By Zephyria 
* * *
The alert level had been lifted, but for several days afterward, security personnel carrying Major Abnormal Weapons could still be seen patrolling various parts of the company. According to Song Hilda, who was well-connected, the provisional conclusion was that it had been an Aberration sent by the Smiling Man for reconnaissance.
“Since the Smiling Man’s tracks suddenly went cold, there were speculations that he had been sealed by some shaman. If that’s true, it seems the seal has weakened and the Smiling Man is starting to resume his activities.”
It was chilling news, but the hunting and containment of Aberrations were the duties of the Enforcement Division and the Security Office. As a mere rookie employee of the Exploration Division, there was nothing he could do, so as his daily routine continued, the fear gradually dulled.
He liked his teammates, the food was delicious, and so far, he was satisfied with his professional life, but it wasn’t without its grievances.
‘Waking up in the morning is too hard…’
He had commuted from Suwon during the semester, so he thought it would be no big deal, but he had been mistaken. Not only did he have to wake up early every morning, but above all, the Management Bureau headquarters was even further away than the university.
He thought about looking for a studio apartment, but he didn’t think his parents would allow it. His mother’s sharp voice echoed in his ears: “You know your sister ended up in the hospital from alcohol poisoning while living alone in college, right? I can’t stand to see that happen a second time.” While he didn’t exactly refuse drinking gatherings, Yoo Jiha felt a bit wronged, as he had never drunk as much as his sister.
‘But it is a bit strange that no one else has awakened the true eye like I did.’
He found out after joining the Management Bureau that there were no cases of the true eye manifesting alongside a certain voice, as it had for him. Song Hilda, who had been a nun before returning to secular life, had her true eye open while assisting a bishop during an exorcism, and Kim Min-seop said he had seen things since birth because he came from a family with spiritual powers.
‘Aigoo, I don’t know. Anyway, tomorrow is the weekend, so I should just rest at home.’
He tried to get some sleep, but once Saturday actually arrived, his plans changed.
“Mother is coming to our house this afternoon? Ha… thanks for telling me.”
This was because he had overheard his father talking to his eldest aunt, who was taking care of their grandmother. Yoo Jiha pretended he hadn’t heard the conversation and headed out, claiming he had plans with a friend. He received a generous amount of pocket money from his apologetic father, but he didn’t know where to go. He didn’t even feel like contacting a friend to meet up.
After eating lunch alone, he hopped on a random bus, got off, and visited a small exhibition, but the sun remained high and the day felt agonizingly long. With nothing better to do, he entered a cafe and fiddled with his phone.
Jeil Heon said he was meeting his younger sibling today. I wonder if the conversation is going well. I wonder when Grandmother will pass away. Would it be okay to go home around evening? If his phone had been activated, would he have been able to ask to meet on a day like today? He didn’t know. His mind was as cluttered as the rapidly scrolling videos on his phone.
Suddenly, a video edited to show the wedding guest looks of celebrities married into chaebol families appeared. As he watched without much thought, a certain guest passed by. It was Je Seong-jae, the young Chairman of the JL Group. The school corporation established by the JL Group was also the foundation for Seongyoung University, his alma mater.
‘…Oh. Come to think of it, that’s also the Je family?’
The Je family is a rare surname. Je Seong-jae, in his 40s, is the fourth of five siblings. Since he succeeded to the chairmanship after pushing aside his older brothers and sister, there should be four brothers and one sister. His father, the previous chairman, passed away the year before last…
A profile he had heard somewhere overlapped. Despite his doubts, Yoo Jiha sent a text to his sister, who worked in the JL Group’s secretarial office.
[Your cute little brother has something he wants to ask his big sister~]
[Yeah]
[Do you know the name of your company chairman’s eldest brother?]
[All I know is that the firstborn emigrated to the US during high school]
[What on earth do you actually know?]
A barrage of curses from his sister immediately flooded the chat, but he simply closed his phone. Eh, no way, hmm… probably not. The fact that Je Seong-jae looked like someone was probably just a trick of the mind. Above all, wasn’t there a story that his brothers and mother were different?
* * *
Before the Management Bureau employee could even open the car door, Je Seong-jae stepped out. Then, before greeting Kang Suk-young, who had come to meet him, he asked.
“Is it correct that I can meet him right now?”
“Please speak as we walk, Chairman.”
Even as he was guided into the official residence, the anxiety did not fade from Je Seong-jae’s face.
“Director, are you sure it’s my eldest brother? It’s not a situation like with my late eldest sister-in-law, is it?”
“I have personally confirmed that it is indeed your Sunbae.”
“Are his limbs all attached? I mean, I’m asking if his physical body has mutated.”
“…”
“I came prepared after hearing he had been trapped in an Aberrant Realm for 22 years. Even if he has mutated to the point where I can’t recognize him as my brother, it’s fine, so please be honest with me.”
Kang Suk-young pondered for a moment before explaining the situation.
“I assume you’ve guessed that his appearance hasn’t changed at all from 22 years ago. Other than that, physical examinations have confirmed he is 100% human.”
It wasn’t a lie. She simply didn’t mention the fact that his Corruption Level had surpassed the Critical Point and had barely stabilized, precariously hovering around 50.
Je Seong-jae, who had been extremely tense, finally relaxed his stiff expression. After adjusting his tie several times and catching his breath, he hurried inside as soon as Kang Suk-young deactivated the door lock at the entrance.
“…Seong-jae?”
The man, who had been pacing anxiously in front of the entrance, stopped dead in his tracks. Je Seong-jae’s time rewound to 22 years ago.
〈I’m taking a few days off for a trip. Don’t cry because you miss your big brother while I’m gone. Got it?〉
The eldest brother, who had left with a smile after saying those words, returned only after 22 years. With a face that hadn’t changed at all since that day, wearing the same smile. However, what was contained in those black eyes, which showed no passage of time, was a longing and joy that weren’t there then, as well as fear and tension.
“Haa…”
Je Seong-jae let out a heavy sigh and covered his face.
“Your vacation was too long, Hyung.”
Jeil Heon, who had been hesitating and unable to approach, finally took a step forward at the sound of the voice damp with emotion. Without knowing who started it, the arms of the brothers embracing each other trembled hotly with a passion greater than the long years apart.
After talking all night, Je Seong-jae left at sunrise, his eyes red and swollen. After seeing him off, Kang Suk-young sought out Jeil Heon with a bottle of liquor. Jeil Heon, who had been sitting blankly on the sofa, looked up.
“How did you know I needed a drink?”
“Because you do everything that’s bad for your health, Sunbae.”
The two of them downed strong liquor without any snacks. After several rounds of glasses in silence, Jeil Heon smiled somewhat shyly.
“The second and the youngest are abroad, but they said they’re preparing to return home after hearing the news about me. Once everyone gathers, I’ve decided to meet my sister-in-law as well. For now, it’s a secret from the nephews and others… I originally only had two nephews.”
“How many are there now? Quite a few, right?”
“Eight. I saw photos, and they’ve all grown up cute and well.”
“You’re going to get cleaned out for New Year’s money starting next year.”
“Speaking of money, Father stubbornly didn’t leave me a single cent of the inheritance, but my siblings secretly chipped in from their own shares.”
“Is a chaebol bragging about money in front of a commoner right now?”
“I’m not taking their side just because they’re my siblings, but the kids are really kind and lovely. In any other family, forget chipping in, they would have stripped me of all my assets and still wanted more.”
Since she couldn’t deny it, Kang Suk-young furrowed her brow. Well, a 14-year-old eldest brother had become the father’s punching bag and been disowned just to save the lives of his young siblings; if they forgot that grace, they’d be less than animals, not even human.
Even while drinking the strong liquor, Jeil Heon seemed intoxicated not by the alcohol, but by the warmth of the family Je Seong-jae had left behind.
“They’ve been steadily maintaining the house I used to live in. So that I could live there whenever I returned.”
“That’s touching.”
“Right? I guess they believed I would definitely come back alive. After 20 years, it would have been natural to give up…”
Jeil Heon, leaning the back of his head against the sofa’s backrest, laughed vacantly.
“Looks like I won’t be getting a welcome party.”
“What party?”
“Mm, Jiha… Ah, right. Suk-young. I want to go back to my old house. I heard it’s clean enough to live in right away. If possible, together with Jiha.”