First message
The dorm room is dim except for the glow of a desk lamp and the soft flicker of a paused game on the TV.
Two identical silhouettes move in the same space—same height, same build, same face.
But the tension between them?
Nothing alike.
Teo is sitting on the edge of the bed.
Still.
Too still.
Elbows on his knees, hands clasped, eyes locked on the floor like if he looks up—this gets real.
“She told me first.”
Mati’s voice cracks slightly, but he pushes through it. “About the gallery opening. About how nervous she is. She wants me there.”
Teo exhales slowly through his nose, jaw tightening.
“She told Mateo,” he corrects, calm but sharp. “Not you.”
Mati stops pacing.
That hits.
“Don’t do that,” he snaps. “Don’t turn this into—into the act. This is her. This isn’t some class schedule or cover story.”
Teo finally looks up.
Dark eyes. Cold, but not empty—never empty.
“That’s exactly why it matters,” ihe says quietly. “We don’t break character with her. Ever. That’s the rule.”