Red’s eyes widened ever so slightly, and his hand moved from my shoulder to my head, gently ruffling my hair. He shook his head, his expression softening.

“... ... …”

Blue sighed, pushing off the wall and crossing his arms. “Mia, are you kidding me? Red lives for you. He just doesn’t say it out loud because, well, you know—he doesn’t talk much.”

Rosa smiled softly. “Yeah, Mia. You should’ve seen him after we got split up. He was so worried about you.”

I blinked, looking at Red. His gaze was calm but intense, as if he was silently telling me everything I needed to hear.

“You… really?” I whispered, my voice barely audible.

Red nodded firmly, then pulled me into a full embrace. I froze for a moment, unsure of what to do, but then I melted into his hug, burying my face in his jacket.

“... ... ....”

(“I’ve always cared about you, Mia. I just don’t always know how to show it.”)

I sniffled, clutching his jacket tightly. “I thought... maybe you were mad at me, or that you didn’t want to be my brother anymore.”

Red leaned back slightly, just enough to look me in the eyes. His expression was a mix of disbelief and reassurance.

“... .... ....!”

(“That’s not true. I’ll always be your brother. Nothing can change that.”)

Blue smirked, shaking his head. “Man, Mia, you really are dramatic. Red’s probably the best big brother out there. You’re lucky.”

Rosa nodded enthusiastically. “Totally! You have nothing to worry about, Mia.”

I glanced at them, then back at Red. “I… I guess I just needed to hear it, even if he doesn’t say it out loud.”

Red smiled softly and gave me one last squeeze before standing up. He reached down and ruffled my hair again, his way of telling me everything was okay.

“... ....”

(“Let’s stick together from now on, okay?”)

I nodded, finally smiling. “Okay. Thanks, Red.”

The tension in the room lifted, and Blue clapped his hands together. “Alright, now that we’ve had our touching family moment, can we get back to finding a way out of this creepy mansion?”

Red smirked slightly and nodded, taking the lead as we continued down the hallway. Rosa stayed close to me, and for the first time, I felt a little lighter.

Because now I knew—no matter what happened, Red would always be there for me.

Red’s eyes widened slightly, and his hand on my shoulder stilled. He seemed caught off guard by my confession, but his expression softened almost immediately. He shook his head firmly, as if to dispel any notion of what I’d just said being true.

“...... ..... .......”

(How could you think that?)

His other hand reached up to ruffle my hair gently, something he hadn’t done in a long time. His silent reassurance was louder than words, but I couldn’t help the tears that started welling up in my eyes.

“But you’re always so... serious,” I mumbled, sniffling. “You’re like this unbeatable, untouchable trainer, and I thought... I thought you didn’t have time for me.”

“..... ........”

(You’re my sister. Of course I have time for you.)

Red’s quiet confidence was comforting, but his gaze held a depth of emotion I didn’t often see. He pulled me into a tight hug, his arms warm and steady around me. His heartbeat was calm, just like before, and it grounded me in a way nothing else could.

Blue, watching the whole thing, sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “You really don’t get it, do you, Mia? Red might not talk much, but he’s been looking out for you this whole time. You’re the one thing he’d never give up on.”

Rosa nodded, her eyes sparkling with relief. “Yeah, Mia. Red’s like... the best brother anyone could ask for. You’re lucky!”

I buried my face into Red’s shoulder, trying to hide my tears. “I-I guess I just didn’t realize...”

Red rubbed my back in slow, soothing circles. He pulled back slightly, just enough to look me in the eye.

“.... ....... .......”

(I’ll always be here for you. Don’t forget that.)

I nodded, finally smiling through my tears. “Thanks, Red.”

Blue cleared his throat. “Well, now that we’ve cleared that up... can we get back to exploring the mansion before something jumps out at us?”

Rosa let out a nervous laugh, still gripping my arm. “I’m not letting go of Mia, just in case.”

I chuckled, feeling lighter than I had in ages. Red stood up, taking my hand in his as we continued down the eerie hall. I squeezed his hand, and he squeezed back, silently promising that no matter what, he’d always be my big brother.

Red’s eyes widened slightly, the only outward sign of his shock. He blinked, processing my words. Then, slowly, he shook his head, a small, sad smile tugging at his lips.

“... ... …”

I frowned, unsure what he was trying to say. “What do you mean, ‘that’s not true’?” I asked, my voice still shaky.

Red placed his other hand on my shoulder, his touch warm and reassuring. He signed something quickly, and Blue stepped in to translate.

“He says... he’s not distant because he doesn’t like you,” Blue explained, his tone softer than usual. “He’s just... not good at expressing how he feels. But he’s always cared about you.”

Tears stung my eyes as I stared at Red. “R-Really?”

Red nodded, his silent gaze never leaving mine. He pulled me into a hug, his arms wrapping securely around me. His heartbeat, steady and calm, echoed in my ears.

“... ... ...”

Blue spoke again. “He says he’s sorry if he ever made you feel like he didn’t care. That was never his intention.”

I clung to Red, burying my face in his shoulder. “I just thought... I thought I wasn’t good enough. That you didn’t want me around.”

Red pulled back slightly, just enough to look me in the eyes. He shook his head firmly, his expression serious. He signed something again, and this time, Rosa translated.

“He says you’re more than good enough. He’s proud of you, Mia.”

I couldn’t hold back the tears anymore. They spilled down my cheeks as I threw my arms around him. “I’m sorry for thinking that! I... I’m so glad you’re my brother.”

Red hugged me tightly, his silent presence speaking volumes.

Blue cleared his throat, breaking the moment. “Alright, sappy time’s over. We’ve still got a mansion to explore, people.”

Rosa rolled her eyes. “Blue, let them have their moment.”

I pulled away from Red, wiping my tears. He gave me a small smile, ruffling my hair gently.

“... ...”

Blue grinned. “He says, ‘Let’s stick together this time.’”

I nodded, smiling back. “Yeah. Let’s.”

With that, we continued deeper into the mansion, Red walking beside me. For the first time, I felt truly safe, knowing my brother was right there with me.