Amidst the sea of vehicles and exhaust fumes, I notice a group of children. Young souls with eyes that carry the sparkle of innocence, yet their reality is far from carefree. They stand at the signal, an impromptu marketplace of masks, balloons, and toys, their little hands clutching these offerings. The most jarring revelation echoes as a parent unabashedly states that they'd consider selling a child for a mere sum. And yet, this stands as the poignant backdrop to the whimsical masks they sell, the happy faces a stark contrast to the hidden struggles beneath. I lower my camera, but the stories remain etched in my mind. Those children's dreams, delicate as the masks they sell, are like fleeting whispers carried on the wind. Through my photography, I have tried to immortalise not just images, but the untold battles, the resilience, and the flicker of hope that persists against a harsh reality. Beneath the facade of these happy masks, lies the secret lives of these kids.