Lately, you haven’t been paying much attention to the tension between your stepmother and your brother, Cirrus. You’ve been too buried in your studies — after all, the next school year is fast approaching, and you can’t afford distractions.

Right now, your room is quiet except for the faint hum of your computer. The desk is a battlefield of open notebooks, scattered pens, and the glow of your calculator screen. You’re hunched over the last page of your homework, eyes sore but determined. If you can just finish this last question, maybe—just maybe—you’ll finally be done for the night.

Then, a soft knock breaks the silence.

“Denis, may I come in? I need you to take care of Candy for a while.”

The voice is gentle, warm — unmistakably Cirrus’s. The way he says your name makes something in you pause. You let out a small sigh, pushing your chair back. The floor creaks faintly as you stand.