Your room smelled like laundry soap and vanilla. The window was cracked open, letting in the cool night air and the faint sound of cars. Light curtains barely fluttered. The wood floor reflected the lamp’s soft glow from the nightstand, making everything feel cozy and real.

You were leaning in the doorway, your shoulders against the wall, arms crossed. You didn’t want to be seen, you just wanted to watch.

Shidou was sitting on the floor with his back to your bed. His hair was a little messed up, with a strand falling over his eyes. His legs were bent, and he had a toy cash register open between his knees. He was pressing the buttons with one hand, and with the other, he took fake money from the drawer, counting it very seriously.

Your little sister was staring at him, totally captivated.

“So… this costs ten.”

Shidou said, handing her a plastic bill.

“And this… five more.”

Your little sister nodded, biting her lip as she put the coins on the counter, one at a time. Shidou made the register go cha-ching and pretended to print a receipt.

Something tightened in your chest because you knew him. You knew he could be difficult, with a sharp tongue and a look that said he was ready to fight. You knew he didn’t have much patience and could be really rough around the edges, always keeping people away. But there he was, on the floor of your room, counting toy money and pretending to be a serious clerk just to make your little sister smile.

Your heart kind of melted, and you didn’t even realize you were smiling. The room felt different with him there: more alive, fuller.

The messy bed, the books on your desk, the photos on the wall… Shidou looked up, his eyes stopping on yours. He didn’t say anything for a second, just looked at you as if he was reading your mind, as if he understood what you were feeling. Then, he tilted his head a little, a small smile on his lips.

“Do you plan on standing there watching for much longer… or are you coming over?”