* * *
“Sei, truly… truly, happy birthday. Being able to celebrate your birthday… it makes me so incredibly happy.”
Following the duke, the duchess spoke.
Her emerald-green eyes were already brimming with tears.
The duke, flustered, quickly handed her a handkerchief.
She wiped her eyes with it and then gave a gentle smile.
“I know you have a lot of questions for us. I’m really sorry, but… could you wait just a little longer?”
As expected, it seemed the story I told Arthur about my parents had reached the duke and duchess as well.
Honestly, even if I hadn’t said anything, this would’ve been a difficult topic for them regardless.
It was only natural for a child to seek their parents, but mine had already passed away.
Trying to explain that kind of loss to a child who might not even fully grasp the concept of death… it wouldn’t be easy.
‘Not that I could just bluntly tell them I was a transmigrator, anyway…’
“Yes! I’ll wait!”
All I could do was smile brightly.
“Happy birthday, Sei.”
In the midst of all this, Raizen smoothly slipped in his words as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“It’s a happy day, so Mother, you should stop crying now.”
“…!!”
His sudden remark startled me without me even realizing it.
‘What’s gotten into this guy?’
Had he been holding back all this time and only acted mischievously toward me?
Well, knowing him, ever since that incident when he was ten, he’d been pretty conscious of maintaining his image.
It wouldn’t be surprising if he acted differently in front of our parents.
‘So he only pretended to have zero empathy when dealing with me?’
I wasn’t sure if I should be pleased about that or not. But then…
“…Yes, Rai. Thank you. Really, thank you.”
Even though she tried to act indifferent, the duchess was clearly taken aback.
Her face was on the verge of tears, her brows furrowed as if she were barely holding it back.
She opened her mouth slightly, as if to say something more, but instead, she simply smiled.
‘No matter how I look at it, she’s shocked and deeply moved by Raizen’s attitude.’
Seriously, just how has he been treating our parents all this time?
“The party’s in the evening, but we’ve already shed tears. Let’s eat first.”
Clatter, clatter.
The sound of tableware clinking together mixed with the usual warm conversations.
By now, this scene had become so familiar that any change would feel out of place.
∗ ∗ ∗
Today, I realized something new.
‘Hearing even the nicest words over and over again can still be exhausting…’
“Phew…”
I flopped onto my bed as soon as I returned to my room.
It wasn’t until half a day had passed that I finally had a moment to myself.
It had been a whirlwind of a day.
Everywhere I went, servants and even people I’d only seen in passing would quietly approach, whisper their birthday wishes, and then disappear just as stealthily.
It was almost as if the entire ducal household had been secretly trained in the art of moving unnoticed.
‘Still… it wasn’t bad.’
At first, it had been a bit embarrassing.
And as the never-ending birthday wishes continued, my mind gradually started to feel dazed.
When was this festival of congratulations going to end?
Was my only role today just to keep saying “Thank you” over and over?
Before I knew it, I was already seated at my desk for lessons.
“Happy birthday, young master.”
Arthur, too, greeted me with birthday wishes the moment he saw me.
He was the second person to do so who didn’t carry the surname Pantheon and yet still recognized me as Sean Kreveta.
The first had been Mira, but considering we had spent almost the entire day together, we’d grown quite close.
That was part of it.
But when Arthur said those words, I couldn’t help but wonder—what was going through his mind as he wished me a happy birthday?
And to make things even more complicated, he gave me a book about divine power as a present—exactly the kind of book I had mentioned wanting before.
That only made me feel more conflicted.
‘The thing is… I’m not even the real Sean.’
Thoughts kept chasing one another in circles, refusing to leave my mind.
‘So I guess it’s only natural that I feel drained.’
The problem was, the actual birthday party hadn’t even started yet.
“Ugh…”
A groan escaped my lips involuntarily.
At this rate, I might actually come down with something once today was over.
“Hah… this is insane.”
What was I even thinking just now?
If my past self could see me now, he’d curse me out for being so ridiculously fortunate.
“Hah… seriously, this is hilarious.”
I buried my face deep into my pillow.
The soft, plush texture enveloped me completely.
It didn’t feel unfamiliar anymore.
Sleeping in a proper bed instead of on a cheap, worn-out mattress.
Living in a bright space where I didn’t even need to turn on the lights during the day, filled with the scent of luxury.
Being surrounded by people who always prioritized me above all else.
“……”
I had thought I would never get used to this.
No matter how much they said Sean would inherit everything one day, deep down, I still had memories of the tiny 1.5-room apartment I had worked myself to the bone to afford.
A place that was, at the very least, located on the second floor.
‘The furniture was nothing compared to the grandeur of this mansion, but still…’
I had always told myself this was a dream I might wake up from one day.
That I couldn’t let myself get used to it.
Otherwise, if I ever returned, the contrast would be too unbearable.
But it seemed my flimsy resolve wasn’t enough.
Not only had I gotten used to it, but now I was even having thoughts about how fortunate I was.
‘I don’t know anymore. Let’s just sleep.’
When your mind is overwhelmed, the best thing to do is sleep.
I closed my eyes.
I must have been truly exhausted because sleep came almost instantly.
∗ ∗ ∗
[Happy birthday, ■■!]
I opened my eyes to a voice that was both familiar and unfamiliar.
Before I could even take in my surroundings, my attention was completely captured by the person in front of me.
Someone who resembled a certain person, but with much softer features.
Eyes of a warm, deep brown gazed at me with gentle affection.
[……Hyung?]
It was him. It was definitely my older brother.
[Hyung…!!]
Without thinking, I threw myself at him and wrapped my arms around him.
‘It’s really him. It’s really my hyung!’
The faint scent of fabric softener on his clothes, the warmth of his body—everything was so vivid.
[Where did you go? Why didn’t you come back? Do you have any idea how long I waited? How much I—!]
[■■?]
[Don’t go anywhere. I won’t ask for anything. You don’t have to do anything for me. Just… don’t leave me behind…]
Anyone watching would probably think I’d lost my mind, but I didn’t care.
The only thing that mattered was that hyung didn’t disappear from my side again.
[I’ll be good. I’ll listen to everything you say, so…]
[What are you even saying? Did you have a nightmare?]
His voice, filled with genuine confusion, made me snap back to reality.
[Huh?]
[Look, I’m right here.]
‘He’s… here. Right now…’
[Ah…]
With those simple words, the storm in my heart finally calmed.
Hyung carefully took my hand in his.
The warmth of his touch brought tears to my eyes.
[Why are you crying again? Today’s supposed to be a happy day.]
[I-I had a nightmare, that’s all.]
[Aww, you did?]
He crouched down slightly to meet my gaze.
[That really is a terrible dream. Me disappearing, of all things.]
[Yeah… You just vanished one day, and no matter how much I tried to reach you, I couldn’t. I went to your place in a panic, only to find out you’d moved. And as time passed… somehow, I even forgot your apartment number, your phone number… everything…]
[Really? That must’ve been hard.]
He gently squeezed my hand.
[But it’s okay. Even if you forget, I’ll remind you as many times as it takes.]
The older brother smiled softly and continued speaking.
[My number is ■■■-■■■■-■■■■, and my house is in ■■■ district……]
He was definitely saying something, but his voice didn’t come through clearly.
It was as if someone had deliberately muted certain parts.
[Hyung……?]
I wanted to say, ‘I can’t hear what you’re saying’, but for some reason, I couldn’t get the words out.
It felt like the moment I spoke, everything would shatter into pieces.
That dizzying, unpleasant intuition kept my lips sealed.
[■■, what’s wrong?]
I shut my eyes tightly.
‘Does it really matter?’
Wouldn’t it be fine to just live like this?
Even if I didn’t know my name, even if I couldn’t hear it.
After all, anything about me wasn’t important.
The only thing that mattered was staying with Hyung like this.
That was all.
[Ah, it’s nothing. Hyung, is today my birthday?]
At my words, Hyung frowned as if he couldn’t believe me.
[Yeah, it’s your birthday. How could you forget your own birthday?]
[It’s not like there’s anyone to celebrate it anyway, so what does it matter?]
‘Because all I need is Hyung.’
But I knew he wouldn’t like hearing that, so I didn’t say it out loud.
Hyung pressed his lips together and placed two gift boxes in my arms.
Even without looking, I could tell what they were.
One was something I had said I wanted, and the other was something Hyung wanted to give me.
‘Because that’s just the kind of person he is.’
[Thank you, Hyung. Really.]
He gave me a gentle smile.
[Don’t worry about anything else. I’m here.]
[Huh?]
His smile deepened.
[As long as you have me, that’s enough, right?]
It was true.
That’s what I had always believed.
As long as I had Hyung, I didn’t need anything else.
But… Hyung…
‘Hyung never liked it when I said things like that.’
Every time, he would look at me with concern and tell me he wished my world could be bigger, fuller.
A strange sense of unease made me instinctively take a step back.
Hyung watched me quietly before asking,
[Why? What’s wrong?]
His head tilted slightly to the side.
[Ah, it’s because of what I just said, isn’t it? That was…….]
“……Se……”
At that moment, a voice rang out, and I instinctively looked up.
Only the vast, blue sky stretched above.
A place where, if I looked up, I would see the sky.
Our secret hideout.
‘Yeah…… does it even matter?’
As long as I could stay here with Hyung forever.
* * *
