Chun-Yan choked against her father's grip. Her vision was beginning to go dark around the edges. She knew that she had to hang in there, knowing that it would only get worse if she lost consciousness. Her eyes filled with tears as Yao continued yelling, the smell of liquor on his breath.

"Rules are set in place for a reason, Chun-Yan!" he shouted, releasing her throat long enough for her to gulp in some air before tightening his grip once again. "And yet you choose to disobey them! I got a call from your school, saying that men are slandering our family name after you went on a date with one! Did you think I wouldn't find out about you dating behind my back?!"

"I'm….sorry…." she choked out, instinctively bringing her hands up to try to pry his off.

"And you think a simple apology will fix this?! Why can't you be an obedient child like your brother?! I don't know where you got this rebellious streak, but it needs to stop!" With a mighty shove, he threw her to the ground. "You have five minutes to pack a bag and leave for the night! I don't want someone like you here! And don't come back until I tell you that you can!"

Chun-Yan scurried to her feet and bolted to her room, tears streaming down her cheeks. What had she done in a past life to deserve this? Her father never behaved this way toward her brother, just her! She had suspicions that it was because she looked like her mother, who had left them a few years back, but there was no way to be certain about it. Despite not being able to bring herself to hate Leon, she couldn't help but resent him for the way their father treated him.

Her father waited in the entryway of the house for her to come down, tapping his foot impatiently on the linoleum. He glared at her as she approached, duffel bag in hand. "Three days," he ground out through clenched teeth. "I don't want to see your face for three days. You are not to come here. You are not to talk to Leon. You are not to disobey my rules I've set for you. Is that understood?"

Knowing better than to speak aloud, and also painfully aware of the dark bruises forming on her neck, Chun-Yan simply nodded and left the house, throwing a light and fashionable scarf around her neck. And only once she was out of view of her house did she finally allow herself to cry before heading off toward Ivan's house.

.

Ivan answered his phone the moment he saw his best friend's number pop up. He could tell by the shakiness in her voice that her father had kicked her out of the house again. His mother had been welcoming her into their house on these occasions since they had started around five years before. It made him angry that her father would do these things, but what made him even more angry was the dark marks on her body that she tried to hide.

While Chun-Yan had never flat-out told him that her father had left those marks on her, it didn't take much to put two-and-two together. After all, back before Ivan's father's fatal accident, Ivan usually had bruises on his skin that matched his friend's.

He put a kettle on the stove before going to let Chun-Yan in. Ivan tried not to think about how she practically threw herself into his arms at the front door, sobbing into his chest. In moments like these, he tried not to notice how much smaller than normal she seemed. Sure, Chun-Yan was much smaller than Ivan on a good day, but on days when she cried like this, she seemed almost like a child.

"I put some tea on," he offered once she had calmed down a bit. "Would you like to have some?" A small smile played on his lips when she nodded, the fabric of his shirt still held in an iron grip. "Let's go inside then. What flavor would you like today?"

"Apple cinnamon," she quietly said, voice a bit raspy. Chun-Yan slowly let go and looked up at him, scrubbing her face with the palm of her hand. "I'm going to go and put my stuff in your room, and I'll meet you in the kitchen, okay?"

Ivan nodded and moved aside so she could enter his home. He shut the door after them and went to the kitchen to finish the tea, hearing the kettle whistling on his way in. His hands moved in swift and practiced motions as he poured the water into the mugs and inserted the tea bags before covering them to steep. He sat down at the table with the mugs and patiently waited for his friend to come and join him.

Chun-Yan entered the kitchen a few minutes later and sat down across from Ivan. "Thanks, bestie," she said, taking the cover off of the top of the mug. She forced a small smile to him as she took a careful sip. "Ah, my favorite! It's always so much better when you make it!"

"Really?" he laughed, trying not to notice her forced behaviors. "All I do is boil water and put tea bags in. It's not really anything special, Chun."

She giggled and took another sip. "Well, either way, it's better than the tea I drink at home." Her smile slipped into a frown. "Maybe it's because tea always tastes better with friends." Chun-Yan dropped her gaze down into her mug as she pulled her lips into a smile once more. "Thank you, Ivan. You always know exactly what to do to make me feel better."

"I'd like to say I picked up on a few things in the past decade or so," he teased as he took a sip of his own tea. The peppermint tingled against his lips as he smiled, taking another sip. "So, uh, how many days is it this time, if you don't mind me asking? Just so I can tell my mom, you know."

"Dad said it's three days this time," she sighed. "Who knows if he'll extend it, though." Chun-Yan blinked back tears. "He found out about the date and what happened at school. I trust that Mr. Williams didn't rat me out, but it wouldn't take much digging for Headmaster Beilschmidt to find out who the two students were. Anyway, he called my dad, and I got thrown out the moment I got home. Luckily, I still got to take my car with me, but it's still fucked up. You know, I bet it's because I look like my mom. He doesn't do this sort of thing to Leon. What makes my little brother so much more important than me? I just don't get it."

"You should be in a place where you're appreciated, Chun," Ivan replied. He frowned in concern, combing his fingers through his hair in frustration. "You're always welcome here, but I know it's not like being in your own home."

"By this point, I'd almost say that your house is my real home," she joked, unable to hide the bitterness in her voice. "I'm here more often than I'm not lately. I might as well just move in." Chun-Yan forced a laugh as she took another sip. "I don't even know why I'm upset about this, since it's so common. Honestly, you and your mother feel more like family to me than my own. I suppose that just because you share blood with people, it doesn't mean they'll love you back…"

"Family doesn't always mean blood," he answered with a frown. "As far as I'm concerned, you're my sister, Chun. You've been my sister since our sandbox days. I wouldn't know what else to call you at this point."

Chun-Yan was quiet for a moment as she stared pensively into her mug. "You're right, Ivan," she finally said, a genuine smile playing on her lips. "You really are my brother. I don't think I'd ever be able to refer to you as anything else." She reached her hand across the table and grabbed his. "I don't think words will ever be able to convey how important and precious you truly are to me. I always feel that as long as I have you by my side, everything will be okay. Thank you for that."

The boy squeezed his best friend's small hand in his. "Always, Chun-Yan. You're just as important to me. I'll always be here for you. You couldn't get rid of me if you tried, so don't even try to fuck around and find out."

She put a hand to her mouth to keep from spitting her tea out as she giggled at his words. "Don't worry," she laughed. "I won't." Once she had calmed down, she smiled widely at him. "Thank you for always knowing just what I need. You truly are the greatest friend I've ever had."

.

Leon Wang sat on his bed in his room. He heard his father shouting as the front door slammed. Knowing his sister was safely out of the house, he let out the breath he didn't know he had been holding. He didn't find it fair that Chun-Yan was always getting yelled at and hit while he was practically on a pedestal. And though she claimed she didn't hate him whenever he asked, he could still tell that he was the bane of her existence.

With a sigh, he stood up and walked over to his computer desk, booting it to life as he sat. He was still curious about that new kid in his class and wondered if he had any social media or anything that he could follow. All he wanted was to learn about Emil. After all, it wasn't every day when a really attractive boy transferred into you middle school class and made your heart skip a beat with only a glance.

Finding Emil on social media was easy, though he didn't seem to post much. The things he posted were usually memes and the occasional selfie. But those selfies made Leon's jaw drop as he clicked on them. Some were pictures of Emil at the gym with a spikey-haired person whom he claimed was his brother, though they didn't really look related. Others were him in front of statues or beautiful scenery with a man who looked similar to him, whom he also claimed was his brother. And then he saw a picture of Emil looking annoyed as he crouched down between his brothers, who were kissing above his head, the caption being about how he hated being a third wheel.

Leon became more and more fascinated as he scrolled further back on each timeline. He couldn't help but notice that he posted different things to different accounts, but some of the more important posts still matched up. His heart rate skyrocketed when he came across a picture of Emil winking and blowing a kiss to the camera. He felt as if that picture was directed to him, even if it was nearly two years old.

To say that Leon was smitten with Emil would be quite the understatement. Something about the Scandinavian boy captivated him, yet he couldn't help but be intimidated as well. How would he ever be able to hold a conversation with someone so fantastic? Would his nerves ever allow him to say even two words to Emil?

Fighting back those thoughts, he continued to scroll all the way to the ends of his social media timelines, concocting plans of befriending him.

.

Chun-Yan sighed as she laid beside Ivan in his bed. She stared up at the ceiling as he scrolled through social media on his phone. Her heart felt heavy in her chest, though she knew that she should be used to it by now. It made her upset that she got kicked out of her own home, and even with the warmth and love she always received at her best friend's house, she just wished she could feel it in her own. She just didn't understand why her father didn't love her. What had she done wrong? Or was it really because of something she couldn't help?

"Something bothering you, Chun?" Ivan asked, turning his attention to her. "You've been really quiet over there and have just been staring at the ceiling for the past five minutes. Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Is there?" she sighed. "I'm sorry, Ivan. Even though I'm used to this treatment from my father, it doesn't make it hurt any less. I'm always wondering what it was I ever did to him to deserve this, you know? It's just been rough ever since Mom left, and it's obvious that Dad favors Leon. While I know that's not his fault, I can't help but hold a grudge against him for it. Why does he get away with literally everything, whereas if I even fucking breathe wrong, I get his wrath? What did I do? Is it really because I look like my mother?"

"Who is to say?" her best friend sighed, turning his phone screen off as he stared up at the ceiling as well. "I know that though you are family in my home, it's not the same as your blood family. And while I hate that your dad sucks, I can still understand why you're still trying so hard to seek his approval. I was like that with my dad too. Sometimes I feel like I still am." He laughed bitterly. "Like, I feel that if maybe I get enough attention from those around me, my dad will see that I'm not the worthless son he thought I was."

"You're not worthless, Ivan," Chun-Yan softly said, rolling over onto her side to face him. "You are one of the most incredible people I've ever met. You love strongly, and with all of your heart. You fight back for those who can't. And if your kindness is what made you worthless in his eyes, then I'd hate to see what he finds worthwhile."

Ivan rolled over to face her as well. "You really think so?"

"I know so," she assured, ruffling his platinum-blond hair. "People may not understand you now, but I promise that one day they will. You are, without a doubt, the kindest person I've ever met in my life. I doubt I'll ever meet anyone more loving than you, Ivan. I truly mean it. Screw everyone who doesn't understand you. Sometimes, I don't ever want them to understand because what if they take you away from me?"

He scoffed. "Yeah, right. Like that would ever happen."

"Well you never know," she replied with a frown. "God knows I'm dreading the day you get a girlfriend. Once that happens, I'll be forcibly removed from the picture. I'll lose my place as the one who is always beside you."

"I highly doubt that," he laughed. "If I ever get a girlfriend, she'll just have to accept that we are a package deal. If she can't, then she's not right for me anyway. Chun-Yan, you don't ever have to worry about things like that. You should know by now that I'm not the type to do stupid things just to get laid."

Chun-Yan giggled. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Besides, I don't ever see you having a girlfriend anyway."

"Hey now, that's just cold!" Ivan rolled over so his back was facing her, biting his lip to keep from laughing.

She sat up and draped herself across him so she could see his face. "Oh, come on, you know I'm just kidding! Any girl would be lucky to have a boyfriend like you! It's not my fault they only like boys who will hurt them. I know you, Ivan. And I know for a fact that you'd never hurt anyone. You're a gentle giant."

"I suppose so," he agreed with a nod, smiling to himself. Who cared if anyone would ever understand him or not? As long as Chun-Yan was around, he didn't need anyone else.