With one look in Seungyeon's eyes, Jihoon told himself, "This is going to hurt when it's over."

It is a usual day in their regular cafe, sitting by the window seat as they always do, but this time in a different setting. He is going to announce something, or rather, notify Seungyeon of a thought that has been in his head for a while now, and this could lead to a very bad ending.

"I think, you can have a new roommate." His hands hold onto the coffee cup, something he didn't realize he did until the warmth radiates to his palms. But unlike his calm tone, they are shaking as he speaks.

"What do you mean?" A frown appears on Seungyeon's face, as expected by Jihoon, when he has enacted this scene multiple times before this day. It is a very common reaction when the roommate you had since university mentioned the first line.

"Since our rental contract is going to end soon," Jihoon looks at his coffee while he finishes his sentence. "Maybe you can choose a new roommate for yourself."

Seungyeon's frown only deepens as he questions the latter. "But I thought we are doing okay."

"We are! Just..." Jihoon briefly peeks at Seungyeon before lowering his gaze. "It has been...six years? Thought you might want to change or something."

"Are you tired of me?" Seungyeon hits straight to the point, surprising the latter as he tightens the grip on the cup.

"That's not what I mean," Jihoon blinks rapidly, a voice showing up in his mind as he goes back to that day.

"Ah, is this the roommate you mentioned?" The red-haired guy pulls out his hand from his jeans pocket before reaching out to him. "Nice to meet you, I am Yoon Jeonghan, Yeon's colleague."

"Yeon...?" Jihoon murmurs the rather intimate nickname under his breath, an uncomfortable feeling lingering in his chest.

"Yes, Yeon for Seungyeon." Jeonghan chuckles as he retrieves his hand to brush against his hair. So natural, he's not even showing any signs of awkwardness when Jihoon missed the handshake.

Even Jihoon doesn't get to call him like that.

"Hey, you guys!" Another voice calls out from the back. Jihoon recognizes the voice too well, it is Seungyeon's manager, Seungcheol. "Sorry to interrupt your little talk, but we have some urgent work here."

"How urgent?" Jeonghan turns around, patting Seungyeon's shoulder to make him do the same.

"The kind that you would want to finish it to enjoy your weekend," Seungcheol raises a brow before throwing Jihoon a glance. "Hey there buddy, but I think we are not going home any soon."

"Oh right, do you want to go home first, Jihoon?" Jihoon looks at Seungcheol and Seungyeon, feeling a bit bitter when he felt like an outsider watching the three of them.

"Alright," He squeezes out a smile before waving at them. "Have fun."

"Then why the sudden change?" Seungyeon purses his lips, eyes about to stare holes on Jihoon's face. "You know you can tell me if you had enough of my bad habits."

"I-" Deep inside, he can easily list out Seungyeon's bad habits. Putting his leg up even when there is food on the table, never cleans the table after eating, always 'forgetting' to take out the food trash, singing loudly at night, there are too many. Even though each of them does affect him to some extent, they are (oddly) not the reason.

"I was just thinking," Jihoon takes a quick sip of his coffee, feeling himself a bit more composed after the warm sip. "Maybe Jeonghan would want to live with you. Easier for work." Yes. Jeonghan. That sounds like a valid excuse, for sure Seungyeon wouldn't have thought that far, and with his considerate personality, he actually might accept it...right?

"Mm," The look in Seungyeon's eyes only get deeper as Jihoon continues to sound hesitant. What is it really? He is very much aware that he has some embarrassing habits, but Jihoon doesn't seem like the type to hide it even when it comes to that. He was always vocal and the most he gets from Jihoon on a typical day would be his nagging. And now he is mentioning Jeonghan. He did recall Jeonghan mentioning how he just switched jobs and needed a roommate to share the rent, but was Jihoon there when he said that? Seungyeon tilts his head as his gaze falls onto the table, squeezing his brows to force himself to go back to that scene, and he can't remember.

"Even so, we could live together." Exactly, Jihoon is kind enough to consider Jeonghan's accommodation, but that doesn't have to end up with someone leaving.

"No!" His intuition speaks before him, but soon puts himself in another situation to explain. "Who knows...what kind of habits does Jeonghan have? Um, I- I don't think I can live with two other guys if you guys have different habits." A small sigh escapes from his parted lips, in a mix of relief and sadness. Does he really have no idea?

"Yeon! Are you getting barbeque with us?" Jeonghan hooks an arm across Seungyeon's shoulder, all in the eyes of Jihoon as he quietly watches when the two approach the glass door, with Jeonghan's voice penetrating from a distance.

"I would love to, but I got work." Seungyeon rolls his eyes in a playful manner, causing the older to chuckle before giving a gentle slap on his shoulder. "What a bummer, you are just like Choi Seungcheol."

"He's crazier than me when it comes to work," Seungyeon shakes his head in disbelief, looking to the front before making eye contact with Jihoon. "Jihoon-ah!" He waves at Jihoon with a wide grin once he saw him.

Despite Jihoon feeling slightly happy at the attention, the gloom still overpowers him when he looks at Jeonghan and Seungyeon.

"Hey," Jeonghan flashes a grin at Jihoon as well before giving a quick hands-up with the arm over Seungyeon's shoulder. "You are early to pick up Yeon."

Jihoon forces a small chuckle out, watching them as they walk up to him. Jeonghan hasn't put his arm away, and Seungyeon doesn't seem to dislike such gestures as well. He wonders how Jeonghan manages to do that, to get so close with others in a short amount of time without the slightest discomfort. As if he has the world in his hands, and everyone could be a friend of his with the slightest effort.

Jihoon can't do that.

"So it is about the habits." Seungyeon frowns and taking a sip of his frappucino and leans back to the chair.

Jihoon doesn't see this coming, not when he played this scene over and over again in his head thinking of every single reply to Seungyeon's possible questions, not when they have been running in circles in the same way ever since the start. Seungyeon doesn't take it the easiest way, and it seems like he is not letting Jihoon go where he wanted by digging at the toughest parts, or simply going to interpret the whole thing the other way.

Jihoon can see why. Well, he is the biggest problem here isn't it? He has a very easy answer to all these questions, but ironically