you are yourself while doing your job."

"Being myself? What has that got to do with anything?"

"Oh, you don't know?"

"If I knew," Hankyung said, frowning, "I wouldn't be asking, would I?"

Zhou Mi laughed. Starting to clean up the place, he remembered, "Oh, hyung, I almost forgot."

Picking up carelessly thrown toys, Hankyung looked at Zhou Mi, "What?"

"Someone's applied for a job here."

Pleasantly surprised, Hankyung smiled, "Really?! Someone's finally going to help with the kids?"

"Yup." Smiling widely yet again, Zhou Mi continued, "He's gonna start tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? What's his name?"

"Henry."

                                                                                                                                                            Chapter 2 >>