Edward Roger.

In the stillness of midnight, the De Vilan mansion lay quiet—except for the soft rustling of popcorn bags and the fizzing of cold drinks being poured. Aryan and Eron had planned their own little movie night, inside Aryan's room. The bed was a mess of pillows and blankets, and the laptop sat in front of them like a tiny cinema screen.

"Alright, what you liked to watch?" Aryan asked, scrolling through options. "Action, horror… or romance?"

"Whatever you like." Eron who always go along with Aryan choices, agreed to watch whatever he likes.

Aryan squinted at the horror section and immediately backed out. "Let's skip it for now" he mumbled. "I won't be able to sleep the whole night."

After a bit of scrolling, he found a high-rated BL romance. The poster looked cool and the synopsis intriguing.

"Let's watch this one," he said.

And just like that, the movie began.

As the plot unfolded, Eron found himself pulled in deeper than he expected. One of the characters, David—the second male lead—Eron saw himself in him. Falling for someone he shouldn't. Someone who called him family. And yet… loving them so much, he chose to step away for that person's happiness.

He can feel David's pain...

Eron didn't even realize he was crying until a tissue box nudged against his arm. Aryan was holding it out casually, eyes still on the screen. "Here," he said, "Don't flood my bed."

Eron gave a soft laugh through his tears and took the tissue, wiping his eyes quickly.

When the movie ended and the credits rolled, Eron broke the silence. His voice was hesitant, almost hopeful.

"Brother… if you were the male lead… who would you choose? David (stepbrother- second male lead) or Aman (friend- male lead)?"

Aryan didn't even pause. "I choose Aman."

"…Why?" The question escaped Eron like a whisper, as if afraid of the answer.

"Because the other one turn to be my brother," Aryan said simply, shrugging. "How can I ever see my little brother as… anything more?"

Eron's throat tightened.

"But… they weren't blood related," he argued softly, clinging to some shred of hope.

"That doesn't change anything," Aryan replied, more seriously now. "Jae (protagonist) saw him as a brother. Someone he grew up with. There's a brotherly bond tying them together. It's different from love. A brother is a brother. A sister is a sister. Twisting that… it's just not right."

The silence that followed felt heavier than before. Eron quietly turned away, lying on his side, not wanting Aryan to see the storm of disappointment clouding his face.

A few moments later, Aryan flopped down beside him after turning off the laptop and switching off the lights.

"The movie was pretty decent," he said casually, completely unaware of the storm quietly brewing in Eron's chest. "Good plot, solid acting. And honestly, if David had just gotten out of that brother zone... the story would've been way more dramatic. Maybe even better."

Eron didn't turn to look at him. "Mmm… But Jae still saw him as a brother. So, what's the point?"

Aryan tilted his head, thoughtful. "No, hear me out. What I meant was… after they got separated in childhood, if David hadn't told Jae upfront that he was his stepbrother—and instead just tried to reconnect first, win him over—maybe things would've gone differently."

He shrugged. "David was more caring and loving than Aman, honestly. And it's not like Jae and Aman were in a relationship back then."

Eron slowly turned to face him, eyes quietly searching Aryan's. "But what difference would that make?"

Aryan met his gaze, trying to put it into words. "It's about perception. If some guy shows up, treats you with care, is always there when you need him—you might start feeling something. That's how love grows, right?"

He paused, then added with a softer tone, "But if it's family—even if you're not blood related—people just assume it's affection. Like, normal concern. Nothing romantic."

Eron stared at him for a long moment, heart pounding with something unnamed.

'Is that means, Aryan starts seeing me as just Eron, and not his little brother… there's a chance?'

The thought lit a flicker of hope in Eron's heart. He happily leaned in and wrapped his arms around Aryan, snuggling close. The familiar scent of him, the warmth make Eron feel at ease.

Aryan blinked but didn't pull away as he is used to it. He just let out a soft sigh, resting his head back on the pillow and fall asleep.

A few days later...

The calm air around the De Vilan mansion grew heavy the moment the gate opened.

An unexpected car pulled up the driveway, followed by an awkward silence inside the house. Adam had been going through some paperwork in the living room when Lisa peeked out the window—and froze. A cold expression washed over her face.

Adam stood, frowning. He stepped beside her and followed her gaze.

Outside, a man in a wheelchair was slowly approaching the front entrance, guided by a neatly dressed secretary. The man wore a plain sweater and slacks—nothing flashy, but clean. His posture was stiff, his hands clutched the armrests a little too tightly. He looked older, smaller than Adam remembered. There was a hesitation in his eyes that didn't match the man they used to know.

Adam's lips parted slightly. "Edward…"

He hesitated, then moved toward the door. By the time he opened it, Edward and the secretary were already at the steps. Without a word, Adam stepped aside to let them in. His secretary helped guide the wheelchair over the polished floor.

Edward didn't speak. His gaze drifted around the room like he was searching for something—or someone.

Adam's voice, carefully neutral, cut through the tense air. "What would you like to have, Roger? Tea? Coffee?"

"Nothing," Edward muttered, eyes still scanning.

And then— Footsteps echoed in from the entrance.

Eron and Aryan were just coming in from outside, talking and laughing about something—until Eron stepped through the doorway and spotted the man in the wheelchair— his whole body tensed as he couldn't move.

Aryan noticed the sudden shift. He glanced between Eron and the man in the chair, eyebrows pulling together in concern.

"Hey," Aryan said quietly. "Do you know him?"

Eron's mouth opened, but for a moment, nothing came out. Then, barely louder than a breath:

"…Father?"