Chapter 326: Winter and Julian in an Alternate World (1/2)
”WINTER, is Julian your father's child with another woman?” his mother asked, obviously fuming. ”Did he secretly introduce his illegitimate child to you?” Her mother, on the verge of crying, bit her lower lip. ”Is that the reason why your father often comes home late?”
Now it was Winter's turn to be confused.
All of a sudden, the strange world that he was thrown into faded in the background. His priority now was to comfort his crying mother. Moreover, he didn't want his father (in this world) to get into trouble.
”Mom, it's not like that,” he said, then he put his hands on her shoulders. ”Dad doesn't have an illegitimate child.”
After all, Julian was his full-blooded brother.
”You're right,” his mother said while wiping the tears off her face with her hands. ”Kiho is not that kind of man.”
He was relieved that his father in that world was still his dad.
But maybe Dad doesn't remember Julian as well.
It seemed like her parents in this world weren't the same ones from the world that he came from. Now that he had calmed down, he remembered what his mother used to call the second life that she had.
A modern world without magic.
An alternate world.
”But Winter, who is this Julian that you're talking about?” his mother asked curiously. ”Why do you insist that he's your brother?”
It was no use explaining the truth to his mother in this world.
Whatever he'd say, she'd never get it. After all, this wasn't his real mother. And if he was wrong and it turned out that this wasn't an alternate world, then it could mean one thing.
I'm trapped in a world created by someone.
”It's nothing, Mom,” he said, then he smiled innocently. ”I just had a very realistic dream that I thought happened in real life. But now that I'm fully awake, I realized that I'm being silly. I'm sorry for making you worry, Mom.”
Her mother laughed softly. ”Oh, Winter. This is why you'll always be our baby,” she said, then she gently patted his cheek. ”What do you want for dinner, son?”
Winter smiled awkwardly, then he answered his mother's question while hoping that the dish in his mind also existed in this world. ”I'm in the mood for some crabs and lobsters, Mom.”
***
WINTER was more than relieved that crabs and lobsters were normal dishes in this world.
And for some reason, even though he was certain that this was the first time he saw the things around them, his body knew how to use them.
This is strange, he thought to himself while lying down on his huge bed and watching a 'film' in a huge, flat box called 'television.' He was even eating the 'popcorn' that his mother made for him. I shouldn't be relaxing this way but I can't help it.
”Winter, may I come in?”
He flinched when he heard the familiar voice of his father accompanied by a firm knock.
”Please come in, Dad,” he said as he got up.
A few moments later and his father entered his room.
He was a little surprised to see that his dad wore clothes almost similar to the ones that he always wears in their world. But his father's navy blue three-piece suit right now was a lot simpler since it didn't come with a mantle or a cape.
Fortunately, his father, just like his mother, looked the same.
”I heard from your mother that you had a ”realistic dream” where you have a brother called 'Julian,'” his father said, then he sat beside him and ruffled his hair. ”You little rascal. I almost got into trouble with your mom because of your silly dream.”
His father's tone wasn't accusatory. It was light and playful. Well, he was a little different from his father in his real world. But he could tell that he was a good father, too.
”Sorry, Dad,” he said sheepishly. ”I didn't mean to do that.”
”It's okay, son,” his father assured him. ”Thankfully, your mother trusts me a lot.”
”Dad?”
”Hmm?”
To be honest, he wanted to ask about Julian again. But he realized that it would be silly. After all, if his father in this world knew who Julian was, he would have mentioned it already.
”Nothing, Dad,” he said.
”You need fresh air, son,” his father said, then he smiled and extended his hand to him. ”Shall we go for a ride?”
Winter didn't know what it means but he accepted his father's hand. ”As you wish, Dad.”
***
JULIAN never got over his shock as soon as he and Solenn got out of ”school.”
First, the moving vehicle called 'car' almost made him throw up. If it wasn't for his pride, he would have puked his guts out.
Thankfully, he was distracted by the sight that he saw on the road.
Apparently, the second thing that shocked him was called 'skyscr.a.p.er.' And there were a lot of them. He also noticed that there were different types of moving vehicles. Moreover, the people that he saw outside wore strange clothes. He couldn't even look at the ladies whose legs were exposed.
But what shocked him the most was the people who greeted him when he and Solenn got to the mansion that was apparently his home.
”Julian, why do you look so pale?” his mother asked worriedly.
Yes, the lady looked like his mother in the world that she came from.
”Are you sick, son?” his father asked worriedly. ”Do you want to go to the hospital?”
Yes, the man beside his mother also looked like his father.
Of course, their clothes looked strange to him.
Moreover, both his parents (in this world) had a normal eye and hair color: black. He noticed that most people in this world, or in that country at least, had dark eye and hair color. It was so different from the world that he came from.
”Julian was carsick, Aunt Tilly and Uncle Kiho,” Solenn said when he was unable to give a response to his parents. ”And he's been acting strange since we got out of school.”
”Strange?” his parents asked Solenn at the same time.
Solenn nodded before she responded. ”Julian thinks he has a younger brother named 'Winter.'”
The confusion on his parents' faces told him that they didn't have the memories that he had.
Both his mother and father didn't react when Solenn mentioned Winter's name. It was as if his younger brother didn't really exist in that world.
”Julian, perhaps…”
They all turned to his father when he spoke.
”Son,” his father said, then he put his hands on his shoulders. ”Is that your way of asking me and your mother to give you a younger brother?”
He was too embarrassed by what his father said that he couldn't give him a response.
On the other hand, her mother's face turned red.
Even Solenn felt second-hand embarrassment because she turned red and covered her face with her hands.