Knock knock.
Sister.
The one knocking on the door was the sa person I had been worrying about just a mont ago. As soon as I heard Cassadins voice, I unconsciously let out a sigh of relief.
Thankfully, he didnt get caught.
After internally thanking him for just safely making it back to the mansion, I opened my mouth.
Co in.
In response, the door to my room opened.
Creak
The door slowly opened to reveal his figure. Thankfully, Cassadin had returned ho unscathed.
His reflection in the moonlight felt different than usual for so reason. There must be sothing on his mind, as his entire body was letting off a gloomy aura, and his handso face had a shadow drawn over it.
Cassadin, did you get hurt? Or are you sick?
I expressed my concern to my younger brother, but Cassadin just turned his head sideways.
Then, can you tell whats troubling you?
I placed a teacup with freshly brewed tea in the hands of the tight-lipped man. But Cassadin just quietly stared down at the cup of tea in his hands.
Thats what family is for, after all.
With those words, Cassadins gaze rose from the teacup to my face. But the state of the eyes that stared back at was as dry as the frigid winter winds.
Slowly, his sealed lips opened up.
Are we family?
His silver hair glittered in the moonlight. But the next words that ca out of his mouth were ones that I couldnt predict.
Do you like green eyes, Sister?
For a mont, I thought my ears werent working properly.
What do you an?
I asked if you liked green eyes.
So I didnt hear it wrong. But I couldnt just tell Cassadin I said that to Damian to make him flustered, though.
When I didnt respond, Cassadin continued, his voice sinking even deeper.
So thats why you went all the way to the prison.
He must have jumped to his own conclusions, as Cassadins gaze fell to the floor while he laughed coldly.
Do you not like because I dont have green eyes?
Why is he saying that with a contorted face?
It cant be jealousy, could it? Or is he still putting on a mask for an act?
Well, either way, it didnt matter. The scars within his heart were likely to be as deep as the ones that had been on his body. I just had to continue caring for him as my precious younger brother.
I patted Cassadins toned back as if comforting a child.
Cassadin, of course not. Eye color has nothing to do with how I think of you.
Like the first day I brought him here, Cassadin quietly stared at my face, examining it. His purple eyes seed especially dark today as the moonlight revealed their color.
Then why did you say such things in front of ?
Cassadin?
Hair as dark as the night sky, erald eyes that must be stared at and picked straight out of the heavens. A sleek jawline with even a calming, tranquil voice that resonates like a cave.
Cassadin recited the exact words I said to Damian earlier today. I felt a little shiver run through my spine, hearing Cassadin cite each word, but I calmly responded to him.
Cassadin, the person I like the most is you.
Dont ever say sothing ridiculous, like about liking green eyes, again. No matter what you look like, I will love you more than anyone else in the world.
Just like how a parent comforts an anxious child, I tightly embraced Cassadin.
I released him from my embrace to look back into his eyes, but for so reason, Cassadin was completely expressionless as he stared down at , watching my every move.
Just how many.
Everything happened in an instant.
Crash!
At the sa ti Cassadin spoke, the teacup he was holding plumted to the ground and shattered. Sharp pieces of glass filled the floor, and the contents of the teacup also spilled onto the floor.
I stared at Cassadin with startled eyes.
But regardless of whether the teacup broke, he roughly pulled my body close to him. He only needed a single arm to wrap around my entire waist. I could only see Cassadins face as he scanned my body.
I was trapped in his grasp. My eyes widened automatically at the sudden predicant.
There was barely enough space between the two of us that our breaths could reach one another, but as if he were mocking , Cassadin was looking down at with an indifferent expression.
A dark shadow cast over his face, and I couldnt find a single emotion in it.
How many people have you tricked that way?
Cassadin.
What number am I on your count?
Cassadin tilted his head towards as he asked.
Because of that, the distance that had been more than a hands length away was shortened to the point where our noses were about to touch.
In response to his attitude and tone, which seed to scold , I turned my head slightly to the side and squinted my eyes.
Even though I expressed my clear discomfort about the situation, Cassadin didnt seem to have any intention of letting out of his firm arms.
Sister, didnt I ask you a question?
Youre my first.
Did he want to lock up in his arms?
The pressure he put on my body was so intense that the lack of breath made it hard to spell out the words in my mouth.
The fact that Cassadins face remained placid even as he did such things to was so unsettling that I completely turned my face away from him.
Or I tried, to be exact. But before I could do so, Cassadin seized by the chin.
!
Even as my face scrunched up and expressed distress, my younger brother, in the end, had my eyes facing him, then whispered to with a face holding no expression.
Sister. Dont turn your eyes away from .
You have to maintain eye contact when speaking.
Cass adin. Why are you
My breath was shallow from suffocation, but with the few words I managed to spit out, I glared at Cassadin with resentnt. Only then did a faint smile bloom on his cold face.
I didnt know my sister could make such an expression.
The sight made so shocked that my lips parted slightly. Seeing my surprised expression, he smiled as if satisfied and continued.
I hate you, Sister.
Slip-
Saying that, Cassadin released all of the power he was using to keep locked in his arms. As soon as he let go, I broke free from his embrace, almost as if I were escaping.
One would think I just did sothing bad to you.
Cassadin smiled darkly as he saw breathing heavily. I massaged my throat while looking at Cassadin, only to find him walking through the shattered glass on the ground over to .
The manner in which he was staring at , eyes still and veins on his neck pulsating, resembled that of a predator about to pounce on its prey.
Though I havent even gotten started yet.
His mouth was smiling, but the eyes that were looking down at did not move in sync with the bottom half of his face. Then I called out the na of my rebellious younger brother.
Cassadin.
Yes, Sister.
If this makes you feel better, youre free to do so at any ti.
His eyebrows arched up at my statent. Dumbfounded, he blinked several tis before drawing his head sideways, as if he couldnt believe a single thing I said.
Nonsense.
If its what my one and only younger brother wants, what could I not handle?
Sister.
Cassadin swept his silver hair back frustratingly and bit his lower lip.
I advise you not to provoke any further.
As Cassadin said that, it sounded like a growl was rumbling in the back of his throat.
I truly felt pity for my younger brother.
Poor Cassadin.
How he was trying not to reveal his weaknesses, pretending he wasnt kind by nature, made my heart ache for him.
Because it ant that although the physical wounds that once scarred Cassadins body were gone, there was still a complicated ss left inside his heart. Scars that had been ignored for so long that they had decayed.
It was heart-wrenching how Cassadin had to carry the burden of those scars alone.
Losing the trust he could give to others, he chose to walk down the path of a monster.
But no matter how big the teeth he bared seed, he was still my soft-hearted, lovely younger brother.
Cassadin.
Im always on your side.
I smiled warmly as I looked at my one and only younger brother.
Contrary to my smiling expression, Cassadins scowl only deepened. He opened his mouth to talk, then closed it back up several tis before he finally sighed softly.
I dont like you, Sister.
Its okay if you dont like .
My answer must have been quite shocking to him, as Cassadins eyes widened in disbelief.
You can use any ti you want to.
So just promise one thing in return.
I answered Cassadins cautious stare with a wide smile.
I wish you would stop hurting yourself.
Cassadin simply took a deep breath, then turned around. Then I asked the figure who was walking to the door of my room.
Are you leaving?
Yes.
He answered quietly, then walked out of the room without looking back.
Clack
Only after I heard the door close did I let out a deep sigh. The glass shards from the teacup scattered on the ground seed to represent Cassadins current state.
I lay on the bed. My younger brother was really hard to look after.
His acting skills were one of a kind. Then I pulled up the bedsheets over and thought back to what he had said to .
How many people have you tricked that way?
What number am I on your count?
I did sowhat agree with what Cassadin said. It was true that I ultimately took in Cassadin as a family to use him.
.But he also tricked , didnt he?
Up front, he lovingly called sister, but he attempted to kill the Crown Prince behind my back and tried to harm .
Oh, what stories the Crown Prince of a fallen kingdom would have.
Not to ntion that Cassadin hadnt told a single thing about his past, so I had no choice but to investigate on my own.
Ill need to see this first thing tomorrow morning.
The paper with a map drawn on it that Sasha provided was hidden away in the drawer of my dressing table.
Hyran Kingdom.
The kingdom that Damians father had rendered to ash over a prophecy, and Cassadins holand.
In order to learn about the past that Cassadin wouldnt tell himself, I firmly decided to visit the location marked on the map. It wouldnt hurt to try.
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