Chapter Text
Hanjin had one simple rule when it came to finding love: don’t ever catch feelings for your roommate.
That rule didn’t come out of nowhere, in case you’re wondering. He had seen the movies, about two roommates falling in love and everything falling into chaos soon after. He heard the stories too from people close to him—his cousin complained about how awkward it was to continue living with his ex after they had broken up because of the lease, and one of his older friends mentioned about hopping from one apartment to another before eventually getting a place of his own, all because he had a habit of catching feelings for the person he shared the kitchen with.
Hanjin couldn’t imagine being in their shoes. Sharing an apartment with someone you had feelings for but no long-term commitment with, or arguing with your roommate-slash-lover and realizing the only place you could run to was your own bedroom, and still having to face them again the next morning over breakfast.
It sounded complicated. Unnecessary.
That was exactly why Hanjin had been extra careful when choosing a roommate at the beginning of his freshman year of college. He avoided flirts—people who wooed others like it was second nature. He avoided party animals and heavy drinkers, the kind with a tendency to do something reckless under the influence of alcohol, hookups included. With all the types he was trying to stay away from, finding the right roommate turned out to be harder than he expected.
Then, came along Han Jihoon.
Hanjin’s first impression of Han Jihoon was that he looked like a walking sun. He remembered seeing Jihoon for the first time during student orientation at the end of the summer. The moment Jihoon appeared through the double doors, Hanjin suddenly felt like it was early July again. His smile was contagious, brightening every corner of the room he stopped by. Jihoon greeted every person with that grin of his, getting along with everyone he talked to.
He was the exact opposite of Hanjin.
Hanjin stood at the far back corner by the ice sculpture, sipping his tea while watching Jihoon from afar. There was something about him that made Hanjin curious, something that made it impossible to look away, like a magnet pulling his attention.
If only Hanjin had an ounce of courage to say hi. He was too shy to even make eye contact with the person sitting behind the registration booth, let alone a guy like Han Jihoon.
Hanjin was perfectly fine with his plan of admiring Jihoon from afar, until he realized Jihoon was looking right back at him. From across the room, Jihoon met his gaze and flashed a bright smile, walking toward him like something straight out of the K-dramas Hanjin liked to watch alone at home.
“Hi! I’m Han Jihoon,” he introduced himself. “What’s your name?”
“Han Zhen, you can call me Hanjin.”
Out of everyone there, Jihoon chose him as his first friend.
They were joined at the hip for the rest of orientation. They made sure to sit together in the auditorium, joined the same group during the lab tours, and even ended up always sharing the same table during the networking sessions.
During those few days, Hanjin began to learn more about Jihoon. Jihoon liked talking about his family, his sister who was a few years older than him, and the dog he missed back home. He also mentioned his love for dancing, which was why he had decided to take a minor in dance. In return, Jihoon asked about Hanjin’s family in China, which excited him because he loved talking about them too. Jihoon also noticed Hanjin’s love for photography after following his Instagram, which led to an 1-hour talk on its own. Their conversations flowed easily, continuing as people came and went from their table throughout the day.
When they decided to go home together on the last day of orientation, Hanjin finally had the courage to ask Jihoon the question he had been dying to ask since the first day he met him.
Well actually, Jihoon beat him to it by a millisecond.
“Where do you live, Hanjinie?” asked Jihoon as they sat down at the bus stop. “In a dorm? Apartment?”
“Apartment, not too far from here,” Hanjin replied simply while scrolling on his phone to check the bus schedule. “Cherry Apartments. Just a few bus stops away from campus.”
“Any roommates?”
Hanjin shook his head.
“Oh,” Jihoon nodded, shifting his gaze toward the busy street. “Sounds nice.”
“Why do you ask?” Hanjin lowered his phone down, intrigued by where the conversation was going.
Jihoon paused, scratching the back of his head as if he was trying to find the correct words to say.
“I’m planning on moving out,” Jihoon sighed. “I’ve been staying with my aunt for the past couple of weeks for free. Don’t get me wrong, I love my extended family, but I can’t share a room with my cousin until I graduate, you know? I need space. And I’m pretty sure my cousin needs space too, but he was too shy to tell me that. So lately, I’ve been looking for a new place to live. Somewhere besides the dorms, since the application for that closed weeks ago.”
It was fate, at least that was Hanjin's first thought. Jihoon needed his own space, while Hanjin needed someone to fill the empty room in his apartment. Hanjin had studied Jihoon over the past few days during orientation, and he was everything Hanjin wanted in a roommate. He was so sure about Jihoon that he didn’t waste a single second and told him,
“I have an empty room, if you want.”
And just like that, Jihoon moved into Hanjin’s apartment the following Saturday.
He arrived at Hanjin’s door with only one large suitcase and two boxes—oh, and a huge stereo too. Hanjin had expected more things to come, but when Jihoon said he had no furniture, he took him shopping that same day. They spent the entire afternoon wandering through furniture and home goods stores, returning with everything from large pieces of furniture to small ornaments.
It took them the whole weekend to assemble everything, unpack the boxes, and tidy up Jihoon’s things. On Saturday night, they stayed up putting Jihoon’s furniture together with Stranger Things playing in the background, ordering pizza and a tub of ice cream for their midnight snack. During their breaks, they told each other stories, talking about everything and nothing until the sun greeted them once again.
Before they knew it, the boxes had started to disappear, all tossed into the recycling bin by the dumpster outside Hanjin’s apartment. The large furniture had been assembled, slowly filling up Jihoon’s bedroom. Jihoon’s kitchen items were placed neatly on the kitchen counters, including his beloved coffee maker. His shoes were lined up by the front door, right next to Hanjin’s. Even in the bathroom, Jihoon’s personal care products were neatly arranged in his designated shelf, each labeled Jihoon and placed above Hanjin’s things.
The last thing left to move was a large potted plant Jihoon had bought earlier that afternoon. An impulsive purchase, of course—something Hanjin would probably have to remind him not to make a habit of.
“A little to the left!”
Hanjin held his breath as he adjusted his grip on the sides of the large potted plant, carefully pivoting as Jihoon directed. They crossed the front door threshold and entered the apartment, almost bumping here and there as they shuffled into the living room.
“Where do you want to put it again?” Hanjin asked.
“By the window,” Jihoon nodded toward the corner. “Wait, switch with me. I’ll walk backwards.”
They paused to turn around, doing a clumsy one-eighty before continuing forward again, waddling towards the window.
“Almost there,” Jihoon muttered. “We can do this, Hanjin.”
With one last careful step, they lowered the plant beside the window. Sunlight immediately fell across the leaves, as if welcoming its presence. Exhausted, both of them collapsed onto the couch, chests heaving as they caught their breath.
“That’s the last of them,” Jihoon huffed after a moment, turning toward Hanjin with a wide grin, his eyes forming crescents. “Thanks for taking me in, Hanjin-ah.”
Hanjin smiled back in return before letting his gaze wander around the apartment. Jihoon’s belongings quickly merged with Hanjin’s, bringing warmth into Hanjin’s living room. Jihoon’s books now stood beside his own, small trinkets scattered across the shelves, and the new plant brightened the corner by the window.
It was almost too easy—the way Jihoon fit into Hanjin’s apartment like he had always belonged there.
“I like what you did to the living room,” Hanjin murmured, admiring the space around them. “You gave it life.”
“Really?” Jihoon asked, sounding bashful. “I thought I brought too much stuff and was just hogging your space. I was waiting for you to scold me for buying too many knick-knacks.”
Hanjin chuckled.
“Nonsense. I think that’s exactly what this apartment needed—a few drops of sunshine.”
Jihoon laughed softly beside him, and for a moment the living room felt warmer than it had ever been before.
They didn’t speak for a while. Only the sound of their breathing and the faint rustle of wind outside filled the room. Hanjin used to be scared of silence whenever he was with someone, he was just not the type who could start a conversation off the top of his head. But the pause he shared with Jihoon was different. It was comfortable, like a quiet reassurance that Jihoon enjoyed the stillness just as much as he did.
He could really get used to this.
“I’m hungry!” Jihoon broke the silence as he jumped off the couch. His sudden movement startled Hanjin a little bit. “We’ve been working nonstop, we even skipped lunch!”
“We did,” Hanjin noticed. “What do you feel like eating?”
Jihoon took a moment to think.
“Do you know a good hot pot place?”
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The boiling broth sizzled as Hanjin dropped the remaining pieces of tofu into the pot. The steam rose upwards, slightly fogging the window beside his table. While waiting for them to cook, Hanjin glanced toward Jihoon at the sauce station. Jihoon stood there with a small dish in hand, scanning the rows of condiments as if trying to solve a puzzle.
He must’ve forgotten the ingredients, thought Hanjin, shaking his head with a quiet laugh.
Eventually, Jihoon returned to the table with two small plates filled with sauce, doubt written all over his face.
“I tried,” Jihoon gave a sheepish smile. “Your sauce recipe is too complex. I blanked after green onions, and that’s only the third ingredient.”
Hanjin chuckled as he inspected the sauce.
“You got everything right actually,” he checked, genuinely surprised. “You just need more chili oil. But that’s okay, I’m cutting down on spice lately.”
Jihoon peeked into the pot, watching the tofu, noodles, and meat swirl in the bubbling broth. Noticing the way Jihoon was eyeing the pot, Hanjin grabbed the tongs and dropped a few pieces of meat and vegetables into his bowl.
“Hey,” Jihoon pouted. “You should grab food for yourself first.”
“But you’re practically drooling,” Hanjin teased while pulling a long strand of noodles and putting it into Jihoon’s bowl. “And besides, the one who paid should get the food first. Again, you really don’t have to treat me, by the way.”
“You’ve been helping me a lot with my stuff,” Jihoon shrugged as he picked up his chopsticks. “It’s the least I can do for you.”
“In that case, thank you for treating me hot pot,” Hanjin resigned with a smile. “I haven’t had hot pot in months, I missed it.”
Jihoon grinned as he dipped the meat into the sauce. Hanjin paused, waiting for Jihoon’s reaction.
“Whoa!”
Jihoon’s eyes widened like he had just seen one of the seven wonders of the world. Unable to believe his own tongue, he dipped his chopsticks back into the sauce and tasted it again.
“This is incredible!” Jihoon exclaimed. “You’re a genius, Hanjin-ah!”
Hanjin laughed, picking up his chopsticks and beginning to eat as well. They ate in comfortable silence, their hands moving in quiet harmony—one picking up the cooked food while the other slipped fresh slices of meat and vegetables into the bubbling pot, like they had been having hot pot together for years.
While Jihoon was happily dipping another piece of meat into the sauce, Hanjin’s mind wandered elsewhere. He had been meaning to bring up house rules since the day Jihoon moved in, but the timing never felt right. He didn’t want to bring it up while Jihoon was telling funny stories as they assembled his desk, nor during their midnight snack break, when Jihoon looked too tired after hours of unpacking. Hanjin didn’t want to burden him further with talking about house rules. While at other times, he was too preoccupied to even think about it.
“Got something on your mind?”
Hanjin glanced up at Jihoon like a deer caught in headlights. Jihoon still had his mouth full, but his eyes were fixed on him with curiosity.
“N-nothing,” Hanjin broke eye contact.
“Aw come on,” Jihoon nudged him. “You can tell me.”
“Fine, fine,” Hanjin sighed, reaching for a tissue to wipe his mouth. “I was thinking about setting some house rules since we’re living together, but it can wait.”
“No, no! Let’s do it right now.”
Jihoon set down his chopsticks and immediately started digging through his pockets before pulling out a pen and a folded pamphlet from one of the furniture stores they had visited earlier. Flipping it over to the blank side, he smoothed the paper flat on the table and clicked his pen.
“Alright,” Jihoon said, preparing himself to write. “Hit me with the first rule.”
“Okay,” Hanjin thought for a moment. “First, keep the apartment clean.”
“Obviously,” Jihoon snickered as he jotted down Hanjin’s words. “Next?”
“We should clean the house every week,” Hanjin continued. “Maybe every Sunday. We can take turns—one dusts and wipes the living room and kitchen, the other vacuums the entire shared space in the apartment. For the bathroom, we deep clean it once every two weeks. Also take turns.”
“Agreed. How about taking out the trash?”
“Once every two days. Separate the compost and the recyclables. You already know where the dumpster is.”
“Got it, next?”
They continued listing rules, slowly filling almost the entire page. They agreed to always hang their coats whenever they get home, wash the dishes right after eating, do laundry together every Wednesday and Saturday, and take turns grocery shopping. They also decided to let each other know whenever they brought guests over or when they were not home for the whole night.
In between, they joked about saying good morning whenever they saw each other and good night before going to sleep, but Jihoon was so on board with the greeting rule that he wrote it down without hesitation. Hanjin couldn’t help but smile fondly when he saw Jihoon excitedly underlining the words good morning and good night over and over again.
“Are you sure you want to make us breakfast?” Jihoon asked, his eyes widening when Hanjin mentioned his morning routine.
“Yeah, don’t worry,” Hanjin waved it off. “It’s better than having separate breakfasts. We can save on gas bills that way.”
“In that case, I can make you coffee!” Jihoon suggested. “I can’t let you be the only one busy in the morning before class.”
“You don’t have to, Jihoon-ah. I don’t even drink coffee.”
“Then I’ll make you tea!” Jihoon declared, a little louder this time, to the point that there were pairs of eyes who were curious about their conversation. “What do you like? Jasmine? Chamomile? Earl Grey? Chai? Matcha? I can make all of them! Well, maybe not matcha, but I’ll learn to make one for you!”
“Alright, alright,” Hanjin gave in as Jihoon scribbled down the rule. “You can make me tea.”
Hanjin makes breakfast while Jihoon makes the morning drinks, Hanjin read the words.
“Well, we are running out of space,” Jihoon announced while counting the number of rules that had been written down together. “Any final rules? I have another pamphlet if we need more items to write.”
Hanjin paused, scanning the list of rules Jihoon had written. It felt like they had already covered everything. He liked the rules they had come up with, all straightforward and detailed. The best part was that Jihoon seemed to like them as much as he did, even suggesting a few that hadn’t crossed Hanjin’s mind.
Then he remembered one more—one rule he had always kept at the back of his mind from the very beginning. The one that made him wary about having roommates in the first place.
“Last rule from me,” Hanjin said. “I think we shouldn’t enter each other’s rooms without permission, or when the other person isn’t home.”
Jihoon paused his writing, looking up at him.
“Are you worried I’ll steal your secret candy stash?” Jihoon joked, raising his eyebrows.
“N-no, it’s just for privacy purposes!” Hanjin rushed to explain. “It’s not that I don’t trust you or anything!”
Jihoon barked out a laugh.
“I’m kidding, Hanjinie,” he said once his laughter died down, writing down the last rule. “I understand how important privacy is for you, and I respect that.”
“Thank you,” Hanjin breathed, trying to ignore the burning feeling on his cheeks. “I think that’s all of them. Do you have any last rule to add?”
“Nope,” Jihoon shook his head. “I think we’ve covered pretty much everything.”
“Alright. Should we shake on it?” Hanjin extended his hand across the steaming hot pot. “The rules must be sealed with a formal handshake.”
Jihoon reached for Hanjin’s hand, giving it a firm handshake. They let go soon after, laughing at their own silliness over a set of rules. In sync, they both reached for their chopsticks and continued eating.
Discussing the rules with his roommate—done. Hanjin finally felt at ease now.
“Hey um,” Jihoon mumbled with his mouth full, catching Hanjin’s attention. “Since we still have one more pamphlet.”
“Hmm?”
Jihoon glanced towards the empty sauce plates, looking slightly apologetic.
“Can you write down the recipe for the sauce again?”
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After a fulfilling dinner at the hot pot place, they went back to their apartment.
Wow, it’s their apartment now. It wasn’t just Hanjin’s anymore.
The place somehow looked even better the longer Hanjin looked at it. Jihoon’s reed diffuser had finally taken effect, a faint scent of fresh lavender drifting through the living room. The fairy lights they just bought were turned on, casting a warm glow along the walls around the space. Jihoon walked straight to the coat rack and hung up his coat, just like they had written in one of the rules.
“I am stuffed!” Jihoon exclaimed.
Hanjin tugged a small smile, watching Jihoon flop onto the sofa. As soon as he hung his own coat beside Jihoon’s, he pulled out the pamphlet of rules they had written earlier that was now marked with faint traces of hot pot broth, and hung it on the fridge with a magnet.
Hanjin was about to join Jihoon in the living room when he remembered something.
“Jihoon-ah, I have something for you.”
Jihoon immediately sat up, twisting his body to look at Hanjin behind the couch.
“Oh? What is it?”
“Stay there, be right back.”
Hanjin hurried to his bedroom and opened the lower cabinet of his desk, pulling out a neatly wrapped present. He bought it earlier when they were visiting one of the home goods stores, managing to pay for it without Jihoon noticing. Good thing he was a fast wrapper too—he finished wrapping it around the same time Jihoon just finished showering.
When he returned to the living room, Jihoon was already sitting properly, intrigued by the item hidden behind Hanjin’s back.
“Tada,” Hanjin revealed the present. “A housewarming gift—or a welcome-to-my-apartment present.”
“Hanjin-ah,” Jihoon stood up, slowly walking towards him. “For me?”
“No, it’s for my neighbor,” Hanijn deadpanned. “Of course it’s for you, silly.”
Jihoon received the gift with slightly trembling hands, brushing Hanjin’s hands a little bit. He sat back down on the sofa, unwrapping it while Hanjin settled beside him. Hanjin watched carefully as his roommate peeled off the duct tape one by one, trying not to tear the wrapping paper.
When the last piece of tape finally came off, the gift was revealed.
It was a jellyfish nightlight.
“Wow,” Jihoon breathed, astonished. “This is beautiful, Hanjin-ah. When did you buy this?”
“When you were busy looking at the pillow section at the second home goods store we visited,” Hanjin recalled. “You were so distracted you didn’t even notice me disappearing for a while.”
“Isn’t this expensive? You really don’t have to, Hanjin.”
“But I want to,” Hanjin smiled. “Read the letter.”
“There’s a letter?”
Jihoon flipped the box over and noticed a small note taped to the side. He carefully peeled it off and opened it, reading it aloud.
“Welcome to Apartment 105 at Cherry Apartments, Jihoonie!” he read. “I’m so happy to have you as my roommate. I hope this place can make you feel like home. Looking forward to mornings, afternoons, and nights with you. Hanjin. Aw, Hanjin-ah!”
Without warning, Jihoon pulled Hanjin into a hug. Hanjin immediately froze, not expecting the sudden embrace. But then he realized something—Jihoon was a warm hugger. Hanjin wasn’t used to hugs in general, yet Jihoon’s embrace was so comforting that he unconsciously melted into it.
“Thank you Hanjin-ah,” Jihoon whispered. “I’ll cherish this gift forever.”
“You’re welcome, Jihoonie,” Hanjin replied, patting his back. “Welcome home.”
After staying in each other's embrace for a while, Jihoon let go. He gathered the discarded wrappers, along with the duct tapes and folded nicely.
“You write well, Hanjinie,” Jihoon complimented, reading the note again. “I’m guessing you like writing notes.”
“I–It’s a habit from my mom,” Hanjin said shyly, looking away. “She always leaves notes everywhere. In my lunchbox, on my door. She’s pretty busy, so leaving notes is kind of her way of showing love to us.”
“I guess your mom’s love language rubbed off on you,” Jihoon said thoughtfully, with a hint of tease. “Does that mean I’ll be getting more notes like this?”
Hanjin hesitated for a second before answering, the warmth creeping back into his cheeks.
“If you want to.”
“Of course I do!” Jihoon’s eyes lit up like an excited puppy.
Adorable, Hanjin thought.
“Then you can look forward to more,” Hanjin let out a quiet laugh. “Maybe I’ll leave them in your lunchbox sometimes.”
“Sounds good!” Jihoon stood up abruptly, startling Hanjin again for the second time tonight. “Well, I guess I should put this little haepari in my room, might as well start unpacking my suitcase too. I haven’t put away all my clothes.”
Jihoon turned toward Hanjin, a soft smile tugged at his lips.
“Do you want to hang out in my room and watch me unpack, maybe?”
Out of nowhere, Hanjin felt his chest tighten. He knew it was a friendly invitation coming from Jihoon, but why was he feeling nervous all of a sudden? It was just Jihoon, after all—not some random guy. Still, something inside him whispered that he shouldn’t. He didn’t understand why.
“I-I think I’ll pass,” Hanjin declined, ignoring the hammering on his chest. “We just wrote that rule about not entering each other’s rooms, remember? I should respect your space—and your time to unpack.”
“I actually don’t mind having you in my room, Hanjin-ah,” Jihoon shrugged. “I always like having company. And hey, you have my permission. Well actually, you don’t even have to ask. You can come into my room anytime.”
“I-I’d rather not,” Hanjin said politely. “It’s been a long day, and I should probably get some rest before tomorrow’s first day of class. Gotta be prepared for whatever’s coming, right?”
“Right, first day of class,” Jihoon nodded.
Hanjin stood up with a deep exhale, brushing imaginary dust off his pants, hoping the movement would clear the awkwardness hanging in the air.
“Well, I’m going to bed,” he announced as he walked into his room. “Enjoy your gift, enjoy your new room, and don’t stay up too late, yeah?”
“Will do. Good night, Hanjin-ah.”
Hanjin froze, his heart skipping a beat once again. He glanced over his shoulder toward Jihoon, who was smiling from ear to ear. The box and the letter were held gently against his chest.
“Good night, Jihoon,” Hanjin said, offering a small smile.
Hanjin entered his bedroom, closing the door behind him. He leaned against it, letting out a quiet exhale as he leaned his head backwards with a soft thud.
It had been a long day, indeed. He changed into his pajamas, washed his face, brushed his teeth, and slipped into bed, tucking himself beneath the warm blanket. Staring at the ceiling, he found himself reminiscing about the past few days.
Hanjin was glad to finally have a roommate, and he was glad that it was Jihoon.
Many people said that a roommate would be your first friend when you move to a new place. Hanjin had to admit, navigating his new life as a college student had been difficult. It was his first time living abroad, away from his family. The language barrier had been brutal, and things worked a little differently here. Worst of all, he had been lonely.
That was until Jihoon knocked on his door and stepped into Hanjin’s life.
Hanjin knew his mornings and nights would no longer be quiet with Jihoon around. His daily routine would have Jihoon in it too, and that thought surprisingly made him smile.
He wasn’t sure what the days ahead would bring, but he knew they would be better with Jihoon there.
He was sure of it.
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