"The maid tells me you've barely been eating lately?"
"Mm-hmm."
"I throw up everything I eat, so I might as well not eat at all."
"That's not okay!"
Brother clenched his fist tightly, then slowly released it, drained of strength.
"You're already feeling unwell, and now you're not eating properly."
I smiled faintly without responding.
Lately, I've been vomiting blood frequently. I know my time is running short.
"Brother, do Mom and Dad still refuse to visit me?"
I casually asked the question I'd been longing to ask.
Back then, I cut ties with my parents for Caelan's sake.
Now, this result of being abandoned by everyone is what I deserve.
Brother gazed at the distant sunset for a long time before helping my skeletal frame into the house.
He opened a hidden door, revealing two memorial tablets inside.
They were for my parents, whom I hadn't seen in five years.
Brother's voice was unbearably hoarse:
"Car accident six months ago. They couldn't save them."