—That was a cage Finn chose for himself, a place where he chose to sever his own future.
Finn: ".." When you refused to let me out of the hospital back then, I didn't think of it as a cage.
You've been running away, Finn," Harry said, piercingly stating the truth that even Finn himself hadn't realized. "You pretend not to care about anything, pretend that nothing matters, then you can coldly detach yourself from all relationships. You don't even consider anyone when you make decisions.
Finn stared blankly at him, his heart feeling as if it had been struck hard by something.
"Finn, is there really no one worth relying on? Even if that person isn't me?" Harry continued to question in disbelief. He could protect Finn under his wings, the Osborn resources were sufficient to crush any threat, but—
You clearly have a mind and ability no inferior to mine, yet your ambition is nothing more than a pursuit of playfulness.
You clearly have the potential to stand on a much higher stage, yet you insist on shrinking yourself away and hiding.
If you really don't want to run the Osborn Group, fine. I believe you; I can shoulder everything." Harry's gaze was locked tightly on Finn, his green eyes churning with complex emotions, "And then what? Shouldn't you take this opportunity to let go and do what you want to do, to create the future you desire?
But as it happened, Finn Osborn had come to a godforsaken place like Eden Mental Hospital.
—As if this was the future he had found.
Tell me! What else do you need me to do?" Harry's emerald eyes surged with darkness as he stared intensely at the young man before him, his fingertips gripping so hard it was as if he might crush something, "Just what exactly do you want me to do!
"I don't need.." Finn argued subconsciously; of course, he had never thought of having Harry do anything for him.
Right, you don't need me, you don't need to rely on me. You already possess wealth, resources, connections that others can hardly imagine; even your very existence is a natural spotlight, the entire world is within your grasp.
Harry's tone was filled with confusion and helplessness.
But what about you? You don't care about any of this at all. You are intentionally suppressing yourself; you are actively running away from everything!
Harry only felt that deep within Finn's relaxed and brilliant smile lay a secret that no one could ever know his true thoughts.
The moment he arrived here, Harry even felt an extremely real sense of fear, as if
—Perhaps one day, Finn will suddenly choose to abandon everyone and leave all alone.
He feared even more that the source of all this was himself.
—It was he who had caused his own brother to become so withdrawn that he gave up on the entire outside world.
Finn looked at Harry's reddened eyes, at his poorly concealed, agitated expression, at his slightly trembling body and hands, at the vulnerability surging within those green eyes—eyes that were always filled with pride and indifference—a vulnerability he had never seen before.
His heart felt as if it had been violently wrenched by something, a swelling, aching sensation spread unrestrained from his chest.
You say you want family.. Have you ever considered what family means?
Or perhaps, to you, I am not your family.
Harry took a deep breath, recalling everything between him and Finn, a desolate curve pulling at the corners of his mouth.
—True, what kind of family member could he be?
Indeed, I am unworthy.
A sharp headache struck suddenly, even causing a sense of dizziness. Harry's left hand trembled uncontrollably and stiffly at this moment; he could only grasp his own left wrist tightly with his right hand in anger and helplessness, his head hanging low in a pathetic and powerless manner.
[Misery Value rising, Misery Value +1%]
Finn already knew very well about Harry's condition.
Once the hereditary disease manifests, it not only erodes the body and disrupts the nerves, but also makes one's emotions exceptionally irritable and prone to outbursts.
At this moment, Harry's body had become uncontrollable due to his loss of emotional control.
It was like a closed vicious cycle; the more disheveled, the more wretched, the more irritable one became, the deeper the self-loathing grew.
Go live with the person you love," Harry said in a state of self-abandonment. Even though he and Finn lived together, their relationship had actually made no progress. "I can provide whatever you need; if you want shares in the Osborn Group, I can give them to you. I would rather you be like before, fighting and grabbing for everything with me.
At this point, Harry let out a cold laugh, his mockery overflowing once again.
I would rather you be a selfish, greedy, foolish person than watch you degrade yourself like this.
Wasting your best years in a place like a mental hospital.
Harry knew he shouldn't say these words.
He clearly knew that saying these words was pushing Finn away, but he couldn't control himself; those hurtful words were like a train running off the tracks, rushing out of his aching throat one after another.
Compared to cautiously maintaining a relationship, he was clearly much better at ruthlessly destroying one.
I am the one who carries everything on my shoulders." It was he who bore the weight of the entire Osborn Group, it was he who was the only one with a hereditary illness, it was he who endured all the pressure, it was he who never received his father's care. A deep sense of resentment surged within Harry's chest, "But what about you? All you know is cowardice and escapism!
Harry could pretend to be invincible, could endure the torment of illness, could pretend to shoulder everything with ease.
But, he needed Young Master Finn to rely on him.
Mr. Osborn." Max, who had been silent all along, finally spoke in a cold voice, his tone carrying an undisguised warning, "If you say anything else to Young Master Finn that will inevitably hurt him, I will take Young Master Finn out of the car.
Harry seemed to have only just realized what had happened, suddenly snapping out of it as he looked up and met Finn's vacant green eyes.
—What exactly did he, what exactly did he just say?
—He had clearly been hurting Finn all along, yet he could still so cruelly reproach his innocent brother.
Harry simply could not control his spiraling emotions.
Those sharp, hurtful words that should never have been spoken poured out uncontrollably.
—While he was erupting outward, he was collapsing inward.
The words of apology were stuck in his throat, burning with such intensity that it pained him, yet he simply could not bring himself to say them.
Harry had made many mistakes that harmed Finn, he had never apologized for them, because he felt that a superficial "I'm sorry" could never make up for any of the wrongs that had occurred. Also because he had never bowed his head, an apology felt as if it had become the most difficult thing in the world.
Harry lowered his head dejectedly, trying his best to suppress the trembling of his body.
He was even stingy when it came to giving Finn praise; instead, once again, he used the sharpest words to leave him covered in wounds.
He clearly knew that Finn's condition had become so severe that he engaged in unconscious self-harm, yet he never knew how to show any compassion.
—He is still pressing him harder and harder even now; just what kind of person does he want to drive Finn into?
Embarrassing clumsiness, surging guilt, self-reproaching regret, anger at his own incompetence—countless negative emotions intertwined into an airtight web, choking him. He only wanted to push open the car door and escape to a place where Finn could not see him.
With a splitting headache, Harry sat frozen, holding his breath in anticipation.
He could not run; he had to wait for Finn's sharp, mocking retaliation, waiting for those words that would pierce him through and through.
He had even prepared thousands of lines of rebuttal for Finn in his mind—
The one who was so eager to sever all ties with me from the very beginning, wasn't it you? The one who kicked me aside, wasn't it you?
You have never treated me like family, so why should I treat you like a brother?
[What right do you have to dictate how I live my life? You are truly ridiculous, Harry Osborn.]
Let's not be family anymore, Harry. I've done so much for you, you know that perfectly well, don't you? I could give you anything, but besides belittling, mocking, hurting me, what else have you ever done?
[Anyone around me is a hundred times better than you, my so-called brother.]
"Harry Osborn, you will be alone forever."..
Countless voices belonging to Finn, devoid of any warmth, pierced into Harry's mind like sharp thorns at this moment. He could not distinguish whether they were sounds he had truly heard or voices he had hallucinated.
Intense guilt and self-loathing were devouring Harry.
Just then, a light and gentle voice, like a ray of light piercing through heavy fog, fell into his chaotic mind.
“Have you been under a lot of pressure lately?”
Harry slowly raised his head, the clamor in his brain fading bit by bit.
He stared blankly at the younger brother before him, his eyes filled with disbelief.
Finn's expression remained calm, without the rage he had anticipated, nor the grievance or resentment following an injury. What was contained within those beautiful green eyes was pure concern, along with unmistakable worry.
Don't worry.
If you don't want me to go to the mental hospital, I won't go.
Finn spoke softly, mimicking the way Peter had comforted him before, reached out his hands to embrace him carefully.
His palms rested gently on the other's back, patting him softly and steadily, one stroke after another.
You've already done very well." Finn liked the feeling of being praised, so he would also use praise to comfort others, "If I were to say what I need you to do, in this moment, I would need you to help me calm down.
Harry grit his teeth hard, his eyes bloodshot, as a wave of bitter sobbing welled up in his throat.
At this moment, Harry Osborn felt as if the one with the mental illness was himself.
He always selfishly considered interests and coldly tested people's hearts, but Finn was the one who first handed over all the benefits to him, perfectly passing all of his harsh tests;
He always wrapped himself in sharp thorns and cold armor, rejecting intimacy time and time again; it was Finn who, after calmly accepting the hurt, returned to his side again and again.
He was so stingy that he was unwilling to give even a shred of warmth; it was Finn who gave him "high-concentration love" to fill the black hole in his heart, using boundless tolerance to heal him in return..
Finn was the brightest light Harry saw amidst the cold colors.
He embraced all of his brokenness, filling the emptiness within his shell, accepting all of his clumsiness and misery. Even at this moment when he felt as though the entire world was about to collapse, it was Finn who steadily reached out his hand and caught him.
Like a broken vessel, once light shines through, beams of light will overflow from every single crack.
Harry still doesn't know to what extent his brother grew up in such an environment to become so inclusive—
Like a harbor that never retreats.
I'm sorry.
Broken syllables spilled from Harry's trembling lips, carrying a belated, heavy sense of repentance.
I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that.
When those words were finally spoken, Harry felt the locked door in the depths of his heart explode.
It felt like the first time the two brothers had embraced in Harry's memory; he used his own stiff and trembling hands to tightly hug Finn back, as if he were holding a treasure he could never let go of.
It's okay.
Finn said again in that slightly proud tone, that he could accept every host's imperfect paranoia, fragility, cowardice, struggle, sensitivity.. or even their dark side.
It didn't matter if he was scolded a few times; he would use his points to exchange himself for an even more powerful version.
Even though I have mental illness, being emotionally stable is one of my strengths.
There were countless silent moments when Finn would quietly approach Hosts during their darkest and lowest points, speaking such firm words in a relaxed and gentle tone—
I will help you.
As long as you need me, I will stay by your side.