His sister, whom he hadn't seen in five years, seemed to have a trickier personality than expected.
—No, not the tricky 'rebellious brat' one...rather it would have been better to deal with it if it was instead, yet the facts before him were clearly the opposite.
Ryder Everhart deftly handled the underclassmen before him, who were blocking the corridor with their roughhousing. Yet, his thoughts had already drifted far away—to his sister, likely back in the Hufflepuff dormitory by now, situated on the other side of the castle.
He'd come across Violet again today—not merely in the sense of 'seeing' her, of course, but in that he'd once more witnessed her running errands for her classmates . (A whole box of potions! He still couldn't fathom how his sister managed to lift that cursed box. And the culprit? According to Violet, the 'friendly' Slytherin student had long since disappeared without a care.) In fact, this was the fourth time in the past two weeks he'd stumbled upon such a scene.
Even using his scraped knee from Quidditch practice today also could tell him that it's not normal, very not normal.
But just now at dinner, when he tried to ask Violet about the incident, and even offered to explain that 'I can help with any difficulties' , she actually blurted out that nothing had happened!
Ryder even felt a dull ache in his temples at the thought. He casually waved his hand and let go of the brats who had been standing around for a full five minutes being reprimanded by him, sighed to himself, and took a step back to his dormitory.
If it really doesn't work, maybe he'll just ask Sven about it.
-
Friday - Violet Everhart kicked off the morning with a crooked uniform tie.
There was no tie requirement at her previous school, but it hadn't been that long since she'd transferred here, and she was a little disbelieving that she still hadn't learned to wear a normal tie-in fact, until this week, she'd in the great hall during breakfast hours and Ryder would tie it for her and then slip it on for her.
Then the two of them were lectured together by Sven for that reason, and she finally started learning on her own.
......brother has taught me so many times; it's better just to stop asking. She looked through the mirror to the black and yellow tie, leaving her chagrin lingering in the silence.
It seemed that she had been wrestling with the tie for a bit too long, and there were only a few scattered people left in the common room, when Violet walked out of her room, a male student who didn't look familiar called out to her in a teasing manner, 'Hey, freckled face' , which she brought off without a word.
I don't even have freckles to this extent...? Clearly you have it on your face too. Violet muttered in her mind. Actually, she didn't really like being called 'freckled face' , and even doesn't know who started it, but now everyone's starting to call her that anyway.
Maybe the Prefect just has to get up earlier than everyone else? Even if they were both Hufflepuff, in the morning Sven wouldn't wait for her in the common room, but would meet up with Violet in the Great Hall, just like Ryder. So Violet didn't hesitate, she went straight to the Great Hall-and only as far as the doorway, she could see her older brother Ryder, and their neighbour and childhood playmate, Sven, sitting in the corner as usual. The former gave Violet an empty seat by the side.
"Violet!" Ryder's hand rested on her ginger locks. "Your tie is crooked again...... take it off, let me help you tie it again?"
"Hey, Ryde. Haven't we already talked about this?" Sven interjected on the sidelines, his tone tinted with dissatisfaction.
"She's my sister, what's wrong with me helping her?"
......The two of them fell into their usual bickering mode.
Even though months have passed, she still occasionally feels little about it. After all, the frequent occasions of the three of them hanging out together happened more often five years ago... And during the five years apart, she had been alone. Now, it feels like stepping back into a distant, blurry past, making it hard to distinguish between reality and memory.
Violet quickly snapped out of her meaningless daze, only to meet Sven's concerned gaze. She shook her head gently and reached out to tug at Ryder's sleeve.
"I'm actually getting the hang of it, Ryder ......At least today's already looks a lot better than Monday's, right?"
"—Fine." Ryder reluctantly stopped arguing with Sven, rolled his eyes to him, and quickly began to focus on piling a small mountain of food out of Violet's empty plate.
-
—"What I'm saying is, this kid is way too shy! And why does she always do whatever people tell her to do? Don't you think so? Hey, are you even listening to me? ……"
Midday, during the third and fourth periods when the Seventh-years had free time. Sven Wilder was on his way to the library, accompanied by a chattering Ryder Everhart.
Sven nodded with a smile at the few students who passed by to greet him, and his mouth was not idle: "Last week you were still worried about that she couldn't keep up with her grades and couldn't sleep well, and this week you just come out a new project? Ryde, Violet is already fourteen, not so much a doll who can't take care of herself." He gritted his teeth and added an accent to the word 'doll.'
Then he jerked to a halt and turned toward Ryder, the tall man who was usually spat at by the latter for being overnourished always showing a few inexplicable signs of oppression at this moment.
"I really don't want to see you doing ridiculous things like tying Violet's tie and shoelaces every day anymore." He said quietly, his disapproving gaze once again glinting through his glasses as the smiles he had for the others gradually faded.
He kept walking. "And that time at the beginning of the school year—I don't even want to bring it up, but Merlin! Ryde! I just found out you actually tried to bribe the Sorting Hat so it would put Violet into Gryffindor!"
"...Wait, who told you that?"
"—A few days ago, Violet mentioned to me with a hint of regret that Gryffindor rejected her during the Sorting. What do you think?"
Ryder hurried after him, his ears reddening at being exposed, yet he still put on a defiant front. "Just stay out of our sibling business."
"Oh, come on. Violet is practically half my sister, too. Before she moved back, she contacted me just as often as she did you."
"You...! —Violet?"
After turning two corners, the subject of their conversation had somehow appeared before them, standing by the door of the Charms classroom with her head lowered. She idly scuffed the floor with the tip of her shoe, boredom evident in her posture. Her attention quickly shifted at the sound of her name, and her emerald-green eyes flickered.
Ryder tugged Sven along and moved closer, his tone three degrees softer.
"What's going on? Why are you standing outside the classroom?"
The one being questioned averted her gaze, seemingly engrossed in studying the carpet. "Well... Professor Evans told me to stand outside."
Wasn't it obvious? Sven sighed and pressed down on the blunt one.
"Did something happen?"
Violet glanced at the two of them, looking thoughtful. "The professor said I passed notes during the exam to ask for answers."
Ryder immediately placed his hands on Violet's shoulders, turned her around, and started pushing her toward the door. "Come on, I'll help you explain it to the professor."
"Hey, wait a second." —Then, fate caught him by the collar, courtesy of the eldest among them.
Ryder turned back impatiently. "What? Don't tell me you actually think Violet would do something like that! Sure, her grades aren't great, but there's no way! I mean…" He motioned with his mouth. "She doesn't even have friends to pass notes to."
Violet: "…? Bro, what—"
Sven shook his head, squeezed past Ryder, and pulled Violet in front of him.
"No rush. Vi, just like Ryde, I believe in you too. But can you tell us clearly? The full story."
-
One of the truest insights Violet has gained since attending Hogwarts—classroom desks make great places to sleep.
Can you really sleep even when all your classmates around you are noisily practicing spells? Yes, if someone wants to slack off, nothing can stop them—not even just lying there and playing dead for comfort.
Her presence had always been low-key—so long as she didn't go overboard, the professor wouldn't care. That was Insight #2.
Speaking of which, today was one of those so-called 'theory lessons' —and the professor had oh-so-thoughtfully prepared a pop quiz for the second half of the class. Violet had no comment on that. When you realize that you can barely understand more than half of every lesson, you stop having opinions about them. Nothing really matters anymore!
Without further judgment, Violet did the only thing she could—picked up the thin sheet of paper, circled the few answers she was actually sure about (a grand total of three), and filled the rest with ABCD in order. Then, she closed the test and called it a day.
And just then, a suspicious white slip of paper appeared out of nowhere—Violet instinctively reached out and caught it.
This… probably isn't meant for me, right? She thought, glancing to her left. An unfamiliar girl was staring at her nervously. She glanced to her right. Unfamiliar Girl #2 was shooting daggers at her.
Alright… I think I'm starting to get the picture. Violet lowered her gaze to the paper in her hands. This isn't… an answer sheet, is it? Should I return it to its rightful owner? But if I do that, wouldn't I become an accomplice to cheating too?
In the end, Violet barely had any time to react. The professor, face stern, locked onto her with the sharp precision of a hunting eagle—Well, even if Violet were merely an outsider watching this unfold, she would still call it 'a case of extremely bad luck'.
-
"...Hmm." Violet concluded her explanation with a firm syllable and lifted her eyes to meet Sven's gaze.
"You have no objections now, do you?" Ryder, who was a head taller than Violet, stood behind her with his hands resting on her shoulders, his chin pressed against the top of her head as he eagerly looked at Sven.
Faced with these two troublesome siblings, Sven couldn't help but rub his forehead. Then, with one hand, he pushed the older one away, preventing him from interfering as he tried to teach the younger one.
"Vi, why didn't you even try to explain? Professor Evans isn't someone unreasonable."
Violet hurriedly avoided Sven's stern gaze. "I—uh..."
...Now he understood. At least in this matter, Ryder's concerns were valid—Violet seemed to lack some of the natural reactions she should have had.
However, this realization only made Sven more frustrated. Ryder had always been aware of all these issues, yet his only response was to dote on his sister to an unreasonable extent.
"Listen, Violet. Maybe this time, Ryder or I can help you explain things to the professor—but what about next time? Or the time after that? What happens after we graduate? Are you planning to go through life never defending yourself? Some things will only change if you take action—if you don't speak up, no one will know what you're thinking."
…A long silence.
"...You're being too harsh. Violet is still adjusting to school; it's not that serious." Violet lowered her head and remained silent for a long time. Seeing his sister's pitiful expression, Ryder spoke up for her, despite his hesitation.
Ding… ding-ding—!
The bell rang, cutting through the tense atmosphere.
-
"…Hey! Not in public— stop pulling my tie! "
The moment Violet left, Ryder found himself yanked by his tie and dragged away by Sven. Practically being pulled through the hallways, he turned left, passed several corridors, climbed up to the eighth floor, and stopped in front of a door that shouldn't have existed—the Room of Requirement.
Shoved inside, he saw an ordinary study room setup, yet his lips pressed together in tension. He knew exactly what was coming next.
"Is this the only place where you'll actually listen to me?" Turning around, Ryder found himself backed against the wall, his spine pressed against the cold surface as Sven took a step closer.
"No—but what's wrong with wanting to take care of my sister? You can't just keep trying to suppress me like this!" Ryder reached out to push Sven away, only to have his wrist firmly caught. It was clear that a Seeker's agility was no match for a Keeper's strength—at least, not between the two of them.
"Then tell me, how many times have I told you not to spoil Violet like this? Do you really think it benefits her in any way?" Sven tightened his grip and flipped Ryder around, pinning his upper body firmly against the wall.
Although Ryder had just been complaining, he knew Sven wasn't one to use brute force to get his way. He would always wait until the other party admitted their mistakes before making a move. But precisely because of that, Ryder didn't want to admit he was wrong this time.
So, he didn't respond.
He heard Sven sigh. "I know what you're thinking."
Ryder tried to push back, but he couldn't break free.
"You think Violet had a hard time after being separated from you, and now you're trying to make up for it—but I'll say it again: this isn't going to work. "
"…Then what do you want?" Ryder admitted that he had no real argument—after all, he was just being stubborn.
"…I'm going to handle things my way. The problem is, you need to stop interfering. —After months of your 'efforts' , Violet has started to rely on you too much. Don't tell me you haven't noticed."
Tsk. You're just jealous of how close we are. Ryder clicked his tongue, turning his head away as if to say, 'Do whatever you want.'
"I'll take that as agreement. Hand over your belt." Sven finally let go of him.
…Heat rushed up Ryder's neck and burned his ears, but he didn't resist. He obediently unbuckled his belt, folded it, and handed it over. This wasn't the first time, after all.
Sven was just that annoying. Even when the argument was settled and Ryder had accepted his point, he still insisted on taking action. Ryder vaguely remembered asking about it once, and the answer he got was: 'Because your body remembers lessons better than your brain.'
"I'm a Seventh-year prefect too, damn it…" Ryder muttered under his breath, taking off his outer robe and setting it aside.
"Then act like one, Prefect." Sven raised an eyebrow at him. "Hands on the wall."
Ryder pressed his hands against the surface—"Spread your legs a bit." The belt tapped his inner thigh twice, and Ryder couldn't hold back anymore: "This is sexual harassment!"
The response was a sharp snap. He sucked in a breath, cursed under his breath, and begrudgingly moved his ankles further apart.
Since they had already discussed everything beforehand, Sven didn't have the habit of lecturing while administering discipline. He was always swift and ruthless, aiming only to ensure the lesson was learned through pain.
A series of rapid strikes landed, making Ryder's breathing quicken. He barely had time to react before another five lashes came down, leaving his backside burning.
"How are you planning to teach Violet?" Ryder shook his head during the brief pause, his voice rough as he forced out the question.
" —Well." The moment Sven answered, Ryder immediately realized what he meant—His head whipped around, voice rising. "You're going to hit my sister?! Last time , you—!"
"Last time, she accepted it just fine. Just like you did, didn't she?" Sven cut him off.
The 'last time' they mentioned—well, that was a disaster. It happened during the summer break before the school year started, back when Violet had just returned… To put it simply, Ryder and Violet had nearly tumbled down the steepest hill behind the house— nearly, because Violet managed to stop in time. Ryder, on the other hand, wasn't so lucky. Fortunately, his injuries were nothing more than minor scrapes that could be easily healed.
He didn't even dare to imagine what would've happened if Violet had tumbled down with him. After all, his lovely sister wasn't nearly as thick-skinned as he was.
"… Still, what gives you the right to punish the two of us?!" Ryder felt like he was about to grind his molars to dust.
He heard Sven let out a crisp laugh. "Because you brought this on yourself. When you mess up, I'll deal with it, sure. But Vi… since you're doing a lousy job teaching her, I can't just sit back and watch."
Another five lashes landed, and Ryder bit his tongue, barely managing to swallow his pained gasp. Sven continued behind him, "I've already told you, haven't I? Like it or not, I'm her brother too."
"…Haven't you done enough? Ugh… I mean, I'm already in pain." His breath trembled as he forced out the words. Was this a roundabout way of begging? No way—he wouldn't admit it.
"No." The response was firm, accompanied by relentless strikes landing on his backside, drawing a startled yelp from him. After the tenth blow, Ryder couldn't hold back any longer—he jolted upright and sprang to the side, cutting Sven off.
"Wait—hold on…" His hand shot back, pressing against the desk for support and defense, sweat already beading on his forehead.
Sven, ever patient, merely stood there expressionlessly. "Turn around. Ten more."
…Ryder obediently turned back, palms pressing against the desk. Honestly, he couldn't handle Sven like this. He would rather be teased than have him stay silent.
He figured that a large area on his backside must have already started swelling, the tight fit of his trousers now feeling uncomfortably stretched. Ryder forced himself not to tremble. Merlin! He still had Quidditch practice tomorrow! He was starting to suspect that this was all part of Sven's scheme to help Hufflepuff win—after all, he was Gryffindor's most important Seeker in years!
The belt landed again— one, two, three, four… Ryder's back arched, his body nearly folding against the desk.
…And with one final, ruthless strike, the 'reminder' finally came to an end. Ryder was left standing there, panting heavily, when Sven reached over, grabbed his arm, and pulled him up. He looked up—damn it, the guy had already returned to his usual calm, even throwing him a smile.
Of course. Easy for you to smile—you weren't the one getting hit. Ryder huffed and turned his head away, refusing to acknowledge him. Yet, the next moment, a handkerchief was shoved into his palm.
"Take your time. I'll wait outside?"
He gripped the handkerchief and roughly wiped his forehead.
-
Sven leaned casually against the wall outside the Room of Requirement, waiting. It wasn't long before Ryder showed up. Sven blinked— this guy probably hadn't even noticed, but his eyes were still red.
"Let's get going. There's still class later." The culprit of his misery, completely unfazed, began walking.
"Damn it… I still have to sit?! You ** … Slow down!" Ryder hurriedly caught up, grumbling under his breath, his usual politeness shattered to pieces.
......
Friday - The Last Five Minutes of the Last Class - History of Magic Classroom
Sven finally paused his note-taking, lifting his eyes from his notebook to glance at the redhead beside him—who had been propping his head on one hand and restlessly bouncing his leg for a while now.
"Can you calm down?"
Ryder shot him a glare. "Do you know how long I've been sitting?! Two hours! Two whole hours! "
"Just hold on a bit longer. It's probably numb by now anyway." To prevent him from jumping up in the middle of class, Sven pressed down on Ryder's shoulder, intentionally or not adding a bit of weight.
It seemed that Ryder was finally defeated. With a dramatic slump, he collapsed onto the long table, burying his head in his arms. To others, it merely looked like he was exhausted—after all, everyone knew that History of Magic was his weakest subject.
"I'm going to find Violet after class," Sven mentioned offhandedly, his tone as casual as if he were discussing dinner.
—The dismissal bell rang, and without a word, the redhead bolted from his seat and out the door like a gust of wind, not even sparing Sven a glance.
......
Violet was easy to find. Usually, after class and before dinner, she would sit alone in an empty classroom—typically the one from her last lesson—waiting for Ryder or Sven to come get her. If neither of them showed up, she would simply sit there until dinner time.
Sven quickly recalled the fourth-year class schedule and soon found her in the Transfiguration classroom, sitting in a corner, her head lowered as she scribbled something on parchment.
Hearing the door creak open, she looked up. Upon realizing that he was alone, or perhaps recalling their conversation from the morning, a flicker of nervousness crossed her usually expressionless face. But she didn't say anything.
"Vi— we need to talk. " A classic opening line. He watched as Violet pressed her lips together and gave a barely noticeable nod.
The walk to the Room of Requirement wasn't short. Unlike Ryder, who always walked beside others, Violet made it a habit to stay a step behind when accompanying someone. Only the occasional tug on her sleeve served as a reminder of her presence. At first, both Sven and Ryder would turn back frequently to check on her, but over time, they got used to her quiet steps. Now, Sven would sometimes reach back instinctively, letting her grasp his sleeve. ("What if I walk too fast and leave you behind?" Ryder would joke. )
Even when they reached the entrance, there was still no sign of Ryder. Sven guessed that the guy had probably hidden somewhere to rest and lost track of time. Reliable to outsiders, yet still the same reckless Gryffindor at heart… Sven mused to himself as he and Violet stepped inside the room.
He moved to stand closer to her, meeting her gaze directly. Instead of getting straight to the point, he asked, "Do you know why we're here today, Vi?"
Her eyes flickered. She wasn't used to prolonged eye contact, so she kept glancing at him before quickly looking away.
"Um… Maybe?"
…Sven said nothing. He was waiting for her to continue, and he had all the patience in the world.
-
......
…At this point, Violet had no choice but to admit defeat internally.
She really hadn't expected Sven to care so much about something so… trivial? He's terrifying when he stays silent, she thought to herself.
"What you said this morning… I think, um… it wasn't that serious?"
Truthfully, she wasn't the type to defend herself. She only talked more when she was with people she was comfortable with. If she had to put it into words—she just didn't care about these things that much. Whether it was being asked to carry boxes or being falsely accused of cheating, wasn't it better to just let it go? It would all pass soon enough. At worst, it was just a bit of trouble for a little while.
I don't care.
So when he pressed further, she calmly shared her thoughts as usual. But Sven's reaction was something she hadn't expected at all—
She saw his gaze drift away momentarily as if in thought. Then, he adjusted his glasses and spoke steadily:
"Vi, have you ever considered that maybe… it's not that you don't care, but rather that you've convinced yourself not to care because you feel like you can't change anything? "
…She froze, momentarily lost in thought, as a series of long-forgotten memories surfaced from the depths of her mind.
They were composed of countless damp nights, where half-dried tears made the summer air feel even stickier. The sound of laughter from the floors below only deepened her sense of estrangement in this 'new home,' while all she could do was experience helplessness and emptiness. Curled up in her single bed, she stared at the red-striped fabric beneath her, longing for the real home she once had in Exeter— the one with her dependable brothers… and her blue butterfly-patterned bedsheets.
But who would listen to her? …Maybe her brothers would, but they were miles away and couldn't do anything. There was no need to burden them with her troubles.
Maybe Mom would. She remembered the warmth of her mother's morning kisses on her forehead, but then she also recalled the hopeful expression on her face when she urged Violet to get along with her new family. It was gentle. It was new. Why would she want to ruin that?
Mom, Dad, Brother…
Falling asleep with unspoken thoughts, this had been her routine at nine years old. It hadn't lasted long; once she grew used to everything, she quickly buried those memories deep, never looking back.
…She snapped out of it.
"... I don't know. "
The young man gave her a good-natured smile. But she felt it was slightly dangerous— like it carried the unspoken message: You'll understand soon enough. …Great. Now she was even more nervous.
It wasn't that she was afraid of pain—well, who wouldn't be? And Sven's strength was no joke… She even started to regret it. If she had known this would happen, maybe she should have avoided them this morning? …No, that didn't seem right either.
So next, Sven sat down on the long sofa by the wall—and Violet immediately understood his actions, her face flushing red. That was the problem with their family; whenever they got nervous, the redness spread from their face to their neck.
She urged herself to take steps forward until she stood in front of Sven. Stiffly, she lay down over the young man's lap, pressing her cheek against the soft sofa. …She recalled that this position was something she had requested the last time. Alright, she admitted it—leaning on this figure, who had been like an older brother to her since childhood, made her feel safe—even if the process was still painful.
The young man thoughtfully smoothed out her slightly wrinkled school uniform skirt before starting. Then, before she even had a chance to register it, a sharp slap landed on her backside.
One, two… A tingling pain spread through her, and Violet couldn't help but let out a soft, discomforted hum.
Finally, he spoke. "Let's start from the beginning. Vi, maybe we should reflect—when your classmates make unreasonable demands of you or when others falsely accuse you of cheating, what do you feel? What emotions do you have? "
"I…" She still wasn't used to dissecting her own thoughts like this. But she knew that if she didn't say something, his hand could fall on her poor backside again at any moment. So she forced herself to seriously recall the situation.
"…I admit I was a little unhappy, but—mmph…! " The moment she said "but," two firm slaps landed once more.
That was a blatant threat… Violet grumbled internally, both embarrassed and annoyed.
"I don't think there should be any 'buts,' Vi. We both know that's unfair, right? You have no obligation to endure this, understand?" Sven's words were always straightforward. If you only focused on the words themselves, they might sound a bit cold and unsympathetic. But he was shrewd—he knew exactly how to wrap them in a gentle tone that made people feel lightheaded, tricking them into not noticing.
It seemed gentle, but in reality, everything he did was the work of a dictator—never giving anyone room to refuse. And he always found a position that made it impossible for others to argue against him.
Violet knew this very well—after all, she had observed him enough to understand. And it also meant that she had no resistance against it.
"I understand…" she mumbled. In the end, all she could do was agree.
She actually understood everything. She knew what she should do. It was just that… every time, she instinctively avoided it, choosing the safer, more comfortable mental escape route, even if it was troublesome.
—"Then tell me, what should you do next time you encounter something like this?"
Until now… it seemed that Sven wouldn't stop until he forcibly dragged her out of her strange comfort zone.
Violet nervously licked the corner of her lips, feeling the young man's palm lightly resting on her backside, almost as if he was ' coercing ' her into speaking. "I, uh, I…"
"Yes?"
"…" Violet opened her mouth, muttering back and forth, but in the end, she still couldn't give Sven the answer he wanted. …Suddenly, she wasn't sure if she could really do it.
The young man behind her sighed. Then, a series of harsh slaps rained down, continuing relentlessly. She didn't know how long it lasted, only that Sven showed no sign of stopping until Violet whimpered softly in pain, her body instinctively arching up to escape—only to be firmly pressed back down onto his lap. Heat spread through her skin.
"I know our Violet is a brave girl, isn't she? This isn't difficult."
"…Mmph. " Violet's ears burned red, and her voice turned sticky with reluctance. Sven rarely used such a coaxing tone with her—that was usually Ryder's role.
"Repeat after me: ' Next time I'm wrongfully accused, I will defend myself. '"
"…Next time I'm wrongfully accused …" Violet murmured softly, the last few words so faint that even she could barely hear them.
"Louder. " A light slap landed on the sorest spot as a warning.
"Next time I'm wrongfully accused I will defend myself " She held her breath and repeated the sentence in one go.
Two more slaps reignited the pain that had just settled down, and Violet found herself blinking back tears.
"If someone makes an unreasonable demand of me, I will refuse directly. "
Violet followed along, but before she even finished the sentence, more slaps landed. She pouted, allowing the tears to fall, her voice now tinged with a faint nasal tone.
"I have the right to express myself; I have the right to refuse; I have the right to be unhappy—I will protect myself. "
"I have the right to express myself…! I have the right to refuse… mmph!I have the right to be unhappy… I—I will protect myself…… "
The pain—one strike after another—nearly clung to her voice, gradually pushing Violet to her limit. In the end, she couldn't hold back anymore and began sobbing quietly, turning her head to rest against Sven's arm. He indulged her, rubbing her head gently.
"Remember what you just said, alright? …But if you forget, that's fine too—I'll ' help ' you remember."
Violet shivered. Even without turning back, she could imagine Sven's smiling face. She hurriedly nodded.
"I—I won't forget."
A large hand gently patted her head. "Twenty more?"
The girl gave a muffled hum in response, her cheeks still streaked with tears, which she hurriedly wiped away by pressing her face against the sofa.
The strikes didn't lighten in the slightest. Pain layered upon pain, searing into the already bruised skin, making it unbearable. Violet let out a trembling whimper, her voice thick with tears, but the firm grip on her waist kept her from escaping.
"It hurts—Sven, it hurts! " Violet kicked her legs weakly, struggling against the stinging pain. Somewhere past the tenth strike, whatever little restraint she had left shattered. She finally let out an unguarded wail, reaching out to clutch at the young man's sleeve.
But it was useless. The pain kept coming, unwavering, each strike landing just as firmly as the last. By the final few, he even added a bit more force. And so, when it was finally over, all that remained was a sobbing Violet.
She buried her face into the sofa, muffling her cries. Sven gently pulled her up to face him. A sharp throb pulsed through her backside, and she had no doubt that the skin was swollen and red—maybe she wouldn't even be able to sit properly tomorrow.
Violet looked up at the young man, tears still pooling in her eyes. She blinked, letting them fall freely, and didn't force herself to stop crying. Instead, she leaned forward, resting her head against Sven's chest, smearing her tears onto his shirt.
-
If it were Ryder, he would have known better how to comfort her at a time like this. …Did he go too far? A faint sense of regret crept into Sven's mind.
The damp warmth of her tears against his chest softened the heart beneath his skin. With slow, gentle strokes, he ran his hand over Violet's soft hair, as if soothing a small animal, finally lowering his voice to comfort her.
"Want me to get your brother?"
The auburn head nudged forward slightly—probably a yes.
He got up and headed for the door. The moment he opened it, someone standing outside immediately shoved their way in.
"Violet—"
That was all Sven heard before he stepped into the hallway, shutting the door behind him. It was best to give them some space for now. He lifted his head, gazing out at the darkening sky, wondering if they could still make it in time for dinner.
......
It seemed they would. In fact, it took only about five minutes before the three of them reunited in the corridor.
The first thing Sven did was check on Violet. Having spent a moment alone with Ryder, she seemed much calmer now. Her cheeks were still flushed, her gaze lowered, and she leaned listlessly against her brother's side.
Ryder was the first to speak, raising an eyebrow as if pretending to be surprised Sven was still waiting outside. "What, are you planning to stalk us all the way to the dining hall?"
Sven's lips curled into a faint smile as he smoothly replied, "Naturally. Someone has to make sure you don't pile her plate with sweets again."
"Well, well—" Ryder slung an arm over Violet's shoulder and led her ahead, but not before mocking Sven in a sing-song voice, " She needs a balanced diet, Ryde—don't do anything stupid, Ryde— "
Sven picked up his pace to catch up, clasping his hands behind his back as he chuckled, "Oh? So you do understand. Does that mean you're finally going to follow my advice this time?"
Ryder chose to ignore him. Instead, Violet lifted her head, her emerald eyes now free of tears but still shimmering. "Don't worry, I'll make sure to stop Ryder."
"—What…? Hey, I'm your actual brother! This is betrayal!"
"Hah, see? I've been saying it all along—Violet's favourite brother is me. …This settles it, doesn't it?"
"—This time doesn't count!"
......
-
Some bonus scenes:
1. The Next Morning
Violet:(in the common room)
Unfamiliar Student A:(dashing past) Morning, freckled face!
Violet:(turns around and grabs them) (pauses) … (serious) You shouldn't call me that. I don't like it.
Student A: (๑ʘ̅ д ʘ̅๑)!!! What?! I thought that was your nickname (in a good way) ! I'm so sorry!!
Violet:(satisfied) (satisfied)
2. How the Big Boss Was Born
Violet:(pondering) Brother, you and Sven are the same age, so how did things end up like this…?
Ryder:(grievous) …It all started with that damned history class… (painful expression)
Sven:(smiling pleasantly) No matter how many times I taught him, he wouldn't remember—but one good beating, and suddenly he knew everything. A very efficient method, don't you think?
3. The Hill-Rolling Incident:
Ryder:AHHHHH—VIOLET, IT'S DANGEROUS—WAIT—SAVE ME—^wjfiw!kbfi?wkdj<fkd`e—!!!
Violet: Σ(っ °Д °;)っ AHHHH—ONII-CHAN!!
Sven, rushing over:?!?!!??!! AHHHH—RYDER!!