Wheein glared at the moving boxes scattered in her and her roommate’s – ex-roommate's – apartment living room.

“I can’t believe you’re breaking up with me,” Wheein, leaning on the bedroom door frame, glared at her roommate's back still packing. Said person only chuckled lightly and turned to the older girl’s sulking figure, “I already told you I’d be moving out in a month. It’s your fault you didn’t try harder to look for my replacement.”

“But, I don’t wanna replace you, Hyejin-ah~” Wheein clings onto the younger female’s waist as she carried the last box into the living room.

“Yah! You’re heavy! Let go will ya!” Hyejin scolded as she struggled carrying the box.

Wheein slumped on the couch, arms crossed, lips forming into a pout. She was upset. I mean, I have every right to be, she thought. Jung Wheein at the age of 21 was on her second year of majoring in architecture and had just recently broken up with her boyfriend of 2 years. She had caught him cheating on her at a club. She walked in on her bastard of a boyfriend, in the girl’s washroom nonetheless, making out with probably one of the models at his art school. She hadn’t cried nor begged for him to stay. She did egg his car and trashed his apartment (and just maybe replaced his toothpaste with some paint thinner). That following week, she had buried herself with projects, homework, and papers. Spending hours on her drafting table, perfecting her plates. Which had earned her very high marks that surprised her and her professors even more. When asked, she would simply shrug and say, “Inspiration comes in many forms.”

It was safe to say that Jung Wheein at age 21 was not heartbroken. Nope, she was, however, broke. Very much broke. Her roommate and best friend, Ahn Hyejin, a music major, had found a neat studio apartment one day near the entertainment company she was an intern at months ago. Hyejin had showed great interest in the apartment and was even more excited when she saw that her savings could hold up for the place.

It was a month ago when Hyejin had officially bought the place and had given Wheein the heads up that she’d move by the end of the month. The older female absentmindedly nodded and buried her face once more onto her due plates. Hyejin could only shake her head and took a mental note to remind her busy-as-of-the-moment roommate another time.

Right now, it was the 30th of the month and 5 days before rent was due. Wheein slumped further down her seat, tears b her small eyes. Hyejin turned to the couch upon hearing her friend’s quiet sniffles. She sat at the empty spot on the couch then brought Wheein into a comforting hug as she cried softly. Hyejin had suspected her roommate was under a lot of stress and had chosen to bottle up her all of her feelings. She thought of how much of a failure she was as a friend, putting her self-interests first.

After a good 10 minutes of comfortable silence, with Wheein’s sobbing face on Hyejin’s shoulders and the latter gently smoothing the former’s hair, the two had decided to eat dinner out. Hyejin had stayed that night, the two of them sharing the comforts of Wheein’s bed, jokes, laughs, and beautiful memories.

The following morning, people from the moving company filed in the once shared apartment. Wheein tagged along to the new apartment to help in unpacking. Once Wheein walked inside the apartment, she understood why her friend had fallen in love with it. It was just the right size for her and she figured it would still be spacious enough even when all of the furniture would be placed. It was a one-bedroom apartment with peach walls (Hyejin’s favorite color), had a kitchenette with a center island (something her roommate always wanted to have), a bathroom with a tub and a spare room that Wheein assumed Hyejin would turn into her personal studio. Definitely a plus.

Wheein stepped into the bedroom and imagined how Hyejin would decorate it. Probably something y, like hot pink, she thought. The girl was too absorbed in admiring the room’s walls that she didn’t notice her friend walk in with a bowl of jajangmyeon and some stir-fried pork.

“You like it?” Hyejin finally spoke after placing the kitchenware on the carpeted floor. Wheein smiled sheepishly and proceeded to sit beside her friend.

“Yeah. It’s perfect for you,” she remarked rather sadly. Hyejin returned the smile, “You can come over anytime you want. Once I’ve finished bringing in all the stuff, I’ll give ya a spare key,” she said while mixing the noodles with her chopsticks.

“Thanks,” Wheein began eating her noodles silently. She was definitely going to miss Hyejin, their old apartment would become too quiet now without her.

Hyejin noticed the other’s sullen face and playfully bumped their shoulders breaking into a huge grin when she saw how startled her friend was. “Don’t look so down. It’s not like we’re never gonna see each other again. We can have sleepovers and movie nights at each other’s places.”

Hyejin had said that hoping to lighten the mood but instead it brought a sigh to Wheein’s lips. Yeah, if I can still keep the apartment,” she said discouraged. Hyejin observed her friend’s facial expression, “Listen, I’d help you find another roommate by Friday. And if we don’t by then, we’ll just ask Mrs. Lee together to give you more time. Sound good?” If there was one thing Hyejin was not confident in being, it would be being optimistic (that was usually Wheein’s job) but she had to right now.

Wheein sighed and forced a smile. “Yeah. Sounds great,” she tried her best to sound enthusiastic. Hyejin brushed the obvious discomfort off and continued enjoying her lunch in silence. “You can decorate my living room for me….” Hyejin trailed, but she didn’t fail to notice her friend silently grinning from ear to ear.

Wheein had her face buried in the hard bound textbook she just took from the school library’s shelves. It was already Thursday and still no hopeful candidates for a roommate. To say she was desperate was an understatement, she was beyond that. She did everything from posting in all her SNS accounts and even in other, much sketchier parts of the internet to giving out flyers on the streets outside of the apartment complex. Hyejin had also put up an ad on the newspaper and asked all of her friends. But they didn’t have much luck.

Right now, she was in the library, trying to distract herself with studying for an upcoming exam. Nothing seemed to enter her brain though. She was skimming through the pages when someone noisily sat across from her, dragging the chair to catch her attention. When Wheein had looked up at the person, she couldn’t help but to roll her eyes and return them back to her book.

“What do you want, Seungcheol?” she groaned. The male didn’t speak but she knew that he still had that cheesy smile of his on. She and Seungcheol used to take the same classic lit class back in their freshman year, and became book partners upon the boy’s whining, puppy-eyed request. They didn’t exactly become good friends. That is if you consider constant flirting and teasing being good friends. He did hang out with her and Hyejin a couple of times basically because Hyejin liked his company (it wasn’t everyday she met someone who shared the same taste in music). During these supposed hang outs, Wheein would usually be quiet and left the two in their own bubble. She did, however, notice that Seungcheol wasn’t half bad. He was a gentleman and was surprisingly down-to-earth. But he was still annoying.

“Don’t look so irritated, princess. It’s been a while. I missed you,” and there he goes again. Seungcheol liked to constantly hit on her (or any other girl at that matter), the flirting lessened after her recent split and she appreciated that. At least he was that decent, but now she had to face the cheese ball that is Choi Seungcheol. “I don’t have time for you, Choi,” Wheein sharply remarked, eyes not leaving the book.

“Aw, come on. I just wanna chat,” still no response. The male sighed, “Listen, I heard from Hyejin that you needed a new roommate and -”

“Thanks for the offer, but I don’t want such a greaseball like yourself stay in my apartment,” Wheein shuddered at the image of Seungcheol’s clothes cluttered in her apartment. Nope, never. The boy guffawed loudly which earned them heads turning to their table and a hushed warning from the librarian.

“I’m glad you see me as a potential life partner, sweet cheeks,” Seungcheol didn’t miss the eye roll beyond the girl’s flushed cheeks as he said that. “But I wasn’t talking about me,” Wheein glared at the male but said nothing, “I have a dongsaeng that’s been crashing at my place for about a week now. He’s a freshman and I was wondering if you could take him under your wing.”

Wheein looked like she was thinking hard about it but, in all honesty, she was too desperate that she didn’t care if her roommate were to be a bratty freshman as long as he wasn’t as messy as his hyung, “Fine, when can he move in?”

Seungcheol had called his younger friend and informed Wheein that he could move in tomorrow but would drop off some of his clothes later that night. By 6 in the evening, Wheein was busy cooking dinner (or tried to at least not burn the food). Seungcheol had texted that his friend will come by 6:30 and that he sent him on his own cause he had a date tonight. Typical. The girl figured she had to make a good impression and could at least offer him some dinner.

The doorbell rang a few minutes past 6:30 and Wheein scrambled to the front door, stopping to smooth down her hair. She took a deep breath and put on her best smile. “Hi, you must be Seungcheol’s - Wonwoo?” Wheein’s eyes grew wide as she stared at an all too familiar pair of sharp eyes except those eyes where a good few inches above her and they were as wide as hers.

“Noona?”