Lifting her hand, Sohee bangs on the wooden door. When no one answers immediately, she presses her ear up against the barrier to see if she could differentiate the loud music playing in the background from the sound of someone actually coming to get the door. 

Closing her eyes, she tries to breathe through the irritation that is slowly simmering to the surface. 

Every weekend.

Every weekend it’s like this.

Not just once or twice but, every single weekend ever since her new neighbor moved in a month ago.

Staring at the door, Sohee figures that at this rate, she’ll just be standing here uselessly. Just as she turns away, the door clicks open and there appearing before her is the very man unknowingly ruining her every weekend.

“Yongguk.”

“Sohee.” A gummy smile soon makes its usual appearance.

“I know this is getting repetitive but, can you please turn down your music just a bit more?”

“Oh, sure.”

He wouldn’t actually do it. Sohee knew that for a fact but she couldn’t stop herself from trying again and again. It seems, she has a lot of hope to waste. 

“Sorry about that, it’s just my friends really wanted to throw a housewarming party.”

Pressing her lips together, she forces a smile. “For the fourth weekend in a row?” 

“Do you want to join?”

He was clearly missing the point... or was he just ignoring her? “No.” She wanted to sleep. 

Yongguk watches her lift her hand to rub her eyes and the simple sight strangely brings a smile to his face. “The party is going to end in an hour.”

She has to deal with this for another hour? Contrary to Yongguk’s expectations, Sohee wasn’t comforted in the least. But, she’ll take what she can get. Nodding her head, she concedes. 

Turning away, she heads back to her apartment right next door, already counting down the minutes before it would reach the hour like Yongguk had promised. Until then, she’ll just have to rely on these–, 

Grabbing the ear plugs off her bedside table, Sohee snugly sticks them into her ears. 

Maybe she should consider moving out.

***

“What are you doing?”

Misoo peers over Sohee’s shoulder to get a closer look of the laptop screen. 

“Why are you looking at apartments?”

“I’m thinking about moving out.” It was only a passing thought last night but when she woke up this morning, it felt actually reasonable. 

“Is this about Yongguk again?” 

“He’s driving me crazy,” Sohee mindlessly answers while scrolling through the site, “it’s a repeat every weekend.” Again, he broke his promise. Last night party did not end until five in the morning– 3 hours after the expected time. Not to mention, he had a girl over after everyone else left. The earplugs did nothing to keep out the sounds that followed afterwards. 

“It’s been a month,” Misoo states.

“A month too long.” Even when she doesn’t actually show up to the party, it feels like she’s forced to endure it anyhow due to the ruckus. “I only slept for three hours last night.”

“Aren’t you going to miss seeing that face once you move out?” Misoo knows she would for sure.

“I don’t even want to see his face.” It somehow makes her feel worse.

“But, Yongguk’s so hot.”

“He can be as hot as he wants but, it won’t make living next to him tolerable.”

Sighing, Sohee shuts her laptop and gets up from her seat at the small kitchen table. Without another word, she heads back into her bedroom.

“Where are you going, Sohee?”

“Make yourself at home– I’m going to take a nap.”

“Now?” She had only woken up a while ago. 

“It’s finally quiet now,” she reasons before shutting her bedroom door and slipping into her bed. She had to take opportunities as they come. And, this moment is one of those times. 

***

Not feeling any less tired than when she decided to take a nap, Sohee is awakened by knocks on her front door. With a soft groan, Sohee slides out of bed and walks out into the living room. Looking over to the couch, she found Misoo fast asleep– was she that bored by herself?

Reaching the door, she opens it up without minding her appearance. Facing the troublemaker, a sigh immediately tumbles out of her lips. 

“Is there something, Yongguk?” Did he come to apologize? Or better yet, to say he decided to move out?

“Do you have any cleaning supplies I can borrow? I sort of ran out.”

Well, she really didn’t think any of her guesses were right to begin with. 

“Sohee?”

“Uh– yeah?” Sohee looks over her shoulder as Misoo sits up on the couch. She could see her attention shift in the exact same moment.

“Oh. Hey, Yongguk.” She sends a wave and smile in his direction.

“Hey, Misoo,” he says and offers a bright smile in return. 

“Did you need something?” Misoo goes on to ask– it seems Sohee’s presence is nonexistent now that hot guy is here. 

“Yeah, I’m just here to ask Sohee for some cleaning supplies.”

“Oh! I know where they are.” Jumping up from the couch, Misoo hurries into the bathroom.

It wasn’t her apartment but, she knew where everything was. And, that’s why Sohee was silent with disbelief. This was her place and her things but, Misoo was ready to lend them out.

For what reason? Because, Yongguk is ‘hot’. 

Coming back with a handful in a bucket, Misoo hands them over to man in front of them. Sohee continues staring at her, hoping she would catch on to the silent message she is trying to send her. 

“Thanks, Sohee. I’ll return them soon.”