Hobi took a seat at the kitchen island just as his date slid a coffee mug in front of him and circled it to sit on the stool opposite him.

He bowed his head gratefully as he took a sip and his face scrunched at the flavor of burnt coffee. It was the thought that counted, but the taste on his tongue was as bitter as last night had turned out to be.

It was all going more than fine until the name of another man in the form of a scream filled his bedroom as the woman in his bed hit her high. He froze on the spot for a couple seconds, just long enough for her to see the hurt look on his face before his expression hardened.

He got off the bed feeling completely turned off, it didn't matter that he hadn't even finished as that had been enough to lose any desire to. Hoseok was over it as if a switch had been flipped, surprisingly this one was a first.

Usually the physical aspect was the one thing no one had any complaints about if they were into what he liked. The smooth flow and impeccable control of every part of his body played in his favor. He took pride in it and he was wounded.

In his date's mind the pleasure was attributed to some man he assumed was an ex. Had she been thinking of him while they were together? While he did his best to please her and not someone else he was thinking of?

Not even good enough at that, uh? His sour thoughts betrayed him, but he knew it was not his fault. However, he couldn't help but dwell on the fact that his unlucky streak hadn't even been broken by his time away in the military.

"I'm sorry about last night, Hoseok-ah" the woman said looking down at her coffee feeling guilty. He just pressed his lips together having no words to offer as he played with his index fingers curled around the coffee mug he didn't intend to finish.

"You see, Sunho is my—" she tried to explain herself, but he didn't care to know who he was exactly. All it mattered was that she was not over another man and he couldn't do this.

"It's okay, you don't have to explain it to me. I get it" Hobi said in a low, sad tone and she looked at him with furrowed eyebrows. She didn't know how to make it right.

"I've really liked spending time with you, you are a great guy, Hoseok-ah," he'd heard that before. He always fell short, it was meant to be a compliment, though it wasn't after having been turned down with it more times than he could count.

"I understand, you've got some stuff to sort through first" he rephrased her explanation from the night before. She had thought she was over this man, but she was clearly not and it caught her by surprise too.

After the incident he offered her to sleep in one of his guest rooms. It was late and he didn't want her walking out in the middle of the night, it would be safer to wait until the morning.

"We can still stay in touch, you can count on me if you ever need anything" Hobi graciously offered with a genuine smile as he opened the door for her, he meant it.

She had just moved to the city, yet he had no doubt she would make new friends soon and in no time she'd make of Seoul her home.

Maybe once she worked on herself they could give it another shot, but as things were now, it wouldn't work for either of them. Specially not for him.

Hoseok stood at his door for a minute, deep in thought as he blankly stared at the metal doors that had closed behind his date. He didn't hear the steps that approached him or he wouldn't have let it happen.

"Hello there!" his neighbor had walked over to his side before he had a chance to get back in the apartment, "got yourself a girlfriend? She's pretty."

Was she stalking him or something? Why was she always around when he was? Creepy.

"Not my girlfriend" he answered dryly, like he owed her an answer or explanation. He had no interest in her personal life and she ought to do the same and mind her own dirty business.

"Ooh, I see" she smiled looking satisfied and he side-glanced at her puzzled. He wasn't planning to offer any words that could start a conversation.

"If you ever want to go grab a drink, you know where to find me" she boldly proposed with a little quirk of her eyebrow and a subtle playful smirk.

She seemed to be under the impression that he would willingly engage with her. What exactly gave her the idea that he was interested at all? She probably didn't mind trying this with anyone and everyone.

"I'm not playing your games" he spat out and clenched his jaw, scrunching his nose ever so slightly.

At this the woman's eyebrows furrowed and by some miracle she finally got the message that Hoseok was, in fact, not fond of her at all. He couldn't understand how she'd been so oblivious up until now.

"Games?" she repeated with a threatening tone, but her anger was laced with hurt as her voice shook briefly enough for him to notice.

He remained quietly stoic, arms crossed over his chest, his glare fixed on hers as he finally turned to face her.

"That's what you think of me" her words sounded like something between a question and incredulity. She'd been nothing but nice and she was stuck trying to process this.

As if sent by the universe at the right time, Hobi saw his coworker heading towards them and he sighed relieved the focus would soon shift and he could scurry back into his safe space.

"I'm not going to play a part in this" Hobi muttered under his breath looking at the woman sternly and then glancing over at Miyoung behind her, implying what he didn't want to say out loud.

His neighbor turned around confused and looked at the person approaching. When she turned to look at Hoseok once more, the door nearly slammed her on the face as he had promptly escaped as soon as he had had a chance.

"Hi! Everything okay?" Miyoung asked, her bottom lip jutting out slightly as she looked at the door behind her. "I was hoping to greet Hoseok-ah, I guess he must be busy" she commented with a clueless smile.

"That's what I'd like to know" the other woman answered contemplating what had just happened.

She took one last glance at the door of the man who had just been unnecessarily unpleasant to her and headed down the hallway clearly upset that there was some problem between them that she had been unaware of.

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