𝖔𝖓𝖊 𝖉𝖆𝖞 𝖆𝖙 𝖆 𝖙𝖎𝖒𝖊 | 𝘄𝗼𝗼𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴

❝homesick❞

3 days until anniversary.

WOOYOUNG was gone when Miki woke up. The curtains had been pulled aside to let the morning light in, and she threw an arm over her eyes with a wince.

Slowly, she swung her legs over the edge of the bed and stood up, stretching like a cat.

She shuffled over to the window and saw that it looked over the backyard. A well-maintained hedge ran alongside a brown wooden fence, outlining the perimeter of the property. A lone figure in a striped sweater stood with a gardening can, the other hand tucked into his pants pocket.

It took Miki less than ten minutes to change, brush her teeth, and rush outside.

"Good morning."

Wooyoung glanced over his shoulder with a small smile. "Mornin'."

A cold breeze brushed past, and Miki tugged the sleeves of her jumper over her hands. Wooyoung continued to move along the hedge, watering as he went.

"Depressing, isn't it?" he asked out of nowhere.

Miki frowned slightly. 'What is?"

She watched as he set the gardening can down and crossed his arms. "They're... not as blue."

Indeed. The hedge was missing the vibrant blue of their hydrangeas back home. "Homesick already?"

"Perhaps." Wooyoung let out a heavy sigh, and she could sense that something was on his mind. "It might be a while until I see them again, though."

Instantly, the mood changed, and she moved so that she could actually see his face. Worry plucked at her heart.

Her mind recalled the text she read on his phone—his strange vulnerability that one night in their backyard. Why was he so defeated?

"What do you mean?" Her breath hitched.

"Miki, I was thinking..."

They were interrupted by the sound of Mrs. Jung calling them in for breakfast.

Miki couldn't move. How could she pretend to act normal at breakfast when her heart was beating this fast? She was currently processing all the worst possible scenarios.

Wooyoung noticed her tension and placed a warm hand on her shoulder. "I'll be spending some time with my appa today, but we'll talk tomorrow. "I promise."

With a soft smile, he shoved both hands in his pockets and walked back to the house.