Big Brother (2)

Whenever I thought back on my memories with Chae-rin, they always had the same flavor.

A tiny pair of hands fidgeting with something, or her quietly reading a book. Then, every so often, she would toddle over to me to tell me something — that she'd gotten an A+ on a test, or won an award at some competition. And every time, I praised her.

'Good job.'

It was never praise that came from the heart. If someone did well, you were supposed to praise them. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠It was a mechanical act born of nothing more than that piece of common sense.

Unlike me, Chae-rin had been a child who distinguished herself in all sorts of areas. The youngest daughter, born late into a family that had only ever known sons. Whenever Father looked at her, a smile spread across his face, and Mother couldn't bear to take her eyes off her for ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠even a moment.

Si-hyun, on the other hand…

'Wh-what?! She went to the bathroom by herself?! She's only five — that's far too dangerous!'

…His protectiveness was a bit excessive, but he did love her.

Compared to that, I wasn't particularly fond of Chae-rin. Not that I disliked her or jealousy gnawed at me in any ugly way. I simply didn't smile at her, didn't hover over her, didn't smother her in protection. An unremarkable relationship between an older brother and his younger sister — that was about as far as it went.

Which was exactly why I'd been so curious.

'Oppa, my teacher praised me today.'

'I got every question on the test right.'

'Did I do well?'

Why did she seek praise and validation from me, of all people? Every time it happened, why did she come to me instead of Father or Mother?

Before my regression, I never did find out. Once I'd descended into full-blown debauchery, Chae-rin stopped coming to see me altogether. And before I could ever untangle that knot, everything disappeared.

'This time, for sure.'

This was my chance to resolve what still lingered between me and my family.

Friday evening. An upscale Korean restaurant, rented out in its entirety. My family had agreed to gather here tonight.

I arrived first, followed in turn by Father and Si-hyun.

"A rather sudden return to Korea, sir. You quite startled me."

"And? You don't like it?"

"Of course I do! I've been dying to see Chae-rin — I've practically worn my neck out looking for her."

Lee Si-hyun let out a small laugh. Then he cast a sidelong glance my way.

"…And how do you feel about it, if I may ask."

"Me? Why do you ask?"

"Chae-rin, of course."

His tone had softened a touch since the last time I'd seen him, but it was still faintly prickly.

"Everyone knows Chae-rin can't stand you. That's simply a fact."

I wanted to argue, but the words wouldn't come easily. Our last meeting had, after all, been an unmitigated disaster.

'…Hmph.'

The girl who so rarely showed any expression had, on that rare occasion, scrunched her face into a scowl as she brushed past me. She hadn't exchanged a single word with me since.

"Tch… well, it's my own karma, isn't it."

"I'm glad you're self-aware, at least."

"Now, now, Si-hyun. That's enough."

Father cut in to stop him.

"Tae-hyun, it's all right. You've shown me that the past can be set right. Do the same with Chae-rin and your mother, and they'll come around too."

"Yes, sir."

It was a relief to have at least one person on my side.

"By the way, why would Chae-rin suddenly want to come to Korea?"

"To see her father, naturally."

"…Father, surely this time it's me. You know I practically raised Chae-rin myself."

"Ho ho, our Si-hyun has developed a sense of humor, has he?"

Fwoosh!

Sparks flew between the two of them.

"She was studying in a far-off country — she must have missed her old father terribly. So she came here to do well and hear a word of praise from me, surely."

"No, sir. In terms of pure hours, I spent the most time with Chae-rin. A memory suddenly surfaced, and she found herself longing to see her dear little brother — that's the real reason."

"…Si-hyun. You've grown so much. Now you're even talking back to me."

"There are things a man cannot yield — and should never yield."

The air was growing hotter and hotter.

'Ugh, I want to go home.'

Honestly, I'd rather have been facing a five-on-one against my guildmates. At least then I could just smash everything to pieces without watching my step. Sitting here like this, I felt like I'd get indigestion the moment I ate anything.

"Haaah…"

Just as I was quietly sliding my spoon and chopsticks forward—

"Chairman. The madam has arrived."

The two I'd been waiting for had arrived.

When the restaurant door opened, Mother's face came into view first.

"Mother…!"

It had been so, so long. She looked far younger than the image I carried in my memory.

Just as a rush of emotions threatened to boil over—

Patter!

A small head popped out from behind her.

Long hair flowing softly. Large, round eyes, and that characteristically blank face.

'Chae-rin.'

She was there.

My throat seized up all at once. I had so much to say, but I had no idea where to start. And while I stood there ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠stupidly with my mouth hanging open—

"Our daughter!"

"Chae-rin!"

Father and Si-hyun lunged forward, each racing to be first.

"You missed Daddy, didn't you?"

"Don't deny it! Chae-rin, you came to Korea to see your oppa, right?!"

The two men spread their arms wide, faces full of expectation.

"Am I invisible to everyone, then?"

Mother narrowed her eyes, feigning hurt. "And all of you, stop it. You'll overwhelm Chae-rin… Ch-Chae-rin?"

At that moment, Chae-rin slipped out from behind her mother and broke into a fast run.

Her direction was toward me.

"Come this way, sweetheart!"

"Come to oppa!"

And then—

Thump!

Chae-rin wrapped her arms tight around me.

Not Father. Not Si-hyun.

"…Hm?"

Me.

"Wh-what on earth—!"

"What is going on…?"

Two pairs of stunned eyes turned toward me. Even I couldn't quite process what had just happened.

"O-Oppa…"

Chae-rin lifted her head where she was buried against me and spoke.

Not with her usual blank face, but with one brimming over with joy.

"I missed you."

After a meal I couldn't have told you whether it went in through my mouth or my nose, we finally settled into catching up properly — though it was almost entirely about me, given how spectacularly I'd been making the rounds lately.

"And then Tae-hyun, that dragon—!"

Father in particular relished telling the stories, visibly more worked up than anyone. Some parts were embellished, no doubt, but I didn't bother correcting them. To parents, their child's success always looks ten times larger than it is.

Except—

"……!"

Chae-rin, watching me from beside him with eyes that sparkled like stars, was more than a little overwhelming. I forced an awkward smile and did my best to look away.

"…It sounds so dangerous. I'm worried about you."

Having listened to Father's speech, Mother offered her words with a shadow of concern.

"Is your body all right, dear?"

"Don't worry. You know I've always been sturdy — ever since I was little."

"That's right, darling! Any man worth his salt dreams of being a top-rank hunter at least once— oof!"

"You! Your son! Nearly died! And THAT! Is what! You say?!"

Mother slapped Father squarely across the back, again and again.

"Goodness… he was never like this before."

Mother dusted off her hands lightly, then turned to me with a warm, kindly smile.

"It seems Tae-hyun's put your father in a good mood."

"Haha… th-that's a relief, then."

"But don't push yourself too hard, you hear?"

A different kind of love than Father's settled over me like sunlight.

"Making it as a hunter matters less than staying safe and unharmed. Your health comes first, always."

Her worry for me outranked any pride or joy.

'Right. That's the kind of person Mother always was.'

She was the one who had worried for me and cheered me on until the very end. The reason I never hit rock bottom — every last bit of that had been thanks to her.

"I'll ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠keep that in mind."

I nodded and promised. Whether I'd actually be able to keep it… well, I couldn't say.

"Um…"

Just then, Chae-rin tugged at my sleeve. Then she thrust a smartphone screen right into my face.

"The videos… I watched them."

"What videos?"

The video began to play without a word. Its sound filled the quiet room.

There I was. Facing down Cheonmagwi, delivering earnest words of caution to my viewers.

"C-Chae-rin?"

It would have been wonderful if it had ended there.

The trial stream of dungeon broadcasting. The declaration of a five-hour C-rank gate clear. And on top of that, a compilation of every guild match I'd fought against the Divine Guild, along with the interview about my role in the Behemoth raid.

Virtually everything I'd ever done played back in sequence, one after another.

'AAAAAAAAGH!'

I screamed internally. At the time, I'd genuinely believed that was my best move — but seeing it preserved like this, pickled in formaldehyde, made me feel like space and time themselves were warping.

'Why on earth are you hoarding footage like that?!'

Wouldn't the wiser choice be to bite my tongue off right now?

Just as I was entertaining that absurd thought—

"The oppa from back then… came back."

Chae-rin spoke in a quiet voice.

"Hm?"

"Ever since you changed into someone strange, I hated you. But then, by chance, I watched a broadcast you were in. I saw you fighting a monster — refusing to give up, all the way to the very end."

The words kept coming, one thing after another. Having stumbled onto my stream by chance, Chae-rin had since watched and recorded every broadcast I appeared in. And whenever things got hard, she told me, she would replay them.

"So I thought… maybe the oppa from back then really had come back."

"The oppa from back then…"

Honestly, I couldn't wrap my head around it. Speaking objectively about myself, I was a rotten degenerate to the very core — the kind of man who only came to his senses after watching the world end and choking on bitter regret. I didn't think I'd ever shown Chae-rin a single good side of myself.

"I… worked so hard, trying to earn your praise."

Chae-rin's voice trembled, faint and small.

I'd never seen her like this before.

'…Or have I?'

A flicker of déjà vu brushed across my mind. That look on Chae-rin's face — why did it feel like it wasn't the first time?

"Why don't the two of you go for a walk together? The garden in front of the restaurant is beautifully kept."

Mother, who had been carefully reading the mood between us, offered the suggestion.

"A walk with just hyung and Chae-rin?! Then I'll come alo— oof!"

"Hahaha, our Si-hyun is so oblivious— I mean. I have plenty to talk over with your mother, so the walk should be just the two of them."

I saw it. Mother's fist landing a clean, dead-on straight into Si-hyun's side.

"Off you go now. I'll keep these two company."

"…Yes, ma'am."

And so Chae-rin and I stepped outside the restaurant. The scent of the soft night air brushed against the tip of my nose.

"It's been a while since it was just the two of us like this."

"Um… th-that's…"

Chae-rin quietly lowered her head. She seemed to have something she wanted to say, but it refused to come out.

'I know exactly how that feels.'

I'd felt it more times than I could count. When you have too much you want to say, the words end up jamming to a complete stop.

"Chae-rin."

"…Yes?"

"Are you scared of heights, by any chance?"

"…Huh? W-well… not really…"

"Perfect, then."

There was a spot with an even better view than the restaurant's garden. The perfect place for a talk with everything laid bare.

"Excuse me for a moment."

"Huh…? O-Oppa?"

I stretched out my arms and pulled Chae-rin tight against my chest — with every intention of never letting go.

"Come out, Moss."

Wings unfurled out of my shadow.

FWOOSH!

And with that, we soared into the vast expanse of the night sky.