Led by the social worker’s hand, the child was taken to a hospital. It was essential to assess the child’s health first, so the social worker arranged for a medical examination. Afterward, inquiries were made at a temporary missing children’s center to verify any reports on the child’s description, but there were no existing missing reports about him.

The social worker continued to follow the procedures diligently, ensuring the child could be placed in a new welfare facility.

“Don’t worry, dear. I’ll make sure you get into a good place, just trust me, okay?”

The social worker tried to win the child’s trust with a comforting smile, but it wasn’t enough to open him up. However, she gently patted his head as if accustomed to dealing with silent children.

Thanks to the social worker’s efforts, the child was soon placed in a well-regarded orphanage located on the outskirts of the city. The orphanage, named Anes, was often featured in local newspapers as a reputable institution frequented by volunteers and known for successful fundraising.

During the ride to the outskirts, the child’s eyes constantly darted around. Large buildings, paved roads, and colorful signs were all things he had never seen before. Having lived in a remote village, this place seemed entirely unlike the world he knew. Furthermore, the vehicle, referred to as a “car,” was an extraordinary invention to him. If such a fast-moving object had existed, he would have surely heard about it from the adults in his village who occasionally visited the city. Yet, this was all new to him.

“I was standing in front of the store with Dad, trying to buy wheat at the market, when suddenly I saw a cloud of dust at the end of the road. Seeing everyone hide behind their stalls, I quickly hid too. Soon there was a thunderous noise, and a huge black horse sped by—bigger than the roof of our house, you know? And incredibly fast! And on the horse was a knight in shining armor, sitting firm without a sway, holding the reins upright, and—look!—staring straight ahead as he rode. And amidst all that, the knight spotted me hiding behind the stall. Even moving so fast, he saw me, nodded, and then smiled as he passed by. You get it?”

The child had asked his friend, who boasted without catching a breath.

“So, you’re saying the knight saw you and nodded and smiled while riding that fast?”

“That’s what I’m telling you!”

“And you saw all that?”

“Yeah!”

“That fast?”

“Are you doubting me?”

Though the child had once laughed at his friend’s exaggerated story, now he couldn’t muster a smile. Even if his friend’s story was true, the speed of the ‘car’ was beyond his comprehension.

This overwhelming novelty dominated the child’s senses, flipping his world upside down, leaving him unable to think or speak, clutching only the pendant around his neck.

As the car entered a quiet neighborhood on the outskirts and slowed down, they soon arrived at the orphanage. The car turned into a driveway lined with maple and attention trees and entered a building surrounded by a not-so-small yard with neatly laid grass and an area suitable for children to play. The three-story building painted in clean beige and white gave a tidy impression.

“Here, this will be your new home from now on. What do you think?” the social worker said with a polite smile, leading the child. He followed her silently, looking around, but the social worker didn’t notice the constant trembling of his pupils.

“Ah, you’re here.”
“Yes. Director Kim, how have you been?”

The middle-aged director of the orphanage, with a generous belly, greeted the social worker and the child warmly. The child observed the director silently, just ‘observing’ him. The director called over a caretaker to briefly look after the child while he spoke with the social worker.

“Did he run away?”
“It seems so. Initially, at the police station, he said he had no parents. But when asked for his name, he stopped talking. And there are no missing reports filed for him, so it looks like he ran away.”
“It’s unfortunate that such places still exist.”
“Exactly. It’s likely a shady private orphanage. They probably don’t bother looking for him either, just gather anyone for the sake of government funds and focus on making money. It’s shameful as someone in the same field.”
“Well, if everyone were like you, Director, our country’s welfare culture would be at a developed country’s level.”

The director laughed off the compliments with a wave of his hand.

“Oh, what an exaggeration. I just hope the kids here can grow up without too much trouble. That’s all I’m doing.”

The social worker chuckled, adding her praise.

“That little bit of hope becomes their dream. Kids who graduated from here often visit, right? It’s all thanks to your virtue, Director.”

After a few more pleasantries, the social worker entrusted the child to the director and left the orphanage. Before getting into her car, she made sure to say goodbye to the child standing quietly in the yard.

“The teachers here are all kind. Listen well to them and study hard so you can become a great person one day.”

Pleased with how everything turned out, the social worker left the orphanage with a satisfied smile. The child just stood there, staring blankly at the receding car. A caretaker took him to the director’s office.

The director offered the child a mug of orange juice.

“You’re handsome. What’s your name?”

The child looked at the mug in his hands. The yellow liquid was a mystery to him. He smelled something fruity but wasn’t sure what it was. As the child kept staring at the cup, the director encouraged him to drink with a laugh.

“Aren’t you thirsty? The other kids like this juice too, so I bought a lot just in case. Try some.”

Prompted by the invitation, the child cautiously took a sip, and then, surprised, looked up at the director again. Observing the child’s cautious tasting and then finishing the cup, the director cleared his throat.

“Perhaps this child is trying juice for the first time. Maybe they played tricks with food at his previous place?”

The director, recalling the social worker’s mention that no signs of physical abuse were found during the child’s check-up, wondered if the child had been psychologically tormented in some way. Otherwise, why would he react like it was his first time tasting such a common beverage?

“Want another cup?”

The child, looking at the director, slowly nodded. The director smiled briefly, fetched more juice from the fridge, and poured it into the child’s cup. The director watched the child drink, smiling briefly. Only the sounds of the child sipping broke the silence in the director’s office. During this time, the director observed the child more closely. His dark hair, tinged with light brown, nearly covered his neck, and he had a broad shoulder for a child. His eyebrows were neither too thick nor too thin, and his distinct facial features made him appear almost mixed-race rather than purely Korean. Despite his young age, his face had a ‘sculpted’ quality.

After the child finished his third cup of juice and put down the cup, the director casually asked.

“How old are you?”

It wasn’t a question expecting a reply, just a small talk to break the momentary silence. But unexpectedly, the child responded.

“… I’m 7 years old.”

The child’s words had finally come out after three cups of juice. The director, now more convinced of the child abuse theory, threw another question.

“I see. But what’s your name?”

Still, the child remained silent when asked his name.