It was a Thursday. Chae Young’s class ended at three. She is expecting his return to their house at six-thirty sharp. Like always, whenever her classes ended at three, he will be back at six-thirty, just thirty minutes shy from her serving dinner on the table. Till date, she has no idea why.

They will finish their dinner by seven-thirty. He will be at the sink, washing the dishes while she wiped down the table. By the time she grabbed the fruit from the refrigerator, he would be out of the door to discard the wet waste.

On days like this, both of them operates like clockwork.

It was domestic.

The television network was having a re-run of the hit drama back in 2016, ‘Descendants of the Sun’ and she had recorded the entire series to watch at the comfort of her own schedule.

She noticed him approaching after hearing the keys rattling against each other in the basket where their keys are kept. He had started paying attention to the screen at the exact moment the Doctor asked who would the Captain saved if he were her.

When the Captain coldly replied the Doctor with a question on why is she asking him, Jin Young had settled down on the couch and an amused smiled spread across his lips, “I thought he kissed her three episodes ago to taste the wine on her lips? He was so aggressive back then and now, the cold shoulder?”

“Well, you see…” Hugging a pillow whislt peeling the mango skin, she went on to explain what happened in the previous two episodes that he missed. Like always, she could talk on and on brightly whenever it is just both of them in the house. Till date, she has no idea why.

Chae Young could see that he was puzzled by the change of character of the main lead. However, it could not beat the puzzlement she felt when she found out that he had never watched the drama of the year back in 2016 before.

“So the main ingredient for this drama is the whole passive and aggressive game?” That was the conclusion he drew when the episode wrapped up with a heartfelt confession from the Captain. Gently and without any judgment, he handed her a tissue.

Chae Young could only nod, embarrassed that he caught her crying. She had cried towards the end of the episode. The scene where the Doctor cried while reminiscing about the dead still gets her every time even after all these years.

“So would you rather I am aggressive or passive, love?”

His curve ball of a question stopped whatever tears and emotions that were left in her. Quickly, she grabbed the remote control, “Is this boring you out? Would you like me to change the channel?”

She was hoping he would not notice her meagre effort of changing the topic but who was she kidding. How old did she think he is-- three? Even that would be an insult to a toddler.

“So what was your first love like?” He pierced a leftover mango with his fork and then passed it to her. She needs to eat more, he figured.

There were a few pieces left and it was odd considering they were only sharing one fruit between the two of them. It was probably because they had been too engrossed to pay any attention to the mango Chae Young had carefully peeled and sliced.

She was too engrossed with the drama.

He was too engrossed with her.

“It’s history,” answered Chae Young curtly. His reaction to her terse reply was a small chuckle as he polished off the last piece of mango off the plate. She wanted to jab at him at where it hurts most and so she asked, “What was your first love like? What is her name?”

He was halfway across the tiny living room while carrying the plate with him for washing.

With his back towards her, he replied, “You could probably look in the mirror and ask the reflection you see. She probably has the answer to both your question.”

***

“He did what?!” Chae Young once thought Lisa’s eyes could not get any bigger but the latter had proven her wrong.

“What do I say to that? Just how do I react to that?” A deep concern was etched across Chae Young’s forehead. “I feel so dumb.”

“He has been back for almost six months. Is there not any progress? Kissing--” Lisa’s doe eyes never shrinked in size as she shook her head slightly to get some hint from Chae Young, “—or something!”

Jennie smirked, “Kissing? I think the probability of you striking the jackpot is higher than her and him kissing.”

“Lisa does not buy lotto, Jen.” Ji Soo smiled awkwardly.

“Exactly my point!” Her smirked had turned sarcastic in a split second.

“What about hand holding?”

Chae Young shook her head and her friends’ next move had suggested that they would lash out at her for—she could not identify the reason behind their disbelief and she did not want to. So with the fight response winning against the flight system in her, her defense mode was up, “Why are you guys on my case? You guys despised him in the beginning so what gives?”

“The mountain training trip happened.” Lisa answered smartly with a grin.

“You know, he does not have to be nice to you.” Jennie chided. One look at Ji Soo’s sympathetic smile and Chae Young knew she had been betrayed.
 

The way her friends her and went over to the dark side had irked her. Out of spite, Chae Young said, “I am his wife. He is obligated to be nice to me.”

“Thank you for proving to the world that we are the entitled generation,” said Jennie while rolling her eyes.

“Whatever. There is no point talking to you guys whenever he is involved," said Chae Young angrily as she stood up from the bench.

Ji Soo quickly grabbed onto Chae Young’s hand, “We are just trying to hel—”

“It’s fine. I’ll handle this on my own. Plus I am running late. He will be back at six-thirty for dinner and here I am, being bashed by you guys when I am only trying to share my problems with you guys.”

Feeling apologetic for starting the whole argument, Lisa tried to make it up to Chae Young, “Look, we love you and we want the—”

“Wait rewind. He is back at six-thirty? Today?” In comes Jennie again who decided that her question is more important than Lisa’s show of affection.

“Yes, Jennie. He always returns to the house at six-thirty sharp whenever classes ended at three or earlier. He has been doing that for this semester—” Chae Young answered with a few disheartened nods. Her eyes shifted as something then hit her, “—and also the semester before.”

“I heard they were preparing for a public listing overseas and he should be extremely tied down with work. He should not be able to—”

The three of them including Chae Young did not need Ji Soo to complete her sentence and observation. A deafening silence enveloped them as slowly, they started to digest every single confusion and episodes that happened between the man and his wife which Chae Young had deemed nonsensical. It had made sense.

“He had really chosen you after all,” said Jennie quietly.

“He likes you,” smiled Lisa brightly.

“He genuinely likes you,” the last was mentioned by Ji Soo.

Despite the little celebratory mode around Lisa and Jennie (Jennie’s was a little lowkey but it was not something that will go undetected with 18 years of friendship under their belts), Chae Young recognized that almost forlorn smile which had graced upon Ji Soo’s face when the latter told the former that Jin Young genuinely likes her.

She knew a few moments ago why he had always returned to their house at six-thirty sharp whenever her classes ended early.

Now she knew why she was always so talkative around Jin Young. She was a nerve-wreck around him. It was not the butterflies in your tummies kind of nerve-wreck. It was anxiety. There is an anxiety induced knowledge at the back of her mind. She knew she will always have a lock at the gate to her heart with a ghost from the past safely guarding the entrance.

Oh, the irony. When the three of them could probably finally lay their worries about the couple to rest, she had begun to see the doom the three of them had foreseen from the start

The same almost forlorn smile that graced upon Ji Soo’s lips were now on hers.

Lisa the joker had misread Chae Young’s expression. “Oh don’t you worry about him being in love with you. He used the word probably. ‘…probably look in the mirror… she probably has the answer…’ His choice of words does not suggest love but he definitely likes you. Of that I am very sure!”

That was a very typical interpretation by a law graduate.

***

Author's Note: Hello! Chapter 4 is up! I had a different vision for Chapter 4 and I had wrote and re-wrote twice but it does not click and the pacing was off. The link between Chapter 3 and the chapter I envision was missing! It needed this chapter! Sorry for the delay and I hope you guys enjoyed!