Liam lowered his gaze, suppressing the strange feeling stirring inside him. By the time he looked up again, his expression had returned to its usual calm.

"Make yourselves comfortable for a moment. I’ll bring some tea."

After greeting them, he headed into the kitchen. A few minutes later, he returned carrying two steaming cups.

The delicate fragrance of jasmine drifted upward with the rising steam, slowly spreading through the quiet living room.

Suzy accepted a cup, lifted it to her nose, and inhaled softly before taking a small sip. Warmth flowed down her throat, easing away some of the chill she had brought in from outside.

Glancing around the room, she asked, "Where’s Noah? I haven’t seen him."

"He’s in his room. I’ll go get him. Just a minute."

Liam walked down the hallway and knocked on the bedroom door.

The door flew open almost immediately. A small figure burst out like a cannonball and launched himself straight into Suzy’s arms.

"Suzy!" Noah’s voice overflowed with excitement.

Laughing, Suzy caught him and ruffled his soft hair.

"Hi Noah. It’s been a while."

"It has!"

He tilted his face up toward her, pouting dramatically.

"You never come visit me anymore. I missed you so much."

"Suzy, so this is Noah?"

Derek leaned forward curiously from the sofa, studying the child nestled comfortably in Suzy’s embrace.

Smiling, he extended a hand.

"You’re pretty cute. Nice to meet you."

Only then did Noah notice there was someone else in the room.

Immediately, his expression turned wary. Instead of shaking hands, he burrowed deeper into Suzy’s arms.

Lowering his voice, he asked suspiciously, "Suzy, who is this?"

Before Suzy could answer, Derek beat her to it.

Wearing an innocent smile, he announced shamelessly, "I’m your Big Sister Suzy’s boyfriend."

The living room fell silent. For a long time, nobody spoke.

Noah’s expression shifted from suspicion to complete shock.

His eyes bounced back and forth between Derek and Suzy several times before he declared firmly,

"You’re lying. Suzy doesn’t have a boyfriend."

"Doesn’t she?"

Derek raised an eyebrow. Scooting slightly closer to Suzy, he allowed his shoulder to brush hers.

"Why don’t you ask her yourself?"

As he spoke, he lightly tugged at Suzy’s sleeve, looking both expectant and annoyingly pleased with himself.

Noah immediately turned toward her. His entire face tightened with nervous anticipation.

"Big Sis, is he telling the truth?"

For some reason, the idea bothered him immensely. He didn’t want Suzy to have a boyfriend.

As for why... He simply didn’t.

Seeing the tense look on his face, Suzy couldn’t help laughing.

"Why are you so concerned about things like that? You’re still a kid."

"I’m not a kid!"

Noah’s face turned bright red instantly. At that moment, Liam returned from the hallway and stopped beside the sofa.

His eyes briefly swept across Derek and Suzy before settling on Noah.

"Noah." His voice was calm but firm. "Behave yourself."

"Brother!"

Noah protested immediately. Wriggling free from Suzy’s embrace, he hurried over to Liam’s side.

"That guy said he’s Suzy’s boyfriend. Aren’t you going to do something about it?"

Although he lowered his voice, it was still loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Stop talking nonsense."

Liam flicked him lightly on the forehead. Noah puffed out his cheeks in grievance.

Turning toward Suzy, Liam offered an apologetic look.

"Noah doesn’t know any better. Please don’t mind him."

Suzy shook her head. "It’s fine."

"Exactly." Derek smiled. "Kids say all sorts of things."

Liam’s gaze briefly landed on the shoulder that was nearly touching Suzy’s. That strange, uncomfortable sensation resurfaced once again.

Without lingering on it, he looked away.

"I’ll go get some snacks."

With that, he turned and left.

Suzy called Noah back over and pulled several candies from her pocket.

"These are for you."

The effect was immediate. The moment candy entered the equation, Noah’s attention shifted completely.

For a while, Suzy sat with him and played.

Time passed quickly. Before long, she realized it was time to leave.

"We should get going."

She stood and smiled at the brothers.

"I’ll come visit again when I can. The temperature is going to keep dropping, so make sure both of you stay warm."

Noah looked as though he wanted to beg her to stay.

Before he could say anything, Liam silenced him with a single glance.

"You’re welcome here anytime," Liam said.

Together, he and Noah walked Suzy and Derek to the door.

They stood there watching until the two disappeared down the hallway.

Only then did they return inside.

Noah still clutched the candy Suzy had given him.

The apartment felt strangely quiet now. Without Suzy’s presence, the warmth and laughter from earlier seemed to vanish with her.

Sulking, Noah dropped onto the sofa. The Lego set he had built with Suzy remained on the coffee table.

"She said she’ll come back."

Liam gently patted his younger brother’s head.

Noah looked up. There was something he clearly wanted to say.

"Liam..."

"If you have something on your mind, just say it."

Liam sat beside him and pulled a blanket over his shoulders.

Soon, Noah was wrapped up completely, with only his head poking out.

After a moment of hesitation, he finally asked, "Do you think that guy is really Big Sis Suzy’s boyfriend?"

Liam’s movements paused.

"Why are you asking?"

Noah’s lips stuck out so far they could practically hold a bottle.

"I just don’t want him to be."

Liam chuckled softly. "You not wanting it doesn’t change anything."

If his guess was correct, Derek really was Suzy’s boyfriend.

Otherwise, the two of them would not have behaved so naturally around each other.

The closeness between them wasn’t something ordinary friends shared.

More importantly, Derek had openly said it, and Suzy had never denied it.

That alone spoke volumes.

Still... Another thought surfaced. What about Thomas? The man seemed unusually close to Suzy as well.

The memory resurfaced uninvited.

The way Thomas had looked at her. The way she had looked at him.

Liam’s thoughts gradually became tangled.

So tangled that he failed to notice Noah calling his name.

Only when a small hand emerged from beneath the blanket and tugged on his sleeve did he finally snap back to reality.

"Liam, what are you thinking about?"

"Nothing."

Liam lowered his eyes.

Whatever Suzy’s relationships were, they had nothing to do with him. There was no reason for him to dwell on them.

No reason at all.

"Were you thinking about Suzy?"

Noah’s question landed like a thunderbolt.

Liam froze. Immediately, he shook his head.

"No." The denial came too quickly. "I wasn’t. Why would I be thinking about her? Stop making things up."

The more strongly Liam denied it, the more suspicious Noah became.

If it really wasn’t true, why had his brother reacted so dramatically?

Something was definitely strange.

Then Noah suddenly noticed an object sitting on the coffee table.

Curious, he picked it up.

"Liam, I think this belongs to Suzy."

Liam followed his gaze. In Noah’s hand was a pink portable hand warmer.

"Let me see."

He held out a hand, Noah passed it over.

The device was pleasantly warm. Heat spread through Liam’s fingers as he held it. He vaguely remembered seeing it earlier.

Suzy had placed it on the table while drinking tea and must have forgotten it when she left.

For a brief moment, Liam stared at it in silence.

Before he could think further, Noah snatched it back. Holding the hand warmer tightly, the boy’s eyes lit up.

"Brother, let’s take it to her!"

He jumped off the sofa immediately. Liam reached out and grabbed him before he could run.

"Why are you in such a hurry?"

"Come on!"

Noah tugged impatiently at his sleeve.

"If Suzy can’t find it, she’ll be worried."

The truth was much simpler. She had only left a short while ago and already, he wanted to see her again.

Now that he had an excuse, he could hardly wait.