Back to present. Alex stood in the kitchen, arranging the groceries they had just brought back. The smell of fresh ingredients filled the air, reminding Seojun of the simple pleasures he had missed over the past few years. Alex paused, turning to Seojun with a grin.
"You missed Ramen, huh? Don't you want to eat like those in the restaurant?" Alex teased, his tone light.
Seojun, who was helping put away the food, hesitated, his eyes flickering towards his sister, Alexa, who sat on the sofa, staring at the TV screen. The silence in the room was thick, the unspoken tension between them almost palpable.
"Stop forcing him, Alex," Alexa said firmly, not taking her eyes off the screen. Her voice carried a gentle reprimand, protective yet understanding.
Alex chuckled, undeterred. "Still shy, sister?" he asked, moving to the refrigerator to store the rest of the items. Seojun remained quiet, his hands busy but his mind elsewhere.