After the whole drama of being an inter-dimensional Uber driver for demons and humans, Kara decided to call it quits for the day. He needed a break from his insane job. His earnings from selling "obese geckos" and "mosquito crackers" were enough to keep them fed for the next few days.
Right now, the 18-year-old was chilling on the porch of his shanty hut with his little brother and his stingy System.
"Bro," Cruel called out, making Kara turn his head.
"Yeah, El? What's up?"
"Did you... have a family back in your first life?" Cruel's question caught Kara completely off guard.
[Exactly, User. It seems you've never mentioned your family. Were you thrown away because of your sheer stupidity?]
'Don't ruin my mood, Tem. You want me to tank your ratings?'
[See? Always with the threats.]
"Bro?"
"Oh, right. Family? Yeah..."
Cruel nodded slowly. "Yeah. I'm curious about your past."
Kara hesitated. Part of him wanted to let it out, but he was afraid of being laughed at.
"Well... alright, I'll tell you." Baskara sighed deeply, looking into his brother's eyes. "I had a family. I even had an older brother. He was amazing—the kind of guy who could make everyone smile just by being there. I really looked up to him. His name was Albiru..."
[So the 'Bang Al' you were crying about yesterday was actually Albiru, User?]
Kara nodded to the System and turned back to Cruel.
"His name was Albiru Rayyan Danindra. We called him Bang Al at home. He was... an idol. A child model since he was a kid. I still remember his concerts clearly, even though I could only watch from afar. My parents never let me be seen on camera."
"Why? Were you a fugitive?"
[Bwahaha! Exactly! A fugitive from the afterlife!]
Kara shot the System a deadly glare.
"No, El. I wasn't a criminal. It's just... I wasn't allowed to be public. My mom was a model, my dad was a businessman and an actor. And me? Back then, I was just a 'useful' child..."
Flashback: Gavin Zenra Pratama (Baskara)
In a lavish mansion, 10-year-old Zenra ran toward a woman sitting on the living room sofa. That was his mother, Vina.
"Ma! Ma! Look! I won first place in the painting competition!" Zenra beamed, running with his trophy toward his mother, who was busy checking Albiru's concert statistics from the night before.
"Oh, okay. Good for you. But that's nothing compared to your brother. Look, Al just signed a billion-dollar ad contract. You should be studying management so you can help him later."
Zenra froze. His smile faded instantly.
"Ma, don't you want to see my drawing? My teacher said it's really good. I beat other schools, Ma!" Zenra showed the painting to Vina.
"Yes, it's nice. Now go put it away. If you keep bothering me, I'll rip it up," Vina replied without even looking up from her iPad.
"But Ma, you haven't even looked at—"
"Are you deaf? I said go back to your room, Zenra! Don't make me angry enough to hit you."
Zenra choked back his tears. His eyes were stinging. "Y-yes, Ma. Sorry."
"Hmm," his mother grunted.
Zenra walked up the stairs, his shoulders slumped. He thought his mother would be proud of his trophy, just like she was with his brother. He was wrong. It meant nothing.
"Ma, I'm home," Albiru's voice rang out from the front door.
Vina immediately dropped her iPad and rushed to her eldest son with a beaming smile—a smile she never showed Zenra. Zenra stopped on the stairs, listening.
"My boy is home! Are you tired, Al?"
"Not too bad, Ma. But I lost the inter-class basketball game today."
"Aw, it's okay, honey. It's just a game. Winning and losing is normal. Don't be sad," she said, stroking Albiru's hair.
"Is Zen home, Ma? I want to play for a bit."
"He's home. But don't play with him right now. You're tired, aren't you? Go to your room and rest. Remember, you have another concert tonight."
"But Ma, can I have just one day off? I'm exhausted."
"NO! You cannot take a day off! If you disappear for a day, someone will take your spot. Be a professional, Al!"
Albiru went quiet the moment his mother raised her voice.
"Go inside!"
Al nodded and ran up the stairs. Zenra, who was still on the landing, scrambled into his room right next to Albiru's before his brother could see him.
Slam!
Zenra shut his door and leaned his head against it. "T-thank god he didn't see me..." he whispered. He threw himself onto his bed without even taking off his shoes.
"I guess I really am useless. Poor Bang Al, always having to live up to their expectations. And me? I'm just a burden."
A week later, Zenra had some terrible luck. While playing football at school, he accidentally broke a pink flower pot—the principal's favorite. The teachers reported it to his parents immediately. He was terrified.
"What's with the face, Zen? You look like a psycho," joked his best friend, Leo.
Leo was Zenra's partner in crime. The only difference was that Leo was a top student, tall, and a total chick magnet. Zenra was popular too, but he was much shorter—only reaching Leo's shoulder. Even though Zenra was the Student Council President and Leo was his Vice, people always went to Leo for the heavy lifting. Did they think he was a kid? He wasn't that small!
"Shut up, Leo. One more word and I'll stitch your mouth shut with shoelaces," Zenra snapped. Leo just laughed.
"Stop glaring. You look like a toddler. Seriously, what do your parents even feed you?"
"Rice! What do you think? Grass? I'm not a cow!"
"Chill, kiddo. I was just talking."
"Did you just call me a kid? Listen here, you human utility pole! Just because I'm short doesn't mean I'm a kid. I can still grow!"
"Sure... maybe in a hundred years."
"Why you—"
"Gavin Zenra Pratama," the counselor's voice cut him off.
"Yes, sir?"
"Come in. Your mother is here."
'Wait, Mom actually came? I thought she wouldn't show up. Even for my graduation, she just sent the driver,' Zenra thought, confused. He snapped out of it and walked into the office.
Inside the counseling room, the silence was suffocating. Vina sat elegantly, a black mask covering half her face and oversized sunglasses perched on her nose. She didn't want anyone to recognize her as Mrs. Danindra.
"We apologize for taking your time, Ma'am. It was an accident. Zenra bumped into the pot while on cleaning duty," the teacher said softly.
Vina nodded calmly, her voice smooth and classy. "It's fine, Sir. Children will be children. How much is the damage? I'll transfer the money now."
So patient. So wise. Zenra, standing in the corner, almost thought, 'Wait, is she actually not mad? I thought she'd call me useless.'
"That won't be necessary, Ma'am. We just wanted to inform you."
"No, my son caused trouble, so I must pay." Vina tapped something on her phone.
Ding!
"The money has been sent to the school's account, Sir."
The teacher was shocked. "Ma'am, this is too much—"
"Think of it as a donation. I'll be taking my leave now. Excuse me." Vina walked out, grabbing Zenra's hand roughly and dragging him to the parking lot.
The moment the car door shut and the soundproof cabin sealed them in, the mask came off. Vina grabbed her son's hair, pulling it so hard Zenra winced in pain.
She glared at him with pure hatred. "Do you have any idea why I wore a mask?!" Vina hissed. "I'm embarrassed! I had to set foot in this trashy school because of a STUPID CHEAP POT?!"
"Ma, it was an accident—"
"SHUT UP! You are trash, Zen! You have no achievements like your brother, and now you make me sit there like an idiot! That pot isn't worth a second of my wasted time. Don't you dare call me 'Mama' in public. I don't want people knowing I have a son as pathetic as you!"
"I regret giving birth to you. I should have aborted you so I could focus on Al. You ruined my body for nothing!"
Zenra could only look down, gripping the edge of his uniform. Inside that cold, luxury car, he felt more alone than he did in the counselor's office.
"Get out. I'm going home. Next time something happens, don't call me. Call me when you're dying, otherwise, don't bother me. You're exhausting."
Zenra nodded and stepped out. The car sped off immediately, leaving him standing there in the dust.
A week later, the same thing happened, but this time, both Dad and Mom went to Albiru's elite school. The brothers went to different schools because their parents didn't want the public to know about the younger son.
Albiru's case was much more serious: he got into a fight and broke the nose of the school founder's son. The reason? He was defending the school's honor during a basketball tournament.
In the Principal's office, Abi and Vina sat without masks. They were proud to show their faces.
"Albiru was just standing his ground, Sir," Abi said with authority. "He's the basketball captain; he's a leader. It's natural for him to be a bit firm for the school's reputation."
The Principal nodded in agreement. "Of course, Mr. and Mrs. Danindra. We understand. Albiru is our star asset. We'll just give him a formal warning."
On the drive home, Abi patted Albiru's shoulder with pride. "Good job, Al. A man needs to have teeth. Our family name must stay on top. I've settled everything; that kid won't bother you again."
Albiru just stared out the window. He wasn't happy. He was thinking: 'I heard Zen got dragged by Mom last week just for breaking a pot. Now I get into a bloody fight, and they say "Good job"?'
He sighed. He knew their love wasn't for him—it was for his success. But the real question was... why did his little brother have to pay the price for it?