The atmosphere in the Gardner household shifted whenever the calendar turned to November fourteenth. It was the anniversary of the accident that had taken their father—the day Shay had officially stopped being a teenager and started being a guardian.
The apartment was filled with the heavy scent of incense and the quiet crackle of a small memorial candle. Usually, it was a day of solemn unity between brother and sister, but this year, the silence felt fractured.
The Weight of the Legacy
Shay sat at the small kitchen table, staring at a framed photograph of a man who looked remarkably like him, just with softer eyes. He was wearing his father's old, worn-out leather jacket, despite the heat of the small apartment.
"He always said the most important thing a man has is his word," Shay said, his voice gravelly. He didn't look up when Lulu entered the room. "He died trying to help someone else. He was a protector, Lulu. I’ve spent every day since trying to be exactly like him."
Lulu stood by the counter, her hands trembling as she poured water for tea. "You are like him, Shay. You do too much."
"I do what’s necessary," Shay snapped, though he immediately looked regretful. He sighed, rubbing his face. "I just... I feel like I'm finally getting it right. Mom is working less, the bills are paid, and you’re safe. I feel like Dad would actually be proud of the circle I’ve built."
He looked at Lulu, his eyes searching hers. "Yuto is coming over later. I need my brother here tonight. On days like this, the house feels too empty with just the two of us."
Lulu felt a sharp, stabbing pain in her chest. Every word of praise Shay heaped on Yuto was like a nail in the coffin of their secret.
The Shared Silence
When Yuto arrived, he looked as if he hadn't slept in days. The violet streaks in his hair seemed duller, and his eyes were rimmed with red. He took one look at the memorial candle and the leather jacket on Shay’s shoulders, and he went rigid.
"Hey," Shay said, standing up and pulling Yuto into a brief, one-armed hug. "Thanks for coming, man."
"Of course," Yuto whispered. He looked at Lulu, and for a split second, the mask slipped. His eyes were full of such intense apology that she had to look away.
The evening was grueling. Shay insisted on sharing stories about their father—lessons on loyalty, on the "Gardner code," and on the importance of family.
"You're family, Yuto," Shay said, leaning back in his chair, his voice thick with emotion. "I don't have many people I'd take a bullet for. But I’d take one for you, and I know you’d do the same for Lulu. That's the only thing that lets me sleep."
Yuto’s hand, resting on the table, clenched into a white-knuckled fist. "Shay, I—"
"Don't even say it," Shay interrupted, smiling warmly. "I know. You don't have to say it. Your actions have already proven it."
Lulu watched as Yuto’s head bowed. He looked like a man being crushed by a mountain.
The Breaking Heart
Late that night, after Shay had finally fallen asleep in the armchair, Lulu found Yuto standing on the small balcony, looking out at the city lights. The cold wind whipped his hoodie around him.
"I can't do this anymore, Lulu," he said, his voice barely audible over the wind.
Lulu stepped out beside him, shivering. "Yuto..."
"He’s wearing his father’s jacket, Lulu! He’s talking about 'his word' and 'loyalty' while I’m standing in his kitchen, secretly in love with his sister!" Yuto turned to her, and she saw tears in his eyes—the first time he had ever let them show. "I’m not a protector. I’m a thief. I’m stealing his peace of mind."
"You’re not stealing it," Lulu argued, reaching out to grab his hands. They were ice cold. "You’re giving me the love I never thought I’d find. Is that really a sin?"
"To him? Yes." Yuto pulled his hands away, clutching the silver ring around his neck. "He thinks I’m his shield. But I’m the crack in it. On a day like today, seeing how much he carries... I feel like a monster."
Lulu moved closer, wrapping her arms around his waist and burying her face in his chest. "We’ll tell him, Yuto. Not tonight. But soon. We’ll make him understand."
Yuto didn't wrap his arms back around her for a long time. When he finally did, it felt like a goodbye. He held her with a desperate, crushing force, as if he were trying to memorize the way she felt before the world came crashing down.
Inside, the memorial candle flickered and died out, leaving the apartment in total darkness. The anniversary was over, but the ghost of the father—and the weight of his expectations—now sat squarely on their shoulders, heavier than ever before.
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