By Zephyria 
Compared to his own biological brother’s dreams, which were horrific nightmares riddled with pain and guilt, Tae-un’s dreams were incredibly sweet, even to someone like him who lacked a deep understanding of humans.
To be honest, Biyendwe still found it hard to believe that the beautiful boy with delicate features he had seen in the dreams was the same person as Tae-un. He had assumed the image was likely idealized since it came from Kim Si-baek’s subjective dreams, but after flipping through some old albums, he found that the boy wasn’t much different from the dream.
He wondered what kind of growth process could possibly turn that cute and fragile ‘Un-i’ into such a hulking, menacing man.
‘The human growth process is truly incomprehensible.’
The dream Kim Si-baek had most frequently was of his first meeting with Tae-un. Even as the dreams of Earth were gradually fading due to the prolonged time spent in mak slecht, that first meeting remained vivid.
A nineteen-year-old Kim Si-baek and a five-year-old Tae-un.
Biyendwe thought it was only natural that he couldn’t forget it, as the meeting of the two boys was an intense turning point that had completely shaken and overturned not only Tae-un’s life but Kim Si-baek’s as well. Had the boys never met, their lives would surely have flowed differently.
To put it extremely, if it weren’t for Tae-un, Kim Si-baek would never have thrown himself into the rift twenty-one Earth years ago, nor would he have crash-landed in mak slecht. Biyendwe himself would have remained nothing more than an obscure young god. Feeling a slight thrill, Biyendwe realized how a single encounter could influence the flow of the world and destiny.
The reason Kim Si-baek was currently lost in thought was likely Tae-un. Concerned for his apostle, Biyendwe took a brief peek at Kim Si-baek’s surface psychology.
‘Un-i is an adult now, so a nocturnal emission is understandable. As for using words like cock or dick, he grew up in a rough environment, so his habits might have just become crude. It feels too much like a boomer to interfere with this, but I guess it’s inevitable since I’ve aged. Well, saying his cock is big is something men can say to each other, but talking about erogenous zones is a bit much, isn’t it? No, no, no, Un-i is of age, so he must have had a girlfriend or two. Un-i grew up handsome and cool, so he probably had a hundred girlfriends. He was always popular with girls; some even came to the orphanage to give him presents. But the comment about erogenous zones is still problematic…’
“…….”
How chaotic.
Biyendwe pecked his apostle with his short beak. Peck peck peck.
“Ow, owowow. Why are you doing that?”
[Death and Beauty laments that his apostle’s intelligence seems to plummet whenever that man is involved.]
“Huh? All of a sudden?”
[Death and Beauty says he has always felt this way. He barks at you to think about the World Cup instead.]
“Ah, right. Come to think of it, the World Cup was suspended because of the Great Cataclysm. It seems the casualties were high because so many people had gathered for street cheering.”
[Death and Beauty replies that it is a pity that Earth was unprepared for the magical beasts.]
“Do you know exactly when the magical beasts started appearing in mak slecht?”
[Death and Beauty informs you that it is time for breakfast.]
Kim Si-baek chuckled, seeing Biyendwe blatantly avoiding the question. Well, hadn’t he himself been ignorant of why the Earth was round or how it orbited the sun during his preschool years?
[Death and Beauty protests that he is not that young.]
“Hyung, let’s eat breakfast.”
Just then, Tae-un knocked on the door to announce mealtime. Kim Si-baek hurried out to help set the table, but Tae-un had already finished organizing everything. As usual, it was Korean food ordered via delivery.
Since Tae-un had returned to normal after that problematic comment, Kim Si-baek was pretending it never happened for the time being. Still, fearing that Tae-un might accidentally touch an erogenous zone again, he kept a slight distance when sitting down—regardless of whether the erogenous zone in question was actually real.
“This place is delicious, but isn’t it bad for your health to eat delivery food every single day?”
“Should we order from somewhere else from now on?”
“I was thinking about how it would be if we cooked at home.”
Since he was essentially unemployed right now, he had suggested it with the intention of taking over the meal preparations. He had checked the refrigerator earlier, and it contained nothing but bottles of mineral water. It seemed Tae-un had lived without cooking a single thing at home.
Tae-un spoke as he habitually pulled out a chair for him.
“I’m good at chopping, but I’m really bad at seasoning. If there’s a set amount, the taste isn’t too bad, but whenever a recipe says to add a ‘moderate amount,’ I fail every time.”
“Seasoning isn’t easy.”
“That’s why I’d love it if you helped me cook, Hyung.”
“Alright.”
It had been decades since he last cooked for himself, but surely he could manage somehow?
Tae-un’s face was so lovely with his coquettish, beaming smile that Kim Si-baek instinctively reached out, only to flinch just before his hand touched the other’s head. As if reading his mind, Tae-un spoke.
“That’s not an erogenous zone.”
“…….”
Without a word, Kim Si-baek flicked Tae-un’s forehead with his index finger and thumb. Snap. Tae-un rubbed his reddened forehead with a look of joy, his eyes sparkling.
“Hyung, Hyung. Should I give you a list of where my erogenous zones are so you don’t get confused? Or you can just keep being confused.”
“Let’s eat, Un-ah.”
“Okay.”
After finishing breakfast and tidying the table, Kim Si-baek spoke up. Biyendwe, who had replaced his meal with plums, was dozing off on a cushion on the chair.
“What do you think of Director Noh?”
It was a light question, but a deep shadow suddenly cast over Tae-un’s face.
“He’s really bad, Hyung…”
“Eh, what? What did I… what did I say?”
Kim Si-baek was startled by the extreme reaction when he had only been curious about another person’s evaluation. Was it a bad thing to ask this much, even if it wasn’t exactly badmouthing?
“How could you ask such a cruel question when you know exactly how I feel…”
“F-feel?”
“I’m sorry, but I’ve never once seen Director Noh as a woman, so I can’t answer how she is. I don’t want to… And if you’re even thinking about marrying Director Noh, I’m confident I can wail so loudly at the wedding that the wedding aisle gets soaked… I’ll cry the whole time… I’ll even follow you on the honeymoon and make a scene so you can’t sleep on your first night…”
“…….”
Kim Si-baek grabbed Tae-un’s cheeks—who was pretending to be drowned in sorrow—with his index finger and thumb and stretched them wide.
“I told you it wasn’t a blind date.”
“Uheyo, Hyung.”
It was strangely impressive that he could pronounce ‘Hyung’ accurately even while his cheeks were being pulled. Trying not to give in to Tae-un, who slumped over the table pretending to be in pain and sulking after being released, Kim Si-baek asked with focused concentration.
“Why on earth are you so intensely interested in my blind dates?”
Actually, he had agonized over whether he should even ask this. Since twenty-one years had passed, it was hard to assume Tae-un’s feelings remained the same as they were in childhood. Yet, he couldn’t fathom why Tae-un had interfered with the date.
“Because… I hate the idea of someone more important than me appearing in your life. I’ve thought of nothing but you for twenty-one years, so it’s disappointing that you probably made many precious people elsewhere…”
“That’s not entirely wrong, but you are also a very precious younger brother to me.”
“That’s not enough.”
Tae-un reached out and caressed the back of Kim Si-baek’s hand resting on the table. It was a gesture that was cautious, as if holding onto a vanity that would scatter with a mere breath, yet it possessed a stubborn strength.
“I want to be the last person you think of right before you die. I want your head to be so full of thoughts of me that it feels like it’ll burst, and for you to die embracing only me. Please die like that, Hyung.”
Tae-un’s wish was granted to some extent. Upon hearing those words, his presence instantaneously dominated Kim Si-baek’s mind. As Kim Si-baek merely parted his lips in a bewilderment so great that it was hard to find words to respond, Tae-un smiled as if it were a joke and let go of his hand.
“It’s a metaphor. No one knows if a person can even think when they’re dying.”
“…Un-ah.”
“You’ll eventually go back to mak slecht. Quests don’t last a lifetime; there must be an end. Why waste your already limited time on dating?”
At the words mixed with laughter, Kim Si-baek let out a faint sigh and tapped his still-reddened cheek.
“I have no intention of dating, so you don’t have to worry. Wouldn’t it be irresponsible to date while performing a quest that determines the fate of Earth? Besides, I don’t want to leave any traces of myself in a place I’ll be leaving.”
Tae-un alone was already a regrettable enough trace to leave behind. If Tae-un were still fourteen as he was when they parted, or if he were someone who had achieved nothing despite growing up, Kim Si-baek might have devised a way to bring him along to mak slecht.
However, Tae-un had become an adult, a wonderful adult recognized by everyone. The tangible and intangible assets and reputation he had built in this changed society were not things anyone could easily abandon. He must not let a single greed—the desire not to let go of his reunited brother—override everything.
Just as Kim Si-baek’s foundation was in mak slecht, Tae-un’s foundation was here.
“Or do you want to come along too?”