Sanity (a Strangers From Hell Fanfic)

Sanity

The blare of his phone's alarm clock woke him up with a start. Jongwoo groaned, grasping for it on his desk. With the room being as small as it was, it wasn't difficult to shut it off and then collapse back against his uncomfortable mattress and stare up at the stained ceiling.

His head was foggy, his tongue felt like sandpaper, and his mouth tasted like dirt.

Jongwoo huffed, slowly pushing himself up. His stomach felt unsettled and sour and he couldn't help but wonder if it was something in the drink he'd accepted from Ms. Eom. He really should know better than to accept anything from these people, but he didn't think a drink would be enough to make him sick.

He needed to get out of here, but when he thought about the possibility of that being able to happen any time soon, a deep depression hit him that made him want to do nothing except crawl back into bed and never leave the safety of his covers. Not that he could feel safe beneath them. This entire place didn't feel safe.

Once his stomach had settled enough that Jongwoo thought he may not throw up right away if he began moving, he pulled his sticky sleep clothes off, reached for his towel and bathroom stuff, and made his way out into the hall. He was hot and sweaty and felt completely unrested, but that was par the course for this place.

As he stepped into the hall, the sounds of high-pitched gasps and moans greeted him and his expression darkened as he thought of how there was nothing more that he'd like to do than to go into room 313 and destroy that damn computer with a sledgehammer—and maybe take a nice wack at Nambok's head while he was at it as well. If only he wasn't disgusted at the idea of touching anything in that filthy, stinking room.

"Freak..." Jongwoo muttered under his breath and headed down the hall towards the bathroom. The sound of the shower was running and he paused outside, sighing as the urge to turn around and go back to his room filled him. He didn't feel up to dealing with any of the residents today, but he had to go to work and if he didn't shower now, he would be late to work and then he'd have to listen to Jaeho's (and worse—Byeongmin's) lecture. He didn't think he could handle that.

So with that thought, he steeled himself, and went into the bathroom.

"Ah, hello!" One of the twins greeted with a wide smile and Jongwoo was automatically sure it was Deukjong just by the way he carried himself. Jongwoo let out a sharp breath between his teeth and didn't bother to even force a smile back. If it had been a few weeks ago, he would've felt like he was being a complete asshole. And maybe Jieun would think he was being one as well if he told her—Deukjong was clearly not all there, but he was creepy, and that was just the truth.

Jongwoo ignored the man's greeting and tossed his towel where it wouldn't get wet and started the shower, eager to get clean, or at least as clean as he could in this filthy place.

The water did feel good against his skin and he sighed, closing his eyes as he just let it wash over himself, almost forgetting where he was, what he had to deal with on a day-in, day-out basis. If he tried hard enough, he could imagine he was elsewhere, in a nicer apartment, with Jieun in the kitchen preparing breakfast before the two of them headed out on their day of work. Just the thought of it was almost like a paradise. But it was quickly broken by the twin's giggling.

His eyes snapped open and he stared at the wall in front of him, feeling that familiar rage bubbling in his stomach that had him wanting to cross the bathroom and slam Deukjong's head into the wall.

Deukjong giggled again.

"What is it?" Jongwoo snapped, not in the mood for any of this. Deukjong just smiled at him, covering his hand with his mouth as he pointed towards him.