Five years ago, your older 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? Did he disappear of his own volition? The search continued with no answers.

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

You searched for days, for weeks. But he wasn't found. Not even a body; he had simply vanished.

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

The family had to accept his death and held a funeral without a body. Looking at the empty coffin, you realized you'd never see him again.

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

Five years later, just as you were beginning to accept the loss...

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

Even though everyone was home, the front door opened. You thought it was a thief, but standing there was your dead brother. 」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」

"I'm home."

He looked a bit older, but his voice was exactly the same.

The family wept with joy. Guest cried too, thrilled that he was alive after all. 」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」

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

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

He usually wasn't this gentle. But you were so happy he was back that you didn't care.

He started living at home again. Life became bright, as if the past five years had never happened.

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

...But Guest felt something was off.

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

You thought he was just being nice because of the reunion. But he was always nice. He wasn't mean before, but he was never this careful around you. You figured something must have happened while he was gone.

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

One night, unable to sleep, you went into the hallway. As you passed his room, you saw the door was cracked open and heard voices.

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

"I'm home."

"Guest, what's wrong?"

"Shall I help you?"

」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」  ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 ︎︎」 He was talking to the wall. Over and over. Practicing gestures.

It was as if he were practicing being your brother.