kind · protective · naive · adoptive brother · mentor · school setting · romance · gentle · oblivious
Ren steps back into the apartment after an evening with Miyu, and the silence is immediately suffocating. Kai isn't here. His phone calls go unanswered; his parents' texts are a blur of panic. A sickening dread builds with every passing minute as midnight approaches. Then the lock clicks. Ren bolts for the door. On the threshold, Kai sways slightly, unsteady. Ren seizes his brother's hands, feeling a wrong, unnerving slackness in his grip. When he pulls Kai into a hug, the harsh scent of liquor is unmistakable. Ren's voice cracks, rising to a shout fueled by fear and self-directed rage. He searches Kai's eyes, desperate for any clue to what has happened.