for illustration purpose only. XD

I GOT A STRANGER

CHAPTER 5 : Take care...

The house that both Mark and Jinyoung going to live in look somewhat….cosy to her surprised. And it kinda looked…sweet. Mr Tuan sure has a good taste in finding nice house. Yep. It seems that he got it all prepared. Jinyoung crossed her arms and look at the house again. All of them just arrived at the so called “new house” where Mark and Jinyoung going to start live in together.

Mr Tuan bought (yes bought, not rent) a house that is somewhat near to the college where Jinyoung taught and to the hospital where Mark work. Even though it is not as big as the Tuans house, the house is actually quite big for just two persons to live in.

Now all of them (both parents + Jinyoung & Mark, jinyoung’s parents makes it clear it’s only Jinyoung and mark only for now, yugyeom dissatisfied but remind Jinyoung to call him if anything nonetheless) is at the front yard of the new house. Jinyoung’s parents walk around the house while Jinyoung still checking her own luggage in the car.

“Mark, can you help with Jinyoung luggages? I’m going to show them around the house.“ Mr Tuan ushered both parents.

“Yes dad”

“Oh no need Mr Tuan-“ before Jinyoung can say anything more she noticed her luggages already been lifted up from the car trunk.

“It’s really okay you don’t-“ Jinyoung tries to take away her luggage from Mark’s hand. Really come on, she can handle it; it’s not like carrying a bulldozer or something.

“It’s okay”. Mark breaths. He brings both of Jinyoung huge luggage inside the house.

“….okay, thanks.” Jr pressed her lips together. Nervousness mixed with uncertainty. This is really nerve wrecking.

What if Mark kills her in the middle of the night while she’s sleeping?

She caught a glimpse towards Mark face before and his face is so expressionless and so straight it’s even straighter than the lamp post in front of their new house. Jinyoung doesn’t know what Mark is thinking or feeling right now. She thinks that Mark is really good at hiding his own emotions, except anger that is. Maybe Mark is a secretive person or don’t open up to people that well.

Why should I care anyway?

When Jinyoung enter the house, both mothers are busy preparing something in the kitchen, dinner maybe. The house is fully furnished and much to Jinyoung surprised again she kinda like the interior colour. Mr Tuan seems to understand her likings. Maybe it’s just a coincidence. Jinyoung noticed her 2 luggage in front of a closed door room and there’s a room across hers separated by the living room where she can see Mark managing his own luggage from an open door.

Well of course they are staying in a separate room. What do you expect? They are not married yet and most importantly, THEY DON’T KNOW EACH OTHER THAT WELL YET.

Mark looked up suddenly and Jinyoung quickly look somewhere else and turns to walk towards to her own room. Getting caught staring is the worst feeling ever. Jinyoung want to choke herself. Aiiiyshshhh….. ah, why should I care.

After Jinyoung unpack her things inside her room she walks to the kitchen where dinner almost ready. She tries to help, but Mrs Tuan rejects the idea strongly. Mrs Tuan is excited for her 1^st daughter in law it seems.

So all of them have dinner together and both parents chats happily. Both Mark and Jinyoung barely talked and just give simple answers when questions directs to them. After dinner, Jinyoung founds herself sit together with Mr Tuan on the swing at the front yard. The chill air is somewhat comfortable than the suffocating air inside the house.

“jinyoung ah..”

“yes Mr Tuan”

“oh please, call me uncle, or just call me dad already or appa whichever you want. Please be comfortable with me okay? Do you hate me that much?” Mr Tuan chuckles.

“oh! no. it’s not that unc- uhm…d…dad…uh..”

"Just call me uncle if you are not ready yet. Mr Tuan chuckles again.

“jinyoung ah, I’m sorry to call you outside like this and it seems like you are stressed over it.”

“Oh. uhm..well, it’s just unexpected.” Jinyoung try to smile.

“You must be so angry at me right?”

Mr Tuan is actually a very kind and warm person, minus his evil decision to arrange this whole Mark- Jinyoung engagement, Jinyoung really believes Mr Tuan is a nice person. An adult that you can depend on or gives you that warm feeling.

“…..uhm….uncle Tuan, I just want to ask you one question.. Why did you do this?”

Jinyoung hopes Mr Tuan can give her a really good explanation. Well she hated the idea of forcing two unrelated-not in love people into getting together, but she also believes that everything happens for a reason or at least the person who decides it must have their own reason no? Jinyoung after all the first daughter of her family, she always been an understanding person and patience is definitely her virtue; well maybe not with yugyeom, that is a total different case.

Mr Tuan looked in front at the trees, thinking for a while and smile a bit before continues.

“I… I know all of this looked somewhat selfish from our side; parents, and unfair on your side. But I want you and Mark to know that, we don’t want to harm any of you two.”

Well, it’s hard to convince Mark on that aspect though. Jinyoung thoughts

“Your father is my best friend Jinyoung ah, although it doesn’t justify what we did to you too, but deep inside my heart, I believe this is the best decision for all of us and it’ll work sooner or later. Maybe because you didn’t get to know Mark yet. He is really a nice man. A nice son. I love him so much, though maybe after this I’m not going to be in his favourite people’s list anymore..”

Mr Tuan sighed a bit. It seems that maybe Mark and Mr Tuan had their own arguments at home.

“But I believe you are the best person that suits him the most. We talk often on phones Jinyoung ah. Your father and I. He tells a lot about you, I tell a lot about Mark and we really thought you two just connect.”

“I don’t know if my answer satisfies you, but I just want to tell you that Mark is a good person. Maybe he has his own temper and all, but I want you to believe in him. I trust you are the one that is the best for Mark and can take a good care of him. If to ask you to love him, maybe that’s too much but I do hope it can happen naturally, but I really want the best for you two.” Mr Tuan holds Jinyoung hands.

Jinyoung feels goose bumps.

Just why Mr Tuan believes so much in her? Doesn’t he afraid she gonna runaway to the bus station tonight or drive herself to the mountain and what not? So Mark is her responsibility now? Mr Tuan entrust Mark to her? Wait, something is not right. Isn’t it supposedly the other way around? Wait, WHAT?

Besides, Jinyoung can handle her class of 30 students in the college she’s teaching… and that surely she can handle, but Mark? This Mark Tuan?  Jinyoung is getting a minor brain damage just thinking about him. Jinyoung is a caring person, yes…but what, so she has to take care of Mark? He’s full grown man~ and…yeah, he might kill me tonight or something..?!?!

“jinyoung ah…” Mr Tuan calls as he sees Jinyoung lost in her own thoughts.

“AH? OH? ..oh..sorry uncle Tuan…I’m just..”

“it’s okay,” Mr Tuan pats Jinyoung knees “you’ll be okay.”

WILL I?

“Raymond, your wife is looking for you” both of them looked up to see Jinyoung mother already stand beside the swing.

“ah okay.” Mr Tuan stands up and leaves both of them.

Jinyoung mother occupy Mr Tuan seat earlier.

“jinyoung ah…”

“omma…I don’t know what to do. Can yugyeom stay with me too? Please.”

“of course he can’t! No, why would he?? Besides, you’ll leave Mark alone.”

“no, I promise I won’t~.” Jinyoung tries her luck with her mother.

“Nonsense! Now listen to me jinyoung. Omma know you might feel a little confuse, and angry and all other mixed feelings. But omma believes, omma raised you well and I believe in you 100%. No matter how you feel, it’s your responsibility now to take care of Mark..”

WAIT..What is this again?

“omma! Why is it only me? He’s the one who have to take care of me~” Jinyoung whines. This is so unfair. She’s been dragged into this mess too.

“well, you don’t supposed Mark have to cook for you, do your laundry and what not?”

Oh.

Ooh

Ooooooh.

Okay, so now jinyoung understand what is this “take care of Mark” is all about. Seriously, what about me then?  She sulked a bit.

“…I see..”

“yes, that is what I meant. Omma of course never doubt your cooking skills, you live alone during your university days and you aware how omma take care of you appa right?”

Yep her mother is like the wife of the year, an excellent one. A very obedient housewife too. Which Jinyoung doubt the last part match with her much.

“And Mark is a doctor, he works long hours at the hospital. To handle all those many types of patients..so please bear with him if he looks like he’s too tired or maybe moody. Cook him lots of good food for his health.. make sure he has his breakfast before he goes to work and his dinner-”

“woah…stop, stop..omma.. I’m not his wife YET remember? Why is everyone talking like we just got married yesterday?” I don’t put any promise in this anyway.

“It’s the foundation that is important…regardless of the outcome.”

“Wow omma, you really should be one of the lecturer at my college.”

Jinyoung omma glares at her. “Park Jinyoung, you better do as omma told you, I love you but you hold our family dignity also, understand?”

Family dignity..traditional..typical…unfair..uffh. I’m a victim.

“Okay ..okay~ ..FINE, I’m just consider myself taking care of a sick person or something…. ufhh.. but omma, I’m working too okay? And to top that I’m taking my masters at the same time, remember? I’m a busy person too.”

“Well, you don’t work in shifts and usually by 8 in the evening you already at home, but not him.”

“Omma, since you understand him so well, why don’t you live together with us? You can baby sit him all day long“Jinyoung makes a toothy grin.

Jinyoung mother flicked her forehead.

“OUCHH- OWWW!….ahhhck that hurts~!  Omma~!..I might get pimple on that spot tomorrow~” Jinyoung fans her forehead. Now she knows where she get the 'likings' to 'injured' yugyeom from.

Her mother just shakes her head.

~

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When jinyoung and her mother go inside the house later, the parents are chatting together and Mark just playing with his phone. When Mrs Tuan see jinyoung, she leave her seat on the couch to sit beside Mr Tuan.

“Jinyoung, you sit here” beside Mark that is.

Jinyoung slowly..like very s-l-o-w-l-y sit beside Mark as if doesn’t want to spill a glass of water on the couch. But later she feels a movement besides her; Mark shifts his position a bit. More like moving away from jinyoung. At least that is what jinyoung thinks.

“So, how is this house jinyoung?” Mrs tuan asked.

“uhm. I think it’s quite nice Mrs Tuan” Jinyoung smiles but she find it’s hard to breath seating beside this person beside her. It’s so awkward she want to cry.

“Good to know. We pick this house really carefully and really hope you like it.”

“ah…..I see…. t..thank you Mrs tuan.”

“honey, just call us mom and dad, or if it’s still hard for you, just call us papa and mama Tuan okay?” Mrs tuan said.

Jinyoung nods and smile awkwardly.

“how about you Mark?”

Mark looks up from his phone. “The house is okay. Nice I guessed.”

“We are happy to know you two like this house. Now..” Mr Tuan look at his watch. “..that’s the time! It’s getting late and we should get going now. Right mama?”

“ah yes, both of you are working tomorrow, so get some rest and sleep early okay?”

Jinyoung go to her parents and hug them tightly. Omma..

After that jinyoung approaches Mr and Mrs Tuan and notice Mrs Tuan give Mark a peck on his lips. After that Mark turns towards her own parents and offer his handshake to them but her mother hugs him of course. On the other hand Mrs Tuan hugged jinyoung first too and tightly.

“thank you jinyoung ah.”

“hmm?” jinyoung look in Mrs Tuan eyes, then to Mr Tuan. Thank you?

Mr and Mrs Tuan just smile to her. Mark and Jinyoung walks them until the front yard and until they are in their cars.

“good night dears” Mrs Tuan blowing them flying kiss.

“and you two, play nicely, no fishy business okay?...Mark?” Mr Tuan look at both of them and then Mark. Jinyoung parents just laugh from inside the car.

Mark just rolls his eyes. Hell no

Jinyoung at the side; fishy? What fishy? If there’s anything fishy is when mark gonna stab her on her chest tonight!

Jinyoung can’t shake off weird thoughts off her.

After both parents left, Jinyoung enters the kitchen and Mark locked the front door. Mark enters his room first without saying anything. Jinyoung clean up the kitchen a bit more.

She done cleaning but can’t find any garbage bag to put away the waste. Where is it anyway? It’s usually in the lower cabinet though? 

But she thinks again, this is not her own house anyway. She open every single cabinet door and when she open the top cabinet door, she found it. The problem is, to reach it.

Why am I born short? It’s easier if yugyeom is here. Jinyoung sighs. She’s too afraid to stand on a chair, it’ll be wobbly.

No choice then…

She walks towards Mark’s room. Luckily the door is open so she’s not afraid of ‘disturbing’ a sleeping-Mark. Jinyoung knocks the door. Mark’s head suddenly pop up from his wardrobe. It seems like he’s still unpacking his things.

“yes?”

“uh., sorry, but can you help me? The garbage bag… in the top kitchen cabinet… I can’t reach it ..”

Wow.. jinyoung thought. The first full sentence after they meet again few months after the dinner and after move in this house is not “how are you doing with your life?” or “how’s life? Mine is just normal etc” but it’s about a garbage bag.

Unreachable garbage bag because park jinyoung is too short for her own good. Uffh.

“oh.”

Mark stands up and walks towards the kitchen. Jinyoung follows from behind. He reaches the garbage bag and put it on the kitchen counter.

“here.”

“thank you..”

“hmm”

Mark enters his room again and this time he closed the door.

Jinyoung blinks. Well, it’s late already. She tries to justify.

She then enters her own room, wash up and sit on her bed. Checked her phone and noticed 5 texts notification on her phone. All from none other than; yugyeom.

Jinyoung rolls her eyes at the last question. Good question yugyeom. She typed in the replies.

Within 3 seconds yugyeom replied.

Jinyoung put her phone down and stares at the ceiling. Even though the heater is on, something just feels really “cold” living inside this house. And it’s not the weather, or the air.

Mark drapes an arm over his eyes while lying on the bed. So what now? He breathes. Well, he is just going to live his own life like every day routine. What is there to be different?

Just..whatever. 

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A/N :  hey you guys my lovely cutie readers, here are new updates, pls ignore if there's any typo -.- i already re-read and edit but if there's still mistakes, forgive me. (i always write late at night -.-) to new subscribers, hello :D and thank you. thanks for the comments, i love it a lot ^^. I hope to write longer chapters next, but idk if i can lol. still finding my style of writing. And I really want this to be as angst as possible (mian) cuz it's the 1st genre that i try to write. just feel like to try something new. I wrote fluff and crack mostly in the past. thanks for reading! 

- i'm going to write new chapters for my other fic, so this one will have to wait a bit after i'm done with the other fic update. :)

*** comments are seriously, greatly, cutely, happily APPRECIATED  ^^ thanks for reading again all~