Something about the way the man strode through the crowded caught Bae Joohyun's attention.

She had just sold another box of bake sale treats to a customer when the shape of him caught her eye, and for a moment she panicked.

But when she swallowed back that fear and took a good look, she knew it wasn’t her former husband she had spotted in Namdaemun market.

Shon Seungwan was taller than her ex, and broader, too.

Ripped muscle now, in a way he hadn’t been four years earlier when she saw him last—at an airbase a few hours away, both of them having just returned from Russia.

A lifetime ago.

Joohyun blinked, ready for him to disappear, be replaced by someone who just looked like him, shared the same shoulder-length-brown hair and sharp jaw, who walked with a cocky confidence she knew he didn’t always feel.

But even after shaking her head, Seungwan was still there, and getting closer.

Seungwan's eyes twinkled as he took in the sight of her, and she knew he was having the same moment of hey, I recognize you, but wow, you’ve changed. Except in her case, that change wasn’t so clearly for the better.

“How much are the cookies?” Seungwan asked, pointing to a sign that clearly said 300 won each.

She’d missed his gentle teasing, the way he followed the question with a smile that warmed his eyes. “No way they’re only a quarter.”

Laughing, Joohyun rounded the table and launched herself into his embrace. Seungwan squeezed her back.

“Master Corporal Shon,” Joohyun whispered as she stepped back and bounced.“Captain Bae,” Seungwan echoed, setting his hands on her shoulders and holding her still so he could get another good look at her. “Look at you.”

“It’s just Joohyun now.” She swallowed hard. “I got out.”

He grinned. “Me, too. I bet that’s no surprise to you.”

She let out a relieved breath, and he laughed with her. “I guess it’s been a while.”

Seungwan's gaze raked over her, lingering on her hair, which was loose and straight now, quite different from the bun she always wore in the army. Then he glanced behind her at her hand-painted sign, the touch of whimsy that hopefully conveyed what her stall was all about. An old-school Bunny Bake Sale! 

 Just like people remembered from high school. When Seungwan nodded approvingly, something tight in her chest eased a little. “You’re a baker now?”

“It’s a long story.” Joohyun grabbed at his hands and laughed again. “This is such a surprise. Are you living in the city?”

Seungwan was a self-described country boy, born and bred, from a small town called Purpletown in Bukgu, Daegu. "Temporarily. I came here for school. How about you?”

“Same. I just graduated from a culinary academy. This is part of our segue into the working world. We do these pop-up events at markets to test our wares.”

“Then I really do want a cookie. And two of everything else.”

Joohyun got a white box from behind the table and picked out a selection for him.

“Two of everything,” she repeated, her curiosity getting the better of her. “Are you sharing these with someone?”

Seungwan winked. “Nope. They’re going to be my rewards for getting through my final week of training. I’m a few weeks away from finishing firefighter school.”

“Oh, Seungwan. That’s amazing. Well done.” Her lips twitched in amusement. “I was going to say that you looked good, like you’d put on some muscle, but didn’t want to make it sound like...”

“Like the last time you saw me I was verging on malnourished?” Seungwan gave her a rueful smile. “You ran us into the ground, and I mean that with all due respect.”

Joohyun's smile softened, went bittersweet. “That was a hard tour.”

She thought of his best friend, a fellow reservist from Busan, who had experienced some of the darkest moments of their time overseas. “You still keep in touch with Kyungsoo?”

Seungwan nodded. “Yeah. We worked together for a while, as house movers. He’s hanging in there. He moved out to back to Busan this year to work as beach lifeguard.”

Joohyun watched him intently as he talked, wishing the market wasn’t quite so noisy, wanting to hear everything about how he’d gotten on after he got out of the army.

“Good. I’m glad—”

Another customer approached, and Joohyun had to cut herself off.

Seungwan stepped to the side, then came back when she’d completed that sale. They tried again, but the next lull in traffic didn’t last long, either.

Joohyun’s heart sank when he gave her a look that said, what are you going to do?

“How long are you in the city for?” Joohyun started.

“It was really good to see you—” Seungwan started.

They both stopped and tried again, at the same time—again.

Seungwan gestured for Joohyun to continue.

She hadn’t known how much she’d needed to reconnect with someone from her past until this moment—someone not toxic, someone who maybe understood what she was going through in starting a new career from scratch.

Someone who was going through it themselves and knew a little bit of where she came from. “We should catch up, if you have time?”

“Absolutely. I’m going to be around the market for a while, so...if you’re free when you’re done here...give me a shout.”

Joohyun grabbed a business card from the table. “Text me so I’ll have your number.”

Seungwan pulled out his phone and did just that, then lifted his gaze again. “It was really good seeing you.”

It felt like he was studying her face, and something warm and unfamiliar softened in her chest. “Same.”

After strolling around the downtown market, Seungwan found table on a patio a block north of the market, with an oversized umbrella to protect him from the scorching hot summer sun.

He’d been living in the city for a year. A year of living on ramen and frozen veg, of sharing an apartment with three other college students, most of whom were almost a decade younger than him.

For the first time in his life, Seungwan had felt like the old man, and he’d loved that part of the experience. The rest had left a lot to be desired.

Every weekend he tried to get away from school and the basic, cramped apartment. He was looking forward to moving home again.

Being away was not for him. This wasn’t the first time he’d tested that theory, either.

He’d done a tour in Russia with the army, with a full year of training on a base in Camp Humphreys, Pyeongtaek before he’d deployed.

Seoul was better than Pyeongtaek, that was for sure. Seungwan’s relatively short career in the army had been generally miserable, but there were a few bright spots.

Serving under the brief command of Captain Bae had been one of those highlights.

The last time he’d seen her, they’d both been in uniform, on a base six hours away. Now she was a baker. A student, starting over, just like me. His phone lit up.

Speak of the devil.

Joohyun: Hey, are you still around?

Seungwan: I sure am. Just sat down at a patio.

Joohyun: I’m nearly done here. A big group came through and I sold out! So I’m free.

Seungwan: Can I buy you a drink?

He texted her the address.

Under the table, his leg bounced. Seungwan shoved his heel into the ground to make it stop. It had been a while since he’d talked to anyone from his days in the army, other than his friend Kyungsoo.

And Joohyun wasn’t just another buddy. Her leadership had helped him through a miserable, scary time overseas. He didn’t feel like that same man at all. He’d grown and matured, and was making different choices now.

Following his own dreams instead of those of his brothers. But that didn’t mean he didn’t still have echoes from the past that affected him to this day, and Joohyun was one of the few people who knew that about him.

While he waited for her, Seungwan texted Kyungsoo and told him about bumping into the captain, then he dove into the group chat his brothers were having around visiting the city for Seungwan’s graduation.

(Baekhyun, the oldest. Chanyeol, the second. Junmyeon, third brother. Jongin, fourth, and Seungwan the youngest)

Junmyeon : What’s the plan for Seungwan's graduation ceremony? I can fly up to Seoul and could