001

the less he knows

Park Chanyeol contemplated on whether he should knock at his neighbor’s door – and for everyone’s information, he’s been stupidly standing outside the halls for about half an hour, occassionally lifting his fist in attempt to knock but lowers it down after a few seconds. He swears that he heard a crash from inside his neighbor’s apartment, given the fact that their walls are not that thick – and that it disturbed his peaceful slumber. And Chanyeol would’ve and should’ve ignored it, though – but of course being the nosy neighbour that he is, he just couldn’t. Or maybe, just maybe, the sound of breaking glass alarmed him that someone broke in and knocked his neighbor out. Either way, Chanyeol just settled for the fact that he’s just nosy.

He wanted to meet him. Or even hear his voice. Weird enough, Chanyeol never did. Not once. He just knew from his other friendly neighbor across his apartment – Jongdae – that the room next to him was occupied. But all Jongdae does is shrug whenever he asks about why his neighbor never comes out, much to Chanyeol’s disappointment. He even tried to discreetly persuade Jongdae to help him find out about their mysterious neighbor, but Jongdae always drops the topic.

Ever since then, their mysterious neighbor never left Chanyeol’s thoughts.

But this – this is finally the moment he’s been waiting for.

“Can I help you?” A voice snapped Chanyeol out of his trance.

He blinked momentarily, lowering his fist which were about to knock on his neighbors door. There peeked out his not-so secret neighbor, looking at Chanyeol warily. It was only a matter of seconds when his neighbor coughed to get his attention, making it embarrassing for Chanyeol, making him flustered – actually forgetting the reason why he’s standing idly at the stranger’s door.

“I.. uh. I heard a crashing sound and I thought you might be.. In trouble?” He stammered, for some unknown reason. Maybe barging in his Star Wars pajamas at 3AM isn’t the best way to make an impression. After realizing this, suddenly it was difficult for Chanyeol to construct a sentence, much less speak in front of his – by the way – beautiful neighbor, even with a blank look on his face, intimidating the tall one even on his height. Chanyeol inwardly chuckled, he didn’t know how beautiful he is even with the cold stare he was giving him at the moment. “I.. I’m Park Chanyeol, by the way – I live next door…” He added.

“I know.” He replied, eye-ing him from his head to his toes.

Chanyeol felt himself shrink from the stranger’s gaze – as if his neighbor could see the bad things he did from the past. Not that he had one, of course. But the stare his neighbor was giving him was drilling holes to his soul, wanting him to curl down and just cry on the floor. But then again, his interest piqued after hearing that his neighbor knew him, even though they haven’t met in all aspects of anything. Even though Chanyeol never really engaged in some interaction with his neighbor. It was quite weird.

“Y.. You know me?” He asked in bewilderment, pointing at himself in the process.

He doesn’t speak to anyone inside the building besides Jongdae, and a few of highschool students on the lower floors – he’s pretty sure Jongdae isn’t anywhere near friends with their strange neighbor, because like him – Jongdae never saw him either.

“Park Chanyeol. 24. Studying his masters in Medicine. Has been living here for about six months. Always go down the coffee shop nearby to fetch his early morning cup before going to the university. Has a really really loud friend. And while you’re at it, please tell your friend to shut up at the afternoon – and I would like to spent it without him being so loud.”

His neighbor finished, looking at him – as if he’s waiting for Chanyeol’s approval.

“I.. uh.. That’s..” Creepy. In a different situation, Chanyeol would’ve ran away. He was terrified at the fact that his neighbor – whom he never talked to – knew almost his whole routines, and Baekhyun, which was his really loud friend that likes to come over in the afternoon. There was also a thought at the back of Chanyeol’s mind that his neighbor is a – wait for it – a robot.

Chanyeol was surprisingly amazed as well, to be truthfully honest. But he couldn’t hide the fact that it bothered him a lot. He glanced at his neighbor, who was still peeking from the door – body cannot be seen, only half of his head was the only thing Chanyeol can see. He couldn’t see it clear also due to their dimly lit lights their hallways has. In addition, his neighbor’s only source of light was coming from the street lights outside, illuminating his apartment. Chanyeol’s already  big guys had gone more big as he noticed the shards of glass on his carpet, a few drops of blood in it. It was then soon connected by Chanyeol when he realized how pained his neighbor truly felt beneath the cold stare, his blood somewhere gushing down his body.

“Are you okay?”

His neighbor raised a brow, “What makes you think I’m not?”

Chanyeol almost gave himself – literally – a pat on the back for his newly found courage to not flinch at his neighbor’s words, or whimper on the looks he has been giving the tall one, Chanyeol could already see through his façade. His neighbor’s eyes were clouded in pain, but waas keeping his expression blank – lips pressed on  thin line, and his eyes were trying to intimidate him – and now that Chanyeol knew the situation his neighbor is currently in, he could see that the stranger is really in pain.

“I don’t know… let’s see. I could point out some things if you’d like…” He trailed off, glancing at the scene on his neighbor’s living room again. And as If the latter sensed it, he followed Chanyeol’s gaze and immediately understood that he knew.

“I’m okay, nothing serious.” It was more of his neighbor convincing himself rather than looking fine. Chanyeol shrugged, and had the sudden urge to raise an eyebrow at the person in front of him. He knew something serious happened, and him letting himself mind someone else’s business without their permission and all – wouldn’t let him stop from finding out what really did unfold. Chanyeol also knew he wouldn’t get much sleep for thinking too much about the person who’s apparently – he doesn’t know – hurting at the other side of his wall. “Not buying it. Stay here. I’ll get some supplies from my apartment.”

Even without a response, Chanyeol rushed into his apartment and grabbed his medical kit – there were a few supplies there that could help and had in store for emegencies such as these, only to be surprised by his neighbors closed door. It was rude, when all Chanyeol wants is to help. Maybe he pushed the stranger’s buttons too much, or maybe he just couldn’t bear to wait for him anymore and stitched himself up – but eitherway, the tall one have failed at his chance of getting to know his secretive neighbor, even just a little bit – not even his own freaking name. Chanyeol down-heartedly trudged his way back on his room.

He felt defeated, and he knew we wouldn’t get much sleep tonight.

It wasn’t long enough until the sun decided to wake Chanyeol up.