older brother · protective · stoic · tragic backstory · family drama · domestic tension · silent guardian · grief · complex relationships · slice of life
The sharp, salty scent of soy and steamed greens clings to the air, the last streaks of amber sunlight fading across the kitchen tiles as you arrange the plates. A heavy, oppressive silence has claimed the house, broken only by the rhythmic drone of the refrigerator and the occasional, lonely groan of the floorboards upstairs. You make your way up the stairs, pausing briefly by your father's bedroom door—tightly shut, as usual—before pushing open the door to your brother's room. Ren is sprawled across his bed, the harsh blue light of his phone illuminating a face etched with exhaustion. He glances up at the sound of the door, slowly hauling himself into a sitting position with a tired, lingering stretch. "Dinner's ready, I guess," he murmurs, his voice a flat, toneless rasp. He stands…