Our Family -2-
"...Sniff."
In the young lady's room at the capital mansion, the young lady and I had nearly been kicked out by Kyle's insistence on our backs, but thanks to Rosanna and Darbav's intervention, we were allowed to stay and recuperate in the mansion.
The young lady, feeling downcast, was blowing her nose into tissues with a gloomy expression, and I wasn't faring much better, handing her more tissues while trying to console her as she cried.
"Do you even know where this is that you come waltzing in?"
"...Sorry."
"You wrecked the family, and now you have the nerve to show your face here?"
"I'm sorry..."
"Get out. I can't even stand the sight of you."
Kyle used to be so kind to the young lady. Anyone could see they were close siblings who relied on each other. Up until he was fourteen, Kyle's dream had been to marry his little sister—he was a severe siscon.
"I'm gonna grow up and marry Olivia."
"A siscon, are we?"
"Siscon? What's that?"
"It's an insult."
"...?"
As an adult, he'd given up on that childhood dream, but right up until the young lady entered the academy, I remembered him as the doting big brother who cherished and protected her. He'd even share his favorite snack, chocolate.
"Olivia, have some of this."
"No thanks. Dark chocolate's too bitter; I don't like it."
Of course, it was always rejected because of her childish palate, but Kyle treasured her that much. He grumbled at me for always sticking to her side, but he'd even share his chocolate with me.
"Eat this."
"Giving me half a piece instead of just one? Isn't that a bit much?"
"Be grateful for it, commoner."
"I'll take not accepting it as an honor, noble."
"Grrr!!!"
But even that severe sister-loving devotion couldn't withstand the weight of black magic.
Two years ago, when the young lady collapsed from black magic, I was grabbed by the collar by Kyle for the first time.
"Why... why didn't you keep an eye on her? If you'd paid even a little more attention to Olivia, this never would've happened."
"I'm sorry."
"That damn 'sorry'... Does saying sorry fix everything? The family's at risk because of this. You think one apology ends it?"
"I'll do whatever I can. So..."
"What can you do...!"
Being collared by Kyle, who adored the young lady so fiercely, didn't feel good at all. I was already distraught for failing to stop her black magic, and having him curse me out beside me only made it worse. The feelings back then were indescribably tangled—body and mind alike.
And now, that same Kyle had told Olivia to get out. It might've been exhaustion-fueled anger, but I could read the sincerity in his fury-filled eyes. Not the Kyle who always tenderly looked after her, but eyes that saw her as an outsider. It must've been a huge shock to the young lady, who'd only ever known her gentle big brother.
That's why she was crying now, and why we'd decided to handle the family head's birthday quickly and return to the mansion.
With reddened eyes, the young lady quietly spoke.
"Ricardo... I know I've done a lot wrong. It just hurts so much."
She choked out the words to me. Tissues soaked with snot piled up like a mountain on the table, and sad tears streamed from her eyes.
"I know. I know I've been a burden to the family and my brother... It hurts so much, the tears won't stop."
She kept repeating the same thing. Her sorrowful voice pained my heart, but this was something she had to overcome on her own, so I stayed silent by her side, just keeping watch.
I wanted to help her, but this wasn't in the novel. All I could do was handle external matters—fighting, earning money, cheering her up. Nothing more. I couldn't interfere. Since it was her problem to solve alone, all I could do was hold a tissue to her nose without a word.
"Sniff!"
She blew her nose and buried her face in her palms again, looking utterly dejected.
"Hic... hic... It hurts."
I glanced at her and asked softly. I couldn't just ignore her pitifully trembling shoulders.
"Young lady. Do you hate Kyle?"
"Why...?"
Her teary eyes turned to me. I answered as if it were the most obvious thing.
"So I can go give him a good flick on the forehead."
"You're not close with my brother."
"What can I do? If you say you hate him, he deserves it."
"You can't. You'd get kicked out."
"I won't."
She stared at me in disbelief, her eyes conveying what kind of guy is this? I felt a strange satisfaction.
"So, young lady. Do you hate Kyle?"
She shook her head vigorously.
"No. It's my fault... I don't hate him."
"You know it well."
"I'm not that shameless."
"Oh? What's this? I figured you'd storm over to Kyle and make a scene right away."
"I'm not crazy."
"Just kidding."
Her gruff response to my teasing made her sobs gradually subside. Her trembling shoulders calmed, her runny nose stopped, and the tear-streaked expression began to fade.
I ventured an overstepping thought toward her. It might help, and it was our shared problem to solve.
I opened my mouth cautiously.
"Young lady. If you don't hate Kyle, how about apologizing?"
"I said sorry. But he said he hates me."
As her barely stopped tears threatened to burst again, I pressed on without pause.
"Not just 'sorry.' Something more sincere. Like going to his room and saying, 'It must've been so hard on you all this time. I'm sorry.' Something like that."
Embarrassed by the corny line, I scratched my head sheepishly and continued shyly.
"We don't have much, and we haven't done much right, so no gifts, but our hearts are ready. Though I won't kneel—that's a pride thing."
"Your knees must weigh a ton, Ricardo."
"My knees are premium priced. Pay my back wages, and I'll kneel once."
"I don't have money."
"Guess you'll never see it then."
"..."
I didn't resent Kyle's actions. They were exactly as I'd expected, and his words were the blame we deserved. Wrecking the family—if it were me, I'd have acted the same. Probably harsher. I even thought he was a saint for just telling us to leave and retreating to his room.
So I shared my overstepping thought carefully with the young lady. Let's have an honest talk. For now, how about we do what we can?
She hesitated a bit, then voiced her inner doubt.
"I... don't know how to apologize."
"You did fine with my hand last time."
"That's because you were bad. You lied and hurt me..."
"Isn't this similar?"
"No. I've never apologized to my brother. Or anyone else besides you."
She hung her head glumly, her face downcast. The person furthest from knowing how to apologize—that was the young lady. She couldn't muster the courage easily.
"What if I apologize and he gets even madder? Our relationship might get worse."
"Kyle getting mad is natural, young lady."
"I know. But... if I mess it up... he'll hate me more."
"Young lady."
I placed my hand on her frizzy hair and smiled faintly. The soft feel of her dry white locks made me want to stroke it longer.
"Kyle treasures you deeply. He might even be waiting for you in his room right now."
"No way. He hates me so much. He said 'get out' earlier..."
"And did he kick you out?"
"No..."
She mumbled softly, head still down.
"I would've told someone like me to get out immediately."
"Oh... you've finally learned empathy. I'm impressed."
"Obviously."
She straightened her shoulders and nodded, proudly showing her grown-up warmth. I marveled at her chest, which had grown in a different sense—a storm of development.
"Impressive."
"Yeah."
"Still growing..."
"Huh?"
"Nothing."
She tilted her head with a puzzled expression, question mark practically floating above, but I brushed it off.
"Young lady."
"Yeah?"
"When you saw my arm was hurt, what did you feel?"
"I..."
Fidgeting with her fingers, she spoke softly, her voice echoing in the room.
"I was furious. Because you got hurt."
"Right? I think Kyle feels the same. Just like you, he's probably furious because you got hurt. Cautiously speaking. Maybe not."
"...What if not?"
I smiled helplessly and ruffled her hair. Her tousled locks made me chuckle, "Pfft."
"Then what can we do? Apologize again if he doesn't accept. Eventually, he'll come around."
"But..."
I looked at her glum face and said,
"Young lady. You planning to never see Kyle again?"
"No... I want to keep seeing him."
"What about the family head and Rosanna?"
"I want to see them too."
"Then..."
I lifted my head and told her,
"Go apologize properly. If he rejects you, I'll flick his forehead for you."
"...My brother hates you."
"I hate him too."
"..."
After a brief silence, she rolled her wheelchair toward Kyle's room.
"I'll be back."
And from Kyle's room—
"Waaah...! Brother, I'm sorry!"
The young lady's sorrowful wails echoed out.