When I turned my head to a familiar voice, I saw Daniel and Leo in pajamas.
“Why aren’t you sleeping?”
“Leo said he wanted to go to the bathroom, so we’re on the way back.”
“I see.”
“What about you, sister?”
“I just woke up.”
“I want to sleep next to you.”
Leo dropped Daniel’s hand and came to me. He then squeezed through the sofa and settled down, crouched near my waist.
“I was scared because you weren’t there.”
“You have Daniel.”
“The little brother is a coward.”
“What are you saying?”
“That’s right.”
“No, I’m not.”
Daniel stared at Leo. I couldn’t help but smile at the appearance.
“Daniel, come here.”
When I opened my arms on the other side of the seat, Daniel seemed to be hesitating for a while and came to me and leaned on me.
When I locked my two younger brothers in with both arms, I felt somewhat relieved by the child’s unique warm body temperature.
“I thought about it.”
“Daniel. You don’t have to think about it.”
“But…”
“You’re ten years old now. Just think about it when you’re an adult.”
“Sister is 14 years old now.”
“Soon, fifteen. And I’m already no different from an adult. I’m all grown up and my face has already gone through all the hardships in the world.”
Daniel giggled softly at the self-help joke. Leo was already asleep with a wheezing sound.
“I heard the conversation between father and mother who were drinking by chance on the night of April 27 last year.”
Daniel began to talk with his unique delicate voice.
“‘It was a mistake to raise Eddie in the countryside. Even if I had to set up a business, we should have gone down to the countryside together. He was raised separately.’”
“…”
“Father then said this to mother. ‘I regret that decision. It was a foolish choice. Blood relationships don’t mean we’re really family. A family is formed because we shared time together with sadness and joy.’”
“…”
“I think sister made the right choice. And Edward won’t be different.”
“Thank you.”
Before I knew it, my voice trembled. Daniel breathed deeply and came into my arms. He grumbled little by little.
“I woke up because of Leo. What is this? Anyway, I don’t like it.”
Soon, Daniel breathed like Leo. Tears welled up at the warm body temperature of the two sleeping brothers.
I even had the infinite courage to overcome anything in the Kirgen Empire.
‘I’m glad Daniel and Leo are my brothers.’
