Chapter 56
Promise
Kai piggybacks his sister out of the forest, followed by Rose and Sam. Fans and reporters keep trailing behind them, taking photos, filming, livestreaming… the king of action movies transforms into the image of the brother of the year.
Hundreds of eyes admire his gentle behavior. Thousands of words praise the brother for his soft and sweet voice to his sister, causing everyone to swoon. Tens of thousands of crazy howls and screams erupt at the sunny angelic smile on the lips of the national siblings.
Those with permanent residency on the Internet type furiously until they sink into their keyboards. Those mocked for their low culture get immediately easily offended. Those who talk nonsense still think they're humorous. At the same time, chaotic comments pour in — praise, criticism, ridicule, admiration, longing — all kinds of rotten emotions boil in a mixed hotpot called… virtual fame.
Baxacuakai (Kai's wife):
God… Is this the angel in my dream? He's infinitely handsome!
Fan cuồng anh em quốc dân (Crazy fans of the national siblings):
Other people's siblings…
thanhniennghiemtuc (Serious youth):
Many unfortunate people give birth to children… "heartbroken." Another person's mother gave birth twice and both turned out cool as cunt.
gailaphudu.sisconmoilabathu (Girls are ephemeral. Siscon is immortal):
I wish I were him!
Bố ghét bọn siscon (Dad hates a bunch of siscons):
Splatter cage, hope guy, siscon huh you?
gailaphudu.sisconmoilabathu:
Fuck off, sick guy who thinks everyone's a pervert. Shut up.
Bố ghét bọn siscon:
Rabid dog. Dad will stew your bones and roast you into meatloaf.
gailaphudu.sisconmoilabathu:
Do it quickly, Dad's so scared of you.
Bố ghét bọn siscon:
Drop your address, dog. Whoever doesn't show up is a shit-eating mutt.
gailaphudu.sisconmoilabathu:
Stop. Dad will let you go…
condaucuamenamthankai (Daughter-in-law of the man-god Kai's mother):
I don't want to be your sister. I just want to be accepted as your mother's daughter-in-law, my angel!
Kẻ si hoa (Flower lover):
I swear to love you till we grow old together. I'll carry you on my back with trembling hands and feet, my flower of purity.
nguamatdamsongao (Eyes itchy from virtual life crowd):
Careful, you'll need a dentist appointment with Gym Lord, you idiotic daydreamer.
Kẻ si hoa:
You want to carry her on your back too, but still pretend. Despicable hypocrite daddy guy. Daddy despises.
Xin em cắm hoa vào tim anh (Please put flowers in my heart):
The flower has no owner yet. I'm willing to be the vase for you to place it in for the rest of your life.
Chán mớ đời (Bored of life):
God is unfair. How can Cinderella become a princess? A pure flower without color, fragrance… untouched by the world… becomes the most beautiful flower in the world? And I — eat instant noodles in the morning… prep lessons, gnaw bread in lecture halls at noon, eat porridge in the afternoon… sell iced tea, chew dry food till my jaw twists in the evening to maintain my scrawny strength… study for exams and then slip on banana peels from malnutrition!
Ông hoàng diễn kịch cùng đóa hoa nhựa (King acting with plastic flower):
Affection is in the heart. No one in the world acts like that.
Ngọt ngào quá cơ (Too sweet):
I originally wanted to give a heart, but when I saw their acting was so out of this world, I laughed haha instead.
anhtrao.tinh.vào"lòng"em (I put my essence in your heart)[1]:
What the fuck — brother and sister hugging like lovers? Fuck, like i.n.c.e.s.t huh?
anhemquocdanhogiatentao (National siblings with fake surname and name):
They hug each other like that, and we drop hearts — only to dirty our hearts and stink up our hands.
A pile of chaotic comments stacks up on social media like a landfill. Fans surrounding the national siblings aren't afraid to flaunt their scores of views and likes. All the arrogant faces beam with pride at their acumen in catching up with the trend of the times — at the speed of the altar[2].
Sam doesn't care about those who are obsessed with virtual life, because storms of likes, hurricanes of shares, and a tsunami of slimy hearts are pouring down. The vultures are in a carrion spree. The herd is noisier than when they clung tightly to the princess. They take pictures like maniacs, using up one roll of film after another until the bag is empty.
The camcorder is turned on at full power to adjust the posture of catching the prey, choosing every shooting angle to tear it apart without missing any part of the excellent bait.
He is no longer in the mood to threaten the vultures who are competing to set up tents, and they keep asking about the same old problems. Kai releases a light laugh and responds in sequence.
"How do you feel about the Hoang Kim family?"
- Shocking events from the past are the perfect answer to this question!
"Can you evaluate Hoang Kim's personality?"
- I trust my sister's heart and reason!
"Mr, how long has Hoang Kim been dating your sister!"
- If you want to know how long two people have been dating, you should ask time itself!
"Mr. JK has finally found his lost descendants after more than 30 years. Do you want to congratulate them or send a message to their family?"
- Ah, I'm thinking of congratulating the media king, but I'm afraid of moralists preaching: an excuse to polish the name. Thank you for accidentally giving me this opportunity!
"Mr, what do you think of the three princesses?"
- Mr. JK's descendants reunite with their family, and I reunite with my sister. They are not princesses, but people who share the same joy as me!
"Star Sky Cinema Corporation invited Bang Suong and Tuyet Lan to play the leading female roles last month, but the princess turned it down. You've played the leading male role in that movie — do you find it unfortunate?"
- Yes, I do. I find it unfortunate for the fans of that movie.
"You're making a blockbuster, why would you give up halfway?"
"Because your sister has had an accident?"
- My sister's legs hurt, so the blockbuster movie goes into timer mode!
"The film crew will certainly ask you to compensate for the damages. How will you handle this, Mr?"
"This incident has more or less affected your reputation. The music corporation managing you will definitely jump in and intervene. Do you regret it?"
- External possessions are just waste paper compared to family!
"If they force you to go back to the film studio, will you agree?"
- Whether or not I return to the film studio must depend on my sister's swollen ankle!
A vulture pecks at a corpse and is so drunk on bait that he dares to ask about the destruction of forests:
"There is a risk of being fined billions for deforestation crimes. Are you scared of being fined?"
Kai lets out a calm laugh:
- There is a lot of work at home. I don't have time to take care of my sister, so I don't have the energy to worry about trivial matters!
Sam likes Kai's use of flexible words to lock the mouth and tongue of the block of life. He cherishes that Kai devotes all his thoughts and emotions to his sister. The kind of family affection that is admired, envied, ridiculed, mocked, and even despised by the world is priceless for a person who values family.
Hundreds of eyes admire his gentle behavior. Thousands of words praise the brother for his soft and sweet voice to his sister, causing everyone to swoon. Tens of thousands of crazy howls and screams erupt at the sunny angelic smile on the lips of the national siblings.
Sam suddenly feels sad about the double joy, because the younger brother always wants to be the only protector of the flower… to be proud in front of his bro. "Abnormal" selfish thoughts smear shame onto his confused face. Sam's cheeks suddenly feel hot. His sister-in-law is traumatized, and he rushes to revenge instead of comforting her. Kai abandons everything to return to his younger sister.
A person is thousands of miles away, but there is no distance.
A person is right in front of her, but as far as the horizon.
The guard should not be compared to the sky — envy only makes him feel ashamed of himself. Thinking clearly, the younger brother smiles lightly. A "surrender" smile and a little self-mockery flash through Rose's eyes — the mischievous girl watches the actions of the two "crazy" and "mad" men.
She accurately captures every situation — typically, Sam looks so stupid that she has to hold back a smile, and a hint of enjoyment rises at the corners of her lips when the guard feels ashamed in front of the sky.
As lovely as the guards are, the sky is just as cute. Taxis and motorcycle taxis follow behind like shadows, but Kai never stops and mildly rejects the greetings serving the national brother and sister.
During the long journey of several kilometers from the forest to the dormitory, Kai doesn't care about the babble of a bunch of people who are more persistent than hungry leeches.
Ignoring the crazy fans who cling to him more than flies sucking nectar, ignoring the vultures who ask all kinds of nonsense from the sky to underwater, the national siblings still laugh and talk as if there are only swallow wings and the sky around them.
Rose has never seen Hanna so happy. Even when the flower has been with the guard family, she hasn't been as natural as she is now with her brother. Rose smiles and congratulates her best friend, who no longer has to worry or wait.
The bright flower turns back to share her happiness with the guard. Sam replies with a gentle smile. As soon as the flower turns around, he leaves the person he has been protecting — from now on, no danger lurks around her.
The guard is worried about the dearest person, but doesn't know that there's a "stranger" watching him. The stranger thinks and watches the little figure quietly leave. In that silent moment, the one who pays attention feels that the person who doesn't need the "stranger" to care about him… is lonelier than anyone else in this world.
The stranger has never felt empathy towards others, but now feels vaguely sad.
The vague thought lingers in her mind until she returns home. When her best friend calls out to her a few times, she finally shakes off the strange feeling.
- Hey, Rose, where's Sam? - Her best friend looks around, bewildered - When did he go back?"
Rose shakes her head and whispers that she doesn't know. The two words "don't know" make the flower awkwardly realize that she feels sorry for her family. Her younger brother is subjected to all kinds of scandals because of her.
Even though he knows he will go to jail for committing a crime, he still seeks justice regardless of everything — but she remains indifferent to the person who has always cared about her.
The flower melancholically leans her head on her brother's shoulder, choking with sobs as she apologizes to her younger brother, who is about to suffer in jail to protect her reputation.
Kai walks through the crowd that surrounds, touches, and gropes their bodies, howling throughout the dormitory, chasing the public figures. Rose opens the door and lets Kai carry Hanna into the room. He gently puts his sister on the bed, softly strokes her hair, wipes the tears from the corners of the little swallow's eyes, and calms his sister:
- The one who protects you will not have to suffer unfairly! - The brother softly touches his sister's cheek - We'll have a family meal today!
Sky does everything he can to achieve his purpose. That determination instantly brings back a smile to the little swallow's face. She is no longer worried, since she was a child, her brother has never broken his promise to her.
Kai borrows his sister's cell phone to call Sam's lawyer. The lawyer says he's on his way to the police station, and Kai makes an appointment to meet him there and go save the person immediately.
Kai slashes his sharp eyes at everyone he passes on the way. All break out in a cold sweat as his murderous aura seeps into their bones. Crazy fans can't recognize the famously friendly star — Kai becomes the god of death in a crowd frozen in fear. His threats aren't empty, so no one dares to approach the inviolable place.
Note
[1] In Vietnamese, the words tinh (semen) and lòng (heart) are almost homophones of tình (emotion) and lồn (vulgar slang for female genitalia).
[2] The speed of the altar refers to a pace so fast and dangerous that accidents and death are likely. One can sit on the altar at any moment.