was that all a nightmare or real?

The sharp pain on Noah’s back made him flinch with every step he took toward school.

“Agh…”

He tightened his grip on the strap of his bag.

Does it always hurt like this…?

His cheeks slowly turned red remembering last night.

Asher’s face. The way he looked at him. The warmth of his hands.

Noah smiled unconsciously.

Even though Asher never officially called him his boyfriend…

…he stayed with him.

And Noah believed that meant something.

“He was happy because of me…”

A small giggle escaped him.

Suddenly—

“Why are you smiling to yourself like an idiot?”

Noah jumped slightly.

Kate appeared behind him at the school gate with a teasing grin on her face.

“O-Oh… it’s nothing…”

His face immediately flushed deeper.

Kate narrowed her eyes dramatically.

“Wait.” “You’re blushing.”

Noah froze.

“You totally got confessed to, didn’t you?!”

“W-What?! N-No!”

“Oh my god.” She grabbed her chest dramatically. “Does God really hate me this much? I’m still single while you already found someone?!”

Noah looked away shyly.

Not girlfriend… boyfriend…

The thought alone made his heart flutter.

Kate stared at his red face in disbelief.

“Dude, calm down. You’re turning into a tomato.”

Noah laughed softly despite himself.

For the first time in a long while…

…he felt light.

—

As they entered the classroom together, Noah greeted several classmates quietly.

He was surprisingly popular in class despite being reserved.

Mostly because:

he was kind,

good-looking,

and helped others without complaining.

Noah sat down at his desk and started searching inside his bag for his notebook.

Then—

Silence.

Noah slowly looked up.

His classmates were standing around him.

Too close.

Kate stood there too.

But something felt wrong.

Their faces looked dark. Their eyes completely black.

The classroom around him became foggy and distorted.

“Noah…”

Kate’s voice echoed strangely.

“Are you gay?”

Noah’s body froze.

Another classmate looked disgusted.

“That’s creepy.”

“I feel sick thinking about all the times we were around him.”

“Did you look at us weirdly too?”

Noah’s breathing stopped.

“N-No…”

Sweat formed instantly on his skin.

“That’s not—”

“You’re disgusting.”

Fear swallowed him whole.

The walls felt like they were closing in around him.

“No— no please—”

His chest tightened painfully.

He couldn’t breathe.

“I’m not like that—!”

Suddenly—

Noah shot upright in bed.

“HAH—!”

Heavy breathing filled the dark room.

His body trembled slightly as sweat clung to his skin.

Again.

Another nightmare.

Noah covered his eyes weakly.

“…How many times am I going to wake up like this…”

Morning light quietly spilled through the window.

The room felt painfully silent.

Then the door slowly opened.

Finn walked inside carefully.

“You had the same dream again?”

Noah didn’t answer.

Finn’s expression darkened immediately.

“I seriously want to kill that monster you wasted your love on.”

Noah slowly got out of bed.

“I’m fine, Finn.”

But the way he said it only worried Finn more.

Because Noah never sounded fine.

—

Before Finn could say anything else—

The front door suddenly burst open.

“MY LITTLE BABIES!”

Both boys flinched.

Elena walked inside carrying multiple shopping bags in both hands with the brightest smile imaginable.

“I bought so many things for my favorite people!”

Finn immediately rushed over.

“Big sis, what are you carrying?!”

Elena laughed dramatically.

“My love and affection.”

“You literally said you’d be busy with work for weeks.”

“Work ended early,” she said proudly. “So obviously I came to see my children.”

Finn sighed.

“We’re not your children.”

“You practically are.”

Then suddenly she looked around.

“Where’s Noah?!”

“He’s taking a bath,” Finn answered before lowering his voice quietly.

“…He had the nightmare again.”

Elena’s smile faltered slightly.

“…Again?”

For a moment, both siblings exchanged worried looks.

But Elena quickly forced her cheerful energy back.

“Then I’ll cheer him up.”

She lifted a bag proudly.

“I bought his favorite boba tea and pudding.”

Finn smiled softly.

“You really love him like a brother, huh?”

Elena reached over and patted his head.

“I love both of you idiots.”

Finn squirmed immediately.

“Stop treating me like a kid.”

“For me, you’ll always be one.”

Finn looked down quietly before lightly gripping the edge of her sleeve.

“…Sis.”

“Hm?”

“…Did dad ask about me?”

His voice sounded careful.

Small.

“Is he doing okay?”

Elena looked at him silently for a moment before smiling gently and patting his head again.

“He’s healthy.”

Then softer—

“But I wish you’d worry about yourself this much too.”

Finn smiled weakly.

“…Yeah.”

—

The bathroom door finally opened.

Noah walked out quietly while drying his damp hair with a towel.

Elena immediately brightened.

“NOAH!”

Noah blinked.

“…Hello, big sis.”

“Did you have a good bath?!”

Noah nodded slowly.

Then his eyes landed on the dining table filled with food and desserts.

“You bought all this again…”

He looked down slightly.

“You already do so much for us. You don’t have to keep burdening yourself like this.”

As he spoke, he quietly started arranging the table instead of looking at her directly.

Elena watched him silently before sighing.

“Noah.”

Her voice softened.

“It’s not like you’re staying here for free.”

Noah paused slightly.

“You’re working part-time and trying to help with money even when I told you not to.”

She crossed her arms dramatically.

“So at least let me spoil you a little.”

Then she clasped her hands together.

“Pretty please?”

Noah stared at her for a moment before sighing quietly.

“…Don’t do it too often.”

The moment he accepted the pudding from her hands, Elena’s face lit up immediately.

“I’ll try.”

Then she grinned.

“But you’re too adorable, so no promises.”

Noah looked away awkwardly while Finn laughed softly nearby.

For a moment—

The apartment finally felt warm.

Safe.

—

When Finn’s mother died, Elena was only ten years old.

At an age where children still needed protecting themselves…

…she suddenly became someone’s protector instead.

Their father could never look at Finn properly after the birth.

Not because Finn did anything wrong—

—but because grief turned love inside him into something broken.

And while their father only saw loss…

Elena saw something else entirely.

Her little brother.

The most important person left in her world.

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