CHAPTER 164: DINNER

"You look perfect now," Elius murmured, stepping beside Keith and regarding his reflection with a wistful, almost bittersweet expression. "You have no idea how long I’ve waited to see that. The hair... the eyes... the posture. Now you look like him. Radiant Man won’t be able to deny you anymore."

Keith remained silent, eyes still locked on the image in the mirror. His breath came slow, shallow. The change was subtle, almost natural — but undeniable. The raven-black hair that once marked him, separated him, set him apart from the father who ignored him, was gone. In its place was a shimmering cascade of golden strands that caught the moonlight just like Elius’s did. Just like his did.

Elius folded his arms and exhaled, as though shedding some invisible burden. "He’ll finally look at you, Keith. He’ll finally speak your name in public. Finally remember your birthdays. Congratulate your victories. You’ll be on his radar now — in the light of his towering shadow." His voice trembled faintly, not with grief, but with something more complex... a relief that held the weight of years.

"I remember every time he visited me," Elius continued with a lie, turning his eyes to the sky, as if looking for something there. "Every goddamn month, his cape flapping like some divine sign. He’d take me to those corporate towers, parade me through those golden halls as if I were the prodigy of mankind. Me. Not because I was good. Not because I was special. But because I looked like him. Because I mirrored back the image he wanted to see. Blonde, blue-eyed, tall — his perfect little doll."

His smile twisted.

"I tried, Keith. I really did. I tried to earn his approval on my own merits. Trained harder than anyone. Studied everything — tactical formations, moral philosophy, superpower politics. I mastered every syllabus, passed every trial, and yet... none of it ever mattered. Not once. Not when I failed, not when I succeeded. He just liked that I was his image."

Keith’s voice barely came out. "You... didn’t like it?"

Elius shook his head slowly, his hair fluttering in the wind. "No. I hated it. I hated every second of it. Every moment I spent being groomed to become a version of him I didn’t want to be. I hated that I was shackled to his expectations, his legacy, his plans. I wanted to be free, Keith. And now..." He looked at Keith again, a strange glimmer in his eye. "Now I am."

Keith didn’t understand.

Not fully.

Not at first.

The things he’d craved all his life — the smile, the pat on the back, the sense of belonging, the whispered words of pride from the man who sired him — Elius had rejected. And not only rejected — he’d schemed, orchestrated, manipulated this entire twisted situation just so Radiant Man would finally stop seeing him as the favorite.

"You did all this..." Keith whispered, still stunned, "...just to push father’s attention onto me?"

Elius laughed, a dry, almost hollow sound. "Oh, not just for that. I also wanted you to stop being a failure. And I figured if I stripped everything away from you — your image, your ideals, your comforts — maybe you’d grow into someone stronger than me. Someone who didn’t need him. But then I remembered... the man we both call father never gave you anything, did he?"

Keith’s lips parted, but no words came.

Elius nodded to himself. "You spent your life waiting for a scrap of love. I spent mine trying to escape the cage it came in. That’s the difference between us."

And for a moment, they both stood there, not as brothers, not as warriors — but as two broken pieces of a puzzle that never truly fit together.

Then Elius grinned suddenly, stretching with a casual yawn. "Anyway, I’m hungry."

Keith blinked.

"What?"

"I’m hungry," Elius repeated, rubbing his stomach like a child who had just finished playing pretend. "You’ve got food at your place, right? Let’s eat. Talking about our twisted daddy issues always makes me crave something salty."

Keith stared at him like he’d grown a second head. "You want to eat. Now. After all of that."

Elius was already walking toward the edge of the rooftop. "Well, yeah. I haven’t had a proper home-cooked meal in years. And your mother makes great curry, doesn’t she?"

Keith hesitated. "Wait, my mother? You already—"

"She already invited me," Elius said over his shoulder. "She said I should come over anytime. I don’t think she knew I was your long-lost brother at the time, but hey — she liked me. Can’t help being charming."

By the time Keith caught up with him, Elius had already floated down to street level, his descent silent and graceful. Together, they made their way back to the small house tucked away in a quieter block of the city.

When the door opened, the scent of warm spices and cooked rice filled the air.

"Keith?" Keisha called from the kitchen, her voice soft and bright.

"Mom," Keith said, stepping inside.

Shania sat at the dining table, still pale, her hands nervously curled around a cup of tea. Her eyes widened in horror the moment she saw Elius walk in behind Keith.

She stood abruptly, her chair scraping loudly. "H-He’s here?! Keith, what the hell is he doing here?!"

Elius raised his hands playfully. "Easy there. I come in peace."

But Shania backed away, her whole posture tense, ready to fight or flee. "He’s dangerous, Keith! You know he’s—"

"He’s not here to fight," Keith interrupted, though his voice sounded unsure even to himself. "He just wants to eat."

Shania stared at him like he’d lost his mind.

Meanwhile, Keisha appeared from the kitchen, apron on, a wooden spoon in one hand. Her eyes lit up the moment she saw Elius.

"Oh! You’re the book boy!" she said cheerfully, her voice full of genuine warmth. "Keith, you didn’t tell me he was your friend!"

Keith looked at her, faked stunned as if he was clueless. "You... already met him?"

"Oh yes! He came by earlier. Such a polite young man. Helped me organize the bookshelf — and he recommended me a new series. Very passionate about literature, that one. He’s the one I’m talking about!"

Shania’s mouth fell open. "You...?"

Elius bowed dramatically. "It’s hard not to be likable."

Keisha laughed, waving a hand. "Nonsense. Sit down, both of you. Food’s almost ready."

Elius took a seat beside Shania, who stiffened immediately and scooted her chair away.

Keith hesitated, standing in the middle of the room, still trying to process how seamlessly Elius had slid into the domestic space, like he’d always belonged here. He’d just forced Keith to agree to a betrayal. He’d confessed to orchestrating his own downfall in their father’s eyes. And now... he was sitting at the dinner table, grinning like a schoolboy waiting for his mom’s casserole.

Keisha handed out bowls of curry, rice, and pickled vegetables. "You boys eat. I’m so glad to have guests over."

Elius sniffed the food, eyes gleaming. "Smells amazing, Miss Keisha. You’ve outdone yourself."

She smiled. "I’m glad someone appreciates it."

Keith sat down across from him, uncertain, his mind spinning in too many directions.

Shania still didn’t eat.

Elius dug in like he hadn’t eaten in days, humming softly as he chewed. "Mmm. Definitely worth the trouble."

Keisha poured tea and finally sat down with her own plate. "You remind me so much of my younger boy. Always talking about books. Curious. A bit cheeky, though."

Elius grinned. "Well, I take that as the highest compliment."

Keith stared at him.

It was surreal.

The monster who haunted his thoughts, who manipulated him into betraying his friends, was sitting here — laughing with his mother. Complimenting the food. Acting like family.

And then—

A new voice broke through the moment.

A low, commanding voice from the doorway.

"I am back."

Everyone froze.

Keith turned.

Standing at the door, in full hero uniform, cape billowing from some unseen wind, was Radiant Man. His eyes glowed like twin stars.