an unfortunate change in genre

Part 34

"What's this?" Roksu gestured to the proffered sweet with confusion pinching his expression. Of course, you had to be fairly good at reading the stoic boy to tell that this particular frown among his many frowns was his confused frown.

"A gift." Cale said with a shrug, sitting alongside his brother on the hillside.

"...why?"

Cale gave him a sideways glance. Roksu really was extra guarded today.

"I've noticed you always grow a bit strange this time of year." Cale said by way of explanation, taking note of the way Roksu stiffened. "Was today a special day... before?"

Roksu's expression gave absolutely nothing away. The silence that enveloped the siblings being the only answer he could manage.

Cale wondered what could have possibly happened to Roksu in his past life for him to be so closed off about every little detail of that life.

"I was thinking it had to be a birthday, an anniversary, or the day something unforgettable happened." Cale continued, figuring that the only way he'd get any answers was through continued prodding. "Any which way, I figured you could use some sweets."

Roksu finally accepted the cupcake, his expression still pinched up.

He looked like he was remembering something. It was anyone's guess whether it was a pleasant memory or not.

"...it's a birthday." He said finally, looking at the cupcake with those strange eyes that never gave anything away.

Cale could guess that whoever's birthday it was, it was unlikely their memory didn't bring pain to Roksu.

Perhaps they died. Although considering the age regression and Roksu's innate skill for saving lives, it seemed unlikely that they would still be dead in that case.

Perhaps they ended things with Roksu on foul terms.

He really couldn't say. And despite his curiosity, he wasn't going to prod further.

He wasn't here because of his curiosity after all.

On the hill where Roksu spent every November eighth, staring off into the distance with a strange expression, Cale just wanted Roksu to know that he didn't have to be alone.

"Happy birthday to whoever then." Cale said flippantly, as though he didn't care all that much.

Roksu cracked half a smile, some of the tension leaving his shoulders.

The pain of loss would probably always haunt him, in the very back corners of his mind and despite all his efforts to get through each trauma unscathed.

But there was something deeply comforting about celebrating his not-birthday with his new older brother. A part of him wished that Choi Jung Soo could be here too, he would have liked Cale.

He wished a lot of people could be here.

But only in the subconscious section of his thoughts that he had no control over.

He knew better than to make actual wishes.

–

The shield overhead shook under the force of the assault. Cale used every bit of his self control not to pay it any mind.

With a broad stroke of his sword, yet more blood splattered against his face but he couldn't afford to stop there.

Cale was never all that talented in any form of martial arts. In his first life, he'd received the basic training of a member of the Henituse family and then training as a soldier in the battlefield.