(Emmalee’s P.O.V.)

“If you won’t beat him up, what else do you do when you’re angry?”

Her question is genuine, so I steady myself to answer carefully. “I wouldn’t do anything to hurt him. Even if we argue, it’s not nice to hurt people you care about. It’s better to tell them how you feel so they can understand your emotions.”

Hana’s brows furrow, considering my words. “How would you feel, then?”

“What do you mean?”

“If he doesn’t come back.” She stares me down.

“Hmm… At first, I might be mad, but I think deep down, I’d just be very sad.”

Hana’s shoulders soften. “Me too.” We turn our attention back to her blank paper, and her cheeks flush almost as red as the strawberries in her hair. “I don’t know what to draw.”

“Oh, is that what was wrong? That’s okay!” I kneel by her side, setting my chin on the table. “What sorts of things do you like?”

“Um…”

“Hey, you could even scribble with your favorite colors!”

“Really? Isn’t that for babies?”

“Nope!” I grin, grabbing a black pencil and slamming a paper in front of me for dramatic effect. As I furiously scribble, Hana’s airy laughter eggs me on. I make goofy concentrating faces, pretending this scribble is the most difficult drawing I’ve ever made. Hana hops out of her chair and grabs my hand to stop me, and I find her silently laughing so hard that her face is turning purple.

I sort out her wispy hairline. “Okay, okay, breathe, kid. Don’t die on me, now. At least not on my first day.”

Hana sucks in a deep breath before letting out another infectious squeal, grabbing the sky blue pencil and scribbling chaotic lines all over my black scribbles. I join in on her laughter, holding the paper steady for her as she lets herself loose.

Once Hana fades into an exhausted giggle, I plop her back on her chair. “Alright, Little Miss Giggles.”

“Little Miss Giggles!?” Hana fumbles through a laugh now that literally anything I say sounds funny to her. But then she gasps, staring at me. “I know what to draw now!”

“Oh, good! I can’t wait to see it!”

She beams, and I can’t help but pet her little head.

I play some soft music, and Hana jams out to it, bobbing her head as she draws. Keeping my laughter to myself so I don’t pull her out of the zone, I focus on my homework while I can.

After the fourth equation, I get the sense I’m being watched. Looking up to find Hana’s onyx stare, she gazes into my eyes for a hyper-concentrated millisecond before burying her face back into her paper.

“How’s it going?” I ask.

“Fine,” she says. Then she realizes I’m watching. Hooking an arm around her head and paper, she covers her drawing from me.

I laugh. “Am I not allowed to see?”

“Nope!” Her small, muffled voice cries out. “Not until I’m done!”

“Okay, that’s fine. Just let me know if you need help... And don’t forget about your apple slices.”

She pops up, having forgotten about her snack out of excitement, as expected. I rest my chin in my palm with a goofy grin. I don’t care if she’s technically his “sister.” This is totally Niko’s kid.

Hana shoves an entire apple slice in her mouth at once, so thank God I was watching. I force her to spit it into my hand and make what I’m sure is a hideous face in disgust, sending Hana into another laughter fit.

“You’re funny.” She kicks her feet as she munches on a fresh apple slice.

I smile. “So are you!”

“Niko was right.” Hana closes her eyes, nodding in feigned seriousness. It’s a total imitation of her rigid mother. I have to cover my mouth to resist a sputtering laugh.

“Right about what?” I mumble into my palm.

“Huh?!” She gives me a mischievous grin. “Can’t hear you!”

I laugh. “I said, Niko was right about what?”

Her smirk intensifies. “That you’re very pretty.”

My jaw drops, and we both sink into belly laughter. “Hana, did you just spill your big brother’s secrets?!”

She swishes back and forth, scrunching her nose in a sly giggle. “Maybe.”

“Oh, Hana…” I give her a look, the look. And she knows what she did wrong. The way she laughs it off convinces me of my suspicions: she’s as much of a naughty little shit as I am. I shake my head, biting my lips to stop my spreading smile. The temptation is there to make her spill even more secrets, but on top of being a horrible influence, I shouldn’t do that to Niko. Luckily, Hana saves me from my moral crisis yet again, uncovering her half-finished drawing. “Oh, wow! How beautiful! Did you finish?”

“Not yet.” Her smirk is still glued to her face.

“Who’s that? Your mom?”

“No!” Hana laughs. “It’s you, silly!”

“Aww! How sweet!” I take a closer look over her shoulder. It’s hilarious; she must’ve noticed the only color I wear and scribbled me a chunky, black triangle dress. She was kind enough to make my eyes blue, although I know they’re an ugly, washed-out gray. “Why’s there a crown on my head?”

“Because! You’re a princess.”

“Oh. That’s cute.”

“Hey!” She hangs on my arm. “Aren’t you?”

“Um, I guess I can pretend to be?”

“But princesses are very fun, very pretty, and very cool. You have to be a real-life princess.”

I laugh, rubbing her back. “That’s pretty adorable. If that’s all it took to be a rich princess, I’d try much harder to be all those things.”

“But you are!” She’s glaring now.

“Whoa, hey, sorry! Thank you, little sprout. That’s really sweet of you.”

Her frown softens. “Niko thinks you are too.”

I bite my lower lip. “Hana, you can’t share your brother’s secrets like that. It’s not nice.”

Hana scowls. “He didn’t say it was a secret. He tells me stories when I can’t sleep, and he always names the hero Hana or Emmalee. You’re just like the Emmalee in his stories. You’re fun and pretty and cool, and you make everything better. A real-life princess.”

My whole face flushes. It’s so like Niko, leaving my loud mouth at a loss for words from the opposite hemisphere. “Thanks, Sprout. That’s really sweet of you both.”

Hana returns to her paper. “Sometimes, Princess Emmalee even has laser beams. Those are my favorites.”

“Wow, that’s… I think your brother and I have very different definitions of fairytales.”

Hana pauses, looking up at me with furrowed brows. “Is that bad?”

I laugh. “Nope. His sound more fun.”

She grins, rushing to scribble in some grass beneath my black circle feet and a neon sun in the corner. Shoving the paper in my face, she says, “Done!”

I take the fresh drawing in my hands, holding it under the pale overhead LEDs. Hana watches intently, awaiting my reaction. But I can’t admit how I feel. I’m dying to smother her brother in affection—something I’ll never be allowed to do. So I say everything I would’ve if she hadn’t dropped a heart-wrenching bomb on me.

“Hana, the way you draw people is so good! Better than I did at your age! I can’t believe you don’t get to draw often. You’re an amazing artist!”

She swings her feet at her chair’s edge, lowering her head to cover a soft blush. “It’s not too good…”

“Hey, I mean it. I’m so impressed.” Just like Niko, a gentle nudge of encouragement goes a long way for Hana. Her pride glows from within, expressing itself as a wide-eyed grin. “If you had fun drawing, you should keep going, little sprout! You’ll keep getting better and better!”

She giggles, flipping to the next paper sheet. “Okay! I’m going to draw Niko now!”

I take a moment to admire this little energy ball lighting up the room with novel excitement. I don’t understand why they’ve kept her from drawing, but it’s nauseating how far her restrictions must go. I once made the mistake of asking Niko what hobbies he had; he didn’t even know what a “hobby” was. The DoTD is his entire life.

But my parents aren’t innocent, either. They’re pulling us apart because we work well together.

Ever since we were toddlers, Niko and I have been drawn to each other. Our connection is irresistible, not a silly childhood crush. I’ve never gotten over him. He’s the only person who really gets me, and I’m the only person who really gets him.

Maybe it’s the bisexual rebel in me, but nothing can convince me that two people should be split apart for loving each other. Not only in a romantic way, but also loving each other as friends. And at the very least, I want to be his best-best friend. A part-time acquaintance isn’t cutting it.

I have to find a way to tie us together permanently, or else I don’t know how long we can survive like this. It’s too painful.

And I’m already in too much pain. Chronic illness has kicked my ass for as long as I can remember, but it’s settling in the past few years. After a long day at school, playing with Hana has my heart racing like it’s on its last leg, and the night has only begun. I probably shouldn’t have agreed to this job, but I need it. For the last of my sanity.

This has to work to bind us together, this time. I’m clinging to Niko for as long as I live, and unless it’s his choice, I’m not letting him slip away again.