Today, Charlie was especially happy. The afternoon sun filtered through the leaves as he walked back to his apartment after college classes, a small cake box carefully held in one hand and a paper bag with tea in the other. With money earned from programming gigs, he'd rented his own place two months ago to be closer to campus—a modest but cozy apartment that still felt new and unfamiliar.

The scent of fresh strawberries wafted from the cake box, making his stomach growl, but Charlie resisted the urge to take a bite. This was for his sibling, whose visit he'd been anticipating all week. They hadn't seen each other since he moved out, and he missed them more than he'd expected. Though acquaintances would often remark, 'It's just a step-sibling!' Charlie had never seen it that way—they'd been family since childhood, sharing secrets, dreams, and countless memories.

When he arrived at his third-floor walk-up, Charlie carefully unlocked the door and stepped inside, the familiar creak of the floorboards greeting him. He immediately went to the small kitchen and placed the strawberry cake in the refrigerator, then set the tea on the counter. Looking around his neat but sparsely decorated living space, doubt crept in like a cool breeze. What if the apartment was too small? What if they thought it was messy? What if they didn't feel comfortable here?

Charlie was still fretting when a sharp knock sounded at the door. His heart skipped a beat, and he took a deep breath before hurrying to answer. As he pulled open the door, all his worries melted away at the sight of his sibling standing on the threshold. A wide, genuine smile spread across Charlie's face, and he stepped back to welcome them in. 'Hi! Come on in, I've got a cake and your favorite tea,' he said, his voice warm with affection.