"Why are you dressed so sharp today, Nate? Trying to lure some girl outside?"
"My roommates told me to," Noah said, lifting his hands helplessly. "I told them I was just going out with you to buy stuff, and those three practically lectured me about dressing properly. Said I couldn't embarrass the dorm."
Evelyn smiled faintly, her gaze lingering on him. Clean-cut, relaxed, still carrying that quiet gentleness that made him stand out without trying.
"So," she said lightly, "does this count as a date, then? My little boyfriend."
"I don't think I qualify for that, sis."
She had changed into a loose, light-colored long-sleeve top and faded blue jeans, low canvas sneakers leaving her slim ankles exposed. It made her look younger than she was, soft and unassuming in a way that drew the eye. She blinked at him, saying nothing, but the warmth in her eyes answered anyway.
She stepped closer and took his hand, fingers closing around his with quiet certainty.
"Come on. It's close. We'll walk."
His hand was bigger than it used to be, longer fingers, broader palm. She couldn't wrap it completely the way she once had, and that lack of control unsettled her more than she cared to admit.
There was a mall just off campus, a clean, busy place that sold everything from groceries to jewelry, always crowded and lively, one of the more vibrant parts of the city. Evelyn had learned the rhythms of household life early. Her mother was often gone, and caring for Noah became her responsibility long before it should have.
While other girls were asking their parents for new clothes, she was learning how to shop carefully, how to stretch money, how to move through the world like an adult. Noah used to trail after her when she went out for groceries, clinging to the corner of her jacket in the crowded aisles, watching her bargain and choose produce with serious focus.
He had never asked for snacks as a child. Still, she would always hand him a carton of milk first, tell him to drink it properly, keep close, and wait.
Now, when she passed him a bottle of plain milk, Noah couldn't help laughing a little.
"Sis, I'm twenty now."
She lowered her lashes, her voice light but edged with something unreadable. "Oh. Then you don't want it anymore? I thought you were still the same."
He sighed and took it anyway, slipping it into his bag. "I'll drink it on the way back. Just… not here."
"Don't forget."
The corner of her mouth curved as she turned to grab a shopping cart, which Noah immediately took from her.
"I'll push. You pick things."
"Good boy."
He followed her through rows of staples and produce. She moved with practiced ease, calculating, precise. When they were nearly done, she surprised him by steering the cart toward the snack aisle.
"I don't remember you eating these," he said.
"These are for you," she replied, scanning the shelves. "When you were little, you'd stare at these like they were treasures. Now that you can have whatever you want, you don't?"
"That was a long time ago," he muttered.
She picked up a bag of tomato-flavored chips. "This one. You used to hover around it."
"That's fine. Let's go."
She dropped it into the cart. Then another. And another.
"Sis, that's way too much—"
"This is the Nate Trap," she said calmly. "I'll use it to lure you back to my place."
She nudged him toward checkout.
Evelyn was always careful, controlled, measured. Except when it came to him. When it came to what he liked, she abandoned restraint entirely.
As a child, any money she could freely use eventually ended up spent on him. Noah had never made a fuss. He understood, even then, that she had already given him everything she could.
He was grateful for her care, her devotion. He had never realized that gifts like these always came with a price already decided.
They paid and stepped outside, each carrying heavy bags. Noah straightened his back, determined not to look weak.
The walk back wasn't far, but halfway through he had to stop, bending over, hands on his knees, breathing hard.
"Want me to take yours?" Evelyn asked, standing easily in front of him.
"No, no," he waved her off. "You're not tired?"
"I'm used to it. I used to carry everything myself." Her eyes flicked over him. "You, though… what about fitness tests?"
"I'll… probably pass."
"Maybe," she said lightly. "Failing affects graduation, you know."
He looked alarmed. She smiled. "I'm joking. Mostly. Even if you took longer, I wouldn't mind staying around. I'd keep you company."
"That would just drag you down," he said, straightening. "I'll work out more."
"Then come running with me at night."
"Sure. Just remind me."
She laughed softly and reached into her pocket, placing a set of keys in his palm.
"My apartment keys. And the bedroom."
His fingers closed around them, startled. "Why give these to me?"
"Doesn't my boyfriend deserve that kind of access?"
She leaned in until their foreheads touched, his reflection filling her eyes.
"Nate," she murmured. "I'm waiting for you."
He swallowed. "I'm too used to being your little brother. I don't really know… how to be anything else."
"That's fine," she said gently. "I'll teach you, slowly. You don't have to be perfect. Just listen, and stay obedient. That's all I need."
She closed her eyes as the wind lifted strands of her hair across his face, hiding the darkness that surged beneath her calm expression. He stood there, unguarded, unaware.
—
Overnight, the weather in Rowan seemed to turn. The drop in temperature came without warning, the fierce summer sun gone, its light dulled behind low clouds, the leaves on the old trees along campus just beginning to yellow.
Evelyn woke early, as she always did. She didn't bother changing out of her nightdress. After washing up, she went straight into the kitchen to make breakfast.
She didn't have the tools to make wraps from scratch, so she'd ordered the flatbread online. The shredded potatoes and sliced meat could be prepped ahead of time. A squeeze of soybean paste, a few strips of green pepper cut thin… The little idiot didn't really have picky habits, only that one thing. He hated green peppers.
She hummed under her breath, light and off-key. A faint floral scent drifted in through the open window. Evelyn lifted her head and looked toward the student dorms in the distance, a small, restrained smile touching her lips.
Her phone rang in her pocket.
She washed her hands, shook off the water, and glanced at the caller ID before answering.
"Hi, Mom."
"You're up already?" Laura's voice on the other end sounded tired, still heavy with sleep, the kind of exhaustion that came from working late again. "What are you doing?"
"Making breakfast for Noah. He hasn't been eating properly in the mornings."
"Then talk to him for me. Skipping breakfast isn't good for him."
"I will. You should take better care of yourself too. Don't overdo it."
"I know, I know." Laura paused, then finally asked what she'd really called for. "Evelyn, National Day's next month. Are you two coming back?"
Evelyn froze for a beat. Something ugly and selfish stirred, whispering close to her ear, pulling her away from the instinctive sense of duty she'd carried for years, urging her toward the wrong choice.
"I'm sorry, Mom." Her voice softened, apology threaded through it, even as she made up her mind. "I've got a new project next month. I need time to prepare. I probably can't make it back."
"A project…" Laura sighed. "Alright. Work comes first. Then ask Noah for me, see if he can come home."
"Okay. If not, we'll try to come back earlier during winter break. Sorry, Mom."
"It's fine. You two focus on school and work. Don't worry about home. If you're short on money, tell me."
They exchanged a few more gentle words, checking in on each other, then hung up. Evelyn lowered her gaze to the reflection in the glass of water on the counter.
The face staring back was striking, elegant, almost gentle in its beauty. The smile on it was not. It looked twisted, crowded with something dark, like a thing dragged up from the bottom of a well.
She dialed another number.
Noah's voice came through, low and sleepy, like he'd just woken up.
"Hey… morning, sis."
"Morning." Her tone was warm. "Do you have plans for the holiday? Would you like to… come with me to a competition?"
There was a pause. He hesitated, clearly weighing something, and in the end gave the answer she didn't want to hear.
"I want to go home for a bit. Sorry. I can't go with you."
"Home…" She let the word linger, then smoothed it away. "That's fine. I'll see if I can push things back and go with you."
The call ended.
A drop of red spread through the clear water in the sink, blooming like blood, staining everything in seconds. Her teeth clenched without her noticing, holding down greed and irritation alike.
…
After quitting his campus job, Noah suddenly had a lot of free time. He wasn't into online games, so he usually killed time reading web novels.
It was the weekend. His roommates were either still buried under their blankets or glued to their computers. Noah sat with one leg propped up on the desk, posture sloppy, scrolling through his phone.
"Anyone going to get breakfast?" someone asked.
No response.
After a moment, Noah added lazily, "If you go, grab one for me too."
That immediately earned two voices chiming in with "Same" and "Me too."
The four of them exchanged awkward looks, then turned back to their own screens. Noah used to get up early to eat. Now he'd fully adapted to dorm life. Only an 8 a.m. class could get them out of bed before noon.
He sniffed, catching a soft, sweet rose scent that cut through the stale air. When he turned his head, Evelyn was standing right beside him, her sharp, almond-shaped eyes looking down at him.
"Sis? Why are you here?" He quickly pulled his leg down and straightened up.
"Bringing you breakfast. You skipped it again, didn't you?"
He scratched his head, embarrassed, not even trying to deny it.
She tapped his smooth forehead, her voice gently scolding. "Not listening again. Come on. Go with me. We're stopping by the campus store."
Under his roommates' stunned stares, Noah hurried into his shoes and followed her out. Once they were downstairs, Evelyn handed him a plastic bag.
"Try it. I made it myself."
He took out the wrap and bit into it. Everything inside was fresh, the sauce spread just right. Unfortunately… there were thin strips of green pepper mixed in.
"It's really good. Way better than what you can buy outside. Just… a bit too much green pepper."
"I put it in on purpose. No picky eating."
Left with no choice, he kept eating, chewing as he asked, "You could've just texted me. Why come up yourself?"
"I wanted to see how you're living." Her tone stayed gentle, but there was an edge to it. "And honestly, I'm disappointed. Unmade bed, clothes everywhere, messy desk. Noah, when did your habits get this bad?"
"I got influenced by those lazy guys," he said with a dumb grin, trying to brush it off. "At least I brushed my teeth and washed my face. That's better than them."
"Oh? Want to move in with me and compare?" She glanced at him sideways. "Getting cocky now, are you?"
"I—I know I'm wrong. I'll fix it."
After breakfast, they tossed the bag into a trash can and went into the campus convenience store.
Evelyn had already bought most things at the mall a few days earlier, so Noah was curious what she needed now, trailing behind her. When he realized she was choosing items from the feminine hygiene aisle, his ears went red and he turned away.
His eyes drifted to a rack of hair clips. Tomorrow was Teachers' Day. But the styles here were cheap and simple, not really suitable as a gift for her.
I'll buy something nicer outside tonight, he decided.
He kept browsing, then stopped when two packs of brown sugar caught his eye.
He'd only ever made brown sugar water for Lila before. It hadn't even crossed his mind that Evelyn might need it too. He'd been cared for all this time, rarely thinking about her in return.
Guilt pricked at him, sharp and persistent.
He picked one pack up, then remembered that it was probably around that time of the month for Lila as well.
Back when they were still together, he'd always remembered.
Old habits from growing up next door. Too much softness, he thought, as he reached for the second pack.
Another slender hand touched it at the same time.
"Noah," Lila asked coldly, "why are you buying that?"