Seunghyun has a migraine. And it won't go away very soon. After Mr. Masao accepted his request, he thought that his problems were solved. No more bus rides at 2am, no more sleepless nights and above all, no more pricks also known as co-workers. But life is never easy for Seunghyun, and at this point he is well aware that in fact, life hates him.

Mr. Masao sure promised him an early shift, but he never mentioned when would that happen. After he left the hotel that day, he knew that he'd have to work that afternoon, because they'd have to find a replacement for him. Seunghyun thought that it wouldn't take that long, but as mentioned before, one employee was fired and they didn't have enough staff to replace him. So, after 4 days, there he is, still working with his currently nightmare named Shinji.

Seunghyun told him yesterday that he asked them to change his schedule, and of course Shinji questioned him why, to which he calmly replied, "Sleeping problems." The prick seemed to be pretty convinced, Seunghyun noticed with relief.

After the party, Shinji is much more talkative, and his patience is hanging by a thread. He doesn't want to socialize with him, doesn't care about how many girls he screwed that night, and definitely, doesn't want to know how good the '' was. But since he is pretending to be a nice guy, he laughs, and lies, and pretends to be interested, even if all the act is driving him insane.

He talks about this with Ren, and she tells him that he is too stupid. Ok, he deserves that, but he really doesn't need a lecture right now. Seunghyun goes to his room after telling her to off, and isn't he charming? 'If she wasn't that interested when you were treating her like a princess then she definitely made up her mind now,' He thinks, biting his lips while staring at the ceiling.

Seunghyun misses her already. If he was in Seoul, he probably wouldn't care, but she is his only friend here, and he really needs a friend right now. But after what happened with Shinji, he is afraid of making any friends. Seunghyun has always had trust issues, since he was a little boy. When he moved in with Daesung and his other 2 roommates, it took him over a year to open up with them, to have an actual conversation. Seunghyun doesn't know how friendship works, how long do you have to be friends with someone until they're considered reliable?

He knows for a fact, that some people grew up thinking that they had friends, only to get disappointed later. So yeah, after a terrible experience, Seunghyun decides that he will take a break from people. He needs some time alone after all.

---

His mother calls him that day, and as expected, interrogates him. 'Are you ok? Are you eating well? How's the internship? Is your boss treating you well? Do you have enough money to pay the rent?' Seunghyun knows that she only wants the best for him, but he can't deal with her at the moment. Maybe he'll never be ready to deal with his mom, considering that he is lying to her all the time. He feels bad about that, but he knows that there is nothing he could do. Yes, he could tell her the truth, but that is not an option.

After spending almost 30 minutes on the phone, Seunghyun decides that he has time for a nap before work, since he has nothing to do after the 'fight' with Ren. But before he could fall asleep, he gets a phone call from the hotel, telling him that he doesn't have to work today, since he'd have to be at the hotel really early in the morning. If he could, he would have kissed the person who brought him the news.

Since he has the whole day off, he thinks a lot about going downstairs and apologizing to Ren. But how could he? What should he say? Seunghyun knows that she probably wouldn't buy the i'm-sorry-for-being-a-jerk excuse. Instead of facing his problems and being a man, he decides that he could use a long shower and maybe a tv show marathon; he would deal with her eventually.

Seunghyun couldn't sleep that night, he was too agitated, probably because he spent pretty much the whole day in bed. His sleeping schedule is a mess, and his anxiety isn't helping. After tossing and turning all night, he had to get up and get ready to work.

It is going to be a very, very long day.

---

The traffic is pretty intense at 6 in the morning, much to his surprise. Seunghyun is running late, and did he mention that life hates him? By the time he arrives at the hotel, he is 23 minutes late, and very much embarrassed.

"I'm sorry, I know I'm late," He says, completely forgetting that he is supposed to use the backdoor entrance.

"Hey, don't worry man, go get changed, I'll cover for you," says the young receptionist, whose name is Jiyong, if Seunghyun's not mistaken.

Seunghyun changes to his uniform in record time, immediately going to the reception to take his place next to the elevator. He is standing there for about 45 minutes now, and at this point he figures that all the guests are probably asleep, which makes him think of how much he wants his bed right now. His moves are slow and his eyes are watering, Seunghyun is really sleepy and if no one shows up in the next 5 minutes, he will probably fall asleep on the floor.

"So, are you enjoying Japan?" Jiyong asks, leaning his small frame on the counter.

"Well yeah I guess," Seunghyun replies, and even though he really doesn't want any friends, he is glad that this man is distracting him from his slumber.

The young man snorts, "You guess?"

His eyebrow is curved and he has a smirk plastered on his face, and for some weird reason, Seunghyun feels uncomfortable. He has never been a 'people' person, and this Jiyong guy seems to be amused by his answer, and Seunghyun doesn't know what to do.

He opts for a nod, hoping that Jiyong would understand. The smaller man gives him a smile, and before he could notice, Jiyong is already standing in front of him.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Jiyong," He says, offering his hand.

"I know," is Seunghyun's reply, hoping not to sound too rude. He shakes hands with Jiyong, and offers him a brief smile.

Jiyong keeps staring at him, and did he mention that he is uncomfortable? The long-haired man is biting his lips, and Seunghyun finds that to be very distracting, to say the least. But what is he thinking anyway?

"You're the first korean to work with me, I'm excited," Jiyong says, smiling widely.

You're excited? What's that supposed to mean? But before he could come up with any answer, Jiyong speaks again.

"I should go back to my table, but... See you later for lunch?" the younger asks, already walking towards the counter.

Seunghyun knows that most employees eat at the kitchen, but he was hoping to have some time alone. That is the only time where he can organize his thoughts, relax and just enjoy his free-time, and he really doesn't want to socialize during his break. But what could he do? Maybe if he is cold enough, Jiyong would understand that he isn't the 'friendly' type and leave him alone.

'Yes, that's exactly what I should do,' Seunghyun thinks, before greeting one of the guests.

---

There is nothing good or special about this job. Yeah, it is slightly better than his previous job, at least he knows his boss actually likes him and the staff is much nicer, but Seunghyun is so tired, upset and uneasy, that focusing on the bad side is inevitable. He is used to work non-stop, and even though the hotel is almost full, he doesn't have much to do. Sometimes he'd caught himself staring at the most random things: the plant near the entrance, the pattern of the couch at the reception, and even Jiyong's ponytail.

It is boring.

He is bored.

Lunch time comes after what seems like two years, and Seunghyun goes to the kitchen immediately after another employee replaces him. He notices that the kind old lady who always offers him dessert isn't working at this hour, much to his disappointment. She is the only nice person he met at this place, after Mr. Takahiro of course. Seunghyun thinks that Jiyong isn't that bad either, but considering his history with Shinji, he could be wrong.

Not that it matters.

He sits at one of the tables in the corner, almost behind the ovens, and yes, it is hot as hell, but it's better than being seen by other people. If he is lucky enough, he would go unnoticed.

"Seunghyun!" He hears someone calling him, and when did he mention his name?

Jiyong is in front of him seconds later, holding a tray and grinning like an idiot.

.

"May I sit down?" Jiyong asks, putting his tray on the table.

Seunghyun is trying not to show any interest, so he murmurs a 'Hmm', and Jiyong takes that as a 'Yes'.

"Why did you sit here? Aren't you hot?" The younger man asks, biting whatever he is eating.

Seunghyun fights the urge to tell him that he sat here exactly to avoid this conversation, but that could lead to an argument and he also doesn't want that. He remains quiet instead, enjoying his meal, and after a few minutes, he is glad that Jiyong isn't pushing him. He's also eating his meal, stealing a few glances at Seunghyun.

They both finish their meals together, and Seunghyun is about to get up when Jiyong speaks again.

"Are you leaving already? You know that we still have some more minutes left, right?" he says, tilting his head to the side, waiting for the reply.

Seunghyun once again chooses not to answer, but he sits back on the chair. He is feeling a bit nervous, because he can feel Jiyong's eyes on his skin. He keeps staring at his fingers, playing with the ends of his suit.

Clearing his throat, the smaller man asks, "How old are you?" The question gets his attention immediately, and his eyes goes wide. It is a simple question, but it is so random and unexpected, and at this point, Seunghyun is even more uneasy.

"I'm 23, why?" he answers nonchalantly, and the reply comes within seconds, "Oh, so you're my hyung then!" Jiyong seems to be so happy, he always seems to be very happy, and his attitude is  irritating Seunghyun, especially because he clearly doesn't want to socialize and Jiyong isn't intimidated by his behavior.

"You don't have to call me like that, ok?" Seunghyun says, because really, who cares about politeness and honorific manners outside Korea. He sure doesn't, and if that makes him a terrible citizen, then so be it.

Jiyong opens his eyes and mouth dramatically, staring at him in disbelief. "Of course I have to!" After a short pause, the younger man reaches for his hand across the table, and gives it a gentle squeeze. "It's okay."

Seunghyun doesn't know what that means, and he is incredibly uncomfortable by Jiyong's touch. The other man notices his tension and releases his hand, offering him a smile.

'Why is he being nice? Why is he still here? Why does he care?' Seunghyun's mind is once again filled with questions, but he also doesn't want any answer. What he wants is to do his job and live his life in peace, but Jiyong isn't helping, and Seunghyun won't let his walls crumble. Yes, maybe he is being paranoid, he had a terrible experience with Shinji, but that doesn't mean that the man in front of him is like that bastard. Maybe he should give Jiyong a chance, but the idea scares him to death. He is still scared, even though he couldn't admit.

The lunch break ends soon after, and he and Jiyong go back to the reception together. Seunghyun notices that Jiyong is no longer staring at him, and he is also quiet, much to his satisfaction. 'Maybe he understood', he thinks.

---

He leaves the hotel in the afternoon, tired as . If he had the money he'd take a cab, but he can't afford this luxury. Seunghyun is waiting for the bus when he hears a familiar voice calling his name. He closes his eyes, praying that the voice would go away. When he finally decides to lift his head, he finds Jiyong in front of him, inside a car.

"C'mon, I'll give you a ride," he says, once again sounding extremely happy. Seunghyun really, really wants to turn down his offer, but he is also very tired and the bus wouldn't come before 25 minutes. He ponders his options, and after giving Jiyong a brief smile [it's the least he could do, right?] he gets up and inside his car.

"Thanks." he mutters with regret, feeling terribly stupid, because truth must be told, he'd never offer a ride to a prick like himself. Jiyong smiles, eyes turning into beautiful crescents before asking, "So, where do you live?" After giving him the address, Jiyong drives in silence and Seunghyun is thankful, because he is embarrassed enough.

Seunghyun also couldn't help but notice that Jiyong doesn't seem to be fazed or amused by the fact that he is living in a cheap hostel. He didn't make any questions or was judgmental, and that bothers Seunghyun. Because it is easy to avoid an like Shinji, but it's quite impossible to ignore Jiyong, not when he is this sweet and caring.

He is so lost in his thoughts when Jiyong parks the car saying, "You're home." Seunghyun gives him an awkward smile, and he sure is blushing. "Thanks man." Jiyong nods and that is his cue to leave. He gets off the car and goes to the hostel , but before getting inside he turns his head, and to his surprise Jiyong is still there, watching him.

'Does he think I'm a lady or what?' Creep.

Inside the building, Seunghyun is greeted by Ren, better yet, is ignored by her. He doesn't know what to do or say, but he knows that he has to do something. Walking towards the counter, he can see how bored she looks. He rests his palms on the surface in front of him, and leaning he says, "I'm sorry." Yes, it is lame, but he truly is sorry, not to mention that he doesn't have any excuse for his attitude.

The black-haired girl looks at him, and she doesn't seem to be impressed by his answer. "Whatever." is the only response he gets, and the air is so heavy with awkwardness and embarrassment that he can't breathe. He goes to his room soon after.

In his room, Seunghyun thinks about how he could make things right again with Ren, and for some bizarre [maybe not that bizarre] reason, Seungri comes to his mind. The boy is an expert with the ladies, despite his young age. He decides to call him, because why not. Yes, he knows that Seungri is probably still mad at him for leaving, but he needs an advice.

"Hello?"

Damn. Seunghyun knows that voice. It is Youngbae. He almost hangs up, stomach constricted with pain. "Hey YB, it's Seunghyun."

Youngbae is a nice friend, but he is also too responsible and mature for his age, always giving him advices he doesn't need. He is also very tough, especially when Seunghyun does something stupid. Unlike Seungri, who would kiss his wounds and offer him comfort, Youngbae would make him face his problems and also make him feel bad about his decisions. The short man is also against this trip to Japan, and Seunghyun was so scared to talk to him that he left without saying goodbye. Youngbae should be really mad at him.

Surprisingly, he doesn't sound very mad. "Hyung? How are you man? Are you ok?" Seunghyun could feel his concern through the phone, his eyebrows are probably furrowed in distress. "Yeah man, I'm great thanks. How are you?" Youngbae tells him that he is fine, and as expected, makes a bunch of questions. Seunghyun calmly answers each one, he owes him that. After 15 minutes, he asks to speak with Seungri, because he can't afford an expensive phone bill.

The younger man answers minutes later, sounding really happy. "Hyung how are you? I'm so  glad to hear from you!" Seunghyun wasn't expecting this enthusiasm. "You are?" he replies in disbelief.

"Of course hyung, don't be stupid. You know I love you, right? We all love you, and we care about you. So tell me, why did you call?" Now that he asked, Seunghyun feels stupid for making this call in the first place. Instead of calling to make sure that he is okay and still alive, he called for girl advice. He is such a ty friend.

"Nothing man, just wanted to check on you." He adds, "I miss you." And he truly misses him. He thought that he'd be okay by himself, and he'd never admit that to his friends, but sometimes he wishes he never left. It's hard to live by yourself, especially when you're in a foreign country. But Seunghyun doesn't regret his decision, it's just harder than he thought it would be.

Seungri remains quiet for a few seconds before saying, "Me too." They talk for a few more minutes and then Seunghyun is alone again.

He really needs a friend.

---

A/N: So yeah, I had to rewrite this a couple of times, nothing seemed to work, but I hope you guys can enjoy it somehow. I also edited the first chapter, nothing important, I just changed Taeyang's name to Youngbae, it's more appropriate. Anyway, to those who subscribed and left comments, THANK YOU.