55 Az, Shya, Aria.

"Az come on!" Let's play!"

Under the shade of a tree, a little girl bounced up and down with excitement, her orchid-colored bob-cut hair dancing with her movements.

"Come on, Miley! play with me!" urged a little boy with raven-colored hair, displaying a rubber ball in his hand.

Miley glanced at Aimar, then at the ball, hesitating for a moment before shaking her head. "No, I want to play with Az!"

Aimar shot a glare at the boy sitting in the shade, dressed in a full shirt, his expression stern.

"Hahaha," laughed little Oliver, seated beside Azariah, pointing at Aimar. "She won't play with you!"

"My sister only plays with me!" declared a boy with the same hair color as Miley, grabbing Miley's hand and attempting to pull her away.

"Let me go, Lucus! I don't want to play with you," Miley protested, struggling to break free from his grip.

"Oliver, say 'ahh,'" instructed a little girl with crimson red hair, sitting beside Oliver and offering him some fruit.

"Ahh," Oliver complied, opening his mouth to let Aaliyah feed him.

"Heeyyy!!"

A boy with blonde hair and matching eyes dashed toward them, his voice brimming with excitement making them look at him.

"Look at what my father gave me for my birthday!"

he exclaimed, extending his hand to reveal a brand-new wooden sword, perfectly sized for his small frame.

"Why a sword, Keegan?"

Lucas inquired, releasing Miley's hand to pay attention.

"Because I want to become strong and beat him," Keegan replied, grinning as he pointed at Azariah.

"Good luck," Azariah responded with a slight smile, though it faltered at the end as he let out a small whimper.

"I don't need your good luck! I'll become princess Arianell's knight after beating you!" Keegan declared, glaring at the purple-haired boy.

"Aimar," Oliver called, shaking his head and rising from his spot.

Understanding Oliver's intention, Aimar grinned mischievously as he looked at Keegan.

"Keegan, catch!"

Aimar shouted, tossing the ball he held toward Keegan while Oliver stealthily moved behind him.

"Why—"

Before he could finish his question, the ball was already hurtling toward him, making Keegan to drop his sword and reach out with both hands to catch it.

"Kyaaa!!"

"Ahhh!!"

With a yelp and a scream from the girls, Keegan's pants, along with his underwear, were swiftly pulled down by Oliver, causing the girls to close their eyes in embarrassment.

"Hehe, small," Oliver remarked with a grin as he looked at Keegan's.....

"OLIVER!!!"

Keegan shouted as he pulled up his pants before dashing towards Oliver.

"Hahaha, shrimp!!!" Laughing loudly, Oliver ran away with Keegan running behind him.

"Oliver, fruits!!" And like a mother trying to feed her naughty child, Aaliyah ran behind him with fruits in her hand.

"Az! Let's play!" Miley exclaimed once again as she grabbed his hand.

"Argh..." Azariah groaned in pain as Miley's finger touched his forearm.

"Huh? Are you alright?" She asked, releasing his hand.

"I am fine," Azariah replied with a gentle smile as he tried to stand up. "Let's play."

"No, Azariah will stay with me." But before he could move, a stern voice made him halt.

"Brother," Azariah mumbled as he looked at the handsome teenage boy with silver hair and beautiful red eyes.

Shane Del Estiere looked at Azariah as he let out a tired sigh.

"But big brother—."

"Miley, I want to talk with him, please go," Shane interfered as he urged her to move.

"Okay," with a disappointed look, Miley replied as she ran away, and Aamir and Lucus ran behind her.

"Azariah," Shane called him as he sat beside him. "Show me your hand."

"Brother."

"Azariah," Shane sternly looked at him, making Azariah bring both his hands forward.

Hiss.

Azariah hissed in pain as Shane folded his sleeves, revealing Azariah's hand that was scratched until blood gushed out of it.

"Sigh..."

Sighing, Shane took out a first aid kit from his bracelet as he looked at Azariah.

"Why?" He asked softly as he cleaned his wounds. "I already told you, Az, you don't need to take care of her."

"Hiss... But she was alone."

"...Az, Shyamal isn't a good girl," Shane replied softly. "Look what she did to your hand when you tried to get close to her."

"B..but—."

"Why are you so kind to her, Az?" He asked, looking into his eyes.

Azariah remained silent, lowering his head.

"Is it because of what happened to Asher?" Shane asked, making Azariah flinch.

"Azariah." Sighing, he gently touched his cheek, making Azariah look at him. "What happened to Asher wasn't your fault."

"But... it was my mother....."

"You are not obligated to pay for what your mother did, Azariah." Shane shook his head, taking out a bandage. "You don't have to feel guilty about it."

"B..But I just want to help her."

"And if you keep helping her like that, she will get used to it," Shane replied as he wrapped the bandage around his wounds.

"So?" Azariah asked, tilting his head in confusion.

"So it's not right," Shane replied, shaking his head. "What will she do when you're gone?"

"I'm not going anywhere, leaving her," Azariah replied innocentely, making Shane halt.

"...And what if she wants you to leave her?" Shane asked, resuming bandaging.

"Then I will watch over her from afar," he replied, making Shane chuckle.

"You do know she only sees you as Asher's substitute, right?" Shane asked. "And don't try to lie, I have heard her saying his name instead of yours when you are with her."

"It doesn't matter as long as she is happy," Azariah mumbled softly, making Shane click his tongue.

"Not even our parents think so much about her," Shane grumbled as he finished bandaging his hand.

"And I would have taken care of her myself if I didn't have to do all the things as the heir of my family."

"Why?" Frowning, Azariah asked, "why are they neglecting her?"

"...You will understand when you grow up," Shane replied, looking at him. "It's selfish for me to ask, but please take care of her."

"Don't worry, I will take care of her," Azariah replied with an innocent smile.

"Remember, Azariah," Shane spoke softly. "Being overly kind to others is a form of unkindness to yourself."

Azariah nodded gently, even though he didn't fully understand Shane's words.

"Now go, Arianell and Shyamal are fighting," Shane said, ruffling Azariah's hair, prompting the boy to panic.

"Ahh, bye brother," Azariah said as he hurried inside the building.

Watching Azariah depart, Shane mumbled to himself, "people who show love to others never feel love themselves."

He quickly shook his head, feeling uneasy about such thoughts for a child.

Thud!!

The door of the building opened with a loud thud as Azariah rushed inside the hall with his small legs.

"Argh."

"Urgh."

"Wait!! Wait!!!"

Shouting, Azariah quickly tried to separate both girls who were grabbing each other's hair.

"Az?"

"Azariah."

Startled, both girls called out his name as they released their grips.

"What are you two doing?"

Azariah exclaimed as he separated them, grabbing Arianell with his left hand and Shyamal with his right.

Both had bite marks on their bodies, their cheeks flushed with anger and embarrassment.

"She said I should stay away from you!!" Shyamal shouted, pointing at Arianell.

"You should stay away!! Look what you did to him," Arianell replied, gently touching Azariah's bandaged hand.

"Both of you, sit down!"

Exclaimed Azariah, his cheeks puffed with anger as he looked at them sternly.

"Bu—."

"Sit down!!"

They both nodded meekly and sat down in front of him.

"So why were you fighting?"

He asked, folding his hands while tapping his feet on the ground, mimicking his own mother's way of talking.

"She started it,"

Shyamal said, pointing at the white-haired girl sitting beside her.

"She said I shouldn't be close to you."

"And you shouldn't," Arianell replied, glaring at her. "Look what you did to him."

"But he didn't want to leave me, why should I?" Shyamal asked, glaring back at her.

"Okay, both of you quiet down," Azariah said with a heavy sigh, stopping both of them.

"I will be with both of you so you don't need to fight," he said softly, making them both look at him.

"Really?" Shyamal asked.

"Really," he replied.

"But Az—."

"It's fine, Aria," Azariah interjected, shaking his head.

Arianell pouted as she looked down, not replying.

Click.

The door clicked open once again as two more girls walked inside the hall.

"Little brother, I made cookies for you!" A girl with purple hair exclaimed happily as she walked towards him.

But both Arianell and Shyamal quickly hid behind Azariah as they looked at the other girl who walked inside.

"Christy."

With a happy smile, Azariah mumbled as he looked at the beautiful yet cute girl with sparkling blue hair and eyes walking towards him with a gentle smile.

But looking at her smiling, both Shyamal and Arianell shivered slightly.

"Let's go! Eat something, little brother," Avril, Azariah's big sister, exclaimed as she grabbed his hand.

"Wait, big sis." But before she could take him out, Azariah stopped her.

"Shake hands and don't fight again," turning around, he looked at Shyamal and Arianell as he instructed.

They both glared at each other before doing as he told them, shaking their hands.

"What are you doing, Az?"

"Christy?"

He called as Christina hugged him from behind, being two years older and a head taller than him, she enveloped his body entirely.

"Me too!!" Avril also joined in as she hugged Azariah from the side.

"Easy, big sis," Azariah grumbled as his sister squeezed him tightly, before he glanced at the remaining two.

"Want to?" He whispered softly, opening his arms.

"M-me too," Arianell stammered as she quickly moved and hugged him.

While Shyamal did the same, but she glared at the rest of them.

Azariah closed his eyes as he smiled widely, feeling the warmth of those who loved him.

No....

Those who used to love him...