Kai was fiddling with his doorknob by the time I arrived at my apartment from school. He was irritated, kicking at his door in frustration.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, peering over his shoulder. He flinched at the unexpected proximity and moved away.

“I forgot my keys inside. Stupid door,” he said, groaning.

“For an apartment in this area, a door that locks automatically is a pretty extravagant feature,” I said sarcastically.

“Yeah, well I’ve been trying to get it open for an hour.”

“Why don’t you call a locksmith?”

“I forgot my cellphone inside too. And all our neighbours are shady. Imagine what they’d do with me if they got me inside their house.” He splayed his arm over his forehead dramatically. “I’m too irresistible for my own good.”

“Just come in and use my phone to call a locksmith then,” I said, opening my door. He stood at the entrance, but didn’t come in.

“I was hoping you knew how to pick a lock. I don’t actually have enough money to pay a locksmith.” He looked at me hopefully, but I just sighed.

“I’m not authorized to lend you money. I don’t have any money to lend you anyway.” My brother never left any money in the house. He stockpiled food, and because anything we ever ate was out of cans, I never had a need for money in case the food went bad.

“Does your brother know how to pick locks?” Kai asked, as if suddenly hit by inspiration. I bit my lip, a little uncomfortable.

“You’ll have to ask him when he gets back,” I said.

“When’s he coming back?”

“Either tonight or tomorrow night.”

“Can I stay over then? Until he gets back?”

“Why?”

“Because it’s cold in this hallway and I spent all my money on pastries this morning. Some of which you ate.” Deliberately, he held up an empty bag from the bakery, and shook it out in front of me. “See, not even a crumb left.”

“You can come, but you can’t stay the night. We don’t have a couch. I’m not allowed in my brother’s room. You can’t sleep in my room.”

“Fine.” He walked past me, and sat at my kitchen table. It was strange to have someone who was not my brother in the apartment. He sat, rocking the chair back and forth so that he was precariously balanced one moment and stable the next. His stomach growled. He looked at me.

“You want food?” I asked, opening a cabinet.

“Lobster or steak would be nice.” He said it in such a way that I thought he was serious for a moment. I paused and stared at him. He laughed and waved his hand. “Just kidding.”

“You’re in luck. You get to choose between two kinds of instant ramen today. Beef or chicken?” I set down the packets in front of him. Cautiously, he held them up and examined them under the dim kitchen lighting.

“It’s just ramen.”

“I know,” he said almost defensively. “I’ve just never had this kind before.”

“Good for you.” I took the packets from him. “Now which do you want?”

“I’ll take the beef.” A pause. “No, wait. I want chicken.”

“Chicken then.” I was about to rip the packet open when he shook his head vigorously.

“Actually, beef.”

“Fine.”

“Wait, wait. No, chicken. Which tastes better?”

“They all taste the same. A hundred percent artificial goodness guaranteed. It’s on the label,” I said.

“Really?” He took the chicken packet and scanned its nutrition contents. “There’s nothing like that here!”

“I’m starting to think you’ve never had ramen before.”

“Maybe I haven’t.” He crossed his arms and looked at me accusingly. “It’s unhealthy.”

“Isn’t it kind of crazy for a teenager like you to care about his health?” He was having beef, I decided. Methodically, I went through the steps. He came stood up and peered over my shoulder.

“These muscles are the result of living health consciously.” He wrinkled his nose. “That smells funny.”

“It’s beef.” I stirred the noodles which were beginning to clump at the bottom of the pot. It took him a while to understand the situation.

“I wanted chicken!”