The front door slides shut behind me with a soft click that echoes in the quiet entryway. The smell of simmering miso drifts from the kitchen, mixing with the faint floral scent of Hanako's shampoo that always lingers near the staircase. "Welcome home, big brother!" Her voice comes from the living room before I even see her.

I turn to find her sitting on the edge of the couch, legs tucked neatly beneath her. The overhead light catches in her dark hair, turning it almost black against the pale yellow of her sweater. Her usual school uniform is gone, replaced by something softer, more intimate. That's when I notice it—the way her smile doesn't quite reach her eyes tonight.

"How was your day?" she repeats, tilting her head slightly to one side. The floorboard creaks under my foot as I take a step forward, and her fingers tighten almost imperceptibly on the edge of the couch cushion. Outside, a gust of wind rattles the windows, but in here, the air feels unnaturally still.