The first rays of dawn slipped through the crooked curtains, soft streams of gold painting the walls of the small apartment. The place still smelled faintly of soap and lemon detergent—evidence of Grayson's midnight cleaning spree. Every corner of the apartment, once a dump of scattered clothes, broken glass, and dust, now gleamed with a new sense of life.
But the most dramatic transformation was inside Sophie Tyler's small bedroom.
The little girl stirred awake, blinking against the sunlight that peeked into her room. Her delicate face twisted in confusion as she rubbed her eyes with tiny fists. She sat up slowly, looking around.
Her walls were… clean?
Her desk wasn't littered with crumpled papers anymore. The once brown-stained bedsheet she used to curl into every night was gone, replaced with a neat, simple cotton cover that smelled fresh. The pile of dirty laundry that had lived in the corner for weeks had vanished. Even the faint, damp smell she'd grown used to—gone.
"What in the world…" she whispered, her small voice filled with disbelief.
She swung her legs off the bed and tiptoed barefoot across the now-mopped floor, almost unsure if she was dreaming. Her sickly frame was still frail, her steps cautious, but her curiosity drove her forward.
Then it hit her.
A smell.
Her nose twitched, her head tilted up. The scent was rich, warm, and inviting—something she hadn't experienced in a long time. It wasn't the usual stale air of their messy home. No. This was… food. Real food.
Her stomach grumbled immediately, betraying her body's hunger.
Sophie followed the smell like a trail, her small feet padding against the cool tiles until she reached the dining area. She froze at the doorway.
There, at the tiny wooden table, sat her big brother.
Jason—though in this world, to Sophie, he was only her brother—stood with a plate in his hands, carefully arranging scrambled eggs, toasted bread, and a few slices of fresh fruit. Steam curled upward from the plates, mixing with the faint sizzle still echoing from the kitchen. A glass jug of water and two cups sat ready at the center of the table.
She gasped softly. "B-Big brother?"
Grayson turned, startled, then softened as his lips curved into a warm smile. "Ah. You're awake, Sophie. Perfect timing." He gestured to the chair across from him. "Come on. Breakfast is ready."
The words alone were enough to send her into shock.
"Breakfast…?" she repeated, as if she didn't understand the meaning anymore.
He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah. That thing people usually eat in the morning, remember? Come sit down."
Sophie stepped into the room slowly, her wide eyes darting from the food to her brother, then back to the food. She felt like she had wandered into the wrong house.
Jason pulled out the chair for her with an exaggerated flourish, as though she were royalty. "Here you go, little princess."
She let out a small giggle despite herself, and carefully climbed onto the chair. She still didn't take her eyes off him, half-expecting the whole scene to vanish.
Once she was seated, Jason disappeared briefly into the kitchen, then returned carrying a tray with butter, more bread, and a spoon. He set them down with confidence, humming softly like a professional chef.
"You cooked all this…?" Sophie asked, disbelief dripping from her tone.
Jason grinned and puffed out his chest. "Of course. Who else? The ghost of the broken TV?"
That earned him another giggle, louder this time. She covered her mouth with her hands, embarrassed, but couldn't stop smiling.
Jason sat down across from her, picked up his fork, and nodded toward her plate. "Go on. Eat. You need it more than me."
She hesitated, looking at the food like it was a trick. Slowly, she picked up a slice of bread, took a small bite, then widened her eyes. "It's… it's good!" she said, her voice filled with genuine shock.
Jason laughed, finally taking a bite of his own food. "Well, thank you. I had to wrestle with the frying pan, though. Pretty sure it hates me."
"Big brother…" she said softly, staring at him again.
"What?"
"You're different."
Jason paused, his fork halfway to his mouth. He forced a smile and set it down. For a moment, he saw himself through her eyes—this wasn't the Jason she remembered. The old Jason had been careless, reckless, always absent and always smelling like beer and smoke. But this Jason? He was present. Attentive. Trying.
He cleared his throat, leaning back in his chair. "Sophie… I need to apologize."
She tilted her head.
"I haven't been… a good big brother to you," he admitted, his voice heavy. "I was too caught up in my own nonsense. Drinking, wasting money, being… well, a complete idiot." He gave a short laugh, though his eyes were serious. "But that ends now. From today, I'm here for you. We don't have Mom or Dad, but that doesn't matter. I'll take care of you, no matter what."
Her lips trembled, and she quickly looked down at her plate, blinking away tears.
Jason smiled gently and added, "Don't worry about how I got the money for all this. Let's just say a certain rich lady from the workshop overpaid me for fixing her car yesterday." He leaned in, lowering his voice dramatically. "Between you and me, I think she just liked how handsome I am."
Sophie burst into laughter, covering her face with her tiny hands. "Big brother!"
Jason laughed with her, the sound echoing warmly in the small apartment.
Then, as their laughter faded, he pulled out a small shopping bag from under the table and slid it across to her.
"What's this?" she asked curiously.
"Open it and see."
She pulled the handles apart and peeked inside. Her eyes widened as she saw neatly folded clothes—a couple of shirts, a new skirt, even socks.
Her mouth dropped open. "For me?"
Jason shrugged, though he couldn't hide his grin. "Who else? The ghost of the broken refrigerator?"
Again, she laughed, hugging the bag tightly. "Thank you, big brother… I love them."
"You're welcome, kiddo," Jason said softly, warmth filling his chest.
Her eyes flicked toward the corner of the room, then back at him. "But… where's the TV? And the refrigerator? And the fan?"
Jason scratched his head awkwardly. "Ah… those? Well, I threw them out. They were too broken to fix. Don't worry, though—I'll get us new ones soon. Promise."
She tilted her head, then gave him a long stare, as though trying to figure out if this new version of her brother was real.
He smiled gently, reaching across the table to tap her forehead. "In the meantime, you just focus on eating well. If you're hungry, go to the kitchen and eat anything you like, okay? Don't wait for me."
Her lips curved into a small, shy smile. Then, without warning, she got up from her chair, walked over, and hugged him tightly around the waist.
"Big brother… thank you."
Jason froze for a moment, then lowered his hand to rest on her back, returning the hug. His chest tightened—not with sadness, but with a strange, overwhelming determination.
When she finally let go, Jason stood, grabbed his bag and jacket from the couch, and ruffled her hair. "Alright. Time for me to get to work."
Sophie looked up at him, eyes shining. "Come back early, okay?"
He smiled, opening the door. "I'll try. But don't wait up if I'm late."
And with that, he stepped out into the morning air, the door closing behind him.
Sophie stood in the middle of their now-clean apartment, clutching her bag of new clothes. For the first time in a long time, her heart felt light. She wondered, quietly, if maybe—just maybe—things were finally going to change.