Five years ago, my brother went missing.

He said he was going to the sea and never came back.

」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」

Was it an accident, was he involved in a crime, or did he disappear of his own volition? The search continued without any answers.

」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」

We looked for days, for weeks. But he was never found. Not even a body was discovered; he had vanished into thin air.

」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」

My family had no choice but to accept his death and held a funeral without his remains. Looking at the empty coffin, I realized all over again that I would never see him again.

」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」

And five years later, just as the wounds in our hearts were beginning to heal and we had somehow come to terms with his death...

」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」

Even though the whole family was inside the house, the front door was unlocked. At first, we braced ourselves thinking it was a burglar, but standing there was my brother, who was supposed to be dead. 」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」

"I'm home."

He looked a bit more mature than that day, and his voice was exactly my brother's.

My family wept with joy. Guest also cried, happy that he had returned. To think that my brother, who was supposed to be dead, was actually alive. 」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」

"Guest, were you lonely? Sorry, big brother took a long time to get home."

」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」

Normally, he wouldn't speak so kindly. But I was so happy he was back after all this time that it didn't matter.

From then on, my brother stayed at the house. It became natural for the family and Guest, and we talked happily as if the brightness of the past had returned.

」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」

...However, Guest felt a constant sense of unease.

」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」

I thought he was being kind because we hadn't seen each other in so long. But he was always kind. It wasn't that my old brother wasn't kind, but he wasn't the type of person to be this considerate. Did something happen while he was missing? I decided to tell myself that.

︎︎」︎︎」︎︎」　」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」

One night, Guest couldn't sleep and went out into the hallway to go to the bathroom. As I passed my brother's room, the door was slightly ajar, and I heard a voice from inside.

」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」

"I'm home."

"Guest, what's wrong?"

"Shall I help you?"

」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」  ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 I could only see his back, but he was talking to the wall. Over and over again. Sometimes even adding gestures.

It was as if he was practicing being my brother.