'Why?'

"Why were you..."

Amelina woke up, rubbing her eyes out of habit.

'It's that dream again... But I never really got to hear it till the end.'

Amelina's dream was weird, at least for her. There was a woman in white, mumbling incoherent nothings. She could only make out an unfinished sentence, that seemed awfully familiar to her.

Even though Amelina can't recognize the feature of the woman's face, she was sure that the woman was young. At least, from the voice that she heard.

'I really need to stop waking up in the middle of night like this... Nobody's here and it's still dark outside... I should just sleep...'

And it took a while for her to fall asleep.

When morning came, Amelina woke up to seeing Eduan's face, with him staring at her intensely.

And his face was too close for Amelina's liking.

"Ah?"

The man smirked, pinching Amelina's cheek. "You woke up later than usual today. Didn't you sleep well?"

'This man... Doesn't he have anything else to do?'

Ever since Amelina was named, Eduan had been visiting her everyday.

Every. Single. Day.

Most of the time, he would complain about his day to her while munching some grapes (which she returned with an indifferent stare) but every other time when he was bored (which is almost all the time), he would 'play' with her.

In this context, the way he plays with his few months old daughter is watching her surviving full blast of his shinsoo quality, that is, electricity.

At first, Miru and Eira were terrified, seeing a toddler being electrocuted by her own father, but they gradually got used to it. And thus being electrocuted is literally Amelina's daily thing now.

Good thing it doesn't affect her.

But surprisingly, Eduan today stopped short with his teasings, making Amelina tilt her head in question.

'How weird. Usually he would play around with me for an hour or two.'

"A fake wants to meet us today, so we'll continue this another time.", Eduan told her, ruffling her hair before walking away.

Seeing her father's back turned on her, Amelina felt mixed emotions surging through. Weird. Usually, she would've been glad when that man left.

But Amelina only watched in silence as Eduan exited the room.

'Fa.. ther?'

Amelina holds the urge to reach out to Eduan.

Looks like your playtime are finished for today.", Eira gleefully holds her. "Now let's get you washed up, why don't we?"

"Umm!"

Until late evening, Amelina kept staring at her room's door from her cradle, not moving an inch.

"I wonder why she's acting like this. She has never done this before...", Miru whispered to the maid.

"Hmmmmm... Perhaps she missed her father?"

"Well, that's possible.."

Even though the two were whispering, Amelina heard every single words and wondered why herself.

'Me? Missing that man? That sure sounds insane.', was what Amelina thought. But truly, it really feels weird without seeing Eduan for more than one hour, which usually feels like eternity for her.

Eduan never showed up even when Eira tucked Amelina in and wished her a good night. The toddler sighed as she closes her eyes.

'Well, he'll show up tomorrow.'

'Why?'

"Why were you born?"

Amelina woke up with a gasp, panting and sweating profusely. Reaching out in hope Eira was there, the baby waited for another pair of hands to hold it gently as usual. But none did.

Why were you born?'

No no no. Don't you dare imagine it. Don't you dare admit it. Don't you... dare cry...'

"Ah.. uhh.."

Amelina tried to rub away the tears that began to soak her cheeks, all the while sniffling and sobbing.

She didn't want to admit it. The fact that her dream was actually a piece of memory. The fact that the woman was actually her mother.

The fact that... her mother regrets giving birth to her.

"Uuuhhhhh..."

That's it.

She gives up bottling the tears and cries that she never showed to anyone else even Eira. She just wants to let out all her thoughts and mixed emotions of sorrow and disgust.

And to let go of the reality of... being alone.

"And here I thought you're the kid that never cries."

Amelina flinched, hearing Eduan's deep voice from the door.

'Why of all people.. he just had to..'

Amelina rubbed her eyes furiously, not wanting to show her pitiful state to Eduan, but still, the tears refused to stop.

But she was taken aback, when Eduan picked her up, staring at her crying form, despite her effort in struggling against his bigger hands. Instead, she stiffled her sobs all the while glaring at the man called her father.

Amelina was equally terrified when Eduan went towards the door, already assuming the worst.

'Where is he taking me? Is he mad at me for crying?'

Her train of thoughts were cut short as Eduan brought her to the room just beside hers, setting her onto a king-sized bed, then he himself laid down, facing her.

"Now cry all you want."

Saying Amelina was baffled was an understatement. Never had she expected Eduan to act this way, heck she expected him to at least electrocute her.

Eduan sighed, pulling Amelina to his chest.

"I won't get mad just because you're crying. Just cry all you want."

Amelina stared into the clothed chest, before breaking into tears once more, snuggling against Eduan's white and blue robes, with him patting her head.

She didn't remember how long did he continued to comfort(?) her, but he was definitely there for her, until she fell into a deep sleep.

Eduan was tired having to tolerate with the so-called king's orders and such. The meeting he had with other family heads wasn't always the most peaceful as most of their relationships had turned sour.

But the fact that he didn't get to 'play' Amelina puts him in a foul mood all day. Even he himself didn't know why he was acting this way.

He was intent on going straight to sleep when he got to his room, but stopped short in his tracks, when he heard sobbings, coming from the room beside his.

Amelina's room.

He was going to burst into the room with his shinsoo, but held himself back, and quietly opened the door instead.

And what he witnessed astonished him. The sight of his daughter trying to rub away her tears, acting tough brings a frown to his face.

'Is she upset if anyone were to see her cry?'

But then, when Amelina gives up holding back her pools of tears and began to sobs uncontrollably, Eduan decided that he needs to confront her. No, he wants to confront her.

"And here I thought you're the kid that never cries."

The way Amelina flinched didn't escape Eduan's eyes, as the girl once again rubs her eyes furiously. The blue-haired male then went up to her and picked her up, seeing a little glare and tears flooding her cheeks.

'Is she afraid having me seeing her crying?'

But alas, Eduan didn't know and actually he didn't really care. So he brought the toddler back to his room, laid her on his bed then he himself laid down, facing Amelina.

Amelina's confusion was as clear as a day as Eduan stared down at her sniffling form.

"Now cry all you want."

And when Amelina didn't react, Eduan sighed, pulling her into his chest.

"I won't get mad just because you're crying. Just cry all you want."

It took seconds before the baby once more cried into his robes, with Eduan patting her head gently.

'I think she definitely understands what I'm saying.'

He never remembered when was the last time he comforted others, but he doubted doing that ever since he settled down as a family head, along with his former comrades.

Amelina somehow makes himself remembering the old days, with him arguing and making fun of Jahad, sharing meals with others, supporting V when he argued with Jahad before Arlene intervenes...

He wondered what came off wrong when Jahad decided to stop climbing the tower.

Seeing his daughter now sleeping soundly, Eduan continued patting her head, caressing her cheeks and playing with her smooth baby hair all the while smiling genuinely, a rare thing he ever does.

'I really wonder what's wrong with me in these days.'

Panic.

Only panic could be described as Eira and Miru turned the room upside down, searching for Amelina. They've also asked other servants who were passing by the hallway, but nobody said they have seen the blue-haired toddler.

"Where could've she gone to? She can't even walk on her own yet!", Eira exclaimed, tears threatening to spill on the corner of her eyes. "Don't tell me... she's kidnapped?"

"Please calm down, Miss Eira!", Miru hold the maid's shoulders firmly, snappimg her out from her own melodramatic thoughts. "She couldn't have gone far. Let's just report this to Sir Eduan."

"Don't... don't you think he would kill us if he knew the young miss is missing?", Eira mentioned with a horrified expression.

Miru gulped, thinking of the possibility. "But still, Sir Eduan has the right to know about this. It's better to tell him early on rather than hiding it."

Thus, the two stood in front of Khun Eduan's chamber, preparing for the worst.

One knock. Two knocks.

But answers never came.

"Is he not in the room? It's still early in the morning..", Eira questioned.

"Should we take a peek?", Miru contemplated, voicing his thought aloud.

The two looked at each other before nodding, and slightly pushed the door open, enough for both of them to see inside. It might be rude for them to look into their master's room without permission, but it was an emergency case for them.

But they weren't prepared enough to witness the sight of Amelina's small body hugging Eduan's head, covering his face and both still sleeping soundly.

"The young miss was sleeping with Sir Eduan?", Miru gasped, covering his mouth.

Eira quietly closed the door, before returning into Amelina's room, with Miru following close.

"Miss Eira?"

"SO CUTE!!", Eira squealed into a pillow, muffling her high-pitched voice.

"Miss Eira?!"

And thus, Amelina's nights sleeping with her father began.