I unlocked the door, sighing but smiling and bracing myself.

“Did you miss Daddy?” I cooed as my baby went crazy at my feet, getting up on her legs and putting her front paws on my jeans. Even then, she only went up to below my knee.

Laughing, I scooped up my poodle and her brown fur. The doctor had said that getting a dog might help me, and it was actually the best decision I had ever made. I loved Eve the first time I laid eyes on her, and it seemed like I was never unhappy if I had Eve. She seemed to even sense when I was sad, and I thought she was the smartest dog ever.

I dropped my work bag by my couch- probably not surprising, but I moved out of my apartment. It just held so many bad memories for me. I had been there while the moving people had cleared it out, and I had been shocked. My couch had cost so much- I couldn’t believe I had been the one who ripped it apart. My TV was broken, my kitchen looking like a tornado hit it- I couldn’t believe it was me who did it. I couldn’t really remember it, but looking at the different scenes gave me flickers of memories and made me uncomfortable.

Now I lived in a much cheaper area, dominated by young people and the occasional young family. The apartments were nowhere as nice as my old one, and I lived in a weird townhouse thingie- I was attached in a section to other townhouses. It had more trees and wider roads, but you could tell it was cheaper. Eve loved to sniff at the trashbags and junk that littered the road. It had more of a peaceful aura, not the busy and sleek atmosphere of where I used to live.

Finding a new job had been really, really hard. I had the experience to be a good secretary or receptionist, but my dyslexia (the hospital explained to me what it was) really was not good for it, but I really, really wanted to be one. The hospital helped me find a job at a really small dance studio, who wanted someone to clean up and be the receptionist. I had been very embarrassed- apparently companies worked with these hospitals for improving their charitable status by hiring outpatients like me. The people there were really nice though. I was allowed to go to free dance classes which I LOVED.

Clipping on Eve’s leash, I let Eve trot out the door and pull me down her favourite route.

“Eeeb-eh!”

At that voice, Eve began to bark, getting excited already as she tried to run faster as I tried to stop her.

I smiled at the little boy who rushed at us, his arms extended and his eyes on my dog, ready to drop down on his knees and play with my dog.

“No hello for me, Sehun?” I pretended to pout.

“Hi Taeminnie hyung,” Sehun droned, sitting on the ground as Eve tried to his face. He didn’t even look at me.

“Can we move this to the grass or those benches?” Baekhyun complained, walking over to us and eyeing Sehun’s shorts. “The path is dirty, you know that Sehun. Come on.”

I tried not to laugh as Baekhyun hoisted Sehun up by his armpits to move him and Sehun started whining. Sehun had once started crying when I laughed, but he made such funny faces when he was whining.

“He keeps asking me if we can have a dog, it’s all your fault,” sighed Baekhyun as we sat on the bench. “He cries whenever we say no.”

“I don’t mean to cry,” said Sehun, and he looked at Baekhyun with a wobbly lip and teary eyes. “I’m a big boy. I don’t cry!”

“Yes you are, Appa is sorry,” soothed Baekhyun, hugging Sehun and rolling his eyes at me.

Time was slowly and surely passing. Sehun had grown so much taller, Eve was no longer a little puppy. I had met Sehun and Baekhyun last summer, and the sun was shining bright and hot in the sky again. I had met Onew last summer.

And it had been 3 months since I had seen him.

One part of me wished I could never see him again in my life. I was relieved I didn’t need to go to the area I used to work, so I wouldn’t need to bump into him. I even avoided going to chicken stores on the slight off chance that he might be there.

But on the other hand... I didn’t know. I would look at the dancers that came to the studio, all goodlooking and toned. And I wouldn’t feel any spark. My mind didn’t suddenly release love pheromones. When I slept, I still dreamt of Onew, and would wake up crying.

I wanted it to change. I hoped it would.

It seemed like a good ending, like everything was okay. But the one thing I was still upset about was Key- our relationship was effectively broken. I couldn’t stop crying and freaking out when we had our meeting that one time, and Key couldn’t say he forgave me, which freaked me out more. Although he said he didn’t hate me, he said he couldn’t be my friend anymore.

I didn’t like to think about it.

Baekhyun and I talked for a while before the sun started to set.

“Umma’s home now,” Baekhyun said, gathering Sehun up in his arms. “Don’t you want to see her?”

“I want Eeb-eh,” Sehun whined.

“Eve is tired,” I said. “She has to go home and eat dinner, just like you. And then she can play with you tomorrow.”

“Okay,” sighed Sehun, and Baekhyun and I started laughing at his serious expression.

I wasn’t that hungry, but by 9pm I was starving with no ramen in the house. I really, really was craving some hot ramen, maybe even a hot dog. My plans had worked out well then.

“Come on Eve,” I clicked my tongue as I held out her leash.

We walked to a different convenience store that we usually went to, just because I wanted a longer walk for Eve. It was dark but I could see the stars really clearly. I wished that I knew what my life would be like. I wished my life would be easy, and that I would find someone who would love me unconditionally soon. I wished that everything would work out.

I chose my favourite ramen flavour in the shop, deciding to eat out here since I was really hungry while I waited.

Clutching my cup of ramen, a hotdog in one hand and Eve’s leash around my wrist, I stood in front of the hot water container to fill into my cup.

“Shh,” I said as Eve started barking. I fiddled with the knob to let the hot water out. Only a little drip was coming out.

Eve still wouldn’t stop barking at something behind me. Probably a cat.

“Eve,” I said in a warning tone. “Stop.” The hot water let off steam as it finally gushed into my cup.

I let out a yelp as Eve pulled to run toward whatever, breaking my balance. I started to scream because I knew what would happen next- I would fall and the hot water would splash all over me. And my hot dog would get ruined. Speaking of dog, I was going to scold Eve.

But I didn’t fall to the ground.

You know in the movies when the main character sees his love interest again? When the soundtrack stops for the final time, because the beating of your own heart is filling up your ears again? My eyes started to sting as all I could see was a soft cheek, brown hair.  Brown hair that silkily travelled to the nape of his neck, and had been so long since I buried my head in, closed my eyes and be comforted by shampoo. It was like he was oozing some sort of aura that got my heart racing like no other, some sort of electricity that was pulsing into my blood and making me want to just shrink back into him, that made me feel safe yet excited at the same time.

He turned his head to look at me, his eyes meeting mine.

All I could do was stare back with my eyes and mouth wide open. Eve had fallen silent, looking at us with her head tilted.

“Looks like I’m here right on time,” Onew said, shooting me a nervous smile.

I quickly looked down at his hands that were locked against my stomach, looking for proof of what he had told me over Kakaotalk. Guessing what I was doing, Onew stretched out his left hand, bringing it up to my eyes.

“You’re silly,” he chuckled. “I never wore my wedding ring anyway. But it’s true. Taemin…you wanna catch up?”

“I spilt my ramen,” I gulped, still looking at his hands that were touching me, that familiar scent that was engulfing me and making me feel like I was in a riptide of emotion. I hadn’t expected anything less.

“I’ll buy you another one,” Onew said. “If you want me to.”

A/N So they get back together... if you want them to. Or they don't if you don't want them to. Sorry if this is not the ending you wanted. But if I built their relationship up again... this story would be 100 chapters long haha.  Thank you for reading this and upvoting- this took me a monstrous amount of time to finish, thank you all for being patient! I’ve had some amazing comments, to comments about how my story is wrong (their actual words) and I couldn’t be more grateful! I’m going to miss writing this story so much booohooohhooo

Please leave me some comments. I had such a ty day today.

I’ll miss you all, so many kisses! If you’re curious about me, read my blog here: www.missestherz.blogspot.com

So because some of you really like little Sehun and Baek, bonus chapter for you guys!! (I consider the next chapter the true 'ending').