𝗕𝗘𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗗 ( 𝗅. 𝗃𝖾𝗇𝗈 ) ✓

sixteen

"Aera are you free right now?"
"Girl let's go to the mall today, I heard that they were having a discount today. I want to get new pairs of shoes."
"Aera! The studio is empty today, do you want to come visit the place with me for the day?"
"Babe do you want to go on a date today?"

"I'm sorry I can't hang out today. I have to bring Moon to the vet. She's been acting different these last few days. I think she fell ill. As much as I want to hang out with you, Moon is my number one priority right now. Hope we could hang out some other time." She ended her call for the nth time today. Her friends and boyfriend calling her to ask if she had any plans and Aera kept declining. As much as she loves her friends and her dear boyfriend, she loved Moon more above them. Her dog had been acting very different, she wasn't as energetic or playful as she used to be. Now just laying down around and by the way she walked, she looked too weak to even walk. It of course worried Aera, even if it wasn't that much of a big deal; she was still very concerned for her dog.

So today she had decided to bring her to the vet for a checkup. Doyoung wasn't home because he's currently in college so the only person that could take her there was her mom. She felt bad that she had to ask her mother to drive her to the vet but her mother had insisted to go. Why not ask her boyfriend to drive her there, you may ask? She didn't want to feel like a burden for him by asking. 😕 yeah Aera is too kind for this world, must protect at all cost.

"Mom do you think that she'll be alright?" Aera asked as she looked at her dog that was sleeping in the back of the car. Her mother driving, glancing over at her daughter before taking a hold of her hand.
"Don't worry dear, she's going to be alright. We could only wish for the best." Her mother replied. Her words causing a small smile to make its way on Aera's face.
The negative thoughts in her head slowly disappearing... that is until she heard the news from the veteran.

"You mean she only has a little bit of days left to live?" Her mother spoke as the veteran nodded his head in reply. Aera holding her mother's hand, not seeming to want to accept the fact that her dog was close to death.
"This can't be true.." She let out a breathless whisper.
"I'm sorry to have inform you this. She's lived her life at least, the best thing that you could do is spend allot of your time with her before her last breath." Said the doctor as Aera only stood quiet. Looking over at Moon who looked exhausted.
"Well then, thank you for your time. We'll make sure to spend as much time with her." Aera's mother spoke before bowing at him and leaving the place with Aera and her dog.

She left the place with a cloud towering over her head.
"Hey, don't be sad about it. She's still here with us." Her mother stated, caressing the back of her daughters head as she ony frowned.
"I know... but I won't be able to see her anymore." She replied with her head down.
Her mother not knowing what to say.

*triing!

Aera's phone ringing. Making her confused as she opened her phone to see Eric calling her.

"Mom could you give me a minute." She asked her as her mother only nodded her head. Leaving her outside as she assisted Moon inside the car.

"Hello Eric?" Aera answered the call but was only greeted with sniffing from the other side of the line. Of course it worried her to hear her best friend cry.
"Hey are you OK?" Raising her voice a bit in anxiousness.
"Aera, my mother is in the hospital. She got into an accident, i-im scared." He cried aloud. This news making her more sad than she already is.
"Ok just text me which hospital you're in and I'll come on over with my mother." She replied before hanging up the call. Quickly rushing inside the car and placing on her seatbelt, startling her mother.
"Dear what's wrong?" Her mother asked.
"Eric's mother got into an accident. We need to visit him." She told her and showed her the location of the hospital that Eric had texted. Her mother not sparing a second and driving over there.

--- 🎸

"ERIC!" The girl exclaimed. Eric looking over to see her running towards him. Tears evident in his eyes as it rolled down his face.
"Rara.." He cried out, Aera opening her arms out wide as she pulled him into her embrace. Her mother coming over with Moon by her side.
"It's OK, everything will be alright." She reassures him, caressing his back as Eric just cried on her shoulders.
"I'm worried.." the boy struggled to talk, almost choking on his tears. She held onto the side of his face and stared at him.
"Don't worry, your mom is going to be just fine. I'm right here, besides you. There's no need for you to get scared over." She told him, Eric only nodding his head in reply before burying his face in the crook of her neck.

...

"Dude, whilst I was making my way out of the hospital I saw Eric and Aera there together." Haechan spoke through the mic. Jeno currently playing games online with his group of friends.
"Aera and Eric? Are you sure that it's her. She told me today that she was going to the vet because her dog had been feeling unwell. What is she doing in the hospital?" Jeno questions him.
"I don't know, that's why I'm telling you. She was like holding onto his face and the two of them were hugging each other." Haechan continued.
"Isn't it normal for best friends to hug each other? I mean, I always hugged HaRin when we were best friends." Jaemin joined in their conversation.
"I know I know, but get this. Eric was also crying. Seems like that hug was important, meaning that it meant something more than just a friendly hug." Haechan explained. Jeno could only click his tongue, sort of irritated off the fact that Aera did not inform him that she was going to the hospital. I mean, she should've just said that she didn't want to go on a date with him and wanted to hang out with Eric instead of lying.
"Just leave her alone. It's her choice anyways to why she wanted to go to the hospital with Eric. I'm sure she probably had a reason to be there. Also why were you even in the hospital anyways?" Jeno spoke as he was able to hear Haechan let out a guilty chuckle.
"I was going to visit my girlfriend there but um..." his voice sounding sad.
"Her friends sort of banned me from seeing her because of what I did to her earlier at school. Uh yeah, I don't really want to talk about it.." Said Haechan, making the atmosphere sort of awkward.
"HYUNG STOP TALKING, SHOOT THAT PERSON OH MY GOSH!" Chenle shouted at his older friend's, startling them by his loud voice. They probably lost their hearing after hearing his yelling since they were wearing headphones 😭😭