Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction Group 3 | Page 169

“Yu-Yuanjun?” I faltered. My own brother…? No, this- this can't be.
He, too, was at a loss for words. “Zhilan- I'm sorry-”
“Why? You- you betrayed our nation-” I breathed. I dropped onto my knees, plucking the arrow out of
his legs where I pierced him.
He was quiet, but said finally after a while, “they threatened your life.”
I froze. “Didn't- didn't you hate me?”
He was about to answer, but immediately screamed in pain, and his scream was so horrible, it was the most
painful thing I had ever heard and in that moment I would've given anything to take away my brother's
pain.
I- I still love you more than anything.
I turned to see Xinjie, and his-.
Xinjie's dagger was buried deep into Yuanjun’s abdomen, and blood was pouring out of the wound, seeping
slowly onto the floor as I stared, horrified.
“Xinjie… why?”
The expression on my best friend’s face was unreadable. “He’s a spy. A mole. A captured soldier told us. He
deserves to die.”
“No!” I cried out. “No one does…”
I rushed toward and held my brother in my arms as I felt tears stream down my cheeks and the world
blurred.
“Yuanjun, I can't lose you too…”
My younger brother smiled weakly. “Zhilan… I never hated you. Remember-”
He never finished his sentence. He fell limp, and his unseeing eyes stared out at the stars.
Why… why take away everything I hold dear?
The fighting had subsided already, and I felt eyes staring at my crying figure but I didn't care. Not when my
brother was dead.
Later, I learnt that Chen Zuyi and his comrades were captured.
But I didn't care. I did my best to help but I couldn't care as much as I used to.
My heart stayed in that moment when my brother died.
But what I regret most is that he died without me being able to tell him ‘I love you’.
That he died without knowing I loved him.