WORDS. |Kim Seungmin

Fifteen.

"What is that smell?"

"Pancakes."

"Pancakes?"

"Yes, pancakes."

"Are you okay, Aria?" Felix asked. He was standing at the kitchen door. The boy was still in his pink little pony pajamas and his bed messy hair. He was watching his sister from behind.

"I'm fine." She replied then looked over her shoulder at him. "Go grab a cup. I'm brewing coffee."

"You are brewing coffee?"

"Why are repeating my words in question form?"

"Cause you are off! You are at the kitchen, making pancakes and coffee!" The boy exclaimed.

"And?" She said, flipping the pancakes to the plate by the stove.

"You don't do cooking, Aria! I do that. You don't brew coffee. You don't drink coffee. And you don't leave your bed that damn early when you have no work or classes until midday!" Felix crossed his arms to his chest. "What is it?"

"Nothing! I just got up early. That's all."

"Okay," He said taking a few steps towards his sister who started to get nervous from the early interrogation session. She glanced at her brother shortly. He was already beside her and she knew by heart that he was squinting his eyes, although his black sunglasses shielded them. "Let me ask another question then. Who is he?"

"Who's who?"

"Don't play dumb, miss. I saw him yesterday walking you home. Who is he?"

Aria's blood froze. Her eyes widened a little and she gulped hardly. Her hands that were making their way to the coffee machine stopped midway and she started blinking nervously. That was strange because the boy was just a partner or maybe she would call him a friend. Nothing more. But somehow, she felt nervous being asked about him.

"I-I thought you were asleep." She stuttered.

"I was, but I received an interesting call from Changbin."

"That rat!" She snapped.

"Don't change the subject."

"I didn't!"

"Then answer."

"Okay," Aria turned off the coffee machine and turned to face her brother after she could finally get a grip of herself. "He's my project partner."

"Just a project partner?" Felix asked cocking his eyebrow.

"Umm, no. He's also our neighbor. He lives next door."

"Oh! I never noticed him before. I've never known that someone our age was living next door." Felix said knitting his brows.

"Yes, he's kind of... quiet." She said. Felix was about to talk back but the doorbell ringing cut his words. Aria jolted a little and her heartbeat sped up. "And he's here." She added before she starts sprinting towards the door.

"What? Where?" Felix asked frantically.

Aria didn't reply as she was already by the door. The door was pulled open showing the boy standing behind it. He was there, looking down to his feet that were kicking nothing. Again, he was wearing a long-sleeved white shirt and beige shorts. His both hands were tucked into his pockets and his backpack was hanging to one of his shoulders. He lifted his head up once he sensed the door open. He looked at Aria who was looking back at him and then flashed her a wide gentle smile that made the girl almost gasp.

"Hello there," She said smiling back at him. "Come in."

The boy nodded and walked in. Aria shut the door behind him and stepped aside. Seungmin walked awkwardly while inspecting the place around him.

"Hope you didn't have breakfast yet." Aria said. Seungmin shook his head. "Great! Cause I made one."

"Hey," Felix called from far with his deep voice that was still raspy.

That made the poor boy jolt remembering Changbin's words about the scary brother that Aria had. But that didn't last for long once he shoved his eyes to where Felix was standing.

He was leaning to the wall, crossing his arms to his chest while knitting his brows. Seungmin's eyes trailed Felix up and down and he almost chuckled. The dirty blond dyed hair and the little pony pink pajamas didn't match his voice at all. And surely didn't match the scary image he made up for the brother.

Seungmin nodded politely at Felix. Felix left his spot and walked up to Seungimn. He reached a hand out to shake Seungmin's. "It's Felix, Aria's brother." He said.

Seungmin moved his right hand out of his pocket and took Felix's waiting one. Once the two hands met, Aria gasped. She snatched Seungmin's hand out of her brother's and held it up gently.

"What happened to your hand?" She asked the boy whose face darkened. His hand and wrist were wrapped in a bandage. He pulled his hand awkwardly and started blinking nervously. "Is that what happened yesterday and made you come late?" Aria asked. The boy nodded hesitantly. "Jesus! Did you go check it? Is it broken or cut?"

Seungmin pulled his phone out and typed down on it. Aria knew already what he was doing so she sprinted to the kitchen counter to grab her phone that she left there. She was having the phone in her hand while heading back to Seungmin.

"It's just sprained. Nothing serious." His text read.

Aria sighed in relief and looked at him with a relaxed smile. Seungmin smiled back at her. He was grateful. It's been a long time since someone worried about him. It's been a long time since he felt he was accepted by people. He was grateful but he was afraid.

He was afraid that she might find out his truth and push him away.

He was afraid that she might find out her truth and run away from him.