For You, I'll Betray the World

XI

Cale carries inside red and blue lines. That one line of destiny will cross in his heart.

Bassen could not stand up to the wind's voice, which was unable to produce the words he needed to deliver.

The time is right, and the breeze is true. The ticking of the clock and his brother's almost silent breathing. The stars are young and inexperienced to the point of driving people forward, but not his brother.

Cale will remain in the present, regardless of how things progress.

"What is the matter with you crying?"

He fixes his gaze on his brother. His smile was as ghastly and pale as before.

You ask me why I cry, but I never have an answer.

With silent tears falling from his eyes, he knew that once this man left this place, the meaning of their encounter would be lost.

Shouting alone will never be enough when his heart begins to race every time he looks at him.

"Do you really not want to come back, Hyung-nim?"

Cale gave him a sad smile.

"If I return... I will just think you are all pitying me."

It is as if his brother's words have made an impression on him. Right. Why would they treat him well now? They could've treated him better—even more—before they knew he was dying. They could've saved him early on but they ignored him, thinking that doing nothing was right.

How many more meanings must we go through before we arrive at our destination?

Even if it is stupid or unattractive. Bassen knew that he would forever regret doing such a cruel thing to Cale.

Bassen felt bad about how he treated his brother.

"I should not have ignored you, I should not have kept you at arm's length; I just want to be real siblings with you, because I have always looked up to you."

Even this demonstrates how stupid and ineffective he is.

He really wants to walk hand in hand with Cale as his support—his sibling—on the right path, so they can proudly say they are brothers.

He assumed Cale disliked him and that their rescue from the Henituses was a spur-of-the-moment decision.

He could not recall any special memories or express all of his emotions verbally.

Perhaps, maybe

Only in this way can the heart be bred.

If only I had noticed what you said to me, it would still be reverberating in my heart.

"I regretted not being honest with you."

The words, he is Henituse, that he is a Henituse, made him so happy that he thrived for it.

"Don't get sick. Don't look as if you're going early."

He felt Cale's hand on his cheek. It was cold and stiff, but he's running a fever.

"Thank you, Bassen."

He held his brother's hand and shed tears of sadness. Cale just drew the line with him. Cale didn't want anything to do with them anymore.

It was a smile that assured him that everything would be fine.

That sooner or later, these regrets would be forgotten after he died.

He would have crossed the line he drew back then if he had known Cale would live like this.

He had just realised that no matter how hard he tried to cross the line now, Cale would only see it as one of those moments of pity or regret—a one-time act of guilt towards the person they hurt the most.