I sit quietly in the café, letting the warm scent of roasted coffee beans mix with the faint sweetness of newly dried paint. Arem stands beside me like a silent pillar—always steady, always present.
Aunt Merry walks toward me with her usual bright smile, wiping her hands on her apron. I stand automatically, and the moment she reaches me, she pulls me into a tight hug.
"My cute boy, how are you?" she says, her voice soft with affection.
I hug her back. "I'm okay, Aunt. How are you?"
She beams. "After seeing you? Perfect."
We sit. My eyes drift around the cozy shop—the new murals, soft pastel strokes on the walls. It feels lighter than before, warmer. "Aunt, you changed the theme."
She nods proudly. "Yes. A cute boy helped me. Very nice. He comes here often, helped me with a lot of things."
I dramatically pout. "Aunt… did someone steal my place in your heart?"
She laughs, the sound warm as sunlight. "Oh, Evan, darling, no one can replace you. You're always first."
