Idol Next Door

21

Chaeyoung had always thought that Dahyun's flat was warm and cozy. Despite being located in the relative middle of a busy city, the place radiated a serene feeling of warmth that whoever visited would immediately feel comfortable. Moreover, Dahyun had always been so hospitable, taking good care of Chaeyoung every time she visits her humble abode. And Chaeyoung would just suddenly feel the urge to try living alone, too and know what it feels like.

"Your walls are too bare. You should hang more paintings here. And here. And here," Chaeyoung murmured, pointing at corner parts of Dahyun's pastel walls which were void of any decoration.

"Lend me your artworks, then. So I'll have something to hang," the older girl replied, spreading strawberry jam on a slice of toasted bread and topping it with another before placing it on a clean plate.

"Sure. A thousand dollars each."

Dahyun snickered. "I knew you were gonna say that."

"Hey, nothing's free nowadays. You must pay for each one," Chaeyoung grinnned, leaning back against the kitchen counter as Dahyun lend her the plate of strawberry jam sandwich. "Thank you."

Grabbing a box of strawberry milk from the fridge, Dahyun poured some on a glass for Chaeyoung and waited for another batch of bread slices to pop out from the toaster so she can make another chocolate sandwich for herself.

"Unnie, can I live here after you leave for America?" Chaeyoung asked, placing the sandwich she had bitten back to the plate.

Dahyun smiled wryly. "You can live with me here right now."

"Nah. I don't wanna third-wheel you and your special friend."

Dahyun knitted her brows as she heard the younger's lowkey teasing, but did not say anything. Chaeyoung sneered at Dahyun's reaction.

"Bet you make your special friend strawberry sandwiches too." Chaeyoung teased once more with a small laugh, this time earning a glare from the older girl.

"What? Isn't it true? I know you aren't fond of strawberry jam and yet you have one in your cupboard."

"Because he keeps on using my chocolate spread so I had to store strawberry jam for him," Dahyun argued.

"Right," Chaeyoung mused. "Special treatment for a special friend."

"He's only getting that special treatment because we're neighbors."

"Unnie," Chaeyoung smiled. "Eunwoo oppa's your neighbor, too but you don't get to have meals with him."

Dahyun opened her mouth but didn't know what else to say because Chaeyoung actually had a point. Right then, the toaster dinged and Dahyun turned its power off.

"You better pick a movie now while I make us some popcorn," Dahyun suggested with a smile.

Chaeyoung shrugged, snickering at her unnie's lame way of changing the topic. Nevertheless, she headed to the living room and turned on the television, her plate of sandwich and glass of milk in hand.

Left alone, it dawned on Dahyun that Chaeyoung was right. She knew Taehyung's preference on food, favorite dishes, even the exact amount of milk he wants on his hot chocolate. Whether it was because they were neighbors or that she really treated him that way because she wanted and was willing to, Dahyun wasn't sure.

Taehyung was just special in a way she couldn't quite explain.

• • •

Deftly twirling a pen between his fingers, Taehyung stared at the piece of paper where he had jotted down some short lines of lyrics. He had been sitting on the living room for quite a while now, a few crumpled papers on his side.