(Don't play the music now !)

Cʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 3 : Rᴇʙᴏʀɴ ғʀᴏᴍ ʜɪs ᴀsʜᴇs

10 years before

(Y/n)'s POV

I run to my mother with a smile on my face. She stops me from running, before I fall and hit myself somewhere.

"You shouldn't run so much, honey, you might fall and get hurt !"

I nod my head and try to catch my breath little by little but I'm exhausted.

"I should rest, Mom, I feel tired after today.
- Alright, I'll call you for dinner."

I go to my room without saying anything and I start coughing little by little, more and more severely, until blood falls on the floor for no reason. When I brought my hand to my mouth, it was full of blood.

At that moment, I started to get scared.

~~~~~

One year after the first symptoms

I kept coughing up blood, it was getting worse and worse. My breathing is heavy and I'm unable to make an effort.

I knew that I would soon enter the tower like everyone else. I had to get better and climb the tower.

That's my only chance of survival.

I swallow several dozen pills in one day to keep me going, so I can at least fulfil my role as a fisherman.

But I know that one day, I'll reach my limit.

~~~~~

I come to my senses and sigh. I should focus on the fact that I'm finally going to have a job, instead of my past.

I finished the call with my mom a few minutes ago and I'm starting to feel doubtful.

Working is going to take me some effort, but I don't have much pills left. I'm going to have to reduce my dose. I'll have to cut back on my medication, and I'll have to stop playing like an idiot and running around.

I drop myself against a wall near by the living room where there is nobody and put my hand over my mouth with a handkerchief before  starting coughing. I cough blood several times and then finally manage to catch my breath after at least a good 10 minutes.

I tried to be as discreet as possible so I wouldn't be heard coughing.

According to Khun, I was going to start my work tomorrow. I rummaged through my bag to count how much pills I had left. I've always been able to afford the pills because of the tests we used to do that gave you money. But without it, I don't know how I'm going to do it.

I look at the little orange bottle in my hand with some pills left in it.

"I'm going to have to save it..."

I put the bottle away in my bag before I get up with difficulty and throw my blood-stained handkerchief in the trash.

"I'm going to make it."

If I could survive this long, I'll be all right.

~~~~~

Kat's POV

I was investigating the rooms in the house with Tal. We were trying to get to know better this son of the Khun family that (Y/n) tried to seduce, but he doesn't live here so it's complicated.

"Okay, Kat, let's split up ! I'll stay here, you go to the next room !
- All right, take care !"

I leave Tal alone in the room and follow her orders. When I went into the next room, the first thing that shocked me was the incredible cleanliness. I quickly scanned the room with my eyes and stopped in front of the desk. It was full of pictures on it.

I grabbed a picture of a red, shining bird that seemed to be really loved by the blue-haired boy next to it. But that boy...

"It's that Khun...!
- What are you doing here ?"

I jumped when I hear the cold male voice behind my back and quickly put the photo down, smiling and turning through him quickly as I can.

"I was exploring !!
- This is my room. Can you get out of here ?
- Your room ? You live here ? I was thought that is the Ash parents house...
- This is just the room I had when I was little. This house was shared by several children of the Khun family when I was a child, and after Edahn left, Asensio bought the house with his wife. I just decided to put everything back in my room as before with his consent.”

I nod my head and look at the picture of the bird and the little boy. So even him had a sweet childhood like everyone else.

"If you think I'm actually a nice, sweet guy, you're wrong. I'm only doing what's in my own interest.
- So for (Y/n)...
- I just needed a maid. She helped me when she accepted the job."

I grind my teeth and toss the picture to the blue-haired man's hands before leaving.

"Don't even dare to hurt her. Whether you're a leader of the 10 families or not, I'll show no mercy."

Khun's POV

I don't say anything until I hear the bedroom door slam. I just sigh and look at the picture in my hands.

"It's been a long time since I've seen that picture..."

~~~~~

(Play the music here !)

18 years before

"A.A."

I turn my eyes to the girl with the long blue hair.

"Happy Birthday !"

She smiles at me and hands me something bulky and loosely wrapped.

"You again ? Why are you so eager to give me a present for my birthday ? It's just like an another day.
- Stop being so negative and accept this gift, brother and sister give each other presents !
- You're not my sister."

I sigh and keep looking at my fishing rod but there aren't many fish with the snow. I don't like the cold so I put on several layers of clothes but nothing helps.

I sneeze and Maria taps the snow on the ground with her foot.

"Stop fishing and go back inside. It's cold outside with all that snow.
- I'll stay here.
-... You're really stubborn A.A. I'll leave your present here so it'll keep you warm."

She puts it down next to me and leaves by falling a little further into the snow. I don't even take the effort to get up to help her get up, she can do it on her own, then maybe she'll let me go a little bit.

I sigh as I wait for a catch, but no fish bites the hook. My hands are starting to freeze from the cold, it's hard to hold a fishing rod with gloves on so, I haven't put any on.

As I shiver, I feel a warm presence by my side.

I look at the present Maria had put down and decide to unwrap it.

The huge, poorly wrapped gift is in fact a birdcage, with a huge, beautiful red bird inside.

In reality, it was the most beautiful birthday of my life. I'd never seen anything so beautiful in that tower.

But as the bird offers me all its warmth, I see that it is slowly faint. The bird already looks old enough, but he didn't hesitate two seconds to share his warmth with me.

I free it from its cage and it comes to rest on my lap. Shyly like the 10-year-old boy I am, I put my hands on the bird's body and it was hot but not burning. It was soothing.

But as I did so, his body burst into flames and ashes fell on my lap.

I could feel my throat closing.
Did he die ?
Everything I touch becomes cursed or something.

I feel tears streaming from the corners of my eyes as a glow dazzles me. When I reopened my eyes, after the light was gone, a little chick came out of the ashes on my lap.

"It... It's reborn from the ashes..."

I felt a blanket resting on my shoulders, and I saw my mother, Agnis.

"That's a beautiful Phoenix you have there, Aguero.
Did your sister-in-law Maria give it to you ? You'll have to go and thank her later...
A Phoenix is the most beautiful creature in this tower.
It never dies, and always flies through the future, remembering its past. As a messenger to the future. It knows more than anyone has ever seen or lived in its life.
- It's a Phoenix...?
- Yes, it is. Take care of it. Maria chose a good gift for you...
The Phoenix looks just like you. You're the type of person who'll always rise and reborn from the ashes to follow your goal.
That's why you're sublime, Khun Aguero Agnis."

~~~~~

I smile sadly as I remember my mother's words.

"She wasn't wrong about that at least..."

I think about all the times I almost died but got out alive.

"It's all thanks to you, fire fish."

The fire fish appeared by my side and I smile at it. It turns around me and I put the picture back on my desk. Suddenly, I feel my eyes blaze with a red glow.

"There's someone in this house... Who is in danger."

~~~~~

Ash's POV

I come out of the kitchen and find Bam on the couch in the living room. I quickly look into the veranda to see Blue asleep on a chair.

"She won't be awake long..."

I join Bam smiling and sit down next to him. He looks at me and smiles slightly, but something seems to be different.

"What's wrong ? If you're hungry, dinner will be ready soon !
- Oh, good, I was getting hungry... But then... Ash, can I ask you a question ?
- Sure."

I look at Bam who seems confused about asking me something and he's holding his head with one of his hands.

"I overheard a conversation between your bunny friend and her mother... And she was saying that... «Her health is getting worse». Do you know anything about that ?"

I blink my eyes and I feel fear and anxiety coming over me. (Y/n) said that ? Is she in trouble ? She's always seemed healthy...

"... No...
- Oh. I'm sorry, she wasn't supposed to talk about her health but about something else then ! She wouldn't keep something that important from her team, right ?"

Bam laughs nervously and I get more and more scared. I was about to speak again when my mom came into the living room with my dad who had finished putting up the door for a while.

"Hey lovebirds, come set the table instead of flirting, I could use some help since I don't know where the others are !
- I'll go warn them, my queen."

My mom kisses my dad to thank him and Bam hides my eyes so I don't see it. It's like he's trying to protect my innocence. Even if I had my eyes covered, I could hear everything.

"Not here Asensio, maybe later ~"

At my mother's words, I also hide Bam's eyes with my hands. It's better for him to not to see that too.

"Mom, Dad. Stop flirting with each other too, please. — I ask
- Oops, sorry darling ! C'mon, come and set the table !"

I take my hands away from in front of Bam's eyes and he does the same. I sigh and go into the kitchen while Bam follows me. I grab the cutlery from a drawer and Bam has the plates on top of me. I don't really dare raise my head because I know he's close to me. In my head, I beg myself to stay calm and not to blush, but I can smell his smell of cinnamon buns mixed with the smell of coffee and cigarettes. Does he drink coffee ? Does he smoke ? What am I thinking ?

"... Ash, are you listening to me ?
- Hm? Oh, uh, yes ! Sorry, I was in the moon... What were you saying ?
- I took the plates and the napkins. Would you get the glasses ?"

I shake my head shyly and tiptoe to grab glasses from a shelf.

"Wait, you're going to hurt yourself."

I hear the sound of the plates being put down and suddenly, my feet don't touch the floor. Bam lifts me up with disconcerting ease and puts me on one of his shoulder.

I can see everything like I just grew up all of a sudden ! I blush slightly and grab the glasses easily.

"Thanks Bam ! It feels weird to be so tall... But very fun at the same time !
- It's fun ? Might as well stay like this a little longer then !"

He gives me a radiant smile as if the talk about (Y/n) rather hadn't happened. Actually, I had totally forgotten my worries and fears.

I blush even more and he grabs the plates he had put down with one hand and puts his other arm around my legs to hold me in place on his shoulder.

"B-bam ! Put me down, we could have an accident like that !
- We're not !"

He's laughing and as he's walking into the living room like that, (Y/n) enters the room at the same time with Kat and Tal.

"What's that. — (Y/n) looks at me and looks at Bam before she facepalm
- I know someone who's better in flirting than someone else ! — Kat die of laughing
- They look like a real couple... Wait, I'm taking a picture !!"

Tal pulls out her phone and takes a picture of me and Bam so fast that I didn't even have time to say no.

"Bam, what are you doing ? Now that you're king, you're starting to seduce girls ?
- Oh Mr Khun ! We're just having fun with Ash ! Want to play with us ?
- I might. I'm sure I can carry more girls than you."

Since when's it a game ? I look at Khun who's entered the living room with my parents and blue lighthouses appear under Kat, Tal, (Y/n) and even my mom.

"Aguero. Put April down right now. — Asensio gives to Khun a dead gaze
- Oops, sorry ~"

April falls from the lighthouse directly into the arms of Asensio and she seems much happier than she was on the lighthouse. She's not my mother for nothing.

"I'm a lightbearer, carried by a lighthouse... — Tal seems to doubt at the logic
- As long as I can be carried by a handsome guy, it's okay for me. — Kat sits on the lighthouse like nothing's wrong
- Take me down from this lighthouse, Khun."

(Y/n) sighs. She seems in a bad mood and I suddenly remember what Bam said to me.

"(Y/n), are you okay...?"

I ask her shyly but she doesn't seem to have heard because at the same time, the lighthouse that kept her levitating disappears and she falls like a sack of potatoes on Khun.

"You're dead meat, Khun.
- Killing your boss would be problematic if you want to make money."

I should ask her later, alone.

Eventually, we stop playing games, and all of us sit down to the table. We even put Blue at the table and woke up her with the smell of food.

Tal's POV

We all ate quietly and laughed. It's been a long time since we've had a great time like this with people.

"I think about it but... If you're the king of the Tower, you must know my parents...
- You're Tal, right ? I thought you reminded me of someone, but I was right ! — Bam smiles at me.
- Oh, yeah. It's remember me that I trained your parents for the Workshop battle a long time ago. — Khun drinks like nothing's wrong
- So it was you. My parents told me you were incredibly arrogant and crazy but... They told me if I ever met you, I'd have to thank you.”

Khun seems surprised and smiles at me. He looks less evil than Kat says or someone else. She said to me that he’ll never help (Y/n) but…

"I’m happy if I could helped Wangnan and Ehwa."

I think he can help her.

~~~~~

Hello ! ✨

Yeah, I know, it's Sunday, but I update a chapter uwu I work on it all this day and I finish it before Monday so- Be happy qwq Because I'm proud of me-
Thanks to everyone who let comments, it's always make me laugh and make me happy- And I love reply to everyone 🥺💕✨

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