The Silent Half

Chapter 10

Conrad froze when he nearly bumped into Jeremiah in the hallway. For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Jeremiah’s gaze flicked to the maid beside Conrad. “Leave us,” he said quietly. The maid bowed and stepped away, leaving the two of them standing alone.

Jeremiah’s voice was calm, almost too calm. “We haven’t really talked since… since we reunited. Did you see the note I left in your locker?”

Conrad’s hand twitched at his side. “Yes,” he said softly. “What do you want to talk about?”

“About that day,” Jeremiah replied. “When you saw me at the entrance of the canteen—”

“You mean the day you were bullying that kid?” Conrad cut in, his tone sharp.

Jeremiah’s jaw shifted, but he didn’t deny it. “Yes. That day. Why didn’t you approach me?”

“I don’t know. Maybe because I was shocked,” Conrad muttered. “Shocked that you turned out like that.”

Jeremiah’s eyes narrowed, but his voice dropped lower. “And at the fresher’s party? Why didn’t you talk to me? Conner did.”

Conrad hesitated, then sighed. “I don’t like parties. I didn’t even want to go—Conner and Alex practically begged me. And as for not talking to you… you never spoke to me first. If you had, maybe I would’ve answered.”

For a beat, silence stretched between them. Then, unexpectedly, Jeremiah laughed—low, deep, the sound rich in the quiet hallway.

Conrad’s head jerked up, stunned. “Wha… what’s so funny?” he stammered.

“You’re cute,” Jeremiah said without hesitation.

Conrad blinked. “What?”

“Nothing,” Jeremiah replied smoothly, but the smile stayed on his face—the kind of smile no one else had probably ever seen on him. Not his friends. Not even his mother for a very long time now.

He led Conrad into the guest room, and Conrad froze again. The room was nearly identical to his and Conner’s back at home. The same layout. The same atmosphere. Just that there's only one king sized bed instead of two but still. Laur had thought of everything. Warmth stirred in Conrad’s chest despite himself.

The bathroom door opened, and Conner stepped out in his pajamas, towel still hanging around his neck. His eyes flickered briefly—something unreadable flashing there when he saw Jeremiah with Conrad—but it was gone in an instant.

“Hey, Conrad, look at this!” Conner grinned. “Laur made the room just like ours at home. Feels like we never left.”

“Yeah… it does,” Conrad murmured, still taking it all in.

“Jeremiah, what are you doing here?” Conner asked, a little too casually.

“I was just showing Conrad to the room,” Jeremiah said simply.

Conner tilted his head. “Are you staying here with us? Like we used to when we were kids?”

Before Jeremiah could answer, Conrad jumped in. “That was when we were five. And you were eight. Besides, the bed won’t fit all three of us.”

“It could fit five, let alone three,” Jeremiah countered with a smile.

Conrad frowned. “Still… go to your own room.”

Jeremiah’s smile lingered, but he didn’t argue. With one last look at Conrad, he turned and left.

---

Later, after his bath, Conrad slid under the covers beside Conner. The lights went out, and silence filled the room.

Then Conner’s voice broke the quiet.

“Conrad?”

“…Hmm?”

“What do you think of Jeremiah?”

Conrad’s brows knit in the dark. “Nothing. Was I supposed to think something?”

“Nothing,” Conner echoed, rolling over. “Good night.”

"Yeah goodnight" Conrad replied softly.

The room sank back into silence, Conrad finds himself at ease here sleeping peacefully something he hadn't felt in a long time maybe it's because they're not in their house but he didn't feel suffocated.