She shouldn't have packed lightly.

 

This long weekend at her parents' house isn't supposed to require more clothes, if only their very friendly and very new and very large Samoyed didn't her from head to toe when she arrived on Friday or wander in her childhood room only to pee buckets on her small, open luggage while she was in the shower this morning.

 

"I'm sorry, sweetie. You should have closed your door," her mom says, apologetically but not really, as she hands her a pair of old t-shirt and jeans. She's lucky her parents kept the pile of her old clothes she left when she moved into her own apartment three years ago, in Seoul. "Here, wear these."

 

"Mom," towel-and-underwear-clad Joohyun says, grabbing the articles of clothing from her mother. They smell like an oak cabinet, but it's better than running to the nearest grocery indecent. "I don't mind you turning the house into a pet sanctuary now that I don't live here anymore, but you could have at least given me a heads up." She hurriedly puts the shirt on, failing to notice its print.

 

"Carpet is all over my Insta. It's not my fault you don't keep up on your socials, dear."

 

"Handling messy divorce cases doesn't really allow time for that, mom," heck, she hardly had time to come to Daegu. The past year has been hectic as more and more high-profile couples are going their separate ways (which isn’t a good thing for them, but failed marriages has been Joohyun’s bread and butter for two years now). She just figured she'd make up for missing her parents' birthdays by being here a day early for their wedding anniversary celebration (yesterday) and leaving two days later.

 

Joohyun zips up her jeans. She then slips into her checkerboard Vans and grabs her phone and car keys on the vanity.

 

"Why don't you just take these to the laundromat?" Her mom says, just as she's next to her by the doorway, motioning to the soaked pieces of clothing inside the open luggage on the floor.

 

"They don't have the detergent I like," she answers just as she leaves the room. "And neither do you."

 

"Oh, god, no. Hey, sweetie," Joohyun's already by the stairwell, back turned to her mom, tying her hair into a messy bun, when the older woman beckons. 

 

"No, mom. I'm not gonna bark at Carpet on my way out."

 

"That's not–"

 

"I'll be quick, mom. Do you need anything from the store?"

 

"No, it's just your wearing your–"

 

"All right, I'll go ahead."

---

Turns out, a lot could change in a span of a couple of years.

 

For one, this grocery has become an IKEA, so much that Joohyun is having trouble locating the laundry supplies that used to be on aisle 7. Aisle 7 is a pet supplies aisle now, and she is currently looking at dog diapers.

 

"You know what, it. Might as well. Happy Birthday, Carpet, I guess," she mumbles, grabbing the pack of 24 XL's and putting it in her hand-carry basket.

 

"And you said you'd never let me get a dog no matter how much you loved me."

 

Loved.

 

Joohyun tilts her head to the right and is met by a face that she hasn't seen in a while.

 

"Seungwan…"

 

"You said it was one of your non-negotiables," the blonde smiles.

 

For a moment, Joohyun forgot that she's single and lonely. 

 

Well, life has a funny way of sneaking up on you.

 

"This is for Carpet."

 

"Your carpet needs dog diapers?" Seungwan an eyebrow.

 

"No, Carpet is my parents' dog."

 

"Oh, so they finally got one. Good for them," the blonde responds, hand on her fresh produce-filled push cart, bright eyes still on Joohyun's. "How did you take it?"

 

"Like I take most things," like how she took their break up, like how she took Seungwan moving out of their apartment because she needed to find herself.

 

"'As it is,'" they say in unison, and they don't know whether to burst into laughter or into tears.

 

They opt for a pregnant pause.

 

"How long are you staying in Daegu?" Seungwan is the first to break the silence.

 

"Until tomorrow morning," Joohyun looks up, and Seungwan chooses not to acknowledge the tears b on her ex's eyes. "How about you? Are you still staying with your parents?"

 

"Only until tomorrow," Seungwan manages another smile. "Just hosting a dinner before I move out– again– and officially retire from being a freeloader."

 

Joohyun's sure Uncle and Auntie So– Mr. and Mrs. Bae doesn't mind if their youngest lives with them forever. Heck, she didn't mind Seungwan being late with her share of the rent, but she was really adamant on making it on her own.

 

And Seungwan finally is. Almost four years after their break up.

 

"I'm moving to Seoul– again– next month. And shooting a campaign for Calvin Klein," the blonde adds.

 

"That's great," Joohyun fights the urge to give her ex a hug. 

 

"It's worth it, Hyun," Seungwan whispers, and Joohyun would have missed it except she's always been too interested in what Seungwan has to say. "Letting me go, I mean."

 

Is it?

 

“Are you happy?”

 

Seungwan nods.

 

It is.

 

“I know I have no right to ask this, since, you know, but… are you?”

 

“I’ll get there.”

 

Joohyun knows how to navigate life, and she’s accepted early that there will always be trials and tribulations, that she can’t direct the wind but adjust the sails; maybe it’s the wind or Carpet’s pee that brought about this encounter, but it’s her who decides if this is a second chance or a closure.

 

“I’ll be waiting at the end of happy, then.”

 

Except Seungwan beats her to the decision.

 

And she doesn’t mind going with it.

 

Or going with Seungwan right now.

 

Except she has nothing but the clothes she has on and the pee-soaked ones in her luggage.

 

“Do you know where the laundry supplies are?” she segues.

 

“They’re on aisle 18 now. Lavender Bloom is on two for one sale until next week,” Seungwan says non-chalantly, like it’s totally normal to know when your ex’s favorite detergent is up for sale. “Daughter of the owner took over, turned this one into an IKEA.” 

 

“That’s what I thought,” Joohyun chuckles. “It’s been a while. A lot has changed here.”

 

“Not everything, though,” Seungwan affirms, eyes never leaving Joohyun’s.

 

“Right,” Joohyun clears . “Well, I guess I’ll see you around.”

 

Joohyun turns on her heel and walks away.

 

She is at the end of aisle 7, about to make a left turn, when Seungwan calls her name.

 

“Bae Joohyun.”

 

In her mind, she has the option to walk back calmly, ask Seungwan ‘what is it’ and if they can go and grab a croffle one day in Seoul, but her limbs have already jumped to the second one.

 

There she is, sprinting back, dropping the basket in her hand, wrapping her arms around Seungwan’s neck, and kissing her like she did the first time; sweet, and eager, and a little sloppy.

 

Their tongues touched, and Joohyun feels like she’s back in college, in her cheerleading uniform, kissing the sweaty women’s volleyball team captain in the middle of the court, in front of the whole school, after the championship game.

 

“I was gonna say,” Seungwan pulls away slightly, lips still hovering over Joohyun’s, “nice shirt.”

 

“What?” Joohyun breathes out.

 

Seungwan gently pokes on the embroidered logo on Joohyun’s left chest. “And it’s got my name on the back,” she whispers.

 

Oh.

 

“But this is better than nice,” Seungwan says, initiating the kiss this time. “Are you still mine?”

 

“People… don’t… own… people… Seungwan,” Joohyun responds in between kisses.

 

“But… you… know… what… I… mean…,” Seungwan answers the same way.

 

“Yes…”

 

Still yours.

 

"Can… we… get… a… dog?"

 

Still a no.