Jin kept what had happened that night to himself. He didn’t know why, but he felt if he was to tell them, it would cause Namjoon to dismiss him.

While he liked Namjoon, the boy seemed too stuck on logical reasoning. He was quick to think up explanations for everything. He even had Jin thinking maybe he hadn’t heard the scratching at all, maybe it was the wind hitting the branches too close to the window, maybe it was one of Kkanji’s stray friends, maybe he was just crazy? It had to be something like that, something other than supernatural.

And so, the days passed. Jin got into a schedule of cooking meals most of the time, though sometimes Hoseok and Yoongi helped.

Hoseok was also in charge of cleaning and putting the younger ones to work, even managing to get Yoongi to help, despite the man’s blatant laziness.

Jimin and Taehyung were also hard at work litter boxing the cat, though it proved difficult the cat eventually grew accustomed and the peeing in the kitchen stopped.

After a whole week, they were all sitting down to eat dinner when Jimin spoke up.

“Jungkook’s been having some nightmares.”

Jin glanced at the young boy who seemed to duck his head in embarrassment.

“Could it be homesickness?” Jin asked, thinking like Namjoon would.

Jungkook shrugged.

“Yeah maybe you’re just homesick.” Hoseok reasoned. “It’s hard to be away from family, especially the first year of college.”

“Hang in there.” Namjoon patted Jungkook on the back.

The boy could only nod.

After dinner, Jungkook helped Jin pick up the dishes and wash them when they heard a knock on the door.

“I’ll get it hyung.” Jungkook handed him a plate then ran off to open the door. Jin set the plates in the sink, then curious, followed.

An old woman stood in the doorway. Despite the warm August night, she wore a big red scarf around her neck and a thick navy-blue coat. Jin bowed politely to her and looked at Jungkook, who shrugged.

“Hello, may I help you?”

The old woman smiled widely. Jin felt a sudden chill. There was something about the old woman that seemed… creepy .

“I’m here for the rent.”

“Oh!” This was the owner! “Yes, come in.”

The old woman shook her head. “That’s alright dear.”

“Okay, wait here then ma’am.” Jin rushed to the kitchen pulling an envelope from a cabinet. He then ran back and handed her it, noticing her long acrylic nails the color of blood. He stuttered a shudder and smiled politely.  

“Thank you.” The woman looked through the envelope, then smiled. “Call me Mrs. Choi.”

“Yes, Mrs. Choi.” Jin bowed. Jungkook followed suit.

“You need anything else my address is in the receipt I’ll mail you. Goodnight.” She bowed back. As she turned she threw a last smile over her shoulder. “Nice cat.”

Jin spooked, closed the door, and looked around. Kkanji wasn’t here. How did she know? Jungkook looked up at him wondering the same thing. He then shrugged and motioned Jungkook back into the kitchen, they still had dishes to finish.

He couldn’t wait to tell the others about the creepy old woman with long red nails they had as a landlady.

That night Jin awoke in a cold sweat. He breathed heavily, feeling as if he had been running a marathon. He calmed his breath and wiped his forehead, feeling sweaty and sticky. He wondered if he could open the window that was between his and Yoongi’s beds. He then decided against it, Yoongi would wake up and he was in no mood to deal with the smaller boy’s complaints.

He peeled the blanket off him and lay staring up at the ceiling. He was almost falling asleep again when he heard footsteps.

Hoseok again?

He reached for his phone.

Barely 3:04.

There was no way Hoseok was up this early for dance practice.

Maybe it was Jimin or Taehyung?

He pulled the blankets back suddenly cold again and closed his eyes. The footsteps grew louder and louder. Just like before it was almost like a band marching through the hallway, Jin  rushed toward the light. He flipped it on, then yanked open the door.

“Hey!” He yelled into a dark, empty hallway. When he saw no one, he looked over his shoulder hoping he hadn’t woken Yoongi. He saw the bed was empty.

That’s right, he’s at work. Jin remembered. Somehow knowing he was alone, made him uneasy.

“Stop being a wuss, Kim Seokjin. You're a grown man.” He told himself, closing the door.

The footsteps started again. Jin felt a chill run through his body. The footsteps seemed to be coming closer to his room. He locked the door then ran back to bed, ducking under the covers like a small child.

Where was Yoongi when he needed a sharp-tongued no nonsense comment?

“Jungkook had another nightmare.” Jimin said over breakfast the next morning.

Jin sat up immediately blinking his sleepiness away. He had a tough night thanks to the footsteps that didn’t cease to stop pacing outside his door until, he drifted off. Only then, to awaken to Yoongi pounding the door, demanding to be let in.

“What was it?” Jin asked turning to Jungkook, who seemed extra interested in his ramen. Jin had woken up later than usual, causing breakfast to be bad convenience store ramen. “Footsteps?”

Maybe he and Jungkook were experiencing the same things.

Jungkook shook his head. “No, it was just shadows moving around in the room.”

Namjoon looked thoughtful. “Could it have been sleep paralysis?”

Jungkook merely shrugged.

“Maybe we should consider looking into it?” Jin suggested.

Namjoon raised an eyebrow.

“I mean the same nightmare for weeks, that must mean something.”

“I didn’t think you believed in stuff like that.” Namjoon said with a sip of his ramen.

Jin looked at him. “I don’t .” He spooned at his ramen, not hungry. “I just think, I mean…with all the little things happening, it’s starting to get a little… much .”

A little terrifying , he wanted to say, but then he would have to explain everything to Namjoon and the others. He didn’t want to do that just yet.

They fell into silence and finished breakfast then headed off to school. When Jin and the others arrived to the college, Namjoon stayed behind with him.

“Let’s go out to eat tonight.” Namjoon proposed.

Jin nodded. It would be nice to get out of the house and away from all the creepy things that had been happening in it.  “I’ll tell the others.”

“No.” Namjoon placed a hand on Jin’s just as he reached for his phone. “Just us.”

Oh .

“Will you stop freaking out?” Yoongi snapped as he dodged a pair of jeans that went flying past him before landing against the wall, along with other various articles of clothing.

“I can’t!” Jin cried looking at a striped long-sleeve shirt. Nope, too warm for that. He threw it and turned when he heard a “ HEY !”

Yoongi yanked the long-sleeve shirt off his face and threw it on the ground in disgust.

“Sorry.”

“Just wear something.” Yoongi growled. “ Who cares?”

“ I care!” Jin exclaimed, rummaging through yet another box of clothes.

“Wear a white shirt, jeans, and some red Converses.”

“Huh?” Jin turned to look at Yoongi who was looking through a textbook. “That’s so oddly specific, yet simple.”

“I may or may not have overheard his type.” Yoongi said through a straw of milk tea. “Although he may have been talking about his ideal girl, but you’re hotter than most girls so you'll pull it off well.”

“What?” Jin flustered.

Did Yoongi…think he was hot?

“You’re hot.” He stated, confirming his thoughts.

“Uh…okay?” Jin attempted to walk out of his pile of clothes, slightly tripping.

Yoongi sighed and slapped his book closed, shoving it under his bed. “You don’t have to be gay to notice when someone’s attractive, you fool.”

“Of course,” Jin agreed. “I knew that.”

“Just a little bi, probably.”

“Bi?”

“ Bye! ” Yoongi gave a mock smile and wave, before turning his back and laying down on his bed.

Jin smiled and shrugged into the clothes Yoongi had chosen. So Yoongi was a little biual huh? Who would have guessed . He stifled a chuckle as he recalled Yoongi’s interactions with Hoseok. Not me…

He then put on some cologne, making sure he smelled nice and headed for the door.

“Turn off the lights.” He heard.

“Okay.”

Just before he left, he walked over to Yoongi’s bed and ruffled the man’s hair. “Thanks, Yoongi.”

Yoongi grumbled in response, attempting to smack him away.

Jin smiled and left. His roommate could be kind sometimes.

When he came down the stairs, Namjoon was at the bottom waiting for him. He remembered that this was the exact spot where they had first met. He was almost tempted to fall down the stairs, just to be caught again.

Instead, he cleared his throat.

Namjoon turned around and his eyes went wide, making Jin blush. It seemed like Yoongi overheard correct.

“You look… nice .” He said as they stepped out the front door.

“Thanks.” Jin smiled as he and Namjoon walked to his car and got in.

They drove to a local restaurant. They apparently had the best black bean noodles around, Namjoon insisted.

“Better than mine?” Jin challenged as they got out of the car.

“Haven’t had yours yet, hyung.” Namjoon shot back with a dimpled grin. His eyes went into crescents and Jin felt the flutter, except now, he knew it was something like adoration.

Along with black bean noodles, Jin ordered a row of kimbap and a bowl of spicy pork with rice. After the waiter had left Namjoon looked at Jin in amazement.

“Wow hyung.” He said. “I didn’t know you had a big appetite.”

Jin laughed. “Yeah, it’s no secret. I’ve been told to do mukbangs before because of how much I eat.”

“Might as well make money off it.” Namjoon agreed.

“Don’t worry I’ll pay for myself.” Jin said, wondering if Namjoon was worrying over how much money he was costing him. Maybe he should have cut down a bit...

“Oh no.” Namjoon shook his head, adamant. “I’m paying. I asked you out.”

Jin flustered. He asked me out. He asked me… out . As in a date? Was he making a move? Of course, he’s making a move, why else are you dressed like this?!

“Okay…” Jin agreed. “But only because you insist.”

Namjoon grinned.

As they ate they talked over small things. How their first week of school went, how Hoseok was always screaming about spiders in the shower, how Yoongi was always the first to fall asleep and the last to wake, and how the cat was probably the devil incarnate.

“I’m telling you he looked right at me and knocked the mug off the table.” Jin recalled the time when they had first met the cat.

Namjoon laughed hard. He then sighed and looked at Jin, watching as the man slurped up his black bean noodles.

Jin met his eyes then looked down, shyly. Namjoon reached out and wiped Jin’s chin with a napkin.

“Hyung?”.

“Hm?”

“Are you okay?

Jin wiped the rest of his face with a napkin. “Why?”

Did he not look okay? Maybe he was a little tired, but surely the concealer he had on hid his dark circles? Damn cheap concealer. That’s what he got for shopping for drugstore makeup.

“Well you seemed a little freaked out this morning.”

Oh…that .

“Sorry.” Jin smiled weakly. He then sighed. He may as well come clean. “I actually, heard footsteps last night.”

“Footsteps again?” Namjoon wrinkled his brow. “It wasn’t the cat? Or Taehyung and Jimin? Hoseok perhaps?”

“I mean…I’m not ruling it out completely.” Jin shrugged, inside he knew those footsteps had not been human nor cat.

Namjoon reached out for Jin’s hand. It was bigger and warmer and Jin felt his heart beat faster as he linked his fingers with him. Wow…

“Jin it’s okay.” Namjoon’s eyes were full of reassurance. “Don’t be scared. You have me…” He then seemed to realize what he said and he looked down in embarrassment. “And the others!” He added quickly, letting go of his hand.

Jin smiled. He’s so cute. A clueless romantic.

“Anyway, you shouldn’t be afraid. Who knows it could just be the stress of school and keeping a clean home. You how messy the young ones are and the damn cat too.”

Jin nodded.

He believed Namjoon. Maybe it was all in his head.

Back home, Jin stood outside the house with Namjoon.

“I had a good time.” He said softly looking at their welcome mat.

“Me too.” Namjoon replied in a low voice.

Kiss me damn it! Jin ordered in his mind. Or maybe I should kiss him? Did it matter who did first?

Before he could think about it longer Namjoon fiddled his key in the lock of the house.

“Did you forget yours?” Namjoon asked as they went in. “You weren’t opening the door.”

“Uh, yeah sorry.” Jin said, silently cursing himself. He should have been quicker! Also, how could Namjoon not sense the vibe? He shot the man a glance when his back was turned. Some romantic!

“Goodnight hyung.”

“Goodnight.” Jin mumbled already making his way up the stairs. He felt a hand on his wrist and suddenly as if hit by déjà vu, he fell against Namjoon’s chest.

Namjoon smiled.

“Joon?”

“Is that my new nickname?”

“Uh, it just came out.” Jin smiled.

Namjoon glanced at his lips.

He…wants to…

Jin stared at him. They held their gazes for a minute before, Namjoon leaned forward and pressed his lips on Jin’s slightly.

It was warm and soft. An innocent kiss. He sure wasn’t used to such gentleness, especially from someone younger than him. He thought people younger than him didn’t believe in slow burns, it was quick to the point with them.

He thought wrong.

Jin pulled away covering his mouth, as his face grew a bright red.  

Namjoon smiled then set him down before making his way up the stairs.

Jin was left alone at the foot of the stairs until he finally shook himself awake and rushed to his room.

Once inside he jumped on his bed and screamed into his pillow.

Yoongi who was curled up with a book turned to look at him with an eyebrow raised. With his glasses perched on his nose he looked exactly like a grumpy old man.

“Sorry.” Jin smiled not looking sorry at all.

“It went well then?”

“Yes!” Jin squealed, then coughed. “I mean yeah it was okay.”

“Uh huh.” Yoongi took off his glasses and placed his book on the floor.

Jin went to brush his teeth then as he slipped into his pajamas, Yoongi spoke up.

“Thought you came in a while ago, since I heard Namjoon and Hoseok’s door open and close.”

“Isn’t Hoseok here though?” Jin asked as he crawled into bed.

“Didn’t they all go eat, since their primary source of food left?” Yoongi asked back.

“Oh.” Jin’s giddiness vanished. He then remembered the footsteps and Jungkook’s recurrent nightmares. Suddenly Namjoon’s kiss didn’t matter.

“Probably just a draft.” Yoongi sighed as he laid down. “Or me imagining. I’m too tired for this.”

Jin reached out and turned off the light. As he lay in bed he couldn’t fight the fear coursing through his body.

Were they all really imagining it or was there something in this house, something that was causing all of this?