NOTE: "Xin chào/Hello" is a thought
The morning light gently filtered through the thin curtains, brushing against M/n’s cheek. The small, cozy room carried a familiar scent: a hint of wood from the floor, a whiff of mint from Jay’s shampoo, and the soft sound of water running somewhere nearby.M/n sat up, the thin blanket sliding off. His body stiffened slightly from sleeping on the floor, but he didn’t complain. Turning his head, he saw Jay was already dressed, sleeves rolled up as he fastened his shirt cuffs. His dark hair hung loosely over his forehead.“You’re up?” Jay asked, eyes not leaving his task.“Yes…” M/n replied softly, still groggy.Jay tilted his head to glance over. “I’m staying home today to help Mom with some chores. Want to help?”“Help…?” M/n echoed, eyes widening.Jay nodded. “Cleaning, mopping, scrubbing the kitchen, doing laundry — just small stuff.”M/n hesitated. He had never done anything like that before. Back in the Baek family, everything had been handled for him. His two older brothers never let him lift a finger.“I… I’ll try,” M/n said, uncertain.Jay didn’t tease. He just gave a small nod. “It’s okay. Just take your time. Don’t push yourself.”M/n was given a cleaning cloth and shown how to wring out the mop properly. After ten minutes, his hands started to ache. His body wasn’t used to bending for so long. His back hurt, knees throbbed. But he didn’t complain. He kept going silently.Jay, reorganizing the bookshelves in the living room, kept an eye on him. When he saw M/n pause, leaning on the mop and breathing hard, he walked over.“Stop. You’re exhausted.”M/n shook his head. “No… I can do it. I don’t want to bother you.”“What are you doing when you can barely breathe?” Jay sighed. “Sit down. Now.”M/n hesitated but obeyed. He plopped down near the dining table, sweat dripping from his forehead.Jay brought over a glass of cool water, placing it in front of him. “Drink.”M/n took it, silent for a few seconds before murmuring, “Sorry… I didn’t realize how weak I’ve become.”“You’re not weak. Just not used to this yet. You don’t have to learn everything in a day.” Jay looked him in the eyes. “You’ve got time. No one here’s rushing you.”The words tightened something in M/n’s chest. For a moment, he felt… strangely relieved.“Until now… I only knew how to sit still. My brothers wouldn’t let me touch anything. Even if I stepped out on the balcony, they’d panic like I was going to fall.”M/n chuckled, but there was emptiness behind the sound.Jay didn’t laugh. “And now, you’re walking out onto that balcony yourself.”M/n looked up, meeting his gaze. There was no pity in Jay’s eyes — only quiet gentleness. No suffocating protection. No control. Just… presence.M/n rolled his shoulders, trying to look casual. “I’ll finish cleaning the kitchen before lunch. I promise.”Jay raised a brow, arms crossed. “If you slip on the floor, I’m not catching you.”“You will.” M/n smirked. “You’re the first person I’ve met who’s cold outside but soft inside.”Jay blinked. One corner of his mouth curled upward. “You talk too much.”M/n grinned, then slowly stood up again. His hands still trembled a little, but he didn’t shy away this time. Outside the window, last night’s rain had stopped. A quiet morning between strangers… slowly turning into something familiar.---M/n inhaled deeply, gripping the cleaning cloth again. After resting, he wasn’t fully recovered, but he didn’t want to sit around while Jay worked alone. His shoulders still ached, his arms weak, but he stood next to Jay once more, determined.Jay didn’t comment. He simply passed another rubber glove over.“Start from that side,” Jay instructed calmly while washing dishes. “Wipe in straight lines, not random circles.”M/n nodded. “Yes, coach.”Jay raised an eyebrow. “I’m not that strict.”“You are.” M/n let out a small laugh, voice softening. “But… I
like this kind of strict.”Jay remained silent. His hands moved methodically under the water, soap bubbles clinging to his fingers, the faint sound of water filling the air between them.M/n glanced at him, voice quieter. “Hey… do I bother you?”Jay paused for a second, placing the last dish onto the drying rack.“No.”One word. Clear, without hesitation. M/n blinked, caught off guard.“I’m not used to people like you. The ones I’ve known… they talked too much or tried to control everything about my life.”Jay turned to face him, drying his hands with a towel. “You’re living your own story. No one gets to write it for you.”M/n stared at him, a flicker of something soft in his expression.Jay stepped closer, helping remove M/n’s glove that got stuck. “You don’t have to prove anything. Just be yourself.”The kitchen fell quiet for a second. Then Jay added, almost offhandedly:“But if something’s weighing on you, say it. Don’t hold it in alone.”“You’ll listen?”
“Yeah.”A simple word. But to M/n, it felt like a small light flickering in a dark space.
[TIME SKIP]The sky was dim, no stars in sight, only the gentle orange glow of streetlamps lining the quiet alley. A soft breeze rustled through, carrying the fresh scent of grass and damp concrete after the afternoon rain.Jay glanced sideways. “Want to go out for a walk?”“Yeah,” M/n nodded. “I think walking would feel better than lying in the room all night.”They walked in silence at first. Jay stayed on M/n’s left, pacing himself naturally to match M/n’s stride. Occasionally, the light would flicker over Jay’s face, and M/n found himself glancing more often than he meant to.“Jay…” M/n spoke up. “Have you always been this quiet?”Jay kept his eyes forward. “Since I was a kid. You don’t like it?”“No,” M/n smiled softly. “Just… not used to it. I’m more familiar with people who talk a lot and show off.”There was a pause before M/n continued, voice softer.“But walking beside you like this… it feels calm. I don’t have to try so hard. I don’t have to act like I’m okay all the time…”Jay didn’t reply right away, but his pace slowed slightly to walk even closer. Under the muted lights, he didn’t touch M/n—but the space between them shrank, shoulder to shoulder, almost brushing.A quiet thought bubbled up in M/n’s heart—half hesitant, half warm.
"This feeling… it’s strange but comforting. It’s not the same as the protection I had from my brothers—they always made decisions for me. But Jay… he listens. He lets me decide. For the first time, I feel like I can be myself."“Do you like cats?” M/n asked, changing the topic suddenly.Jay’s lip curved a little. “Kay does. I’ve gotten used to them.”“So if I said I wanted one…?”Jay paused. “I’ll clean the litter box. As long as you feed it.”
(Jay will have to NEGOTIATE with his mom so M/n can have a cat:))M/n chuckled quietly. “That sounds like a fair deal.”They kept walking down the quiet street, the night embracing them with only the sound of their footsteps and the wind whispering between buildings.
Author: Remember to vote and comment!! And be patient because the main story of Windbreaker is coming soon! 😉