Chapter 10: Dreaded Memories

 A young boy, approximately 11 years old, was enjoying his time playing in the park when his younger brother, who was around 6 years old, approached him and demanded to use the swing. The older boy, who had just settled into the swing, refused and promised to let his brother have a turn later. Angered by this response, the younger brother punched him in the face with such force that he ended up scratching his own face in the process. He then ran home in tears. Upon arriving home, the boy overheard his father consoling his younger brother, saying, "Let that half-assed nonsense come home." The following morning, the boy woke up to find four bruises on his face and swollen knees, the result of being spanked by his father and forced to kneel for three hours straight. This was just a glimpse of the mistreatment he faced on a daily basis. Despite having caring parents, wealth, and many friends, everything changed when his younger brother came into the picture. His parents were enamored by the baby's appearance at birth, favoring him over his older brother simply because he was considered more attractive. Alexis found himself alone and neglected, as all attention shifted to his younger sibling.

His brother, Sota's outward appearance exuded cuteness, prettiness, and innocence, but beneath the surface, he harbored an ugly, nasty, sly, and selfish nature. Such occurrences were a daily norm until he reached the age of 15. It was his fifteenth birthday, and he found himself all alone with no one to celebrate with. His parents were away on a business trip, and his younger brother had been taken by their grandma out of pity. In the quiet of the house, he sang himself a melancholic happy birthday and blew out the candles, desperately wishing to escape his parents and the misery of his life. Later that evening, his phone rang, and he answered it with annoyance, expecting his mother to have forgotten his birthday and called him for some mundane task. However, to his surprise, it was a stranger on the other end of the line. The person asked, "Are you the oldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Kwon?" Alexis replied with curiosity, "Yes, why?" The stranger's voice trembled as they delivered the devastating news, "I'm sorry, but your parents died in a car crash." A rush of joy overwhelmed Alexis, as if his wish had been granted or someone had heard his plea. Despite his mixed emotions, he composed himself and provided the stranger with his grandma's contact information, saying, "Please inform this person as well." Alexis's grandmother embraced Hikari as her own and left Alexis at an orphanage. From that day on, she never reached out to him. However, in the orphanage, Alexis found his true friend, Usami. The two quickly became inseparable, working hard together. With their dedication, they both managed to secure spots at the top university for gaming development. Even though they were attending university, they still had to reside in the orphanage for another year until they reached the age of eighteen. Fortunately, a kind-hearted woman named Mrs. Shimura adopted Usami, so now he lived with her. However, the boys remained inseparable at university. Usami suggested that Alexis live with him, but Alexis politely declined, fearing he would be a burden. As time went on, they gained recognition as top students in their university, and that's when they crossed paths with Rei-kun, who taught part-time at the university. After learning about Alexis's background, Rei-kun decided to take him in as his little brother, and from that moment on, Alexis lived with Rei-kun. Since Rei-kun welcomed him into his family as a younger brother, Alexis cherished Rei-kun and considered him his true sibling. Soon, they discovered that all three of them were vying for a position at the prestigious gaming company, Hyozan Gaming Companies. Luckily, fate smiled upon them, and all three secured spots at the same company. Alexis adored Rei-kun like an older brother, surpassing the love a real sibling would have for their own. But he was just a big tsundere so would never show it out.