A Sibling's Bond

After wandering around Sea Prism, I finally found Teiran in an unused dock. He didn't say anything as I approached and sat right beside him, nor did he make any move to acknowledge me. Is he actually ignoring me now?

"I woke up."

"I can see that." He responded without even sparing me a glance.

That's it? What's with that response? They both can't stand each other, but he and Nero are more similar than they'd care to admit. Psshhh!

I pouted at him in frustration, and that's when he finally glanced at me while smirking.

"Do you want a lollipop or something as a reward?"

"Stop teasing me!" I actually already ate a Candied Apple while looking for him earlier.

"Alright. Alright." He chuckled and started pinching both my cheeks. This dude really is treating me like a kid. Not that I hate it. Not really.

But I can't let him know that. So, of course, I had to resist. 

I pushed his hands away and started nursing my sore cheeks. "I thought you'd be there when I woke up."

"Even if I want to, you were in the girl's dorm. I can't just freely come in and out of there."

"Whoa! You're surprisingly a gentleman, aren't you." 

Teiran quickly caught the sarcasm in my voice. In retaliation, he started messing with my hair instead.

"Hey! Stop it!" So I bit him in return.

"Aw! Do I have to start worrying about you being infected of something? Hah! It's because that shithead has been dragging so wherever."

"Don't drag Nero into this. It's just because you're mean." I stuck my tongue out to him, then started fixing my hair. I already told him countless times not to mess with my hair. Geez.

"Haa~ See, you're even taking his side instead of me. You clearly want to spent more time with him more than me."

"If we were leaving together then it's a given I'll be spending more time with you."

Teiran suddenly grew quiet after I said that, and when I glanced at him, he had a shocked expression.

"W-What is it?" 

"You… want to live with me?" He sounded unsure, like I just suggested something ridiculous.

This reaction just made me feel self-conscious though. "I-If you don't want to then just say so! I'm not going so insist. Geez."

"No! I mean, yes. I do want to live together."

"Then why did you react like that. Hmph!"

He chuckled again. "Sorry. I was just really surprised."

"What's there to be surprised about? Aren't we family?"

Haa~ I say we're family, but we're really just strangers. At least, I should feel that we're strangers. For some reason, though, acting spoiled around him just feels like the most normal thing in the world. I have this feeling like I just know he'll always be around to have my back. Am I not actually the strange one here?

"Yes. We are. It's just that, I thought you'd resent me." 

"Huh? Why would I?"

"Cause I'm the one who brought you to this world, even though it was against your will."

"What do you mean?"

Teiran just stared at me for a while before he explained. "Did you forget? When mom and dad were still alive, they wanted you to live a normal life. But I insisted that you should come with me when I decided I wanted to be an adventurer."

"Oh." I see. So that's our supposed backstory. Orphans, huh? Not much different from my backstory. For a second there, I thought he summoned me to this world or something.

Either way. I wouldn't ever resent him. There's no way I would.

"I like being an adventurer. No, actually, I love being an adventurer." I told him my honest feelings. "I love this world. Why wouldn't I want to explore it?" After all, being transmigrated to this world is a dream come true for me. "If I'm reborn again, I would only want to be born in this world." 

"I see. That's a relief." Teiran looked like he had a load taken off him. 

"Geez. Why are you suddenly acting all serious? Aren't you actually the one infected with something?" Was he really feeling that guilty about it? 

"Haa~ Can't you see your brother just feels lonely without you? Come here." Teiran suddenly pulled me for a hug. "Well, since I'm feeling good now… tell me where you wanna live? I'll buy the house."

I pushed him away and looked at him with a new light. "You will?" Whoah! Is this dude actually loaded? "You'll really buy a house? Not rent?"

"What do you take this brother of yours for?" He smirked smugly. "Besides, Hunters are just second to Merchants in terms of wealth."

"Ooohhhh~"

~}xxx@xxx{~

Dheyniz just left the Market Lane when she saw from a distance a certain Beast Master getting teased by his sister, and unconsciously smiled. He was shaking his head at her but still smiling affectionately.

It's good that Avy's finally awake. Everyone at Emblem was really worried when she didn't wake up for days, even though Nero kept on assuring them that it was perfectly normal for her not to wake up a couple of days after doing a stunt like that.

She shook her head when she remembered what happened on that day. She still couldn't believe that there was that side of Avyzhia. And it wasn't just her either.

There were mixed reactions among the members of the guild. However, none of them reacted hostilely, even those who were beaten up pretty badly by Zhia. Some of them were worried for her, while others were just itching to fight her again. 

"Shouldn't we participate in more guild wars now, Guild Master?" One of the members suggested when they were discussing how they could see Zhia again. "I really feel motivated to do one now."

"Are you out of your fucking mind? Didn't she just literally left you half-dead?" Nero had scowled in frustration. "Why would you want to see her again?"

"Why not?"

"It's because she just beat you up that you're saying that. You don't know the extent of what she can do." 

Dheyniz was with Rosette in that. If they saw what they saw going after her, they would probably change their mind. Actually, just some of them might.

"And that's why we're asking you to tell us more. So next time we'll be more prepared."

Dheyniz giggled when she remembered how Teiran threatened to kill them first before that happened and then upped and left. He didn't show himself to the guild since then.

Speaking of Teiran, he really does care about his sister a lot. He was always gentle and nice around her. That sometimes, they would wonder if he's the same guy who sounded like a possessed demon when trash-talking and threatening his enemies, or those people that annoy him. 

If someone says that Zhia's bad personality was influenced greatly by Teiran, no one would deny it.

The way he smiled at Zhia when he carried her back that day made her heart skip a beat. She heard Mertyla gushing about it to Rosette too, and that bothered her.

"Give it up. I already told you, you will never have a chance with him."

A familiar male voice suddenly said from behind her, startling her to the point that she unconsciously reached for her sword.

"Dammit, Phan. Stop walking up on me like that. How many times do I have to tell you?" She growled at the young Hunter annoyedly. Although the latter just grinned boyishly

"Chill. Aren't you glad I'm back?" 

"As if." She rolled her eyes. "Where have you been anyway? Rheal could really use some help with the new guild, you know."

"Oh~ Are you finally showing some interest on me? I'm so happy I could cry buckets." 

Phan looked at her dramatically. But having had enough of his nonsense, Dheyniz just stared at him blankly and started walking away instead.

"Hey, don't leave. I was just kidding." Despite her annoyance, it's not like she really hated the kid. "How about we have lunch together, my treat."

"No thanks. I just ate."

"Aw~ Come on." He pouted. "You have no idea where I've been all these time, and what I did. I really could use some beautiful company. All I could think about is seeing you again when I was away. I didn't even report back to my master yet and came to you first instead. That's how much you me- "

"Do you think your master is seeing anyone right now?"

Dheyniz suddenly stopped walking and interrupted Phan's charade, in turn making him look at her pitifully.

"Really. I'm telling you, give it up. You really have no chance."

"..."

"Look. My master only ever loved two people in his life... one of them is his sister and the other one is dead." It seemed that Phan knew the other one, seeing the sadness that flashed in his face. "Right now, he only has his sister. And believe me, the only thing he thinks is how to keep her safe and make her happy."

"Still... Teiran may- "

"I know him better than you. You'll just be wasting your time if you go after him."

Dheyniz looked down as if she was about to cry. Well, she didn't really have high hopes for her feelings to be returned. But being slapped with the truth again and again still hurt. Even though she knows that Phan is just saying it for her sake. 

"Anyway, there's still a lot of fishes in the sea. Like this stunning man beside you." He winked at her flirtatiously that she couldn't help but smile.

Only Phan could flip her mood like a switch like this. She doesn't want to admit it but his efforts are really affecting her. 

"I think, I should keep looking." Dheyniz rolled her eyes at him and started walking again.

"I don't mind being a side dish, you know." Phan went after her like an eager puppy.

But he doesn't need to know that yet.