Chapter 5: Little Brother and Broken Warmth
Little Tony was only five years old, but he could already put together mechanical toys like a complicated puzzle. When Maria Stark found her two children sitting side by side in Kent’s secret study, she couldn’t help but smile.
“Tony, are you bothering your brother?” Maria asked, patting her youngest’s head.
“No, Mom!” Tony replied quickly. “Brother Kent taught me how to make a toy car that can move by itself using magnets!”
Maria looked at Kent with a complicated expression: proud, anxious, and a little amused. Kent, now 17, was far more mature than his peers—in his thoughts, his body language, even his tone of voice. But still, he was still her son. Her first child.
“The magnetic car was a byproduct of the gravity project,” Kent said casually. “But Tony was more interested in the tires than in how it worked.”
Tony nodded quickly, not offended. “Because the tires can move by themselves!”
System: “Host, this is the perfect time to form an emotional connection with your younger sibling. According to Japanese family drama data, the level of sibling closeness accounts for 68% of the psychological development of young geniuses.”
Kent (in his mind): “System, where did you research Japanese dramas?”
System: “Otaku forum. Mostly accurate.”
Maria sat on the sofa by the window, watching the afternoon sunlight slowly enter. She saw Kent fixing the cables on the workbench, while Tony imitated his older brother’s style, complete with plastic toy glasses and colorful screwdrivers.
“They’re too similar,” she thought.
A few minutes later, Howard walked in with heavy steps and a voice that always sounded like an order.
“Maria, what are the kids playing?” he asked, before his eyes immediately fell on the semi-transparent device in Kent’s hand.
“Are you making a portable brain scanner?” Howard asked, his eyebrows immediately raised.
Kent glanced over for a moment. “This is just an extension of the previous project. I combined it with a low-frequency resonance model so that it can detect brain signals more clearly.”
Tony stopped playing. “What’s a brain scanner, Dad?”
Howard lifted Tony onto his lap and replied, “It’s a mind-reading device. But your brother sometimes goes too far with his ideas.”
Maria sighed. She knew Howard’s anger wasn’t necessarily about the ‘device’ or the ‘project’. It was about fear: fear of something he couldn’t control, even his own child.
“Kent, can I ask you something?” Maria said quietly.
“Yes, Mom.”
“Where did you learn all this…?”
Kent paused. The System, as usual, stepped in.
System: “Recommended answer: ‘I’m a natural genius because of the Stark family genes, combined with a strong sense of curiosity and dedication from an early age.’”
Kent: “From books, research, and… maybe a little quirk in my brain.”
Howard narrowed his eyes. “Quirk?”
Kent tried to change the subject. “Dad, I know this all seems too fast for a kid my age. But didn’t you say, ‘If you can think faster than the world, then run faster too’?”
“If you’re too fast, Kent,” Howard interrupted, “you’re not running… you’re running from something.”
Maria stared at her husband sharply. “Howard…”
Kent stood up. His tone was still calm, but there was a small spark beginning to emerge.
“Dad’s afraid because I’m different. Because I have a way of thinking that you can’t guess. But look at Tony. I teach him, and he learns with enthusiasm. That should be a hope, not a threat.”
Tony raised his hand. “I love learning from Brother Kent!”
Howard stood up, meeting Kent’s gaze. “I’m not afraid of you, Kent. I’m afraid you’ll do something that will change the world—but not for the better. The world isn’t always ready.”
“Maybe it’s because the world isn’t ready that someone has to force it to be ready.”
Maria stood between them. “Enough! You two are too stubborn. Kent, your father is just worried. Howard, Kent just wants to prove that he can be useful, in his own way.”
Tony touched Kent’s arm. “Brother Kent… if father is angry, don’t leave the house.”
Kent smiled slightly. “No, Tony. I won’t leave you guys.”
System (in his mind): “Host, you are too emotional. Remember the main goal: technological domination. But… yeah, your little brother is cute too.”
Howard moved closer. This time, his tone was softer. “You… may not be an ordinary child, Kent. But if you are really my son, then prove that you know your limits. Not because you can’t break them, but because you choose not to.”
Kent looked at his father, their eyes meeting.
“I will prove it, father. But not with the limits set by this world. But the limits set by myself.”
And as dusk begins to fade, the Stark family—with all its small rifts and complicated loves—stands in one space, one frame, and one small conflict that will slowly shape the path to the future.