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EVERY DAY WAS the same for im jaebum. he came home from his plain old unexciting day-job to his empty house, popped an instant noodle in the microwave, and relaxed in silence— eyes fixed on his television and spicy ramen noodles stuffed into a steaming bowl between his legs.
but today was different, something was off, and it wasn't just a feeling. things had been going wrong since the moment jaebum woke up that morning. he was used to routine and followed it in an almost obsessive manner, but today his routine had fallen apart at the seams.
his image was very important to him; therefore, he had his clothes dry cleaned by a professional to achieve the perfect creases he desired. however, jaebum had slept longer than his regularly scheduled 2-hour nap and the dry cleaner's had shut down for the day. unable to collect his favorite slacks and designer shirt from the cleaner's, jaebum sat alone on his sofa, baggy grey sweats and a loose fitting white tee hanging off his body.
jaebum's hair was tousled and his shirt stained with the sauce from the hot wings he'd had for lunch. he flicked through the channels on the television carelessly, grunting when he discovered one he enjoyed in particular. he scratched his scalp, leaning back into the plush cushions supporting his spine.
suddenly, jaebum heard an awful noise— repetitive screeches so high pitched they could curdle milk.
the disheveled man reached for the remote, struggling to find the volume buttons. after a few moments of searching, he muted the tv, sitting in silence. the screeches stopped. jaebum sat in complete silence, fist clenching the remote control so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
scratching on his front door, a noise like untrimmed nails on a chalkboard.
jaebum's heart jumped. he rose to his feet gently, careful not to make a sound. he heard the ear splitting screams from before, they weren't far, but not close enough to be waiting at his door. the boy crept over to the entrance of his small home, bracing himself to look through the peephole—— nothing.
he gritted his teeth as the scratches resounded once again. he knew there had to be something out there. it wasn't any later than six in the afternoon, the sun hung low in the sky, painting the clouds different hues of pink and orange. the romantically lit skyline did little to subdue the fear bubbling in jaebum's gut.
his fingertips found the doorknob, bottom lip burning as his teeth dug into the sensitive skin. his heart was pounding against his chest. if he didn't open his door now to confirm that there was no threat, he probably wouldn't be able to sleep.
again, the scratches scraped at the paint on the front of the entryway door. it's just the wind, jaebum assured himself. he squeezed his eyes shut, twisting the knob cautiously.
slowly opening one eye, jaebum peers through the crack in the door—— nothing. he lets out a deep sigh of relief, feeling his shoulders relax. just when he begins to shut the door, he hears a tiny bark.
in his surprise, jaebum swings the door open and stares wide-eyed at the small pug tapping its paws giddily at his feet.
"what——" he begins, cut off by the pug running past his legs, into the apartment.
"wait!"
in his shock, jaebum barely registered the sound of pounding footsteps against his concrete driveway, rapidly approaching.
"SORRY, EXCUSE ME!"
before jaebum could blink, a girl shoved past him, whipping him in the face with a mop of wet hair. his mind whirled. yes, he'd had an off day, but he'd never imagined he'd be dealing with a crazy girl and her dog barging into his house uninvited.
he was at a loss for words watching the half-naked stranger tear apart his living space to subdue her pet. she clutched a bath towel tightly around her body, paying no mind to the owner of the house who was quite obviously in shock for many reasons.
"kiko! we're not playing tag right now!"
jaebum cleared his throat awkwardly. "u-um.. excuse me? hi? hello there?" he didn't necessarily expect a coherent response, but some sort of subtle acknowledgement at the very least.
"kiko! kiko, come here! mommy isn't happy with you!"
the pug weaved through the legs of jaebum's kitchen table, barking playfully with its stubby tail wagging side to side, the dog's distressed owner crouching down in an attempt to summon her pet. jaebum coughed loudly, feeling it was wrong to watch the scene unfold when the stranger in his home was only covered by a thin bath towel.
"excuse me? excuse me, MA'AM!"
his loud voice turned the small animal's attention towards him, allowing the intruder a window of opportunity to grab onto its collar and pull the pug towards her, hugging it to her chest.
finally, she looked at him. jaebum had to take a moment to catch his breath so he wouldn't trip over his own words.
this woman— damp hair, wide brown eyes and florid cheeks— was very attractive. this woman was in his house, wearing nothing but a towel. a warmth enveloped his body and he looked down at his feet to hide how flushed his face had become.
her laugh chimed like a bell and he quickly shoved his hands into his pockets.
"i'm so sorry! i went outside to water my plants and my dog just went running!"
jaebum could hear her soft steps as she moved towards the door. "um," he mumbled. "do you always water your plants in that outfit?"
the woman looked down at her attire but didn't seem fazed in the slightest. she shrugged. "eh, sometimes. nice meeting you, neighbor!"
jaebum didn't budge. she was gone and he was left confused and disheveled.
