My Hyung is a Hero
Hello?
I’m the hero’s spoiled brat (written as spoiled brat, read as asshole) younger brother.
Yes! Just like that introduction, I’m a twisted, out-of-touch, selfish asshole spoiled brat younger brother!
You’re asking why the younger brother’s personality is like that when his hyung is a hero!?
“Hyung… where are you going at this early hour?”
“The princess of the castle has been kidnapped. I’ll be back soon, hyung will.”
“Can’t you not go? I don’t want to be alone…”
“Ren. Everyone is waiting for hyung.”
“I’m… I’m waiting for hyung too! I’ve been waiting all the time!!”
“Ren, be good. I’ll be back.”
Even on my birthday!
Even when I was hurt!
Even when I was groaning and bedridden from a fever!
Either going to defeat a dragon or clear a dungeon!! Why does the princess who was living well in the castle get kidnapped by the demon king?! Does this damn world not work without my hyung!!
So that’s why I can’t help but be twisted.
Hero welfare has improved now, but… 10 years ago when they didn’t give jack shit… Hyung who even took my snacks to share with the neighborhood kids!! He gets praised as a hero, but what does that have to do with me?!
“What??”
“Oh my, is that person the ‘Ren’ he was talking about?!”
“Ren? That!!”
“Right! That troublemaker hero’s younger brother! They said he was a spoiled brat and it’s true. He gets into fights every single day, doesn’t he? He’s only been visiting for less than a day and I’ve already seen him pick three fights!”
“Tsk tsk. What’s he going to become when he grows up…”
“What?!”
I stopped glaring at the big guy I’d bumped shoulders with and started a fight with, and glared at the villagers gossiping about me instead. You bastard who stole my coin, I’ll see you later!
“That, that rude little…!”
“Hey!! That’s enough. Haven’t we benefited from the hero for more than a day or two!”
“The brother hasn’t actually done anything wrong!”
Kwuung! Kung!
I stomped my feet on the ground with all my might. Dust rose and those startled by my sudden action stopped talking.
I equipped the annoying smile I’d practiced in the mirror on my face and opened my mouth wide enough to show all my teeth and laughed.
“That’s right. Fuck. I haven’t contributed a single thing, have I? But what about you all? Have you done anything for me? Fuck! Why are you talking shit about others and going crazy!! Ahjussi, my hyung fixed your window, right? That was done by ripping out our house’s window frame, fuuuuuck!! When you get down to it, I have a share in that too!! Because of my hyung that you all love to leech off of, I’ve suffered quite a bit too, you know!? Huuuuh?”
I lifted my chin high and glared at them.
As I twisted my body and shouted roughly, those who had been chattering backed away with pale faces.
I can’t live like this!!!
I can’t live with this unfairness!!
I’m not living with hyung anymore!
Just as I was fuming while making that resolution to myself, someone came rushing over with a flutter.
“Reeeen!”
It was hyung.
Hyung, who had run over in an instant as if flying, stood between me and the ahjussis.
He glanced at my face, then bowed his head toward the villagers with an apologetic expression.
His bushy, long dark brown hair was soaked with sweat.
Fuuuuck! Why is he butting in when I can’t even fight!!
The sound of grinding teeth rang out menacingly.
“Oh my, Temarr, you’re here.”
“I’m sorry, Ahjussi.”
“No! Why are you sorry?! Kids can be like that. He’s not even an adult yet.”
“What?! A kid?!”
With hyung’s appearance, the atmosphere became gentle in an instant.
The ahjussis changed their tune and started laughing good-naturedly with a “hehe.”
When were they the ones raising their voices to fight together!!
Those damn old men—!!
“Who butted into someone else’s fight in the first plaaace!! And that bastard stole the coin I dropped and pretended not to know…!”
As I trembled and stamped my feet like I was having a fit, hyung firmly pressed down on my shoulder.
Very gentle eyes met mine.
“Ren! Stop it. Okay?”
“Fuck!”
“May I take my brother home?”
“Of course, of course. Tsk tsk. Still, you need to warn that kid.”
“Indeed! Temarr, no matter how amazing you are, looking at that nasty temper, he’ll cause trouble sooner or later!”
“Yes. I’ll be going now.”
“Mmph!! Mmmph!!!”
Can’t you see me kicking at the air!
Am I invisible or whaaaat!
While I kicked at the air with my mouth covered, unfortunately no one! No one looked at me!
“Ren. Why did you do that, hm? Don’t you have enough allowance?”
“Hyung doesn’t know anything.”
“Hm?”
Hyung, who had been speaking in a gentle tone, scratched his cheek.
“What don’t I know? Tell me, Ren.”
As if you’d understand even if I told you!!
Hyung was always like that.
Putting others before himself, saying that’s the reason people born with special powers exist.
He always endured all the minor inconveniences himself.
But why do I have to be like that too?
Then what’s left for me!
I even lost hyung to the country—!!
“Earlier, that damn bastard stole my coin!”
“Hyung will give you some. Don’t be angry.”
“Aaaaargh!!”
When I bent over and screamed while messing up my hair wildly, startled hyung circled around me before suddenly! lifting me up.
“Oh, Ren. You’re too light. It’s better than before though. Should we make some nutritious food today?”
“Don’t change the subject! That’s not the problem!”
Why don’t you understand?! Why!!
The problem is that my money was stolen!!
Why do I have to give up what’s mine? Why?? I felt like I was going crazy from the unfairness!
“Hyung is really an idiot.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
“…Fuck.”
“Our good Ren, be patient.”
“I hate it when you say that.”
“Oh. Okay, sorry, Ren.”
“……”
Hyung patted my butt and laughed.
“Should we go home now?”
I ignored hyung’s words and just buried my face in his chest.
Fuck! It’s hard because of his muscles!!
Hyung let out a light “haha” laugh as if he heard the sound of me bumping my head.
Yeah, fuck, be patient, be patient.
Is this once or twice?
You’re going to give me more allowance?! I’m going to squeeze out four times as much!
More than that, when you don’t even have money…
I started getting angrier the more I thought about it. The country would give hyung a measly reward, and hyung would even donate that to the village development fund. Because of that, hyung was a hero! A hero!! But our house was poor!! The only difference from before hyung became a hero was that we didn’t go hungry, we were still far from living a wealthy life.
Does this make sense?! I’m not the kind of materialistic person who wants to be rich!! Well, money would be nice to have!
But I’m angry about the treatment of heroes!! He’s not a punching bag! Why do they only look for hyung whenever something happens!!
“Fixing window frames. Repairing fallen doors. Carrying sacks of wheat!!”
“Hm?”
Hearing the voice that didn’t understand made me angry again.
When I opened my eyes wide, I met hyung’s eyes, still smiling.
Fuck.
“Never mind. Hyung is a stupid idiot so you won’t understand even if I tell you.”
Whoooosh.
My fighting spirit deflated. I don’t even have the energy to be angry. There has to be some reaction from the other person for me to act up!!
In that sense, I was able to vent after a long time. Hmph, it’s ruined.
“It’s all hyung’s fault.”
“Yeah, Ren. Hyung is sorry.”
“From now on, just stick to the house.”
“I will.”
“…I need hyung too.”
“What? Haha. Okay! I will.”
“Stick right by me.”
“Okay, okay, Ren. Let’s go quickly. We need to eat dinner.”
I just need hyung.
I hate hyung who’s only wandered outside since we were young, but even now, if he stays by my side from now on, that’s enough.
Whew.
“Dinner is meat.”
When I said with pouting lips, hyung made an exclamation.
“Oh! Good. I’ve been losing muscle lately anyway.”
“Gross.”
Ugh. When I looked at his forearm with disgusted eyes, hyung grinned.
“I’m worried about Ren, you’re too skinny.”
“…Hyung is the weird one.”
Could it be, is he finally paying attention to me now?
Hyung is kind but dense.
He doesn’t even know that I’m sick.
Without realizing it, I swallowed my saliva and stared at hyung’s face.
“Kyaaa.”
“Are you alright?”
That was the moment.
As soon as hyung heard the woman’s scream, he put me down on the ground and went to the woman.
“Fuck…”
Hyung showed his reliable back as he walked thump thump and soon stood in front of the woman. I stood crookedly and glared at the scene.
“Again! It’s that woman again!!”
That wicked woman!!
Her forearms are thick and she looks sturdy, so why?! Why does she fall every time my hyung passes by!
The sight of her scattering the precious strawberries she’d just picked on the ground and looking up at hyung with a pitiful face was disgusting beyond words.
I can’t stand it!!
Dudududu
“Hyung! Temarr hyung! Let’s go home.”
“Ren. Just a moment.”
“Hyung!! Let’s go home! I’m hungry! I feel like I’m going to faint from hunger.”
Even though I said it through gritted teeth, hyung didn’t even glance at me.
“Ah… I’m fine, so please go home with your brother. Ren, your name is Ren, right? I’m sorry for bothering you…”
“Stop your bullshit!! The fact that your forearms are thicker than an orc’s is a well-known rumor in the village…”
“Ren! Where did you learn such rude words!”
“……”
“I’m sorry.”
Instantly, the woman’s face flushed red and she hurriedly bowed her head with sharp eyes, pretending to dab at tears.
It felt like my head was spinning.
I was so angry that I staggered from the momentary dizziness, but naturally, hyung’s gaze didn’t reach me.
“Whatever.”
Even as I limped away alone, hyung just picked up the fallen strawberries and basket, brushed off the dirt, and lifted the woman up, not looking at me.
“Hyung is an idiot.”
His eyes are crooked.
That’s why he doesn’t know that woman’s forearms are thick. That woman is so famous for working well at the restaurant, would she trip on a clean road without a single pebble!!
“Hyung is an idiot!! Fuuuuuuuck!!”
Caw. Caw.
After shouting at the top of my lungs, I suddenly felt dizzy and put my hand on my knee, panting.
“When you’re with someone else, why don’t you even look at me. I’m not even on your radar. Still… fuck!”
Hoo. I exhaled shortly and headed home again.
Still.
I have to prepare dinner to eat with hyung.
***
Our house is on the outskirts of the village.
Actually, our village itself is so small that all the houses feel like they’re on the outskirts.
If there’s a difference, it’s that our house is on a low hill?
I rummaged through the storage.
Next to the house was a small storage shed where we usually piled up tools and firewood.
“Found it!”
I opened the mouth of the sack I’d hidden out of sight next to the firewood and smiled brightly, then slapped my own cheek.
“Why are you smiling because you’re happy. When hyung doesn’t even know my heart, what’s so pretty…”
Inside the sack were leather shoes.
The measly allowance hyung gave me that I saved and saved. The teeeeny tiny money I earned from occasionally gathering wild greens and selling them in the village that I saved. The money I combined to get these somewhat hiiiigh-quality leather shoes.
“Hehe.”
I got them two whole months ago!!
Where would they sell such high-quality shoes in this small village! When the peddler came, I bought them right away. Hehehe.
“Made in the Empire!”
That means it’s a product from an advanced country.
I put my hands on my hips and grinned.
“Kek. Cough. Cough! Heeek. Kekek.”
Huuuurk…
I almost died…
“Hoo.”
After wiping away the tears from coughing, I tied the mouth of the sack tightly again and put it next to the firewood.
I just cursed at him so it’s embarrassing to give it right away, so I’ll secretly take it out after dinner and give it to him.
As I was coming out of the storage, hyung came running, calling “Ren!”
Why is his walking so fast! He’s already here…? Or am I fucking slow? I stood there dumbly watching hyung run toward me.
