The Long Family and I

From a sleek black car, a teenage boy stepped out. Face scrunched up in a permanent scowl, sharp eyes hidden beneath glasses and fluttering black bob hair. That teenage boy was Long Jin, the second son of the Long Family and Guang’s younger brother.

“Welcome back, Master Jin,” the servants, Maria and Joseph, bowed and greeted him. 

Jin curtly nodded. “Are father and mother home?”

“Yes,” Joseph answered. “They should be in the living room. They’ve already been informed of your arrival.”

“I see. I shouldn’t keep them waiting, then.”

An ugly yowl, akin to a banshee’s, coming from the training grounds behind the manor made Jin halt in his steps and the servants perk up. Right after that, there was the ominous thudding of rapid footsteps that became louder and louder with each second. Jin’s eyebrows twitched. 

“That must be Master Guang,” Maria chuckled. 

Joseph nodded sagely. “Energetic as always.”

Sure enough, Jin was soon run over by a chugging train of muscles. With an ‘oomph’, he was harshly tackled onto the ground and trapped in a bone-crushing hug. 

His older brother, Guang, wailed like a baby, “I’ve missed you so much, Jin! It’s been so long! Why didn’t you tell your bro you were coming back today?”

With the little air left in his lungs, Jin threatened, “Let me go before I kill you.”

As it came out more like a squeak, it didn’t come out as terrifying as intended, but Guang let him go either ways, raising both his hands placatingly. 

“Ah, scary!” 

Jin stumbled, trying to get his breathing under control, but at the same time trying to not make it obvious he was out of breath. 

“I’m just here to run an errand,” Jin said flatly. “I’ll be gone once I’m done.”

“Aw, that fast? But you haven’t visited in three months. Just stay a lil’ longer!”

“I can’t, I have plans after this.”

“Well, your older brother says no, so you have no choice!”

“I-” Jin sighed. Despite appearing resigned, a small smile still made its way onto his face. A smile that he made sure to wipe off as quickly as possible. “Fine. I’ll stay till this evening, and then I’m leaving, alright?”

“Awesome!” Guang cheered. “Let’s go to the training field! I have so much to tell you, and I’m sure you have lots to tell me too!”

“Can we do this later? I have to meet father and mother.”

Guang waved his hand. “They can wait! If it’s you, they’ll be willing to wait until the next day.”

The way that Guang casually tossed that out made something in Jin’s heart twinge. So, father and mother had not made up with Guang yet? He sighed. He supposed he’ll have to talk to his parents about this again later. 

The two of them sat down on the stairs facing the training field. As part of their routine whenever Jin returned, the two brothers would update each other on their life. Guang about the happenings in the manor, and Jin about his life outside the manor. 

Guang, of course, immediately started enthusiastically blabbering about how he just defeated Ms Penelope in a duel just half an hour ago. He described his moves and thoughts precisely, emphasising that it was something he had thought about for a long time and that it was something he had taken seriously.

However, much to Guang’s dismay, Jin’s only reply was, “About time.”

Guang harrumphed. “Easy for you to say! You try fighting her when she’s not holding back. I bet you’ll be defeated within two seconds.”

“We’re not a good match. I’m a sharpshooter and she’s a swordmaster. She would be handled by those who take up the front lines, like you.”

Guang rolled his eyes. “Pffft excuses. Just admit you’ll lose in a fight with her.”

“Yes, but only because-”

“Blah blah blah, I don’t want to hear your lame reasoning or whatever things! It’s your turn, now. Tell me about your stories!”

Jin reminisced about his life in Malpa Academy. As a model student with good grades and talent, Jin spent most of his time studying and training, barely anytime playing (Guang: Lame! Boring!). Even so, Jin did his best to tell Guang the details of the city, such as the food, the establishments, his classmates, teachers, and his good and bad experiences. 

Attentively, like an obedient student, Guang listened to him and only chipped in every once in a while. 

“Oh, so that’s what the dustbin picture was!”

“AHAHAHA I can imagine how funny it was!”

“What the hero…that fool deserved worse! How could they do that?”

On and on, Jin talked. He doesn’t know how much time has passed. They may have just gone past the one hour mark, but Jin didn’t mind talking until Guang was satisfied. In a way, it was his form of pity towards his older brother, who was shackled to the manor against his own will. Despite being on a time crunch, because Jin barely came back to the manor, he decided to allow himself this once to patiently tell Guang as much as he can about his life outside in detail.

When Jin finished, Guang sighed wistfully, “Man, I do hope one day that I can visit all those places. The karaoke, the cinema, the arcade. Ah, especially that food street! I can’t imagine how it would smell, with so many goodies gathered in one place…I’m really jealous of you, Jin, that you get to experience all these things for yourself. I wish I could be there too.”

The small smile that was on Jin’s face disappeared as reality sank in once more. That’s right. Despite being siblings, the two of them lived in two completely different worlds.

Jin stood up first. “I’ve dawdled too long. I’ll go meet father and mother now.”

When Jin tried to leave, he found that there was something stopping him from moving forwards. He looked down at his leg, where Guang was grabbing at the corner of his trousers. Jin turned to stare at Guang, a weird look on his face.

With the most disgusting puppy eyes Jin has ever witnessed, Guang was whining, “Can you please help me escape the manor? Your big brother’s begging you! Please, please, please, please-”

“No, no, no, no,” Jin contended with equal vigour. “This again? Long Guang! How many times must I tell you, that is the one, absolute thing I cannot help you with! You’ve asked me this thirty seven times already!”

“Hehe.” Guang smirked smugly. “You were counting.”

The audacity! 

Jin opened his mouth to protest, but Guang continued teasing, “Aaaah and you were such a cute lil’ bro back then. So obedient, but soo clumsy and cried easily. Remember when you did everything I asked you? Won’t you do your big brother a favour this once, just like the old days?”

How dare he bring up his embarrassing past! This man, this brother of his, he really…

Face reddening, Jin spluttered, “Y-you-”

“Jin?”

Simultaneously, Guang and Jin turned to the source of the voice. It was mother, and father was beside her. 

Standing up and bowing, Guang greeted courteously, “Father, mother-”

Blatantly ignoring Guang, mother raced to Jin, squeezing Jin’s cheeks adoringly. “There you are, Jin! The servants said you’ve arrived, but me and your father didn’t see you at all. We waited and waited, but you didn’t even come to greet your poor mother and father. Tsk, tsk. And I even told the servants to prepare the finest black tea for you. It’s probably gone cold by now.”

“Sorry, father, mother,” Jin apologised awkwardly. “I won’t keep you waiting next time.”

His father laughed boisterously. “What’s done is done. It’s water under the bridge. Welcome home, Jin, my boy!”

As Jin was hugged by his parents, a rare, warm smile blossomed on his face. “I’m back, father, mother.”

Unbeknownst to the three happy family members, Guang had already silently left the scene. As usual, none of them noticed his disappearance. While it pained him, it was something he had been used to for many years. Who was he to interrupt, when they looked so happy without him?

Who knew when, Bo had joined his aimless walk inside the manor. Grimly, Bo asked, “Are you sure about this, young master?”

Guang stopped in his tracks. He clenched his fists and pursued his lips. He glanced to his right, where there was a window that overlooked the training grounds. He gazed at his laughing parents as they coddled an embarrassed Jin. Brittlely, Guang smiled. Deep down, he knew. As much as he looked their way, they would never look his way. Even then, he can’t help but look at them, wishing that he could be a part of them. 

“It’s fine,” Guang said. A transparent lie.

Being Guang’s valet for years, Bo could tell that Guang was anything but fine. That Guang was only putting up a strong front, that he was pretending everything was OK, that he was OK. Alas, even knowing that, Bo couldn’t do anything. As a mere servant, he could only watch as the Lord and Lady diverted all their attention to Jin ever since Jin was born. In turn, they spared lesser and lesser attention to Guang to the point that Guang was practically non-existent to them. 

Guang had never said a word about this, but even he must have noticed too. Yet despite the obvious difference in treatment between him and Jin, never once did Guang hate Jin nor his parents, and never once did he ever complain about his unfortunate situation. Instead, he did just as he always did. Smile and laugh, train hard and be strong. 

But Bo knew better than anyone else that it was all nothing but a mask to hide his loneliness. As Guang’s valet, it pained him to see his master that way. Sometimes, Bo still wondered, should he have done something, many years ago? Should he have done something different, could he have done something that could change his master’s tragic fate?

“Besides that,” Guang suddenly spoke up. 

Straightening up, Bo inquired, “Yes, Master Guang?”

“Did you manage to find anything about Sui?”

Bo bowed. “I’m embarrassed to admit, Master Guang, but my efforts have yielded unsatisfactory results. I could not find anything about this man you call ‘Sui’.”

After a brief pause, Guang said, “I see. Continue the investigation, and let me know immediately if you find anything. I will be in my room. Do not disturb me.”

Guang left. Bo took a step forward and opened his mouth, wanting to say something, anything that could comfort his master, but nothing could come out of his throat. As a mere servant, he was helpless under his master’s absolute command, and so, he could only bow mournfully after his master’s lonely retreating back. 

“Understood, young master,” he whispered to himself.