Life didn't get easier, even in another world

247 Is he mad at me?

A few days passed since the day that Kairen had that meeting with Alan and the team leader. Alan left that day to look for the books he had hidden and didn’t come back for days. Meanwhile, Kairen and team leader Dains searched everything and everywhere they could to find any clues about the temple of Dawn.

After finally returning from his trip, Alan handed a few old and torn books to team leader Dains, saying that they were the only books directly related to the religion that he had hidden somewhere.

Obviously and naturally, the books were handed to Kairen to deal with the information inside them. As a result, Kairen was so busy the next few days that he didn’t even have the time to practice with captain Neal.

“This is the schedule for your next mission.”

And on top of everything, there was his job in the Secret Operations Unit.

“My next mission?”

Kairen took the paper given to him and read the details.

“It’s the day after tomorrow?”

“Yes.”

.....

The commander nodded.

“There will be two other members of the unit in this mission as well.”

Kairen raised one eyebrow.

“Really? Who are they?”

“Tsk! I said I can’t reveal their identities!”

“...Right.”

Kairen nodded and shut his mouth after seeing the annoyed look on the commander’s face.

“Make sure not to do anything troublesome.”

“Yes, sir.”

“While in the mission, listen to your seniors and do as they say.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Don’t kill everyone and don’t blow up buildings.”

“...Yes, sir.”

“Read the explanations and the plan completely in these two days.”

“Yes, sir.”

The commander glared at Kairen and frowned his brows as if debating if he has done anything wrong or are there any other things that he can scold Kairen with.

‘Why?’

Kairen asked inwardly.

‘Why do you hate me so much?’

He couldn’t understand the reason for the source of the commander’s deep hatred towards himself.

“Well then, get out.”

“...Yes, sir.”

Kairen put the papers in his inventory item and then headed out of the room.

‘Really, you call me and tell me to come to your office only to scold me and then kick me out?’

He nagged as he stomped out.

‘Why? Only because of that mission? Things turned out well in the end though!’

Kairen shook his head. There was no use in thinking about that.

‘The mission is to infiltrate a possible Philomns base...’

A Philomns base and hideout...

‘Is it possible... That he is there as well?’

Kairen lowered his head.

‘Gah! That stupid brother of mine!’

He, who had momentarily stopped walking as he was reminded of his brother, resumed walking while stomping his feet.

‘Why does he even hide from me? He already knows who I am and he keeps avoiding me all the time! Even if we work for two enemy organizations, that doesn’t make us enemies! You are my brother! We could at least have a secret chat without anyone knowing about it! Fool!’

As always, Kairen nagged inwardly, cursed people, and made himself angrier and angrier only by thinking about frustrating things.

‘Maybe... He just doesn’t want to see me?’

Kairen slowed his steps.

‘Is he mad at me because I disappeared so suddenly?’

His steps got slower and slower

‘He doesn’t hate me, does he?’

Until he eventually stopped walking.

‘I wouldn’t be surprised if he does. After all, I was nothing but a bother to him... And probably still am one.’

He was a useless person. Both in this world and in the previous one, he was nothing but a bother to the others. He had always been a headache to his closet people. He was always on the receiving end of things. He didn’t even know why his family did so much for such a useless and stupid being as himself. Why would they, really. In the end, he had never done anything for them. He wanted to be someone they could be proud of and tried so much for it, but he couldn’t achieve anything in the end.

Both in this world and the previous one.

‘But I want to repay you...’

He had to repay his debt to his brother. He had promised himself that he would.

He wanted to be the best. For his brother who stopped chasing his dreams only for Kairen after they lost their parents.

His brother, instead of trying to achieve his own dreams, threw everything he had done away only for his little brother.

He did everything he could only to make a comfortable home for Kairen.

When their parents died due to a fire in their house, Kairen was only 13 and his brother had just turned 18. In order to prevent his little brother from being sent to an orphanage, his brother stopped going to school in his last year and started to work different jobs to earn money.

Their parents had left them enough money to live for a while without worrying financially, but the money was also enough to attract their money-hungry relatives who wanted to take advantage of Kairen still being a kid and his brother’s little experience in life to take their money from them.

And they succeeded to an extent. They fooled his brother by threatening that Kairen would be sent to an orphanage if he didn’t do what they ‘advised’ him or that they would take Kairen away from him, and so they gobbled up almost all of their parents’ money.

That led to his brother doing multiple small jobs at the same time, only to earn money for Kairen and himself to leave.

His brother always liked stars. Since he was a kid, he talked about how he will become a scientist and study the stars one day. And he honestly could become one as he was a really smart and hard-working boy. He had worked hard. He was always the best in everything. Their parents were always proud of him.

‘And then what? I ruined his life!’

If only Kairen wasn’t there, if his brother didn’t have a little stupid creature besides himself called Kairen and didn’t feel obligated to take care of him, he would’ve really become the great person he always wished to be.

If only Kairen didn’t exist, his brother would have a much happier life. He would be able to do anything he liked. He could live however he liked without even needing to worry about money and having to work so much. He wouldn’t have to bear the responsibility of supporting someone else if Kairen wasn’t born. If only he wasn’t born, everything for his family would be better.

Kairen always wondered why his brother did such a thing. Why would he ruin his life for a useless thing like Kairen? He could’ve just let their relatives take Kairen with themselves and do whatever they wanted with him, or even send him to an orphanage and then easily live his life without worrying about earning money for his little brother.

He actually once asked those questions to his brother. He asked him why he tried so hard to earn money when he had to attend a university instead. He then told his brother that he had to just leave Kairen in an orphanage.

The only thing he got as an answer from his brother was a slap on his face, a few curse words, and a week of being ignored by him.

He didn’t get the answer he wanted, but he was kinda relieved back then. His brother didn’t seem to want to abandon him, wasn’t that good? It’s not like Kairen wanted to be thrown away by his brother, but he didn’t want to be a burden either.

That’s why he promised himself and his brother that once he grows up enough, he would repay him! Kairen studied hard. He finished his studies and got a degree two years sooner than average, found a good job, and was about to finally be the one who would support the other when he was suddenly thrown to this land.

‘Is he mad at me?’

Kairen couldn’t help but think.

‘Does he hate me now?’

The scary thoughts came from somewhere, whirled in his mind, and got more and more frightening the more he asked them from himself.

“Hey, Kairen!”

SLAM

“Gasp!”

Kairen gasped in surprise and jolted up, looking behind his back in search of the person who just hit him from behind.

“Ops! Sorry!”

There, he could see Serria with not much of a sorry face and also Reyan who was glaring at her while approaching Kairen.

.....

“Did that wild beast hit you hard?”

“...Y-yes?”

Kairen looked up at Reyan with confusion.

Wild beast?

“Oy! Who are you calling a wild beast? Have you seen yourself in the mirror? You look like a humanoid buffalo!”

He got his answer soon enough.

“Tsk!”

Reyan just clicked his tongue and looked away from Serria.

“Let’s go.”

He then pushed Kairen forward with one hand.

“You are going to the kid’s kindergarten, right? I’ll drive you there.”

“Huh? There is no need for that.”

“Hey! Don’t leave me behind! I’m coming too!”

“My car has only one empty spot.”

“What the hell! What kind of car is that?”

“It’s small. I’m poor.”

“Yeah! You are only poor when it comes to me!”

“Uh, but I can go by myself.”

“Kairen, are you free in the evening? We can go do some fun stuff like in the past if you are.”

“I’m coming too! Me too me too!”

“I’m free but... there is Ariyan.”

“You can bring him as well.”

“Oy! Didn’t your car only have one empty spot?”

“I guess Ariyan would like to go out a little bit...”

“That’s good then.”

“Why does this boy look like a father all of a sudden?”

“Huh? But I’m an uncle.”

“Where are we going to go? Should we also eat in a restaurant? Reyan’s treat!”

“We are not taking you.”

“Alright, I’ll pay for the food!”

“I said I’m not letting you in my car!”

“I can’t hear you maybe I suddenly went deaf I don’t know.”

“....”

Kairen ended up listening to these two’s argument the whole evening.