Jimin slammed the door to her bedroom shut, sitting immediately on her working chair. She could hear how Minjeong banging on the door, asking her to open it, but Jimin didn't care. Her trembling fingers frantically reached the drawers for another rectangular paper. Between her heavy sobs and unstoppable tears, Jimin reached for her pen, writing on the paper with hitching tears.

She felt sad, despair, scared, and utterly terrified. Everything is mixed up in such a messed up way that every line in her movie script would be replaced by Minjeong.

Minjeong got hurt, Minjeong dying, Minjeong died.

Minjeong, Minjeong, Minjeong.

I hate you!
I fucking hate you, Kim Minjeong!
How could you do this to me!

"Jimin! Open the door, please!"

Jimin wiped her tears away roughly, and instead of folding another paper crane, she crumbled the paper before tossing them inside the jar, heartbroken.

*****

About an hour later, Jimin came out from her bedroom, startling the soldier from sitting shot back up. Minjeong could see the bags under Jimin's eyes, confirming that her wife was crying just now.

Jimin already in her casual attire with her sling handbag on, rushed towards the front door, ignoring Minjeong's concerned eyes. "Where are you going?" the soldier's eyes start to get watery, trying to grab the actress by her arm only to get swatted away.

The actress shot her head up, her eyes were bloodshot. "Do not touch me," she warns before she pulls out her shoe from the shoe rack.

"Jimin, please. I'm sorry, I—"

"Let me go, Minjeong!" the actress's words are louder this time. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks once again. "I trusted you. I let you have my whole life last night. Yet, you gave me this?" Jimin glared at Minjeong who already started crying. They just stared into one another eyes for a few seconds, exchanging sobs, before Jimin headed out from the front door.

Minjeong knew where the actress going, to be honest.

Jimin just needed to go to work, she had told Minjeong earlier.

But, Minjeong couldn't help but be concerned.

Jimin slammed the door to her car closed, pushing the engine button on and immediately trying to distract herself with deafening music. Her cries got louder as she leaned on the steering wheels. Deep inside her, Jimin knew she didn't hate Minjeong.

How could she hate Minjeong? She would never.

It's just that she feels betrayed and extremely terrified.

Everything that was there inside her movie script might happen, for real.

*****

Throughout the movie shooting, many cast and staff members realize the decrease in mood from Jimin, not that they question much about it. Even if they did, Jimin always gave them the same answer — Just the usual newlyweds' fights — And she'll eventually be fine.

But, Jimin knows she will not be fine, for two months. Hell, for two months? In her still fighting in control of her own mental health, Minjeong going to leave her for a deadly war for two months?

"Jimin, are you alright?" one of the female cast approached her, handing Jimin a warm cup of tea from the food truck on set. "You look depressed. Is there anything I could help you with?" Yeji put a hand on Jimin's shoulder, squeezing them lightly.

Is it that obvious? Does her face show everything? That she really isn't in a good state? "Hey, Yeji. Uhmm... I know that we weren't that close. But you are one of the well-known actresses who got married to a police officer."

"Ryujin?" the other actress's wife's name rolls out from her mouth. "What's wrong with my wife?"

Jimin slowly took the warm cup from Yeji's hand, smiling lightly at her as her sign of gratitude. She gulps the warm tea, once, before her eyes shoot back up to Yeji full of hope. "Are you okay? I mean— married to a police officer. Aren't you afraid?"

Jimin's question only sends confusion to the other actress. "Afraid? Of what?" she didn't get it at first, but still tried to shoot out her bullet, guessing. "Is this the 'in-danger topic' you are talking about?"

To confirm her guess, Jimin nods her softly, but weirdly enough Yeji lets out a soft chuckle in reply. "Always, Jimin. Always. I guess you are worried about your wife's whereabouts as well, huh?" she laughs between Jimin's silence. Yeji then politely took the empty seat beside the actress. Jimin's hands hold onto the warm cup, providing her with some sort of warmth before Yeji continues. "Exactly on our wedding day, she got shot in the leg on the way towards our wedding hall. We ended up vowing on each other at the hospital."

Jimin eyes widen, surprised. She glared towards Yeji's face in such tense, but Yeji eventually laughed it off away. "I was always afraid of the way criminals these days could easily hurt my wife almost everywhere. Sending her off to work every morning became my number one fear since then. But you know what Jimin?"

"What?" Jimin's words came out soft.

Yeji just smiled back at the actress with her soft features, assuring. The lights of sunshine seem to bring out everything inside her expression. "She always comes back," Yeji scoffed once, turning her head to the front, looking up at the sky. "Even with everything that fears me out, she always promised to come back, and she did every time."

Jimin didn't know why, whether she was too stunned by Yeji's calmness or the way she loved her wife that much. But somehow, Jimin could feel her heart get lighter.

"Even after everything, she would come back to me, to our home, and that is how we got our first child last month."

Seeing Yeji chuckling at the mention of the actress young baby flutters Jimin's heart. She and Minjeong with a child. Jimin never planned anything with Minjeong about having a child, nor that they care about it yet. They are still in the phase to get to know each other, but this morning's incident fucked them up.

Jimin finally let herself to smile genuinely even just a small one, looking up to the sky the way Yeji did. "Thank you, Yeji. Thanks for telling me that," she said before sipping down the warm tea.

*****

Jimin came back home that night with Minjeong sleeping on the couch. The bags under her wife's eyes are still visible, telling Jimin that Minjeong might cry for the whole day.

Sighing heavily, Jimin excused herself to her bedroom, locking the door shut again. She took a warm shower before coming out twenty minutes later, wrapping her body with her bathrobe and sitting on her usual working chair — pulling another rectangular paper — pen in her hand.

She wet her lips once before flattening them, thinking deeply about what Yeji had told her earlier. Having a wife who serves the country would be hard; anyone having any family in that kind of job would be. It is not because they hate them, but because they are scared for them.

They don't want to lose them.

Dear Minjeong,

You should tell me earlier that you are leaving. Now that we only have one day left with each other, how did you expect me not to look at you and cry every time I do? I'm scared, Minjeong. I don't want to lose you, and I don't want to lose myself either — No. I don't want to lose myself again.

Jimin.

When Jimin starts to fold the paper into another paper crane, a soft knock on her door stops her hands from proceeding. There would be no one other than her wife who would do that — Jimin sighed, still pretty heartbroken, and utterly not prepared at all for everything.

In the end, after the knocks turn a bit more frantic as Minjeong's voice turns into sobs, Jimin gives up. She tossed the paper crane aside for now and walked straight to her bedroom door. She allows herself to only creak the door open in a tiny gap just enough for her eyes to see Minjeong's face.

Don't cry. If you cry, how should I let you go away?

"What did you want?" Jimin's voice came out colder than she expected. Her eyes scanning on Minjeong's dishevelled clothes, pretty much just awake from her sleep only to realize that Jimin is finally home.

"Jimin, I'm so sorry. It was not my intention. I meant to tell you the news from the very beginning, on the day I received the order last week. But, I don't want to disturb your happiness. You look so happy since you got your job back that I'm afraid my bad news will plummet everything you have been working on."

Seeing how Minjeong pleadingly put her hands together, begging, for the first time ever since the morning, Jimin answered her with a low, gentle voice.

"Do you expect me to be happy with this, Minjeong? I didn't. It scares me," Jimin ended her words with a deep sigh. "I'm scared, Minjeong." When Minjeong is just about to hold up her head, shooting hopeful eyes towards her wife for forgiveness, Jimin cuts her. "Go back to your apartment today, and start packing. Give me time. I'll see you on the day I need to send you off."

Minjeong's eyes turn frantic at her wife's words, slowly reaching back to Jimin's door. "Jimin, no! I'm—"

But Jimin is faster, locking them shut once again.

"Jimin, please! I'm so sorry!"

Jimin tried so best to hold her tears — Damn it. It is so freaking hard to hold them in. A few escapes anyway, nor that Jimin cares much. She got back to her working chair, continued to fold the crane as Minjeong's sobbing voice was like a piece of sad music in the background.

The moment Jimin was done with her pieces, she tossed them into the jar and took a deep breath. She heard no more sobbing, and out of curiosity, the actress walked out of her bedroom.

Minjeong is gone.

Minjeong is really gone, with a note on her bed.

Dear Jimin,

I'm heading out to my apartment first, and I'll see you on Monday. I'm sorry. I love you.

Minjeong.

Only then did Jimin allow herself to knelt down on the floor, crying heavily as much as her heart couldn't bear.

*****

The day to Khurasan.

Minjeong had texted her wife on the night the location of the sending-off point for the soldier's family. She also told Jimin the exact time they would depart, and Jimin practically told her manager to empty her schedule for the day.

Because she knows, at the end of the send-off, she won't be able to hold herself back in.

Minjeong arrived first by taxi as the bus towards the take-off point was already there. Many families gathered, spending their last time with their loved ones, talking only about happy things, with hugs and kisses.

Minjeong watched them with a sad smile on her face before she tossed her bag into the military bus, and it didn't take long for her to finally spot Jimin's car approaching. Heart is happy, but extremely guilty, Minjeong comes down from the steps while her eyes dart to her wife who just got out of her car.

Neither of the other families cares about the actress's appearance since everyone is giving their best and full attention to their loved one who might be and would be the last.

"Jimin, hi," is the first normal conversation she had with her wife in the last two days. Despite all the thunder and the waves in their relationship, Jimin tried her best to be normal, smiling just enough as her reply. "Hi."

This also would be the first time ever in two days for Minjeong to stand up, close to her wife again. Her hands slowly reached Jimin's, tangling their fingers together before slightly squeezing them. Either it was a sign of assurements or a sign of apology, all Minjeong cared about was to be close to her wife again. "How are you? You got bags under your eyes."

Jimin let out a soft, sad chuckle between her lips. "You got them too, you know."

Both of them spent their last night crying, not that either of them told each other about it.

"The bus would leave in ten minutes," Minjeond says, never letting Jimin's hands go. The actress just nodded her head softly, answered none. "From now on, listen carefully to whatever I'm going to tell you," Minjeong said, and Jimin still answered her only with her nods.

"Whatever happens to me, everything mine would be yours. You can sell my car and my house, I don't care. It's fine," Minjeong started, squeezing Jimin's hand tighter. "If you don't want to sell them, you can give them to my older sister. All the money in my bank would be yours."

Jimin nodded her head silently as Minjeong continued. "Oh— I have a cactus plant in my living room. Please take care of them, my mother gave them to me before she got ill, it is really precious to me," Jimin nods again, now followed by a soft hum.

"Soldiers! Five more minutes!" a warning shout was heard, and the couple turned their head towards the source of the voice. Their heart starts to beat rapidly. There's not much time left.

"And for what happened, I'm sorry. I really cared for you, Jimin. It wasn't my intention, I promise."

Jimin answered her wife with another hum, and for Minjeong she would be just fine with this despite Jimin would say nothing. It would be enough for her to have Jimin here, right now with her. To have Jimin holding her hands tightly. To have Jimin to look at for one last time.

But, then, Jimin's raspy voice startled her.

"Take good care of yourself, eat on time when you can, and..." the actress's voice hitched when she suddenly pulled out one of her hands from Minjeong's grip, stroking her thumb softly on the bridge of Minjeong's nose.

The same scars Minjeong got on the day they fought.

"—and don't get hurt," Jimin's words became so raggedy as she tried to finish her word. "Promise me to come back home."

"J-Jimin, I—"

"Promise me, Minjeong. Please," Jimin couldn't hold herself anymore, finally letting her tears flow freely. Minjeong follows her right after. "Minjeong, please."

"I promise," Minjeong replied with a trembling smile. Her voice got shaky, repeating her words, "I promise, I will come back home, to you. To us."

The final calls brought back everyone's attention, and they had only one minute left for each other. Minjeong pulled Jimin closer, hands on the actress's waist before she wiped the tears on Jimin's cheek with her thumbs. Foreheads leaning on each other before Minjeong briefly whispers in her ragged breath.

"I love you."

She kissed her wife. All tears. Longing. Regretting. Literally, everything.

Before she pulled out seconds after, loosening her grip onto Jimin's hands.

The last touch of their fingers is breathtaking, heartbreaking, and it instantly made Jimin's knees weak. The moment Minjeong got up the steps to the bus before waving her goodbye to the actress, Jimin's lips wavered uncontrollably. Between wants to say her last goodbye, or cry, Jimin was stuck in between.

A few seconds later, the bus drives away into the military base towards the take-off points.

And Jimin was still there, clenching her chest; her heart painfully.

I love you too.

*****

Dear Minjeong,

It is our second week anniversary as a married couple, but it's also the same day I need to send you off to the unknown world. To the scary place that would bring horror to many.

Minjeong, I hope you did not get hurt. I hope you always have time to eat. I hope you had a great colleague to work with. I hope your journey wasn't that rough. I hope you will come back into my arms. I hope we can fix our relationships after that, maybe planning on something for the future as well.

I'm sorry that I forgot to tell you. I'm too scared to let you go. I'm too scared of losing you. Nevertheless, Minjeong, I love you too.

Jimin.

*****

Dear Minjeong,

It's been two weeks since the day you left. I've been told by one of the ROKA personnel that there is no way to have internet access to communications with you there other than the military radio itself. Thus, I couldn't manage to hear anything from you. But they told me about you and your colleagues' whereabouts.

They told me that the ROKA succeeded in wiping out almost half of the militants, despite there being still many left out there. They told me no one got hurt in the process, but I don't know if I should trust them. I hope you didn't get hurt, Minjeong.

Oh! My movie shooting goes on well. Despite most of the scenes could be related to you, to us, I told myself lots of times that real life ain't a movie. The ending won't be the same. Yeji had told me lots of times that the ending would be different, for us.

Jimin.

*****

Dear Minjeong,

How are you? It's been one month now. I got closer to Yeji, and she brought her wife and her baby girl today to work. They are so cute together. She named her baby Yejin. Shin Yejin. What should we name our child when we get one soon? I don't know. We never talk about having one.

Don't be jealous, please. But, I could see you in Ryujin. The way you guys act was kind of the same. But, I told Yeji that you are much cooler.

Let's meet them when you come back. I love you, Minjeong. Sorry that I didn't tell you that day.

Jimin.

*****

Dear Minjeong,

It's fourty-five days since you left. How much is it? One month and a half, right? I don't know. I couldn't do math.

I got my first anxiety attacks after a while. The scene they acted out earlier was the scene where the male lead would die, so they literally shot him a lot just now on the set, and I kind of freaked out. It reminds me of you.

Are you okay there, Minjeong? Please, I beg you, be fine. Don't get hurt.

They sent me to the hospital right after, I collapsed in the end. I couldn't help it, it reminds me of you so much. How the hostage taker in my scene literally shot him to death. My mind immediately shifted back to our situation.

Minjeong, I really love you. I wish I could tell you that day, now that I'm regretting it so badly.

Jimin.

*****

Today would be exactly two months after Minjeong left for Khurasan. She had prepared everything ready for her wife. She bought a bigger bed last week for her and Minjeong to sleep on. She literally sold Minjeong's house (for real) for not wanting her wife to go back there again, to stay here permanently with the actress.

The cactus Minjeong had been talking about had been placed neatly on the veranda, just enough to give the plant sunlight for a living.

Jimin also did some groceries last night, filling her fridge with tons of things so that she can cook for her wife anytime she requests.

She also had prepared to confess her love, since she didn't do that yet.

Looking at the time on the wall clock, Jimin could only guess that Minjeong might be on board at the moment, taking a few flights from Khurasan back to South Korea. They had told Jimin before that the total day for the flight to arrive would be about three days.

Jimin had excused herself to work. Minjeong won't come home like magic, suddenly appearing in front of Jimin's face with just a snap of her finger. She knew she needed to wait, her wife would be here soon, and Jimin would be patient with her.

After all, she had Yeji as her best friend now, to share their thoughts on their in-danger wives.

She had shared with Yeji how she regretted ignoring Minjeong the last two days she was at home, and Yeji kindly assured her that it was just fine for newlyweds like them, since they had never experienced being apart from each other like that before.

Jimin guessed there is where the progress started, and she planned for an apology to her wife later.

The scene they are acting out today was minimal. It would be their last scene for the movie, to be honest. It's the graveyard scene, where Jimin should just kneel down on the grass, crying, holding the tombstone — The Jimin she knew back then might be laughing so hard at her, saying this scene is bullshit. Crying her ass off to a fake tombstone.

But, now, even through the acting, it held a different meaning to Jimin close to her heart. If she messed up with this scene, she felt like it would be the same as if she would make fun of her wife.

Jimin would never do that.

"Miss Yu! You got a phone call!" the actress's manager called, running towards Jimin from afar with the actress's phone in his hand.

"Who is it? If it's a phone phishing scam, just ignore it, and—"

The actress's words immediately cut as her manager flashed the screen towards her in the air. "It's written as ROKA here, Miss Yu."

Eyes widen, Jimin wasted no time, running towards her manager, almost tripping onto the fake tombstones. She glanced at the saved contact number on her phone screen before answering the phone. Minjeong's already back? She shouldn't be back that early, right?

"Hello, am I speaking to Mrs. Yu Jimin, wife of First Lieutenant Kim Minjeong?"

Jimin gulps once, her heart racing excitedly. "Yes, I am. What's the matter?"

The voice on the line came into a sudden pause like the person was trying his best not to shock Jimin too much. "I'm sorry to announce, Ma'am. Your wife has been missing from the Khurasan base for three days. The Khurasan government and the ROKA were trying their best to find out the whereabouts of your wife."

No.

This is not happening.

"W-what?" Jimin's voice trembles, scoffing in disbelief. "There's no way. My wife shouldn't have gone missing. She was there, with the ROKA Bravo Team. She ain't missing," her voice came out calm but ragged.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. We will try our best to—"

"No!" Jimin literally shouted, shocking everyone on the set. Even Yeji's eyes stuck onto the terrified, angry Jimin. The actress's face gets paler like her blood was sucked out from her body. "My wife was there. She told me she would come back home to me, she would never lie!"

This is not happening.

This is not real!

"Jimin, hey..." Yeji slowly approached the actress, wrapping arms around Jimin's shaking figures. Jimin didn't even try to stop her tears. "J-Jimin, you need to—"

"No, Yeji. No! Minjeong would come back home. She would come back to me!"

"Jimin, I couldn't—"

"I'm really sorry, ma'am. The whole ROKA condolence with yours. We'll update you in the future, and I'm sorry to tell you that you might need to prepare—"

Jimin shouted angrily to her phone, a never seen before to anyone's eyes. "No... No, no, no! I won't— p-prepare for anything, and my wife is not missing!" the actress stubbornly ended the phone call with force, hands down weakly, dangling like a zombie.

"Jimin, are you—" even Yeji's words stopped the moment Jimin fell down on her weak knees, fainting from the great shock of the news.

Thankfully, Yeji was there to catch the unconscious Jimin.