00:00Deep down, I knew it was nothing but a deal.
00:02Still, I couldn't sleep properly for days.
00:03I did my best to avoid both of them.
00:06My best friend flew into a rage when she found out.
00:09I stared down at my sleeves.
00:10It's all in the past. I've made up my mind.
00:12I'll keep my distance from now on.
00:14Just stay away. That's all.
00:17The worst case is nothing more than being polite strangers.
00:20The Bureau had made it clear.
00:21With a match percentage this high,
00:23only you can stabilize them through their feral cycle.
00:26In return, their standing in the military gave me a comfortable life.
00:30It was nothing more than a transaction.
00:32Are you still going to give them milk every night?
00:35Probably.
00:36A surface-level peace mattered.
00:38For me as much as them.
00:39She hesitated.
00:40But don't you think treating them exactly the same,
00:43that's not fair to the one who's actually been good to you?
00:46Fair?
00:46The Bureau caseworker had drilled it into me before we moved in.
00:50Multimate households are rare, but they exist.
00:52Balance is everything.
00:54You are the glue.
00:56Your every move affects both of them.
00:57Do not play favorites.
00:58Do not tip the scale.
01:00I took it seriously.
01:02When I brought lunch to the force,
01:03I even counted the shrimp in each container one by one.
01:06I'd gone that far, and it still wasn't fair.
01:09My best friend saw my confusion.
01:11She said it carefully.
01:12It was only Rex who lashed out at you that night.
01:15Rhys didn't say a word.
01:16I nodded.
01:17Yeah.
01:18Rhys hadn't just stayed quiet.
01:20He'd punched Rex.
01:21It almost looked like he was defending me.
01:23And yet, I looked down at the wound on my calf.
01:26He'd knelt on the floor in front of me.
01:29Cleaned the wound like it was the only thing that mattered.
01:32Before he left, he pressed a piece of chocolate into my hand.
01:35Wiped my tears.
01:36Talked me down until I could sleep.
01:39Apologized on Rex's behalf.
01:40None of that was his responsibility.
01:42Rex was the one who hurt me.
01:44Think about it, she said.
01:46Same treatment, same gifts.
01:47But one of them has actually been showing up for you.
01:49Doesn't he deserve more?
01:50I couldn't sleep that night.
01:52I kept thinking about something from foster care.
01:54A volunteer came to spend the day with us.
01:56I helped her the whole afternoon.
01:58Moving boxes, carrying bags, hands red by the end of it.
02:01Everyone else played.
02:03Did nothing.
02:04We all got the same backpack when she left.
02:07Same color, same size.
02:08But before she walked out, she pulled me aside.
02:11The backpack is for everyone.
02:13But these are just for you.
02:15Good kids deserve a little extra.
02:18That's what fair actually means.
02:22The volunteer's voice fighting in my head all night.
02:25By morning, the volunteer had won.
02:27The one who shows up deserves more.
02:29That's the real fairness.
