Chapter thirteen

⭐ ୧ We saved time,
so it worked out ও💘

The morning sun cast a warm glow over the small, bustling apartment as the smell of breakfast filled the air. Jeong Jae, their father, sat already at his usual spot on the table, calmly making rice balls while his children moved about with their usual morning energy.

Hae Jun tapped the ceiling with the end of a broom, yelling, "Yah, San Ha! Breakfast is ready!"

From upstairs, a muffled response came. "I'll be down in a minute!"

Aera was already dressed in her school uniform, her curtain bangs held up by a single hair roller as she helped set the table. The organized chaos felt oddly comforting, even if it repeated daily.

"Ugh!" Joo Won's frustrated scream broke through the calm. Aera turned to see her younger sister glaring at her reflection in a small hand mirror, yanking the hair roller from her bangs. Joo Won whined, stomping a foot for extra effect.

At that moment, the door opened, and San Ha entered, already dressed in his school uniform with his white backpack slung over his shoulders. He glanced at Joo Won and smirked at her pout.

Walking over, he casually messed up her bangs even more with a flick of his hand. "Let's eat breakfast," he said with a grin.

Joo Won frowned, frantically trying to smooth her hair with a lick of her palm, as if that would help.

Everyone quickly moved to the table, each settling into their usual spots. San Ha slid into the seat beside Aera, his preferred spot as always, specially now that Daeuk wasn't here but at work already.

Jeong Jae's eyes landed on San Ha, and he frowned slightly. "You didn't sleep, did you?"

Hae Jun squinted at his brother and added, "Your eyes are swollen."

"They're also red," Joo Won chimed in, fiddling with the hair roller she'd put back on her bangs.

San Ha hesitated for a fraction of a second before glancing at Aera. She looked calm, as if she had slept soundly the whole night. No one would guess she'd been awake, lost in her own memories and thoughts. She caught his glance and raised an eyebrow, feigning innocence. He wouldn't betray her secret.

"Considering how I maintain top grades, this much is expected," San Ha replied smoothly, offering a slight grin.

"Ah, I see," Hae Jun said mockingly. "Our genius over here, burning the midnight oil for the family name."

"Oppa, eat," Aera teased, placing a piece of meat on Hae Jun's rice bowl with her chopsticks.

Unimpressed, Jeong Jae picked up a rice ball and shoved it into San Ha's mouth. "You can't lose any more weight. You should eat well."

Caught off guard, San Ha blinked but nodded, chewing the rice ball on his mouth. "Okay"

Suddenly, Hae Jun glanced at the clock and panicked. "Hey! Five minutes left! Five minutes!" he shouted, patting Joo Won's shoulder. "The bus! The bus!"

"Hey, hey. Slowly. Have one more" Jeong Jae said, standing up more calmly but feeding another rice ball to San Ha before he could argue "One more. One more!"

Hae Jun tried to dodge but was forced-fed another rice ball.

"Wait for me!" Joo Won exclaimed, her words muffled as Jeong Jae popped one into her mouth as well.

"Hurry up." Jeong Jae said, grabbing Aera's shoulder and feeding her one rice ball as well.

Aera chewed quickly, laughing as she grabbed her backpack from the floor.
As she walked toward the door, she casually removed the hair roller from her bangs, which fell perfectly into place.

"Thanks for the food! We're off!" Joo Won called out, shrugging on her uniform jacket as they all rushed out.

"Okay!"

"We're leaving now!" Hae Jun added as he held the door open.

San Ha lingered for a moment to help Joo Won put on her jacket, ensuring it was properly aligned before stepping out behind

The four of them arrived at the bus stop just in time. The bus was crowded, mostly with students from their school. Aera found a seat behind Joo Won, while Hae Jun stood protectively in front of her. San Ha positioned himself in front of Aera, subtly shielding her from the rest of the passengers.

"Dating, my foot," Hae Jun grumbled, glaring at Joo Won, who stared dreamily out the window. "You two don't even know who they are."

"We can find out," Joo Won replied nonchalantly, her tone light.

"You two should decide after you find out!" Hae Jun scolded. "What if they're like 160 cm talk and weighs 100 kg?"

"Judging someone by their looks makes you look bad," Aera said, frowning at him. Then she turned back to the window, a small smile tugging at her lips. "What a beautiful day."

Hae Jun groaned, rolling his eyes before turning to San Ha for backup. "Come on. Say something to them!"

"Let them be," San Ha said coolly, though his clenched jaw betrayed his unease.

"What?" Hae Jun stared at him, appalled.

"What a beautiful day. It's the perfect weather to start a romance," Joo Won sighed, closing her eyes as the fresh air from the window tousled her hair.

When the bus finally reached the school stop, the siblings disembarked, the morning sun shining brightly.

Dal, Joo Won's best friend, was already waiting for her at the bus stop. She waved enthusiastically, her excitement visible from a distance.

"Hello!" Dal greeted warmly, bowing slightly to Joo Won's older siblings, before latching onto Joo Won's arm.

"Hi. What?" Joo Won asked with a mix of curiosity and amusement as Dal squealed, unable to contain her excitement.

"I found out!" Dal announced dramatically.

"What?" Joo Won asked, tilting her head.

"X!" Dal whispered, eyes gleaming.

"Who is it?" Joo Won whispered back, and the two girls quickly descended into hushed chatter before squealing together and running off toward the school.

Aera, Hae Jun, and San Ha stayed behind, watching Joo Won and Dal disappear into the distance. Hae Jun frowned deeply, crossing his arms.

"She's way too excited for this," he muttered, glancing at Aera, who was now checking her bangs in the reflection of her phone. Before he could say anything, two familiar voices called out from across the street.

"Aera!"

Yun Hee and Ji Eun, Aera's two best friends, came rushing over, their smiles almost as wide as Dal's had been. Each grabbed one of Aera's arms, linking them with hers.

"What?" Aera asked, her curiosity piqued by their glowing expressions.

"Guess what?" Ji Eun sing-songed mischievously.

"What? Don't tell me..." Aera's eyes widened, her lips parting in anticipation.

"We found out who 'X' is!" Yun Hee squealed, barely able to contain her excitement.

"Who is it? Who is it!?" Aera asked eagerly, her voice dropping to a whisper as she glanced over her shoulder at her brothers. "How did you found out?" The three girls moved closer together, creating a bubble of secrecy.

Ji Eun leaned in conspiratorially. "Jae In and Ki Woon saw him during their morning date."

"A date at school, first thing in the morning? Wow." Aera shook her head in disbelief, though she couldn't help but laugh.

"They got there super early to have some time alone," Yun Hee continued, "but two guys were already there."

"Two guys?" Aera repeated, tilting her head in confusion.

"Yes," Ji Eun chimed in. "Turns out one of them is the one who left Joo Won the love letter anonymously."

"At the time, they didn't think much of it," Yun Hee said, "but when we told them we were looking for a tall, handsome, new student in our grade..."

"They realized one of those two guys fit the description perfectly," Ji Eun added with a grin.

Aera's heart began to race, her cheeks flushing with excitement. She couldn't stop herself from squealing softly along with her friends, their energy infectious.

Meanwhile, Hae Jun and San Ha stood a few feet away, watching the trio with serious expressions.

"What are they talking about now?" Hae Jun asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Something I'm sure you don't want to know," San Ha replied flatly, though his gaze lingered on Aera, his jaw tightening.

"Look at her," Hae Jun grumbled. "She's too happy about this. This isn't good."

San Ha stayed silent, his thoughts lingering on the conversation he'd had with Aera the night before. She had been so honest, so vulnerable. The excitement she was feeling now was completely at odds with the sadness she had shown under the stars.

As Aera and her friends hurried off toward the school gate, still buzzing with excitement, Hae Jun sighed heavily, his protective instincts kicking into overdrive.

"I don't like this," he muttered.

San Ha glanced at him, then back at Aera, his expression unreadable. "Neither do I," he admitted quietly.

The two brothers exchanged a brief, knowing look before following after their sisters, determined to keep a close eye on whatever was coming next.

It was lunch break, and there they were—Aera, Yun Hee, and Ji Eun—standing just outside the door of 12th grade, Class 3. They were huddled together behind the door frame, peeking cautiously into the room like detectives on a high-stakes mission.

Aera's heart was pounding so loudly in her chest that she was sure Yun Hee and Ji Eun could hear it. She shifted nervously, biting her bottom lip as she peered inside. Her friends pressed close behind her, both equally invested in the moment.

His name was Lee Min Jun, 12th grade, Class 3. Aera's eyes landed on him immediately.

There he was—leaning casually against his desk, chatting with a group of friends. His gentle smile lit up his face as he laughed at something one of them said, his kind yet confident aura radiating throughout the room. He was effortlessly handsome, with sharp features softened by his warm expression. His reputation preceded him: a talented swimmer, one of the school's top athletes, and someone who had already gained a loyal fanbase despite being new to Haedong.

Aera's lips parted slightly, her breath hitching. Her heart thudded against her ribcage as a shy smile spread across her face.

"He's... perfect," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Yun Hee leaned in behind her. "Look at that smile!"

Ji Eun grinned knowingly. "It's more than pretty."

Aera exhaled, her smile deepening. "... It's incredible."

But then, doubt crept into her mind. She leaned back against the wall, her smile faltering as she looked at her friends. "You're absolutely sure, right? Can I really ask him now?" Her voice carried a mix of excitement and nerves.

Yun Hee nodded firmly. "There are witnesses."

Ji Eun smirked. "You have our full support. Go for it."

Aera took a deep breath, smoothing her curtain bangs one last time. "This might be impulsive, but I won't back out." She flipped open her purple phone, using the tiny mirror on the screen to check her reflection.

"Fighting!" Yun Hee and Ji Eun whispered in unison, raising their fists encouragingly.

Bolstered by her friends' support, Aera turned sharply on her heel, her heart racing as she stepped toward the door. However, fate—or coincidence—had other plans.

Just as she moved to enter the classroom, Min Jun was walking out. The two collided with enough force to make him stumble backward. Instinctively, Aera reached out, grabbing his arm and slipping her other hand around his waist to steady him.

The world seemed to freeze. Min Jun looked down at her, surprise flashing in his deep brown eyes. Aera blinked, equally stunned, her hands still on him. Their faces were so close she could see the faint freckles on his nose and the way his soft hair fell across his forehead.

Yun Hee and Ji Eun clapped their hands over their mouths to stifle their gasps of surprise.

Aera's cheeks flushed a deep pink as she quickly released him, stepping back. "I—I'm so sorry!" she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper.

Min Jun straightened himself, brushing off his uniform as a small, amused smile tugged at his lips. "It's okay," he said softly, his voice warm and gentle. He rubbed his wrist where her hand had been, glancing at her shyly.

For a moment, they both stood there, locked in a bubble that seemed separate from the bustling hallway around them.

"You found out it was me?" Min Jun asked after a beat, his tone light yet earnest. His gaze didn't waver from hers, as if he'd been waiting for this moment too.

Aera's eyes widened in surprise, and she quickly looked away, fidgeting with her fingers. "I... I wasn't sure," she admitted quietly.

Min Jun chuckled softly, scratching the back of his neck. "I was going to tell you myself... after I prepared what to say."

Aera dared to glance back up at him, a small smile playing on her lips. "Well... I guess we saved time, so it worked out."

Min Jun smiled at her words, his gaze softening. "It did," he agreed, his voice dropping slightly. "Aera... I didn't expect to run into you like this, though."

Aera's heart fluttered at the way he said her name, like it was something precious. She shifted her weight nervously, unable to stop the smile spreading on her face.

Min Jun cleared his throat, his hands fidgeting at his sides. "Are you free to go out to eat today?" he blurted out, his tone shy but resolute.

"With you?" Aera asked, her voice laced with surprise as her eyes widened.

"Yes," Min Jun said quickly, nodding. "If... if you want to."

Aera felt her cheeks flush again, but she nodded, her nervous fingers twisting the hem of her skirt. "Sure. Shall we?"

A warm smile spread across Min Jun's face, and he nodded, looking relieved. "Yeah. Let's do that."

From the corner of the hallway, Yun Hee, Ji Eun, and the rest of the siblings stood watching the entire exchange unfold.

Joo Won had arrived moments ago, dragging Dal with her after meeting the boy who had left her love letter. She had been eager to find out who had sent one to Aera. Now, she stood among the group, her curiosity replaced by amused disbelief.

"Not bad," Hae Jun said approvingly, his arms crossed as he observed Min Jun and Aera.

"Not bad at all," Yun Hee and Ji Eun chimed in with matching grins.

San Ha, however, clenched his jaw, his gaze hardening as he watched Aera sway shyly in place while Min Jun admired her with open fondness.

"Great," he muttered under his breath, rolling his eyes before turning away.

Back in the center of the hallway, Aera smiled softly, her hands clasped behind her back as she shifted nervously. Min Jun's eyes lingered on her, his expression a mix of awe and admiration.

And for the first time that day, Aera felt like she was floating.

࿁ • 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘰𝘬 . . . 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝒚𝒐𝒖
ྀིྀི 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝒎𝒆 𐙚 ~ @ 𝑾𝒐𝒏𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒈 • ࿁

Drum roll!!! .... 🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁
Here I introduce you to Lee Min Jun!!

JUNG HAE IN as LEE MIN JUN

I just really think he fits the image perfectly, I don't know. What do you all think? 😍

I will see you all on the next chapter!! ♥️