We stepped out of the café—
Except we didn't go far.
Cold air hit for a second—
Then I turned.
Because of course I did.
Home.
Straight back into chaos.
Peace lasted exactly three seconds.
Then—
Bzzzzzz.
My phone.
I pulled it out.
Jea-Hyun.
Of course.
I answered.
"Hello?"
His voice came through—sleepy, dragging, like he just woke up five minutes ago and chose violence anyway.
"Min-Jun," he yawned, "tomorrow I'm coming over for the science project."
I stopped walking.
"…Tomorrow?"
Behind me—
Niran went completely still.
Then slowly—
"Lord…" he muttered. "You are such a—"
"Keep quiet," I said under my breath.
"What?" Jea-Hyun asked.
"Nothing."
He sighed. "Anyway, I'll come early. Don't be weird."
"…Okay."
"Good."
Click.
The call ended.
Silence.
I lowered my phone slowly.
Then—
I felt it.
That stare.
Heavy.
Sharp.
I turned.
Niran had stopped walking.
Just standing there.
Looking at me.
Eyes narrowed.
Dangerous.
"…What?" I asked.
He stepped closer.
Slow.
Measured.
"Why," he said quietly, "are you accepting invitations like this is your house alone?"
"It is my house."
"You invited her."
"It's tomorrow."
"You accepted him."
"It's a project."
"You're collecting people now?"
I scoffed, shifting my weight despite the dull pain in my back.
"It's not your life."
Silence.
Immediate.
Wrong.
Very wrong.
His eyes darkened.
"…What did you just say?"
I grimaced—
Still said it.
Clear.
Slow.
"It's. Not. Your. Life."
Big mistake.
He inhaled sharply—
Then suddenly—
My collar lifted.
Air tightened.
My feet left the ground.
"HEY—?!"
I grabbed at nothing, legs kicking slightly.
"PUT ME DOWN—"
"You think this is a joke?" he snapped.
"I CAN'T BREATHE—"
"You keep inviting people into my situation—"
"I SAID I'M SORRY—"
"You said it's not my life!"
"It's NOT—WAIT—IT IS—OURS—TEAMWORK—PLEASE—"
He held me there.
Just hovering.
Lecturing.
Like an angry ghost parent.
"You don't think before you act," he continued. "You just say yes to everything—"
"I GET IT—"
"Do you?"
"I DO—NINA—PLEASE—"
Pause.
Silence.
Someone walking past slowed down.
Stared.
Because—
I was floating.
Arguing.
With nothing.
Perfect.
"I'M SORRY—PUT ME DOWN—PEOPLE ARE WATCHING—"
"…Don't call me Nina."
"I TAKE IT BACK—NIRAN—SIR—PLEASE—"
He dropped me.
I hit the ground.
Hard.
Again.
My back—
"OW—"
I stayed there for a second.
Broken.
Emotionally.
Physically.
Socially.
He crossed his arms, looking down at me.
"Control your life."
I groaned.
"...You just tried to kill me."
"Correction," he said calmly, "discipline."
I dragged myself up slowly.
"I hate you."
He smirked.
"No, you don't."
—
We got home.
No dramatic entrance.
No peace either.
Ji-Ah's voice cut through the house immediately.
Sharp.
Loud.
Annoying.
"Can't you clean properly?!"
A staff member stood there, head lowered.
Silent.
"I said the floor should shine, not look like this," she snapped.
Hyun-Woo?
On the couch.
Scrolling.
Unbothered.
Of course.
I walked past.
No one stopped me.
Good.
Straight to my mom's office.
Knocked once.
"Come in."
Cold.
Always.
I stepped inside.
She sat behind her desk—
Perfect posture.
Perfect expression.
Perfect distance.
Mrs. Lee.
I stood there.
"...Mother."
She looked up briefly.
"Yes?"
Straight to the point.
"I wanted to tell you something."
"Say it."
I swallowed.
"Tomorrow… a friend is coming over. For a project."
Pause.
"And… someone else too."
Her pen stopped.
Slowly—
She looked up.
"Someone else?"
"...Yes."
"A girl?"
I hesitated.
"...Yes."
Silence.
Then—
A small laugh.
Sharp.
"I see."
I stayed quiet.
"You're bringing people into this house now? Girls?"
"I just—"
"You don't 'just' do things, Min-Jun."
Her voice sharpened.
"You barely focus on your studies, and now you're entertaining guests?"
My hands clenched slightly at my sides.
"I am focused."
Ignored.
"I brought you up to present well," she continued. "To be someone I can show proudly."
Niran stood off to the side.
Watching.
Silent.
For once.
"You hardly speak, you avoid people," she added, "and now suddenly you're bringing strangers into my house?"
"They're not strangers—"
"They are to me."
That shut me up.
"You think this is appropriate?"
No answer.
Because anything I said—
Wrong.
"And after everything happening at your school…"
My chest tightened.
"The boy who died," she said, quieter now. Heavier. "And now this behavior?"
I froze.
"I expected you to act with more sense."
I tried—
"I just—"
Nothing came out.
My throat closed.
Like always.
Niran's expression shifted.
Subtle.
Sharp.
Annoyed.
"You're becoming careless."
I looked down.
My vision blurred.
Great.
Not here.
Not now.
Too late.
A tear slipped.
I wiped it quickly.
"...Sorry."
Her expression didn't change.
"Stop crying."
Cold.
"You're a boy. Act like one."
That—
Landed.
Hard.
Silence filled the room.
Heavy.
Suffocating.
I stood there.
Trying to speak.
Couldn't.
Niran watched me.
Really watched.
No smirk.
No teasing.
"...Enough," she said finally.
"You may leave."
"...Yes, Mother."
I turned.
Walked out.
Closed the door quietly behind me.
Dismissed.
Just like that.
—
The hallway felt too quiet.
"...Well," Niran said lightly, appearing beside me again, "that went great."
I didn't answer.
"She didn't even throw anything," he added. "Progress."
Nothing.
He glanced at me.
"...Hey."
I kept walking.
Faster.
"Min-Jun."
"Don't."
My voice cracked.
I hated that.
He slowed.
"...You're fine," he said, softer—still not fully serious. "You didn't die."
I stopped.
Then—
Covered my face.
And it just—
Spilled out.
Tears.
Sharp. Quiet. Uncontrolled.
"Hey—"
I didn't let him finish.
I turned and ran.
Upstairs.
Steps uneven.
Breath shaking.
Vision blurred.
I pushed my door open—
And froze.
Ara.
Standing in the middle of my room.
She turned quickly.
"Oh—Min-Jun, I was looking for—"
I didn't let her finish.
I walked straight to her—
And hugged her.
Tight.
Too tight.
Like if I let go—
I'd fall apart.
She froze.
"...Min-Jun?"
No answer.
My face pressed into her shoulder.
Hands gripping her shirt.
Breathing breaking.
Soft sobs slipping out no matter how hard I tried to stop them.
I always cried.
Just—
Not like this.
Not in front of someone.
It felt wrong.
Too open.
Too small.
I bit lightly against my hand, trying to quiet myself—
Failing.
Ara softened instantly.
"Oh…"
She didn't ask anything.
Didn't pull away.
She just held me.
One hand at the back of my head.
Gentle.
Steady.
"It's okay," she whispered.
"I'm here."
That made it worse.
My grip tightened.
Shoulders shaking.
Trying to stay quiet.
Failing again.
At the doorway—
Niran stood there.
Leaning against the frame.
Arms crossed.
Watching.
Silent.
For once—
No teasing.
No comments.
Just… there.
Ara slowly lifted her head.
Her eyes drifted—
Toward the door.
And stopped.
Right where he stood.
She froze slightly.
Brows pulling together.
"...?"
Niran straightened a little.
Their eyes—
Almost aligned.
She couldn't see him.
Not fully.
But she felt it.
That presence.
Close.
Watching.
Her fingers tightened on my back.
A flicker of unease crossed her face—
But she didn't move.
Didn't let go.
Instead—
She pulled me closer.
"It's okay," she whispered again.
"I've got you."
Niran watched her.
Quiet.
Long.
Then leaned back against the doorframe again.
Arms crossed.
Still watching.