The Killer I Love

… PROLOGUE On the 30th of June, as the sun began to dip below the horizon, a pristine white car glided through a small gate adorned with the word ORPHAN. The gate led to a place known as Their Second Dream, a home for children longing for a brighter future. Amid towering trees, a strong wind greeted the car, rustling the dry leaves around it. The car's door swung open, and an enigmatic older man, marked by a mysterious line over his right eye, emerged to open the other door. A young boy stepped out of the car, cradling a weathered brown box in his arms. He clutched it tightly as he made his way towards a towering closed door. Slowly, the door creaked open, revealing an elderly woman adorned in a simple, yet elegant, black and white dress, with a delicate veil resting atop her head. "Sister, the child's papers are ready," said the man holding a document wrapped in an envelope. "We will take good care of him," said the elderly woman with a broad smile. The boy had no trace of emotion as he looked at the talking old man. The boy seemed impatient to wait for the conversation to end. It didn't change anything in him, he was bored, he didn't care, and even if he smiled, he couldn't do it. "Son, let us go inside," said the elderly woman as she faced him. "I'm leaving, they'll take good care of you here and be nice," said the man, and turned to leave. The boy just looked at the man who was leaving. It was about an elderly woman who was about to take the box the child was holding. She immediately looked at him with a disturbing look. "I will bring that for you," said the sister in a calm voice. The boy seemed to just stare at him without speaking, but it made it seem like he didn't want to give up the box he was holding. "Alright. I won't do that anymore. I'll show you around before I take you to your room. Come on and follow me," she said in an enthusiastic voice. The boy's face still wore the disinterested expression he had shown earlier, and his grip on the box he was carrying remained tight. The boy remained composed as he followed the nun, who led him to the corner of the room. "This is an orphanage. It serves as a second home for children who were separated from their parents when they were young, or children whose parents cannot raise them, and children who lost their parents due to tragedy," said the nun as they strolled through the facility. "This is a place where you'll find parents who have not been given the hope of having children, or parents who are eager to have children. It is a place for them and for you to create new memories," she added to her narrative. Despite the nun's heartfelt explanation, the child remained stoic and uninterested in the story being told. First, they went to the playground on the side of the hallway. It is wide, and you can hear the noise of children playing, laughing, and having fun. "Chase me!" the boy called to his friend. Some children swing, slide, and climb in the shallow pool children holder. It can be seen that they are cheerful even though they have traces of a very painful past. As they walked, the girl called them. His face shows the joy of playing a ball. "Sister Jean!!!" the child called out excitedly when he spotted her. "This is your playground. Here, you can play and make friends," she said with a warm smile, gesturing towards the girl who had called out to her. The nun seemed fully engrossed when the boy spoke in a soft, hushed tone. "Who is she?" his deep, dark eyes locked onto the girl playing with the ball alone. "She is Seraphine, she has been here for a year since...since she also lost her parents," the nun replied with a tinge of sadness in her eyes. This was the first time the boy had ever felt such a strange sensation throughout his entire body; it was an entirely new experience for him. Time seemed to stand still as all of his attention was focused on the girl running towards them. She had long dark brown hair that resembled a falling autumn leaf, and her white skin complemented her appearance. In the boy's eyes, she looked like a fairy. He was astonished to see her become even more beautiful as she looked at him with a broad smile. As she approached, the perfect shape of her face enhanced the color of her brown eyes, and her beautiful, rosy cheeks captivated him in return. She gazed at the boy smilingly and turned her attention to Sister Jean, with a puzzled expression. "Sister Jean, who is he?" the girl asked as she pointed at him. "Jean, he is Erl Valdis, and he is new here, so please be kind to him,” the elderly woman replied. “I will first give him a tour of our facilities so that he knows his way around. Even if he gets lost, he'll know how to find his way back," the nun explained to Jean with a warm smile. "Hi, Erl. I'm Seraphine. I hope you won't hurt me," she said. Her cheerful expression turned somber. The boy felt a sudden jolt as the words reached his ears. His brow furrowed, and a wave of anger washed over him. He clenched his fist and leaned in close to the girl, whispering, "I will never hurt you," before turning away. Avoiding Seraphine's gaze, he sensed the haunting pain of her past reflected in her eyes. Drawing from his own experience of being hurt and betrayed, he was determined to help the girl fight the scarred wounds of the past and turn her past into something beautiful. For the first time their eyes met, the boy already knew, it won't be the last.