just roomates. mark lee smau. @haeiheart ୨ৎ
(written + smau) wc. 1292
Coming home from a late night shift, mark cant wait to finally crash at the comfort of his bed. His keys jingled softly as he pushed the apartment door open, wincing at the sound. The living room was dark, unusually dark. Usually, Ningning would have left the dim lamp by the couch on, and Yeonjun's laptop screen glow was practically the household nightlight. But now, there was only the faint hum of the refrigerator and a soft breeze drifting in through the small cracked window.
He squinted into the dark, waiting for his eyes to adjust and muttering under his breath about how eerie the apartment feels right now. His shift at the cafe had dragged on way too late, and now it was almost midnight. Everyone else probably passed out hours ago while he was stuck wiping tables. Still, the silence felt weird. Too quiet.
Mark slowed his steps, sneakers scuffing lightly against the hardwood. He reached for the light switch by the door but hesitated. His gut told him not to- there was something oddly… off. He couldn’t explain it, just the kind of instinct you get from living with yeonjun, who once nearly burned down the kitchen reheating packaged noodles.
A sudden crash came from down the hall. No, not just the hall. It came from the empty bedroom. Iseul's old room. Wait, did she move back in?
Mark froze mid step. Every muscle in his body locked as his heart kicked into overdrive. Yeonjun's room was on the right, Ningning's on the left. But this sound came from the empty room at the end of the hall.
Okay. Not good. There must be an intruder.
Mark exhaled quietly, scanning the living room for anything remotely weapon like. His gaze landed on the couch. A pillow. Not ideal, but it’d have to do. He snatched it up, gripping it like a shield.
Oh boy, did he feel like he was about to piss his pants.
He moved down the hall slowly, staying close to the wall, every creak in the floorboards making his pulse jump. The door to the last room was slightly ajar, a faint strip of moonlight spilling through the crack.
Mark’s throat went dry. “Yeonjun?” he whispered, voice barely audible. No response.
Another shuffle. Definitely someone in there.
Mark tightened his hold on the pillow, heart hammering so loud he swore it gave him away. He nudged the door open with his foot, every nerve in his body screaming bad idea, bad idea.
This was exactly how those exorcism scenes started in horror movies with the clueless guy who is stupid enough to wander toward the noise instead of running the other way. the clueless guy, just like him. to make things worse is that any second now, a head would twist around or a shadow would lunge and attack him. And what did he have? A pillow. Fantastic.
He swallowed hard, silently promising himself that if he survived whatever was behind this door, he’s gonna be sleeping with the lights on for at least a week.
Your room door was shut, but the light spilling out from the thin gap beneath it painted a pale strip across the hallway floor. Mark froze, eyes fixed on the only light in this entire apartment. Someone was definitely in there.
Every horror movie he was forced to watch (by nings) started exactly like this:
the flickering light, the quiet footsteps, the idiot who decided to check it out. And apparently, that idiot was him tonight.
He took a deep breath, clutching the pillow tighter like it could actually save him. The air felt heavier now, the kind of silence that pressed against your ears and made your own heartbeat sound too loud. Mark’s pulse thudded so fast he swore it echoed through the hall.
Then the doorknob turned and the door swung open, and out you came, completely unaware, balancing a box in your arms, headphones latched onto your ears.
Mark didn’t wait to think. His instincts fired faster than his brain cells could catch up. Eyes squeezing shut, he hurled the pillow with the precision of pure panic.
It hit you square in the face. The impact knocked your headphones off and made you stumble back, the box nearly slipping from your grasp.
“INTRUDER!!” he yelled, voice cracking, already scanning for something heavier to throw next.
Your headphones slipped off your head as you stumbled back, the boxes in your arms tumbling to the floor with a crash. One corner caught your knee, and before you could steady yourself, the back of your head knocked against what seemed to be the edge of a chair.
“Ouch- ow!” you groaned, clutching your head as you crouched down. The sound snapped mark out of his delusion in an instant.
His eyes went wide. “Oh- oh shit!” he blurted, dropping his stance and taking a hesitant step forward. “Wait, are you- ?”
You glared up at him, rubbing the back of your head with a scowl. “What was that for?”
Mark blinked, still holding the second pillow he’d grabbed, paralyzed in place. “I thought you were an intruder!”
Your jaw dropped. “With a pillow?!”
“I panicked!” he defended, voice jumping an octave as guilt and confusion fused together. “Why are you sneaking around in the dark like some horror movie ghost?”
You scoffed, gesturing to the open boxes and scattered clothes. “Because I live here now!”
Mark’s expression flickered between disbelief and horror. “You- you what?!” Taking in your face and expression, he finally realized he had started off on the wrong foot with a stranger who was, apparently, his new roommate.
Shit. I just offended someone I’m going to live with.
You look up to see a dazed Mark staring at you, still clutching the pillow like a lifeline. “Um… if you’re done spacing out,” you say carefully, rubbing your knee, “do you mind helping me up and finding some bandages? I got a scratch.”
Mark snaps back instantly, eyes widening. “Oh my god- yes! I’m so sorry! Of course, I’ll get you a first aid kit!” He lunges toward the hallway cabinet, tripping slightly over his own feet in his rush, muttering frantic apologies under his breath as he scrambles to make up for the chaos he just caused.
After both of you manage to recollect yourselves, you settle onto the stool by the kitchen island, wincing slightly as you adjust your leg. Mark lands on the stool across from you, still wide eyed but trying to steady his nerves.
“It’s… my fault, I’m sorry” he says quickly, holding out the first aid kit. “I should’ve been more careful. Let me clean that up for you.”
You raise an eyebrow but don’t argue, letting him kneel beside you, gently dabbing at the scratch on your knee with antiseptic. His hands are careful, almost ridiculously so, and you can’t help noticing how tense he is.
Then he reaches into the kit and freezes for a moment. You glance at him, and he finally looks up, a sheepish grin spreading across his face. “Okay… so I have these,” he says, holding up a small stack of cartoon bandages, each one adorably bright. “I mean, I’m willing to give them to you. Please, take your pick.”
You blink. Cartoon bandages. Really? You can’t stop yourself from scoffing, a laugh escaping despite the sting on your knee. “Thank you, I’ll pick that one”
You just stare at him for a beat, then chuckle again. What an odd guy, you think, shaking your head. Somehow, after nearly hitting each other with pillows and boxes, this is how your first day living together is going.
୨ৎ masterlist. prev. next.
୨ৎ note. I did not realize i made so many typos writing this… but its all okay cz i re read it and fixed it guys T-T…
୨ৎ taglist. @cloudmrk @ciellit @n0hyuck @nctrawberries @nosungluv @kittydollzz @yeosangiiess @zhongzn @remgeolli @yutastoothbrush @i4haecha
