"We waited until the hallway was quiet.
Like… suspiciously quiet.
Kuya quiet.
Which usually meant he was asleep, or plotting, or both.
Aries nudged me with his elbow.
"You ready?"
"No," I whispered, grabbing my hoodie anyway. "But also yes. But mostly no."
He rolled his eyes like I was the annoying one when HE was the one dragging me out for snacks at midnight.
We crept out of the room like two cockroaches avoiding doom.
Every step felt like a jump scare waiting to happen.
The floorboards betrayed us twice—okay, maybe five times—but whatever. We made it to the front door in one piece.
Aries unlocked it slowly, like he was defusing a bomb.
"Bro, just open it," I whispered.
"Do you want Kuya to wake up and break my spine?" he hissed.
Fair point.
The door finally clicked open and we slipped out, closing it behind us like the house would explode if we didn't.
The night air hit my face like cold freedom.
"I feel alive," I whispered dramatically.
"You're so weird," Aries muttered, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "Come on before something actually happens."
We speed-walked down the street like two kids running from chores. The mini-mart sign glowed at the end of the road like it was welcoming us into heaven.
Inside, it was empty. Just the cashier half-asleep and one flickering light that made everything look creepier than necessary.
Aries went straight to the chips like he was born for that mission. I headed for the candy aisle because my coping mechanism is sugar.
We reunited at the drinks freezer.
"You paying?" I asked.
"No," he replied instantly.
"I literally left my money at home—"
"And that sounds like a you problem."
I glared at him. "If you don't pay, I'll poke your eyes out."
He sighed dramatically and grabbed his wallet. "You're lucky I love you."
"And you're lucky I didn't kick you out of Mama's womb," I said, picking a Sprite.
He stared at me. "That's… not how any of that works."
We paid (he paid lol) and walked back out with our haul.
Halfway home, Aries nudged me again.
"So," he said slowly, "where were you earlier?"
I nearly choked on my gummy worm. "What do you mean?"
"You came home late. Like… late late. Kuya almost had a heart attack."
"Uh… I was with…"
I hesitated.
Aries gave me a look.
"Oh my God," he whispered. "You were with him."
"I WAS NOT—"
"You were."
"I WAS NOT—"
"You totally were."
I shoved him. He shoved me back.
"Shut up," I muttered, stuffing candy in my mouth to avoid answering.
He smirked like a demon. "So you were."
I groaned loudly. "If you don't shut up, I'll pull your teeth out one by one."
"Okay psycho," he laughed.
We turned the corner and our house came into view, quiet and dark.
I exhaled slowly, clutching my snacks like life support.
Aries glanced at me sideways.
"Hey… I'm glad you're here, you know."
I looked at him.
"You're acting soft. Are you dying? Did Ella break up with you again?"
He bonked me lightly on the head. "No idiot. I just… like having my sister around."
And for once, I didn't joke.
I just smiled. Small. Quiet.
"Yeah," I said softly. "Me too."
We stepped back inside carefully, closing the door behind us like nothing ever happened.
But the smell of snacks and late-night freedom and stupid sibling bonding stuck to the air.
Things felt… okay.
For now.
We tiptoed back through the living room, snacks clutched like treasure, the whole house dark except for the tiny light above the stove. We were almost safe. Almost.
Aries yawned and flopped onto the bed like he owned the place. I kicked his foot lightly.
"Hey."
"Hm?" he mumbled, eyes half-closed.
I put the drinks down on the table, suddenly unsure if I should even ask. But whatever. It was late, and all my emotional logic shuts off after 11pm.
"Can I… ask you something?"
He side-eyed me. "If it's about borrowing money, no."
"What? No!" I hissed. "I'm being serious."
"Okay, okay. Ask."
I sat next to him, pulling my knees up.
"Would you… ever become friends again?"
He blinked. "With who?"
"You know."
I poked his arm.
"Yuri. Percy. Keifer."
His whole face went neutral.
That scary blank Aries face that means he's thinking too hard and doesn't want anyone to know it.
He didn't answer.
He just stared at the floor, thumb tapping the side of his drink can. The silence stretched a little too long, thick and awkward, like I hit something I wasn't supposed to touch.
I swallowed. "I mean—you guys were close before. Like… really close. And sometimes I think you miss it. The way you look at them in school sometimes—"
"I don't."
Quick. Sharp. Automatic.
But not angry.
Just… scared.
I leaned back. "Okay."
He rubbed his jaw slowly, staring at nothing.
For a small second — just a flicker — his expression softened. Like a memory passed through him, quick and painful.
But he didn't say a word.
Not yes.
Not no.
Just silence.
And honestly?
That was enough.
Because Aries isn't the type to promise something he can't do.
If he truly hated them — like really hated them — he would've said no without blinking.
But he didn't.
And that silence…
it felt like the tiniest crack in the wall he built around himself.
Maybe not today.
Maybe not next week.
But someday…
There could be a chance.
I smiled a little.
Not big.
Just a small, stupid hopeful curl of my lips.
He finally noticed me staring and flicked my forehead.
"Why do you look like that? You look creepy."
"I'm literally just existing—"
"Stop existing weirdly."
I shoved him, and he shoved me back, and just like that the softness disappeared again, covered with our usual sibling bullying.
But the hope stayed.
Quiet.
Warm.
Real.
I couldn't help thinking:
Yeah.
Maybe things could get better.
Not perfect.
Not instantly.
But better.
Maybe because of me
Or wait maybe I had an idea
IMMA GENIUS