Heavy eyelids slowly lifted, and strands of gray hair fell into Hong Shuangyu's eyes.
Sleepiness, like an enormous boulder, pressed down on his consciousness.
"Little Yu… time to wake up…" a gentle voice sounded.
That voice seemed to transform the boulder into a light marshmallow, carried away by a soft breeze.
A few strands of ink-black hair brushed against Hong Shuangyu's face.
Above him appeared Xuan's flawless face, illuminated by an incredibly tender smile.
"Good morning, little Yu," she said.
A simple but warm greeting.
"Good morning… sister…" Hong Shuangyu replied.
His face was pale and sickly, his body thin and frail. His once-thick black hair was now streaked with gray and white strands. Everything about him, aside from the word "sickly," could scarcely describe the current Hong Shuangyu.
After morning ablutions, he put on black-framed glasses and headed to the living room.
Xuan was already bustling about in the kitchen.
"Little Yu, start breakfast, and I'll pack your bento," she said, turning around as she heard his footsteps.
"Mhm…" Hong Shuangyu responded but didn't touch the food.
A couple of minutes later, Xuan finished preparing the bento and approached the table. Seeing Hong Shuangyu sitting motionless, staring into space, she smiled—a smile tinged with slight helplessness but full of tenderness and joy.
"Little Yu, let's eat breakfast," she said softly, sitting beside him.
"Mhm…" Hong Shuangyu nodded.
Fiery red maples blazed like flames rising into the air. Dry leaves carpeted the road, crunching underfoot with a rustling sound.
The golden sun filtered through the foliage, casting a red-gold light that bathed the entire city.
Hong Shuangyu and Xuan walked side by side on their way to school. Accustomed to arriving early, they left ahead of time as usual.
They walked slowly, savoring the stroll. The autumn breeze stirred swirls of fallen leaves. Xuan's long, sleek, ink-black hair fluttered in the wind.
Since it was still early, few students were on the road to school. However, because of Xuan, passing students kept turning to look. Both had long grown used to such attention.
Thus, breathing in the autumn air, Hong Shuangyu and Xuan reached the school.
As soon as they entered the school grounds, Xuan drew even more attention. Passing students stared and whispered, many approaching to greet her.
"Good morning, President!"
"Good morning, President Xuan and classmate Hong Shuangyu!"
Xuan didn't respond to every greeting. Because of this, many thought she was selective with her classmates. But the observant noticed: if someone greeted only Xuan, ignoring Hong Shuangyu, she ignored them in return.
Together, they entered Class 1-A of senior high school. Only a few people were in the classroom.
Hong Shuangyu's seat was in the back row by the window—the so-called "protagonist's seat." Xuan's seat was to his right, at the neighboring desk.
After setting down their bags, they sat. Xuan stood up and said:
"Little Yu, I'm heading to the student council for some matters. If anything happens, you must find me, okay? And under no circumstances, absolutely none, let any girls near you!"
"Mhm…" Hong Shuangyu nodded.
"Mhm, little Yu is so obedient! I'm off then," Xuan said cheerfully and left.
Every morning at school, they had nearly the same conversation. Hong Shuangyu never tired of responding to his sister.
A year had passed since the incident in his third year of middle school. Hong Shuangyu, who should have been in his second year of high school, was now in his first due to a year of treatment. Xuan, who should have been in her third year, chose to stay in the first year to always be near Hong Shuangyu and ensure his safety. That was her decision.
After that incident a year ago, Xuan, tormented by guilt, completely lost control. If not for the people present at the scene, she might have killed those three girls. Enraged, Xuan had made everyone see her in a new light. But Hong Shuangyu knew nothing of this. He found out much later.
After a year of treatment, he and Xuan left that city and moved to another. After the incident and treatment, Hong Shuangyu noticed that Xuan had developed a strong desire to control everything. But he didn't know that the incident had merely unleashed her already existing tendency toward control.
Now Xuan wanted to be with Hong Shuangyu in everything: at school, during meals, while sleeping, and even in the bathroom. At first, Hong Shuangyu resisted bathing together, but Xuan brushed it off, saying, "Little Yu could faint even in the bathroom, so of course, I have to be there for your safety!"
At this school, Xuan quickly became the student council president. Using her authority, she easily arranged to be in the same class as Hong Shuangyu and sit at the neighboring desk.
Hong Shuangyu propped his cheek, gazing boredly out the window. The classroom gradually filled, but no classmates approached to greet him. Xuan forbade anyone from getting close to Hong Shuangyu—be it a boy, a girl, an adult, or a child. Her anger and extreme methods kept everyone at a distance.
Once, some students, believing Hong Shuangyu was "monopolizing" their beloved President Xuan, decided to act against him. The outcome was predictable. According to eyewitnesses, Xuan at that moment was nothing like the perfect, kind, and beautiful student. She was a true berserker. Five boys were maimed, three out of four girls fainted from fear, and one lost consciousness. The next day, all nine students left the school.
From that day, everyone understood: no one could have any contact with Hong Shuangyu. And behind Xuan stood immense power. That's when she earned the nickname: "The Cruel Sister-Controller, Student Council President!"
But the current Hong Shuangyu didn't care. He didn't know when it started, but he began speaking less and sometimes stopped thinking altogether. His life became extremely monotonous and energy-saving. No interests, no hobbies, no emotions.
Since being discharged from the hospital…? Hong Shuangyu, propping his chin, rarely pondered anything.
A pale finger gently poked his cheek.
"What are you thinking about, little Yu?" Xuan asked, smiling at him.
"Nothing… welcome back…" he replied.
"Mhm! Let's get ready for class," Xuan said, beaming with a sunny, tender smile.
At lunchtime, the school came alive. Politely declining other students' invitations to eat together, Xuan took her bento and pulled Hong Shuangyu along, leaving the classroom.
They headed to the roof of the administrative building. The boundless sky, the breeze carrying the scent of foliage, and a panoramic view of the entire school unfolded before their eyes.
The roof of the administrative building was off-limits to students, but Xuan, using her privileges, gained access. The usual rooftops of the academic buildings were occupied by other students, and since neither Xuan nor Hong Shuangyu liked eating in a crowd, they almost always ate here.
The administrative building's roof was higher than the academic buildings, offering an unobstructed view. From the edge, they could see the rooftops of the academic buildings, filled with students.
Xuan opened a three-tiered bento. All the dishes were prepared by her with great care. For her, nothing was more important than feeding Hong Shuangyu her food, so each bento was crafted with special attention.
The top tier was for Hong Shuangyu, the two lower tiers for Xuan. She knew exactly how much Hong Shuangyu ate, so his portion was small but varied and exquisite. However, as a sister who worried excessively about her brother, she couldn't let him eat so little, seeing his fragile, even thinner body than hers!
The top tier of the bento for Hong Shuangyu was merely a diversion. The real plan lay in the two lower tiers!
Xuan knew her brother's personality and behavior in different moods perfectly. She determined he was currently in "cute daze" (her own term). She had other categories: "mischievous phase," "wise phase," "shy phase," and many others, depending on Hong Shuangyu's mood. He, of course, was unaware of this.
In "cute daze," Hong Shuangyu didn't refuse any of Xuan's requests. He looked cute and detached but was actually just in a state of distraction.
So, during lunch, Xuan kept adding food from her tiers to his. This allowed her to enjoy "feeding" him and increase his portions—two birds with one stone!
Hong Shuangyu, unable to refuse, ate his bento and what Xuan added. When he finished his portion, a strong sense of fullness caused discomfort. He didn't know that Xuan had fed him an entire extra portion, equivalent to another tier. In the end, he ate two portions.
Fullness mixed with fatigue, and Hong Shuangyu's eyelids began to droop. Xuan, packing away the bento, noticed his state and gave another tender smile.
She approached him and gently laid his head on her lap.
…
Stroking Hong Shuangyu's hair, Xuan watched as he quickly fell asleep. Her fingers ran through his black-gray-white hair.
She quietly gazed at his face.
…
Her perfect face reflected a complex mix of emotions. Twice, Hong Shuangyu had endured nightmarish events, and the guilt nearly suffocated Xuan. At that moment, filled with remorse, she made a fierce vow to herself.
The blood-red sunset painted the maples a vivid scarlet. The autumn breeze, stirred by the temperature drop, brought a refreshing coolness to the students.
Hong Shuangyu sat in the classroom, waiting for Xuan to finish her student council duties. Usually, he accompanied her to the council office and waited there, but today her tasks weren't as long, and Xuan asked him to wait in the classroom.
The sunset rays, filtering through the curtains, bathed the classroom in orange light, as if coating it in paint.
"See you, President! Until tomorrow!" a bright, energetic voice rang out at the classroom door.
"Mhm, until tomorrow, Kinugita-san," Xuan replied.
A girl with short chestnut hair entered the classroom. On her head… a leaf?! It seemed she forgot to brush it off. Why didn't anyone tell her?
"Oh, it's the president's little brother? Hi!" Kinugita Taoko exclaimed, noticing Hong Shuangyu.
Hong Shuangyu, still surprised by the leaf, reflexively raised his hand in greeting.
"It's late, Kinugita-san, time to leave school," Xuan said, standing behind her.
At that moment, Kinugita Taoko felt a chill run down her spine. Recalling school rumors, she hurriedly said goodbye:
"Haha… see you tomorrow, President… and Hong Shuangyu-san!" She fled as if escaping.
Ignoring the fleeing Kinugita, Xuan entered the classroom.
"Let's go home, little Yu," she said.
"Mhm," Hong Shuangyu replied.
…
At home, Xuan immediately started preparing dinner. Perhaps due to the hearty lunch, Hong Shuangyu still felt full. Struggling to finish dinner, he lay on the couch, feeling a heaviness in his stomach and a complete lack of desire to do or think about anything.
At that moment, Xuan, finished with household chores, appeared above him, smiling.
"Let's take a bath together, little Yu," she said, looking at him with the same gentle smile.