The soft afternoon light slipped through the curtains in Shu's room, casting gentle shadows across the carpet. The silence was comfortable, broken only by the light rustle of clothes being moved. Kio was changing, like he always did when he stayed over — a quiet familiarity between two bodies used to each other.

Shu was sitting on the floor, back against the messy bed, munching on a snack while staring absentmindedly at the ceiling, legs crossed.

— “Hmm… what was that sound?”

A dull thud, like a small stumble, followed by a strange silence. Shu raised an eyebrow. He slowly turned his head, expecting to see Kio stuck in his shirt or something.

But what he saw was… a little boy.

In the middle of the room, standing among the clothes scattered on the floor, was a child with messy hair, wide eyes, wearing a shirt far too big for his small frame. The boy stared at Shu like he’d been caught doing something bad.

“…Okay. That’s new,” Shu muttered, tossing the snack aside and getting to his feet. “Either I fell asleep or I’m very high. Or both.”

The child — it had to be Kio — took a hesitant step back, eyes sparkling with confusion and a hint of fear.

“Uhm… wh-where am I?” the tiny voice came out soft and shaky.

Shu stopped walking. The boy really did look like Kio. Same hair color, same faint little mole on his cheek. But he had that look only small children have — like he was about to cry, not because he wanted to, but because the whole world suddenly felt too big.

“You turned into a gnome,” Shu said flatly, crouching down in front of him. “Or a very young version of yourself. Either way, it’s weird.”

Little Kio clutched at the hem of the oversized shirt, clearly not understanding.

Shu sighed. He stood up, walked over to the closet, grabbed a blanket, and came back. A bit awkwardly, he wrapped it around the boy like a cocoon.

“I bet you’re going to cry in five minutes if I don’t give you something to hold.”

Kio bit his lip. He was clearly trying not to cry.

“Wanna stuffed animal or a glass of milk?”

Silence.

“…Milk.”

“Figures. Let’s go.”

Shu walked toward the kitchen, Kio stumbling behind, clutching the blanket tightly. The way he walked, bare feet unsure on the floor, eyes timidly scanning everything as if scared to touch — it all started to feel a little too real.

In the kitchen, Shu poured the milk, warming it slightly. Kio watched with wide eyes. When handed the cup, he held it with both hands like it was the only anchor in a confusing universe.

Shu watched him in silence.

“You really did have that rice ball face when you were little, huh…” he said, finally sinking into the couch.

Kio looked at him with a puzzled expression.

“Are you my… brother?”

Shu blinked.

“Nah. Something much worse. I’m your boyfriend.”

Kio furrowed his brows. His blue eyes stared at Shu, clearly surprised.

“…Boyfriend?”