Still A_Stray: Living With Stray Kids (ot8 fanfic)

Chapter 2

Yeah just tell me about you

"Let me get this straight," Claire said, her eyebrows raised so high they almost disappeared into her bangs. "You met Stray Kids—the Stray Kids—and you're telling me you found them in the midst of setting their kitchen on fire?"

I shrugged. "Pretty much."

Claire opened her mouth, but no words came out. "That ... that's surreal."

I arched an eyebrow. "You're the bigger k-pop fan. Is it really?"

"No," Claire admitted, her lips curving. "Based on what I know about k-pop groups in general, and also Stray Kids ... that seems entirely possible."

Claire was a pretty hardcore k-pop fan—when I met her, she was mostly into TXT, but starting stanning Stray Kids as well when we got together. I'd listened to my brother's music a few times, but hip-hop wasn't really my taste anymore—definitely not as much as Claire, at least. 

Which was how I ended up dating someone who liked my brother's band more than I did.

"Are they everything you were expecting?"

I frowned. "I don't know. I mean, I knew Hyunjin was good-looking, but damn. I'm surprised he chose this career path instead of becoming a... a..."

"Model?" suggested Claire. "Movie star? Mean girl? We both know he could put Regina George to shame."

I laughed. "One of those. But I haven't seen him dance or sing yet, so maybe he's equally as gifted."

"What about Seungmin? You know he's my bias."

"I haven't met him yet, but I will tonight."

Claire shifted topics, leaning forward to squint at me through the camera. "How are you doing?"

"It's ... different," I admitted. "Their lives are the opposite of ours. Changbin couldn't go to the store with me earlier without putting on his full disguise—scarf, mask, heavy jacket, the works. I'll probably have to do that too, if anyone finds out I'm living with them. But it's worth it. I already know it'll be worth it."

To be able to see Changbin—talk to him, face-to-face—was worth it. I would gladly take the secrecy and caution for that.

"Well, I'll have you know my life is miserable now," said Claire. "James refuses to do the dishes and whenever I tell him he's not splitting the chores evenly he just says it's 'his house, his rules,' which is a load of BS." She sighed dramatically. "I'm working like a housemaid while he's off at his stupid cubicle job somewhere, and I'm not even getting paid."

I smiled at her fake-distraught expression. "Poor you. How dull it must be now that my bright, sparkling self isn't with you to make life more bearable and do the dishes."

"Literally," Claire muttered. "You're the reason why I don't know how to load a dishwasher, you know. Your obsession with doing chores worked out great for me until now." She squinted at me through the camera. "Are you going to become a choraholic with Stray Kids now too? We both know you go crazy without floors to sweep and dishes to clean."

"Hey, I will take no hate for using cleaning as a stress relief," I replied sternly. "And they're four boys living together, most of them college dropouts, who can't have a house cleaner because of security reasons. I almost had a heart attack when I got a good look at their kitchen. Of course I'm going to become a choraholic."

Claire frowned. "Now I'm jealous."

"I'm living with them for a month," I pointed out, rolling over in the bed so I could position the screen better. "I'll be living with you for a lot longer than that. Hopefully."