3. The Fighter

25th December 1940

“Fany, come eat a little more. It’s almost impossible to get turkey these days but my chicken is just as good! I guarantee it.” Yoona said as she put more baked-chicken pieces on Tiffany’s plate, which got ignored by the later.

“I am full Yoongie, just give those to Yuri.” Tiffany moved her chair back, “I am not feeling well, I think I’ll turn up first.”

Tiffanys stood up, she walked to her father side, bending down to give him a kiss on his cheek then did the same to her little sister.

“Merry Christmas Yul, sorry I couldn’t give you a kiss.”

The usual Yuri would make that sentence turned into a banter, but today she let it go.

“Merry Christmas Fany, rest well.”

Her room was bigger than Yoona and when they were a child, they fought to death to claim the room. She loved it as she spent her childhood times playing with Taeyeon in this room, building fort, playing family, playing cops. Tonight, for the first time she regretted having this room, it felt way too bigger. Empty.

She walked to her bed, kneeling beside it.

“My almighty God. I am sorry for all the things I’ve done that hurt other people. I am sorry for defying your rules for so many times, whether intended to or not. My merciful God.. Please..please bring my fiancee back. She might be not the most religious person, I know she doesn’t believe in you but please.. please bring her home.” Tiffany paused as she almost choked on her tears. “I need her. I’ve lost my way without her.. please God.. I’ve help a lot of people that got injured in this war, I don’t mind the heaven as you promised, just please..please bring Taeyeon back to me..”

“The plane is okay!”

“Really? It looks wrecked though.”

“No, no. See? This propeller still works, I just have to check on the machine a little then we have to figure out how to get the fuel. This baby will fly as smooth as before.”

“I think I can get the fuel you need. Just count it as my ticket for riding your plane.”

“What are you talking about? Your ticket had been paid way before, when you saved me from this plane and nurse me back to life.”

“Well.. I am a nurse so you’re indeed lucky.”

“I am. Thanks a lot Ailee.”

“You’re welcome.. Taeyeon.”

25th December 1941

“It’s the first time I spend Christmas away from my family.”

Ailee frowned in confusion, “I am sorry, but I thought you said that your parents passed away when you just graduated from high school.”

“Ah yes.. What I meant is my other family. My fiancee’s family to be exact.”

“Ooohh. Stephanie right?”

“Pardon?”

“Your fiancée name. Stephanie. It’s beautiful name.”

Taeyeon raised an eyebrow, “How can you know her real name, I thought I mentioned her as Tiffany.”

“You’re always mumbling ‘Stephanie’ in your sleep. I thought this is your fiancée and that Tiffany was your fling.”

Taeyeon threw her napkin at Ailee. “I am not a player. My baby face don’t support me.”

“Hahaha you’re right.”

Ailee continue eating their Christmas dinner, which contain of a bread-toasted, some cheese and beans. They mostly had canned food and cheese, they were lucky today they could get bread from the smuggler.

“It’s not fair though.”

“Pardon?”

“I told you almost all things about me but you barely mentioned anything about yourself.”

Ailee put down her fork, she finished with her meal. It was not that much food anyway.

“Why are you hiding here? You’re not Jewish right? Other people in Netherland seem to continue their life as normal as they can be in this situation. I don’t see the reason for you to hide.”

“The Nazis.. They not only abduct Jewish people. They took those cripples, terminate-ill people, and other people that they think will not able to raise a good future generation.”

Taeyeon looked at Ailee from top of her head to her toes. “My eyes might be damaged from the accident, but I don’t see anything wrong in your body.”

“It’s not in my body Taeyeon.”

“Then?”

“I am the same as you and Stephanie. I am a lesbian.”

Taeyeon realized what Ailee implied. “You mean.. They also took the gay people?”

“Yes. They took them and killed them. Actually if they ever took you, just beg to get shot at that time. It’s better than being sent to concentration camp.”

Taeyeon stood straighter. “Concentration camp?”

“It’s a place where they put all the people that they account as low race, people with disability, people without any function to society, and us people with mental sickness. They forced to work all day without proper rest..” Ailee snorted, “Well, forget about rest, the don’t even get any food. The Nazis let them die there, suffering, hungry, being cold, scared with no hope left. The new rumor I got, Hitler set a new camp, people call it death camp. They killed them there and burned them into asses..”

“Just because loving someone?”

“They don’t understand love Taeyeon. This war won’t happen if their fuhrer has even a speck of love in his heart.”

Taeyeon lowered her head. Again, for the tenth time that day, Tiffany’s face flashed in her mind. She could not imagine if The Nazi able to conquer Britain, then Tiffany will be in danger.

“Hey, I know what you’re thinking about. Don’t worry too much. I believe your country won’t be defeated easily. They won’t get their hands on your fiancee.” Ailee assured Taeyeon.

Ailee was the first person Taeyeon saw once she opened her eyes. According to her, Taeyeon had been in coma for almost five months. Her body was fine, but Taeyeon hit her head hard on the cockpit causing great trauma to her head. She spent almost two years in total under the ground, inside Ailee’s bunker as she gather her strength to go home.

Taeyeon didn’t believe in God, but she thanked whoever out there, the universe, Jesus, Allah, Budha or whatever for saving her life and she prayed for one more thing. For her the see Stephanie for one last time.

On December 7th 1941 Nazi-German’s ally, the Japanese bombed US military base in Hawaii, Pearl Harbor. The attack destroyed 188 US Aircraft, killed 2.403 soldiers, and injured 1178 other.

As the result of the attack, US and UK declared war on Japan, by that means, as the axis power alongside with Italy and Japan, Germany declared war on the US.

US Entered World War II

Two hours passed midnight, 1st December 1942. The plane spotter identified a plane flying closer towards RAF base. He sent signal to the other personnel, preparing for attack and an anti-fighter plane.

“Hold your fire!” The senior aircraft spotter, James focused his binoculars, “It’s a Deviant! It’s a RAF plane!”

They guided the plane down. Sergeant Hwang were standing there, watching the process. He thought that age must be affecting his health already as his eyes played mind trick on him.

There, climbing out of the beat up plane was Taeyeon Kim.

Tiffany had played this scene in her mind for thousands times. It was her hope, her dream, her wish. She prayed for it constantly. She hurt her knee for kneeling for a long time, begging God to bring back her Taeyeon. She had no idea that instead of hugging her fiancée as tight as she could, she was just stood there quietly. Looking right back at Taeyeon who also didn’t reached out for her.

The two lovers had their eyes on each other. Tears run through their eyes. Yet none of them made the first move to embrace each other.

For Taeyeon, she freeze  because she was afraid that it was all dream. That she was actually still in coma with her body laying lifeless on Ailee bunker back in Netherland.

“I am back Fany-ah..”

Human’s curse; always living in despair as punishment of what Adam and Eve did were real. Tiffany could testify on this statement. Two weeks had passed since Taeyeon backed into her arms but her lover had been very different.

She didn’t want to touch Tiffany. Taeyeon refused to let her sleep over-she swore she was just wanted to sleep beside Taeyeon, hugging her to sleep. Taeyeon said that she did not want to make Ailee to feel uncomfortable if they did something with her now living in Taeyeon’s home.

Speaking of Ailee. The moment Taeyeon mentioned her as her savior, she had bad feeling about it.

Tiffany was always a jealous lover but this time she had strong reason to. Ailee was there to save Taeyeon when she could not. Ailee was the one who nursed Taeyeon back to health. Ailee was a fine looking woman, they were just had each other back there in Netherland, under a bunker for almost two years.

Something must happened with both of them. Something that made Taeyeon changed.

Taeyeon came home from military base, tired as usual. The Commanders were planning another air attack at German. Even though she was just got back, Taeyeon offered her help. She had to do something to stop the war.

She needed Great Britain to win the war.

Opening her bedroom door, she was greeted with a scene that she loved -or hated at the moment.

Tiffany laying on her bed.

Taeyeon took off her jacket at Tiffany. “Please cover yourself Fany.”

Of course she wouldn’t do what Taeyeon asked for. Tiffany walked towards Taeyeon slowly to seduce the pilot. She circled her hands on Taeyeon’s neck as she closed their gap.

Taeyeon could not resisted the temptation. She missed Tiffany so bad. They had not been together for almost two years. All she wanted to do from the moment she stepped out of her plane was to kiss Tiffany.

But then she got reminded why she didn’t do that.

Pushing Tiffany from kissing her, Taeyeon had to use her strength to put a distance between them.

“What the hell Taeyeon?! I am your fiancée!”

“I-I w-we shouldn’t do this.”

“Why?”

Taeyeon avoided Tiffany’s eyes but then her eyes landed on Tiffany’s s. Taking control of the situation, Taeyeon took the bed cover and covered Tiffany’s body with it, she even tied the knot to secure its place.

Tiffany’s face was red from humiliation. She had offered herself for Taeyeon, but she rejected her, she didn’t even wanted to look at her eyes.

“Is this because of that woman?”

“Who?”

“Don’t play dumb Taeyeon Kim. That bloody that you brought from Netherland.”

Taeyeon clenched her fists she could not believe Tiffany able to call Ailee with such name. “Ailee is not a . She’s a good person, she doesn’t deserve