12 Days of Christmas

Step Aside (Ten x you)

Tenth day of Christmas

Step Aside (Ten x you, yes pun intended)

The rocking washing machine finally stops shaking and beeps telling you that the clothes inside are ready to sit in your cabinet. You pause your vacuum cleaner and giddily take the empty laundry basket and make your way to the washing machine.

You sit down on the floor after taking out all of the dry and clean clothes. While humming to your favorite song, you carefully fold them and pile them nicely on another basket.

"Oh?" you pull out a hoodie and examine them carefully. You never remember having a big hoodie like this moreover it is grey and you never buy a grey hoodie.

You try to remember how does this sweater ends up inside your laundry, did your friend forget to bring home this? You nicely fold it and put it aside for the moment. Your hands finish the other clothes fastly, but your brain is busy diving through memory files to look for the owner of this hoodiie.

You noted the brand and knew this was someone's valuable thing and you could never afford those brands. It was a bit on the high side.

"I must find who owns this," you ponder while stacking the folded neat clothes into your cabinet.

The next thing you do is to clean up your living room. On the small table across the sofa, you see some random things and a bracelet. You pick up the bracelet to examine it and that's when you remember what happened.

Two days ago, there was a big snow falling down when you just entered your room after taking some groceries. Before you step into your room, you saw your neighbour was calling someone on the phone while trying to unlock his door.

You remembered you stop to ask him why he looked panic and your neighbour said he was taking a stroll earlier only to run back home because of the heavy snow and he lost his keys. He tried to call his friends to send him their back up keys and since you saw him half drenched from the snow, you offered him to wait inside.

You don't feel afraid because you know Ten, your neighbour for one year, is a nice guy.

"Oh is it okay?" Ten asked when you told him to just follow you and wait inside.

You nod your head and pushed the door open so he can scoot inside.

"Take your hoodie off, they're wet from the snow. Let me grab you something to wear." You disappear into your room and return with fresh warm clothes.

He thanked you and hung his hoodie on one of your sofa arms, you handed him your brother's clothes and thankfully it fits him nicely. He also took off a bracelet that's wet and placed them on your table.

"I didn't know you have a man's clothing here." He looks around, afraid if suddenly your boyfriend appears.

You laugh, "No worries, no boyfriend. I'm single. It belongs to my brother."

Ten smirks, "Great what a good news!" you shoot him a puzzled look and Ten just want to slap himself for saying that out loud.

"I mean I was afraid if you have a boy and he busted me here." He chuckles nervously and you just follow along, not minding anything else.

Ten waited for like an hour until his phone rang and he thanked you for letting him in. He quickly left and just like that he forgot some of his things. Including the bracelet and the hoodie you just washed.

You looked around to make sure he didn't have anything else left behind here. After making sure you have all his things, you take your keys and walk to knock on his door.

You sway from one leg to another, suddenly feeling nervous about meeting him again. He has a charm you cannot explain. A calm mysterious charm but his gaze can be soft and hard too.

"Coming," he shouts from the kitchen and you hear some ruffling rushed noise before the door swung open and appears a wild Ten in front of you.

"Hi, I am your neighbour from-" you want to point to your room incase he forgot who you are, but your eyes caught some black smoke behind his back and you smell something "OH MY GOSH! Ten are you alright?" you examine him. He's sweating and his hair is messy.

"I'm fine-" he wants to reply you, but you're faster.

You push his shoulder away and step into the room, "I could smell burning. Step aside, I'll handle this!" You run to the black smoke and turn the stove off.

Both you and Ten cough "Now that is embarrassing." Ten said when he saw you expertly turn the fire off, throw the burned food away, and open the window so the smoke won't kill both of you.

You look at him with a serious face, "Seriously? You could die or harm yourself that way!"

He sighs, "I know, I am sorry. I never cooked before, but I am so hungry today. Usually my roommate cooks for me, but he's away."

You did not have the heart to give him a long speech, he looks sorry already and petrified. You did not want to add more burden. So, you just pat his shoulder and squeeze it "It's okay, I'm glad I came right on time. The most important thing is you're safe."

He blushes and rubs his neck "Thank you, (y/n). by the way what can I help you with?" he asks the true intention of your visit.

You slap your head, "Right, I was about to return this," you walk to the sofa and pick up the stuffs you tossed earlier.

Ten smiles, "Ah! There it is! My hoodie, I thought someone borrowed it without telling me and my bracelet!" he picked them up and use the bracelet.

You smile, "Yeah your hoodie was in my laundry basket. It's clean now you can use it, I think it's your favorite?"

He nods and puts it on, "Yup my favorite! Thank you so much! I should really treat you someday."

You shake your hand "No need, it's just a small act. What about you come and eat something in my house. I have some ramen and we can eat it together, only if you want."

He nods his head eagerly, "Of course! I am not risking myself to burn the house again. I am lucky the sprinkler hadn't acted earlier." He takes his key and follows after you who already unlocked your room.

"Okay then, want to watch me make ramen? Next time you can boil your own water and cook this." You tease him. Well he burnt something that was not instant noodle earlier, though you did not know what it was and you're curious, you just don't have the heart to ask him what was he making.

You taught him how to make instant ramen the safe way and he looks super cute when he tries his best to learn your tips and tricks.

"Now that is done," you turn the stove off when the soup bubbles and move them to the table.

You give him a small plate and some spoon and chopsticks.

Ten takes his first bite and he almost tear up "This is the best ramen!"

You just let him express his joy, Afterall when your stomach is empty anything tastes good moreover if you almost burned your own kitchen down.

Ten takes a note inside his heart that maybe he has the slightest chance to get to know you more, be your friend, and see where life takes both of you to.