Chapter 1.2

I am in a situation…

"I live with my three older brothers." The teen cheerfully recounted. "My eldest brother is Ethan. He says my parents wanted ta give 'im a smart name so he could be smart. He's very clever, and can do lots of things, but I think my parents actually wanted bigger things for 'im, like goin ta school or somethin'. Not sure, cuz Ethan doesn't like ta speak 'bout it."

She did want information, but… What was she supposed to do with that piece of information? She had no idea who his brothers were, yet he was speaking as if she had met them before. She could do nothing but keep the conversation going. Maybe then she would get something useful. "Did he not go to school?"

"Huh? Um, Ah… well, our parents died before they could send 'im… that's why…" The teen suddenly turned so downcast, like a puppy who just got abandoned, that she felt the impulse to pat him on the head. The sad moment lasted only a second before the teen was back to his cheerful self. "Anyway! He used his smartness to find jobs in town to feed us!"

Although she thought the older brother was rather admirable, had he not taught his younger brother to not overshare information of their family to strangers?

"My second brother goes hunting and brings meat. If Ethan wasn't Ethan, I would've loved Lucas the most!" The teen exclaimed

Her headache impeded her to follow most of what he was saying, but she could guess Lucas was the second brother. "Does he go hunting often? Is it not dangerous?" Since the teen was in the mood to share, then she could only follow up.

"Lucas's the tallest and strongest! He doesn't speak much, but he cares for us. He's been huntin' since twelve, startin' with small animals, and now he can hunt wild pigs and even deer! He's so cool!" The teen's eyes shone like stars as he spoke about his second brother; he really looked up to him. It actually made her curious about Lucas.

How mighty was he? Was he huge like a mountain to be able to fight wild pigs? Those were strong and big, right?

"And your third brother?" She asked.

She wondered if the handsome man from the previous day was the first, second or third brother. She could not put a name to the face. There was also something that niggled her mind: were there only brothers in the family? Did they have no sisters? The more the teen told her about his family, the more curious she got.

Her curiosity, though, turned into dread after noticing the arrival of a newcomer. A scary newcomer!

"Muu, that idiot Joseph ain't cool at all." The teen pouted, only to cry out in pain when knuckles rapped his head.

Behind the teen stood a tall man with short black hair – no, he had long tresses in the back tied in a low ponytail and chopped hair above. A very extravagant haircut. He looked very threatening with his narrow and sharp eyes. But that did not diminish his manly good looks with a sharp jaw, thin lips and tepid eyebrows. Could it be that all these brothers were good-looking?

"Who're ya calling an idiot?! See if I don't fuckin' beat ya 'till you don't even recognize yerself!" The young man, now recognized as Joseph, loudly barked and cursed while continuously rapping the teen's head.

"Ouch! Stop, Joseph! I'm sorry! I'm the idiot! Stop hittin' me!" The teen instantly begged while trying to cover his head. She watched, a bit scared, of how violent the third brother actually was.

"Damn right you're. Now, brin' me some water!" Joseph ordered as he pushed the teen towards the kitchen. He, then, heavily sat on a stool in front of her and locked that dangerous gaze on hers.

So intense!

She felt the urge to run away and hide under the sheets. Had he heard their conversation and realized his younger brother had spilled all their personal information and that was why he appeared? There was no other reason as to why he would look that angry.

I swear I am not a dangerous person who could take advantage of you all! Just make sure your little brother is more careful in the future!

"So, you ain't makin' more troubles?" He drawled, putting a machete on the table. Was he trying to intimidate her?

Well, let me tell you it is very effective.

"I… uh, I will not…?" She meekly responded. She inwardly promised him she would not use what she learned against them. His sharp eyes narrowed even more, and that was all she needed to jump from her seat to flee. It was too scary! "E-excuse me!" The sudden movement brought pain to her still injured head, also a bout of dizziness and weakness in her knees.

Sigh, when will I stop being the damsel in distress and avoid falling into the arms of a man?

She morosely thought when she felt his strong arms catching her feeble figure. He had moved really fast! Was he not sitting in front of her? How was he beside her, ready to catch? The position she found herself in made her realize that the sheet she smelled before was his. It was the same scent.

The moment of weakness soon passed, and she was able to pay attention to the chuckle that promised bad things right beside her ear.

"Liar Miss Troubles. You've any idea how much we spent to save yo' life?" His low deep voice sent a shiver down her spine. His words, though, confirmed that she was saved by the brothers. For that, she really was thankful. Otherwise, she would have already become an amnesiac ghost strolling out there in some unknown path.

"That… Thank you. I-I will certainly repay what you have done for me!" She vowed, looking up at him. His eyes narrowed even more at her claim, but his lips formed a beautiful arc.

Can I have a taste of this handsome man, too?

"Joseph! You beast! Whatcha doing?!" The shrill and cracking voice of the teen disrupted their moment. She could even hear Joseph clicking his tongue in regret, making her face flush in shame at being caught in such a compromising position with a man.

"Noisy. Kids should go play with mud and their toys. Shoo, shoo!" Joseph meanly cast his little brother away with a lazy wave of his hand.

"Make me." The teen taunted, banging the wooden cup with the water on the table, spilling some of the water.

Sensing the change of mood in Joseph, she quickly escaped from his arms and stiffly stood by the side to see the brothers quarrel. But beyond the loud voices, Joseph chasing and trying to hit the teen, and the teen fleeing like a headless chicken, it was a really harmonious scene. She could not fully enjoy it as a dizzy spell hit her.

"Ha! Imma kid, but you're an old man! What's wrong, Joseph? Can't catch me?" The teen taunted again from far away; obviously afraid of the consequences of his words, but still brave enough to keep provoking his older brother.

"When Lucas comes, I'll eat yo share o' meat. If ya come near the house, I'll fuckin' beat you up!" Joseph angrily replied, making the teen wail in distress.

"Brother! My dear, handsome brother! Joseph, I know you're the best! Not only the most handsome of us, but the strongest and smartest!" The teen started boot-licking. Lost in their argument, neither noticed how she heavily leaned on the table.

"Shut up!" Joseph yelled, startling her and making her straighten up. Her ears were buzzing and her heart hammered in her ribcage. Taking deep breaths, she managed to stave off some of the uncomfortable feeling. "Ain't it time you go lookin' for firewood?"

Joseph's words seemed to come from far away, but she distinctly saw him throw the machete he had in his hand by the teen's feet, who only saluted and grabbed it to then walk away by the back of the house. She took that moment to sit down and fan herself with a hand. She had not noticed when she had started sweating.

"What a noisy guy." Joseph grumbled, also sitting down. "Don't pay attention to Felix, that guy's no good." He said. As he was about to make yet another comment to disparage his younger brother, he noticed her pale countenance. "You ok? Want to lay down?"

She feebly smiled and shook her head. Oh, that was a bad idea. Pulling through her new bout of dizziness, she replied "I am fine… uh, excuse me but, could you tell me where this is?" Alone with the scary man, she did not want to create more troubles. Though, he did not look scary anymore after that skit he did with the younger brother.

"The outskirts of Yellow Leaf village." Joseph replied after a moment, in which he judged if she was truly fine as she claimed. Unable to discern that, he only passed the cup of water to her.

She took it and slowly sipped the water. She felt more lucid, but she still felt breathless. "Yellow Leaf village?" She tried to distract herself and pondered about the village, but the name did not ring a bell. Wrong, she ignored even where she come from, so it was obvious she would not know about such a place.

"The closest town's Basin Town." He elucidated, but she must have been sporting the same puzzled face as he continued explaining. "Far from 'ere is Silver City. We're close to the border… You! Ya don't actually know yer country?" He moodily asked as she still remained puzzled.

"Ah! No, no, no… it is just… I do not remember anything." She blurted out and froze. She had not planned to reveal that detail in such a way!

However, further thought made her realize it would have been counterproductive if she concealed something so important from them. Joseph's eyes moved towards the injured part of her head, reaching the same conclusion she did before: the injury was the culprit for her lost memory.

"The doctor said ya just hit yo head, and that there ain't any other problems. Tch, fucking quack. I'll chop his balls next time I see 'im. He didn't give the complete treatment and tore a good chunk from us!" Joseph grumbled and once again crudely cursed.

She felt bad for incurring such a huge expense on the brothers who seemed to live an austere life. Their washed up and patched clothes were a huge hint, add to that the small house and the somewhat barren yard. And the watered-down porridge! They surely lived with the bare minimum.

She could not remain sitting after receiving the charity of these people! "Me too! I-I will repay what you spent!" In her enthusiasm, she forgot all about her discomfort, which made itself known with another fainting spell. Her head horribly pulsed and she was once again in the arms of a man. In Joseph's arms.

"Stupid. Ya can't even move 'round. You'll be a burden instead of helpin'." He evilly dashed the last of her goodwill and enthusiasm.

"But…" She trailed off, seeing his expression. She was not able to ponder about it as heat invaded her body.

"Ah! Joseph! You're again bein' a beast!" Felix's voice sounded, interrupting them once again. "Lucas! Look! Look! You went so far ta save a beauty and Joseph's getting' the benefits!" She slowly moved her head towards the voice, then her eyes lit up.

My, my, is this the paradise of handsome men?

The youngest was cute and adorable, definitely on his path of becoming a lady-killer; the third brother was fierce and crude spoken, but he seemed quite sincere; the one from the previous night must have been the oldest brother, who looked gentle and very mature; while the recently-returned wild man exuded manly pheromones with his extremely tall and bulky frame, the gruff beard that hid half his face, and his deep set eyes that seemed very expressive as he looked at Joseph and her with a questioning gaze.

Apparently, this was her actual saviour.

He is not bad.

On the contrary...

All these brothers were handsome enough to provide a good amount of indecent fantasies and very wet dreams. She could certainly envision her future dreams of them doing this and that with her… Ah, it was best not to think about it in plain daylight. Either way, she felt she hit the jackpot by being found by them.

They are just my type!

The heat increased. Only then, she realized she was not blushing; she was having a fever. Soon enough, she fainted.