Chapter Text
Donghyuck grunts while murmuring inaudible words, his arms aching and numb in pain as he settles the last cardboard box into Johnny’s already packed pick-up truck. “These tons of weights almost killed me.”
“I already told you to just leave it upstairs,” Johnny answers while fixing the placement of the cardboard boxes in the trunk. “Because I know you can’t handle it.”
Donghyuck wipes his sweat-soaked face with his tee. “Not me knowing that these weigh like Satan’s balls.”
Johnny pushes one box inwards. “And you keep on saying you’re not a, quote-unquote, skinny weak-ass bitch.”
“Apparently,” Donghyuck resigns to a breathy response. “I am one.”
Johnny gestures lazily. “Can you hand me the scissors behind you?”
Donghyuck turns, picking up the heavy-duty scissors within his reach. When he turns back, he pauses all of a sudden. Johnny gives him a questionable look.
“What?”
Donghyuck crosses his arms, eyeing Johnny meaningfully. In his mind, it is supposed to be humorous; but his next words came out a bit serious.
“Are you certain you want to move out?”
Johnny blinks, then snorts while grabbing the scissors with a smile, his expression bright despite the sheen of sweat on his skin. “You miss me already?”
“This is your last chance,” Donghyuck leans to the corner of the truck. “I don’t mind moving your stuff back. Minus those demonic dumbbells, you carry that yourself.”
Johnny stretches an arm-length of packaging tape. “Still not changing my mind.”
“I can’t still fathom that you are really picking Ten over me,“ Donghyuck points at himself like he’s some sort of a hotshot. “A.K.A the best roommate you had in your life.”
“Subjective and arguable.” Johnny seals the remaining open boxes with the tape he cut, putting some pressure on them with his fingers.
“You are a traitor.”
“You only need me to split the rent.”
“Oh my God is that what you really thought of me?!”
Johnny gives a knowing, passive stare to Donghyuck.
“No that’s not what I....ugggh YES, really, I mean, do you want me to roam the streets, get cold in the dirty asphalt and join the homeless community all in a span of a month with nothing more than my will to live because I’m literally destitute?”
“I’m only half kidding with the rent payment,” Johnny ignores Donghyuck’s lame excuse with his own drama as he clutches his chest. “But it still hurts hearing you only need me for my money.”
“Wow,” Donghyuck shakes his head with a roll of his eyes. “I let you go even if I know that I’m practically eating sand for months to pay the bills in full. I care about your happiness more than explicitly gold-digging you.”
And Johnny grins before catapulting himself to enclose Donghyuck in a hug. “I know I know I’m just messing with you. And thank you for not giving me a hard time when I said my plan.”
Donghyuck clicks his tongue in sarcasm before patting Johnny’s back. “Well, I will just starve for the next days, no biggie.”
“As I said, I’ll help you find a new housemate before the next due,” They pull away and Johnny rests his right hand on his hips. “And don’t be a stranger or I’ll come back here to burn your clothes.”
“Don’t worry about it. If you’re not able to contact me, I’m not dead yet. I’m probably just on my tenth part-time job.” Donghyuck mutters, mirroring Johnny’s posture. He looks at the truck and nods at it. “Are you done with the boxes?”
Johnny glances to his truck. “Yup.”
“Good. Now get out of my lawn.”
“This is not your lawn, it’s the landlord’s.”
“Gosh fucking damn it you always don’t let me have it.”
Johnny laughs then, pulling Donghyuck into one last hug and whispering eat on time before slowly getting into his truck and shutting the door close to drive away.
Donghyuck stands on the sidewalk as he watches Johnny maneuver the truck until it disappears on the road. He tries not to think about how full he feels right now with Johnny’s laughter still reverberating against his eardrums. He tries not to think about how a half-empty apartment awaits him.
He puts his hands back into his pockets and lets out a small smile.
It seems like he is going to miss Johnny more than he anticipated.
₩800000/month 1 BEDROOM AVAILABLE IN GWANAK-GU AREA
7th floor apartment with CLEAN bathroom, big windows, and a nice view
110 meters to public transportation
5 minutes walk to Nakseongdae station
10-15 minutes minutes by car to SNU’s campus (but I don’t have a car kkk)
ROOM INCLUSIVES:
Living room – long table [for (p)eer (b)ong], mahogany wood flooring finish [for eating], couch, smart television
Kitchen – microwave, pots and pans, cups [(not) for alcohol], cutlery, beverages [with(out) alcohol]
Second bedroom – mattress and bed frame, study area, mini fridge
**Utility bills and maintenance fee are excluded
You may contact Lee Donghyuck for any questions (see details below)
All inquiries about whether I’m available for a date will be ignored
If you are Na Jaemin, don’t even think of reaching out
“How’s the roommate hunting?”
Donghyuck glances up from his phone with a blink, seeing Jaemin with two cups of coffee on his hands.
“Still zero,” Donghyuck weakly grabs his cup from Jaemin. “Well I got some applicants. They’re all negative.”
There aren’t very many people at the café today. It’s an awkward hour and most students are in class and other endeavors. Donghyuck is skipping a lecture to indulge in his roommate crisis and Jaemin is skipping a lab to watch Donghyuck spiral into crippling defeat.
“Let’s see,” Donghyuck scrolls through his phone. “Twelve of them are girls and—“
“Wait, you have an issue with girls now?” Jaemin mumbles in between sips. “Is it some sort of uncontrollable sexual urge to the other sex?”
Donghyuck pauses, contemplating how he can spit his iced latte to Jaemin on a good projectile. But he refrains realizing the drink is ₩3000. “It’s not me, it’s the landlord’s policy.”
“Your landlord’s a dick with a bavarian thinking.” Jaemin leans back in his seat.
“It’s barbarian.”
“Basically the same shit. I hate anything bavarian.”
“I’ll gift you a dozen of bavarian-filled donuts on your next birthday.”
“If you even have some money to spend around that time.”
The look Donghyuck gives Jaemin is withering and Jaemin clears his throat uncomfortably.
“Anyway, you mentioned fifteen people,” Jaemin points to his phone. “How about the remaining three?”
“They are creeps,” Donghyuck says with a frown as he puts his phone down. “Don’t even ask how I was able to know. I have my sources.”
“You are screwed,” Jaemin twirls his drink with a straw. “Your rent will be up in like…20 days?”
“7 days,” Donghyuck moves his coffee to the corner to rest his chin on the table in a premeditated surrender. “I’ll end up on the streets and become an illegal busker at this rate.”
“Hey,” Jaemin pats his head lightly. “Don’t lose hope, you still have your intact organs that you can sell if all else fails.”
Donghyuck takes a deep breath. Even it’s already necessary, it’s a little difficult setting his priority on finding a new roommate when he’s already pretty swamped with schoolwork, three part-time jobs, and just life in general. Sustaining himself and making his academics stay afloat to finish his Music degree is already a chore. He simply doesn’t have the time to screen every potential applicant, go on short conversations, and tour them on the apartment on different schedules.
“Has Johnny contacted you yet?”
Donghyuck watches the droplets of water drip down from Jaemin’s cup. “Nah. He’s busy with his graduation preps. I don’t want to bother him right now.”
“He said he will help you though.”
Donghyuck perks up a little, sitting properly in his seat again. He is kind of offended by Jaemin’s tone, but he knows he’s just concerned for him. “One way or another he will.”
“I know,” Jaemin nods. “He always looks after you.”
Donghyuck hums thoughtfully, leaning back in his seat. He toys with his cup of coffee, already lukewarm.
“This is why I’m telling you,” Jaemin starts getting animated. “I’d totally live with you but you know, Jeno and I are kind of doing this exclusive live-in phase in our relationship and—”
“Stop,” Donghyuck cuts Jaemin immediately. “You are not going to be my roommate in my lifetime.”
Later that night, just after Donghyuck is able to finish doing his laundry, his phone rings.
“Hello?”
“Congratulations Mr. Lee Donghyuck, you have won a brand new car!”
“Quit the bullshit, I didn’t join any contest Johnny.”
“I should have mentioned the lottery,” Donghyuck can hear some shuffling on Johnny’s line. “Anyway about your roommate search, I know someone that’s interested…”
It’s pouring outside and the sound of rain is supposed to be soothing, keeping Donghyuck further asleep as it is also only 6:30 am. But the doorbell that keeps ringing for at least a minute has been, not any less, insanely distracting.
Donghyuck rises from his bed and weakly pushes his blanket aside, meandering towards the door in an uncharacteristic laze demeanor. He is too tired to be angry. He is rather brooding who’s the motherfucker that came in his place unannounced at this time of the day.
It must be Jaemin. I will kill that son of a bitch.
“To skin you alive or to slit your throat,” Donghyuck monotonously mutters the soonest he swings the door open. “Pick how do you want—”
It’s not Jaemin.
“—to die.”
It is instead a person he never saw once in his existence, staring at him absent-mindedly.
“I’m really sorry, I—,“ Donghyuck weakly rubs his face in sleepiness and slight embarrassment. “I thought it’s somebody else.”
The unknown guy, looking without much care at Donghyuck’s uncalled threat of his life neither to his apology, remains on his stance and blinks in response.
Donghyuck apathetically scrutinizes the man, mentally taking note of his black hair, gray shirt, jeans, and seemingly new Converse, before glancing to the rooms sandwiching his, and back to his visitor. “What can I do for you?”
“I am looking for Lee Dong...” The guy trails off a bit, evidently not able to remember the person he is looking for, before he pulls his phone from his back pocket, slowly swiping and sliding until he pauses on what Donghyuck can blearily perceive as a snapshot of something from a laptop screen. “Lee Donghyuck.”
“Yes, that’s me.” Donghyuck grips the doorknob while leaning his head to the door frame.
“I—,” The guy says softly. “I am Mark Lee. Johnny’s friend.”
“Oh,” Donghyuck straightens his posture, his face slipping in an unreadable expression. “You’re the one he mentioned yesterday that will stop by to look at this place.”
“Y...yeah.” Mark enunciates hesitantly.
Donghyuck fixes his inappropriate buttoned-down sleepwear before extending his hand to Mark. “Nice to meet you.” Mark shakes his hand with a timid smile. “Again, my apologies for a not so awesome morning welcome. I just didn’t think you would come this early today.”
Mark stares at him once again (and Donghyuck can’t help but be conscious as his eyes shift apathetically to his disheveled hair) while he politely answers. “Johnny said that the both of you agreed that I should come around 6:30 in the morning.”
Donghyuck parts his lips as he’s about to say something about the impossibility of him agreeing to that since he’s not exactly a morning person. But he stops, his mind spiraling to a flashback of his and Johnny’s conversation last night.
(“So, I understand you probably have criteria for your future roommate,” Johnny begins, “because I know how difficult it is to replace me.”
“I am really honestly planning on picking one blindly.” Donghyuck puts his phone on speakers as he hangs his wet clothes on a rack.
“Oh hell no, that room is precious. You can’t just let anyone rent that!”
“I’m broke as hell I don’t really have a choice.”
“Fair point,” Johnny surrenders. “Anyway, the guy is Mark Lee, a friend of mine from Canada. I already gave him some overview of the apartment and he plans to check on it personally.”
“I trust you enough not to recommend me any crazy head.”
“He’s the total opposite of that,” Johnny speaks almost like a sales agent. “He’s the least problematic person that I know.”
“You’re saying that even if you know me.”
“You literally have ninety-nine problems.”
“Being problematic is different than having real-life problems.” Donghyuck hangs the last clothing he washed. “So when is he coming over?”
There’s a slight distortion with Johnny’s line before he speaks. “When are you free?”
“Tomorrow?” Donghyuck stacks the clothing racks he used. “I’m kinda loaded this week and I only have tomorrow for anything unscheduled.”
“Anytime tomorrow?”
“Yeah,” Donghyuck replies monotonously. “I’m just here the whole day.”
“Nice. Even during the early morning?”
“Whatever works for him. I don’t really care about the time.”)
Donghyuck thins his lips to a timid, shamefaced smile as he runs his hand through his hair in a half-assed attempt to make it neater. “My bad, I understood it incorrectly.”
“Did I caught you on a bad time?” Guilt is present in Mark’s eyes, almost shimmering like a puppy’s. “Should I come back later?”
“No. Not at all,” Donghyuck replies with a strained smile. He can’t bring himself to be visibly annoyed when Mark is being cordial like this. “Please come in.” He pulls the door open and steps aside.
Mark bows before he pads inside the apartment quietly. Donghyuck watches Mark wanders his sight from the kitchen beside him, the bathroom beside it, the dining area, the living room in his far front...
And right to the variety of unfolded boxers and underwear resting on the couch.
And Mark just have to look at him too in an unreadable expression.
“I mean,” Donghyuck shuffles towards the couch, grabbing the pieces of scattered clothing in one go. “I wasn’t really expecting an entourage this morning.”
Mark remains silent.
“They’re clean,” Donghyuck defensively throws the clothes in a bin. “I washed them last night.”
Mark remains deathly quiet, eyes darting back and forth awkwardly as though searching every inch of every wall in the apartment for something to say. Donghyuck smiles, now getting that it’s not about his clothes on the couch, but Mark having the discomfort of easing up to new people which is completely understandable.
“I’ll show you around.”
First meetings are not all that difficult for Donghyuck. It isn’t hard for him to be affable, or to pretend to be charming. It isn’t hard for Donghyuck to tour Mark around, describing each of the apartment’s sections in detail. It isn’t hard to offer Mark a glass of water. It is second nature for Donghyuck to be accommodating when he has to be.
“Where’s the vacant room?” Mark utters, the first time he speaks after quite some time.
Donghyuck strides towards the second door and opens it. “Here.”
They both enter the room with Donghyuck leading the way. “It’s empty for the most part but you can see that there’s a bed, a dresser, and a desk left behind by Johnny. The closet is spacious too in case you have tons of stuff you want to bring over.”
“This is big.” Mark comments while scanning the room.
“It really is,” Donghyuck replies while opening the blinds. “And it is soundproof too. So you can literally do anything you want here.”
Mark nods, dragging his lithe fingers across the bare white walls of the apartment.
“Do you have any questions?” Donghyuck inquires. “Or anything you see as a concern?”
Mark turns to face Donghyuck. “Can I move my stuff later today?”
The feeling of relief that flooded Donghyuck’s chest knowing that he successfully found a new roommate is undeniable. “Yes. Of course. Do as you please.”
Mark stares at Donghyuck unblinkingly while speaking courteously. “I’m planning to go back around four in the afternoon, would that be okay?”
Donghyuck waves his hand in permission. “I’m just here the whole day don’t worry,” He crosses his arms. “I’ll give you the spare keys to the apartment just in case I’m not able to answer the doorbell. I am most likely asleep if that happens.”
“I’ll try not to wake you up when I arrive.”
“Nope, I’m giving you the new roommate privilege,” Donghyuck grins at Mark. “Please wake me up so that I can help you move in later.”
Mark is about to say anything, but he instead smiles back while fiddling his pockets.
“Anyway before you go, let’s briefly discuss the lease…”
There’s an indistinct clamor outside of his door by the time Donghyuck wakes up from his sleep. It’s almost a déjà vu from the circumstances that morning, but instead of being welcomed by a stranger, Donghyuck is greeted by a stack of boxes floating towards the room beside his, followed by the small grunts due to effort exertion and heavy footsteps from the familiar Converse he saw earlier.
It’s an interesting sight and Donghyuck stifles a small laugh as his roommate tries to do something indicative of a greeting but fails to do so because of the boxes hiding his face.
“Hey there,” Donghyuck utters blithely. He wears his slippers and puts his phone in his pocket. “I’ll go down to help you with your stuff.”
“Oh, no need,” Mark carefully settles the box in his arms on the ground. “These are the last boxes to bring here.”
There’s a pause as Donghyuck turns, seeing the neatly piled empty boxes placed near the door frame of Mark’s room. He looks at Mark before he peers past his shoulders and sees that his room has been cleaned and decorated for use.
“Wait. You’re done moving in?”
Mark opens the last box, pulling a stack of books with his right hand. “I was able to finish before you wake up.”
Donghyuck walks inside Mark’s room. “H-how? I can’t fathom how you’re able to do everything when it’s just…” He peers at the wall clock and his tone suddenly turns meek. “7:30 PM. It’s past seven already?”
Mark glances at him and nods gently.
“You didn’t wake me up?”
“I tried,” Mark answers shyly and patiently. “But I’ve been knocking at your door for five minutes when I arrived and you’re not responding so I thought you really need the rest.”
“Oh my God,” Donghyuck swallows thickly. “I’m really sorry I didn’t hear your knocks.”
Mark shakes his head with a timid smile. “No worries. I didn’t bring much too honestly so a sole person can do this alone.”
“But still, I should have been more attentive,” Donghyuck sighs. “This is like the third time I apologized to you and it’s only the first day that we met.”
“It’s nothing really, don’t dwell too much on it.” There’s a genuine expression on Mark’s face as he looks at Donghyuck, almost enough to wipe out his explicit showcase of self-disappointment. But it doesn’t sit well with Donghyuck every time he commits to anything and was not able to accomplish it as he promised. The last thing he wants to be is to be labeled as a reneger.
Donghyuck slowly paces inside the room, inwardly lamenting his failed attempt to build rapport with his roommate until he abruptly pauses, pivots on his heel, and earnestly asks Mark.
“Have you had your dinner?”
Mark lays the books on his empty desk. “Not yet. But I’m planning to just have it on delivery since—”
“I’ll cook for you,” Donghyuck cuts in affirmation. “Let me have this I need to make it up with you.”
Mark is doing that thing again, adorably looking at him in a perplexed expression like he’s contemplating the pros and cons of what he will say before he replies. Donghyuck almost takes his offer back just as Mark blinks and nods gingerly.
“Dinner,” Mark thins his lips. “Okay.”
~o~
The sound of food boiling and the smell of pork and garlic fills the air as Donghyuck lifts the lid off the small pot on the top of the kitchen stove.
“I don’t really want to say this again,” Donghyuck stirs the pot before he turns off the heat. “But I’m sorry I wasn’t able to cook a better meal for us,” He wipes the pot spills with a cloth, serving it to the table afterward. “I forgot to re-stock the fridge, I didn’t have much to use to cook.”
Mark stares at the kimchi jjigae, five side dishes, and the two bowls of sticky rice laid at the table. “But this is plenty.”
“I cook more than that when I eat,” Donghyuck shares, gently taking a seat across Mark while handing his chopsticks and spoon.
Mark politely receives the utensils from Donghyuck. “You eat them all at once?”
“If I can, which is what’s happening lately.” Donghyuck chuckles on his own, but is short-lived when he notices Mark’s legitimate concerning look with what he said.
“Not every day, don’t judge me, Mark,” Donghyuck clears his throat. “I usually prepare my food for the week in one cooking since I don’t have time to cook daily.”
“I see.” Mark calmly responds. His focus is now shifted to the steaming stew, Donghyuck swears he can backflip in Mark’s front and he wouldn’t notice.
“So…” Donghyuck rests his arms at the table, a hint of a smirk in the tone of his voice. “Shall we eat?”
Mark peers at him with his eyes in full saucers and it’s adorable, Donghyuck isn’t sure if he’s willing to shatter this sense of visible, tangible innocence.
“Not to brag,” Donghyuck proudly states while putting side dishes on Mark’s plate. “But I can make a damn good kimchi jjigae.”
Mark grabs his spoon and takes a sip of the stew. Donghyuck watches Mark as he takes another sip, then a spoonful with meat, before he grabs the ladle itself and pours his rice bowl fully.
“I told you it’s good.” Donghyuck says, feigning indifference as he pops a side dish on his mouth.
Mark nods happily as finishes off the last bit of rice on his bowl and digs in to the rice cooker to refill himself a new one.
They finish their meal in a lingering awkward atmosphere. It’s a benign sort of awkward though, the typical tip-toeing that comes with getting to know a complete stranger.
Donghyuck entered this whole arrangement thinking he might get the easy way out and avoid having to do this whole friendship thing but he kind of doesn’t mind going out of his way to fill in the gaps of conversation between himself and Mark. Mark is odd, in his own bizarre way. He’s animated and withdrawn at the same time and Donghyuck likes it, sort of. Maybe it’s easier talking to Mark because Donghyuck doesn’t feel as obligated to trip over his words and to weigh each one for individual worth. Mark speaks in clipped phrases and Donghyuck finds himself rambling. Comfortably.
The apartment wouldn’t be dull with Mark in it. Donghyuck is certain of that.