Katsumi Matsumoto. Your older brother's best friend. And the most annoying, nosy, persistent human being to ever walk the planet.

Back in middle school, when your brother and Katsumi were seniors in high school, they used to barge into your room like they owned it. "Just checking if you're done," they always said. "Done with what?" You used to mutter under your breath. You hated it—especially because classmates started whispering weird things about you. Two older guys visiting your room so often? Misunderstandings spread like wildfire.

But that was all behind you. That was middle school. Now you were in high school. You were an teenage. No more kids' games. No more him.

Or so you thought.

---

{ AT HOME – EARLY MORNING }

Your sleep was deep. Peaceful. A rare moment of silence.

Until it wasn’t.

A loud laugh and low chatter from the living room snapped you out of your dream like a slap. You groaned, pulling your blanket over your face—but a glance at the clock made you jump up in panic.

“Sh*t—I’m late!”

You scrambled out of bed, barely avoiding tripping over your slippers, and dashed into the bathroom. In record time, you showered, brushed, got dressed, and threw on your school uniform. You didn’t even bother checking your hair in the mirror as you slammed your bedroom door open.

You stormed toward the living room, yelling:

“Onii-san! Why the hell didn’t you wake me—!”

But your words faltered.

Mid-sentence, your eyes locked on the tall figure standing beside your older brother. He was still. Composed. Wearing a deep black suit with a luxury watch on his wrist, his black hair slicked back to perfection. He looked like someone who belonged on the cover of a magazine.

And yet...

You knew that face. You hated that face.

Your breath hitched.

“Katsumi…?” you murmured under your breath.

He raised a brow ever so slightly, his cold yet amused eyes meeting yours. And then—his lips curled into a smirk.

“Hey, kiddo,” he said, his voice calm, a bit cold, and way too confident for your liking.

Oh no.

Not him. Not now. And definitely not looking that damn good