By the time she starts work on her next drama the attention on her has died down. Things are better now, calmer than before. But also exciting within their private circle since they all found out Jaejoong is pregnant thanks to Hyori's sharp senses. Their close group of friends know but her pregnancy is a secret beyond that.

Meanwhile Minyoung thought it's best to give Jaejoong and Yunho privacy and returned to her mother's place. She'd rarely go to her other house, one that she and Changwook bought when he asked her to move in with her after their mothers ed them one too many times. But Minyoung would check up on the house in that neighbourhood time and again while also visiting Jaejoong.

She's in the weird craving phase where she only wants to eat things that are pineapple flavoured, that also included wrestling a pineapple scented candle out of her hands. And she also loves sniffing fresh sweets. Lieutenant Shin and Park Yoochun are the two gophers who have to bring her desserts and eat them once Jaejoong decides they are no longer aromatic. Minyoung would've helped but she has a diet to stick to.

Minyoung had arrived on the set 15 minutes ago after dropping by her favourite house when Jaejoong said that a friend of her mother-in-law’s is looking to buy that home. Minyoung who's pretty bummed over no contact with the man she's supposed to be engaged to is close to tears about losing the home she fell in love with.

Yunho assured her that his mother's friend only wants to get a house in this neighbourhood and has not necessarily picked this house. Besides he'll keep away any other buyers till she's made up her mind.

But she can't help but feel anxious that nothing is working out. Even as she's waiting for filming to begin while her stylist fusses over her ponytail she's got a hundred thoughts running through her mind.

Including the fact that Ji Changwook was discharged from the military yesterday.

She's close to exhausting her willpower resisting watching those videos and pictures posted by fans who were there at Changwook and Geunseuk's discharge. But she almost gave in when her mother unknowingly revealed she's having dinner with Changwook and his mother.

Yoojin didn't know of course. When his mother called her over for a private dinner night Yoojin assumed Minyoung would be there and casually asked if she should bring dessert. Yoojin has been clueless as ever through the non-engagement, her daughter's dramatic award night proclamation, and the initial aftermath of being stalked by nosey bodies.

Not wanting to worry her Minyoung said she can't make it because of filming but to go ahead and take her popular yaksik that Changwook loves. She's not lying about working considering she couldn’t clear her schedule when she didn't know he's meeting their mothers on the night after his discharge.

But she's upset that he has the time to go out with Geunseuk, meet their other friends for drinks and then have dinner with her mother without giving her a heads up let alone sending a single call or text since returning to the civilian life.

Would it kill him to give her at least a tiny hint if his proposal still stands? Or is this his answer? Is he letting her mother know first before he breaks up with her?

Well whatever! If he doesn't have the integrity to face her than she's not going to waste time and energy mulling over him.

When the director hollers for all the actors to come closer, she banishes Ji Changwook from her mind temporarily. It's not difficult when she sees the tense expressions on the director's and the production staff's faces. The director waits till the cast and crew are gathered around him before he makes an exasperated announcement. "We have to cancel filming this scene. We found some issues with the script which will not pass with the network. So we will rewrite a new scene which we'll film on a later date."

"Can't we film something else instead today?" A staffer behind Minyoung asks. "We don't have the required permissions for those sites. Let's just stick to the schedule for now. The rewrite should be complete by next week. Everyone can head home today. We'll meet tomorrow." With that the PD dismisses everyone.

Minyoung trudges to her car, greeting staff on the way with a fake smile. She's now miffed that the two hours getting dressed and the effort of rehearsing today's scene with her co-stars are wasted. Wordlessly she sits inside her car waiting for her manager.

In her sulky mood she reaches for that unicorn pouch in her bag and checks on the ring as she's prone to do every time she's away from it for more than 10 minutes. It's still there, shining as if mocking her.

Saying yes was supposed to make things right. Then why does it feel like she's the farthest from the man she loves?

Her phone rings with a call from Jaejoong. Minyoung quickly schools her composure before answering. She doesn't get the chance to complete a greeting when Jaejoong is shrieking from the other side. "She's buying the house! She's buying the house!" Minyoung feels her heart stop. The house... her dream house... she's about to lose it too.

There's some rustling on the other end and Jaejoong is loudly hushed when Yunho's voice is heard. "Minyoung-ssi, don't worry about it. That lady only said she liked the house. She hasn't decided yet. I've already told the management to hang on to it. They will convince mom's friend to buy the house behind ours instead."

But even as Yunho says that Minyoung questions the point of it all. She fell in love with that house so quickly only because she pictured living there with Changwook as her husband. But now she can't even tell if she has a future with him anymore.

Maybe it's time she stopped clinging to a futile dream.

"Daejang... you don't have to do anything... I don't want that house anymore."

"Minyoung-ssi..."

"It's okay... I just decided I want to live there impulsively. I have to stop fantasizing and get back to reality now."

"... I don't know about you but picturing a future with Jaejoong has always been the reality that keeps me alive in some of the toughest situations."

"I'm not a soldier."

"I'm not one anymore either. But it doesn't stop us from trusting our heart and following our instinct just as you did four months ago." Minyoung doesn't know why but she blushes at the reminder. "I'm going to keep the house on hold for as long as we don't get to call you neighbour. Till then you need to talk to your soldier." There is more rustling sounds before Jaejoong squeals, "See you soon future neighbour." And she ends the call.

Those two certainly lifted her mood albeit a little. She needs to sort her thoughts and emotions before finally having a proper conversation with Changwook. If it's the end, fine then. It'll still be better than keeping whatever is left of their relationship in limbo.

Her manager slips into the driver's seat then. "You have the rest of the day free. So where do you want to go?"

Closing her fist over the pouch that has her ring, Minyoung barely manages to rasp out, "Home..."

~~~

It feels foreign to her when she opens the door. For a few seconds she simply stands at the threshold waiting for the familiarity to return. She only goes inside and shuts the door behind her when she heard voices in the hallway.

Yet she can't feel at home. Maybe because it's been weeks since she was here. Or perhaps she's imagined herself at home with that other house she might never get. Or could it be because he's not here.

When she slips out of the heels and into her slippers, she notices there's a thin layer of dust on surfaces from the lack of maintenance. She hates dust. Her skin already feels itchy and ticklish. Her eyes are stinging too but it's from all the mixed feelings.

For a moment Minyoung has to wonder if Changwook feels the same. She's always wondered what he's thinking through this all.

This might be the first time she's wondering if their thoughts match. It’s stark to anyone who knows them. They're too different, almost mismatched. He's introverted, she's not. He prefers bikes, she likes books. He goes all out in relationships, she's always been the insecure one. Yet he works hard for both of them. At least he used to.

Just the reminder of him obsessively cleaning so she's not distressed by her dust allergies swell up her heart. Can time apart really change that? It's not even like they were maintaining a long distance relationship.

Sitting on the couch, Minyoung is lost in thought for a long time that she's startled hearing the door open and loud barking followed by the pitter patter of paws. And then that voice... "Kkoma-yah! Let me at least take off your leash!" But the dog doesn't care much hopping over to the couch where Minyoung is and sitting at her feet.

Minyoung reaches for Kkoma and pets the dog that's been doing a better job at keeping her company than his master. She's been looking after him for the most of Changwook's absence after all. He most likely sensed her presence before his owner.

Minyoung takes off its leash and lets the dog hop on her lap for more cuddles. Meanwhile she waits, even as he talks still in the entryway unaware there's another human in the house.

"Aish Leon! You're so heavy now! How much have your grandmothers been feeding you puppies?"

Leon? When did Changwook get her dog too? Leon has been with her mother for months since her award night debacle.

"Both of you have to play outside okay? I have to clean the house before your mommy is back-" He chokes on his words seeing there's another person in the house. It takes a brief second for him to recognize the face he hasn't seen in person for months.

Minyoung stares at him with unexplainable nervousness anticipating something like disdain from him. Instead he slips into their usual dynamic.

"Yah! Why is the house so dirty? Just because I'm not around did you have to let the dust gather? Couldn't you at least call a service!"

He's not pretending he hasn't changed. It truly hasn't changed between them for him, at least not in a bad way. He can still scold her for not taking care of herself even if he probably knows she hasn't been in this house for a long time.

"Now I know why Kkoma ran off like that. Little traitor!" He glowers playfully at his dog that's nestling in her arms, "Go, take the kids out till I finish cleaning." He lets Leon go to her but pauses when he realizes something. "Wait, aren't you supposed to be filming? You're all dressed up. Do you have to go to your set?"

Minyoung struggles to find her voice but ends up stuttering, "Fi-filming was can...cellled...tech-technical...issues."

"oh great! So you want to go out? I need to buy a lot of things. And there's no food too." When he speaks his boyish charm shows though he still has the traits of a soldier, prominently his cropped hair under the baseball cap she gifted him.

She doesn't know what came over her but she's overwhelmed. Before she knows it she's pushing Kkoma off her lap on the couch and is walking across the space to him. Her eyes tear up even before she's reached him, but she hides her face in his chest. It's futile though because her body is trembling with muffled sobs as fingers clutch his t-shirt like her life depends on it.

He's surprised by her sudden mood only for a few seconds. His arms soon envelope her, one arm around her waist, the other the back of her head as he always does.

"What? Did you miss me that much?" Minyoung wants to kick him for being so clueless and insensitive about how she's felt till he said something that explained so much. "If I'd known you'd be this sad I'd have found a way around the agency's blanket ban on communication with you."

Minyoung's sobs come to an abrupt halt and she pulls away to look at him with a frown. "Say what?"

"Our agencies decided I should not contact you for the remainder of my service. They said you're being stalked by sasaengs and I could get you into trouble. I thought you knew... but your reaction clearly says otherwise..."

So that's what it was? Her agency decided such a thing and she wasn't kept in the loop! Sure she has been in a delicate situation with all the invasive threats to