Chapter 11

"You've changed." These were the first words Milluki said to me when I returned to Kukuroku Mountain, which I hadn't visited in a long time.

"Really?" I leaned against the wall, idly fiddling with my hair.

He didn't even turn his head, his hands continuing to tap on the keyboard—

Based on my understanding of him, this guy is probably having a heated online argument with a netizen about his favorite character.

"Aren't you going out?" Milluki asked while typing furiously. "Kurt and Big Brother are outside, Mom and Dad should be in the living room... Grandpa's in the back garden. With so many people around, why did you have to come here?"

I impatiently tapped the ground with my toes:

"Karto and Illumi have something to say and don't have time for me. As for the lady and those others... we'll see them eventually, no rush."

Mi Ji did not respond.

I took the initiative to ask, "Where are the cigarettes?"

He let out an incredulous "Ha!" before turning to look at me.

When did you learn that?

I let out a breath: "You don't really think Killua took those things before, do you? He doesn't have that kind of bad habit."

Milluki screamed in despair, "When I hit him, you didn't even stand up for him!!"

Me: "I don't want to die. If Illumi finds out, he'll definitely kill me... Honestly, it's because I'm around him that I feel so much pressure! I'm perfectly normal normally!"

As I spoke, my emotions became increasingly difficult to control.

I felt even more broken than Milluki, and I slumped down, burying my face in my arms.

...It feels so bad.

I was very upset when we got engaged.

Now, the thought of standing on the land of Kukuroku as his fiancée makes me feel even worse.

That guy, Milluki, I'm about to die, and he still has the mind to fight with cybers. He's so annoying.

...I had a slightly dark idea of ​​dragging him off his computer desk and beating him up when I suddenly felt a chill on my neck.

I looked up in confusion and found that it was Milluki who handed me an iced cola.

He looked at me with sympathy and said, "Drinking this will make you feel better."

Okay. He's still a decent guy, so I won't beat him up.

I took the Coke.

Milluki then asked, "Um...you're really good at smoking."

I hesitated for a moment, then told the truth: "...Not really, but if I spend too much time with Illumi, I can't help but want to find a way to vent."

Whether it's doing things like this, locking myself in my room and screaming under my pillow, or even imitating Milluki by challenging others to cyber duels online... Illumi really puts a lot of pressure on me, and it always has.

Milluki probably understands the suffocating feeling of being looked at by Illumi, and his gaze towards her became even more sympathetic.

I didn't say a word, and like drinking alcohol, I tilted my head back and poured myself a Coke.

Miji suddenly opened his eyes wide and exclaimed in surprise:

"That's not right... If he didn't do it, why does that kid always confess?"

I didn't quite catch up with his thoughts and gave a confused "hmm".

What... that kid

Mi Ji reminded him:

"Killua! That kid never says a word whenever I complain to Big Brother! ... He knows you're the one who stole, but he's deliberately protecting you."

“I don’t know,” I continued to drink, taking sips here and there. “He never came to me to say any of this, he only reminded me to take care of my health once… and then he told me that one day he would kill Illumi and help me escape from this misery.”

Silly kid.

I really liked Illumi back then, so there was no need for him to take action.

Although this doesn't change the fact that I feel immense pressure whenever I see Illumi, it's a truly miserable situation.

Mi Ji's expression turned strange.

I've been with him for so long that I can tell he's thinking about something strange just by glancing at him.

Sure enough, a moment later, Mi Ji came up to ask, all gossipy and curious:

"That kid likes you, doesn't he...? That's really something, daring to compete with the big brother!"

He spoke rudely, so I gave him a forced smile and said, "Get lost."

"By the way," Milluki asked to himself, "does he know about your engagement?"

My mind went blank for a moment, and I realized that I hadn't told him about this yet, and I wondered if he had heard about it from somewhere else first.

However, I don't want to tell Miji the answer.

“…Get out.” I said coldly.

"...I really don't know what they see in you." Milluki muttered, retreating while muttering to himself, "You're a rotten person with a terrible temper, you pretend to be well-behaved, but you have no heart at all..."

I chuckled.

"So what?" I tossed the bottle aside, walked behind his seat, turned to the side, peeked out, and asked with a smile, "I was just faking it. I'm really rotten. You'll see if you hate me."

Mi Ji: "..."

Me: "Hmm"

Miji and I stared at each other for a moment, and Miji quickly blushed and gave in: "...Stay away from me! I'm afraid my elder brother will kill me."

I snorted and straightened up.

When I returned to the corner and started chugging my Coke, Milluki followed me with a low curse.

I pretended not to hear anything and continued drinking my Coke.

When I had drunk almost all of my fill, I stood up to leave, casually leaving behind a remark:

"If Master Miji had been a little kinder to me back then, I might not have fallen for my elder brother and instead have fallen in love with you... Alas, it's a pity you were too responsible and too strict with me."

After I finished speaking, I pushed the door open to leave. The door wasn't fully locked, just a tiny crack, when I heard a loud howl coming from inside the room:

"ah--!!!!"

There was also the sound of someone banging their head on the table: "Thump, thump, thump—"

...I don't care whether he was genuinely provoked by me or simply disgusted.

Anyway, if Milluki is unhappy, then I'm happy.

They actually criticized me.

Knowing I'm a scoundrel, you still dare to mess with me?

Serves them right.

I went into the garden.

Kurt and Illumi seemed to have finished their conversation. Standing on the corridor near the garden, they turned around in unison when they heard my footsteps and looked at me.

I:"……"

Kurt bowed his head and said to Illumi, "I'm leaving now, big brother."

Illumi agreed.

Before Kalluto had completely left, Illumi asked:

“Last July, I received an order from the Adrian family. Do you know who the order is for?”

I sat on the side of the corridor, tapping my fingers on the floor tiles.

It's not a good habit.

But I can't control myself whenever I'm around Illumi.

"Who?" I asked, following his words, my gaze drifting from his fingertips to the shoe, and then from the shoe to the weeds growing along the porch.

“Kuroro Lucilfer,” Illumi said, “the leader and organizer of the Phantom Troupe… His companions were killed by a special person, and he has been searching for this enemy, but there are no clues anywhere.”

I then looked up and stared at him without blinking.

Illumi continued, "So he entered Adrian Manor because your mother controlled the largest underground intelligence trading business."

Me: "...Like this."

“He’s not your brother,” Illumi said. “You should know that.”

“Neither do you,” I replied.

The surrounding air seemed to be compressed all at once, and there was no sound at all.

Illumi stared intently at me with his terrifying eyes, which, as always, sent shivers down my spine.

“Luckily none of you are,” I added with a nonchalant laugh, “otherwise what if you had a weird baby… Oh, but my brother and I always take precautions.”

"...Who is the 'elder brother' you're referring to?" he asked.

I tilted my head: "Big brother, don't you remember what you've done?"

“Oh dear,” I sighed, “You know best why I fell for [Brother], why I could do this kind of thing with [Brother]… You tricked me into your hands, and then you threw me away…”

I raised my chin, pointed to the ground beneath his feet, and said:

"Shouldn't I be the one standing in that position, complaining?"

"You were the one who abandoned me first. A beautiful toy without an owner will naturally be picked up by someone else." I asked, "Brother, shouldn't you first reflect on your own mistakes?"

Please, I feel even more innocent and pitiful than you do.

Don't try to blackmail me with your theories.

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Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!