Life didn't get easier, even in another world.

Chapter 379  To be back

"Gah!"

Kairen's body slammed to the ground so hard that the surface broke and sank down. His back felt numb and his body was left powerless. His bones must've crushed and broken by now but just before they collided, a thin layer of cracks surrounded his body to protect him. It wasn't Kairen who created the shield, it was just his power that reacted on its own.

"Argh-"

A sturdy hand had grabbed his neck and was pressing it against the floor. The grip was so tight that Kairen's breath was blocked and it was getting even firmer, making Kairen choke.

"R-Ron!"

Through his gritted teeth, Kairen barely managed to utter a word in a faint, shaking voice.

"Shut. Up!"

"Ugh!"

The pressure on his neck increased as Aaron spoke those words. The man was practically sitting on Kairen's body, with one knee on the ground and one pressing on his stomach.

His hair strands, which were longer than the last time that Kairen remembered, were released from their bond and had cascaded down the two sides of the man's head, causing his face to be covered in a faint shadow.

The shadow helped add to the horror that Aaron's expression brought to Kairen. His gaze was so sharp and furious, filled with resentment, so much that Kairen found it hard to glance at his brother's eyes even for a second.

"Hey! What's he doing?"

Darren finally managed to snap out of his daze and jump up in fright.

"That... I don't know what is going on but he's gonna kill that dude at this rate!"

He pointed at his teammate who suddenly attacked the person who seemed to be his deceased brother like a savage beast.

"...Shouldn't we do anything?"

"Uh..." His fingers slipped off the sword. "Well, no..."

He couldn't beat that coworker of his, and he'd only get himself killed if he approached Carlson hesitantly grabbed the hilt of his sword, but he paused upon hearing Alan's words.

"Can you do anything?"

"Uh..." His fingers slipped off the sword. "Well, no..."

He couldn't beat that coworker of his, and he'd only get himself killed if he approached him in that 'savage mood' of his.

Unaware of the conversation that was going on between the three men, Kairen struggled to take a breath.

"...B-brother..."

His vision was slightly getting blurred, but he didn't know if it was due to the lack of oxygen or because of his tears.

"SHUT_"

The knee on his stomach pressed even harder on his body.

"Argh."

Did Aaron really not recognize him? Or was he mad at him? Maybe he didn't want to see Kairen anymore? Kairen wasn't sure. He didn't know why his brother would attack him as soon as they met and try to choke him, but it wasn't too unexpected either.

Anyone would be mad, wouldn't they? To be left alone for years, thinking that their only family member was dead, and having to endure everything alone, only for the said dead fool to suddenly pup up out of nowhere, safe and sound. It was natural to be mad. It was understandable. Kairen wouldn't hold any grudges even if he lost his life here and now.

But still...

"Look! L-Listen- Gasp!"

Kairen raised his hands up. Golden and silver cracks were swirling around his fingertips, trying to spread around and blast the attacker away in order to protect Kairen, but he forcefully held them back.

"I- cough!"

The tips of his shaking fingers caught the stray strands of light-brown hair. It was hard to breathe and even see properly.

"...sorry!"

nothing else to say.

A tear drop rolled down his cheek. The grip around his neck loosened slightly just when he thought he was about to get choked.

"S-sorry..."

Without wasting any time in taking a breath, Kairen moved his hands towards the man's face. He didn't know if apologizing was the right thing to do, but he had nothing else to say.

Was it his fault? That he was forced to move out of this world once again and spend two years somewhere else? Did he do anything wrong?

If Kairen was asked this question a few months, or even weeks before, he'd confidently say that nothing was his fault. He'd say that it was Reynold who dragged him around, that he had nothing to do with anything, that he was innocent.

However, now he didn't think that way. He knew his mistakes, and he knew that he was at fault. He could've been more careful that day when they were fighting their enemy near those bombs, couldn't he? He was a trained agent after all. Why did he act so carelessly?

He always thought that he'd be fine even if he got injured and hurt, that he'd heal sooner or later, that he could endure being in a hospital bed for a few days, and that if he could save and protect the others, then it was fine.

But had he ever thought about those 'others' even once? He hadn't. He used his memory loss as an excuse and ignored everything and everyone. Saying that he didn't remember his friends, he neglected them, telling himself that he had a big goal, he did whatever he could and thought of to reach it, even if it was stupid and dangerous.

Had he ever thought of the consequences of his actions? He hadn't. He was so self-centered that he couldn't understand a lot of things.

Was it his fault that his brother was in this state? It was. Even if he didn't do anything on purpose, in the end, he caused a lot of damage, to his brother and to the others. Even if he blamed things on Reynold, or on Fate, in the end, he was still at fault.

The said 'Contract of Fate' was created because of him, or rather, him of his previous life. Because he'd done something in that life, that he wasn't aware of it now, yet it was him in the end, this life or the other, it was his fault.

"I'm so sorry..."

Would he be able to act better in the future, or would he always understand his mistake when it was too late? Kairen didn't know that. For now, he wanted to fix things before things became even more messed up.

"Brother."

Kairen held his brother's face with his two cold and trembling hands. The man's face was frozen, stiff. There were no traces of his previous anger and hatred in his eyes. He seemed lost and hesitant.

"It's my fault. I- gasp... I'm s-sorry, Ron."

He was struggling to speak because of the pain he felt in his abdomen and neck, but he persisted in apologizing.

The slender fingers rolled a few strands of hair to the back of their owner's ear before gently caressing the man's face. His brother's eyes widened at the touch.

"...Ren?"

The pressure on Kairen's neck was released and the knee on his stomach got lifted a little bit.

"Sniff. Yes! Cough."

It was unknown when Kairen started weeping like a child.

"Ren..."

"Yes."

"..."

Aaron opened and closed his mouth, and blinked several times, but didn't say or do anything no matter how much Kairen waited. Kairen couldn't help but smile slightly.

"Are you not mad at me anymore? It's alright, hic! You can beat me up if you want."

"...."

Now that he had a clear look on Aaron's face, Kairen could see a few small scars here and there. In addition to that, his forehead and the corners of his eyes had small, hard to notice, wrinkles, as if he had aged. Kairen caressed the wrinkles with his thump.

"Ah..."

Drip

Drip

Water droplets fell on Kairen's face one by one. The hands holding him down had started trampling.

Without saying anything unnecessary, Kairen slightly raised his body and held his brother's face in his embrace.