IMO it is the same as anything that a group of friends have done together for a period of time and all of a sudden one doesn't do it anymore, even taken to the far extreme example that you all get together on certain nights and play poker, all of a sudden you announce you are not playing poker anymore but keep truning up on poker nights its going to be a bit weird for them isn't it?! A real friend would not care and just want your company as the activity is irrelevant between real friends...sounds like drinking buddies to me?!