"The Unexpected Guest”
It was a bright afternoon when Jonathan returned home, exhausted after playing outside.
As he walked toward his small rented house near John Mary College, something felt… off.
The door was slightly open.
He stopped.
Did I forget to lock it…?
His eyes narrowed. A pair of unfamiliar slippers lay near the entrance.
His jaw tightened.
“Who the hell is inside my house…?” he muttered.
Carefully, he pushed the door open and stepped inside.
And froze.
A girl stood in the middle of the room.
She looked about his age, dressed in a simple white T-shirt and blue jeans. Her long hair rested neatly over her shoulders, and her calm expression didn’t match the situation at all.
As if she belonged there.
She turned toward him and smiled.
“You’re Jonathan, right?” she asked casually.
Jonathan blinked, his brain struggling to catch up.
“Yeah… I am. But who are you? And what are you doing in my house?”
“I’m Carol,” she replied, completely unfazed. “I just transferred to John Mary College.”
He stared at her.
“…Okay? That still doesn’t explain why you’re here.”
She sighed lightly, like she had expected this reaction.
“Our mothers are friends,” she explained. “When my mom told your mom I got admission here but couldn’t find a place to stay, she suggested I stay with you for a while.”
She paused, then smiled politely.
“So… I’ll be living here for now. Nice to meet you.”
Silence.
Jonathan’s mind went completely blank.
Then—
“…Wait, WHAT?!”
He immediately pulled out his phone and called his mother.
“Hello, son. What’s the matter?” her voice came calmly.
“Mom, what is this?” Jonathan snapped, pacing. “Why are you making decisions like this without asking me? How can you send someone to stay in my house?!”
“She’s my close friend’s daughter,” his mother replied. “I can’t let her struggle alone. Just adjust and live with her for some time.”
“But—”
“If you have any problem,” she cut him off, “you can come back home anytime.”
The call ended.
Jonathan slowly lowered his phone, staring at the screen.
So that’s it… I don’t even get a say?
Behind him, Carol crossed her arms and glanced around the room.
“This place is a mess,” she said bluntly. “Don’t you ever clean your house?”
Jonathan turned, irritation rising.
“This is my house. I decide how it should be.”
Carol raised an eyebrow.
“Not anymore,” she said calmly. “Now this is my house too.”
She pointed at the scattered clothes and random items.
“So start cleaning.”
Jonathan just stared at her.
For a moment, he couldn’t even respond.
He leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching her walk around, as she had already claimed everything.
“She came an hour ago… and now she’s ruling me,” he muttered.
Carol stopped.
“Did you say something?”
“Nothing.”
She gave him a suspicious look but let it go.
“Where’s my room?” she asked.
Jonathan pointed toward the hallway. “There’s an empty room near mine. You can use that.”
“Hmm.”
She walked a few steps, then paused.
“And the kitchen?”
“That way.”
She nodded and walked in.
A second later—
Silence.
Jonathan frowned and followed.
Carol stood in front of the fridge, staring inside as she had just witnessed something tragic.
Slowly, she turned toward him.
“…Is this what you eat?”
Jonathan shrugged. “Yeah.”
Inside were instant noodles, packaged food, and random leftovers.
“That’s not food,” she said flatly. “That’s survival.”
“Same thing.”
“No. It’s not.”
She closed the fridge with a soft thud and took a step forward.
“Move.”
Without thinking, Jonathan stepped aside.
She began checking the shelves, scanning everything with sharp eyes.
After a moment, she sighed.
“At least you have basic ingredients.”
He leaned against the doorframe.
“So… you know how to cook, right?”
She looked at him.
“Yeah. Why?”
He hesitated for a second.
“Then… can you cook dinner?”
Carol froze.
Slowly, she turned toward him.
“…What did you eat before I came here?”
“Instant noodles. Sometimes store food.”
Her expression changed instantly.
“What an unhygienic man,” she said. “You don’t cook, yet you’re living alone?”
“I’m still alive.”
“Barely.”
“Hey—”
She ignored him, tying her hair back.
“Don’t just stand there. At least help.”
Jonathan blinked.
“Now I’m your assistant?”
She looked at him, unimpressed.
“Do you want to eat or not?”
“…Fine.”
He stepped in reluctantly, helping her with small tasks.
For a while, neither of them spoke.
But strangely…
The silence wasn’t uncomfortable.
The sound of cooking filled the house.
Jonathan sat at the table, watching her without realizing it.
She looked different.
Focused. Calm. Natural.
Like she belonged there.
She’s… serious about this, he thought.
A few minutes later, she placed the food in front of him.
“Eat before it gets cold.”
He looked down.
It looked too good to come from his kitchen.
He took a bite.
Then another.
“…This is really good,” he admitted quietly.
Carol leaned against the wall.
“Obviously.”
He glanced at her.
“…Thanks. For cooking.”
She didn’t reply immediately.
“Don’t get used to it,” she said, but her tone was softer now.
Jonathan smirked slightly.
“Too late.”
She rolled her eyes—but didn’t argue.
Later that night…
Carol stretched lightly.
“I’m going to take a bath.”
Jonathan nodded. “Turn on the heater first.”
“Okay.”
She walked toward the bathroom, then suddenly stopped and turned back.
“And if you try to peek—”
Jonathan raised both hands instantly.
“Hey! I’m not that kind of guy.”
She stared at him for a moment.
“…Good. Because that’ll be your last day.”
“Wow. Violent.”
She ignored him and went inside, locking the door.
Soon, the sound of water filled the quiet house.
Jonathan leaned back on the sofa, staring at the ceiling.
“…Bossy,” he muttered.
But this time—
There was no irritation in his voice.
Only a faint, unconscious smile.
The house felt different.
Not empty anymore.
And for the first time in a long while…
It felt… alive.
Jonathan closed his eyes.
This girl…
Is definitely trouble.
The house had gone quiet.
Only the faint sound of the ceiling fan and distant traffic filled the silence.
Jonathan lay on the sofa, scrolling through his phone, but his mind wasn’t really on it.
From the hallway, Carol stepped out of her room, her hair slightly damp, wearing simple night clothes.
She paused when she saw him still awake.
“You’re not sleeping?” she asked.
Jonathan glanced up. “Could ask you the same thing.”
“I was going to,” she replied, leaning lightly against the wall.
A small silence followed.
Not awkward… just unfamiliar.
Jonathan cleared his throat. “So… are you okay?”
Carol looked at him, a bit surprised. “What do you mean?”
“I mean…” he hesitated. “New place. New college. Suddenly staying with a stranger.”
She didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, she walked over and sat on the edge of a chair across from him.
“It’s… a little tiring,” she admitted softly. “Everything happened too fast.”
Jonathan nodded.
“Yeah. Same here,” he said. “I came home expecting peace… not a surprise roommate.”
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
“I’m not that bad.”
“Debatable,” he said instantly.
She narrowed her eyes. “Say that again.”
He smirked. “Nothing.”
For a moment, they just looked at each other.
Then Carol spoke again, quieter this time.
“Still… thanks.”
Jonathan blinked. “For what?”
“For not making it difficult,” she said. “You could’ve just refused.”
He shrugged. “Didn’t really have a choice.”
“…Even so.”
Another silence settled in.
But this time, it felt… comfortable.
Jonathan sat up slightly.
“So… tomorrow is your first day, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Nervous?”
She hesitated.
“…A little.”
That caught him off guard.
He didn’t expect her to admit that.
“You don’t look like someone who gets nervous,” he said.
“I don’t show it,” she replied.
He nodded slowly.
“That makes sense.”
She looked at him.
“You?”
“Me?”
“Are you always like this?”
“Like what?”
“Careless… messy… and annoying.”
Jonathan let out a small laugh.
“Wow. Straight attack.”
“I’m serious.”
He leaned back again.
“…Yeah. I guess I am.”
Then after a pause—
“But not always.”
Carol didn’t ask further.
For some reason, she felt like there was more behind that answer.
She stood up.
“It’s late. We should sleep.”
“Yeah.”
She took a few steps, then stopped.
“Good night, Jonathan.”
He looked at her.
“…Good night, Carol.”
She walked back to her room and closed the door gently.
Jonathan stared at the ceiling again.
But this time, his thoughts weren’t empty.
She’s not as cold as she acts…
A small smile formed.
From inside her room, Carol sat on her bed, staring at nothing.
He’s not as lazy as he looks…
She lay down, pulling the blanket over herself.
For the first time that day—
Both of them felt a little less alone.
And in the quiet of the night…
The distance between them had already begun to shrink.
