Despite the director’s insistence, the couple divulged nothing but that single sentence before leaving without even bidding a last farewell to Noir or even sparing him another glance.
The hurried deanor almost looked like... they were fleeing.
But at that ti, the director did not take their words seriously, for she was overwheld with shock, disbelief and indignation on behalf of the boy. The only thought in her mind was that she had to comfort Noir and not let him beco more withdrawn than he already was.
After going through such a huge ordeal at a young age and surviving with mory loss, then finding a new loving ho, only to be abandoned not even half a year later, who knew how sad, how fragile the boy’s heart had beco?
The more she thought about it, the more distressed she beca. Yet at the sa ti, guilt and remorse also gnawed at her, for she considered it partly her fault. It must be because she had not chosen the suitable family for him, which had led to such a tragedy.
Approaching the boy, she crouched down in front of him and gently took his little hand in hers. "It’s okay, don’t be sad. No matter what they said about you, it’s not your fault, alright?"
Noir shifted his gaze to her, blinking. "I am not sad," he spoke in a muffled voice.
How could he not be sad?! She scread inwardly. It must only be because he knew she would be worried that he put up a strong front!
Unable to bear it anymore, she hugged the boy and burst out into tears, though she dared not cry out loud for fear of scaring him. Even then, her trembling body, shuddering breaths and choked words were enough indication. She kept reassuring the boy over and over again that she would do better, that such a thing would never happen again, and all the while, Noir did nothing but listen quietly.
After she finished, he patted her arm in a comforting gesture, his tone light and airy, "It’s okay, I quite like it here. And this way, Director, you don’t have to miss anymore."
She was stunned, and it took her a while to realize he was referring to the conversation they had over three months ago, the day before his departure when she said that she would miss him.
The director’s nose tingled and she almost cried all over again.
Look, look— look at what a good child he is! How could anyone ever think he was scary? It’s clearly those people who are not good!
***
When choosing Noir’s next family, she exercised more caution and made sure to observe the way they interacted with each other first. Only when Noir and his adopted parents grew comfortable with each other was she relieved to let him go. Otherwise she really could not be rest assured.
Although the boy had said that he liked staying here, who knew how much of it was the truth? Who could guess what he was thinking to himself when he witnessed children his age getting a new family and leaving the orphanage one by one?
The director would never give up; she swore she would find a perfect family for Noir!
After careful consideration, she let Noir go with a middle-aged couple who had a gentle and scholarly temperant. The couple had once lost a son to a plane crash, and it took them a couple of years before they could embrace the grief and loss. Now they were finally ready to accept a new family mber again. With their life experiences, the director reckoned they must be able to love and cherish Noir all the more.
Alas...
Another tragedy struck yet again, this ti even sooner than before.
Barely two months had passed when Noir was sent back, as the wife encountered a terrible accident on a snowy day and unfortunately beca a vegetative.
Drowned by sorrow, the husband was in no state to take care of a child, thus leading to the adoption dissolution.
Then ca the third family, and the fourth...
Noir always ended up back at the orphanage, with the longest lasting a little over a year. The last family he had gone with was even worse, having straight up cursed the little boy as the star of misfortune before storming off without looking back.
The sheer absurdity of the situation left the orphanage director utterly flabbergasted and incredulous. They all looked like such nice and decent people when they first ca, so how did they beco so deranged in a short amount of ti?!
The director shook her head in dismay.
By then, all the children around Noir’s age had already been adopted, leaving him alone. It was common knowledge that people tended to adopt children of younger age, and the older they were, the more difficult it would be to find a new family. Plus, because of the fuss created by the last family, rumors began to spread that Noir was truly unlucky, that whoever took him in would be riddled with misfortunes...
Of course, the director dismissed such talk as utter nonsense.
She was the first to co to the boy’s defense. Whenever she heard people whispering behind her back, she would jump up to rebuke it on the spot. How could anyone believe such ridiculous gossip? It was beyond her comprehension how such malice could be directed to a good boy like Noir.
Learning from the bitter lessons of the past, she swore she would keep searching until she found the perfect family for this adorable and well-behaved child! Surely, there must be soone out there who would accept little Noir as he was!
Alas, for all her determination, it was Noir himself who put a stop to her efforts.
One afternoon, when the other children were happily playing soccer on the field, she noticed him sitting off on the side, quiet and alone. The sight sent a pang of ache to the director’s chest. Without hesitation, set aside her work for the ti being and ca out to sit beside him, accompanying him for a chat, and it was then that the boy told her:
"No need to search anymore, Director. It’s useless," he gave a small shake of his head. "What they said about is true."
The director’s smile abruptly faltered. "W-What do you an?"
Noir turned to look at her with those round and clear erald eyes of his, yet the words he uttered were so chilling that it sent shudders down her spine.
"I can see it," he whispered. "I can see when those people are going to die."
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