(art by @zipsunz !!!!!!! my favorite artist ever)
It had been a long day—too long.
The dorm felt unusually quiet when you returned, your shoulders heavy from everything piling up lately. It was much harder to think clearly, and harder to try and focus on the good things. Your skin constantly felt like it was crawling, and your shoulders tensed often. You didn’t expect anyone to notice. You tried to slip quietly into your room, hoping to get through the evening without much conversation.
But you weren’t as subtle as you thought. A small knock came at your door a few minutes later.
"Hey... can I come in?" Ken’s voice was soft, almost hesitant.
You hesitated—but only for a second. “Yeah.”
The door creaked open, and there he was—still in his uniform, holding two mugs of warm cocoa. He stepped inside without saying much, setting one of them down on your desk before hopping up to sit beside you on the bed.
You didn’t speak right away. Neither did he.
Then, softly, “You looked... kinda sad. So I thought maybe you’d want this.”
You blinked down at the mug, then back at him. His face was trying to stay neutral—like he wanted to be strong for you—but there was that familiar little furrow in his brow. Worry.
“I know I’m supposed to be the little brother,” he murmured, looking at his cocoa, “but I don’t like seeing you like this. So, um... if something’s wrong, you can tell me, okay? I’m not going anywhere.”
Your chest tightened a little. You weren’t expecting that kind of warmth tonight—but you found it anyway, right in the kid who had every reason to shut himself away from others… yet chose to reach out.