Maverick (Blank)
Chapter 6: Blank's Childhood (5)
[Hello, little brother. I am your older brother.]
The boy was shocked. But what he did was—
Slam. Creak creak.
Little Blank closed and locked the door, then ran away. He ran to his room, his body trembling. Meanwhile, the young man outside sighed. "Hello, little brother... I really am your brother..."
Blank curled up, eyes wide. He was scared and remembered his father's words. Besides, there was no information at all about him having an older brother.
(What is this? What should I do?) He shook his head. (Grandpa never said I had a brother... please... this is scary...)
"Ooh, what are you doing, bro?"
(...)
The little boy was scared half to death when the young man in the black shirt was suddenly in front of his room door.
"HAAAA!"
Blank's panicked scream made the young man cover his ears. "Hey, enough, enough, don't scream like that."
"WHO ARE YOU!"
The little boy's body trembled violently, and he backed up until he touched the wall behind him.
"My goodness... I already told you I'm your brother."
The boy shook his head. "IMPOSSIBLE!"
Then the young man took out his phone. He played an audio recording.
[Yes, I hope my grandson can live a normal life...]
Blank was shocked, and his eyes widened again upon hearing that voice. "Grandpa?"
[Am I not allowed to meet my little brother?]
That was the same voice as the young man before him. Blank glanced at his face with a confusing feeling.
"How can this be..."
[Well, maybe someday—]
"LIES! FATHER SHOULD BE 38 YEARS OLD! HE CAN'T POSSIBLY HAVE AN OLDER BROTHER THIS BIG!"
The young man sighed and continued the recording.
[Well... even though I'm not his biological brother, I was also close with your father.]
Blank jolted in surprise. He knew that name well. "How do you know my father?"
The young man smiled at the little boy. "Your father helped me a long time ago. I considered him like an older brother too."
The boy doubted him. "Well, you should be 'uncle', but I'm still young, so call me 'brother'."
Blank only remembered the last sentence in the letter from his father to Grandpa. His hands trembled, and his legs felt weak.
"Lies..."
The boy began to lower his head—not just sad, but feeling immense fear toward him now.
"No... you can't..."
He only remembered the prohibition. His father's promise to his mother for their child to live a normal life. Even if that meant being alone now was also a life they could consider normal.
"Go away... go away..."
Blank sobbed. He didn't want to deal with his unfortunate fate anymore. He had promised not to find out.
Drop by drop, tears began to fall on the floor. His body collapsed, his legs unable to support him. The cracked heart was still within him.
(...)
This silence made the little boy lose control of his heart. There was no screaming or rebellion. There was only a feeling of being torn and immense fear.
Pulls him in.
The young man hugged the boy in his moment of weakness. He ruffled his hair and patted his shoulder.
"Your brother will protect you..."
[Kaelan.]
The boy was shocked when the young man knew his name. But the hug warmed the heart that had been cold in his weakened state.
"Our names are not so different. Call me..."
[Brother Kaeri.]
Blank fell silent instantly. His breath was short, his body shaking. His eyes began to well up with tears, and he cried on his brother's shoulder.
The evening sun passed through the window and entered his room. A warming atmosphere once again accompanied the boy at dusk. It was something he would remember forever.
---
When night fell, little Blank was seen sitting and watching his brother cooking eggs in the kitchen.
"Hey, are you really my brother?"
With a face full of curiosity and doubt.
"Yes, I know a lot about you."
"Then how did you meet Grandpa?"
The young man answered while sprinkling salt and whisking eggs in a small jar. "Do you remember Grandpa going to the city?"
The little boy nodded. "When I was 10, Grandpa went to the city for 2 weeks."
The young man glanced at Blank. "Yes, that's when I met him."
"You said I should call you 'uncle'—"
The young man named Kaeri protested. "Don't! I'm still 24, I don't want to be called uncle."
Blank pursed his lips. "Is 24 really that young?"
Annoyed, the young man answered, "Of course it is!"
Blank's eyebrows raised. "Then why did you only come after Grandpa passed?"
The young man sighed. "He said I could see you after he was gone."
Those words made the little boy gloomy. He lowered his head, spinning his finger around on the table.
His brother brought him a plate of rice and eggs. "Eat this. Don't be sad all the time, your brother is here now."
Still, the boy remained gloomy and finally tried tasting his brother's cooking.
Munch...
His eyes sparkled, and he was surprised. "Why is it so good?"
The young man smiled. "I added some scallions and measured the salt just right."
The boy devoured his food quickly. The young man also took a plate of rice and sat across from him.
"Let's eat together."
He invited Blank. Of course, the little boy only answered with a nod because his focus was on swallowing his food.
"Cough cough..."
Blank choked. It made his chest feel tight. The young man shook his head and gave him a glass of water. "You should be patient."
Blank drank the water until it was finished. His choking subsided, and he thanked him with a smile. "Thank you."
The young man smiled. "I told you to call me 'bro'."
"I still don't believe it."
"Ugh..."
---
When bedtime came, Blank, tired from today, lay down on Grandpa's bed. He felt doubtful about someone named Kaeri being his brother. It felt very strange to him.
Dozens of minutes passed, but the boy couldn't sleep and just tried to close his eyes without being able to rest properly. He looked at the ceiling.
"I can't sleep."
The boy then got off his bed and opened his room door.
Creak.
Kaeri was seen sleeping with just one pillow and a carpet as his bedding. The boy looked at him, then returned to his bed.
Thump.
Blank threw a pillow near his brother. It turned out he went back to get it and then slept beside him. The young man opened his eyes and chuckled softly.
"Haha, can't sleep?"
The little boy just gave a flat expression. "Just feel like sleeping outside."
"Haha, if you want to sleep together, why not go to the room? It's more comfortable."
But Blank answered, "Strangers aren't allowed in the room."
The young man just sighed.
Soon, Blank actually slept very soundly when accompanied by his brother. Even though the carpet used as bedding was hard, he could feel safety and comfort there.
---
Morning came. A small hole in the wall allowed the sunlight to enter their dwelling.
"Hmm...? It's morning already."
Blank woke up and saw that he was alone. He looked around but didn't see someone named Kaeri here.
"Where did he go?"
Blank got up and searched around the house—from the kitchen, the room, to the backyard.
He was confused and wondered. "Did that brother disappear?"
There were no clues. Even though he searched, he couldn't find him.
Then the little boy first prepared his bathing equipment to clean himself, then went to study again in his room.
[1 Hour Passed]
In 1 hour, he didn't see his brother again. He felt lonely once more, then went outside and sat on the rotting wooden bench.
(Was that brother just a dream?)
He thought, because he saw no trace of him after waking up. Maybe little Blank was just hallucinating having a brother.
Then his eyes began to well up, and he lowered his head. He felt loss again in an instant after that person disappeared.
Pat pat pat.
"Hey, why are you sad so early in the morning?"
That was his brother's voice. It turned out he wasn't dreaming now. It was all real.
"I went to the market to buy vegetables. Besides, there was nothing in the kitchen."
Then the little boy looked at the young man. He ran and then hugged him, even though his height didn't even reach the young man's chest.
"Hey, what's this... have you started considering me your brother now?"
Blank didn't answer. He just pressed his face against the young man's stomach, making Kaeri smile and pat his hair.
"Let's go to the kitchen, we'll make breakfast."
Little Blank nodded with his face still pressed against the shirt. That made Kaeri chuckle a little.
Everything went well. Kaeri and Blank enjoyed their breakfast together. After finishing, Kaeri opened the large suitcase he brought.
Blank was interested in the equipment he brought. "What's that, bro?"
The young man smiled. "This is a camera, for recording and taking pictures."
The little boy shook his head, not understanding.
"Alright... fine... come with me."
The two of them went out together to find a photo spot. Blank also looked enthusiastic. But what Kaeri was thinking was...
[I have to move this child before the day after tomorrow.]
With a serious and sharp gaze.
---
Meanwhile, in another place somewhat far away, a tall man was seen walking in a dark alley and stopped when he saw a large door in front of him. He knocked on the door.
Knock knock knock.
"Yes?"
"It's me. I want to discuss about the old man yesterday."
"Oh, really? Come in."
---
Then Blank and his brother found a river. After arriving, Kaeri taught Blank how to use the camera he brought.
"Press this to take a picture. And this one turns on the flash."
Then he demonstrated by taking a picture of someone fishing.
Click.
The young man showed the camera's result, which was so beautiful. With perfect lighting giving a natural impression, even if slightly dramatized.
"Wow, it really works using this thing."
"Yeah, that's how it's done. You try."
Blank took the camera and accidentally pressed the button while the lens was pointing at himself.
Click. Flash.
It was a picture along with a bright flash right in front of his eyes. "AAA, MY EYES!"
The young man sighed, scratching his head where it didn't itch.
Blank tried again, but he turned something that made the camera move on its screen. "Bro! The camera can move by itself!"
Kaeri shook his head. "That's called zoom in, zoom out."
Then Blank started walking around the area. He saw the scenery and then began zooming in on something.
(Ugh... I wonder what this kid is trying to photograph, zooming all the way in.)
Click.
"How is it? Let me see the picture."
The young man looked at the camera, but his eyes widened, and he furrowed his brow.
[A picture of a man defecating in the river]
"Hey!"
The young man shouted, annoyed, but Blank just laughed hard at his reaction. "Hahaha!"
The young man made a sour face.
"Ah, bro, let's just go home."
"Why?"
With enthusiasm, the little boy said, "I want to take pictures of Grandpa's house instead. It's full of memories, you know."
The young man sighed. "Alright, let's go."
When they arrived, Blank enthusiastically photographed the entire room—even small details like Grandpa's ancient ring and some other things.
Click Click Click.
(The battery's gonna die in 2 hours at this rate.) Kaeri thought to himself. Then he sat on the sofa and leaned back.
(What a poor child. He really is all alone, huh.)
The young man sighed. (This is a very long mission. Maybe I miss them too. They are also still little.)
Click Click Click.
The young man looked at Blank. He smiled. (Do as you please... maybe this will be a place you'll miss someday...)
Blank looked at the results on his camera. He was very happy that he managed to photograph every corner of the room, even though the results weren't that great.
(So cool. I can see Grandpa's face and many other things on this device.)
Blank's heart spoke as he raised the corners of his lips.
Then the young man asked him. "Hey, if you were asked to leave this place, what percentage would you be willing?"
"0%! I DON'T WANT TO!"
Blank shouted, and the young man scratched his temple.
---
Elsewhere, a large, muscular man faced an old man sitting on a sofa.
The muscular tall man said, "I want to ask about the old man yesterday."
The old man smiled. "Of course, about what?"
His face was slightly scrunched. "Are you sure with this method that man will appear? It's possible he really died as reported."
The old man laughed. "Hahaha!" And sighed. "Joe... maybe you're right. But at least we've uprooted it down to its roots. My revenge can be repaid with this."
The man called Joe asked, "Does this mean it's finished for Leonardo?"
The old man shook his head. He looked sharply at Joe.
"There's one more."
Joe listened curiously. When that sentence was uttered, a smile flashed in their conversation. The old man said...
[Burn that old man's house down.]