As the battered wooden door quietly creaked open with a creepy moan, a pile of clothing was shoved aside. In the doorway stood a seventeen-year-old girl who looked into the room before her. Her eyes widened in horror as she saw the cesspool that caused the full force of the smell to fill her nostrils. She coughed, gasped for breath with her hand over her mouth, and cried out, "Great Divines!" before gagging uncontrollably at the odor of musty mold mixed with dust.

She scowls at Asukem as she guides herself through and over the cesspool of the mess that fills the room. She stares around the room at the dirty clothes and junk covering the worn-out and rotten wooden floors. The flustering look on her face shows that she is not impressed with the living conditions of Asukem. "When is this pigsty you call your room to be cleaned?"

The woman scowled at Asukem, who lay in deep slumber, utterly oblivious to her anger. She delivered a hard kick to the bed, hoping for a response, but all she got was a loud snore. "Asukem, are you kidding me?" she shouted in frustration. "Wake up this instant!" Her scowl deepened into a frown as she watched him sleep soundly, seemingly unaffected by her irritation.

Asukem's slumber was disturbed by the opening of his eyes. Shock replaced his drowsiness as he saw what was before him - an image of a girl standing there with a flustered look, causing him to blush with uncertainty over how to react and question how he earned such a delightful beauty. His sister, who lived with him in the orphanage, appeared frustrated as their eyes met. Asukem shifted his eyes away, finally realizing it wasn't just a girl, it was his sister. But he couldn't help feeling that it was still a great way to wake up.

She noticed Asukem was awake and leering at her. Her eyes widened in horror at his actions, confusing the situation, as she thought he was doing something inappropriate. Her scream pierced the air, and she tried to flee from his sight. Her feet tripped on the mess in the room, and she fell backward. Asukem quickly grabbed her, keeping her from falling back. Their eyes met, but he looked her up and down to see if she was hurt.

The young girl's tan brown hair cascaded down one shoulder, woven into a thick braid. Her complexion appeared fair, with a happy glow despite her current awkward situation. Her eyes were as blue as the sky, sparkling with delight. Bandages wrapped around her arms and hands, allowing her fingers to move quickly. A sturdy vest supported her chest, and she wore a ragged skirt and well-worn leather boots.

Asukem was assessing her physical condition. A sly smirk played at the corners of his mouth as he pulled her back to her feet. Their eyes met once more, creating an uncomfortable tension between them. However, it was the girl who felt more embarrassed than Asukem.

The girl's face turned red, and she shifted her sight down and moved her finger around her ear in embarrassment. She glanced back at him and shyly asked, "Can you stop staring at me like that?" She snapped, realizing her words didn't affect him. Her voice carried throughout the orphanage, "Stop being a creep, Asukem!"

He yawned loudly and muttered, "You're the one that needs to be more careful." Ignoring her discomfort, he sluggishly got out of bed and walked to his dresser, stretching on his way there with a mischievous smirk spread across his face. Her eyes followed him. She took a deep breath and a long sigh that turned into a quiet moan as she turned red with frustration. Her heart skipped a beat after seeing him.

She quickly averted her eyes as she saw him getting dressed and looking at the wallpaper of his room, which was torn and peeling off the walls. As she witnessed the wood behind the wallpaper, which was rotten and battered. she nervously blurted out, denying that she was enjoying it, "Um, can you do that when I am gone? His smirk got even wider, knowing how flustered she was. He teased her, "what's wrong Clair, am I getting to you, right now?" Her face turned red with embarrassment, and she wanted to disappear. She didn't want to admit she had a thing for him, even though they were not blood-related.

His sister remained standing there frozen, her heartbeat faster as her gaze still trying to fight going back to him. She saw the sun shining in his room, illuminating and lighting up the room, showing him more and the visibility of the motes of dirt floating in the air. She then retorted, "I am just respecting your personal space!" Her eyes locked onto him as the light gleamed off his tan, muscular body. The motes of dust made him look more irresistible. She quickly looked away, and she felt her cheeks were on fire. She had to leave as she couldn't fight her feelings. Asukem smirked and let out a giggling snort as he saw her so flustered as he continued to look for his wares.

Asukem found his brown leather vest, which he threw on, leaving it open, still showing his muscular figure. He then found and put on his ragged shorts that looked torn and were in poor condition. He then put on his belt with his sword attached to it and slid into his mud-covered boots. He ignores his pillow hair, still wanting to pick on his sister. "Well," he said teasingly, "Clair, your prince is now fully dressed in royal attire." Clair sighed with relief as she watched him get dressed. She kept calm but frowned in frustration after his remark.

She snaps, "I wasn't staring at you like that!" She glared at him with frustration and added, "Bob's waiting on you so he can start the meeting, so get down there now!"

Asukem smirked and bowed mockingly as he muttered sarcastically but also frustrated, "Of course, your Highness." She slammed the door behind her as she stormed away. Asukem's teasing turns into a severe look, as he doesn't want to go and hide his true feelings from his sister.

Clair trudges down the dimly lit corridor as the lanterns on the wall flickered, showing that the hall was dusty and old, as the walls and floors of the hallway were battered and rotting. The lanterns were smudged with dust and dirt, and the glass was broken and cracked. Every time Clair took a step, the floor creaked as the floorboards were off and ancient.

She shakes her head, trying to clear the images of Asukem and his body from her mind. She tried to put on a straight face as she headed towards the stairs, where a man was waiting for her and Asukem, but he had a stern expression. He scolded her harshly, "I specifically asked you to get him and not get fresh with him!" This scolding made her realize they were a little loud up there. Her face came from calm to embarrassed as she turned red.

The man eyed her up and down suspiciously, "Is he at least coming?" he asked as if he was annoyed by her actions. Clair answers quickly, "Yes, he is coming!" the annoyed look turned into a vulgar smirk as he added, "You know, he only gets up for you." Clair quickly looked away, trying to hide that the entire orphanage heard them upstairs. Her cheeks turned red as everyone's gaze was on her, and she could only imagine what they were thinking. She replies to the prying eyes as she continues to be embarrassed, "Nothing happened!"

Her picturing Asukem and his excitement, when he got up caused her cheeks to turn pink. She quickly shook her head, trying to erase the image from her mind. She whines in denial, "Shut up! Nothing happened!" However, despite her pleas, she couldn't hide the fact that she had strong emotions in her voice. She bit her nails, trying to control herself, hoping no one noticed. However, everyone did as laughter surrounded her, making fun of and mocking her.

Asukem felt a knot in his stomach as he considered attending the family meeting. He knew Bob, his cruel foster father, would beat him or his siblings mercilessly if he skipped it again. However, he also dreaded facing Bob's dull meetings, which bored the living hell out of him. He smoothed out his hair to look like spikes again, a style he had adopted to show his defiance and resistance. Meanwhile, his sister, who had shaken him awake, was waiting for him downstairs, anxious to finish the meeting.

As Asukem walked down the hallway towards the stairs, Clair collapsed in her chair, hemming in by her sister's predatory glares. They bombarded her with questions, each trying to extract information from her. She felt their eyes burning into her skin, their shrill voices piercing her ears, and their overwhelming presence suffocating her. Each question was worse than the last, making the situation more complicated.

One girl smiled mischievously but was curious about her answer as you saw the gleam in her eyes as she asked, "So, Clair, what did you see when you walked in on him?" Clair's face turned red as she stammered, "What do you mean?" As she pointed down towards her pants, Clair realized what they were all thinking, and she quickly shouted, "Ew, no!" another of her sisters nudged her. "oh, come on, share the juicy details. We all have a thing for him!" Clair snapped, trying to deny her feelings, "I don't!" another sister called out as she teased her, "Then why are you all red and flustered?" She tried to defend herself, but her sisters knew better. She was still hiding something juicy about Asukem and her.

Asukem crept down the wooden stairs, trying not to draw attention to himself. "About time you get out of bed, you lazy sack of dung!" a man's voice boomed from below. As soon as Asukem stepped down from the last step, he locked his eyes with the man. You could feel the hostility from them both. It felt like a fight was about to break out at any second as the attention was so thick between Asukem and the man. The girls huddled around a wooden table, and even Clair turned their heads toward Asukem's direction. Their eyes widened, and their mouths dropped in awe. They worshiped him as a Great Divine that presented itself to them.

Clair felt the attention in the air as the other girls googled over Asukem. Her heart skipped a beat as she tried to ignore the feeling of attention, but she couldn't help but notice how they admired him. A spark of jealousy flared up in her heart. Clair knew something was not right about her feelings. She felt a pang of guilt as she mumbled to herself, "What is wrong with me? He is my brother!" Her heart couldn't lie, though. Deep inside, he was undoubtedly handsome, and she wondered if it would be weird to be more than a family. She wanted him for her own.

She scanned the room and noticed that her other brothers in the orphanage were glaring at Asukem with envy and resentment. No one said a word, but the glares were like piercing arrows. The attention in the air was becoming more hostile and heated every second as the girls continued to admire him with pride. Her brothers roll their eyes and slouch in rage. Arms crossed as their glares pierce through Asukem's soul. However, Asukem was not affected by the looks of his brothers.

She shook her head, feeling ashamed of herself, as she took part in the actions of everyone also. She whispered to herself, "What's wrong with me?" feeling guilty as it was probably as hard for Asukem as it was. Not only does he get smothered by her and her sisters, but he also gets jumped on by hostile ways from his brothers' glares, and to make matters worse, Bob and he never got along.

The man was their foster father, Bob. He glares at Asukem in rage as Asukem has always picked a fight or gotten an attitude with him. which Asukem was doing at the moment. Still, the only reason why Asukem did this is that he never agrees with Bob's abusive punishments. Asukem only meets his gaze and eyes him up and down with a disagreeable attitude as a flashback forms in Asukem's mind. The flashback shows Asukem as a child, and he was arguing even then with Bob, but Asukem didn't want to scrub the floors. But the flashback ended as Bob angrily struck Asukem, as he didn't like being told no. Asukem and Bob's gaze still pierced at each other as they challenged each other.

Bob looked like a worn-out older man. His clothes were dusty and worn, his goggles were smudged and scratched, and his shirt was open to reveal his chest. He reeked of stale cigars and cheap ale, and his breath was sour and rotten. He was big and muscular, with a round and firm belly resembling a barrel. His suspenders hugged his shoulders, and his chain belt jingled with every step. His sword dangled from his hip, gleaming with a razor edge. Bob's boots and gloves were black and shiny, contrasting his fair skin. His hair was grayish-black and curly, covering his entire body like a cozy blanket. His beard was long and bushy, reaching his chest. As Asukem challenged Bob's appearance, he thought Bob was worthless because he tried to throw his weight and authority around with violence. He thought he was exactly like the nobles.

Bob lifts his hand threateningly. His eyes fixed on Asukem with annoyance.

Asukem remains unfazed by Bob's presence, looking at him defiantly. As he considers his response, Asukem gives a casual shrug and a dismissive wave.

"Don't act so tough. I will knock that look off your face," Bob warns.

"Sure, knock yourself out," Asukem responds, shrugging again. "But you would only prove my point: you're no different from the arrogant, tyrannical nobles."

Asukem stands firmly and confidently before Bob, suggesting a lack of concern for Bob's hostile attitude. He looks at Bob with a smug smirk. He makes a truthful statement: "Well, if your meetings weren't so dull, I would attend them more often." Asukem glanced around at his sisters and gave them a flirtatious wink. He suggests, "Perhaps have these girls entertain us." 

Once Asukem did this, the girls giggled, and their faces turned red in embarrassment. However, the hostile reactions from his brothers turn lighter. Their faces turned shocked as they were surprised by Asukem's suggestion. A cocky smirk forms on Asukem's face as he turns the attention in the air into a lighter mood.

Clair's eyes flared up in rage and jealousy at what Asukem said. She quickly pushed her chair out from under her, knocking it over and bursting a reply with fury, "How dare you, Asukem!" However, the other girls in the room seemed overjoyed by Asukem's suggestion. They tittered nervously, covering their mouths with their hands and face red in embarrassment. However, the air in the orphanage turned from hostility and resentment to cheerful and playful as cheers and laughter formed after Asukem's suggestion. Despite the reactions, Clair was adamant that the situation and his request were unfair and inappropriate.

Clair, sit down, jeez!" a voice calmly shot her way from the corner of the orphanage. A hooded young man sitting on a chair in the shadows with his elbows on his knees as he slowly looks at her from his hood. he darted his eyes at Asukem, then back at Clair and added, "Don't get all worked up over nothing, just because you don't want Asukem looking at other women."