Chapter 79
Kai's Day One
December 12
No one is more affectionate to a brother than my younger sister.
Because you are my younger sister.
No one misses a sister as much as a brother.
Because no one — not even me — can compare to my younger sister!
Every day is the same, no difference. Whenever the phone rings with that song full of sibling affection and care, exactly one second — neither more nor less — Kai wakes up. Because this reaction has already become instinct since the moment of his long‑term illness attack, and it needs no concealment.
The only difference is that unlike Sam, who frowns uncomfortably at the familiar alarm bell (now all the frowns and discomforts are gone), Kai is happier than the arrival of the Spring Festival. While whistling, he goes to the bathroom to brush his teeth, wash his face, change clothes, put on an apron, and heads to the kitchen to make breakfast for his two sisters. While cooking, Kai hums a song he writes and sings himself, which he is proud of:
"The most moving in the world!"
Hanna and Rose giggle at their brother's hand‑fried and hand‑cooked food. Kai always mouths "eh ah," stressing "brother, sister" with a sweetness that makes one faint, gentle in every single minute.
After half an hour in the kitchen, Kai happily brings the food to the table, holding his chin and contemplating his two younger sisters eagerly, as if they have received a gift.
Throughout the meal, Kai stares without blinking, as if afraid his two sisters will disappear. He bustles about, fetching this, holding that, frantically pouring water so they can swallow down a choke. The two sisters keep pursing their lips, hiding their laughter. Rose cannot hold it anymore; she coughs hard and raises her hand to stop Kai from rushing to pat her back. She rubs her chest and speaks through tears of laughter:
- I choke on my food, but brother panics as if I am about to choke to death. Even couples in love do not go to such a point where they exceed all the boundaries of concern!
Hanna chuckles and secretly kicks the mischievous girl's leg, since she dares to say everything. Kai is not shy and remains calm, raising his mouth "eh eh":
- Hey, this girl, I have a sister complex, but I am not a pervert. Comparing me to a bunch of siscon with wrong ideas is an insult to the artist!
The two sisters burst into laughter, and Kai happily enjoys a rare moment of relaxation. He takes a sip and then enthusiastically recounted everything he had experienced in the years away from his dearest person.
The story was sometimes more hilarious than joy itself. Sometimes, deep bass notes followed every time Kai went home without his dearest person... letting... keep company with the loneliness of those who could not live according to their own wishes.
He is so absorbed in the story, as he senses the deep sadness that weighs heavily on his sisters' moods. The brother realizes that he is revealing every level of emotion to his sisters... and... seemingly talking to himself.
That feeling has not just been about having... missed the dearest person... but also about having suppressed emotions for too long…
He has needed to shed the heavy burden... the torture of his mind... and then has become a companion to share the long years together, living in a world of only pretense and deception, unable to trust anyone except his dearest person.
Now the person who longs for family affection is enjoying the joy of where he belongs. His mind unconsciously listens to his feelings and reveals his thoughts to the people he does not need to hide.
The brother quietly contemplates his sister who lowers her head in silence, and he sighs and silently blames himself for his boundless sentimentality. The brother and sisters are happy, yet he pushes everyone's mood into a vague melancholy.
Kai turns his thoughts around and arranges the order of the story to be more exciting and interesting, and tells it in a humorous tone, making the depressed sister funny and fresh like spring flowers.
The siblings happily tidy up the dishes. The sudden pain causes Rose to slip her hand and drop the plate on the ground. She sits on the chair, frowning and sighing in pain.
Kai has not stopped worrying yet. It is Hanna's turn to sweat and hug her belly. She frowns and seems to want to say something, but hesitates shyly. Kai looks at his sister in panic, then turns his head to look at the food:
- Is there something wrong with the food? But I am eating with you two…
Kai stares blankly at his two blushing sisters. Hanna smiles like a cry. Rose smiles and mutters:
- You always take pride in understanding girls, what a silly brother!
Kai realizes that he is so stupid; their hard-to-say expression is clearer than the day, which he thinks... truly... oh my God!
He smiles slightly and says to his sister:
- You two wait for me for a while, I will be back soon!
Hanna blushes deeply, and Rose twists her mouth, embarrassed for her brother:
- Hah, brother... doing things... like this... really?
Kai smiles a little, like the type who would be shy to buy for others, but buying for his sister, there's no need to be embarrassed:
- Small things!
The two girls cannot help but laugh, and turn to look at each other:
- So crazy to the extent there is no medicine to cure!
Kai bursts out laughing, rushes to the door without hesitation, and says to the echo:
- Leave the dishes there, I'll come back to clean them up later!
Rose chuckles:
- No one will compete with you, so there is no need to twist!
Kai shakes his head and smiles at his sister who is having her period, but she is still as playful as ever. He locks the door carefully and rushes through the crowds of people in the corridor.
The man god dodges here and there, and in the blink of an eye he escapes the crowd. He runs directly to the grocery store across the street.
Reporters and fans chase him. All open their mouths and stare at him. Many girls blink their eyelashes, revealing a look of "Is this a mistake? Are you kidding me?" The man god goes to the grocery store to... buy... sanitary napkins…
The female shop owner yells like crazy, rushes up to hug the man god, talks, laughs, takes pictures, takes selfies, and asks for autographs. Kai smiles in a friendly manner and says hurriedly:
- You postpone the fun for me for a while, my sister can't wait, the situation is hotter than boiling water.
The humorous voice makes everyone laugh. The shopkeeper asks what category he wants to buy. The man god smiles and says without hesitation:
- Buy the best day and night categories!
The reporter is feverishly filming and taking photos without missing a single detail. The girls snap and live-stream like crazy, giggling with excitement. The man god swipes his payment card, rushes out of the store with a bag full of the girls' stuff:
- Get out of the way, please get out of the way. My sister is bleeding, and as a brother, I am very sad. If I am sad, you all will not be happy either! So please, let me go!
Even though he has been begging urgently, the perennially crazy fans still chase madly, just to lightly touch the man god's clothes.
Kai is still running at full speed, always begging to get out of the way, but the mad dogs that have eaten the dog bait are still biting, not letting go of him.
It takes him three minutes to get home. Kai enters the house and does not see his sister. He immediately runs to the front of the bathroom, knocks on the door, and calls:
- Brother accomplishes the impossible task!
There is a burst of laughter, and the door opens slightly to let Kai put the bag in. He breathes a sigh of relief, opens Halo and answers it:
- OK, I'll be there soon.
Kai says goodbye to his sister, goes back to the room and changes into another set of clothes. Getting dressed neatly, he goes to the parking lot and drives to the meeting point. Kai whistles and turns the steering wheel to the left.
The car is crossing the road when a terrible roar suddenly resounds. The front of the car is trampled and dented, and the car window is struck violently, causing cracks to appear.
Kai glares at the wrinkled monster whose face is covered in gray white spots, every crack is scarlet, opaque white eyes, mouth flooded with blood and drooling, roaring echoing in the street.
Howls, screams of terror echo in all directions, and people are running in a panic more than a swarm of bees whose nest is broken. Groups of zombies, which are only seen in movies, rush in fiercely, biting and eating flesh. Some cry for help, and some wait for death in despair.
A group of people fight fiercely but cannot resist the tens of thousands of zombies, whose numbers grow exponentially. Those bitten become half-human, half-demon in just a few seconds. The air is filled with the smell of death and the blood dyes the sky red.
The monster punches the car window and pulls up the roof fiercely. It roars and scrapes across prey. Kai turns on the starter, the car seat quickly lowers to the car floor. The monster misses its target and hurls the car door away.
Kai takes the opportunity to roll out of the car. He pulls out guns from both sides of his belt and shoots all the zombies that are rushing towards him.
Kai avoids fighting the monsters directly. His sisters are trapped at home, he has to go back to save them immediately. If he is half a second late, he might have to shoot his sisters to death. This mag runs out of bullets, so he immediately loads another mag.
Extremely hot bullet casings scatter all over the ground, the bullets spin in the wind, tearing the zombies apart, but they still rush towards their prey fiercely.
Although they are shot to pieces, one bares its fangs and a bloody, wide, disgusting mouth. The other monsters with only half of their bodies left still crawl, attacking Kai and the living.
- Save me...
- Please save my child...
Tragic cries echo everywhere. His sister is in danger, Kai cannot help the people he wants to save. He accelerates and runs towards the dormitory; along the way, he kills and shoots down countless zombies; hundreds of zombies are shattered in his hands.
He continues shooting, runs out of bullets. Kai throws away his gun and grabs the double swords from the corpse. He dashes left and right among the zombies, amputating arms, chopping off legs, and piercing faces.
The more zombies he kills, the more they rush in even faster than before, attracted by the strong; almost all of them rush towards Kai.
He breathes out, retreats, gains momentum and flies forward; his body turns into a beam of light that pierces the hordes of zombies; body fragments and black and red blood cover the entire space.
After a long journey through the siege, Kai finally returns to the dormitory. He sees that it is not as chaotic as the city center, and there are only a dozen zombies biting and tearing the living.
He silently rejoices, hoping that his sisters are still safe. Kai rushes to the third floor, opens the door, runs in and calls out:
- Hana, Tu Le!
The call is dead silent beneath the two motionless bodies. The traces of human filth left on the torn skirts and tops break Kai's spirit, and he drags himself trembling step by step towards his sisters.
The strongest man in the world collapses on the floor, trembling with arms around his sister's body, choking with bitter tears and begging his relatives not to abandon him.
The response is that the wide-open eyes slowly turn into a turbid white. Those deadly eyes do not recognize Kai; they stare intensely at the prey whose eyes are crying dark red.
The blood stains the dazed look on his face darkly red. Kai yells out every sound of hatred, brings the sword closer to cut off Hana's neck, and swings the weapon to slash off Tu Le's head.
The elder brother slowly raises his expressionless face and looks at the rapists who are playing perverted games with the girls in the corridor. He rushes out and slaughters them all.
The terrifying screams immediately attract the zombies who flood over. Separating Kai from the zombies is a pile of burning fire. He roars in anger:
- I'll kill all bastards!
The strongest man in the world rushes through the red fire halo that emits fiery energy... like a fierce demon god... descending upon the world...
- Cut…
The director shouts excitedly, applause breaks out... praising the wonderful action. The staff behind the scenes run to spray water on the actors with a hose, the logistics woman pulls out a cotton towel and drapes it over his head.
He thanks her and rubs the towel with both hands, wiping away the water clinging to his face along with the traces of smoke and dust.
He pulls out a towel and shakes his head vigorously to remove the accumulated water. His parted hair flutters loosely, revealing his handsome and scholarly face, dark eyebrows, elite eyes that exude a stern and upright look, but with a hint of quiet sadness, like a lake without ripples. He turns to the person who is approaching; the person claps his hands and praises:
- Perfect, thanks bro!
Whenever he meets someone familiar, his eyes light up with a sunny smile. He shakes the hand of the person who greets him:
I'm just a replica of the man god!
The man pats his shoulder:
- Hey, don't be so self-deprecating. - He points to a body without bulging tendons or rolling abdominal muscles, but every muscle is well-proportioned and almost perfect - Admiring this divine body, it is in no way inferior to any man god!
The stuntman laughs because Kai is teasing. The man-god gently strokes his chin and raises his eyebrows:
- This heart‑throb, many girls are fascinated by the blurred sad eyes... and... want to taste the sweetness of the tempting lips, bro! Naming you Anh Tuan is perfect and needs no adjustment. - The man gives a thumbs up, admiring the talent of his stunt double - Behind every successful person there is a silhouette, bro, you are my giant shadow!
Laughter resounds through the film studios. The director takes a puff of his cigarette, exhales the smoke, and jokes:
- The male lead praises the stuntman, and the two young fathers flatter each other. Damn, speechless!
The man god laughs so hard that his shoulders shake when the humorous director throws shade:
- From now on, let's call Kai the man god, the most skilled flatterer in the world!
The crew turns to the stuntmen. The director doesn't keep them waiting long:
- In the past, present and future, Anh Tuan is still the most perfect stuntman in history!
Kai gently pushes Anh Tuan's shoulder and winks at him:
- You are so proud, the most fastidious director in the world praises you, so go to work right away.
The stuntman clicks his tongue:
- Already flattered and still joking persistently, no one dares to compete with the man god to be Sunday.
The entire crew laughs in the film studios and congratulates each other on completing the most difficult scene. The director blows the whistle and calls everyone together:
- Tonight, our superhero must be the man god on the music stage. We'll pause the scene with the male lead and shoot it tomorrow. All rest and stay healthy. In an hour, start shooting the male supporting role. Try your best, we are almost done with this project!
Everyone shouts with determination and disperses to pack up. Kai and the stuntman say goodbye to the crew, and the two get in the car. The man god steps on the accelerator and rushes to the hospital.
He glances at Anh Tuan, who is quietly looking into the void. Every time he worries about the people he cares about, Anh Tuan falls into that trance. Kai smiles softly and talks to him freely, as if talking to himself:
- I envy and gato my future brother-in-law, who has everything I want. Friends are better than siblings, a love that never dies is waiting for his return... and... a mother…
Kai's deep voice suddenly becomes hoarse and choked when he mentions his mother... as if someone were squeezing his throat. He doesn't need to hide his feelings from someone who is lost in thought.
- The one who has everything currently is leaving it all!
Kai says encouragingly, his voice deep:
- Hoang Kim is the god who creates miracles. - Kai pats the stuntman on the shoulder - Don't worry, bro, I believe miracles still happen.
Anh Tuan is silent, as he heads towards the hospital:
- I hope that this time the god of death is still not my brother's opponent!
The word "still" lingers in Kai's mind. Words full of implicit meanings coalesce into a vague question. Kai is lost in thought, searching for an answer, until his Halo rings. He stops thinking, picks up Halo, listens, and startles:
- What... Sakura and Mark got in a car accident?
He is shocked and asks about the victims' condition. The person on the line assures him that the two are not in life-threatening danger, but they will definitely miss the concert tonight. Kai seems to shout into Halo:
- Now, what mood is there to sing?
"Five hundred thousand tickets have been sold out, and fans are eagerly looking forward to your debut in front of the Prehistoric Kingdom audience. If the show is cancelled, there will be countless consequences."
Kai ruffles his hair until it is a mess:
- Sakura and Mark are in the same band as me, the trio is the main act, the fans are looking forward to it every second. The other two are absent, I'm not in the mood to sing anymore. Performing with a gloomy face is disrespecting the audience!
"The fans are mainly your fans, they are eager to see Kai in the flesh on stage in their country. You can't let them down! The other two also advised you to complete the concert, and said to consider it as singing for them!"
The two sides argue fiercely, and the other end of the line insists on persuading him, but to no avail. Seeing the tense situation, Anh Tuan speaks up:
- If someone sings as well as the other two, and that person is someone you know, will the mood return to you?
Kai turns to Anh Tuan, who is seriously confirming that he is not joking. Kai narrows his eyes and asks:
- Who is that?
Anh Tuan smiles slightly:
- Anh Dao and... Sam!
Kai raises his eyebrows, shooting up and then drooping down:
- What? Miss World and my tiger panther brother?
Anh Tuan laughs when he hears Kai's voice, like a child surprised by such a question:
- No one will believe if I tell it's true... that tiger-panther-fox-weasel of a guy has a singing voice... - Anh Tuan wipes his nose and clears his throat - It's as sweet as honey laced with sugar, as gentle as coaxing a sulking lover... and... resonates like... ahem... with a nightingale's song!
As Anh Tuan speaks, Kai's mouth slowly drops open — all the way to his nose — and his eyes keep blinking, without stopping for half a second, and the older brother's expression clearly says: You're joking with your older brother again. Anh Tuan giggles:
- Maybe God, anticipating that guy who regards the sky as less than a pot lid and sacrifices eighteen generations of God every time he goes crazy, decided to play a prank and bestow upon him a gifted singing voice!
Anh Tuan snorts:
- He has the talent to cover all the biggest hits, even better than the original singer. He sings any love song, no matter sad or happy, the listeners feel that he is the character living in that song! If you still don't believe it, you can evaluate the art of music from the mouth that curses better than the singing voice.
From beginning to end, Anh Tuan's voice is humorous, but he doesn't mean to joke. He is still as serious as ever when he needs to be serious. Kai still questioned Sam's singing, which at the amusement park roared like a bull. That incident went viral across the country. Anh Tuan chuckles:
- So, older brother still doesn't understand that bacachop guy[1]. Maybe he knew that he was being teased by Rose and the crowd, so he deliberately distorted his singing to make a reverse troll.
Kai half-believing, half-doubting, dials Sam's number, Anh Tuan reminds:
- Wait, the guy who is clueless with girls hung out with a girl all night, they made mischief all over the city until morning before finally dragging his dead-tired body back. Maybe he's still snoring in the hospital, he hates anyone who disturbs his sleep, even the older brother; he's irritable! Be patient and wait until early afternoon, he's sure to wake up, it's not too late to call.
Kai nods in understanding, he doesn't need to ask about Anh Dao. Because in the Miss World talent contest, the blonde girl performed a song in a voice as clear as heavenly bells, enchanting the global audience, even the most demanding art appraiser also had to blurt out praise.
Kai is only flustered, because he is not yet her friend. He's worried that if he asks her for help out of the blue... he'll end up singing some 'oh country river, country river' song with a drawn-out 'ê~' sound. He also has an indescribable feeling for Anh Dao. When man god meets "that person", he is as confused as a growing boy, not to mention…
Anh Tuan sees Kai is about to dial Anh Dao's number, but the older brother hesitates for a few seconds before stopping. The fingers of the world's strongest man are still trembling slightly. Anh Tuan smiles slightly and says aimlessly:
- It seems that Anh Dao and your sister are a little intimate!
Kai says happily:
- Oh ha, I almost forget, the girls are easier to talk to each other!
Kai takes Anh Tuan to the hospital, and then goes home to tell everything. Rose and Hanna are in disbelief, Rose still thinks that the panther-tiger guy curses until he throws the dog leash... cannot... sing better than Mark. She pauses, yawns short, yawns long:
- Okay, I'm going to sleep. I'm so sleepy. I hope I can hear the singing voice of the talented Sam in my dream!
The older brother shakes his head and smiles at his sister who languidly goes back to the room. Kai doesn't really believe it yet, but he has no choice.
Canceling the show would be a last resort, only if there's truly no other way. If there is a chance to save an unfeasible situation, he must give it a try.
Hanna sees her brother's eagerness; his voice is composed of three parts hope and seven parts longing. She has never seen her brother stutter so many times with excitement.
Especially when he mentions "that person," the subtle sister realizes that her brother's mind is... getting lost. The pure flower smiles slightly, and her gaze makes Kai feel a little timid:
- What's the meaning of this girl suddenly imitating Rose's teasing style?
Hanna chuckles as her brother gives a soft 'ah,' smacks his lips, scratches his head, and ruffles his hair. She is too familiar with the way he confesses that there is something on his mind.
She stops teasing him, otherwise the only way for her brother to hide is to burrow into the ground. The sister hums softly:
- I'll help you! - She laughs "hi hi" when her brother is beaming - But I'm not sure if she agrees!
Kai nods repeatedly and says, Okay, okay, I get it. Hanna smiles and dials Anh Dao's number. Kai nervously watches his sister's expression change, and every word makes his heart beat fast:
- I know that if it's thanks to you like this... it's a bit absurd... but my brother really doesn't have a choice. The concert coincides with the sixth anniversary of the formation of the band Immortal Flower and celebrates his ten years of singing career.
From the other end comes an exclamation of interest:
"Oh, it would be a shame to miss this meaningful day!"
Hanna is secretly happy and winks at him. Kai is happy as if it is a festival, but he is still worried about being rejected. He swallows hard while listening to Hanna continue:
- Yes, today is Rose and Sam's birthday. I also hear that the Lan sisters are fans of the Immortal Flower, especially that Luu Ly likes to listen to 'uncle' Kai singing. Every time she watches my brother singing, the little girl keeps laughing…
Anh Dao holds back her laughter as Hanna tries to convince her with a list of reasons she cannot refuse. The blonde girl gently emphasizes each word:
"It seems that if I don't accept it, I will feel guilty to many people! I don't want the smile on the angel's lips to disappear! But we are still missing one more person to complete the Immortal Flower team!"
Hanna has always trusted Sam absolutely, without a doubt... but... there are exceptions to everything. This time, not trusting him is the only exception.
She hesitates and waits for Kai to confirm it. Kai shrugs and says he doesn't know how Sam sings. He types on the phone screen and shows it to Hanna:
"Wait until this afternoon, I'll listen to Sam singing and then decide!"
Hanna talks about Sam. Anh Dao seems to turn into a computer with a jammed network, stops for a few seconds to load information, leans back in the chair, and speaks in a voice that suggests: "If I believe this, I'll die right away":
"Really? Oh my God, is there anything more unreasonable in the world?"
Hanna laughs, overjoyed to hear Anh Dao's finale:
"Whether Sam joins or not, I still get this deal done!"
The end of the call makes Kai's heart seem to stop beating. He doesn't dare to breathe until his sister smiles slightly, her smile brighter than a flower:
- Congratulations, she already agreed!
The heart that has "died" in an instant is revived... and... it is beating faster than ever before. The man god shouts excitedly:
- Yeah, thank the gods for the blessing!
Hanna laughs loudly at her brother who is jumping up and down with excitement. Kai pats his sister's shoulder gently and runs into the locker room. He comes out a moment later:
- I have to go to the organizing committee to discuss this!
The brother whistles a song about the word "affection" with great joy. The sister laughs and says softly:
- Good luck to my brother!
Note:
[1] Meaning: humorous, rowdy, super mischievous.