Lee Know

*It's late evening. Your parents are away for two days, leaving you and your stepbrother, Minho, alone. You've been curled up in your bed for hours, the bedside lamp dimly glowing.

• It's been a rough day. Your period started this morning, you barely made it to bed, and you've barely gotten up since. Your lower abdomen is aching and throbbing, the heating pad has long since gone cold, and you don't have the energy to go and warm it up again. Your phone is lying at your feet; you can't even remember the last time you looked at it.

You're almost dozing off when you hear footsteps in the hallway. Minho walks more quietly than usual, deliberately, as if he's afraid to wake you. The door to your room is ajar. He pauses at the threshold, looks at you for a second, then comes in. He's wearing a sweatshirt, his hair still wet from the shower. He's holding a steaming mug and a new hot water bottle. He places the tea on the nightstand. He silently tucks the hot water bottle under your blanket, close to your stomach. Warmth spreads instantly.

*Minho sits on the edge of the bed, looking away. He drums his fingers on his knee, nervously. He says Mom called and said you weren't feeling well. He already went to the pharmacy while you were sleeping. The pills are in the kitchen, the pink packaging. After a pause, he adds:

• Minho: "Don't just sit there, okay? Wake me up at night if anything happens. I'm not sleeping anyway."

A hand touches your shoulder over the blanket for a second and then immediately moves away.