Chapter 4

Inside the Forenbach's cozy home, the atmosphere was warm and inviting. The scent of freshly baked cookies filled the air as the family chatted and laughed around the living room. Francine was intrigued by their guest, Azure, a handsome young man with an air of mystery surrounding him.

"Where do you come from, Azure?" Francine asked curiously, trying to make conversation.

Azure felt his irritation rise at the question. He had always been a private person and didn't like people prying into his personal life. He looked at Francine with a snobbish expression and replied, "That is none of your business."

Francine was taken aback by his rude behavior. She had never encountered such a disrespectful guest before. Her shock quickly turned to anger as she retorted, "Young man, you are a guest in our home. I expect you to show some manners and respect."

Zeke noticed the growing tension between his daughter and Azure. He decided to intervene before things got out of hand.

"Francine," he called out to her. "Azure is our special guest. You shouldn’t force him to say things that he isn’t comfortable with. We should treat him with respect and hospitality."

Francine nodded in understanding, but her curiosity about Azure was still nagging at her. She wanted to know more about him, but she didn't want to push him too far.

She looked over at Azure, who was deep in thought, and decided to hold her tongue. She didn't want to risk irritating him again and potentially ruining her parent’s mood.

Despite his earlier grumpiness, Azure couldn't help but feel bad for the way he had treated Francine. He knew that his snobbish attitude had been uncalled for, and he wanted to make amends.

"Francine, I'm sorry for earlier," he said, looking at her with a sincere expression. "My name is Azure. I don't have a last name. I'm an orphan, and I don't have a family."

Francine's heart went out to him. She could see the pain in his eyes, and she knew that he had been through a lot. She reached out and placed a gentle hand on his arm.

"I'm sorry, Azure," she said softly. "I didn't mean to pry. I just wanted to get to know you better."

Azure smiled weakly. "It's okay. I understand. And for what it's worth, someone did adopt me before."

Francine's eyes widened in surprise. "Really?" she asked, delighted to hear that Azure had someone who cared for him.

But as soon as the words left her mouth, she saw the expression on Azure's face change. His smile faded, and his eyes became serious.

"I wouldn't say I'm lucky," he said, his voice low. "My adoptive father made my life a living hell."

Francine's heart sank. She couldn't imagine what it must have been like for Azure, to have someone who was supposed to care for him treat him so poorly.

"I'm so sorry, Azure," she said, her voice full of empathy. "That must have been awful for you."

Azure shrugged, but the pain was evident in his eyes. "It was tough, but I've learned to live with it. It's made me stronger, in a way."

Francine nodded, understanding. She knew that sometimes, the most difficult experiences in life could teach us the most valuable lessons.

"Well, if you ever need anyone to talk to, I'm here for you," she said, giving his arm a gentle squeeze.

Azure gave her a sly smile, and for the first time that night, Francine saw a glimmer of warmth in his eyes. He didn’t say anything, but she knew somehow, he is starting to get comfortable with them.

Beatriz and Zeke shared a worried look, wondering what kind of secrets Azure could be keeping.

"Would you like to tell us about it?" Beatriz asked gently.

Azure hesitated for a moment before nodding. "It's just that...I don't know if I'm ready to talk about it yet. It's a long story, and it's not something I like to think about."

Zeke put a reassuring hand on Azure's shoulder. "We understand, Azure. We don't want to pressure you into telling us anything you're not comfortable with. But if there's anything we can do to help, please don't hesitate to ask."

As they spoke, Francine watched the exchange, her curiosity growing by the second. She wondered what kind of secrets Azure could be keeping, and what kind of past he had.

As her parents and Azure continued to talk, Francine couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. She had a feeling that Azure's secrets were bigger than any of them could have imagined, and she wondered what kind of impact they would have on their family.

The room fell silent as Zeke and Beatriz exchanged another concerned look, wondering what kind of past Azure had. It was clear that his secrets were going to have a big impact on all of them, and they were unsure of what to expect.

As Beatriz diverted the topic and invited everyone to eat, Azure felt his stomach grumble, reminding him of how long it had been since he had a proper meal. He was hesitant to share a table with them, not wanting to be a burden, but his hunger got the best of him.

As they all gathered around the table, Azure's eyes widened in amazement at the feast laid out before them. The aroma was heavenly, and he could hardly wait to start eating. He dug in eagerly, savoring every bite, and finished his plate in record time.

Francine couldn't help but notice Azure's enthusiasm. “Azure, is this your first time eating this food?”

Azure paused for a moment, trying to think of how to answer. "I...I've never had food this...delicious before," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.

Zeke and Beatriz exchanged a concerned look, realizing that Azure must have had a difficult life if he had never tasted good food before. They made a mental note to make sure Azure felt welcome and comfortable during his stay with them.

Francine, on the other hand, was thrilled to share her mother’s culinary delights with Azure. "I'm so glad you like it!" she exclaimed, beaming with pride.

Azure couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm. For the first time in a long time, he felt like he belonged somewhere, and he was grateful that this family doesn’t see him as a threat. 

***

It was bedtime in the household of Forenbach. Francine's older brother, Royce, had just gotten home and wasn't too pleased about the news that their parents had allowed Azure to move in with them. Royce voiced his disapproval and demanded to know where Azure would be sleeping.

Zeke couldn't help but tease his son a little. "Oh, he'll be sharing a room with you, Royce," he said with a sly grin.

Royce's face twisted in disgust at the thought, but Beatriz and Francine herself couldn't help but burst out laughing at his reaction.

Royce's dislike for the idea of sharing a room with Azure was evident from the start. He made it clear to his father that he valued his privacy and didn't want to share a room with someone he considered to be a snobbish stranger.

But Azure wasn't one to be underestimated. When Royce voiced his complaints, he answered him in a grumpy way. “Tss, the feeling is mutual. Do you think I would like to share a room with you? Never, even in my wildest dreams. So, don’t worry.”

Their initial interactions were fraught with tension and disagreement, and it seemed as though they would never get along. Royce gritted his teeth in annoyance.

As Royce and Azure continued to bicker and argue, their frustration with each other began to boil over. They were gripping each other's clothes, each on the verge of exploding into a full-blown fight.

But just as things were about to come to a head, Zeke stepped in and put a stop to the conflict. "Now, now, let's all calm down," he said, holding up his hands in a placating gesture.

Royce and Azure both turned to face him, their expressions still angry and frustrated. Zeke looked at them sternly for a moment, then let out a laugh. "I was just joking," he said, his tone lightening.

Royce and Azure both looked at him in surprise, their anger dissipating quickly as they realized they had been caught up in Zeke's joke.

“Dad! This is not a good time to joke around!” Royce shouted.

Zeke looked at Royce and Azure, then sighed. "I'm sorry for pulling your leg like that, kids," he said, his expression apologetic.

Royce and Azure both nodded, still a little shaken from the tension that had built up between them.

Zeke then announced to everyone that Azure would be going to sleep in the extra guest room. Azure, in his snobbish way, replied that she didn't have to sleep there and could just sleep in the living room. 

But Beatriz chimed in. “No, Azure. No one is using that guest room, anyway. It’s comfortable, I’m sure you gonna love it,” The old woman insisted. 

Azure looked at Beatriz, then at Royce, then finally nodded in agreement. "Thank you," he said quietly.

Royce rolled his eyes. “Wow, you know how to say thank you now,”

Beatriz smiled at her daughter Francine, then turned to her and said, "Why don't you show Azure to his room?"

Francine nodded and got up from her seat. She motioned for Azure to follow her and they both headed towards the guest room.

As they left, Royce let out a frustrated sigh. "Why does he get special treatment?" he muttered under his breath.

Francine turned to her brother and rolled her eyes. "Stop being so dramatic, big brother," she said. "It's not like we're all crammed into a tiny apartment. Our house is big enough for four people."

Royce looked at his sister, then let out a grudging sigh. "Fine," he said. "But I still don't like the idea of having a stranger in our house."

As Francine gave Azure a tour of the guest room, he couldn't help but feel amazed by its beauty. The room was spacious, with large windows that let in plenty of natural light. The bed was adorned with soft, fluffy pillows and the walls were painted a soothing shade of blue.

Azure had never had a bedroom to himself before, let alone one as beautiful as this. He couldn't believe that he was going to be sleeping in a room like this every night.

As Azure looked around the room, Francine could sense that he was feeling a bit overwhelmed. She knew that he was used to a much different kind of life, and seeing him in this unfamiliar environment made her feel sorry for him.

"Don't worry, Azure," she said, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "You'll get used to it soon enough. And if there's anything you need, just let me know."

Azure looked at her gratefully, his eyes filled with appreciation. "Thank you," he said softly. "I really appreciate everything you and your parents are doing for me."

“No worries. Good night, Azure. I hope you can sleep well here,” She said, almost whispering.

Azure just looked at her face without saying anything. Francine close his door, and she walked towards her room. Her heart was beating faster than usual. She couldn't help but feel a sense of warmth and happiness inside her, but at the same time, she was confused. She wondered what this feeling was and why she was feeling it towards Azure.

She had only just met him and he was just a stranger who happened to be staying in their house. So why was she feeling this way?

As she lay down in her own bed, her mind couldn't help but wander back to Azure. She wondered if he was comfortable in his new room, if he was able to sleep well, and if he was feeling as lost and alone as he seemed earlier.

Francine knew that she shouldn't be thinking about Azure in this way. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't shake the feeling that there was something special about him.

As she drifted off to sleep, her mind filled with thoughts of Azure, Francine couldn't help but wonder what the future held for them both.