Chapter Text
Today’s the day. The day Zoey moves into her new dorm.
“…You didn’t have to stay and help,” Zoey says, cheeks flushed with pink, clutching a folded fleece blanket to her chest. “You probably have rehearsals or something.”
Rumi just shrugs, Truthfully, she’d been looking forward to helping Zoey with moving in… Especially with a certain someone who was going to be living with her.
Rumi perches on the kitchen counter, sipping a canned black coffee with the ease of someone who’s watched girls like Zoey wilt under pressure before. “I’d rather make sure you don’t die under a bookshelf. Plus, you’ll die of exhaustion from all this”
It is true, Zoey did bring a lot of things.
Why? They’re memories— and necessities!
Zoey laughs nervously. “God. You know me so well… this is embarrassing”
“Don’t be!” She replies, “I offered to help you with this. A pretty big change for you, if you ask me.”
Zoey thanked Rumi with a genuine smile.
The apartment looks halfway done with decorations already. Her room glows soft blue-green from fairy lights and a diffuser puffs out lavender mist.
Zoey had already stacked aquatic-animals and oceanic themed mugs by the sink, lined the fridge with ingredients for late-night stress baking, and even put out slippers by the door.
All that’s missing is—
“Your roommate,” Rumi says, checking the time.
“Oh, Mira– right? What is she like?” Zoey wanted to know how to behave around her new roommate, it would suck if Mira disliked her already on the very first day.
“Mira’s not exactly… prompt.” Rumi responds before sipping her coffee.
Zoey raises an eyebrow, her attitude was still bright as ever. “She’s your friend, right? Is she nice?”
Rumi raises an eyebrow, amused. “…I mean—like, cool-nice?”.
“Okay… I’ll try to visualize what gibberish you’ve just said…” Zoey jokingly reacts
“She’s 𝘔𝘪𝘳𝘢,” Rumi replies with a chuckle. “You’ll find out.”
————
Hours of pushing furniture here, placing decorations there… The new dormitory was turned into something homey and cozy in no time!
Zoey wipes her sweat with the T-shirt she’d been wearing this whole time before speaking up.
“Thank you so much for this, unnie… It would’ve probably taken me an entire day to finish this without you” Zoey cried out, her voice filled with exhaustion.
She was happy though. A fresh start, new changes around her with some familiarity… Hopefully, it’ll go well.
“Pssh, no problem” Rumi says.
“Hey, I got to hang out with you today and stopped you from accidentally electrocuting yourself. Two wins at once!” Rumi responds with a smile, though her tone did contain exhaustion, too.
“Well, it looks like we’re done here for today…” Rumi stands up from her crouching position, wiping her sweat away. “As always, If you need me, feel free to message me!”
Zoey goes in for a hug, “thank you sooo much, unnie! This really means a lot!” Tears started to form. The happy kind.
Rumi chuckles while returning the warm embrace back.
Before Rumi left, she’d given Zoey a heads up that Mira, her soon to be roommate, might be late and encouraged her not to wait for her.
Zoey nodded in agreement… while doing the exact opposite.
----
It was 8pm, Zoey’s excitement was through the roof!
But she’d pat herself on the back multiple times, trying to keep her calmness to a certain level
“I should probably make something…”
Banana bread!
Then panic arose. What if Mira’s allergic? What if she hates bananas?
“No—stop it,” she muttered to herself. “Rumi’s right. Chill.”
That eased her up. Well, sort of. She can’t help but think of how others feel.
“Well then, banana bread it is!” Zoey sparked up with motivation.
She’d grabbed all of the ingredients she needed— and has.
Ultra ripe bananas, flour, butter, sugar, eggs, baking soda, and salt.
----
An hour into the kitchen, the whole place smelled like banana bread. The aroma was warm, sweet, cozy— and unmistakably fresh.
Zoey had to wait for the bread to fully bake, checking the oven from time to time.
Zoey then goes over to the couch. Her new couch. She sighed out of relief and relaxation. “Oh… this is good.” Zoey murmured.
To pass the time, she’d open up the TV, the remote still having the plastic on it.
Finally, halfway through the movie— ‘ting!’ The banana bread was all done!
Zoey got giddy to see her creation, hoping that her new roomie would love it!
She’d gotten her baking mittens on, placing the newly baked banana bread on the counter top, letting the pastry rest from baking.
Zoey yawns while taking her mittens off, placing it over the cabinet hooks. She’d grabbed a sticky note from a desk, writing down-
“Welcome home, roomie! Eat up <3”
She places the newly written sticky note by the banana bread for Mira to see.
She yawned again. “Man, the smells… I love it.” Before she stumbled onto the couch again, playing the movie she’d been watching. An animated movie about 3 girls who kill demons.
Somehow, for Zoey, the television started to blur, the sound went inaudible. Her eyes felt heavier by the second until she let herself fully embrace sleep.
It made sense. She'd been on her feet all day, making this place feel like home.
Zoey curled up into a fetus position on the couch, sinking into it.
She’d fallen asleep… so deep that she has not been awakened by the sudden thunderstorm happening outside.
----
Midnight came around
‘Shit.’ Mira hissed under her breath before getting out of her car, it was pouring outside. “Isn’t it supposed to be summer?” Her voice was heavily coated with annoyance.
Though, It toned down after getting into the dormitory building. Her hand clutched a single bag.
This was it, a new beginning for her. Finally out of that fuckass place her so-called family lives.
The very same family who ridiculed her for existing differently from them.
She shook her head from the thought. ‘Fuck them’, Mira thought before heading towards the elevator with a single duffle bag in hand.
It was raining, Mira thought that bringing everything right now— especially since it was midnight would be troublesome.
Not only for her, but to her new roommate too.
Roommate.
‘A roommate… is someone you tolerate in a shared square footage until you graduate, or die. Whichever came first.’
𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 was Mira’s description of a roommate. And also the very same words she spouted out with Rumi.
Rumi had reassured her multiple times that Zoey is a person who is somehow a little ball of sunshine, happiness, and turtles.
‘So Zoey’s into aquatic animals… noted.’ She thought at that very moment.
Wait. Why was she even thinking about that? She’s going to be her roommate. That’s all.
A ‘Ding!’ arose before the elevator doors parted. Mira stepped out, her hand clutching the key she had.
Mira sighed, “here goes nothing.” before inserting it into the keyhole.
One soft, mechanical click. Then stillness.
Mira steps inside, duffel bag slung over her shoulder. Her hoodie— lightly damp from the rain, and her sneakers squish faintly on the entryway mat.
Mira stopped from walking.
Taking her shoes off, and placing them near the doormat.
The place smells. Not in a weird way, not bad either.
It’s… warm, and sweet.
The aroma of banana bread lingered. Brown sugar. Something soft and safe that doesn't belong in a university dorm room.
Mira squints. She wasn't expecting anything.
Not even light.
And yet, she looked over, the television was on. There’s fresh banana bread, uncut, by the countertop.
She walked over, peaking to see what was playing on the television.
But her eyes caught something.
There she was… Zoey. Curled up into a ball, sleeping.
Mira hummed in confirmation, that's the same girl Rumi showed on her phone.
She hadn’t expected her to be real.
Zoey was curled up into the couch like a cat, one arm tucked under her cheek, hoodie sleeves pulled past her fingers, the rise and fall of her breathing slow, steady. Peaceful.
The glow from the television flickered across her face in soft flashes of light— shadows of some animated movie Mira didn’t recognize.
She should’ve been annoyed.
Anyone else, she would’ve called dumb for leaving the TV on, falling asleep in a common space, leaving fresh food on the counter like a trust exercise with fate.
But for some reason, Mira didn’t feel that old snap of irritation.
Just… tired. Tired, and maybe a little disarmed.
The banana bread was still in the loaf pan it was baked in…
Still warm. Still soft.
A sticky note beside it—written in a kind of handwriting Mira would’ve made fun of in high school…
“Welcome home, roomie! Eat up <3”
God. Of course she used her heart.
Mira stood there another moment, keys still in hand, rain clinging to the edge of her hoodie. Her fingers twitched.
It’s probably dry. Or weirdly sweet. Or soggy in the middle.
She shouldn’t…
She tore off a piece anyway.
Still warm. Soft in the center. Rich, nutty, with just enough cinnamon.
The kind of homemade taste that pulled memories out of you whether you liked it or not.
She chewed slowly, arms crossed, unreadable.
Then another bite.
God, she hated how good it was.
She glanced back at Zoey— still curled up, twitching slightly in her sleep, like something confused was chasing her in a dream.
“…You’re gonna get a cramp sleeping like that,” Mira muttered.
She took the sticky note.
Folded it in half before sliding it into her back pocket.
Then turned for her room and disappeared inside, the soft click of the door the only sign she’d been there at all.
The rest of the banana bread sat there.
Mira could’ve devoured it all.
But she didn’t.
She left some behind— for Zoey.
Just for Zoey.