Kath leaned back against the closed door of her new room, her ear pressed firmly against the wood. From the living room, she could faintly hear Ling and Orm talking and laughing softly. She let out a long sigh, tilting her head back.
"These two…" she muttered to herself. "What kind of circus have I walked into?"
Despite her annoyance, a small smile tugged at the corner of her lips. No matter how loud and chaotic the house was, there was something oddly endearing about it.
She pushed herself off the door and went to unpack her things, mumbling under her breath. "Scholars, comedians, and chaos. This is going to be fun… or a nightmare."
Just as Kath began sorting through her bags, the sound of the doorbell echoed through the apartment. Her head snapped up, curiosity instantly taking over.
"Another one?" she whispered to herself.
Ling, who was still in the living room with Orm, glanced toward the door.
"I'll get it," Ling said, standing up cautiously. She carefully navigated around the puddle of water still on the floor, giving Orm a pointed look.
"Try not to create any more disasters while I'm gone," Ling said, raising an eyebrow.
Orm waved her off. "Don't worry about me. I'm perfectly harmless!"
From inside her room, Kath's ears perked up. She slowly moved toward her door, curiosity burning in her chest. She pressed her ear against the wood, straining to catch any part of the conversation happening in the living room.
Ling opened the door to reveal a tall girl with bold bangs and stylish luggage. Her sharp features and confident posture made her stand out instantly.
The girl hesitated, her eyes flickering to Ling. "Freen," she said softly, her tone neutral but familiar.
"Freen," Ling replied with a faint smile. "It's been a long time."
Kath pressed her ear harder against the door, her heart racing. "Wait, what? What she is saying" she whispered.
In the living room, Orm perked up at the sound of the new arrival's name.
"Another arrival! Now who are you?!" Orm's voice boomed, startling Freen slightly.
Ling turned to Orm, narrowing her eyes. "Orm, stop yelling! You're scaring people!"
Kath winced from behind her door. "Does she always shout like that?" she muttered, shaking her head.
"Great," Kath added sarcastically. "Orm's yelling, Ling's mumbling, and I'm getting nothing."
Determined, she crouched lower, nearly lying on the floor to press her ear closer to the gap beneath the door.
"Maybe this will help," she whispered, tilting her head.
Meanwhile, in the living room, Ling was welcoming Freen inside.
Orm leaned over the back of the couch, grinning. "Oh, come on! It's called welcoming them with enthusiasm!"
Ling rolled her eyes before turning back to Freen. "Sorry about her," she said. "She's… a lot."
Freen chuckled softly, though her eyes darted around the apartment, taking everything in. "Is… everything okay here? I mean, I saw the puddle on the floor, and then I heard someone shouting about domestic violence…"
Orm shot up from the couch, hobbling toward the door dramatically while holding her back. "That's right! Domestic violence! I'm the victim!"
Freen blinked, her brows furrowing. "Am I… in the wrong place?" she whispered under her breath.
Ling groaned, stepping in front of Orm to block her. "Ignore her. She's being an idiot."
"But a lovable idiot," Orm quipped, grinning.
"Barely," Ling muttered, shooting Orm a warning look.
At that moment, Kath, still pressing her ear against the door, heard the name "Freen" loud and clear. Her body stiffened, and a cold wave of panic swept through her.
"Wait… Freen?" she whispered, her voice panicked. "No. No way."
Her mind raced as she adjusted her position, desperately trying to hear more of the conversation.
Orm tilted her head, staring at the new arrival. "Freen… that name sounds familiar."
Freen nodded, adjusting the strap of her bag. "Ling and I used to be classmates back in elementary school. She was the one who told me about this room opening."
Orm's eyes widened, and she immediately turned to Ling with mock horror. "Oh no, Ling! You didn't! You're going to team up with her and start nagging me, aren't you?!"
Ling smirked, crossing her arms. "That depends. Are you going to keep acting like an idiot?"
Orm gasped dramatically, turning to Freen. "Please tell me you're normal. If Kath turns out to be a genius too, I'm moving out."
Freen chuckled, her earlier hesitation easing as she saw how playful and relaxed the two were.
Meanwhile, Kath, who had been listening intently from inside her room, felt her panic grow with each word. She could only hear snippets, but the name "Freen" was enough to send her into a spiral.
"Why does it have to be her?" Kath whispered, leaning harder against the door. "Of all the people in this city…"
Then she heard Ling's voice again, loud and clear: "Come on in, Freen. I'll show you your room."
Kath froze. "Crap," she muttered.
Footsteps approached the hallway, and a wave of panic hit her. Without thinking, she ran back to the middle of her room, frantically trying to make herself look casual.
Ling walked Freen to the room at the end of the hall, pausing in front of the closed door.
"This is your room," Ling said, giving Freen a reassuring smile. "Make yourself at home."
She pushed the door open, and the scene that greeted them was straight out of a sitcom.
Kath, who had apparently been leaning against the door in her panic, toppled forward and landed face-first on the ground with a loud thud.
"Oh my god!" Orm exclaimed from the living room, rushing over to peek around the corner.
Kath groaned, pushing herself up slowly, but before she could fully recover, Freen took a step forward, her eyes widening in recognition.
"Becky?" Freen's voice was sharp, a mix of shock and disbelief.
Kath—or Becky—froze, her face pale as she slowly looked up at Freen. For a moment, they just stared at each other, the air between them thick with tension.
Orm, oblivious to the gravity of the situation, grinned. "Ohoho, drama! Spill the tea! Who's Becky?!"
Ling glanced between the two of them, her brows furrowing. "Wait… you two know each other?"
Kath scrambled to her feet, her face red with embarrassment. "Nope! Never seen her before!"