In the teaching staff room of the primary school, Chorong had just moved to switch off her phone when she fumbled with the button and misclicked, causing her phone lock screen to brightly light up with the photo of a familiar smiling face.

Normally she wouldn't bat an eye, but she paused on the photo and looked at it till the screen turned black after a couple seconds. It wasn't long but it was enough to make her take a deep breath and set the phone down. She glanced at her calendar even though she already knew… It's been three weeks this time.

She's been finding herself reaching for her phone a lot, looking out for an ill-timed call or a voicemail. It's been hard on her mind and she knew she was close to her period too, which might explain the dejected feeling of these moods more lately. Three weeks, by far, hasn't been the longest she's ever waited, but strangely it's gotten to her.

As she looked away and faced the clock, counting ten minutes till the end of lunchtime and to the next class schedule, Chorong began packing up her laptop, post-it notes and coffee mug in her arms.

Back to work. She couldn't waste the only other time she has mulling over things she has no control over. When it was depleting, when it was distracting, she thought of changing her phone screen to a plain background, but it's such a beautiful photo of Bomi… And as long as Bomi is deployed, it might be all she has to look at that makes her feel something.

Another teacher stepped into the staff room just as Chorong was about to leave. Yeonsoo jostled in with her keys, a smile brightening in surprise. "Oh! Chorong! You're just who I wanted to see."

"Did you need me for something?"

Yeonsoo nodded. "Yeah. It'll be quick. I've just been a little extra frazzled with the wedding planning. I've been meaning to ask you again about your attendance."

"Oh. Well, yes, I'm attending," Chorong said, confused. "I've set aside the date on my calendar and everything. It's in June, right?"

"Yes, that's right, but what I meant was what we're going to do with your plus-one. You know, with the catering and all, it's kind of important," Yeonsoo hinted, her expression making it seem apologetic. And then it dawned on Chorong.

"Oh, oh, I see."

In the disorder of it all, the change for that event had completely slipped her mind. Chorong lingered in the doorway, nails tapping against the laptop in her arms. "Then… put me down for just one. Bomi won't be coming."

Maybe she should have expected this when her lover works with the defence forces; the military.

Ever since Bomi had been called on to be deployed overseas for work, Chorong's heart tightened. It had never happened before, but Bomi was a service member too, and Bomi had been recognised to go. The news was something supportive and happy they shared, while also something bittersweet. She knew how much it was a significant step for Bomi, to be recognised to act for her country.

Chorong was also terrified.

Terrified, in more ways than one, because it's a tough profession that Bomi manages. The danger, the conditions, and now, the added distance. Numbers greatly vary between men and women in their military, with women rarely included on deployments. And when Bomi is assigned to her unit on deployment with even fewer women by her side… That has always given her a worry, even though she knows Bomi is strong. Chorong has these worries by herself, praying in her heart. Worrying, missing, how Bomi could be.

For six months, Bomi has been tasked out there. Six months. That's half a year; missing holidays, family news, birthdays and celebrations. Half a year before they might see each other again.

In the months that Bomi has been away, well, Bomi might've been fortunate to miss out on the worst time of year: the stress that comes to Chorong in the first weeks of school.

She should've seen Chorong pushing the tables around and borrowing all sorts of markers and staplers from the classroom next door. It was the hectic disorganised season Chorong had yet to handle well as a teacher in general, with a new class and new students to get under control, on top of teaching a different grade. Unfortunately, it's been more difficult for her with Bomi not here.

It was slow, but it got better when she was further into the school year. She asked for help from the teacher next door to hers and they talked the stress out. She found tips she could use for her class planning. She's been able to decorate the classroom with student work, and she put some nice things on her desk to help her keep going.

And yet there were days Chorong still found herself caught off guard.

As the bell rang with the incoming trickling of students into the classroom, Chorong squeaked the whiteboard marker, writing down the new keywords on their spelling syllabus for this week. She smiled at the little ones sharing their stories with her in the front row. It seemed family plans for vacation were already on their minds.

"Croatia sounds fantastic, Hyewon. Do you think you could fit little old me in your bag so that you could take me along?"

The children looked at each other in giggles. "You're not gonna fit, Ms Park!"

"Oh, no! There must be a way to shrink myself down."

Little Hyewon chuckled heartily in her seat. "I'll bring presents back for everyone!"

Chorong then clapped her hands to gain the classroom's attention. "Okay, okay! We'll have to move on from the holiday talk sadly. I'm ready for that break too, but there's still a few weeks left of the term, so don't let your thinking hats fly away just yet!" she joked, briefly scanning the room and walking to the side to check the roster at her desk. "Looks like we're all here."

When she wasn't looking, the children in the front seats turned around to the second row and there was a moment of teasing and jeering as Chorong made her way back to the front. She looked at them quizzically. "What's going on?"

A child in the middle shifted restlessly from their seat and raised a hand.

"Yes, Jaehee?"

"Are you married, Ms Park?" The surrounding kids bursted out laughing. "You wear a ring."

Her fingers covered over her ring automatically, as if it suddenly occurred to her to hide it. It was a curious moment that kids can see into, at an age where their words can go from insensitive to surprisingly mature.

Chorong was caught and surprised to really answer, and in her hesitance, she only noticed Jaehee's growing red face.

"Oh, calm down, children. No need to embarrass your classmate."

"But is it true, Ms Park? Are you married?"

"I'm not married." She looked down, fiddling with the warm and worn jewellery. "This. It's a sort of… engagement ring," Chorong finally said, letting it go.

But as soon as she said that, the class of seven-year-olds erupted into screams. "Aww!!"

She thought it would be harmless information, but Chorong was surprised by the ruckus noise of the class. In fact, with the new personable understanding of their teacher, the class still couldn't start. More hands popped up rapidly and questions were spewed without being called on.

"What's an engagement?"

"When are you getting married?"

"Can we come to your wedding, pretty please?"

"Will you have a baby?"

"Do you have photos together? Can we see~?"

"What about that photo on your desk? The photo of that person…"

Chorong must have turned a shade of pink in her cheeks with that last one, mind skipping to yet another small frame she has of her and Bomi next to her laptop.

It was wondrous that beady eyes could notice something that small. To be fair, she hadn't been trying to actively hide it much at all… Her colleagues all know. It was the children here that suddenly made this conversation different.

Asking when she's getting married and sounding like little relatives all of a sudden… She had really gotten over the idea of planning by age and getting married by 30 when all that matters is that she's with the right person.

Even so, a sweat builds.

"Engagement, well… It means that we hope to marry. It's still something to discuss. Even if I could get married, the date for it is still much too far away to even consider–" She silenced herself as she remembered.

Chorong then tried to smile as assuredly as she could, but a tension came up to her shoulders.

It's not like she can really get married.

How could she really say, "I have a partner? It doesn't change how I'm a teacher? We love each other, the same way you see with a mom and dad?" She doesn't need an angry parent coming to see her.

"Ms Park?"

Chorong snapped out of it, to realise the class of children were staring at her spacing out.

"Y-Yes, no more questions! Now, now, back to our lesson."

She could have handled the children's questions better. She could have come to her senses, but she let it fester into something to hide so obviously. It wasn't like it was a true engagement ring, in the way that she could truly get married. It was a promise ring representing an engagement. Rings that imagined if they were married…

While marking test papers in her personal study at home, she must have been so tired that she didn't notice when a warm presence entered the room. It gave her a tiny shock; the visage of her partner pulling up another chair and leaning on her elbows at the table, hands folded under her chin. Chorong couldn't find the strength to look at her face.

When Bomi was here and would help her, she would massage Chorong's tight shoulders, help around the house and make sure she was doing okay. Whenever Bomi was with her, whether it was at home on those week-long breaks, or just knowing she would return from the base on the weekends, it gave Chorong a calm strength. And on days like this, Bomi always made it her task to sit the night with her, until they both could sleep.

But that was only how it used to be.

Shaking her head, Chorong picked up the waiting phone call ringing on the table, and the feeling of happier times rushed into her heart as soon as Bomi's warm voice entered her ear.

"Hello baby."

"Hi Bbom-ah."

There was a reason Chorong could never dial on her own. Bomi was using the system phone lines set up at the deployment location, which were discreet with a limit of twenty-minute calls and sometimes spotty connection, but it was the only contact she had of Bomi, and it was safe.

Work could always resume, but Bomi's call? She would never know the next time she could pick it up again.

The first ten minutes were always joyful, the next five became aware of the time and squeezing out as many random things she could remember between Bomi's chuckles, and the last five were always just trying to hold on until it ends.

"Aw, don't worry about it! We can talk about your work because it's wonderful, and still so different from mine. You know I admire you a lot for it." And the way that woman hummed; Bomi's smile painted in Chorong's memory.

"Ah, Rong. If we were to ever have kids of our own, I just know you'd be great with them."

Chorong bit her lip hard, unable to respond for several seconds.

"Rong? Did the reception cut out? Can you hear me?"

"I heard you, Bbom-ah," Chorong said shakily, holding the desk for support and to keep her emotions steady. "All this talk of kids is just…"

"Too soon?"

Chorong could burst out into a laugh with incredulity. Not at all. In fact it made her want that lovely image a bit too much, she couldn't handle it. She let out a deep shaky exhale.

"I just miss you a lot."

"You miss me?"

Chorong whined softly and nodded. She couldn't find the voice to say anything more or it might break her willpower not to cry, and Bomi breathed deeply on the other line, soft words tying her in knots, those thousands of kilometres away.

"I miss you too, Rong. Every day."

Happy and bittersweetly, Chorong held her tears until the call ended. Ordinary nights would surprise her like this, turning over her emotions and leaving her silently sobbing alone.

But it was something to get used to, no matter how much Chorong did miss her. She had to find that balance between her feelings, and not bothering Bomi on deployment. And Chorong understands Bomi has to take her mind off in other ways sometimes, whether that's spending time with her mates or calling family.

It's hard though, with the distance, the lack of contact, and uncertainty. Being unable to tell Bomi about her stresses became in itself a stress.

After a successful morning of teaching, when the kids went playing outside at recess, Chorong opened the sliding door of the joined classrooms to meet her colleague Yeonsoo on the other side.

As a fellow 2nd-grade teacher, Yeonsoo was a new friend and mentor who had really been helping her in these times of stress. They would pop by each other in the mornings and they would chat and share a coffee break. Sometimes Yeonsoo would come over to her classroom, or sometimes Chorong would.

And though her colleague has been supportive of Chorong should she educate the students on her own partnership, the wider implications that might be blamed on her job have never been something Chorong wished to deal with.

It really isn't something to get into… She doesn't have the courage or the need to put herself out there, and especially when these are times Bomi isn't here. At the very least, she couldn't do it without her.

Yeonsoo smiled apologetically to hear it, sipping on her own coffee.

"I know it's a shame Bomi can't come along. I would've loved to see you both there."

Chorong's composure fell slightly, sighing. "I guess, but we can't really help these things anyway. I'm just happy to see you on your big day, Yeonsoo."

"Oh! Why, thank you, Chorong, but don't slide the topic back to me just yet. I wanted to hear about that… Have you gotten any calls from Bomi?"

A fond smile suddenly found its place on Chorong's lips. Even now, when she thought about her calls with Bomi, the smitten feeling of wanting to talk about her simply would envelop Chorong, and it showed. "Yes. She called last night."

"I had a funny feeling. You brighten up whenever you do. How was it?"

Chorong breathed out a smile, partly out of relief. "It was… everything. After all the stress I've been feeling, hearing her voice made me forget and it just melted that stress all away. I always wish we had more time…"

Yeonsoo nodded back sympathetically. "That sounds about right. I am glad you're in better spirits, Chorong. I was worried it was still bothering you."

"Bothering me? Oh, no, I didn't think that really showed."

"Aw, don't lie to me. I thought we've gotten to know each other! So, what did Bomi say? Should I be expecting another set of wedding bells ringing soon after she comes home?"

"What?"

"A reunion after such a long time for a couple can be very sweet, and get very steamy."

"Yeonsoo! We're in an educational space!"

A big laughter filled the air, and Chorong shook her head with a tired chuckle, her colleague never failing to tease and amuse her. "Dear God. I've hardly had time to think over it myself, and it's not like I can even get married."

"Seriously? But I'm surprised you two haven't already married," Yeonsoo teased.

"In this country?"

"There are ways, like marrying elsewhere and coming back. It's the thing for couples these days, right? Doing what you want and making it the way you want to live; Taking that into your hands when the world doesn't change. That's something I totally would do."

"Thanks Yeon, but it's not that easy."

"Sure you can!" Yeonsoo insisted, and Chorong smiled with a bashful roll of her eyes.

"But I mean it. Think about it. I'm sure you just have to keep your hope. And it's g