𝘫𝘢𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘯𝘨 - 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘺 𝘷𝘪𝘳𝘶𝘴

one

"Jaemin-ah! Sweetie, can you set the table? Your cousins are coming over for dinner in a few minutes." Jaemin's mother calls. Sighing and getting up from his comfortable chair, he responds to her with a text.

 Ok, coming.

Read 6:15 PM.

Jeamin doesn't not like his cousins and relatives. He loves them dearly. Sometimes they're just a little too loud. I'm loud at times too, but not that loud, right?  He thinks. His friends would wholeheartedly disagree. 

Jaemin opens the door to his room and makes his way over to the kitchen. "Did dad do the dishes?" He asks. Jaemin's mom is fixing up the living room and replacing the couch sheets. "Oh sweetie, you're here! Yes, they're put away in the cabinet." His mom gives him a tiny glance, before going back to fixing the living room.

Grabbing the plates, he set each one down in front of their assigned chair. "Hey, mom?" Jaemin says, still setting the table. She responds with a hum. Jaemin claps his hands together and looks up at her. "Do you miss Mark-hyung?"

His mom smiles. "Of course I do, he was one of your best friends, right? Why do you ask?" Jaemin shrugs. "I was just thinking about him. We used to invite him to our dinners since he was right next door." His mother puts her hands on her hips. "Well, his parents are still next door. Mark-hyung just moved to a college dorm, that's all. He'll be back for the holidays." 

His mother walks over to the table and hugs Jaemin, who hugs her and pats her on the back. "Mom?" He says again. She looks at her son. Once again, she replies with a low hum. "Do you think Mark-hyung misses me too?"

She ruffles her son's hair. "Of course he does, maybe not out loud, but in his heart he misses you guys." She pinched his cheek a few times before leaving her son alone. The doorbell rang just in time and Jaemin's relatives pilled into the house.

Jaemin greets them all nicely before going back to his own solitude. "Jaemin-hyung-!" Turning around, Jaemin greets his little cousin with a smile. "Hi Hyejin." 

Hyejin grins widely and hugs the elder. "I missed you, Jaemin-hyung!" She says. Jaemin chuckles softly and pats her head. "It's only been two weeks, Hyejin." Hyejin frowns a little. "A very long two weeks."

A taller figure walks near the two. "Hyejin, let go of Jaemin, you know he hates us." He says. Jaemin turns around to meet his  older cousin. "Come on, Johnny-hyung, you know I don't hate you." Jaemin rolls his eyes.

Johnny just chuckles and motions for Hyejin to come to his side, who doesn't move, and instead, clings tighter onto Jaemin's legs. Jaemin shoots Johnny a smug look saying 'she likes me more.'

Johnny waves a dismissing hand and pretends to be sad. "I see how it is, Hyejin. You don't love Johnny anymore." His lips curl into a frown and he sits on the floor by himself. Jaemin snickers at his joke, but Hyejin frowns too.

Jaemin squats down to meet Hyejin's eye level and whispers in her ear. "Don't listen to him, he's actually an evil spy trying to kill us." Hyejin lets a tiny gasp escape her lips. She's wide eyed and starts punching Johnny, who groans.

"Jaemin-" He whines, dragging out the last syllable. "Can't help you spy." Jaemin is called by his mother and walks over to her. "Why don't you invite Mark's parents over tonight?" She suggests while still trying to attend to her relative's needs. "Do you think they would wanna come over?" Jaemin asks hesitantly. His mom scoffs. "Of course they would, if I wasn't your mother, then they would be your parents!" 

Jaemin smiles and nods. "Ok, I'll go ask them." He grabs his set of house keys and opens the door. "Bye Hyejin! I'll be back." He calls to his little cousin, who doesn't notice him until he closes the door. Hands in his pockets, Jaemin crosses the street and knocks on the door of the the house diagonal to his. 

He peers into the little peek hole to see if they're coming. The lights are on in the main room and he hears footsteps come near the door. Jaemin steps back as someone opens the door. "Jaemin? Is that you?" Mark's dad says from behind the door. "Yes sir!" Jaemin responds loudly. "Oh, sorry! Come in!" Mark's dad opens the door and let's Jaemin step in. 

"How have you been Mr. Lee?" He asks. Mark's dad chuckles. "I've been well. Have you heard from Mark lately? I'm worried he might be getting in trouble." Jaemin laughs too. "We called last week, and he said he'd be coming home in two weeks. He'll only be staying for a month though." Mark's dad nods. As they go deeper in, Jaemin sees two heads playing cards at the dining table.

As Jaemin gets a closer look, he sees Mrs. Lee and a young boy. "Jisung...?"