After another week of staying at her parents', Seungyeon finally decided that it was time to be independent. Again. 

Later on, a month before her sageuk drama ended, Seungyeon was offered a leading role in an upcoming manhwa-based drama. It was a relief for her to find more reasons to be a busy bee as that would keep her thoughts of Jonghyun at bay.

And it was during a certain free day when she decided to spend her afternoon outdoors.

Seungyeon wandered through a park near her new apartment, pausing to watch a group of mallards swim in leisurely circles around the manmade pond. She tore bits of her croissant and tossed them into the water, but the ducks didn't seem interested- they just kept paddling along, quacking softly against themselves, while the bits of pastry grew waterlogged and eventually sank. 

"Maybe they'd already eaten," she thought to herself. 

And then her anxiety kicked in. "Or maybe they hate me too. Just like everybody else."

With slumping shoulders, she turned and thrudged through the park, not even noticing the colorful flowers or the crowds of people stopping to check if it was the real Gong Seungyeon they just saw; her mind was awhirl with memories and self-recriminations and "what ifs."

Lost in thought, and with no particular destination in mind, she was surprised to look up and find herself in front of the building of Jonghyun's penthouse. Yet again.

It made sense, actually, that her subconscious would lead her back here. It had been her home during the happiest period in her life.

She made her way through the lobby, smiling wanly at the doormen and receptionists she passed. She remembered how always excited she'd been everytime she hurried through the revolving doors to go home and see Jonghyun. 

And now... she just felt completely lost and alone.

Blinking back the tears she felt welling in her eyes, she stepped into the elevator, swiped her keycard, and hit the "penthouse" button.

When she walked into the apartment, she knew instantly that she would stumble upon an empty place since the movers had long been here and had taken the rest of Jonghyun's things away. His personality, his charisma had always permeated every inch of this space, and now it just felt... empty.

Maybe coming up here hadn't been such a good idea after all, she felt glumly, and sniffled--- catching just the faintest hint of Jonghyun's cologne lingering in the air.

Even that would be gone soon enough.

"Seungyeon?"

The soft voice startled her, and whipped around to see Jungshin walking out of the master's bedroom, his forehead creased in puzzlement. 

"...Hello," she responded, wracking her brain to think of an excuse for her presence.

"Uh, Jonghyun's not here," he said, leaning against the doorframe and crossing his arms over his chest. "He left for the army, almost three months now." Thinking how insensitive he sounded, he slightly cursed as he realized that of course she knew the reason for Jonghyun's absence. 

Seungyeon just thought he was being funny.  "I know," she responded without thinking.

"I was just wandering around for awhile." She paused to swallow the lump in . 

"And then I ended up back here," she finished sadly.

"Sounds