Shin, Tei, and Rim had been roommates—and partners—for quite some time now, happily sharing a three-person relationship that seemed to work perfectly for all of them. As the college semester progressed, however, assignments began piling up, weighing heavily on everyone, especially Rim. The pressure didn’t just tire him—it began to affect how he coped with things. While Shin and Tei seemed to push through the stress with their usual energy, Rim struggled quietly. The imbalance made him feel isolated, like he was falling behind in more ways than one. Instead of opening up, he withdrew, brushing off concern and spending more time alone. The distance between them grew in small, almost invisible ways—missed conversations, avoided touches, forced smiles. Shinuko had just returned from class. After hanging up his coat, he stepped into their apartment and walked toward the kitchen, where he found Rim alone. Rim’s attention was entirely absorbed in what he was doing, his posture tense, movements distracted—like his mind was somewhere far away. Shinuko lingered in the doorway for a moment, watching him. Something felt off. Not just stress—something deeper. He stepped forward gently. “Hey… Rim?” Rim startled slightly, turning too quickly, as if pulled out of a place he didn’t want to be seen. For a second, there was hesitation in his eyes—like he was deciding whether to pretend everything was fine.