Hyung... where are you?

Cale... I'm going to work... just concentrate on getting better, alright?

Yes, Hyung... be safe.

It's been a week since Cale had fallen ill. Rok asked for work from the Count since they just can't be freeloading in the county. When the Count asked him what work he liked, he instantly replied working with books and shelves. Unknown to him, the Count thought something while keeping an eye on them. He was made to clean the Henituse Library.

But since Rok loved books so much, he forgot about his cleaning duties and emersed himself in reading books. If there's heaven on earth it's the library. There are few legends, folktales, and novels to his liking. With a broom and feather duster on his side, he sat on the floor and read a few books before totally cleaning them. It wasn't that hard. The library was big but the shelves are quite height friendly and there are the winding stairs to the second floor.

The countess often caught him reading but she never reprimanded him. He would often earn a pat on his head and a few books to share with his brother. All in all, they weren't that strict and they were too friendly for children. There was one time that they asked to be moved to the servant's quarter but it seems that red hair is considered a guest although they are nobody.

At lunch, Rok left the library to eat with Cale. This had been their habit ever since they were young. They got too use to each other presence so this is pretty much normal.

He was walking in the halls when he heard a child crying. He was curious about whose child it was, so he peeked into the room where the crying sound was. There's a toddler in the crib crying. By the looks of it, he was hungry or uncomfortable, but Rok was thankful it was the former.

He approached the crib and cooed at the child. He took the bottle of milk that was prepared beforehand. "Hungry?" the child cried, reaching out to the bottle.

He placed the bottle on the table and lift the child in his arms. He didn't know that his experience of taking care of children back when he was Kim Rok Soo would come in handy. He carefully deposited him on his arms, as he sat down on the couch. He took the bottle of milk and fed it to the baby. The crying stopped. Rok watched the child happily drink his milk while smiling and giggling at him. His face had a soft smile on it and continued to coo at the child. He slowly rocked him in his arms while also trying to lull him back to sleep. But the child was too stubborn to go back to sleep.

When the milk was gone, Rok placed it back on the table and changed the child's position to let him burp. He patted the child's back and when the latter did, he rocks him slowly until the light snore echoed.

This child is just like Cale.

He thought and slowly laid the child back in his crib while humming a soft lullaby, careful not to wake him. He also carefully placed the blanket on the child and cooed one more time before leaving to have his lunch.

"you're late," Cale said the moment he entered their room. Cale is healthy now so he'll probably work with him.

"I went babysitting..." He replied and sat on the chair. Cale hands the plate to him and they began eating without saying a word. This kind of peacefulness is wonderful.

"Hyung... I will also start working with you by tomorrow. The doctor said I'm quite fine now."

Cale was a young master who couldn't do anything. However, living with the Thames for five years allowed them to learn how to be independent despite their small body.

"I'm planning on having Ron teach us how to protect ourselves." Rok said, "We came from a family of scholars, so I know our bodies are pretty much weak, but being safe to survive sounds good."

"will he teach us?"

"he's the only one who knew who we are right now. So, we are to them..."

Cale paused, "Hyung... you're not planning on pulling them on our side?"

Rok huffs, they needed someone older to protect them right now. The information he had about the group that caused the Molan's Household fall would be their ace against the vicious old man.

Cale, "why am I not surprised?"

**

Continuing his work, Rok returned to the library and finally cleaned a section. Reading while cleaning is two different things that can never co-exist but he miraculously combined the two and cleaned almost half of the entire grand library.

He went to get another book. It was all about Rowoon, so he sat down and read the history book. He was so immersed in reading when someone snatched the book from him. He growls and saw Deruth's nephew. He was the child of Deruth's Cousin who lost the seat of County from the former. Rok only looked at him, too bored, to even care. He stood up, not intending to fight.

"Red hair."

Rok groan in pain when someone forcefully grabbed his long hair and pulled him up. He look back and a spit met his face, "how dare a peasant like you turn your back to a noble?"

Rok trembled in anger when he heard the next words spat by a young child.

"Whoring yourselves at an early age! Hah! Just like that fallen Thames bitch!"

Rok gritted his teeth in anger. He turned around and lands a punch on the older child's face. The Henituse kid groan in pain, but Rok was faster. He kicked him on his stomach and punched him in the face.

The ramble went on. Cale, who noticed his twin's agitation, ran as fast as he could to stop Rok from making a mess. He can see servants trying to stop the fight.

"Your brother's seems to cause the fight." Ron Molan whispered to him.

He entered the doors and found Rok, with a bloody fist, his face had bruises and he was bleeding.

"HYUNG!" He called. Rok glanced at him but his sight returned to their supposed cousin. The same person who wanted to evict Basen out of the County.

"hah! So here's an –."

Even before the Henituse brat can say another word, punches him straight on his face and screamed at Cale who knows the very same words uttered to both him and the Previous Basen, "DON'T LISTEN!"

The servants couldn't say a thing when the older redhead scream like that. They knew that Rok was such a cold brat but he is polite and diligent. However, hitting a noble has always been a crime.

"WHAT'S WRONG WITH CALLING A MANWHORE A WHORE?!"

"SHUT UP!" Rok screams, trying to muffle the damn brat's mouth. However, he felt that light touch on his shoulders. He turned around and saw Cale with a peaceful expression, "enough, Hyung."

"what?!" Rok snapped, "are you just going to let them call you names?! They're worse than scums!"

The same words from Cale came out, "Hyung... please... enough..."

Cale took his bleeding fist, "don't hurt yourself, hyung... I beg you..."

Rok breathes heavily and grabbed his twin's hand. "Cale..." his voice was solemn, "how long are we going to live like this?" that made Cale stop.

Not far from them, Deruth and the brat's father came. "what happened here?"

Rok had a cold and stern expression while looking at the brat.

"Calling a manwhore a whore." It was Ron who reported without hesitation.

Deruth, "what?"

"The young master came by and took the book from Rok... then grabbed his hair, saying 'a red head.' And suddenly, accusing him of whoring himself." Ron hands the memory-saving device. "that's what has transpired."

No one said a thing after Ron's handed the device and Deruth played it. Deruth looked sternly at his nephew and said, "I see that you still lack some manners. I will hear your excuse later. Ron, take the twins back to their room."

"Count." It was Cale, who spoke, "We wish to transfer to the servant's quarters..." Deruth looked at them, one trying to keep his tears away and the other gritting with seething anger. "please."

Deruth wanted to object but because this has already transpired, he had no choice, "Arranged a room for them..."

They can see the count looked miserable while watching them leave the library.

**

When the twins entered their new room, Cale made Rok sit on the mattress and attended to his wound. The eerie silence was deafening.

"Cale." Rok was the first one who broke the silence, "let's leave... if it's painful."

Rok's hand cupped his cheek, "we don't have to live like this, alright?"

Rok does not want him to suffer, nor does Cale do the same.

"I am so blessed." Cale said, laying his head over Rok's shoulder, "to become brothers with you."

Rok did not mind the blood on his fist and embraced his brother back, "we will leave, if it's too much... okay."

"Alright."

**

"You are being unreasonable! You are choosing a commoner over your bloodline?!"

Deruth looked at his cousin while screaming for justice as to what happened to his son. "your son... degraded a commoner..."

"so what?!"

"that's why you can't become the county lord." Deruth flatly replied. Arsen Henituse, his cousin, the only contender that can take his title away.

"For a dead woman, you're willing to take in children who looked like her?"

"so what?"

"what?'

"I am asking you... so what? It has nothing to do with you..." Deruth growled, "one more step out of the line... I will make sure that you can never step into this county ever again."

Deruth's cousin remained silent. "you will regret this!" shouting before storming out of the room.

Deruth sighed after he finally felt peace. He was glad that he was able to keep his temper when he saw the older twin bloodied all over. He was glad that he can keep himself from taking them into his arms when he saw the young twin beg for their change of room.

Now that they're in the servant's quarter, the line that he so tried to keep vanishing. There was only a plain wall between him and the children.

He can't explain that pained emptiness just thinking about how would they react to him now. He hopes to become friends with them and get close to them but this is just plain torture.

He stood up, he decided to visit his son and wash all this weariness away.

A few meters away from the door, he can already hear Basen's joyful laughter and the familiar giggles of the children he was just thinking about.

There were no nannies nor guards in the room. Just what are they thinking leaving his son alone? When he saw that wonderful scene of two redheads taking care of his son, his heart thumped so loud. He had tears in his eyes, as he watched them happily spending the afternoon without care for the world.

If... his and Jour's child were alive – would that child treat his young brother like this?

If... that child was alive – would he smile just like this?

He loves her. He loves the child that she carried.

He loves her... so much... that he once thought of a happy family with her.

Redhead beautiful looked like a flame with the sunshine. Two at that.

He smiled bitterly at the thought of that loss and yearning.

He just wished for happiness – but took it forcefully from him.

He just wished to be happy – and he knew he can never be happy.

He closed the door and walked away while carving this memory inside his mind.

Rok and Cale, redhead twins, had laughter brighter than the sun.

He felt guilty – for using these children as a stand-in for that supposed love he supposedly should have.

TBC