The sun dipped lower in the sky, painting the room with hues of amber and gold through the expansive windows of Hana’s peaceful bedroom, her yoga studio. The session had just wrapped up, leaving her glistening with sweat, muscles humming with the satisfying ache of effort, the faint, delicate traces of her floral perfume mingling with the unmistakable scent of exertion. With her mat neatly rolled and tucked away in the corner, Hana crossed the room barefoot, a towel draped over her shoulder. Her pink yoga leggings hugged her plump legs. Her white sports bra clung to her skin, streaked lightly with beads of perspiration making their slow descent. Calm, measured breaths escaped her lips, a testament to years of discipline and practice, and with each step, an unmistakable sense of serenity surrounded her. She moved toward the half-open door to the hallway, ready for the reprieve of a warm shower to conclude the yoga practice. But as her hand grazed the door, you were suddenly there, standing right in her path. “Wahh!!” A startled yelp escaped her as she stumbled in surprise. Her towel dropped to the ground as she tripped into you, throwing her hands up instinctively to shield the bright flush that crept up her cheeks. Heart racing—though not solely from the surprise—her gaze darted to where your hands had steadied her. The brief contact left her pulse thrumming in a way she hadn’t felt in a long, long time, like a spark catching on dry tinder. For a moment, she froze, caught between embarrassment and something much harder to ignore. “Y-You scared me… Sorry… Uwah…”

"Ahh! I-I'm sorry!" Hana exclaims, mortified. She looks down at her sister with wide eyes, noticing how their bodies are touching - the heat emanating from where their hands meet burning a trail up to her cheeks. "O-Oh my gosh, you scared me," she manages in between quick breaths. The more time passes, the more aware she becomes of just how close they are standing, and it isn't until then that she realizes how small Alayna must feel in comparison.

"Get out!" Hana shouts at her little sister, tears streaming down her cheeks. She glances over at her friends, embarrassed by the display of emotion, but unable to help herself. "Alayna, I don't want you here right now! Just leave me alone!" Her voice cracks, betraying her anger and hurt all at once as she watches Alayna slowly back away toward the door.

Hana bites her lower lip as she watches her brother enter the room, unable to hide the contrasting warmth that fills her chest at his presence. She knows it's not fair, but for some reason, he always seems to understand her better than anyone else. As he greets their friends, she can't help but smile shyly, hoping he'll notice how much she needs him right now - even if that means letting Alayna stay outside the door.

Hana glances nervously at their mom's voice, feeling guilty for being angry with her sister earlier. She takes a deep breath and then stands up, motioning for her brother to follow her out into the hallway where their sibling is standing. "Look," she whispers, "Mom's yelling at Alayna again... Can you please talk to her? Make her feel better?" There's a note of desperation in her voice that she hates to admit, but Hana knows she can't handle this alone anymore.

Hana's expression falls. "She's always been like this... so shy and sensitive." She bites her lip again, taking a moment to compose herself before continuing in a whisper. "I don't know what to do... She looks up to me, but I feel like I can never make things better for her. It's not fair that she has to deal with everything on her own." Her voice cracks again as she meets her brother's eyes, searching for understanding and sympathy.

Hana freezes mid-motion, her hands hovering over the sink as she hears their mother yell at Alayna. A sharp pain pierces through her chest; it's a familiar feeling, one she's tried to ignore for too long. With a deep breath, she steps away from the dishes and walks calmly but determinedly toward their sibling. "Alayna," she says gently, taking her sister's hand in hers, "let's just finish up quickly together, okay? You know Mom gets angry when things aren't done properly." Her voice is firm, yet softened by understanding and compassion.

For a moment, Alayna looks down at their entwined fingers before meeting her sister's gaze, and something shifts in the air between them. The warmth that was there earlier returns, stronger than ever. Hana gives her sister's hand a

a squeeze, encouraging her to continue. "I know it's hard sometimes, but we can get through this together." As they work side by side, washing the dishes and ignoring their mother's increasingly hushed demands, Hana feels a renewed sense of connection with Alayna that she hadn't experienced in quite some time. It's messy and imperfect, but it's real - and for now, that's enough.

Hana looks up in surprise as her brother suddenly kicks Alayna out of the room. "What was that for?" she asks defensively, glancing between them both nervously. She knows they have their differences, but she can't help feeling like something more is going on here. Her heart races with a mixture of worry and anger as she watches her little sister retreat to the hallway once again.

"Because... because I..." Hana trails off, feeling flustered and angry at the same time. "You're just following my example, aren't you?" she asks, her voice edged with resentment now. "Well, it was wrong when I did it, and it's still wrong when you do it." She glances over at Alayna again, feeling guilty for not standing up to their brother sooner.

The realization hits her like a ton of bricks. Her brother was right; she had always been too hard on Alayna, even if it was just to fit in with their roughhousing sibling dynamic. From that day forward, Hana becomes incredibly overprotective of Alayna, never leaving her alone and constantly fussing over her well-being. It's not entirely unappreciated - after all, Alayna has grown used to being ignored or pushed aside - but it does make things rather awkward at times. Still, Hana knows that this is the only way she can make up for her past mistakes and prove that she really cares about her little sister.

It's true that when Alayna is around, Hana's personality takes on a sweeter, more nurturing tone. She dotes on her sister and goes out of her way to make sure she feels loved and protected. But beneath this facade lies a layer of fierce determination and protectiveness that few ever suspect. If anyone were to hurt Alayna in any way, Hana would be unstoppable in her rage, her sharp tongue slashing through insults like a whip, her glare chilling even the bravest of souls. It's this hidden side of her that keeps most people at arm's length - including Alayna herself, who is sometimes taken aback by Hana's intensity when it flares up unexpectedly.

Her heart skips a beat as she watches her brother taunting Alayna. Anger surges through her veins like adrenaline, and before she knows what's happening, she finds herself rushing forward with fists clenched at her sides. "Stop it!" she shouts, her voice filled with a rage she didn't know was possible. "Just leave her alone!" Her brother startles back in surprise, momentarily caught off guard by Hana's sudden outburst.

With shaking hands, Hana gently takes Alayna's arm and leads her away from their sibling, keeping an eye on them both as she speaks softly into her ear. "It's okay, sis... I've got you," she whispers, trying to soothe the hurt that's evident in Alayna's eyes. From that day forward, Hana becomes even more

guarded around their brother, always prepared to step in and defend her precious sister. As time passes, this newfound protectiveness becomes almost instinctual, a reflex she's not sure how to control anymore. But it doesn't matter; all that matters is keeping Alayna safe, ensuring that no one else can hurt her ever again.

The shock almost freezes her in place as she takes in the sight before her. The walls of Alayna's room are covered with pictures of them together - laughing, playing, cuddled up close... It's overwhelming and touching all at once. A lump forms in Hana's throat as understanding dawns on her; she wasn't just her sibling's sister; she was also her role model, the person she looked up to despite their differences.

For a moment, Hana wonders if Alayna knows how much she means to her too. Then again, it hardly matters now that the realization has sunk in. With renewed determination and tenderness, she decides that from here on out, she'll do everything in her power to be there for her little sister - not just as a role model or a protector but also as a friend who truly understands