Kyungsoo, Sehun and Chanyeol were up on the rooftop of their apartment complex, sitting around the barbecue grill and drinking soju. Jiwoo was working late that day and thus it was just the three of them.

“Cheers for no more work!” Chanyeol exclaimed. “Cheers for Christmas break!”

Lifting their glasses in the air, the three males shot down the soju and exhaled in satisfaction. A cold gust of wind blew past them in that moment though, sending shivers down their spines.

“Why are we sitting outside and suffering through the cold when we have a perfectly working kotatsu in Sehun’s flat?” Kyungsoo grumbled towards no one in particular.

“Because Chanyeol wanted to,” Sehun quipped. “And what a Park wants, a Park gets.”

“You’re learning fast.” Kyungsoo nodded at the younger male. “Indeed, what a Park wants, a Park gets.”

“Stop complaining. Tonight it’s all about celebrating,” Chanyeol huffed. “Plus, without Jiwoo around we can enjoy some rare bros bonding time!”

“I thought that’s what the car rides to work was for.” Sehun chuckled.

“No, that’s just for convenience,” Kyungsoo interjected.

“No, that’s because I’m a nice person and giving person,” Chanyeol defended himself.

“If you’re so nice then why do we have to split fuel money?” Sehun countered.

“Because democracy,” Chanyeol stated with certainty.

“That doesn’t even make sense,” Kyungsoo sniggered.

“No no no.” Chanyeol fervently shook his head. “What doesn’t make sense is why Sehun and Jiwoo haven’t made it official yet.”

Kyungsoo and Chanyeol proceeded to turn towards Sehun, staring at him intently. Sehun gulped loudly, distracting himself with the food instead.

“Stop ignoring us,” Kyungsoo whispered threateningly.

“Make what official?” Sehun questioned innocently.

“Stop playing dumb, you know what we mean,” the two best friends uttered in perfect synchronisation.

Sighing in defeat, Sehun bought himself some more time by chewing on a large piece of meat before answering the dreaded question.

“We just haven’t really hanged out just the two of us recently.” Sehun shrugged his shoulders. “She got busy with work, and when she isn’t at work, you guys are always around.”

“Are you accusing us of being third wheels?” Chanyeol gasped.

“No…” Sehun mumbled, not quite meeting their inquiring gazes. “But if that’s how you view yourselves I wouldn’t exactly object.”

“Maybe the whole inability to communicate is not a Park thing,” Kyungsoo commented instead. “Rather, it’s a Jiwoo thing.”

“I might have to agree with that.” Sehun frowned. “She has a tendency to just do stuff but not talk about it after.”

“I’ll drink to that,” Chanyeol exclaimed. “Good to know that I’m not at fault for the lack of communication between me and her.”

“You’re still not off the hook.” Kyungsoo poked the male’s in the stomach. “If you wanted to play instruments with Jiwoo then just say so, why keep it all to yourself.”

It was Chanyeol’s turn to avoid Kyungsoo’s stare now, and Sehun let out a silent cheer at no longer being the centre of attention.

“It’s all resolved now anyway,” Chanyeol grumbled, fiddling with his chopsticks.

“It should not have been an issue to begin with,” Kyungsoo huffed, stuffing his mouth with meat.

“I felt embarrassed ok?”

“Embarrassed of what?” Kyungsoo challenged him. “That you got beaten by your younger sister in a stupid music competition? That she got to go to the summer programme at your dream school? That you were too weak to crawl out of your slump?”

Sehun could feel the tension rising and he tugged on Kyungsoo’s sleeve in an attempt to assuage the male. It was unlike him to be so harsh with his words and it appeared that he was purposely targeting all of Chanyeol’s sore spots. Chanyeol on the other hand let out a loud sigh before gulping down another shot of soju. Maybe it was the alcohol speaking, or maybe he was finally willing to open up about the matter, but to Sehun’s surprise, rather than feeling attacked by Kyungsoo’s words, Chanyeol gave a bittersweet smile before unleashing everything.

“I was embarrassed of my behaviour, of how I was unable to be happy for Jiwoo’s success. Then I was embarrassed of my inability to hide my unhappiness and unloaded my frustrati