The Boy Next Door

And They Were Roommates [M]

One month later

Things between you and Mark had finally improved. You both started off slow, getting to know each other and hanging out again, just like you did when you first became his roommate. It was a bit awkward the first few days as Mark was being extra careful around you, but you'd finally pulled him aside to tell him to be himself and everything had gone back to the way it was.

Movie night and chore day was restored and so were the breakfasts and dinners, much to Mark's delight. You also stopped by with Jaebeom on some of the quiet nights that Mark worked at the bar — and he would wake up early some days just to walk you to work and have breakfast with you there.

You still had arguments here and there. Why didn't he replace the milk in the fridge? Why do you leave your bra out on the couch? Why doesn't he realise how loud he can be when he's gaming? Why do you wear his clothes without asking? You know, the little things that make the other endearing.

As you sat on the bar, watching Mark work — his arms on full display in a tank top due to the summer heat — you couldn't help but be excited at the prospect of taking things further.

xxx

Three months later.

As Mark sat on the balcony, sipping his beer whilst his arm was wrapped securely around you as you cuddled into him — he had never felt happier. He allowed things between the both of you to progress at your pace, so he had waited for you to make the first move every time.

You were first to grab his hand whilst out and about the other week and though he was successful in keeping the fluttering butterflies in his belly in check, he had been unable to suppress the biggest grin that adorned his face. The same thing happened when you first went to cuddle him and he had to force himself to calm down or you would be able to tell how fast his heart was beating.

There had been plenty of times when he wanted to kick himself for being an idiot and delaying this from happening, but never more so than today. Today was his birthday and you had been the best present he had received.

He hadn't wanted to inform you of when his birthday was for multiple reasons. One was because he didn't want you to make a fuss — he wanted to be the one spoiling you to make up for the way he had treated you — he didn't feel that he deserved anything from you yet.

The other was because his birthday fell on a Saturday. So he already knew that he was going to be spending the day with you no matter what, and there was nothing more he could ask for. He didn't mind spending his birthday doing cleaning, the laundry and groceries, as long as he spent it with you. He had asked if the two of you would be doing something different this weekend in which you declined. So imagine his surprise when you came knocking on his door this morning.

"Mark?" you called out from behind the door. "Wake up! I'm coming in. Are you decent?"

Mark quickly checked himself, "Yeah, come in!"

You opened the door and peeked at him with the biggest smile on your face that he couldn't help but mirror. He motioned for you to come in but you shook your head, grinning even wider before you pushed the door all the way open with your foot, walking in backwards with one huge balloon that read 'Happy MORK Day!' along with a scary amount of smaller balloons that now littered his ceiling.

"Happy Birthday!"

"Thank you," Mark beamed. "Truly. Now, who spilled the beans?"

"I asked Jaebeom about it months ago," you smiled proudly. "I had a lot of things planned so I needed time to prep."

"I don't think there's much prep required for washing and cleaning?"