Weathering the Storm

Unbreak Me

2 years ago, Seoul

Yejin told herself that the reason she got off on this particular train stop was because she had wanted to stop by the French bakery she frequented often to pick up a few favorite pastries. Not because Hyun Bin's company was the first building one sees when they come out of the station.

She had been craving her favorite cream puffs and since she was in the city so infrequently, she should take advantage of the opportunity. Not because her estranged husband likes to buy coffee at the little coffee stand just walking distance from said train stop.

So here she was, standing with her feet bolted to the ground. People have been walking past and around her since coming out of the station, but she didn't take another step.

She's here for one purpose, to turn in her research work to the head of her department at her university's Seoul location, then meet up with a few girlfriends to catch up after. Of course, the campus was at least three more stops, but she felt compelled to get off at this particular station.

Maybe she was just used to it. After all, she did it all the time when they lived together. So this is all the autopiloting speaking.

For the most part, denial was doing her well for a moment before she realized she was mentally listing what excuse she could use to go up to Study Atlas and see him.

I was in the neighborhood and thought I'd see Min Young...

That would've been convincing if she had kept in touch with Bin's closest colleague. While Yejin and the younger woman were friendly, Min Young was still very much Bin's posse.

I was at the bakery and decided to see how Study Atlas was doing.

She had been very supportive of the business since her husband started with them, but after the separation there was close to zero contact with anyone in the company. So that would be too obvious.

Biting the inside of her cheek, Yejin sighed.

I wanted to see you...

However, there was no way she could say that to him even if that was the truth. Not with how much distance and separation between them. Not just physically, as they haven't seen each other for over six months, but in every sense. She couldn't tell how much they've both changed. The animosity wasn't completely gone, but there were no efforts made to rebuild a rapport either.

He still refused to sign the divorce papers and she had given up after the umpteenth time. She did not pursue the issue further, so they were both stuck in a state of suspension. He has his life, and she has hers.

Did she have thoughts about a possible reconciliation? Of course, but nothing has been discussed, no compromises or plans laid out.

What would she even say to him?

Hello, it's been ages since we've last spoken but I thought I'd stop by.

Yejin rolled her eyes and combed through her hair. It would be best if she did what she came for, turning in her papers to her superiors, meeting with her friends and then heading straight home.

As she was about to re-enter the subway, her eyes caught sight of a figure she would recognize if she was blind. Through the myriad of people ambling about, is Hyun Bin.

A breath poured out of her as she took him in. Her husband had always been attractive, but Hyun Bin in a long gray coat, a white dress shirt with a black tie, and matching slacks, and hair slickly combed back was every woman's dirty fantasy.

She remembered pressing against that hard chest of his as he wrapped his coat around her to keep her warm. It was mid autumn and while it was chilly, she was still able to get away with a skirt.