Several days had passed since Saiphee and Vantheos had their fateful encounter, a meeting that lingered in Saiphee's mind like a vivid dream. He now found himself seated on a simple wooden chair, his gaze distant as he drifted into a world of imagination. His thoughts were consumed by what might unfold if they were to set foot on Earth—a place so foreign, so full of unknown possibilities. Scenarios played out in his mind, each one more fantastical than the last.

Suddenly, his reverie was interrupted by the energetic voice of a young boy calling out to him.

"Brother? Brotherrrr!" The boy's voice grew louder as he approached, tugging insistently at Saiphee’s sleeve. "Brother! I need help with this!"

Startled, Saiphee blinked, his daydreams shattering like glass as he returned to reality. He turned his attention to the boy, who was holding out a piece of paper with an expression of earnest urgency. Saiphee sighed, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips as he reached for the paper, ready to shift his focus from dreams of distant worlds to the immediate concerns of his younger sibling.

“Brother, are you sure I can do this?” Silas asked, his voice wavering slightly. “These letters look so... complicated.”

Saiphee smiled, his tone calm and reassuring. “Of course, you can, Silas. It just takes practice. Trust me, once you get the hang of it, it’ll feel easy. Now, let’s start with the first consonant.”

He leaned forward and carefully wrote “ㄱ” on the paper with his pen, the strokes smooth and deliberate. “This is ‘giyeok.’ It makes a ‘g’ or ‘k’ sound, like in the word ‘gom’—bear.”

Silas leaned closer, studying the character intently. “Giyeok,” he repeated slowly, nodding. “Okay, I think I get it. Can I try now?”

Saiphee handed him the pen with an encouraging smile. “Go ahead. Just take your time.”

Silas gripped the pen tightly and lowered it to the paper. His strokes were a bit shaky, but the character began to take shape. When he finished, he looked up at Saiphee expectantly. “Is it okay?”

Saiphee inspected the writing, nodding with approval. “It’s more than okay, Silas. That’s a great first try. See? You’re already getting it.”

Silas grinned, a spark of confidence lighting up his face. “What’s the next one?”

Saiphee wrote “ㄴ” beside the first character. “This is ‘nieun.’ It makes an ‘n’ sound, like in ‘namu’—tree. Your turn.”

Silas leaned in, his tongue poking out slightly as he concentrated. He slowly drew the strokes, pausing every so often to check his work. When he finished, he sat back with a proud smile. “There! That’s a ‘nieun,’ right?”

Saiphee chuckled, patting his younger brother on the back. “Exactly. You’re doing great, Silas. Let’s keep going.”

They worked through the consonants together, Saiphee demonstrating each one and Silas carefully copying them onto the paper. As the page filled with neat rows of Hangul characters, Silas’s confidence grew. By the time they reached “ㅎ” (hieut), he was writing with a steady hand and a wide grin.

“I know all the consonants now!” Silas exclaimed, holding up the page proudly. “Look, Brother! I can write them all!”

Saiphee leaned back in his chair, smiling warmly. “You’ve done an amazing job, Silas. You’ve learned a lot today.”

“I know, right?! Thanks to you, Brother!” Silas beamed, his bright smile lighting up his face. But just as quickly, his expression faltered, and his shoulders slumped. “But… is it true that you’re heading to Earth?” he asked, his voice tinged with worry. “Are you going to leave me here… all alone?” His head dropped, and his fingers fidgeted with the edge of the paper on the desk.

Saiphee’s chest tightened at the sight of his little brother’s distress. He had never seen Silas so worried, and the thought of his brother believing he’d be abandoned struck a painful chord. Saiphee reached out, gently lifting Silas’s chin so their eyes met. “I won’t leave you,” he said firmly, his voice steady but filled with warmth. “Not like that. Think of it more like… a vacation,” he added with a reassuring smile, his thumb brushing away the tears threatening to spill from Silas’s eyes.

Silas sniffled, his lip trembling. “A vacation? But vacations mean you come back… right?” he asked hesitantly, his wide eyes searching Saiphee’s face for reassurance.

“Exactly,” Saiphee said, nodding. “I’m not going anywhere forever. Just for a little while. And when I come back, I’ll have so many stories to tell you, you’ll be begging me to stop talking!” He ruffled Silas’s hair playfully, trying to lighten the mood.

Silas managed a small smile, but the worry in his eyes lingered. “But… what if something happens to you while you’re gone?” he murmured. “What if—”

“Nothing’s going to happen,” Saiphee interrupted gently, his voice firm but soothing. “I promise. And besides,” he added, his tone shifting to a teasing one, “don’t you have something much more important to worry about right now?”

Silas blinked in confusion, his frown deepening. “What do you mean?”

Saiphee gestured toward the Hangul worksheet still sitting on the desk, its rows of letters half-finished. “Your studies, of course!” he said, his tone playful but pointed. “I wouldn’t be too pleased if you failed, you know. And you do remember the rule, don’t you? ‘One failure, and you have to study the previous grade all over again.’” He wagged his finger at Silas dramatically, his grin widening.

Silas let out a small laugh despite himself, though his frown didn’t entirely disappear. “Yeah… but you’re way more important than these silly studies,” he muttered, looking down at the worksheet with a pout.

Saiphee’s expression softened, and he placed a hand on Silas’s shoulder. “I know, Silas,” he said gently. “And you’re more important to me than anything else, too. That’s why I need you to keep working hard while I’m gone. I want to come back and see you stronger, smarter, and ready to show me everything you’ve learned. Can you do that for me?”

Silas looked up at him, his eyes still glistening but filled with determination now. “You really promise you’ll come back?”

“I promise,” Saiphee said, holding out his pinky. “Pinky swear.”

Silas hesitated for only a moment before locking his pinky with his brother’s. “Okay,” he said quietly. “But you better keep your promise, or I’ll come to Earth myself to drag you back!”

Saiphee laughed, pulling his brother into a warm hug. “Deal. Now, let’s finish this worksheet, shall we? You can’t become a Hangeul master if you leave it half-done.” 

As they converse and Saiphee continues teaching him Hangul, he can’t help but feel a pang of guilt. Deep down, he questions whether learning so many languages is truly necessary, especially given their circumstances. Yet, as he observes his brother’s face, his doubts begin to fade. His brother doesn’t appear to struggle; instead, there’s a quiet determination in his expression, a focus that reassures him.

In that moment, he feels a wave of gratitude. It’s a rare opportunity, this shared time, and he’s glad to be able to teach his brother something meaningful before the inevitable separation. Soon, he will leave for the mission on Earth—a journey that feels as monumental as it does uncertain. The thought of his brother’s absence weighs heavily on him, knowing that the bond they share will be tested by distance.

Still, he finds comfort in the present. Teaching Hangul has become more than just a lesson; it’s a way to connect, to create a memory they can both carry. As much as he dreads the farewell, he cherishes this chance to impart something valuable and to be, for a little while longer, the older brother his sibling looks up to. He knows he’ll miss him terribly, but for now, he focuses on the joy of this fleeting moment together. 

As the lesson came to a close, the peaceful silence in the room was suddenly interrupted by the sharp chime of the intercom. Saiphee glanced up, a little surprised, as a hologram flickered into existence before him. It was none other than Quartz, his face stern and impatient.

“Hmph. Where are you?” Quartz demanded, leaning in closer to the camera as if trying to get a better view of Saiphee’s surroundings, his tone sharp and inquisitive.

Saiphee sighed, momentarily distracted, and adjusted his glasses before replying in a calm, measured voice. “I’m in my brother’s room, helping him with Hangul,” he said, a hint of warmth in his voice as he glanced over at Silas, who was still sitting at the table, focused on the lesson. Saiphee removed his glasses and set them down carefully on the desk as he spoke.

“Hangul?” Quartz scoffed, his voice rising in disbelief. “That’s literally the easiest language in the entire Human Language Studies curriculum! You’re wasting time on that?” His words were sharp, almost dismissive, as if the task was beneath him.

Saiphee crossed his arms, his expression growing more defensive. “He’s just a kid, Quartz. Let me teach him whatever I want,” he said firmly, his tone a little more guarded now. “Besides, it’s not about how easy or hard the language is—it’s about spending time together. What’s the rush?”

Quartz didn’t seem to be in the mood for a philosophical debate, though. His face hardened slightly as he continued. “I don’t care about your little tutoring session, Saiphee. You need to get over here, now. Physical training is scheduled, and you’re going to be working alongside Vantheos.” His tone was all business now, no room for argument. “Vantheos isn’t here, so while you’re at it, swing by his chambers. They’re on the far east side of the Aquila Headquarters.”

Saiphee raised an eyebrow, tilting his head slightly as he processed the request. “Can’t you just call him yourself?” he asked, his voice casual, though there was a hint of playfulness in it. He turned back to the table, starting to clean up, gathering Silas’ worksheets and placing them carefully into Silas’ backpack.

Quartz’s frustration was palpable. “Dude! I’ve called him multiple times!” he exclaimed, holding up a second hologram device. The screen was filled with an endless scroll of missed calls, each one from Quartz to Vantheos, with no response. Quartz let out a frustrated sigh, running a hand through his hair. “He’s completely ignoring me! I need you to deal with this, Saiphee. This is getting ridiculous.”

Saiphee couldn’t help but chuckle at Quartz’s obvious stress. He leaned back slightly, watching the other man’s hologram flicker as he tried to regain his composure. “Looks like someone’s not picking up,” Saiphee teased, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Maybe Vantheos is just busy. You know how he is.”

Quartz shot him a glare, clearly not amused by the joke. “This isn’t funny, Saiphee. You’re the one who’s supposed to be handling this situation, not me. Just get over here and help me out.” His voice was strained, though the underlying frustration was mixed with a hint of desperation.

Saiphee sighed, his amusement fading as he gave Quartz a more serious look. “Alright, alright,” he said, relenting with a smirk. “I’ll head there now. Don’t lose your mind in the meantime, okay? I’m sure Vantheos will turn up eventually.”

As the hologram flickered out of existence, Saiphee turned his attention back to Silas, who was still sitting quietly at the table, absorbed in his own thoughts. Saiphee’s expression softened as he approached his younger brother, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. “I’ll be back later,” he said, his voice warm and reassuring. “Keep practicing, okay? I’ll check in on you when I’m done with all this.”

Silas nodded without looking up, a small smile tugging at his lips as he murmured, “Okay, Brother. Thanks for teaching me!”

Saiphee smiled back, his heart swelling with a mixture of affection and sadness. He knew that his time with Silas was precious, and though he had to leave now, he would cherish the moments they shared. With one final glance at his brother, Saiphee turned to leave the room, not taking Silas’ backpack with him. He had to let Silas handle it for now, as he focused on the task ahead.

As Saiphee made his way down the hall, he couldn’t help but think about the mission that lay ahead and the growing distance between him and his family. He’d miss Silas more than he cared to admit, but for now, he focused on the task at hand, knowing that there would be time to think about everything else later.

Saiphee made his way down the long, quiet halls of the Aquila Headquarters, heading toward the east side as instructed. His footsteps echoed softly in the empty corridor, the space feeling strangely silent, almost too still. As he walked, he scanned each door, looking for the one marked with Vantheos’ name. The further he walked, the closer he got, the more his anticipation built. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of winding halls, he spotted it: the door with Vantheos’ name engraved on a plaque.

Without hesitation, Saiphee approached the door and gave it a firm knock. “Vantheos!! It’s me, Saiphee!” he called out, his voice loud enough to carry through the thick door. But there was no response. He waited for a moment, knocking again, this time with more urgency. Still, nothing.

A frown tugged at Saiphee’s lips as he stared at the door. “It’s… it wasn’t locked?” he muttered to himself in surprise, taking a cautious step forward. His curiosity piqued, he tilted his head slightly, trying to peer into the room through the small crack in the door. “Surely… no one would rob him, right?” he added under his breath, though his words were more of a question than a statement.

After a moment of hesitation, he pushed the door open slowly, stepping inside. The room was a mess—clothes scattered everywhere, papers strewn across the floor—but there were no signs of decay or neglect. No mold, no rotten food. Just clothes. His eyes scanned the room, searching for any signs of life, but the space seemed eerily empty.

“Vantheos? Are you home?” Saiphee called out again, his voice echoing softly in the room. He closed the door behind him, the soft click of the latch adding to the quiet. Slowly, he made his way further into the space, his eyes darting over the cluttered surroundings. The living area was just as abandoned as the rest of the room, with no trace of Vantheos.

His eyes narrowed, and he moved toward the bedroom with slow, deliberate steps. As he reached the doorway, he froze. There, in the dim light, was Vantheos, sprawled out on the bed, topless and snoring softly. His chest rose and fell with each deep breath, the rhythmic sound of his breathing the only sign of life in the otherwise still room.

Saiphee felt an odd pull toward him, like a magnet drawing him closer. He couldn’t help himself; he moved closer to the bed, his gaze softening as he looked down at Vantheos. The sight of his sleeping form, so peaceful and unaware of his presence, made Saiphee’s heart ache a little.