Aerin raised an eyebrow, not in the least bit amused. "Is that really the first thing you say after I wake up from a coma, Ji?" Three long hours had passed since she'd regained consciousness, and now, with her bags packed and ready to leave, the chaotic events of the morning felt surreal.
Her cousin, Jihoon, had arrived to take her back, having rushed to the hospital after Seungcheol returned to the dorms two hours earlier than expected. The older man had stormed off, door slamming with the flair of a spoiled child, sulking with an intensity that was almost laughable considering his position as the leader of Seventeen. When it came to anything requiring emotional maturity, Seungcheol could be shockingly childish.
Meanwhile, Jihoon, ever blunt and indifferent, didn't care about his cousin's antics. "Yes, yes it is," he replied, tone dry but with a hint of affection as he stepped forward to hug Aerin tightly, despite her protests.
It was cold outside—grey clouds hanging over the city as snowflakes began to fall. Aerin didn't mind. In fact, she found something oddly comforting in the chill, the way the winter air seemed to mirror the stillness of her thoughts.
But the peaceful moment was short-lived. Jihoon's ringtone—a standard iPhone tone that Aerin found irritating—cut through the silence. As usual, she made a half-hearted attempt to snatch his phone away, intent on changing it to something less dull. But of course, Jihoon would never allow it. He was stubborn like that.
He answered the call with his usual hum, nodding here and there, speaking only twice: once to say goodbye, and the second to reassure the caller, "She's doing fine."
Aerin tilted her head. "Was that Auntie?"
Jihoon, barely glancing at her, shook his head. "Nope, it was Seungcheol."
At the sound of his name, Aerin stiffened. Her mind raced back to the conversation from earlier, her stomach twisting slightly with the remnants of guilt. She wasn't sure why, but hearing his name now only made her more conflicted. Part of her regretted pushing him away, yet another part clung to the certainty that Seungcheol would never do anything to harm her. He was a protector in his own way, but there was no way she'd admit it.
Jihoon, ever perceptive in his bluntness, picked up on her change in demeanor immediately. "What's up? Did I say something wrong? Was it because of Seungcheol? Oh, right, he left to take my spot to watch over you. . .so random. He volunteered, you know. I thought you two were good friends."
Aerin's steps faltered, a confused frown tugging at her lips. "Wait, What? I thought he came because you had a meeting?" Jihoon turned to face her, his expression one of confusion, but also slight amusement.
"A meeting? I just forgot to leave your phone and jacket with you. He volunteered to step in for me, I guess. Thought you two were close enough that he'd want to help out."
Aerin's mind churned at the possibility, still unsure of what to make of Seungcheol's unprompted involvement. They had only known each other for a few days—barely enough time to form a bond like that, right? And yet, there he was, taking care of her without being asked. But why?
Her train of thought was interrupted by Jihoon's voice. "Anyway, I left your jacket at the dorm, so I'll have to swing by later to give it to you." He groaned, realizing his usual forgetfulness. "I've been awake too long, and I'm one espresso away from passing out."
Aerin couldn't suppress a small laugh. "Well, I guess I'll just get dropped off and you can bring it to me later. You should rest, you workaholic."
Jihoon rolled his eyes in mock annoyance, leaning forward to adjust the driver's route. "Says the one who almost passed out from exhaustion."
The car fell into a comfortable silence as Aerin pulled out her phone, her gaze catching a fresh notification on her lock screen. Her thumb hovered over the message from Seungcheol, and with a deep breath, she opened it:
seungcheol Hey. I'm sorry for what I said this morning. I shouldn't have gone that far, and I hope I can make it up to you somehow. I understand if you still don't want to talk to me, but I'm glad you're doing good. If it's okay, can I call you?
aerin sure
Aerin wasn't ready to return to normal just yet. The distance she'd placed between herself and Seungcheol felt necessary for her peace of mind, but the sincerity in his words was undeniable. Maybe he just cared. Maybe he really wanted to make things right. And if he was willing to try, maybe she owed him a little leeway. Besides, Jihoon was already wearing his headphones, so it wasn't like he'd overhear anything.
Right then, her phone rang, the upbeat notes of "Pick Me" blaring through the car. Aerin flinched, glancing at the screen to see Seungcheol's name.
"Hey," she answered, her voice a bit steadier than she felt.
"Hi," Seungcheol replied almost immediately, sounding both sheepish and sincere. "I just... I feel really guilty about this. Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?"
Aerin didn't expect the rush of flustered heat in her chest, but she forced herself to stay calm. "Well, Jihoon forgot to return my jacket, so if you want to deliver it sometime next week over coffee, that'd be great. If you're free, of course."
She was surprised by the words that left her mouth, but she wasn't about to backtrack. He had helped her out today. Even if it felt a little strange, there was a part of her that appreciated it. And honestly, they'd been planning to grab food before all this happened, so maybe it wasn't so bad after all.
"Really? Sure, I can do that. Noon on Friday at Brew Café? If that works for you?"
Aerin chuckled at his sudden enthusiasm. "Yeah, sounds good. I've got a recording session from 8 to 11, but I'll be free after that."
Seungcheol's tone shifted immediately, concern creeping into his voice. "Are they seriously making you work two days after you went into a coma?"
Aerin smiled despite herself. It was hard to resist his caring nature, even if it felt like she was walking a fine line. His concern was... unexpected. And kind of attractive, she realized with a start.
Before she could respond, the familiar sight of the PLEDIS building appeared outside the window.
"I guess so. Anyway, I've got to go. See you tomorrow, Seungcheol."
"See you, Aerin."
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