“It’s said that there was a maiden who loved a soldier. The soldier was very passionate about his job, and when the chance came to protect his country, he jumped at it. But the maiden wasn’t happy; she got very worried that he might lose his life at war, especially when it began dragging longer than it should. She told the soldier to stop, to find someone as replacement on the front lines, since he had served for so long, but the soldier was adamant. So the maiden went to a sorceress and tailor-made this ring. It was said that the ring could transport the one wearing it to an alternate universe when the person’s life is being threatened. The maiden made the soldier wear the ring, and indeed, just a few days later, the soldier was gone. But he didn’t die; he just went to another universe. The maiden cried for days on, but nobody could understand, because to them, it was like the soldier never existed.”

“Ah, what a sad story,” Myungsoo commented.

“You think so? But the maiden was pretty foolish. Whether she gave him the ring or not, he’d still be taken away from her. But because she did, she had to pay a price and in addition, suffer on her own. Everyone must have thought she was crazy, crying for so long without a reason.”

“You must not have fallen in love before. Obviously, she wanted the soldier to live on, whether or not he was by her side.”

“I know, but who can guarantee that the soldier will be happy in that other universe where he doesn’t know anyone? It’s ridiculous, isn’t it?”

“You’re too rational. It’s a fairytale.”

“I wouldn’t do something as stupid.”

“Wait a minute, why were we talking about this?” Myungsoo said, suddenly realizing how much they’ve digressed, “Ah, right, the ring! So it is the ring which brought me here!”

“The ring…” Naeun mumbled absent-mindedly, and then said, “So you’re really from another universe?”

“Why do you not believe me?” Myungsoo exclaimed in grievance.

“Because the whole idea is ridiculous.”

“But ridiculous things happen.”

Naeun looked at Myungsoo for a few moments and silence lingered between the two.

“Fine, let’s take it that I believe you. End of conversation. I have things to do,” She said as she walked out of the bedroom door.

“You have to help me find the ring! I can’t be staying here forever!” He shouted.

“Don’t worry, it’s not like I want you to, either!” She shouted back in reply.

Naeun emerged from the white tent again and shook her head.

“That was where the detained items were kept, but there’s no ring in there. I asked all the soldiers too, and they claimed that nobody saw it.”

Myungsoo grimaced and messed up his hair in frustration.

“There has to be a way out of this,” He muttered. When he looked up again, Naeun was already walking away.

“Hey!” He called out, “Where are you going? Can I join you?”

“No,” She replied flatly, “Do you want to pay another two hundred thousand won?”

“Why would I have so much money?”

“Precisely, you don’t, so stay away.”

“But I have nothing to do! I have no money after paying the fine, and you won’t let me enter the house without you.”

“That can’t be helped,” She said indifferently, and continued walking on.

Naeun was sitting lazily in front of the television, switching channels, when two cups of steaming hot chocolate were placed in front of her.

“What’s this?” She said, surprised.

“You’re asking me? It’s from your house. Hot chocolate,” Myungsoo replied.

“Why’re you suddenly making hot chocolate for me?” Naeun said, “What motive do you have –”

“Are people in the military all like that?” Myungsoo cut in, “Does everything people do have to have an ulterior motive?”

“It’s because you’re still a suspicious person,” She pointed out, before taking a sip of the warm beverage.

“Let’s get to know each other better then, Naeun,” Myungsoo said, gazing at her with a little smile, “Then you won’t find me a suspicious character anymore.”

Naeun didn’t reply, but kept her focus on switching channels, as if she hadn’t heard a word he’d spoken.

“Do you have something you like to do? Other than ordering soldiers around?”

Naeun stared straight ahead at the television set.

“I like photography,” Myungsoo began, “I like having the ability to capture every moment, and looking back on photos help me relieve memories which sometimes slip my mind. There are interesting times when I capture something unexpected too. Like you.”

Only the music from the television sounded when Myungsoo stopped talking.

“I know you’re listening to me, even if you won’t say a thing,” Myungsoo said, and then gulped down a mouthful of hot chocolate.

“What do you want me to say? There are things that I don’t just simply share with a stranger.”

“Are we strangers?” He asked, “Naeun?”

“Well, we’re not friends,” Naeun replied, “Even if you know my name.”

“We’re at least acquaintances then,” He concluded.

“Does it even matter?”

“It does. Acquaintances are a step closer to being friends. Don’t you want a new friend?”

“How old are you?” Naeun asked, laughing a little, “Why do you talk like a child?”

“Oh, you’re finally interested to know more about me,” Myungsoo teased, smiling, “I’m twenty-one this year, anyway.”

Naeun looked at him for a few moments and then said, “It wasn’t a serious question. I actually know, because I saw your identification card.”

“Ah, I see.”

Naeun took their cups to the sink and said, “When are you leaving, by the way? I’m not very used to having someone else in my house.”

Myungsoo let out a helpless laugh, “Did you have to ask? It’s only my second day here and you sound like you can’t wait to get rid of me.”

“I just don’t like having someone else in my house.”

“I’ll be staying here until I find that ring,” Myungsoo said, “I searched around the market near where you work, just this afternoon. But there’s no sign of it. Can you, like, put up some ‘missing ring’ poster?”

Naeun actually laughed out loud.

“Other than the fact that the idea sounds really funny, that ring is a valuable antique. It’s unlikely anyone would return it unless we offer a really hefty sum for the reward. And there are quite a number of specimens around, just like the one in my house. It would be difficult for you to get the right one.”

“That’s so much better than nothing, or searching the whole village on my own. Do it!”

“Are you paying?” Naeun shot back.

“Why’re you so calculative? Don’t you want me to leave faster?”

Naeun thought for a while, and then nodded, “You’re right. I’ll get it done soon.”

“Thank you!” Myungsoo exclaimed with a bright grin.

Naeun muttered, “I can’t believe I have to pay so much just to restore peace in my house…”

“Hey…” Myungsoo made a sound of disapproval and narrowed his eyes at Naeun upon hearing her words, but then quickly broke into a smile and said, “I know you actually like having me around.”

Myungsoo made his way back to his allocated room and closed the door. Then, he leaned on the door and sighed deeply. He let himself fall to the ground and hung his head down.

I know you actually like having me around. He wondered if he was trying to convince Naeun, or himself.

Looking at the unfamiliar surroundings around him, his vision became blurred.

He wondered when, and more importantly, if he was ever going to get home.

Naeun woke up to the aroma of toasted bread and omelette.

“Oh, you’re awake,” Myungsoo said as Naeun walked to the washroom, “Good morning.”

Naeun sat down on the table and creased her brows as she looked at the spread.

“Why do you have that expression on your face?” Myungsoo, who was sitting opposite her then, asked, “Do you not like it?”

“Can you stop being so nice? I don’t know what to think about you.”

Myungsoo chuckled, “Think anything you want. I’m doing this because I feel bad for being a free-loader.”

“I can take care of myself perfectly well, so you don’t have to do this. Just stay here quietly until the day you leave.”

“You know what? Apart from the hairstyle, you look exactly the same as her, but you’re nothing like what I imagined her to be.”

“What are you talking about?”

Myungsoo showed Naeun that particular picture on his camera.

“I hope you haven’t been imagining me as her.”

“It’s difficult, even if I wanted to.”

“Is she someone you admire?”

“Maybe, maybe not. I don’t know her, but it’s interesting how she ended up in my camera, so I’m curious.”

“She may not like you being curious about her.”

“Are you referring to yourself?” Myungsoo teased.

“I’m going to work,” Naeun said, “Are you going out?”

“Yes, wait a moment!” Myungsoo grabbed his camera bag and hurried to the front door before Naeun locked it.

Most of the time, Myungsoo asked random questions and Naeun answered. Sometimes, they talked a little more from there. Their relationship was simple, but Myungsoo thought that was good enough; he was going to have to leave one day anyway.

“Do you like flowers?”

“Only if they are blooming.”

“Do you like clouds?”

“Yes, the fluffy and white ones, when I happen to look up at the sky.”

“Do you gaze at stars?”

“There are hardly any stars here, but if there were, I wouldn’t mind doing so.”

“Do you like coffee or tea?”

“Coffee. It can get too bitter at times, but it’s exciting. Tea is too bland.”

Myungsoo also noticed how Naeun returned home earlier, after that day he asked, “Can you come back a little earlier next time? Even if I comb this whole region, I run out of things to do.”

Even if Naeun was reticent and cautious, he observed and knew that she wasn’t who she seemed to be. To everyone who knew her, she was strong and individualistic, but he observed the little things she did.

The way the sides of her lips curved up slightly when she ate something she liked. The way she looked away while watching sad scenes. The way she creased her brows while watching people being abused in those documentaries. The way she stared at this dried daisy chain. Her smile. Her cringes. Her gazes.

Maybe he noticed a bit too much. But it’s probably because he’s too bored, Myungsoo thought.

Over dinner one day, he decided to ask something that wasn’t just random, something he was genuinely curious about.

“Do you like drawing?”

“I used to,” Naeun vaguely replied, “But how would you know this?”

“I saw some of your drawings in your room when I tried to clean up a little the other day –”

“You looked at my things?” Naeun exclaimed, “Didn’t I make the rules clear from the very start?”

“Don’t shout at me like I’m one of your soldiers!” Myungsoo retorted, “I only happened to see it.”

“Don’t touch my things again.”

“Fine…” Myungsoo said, raising up his hands in surrender.

“Why did you stop, though? They’re beautiful.”

Naeun didn’t reply and clanking of silverware heightened the tension in the atmosphere.

Myungsoo excused himself to wash the dishes while Naeun finished her food.

“Because they’re worthless,” Naeun suddenly said as they watched a documentary together.

“Hm?” Myungsoo turned to look at her with raised brows.

“Those drawings. However much I tried, however beautiful I thought they were, no one would appreciate them, so they were worthless.”

“If it’s any consolation, I really do like them.”

“It doesn’t matter anymore,” Naeun said, looking away.

“You don’t really like your job now, do you?”

Myungsoo thought he heard her voice crack, but maybe that was just an illusion, because she replied again in her usual firm tone, “What makes you think that? I really enjoy it, telling people off and ordering them around.”

Myungsoo chuckled, “Surely that wasn’t the reason why you joined the military?”

“Why not? It is.”

“Why do you keep doing something you don’t like?”

“Sometimes it’s necessary,” Naeun said and then raised her voice as she turned to Myungsoo, “Would you stop asking?”

“I-I’m sorry…” Myungsoo stuttered as he looked into her watery eyes.

Myungsoo could only look as Naeun got up and went back to her room silently. He bit his lip. Did I push too far?

As Naeun sat on her bed and looked out of the window at the dull village, she let her tears flow down freely.

Why does he keep making the right guesses? Why does he keep asking the right questions? Why does he understand me more than myself?

“Myungsoo?” Naeun called his name for the first time in the three weeks they’d known each other.

Myungsoo looked at her, startled, and then found himself smiling.

“Yes?”

“It’s unfair,” She said, “You know me so much more than I know you.”

“You… want to know me?”

“Sometimes I do. But I guess it doesn’t matter. The past, I mean.”

Myungsoo nodded.

“It doesn’t matter, but I’ll tell you.”

“Am I hearing things?” Myungsoo smiled, “You’re going to share your private past with me? Does that mean we’re friends now?”

“Maybe. Something tells me that I should tell you. Maybe it’s because you don’t belong here that I have a little bit more trust in you.”

“I’ll listen,” Myungsoo said, moving a little closer to Naeun, “Go ahead.”

Naeun bit her bottom lip.

I'll listen.

His warmth reminded her of a distant past, a certain someone. But she wasn’t planning to share that part with him.