After bolstering his courage and resolve with a long embrace, Jumin promised to return after exhausting his resources, exiting the door once again without delay. MC was relieved to see that his earlier panic had abated somewhat, his hands no longer fiddling with his cufflinks and the cadence of his steps unhurried. In the meantime, he had invited MC to make herself at home, a cook appearing mere hours later to cook her lunch. Though she had wanted to simply cook something for herself, she couldn't find it in her heart to deny the eager expression on the woman's face. Instead she committed herself to assisting with the tasks in the kitchen and asking questions, a short reprieve from the chaos of Elizabeth the Third's disappearance. When the food was prepared, MC watched the severe flaxen-haired bun dash about the kitchen, cleaning up and setting aside leftovers for Jumin as MC had asked of her.

"Please enjoy, Ms. MC."

"You know I always do, thank you."

But when the woman reached out to open the door she hesitated, turning back around with her signature bright expression. "Ms. MC?"

MC stood and raised her head to look at her. "Yes?"

The woman mouth opened and closed a few times, as if she was having second thoughts about what she wanted to say, before she smiled again. "You're good for him, you know."

When MC simply stared in confusion, she continued. "For Mr. Han, I mean. He hired me a long time ago when I was struggling to find work as a female chef. He saved me and my family, though he may not know it. He never seemed callous so much as empty despite what people always said…" She mused, remembering. "But he's a completely different person with you. It's nice to see him smile now and again."

MC was so surprised all she could do was blink. "Th-thank you."

With a final nod and a smile of her own, MC sat down as she took her leave.

MC stared at her plate, her appetite lost as she took in how much Jumin's employees worried about him other than Jaehee. Perhaps he hadn't gone out of his way for them, but they were able to appreciate his pragmatic compass and fair assessment of their abilities. And, like MC, were perceptive enough to understand that there must have been other factors that helped dictate who he was today.

Mulling over this new information, MC ate before her food grew cold, knowing she would be scolded by every member of the RFA let alone Jumin if she forgot to eat in her pensive state. As soon as she finished and washed the sullied plates, she returned to her discarded phone on the bed to find it blinking emerald. It was Yoosung, expressing the same shock they all felt following Elizabeth the Third's disappearance. Though he didn't quite understand Jumin, she was grateful for his earnest hope that Elizabeth would turn up soon, safe and sound. Even more so, his desire to search for her with all the members of the RFA like the peculiar little family they were. See Jumin, she wanted to say, everyone cares about you. No matter what happens, we'll be here for you.

But when Yoosung deviated and started to explain that he had gamed so long the night before he hadn't gone to college that morning, she grew concerned. Why was Seven insisting they go somewhere and stalling? If he knew where he wanted them to go, why hadn't they gone? Before she could ask further, Yoosung said he would check in with Seven and ask if he had any more information on Elizabeth's whereabouts. He left with a hearty farewell, promising to inform her if Seven unearthed any good news.

Feeling inspired by everyone's compassion and the fact that she was ahead in the RFA party work she could accomplish away from Rika's apartment, she returned to writing her novel draft. When she opened the long document, it reminded her how behind she had gotten in the last few days she had spent trying to assuage Jumin in the aftermath of his most recent dilemmas. It was her second book in the series, and she was enjoying the depth this intermediary stage allowed her; now that all of her characters were established, she had the freedom to watch them develop and grow. Consumed with the task of tweaking dialogue, rethinking events, and scrutinizing her character development, she only noticed the violent light winking at her from afar when she got up to stretch and use the bathroom. Jumin?

She opened the messenger to find Jumin asking her if she was all right alone in the house. Touched by his abiding concern for her despite the difficulty of his own situation, she asked him how and where he was. To which he promptly admitted an inability to face his work, having spent much of his time in between advertising trying to understand how and why he felt as he did. He blamed himself for Elizabeth the Third's desperate bid for escape, convinced that he had projected more dependence on the creature than was warranted or appropriate. He was confident that she should be returned to V, certain that his best friend would be able to take better care of her. Though MC agreed that he had relied on Elizabeth to provide him with something the cat wasn't capable of reciprocating, she by no means considered him a poor owner. The cat had lived in perpetual luxury under his extensive care; she doubted a handful of cats in the world lived as well as Elizabeth the Third had. Furthermore, she was surprised at his ability to analyze himself with such swiftness and clarity; it had taken him mere hours to understand why he had adored and doted so extensively on his beloved pet for several years.

The reason why I still kept her at my side was...because the cat was all I had beside me…

There was a distinct pause, and the texts that followed were filled with an imperturbable calm.

But that's not the case now.

MC, you are by my side.

MC wasn't sure whether to cry or rejoice at the revelation, elated that her feelings had gotten through to him.

I'll be by your side from now on. Until the end of the world! She promised without a moment's hesitation, knowing that even if they were nothing more than friends when he recovered from all this that she would still be determined to be there for him.

That's a very aggressive expression, but it doesn't feel so bad to hear it.

Smiling emoji

It was clear that he was too wary to believe in her words just yet, no matter how mollifying her claim was. But the fact that he didn't outright reject it was even more meaningful. He trusted her with his frail hope.

I…I never thought in my wildest dreams

That I would ever meet someone who'd understand me completely

and whom I would be able to own…

She could see him now before her, leaning against a wall or sitting on a couch with his elbows resting on his knees as he typed, looking ahead aimlessly before returning his eyes to the device as he struggled to articulate his feelings.

MC.

You are completely different from all the women my father had met.

Isn't it a miracle...that I managed to find someone as innocent and understanding as you?

I...I never needed a cat.

I needed a 'special person'... just like you.

He said the term as if he had plucked it straight out of a romance novel, the myth that everybody perpetuated about romantic relationships. Something that he had assumed, with ample reason to do so, would never be a reality, at least not for him. How could it be possible to find somebody who took the time to understand him when his own friends belittled him?

MC flushed at the clear adoration in his replies, unused to such direct appreciation. Most of her lifetime had been spent isolated from her age group, either too mature or too direct for their tastes. Every day was met with the stark truth that she didn't belong much of anywhere, until the RFA had invited her into their lives with open arms. She hadn't been miserable or lonely persay, but there had been an acute emptiness that no amount of writing or considerate friends could fulfill; a desire to be understood and acknowledged to a point that was beyond platonic or obligatory. And, before she knew it, she found that natural interaction with Jumin. There was something about their shared experiences with emotional abuse, their fierce opposition to being controlled, and serious desire to live a meaningful life that established an immediate kinship, a fundamental equality that left them breathless and others reeling. She never thought she'd meet somebody with such a similar thought process, someone that treasured her quiet ability to observe with measured judgement and unconditional support.

Before they got too carried away however, as it had been less than two days, MC asked him again about Elizabeth's potential caretaker should he locate her. And he remained adamant in his belief that the only one who could properly look after Elizabeth now was V, redirecting the conversation to MC. He indicated that he wanted her by his side forever, and though it was a statement nearly as aggressive as her own previous one, it was just as earnest. Despite his immediate unease that his intensity would be met with rejection and his subsequent attempt to brush past it with mentions of dinner, she knew that it would only become an unhealthy desire if they moved too fast to secure that future. When he was no longer emotionally compromised and they spent a few years dating, if that was what he wanted, then perhaps they could make their equal wishes a harmonious reality.

After specifying that he had a few more errands to address before he came home, he asked her to wait for him with a distinct, poignant longing; as if the reality were still too good to be true, as if saying it out loud would reassure him that it could be so.

I'll be here no matter how late you come. She soothed, unable to deny that there was something touching and heartening about being a person's reason to return home.

Her promise was met with delighted relief, wondering at her very existence once again as he asked her to stay inside and be safe. Underlying trepidation lingered in his request for her to be cautious, a clear apprehension for whatever Sarah and Glam might be scheming after seeing them together. And she couldn't really blame him, as the two women did seem determined to pay off their debts with the Han family's wealth at any cost.

She lowered the phone to check her document, clicking impatiently at the sleeping screen to find that she had revised the first third of her book before Jumin had texted her. Deciding now would be as good a time as any to take a break and decompress, she picked out a new show to watch on her laptop and let it play. She leaned back against the supple bed and silken sheets, watching leisurely as the lowering sun and obscuring clouds bathed the apartment in alternating darkness and gold relief. When she had no other choice but to turn on the lamp to see more than the outline of her own hands, she rose to illuminate the room, looking to her phone to find it blinking gray. Here we go, she thought with equal measures of amusement and exasperation.

As soon as she opened the messenger, Zen bombarded her with questions as Seven looked on. To which she replied with the same serenity she always did, feeling like a broken record when she restated that Jumin needed time and that she felt fine. She wasn't sure how they expected him to reconcile nearly two entire decades of emotional turmoil in a day, but she was getting a little tired of their insensitivity. Zen, however, was convinced disaster would strike as a result of her compassion, silencing Seven's trademark exaggerations for the sake of humor. She simply repeated that she wanted to stay for the sake of his well-being, convinced that it would do irreparable damage to him and their relationship if she left before he was ready. Despite their ruthless rebuttal that it was Jumin's responsibility to fix his own problems, she had to wonder if they would feel the same if placed in a similar situation. There was more than enough evidence in all of their conversations to prove that Jumin didn't want to burden her with his need for help, having said a mere hour ago that she didn't need to worry about his feelings anymore. She worried because she wanted to, and because she knew he didn't know how to address the problems he was facing. He needed somebody both level-headed and honest, somebody who could lend a compassionate ear as well as refute him for his own well-being.

But most of all, he needed somebody who cared about him beyond any measure of personal gain, somebody who wanted him to feel better for the simple joy of seeing that carefree smile on his face again. She didn't care if he was unstable right now. She couldn't understand why Zen and Seven pretended as though it wasn't perfectly human for people to reach points in their lives where they were selfish for their own sanity. Points where they were rendered completely dysfunctional as a result of their own burgeoning fears and insecurities, coupled with the constant negligence of the people closest to them. She had experienced it in her own life a number of times. But no matter how unlovable and bothersome she might have felt in those moments, somebody had entered her life and decided she was worth saving. So why wasn't Jumin worthy of that same privilege? Just as people had chosen to believe in her, she chose to believe in the good in him. A person didn't need to be perfect to deserve help and care, and she would be damned if she had to sit back and watch somebody she cared about suffer the same emotional trauma alone when she had the power to ease his mind.

Not to mention that she wasn't endangering herself, as Jumin hadn't been remotely threatening so much as overprotective. And he had said himself that she wasn't a replacement for his cat, regardless of Zen's outrage. His explanation earlier had been nothing short of candid, even if he was somewhat emotionally reliant on MC as of now due to his current situation. He acknowledged the difference between projecting his expectations on Elizabeth the Third and caring about MC because she was truly able to listen to and understand him.

Though she did agree with Zen that Jumin should be the one to care for Elizabeth as Seven went on about saving the cat from abandonment. Funny, she mused, you can say that facetiously about a cat but can't recognize the seriousness of her owner's situation.

Zen continued with his myriad assumptions regarding the end of Jumin's so-called robotic reticence, to which she replied with measured denials to every exaggerated claim. To MC's shock, however, Seven was the one to make Zen realize he was suspecting too much of Jumin, asserting that Jumin was an adult and deserved their faith that he would do the right thing. The conversation then proceeded a bit more smoothly, despite MC having to state outright that she was not imprisoned at one point, as Zen began talking about the progress he was making with his acting career. Seven subsequently mentioned embarking on a dangerous journey with Yoosung, asking them to inform the other members about what happened if he got kidnapped. After both she and Zen demanded they be safe and keep them updated, he took his leave. Zen received a call shortly after Seven exited the messenger, expressing his concern a final time. Marginally mollified by her unperturbed reassurance that she was content, he conceded defeat with the simple request that she call him the second she needed him. Moved by his earnest desire to protect her, she agreed for his sake.

His efforts made MC think of her own brothers as she lowered the device and looked to the enormous windows behind the dining room, an aching nostalgia in her heart. But she was cheered somewhat by the dark clouds collecting above the array of multi-colored lights brilliantly illuminating the city, watching as the colors reminded her of a pair of equally striking eyes. She watched the storm outside progress with fierce pleasure, relishing in each crack of thunder and the hypnotizing flash of lightning as it arced across the sky. She wasn't sure how long she sat there staring when the sound of the door opening jarred her back to awareness.

"Jumin," She said brightly, rising from the bed to pad over to him as he shut the door behind him. "Welcome home." His downcast expression rose from its fixation with the floor and looked to her with wide eyes before he met her halfway, staring and taking her in as if he couldn't believe she was still here.

Both relief and guilt overran his features at the sight of her excitement, as if he thought he didn't deserve such a warm reception after leaving her alone for so long. "I'm so sorry I came back so late. I had to go here and there to publicize the missing ad for Elizabeth the Third. I ordered a bottle of wine and invited a chef. He says he'll be here late in the evening." As he spoke, a hand reached up unbidden to knead the nape of his neck with rotating insistence, betraying the intensity of his fatigue.

"I guess you were locked inside the house by yourself the whole day. I'm so sorry." He repeated, frowning as if it were the greatest offense in the history of humankind. She would have to explain to him one day that before she joined the RFA, most of her days had been spent reading and relaxing in the quiet of her home, despite short walks and trips outside. Being alone for a while was by no means a punishment for her.

MC shook her head, not wanting him to misinterpret how she felt. She was only upset to see him so exhausted and despondent. "I'm just sad that you haven't found Elizabeth yet..." She murmured, a gentle reminder that their reunion was sure to come. She wouldn't let him lose himself to his own trepidation, and she certainly had no intention of abandoning him.

"It hurts me to see you be sad." His brows caved in, his hands moving to fiddle with his cufflinks. "I've sent out ads everywhere I can, and said I'll recompense, so it's only a matter of time until someone finds her-Oh right-" He turned and pointed to a door in the hallway a little ways down from the bathroom. "I hung a new dress in your closet. I can't let you wear the same clothes two days in a row…" He remarked with the same horror he had exhibited about leaving her alone. Though it was endearingly dramatic, it was nice to know that he thought about her throughout the day and wanted her to be happy, even if spending time with him was more than enough for her. "If it's okay, will you go change?"

She hesitated, remembering the preparations for the RFA party she needed to complete and the sets of clothing she was going to need if she intended to stay any longer. She didn't feel right having him buy her clothes instead of just wearing what she owned. "Thank you...but shouldn't I be going home now?"

His lips pursed into a thin line, hurt surfacing. "Go home…? I guess I didn't make myself clear just now. I'm sorry, but I hope you stop thinking about going back home." Before she could remind him that she would have to one day, he continued, looking to her in earnest plea. "I don't want to force you to stay here. It's only that things are too dangerous outside. Those women might kidnap you. And there's also the possibility that the hacker is after you." Despite the fringing paranoia attached to his assessments as a result of overprotective fear, she couldn't deny that the possibility was a reality they faced. "I've finally found you, and I don't want you to disappear from my eyes. So quit thinking about leaving. If you do, I might go insane and send out wanted ads all over the country. I'll take you home once things are settled, so please, bear with me." His eyes sought hers, their ashen depths distraught and frantic, begging her to understand why he couldn't bear the thought.

"But first I think it'll be more efficient to familiarize yourself with this house...and being with me. What do you think? If Rika's apartment was more comfortable, please tell me what the place looks like. I can decorate the place to look exactly the same. A picture would be better. If it's uncomfortable sleeping in my bed, then you can use the bedroom inside. Make yourself at home. You might feel more comfortable if you decorate the place with items you like." He encouraged, hoping that a change of scene might make her more receptive to the idea and more than ready to exhaust his resources should it be the case.

But she didn't mind the penthouse as it was, and she had no intention of leaving as a result of his request. She tried to clarify that she only meant to leave as a result of necessity, not discomfort or mistrust. "Still, I can't just start living here so suddenly...I have to go to the apartment to prepare for the party at some point." She reminded, reluctant herself but unable to complete certain tasks without the contacts stashed away inside Rika's hellish crimson desk. She wasn't sure why, but the thought of returning still made her uneasy. Something hadn't been quite right about that apartment...But more importantly, she knew that Jumin needed time and clarity to understand that he couldn't keep her here forever for the sake of his own peace of mind. He needed to grow comfortable with the idea that, though they may be apart sometimes, she would always return to him. She knew that could only happen with time and consistent reassurance.

His eyes widened, as if he had been so consumed by the notion that she wanted to leave that he hadn't considered that she might have to before he sighed, deflated. "Oh...right. I suppose you need to be at Rika's apartment to prepare for the party." His rubbed a hand over his mouth in consternation, considering possible solutions before he shrugged. "Then just stay here for a day or two. I'll try to settle things until then. If you want some fresh air and want to go outside, make sure to take me with you. But it won't be necessary to go outside. You can get your hair done and shop for clothes all inside this building." She had almost forgotten how large the building was and the likely innumerable variety of facilities it housed. She would have to look into the resident gym, and perhaps she could visit the garden Jumin was so fond of to do some writing in the company of the flowers.

His hand reached out towards her hair before it retreated, his eyes looking to hers in question. When she nodded, he lifted a hand to curl a small length of her hair around his forefinger, admiring it again as he had hours ago as if the small act comforted him. "Now that I mention it...I realized the moment I first saw you which hairstyle would look best… and the dress and shoes too...I even want to give you a private lesson on tea brewing with you dressed like a princess. Everyone in my family loves to brew tea." He mused with a boyish smile, content with his own imaginings and eager to provide.

She gazed at him, genuinely curious. He seemed comfortable with her, kissed her, and confided in her, but also seemed to hesitate initiating anything remotely couple-like. "What is our relationship?"

"If there's a need to define this relationship, I'll tell you first. Commonly used terms include 'lovers', 'couple', 'companion', etcetera." Translation: I have no idea either. She had to stifle laughter at the uncharacteristic uncertainty in his voice, a reflection of her own confusion. It was borderline ironic considering the structured order of his response. Considering his rather strict and conventional views regarding marriage, coupled with his natural intensity, she supposed it only made sense that he wouldn't kiss her without the intention of dating her at some point. But it was clear he wasn't sure what a relationship entailed or if they were meeting those basic requirements. As adorable as it was, she felt for him. It had to be difficult to wrap his head around the notion of a potential relationship when he had never been in one, on top of everything that had already happened. "I...can't imagine a life without you right now. I wish you'd be as desperate as I am...but I suppose that's not the case." He murmured as his hand fell from her hair.

As much as she liked him, she knew he still needed time to process, so she remained silent. Agreeing to initiate a relationship now would be taking advantage of him while he was still emotionally vulnerable and needed unconditional support. For now, it was enough for her to stay by his side.

He stopped all of a sudden, his pale eyes boring into hers, roving her features for answers as he was struck by an epiphany. "Is that why? I'm barely keeping myself from getting anxious over you. I wish I could put my name tag all over your body and say that you're mine...I want to protect you from everything...but at the same time, I want to leave a mark on you so that everyone knows you're mine." A harsh sigh escaped him as he looked away, shaking his head forcefully as he tried to make sense of it all. "You won't understand how I feel..." He said with quiet despair, certain that if she wasn't repulsed by his need to keep her close before, she would be now. I don't even understand how I feel, the words hung in the air, unspoken.

But she knew what he meant, "Jumin...You'll take good care of me, right?" It was only natural that he wanted to keep someone important close to him. The thoughts were just a product of his exacerbated fear that she would run away or disappear on him too. When desperate supplications and civil attempts to keep the people closest to him had failed, his mind jumped to extreme methods of alleviating his emotional and social needs. But she didn't intend to do anything to provoke those insecurities.

Relief overtook his expression like a flash fire before he nodded, his creased features easing at her ability to isolate the core of his strangled sentiments. There was no disgust or confusion on MC's face, only tranquility as she listened and worked to reassure him. "Yes, I will. I want to be the best man for you." He nodded in agreement, indicating an awareness of his own behavior and the clear continuous effort he made to remain rational. "I'm trying my best not to get so possessive. I know that our relationship needs time. Trust will be acquired with time, of which we have plenty. I am sure that eventually, your body and heart will become perfectly mine."

As much as she hated to ask the question, she needed to make sure. "I'm not...a replacement for Elizabeth, am I? That's not the relationship I want."

An eyebrow rose with her question, unable to understand why she had made the connection all of a sudden. "Not the relationship you want…? It makes me very sad to hear that. Of course I know that you are a human, and not a cat. But soon you'll realize that you're biggest happiness is being beside me."

MC maintained her calm, knowing that much of what he said had less to do with his true intentions and more to do with his internal dread burgeoning out of control. "Thank you for being so considerate, but I can take care of myself." She said with firm gratitude, accentuating her independence as she took a step back, close to the wall. He needed to recognize her identity and desires as being separate to his own, despite their mutual feelings for each other. A healthy relationship was about being able to communicate and trust instead of control and assume. She didn't realize, however, that her single step had taken her closer to the door or this mention of Elizabeth would trigger a conflagration of the anxiety lurking beneath every possessive and overprotective word.

He advanced and pressed a hand against the wall behind her, almost as loud as the occasional rumble of thunder in the midst of the storm outside, rain pounding on the walls as he blocked all her avenues of escape. It wasn't frightening so much as startling, the reaction impetuous and unexpected.

"Where are you going? I can't understand why you're rejecting me when I'm being so considerate. Can't you be logical right now? I want to protect you. Why do you only want to escape from me?" Terrified desperation made his words a torrential hail of glass shards, leaving MC just as broken and bloodied as he must have felt. He had appeared relatively stable at noon, but hiding the true extent of his trauma and searching without pause all day had taken its toll. His eyes, the dusky color of fresh snow after night casts its inescapable shadow, were clouded and incoherent with the force of his terror. "Will you disappear like Elizabeth once you leave this place?" The words though moderate in volume and execution were brittle and accusatory, more like a broken scream than a question.

And there it was, the true crux of his current incoherence and irrationality, just as she had thought. The longer Elizabeth the Third remained missing, the more his panic would grow until somebody could prove to him that he wouldn't be left to live alone. That somebody still cared about him, no matter what happened. "Jumin, I wasn't going to run off." MC said with slow deliberation, letting each word sink into his overwhelmed mind one at a time, coaxing him back to the present. "I'm here. Let's calm down and take some time to think about it." She reached up to take the hand above her head into her own and squeeze his fingers.

He blinked and after inhaling a rattling, shaky breath, he nodded. "Fine...alright." He managed.

His eyes closed and he hung his head, ashamed. "I can give you however long you need to think this through. As I'm the man in you heart, I will be patient until you open up everything to me. But please, don't run away. The outside world is too dangerous for you...I want to protect you. As long as you are here...I'll try to be calm. I'll think about my own feelings and my possessiveness. And what is truly best for you." He said with renewed conviction before he opened his eyes and looked to her, sobering back to his logical state. "MC...It'll take time, but I will convince you. If anything is uncomfortable for you, I'll work to adjust it. I want to own you completely right now...but as precious as you are to me, I don't want to ruin the right order of things."

She nodded. "I understand. I won't go anywhere." She assured, looking up to his remorseful expression with an easy, forgiving smile. "Can you please move away?"

"Oh now..." His eyes widened, as if he had completely forgotten their current state. He immediately retreated, taking several steps back. "I've blocked a lady's way...My mistake. I apologize if I surprised you too much." His voice returned to its normal cadence, genuine concern invading his cool tone.

"We were both surprised…" She emphasized, knowing that the reaction had been involuntary. "I think it'll be best for me to stay here until you feel more calm."

Mortification twisted his features, humiliation making him unable to meet her eyes. "I'm glad you understand. I apologize again for blocking you." He took another step back for good measure. "Feel safe here. You won't be able to leave...but just know that I don't mean to lock you inside. Please grow comfortable about living here until things are resolved. I trust that you know my sincere intentions..."

And she did. She knew that the more she came to mean to him, the harder it would be for him to ignore the possibility of losing her as he did Elizabeth.