The loud bang of Sirin's door closing echoed through the apartment like the hammer of final judgment.
The living room fell into a dead silence, with only the faint city noise from outside the window remaining.
Kiana blinked her blue eyes, looked at the closed door, then at the pale Raiden Mei, and finally her gaze fell on Kael, who was rubbing his temples, as she quietly broke the silence: "Uh... Kael, she seems... very, very unhappy?"
Mei tightly clutched the corner of her clothes, her fingertips white, her voice trembling: "I-I'm sorry, Mr. Kael... I seem to have... caused you a lot of trouble... I should... I should leave..."
As she spoke, she turned to pick up her small luggage bag.
"No need."
Kael sighed and stopped her, "Since I promised to let you stay temporarily, I won't go back on my word. It's just..."
He glanced at Sirin's door, feeling his temples throb.
"I need to talk to her first. Kiana, take Mei to settle into the guest room, it's the one at the end of the corridor."
"Oh, okay!"
Kiana, uncharacteristically, didn't argue, probably also intimidated by Sirin's terrifying aura. She took Mei's hand, "Come on, Classmate Raiden, I'll take you to the room! It's not big, but it's very clean!"
Mei gave Kiana a grateful look, then worriedly glanced at Kael, but ultimately followed Kiana out of the living room.
Kael stood outside Sirin's door, took a deep breath, and raised his hand to knock.
There was no response from inside.
"Sirin, it's me."
Kael softened his voice.
Still a silence.
Kael knew she was listening.
He tried to turn the doorknob and found the door wasn't locked.
He gently pushed the door open and walked in.
The room was dark, with no lights on and the curtains drawn.
Sirin sat on the edge of the bed, her back to the door, her long purple hair cascading down, covering the side of her face.
She was motionless, like a frozen statue, but the aura she exuded, a mix of grievance, anger, and cold rejection, almost filled the entire room.
Kael closed the door, walked over to her, and without immediately sitting down, just stood there and spoke softly: "Sirin, let's talk."
Sirin's shoulder moved almost imperceptibly, but she still didn't turn around or speak.
"Mei... Classmate Raiden's family has gone through a huge upheaval, and she's homeless and in a very dangerous situation right now."
Kael tried to explain in a calm tone, "I'm just taking her in temporarily to ensure her safety. This doesn't mean anything."
"Heh..."
A very light, deeply sarcastic sneer came from Sirin, "'Doesn't mean anything'? Brother, you're always like this... so 'gentle' to everyone, so 'kind-hearted' to everyone..."
Her voice was low, with a suppressed hoarseness, "Sister Theresa is like this, that Bianca is like this, and now even this Raiden Mei, whom you've only met a few times, is like this... As long as someone 'needs help', you'll extend a hand without hesitation..."
She suddenly turned her head, her golden eyes shining brightly in the dimness, brimming with intense and painful emotions Kael had never seen before: "What about me? Brother! What am I to you?! Is it true that as soon as the next 'more pitiful', 'more in need of protection' person appears, you can easily cast me aside?!"
She almost shrieked the last sentence, a complaint filled with thirteen years of accumulated fear, insecurity, and despair.
Tears finally streamed uncontrollably from her eyes, tracing paths down her pale cheeks.
Kael's heart felt as if it had been fiercely clutched, and a sharp pain spread.
Only then did he realize the profound psychological trauma his "death" thirteen years ago had left on Sirin.
That wound, seemingly healed by the joy of reunion, had never truly closed; it had merely been carefully hidden by her, and now, a new "threat" had completely ignited it.
He no longer hesitated, stepping forward, and before Sirin could try to pull away, he reached out and pulled her tightly into his embrace.
Sirin's body instantly stiffened, then began to struggle violently: "Let go of me! Get away! Go find your 'person in need of protection'!"
But Kael's arms were as firm as iron bands, not loosening no matter how much she hit and struggled.
He gently rested his chin on the top of her fragrant hair, his voice low and firm, with an undeniable strength:
"No, Sirin. Absolutely not."
His voice pierced through Sirin's intense emotional barrier: "Listen to me, Sirin. You are not like them. Never."
Sirin's struggles gradually weakened, but her body remained tense, silently shedding tears.
"Theresa is my comrade, an important friend. Bianca... Kiana, they are a responsibility, a trust."
Kael explained his inner thoughts clearly, word by word, "And Raiden Mei, she is indeed a person in need of help right now, and I cannot stand by and do nothing, but this is merely out of a sense of duty..."
He paused, tightening his arms slightly, hugging the slightly trembling body in his embrace even closer, his voice imbued with an unprecedented gentleness and solemnity: "But Sirin, you are someone I personally brought up, my younger sister whom I promised to protect and accompany forever. This connection is unique, irreplaceable by anyone else. The thirteen years of absence, I am sorry for it, but I am back, and I will not leave you alone again. I promise."
He felt the body in his arms soften little by little, the tense spine gradually relaxing, and finally, Sirin buried her face deep into his chest, letting out an uncontrollable, whimpering sob like a small beast.
This time, it was no longer an angry accusation, but a release born of immense grievance and finally finding solace.
Kael said nothing more, just quietly held her, one hand gently patting her back, just as he used to when coaxing her to sleep long ago.
He could feel the fabric on his chest quickly becoming soaked with warm tears.
After a very, very long time, Sirin's crying gradually subsided, turning into intermittent sniffles.
She still clung to Kael's embrace, refusing to look up, her muffled voice coming through: "...Really? Brother isn't lying to me?"
"Really."
Chen answered without hesitation, "I swear by my name as the captain of the Asgard."
"...Then she..."
Sirin's voice was still very nasal, "Can only stay temporarily?"
"Yes, just temporarily. She'll leave once she finds a safe place or when things settle down."
Kael promised.
Sirin was silent for a while, seemingly processing and weighing her options.
Finally, she slightly lifted her head, revealing a pair of red, rabbit-like eyes from crying, looked at Kael, and made her conditions: "Then... Brother has to promise me, you can't be nicer to her than to me! You can't make her special desserts! You can't pat her head! And... you still have to tell me bedtime stories at night!"
Listening to these childish demands, Kael was somewhat amused and exasperated, but also relieved at heart.
Making demands indicated that she was mostly appeased. He nodded, indulging her, "Okay, I promise you everything. I'll only make special desserts for you, only pat your head, and bedtime stories... if you still want to hear them."
Only then did Sirin sniff contentedly, burying her face back into his embrace, rubbing against him, and whispering, "That's more like it..."
Kael held her, and the taut string in his heart finally completely relaxed.
He sighed softly; it seemed Sirin was simply too insecure, having gone through so much... He would have to be more careful in the future.
He convinced himself, attributing that faint underlying unease to excessive worry.
After comforting Sirin and waiting for her to go to the bathroom to fix her tear-streaked makeup, Kael finally led her out of the room.
In the living room, Kiana and Mei were sitting on the sofa, the atmosphere a bit awkward.
Seeing them come out, especially Sirin, whose eyes were still a bit red but whose expression had returned to calm, both of them breathed a sigh of relief.
"Um... Is everything alright now?" Kiana asked tentatively.
"Yes, everything's fine."
Kael nodded, looked at Mei, "Mei, you can stay here with peace of mind. This is Sirin, my younger sister. Sirin, this is Raiden Mei."
Sirin gave Mei a faint glance, which counted as a greeting; although there was no smile, at least the previous hostility was gone. She merely looked at her with an almost scrutinizing gaze, with a clear sense of boundaries, as if silently declaring: In this home, I am the mistress (?).
Mei quickly stood up and bowed slightly to Sirin: "Miss Sirin, hello, thank you for having me."
Sirin softly hummed a reply through her nose, then no longer looked at her, instead hugging Kael's arm and announcing: "Brother, I'm hungry, I want to eat your sweet and sour pork ribs tonight."
"Okay, I'll go make them."
Kael smiled helplessly, rubbing her hair. This time, Sirin didn't dodge, but instead narrowed her eyes, like a cat being petted.
Kiana watched this scene, her lips pursed, but said nothing.
Mei observed carefully, seemingly understanding her place in this "home."
The dinner atmosphere was much calmer than expected.
Kael made sweet and sour pork ribs, stir-fried vegetables, and mushroom soup.
Sirin sat close to Kael, occasionally directing him to put food on her plate, enjoying the "exclusive" care.
Kiana occasionally cast dissatisfied glances, but most of her attention was drawn to the delicious food.
Mei ate quietly, trying to minimize her presence, only occasionally saying a soft "thank you" when Kael pushed a dish towards her.
After dinner, Mei voluntarily took on the task of washing dishes, seemingly wanting to express her gratitude.
Kiana sprawled on the sofa, digesting, while Sirin clung to Kael's arm, demanding that he fulfill his "bedtime story" promise.
Kael looked at Sirin, who was clinging to him, then at Mei, busy in the kitchen, and Kiana, idle on the sofa, and suddenly felt that, if one ignored the complex undercurrents, this scene before him had a bit of the hustle and warmth of a "home"?
However, how long could this fragile balance be maintained?
...Meanwhile, far away at Schicksal Headquarters, deep within that luxurious and cold palace, Otto Apocalypse stood before a massive panoramic window, holding a glass of wine as red as blood, overlooking the city sparkling like a galaxy below.
Several light screens floated before him, one of which clearly displayed a real-time surveillance feed of Kael's apartment living room—Sirin nestled beside Kael, Kiana yawning, Mei wiping the stovetop in the kitchen.
Otto's fingertips gently traced Kael's profile on the screen, a profile that held a hint of helplessness yet also indulgence. Complex and indecipherable light flickered in his emerald eyes; there was concern, control, a barely perceptible hint of jealousy, but more than that, there was... doting love.
"How lively, Kael..."
He murmured softly, a meaningful curve playing on his lips, "Let it be... As long as you are in my sight, as long as you... are happy."
He tilted his head back and drained the wine in his glass, as if drinking not wine, but some twisted and profound emotion.
"After all, you are my... most precious treasure."
(I feel like I'm not suited to writing harem novels. Should I try starting a pure romance one instead...?)