It's dark when Dahyun parks his Mercedes in the round drive out from the house. He climbs the side step, exhausted and ready to go to bed. His mind and body are tired of overwhelming thinking and feelings. He has lost his appetite to eat and just want to rest. The clock pointed at midnight, 12.00 a.m. And he thoughts her wife is already in dreamland and he's proven right but different than what he has expected. He is ready to be greeted by his wife's figure lying on the mattress sleeping comfortably but here she is, sitting on the couch with her head bowed down wearing a pink pyjama. She's probably waiting for him and fall asleep. Dahyun sigh, her position looks awkward and her back will definitely suffer the consequences in the morning.

 

They supposed to go back home together as he already promised to fetch her after work but due to some circumstance, he couldn't make it. He crouches on one knee, staring at the peaceful sight of her wife. His eyes soften as his hand brushes against her cheeks, thumb caressing it softly. Dahyun is about to carry his wife when she suddenly stirs and flutters her eye opens. "I'm sorry, did I wake you?" He apologizes while helping her to a sitting position since she is still foggy-headed. He takes a place beside her and wraps her arms around her waist. Momo leans her head against his chest, returning the hug.
 

She smiles reassuringly as her answer for the previous question. "Where have you been? I'm waiting for you to eat together." She asks, reminded by her prior concern. She has been waiting for five hours since she arrived home. Wondering, why Dahyun is late considering they always reached their modern two-storey bungalow, almost the same time after work. Even if he has another schedule, he will inform her beforehand. But she receives no message from him today, saying he'll be home late. 'Maybe, he's too busy that he forgets. That can happen.' That's what she thought before she received a message from an unknown number. No text but just a picture of her husband hugging a woman in a bamboo forest. She couldn't see the woman's face but she recognises her husband. She couldn't erase that small doubt although she trusts him.

 

Dahyun notices her wife silently staring at him with an unreadable expression. He is silent for a beat before he decides to come out pretty clear. "I forgot to text you. I meet my old friend and we hang out for a while. You shouldn't wait for me and go to bed. You are a dancer and should take care of your body. Sleeping in the cou----" His words cut off when Momo slightly pull his nape down. She draws him toward her with her eyes, hands crawling to cup his face and inclined it with hers. She smiles then lay against his.

 

Dahyun paused before he melts into the kiss. It’s soft and gentle and chaste and maybe there’s no fireworks or sparks, but it’s better than that – it’s a wave of warmth that fills him up, spilling out from his heart and. The warmth of her lips is soothing and every inch of him is saturated with love. Momo loves him. There is no question to it. And he is sure he loves her too unconditionally. However, he finds himself acting in a less than clear fashion and not in a way he would like to. Just by the appearance, of a person in front of him reminds him of someone in his formative past. He knows this is a threat to their relationship and he has to figure it out and end it. Momo is the last person he wants to be hurt, especially by him.

 

"I'm sorry" Momo murmurs as she breaks the kiss. The seed of doubt instantly vanished into thin air. She feels stupid to question his husband loyalty. She doesn't want to be label as a possessive wife especially after they just tied the knot a few months ago. She feels guiltier looking at her husband exhausted face. 'The woman is just a friend'  She scolds herself.

Dahyun raises his brows, "For what?"

 

'For doubting you'

 

Momo fake a giggle and smiles innocently, "For having a big eater as a wife hehe. Have you eaten dinner? I'm waiting for you to eat together"

 

Dahyun chuckles and lightly flick her forehead. "Let's go then" he takes her hand and lead her to the dining table. It's a typical Korean meal consists of a bowl of rice, a bowl of soup or stew, and some side dishes as accompaniments. But within that basic structure, there is a deliciously wide variation of dishes for every season and palate. Momo doesn't cook but orders beforehand. She prepares the utensil while Dahyun heats the soup, he restricted his wife to enter the kitchen since Momo is quite careless and could hurt herself. He's not being unreasonable, once she burned her own hand when she tried to make him a cup of coffee, she has always been like that since they were little. Clumsy. Though not as worst as the other sister. He understands Tzuyu's extreme overprotective behaviour.

 

As soon as Dahyun takes his seat. His mind running back to his previous trouble. About his feelings and what he should do, what is best for them, the best for him and everyone. Because of that, the dining is quite and they only exchange small talks in between. Momo finds this quite awkward and on several occasions, she tried to strike a conversation, but he seems absence. His thoughts are somewhere else, thinking and pondering. Whatever it is, Momo doesn't want to push it and keep pestering him. She believes he will tell her whatever that's bothering him, when he is ready.

 

"Are you done?" Dahyun asks as he watches Momo wipe her lips with the napkin. He already finished minutes ago but decides to wait for her, he knows how much she hates to eat alone, nothing saddens her more than that. The said woman nods. He lifts their plate and washes it before heading to their shared bedroom.

 

Dahyun takes a quick shower and slips the same couple pyjama resembling his wife but blue in colour. In seconds Momo's body is moulded to his own, sharing her body heat as easily as she shares her heart. She cuddles him tight, head resting on his chest. Dahyun smiles softly. There's a purity to her, naivety perhaps. That big eater, that dummy, that dancer, is his wife and he is grateful to have her by his side but there's a part of him that betrayed his own feelings.

 

Thinking about the cellist, he wonders what his heart is telling him. What exactly it is that pull him towards her. Is it love? Attraction? Lust? Longing? Guilt? Or responsibility?

 

He knows, a secure and trusting romantic relationship rests upon a foundation of trust. This trust cannot be established if either one of the partners remains in contact with a former lover. Technically, the cellist isn't his former lover but someone who look too much alike that it manages to bring all the buried memories and feeling he once had. For Momo, he learnt to love her and for his former lover, he fell in love with her. That's a totally different thing. He doesn't even trust himself anymore.

 

He needs Momo beside him but he also unwilling to let the cellist go.

 

When a person is stuck between two people, this can come across as weak, indulgent and greedy. There is certainly not a lot of sympathies to go around. The reality is anything but; it makes him feel entirely wretched and after a while can start to erode his self-esteem. He tries to have control over the situation and doesn't hurt either of the two women. It's his fault, being a complete jerk. He just needs time and something, some explanation that justified why he couldn't let the cellist go and his true feeling towards his wife.

 

"Darling, shall we run away tomorrow" He mindlessly suggests.

 

"Huh?"

 

"Let's take a day off and go for a date. It's been a long time."

 

Momo raises his chin, looking for his eyes. She knows how workaholic Dahyun is sometimes and how rare it is for him to abandon his music. She isn't complaining but rather delighted. She nods her head vigorously and showers him with kisses around his face. She quickly dives to the crook of his neck, hiding her blush. She initiates lots of kisses more today. "Good night, I love you" She murmurs shyly before falling into a deep sleep.

 

Dahyun doesn't reply and instead peck her forehead.






 

*  *  *  *

Mina wakes from a night of deep and blissful sleep upon the ring of her alarm clock. She turns it off and excitedly leaps out of bed, ready and motivated to meet someone again. She walks to her balcony and stares upwards, the sky fills with blended tones of rosy pinks and sandy yellows. Green tea in hand, her fingers trace the steam swirling above the warm liquid, welcoming the day. She purposely walks up earlier than usual to witness the dawn before preparing herself for work. By preparing meant, changing her whole appearance. We all want to have a good impression, aren't we?

 

She lost her sense of self-love and let herself drown in a state of depression until she forgets her well-being. That's the problem, she doesn't love herself and she has no one to love, not until recently. Now, she has a reason to look pretty, a reason to fight, a reason to change and free herself from her own confinement. Listening to her psychiatrist, Nayeon's advice which is to love herself first and think positively.  She wants to be better not only to impress her special someone but also for her own satisfaction. She will open the door to his heart again. Hopefully, maybe, it's possible although near to impossible, achievable although extremely difficult.... She think she can....or not?

 

'No! Myoui Mina, think positively. You can do it' She lightly slaps her cheeks, she can do it in both living a normal life and have him back in her embrace. But Mina knows her boundary and things she couldn't do. She won't force him to accept her back, to love her again, to return to her. She's not trying to seduce him. By opening the door to his heart, is by seeking an answer whether he still loves her and if he wants to start another chapter...book together. Anecdotally, those we fall in love with early adulthood can have a real hold on us, and they have been together since childhood. She knows she will never succeed in cutting the bond the once had and even now. The end of their relationship was messy and fragmented and it makes her want them to go back and fix it, or do things differently---better. There certainly seems to be an unwillingness to let go.


 

Heaving a deep sigh, she's just grateful that she can meet him and doesn't focus too much in the past, it can ruin the air and hurt them. After a light breakfast, she chooses a knee-length bodycon dress rather than her usual jeans and blouse. She styled her hair at the saloon and planning to buy her usual perfume, but unfortunately the Jasmine essence is out of stock.

 

"Mare Bloom: Eau de perfume, will arrive tomorrow, instead this will suit you. It has a light, warm smell, that’s similar to vanilla, but a bit more floral. They're tied to romance, indulgence and elegance" A voice interrupted.

 

Mina recognizes it and turns around. "Sana Unnie" She greets, forgetting that the brand Mare Bloom is owned by her sister who is a popular perfumer.

 

The older run her eyes on Mina's appearance and smiles. "Looking good there, honey." She flirts earning an eye roll from Mina. "Here, this perfume suits you the most, it has the closest scent with vanilla" She points towards a small bottle sitting on the glass cabinet display.

 

Mina nods and quickly ask the staff to wraps it, she's kinda late to work already. She turns to Sana as the staff bring the perfume to the cashier, "Are you going to let me pay?" She deadpanned. Sana arc her brows, smirking "Of course, in here you are a customer and a customer have to pay" Mina playfully scoff to that and pulls out her credit card "Fine, Ms Sana-sii. I'll take my leave now" She bows and smiles as she leaves the place, manage to catch the sound of her older sister chuckling behind her.

 

After twenty minutes of driving, Mina takes a deep breath before entering the villa. The nurse will come anytime sooner. She bows to the gardener that greet her and her eyes instantly catch the sight of her patient calmly staring at fl