"....Brandon?"
It didn't make any sense.
He was missing—
No.
He was dead for nine months. Why is he showing up now?
And in the first place, is he even real?
She didn't want to accept it.
She had already managed to recover sowhat.
But if he was nothing but a sick illusion…
…She would revert back to day one.
"Sis, mom."
That was definitely his voice. Although his hair might be long, she couldn't forget her brother's figure.
He was definitely Brandon Locke.
Just a bit taller.
Brandon stood still. He seed like he didn't know what to say as he averted his gaze.
Just like him, their mother stood in silence as well. Her gaze widened, and it seed like her eyes were moist.
"...My baby boy. It's you, isn't it?"
"Yes… mom."
But despite confirming, Brandon's head was lowered, not eting their gaze.
Tak. Tak.
That was when Brianna imdiately ran towards Brandon and hugged him tightly.
With a smile on his face, Brandon returned the hug.
"...I can't believe it. I really can't believe it. This is really you, right? Where have you been? Where did you run off to? Why would you make us worry?
You've been gone for so long. And your father…"
Brianna spoke too fast. But eventually, she paused and her voice cracked.
Shoulders trembled, and Brandon caressed the back of her head.
No words were exchanged between the two. Brandon must've had his own circumstances.
Brianna seed to understand that.
But Belle on the other hand, stood still as she watched the entire scene in disbelief.
Caressing his mother's back, Brandon's gaze eventually landed on Belle.
As soon as their eyes t, Belle flinched.
Despite the confirmation of his survival, she was still in denial.
If sohow, he wasn't actually Brandon, but a re illusion, then her heart would undoubtedly shatter.
Drip.
Before she realized it, a single tear trickled down her cheek.
She missed him.
It was then when Brandon's lips pulled up to a warm smile.
That smile…
There was no mistaking it.
It was really him.
Tak. Tak.
…And she too joined their embrace.
The mother and daughter duo's shoulders trembled under the arms of Brandon.
Sob. Sob.
The silence being broken by the occasional sound of their sobbing.
They were the only Locke family mbers left.
All of Belle's problems were completely drowned out at this mont.
Just the confirmation of Brandon's survival had lightened the load on her shoulders.
This was the best news they had ever gotten in the past month.
And at that, the Locke family had finally reunited.
***
'So much has changed…'
The family road the streets of the human domain.
'Apparently, it's called the human domain now.'
The streets bustled with activity. Vendors and rchants filled the streets. The pavents seed like they were newly carved.
According to Belle, in the first four months, it wasn't like this.
But when humanity realized that the other races had never attacked them, they poured their resources and settled down.
Oh, and there was a wall now.
A really tall and big one.
But still, humanity wasn't stupid enough to be at ease.
They knew it was only a matter of ti before sothing happened.
But here in the human domain, they could at least find peace.
For now.
They seed to gather the attention of several people. Belle and Brianna were beauties after all.
But for so reason, there were gazes fixed on Brandon as well, despite being with these beauties.
It couldn't have been because of his long hair…
And that aside, he was less buff than he was back then.
His muscles were more defined. But they're more constricted now.
And the fact that he wore a white long sleeve…
It covered most of his features.
So…
'Ah, they think I'm a girl.'
Made sense.
"Won't you get a haircut?"
Belle's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
She pinched her chin and scanned his face.
"You kind of look like now…"
"Isn't that for the best?"
"Ah, right. You want to go all mysterious on your friends."
"For now."
"But that reminds . Why?"
And now this was the hard part.
To convince Belle of his future activities.
Not only that, but their mother was here and she was listening attentively.
But Brandon had already rehearsed his lines with Alia and Ciel.
He knew just what to say.
Probably.
"I'll tell you after we get a al. What's the most popular place at the mont?"
"Oh."
Belle looked at Brianna who looked back at her at that mont. Then, they fixed their gaze on Brandon.
"...."
*
They arrived at the restaurant.
Apparently, it was a steakhouse.
It was supposedly one of the most popular restaurants in the human domain and as expected, it was jam-packed with people.
"What would you like to order?"
"Ah yes. Can we have three of the most expensive steaks on your nu?"
"Noted. Three A5 Kobe beef. Would that be all?"
"Wait."
Brandon's voice cut through Brianna and the waiter's conversation.
"Make it five."
"...."
"...."
Belle and Brianna seed speechless. The steak was expensive after all. But Brandon used this chance.
He was being treated.
And this was his first solid al in nine months.
Their reactions were expected. But what he didn't expect was the eventual smile plastered in their faces.
For whatever reason they were smiling, Brandon was unsure.
Now it was ti to get down to business.
He brushed his bangs back and looked at the two seriously.
Shortly after, he pursed his lips and began explaining what he plans on doing.
"So…"
It took a whole lot of convincing.
"No, absolutely not!"
"She's right, Brandon. You just ca back, and now you want to go and get yourself killed?"
He was t with opposition.
A lot of opposition.
In fact, it didn't even feel like he would manage to convince them.
"Sis, mom."
Out of respect for his family, he had to tell them. Even when he knew he would be t with opposition.
Ti passed, and the three continued to argue. Attention was fixed on them, and whenever the two girls' realized it, they would lower their voices.
"When I return, I'll join the army and support you, sis."
And that was his proposal.
"Not you too, Brandon!"
Brianna's reaction was expected. Her husband died as a military man.
It seed like even Belle had a hard ti convincing her when she was about to join the army.
And now the topic shifted.
It seed like his plan worked.
Now Belle couldn't retort, when even she was t with opposition by their mother.
Belle now argued with their mother. The topic had completely diverted.
It was then when Belle's gaze landed on Brandon.
The expression on his face told her all she needed to know. As if he was saying, 'This is how it feels like.'
Ti passed like that.
The conversation died down, and Brandon had managed to convince both Belle and Brianna.
But in exchange…
"Visit us every month, please."
Belle seed to share the sa thoughts as Brianna as she nodded at her words.
He had already planned on doing that.
He couldn't worry them.
And eventually, their food arrived.
But that wasn't the only surprise.
Brandon's eyes shot wide open.
Several employees encircled them, wearing party hats.
And they began singing.
What in the world.
—Happy Birthday, to you~
This…
It was his birthday?
Even he didn't know.
All of a sudden, an employee appeared with a chocolate cake. On it had a candle that seed to form the number '17'.
"Your birthday was yesterday. But still… Now that you're here, we have to celebrate it."
It was a pleasant surprise.
So Brandon Locke's birthday was June 1…
…On the sa day he was transmigrated a year ago.
That re fact had left Brandon conflicted.
It ant that he had replaced the original Brandon Locke…
'On his birthday…'
The only words he could think of were…
'That's kinda fucked.'
He blew on the candle, and the family enjoyed their al shortly after.
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