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*This is my book translated into English. I know there's a lot of mistakes but English isn't my first language so I would be grateful if you would correct me. And when you do that, for example in the comments, I'll immediately correct these mistakes in the book. Thank you and I wish you all the best.*

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It was a September evening. Rain covered all the streets of Boston.

A young woman with fiery hair was walking along a dark street of a big city. She was wearing dark jeans and a gray hoodie that covered her face.

She was soaked through the rain, but it didn't bother her, she continued walking her way confidently, humming a melody known only to herself. After a few long minutes, the teenager stopped around the bend and hid under a roof protruding from a tall building. A moment later, she pulled a pack of cigarettes from the pocket of her sweatpants and lit one with her lighter.

The woman inhaled, and then slowly exhaled the smoke, looking at the starry sky.

"And you just watch and watch... " She said looking at the shining stars. "Sometimes I'd rather just watch it all too." She sighed and inhaled smoke again.

When she finished, she threw the burnt cigarette on the ground and, seeing that the rain had stopped, continued walking ahead. She didn't like staying at her house, so she always came home late, wanting to spend as little time as possible there.

Going further along the dark road, she hummed her melody, wanting to drown out the silence and thoughts that ruled her. She had gone a few blocks when she suddenly stopped at the playground and her eyes landed on a man sitting on one of the swings. The woman knew him only by sight, but took the opportunity to join him.

The boy in the eye was her age. He was very tall but emaciated. He had longer dark hair and gray eyes, and was dressed in some rags. But even so, it was easy to tell that he was handsome, very handsome indeed.

The girl silently approached him, and then their eyes met for a moment. The redhead didn't say anything, just sat down on the free swing next to him, finishing humming her tune. The woman still had the hood on her head and at that moment she no longer looked at the boy.

"You stink cigarettes. " The man answered after a long moment.

"And you look like a pale, emaciated rascal." she replied the same.

The boy chuckled softly at her words.

"What's your name? " Teenager asked after a moment.

"Jikyo. " The other replied, glancing at her briefly.

"Jikyo? " She repeated, swinging slightly.

"Yeah, why? "

"Nothing. " She shrugged. "Sounds nice. " She said. "Jikyo..." She repeated, swinging harder.

"And what's your name? " Boy asked.

"It's a secret. " She replied looking at the stars again.

"It's not fair. "

"Life isn't fair. " She glanced at him. "So why should people be fair? "

Jikyo nodded, carefully considering her words.

"There's something about it. " He nodded and started swinging as well. "Maybe you're right. " He sighed looking at the stars.

"I've only seen you here recently, where are you from?" Redhead asked.

"I'm supposed to answer all the questions and you won't answer any of mine?" Jikyo looked at her with amusement.

"You only asked me one question. " She replied. "Besides, I just answered one of them. " Said.

Jikyo just shook his head and looked at the stars again. He noticed that his companion was still looking at them.

"Do you like stars? " He asked, looking at her.

"Not really... " She stopped on the swing and blew in front of her creating a small smoke. "Cold. "

"You're all wet, shouldn't you go home?" Boy said. "You'll catch a cold otherwise."

Teenager didn't answer for a long time, then sighed softly and started swinging again.

"I have no home. " She replied.

"Mm, that's just like me. " Jikyo announced, which caught her attention.

"You're from the orphanage? " She asked.

"You're guessing? " He glanced at her.

"Yeah. " She nodded. " You've only recently come to this area, so I just guessing."

"Yes, I'm from the orphanage. " The Black-haired man admitted. "I recently moved in with the Walkers. "

"Ah, so that's why I see you so often. " She interjected. "They live two blocks from us. "

"Yeah, I noticed that too. " Boy said. "So you have a home after all." He said.

Redhead stopped the swing and stared at her wet black sneakers.

"Depends on what one means by that. " She sighed. "Home like that isn't a home at all. Sorry, it's probably worse for you. " She glanced at him.

"Nah..." He waved his hand. "It's better here than at the orphanage."

"How is there? " She asked curiously and looked at him attentively. "At the orphanage. "

"Hm..." He thought for a moment. "It's... Cold and quite gloomy. I actually feel it, or rather all the kids feel like they're in prison there. " He looked at the teenager who was listening to his words. "White, dirty walls and bars on the windows. Terrible food and torn rags instead of normal clothes. " He sighed. "The teachers are super mean. They give us strict rules and many of us have been hit with quite a few times because of that. "

"I thought that nowadays these conditions have at least changed a little for the better. " Redhead interjected.

"Maybe it is in others, but definitely not there. " Jikyo replied.

Teenager nodded and carefully processed her companion's words.

"This song... " Boy spoke again after a while, and his words caught the attention of the redhead. "Do you have any words for it?" He glanced at her.

Girl shook her head.

"You have a melody, but no words? "

"Why do you ask? " She interrupted him and looked sternly in the eyes. "Do you even care?"

"Why do you think I'm asking? " He replied with a question.

"Out of so-called courtesy. " She shrugged.

"I'm not that polite. " He said, amused.

"Oh, yeah? You don't look like a hooligan to me? " She looked at him again.

"You don't know me. " He smiled meaningfully at her. "I can surprise you. "

"I'd like to see that. " She laughed softly.

"You doubt my words? "

"I don't believe in them. " She got up from the swing and stretched.

"And dyou believe in anything? " Jikyo asked, resting his elbows on his knees.

"I don't think so. " She looked around the playground.

"You're weird. " He shook his head.

"And who says that. " She smiled feisty at him, taking off the hood from her head and then approached the circularcarousel and slowly began to spin on it.

Jikyo watched her in silence for a moment, and then he also got up and approached the redhead.

"Is there anything you like? " He asked, looking at his companion spinning on the circular carousel.

"Hmm... " She wondered while looking at the sky and not stopping the previous activity. "No one has ever asked me that before. " She admitted, and her words surprised Jikyo a bit. "So I don't know the answer."

The teenager suddenly stopped the carousel, causing the redhead standing on it to crash right into him. The young woman looked at the boy in surprise. They were very close now, and she had her hands on his chest to keep her from falling off the carousel.

"Or maybe you know the answer but you're scared to admit it? " Jikyo said in a slightly hoarse voice.

There was something different about him, something unusual. Just his gaze oddly hypnotized the teenager standing in front of him. The gesture surprised her a bit, but to being honest, she liked it. This boy could go from a polite, nice boy to a feisty flirting bad boy in an instant.

"Have you run out of words? " He asked with amusement.

Redhead shook herself after a moment and moved away from him.

"N-not just..." She sighed and looked at him uncertainly. "I didn't expect it."

Jikyo smiled meaningfully.

"I told you I can surprise you. " He shoved his hands into his pants pockets. "So?"

"So what? " She asked, still a bit confused.

"What is your answer? " He repeated, looking deep into her eyes.

"Oh..." She nodded and then thought for a moment. "I don't know. " She shrugged.

"You know. " Jikyo took a step closer to her, still not breaking eye contact.

"E-eh..." She laughed nervously. "I don't know. " She repeated. "Really. " She broke off seeing that the boy came closer and now he was standing very close to her.

Teenager was speechless again. The young woman thought for a moment and then looked at Jikyo uncertainly.

"Music? " She whispered.

"Music? " Man repeated after her.

"Music. " She nodded, her words bringing a smile to Jikyo's face. This time the smile was different, less feisty and more kind and warm.

"See? " He said amused, shrugging his shoulders. "You knew the answer. " He added, then turned his back on her and headed towards the exit from the playground.

"E-eh... W-wait! " She called so he stopped but didn't turn towards her. " You're leaving already? " She asked confused.

"You want me to stay? " He asked this time looking at her.

"N-no, I'm just..." Redhead started to get confused in her own words. "I'm just asking!"

Jikyo laughed seeing her reaction and light blush.

"Don't laugh at me. " She snorted crossing her arms over her chest. "You make me confused. "

"That's why you blush? " He pointed out to her, and his words shocked the teenager.

"I'm not blushing! " She exclaimed indignantly.

"You are. " He nodded, amused. "If you want me to stay, just ask." He added with a smile.

"E-eh..." She shook her head. "You wish. "

"And do you? " He watched her carefully.

Young woman was silent for a moment, seriously considering his words.

"M-maybe..." She said uncertainly.

Jikyo smiled at these words, then looked at the sky and sighed heavily.

"You don't really want to go home too early." He thought, then looked at her again. "So? "

"Ugh..." Redhead shook her head. "Fine. " She sighed and looked at him uncertainly. There was still a blush on her cheeks. "Stay... Please. "

Man approached and stood in front of her.

"On one condition. " He said, still smiling.

"What condition? "

"You'll tell me your name. " Teenager replied.

Redhead just shook her head and looked at him again.

"Call me Lily. "

"Lily... " He repeated with thoughts, and woman, hearing his warm voice, felt a strange prick in her heart, she had never felt like this before. "Nice to finally meet you officially." He said with a nice smile. "I'm Park Jikyo. " He nodded his head, a gesture that brought a shy smile to the teenager's face.

"Lily Wilkinson. " Woman said.

It was weird and sudden. The teenager had never felt this way in anyone's presence before. Jikyo was a big mystery to her so far, but she liked the way he acted. She also enjoyed talking to him and being in his company. It was something different, kind. She felt so much better with him than with the people she should call family.

In addition, he was the first to embarrass her and make her blush.

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Hello in an additional history about the past of our main characters.

I hope you like the story. (⌒‿⌒)

Have a nice day/evening!