Flashback — The Day I Should Have Listened
That night, Oriel and Azure met at their usual spot.
Azure arrived first, breathing in the cold air as she waited. Night wrapped around the quiet street, the lamplight casting long shadows across the pavement. She hugged her coat tighter, fingers numb—not from the cold, but from anticipation.
Then—
Loud footsteps echoed.
Azure straightened just as Oriel came rushing toward her, slightly out of breath.
"Sorry!" Oriel said quickly. "This guy took forever to get dressed!"
She glanced over her shoulder and suddenly reached back, grabbing someone by the hand.
"Come here."
Azure's eyes widened.
A boy stepped into the light.
She had always imagined DJ as someone older—taller, more mature, maybe intimidating in the way people described him. But standing there now was someone entirely different.
His hair was neatly styled, his coat carefully worn as if he had tried too hard. His eyes were shy, almost uncertain, and when he smiled, it was soft—gentle. His face was round, approachable, the kind that made him look like the boy next door rather than the ever-present protector Azure had imagined.
Everything about him sparkled under the lamplight.
"Hi," he said, raising his hand awkwardly before glancing at Oriel as if silently asking what he was supposed to do next.
"DJ, this is Azure," Oriel said proudly. "She's my best friend. We're from the same school."
"I'm your best friend!" the boy cut in immediately.
Oriel shot him a glare.
From the stories she had heard, Azure realized this was normal.
"Shut up, DJ!" Oriel snapped before turning back to Azure. "Azure, this is Dhylan Jazh. I call him DJ. He's like an tiresome brother and cousin at the same time."
DJ's jaw dropped. "Why are you ruining my reputation to her?"
"I'm just telling the truth." Oriel rolled her eyes.
DJ stepped closer.
Azure flinched—her heart skipping a beat before she could stop it.
"Miss," he said politely, "what was your name again?"
"Azure," she answered.
Oriel immediately grabbed his ear. "I just said her name! At least listen."
"Ah—ow, ow! Sorry, my bad!"
Watching them like that, Azure felt something warm bloom in her chest. Their friendship was effortless, natural—full of teasing and familiarity. She adored it.
Back then, she didn't notice what else was growing inside her.
Looking back now, she wished she never had.
Next Chapter: Nothing went wrong that night. That was the problem. Between teasing words and quiet kindness, Azure learned what it felt like to be looked after—and mistook it for something else entirely.