aespa imagines

karina | perilla leaves

genre ; angst (if you squint) , fluff
summary ; karina swore she wasn't the jealous type, or is she?

"what do you think of the perilla leaves debate?"

the question made karina's ears perked up like a cat who had just heard their owner call their name. her eyes glued on aeri who had just ask the question. everyone in the practice room now has their attention on aeri instead of their phones

"what's that" you looked up from your phone, to aeri and ningning who was sitting right in front of you. perilla leaves debate? unlike the aespa members who often get questions thrown at them, you've never heard such thing in your life and just by the name alone is enough to confuse you. perilla leaves debate? you've never been so confused.

winter raised her hand, you immediately turned to face her as she explained carefully.

"let's say that you are eating with your partner and also with your friend that's the same gender as you...?" winter paused mid explaining, getting confused by her own explanation.

"yeah you're right, keep going" ningning said

"yeah it's you, your friend, and your partner. the three of you are eating together and your friend is struggling to get just one piece of the marinated perilla leaf, but they cant get just one because the others keeps on sticking on to it. so your partner saw it and helped them take the remaining leaves off" winter explained

"and?" you questioned still confused at which part should become a debate topic.

"question is, is it okay for your partner to help your friend or not?" aeri butted in. the girls who seemed to have already have this conversation all focused on you, especially karina who is sitting next to you.

"i mean.. it's just perilla leaves?" you shrugged, earning a sigh from ningning who obviously thinks the opposite.

"right?! it's just perilla leaves, i don't understand why this is becoming debate!" aeri held her hand up for you to high five it, signalling that she's on the same page as you.

"okay! let's say your partner seperated the perilla leaves and put it on your friend's plate" winter added more heat to the scenario, but still you find it to be normal and totally have no problem with it.

"it's just vegetables! it's not like my partner is making out with my friend or something" you defended, aeri nodded eagerly.

karina on the other hand have been really quiet, thinking thoroughly of what she would feel and how she would act if she was ever in this situation. her mind wouldn't cooperate with her at first, finding it hard to imagine such scenarios in her head. not until she imagine her partner to be you, that she felt some sort of jealousy in her hear-

"what about you jimin?" the way you had your eyes on her caught her off guard, as a very slight shade of pink tint plastered on her cheeks. she immediately snapped out of her imagination and tried to keep cool.

her answer would've definitely been 'yes, i'd be very jealous' but after seeing you having the opposite opinion as her and aeri was on your side, she didn't like it. she wanted to be on the same page as you too even though she clearly was acting the opposite of what she thinks of the perilla leaves debate.

"i wouldn't be jealous.." she answered hesitantly.

"no you got to be joking unnie" winter said, finding it hard to belive that karina would not be jealous. if it was not for you being in the room, winter would've been the person that knows karina the most. she knows that karina is the type to get jealous easily, especially when it comes to someone she likes.