Chapter Text
When Kim Namjoon took on the task of sorting through the papers left behind after his grandmother’s passing, he hadn't anticipated just how emotional the process would be. His grandmother had lived in a two-story wooden house with a garden, located in one of Seoul’s older, quieter neighborhoods. In reality, she occupied only the upper floor; she had rented out the ground floor years ago. Namjoon was Mrs. Kim’s favorite grandson, the one who had moved to America right after finishing school and, though unable to visit her often, had kept up a regular correspondence with her.
It was nearly dusk when Namjoon reached the front door, the old key ring in his hand. Clearing out his grandmother’s apartment and packing up her belongings was going to be a long job. As he climbed the stairs, the faint sound of a piano melody drifting up from the floor below -followed by a beautiful voice- made him slow his steps.
The sound must have been coming from that tenant. The young man his grandmother had frequently mentioned in her letters, the one she described as "so well-mannered" and who "brought her rice cakes every Sunday."
"Kim Seokjin," Namjoon murmured, refreshing his memory of the name.
He met him for the first time the next morning when he stepped out into the garden carrying a large box. Seokjin was watering the potted plants, wearing an oversized t-shirt that hung long, almost like a dress. With the sunlight hitting his face, he looked flawless, as if he had stepped straight out of a movie. The song he was humming and the way he chuckled at his own private joke only reinforced that impression.
"Oh, hello!" Seokjin said upon noticing Namjoon. He set down the watering can he was holding and quickly walked over. "You... must be Mrs. Kim's grandson from America? Namjoon-ssi?"
"Yes, hello. Kim Namjoon," Namjoon said, setting the box down and extending his hand. "I wanted to thank you... For your condolences and the flowers you sent for my grandmother's passing."
The cheerful expression on Seokjin's face gave way to deep sadness. His shoulders slumped slightly. "She was a very special woman. She opened not just her home to me, but her heart as well. She was always a companion to me when I felt lonely here. It is I who should offer my condolences to you."
A brief but warm silence passed between them. Namjoon could see the genuine affection for his grandmother in this stranger's eyes.
"Well..." Seokjin said, suddenly straightening up and squaring his famously broad shoulders as if to dispel the heavy atmosphere. "It looks like you have a lot of work to do upstairs. If you need help or... I don't know, if there's a heavy cabinet or something to move, I'm here. Don't let my looks fool you, I'm actually quite strong!"
Namjoon smiled faintly. It was the first time in days he had smiled sincerely. "Thank you, Seokjin-ssi. For now, it's just small boxes, but if I run into trouble, I'll knock on your door."
"It's a deal," Seokjin said with a wink. "And if you get hungry, there's always extra food downstairs. Your grandmother used to love my cooking!"
As Namjoon headed upstairs, a strange sense of curiosity settled in alongside the heavy grief in his heart. The tenant below would turn out to be the most beautiful legacy his grandmother had left him, even though he didn't know it yet.