KUWTK15: Life is more beautiful with you.

This chapter is brought to you by SEPANX mouthwash, and Deluxe Delusional shampoo, cheret.

It was yet another sleepless night. The same bed they have been occupying after a month of marriage will feel bigger and colder. Then it hit her again, after their engagement, even before their wedding invitations were finalized his enlistment letter came. Too early for her liking, too much for her being. She was up in the fluffy clouds when they’re finally getting married, then here comes the ugly angsty reality of conscription notices. It was expected but it will never make her feel better.

There was a ghostly kiss that lingered on her forehead.

She felt him stood up earlier, like her…it was a restless night for him too. The last night of them cuddling through the softness of their bed. Both chose silence, just their breaths, their heartbeats and all the other natural sound their bodies can produce, were heavily remembered. They savoured whatever they can, their warmth as the late winter night cool them down, their scent, to say the least it was a peaceful night. It was one of their most intimate nights, so far.

Her body was facing the other way, he pulled her closer to him, “Are you sure you’re not going to see me off?” he broke the silence; his voice melted her. Like the smallest details of this night, she imprinted every bit of it. She decided not to go with him to the camp, it’s because she can’t. If there is an impromptu enlistment, her irrationality might take over and sign herself up.

“I figured, I don’t want you being all mushy in front of the soldiers.” She tried to humor him, but he knows she is lying but he kept mum and gathered her in his arms, deeper as if they’re not close enough. He noticed she hasn’t faced him, “You really are making it harder for me to leave.”

“It’s harder for the ones you leave behind.” She murmured. It’s not a competition, both will terribly miss each other regardless.

“It’s just 21 months.”

“STILL---21 months.”

“There are breaks in between.”

“STILL not enough.”

She finally turned her body to meet his gaze, “You’re never this clingy…” he chuckled while tracing her smooth face, her beauty is so gentle and he will miss watching her sleep like a fallen angel. She did not respond in words, but she buried her face into his chest, clutching his shirt. He feels so love and that comforted him. Jiyong never showed worries about going inside the camp, when someone asked him why he isn’t scared, “I have secured the heart of the woman that scared me to hell. There is nothing scarier than living my life without Sandara Park. White Skull can bring it on.” Indeed, just thinking about the possibility of her not being by his side scares him to infinity but now that he was able to wife her up, instead of fencing, he built a home for her, and with her.

“You are so warm, love.” She whispered. She dreads for the next night of the cold empty space beside her. “You smell nice too.” She was rambling.

“I will miss you.” He whispered. The thing is, Dara hasn’t cried a drop of tear and he’s scared. He knows she’s sad, “You can cry…it’s okay to cry.” For his wife tends to keep all her feelings inside and mask it with her smiles, so that he does not have to worry.

“I wanna send you off smiling.”

“You think I don’t know you?! You need to cry. Let it all out on me.” With that, she grinned at him. He’s dependable and always the strong man.

He kept his promise of protecting her, even to her own self. She still didn’t cry, she reached up to give him a kiss, “I love you.” She heard him whisper it back. He told her how much he does, repeatedly.

“Goodnight…sleep tight. Dream of me but don’t worry about me.” He kissed her forehead.

“Goodnight, sweet dreams.” She said, “You’re delusional, I will always worry about you because you’re an idiot most of the times.”

He grins at how Dara has turned into a real wife. She nags him a lot about everything.

It was the first morning after getting married that she did not look forward to. Squinting her eyes to the bedside digital clock on her left, it’s already thirty minutes after five. She wanted to go back to sleeping but that will only diminish the remaining time she has with him. Taking her silk robe, she’s as if there are nimbus clouds on top of her head. It hasn’t been long since she woke up, but she already had a hundred of sighs.

Dara walked her way through their kitchen, she knows Jiyong will be brewing his coffee. As expected, he’s already enjoying a cup of coffee as he leans on their kitchen counter. He looked extra manly with his hair and his forehead does not need a highlighter for it shines naturally. She congratulated herself for marrying a gorgeous man.

He does not hold his mug on the handle, he grips it on the body.

“Goodmorning, there is a mug handle for a reason, fumbles.”She calls him fumbles because he tends to be clumsy at times. He grinned at her, knowing that no matter how much she nags about how he holds his mug, he will never listen. “Goodmorning my love.” She smiled back. His smile made her morning better, he’s unexpectedly relaxed. His face is devoid of anxiety, while she probably aged 20 years older because she’s nervous.

Moments later, she found herself wrapping her arms around his waist. She was expecting him to , “Can you just not go?” He sighed, “You really are making this harder.”

“I’m sorry.” She mumbled. “I am worried, because you’re a sometimes.”

“Well—you are a too, you sometimes forget to pull the plug of your hair dryer. You forget to eat…what else? You tend to shop stuff you already have! —Oh, and you always get burned and you drink more Coke than water!” Jiyong listed a ton of ery she does, instead of getting offended she finds it amusing how he takes note of the little things she does. “You sleep well at night…okay?!” he turned mellow, “Open the window, just a little bit. Do not put your phone under the pillows, you should not be waiting for anyone’s calls. I don’t have my phone…” By now it’s already sinking in that it isn’t just like his world tours wherein after, they can talk--she felt a lump on . “Eat more, babe. You always lose weight, you do not need to. hmmmm…While I am away, do the things that will make you happy---sing again if you must, I’ll listen to it. Accept the variety offers, act on a movie. Go out with your friends…Finish college. I know that you can.”

She held back her tears, “Demanding, husband.” She looks up to him, his eyes and nose are red already, “Heol. EOOTTTOKEEE.”

“You don’t say nothing AHJUMMA!” He sniffed and laughed. Right now, his wife, had the usual teasing smirk.

She wiped his tears and after doing so she cupped his face, “Just come back to me, come back home.”

“Nehh…” he nodded embracing her too tight. Relishing the feel of her tiny body in his arms, ohhhh how he will miss her scent, everything about her.

At 9 am, his family came. His dad giving him advice, Dara made breakfast, but no one seems to be hungry, “Jiyong-ah, you have to eat. You never know what time you’ll eat again.” His mom called. Dara just quietly sits on the dining table together with Dami and her mother-in-law. His sister mirrors the anxiety that she has.

Dara reached for Dami’s hands, “Eonni…”

“Dara-yah…how can you not cry when he’s going?! I cried a lot last night!”

She smiled at her sister-in-law, “I might be crying too if it’s Sanghyun’s turn! ---Si-eomoni is not crying too.” Looking at her mother-in-law’s direction, the older woman looks relaxed, it’s as if the maknae of their family is not going to the most elite training camp. Dara tortured herself and watched videos of what White Skull has to offer days before, she showed it to Jiyong and he just shrugged while she was already thinking about who she can talk to, so he can get transferred.

They heard Jiyong’s dad snorted, “Because she wants him to get it over with, so she can have grandchildren already.”

Her mother-in-law, smiled at her teasingly, “The question is…are you not pregnant yet?!”

Talk about the awkwardness. “EOOOMMMA!” Jiyong blushed, and he saw Dara’s face painted with red too. “Ayyy---wae?! You two are married already? Don’t tell me you’re shooting blanks?!”

“HEOL!!!” Dami shrieked, “OMMMOOOOO!” Everyone in the room was type of scandalized at her mother-in-law’s casual retort.

“Yah!!!Stop embarrassing them! Kwon men are snipers, and snipers do not shoot blanks!” Dara wished to be swallowed by the floor, especially after she heard what her father-in-law said.

Dara saw Jiyong looking at her, he winked but she responded by rolling her eyes. Dami giggled, “I saw that. Kiyooowooo.” Dara only sipped her morning tea to hide her flushed face. She continued to sit quietly as she listens to his family’s advice and stories from his Dad’s own experience.

Just moments later, she excused herself, to “prepare his bath” and to check his belongings and to give them their family time. When Dami’s voice trembled, it was her cue.

Upon entering their room, reality took a sharp shot on her heart , the whole house is too big, and too quiet. Without Jiyong, she isn’t home. For twenty-one months she will never feel the warmth of their house that they founded with love.

“Ahhh…this is sad…” Shaking off all the loneliness and every nerve she’s been feeling lately, she must keep a strong game fac