[Chapter 9] A Brother's Love

[South Korea, One of White Tiger's Warehouse] 

[Afternoon 12:37 pm] 

[~3 Days Before the Wolfie's Assault~] 

... 

'Where did I go wrong?' 

Argon must've asked himself that question a thousand times, if not more. How could he had ruined his relationship with his brother so badly that Victor was willing to kill him in order to fulfill his revenge. 

Was Victor's revenge more important than his love for his twin brother? 

He always thought that he and his brother shared the same feelings since they were twins. They are each other's half. Their views of things should be similar and in case there was a falling out, they would make up immediately. In Argon POV he at least thought Victor and his relationship weren't that strain. Oh, how wrong he was. 

And look where that got him. It seems to him that he's paying the consequences for his short sightedness now of all times. 

Is it too late to make amends?

Questions similar to this, rapidly shot his mind one after the next. The what ifs. Is it too late to change now? They all plague his head with different scenarios or possible outcomes that could occur if he changed his ways. That was if he changed his ways. Or if he caught up to his misdoings. Or mistreatment Victor was exile to. 

All outcomes he wanted to do, to change, were too late. Once again, it would seem time was never on his side. Or anyone for that matter. 

Flashes of different memories came rolling in, one after the next and time stilled, as he watched every single one with great care and grace. It would seem that time was on his side for once, and it was granting Argon the pleasure of experiencing everything before his death. 

Wait, was he dying? 

That's right, he ran to be by his twin side instead of taking cover when the explosion occurred, so chances are, he's dead. Then why is the moment he's experiencing right now makes him feel more alive. More alive than he could've possibly felt when he was the patriarch. Or when he's panting heavily, exhausted from his late-night training sessions. Or when he first made love with the most beautiful brunette, he ever laid eyes upon. 

How he wishes to see her again, even if the feelings are only one-sided. It seems even in death, his mind is incapable of peace. Too much going on in his head about the what ifs, different scenarios, possibilities, etc. 

Apart of him says they're excuses. Another part of him says they're his lingering regrets. Regrets he's ashamed of saying to the world. Perhaps that is the case, but most of the regrets lies with his twin brother Victor. And how can that be when he was never ashamed of Victor. Right?

In the mist of his confusion, a bright light shone in direction, bringing forth another set of memories. The memories of the Darwin's brothers parent death. That's right, Victor and Argon's last name is Darwin. How could he forget. 

Well, it's not that he forgot, it's just it's been so long that the memories of their parents bore a close relationship to their last name Darwin. Maybe that's why they both rarely use their last name. They loved their parents deeply after all. 

Reminiscing the past of when both Victor and him were 5 and all they had to worry about was not going to the restroom in their pants. Or pulling pranks on clan members and focus on not getting caught by their parents. Gosh, those days were just the best. If he could just go back. Time travel back to the past and fix everything. His parent's death. His down falling with Victor. His clan. His, everything. 

But time travel is not real, right? 

...

Right?!

...

RIGHT?!

...

Right. 

...

Nothing more but wishful thinking - 

...

But everything darkens and before he knew it, all his memories shattered into a million pieces. Then billion of pieces. Then trillion of pieces. All disappearing like they never existed in the first place. Disappearing into oblivion. 

*WHOOSH* 

...

And suddenly, he was back. In the past.

"Hyung? Are you there?" A little 5-year carbon copy of himself said to him. 

It was Victor. 

"Hyung, you there? Are you spacing out again?" The boy giggle cutely as he pokes his brother cheek with his tiny chubby fingers. 

It was really Victor. His Victor. His lovable sweet innocent younger brother. 

"Hyung?" Victor waves his small hand in front of Argon face side to side, tilting his head to the side adorably as he tries to grab his twin's attention. "Hyung? Hyung? You there, bro?" 

Argon: "Yea-"

He stops just short of what he wanted to say. Compared to how the cute little Victor childlike voice sounds like, his adult tone sounds too mature in their situation. Did his body not change into a child when he regressed.

Apparently, that was just his imagination. 

To Victor and everyone one else who heard him, he sounded fine. Like his kid self. 

"Hyung?" Victor big doe eyes look expectingly to Argon. 

Argon: "Yea, I'm here." 

He answers shortly, still coming into terms of what just happened. Did he really travel back in time to the past. That can't be. 

But it is. How could it explain a 5-year-old Victor in front of him and his parents...

Wait his parents.

Yes, that's right, his parents who are sitting less than 10 feet away from them having tea with other clan members while he and Victor are playing in the grass with their toy figurines. 

Did he really travel back in time to the past? 

He questioned and almost immediately it hit him, he was indeed in the past. Looking around, his parents are alive, Victor adores him, and everything is in its rightful place.

He's heir to the White Tiger Clan. 

He prevents his parent's death. 

He becomes hale as a genius. 

He stops the bullying that occurs to Victor. 

He somehow miraculously found the cure to the White Tiger Clan's disease. 

Argon Darwin achieved everything he wanted that he couldn't in his 1st life, yet something didn't sit right with him.

What was it? 

He questioned over and over again. But to avail, that question was left unanswered. "Hyung? You're spacing out again?"

Victor, all grown up with his beard and hair grown out making him fairly handsome knocked Argon out of his thoughtless trance from waving his hand continuously in front of his face. 

Argon: "Ah, sorry. What were you saying?" 

Victor: "Ah jeez hyung, I was saying how mom and dad wanted to meet up later for lunch." 

Argon: "I see." 

Victor: "You sure, you're feeling well?" 

Argon: "I'm fine." 

Victor: "Well, okay. I'll see you later then." 

Once Victor disappeared from his sight, Argon return to his usual self. Loss in thought as he daydreams of what he's missing. And once again, he comes back to the same conclusion. He has everything so what more does he need. He accomplished everything he wanted so he couldn't possibly be missing anything. Could he? 

Countless days go by, and he's left thinking and replaying scenarios in his head. The same ones over and over again, with the days being the same as the one before, repeating over and over again.

It wasn't now, but it eventually hit him, the days, the past, everything about time travel was fake. In fact, everything he's witnessing as of this moment is fake. 

*DING* 

None of it was real, was it? 

*DING* 

It was all his imagination, wasn't it?"

*CRACK* 

The sound of glasses shatters. Everything around him breaks. 

"STOP! STOP! STOP!" 

He begs miserably, but it didn't stop. Everything kept shattering, disintegrating into millions, billions, trillions of pieces. And it only continued to do so as they disappeared into oblivion. 

*WHOOSH* 

And then he was back. Back to the present. One where he is a failure in every way possible. His naiveness levels know no bounds.

But in spite of all his selfish request of rewriting his mistakes, he is sure of one thing, his love for Victor. He loved him so much. To the point where he's willing relive his mistakes just to right his wrongs. 

But, you only live once. Meaning, you only get a chance to do things once.

...

*BOOOM* 

The explosion sent everyone flying. Even those who took cover and created barriers to shield each other from the explosion were sent flying. Yulius and Chelsea stood their grounds as they close in on the burial site. 

Once the air clear, a crater was left in place of the explosion and 2 burnt bodies embracing one another with smiles plastered on their faces in the middle of it all. If it wasn't already clear before, those 2 brothers really loved each other very much, but misunderstandings and expectations led to their downfall. They would've made one hell of a team if not for the mistrust they had for one another. 

Chelsea: {What pitiful pairs of brothers.} 

Yulius: {Hm, the awakener world is truly harsh.} 

"So, what now?" Some members of the White Tiger Clan asked as they looked around and towards each other. Loss and confusion were plastered on everyone's face as they looked expectingly to the elders for answers, directions, leadership. 

Unfortunately, they were dealing with scumbags who know only greed. Their lives are meaningless in their eyes if you do not provide your worth. Which is why the expectingly look of leadership was mostly directed towards specific elders who Eminence's representatives from observation, held high regards for. 

...