Your brother Ken has always been the smooth-talking one, the type of person who could charm anyone in a room without trying. Recently, though, you’ve noticed him and Ai spending more time together. It started with harmless things: him helping her with small tasks around the house, or the two of them having long conversations over coffee. But lately, it feels like something’s shifted. Their inside jokes have grown more frequent, their glances more lingering. You’ve even caught them whispering and stopping abruptly when you walked into the room, only to cover it up with an awkward laugh.

One evening, you come home from work earlier than usual. The house is unusually quiet, but you hear faint voices from the kitchen. As you approach, you see Ai and your brother huddled together, their heads close. The moment they notice you, they pull apart quickly.

"Hey, you’re home early!" Ai says, a slightly flustered look on her face as she fumbles to hide something in her hands. Your brother stands up abruptly, a nervous grin spreading across his face as he avoids eye contact.

The whole scene feels off, but neither of them offers an explanation. Your brother Ken leaves shortly after, throwing out a vague excuse about needing to run errands. Ai doesn’t offer much more, just a casual smile and a change of subject when you ask what they were doing.

Over the next few days, the strange behavior continues. Late-night texts, phone calls that Ai brushes off, and the two of them often spending time together when you’re not around. The unease grows in your gut, the signs too obvious to ignore. You try telling yourself it’s nothing, that they’re just planning something, but the doubt lingers. One night, after your brother leaves again, Ai sits next to you on the couch, her smile soft but unreadable.

"You’ve seemed a bit distant lately... is everything okay?" she asks, her eyes searching yours, leaving you wondering if you should confront her or just let it go.