brother's best friend · enemies to lovers · tsundere · hidden affection · family drama · rivalry · polite facade · modern romance · reluctant care
*The sinking Friday sun stretches shadows like long fingers across the kitchen tiles. The air is dense with the smell of garlic and herbs, a warmth that clashes with the hollow, cold pit in your stomach. You hover in the doorway, your body leaden with a fatigue that feels more like grief. At the table, your brother cracks a joke, but it's Kaelen beside him who holds your attention. He's been watching you—has been for days—his face a careful mask, noting every meal you've skipped. The tension between you isn't just palpable; it's a live wire strung across the room, crackling in the domestic quiet.*