"Appa..."

Sungmin slowly and gently looked at his son who kneel down in front of him and touched his knees gently.

"I've found him."

Sungmin's eyes brightened shortly before looking at his wife, Sunkyu, who suddenly turned to her tea.

He secretly swallowed and breathe in heavily. He smiled at his son who looks at him gently as if he understands everything.

"Where is he? I want to see him."

His voice is not as sweet as when he was still singing in a once popular group. His skin is not as smooth as well.
Lines on his forehead and at the side of his lips are too obvious and his salt and pepper of hair cannot hide what has been
so true.

It's been a long time...

------------POV 40 years ago--------------

All men in South Korea who is not more than 50 years old are mandatorily invited to go to the respective camp of their town
and follow military rules! Be brave and serve the country, protect the next generation and your souls will be honoured by them
for the rest of their lives.

"This is it." their leader said. "Super Junior will not perform as of now." though he is scared, he showed his bright smile to
his dongsaengs who stayed with him for 10 years or so.

"Let's just hope that when everything is done, we'll still meet each other with a smile on our faces."

His dongsaengs nodded and hugged each other. Words of encouragement and promises filled their hearts. They were scared but they
know they should be a man for their country.

The war against North Korea has started and they know what every man their age should do; protect their families, their friends,
their country. There will be no more Super Junior or any other groups performing on stage. All have separated and prepared for
the upcoming war.

"Sungmin hyung..." Kyuhyun called before Sungmin left SM building. The older thought he can escape him. He wouldn't want to see
Kyuhyun before leaving, it will weaken his determination. He closed his eyes tightly not wanting to show any emotions. He
turned to him and waited to say something.

Kyuhyun didn't say anything but he stared at his hyung for a long time. He knows Sungmin is avoiding him, but he wouldn't let
the older do that for this might be the last. He hugged Sungmin tightly making the older one almost fell weak.

"Are we going to the war without saying goodbye?"

Sungmin's tears started wetting his shirt when the younger asked him. Who would want to say goodbye? Who would want to be
separated from his most favorite magnae? What if they don't see each other again? Sungmin is not scared of dying for the
country, but he is scared of Kyuhyun getting hurt or killed during the war... he is scared of not being with Kyuhyun for the
rest of his life.

Many people had always believe it is just fan service but its not. It's the truest part of stage for both of them. Being
together in each other's arms, holding hands before the curtain calls, the occassional secret stares they do unconsciously
when performing, all of them are real. They are the most real thing that ever existed in each other’s life.

"When this is over, let's meet each other here." Sungmin said. “You have to wait for me.” Kyuhyun nodded and looked at him
gently, memorizing every inch of Sungmin's face. His nice forehead, the doe pair of eyes, his sharp nose and those curvy lips. He kissed his hyung gently making sure the taste he won't forget will linger in his own.

"I'll wait for you here." Kyuhyun said.

That was the last time they've seen each other. The war lasted for 10 years or so and the people who marked the music
industries are living a different life.

The girls from different girl groups were also assigned to contribute for the country. Applying for courses as a care giver is
the most popular jobs for them. Sunny is no different. Everyday she needs to attend to injured people; male or female, she has
witness death in her arms and even death before even receiving treatments. She has helped familiar and unfamiliar faces, she has
witnessed death of some of her closest friends as well. It was hell. It was a nightmare everybody wanted to wake up from.

"Sunny shii... there's an injured soldier in bed 11."

She's no longer the aegyo princes, Sunny of girls generation. She has long forgetten about it. But people around her doesn't.
To them she is still the bubbly and sunshine, Sunny. She immediately took her first aid and went to bed 11.

She saw a man crouching in pain; head and arms bleeding, leg with a gun shot as well. She widened her eyes, she seldom sees
people from the past. Especially people from the same company.

"O-oppa... Sungmin oppa."

She immediately use the skills she learned in helping injured soldiers and in no time, Sungmin is in deep asleep.

This war is making her world smaller. At one time she assisted Junsu but she failed, he died because of a fatal injury and
then there is Minho, and then Jiyong, all those people died in the war. Right now, the person she wished to know his
whereabouts is sleeping, injured because of the war as well.

"Oppa..."

For years, she has loved him. Although it was never acknowledge, she didn't stop her heart for falling completely to Sungmin.
Now the world finally let them meet again. Sungmin shivered and felt pain, he's having fever and convulsion and the only thing
Sunny can do is to put him in her arms and cuddle him close.

"You're going to be fine. Oppa, trust me." she whispered.

For days and months of recovery, Sungmin is finally back on his feet, with Sunny by his side. The most familiar companion he
ever had since the war started. He turned to her with a smile.

"Sunkyu yah..." he called.  He never called her with her screen name, he never got used to it, besides there’s no other name
more beautiful than one’s real name.

The war had subsided. South Korea is beginning again. But which exactly part of the ruins should be recovered first? They need
to stay put and wait for the next command of the government.

"Smile for me, Sunkyu yah..." he said. Sunny looked down shyly and smiled afterwards. Sungmin smiled as well. The only sunshine
in this living hell is Sunny's smile. He knows there is another heaven somewhere...

How is Kyuhyun? He never hear a thing from him after they separated that day. He tried writing letters but he doesn't know whether
Kyuhyun receives them or not.

One night, Sungmin woke up feeling Sunny's arms wrapped around him. "Sunkyu yah..." he said wondering why his dear friend is
acting that way. Why is Sunkyu being this close to me? I'm a man for Pete's sake!

"Oppa..." Sunny swallowed before meeting Sungmin's eyes. "Stay with me tonight."

Sungmin doesn't know how it happened, it just happened. And it didn't happen just once, they counted numbers after that.

Sungmin looked at Sunny the next morning. "I'm leaving." she told him making Sungmin wondered why he needed to share a night
with someone who is leaving afterall.

"Oppa... I've loved you...even before this. I just want you to feel it before I leave." Sungmin just listen to her.

"We have a new government so we can already start our new lives. I want to leave this life behind. I want to live my life the
way I used to know it, the way I’ve dreamt of it. I know you've wanted to free yourself in this place as well-"

"Sunkyu yah..." he called. He walked closer to her and wiped the tears that are streaming on her cheeks.

"Stay with me..." Sunny lifted her head with much surprise. Sungmin had thought about it before. He has been writing letters
to Kyuhyun but he doesn't receive anything back. Maybe Kyuhyun is also starting a new life. Maybe he also knows this could
happen. Maybe Kyuhyun, like some of the members, had died or maybe...he just can’t fulfill their promise anymore.

"Stay with me...for the rest of our lives." Sungmin held her hands and kissed her the way he did last night. He looked at
Sunkyu who doesn't know whether to smile or to cry because of her happiness. "Smile for me, Sunkyu yah..."

From now on, and for the rest of our lives, we will be together.

It's not a bad idea since Sungmin has been relying on Sunkyu since the day he was sent on that hospital. She became his friend,
his companion especially on his downest moment. He cannot deny that he had learned to love the young girl even though in his
heart, there is still a big part that aches for a certain man named Cho Kyuhyun.

Lee Sunkyu. She's the happiest woman that day, she thought she needs to leave that place alone but no...all her efforts for
Sungmin to see her differently are all worth it. She turned to her drawer and turned the lock, making sure she is alone in the
quarters and the door is lock. She breathe in as she brought out a box.

"Oppa... I'm really sorry." she opened the box and revealed the letters Kyuhyun sent to Sungmin in reply to his letters. She
closed it again and hugged it close to her chest. She placed it in her bag and off she go.

They've started anew and Korea is back as people know it. Sungmin and Sunkyu are living happily in their simple house with
their 6 years old son, Minkyu and their newly born baby girl, Sungsoon.

"Sunkyu yah...have you seen my watch?" Sungmin shouted from their room as he fold his sleeve.

"It's in the drawer somewhere." Sunkyu said, hushing her baby to stop from crying.

Sungmin frantically look at the drawers until he reached Sunkyu's make up drawer. He never really opened it before since he
doesn't like looking at his wife's personal stuffs. Even if they are married, they've managed to have their 'self time' and he
respects Sunkyu's self time as much as she did to him.

He didn't see the watch, but he stayed there crouching reading tons of letters from Kyuhyun.

Sungmin ah
I had orders to get you from the HQ
Tell me where I can find you.
Let’s just run away, let’s not go back
to this place
and just be together somewhere, yes?
I’ll be waiting for your answer.

Kyuhyun

Sungmin ah
Our quarters were raided
I might not be able to contact you soon
But stay where you are
I'll take you with me once I get the
chance to leave this place.
Wait for me.

Kyuhyun

"Oppa...have you seen your-" Sunkyu said but stopped right away when she saw what Sungmin is holding.

She slowly almost dragging her feet towards her husband as Sungmin closed the box and stood up looking at her calmly like what
he always do. But other than that, she sees no reaction from her husband.

"O-oppa..." she looked away, how can she explain that she have kept all Kyuhyun's letter to him? This is it, Lee Sunkyu.
Sungmin is going to leave you now.

"Oppa... I-"

Sungmin didn't say anything. Instead, he held Sunkyu's cheek and carressed it the way he always do and looked at her eyes. He
gently blinked and freed a short smile. He can see Sunkyu's fear in those big eyes. He sighed.

"Smile for me, Sunkyu yah..."

Sunkyu doesn't know what to do. Why is her husband asking her to smile despite what he discovered? She tried stretching her
lips in an overly guilty and awkward smile. Sungmin blinked again and smiled. He kissed Sunkyu's forehead before leaving her
in their room carrying the box of Kyuhyun's letter with him.

"Appa... I want to play ball!" Minkyu said carrying a ball. Sungmin smiled at him and kneel before him.

"Come here, Minkyu yah... Appa wants to hug you." the young boy came and was carried by his dad. Sungmin hugged him tightly
trying his best to stop his tears. "Minkyu yah... Appa loves you so much." he said hoping his voice is not cracking or
something. He closed his eyes tightly to trap the tears that are about to come out.

"Minkyu loves Appa too!" His boy looked at him and kissed him in the cheek which melted his heart even more. He placed his son
down.

"Appa is quite busy today, ask Umma to play with you for the meantime, ok?" Minkyu nodded and ran towards his mom.

That night, Sungmin stayed at the darkest corner of their library and cried while hugging Kyuhyun's letters close to him.

He doesn't have anything to say. The next days, he spend more time in his work and goes home late at night when Sunkyu is
already asleep. On one of the nights before the week ends, he went back home and saw Sunkyu waiting for him. He met her eyes
and looked down afterwards, walking around the room and taking off his necktie amd loosening the buttons.

"Oppa... I kept the letters because-" Sunkyu started and was about to stand up.

"Have you eaten?"

Sungmin asked making Sunkyu looked down. He walked towards her and kneel down. He touched her face like he always do and said...

"Smile for me, Sunkyu yah..." Sunkyu doesn’t want to do anything; instead she wants to clear things.

"Oppa..." Sungmin sighed and showed a straight smile.

"I'm hungry...let's have dinner." He turned his back and placed his bag somewhere as he completely removed his necktie.

"Oh..."

Sunkyu prepared their dining table and Sungmin started eating quietly with his wife. Sungmin focused on his plate and
occasionally putting meat on his wife’s bowl. Sunkyu cannot bear seeing her husband treating her like this...it kills her even
more.

"You were still in danger at that time. I knew you'd come to him if you read those-"

Sungmin put his bowl down and stood up from his chair and kneel down again in front of Sunkyu and rested his hands on her
knees. He looked up and met his wife’s eyes about to spill some tears. He reached for her soft cheeks and looked at her gently.

"That's enough, Sunkyu yah..."

"But-"

"I'm happy being with you. We have Minkyu, we have Sungsoon... What else can I ask for?"

"But Oppa-"

"You're my wife, Sunkyu yah... I'm going to be the man for you and the father for our children. I promise that to you."

Sunkyu smiled shakily as tears fall from her eyes. She is indeed scared that her husband might have a change of heart. Right
now, she felt relief. She wrapped her arms around Sungmin's neck and hugged him tightly.

Sungmin hugged her back tightly, but because Sunkyu cannot see him, he can stop pretending to be fine for a while. His eyes
looked tired and lifeless. He blinked once again and let go from his wife's embrace.

"Smile for me, Sunkyu yah..." Sunkyu tried her best to smile despite the tears she has in her eyes. Sungmin smiled at her
gently and kissed her in the forehead.  He’s never going to see Kyuhyun for the rest of his life, he’ll be the man Sunkyu
wants to have, that’s what he promised her.