Sudden Disturbance (TRF #5)

Chapter 35

Chapter 35

Jax

When I was a kid, I remember being praised by everyone. They would say I'm such a genius and that no one in our bloodline had such an offspring.

I was labeled as a prodigy, after all, everything that I've never done before only takes me a couple of hours or minutes even to master.

You've been playing chess for five years? Give me four hours and I shall beat you at that game.

It's kind of exhausting. Knowing how to talk clearly at the age of one and a half. Everyone hovering around you, your cousins hating you because all the attention goes to you. But do you know the worst part of being the genius offspring? It's your little brother being compared to you.

"Oh! It's Jax." My grandmother clapped and hugged me.

"Good day, grandmother." I greeted and she smiled. "Such a polite child." She patted my head.

She walked inside the big house in front of us, neglecting the presence of my little brother beside me.

Events went like that, people would neglect him all the time but I made sure that all the attention he needs will be given by me. I'll be sure to never neglect him at any costs.

"I wonder why you had to have another son aside from Jax." Our aunt told our father. "Achilles isn't even close to Jax's level. At this point, he'll just be compared to Jax every single second of his life. I feel sorry for the boy." She said and that angered me.

I was just supposed to ask Mom if we could leave early because Ace has a headache. I was about to go there and talk to Mom but someone tugged on my shirt.

I looked at the person and it was Ace. "Are we going yet?" He asked weakly. I placed my hand on his forehead to feel his temperature and he was hot, like really hot.

I held his hand and led him to the room upstairs. "You lie on the bed, I'll just ask the maids to bring you medicine." I said and covered him with the blanket.

"Come back soon." He said and I smiled at him. "Of course, I will." I said and ruffled his hair before exiting the room.

I looked for my Mom. She was talking with some of our relatives. "Mom." I called her attention. Everyone looked at me.

"Oh, Jax, what's wrong?" She asked me. I pursed my lips. "Ace has a fever, can you go check on him?" I asked.

She smiled. "Okay. Stay here for a bit with your aunties, then." She told me and I immediately shook my head.

"I told Ace, I'd be back soon." I said and she smiled. "I will take care of your brother, Jax. You stay here. Your aunties are excited to talk to you, so do so." She said and I forcefully nodded.

But I promised, Ace. I hope he won't be mad at me.

My relatives started hovering over me, talking to me as if I was some kind of a celebrity. They looked so fascinated with me, like some sort of an art in a museum, something to look at for fun. I wonder what they would get from spoiling me?

They didn't even try to ask if Ace was fine. They should be worrying about him now, and not fussing over me.

"Someday, you'll be bringing honor to this family. The greatest honor, you're the pride and heart of this family, Jax." My aunt told me. I just smiled forcefully.

Do they think my other cousins can't bring as much honor as I can? Do they think that intelligence is everything? I'm just seven and yet they're telling me these things. Was I born to be a trophy of this family? Was I born to be the standard? Was I born to be hated by my own cousins? Was I born to just watch my brother suffer because of me?

My Dad came over to us. "Jax, you stay here with your aunts. We need to take Ace to the hospital, his fever isn't going down." He said.

Fear consumed me. "I'll come with you." I said.

He shook his head. "No, he'll be fine. Don't worry." He ruffled my hair.

My eyes darted towards Ace clinging to Mom. He looked so weak and fragile. He was shivering. "But-" My Dad cut me off.

"You're staying here, Jax. Ace will be fine." He said and I tried to nod.

Ace was looking at me and I just sighed and smiled at him. He'll be fine. I tried to convince myself.

"Jax? Where are you going?" My uncle asked me when I was about to leave the garden.

I looked back at them and smiled. "I'll just take a rest, uncle. I'm kind of exhausted." I lied.

They nodded and I immediately went inside the house and went straight to my room. I looked around and saw my phone on the table.

I immediately called Mom. "How is he?" I immediately asked when she answered.

I heard her sigh. "Don't worry too much about Ace, Jax. He's fine. You know your brother, his immune system is low." She said and that made me sigh. She makes it sound like it's his fault.

"I want to see him. Please come get me here." I pleaded. "Alright, your Dad will come and pick you up." She said and hung up.

I hope he's fine. I hope he isn't feeling that much pain. I hope he's not mad at me because I couldn't fulfill my promise.

I walked into Ace's room and only a few nurses were in there, watching over him. Dad said that Mom went out to get some food so he followed.

I sat beside Ace's bed. His eyes opened, probably noticing my presence. He immediately smiled when he saw me.

"You're finally here." He said smiling and I pouted. "I'm so sorry, I couldn't get back to you." I apologized.

He smiled at me. "You're here, that's all that matters." He said grinning.

I smiled and ruffled his hair. "Get a lot of rest and we'll play chess again." I said and he chuckled.

"You promise?" He asked and I nodded. "I promise. We'll play for as long as you want and we can play that FPS game too, that you were talking about." I assured him.

"Okay." He said, smiling, before closing his eyes again to rest.

Call me cheesy or corny but I love my brother. More than anything or anyone in this world. It hurts me sometimes to see him just accept those hurtful things that people would say in front of him. It's my fault but I'm not doing these things because I feel responsible for the pain—well, partially I am.

I am doing these because I adore him more than I can even adore anything in this world. For me, Ace is the most important person that I have in my life. I didn't have him, my life wouldn't be fulfilled.

My duty is to protect him from the people who keeps on thinking that his worth is less than mine. That's not true, in fact, for me, Ace is more valuable than I am. My worth is nothing compared to his. It's either the people around us doesn't see it or they just chose not to see it. They're absolutely missing out. He's a treasure that's supposed to be protected.

For people, my intelligence is what makes me important, it's what makes me precious.

But for me, my little brother is what makes me important. Ace is what makes me important.