[Completed] Legend of the Five Knights IV: Fated Holy War

Episode 1: The Prodigal Son Returns

I slapped my forehead. I needed to let go of it, but it was hard. Whenever I finally thought that I had gotten over it, I would relapse. One time, I even assaulted some guy walking at night to get his twelve-pack.

"Why are you digging into the trash?" a voice called out. I gasped and saw a man in a crisp navy blue suit walk toward me. We shared an uncanny resemblance, even though we weren't identical twins.

"Little bro," I said, mouth wide open.

He ran a hand through his light brown hair. "I've told you not to call me that! We're only a few minutes apart!"

I grinned. "Regardless, you'll always be my little bro."

My brother removed the sunglasses he had on, revealing a set of hazel eyes. "In the same vein, you'll always be my older bro." He put his glasses into the front pocket of his suit and pulled out a slice of walnut bread. "Here, Aza. Eat this instead of that trash."

My trembling hands reached out for it. "Thanks, Osa," I said, my eyes starting to tear up.

He grumbled. Osa also hated me calling him that.

I gulped and pushed the bread back into his hands. I shook my head.

His eyes widened a little. "What? You're not going to take it?"

I averted my gaze. "I don't deserve it. Not after what I did to my family. Trash like me deserves only to eat trash."

He clenched the bread. "You think that self-pity will change things?"

I closed my eyes and laughed weakly. "That's funny to hear from you."

He gasped. "Sure, I abhor my weakness too, but..."

I opened my eyes and saw that he had turned around. "Osa?"

"But I don't wish to leave you in this state. Rosa's birthday is coming up soon. I thought that maybe you could come."

He was inviting me to his daughter's birthday party? Couldn't he see how I was dressed? Or smelled, for that matter.

"I would just ruin it, especially if there's alcohol there," I responded, turning away.

"Fine. If you don't feel like coming, I won't make you. But if you change your mind, then please let me know. I'll get you some fresh clothes and a place where you can wash up."

"Thanks, little brother, but I'm where I belong."

He took a deep breath and threw the loaf of bread toward the trash. "Eat it!" he said before running off.

"Osa..." I hadn't gotten a chance to ask him how he was feeling. His wife and brother-in-law had recently died.

I picked up the bread from the trash. My tears drenched the plastic wrapping. Why was I so damn selfish?

***

['Present']

"Hey, is that who I think it is?" a voice called out.

My eyes widened as a gray-haired man in a black suit dashed over to me. He grinned. "It is you!" he said.

"Sato," I said.

He grinned as he looked me up and down. "What's with that shabby look? Planning to audition for the role of a sage or something?"

"Who is this, Daddy?" the girl trailing behind him asked.

"This is Musa," he said, patting my shoulder. It had been ages since anyone had referred to me by my stage name.

I removed Sato's hand from my shoulder.