Brotherly Love

Xano never expected that overnight his most proud and arrogant little brother, Han, would become a fool...

Pseudo Brothers, Older Brother

Fake Straight Alpha x True Foolish Omega

Xano felt that he and Han had nothing in common except for their last name.

He was hot-tempered, while Han was polite and cultured. He struggled with his studies, but Han excelled in every subject. He was an ex-convict turned mechanic, while Han was a bright and talented student.

Han had looked down on him and had long cut off contact with him. But now, this little brother of his, who had always looked down on him, had suddenly become a fool and fallen to the point where he needed his care.

It was as if they had returned to their inexperienced childhood days, with Han following him closely, calling him "brother." A very good time indeed."

Chapter 1

Xano returned from the community, where a group of seven or eight-year-old kids were gathered at the street corner, laughing and playing, calling someone "fool." Xano furrowed his brows upon hearing this and quickly walked over.

As expected, Han was sitting on the ground, with his head lowered and curled up, looking pitiful. "Get lost! All of you, get the hell out of here!" Xano shouted.

The kids were intimidated by his imposing presence and the fact that he was tall and robust. With a menacing look on his face, they scattered in no time. A few bold ones ran a few steps and turned back, shouting, "I'll have my dad come and beat you!"

"Come," Xano took a couple of steps as if to chase them, "if you dare to call him a fool again, I'll have your dad beaten up too!"

"Fool! He's a fool!" The kids shouted as they ran away.

Xano helped Han up from the ground. His clothes were dirty, his knees were scraped, and his face was stained with tears. Looking at Xano, he said with a whimper, "I'm not a fool..."

Xano had initially wanted to scold him, but looking at Han's pitiable appearance, he couldn't bring himself to do it. Instead, he said, "No, you're not." He crouched down to pat the dirt off his pants and checked his scraped knees to ensure there was no bleeding before standing up. Han was still crying, looking at him. Xano sighed, "Didn't I tell you not to go out?"

Han bit his lip and stammered, "I... I needed to go to the bathroom..."

They lived in a rented room that was less than fifteen square meters in size. One bed and a small table took up most of the space. A hotplate on a stool served as their kitchen, and the bathroom was a two-minute walk away in the public area.

Xano remained silent and led Han back, asking him after a while, "Did you go?"

It seemed that Han had forgotten that he hadn't gone to the bathroom yet. He stopped in his tracks and tightly held his legs together.

Xano glared at him and said, "Hold it in!"

Han obediently followed Xano's command and managed to hold it in until they reached the public restroom. When they came out, Han had forgotten about the earlier incident, and his face, still bearing traces of tears, displayed a happy expression. He extended his wet hand towards Xano, almost as if seeking praise, and said, "I'm all clean now!"

Xano responded with a simple "Hmm" and brought him back home.

They had finished their breakfast in the morning, and one chopstick had fallen on the floor. Han didn't bother to pick it up, so Xano picked it up and cleaned the room. He also attempted to fix their hotplate. It was a second-hand appliance, and he couldn't get it to work this morning. He squatted down, fiddled with it, and occasionally glanced back at Han, who was peacefully sleeping on the bed.

Han's habit of taking afternoon naps had developed during his hospitalization. He insisted on taking a nap every afternoon, just like a kindergarten child. However, his intelligence now only matched that of a five or six-year-old, making him no different from a kindergartener.

Xano, feeling lazy, put off explaining to Han and went to the kitchen to prepare some hot water, as he was still sweaty from running back and forth in the community. He took off his shirt, wiped off the sweat with lukewarm water from the pot, and got back into bed, lying beside Han. Han murmured, "I want to take a nap..."

It was a habit that Han had developed during his hospitalization. He insisted on taking a nap every afternoon, just like a kindergarten child. However, his intelligence now only matched that of a five or six-year-old, making him no different from a kindergartener.

Xano was feeling lazy and didn't want to explain to Han. He poured some hot water into a basin and wiped himself clean. Although it was still spring, his vigorous youth caused him to sweat profusely as he went back and forth in the community. He picked up his shirt, ready to put it on when he noticed that Han was looking at him. His half of the face was exposed from behind the pillow. It was a pretty face, especially when he was expressionless, giving off an air of sophistication, which was something a normal adult would have. There was even a hint of intelligence and pride in his appearance, which made him seem like he should have had a life that everyone would envy. But now, he could only rely on Xano, who he would dismiss when he was awake, and waste his time in this cramped rented room.

But what could be done? It was his bad luck, and if he had a choice, Xano wouldn't want to carry this burden.

The electric stove made a beeping sound, and Xano returned it to its place. When he turned around, he saw that Han had already sat up and was staring at the mirror. He had only glanced at it briefly and said nothing, but stood up and went to the mirror.

Xano could only reluctantly put down the broom and find a dirty, round mirror from somewhere. Without bothering to clean it, he brought it to Han. Han took a brief look and then stopped talking, sitting up in bed. Xano went back to the cleaning, but when he returned, he found Han still sitting on the bed, staring at his reflection in the mirror, with tears in his eyes.

Xano asked, "What are you crying about now?"

Han didn't respond and continued to cry, his eyes turning red.

Xano was puzzled and said, "This looks good, why are you crying?"

Han tried to push his hand away but couldn't. He wanted to get back on the bed but was held by Xano. Xano asked him why he was crying.

"I look... messed up..."

It was unexpected that even someone who had become so simple-minded still cared about their appearance. Xano pinched his nose with the scissors, speaking softly, "Silly."

"Not silly," Han replied softly, looking serious.

"Alright," Xano held his head, making him look in front, "just stay still if you don't want to be silly."

"Okay," Han obediently answered. After a while, he seemed to regret his decision, whispering, "I don't want to cut my hair..."

Xano had just returned from the brink of death. He had lost a lot of weight, and since he already had a small frame, his thinness was even more apparent. He looked as if a gust of wind could blow him away.

Xano placed one of his old t-shirts over Han's shoulders and started cutting his hair. Han was excited and didn't seem to understand the meaning of a haircut, asking repeatedly, "When are you going to cut my hair?"

Xano, annoyed by the constant questions, playfully threatened him with the scissors, "Keep asking, and I'll cut off your tongue!"

Han ran back to the bed, frightened, and covered his mouth, looking at Xano with a terrified expression.

Chapter 2

"Brother?" Han called out to him.

Xano snapped back to reality, got off the bed, and pulled Han up. He patted his head and said, "Come, let big brother take you to buy a hat."

Han's eyes lit up, and he repeated, "Buy a hat!"

It was a bit chilly in the evening. Xano helped Han put on his coat. Even with a cheap coat that cost just a few dollars, he could still give off the feeling of a top brand. However, when he smiled innocently, it was clear to anyone that he was different from normal people.

They didn't have much money. The accident not only changed Han's appearance but also took their parents' lives. They didn't have many relatives, and the police had to go through several channels to contact Xano. It was then that he saw his brother, whom he hadn't seen in five years.

The accident was not someone else's fault. The money left behind by their parents and Xano's meager savings were used for Han's initial treatment, but they couldn't afford the expensive long-term medical costs. He had no choice but to take Han out of the hospital.

Xano worked at an auto repair shop, and initially, they lived in the dormitory behind the shop. The dormitory was free, but it was a large shared bunk with seven or eight other men. Han was shy, like a little rabbit thrown into a wolf's den, shivering and hiding behind Xano. However, he seemed to understand his brother's predicament and never said a word about leaving.

It was Xano who couldn't stand it first.

Han had fair skin, long, straight legs, and despite taking a bath, when he walked past the bunk beds, a group of men playing cards would turn to look at him, letting out coarse laughter.

Xano remembered that Han used to be pristine, even at the age of twenty, he didn't have a hint of worldly airs, proud and unassuming. No matter what he looked like now, he shouldn't be mixing with these men.

With Han, Xano moved to their current rental house, but it didn't feel like much of an improvement, just changing one circle for another.

Naturally, they wouldn't go to the mall to buy a hat. They couldn't even afford a store. Even a night market stall was a luxury for Han, who hadn't been out on the streets for a long time.

After leaving the alley, there was a night market under a bridge on the next street. It wasn't very large, but it was lively. Each stall had dim white light bulbs hanging, and a variety of inexpensive goods were displayed on wooden boards laid over tricycles. It was a place loved by poor people.

Chazh was a small city with a small population, and its economy and tourism weren't developed. This was an old part of the city that couldn't get any older. Xano and Han were among the poor people.

There were a lot of people, and Xano held Han's hand to prevent him from getting lost. He was tall and handsome, standing out naturally, and Han's hair, despite being messy, made his face unexpectedly attractive. The combination of the two of them was quite conspicuous, especially when they were holding hands.

Fortunately, the crowd was dense enough that even if people looked at them strangely, Xano didn't care, and Han didn't notice, so who would pay attention to them?

Han was both excited and scared, sticking close to Xano. He looked at everything and asked questions about everything. When he saw shoddily made model airplanes, he asked, "Brother, is this fun?" When he saw bright red candied haws, he asked, "Brother, are these tasty?"

"I've never played with that." "I don't know."

Han looked disappointed and said, "Oh," as he walked away but kept turning back to look.

Xano was busy looking for a place to buy a hat. He led Han through one stall after another. When they passed by a mother and son, he overheard the little boy asking, "Mom, are candied apples tasty?" The young woman scolded him, "You little glutton, all you think about is eating!"

Xano suddenly realized and asked Han, "Do you want to eat candied haws?"

Han's eyes lit up, and he nodded eagerly, saying, "I want to!"

Xano then led him back to the candied haw stalls and asked him to pick one.

Han had a hard time deciding. He pointed at one string, then hesitated and moved to another. This made the stall owner laugh and say, "Little brother, try the strawberry ones. It's the season."

Han looked back at Xano, and after Xano paid, he bought a string of strawberry candied haws for him.

The candied haws were freshly made, and the thin sugar coating was still steaming. Six large strawberries were strung together, and Han held the bamboo stick in his hand. He carefully licked a small part of it with the tip of his tongue and looked up with a happy expression, saying, "It's sweet!"

Xano slowed his pace, holding Han's hand and protecting him from the crowded people. He let him enjoy the simple sweetness without any extravagance.

The strawberries this season were unusually large. Han only took a small bite, and the sugar coating broke into pieces about to fall. Juice splattered on his mouth, and he became flustered and annoyed. Bending over, he gazed at the almost falling sugar coating and muttered to himself in frustration.

When he was discharged from the hospital, the doctor had warned that Han's emotions were easily unstable. His head injury had led to a decrease in his intelligence, but he was different from children. It was unclear what could trigger his fragile nerves. However, these symptoms hadn't occurred in Han during the days since his release. He seemed like a gentle little creature, not making a fuss even when bullied, and he even kept his temper silent.

It was Xano who couldn't take it anymore.

Han, with his fair skin, straight and long legs, had a lower color recognition ability than regular people. Like a child, he unconsciously liked bright colors. He picked up various colorful candied haws, trying them on his head, and asked Xano if they looked good. This drew the attention of the people around who were also shopping for hats, and Han was focused on choosing a hat with no reaction. Xano didn't rush him, but the shop owner became unhappy, finding them troublesome. He yelled at them loudly, "Are you buying or not? If not, get out of here!"

Xano turned to face the owner, his temper not very good. It had only improved over the last few years. He was about to say something when Han approached him, his head adorned with a little yellow hat. He was excited, seemingly unaware of anything. When the shop owner didn't pay him any attention, he dared to speak up, "Brother, I want this!"

Xano couldn't believe it. Han couldn't even understand the word "ham," and he didn't want to eat it, let alone let Xano eat it. Xano took him away and then asked if he wanted ham added, considering that he had more money now that he had been working for a while.

Han was really confused and didn't know what "ham" meant. He even refused to eat it and didn't want Xano to eat it either. Annoyed, Xano pulled him to sit by a low table, and when the fried rice arrived, he tried to grab the chopsticks from Xano's hand and said anxiously, "Brother doesn't eat."

"It's okay," Xano reassured him, "It won't make you sick."

Han stealthily looked back at the fried rice seller as if he were looking at a heinous villain. Seeing that the seller didn't notice him, he continued, "Yes, it will. Brother said so."

Xano was at a loss and didn't know how to explain to Han. He just packed up the fried rice and took it home, waiting for Han to fall asleep before eating it. The fried rice had been left in the foam lunchbox for too long and had dried up. The egg and ham were stuck together, far from the delicious taste it had when it was freshly cooked. But he took a bite and couldn't help but look at the sleeping Han. In his mind, he was a mix of images - one moment, Han was reaching for his hand under the light, another moment, he was anxiously saying that eating fried rice would make him sick. And finally, it became an image from many years ago when Han looked at him emotionlessly and said, "You are not my brother, not from the beginning, not in the future."

Chapter 3

Perhaps due to his afternoon nap, Xano couldn't sleep well at night. He awoke groggily as dawn broke and decided not to force himself to sleep anymore. In the morning, Xano ate very little. Xano cooked him a fried egg sandwiched in half a bun for breakfast. He left for work before Han woke up.

Yesterday, he had skipped work all day, so he needed to catch up today. The car repair shop wasn't very close to their home, and Xano owned a secondhand motorbike, but he didn't use it often due to high gas prices and its fuel inefficiency. He walked to the car repair shop every morning.

Today, he left home extra early, and when he arrived at the car repair shop, there was no one there. Xano raised half of the rolling shutter door, changed into his work clothes, and continued with the tasks he hadn't finished from the day before.

About an hour later, the shop owner, a middle-aged woman, arrived. Seeing the door was already open, she smiled broadly. She had a loud voice, and when she shouted, it sounded like a loudspeaker: "So early! Let me see who's working so diligently."

Xano had no choice but to crawl out from under the car and wiped his nose with the back of his hand. "Sister Chen."

Chen, in her thirties, had stylish curled hair and fashionable clothing. She was a well-known beauty in the neighborhood, and middle-aged men with big bellies visited the car repair shop from time to time to see her. It was said that this car repair shop was previously owned by a small boss who opened it for her. Xano had first encountered this line of work when he had just graduated from high school. He was involved in motorcycle modification back then. Three years ago, due to a mistake that resulted in injuring someone, he served time in prison. During his incarceration, he studied for three years, and when he was released, he found a job at Chen's car repair shop.

"Little Xano," Chen walked over, "Have you had breakfast?"

"Yes, Sister."

"That's good," Chen grinned, extending her manicured finger to scratch his solid chest, "With such a great body, you'd better not starve yourself."

Annoyance briefly flashed in Xano's eyes as he stepped back. But Chen remained unaffected and continued to speak cheerfully, "You can get back to work. I'll check inside."

Xano cleared his throat and ended up crawling back under the car without saying anything.

In the past, he wouldn't have put up with this, but now it was different. Chen had a lot of clients, and the pay was decent. With Han to take care of, he couldn't afford to lose this job.

Chen had a passion for playing Mahjong, and she rarely visited the car repair shop during working hours. However, something seemed unusual today because she stayed at the shop the entire morning.

Xano hurried back home at lunchtime and brought packed lunches for Han. He had a quick meal himself and then rushed back to work. As he entered the house after work, he was surprised to find that Chen was still there. When she saw him return, she walked over and casually asked, "You went home to deliver food again?"

Xano didn't want to discuss it much and just nodded to get through it.

But Chen frowned, "Isn't that too much to send packed lunches?"

Xano considered arguing that he brought the packed lunch for himself, but he realized that Chen would know the number of packed lunches they ordered each day. So, he decided not to argue and just said he would be more careful in the future.

"Alright," Chen said, "Sister is just worried you'll go hungry. There's one more packed lunch left in the kitchen. You better go eat it."

His coworkers teased him after Chen left, suggesting that he had upset the boss's wife and was paying for it now. Xano's face turned black, and he slammed a wrench onto the ground, silencing the others.

After a day of bottling up his frustration, Xano was in a bad mood when he returned home, and he couldn't hide it from Han. The child was afraid of him, obediently finished his meal, and sat on the edge of the bed, clutching his own arm. Xano washed the dishes and came back. When he tried to stop Han from scratching his arm, he used a bit too much force, and the sound of a slap rang out. Both of them froze.

"Brother…" Han, on the verge of tears, called out to him.

Xano realized what he had done and quickly grabbed a towel to soothe the red mark he had left on Han's arm.

Han's skin was fair, and the red mark stood out prominently. He bit his lips and tried to hold back the tears, looking at Xano with a mixture of fear and longing.

Xano felt guilty. He wanted to apologize, but Han clung to his clothes as if afraid that he would leave. So, Xano sat down beside him, and Han, with his head on Xano's lap, requested, "Brother, blow on it."

Xano reluctantly blew on the red mark a few times to help soothe the pain.

"Better now?" Xano asked.

Han touched his arm gently and said with a relieved tone, "Not hurting anymore."

Xano chuckled, and in that moment, the turmoil in his heart seemed to calm down miraculously. Life was harsh, but there was a glimmer of hope, thanks to Han.

His throat felt a bit scratchy, and he cleared it before asking Han, "Han, can brother hold you for a while?"

Han leaped into his arms happily.

As they lay down to sleep that night, Xano realized why Han had clung to his arm. It was because it was bath time.

As the days grew warmer, even if they didn't go outside, they'd still be sweating by the end of the day. Han, who couldn't stay still, was running around the house. Xano had already showered at the repair shop, and when he returned home, he would wash Han's face and brush his teeth. He wasn't a patient person, and taking care of Han had used up all his patience, plus there were still many unpredictable situations.

There was a public bathhouse nearby, but the way men looked at Han made Xano change his mind. He told Han to wait for him at home, and he brought back two bottles of water, one of which he heated up and poured into a plastic basin.

The hot water steamed up, and Han curiously squatted by the basin and touched the white steam. Xano brought a small stool for him to sit on and prevented him from touching the hot water.

"I know," Han said knowingly, "it's very hot."

Xano grunted and asked him to wash his face before they moved on to the final step. Han had to take off his underwear. He had never taken a bath like this before. Han looked at Xano and then at the hot water, confused. Xano took the initiative to help him out of his clothes.

Han was thinner than before, and the underwear Xano had bought didn't fit well. It hung limply on his hipbones, as if it might fall off with a slight tremor.

Xano's throat felt itchy, and he couldn't help but feel a wave of frustration. He hesitated, then touched Han's head. But Han, as if he were frightened, flinched and backed away. Xano noticed that he was scared, so he gave a gentle pat on his shoulder. He said, "It's alright. In the house, don't wear a hat, and you'll grow taller."

Han nodded earnestly.

As Xano began to wash Han, the boy's innocence and purity touched his heart. Xano scrubbed him quickly, but as he reached the end, he had to take off Han's underwear. Han stood up, and the way he bent over, his back was presented like a serpentine path leading to his pert buttocks. He stood naked in the middle of the simple room, his attractive genitals nestled between his legs. His face bore the innocence of someone unaware of the ways of the world, and yet it was irresistibly tempting.

"Brother…" Han protested softly, sensing that Xano's movements had stopped.

Xano abruptly withdrew his hand, feeling a strong urge to press his palm against his throbbing heart. The thoughts that had been troubling him earlier vanished instantly.

"You're my little brother, Xano," he thought with a hint of self-mockery, "You're a damn beast."

"Mmm," he muttered, and then he adjusted his tone as he picked up a towel to dry Han. "Put your clothes on."

Han was relieved to have the hat off. He quickly dressed and started humming a tune he had probably picked up from somewhere, not paying attention to where.

Hearing Han's cheerful humming, Xano's mood lightened. He poured out the water in the basin, replaced it with cold water, and returned to the room.

Since Han had started wearing a hat, he would take it off for a while before putting it back on again. Just as Xano was about to take off Han's hat, the child protected it from him, frowning. "Why would you do that?" he asked, puzzled.

Xano found it adorable and bent over until he was almost at eye level with Han. "Wearing a hat indoors doesn't help you grow taller."

Xano didn't mention that he was 185 cm tall when he finished high school, taller than Han. But since he kept it to himself, Han fell for the bait immediately. He stood up, and Xano had to step back to maintain some distance between them. Han's body was pressed very close to his, almost touching, his hand extended above his head. "I'm not taller than you," he said.

Xano didn't want to make it too obvious that he was just teasing Han. "Are you taller than me?"

Han looked at him, puzzled by his words, and after thinking about it for a while, he finally replied, "But I'm taller than Mao Mao..."

Mao Mao was one of the local kids, known for being the tallest among the troublemakers. Han was scared of him and had no desire to grow taller.

Xano found it endearing that Han had fallen for his playful ruse. He bent down and nearly made eye contact with Han. "Who cares about being taller? You're not taller than I am."

Xano decided not to mention that he had a height of 185 cm because he didn't want to discourage Han. Instead, he made a comforting gesture and said, "You'll grow taller if you don't wear your hat inside the house."

Han nodded earnestly.

When Xano returned after washing their clothes, Han was already dozing off, and he turned off the lights before lying down beside him. Han immediately turned over and held Xano's arm. Xano patted his shoulder and said softly, "Time to sleep."

Han hesitated for a moment but then, just as Xano thought he had fallen asleep, he asked, "Brother, will I grow taller tomorrow?"

After receiving a reassuring response from Xano, Han relaxed and drifted off to sleep.

Chapter 4

The next day, he surprisingly remembered the incident. He woke up early, and while Xano was busy making breakfast, he pulled him to compare their heights.

Thinking back to when he was younger, Xano had always been taller than children his age, while Han's growth spurt came later, and there was a time when he was more than two heads shorter than Xano. He didn't like being called "shorty" by Xano, who was unwilling to let him have the milk that their mother said would make him taller. During that time, Xano was awakened every day by Han, who ran barefoot to compare their heights. He could still remember how Han would stand on tiptoe and ask him, "Big brother, did I grow taller?"

It was so similar to the present that if he didn't think about the years they had lost contact, it seemed like nothing had changed.

"You didn't grow taller," Han said regretfully.

"Have more food, and you'll grow taller," Xano boiled two eggs, and since Han didn't eat the yolks, he removed the egg whites and put them in a bowl for him.

Han looked at him skeptically. "Is it really true?"

"No," Xano snatched his egg white as if he were going to eat it. "Don't eat anymore; give it all to me."

Han giggled and held the bowl, moving away from him. He placed the bowl on one side and then came back to grab the egg white from Xano's hand. Xano pretended not to give it to him and teased him for a while. It wasn't until Han's face turned red from the playfulness that Xano put it in his mouth and lightly touched his nose.

Han chewed politely, his mouth closed tightly, taking a bite, and then looking at Xano. His lips curved slightly, whether from enjoying the food or seeing the happiness on the face in front of him was unclear.

After feeding him the two eggs, Xano cleaned up the dishes, gave Han a hug, and said, "I'm going to work, big bro."

Han seemed a little reluctant, tugging at his finger and lowering his head without saying a word. Xano touched his uneven hair and whispered, "I'm leaving, okay?"

Han finally looked up at him, his eyes pitiful. He reluctantly mumbled, "When will you come back? There's no one to talk to..."

All morning at work, Xano couldn't stop thinking about what Han would be doing alone at home. He may not be the brightest, but he had feelings. Being locked in a room of less than 15 square meters with nothing to do was probably quite lonely.

When Xano came home for lunch, he didn't knock on the door. Instead, he quietly looked inside through the window to check on Han.

Han sat with his back to Xano, near the table, and there was a glass of cold boiled water on the table. He was leaning on the table, seemingly doing something, and he was almost motionless. Xano couldn't quite figure out what he was doing, and he dipped his finger into the glass, continuing to lean still.

Xano knocked on the door, and there was an immediate commotion inside the room. Han quickly rushed over to open the door. As Xano walked to the table, he noticed water stains on it, but he couldn't make out what was drawn.

Later, Xano finished work early in the afternoon. The days were getting longer after the spring equinox, and on his way back, he encountered middle school students leaving school. This was a vocational school, and the kids, about ten or so years old, were all dressed in uniforms. While their faces still held some youthful innocence, many of the girls wore heavy makeup, and the boys gathered at small convenience stores, trying to look like adults with their cigarettes.

Xano remembered his middle school days, where he was known for playing around and skipping classes to go to internet cafes. Once, he was caught by his mother, who personally came to get him, and it was thanks to Han informing him that he was able to sneak out through the back door and return to school after skipping just one late-night self-study session.

At that time, Han had just started middle school, and he was waiting for him at home. After being scolded by their parents, the night had already grown late. Once their parents had gone back to their rooms, Xano had prepared to sleep, but Han, wearing his pajamas, had come to find him secretly. He brought half a bowl of bright, shiny cherries, saying that he had saved them from the gaps between his teeth.

Xano ate without hesitation, and Han, watching him, occasionally licked his lips, swallowing saliva. When there were only a few cherries left, Han couldn't hold back and said, "Are you going to eat so many that you won't be able to sleep at night? I should have left you only three."

Counting the cherries, Xano selected three and handed them to Han. Han pretended to hesitate for a moment but then placed them in his mouth, puffing up his cheek. It looked like he was eating something delightful, or perhaps it was seeing the person in front of him so happy.

Xano cleaned the kitchen after feeding Han. Then, he reached out and gave Han a hug, saying, "Big bro is going to work."

Han seemed a bit reluctant. He held Xano's finger, lowered his head, and didn't say anything. Xano ran his fingers through his messy hair and softly said, "I'm going now."

Only then did Han raise his head to look at him with a pitiful gaze. "When will you come back? There's no one to talk to..."

In the morning, Xano couldn't concentrate on his work; he kept thinking about what Han was doing all alone at home. Although Han was not the smartest, he was not without feelings. Being locked in a room of less than 15 square meters with nothing to do must be quite lonely.

When Xano returned home for lunch, he didn't knock on the door. Instead, he peeked inside through the window to check on Han's situation.

Han was sitting with his back to him at the table, where a glass of cold boiled water was placed. He was leaning against the table, not moving. Xano couldn't quite make out what he was doing, but he noticed some water stains on the table.

Xano knocked on the door, and there was an immediate movement inside the room. Han quickly came to open the door. As Xano walked to the table, he saw that there were watermarks on it, but he couldn't make out the drawing.

That afternoon, Xano finished work early. The days were getting longer after the spring equinox, and on his way home, he encountered middle school students leaving school. This was a vocational school, and the kids, about ten or so years old, were all dressed in uniforms. While their faces still held some youthful innocence, many of the girls wore heavy makeup, and the boys gathered at small convenience stores, trying to look like adults with their cigarettes.

Xano remembered his middle school days, where he was known for playing around and skipping classes to go to internet cafes. Once, he was caught by his mother, who personally came to get him, and it was thanks to Han informing him that he was able to sneak out through the back door and return to school after skipping just one late-night self-study session.

At that time, Han had just started middle school, and he was waiting for him at home. After being scolded by their parents, the night had already grown late. Once their parents had gone back to their rooms, Xano had prepared to sleep, but Han, wearing his pajamas, had come to find him secretly. He brought half a bowl of bright, shiny cherries, saying that he had saved them from the gaps between his teeth.

Xano ate without hesitation, and Han, watching him, occasionally licked his lips, swallowing saliva. When there were only a few cherries left, Han couldn't hold back and said, "Are you going to eat so many that you won't be able to sleep at night? I should have left you only three."

Counting the cherries, Xano selected three and handed them to Han. Han pretended to hesitate for a moment but then placed them in his mouth, puffing up his cheek. It looked like he was eating something delightful, or perhaps it was seeing the person in front of him so happy.

Now cherries were not in season, and even if they were, this old part of the city probably had no place to sell them. Seeing some sugar oranges on the roadside, Xano bought a bagful and took them home.

Han was delighted to see the fruit, and he immediately wanted Xano to peel one. After Xano peeled an orange, Han took a bite and found it sour. Xano tasted it as well but didn't find it sour. He then looked at Han, who was on the verge of tears. Surprised, he asked, "Why isn't it sour for me?"

"It's sour," Han said, taking a closer look. He bit the orange again and this time it was indeed sour, so he looked at Xano with tearful eyes and exclaimed, "How come it's not sour for you?"

Xano was baffled by the difference and tried to take another bite, but it wasn't sour for him. He glanced at Han and noticed him tearing up due to the sour taste. Xano asked, "It's sour?"

Han nodded, tears in his eyes, and told him, "It's really sour."

Both of them stared at each other for a while, and Xano gradually realized Han's logic. Han thought Xano didn't find it sour because he wanted to make sure if it was the same sour taste, and it was out of this childlike curiosity that he wanted Xano to taste what he had experienced.

Xano heaved a sigh of relief and continued eating the oranges. Han, however, wasn't satisfied and continued eating the sour oranges while tears welled up in his eyes. He insisted, "Brother, try it."

Xano hesitated but eventually leaned over and kissed Han on the forehead.

Stay Tuned...