A strange girl showed up, claiming she could wake him with her "chatterbox therapy." I didn't believe her. Not until a stream of comments flickered into view before my eyes: 【Here comes the talkative female lead! The comatose male lead is about to wake up!】 【She’s going to use a barrage of shameless, cringe-worthy lines to make him curl his toes in his coma until he just can't take it anymore and has to wake up, LOL.】 【And after he wakes up, they’ll start their super sweet romance. Happy ending, here we come!】 【So, the side character sister needs to step aside for the female lead. Your daily chitchat is useless. This is a job for the pro!】 And my brother did wake up, just like they said. But the first thing he did when he was back… Was to make me break up with my new boyfriend. 1 It was the weekend, so I went to the hospital, same as always. I was there to talk to Daniel, to turn him over in his bed. Every two hours, like clockwork. Left side, on his back, right side. A constant, gentle rotation. That’s when Martha arrived. My parents brought her into the room, telling me she had a way to wake Daniel. She reached out to me without a hint of shyness, as if we were old friends. “Hi there! I’m Martha. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Hope we get along!” Her voice was bright and cheerful, like a newborn canary. I didn’t answer right away. I understood why Mom and Dad were so desperate. Daniel had been in a coma for two months. People were starting to whisper that if someone doesn’t wake up after three, they might never wake up at all. But trusting a complete stranger with him… did that feel right? Just as I was about to voice my doubts, a line of text materialized in the air before me. 【Here comes the talkative female lead! The comatose male lead is about to wake up!】 【She’s going to use a barrage of shameless, cringe-worthy lines to make him curl his toes in his coma until he just can't take it anymore and has to wake up, LOL.】 【And after he wakes up, they’ll start their super sweet romance. Happy ending, here we come!】 【So, the side character sister needs to step aside for the female lead. Your daily chitchat is useless. This is a job for the pro!】 I stared at the strange words, my mind reeling. Female lead? Male lead? What did that even mean? I must have been frozen for a while, because my mom gently tapped my arm. “Lily?” I snapped back to reality and politely responded to Martha. “Hi, I’m Lily. Please, take care of my brother.” With that, I stepped back to stand with my parents, waiting to see what Martha would do. She, however, ran a hand through her hair, a bashful look on her face. “Sorry, but would you mind waiting outside? I can’t really… get in the zone with an audience.” And so, the three of us found ourselves standing in the hallway. 2 Mom and Dad were a nervous wreck, completely in the dark about her methods. I, on the other hand, knew exactly what was happening, thanks to the floating comments. 【LMAO, she just told him she’s a stalker who’s been secretly watching him for ages. And now that he’s helpless, she can finally do whatever she wants.】 【She said she’s going to take the opportunity to admire his perfect feet while he’s out cold. I’m dying.】 【“If you don’t wake up, I’m posting the nude photos I took of you on a gay dating site and you’ll have men lining up for you!” Hahaha, this isn’t therapy, it’s blackmail!】 【Wake up, man! This adorable girl is right in front of you!】 Could these… words… really work? I had my doubts. According to the comments, the world I was living in was a novel. Daniel was the male lead, and Martha was the female lead. His coma was just a necessary plot device to bring them together. He would eventually wake up and they would begin their sweet love story. As for me? I was just a side character. A supporting role. The girl with a one-sided crush on her adoptive brother, a small obstacle in the path of their love. A pang of sadness hit me. But if the comments were right, if Daniel was guaranteed to wake up, then I was also incredibly happy. As long as he was healthy and whole, that’s all that mattered. Half an hour later, Martha emerged from the room. She looked a little drained, her voice slightly hoarse. “That’s all for today. I’ll be back tomorrow.” I nodded, handing her a bottle of water I’d bought earlier. “Thank you for your hard work. See you tomorrow.” Martha looked surprised for a second, then thanked me and left. My parents and I went back into the room. While they massaged Daniel’s limbs, I sat by his bed and worked on my differential equations homework, reading the problems aloud. “y'' - 3y'tan(x) - 2y = 0…” “…Brother, I think I messed this one up again. When are you going to teach me that other method you mentioned?” 3 The comments went wild. 【Holy calculus, what have I gotten myself into?】 【Can’t even escape math while reading a novel. I give up.】 【Honey, are you sure reading that stuff out loud isn’t going to put your brother into an even deeper coma?】 【LOL I’m dead. But wait, what’s up with the sister? Why was she so nice to the female lead just now? Shouldn’t she be jealous?】 【That’s how a normal family member would act, right? If someone says they can help, you treat them like a queen!】 【Yeah, but she’s not exactly a normal family member, is she? She’s in love with her brother! Eww, as someone with a brother, I can’t even.】 【They’re not blood-related… Let’s not mix things up. Don’t you dare slander our stepsibling ship.】 … They started arguing about math and the morality of shipping non-related siblings. I ignored them and kept working on my problems, glancing at Daniel from time to time. He lay there on the bed, so quiet, as if he were just sleeping. His eyelashes were long and thick, casting dark shadows beneath his eyes. When we were little, I was so jealous of how much prettier his lashes were than mine. I used to sneak into his room while he was asleep and try to pluck them. He always caught me, every single time. But I hadn’t crawled into his bed since that one night in my first year of high school. I’d been reading a horror novel about tomb raiders and was completely spooked, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. So, I tiptoed into Daniel’s room, curled into a ball, and burrowed into his arms. “Brother, can I sleep with you tonight?” He must have still been awake, because he jumped. Then, he immediately pushed me away. “Get out.” I ignored him, pressing closer. “Please, brother? I’m so scared a boogeyman is going to grab my feet…” His tone suddenly became harsh, severe. He used my full name. “Lily, get out.” I froze, looking up at him. His face was cold, impassive. He wasn’t joking. I tried again, my voice small. “But… we used to sleep together all the time when we were little…” He shoved me off the bed, leaving no room for argument. “That was then. It’s different now. You are never to get in my bed again.” “Oh.” I was hurt and angry. I gave him the silent treatment for weeks after that. Thinking back now, he was right. We weren’t little kids anymore. He needed to create distance between us. And he was right to do so. Suddenly, my phone rang, shattering my thoughts. I glanced at the screen. The name ‘Lucas’ flashed. And I remembered. I had plans today. 4 I answered the call. Lucas’s slightly disappointed voice came through the phone. “Hey, are you busy? I texted but you didn’t reply, so I figured I’d call.” “Everyone’s at the children’s home already. We’re just waiting on you.” I put him on speaker, apologizing as I gathered my things. “I’m so sorry, something came up. I’m on my way now, I’ll be there in about twenty minutes.” His voice immediately brightened. “Okay, I’ll wait for you.” After I hung up, my mom asked with concern, “Do you have to go somewhere?” I nodded, stuffing my notebook into my bag. “Yeah, it’s a volunteer event with the university society. I’ll come right back after.” My dad ruffled my hair. “Your mom and I are here with your brother, don’t worry. You need to live your life, Lily. You can’t put everything on hold for the hospital.” I hesitated for a moment, then nodded and left. Now that I knew Daniel was going to wake up, the constant, crushing anxiety had eased a little. As I walked out of the room, a few more comments popped into view. 【WTF, did his eyelashes just flutter? Did anyone else see that?】 【I saw it, I saw it! Our girl is a miracle worker! First day and already getting results! She’s the GOAT of chatterbox therapy!】 My heart sank a little. It was a strange mix of joy and disappointment. Joy, because the comments were right. Daniel was reacting. He was going to wake up soon. Disappointment, because it meant that only Martha’s efforts truly mattered. There was just no fate between Daniel and me. 5 I spent the afternoon volunteering at the children’s home. I helped the kids with their lessons, played games with them, and sat with them for counseling sessions. It was the same home where Daniel and I had lived. We were both orphans. The year he was seven and I was four, Mr. and Mrs. Hayes came to the home, looking to adopt a boy and a girl. They chose the smart, brave Daniel first. As for me… no one ever wanted a timid, shy little thing like me. But Daniel pulled me out from where I was hiding behind the director’s legs. He gathered all his courage and presented me to Mr. and Mrs. Hayes. “She’s a really good girl. She always wipes the table after she eats, and she’s very quiet when she sleeps.” “Mom! Dad! I’ll vouch for her with every single one of my future report cards!” And after that, Daniel was always first in his class. … In the present, Lucas was waving a hand in front of my face. “Lily? Time to go.” I snapped out of my reverie and nodded, getting up to leave. “Want to grab dinner together?” he asked suddenly. I shook my head. “I can’t, I have something to do.” Lucas hesitated. “Are you going to the hospital to see your brother?” I was a little surprised he knew. He explained apologetically, “I overheard you talking to the director earlier. Sorry.” Since he knew, I just nodded. But I wasn't expecting him to suggest visiting Daniel himself. “Your brother is a legend at our university, a top graduate. I’d like to pay my respects to a senior alumnus.” I thought about it and agreed. Maybe a visit from a stranger could help a little. Even with Martha’s therapy, every little bit of effort might bring Daniel back a day sooner. So, I took Lucas to the hospital. 6 In the hospital room, Daniel was still sleeping peacefully. Mom and Dad were delighted to see Lucas and chatted with him for a long time. Even after he left, they were still grilling me. “Lily, you two seem quite close, don’t you?” I was massaging Daniel’s arm, my mind elsewhere. “We’re okay, I guess. He’s a senior, one year ahead of me. He helps me out a lot with school.” Dad was looking at me thoughtfully. “I think that boy has a thing for you. Peeling your apples, buying you milk… he’s working hard to impress you.” My hand stilled. All my energy lately had been focused on Daniel; I hadn’t noticed a thing. I stopped massaging and asked seriously, “Really? Is it that obvious?” Mom smiled. “It is. But our Lily is such an amazing girl, it’s only normal for boys to like her. And he seems like a nice kid. But what matters is if you like him.” If I like him… I lowered my eyes, stealing a glance at Daniel. Being in love with your own brother… people would think that’s disgusting, wouldn’t they? Dad picked up the thread. “You’re a sophomore now. It’s a good time to start dating. Just don’t keep it a secret from us, okay?” I nodded, my voice soft. “I know. I’ll definitely tell you.” The comments suddenly flared to life. 【OMG, did his eyeballs just move under his lids? What’s going on? Does the female lead’s therapy have a delayed effect?】 【At this rate, he’ll be awake in a few days! Yesss, I’m ready for the romance!】 【The side character should just get with the senior already. Stop pining for your brother. The stepsibling trope is a dead end here.】 I ignored that last comment, my eyes fixed on Daniel’s. They were definitely moving. I excitedly called Mom and Dad over to look. They were so moved they nearly cried, vowing to repay Martha handsomely. I would too. I made a silent promise to myself. If she could really wake Daniel, I would wish them nothing but happiness. And now… it was time to clear out all my memories of him. 7 That night, I took out the box where I kept all my treasures related to Daniel. Birthday gifts he’d given me, paper airplanes he’d folded, tokens from the claw machines we’d played… Among all the neatly kept items, one wrinkled, crumpled piece of scratch paper stood out. It was covered in Daniel’s familiar handwriting. First, there were his notes and steps for solving a high school math problem. Then, suddenly, the writing changed. 【How many solution methods is that now? Who cares. The more the better. It means I get to spend more time with her.】 【Otherwise, she’ll just run off to watch her TV shows.】 In high school, I was obsessed with TV, especially those cheesy teen romance dramas. Daniel would always boast shamelessly. “What’s so good about this? Is this guy even half as handsome as your brother?” He was handsome. He was the star of our school—smart, popular, top of his class. But he wasn't mine. My heart felt like it was being pricked by a thousand tiny needles, a dull, sour ache spreading through my chest. I pulled myself out of the memory and kept reading. 【When she watches the main couple kiss on screen… does her heart flutter too?】 【Does she imagine someone loving her like that?】 【Could… could that person be me?】 【I want to kiss her so badly】 The last two lines were violently scratched out. Below them, still in Daniel’s handwriting but pressed so hard the lead nearly tore the paper, were three words. 【Daniel, you’re insane.】 【You are her brother.】 The air left my lungs. A wave of pure shock washed over me, so powerful it felt physical. The hand holding the paper began to tremble uncontrollably. The words blurred on the page, the ink seeming to bleed together until it reformed into a single, undeniable truth— Daniel loved me, too. 8 So that was it. All this time, Daniel had been just like me. Tossing and turning through countless nights, wrestling with a guilt that felt like sinking in mud. The comments were in an uproar over this. 【!!! The male lead is actually in love with the sister?? WTF, I want a refund!】 【Hold on, hold on, this was from like three or four years ago. Maybe he’s over it now.】 【Uh… whether he’s over it or not, it’s still gross. They grew up together as brother and sister. How could he have those kinds of thoughts about her?】 【What’s wrong with it? They’re not related by blood! Brothers are born to become brothers-in-law! I’m shipping the male lead and the side character!】 【I have nothing to say to you people who don’t get the stepsibling trope.】 【User ‘ForbiddenFruitLover’ has renewed their annual membership X10! Congratulations! You’ve unlocked a hidden bonus scene!】 【All hail the master shipper!】 【Are you guys all perverts? I’m rooting for my girl Martha!】 … Could the comments be right? Was it possible Daniel only used to have feelings for me? Or did he still love me now? But if he did… what about Martha? What about the story? Would the plot unfold as the comments had predicted? That night, I barely slept a wink. By dawn, I had made my decision. It was time to make a move. 9 The next day, my parents had errands to run, so I went to the hospital alone. Daniel was lying there peacefully, still showing no signs of waking. I went through our usual routine—wiping his face, turning his body. Finally, I sat by his bed and started talking, filling the quiet room with the mundane details of my life. “Brother, I met a senior from school. You know, the one who came to visit yesterday.” “He walks me to the library sometimes. He brings me bubble tea.” “Since you’ve been in the hospital, I’ve been going to him with all my school questions. He even helped me with that equation yesterday.” “He’s really smart, too. Just as smart as you.” “Last night, when we were saying goodbye… he told me he had feelings for me.” “Brother… do you think I should say yes?” After I finished, I watched him, searching his still face for any sign, any flicker of a reaction. But before long, the door creaked open. Martha peeked her head in. “Good morning!” I stood up to greet her. “Thanks so much for coming again.” She waved her hand dismissively as she walked in. “Hey, don’t mention it. Your mom told me he was reacting yesterday? Looks like my treatment is working wonders.” She came closer, leaning in conspiratorially. “Today, I’m planning to use some stronger medicine. He might even wake up by tomorrow!” I couldn’t help but ask, “What kind of medicine?” Martha just shook her head, gently pushing me toward the door. “Can’t say. Spoilers! Just wait for the results!” I was skeptical, but I left the room again. I stood outside the door once more. I never imagined that Martha’s “stronger medicine” would involve physical contact.
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