He had known that this day would be coming, but every little detail still seemed to come as a shock. When Yesung had cried at the Super Show, Ryeowook had held him tightly and soothed the boy's back. There was nothing he could do though, nothing he could say. 

 

He wished that he could bear Yesung's pain for him, he knew that his boyfriend wasn't scared of the training, or being with strangers. He knew that Yesung's fear was of being forgotten, of coming back from the two years to find another person in his place, another person singing his lines. 

That no one would wait for him.

 

It was clear in his face when he looked at the members. Wook could see the love and longing clear on his face as he watched the members live their lives, the way they sat, the way they smiled. 

Ryeowook knew that Yesung was making a scrapbook in his mind of all their happy times together, and that it would help him through the long two years.

Wook also knew that Yesung was remembering these times just in case he couldn't come back. In case there wouldn't be anymore.

 

Sometimes, Yesung would just sit silently for a while, his gaze pointed at the floor. He wouldn't speak, he wouldn't smile, he would just sit lifelessly and tiny tears would appear in the corners of his eyes.

Wook would hug him desperately, kissing his cheek and his hair. But it would take a while for Yesung to respond. Then he would hold Wook in his arms and kiss him back, hug him tightly.

Slowly, the older boy was withdrawing from them, trying to make the separation easier for them all.

 

Sometimes, Yesung's kisses were a little too rough, his hugs sometimes almost painful. But Wook didn't mind, he knew that the boy was just trying to make the most of the little time they had left together. Yesung would never mean to be hurtful.

 

Wook knew how hard it was for the older boy to stay strong and control his emotions. After a week of the older boy not crying, Ryeowook walked into their bedroom to see his boyfriend lying on the bed, shuddering with sobs.

The pillow was soaked with tears, and the older boy had been holding one of Wook's tshirts in his hands, holding it to his mouth and kissing the soft fabric. Wook had wanted to cry then, but he had stayed strong for Yesung. He had moved the boy's head onto his lap, and the soft hair. He whispered soft comforts to the boy until he felt the shudders end.

 

Sometimes, late at night, Ryeowook would pretend to be asleep and he would feel Yesung's small hands on his body. The boy would run his hands over Wook's back, trailing them down the slender spine, and tracing the outline of his limbs. The touches were gentle, light as feathers as Yesung his skin.

Wook knew that the boy was creating a mental image of his frame, for Yesung wouldn't have anything to hug and caress in the army. 

Yesung would kiss him too. Moving under the blankets, he would press light butterfly kisses to Wook's skin, kissing as much skin as possible without waking the boy. 

 

Yesung didn't know that Wook was awake for it all, he didn't know that Wook was also treasuring each tender touch and kiss. He didn't know that Wook could hear the whispered apologies in a broken voice, as the boy pressed his lips again and again to the warm skin.

"Sorry Wook. I'm sorry I've let you down. I promised to always be at your side, but now I'm leaving you. I'm so sorry, I love you Wook. I love you, I love you, I love you."

Wook would pretend to wake up then, and he would take the boy's face in his hands and kiss away the tears. 

 

Sometimes, Wook wondered how they would last the two years apart. But, as he hugged Yesung one final time, and kissed the boy with as much love as he could, he knew that they could do it. 

And so, immediately after Yesung had entered the training camp, he pulled a piece of paper from his pocket, and began to write his first letter.

 

He described the gentle touches, telling Yesung that he had been awake all along and had treasured the touches as much as the older boy had. He wrote in detail about the conversations that they had had, the whispered words at night, and reminded Yesung of the promises they had made to each other.

And the end of his letter was the promise that he had made. "I'll never forget you, Yesung. Stay strong. I love you."

 

As Wook finished the letter, he pressed a kiss to the paper. The smooth outline of his lips would speak a thousand words to the older boy. The lipbalm shone, and Wook knew that Yesung would appreciate the kiss. 

And the next day, Yesung's letter was also signed with a kiss.