Chapter 39: Reunion

TW: Suicide Mentioned Near the End of the Chapter

No, that couldn't be. #####, no, her brother, Michael. It felt as though a huge weight was lifted from her chest, but the pain amplified.

Selina reached out her hand.

"M-michael?" She groaned out.

"How do you know my name?!" The man lunged towards her, but Selina fell to the ground with a large thud, her eyes closed. What happened next was a familiar sequence to her, but it wasn't Amelia's memories this time.

A scene unfolded before her.

A young man with black hair and dark brown eyes was kneeling on the ground, crying loudly.

His arms clutched a limp, lifeless body—her body.

"Selina! Wake up, please!"

His voice cracked with raw anguish, his hands trembling as he shook her still frame. Hot tears dripped onto her cold face, mixing with the blood pooling beneath her.

Michael lifted his head. His gaze locked onto the man standing before him, a sharp knife in his grasp, the blade dripping crimson.

Michael's expression twisted with grief and rage.

"You motherfucker!" His voice was hoarse, broken. "Why?! What did I ever do to you?!"

The man before him laughed hysterically.

"This is your fault," he sang. "You drove me to madness!"

Michael's breath was ragged, fury boiling beneath his skin. "I—I didn't do anything. You crazy bastard."

The stalker sighed, a sick, almost affectionate smile curling on his lips.

"Ah… keep staring at me like that," he murmured. "Now, you can only have me in your eyes."

Michael carefully lowered Selina's body to the ground, his bloodied hands balling into fists.

The stalker's arms spread wide.

"Come to me, Michael~" His voice was dripping with twisted adoration.

Michael saw nothing but red.

He lunged.

His fist connected with the man's face—crack. Blood spurted from his nose.

The stalker staggered back, stunned momentarily, before his hand snapped forward, plunging the knife into Michael's arm.

Pain exploded, hot and searing, but Michael didn't stop, the adrenaline fueling his actions further.

He didn't care.

He kept punching. Kicking. Biting.

Blow after blow, until the man beneath him stopped moving.

His breath came out in ragged gasps.

He was covered in blood—some his, most not.

His vision blurred. His ears rang. Somewhere in the distance, sirens wailed.

Police cars.

An ambulance.

…Had someone called them?

Michael let out a slow, shaky breath. He was bleeding out, but it didn't matter. The knife hadn't hit anything vital.

It didn't matter.

Because the person he needed most was already gone.

Michael survived.

He was taken to the hospital. His wounds healed.

But soon after, he was called to court. He pleaded guilty with a smile, he felt nothing.

Not a single ounce of regret.

The stalker's family screamed at him in the courtroom. Called him a monster. A murderer and other obscenities. 

He didn't care.

A week into his sentence, Michael took his own life. Before stepping onto the stool, Selina heard him mumble 

"Sis, I'll join you soon. I'm sorry for not finishing the game. I didn't keep our promise. I'm sorry for not letting you be my first player." Then, he stepped forward, his face slowly draining out of life. 

Selina didn't realize when the tears started streaming down her face. In the empty space, she broke down for hours.

Eventually, she opened her eyes, the first sight greeting her was the protagonist–no, it was Michael. The scenery was still dark; fortunately, not a lot of time had passed

"You're awake" Michael walked over to her. 

Besides a splitting headache, Selina felt fine.

"Now, answer me, why do you know my name?" The man crossed his arms, appearing fierce, but the sight amused Selina who knew who he was.

Selina lets out a laugh. "Bro, who are you trying to intimidate?"

"A-answer me before you get hurt!" Michael's face flushed with embarrassment.

"It's me, dumbass. Selina. You better remember me."

Michael's eyes widened. "S-sis? Actually, forreal, no joke?"

"Yeah, it's me. Dude, your game fucking sucks." Selina replied casually.

"No shit, it's still in the developing phase."

"Ugh, in most stories where a character gets thrown into a game, their advantage would be knowing the world like the back of their hand. But noooo, I had to fight tooth in nail to survive." 

"I'm honestly surprised you managed to survive. Selina" Michael paused, tears forming in his eyes. "I'm so happy to see you" He hugged his sister tightly. Selina quickly hugged him back.

"I'm happy to see you too, bro. I still hate Troye by the way, even more now actually." 

"I can't believe you got transmigrated into his sister of all characters." Michael lets out a chuckle.

"At least she's pretty~"

"Ever the narcissist, I guess some things never change."

The two of them sat there, laughing and crying, enjoying the presence of each other. Her brother was back and she'll do everything to not part from him again.