The train coasted into the station with a low hum from its engine. Kaiden stepped out into the warm afternoon light, hoodie still pulled over his head despite the sun. Compared to the roar of the arena, the stillness of his hometown was disarming.

  Suburbs stretched out beyond the platform in organized rows, well-kept gardens, slate rooftops, and clean sidewalks shaded by creaking trees. The scent of trimmed hedges and summer grass hung in the air. A street cat lounged atop a mailbox, barely lifting its head as Kaiden passed.

  His parents’ house sat near the end of the block. A small wooden gate opened into a front yard dotted with bamboo stalks and smooth garden stones. Wind chimes rang from the porch awning. The home itself was modest. A two-story, with sliding doors.

  Before he could knock, the door slid open.

  “Kaiden?”

  His mother, Yuriko, stood short with cropped hair and an apron half-dusted with flour. Her expression shifted instantly from surprise to warmth.

  She pulled him into a hug without hesitation.

  “You didn’t say what time you’d arrive. You must be starving.”

  “I’m okay,” Kaiden muttered, returning the hug. “Smells good, though.”

  “Of course it does. Come on, shoes off.”

  He stepped inside. The house was almost exactly as he remembered; bamboo mats, light wooden floors, walls decorated with framed calligraphy, and old photos. The faint sound of the TV played from the back room.

  “Hey,” a voice called from upstairs. A thump, then quick footsteps.

  His sister Mina appeared at the top of the stairs, holding a sketchpad. She was wearing a paint-stained hoodie two sizes too big. “You’re here!”

  She practically leapt down the last few steps and power dived into him. Kaiden caught her in a half-hug. “I’m here. Geez, you hit like a linebacker. You’ve grown.”

  She smirked. “I’m fifteen. Growth is in the contract.”

  Their dad stepped into the hallway from the den. Malik was tall, with a quiet presence that filled the room even when he wasn’t saying anything. Salt and pepper hair. A weathered jawline. He didn’t smile right away, but his eyes were warm.

  “Good to see you, son.”

  Kaiden nodded. “Good to see you too, Dad.”

  Malik stepped forward and gave him a firm one-armed hug that was both brief and comforting.

  Mina had to practically stop bouncing on her toes from excitement.

  “Dinner is still half an hour off,” their mother said. “I can’t cook with you two hovering around,” she said, tying her apron tighter. “Go stretch your legs. Walk off the train ride. Mina, show your brother what they built near the park.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Mina said with a little salute. She slipped on her sneakers and held the door open for Kaiden. “C’mon, Kai.”

  They stepped into the cool early evening. The sun had begun its slow descent, casting long shadows through the trees that lined the block. Kaiden shoved his hands in his hoodie pocket, walking just behind her.

  Mina was humming something, maybe a melody from her sketch playlist.

  “You didn’t bring your tablet?” Kaiden asked.

  “Nah. Taking a break from drawing.” She kicked a pebble down the sidewalk. “But I did finish a new piece last night. Want to see it later?”

  “Yeah. Show me after dinner.”

  They turned the corner toward the small neighborhood park. An arch came into view, with a garden shrub acting as the wall. Mina and Kaiden stopped underneath the arch and took in the scenery.

  “They put in a garden path. With one of those pollinator zones.”

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  “Really?”

  “Yeah. There’s a whole section of native flowers, plus this weird sculpture made of repurposed wood. Grandpa would’ve loved it.”

  Kaiden smirked. “He would’ve tried to fix it.”

  They walked through the garden path in silence for a moment. The path curved past a bench and into a grove of trees whose loose canopy draped over the trail. Mina stepped ahead, arms swinging.

  “So… are you okay?” she asked, not looking at him.

  Kaiden blinked. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

  She shrugged. “I dunno. Everyone’s been treating you like you’re made of glass. Figured you’d want someone to talk to like a normal person.”

  Kaiden let out a dry chuckle. “You don’t think I’m fragile?”

  “You’re annoying. That’s different.”

  He nudged her shoulder. She stumbled, then laughed.

  They reached the edge of the pollinator garden, a small circular grove with color-coded signs, a few benches, and a gentle humming of bees. Wildflowers swayed in the wind. The sculpture nearby resembled a twisting tree branch fused with gears. It looked out of place but oddly beautiful.

  Mina walked up to the Venus flytrap section and knelt by the labeled sign.

  “I used to think these were scary,” she said. “Like they’d bite your whole hand off.”

  Kaiden crossed his arms. “And now?”

  “They’re delicate. Like… monsters dressed as flowers.”

  Kaiden glanced at her. Then, chuckled. “You’re weird.”

  She grinned. “Takes one to know one.”

  They lingered until the sky turned orange. Then, Mina said, “We should head back before Mom sends out the search drones.”

  They walked home side-by-side. Kaiden didn’t say it aloud, but in that moment, he felt something he hadn’t in a while: Peace.

  ???°?°???

  Dinner smelled like his childhood. Ginger, miso, grilled chicken, and rice. They sat around the low table in the living room, plates already set. The evening sun streamed in through the back window, casting long shadows on the tatami floor.

  “So,” his mom said, passing Kaiden a bowl, “you’re eating, but are you sleeping?”

  Kaiden shrugged. “Trying to. It’s been... a weird few weeks.”

  Everyone paused for a moment.

  Alex’s name hadn’t been spoken yet, but it sat in the air.

  Malik broke the silence. “We were sorry to hear. I know you two were close.”

  Yuriko nodded. “He was always very polite. Always helped with dishes when he stayed over.”

  “Yeah,” Kaiden said quietly. “He was the best.”

  Mina hesitated, then said, “I still have the sketch he helped me finish. It’s on my wall.”

  That softened the edge. They continued dinner in softer tones.

  “Your classes going well?” Yuriko asked.

  Kaiden blinked. “Uh. Yeah. Mostly.”

  Malik didn’t say anything. Just refilled his tea.

  “Lot of people are struggling right now,” Yuriko added. “Doesn’t help that universities keep shifting formats.”

  Kaiden gave a non-committal grunt. Mina reached for more rice.

  “I’ll be back in a sec,” she said, pushing back from the table. “Need to check on my plant.”

  Kaiden looked up. “Your Venus flytrap?”

  “Yeah. Grandpa gave it to me. Said it was a rare one. But it’s been acting weird lately.”

  She disappeared into the next room.

  Kaiden returned to chewing slowly. The quiet stretched again.

  Then his dad spoke. “Are you going to tell us how your classes are really going?”

  Kaiden’s jaw tensed. “They’re fine.”

  “You do know that your professors send out grades? You’ve been either failing or not showing up. You’re pushing the boundary lines of getting probation.”

  Yuriko looked over, but she wasn’t surprised. She just didn’t want to say it so suddenly. Kaiden avoided her gaze.

  Malik’s voice didn’t rise. “We sent you there to do something. Not just coast through it. If you were having trouble academically, you could’ve told us.”

  “I didn’t want to deal with this,” Kaiden muttered. “Plus, a lot of things happened, you know... my best friend dying? Sorry if my grades slacked because I was in mourning.”

  “This isn’t just about grades. It’s about responsibility.”

  “I didn’t ask you to pay for it.”

  Silence.

  Malik stared at him. Not angry, but hurt by his son’s sudden sharpness.

  Yuriko opened her mouth to queue the hostility between the two men, but then a scream from the next room.

  Mina.

  Kaiden jumped to his feet and bolted through the hall. The family room lights flickered as they turned the corner.

  Mina was on the ground, her arm cradled against her chest. The Venus flytrap lay spilled from its pot, shriveled and twitching, its stem dark and glossy like something burnt.

  Yuriko rushed to her daughter. “Mina? Mina, baby, are you okay?”

  Mina blinked slowly. She didn’t answer.

  Kaiden stared at the bite mark on her wrist. The room suddenly felt much colder.