"What''s wrong?" Shanley gently pushed the door open and carried the breakfast to the bedside, a faint smile on his lips.


    “Just ran into someone annoying,” Juniper said, ncing at the food before letting out a massive yawn. "I don''t really want to eat."


    “Just have a little before you sleep," Shanley insisted, setting the tray down and lifting the bowl of soup to her lips. "Your stomach will hurt if you don''t eat."


    Juniper frowned slightly. She hated being pressured into doing something she''d already refused. If it had been anyone else, that bowl of soup would have already been flung across the room.


    She remained silent, but Shanley didn''t give up, coaxing her with a soft voice and the patience of someone calming a rebellious child. After a tense thirty seconds, Juniper sighed internally and opened her mouth, letting him feed her.


    After she''d had half the bowl, Shanley took the food away and tucked her into bed. "Aren''t you going to sleep?"


    Juniper asked, instinctively grabbing his hand, her eyes looking a little red around the rims.


    "You want me to stay with you?" Shanley''s body tensed slightly as he posed the question.


    "Suit yourself," Juniper retorted, turning her face away from him.


    Shanley chuckled helplessly. After clearing away the breakfast things, he returned to the bedroom, lifted the covers, andy down beside her. The moment he settled in, the half-asleep girl instinctively snuggled into his warmth.


    "I''m here," Shanley whispered, gently stroking her hair. A question lingered in his mind. She seemed tock a sense of security. He wondered what she had been through.


    The next day, Juniper went straight to theb. On the way, she received the DNA analysis report. As expected, Harold was indeed her brother.


    "Juniper," Shanley said, looking at the report, his curiosity getting the better of him. "How did you suddenly recognize that Dr. Houston was your brother yesterday?"


    "Hmm?" Juniper looked up abruptly.


    was a tricky one. She


    That question w


    couldn''t very well say she was the head of Binary Oracle and had investigated Harold, could she? She had spent all this time in front of them trashing Cybeic Shadows. Admitting the truth how would be incredibly awkward.


    "Because..." She thought for a moment and came up with a usible lie. "I


    identally saw it when he was changing his shirt."


    The words left Shanley speechless. He wanted to be jealous, but the man was her brother. But then again, he was still a man.


    "Is that so?” Shanley managed a strainedugh, his voice hoarse. “What a coincidence. You shouldn''t be looking at things like that in the future.”


    Juniper shot him a look but ultimately said nothing.


    ...


    At theb, Juniper walked ahead, a lollipop in her mouth, with Shanley by her side. Felton and Flint followed closely behind, carrying a case.


    "Hi, Juniper." Harold was already waiting at the door and greeted her as soon as she appeared.


    "Bro," Juniper replied obediently.


    “Dr. Houston.” Shanley, ever the tactful one, knew he hadn''t earned the title of boyfriend yet and didn''t dare get too familiar.


    “Come in,” Harold said, his expression softening slightly as he watched Shanley help Juniper get settled.


    Once seated, Juniper opened the case she''d brought, revealing rows of needles in different colors—gold, silver, and even ck.


    "What do need to do?" Harold


    asked. He wasn''t very familiar with


    this, but he knew acupuncture


    wasn''t something to be trifled with.


    Mastering it was another mattek entirely.


    "Keep your heart rate steady,"


    Juniper said, a faint, mischievous et


    smile ying on her lips as she noticed Harold''s slight nervousness. s almost at 120, isnt


    Harold checked his pulse. Sure enough, it was exactly 120.