I Am the Hero’s Immature Younger Brother 53

A Good Farewell (2)

“Is it morning already?”

I sat up in surprise. Gepetto, who had been sitting on the ground nearby, opened his eyes wide.

“It’s okay! It’s still morning.”

“Ah… good morning.”

When I hesitated and greeted him, he grinned.

Phew. That’s a relief. I stroked my startled chest.

The sky was still bluish. It’s dawn. Thinking that, the air touching my skin felt newly cold, and I shivered.

“Hoooo.”

When I exhaled, my breath came out white. The days were getting colder and colder.

Ugh, my nose is going to run. I wiped it with my sleeve and looked around, but I couldn’t see Hyung.

Where did he go?

I turned my body all the way around, but he wasn’t there.

He’s not here, Hyung isn’t.

“Hyung! Hyung… and where did Ruman go?”

He went with Ruman.

As I spoke, I realized Ruman wasn’t visible either.

Ruman wouldn’t leave without saying anything. Probably, right? So Hyung will come back together with him too. Yeah.

I was barely able to calm down. For a moment, my back was soaked with cold sweat.

“They said they had something to talk about briefly.”

Gepetto answered nonchalantly.

“Talk about what?”

“Hmm.”

Gepetto furrowed his brow as if trying to recall the conversation he’d heard.

“I think he said something like, ‘The remnants are all the ones we dealt with.'”

“Ahh.”

“Do you have any idea? Ah! You don’t have to tell me. I’m not really that curious anyway.”

Gepetto’s face looked a bit pale as he said that.

“I won’t say anything.”

It must be about Del Belkerman’s gang, right?

I should have asked more when I was at the castle. I don’t know anything about what happens to Coco afterward. If they dealt with the remnants too, then it must be fine, right?

Ah! I should take my medicine.

“Where are you going?”

“…Just. Why?”

“You can’t go far.”

“I’m just going to the carriage!”

He’s not going to follow me, is he?

I walked briskly and looked back, and Gepetto’s gaze was still directed at me.

So, I’m telling you not to stare!! When did you give me all those kind words, and why are you making me uncomfortable by staring?

See, I was right. Hearts are uncomfortable things!

I huffed irritably and entered the carriage.

I took out the herbs from the bundle Coco had tied up nicely and quickly tossed them into my mouth.

Ueegh, bitter.

It was bearable when I drank it as tea, but eating it raw was too bitter.

My mouth was so astringent I wanted to scrape my tongue.

Whew. Honestly, when I was sick and taking it, I didn’t notice, but trying to take it in normal condition tastes like death.

Is that why Ruman cursed that this tea was terrible?

Still, that seemed like a rather tame reaction for that.

Could it be that Ruman is also sick somewhere… probably not, right?

Should I ask the pharmacist old man?

“Ren.”

“Hieek!”

“Why are you so surprised?”

“Ma-make some noise when you move around. Why are you going around silently and making a fuss?!”

I grumbled and complained irritably for no reason.

Just holding back my scream is impressive enough!

Fortunately, I’d already put away the bundle.

“What were you doing? I’m curious.”

Ruman smiled with narrowed eyes.

Ugh. Being handsome for no reason.

“I was just looking at the flowerpot, okay?”

“Ahh. You came to see if it’s growing well.”

Ruman smiled gently with narrowed eyes. His gaze went to the flowerpot placed on the carriage seat. The sprightly sprouts were emitting a vivid green light. My little flowerpot had miraculously survived from the broken carriage, and Coco’s knights had brought it to me. I’d thrown away only the broken pot and moved it to a splendid new flowerpot.

Princess Coco’s knights seem surprisingly delicate.

Well. Since Coco isn’t delicate, at least the knights should be!

“What’s its name?”

“The flowerpot’s name?”

“Yeah.”

Ruman bent his upper body into the carriage and asked seriously.

When he lowered his head, his slender hair flowed down along his profile.

Ruman’s eyes seemed to be examining every single stem of the flowerpot in detail. His golden eyes were filled with the green plant.

Why is he looking at it so carefully? Anyone would think he’s looking at a lover.

“Who names a flowerpot?”

For a moment, feeling mischievous, I snorted.

“You don’t have one? Really?”

The eyes that had been looking at the flowerpot turned to me.

“I don’t. Who names a flowerpot? Is that what you do, Ruman? That’s totally weird!”

Ugh. Why am I being like this?

But I couldn’t take back words already spoken.

It wasn’t even that I was trying to tease him, I just threw out the words because my mood was twisted for a moment, which made it more embarrassing.

Ruman, who I expected to say something, suddenly sighed and patted my head.

“Wh-what…”

“Should we name it together?”

“…”

“It’s hard to name it right away, so let’s think about it. Let’s name it by tomorrow morning, how about it?”

Ruman smiled, making full use of his handsome face.

“…Okay.”

“Well then, now we should eat breakfast.”

“You don’t usually eat meals properly anyway.”

I opened my eyes wide.

“How could that be? When we have our Ren, I have to feed him.”

“…”

What’s with this pretense of being sweet?

Suddenly, the day he came to the cabin with that wicked letter came to mind.

And how he twisted my arm too.

It’s mostly my fault for tearing the letter first… but still…

I thought we’d part as strangers, but is it good to do something together like this? That question came to mind.

No. Anyway, I’ll be parting with Ruman soon, so it’ll be okay.

Then wouldn’t it be okay to give him one gift? Since I won’t see him again anyway.

Naming it together might also be a good gift… stupid Ren.

That’s only good for me.

I didn’t know that accumulating small, everyday memories would feel like this.

My heart felt moved… and sad. I’m happy, but why does my heart feel sad? No one ever told me about this.

“Ren, hurry up. You can look at the flowerpot again later.”

Ruman extended his hand.

I hesitated then passed by his hand.

Ruman lowered his embarrassed hand nonchalantly and walked beside me.

Why does Ruman keep letting me off? At times like this, he could scold me. Because he acts like it’s nothing, my heart felt uncomfortable instead.

“Ren.”

“Hyung! Where did you go?”

“To talk briefly. Why were you at the carriage?”

“Huh? Oh, to look at the flowerpot.”

“The one you brought from the cabin?”

“Yeah. The flowerpot I brought from home…”

“Sit.”

“…Okay.”

I sat on the log. Hyung gave the meat he’d been grilling to Gepetto first, then divided it for me.

“Thank you.”

“Thank you.”

I glanced at Gepetto then quickly tore into the meat.

It was rough and tasteless, but much better than the soup Del Belkerman gave me!

Is this how picky eating gets fixed? Actually, I’m not that picky.

I need to eat well and keep up with the schedule. I shouldn’t fall behind.

I combatively devoured the meat in a hurry. But as I ate, it was delicious. Was I hungry?

I really hate getting my hands dirty normally, but now I ate without even caring.

“He’s eating well.”

At Ruman’s words, Hyung only nodded.

“Usually he eats quite a lot…”

“Ren.”

“Huh?”

Hyung cut off Ruman’s words and called me.

Hyung’s eyes were serious. He looked at me without even touching his meat.

“Hyung, why?”

“Don’t get it all over yourself. Don’t eat in such a rush. That’s not proper table manners.”

“Ah… sorry.”

“Temarr.”

Ruman frowned.

“Ruman, stay out of it. This is family education.”

“Calling that words… Why would you say something like that to a kid who’s eating well?”

“N-no. Hyung. I’m sorry. I’ll eat properly.”

I wiped off the meat crumbs on my mouth.

I was so embarrassed. Did I look gluttonous? Did my eating look disgusting? I want to ask. But if I ask something like this, he’ll be annoyed, right?

“Well, children should eat a lot when they’re young… ahem.”

Gepetto muttered timidly then cleared his throat.

If you defend me like that… I’m more embarrassed… I’m the one who did wrong, so why is everyone being like this? What if Hyung gets upset because Ruman and Gepetto are adding their words? Is he already in a bad mood?

I glanced at Hyung and tore off the meat little by little.

Ah. My stomach felt heavy.

But if I stop eating now, it’ll seem like it’s because of Hyung. I can’t let them misunderstand like that! I have to be strong and eat my entire portion!

But the amount of meat Hyung gave me was too much.

Can I finish it all?

Should I leave some? If I leave some, won’t he get angry that I don’t know the value of food?

But if I eat it all, like a pig…

“Ren. Sorry, but I’m not full. Can I eat some of yours?”

“What? What do you…”

Before I could respond, Ruman snatched the meat from my hand.

Whoosh!

I looked up in surprise, and he bit off in one mouthful what I’d been tearing off little by little.

In no time, only bones remained in Ruman’s hand.

“I’ll pack you a snack if you’re hungry. Sorry.”

“No… it’s okay.”

Ruman’s lips glistened with grease.

Hmm. I’m actually grateful… because you thought of me… oh, that wasn’t it!

When our eyes met, Ruman smiled mischievously.

Because I was eating deliciously, he was teasing me! Geez!

But what to do, Ruman! I couldn’t finish that meat! I wanted to tease him by whispering in his ear, but I held back because we were in front of Hyung. Hyung just glared at Ruman once with a hardened face and that was it.

“Shall we go to the carriage? Ren? Ruman-nim, please come along too! I’ll change your bandages.”

“Hyung, you don’t need to change yours?”

“Yeah. Ren. Your hyung is incredibly, incredibly strong. It’s probably all healed.”

Ruman’s voice was joking, but it didn’t seem like a joke.

“Hyung, really?”

When I looked at Temarr hyung, he stood up from his seat without a word. Then he cleaned up the bonfire.

You don’t need to be so curt, Hyung…

I thought when we left the village, we could get along more affectionately, but why… does Hyung seem colder? Could I really be doing something wrong? What if thinking I’m doing well in my own way is my delusion?

“Ren! Let’s go!”

Gepetto extended his hand.

Huh?

“Let’s go. My bandages are damp and unpleasant too.”

“Yes! Let’s go!”

I followed the two of them.

Gepetto tried to grab my arm, but Ruman cut in between. Gepetto is now holding Ruman’s arm and going.

I turned back to look at Hyung for no reason. Hyung was silently cleaning up.

“Uueok!”

“You should watch where you’re going.”

While looking back at Hyung and walking, I tripped on a rock.

I bumped my nose into Ruman’s back, and it was harder than hitting a rock!

When I held my nose, he said “let me see” and carefully took my arm and lowered it.

“Pfft.”

“…Did you look just to laugh at me?”

Still, thanks to that I didn’t fall, so I couldn’t get angry and just grumbled, but Ruman shook his head saying no.

“It’s red but you’re fine.”

Ruman brought his head close and stared at my nose intently, then grinned.