Seojun watched as Aera opened the door to her house, still with her hands trembling, the boy passed behind her, she had not invited him in, but the way she left the door open just made him think that maybe she doesn't wanted him to leave. Suddenly, the girl stopped, looking down, he could see her back move disorderly, and how her hands were made into fists at her sides, her body was beginning to tremble.

Aera was crying.

When the first sob left her throat, Seojun didn't know what to do, he had never really been in a situation so similar to this, of course, he had been raised by women his entire life, but this was a different situation, he had never been there to comfort Aera like that, it had always been the other way around, and although Seojun took a lot of liberties with her, like the teasing way he treated her and the sudden flirt, he really didn't know if hugging her would be a good move of his part.

Not after everything that happened between them.

He didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable, although he wouldn't really mind being able to wrap his arms around her small body like he had done that time, nor would he mind if she hugged him back, but, he didn't want to leave her alone in a situation like that, because she didn't leave him either when Seyeon happened. Even though the atmosphere was very tense between the duo of friends, she always tried to be there for both of them, respecting the fact that neither of the them wanted to be close to the other.

Approaching the older girl, Seojun put a hand on Aera's back, rubbing it gently, maybe he couldn't hug her, but he wanted to let her know that he was there with her, when the girl's hands went to her own eyes, hiding them, As if that were going to make her thick tears stop falling, Seojun's heart beat hard, she looked like a little baby who had a very big feeling of sadness inside.

Even her almost hyphenated crying made him see that she was really suffering.

Aera's heart was beating hard too, but it felt heavy, as if a heavy, hot metal had been placed on it, it hurt when she breathed and she felt like she couldn't inhale again after releasing all the air, Aera felt so confused.

She had never felt like that.

She didn't know what she was feeling, betrayal, sadness, confusion, despair, she didn't know exactly, but what she did know was that it hurt, it hurt to have seen that the boy, who had told her that loved her a few hours ago, who was now, perhaps, caressing another girl's hair so lovingly, that perhaps he was now just a few centimeters away from her as if were nothing. The brunette couldn't help but remember the shine in the girl's eyes when Suho stared at her the day that girl almost fell off that small bench.

Now, knowing that this girl had gone out with her boyfriend and that he had decided to chat with her rather than talk to his own girlfriend, that was now, possibly, sitting next to that girl reading some stupid comic about some useless demon while they both sat there, laughed and spent time together in a way that was fun for them, which Suho rarely did with her, it was making her feel small, like she didn't deserve the boy's time.

Is it because I don't like reading the same comics as him?

Aera didn't want to jump to conclusions, she didn't want to be that type of girl who just left everything she wanted because she thought about things that, perhaps, were not true, but the pain she was feeling and all those thoughts she was having at that moment, a pain that she knew would not leave her alone that night, gave her a reason for her mind to create scenarios that only hurt her even more.

Seojun behind her, could see how the girl's body trembled for a second and his arms reacted quickly, catching her before she fell to the ground, surrounding her waist to prevent her from getting hurt, her eyes widened as he felt how Aera turned around, hugging his abdomen while hiding her face in his chest.

Seojun always liked knowing that she was short enough so that her head would fit right on his chest.

Seojun froze for a moment, blinking as he felt the strong beating of his heart and his breathing was short for a second at the girl's touch, her nose was rubbing against his chest, the delicious smell of her hair flooded his sense of smell. It had been so long since they had been that way, since they both hugged each other, although it had never been under such a heartbroken context for her, he decided to console her and he just continued hugging her body for support.

Usually it was the other way around.

Passing his hands to her head, he gently caressed her hair, letting her cry in his chest for as long as she wanted, listening to her murmur things incomprehensible to him, however, he didn't care. For the moment, what mattered to him was not to let her go through that moment of sadness, and confusion, that he was sure she had, alone.

"Aera, you're filling my shirt with snot".

"I didn't ask you, Seojun". The girl said between tears, making the boy smile for a second knowing that she was really a pretty strong person, he might have started crying more if they had told him something like that. "Let's go to the couch, okay?" The older girl denied, hugging him tighter, so the boy sighed, deciding to take the scene to another place, took Aera's waist in his hands, lifting her up quite easily, and the girl just let herself go, hugging his neck and wrapping her legs around his hips, as if she were a small koala, when they arrived at the kitchen, he sat her on the kitchen counter, separating himself from her so he could see her better.

"Now, my little sinag, stop crying, okay? You look ugly doing it". This one murmured, wiping away the big tears on the older girl's cheeks, now red. "Look, your snot is coming out". He told her, squeezing her nose, he always liked to see how it turned red the moment he touched it , wiping away the tears that had fallen on it, showing her his hand, making her believe that they were snot, and maybe they were, but he didn't care, not when he heard the older girl's hoarse, almost snotty little laugh.

The boy wiped his hand on his pants and then ran it through the girl's short hair, moving a strand behind her ear, leaving his hands on her face for a second before giving her a smile when she looked at him with watery eyes. "Do you remember the note?" The girl thought about it, nodding as she remembered the note about the pizza she had eaten the night before, looking at the taller one in his eyes. "What did it say?"

Sniffing, she repeated the words written on that piece of paper. "Don't let an ugly cloud cover off your light...

"Sinag" he finished for her, caressing her cheeks, the girl nodded, looking down for a moment, Seojun noticed that and didn't like it, but knowing that the motivating words weren't going to be of any use, he decided to try something else. "You know... When I'm sad, I like to watch horror movies with my mom and sister while I eat ramen..."

"But you don't like terror..." She pouted.

Seojun grimaced, yes, she was right, he didn't like it, but still, he believed that it was better than watching a romantic movie like the ones he liked and making her cry more. "Then let's just eat ramen".

The girl looked around before pouting again, as if she wanted to cry again, and that made Seojun scared. "I don't have ramen". She cried, Seojun blinked, wanting to laugh a little, but he just denied it.

"I'll get it, don't get like that". He asked quickly, seeing how the girl denied and took his hand, which was still on her face.

"You're going to take a long time?" She asked, and the youngest was going to answer before she interrupted him. "No, don't go, please".

Seojun felt his heart pound in his chest in a way he had never thought possible.

Seojun, please don't go...

Those words echoed in his head over and over again and he associated them with the bright look she had in her eyes, remembering in detail the night those words came out of her mouth on a night of weakness for both of them.

Seojun felt the girl's touch, that although the school jacket blocked, he could feel the warmth of it on his skin. Nodding, the youngest smiled at her with some amusement. "Who said that I will be the one to buy it?"

Several minutes passed, now Seojun had left his school jacket and shirt, ending just with a top tank, he was sitting in a chair in the dining room while he watched Aera draw in her notebook while mumbling things that he did not understand, when he was going to say something, the door rang, which which made him look up as well as Aera.

"Delivery!" Seojun rolled his eyes, but headed towards the door, where he found his friends, who had several bags with the logo of a nearby convenience store. "Ramen, drinks and ice cream for Mr. Han Seojun!"

The boy received the things with a smile before thanking his friends. "Well bye". This one was going to close the door in their faces before they pushed him away. "Yah, you can't enter someone else's house like that".

"But Seojun, we really want ice cream".

"And hot ramen!"

"Let's watch a movie!"

"Then go home". Seojin tried to kick them out, pushing them out the door until a group gasp made him stop.

"Hello Aera!"

"Hello". She greeted with a small smile, looking at Seojun strangely. "Let them stay".

"Oh?" He blurted out almost offended, looking at the others at the door before returning to her. "But..."

"You already heard her. Thanks for letting us in Aera!" The group said in unison, making her smile with amusement, they always talked like that when they were excited. "I'll prepare the ramen!"

"I'll look for a movie!"

Chorong took the ice cream from Seojun's hands, making him almost scared because he was too immersed in the girl's smile, opening his mouth when he saw how all the boys were moving in the kitchen and living room of the house.

"Ah..."

"It's alright". Aera smiled. "I don't like to be alone when I'm sad". She assured to the boy.

He knew, it was the reason he wanted to spend tonight with her, alone.

"Aera nonna has Disney plus!"

***

A grunt made Aera open her eyes, the girl tried to focus well due to the light from the television, because although it was morning, the curtains were completely closed, giving the television the necessary darkness to make her vision hurt.

A yawn left her mouth before her eyes opened fully, looking around, she could see six pairs of feet besides her own, her brow furrowed, trying to sit up straight, but she couldn't, a warm and a gentle grip on her waist made her stop, looking to her side, she managed to see Seojun's peaceful face lying on her chest.

Nothing has changed.

Aera looked at him in more detail, noticing how his thick, dark eyebrows moved a little, as if he were dreaming about something that pleased him, his half-open lips let out a few sighs and calm breaths, in that position, he looked like a baby who was sleeping. He had fallen asleep on his mother's chest.

Aera's hand moved on its own, passing through the taller one's dark hair, making him stir a little before his eyes opened slowly, adjusting to the bright light of the television, the boy raised his eyes, meeting Aera's, who simply saw how his black pupil became a little larger, her hand was still in his hair, making a tingle run through his face.

Does he always look this pretty when he wakes up?

A dull noise was heard before everyone jumped in fright, Chorong, who was asleep next to Aera, jumped, getting into an attack position, the girl separated from Seojun, who pursed his lips, messing up his hair as he looked at his friends, serious, the girl looked for the control of the lights, turning them on so she could see one of Seojun's friends on the ground, everyone was silent for a second before Chorong started laughing, which was followed by the others.

Aera smiled, feeling relieved inside, although the images of her boyfriend and that girl in the comic store did not leave her mind, hearing the mocking laughter of those boys made her mind not worry about it.

It made her feel calm.

After eating hot ramen, they all went to watch a movie, and that's how their sleepover ended with them watching barbie princess school because none of the boys could stand watching the horror movie and if they continued screaming the police would show up with some order because they sound as if someone was being murdered.

Aera did not remember what time she had fallen asleep, nor how everyone fit in that couch, although it was one for six people, she was surprised that everyone could sleep peacefully there. "I think... We have to go to school".  Aera said, listening to everyone's tantrums, the girl laughed when she saw how the boys began to pull Seojun so that he could convince her to stay in the place to watch another movie or eat.

Those guys... They're pretty funny.

...

He didn't make it.

Aera felt like a mother with her children behind her, everyone walked listlessly and with a pout of displeasure, Seojun by her side, walked with that usual aura of dominance, which his friends copied when they reached the doors of the large building, making Aera laugh softly.

The girl denied, deciding to deviate from her path so she could walk alone to the classroom, feeling how some steps followed her, she stopped, turning around to see the entire group, like her, stopping as they looked at her. "What are you doing?"

"We escorted you to your class, Seojun's friends, are our friends, besides, you gave us food and a place to sleep last night, Seojun would have kicked us out, so, you are part of us now". The boy, Chorong said, opening his arms, as if he were showing him a great structure.

Proud of his group of friends.

Seojun looked at hus with a proud smile, the boy had no problem with her joining his group of friends, after all, they got along well, and that would give him a bit of an advantage too. "I'll think about it".

"Oh, that's something, I've never gotten more than a "get lost" with a girl". One of the shorter boys said, being reciprocated by the other boys in the group, as they walked towards the room where Aera and Seojun would stay, Seojun, upon reaching the room, stopped the others, asking them to move away, they did so, making a face of annoyance, leaving the couple alone.

The boy took Aera's hand before she entered the room and they were under everyone's attentive gaze. "Wait, I just want to make sure..."

"I'm not going to cry, don't worry".

"It's not that... I want to make sure... You... You're not going to forgive him, right? I think what we saw was very obvious and--"

The boy did not manage to finish, feeling like he was pushed forward after hearing a "move", he managed to stop before his jaw touched the girl's forehead, both of them remaining with their bodies centimeters apart. "It's not that easy..." Aera murmured, catching the attention of Seojun, who separated from her instantly.

"What are you taking about?"

"I want... Well, I... It's not easy to leave something that has lasted a long time and..." Seojun was going to say something, but before he could do it, a sudden movement made him move further away from the girl, almost hitting the wall.

"I told you something, Han Seojun". Suho said before taking Aera's hand, who wanted to let go immediately, but if she wanted to know what she was going through with the boy, she had to feign ignorance.

Seojun looked at Aera, she just nodded, with one last look at Suho, the taller one walked towards the classroom, with his hands made into fists, which he wanted to release in the other boy's face from the moment he saw him in that park with another girl having coffee.

"Aera".

"Let's go to class". The girl let go of the boy's grip to walk to the classroom, of course she was upset, and although it was difficult to think about saying those words that she had in her mind, she was not going to let herself get carried away so easily by that attachment she had towards Suho, who followed her into the classroom, stopping in front of her before she reached her seat, stopping her, Suho's eyes showing confusion. "Everything is fine, okay? I just... it bothers me that you try to keep people away from me".

"I don't want him to bother you".

"I know, but Seojun is not bothering me". The girl took her hand, leaving a small caress in it, not wanting to show more affection than necessary, she didn't feel well. When she smiled at him, she could see how Suho was looking at her attentively, as if he was trying to find something in her, some sign of annoyance or something else.

The girl was going to say something before a hurried Jukyeong entered the place, stopping right next to her, pushing her a little due to the brake of her abrupt steps, Suho took the girl in his arms before she fell to the ground, watching at Jukyeong with some annoyance for a few seconds before his eyes went to the small bottle of strawberry ginseng he was holding out to him.

It was his favorite drink.

Aera noticed that too, however, her gaze was on the boy, who took the bottle in his hands and scanned it, Aera didn't even pay attention to when Jukyeong walked away from them, she could only see Suho, feeling that feeling. in her chest again when she saw him smile looking at the blood red bottle in his hands.

Has a gift from you ever made him smile as shyly as he does now, Aera?

No never.

***

"Hey, if I'm going to be your spy transport, you should at least feed me, you still owe me the eight dollars for the pizza".

Aera looked at Seojun, the older one was sitting on his motorcycle while Seojun leaned next to her, both looking towards the park that Suho had gone to. "I already bought you some gummies". She pointed to the bag of gummies that he had in his hands. "Besides, it was you who gave me this idea".

The youngest pouted. "Ah, people never take my ideas seriously, I didn't think you would". He complained, crossing his arms, looking at the girl for a second, admiring the pretty mole near her eyebrow, Seojun could remember every single one on her face, he even knew which one of them was her favorite. "What is the goal then? Just break up with the idiot and let's go to a karaoke with Chorong and the others, they are good at heartbreak ballads, cr--"

The girl put a hand on Seojun's mouth suddenly, making him almost choke on his words, looking towards Suho, they both noticed how he looked to his sides, almost bored, this time, he checked his cell phone too, he had been doing it every five minutes. Seojun removed the girl's hand from his mouth, holding it in his own, noticing the pretty ring she had on his ring finger and grimacing as he felt the pure gold between her fingers.

Sometimes it made him sad to know that he would never be able to give her an expensive gift like those.

Sometimes he thought that she and Suho were destined, at least he could give her the quality of life she was destined for, he on the other hand couldn't even ask her out to expensive restaurants without having to work two whole months and double shifts.

A few minutes later, even Aera was looking at her phone at that point, Seojun still had her hand in his, playing with that ring and thinking, until he saw the girl move her thumb over the screen of her phone almost with frustration, the younger one looked at the screen, noticing how it was on a blank screen,