cold coffee / ijb

+ eight

chapter eight
***

jaebum couldn't help but feel the slightest bit aroused at aera's words, and the position they were in, and the way she was looking at him.

he felt ashamed with himself. he bit his lip to keep words that he would regret saying from tumbling out. he pinched his wrist to keep his hands from doing anything he would regret. he had only turned and walked upstairs, deciding that he was in need of a nice cold shower.

when jaebum had gotten out, dried off, and clothed himself, he walked to the kitchen to find baek aera cooking dinner for him and his mother.

"jae, how was work today?" his mother asked, a smile stretched across her cheeks.

"it was the same as every day, mom," jaebum replied with the same straight face he always wore.

his mother's smile faltered but only for a split second. jaebum had always been cold to his mother, resentful. she had been unsupportive of his dreams and he could never forget that. all that a child wants from his mother is support, and all jaebum received in his childhood had been passive aggressive remarks about his future.

aera shuffled over to the dining table, laying out three plates and three pairs of chopsticks. she then placed a large bowl of black bean noodles on the table, along with a plate of grilled meat, and white rice.

"thank you, aera. it looks good," jaebum's mother complimented, piling black bean noodles into a smaller bowl beside her.

"it's no problem," aera assured, pulling out her own chair and sitting down.

dinner began with a thin blanket of uncomfortable air settled over the table.

"how has your rooming situation been?" his mother spoke up.

jaebum nearly choked on his chicken and aera took a long sip from her glass of water.

"it's just fine, miss im. thank you," aera bowed her head with a small smile.

"good," jaebum's mother smiled brightly. "jaebum?"

jaebum cleared his throat and forced his eyes up to meet aera's.

"it's been alright, mom. what do you expect?" jaebum couldn't help adding a condescending tone to his answer. he felt as if it almost came naturally when he was around his mother.

aera coughed.

"sir, please," she said quietly in that voice that he found so... compelling.

"ah," he said quietly and involuntarily. "sorry... mom."

jaebum's mother seemed surprised with his apology. she only nodded her head and sipped her drink. she flicked her eyes to baek aera who's soft stare was still pinned to jaebum.

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"aera," jaebum called when they were finally tucked away in their bedroom.

she looked at him through her eyelashes from her place on the mattress. she was up to her neck in the blankets but she propped her head up on her fist.

"you don't need to call me... that term," he said carefully, treading around the mattress but not daring to rest on it yet.

"what term?" aera asked. "you mean sir?"

"just--" he took a deep breath, willing himself not to stutter. "--just call me jaebum."

"but i've just gotten used to it," she breathed as jaebum finally sat down on the mattress.

"sir," she repeated, and jaebum winced, pulling the blanket over his lap.