Infinite System Inheritor Return From The Abyss-Chapter 289 - 287: A secret for a secret

Seconds passed.

Then suddenly, she giggled and jumped at him, hugging him tight.

"Did I scare you, big brother?" she laughed.

Seojun blinked, caught off guard. Her smile was as sweet and cheerful as ever.

Ahye hugged Seojun tight one more time, then quickly ran over to Huno and grabbed his furry face with her little hands.

"Did I scare you too, Huno?" she giggled, squishing his cheeks. "Hehehe, I'm sorry, Big Brother."

Huno blinked, ears twitching, still confused.

Ahye skipped back to her seat and sat down like nothing happened. She picked up her toy teacup and took a pretend sip, her face all innocent again.

"But…" she said, swinging her legs under the table. "Before I tell you anything, we have to make a deal!"

Seojun raised an eyebrow. "A deal?"

Ahye nodded seriously, holding out her pinky. "You promised you'll tell me your secrets too, remember? So I'll tell you mine, but you have to tell me yours later!"

Seojun looked at her tiny hand and smiled a little. He hooked his pinky with hers. "Deal."

"Okay!" Ahye beamed. "Now listen, Big Brother."

She leaned in close like she was about to share the biggest secret in the world.

"So… I've been having weird dreams," she whispered. "Not normal ones. Like... magic dreams."

Seojun and Huno both listened closely.

"In my dream, I saw a shiny ball. It looked like candy, but floating! When I touched it, it went 'bling!' and then my head felt weird... like something was waking up inside me!"

She tapped her forehead twice. "Since then, I can feel stuff. Like mana and people and beasties and stuff. I don't know how, but I just can!"

Huno's ears twitched. "So that's why your Ahye aura feels strange sometimes…"

Ahye puffed her cheeks. "It's not strange! It's special!"

Then she looked at Seojun and said softly, "That's how I saw it. Your number. It popped up in my head like a game. I didn't mean to peek. It just showed me… 518."

Seojun blinked, speechless.

"But I'm still me, okay?" Ahye said quickly. "I'm still your little sister. I just… I think I have a little magic or something inside."

She tilted her head and gave a tiny smile. "But don't be scared. I'm not scary, right?"

Seojun smiled gently and ruffled her hair. "You're not scary. You're still Ahye."

Ahye giggled and held out her hands. "Yay! Then remember the deal, Big Brother! You have to tell me your secret too!"

"I will," Seojun said, still smiling.

Ahye sat quietly for a moment, then looked at Huno with a curious expression. "I can also hear them," she said, her voice soft but confident. "They talk to you telepathically, but I can hear them too." She smiled, proud of herself for knowing something Seojun might not have expected.

Seojun blinked in surprise, looking at Ahye carefully. "You can hear them?" he asked, his curiosity growing.

Ahye nodded, but then her smile faded a little. She suddenly looked worried, like a cloud had crossed over her usual bright expression. "Big Brother... I know I'm acting... not like my age," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "I'm sorry. Please don't be mad at me."

Seojun's heart softened, and he gently reached out to hug Ahye. He knew exactly what she meant. The things she had been able to do, the way she acted—she was growing up faster than any child should. But even though she wasn't like other kids her age, Seojun knew Ahye was still just his little sister.

"It's okay, Ahye," Seojun said, hugging her close. "I understand. You've developed more than most kids your age, and that's alright. You can trust Big Brother, okay? So, can you tell me more?"

Ahye's face brightened at his words, and she nodded. She reached up and touched her brown hair, her fingers running through it slowly. "This is my real hair color," she said, her voice quiet as she spoke like she was revealing something very important.

Before Seojun could say anything, Ahye's hair shimmered, and it slowly changed color—turning completely white, just like John's.

Seojun's eyes widened. "Your hair… just like John's," he said in amazement, his mind racing. This was more than he had ever expected.

Ahye nodded again, a serious expression on her face. "Yeah, it's the same as Daddy," she said softly. "I can change my hair into brown and white but Mom said i was born with white hair."

She looked up at Seojun with big eyes and a small smile. "It's your turn, Big Brother! How come you're 518 years old?"

He sighed, holding her hand gently. "It's... a long story, Ahye. I wasn't always like this. I've been through things you wouldn't believe. Things that made me who I am now."

Ahye tilted her head, waiting patiently. Seojun smiled at her and knew that soon, he would have to explain it all—the truth of his past, his time in the Abyss, and how he had come to be.

But for now, he just held her close, grateful for the trust they had built. "I'll tell you everything, Ahye," he said softly. "When you're ready, I'll share it all with you."

Ahye grinned, her worries melting away. "I'm ready anytime, Big Brother!"

Seojun chuckled, brushing her hair back. "You really are something, aren't you?"

"Please Big brother hmm?"

Seojun hesitated. The words were on the tip of his tongue, but there was something in his heart that held him back. His mind was a whirl of thoughts, wondering if telling Ahye the truth would be too much for her to bear.

[Host, it's not a good idea to share that information with her. The effect it could have on Ahye might be worse than you think. Her mind is still fragile, and learning about your past could cause her emotional distress.]

Seojun frowned at the system's voice inside his head, its words making his chest tighten. He wasn't sure what to do. He wanted to be honest with Ahye, but he didn't know if she was ready for the truth. He had never wanted her to see the pain in his eyes, the burden he carried from his past.

Ahye, however, wasn't blind. She noticed the hesitation, the way Seojun's smile didn't reach his eyes, and the way he seemed lost in thought. She tilted her head, staring at him with a soft frown on her face.

"You're not from the same place as the returnees, right, Big Brother?" she asked, "You were summoned to a different place?"

Seojun's heart skipped. He didn't answer, but Ahye's gaze never wavered. She could tell something was off. His silence was all the answer she needed.

Without a word, Ahye grabbed Seojun's cheek, her small hands gentle but insistent. "Was it hard, Big Brother?" she asked, her voice soft with concern. "Did you suffer?"

Seojun's breath caught in his throat. Ahye was so pure, so innocent, and yet she had a deep understanding of pain that he never wanted her to know. He had tried to shield her from the harsh realities of the world, but in this moment, it seemed impossible.

"I'm fine, Ahye," Seojun finally said, smiling, though it felt more like a lie than the truth.

But Ahye wasn't fooled. She shook her head, her eyes filled with a sadness that Seojun hadn't expected. "No, you're not, Big Brother," she said, her voice trembling. "I can see it in your eyes."

Before Seojun could respond, Ahye's small hands moved to her face, and her tears began to fall. "You've been through so much, haven't you, Big Brother? I can see it… you're not okay, but you're hiding it from me."

Seojun's heart ached as he watched her cry. He wanted to pull her into his arms and tell her everything would be okay, but he couldn't. How could he explain his pain, his 500 years of Suffer, to someone so young? How could he burden her with such a heavy truth?

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He reached out, pulling Ahye into a tight hug.

Ahye clung to him, crying harder now. "Big Brother, I want to help you too," she sobbed. "Please don't hide from me. You don't have to suffer alone."