"First of all, no stepping upstairs at all. Just call me or scream your head off, I don't care. I'm the only one living here anyway. But don't. go. up," he emphasized each word clearly, making sure Seungkwan had it drilled inside his head.

He climbed up the stairs, realizing he had a guest to attend to before stepping down again. He almost forgot he offered to share the same breathing space with the one person that he couldn't stand. Who knew it would come to this? Vernon must have had some loose screw in his head to even suggest it in the first place.

He disregards the thought. He's emotionless, but he's not that heartless of a person.

"Do you know how to clean and cook?" Vernon suddenly asked after a pace of brainstorming on his next set of orders.

"Not much, just the basic stuffs," Seungkwan muttered, more interested in looking around the interior of the simple yet expensive looking house. It looked clean and minimalist, as if almost untouched safe for the ruckus here and there courtesy of Vernon searching for food and throwing his clothes everywhere after returning back from class.

But of course, the devil has sharp ears.

"Good, you're in charge of cooking and cleaning. I'm wasting money paying for maids anyway. I'll buy groceries and your clothes, and you won't even have to pay a cent," he hummed, thinking of any loose ends to tie.

"One last thing, you deserve your own privacy and so do I, so don't get too comfortable by calling me your housemate and stuff. As far as I know, I'm just helping you out for a while and we're basically strangers living together. That's all," Vernon ended the longest speech of his life with a firm look towards the squirming boy who was trying hard to grasp on everything he had just been told.

"Don't I have a say too?" Vernon didn't seem to expect that. He raised an eyebrow, challenging but not backing down either.

"How bold of you, despite you're the one staying in my house. But sure, I'll allow one condition," Vernon relented, watching as Seungkwan nodded before his expression morphed into one of thoughtfulness. He finally made a decision, nodding to himself while doing so. His face was like an open book, Vernon realized. It was like he had nothing to hide.

"I don't want us to be strangers. I still want to be your friend," Vernon's eyebrows raised high. That wasn't what he was expecting. He thought Seungkwan would reprimand him for giving him all the chores as his duty but that was far from it. He chuckled. Boo Seungkwan was certainly a box full of surprises. "You still want to be friends with me despite me being the biggest with zero sensitivity whatsoever?" Seungkwan laughed, merry and bright just like his usual self. Vernon was slightly proud for being able to pull some mirth from the other boy. A smile on his face was better than a frown anyway.

"If you were to say, quote unquote, biggest with zero sensitivity whatsoever, you wouldn't let me stay in your house in the first place. I'm surprised you didn't walk away when you saw me back there though," Seungkwan stated factually with a knowing smile. Vernon hated it when he act all high and mighty.

"I'll take it as a compliment," Vernon said simply, showing Seungkwan the messy living room with candy wrappers all over the coffee table and some on the floor, with a mountain of blankets on top of a sofa that seemed so warm and inviting.

"This will be your temporary place. I expect you to leave when you manage to contact a relative that are willing to accept you or something. Until then, you're my slave," Vernon looked blankly at large space, seemingly unabashed of the mess he left behind.

"Downstairs are yours but the whole house is mine so don't get any funny idea," Vernon suddenly became tired, realizing he had talked way much than his normal capacity. Human interaction was exhausting, Vernon thought as he exhaled deeply. Only now did he realize the talkative boy was, well, not