“Do you like the gift?” Edon was leaning. He was whispering to her ear. His eyes were on Nai’s mom who was packing the food. He turned her head only to bump with Nai’s own forehead. Both of them turned their heads at the same time. 
“Oww.” The two of them utttered the same words. 
 Nai’s voice pitched into having an aching pain. Her fingers went to touch her forehead, massaging it in circles. Before she felt Edon checking her face. He was worried. His eyes spoke of it. 
“I am sorry. Are you okay?” He slightly bowed his head, lowered it to level with her. His eyes were still checking her. 
Nai smiled. “You don’t need to say sorry, Edon.” She looked at him. “Us bumping foreheads was an accident.” 
Edon smiled back. 
And now silence came in between the two. And the only thing that exist is the unwavering eye contact, so still that both of can sense something that passed but they still are continuing the deed of looking at each other’s eyes. 
Until Nai’s mom cough… 
“I remember your mother with this dish, Edon.” Nai’s mom started talking. Her eyes wandered. Reminiscing the days that reminded her of Edon’s mother. She was happy as her expression was wandering far too. She stared at Edon. “Your mother loves cooking. We shared the same passion for it.” Her eyes suddenly turned sad. She then busied herself by putting the containers in the bag she got from one of the cabinets. 
Nai stared at Edon. His eyes showed the same thing as her mother had. There was sadness in it too. Nai’s hand reached for his shoulders and gently brushed her handon his back. “I am sorry, Edon.” She whispered. 
Edon shook his head slowly. He grabbed her hand and held it gently. “It’s fine. I am used to her being an absent figure in my life, Nai.” He finished the sentence with a weak smile that stretched. 
Nai sighed at Jordan’s words. She stared at him. And slowly showed a smile on her cheek. It would somehow make him better. It something that came in her mind. Edon smiled back at her too. 
“As much as I wanted to stay here, I couldn’t.” Edon started speaking again. “I promised Mommy Mel that I will be back before twelve.” 
Nai’s mother neared and she was carrying the bag to be given to Edon. “You are such a good grandson dear. And your Mommy Mel was so fond of you. She loves you too much, deary.” She handed him the bag. “Bring this home so you can share it with them. And take care as you walk home, okay?” Nai’s mother was gentle. 
Nai smiled. Her mother liked Edon. She always speaks of having a son. And she always is fond of having her first born being a male. Her mother spoke of having a family of four. And how she always wants Nai to be protected by a brother. Something that her mother always speaks of even back when she was younger. 
Flashback:
“You have to protectors now.” 
Her mother spoke. Nai was telling her about how she likes having a boy bestfriend. 
“You have Rino and Edon. They will protect you.” Her mother was smiling. Their was an assured tone as if she is speaking a prophecy. “They will do everything to protect you.” 
(end of flashback) 
Nai smiled. She was not sure whether her mother’s words will come true. But Edon and Erinoi were doing well doing their brother duties. Something ding… A buzzed came in her head. It was a contradictory statement that speaks on how Edon is not to be treated as a brother. Something came. It spoked of another word. The word special came inside her head. And both of their eyes suddenly stared at each other, making Nai inhaled air because she felt like she was deprived of oxygen for a bit. 
“I’ll go?” Edon said. But it was still a question. 
“You’ll go.” She replied back. She was keeping herself from smiling. But she can’t. 
The two of them locked eyes before they went towards the door. 
“I’ll walked you out.” Nai said. 
“Escorting?” Edon questioned. He shook his head. “It’s my work. My duty towards you.” 
Nai’s eyes went big. She pouted before smiling. “I am confused. Your statement isn’t that clear. I am a bit confuse. What do you mean by that?” She asked him. 
Edon did a shrugged in return and only smiled at her. He shook his head. “It’s a secret.” He went to placed his hand on top of her head and before he patted Nai’s head. “You’ll uncover it in no time.” His smile was wide. 
Nai was pouting. Before she went to kissed him on the cheek. She suddenly smiled cheekily. She saw how startled Edon was. It brought him into a state of shock. His eyes were big. His mouth hanged open. He could not believe what had just happened. He slowly turned to face her. His expression still in shock. He slowly blinked his eyes to recover. He was smiling as he was shaking his head in disbelief. 
It was not a wrong reaction. It was something Nai expected. They both shared a smile. 
“I’ll go. Thank you, Nai.” Edon muttered. 
“For what?” Nai answered while she was smiling at him. 
“For existing. Thank you. Thank you for making my new year special.” Edon replied warmly. 
A breeze passed the two of them as they went towards the gate. Both shivered because of how cold it was and both of them shared another joy of laughter because of how they shivered. Nai and Edon both stared at each other for the countless time. 
Nai bumped his shoulders lightly. “Thanks for the gift.” She uttered it again. Because Nai loved it. She loved the gift. And she loved Edon’s effort in giving her the thing.
Edon chuckled lightly. He smiled before he nudged her shoulders too. “I’m happy that it made you happy. You know I’ll get anything that makes me think of you.” 
They both stared at each other’s eyes after it. The conversation ended with them saying “good night” to each other. Nai was already sitting on her bed, ready towards her drift to dreamland. She was stiill thinking of the interaction before she then pulled the covers to cover her face. She then started squirming, shooting her feet towards the air. She was muffling, muffling how she finds it sweet and how she was frustrated because she was thinking about it. She then uttered Edon’s name before she said her prayers and composed herself for bed.