Warning: This chapter contains a mental health break that may be triggering to some readers.

Solnyshko.

It means, little sun.

A nickname that Mrs. Volkov had been using for her youngest son ever since he was a baby. Back then, it suited him more - being a rather calm infant, hardly crying, keeping to himself. It fit.

But just as a child grows, so does the connection.

"Rian." Maksim's voice is muffled, the articulation blurred as it enters Rian's ears. It sounds almost like a radio with too much static.

Rian's hand clenches around the back of the chair, nails digging into the wood, leaving faint marks.

"Okay, Rian, you can watch the movie with us-"

"Shut up."

His voice is quiet, eyes wide, staring at the floor. Little puffs of air leave his mouth, uneven and sharp.

"Shut up. Shut up. Shut up. SHUT UP!"

He screams, grabbing the chair with both hands and hurling it toward his brother. Maksim shouts and dives out of the way, one of the chair legs missing him by inches.

"Shut up!" He keeps screaming. The sound in his ears is too loud, the pounding in his heart too heavy. His body moves before his mind can catch up - grabbing one of the decorative vases from atop the fireplace and throwing it against the wall. It shatters with a sharp, ringing crash.

"Solnyshko!" Mrs. Volkov gasps, rushing forward but stopping short. The wooden spoon trembles in her hand. She wants to move - but her legs won't liste.

"Please! Calm down!"

"I told you not to call me that!"

More Crashes. More breaking. The once peaceful house is swallowed by chaos - picture frames, trinkets, glass, all crashing down.

Eunwoo stands frozen, wide-eyed, chest trembling with each shaky breath. He's never seen Rian like this before.

"Eunwoo- go to my room. Now." Maksim's voice cuts through the noise, sharp and steady.

"I-I want to help-" Eunwoo stammers, but his body betrays his words, the fear visible in light trembling.

"You can't. Please go to my room - before you get hurt!" Maksim practically begs, shaking Euwnoo's shoulders.

"Serdtse maya! Please!" Mrs. Volkov cries out, voice breaking as she drops to her knees.

"Leave me alone! Go away! Go away!" Rian screams, his voice cracking halfway through. His movements slow, less violent now, but his body still feels like it's ticking - wound up and ready to explode again.

"Mama." Maksim's voice softens. He grabs her arm, grip gentle but firm. "Come on." No matter how hard he tries to keep his tone strong, she can still see the fear in his eyes.

"Let's go to the garden." He says quietly.

He slowly helps her up, guiding both her and Eunwoo toward the door. But before stepping out, Maksim glances back - just once.

His expression isn't angry. It's hurt. Disappointed.

Then they're gone.

Rian stands there alone, chest heaving, the room echoing with silence where chaos once was. His legs give out, and he sinks to the floor.

What happened? He doesn't remember.

"Oh.. no.." The words slip from his lips as he takes in the wreckage. The broken glass, the ruined memories.

He did this. He lost it again.

Tears well up before a broken sob escapes his throat. "I'm sorry," He whispers, pushing his knees into his chest - trying to make himself as small as possible.

"I didn't mean to."

Rian isn't sure how long he's sitting there alone in the silence, but he knows it's been awhile - long enough for the sun to start rising, light slipping through the bent blinds, which are still jumbled mess from earlier.

Every sound makes him flinch: the clicks of the air conditioner, the clock ticking, the coffee maker brewing. It would be a regular morning - if not for what happened.

He can still hear them - his family, Eunwoo - screaming, begging - their voices laced with fear and panic. It causes a sharp pain in his heart which repeatedly stabs him. He knows what he is, why he's such a big problem. Maksim's words - as cruel as they were - were true.

Rian is clingy, he's annoying. A ticking time bomb who latched onto someone who's too kind for his own good - chasing warmth that fades the moment Eunwoo leaves.

He never meant to scare him.

Sniffling, Rian pushes himself to his feet - his body weak and tired. The episode had drained him, and all he wants to do is go to his room, close his door, and lock himself in there until he can no longer think.

So he does.

He closes his door softly, turns the lock, and makes it halfway to his bed before pausing. The Teddy bear stares back at him from the shelf, its glassy eyes blank.

With a whimper, Rian drags his feet towards it, hands trembling as he picks it up. His thumb traces the worn fur over its head - careful, gentle. He doesn't dare break it.

-

It quiet now, but the air feels heavy - thick with something that doesn't settle.

Eunwoo sits on the stone ledge which circles around a small pond, the sound of water clashing into each other in ripples - it's quite calming actually. He gently dips his finger into the water's surface, breaking the stillness, and the lilites tremble with the waves.

"Hey."

It's Maksim, voice calm and quiet, as if he's too worried of speaking any louder. He sits beside him. "Doing okay?"

Eunwoo doesn't answer right away. He's not ignoring him - just replaying what happened over and over. "Yeah." He murmurs finally, though his tone a bit off - as if he's trying to convince himself that everything really is okay.

Maksim shifts closer, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. "I'm sorry you had to see that."

Eunwoo hums quietly, eyes slipping shut as his body naturally falls into his friend's chest. He feels relaxed this way, in Maksim's arms. Not romantically - just comfortably.

"Are you okay?" He asks after a moment.

Maksim nods faintly. "I will be."

There's another long moment of silence between them.

Eunwoo wants to help, to fix something, but he can't. He feels useless. The Volkov's have given him so much, yet he can't even steady them when they need it most.

"You should check on Mrs. Volkov." He whispers finally. "I'll be fine." It's true. He's only witnessed the episode.. Yet both of them need to deal with it in their daily lives. It must be exhausting.

Maksim gives a light nod. "Mama doesn't like talking about it." He admits, his playful, usual self nowhere to be seen - as if it never existed in the first place.

"I've tried to talk to her about it, you know." He tells him.

"About the episodes?"

"About everything!" Maksim sighs heavily, his body hunching over as he exhales. "She's terrified to send him for treatment." His hands ball into fists. He's frustrated. "He keeps lashing out because nothing changes - because she lets him - because she's afraid of setting him off again

Eunwoo's eyes flick to Maksim, gently going to brush a strand of hair from his face. "It's not that simple and you know it." He says softly. "Change is scary. She's scared - you both are. It doesn't make her wrong."

"No. It's not that." Maksim says immediately, head ducked. "After papa left, she's grown afraid of being left alone again. Sending Rian away feels like losing someone else."

Maksim doesn't talk about his father, and Eunwoo never asks.

"She wouldn't be alone. You'd be here." Eunwoo says gently. "Have you tried telling her this?"

Maxsim shakes his head. "God no. I don't want to bring up such a painful memory."

Eunwoo understands. Maxsim has been trying to fill his father's role for years - keeping the house steady, watching over his mother and brother, trying to be the best image of himself that he can be so that his mother is proud of him. He's only 17, and it's too much for one person.

"I'm no expert," Eunwoo stands. "But, it might be better to do so, just so she can realize how important this situation is - and how much worse it could be if it continues."

He smiles gently at his friend who just sighs again. "yeah. Maybe."

"Come on. Let's go help her clean up."

The living room is a mess - various amounts of materials coat the floor: Glass, paper, pottery. Different materials, same outcome. All broken by loss of control.

Mrs. Volkov is already cleaning, hunched over as she shakily gathers pieces of a shattered vase - careful not to cut herself on the sharp edges.

Eunwoo rushes over instantly. "Here, let me help." He picks up few smaller fragments, dropping them into the small trash can beside her.

"Thank you, Eunwoo." Her voice isn't the same - not calm or compose, nor strict. Just broken.

"Mrs. Volkov, is there anything-"

"Eunwoo." She cuts him off softly, looking up to meet his eyes. They're tired, sad - ghosted over. "I think it's best you head home. Your parents must be worried - you've been gone all night."

He stares back for a long moment. It feels awful, being turned away when he's trying to help. His lips purse, eyes stinging.

"I'm sorry." His voice comes out small, pained.

Mrs. Volkov gasps. "Eunwoo, Дорогой мой (my dear one), none of this is your fault." She says instantly, going to cup his cheeks gently.

"But it is. If I would have just put my foot down and hadn't babied Rian so much-he, I-this wouldn't have happened!" He cries, voice trembling and broken through sobs.

"Моё сердце — и твоё тоже."

Eunwoo blinks, sniffing. "W-What?"

"It means, my heart is yours too." She smiles warmly, thumbs brushing away his tears. "Too pretty to cry."

Eunwoo just stares at her in awe. He's always admired her calm strength - now, even more.

"Go on home." She says. "We've got things under control here."

Clearly not- but he doesn't push it. This is the Volkovs' burden, even if he's practically family.

Eunwoo slowly stands, going to wipe away the dust which strained his knees as his eyes meet Maksim's, who's standing at the opening of the kitchen. Maksim gives him a firm nod.

"Get home safe." Maksim says, to which Eunwoo nods back.

"Yeah.. Of course."

Maksim watches as Eunwoo gathers his things - shoes, hoodie, backpack - and slips out the front door. The quiet thud of it closing is what finally breaks him.

"Mama." Maksim says, the tone of his voice causing her to pause. It's not harsh, not angry, but firm. "It's time. We need to get him treatment."

"No." She turns it down instantly, turning back to the mess. "Go start dinner, Мой старший сын, I'll finish cleaning up-"

"Mama. No!" Maksim's voice cracks, fists clenched. His throat is tightening - it's getting hard to breathe. "I can't do this anymore!" He's shaking, barely able to keep his voice steady. "We need to do something."

"And we will-"

"No we won't! We never do!" Maksim grabs her hands, holding them tightly. "Mama, I know you're scared - scared to be alone." He hadn't meant to say it like that. He had a whole plan for this conversation, but he's getting way too emotional.

"But you won't be alone. I'll be here." He cries. "Mama, I'm tired." His voice had gotten quieter, losing its strength. "Please. You know this is the right thing to do."

Mrs. Volkov stares at her son with a shocked expression, the calmness she tried so hard to preserve slowly cracking. She had been so worried about Rian, that she'd forgotten how much Maksim has carried, too. "My Максимка (Maksimka)."

She wraps her arms around him, pulling him close. They sit there for a long moment, just basking in each others warmth, holding onto what little peace they can.

“There’s a treatment center,” Maksim murmurs eventually, swallowing hard. “Down at crossroads. It’s called Bluehill.”

She strokes his hair, silent.

"You've researched it?"

"It's good, Mama. It has a garden, an art studio, the doctors are real - they care."

She hesitates, voice low. "Did you find that on Google?" She's still skeptical. How could she not be? So many places have horror stories to them, having a happy outside image, but beneath, a terrible surface.

Abuse, manipulation, mistreatment.

"No, I went in and looked for myself." Maksim finally pulls away, going to wipe his eyes free of any remaining tears. "Then talked to some past patients. It seems decent." He smiles gently. "Mama. I want him to get better, too."

Mrs. Volkov stares at her son for a long moment, despite her inner thoughts battling each other. The words leave her lips before she can even think them.

"Alright."

_

The front door slams shut, followed by the dull thud of a backpack hitting the floor.

"Eunwoo! 어디 다녀오셨어요?! 걱정이 너무 많았어요! (Where have you been?! We've been worried sick!)"

"Eomma... I'm sorry." His voice is quiet, frayed, eyes staying glued to the carpet - red and puffy from crying.

His mother rushes to him, hands gently cupping his cheeks. "Darling. What happened?"

That's all it takes for him to break. A sob tears through his chest as he throws himself into her arms, clinging tightly. The long walk home had given him too much time to think - to replay everything he'd seen. Every sound, every scream.

He's sure Maksim's talked to his mother by now, about treatment, and about what comes next. Because what he witnessed... no one should have to see that.

He buries his face against her shoulder, breathing in the familiar scent of home - of comfort. For the first time since last night, he feels safe. He loves the Volkovs, truly, but sometimes you just need a mother's touch.

He didn't know it then, but that would be the last time he'd see Rian.