"Done!" Doyoung beamed a smile and ruffled the girl's already messed-up hair. "I'm truly proud of you Aeri-ah."
The said girl chuckled and mouthed a 'thank you' before stepping out of the medical room. Taeyong stood there, leaning on the wall across.
Aeri showed a reassuring smile and hugged her brother, hoping that it will ease his worries. "I'm fine, Yong, just a little scrape."
"No, first a knife cut on your arm, and now a bullet graze on the side of your neck. Do you know that it will leave a scar?"
"Stop nagging; I don't care anyway. I'm not one of those girls who will actually die when they have a scar."
"But those are gang scars."
"Shhh, dear brother, let me look at you." She she then pulled away and examined the guy's face. "Who says scars are ugly? Yours looks like a rose." she softly said while a finger brushed on his scar beside his right eye.
"You know now how to flatter a guy."
Aeri laughed on the comment and pinched his cheek for a second. "I'm hungry."
Taeyong slowly smiled and fixed the girl's hair. "Okay, let me cook".
—
It was past 11 p.m., and Aeri is still at the Neo House. She was advised by Johnny to go home by 12, and Jaehyun would drive her off.
After exiting Taeyong's room, where she slept for a few hours, she lazily took the stairs down to the kitchen and yawned the moment she reached the place.
A clicking glass in the darkness made her flinch, and she immediately reached out for the lights and turned them on.
A groan was then heard and Aeri huffed, "Can you not stay in darkness and don't be like a ghost?"
Jaemin just made faces with eyes still squinting because of the sudden light. He then glared at the girl when he finally adjusted to the brightness. Aeri returned the glare for a second and got a glass of water.
"Dumb dumb getting a bullet graze," he mumbled and continued drinking his glass of alcohol.
"At least I was the one who gave the suitcase, and you're welcome, dumb dumb."
Jaemin snorted and lightly laughed. "Sure, you just got lucky because the man has some useless skills."
"Oh, don't underestimate me. I can actually slash your blue ass right now."
"My ass is tanned, not blue, dumb idiot."
"It has the same meaning, stupid."
"It's because dumb won't satisfy your stupidity, little shit."
"At least I got myself worthy of praise, unlike you drinking the whole shit day, tall shit."
"The fuck is wrong in here?" a hoarse voice joined making the two snap at the direction.
"Oh hi Jeno, my friend. Tell your shitty tall friend right here to train harder so he can beat my ass off someday. Adios!" Aeri then threw a sweet smile to the blue-haired, and a tap on the shoulder to Jeno before skipping her way out to the kitchen.
Jeno sighed, and his eyes landed on Jaemin, who's still glaring in the direction where Aeri stepped out.
He then snapped his finger twice at him, making him shift his gaze to the glass, which he drank not long after.
Jeno snatched the glass out of his hand along with the bottle of alcohol. He washed the glass and placed the bottle on the bar counter without saying a word.
Jaemin heaved a sigh and clutched his head when he felt the alcohol slowly take effect.
"Stop drinking, will you?" Jeno said and he handed him a glass of water instead.
"You told me to stop drinking," the younger deadpanned.
"Alcohol, tall shit"
Jaemin let out an airy chuckle and took a sip. "That's Aeri's nickname to me; better not join her."
His voice became raspier than before, a hint of tiredness on his tone.
Jeno pulled him up and swung Jaemin's arm to his shoulder.
"Don't nag. You need to sleep."
The younger ones obeyed, and they both took the stairs carefully up until they reached their shared room.
Jaemin slumped on his bed, wincing in pain while massaging his head. "Damn, I must've drank Johnny's bottle."
"Oh you did?" Jeno answered with a mocking voice.
"No wonder why it's strong."
The older man just hummed in response and let out a relieving sigh when he found a comfortable position.
"Jeno"
"What?"
"You think she would've lived when I was the one who got bumped?"
Here it is again.
"Sleep, Jaem"
"Because I was thinking, it should be me first."
Jeno didn't answer and just closed his eyes. Jaemin's having his episodes again, and he's already grown with them. Whenever he gets drunk, he will walk into the past again and sulk.
A snore then filled his ears, which made him snap his eyes open. Jeno looked at the sleeping boy with worried eyes. He sighed.
"She saved you because she can, Jaem. She's dying anyway."
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