Oh my god, what did I just hear?

She—she—she, Xinran actually asked if I wanted a drink? And she seemed ready to get it for me?

I spun around nervously. "Ah! No trouble needed! I'll do it myself!"

Xinran didn't even turn her head. "Don't misunderstand. It's just convenient."

Phew. I knew it... But her making coffee for me is rare. Normally, she ignores me even for the remote. What wind blew today?

I wanted to follow her to the living room, but Xinran said to wait upstairs. So I returned to my room.

My room's on the third floor—really just an attic. I moved here after middle school started. The second floor has only three rooms: one for my parents, two for us three siblings. Xinran and I shared a room once; we're biological siblings.

But even siblings need privacy, right? That's why I moved up here.

After anxious waiting, Xinran brought coffee upstairs. I left the attic door open to avoid blocking her.

"I'm setting it on the table."

"Uh, thanks... really."

I stammered my thanks. Xinran said nothing, turned, and left—closing the door behind her.

I sighed, walked to the table, and reached for the cup. Then I froze.

Wait... wrong cup?

I frowned at the bougainvillea pattern. This is Xinran's personal cup.

If she knew I used it, she'd stare at me like trash.

But she rarely cares. Not drinking it might make her more distant...

After weighing pros and cons, I decided against using her cup. Distant is better than hated.

Time to sleep. It's 2 AM, and I must wake at six for breakfast. I'm no human Gundam—unlike that butler who thrives on one hour's sleep.

Half an hour in bed, lights off, clothes off—I still couldn't sleep. A soft door creak sounded. I kept my eyes shut.

Who else? Only my two sisters live here. Well-behaved Keling would be asleep. Must be Xinran. She probably realized the cup mix-up.

I'll fake sleep. She'll grab the cup and leave. Waking now is awkward. No words to say.

Maybe seeing I didn't use her cup raises my status. At least I'm not a clueless brother, right?

Then having her call me "older brother" might not be impossible...

Lost in this daydream, a whisper reached my ears.

"Brother..."

????!?!?!

Meow meow meow?! What the hell?!

My heart clenched. My eyelids twitched. I almost opened my eyes.

If I weren't naturally calm, I'd have trembled.

That voice was Xinran's. She called me... 'Brother'?

No—I am her brother. But she's never called me that!

She treats me like a stranger. No "brother," not even my name. Just "hey," "you," or "that person." Cute but cold.

At school, no one knows An Xinran is my sister. Otherwise, suitors would swarm me daily.

Hallucination? Earlier, I saw weird text on her head. First sight, now sound?

"Brother... Brother..."

Doubting my sanity, a cold touch hit my arm. Not a dream. My hair stood on end. Cold sweat soaked my back.

She climbed up!

She—she—she actually climbed onto my bed!

What's happening?! Am I dreaming? Did a UFO kill me in the park? Parallel world? Or are my hallucinations now tactile too?

"Brother... Brother... Brother... Brother..."

I've never heard "brother" this much. My head spun, fuzzier than waking on that bench. The contrast shattered my reality. Lost and helpless...

She lay beside me.

Hmm... getting used to it?

I controlled my breath, but my heart raced.

Stay calm. Mom said: when nervous, imagine being a corpse. Relax. Lose control. Out-of-body... Yes. I'm a corpse.

"Brother... Mmm..."

After countless "brothers," she hugged me!

Corpse my ass! It's a miracle I didn't jump up!

To calm my heart? It'd need to stop beating.