3rd person´s pov

“So that´s it? You´re leaving just like that, Hyukjae?” Donghae asked with mixed feelings. There was something between anger and sadness roaming around in his head. Hyukjae was just packing his bag, putting in armour and spare underwear.

“Yeah, it´s my duty after all,” Hyukjae shrugged back facing Donghae. Of course he felt regretful and also very much worried about both. What will happen here once he goes and also what will happen to him out there. But there was no way he could tell that to Donghae. The man behind him was even bigger kid than he was himself.

“Are you aware that they might send you to fight dragons, if you go?” The shorter one of the two continued with his anxiety fuelled speech.

“And are you aware what would happen, if I deserted?” Hyukjae rolled his eyes. Donghae was making it hard for him. Of course he was afraid of fighting dragons, as much as he was afraid fighting alien bugs but going to the army was mandatory and in no way he would break the law.

“But I don´t want you to get hurt by something stupid like dwarfs! You´re athletic, I´m sure they will send you to the front lines!” The younger sat down on Hyukjae´s bed so he had a view into the odd coloured eyes.

“Don´t be dramatic, Donghae,” Hyukjae averted his gaze. “For what I know, I´m going just for the training. They won´t send me anywhere without my consent.”

“Would you agree, though? What if they ask you, will you go to the battlefield?” Donghae had more tricky questions prepared for the poor Hyukjae but the taller male decided to stand his ground.

“It depends, I don´t think I would go in for the fame or pride,” Hyukjae said and continued packing his luggage. “But I would definitely go to protect the ones I love.”

Donghae seemed to be suddenly in the corner of what to say next. Because sure, Hyukjae had the same feelings as he himself and that made it especially hard to continue bothering the latter. He watched as his friend walked to the table and took the chair. Then he shifted the furniture closer to the wardrobe, the biggest in the dorm, and climbed on it. Up on the closet was a long heavy object covered in towels.

“Oh, no! You can´t take that with you!” Donghae panicked. Hyukjae didn´t pay much attention to the other male´s state as he balanced the object into his bag.

“Donghae, it´s the silver sword our family owns for generations. What do you expect? That I will use those lousy swords they provide? As if!” Hyukjae immediately protested once he was safely back on the carpet. Of course, the silver sword was much cooler!

“But then you would stand out too much,” Donghae cried. Wasn´t it enough that Hyukjae was naturally flashy? Did he have to take that awesome sword too?

“Come on, Siwon is enlisting the next month and what do you think he will take with him, hm?” Hyukjae was actually looking forward the fact that he would stand out at least for that one month before the bulky friend with annoyingly handsome face arrives.

“That big golden thing?” Donghae didn´t smell the sarcasm seeping through Hyukjae´s irritated self and answered truthfully. Hyukjae closed the bag angrily and turned away.

“Yeah, probably,” he just retorted before opening the closet and choosing the jacket that would fit the enlistment ceremony the best. Which one he decided to pick again?

Donghae fell into silence once more. He really didn´t want Hyukjae to go and he was scared the latter would get hurt somewhere along the way. And the worst was that he would feel this way for the whole two years. How could he endure that? No, he couldn´t.

“Fine,” he then whined childishly and sprawled himself on Hyukjae´s bed. The latter turned to him to hear the rest of the idea the younger was definitely cooking in his mouth. “But if they decide you should join the mermaid battalion, you have to refuse!”

“Donghae,” Hyukjae sighed tiredly, “why would they put me there?”

“Because you are a good swimmer! You even won a prize!” Donghae argued and Hyukjae agreed, that it was, indeed, possible to put him into the mermaid squad.

“Why shouldn´t I join then?” He asked innocently, still secretly wondering, which jacket to choose.

“That´s obvious! It´s full of beauties!” Donghae frowned at his oblivious friend. “And they are sly too, I don´t like it. Hyukjae, you can´t go to the army.” Hyukjae would seriously say something absolutely not nice to Donghae by then but he finally decided on the coat he wanted to wear and thus his mood stayed stable.

“I wonder, if the uniform would suit me,” Hyukjae wondered while pulling out the coat from the closet. He completely ignored Donghae and the one inch shorter male felt quickly offended.

“It wouldn´t,” Donghae barked sitting up and crossing his arms on his chest. “It will be too big for you and you will look pathetic.” One didn´t need to have too much social understanding nor common sense to realise that Donghae crossed the line. Even the guy himself was aware and didn´t dare to look up.

“I´m glad I get to spend my last morning with you, Donghae,” Hyukjae said and the irony was this time strong enough to reach Donghae. The younger was looking at the socked feet in front of him and for the first time hated the fact that Hyukjae was standing this close to him. Yet he mustered the courage and looked up. He was upset that his friend was almost ready to go.

“I´m sorry,” Donghae said honestly but to his surprise he was greeted with a bright smile. The one he was so fond of, gums and teeth and all over the face.

“Just give me a break, will you?” Hyukjae said gently and ruffled Donghae´s hair a little. Donghae wasn´t going out and wouldn´t mind, right? Then he remembered his own short hair and bit his lip. Did he look stupid?

“But you´re coming back, right?” Donghae was back to the child mode and his hands went instinctively to grab the black coat, as if the short fingers could stop the taller male from leaving.

“I wonder, I may stay, if I find a pretty sergeant over there,” Hyukjae joked and that earned him a hit but also freedom from Donghae´s grasp.

Then Hyukjae picked up the heavy bag from the bed and put it over his shoulder. His body bent to the side but he didn´t seem bothered by it. It wasn´t as uncomfortable as turning his back to Donghae as he walked out of the room.

“I´m gonna be so lonely!” Hyukjae listened to the whine and tapping feet on the floor. He was sitting down and putting on his shoes, waiting for Donghae´s next dramatic scene.

“Just turn on the TV then,” Hyukjae chuckled when Donghae hit him again for joking in such serious situation.

Hyukjae then stood up and turned to face his best friend. He had that charming smile on his lips and Donghae knew, he would miss it like crazy. Even in the days Donghae wasn´t feeling like laughing, the sight of Hyukaje´s smile was enough to make him feel a little better. And it was the same right now. Donghae felt more than just under the weather, he felt desperately sad but Hyukjae´s smile was keeping him above the water surface. Donghae knew that once the door closes behind his friend, he would fall into depression. But now, right now it felt like Christmas.

“I wish I could go too, I wouldn´t feel so bad, if I had to carry the heavy sword and train flying on sunbirds. It would keep my mind busy from the image of you fighting pirates and trolls,” Donghae hung his head low.

“Donghae,” Hyukjae sighed and waited for the slightly younger man to raise his head. “When are you enlisting?”

“The day after tomorrow,” Donghae mumbled looking directly into Hyukjae´s single lidded eyes. The odd eyed man then leaned forward and embraced Donghae. The hug was closer to the lovers´ embrace as Donghae closed his eyes and snuggled to Hyukjae´s neck. The taller one, a little more thanks to his padded shoes, put his cheek on the top of Donghae´s head. They stayed like that for about a minute and then pulled out. The bag was heavy just like that, with Donghae´s weight it was a little too much for Hyukjae.

One more smile, Donghae inwardly begged and his wish came true. Hyukjae´s lips turned upwards and the charming figure stopped with the fingers on the door handle. A few seconds and he will be gone. But instead of a toothy grin, the lips parted a little more to convey one remaining message.

“I have to leave now, Donghae, so I could finish two days earlier than you and welcome you happily when you return to me,” said Hyukjae and finally left to fight the alien bugs.

We will wait, come back safely! E.L.F. don´t wear rubber shoes!

Hello! I´ve already posted this story but I decided that here, it would be a better place to keep it. Although we are sad, I though I should sound cheerful just like Hyukjae always does for us. I think for the time being I will continue with writing fanfictions, who knows about later. Still I wish for all suju members to come back safely and with a huge boom, just like Shinhwa. Thank you much everyone and let´s keep meeting up! - PandaHero, E.L.F. from Europe