The House on Mass. Avenue | Rensung

Untitled Part 11

"OH WELL LOOK WHO FINALLY SHOWED UP!" 

It was a cold Monday morning, breakfast being served by Jaemin like it always was, when Mark entered the kitchen. 

Jaemin was fuming as he stood by the counter, spatula in hand and the other resting on his hip. Jisung feared, for a moment, that Mark was about to be hit by a flying spatula covered in egg. Jisung and Donghyuck looked between the two with apprehensive stares, Renjun, Jeno, and Chenle having already left for school and work. 

The first thing that Jisung noticed about Mark was the coffee stain on his light brown sweater. Under the sweater was a white-collared shirt and the tops were paired with a complimentary pair of black slacks. He was wearing fluffy socks too -- they were purple. 

"You've got a stain on your sweater," Jisung piped up and Mark's head whipped around to look at him through gold, circular-rimmed glasses. A green ceramic mug rested in the boy's ink covered hand and there was a well-used notebook under his unoccupied arm. 

"Whose this?" Mark asked to the kitchen, Donghyuck and Jaemin collectively letting out groans of annoyance and shouts of disappointment. 

"Park Jisung, Mark," Jaemin groaned through grit teeth and Donghyuck buried his head into his hands, stressfully running his fingers through his air, "He's been our new resident, although I can hardly call him as such since he's been here for over a month Mark." 

"Oh a whole month, wow," Mark smiled at Jisung and gave him a thumbs-up gesture, "Uh, how are you liking it here? So far, I mean." 

"Everyone's really nice," Jisung said politely, still a bit amused at the way Jaemin and Donghyuck were treating Mark and how nonchalant Mark was acting. All things aside, it was really great to finally meet the last resident of the house. 

"Well that's nice, now Jaemin do you think you could make me a pot of coffee?" Mark inquired, sitting down next to Donghyuck on the diagonal side of the counter from Jisung, "I mean like a whole pot, maybe one I could like bring up to the attic with me? I really can't take too much of a break." 

"Over my dead body will you be bringing one of my coffee pots into your room," Jaemin threatened, reaching over the counter to grab Mark's coffee mug. Jisung laughed a little at the joking threat, watching as Jaemin tossed the remains of Mark's old coffee into the sink and grab the new pot of coffee. He slid the new mug of fresh coffee over to Mark and the older smiled, taking a grateful sip of the coffee after muttering his thanks. 

Feeling his curiosity get the better of him, Jisung leaned onto his arm, "What exactly do you do? I mean it must keep you so busy that you can't come down often." At the question both Jaemin and Donghyuck grumbled again. 

But Mark seemed impassioned, holding the used notebook up. "I'm a writer!"

"Oh, you're a writer too?" Jisung blinked owlishly at Mark and the older's eyes widened, his mouth dropping open. That was something that he wasn't expecting. 

"Too?" Mark said, his eyes twinkling with wonder and amazement, "Wow you're a writer as well? This is so great! Finally someone who can understand me," Mark smiled and placed the notebook onto the counter, everyone's attention suddenly turning to Jaemin as he began to dish out plates of breakfast food -- today was chocolate chip pancakes and pear slices. 

"Yeah except Jisung doesn't lock himself in his room and isolate himself from society," Donghyuck pointed out but Mark either didn't hear him or dismissed the boy's comment almost immediately. 

"Wow, I'd love to see what you're writing sometime," Jisung said in between bites of his food and Mark nodded enthusiastically. "We could even bounce ideas off of each other for our respective stories, or at least I would certainly appreciate that." Jisung laughed, feeling a bit lighter now that he had a person who he could talk to in order to work through his writer's blocks.