"How nice...", Zen thought still walking on the rim between the world of dreams and the awakening to a new day while snuggling up in those soft sheets. The sun felt warm on his cheeks and the smell of the fabric that covered him was so... soothing. "I don't ever want to get up...", he mumbled almost inaudibly and let out a relaxed sigh. "So... nice..."
Yet, while the idol's mind was still hesitant to regain full conciousness, his senses slowly became aware of their surroundings. These sheets were too soft to be his own, this mattress was too comfortable to be the one on top of his bedframe, this room was too bright, even given that his eyes were still closed, and finally... this smell... no matter how soothing and... familiar it was... it wasn't his own. This wasn't his place. And as if the sudden awakening of his senses functioned like an adrenaline shot, Zen's eyes opened wide as he shot up from his sleeping position in shock. "Where am I...?", he stuttered disoriented and blinked a few times till his mind could process the moment and the memories of the night before returned.
"Right... I'm at Jumin's..." These thoughts unspoken the singer rubbed his eyes for a moment and stretched his neck and then his arms. He yawned and then sighed deeply when suddenly the armchair next to the bed caught his attention. Hadn't he fallen asleep on that chair? How did he... GET INTO THE BED? Twice as shocked as before when he had woken up, Zen tossed the blanket to the side to inspect the rest of his still perfectly dressed body. The heat in his cheeks rose and somewhat in panic Zen pat his chest and his legs as if to check if they were still there. Yet, again, his heartbeat felt too strong... and it bothered the actor, making him turn swiftly to the side to get up from the bed.
"I'm fine!", he almost shouted to himself and brushed his hair out of his face before rising from his seat with a chuff. "Totally fine!" This is when he noticed a pile of clothes on the armchair topped by a handwritten note.
"Good morning, Zen,
I hope, you could rest well. I find it unpleasant to wear the same clothes on two consecutive days. And it is even more unpleasant after having slept in them. Therefore, please find here a new set of attire, which I hope, is to your liking. You can also use the master bathroom, should you wish to take a shower. A fresh towel, bathrobe and beauty products have been prepared for you as well.
I will have breakfast prepared for you in the dining area once you are ready.
Han, Jumin"
"What the...", Zen mumbled in disblief as he inspected the designer clothes - including underwear and socks - that Jumin had prepared for him. A white silky shirt from Bugo Hoss, that felt just like his perfect hair... the fabric was a pleasure to his sense of touch... black Kalvin Clein underpants and socks... and washed out black jeans from Kalvin Clein as well. Zen couldn't believe his eyes as he marvelled at the expensive clothes that were brand new and... his size. So Jumin did get these specifically for him? For him? For real?
But since he was feeling too conflicted by the feeling of his hot cheeks, his overly fast heart, memories of THE dream he wanted to forget and the fight he had had with Jumin a few hours before, it was just so very easy for him to go back to his usual "JUMIN YOU JERK"-state of mind. "UGH!", he shouted and angrily tossed the clothes on the bed. "Fricking rich jerk! As if! And what the heck? "Two consecutive days"? Who even says that?" And with that being said, he dramatically rushed to the bathroom, cause even if the clothes were a bit too much, the option to shower was not.
"Ugh... as if I'll wear those. As if! I can take care of myself, jerk! Unlike you!" Zen kept huffing and puffing while taking off his wrinkled clothes and stepped underneath the shower. Even the shower and beauty products were so high end, that Zen wouldn't even know where to find them in a store. He did spend a lot on beauty products every month, yet, this was another category. "Man... tsk..."
The warm and soft water raining down on him combined with the amazing scent of Jumin's shampoo had a very calming effect on him. He massaged his head with his perfect, long fingers and then lathered his toned body with the softest foam imaginable. It was almost as if this shower just washed away the trouble in his mind.
All clean he found himself wrapped in a white bathrobe staring back at himself in the mirror while carefully patting his hair with a dry towel. "He could at least have asked before buying all of these... THINGS!", he thought as he started drying his hair with a hairdryer. With cold air, of course. Because this was essential to keep his hair as perfect as it was.
Most people would probably describe Jumin's gesture as considerate. Others would most likely call him a good host who was thinking about the wellbeing of his guests. And wasn't he right? Wasn't it very unpleasant for someone to wear the same clothes two days in a row especially after having slept in them? Especially after having spent an exhausting day and night in them? So, wasn't his gesture something to be grateful for even if he went somewhat overboard with it? No? Yes.
But not for Zen. Zen. Hyun Ryu, who had to learn how to care for himself from a very early age on. Who had to learn how hard of a fight it was to be alone. And who always wanted to prove to himself and the world that he won't lose this fight. No matter what. He would make it on his own. He didn't need help. He didn't need support. And he definitely didn't need someone else's money. Especially not from those people who could basically smoke them dollars. No, Zen would not surrender to anyone's arrogant charity. Never. Not from strangers. Not from friends. Too strong was his pride and too big was his ego to ever let this happen.
When his hair was finally dry, Zen returned to the bedroom and set down on the bed. Only then he saw that there was another note lying on the nightstand and placed on the note was a white hairtie.
"Your hair looks exquisit when untied. Yet, since I have never seen you wearing your hair down before, I believe it is save to assume, that you prefer using hairties. Han, Jumin"
Twirling the hairtie between his thumb and index finger, Zen's eybrows furrowed as he began chuckling in an embarrassed manner. "E... exquisit? What the actual...? EXQUISIT? Why does he say that? Duuuuude... whyyyy?" Overly embarrassed the singer jumped up and started putting his clothes on. True, Jumin's clothes were tempting, but no! He wouldn't give in.
Back in his party attire, Zen tied his hair to a ponytail with the white hairtie and checked himself in the mirror. It is true that he looked perfect in anything and nothing, yet, the sight in the mirror made him frown. This shirt was just too wrinkly. Moaning in annoyance the singer tried flattening the fabric with his hands... "Aww... maaaaaaaan... ugh... UGH!" In that moment Zen remembered that he had once seen a life-hack video on his social media where someone flattened their clothes with a hairdryer. In fact, it made total sense to him. The heat can flatten fabric. Thus, the ruby-eyed singer hurried back to the batroom, turned on the hairdryer and started flattening his shirt with it.
At first, this proved itself to be an amazing idea since one side of his shirt really looked good after the procedure. Yet, and probably due to his insane excitement about the life-hack success, Zen pressed the hairdryer a bit to strongly onto the fabric scorching it that way.
"Oh no, no, no, no, no, no, NOOOOO! Fuck! Not one of my best shirts!" A few nos and swear words later Zen was back at the starting point staring at his reflection in the human sized mirror in the bedroom once more. "OK FINE!", he shouted at himself, took off his burned shirt and instead put on the one Jumin had left for him. And it felt like heaven. Like bathing in clouds. Too good to be true. Angry about liking the feeling so much but simultanously touching the fabric over his sculpted chest, Zen huffed a whispered "stupid jerk" at the mirror before leaving the room.
The smell of coffee quickly told him where to find the heir in this far too huge of a place. Jumin sat at a big table which was set with all sorts of breakfast foods and drinks. The raven haired man looked like his perfect usual self while reading the daily newespaper. "What a calm scene...", Zen thought but at the same time he couldn't help but also think how lonely it looked like to sit in this huge room at this big table all by yourself.
When Jumin suddenly looked up from his morning lecture and met Zen's eyes, the actor startled a bit. "Yo!", Zen said in a low voice and raised one of his hands as a form of greeting. He didn't understand why this somehow felt awkward. But it did. "Good day, Zen. Did you sleep alright?"
