Seulgi happily spends her first week of freedom walking around the city. She acquiants herself with the new shops and food places that seemed to have popped up since the time she was gone. She doesn't have anything to do during the day because Chorong and Bomi are both at work.

Bomi was worried at first that the changes she see might give her shock but she tells her it doesn't and she seems to take her word for it, another thing she's thankful for. But really, Bomi doesn't have anything to worry about because she's keeping up with her meds. And she had a meeting with her new therapist two days ago. Things are going well.

Another thing Seulgi found herself liking lately was the subway. Chorong got her one of those multiple train passes and that's all she really needs to be happy. She walks to the train stop closest to the apartment at around 11AM and she'll take a train ride around Seoul! It's like a fieldtrip of sorts. She gets off the stop at Myeong-dong and eats deokkbokki there. Sometimes, if Bomi remembers to give her more money, she'll eat at one of the fancier places or drink coffee and it's all good because she's making a list of the places where she'll take Soojung when she comes for her. And when Soojung does, Seulgi's going to make sure that she'll show her just how much hardwork she put in the things that matter to her because she loves her.

Seulgi always comes back to the apartment before 5PM. 

Today, she's just in time to see Chorong get their mail on her way up to their floor and they ride the elevator together. 

Chorong always gets home before Bomi does.

"Bomi unnie's some big shot CEO now, isn't she?" Seulgi asks. Chorong laughs at her choice of words.

"What makes you think so?" She says, looks at Seulgi like she's an adorable child, which she kind of is.

"Uncle always says Bomi unnie's going to inherit his company." Seulgi replies, thinking that it's the only explanation as to why Bomi has a really fancy apartment at the age of 26.

"Maybe in the future. But no, not now. She's just a team leader, I think." Chorong smiles at her.

Her answer gives Seulgi comfort. A lot of things have changed but it's not all big changes, not big enough to scare her. She's going to be fine.

They get to the apartment and Chorong starts making dinner. Seulgi helps her cut vegetables for the stew and she listens to her talk about work - she's a lyricist for a big music company - because she learned that sometimes people just need someone to listen to them talk. 

"I have this friend at work, a sunbae, who says that there's a really good pastry shop a few blocks away from the stop at Myeong-dong. You should try it out." Chorong says.

"Pastries?" Soojung likes pastries. Seulgi remembers how happy she becomes when she gives her some, especially if it's a French macaron. She smiles at the thought.

"Yeah. I could maybe ask her to draw a map of the good food places around the area for you." The older girl presses on, seeing Seulgi's reaction.

"That's really nice of you, Chorong unnie. Thank you." Seulgi means every word she says. Soojung will appreciate Chorong's help too. She knows it.

Bomi arrives at the same time as the rice cooker says their rice is done. So they eat dinner together like they've been doing every day. Stories are shared around the table and it feels like they're a family which is really good. 

Chorong talks about her work friend again and Seulgi wonders if Bomi ever gets jealous of Chorong's work friend because she talks about her a lot.

"I have this friend, the same friend I told you about, Seulgi, who knows where you can get great discounts for books!"

"My friend, from work, told me that there's going to be a big clothing sale this weekend. Wanna go tomorrow?"

"My friend and I both think that you should meet her dongsaeng. You'll be great friends, right, Bbom-ah?" 

Bomi looks up from her food, blinks before nodding vigorously. Chorong smiles at her, takes her hand and that's when Seulgi sees it. Her breath hitches in her chest and there's a lump in that she has difficulty swallowing.

"Seul?" Bomi asks, worried. "Is anything wrong?"

"That... what's on your hand?" She manages to say, points at the golden band on the ring finger of Bomi's left hand, similar to the one on Chorong's.

"Oh, you noticed? They're... wedding rings." Bomi says. "We don't mean to scare you, Seul. We thought we'd go slow in breaking the news to you but-" She stops, realizes that whatever she says will not prevent Seulgi from having an episode.

Seulgi shuts her eyes really tight, the heels of her hands press against her temples and she falls off her chair as she starts crying really hard and really loud. There are voices in her head and there's a song playing from somewhere too. She wants it to stop, wants the pain to stop.

Bomi and Chorong run to her side and they hold her, trying to get her to calm down but she doesn't calm down. She hears Bomi apologizing over and over and that's the last thing she remembers before losing consciousness.

--

It's morning when Seulgi wakes up. She's in her bed but still in the same clothes she wore yesterday. She sits and when she looks up, Bomi is at her door, holding a tray of food.

Bomi looks at her for a while, as if testing the waters. Seulgi figures that she should let her know she's okay now because she's strong - even though she failed to prove that last night.

"Good morning." She says, smiles.

Bomi exhales deeply. She steps in the room fully and sets the tray down on the nightstand.

"I thought you were mad at me. I'm really sorry, Seul." She says, hands her chopsticks and a spoon and sets the tray down on her lap. 

"Why didn't you tell me?" Seulgi honestly feels like she's been lied to.

"I was going to but I was afraid that you won't take it well because... you know, you and Soojung were together when Rong and I started dating and... Sorry." Bomi can't go on, can't say that she doesn't want to make her feel bad because she's married now and well, Seulgi's not.

"I can take it. I'm pretty strong!" She says. Bomi just looks at her. She realizes that she might not believe her so she doesn't say anything more and starts to eat.

Chorong appears and she lays out Seulgi's morning meds on a paper napkin with the help of Bomi. Seulgi watches them carefully while she eats, notices how well-coordinated their movements are and she thinks that maybe she and Soojung will look like that when, you know, it's their turn to tie the knot. But the thought goes quickly as it came because it gives her a headache and she chooses to talk about something else.

"How long have you guys been... married?" The last word gets stuck on and leaves a bitter after taste. Weird.

The two exchange glances and she swallows, brings herself to say more. 

"It's okay. You can tell me. I can take it, I swear."

"Three months." Chorong finally says. Seulgi nods slowly.

She takes deep breaths, feels a wave of dread and sadness threaten to engulf her but she resists it, keeps her head floating above the waters.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there to see you get married, unnie." Seulgi says to Bomi. Bomi smiles weakly at her. "But was the ceremony good?"

"It was. It would have been better if you were there." Bomi puts her hand on top of hers and she gives it a squeeze.

"Congratulations." She says and finally gets to smile with her eyes, the one that Bomi knows is genuine.

"Thank you. Now, finish your food and take your meds. We'll go somewhere fun." She pats her head and Seulgi nods.

--

Somewhere fun turns out to be the mall, Bomi's mall (her father is a rich business tycoon in that sector). Bomi gives her more money than usual and tells her to buy anything she wants with that money while she and Chorong meet some people. She doesn't ask why she can't go with them because she knows that they're probably doing stuff married couples do, like meeting other married couples and talking about their married lives which only makes her wish that Soojung would come for her sooner.

She's told to meet them at the all day breakfast place on the 3rd level for lunch. And so, she says 'see you later' to them and walks around the mall on her own. 

She looks at shoes first - they forgot to buy her a pair the last time they shopped and she only has those sneakers Bomi lends her - and finds a pair of Oxford lace ups she likes. Soojung would probably like these too so she asks the salesperson for her size and pays for it. She has some money left over and she heads to the bookstore to kill time before she meets up with her alleged parents again.

Seulgi looks at the novels and makes a list of the books Soojung would have her read. She's about to take a Jane Austen book off the shelf when a tall and definitely not Asian looking woman walks up to her.

"Excuse me, miss." 

A conflict arises because Seulgi can't understand English. She swallows and looks up at the giantess.

"Do you know where I can get one of those Korean-English dictionaries?"

Seulgi looks blankly at her, mouth hanging open.

"No English." She replies, tries to keep her cool even though she's freaking out deep inside.

"Oh, are there no Korean-English dictionaries here?" The foreigner asks.

"No English." Seulgi repeats. The woman makes to walk away but a girl appears and talks her up.

"I think what she's trying to say is that she can't understand English." The girl replies in the same language. "The reference books are over there." The girl points. She and the tourist talk some more English that Seulgi doesn't understand even one bit of.

The foreigner leaves but the other girl stays and surprises her by talking in perfect Korean.

"She was asking for a Korean-English dictionary. But it's okay. I told her where it is." The girl says to her, completely devoid of emotion.

"Where... where is it?" Seulgi asks and the girl points her to that direction too. She thanks her and heads over there. 

She forgets about buying a novel completely and just gets one of those dictionaries because she remembers how Soojung is such a great English speaker and she knows she'll be so proud of her when she hears that she's learning the language. What better way is there to prove to Soojung that Seulgi's invested in all of the things that she values than this? She thinks that she should have learned English a long time ago and that maybe if she had, Soojung wouldn't ask for this break. But she's convinced that a conflict is necessary for her to get her happy ending and she takes comfort in that. 

She's gonna get her happy ending soon. Soojung's coming back to her and all that's left to do is to prepare for that. Man, Soojung'll be so surprised to see how much Seulgi has changed for the better! And she'll be staying this time. That's for sure. 

Right?

---------------------------

A/N: I should warn you all that is going to be angsty. And nowhere near the fun and humor that was OTPF. And it's completely different story anyway. I was told that my writing was childish so I'm trying a more mature approach on things. I do hope you will all stick around for the long ride. Thanks for subscribing and reading! Please do comment if you have the time :)

P.S. To those asking about Soojung. She's not dead. Or is she? JK. You'll see. 

- Bluekimchi