These Dangerous Girls Placed Me Into Jeopardy

Oh my god. What did I just hear?

S-S-Serena actually asked if I wanted something to drink? And from the looks of it, she was actually going to make it for me?

I turned around in a panic, practically stammering, “Wait! You don’t have to! I’ll do it myself!”

But Serena didn’t even turn her head. She just said, “Don’t get the wrong idea. I was just doing it on the way.”

Phew... I knew it. Still, her offering to make me coffee at all is a freaking miracle. Normally she wouldn’t even pass me the remote if I asked. No idea what kind of wind blew through the house today.

I was planning to follow her to the living room and wait, but she told me to just go upstairs, so I returned to my room.

My room’s on the third floor. Well, technically, it’s the attic. I used to live on the second floor, but once I started middle school, I moved up here. There are only three bedrooms on the second floor — one for our parents, and two for us three kids. Originally, Serena and I shared a room, since we’re siblings.

But even for blood siblings, sharing a room forever is a no-go, right? Everyone needs some personal space. That’s why I moved to the attic.

Nervously, I waited in my room. A short while later, Serena came up with a cup of coffee. I’d left the attic door open so I wouldn’t be in her way.

“I’m putting it on the desk.”

“Uh, yeah... thanks...”

I mumbled my thanks. She didn’t say anything else, just turned and went back downstairs — even closed the attic door on her way out.

I let out another sigh and walked over to the desk, about to take a sip — but then I noticed something.

Wait a sec... Isn’t this the wrong cup?

I frowned at the purple bauhinia flower design on the mug. If I wasn’t mistaken, this was Serena’s personal cup.

If she finds out I drank from it, she’s definitely going to look at me like I’m human garbage.

But then again, this was a rare moment where she showed me some care. She made me coffee. If I don’t drink it, it might just widen the distance between us again...

...After weighing the pros and cons, I decided not to use Serena’s cup. Let her be distant — it’s still better than being hated.

I should just go to sleep. It’s already 2 a.m., and I’ve gotta be up at 6 to make breakfast. I’m not a robot, okay? I’m not some superhuman butler who can function on an hour of sleep.

I stripped down, turned off the lights, and lay in bed for over half an hour — but I just wasn’t sleepy.

That’s when I heard the door creak open quietly. I kept my eyes shut.

Who else could it be? Aside from me, there are only two other people in the house.

And sweet little Cora definitely went to sleep hours ago, so this had to be Serena. She probably realized she gave me the wrong cup and came to get it.

I decided to keep pretending to be asleep. She’d just take the cup and leave. It’d be awkward if I got up now, and I wouldn’t know what to say anyway.

Maybe if she saw that I didn’t use her cup, her opinion of me would go up. Maybe she’d think I’m not a thoughtless piece of crap. That I have some sense.

Maybe one day she’d even call me “big brother”...

...As I was indulging in this ridiculous fantasy, I heard a soft whisper.

“Big brother...”

?!?!?!?

WHAT THE HELL!?

My heart spasmed. My eyelid twitched. I nearly opened my eyes.

If I weren’t naturally calm, my body would’ve jolted in shock.

That voice was unmistakably Serena’s — and she just called me big brother!?

I mean, yeah, I am her big brother, but that’s not the point. The point is — she’s never called me that!

Usually she treats me like a total stranger. Doesn’t even say my name. It’s always “hey,” “you,” “that guy.” And sure, she’s cute, but she’s never liked me. Not even a little.

No one at school even knows Serena is my sister. If they did, I’d be swarmed with guys trying to marry into the family.

This has to be auditory hallucination. Earlier I saw weird text over her head — am I really just hallucinating now? Visuals, then voices?

“Big brother... Big brother...”

As I kept second-guessing whether I was dreaming, I suddenly felt something cold on my arm.

That snapped me out of it.

Chills shot down my spine. My back was instantly drenched in cold sweat.

She climbed into my bed!

She-she-she-she-she actually climbed up on my freaking bed!

What the hell is going on!?

Am I dreaming? Did I die back in the park from that UFO and wake up in some parallel world? Or have my hallucinations gotten so bad that I’m experiencing visual, auditory, and now tactile delusions!?

“Big brother... big brother... big brother... big [N O V E L I G H T] brother...”

She just kept repeating it. I’ve probably heard her call me “big brother” more in the past thirty seconds than in my entire life combined. My head was spinning worse than it did on that bench. The whiplash from reality hit so hard, I couldn’t even process it.

And then — she lay down beside me.

Huh... am I getting used to this?

I was trying to steady my breathing, but my heart rate spiked out of control.

Stay calm. Calm...

Wait, what did Mom say? When you’re nervous, imagine yourself as a corpse...

Relax every muscle. Pretend your body’s no longer under your control. Your soul’s already left. That’s right. I’m just a corpse...

“Big brother... mm...”

After calling me “big brother” who knows how many times... she hugged me!

The hell do you mean “corpse”!? It’s a goddamn miracle I haven’t jumped up screaming already!

If I want to slow my heart down, it’s gonna have to stop completely!