Astraea never intended to get involved in this almost nationwide mess, initially. Not until her cousin Daniel asked her for her help, to assist him with helping an old friend, as he said. The old friend turned up to be the still-mysterious man living in her chosen home. She was vulnerable with her safety compromised. She cannot back out now.
She wanted to go against it, no one with moral standing would want to care for a manslaughterer. She persuaded herself of the thought of her cousin having his own reasons for wanting her to take care of Aziel. He might be right with his lead. Aziel might be the answer to finding the main people of this secret organization that has tried to destroy tycoons and billionaires around the world.
This wasn't the first time it has happened, yet with what just occurred, it was far the worse. To ruin and destroy without the exemption of human life.
It was far too late to regret it, she must live with the consequences of her decisions.
Pushing back the uncomfortable crawling in her skin and disgust in the pit of her stomach everytime she is in the room with Aziel.
She can do this if she keeps pushing herself and clearing her mind. She just needed to hold on for a short while. It will all be well, she wanted to believe.
There was no going back on this.
She was supposed to be alone in this house. A sacred place only she can enter. She can be here without thinking of the outside world and no one was supposed to know of this place, especially not a stranger who is also a manslaughterer.
This island was her safe heaven, that is all in the past now. With all things said and done, she probably needs to burn it or erase it from the existence of the world.
She recalls how it used to be an abandoned island, not exactly visible on the map, but she knew people, after fixing some legal stuff, it was hers. Afterwards, she renovated the house that was on the Island. She never really wondered how it came to be. It felt destined, this place and hers.
It took her years to turn it into a home, she built the majority of it with her own hands. The little garden outside to the room she had.
Here, she was free. She was her own person, empowered, liberated. She controlled her life.
Now, she had to share it with someone who she was fully aware of having the capacity to ending and burying her in her own paradise on earth.
She felt like a fool. She just had herself out in the open like this. She had her future ahead of her and right now she can only bite her tongue hard, the pain intentional as she's folding the clothes she bought for his stay here.
His room wasn't even supposed to exist. She was meant to make it into something, something that would scream her.
She was too hospitable for someone like him, but if she wanted to be friends… no she didn't want to be his actual friend. All she wants is to isolate herself in her sculpting room, sculpt all day and focus on every curve and detail she is working on. Not be a babysitter of Aziel Han.
'Daniel can figure everything by himself!' she hmped in her mind while pondering about everything.
Suddenly, she heard her favorite song from her phone. Her phone ringtone.
She glanced at it and saw her cousin calling her.
"Please tell me you've almost figured everything out."
She almost tiredly said to the phone.
"How I wish it was all that easy Dae, How is he, by the way?"
The other line said. Daniel seemed like he was doing well, at least. Better than her, who sat on the floor while organizing the clothes to give the subject of their conversation.
She was truly tired, being in the same presence as that guy made her feel just so exhausted. All the cells in her body are seemingly always alert and active at every millisecond she spends with him. She can only hope that she acted fine and neutral in front of him and that he does not sense anything.
"Your 'old friend' seems to be doing so well, to the point he doesn't seem mortified or guilty at all, knowing what he has done. He had time to sink all of it down, but I don't think he has any redeemable qualities at all"
She wasn't perfect, but she knows well the difference between a good and bad person. Since she always tries her best to be good, to outweigh the bad ones, on the other hand, there's Aziel… she doesn't think their 'friendship' would work. There was no single similarity of interest between them, which is the foundation of all relationship.
She knows that friendship was not the right term. It was such an innocent term for their soon-to-be twisted relationship.
"Aziel had always been Aziel. Who knows, you'll be the one to find his redeemable character and bring out the best in him"
She could feel Daniel in the other line almost smiling. Astraea almost snorted.
"Daniel, at what cost exactly?"
She heard Daniel laugh, he did not hold back at all.
They were all the same, already apathetic of the lives that was lost not even long has passed.
She didn't want to be like that, she wanted to care about life and appreciate the good of everyone, even if it meant doing that to the wrong person. Like Aziel.
"Oh dear cousin. Probably your heart and dream and future, in short, your everything."
She closed her eyes hard trying to block any imaginary scenarios that her creative mind might create. She wants to be ignorant of the sense in all of that. She refuses to make sense oo any of it.
"You're not making anysense. Can you just speed it up , use all your resources if you have to-" She heard the knocking on the door. \
She knows it was Aziel, who else can it be? 'Atleast he had basic manners, that's a plus.'
"I think that's him. I gotta go. Send me a code when you have and update. I'll be limiting the Island telecommunication system soon". She spoke in a lower voice this time, not wanting Aziel to hear of their conversation. And if he had already eavesdrop, well at least it did not make any sense yet.
Their bond goes beyond comprehensive detailed sentences, to understand each other.
She took her time in opening her door. When she pulled it open she saw a half naked aziel with a navy blue towel hanging on his hips. Scanning over his wounds she saw that he had already bandaged himself up.
She was the one who changed him and patched him up these past few days. This sight wasn't new to her. She has seen almost everything in the world. She wouldn't be rattled at such sight.
And she is an artist. She has seen a lot.
"I assume you have a change of clothes for me."
They both stared indifferently at each other, not wanting each other to know their own thoughts.
"Yes about that… I wanted to fix it before giving it to you, but you got here first. I believe you've already been inside my room. It's no secret I have clothes that fit you"
Clothes for men his size particularly, but she didn't want to extend the conversation any longer, so she just gestured to him inside, an invitation that he could come in.
She led him to her bed. On the top half of it are a variety of men's clothes that are neatly folded. She fixed herself and organized into colors and types.
"If you need more or these aren't particularly to your taste, you can just inform me. There's also a laundry room on the ground, beside the kitchen. If you need any help, you can just ask me", Astraea explained.
Aziel nodded his head, giving her the affirmation that he was listening and he was agreeing to whatever she was saying.
"How do you get your supplies of food and everything else?" he asked because he was genuinely curious about how this girl survived here alone.
"Back to basics" Astraea unseriously replied while still maintaining her stoic facade. She saw his expression, then gave a little laugh.
Aziel eyed her strangely.
"HAHAHA! Kidding! But jokes aside, when I totally run out of food I just gather it from the garden. I used to do it by myself. I brought the supplies and all, but since you've come here, some supplies will be sent from us either by the sea or by the sky. We'll see"
When no one knew of this place, she did everything without a single complaint. She built this place she now called her home little by little. It took years to build and she can only pray she can still come back here after everything is revealed little by little.
She hoped that, even with his presence, she could still act like her usual, carefree self, as she would at home.
This is the first step to true friendship, right? Sharing a part of yourself with that specific person.