That night, Jimin pulled out the square-shaped paper she just bought from the art store. She turns off the lighting in her bedroom, leaving only her dimly lit table lamp. Sitting on the chair, with a pen in her hand, Jimin's eyes flickered, thinking about the words she needed to write.

Dear Minjeong,

Today would be our first week as a married couple. I would thank you a lot of times to help me get better, to help me push away the thoughts, to gain back my self-worth and everything. Because of you, someone offered me a job. It's kinda linking to you and me, so I guess that's why they wanted me so badly.

Jimin.

The actress's lips flattened as she sighed, satisfied enough with what she had just written. She then folds the papers meticulously, forming a small paper crane. A small jar at the side of her table, before she tossed them inside.

Jimin could only guess she would pile them up a lot more later.

*****

Seven more days to Khurasan.

Minjeong woke up the next morning in a cozy bed instead of her flat, co-urban, hard mattress back at home. She soon realized that she was currently at Jimin's apartment, in her guest room.

She gets off the bed and takes a warm shower quietly when she realizes that the actress is still in her slumber. She put on her soldier attire as she headed straight to the actress's kitchen. Morning coffee would be good, she guessed.

But the thing is that Minjeong didn't know where Jimin put the coffee powder.

So, she searches almost all over the kitchen through every drawer and shelf, but she finds none of them. She needed to leave the house about an hour or two, and Jimin wasn't here to help her.

"I guess I should wake her up?"

Minjeong slowly reaches the actress's bedroom doorknob into a twist, finding her wife tangled in her white blanket with slightly dishevelled hair. A small smile formed on the soldier's face, Jimin is cute when she is like this.

Minjeong then slowly approached the bed, sitting at the edge with one hand shaking the sleeping figure gently. "Jimin, where is the coffee?"

The actress only groaned when her sleep was disturbed. "Hmm... what coffee?"

"The coffee powder. I couldn't find it," Minjeong said before she stood right next to the bed. "I need to leave for work, Jimin."

Jimin doesn't know why or what that was since last night when she heard anything related to Minjeong and her work, her adrenaline would rush unknowingly. The actress sat up immediately from her bed, rubbing her sleepy eyes between her yawns. "Let me do it for you. You could just wake me up in the first place."

"Well, you look like you don't want to be disturbed," the soldier rolled her eyes playfully. "I guess I'll wait for you at the tabletop."

Minjeong left the room, leaving dishevelled Jimin fixing her hair between her fingers, freeing herself from the tangling blanket. She stood up from her bed to look at herself in the mirror, and "What the heck. I look so damn bad," she fixed her hair more, wiping the excess drool at the corner of her lips before finally walking out of her bedroom as she put her glasses on lazily on the bridge of her nose.

"Leaving so soon?" Jimin said as she pulled out one of her drawers, finding the coffee powder so easily that it sent a state of shock to Minjeong. She had been trying to find that thing for almost fifteen minutes, that's insane!

"Yeah, more training. Sorry, I didn't wake you up early for your script reading."

"It's fine," Jimin just nodded her head quietly, mixing the powder with some hot water and sugar. Minjeong takes her sweet time scrolling down on her phone, more news coming in. Khurasan is getting worse. Training would be a lot more intense. Reminders to spend your time with your family are repeated a thousand times.

Jimin finally turned around, handing one cup to Minjeong and another cup for her own. "Don't get hurt anymore, and always be careful" is what the actress said before gulping down her own coffee slowly. Her words somehow stunned Minjeong a bit, but at least there was someone who cared for her not to get injured or everything.

"I'll try my best."

*****

Two hours after Minjeong left for work, Jimin herself droves out for her official script reading with all the cast. She only wears a smile lilac cardigan with her light denim jeans on the bottom. The drive towards the broadcasting building takes about twenty minutes with the light traffic.

Jimin met her manager at the entrance as the younger man politely handed him a coffee. "Miss Yu, here your usual Iced Americano—"

"You can have it, I already drank one in the morning," Jimin rejects politely, shoving them back to the younger man surprising him with her sudden nice attitude. "Wow, thanks," he said before he slurped the drink down. "I guess married life really makes someone a better person, don't they?"

His words only flickered Jimin's ego, glaring at him sharply. "What did you mean by that? I'm always a nice person."

"I know," he nodded, sipping one more time of his drink as they walked. "But you always had that negative aura, dark clouds everywhere. I am scared of you sometimes. You seemed to be in a better mood after your marriage."

Jimin didn't deny that. In fact, he is correct. Her soldier wife somehow really pushed most of the bad things away from Jimin's life. The mockery becomes lesser, even the stupid news about her and Jaechan. People seemed to respect her a lot better since she was married to the country peacekeeper. Jimin also felt that her self-esteem slowly increasing, and she believed more about her self-worth now that people praised her.

"You could say it was like that," the actress sneered, agreeing.

*****

"Jihoo, we need to go! The situation is getting dangerous!" the captain said as he pulled the lieutenant by force, away from the landmines. But seems like the man is too stubborn at this point, his lover comes first more than anything.

"I can't leave her alone in the basement! We need to save her at all costs, Captain!" the lieutenant insisted, shaking the grip so hard and finally freeing himself of the captain. He ran and ran towards the basement, tripped one mine on the way but gladly didn't harm him except the ringing sound in his ears.

"Jihoo! Are you stupid?!"

The Lieutenant used all his might to bang the door open. He shot them with his guns at first, but resulted in none. He banged the door with his whole body, resulting in pain and aches all over his senses. He then fists the door to open, only to bleed himself.

Jimin gripped her script tightly, eyes stuck onto her part. "Jihoo! You need to go! Just leave me here!" Jimin shouted, trying to bring the emotions inside her to come out. "You need to continue living. Please... Just leave me alone. It is dangerous here!"

"No, Byul! I would never leave you! I would save you!" the male lead answered with his part of the script. Jimin scanned her eyes for her next words, but then all of a sudden she could feel how her heart clenched in a painful twist. Her stomach dropped at the thoughts of herself in real life, with Minjeong as a part of it.

"Jihoo, please," Jimin paused her words, her heart drenching even more. She wasn't supposed to feel this hurt by reading a script out loud. She wasn't supposed to get teary eyes, since this was just a mere movie, but, "You should continue your life. Put your life first than mine. Jihoo, please. Leave. I'm okay."

"Byul, no! I would never leave!"

Jimin didn't even realize that a tear escaped from the corner of her eyes. The people watching her slowly gasping in awe with the thought that Jimin is really a great actress. What they didn't know was that Jimin's mind was somewhere else, thinking about that certain someone. "Jihoo, go. I love you."

The male actor was supposed to continue his script after that, but it became quiet for a few seconds before the director of the movie called, "Jimin, you are crying."

Jimin's eyes finally open wide, startled by the callouts. "I did?" she didn't even realize that a few drops of tears already flowing down her cheek, now that she wiped them away with the sleeve of her cardigan. "I didn't even realize."

"Woah, Jimin. You are such a good actress," one of the actors clapped his hand in amusement. "You cried and literally sobbing just now. I guess you could really relate to the scene, aren't you?"

Jimin didn't answer him at first, wiping another tear from her cheeks with her sleeve before she let out a soft chuckle. She shouldn't be like this, this is not funny. "I guess I did," she smiled, trying to assure herself that she would be fine. Everything will be just fine. "I couldn't help to think of my wife while saying that."

"I guess you really love her."

Jimin chuckled. Did she love Minjeong? They didn't even like each other, but they didn't hate each other either. Their arrangements were the ones who brought them to this situation, not that Jimin hates it. Minjeong has helped her a lot, so why would she hate her wife?

She only realizes that maybe — Just maybe, she started to develop feelings for Minjeong.

"I think so too," she answered, flashing her warm smile towards the casts.

*****

Six days to Khurasan.

Jimin started her first movie shooting that day, and she couldn't help it. Every scene she acted out, or every time she looked at the male lead, she would feel her stomach drop. She knows where this movie would bring them to; the death of the male lead.

Every night she got home from work, Minjeong wouldn't still be there. Even if the clock already hits seven at night, Minjeong would come at ten with a tired and exhausted expression. But she would always give Jimin that bright smile as soon as she took her first step inside the actress's apartment.

"I'm home," Minjeong smiled warmly as she tossed her military jacket on the couch. Jimin would just greet her wife with small and open arms, "Welcome back home. How is your arm?"

Minjeong wasted no time leaning in for a hug, washing away all her tiredness. To them, this hug would be another friendly hug, or maybe a normal family hug.  "It's getting a lot better now. Thanks for asking," the soldier slowly wrapped her arms around her wife's waist.

It didn't take them long to pull away from each other with a small on both of their face. "Go take a shower. I'll make something for you to eat," Jimin said, finally walking away to the kitchen. The soldier nodded her head quietly, grateful to have such an understanding wife.

"Thank you, Jimin."

"No problem at all."

*****

Four days to Khurasan.

Jimin was informed by her manager that one of the male cast got hurt while acting in an action scene on the set. Despite thinking much about the situation, her minds were brought back to where she had found her wife accidentally got hurt on duty. It stung her so bad that she immediately sent a text message to Minjeong instead of asking the male cast's whereabouts.

Jimin
How was work? Don't get hurt, okay?

Jimin fingers trembled when her manager got back from all the ruckus, saying that certain male cast would be hospitalized for a day or two. It only worsens Jimin's worries about her wife.

Jimin
Minjeong, answer me. Don't get hurt, I'm telling you.

Jimin was walking in a circle in her dressing room. No answer from her wife kind of torturing her, so when she is about to phone call that certain number, finally a reply — Lots of replies came in. Only then, did Jimin allow herself to breathe.

Minjeong
I'm fine, and I would be. Today's training was only about tactical, so we didn't go to the ground. I spent most of my time today in the meeting room with the tactical teams.

Minjeong
Don't worry, wifey. I am not that weak ;))

Minjeong
Should I call you? If that will help to make you less worried?

Jimin chuckled at Minjeong's answer. It seems like her wife knew Jimin so well. Thank god she had told Minjeong all about her depression and stuff, Minjeong never treated her other than deeply caring for her mental health since the first time they met. A small, happy smile flashed on the actress's face as she typed back her reply.

Jimin
Yes. Call me, please.

*****

Three days to Khurasan.

Minjeong had told her wife earlier on the phone call that evening that she would come home early, around six in the evening. She also told Jimin that for the next two days, she would only stay at home, the ROKA admissed Minjeong and her team to take a sweet time at home. It only questioned the actress in wonder, but she was happy that Minjeong would be home, out of danger.

Jimin came home first that day, around four. She had taken a warm shower, before coming out in fragrance in her bathrobe. Before doing anything, she already sat down on her working chair, pulling out another rectangular paper from the drawers and a pen in her hand.

Dear Minjeong,

Movie shooting is going on well. Strangely, in every scene we acted out, I related almost everything to you, to us. If the scene is sad, I become genuinely sad. If the scene is tense, I would be so panicky that I would call you immediately right after. Is this the pain every soldier's family need to carry? I should get used to this if we want to do this for a really long time. I hope you don't hurt yourself at work today.

Jimin.

Satisfied enough, Jimin folded the paper into another paper crane before tossing it in the same jar. Now there are two paper cranes, just enough to accompany each other inside.

Jimin put on her black bra with an oversized white t-shirt on her top. She then put on a checkered pattern sleeping pants before finally heading out of her bedroom. Minjeong had texted her earlier that she hadn't eaten anything yet, and Jimin assured her wife that she would cook for her.

She began to chop the veggies and toss them inside a pot. Kimchi, gochujang and doenjang for flavors. Some seaweed on top for her perfect Kimchi stew.

She cooked some meat on the side and reheated the side dishes she brought from their fridge. It became a complete set when the rice cooker started singing, and Jimin happily skipped her feet to stir the content out, putting them in two bowls for her and Minjeong each.

She had set the table perfectly with all the utensils and food. When the passcode beeping startled her from her focus, Jimin's happy feet went immediately to the front door, waiting for it to open wider and wider. She smiled so wide at her soldier wife right when Minjeong set her feet inside the apartment with an awkward, confused smile.

"Jimin?"

"Hi," the words came out soft and cute from Jimin's lips. "I cooked for you, come on. Let's eat." She halted a few steps back, giving enough space for Minjeong to finally pull off her shoes. The soldier escaped small laughs. "Why are you looking so happy?"

"Just because," Jimin grinned as she took Minjeong's jacket from her hand. Her free hand intertwined with Minjeong, pulling her inside the apartment deeper towards the kitchen. "Take a seat. You must be hungry."

Minjeong is confused, but seeing Jimin this happy is really worth every one of her worries for the actress. "Thanks for the meal."

*****

Night came and Jimin was in the living room, revising her script for her shooting tomorrow. Minjeong just mindlessly lying down on the couch, watching some TV shows, not until the actress pulled her attention over. "Minjeong, I think I need you to help me with this one."

The soldier humms, "Which one?"

"Here," instead of throwing her script to Minjeong like the first time she asked for her wife's help, Jimin got up from her seat and took the space right beside her wife. "Here," she pointed to a certain phrase on the paper. "I need you to act this with me. I just want to know which posture is the best."

Minjeong scanned the text on the paper quickly, and when she got the idea of what she should do, she immediately got up from the couch, standing right beside it. "Okay, so I should stand like this, right? Now, you should come closer to me."

"Yes-yes," Jimin gently placed the script onto the coffee table just enough for her to see them while standing. She then carefully placed both her hands on each of Minjeong's shoulders. "Which one would be better? The shoulder, or—" she moved her hands on Minjeong's waist, "the waist, or—" hands behind Minjeong's neck, "this one? Behind the neck?" Jimin's brows furrow as she looks into Minjeong's eyes.

What she didn't know was that Minjeong started to gulp nervously between their close distance. Her eyes blink a few times, and her ears start to become red. Nevertheless, Jimin didn't see it coming, since she was too deep into the script.

"Wait, let me see it again," the actress pulled away, slightly moving her body towards the script again, reading the text. "The female lead would come closer to the male lead to create connections between them. Well, yeah, but I—" Jimin couldn't finish her words when suddenly Minjeong pulled her wrist, pulling Jimin's body close that their body accidentally hit each other.

Jimin was confused at first, but then Minjeong released her grip on the actress's wrist and slowly, slowly reached Jimin's hands, placing them behind Minjeong's neck before she said in a low, whisper-like voice only for Jimin to hear. "Behind the neck should be the best."

Only then did Jimin start to blush so hard. She didn't realize how close are they before. Their face barely inches, maybe just centimetres from each other. She could feel Minjeong's breath hitting her skin, and now she could see the redness on the soldier's ears.

But, wait.

"What happened to you?" the actress furrows her brows deeply, finally seeing that small scratch at the side of Minjeong's nose since they were this up close. "Did you get hurt?"

Minjeong didn't answer the actress's words, yet she simply shook her head slowly. A small, assuring smile formed on her face. But, Jimin didn't buy any of it. "Minjeong, answer me. Did you get hurt tod—"

And then, that happened.

The kiss happened.

Minjeong already locking their lips, tilting her head to the right with one hand behind Jimin's head, pulling her so deep. Jimin eyes widen at the sudden outburst, but she slowly dives in, letting Minjeong lead where this going.

Her hands just now slowly came down from Minjeong's neck to her waist, while Minjeong had placed her other hand on the side of Jimin's face, cupping her cheek so earnestly, kissing her so passionately.

They didn't stop, fumbling between the couches and the coffee table as Minjeong tilted her head to the left this time. A small gasp escaped Jimin's lips for a short second only for Minjeong to shut them up again, kissing her wife deeper.

They ended up leaning on the wall, still passionately kissing between ragged breaths.

Jimin was the one who needed to stop her, slightly pushing Minjeong's toned chest. "Minjeong..." she inhales for air. Their eyes were looking deep into one another in such intensity, and they just knew it. They are doing this.

"Can I continue?" Minjeong asked, breathy. Forehead is still on Jimin's. Both hands cupped the actress's cheeks.

When her wife answers her with flickering eyes and a soft "Yes..." only then Minjeong dives in again, hands start roaming under the actress's oversized t-shirt, leaving burning touches on every skin.

They kissed some more, between walls and walls before they ended up in Jimin's bedroom.

They never pulled apart, still tightly locking onto one another as Minjeong tossed her shirt first to the side. It didn't take long for her to pull off Jimin's before she dived back in, interlocking their fingers in sensual motions, clicking lips in between.

They are finally doing this.

*****

Two days to Khurasan.

Minjeong woke up in the morning the next day, slightly panicking at her body for being naked. Clothes are everywhere on the floor and she immediately blushes in embarrassment. But seeing how her wife was still sound asleep beside her, in the same state, naked body only covered with Jimin's white blanket, Minjeong couldn't help but smile.

She slowly got up from the bed, took the messy clothes on the floor before she put hers back on. Now that they are really doing this, and finally doing this, Minjeong thought, it would be right for her to tell Jimin.

She would leave for Khurasan soon.

Don't want to disturb her wife's peaceful slumber, Minjeong slowly leans in just to give a soft peck on her wife's temple before finally heading out for her morning jog.

It took about one hour and a half before Minjeong came back home to Jimin's apartment, greeted by her freshly looking wife in the kitchen. Seems like Jimin has already taken a shower.

"Hey, good morning," Jimin was the first one to greet Minjeong, pouring them their morning coffee. "Where have you been?"

"Morning jog," Minjeong answered shortly, sitting across from her wife before she slowly sipped the coffee down her throat. "What time would you leave for work?"

"At ten. I still have about two hours," Jimin smiled, sipping her own cup empty. "Finished with yours?"

"Yup," the soldier nodded happily, handing Jimin her cup. Jimin just smiled back, too genuine and too happy that it ached Minjeong's heart. Her eyes follow Jimin's movement to the sink, washing their cups clean.

But then, Minjeong's heart aches for a different reason. Her voice starts to tremble, she gulps nervously before she says "Jimin, I need to tell you something."

The actress still diligently cleaning their cups, smiling at Minjeong's small voice. "Hmm. What is it?"

"I need to leave in two days, to Khurasan."

It all stopped.

Maybe, everything seems to come to a sudden stop.

The ticking clock in the living room.

Jimin's hands from cleaning their cups further.

More to it, Jimin's heart.

"What... W-what did you— What did you just say?"

"I need to leave in two days" the soldier paused her words anxiously, "I'll leave on Monday, for Khurasan."

Jimin didn't continue cleaning the cups, resting her hands weakly on the sink. The only thing that filled the tense surroundings was the gushing water coming out faucet in the background. "You are leaving on Monday, for how long?" the actress's words came out slow, in her deep voice.

Minjeong gulps once, maybe twice. "Two months." Her lips twitching. "I need to stay there for two months."

Minjeong didn't hear any words from her wife, nor that Jimin react anything. Her back still facing Minjeong, and the water was still flowing down so strongly from the faucet. Her hands were left unmoved. Worried, Minjeong got up from the stool as she walked closer to her wife. "Jimin, are you—"

In a short second, Jimin cleaned her hands away from the excess soap, turning off the faucet. leaving the soapy cups undone in the sink before she walked away in a rush, ignoring Minjeong's existence at all costs. The soldier turns to panic, "Jimin!"

But the actress answered none, isolating herself inside her bedroom before locking the door shut. Even after a few pleas and knocks, Jimin wouldn't let Minjeong in.

"Jimin! Open the door, please! I can explain, I beg you!"

All the soldier could hear was her wife, sobbing.