Feel Like Home
"Is it true?"
Azura was pensive, she still clearly remembered what Ethan said to her at that time. When they realize that they are in love.
"I love you, Azura." He said, imitating Ethan's words that day. The atmosphere became silent when Azura showed a sad expression. It had been a long time since they had parted ways after their very short time together.
He saved Ethan who fell into the sea when the ship carrying him was attacked by enemies. He took Ethan's unconscious body to an island and looked after Ethan until he recovered.
During the 40 days he was stranded on the island, Azura continued to faithfully accompany him until finally a fishing boat found him and helped him. But unfortunately, several fishermen saw Azura's presence and since then the existence of the mermaids has been threatened. The chaos during times of war made humans hunt mermaids who were considered to be the bringers of disaster.
After giving the pendant with the first emerald she found in the remains of an ancient civilization sunk to the bottom of the sea to Ethan as a memento, she and Ethan actually part ways. The king decided that Azura was guilty and that forced her to be trapped in a seabed cave for 80 years.
The silence he felt made him suffer so much. The only reason why she was able to survive the torture was the desire to be reunited with Ethan.
Realizing that Azura was constantly pensive made Aiden feel guilty. He rubbed Azura's head gently. He knew that Azura didn't have to tell anyone the secrets he had.
"You know? Everyone has secrets. I think that's the only thing we can hold on to, when there's almost no hope left."
"Aiden!"
"Yes?"
"Where is your family?"
"There isn't any!"
"Really?"
"My father and mother died when I was little. Killed by evil people. I was saved by a woman who I later considered to be my mother. That woman was one of the concubines of the king who was Jacob's father. That's why I became friends with her and my sister. his daughter, Ella since childhood because we grew up together in the palace."
"That means you have a family, right?"
"I used to think so, but I finally realized that I could never be part of their family."
"Why not?"
"I can't tell you why. I'm sorry!"
"It's okay, Aiden! From now on I will be your family, as long as you continue to give me delicious food every day. I don't mind being your family!"
"That means you have whatever you want! What if I don't have money to feed you? You don't want to be my family anymore? You useless bastard!"
"Then I'll feed you!"
"What? Hahaha...how? You can't do anything right! What you do will only make things more difficult for me!"
"So, I'm giving you trouble, Aiden? I think it's better if I just leave. You can tell Jacob that I've met my family." He said with a sad face. Little did he know that he was much more trouble than he thought.
Aiden sighed, it had been two days since Azura had been with him. He felt much more tired than usual. He couldn't take his eyes off this girl. He had to help her do everything right, even the little things. But even so, for the first time in his life he didn't feel lonely.
"You can stay with me until you really find your true home. Do you understand? I will try hard to give you delicious food every day. You don't need to be afraid of starving. Yes, even though I'm not a rich man, but I will give you everything I have." Have."
Hearing Aiden's words, his tears flowed without realizing it. He didn't know why he wanted to cry so much. Suddenly, painful memories appeared one by one in his head. Memories he really wanted to forget.
The times when he was insulted, blasphemed and considered the bearer of blame and the mastermind of the terrible tragedy that the mermen experienced. They all wanted him dead and expected him to suffer painful torments. The hatred directed at him made him feel that he no longer had a place to return to.
"Azura? What's wrong? Why are you crying? Did I say something wrong? Hmm?" Aiden wiped his tears. Azura always made him feel guilty like this every time he cried in front of her.
"Aiden, thank you. Thanks to you, for the first time I got medicine from someone who really cared about me."
"What are you talking about? Don't talk as if everyone hates you so-" Before Aiden had finished his words, Azura immediately hugged his body. She was still crying and Aiden decided to let her cry in his arms until Azura felt better.
"I know, you actually haven't lost your memory, right? You just don't have a place to go home to, that's why you lie and pretend."
"I'm sorry, Aiden. I don't have anyone, I don't know where to go."
"It's okay, just stay with me until you can meet the man you love again, do you understand?"
"Yes, I understand. Thank you, Aiden."
***
Aiden grilled salmon, potatoes and asparagus sprinkled with salt, pepper and olive oil. Tonight he was much more enthusiastic about cooking dinner because there was someone who would eat his cooking.
Even though his body was quite tired from today's match, he thought that after this he could soak in warm water in the tub. It was enough to relieve the tiredness he felt today.
Occasionally he observed Azura who was still busy unpacking the groceries they bought today. She looked very happy and tried out a hair clip with a shell motif in her hair.
"Aiden, look! Isn't she beautiful?" She innocently showed off the hairpin on her head. He hoped that Aiden would praise him.
"Beautiful!"
"Is it true?"
"Are you satisfied now? After that, don't bother me! Just watch TV there!" He said as he put the baking sheet containing salmon, potatoes and asparagus into the oven.
"What are we going to eat? Another worm dish?"
"Listen, it's not worms but pasta! Tonight we're going to eat salmon!"
"Salmon?"
"Why? You don't like it? If you don't like it, don't eat it!"
"It's not like that, but-"
He just felt strange if he had to eat fish. He remembered his former self who was half fish. But there was no way he could tell Aiden the real reason. Apart from that, Aiden also took the trouble to cook a delicious dinner for her, even though today he had just had a wrestling match and he must have felt tired.
"Aiden, I want to learn to make food."
"You mean cooking? Why?"
"It's okay, I just want to try it!"
"You should learn to read and write first before learning to cook. Because almost all ingredients and spices for cooking have instructions that you have to read. If you can't read writing, how are you supposed to cook?"
"Can't we just use instinct? In nature, we can keep eating without needing guidance."
"Yeah, if you eat raw meat and vegetables straight away, you don't need to cook them first. You just eat them straight away, you idiot! Basically I don't want to bother teaching you to cook before you learn to read!"
"Then teach me to read and write!"
"What? Teach you to read and write? Tch, no way! It's troublesome!"
"So who will teach me?"
"Oh my God, why do I have to teach you to read too? What can you actually do?" Aiden felt quite frustrated because he really didn't know what Azura could actually do. The only advantages she has are her very beautiful face and seductive body shape. She won't be able to survive in this world just by relying on beauty.
Aiden remembered Bob's offer this afternoon, asking Azura to become a porn star to make money. It seemed like that was the only job that a woman who couldn't do anything could do.
"If she were a porn star she would be famous, but she's too pretty to do that job. Becoming a commercial star? She can't read scripts, she's too short to be a model, except for adult magazines. Gosh, it seems like that's the only job she can do do." Aiden started to think hard about Azura's future. He doesn't want Azura to do work that he will regret in the future. Besides, he also didn't want Azura's body to be enjoyed by many men. He doesn't want Azura to become the object of the sexual fantasies of the philandering men out there like his perverted manager, Bob Franklin.
"Aiden? What's wrong? Are you daydreaming?"
"Nothing! You really want to learn to read and write?"
"Of course!"
"If you're serious, I'll teach you. Apart from that, I'll teach you how to count too."
***