The weekend before Sehun's graduation affairs, I went to visit my parents. I had initially been wary that Mrs. Choi wouldn't be too fond of me carting off to Yongin, especially so soon, but she had said it was good to get out and even offered to call a private car to take me.

"You know, you watch all these evil Mother-in-laws on television," Mom was saying as I helped her cook dinner that night—Dad was still at the factory, now taking back his post as engineer while the Ohs handled the more pressing matters, "and sometimes that does happen, but I think you've managed to miss out on that bout of bad luck."

I shook my head. "Maybe you watch too many dramas?" I suggested. "I think Mrs. Choi can be a hard if she wants but she has no reason to treat me any other way than nicely because I've done nothing but comply with everything she's asked so far."

"Very true."

A few beats of silence passed.

"So," Mom started. She didn't look up at me as she chopped carrots for the stew we were making. "How is Sehun?"

I sighed. "I honestly wouldn't know. He's had finals and when he isn't at school, he's either at the office or out with his friends. He doesn't want anything to do with me. If I try to talk to him, he just snaps at me."

"Have you tried being nice?" Mom asked. I glared. "Give it some time. It's only been 3 weeks."

I hadn't realized it really had been 3 weeks—almost 4. In the very beginning, I had a small voice in the back of my mind telling me I wouldn't even make it halfway through the honeymoon. Yet, here I was, Sehun's wife of 28 days. I had hoped to make more progress than I had at this point, both with Sehun and PBC, but so far I had only managed to fight with Sehun and I had yet a chance to ask anything of PBC that got me real answers. I had mentioned something to Mrs. Choi a few days before but she had offhandedly said something about there being a lot of tedious work that shouldn't have even been an issue and then continued with discussing what kind of remodeling she wanted to do in the guesthouse.

My mother mostly kept away from the topic of Sehun for the next couple of days. Apparently a couple of neighbors had been up to a lot in the past few months. One of the young women had gotten married and one was having a baby and another was going to school in the UK. Mom had fun filling me in on all the gossip while I helped her with gardening. I even got a visit in with a couple of friends who I had went to high school with. I hadn't expected it to be quite so awkward but I had to be so careful not to let anything about contracts and Sehun's deeds slip that I mostly avoided speaking about myself at all despite the many questions they'd all had for me. It saddened me a little but I could feel what friendships I'd had start to slip away by the time I was packed and ready to return to Seoul on Sunday. 

"I'll be back soon and you're always welcome to visit me," I told Mom as I hugged her. Behind us, the driver loaded my bag into the trunk and got into the driver's seat. "I'll text you when I get home. I love you."

After a few more words and another hug, I was finally in the car and toying with my headphones to pass the time. A ping signaled a notification, a text specifically.

Minseok: just a fair warning. sehun celebrated his graduation last night. have a safe trip.

I contemplated taking painkillers for the headache I could already feel coming on. I sent a quick reply back to Minseok, thanking him for the warning and asking how his sister was then I put my headphones on and decided to go for a short nap.

It was just past noon when I was finally inside the apartment complex and toting my bag out of the elevator on the 5th floor. Minseok hadn't given me any sort of context to what exactly Sehun had done so I treaded carefully as I entered the apartment and set my bag next my shoes. Besides the thumping of my heartbeat, everything was silent. I made to start toward the kitchen when I noticed the shoe lying haphazardly next to the couch.

I paused for a moment, chewing on my bottom lip, then continued into the kitchen. I quietly made myself a cup of coffee and sat down at the island. I took a few sips to calm myself, texted my mother that I was home, and waited 15 minutes before I heard anything. 

The bedraggled girl that came waddling out of Sehun's bedroom couldn't have been much younger than me. She took a moment to swipe a couple fingers underneath her eyes, though it did nothing to help the smear of last night's makeup, and then adjusted her skintight purple dress. Silently, she crept over the floor, and I noticed she was holding one of the strappy stilettos in her hand.

"The other one's by the couch," I said into my coffee.

The girl let out a high pitched shriek and dropped the one shoe, spinning around. "What the hell!" she shouted, one hand to her chest.

The bedroom door she had just shut came open and Sehun, clutching his bedsheet around his waist, looked wildly around the room, eyes landing on last night's company. 

"What the hell are you yelling about? I told you to leave," he snapped hoarsly.

The girl looked accusingly at Sehun. "You told me your wife was out of town," she spat back at him, pointing at me.

"I was," I answered for him, his eyes sweeping towards me. He swallowed, his Adam's apple moving up and back down his throat and he closed his eyes, leaning on the door frame. I set my coffee aside and went to grab both of the girl's heels. Reaching into one of the laundry baskets I had left sitting behind the one armchair in the room, I grabbed a loose knit sweater and went to the girl. "Do me a favor and leave through the garage so no one can take pictures, please?" I handed her both shoes and sweater. She openly gaped at me, then her eyes darted to Sehun, as if asking permission to accept what I was saying.

He remained silent, giving the girl no choice.