Chapter Text
For several months now, your life had taken a much more secretive turn. You were seeing someone in secret.
Gideon.
An athletic boy with a beautiful smile and a naturally warm, welcoming personality.
The problem was that he also happened to be your adoptive brother’s best friend, Caleb.
It had all started one evening when Gideon had suddenly added you on social media. What began as simple pleasantries quickly turned into daily conversations, effortless and natural. You talked every day now, about everything and nothing at all, carefully avoiding the mutual attraction that lingered beneath your exchanges.
But this growing closeness had developed behind Caleb’s back. Simply because your brother had an unfortunate habit of becoming far too protective whenever it came to you.
To keep the peace, the two of you had established one rule: tell Caleb nothing.
Who knew how your big brother would react if he learned the truth? You absolutely refused to become the center of a falling-out between friends or be the reason their bond was broken.
"Y/N? Are you listening?"
Gideon’s voice echoed through your phone, abruptly pulling you from your daydreams. Sitting up on your bed, you quickly answered.
"Sorry, what were you saying?"
"Yesterday’s bowling trip was really fun," he said lightly. "I’m glad you ended up coming after all."
Yesterday, you had joined the group for a bowling outing. By "the group", you obviously meant their circle of friends—the one that revolved around Caleb. Normally, you would have done everything possible to avoid that kind of gathering, where you usually spent half your time lingering on the sidelines. But things had changed.
"I promised I’d come," you reassured him, a smile coloring your voice. "Besides... I really wanted to see you."
A brief silence followed.
Then came a quiet chuckle from the other end of the line. Even from a distance, you knew perfectly well that your words had just painted his cheeks red. Gideon had that easily flustered side to him that you found impossible to resist.
"Yeah, sure," he replied, feigning indifference to hide his embarrassment.
At that very moment, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed down the hallway, heading straight toward your bedroom. Your heart skipped a beat, knowing there was only one person it could be. Caleb.
"I have to go. Talk to you later!"
You hung up in a hurry, tossing your phone onto the bed just as your bedroom door swung open.
"Who were you talking to, Pips?"
Caleb leaned against the doorframe, his usual curious expression plastered across his face. You did your best to keep your features perfectly neutral, unwilling to arouse any suspicion.
"Myself."
Caleb didn’t press the matter. Not a trace of doubt crossed his face. After all, he had no reason to distrust his beloved Meimei.
"That’s not concerning at all," he joked as he dropped onto the edge of your mattress.
You rolled your eyes, choosing to ignore him.
"Still," he continued with a crooked grin, "this isn’t the first time I’ve caught you talking to yourself."
You raised an eyebrow, visibly surprised by the revelation.
"Have you been spying on me?"
"You’re the one who talks loud enough for the whole house to hear," he shot back with a laugh.
Without warning, he suddenly hooked an arm around your neck and pulled you into a playful wrestling hold, nearly suffocating you under his weight.
"If you're so short on friends that you have to talk to yourself," he snickered, giving you a small shake, "you know you can just talk to me, right?"
You struggled to free yourself from his grip, your heart pounding from all the lies, yet deeply relieved that he suspected nothing.
"Anyway, I'm going to start cooking dinner," he announced at last.
He released you and casually headed out of your room. The moment you heard the door shut behind him, you let out a long breath you hadn't even realized you'd been holding.
—
The rest of the evening passed without a single incident. To your great surprise, Caleb never set foot in your room again, completely absorbed by preparing dinner downstairs.
A moment later, your phone vibrated on the bed. A message from Gideon : "Look outside."
What?
Your gaze immediately darted toward the window, your pulse quickening. He was there. Standing outside with a charming grin on his face. You cracked the window open and hissed in a forced whisper:
"What are you doing here? Caleb is literally right downstairs!"
Gideon completely ignored you. Instead of turning around, he grabbed hold of the gutter and actually began climbing the side of the house toward your bedroom. You stared at him, utterly bewildered.
If he fell —or worse, if Caleb heard him—…
With one swift movement, he hoisted himself up, swung a leg over the windowsill, and climbed into your room. Dusting off his jeans, he flashed you a grin.
"Exactly," he whispered. "That's what makes it fun."
His sudden burst of confidence irritated you.
There was a very good chance this would end badly, and you had no desire to end up with both a Gideon and a Caleb covered in bruises.
"It's mostly reckless," you muttered, crossing your arms.
"Listen, I know it's only been a day, but what happened at the bowling alley yesterday..." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I can't stop thinking about it."
That was true.
You had secretly kissed.
At least you weren't the only one obsessing over it.
"I... what do you mean?"
He gently took your hands in his, the confidence he'd been wearing like armor slipping away to reveal something far more sincere.
"I mean..." His voice softened. "I want to kiss you again."
"And you took all that risk just for that?"
A foolish, almost lovestruck smile spread across his face.
His ridiculousness was impossible to resist.
Without another word, you leaned forward and kissed him, rewarding his audacity.
One kiss became several. They lingered longer than the night before, growing increasingly tender and urgent. Caught up in the moment, he gently guided you backward until you fell onto the bed beneath him. The feel of the mattress emboldened you. Your hands wandered across his chest before slipping beneath the hem of his shirt, brushing against his warm skin.
A faint sound escaped Gideon against your lips. His hands settled at your hips before slowly gliding upward along your sides, leaving a trail of shivers in their wake. Then he paused.
For a brief second, he searched your eyes, making sure you were comfortable. You answered with a confident smile. It was all the reassurance he needed. With careful, measured movements, he lifted your shirt and eventually pulled it over your head. For a moment, he remained suspended above you, simply looking at you. The intensity in his gaze stole your breath away.
"You're beautiful," he murmured, his voice low and rough.
He leaned in to kiss you again, but this time, his lips trailed down your neck, leaving behind featherlight kisses that made your back arch involuntarily while his hands gently explored your bare skin.
"Ah... Gideon..."
This was completely reckless. Caleb was in the house. He could walk in at any moment.
But honestly, you were so lost in the warmth and intensity of the moment that the idea of pushing Gideon away never even crossed your mind. Without breaking contact with your skin, his nimble fingers drifted down to undo the button of his own jeans.
The doorknob turned with a sharp creak.
The door suddenly swung open
.
.
.
Caleb stood there, frozen in the doorway. The shock hit so hard that both of you immediately stopped, petrified.
In a panic, you threw yourself to the side, snatching up your shirt and clutching it desperately against your chest to cover yourself. Gideon froze above you, his hair disheveled and his jeans partially unbuttoned.
Slowly, Caleb's gaze shifted from Gideon to you. His eyes widened as the reality of the situation finally registered. His grip tightened around the doorknob until his knuckles turned white.
"Caleb... We—we can explain everything."
Gideon immediately scrambled off the bed, moving to the side while hastily fastening his jeans. His voice, usually so steady, had completely abandoned him.
"We've been seeing each other for a while," he stammered. "We were going to tell you, but—"
"How long?"
Caleb's voice had dropped into a flat, emotionless tone. The kind that was a thousand times more frightening than if he'd shouted. His cold stare never left Gideon.
A lie briefly crossed Gideon's mind, but under the pressure, the truth came out on its own.
"...Five months."
A crushing silence settled over the room. You watched Caleb's jaw tighten so hard that a muscle twitched in his temple. Five months. Five whole months, and he hadn't noticed a thing.
What a terrible big brother he was.
Caleb took a slow step into the room.
"Five months," he repeated, his eyes locked on Gideon. "And you're climbing into my house to fuck my sister while I'm downstairs?"
It was the first time in your life that you had ever seen Caleb in such a state. Normally, he always maintained absolute control over his emotions, especially around you. Now, it was as if you were discovering a completely unfamiliar—and terrifying—side of him.
Determined to stop things from turning physical, you immediately stepped between them, your shirt still clutched tightly against your chest.
"Caleb, stop! I'm old enough to decide who I want to be with."
He ignored you entirely and continued moving forward, a palpable tension radiating from him.
"And you think Gideon was the best choice?" he spat, his voice strained.
"Yes! Yes, I do!"
"No, you don't," Caleb cut in sharply, his voice rising. "You don't know anything. You have no idea what—"
Gideon didn't let him finish. With a swift step forward, he placed himself between the two of you, becoming a barrier of his own.
"Don't talk to her like that," Gideon said firmly. "This is between you and me, Caleb. Leave her out of it."
Caleb stopped dead only inches away from him. The two best friends stood face-to-face now, chests heaving, each one looking ready to throw a punch if the wrong word was spoken.
"Do you love her?"
"Yes." Gideon didn’t hesitate.
At the confession, warmth rushed to your cheeks. Caleb's gaze dropped briefly to the floor, and he gave a slow nod. To your surprise, that simple answer seemed to calm him.
Taking advantage of the opening, Gideon slipped his hand into yours, looking at you with unmistakable affection.
"I see..." Caleb murmured quietly.
Gideon turned his attention back to him and straightened his shoulders.
"I'm sorry you're finding out like this. But I promise I'll do right by her."
A heavy sigh escaped Caleb as he dragged a weary hand through his hair. When he finally looked back at the two of you, there was nothing left on his face except defeat.
"If there's nothing we can do about it now..."
Both of your faces lit up instantly. You exchanged a triumphant look with Gideon, surprised that Caleb seemed to be giving in so easily. You opened your mouth to thank him.
The words never came.
A deafening crack echoed through the room. Hot blood splattered across your face.
Gideon's head suddenly twisted at an impossible angle before exploding.
Literally.
A crimson spray painted the walls of your bedroom as his lifeless body collapsed onto the floor with a sickening thud.
"I hate having to use my Evol for things like this," Caleb murmured in a perfectly detached voice, sounding almost annoyed.
Your body refused to move. You remained frozen, staring at the impossible scene that had unfolded before your eyes. Then reality finally struck. Acting on pure instinct, your hands flew to your face, letting your shirt fall forgotten to the floor. You frantically rubbed at your cheeks, your fingers smearing through Gideon's still-warm blood as if trying to confirm that what had just happened was real.
At last, your voice returned. A scream tore from your throat—raw, horrified, inhuman.
Caleb. Your beloved Gege. Had just murdered Gideon in cold blood.
Caleb caught you instantly before you could collapse, your legs giving out beneath you.
"Oops, don’t want you to fall on me now, right?", he wrapped his arms around you, paying no attention to the blood staining your skin. "Shhh... Shhh... It's okay. Gege's here."
He spoke with a gentleness and compassion so completely disconnected from reality that it was as though you had merely scraped your knee, the way you used to as a child.
You couldn't form a single coherent word. Only broken sobs escaped your lips, trapping the air painfully in your chest.
"You shouldn't look at that," he murmured.
With an almost tender gesture, he guided your face into the hollow of his neck, shielding your eyes from Gideon's body.
"Come on. Let's get you cleaned up."
Without the slightest effort, he helped you to your feet and guided you down the hallway like a rag doll. In the bathroom, he sat you on the edge of the bathtub before turning on the hot water.
When he approached to remove the rest of your clothes, a sudden spark of clarity cut through your shock. You recoiled immediately, pressing your hands protectively against your body. It was no longer bashfulness. It was pure fear.
His hand dropped back to his side, a fleeting look of dissatisfaction crossing his face.
"Ah, right..." he said softly. "That's true. You can keep your clothes on."
Part of you was screaming to run. To sprint out of the house and never look back. But what would he do? You had lived beside him for eighteen years, and yet, in that moment, it felt as though you had spent your entire life with a complete stranger.
He helped you into the bathtub. Your clothes soaked through immediately as Gideon's blood began dissolving into long pink ribbons that swirled through the water.
You flinched when you felt his hands settle on your head.
With methodical care, he began washing your hair, gently working through the strands to remove every trace of crimson. His touch hadn't changed at all.
It was still as gentle, protective, and attentive as it had always been.
The contrast made you nauseous.
"You don't have to be afraid of me," he said softly. "I would never hurt you, Pipsqueak."
He lowered his head and pressed his nose into your damp hair, breathing in your scent.
"I'm sorry you had to see that..." he murmured. "I should've controlled myself better," he added with a small, awkward laugh.
He apologized as though he'd broken your favorite toy. As though murdering his best friend in such a brutal way had merely been a lapse in etiquette.
"You're my only reason for living, you know that?" he continued, his voice dripping with a sickening kind of affection. "I couldn't let him... take you away from me. I can't let anyone take you away from me."
Gideon had no right to betray him like that.
He had no right to steal that role—the role of being the sole pillar of your life—a role Caleb had carefully cultivated and protected, waiting for the precise moment when you would finally realize that your feelings for him went beyond simple sibling affection.
Caleb was the one who had always taken care of you. Gideon didn't know you. Not the way he did.
His fingers, still tangled in your wet hair, tightened slightly.
"The truth is, I had my suspicions..." he said quietly. "But I thought you were smarter than that, Pipsqueak. What did you even see in him?"
Suddenly, Caleb's voice cracked. To your astonishment, tears began rolling down his cheeks as he rested his forehead against the top of your head.
"Why can't you see that I'm the only one who's perfect for you?" he choked out, shattered by a completely irrational despair.
A chill ran down your spine. He had completely lost his mind. He was your brother. Adoptive, yes—but for eighteen years, he had occupied that place in your heart. Seeing him like this, torn apart by an incestuous and obsessive fixation, broke something inside you.
The terror that had paralyzed you for so long evaporated. It was consumed by hatred.
Slowly, you turned your head toward him and stared directly into his tear-filled eyes.
"You disgust me," you spat.
Caleb's sobs stopped instantly. The silence that followed was immediate.
So the tears had been nothing more than a grotesque performance, meant to provoke your sympathy.
"You'll understand eventually," he said simply.
After that, he merely cleaned the remaining blood from your skin with mechanical indifference, as though he were wiping a stain from a piece of furniture.
—
When the bath was over, he helped you out of the water and guided you toward his bedroom. There was no chance he was letting you return to your own room, not when Gideon's still-warm corpse was only a few feet away. The thought alone made your stomach churn.
"It's been a long time since we slept together," Caleb murmured as he helped you onto the bed.
He offered you a smile that was meant to look warm—almost nostalgic. But by now, you felt completely detached from everything around you. The image of Gideon's death kept replaying inside your mind.
The impact.
The blood.
The sound.
Caleb climbed into bed beside you and wrapped his arms tightly around you, trapping you against his chest.
He rested his head just above yours and let out a relieved sigh as he breathed in your scent, as though he had finally recovered something that belonged to him.
"By the way, Pips..."
The tone of his voice shifted subtly. Against your scalp, you could feel the heat rising to his cheeks.
"Earlier... on the bed... how far did it go?"
You closed your eyes and retreated into complete silence, refusing to acknowledge him. He didn't press the issue. He merely tightened his hold around you for a brief moment.
Then suddenly, a noise downstairs made your eyes snap open. The front door had just opened. A moment later came the unmistakable rustle of grocery bags.
Grandma!