espresso shot ; njm ✔️

10

aera's mind wrestled with sleeplessness, the night's unrest compelling her to seek refuge outside the confines of her bed. in the early hours, she descended the stairs, keys clutched tightly in her fist, and embarked on an impulsive journey to a familiar haven—the coffee shop that felt like a second home.

her footsteps, a soft tip-toe, resonated in the quiet morning as she navigated the familiar path. the keys swung gently from her hand, and every creak of the stairs seemed to echo her internal turmoil. the coffee shop, bathed in the soft glow of streetlights, beckoned to her like a beacon of solace.

upon arrival, she noticed jaemin standing outside, teeth chattering in the cold. his presence, initially unnoticed, became apparent with each audible shiver. it was a surprising encounter, one that might have gone unnoticed had it not been for the cold betraying his silent presence.

without hesitation, she approached him, enveloping him in a hug, her unspoken concern tangible in the warmth she offered. "you're crazy for waiting here!" she scolded, unlocking the doors and ushering him inside. 

"i'd rather freeze than suffocate in my own house," he replied, his words carrying the weight of unspoken guilt. his response, void of emotion, hinted at a deeper turmoil within him, something he couldn't bring himself to share.

aera didn't know how to respond to his reply as she stayed quiet, but she spoke up after a moment. "do you want to stay over at my house? you're jisung's friend too, so it wouldn't be weird or anything. i'm sure he wouldn't mind sharing his room with you." 

yet, despite the warmth of her invitation, he respectfully declined, reluctant to impose.

"bullshit!" aera scoffed, a fake smile gracing her lips. "you're a lovely human," she added, guiding him further into the warmth of the coffee shop. aera busied herself, fixing a cup of hot tea for him, her movements a delicate dance between care and determination.

he almost got up to help her, only to have her push him back down in his seat and say, "no, stay where you are."

he chuckled amusingly at how she was struggling to open a tea bag packet, brushing her bangs away from her eyes and pushing her glasses up her nose bridge. 

as she handed him the tea, their conversation meandered back to the bagel he had earlier. "did you like your bagel?" her attempt to revive their discussion unfolded with genuine interest, her dimples deepening with each encouraging smile. 

jaemin, offering a nod to avoid hurting her feelings, found himself drawn into the charm of her warm demeanor.

he noticed as her face immediately started glowing, her eyes turning upwards into little crescents and the roundness of her cheeks intensifying. "i'll make another one," she said, only to have jaemin stop her. 

 "no, it's okay. i don't like eating so early in the morning," he said, hoping his excuse was believable to her. 

 "well, that's too bad." 

 aera held her hand out to feed jaemin a piece of the bagel. he looked at the bagel and then back at aera, whose dimples started to deepen the wider her encouraging smile became. eventually, he couldn't take it, so he let his teeth sink into the soft blueberry bagel.  

as aera continued to delicately feed Jaemin, he couldn't help but be captivated by the sunflower necklace that adorned her neck. his curiosity sparked a question, and he tilted his head like a curious puppy, seeking to understand the significance behind her choice of accessory.

"why a sunflower?" jaemin inquired, his gaze fixated on the bright pendant.

"i love sunflowers," aera replied with her ever-present smile. "they're always facing the sun, looking at the bright side."

jaemin couldn't help but draw a silent contrast between aera's optimistic view and his own internal struggles. the mention of donghyuck, another sunflower enthusiast, crept into jaemin's thoughts. he observed aera's reaction closely, searching for any sign of emotion at the mention of donghyuck's name. however, her expression remained unchanged, leaving jaemin in a state of uncertainty about his own emotions.

aera chuckled, seamlessly shifting the conversation. "so, what's your favorite flower?" she asked, offering him another bite of the bagel.

in a contemplative moment, jaemin settled on roses as his favorite. aera, anticipating an explanation, received a metaphorical response. "they look soft and pretty from the top, but if you look deeper into the rose bed, it's full of thorns. it enforces that you shouldn't judge someone based off of what they present to society because they might have something going on beneath the surface."

aera's gaze softened, considering the deeper meaning behind jaemin's words. however, she hesitated to delve into a potentially sensitive topic, mindful of their interactions from the day before. her decision to steer clear of probing questions reflected her concern for jaemin's emotional well-being.

"we both analyze flowers like weirdos," aera giggled, her dimples making an appearance once again. in that fleeting moment, jaemin swore he saw a sparkle in her eyes, a comforting connection forming as they shared this seemingly odd passion for flower analysis.

their proximity intensified as aera pointed out cream cheese on jaemin's lip. the closeness between them led to a frozen moment, an almost cinematic pause. eyes locked, the atmosphere took on a romantic quality, reminiscent of a k-drama scene at its climax.

however, reality intervened with the jingling of the bell and the entrance of a new customer. the moment was over as aera awkwardly smiled, shifting her focus to the newcomer. she seamlessly slipped into her role at the coffee shop, displaying kindness and efficiency as she attended to the customer's needs.

jaemin, still in awe of aera's grace, felt his heart leap, pondering the emotions that stirred within him. quickly dismissing the unexpected feelings, he attributed them to the warmth of the moment, a connection forged amidst the aromatic ambiance of the coffee shop.