Chapter 9

After learning of his "brother's" existence, Kurt remained silent until the next day when he boarded his flight.

He sat beside me, facing the window, expressionless and silent, lost in thought.

I've already changed the lock screen background back to the default one, but memories of this incident still keep popping into my head, making me restless and agitated.

...

My mother is a remarkable woman.

Born into an ordinary family, she received no help from her grandparents, yet she climbed to her current position through her own abilities.

Before she made her fortune selling information, my mother had used the power of men.

My father, whose appearance is now blurred in my memory, was the leader of a local gang. After my mother married him, she quickly multiplied the family's power several times over through ruthless means.

I heard that the tall, handsome, but clumsy man would privately express his frustrations:

"What am I to her, anyway?"

"Whoever sits in this position will surely gain her favor."

"What she needs is not a husband."

Nevertheless, the man was still infatuated with my mother, disregarding her cold-bloodedness, until that day...

In an effort to expand the family's influence, the mother abandoned her eldest son with the man when she received a warning from her enemies. The young boy was thrown into the sea in front of the man.

He finally couldn't stand his overly ambitious wife anymore, so he mobilized his men to try to regain his power in the gang, but ended up failing and being expelled.

"...You underestimate me far too much." These were the last words my mother left for that pathetic man.

She held my hand, watching the man's retreating figure as he left through the manor gates, and looked down at me, saying:

"This is what happens when you have illusions about someone, Ray."

"You must remember that in this world, only you are truly reliable."

For a long time, being young, I didn't understand what she meant.

All I know is that my brother was thrown into the sea because of my mother, and my father was driven out of the house by her.

I absolutely... never want to become a woman like her.

That's why I hated my mother so much back then.

My relationship with her was so distant that when my subordinates reported finding my older brother who had been thrown into the sea years ago, I couldn't wait to break free from my mother's hand and rush into the arms of the man I hadn't seen for years.

...They were even unwilling to delve into how, under those circumstances, a young child could have survived after being thrown into the sea.

I deceitfully removed my mother from my world and instead entrusted all my trust, dependence, and affection to the man who claimed to be my long-lost brother.

So much so that, at the very end of the story, he told me himself that he wasn't my brother at all, but had only approached our house disguised as a child who had died many years ago in order to gather information...

I held his hand in my hands.

“It’s okay, brother,” I said, gazing adoringly into his dark eyes, “Even without this relationship, I still…like you.”

I'm hopelessly in love with him.

So even though my mother stopped me, I still begged him to take me away from the Adrian family.

However, the man's response was to stand beside the cut-down tree stump and shake his head at me.

—I have more important things to do, Ray.

You'll understand me, won't you?

That's what he said.

...

I don't understand.

Why should we try to understand the person who made the choice when the option was abandoned?

But I still can't let it go, even to this day.

...

Upon landing, Illumi appeared as promised.

Upon seeing Kurt, he tilted his head and asked:

Didn't you go to the event?

Kurt replied, "The air route is blocked."

Illumi gripped the steering wheel, his expression calm, and muttered a monotone "Oh, is that so?" before turning the conversation to me.

"Mom sent the poison as agreed in the agreement. What about you? Have you continued your antidote training?"

He asked.

These keywords awakened my sense of taste... Zoldyck poison. Just thinking about it made my mouth feel bitter and numb. No, if I thought about it any further, even my stomach started to ache.

I answered listlessly, "Yes."

Illumi: "Is a moderately priced meal acceptable?"

Me: "Okay, but don't add Momia's venom. I hate the taste."

Illumi: "You can't be picky about food, it's a bad habit."

I couldn't help but mutter under my breath, "Why didn't you say this when Killua used to throw a tantrum about not eating fish..."

“Because Momia’s venom can kill people,” Illumi said, “but fish can’t.”

I protested: "Who said that? There are clearly many people who have choked to death on fish bones."

Illumi remained silent for a moment.

I realized I might have said something wrong.

Before I could remedy the situation, he continued, "That makes sense. When Killua comes home next time, I'll prepare a whole fish feast for him."

I:"……"

I'm sorry, Killua, my sister didn't mean it.

I guiltily looked away and instead gazed at the view outside the window.

Kurt remained quietly curled up in the corner of the back seat, not even breathing, and his head wasn't showing. I couldn't see him at all in the rearview mirror.

To be honest, Illumi never cared whether he had any dietary restrictions.

I turned around, peeked out, and asked:

"It's been a long time since we ate together... Is there anything you don't like to eat lately, Killua? I remember you didn't like fish either, just like Killua."

Kurt seemed a little surprised to be asked a question so suddenly. He stared at me with his round cat eyes for a moment before answering:

"No. It's because Killua doesn't eat it, so I don't like it either."

Me: "Oh, and what about you?"

Kurt hesitated for a moment.

"...There's nothing I particularly dislike. If I had to say, I probably just don't like sour things."

He answered.

Illumi tilted his ear slightly.

I said to Illumi in an annoyed tone:

"Don't eavesdrop. Kal't has been well-behaved enough. Don't bully him like you bully Killua."

Illumi immediately denied it: "I didn't bully Killua."

I asked, "He was so upset that he ran away from home, and you're still saying you didn't bully him?"

Illumi protested, "He's been corrupted by other kids... Has he contacted you in the past few years?"

I thought for a moment and said, "Why are you asking me about your brother's matter?"

Illumi replied quite naturally, "Because Rai is also Killua's family."

I don't know how he could say that, but I couldn't help feeling a chill and almost got goosebumps all over my body.

"Isn't it too early to say that?"

Even married couples can get divorced, let alone someone like us who's just engaged.

This guy has been acting strangely for a long time.

“Is that so?” Illumi retorted. “Isn’t that only natural?”

The traffic light at the intersection turned red.

Illumi stopped the car, turned to look at me, his black eyes calm, devoid of any emotion, and devoid of any light.

Under his gaze, I felt as if I were locked in an airtight cage.

--------------------

Hey, let me change a punctuation mark.