Wherein we skip to a few years later

May 19, 2019
Yongsin, South Korea

The roar of the crowd was deafening. Bypassers and traffic nearby slowed down to watch the spectacle, wondering if there was a concert or perhaps a protest staged nearby. It seemed as if hundreds of mostly female spectators had gathered near the main streets of Pogok Town.

Longtime residents, however, had seen this before. Some of the more wiser ones had already noted the date on the calendar and avoided the area near the 55th Infantry base. Restaurant and business owners on the other hand had stocked up, preparing for the influx of people to their usually sleepy corner.

Another one of those was getting released. You know, those celebrity stars. An idol, or actor. One of those. The halmoni selling vegetables at the market was sure it was Lee Min Ho but her friend from the stall across scoffed. Everyone knew Lee Min Ho had done desk duty and had already been released anyway. It was No Ji Wook. You know, that lawyer. The one who was marrying the other lawyer.

Her granddaughter rolled her eyes. Halmoni watched too much television. She never could get the real people straight. And it was Ji Chang Wook being released. He was practically an ahjussi so she was not interested. Now if BTS or EXO were in town, that would be exciting.

Nearby, the commotion outside the barrack gates had risen to a fever pitch. The local police were called in for crowd control as the scores of fans lined up holding their signs and banners.

Very soon a hush falls on the crowd as a figure is seen walking towards the gate. From the distance, all they see at first are his army fatigues. As he comes closer the crowd recognizes him and a chorus of excited cheers break out. The fans call his name, waving their signs eagerly. He smiles and waves towards the people gathered, bowing low as he stands before them. He looks the same, yet different. The angles of his face a little sharper, the build of his body a little firmer.

Ji Chang Wook is back.

The blur of the scenery passing by is fascinating to Chang Wook. Over the past twenty or so months he’s only been out of the barracks on leave six times and it’s hard to believe he can now travel anywhere he wants. Go anywhere he desires. Get on his bike and hit the road if he so chooses.

But right now, there’s only one place he wants to be. He looks over at his longtime friend and manager, wanting to urge him to drive faster. It would take an hour to get to Seoul, but somehow even that seems too far.

Manager Bang Chi Gu keeps glancing over, the tears he unabashedly shed earlier still evident. If not for the fact that he was at the wheel, he would have pulled Chang Wook into another bear hug.

Riding in the back seat was Manager Bang’s newly wedded wife. They had tied the knot five months ago in a beautiful ceremony after almost five years of dating and Chang Wook had managed to schedule a short leave from his division to be the best man at the wedding.

Manager Bang had said a lot of  Chang Wook's friends had wanted to come. However, due to the crowds expected near the base, they had all decided to wait in Seoul instead at Alver Labs, his friend's cafe. (Everyone except for Choi Tae Joon and Lee Jong Hyun who were currently knee deep in basic training camp. Poor bastards.)  And she would be waiting for him there too.

Chang Wook had told her not to come to the infantry base, worried about the mobs of people that could show up. Even so, he couldn’t deny a part of him had been searching to see if she was there in the crowd. 

The car slows down near one of the little towns dotting the highway and Manager Bang pulls over to a gas station. Chang Wook almost wants to protest. He doesn’t want to stop now; not even for five minutes. But, if anything, the military has taught him discipline so he swallows his objections.

“Sorry,” his manager looks at him apologetically, “Just a quick stop, buddy. I have to fill up the tank. And my wifey needs to take a bathroom break.” 

His wife rolls her eyes at this oversharing but climbs out quickly to head to the restrooms. She was 3 months pregnant, God help Bang Chi Gu.

Before he leaves, Manager Bang rummages around in a bag he had laid behind his seat and pulls out a small box. He flips it open and hands Chang Wook a small black device. “Here, take this.”

It’s an iPhone 9s, somewhat familiar yet also so different from the phone he had to give up two years ago. It felt odd to hold one in his hand again.

The first few months at camp, Chang Wook had found himself automatically reaching for his phone almost every other minute. He hadn’t realized how not having one felt like he was missing an arm or leg. In fact, that had been the hardest part about enlistment. Not being able to contact the ones he loved or check on them through social media anytime he wanted.

Chang Wook types in his passcode and presses the Call app. He’s relieved to see his contacts are set up the same. He goes to ‘Favorites’ and at the very top he sees her smiling face listed over the words ‘Jagiya’.

His heart beats rapidly as he presses it and the phone dials her number.

“Annyeong,” the voice on the other end is so familiar and beloved.

“JiHyun-ah…” He feels his throat choke up a little. God, he’s missed her.

“Jagiya…” he hears the smile in her voice, but it also sounds shaky with tears “Are you doing ok? I’ve missed you. So, so much.  Please hurry back”

“Arasso. I can’t wait to see you... I love you”.  

The last time he had seen her was at Manager Bang's wedding and that was only for one day. They had been able to talk a litle more frequently on the phone recently thanks to the cellphone his squad had received (for high performance, but it was incoming-only). Hearing her voice, however, had only fueled his need to see her.

The driver-side door opens. Chang Wook turns expecting to see Manager Bang, then freezes in shock.

Slim legs slide onto the seat next to him and a hint of perfume fills the air with a familiar scent. That same beautiful smile he had saved in his dreams every night appears before him.

“I love you, too” she says, tears shining out of the corner of her eyes. She puts down her phone and wraps her arms around him, holding him tight

It takes a second for Chang Wook to react, for his heart to catch up to things, but soon he's hugging her back; still not quite believing that she's here. He's imagined this moment so many times. Had pictured her face, her smile, the softness of her in his arms.

Slowly he pulls away so he can gaze at her. His eyes look in wonder at the curve of those cheeks, those soft lips, the mold of her nose .Her beautiful eyes. It's the face he's stared at every morning as he opens his locker in the barracks, tracing the photo of her with his fingers first thing each day.

“Why are you looking at me like that? Did I change too much?” she asks, teasingly.

The mischievous smile she gives him is completely familiar, and Chang Wook feels a surge of wonder as he realizes that she really, truly is here

“You got even more beautiful,” he says, gazing at her.

And it’s true. The setting sun casts a golden halo behind her making her appear even more impossibly angelic. Her face lights up with joy, mesmerizing him further

Nam Ji Hyun gazes at her love before her, noticing every small change, not missing an inch. The months apart have been hard, especially the times she couldn't even call to hear his voice. They've met every chance they could including a few trips she had made to his base. Even so, she hasn't been able to touch him the way she wanted to. Or feel his lips on hers. Or hold him on the days she just needed to feel his arms around her.

But none of that mattered. Because he is here now.

"I've missed you so much" she whispers, her voice breaking slightly, “Welcome home, Jagiya”.

Her heart overflows with the joy of today.  She tries not to cry, but she can't help it. Tears spill over.

He reaches out to wipe them away gently, regretting that he has caused those tears and perhaps many others like them to fall. Yet, he is so thankful that she has endured it all for him. His hands shake slightly as he relearns the soft curves of her cheek. So familiar yet so new again.

He leans down and tastes the sweetness of her lips, remembering what it felt like to breathe in her soft scent. 

At the touch of his lips, she sighs, then draws closer, her soft curves pressing against him. Her lips eagerly returning his kiss, wanting more. Her hands roam over the white expanse of his shoulders

At her touch, Chang Wook can no longer hold back. He wraps his arms around her and kisses her hungrily. He breathes in her scent, tasting deeper as she slides her arms around his neck; her lips consuming him with the same fierce abandon.  The long months and endless nights of separation fuel an almost desperate need to be closer.

Hands caress every inch that can be reached. His, hers. Fingers search frantically for the warm feel of soft skin, reaching past the layers of fabric separating them. 

A loud horn blares nearby jolting them apart. 

Chang Wook pulls back, breathing heavily. Rubbing his neck to try calm himself. That was close. A little bit more and he would have been undressing Ji Hyun right there in the car.  Ignoring the fact that they were parked publicly where anyone could see. 

Ji Hyun sits up and rests her head on his shoulders. Her breathing shaky.

He leans down to drop a tender kiss on the top of her head, then gently smooths down her hair, tucking the long strands behind her ears. He doesn’t trust himself to touch her beyond that.

After a while his brain resumes normal operation and he realizes that his manager hasn’t returned. He wonders if perhaps Manager Bang and his wife might have seen them getting all hot and heavy in the car, then shrugs. Bang Chi Gu is a married man after all. He’d understand.

Even so,  shouldn’t they be back by now?

“Jagiya, do you know where Manager Bang is?”

“Oh,” Ji Hyun sits up straight. “Hmm… he’s probably half-way to Seoul now”

Chang Wook looks up, surprised.

"Say hello to your new driver!" she declares happily, jingling the key fob at him. "Ready to go home?" She presses the start ignition button and the Range Rover’s engine comes to life.

“Wait!” Chang Wook looks up with alarm. “You know how to drive?”

She rolls her eyes. “Of course. Obviously. I was keeping it a secret to surprise you,” she grins.

She smoothly maneuvers the car onto the road and eases into the flow of traffic. Chang Wook watches her, marveling at her complete ease. Two years ago she had been terrified when they had to film driving scenes for their TV show. Look at her now.

He wonders a little sadly at how much more he’s missed in the past two years.

She glances at him, then holds out one hand to squeeze his reassuringly. Some of the sadness melts away and he pushes whatever remained of it out of his mind.

The twenty-one months had not been easy; but, it had also revealed to him how lucky he was to have her. And how fortunate he was to have his family, friends and fans cheering him on.

She had been there for him, waiting through the long months. He could not make or receive many phone calls at the base; so she had written letters to him endlessly, even if he wasn’t always good at writing back. She always made sure he got news regularly, sending photos of friends and family and mailing care packages to be shared with the whole squad. His squad mates had enviously t eased him about it, but would always look up with excitement whenever one of his packages arrived. In Squad Alpha 8 they now called her Goddess Nam Ji Hyun.

She had insisted they always meet at his Omma's place every short break he got. Which means they hadn’t been on a real date since his enlistment. But she didn’t want him to miss out on any time with his mother.

His Omma was head over heels about her. JiHyun-i was all she would talk about or write about sometimes. Chang Wook was pretty sure if she had to pick one of them she’d probably pick Ji Hyun. After all Chang Wook could not be the future mother of her grandbabies. 

Speaking of, they hadn’t had that conversation yet. About their future. But the last time he had been granted leave for Bang Chi Gu’s wedding, Chang Wook had made sure to run a little errand. He picked up something that was now in Manager Bang’s safe-keeping. He would be celebrating his two-year anniversary with Ji Hyun in just a couple of days and he was planning to take her on a trip on his bike; just the two of them. That would be the perfect time. 

He looks at Ji Hyun, soaking in each beloved curve and angle with his eyes. No matter the years, or the effects of passing time, she would always be beautiful to him. He had missed out on twenty-one months but he would make up for it with all the decades ahead. Every moment; happy or sad.

He wanted to laugh with her; hold her when she needed him and hold her when he needed it; see that smile light up her face every day. The kind fates had led her to him and he planned to never let go.

Feeling his gaze on her, she glances over quickly and then smiles.

"I love you." she says gently.

"I love you" he replies, his heart thrilling at those words no matter how many times he hears them.

On a day that was right, before the eyes and witness of all their friends and family, he was going to make sure she was his; forever til death do they part. And further beyond.

Fate had tangled their lives together. And he could only believe and hope that the red threads of Fate would endure to the heavens; or their next lives; or where-so-ever the sands of time would carry them.

Far above in the mountains beyond the heavens, a goddess, one of the three Samshins of childbirth and fate, smiles as she hears the earnest wish. She pulls out an intricately weaved tapestry made of multiple threads from seemingly thin air.

The fabric is composed of many knots; each symbolizing a human entanglement, for good or bad. She pulls out a small braid of two threads that have been woven closely together. She looks at it carefully, then tucks in a few more knots.

She examines her handiwork with pleasure.

As a Samshin, she does not define what people do when they meet; but at least, this should twine the fate of these two for a good few lifetimes. She blows on the tapestry and it slowly disappears sending invisible red threads to weave through the fabric of time.