One month had passed, with weeks and days slipping away. The younger one always remained silent in the presence of the Elder, his so-called father, and Mrs. Alit. It wasn't fear that held him back, but rather an unfamiliarity with their company. Ederic's mother, despite taking medicine, seemed to grow weaker by the day. The medication appeared ineffective, possibly due to her frail body.
When Ederic and Aaron returned from school, she would greet them with a warm smile at the doorstep. The younger one appreciated this gesture, but Aaron did not. Nonetheless, seeing her smile every time they returned made the atmosphere feel warmer, even though Aaron tried to maintain a cold demeanor.Ederic, being naive, failed to notice his mother's declining health. However, one couldn't blame him; he was the innocent and pure soul of the mansion, always wearing a smile, even in the face of heartbreak.Whenever the younger one spotted Aaron at school, he would go out of his way to avoid him, which started to irritate Aaron.AT NIGHT:After dinner, everyone retired to their rooms. Ederic's mother took on the task of washing dishes. Once finished, she retrieved the pill bottle, hidden among various jars so that Ederic wouldn't find it. She didn't want her beloved son to worry about her.Just as she was about to close the bottle, a noise from the kitchen startled her. The pills spilled onto the floor. Turning to the person in the kitchen, she nervously asked, "Oh, Aaron, do you need something?" He walked over, knelt down, and began picking up the pills, placing them back into the bottle, surprising her."You haven't been well. Why do you insist on doing all the work?" Aaron voiced his concern, revealing that he knew about her heart disease."It's nothing serious. I'm fine," Ederic's mom replied, smiling gently."Don't think I'm worried about you. Your son is too naive to handle everything on his own," Aaron's pride prevented him from fully expressing his concern. But deep down, he did worry, knowing that Ederic was too innocent to handle everything alone. He felt a sense of responsibility for his younger brother."My days are numbered, Aaron. Since you know about my illness, I don't want to hide anything. He's still a child and doesn't know the harsh realities of society. If I'm not around, please take care of him. I know you hate me and Ederic. We never intended to disrupt your life. We're still a hindrance to you and your mom. Please don't hate him because of me. He is innocent," she pleaded with him. Aaron was taken aback. He did harbor some resentment, but not to the extent he initially thought.Things had changed in this one month. He refrained from bothering his little brother, even though he wanted to tease him at times. Nevertheless, his thoughts shifted to the pale woman standing before him."He should learn to fend for himself," Aaron said, walking away. She remained speechless; this new generation seemed to hold grudges against people for no apparent reason. Perhaps Aaron was one of those affected by the harsh realities of life.In his room, Aaron sighed and lay down on his bed. "Both mother and son are annoying. Arghhh..." he growled, though deep down, he couldn't deny being touched by her warm smile every evening."Hope you get better, at least for your foolish son," he mumbled before closing his eyes, exhausted from the day. It was a tiring time for Aaron, as he was in his last year of school and had to devote more time to choosing a university. He had already aced his entrance exams, earning top ranks and invitations from numerous institutions eager to have Alit's eldest son. No one dared to speak ill of the Alit family; they wielded power, and Aaron's exceptional IQ made him a formidable presence, ruling the school with his intellect and astonishing everyone.He, Aaron Alit was undoubtedly a unique individual from birth.Two days had passed since Aaron last spoke to Ederic's mom. Whenever they crossed paths, he purposefully avoided her, not wanting to engage with her at all."Ed, why don't you go to your Hyung's room and play with him? You're always staying in your room," Mrs. Alit expressed concern for the little one. Ederic hesitated for a moment, not wanting to upset his brother."It's... it's okay... I'm fine being alone," Ederic replied, before quickly running away from the situation. His heart pounded heavily in his chest. He hadn't done anything to Aaron, yet his brother seemed to harbor resentment towards him. Ederic desperately wished for Aaron's affection and admiration, but it seemed like an unattainable dream.He knew all too well about Aaron's temper; the elder often lost his cool over trivial matters. The mixed feelings of yearning for his brother's love and fearing his temper caused him pain. Unbeknownst to him, his own feelings towards Aaron had changed.Curiosity got the better of him, and Ederic decided to visit Aaron's room after Mrs. Alit mentioned it. As he approached the door, he saw it open, revealing Aaron standing inside."Hyung," Ederic called out nervously."What are you doing here?" Aaron asked bluntly, causing Ederic to tremble. He didn't understand why Aaron was angry with him; all he wanted was his brother's affection."I... Mrs. Alit told me to play with you..." Ederic stammered, unable to call Mrs. Alit "eomma" yet, finding it difficult to address her that way."Mrs. Alit..." Aaron sneered, leaving Ederic shivering in response to his cold nature. How could someone be so cold, especially when faced with the innocence and vulnerability of a younger sibling? Aaron moved aside to allow Ederic to enter, not because of his brother, but because Mrs. Alit was watching nearby. Though annoyed, Aaron at least allowed the younger one into his room.As soon as the door closed behind Ederic, Aaron's demeanor changed, becoming stern and cold."You want to grab attention? Well, congratulations, you won," Aaron's words pierced Ederic's heart. How could his brother speak to him in such a hurtful manner? Ederic had been happy when Aaron let him in, but now he felt like a burden."It wasn't like that, Hyung," Ederic's voice wobbled. In response, Aaron slammed him against the wall, trapping him in a vulnerable position."Hyung," Ederic's eyes filled with silvery tears, his heart breaking into pieces."I'm... I'm sorry, Hyung. I won't disturb you in the future," he broke down into tears, which only seemed to annoy Aaron further. The elder one dragged Ederic to a corner of the room, which Aaron used as a storage area, and locked him inside. The room lacked light and proper ventilation."Hyung, please open the door. I'm scared, it's dark in here," Ederic pleaded, knocking on the door continuously, his whimpering echoing inside."Reflect on yourself in that room. How weak... You're not fit to be an Alit," Aaron coldly uttered, plugging his earphones in to block out Ederic's cries. He started listening to his favorite song, drowning out the younger one's voice.After some time, Aaron went downstairs for dinner, leaving Ederic alone in the dark room."Where is Ed, Aaron?" Mrs. Alit inquired."He said he didn't want to eat dinner, Mom. Don't bother me about him," Aaron's voice sounded irritated. Mrs. Alit was suspicious but refrained from saying anything."This kid doesn't know how to take care of himself," Mr. Alit sighed. Ederic's mom remained silent, sensing that something was amiss.Thanks to the mansion's solid construction, Ederic's screams couldn't be heard from the outside. After finishing dinner, Aaron returned to his room. Silence now filled the room, but Ederic's whimpering still reached Aaron's ears. He put aside everything and slipped under the blanket, feeling disgusted with himself for bullying his vulnerable brother. Nevertheless, every time he saw Ederic, annoyance still managed to creep up inside him.MIDNIGHTAaron couldn't sleep at all; something was constantly bothering him. Perhaps he had been too harsh on the kid earlier. With hesitation, he approached Ederic's room and finally turned the doorknob, causing the door to click open. There he found the boy curled up, whimpering even in his sleep. The room was cold, and Ederic was shivering."Hey, wake up," Aaron gently touched him, but the younger boy almost lost balance in his sleep. Without thinking, Aaron pulled Ederic into his embrace to prevent him from falling."What the hell am I doing?" Aaron asked himself as he lifted the younger one in his arms, carrying him like a bride, and walked out of the room. The whole floor was eerily silent, illuminated only by dim lights trying to brighten the mansion.He brought Ederic to his own room. Opening the door was a struggle with someone in his arms, but he managed it. Aaron switched on the light, annoyed by the difficulty while holding someone close to him. His thoughts were momentar
Two days had passed since the incident, and as usual, the elder ignored the younger one, not giving him a second glance.In the evening, after returning from school, the younger one couldn't find his eomma again. This repeated every day since coming to the mansion. He felt heavy-hearted; he was used to the warm welcome of his eomma since his kindergarten days. Even if she wasn't feeling well, she never missed welcoming Ederic home in the evening. However, since coming to this luxurious mansion, she always disappeared and only welcomed him in the evening. The suffocation caused by this luxurious life couldn't be erased by anything for this boxy smile boy.While he was lost in his thoughts, someone walked into his room. He didn't notice the person as he drowned in his deep ocean of thoughts."Baby, what happened? You look down," Ederic's mom entered, holding a small box in her hand. As soon as he saw his mother, he ran towards her and hugged her tightly."Eomma, where did you go? Do you
Two days later, the younger one was still overjoyed because of the bracelet his mother had brought for him. He cherished it like a treasure, keeping it in his hands most of the time. Ederic was deeply attached to his bracelet, feeling the love and warmth from his mother through it. He walked around with a constant smile, oblivious to the outer world and its worries. It was his cute tiny world where he and his mom were only there. One day, while at school, Dallin excitedly pointed out to Lyan that they often saw the same boy around. “Hyung look at that boy. we are meeting him often right” Dallin leaped a little seeing the tiger cub there. “Fuck you, Dallin. it's been one month since we regularly attended the class. why are you being dramatic” He was kind of annoyed by the younger's words. yeah, the younger was already attached to Ederic just by watching him far away. Lyan was irritated by the mention of the younger one, as he didn't like the rich kids, but Dallin couldn't help gettin
Aaron refuses to give the bracelet back to the younger brother, Ederic. He keeps the bracelet with him, symbolizing the entangled relationship between the two brothers, destined to hurt each other.As the weekend approaches, Aaron informs his mother, Mrs Alit, about the school trip and asks for permission. “I'm going on a school trip this weekend. I need permission” Aaron gave a permission letter to Mrs Alit for signature. Mrs Alit, aware of her son's stubbornness, signs the permission letter without any questions, choosing not to argue with him.Curious about whether Ederic will be going on the trip as well, Mrs Alit asks Aaron about his brother's plans “Is Ederic coming?”. However, Aaron dismisses the question, implying that it's none of his concern, “Ask him if you want. It's none of my business”. Taking the paper, he walked away from there. Mrs Alit sighed hard. When would this dumb boy change? small change, a dumb boy with 148 1Q. Meanwhile, in Ederic's room, he seeks his mother
IN THE TRIP"This place looks amazing," one of the students complimented as they strolled through the forest area. The chilly breeze, the scenic beauty—it felt like heaven to them."It truly is a slice of paradise," another agreed.The forest they come for a trip tucked away in the heart of nature, where the trees stood tall and proud, their emerald leaves creating a mesmerising canopy above. Sunlight filtered through the foliage, casting a warm, ethereal glow upon the forest floor.As the students ventured deeper into the forest, they discovered a world filled with enchantment and wonder. The air was scented with the sweet fragrance of wildflowers, and the melodic symphony of chirping birds and rustling leaves embraced them like a soothing lullaby.A meandering stream flowed through the heart of the forest, its crystal-clear waters reflecting the vibrant colours of the surrounding flora. Graceful butterflies danced gracefully, adding to the already magical ambience.The students were
THE NEXT DAY, THE OFFICIAL TRIP STARTEDWhen Ederic woke up, he couldn't find his hyungs beside him. Pehaps, He had slept well last night, thanks to Dallin's warm cuddles.Stepping outside, Ederic saw that all the boys were wandering around in their boxers. Girls were not present, making it a boys-only scene."Hey, you're awake. Let's head to the river. Everyone's there," Dallin called out as he entered the tent."You're wearing your shirt fully," Ederic asked innocently. Dallin couldn't resist the cuteness."You adorable tiger, just slay me with your cuteness," Dallin exclaimed, playfully jumping on Ederic and ruffling his hair until it became messier than when he woke up. Ederic laughed joyfully.Unbeknownst to them, someone was watching from afar, and that someone could only be Aaron."That cat man didn't let me take off my clothes, or I'd get smacked on the head. Let's go," Dallin pouted adorably, voicing a slight complaint. Ederic nodded, and they walked together, leading to a pl
Ederic's heart throbbed with pain as he ran away from the scene, feeling as though it had been stabbed by countless knives. Seeking comfort and solace, he approached his Hyung to ask for his bracelet, but instead, he found himself forcibly pushed into a nearby river by his brother. The frigid waters penetrated his fragile body, sending shivers down his spine.Desperate to escape the turmoil within him, Ederic hurried to a place Dallin had once taken him before coming to the river. It was the only location where he could find a semblance of peace. Underneath a tree, he curled up, placing his cheeks on his knees, and let out a heartfelt cry, unable to contain his emotions any longer.The sobbing continued for what felt like an eternity “I don't want to be weak...” until a rustling sound from the trees startled him. A mysterious figure emerged from the shadows, approaching him with a calming aura, “How long you are going to cry?” The person had doe-like eyes and bunny teeth, giving off
Dallin and Lyan approached the tent with evident concern etched on their faces. It was only natural for them to worry about Ederic, who was still fragile and innocent, susceptible to harm from anything around him.As they entered the tent, they took a deep breath, finding the younger one nestled under a warm blanket and an inaudible whimper escaped from the younger's mouth which was unnoticed by them. But they couldn't understand why he clung to it as if he had been submerged in a river.Little did they know, just an hour ago, the tiger pup had indeed fallen into the river, an experience that left him shaken and distressed.Dallin went straight to Ederic and embraced him tightly, providing the comfort he needed. Lyan knew he had been hard on him a few minutes ago, and now a strange sense of guilt gnawed at his mind, leaving him restless and yearning to take it all back. Ederic wished he could disappear into a deep hole to escape his own feelings."You scared me to death, Ederic. Where