---

"Where is he?" Valentine asked out of confusion, as he walked around the house to search for Yuzhen.

Lucatiel pouted as she pointed towards the window-view of a forest, "He went to get flowers!"

Valentine shook his head, "You do recall that I told you I would be back in the morning, right?"

Lucatiel pursed her lips as she looked away from Valentine, "You're blaming me now?"

Valentine's heart could not help but feel uneasy. Walking towards Lucatiel, he gently held her hand onto his own as he forcibly grasped her attention, "It's no one's fault."

Gazing into Valentine's silvery-blue irises, Lucatiel could not help but become entranced in it's endless depths of warmth, as she softly bit her lips, refusing to give in.

Dimitri stood from his seat as he walked towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Valentine curiously asked, glancing towards Dimitri.

Dimitri halted, as he gave out a single word, "Forest."

However, instead of moving towards the door once more, Dimitri merely stood still as he carefully eyed the door. He could hear rushed footsteps coming his way. Dimitri readied his body for what is it come as he suspiciously eyed the door. Yet Dimitri could have never prepared himself for what was to come.

From outside the house, Yuzhen came rushing up the stone steps towards the house above. Foolishly still rushing even though he is right outside the door, Yuzhen forced the door open as he grinned at the pretty blonde boy whom he had never seen before, but he assumed him to be his new brother.

Excitedly rushing towards him, Yuzhen's heart had suddenly skipped a beat as he looked down at his feet. He had tripped. Yuzhen gazed into the blonde boy's aquamarine iris' as a cheeky grin appeared on his face, holding out the purple irises towards him Yuzhen giggled, "Flowers!"

Dimitri's eyes opened wide, as his gaze landed on the purple irises which to him which looked like fluttering purple butterflies, yet, once his gaze landed on Yuzhen's deep-azure iris', he could not help but feel his heart skip a beat. It was as if an angel had descended from the heavens to grant him a hug.

Catching Yuzhen in his arms, Dimitri had underestimated Yuzhen's weight and speed, as he fell backwards while he used his own body as a cushion for Yuzhen. While Yuzhen was too busy worrying over the irises.

Making himself comfortable on top of Dimitri, Yuzhen let out a sigh of relief as the purple irises in his hands were still in perfect condition.

Reaching out the flowers towards Dimitri, Yuzhen smiled brightly, "Big brother!"

Dimitri could not help but feel as if he had become mesmerized by this boy who was much younger than himself, it was as if flower's were blossoming just from his smile alone. Just as Dimitri was reaching out towards the flowers, his hand accidentally came into contact with Yuzhen's as illusory violet butterflies started fluttering around the both of them.

Yuzhen reached out his hand towards the mystical violet butterfly as it slowly landed on it. With a beaming smile on his face, Yuzhen uttered a single word, "Hope!" as he gazed down at Dimitri.

Dimitri could not help but feel something warm entering his heart the longer he gazed at the pretty young boy who was giggling happily at the butterfly on his palm, yet once the butterfly slowly became sparkling dust, the boy merely moved his face closer to Dimitri's, as he once again repeated, "Hope!"

Breaking out of the trance he had found himself in, Dimitri curiously asked, "Hope?"

Yuzhen curiously inspected Dimitri's face, "You look exactly like Hope!"

Dimitri frowned slightly as he tried pondering over what he meant.

Valentine curiously asked his son, "Another book from grandpa Vii?"

Yuzhen quickly nodded, before hurriedly explaining, "But I can't show anyone the book!"

Valentine tilted his head in confusion, "And why is that?"

Yuzhen simply put his finger on his mouth as he grinned at his father.

Valentine shook his head out of exasperation at his son's answer.

The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Yuzhen giggled, before looking down at Dimitri as he introduced himself, "Yuzhen. Yuzhen is my name!"

Dimitri quietly answered, "Dimitri."

Yuzhen beamed as he snuggled on Dimitri's chest, "Big brother!"

Dimitri could not help but feel surprised by Yuzhen's closeness, as worry creeped up on him, worry over Yuzhen's safety, he is too trusting. He should not be so trusting of his presence, especially when they had only just met.

Watching the two, Valentine jokingly reassured Dimitri, "Don't worry, he doesn't bite!"

Dimitri turned his head towards Valentine as he gave a nervous smile, before nodding.

"Father! What are you talking about? I do bite!" Yuzhen laughed loudly, covering his face on Dimitri's chest.

Seeing the two are getting along quite well, Valentine grabbed his wife's arm and retreated into their bedroom, before curiously asking his wife, "Did you see that?"

Lucatiel hurriedly nodded her head as she chuckled, "Of course I saw that! Little Mitri is head over heels for our son! Who isn't?" Lucatiel let out a prideful smirk.

Valentine gave his wife a weird look, "They are both boys..."

Lucatiel let out a 'tsk' sound, "Doesn't matter darling, love is love."

Valentine could not help but feel slight pity for his children who will have to put up with their fantasizing mother, until he realised that it was not the answer he had wanted, "Lucatiel, I'm being serious, did you see those violet butterflies or not?"

Lucatiel quietly answered, "Of course."

Moving behind his wife, Valentine carefully wrapped his arms around her as he pulled her into his embrace before consoling her, "Believe in me when I tell you this, it's a good omen. I'm sure of it."

Lucatiel let out a slight smile as she grasped onto his hand.

---

"Welcome to my bedroom!"

Yuzhen thought for a moment, before adding, "I mean our bedroom!"

Dimitri silently observed the whole room, he had never seen any room like it.

The walls and ceiling within the room were painted pastel-blue, while the floor was installed with pastel blue carpet. However, unlike the pastel-blue scheme of the room, were the rows upon rows of wooden bookshelves, well, six to be exact.

In front of a clear window, was a desk and a comfortable armchair, scattered on the desk were small mountains of books and papers. Inspecting one of the books, Dimitri was able to read the words, The Blood Cardinal and the Pope of Symphony. He felt slightly confused at the book's title, but thought nothing of it as he continued inspecting the room.

Yuzhen's bed was pastel-blue in colour, his pillows were the most puffy pillows he had ever seen, while his quilt looked both fluffy and warm. The bed was elevated from the surface level, high up close to the large circular ceiling-window. Dimitri believed it was because Yuzhen likely liked to stargaze. What was supporting this interesting bed was even more bookshelves. While attached to the side was a polished wooden ladder of pristine quality. Dimitri could not help but feel amazed at how innovative the architecture of the bed was.

However, Dimitri suddenly recalled Yuzhen's words as he glanced towards the sole bed that was within the room.

As if he understood what Dimitri was confused about, Yuzhen excitedly answered, "You'll be sleeping with me!" Yuzhen gleefully climbed up on his bed as giggled down at Dimitri, "Aren't you excited?!"

Looking up at Yuzhen's cheerful expression, Dimitri could not help but feel lost. Everything was too different from what he had thought of. Instead of entering the home of an annoyed wife, she was instead hospitable and caring. Instead of entering the home of a snobbish son, he was instead doing his best to get to know his new brother who he had already accepted so readily and easily.

A slight smile left Dimitri's mouth as he curiously asked, "Excited about what?"

Yuzhen's face lit up as he laid down on his bed and stared up at the sun above, "Stargazing with me. The night sky is one big mystery."

Mustering up the courage, Dimitri who already had his shoes taken off, climbed up to the bed as he laid beside Yuzhen, who was pleased to see Dimitri next to him, as he looked up at the clear blue sky as he curiously asked, "What else do you do other than stargazing?"

The question caused Yuzhen to jump in excitement, the child clearly forgetting about the window above his head. Yuzhen's expression scrunched up as he caressed where he had hit his head, as he weakly spoke to himself, "You're such a dummy Yuzhen, making a fool out of yourself."

Dimitri's heart could not help but ache at the sound of Yuzhen's sniffling, as he stupidly asks, "Are you okay?"

Yuzhen slowly looked up at Dimitri's worried expression, as he wiped the sadness off his face and cheerfully smiled, "It's no biggie, it doesn't hurt!"

Dimitri reached out his hand to caress the spot which hit the window, he wanted to console Yuzhen, but he wasn't sure how to, "You're six right?"

Yuzhen quickly nodded, "I am six!"

For the first time in his life, Dimitri could not help but feel utterly confused as he incredulously asked, "How can you speak so fluently when you're only six?"

Yuzhen tilted his head as he placed his index-finger on his lips before curiously asking, "Is that weird?"

Dimitri quickly nodded, "It's not normal."

Yuzhen thought for a moment, before asking once more, "Is it weird to not be normal?"

Dimitri's expression suddenly froze as he noticed how insensitive he was being, "No!" Dimitri instantly answered, his voice slightly louder than usual, as he slowly explained further, "I've just never heard of a six year-old like you!"

Yuzhen giggled at Dimitri's anxiousness to explain himself, before looking back up at the perfect clear blue sky, "I really, really, wanted a brother, or even a sister. I'm glad I have one now."

Dimitri who was covering his face due to embarrassment, curiously asked, "Why is that?"

"Because I enjoy reading fictional books where the older brother is always so loving and caring... Are you going to cherish me?" Yuzhen turned his head towards Dimitri's as he innocently gazed into his eyes.

Dimitri could not help but feel like his face was going red once more as he did his best to solemnly answer the question, "I can teach you how to fight."

Yuzhen laughed loudly at Dimitri's answer, "Why would I need to know how to fight? You're such a jokester Dimitri!"

Dimitri's face went red once more as he hurriedly explained, "I can teach you how to fight with the sword!"

However, it only caused Yuzhen to giggle even more, "We can just ask father to teach us both!"

Dimitri could not help but sweat coldly as he thought about his own uselessness.