The afternoon sun began to lean towards the western horizon, lengthening the shadows of the trees and buildings along the sidewalk. The homecoming bell for Eternal Hope State High School rang fifteen minutes ago, sending a sea of students in white and gray uniforms out of the main gate.

Alcel walked among the crowd with regular and calm steps. The camera is swinging in front of his chest again. However, when he stepped past the school gate pillar, his footsteps stopped.

Beside the pillar, Laura was standing leaning back while playing with the ends of her hair. Her presence there made several male students passing by deliberately slow down their steps just to steal glances. When the girl's eyes caught Alcel's figure who had just come out, she immediately stood up straight and waved her hands high.

Alcel walked over to him. His expression didn't change, he just stared at his brother with a standard observation look.

"What are you doing here?" Alcel asked. The question was said without a surprised intonation, purely asking for information regarding Laura's positional anomaly.

Laura pursed her lower lip, a little annoyed at her older brother's stiff response.

"Oh, big brother, of course I want to stop by your place," answered Laura with an undeniable big smile.

Alcel was silent for a moment. He processed the request and found no logical reason to refuse. He turned around and started walking along the sidewalk towards home. Laura immediately aligned her steps at Alcel's side, humming softly happily.

Throughout the journey, Alcel's routine did not change even though there was now someone walking beside him. His steps occasionally stopped. He raised his camera, took aim at the puddles of water left over from last night's rain reflecting the orange color of the evening sky, and pressed the shutter button. Click. On another occasion, he photographed the silhouette of a street cat jumping on a brick wall.

Laura didn't protest seeing her older brother who often stopped suddenly. Instead, he watched Alcel closely, staring at how his older brother's fingers flexibly adjusted the lens, a habit that had never been lost since middle school.

About ten minutes of walking, Alcel turned his steps from the main sidewalk route towards the automatic glass door of a minimarket. An electronic chime sounded as the door opened. Laura followed behind him.

In the minimarket, Alcel didn't go to the snack or sweet drink aisle like most teenagers. He immediately walked towards the corner of the cooling rack that displayed fresh food ingredients.

Laura stood by the shopping cart, watching carefully. Alcel took a pack of white tofu, checked the expiration date in seconds, then put it in the basket. He then shifted, choosing several bunches of spinach and a piece of chicken breast filet that had been packed tightly. His movements were very efficient, fast and planned.

Seeing her older brother weighing up basic necessities with a serious expression, Laura felt a little admiration mixed with emotion. Alcel has truly built his own life from scratch.

After the transaction at the cashier was completed, they continued their journey until they entered a residential area where the road was slightly narrower. The noisy atmosphere of the highway began to be replaced by the sound of broomsticks and afternoon chatter.

When passing the yard of a house with a wooden fence whose paint was peeling, an old woman who was watering potted plants looked up. It was the same old woman who gave Alcel provisions this morning.

The old woman smiled when she saw Alcel, but her smile faded, replaced by a look of astonishment when she saw a very beautiful girl in a high school uniform walking behind the quiet teenager.

"It's great that you don't come home alone, Alcel," the old woman admonished her kindly, her eyes glancing curiously at Laura.

Alcel turned his head. Before he could formulate a short, functional answer, Laura had already taken over social control.

The girl stepped forward, bowed slightly very politely, then smiled brightly. "Hello, Madam! Good afternoon. Let me introduce myself, I'm Laura, Alcel's older brother's brother!" he said loudly and confidently.

The old woman looked surprised, but soon laughed warmly. "Gosh, his brother? So beautiful! Grandma just found out that Alcel has a younger brother. No wonder you two are both beautiful."

"Thank you very much, Madam! Thank you also for often helping and providing food for my quiet brother," replied Laura with a fluidity of communication that was in stark contrast to Alcel.

While Laura and the old woman were talking, Alcel looked at the water hose that was still on in his grandmother's hand. Water droplets bouncing off the rose leaves create interesting random patterns in the evening light. Alcel raised his camera. Click.

After pressing the preview button, Alcel stepped closer to the two of them. He turned the LCD screen so that the old woman and Laura could see.

"What do you think madam?" Alcel asked.

On the screen, water droplets could be seen frozen in the air, sparkling like crystals against the slightly blurry background of roses. The old woman leaned forward, her eyes sparkling at the beauty of her ordinary watering routine.

"Oh... it's very beautiful, son. The water looks like jewels," praised the old woman sincerely.

Laura also peeked over her older brother's shoulder. His smile widened, there was a sense of pride hidden there. "You see, Madam, Alcel's older brother is the smartest when it comes to things like this."

Alcel did not respond to the compliment with words. He just nodded slightly, turned the screen back, and put the camera back in its original position.

After politely saying goodbye, they finally arrived in front of a simple building. It was a rented row house with faded cream-colored walls, bordered by a small waist-high iron fence.

Alcel reached into his trouser pocket, took out the key, and opened the lock on the fence, inviting his little brother into his most private world.

***

A soft creaking sound was heard when Alcel pushed open the wooden door of his rental. He stepped in, followed by Laura who peeked over his shoulder.

The smell of fresh pine-scented floor cleaner greeted them. Shoes and sandals are arranged in parallel on a wooden shelf near the door. Alcel took off his shoes, put his camera on the living room table, then carried his shopping bags to the small kitchen area in the corner of the room.

Laura took off her shoes and stepped inside. This rental was not decorated with luxurious furniture—there was only a simple cloth sofa, a television table, and a small bookshelf. However, there was no dust on any surface. Everything is right in its place.

"Where have you lived this week?" Alcel's flat voice broke the silence as he brought out tofu and spinach.

Laura walked over to the living room table, put her bag there. "At Aunt Maya's house," he answered. "But the distance from Auntie's house to school is quite far, you have to take public transportation twice. Besides, I don't like having to bother Auntie all the time."

The girl snorted softly. "As long as we are very far from this city, Big bro. Do you know, I had to go on hunger strike and argue for a long time with Mom and Dad to be allowed to move schools after you. They only allowed it on the condition that I had to live under Auntie's supervision."

Alcel did not respond. He just tidied up the food in the refrigerator and closed the door slowly.

While waiting for her older brother in the kitchen, Laura explored the room. His eyes fell on a short hallway with three wooden doors. He grabbed the nearest doorknob and opened it a crack.

Behind the door there is a bedroom with a single bed. The bedsheets were neatly laid without creases, the tiled floor was shiny, and the windows were half open. He opened the second door, and found exactly the same conditions. Clean and organized.

Only the third door—which was half open and revealed a study table containing a pile of books and a camera charger—was Alcel's main room.

"Big brother Alcel," Laura called in amazement, turning her body to face her brother who had just finished washing his hands in the sink. "Why are you renting a three-bedroom apartment? Even though you live alone."

Alcel dried his hands with a small towel next to the sink.

"A room for receiving guests," answered Alcel.

Laura looked at her older brother, then smiled faintly. The distance from this rented house to school was only ten minutes on foot, a stark contrast to her aunt's house.

"Then..." Laura tilted her head slightly, looking at Alcel in a pleading manner. "Can I use one of your guest rooms? I promise I'll come clean the house!"

Alcel glanced briefly at the empty room that his brother had just opened, then looked back at Laura.

"You can use the room with the door in the middle," said Alcel flatly.

"Really?!" Laura's face immediately lit up. He jumped a little. "Thank you, Big bro! I'll let Auntie know right now!"

Instead of responding to the cheers, Alcel walked towards the hanger near the door, took out a black jacket, and put it on. After that, he took back the camera and the key to the rental from the table.

Laura stopped typing on her cell phone, looking at her older brother in confusion. "Brother wants to go again? She said she was going to cook."

"Let's get your things now," said Alcel as he walked towards the front door.

He stopped for a moment, glanced at his younger brother's posture up and down.

"Your moving items must be heavy and a lot," added Alcel flatly as he opened the door. "It's not efficient if you carry it yourself. I'll accompany you."

Laura remained silent where she stood, looking at the back of her older brother who was waiting in the doorway. A smile slowly spread across his face. He hurriedly grabbed his bag and jogged to follow Alcel's steps out of the rented house.

***

The boisterous sounds of the station greeted them under the high platform roof. Alcel walked first, his right hand holding two physical tickets while his left hand ensured the camera around his neck remained steady amidst the crowd of people. Laura trailed behind him, occasionally smoothing her hair which was messy in the wind from the train that had just passed.

They boarded an economy class carriage which was not too full. Alcel chose to sit near the window. Throughout the journey, he didn't talk much. His focus is only divided between the cellphone screen to monitor the route and the train window. Occasionally he raised his camera, taking photos of the fading horizon line as the train sped through rice fields and settlements.

Once they arrived at their destination station, they walked for a few minutes until they arrived at a classic-style house with a yard full of ornamental plants.

"Oh, Alcel?"

A middle-aged woman in a floral negligee came out of the front door, her face showing real surprise when she saw the figure in front of her fence.

"Good afternoon, Auntie," said Alcel, bowing slightly.

"Auntie, I'm here to get my things. I'll be staying at Alcel's older brother's place starting today," Laura interrupted cheerfully, immediately approaching her aunt and kissing her hand.

Aunt Maya looked at Alcel from head to toe, as if making sure that the child who had left the house was still intact. "You're much taller now, Alcel. You can take care of yourself, I see."

Alcel just nodded slightly in response. "Where are the items?"

The meeting was short. After some small talk about their parents' health in the village, Aunt Maya helped Laura take out a large suitcase and two medium boxes from inside the house.

Alcel immediately took over the heaviest suitcase and a large cardboard box, leaving the smallest, lightest cardboard box for Laura. He politely refused when Aunt Maya offered to call a taxi to the station.

"The next train schedule is in ten minutes. There's still time," said Alcel, glancing at his watch.

On the way back, the weight on Alcel's hands didn't seem to affect his walking speed. Laura had to jog a bit to match her older brother's efficient stride. In the train carriage heading home, the atmosphere returned to silence.

Alcel sat with his suitcase between his legs, looking at his and Laura's reflection in the window glass which was starting to darken as the sun went down. No words were spoken, but for Laura, the presence of her older brother sitting quietly guarding her things was much more calming than a series of questions.

As soon as he arrived in front of the rented house, Alcel put the items in the living room. He took off his jacket, hung it back, and walked straight to the kitchen.

"Go into your room and tidy up. I'll start cooking," Alcel ordered without turning around.

Laura looked at the suitcase and boxes, then looked at Alcel's back in the kitchen. He smiled faintly, feeling like he had truly returned home.

***

The aroma of roasted ginger chicken and sautéed spinach filled the narrow living room of the rented house. On the small dining table, Alcel has arranged two plates with portions that look identical. Everything looks symmetrical—the position of the spoon, the position of the water glass, down to the neatly molded mound of rice.

Laura came out of her room wearing a casual t-shirt and her hair tied carelessly. He paused for a moment, staring at the dining table with a twinkle in his eye that was hard to hide.

"Sit down," Alcel ordered briefly as he sat in his own chair.

They ate in silence. The sound of spoons clinking against ceramic plates was the only melody in the room. Laura chewed the chicken piece slowly, then her eyes widened slowly. The taste is just right—not overwhelming, but very clean on the tongue. He glanced at Alcel who was eating at a constant rhythm, without showing any expression.

Laura scooped up the stir-fried spinach and finished it without any leftovers. He knew that Alcel prepared the nutritional composition with careful consideration, and leaving it behind would only be an inefficient action. Alcel glanced at Laura's plate, making sure all the components of the food were consumed, then returned to focusing on his own plate.

"This is delicious, Big bro. Really delicious," said Laura finally, breaking the silence.

Alcel only gave a small nod in acknowledgment of that statement. No thanks back or proud smile. For him, delicious taste is the result of correct cooking techniques.

After eating, Alcel immediately cleared the table with calibrated movements. He washed the dishes quickly, wiped the table dry, then sat on the living room sofa. He grabbed his camera, took out the memory card, and inserted it into the old laptop on the table.

Laura didn't go straight into the room. He sat at the other end of the sofa, watching Alcel sorting out the photos he had taken throughout the day. On the laptop screen, photos appeared of puddles of orange water, cats on the wall, and photos of water droplets from the neighbor's grandmother's hose.

"Why do you like taking pictures of things that people don't notice?" Laura asked quietly, her voice almost a whisper so as not to break Alcel's concentration.

Alcel stopped at one photo—a silhouette photo of Laura walking with her back to the camera on the station platform this afternoon. He stared at the photo for two seconds before pressing the button to move to the next photo.

"Because they are there," Alcel answered flatly. "Just need someone to prove that moment actually happened."

Laura was silent, contemplating the answer. He realized that for Alcel, taking photos was not just about art, but about honest archiving of reality.

The night was getting late. Alcel closed his laptop after finishing backing up the data. He stood up, turned off the living room lights, and left a small lamp near the dimly lit kitchen.

"Go to sleep. Don't forget to lock your door from the inside," said Alcel as he walked towards his own room.

"Big bro?" call Laura.

Alcel stopped in front of his bedroom door, turning his head slightly.

"Thank you for today. And... thank you for picking me up earlier."

Alcel didn't answer. He just stared at his brother for a moment with a small smile, then went into his room and closed the door without a sound. Behind the closed door of his room, Alcel put his camera on his work desk, then lay down on his bed.

Tomorrow was a new day in his routine, but this time, there was another sound of breathing behind the walls of his rented house. A new variable that doesn't feel annoying at all.