𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐀𝐂𝐊, love alarm

one

𝐏𝐈𝐋𝐎𝐓
chapter one

park hae-rin was perched on her mother's kitchen counter when kim jo-jo entered her family's home, the front door slamming shut behind the teenager and making the younger cousin jump.

it appeared that her shock and unintentional reaction caused a chain of unfortunate events, the mug in hae-rin's hold and its contents splashing over the sides — the boiling water dotting across the span of the young girl's hand.

"are you okay, hae-rin?" the sudden announcement of jo-jo being behind her made the park teenager jump yet again before she pivoted on her sock-clad feet to face her cousin.

kim jo-jo was known to be hard working even if, within her family, only hae-rin acknowledged it and the others did little more than send her a scoff.

she often had to be told to stop and reminded to take breaks when they were necessary and it was apparent to the youngest park daughter, as she stood metres away from the kim female, that she rarely takes her advice.

"you're back later than usual again." hae-rin declared as she turned around to reach for another mug from an overhead cabinet. "you should really let me take some of your night shifts, i wouldn't mind."

shaking her head, jo-jo took hold of hae-rin's shoulders and dragged her to the side of the counter so that she could take care of making their warm beverages.

the kim woman pursued the task of distributing hot chocolate powder into both mugs, only responding to the younger teenager when she had done so. "we both know that your mum wouldn't let you do that."

hae-rin shrugged but nodded her head: knowing that her mother was often overprotective of her. there was a pause in the conversation as hae-rin scrolled through her phone and replied to the odd few messages that her friends had sent her, and jo-jo submerged herself in her thoughts.

"why are you up so late anyway?" it was the kim female that broke the muteness in favour of subduing her curiosity, all the whilst handing her cousin her hot chocolate.

hae-rin, in the midst of taking a sip from the drink, redirected her line of sight to the other girl that was now leaning against another counter next to her. it took a moment for hae-rin to swallow the rather large mouthful she had but, once she had, she pressed her lips together. "i guess i'm just not tired yet."

the vague answer did little to satisfy jo-jo yet she said nothing more on the matter — instead opting to bop her head up and down quietly. "you should get to bed, rin, even if you're not tired."

the kim woman took back her meaningless nod and hurriedly took the half-empty mug from her. "you've got school tomorrow, and you've got tests to prepare for."

playfully rolling her eyes and whining, the youngest park daughter turned her body so that she was now facing her cousin. "this is unfair you know? you have school and tests too!"

attempting one last time to retrieve her mug of now cooling cocoa, hae-rin huffed as jo-jo poured the remnants of her favourite drink down the drain. "just go to bed!"

as park hae-rin entered school the next morning, one thing was running through her mind and that was about how she wished she had spent her morning more wisely. yet, as the park female set foot inside the structure, she knew that there was no way that she would be able to avoid the day ahead of her.