Soojung flips another page, her expression stoic and serious while each second passing by makes Chanyeol all the more nervous and uneasy. Across from her, Junmyeon is lost in his own phone as his fingers type away at an email with soft voices from neighboring tables filling their silence. Soojung makes a quiet hum and Chanyeol almost jumps out of his seat.

“What do you think?” He finally asks and Junmyeon looks up expectantly at Soojung as she places the packet on the table.

It takes a moment but Soojung smiles and turns to Chanyeol. “It doesn’t matter if your script is full of , I’d produce anything you do.”

Junmyeon snickers while Chanyeol is relieved yet still uneasy at her answer. “So, was it good or not? Be honest.”

“It’s great,” Soojung replies sincerely. “It just needs a few more revisions and some scenes are a bit unnecessary, but besides that it’s perfection.”

He sighs in relief with a hand reaching over to pat her head. “God, I love it that you’re back.”

“So if you agree to shoot this short film with them, will you stay longer?” Junmyeon chirps and Soojung turns to him with a small pout.

“I haven’t thought about leaving,” she says and he raises a knowing brow at her.

“But you really haven’t considering staying either,” he states and she lowers her eyes. “I heard you and Jongin recently met and it didn’t go so well.”

“Really?” Chanyeol turns to Soojung with worried eyes. “When was this?”

She meets his gaze and frowns slightly. “That day when I went back to campus with you and Kyungsoo.”

His jaw drops and he silently leans back in his chair.

“I don’t know what his intentions are,” Soojung mumbles with her eyes on the table. “I don’t know what I want either. When I’m around him, all my walls just naturally come down, whether I want them to or not.”

Chanyeol turns to Junmyeon who sighs quietly. “A lot has changed since you’ve left, Soojung. I know it hurts you but I ask of you to just listen to him once, Soojung, just once.”

Her eyes soften. “I don’t know if I’m able to handle it. I feel like I’m suffocating when I look into his eyes.”

“Jongin,” Chanyeol says and her eyes turn to him. “He’s hurting in the same way you are. There are a lot of questions he wants answered and many things he wants you to know. Do it now or else the scar will only grow deeper.”

Soojung frowns with Junmyeon’s gaze locked on her. “When you left, his main focus was to figure out who he was, except you played such a big role in his life that he feels like there are blank spaces in which he cannot answer by himself.”

Their conversation comes to a pause as their meal is delivered. It takes a few seconds for things to settle down and once the waitress leaves, Soojung returns to Junmyeon.

“I’ve been extremely selfish haven’t I?” She mumbles and they both shake their heads.

“Just, take a few shots before you meet him again,” Chanyeol suggests and her smile returns at once. “Or if you’re too classy, a glass or two of wine.”

“Oppa!” Soojung snickers with a playful shove.

With a cup of warm tea, Soojung takes a seat on the couch as she catches up with her father.

“I haven’t visited them yet,” Soojung says, regarding Sehun’s parents. “I’ve been busying with trying to get back into my routine. It doesn’t help that Joohyuk is popping up at my door every hour or so either.”

His chuckle rattles through the phone and Soojung smiles. “He’s a good kid, be nice to him would you?”

“I’ll consider it if Sehun approves of him,” she teases and she can picture the frown on her dad’s face. “Of course your approval is important but I need his too.”

“I know that,” he snickers warmly. “So have you thought about returning?”

Soojung sighs and wraps her arms around her legs. “I don’t know yet. I have a lot of stuff I need to do still.”

He pauses and Soojung knows it’s coming. “It’s Jongin, isn’t it?”

She heaves a heavy sigh as she pushes her legs out to stretch before laying down on the couch. “Not you too now. I won’t abandon you, Dad. Just let me figure out things here.”

“I know, darling,” he assures. “My only wish and hope for you is to find happiness wherever you are.”

A smile tugs at her lips. “Thank you, Dad.”

A day spent alone and unpacking was surprisingly great for Soojung. It felt great to have her mind distracted and off of him despite pieces of him everywhere. In the middle of brushing her teeth before slipping into bed, a phone call startles her as it vibrates lively on the bathroom counter. Without much thought, she picks up the call and places the phone against her ear.

“Hello?”

“Hey.”

She blinks hard and her toothbrush falls from her hands into the sink bowl with a clink. “How’d you get my number?”

Jongin chuckles lightly although he doesn’t sound amused. “Kyungsoo. But I need you to do me a favor.”

Her arms fold and she slips into defense mode. “Are you asking or demanding?”

“Tomorrow, 11:45 please pick up Leo at the groomers,” says Jongin, making Soojung freeze once again.

“L-Leo?” Her heart suddenly starts to ache at the sound of her baby’s name and it’s quickly followed by guilt since she had left him for so long.

“I’d do it myself but I’m gonna be busy,” he says. “I’ll message you the address. Thanks, Jung and good night.” Without another word, Jongin hangs up the call but Soojung’s mind is too bottled with Leo at the moment to care.

The next morning, Soojung finds herself more nervous than ever. She wonders if Leo will even remember her and if she herself will remember the Husky that was only a pup when she left. With the address Jongin sent her the previous night, Soojung finds the grooming salon in no time. Tucking her phone away, Soojung enters the salon that is roaming with neatly groomed dogs awaiting their owners to come and get them.

“Uh,” Soojung takes a peek in hopes of catching sight of her beloved husky. “I’m here to pick up Leo.”

The associate behind the counter smiles warmly. “Oh, Jongin-shi said you’d be coming, please hold on one second.”

Soojung nods and her heart begins racing at the thought of reuniting with Leo.

“Ari-ah, she’s here!”

Spinning around back to the counter, Soojung’s smile fades as Ariyoung walks out with a white and grey husky beside her.

“Leo-ah, your mommy’s here,” Ariyoung says to Leo before turning back to Soojung with a warm smile. “Nice to see you again, Soojung.”

It was all a setup.

All Soojung wanted was to take her baby home and enjoy a nice day together but that was not in the intentions of Kim Jongin, as he deliberately asked her to pick up Leo so Soojung could bathe in more pain all over again—well that’s what Soojung thinks.

Soojung notices how Leo rubs his head against Ariyoung’s leg underneath the table and she scowls. How could he not even acknowledged her presence.

“He’s just playing hard to get right now,” Ariyoung says as she catches onto Soojung’s expression.

Soojung gives her a small awkward smile and decides to sip on her coffee instead.

“I get it,” Ariyoung sighs with her eyes slightly lowered. “You have all your reasons to not like me and I get it. I wanted to explain myself and clear up some misunderstandings.”

“I’m over it,” Soojung attempts as gently as possible. “Everyone has their reasons and I’m no longer interested. I just want to take Leo home.”

Exhaling, Ariyoung takes a moment for herself. “I came to Jongin at the request of his mother.” Soojung flashes her eyes to Ariyoung. “She told me he needed to be surrounded by familiar people so he could regain his memories and along the way I got caught up in it all. I wanted to make up to him for what I did to him and I honestly missed the way he use to look at me in such a way.”

Soojung looks away as the memories flood back of Jongin calling for another girl’s name when she would be right next to him everyday. It was unfair and she couldn’t d