radiant | jung hoseok | ✓

chapter ten | irish cream coffee

The spring sky is heavy with low-laying clouds and slanted walls of rain. The air smells of cold water and damp pavement; it sends shivers through my body. A rumble of thunder echoes across the tall, brick buildings of downtown. The planted trees lining the streets shudder and shake their freshly budded branches.

I sit safely in the warmth of my car, double-checking the address on my phone. I glance out my rain-spotted window and look over the brick building in front of me.

It's a three-story building with curling black railings and warmly lit windows. The address of the building is written on a white plate reading 613. It doesn't look like a normal apartment building and has the same exterior design as the other downtown buildings with simple windows and a large door in the front.

This is it.

613 12th Street.

I take a steadying breath and allow my anxious thoughts to fade into the back of my mind. I place my hand on my racing heart and quietly breathe out my worries.

Once I become calm enough to become confident, I unbuckle my seatbelt and turn off my car. I open the door only to be greeted by a wave of wind and rain to the face. I squint through it and quickly exit my car. I shut the door with a quick bump of my hip and jog up to the building, trying to avoid the rain the best I can.

I reach the door and find the doorbell with ease. I press it and faintly hear the ring of their bell echo through their home.

Then I wait.

And wait.

Just when I started to doubt myself, the door opens wide and I am greeted by a familiar face.

It's Jimin.

I offer him a quick smile, pressing my arms into my sides to keep myself from shivering as the rain grows colder. "Hello--" I begin but he interrupts with an urgent tone.

"Oh! Come in! You must be freezing!" Jimin rushes and motions me to move quickly, "Sorry to keep you waiting! Come in, come in! You'll catch a cold out here."

I take a swift step inside and the intensity of the storm lifts off my shoulders when I cross the doorway. I glance around the small entryway and realize we are standing at the base of a staircase. At the bottom of the steps, lies a pile of dry and soaked shoes.

Jimin flashes me an apologetic smile as he gives me room to settle. "I ran down as fast as I could, I hope you weren't waiting long."

"Oh, no no it's good. I wasn't."

"Great." Jimin sighs with relief, tilting his hard to one side as he looks down at the ground. He adds, "We had no idea it would rain today. The weather said it was going to be clear."

"I noticed that too, I guess spring can be unpredictable."

"It sure can," Jimin agrees with a bob of his head. Then he looks up at me with a lovely smile, his eyes curving with a smile, "I am glad you could make it. You can take your shoes off here, then we will head upstairs."

"Alright," I reply, slipping my shoes off my feet. I set them neatly against the wall and sneak a glance up the stairs. "So all of you live here?"

Jimin begins climbing up the steps with his gaze still on me. "Yeah. We rented this building out since it was cheaper than finding a seven-bedroom apartment. It used to be an office building but we converted it into a home over the years. Everybody pooled their money into it. You'll see when you get up there."

With my curiosity aroused, I follow Jimin up the steps to the second floor. We come to another closed door. The sound of muffled laughter and music comes from behind the door with a flashing light shining through the crack underneath the door and through the keyhole.