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This would be the last candidate Jaehyo was going to interview this week, he was sick and tired of opening his door to strangers only to find out they hadn’t bothered to read his advertisement til the end and asked for short-term lets or exclusion from the bills or having the biggest room to themselves, or were just repulsive personalities to begin with. Not finding a suitable new flatmate in time meant he was responsible for the whole rent of the next month all on his own, but he’d rather grit his teeth and pay than end up living a full year with someone he couldn’t stand. He already missed Taeil. Jaehyo had moved his stuff to his old room as it was bigger and had an in-built wardrobe, and it enjoyed the late-evening sunlight. So he toured the potential flatmates not only through the kitchen and living room, opening the door to the bathroom in the corridor as they went past it, but also in his own old room. Although now empty, it still felt like some sort of violation of his privacy but he would have to get used to it – it wasn’t like he hadn’t chosen to switch rooms himself.
He had just fixed himself a cup of tea when the buzzer rang, and with a steaming mug in his hand he let in Minhyuk. The guy had sounded nice enough on the phone, so Jaehyo was hopeful, opening the front door to the young man about his age, hair strikingly blond and sharply dressed. They shook hands and smiled politely after greeting each other, and Jaehyo led the other through the apartment, now already on autopilot mentioning the weak shower and that one electric socket that didn’t work, and oh the neighbour had two cats so hopefully Minhyuk was not allergic?
“No, I’m not. Do they just randomly wander into the apartment somehow, or why would we have to be concerned about the neighbour’s cats though?”
“Ah nothing like that, as far as I know these walls don’t have holes big enough for even mice to come through… but he works out of town a lot so we’ve been taking the cats in to look after them rather than visiting his place all the time if he stays away for longer.”
“That sounds nice, I wouldn’t mind a cat or two now and then!”
They had sat down in the kitchen and Minhuyk had gladly accepted the cup of tea Jaehyo offered him. He explained how he was starting his postgraduate course in art history soon and was going to have to move from the student halls (was about time!), and Jaehyo told him how he was taking a year off from his biology studies to find out whether he could survive as a freelance nature photographer in the city, and to figure out what he really wanted from his future. And, that the sooner Minhyuk could move in, the better – the landlord was decent but wasn’t going to let go of half a month’s rent just because Jaehyo was too picky. He surprised himself by saying that, as the other people who had visited hadn’t appealed to him enough for him to even mention the move-in dates.
***
Three days later Jaehyo was helping Minhyuk carry the boxes.
“I’m glad this worked out so soon”, he huffed while placing what had to be at least the 7th box full of reference books on the floor.
“Me too”, Minhyuk chuckled, “when you find a person you like with the flat you like, why wait?”
Jaehyo knew he didn’t mean it like that but he couldn’t help feeling a little blush creeping on his cheeks when Minhyuk turned away to go downstairs once again. It wasn’t like he didn’t get compliments often but this sounded so genuine, and coming from a person he believed had no hidden intentions made him fill with calm contentment.
***
Jaehyo decides the new guy is a bit weird. Thinking back the week they’d now lived under the same roof, he had started to have his doubts. Minhyuk was still as charming as he had been when they met but now Jaehyo thinks maybe his new flatmate is hiding something. He tells himself to stop obsessing about it, they were still new to each other, there was no need to share one’s whole life story as soon as one could. They were getting along just fine, the kitchen was tidy, and wasn’t everybody a bit weird anyway? Minhyuk must think he’s the most tiresome flatmate on the planet anyway, babbling on about his past pets and new dishes he’s been cooking and how he found yet another flower to photograph in the parking lot.
Minhyuk thinks the new guy is nice. Kinda like the little brother he never had. They were the same age but Jaehyo had this certain enthusiasm in him, a relentless optimism and a not-give-in attitude. That makes Minhyuk want to be kind to him, to protect him, but wasn’t that a bit weird? They had only known each other for a week, for christ’s sake. He tells himself to take it slow, they were in friendly terms and would grow closer together naturally, he was sure about that. For now, he is going to keep himself to himself and enjoy Jaehyo’s little stories over their evening tea in the kitchen.
***
Eleven days in and one of the neighbour’s cats dies. That morning Minhyuk finds Jaehyo in the living room, sitting on the floor in a sunny patch in front of the sofa, clutching a big, old plushie bear.
“Jaehyo, are you…”
“No it’s fine, I’m just tired…” He doesn’t look at Minhyuk but mumbles the words into the teddy bear.
“You haven’t had your morning coffee yet?”
“No.”
“Let me get you a cup.” Minhyuk fixes coffee for two and while it’s in the making, he wonders how close he actually is with Jaehyo. The last thing he wants to do is to scare his new friend away and make things complicated in the flat, but he really seemed he could use a person today. Minhyuk isn’t busy anyway, so he sits down next to Jaehyo after placing the warm coffee mug in his hands.
***
“Thanks.” Jaehyo takes a sip and keeps the mug close, the steam warming his face. He likes slow Sunday mornings like this, when Minhyuk wasn’t running off to his lectures but had still woken up before Jaehyo, leafing through a magazine over the kitchen table and a pot of coffee on the counter waiting for Jaehyo. The window was open and a brisk autumn wind blew in, Minhyuk said he wanted to enjoy the last weeks of fresh air inside before it got too cold, and Jaehyo didn’t object.
“No bother.”
They sit in silence, but it’s comfortable. Jaehyo is glad. He looks out of the window and remembers the morning three months ago when he’d sat on the same spot watching Minhyuk walk through the parking lot for the first time and thinking if he was the person who had called him the day before. Minhyuk’s roots had grown out badly since and Jaehyo keeps poking his head about it and threatens to dye his hair purple while he’s sleeping if he doesn’t do anything about it soon. Minhyuk laughs and says he’d shave Jaehyo bald in return. And that he’d look good in purple anyway.
***
“Be wary, he’s trying to get into your pants.” Taeil is visiting Jaehyo short before Christmas.
“No, he’s not? Taeil, no matter how much you’d like, not everyone is gay. Or interested in me.”
“You only say that because you were born with a broken gaydar. Mine instead-“
“Yours is in constant overdrive.”
“He told you he wants to get a cat!”
***
Minhyuk drops his towel in front of Jaehyo (and the whole neighbourhood) in a warm April evening when he’s caught smoking in the balcony and a pointy railing hook fails him and his modesty.
“TURN BACK TURN BACK”, Jaehyo screams and squeezes his eyes shut while waving frantically with his hands in every direction.
“Jaehyo, chill”, Minhyuk tries to gather his towel stuck to the hook without dropping his cigarette and exposing himself even more to the opposite row of windows. “It’s not that big of a deal.”
“Not a big deal? ARE YOU COVERED ALREADY?”
“Yes-“
Jaehyo opens his eyes but keeps waving, “Jesus christ Minhyuk!”
“What? Liked what you saw?” Minhyuk leans back to the railing and laughs as Jaehyo’s cheeks flame in red.
“No! Yes, no I mean! Your smoking! If the landlord catches as much as a whiff of cigarette smell in the flat he’s gonna kick both our asses out of here.” He folds his arms and tries to force his blushing back down.
“That’s exactly why I’m only doing it on the balcony. And throwing the butts out.” Minhyuk flips the one in his hand to the sidewalk down behind.
“That’s gross but… okay.”
“C’mon, let’s go before the neighbours think we’re about to start a drama here. I’ll take you to a sauna if you want to admire my god-like body in the future.” Minhyuk leads Jaehyo back inside with a hand on his back. Jaehyo chuckles and forgives him immediately.
***
In May Jaehyo drags Minhyuk on the sofa the moment he walks inside, laptop propped ready on the coffee table.
“I need you to pick one.”
“One what?”
“A song.”
“Like, the one I like the most?”
“No, well yeah, the one that’s most you.”
“What do you mean the one that’s most me?”
“Ah don’t think about it too much, just watch first.”
Minhyuk soon learns Jaehyo is showing him this year’s Eurovision songs. He picks Moldova to be the most “him” and Jaehyo cheers.
“Knew it!”
Minhyuk thinks Jaehyo just keeps growing more and more adorable the better he learns to know him. From his love for ducks (out of all animals, why ducks?) to the enthusiasm about various internet memes and daily horoscopes, he puts his heart in everything he does and is currently in process of creating a personality chart for Minhyuk. Minhyuk is not a big believer in things like that but he doesn’t mind it either. Seeing Jaehyo play around like an 8-year-old instead of the tired photographer after a day outside in the rain and nothing profitable in his roll is what lifts his own moods as well, and he wonders how long it will take him to adjust to a life on his own again when (or if..?) they finally separate ways.
***
It’s July again and Minhyuk signs the renewal of his rental contract for another year.
“It wouldn’t make any sense to sign a longer lease since my course ends in a year.”
“I know, but what about the cat?” Jaehyo picks up the small, grey-striped animal purring on his feet. They had never agreed on a name for the poor thing and that had been the biggest row they had managed. Technically it was Minhyuk’s cat but it also slept mostly in Jaehyo’s bed, and he doesn’t dare to think of the time they would have to decide with whom it was going.
“We’ll figure that out then. Maybe I’ll find work nearby and don’t have to move. For now… let’s just live, okay?” Minhyuk pets the cat on Jaehyo’s arms and looks up at him, an encouraging smile playing on his face.
Jaehyo smiles back with his eyes. “Okay.”