The House on Mass. Avenue | Rensung

Untitled Part 1

"Hello, it's very nice to meet you, Park Jisung I presume?" Na Jaemin smiled and held his hand out, Jisung immediately feeling compelled to shake his hand by the gesture.

"Yes, then I'm guessing that you're Mr. Na?" He asked, just to quell his suspicions to the boy laughed before shaking his hand in the air.

"Don't call me Mr. Na, I'm only 20 it makes me feel old. Feel free to call me Jaemin while you're staying here," he smiled again and Jisung gave a polite smile back.

"Um, then feel free to do the same with me," Jisung offered, not wanting his establishing relationship with his new landlord to be awkward.

"How was your trip here? I'm sure it was long and tiring," Jaemin sympathized and Jisung nodded, voicing his exhaustion in a short but agreeing mumble. Jaemin gestured to the right of Jisung, towards the visible parlor.

"How about I make us some coffee and we can talk in the parlor," he offered and Jisung hesitated to take Jaemin up on the offer, a little too tired to keep up conversation.

But he still nodded, following Jaemin into the parlor where he sat down on the couch while Jaemin disappeared into the room behind the parlor, which he assumed to be the kitchen. Jisung looked around, the house still seeming a bit awkward to him. He was sure he would feel more at home once time passed, especially with someone as friendly as Jaemin helping him to become more acquainted.

Suddenly loud footsteps began to bang down what Jisung pegged to be the staircase and he turned his head to the side just as someone (wearing socks as a minor detail) slid across the floor, disappeared from view, and then jumped back into view.

It was the light green hair that Jisung noticed first. Then the bright toothy smile. Then the pyjamas that the boy was wearing. His age was one of the more shocking factors for Jisung, the green-haired boy not looking much older than himself. Then, much to his surprise, the boy pointed at him.

"You're the new tenant right? My name is Chenle, Zhong Chenle!" The boy exclaimed with a smile so infectious that Jisung couldn't help the smile that rose onto his own face. He stood up and patted his jeans nervously, sticking his hand out to greet the energetic boy. Everyone seemed energetic.

"Yeah, my name is Park Jisung. It's nice to meet you Chenle," he said almost business-like and a small laugh bubbled out of the boy's lips as he walked forward to shake Jisung's hand.

"Chenle you better not be bothering our new kid," a stern yet amused voice lectured from the doorway and Jisung's head turned to see Jaemin walking back in with two cups of coffee in hand. He gratefully accepted one of the cups and sat back down on the couch, Chenle plopping next to him as Jaemin sat in one of the armchairs.

"I'm not! I just saw him arrive from my window and wanted to say hi, that's all," Chenle defended in a very childish manner and Jisung smiled, taking a small sip of the much needed caffeine. He personally prefered tea but he didn't mind coffee too much.

"Yes yes, I know it's been a couple of months since you've had a neighbor on your floor but please don't scare him away, he just got here," Jaemin laughed, his cheekbones lifting to completely light up his face. Jisung watched as the landlord took a careful sip of his own coffee, in a sort of awe at the boy's beauty.

"Well, have you told him the rules yet? He can't even make it to his room if he doesn't know the rules." Chenle prompted and Jisung blinked in surprise, his head jerking up at the mention of rules.

"Rules?" he said curiously and he watched as Jaemin smacked his head, Chenle letting out a small gasp. Jaemin held his hands up, placing the coffee cup down before standing and walking over to an old wooden desk. The boy rummaged around for a moment or two before producing a pen and a notebook. He sat back down, the pen clicking as he brought it down to the paper.

"I can't believe I forgot to mention the rules. They're just second nature, you know?" Jaemin explained apologetically as he scribbled a messy list down, Jisung looking at the boy in confusion before looking at Chenle who was staring at Jaemin in disappointment.

Another minute passed before the list was being smacked into Jisung's waiting hand, Jaemin beginning to ramble on.

"Listen Jisung, there are some... weird things that happen in this house, the rest of the tenants and I have become accustomed to them so it's all like second nature but we'll all try our best to help you remember." Jaemin pointed to the list and Jisung looked down at the scrawled words.

House Rules for Jisung!!

1. Don't go into the basement (the most important!)

2. When you pass the mirror on the second floor in the hallway, you have to snap three times.

3. You can't use the downstairs bathroom from midnight - 3am

4. If you go to the beach you have to bring a seashell back to place into the fishbowl in the foyer.

5. No eating in the kitchen from 6pm - 7pm

6. On rainy days, don't look out the window by the bathroom on the third floor.

7. If you live in the attic, make sure not to move any previously set furniture.

8. Never answer the house phone.

9. If you hear knocking at your door between 2am - 3am, do not answer.

10. Do not sit at the kitchen counter if it's not breakfast time.

Jisung looked up from the list, his mouth open as he looked between the two boys. "This is a joke right?"

"No way," Chenle said seriously, pointing at the rules listed on the paper, "These are to protect you while you're living here." Jisung frowned, looking over the rules again. They had to be messing with him.

"Protect me from what?"

"That's harder to explain," Jaemin said, ruffling his pink hair nervously as he leaned back against the armchair, "Let's just call them house spirits, although I don't think that's the right word to use. I don't know, all we know is that horrible things happen if you break the rules. But-" Jaemin said and stood up, clapping his hands together before rubbing them, "-I think that's enough for today. You can get more acquainted with the house and its tenants tomorrow."

Jisung just nodded as he stood up along with Chenle, the list clenched tightly in his hands as his other hand grabbed his suitcase.

"You're living on the second floor with me, so I can help you for now," Chenle said and Jisung nodded, bidding Jaemin a tired goodbye as he followed Chenle up the wooden staircase which surprisingly didn't creak as much as Jisung thought they were going to.

"We have two people living on the third floor, two people living on the ground floor, and one person living in the attic. In total, there are seven of us so it shouldn't be too bad." Chenle explained as he helped Jisung carry his suitcase up the staircase, stopping as soon as they had walked up one flight.

Jisung looked down the carpeted hallway, old paintings and mirrors decorating the halls with tacky light fixtures hooked onto the wall. He made out three doors down the hallway - two to the left of him and one to the right. Chenle wheeled his suitcase down the hallway stopping Jisung as they almost passed a mirror.

"This rule will probably be the easiest for you to learn, but also might be the easiest for you to break right now," Chenle said, pausing before snapping his fingers three times. Jisung nodded before snapping his fingers three times.

Rule #2: When you pass the mirror on the second floor in the hallway, you have to snap three times.

Jisung sighed as Chenle led him to the last door on the left -- his bedroom -- and deposited the suitcase in front of the closed door. With an encouraging smile, Chenle left Jisung alone, disappearing into his own room.

He looked at the door in front of him, the rich brown color warm and inviting but the old white frame boarding the door was peeling. Jisung ran his fingers over the cold and peeling paint before trailing his hand to rest on the slightly loose knob.

And so his days at the House on Mass. Avenue started.

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