Abandoned Mansion

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The figure stopped when it heard a voice next to it. Slowly and hesitant, the figure moved its head up enough for large, watery green eyes staring at Eun-ho. "Wh-Who are you?" a little boy's voice whimpered from behind the toy that, upon closer inspection, was a giant frog toy. The little boy tightened his grip on it. "M-M-My name is B-Balthazar."

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Eun-Ho Joong



"My name is Eun-Ho," he answered gently, expression growing softer as he carefully and slowly moved closer. Remembering his siblings back in Korea, he allowed a kind smile onto his face and stopped a foot or two from the boy. The Korean knelt to the ground, holding up his hands to show that he wouldn't hurt him. "I like your stuffed frog, Balthazar." He leaned back on his feet, green eyes peering out at the boy. "Will you tell me why you're crying?"

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Balthazar
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The boy sniffed and looked down at his toy when it was complimented. "H-Her name is Bell." he mumbled before he was asked about his reason for crying, which made the tears flood up his big green eyes again. "Hic! G-G-Girls are mean!" he cried and buried his face into his toy's stomach, muffling out his loud cries.

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Eun-Ho Joong



"You're crying because of a girl?" He moved closer, chuckling. "That's okay, I understand. A lot of girls have made me cry too." He cautiously reached out a hand, setting his warm palm on the boy's head. "Why don't you come with me? It's very cold in here, and I would be very sad if you got sick. If you want, I can buy you something to eat, too." He gestured to the doorway. "What do you say, Balthazar?"

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Balthazar
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Balthazar stopped crying and lifted his head up slightly when he heard Eun-ho. "G-Girls have been m-mean to you, t-too?" he sniffed and closed one eye when a hand was set on his head. He buried his face further into his toy, but big green eyes still stayed on the star. "C... Could I get some ice cream?" he mumbled shyly. "A-And macaroni?"

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Eun-Ho Joong



"Of course. This pretty face has seen a bunch of heartbreak, little one," he replied, then chuckled at the request. "Ice cream and macaroni? I was about to suggest that myself!" The teen stood, then immediately crouched back down as the floor creaked with warning. Eun-Ho reached for Balthazar, lifting him up with care. "Come on, this place isn't very safe." The Korean then started out of the mansion, holding to his warm chest the boy he'd located. Hah! He'd like to see Han do something like this!
As he walked, Eun-Ho glanced down to the boy, looking him over. "Balthazar's a big name. Do you mind if I call you Bal?" he asked, taking great care to duck the kid's head and cover him when the wood above them groaned and let dust and debris fall.

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Balthazar
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Balthazar's tearful frown brightened as soon as he heard Eun-ho approve of his food choice. "Really?" he breathed happily before hearing the groan of the floorboards. He whimpered in fright and didn't need to be persuaded to cling to Eun-ho. As they escaped the mansion, the little boy noted how warm Eun-ho was, but that could've been due to how long it had been since he had been around anyone else. Eun-ho also smelled really weird, but in a good way, though that could've been because he was in that gross house for a week.
Lifting his head when asked about his name, Balthazar smiled and nodded his head. "Yeah." he said until he saw a black silhouette behind the bigger male. The little boy yelped and hugged Eun-ho tightly for protection, burying his face into the nape of his neck.
The figure, however, quirked an eyebrow at the boy then at Eun-ho. "I'm guessing you found the source of the crying?" came a deep voice.

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Eun-Ho Joong



The young man's chest shook a little from his light laugh, eyes starring up a little as he took in the beautiful sight of Fredrich. Processing the question quicker than usual, Eun-Ho nodded and comfortingly rubbed the boy's back. "Yep. This is Balthazar. Bal, this is Detective Waltz. He never has girl problems." He whispered this last bit with a knowing wink at the boy, before answering an unspoken question. "I have four little brothers and five little sisters. You should see me with Daniel," murmured the blonde before starting towards the car, still holding the younger-looking male in his arms. "I told him that we could go get something to eat. Do you mind a detour to the diner so we can feed him?"

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Balthazar
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Since Eun-ho didn't seem bothered by the new presence, Bal hesitantly poked his head up from his shoulder to look at Detective Waltz. He was really tall and... really scary. When the detective looked down at him with those sharp blue eyes, Balthazar shivered and dug his face back into Eun-ho's shoulder as they spoke.

Fredrich looked at the little boy then at Eun-ho when he mentioned his family. "I'm not sure why you're saying that, it's not like you'll be taking care of him." he said and, after digging his keys out of his pocket, turned to his car to unlock that. He froze when he was asked to stop by a diner. He turned to look back at the two and deny the request, but he stopped when he looked at the cowering child. "... Fine. We'll have to ask him questions, so we might as well do it there." he sighed and started walking to his car. He pulled out his cell phone to message Ellery the details.

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Eun-Ho Joong



The young man blinked and rubbed the boy's back, trying his best to soothe him. "Hey, it's okay," he whispered into the soft green hair. "It's okay, Bal. Detective Waltz is just a cranky old man. You don't have to be afraid of him." He smiled so that it could be heard in his voice, then looked up at Fredrich. "Aww, but he already likes me!" He pursed his lips in a pout before going over to the car and holding up the boy with one arm as he opened the back passenger door. Carefully stepping into the car. He situated the boy on his lap and shut the door, then slowly inched Balthazar off of him (although keeping him as close as possible) and buckled him in. His hands, although large compared to the boy's, worked with great care and tenderness, as if he'd been doing this his entire life.
And he had. Eun-Ho was the fifth-born out of 14 kids, inheriting the role as babysitter the second his big sister hit puberty and discovered boys. Eun-Ho never minded, though. He loved being a big brother, and loved taking care of his younger siblings. It was something he was good at, and Eun-Ho always told himself that he would become a primary school teacher after he retired.
He was reminded that Fredrich would be asking the boy questions, and despite his love, the young man disapproved. "I don't know if we should be asking him too many questions, Fredrich."

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Balthazar
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"I'm not going to ask him anything traumatizing, just about his family." Fredrich said as he settled himself into the driver's seat. He waited for the two to get strapped in before turning his car on. "I'm sure they'll be wanting to find him." Although he found it suspicious that there hadn't been any calls about a missing child with green hair. Some part of him suspected that they were dealing with an orphan, and he was not letting anyone adopt this one this time out of impulse.

Bal hugged his toy close to him and looked out the window. He looked up front when the detective spoke then looked down at his toy. The look in his eyes was sad, yes, but not a crushing on, more of a solemn and accepted sadness. "My parents passed away a long time ago." he mumbled, remembering going to their funeral. The detective in the driver's seat stiffened slightly.

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Eun-Ho Joong



Eun-Ho only softened further, melting inside. Thank God the guys couldn't see him right now. He'd never be able to live his softness down. The Korean sighed softly and shook his head to the detective, stroking his hair. "I'm sorry," he said. "Where are you staying now, Bal?"

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Balthazar
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Balthazar shook his head and smiled up at Eun-ho, seemingly not bothered by it. "No, it's okay. I was expecting it for a while, so at lease I got to brace myself. I got to say goodbye to them, too, so that makes me feel better." he assured and looked down to his toy, where he caressed the cheek carefully.
Fredrich narrowed his eyes. That child was expecting his parents' death? Were they sick?
The little boy wasn't aware of the detective's questions, and hugged his toy to his body as he answered the question. "I stay wherever there's room. I like sleeping under trees or near ponds, especially." he said. "There's a place I can stay, but I'm not allowed to live in it until I'm married." he mumbled. At the word 'marriage', he stopped suddenly and sniffed as his lip began to quiver with upcoming tears.

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Eun-Ho Joong



"Why's that?" he asked, tilting his head down at the boy and not asking Fredrich's questions. The boy could answer about his parents later. Right now, taking care of his lodgings was ten times more important.

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Balthazar
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"My parents wanted me to." Balthazar explained. "They said-" He puffed out his chest and put on a gruff expression as if to mock his father. "-'This castle's meant for a king and queen, not just a king. You can only live here again when you find a beautiful lady to marry.'" he taunted and shrunk down to size, smiling up at Eun-ho for approval of his mimicry.
Fredrich, however, nearly stopped the car altogether. "Castle? King? What are you talking about?" he demanded over his shoulder, hoping the kid was just making this up.
At the detective's outburst, Balthazar shrunk behind his toy and trembled from behind it, holding it out like a shield. "I-I-I'm the F-Frog Prince." he stammered. "F-Frog King, actually, s-since my d-daddy's dead."
Fredrich glowered at the boy through his rearview mirror. Finally, he sighed and looked back to the road. This was a story from the boy's imagination. It had to be. Despite all the abnormalities around this city, fairytales being true definitely weren't one of them. Besides, the Frog Prince was, well, a frog!

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