The sound of steps reveals that, downstairs, someone has walked into the house. Hanna springs on her feet, checking the time on her phone. It’s 12:33 pm. She runs down the stairs. Her socks slide slightly on the floor.

Downstairs, the door is still open and it lets the murmur of the night slither in. In the dark, Hanna can only make his shadow out. In his military uniform, Seungri looks so much like a man. She isn’t used to see him like that, but she throws her arms around his neck without hesitation, then she hits his chest with her fists. “You’re late,” she whispers.

“You all stayed up waiting for me?” Seungri asks, worried, responding to the hug.

“No. Everyone else went to sleep. But I wanted to wait,” Hanna replies. She wants to help him bring his bag inside the house, but it’s too heavy for her. She stands still, looking at him, smiling stupidly. “I’ve missed you so much.”

“Yah! That’s my shirt,” Seungri replies, noticing the shirt Hanna is using as a pyjama. He sets the bag down. His hair is short under the beret. “Do you plan to give them back when I’ll need them again?”

“I don’t think so,” she answers. “And I’m not the only one stealing them,” she smiles, pointing upstairs.

Seungri laughs. “Are you trying to tell me that mom and dad use my clothes to bed?”

Hanna laughs even louder. “Maybe! I’m not telling.”

“They’re expensive!”

“Oh, stop it,” she snickers, and, in the meantime, she can’t stop looking at him and smiling, like she’s under a spell again. She really has the best brother in the world, she thinks.

***

Jiyong can barely keep his eyes open. Jiyong, that usually takes hours to fall asleep, and as soon as he manages to, he wakes up in the middle of the night, his head filled with thoughts. But, in Seungri’s room, although he