| T I M E  H O P |

 “It’s been so long, it’s really a pleasure to see you and it’s an honor to have your comeback appearance in our show. I’m sure all of your fans missed you. So how has Actress Bae Ahreum been?”

Smiling shyly, Ahreum looked at the audience area. Everyone were screaming as the MC finished her question. Today, after almost three years of hiatus since her pregnancy, is her very first TV appearance again. Recently, she had signed for a new project she will be in after such a long rest and the agency let it be spread right away which lead her to tons of TV guesting invitations. “Thank you. I really miss this. . . kind of atmosphere. Wah~ I’m so excited right now.” She giggles while clapping her hands; it automatically made everyone scream.

They all missed her cuteness.

“Aigoo~ our cutesy Ahreum ssi is still the same as ever even after having triplets, ne?” The MC asks. Aside from her, a rookie girl group; also came as guests and they were all adoring the beautiful and youthful mother as well, letting her shine the most as the attention and segment is for her. After all, she was gone for a long time. “Speaking of which, I know, as a mother, I would assume that it was totally fun. I only had a daughter and I almost felt like giving up in the midst of it. How. . . about triplets? Does it also triplets the hardships?” The MC adds.

Ahreum tucks a strand of hair behind her ear before showing her thinking face. “Well. . . it’s been a great experience for me although they were partly tough. I think. . . every mother knows what I’m talking about when I say no matter how many times I replay every scene from when I was just carrying them in my tummy until I gave birth in my head still gives me chills and makes me really proud.” She explains and the people in the audience especially the mothers were all nods. “Of course, exactly. Aigoo~ these young girls with us are all clueless but they’re like ne ne~” The MC pulls a joke on the girl group with them which earned laughter from the audience and even the group themselves.

“Well anyway, is it true that your husband is serving the military at the moment?” She then asks next after that laughter has died down. Ahreum nods right away with a calm smile. “Yes. . . it’s been eight months since he got enlisted.” She answered thoroughly. “Omo, isn’t it hard? I mean, with the triplets and you don’t have your husband? It must be hard for him too, ne? he can’t see his young sons.” The MC asks with a frown. Ahreum sighed still with a calm smile. “Yes, because of the situation, we don’t always get to talk on the phone but whenever we do, there’s never a day he doesn’t tell me he misses the triplets. Actually he hasn’t had any furlough since because of some circumstances that happened there. But he will have soon, hopefully.” She explains.

“Omo, for eight months? That’s very sad but we can’t complain or question the military. It must be hard for the both of you.”

Ahreum just gave a nod this time while grinning. Deep inside, talking about it made her feel lonely again. At such early enlistment, Kyungsoo was talked through by his uncles there and assigned him to help in the base’s office and recently there was a calamity at a certain secluded area far away where they volunteered for a long time until the area goes stable. It refrained him and the others to have the furloughs they were supposed to have. “You must miss him so much, aigoo. Clap for Miss Bae Ahreum, she’s a superwoman for being so strong, it’s not easy to be strong in your situation. She’s really back just as adorable as the last time we saw her, everyone. Bae Ahreum!~” The MC pronounces that made everyone applause right away. Ahreum shyly bows her head a couple of times while giving off her best smile.

_ _ _

Stepping out of the subway, Kyungsoo stretched his worn out arms while yawning. It was a long trip, a very long trip just to go home. He closes his eyes for a while enjoying that familiar and distinct scent of the city. It’s been a while since he last had this feeling. The camp they were in looked very dull and hot and the province they had to volunteer at were no any different because of the calamity that happened there, nevertheless, the air there was much fresher than of this city.

So he missed such difference.

And most of all, he misses his family to death.

No one will every understand his and other men in the service’s hardship until they were in their shoes.

It’s not the labour alone but the longing they have to endure for a long time.

A smile creeps up to his lips as he looks around while holding onto his backpack. He never thought he would get so excited being outside, he felt like a prisoner. He starts walking and once out of the terminal, a very few people, mostly the young ones, actually recognized him and he could faintly hear his wife’s name as they whisper to each other.

After all, being a celebrity’s husband technically makes him a public figure too.

Especially when Ahreum would sometimes post his pictures on her SNS, who wouldn’t recognize him.

But he stays unaffected and blank as if they didn’t exist.

Although he spotted one with a camera and was taking a shot of him.

He briefly looks at that person letting her know that he doesn’t like what she was doing before walking away faster until he arrives at the bus stop. “Geez.” He grunts while adjusting his cap. He doesn’t have any idea that Ahreum had posted more than three past photos of him on her SNS because of her longing for him. And it would sometimes reach the news articles and people started recognizing his face even more. And again, he doesn’t have any idea about it. He could have just asked his dad to pick him up to avoid such people but the thing is, the only one who knows he’s going home is his father who was also the one who sent him some of his personal stuffs and clothes he could wear on his way home.

But excluding Mr. Do, his furlough will be a big shock to everyone.

So he decided to go home alone to make it clean and sure.

He wanted to surprise them, especially his sons whom he misses so badly. And also, he’s bound to apologize to the three cuties because he apparently missed their second birthday which was just exactly last month. He did his best to really ask for a furlough but this was the most possible time they have given to him. He knows he needs to make it up to the three. Also, every time he makes a phone call, which is not even all the time,