PART 1: WHİTE
Chapter 9 - Brotherhood
- What happened to me?
Mahey opened his eyes.
- I don't remember anything...
He looked around.
- Where am I?
He was sitting against the wall in a small cave. Moss completely covered the stones. Light was seeping in through the entrance.
He tried to get up.
But he couldn't…
His whole body was in intense pain.
He looked at himself:
His clothes were torn and covered in blood. But the blood had dried. His wounds were wrapped in leaves and tattered cloth.
- Huh?
He started to remember a few things...
Just then, he heard Inou's voice:
– Mahey! You're awake!
Inou stood at the entrance of the cave, holding a few fruits. But when he saw Mahey awake, he dropped them and ran over to hug him.
He was in tears.
– Big Brother Mahey! I thought you were going to die! It's all my fault!
He covered his face with his small hands, sobbing uncontrollably.
Mahey reached out and gently rested Inou's head against his chest, murmuring:
– Don't be scared anymore. It's over…
As he said this, everything came back to him.
– It's over…
Inou cried even harder. He had dropped to his knees and was resting his head against Mahey...
– I'm scared...
Inou spoke the words with difficulty as he looked up at Mahey.
– Don't be scared. It's all over now...
As Mahey said this, he felt sorrow too.
He thought:
"For a child his age to go through so much in such a short time… it's truly terrifying.
He lost everything in the past week...
Just like I once did…"
At that moment, Inou looked up at Mahey with tearful eyes.
– You're not going to leave me too, right, Big Brother Mahey?
Mahey smiled.
– No, I won't. I'll take care of you like you're my little brother...
– Why are you doing this? I'm not even really your brother!
– Do I need to be your brother by blood to treat you like one?
– Big Brother Mahey...
Inou burst into tears again.
– Then promise me!
– I promise...
Mahey smiled again.
And then he thought:
"Why do I want to protect him?
Is it because he reminds me of the little brother I lost in my past life?
Or because I want to be a good person?
Why?"
As he promised to protect Inou, he felt a deep sense of peace inside.
"Is this what it means to have a clear conscience?
I don't know...
But what I do know is that I instinctively want to protect him — and I will keep protecting him...
Even if there's no reason…
Because it feels right."
End of Chapter 11