I am a twenty-year-old freshman who just entered college this year.

A typical freshman would dream of a shining campus life and romance, but reality wasn't so kind.

The bold declaration of becoming independent from my parents was all well and good, but what actually hit me was the terrifying pressure of rent and living expenses that drain away just by breathing.

In the end, to cut costs, I signed a lease for a cheap, old two-bedroom villa tucked away in a corner behind the university district.

And so, I began a strange cohabitation with two unemployed friends I've known since high school, on the condition that we split the rent 'N-ways'.

Every day, as I drag my exhausted body, worn out from part-time work and studies, and open the front door, I wonder how my life ended up like this... Letting out a deep sigh has become my only daily routine lately.

At the sound of the door lock opening, the first one to peek her head out of her room was Yun Yeon-du, her light green hair neatly combed back.

As she fidgeted with the sleeves of a gray hoodie much larger than her frame and looked at me tentatively, a faint, pleasant scent of soap wafted from her as always.

It was a mystery why she, a slacker who never steps foot outside, insists on showering twice a day to stay clean.

Still, the only reason this cramped, old house hasn't turned into a landfill is thanks to Yeon-du, who mops the floors whenever she can while minding my mood. I gave a small smirk and lightly patted her head.