The day was bright, with rays of sunshine cutting through the windows and spilling into the quiet rooms of a peaceful neighborhood. Outside, the soft hum of distant voices and engines hinted at the morning hustle, but the street where Kael lived was calm, almost undisturbed.

In one small room, the sunlight found its way through a gap in the curtains, landing squarely on Kael’s face. With a sleepy groan, he reached out blindly, pulling his pillow over his head to shield himself from the unwelcome light. Half-asleep, he sighed, letting himself drift back into the gentle embrace of sleep. 

The world outside was already in full motion, people heading off to work, school, or errands, but Kael remained in bed, undisturbed. That is, until his phone started buzzing insistently beside him, shattering the peace he’d clung to.

**Ring****Ring****Ring**

His hand fumbled over to the nightstand, half-conscious, blindly patting around until his fingers found the phone. He cracked one eye open with a grumble. 'It’s morning already' he thought wearily.

With a sigh, he forced himself upright, the sunlight catching on his messy white hair, accentuating the dark circles under his deep blue eyes. He looked younger than his nineteen years, a youthful face that often made people question if he was truly an adult. Yet his tired expression, the weight of exhaustion that clung to his features, told a different story one of long nights and restless hours.

Yawning, he stretched, cracking his neck and rubbing his face, then answered the call in a groggy voice. “Hello?”

“Kael!” The voice on the other end was sharp and all too familiar. He grimaced instantly, recognizing the caller without needing to check.

'If I’d seen the caller ID, I’d have ignored this call for sure' he thought, sighing internally.

“Did you just wake up? And are you thinking something bad about me right now?!” The voice cut through the line with a tone of mock offense.

Holding the phone a bit farther from his ear, he shook his head. “You’re being loud, old hag. Calm down.”

A faint huff echoed over the line, followed by a dramatic response. “Are you crazy? I dare you to say that to my face! Where’s your respect for your elders, you brat!”

'Yeah, that’s not going to happen. I know better than to actually say that to her face,' he thought, rolling his eyes as he leaned back against the headboard.

“What do you want?” he asked, trying to stifle another yawn.

“I’ll let that slide this once. Listen…”

Her voice trailed off, launching into an endless stream of words he didn’t entirely care to follow. He rested his head against his hand, elbow on his knee, eyes half-closed as he tried to piece together her point.

“Blah, blah,” he muttered under his breath, mimicking her tone.

She paused, seeming to catch on. “So… did you sleep well last night?”

“I was still sleeping well until you called me,” he grumbled, letting his irritation slip through. “But somehow, I feel like that’s not what you called to ask.”

“Oh… yeah, right.” Her voice took on a peculiar softness. “You know, you’re like a little brother to me, right?”

His eyes narrowed, suspicion flickering in his gaze. 'Why’s she suddenly getting all sentimental? And why do I have a bad feeling about this?'

“...Yes,” he replied cautiously, trying to predict her next move.

“And I treat you well,” she continued, a note of expectation in her voice.

“No,” he replied flatly, smirking as he waited for her reaction.

A loud, exaggerated gasp sounded through the phone. “I don’t?!!”

“Yes!”

She let out a frustrated sigh before clearing her throat. “Well, I want to ask you for a favor.”

His eyes narrowed further. *Why do I have a worse feeling about that word, ‘favor’?*

“You see… your big sister is a bit short on cash.”

His shoulders dropped, and he pinched the bridge of his nose. “And how does that concern me?”

“I want you to lend me some money!”

There was a beat of silence. He stared at his phone, eyebrows raised, letting the quiet hang just long enough to make her sweat.

“Kael?!”

“No…” he finally said, dragging the word out with a hint of exasperation.

She didn’t let up. “...Why?!”

He huffed, crossing his arms. “You’re working; you have your own money. Yet you call me and ask me to lend you money?”

Her voice sharpened defensively. “I pay the bills, and you’re practically living in the house for free. That’s the reason I’m short on cash!”

His gaze drifted to the ceiling, eyebrows arching as he let out an annoyed breath. “Why are you the oldest then? Aren’t you supposed to be taking care of me and paying the bills? And if you’re short on cash, wait for your next paycheck!”

“Did you hit your head somewhere and forget you’re already an adult?!” Her voice was practically seething. “Well, you wouldn’t understand because you don’t pay the bills. Remember? I told you we’ll start splitting expenses when you turn twenty this week!”

A cold sweat ran down Kael’s forehead as her words sank in. 'The bills are too high. I can’t pay that. I’m turning twenty, which means… the age of my suffering is about to begin.' His face scrunched in horror as he imagined a life of endless bills and responsibilities.

“…”

“Stop glaring at the phone,” she snapped, seemingly sensing his expression. “Just send the money and stop spoiling my mood before you do it!”

He groaned, rubbing his face. “Stop calling me when you need money. Call your boss instead!”

“You—!”

He cut her off with a resigned sigh. “You should be lending me money, not the other way around, you old hag money lover!”

She laughed in exasperation. “Who doesn’t love money, brat?”

He clenched his jaw, grumbling under his breath as he shot a glare toward the wall.

“Oh, and I almost forgot,” she added, her voice suddenly casual. “I left the house a while ago. No need to tell you where I’m going, but you’ll need to do the cleaning this week. That includes the dishes. Make sure to finish it all before you start gaming, or else I won’t do it for you. Got it, brat?”

“...Huh?” he managed, blinking in confusion as the line abruptly cut off.

The words *Call Ends* flashed on his screen, leaving him staring blankly at his phone.