espresso shot ; njm ✔️

9

as aera stepped into her family's cozy living room, the scent of fresh potpourri and the soft glow of the warm lighting welcomed her. her parents, nestled comfortably on the couch, turned with mild amusement at her entrance.

"you closed up and locked everything, right?" her father teased, a playful smirk tugging at his lips, evoking a fond, shared memory of her past oversight.

aera chuckled, knowing his playful banter all too well. "yes, dad, i made sure everything's locked up this time."

her mom added, "feeling hungry, sweetie? we can fix something up for you."

"no, i ate at the shop," she replied, her voice carrying a mix of determination and concern. with a swift ascent up the stairs, she headed straight to her younger brother's room.

inside, amidst the clamor of a video game, jisung was engrossed in a battle, his focus unwavering until aera's presence interrupted.

he took off his headset and glared at aera in annoyance. "is invading my privacy really necessary?" 

"yes it is," she quipped, flopping onto his bed with an impish grin.

"aera?" jeno's voice crackled through the gaming headset, followed by donghyuck's cheerful greeting.

jisung rolled his eyes at the intrusion, wondering why his sister was engaging with his friends. but he shrugged it off, accustomed to her quirky interactions with them.

"what's up?" he grumbled, still focused on the game.

aera hesitated before she voiced her concern about jaemin. unsure if his friends were the right confidants, she pressed on, hoping for any insights.

"has anything weird been going on with jaemin?"

jisung's excitement over a victory was short-lived as aera commandeered the headset, delving into the conversation with his friends.

"he hasn't been on all day," mark's calm voice rang out. "which is odd, considering he's my best friend."

aera's shoulders sagged. if even his best friend was clueless, it was disheartening.

"he visited my shop, but he left suddenly. i even got him a bagel," aera explained, her voice tinged with worry.

mark reassured her, "don't overthink it, aera. he's been distant from us too."

the feeling of disappointment welled within her, and her eyes glistened with unshed tears. jisung, noticing her distress, intervened protectively.

"hey, no," he countered, wrapping an arm around her. "don't listen to them."

"dude, he was so happy with you the other day!" donghyuck interjected loudly, his volume inadvertently startling aera.

her hope rekindled at the memory of their recent encounter. "really? then maybe i did something wrong," she faltered, her voice quivering.

jisung swiftly took back control of the conversation, protective instincts flaring. "what did you guys say to make her cry?"

concerned about her state, jisung guided her out of the room, nudging her gently towards her own bedroom. yet, despite his efforts, sleep eluded aera. thoughts of jaemin lingered, leaving her grappling with an inexplicable sense of guilt.

that night, as she lay awake, aera couldn't help but wrestle with her compassionate nature, often extending kindness to everyone but herself.