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Yuujin was standing in front of Hiro near the corner of his bed. He was wearing a gray T-shirt and knee-length shorts labeled Adidas, flexing his perfectly proportioned body. For as long as Hiro knew him, Yuujin’s daily wear at home had always been like this.
However, he was now in Hiro’s apartment. No matter how many times Hiro looked around, this was definitely his cheap apartment room, the same room where he previously fell asleep. Even his android bracelet was in the same condition he left it, deactivated.
“Wait a minute, what are you doing here? Did you come back from the dead??” Hiro dumbfoundedly looked at his brother.
Yuujin chuckled when he heard his brother’s confused words.
Hiro still couldn’t understand. None of the things going on were making any sense.
‘How did he get into my room? And so suddenly?’
“Did you miss me, Hiro?”
Hiro’s look of confusion turned into annoyance.
“Damn it! So you really did fake your death! I knew it! But what the hell, Yuujin? Are you dumb or something? They’ve confiscated all your belongings, so you’re basically homeless now. Meanwhile, look at me! And don’t even think of living with me here. Like hell I’d let you.”
Yuujin once again chuckled when he saw his brother’s lively reaction. It looks like his brother was still as energetic as ever.
“Do you like it? Your present life,” Yuujin asked without answering any of Hiro’s questions.
“Like my present life? Why don’t you try sleeping on a bed this hard?” Hiro sarcastically responded.
Yuujin’s smile froze and faded from his face. Hiro felt a little guilty now.
‘Was I too harsh?’
Before their separation, no matter the stupid things he said, Yuujin would always have an understanding, gentle smile on his face, knowing that his little brother didn’t mean most of the mean words he said.
Because of this, seeing Yuujin without his usual smile made him feel that he went a little overboard with his words.
In truth, he just didn’t know how to react. Yuujin’s appearance was nothing short of a miracle to him, and he didn’t want the air around them to be melancholic.
It wasn’t like him at all.
“Hiro, listen to me. I’m sorry.”
Hiro still couldn’t understand the sudden change in atmosphere. Yuujin walked forward and sat in front of him, on the single bed that was already too small for Hiro alone to sleep on.
It seems as if Yuujin was responding to Hiro telling him to feel how hard his current bed was. His eyes fixated on Hiro’s were filled with seriousness, causing Hiro to unconsciously gulp. His throat suddenly felt dry, and the things he wanted to say got stuck in his throat.
Yuujin’s warm hand landed on Hiro’s head and pulled his face closer.
“I believe you’ll be able to live well without me. Definitely.”
“You’ve grown really well, Hiro. I’m proud of you.”
“You’re no longer the little brother of mine who would cry at every turn. You’ve grown into a proper adult, Hiro.”
Hiro froze when he heard his brother’s words. It was only then he realized that, from the bottom of his heart, he really missed his brother’s voice.
‘When was the last time we talked face-to-face like this?’
Yuujin pulled Hiro and hugged him tight while patting his back. After so long, he once again felt the touch of his brother whom he dearly missed.
The person who was always there for him. The person who worked his hardest to give him everything he ever needed. The person who, since childhood, allowed him to act spoiled and gave him all the best he could despite their condition.
His dearest brother.
Tears unconsciously rolled down Hiro’s cheeks. He felt that it was a bit embarrassing for him to cry when they were finally seeing each other after so long, but he let his tears flow as he hugged his brother back.
Before this, even though Hiro and Yuujin lived on different continents, the two were still connected to each other. Although it wasn’t very often, they still communicated through text messages and occasional calls.
However, ever since his brother was announced dead, Hiro felt that an important chunk of his life had suddenly gone missing.
It was indeed true; people only realize the importance of something once they’ve lost it.
Now that he finally saw his brother again, all the sorrow and emotional fatigue in his heart were instantly washed away.
He wanted to stay like this for a while longer.
“I missed you.”
“I missed you too.” Yuujin stroked his back. “But, Hiro… you have to know one thing.”
Hiro suddenly smelled a thick smell of blood. At that moment, Yuujin pulled his body back, revealing a face covered in fresh blood dripping onto Hiro’s lap, staining the blanket he was using.
“I’m already dead.”
Hiro felt something suffocating him. Moreover, no matter how much he tried, he couldn’t move his body.
“I was killed.”
“I was killed.”
“I was killed.”
Yuujin kept repeating the same sentence while tightly gripping Hiro’s shoulders. The hands gripping his shoulders were now ice cold, no longer having the warmth they had when the two hugged.
The gentle expression Yuujin had was nowhere to be seen. His eyes looking straight at Hiro’s were devoid of any emotion.
“No… no… let me go…”
“Stop… please don’t do this to me.”
“Brother, please…”
Hiro begged. He kept struggling to move, but it was as if his body was held in place by an unknown force. The fresh blood that continued to drip onto his lap felt like shackles pulling his legs, and the cold piercing through his shoulders seemed to be draining him of his energy.
He was slowly feeling more and more suffocated. His face was ghastly pale not only from fear, but also from lack of oxygen. His body was trembling heavily, but his two eyes were locked onto his brother’s now horrifying face.
“LET ME GO!!!”