Chapter Text
"Son, who is that?" His Father ask the moment they stood side by side. Deruth's eye lingering to the cloak individual who hug his son but is now running away.
"Did that man stab you, by any chance?!" Deruth frantically ask, his hands quickly moving to survey Cale's body.
"Knights, seize that man!" Deruth's voice roared like a thunder around that very hill.
"Father, NO!" Cale's protest came too quickly, going as far as grabbing his Father's arm before sending a quick glare to the Knights who's ready to heed Deruth's order.
Deruth looks down to his son, faintly raising a brow to ask why he's willing to let the man escape.
"Uhm, well.. He didn't do anything bad and we're..." Cale is quickly thinking on how to disclose his Brother's existence despite his broken explanation.
With his blushed cheeks, wetted eyes, and drenches cheeks--despite the dark surrounding, anyone can tell that he has been crying.
But Deruth took Cale's flushed appearance as embarrassment and as Cale being shy. He gasp loudly when the puzzle inside his head has been completed.
Hugging each other. The man running away when Deruth came. Cale's flustered face because he caught them on act. Cale stammering because he don't know what to say but is desperately explaining as if shielding the man's identity, to protect the man. From whom? From Deruth. The Father.
Deruth feels like fainting when he came into conclusion. His knees buckling as hold his son's both shoulder.
"Tell me, Cale. Are the two of you--?" Lover?
Deruth can feel the blood inside him leaving his body as he wait for his son's reply.
Cale, on the other hand, feel relieved knowing that their Father mistook his Brother as his friends. His Father is really smart, and he's not even questioning everything.
"Yes, Father.. And we just met each other here. We were good match so we decided to be that way." Cale explained with his small voice hinted with relief, careful not to let the servants know-- so unlikely of his trash and brat behavior.
Deruth felt like someone just throw a bomb on his head, even kindly removing the bombs fin and just let the bomb denotate on the top of his head-- just like Cale softly explaining the relationship of his lover with him with a small and low voice as possible.
His child is just twelve years old! And already has a lover, a boy at that?! He didn't knew his son is bending that way-- wait, that's not the point. He didn't care wether it's a girl or boy, it's his son's preference so he's out of it. The thing is, that guy is much more older! Is that man a pedophile?! His son were just a child for god's sake, isn't he, maybe, just manipulating his son?!
Deruth calm his shaking heart--No! Damn it! He can't calm down!
His son said they just met today and they already hit it off?! Love at first sight, maybe?! Hooooh. There's no point thinking about this further.
For now..
"Cale, first thing first, let's go home." He suggested first, gently tugging his son's arm as he walked forward.
The few servants and knights were quick to give way, and when the two of them passed, they then follow their Lord and Young Master.
Ron was the last to followed the trail, as his eyes were never leaving the direction where the man ran.
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As soon as his sword training ends, Cale quickly ran away holding his wooden sword. He didn't even let Mr. Coby to finishes talking as he left right away, leaving the Instructor baffled and speechless. Because, the sword addict Young Master is excited to end the training? That redhead who's stubborn to train all day without a break is now immediately leaving the training grounds?
Meanwhile, Cale is running towards the back gate of the manor.
He made sure that no one's looking before he squat to look for something inside the bushes. His hands caught a hold of a medium sized bag.
The bag contains a few pairs of plain clothes, because that kind of clothes is easy packing. There's even a dimentional bag where he shoved his sword and weaponry. There's even a few foods he snatched on the kitchen, as well as the gold coins he accumulated over the years.
Yup. He's very prepared to run away.
He didn't said anything to others. Now that he knew his brother is alive, he's very much willing to live with him.
Cale just feels like a sore thumb loser in this house, being the only one with a distinctive hair color. Although his Father indulge him with attention and care, nothing is just the same. There's no Mother who embrace him with warmth and shower him with love. There's no even a big Brother who cuddles and spoiled with every moment they get. He's thankful for his Father for trying his best to provide him that but, he can't fool himself by saying there's no hollow on his heart.
And there's this stepmother who came on their life-- their Father's life. Seeing his Father blooming with happiness ever since they came just printed more hollow onto his pit.
He just want to leave this house. He'll let that small but complete family to reside on their home, just so they could gain happiness.
Cale tighten his hold on the medium sized bag before standing up.
With giddiness rubbing on his system knowing that three days have already past, he immediately and expertly climb past the wall to start his travel.
What he didn't know is there's a certain a certain butler watching him in the distance.
And thus, within the disappearance of the redhead, a rumor quickly arose on the manor between the servants that the Young Master has eloped with his Lover.
...
"HYUNG..!!" Cale scream his lungs out, both hands waving on the air to catch the man's attention. The fame trash and spoiled brat young master was nowhere to be seen as there's only excitement, anticipation, and happiness existing on his face.
"Eyes on the road, you brat." Nale stoically stated when he saw Cale almost tripping on the rock. His eyebrows arch, in disbelief as he can't believe it's the kid good at handling the sword.
Cale would just always be his little brother, even if he's good at sword, even if he's know as trash. Goodness, how could they dubbed that little redball a trash when he's just a twelve years old kid?
"You promised you'll take me with you!" Cale said, voice always loud, as he stomp infront of him. He seems to be cautious on not diving onto his arms like before, realizing that they grew apart for the past year-- are they?
"Yes, I'll take you around where I'm living. Then take you back home." He simply said.
"What?! No! I'm living with you, there's no going back in the mansion!" Cale shouted in horror.
It was just then that Nale noticed the bag that's resting on his little brother's hand, seemingly ready to ran away from home. His lips twisted upward in amusement.
--Human, is he our new family member?! I guess it can't be help, this great and mighty Dragon is benevolent enough to sheltered a poor human such as this kid!
Nale can hear the smug cute voice of the black dragon ringing in his ear, pretending all benevolent but clearly shows he's excited for the additional member. And why is he acting like that? That's Eruhaben-nim's lair, mind you.
"If you want to live with me, i must notified our Father so he won't get worried." He just said before put a hand to his dongsaeng's nape to let them know they're already leaving.
"I thought you don't want to show yourself with Father?"
"For assurance. I don't want him to suffer heart attack because of you." He then lightly tug his lips, a faint lazy smirk appearing on his stoic face.
"Come." Nale said, encouraging his little brother to come with him.
At the same time, there's a teleportation circle appearing on their spot.
--Okay, we're leaving! Time to go home!
Even if his brother looks at him in shock seeing the mana works, Nale didn't bothered to say anything.
He's too lazy to speak, he'll just introduced the little dragon to him later.
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Cale's eyelashes flutter signaling that he's up.
"Oh, Human! Human's little brother is now awake!"
That must be Raon, hearing the cute and energetic voice.
Cale tried to move his body to sit up on the bed. His face grimacing as he felt like he'd gotten beaten up while his body felt so heavy.
"Cale is? Hmm."
Cale immediately look up hearing that calm and unfazed reply. He tried blinking his eyes to adjust on the brightness, his reddish brown irises welcoming the man who stood on his chair to walk towards him.
The bright light of the sun is peeking on the window, the streak of lights pointing to the man's long hair highlighting the red hair that is resurfacing.
Two same shade of irises met each other.
"How are you feeling?" The older between the two, Nale, spoke and ask him first.
Cale felt the smile stretching on his face.
"I'm good, Hyung. The war?"
" Quickly taken care of. Get some rest first and we're going to the manor later." Nale informed him, quietly sitting on the end of his bed.
"The manor? Bet the County is shook as fuck." Cale snickered just imagining the dumbfounded expression of the citizens.
Nale shook his head to his little brother's hoarse language. Well, he can't tell him to stop because he himself is also cursing as fuck.
"Tsk, this punk. If you're good enough, we'll leave already."
"Hyung, how about a hug to shoo the pain away?" Cale smirk wider noticing the frown that registered on his brother's face.
"Shut it, Cale."
The two brother continue to bicker with the little dragon and two kittens watching them two as they nibbled on their cookies.
-TO BE CONTINUED-