Chapter 399 - Brother’s Resolution-III

The Mistress trained her eyes on him that felt like eternity before she break a smile on her lips, "That's alright. Did you made sure to kill the rest of her family too? It shall be a warning to those white witches to become more obedient as they should."

"Tomorrow I will be on it," Taein answered his mother with the same smile. If outsider looked at them, they looked no less than any other loving mother and son pair when in truth one was at fear and the other was indifferent.

"It's been a long day for you, get some rest and continue your work tomorrow morning," the Mistress said as she came toward her son, patting his shoulders in a smile.

Taein left the room and the Mistress was in a silent thought. "Did you tail every actions he made?" She asked to the subordinate who appeared from the darkness.

"I did, mistress. Unfortunately..." the man became hesitant and the Mistress snapped her eyes on him for the man to hurry his dawdling. "I lost him for a couple of minutes."

"Couple of minutes? The exact time!" The Mistress quickly appeared angered. 

"H-Half an hour, forgive me mistress. I swear by my life I would—" the man didn't manage to continue his word as in the next second, from his neck blood streamed out. The Mistress clutched her hand tighter to the body of the purple dagger she had been holding with a deep, wrathful anger.

After Taehyung left the house, the Mistress would never forget to keep tabs on the younger one. To be betrayed b her own son angered the woman and even more to be abandoned that strike her nerves. Now that it seems Taein was doing something secretive on that long half an hour which had never happened before, the Mistress's suspicion on him only heightened. 

The next day, Taehyung waited for Taein to come for a visit. While waiting, he visited the people of the town and came back with a handful of fruits as it was harvest time. For long, Taehyung had wanted a place to settle in and with how kind and lovely the souls he met here, he thought that the town might not be a bad place for him to start a life in.

He opened the door to his home, trying to bring light as it was dark from inside the house with the windows that were covered, he heard a creaking sound. Being sensitive with people chasing for him, Taehyung's hand quickly reached out for the other person's neck only stopping by an inch when Taein spoke, "It's me."

Taehyung's eyes widened and he snapped his finger for the lights to turn on. It was similar to watching his own reflection but his brother was more of an existence than a reflection to Taehyung. Words were unneeded at such a meeting. Yesterday felt like a dream and he had always hold the heavy guilt of leaving Taein alone. 

To see his brother was save relieved him. Taehyung reached out his hand and went to hug his younger brother. While being hugged, Taein's eyes were wide. 

His hands were hung on air. It was as if he was slapped but the feeling he felt wasn't disappointment.

"G-Get away from me," Taein said and Taehyung pulled a small smile as he let go of his hands. 

"I'm sorry I thought you won't come back," after all he had left Taein even if at the time he had no choice.

Taein had no words in reply. He looked away, taking sight of the basket that were filled with radishes and potatoes, "You are farming now?"'

"Oh," Taehying realized how his younger brother deliberately veering their topic. "No, I got them from the neighborhood around us. The humans, mother always thought us how greedy they are but I think that isn't necessarily true. The people here are kind. Of course I met some more who weren't but just because they are human, I don't think it's right to paint them in the same color because they are not."

"Just like you," answered Taein and Taehyung smile in the response.

"Yes."

"What else did you do?" Taein asked, there were interest in his black eyes that had Taehyung smile because he knew despite Taein's curt responses, he was no less happier than him. 

"There's a lot," Taehyung quickly took a seat and waved his hand for Taein to come to where the seat was made at, "I will tell you some of my stories around the places I met. Come here."

Taein saw the seat in front of his older brother. His expression was complex which can be seen from his expression but the fact that there was warmth in his heart he had hid it well.

The next few weeks growing to months, Taein visited Taehyung in any time he could. They would always sit and although the one who does the most talking with Taehyung, Taein was truthfully never bored with their mundane meeting.

There was time when they met the white witchess. Taein wasn't friendly but his eyes glimmered with a fascinated light when he saw the baby on the wooden cradle.

"...good name," Taehyung's voice rang inside the room where the baby was as they entered the room. "Min Beomgyu. I have to say that's a good name."

"Throughout my hundred years of living, I learned that Spring is never changing. It is always beautiful to my eyes. That's where I choose his name for. But isn't it too girly for a boy?"

Taehyung raised both hands and shake them, "I think it's lovely." Turning his face, he then looked at his brother who was standing at the corner of the room, near the wooden crib. He kept staring that had him to chuckle.

"Isn't he cute?" Taehyung asked and Taein realized his own folly of staring at the baby for long.

"No he look like a monkey," scoffed Taein.

"Said the person who was also a monkey when he was first born," Taehyung remarked. "Seeing babies, don't you have that kind of hope inside you to have one as well?"

Taein stared blankly at the question. His tongue stopped moving and he felt a ball on his throat, "I don't... with her blood in my body. I might not be certain about what kind of weather it would be tomorrow but for certain I know that one day I will also follow her steps."

Taehyung scrunched his brows, "You won't," he said, coming closer to his brother who was now standing in front of the crib and placed his hand on the railing of it. He then turned and smiled, "You and mother are both different people. You can break your curse Taein. We are not her even if she did give us life."

Taein appeared almost emotionless as he responded, "You shouldn't trust me..."

"You are my brother. Of course I trust you, we knew each other since we come to this world, I trust you more than anyone else or myself."

Taehyung didn't hear a reply after long of ensued silence. He saw Taein who had turned to the window to hide his expression which had him smile.

The days they spent were eventful yet peaceful. Taein who never mingle with humans had a difficult time getting acquaintance with the town folks but it wasn't long before he helped them with miscellaneous work such as fixing the lights and the roof of the old residents. 

Taehyung thought that they had mend their brotherhood until one day Taein came to the town again, along with all the black witches and killed everyone who was on sight.

Back to present, Taehyung looked fiercely at his brother, "Was it mother who forced you to do that?"