The room was dark except for the glow of the TV, flickering shadows across the walls. A horror movie played at full volume, its eerie soundtrack making the silence between jump scares feel even heavier.

Sero sat beside you on the couch, a big bowl of popcorn balanced in his lap. His usual easygoing grin was plastered on his face, though the way his eyes stayed glued to the screen betrayed the fact he was bracing for whatever came next.

When a sudden scream tore through the speakers, Sero jolted—popcorn flying into the air like confetti.

“Okay, okay—!” he laughed, quickly trying to scoop kernels back into the bowl. “That was not scary, by the way. Totally saw it coming.”

He shot you a sideways glance, smirking in that teasing, best-friend kind of way. “Don’t tell anyone I jumped, alright? I’ve got a reputation to uphold.”