“When U.N landing at Incheon harbor, starting point of the Battle of Incheon…”

I stared on the timblewolf wall after read each syllables on that old-yellow-paper several times; I didn’t need read the whole words on that old-yellow-paper because I know very well about that, about the timelines and about everything as if it was happened in yesterday morning when I woke up from my beauty long sleep.

I occasionally glancing on a mantel clock placed on the self above the fireplace.

23.45

I don’t know either why am I sit on a comfy sofa in family room alone, in the middle of night, with an old-yellow-paper on my right hand and count how many times until that time comes.

23.50

How long will I be waiting? Is it okay if I keep doing this? I should go to my bedroom, sleep under the warm blanket, and wake up in the morning for meeting the acquaintances on bevy of elderly.

That sounds selfish.

 “Not sleepy yet?” a man with husky voice asked me from threshold.

I facing him and curved my lips into little smile as an answer.

He walks up to me and my blonde hair that turned into grey from the time when the processing of production pigment called melanin on me has been stopped long time ago. “Go sleep now.”

Being a stubborn I am, I shook my head.

“Stop doing this.”

“Later.” I voiced out and glancing once again on the mantel clock.

23.55

“The time is getting near.” I whispered and tucked his shirt, command him to sit beside me.

He follows my wish to sits closely beside me, holding both my hands after wrapped my body in a bundle of my favourite warm spring-green blanket that he had brought from our room. Leaned my head on his chest and attentively staring at the mantel clock full of wish.

00.00

“Wanna hear my story?” I asked him in low voice.

I smiled when he nod and my grey-hair. “Yes, I want hear your story again, gyu.”

~~~

There was a time when cold war still going on and Korean War is nearly end and at that time, I was 20. I woke up to the sun dazzling through the window and the smell of kimchi stew float on the air. My pistachio coloured room sparkled with sunlight and my lace curtains were blowing gently in the early morning breeze. Shivering due to the morning breeze even me growing up in Busan but me still feeling amazing with the weather and morning breeze especially Busan located in coastal cities and every year is always warm or nearly hot.

I kicked off the blankets from my body and rushed to the bathroom so I could quickly change for work uniform as the reason that today is my first day working on Uncle Lee’s dinner and to give a good impression so I wouldn’t be force to join those training although without this job I still won’t be enlistment.

After blow-drying my black hair, I threw on my work uniform, which consisted of a black chinos and a white shirt that originally my big brother’s stuff but during his bear arms, I can wear his stuffs. Looked at myself in the mirror after spray white-glowing perfume and feel satisfied, I going downstairs for having breakfast. Mom was at the stove, humming a ballad-bitterly-scattered-heart song while making kimchi stew and boiling a hot water for cups of coffee. Other hands, Dad have not arrived yet on dining room, he has habit to take a bath like a princess, and he said a man needs a long-morning-ritual for boost their handsomeness or something.

I kissed both of my mother’s cheeks and she jumped slightly. “Aigoo.” She said, hold her chest, acting like she was get a biggie surprise.

“I’m not that scared you that much.” I whined.

She chuckles, kissed back my cheeks after ruffles my hair that I have combed neatly. “Sit down there, baby, and I’ll make a breakfast for you.”

I nodded and went to my usual chair when father come into the dining room, greeting both of us in melodious tone. “Morning my sunshine~” and he sit in front of me, while began to open a newspaper.

“Driving Sunggyu to work, Heejeon,” Mom said suddenly when placed a cup of coffee in front of dad and a glass of milk in front of me. “You have nothing to do today, except cleaning our garage and make a call on army camp.”

Dad throws a glance on my mom through his thick glasses. “I won’t, Gyuri. You know how hate me to go there and meet the old Lee.” He twitching his nose and sipped his coffee.

“You will or you won’t any breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the rest of your life.” Mom nagging while placing a plate of kimchi stew for me, “Is it enough?”

I nod and start to eat my kimchi stew. “If dad won’t drive me is okay mom, I know he hates me very much.” I said in dramatically voice, tried to persuasion mom to force dad to driving me.

The moustache-male gives me that looks.

“I know dear, he’s not good as good as we think.” Mom said in playful voice but fairly enough to see she is serious or not. She’s such a good actress or should I say, mom is a great actress on our town theater before she got married.

Dad huffed in one long breath. “Okay I’ll drive you there but don’t ask me to enter the dinner. Get it?”

I nodded eagerly. Finally, my dad lost. He’s always lost against mom.

~~~

Dad was already waiting for me in his Volvo Duett. A classic Volvo Duett in hot magenta that he bought from his older brother in cheapest price 2 years ago before my brother got enlist.

I got to work on time and like what he said before, he really won’t greet anything to Uncle Lee whom sits perfectly on his traditional suits under the cherry blossom three. It kinda funny how my father hates to see Uncle Lee in person just because a reason he never tells us.

Our first customer today came in an hour after we open and he was by himself. A young man, perhaps 2 years younger than me, and my coworker, Jaehyo, said he’s not on this dinner regular customer’s list. I inhaled deeply, went to tend to my first customer.

“Good morning.” I greet him, put my best smile I ever had by practiced a lot in front of mirror every day and I see the most beautiful black orbs beamed up at me. They were striking, full of something like half of this world population cannot get rid of situation he was before but most of all, those eyes is breathtaking. “Can I get you a coffee or tea today?” and thanks I’m not shuttered.

He nodded. “Maybe a cup of black tea, low sugar and make sure the water isn’t really hot but warm.”

“Anything else?” I asked after write what he was ordering on my notepad.

“Rice crackers, maybe?”

“Else?” I asked and turned my head to Jaehyo, our eyes met and he frowned because how indifference my manners to this customer.

He knocked his knuckles on the table, facial expression said he was on deep thought about his orders. “Maybe, do you have ramyeon?”

I nodded; write his orders slowly but then stopped immediately when realized what he was saying before. “Excuse me?” I tilt my head and give him what-are-you­ looks.

“I have appetite for ramyeon these days and like this town not have any ramyeon’s shop.” He grumbled and stared at me with those black fascinating orbs. “Maybe eat a bowl of ramyeon not bad for solving my cravings.”

“How about you get another, sir?” I asked, tried not to lose my temperament to nag at because he asking too much orders like nothing ado. “We haven’t serve ramyeon since three years ago, and if you want to know ramyeon isn’t good for breakfast.” I tapped the ballpoint on the table edgily.

“If you say so, maybe just rice crackers and tea would be good.” He smiled a bit cheekily and rubbed both his hands on his creasy army printed jacket before I left to get his drink and meal.

I didn’t take too much attention to him, but since that day he always came to the dinner, at the same hour and time, book of the same order and left 2 hours before we closed, he usually wore his creasy army printed jacket and I became his regular waiter. He didn’t talk too much like the others but not rarely greets me when we met at coincident outside the dinner. Like what happened two days ago, when we met on groceries store and he greeted me shyly, just a greet nothing more and I’m not hope something more than a greet.

I stunned from my deep thought and looked on my next, that man smiled and waved. “Hi.”

The auntie owned the store gave him a bucket of veggies and he bowed after give amount of money. “You live here?” I asked, a bit zooming out.

“No, just a guest I guess.” He chuckled and then left after said he was sorry because interfere my deep thought.

However, this time he came earlier on our dinner, he came late—5 hours late, sit on his table like usual but he cast a glance out the window though, wore a new army suit from head to toe, and next to him is a shabby-duffle bag that looks very heavy. I tip toed to him, not tried to scare him. “Good morning. What can I do for you, sir?” I greet and officially we didn’t know each other’s name.

He gazed at my direction, smiled but not sincere like usual. “A water, please.” And he added a please not maybe.

Surprised because he never asked me with please and what a strange his black orbs not shining as usual. “That’s it?” I asked and he shrugging.

"Have to save all the money I can." He looked miserable and now I felt terrible.

I huffed and sit next to his shabby-duffle bag. “I treat you today. Get whatever you want, sir.” I smiled and not to mention he smiled back at me while shook his head.

“No, thank you. I don’t want to be a burden. A glass of water is good.” He said and fingers my chubby cheeks. “It’s Woohyun. My name is Nam Woohyun and you have dots of ketchup stains on your cheeks.”

The new soldier chuckled when get rid his hand from my cheeks. “Thanks and I’ll be back.” I said hurriedly to get his water, but he grabbed my wrist.

“You… want to talk to me?” he asked shyly. “It’s okay if you don’t but—“

I removed his hand from my wrist, not want to be flippant but I don’t like when people interfere my space. “I'm off in an hour.” Cut his sentence, I write something on my notepad. “But I treat you a hot tea and a rice crackers and I know where we can go. Deal?”

“Thank you…. Umm…. Sunggyu.” He said, read my nametag on my uniform and I felt my cheeks turned into a shade of pink cherry blossoms.

An hour later, I asked Sungyeol, my manager to off earlier than before and promise if tomorrow I will take a longer shift than usual. He eyed me suspicious and asked me a few questions about off earlier and I said I’m not in good condition but he chuckled when take a glimpse on a soldier I was talked to before he said yes.

I walked out and went to meet him. He looked up in a daze and then smiled, grabbed his shabby-duffle bag and slung it over his muscular shoulder as we walked out of the dinner. We didn't say a word as we walked and we just like a completely stranger who met at the cross road. So I hate this state and started to think about things that we could talk about. I asked him if he liked to play sports and he said soccer then he tell me everything about how he hates this enlist because it caused post-pone on his soccer club on his hometown, Chungcheong, a town I never heard before but judged from its name, it miles far away from here. I notice a slight accent I never heard and I asked about that, he said its Chungcheong dialect. I told him either about my hometown in Jeonju but moved out after America arrived there and there’s no space we could living in peacefully condition. He nodded and agreed, saying Chungcheong would be transferred into Soviet if we lost next month. I get a shivered on my body when talked about this.

By the time we got the pier, we sit under a tree and I was a bit miffed. I looked around and noticed that people were playing with their acquaintances in the water, or were having picnics, or playing anti-war music on their guitars. Listened to the sound of the ocean and the sea birds and completely relaxed. I shut my eyes for a brief moment and just listened to the sounds. I realized how can Busan could be this calm when war raged everywhere and compare to this soldier that sit next to me whom maybe worried. Then I felt my hand went warm. I opened my eyes, noticed that my new soldier friend had holding my hand, like it was normal, but the strange thing about it was that it felt normal.

I studied his face when he closed his eyes and leaned on the tree. His hair was like ready to war, short and black and his army cap lie around his figure, his face of course handsome and manlier than I am, his lips were perfect and kissable, its length, size and fullest. Never I have this urge to kiss others people lips like this or I should say his lips very tempting to tease.

“You can taste if you really like it.” He said and chuckled slightly without opened his eyes.

I obviously embarrassed and covered my face. Oh .

“Just kidding.” He chuckled and grabbed my hands that covered my face. “Don’t. You know your hamster-face is cute, don’t cover it.”

He seriously knows how to embarrass me out of my life. “Aigoo!!!” I cried and smacked his shoulder playfully and he just not chuckled this time but laughed loudly. How I wish I could smack his pretty face. “I leave.” I said then he stopped from his laughing like maniac and shook his head hurriedly.

“No! No! No! No! No! No!” he stopped me by caught my wrist and pulling me to sit down again and I must urge to laugh heartedly because he fell on my dirty tricks. Yay. “I—hei, you tricked me?” he asked and I nodded while covered my mouth, tried not to laugh loudly.

“Are you… leaving today?” I whispered and he gazed on me sadly and nodded. “I see. My brother went there too.”

“So, he’s not coming from army yet?” he asked a bit worried for something.

“Yes, dad said he took double years for army to take mine. Parents didn’t allow me to be enlistment due to personal health.” Lowered my face onto the ground and playfully stuck my finger on a hole on the ground. “I felt sorry for him but he said it’s okay.” Now, I felt want to cry.

Nam woohyun tapped his fingers on my shoulder, calm me down and my hair slightly. “Your brother loves you. If I meet him there, I will tell him about you. Who is he?”

“Kim Jungmin.”

He tapped his index finger on his chin. “Okay, I will said like this ‘Kim Jungmin-ssi, I met your little brother, Sunggyu, he loves you and wish you comeback because he cried every day. No, don’t be worried, I take care of him for you.’ Right?” he chuckled again and his eyes said it something strange behind what he said.

I nodded but occasionally feel weird. “We not even close.”

“We close!” he said exclaimed and grabbed my body to lean on his muscular body and hugged me from behind. “We close, aren’t we?”

At that moment, we became silent to each other and he grabbed my thumbs, plays with it and said something incoherently in Chinese. I didn’t know how to say to calm this new soldier about the army and else but this cold atmosphere should be crushed.

“Who are you leaving behind?”

He tensed up and breathes out a cold air. “My mother and father, but my brother will charge from his army next month.”

“I see.” I nodded slightly rested deeper into the crook of his green army shirt.

I sit up and turned looked at him when he sat up straighter. “Sunggyu-ssi. I bet you got a boyfriend, but I don’t care. So, please would you… would you mind to reply my letter if i… if i… if I sent on to you?” he asked and his face got red from embarrassed. “I have no one to send a letter to… my family… they—“

Then I cut his sentences by shut his mouth by placing my index finger on his lips. “It would be great for me.” And his face got brighter. “I have no boyfriend either.” I felt like crying because how poor this boy, I don’t know nothing about him but I don’t know I can be so attached to him like this.

“Thank you so much. Thank you so much.” He muttered it repeatedly and touched my cheeks.

I felt warm cross on there, closed my eyes, and accidentally purred because enjoyed the sensation that I probably will not get it later again.

We got to the bus station 5 minutes before 7 and there were about 40 soldiers waiting to catch the bus. They were surrounded by their family or even their lover. Women were crying and men were quiet. It was depressing. After Woohyun checked in with the driver, we stood together waiting. We watched everyone around us and he grabbed my hand.

“It bring me to the time when sent my brother there.” I chuckled and wipe away a single tears that dropped on my cheeks.

He didn’t do anything, he didn’t shoed me he just hold my hand tighter. I could sense why he didn’t say anything, he thought that I already knew what will he said and I know very well about this army program that he will take to. He’s right I already knew about that but he didn’t know how shattered my heart saw this. Saw him.

"You are going to write to me, aren't you?" I said turning towards him.

"I will write to you every day." Woohyun said gently, rubbing my cheek with his thumb. We had exchanged information at dinner time so I knew he had it. I had put it in his front pocket myself. “Maybe not every day but twice a week. Is that okay?”

I nodded and mouthing “Good luck” when the bus started boarding and let my arms drop and smiled at him.

The bus started and my heart sank. I told myself not to cry. Man is not crying. Man is not crying. Kim Sunggyu is a man, so he is not crying. Not like this. Not like here. However, when the bus really could not see again, I let myself cry and I forget something.

I forget to kiss him.

this is the part one, i'll post the second chapter next week, perhaps.

wish you like this story much because i did not put any to checking the grammar error and yeah sorry.

i post this as the reason i can't update others in short time so.. please. thehehe. cheers<3