Life didn't get easier, even in another world.

The team leader pressed down the shoulders of the man who was struggling to get out of his chair. He was still tied and it was for sure that he wouldn’t be able to free himself in this state, but he resisted so much that the team leader had no choice but to use force on him.

“What are you... huuu...”

Aaron couldn’t finish his weakly mumbled words as his breath was cut in the middle of the sentence.

“Don’t move!”

Team leader Dains said once again as he pressed Aaron back to his seat.

“....”

On the other side of the glass wall, Kairen was also staring at Aaron. He was in a daze for a few seconds after what happened with those sparks, but he recovered from it quickly and was now looking at Aaron.

“Can’t I talk to him first?”

.....

Kairen turned to the commander.

“Yes?”

“I want to make sure about something.”

“Seriously!”

SLAM

The commander slammed the table as hard as he could. He was one breath away from jumping up and punching this bitch in the face.

“I’d like to remind you once again, Mr. Steyton, that you are here to get interrogated. This is not a picnic!”

Tap Tap Tap

“DO YOU GET IT?”

Kairen looked at the commander’s finger that was tapping the table and nodded his head.

“Yes...”

He then looked back at Aaron again.

“But didn’t you want to remove his hood? Don’t you want to know what that white crystal is?”

“...”

The commander closed his mouth.

“And... There is no need to go so far.”

Kairen shook his head.

“I’ve come here to answer everything. There is no need to be so strict.”

“....”

He could see veins pup up on the commander’s forehead and could also hear him gritting his teeth. Kairen ignored them and continued.

“And it’s not like your law won’t work on me if I move to the other side of the room... We are both in your hands and can’t do anything, so why are you so worried?”

“...”

The commander glared at Kairen in silence. It was clear that he wanted to beat Kairen to shit right now but was controlling himself. Kairen looked away from the blue eyes of the man and lowered his head.

‘I have to talk to him first.’

He needed to know why Aaron didn’t answer anything despite them having talked about things before. He didn’t want to make any mistakes when it involved his brother’s life, so he had to ask the commander to let him talk to Aaron first even if it made the man angry as hell.

“If you do anything foolish...”

Kairen raised his head again, only to lock eyes with the commander.

“I’ll kill him on the spot.”

“....”

The cold glare of the man was proof that he was more than serious in his words. Kairen didn’t dare look away from his commander this time. He could only nod his head after starting at the commander’s eyes, which were the same color as the blue hue that was surrounding the whole room, and mumble out a weak “Yes.”

SHHHH

The blue mist around him moved. Kairen felt that his body was much lighter than before. He could now move his body freely. He stood up from his seat and took a few steps towards the glass and stopped there.

‘How am I supposed to go to the other side...’

Fortunately for him, team leader Dains let go of Aaron at the same time and walked towards the exit of the room. A few seconds later, he came inside the room and gestured for Kairen to follow him.

“....Is it burned?”

Kairen couldn’t help but ask as soon as he saw the team leader’s red arm.

“Not really. They are some scratches.”

Tap Tap Tap

They were walking in the hall, approaching a small black door.

“Go inside.”

“Yes.”

Kairen entered the door. He was now on the other side of the room. Kairen approached Aaron, who had turned his head a little bit to look at him, then turned to look at team leader Dains.

“....”

“....”

He was standing beside the door, inside the room.

‘He is not leaving.’

Well, of course, that was obvious. And Kairen didn’t really mind it.

“Ron!”

He instead ran to Aaron’s side, sat down on one knee, and grabbed his arms.

“What the hell!?”

And whispered that to his ear.

“What in the world do you think you are doing? I thought we’d talked about it? Why did you let them torture you? WHY DIDN’T YOU ANSWER THEM?”

“....”

Aaron moved his head closer.

“Ren...”

His voice was weak and tired, but Kairen could still understand it.

“You work for this place...”

He was taking small breaths in between his words.

“And I worked for the enemy.”

He was telling those words in a voice that no one besides Kairen could hear them.

“I deceived you... and made you do what I wanted.”

“What the-”

“And you don’t know me.”

“Ron!”

Kairen tightened his grip on Aaron’s arms.

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“Ren... They are dangerous...”

Kairen shook Aaron’s body again, doing his best not to vent his anger on his injured brother, but he couldn’t stop his voice from trembling with anger.

“They won’t let you go... If you know... We are connected...”

“RON!”

This time, he screamed that name loud enough for everyone to hear. He was so curious about the reason why his brother didn’t answer any questions, but this? THIS? This was the reason? Such a stupid reason?

“We’ve talked about this before!”

.....

They had agreed that they would do everything they could to make the higher-ups and SMF’s commander give another chance to Aaron and prove that he was innocent, but now what? What the hell was this fool talking about?

They are dangerous? So what? SO WHAT?

“Ren...”

Aaron’s voice was still calm despite Kairen yelling at him.

“It’s not... just your connection to me...”

His older brother placed his head on Kairen’s shoulder.

“What do you think... They would do if they knew... That you are from... Another world...”

“....”

“Will they let you live the way... the way you want?”

Kairen subconsciously glanced at Reyan on the other side of the glass. He had told him that he wasn’t from this world... and he didn’t do anything? Well, it was mostly because he didn’t believe Kairen but he still didn’t show any intense reactions.

Was that because he was Kairen’s friend? Then, would the others react differently?

To tell that Kairen wasn’t scared of it would be a lie, but still... They had talked about this before as well! What was it with his brother suddenly changing his mind and acting so pathetic?

“We’ve talked about these before, Ron.”

Kairen repeated his words.

“I’ve changed my mind.”

“Ron!”

“I don’t want to do it.”

He slightly raised his head to look at Kairen’s eyes.

“I don’t want to take such a risk... I can’t lie... And I won’t tell the truth... They will probably give up after a while... and just throw me behind the bars... But you...”

“Shut up for a moment!”

Seriously, Kairen wanted to punch this bastard? Was something wrong with his head? What the hell?! Kairen didn’t remember his brother ever being this weak before. He was not like how he was just a few days ago. He was like a scared little rat!

“Ren, please!”

Aaron placed his head back on Kairen’s shoulder.

“Please.”

“Please what?”

Kairen commented through gritted teeth.

“...I don’t want to... lose you... So please-”

“Fuck! Who said anything about that? Don’t get dramatic on your own!”

Kairen shook his brother’s body.

“Did they hit your head in their interrogations? Huh? Did that bastard use some freaking laws to give you nightmares or something?”

Kairen turned his head to avoid any possible eye contact with the commander, who he just called a bastard, and accidentally locked eyes with team leader Dains.

“Ahem!”

The man coughed and turned his head around with an awkward expression.

‘Huh?’

“Nightmares...”

He heard Aaron mumble at the same time.

‘What? Really?’

Did he use some freaking law to give him nightmares or other things like that? Something like... psychological torture or something? That was possible? He really went and did that on his brother? That bastard?

Also...

‘Oh wow, I’m a genius!’

He guessed that right!

‘Ahem, anyway!’

Kairen moved his head a little bit closer to Aaron.

“Don’t be stupid, brother.”

He whispered so that only he could hear.

“Such a thing won’t happen.”

He lowered his head even more.

“And if it happens... We’ll just run away as we agreed!”

“...”

“So stop acting like a pathetic fool and move back. You need to take off your hood.”

“Ren...”

“Shut up!”

Kairen pushed his brother back to his chair.

“Now, will this stone bite me if I touch your hoodie?”

“...”

He couldn’t see Aaron’s face, but he knew what kind of face he was making now. He was sure that he was still asking him to stop this act and pretend that he doesn’t know him.

Kairen didn’t care.

He had been living the life of a brainless fool so far, and he intended to keep living the same way as before.

...As his attempts in being less clumsy have failed him before... It wasn’t like he could change himself...

He had... no choice...

“What should I do for it not to go sparkly sparkly? Huh? Answer me!”

“...It won’t react to you...”

Aaron answered, his voice now tired and disappointed.

“Okay then!”

Kairen grabbed the hoddie without wasting any time and pulled it down. The stone shone for a brief second, but nothing happened like when team leader Dains had touched it.

Shhh

Shoulder-length light-brown hair slid down from behind Aaron’s back and rested on his shoulders as soon as Kairen removed the hood. His hair which was long on one side was covering one of his eyes, but the other one was staring at Kairen, though half open.

“Ahem!”

Kairen coughed awkwardly.

“This is... Um, Ron!”