"Well, that 'program' is somewhat classified. I'm sorry, my brother." Gondola insists.

"Really?" I say, it is because it is too far fetched that he can't imply those details to me.

He drags me inside to one of the unoccupied rooms. His hand glues to my wrist where he latches and yanks me into it. He closes the door and then he locks it. Secured. He is also checking if there are holes around. So far, so good. Well, I don't think so. He then checks the door, placing his ears - if however this chamber is somewhat sound proof.

"So, what is this antic that you're trying to do? Are you playing on me, dear little brother?" I ask with a stern look.

"I think this is fine now. Alright, brother…" he pauses "... the answer to your question."

"Yeah, this is the program that you are referring to?" I disrupt him.

"Yes! Let me catch my breath first, my brother." he begs, as he says it in a calm way.

"Wherever you are ready, my dear little brother." I reply, as I sigh out a breath of irksome expression.

He stretches his hands, wrists, elbows - from head down until to waist. And from waist all the way to ankles. He manages to crack all of the joints of his body. Does he really need to do those? Of course, I am getting tired of his sluggish catering. Am I being tested? I let this slide because you're my other half part of our mother's womb, Gondola. I love you, my dear little brother but don't try my patience. Prancing. I sigh yet again but not showing it to my brother in an obvious way. This is not the first time that my younger brother is trying to outsmart me. Is he doing it now? There were five times he had succeeded and thrice he failed. This is his ninth attempt to do so.

"Okay, brother. Perhaps, I am prepared. Ready to expose all of the things that you ought to know." he dares, whereas it makes me wince following into realization what he's telling me: 'ready to expose something of him.'

I'm all ears to him, nevertheless, I have suspicion of his previous statement a while ago: "Are you going to kill me?" saying out of my constant fear and as I stay vigil to somehow defend myself against my younger brother.

"What- -...?" he flinches with the tone of awe, so it must be true, then.

"What are you talking about, Guan! Of course not, you're my brother! We've been living together for several years," he pauses mid-sentence "... hence, you've been away from us in the past three years, nonetheless, you are still my brother." he concludes. I'm glad that Gondola stayed true to me, seeing me as his brother. It's quite reassuring to hear those words from my little brother's lips. I love you, brother, still I don't trust you wholeheartedly, however.

I pant for the assurance of his utterance, as I let him proceed what he's about to speak with me: "You may continue to speak." as I give him the permission to do so.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

"Alright, here I go…" he denotes, as I nod on his instruction.

“My arrival here in this reality is actually planned. Of course, I enlisted myself to a special project where only several individuals passed the initial examination and, lucky me, it happened to be me. The program needed twenty pieces of meat. Which are us. Probably, you can say he, she, or they are the culprit of this dubious project,” he stops to gasp for air, where he continues for after a while “As you can see; they were the ones who commissioned this program and I ain’t mentioning even their names, the specific code of the project, the figures behind it and all.” as I know he will tell me that’s ‘classified’.

“So, are you saying that’s ‘classified’, right? Only people who are part of the project will have to know the details of it, am I right?” as I rephrase it, whereas I blurt out the exact same word spinning through my mind.

“You are partially right, my brother, but not entirely. My usual expectation, of course, you tend to deduce something out of it!” Gondola exclaims, as he lurches both of his palms on my hands.

“However, my big brother, most of us were sent to different realities where the three of us were to venture in this dimension. I have only met ⅔ of the team as far as I know, we presume that the other one is dead by now but we pray that he is not. Hand on heart, I hope he is alright.“ as he resigns himself.

“Where is the other guy, though?” asking, as I mention it with curiosity.

“Guy? As in, a lad?”

“Uh-huh?” I reply, as if that I made a mistake calling out Gondola’s entourage companion.

“Her name is ‘Miana’, she is the one who took part in the project. We met recently at the moment. Well, I confide in her skills thus she is a very trustworthy comrade.” Gondola describes one of his partners.

“Truth to be told. I am searching for you. Indeed, I used this opportunity to look for your whereabouts and yet here I am, now I found you. I’m glad that it didn’t take too long. You don’t know how much emotion I am feeling right now, Guan. You really are alive, for Inglovia’s sake!” as tears are flowing out of his eyes, he embraces me in a tight clasp, pouring his whole emotion on me while his hold stays stronger.

We stay like this for another couple of minutes. He oozes his joy and relief. A definite show of his authenticity. When he sees me and I do know that, for sure. When I am feeling down and at my lowest, I feel the tendency of My morale. Higher than I ever felt. I didn’t anticipate this! A blessing. Far greater than my labor recognized. Far greater than the nectar that I’ve ever tasted. Far greater than a gold I could ever hold in my hand. And it is the familial love and the unconditional support my younger brother could bestow on me. And after a while, something struck my mind. I muster everything out of my curiosity and my misunderstanding.

I ask: “So, if you now have found me, what’s your next move?” quite literally what Gondola’s agenda. He turns his back on me, as he removes his upper apparel. Showing his injury in a specific part - the rib part.

“Oh? You’ve been married to one of the gals here, eh?” continuing, I assume, where it is the custom to offer one’s (man’s) rib to its potential partner-spouse.

“That’s right. And I’ve been married to the Queen Kehina.”

“Oh!” I reply in an impulsive instance.

“Wait, what?” trying to assess what my brother means, I realize after a moment, as I do hear the name of Lady Anda.

“Yes, brother. For now, I will be the one doing your job here. Go study at Inglovia.” Gondola responds, whereas he faces me in a serious note.

Eh? Really? From whose authority, though?