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Staring up at the starry night sky, a young boy studiously gazed at each shining bright star, as he grinned happily. Next to the young boy, was a man who can only be called beautiful, Valentine. They were both sitting at the peak of a fairly flat tall vibrant hill and not far away on the same peak was a large beautiful cosy wooden house, the bright light shining from within shot out of the clear glass windows.
"Do you know the name of that star?" Valentine asked the young boy. As he pointed up at the brightest glowing star.
"Star's have names?" The young boy asked, out of clear shock. His mouth opening wide, causing Valentine to chuckle at his adorable expression.
"No Yuzhen, stars don't have names." Valentine grinned as he tried tricking Yuzhen.
Yuzhen's eyebrows came slightly closer today, as frustration appeared on his face, "But you said that they do have names!"
"Did I now? I can't recall saying such things, you must be hearing things." Valentine shook his head in disappointment. As he feigned ignorance.
Yuzhen pouted as he shot his father a glare, "I will not fall for it! I won't!"
Valentine burst out laughing, as he covered his face with his hand, "Why must my child be so adorable!" Reaching out both his hands towards Yuzhen's cheeks, he began pinching them gently. Which only served to incite fury from Yuzhen as fires blazed in his clear deep blue eyes.
"I am not a child! I am six!" Yuzhen confidently yelled out. Causing Valentine to stop pinching Yuzhen's cheeks, before using both hands to hold in his boisterous laughter that was about to come.
"Yuzhen... A child is those under the age of thirteen..." Valentine incredulously explained.
Yuzhen shook his head as he looked up at the night sky once more, before mumbling under his breath, "I might as well be an adult, seeing that I am more mature than even you father..."
A soft smile appeared on Valentine's face as he rubbed his cheeks against Yuzhen's, "How cute!"
Yuzhen shook his head out of disappointment, before reaching out his cold small hands to hold onto his father's warm, comforting hand, as he gazed deep into his eyes, "Father, I was serious about what I said yesterday. Stop making fun of my dream!"
Valentine returned Yuzhen's gaze, as his gaze softened. Valentine took back his hand, before grasping out to grab onto Yuzhen's hand instead of it being the opposite. Such an action caused Yuzhen to grin from ear to ear, he could not help but cherish the warmth flowing through his father's hands.
"A dream where all three of us can live together in peace? Yuzhen, can you read minds?!" Valentine asked as he opened his mouth wide on purpose as if in surprised.
"Huh? Do you also have the same dream father?" Yuzhen asked out of confusion, before his cheeks began turning red out of embarrassment. But this time, Valentine did not laugh, instead, his gaze turned serious as he squeezed Yuzhen's hand softly, "Always remember this Yuzhen, there isn't a day where you aren't on my mind, in my heart."
"In your heart father? How can I be in your heart? How can I be on your mind?" Yuzhen asked quizzically.
Valentine became silent, before starting to walk towards the house that wasn't that far away, before gesturing towards Yuzhen, "Let's get back inside, it's getting cold out here." Valentine glanced up at the moon, as he noticed it was close to midnight.
"But!-" Just as Yuzhen was about to complain, Valentine suddenly shot him a sharp look, "But what? Do you want to leave your poor mother alone in the house to cook for the both of us, by herself? I thought you were mature..." Valentine faked a betrayed look as he wiped a fake tear from his eyes.
Yuzhen pensively stared at his father for a few solid seconds before following his lead as he shouted out, "I am mature!"
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The interior of the house was unexpectedly grand, as a clear crystalline chandelier hung from the ceiling as it illuminated the spacious living room. Connected to the living room, was a clean, neat open kitchen, where the soul devouring Lucatiel was happily cooking, however her face lit up in pleasant surprise to see her husband, and cute little child had returned home. Right on time for dinner.
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Seeing his mother's face, Yuzhen could not help but quickly take off his shoes before running towards Lucatiel and jumping in her arms, before nuzzling his cheeks against her own, "I missed you!"
"Goodness gracious! But you have only been gone for a few hours!" Lucatiel exclaimed out of feigned exasperation. Yuzhen looked into his mother's eyes before grinning, "Few hours too many!"
A slight smile appeared on Lucatiel's face as she rubbed his head gently, "It is time for dinner dear."
Yuzhen pushed his head against her palm as he relaxed his body to the softness of her hand, before nodding, as he skipped towards his seat, and looked down at the mouth watering meal in front of him, as he sniffed the heavenly aroma, before his attention was ripped away by an abrupt question from his father, "Didn't you want a friend close to your age Yuzhen?"
Yuzhen's face beamed brightly as his gaze moved from the food to his father's grinning face, as he stuttered slightly, "I-I'm getting a friend?!" Yuzhen's face turned slightly pensive as he added, "You're not joking, are you?"
Valentine grin became even wider, "It is a fact, I will be bringing him to our home tomorrow. Some paperwork and legalities still needs to be get done before he can come, even though it is already set in stone." before suddenly adding, "Oh, no, you're not getting a friend."
Yuzhen's expression was visibly becoming downcast, but not for long as his father elaborated once more, "You're not getting a friend, you are getting a brother!"
Yuzhen's expression quickly brightened once more, as he couldn't help but jump up from his seat, before looking at Lucatiel, "Mother! Guess who's getting a brother!"
Lucatiel frowned, before sharply remarking, "Guess who has forgotten their table etiquette lessons already?"
Yuzhen quickly patted the chair clean, before sitting back down and acting as if he did not just lose his composure, "Definitely not me mother!" causing Lucatiel to chuckle, before raising an eyebrow at Valentine as she confusedly asked, "Haven't you already done that process?"
Valentine shook his head, as he raised his hands in exasperation, "Even though he had already lost the six year long debate over who should look after the child, he is still going out of his way to make things harder for me."
Lucatiel tilted her head out of doubt, "Julius did that?"
Valentine let out a sigh, "I don't know why, but I am sure he did. Heathcliff himself told me."
Yuzhen, who had been silently observing the conversation, suddenly asked, "Julius Medici, the Blood Cardinal?"
Valentine looked at his son in confusion, "Who taught you that?"
Yuzhen grinned happily, "Grandpa Vii! He sent me the book this morning actually."
Valentine could not help but be more confused as this conversation went on, "But there has never been a book written about Julius, nor is his title, the Blood Cardinal, the correct title is the Pope of Destruction."
Yuzhen quickly shook his head, "No! It's Blood Cardinal!"
"And why is that?" Valentine asked curiously. Yuzhen giggled at his father, as he simply stated, "Because it sounds cooler!"
Valentine's expression suddenly turned solemn, as he stared straight into Yuzhen's eyes for a few seconds, which caused Yuzhen to start turning anxious as he wondered what his father was going to say, however the words that came out of his mouth were not the words he was expecting, "I think you are onto something son!"
Yuzhen burst out laughing at his father's remark, as a Valentine's expression returned back to his grinning smile. Before his expression faltered once more as he glanced at the clock, "I need to go now, responsibilities."
"Again so soon? How long will you be gone?" Lucatiel asked worriedly.
"Tomorrow morning, when I bring back Dimitri. Ah, and... There has been a surge of crazed humans appearing even within Utopia..." Valentine guiltily answered. His eyes avoiding Lucatiel's own, however, Lucatiel would not have it go such a way, as she grasped onto his hand, "I do not mind sleeping alone for another night, just promise me darling... You will return without a scratch, okay?"
Valentine held Lucatiel's hand close to his lips as he kissed it gently, "For you my queen, I'd do anything."
Lucatiel chuckled as she remarked, "What if I were a farmgirl? Would you still do anything for me?"
Valentine gave out a flirtatious smile as he caressed the side of her head, gazing deep into her emerald-green iris', "If you were a farmgirl, I would lay down my sword and become a farmer just so I can assist you."
Lucatiel was about to open her mouth, until Yuzhen suddenly brought up a question, "A surge in crazed human cases? Don't you mean a surge in corrupted cases?"
Valentine solemnly gazed at his son, as he made sure their eyes were looking into each others, "Crazed humans, corrupted, it doesn't matter what they are referred to, but in the end, it is a fact that they are still human, so why label them as corrupted? Always remember that Yuzhen, humans feel pain, humans suffer, humans cry, humans have empathy, compassion. Have you ever seen a corrupted before Yuzhen?"
Yuzhen shook his head, as he looked at his father in bewilderment, he could not understand why he would explain things like that as he thought to himself, if corrupted are human, what was wrong with calling them corrupted?
Valentine knelt down as he hugged Yuzhen, "Always remember Yuzhen, the truth is what you see with your own eyes and experience. It is built upon your own beliefs and ideologies. Don't take things that others say as if it were true. The only truth in this world, is yourself."
Yuzhen tilted his head out of confusion, as he watched his father leave. He could not understand, the difference between calling them crazed humans, or corrupted.
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