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Under a Different Sun のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 1 - チャプター 10

10 チャプター

Chapter 1

Sheila Rogers was in the hospital for a whole week before she finally got to come home.I had just finished up at the training field and when I opened the front door, there they were, my whole family, huddled around the couch."Wow, look at this little one. His eyes and nose are just like Sheila's, but that mouth is a spitting image of John's.""Mom, the baby's too little to tell," John Freeman said with a grin."Sheila, you've been through so much."John gently kissed Sheila's forehead, his eyes shining with love.Dad was sitting off to the side, his eyes all wrinkled up from smiling so much."How can you not see it? I tell you, it's a good thing this baby is yours. If Hank had a kid, there wouldn't be much hope for the poor thing."He used to be so proud of me for joining the army.Even though I left without knowing when I would come back, Dad always said that a man had to be ready to protect his country.However, coming home now, it felt as if everything had changed.Look

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Chapter 2

My spot in the family had been taken by another guy."Bro, you're back." John's voice snapped me back to reality.Everyone else looked up at me too.My dad saw the dirt all over me and his eyebrows knitted together in a frown."Just look at you! Are you trying to embarrass us for no good reason?!”"Did you really have to pick today, when Sheila's coming home from the hospital, to stir up trouble?!"My mom chimed in right after him.The mom who used to worry about me, who would get all banged up from training, now looked at me like I was just a bother.Sheila was sitting on the couch, glowing like only a new mom can."Hank, I know you're upset.:"However, you were gone for so many years. Even if I could handle it, mom and dad needed a kid.”"You can't just think of yourself without even leaving them a grandkid."Hearing Sheila's words, I stifled a laugh."A grandkid? An adopted kid doesn't count.""Hank, what are you talking about?!" My dad banged his fist on the table and

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Chapter 3

In that instant, I felt like all my blood was rushing straight to my head.I could not think anymore, and all I heard was a buzzing sound.After Sheila spoke, John came toward me with a grin."Pleased to meet you, I'm John, your brother, and I'm also the dad of your kid, I..."However, I did not let him finish. My fist spoke for me."Go to hell!!"I tackled him to the ground, punching his face again and again.Sheila's screams echoed around us.She tried to stop me, but she was too scared to get close.One thought echoed in my head.I had to get rid of that intruder.Then, my mom's slap hit me hard.My dad dragged me away, and I ended up sitting on the floor.My own parents stood there, scolding me.Their angry looks stuck with me like a bad dream for a long time.Later, I found out the truth.While I was gone for four years, John had become like a son to my parents.He looked after them, and even my wife.That night, I sat on the couch, finishing a whole pack of ciga

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Chapter 4

"Shelia, who do you think is stronger, me or your husband?""Um... it's definitely you..."I shut my eyes and gripped my fists so hard, but I could not help remembering our first date.Back then, Sheila would turn red just from holding hands. Maybe time really did change everything.I tossed and turned all night.At the crack of dawn, I dragged myself to the training field. This mission was going to be even more dangerous than the last, so I had to be in prime condition in order not to let my team down.However, as I trained, all the things that bothered me kept popping into my head. Sheila's adoring looks at John and how my parents always took his side. It all made me so mad.That anger drove me as I trained, and I pretended the punching bag was John. I hit it so hard it burst.On my way home, I grabbed a couple of sandwiches to eat. Then I heard a voice I knew."Bro?"I turned and saw them standing not too far away. John was all dressed up in a suit, his hair slicked back

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Chapter 5

In the morning, with bags under his eyes, he gave me a tired smile and a pat on the shoulder."Son, you go defend our country, and I'll have your back," he said.However, even he used to call me a muscle-bound dummy back then.I hung my head, hiding the sting in my eyes."Hey, bro, we're heading out to grab some food. Wanna come with us?""Nah, let's not bother, John. That place is fancy dress, and Hank's not really... you know."Sheila spoke softly, but her point was crystal clear."Got it."Well then, we'll be off, brother." John gave me a wave goodbye.I watched them leave, John in the middle of the crowd, hand in hand with Sheila, looking totally at ease.It's okay.They wanted someone like John to be their son and husband, not me.I'll let them have that.4Half a month slipped by in silence.It was time for Dad's surgery follow-up.I woke up early to get everything ready to take him to the hospital.No matter how he had been to me, he was still my dad.The docto

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Chapter 6

[Just come and get me later.] "Wow, Hank, you haven't been around for years, but you're looking even sharper!" A relative I barely knew came up to say hi, but I could tell they were just there for the gossip. I had been gone for four years and then, just three months back, I was there for a kid's party. It was obvious that there was more to it than met the eye. However, they all played along, pretending it was just a normal family gathering, with me as the kid's dad. What a joke.I watched my parents' backs as they led my new brother around, greeting all our relatives.Sheila and John were the last to show up. Sheila's cheeks were still rosy, and she walked kind of funny. There was even a big hickey on her neck that everyone could see.John looked right at me through the crowd, his eyes daring me to say something."Hank, who's that guy? I've never seen him before.""That's my parents' new adopted kid, my brother.""Wow, they're still taking in kids at their age?"I j

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Chapter 7

6It was Steven Cooper, my closest buddy from the service. "Hank, you okay?"Steven marched over, giving me a quick once-over."I'm good."Dad and the others went white as sheets seeing Steven and the crew."Weren't you discharged?""Thanks to you folks, I figured the army's the safest place for me.”"Sure, there's war, but at least the enemy isn't family." I let out an icy laugh and turned to Sheila and John."Hank, I...""Sheila, I'm going to ask for a divorce.”"John, messing with a soldier's marriage? The army will know just how to handle you."John's face went from shocked to scared in a heartbeat.Dad was beside himself with worry. "Hank, what are you saying? He's your brother!""If it hadn't been for him, I...""Your heart condition, I'm the one who found the doctor. If you don't believe me, you can call Dr. Jefferson."My dad's mouth hung open, staring at me in disbelief.I took one last look at all of them. "Mom, Dad, I've been away from home a lot over the yea

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Chapter 8

She remembered how she had cried uncontrollably when Hank proposed to her.In that moment, she had believed he was the only man for her, forever.However, maybe it was because Hank had been gone too long…Or maybe it was the loneliness of spending each holiday alone, even though she was married, that had worn her down.As such, when John told her he liked her, Sheila did not say no.Hank's dad stood off to the side, shaking as he pulled out his phone.He wanted to check if what Hank said was true, but somehow, he felt it was not necessary anymore."John, is what Hank said really true?" At that moment, John stopped pretending. He looked over with a sneer and eyes full of anger. "Yes, it's true.”"You're silly for believing anything I say.”"How can you not trust your own son and trust a stranger like me instead? That's just foolish!" John looked down on them, but everything he said was actually true. Hank's dad stood still, thinking back to when Hank was a little boy. To

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Chapter 9

I squinted and gave the bomb expert a half-smile."There’s no need to waste time with words.”"Just do your thing, and quick."He nodded and got down to business with his tools.I licked my back teeth.Great.Now of all times I was dying for a smoke.The afternoon in Safrana? It was blazing hot.I had been standing in the blazing sun for what felt like an eternity, and it seemed like the sun was trying to cook me alive.Time seemed to drag on until, at last, I heard the bomb expert's voice."All clear."Hank, carefully move your foot."I held my breath and, with the bomb expert's help, I managed to move my stiff body.Then, very slowly, I lifted my foot.Everyone watched, and the landmine stayed silent.However, before we could even sigh in relief, a terrifying shout cut through the air."Not good!""Run!!!"I whipped my head around and screamed at Steven and the others nearby.I grabbed the bomb expert, who was still in shock, and we bolted.In that moment, my body

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Chapter 10

When they heard my icy words, tears filled their eyes. "Hank, how can you speak like that?”"We made mistakes, but we're still your mom and dad!"I was about to say something, but then Steven came up and put his arm around me."Oops, sorry about that.”"I've never heard of parents who let their daughter-in-law have a baby with another guy.”"Excuse me, I need to take Hank home for dinner."Steven, tall and strong, quickly led me right past my parents.They kept shouting my name, but I did not look back."Hank, things are getting pretty wild.”"My mom told me that guy John is nothing but a con artist!”"He saw your parents had two houses and that you weren't around much, so he tricked them out of all their money.”"Now they're turning to you because they're out of options, so don't you feel sorry for them.""I won't."People had to face the consequences of their actions.That was the price they paid.Since I got back, I had been staying in the house the military provided

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