We'll always be here

Vince didn't know what happened. His memory is blurry and all he could think about were the woman's death.

It weigh heavily on his mind, keeping him occupied.

He didn't even realized he's already home until he saw his siblings.

"Welcome home, brother! What took you so long?" Elaine pouted her lips, pretending to be angry.

While Von was just happy to see his brother. "Welcome home!" he smiled brightly at his brother.

Seeing them, tears immediately fall from his eyes. He kneeled down and pulled both of them on his arms, hugging them tightly to seek comfort.

"Brother? Is there something wrong?" Elaine worriedly asked her sobbing brother.

She had never seen him cry again after their parents' death. No matter how hard their life is, he always maintained a smile on his face so they wouldn't be worried. But now, he was crying like the world wronged him. Just like before when their parents died.

Vince just shook his head. He didn't want to tell his siblings. He didn't dare to tell them about this.

"Brother, it's gonna be okay," Von tapped his brother's shoulder, as if comforting him.

Elaine followed and hugged her older brother back tightly. "I don't know what it is. But we're here for you."

Vince couldn't help but smile. He let go of them and patted their heads before giving a kiss to their foreheads. "Thank you. I'm so happy that you guys are here," he bit his lower lip before adding, "Thank you for living."

Elaine blushed when she heard that while Von were ecstatic. "I'm also happy!"

Vince chuckled before he let out a heavy sighed then finally stood up. The heavy feeling didn't disappear but the weight decreased.

His heart is currently warm. For now, he'll just be thankful that he's alive and enjoy this day with his siblings.

"Did you guys eat already?" he asked while wiping his tears.

Both of them shook their heads in unison.

"We're waiting for you."

Vince smiled. He's home.

-

"Wow. What a feast," he couldn't help but be in awe after looking at the numerous dishes in the dining table.

Elaine proudly smiled at him. "Of course. My brother is now a player so we should celebrate it."

The three of them took their seat, with Vince sitting in the head while his two siblings sitting on his side.

He gazed this mouth-watering dishes that they usually wouldn't be able to eat with sparkling eyes. After their parents died, this will be the first time that there are so many dishes in their dining table.

Vince cheer up, not wanting to cry again in front of his siblings. He placed some food on his plate and was about to eat when his sister stopped him.

"Wait!"

Von and Vince simultaneously looked at her with questioning gaze. The two of them looked comical with their mouths open while holding a spoon.

"I think we should pray to your God. You're a priest, right? Whats the name of the God that you served?" Elained innocently asked.

She was really curious about it. She wasn't able to asked before but she had wanted to know about her brother's God.

She knew about some famous Gods like the Sun God and Earth God. These two are the most famous one, at the moment. There's also Wind God, God of Wealth, and God of War.

Their Priest, with the lowest rank- Common, were only given healing and supporting skills. But Bishop, Cardinal, Pope, and Saint. who have a rank of Elite and above, all have active skills that can either protect, defend, or attack.

These skills would differ, depending on their Gods. It will also depend on your faith to that God. Some priest who have reached the Elite rank, couldn't be promoted to Bishop because they don't have the necessary skills which means they doesn't have the enough faith.

Of course, Vince have no idea about this. He didn't know that he's not supposed to have any other skill with his low level.

Vince blankly met his siblings' curious gaze. He ignored the window panels that quickly appeared in his eyes.

[The God of Death shyly waved his hand.]

[The God of Death seriously fix his clothes with a nervous face.]

[The God of Death is urging you to introduce him.]

'Is that even okay? Is it even okay to tell his siblings that he's serving the God of Death.'

'Wouldn't it seemed like he"s serving a vicious God?'

[The God of Death explained that there is no need to worry.]

[The God of Death could also be called God of Eternal Slumber.]

'Oh, really? That sound less vicious.'

"Brother?" because it's taking him a while to respond, Elaine wondered if he's not allowed to say it.

Some Gods restrict their priests after all. When she thought of that, she can understand why her brother is hesitating.

"If it's too much to answer, you don't have to," their questions might put her brother in danger.

In the future. they shouldn't asked these kind of information again.

Vince snapped out of his thoughts after hearing that. "Elaine is very understanding. Then I won't tell you for now. I'll keep it a secret."

[The God of Death was shocked.]

[The God of Death is asking you if you're ashamed of him.]

[The God of Death is sulking on the corner.]

He ignored the panels and removed them one-by-one. Out of sight, out of mind.

She nodded her head and smiled at her brother. But Von wasn't satisfied. "I wanted to know. Tell me, brother!"

"Brother said it's a secret!"

"But I want to know!"

His siblings started arguing making him chuckled. "I'll tell you later, okay? Let's eat for now."

-

After eating, Vince went to his room. He lay down to his bed. Now that he's alone again, his mind started playing the scene from earlier. He touched his chest, he could feel his beating heart against his palm.

He didn't know why, but the image of that dying woman seemed to overlap to the image of his mother lying in the hospital bed.

A pale face while coughing blood in her death bed, her body already giving up.

Vince took a sharp breath. He covered his face with his hands and tried to calm his pounding chest. His mind were slowly being consumed by dark thoughts once again. While his heart were full of negative emotions.

They seemed to weigh heavily on his body.

Like chains trapping him and pulling him down in dark abyss—

It was at that moment that he heard a knock on the door.

"Brother, it's me," Elaine's voice could be heard from the other side.

"The door's open."

The door knob twisted, and his younger sister were revealed. She quickly entered the room before closing it behind her.

Vince watched her with a smile. "Where's Von?" he asked when he didn't see his little brother's figure behind her.

"He's taking a nap in his room," she explained while walking towards him. Elaine calmly sat on the bed beside him.

"Did something happened?" she directly asked catching him off guard.

Vince blinked his eyes, at lost on what to say.

Elaine observed his reaction without saying anything. "It's fine if you can't say it. I told you earlier, right? If it's too much to answer, you don't have to," she jokingly smiled.

His eyes immediately became red as he heaved a sigh.

"When our parents died, you have to stop your studies. You worked different jobs everyday just to feed us three times a day," Elaine brightly smiled, her gentle face that resembled her mother made him stunned.

The image of the dying woman slowly disappeared together with his mother on the hospital gown. Instead it was changed into when her mother was still healthy and their family was still complete. She used to smile like that to him.

"Brother have been working hard. It must be hard on you. Thank you for taking care of us, even if you have to sacrifice your future," she reached out for his hand and grabbed it, interlocking their fingers.

"And thank you for being my brother."

He couldn't stop his tears from falling.

"You're the best brother ever. Do you know that? The most handsome too."

Both of them chuckled at her words.

"I won't stop brother from working as a player. And I won't ask brother to risk your life just so we can continue to live in this house. Just come back alive to us. That's already more than enough for me."

Elaine was also crying with his brother. It's the first time they had ever talked like this.

"We'll be waiting for you. Always..."

Vince could remember the time when their parents died. He was in despair at that time, he was always crying beside their coffin.

The one who took care of their guests would be Elaine. She'll smile at them and accept their comforting words. She would comfort Von who always sleep with our parents at night and became unable to sleep.

When he snapped out of his thoughts, she was already their pillar.

It's also because of her and Von that he's able to pull himself together, and work hard for their family.

"When did you grow up like this?" he couldn't help but asked.

Vince might never forget the woman who died right in front of him. But it wouldn't chained him anymore. Instead, he'll used it as an inspiration to become stronger.

"I'll always come back. So both of you can wait for me."

Elaine nodded while sobbing. "We'll always be here, brother."

"Waiting for you to come back home."

-